Keep Watch
Keep watch, be on the alert. Be on guard, and don’t be mislead. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus repeats these phrases to His disciples. He is telling them that there will be those who will be bent on destroying them after they kill the Son of Man. Why? Last time I wrote about getting home. Jesus is the way home. It’s not an easy journey for us. In scripture we are reminded of our dark hearts, our hearts of stone. In John 1, verse 5 we are told the that “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” When we commit to Jesus and His truth we turn our backs on our sinful past and become new! He tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him. We are now crucified to the old self. We receive the Holy Spirit and a heart of flesh. It means we are changed. God loved us first and pursued us and now we love and pursue Him! We have become light.
“Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.”
Isaiah 8:22 NASB1995
“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:26 NASB1995
In college I had to read the novel “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad. I totally get the symbolism and perhaps why Kurtz phrase “the horror” has such significance. He was the character that was corrupt and full of evil. When we live in depravity, scripture tells us that God knows our hearts. He will give us over to a depraved mind. I can’t imagine anything worse! In Isaiah there is descriptions of people literally trying to hide in caves and under boulders in the terrible day of the Lord. They cannot escape His wrath. Kurtz, in his corruption and evil state, realizing he is dying, is stating the obvious “horror” of his own depravity. His realization? No rock to hide under.
“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,”
Romans 1:28 NASB1995
https://www.bible.com/100/rom.1.28.nasb1995
The gospel of Mark is rich in parables, which Jesus mostly explains to His disciples. Also rich is the contrast between the innocence and naivety of His followers and the wisdom He tries to impart on them. He also, sadly, must tell Peter that he is speaking as Satan and, that Peter will deny Him the very night Jesus is arrested. As I mentioned Jesus knows that there is a vulnerability to His Apostles. Just as He knows there is in us as well. He is warning them to stay in truth, to test the sprits, to be on guard! He tells them that there will be those who will come to tempt and mislead God’s own elect (believers). These words are for us as well. We are in the flesh but we have the Holy Spirit and, we have the words that Jesus left us!
“for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.”
Mark 13:22 NASB1995
https://www.bible.com/100/mrk.13.22.nasb1995
I have been able to relate to Peter very well. Knowing Mark was a scribe to Peter makes his gospel all the more interesting. These recordings or writings would be from Peter as a direct witness to the events Mark describes. Of course they also correlate with the gospels from Matthew, Luke and John. Peter so loved the Lord! He tells Jesus he would even die with Him. Don’t we feel like that too? Jesus has to tell Peter he will deny Him 3 times before the rooster crows twice. Poor Peter. He was the stalwart, the Apostle with great passion and bravado! He typically spoke out of a sense of duty, or misplaced loyalty! He thought he had to defend Jesus, save Him from the terrible events Jesus described would happen to Him. He couldn’t grasp the great sacrifice that was Christ’s alone. Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s salvation plan and NOT anything man designed.
Jesus and Peter
“And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED.’ But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” But Peter said to Him, ” Even though all may fall away, yet I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.” But Peter kept saying insistently, ” Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing also.”
Mark 14:27-31 NASB1995
https://www.bible.com/100/mrk.14.27-31.nasb1995
Denial of Peter
Today, as Christians, we go through the process of faith. We may relate to Peter, we may relate to James and John asking to sit at Jesus’s left and right when He comes in His glory. We may relate to the man who told Jesus, “I believe, help my unbelief!” I think we all go through stages and definitely hills and valleys, and sometimes we get the mountain peaks. What I want to remember is that Jesus wanted us to stay strong and encouraged. He “went away” so we would get the Holy Spirit to guide us! He told His disciples, often, fear not! Be on the alert! Keep watch. Be on guard. Don’t be mislead. Know scripture. Know the lord. Peace.
“Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.””
Mark 14:38 NASB1995
Hand of God
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