Whose boat are you in?

 

Mark 8:11-21

 

The Pharisees Demand a Sign

“The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.   And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”   And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.”

We are told that this took place on the Western side of the sea of Galilee called Magadan.  Now it is always helpful to me to recall the meaning of a title such as Pharisees.  {A religious sect of Judaism that followed the whole written and oral law.}  It is easy to be a Pharisee and miss out on Jesus, they did it and often we also participate in the letter of the Law and miss out on what Jesus is doing in our world.  Let me leave you with a question; how much did the Pharisees miss by seeking a sign, rather than believing and following Jesus?

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

“ Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.   And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”  And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread.   And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?   Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?  When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.”   “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.”   And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

It easy to miss what God is up to, what He is telling us when we have our focus on what we have and not on what God is saying.  Or we who go by titles like Jesus followers any different than they were?  Are we watching out for the leaven of our world, of religion, of government, of the marketplace?  I made my living in sales, and I came to the understanding that everyone is in the business of selling you on something, it has never been clearer than in this Pandemic of a virus, that fear is the eases way to control the masses and that many a person cannot handle a full cup when it comes to having power over their area.

 

If you are in the boat with Jesus ask Him to open your eyes and ears, to see the miracles happening all around you.  If you are a Pharisee seek God, not religion, not rules to look good before men, but seek God and be part of the miracles.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice