Mark_8
Scripture
Mark 8:15
And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
Observation
Jesus had just fed a crowd of four thousand with seven loaves of bread and a few fish, leaving leftovers no less. Shortly after, a group of Pharisees began asking Jesus for a miracle. Jesus denies them a miracle and warns His disciples to be careful of their corruption.
Understanding - What does it say?
Jesus knows where we are hurting and provides us with what we need. I love the contrast in this chapter. In one instance Jesus sees the hunger of the people who had come to hear him speak and gives lavishly. In the next moment, Jesus denies the Pharisees and uses the metaphor of bread, the very gift he had just given to people in need, to discuss the reality of having an evil heart.
There are times in my life where I have come to Jesus with both these attitudes. I have come to Jesus broken and in need, and He provided the rest and protection that I needed. I have also come to Him in pride, with the attitude that I deserve something from Him. The amazing thing is, God has never turned away from me.
The self-righteous attitude became apparent to me a few years ago at work. I became frustrated with the idea that I had to serve people that I felt didn’t deserve it. And then I read in scripture that Jesus was routinely hanging out with sinners (tax collectors and prostitutes), people who were down on their luck. When the self-righteous Pharisees came along, they were appalled and tried to disgrace Jesus for his actions. Jesus replied by saying it was the sick who need the doctor, not the well (Mark 2:15-17).
Later in Mark 8, Jesus tells us we must deny ourselves in order to follow Him. We have to humble ourselves and know that He fills all of our needs. In my work, I have come to realize that I am just as broken as those whom I once though were below me. In this, I have found more fulfillment in serving others.
Life application