Daily Read

Isaiah 6 (NIV)

You know how a lot of books and tv series have an episode or a chapter that goes back in time, back before the current situation, to provide context and history, to help us understand why a character is the way she is or why something happened the way it did? Today’s passage is kind of like that. It’s situated right in the center of the first section of Isaiah, and it’s a behind-the-scenes, backstory kind of moment. In one sense, it’s the answer to why Isaiah is saying all of these hard things. But in another sense, this passage follows a theme throughout Scripture of God calling a representative for his people—someone who will not only call them back to God, but one who could partner with him in their stead.

As you listen to the passage, really try to picture the scene, the vision of God’s space, however you imagine it. Take note of the things your imagination includes in the background, the way you picture the heavenly beings, the things you see, hear, smell and feel.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What details stood out to you as you listened and pictured the scene in your head?

2. One way to view this passage is that the whole of Isaiah’s message here gets turned around and zoomed in on the prophet himself—his realization of his own sin before a Holy God, his need for purification, and God’s message of hope for him in the form of a calling, a mission. In what way has the Lord been challenging you personally as you’ve listened so far to Isaiah’s words? Not just your community or nation, but to you within that community and nation.

3. To our modern ears, it sounds like God is telling Isaiah here to make the people’s hearts hard, to tell them not to perceive or understand, and we feel justifiably confused. Isn’t this counter to the call for people to listen to God? Instead, the response of the people—the hard hearts, the dull ears, the unwillingness to repent—will itself be evidence of their need for judgment. In what ways have your recent responses to the LORD revealed the reality of your heart?

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Bible Project: Isaiah 1-39 >>

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Isaiah 5:1-7 (NIV)

Have you ever tried gardening? My wife and I have attempted to have a garden for the past 5 summers. Some things have grown well, others haven’t. The herbs kind of do their own thing and always produce more than enough. Our strawberries keep coming back, but we haven’t pruned them well, so they’re really really small. One year we had an amazing tomato crop, but we didn’t realize it until they were smushed at the bottom of the garden, having all ripened in the two weeks we were out of town. But the ones that have been really disappointing are those we put a lot of time and effort into–growing them from seed, transplanting them when they’re seedlings, watering and weeding diligently, only to get fruit that tastes awful… or no fruit at all.

Today’s passage is about a kind of garden—a vineyard. If you walked with us through Mark’s gospel, it might sound familiar to you. Jesus takes this very passage and reworks it to speak truth to the Jewish leaders in their context, and today we’ll find out why it hit home with them.

Remember the themes we’re hearing so far from Isaiah. They fill these first chapters and connect us from yesterday’s reading to today’s: A call to repent, a warning of judgment. Israel has abandoned the Lord. They’ve forgotten who they are and who they were meant to be. They’ve spent their energy pushing down those they should be helping, indulging in their wealth and worshiping their own reflection. A remnant will remain, but not without a difficult and painful season of purification.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What feelings came up in you as you listened to the passage?

2. What feelings do you imagine God felt as he surveyed Israel, his vineyard? Is there something in your life that you’ve poured your heart into, only to be disappointed?

3. It’s hard for our modern ears to hear the sort of apocalyptic language used by prophets and others in biblical literature. And yet, when we see violence and evil oppression, don’t we feel things just as deeply? What system, structure or power do you long for God to undo, tear down, or “lay waste to?” Ask the Lord to help you pray for his justice, from the depths of your heart.

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Bible Project: Isaiah 1-39 >>

BP Exploring My Strange Bible Podcast: The Meaning of Hope >>

InterVarsity Press Selections: Isaiah >>

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The reading today comes from the second chapter of Isaiah. You might notice a pattern as we listen to the opening chapters of Isaiah.  There is a back and forth of diagnosis then the treatment, and the picture of healing—not always in this order. Today’s passage, for instance, begins with the picture of hope—the picture of what will be. The end game. The finale. And yet it’s a finale that is also a beginning. A new beginning.

Then this passage turns to a list of all the ways Israel has abandoned God… and, as it says, the reasons why God is abandoning them. They’ve traded faith for superstition, traded their culture and laws for those of their enemies; they are greedy for both wealth and for power, and they’ve chosen to worship things they made with their own hands rather than the God who made everything. As we said in yesterday’s passage, we might have a different culture today, but the temptations are the same.

As you listen to the passage the first time, take note of the temptation in that list that most challenges you or your faith community.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What other words or phrases stood out to you in this passage?

2. The Lord is giving Israel what they want. They’ve chosen to walk away from him, and he’s going to let them. Think of your faith community. Are there ways y’all are tempted to or perhaps living towards this kind of rebellion? Take a minute to pray about that.

3. The Prophets Isaiah speaks of a mountain that will gather all peoples to it where they will be at peace. A diverse, unified, shalom. This stands in contrast to the tower of Babel where there was unity, But no Diversity, and no Shalom. The people say, “come let us go up the mountain of the LORD.” Take a moment to pray that for you and your faith community, that you might experience a diverse, unified, Shalom.

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Bible Project: Isaiah 1-39 >>

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Isaiah 1:11-20 (NIV)

Often when we think of prophets or prophecies, we think of just a prediction of the future, like in Harry Potter or a crystal ball—a mysterious divination that creates a plot twist in the story. But in the Bible, prophets are much more than fortune tellers. In fact, the primary role of the ancient prophets was to say hard things—to tell the truth about sin and to warn people of coming judgment, should they choose not to repent. They were close to God, filled with his Spirit, a vessel for his voice. Oftentimes they performed miracles like healing the sick or multiplying food for the hungry. But always, always their primary role was to call people back to God.

And so we enter the book of Isaiah: “a vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” Israel is failing. They no longer recognize their Maker. They have forsaken their God, turned their backs on him. They have lost all integrity and given up their calling to bear God’s image in the world, to show the nations the face of their Creator. Something must be done, because God is not giving up.

Listen now to Isaiah chapter 1, verses 11-20.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What thoughts and feelings surfaced in you as you listened to the passage?

2. If you’re a Christian in the West, it might not be too hard to put yourself or your community in the shoes of the Israelites. Our culture is different, but the temptations are the same. In what ways do you or your faith community need to hear these words today?

3. Being devoured by the sword seems like pretty harsh language. But what’s being indicated is the Lord releasing his protection and allowing foreign kingdoms to conquer Israel. Again, there’s this choice between obedience, leading to flourishing, and rebellion, leading to judgment. Is there an area of your life in which the Lord is asking you to obey him today?

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Bible Project: Isaiah 1-39 >>

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The Book of Isaiah (NIV)

Today we begin our journey through the book of Isaiah. Isaiah was a Jewish prophet who lived during the latter part of Israel’s kingdom period (which, for some background, you might want to read 1 and 2 Kings). Isaiah prophesied to the leaders of Jerusalem and Judah, warning of God’s judgment but also calling Israel to place their trust and hope in God.

The book is pretty well divided into two sections: Chapters 1-39, and 40-66.

In the first section, we learn that Israel, like all of the other nations, was caught up in all kinds of idolatry, greed, abuse and oppression of the poor. God hated this because not only were they abandoning him, they were also abandoning their role as his image-bearers and their vocation to reconcile all of the families of earth back to God and to one another. So the message of judgement was this: If Israel keeps walking down this path of evil, God is going to allow them to be conquered by foreign nations. First Assyria, then Babylon. It’s referred to over and over as a purifying fire, a way to burn off the evil and uncover the real humanity—in repentance and humility—and to sift the people down to a remnant or a “holy seed” that could once again join God in his mission to redeem to the world.

Therefore alongside this message of Judgment was a prophecy that God’s covenant promises would not be forgotten. His blessing would flow out to all nations through the remnant, in submission to a King—a King from the line of David who would be called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” And all of the peoples of earth would be family again in a renewed, restored creation.

The second section repeats a lot of the same ideas as the first, but it speaks of life after the Babylonian exile. In spite of God’s rescue and deliverance, Israel will still be hard-hearted. Still not up to the task of being the kinds of humans God can partner with. But God is not deterred, and we’re then introduced to a character called the Servant.

The Servant is given the title and the mission of Israel, empowered by God’s Spirit, called to restore Israel and the nations. It sounds an awful lot like the Messianic King from the first section. But the way this Servant is going to fulfill the mission is way unexpected. Instead of conquering other nations with military power, he will suffer, be rejected, and die on behalf of the sins of his own people—a sacrifice… of atonement. And… he would not stay dead. Sound like someone we know?

The last section of the book has this living Servant leading and empowering other “servants” with God’s Spirit to again take up the role of Israel and inherit the Kingdom of God, reaffirming the hope of a New Jerusalem—a symbol of the renewed and restored Creation, welcoming all the nations to enter in and live in peace together.

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Mark 16:9-20 (NIV)

As we talked about yesterday, today’s passage is thought of kind of as an appendix—an addition of pertinent information that someone (probably someone besides Mark) later thought needed to be added. It brings together details from Matthew, Luke and even John’s accounts of the resurrection, so if you want a bit of a deeper dive, especially as Easter is approaching, you might want to read the other resurrection accounts over the coming weeks. Each one gives details that help to provide a fuller picture of what happened that day.

But for now, we just want to thank you for walking with us through the gospel of Mark. And as you listen today, think back... or if you’ve journaled along, look back at your notes. See if any themes emerge—maybe questions you’ve never thought to ask, or intersections between your daily life and the stories we’ve read. Ask the Holy Spirit for a kind of appendix to this series in your life. Ask him to open your eyes and help you see… who he is, what he’s doing, and how he’s calling you to engage in this all-encompassing, crazy, beautiful story of God.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What stood out to you in this passage?

2. Mary Magdalene was a woman and formerly an outcast, yet she was the first to see the risen Jesus. But the disciples didn’t believe her testimony. Are there people whose experience of Jesus you might discount for certain reasons?

3. Even though the disciples had a serious lack of faith, this didn’t stop Jesus from calling them into his mission in the world. How does that challenge or encourage you today?

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Mark 16:1-8 (NIV)

Today’s passage brings us to the end of Mark’s account of the good news of King Jesus. We’ll have one more episode to include the addition to Mark’s gospel- a summary added later   to give some clarity to what happened next, since Mark kind of leaves us with a cliffhanger. Just know that it was actually not uncommon in those days for a writer to record a prediction and not necessarily write down the fulfillment. He would have assumed that people who experienced and remembered what happened next would have continued to tell the story. And… they did.

There are also some slight differences in the way Mark tells this story. In fact, each of the gospel writers has a slightly different take on it—though not necessarily contradictory to one another. Eyewitness accounts often work this way. People emphasize different details…

So as you experience this passage today, enter in. See what details stand out to you. Take note too of where you are right now. What’s around you? What’s going on in your body, and in your mind? What sights, sounds and smells might be influencing your experience of this day? Bring those in with you as you listen and ask the Lord to be tangibly present with you now.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What points of connection did you find with the women?

2. The women weren’t sure how they would get to Jesus’ body. They knew that they weren’t strong enough to roll away the very large stone. But when they arrived it had already been moved. Sometimes we perceive barriers to Jesus. Maybe something we’ve done. Maybe a lack of belief or faith. Ask the Lord to remove whatever obstacles might hinder you from coming close to him and trust that he is more than capable to roll them out of the way.

3. In keeping with Mark’s theme of the most unlikely folks being the very ones that see Jesus for who he is, he and all of the gospel writers agree that women were the first to see the empty tomb—and even the risen Jesus himself. In that society the testimony of women wasn’t even valid. Yet these were the ones chosen to carry the good news of the resurrection to the others. How does that challenge you? Or encourage you?

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Mark 15:33-47 (NIV)

“In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord,

Today’s passage pulls us back into that vision from Amos. Here we are, with all the jews standing there watching Jesus die in the middle of Passover, the celebration of Yahweh’s rescue from slavery in Egypt. Do you remember the ten plagues God sent to Egypt as he worked through Moses to free his people? 3 days of total darkness was the 9th plague. The tenth... was the death of the firstborn… in this passage we witness a new exodus.

The only son, the firstborn of all creation, hanging on a cross. The faithful servant suffering in the place of faithless Israel for the sins of a fallen world.

All of this symmetry is on display before each person watching and the only person who sees Jesus for who he really is, is a gentile… a roman centurion. Whoever has eyes let them see, whoever has ears let them hear.

So find a quiet space. Put away any distractions. And listen now to Mark chapter 15, 33-47.

----------REFLECT----------

1. In this passage Jesus cries out “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). Have you ever felt this way in your relationship to the LORD, bring that to him now.

2. The Roman centurion confessed “Surely this man was the Son of God.” He could see the reality of Jesus. And maybe as we’ve walked through the Gospel of Mark you’ve seen something new about Jesus too. Take a moment to confess that to the LORD.

3. The curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom, this enormous, incredibly thick curtain that separated the holy of holies from the rest of the world, the place where God’s presence dwelt and humanity, it was gone. Jesus was saying all along that God’s power and presence and reign is now free to move about the world. Take a moment to invite the Spirit of God to meet with you and fill you up for today.

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Mark 15:16-32 (NIV)

Today’s passage brings us to Jesus’ crucifixion. This is the most decisive moment in the story of our faith, and at the same time the most uncomfortable moment in all of the gospels too. This is especially the case for us as modern readers. It’s difficult to think about, but the closest thing to it in our culture’s memory is the lynchings of innocent black people on this very soil. The lies, the rhetoric of the powerful inciting violent mobs to carry out brutal murder. It’s horrific. It’s the kind of thing that led God to bring the flood way back in Genesis—the destruction of humanity by humanity, through hate, abuse, and murder. It’s the reason why the temple sacrifices existed. It’s the problem that we were never able to solve on our own—our sinfulness, our desire to define good and evil for ourselves.

If we’re honest, a lot of us would rather not have to think about those kinds of scenes. It’s painful. We know that in some way we are complicit. We know that it’s a part of our story, and our stomachs turn at the thought. Yet it was this act, of allowing evil to pile up onto the body of Christ that provides both the place forgiveness of sins and healing balm for our wounds.

As you listen to today’s passage, allow yourself to be placed in the scene. It won’t take too much work to see, hear, smell and touch but it will be difficult. We invite you to allow yourself to engage those senses, to bring your heart and mind into focus. You’ll want to listen with some amount of quiet and space to enter in fully, so take a second to find that.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What emotions came up in you as you listened?

2. Have you ever participated in evil? Scripture tells us that the terror of these actions happening to Jesus who was utterly innocent was the moment when all evil was summed up and poured out upon Jesus. We are participants in this story. Sit in the presence of that reality now.

3. Have you ever been mistreated, insulted, spat on, mocked, abused, beated, neglected? Have you suffered evil? Scripture tells us that every thorn, bruise, tear of the skin, lash on the back, word that was hurled, nail that was hammered, every minute that he was suspended there was an act of sacred empathy. Jesus suffers with us… So that when he takes the weight of pain and death into the grave and defeats it there he takes our pain and death with him. Sit in the presence of that reality now.

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Mark 15:1-15 (NIV)

At this point in Mark, Israel is celebrating the Passover. The celebration of God’s liberating the Israelites out from under the thumb of the egyptians. And you might remember back in Exodus chapter 14, the Moses and the people of Israel were at the shore of the red sea with the Egyptian army breathing down their neck, the people were terrified and Moses shouted out…. “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord which will work for you today. The Lord will fight for you; you have only to be silent.”

The Hebrew word for Salvation is Yeshua… Which we transliterate as Jesus. He said see the Jesus of the LORD fight for you.

Yet, after generations the people of Israel could not trust that God would do it again. Ever Passover Judea would come to a fever pitch with rebellion ready to ignite. And this Kingdom announcement that Jesus has been making throughout Mark is a direct challenge to Israel's violent way of dealing with Israel's bondage under Rome. Over and over Jesus says that it will lead to their destruction.

In today’s passage, we watch as Jesus literally trades places with a rebellious, murderous Jew. His name is Barabbas which literally means Son of the Father. In Matthew this rebel’s given name is Jesus as well. CAN YOU SEE IT? Israel partners with the Empire to kill Jesus of Nazreth, THE son of the Father, in exchange for salvation by their own means as they call for the release of Jesus Barabbas, the rebel.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What image in this passage struck you?

2. It’s difficult to think about, but we are all now quite familiar with the images of a riotous crown threatening insurrection, calling for the execution of leaders. Take a moment to picture the scene around Jesus… as he stands silent, on his way to be murdered.

3. Jesus was the only person in this scene who was not acting out of self-interest. How does this moment in the life of Jesus inspire you towards self-giving love?

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