Heartless religion (Mark 3)

 

He looked them in the eye, one after another, angry now, furious at their hard-nosed religion. (Mark 3:5)

 

Religious person shares positive mindset and peace with neighbor. High moral standard and unity of community are achieved through it. For us who believe in GOD, these achievements should be given priority above all. However, these valuable things are easily ignored due to meaningless formalities and many norms of the Law. Lots of regulations concerning the Sabbath made its original meaning obscured.  

 

Jesus' healing on the Sabbath was a direct challenge against the perverted Jewish society. Religious leaders denounced Jesus' healing. Jesus criticized the distorted Commandments and called it heartless or hard-nosed religion as a result of doing evil on the Sabbath although they were given to keep the Sabbath day holy. 

 

These heartless religions have been the causes of countless conflicts in human history. When the gods they believe in were abnormally overvalued, they violently criticized and oppressed the others. 

 

           "Act justly, Walk Humbly and Love Mercy" (Micah 6:8)

 

 GOD's worth ​​must be upheld by those who know that, but at the same time, when acting justly, walking humbly and loving mercy are accompanied, the true worth ​​is clearly revealed to the world.

Reasons Jesus came (Mark 2)

 

I'm here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit (Mark 2:17).

 

Prejudice prevents us from approaching the truth. Prejudice prevents us from accepting Jesus Christ. Pretending to be holy and to be righteous are the results of image distortions made by religious people.  

 

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has the power to forgive sins and the power to heal diseases. He came to save sinners. Walking with him is a feast. However, religious prejudice leads people to perceive all of these in the wrong way. It makes them reject Jesus' forgiveness of sins and makes them think that joining to Jesus' life is unlawful. The legalism of Jewish society condemned Jesus to be deserving of death with blasphemy.  

 

            "The Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath"

 

Jesus has come to fulfill the Commandment and the Kingdom of God. The Sabbath and the Commandment were but shadows. Religious prejudice locks people in a narrow frame of time and space. The Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath, and people must enjoy the freedom under God's reign. However, most of them have a hard time keeping the strict regulation of the Sabbath. They become swayed by habitual religious events. 

 

All mankind are immersed in the very things of which Jesus caution to beware.

Change in life (Mark 1)

 

I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism will change you from the inside out (Mark1:8).

 

 

A complete change in life begins with encountering Jesus Christ, which means understanding his life and learning his point of view.  

 

Jesus loved people. His confident speech deeply moved people. Even the demons recognized Jesus' heavenly authority. People oppressed by the power of sin are spending their energy on vain things due to the fear of death. They think they can free from the fear by taking high-ranked positions and by owning a lot of properties, but all in vains. 

 

           "The knowledge of God is the foundation of wisdom"

 

People want to take other's things and live comfortably by fulfilling their wishes, but the more they have, the more they want. Breaking out of this wrong way is a turning point of life change and the beginning of meeting Jesus.The knowledge of God is the foundation of wisdom and the most valuable work.