Mark 10:32-34 A Warning of Things to Come
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: March 12, 2018, Mark 10:32-34
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Now Jesus and his disciples had been on the road going up to Jerusalem, with Jesus walking ahead of them. They were astonished, and the others who followed were afraid. “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the high priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the gentiles, and they will make fun of him, spit on him, whip him, and kill him. But after three days he will be raised.”
(Understanding the Text) They had been in Judea south of the Sea of Galilee and been walking steadily south. I don’t think that the disciples thought that Jesus was actually heading to Jerusalem at that point. I think they thought He was just wondering around as usual. On this day, I think Jesus started walking without telling them where they were going, and when they realized that He had turned onto the road that led up to Jerusalem, they started worrying. They knew that the religious leaders were out to kill Jesus. They knew what had happened to past Messiah wannabes. They could not believe that Jesus was choosing to confront this danger which He had avoided before.
It sounds like there were other people following besides the twelve. These others could have been the women who ministered to Jesus or some of the seventy extra disciples. I think it was the women mostly because the disciples are described as amazed, but the others as downright afraid. Women would feel freer to express their fears.
When Jesus sees that everyone has realized the implications of what He is doing, He calls the twelve over to Him to tell them the bad news that their worst fears are not low enough. He tells them exactly what will happen. First, He will be taken before the priests and scribes and condemned to death. Then, He will be given to the Romans who will torment Him with mockery, spit on Him, whip Him, and ultimately kill Him. Then, He tells the disciples that He will come alive after three days.
Why are the disciples so shocked when these events transpire? I can only imagine that they are in such shock here when Jesus tells them this news that the rising from the grave just sounds like nonsense words to them. Then, after they get to Jerusalem, they are on such a roller coaster ride of ups and downs that these predictions get lost in the many other events taking place from the triumphal entrance to the temple cleansing where Jesus actually seems to be in control of the priests. It must have been a blur of activities that made them ignore the words that Jesus said. When Jesus actually died, they were probably in such pain, shock, and fear that they weren’t thinking clearly.
(Application) Satan tries this same tactic with believers all the time. If he can distract me from what God has clearly told me to something else, he can gain power to cloud my mind and keep me from faith. I learn a lesson and know a scripture, but I don’t think about what I should have learned when everything is going wrong (or right as the case may be). Jesus tried to prepare His disciples, but they let themselves be distracted by other events and ambitions and fears. Mary seems to be the only one who understood that Jesus was really going to die soon and not at some far distant time in the future.
(Revelation of God) How did Jesus know the details? It sounds like He had seen Himself in vision going through these torments. He knew what He would face there, and He knew how to handle the physical punishment. What He had a horrible time dealing with was the torment of being separated from the Father and Spirit. This was the cup that He feared to face as it happened to Him in Gethsemane. This was the pain that wrung the cry of “My God My God Why have you forsaken me?” on the cross. The spiritual pain was the part of the torment that broke Him into tears and cries of anguish. The physical pain was manageable.
(Prayer) I pray to remember your promises even when I am in pain. Help me to not lose sight of You in the hustle and bustle of living.