Mark 15:29-32 He can’t save Himself!
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: May 2, 2018, Mark 15:29-32
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.
Those who passed by kept insulting him, shaking their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who were going to destroy the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days— save yourself and come down from the cross!” In the same way the high priests, along with the scribes, were also making fun of him among themselves. They kept saying, “He saved others but can’t save himself! Let the Messiah, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, since seeing is believing!” Even the men who were crucified with him kept insulting him.
(Understanding the Text) In these modern days, I have a hard time understanding how people could stand around watching a man die a slow torturous death and mock him to his face as he died. The thieves are understandable. They were in pain and wanting to curse at someone else. However, the high priests and scribes who claimed to represent our loving God showed who they really worshipped on that day. Their cruelty and satisfaction as they watched the God they claimed to serve die a slow death on the cross because of their own actions demonstrated that they did not serve the Lord of heaven, but rather the liar and betrayer, Satan. Today, I see people who are unmoved by other people’s pain, but they usually react in this way from a distance. The other people are not real humans to them; instead the other people are theories like a television show rather than real people. Or else, I see people mask their cruelty in humor or statements of principle that show no mercy. They tend to hold back their insults when the one they hate is in pain. However, this seems to be changing. I see a spirit of hurtfulness spreading with people justifying it rather than condemning it. Cruelty is on the rise among every day people.
(Revelation of God) It’s interesting that all the people who passed by had the same theme, “Save yourself.” It seems to me that Satan was speaking through their mouths trying to get Jesus to be selfish, to stop Himself from dying. It almost seems that Satan had not quite realized that Jesus would go through with it until He was hanging there on the cross. It seems as if Satan was sure that if he just put on enough pressure that Jesus would leave humans to their old master, but maybe suddenly Satan realized that Jesus was going through with it to the bitter end and started pushing harder. The cross is a lesson in how even in the midst of the worst situation, God’s work is being accomplished and God’s light is shining through the darkness. It seems here that the taunts show how Satan himself has no clue about God’s character, that he believes many of his own lies. “Save yourself” would not tempt the Savior of the world to come down. Instead, seeing the cruel animals that the priests and scribes had become and knowing the potential of who they could have been, it would have inspired Jesus to continue. Hearing the thieves carrying on with their bitterness in the face of death would have been encouragement to continue on with His plan to save humans. When one of those thieves saw this and grasped the hope he saw in Jesus, Jesus had all the encouragement He needed to proceed with the horrible ugly fate that he was experiencing and that awaited him.
It’s funny that in mocking or trying to discredit someone, a critic can make a profound statement that is actually in support of that person. I’m speaking here of the statement made by the high priests and scribes, “He saved others but can’t save himself!” They thought they were arrogantly pronouncing judgment as to why Jesus could not be the Messiah, but in reality they were announcing a great truth that proved Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus did save others, but in order to do so, He could not save Himself. Jesus had to choose to lose Himself in order to save us. Here is the conclusive proof of His Messiahship. I think it interesting that the high priests who condemned Jesus acknowledged Jesus’ work in saving others. Their job should have been in the salvation department, but instead it had become a position of power and prestige. They were Jesus’ representatives on earth, yet they not only did not acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Master, they did not have the first idea as to what the job they spent so much money obtaining was about. They thought they had power and didn’t have a clue that true power was working right in front of their eyes on the cross. They prided themselves in their education and intelligence, yet they did not comprehend what was taking place before them. They were witnessing the salvation of the world and the ending of the system of sacrifices that they led. They were watching the official ending of their positions, and they did not have a clue. Powers and principalities in heaven itself were watching this horrible yet necessary process unfold with respect because they knew the importance of what was taking place while the high priests and scribes looked on with mocking nonsense that ended up saying the very essence of what was happening. Jesus was saving others–we humans–so He could not save Himself.
(Application) My application to myself is that if I love those around me, even their ugly moments will bring me to compassion not regret. I will see in them the potential of who they could be and try to reflect that picture back to them. I will have patience with others if I love them. My lesson is that I must ask God for love for his other children.
(Prayer) I do not have the heart to love others as You love me. Please give me a new heart that not only sees the potential in others but can also love them in their ugliness. Thank You that You did not let our ugliness repulse You, but instead, You loved us more because of our helpless arrogant brokenness. Heal me. Heal my family. Heal my friends. Heal my community. Teach us to heal others by loving them. We can only do it through Your love living in us.