Pastor Bob DuPar
March 4, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Numbers 2:1-3:51; Mark 11:27-12:17; Psalm 47:1-9; Proverbs 10:24-25.

Observation

Well, like I said yesterday, “Numbers is called, ‘Numbers’ for a reason!”

It hit me today in the Mark passage how masterful Jesus was with fielding questions and discerning the ulterior motives behind them. When the teachers of the law feign ignorance and say, “We don’t know,” you would expect Jesus to respond, “Well then, I don’t know either.” But, if He had said this not only would He have been lying, but also people probably would have “read-into” this statement and drawn inaccurate theology.

I also noticed that the actions of the chief priests, teachers of the law and elders (Mk. 11:27) were continually motivated by fear rather than doing the right thing or the godly thing:

“They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.” (11:32) “But, they were afraid of the crowd; so, they left Him and went away.” (12:12)

And, yesterday’s reading:

“The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill Him, for they feared Him, because the whole crowd was amazed at His teaching.” (Mk. 11:18)

Application

My actions are motivated by fear more than I would like to admit – fear of what others might think, how others might react, what they might say… Most of the time it’s not popular to do the right thing, but I need to follow God’s example despite any consequences.

Prayer

“Lord, help me to continually keep my focus on You and not get caught up in trying to be a people-pleaser. I’m reminded of a verse You taught me at age 7 at Hume Lake Christian Camps: ‘When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”