1 March 2010
Psalm 56, 57; Gen. 41:46-57; 1 Cor. 4:8-21; Mark 3:7-19a

It is hard to imagine all that Joseph experienced by the time he was thirty, dreams of greatness, the hatred of his brothers and their selling him into slavery, the time of fruitfulness in Potiphar’s house, the accusation of attempted rape and two years in prison, and now, this incredible new life. It is no wonder he named his sons in response to both the difficulties at home and now the difficulties in Egypt. He proves to be an able administrator, and a shrewd one as the interpretation of the dreams becomes a reality, trusting God that the interpretation is true and living according to his faith. Do we trust God in His revelation? Do we live as though we believe the promises of God, willing to risk everything on their fulfillment and God’s faithfulness?

Jesus chooses those who will be first His disciples and then His apostles. The difference between the two is that a disciple is one who is learning and an apostle literally means one sent with a message. In order to be a faithful apostle, they had to first be disciples. A disciple was one who learned everything a rabbi had to teach, spent their waking hours with the rabbi, thought like the rabbi, walked like him, and eventually taught like him. The goal of a disciple was to be a rabbi just like his own rabbi. Jesus, however, was more than a rabbi and his disciples were to be more than simply rabbis themselves. Rabbis pointed toward the one who was to come and how to live in the meantime, Jesus pointed to Himself as the One who had come, there was no further need of a rabbi, the time had come that had been promised, they will all be taught by God. The crowds surrounded Him for healing and the demons proclaimed Him but ultimately He would choose those who would continue the mission.

Paul speaks sarcastically to the Corinthians, to whom he first preached the Gospel. He lays claim to being their father in the faith and admonishes them against the attitude of haughtiness and arrogance and pride that seems to have infected the church there. At the end of this passage he gets to the heart of the matter, the Gospel isn’t simply about talk, it is about power, the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through the believer. He is looking for evidence of that power, not simply words. Why do we often settle for words when the Lord has promised more?

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!