12 March 2010
Psalm 88; Gen. 47:1-26; 1 Cor. 9:16-27; Mark 6:47-56

It is interesting that Jacob comes into Pharaoh’s presence and blesses him twice, once when he comes in and once when he departs. How can Jacob bless a man who believes himself to be a god? He has blessed Pharaoh with his son Joseph already and in the end we will see that Pharaoh is indeed blessed through Joseph’s wise administration. By the end of this passage Pharaoh will own all the money in Egypt and Canaan, all the livestock, all the land and eventually all the people and 20% of their produce. It is most profitable for him that Joseph was sold into slavery. Fortunately, Joseph’s family is provided for and they seem not to have been part of this bargain. Jacob’s description of his life to Pharaoh is poignant and yet the question remains why has his life been as difficult as it was? Jacob spent too many of those years relying on his wits and deceit, how could his life have been otherwise.

The disciples “didn’t understand about the loaves.” They were astonished when Jesus walked on water and calmed the waves and Mark tells us that these things had some connection with the loaves. He has power that cannot be imagined or limited, and nothing was too hard for Him or impossible for Him. Is our faith in Jesus complete? Do we believe that He is able to do some things but not others? Mark is telling us that nothing is impossible for Him to overcome and we should understand that faith is meant to be total.

Our verbal proclamation of faith in the Gospel must match our living proclamation. Our faith and our life cannot be at odds with one another. Paul says that he has no choice but to proclaim this Gospel, it is his charge and also his honor, it is the most important thing in his life. He says that he proclaims it at all times, in all places and with all people but he talks about changing his strategy depending on his audience. It isn’t that Paul is disingenuous in his witness, he simply adapts his style to his company in a way that the Gospel connects with them. We see Jesus doing the same kinds of things when He speaks to different people. With some, those who are outside the Jewish community either because of sin or nationality, He is gentle and offers grace first and then truth. With insiders, Pharisees, scribes and others, He leads with truth, confronting them in their sins of hypocrisy and pride, but the offer of grace is there for those who will humble themselves to acknowledge their need of it. As Israel learned that God was able to work in any circumstance in any place, and the disciples learned that Jesus was able to overcome any obstacle, so we must have faith and trust in the truth of our testimony of Jesus to overcome obstacles.

O LORD, God of my salvation;
I cry out day and night before you.
Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my cry!