Tag: Unbelief

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The mystery of the faithless village.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home. Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭22‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus, arriving in Bethsaida, is met with folks bringing him a man who is blind. Bethsaida, home to apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip, was also known as the city that rejected the gospel. “Bethsaida has come to represent those who have heard the gospel, understood God’s plan of salvation, and rejected it. Jesus implied that their eternal punishment would be harsher than that of those who did not have such a privilege (Matthew 11:22).”

Mark notes some particularly odd details about Jesus healing this blind man. One, Jesus led him out of town. People brought the man to Jesus, then Jesus walked him away from the crowd. Why?

Looking up some of the commentaries, they suggest that Bethsaida, as a city, was known for a lack of faith. Similar to the sad pronouncement about Jesus’ own hometown, Nazareth, where few miracles were done because of unbelief, (Matthew 13:58). Jesus’ compassion for the man meant that he needed to remove him from his neighbors, even though they brought him in the first place. Can a city-vibe of unbelief be so strong, so prevalent that it prevents God from moving in miraculous ways? It seems so with these cities. This may be why Mark points out the second oddity.

Jesus had to touch the man’s eyes TWICE! And, after the first touch Jesus asked him IF he could see anything? The man responded honestly, I see but everything is blurry. Well that won’t do at all. Jesus touched his eyes again. Mark writes, ”his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly, (‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭25‬). Was this “second touch” also necessary because of the deep lack of faith in the man’s village? Did unbelief dull this man’s own faith? This also seems to be the reason.

The city’s anemic spirituality might also explain the third strange thing that happened. Jesus told the man – “don’t go through the town on the way home.” Wow, that’s specifically weird too. Normally, Jesus would say, “don’t talk about your healing,” or “go and show yourself to the priest,” who would verify and document the miracle. Jesus was clearly trying to protect this man’s fragile faith and didn’t want the town trashing his belief or his healing.

Do you find that we have a lot of cities that are known for unbelief? Traveling around the United States, folks were surprised that California has believers at all! We’ve got top healthcare, technology and personal rights, why would California need faith? If you live in California, as a believer and fellowship at a Bible believing church, you know it’s true – faith is a rare spiritual attribute in our cities. I’m certain that Jesus would be cancelled because of his sermons and miracles. People are in awe and wonder when a pictogram of Jesus’ face shows up on toast, a tree or a cloud, but a real miracle would be mocked on late night comedy shows.

Faith is harder to find and to live by in some of our own towns. Yet, Jesus still finds a way to take the hurting by the hand, lead them away from disbelieving crowds, touch them twice if necessary, and send them back home, avoiding the negative gossip-gab places. Jesus’ faith finds a way to help our unbelief!

Prayer

​Dad,
There are places and people of influence who not only lack faith, they mock it! I am so fortunate that you got me out of town, away from my friends and touched my life as a teenager. You broke through to me and for me! I know you will do that for many who are broken and hurting. When they seek you, they will find you! Thank you for faith that rescues us even from unbelief. Amen.

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Are social viruses real?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod. ‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus seems to believe so. Mark’s gospel captures an odd blowback to the disciple’s argument about who forgot to bring enough food.

Food among men is always a heated topic. Most men are driven by base desires like food, sleep and another I won’t mention here. How often did Jesus have a foody discussion with his disciples? How about staying awake for prayer? I believe Mark’s gospel exposes raw emotions on purpose. It shows the reader that Jesus, being fully God and fully human, had human desires, but kept them in check without sin. The disciples, are totally and observably human!

The men are in a boat, crossing the sea of Galilee, and someone forgot the midday meal! Apparently one “Boy-Scout” (always be prepared) brought just enough for himself. I completely understand their frustration. When I was younger I was insanely driven by meal times being ON TIME. I was convinced that if I didn’t eat I would turn into Mr. Hyde in front of my wife and kids. It was totally a self absorbed lie! I just needed to learn patience, but I hid it under hunger.

The disciples tore into each other with blame and shaming one another with no finger-food pointing! Blaming and shaming is not a listed as a Biblical one-another for how we treat each other. It was Jesus response to their outburst that intrigues me.

Jesus warns them – Watch out (horaó) see, perceive, or attend to what is happening here! “Beware,” Jesus says, (blepó) to see something physical, with spiritual results. Why two words of warning? It’s like a teacher that snaps their fingers TWICE or claps their hands getting the attention of the class. It’s a way of stopping, interrupting our brains that are already tracking down a useless path. It’s a full 🛑. Listen and pay attention. Oh, how Jesus is the master of using very emotional, carnal situations and bringing us back to real life – the spiritual life! Have you experienced a “SNAP-SNAP” moment from the Holy Spirit? I have.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere Jesus drops this line about yeast. Yeast in the New Testament is normally used to illustrate sin. But it is useful to understand a whole other mystery. How yeast works. One thing is for sure, it replicates quickly throughout bread. Yeast has a phenomenal growth rate and can duplicate itself every 90 minutes by a process called budding. In bread it’s yummy, in our bodies the fungi is deadly. In Jesus’ warning I’m sure it’s a bad function of yeast and not a good one. If we are the dough, then Jesus’ point of being exposed to the hungry fungi of the Pharisees and Herod is a very bad thing.

What do the Pharisees have in common with Herod? Why is their “yeast” extremely dangerous and viral? Was it their religious hypocrisy? Saying one thing, but living completely different? Was it their spiritual abuse of power? Was it their misrepresentation of God? What did the disciples argument about food have to do with the evil yeast of these religious leaders?

Jesus draws their attention to the one loaf of bread they did have and reminded them to focus on the miracles of supernatural replication of bread served to the masses of people. Ah, then maybe the bad yeast warning had more to do a lack of faith? Can a lack of faith, like a fast spreading virus, be contagious? Let me ask this. Who and what was in the boat? The disciples were physically in the boat. But also, Jesus was with them in the boat. What else was in the boat? One loaf of bread!

How quickly we forget the miracles of yesterday and instead become distracted, with our lack of perception, that the same God that provided BEFORE is with us NOW. Jesus may have been talking about the social virus of UNBELIEF! Both the Pharisees and Herod had all the facts, the necessary proof that Jesus is the messiah, yet lacked faith, they would not believe.

Jesus was warning the disciples not to allow unbelief to capture and control their hearts, minds and stomachs! It happens that fast. Jesus was in the boat WITH a loaf of bread yet they worried that they would go hungry!!! That’s hilariously human, right? We would say, “If the bread had been a snake, it would have bit them.” Jesus told us when a child asks their father for bread, a good father does not give them a snake, he gives them good food to match his great love! Snap Snap – pay attention when the social virus of unbelief comes to steal our faith.

Prayer

​Dad,
I believe, but help me with my unbelief. Help me to stay clear of social viruses that would steal my faith in you. You are my hope and provision. Amen.