Mark 11, Entering Jerusalem

Jesus and the disciples approach Jerusalem.

Mark 11:1-7
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.  If anyone asks you, `Why are you doing this?' tell him, `The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'"

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.

When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.

Why is Jesus doing this?  Mark does not explain.  Other gospel writers will point out that Jesus is fulfilling a Messianic role given by the Old Testament prophet Zechariah.  (See Zechariah 9:9.)

Mark 11:8-11
Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

            
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Suddenly there is a commotion and a celebration, a parade with singing and shouting.  What set this off?  Presumably the crowd has been waiting for this Messianic statement.

The sentence "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" is from Psalm 118:25-26. "Hosanna" is a Hebrew phrase apparently meaning "Save!" (says the NIV footnotes); it had become to an exclamation of praise. 

Mark 11:12-14, The fig tree
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.  Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.

This short section is suddenly inserted here.  It appears to be a part of an extended parable, acted out by Jesus.

Mark 11:15-18, Clearing the temple
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

            
And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "`My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it `a den of robbers.' "

            
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.

The first quote in verse 17 is from Isaiah 56:7; the second is from Jeremiah 7:11.

What angered Jesus here? Jesus is suddenly significantly increasing the level of confrontation with the religious leaders.  After many times where he has said, “Go and tell no one,” now, by riding in on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9) and cleaning the temple, he is creating the attention he has previously tried to avoid. (Why?)

Jesus had apparently decided to do this on the previous day.   He is clearly, deliberately, even violently confronting the moneychangers and temple authorities.  And they respond in the obvious way, by completing plans to kill him.  He knows this since even when they were earlier heading to Jerusalem, he was telling the disciples what would happen.

Mark 11:19-26, Fig tree revisited

When evening came, they went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"

            
"Have faith in God," Jesus answered.  "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

            
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Some ancient manuscripts have a sentence at the end of verse 25, leading to a verse 26, "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins." 

The fig tree leads to a parable about trusting God (completely.)  Jesus’ teaching takes a sudden twist at the end.  Why?

Mark 11:27-33, Challenged again by the leaders

They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.

            
"By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?"

           
Jesus replied, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  John's baptism--was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!"

            
They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will ask, `Then why didn't you believe him?’  But if we say, `From men'...." (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)

            
So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

Once again, the Messiah is cryptic, an enigma,  He is in no hurry to explain himself.

Notice how Jesus gets to the root of their question.  The question was not really asking for knowledge, but was designed to trap them, and he offers back a “counter-trap”.

The back-and-forth with the Pharisees will continue in the next chapter.

Mark 10:32-52, Along the Jerusalem Road

Jesus and the disciples continue on the road to Jerusalem.

Mark 10:32-34
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise."

Why are the disciples astonished?  Because he is heading into the City, where he is clearly in danger from both the political rulers (Herodians) and the religious rulers. Yet his statements to his followers are not reassuring.  "Yes, I am in danger," Jesus says.  "In fact they will kill me...."

Mark 10:35-45
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.

They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.  Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Sitting at a ruler's right hand is a statement of prestige.  James and John, although fearful about the upcoming events, are also looking forward to being prestigious rulers!  Jesus, once again, emphasizes a life of service and humility, especially for rulers!  (This is so contrary to many other things – even in religion.)

The disciples really have no clue as to what is to soon happen.

Mark 10:46-52
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." 

So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. 

The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

The blind man is identified by name and the antecedent "bar-" is explained, presumably for the benefit of the non-Jewish reader.

It has been suggested that Bartimaeus did not know what he was calling about – he might not have originally been thinking of his sight, but just been a beggar.  However he is quick to grasp the opportunity given him.

In the next chapter, Jesus arrives at Jerusalem, for his final visit.

Mark 10: 1-31, Receiving the Kingdom of God

The Jewish leaders, unhappy with the popularity of Jesus and his challenge to traditions, question him

Mark 10:1-9
Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.

Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"

"What did Moses command you?" he replied.

They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."

"It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. "But at the beginning of creation God `made them male and female.'   `For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

The Pharisees' believed that a man could just write out a certificate of divorce and dismiss his wife. Jesus goes to first principles about the question and disputes the Pharisees' opinion, based on principles about the value of marriage.

Both Old Testament quotes here are from the book of Genesis. The quote in verse 6 is from Genesis 1:27; the quote in verse 8 is from Genesis 2:24.

Mark 10:10-12
When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."

What is the difference between Jesus and the Pharisees here?  The Pharisees are “testing” him, trying to find out the “rules.”  Jesus is concerned about the underlying principles, the value of people and marriage. So who makes divorce harder?  Why?

How practical is Jesus's statement?  In our modern world it seems unnecessarily harsh?  Or is it?

Mark 10:13-16
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Of course, we would expect Jesus to like children.  (Or would we?)  We have here a continuing statement here about the topsy-turvy Kingdom of God, where one should be a child, not an adult, and where leaders are servants and where the first is last and the last first.

Mark 10:17-22
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. You know the commandments: `Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.' "

"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus loved him.  Then pushed him really hard.  Why?  (He got such a naive response from the young man!)

The quote in verse 19 is from the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:12-16 and Deuteronomy 5:16-20.

Mark 10:23-31

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Jesus reassures the disciples that they have put their priorities in the right place. This discussion, although emphasizing the problems of the rich, includes a reassuring comment about commitment to the Kingdom.

In the next passage we continue to follow Jesus and the discipless as they march towards Jerusalem.  

Mark 9: 30-50, The Son of Man & Humility

Jesus has just healed a boy of an evil spirit.

Mark 9: 30-32, Betrayal and a hard three days
They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 1 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

Jesus withdraws to teach his bewildered disciples.  (This ministry is just not turning out like the disciples expected!)

Mark 9: 33-37, Live like children
They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

They return home to Capernaum.  In the overturned world of the Kingdom of God, death brings life, leadership means being like a child….

Mark 9: 38-42, Living for Messiah
"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck."

The kingdom of God is greater and more important than we understand.  Even some we don't know are ministering in that kingdom (and they may not even know it) while others who may look good and decent, are doing damage to the Kingdom.  

Mark 9: 42-50, Harsh warnings
"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out."

"And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell."

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where "`their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' "

"Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

What is the teaching at the end here?  And a teaching about Heaven digresses into a harsh warning about Hell!  Clearly this is a call to commitment, but it seems very harsh to me.

Some later manuscripts add in to two places the description of hell as "where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched" an Old Testament quote (see verse 48) from Isaiah 66:24.

We continue on the road to Jerusalem in chapter 10.

Mark 9: 1-29, Transfiguration and (Un)belief

Jesus has just talked about eventually arriving in glory with the angels of God.

Mark 9:1
And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

This verse almost seems to be an afterthought.  Is it a continuation of the discussion in chapter 8?  Or is it a prelude to what will follow six days later (below)?

Mark 9: 2-8
After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.  His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.  And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

What a strange event!!  This event is often called The Transfiguration since Jesus seems transformed into a dazzling being too bright to be looked at.  But what must it have really looked like? Is Jesus's appearance just beyond ordinary visual perception.  How do the two guests appear? How does our writer know they are Elijah and Moses?  (This was presumably passed on to him by Peter, but how did Peter know?)  

One natural interpretation of verse 1 is that it is a prelude to the Transfiguration, in which Jesus is seen, albeit temporarily, in divine power.

Peter, nervously, offers to get to work and build a shelter.  Good ole Peter.

Mark 9: 9-13
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant. And they asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

 Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him."

Jesus seems to be referring to John the Baptist as the precursor to the Messiah called "Elijah".

Jesus's tone has changed.  He is now telling his disciples about the crucifixion.  From here on we are headed for the cross.

Mark 9: 14-19
When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.

A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."

"O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

Mark identifies the problem as the work of an evil (or "unclean") spirit.  Others had said this describes epileptic fits.  Regardless, Jesus is displeased with the disciples' lack of faith here.

Mark 9: 20-24
So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" 

"From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

"`If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

I am so much like the father – “I believe, but help me in my unbelief!”  Notice the response of Jesus to this "unbelief" -- he moves on and meets the father's need.

Mark 9: 25-29

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."

Jesus acts quickly, before the crowd arrives.  What does it mean that "this kind can come out only by prayer"?  What type of prayer?

Next time: In the rest of this chapter Mark records several more events on the road to the cross.

Mark 8, The Anointed One Heals Souls

The popularity of Jesus continues to grow.  He is followed everywhere by crowds.  In Mark 6, Jesus feeds 5000 followers in Galilee.  Here he has crossed the Sea of Galilee into the region of Decapolis and so many of the followers are presumably Gentiles.

Mark 8:1-10
During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance."

His disciples answered, "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"

"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. 

"Seven," they replied.

He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About four thousand men were present. And having sent them away, he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

The feeding of four thousand occurs in Syria, among Gentiles, outside Israel.

Mark 8:11-13
The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

The Pharisees are bothered with the miracles and popularity of Jesus.  So they "ask for a sign", a rather disingenuous request, given all that he has done.

Jesus is tired and refuses to provide a sign!  (Why?)

Mark 8:14-21
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. "Be careful," Jesus warned them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod."

They discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no bread."

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" 

"Twelve," they replied.

"And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" 

They answered, "Seven."

He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

Jesus is never desperate to win an argument.  He makes his points and then watches to see if they grow.  We see here applications of the parable of the sower.  The disciples are repeatedly offered a bit of “seed” and then given a chance to respond.

 Mark 8:22-26
They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"

He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."

Once again, a “hard” healing, followed by unusual instructions.  (Why should the man stay out of the village?)  I don't understand this miracle -- why the difficulties here when Jesus seems to effortlessly raise a little girl several chapters back.

 Mark 8:27-31
Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 

Peter answered, "You are the Christ."

Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.

Notice the “be quiet” instructions – not to tell anyone about him.  The disciples disciples are resistant.  The Kingdom of God is a very different, a very strange kingdom!

This is the climax of the Gospel of Mark.  Jesus asks the disciples if they yet understand who he is. They almost get it....

Mark 8:32-33
 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

I like Peter!  Loud, boastful, ignorant!  So human!

Mark 8:34-38
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

A challenge is given to those who begin to recognize Jesus and the Chosen One, the Anointed Messiah.   Their life and soul depend on their priorities here, on how they identify with and follow this Messiah

Sunday morning at Living Praise

This morning, while visiting in Singapore, I went with Jim & Monica Davis to the Living Praise Presbyterian Church on the northeast side of the country.  We took the Red Line from the west side of the island north through Woodlands, not far from Malaysia, and then around to the northeast where we got off at the Bishan MRT.  We walked Bishan Street 13 for half a mile, finding the church in among the buildings of the Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School.

We had been invited by friends David and Deb Walker, staff with One Challenge Singapore. There are two churches which meet within the Presbyterian school, so I was not sure I was in the right place until I was greeted by David Lin, one of the church elders.  Jan and I had met David before, and he greeted me warmly and quickly took our group to meet our hosts.

I was pleased to learn that this Sunday was a special joint Mandarin-English service.  The church was accepting new members and installing a new elder and deacon and so the Mandarin and English halves had come together in a single service to worship together.  I am aware of the importance of worshiping God in one's own tongue and I am grateful for a Mandarin-English church in The Woodlands in Texas that ministered to one of our university students back in Huntsville.  It was fun to sing in English, while listening to other sing in Mandarin and I am sure one has to carefully pick hymns that will allow both tongues to sing together!

After the service, we had a wonderful lunch with the church body.  Yes, ministry is facilitated by good food and conversation!

I attach (I hope) a short video of one of the stanzas of a hymn.

Tomorrow we return to our study of Mark.  (In English!)