Author: admin2

Jesus is stating that his Father gave us the pearls of truth, but we have removed the original intent and we keep moving ahead without understanding that what we are striving for is not worth what we think it is worth.  What God has given us is of the greatest value, so great, we couldn’t even purchase it for ourselves!

Blow the shofar in Zion! Sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all living in the land tremble—for the day of Adonai is coming—surely it is near!  (2)  A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as blackness spreads over the mountains. A great and mighty people—from antiquity there was never anything like it, nor after it ever again from generation to generation.

The word anxious is such a unique word in the Greek.  The word root word merizo means to divide or draw different directions.  Merimna describes the state of “being pulled apart.” I guess the Apostle Mark died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead had a very anxious time.

The word mammon is money personified, you put your full trust in money, and it becomes your god.  It is the opposite of what God intends.  We desire to accumulate and acquire wealth that we become fuller and content in a god, that we neglect to recognize or help those who are less fortunate.  God instead wants us to acquire more of Himself and to accumulate the blessing prepared for us in the next life. 

Today’s message from Jesus is kind the opposite of that.  Jesus’ message is more like Herbie the Love Bug.  Remember Herbie?  A Volkswagen Bug, that unlike the care in Christine, had a quiet personality that nobody expected anything out of, yet he won many races with some comedy in-between.  Or think of it this way.  Remember the old story, the Tortoise and the Hare?  Remember how braggadocios the Hare was?  Yet the quiet tortoise wins the race.  Jesus directs his audience on proper etiquette when is comes to religious fasting.