The setting
Early on, in the book of Mark, I often compare the book as rather a slide show. My father-in-law recorded vacations with pictures. His slide shows often came out at a family gathering. In 30 minutes to an hour, he covered all the highlights of a three-week vacation. The slide shows were fast-moving but paused for commentary on the high points; we observe the gospel (the good news) contrasted with evil (the bad news) in this slide show of the life of Jesus Christ presented in Mark. We learn many important lessons from the One who makes the gospel a reality as we rapidly (Mark loves the word immediately) pass through His life.
The setting for this lesson is the first three chapters, where we observe the following:
A word from the Expert
The doing and approving of evil by political leadership (religious or civil) provokes the righteous (those who know God as the creator and the Sovereign ruler) to grief that fuels anger. The question is, what is the righteous to do with that energy generated by that anger? By his example, Jesus teaches what to do. His words set it up, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath, to do good…”
The action of the Expert
He does good. Recognizing that he is being set up for criticism, Jesus does the good and right thing (3:3). Then, despite the reaction of the evil leaders, He continues to do good (3:10). And he continues to set the example by organizing his chosen disciples for spiritual opposition. He doeswhat old Dr. Bob Jones, Sr used to advise the student body, “Do right till the stars fall!”
The apostle echoes the Expert
After laying out the realities of this world in Romans 1-11, Paul begins the twelfth chapter with, therefore, and lays out four chapters of instructions for living in this world because of the work of God 4–8 to overcome evil. Note how 12:18-21 echoes Jesus’s example of Mark chapter three when he concludes, “do not be overcome evil but overcome evil with good.
Implementation of the Expert’s Example
Make a list of five good things you can do during the month of April to utilize the energy of anger you feel as you hear and see the evil our political leaders do from day to day. Then within the law, execute the good.
“Now, you think about that,” as Steve Brown would say.