MINING THE RICHES
A Promise of
H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 20
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aw is spoken to convict someone of his sin. Gospel is spoken to forgive or comfort someone who already is convicted of his sin. In Mark, we are hanging out with our Lord Jesus and His disciples.Which words do they speak to each other— Law or Gospel?
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The disciples speak to Jesus, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?”They speak Law. They accuse Jesus of not caring. They are quick to point out His “sin.”We might think that is quite bold or brash of the disciples, since Jesus has no sin, yet we do the same thing. Our Lord doesn’t seem to respond to our situation, and it appears that He doesn’t care or that He is asleep on the job, so we get upset because He is not doing anything (at least not the way we think He should). We think it is the Lord’s fault, so we blame Him. Blaming God started back in the garden with Adam when he said,“The woman YOU gave me . . . ” Jesus responds, but first He speaks to the wind and the sea.“Peace! Be still!”The Law is spoken, and the wind and sea respond by doing the will of the Lord.The Law, which is given to the wind and sea, comes as gift to the disciples. The wind ceased, and the sea was calm. What is given as Law to one comes as gift to another. After Adam and Eve had sinned, the Law that God spoke to Satan—that the offspring of the woman will crush his head—comes as Gospel to Adam and Eve—the offspring of the woman will save them. Again, the offspring, Jesus, received the full weight of the Law on the cross where he suffered the wrath of the Father for our sins, yet that which is given as Law to Jesus comes to us as gift—the free gift of forgiveness. Next, Jesus responds to the accusation of the disciples, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
