By What Authority Do You Act and Speak? (Mark 11:27-33)

They came to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders came to him, and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?” 

Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John - was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.”

They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we should say, ‘From heaven;’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ If we should say, ‘From men’” - they feared the people, for all held John to really be a prophet. They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Jesus said to them, “Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (11:27-33)

This was a painful experience for me, to come to the temple, a place where my Father was supposed to rule, and to find that people who did not know my Father were ruling over this place. They challenged my authority to cast out the money changers and to disrupt their business. They did not consider for a moment that what they allowed was in direct opposition to the desire of my Father for the temple. They did not let the Father challenge their wrongfully used authority. Yet, they came to challenge my authority. 

I did not have an answer to give them, but I had a question. Since their authority was not grounded in the Father, it was grounded on another foundation, and I wanted this ground to be revealed so that others could see. It is always good to discern what is the foundation of what you do. In their case, their foundation was on men’s approval, and therefore they needed to please people in order to maintain their status. The Pharisees grounded their authority on their human interpretation of biblical texts and on the people. The Sadducees grounded their authority on the Romans who gave them to rule in the temple. None was really seeking to hear from the living Father, none obeyed the God they spoke about. 

Therefore, I asked them about John. John did not receive his authority to baptize from men but from God, he did not seek the approval of men. In the same way, I received my authority from the Father, and I was not seeking their approval. My question was a problem for them, because they were used to please people, and they knew that John was respected by the people. Yet, John challenged them. John was killed by Herod, and I was going to be killed. John preached a baptism of repentance, and he called all to repent. Many of these leaders did not heed to this call, and stayed away from John. Since their authority was based on men, they did not dare to displease the people, they did not dare to answer my question. Thus, they hid behind hypocrisy, they lied by saying “we don’t know.” 

They tried to confront me and the authority I was grounded on, and I confronted them and their lack of authority. It is always dangerous to enter in open conflict with powerful people. It was dangerous for me and I knew that they would kill me. It was dangerous for them because the Father was in me, and He would soon destroy the temple and the foundation of their impure authority. I did not seek my own authority, I just sought to say what the Father wanted me to say, to do what the Father wanted me to do. They wanted to challenge my authority, and I revealed their lack of real authority. 

It is very important for you to know what is the foundation of what you say, the one you are obeying. Is it grounded on a biblical foundation? Have you learned to listen and to obey to me and to the Father when you pray, in order to find our direction? All true authority comes from the Father. Learn to obey our directions, to follow me in all you say and all you do, and you will discover how you can represent our authority on earth. It is not a matter of pride, but of humility. This is the path I followed on earth, following the Father’s guidance in everything. If you seek to affirm your selfish will, you will not receive the authority of the Father, and ultimately you will lose all authority among men. If you learn from me, if you take my yoke upon you, through the Holy Spirit we will guide you and express our love and authority in you and through you. 

Learn from the centurion, who asked me to heal his servant. He was submitted to a master, and had soldiers under his orders who obeyed him. Because he clearly knew who he was obeying, he had a clear authority. Because of this, he recognized that I also had a real authority, that I was obeying God. He asked me with faith to heal his servant and he knew that I just needed to say a word, which I did. (See Mt 8:5-13).

In your days, what is the Lord of your actions? Is it your belly, a human person, your desire to be seen positively, your own ideas about theology, your desire to play or to flee problems? Learn to meditate on our teachings found in the Bible, learn to listen to us in prayer so that you can apply our teachings every day of your life and in every situation. Learn to walk with me, to do what I tell you to do, to say what I tell you to say. You will then really be my disciple, because you will imitate the path that I followed with the Father. It is not an easy way, but it is a beautiful way, a fruitful and blessed way. Then our love and authority will manifest itself through you as I manifested the love and authority of the Father on earth. 

The Pure Power of Faithfulness (Mark 11:12-26)

The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it. (11:12-14)

My disciples were very surprised by the harshness that I had concerning this fig tree. As I was going to the temple I knew what the Father wanted me to do. He wanted me to pronounce a judgment against the leaders of Israel. My words against this fig tree were a prophetic announcement of the Father’s judgment. Israel was expected to bring fruits, so that the blessings they received from the Father would flow to many others. God’s love is like a river, if you don’t let it go through you to others, you will become a stagnant water that dies. We want people to let rivers of living water flow through them. I welcomed fully the love of the Father, letting His love flow through me to many others, showing you the way to follow, the path to fruitfulness. 

The problem with this fig tree was that, since the leaves were supposed to come when the fruits are also coming, it was deceiving people. It was giving the impression that it had fruits, yet it had none. This is the problem of many people, who pretend that they can quench your thirst and give you a fruitful direction, while they have none. Don’t look only for leaves, but learn to recognize the fruits. By doing this, you will avoid many pains and frustrations. A good tree brings good fruits, but a bad tree cannot bear good fruits. If a tree brings bad fruits, the Father will cut it and trow it into the fire. The Father has called all the creation to enter into his dance of love and grace. You are invited to enter in this living flow, we want to guide you so that you learn to love us and love your neighbor. Learn to let our love flow through you, to love the whole creation and to manifest our grace and truth all around you. All the rules we give are designed for this express purpose, to lead you to this life filled with our grace and truth. Remain in me and I in you, and you will bear much fruit. 

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold  and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. And when evening came they went out of the city. (11:15-19)

I went to stop the evil fruits of the temple to continue. All the peoples were supposed to come to worship the Father, not only the Jews but also the Gentiles. The Father is not only the Father of Israel, but of all humans. Israel is His firstborn people, and he wants to lead all the nations to him. The outer court was supposed to allow the nations to come and pray there. God wanted His love to flow through Israel to all the nations. Yet, Israel wanted to hoard his grace and love, and to see the other nations crushed before them. That was not the plan of the Father, that will never be his plan. I came to show the example, not keeping for myself the love of the Father, but leading all I could to this love. This is the call of all children of God, of all the people who proclaim that God is their Lord. 

In the temple the place for prayer had been replaced by the location for the money-changers and those who sold animals for temple sacrifices. This was not the right place, it was a way to let money replace prayer in a very important part of the temple courts. You cannot serve both God and money, and you cannot receive God’s grace and not let it flow through you to others. Either you learn to love your neighbor that you see, thus manifesting your love for the Creator, or you try to hoard the blessings of God and you will end up being cut off from the tree of life and thrown into the fire. 

I came to stop this shameful business, this replacement of prayer by money in this sacred place. I stopped everything for a short while. This was just a prophetic sign of what the Father would do. About 40 years later, the temple would be destroyed and the Father would use the pagan Romans to carry out His judgment on this place. In order to carry the words of the Father, I had to accept that those who rebelled against him would persecute me. This has always been a price that prophets have to accept. When people don’t have the love of God in themselves, they will reject Him and reject all those He sends. 

I knew that my actions, like what I did in the temple, were going to lead me to much pain and to death. Yet, I also knew that it was the Father’s will and that he would take care of me, not letting my body see corruption. In your world, you cannot please everyone. At one point you have to choose whether you want to learn to listen to the Father and to me, to let the Holy Spirit guide you, or to choose the voice of men and your own voice as your guide in this world. You will reap the consequences of your choices, and that is a basic principle that the Father has established in the creation. If you sow the wind, you will reap a tempest. If you follow my path of love, you will see fruits of this love appear under each of your steps, you will see flowers of our grace burgeon and shine all around you. Trust in me, trust in the love of the Father, and your life will be like a ray of light leading to the source of light. I am the light of the world, and all those who come to me will find real peace and real joy. 

As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered ways to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (11:20-24)

The withered fig tree was a sign of what would happen to the temple, to this hypocritical leadership that pretended to do God’s will while rejecting Him and all those He sent. I did not want the disciples to focus on judgment, but on the authority that the servants of God receive from Him. As my disciples were learning to listen to me and to obey me, they were learning to listen to the Father and do the Father’s will. Whoever sees me sees the Father, and whoever hears my voice hears the Father. I did not do anything without being led by the Father. I modeled through my example how my disciples would then learn from me, by following me in all they say and all they do. This is not theoretical, it is very practical. You can walk with me all the days of your life, you can speak to me and listen to me. We sent the Holy Spirit so that as you welcome our Spirit, you will be able to hear my voice and see me guide your steps. This is why I told my disciples that I would be with them until the end of the age, and that where two or three are united in my name, I am in their midst. 

I encouraged my disciples to have faith in God, to trust God. As you learn to trust the Father and to trust me, to do what we tell you to do, to say what we tell you to say, all you do will succeed. As you learn from me, as you drink from the continual flow of the love of the Father, from his teachings and his grace, our river of love will flow through you and bring many good fruits. You will be like a tree planted by streams of water, bringing fruit in its time. All you will say and do will happen.

It is not because you will have found a specific technique, a magical trick to get your way. To the contrary, as you deny your self-centeredness and let our grace flow in you through your faithfulness, you will be with me, you will take my yoke upon you, you will carry your cross, and you will learn to love. You will then be able to let our love flow through you and transform those around you. It is the power of our love that will transform you and those around you. You will not fear anything, because perfect love casts out fear. 

You will learn to pray with confidence, certain that as you learn to speak the words we put in your heart, these words will come to pass. The flower fades and the grass withers, but the word from the Father will not return to him empty. Our words, as you welcome them, will bring their fruits in you and around you. Learn to enter in the flow of our grace, learn to remain in this flow, and you will be amazed at the works the Father will do through you. You will dance of joy, when you see how our love will transform many through your faithfulness. Have faith in me, have faith in the Father. Welcome in you the same faithfulness that was in me. Learn from me to serve and love. I am man and I am God. I came to show you what faith is, what faithfulness to the Father can do. As you follow my path, as you imitate my faithfulness, as you let my words rule in you, as you listen to me and do what I show you, you will do even greater things than what I did. This should not be a subject of pride, but of gratefulness. This is what the flow of our love and grace will do in you and through you. 

Learn to walk by faith in us, learn to obey our guidance, learn to shine of our light in this world. Then, the trees with rejoice and the birds will sing of joy. All the creation is eagerly awaiting for the revelation of the sons and daughters of God. Take your place as a child of God, learn to follow me in all you say and all you do, and you will see the power of love flow through you and bless many. That was my promise to my disciples, that is still my promise to you today. 

Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.” (11:25-26)

As you learn to follow my path of love, you cannot continue to judge people. Even those who have harmed you deeply, you should forgive them. It is a key rule in your relationship with us. When you come to us in prayer, this is the first thing to do, to forgive and to ask for forgiveness if you have done something wrong. The more violent a person has been toward you, the more important it is for you not to let the venom of unforgiveness go through your veins. When you don’t forgive, when you want to condemn someone who harmed you, you are taking the position of judge, you are thus rejecting your identity of son of God, and you therefore hinder significantly the flow of our love for you. You need our love, you need our grace, you need our blessings to move forward in the plans of life that we have for you. When someone refuses to forgive, it is like if this person says that he does not need our blessings. It is foolish and harmful. 

When I was on the cross, I showed the way, forgiving those who crucified me. It is very important. To forgive means that you renounce to judge the person for the harm they have caused you, and that you hand this judgment over to the Father. Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn your brother for his faults, because you are often not aware of how much you have harmed others. The Father did not send me to condemn humans, but to show the way of deliverance, that many would find life through me. Forgiveness does not mean that you will be very close to the person who harmed you, in fact sometimes it will be wise for you to stay away from someone who harmed you. Yet, don’t let the poison of unforgiveness harm your heart, don’t let an offense lead your life toward darkness. 

Let our love for you be and remain more important that any offense you suffer, let the fellowship with us remain the strongest relationship in your life, and you will be happy. I came to bring real happiness, a happiness that overflows in eternal life. This happiness is not self-centered and judging, it is humble and joyful. This happiness receives the love of the Father and learns to follow me, to listen to me and to the Father, full of the Holy Spirit as a temple of God. Do not let any harm or impurity rule in the temple of your body, forgive and welcome fully the love of the Father. You will then discover the pure power of faithfulness, the joyful transformation of an obedient faith in God. 

Learning to Follow Jesus as He Followed the Father (Mark 11:1-11)

When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has sat. Untie him, and bring him. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs him;’ and immediately he will send him back here.” (11:1-3)

As I was coming near to Jerusalem, as I was coming near the end of my earthly ministry, I needed to complete the training of my disciples. They had learned to obey me, as I obeyed the Father. All I did was to reproduce the training that the Father gave me on earth with my disciples. Sometimes, the Father was showing me things in advance, when I was listening to him, in order for me to do what He wanted. In the same way, I needed to show to the disciples that they could trust me indeed and that I could tell them to do things that were beyond their present knowledge. In this case, I sent two disciples to find and untie a young donkey at a specific place, and even told them what to say if someone would ask them questions. They did not need to know whether I did know the owner of the donkey, or if it was simply because the Father had told me as I was telling them. What they did need to know was what to do and what to say. 

That was the method that the heavenly Father used with me, giving me what to say and showing me what to do. I then reproduced this method with my disciples. I had already sent them earlier, telling them in advance what to do for healing and casting out demons, and they had followed my instructions with great joy and success. Then, when they thought that they had fully understood, they failed to cast out a demon from a boy and I could remind them that the fellowship with God, through prayer, was key to receive more precise instructions on how to do things like casting out impure spirits. 

It was similar here, they did not need to know principles, they needed simply to listen to me and to follow my directions. My disciples would sometimes like for me to give only general principles for living their lives, so that they can figure out how to apply them. The problem with that approach is that it is a very limited approach, which will not allow us to lead my disciples with precision, like a shepherd can lead his sheep. That is what many Christians do today, when they limit themselves to read the Bible or the Gospels and try on their own to figure out how to apply my teachings. What they don’t realize is that the Scriptures speak about me and lead to listen to me, to my words in the Gospels as well as to my words today. Prayer and listening to me is not an option for my disciples, I want to lead them each day. If not, how could I continue to teach and protect my disciples in specific situations like when there is danger? Is it not by speaking to them and by showing things to them in visions or dreams? It is exactly what the prophet Joel was announcing, when he said: “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28). This is exactly what I want to do with each of my disciples as they receive the Holy Spirit, His fire and our love. My words should become the bread of each of your days, because I want to teach you how to love all the days of your life, both through biblical principles and through direct daily guidance like in the case of these two disciples.  

They went away, and found a young donkey tied at the door outside in the open street, and they untied him. Some of those who stood there asked them, “What are you doing, untying the young donkey?” They said to them just as Jesus had said, and they let them go.” (11:4-6)

These two disciples were really impressed when they saw that all I had told them was accurate. It is not difficult, for the Father or for the Holy Spirit or for me, to guide you in this way. It is part of the training of my disciples. We want the children of the Father to learn basic principles of the kingdom, and we also want them to follow precise directions. When you follow both general and precise directions, you learn to love us and to love your neighbor.  Teaching to love is like teaching to dance the waltz, you welcome our words of love and you move along with these words in you. Your focus should not be on originality but on faithfully following my guidance. From the outside, your actions will sometimes look very original or strange, but in your heart you simply learn to follow our directions of love. As we teach you, you learn to reproduce our love in your world, you learn to do the good works that the Father has prepared for you to practice. The more you practice our love, the more it becomes your love, and you will develop the joyful feeling that following our daily directions becomes natural to you. In this way, you don’t become proud, even when we perform miracles through you, but you simply discover how good it is to welcome our loving directions and follow them faithfully. It is the training I followed with the heavenly Father, it is the training I want you to follow as my disciple. It is a joyful training, it is a humble training, it is a training of love. The one who loves me is the one who follows my directions, in the same way that I followed the loving directions of the Father. 

They brought the young donkey to Jesus, and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it. Many spread their garments on the way, and others were cutting down branches from the trees, and spreading them on the road. Those who went in front, and those who followed, cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (11:7-10)

When I enter Jerusalem a donkey, as prophesied by Zechariah (Zech 9:9), the crowd rejoiced that finally I was openly coming as the Messiah, as the King of Israel in Jerusalem. They shouted and rejoiced. 

At that moment, the paradox is that on one side I did not try to hide anymore who I was, and yet my task for coming to Jerusalem was never as completely hidden to them as during this day. Sometimes you think that you know something well, but it can simply be that you are so deluded that you are not even aware of it. It is what happened to many when I entered Jerusalem. 

Before, I did not want to reveal my true identity openly because the people had the wrong ideas and the wrong expectations about who the Messiah was, and what was his mission. They wanted to be delivered from external oppressors like the Romans. I came to deliver from the real oppressors which are sin, evil and all its consequences in the heart of man. Then, I knew that I was going to the Father, that I was led to the cross, and I was ready for this ordeal. 

People thought I entered Jerusalem to reign and to send away the Romans. Instead, I came to die and resurrect, and then to send away sin and evil from their ruling in the heart of men. I was coming for the real victory, the victory of love in the heart of men. It did not need violence, but humble obedience to the Father of love. This victory would not impress the world first, but would impact it and transform your world forever. 

Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. (11:11)

When I saw all that was done in the temple, all the money and greed involved, I did not agree at all. Yet, I needed first to speak with the Father, to listen to him precisely, in order for me to know what to do about the wickedness I had noticed. That is why I went with the twelve to Bethany in the evening. I did not react, but first simply listened to the Father. 

In the same way, when you see something wrong, don’t be too quick to react, thinking that you know how to handle that situation. Make sure that you keep your heart open to us, and that you learn to listen to our directions in such cases. When you see evil, you can fall into sin by letting your anger go unchecked and by reacting too quickly. Don’t do that without a clear direction from us, learn to be like a bridled horse, who learns to follow the guidance of his rider. 

We don’t want to crush your will, but to guide you so that you learn to act justly even in situations full of sin, so that you learn to avoid to fall in the very evil that you want to oppose. The devil enjoys leading people to fight one another, each of them holding to a part of the truth. When each person focuses on the part where the other is wrong, Satan can keep them eternally in conflict. It is a key way he uses to destroy couples and to lead many to divorce. 

Don’t be foolish, forgetting that you are still a disciple in training. It is only in remaining in fellowship with us that you avoid sin and pride. Don’t imagine at any point that a few biblical principles are enough to possess the truth, that the truth is fully in you, independently of your prayerful union with me. I am the truth, as I remain in the Father. Remain in me and I in you, and the truth will be in you to guide you and keep your heart from evil. Learn to remain with me in this holy fellowship of love, and we will guide you even through places full of sin, so that you come unscathed, so that the name of the Father is glorified. That is why I came to Jerusalem, that is what the Father did through my humble obedience. The cross has become the victory of all victories, the source of redemption for all who come to me, this cross of death has become a tree of life. 

Learning to See the Father’s Love (Mark 10:46-52)

They came to Jericho. As he went out from Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. (10:46)

Healing blind persons was a key element of my ministry. In this case, this beggar was not brought by people, but he was sitting by the road. Nobody helped him, as a matter of fact, nobody cared for him. He was alone, lost among many. This was the case of so many in my time on earth, and I came to show the grace of the Father, to open their eyes to His love. Physical healings were and still are important today. They are a beautiful way to show the Father’s love and to teach people about grace. 

When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out, and say, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him, that he should be quiet, but he cried out much more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!” (10:47-48)

This beggar heard that I had opened the eyes of blind men before him, and he wanted my help. He was forgotten and left aside, but he was ready to shout even if people ordered him to shut up. This is a key element that we are looking for, faith. He had faith that I could heal him, and was ready to take risks to get my attention. 

Jesus stood still, and said, “Call him.” 

They called the blind man, saying to him, “Cheer up! Get up. He is calling you!” 

He, casting away his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. (10:49)

I loved his willingness, his determination. When he heard me and was encouraged, not only did he spring up but he came to me. The people did not help him much, he used all the strength he had to come to me, he was not afraid of falling or stumbling on something or someone. He came to me with all his faith. 

Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The Blind man said to him, “Rabboni, that I may see again.” (10:50-51)

It was evident that this man was blind. Yet, it was important to remind people that my healings were not a matter of power only but rather an expression of the love of the Father. For love to express itself, it needs communication, dialogue, as often as possible. That is why I love when my disciples learn to speak to me, to ask me, and listen to my answers. I wanted this man to express his request. Never separate my miracles from my love. When there was no love and faith, I could not do many miracles. When the Pharisees demanded a sign from me, I did not want nor could produce a sign - love and faith were missing, because they were trying to judge me instead of coming as trusting children of the Father. 

In the case of Bartimaeus, his faith was simple, and he came to me with all his strength, stating his request with simplicity and hope. 

Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus on the way. (10:52)

I gave him the command to go, as he was healed. Not only did he receive his sight, but he decided to go with me, to follow me on the way. He focused on me when he needed healing, and he continued to focus on me once he had received his healing, with gratefulness in his heart. This is a beautiful example for every disciple. Many people pray and ask for my help in time of need, but when I answered the need they go away or stop praying. Prayer is not so much a technique, but rather learning to have fellowship with me. It has a part of asking, but it also has a part of listening and remaining in my presence. Since my resurrection, I want my disciples to learn to remain in me and I in them. 

The real need is not only for physical healing, but to have eternal life, and this eternal life is not in you but in me. As you learn to remain in me and I in you, as you learn to live in my presence, you have this eternal life in you as it is in me. Learn to know me, to spend time with me, to learn from me and to follow my direction. My disciples are not called to have a big head but a sensitive heart, a heart that listens to my love and follows this love in all their ways. Your head is a good and important part of you, helping to analyze and clarify things, yet it is designed to serve in love, not to rule. Learn to love the Father and me with all your heart, soul and strength, it is the goal of your creation. As you learn to do that, like Bartimaeus, we will release all your capacities, we will open your eyes so that you can learn to share this love with your neighbor. 

Notice that I always left people to their choices, I did not force them. I was not trying to force people to follow me. I did not try to tell Bartimaeus that, since he was healed, he was required to follow me. This is an important part of the Father’s identity, he never forces people. His grace is really free. We don’t demand a response for our love and miracles, we invite but don’t demand. In the end, it is true that we have eternal life and that this eternal life is in the fellowship with us, but we will never force anyone because we are looking for love. Love is a free response to grace, it cannot be forced. The Father does not expect people to pay him a monthly fee for the fresh air He give freely. What we hope is that you realize that you receive many graces, and that these graces come from us, so that you can continue to receive these graces as you learn to trust in me and to follow me in all you do. 

The Greatness of Sacrifice and Service (Mark 10:32-45)

They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going in front of them, and they were amazed; and those who followed were afraid. He again took the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were going to happen to him. (10:32)

My disciples were impressed by the statement that they would not lack anything, that they would have houses, land, brothers, sisters, mothers and children, and that they would indeed receive eternal life. This gave them hope and rejoiced them. 

If my disciples were amazed, the crowd that followed them were afraid because I mentioned persecutions. It is striking to me that I shared about many positive things like the houses, land, and spiritual family that God would provide for them, and even eternal life; yet some people just noticed the negative, that there would be persecutions, and were afraid. So many people live their life with the sole goal or hope of not suffering, of avoiding anything that is difficult. When you do so, you will not be able to learn to love, because love has always a price and involves efforts in the learning. When your life is ruled by the desire not to suffer, you will need to stop loving people and God, and to isolate yourself. In fact, when you let this desire to not suffer rule in your heart, you take the path of a slow and sad death. The path I lived, the way I opened, is a way of love and grace, of joy and peace, of eternal life, yet this path involves difficulties and suffering on this earth. Don’t fear death, I have overcome its power. You should never focus on suffering or difficulties, focus on the Father and me, and we will lead you and help you even through the valley of the shadow of death. That is what I was preparing my disciples for. 

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles. They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” (10:33-34)

I knew that the ideas of going through suffering and death, and then being victorious and resurrecting was very hard for them to grasp. I needed to show the way, to show them that the power of the gospel did not limit itself to this life, but would bring them into eternal life. Repetition is a key part of teaching, and for this important lesson I saw my disciples understand each time a little bit more. Yet, they would understand fully only after the resurrection. 

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we will ask.” 

He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”

They said to him, “Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left hand, in your glory.” (10:35-37)

The first time I mentioned my death and resurrection, Peter rebuked me before the others, telling that it would not happen, and I needed to correct him publicly. 

Then, the next time I mentioned this subject, the disciples discussed about who would replace me on earth, to be the leader, which shows that at least they began to believe that I would indeed die, although their focus was still selfish and concerned about power. 

This time, James and John were beginning to realize that the life on earth was only a small part of God’s plan, and that after death there would indeed be eternal life for my disciples. They were beginning to realize that resurrection was real, they remembered the young girl who came back to life, and they tried to see the implications of the resurrection. 

I taught my disciples to ask, and that they would receive, so I was happy of their request. Yet, I did not teach them that they would always receive exactly what they wanted. That is why I emphasized the importance of asking first of all for the Holy Spirit (see Luke 11:9-13), so that the Holy Spirit guides your requests to become always more in harmony with the will of God, so that you enter fully in the plans of the Father’s love, so that you always more receive exactly what you ask for. 

As they were beginning to consider the possibility of resurrection for me and for them, they projected their selfish goals in this new life. James and John asked if they could be my first two ‘ministers’ in eternal life, in my glory. They wanted the places of honor, sitting at my left and at my right hand. They were following me, knowing that I was the Messiah, and they had a hard time to accept that I would not be king during my life on earth. They wanted places of importance in my kingdom to come, which would justify their pains and efforts. This would help to explain to their parents why they left the family business and accepted the fragile life of disciple. 

People always want to find security, yet they are often mistaken in seeking a security grounded in a position or in belongings. I tried to help my disciples to focus on God and heaven first, the only security, on seeking the kingdom of God. I even used the idea of ‘treasures in heaven’ in order to help them grasp this, although heaven is not really a place where you store physical treasures - it was an image that was helpful then and that is still helpful for many today. 

But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

They said to him, “We are able.”

Jesus said to them, “You shall indeed drink the cup that I drink, and you shall be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared.” (10:38-40)

If James and John were now beginning to consider the resurrection, they did not understand the suffering and death that I would have to go through, that they would have to go through. In this process of dying, they would learn to disregard the human focus on social importance and titles, and prepare for eternal life with me. They would learn to focus on the more eternal treasure that love is. 

I spoke to them of the cup of suffering that I would drink, of the baptism of persecution and death that I would go through. They did not understand clearly what I told them, and I was not trying to speak to them too clearly, because they were not ready to accept it. In fact, they would flee when I was arrested, trying to escape death and suffering. Yet, they could later meditate about my words, and speak with me after my resurrection, and then they became ready to carry my love up to death, and to shine of my tenderness up to the last day of their lives. John would become the one who would write much about love, in his ‘gospel,’ in the letters he sent, and in the visions and revelations I gave him about my return. He died full of our love, fully prepared for eternal life. 

I did not speak to them about who would be at my right hand and at my left hand, because I was not concerned about it. It is the Father who elevated me, and who would elevate those who would be at my right hand and at my left hand. They still needed to understand the path of being the loving servant that I was opening to them. 

When the ten heard it, they began to be indignant towards James and John. (10:41)

If James and John were thinking about who would be great in my glory, the ten also were thinking about that, and were jealous that these two had spoken to me about it. After the ‘battle of succession’ on the earth that my disciples had when the spoke about who was the greatest, they were now beginning their inner battle for succession in heaven. I really needed to help them focus on what was truly important. 

Jesus summoned them, and said to them, “You know that they who are recognized as rulers over the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant. Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be bondservant of all. For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (10:42-45)

I did not rebuke my disciples, I just tried to help them refocus on what was really important, on what was real greatness in the eyes of the Father. It was not about ruling over others, but serving others. In heaven, the proud will have no place, and the Father will give authority to those who know how to serve. This is the root of any harmonious community, on earth as it is in heaven. This lesson is very important. As you are on earth, prepare well for eternal life. For this preparation, learn to love and to serve. Love and service are two facets of a same reality. The one who really love me will listen and obey to my word. The one who has learned to serve well is the one who has learned to love well. Love and service are the two key facets in your growth as a child of God. 

As you learn to listen to me, to my words and to my directions during your days, I am teaching you to love your neighbor. As you learn to listen and obey my words, I am teaching you to be a servant, a servant of God and a servant of your neighbor. As you learn to serve, as you learn to love, remember that there is no greater love than to give your life for those you love. You cannot keep your life, because you don’t have eternal life in yourself. But you can give your life to God and to your neighbor, in learning to love and to serve with all that you are, with all that you have. You will then receive eternal life, this eternal communion with the Father of life, this eternal communion with me as His Son. 

Follow me on this path of love and service, I have paid the price for so many, I have opened the way, I am the way and the truth and the life. 

From Temporary Wealth to Eternal Life (Mark 10:17-31)

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (10:17)

Observe well his question. I just told my disciples that whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. It means that you never earn the right to be a child of God and to receive the kingdom of God, you just receive this gift of the Father by his grace, through your faith. 

This young man wanted to do something to merit eternal life. He was completely focused on what he can do, and not on what the loving Father wants to do. This is something extremely frequent on earth, people who want to get spiritual blessing with material actions or goods. What the Father wants is for people to come him as their heavenly Father, to learn to enter in fellowship with him through me. Yet, many persons don’t want this close relationship with us and would rather know what to do to please us. In fact, this attitude is very painful for us and we respond to them with the law. Like the people of Israel who did not want to listen to us but rather asked Moses to listen for them, and then they would do what he taught them, I led this man to the Ten Commandments. 

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” (10:18-19)

Since this young man did not see that I was the Son of God, I needed to correct him when he said ‘Good teacher’. Goodness belongs to God, and humans can only participate in this goodness. He wanted to be polite, yet his politeness was almost flattery, therefore I reminded him that God alone is good. 

Then, since he did not show a desire for intimacy with God, but rather how to get something out of Him - eternal life, I responded like the Father had responded to the people of Israel: I spoke about some of the ‘Ten commandments’. These commandments were designed to encourage intimacy with us, to learn to not put anything about God and to spend time in His presence on the Sabbath, to learn to love your neighbor. We always have wanted for humans to learn to love, yet many want techniques to do ‘the right thing,’ while remaining the masters of their lives. So many don’t want a Father, even if it is a loving and perfect father, what they hope is that they will then be able to do what they want. 

Eternal life is about knowing the Father and me, following our guidance, it is about dialogue and fellowship. It is not about following rules. The rules we gave, like the ten commandments, were designed to shepherd people to us, to teach how to put love for God and love for the neighbor first, to listen to us first, and to not let anything come into the way between them and us. 

And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”

And Jesus, looking at him, love him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (10:20-22)

When this man said that he had kept all these from his youth, I had real compassion for him. He was really convinced that he did all things right. Yet, he was like a sheep without a shepherd, who focuses on external standards, without recognizing that in his heart there are many things that are not from God. One key element was that he did not put God first but wealth first. It was clear in his initial question about inheriting eternal life. You cannot inherit eternal life. It is not a good to get, but an intimate relationship with God. He saw spiritual life, eternal life, as an object that is valuable to acquire, so I gave him an answer corresponding to his approach, I invited him to sell all that he had, in order to get treasure in heaven. Once he would get rid of his ‘money focus,’ I invited him to move toward relationship with God by coming and following me. 

The reality is that he was so focused on the wealth he had, that he did not even consider following me, he became very sad and went away full of sadness. He had seen the joy of the gospel, the love of God flowing through the life with my disciples, but he was still too much attached to things, to earthly possessions. 

And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them, “Children, how difficult 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 person to enter the kingdom of God.” (10:23-25)

So many in your world think that earthly goods will give you security and happiness. This has never been and will never be the case. Harmonious and joyful relationships are the root of all happiness. Love is the foundation of happiness, love for God and love for your neighbor. We do all we can to show the way to happiness and to blessedness, but so many don’t want to see it. They prefer possessing objects to loving others. It is so sad, yet so common. Learn to get away from the lie of human riches, and learn to develop this intimacy with me and with the Father. As you learn to let our love rule in your heart, you begin to see the reality and the lies of your world. 

Learn to see others as persons to love, instead of seeing them as objects to desire or to fear. Love is not about getting but about giving yourself. In order to be encouraged in this important journey of love, learn first to love with the persons you perceive as loving you, and then extend to even those who don’t love you. Often, parents are the first persons you will learn to love, that is why it is important to respect them. Don’t stop there, learn to come to us, to discover in the Scriptures how much the Father and I we love you. Learn to receive our love and blessings, as you learn to welcome with faith and obedience our directions of grace in your life. In this way, you will store treasures in heaven, and you will receive eternal life as the natural inheritance of a child of God. 

And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (10:26-27)

To be saved, to be delivered from sin and death, you need this living and vibrant relationship with the Father. He has life in himself as I have life in myself. As you learn to focus not on wealth but on us, you discover that all things are possible with God. As you develop your fellowship with us, as you welcome my sacrifice on the cross on your behalf, as you learn from us how to love us and your neighbor, you will be delivered from sin and death. This deliverance is not an object you can possess, it is a quality of relationship with us that makes everything possible - opening the door to eternal life and to the kingdom of God. 

Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.”

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (10:28-31)

As you renounce to find security in earthly possessions, as you learn to commit all you have to us and let the Father and me guide you, you discover the wealth of the Father and how he can give you all you need. In fellowship with us you will discover, through my Church, an amazing family with many brothers and sisters, mothers and children, houses and lands. This family is not yet perfect, as you are not yet perfect. Yet, there is much love and it is through you and through my Church that we want to see our love spread in all the earth. As you follow me and rely on your relationship with me and with the Father, you will also experience persecutions in this world. This is normal, people did persecute me, your teacher, so they will also persecute you as my disciple. Don’t look for persecution, just learn to love the Father and me, to welcome fully our love in an intimate communion with us through the Holy Spirit. Then our love will guide you to love your neighbor and to stand peaceful and firm even in front of persecution. Remember that persecution lasts only a short time, in comparison with the peace and joyful life that you can have with us today and that will continue beyond your world into eternity. 

In this journey, you will see that many who are prominent in the world or in churches have been relying on wealth and reputation more than on the eternal life that grows from an intimacy with us. Also, many who did not impress others, who were faithfully following me in the simplicity of their every day life, will be important in the kingdom of God. Indeed, many who are first will be last, and the last first. 

Learn to be a child of the Father (Mark 10:13-16)

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (10:13-16)

Here is a profound truth about my coming on earth. I did not come for a complex task, but for a simple one. I came to remind people that they had a Father in heaven, who had access to all we need on earth to be happy. He knows what is good for us better than any human. Like a human father when he wants the good of his child, the heavenly father will give good gifts to His children. I learned to say the words the Father told me to say, I learned to do the actions the Father asked me to do. You are called to imitate me, to listen to me and to follow me. I can speak to you and show you what the Father wants. I am the good Shepherd and want to guide you to the Father of love, to the perfect heavenly Father. 

In your world, when people grow up, they very often have the impression that they can take care of themselves, that they can be masters of their lives. This impression lasts a few decades, before you become old, and then the illusion of independent power just disappears as you need again help and learn again to obey others. Many people hate this shift in the old age, while the Father allows this to help you remember a deep truth in your world: you are not self-sufficient, you always need the help of others. 

Learning the fear of God is learning that all the resources around you are not your possession, but gifts that you can use for a while. The air is a gift from God, the water is a gift from God, the ground is a gift from God. The Father expects you to use these gifts wisely, and if you don’t use them in a way that honors the Father, at one point he will give you a correction. This should teach people to fear displeasing God, as a key step in learning to love the Father. As you learn that the goal of the Father is not to crush you or to punish you, but to teach you how to love Him and how to love your neighbor, you will not need anymore fear, but just to walk in His love. You will then become, like Abraham, a friend of God. Once you are perfected in love, fear will no more be needed. That is what I came to show, the love of the Father, and how to walk in this love all the days of your life. 

As human parents have to teach the importance of obedience to their children, the heavenly Father needs to teach it to His children. When they learn the lesson quickly, they avoid many unnecessary corrections, but if they refuse to learn they end up in many pains. In your world, so many persons think they are autonomous and can make it on their own. Then they discover that they have made a hole in the ozone layer of the earth, then they discover that water could become scarce, yet they still try to master with their brains instead of recognizing that all these resources are gifts from the Father. It is not a gift from mother earth, but a gift from Father God. The earth has no soul in itself and has no intelligence, but the earth is where the heavenly Father is manifesting his love to humanity. He desires to train you to respect the resources he gives, and to use them for His glory and for the love of your neighbor. 

As you learn that you are not alone, and that you have a loving heavenly Father, He also wants you to learn that you have to follow His directions in order to continue to receive life. He has life in himself, and it is only in knowing him intimately, in learning from me how to stay in communion with us, that you receive eternal life. Eternal life is so simple, it is received when you stay a child of the Father, and learn to follow us in our love. Childlike faith is the attitude of faith that a child has for his parents, as he knows they want his good and expect him to follow their guidance. We are not looking for micromanagement, for piloting humans like puppets, but we want each human person to learn to love and to let love rule in their hearts. As you learn to welcome my words, as you learn to follow my teachings, you learn to remain in the flow of the Father’s love. In doing so, you will move from being a servant of God to become a friend of God, one of his many mature children. Through the Holy Spirit in you, you learn that the Father is a good father, that you can speak to him with tenderness, that you can say ‘Abba,’ daddy, Father. In this way our love makes you free from any darkness, releases you from any bitterness and leads you on the path of peace and joy. 

Learn to receive the kingdom of God like a child, learn to listen to me as I guide you to the Father, learn to rejoice in the Holy Spirit. Our path is simple, just come to me and I will give you the rest you seek, I will give you the fresh water of the Father’s love. 

Follow me and learn from me, I will teach you how to live as a joyful child of the Father. That was the goal of my incarnation, that is still the goal in my presence on earth today.