Just Yeast - Mark 8:15

Mark 8:15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” (NIV)

            For most people who bake bread, yeast is absolutely essential. Yeast enables the dough to be more flexible for shaping, to help the bread rise in the oven, and to add some texture and flavor to the whole loaf. Without the yeast, most loaves would be flat and a bit bland. With the yeast, however, thousands of different breads can be baked to make them look attractive in the shops, stores, and bakeries where we buy them.

            Yeast breaks down the sugars in the other mixed ingredients and releases carbon dioxide which allows the bread to rise. Most of the flavor in bread is determined by the crust that the yeast helps to create. As it permeates throughout the combined ingredients, every part of the bread is affected by the yeast. In fact, the quality of the bread is mainly developed by the yeast’s pervasive presence.

            When Christ’s warned His disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod, He was cautioning them about the false words and ways His opponents would use to influence and corrupt their spirits. His closest followers were not immune from the wiles and ways of deceitful people; in fact, because His disciples were deeply religious, they were more susceptible to being manipulated by those who were deemed to be powerful, authoritative, and in control. Jesus gave His disciples this grave warning because He was concerned that His own people would be led astray. This is why He also referred to the Pharisees as vipers and called Herod a fox. Their message could poison the hearts and minds of the people and their cunning charms could even contaminate the most faithful of servants.

            The importance of this lesson still remains with us today. Faithful people are not flawless, nor are they protected from the lies of leaders and the deliberate deception of despicable demagogues. We only have to look back to the 1940s to see how outrage and nationalism corrupted the hearts and minds of millions of people, most of whom were good church-going Christians. They yielded to the yeast of jingoism, allowing it to destroy decency, causing them to descend into depravity, furthering disunity, and promoting idolatry. With this in mind, Christ’s teaching about the yeast is very clear: if we embrace liars, we become the lie; if we excuse falsehood, we become just as false.

Point to ponder

Who or what currently influences me most? What would Jesus honestly say about this influence?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You gladly call us to be Your servants but You also ask us to be aware of other things that can distract us from You and divert us from the truth. Keep us mindful of our weaknesses and protect us from those who would brazenly corrupt us with lies, deceptions, and devious ways. In Your Holy Name, we fervently pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you have some questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings called “Celtic Pop.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Celtic Pop.

Misunderstood - Mark 8:21

Mark 8:21 Jesus said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (NIV)

            It took me years to understand that Jesus was guiding me throughout my wasted teenage years to a time and a place where I would give my life over to Him. Like the disciples in today’s Gospel story (Mark 8:14-21), I took Christ’s blessings for granted and didn’t pay attention to the source of guidance and goodness that He was giving me. It was only when I became a pastor that I truly understood what He was doing in what I call my ‘wilderness years’. Christ had a plan for me, but I didn’t know it way back then.

            Jesus asks the question in today’s highlighted verse because the disciples thought He was referring to the amount of bread they had forgotten to take from the baskets of left-overs in the miraculous feeding of thousands of people. Jesus had warned them to beware of the yeast - fake news - that both the Pharisees and King Herod’s supporters were spreading among the people. Both groups were conspiring to oppose Christ’s ministry; Jesus wanted the Twelve to be fully informed and, therefore, fully armed against what the future would bring. Unfortunately, the disciples misunderstood and thought Jesus was rebuking them for leaving the baskets of bread behind. They took His miraculous blessings for granted and, albeit unintentionally, diminished His ministry.

            I think we all take Jesus for granted in our lives because He gives us so much grace, forgiveness, and love. When we need help, we say a prayer and for guidance, but how thankful are we when He gives us what we need? When we look for His blessing over something new or something that’s important to us, how do we respond when his grace is given? And when we need Jesus to forgive us for our mistakes, how do we treat Him when He pardons us? Do we still misunderstand His ways, or are we ready to faithfully embrace His teaching and serve Him?

Point to ponder

What do I personally owe to Jesus this week?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we daily seek to follow You and makes sense of our lives through Your many blessings. Help us to understand Your ways in the world and accept the lessons You would have us apply in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. The church website can be found at www.erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s early Gospel drawings called ‘Emmaus Bread.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Emmaus.