Mark 9-10: Reading the Same Things Over and Over

It's 6:44 a.m., and I'm sitting in Starbucks at SDSU, drinking coffee, and hoping to be fully awake by the time my class starts at 8:00. I'm teaching, and it's always good to be alert in front of a group of 30 18-year-olds. I dropped Duane and Cait off at the airport at 5:40 and arrived at State at 6:00. Starbucks wasn't even open yet, but it's not too cold, and so I sat on a bench and read Mark 9-10. (San Diego is one of the best places in the world for those of us who like warm weather.)

As I read, I remembered one of the things I really love about reading big chunks of Scripture. I start to notice patterns that I would never see if I were only reading individual stories.

I believe all Scripture is inspired by God. If I'm reading the same things over and over, I probably need to be pay attention.

Here's a few of the things I saw. You can probably find others.

Jesus tells his disciples he is going to die, and that he will rise again from the dead--over and over again. Even at the end, when he actually dies, they don't quite get it, which gives me a lot of hope when I don't get things for a long time.
Mark 8:31-32
Mark 9:31
Mark 10:33-34

Incidentally, the disciples do ask each other what it means, but Mark tells us that they didn't understand what it meant and were afraid to ask Jesus. Note to self--ask God when I don't understand.

All things are possible with God! I really want to remember this when I start to lose heart.
Mark 9:23
Mark 1027

Welcome and value children.
Mark 9:37
Mark 10:14

Serve and love. Don't worry about being first; instead be a servant.
Mark 8:34-36 Lose your life
Mark 10:21 Sell everything you have and follow me.
Mark 10:31 Many who are first will be last.
Mark 10:35 If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last and the servant of all.
Mark 10:43-45 Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all.

"Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for all."

I know all these things tie together, but I'm really tired, and it's hard to connect them right this minute. Seriously, I wrote all these passages in my journal while I was sitting outside, but when I sat down to type this post, I couldn't find the writing in my journal. I'm that distracted this morning.

At any rate, it gives me something to think about as I write my paper this afternoon. I like distractions.