MkITN XVI

1. And when the Sabbath was over, which was technically just after sunset, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome went to purchase sweet-smelling spices that they could use to anoint the body of Jesus.

2. And very early, before the dawn of the first day of the week, they got up and went to the tomb. By the time they arrived, the sun had risen.

3. As they were entering the garden area, they said to one another, "One thing we haven't thought of...how are we going to roll back the stone that fits into the groove at the floor of the entrance to the tomb? Do you think we can find someone to help us move it?"

4. But even as they said these words while approaching the tomb, they looked up and saw clearly that the stone was already rolled back completely (which was remarkable because it was very large).

5. Amazed, they just walked right into the tomb without any hesitation. Once inside, they saw a young man calmly sitting there on the right side of where the body had been, clothed in a long, flowing robe of white. When they got a good look at him, they were stunned into a terrified silence.

6. The young man turned to them and said, "Ladies, there's absolutely nothing here to fear. You've come looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, haven't you? Well...He's not here, at least not in the form to which you are accustomed. But He's very much alive! See...here's the place where they laid Him...

7. You should go now...there's nothing else here to see. Go...tell the disciples, including Peter, that He is going before you all into Galilee. You will be able to see Him there, just as He told you."

8. They didn't waste any time. They went out of the tomb in a frenzy...running as fast as they could...fluctuating between being in a state of shock and being in a state of hysterics. And they said nothing about it to anyone, because they were too excited...too panic-stricken...to even say a word!

*This is where Chapter 16 and the entire Gospel of Mark ends in all original manuscripts. Typically, The Gospels In The Now do not include non-original text, but to give the story proper closure, the author will make an exception...

9. Now Jesus, having freshly risen from death early on the first day of the week, appeared initially to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had expelled seven rebel spirits which had controlled her.

10. She went immediately and reported it to His followers...those who had been with Him in His earth-walk...as they were in complete grief mode, weeping and mourning.

11. And when they heard her news that He was alive and that she had actually seen Him, they didn't even consider the possibility of it...even though she was verifying exactly what He had told them would happen, they didn't believe it for a second.

12. Later He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking along the road into the country.

13. And after these two were finally somewhat convinced, they returned to Jerusalem and told the others, but they didn't believe them either.

14. So then He appeared to the remaining eleven apostles as they reclined at the table, and as soon as He manifested, He began to severely reprimand them for their unbelievable lack of faith, and the impenetrable hardness of their hearts. He rebuked them for refusing to believe those who had seen Him up close after He had risen from death.

15. But He said to them, "Here's My last word on this...one of you betrayed Me...one of you denied Me...all of you abandoned Me...none of you believed I was alive...but not one of you is disqualified because of what he did or didn't do. Now go into all the world and preach the good news of the Gospel to every creature of the entire human race!

16. Whoever believes the Gospel that you proclaim, and is baptized to demonstrate and act on their revelation of it will be delivered...but whoever misses the opportunity of faith...whoever doesn't believe the Gospel will invite unnecesary destruction into their lives.

17. And these signs of confirmation will accompany those who believe...in My name they will have authority to drive out rebel spirits...they will speak in new languages, and communicate My message in new and innovative Spirit-ways;

18. If a snake bites them while they're in this flow they won't be harmed by it at all, and if they accidentally drink anything poison, it won't hurt them. They will also lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.

19. So then Jesus, after He had said all these things to them about their future, was translated into the heavenly realm...and He sat down in the place of God's authority.

20. And they were all energized and inspired to go out and preach everywhere, while the Master kept working with them and through them, continuously confirming the message by the attesting signs...the irrefutable evidence...brought about through the world of the miraculous which they created together. Amen - so be it!

MkITN XV, Verses 16 - 47

16. Then the soldiers led Him away to the courtyard inside the palace, known as the Praetorium, and they called together the entire battalion of soldiers.

17. And there they dressed Him in a purple robe that someone found, and wove together a crown of long, spiky thorns, and forced it down over His scalp and forehead.

18. Then, in an attempt to completely humiliate Him, they began to mock-worship Him, saying, sardonically, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

19. As they said this, they smacked Him repeatedly all over His head with a staff made of a bamboo-like reed, and continually spat in His face until it was drenched and dripping with their hot saliva. All the while they kept blasphemously bowing their knees in homage to Him.

20. And when they finally grew tired of abusing Him, and of making sport of Him…when they had run out of profanities, and had no more obscene gestures to make towards Him… they yanked the purple robe off of Him and covered up His bloody nakedness with His own clothes. Then they drug Him out of the city to crucify Him.

21. At one point, when His strength failed and He collapsed under the weight of the heavy cross-beam He was carrying, they forced a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the country, to carry it for Him.

22. And they led Him to Golgotha (which in Latin is called Calvary), meaning ‘The Place of a Skull’, because of the strange rock formation on the side of the hill there that eerily resembled the face of a human skeleton.

23. In a brief and rare moment of compassion they attempted to give Him a painkiller consisting of wine mingled with myrrh, but He refused it.

24. So then they just did it…as if being prompted and animated by a force greater than any of them, individually or collectively, they crucified Him. And as hunters seeking a trophy from the kill, they divided His garments and distributed them among themselves, throwing lots for them to decide who should take what.

25. It was about nine o'clock in the morning when they finally did the deed.

26. Now it was customary to place an inscription of accusation over the head of each crucified prisoner…but since Jesus was personally innocent of any crime, individually…and yet guilty by association of every crime, universally…the one they hung above His head just simply and poignantly read, “The King of the Jews.”

27. And with Him they crucified two convicted thieves, one on His right side and one on His left.

28. With this the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “He was just a number among the other transgressors.”

29. Since the crosses were lined up along the street there in front of Golgotha, He was very accessible to the moving traffic. And the people who walked by kept cursing Him and swearing at Him, using the worst and vilest kind of language imaginable. They shook their heads and made faces at Him, saying, “Just look at You! You who bragged that You would destroy the temple and build it back in three days…

30. If You’re such a powerful big shot, why don’t You show us what you’ve got? Rescue Yourself, and jump down from that cross!

31. Even the chief priests, with the Scribes, joined in the mass mockery, saying, “What do we have here? Someone who rescued others from death, but can’t even lift a finger to rescue Himself!

32. Let’s all watch to see if the Christ…the Messiah… the King of Israel…can come down now from His pitiful cross. If He can do that we’ll all fall down and worship Him, and believe that He is who He says He is!" Even those who were crucified on either side of Him swore at Him and railed on Him with hurtful insults, and all manner of verbal abuse, until it seemed as if the entire creation was cursing Him in unison.

33. When it was about midday, a mysterious and ominous darkness began to settle in over the entire surrounding area, and remained there until about three o'clock in the afternoon.

























34. At about this time Jesus cried with a loud voice in His native Aramaic, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which means, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

35. And some of those standing by heard it and completely misunderstood, saying, “Listen to that! He is calling for the prophet Elijah to come and help Him!

36. Then one man ran, and, filling a sponge with a mixture of sour wine vinegar and water, put it on a staff made of another bamboo-like reed and gave it to Him to drink, saying, “Wait…wait! This is gonna be good! Let’s see whether or not His friend Elijah does come to take Him down!”

37. And with that Jesus uttered a loud cry from the depths of His being, and exhaled His earth-life.

38. And at this exact instant, the curtain of the Holy of Holies in the Temple…the veil which symbolically divided all things holy from all things ordinary…was somehow torn in two from top to bottom, creating a new reality concerning where the presence of God could officially abide.

39. When the centurion who stood facing Jesus saw, up-close and personal, how elegantly He breathed out His own physical life in the midst of His own unbearable torture, he said, “Now I see it…really, this Man was God's Son!"

40. Now some women were also nearby, looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, the younger, and of Joses, and Salome.

41. These women were a part of Jesus’ large female following, and were in the habit of accompanying and ministering to Him when He was in Galilee. Aside from them there were also many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem.

42. As evening had already come, and since it was the day of Preparation, or the day before the Sabbath,

43. Joseph of Arimathea, a nobleman of honorable rank, and a respected member of the Sanhedrin…a man who had revelation of the Kingdom of God…dared the consequences, worked up his courage, and went to Pilate to ask for custody of Jesus’ corpse.

44. But Pilate found it hard to believe that He was dead so soon, so he conferred with the centurion and asked him to verify the actuality of Jesus’ death.

45. And when he was assured by the centurion that He was indeed dead, he gave the body to Joseph.




















46. And Joseph bought a fine linen cloth…the kind that was used at that time for swathing dead bodies…and, carefully and gently took the lifeless body down from the cross. Then he rolled it up in the linen cloth and placed it in a tomb which had been recently chiseled out of a rock. Then he rolled the very large stone which had been fashioned to serve as a protective door against the entrance.

47. And Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses were both attentively observing where the body was laid to rest.

A Blessing In The Now

Hey bloggers...while I'm still finishing up MkITN, here's a blessing I wrote that was posted a couple of years ago on the "One On One" section of the original CITN blog...seems like the words are appropriate for today...

…I want to command a blessing on you today because I am thinking about how appreciative I am for Church In The Now, both the actual community and the cyber-community…for all that it is NOW…for all that it is becoming…as each one of you “comes out of the tent” and “looks up and counts the stars”, I believe that you are moving beyond old limitations today…and by the Christ that is being revealed in you as individuals and as a congregation, I say that you are allowing yourself to express His nature freely and creatively in the earth…

…I speak a blessing of grace over those of you who are currently in transition…life is about change, and so I say in faith that you are able to adapt easily to the new...

…I prophecy over you that you are able to choose to allow all your experiences to be joyous and loving today…that you are really able to embrace, once and for all, that all things are working together for your good…

…Walk in the Spirit today, and as you manifest the peace that passes understanding, relax into the flow of life and let it provide all that you need easily and comfortably...to those who have, more will be given, and I say that you “have”…

…I bless you to forgive yourself and others…you are Church IN THE NOW, so release the past and move forward with love in your heart...go fearlessly into the next “glory” with a VISION for a brighter future…

…God loves you, so you have permission to love and approve of yourself, and to be at peace with His plan for your life, and with your own feelings…stand tall and free today because you are not just a member of a church…you are part of a MOVEMENT…

…Church In The Now, you are strong…great in number…capable…a loving and lovable Body of Christ…free…giving…united…active…powerful...

…the services this weekend are going to be awesome…there will be a free expression of love and worship in the house…and you will receive a word from the Lord that will enable you to enjoy your life as you allow the Holy Spirit to flow through every part of it…

…I am enthusiastic about Church In the Now…every part of it…I love seeing this vision unfold every day of my life…each service gets better and filled with more energy, vitality and passion week after week…

…I extend my love to the citizens of this “city set on a hill”…as Pastor Jimmie’s song says, “those who will, those who won’t…ALL COME!”…

…You are being led by the Spirit today, so accept Divine guidance, trust the process of life, and believe that you are always safe, secure and protected in the Secret Place of the Most High...rest securely knowing that my God shall supply all of your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus…only right action is taking place in your life today, and all details take care of themselves…

…Be blessed today and every day…I love you all very, very much…Bishop Jim…

UNITY: The Power of US

Here's something I wrote for Streaming Faith...hope to get MkITN Chapter XV finished today...

UNITY is about the power of “US”…

Isaiah prophesied that unto “US”…not unto “me”… not unto “you”…but unto “US” a Child would be born…unto “US”…not unto “me”…not unto “you”…but unto “US” a Son would be given…


The Child is born, and the Son is given only via a corporate revelation that is given to “US” (Unified Synergy)…

That’s why Jesus laid out the blueprint for the Kingdom of God in His famous prayer by saying “OUR” Father Who is in heaven…not “my” Father…not “your” Father…but “OUR” Father…give “US”…not “me"…not “you”…but give “US” this day “OUR” daily bread…and lead “US” not into temptation, but deliver “US” from evil!

The pronouns used in both of these passages are all PLURAL (us, our, we)…nothing is singular! That’s why UNITY in the Body of Christ is absolutely essential…

So let’s examine the subject…

UNITY is:

nderstanding…understanding, first of all, that the true “Church”—the Body/Bride of Christ is not some archaic, irrelevant religious system, but is that universal company of called-out ones who are coming into the consummation of the third day IN CHRIST!

This “Church”—this living, breathing, vital organism...this many-membered man—is becoming the most bridge-building, cutting-edge, dream-inspiring, faith-accelerating, goal-oriented, relationship-building, upwardly-mobile, sold-out, forward-thinking, non-judgmental, non-religious, open-minded, ground-breaking, hard-working, life-giving, life-changing, success-oriented, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-controlled, worry-free, state-of-the-art, mountain-moving, vision-casting, uncompromising, unconventional, unprejudiced, unselfish, undefeated, understanding and prophetically powerful network of people in the world!

This unified Church is the hope for the world, and you are a part of it!

etworking…networking with the realization that “WE MIGHT NOT HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER, BUT TOGETHER WE HAVE IT ALL!”…looking beyond our irrelevant differences to find the unity of The Faith…giving up our elusive search for a unity of the doctrine…leaving behind that which divides us so that the Church will stay fresh, current and relevant in the world...that Jesus will be able to look at His Church…His Body…and see the travail of His soul and be satisfied!

nterceding…interceding for one another in faith for the Body of Christ…faith that the Church will be real and genuine, without hypocrisy or pretense—that it will reach out to a troubled world, without judgment, and embrace it lovingly and unconditionally!

hinking…thinking outside the box…believing in the bigger God-vision of the Church of Jesus Christ….believing that the Church will put away childish things and begin to walk in dominion, growing into full stature in Christ!

ou…yes, you! It’s about you doing what you can to promote unity in the Body of Christ…about not being afraid to confront religious strongholds, doctrinal divisions, prejudice and racism, or unresolved offenses among believers…it’s about you confessing that love will conquer…it’s about all of us honoring and hallowing the Church of Jesus Christ, giving thanks for it, and agreeing with His intercession for its ultimate victory—the restoration of all things—so that He may be released from being held in the heavens.

MkITN XV, Verses 1 - 15

1. Very early in the morning, after having deliberated through the night, the chief priests, elders, and religious leaders, along with the entire Sanhedrin, reached a decision. So they bound Jesus, and led Him away to be handed over to Pilate.

2. When He finally stood before the governor, Pilate asked Him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus calmly replied, "I am to each man whoever he says that I am...if you say that I am the King, then to you I am the King."

3. At these words the chief priests started in with another litany of charges and accusations against Him.

4. When Pilate had heard enough, he stopped them and turned his attention back to Jesus, asking Him, "Aren't you going to answer your accusers and defend yourself? Don't you see how many indictments they are bringing against you?"

5. But Jesus by this point had said all that He wanted or needed to say about what was unfolding...He was still...He was silent...He was serene. Pilate was amazed at how someone who appeared to be so resigned to His fate could at the same time seem to be in charge of everything that was happening around Him.

6. Now it was the custom at the Festival to release one prisoner...anyone that the people requested, regardless of his crime.

7. And a man named Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in an uprising against Rome.

8. So the crowd assembled before Pilate and asked him to do for them what he usually did during the Festival.

9. "What is your pleasure?", asked Pilate. "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?"

10. He made the suggestion, knowing that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.

11. But the chief priests were already moving through the crowd...stirring them up...influencing them to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.

12. "Well, what do you suggest I do, then, with the one you call the King of the Jews?" Pilate asked them.

13. "Crucify Him!" they shouted in unison.

14. "Crucify Him? Why? What crime has He committed?" asked Pilate. But by now a mob mentality had set in, and the people assembled were just mindlessly chanting louder and louder, "Crucify Him!"

15. And, wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. Then he had Jesus brutally flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.

MkITN XIV, Verses 43 - 72

43. Even as He was saying these words, Judas appeared, accompanied by a huge crowd armed with swords and clubs. It was an unnecessarily large crowd, considering that they had come to arrest just one man. They were commissioned by the religious leaders, chief priests, teachers of the law, and the elders.

44. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with the crowd. He had said to them "The one that I kiss is the man you want...arrest Him and lead Him away under guard."

45. So, walking right up to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!"...and with these words he kissed Him.

46. Immediately the plan went into action. The men seized Jesus and arrested Him right on the spot.

47. As some of them grabbed Him and began to shove Him around, roughing Him up a bit, one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

48. "Seriously? This is the way it's going to be?" asked Jesus. "Am I leading a rebellion so dangerous that you think you have to come out with swords and clubs to capture Me?

49. I was with and among you every day...completely accessible...teaching in the temple courts. Why didn't you arrest me then? I'll tell you why...it's because none of this even makes sense unless you define it by what is written in the Scriptures, and the Scriptures must be fulfilled."

50. At these words everyone who was with Jesus, namely, His disciples, deserted him and fled.

51. A young man, wearing nothing but a sheet-like linen garment, was following Jesus, and somehow in all the chaos they seized him, as well.

52. But they inadvertently pulled the garment off of him, and he ran away, naked, leaving them holding the sheet.

53. Then they took Jesus straight to the High Priest, and all the chief priests, elders, and religious leaders came together for an impromptu trial.

54. Peter followed along after Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the High Priest, where he sat with the guards and warmed himself by the fire.

55. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were scrambling to find some credible evidence against Jesus so that they could put Him to death, but there was just none to be found.

56. Many people stepped up to testify falsely against Him, but their statements could not be corroborated.

57. Others, trying to get in on the action, stood up and gave this false testimony against Him:

58. "We heard Him say, 'I will personally destroy this Temple made with human hands, but in three days I will build another one that is not made with hands.' "

59. But even their stories did not match up.

60. Seeing that entertaining these bogus testimonies was getting them nowhere, the High Priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, directly, "Aren't You going to answer? What do You have to say to the accusations that these people are bringing up against You?"

61. But Jesus remained silent...detached...giving no answer, and appearing as though He was only there, physically. Again the High Priest addressed Him, asking, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?"

62. At this Jesus seemed to come back from wherever He had been, mentally, and said, "I am...and you will see the Son of Man sitting in the place of authority...the seat of the Mighty One...coming on the clouds of the heavenly realm."

63. And at this statement, the High Priest tore his clothes in reaction and protest to what he perceived to be blasphemy. "I think it's obvious that we don't need to hear any more witnesses", he declared.

64. "You have heard the obscenity for yourself...what do you think should be done?"
They unanimously decided that He was worthy of death.

65. And then a kind of frenzy set in among them. Some began to spit on him, and they blindfolded him, and began to violently pummel Him with their fists. All the while they were saying "Prophesy!" . Then the guards took Him away, and started another round of beatings.

66. Meanwhile, while Peter was down below in the courtyard, one of the High Priest's serving maids walked outside to where he was sitting.

67. And when she saw him warming himself, she just stopped in her tracks and stared at him. Unable to take her eyes off Him, she said, "Hey...you were with Jesus of Nazareth, too."

68. But he completely denied it, saying, "Lady, I don't even know what you're talking about." And getting up from there, he went outside the courtyard and walked into the vestibule. Just as he entered, he heard a rooster crow.

69. The girl spotted him again, and began to say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them...one of Jesus' close followers!"

70. But again he denied it, insisting that he didn't know Him, and had never even met Him. After a short while, the bystanders began to say to Peter, "Come on, man...admit it...you really are one of them...you are a Galilean...your dialect shows it!"

71. Then he sharply retorted, "May I be damned if I'm not telling the truth! And you're all a bunch of damn liars! I'm telling you I don't know the son of a...I mean the man...I swear I don't know the man you're talking about!"

72. And as these harsh words were still lingering in the air, a rooster crowed for a second time. When he heard it, Peter instantly remembered how Jesus said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will utterly deny Me...you will deny any connection to Me three times." And when the realization of what he had just said came crashing in on him, Peter broke down and cried loud and hard.

Hey bloggers...great weekend @ CITN...several of the blogs have been updated...check them out...hope to get Chapter 14 finished today, and finish all of MkITN this week...will be writing today after my early morning root canal (yay!)...it's all good...would rather take care of it now than to be looking for a dentist in Kampala in a few days...

Happy Monday!