Saturday August 21, 2020
Poems of the book of Mark with pictures at the bottom of each poem.
Mark’s Gospel by Dennis Martindale
Chosen by God and Jesus Christ, Mark learnt to pray and preach
Of all Lord Jesus sacrificed, such truths Mark learnt to teach…
And those who listened to God’s Word and to the prayers Mark prayed
Were almost always stilled and stirred that Mark, his God, obeyed…
Thus God blessed Mark with charm and grace, good humour and a smile,
The knowledge guiding to each place where God could spend a while…
For God is with the ones He finds, no matter, young or old
And willing to transform their minds with treasures to behold…
From miracles to prophecies and words of comfort, too,
With Jesus as the Prince of Peace who died… yet lives for you…
Jesus entered the synagogue;
There stood a man with withered hand;
They waited to see if He cures
On Sabbath, so they could accuse.
Then Jesus asked the man be brought;
He asked them all, ‘which is lawful-
Doing evil or good that day?
To save life or to destroy it?
They could not answer His queries.
Then Jesus looked at them with rage,
Aggrieved by their hardness of heart:
He told the man, ‘stretch out your hand! ’
That moment, his hand got restored!
The Pharisees then went out fast,
And talked with Herodians there,
On how to put Jesus to death.
Then Jesus went towards the sea;
A lot of people followed Him
From Galilee and Judea,
Beyond Jordan, Idumea.
He asked a boat to be readied;
The crowds were surging onto Him;
When unclean spirits saw Him, then,
They fell before Him saying that,
‘You are the Son of God (aloud) .’
Jesus warned not to reveal Him.
And going up the mountain-side,
He chose his twelve apostles there,
To accompany Him and to preach
With pow’r to drive out demons too.
The twelve apostles that He chose
Were Simon, whom He named Peter;
The son of Zebedee called James;
His brother John, now Boanerges;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Simon from Cannan and Mathew;
Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus)
Judas Iscariot, Thaddeus.
When he returned, there stood a crowd,
So huge, they could not even eat;
The scribes from Jerusalem said,
‘He is possessed by Beelzebul! ’
He drives out demons by its prince.
Summoning them, then Jesus asked,
‘Does Satan drive out next Satan? ’
A kingdom divided can’t stand!
If Satan rises on himself,
Divided, that would spell his doom!
No one enters a strong man’s house,
But plunders only with some ties!
Then Jesus said, ‘Amen, I say,
All sins will be forgiven then.
But who blasphemes against one God
And Holy Spirit, shall ne’er be!
An Eternal sin, they commit.
His mother and brothers had come.
A crowd had gathered around Him;
They said, ‘your mother, brothers wait.’
But Jesus looked at all around
And said, ‘Here are my brothers and mother! ’
For, whoev’r does the will of God
As Jesus taught by the sea-side,
A multitude had gathered fast;
He sat on a boat at sea therefore;
While people stayed ashore!
He taught by mostly parables;
To know the Kingdom, it enables.
Behold, a sower went to sow;
Some seeds fell by the way-side but;
And quickly birds devoured them.
Some fell on stony ground, sans soil;
The seeds did sprout but didn’t have roots;
The scorching sun withered them all!
Some fell ’midst thorns, which choked them,
And they could not yield any fruits!
A few on ground fell that was good;
And yielded fruit, some many-fold.
And Jesus said:
“He that has ears, let him then hear.”
The meaning of the parable,
His disciples asked when alone.
To you is giv’n the pow’r to know
The mystery of God’s Kingdom;
To others, God explains the same,
Through stories called the parables.
Although they see, they can’t perceive;
And though they hear, can’t understand;
And when they get converted, then,
Their sins should be forgiven them.
The Sower is Almighty God;
The seed is Word of God, the Lord;
The ones that fell by way-side are
People who only hear the Word;
Yet, Satan steals their Word-sown heart!
The seeds that fall on stony ground
Are words that people gladly hear;
But since, they do not have firm roots,
They give them up, when trials come.
And those that fall amongst the thorns
Are people filled by worldly thoughts;
The thorns are riches / lusts of world,
Those harden hearts to spiritual things.
And those that fall on ground that’s good,
Are people who hear, live, obey:
Fruit-bearing, some a hundred-fold!
A Candle under a Bushel!
Is not a lamp placed on lamp-stand,
Or under bushel-basket / bed?
All things remain to become seen;
Ev’n secret things will come to light.
who has ears, let him then hear!
The measure used will measure you.
To one who has, more is added;
From one with less, all is taken!
The Kingdom of God:
Jesus compared the Lord’s Kingdom,
Akin a man who scatters seed:
That grow on land, he knows not how,
Of own accord with ears, full-grain!
He wields the sickle all at once,
When harvest’s come and grain is ripe!
God’s Kingdom is like mustard-seed;
Although smallest, when sown in ground,
It grows to be the largest one,
With shady branches where birds nest!
Jesus always told parables,
As people understood with ease!
As evening came, then Jesus said,
“Let’s cross over to other side.”
By boat, He went; others followed.
A violent squall brought waves aboard.
The water filled the boat with ease
But Jesus was found deep asleep;
They woke him up and cried, “Teacher,
You do not care if we perish! ”
Jesus rebuked the wind and sea;
The wind soon ceased; the sea turned calm!
And Jesus asked, “Are you afraid?
You do not have enough of faith! ”
Awe-struck, they said to each other,
“Who’s He, whom wind and sea obey? ”
Across the Jordan, Jesus made His way
Into the place called Judea wherein,
Crowds gathered and by custom, He taught them.
The Pharisees awaited to test him
And asked, “By law, can husband divorce wife? ”
But Jesus asked, “What Moses did command? ”
They said, “To dismiss her by divorce-bill.”
Then Jesus said, “Because of your hard hearts,
Did Moses write you such a commandment? ”
God made them male, female at creation;
A man shall leave his parents, join his wife;
No longer are they two but single flesh;
What God has joined, no one can separate.
His disciples then questioned once again.
He said, “He who divorces wife, commits
Adultery by marrying another.
By divorcing husband, the wife commits
Adultery by marrying another.
And people brought children to Him to bless.
His disciples rebuked them by habit.
So, Jesus said, “Let children come to me.
Prevent them not for, Heaven will be theirs.
Unless child-like, you cannot enter it.
He embraced them and blessed each one of them.
As He was setting out on a journey,
A man came running, knelt to him and asked,
“Good Teacher, tell me what I ought to do
On earth, to inherit eternal life? ”
And Jesus answered, “Why address me ‘good’?
No one is good except Almighty God!
You know the commandments, you ought to keep?
He said, “I’ve observed them all since my youth.”
Then Jesus said, “You lack in just one thing.
Go sell all that you have and give the poor.
You’ll have treasure in Heav’n; then, follow me.”
At this, the man turned sad and went away,
As he possessed a lot of wealth with him!
So, Jesus turned to disciples and said,
“’Tis hard for wealthy ones to reach heaven! ”
A camel passes through a needle’s eye
With ease but not one rich can, heaven’s gates!
His disciples asked, “Then who can be saved? ”
“For human beings, ’tis impossible.
All things are possible for God, ” He said.
Then Peter told, “We gave up everything.”
Jesus replied, “One who gives up all things
For sake of Gospel’s and for me receives
A hundred times more in this present age,
And persecutions and eternal life!
Many first shall become last, the last, first!
Then Jesus started to Jerusalem;
He went ahead of them; they were amazed;
And those who followed seemed to be afraid;
To twelve disciples, Jesus spoke again,
“Behold, we go to Jerusalem town;
They’ll hand over the Son of Man
To scribes, chief priests who’ll condemn Him to death;
And hand Him over to Gentiles:
They’ll mock at Him; and spit on Him; scourge Him;
Put Him to death; after three days, He’ll rise!
Then James and John came up to Him and asked,
“Will You do teacher, what we ask of You? ”
So, Jesus asked, “What do you want from me? ”
They said, “Grant that in glory, we may sit with You,
One at your right, the other at your left.”
But Jesus told, “You know not what you ask;
Can you drink from the cup that I drink from,
Or be baptized the way I am baptized?
They answered Jesus, “yes, we can.”
Said Jesus, “Yes, the cup I drink, you’ll drink;
The baptism I get, you will also.
But to sit at my right or left isn’t mine
To give, but is for those for whom it’s been prepared.”
The other ten got angry at the two.
Then Jesus called and said to them, “You know
Those rulers over Gentiles recognized,
Lord it ov’r them and make their power felt.
However, it shall not be so ’mongst you.
Whoev’r wants greatness will be your servant;
Whoev’r then wants to be first will be slave of all;
The Son of Man did not come to be served;
He came to serve and give His life for all.
While leaving Jericho, a blind beggar
By road-side, Bartimaeus, then cried out,
“O Jesus, Son of David, pity me.”
Rebuking, many tried to silence him.
He kept on calling loudly all the more:
“O Son of David, have pity on me.”
So, Jesus stopped and told that he be brought.
They told the man, “Get up, He’s calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up and came.
When Jesus asked, “what do you want of me? ”
The blind man told, “O Master, I want sight! ”
So Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you, Go! ”
Immediately, he saw and followed Him.
