Mark 3

I used to think I was very busy over the work of God.  But just entering into day 3 of reading Mark… I realised that I cannot hold a candle to what Jesus actually did when He was ministering in the world.  Added to the healings and miracles He had to perform, there were significant people who were trying to discredit His work.

I am not sure how Jesus could take it.  I certainly could not!

But let’s read today’s passage before I share my impressions…

Bible Passage: Mark 3

Two Inadequate Responses

I always wondered what I would be like if I was living in the times of Jesus and actually see Him walking, teaching, healing and loving the sinners.  What would my response to Him be like?  Have you ever thought of that?

In today’s chapter, we see that the sick no longer waited for His touch.  They literally threw themselves on Him!

Mark states that the crowd fell upon Him while the evil spirits fell before Him (cf. vv 9-11).  Try to imagine the pandemonium!  The demons continued to blurt out Jesus’ identity, and Jesus continued to order them to be quiet.  On top of it, those who were sick practically ‘crushed’ around Him.

But I see two inadequate responses here…

First was the crowd.  They swarmed around Jesus not because of what He said but what He did.

No doubt we are all grateful for God’s physical and material blessings.  But do we ever catch ourselves following Him only for these benefits alone?  Or are we following Him wholly because He is the Voice of Truth?

Secondly, the demons correctly recognized that Jesus is the Son of God.  But they did not turn from sin to Him.  What about us?  We know with our heads who Jesus is and His ways… but do we allow our own heart’s desires and stubbornness prevent us from turning away from our wrong ways to the way that leads to life?

Being With Jesus

I always love reading the part when Jesus called the 12 disciples together and appointed them apostles.  It is something special isn’t it?  To be now part of the special group that was closest to Jesus.

Now the mission of the 12 was twofold:

(1)  They were to “be with Him” – to witness the ministry of Jesus first hand, learn from Him, and pass on an authenticate the truth about His life (see Luke 1:2);

(2)  They were to extend the work of Jesus by proclaiming good news, including driving out the evil spirits.  But these tasks were not limited to the 12 (see Mark 5:18-20; 9:38-40).

It does seem that the unique function and privilege was being with Jesus.

What about you?

What if you were one of the 12… what natural outcomes might you expect from quality time simply spent in Christ’s company?

But reading Mark now tells me that actually being with Jesus is harder than we might think.  Hanging around (or onto) Him isn’t the same as being with Him.  The latter means we follow where He leads and share with Him the toil, harassment, and bitterness of suffering.

As the bearers of Good News, we are “bad news” for the forces of evil.  Therefore, we can expect opposition, temptation and obstacles.

Are we WITH Jesus or just being AROUND Jesus?  Something else to think about again.

Who is My Brother and Sister?

In our society, where many feel isolated, it’s important to stress the positive aspects of this passage (v. 31-33).

Who are your “brothers and sisters”?

Our Church has always been quite the family church.  If you know who I am, you will understand what I mean cause just the number of my family and relatives alone in Singapore and Malaysia who are in church already is more than 100.  And many other church members have also their extended families in church, or at the very least, their whole family are members of the church.

But yet, there are more and more members who are the single believing member in the family.  Some have to even forced to disengage from family relationships that would otherwise strangle their commitment to God.  And sometimes they do get lonely in church.   The same is true even for those who have a large family in church.

Every Christian needs and wants a “family” of special people “related” to each other through mutual devotion.  Jesus puts it best here when He said…

“…“Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.””

Mark 3:34-35

If you ever feel lonely without your family around you in church… look more closely…. Here are your brothers and sisters!  Those who does the will of God.

The question that I have then for myself is this…

Am I that brother or sister?  Am I doing the will of God enough to be called as one?

I have a duty to seek out the lonely – not only to help them but to create new family relationships within the faith.  And the only way I can do that is if I do the will of God.

Posted by: biblereadingcompanion