Episode #174: He Did What?
And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.” (Mark 3:20-21)
Imagine living a life that caused such a stir that crowds would gather around you to the point where you had a hard time just getting a meal. This was the life Jesus lived. His life wasn’t one of gathering fame like modern day celebrities. His life was causing a stir because it was counter-culture and counter-religion. His teaching seemed new to many when in fact He was actually getting back to the Word of God as it was intended to be taught. This wasn’t a new translation, it was the correct one.
He healed people which caused the crowds to follow Him but what caused the most stir was His forgiving of sins and claims to be the Son of God. His own people were concerned for Him and went out to get Him away from the crowds. To them, He seemed irrational, like He had lost His senses. What else could explain this lifestyle that was willing to let others always impose on Him? Why else would He be teaching what He was teaching and show so much compassion for people who had nothing to offer Him? His dedication to the mission at hand, and lack of concern with pleasing the people with power and popularity made Him different than any other leader before Him. He was definitely different.
If the modern church is to look like Jesus, what must we do to cause such a stir as Jesus did? Is it more programs to help the needy? Do we open more orphanages? Better yet, do we empty the orphanages by finding and funding families who are willing to adopt? Do we start more disaster relief organizations? Do we build homeless shelters with programs to get people off the streets and back on their feet? Do we connect our Christian businesses to those shelters to provide jobs to people on the mend? All of those are great ideas but they can be done and are being done by people who have no connection whatsoever with Jesus; people who are called “Good” by the world.
If charity and philanthropy have become common place by those who are called “Good” by the world but do not know God, what is the church to do that separates itself from the works of the world? What must the church do to distinguish its works as “From God”? Like Jesus, our works need to be done in a way that points people back to God. When the crowds gathered in on Jesus, there were some He healed, some He fed, but He taught everyone God’s Word. Jesus pointed the people to an eternal hope, in Him, that was beyond all worldly gains. His extreme compassion for people and devotion to the message of God simply didn’t make sense even to those close to Him.
Let us be a people who model this level of extreme compassion and devotion in a way that seems irrational to the world because it is rooted and grounded in love. Let our actions lead the world to know the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ.
Love Y’all! Be Blessed!
Let Us Be A People 