September 30
Luke 5:1-11; Mark 1:40-45; Matthew 8:1-4; Luke 5:12-16; Mark 2:1-12; Matthew 9:1-8; Luke 5:17-26; Mark 2:13-17; Matthew 9:9-13; Luke 5:27-32; Mark 2:18-22; Matthew 9:14-17; Luke 5:33-39
How do you feel when you have to keep good news a secret? Jesus has a very strange request in Mark 1 when he askes the healed man to keep it a secret. The man no longer has leprosy so not only is he medically cured, but all his relationships that the leprosy destroyed would have been restored. Yet he is not allowed to tell anyone. We may wonder why the silence. As we continue reading this passage, we discover the reason is the increased news of Jesus would lead to increased popularity which would lead to an inability for Jesus to access larger cities.
The command for silence was for a very limited time at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. As Jesus told his mother it was not his time to reveal himself when turning water into wine, so he did not want this man to let the cat out of the bag too early. Jesus commands us to go out into the whole world and share him. We are to proclaim to everyone everywhere that he is Lord and King. Do not be like the cured leper; instead, be like the ambassador you are called to be.
Father God, help me to have the wisdom to share you in a loving, gracious, truthful way with all people. Amen.
When you fail to share Christ with someone, what excuses do you use and how can you overcome those?
How do you feel when you have to keep good news a secret? Jesus has a very strange request in Mark 1 when he askes the healed man to keep it a secret. The man no longer has leprosy so not only is he medically cured, but all his relationships that the leprosy destroyed would have been restored. Yet he is not allowed to tell anyone. We may wonder why the silence. As we continue reading this passage, we discover the reason is the increased news of Jesus would lead to increased popularity which would lead to an inability for Jesus to access larger cities.
The command for silence was for a very limited time at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. As Jesus told his mother it was not his time to reveal himself when turning water into wine, so he did not want this man to let the cat out of the bag too early. Jesus commands us to go out into the whole world and share him. We are to proclaim to everyone everywhere that he is Lord and King. Do not be like the cured leper; instead, be like the ambassador you are called to be.
Father God, help me to have the wisdom to share you in a loving, gracious, truthful way with all people. Amen.
When you fail to share Christ with someone, what excuses do you use and how can you overcome those?
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