The Crowd & The Chosen – Mk 3:7-19
Jesus came as a man so we could know God. He was overturning religious traditions and introducing a Kingdom with benefits beyond the immediate. He was not a reformer but a Redeemer so He chose ordinary people to display His ministry of reconciliation.
7 Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, 8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him.(NASB®)
What was the impact of Jesus’ ministry?
Jesus may have been hated by the religious elite but as He retreats to the seaside, His unparallelled fame is supported by the growing crowds.
How does Jesus impact my life?
9 And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; 10 for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. (NASB®)
What was the basis for Jesus’ popularity?
Crushed by the onslaught of needy people, Jesus has an exit planned and prepared. Jesus was in high demand but not by those seeking to repent rather for those seeking physical relief.
Am I drawn to Jesus by what I can get or what He is offering?
11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” 12 And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was.(NASB®)
What were the impure spirits doing?
The multitudes may yet to recognize Jesus’ true identity but the forces of evil, fully aware, fall prostrate in the presence of Messiah. In their vain attempt at false worship, Jesus commands their exclamation be silenced.
Can I see Jesus for who He really is?
13 And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. 14 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out the demons. 16 And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17 and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.(NASB®)
What does Jesus do?
Jesus had no interest in the false witness of evil spirits but upon drawing close to His Father, He invites His chosen to partner in His ministry. He designates a new twelve to represent Him and publicly proclaim His message of repentance and belief. He empowers them with such authority that no forces of evil could stand against this Kingdom.
Am I aware of Jesus’ call to fellowship?
Am I a partner in the building of the Kingdom?