A great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. (Mark 3:8b [NASB])
Imagine you have been walking in the desert for two weeks
and you ran out of water two days ago. You come to a place with nothing except
sand in sight then see a bulging flask. You cannot survive without fluids more
than another day, so do you determine what is in the flask? Do you tell
yourself the flask is for someone else? Do you drink of the water and live to
tell the story?
Why all these questions? Because these may be the same types
of questions the people in Mark 3:7-12 had. Four groups of beings meet Jesus in
this Scripture passage–the crowd of people, the disciples, the Pharisees and
scribes, and the demons (unclean spirits). Which of these beings are you like?
The crowd that clamored toward Jesus came from all over
Judah, Israel, and from Phoenicia. These people had heard of Jesus healing
people by Him touching them and by people touching the hem of His cloak. These
people fell over themselves to fall upon Jesus so that His power would heal
them. They clamored to see what would happen around Jesus this time. Most of
the people did not journey to see the Son of man, as Jesus called Himself in
Mark’s gospel. They came to watch the “magic”. They did not trust Jesus was the
prophesied Messiah.
The disciples walked with Jesus to the sea because He called
them to follow Him. As of that time, many of them did not believe in Him as the
Son of man, as Daniel prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14. They followed Jesus because
He commanded them and He spoke with authority, healed people, and cast out
demons. This man, Jesus, amazed them. Mark often used these exclamations of
amazement.
The Pharisees and scribes had watched and listened as Jesus
taught with authority, healed with power and authority, cast out demons with
power and authority, and challenged them about who He is, the Son of man. Jesus
further explained to them He has authority over the sabbath. From Mark 3:1,
these Pharisees and scribes sought a way to remove Jesus and His power over the
people. They did not want their own power to decrease by Jesus becoming the
leader the people followed. The Pharisees determined to arrest Jesus for
breaking the law so they could kill Him. They reasoned by doing that, they
could regain their power and authority over the people. The Pharisees and
scribes did not recognize Jesus as the Son of man or Son of God.
The unclean spirits (demons) from Mark 1:23-3:12 proclaimed
Jesus to be the Son of man and the Son of God, then fell at His feet in
prostration. Each time they said these things, Jesus commanded them to be quiet
and tell no one who He was. It is in His nature to have authority and power
over unclean spirits. The demons recognized Jesus was the Messiah. They
proclaimed it, but Jesus knew the time had not yet come for people to know Him as
such. He didn’t want the demons’ confession. The demons did not obey Jesus.
Their father is Satan, and they obeyed him.
Jesus wants the confession of people with changed hearts because
of belief in Him as the Son of God. He wants obedience from love of these people.
God sent Jesus to earth as a man because of His love for all people. He wants
none to be lost from Him eternally. John said this in John 3:16, “For God so
loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Consider this question again. Which of these beings are you like–the
disciples, the crowd of people wanting to see or touch Jesus, the Pharisees and
scribes who seek to arrest and kill Him, or the demons who recognize who Jesus
is, but who don’t give themselves to Him in loving obedience? Or, are you the person
who recognizes Jesus as the Son of God, confesses Him as your Savior, and obeys
Him because of your love for Him? If you are like this last person, you are the
one who sees the flask, recognizes it holds water, and drinks it for continued
life?
Will you see the Water and drink for salvation and eternal
life?
Jesus is the Water of eternal life.
Lord, I have clamored to go see the healers, the
prophets, and the apostles, but I didn’t go to see, meet, and accept You into
my life. I was watching the sensational things that happened and praised the
man or woman for what he or she did. Please forgive me for seeking things and
not You. Please forgive me for hearing about You, but not seeking You. Forgive
me for recognizing my life is contrary to Your ways and not wanting to let You
have the power and authority over my life. I was wrong in all these things. I wanted
to live the way I wanted to live. I wanted to be my own boss, but Lord, I
wasn’t my own boss then; Satan was. I’m tired of the fighting in life and tired
of trying to live my own way. Forgive me my rebellion, Lord. Forgive me for
ignoring You when you came to me. Lord, I do not deserve Your love,
forgiveness, grace, mercy, or salvation, but, Lord, I desperately want You now.
I accept and confess You as my Lord and Savior. Cleanse me and make me new in Your
image. Use me for Your purposes to bring You glory. I will follow You and
proclaim You to the world. Amen.
