Lent Gospel is a campaign for people to read through the whole of Mark’s Gospel during Lent, in 40 short readings. Helpful notes on each day's reading are available from www.usefulbible.com/lent-gospel; and you can download the whole series in PDF or Kindle format (it's free - just right-click on the links then select ‘save as...’ to download). Of course, it doesn’t have to be for Lent... why not begin now?
Last part: Miracles – Day 12 – Mark 5:21-43
· Read: Mark 6:1-29
Imagine the disciples’ reaction. Everywhere that Jesus went, the crowds flocked to hear him. And now Jesus was going back to his home-town. Surely there people would be thrilled to see him!
But they weren’t. To them, Jesus was just someone from their town. Surely they were just as important as he was. Even the ill people were not interested. Hardly any of them even wanted Jesus to pray for them.
Jesus’ response was proverbial. It was the prophet’s duty to be rejected. That is in the job description, he seemed to say.
The disciples would have to deal with rejection too. Jesus was sending them out to take his message into the villages. They would experience the excitement of the miracles too. But not everyone would welcome them either.
During the course of their mission, the disciples heard reports that truly shocked them. John the Baptist was the man who first taught them to serve God. They loved John and they respected him greatly. But Herod had murdered John. And he had done it for the sake of a stupid pledge at a drunken party.
The way to the cross was a road of rejection.
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Next part: Provision – Day 14 – Mark 6:30-56 |
© 2012, Keith Simons.