Once again... late... sorry.
What struck me most about this passage was the many times that people were amazed at what Christ was doing. He did many, many miracles in this passage. Demons cast out, blind see, dead brought to life, crowds fed, water walked on, etc...
Everyone was amazed, and rightly so.
After healings and demons cast out and the dead raised Jesus goes home for a visit and HE was amazed at their lack of faith. They didn't even have faith that Jesus could do for them what He was doing for everyone else. Sad. These were the people He would have most loved to help. His lifelong friends and family and they wouldn't be helped.
I love that the disciples didn't get it when Jesus fed the 5000, so He repeated the miracle and they still didn't get it. Do I get what Jesus really wanted us to know? I can see His loving care for our needs and we don't need to worry. I also see the foreshadowing to His death. His body broken for us is more than "just" the body. After being broken it becomes sustenance for all with more left over for others. There is no end to His salvation.
Is there more? Most likely.
How wild to see your friend come running over the water!! No wonder Peter is finally at the point where He knows for sure who Jesus is, the Christ, the Son of God! The disciples have been there for the whole ride and are now ready for this amazing truth. This is no ordinary man, its God.
The graveyard, demon, dead raising thing is still really creepy for me. This is the part of Jesus that I fear... not afraid of mind you, awesome fear. This is the stuff that is so far outside the realm of my experience that I like to gloss over it. I have never liked scary stuff and shun occult activities... Christ just fights it... and wins every time. Creepy, but ultra cool and totally powerful.
I'm amazed that the Pharisees dare to test Jesus. How blind could they be? They just out and out refuse to see the truth and are missing out on soooo much. They could be chatting with Jesus and getting the answers to the questions they have always had. They could be healed and have family members healed. They could be fed in soul and body, but they refuse. They would rather be empty and unfulfilled than admit they were speaking to God. And they called Him unclean!!! ai-yi-yi!!
Whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit His soul?
Back to priorities again. I am so struggling with this. The more I am desperate to have my priorities straight the harder this road is. This must be of extreme importance as I am feeling the battle between my old nature and new one constantly lately.
I often wonder why God allows the struggle. I want to lose my life for the gospel but my life just won't die for the gospel. I know what I mean even if no one else does. This is not literal, I'm not suicidal... I just want it to be easy. I want the old man to stop breathing completely so I can do what I want... be faithful to the word and to prayer.
2 comments:
last night, before i had even read your review I went to bed asking God why we had to endure the struggle. I struggle with the struggle too :) Oh man it's hard.
I also loved the part about Jesus foreshadowing his death and His body being enough for all with some left over. That was very cool and I hadn't thought of it like that.
Good reminders of the things I missed in these chapters and some that I was going to write on but the review was becoming a book. The part of losing my life for Christ is an ongoing challenge for me. I want to be sold out to my Saviour, but everyday I don't quite make the goal. I am so glad the Jesus is longsuffering and merciful. Have a great week. Looking for the next review:)
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