“Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed” Mark 3 v 7
Crowds follow Jesus.
It is true to say that when something new and exciting comes along many people crowd around to see it. Jesus was the new phenomenon in their eyes at the time. But He was as some were to discover no ordinary man.
As I read this scripture in Mark this morning, the thought of Princess Diana came to my mind.
Both newspapers and cameras intruded their way into the life of a this young, naïve woman at 19 years of age. She was to be married to the heir of the Crown of England and later bear the children to become heirs and future kings. Little did she know the devastating effects this would lend itself.
As most of us know at an early age she was tragically killed in a car accident. Would it have been any different if she were not the mother of the princes. We shall never really know, even speculation occurs today as to what truly happened surrounding her death. But she will be remembered at best for her beauty, her kindness to the less fortunate and also for the intrusion of the mass media into her life and the misery it caused.
Jesus too faced the same intrusion and the bombardment of crowds. Even to the point where He and his disciples could not eat. He even asked his disciples to find a boat as a means of escape. Man has not changed and many are drawn to revival meetings, concerts, evangelistic events some not really knowing why, maybe the miracles or just curiosity.
But Jesus knows the intention of peoples hearts and those that will truly follow Him.
Remember the story of Jesus healing ten but only one came back to thank and praise Him!
“Jesus went up into the hills and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him”.
We read that Elijah, a seemingly solitary prophet was told by God (and this after a wonderful miracle from heaven) that there were still 7,000 prophets left hidden who did not bow the knee to Baal. In other words there are still true disciples of Jesus today who worship the Lord in spirit and truth.
The appointed twelve were given authority to drive out evil spirits, heal the sick and raise the dead being signs unto others of their true following unto Jesus.
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me”…. John 15 v 4
It is important that whatever we do in Jesus name has to be totally of Him and not of ourselves.
Today, even now, many still see the death of Diana as a pointless tragedy.
This is not so for Jesus.
For you see when Jesus died He rose from the dead!
When the disciples came back to tell Jesus about all the miracles and wonders of God Jesus speaks and says rejoice not but rejoice in the fact that your names are in the Book of Life. In other words what is more important is knowing Jesus and your future both now and forever.
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