Read Mark 4:1-2
I’M SO EXCITED TO SPEND TIME WITH JESUS!
Vs 1: “Jesus began to teach again by the sea. Such a very great multitude gathered around him that he got in a boat in the sea and sat down while the people stood by the Sea on land.” How exciting to see so many people! Yet, how many people were coming for spiritual growth?
Vs 2: Says that Jesus was teaching them many things in parables.
What are parables? Basically, a parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual truth or lesson.
But why did Jesus teach in parables?
1. Jesus spoke in parables to separate those who wanted to learn spiritual truth from those who didn’t.
2. Those who are there for spiritual food would dig deeper and seek harder for the truth Jesus was trying to convey through his parables.
3. Those who were there just for the miracles and not the teaching, would not seek deeper into Jesus’s Word.
4. Parables would actually expose the spiritual hardness of one’s heart.
5. The use of everyday examples and stories enabled Jesus to connect with His audience on a more personal level and made his message more impactful and relatable.
I used to go to this big Jesus Festival called “Creation.” It would draw in around 30,000 people from all over. The festival would have lots of music and speakers that focused on presenting Christ in some manner. Like Jesus, the festival drew in a very large crowd, but not everyone was there for spiritual food. Some were there for the Christian bands. Some teens would sneak off at night in the outer woods for alcohol. Some were there for the speakers.
It was interesting to watch how excited people were about the bands (it got brutal at times) but not as excited about the speakers.
But what about us? How much do we really dig into God’s word and study so we can learn biblical truths and implement them in our everyday lives? What does our personal time with God look like? Do we read some verses, pray, and get on with our lives? Or are we digging in deeper to try and understand fully what is being said in God’s word? How does our investment in God’s Word compare to our investment in some of the pleasures of this world? Think about it. Think about your hobbies, sports, your relationships, your peers, your education, your church, your habits.
Is your investment in church and God’s word a priority? Or do you get more excited to be with your friends, playing or watching sports, working out, reading books, playing video games, or working at your job?
I’m not saying you can’t have a life of sports, reading books, and being with your friend; I’m just asking which captivates your excitement more?
