Hello My Friend,
Jesus sent the disciples in the towns to preach the Gospel to them, the more people heard about the miracles of Jesus the more they wanted to see Him, perhaps many really didn’t believe, but they wanted to see this Jesus that everyone has been talking about. Jesus decided it was time for a break, He chose a place where no one would know Him or the disciples.
“And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” – Mark 6:31-34.
Even God’s servants need a rest from time to time, naturally we can’t serve Him as effectively or even wholeheartedly as we would when we are rested, so, He encourages all of His servants to rest a while. Jesus, having compassion on the people looking for some kind of hope, took the time to teach them. Jesus is always there to help those who seek Him. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” – Hebrews 4:9-11.
More than ever people are lost, searching for hope somewhere and amazingly looking for that hope through God. Unfortunately many try to find Him in the wrong places, which is the case of those following the traditions of the Pharisees. Jesus calls them our for being the hypocrites they were.
“Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” – Mark 7:5-9.
The key term to watch out for here is, “according to the tradition of the elders”, these were laws made up by men, not God, and Jesus called them on it. People make the mistake of thinking that if they remove part of God’s Word and make up their own set of rules from bits and pieces of it that their sinful lives will look as though they are justified by God through their works. What they fail to realize is that no one is justified by their works. “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” – Galatians 2:16.
Jesus preached the Gospel to the Jews first for two reasons. One, they were the nation God chose to represent as His people first, preaching to them first would have given them the chance to realize that He was the Messiah they were waiting for and receive Him and two, He had to be rejected by the Jews first. Regardless of who believed in Him even before He came and died for all, He received anyone who believed in Him, which is the case of a Gentile woman who came to Him to heal her daughter.
“For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.” – Mark 7:25-30.
Regardless of whether or not we grew up in a Christian home, people we grew up with or worked with see us as ordinary sinful people, in which (except for Jesus) we are, but the difference between us and them is that we have Christ. Those who walk with Christ acknowledge that they too are sinners, but believe that Christ alone has saved them from their sins and are trusting solely in Him for their salvation, Jew or Gentile. Yet they serve God and live by His Word not because it is necessary for their salvation, but they are grateful for what Christ did for them. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:10-13. Praise God!
Today’s Prayer: God, I want to be Your voice, I want to be a witness and a testimony of the wondrous life that You have given me since I have chosen to live my life through Your Son. I know I will face challenges, but I will endure them in the end, always looking to the blessed hope of eternity with You. Lead me and guide me, give me Your power to know Your truths, to teach them, and to give hope to others by them. I love You, Lord and ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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