537
THE KING’S BUSINESS
to H im th a t H is ow n k in, an d above all H is ow n m o th er, m isu n d ersto o d H im (P s . 6 9 : 7, 8 ). T h e stra n g e m isu n d ersta n d in g of H is ow n k in cau sed H im fa r m o re b itte r g rie f th a n th e terrific d en u n ciatio n o f H is avow ed enem ies. A n d so to d ay th e failu re o f o u r L o rd ’s p ro fesse d frien d s tp u n d e r stan d H im causes H im fa r m o re g rie f T han th e g ro ss m isrep re se n ta tio n s o f H is open enem ies. O u r L o rd d id n o t h e sita te to v ery severely, b u t a t th e sam e tim e w ith w o n d ro u s g en tlen ess, reb u k e th e in te rfe r ence o f H is officious relativ es. H e p o in ted b u t th a t H is n e a re st k in a n d m o st loved ones, th o se w ho w ere a t th e sam e tim e b ro th e r a n d siste r an d m o th e r to H im , w ere th o se w h o d id th e w ill o f G o d (cf. Jo h n 1 4 :2 1 ,'2 3 ). O bedience to G od does not m ak e u s ch ild ren o f G od a n d so n e a re st k in to C h rist, b u t it does p ro v e th a t w e are a lread y c h ild ren o f G od, an d so n e a re st-k in to C h rist. W e becom e c h ild re n o f G od by sim ply receiv in g Je su s (J o h n 1:12, 1 3). . In th is c h ap ter w e h av e on e o f th e most- ex te n d ed -se rm o n s th a t o u r L o rd ever p reach ed , an d like ev ery o th e r g re a t se r m on reco rd e d in th e B ible, it w as p reach ed in th e open air. J e s u s w e n t to th e seaside because th a t w as w h ere H e co u ld g e t th e crow d. H e b eg an -to p re ac h w h en th e crow d collected (L u k e 8 :4 ) , b u t H e w as n o t above p reach in g to an au d ien ce o f one (Jo h n 3 :4 ). T h e m u ltitu d e loved to g a th e r to h e ar o u r L o rd (M a tt. 5 :1 ; 1 5 :3 2 ; L u k e 8 :4 8 ). I t is n o t h a rd to tell w hy. O u r L o rd H im se lf alw ay s saw in a g re a t crow d a call to p reach th e G ospel (M a tt. 9 :3 6 -3 8 ; M a rk 2 :2 ; 6 :3 4 ). Monday, June 7. Mark 4:1-9.
ch u rch h as a m an ifest m issio n to th e sick, b u t it is m o ral lep ers th a t it is o u r ,first d u ty to cleanse, an d th o se “dead in tres passes and sins” th a t it is o u r m o st im p o r ta n t m ission to raise. W e do n o t h e ar m uch o f m o st o f th ese m en a fte r C h rist’s death, b u t th a t does n o t a t all p ro v e th a t th e ir w o rk w as insignificant. I t is w o rth y o f n o te th a t m o st o f th ese m en w ere called from th e low liest p o sitio n s in society. Saturday, June 5. .Mark 3:20-30. W e see th e eag ern ess o f th e m u ltitu d e to h e a r o u r L o rd , b u t it w as n o t simply- to h e ar H im th a t th e m u ltitu d e cam e together^ (cf. vs. 9, 10; L u k e 6 :1 7 ). O u r L o rd h a d gone in to th e h o u se fo r re st a n d re fre sh m ent, b u t H e w as m o re th a n w illin g to have H is re st an d re fre sh m e n t b ro k en in upon in th is w ay by th e eag er m u ltitu d e (cf. M a rk 6 :3 1 -3 5 ). H e w as fa r m o re co n cern ed ab o u t d o in g g o o d to o th e rs th a n in finding re fre sh m e n t fo r H im se lf (cf. Jo h n 4:31, 34-36). B u t w h en H is b est frien d s h e a rd h ow H e w as ta k in g tim e from re st an d re fre sh m e n t to m in ister to th e needy m u ltitu d e, th ey a t once co ncluded th a t H e h a d gone insane. I f a m an n ow ad ay s spends his stre n g th an d tak es th e tim e th a t o th er m en w ould spend in eatin g a n d re stin g in m in iste rin g to th e n eed s o f p e rish in g souls, p eo p le,.at once co n clu d e th a t h e is crazy. T h e failu re o f Je su s’ frien d s to e n te r in to th e d eep er m o tiv es o f Je su s’ life lay at th e ro o t o f th e ir m istake. W e h av e alread y com m en ted u p o n o u r L o rd ’s teach in g o n th is occasion in tre a tin g o f th e p arallel passage in th e 12th c h ap ter o f M a tth e w a n d w ill n o t rep eat h ere w h at w as th e re said. Sunday, June 6. Mark 3 :31-35. E v en Je su s’ n e a re st relativ es, including his mother, w ere frig h te n ed a t th e conflict b etw een o u r L o rd an d th e Scribes. T h e ir o b ject in callin g H im a t th is tim e w as to g et H im o u t o f th e d an g er from w hich -th ey fancied H e w as n o t w ise en o u g h to p ro tec t H im self. I t w as an occasion o f g re a t g rief
Tuesday, June. 8. Mark 4:10-20.
In th is p arab le as in te rp rete d by o u r L o rd H im self, Je su s r e p re ^ n ts H im se lf as a sow er, th e W o rd o f G od is th e seed (L u k e 8 :1 1 ); I t is so called because it h as life a n d b rin g s1 fo rth friiit (C o l. 1:5, 6 ). T he w o rd o f tru th sow n in th e h e a rt goes on
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker