Daily Double: Markin Markናሙና

Three Big Events in Jesus' Ministry

By Jake W

Today’s reading provides three events for us to consider and learn what God wants to teach us.

A Prophet Without Honour (Mark 6:1-6)

This first event details Jesus teaching in his hometown of Nazareth. As Jesus was amazing the crowd with his wisdom, the crowd begin to dishonor Jesus by questioning his credentials. They pointed to his prior job as a carpenter, his parents, and his siblings.

Yet Jesus continued to minister to the people as best he could.

Have you perhaps felt the same before?
Have you felt belittled or disregarded because of your family or past choices?
How can you be like Jesus and persist in following what you are called to do?

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve (Mark 6:6-13)

We next read of Jesus sending out his disciples to preach in different villages. They weren't sent with suitcases of spare clothes and backpacks of food and water. Rather, they were sent in humility, relying on God to provide through the generosity of those they would meet along the way.

How intimidated would you feel to be sent to another city with nothing?
How can you learn to trust God more?
How can you be like Jesus and His disciples in serving God humbly?

John the Baptist Beheaded (Mark 6:14-29)

The final part of today’s reading tells of King Herod's response to the news of Jesus' teaching and miracles, and the recount of John the Baptist being killed. It’s explained that King Herod was the one to order John's beheading and was witness to it being accomplished. But now, Herod fears John must be back from the dead because of the work Jesus is doing!

While Herod thinks that Jesus is a disciple of John, let’s not forget John's own admission
of whom has authority: (John 1:15) "(Jesus] is the one I was talking about when I said, 'Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me."

How will you respond to the teachings of Jesus?
How will you keep yourself from becoming prideful in what you do?