Stop, Look, and Listen

Before you start todays devotional, ask the Lord to use it to grow you up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Let’s now follow in Jesus’ footsteps at the height of His popularity. Constantly busy, He got physically exhausted. One time He even fell asleep in a ship during a storm and the disciples had to wake Him. “Why are you afraid?” He asked them and then told the sea to “be muzzled!”—and it obeyed!

In this season, we sit with Jesus and listen to HIs unique teaching through parables, stories meant to communicate a deeper, thoughtful meaning.

One of His first parables was about a farmer’s field. Jesus describes the three areas where the seed fell: on the wayside where the birds ate it (the devil takes away the Word), on stony ground where the sun withers it (when hardship turns us from God), and finally, on thorny ground (as the cares of the world distract us).

But a quarter of the seed falls on good ground—the ones who receive the Word and are saved. But even here are different degrees of bearing fruit. Jesus warns us, “Stop—look—and listen!”

The disciples asked why Jesus now taught in parables. Jesus’ answer was strategic. People must want to understand before things can be made real to them. If your heart and eyes are open, then the Spirit of God will make great truth real to your heart. If you turn from Jesus’ teaching, you will continue to be lost. At one point all of us were once lost. It’s our response to the Word of God that will determine if we are saved or not. What about you? Do you trust Christ? Turn to Him now as your Savior.

Mark 5 records three amazing miracles only God could do. Each illustrate Jesus’ power.

The first illustrates Jesus’ power over demons, which were especially active in the Galilee at the time. When Jesus and His disciples crossed the sea, hoping to take a rest on the east side of the Jordan River, they were met by “a man,” controlled by demons. He was a crazed, desperate maniac. Yet in spite of his condition, Jesus saw the man.

And in spite of the demons, the man saw Jesus. He ran and worshipped Him. Even when he battled the demon inside him, the man cried out for Jesus. Even the demons recognized Jesus’ power over them. They pleaded with Jesus not to send them into the abyss. Instead Jesus agreed to send the demons into more than 2,000 pigs—who then ran down the slope and into the lake.

Jesus also demonstrated His power over disease. Because all Galilee knew of Jesus’ miracle-working ministry, thousands came to Him with their needs. We’re told of dozens, but there were thousands healed. Not even Jesus’ critics questioned His power to heal. Here we meet a woman who, with her last hope, grabbed hold of Jesus’ coat as He passed—and her faith healed her.

But Jesus also had power over death. Mark tells the story of Jairus’ 12-year-old daughter who died while Jesus was delayed by healing the woman in the crowd. When Jairus was told his little girl was dead, Jesus said, “Only believe.”

At Jairus’ house, Jesus took the dead girl’s hand, and whispered to her, “Little Lamb, wake up.” And at this sweet and lovely word demonstrating His power, the warmth returned to her cheeks and she opened her eyes.

These three great miracles demonstrate the great message of the Gospel of Mark: Jesus is God’s servant with God’s power. He’s a man of action, and He’s come not to be ministered to but to give His life a ransom for many.

1. What does it tell us about humanity that God chose to speak to us through stories? What does it tell us about a book like Mark?

2. Just as the fields where the sower cast his seed, we all have a role to play in how God’s Word impacts us. How can you change your preparation for, and reaction to, God’s words to make them more fruitful in your life?

3. Imagine being Jairus. You’ve come to bring Jesus to your home to heal your beloved daughter. On the way, despite your desperation, he stops to deal with a woman who touched Him, and word reaches you that your daughter is dead. What emotions would you be feeling, and how would Jesus’ actions change not just your mind, but also your heart?­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Additional Resources

Listen to Dr. J. Vernon McGee’s complete teachings on Mark 4 and Mark 5.