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The Hallmark of Service
Read Mark 1:16-39
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35
After announcing the inauguration of the kingdom of God, Mark continues his narrative by describing the evidence of the coming of the kingdom of God. This is reflected in Jesus’ calling the disciples (vs 16-20), teaching and power encounter in the synagogue (vs 21-28), healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (vs 29-31), and further ministry of healing and the driving out of evil spirits (vs 32-34).
If Jesus were to walk the earth today, there would be countless invitations for Him to conduct ‘revival meetings’, ‘miracle rallies’, and ‘healing crusades’ organised in large stadiums and convention centres. But Jesus did not allow the crowd of the day to dictate His mission. Neither did He capitalise on His recent popularity and publicity to make Himself well known. Instead, He withdrew to quiet places to be with His Heavenly Father, turning away the opportunity to be in the limelight. He refused to be known as a mere miracle worker. He came to be the Saviour, and He must proclaim the Good News in other nearby villages as well. This was the evidence of His mission on earth.
Like the public relations experts and management gurus of our days, the disciples seemed to think that Jesus was losing the opportunity the recent publicity had generated (vs 36-37). We face a similar challenge to choose the way of the world to demonstrate the evidence of our calling as Christians. We often prefer the limelight of public ministry rather than the quiet solitude of prayers. We tend to choose the applause of the crowd than the approval of our Heavenly Father.
We make our mark in Christian service by spending time with God and being faithful to our calling. Pray for pastors and church leaders that they would not be distracted from God's word and truth.
What is the hallmark of your service to God?
Read Mark 1:16-39
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35
After announcing the inauguration of the kingdom of God, Mark continues his narrative by describing the evidence of the coming of the kingdom of God. This is reflected in Jesus’ calling the disciples (vs 16-20), teaching and power encounter in the synagogue (vs 21-28), healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (vs 29-31), and further ministry of healing and the driving out of evil spirits (vs 32-34).
If Jesus were to walk the earth today, there would be countless invitations for Him to conduct ‘revival meetings’, ‘miracle rallies’, and ‘healing crusades’ organised in large stadiums and convention centres. But Jesus did not allow the crowd of the day to dictate His mission. Neither did He capitalise on His recent popularity and publicity to make Himself well known. Instead, He withdrew to quiet places to be with His Heavenly Father, turning away the opportunity to be in the limelight. He refused to be known as a mere miracle worker. He came to be the Saviour, and He must proclaim the Good News in other nearby villages as well. This was the evidence of His mission on earth.
Like the public relations experts and management gurus of our days, the disciples seemed to think that Jesus was losing the opportunity the recent publicity had generated (vs 36-37). We face a similar challenge to choose the way of the world to demonstrate the evidence of our calling as Christians. We often prefer the limelight of public ministry rather than the quiet solitude of prayers. We tend to choose the applause of the crowd than the approval of our Heavenly Father.
We make our mark in Christian service by spending time with God and being faithful to our calling. Pray for pastors and church leaders that they would not be distracted from God's word and truth.
What is the hallmark of your service to God?
Scripture
About this Plan
Scripture Union Peninsular Malaysia's Bible reflections are devotional readings from the thoughts and insights of Asian writers. Consisting of 8 volumes, they cover the whole Bible in four years. Each volume contains books from the Old and New Testaments, and has a mix of historical, poetic and prophetic books, the gospels and epistles. Using this you can cultivate the discipline of a regular, systematic engagement with Scripture and gain an understanding of its magnificent story.
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We would like to thank Scripture Union for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: http://www.su.org.my
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