40 DAYS in the GOSPEL Sample

LOSSES WILL COME BUT VICTORY IS CERTAIN

"When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb." (Mark 6:29)

I (Shawn) became a Christian as a child. I read the Bible and heard the amazing stories of Jesus—of feeding 5,000, walking on water with Peter, and raising Lazarus from the dead. I think I developed a mental picture of Jesus healing everyone he saw, and that most days there wasn’t a lot of bad press or bad news that followed.

But texts like this one today, show us that not everyone loved the gospel, and bad things happened to those men and women who followed Jesus closely. This reminds us that there are two colliding kingdoms: the kingdom of Jesus and the kingdom of darkness.

In the previous chapter, Mark tells of a deeply troubled, demonized man who was gloriously set free, a woman healed of a twelve-year-long illness, and another girl raised from the dead. In these accounts, we see God’s compassion for the hurting and the powerful advance of the Kingdom of God.

How difficult it must have been for John the Baptist to hear about these glorious things happening while his cell door remained locked, and his innocence ignored. Was John the Baptist’s mother praying for his release? Were there Christians visiting him in prison, saying, “God is doing amazing things through Jesus?" Was there muted excitement on their part as they shared with John, “Messiah has come! And we’re praying for you!?"

These prayers would not be answered the way they hoped. John would die a tragic death in prison, at the hands of arrogant people who worried about their status and political power.

These verses remind us of the collision of light and darkness, of the power of Jesus and the power of evil. They both continue opposing each other. Ultimately, our victory is assured in Christ. But there will be discouraging moments along the way when it looks like evil is winning. Don’t you believe it. The darkest Friday in history could not overcome the blazing light of the Resurrection. It's still true today.

PRAY ABOUT IT: What prayers seem to be unanswered? Give the loss to God, thanking Him that the ultimate victory is assured. Thank Him for the promises that remain true.