G’day church,
I wonder, what has struck you most from our time in Mark’s gospel? Matt and I were reading from it together yesterday and reflecting on just how compelling Jesus is. Bold and blunt to the extent that sometimes people took offense. Caring and compassionate, even when he was physically exhausted and looking for some rest. Insightful and wise such that he was able to school his opponents and his friends without even breaking a sweat. And as Mark takes us from personal conversation to miracle, from adoring crowds to heated argument we see over and over how incredibly life-giving Jesus is. And in all this I find Jesus just so compelling! Like no one else in all of history, he is the man who I want to know and who has most impacted my life.
As Matt and I reflected on how compelling we find Jesus, it struck me that Jesus’ simple instruction to the man he had rescued from a legion of demons is just as relevant to us. In Mark 5:19 Jesus tells him “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” We can feel overwhelmed by the thought of talking to people about Jesus. But here we see that it can be as simple as sharing what your personal experience of Jesus has been. What you love about him and how he has impacted your life. And while your friend might not be too excited by a detailed discussion of theology, they’re far more likely to be interested in your experience – because as your friend they are interested in you. So as Easter helps each of us reflect on just how wonderful Jesus is to us, why not look for an opportunity to share your experience of Jesus with a friend and see if they’d like to find out what is so compelling about him too.
In Christ,
Simon