Read Mark 3:7–19
Questions from the Scripture text: Where did Jesus go, in Mark 3:7? Who followed Him? From where (Mark 3:8)? What did Jesus get into and why (Mark 3:9)? Then where did He go (Mark 3:13)? How many did He call to Himself up there? For what did He especially appoint them (Mark 3:15)? How many of their names can you remember (Mark 3:16-19)?
How does Christ bring the kingdom? Mark 3:7–19 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christ brings the kingdom by a humility that glorifies grace.
In this week’s reading, we see the Lord Jesus’s response to the plot of the Pharisees and Herodians to destroy Him (Mark 3:6). He retreats (Mark 3:7a, Mark 3:13a). He is the Son of God (Mark 3:11b). And He retreats. A multitude gathers to Him, so large that He has to be careful not to be crushed by them (Mark 3:9). And He retreats. Even demons are instantly defeated by Him (Mark 3:11a). And He retreats.
Why? Because He did not come to exercise earthly power, to rally enough people to his side to crush his enemies. No, He came to preach and save, and to send out preachers of the gospel of His salvation (Mark 3:14b).
Let us learn, here, from our Lord that the church is not given a mission of consolidating earthly power or getting its way by force. We are not trying to win friends and influence people. We don’t put our hope in stirring up great reviews on social media, or making friends with just the right community leaders.
What do we put our hope in? The Lord Jesus’s work, done the Lord Jesus’s way, by the Lord Jesus’s appointees (Mark 3:14a).
Word, sacrament, and prayer in the services on the Lord’s Day. Telling the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to sinners. Always being ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us. Bringing our little children to the Lord, and hindering them not (cf. Matthew 19:14). Bringing them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. The ministry of pastor-teachers in the church (cf. Ephesians 4:11). Father-led, parents’ ministry in the home (cf. Ephesians 6:4). Every-member encouragement, service, and reinforcing ministry, by church members who bind themselves to one another and keep those commitments (cf. Ephesians 4:12–16).
It’s not scintillating stuff or power planning. But it is the way of the Master, and should be the way of His disciples. Notice that He only gave the apostolic call and gifting to twelve men from all this multitude. And when their ministry was completed, the miraculous and revelatory gifts ceased altogether. Why would the Lord do things (then or now) in such an unimpressive way?
Because the thing that Jesus wants to impress with is the cross. This is what He later set His face to Jerusalem to do (cf. Luke 9:51). The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (cf. Mark 10:45).
And this is what we must imitate. As Paul said, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:2). He was probably more educated than any of the false apostles, but he was careful not to impress with his own impressiveness. He learned his lesson from 2 Corinthians 12:1-13. Leave it to others to be “impressive” with their emotive worship and their (false) signs. Leave it to others to impress with how wonderful they think their own service, or knowledge, or success is. But let the disciples of Jesus Christ impress others with that which they find most impressive: Christ Himself, and Him crucified!
Whom would you like to see saved? How will you tell them about the cross of Jesus Christ? How will you get them to hear about the cross of Jesus Christ in worship?
Sample prayer: Lord, forgive us for when we have wished to be impressive to others. We have even thought that this would be the way to bring others into the kingdom or to grow the church. But, this is the opposite of Christ’s method. Give us to have confidence in Christ’s power, exercised Christ’s way, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP18E “How Perfect Is the Way of God” or TPH265 “In Christ Alone”
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