"But when Jesus was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything." Mark: 4:34b
In the Gospel of St. Mark, Jesus presents several of his parables, the Sower, the Lamp Under a Basket, the Growing Seed, and The Mustard Seed,
We are told by St. Mark that Jesus preached the Word of God in this way to the
assembled crowed.
"With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as
much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a
parable." Mark: 4:33-34a
Asking Jesus
There are times, when we, like the Disciples,
hear the Word of God preached and we may not, at first, fully grasp what we
have heard or even why we have heard it, the sense of it may be elusive to
us. It is then in such moments or any time we hear the Word of God, that
understanding comes when we are alone with Jesus.
We need to spend some time with our Lord in
private asking him to enlarge the Word in our hearts and minds as did the
disciples. This asking is carried out in prayer and fellowship with Jesus led
by the Holy Spirit, who will expound upon what our Lord has told us.
"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom
the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you
of everything I have said to you." Jhn: 14:26
The Holy Spirit will bring to our minds what
our Lord has spoken to us and will help us to receive deeper meaning as to what
Jesus is telling us just as the Disciples received clarification after hearing
the Lord preach by spending time alone with Jesus. In private Jesus could, and did,
say things to his Disciples that was not for others. Jesus can and will do the
same for us, there are things has to say for and to each us that is not for
others, he tells us these things in our times alone with Jesus.
Jesus Alone
This being alone with Jesus, also speaks to us
regarding the centrality of Jesus as the means to understand the Word of God.
That is, from and by him we receive the understanding of Scripture, that when
we focus on Jesus alone, then we come to understand the Bible, that all the
Word from Genesis to Revelation speak about Jesus. When Jesus is our focus, then we receive insight into the written
word of God.
"When the Advocate comes, whom I will
send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who goes out from the
Father--he will testify about me." Jhn: 15:26
Speaks of Me
As Jesus converses with the religious
establishment of the day, Jesus tells them of his place as the focus of the Scripture,
these religious leaders had vested large amount of time in reading and
memorizing the Word of God, yet their approach was more intellectual and
academic and carnal. The Religious leaders read the Word of God but missed the
whole point of the Scripture, even as the very point of Scripture, in
the Person of Jesus, stood before them.
"You study the Scriptures diligently
because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very
Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have
life." Jhn:
5:39-40
We can be like that as well, turning Bible
Study in to an academic intellectual study, if we do this, we can amass large
amounts of information or knowledge and still never come to know our Lord, that
is have a relationship with Jesus.
Some attempt to comprehend the Bible through
another focus, whether that focus is Prophecy, History, Israel, the Covenants
or Law, all 0f those things are good things to have and understand, but, if we
look at them apart from who Jesus is we will miss out on their deeper meaning
which found in Jesus.
Treasures of Wisdom
St. Paul writes to the church at Colossi, and
to us in our time, that it is in and by Jesus that anything and everything of
eternal value is found in Jesus alone. This is why the Apostle wrote to the
Christians in that church, they were being taught "doctrines" that
were of Gnostic origins.
"My goal is that they may be encouraged
in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete
understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" Col:2:2-3
The Focus of Eternity
St. John, the aged Apostle, writing to the
Church around 90-95 AD, writes the Book of Revelation with its focus upon our
Lord in spite of the events here upon the Earth. St. John see Jesus
symbolized as a Lamb having been slain, yet lives. John sees this Lamb at the
very center of the Throne of God. This Lamb is worship by the Host of Heaven.
We find Jesus there, at the center of it all, this speaks regarding Jesus'
place as the focus of all time and eternity, that is, Jesus is what it is all
about.
Jesus is the purpose of God and yet out of his
love for us all, he has brought each of us into that purpose. Everything in all
the History of Salvation, and the sovereignty of God, all that God, the Holy
Trinity does is focused upon the person of Jesus.
Alone With Jesus
When we hear the Word of God preached or, when
we in our times of study encounter something that we at first do not understand,
it is at these moments that we should come to him alone with the view that all
that God has for us is found Jesus. It is when we are alone with Jesus that he
will give us understanding and clarity of His Holy Word
Benediction: May we each and all find understanding by
and thru our Lord Jesus alone, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.
.jpg)
If Is Not About Jesus It Is Not About Anything
No comments:
Post a Comment