When God doesn't "Play our Game"


Mark 2:6–7 (ESV) Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”


Mark 2 is a really funny chapter.  Twenty eight verses of give and take between Jesus and the religious leaders of His day.  Jesus does something and they have a problem with it. Jesus does something else and they have a problem with that too.  Jesus does another thing, and there they are questioning what on Earth He's doing!  I wonder if Mark penned this chapter with a grin.

God shows up and the people who should have been so schooled to recognize Him miss Him completely.  I wonder sometimes, who would that be today?  I hope it would not be me.

FACT: God is God.  He's going to surprise you.  He's going to blow away YOUR expectations.  He's going to undo your presuppositions.  He's going to unravel your traditions.  Why?  Because He's God. Jesus shows up and systematically tears down their prominent self-made platforms and upsets their apple cart.  And what argument do they have?  He's a carpenter working miracles and doing wonders!  So when He welcomes the outcast sinner and feeds His hungry disciples on the Sabbath what can they say when the former paralytic is playing dodgeball down the street?

I'm reminded by Mark 2 that God is MOST concerned for people.  He loves people near or far from God.  Even the ones who think they know it all too!  Every time the religious establishment question his actions (audibly or inaudibly) Jesus takes the time to answer them and teach!  Whether or not they received it we don't know.  We do know that Jesus loves people and helps them any way He can.

To the paralytic man - "Get up and walk - forgiven and free."
To Levi the tax collector - "Follow me" I have a plan for your life, stop wasting it.
To those questioning His non-fasting - "Its a time to celebrate, stop being a doggy downer!"
To the nit-picking Pharisees about the Sabbath - "God gave man the Sabbath, not the other way around!"

People matter to Jesus.  Thankfully, we are people.

That's something that should make us grin.

PRAYER:
Father, I want that heart.  I want to emulate Jesus in just the same way.  I tend to put position and prerogative before people.  Remind me this week, to put some PERSON first!  In Jesus Name, Amen.




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