Mark’s first chapter sets Jesus up as a teacher who stood far apart from any others. He taught with a degree of authority they had not heard before. His teaching was fresh and new. People were challenged in ways they had not been in the past.

But the same chapter focuses our attention on something even more dramatic than fresh and new teaching. Alongside Jesus teaching, He did great miracles: healing diseases that had no cure in their society and even greater: casting possessive spirits out of people by the tens or even hundreds. We can’t even imagine what that would look like today…crowds rushing to meet a teacher who would call cancer out of people, family members falling in front of a sage in distress over their son or daughter, mother or father who had become so different in mental illness that they seemed controlled by another being.

It is a mistake to approach Jesus as simply a wise teacher.

Do I approach Him today in the same way? Am I expecting to learn something new, but not to be transformed or to call His healing into the life of someone around me who needs it?

It amazes me how abrupt the ending to Matthew’s gospel is. He does not tie up loose ends or show Jesus as overly compassionate after His death…the only appearance of Jesus to His disciples He mentions is the one at His ascension into heaven. One appearance was all He believed they needed to decide for themselves: He is alive, or He is not. Matthew is also the only one to mention that some people did not believe that it was really Jesus.

At some point, I understand this radical ending. Jesus’ story is a powerful one, and most people who truly consider it don’t need a lot more information. When they fully understand who Jesus was, they make a clear decision. I love that too, because when they follow Jesus, they get crazy excited about it! They spread the good news everywhere they go, because when Jesus takes up a place in your life, you can’t help but feel that everything in life has changed.

The quote at the end of this devotional was too powerful not to share in this respect:

“The gospel is not theology, its a person. Theology does not save…They had encountered Jesus Christ and it simply could not be concealed. They witnessed not because they had to, but because they could not hlep it… Nothing is more convincing than the simple, unembellished word of a satisfied customer.”

Richard Halverson

At every turn in Jesus crucifixion, the women seem to be standing by. No mention is made of the disciples or other followers of Jesus in His death. Many of them were likely afraid they would meet the same fate if they were identified near Jesus as He hung on the cross. But the women stood by and watched each stage: His crucifixion, His burial, and His resurrection (when they went to give His body a more elaborate treatment).

I am reminded of all the details the account of Jesus’ death and resurrection would be missing, if they had not been content to serve or brave enough to try to sneak past the angry Jewish leaders. They were the ones to hear Him cry out the Psalm, to see His last breath, to witness the earthquake, and to hear the Roman guards exclaim, “He really was the Son of God!”

Am I content to serve quietly and calmly in the background?

What ways am I called to bravely face the possibility of persecution in order to stand up and help others?

Jesus endures quite a bit of suffering leading up to His death:

• the betrayal of a friend
• the threat to and abandonment of His followers
• harassment at the hands of the priests, and their physical abuse
• the denial of Peter
• the questioning of Pilate
• the whipping, humiliation and mockery of the soldiers
• the long walk to the crucifixion site
• the pain of the cross
• the attacks of spectators

How did He keep silent? It still astounds me that Jesus did not defend Himself.

I don’t think that it was to line up with an Old Testament prophecy, I think the silence was intentional and strategic, I’m just not sure exactly what it was accomplishing. My best guess these days is simply this: Jesus silence ensured that the reason that crossed everyone’s mind for His death was His claim to be the Son of God…the Messiah. His trial before the high priest turned at this conclusion. Pilate called him the Messiah to the leaders. The soldiers mocked Him with a crown and robe. The sign on His cross even read “king of the Jews”

And Jesus died for that claim…the only claim that matters.

He didn’t die for any sin…except ours.

In Jesus most dramatic moments in ministry: in the center of Jerusalem with crowds welcoming Him and gathering to hear Him teach, His followers stumble. Jesus is serious. He warns them of the details of His death the night before and changes the tone of the Passover meal in a big way. But even with the warning, Jesus followers are lazy–falling asleep instead of praying and running away from the guard, rather than joining Jesus in His persecution.

Those followers were such losers!

and yet…so am I. I often do dumb, lazy, selfish things right after my best moments. I fail to take Jesus seriously when He would desire me to most do so. And I am no more worthy of His love, loyalty or forgiveness than these followers.

But God loves me anyway. He still keeps me close to Himself.

And its that love that compels me to focus my time, attention, and resources on being an awesome follower of Jesus, for as much of my life as I can. And despite my failings, we are doing pretty well.