“because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
– Mark 6:50
Hi James and Ellen,
If you were to sum up in writing what has already taken place in your lives, what would you include in what you would write? Would you write about when and where you were born? Would you write about family members? Would you write about significant life alternating incidents that you have experienced? Would you write about your accomplishments? If you were to sum up in writing Jesus’ life, what would you include in your ‘bio’ of Jesus’ life? Would you mention that Jesus grew up about 2,000 years ago in a small northern Canaan village called Nazareth? Would you mention that the rock walled house that Jesus grew in would not have been much larger than your living room area? Would you mention that Jesus as He grew up helped His dad build house walls using stones? Would you mention that Jesus had four step-bros – James, Joseph, Judas and Simon, and step-sisters? Would you mention that Jesus made a name for Himself as a very insightful teacher of the Jewish Law when He taught on Sabbath days in the local synagogue? Would you mention that even after Jesus miraculously healed a few ill and physical challenged guys, gals and kids, He would not be respected in His hometown? Would you mention that as Jesus became known, that He selected twelve guys to travel with Him throughout the land of Canaan? Would you mention that Jesus had his twelve traveling companions do a practical ministry assignment where He had them go village to village without a bag or bread or money in their belts, to drive out demonic spirits and to anoint sick guys, gals and kids with oil so that they might be healed? Would you mention the beheading of Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist – who was placed on planet Earth by God with the charge of formally presenting Jesus as the awaited Messiah? Would you mention why and how Jesus was able to in a remote place take five small bread loaves and two small fish from a young kid and to be able to use these loaves and fish to feed 5,000 guys plus the gals and kids who were following Him to hear Him speak? Would you mention the time when Jesus appeared – walking on water, out of nowhere in the early morning darkness to the twelve guys who He was mentoring and who had been rowing all night against a strong Lake Galilee headwind to get to the other side of the lake? Would you mention that after Jesus arrived in the Gennesaret region that sick guys, gals and kids would be healed by just touching the edge of Jesus’ cloak? All these incidents can be found in one of John Mark’s Book’s chapters – Mark 6, which is part of John Mark’s file report on Jesus’ life.
Jesus grew up in a small, cramped stone walled house. Jesus grew up helping His dad construct house walls using rocks. Even though Jesus had become known to at least His ma as being an able expositor of the Jewish Law, it was not until Jesus was in His late twenties that He openly began teaching to crowds and healing sick guys, gals and kids. Jesus chose twelve random guys to mentor as He proactively promoted a new belief paradigm – which would be jumpstarted not long after His brutal death while being hung on and nailed to a cross. As Jesus instructed living a faith filled life that would take place after having repented from living a sin filled life, Jesus modeled the faith filled life that He taught. The path of a faith filled life can begin and go anyplace. Power, prestige and position are not what drives a faith filled life nor does money, stuff and health. A couple of fundamental characteristics of a Jesus modeled faith filled life are summarized in two short phrases that are found in verse 50, “because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”’
Your grandmaa and grandpaa today are helping with the readying of about 120 young guys and gals who have been accepted by Adventures in Missions to join short term ministry teams that are scheduled to go to six different countries. Your grandmaa taught a session yesterday morning that focused on encouraging these young guys and gals to always unconditionally accept God’s promise and commitment to always to be there for them – no matter in what situation that they may find themselves, and to always reservedly accept that they are – just as they are, dearly loved and seen as being completely holy by God. Your grandmaa had the young guys and gals read a good number of Scripture verses that supported what she was saying. A number of the young guys and gals have already told your grandmaa that what she taught was a real help to them. Your grandmaa this morning was essentially asked to take the lead to tell one of the young gals that it would not be a good thing for her to go with her team to the country where her team is scheduled to go. The gal yesterday told your grandmaa that she has tried to kill herself by hanging herself, by overdosing on pills and by cutting herself. This gal told your grandmaa that because she is now on a new medication that is to control her impulsive actions – which includes trying to kill herself, that she thinks that she will be okay while she is with her team in their host country. When a guy, gal or kid cannot ‘take courage’ and ‘not be afraid’ in the name of Jesus and because of what Jesus has done for him or her by resorting to using a mind altering drug to . . . it is when a guy, gal or kid looks to Jesus for His help instead of attempting to do self-help that the Jesus prescribed heart strengthening courage and not being afraid pills can take affect before spreading outside a heart’s shell to infect the hearts of others. Are you taking Jesus pills to give you courage to live your lives for Jesus’ sake?
Mark 6 (1002)