Friday, August 15, 2014

In our last visit we saw how a misunderstood act by an unknown woman was used of God to encourage His Son to press on in His mission. Now let’s see another point that supports the impact thought: Go for broke in your commitment to God even though the journey might be tough. This is especially true if you want to bring others along with you. You will need to patiently explain your mission and find ways to remind them of your vision. In Mark 14 we see the steps Jesus took to prepare for celebrating Passover. Here He again explains His mission and gives His disciples a “word picture experience” that He wanted them to reenact repeatedly after His departure. The Lord’s Supper provided a unique way for them to remember His death – an important part of His mission and their message. Jesus expected them to grasp this intellectually, but He knew it would be difficult for them to flesh it out in their walk. In fact, He told them they would fall away. This didn’t sit well with Peter who was sure He would stand with Jesus even to the point of death. The other disciples said the same. But Jesus knew that though they were eager to follow, they would not carry out their promise. It can get discouraging when people you have faithfully taught and who eagerly promise fidelity to you and your mission falter and fail in the crunch. Jesus warned them of their vulnerability, and then gave them an opportunity to prove their commitment when He asked them to keep watch with Him in Gethsemane. Unfortunately, as predicted, they failed. Jesus, on the other hand, went on alone to fulfill His mission.