After Jesus sends out the
twelves disciples for a mission, “the apostles
returned and met with Jesus, and told him all they had done and taught”
(Mark 6:30, GNB). The disciples must be excited but tired, and so
they wanted to have a refreshing rest, away from the crowd. Jesus told them, “Let us go off by ourselves to some place where we
will be alone and you can rest for a while” (Mark 6:31). “We” said Jesus. Jesus in his humanity
also felt the need for a rest. They worked very very hard, don’t you think?
God’s calling is not for us to sit back, relax and hoping for the best, right? We must “go”
(Matthew 28:19) and work hard, then,
only then we’re deserve to rest.
But “many
people, however, saw them leave and knew at once who they were; so they went
from all the towns and ran ahead by land and arrived at the place ahead of
Jesus and his disciples. When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw this large
crowd, and his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were like
sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:33-34). Jesus heart was yearned
for the spiritual needs of the crowd flocking to him. Jesus was “moved with compassion” (NKJV). It is a feeling of strong-deep emotion acted with
positive action. It is a costly, self-giving compassion. Why? Because Jesus saw
them as a starving flock of sheep without a shepherd. They were like orphans
with no one to care for them. They were leaderless. This is why, I convince,
Jesus wasn’t annoyed but showed compassion.
There were a lot of
religious teachers during Jesus time, but why they were still leaderless? Same
as today, the people are “like sheep
without a shepherd.” When I read this, I’m thinking of how many
young people that I know of went to this and that event, jumping and singing,
having fun and ‘empowered’ by almost hysterical prayers, come back home empty
and their hearts and minds still hallow. There is something missing – God’s
Word. Someone missing – Lord of the Word – in their lives. When the supposed
teachers should feed the flock, they care more about church attendance,
personal spiritual growth and success, defending the faith with all might and
power, emphasising on musical worship, teaches church history and doctrines,
and even doing social work – everything – everything
(secondary) but feeding the people with God’s Word (primary). Where are the
teachers who supposed to teach people the Word of God?
For a shepherd, a teacher, a leader the main thing is
God’s Word. When I asked most people,
which book of the Bible are you all studying now, they blurred. When I told a
story of Jesus (basic) and asked do you remember reading this, I get silent
treatment. When I read this one church mission statement: “Untuk mempersiapkan jemaat dengan Firman TUHAN” (To equip the
church with God’s Word), I was so excited until I heard the preacher talked
about his endless journey of accomplishments and successes. Teachers, if you read this, we need you to
feed us with God’s Word. Sheep without a shepherd, and so the first thing
Jesus does was “he began to teach them many things”
(Mark 6:34). Not complaining and whining about having no rest (or salary) but
seeing people as God’s answer to our revival prayer. Not irritated by them but
having a deep compassion with action like Jesus. Not feeding the five thousand
with five loaves and two fish first but feeding the people with God’s Word
first. Jesus teaches the people first.
Let continue Mark 6:35-44 in another article.
THINK BIG.
START SMALL. GO DEEP.
No comments:
Post a Comment