Christ as Servant: A Study in MarkSample

What does it say?

Jesus went to His hometown, where He was rejected. Many speculated about His identity. He fed a crowd with very little food and walked on water.

What does it mean?

Family and friends in Nazareth refused to believe the divine nature of Jesus’ authority and wisdom. Herod Antipas feared that Jesus was John the Baptist and returned from the grave to haunt him, while others who doubted his divinity thought He was Elijah or another prophet. The disciples had driven out demons in Jesus’ name and watched Him miraculously feed thousands of people. However, they still couldn’t comprehend that His identity as God’s Son made anything possible. Fear, doubt, and unyielding hearts affected what people thought about Jesus and determined their level of faith.

How should I respond?

What causes you to have a lack of faith? Does fear blind you to what the Lord can do? Has doubt crept in because a situation seems impossible? Or have you developed a hard heart by forgetting what God has done for you in the past? In order to experience the power of God in its fullness, we must deliberately reject doubt and replace it with faith (James 1:6). Don’t miss out on God’s miraculous work in your life because of wrong heart attitudes that limit your faith. When fear and doubt creep in, spend time in prayer, recalling and thanking God for what He has done. Remember that all things are possible with God (Matt. 19:26).