Mark 1:35-39

Jesus’s small band of followers are excited, yesterday was an incredible day, Jesus’ miracles had gone on late into the night, many people were healed, yet this morning more people were there waiting.  Already Jesus’ reputation had spread and people were desperate for their own personal miracle.

Yet Jesus was nowhere to be seen.  Jesus was the man of the hour, an instant celebrity, people were lining up around the house to be healed by him, yet the over-night superstar was missing.  Puzzled the disciples go looking, and upon finding him chastise him.  “What are you doing” they exclaim, “We have crowds waiting to see you and you disappeared”.  Yet Jesus knew exactly what he was doing, he was taking time out.  Jesus knew there would always be crowds, but this morning he wasn’t interested in the crowds, he was spending time alone in prayer.

It is so easy to do all the things that other people expect followers of Christ to do – go to youth group, turn up at bible study, go to church, serve in some sort of ministry etc, etc but miss that the most important part of following Jesus is the personal relationship we are offered.  Jesus did not come to earth so that we can go to church, or go to bible studies.  No Jesus came and lived amongst us, so that we may enjoy what it means to have a personal relationship with him.  Yet so many ‘so called’ Christians never have a personal relationship with Jesus.  Jesus took time out to be in a solitary place so that he may pray.  So that he may connect with his father in a deep and personal way, in the same way each one of us should take time out every day to cultivate a personal relationship with the saviour we follow.

The disciples come across Jesus excitedly and exclaim that there are crowds waiting for him to perform miracles and yet Jesus announces that instead they are leaving.  He did not come just to perform miracles but he came to spread the good news of Salvation for all who believed.

When crowds were searching for him, Jesus was alone praying.  When Jesus was an overnight superstar in a certain town – that’s when he left.  It’s like Jesus wasn’t interested in fame and the accolades of the crowd but that he came for a greater purpose.  His purpose prevented him from being distracted by easy popularity.  It strikes me that Jesus never came to be popular but rather came to do what no one else could do.

But do we try and make Jesus popular – in our effort to tell our friends about Jesus do we only focus on the parts that we think they will like? Do we try and mold Jesus into a likeable saviour, like one that would fit into the popular crowd at school?  The problem with this is Jesus never seemed to desire popularity and when we try to mold Jesus into this likeable image we lose sight of the real Jesus and begin to follow (and invite others to follow) a god we have made in our own image – an idol if you will.   Resist the urge to create God in your image and instead spend time each day getting to know the real Jesus.

Now: Read Mark 1:35-39

Then: Go Swedish (what’s this?)