Daily Devotions
Mark
2 Peter 2:10c "They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries."
Day 193 – Mark 9
“They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries.” 2 Peter 2:10c
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Jesus came proclaiming the theme of the Kingdom of God. Let us recall how Mark noted this focus.
“Now after John was put into prison,
Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the Gospel
of the kingdom of God and saying,
‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.'”
MARK 1:14
THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
To many, the message that Jesus proclaimed was not easy to fathom. Mark again made an important observation.
“And He said to them,
‘To you it has been given to know the mystery
of the kingdom of God;
but to those who are outside, all things come in parables.”
MARK 4:11
Time and again Jesus would try and interest the multitudes to consider understanding and appreciating the kingdom of God. But He knew that each individual must take heed how he would hear the word of the Kingdom. If he would not hear, then he would never be able to fully appreciate the significance of the message of the Gospel (Cf. Mark 4:24-25).
THE THINGS THAT CAUSED PEOPLE TO BE UNABLE TO BELIEVE JESUS
A number of reasons may account for the lack of full comprehension of the Gospel of the kingdom of God. The following may be highlighted:-
1. The hardness of the heart (Cf. Mark 3:5; 6:52)
2. The work of Satan (Cf. Mark 4:15; 8:33)
3. Rank unbelief (Cf.Mark 6:6)
4. Sheer hypocrisy (Cf. Mark 7:6)
THE POWER OF GOD
In His great mercy and grace, God displayed His power through Jesus time and again, so that the multitudes and the Disciples may be able to comprehend the significance of the message of the Kingdom of God. Miracle after miracle was performed, so that few could doubt the reality of the Kingdom of God. Yet even the Disciples struggled with full comprehension of the Kingdom of God!