Daily Devotions
Mark
2 Peter 2:15b "Following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness." 2 Peter 2:15b"
Day 202 – Mark 9
“Following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” 2 Peter 2:15b
REASON FOR GRIEF
How sad Jesus must have felt! Had no one learned anything about the role of faith in life and ministry?
1. How many times had Jesus cast out demons?
2. How many times had He commended faith?
3. How many times had He rebuked the lack of faith?
The multitudes had failed to grasp the principle of faith in Jesus as the key. The scribes only added to the confusion. His Disciples had no excuse to offer. They had been especially empowered by Jesus as His apostles!
Jesus must have grieved deeply for Him to utter these words.
“How long shall I be with you?
How long shall I bear with you?”
MARK 9:19
AN UNDERLYING PROBLEM
The multitudes must have thought that Jesus would be around for a good long time, for they knew that He was in His prime! He had just begun His ministry. Surely He would be around for many more years. How wrong they were to make this assumption.
THE PROBLEM OF FAITHLESSNESS
The problem of a lack of faith was very apparent, right from the start. The following factors might have contributed to the lack of faith.
1. Ignorance of the Word of God
2. Wrong teaching by the scribes
3. General apathy
4. Strong demonic activity
5. Poor growth of faith despite much teaching (and rebuking)
A GLIMPSE OF HOW JESUS MUST HAVE FELT
The words “How long shall I bear with you?” give us a rare glimpse of the sadness that Jesus must have felt as He ministered. How He longed for all to have a deeper faith in God. He had borne with their faithlessness all this while. How He wished that they would realize that His time with them was much shorter than they wished.