SCRIPTURE: Mark 3:7-12
There is something about Jesus that still attracts people.
From the first Jesus-followers to the Jesuits to the Jesus People, crowds of people have gathered again and again, trying to capture what it is about Jesus that attracts.
Even non-Christians have admitted a fascination and admiration for Jesus, though not for His followers.
Unfortunately, often those who gather around Jesus do so in unhealthy ways.
They cry out ‘You are the Son of God’, but do so with greed or anger or arrogance or violence or lust, and use Jesus’ Name in non-Jesus-like ways.
Jesus silences the demons here, I wonder how many Christians He has wanted to silence too.
People today are still attracted to Jesus, though many are put off by His followers.
As a church leader, I can try to defend the church, or accuse these disillusioned seekers of being hypocrites too.
Or I can be honest and ask myself, ‘am I, are we, attracting people to Jesus or distracting people from Him?’
This calls for serious soul-searching, because I sense that the organized Christian movement had done a lot of harm for Jesus’ reputation, and is the reason why today (in the west at least) people are leaving Jesus and His company in crowds.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, You are still attractive today. Show me how I (or we as a church) detract the crowds from You, and silence that demonic behavior.