Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
The scribes do not answer Jesus’ question of Mark 9:16. Perhaps they were a bit startled by His authoritative tone; or perhaps, given their legalistic arrogance, they simply did not deign to respond. Instead, a heart-broken man spoke up: “And one of the multitude answered and said, ‘Master, I have brought Thee my son, [who] hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away [becomes rigid]: and I spoke to Thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not’” (verses 17-18). Here is a picture of anguished parental love, of dashed dreams. This father dearly loved his child and hoped that his boy would have a bright future. Instead, his young life was dominated by a severe affliction. And his future prospects seemed dim, even dark. Anyone can sympathize with this family’s plight; anyone who has had a child with a serious condition can also empathize. Faith is quite easy on the mountain top; it is not easy in the valley. The constant in both places is Jesus, the object of genuine faith. Seeking Him out always brings hope into our hopelessness, light into our darkness.