When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them.
Mark 2:1-2[1]
You’ve been away from home for a while. Maybe on vacation. Maybe on a business trip. Maybe on a cruise. Maybe visiting family and friends. No matter where you’ve been, it wasn’t home.
They didn’t put things where you put them. They didn’t do things the way you do them. They didn’t set the table like you do. They didn’t season the food like you do. The bed was different. The sheets were different. The pillows and pillowcases were different. The towels were different.
They didn’t read the same things you read. They didn’t watch the same shows you watched. They didn’t like the same governmental officials you like and trust. They didn’t agree with you about a lot of things.
I don’t know about you, but when I get back home, I just want to sit down. Sit down, veg out, and relax.
Jesus was away from the familiar for several days. And when he came back, he didn’t have a chance to sit down, veg out, or settle back into his routine. His reputation, his words, his miracles had become well known to the point that a whole lot of people came out of the woodwork.
The gathering was phenomenal. Not only was the house filled, but any available space around the door was also crowded. There was no room for anyone else. There were so many people that they spilled into the street.
Not only was the house crowded with people, but it was also overflowing with sound. The sounds of people talking about Jesus and what they would do when and if they got the chance to meet him personally.
With the house completely filled, Jesus didn’t have a chance to do what we would consider as normal. So, what did Jesus do? But before we look at what he did, let’s first look at what he didn’t do. He didn’t:
· Make announcements.
· Organize the people into groups.
· Ask for money.
· Tell people to like his social media posts.
· Talk about political topics.
· Point to where the next event was going to be.
What’s the most important thing that Jesus could do to help them? How could he best assist them in this helpless and hopeless world?
He spoke “the word” to them. He spoke in a way so they understood what he was talking about. He spoke about who God is, how he made them experience him and life to the fullest. He spoke in a conversational way that was understood down to their bones. He didn’t just say a few words, but he continued speaking for a while.
And while Jesus did the talking, all they had to do was listen. Jesus did all the giving, and they did all the receiving. While Jesus’ job was to speak, their job was to listen.
But real listening, true and authentic listening, does more than just receive vibrations that come through the ear and wind up in our heads. Real listening, true and genuine listening always, always, always changes us. It changed the crowd's decision-making, aligning themselves to what he said. Jesus spoke with the result that they were ready to obey.
They were to obey, not to win some prize, or even to be blessed. They were to listen and change their life and thinking in order to make it match who God was and how he made us.
In the world of priorities, talking and communicating truth always, always, always comes first. You can’t move to change or action until the truth is revealed, communicated, and taken inside.
Yes, Jesus was trying to persuade them, to change their hearts and minds. But not at the expense of truth. The truth of who God is, and what he expects from us, demands from us.
The LORD God has told us what is right and what he demands: "See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God."
Micah 6:8 CEV
Yes, as God, our creator and savior, he has the right to not only tell us what is right, but to demand it from us. He can do this because he’s paid the price for our selfishness, separation, sin.
Jesus expected this from the people in that crowded house. And he has the right to expect it from us.
[1] Unless otherwise noted, all Bible references are from the New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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