Jump Start # 744

Mark 9:15 “Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him.”

This week our Jump Starts have focused upon the audience that heard Jesus. We’ve taken a close look at who made up the multitudes. It was a mixture of people who were “bad,” had “problems” and were “critics.” To be fair, I think there was at least one more type of listening in His audience and that was “the curious.” These people were interested. They didn’t have any health needs that required a miracle from Jesus. They were not social outcasts or problems. They were not there to trap Jesus as the critics were. They gathered to listen. They had heard a few things about Jesus and came to see for themselves.

The Gospel of Mark, especially, identifies the reactions that people had to Jesus. Words like “amazed,” “astonished,” or “marveled” are common. Jesus was a young teacher to have such a following. We remember that on one occasion Jesus fed 5,000 men. That count did not include women or children. The total count could have easily been 10,000-20,000. Another occasion he fed 4,000. It’s hard to imagine someone being that popular without a website, a facebook blog, a series of books published, a college lectureship tour or some mass marketing campaign. For Jesus, it was word of mouth.

Luke gives us a glimpse of these crowds when he says, “Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “ Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy’”  (12:1).

Jesus was different. He wasn’t like the dry rabbis. He spoke to the heart. He said things no one else did. He spoke with authority, emphasized a connection to God, and proved who He was by signs, wonders and spiritual gifts.

Many in the audience believed. They came because they were curious. They saw for themselves. They followed Him. The greater the crowds grew the more jealous, uneasy and unhappy the critics became. Jesus was taking away their people. They moved to discredit Jesus and when they couldn’t do that, they were determined to destroy Jesus.

The resurrected Jesus was seen not just by the apostles but by more than 500 disciples. These people became early believers and the first Christians. They told others about Jesus and the Gospel grew. The faithful of God defended Jesus, loved Jesus and worked hard in His kingdom.

It is that faithful today that carry on the work of the Lord.

This look at the audience of Jesus reminds us that people gathered for different reasons. Some were looking for hope and acceptance. Some wanted a miracle. Some were critical. Some were curious. Some were believers. Jesus meant different things to all of these people. Some stood on the outside and never really changed. Others had a complete change of mind about Jesus.

There are similarities in these lessons to our Sunday morning audience in church services. It is not uncommon to find a sampling of all these groups. Some are looking for answers and hope because they have really messed up their lives. Some are looking for help, often financial. Some are curious. Some are critics. They come, usually, because a wife or parent, nags them. They don’t want to be there, but they are. Some are faithful to God. They believe and are the backbone in that community of  God’s kingdom. They defend, support, love and spread the news about Jesus Christ.

The challenge for every preacher is to recognize his audience and understand this mixture. People change. Some who are critics become believers. Some who have great issues and problems move beyond those and through Christ, conquer those things. One size fits all, classes and sermons do not meet the challenges of most audiences. Looking at the audience that heard Jesus moves us to look at what Jesus said. His message was what the audience needed, whether they realized that or not. He spoke plain and simple. He used prophecy to show the plan of God. He didn’t use gimmicks, side show tricks, or push His ego. He taught the word of God. This is what a confused and dying world needs. Jesus didn’t preach politics or social engineering but the word of God. His message was personal and challenging. He was the greatest preacher of all time!

You and I make up that audience on Sunday. Which group are we? Why do we come? What impact does that message have upon us? Do we listen, really listen? Do we change? How can a person hear the Gospel preached for years and not be different?

When my kids were young, I used to get the Play-doh out for them. They’d make things and shape things and have a great time. The Play-doh was soft and cool and easy to work with. But if we didn’t put the lid on tight, that Play-doh became dry and hard and it wouldn’t do what we wanted. We had to throw it out. Our hearts are like that. As long as they are soft and pliable we can be shaped into the image of Christ. When our hearts become dry and hard, there’s not much anyone can do with it.

Today, we are the audience listening to Jesus.

Roger