“I was looking again at Mark’s gospel,” Stan commented one morning, “and I saw something he wrote that, it seems to me, is supposed to apply to me, but too often doesn’t for a very simple reason.”
“What were you looking at?” I asked.
“It’s where Jesus told some of the Jewish leaders that the temple was supposed to be a house of prayer, but they had made it into a robbers’ den.”
“I remember that,” I replied. “The Jewish leaders didn’t care much for what Jesus had said to them. How’s that apply to you?”
“Oh, it’s not that part;” Stan said, “it’s what came next in the simple description of what was going on with the multitudes.”
“What was going on with them?” I asked.
“It says they were astonished at Jesus’ teaching,” Stan replied. “And there’s only one way for that to happen, both for them and for me.”
“Only one way? What way is that?”
“To know what Jesus taught,” Stan replied. “As simple as it sounds, the people could only have been astonished by Jesus’ teaching if they heard what He taught. It’s the same thing for me. I have to take that first step.”
“What first step? To know what Jesus taught? Is that it?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “And it’s the same thing for everyone. How can people be astonished by Jesus’ teaching unless they spend the time to know what He taught?”
“And how are they supposed to do that?” I asked.
“How about by reading His word and listening to His voice through the Holy Spirt?” Stan replied.
“Yeah,” I said, “how about that!”
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Bible verses to consider:
. . . for all the multitudes were astonished at His teaching. Mark 11:18.
The result was that when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:28-29.
For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say and what to speak. John 12:49.
And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for the provision of your word and the voice of the Holy Spirit so I can see, hear, and know what Jesus taught. I confess that too often I don’t know what He taught because I don’t spend the time reading and studying the Bible. As well, I don’t bother to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He seeks to help me know. Please forgive the foolishness of trying to live this life without knowing and applying what Jesus taught. Please, Father, help me to follow every step of your lead so I will, in fact, know all you have for me to know about you, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, including how you want me to live this life. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you come to be astonished and amazed by accepting God’s provision of life eternally with Him when it’s time? If no, why is that? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, are you continually astonished and amazed by Jesus’ teaching? If so, do you express that in your life? If you are not astonished and amazed at His teaching, is that because you don’t know what He taught? If you sense the need for knowing more deeply what Jesus taught, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 