In reading through the gospel of Mark recently, it’s hard not to be blown away by the person of Jesus. Here is a Jesus untamed, undomesticated. Here we see a Jesus who calls people to enter a whole new way of living. It is life-changing, uncompromising, unreasonable, seemingly impossible.
We see Jesus call the rich young ruler to give away all he has, not just part of it. He invites people to pick up their cross, to come and die with him. He rebukes his disciples for not having the faith to heal a demon-possessed boy. He turns up-side down their understanding of greatness and success. He radicalises views on children and marriage. He curses the fig tree and predicts the end of the imposing temple structure. He castigates the proud who trust in their goodness.
What is going on here? What is this message about? So often we domesticate Jesus into a harmless pussy cat rather than let him be a roaring lion. Jesus is uncontrollable and unpredictable. He won’t fit in any box. He doesn’t just ask people to believe but to follow, to launch out to open water, to leave their safe harbour behind, to walk on water.
This is a message which is compelling and fearful both at the same time. I don’t know how you apply this today. I am a person of routine. My life is largely ordered, predictable, safe. I read Mark for devotional purposes. Yet it calls me to change. We talk of growing closer to God. Really it is about following him no matter what.
Maybe it means being open to new possibilities. It may mean doing things that other people regard as crazy, to stepping out of our comfort zones, to worry less about ourselves, or what others think. Maybe it means sitting with people more, having fewer material goals, living day to day. Maybe it means stepping out to fulfil a God-given dream you thought was far beyond you. Maybe it means living more simply, sharing our resources more generously, serving more joyfully. Maybe it means hanging tough in a situation where others would simply bail out. Maybe it means going to places cross-culturally to bear witness to this Jesus.
Reading Mark reminded me that Jesus cannot be boxed. As soon as we think we know all about him, we know nothing. He will surprise us, shock us, disturb us. He will challenge us, refine us, lead us out of our depth where all we can do is depend on him.
Yet for all that, He is with us. That is all we need.