ACE #320: Who is 'Following' You?

Crowds Follow Jesus

Mark 3

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

The book of Mark dedicates more accounts to Jesus’s miracles than the other gospel writers.  These miracles were demonstrations of Jesus’s power - his power over diseases, the forces of evil, and even over nature.  People flocked to Jesus to be either healed and/or to be fed.  (It is important to note that poverty is often associated with both of these things).  Some wondered who this Jesus was, while others just simply followed him.  

People have heard about this man of miracles, so much so that people were flocking to Him wherever He was - on the land or out on the sea.  Yes, Jesus had some loud haters.  But I believe He had a lot more silent followers.  He was very aware of both.

Wherever Jesus went, people pressed their way to Him.  They wanted to be healed from their sicknesses and diseases.  They wanted to witness the miracles, signs, and wonders.  He had done great works as the Son of God.  But Jesus was still a man.  He needed to rest.  He needed to preserve His strength.  And He needed to withdraw to have personal time to teach his disciples and to commune with His father.

Jesus had very specific reasons to tell the demons and those he had healed "not to tell others".  He needed to reveal the message of salvation on His own terms and in His own time.  The message Jesus was preaching then is the same message that Christians are charged to spread today - a message of love, but more importantly that the kingdom of God is near and that salvation is available to all who receive it.

So, if you ever find yourself in a situation where people are "following" you, make sure you are leading them in the right direction. 

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