Day 297: Mark 4, 5 and 6

[Jesus] was amazed at their lack of faith (Mark 6:6).

In Mark six we find the narrative detailing the return of Jesus to Nazareth. Even though his hometown crowd is amazed at his teachings, they refuse to believe in him. Before leaving there, Mark records Christ’s reaction to their lack of faith: Jesus was amazed.

In Matthew 8, Jesus has a different reaction to a centurion’s faith: He was amazed (v. 10). Wait, that’s the same reaction. Nope; just the opposite. With his friends and neighbors, he was amazed at their lack of faith; with the Roman soldier, he was amazed at his abundance of faith.

In Luke there is an interesting set of bookends (denoting a story within a story). Depending on the translation, both verses include some variation of the phrase, When the Son of Man comes again... (17:24 and 18:8). The discourse may have been sparked by the question of the Pharisees: When will the kingdom of God come? (17:20). But Jesus asks a more important question: When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? (18:8).

Let’s put this all together. Jesus was amazed at his friends’ and neighbors’ lack of faith, and he was amazed at the centurion’s abundance of faith. So when Christ returns, it seems to be a given that he will be amazed because of our faith – but will it be for its lack or its abundance?

God finds your faith amazing. Is it for the right reasons? Take inventory of your faith. Maybe your present experience could be summed up: I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24).

TODAY’S MEDITATION

In your life, what would amazing faith look like?