Disciple or Onlooker?

SCRIPTURE:

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. Mark 4:33-34

OBSERVATION:

One of the most beautiful things about the teachings of Jesus was that He used parables, stories and illustrations from everyday life. And Mark writes that Jesus spoke to them as much as they could understand. Observing the daily goings on about Him, Jesus used simple, common things that the people were familiar with to speak forth great spiritual truths to the common people, who were thrilled at hearing Him speak and gathered around Him in great crowds. To farmers, He would speak of sowing seed in the field. To widows, He would speak of searching for a lost coin. To fishermen, He would speak of sorting out good and bad fish.

Beautiful though His words were, what the Lord said did not make a big impact on most of the people in the crowd. Majority of them would have come to be entertained, to feed their curiosity, to come and see what this new teacher was all about. The Lord did not explain many deep things to them.

In contrast, the Lord’s attitude was very different with His own disciples, with whom He explained everything, in deep detail.

APPLICATION:

What is the difference between a disciple and an onlooker? An onlooker may come to church to tickle his ears, to enjoy some good music, but otherwise goes back and lives life how he pleases without serious thought to the calling of the Lord. A disciple, on the other hand, is someone committed to the Lord, who is interested to live life the way that pleases Him, and abstain from ways that do not please Him. The early Christians, were called followers of the Way. They were committed to follow the Way of Christ and follow His teachings as much as they could. There was no such thing as a Sunday Christian happy to keep his supposed “ticket to Heaven”, and do the bare minimum to give some semblance of his faith.

To the serious disciple who is willing to be committed to Him, the Lord reveals more and more as he seeks to please Him. I was once an onlooker till God showed me the error of my ways. May the precious Lord help all of us become true disciples and stay true disciples in following Him. 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, help us be disciples we pray, with hearts yearning to follow You. Show us the error of our ways, and reveal to us the path to be true. In Jesus name, Amen.