Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Mark 14:12-16-- Strange Instructions

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?" And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"' And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there."  The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

Two days passed and it was time for the feast of Unleavened Bread.  It is particularly noted that it was the day the lamb was slaughtered for the feast.  The lamb’s blood was used in the original Passover to protect God’s people from death.  It is not a coincidence that Jesus would be arrested on the day the lamb was killed—Jesus is just like the lamb, as we will soon see.  Jesus sent his disciples to go into Jerusalem, so they could find a house.  While the instructions seem strange, it is possible that Jesus knew a man just in Jerusalem who thought of Jesus as his Lord and had an extra room large enough for all of them.  However, them just meeting the man as he is carrying water from a well in a busy city seems like more than a coincidence.  

The disciples heard the voice of God telling them to follow a person carrying a pitcher of water.  Jesus heard the Father's voice that he is to be the lamb of the Passover.  These are strangely specific instructions. 

The life of faith is listening to the voice of God and doing what he says.  The voice of God will tell us to do strange things, sometimes.  I've heard God tell me to quit my job and serve the homeless full time, which was insane, especially with three children to care for.  Yet I didn't listen to God by myself.  I had others to hear with me, to confirm God's guidance, and to affirm the plans I made which interpreted God's voice.  Hearing and interpreting God's voice, especially when the instructions are strange, is not a isolated activity.  We need to ask for help from others who have a track record of hearing God's voice as well. 

No comments:

Post a Comment