A Devotional Thought From Mark's Gospel

And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?     Mark 11:31

Jesus’ question about John, the Baptist, was: Was John’s ministry from God or of men? The Pharisees, right on, self-righteous, religious clergy, were able to dissect it and realize the implications. They knew if they admitted that John ministered for God, they would be asked why didn’t you believe him. They even said it to themselves: He (Jesus) will say why didn’t you believe him?

They would have had to change their thought about themselves, and their self-righteous sinful behavior. They would have had to give God the glory, and treat people with the inate respect creation in the image of God demanded. They would’ve had to lovingly obey the 10 Commandments. Why didn’t they believe John? Because they thought their own form of righteousness was satisfactory.

So how does that relate to people today? Well, the question would be: Is Jesus from God or of men. Amazingly, in our broken society limping downhill morally many people consider themselves “spiritual” in one way or another. So, they all have a personal view of Jesus. Some think Him a teacher or moralist. Once, in old times, He was thought to be John, the Baptist, risen from the dead. Some think He is the son of God in some special way. Some think Him the only true Savior. Some consider Him a prophet. Some think of Him as spiritual presence. So religious America has all these views in which Jesus is something special, someone in touch with God as no one else ever has been. So why don’t they believe Him. We do, they say. But if they did believe He was from God their behavior toward Him and His word would change, and our land would change. The country would experience Christian revival or at least moral revival. For example: Marriage would be the relationship in which pure love, chaste sexuality, would be expressed, and it would be promoted as the only way for lovers to make the complete commitment sexual union requires. Self-control and patience would come back into vogue. Racism would wither away. Robberies and murders would cease. The nation’s leaders would seek peace and pursue it. It would all be good. So if you have a faith in Jesus as the One in touch with God why don’t you believe Him? Or like the religious leaders of Christ’s days on earth do you think your personally designed choices of what is “good” are satisfactory?