Whose Kid Is That?

June 13

Read: Mark 6:1-6

According to the Flesh

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.” (2 Cor. 5:16)

There are two kingdoms unfolding in front of us… two realms that are colliding together. One is this earthly realm, or what the scriptures call the “flesh”. The second is the Kingdom of God - the spiritual realm that the Lord is expanding here on this earth. (cf. John 3:6, 1 Cor. 2:6-16) When we interact with people, we have the ability to view them in either of these contexts - according to the flesh through the lens of this world OR according to the spirit through the lens of the Kingdom of God.

To view the world around us through the lens of this world… through the flesh… impedes the work of the Kingdom. When we think and speak according to the earthly construct, it shuts down the movement of the Spirit… it “quenches the Spirit”. (cf.1 Thes. 5:19) This is why “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” (v.4) Look at this scene here in Mark.

When Jesus arrives in his hometown he begins to teach in the synagogue on the Sabbath. The people are utterly amazed and “astonished”. (v.2) The Spirit of God is moving among the people and giving power and authority to the teaching and actions of Jesus. The work of Jesus here is like sparks onto tinder… the bundle is beginning to smolder… it is almost ablaze. Then what happens?: Someone in the crowd speaks up… they begin to ask, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” (v.3) They could not conceive of Jesus in any other construct then the ways of the world… his earthly origin… according to the flesh. (cf. 2 Cor. 5:16) This was like a bucket of water tossed onto the fire. The kindling was soaked! This line of thinking threw a wet blanket on the sparks of wonder and astonishment that were there to begin with.

What happened after that? “And (Jesus) could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief.”(v.5,6) Their unbelief squelched the “mighty work” that could be done in the city. Fleshly thinking shuts down wonder and amazement… it “quenches” the work of the Spirit. Familiarity breeds contempt. The people went form “astonished” to “offended”… it says “they took offense” (v.3) Why? What was so “offensive” about what Jesus was doing? This is what happens when we cannot see beyond a persons natural origin… their fleshly self. We become offended by them… frustrated… and angry. It doesn’t make sense as to why… I mean even Jesus found it hard to believe! (“And he marveled because of their unbelief.)

We need the Lord to open our eyes to the Kingdom of God. We need to begin to view the world around us through the lens of the Spirit. We need to stop “regarding people according to the flesh”. This way of thinking limits the Spiritual activity around us… it robs us of the joy and wonder that comes with Christ. When we are met with the “sparks” of spiritual movement and activity - we need not try to “explain them away” by seeking out their “human origin”. All it takes is one guy in the back hollering out - “hey, isn’t that just Josephs kid!” and then the seed is planted and eventually the entire city is robbed of the miraculous. This is my prayer: that as the children of God we will be given the eyes of Christ to see the world through the lens of the KOG and ears to hear the voice of the Lord as he speaks spiritual truth to us. May we stop throwing buckets of water onto the spiritual flames around us. Love you guys! - JDP