MEET THE MASTER

And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit….  (Mark 5:2)

There has never been anyone like Jesus.  He stands unique—astride over history and eternity—being wholly God and fully man.  There has never been a time that He was not and never a time that He will not be, yet, He had a birth and death in this world.  God became flesh and revealed His glory to us in the thirty-three years that Christ walked the shores of Galilee and the streets of Jerusalem.  Those who met Him, met the Master—the Lord of glory dwelling among humanity.  When they met Him, they were never the same.  Those who do so today experience the same life-changing Person.  In the fifth chapter of Mark’s Gospel, we see three examples of those who met the Master.  What a difference it made for them!

There was a man who met Jesus as the Master over demons (v.1-20).  Here was a tortured soul—a man possessed by a legion of demons.  A legion of Roman soldiers could contain six thousand men!  This fellow was in a horrible state, banished to a life in a cemetery, uncontrollable, self-destructive, and naked. We do not know how he gave himself to such evil, but somehow he opened the door to his heart and these malignant spirits invaded and took over.  Everything was about to change as he met the Master.  No demon—not a legion of them—could resist the authority of Christ!  He commands them to come out, and they must.  This man would never be the same.  Jesus still sets souls free today.  The dark forces that can bind us tremble before Him and flee.

There was a woman who met the Jesus as the Master over disease (v.24-34).  Wherever Jesus went, He was engulfed by masses of people.  They were drawn to Him in their need for they knew He had power like no other to meet those needs.  They hung on His every word for they knew that He spoke like no other with wisdom from heaven above.  There was a woman—plagued by a persistent loss of blood, with its physical impact and social stigma—that believed if she could just get close enough to touch the hem of His robe, she would be healed.  Somehow, in her weakened state, and despite the wall of humanity in her way, she reached out and her faith tapped into Almighty power conquering her disease.  Jesus still can heal the sick today.  Nothing is too hard for Him!

There was a family who met Jesus as the Master over death (v.21-23; 35-43).  Jairus, a ruler of the local synagogue, sought Him, desperate for his little daughter who was dying.  In fact, before Jesus arrives at the home, the young girl dies.  The sounds of grief greet Jesus and the disciples as they walk up to the house.  “It’s too late!” they say.  That might be true for somebody else, but Jesus was not just somebody else!  Jesus broke up every funeral that He attended.  He restores breath to the girl and in the process takes the breath away from all those who were there!  The power of death had to yield to the Lord of Life!

Have you met the Master?  I have—and it is always life changing!  You can meet Him today.  I promise you will never be the same.

THE GREAT SHEPHERD

 

The LORD is my shepherd….  (Psalm 23:1a)

In John 10, Jesus identified Himself as the shepherd of our souls.  He spoke of His goodness in laying down His life for the sheep, but he also spoke of His greatness saying, “I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”  (v.17b-18a)  On the cross Jesus gave His life for the sheep, but on the third day, He arose from the tomb. He has ascended and ever lives to make intercession for us.

HE IS A POWERFUL SHEPHERD.  Focus on the first two words, “The LORD.”  Scripture presents Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords.  He is the Lord God Almighty, the one who in eternity spoke and the worlds came into existence.  Yet, His power was never more vividly demonstrated than when He reached out a lifeless hand and seized life and pulled it back into Himself.  The earth quaked and strong soldiers fainted and the stone was rolled away and out came Jesus swinging the keys of death and hell. Believe Him when He says, “Because I live, you shall live also.” (John 14:19b) 

HE IS A PERSONAL SHEPHERD.  Look at the first three words.  David says, “The LORD is,” not was.  Buddha, Confucius, Mohammed—each one was, but only The Lord Jesus is!  Then consider the first five words, “The LORD is my shepherd….”   David didn’t say, “He is a Shepherd to the world” but “He’s mine.”  If He is a Shepherd to no one else, He is to me.  He knows me by name; He cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me. As sheep prone to wander we may wander outside His will, but never outside His care. Jesus knows our trials, tears and temptations. We must be able to claim Him as our personal shepherd.  Can you?

HE IS A PROVIDING SHEPHERD.  The next phrase says,  “I shall not want.”

I SHALL NOT WANT IN LIFE (v.2-3).  Sheep will not lie down when hungry.  Jesus provides green pastures for us—physical and spiritual nourishment.  What refreshment is found beside still waters!  There He restores our soul and gives the strength we need to follow Him.  He leads us in right paths.  The guidance of the Shepherd is stressed here. Thank God for the times we are led through great blessing, but sometimes the right paths are hard paths.  We may be sure the road leads to glory—and that is the main thing!

I SHALL NOT WANT IN DEATH (v.4).  Jesus died such a death that we will never have to die like that.  He trod the winepress alone, that we might walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death.  The Psalmist describes death as a shadow. We need not fear a shadow.  It is just a dark valley we must pass through—but note you go through—light into brief darkness and into the light of eternity! 

I SHALL NOT WANT IN ETERNITY  (v.5-6).  Goodness and mercy in this life brings us into glory and majesty in the world to come.  Christ has a banquet table spread and is waiting for the marriage supper.  How long is forever?  Our home awaits.  Come, Great Shepherd and take your flock to that eternal sheepfold!