February 18-February 24

OUR AMAZING JESUS
Glynn Durham

Have you ever said to someone, "You are amazing!"? "Incredible!" "Outstanding!"
"Awesome!" "Wonderful!" You have seen something in them or heard something from them that just "blows you away"?

That's how people responded to Jesus. They had never seen anyone like Him before. They had never heard anything from anyone like what He was saying.

Mark begins to tell the Good News story of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (1:1).

Jesus's very first recorded acts of ministry were teaching (1:22) and healing (1:26). The result was all who heard and saw were "so amazed" (1:27).

The people were amazed at His teaching (1:22, 1:27). Literally, the word means "to strike with panic or shock." It means that His preaching struck them like a blow. Barclay renders that they were left "thunderstruck." Jesus's teaching and preaching carried a powerful punch. The Jewish teachers (scribes) often quoted from well known rabbis to give their words more authority. But Jesus did not have that need. Because He was the Son of God, He knew exactly what the Scriptures said and meant. The people had never heard such teaching. The people who heard Him were astonished, astounded, amazed.

They were also amazed at His ability to forgive sins and to heal (2:1-12). Can you visualize this scene: the former paralytic was leaping and whooping it up! His friends were yahooing down through the opening of the roof. The crowd was oohing and ahhing. The Pharisees and scribes were frowning.

The Bible says the result of all of this was that everyone praised God (2:12).

What about you? Does Jesus amaze you? Or are you indifferent to Him? Casual? HoHum? How do you respond to Jesus when you are in His presence? When you hear His teaching? When you observe what He has done?

What have you heard from Jesus lately that has amazed you? "You are forgiven." "I call you son/daughter." "I will never leave you or abandon you." "I am going to prepare a place for you." I am amazed at these statements from Jesus to me.

What have you seen Jesus/God do recently that has astounded you? Have you marveled
at the beauty of God's creation in the changing of the seasons? What about Jesus forgiving a life-long sinner? God healing a loved one of a serious disease? Or while he/she was not cured, Jesus extended his/her life by months or even years from what doctors had said you had any reason to expect? Or what about Jesus putting a broken marriage back together through forgiveness and grace? Or by His power an addiction has been broken? I marvel at Jesus's ability and willingness to do such things for me and for others.

As a youngster growing up I remember singing a song with these words:

I stand amazed in the Presence of Jesus the Nazarene,

And wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned. unclean.

He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own;

He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone.

Chorus:

How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be. How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!

I am astonished at how much Jesus loves me, a sinner. I am astonished He would be willing to die for me. Wonderful! Marvelous! Truly amazing!!

Go often into the Presence of Jesus. Listen to Him speak to you. Watch Him work and care for you. You will be amazed every time. And you will want to praise Him and to serve Him for the rest of your life.


PRAYER: Lord, open my ears and open my eyes to be able to hear and see You afresh....and to be amazed again by You! And as a result, to fall at Your feet in worship. Let me serve You all the rest of my days. Lord, you are truly amazing, awesome, and I love you. Amen.


[Glynn Durham and his wife Susan assisted with the planting and growth of two new congregations of the Churches of Christ in New Jersey. Their ministry in New Jersey spanned 17 years. After moving from New Jersey, Glynn worked with churches in Tennessee and in St. Louis before moving to Birmingham, Alabama in 2005. After 35 years of marriage Susan went to be with the Lord two years ago. Following her death, Glynn completed two years of residency in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) during which time he worked as a hospital chaplain. In September he began working as a Hospice chaplain with Hospice of West Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL. Glynn's children, Brent and Amy along with their families, live in Birmingham where he also resides.]