Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be one Jesus’ disciples? How do you think you would handle the large crowds? What about the boat rides across the Sea of Galilee? Do you think you might have understood the points He was trying to get across?
Being one of Jesus’ disciples while He was crisscrossing the Sea of Galilee and walking across the region of Galilee would have been a challenge for most of us. Not only would it have been physically demanding, but it would also have been mentally challenging.
Ever wonder why Jesus came when He did? Timing. God’s timing. But think about it. The disparity of wealth was at or near its peak. About five percent of the people were wealthy and had the power to control the population. Ninety-five percent of the people were peons, serfs, or slaves. In other words, they lived hand to mouth, meal-to-meal.
Wherever Jesus went there were crowds. The crowds were so large they could not gather in the towns. There was no place that could hold all of them. We look back today and see Him feeding the four-thousand or five-thousand and think that isn’t an extremely large crowd. Yet, for that time, it was very large. It would have been rare to see that many people in one place outside of the colosseum in Rome.
This would be similar to twenty or thirty thousand gathering on a hillside today to hear someone speak, by comparison. Jesus was more popular for the three years He walked this earth than any other person. To be His disciple required faith, versatility, and a willingness to be on the go. Perhaps we would be more effective in bringing people to Jesus if we were like that.
I pray we all consider what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. I pray we have a willingness to be versatile and flexible. I pray each of us will step out in faith to bring people to Jesus. Learn from Jesus’ early disciples. Be versatile. Be flexible. Be willing. Growth your faith in Jesus.
Mark 5:21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea.
Marty Pressey 