And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. (Mark 1:22).
The other day my family and I attended a free concert in Parramatta Park. Every year, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra performs in the historic Parramatta Park and every year literally thousands of people come along with their picnic blankets and camping chairs and some nice food and drink and sit down for an hour and a half and listen to some nice music and watch some fireworks at the end of the evening.
And on that day that we went to watch and listen (and learn), my family and I arrived at the Park and immediately began to move through the crowd to find a good place to sit. As you can imagine, the park was absolutely crowded. Although there was plenty of room behind one of the control boxes, the view was seriously impacted and it would not have been a very good vantage point to see the stage. And, so we pushed through the crowds because I believe it is important for the children to be able to see the stage and understand how the Orchestra works. And I stubbornly kept walking around until I found a spot for all of us to squeeze in – a nice squishy spot relatively close to the stage. And there we sat to thoroughly enjoy the show.
And I have been thinking about that concert as I have been thinking about how I worship my Lord and God. You see, for a mere human concert, I was willing to push forward to the front of the stage, but in my interactions with my Beloved – in the Church itself – I am happy to sit right down the back near the exit…
And I am wondering, if I were in the synagogue when Christ was teaching twenty centuries ago and when people were “astonished” at His teaching, would I have been so reluctant to sit at the front? Or would I have walked through the crowds continually looking for the optimal spot so that I could put my things down and hear what was next.
For I have been reflecting on the story of Christ preaching in the synagogue as recounted by Mark…
“And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? A new teaching! With authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.’ And at once His fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.” (Mark 1:21-28).
And it occurs to me that I should be doing everything in my power to get as close as possible to God…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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