Disciples, Spiritual Plunder

We look at the disciples of Jesus as they have with them, in their midst, the Bread of Life. Let the obvious be stated! There are twelve disciples, twelve individuals and Jesus is with all of them, individually and as a team. Each individual has Jesus as his own and for himself, as Jesus, God in flesh, has given Himself to each one personally, as his Lord and Master.

I ask you, is this not untold Spiritual grace? That Jesus has called them and given Himself to them, is that not perfectly, enough incalculable grace for any disciple, any follower of Jesus? Yet, we read of an occasion when the wicked plunderer came in most unobtrusively and began to plunder from the faithful disciples and dear friends of Jesus, the truth of untold spiritual blessings that they have with them. 

Jesus has told His disciples something and because of their guilt in not doing what they ought to have done, they hear Jesus, but misunderstand completely the rich, life-protecting word of wisdom which He has given to them. Do you see how guilt is a vicious plunderer? Listen to it again. It is not that guilt can be a vicious plunderer, it is emphatically that guilt is a vicious plunderer. Guilt has begun its stealing of the grace of sufficiency they have, and they begin to speak as those who are void and barren of that truth.

Note, with great alarm, with great spiritual alarm, this exposed light of truth. The Bible tells us this. So they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. Mark 8: 16. Pause! Understand well! These people of Jesus are reasoning among themselves with guilt as they leader and instigator. Guilt is controlling them, as they are having their faith in Jesus, stripped from their very backs, as it were. O may our spiritual minds be prized open, whatever we must suffer, that we may see how we are being plundered by guilt. Perhaps we are reasoning with other believers who are just like we are, under the constraints of guilt. Believe this word! This is not our Lord’s way for us. His way for us, His own people, is to reason according to grace.

As we listen, may each hear Him speaking to us individually and as a group, as He spoke to His beloved disciples on that occasion. Jesus, being the Incarnate Omnificent, is fully aware of what is taking place and He immediately jumps in. He asks them questions for which He requires no answers from them. These are deep, spiritual questions, to lift them from the folly into which they have fallen. Jesus is saving them from the already begun plundering by the crafty enemy called guilt, that’s stripping away their belief and trust in Jesus, who is with them. 

Let each of us personally listen to Jesus. Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? Mark 8: 17b – 18.

What are you hearing? This is what I’m hearing. Why are you allowing your sins, your errors to dictate your walk with Me? Have I not taken you from your place of wretchedness and brought you to Me, to receive all the blessings that I give? Are you so blind, so deaf, so dumb, so stubborn of heart that you have forgotten all about Me, and who I am to you? Don’t you remember all the times, known and unknown to you that I have taken unquestionable care of you and saved you from seen and unseen dangers? Can you testify to any time that I have not loved you and taken care of you? Have I ever left you in despicable want? Then why let that bully called guilt, plunder you and rob you of Me? I have always been your sure help, and I will always be your sure, guaranteed help.

As these truths pierce each heart, we continue to hear Jesus, as He reminds them of who He is, with them, and the rich spiritual treasures, blessings and unlimited grace they have in Him. Jesus takes them back to two recent happenings, which speak of total impossibility. These were the occasions when people were hungry, in remote places where, to even find food was impossible. I mean, even if the disciples had the financial resources to buy what was needed to feed the needy people, there was no food. It was then that they saw Jesus take the very little in their midst, the scanty little, the insufficient little, and perform a miracle of miracles on each occasion.

Not only that, but note! Jesus is now asking them questions to which He needs their physical responses. He is bringing to them vision, sight, understanding, and remembrance. Jesus is bringing out of them testimony, which they witnessed, testimony, which they each held in their own hands, on each occasion. Listen to the questions.

How many baskets full of fragments did you take up? They said to Him, Twelve. Mark 8: 19b.

How many large baskets full of fragments did you take up? And they said, Seven. Mark 8: 20b.  

Now Jesus makes this statement, couched in the form of a rhetorical question. How is it you do not understand? Mark 8: 21b

May the Holy Spirit, help us to understand, what our Lord is saying to us and to totally accept and surrender our thinking and ways to Him. May we see how He makes His own, plunderers of those who have plundered us, and continue to seek every means to keep plundering us.  As children of God our heavenly Father, whether individually or as a Church family, may we receive and heed our Lord’s command and take back what has been taken from us. 

Father! Thank You for your mercy and grace.  Amen!