Home Alone

And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Mark 9: 14.

Before we even begin to examine our given text, let me explain the understanding behind the title, Home Alone.

Home, refers to the relationship between Jesus and His twelve disciples. They lived as a close-knit family, learning from their Leader, travelling with Him, listening to Him, laughing and crying with Him, and taking on all His attitudes.

Matthew recalls for us an occasion when Jesus had just had a very rough time with the Pharisees and Sadducees, where they were being most hypocritical and devious. They were testing Jesus, doing all in their power to try and trap Him. Jesus dealt firmly and harshly with them and when He was finished, Matthew makes it his business to note that Jesus, left them and departed. We can surmise, with sound proof that Jesus had departed to a remote place, alone with His disciples, because of what transpired there. While they were there, away from it all, Jesus took the time to warn His Twelve, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Matthew 16: 6b. 

Unfortunately, they totally misunderstood their Teacher and thought He was rebuking them for forgetting to bring bread with them. Think of it! Had they not been in a place that was remote, a place where bread was not accessible, would they not have just gone out and purchased some? How does this touch you? For me, home is sweet privilege to be with Jesus, even when there is no physical food.   

Home, signifies the house where Jesus and His disciples lived. In this setting, the word, house, does not first and foremost refer to the physical dwelling, but more important, it refers to the spiritual place, the spiritual house where they all lived as one. Do you remember Jesus’ response to a person who, as Jesus journeyed on the road doing His good, became enamoured with what he was seeing and volunteered to follow Him? Someone said to Him, Lord, I will follow You wherever You go. And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. Luke 9: 57b – 58.  Home is wherever Jesus is! Listen to Peter as he proudly states, this about himself and the other eleven disciples. See, we have left all and followed You. Luke 18: 28b. Home is leaving all and receiving Jesus!

Home speaks of, “let-down-your-hair” times, when the disciples could be free to be themselves with Jesus, away from all public scrutiny. Home is the place of relaxation and rest, a place to simply be oneself. Will you bask in the warmth and enviously beautiful words of Jesus to His Twelve, as Mark describes it? Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And He said to them, Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. Mark 6: 30 – 32.  Is this not enviously touching, loving and sweet, to have your Friend, Lord and Master be so caring of you? Is this not a ‘home’ time with Jesus? Don’t you long for such times? To do the Master’s work is to also know the Master’s rest.

Do you know Home? Unless you know Home, how can you experience, Home Alone?