Just a Spoonful of Submission: Mark 8:1-3
It’s amazing what a little submission to God can do. Abraham, the father of the Hebrew people, submitted to God. Moses, the leader of the exodus and the one who brought the Law to the people, submitted to God. Joshua, the leader of the conquest of the Promised Land, submitted to God. When we submit to God, we get the opportunity to experience what God can do.
A great crowd gathers around Jesus. Ever wonder where this crowd heard about Jesus? It’s reasonable to think the crowd gathered because they heard about the healing of the deaf man. We know the crowd wasn’t interested in submitting to Jesus’ directives to stay quiet about the healing!
It’s also possible this whole scene – including the healing of the deaf man – was set up by the guy who had the legion of demons. Remember when Jesus told him to stay behind? Remember Jesus told the man he couldn’t follow? It is possible the man became a living testimonial to Jesus’ power. Because he submitted, the man may have become the ambassador who tempered the initial anger against Jesus’ actions and generated interest upon Jesus’ return to the region of the Decapolis.
However the crowd got here, they are now willing to submit and listen. In our rush to read the miracle, this dynamic can be missed. When the crowd wanted the spectacle on their terms, they wouldn’t listen to Jesus. They wanted – and got – the spectacle. They wanted the chance to gossip about the spectacle.
Now, however, they’re on Jesus’ terms. The crowd is receiving something from Jesus, but they are receiving what Jesus wants to give them. Jesus is in control of what is being distributed and that helps Him gain control over the crowd. To receive the teaching, they need to submit to Jesus’ authority. Since they want to be taught, they’re willing to submit.
At this point in the story, they’ve been submitting and listening to Jesus for quite some time. They haven’t eaten in so long that Jesus genuinely believes the journey back to their homes may do some of them in! Jesus declares His compassion for them and intends to meet their need.
These verses teach greatly about Jesus’ compassion and our involvement in the process. When the crowd sought the spectacle on their terms, Jesus had compassion on the deaf man but didn’t give the crowd the experience of seeing the healing. They saw the result of the healing, but they didn’t get to experience the actual moment. Here, in their submission to Jesus they will experience the moment of Jesus’ compassion.
In both stories God is at work. In both stories, something miraculous takes place out of Jesus' compassion. When the crowd submits to Jesus, they get to taste the full experience of God’s power. It’s amazing what a little submission to God can do.
