Discipleship

He Told Them Not to Spread the News

He told them not to spread the news.

Jesus sternly charged [the newly-cleansed leper] and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone…” But [the newly-cleansed leper] went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. (Mark 1:40-45)

Taking [the man who was deaf and had a speech impediment] aside from the crowd privately, [Jesus] put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. (Mark 6:31-37)

He told them not to spread the news.

But they did.

It was such … overwhelmingly good news!

On the other hand, he has specifically told us to spread the news. The best news.

“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16)

He has told us to spread the news. The best news.

But are we?

Are you?

The former leper couldn’t help but speak freely and openly of his freshly-cleansed skin. Jesus had touched him.

The formerly deaf man and his friends couldn’t help but zealously proclaim the news of freshly-opened ears. Jesus had healed a speech impediment.

And you? Me? The stains on our souls that rightly condemn us to hell have been washed away. Jesus has died to atone for our sins.

Jesus told them not to spread the news. But they did.

Jesus has told us to spread the news. The best news. But we aren’t.

Have we forgotten what … overwhelmingly good news it is?

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