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Article Archive |
2007
Hope for Hardened Hearts
By Jim Morris
On one occasion, Jesus fed 5,000 men from five loaves of bread and two small fishes (Mark 6:30-44). The miraculous feeding was so outstanding that the disciples picked up 12 baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish. Interestingly, John's account of the same event said that the people wanted to force Jesus to become their king (John 6:15). Nevertheless, Jesus withdrew from the crowds and sent His disciples away in a boat across the Sea of Galilee to go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida.
The sea crossing occurred during a severe storm at night. The apostles strained at the oars but made very little progress. Sometime between 3:00 am and 6:00 am they saw Jesus walking on the water in the storm. Jesus was about to pass by them, “but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, 'Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.' Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:49-52).
Did you catch that? The apostles' hearts were hardened. Didn't they just experience a major miracle not too many hours before? Mark said that Jesus' disciples were amazed, lacked understanding of the miracle of the loaves, and had hardened hearts.
On another occasion, Jesus fed 4,000 men from seven loaves of bread and a few small fishes (8:1-13). The apostles even picked up seven basketfuls of leftovers after the folks had their fill. Again, Jesus sent His disciples away but this time He went in the boat with them. He tried to teach them a spiritual truth about the leaven (contaminating influence) of the Pharisees and of Herod (8:11-13). However, they thought Jesus was talking about their lack of enough physical bread. Jesus probed their hearts again. He said, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?” (8:17). Are we not like the apostles when we worry about the things of this world?
Finally, “Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, 'Who do people say I am?' They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.' 'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?' Peter answered, 'You are the Christ'” (Mark 8:27-29).
The apostles were slow learners like us. Their hearts were sometimes dull, insensitive and hard just like the enemies of Christ (Mark 3:5). However, their growing faith, hope and love for Jesus softened their hearts in time. In Jesus, there is hope for hardened hearts!
03-21-07
# 12
