Greetings dear ones,
Today, let’s take a look at Jesus’s custom to teach the crowds:
And standing up, He went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds gathered around Him again, and, according to His custom, He once more began to teach them.
— Mark 10:1
Mark tells us that the crowds followed Jesus wherever He went, and that they gathered around Him again. By adding that word again, Mark emphasizes that this kept happening — wherever Jesus went, people would gather around Him.
Then Mark adds, “according to His custom.” In other words, it was Jesus’s habit to teach the people who came to Him. This shows us that whenever the people gathered, Jesus responded by teaching them the Word of God.
From this one verse, we can observe two very interesting perspectives.
1. The Example of Jesus
On one side, we see Jesus making it His custom to teach the Word of God to those who came around Him. In following His example, it’s good for us to reflect on how we conduct ourselves when people come around us.
The Lord has graciously placed us in specific places and times, surrounded by different people — our families, friends, neighbors, and even strangers in the streets.
The question we ought to ask ourselves is: What do we share with them most often?
Have we made it our custom, like Jesus, to share the Word of God — the Word of life and salvation — with those around us? Or do we spend more time talking about ourselves, our accomplishments, and our interests?
Are we perhaps ashamed of our Christianity — hesitant to share our faith? Do we find it awkward or uncomfortable to talk about Christ with others?
If so, then we must ask an important question: How precious do we really find the salvation that has been freely given to us?
Do we consider it something worth sharing?
We freely talk about our businesses, favorite movies, songs, cultures, and even political opinions. Yet, when it comes to sharing our faith, we often make excuses.
We say, “It’s not the right time,” or, “I don’t want to force my beliefs on others,” or, “Everyone has a right to believe what they want.”
But if we are honest, this is not how we act when sharing other things we value.
We don’t hesitate to recommend our favorite sports team or express our political opinions. So why do we hesitate when it comes to sharing the message of eternal life?
An honest audit is needed.
If we truly believe that the Bible is true — which it is — then we must be truthful about why we are sometimes unwilling to share our faith.
Is the gospel really as precious to us as we say it is?
Are we aware of the consequences for those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?
And if we are, is that what we wish for those around us — that they would walk the path of destruction without ever being warned?
Is it really loving to watch people head toward death without pointing them to the One who gives life?
Jesus summarized the law by saying we should love God and love our neighbors as ourselves.
So if we withhold Christ from those around us — if we refuse to warn, instruct, or correct them — are we truly being loving?
Especially when we so freely share our other interests and opinions.
2. The Response of the People
The second perspective is from the crowd’s side.
Notice that Jesus doesn’t send out invitations or tell His disciples to go gather people. Instead, when He arrives beyond the Jordan, the people simply come to Him.
Mark’s simple phrasing shows how natural this was — there was no program or service order. Everyone knew what to expect. They knew that when Jesus arrived, He would teach the Word of God and speak about the kingdom of heaven.
And so they came.
Their readiness and willingness to come to Jesus reveal their teachability. They had hearts prepared to listen to what He had to say.
This challenges us:
When we come to Jesus, do we come with hearts ready to listen?
Or do we come only to ask, to beg, and sometimes even to demand?
Many times, we approach Jesus only to request solutions to our problems, rather than to sit humbly at His feet and learn from Him. But this is what He invites us to do:
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.”
— Matthew 11:28–29
When we come to Jesus, He desires that we learn from Him.
While we do have many needs and burdens, His primary desire is that we take His yoke and learn from Him — that we know Him deeply.
Let us, therefore, be mindful and intentional when coming into Christ’s presence.
Let us not limit our relationship with Him to merely asking for things.
Instead, let us be intentional about knowing Him, learning from Him, and growing in relationship with Him.
Jesus is not a genie who grants our wishes; He is God in the flesh — worthy of reverence, devotion, and love. Let us desire to know Him more, to listen to Him, and to let Him teach us all that we need to be taught.
3. The Mixed Motives of the Crowd
Finally, not everyone who came to Jesus came to learn. Some came to test and challenge Him.
In the very next verse, we read that some Pharisees were among the crowd — not to be taught, but to trap Him.
And so, dear friends, let us be intentional both in what we share with those around us and in how we approach Christ.
Let us deliberately seek to learn from Him and to teach others faithfully what we have received.
For this reason also, since the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you
and to ask that you may be filled with the full knowledge of His will
in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
— Colossians 1:9
Grace and peace to you all.
Leave a Reply