Friday, January 30, 2015

Matthew Declares, Mark Promotes Jesus' Royalty


The Gospel of Matthew outlines that Christ Jesus is descended not just from Abraham, but also from the lineage of the Kings of Judah, including David the Great King.

Yet in the Gospel of Mark do we find the record of where Jesus went after He ascended from Jerusalem:

"So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God." (Mark 16: 20)

I would have assumed that Matthew would have identified this wonderful ascension because his account was written to the Circumcision directly, although everyone of us in the Body of Christ directly and indirectly benefits.

Unlike Matthew's Gospel, Mark's Gospel portrays Jesus as a servant, one who "immediately" and "straightaway" ministers to the needs of the people who seek Him.

I believe that Mark's Gospel contains Jesus' ascension to the right hand of the Father because we most glorify Jesus as king when we allow Him to minister to our needs and wants.

Luke's Gospel declares this wonderful certainty for us:

"38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10: 38-42)

While Martha troubled herself with all the things that she felt that she could and should do for God, Mary sat at Jesus' feet, receiving His Word, and everyone of us lives not by what we do or say or thing, but by every word which comes from the Lord (Luke 4: 4), and Jesus is the Word (John 1: 1)

Mary served Jesus by drawing from Him, yet too  many of us think that we must serve Him. In reality, without Jesus in our lives, we can do nothing at all(John 15: 4-5). As branches attached to the vine, we are called to rest and receive from Him, that we may in turn bear fruit to His glory.

Matthew rightly described Christ Jesus as King, but Mark's Gospels shows us that we do Him greatest reverence when we see Him as the Servant who meets every need and want of man.

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