Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

We’ve prayed the Gospel of Mark for 45 episodes, from the first verse which says, “The beginning of the gospel” to the end which says, “He rose from the dead.” 

Time to ask, “What did we learn?” 

I learned four things. 

1. Jesus was not a rational or systematic sort of teacher. Not for him college degrees or workshops in logic and rhetoric. He didn’t write a book and do a promotional tour. Rather, he travelled randomly about Palestine, preaching, teaching, healing, speaking.

McLuhan famously said, “The medium is the message.” Jesus’ medium? Casual conversations, listener-friendly parables, stories about the weather and farmers and merchants and homemakers, arguments with Establishment Religion. But at the end, the cross he died on and the grave he rose from were his media, that still speak his message most clearly. 

2. Almost everybody who got close to Jesus spent a lot of time being confused. His family speculated that he might be insane (Mark 3:20), the religious leaders suggested he was demon possessed (Mark 3:22). To bewildered disciples, Jesus said, “Why are you so afraid? Don’t you have any faith?” (Mark 4:40). Pilate asked, “Are you really the king of the Jews?” (Mark 15:2). Did anyone understand Jesus?

3. Mark didn’t write to confuse. The strongest voices in his narrative proclaim faith. Like, Mark’s own voice that says, “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Like the voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism, repeated at his transfiguration: “This is my son” (Mark 1:9, 9:7). Like the demon’s voice that said, “I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24). And Peter’s voice, his great confession: “You are the Messiah” (Mark 9:29). 

Voices from heaven and hell, voices from Peter and Mark richly endorse Jesus as God’s special messenger, his son, on earth. 

4. Finally, the bit players had an important role in Mark’s gospel. A leper cleansed, a blind man sees, a lame man walks, a woman with a life-long hemorrhage healed.  And more: children blessed, a widow’s small offering honored. No backstories, no names or addresses. After they receive Jesus’ gift, we never hear from them again. 

But they all point us to Jesus, offering hope he can meet our greatest needs too. 

Let’s pray. 

O Jesus, I am a bit player in your story. I have seen you heal and restore and forgive and save. Do the same for me. 

O Jesus, I am a disciple in your story. Confused, I have followed your ministry years. Afraid, I have denied you at the crucifixion, and wondered at your resurrection. Teach this perplexed seeker to follow you, to receive your healing, to believe your message, to live as you did. 

O Jesus, I add my voice to the voices in Mark’s gospel. You are the Son of God, my Messiah, my risen one, my healer.

This is the gospel of Mark, full of the good news that I can live fully in you and you in all of me. 

Amen

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