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Obeying the Master

Mark 14:13-16 (ESV) -- And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’  And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

One of the first lessons I remember growing up was obeying my parents. The expectation in my home was to do what I was told. I was an energetic young boy so I found myself with a good bit of opportunity for trouble. When I stepped out of line, I suffered the consequences. My dad was the butt-spanking national champion. I’m not sure if another dad could deliver a spanking like mine, but if they could, I’d never want to compare it. My parents were my authority. I didn’t have the right to do what I wanted. I needed permission to do certain things, and when they gave me instructions, I was expected to follow them. 

This passage today reminds us that the basic idea of following the Lord is to obey Him. You can’t call Him Lord if you’re not going to do what He says. We see Jesus send out two disciples and He gives them specific instructions for securing a room for eating Passover with His disciples. He told them what to expect, and what to say when they got there. And everything was just as Jesus had told the disciples.

 

The significance of this passage is that it shows their obedience on display. In this task, Jesus gives basic instructions for securing a room for Passover, but it required that the two disciples were willing to submit themselves to His instructions. That is one of our big problems today. We don’t like to submit to anyone else. Being a disciple is about listening to the Master. We obey the Master and do what He tells us. 


There are so many ways this plays out for Christians every day. Jesus gives instructions for how to live, work, spend our money, train our children, fight sin, and all sorts of things. His commands and instructions are not to be seen as optional. They are commands we follow explicitly, just as the two disciples in our passage. What is Jesus instructing you on today?


Reflection & Journal:

- Why is obedience looked at so negatively in our culture today?

What are some of the reasons people excuse their disobedience and ignore Scripture?

How should this passage today shape your understanding of following Jesus?