Tag Archives: heart after god

Let that burden take you out

Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Pastor Alan spoke yesterday of burdens, of the burdens God will place on your heart. These things that tug at your heart can be many things, but only a few of them really grab you. They can create an urgency feeling with them; the need to move forward quickly in pursuit of them. They cannot be hidden from; they cannot be denied because God places them there. When God places these things before you, your focus will change. The things that seemed important will be in the shadows of those burdens. A heart focused on what God has burdened you with is a heart after God and the things of God.

Christ was early in his ministry, and Mark is recording the accounts of his early teachings and healing’s. Mark is describing Christ’s achievements in the casting out of demons, cleansing lepers, the lame walking, and the list goes on. He has been baptized by John and has began selecting his apostles. But the religious of society began to notice that he spends all his time hanging out with the dredges of society. Mark 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” Christ had not began pointing out the sin of those who fancied themselves religious; but showed Himself to those that knew they were sinners in need of a Savior; and possessed the humble hearts that recognized their sin. The pride of the religious builds the wall between their souls and their Savior.

Do you feel comfortable? Are you willing to go out of your comfort zone for God? God will always ask you to go where you feel uncomfortable. It removes the power and pride of yourself and lets God work through your scared humble heart shine. You will see God do things you know you cannot. It is very easy to stay in the comfort of habit; the ease of simple routine; but the lack of the power of God in your life in stepping out in faith is being missed. The commentary of my study Bible says of Mark 2:17 – “In this instance Jesus was speaking tongue-in-cheek when He used the word righteous. None are righteous, though some such as the Pharisees, fancied themselves as such. Instead Christ came to call all sinners to repentance.” Let that burden in your heart take you out of your comfort zone so that you can see Christ really work in and through your life.