Alone With Jesus

"But when Jesus was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything." Mark:4:34b

In the  Gospel of  Mark, Jesus presents several of His parables , the Sower, the Lamp Under a Basket, the Growing Seed, and The Mustard Seed,

We are told by Mark that Jesus preached the Word of God this way to the assembled crowed.

"With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable." Mark:4:33-34a

Asking Jesus

There are times when we, like the Disciples hear the Word of God  preached and we may not, at first , fully grasp what we have heard or even why we have heard it, the sense of it may be elusive to us. It is then in such moments or any time we hear the Word of God,  that  understanding come when we are alone with Jesus.

We need to spend some time with our Lord in private asking Him to enlarge the Word in our hearts and minds as did the disciples. This asking is carried out in prayer and fellowship with Jesus led by the Holy Spirit , Who will expound upon what our Lord has told us.

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John:14:26

The Holy Spirit will bring to our  minds what our Lord has spoken to us and will help us to receive deeper meaning as to what Jesus is telling us just as the Disciples received clarification after hearing the Lord preach by spending time alone with Jesus. In private Jesus could and did say things to His Disciples that was not for others. He can and will do the same for us, there are things has to say for and to each us that is not for others, He tells us these things in our times alone with Him.

Jesus Alone

This being, alone with Jesus,  also speaks to us regarding the centrality of Jesus as the means to understand the Word of God. That is , from and by Him we receive the understanding of  Scripture, that when we focus on Jesus alone ,then we come to understand the Bible , that all the Word from Genesis to Revelation speak about Jesus. When Jesus is our focus then we receive insight into the written word of God.

"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father--he will testify about me." John:15:26

Speaks of Me

As Jesus converses with the religious establishment of the day, He tells them of His place as the focus of the Scripture , these religious leaders had vest large amount of time in reading and memorizing the Word of God , yet their approach  was carnal. They read the Word  but missed the point even as the point , in the Person of Jesus stood before them.

"You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." John:5:39-40

We can be like that as well, turning Bible Study in to an academic intellectual study  , we can amass large amounts of  information or knowledge and still never come to know our Lord, that is have a relationship with Him.

Some  attempt to comprehend the Bible through another focus, whether that focus is Prophecy, History , Israel, the Covenants  or Law, all those things good things to have an understand of, but if we look at them apart from Who Jesus is we will miss out on their deeper meaning which found in Jesus.

Treasures of Wisdom

Paul writes to the church at Colossi , and to us in our time, that it is in and by Jesus that anything and everything of eternal value is found in  Him alone.This is why the Apostle wrote to the Christians in that church, they were being taught "doctrines" that were of Gnostic origins. These "mysteries"  did not focus upon Jesus ,but rather on other things.  Accepting these "mysteries"  skewed those Christians understanding of the Word of God. Paul redirects them and us, to Jesus with the promises that everything we are looking for , all that God has for us is found in Him alone.

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" Colossians:2:2-3

The Focus of Eternity

John the aged Apostle, writing to the Church around 90-95 AD, writes the Book of Revelation with its focus upon our Lord in spite of the events here upon the Earth.    John see Jesus symbolized as a Lamb having been slain, yet lives. John sees this Lamb at the very center of the the Throne of God. This Lamb is worship by the Host of Heaven. WE find Jesus there at the center of it all, this speaks regarding His place as the focus of all eternity, that is Jesus is what it is all about. Jesus is the purpose of God and out of His love for us He has brought each of us into that purpose. Everything act of the all the History of Salvation,  and the sovereignty of God,  all that He does is focused upon Jesus.

 Alone Time With Jesus

When we hear the Word of God preached or ,when  we in our times of study encounter something that we  at first do not understand,  it is at these moments that we should come to Him alone with the view that all that God has for us is found Jesus. It is when we are alone with Jesus that He will give us understanding and clarity of His Holy Word. Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike.

Washington, Pennsylvania.   www.gcfountainoflife.org

The Fountain of Life is heard  on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM  in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com