Day 17: All Kinds of People

And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. Mark 2:2

Have you ever tried to teach or train someone who didn’t want to learn? It’s hard! On the other hand, when someone is motivated and eager to learn, teaching can be much easier. Jesus ministered to people of all kinds, to His followers and opponents alike.
The house Jesus preached in was so full that no one else could get in. It was full of people who were eager to hear what Jesus had to say. Some probably already believed that Jesus was the Messiah, like the paralyzed man’s friends, who knew Jesus could heal him.
Others didn’t believe yet, but they were interested and seeking to learn more. Perhaps the paralyzed man himself was like that too? He may not yet have believed that Jesus was God’s Son, but he was willing to go along with his friends’ plan.
A third group Jesus ministered to was passers-by or people He encountered by chance. The Samaritan woman at the well was one. She wasn’t looking for Jesus, but Jesus took the opportunity to speak to her anyway. No doubt there were some people in that crowded house who came just to see what was going on.
Finally, there were some doubters and skeptics, people who were hostile to Jesus and His message. During His ministry, the Jewish religious leaders--scribes and Pharisees--criticized Jesus the most. Jesus ministered to them, too, giving them evidence of His claims (like healing the paralyzed man) and also calling out their hard-heartedness and hypocrisy.

Questions for discussion and reflection

  • Which group are you a part of?
  • Can you think of a ministry or opportunity to serve believers? Seekers? Passers-by? Skeptics?
  • Are you serving in a ministry at North Valley? Check out the opportunities and join a team today! https://www.northvalley.org/ministries

Prayer
Dear God, the Bible says that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Thank you for meeting us wherever we are at. Help us also to reach out to others as a ministry to help gather others to come to know and worship Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.