This past Saturday, I attended a funeral at our church. Unfortunately, this man struggled with a variety of debilitating illnesses over the last few years of his life. In that respect, his passing represents a bittersweet turning point for his family.
My own grandmother passed away this past month as well. In both cases, the people who passed away were unable to be themselves in their last days. For that reason, I have been reflecting on death in recent weeks. I’ve wondered: what does it mean to die and fully understand the brevity of our physical lives? Better yet, what does it mean to live well now without knowing all the secrets that await us on the other side?
Recently, I’ve been studying the Gospel of Mark. If you are familiar with your bible, you probably know the parable of the four soils in Mark 4. I’ve read it numerous times. What struck me in this instance, however, is Jesus’ words to his close followers when they ask him about the parable.
“The secret of God’s kingdom has been given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables. This is so they can look and see but have no insight, and they can hear but not understand. Otherwise, they might turn their lives around and be forgiven.” (Mark 4:11-12)
This is one of the most puzzling passages in Mark. Upon first glance, it seems to imply that Jesus uses parables so people will not understand the gospel message. Certainly, these comments would have resonated with a Jewish audience. The insider/outsider language would have made sense in that setting. Additionally, Jesus is probably referencing Isaiah 6:9-10. But, what does it mean for us today? What does it mean for someone trying to follow Jesus?
It’s a difficult set of verses to take in. We could wrestle with their meaning for a long time. Yet, one key observation stands out to me — When Jesus says the secret of God’s kingdom has been given to “you,” he’s referring to the people who are closely following him. The people who stick close to Jesus, who don’t leave when the healings stop, who keep wanting to know more — they are the ones who receive the “secret.”
I might not know all the secrets. I might not know exactly what happens when our physical bodies cease to function. But I know that Jesus invites us to stick close to him. And when we do, we’ll understand and experience God’s kingdom in revelatory ways.
I'm an associate pastor in SW Florida just trying to figure it out. I love my wife, my family, and Jesus Christ. I love following movies, video games, and the UNC Tarheels. My goal: to Win at Life.
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