A Tale of Two Kings

Last night Andrew preached on Mark 6:7-56. A great sermon that contrasted King Herod with King Jesus and demonstrated that Jesus is God's King, the Lord of Glory who is now sitting enthroned in heaven as the judge of all.

One of the things he pointed out to us about the crowds following Jesus was something I'd never really noticed before. He demonstrated the relentless pursuit by the crowds of Jesus and the disciples. As we looked through from the end of Mark 3 we saw the crowds continually coming to Jesus wherever he was. The pace and pressure was relentless.

It did give rise to my favourite line in the sermon:

The crowds make the paparazzi look like shrinking violets!

I'd never really thought about the way the crowds followed Jesus and his disciples and the way that must have been really draining as the pressure builds as they continue to impose on Jesus and the disciples. I guess I'd noticed the way that in some ways the crowds seem to distract Jesus from his 'main game' of declaring that the Kingdom is at hand so that people must repent and believe the gospel (See Mark 1:14-15, 38). But haven't ever really pondered the significance of the crowds.

What do you think?