¹⁶ “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. ¹⁷ For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. ¹⁸ Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

¹⁹ Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. ²⁰ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

²¹ He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

²² One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. ²³ As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

²⁴ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ²⁵ “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Obvious

Being a follower of Jesus should be obvious.  He becomes our one obsession, our heart’s desire.  The power of the kingdom can not be hidden.  The focus of our lives can not be put aside.  I am amazed that some people get so excited when they work with someone who finally reveals in an open conversation that they are Christian and they say, I kind of had a feeling that they were.  What is amazing is that we are pleased with the inkling that another follows Jesus.  The following of Jesus should be as obvious as a raging sea becoming a glassy calm.  People should be flourishing and benefitting because we are in their lives.

That calls into question the obnoxious Christianity that has come into vogue through the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.  Legalists who are uptight demand without joy that everyone behave as they do.  Or those who believe their worth is tied up with sharing a shallow gospel of turn-or-burn target colleagues at work kind of like a deer hunter targets a deer.  Both the deer and the potential converts at work have the same level of gratitude.

Jesus should be on our lips as evidence of our primary relationship.  Jesus should affect the work and the home where we live.  Jesus trumps family, friends, and colleagues.  In the way that Jesus permeates all of life, his presence becomes obvious.  In this way we share a gospel, not only of the life we are saved from, but the total life that we are saved to live.

Prayer

Any man calming a storm is almost too remarkable to believe.  I sympathize with those who lack the faith to walk in the truth of scripture.  However, you give us just enough faith to marvel, wonder, and take another step.  Give me faith for today and bright hope for tomorrow.  Dominate my life and be obvious.

Questions

1. How does Jesus make his identity obvious?
2. Why are his disciples incredulous?
3. What was the culture of Jesus’ day’s view on family?
4. Does God serve your family or does your family serve God?
5. How could your faith be more obvious?