Exodus 2, Mark 15

Wednesday, February 6, 2008 - Brandon Hatmaker (Exodus 2, Mark 15)

"Cry out to God! Then listen to him."

(Exodus 2)

Verse 23-25 “During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.”

Here’s a great question to ask ourselves: When was the last time we wept before God? Here the Israelites groaned in their slavery and “cried out”. Something tells me that they cried out in the fullest sense of the word. And their cries “went up to God”, and he was concerned about them.

There are so many reasons we should weep before God. Whether it’s our sin, our thanksgiving, our awe, or concern for others (the list goes on). I’ve come to believe there are two reasons we do not. Either we do not understand the fullness of God’s grace and greatness, or we are too proud.

It’s interesting, it’s the same two things that keep us from walking in Him daily, much less keep us from weeping before Him. Which one do we suffer from today?


(Mark 15)

Vs.12-14 say, "What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked them. "Crucify him!" they shouted. "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"

Why are we so concerned about what the crowd has to say? Here, Pilate found himself between a rock and a hard place. He was a politician. He was their leader. He was asking questions they didn’t want to hear and they obviously answered the question he had already asked. Although the question changed, their response did not. They weren’t going to stop until he responded in their favor. Pilate was no longer in charge.

Then, in verse 15, we see him cave in, “Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”

We have trained ourselves not to listen to our rational spirit. There is no doubt in my mind that Pilate knew it was wrong. But we tend to follow the crowd, we follow the traditions (right or wrong), we’re so afraid of standing for what we feel is right, we’re afraid that if we do we’ll be all alone and no one will stand with us.

As believers we are not exempt from this temptation. Many times I allow myself to slip back into the very actions and attitudes that Christ died to reconcile. Many times I have arguments with my own spirit, I second guess myself, I wonder how so many can feel a different way, with such passion. But we have to be faithful to listen, as the Spirit leads, we have to remember that the Spirit of Truth is given as a gift and the priesthood of the believer is true. There are times, we know what is right or what is wrong, and we just need to muster the courage to act. Regardless of the crowd.

Father, teach us to hear you.