Instagram Jesus Week 6: Devotional Day 3
DAY 3 – Wednesday
Daily devotional
Read
Mark 1:23-24, John 6:68-69
Ask
Who’s someone you’re proud to be associated with?
How would you respond to the question, ‘Do you know who Jesus is?’
How does being a follower of Jesus define you?
Reflect
I entered high school two years behind my big brother. He was smart, kind, popular, and a good athlete. I spent most of my freshman year known as “Sean’s little sister” to upperclassmen. Some might’ve been bothered by that, but I was proud to hold the title and strived to uphold his good reputation.
Jesus walked into a synagogue in Capernaum and had a moment where he was recognized by a relationship, “I know who you are- the Holy One of God.” It was an unclean spirit who first called out Jesus’ divine and holy identity. His declaration, “the Holy one of God,” spoke to what everyone else in the room was sensing but couldn’t quite pinpoint; Jesus was different. Just how different? The unclean spirit knew right away; Jesus was God in the flesh and he’d arrived to carry out his father’s business of destroying sin once and for all.
Jesus’ disciples eventually believed it too. In John 6 Jesus delivers challenging news about sacrifice and eternity. After many followers chose to leave, Jesus looked at his remaining twelve disciples and asked, “Do you want to go away as well?” Peter’s answer, like the unclean spirit’s declaration, confessed that they’d come to believe and recognize Jesus’ true identity as well- God’s perfect, righteous, sinless, and holy Son (c.f. John 6:68-69).
Throughout the Old Testament in places like Isaiah 5:19; and in Psalm 71:22 and 89:18 God is referred to as the Holy One and here in Mark we see Jesus identified with the title as well. It’s an accurate connection made between Israel’s one true God and Jesus of Nazareth. How will your connection as a follower of the Holy One define your actions today?