What Jesus Did! 'Blocked Understanding' — Mark 9:30-32

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Leaving that region, [Jesus and the disciples] traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn't want anyone to know he was there, for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead." They didn't understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.
— Mark 9:30-32 NLT

Key Thought

Despite Jesus' investment in teaching his disciples personally, they didn't understand that he must die and that God would raise him from death. I can't fault them too much for that lack of understanding. Jesus challenged them to believe the impossible before they had seen God perform it! From their learned expectations and because of their training, they assumed that the Messiah would be a conquering redeemer restoring the kingdom of Israel. With all the powerful displays they had seen from Jesus, we can understand that it must have been hard for them even to imagine anyone having power over Jesus, much less being able to kill him. Sometimes we allow our understanding of Jesus to block our full understanding of who Jesus is and the power Jesus has. Let's ask God to remove the blindness from our own eyes!

Today's Prayer

O Father, I confess that what I want from Jesus sometimes blinds me to what I need from him and what he longs to teach me. Please remove my blindness and gently correct me so that I can know and live your truth. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Mark 8:22-25
  • John 9:39-41
  • Acts 9:17-18

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

7 Related Resources by Heartlight

Mark 9:30-31
Devo: Today's Verse
"Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the..."
Preparing His Disciples
Devo: What Jesus Did!
"Leaving that region, [Jesus and his disciples] traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn't want anyone to know he was there, for he wanted to spend more..."
He Will Rise
Illustration of Mark 9:30-31
Inspirational illustration of Mark 9:30-31 -- Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three day
There's More to Come
Article by Steve Higginbotham
It's Friday, so how do you really feel about things? Steve Higginbotham shares the insight that Friday is not the end, but the promise of a new beginning.
See All 7 Related Resources about Mark 9:30-32

Illustration

Illustration of Mark 9:30-32 NLT — "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Heirs of Abraham' (Ga. 3:1-14)
"Dear Father, Thank you for giving us your Spirit, not through works of law but through faith in our hearts. Even Abraham was saved by faith, for he....."
God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'Let the Holy Spirit Guide Your Lives!' (Ga. 5:16)
"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Jeremiah 32:17
"At the very time when the Chaldeans surrounded Jerusalem, and when the sword, famine and pestilence had desolated the land, Jeremiah was commanded by...."
Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Psalm 34:14
"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More What Jesus Did!