People do crazy things. There is no illusion involved when swallowing a sword. Hot coals? They really are hot, and people do walk on them with bare feet. Tightrope walking over deep chasms without a safety net? Why not? It is only a thousand feet down.
What motivates these people to perform these feats of danger and adrenalin pumping excess? Does anyone really need a sword down his throat? Those coals, is there any benefit from walking across them? And that chasm, whether it’s city buildings or the Grand Canyon, is there really any point?
To the people who are involved, the answer can only be a resounding yes. Not only do they receive a sense of satisfaction from surviving the danger, crowd recognition plays a huge part, too. Cheers and even jibes can be a huge motivator in many people’s minds.
Mark 16:17-18 speaks of crazy things that Christians will be able to do, once the power of Jesus comes into our lives. Let’s look at these as we consider something very important: Crazy to the world is not crazy to God.
Crazy Thing #1: We will cast out devils.
Crazy Thing #2: We will speak with new tongues.
Crazy Thing #3: We will take up serpents.
Crazy Thing #4: We will drink poison and not die.
Crazy Thing #5: We will heal the sick.
What is Mark telling us in this passage? Do these five crazy things mean exactly what they say, or is there a deeper import to Mark’s words?
What Mark really means is that we will become like Jesus. He is the immortal, eternal, and all-powerful Son of the Most High God. Here is how Mark’s five crazy things become real:
Real Fact #1: Jesus had all power over the spirit world, and he gifts that power unto us.
Real Fact #2: Jesus speaks the language of every nation, and our communication with him transcends any single culture.
Real Fact #3: Jesus lived his life in a den of vipers. That is the reality of our world. However, we can live among the evil and not be harmed.
Real Fact #4: Jesus came from the perfection of heaven to a life filled with risk. He gives us the assurance that he will protect us each day.
Real Fact #5: Jesus was the ultimate healer, even bringing the dead back to life. His power is ours when we become like him.
Crazy is as crazy does. Let’s be crazy good Christians for Jesus, so that others will want to join us in our journey to the Father.
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Throwback Thursday: Originally Published February 21, 2014 in Discipleship