Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Mark 8:30
Tell People About Him Now
Devotion based on Mark 8:30
See series: Devotions
It might sound surprising, but Jesus often told his disciples not to tell anyone about him. Something dramatic would happen, proving that Jesus was the Son of God, and the disciples would be excited to talk about it. Jesus would advise them to be silent instead.
That’s because Jesus knew that the religious and political leaders of his day would hear about what he did, find him a threat, and conspire to put him to death. Jesus knew that had to happen at a certain time, and when it was too early, he did not want his disciples to precipitate those events.
At a certain point in his ministry, when he knew it was the right time, Jesus entered Jerusalem very publicly, encouraged people to talk about him, and ended up going to the cross. He gave his life—the innocent for the guilty—and won forgiveness for the whole world.
You can talk about that now. You can tell people about Jesus now. There may still be opposition, but Jesus’ work is complete, and there’s nothing the opposition can do about it.
So, at every opportunity, go ahead and tell people who Jesus really is. You don’t have to worry about Jesus’ warning not to tell anyone about him. That was then, and this is now.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for accomplishing your work in exactly the right way at exactly the right time. Give me opportunities to talk about what you have done for everyone. Amen.