The Servant Amidst Pressure

Undoubtedly in our western world, many people are seeking help with ‘stress’. An alarming number of people are finding the pressures of life unbearable, and concern has been expressed at the volume of medication consumed to relieve the pressures and problems of life.

Where does the believer stand in all this? Challenges abound in personal, home, business, and assembly life; the pressure is on. How can we cope? It is clear that a key resource for the believer is found through our relationship with Christ and our appreciation of what the word of God says. We have so much to learn in God’s school where the motto is ‘But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’, 2 Pet. 3. 18. The Lord Jesus has faced the pressures and problems of life. He has passed through this scene. He knows far more than we shall ever know about its utter hostility, violent opposition to anything spiritual, and every device of the ‘prince of this world’, Satan himself. The Lord Jesus said, ‘For the prince of this world … hath nothing in me’, John 14. 30, to which He later added, ‘I have overcome the world’, 16. 33.

Mark’s Gospel gives us Christ as the servant and there are at least forty occasions on which we, from a human standpoint, would judge that He was ‘under pressure’. However, the Lord Jesus Christ never has, and never will be, in any circumstance over which He has no control. He is the master of every circumstance. This is why we must look at His words and actions in every situation in scripture.

In the first chapter of Mark, after the Father speaks from heaven, ‘Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’, 1. 11, the Lord Jesus is in the wilderness for forty days. He is with the wild beasts and is tempted of Satan. After this, He calls four men from their fishing to follow Him. From the middle of the chapter onwards, we read of the man with the unclean spirit, Simon’s mother-in-law lying sick with a fever, and all the city descending upon Him with all their sick and demon possessed. In verse 35, the Lord Jesus is up very early and goes out into a ‘solitary place’ to pray, but is followed by Simon and the others who look for Him to tell Him, ‘All men seek for thee’. There is not one word of complaint. He goes forth to preach, cast out demons, and heal. So great is the public knowledge of Christ and His miracles that He cannot go into the city but receives those ‘from every quarter’ in ‘desert places’.

The second chapter finds the Lord Jesus in the crowded house at Capernaum with the critics out to oppose Him. In chapter 4, He sends the multitude away and enters a ship, only to be soon on a storm-tossed sea. He is calmly asleep on a pillow, but He arises to rebuke the wind and still the turbulent sea. There is no pause for rest, for as soon as they arrive on the other side they come immediately upon a demon-possessed wretch of a man, who lived amongst the tombs, an outcast from society. Once again, the Lord Jesus meets this man’s need. Further, in chapter 5, there is the touch on the hem of His garment and the raising of Jairus’s daughter to life. Note the context, demons, disease, and death, yet hopelessness gives way to rich blessing despite satanic opposition, the crowd around Him, and being laughed to scorn.

In chapter 6, the Lord Jesus desires that they should all rest awhile, but the multitude pursue Him and, in His compassion, He turns again to teach them. Then, He miraculously feeds over 5, 000 people with five loaves and two fishes. Withdrawing from His disciples, He departs into a mountain to pray, although He is soon walking on the water to His disciples and healing the sick.

All the way to the cross, His ministry to individuals and the multitude was full of compassion. Every time He withdrew Himself for quietness and prayer, the time spent did not last long, yet He never complained, never turned anyone away, never avoided any situation. The perfect Servant shows the perfect way of facing pressure and consider the results! The answer does not lie in avoiding problems, people, need, or criticism. To begin to cope with those pressures that threaten to engulf us, we must get before God and commune with Him.

If we look with praying hearts into the scriptures, there is also a wealth of help and encouragement. Paul encountered pressures on every hand and survived perils day and night, yet he served God. He wrote, ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me’, Phil. 4. 13. This is the beginning of developing our character to cope with pressure in a Christ-like manner. There are no easy answers, but with the Lord Jesus there is untold blessing to enrich us through these things. Does not the scripture say, ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved’, Ps. 55. 22? The thought is not to ‘cast thy burden on the Lord, and He will solve everything in a moment, and it will be “sunshine and roses”’, but ‘He shall sustain [lit. “to hold up”, “to protect” in the sense of defending one’s cause before a tribunal] thee’. The Lord Jesus is so very interested in how we face life with its challenges and pressures. Remember, we are exceedingly precious to Him. Let us seek His help to be Christ-like in all our ways amidst the pressures around us.