Ministering From Your Overflow

Thinking of Jesus as fully divine comes easy. Thinking of Him as fully human does not. In my recent readings--Mark chapter 11 through chapter 14--I saw something I hadn't noticed before. While reading chapters 11 and 12 I began to see something new. Verse 10 is drawing from Psalm 118:26, and then in chapter 12, Jesus quotes from the same Psalm.  

"The Stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes" (Mark 12:10–11 and Psalm 118:22–23). 

Jesus's mind appears to have been camped out in these Psalm passages. 

Later on, in the same chapter (Mark 12) Jesus schools the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Scribes on the resurrection and who the Messiah would be by using another nearby Psalm, this time from chapter 110.

The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet'" (Mark 12:36, Mark 14:62 and Psalm 110:1).

Again, Jesus's thoughts were focused on this portion of Scripture leading up to His death. A couple chapters later He uses the same Psalm when declaring that He is the Christ before the high priest. 

Here's what I saw that I hadn't noticed before: Jesus was sharing what He had been studying with those around Him. These passages were fresh in His mind because He was pouring over them.  

Have you ever had that experience? You read/study the Word of God, and then you are able to share with others throughout your day the truth from those passages. This is called "ministering from your overflow." You fill yourself up with the truth of God's Word and then you pour out an extra blessing on others with whom you have contact. 

I think that's what Jesus was modeling. I'm not sure if He had scrolls with Him as He traveled around. I've met people who have been very good at memorizing Scripture. I'm sure Jesus excelled in this discipline. I imagine as Jesus got closer to the cross He was studying or thinking through everything from Scripture about the plan of God for the Messiah. Of course, He knew what His Father was calling Him to do, but that wouldn't have stopped Him from pouring over God's Word on the subject. I believe Jesus had been filling up on these passages in Psalms and was--in His full humanity--ministering from His overflow.

Jesus modeled how we're all supposed to function; the same way that Timothy instructed:

"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." 2nd Timothy 4:2

It is neat to think of Jesus having daily devotions similar to what we have. It's cool to think He lived a life just like we're living life. He truly was fully human as well as fully divine.