Today I was reading about Jesus’ fame growing

Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:15-16

I’ve often heard this verse taught like this;

“Jesus could have spent all his time ministering to the crowds of people, He could have chosen the limelight, but instead He chose to leave and be with His father”

The emphasis in these teachings was that teaching to crowds was bad and being alone was good. However, when we read all through Jesus’ ministry we can see that this isn’t the full story.

He taught crowds at the sermon on the mount, in synagogues,when the women with the issue of blood touched Him, in Capernaum when the paralytic man was lowered through the roof, and on many other occasions. He also went and had time on His own with the Father.

What am I saying?

I guess it you are a pastor or involved in some form of ministry delivery don’t feel guilty about being in front of crowds. But don’t let it be the only place you engage with God. I get the motivation behind the earlier leaching I referenced – if we rely on the crowd to sustain our relationship with God, we will bankrupt ourselves pretty quick!

However we were meant to preach the gospel to people, whatever size the crowd is. We can’t run from that, despise it, or denounce it as unholy in some way.

We must be with the crowds and around the corners. We must be the same in the private spaces and the public spaces. Lets not glorify or demonise either of these spaces – we need them both!