Mark 1:21-45 "Jesus' Authority"

Good Morning Calvary Chapel Lake City!

Please continue to pray for Kevin Denlinger who had a successful heart surgery this past Monday.

He is home recovering… and he and Leigh Ann are in good spirits. Thank you for supporting them!

Amanda and I just got back from the Calvary Chapel Pastors & Wives huddle… and we were blessed… especially because the main speaker and his wife (John & Lynn Spencer)… is our Pastor’s Pastor.

So, our spiritual Grandparents! We had never met them… and it was such a sweet time.

I told John and Lynn… whether you like it our not… like family… you’re stuck with us now!

What a great time we had!

Well, let’s open our Bibles to Mark 1. Mark 1:21-45 today… finishing Chapter 1.

Last time, we looked at the preparation of the Suffering Servant- Jesus.

Jesus’ was prepared for ministry in three ways:

The message and ministry of His Forerunner- John the Baptist.

Jesus’ Baptism demonstrating, while sinless, He identifies with sinners and would die for the sin of all mankind.

Finally, Jesus’ Temptation in the wilderness which prepared Him to “sympathize with our weaknesses”… for He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15)

After Jesus returned from 40-Days in the desert wilderness…

Jesus began His ministry in Judea, as covered exclusively in the first few chapters of John’s Gospel.

Mark picks up after this… when Jesus learned that His forerunner… His baptizer… His very own cousin… John the Baptist had been imprisoned. Very difficult news to receive.

But, Jesus pressed on in ministry… a good lesson for us when things get tough.

We left off where Jesus came to Galilee preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God, and called His first disciples… Peter, Andrew, James and John.

Two pairs of brothers… all four fishermen. All four left their nets, their livelihood… their very families to answer Jesus’ call “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Follow Me… a invitation to become a disciple… a student of Jesus. Once that commitment was made, then Jesus would make them fishers of men.

In that order…

Obedience and commitment first… then Jesus would teach them how to be effective ministers and evangelists for His kingdom.

And, today… Mark displays some of the first lessons… some of the first teaching moments… these early disciples experience…

With Authority… Jesus teaches… casts out a demon… and heals many who are sick.

“Jesus’ Authority”… which is our message title today… is on display for the rest of this Chapter… a great lesson for any new disciple.

Let’s Pray!

Mark1:21-22 “Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

Capernaum… Kapharnaoum more properly… which means “the house (or, town) of Nahum.”

This city is on the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee… and will effectively become Jesus’ base of operations for His Great Galilean Ministry.

Let’s take a moment to get to know this city… since it was such a key city for Jesus’ ministry.

In the 1st Century, Capernaum was an important center of commerce, and a Roman tax polling station, since it was on the road leading to Damascus

V21 tells us there is a synagogue in Capernaum.

V29 tells us the home of Simon Peter and Andrew is in Capernaum.

And, if you visit Capernaum today, you can see these sites and the ruins of this ancient city… let’s pull up that first slide of Capernaum.

The beautiful Sea of Galilee is at the top… so being we also live in a lake town, you know how special of a place this is.

And, this is a Lake… not a sea… in fact one of four names for this water body is the “Lake of Gennesaret” according to Luke 5:1.

Let’s go to our next slide… there are many ruins in Capernaum… foundations of homes made of the natural rock found in Capernaum… which is Basalt- a hard, black volcanic rock.

In stark contrast is an imported white limestone 4th century synagogue.

Now… if you look at this next slide… this synagogue is built on top of a black basalt foundation.

It’s thought the black basalt foundation was the original foundation for the synagogue where Jesus preached… here in Mark 1. Pretty fascinating.

One more slide… this is a recreation of that 4th Century Synagogue… again, not where Jesus preached, but wild to imagine the structure that stood over the ruins that remain today.

By far, Capernaum was one of my favorite locations to visit when I went to Israel in 2014.

Biblical archeology is fascinating and consistently has proven the Bible true. We read Capernaum in Mark 1 and you can visit Capernaum today.

You can walk where Jesus and the disciples walked. You can imagine scenes like we see in Mark 1.

There’s something special to walk where the Messiah… the Son of God walked.

You can’t recreate this with cults like Mormonism. The Book of Mormon lists cities like “Bountiful.” Where is Bountiful?

If you wanted to hop into a plane today and visit Bountiful… where would you go? No one knows for sure. Mormons speculate. What archeological remains would you see? None.

It baffles me why more Mormons don’t come to the truth… simply based on the lack of archeological evidence in the Book of Mormon.

I like this quote… “There is a broad consensus among archaeologists that the archaeological record does not substantiate the Book of Mormon account, and in most ways directly contradicts it.” And, that’s from a secular source.

But, there’s no contradiction in the Bible. You can go to Capernaum today because the Bible is true.

So, Capernaum… the city where Jesus and His disciples are here in V21…

And, immediately (that word that Mark uses 36x in this book)… immediately Jesus doesn’t head to Peter’s house for a nap… after a long day of travel…

Immediately... first order of business… Jesus enters the Synagogue on Sabbath and taught.

Teaching was a priority to Jesus. Which is a key reason we have a Bible teaching ministry.

I did a search in Logos Bible Software for verses that included both “Jesus” and Teaching” or a variant like “Teach,” or “Taught” and there are 13 verses in the New Testament highlighting Jesus’ teaching ministry…

Teaching was important to Jesus.

There are another 7 verses highlighting Jesus’ preaching ministry.

There are 3 verses in Matthew highlighting Jesus’ teaching and preaching in the same verse.

Teaching and Preaching are both important.

And, as we teach Chapter-by-Chapter and Verse-by-Verse… I find some passages (like this one today)… are passages where more teaching is required.

While other passages… like the application rich passage in Acts 27… where Paul was in the storm and shipwrecked on Malta… to be preaching passages.

So, depending on Biblical context… both teaching and preaching have their place. So, what’s the difference?

Teaching by def. is doctrine, the giving of instruction.

Preaching by def. is to be a herald, to proclaim; to announce openly and publicly.

I think of teaching as pertaining to the head… and preaching as pertaining to the heart.

And, head and heart both need to be reached.

All head… tends to create a walk that is dry.

And all heart… tends to create a walk that is too emotive… too experiential, not grounded enough in knowledge.

We need both. We need to activate our minds being grounded in doctrine.

But, we also need to activate our bodies… and take that message to the world. Being doers of the word and not hearers only as James teaches.

And in Acts and the Epistles… you observe Jesus’ disciples continuing to do that which they observed Jesus do… teaching and preaching.

V22 tells us when Jesus taught “… they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

In Jewish synagogues, scribes who taught didn’t teach with authority, but often only echoed other Rabbi’s. Rabbi “Shammai” said. Rabbi “Hillel” said…

And, Scribes (or Lawyers) were experts in the Mosaic Law… as they were copyists writing out the law letter by letter.

And, even with all their expertise, they didn’t have authority.

But, Jesus comes teaching with authority.

Mark just mentions Jesus’ authority here, but in Luke 4… Luke shares a scene truly showing Jesus’ authority.

You remember the scene… Jesus is in Nazareth… He reads from the scroll of Isaiah in the Synagogue on Sabbath…

Jesus reads, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor...”

He doesn’t read the whole passage, but closes the book… sits down… and all eye were on Him…

Then He says to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Who says that except the Son of God? To read from the OT and then say… “Today this Scripture is fulfilled...”

That’s authority. Authority in Gk. is ĕxŏusia- often translated as ‘power.’

Jesus the living word… speaking that which would become the written word…

Truly He had authority… as only of the Son of God.

And, the lesson His early disciples received this day… was certainly an advanced course.

They had no idea… when Jesus said, “Come, follow Me...”

They had no idea their teacher would teach with such authority… nor could they imagine what would happen next… look at Vss 23-28.

Mark 1:23 “Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. [He was a man foremost, but plagued by the unclean… the polluting… contaminating… and ungodly] And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You [As in “What business do we have with each other?”], Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

Talk about an interruption to the Pastor’s message! Just imagine how the voice of this demon sounded. Truly a distraction.

This actually happened to my Pastor in 2013… the week after my family departed for Bible College.

He was teaching a passage where Jesus exorcised a deaf spirit… and a man cried out, “I am not deaf, my name is Rashad.”

My Pastor calmly responded, “Well ok, you’re in the right place.” And, the elders took him aside to share the Gospel and passages on demons.

They found out that man was unsaved and had been inviting evil spirits to possess him.

Wild day. I think that would throw me off a bit. Maybe not.

This demon crying out definitely doesn’t throw Jesus off.

And, can you imagine this scene? This demon possessed man cries out in the middle of synagogue service, “Let us alone!”

Pastor Chuck Smith shared a story about how some guys at his church went to a very dark area of CA and shared the Gospel… street evangelizing.

The following Sunday, people picketed Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa crying out the same thing… “Let us alone!” Coincidence?

Certainly it’s what evil wants… to just be left alone.

Jn 3:20 declares, “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”

And, the light of Christ… and the light of Him reading the word of God was too much for this demon.

Interesting how demons fear the presence of God. “Did You come to destroy us?”

These questions… “What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us?”

They’re somewhat rhetorical… the answer is Yes… the timing is a bit premature… but ultimately… in God’s timing… Yes… He will destroy demons.

“What have we to do with You?” Nothing…

Kind of like 2 Cor 6:14-15 “And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial?” [which is a wickedness personified… also used as a name for Satan]

No communion… No accord… and No business with demons… except their end.

And, demons know their end… which ultimately is the Lake of Fire at the end of the millennial kingdom.

They know that any business they and God have with one another is not good for them.

But, between now and then… there is another possibility they fear.

When Jesus went to Gadara, and encountered the man possessed with the demon “Legion” for there were many demons.

Luke 8:31 “And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.”

The Abyss. Gk abussŏs meaning bottomless pit… the abode or place of detention for demons.

It’s difficult to imagine, but if the pit is bottomless… does that mean the demon is falling continually?

Can you imagine trying to sleep in those conditions? Waking up falling… quite the startling feeling.

I know… I fell out of my bunk bed as a kid on more than one occasion.

This same word (abussŏs) is found 7x in the Book of Revelation. (I have a slide of those 7 verses). I find Rev 9 and Rev 20 to be very dramatic moments featuring this abyss…

In Rev 9, the Fifth Trumpet of the Great Tribulation sounds, and what appears to be Satan himself is given the key to the bottomless pit.

And he releases what is described as a plague of locusts arises to torment unsaved mankind five months.

Rev 9:4 states they are permitted to torment “… only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.”

And, I believe it is the same today… If you have the seal of the Holy Spirit, you cannot be demon possessed. Oppressed certainly, but possessed… not at all.

We are the temple of the living God (2 Cor 6:16)… I don’t see God sharing His temple with demons.

“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

And, those who come to Christ during the tribulation are not even tormented by these demons.

And, they are demons in Rev 9… these are no ordinary locusts… as you study the passage it becomes clear that this is a plague of demons… who have been imprisoned… now released to torment.

Rev 9:6 reads, “In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.”

Rev 20:1-3 tells us the abussŏs is where Satan will be bound as well during the millennial reign of Christ.

So, it’s no mystery to them… it is written…

Thus, this demon cries out “Did You come to destroy us?”

And, don’t miss this… if you really dig into what the demon says… he says a lot in V24… briefly…

First, all in V24… notice the change in the plural pronouns “us” and “we” to the singular pronoun “I.”

Very interesting. Does the “us” and “we” represent the demon and the man he possesses? I’m not so sure about that because the demon would know Jesus did not come to destroy mankind.

So, it’s possible this man is possessed by multiple demons (like in the case of Legion).

But, more likely “us” represents the demonic as a whole… as in this demon is speaking for demons as a whole… then he switches to the singular “I” speaking for himself alone… that he recognizes who Jesus is.

Second, notice the demon recognizes Jesus has authority.

“I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

The demon knows Jesus is the Holy One of God… recognizing either His empowerment by the Holy Spirit… recognizing Jesus was still holy and pure despite the temptations in the wilderness…

It may even tie back to the only other person called “Holy One of God”… Samson in Judges 16:17 who was called a “Nazirite to God”…

Nazirite meaning “one consecrated” and the demon refers to Jesus as “Jesus of Nazareth” here in V24.

Regardless of the demons exact intent… he knows who Jesus is… and rightly fears Him.

Continuing on…

V25 “But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet [Silence… a command], and come out of him!” [Another command… again… highlighting authority] 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him [similar to a epileptic convulsion and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.”

Quite the memorable church service. And, quite a lesson for the new disciples… enough to turn away the faint at heart.

Jesus doesn’t press into theatrics and show to drive out the demon. He doesn’t even want the demon to speak.

He tells the demon to ‘shut up’ and come out of the man.

No lengthy ceremonies and rituals like the exorcists of Jesus day. Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews Chapter 8 cites exorcists of his day used incantations and rituals to drive out demons involving putting a ring to the nose of the demon possessed, or commanding the demon to overturn a bowl of water when coming out of the possessed.

Jesus doesn’t do any of this… He simply commands… as Jesus was One in authority.

And, should you encounter the demonic… remember…

The Holy Spirit is inside you…

Where two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, He is there in the midst of them…

Demons abhor the word of God and prayer…

Paul drove out a demon saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” Acts 16:18

And, the Gospel… the Gospel is key… demons have no place where the Holy Spirit dwells.

The simplicity of these things will cause demons to flee.

There is power in the saved person who is in prayer and the word of God.

V26… displays the harm demons desire upon mankind. As it exits the man, it convulses or distorts his body.

We will read in Mark 5 that the demon Legion… held his host in tombs… he could not be bound… he was untamable… and night and day he cried out and cut himself with stones.

Demons are not friends to mankind.

There are many people today… it’s becoming more popular to worship Satan and demons. I saw a car with Satanic stickers on it the other day.

Two months again I saw a man at the post office wearing a pentagram necklace.

These people are duped. Demons are not their friends.

When the demon departed.... V27 tells us the people of Capernaum at this synagogue service were amazed, and questioned what this new doctrine or teaching was.

Jesus stood in contrast to the exorcists they knew.

And, as they recognized Jesus’ superior authority and power over the demonic… news of Him spread throughout the Galilee.

And, so Mark… in his style is capturing scenes like a photographer… painting a picture of who Jesus is… and His reputation is building.

And, then Mark takes us to a private scene… to the home of Simon Peter and Andrew…

Mark 1:29-31 “Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever [Dr. Luke wrote it was a “high fever”… he was good to include medical details], and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.”

So, another snapshot… the setting is Capernaum at Peter’s house… I have a slide depicting what this house may have looked like at this time.

And then… next slide… in the 5th century a octagonal shaped Byzantine church was built on top of what was thought the remains of Peter’s house…

And then… next slide… in 1990 a space ship landed on this site and it’s still there today.

The space ship… truly “St Peter’s Catholic Church” stands today.

So, that’s the scene… Capernaum… by the sea… Peter’s house… erase the image of the space ship… that wasn’t there.

Matthew, Mark and Luke all included this account. Healing Peter’s mother-in-law obviously had a great impact on the Apostles.

It’s not recorded that Peter appreciated his mother-in-law being healed… but we can assume so.

This scene shows us that Jesus not only had authority over disease, but that He was also authentic.

How so? Well… whether in public or in private, Jesus was the same.

He didn’t need a big crowd to heal… he didn’t need or want fanfare and spectacle…

He said to His disciples, “Follow Me...” He made disciples not only through teaching, but also in the observable demonstration of how He lived His life.

In setting an example, Paul simply put it in 1 Cor 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

And, in this intimate and private setting… we see the authentic love and care that Jesus had for people. A model we all should be imitating.

Peter’s mother-in-law was really sick… she had a fever.... which carries symptoms of cold sweats, headache, muscle aches, appetite loss, irritability, dehydration, and weakness. And, high fevers can lead to seizures, brain damage… even death.

And, Luke said she had a “high fever.”

So, the disciples did what any of us should do with our sick relatives… they asked Jesus to heal her…

And, Jesus did what He had the authority to do… He healed her.

His method of healing came through touching her on the hand… the last miracle was a verbal command for a demon to depart…

Jesus does not follow a formula… He is diverse in His ways.

And, as He touched her hand… the fever immediately left her. “And she served them.”

And, the point of this is that normally, the body would need time to recover… normally the body is weakened following a fever.

But her strength was restored… so much that she had the strength to get up and serve them... probably with a meal.

One scholar said, “Every sick person who is restored, whether in an ordinary or extraordinary way, should hasten to consecrate to the service of God the life that is given back…”

In other words, when Jesus has restored you… service unto the Lord should be our rapid response.

Rom 12:1 declares “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

For all that Jesus has done… and is doing… and will do for us… for ALL of eternity… it is reasonable for us to give all back to Him.

Reasonable service is also translated as “your spiritual service of worship.”

Paul says, present your bodies a living sacrifice…

In the OT, animals were presented as a sacrifice…

But, Paul is not suggesting to offer a dead animal, but a living body…meaning give all of you… give your body… by extension your life to God.

And, when a sacrifice was offered to God… especially a whole burnt offering… once given to God… it could not be reclaimed.

And, once we give our lives to God… there’s no turning back.

He urges the Romans to dedicate their lives to God… lives dedicated to service unto the Lord… to holiness… to being set apart from the world… to being consecrated…

This is reasonable. “… your reasonable service.”

Peter’s mother-in-law did well to immediately respond to serving Jesus upon Him giving her, her life back.

Have any of you been restored by the Lord? I have… I know a lot of you have.

Do any of you have the confidence that eternity in heaven awaits you because of faith in Jesus Christ?

What’s that worth to you? I hope everything… because our life is a vapor and our properties and retirement plans are not going with us into eternity.

In Matt 6:20-21, Jesus said, “… lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

We need to make sure we are living this out… that which you do for Jesus now with the right heart and motive behind it… those acts of service will store up treasures in heaven.

I’m not sure what all that looks like, but scripture speaks about crowns of righteousness… crowns of life… crowns of glory… crowns of rejoicing…

Scripture speaks about how good and faithful servants will be rulers over many things and enter into the joy of the Lord. (Matt 25; Luke 19).

Because of how valuable God’s promises are… salvation… glorification… are you giving back?

When Jesus touched your body… when His words restored your soul… did you get up and serve Him?

Peter’s mother-in-law did.

I was teaching… but, now I’m preaching a bit.

What did I say before? Both teaching and preaching are important.

And, I hope you take those words to heart because service to the Lord is as much for your life… as it is to God… and to all the lives you touch through your service.

In these final snapshots Mark shows Jesus healing the whole city… showing how Jesus’ power and authority could be graciously extended to all… even to lepers…

Mark 1:32-34 “At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 Then He healed many [Luke says He healed “every one of them”] who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons [“with a word” according to Matthew]; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

So now after a long day of ministry… calling His first disciples… teaching in the Synagogue… casting out a demon… healing Peter’s mother-in-law…

Now… Jesus kicks His feet up and turns on the TV… oh no wait that’s not what He does…

V32 states… it’s now evening… the sun had set… and now all the people of Capernaum… bring the sick and demon possessed to Jesus… there’s a crowd at the door.

The word was out about Jesus… after He healed the demon possessed man in the synagogue V37 states, “...the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.”

So, word is out… “Hey… there’s this Rabbi who cast out a demon… He has authority… it was amazing…”

So, they gathered outside the house bringing all their sick to Him… after the sun had set.

Why on earth did they have to wait until evening? Is this a lack of respect… or poor boundaries of not giving Jesus space to rest?

Not at all… this is pure excitement and the first opportunity the Jews of Capernaum had to bring their sick to Jesus without breaking the Mosaic Law.

How so? Great question… well if you look back at V31… what day was it? Sabbath… Saturday…

And, according to Exo 20:10 Jews were not to work on the Sabbath. So, they had to wait until evening.

And, what would you do? If a person had a legit gift to heal with all the authority of God upon command… wouldn’t you take your sick? Well they did.... and Jesus had compassion on them all.

And, demons were cast out… and Jesus had power over them in that He silenced them, because they knew Him.

Luke 4:41… a parallel passage reads, “And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.”

And, Jesus did this because the people were waiting for a political Messiah… they had the wrong concept of God’s timing…

They anticipated a Messiah who would defeat Rome and usher in the Kingdom of God.

But, Jesus came NOT to conquer Rome… Jesus’ 1st coming was NOT as the conquering King, but as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.

And, this was NOT the time for Jesus to yet declare Himself as Messiah… so He muzzles the demons.

Their proclamation was true… Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of God”… “even the demons believe- and tremble”… but their proclamation was premature… this was NOT God’s timing to reveal Jesus’ identity.

Especially NOT by a demon… what kind of forerunner would that be? The Pharisees would have loved to slander Jesus with that. “He comes being announced by demons!”

Continuing on… the next day…

Mark 1:35-39 “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” 39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.”

Early in the morning … “a long while before daylight” … Jesus gets alone with God and prayed.

It’s commonly said, ‘If Jesus needs to get alone with the Father and pray… how much more do we need to?’

And, I agree with this… but I think there is more…

When Jesus told His disciples, “Follow Me…” this was not only a suggestion of following Him where He went… even more to Follow How He lived.

And, we will repeatedly see Jesus taking time to get alone with God in prayer… especially during difficult times.

The other times we see Jesus get alone with God in Mark’s Gospel are in Mark 6 and Mark 14… both in times of crisis.

In Mark 6… after the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus departed alone to pray. John 6:15 unveils that the crisis was "...Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king…” They wanted a political Messiah.

In Mark 14, Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane praying to the Father just prior to the cross… the crisis there is obvious.

Here in Mark 1… the crisis is more subtle… this is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and it may simply seem like the people of Capernaum were excited about Jesus and wanted Him to stay… which is not surprising consider all the events of the previous day…

But, did it seems as though the people wanted to keep Jesus to themselves. Luke 4:42 records “the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them...”

Some scholars liken this to a crisis in that the people are responding superficially only wanting Jesus for what He could do for them.

However, Jesus was on mission… to go to many towns preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

So, He strengthens Himself and prepares Himself to leave this early following and continue in the mission of proclaiming the Good News.

Jesus did not come as a miracle worker who sometimes preached the Gospel.

He came to preach the Gospel, and sometimes He healed.

And, when He healed… there was purpose, as we see in these last six verses today, when he cleanses a leper.

Mark 1:40-45 “Now a leper came to Him [Luke 5 tells us he was “full of leprosy” indicating an advanced stage of leprosy.], imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.”

We close with a fascinating Messianic scene. This leper… so desperate for healing… risks his life to come to Jesus.

According to Lev 13… Lepers were to dwell alone… and outside the camp.

Leprosy led to a hopeless life of isolation… and embarrassment. Lepers upon coming in contact with people were commanded to cry out “Unclean! Unclean!”

And, this Leper coming to Jesus risked his life for Jews may have stoned him to death because of their fear of this plague.

Leprosy or Hansen’s disease is an infection to the skin caused by a slow-growing bacteria… effecting the nerves, skin, nose, eyes…

Still, about 200k new cases worldwide are diagnosed each year, but it’s curable today…

In the first century… leprosy was pretty much a death.

And so, this hopeless leper comes to Jesus… kneeling and begging Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Such a short, but beautiful cry to God… it’s honest and desperate… he kneels in reverence…

It recognizes Jesus had power and authority, and the leper had faith in His ability… “If you are willing, You can make me clean.”

And, he requests a specific personal need in a concise fashion.

He comes before the only One could heal the lepers… the Messiah.

And, Jesus was “moved with compassion” a beautiful phrase we see 5x in the Gospels.

This is the heart of God… loving and compassionate. Even when He doesn’t choose to heal… he is still this way.

But, in this moment there was purpose in the healing and, Jesus “… stretched out His hand and touched him...”

This was a big moment!

When was the last time anyone willingly and lovingly touched him? Can you imagine how emotional this was for him?

For the disciples and onlookers… I’m sure time stood still… eyes got wide… they were likely excited with anticipation of this very special miracle… and perhaps a little nervous or hesitant because no one touched lepers.

It was dangerous and you would be unclean.

But, Jesus didn’t get sick… nor was He unclean… instead when Jesus spoke the words “be cleansed” the leper was healed.... immediately.

And, after the miracle, Jesus forbade the man from publicizing the miracle, again to avoid a premature response to Him… He would be revealed in God’s perfect timing.

And, Jesus told the former leper to present himself to the priest so they could fulfill what Moses commanded in Lev 14 which spells out the ritual the priests were to follow when a leper was cleansed.

No doubt the priests would have to go back and re-read and study this passage because they had never cleansed a leper.

The Law only had a ritual… it did not have a cure. Only the Messiah could heal… and then they could perform the ceremony… which, in their lifetimes, they had never done before.

This miracle should have spoken volumes to them as to who Jesus was… Messiah.

V44 says this miracle would be “a testimony to them.”

We don’t know if the man obeyed going to the priest, because he certainly did not obey Jesus’ words not to tell anyone…

And, in his disobedience… he hindered the work of the Lord.

V45 states he proclaimed freely what Jesus did… and Jesus could not enter the city because too many people crowded Him…

So, He went to a deserted or uninhabited place where people still came to Him, but this was not the ideal situation.

And, let me close with this… the ideal is more likely to be realized when we obey God.

He has a plan… He has given us commands in His word.

Our plan… especially when in disobedience is never better than God’s plan… and it could hinder the work of the Lord.

Jesus said, “Follow Me...” and when we do… and align with Him… His will … His timing…

That’s when we truly and effectively become “fishers of men.”

Let’s Pray!

As you enter into this week ahead… remember Peter’s mother-in-law… how she served…

As Jesus restored her life… she served Him.

It’s our reasonable service… and I challenge you to serve… if you’re not serving already.

God bless your service to the Lord this week!