3 Marks Mark 1:21-45

Inge Kraus doesn’t know who she really is; she only knows that people call her by that name. She was just four years old in April, 1945, when Russian troops attacked Konigsberg, the capital of what was then East Prussia. Inge remembers a strong man lifting her onto a wagon filled with people as Soviet artillery rained down upon the city she knew as home. She survived but was separated from her family and placed in an orphanage in Germany. Inge recently attended a gathering of war exiles from her city, tearfully hoping that someone might recognize her—but to no avail.

Today in the Word, November 8, 1997

Jesus’ earthly ministry is marked by authority, focus, and compassion

I. Jesus has Authority vv. 21-34

When we pick up Mark’s account, we see Jesus teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath day.

This shouldn’t be a total surprise to us; we will see that preaching is an integral part of His ministry

What is shocking is that His whole ministry is marked by an astounding authority

Jesus teaches with authority vv. 21-22

He is not like the other scribes, who refer to the precedents taught by previous rabbis

Instead, Jesus will say, “I tell you” and rely on His own authority to proclaim and understand the Word.

Jesus casts out demons with authority vv. 23-28

An interesting thing happens here, the demon recognizes Jesus, it identifies Him as the Holy One of God and it fears Him

Jesus silences the demon and casts it out; the demons cannot withstand His power

Jesus heals disease with authority vv. 29-34

Third, we see Jesus enter Simon Peter’s house and heal his mother-in-law

Jesus’s authority moves beyond the spiritual to the physical; both are at His command

We must recognize Him for who He is; when Jesus speaks, it is not an invitation, but a command

Amy Carter brought an assignment home one Friday night while her father was still President. Stumped by a question on the Industrial Revolution, Amy sought help from her mother. Rosalynn was also fogged by the question and, in turn, asked an aide to seek clarification from the Labor Department. A “rush” was placed on the request since the assignment was due Monday.

Thinking the question was a serious request from the Prez himself, a Labor Department official immediately cranked up the government computer and kept a full team of technicians and programmers working overtime all weekend … at a reported cost of several hundred thousand dollars. The massive computer printout was finally delivered by truck to the White House on Sunday afternoon and Amy showed up in class with the official answer the following day. But her history teacher was not impressed. When Any’s paper was returned, it was marked with a big red “C.”

II. Jesus has Focus vv. 35-39

Next, we see Jesus do two things that are central to His ministry: Prayer and Preaching

Jesus focuses in on prayer

How? He goes to a deserted place at an early hour and spends time alone with His Father

Why?

For the sake of relational connection with His Father

For the sake of His own dependency on the Father

John 5:19

[19] So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. (ESV)

For the sake of His example to us- He demonstrates how to live as one of God’s people

Jesus also focuses on proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom

This is “why He came”

Healings and exorcisms are important, but they are not ultimate

These temporal acts testify to a greater work that is His reason for coming, the reconciliation of God and Man and the restoration of God’s intended order

Our focus must not be different than His

This is personally true: we must not pursue the good physical life separate from the good spiritual life

This is corporately true: Works of mercy are important, but they are not ultimate

Matthew 6:31–34

[31] Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ [32] For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

[34] “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (ESV)

III. Jesus has Compassion vv. 40-45

Finally, we see Jesus demonstrate compassion to a leper

This is important, because it gives us a picture of His hear towards people

When the Lord comes to dwell among us, He greets us with mercy

This does not mean that He is ignorant of brokenness

Instead, we see Him reach right into it and touch the untouchable

In Christ, we see the place where the clean and the unclean meet; He comes away unstained and the leper is made whole

Jesus understands the time and asks for silence

It is good that the demons’ voices be silenced, because their voices are poison even when they speak truth

It is good that the disciples wait, because they do not yet understand the fullness of His mission, marked by sacrifice and suffering

It is good that the leper be silent, because too much fame will limit Jesus’s ability to move from place to place

Yet Jesus cannot be hidden

The new convert cannot hide his joy and people come to Him from everywhere

When Jesus is at work, two things happen:

The demons are silenced

The disciples rejoice

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Can You Hear the Good News?

Lloyd C. Douglas had a friend who was a violin teacher. Although not too successful, the old man was imbued with considerable wisdom. One day Douglas asked his friend, “Well, what’s the good news today?”

The music master went over to a tuning fork suspended from the ceiling by a cord and struck it with a mallet. “There is the good news for the day,” he said. “That, my friend, is ‘A.’ It was ‘A’ all day yesterday. It will be ‘A’ all day tomorrow, next week, and for a thousand years. The soprano upstairs warbles off key; the tenor next door flats his high ones; and the piano across the hall is out of tune. Noise all around me, noise; but that, my friend, is ‘A.’ ”