Mark # 7

Continuing our walk through Mark

Thank you guys, and thank you Kristi & Eloise for that wonderful music, but before we continue in our study of Mark, please:

“Join me in a word of prayer.”

The last time we were together in our walk through Mark, we talked about how and why Jesus mainly used parables to teach the people. We talked about the parable of the sower, the parable of the lamp, the parable of the growing seed, and the parable of the mustard seed. Tonight we’re going to pick up the account of Mark’s Gospel in Chapter 4:35 with Jesus calming the storm, and continue on to the end of chapter 5. Mark also talks about Jesus healing a demon possessed man, raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead, and healing a women who had been bleeding for 12 years. This is kind of a long reading so we will only read parts of it. But it’s something we can gain a lot of insight from.

Mark follows four parables about the kingdom of God Jesus taught with accounts of four miracles Jesus performed. The miracles are signs that the kingdom of God is near, revealing the power of Jesus as the Son of God. It would take a long time for the people to truly understand, but from the beginning, Jesus’ miracles always backed up His words.

Mark 4:35-41.

Most of the recorded miracles of Jesus were either healings or casting out demons. The miracle of calming the storm, however, is important because it establishes Jesus’ authority over nature just as His healings show His power over humanity. Jesus is the Lord over nature as much as He is the Lord over us.

Jesus had been teaching in a boat just off shore back in the first part of chapter 4. When He finished, He and the disciples decided to cross over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and leave the crowd behind.

The Sea of Galilee was—and still is—famous for sudden storms and squalls popping up . Surrounded by mountains, the waters really get rough when a strong wind bears down on the lake. A storm can blow up very quickly with little advance warning.

After a long day of teaching, Jesus is tired and fell asleep in the back of the boat on a cushion. He continues sleeping even as the storm rages, nearly swamping and sinking the boat. Jesus remaining sound sleep while this was going on, demonstrates two things:

First off: His humanity, He felt fatigue just like you and I would. Secondly: a confidence in God that allowed Him to rest as everyone else around Him in the boat was in a panic.

Finally the disciples wake Him up, filled with fear. Remember, that His group of disciples included several veteran fishermen, so this had to be a pretty big storm. The disciples question Jesus for not caring about them. Jesus responds by rebuking the storm. “Hush be still” He said and the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

The disciples should have been catching on by now that Jesus was doing things only God could do. God’s power to calm a storm is mentioned specifically in Psalm 107:29–30(“29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.”), so Jesus rightly questions the disciples on their lack of faith. Their “terrified” response reveals that they got a momentary glimpse into the real nature of Jesus. Their fear came from a sudden understanding that they had come face to face with divine power in their teacher. They knew Jesus was a great man with great power, yet they never imagined this kind of power could exist in any man.

They were astonished, but their faith remained weak. Mark will show his readers that the mystery of who Jesus is will continue to be an issue all the way up to His death and resurrection. It would take the resurrection of Jesus and the receiving of the Holy Spirit to get His disciples to see clearly that Jesus was God in the flesh.

5:1-20

After the storm is calmed, Jesus and the disciples continue sailing across the lake. No sooner do they get out of the boat on the other side when Jesus is confronted by a demon possessed man with an evil spirit. As recorded in chapter 5:1-20.

Ancient Greek manuscripts and quotations vary on the location of this passage, but most likely, Mark is referring to a known village on the eastern shore of the lake. The village has steep hills with cave like tombs about a mile south of town. But one thing is for sure: This event occurred in Gentile territory. Whether the man was Jew or gentile the text doesn’t tell us, but I personally think he was Jewish because of what Jesus stated in Matthew 15:24 (“24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”)

The people of the first century believed, that the caves where people were buried were dwelling places of demons. The description of the man in verses 3-5 emphasizes the demonic destruction of the man to the point of insanity and why the townspeople had treated him so brutally.

The demon within the man recognizes Jesus in verse 7 and is afraid of Him. In contrast to the disciples’ recent fear in the boat, that was based on them not knowing who Jesus was, the demon’s fear was a result of knowing with whom he was dealing with.

The demon gives his name as “Legion,” which was a term used to describe a Roman force of several thousand men. It is unclear whether the word in this case refers to a proper name, an arrogant boast, or an attempt to avoid providing an actual name. The usual interpretation is that many demons actually possessed this man.

The demon(s) realize Jesus is in complete control of what is going to happen. Rather than being cast out of the area, they beg Him to move them into a nearby herd of pigs. When Jesus grants them permission, the entire herd of 2,000 pigs runs directly off the cliff into the lake and drown. The man, now freed of all the demons, is finally at peace and most grateful. He begs to go with Jesus, indicating that he realizes Jesus is not only a miracle worker, but someone that needs to be followed.

Jesus denies his request but gives him a different mission—one that is assigned to every Christian. “Go and tell the people what I have done for you.”

The surrounding townspeople are not so happy, however. They have not only just lost a significant source of income from the herd of pigs, but they are afraid of Jesus. Because of their superstitions, they are terrified of anyone displaying so much power, so they beg Jesus to leave.

This account shows that, even as important as Jesus’ miracles are in Mark’s Gospel, they do not always serve to prove who Jesus is or to compel faith. The primary response in this case was fear. But the demon possessed man was widely known, and the personal testimony of his healing would have a dramatic effect in the area. As Mark shows us, not knowing who Jesus really is can create a response of fear. However, clear insight into who He is can as well. Which case do you think is true of most people you know today? Is the fear of God based on what they don’t know about Him, or on what they do know?

5:21-43

Mark has been presenting Jesus as the Son of God, and as the only way to salvation. He has just shown Jesus’ power over nature (4:35–41) and over demons (5:1–20). Now he continues by emphasizing Jesus’ power over sickness and even death.

Jesus and the apostles have come back across the Sea of Galilee after His healing of the demon-possessed man. He’s probably back in Capernaum, and certainly among another Jewish crowd that knows His reputation and is eager to be around Him.

One man who came with a specific request, was a synagogue ruler named Jairus, but his request was not for himself but for his daughter. He knew of Jesus’ reputation for laying hands on people to heal them, and his twelve-year-old daughter was near death.

A synagogue ruler was an important and highly respected person in the Jewish community. But in some cases, Jesus faced strong opposition from synagogue leaders as Luke 13:14 shows us. (“14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”)

But this synagogue leader shows surprising faith. What set Jairus apart from other leaders, and from the scribes and Pharisees in general, is that he believed Jesus could, and would, heal someone he loved. Jairus begs Jesus to come heal his daughter, and Jesus starts off with him. As usual, a large crowd presses in on Jesus as He walks.

One person in the crowd actually shouldn’t be there: a woman with a twelve-year bleeding disorder. Mark isn’t specific as to her problem, but it was probably uterine bleeding, which would have made her ceremonially unclean. She would have been an outcast for twelve years, with people not having any contact with her at all, and yet here she is among the crowd.

Her desperation is understandable. She’d been to several doctors and had only gotten worse. She had in mind to quietly walk up to Jesus, touch His clothes, and be healed. And as soon as she touched Him, that’s exactly what happened. Keep in mind that Mark has just shown how Jesus’ family rejected Him, His disciples didn’t fully understand who He was, and a lot of people were afraid of Him. Yet this unidentified, unclean, and very sick woman trusts Him completely.

The miracle is extraordinary because it takes place without conscious effort on Jesus’ part. As Jesus realizes that healing power has left His body, He asks who has touched Him (5:30). It must have seemed like a crazy question to the disciples and most of the crowd. Yet the woman knew what He meant and confesses, somewhat fearfully.

Jesus gently assures her. He offers her more than just physical healing. He gives her peace of mind and security that her faith was placed in the right person. She goes away healed, both physically and spiritually. Her faith saved her.

Just as the woman is leaving with a new joy and peace, some messengers from Jairus’ house are arriving to let him know it is too late, that his daughter has already died. They assume Jesus’ time would be better spent elsewhere. Jesus hears them, but ignores them. He tells Jairus to “just believe”.

Upon arrival at Jairus’ house, Jesus’ comment about the girl not being dead but asleep in verse 39 is met with laughter by the mourners. So He takes only the girl’s parents along with Peter, James, and John into the girl’s room with Him. This inner circle of disciples is singled out on other significant occasions as well.

Consider that Jesus could have made a public display of bringing the girl back to life, silencing and shaming His critics. But it is a private moment, an incredible miracle to be witnessed only by those with considerable faith. At Jesus’ command, the little girl, restored with life, immediately stands up and walks.

Jesus instructs the parents to feed the little girl and not to tell anyone what He has done. He wants no publicity. Yet this healing—the resurrection of the dead—represents a high point of Jesus’ ministry. Mark emphatically makes his point that Jesus is the Son of God, proven by His power over nature, evil spirits, disease, and even death.

Both of these miracles required an unwavering faith. Just like Abraham had when God told him he and Sarah were going to have a son in their old age. Is your faith distracted by the love of this world or the fear that God’s plan may not be the best plan for your life? What could you do to remove those distractions that hinder your faith? How strong is your faith in the saving work of Jesus at this point in your life? If there could be anything you could do to increase your faith in Christ would you do it? The answer to that question should be an overwhelming “YES”.

Lets pray together !

We’ll stop here tonight and as you all know Easter is less than 3 weeks away. My favorite holiday of the year. So next week we will be speeding up our study and working our way to the cross. The death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord.

But for now as Kristi and Eloise are getting us ready to sing our last hymn tonight, and as we’re asking ourselves that last question, is there anything we could do to increase our faith, and if you’ve never honored God before by asking His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come into your heart and be your personal Lord and savior, this would be the perfect time to do just that. God has made that so easy for us to do. The Bible says that anyone, and I do mean anyone, who calls on the name of the Lord WILL BE SAVED. It doesn’t matter what your past might look like. Remember the apostle Paul, before the Lord saved him on that road to Damascus, how he persecuted the church, and had the Lord’s people put in prison and even executed. And remember King David who commited adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah killed in battle. Those two “Great men of God” commited terrible sins, and the Lord forgave them, and even chose them to do great things for Him. The Lord doesn’t care about our past, He just cares about our future. And He wants everyone to spend that future with Him in eternity, in that place He calls heaven. Don’t wait another second. If you have any doubt at all about your eternal security, or what’s going to happen to you when you die physically, I beg you to get it settled right now. Don’t wait another second. Get it taken care of right this minute, right here,--- just quietly, with your eyes closed, heads bowed, and your heart’s toward God, just pray a little prayer like this..............Just pray......

Please, as we’re singing our last hymn, if you need to, just pray that little prayer I mentioned as we sing. And God will save you !!