Banqueting Bad (Mark 2:13-17)

In 2013, The Mark restaurant in Bakersfield was host to a gathering of civic leaders. At one table sat an assemblywoman, a state senator, and Pauline Larwood and her husband. For years Pauline had been a governmental relations consultant and was appointed to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges by Governor Schwarzenegger.^[1]

Pauline didn’t usually eat steak, but that day she made an exception.^[2] Unfortunately, she choked on it. After multiple attempts at the Heimlich maneuver failed, Pauline passed out and was turning blue. Her life would’ve ended except for the fact that Dr. Royce Johnson, chief of infectious diseases at the Kern medical center was also at the Mark that day. He calmly borrowed a friend’s knife and a pen. He made an incision in Pauline’s throat, broke the pen in half and emptied the contents, then inserted it to serve as a breathing tube until the ambulance could arrive.^[3] By the next day, Pauline’s family reported that she was doing fine.

Pauline did a lot of things during her life. She was Kern County’s first female supervisor,^[4] honored as a distinguished citizen, involved in a variety of organizations and enterprises. But search her name and it is the saving of her life that always comes up first and foremost.

We have a similar situation tonight. We know stories about Peter or Paul, John-Mark or Judas. But when it comes to Levi, we don’t know much more than the day his life was saved. But, it’s a great story – when it happened, it was shocking and glows with the dazzling light of God’s grace.

Mark 2:13 – ¹³ Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them.

We’re in a section of Mark where he shows us 5 different stories of conflict between Jesus and mostly the Jewish religious leaders who did not like the things Jesus was saying and doing.

But here, after the interruption of the paralytic coming through the roof and the conversation with the scribes right after, we see Jesus back on mission. He’s out teaching and preaching the Good news that the Kingdom was at hand. It was time to repent and respond and join the King.

Now, Jesus had many followers by this point, but Mark has only introduced us to 4 by name: Peter, Andrew, James, and John – all fishermen. All had been called while on the shores of Galilee. Perhaps they thought they were headed out to pick up a few more fishermen – guys they knew, guys they worked with, guys like them. Instead…

Mark 2:14 – ¹⁴ Then, passing by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him.

Levi was not like them. One scholar writes, “For Jesus to call ordinary fishermen to be his disciples was extraordinary; but to call a tax-gatherer to follow him was nothing short of scandalous.”^[5]

The tax system at the time was complicated and changing during these decades.^[6] But, there were tax collectors who were directly farming funds for Rome, and there were also toll collectors who gathered taxes and customs charges on things like trade for the local Judean government.

Levi would have been a toll collector working for Herod Antipas.^[7] To the Jews around him, that would’ve been a little less terrible than being one of the direct Roman tax collectors, but toll guys like him were still hated. More than hated, they were excommunicated from synagogues.^[8] They were not allowed to be witnesses in legal proceedings. They were viewed morally on the same level as thieves and robbers. Some rabbinical writings taught that if a tax collector entered a house everything in that house became unclean.^[9]

Jesus inviting this man to be a part of His group would not only have been a surprise, it would have been extremely hard for the faithful Jews already in the group to accept.

Fish was a commodity that Peter, Andrew, James, and John would’ve had to pay tolls on.^[10] They were almost undoubtedly familiar with Levi and how he had turned his back on God, turned his back on his countryman and community for money and position and power.

His very name highlights his treason. Levi. Not just a name, but a tribe. Not just a tribe, but the tribe meant to serve God’s people – to bring their offerings to the Lord and to minister to them. Instead, he extracted treasure from God’s people to present to the phony king, Herod.

He could not have been more culturally or religiously different. Yet Jesus’ words to him were exactly the same as the fishermen received. “Follow Me.” He treated Levi just like the others. “Wait, wait, wait, what about all he has done? Doesn’t he have farther to catch up than the rest of us?”

No. Because the call was the same: “Turn away from your old life in faith and repentance and bind yourself to Me, your Messiah.” Actually, you can make the case that Levi’s step of faith required a greater human sacrifice than the fishermen’s had. You see, once you left your post at the tax booth, you couldn’t go back.^[11] Whereas, after the crucifixion, what does Peter say? “I’m going fishing.”

But Levi immediately got up and starting walking with Jesus. Luke tells us that he left everything behind.^[12] No matter who or where you are, the call to follow Jesus is the same. And the choice to turn and walk with Him is the same distance – a step. A choice to believe and to obey and to trust.

We know Levi more commonly as Matthew, the writer of the first Gospel. The first two Gospels clearly present Levi and Matthew as the same person. What’s interesting is that in Mark he is identified as the “son of Alphaeus” and in Matthew, the other James is also called the son of Alphaeus. Were they brothers? The Bible never specifically says so, but it’s possible. Or, maybe their dads just had the same name.

Mark 2:15 – ¹⁵ While he was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who were following him.

I love this: Jesus tells him, “Follow Me…to your house!” These guys left a lot behind, but being a disciple didn’t mean they had to immediately torch all their belongings. Jesus wanted Levi to be a disciple in his home, to follow Jesus among his friends and colleagues and peers. Now, that group would eventually change – Levi would become part of a new family and new partners in a new purpose. But whatever stage of faith he was in, he could “follow Jesus.”

The Lord wants you to live out your discipleship where you are. Now, “where you are” will change over time, but today you are part of certain situations, certain social groups, certain endeavors. Be a disciple in the midst of those things. There may be groups you have to separate from, but generally, the Lord asks you to follow Him back home and to school tomorrow and to the workplace. To be His light and representative through your life and relationships.

Levi threw a “grand banquet.”^[13] It was a celebration feast, full of people. Four different groups are referenced by Mark: Tax collectors, sinners, disciples, and others who also followed Jesus.

Sinners here would refer to either people who, because of their jobs, could not stay ritually pure or people who regularly, purposefully refused to obey the Law.^[14] They were people who Pharisees saw as truly inferior – outcasts from true religion.^[15]

Attending this dinner would have been a big ask for those people who wanted to follow Jesus but also cared about the Law of Moses. Their tradition taught them that being at this feast would make them impure – ritually unclean – separated from God. But Jesus was redefining spirituality for them. They could go to this banquet full of bad people. They could mingle with them for a purpose.

But the Lord was also making it clear that following Him would often lead to some difficult, even uncomfortable situations. But truth and grace and compassion and heaven’s mission should trump our comfort in life. You see, Levi and these other individuals were becoming disciples. That word is used for the first time here and will be seen another 57 times in Mark.^[16] A disciple is a devoted learner. It doesn’t mean you’re an expert or that you never make mistakes. It means you are  dedicated to learning the way of Jesus, the plan of Jesus, the methods of Jesus and following after Him in those things. Jesus’ plan is that His disciples become ministers the way He was a minister.^[17] Despite the social discomfort of breaking bread with these traitors, they would have to learn to allow love and compassion to cut through the cultural boundaries, the personal hangups, the easy arrangements and be about the business of rescuing the lost.

That is still the calling for Christians today. Now, we’re not scandalized if an IRS agent comes to church. But sometimes Christians are bothered when certain other people come to church. The characters on that list are different at different times and different places. But we must welcome anyone in to hear the good news of the Gospel.

Mark 2:16 – ¹⁶ When the scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

The Pharisees were horrified that Jesus accepted a man like Levi and entertained his friends.^[18] How could someone Who claimed to speak for God be at a dinner like this? The house was wrong, the food was wrong, the guest list was wrong.^[19] There is outrage in their question.

If these people wanted to start having a spiritual life, according to the Pharisee perspective, they needed to first right their wrongs, clean up their lives, and make themselves worthy. The problem is: for tax collectors, repentance was essentially impossible according to the teachings of the time.^[20] And so, there was no reason to preach to them, no reason to reach out to them. God did not care about them. Write them off and leave them to their fate with no mercy or compassion.

This is what a Pharisaical heart always does. It condemns everyone else and elevates self. I find it interesting that the name “Pharisee” refers to the “separated ones.”^[21] They thought they had separated themselves out from the impure. Meanwhile, God introduced Himself as Emmanuel. God with us. A God Who chose to identify with humanity so that He could gather us to Himself. A God Whose love does the cleansing for us, gathering His people together for His glory.

Mark 2:17 – ¹⁷ When Jesus heard this, he told them, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

There are Christians who use Jesus’ willingness to dine with tax collectors and sinners as license to involve themselves in all sorts of questionable gatherings and activities. “Don’t you know that Jesus spent His time with gluttons and wine-bibbers?” And so that excuses some of their own indulgences. But Jesus was not there that day to just hang with these people. He was there to heal them. Doctors don’t go to ebola camps for fun or to look cool. They go to try to save lives.

Jesus saw these people as sick, dying, and in terrible spiritual condition. Elsewhere in the Gospels He speaks very seriously about the spiritual health of tax collectors and their need for salvation.

He says here that He came to that dinner to call them. Call them to what? Luke tells us: To repentance.^[22] To turn from their old way of life and to follow after Him no longer as tax collectors but now as disciples. To be saved from that life and put on a new path.

Jesus was there not for the filet, but because He was on a rescue mission. In fact, later, when the Pharisees again question why He’s willing to interact with tax collectors, Jesus tells the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin and the Lost Son. These people were not only sick, they were lost. And His mission was a search and rescue mission – intervening for them before it was too late.

But the scribes couldn’t see it because they were self-righteous. That’s what Jesus meant here – not that they were actually righteous. There’s a hint of sarcasm and condemnation. They were merciless and blind. While they accurately diagnosed the wicked tax collectors, they didn’t recognize the Messiah right in front of them. They simply could not accept that God might love sinners.^[23] But He does. He loves them so much He was willing to come looking for them, to give Himself for them.

That day in 2013 when Pauline almost choked to death, there was another doctor on scene: Her husband, Tom. Now Tom was a great doctor, involved in medical missions and lots of other good work. But it’s an interesting illustration. The doctor at her side couldn’t save her. A stranger came along and knew just what to do.

Some commentators suggest that Levi was throwing a farewell party. Maybe. More than saying goodbye he was welcoming Jesus into His life. Welcoming Him to be the gravitational center of his life. The focus of his life. For Jesus to be the host of his life. It was Levi’s house, but Who was hosting this shin-dig? Who was the Master of the feast?

For Levi, the call to follow was the same as Peter had received, but the implications were different for each person. Disciples like Peter or Simon the Zealot would have to put away their resentment and hatred for people like Levi. Levi would have to take on a spirituality he had long walked away from. All would have to choose Jesus over self, over tradition, over culture and join together in a life of devotion and learning as Jesus healed them along the way.

The call to follow Christ is a summons. A demand to discipleship – to be a devoted learner, dedicated to walking with the Lord wherever He leads. And one of the places He always leads is to others so that they, too, can hear the Good News. And, as we see here following Christ is not just about being saved from guilt, spared from hell, but it also means we allow Him to define spirituality and culture and conduct for us, even when it’s challenging, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it means we will have to relate to people we wouldn’t normally relate to. But that’s what Christianity is about: The love of God, which is faithful and sacrificial and compassionate and true being shed abroad in our hearts, saving us from sin. Saved to serve. Saved to share the summons with all the other people God loves. Our families, our friends, our neighbors, and even those tax collectors we’d rather avoid. Learning as we go and loving as we go.

Raze The Roof (Mark 2:1-12)

What do you do when someone shows up claiming to be God? A fellow came here once and after we talked for awhile he let me know that he was both Elijah and Jesus Himself. I wasn’t too concerned – I was confident Jesus wouldn’t be actively smoking meth the way this guy was.

Recently, a church in Indiana was performing a baptism at one of their services and after being asked, “Have you played your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior,” the man in the water said, “I am Jesus Christ. I’m back, boys.” The stunned elder simply responded, “…What?” Then after a moment of thought very wisely said, “Well, we’re gonna pause right now and have a conversation with Jared a little bit more.”^[1]

There is a profound, stunned confusion at the end of our text tonight. In a dramatic scene packed full of supernatural power, Jesus demonstrates that He is not just a teacher, He’s not just a religious leader, in fact, He’s not just a man. At very least, He claims to be a spokesperson for God with the full authority of heaven, and at most, He claims to be God Himself. The crowd watching it all unfold are shocked. They don’t know what to think, but it’s clear that something supernatural is going on.

By the way – two little things I’d like us all to tuck away: First, you don’t have to worry about Jesus returning and us not realizing it. In Matthew 24, Jesus said lots of false messiahs will show up and claim to be Him, but when He really comes back, it will be like lightning flashing from east to west.^[2]

Second, be very careful when a pastor or a Bible teacher or a religious leader claims or suggests or implies that they are speaking “for” God – as if they have a direct line or connection that you do not have. Be careful. God’s Word speaks for God. God can speak through His messengers, but when someone presents themselves as authoritative on spiritual things, it is absolutely essential that we evaluate their message, their methods, and the fruit in their lives.

But here in Mark 2, Jesus makes a claim to authority that no one saw coming. As a result, they didn’t know what to do. Was Jesus a criminal worthy of death or was He…what was He?

We remember this story because of the inspiring story of the men who stop at nothing to help their paralyzed friend. It’s a great account. But this is not a story about healing. This is about Who Jesus is, how His work goes deeper than what we prioritize, and how our human understanding of the Messiah is often not quite right.

Mark 2:1 – When he entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that he was at home.

This may have been Peter’s home or Mary’s home. At the time, Capernaum was Jesus’ ministry headquarters. In chapter 1, He left to visit other towns throughout Galilee, but now He’s back in this little fishing village.

His willingness to return demonstrates His patience and His grace and His compassion. Capernaum was a place where people did not understand Him, did not believe His message, and, in some cases, would not obey Him. But Christ is a long-suffering Savior.

Mark 2:2 – ² So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and he was speaking the word to them.

Sometimes thousands of people surrounded Jesus. With that said, the population of Capernaum at the time was around 1,500 people.^[3] It wouldn’t take much to fill up the space of this house. The largest excavated homes in that area are like 18 feet wide.^[4] Still, there were a lot of people.

For once, Jesus was able to do what He wanted to do: Teach the Word. No long line of people needing healing, just a crowd hearing the preaching of the Gospel. The Lord must’ve been excited.

Mark 2:3-4 – ³ They came to him bringing a paralytic, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they were not able to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after digging through it, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

The digging through the roof is one of the most theatrical moments in all the Gospels. What must it have been like? How long did it take? Were people frightened or laughing or upset?

It was probably not as difficult to make this hole as we might imagine.^[5] The roofs had wood beams covered with thatch and compacted mud. Sometimes they had some tiles, but not always.^[6] “One authority states that the roof could easily be broken up…and easily repaired, and that it was often done for the purpose of letting down [things like] grain [or] straw. Writing in the mid-1800s, [he said]: ‘I have often seen it done, and done it myself to houses in Lebanon, but there is always more dust made than is agreeable.’”^[7]

On the other hand, we shouldn’t have a topical, palm frond covering in mind. The roofs of these houses weren’t just to cover. They did stuff up there. There would be an external staircase or ladder and the roof would be used for work or drying laundry, prayer, or even sleeping.^[8] In Acts chapter 10 we see Peter hanging out on a roof like this, praying.^[9]

They wouldn’t have needed to jackhammer, but that doesn’t mean this happened quickly. And there would have been a tremendous amount of dust and debris falling on the crowd below, including Jesus.^[10] This is not a high-ceilinged home.

For their part, the four friends show a wonderful, active love and compassion. It’s not easy to carry this kind of dead weight across town, let alone up a staircase or maybe a ladder! Then to keep pushing past obstacles, even the physical impediment of a roof. These guys are great examples of love in action. When Paul tells us to “carry one another’s burdens” in Galatians 6, we would do well to consider this illustration of a faith that can be seen.

Mark 2:5 – ⁵ Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Let’s imagine the strangeness and the realness of this scene. The house is absolutely full – standing room only. For a significant amount of time, some dudes have been digging through the roof. Undoubtedly people had shouted things at them. Finally, this frail body is awkwardly lowered down. I’m guessing there was a close call or two where they almost dropped the guy.

Jesus finally gets to teach the people of Capernaum but He’s interrupted yet again. He’s got dust and mud chunks in His hair and beard. Everything is bedlam. But in that moment, the Lord is not annoyed, He doesn’t rebuke anyone or storm off saying, “I can’t work like this.” Instead He fixes His attention on this helpless man and uses a term of endearment, calling him “Son.”^[11]

And then He says something amazing: Your sins are forgiven! They’re dismissed. Gone away. Left behind.^[12] Immediately and freely. This forgiveness required no sacrifice or ritual. He didn’t have to wait for the Day of Atonement. He didn’t have to bring a lamb. He had been pardoned.

That’s the difference Jesus makes. He pardons our sin. Pardons are in the news a lot these days. People get very upset and say, “That person is guilty, they shouldn’t be let off the hook.” But that’s what a pardon is! We are guilty. Guilty of a lifetime of sin against our Holy Creator. And He offers us a full pardon, not based on what we do, but based on what He has done, by His love and grace.

To the people in the audience, free forgiveness was totally outside how they understood a relationship with God.^[13] Jesus’ statement would’ve been absolutely shocking.

But of course, the paralytic and his friends didn’t bring him that day with the goal of having his sins forgiven. They came to have his body healed. But the Messiah, Who loves best knew that forgiveness was the most important issue. That was what this man needed. Of course, Jesus never turned away someone who asked for healing in the Gospels. He knew He was going to also physically heal this man, but He wanted to take this opportunity to teach the people and some special guests in the audience and us about what is more important.

Mark 2:6-7 – ⁶ But some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts: ⁷ “Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

The story changes focus to this group of scribes. Actually, Luke lets us know that this was not only a group of Pharisees and scribes, but that they had come from “every village of Galilee and Judea, and also from Jerusalem” to scrutinize this Jesus people were talking about.^[14]

Already they are in sharp contrast to the faith-filled friends of the paralytic. They are shown sitting. Not only are they not helping others get to Jesus, they’re taking up extra space in this standing-room only meeting. They refused to make way for those in need. And rather than faith or humility, their hearts are full of criticism and dismissal at the words of Jesus.

This story is the first of five in a row that involve conflict between Jesus and the Jews. More and more they did not like what He said or did and their opposition against Him became more formal and more sinister.

Blasphemy was a capital offense in Judaism. So, why didn’t they pick up stones in this scene? They were totally confused about what was happening. Some linguists think they were asking themselves, “Wait, is He blaspheming?”^[15] You see, blasphemy laws were very specific. And Jesus hadn’t used the Divine Name. He was somewhat vague in what He said. At very least He was claiming to speak for God or to know what God had and hadn’t done. And that was very close to the line, if not over it in their minds.

Because, they were right: Only God can forgive sin. You can’t buy it, you can’t merit it, you can’t borrow it or steal it. Only God Himself can pardon you for your sin. At the time, the Jews did not believe even the Messiah could forgive sins.^[16]

Mark 2:8 – ⁸ Right away Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

Jesus is omniscient. He knows everything. He knew everything about the physical malady of the crippled man and knew everything about his past and knew everything going on in the hearts of the scribes. He knows everything going on in your heart and life, too.

Often the Lord will ask people questions like this. It’s not because He doesn’t know. He asks for our benefit. He asks so that, perhaps, we will realize we’ve been missing something.

Where are you, Adam and Eve? Sarah, why did you laugh? What are you doing here, Elijah? Where were you when I established the earth, Job? Hagar, where have you come from and where are you going? Do you have any right to be angry, Jonah? Why are you crying, Mary? Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? These are questions meant to lead people to deep truth and restoration.

Why were they thinking these things in their hearts? Because their hearts were closed to the idea of a Suffering Savior Who forgives freely out of His mercy and grace.

Mark 2:9 – ⁹ Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’?

It’s easier to say “your sins are forgiven,” because there’s no way to prove or disprove whether it happened. If you say to a paralytic, “Get up and walk,” your legitimacy is immediately audited.

Mark 2:10-11 – ¹⁰ But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he told the paralytic—¹¹ “I tell you: get up, take your mat, and go home.”

Normally Jesus was very upset when people said, “Show us a sign to prove why we should believe you.” No one asked for a sign here, but Jesus says “I’m gonna give you one.” He was proving He was the real deal. He wasn’t unsure about His mission or Who He was. He has made it abundantly clear that He is the Christ.

But He doesn’t use the title “Christ,” or “Anointed One” in this scene. He uses a different name: Son of Man. This was Jesus’ favorite self-designation in the Gospels.^[17] It’s used 14 times in Mark.

This title comes from Daniel, chapter 7. There we read:

Daniel 7:13-14 – ¹³ I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. ¹⁴ He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

This title was not one the Jews commonly used for the Messiah. They would more often use titles like, “Son of David,” which were culturally wrapped up in a nationalistic or militaristic context.^[18] But Jesus did not let culture define Who He is or what He does. He doesn’t conform to our ideas.

This title should make a listener go back and say, “What does that name mean?” Well, He is the One Who comes with clouds – that’s God. He is the One Who will rule and reign forever – that’s the Messiah. He is Human and Divine. Not only is He allowed to speak for God, He is God, and He is in charge, with all authority, all dominion, all glory, and all power.

Mark 2:12 – ¹² Immediately he got up, took the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded and gave glory to God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Luke tells us the man not only got up and left, but he went out glorifying God.^[19] Jesus, still will dust in His hair, probably got to work fixing the roof. Do you think He told the other guys, “Hey, fix that?”

The people didn’t know what to think. Mark uses a very strong verb – that people were beside themselves.^[20] They didn’t know what to think about Jesus, even after what He just said and did!

So, Who is He? He’s the King of kings. He’s the Savior. He’s the Lord of all, including our lives. He’s the GodMan Who has commanded us just as He commanded this previously crippled man.

So, what has the Lord commanded you to do? Notice, that no matter what Jesus asks of us, we can do – even the impossible things. Jesus told the paralytic to do something that was impossible. But God enables us to do anything He commands us to do. Anything. And as we obey Him and walk in His new life, we get to go wherever He sends us glorifying God and enjoying the new creation He’s made us to be. Living out a living faith in front of everyone.

Your Will Is My Command (Mark 1:39-45)

In 1904, Russia was at war with Japan. That October, Russia’s Baltic Fleet set sail for the far east. The warships didn’t even make it out of European waters before making a terrible mistake. In the distance, they sighted what they thought were Japanese torpedo boats. They were, in fact, simply British fishermen who had no way to escape an attack or defend themselves.

The Russians ignored proper naval identification procedures and opened fire. Then, in the confusion and chaos, they also started firing on themselves. The only thing that kept this from becoming a major bloodbath was that the Russian sailers were so inept, they could barely hit a target. One of the battleships fired more than 500 shells without hitting anything.

In the end, three British sailors were killed, six others wounded, and on the Russian side, one sailor and a chaplain were killed, with damage to multiple ships.^[1]

This terrible error led to the weakening of the Baltic Fleet and the delay of their mission. It also very nearly sparked a separate war with England. All because, in their haste, they would not follow the procedure they had been given. In the moment, they were convinced they knew what to do.

Many of us aren’t that worried about “instructions,” are we? I can assemble that bookcase. I can get this piece of tech up and running. I can find my way from here to there. How hard can it be?

When we bring that self-reliant, I-can-do-it-my-own-way attitude into our walk with the Lord, we are most definitely going to cause problems for ourselves and for others and for the work of God.

That’s exactly what we see in tonight’s text. Here we’re witness to an amazing miracle – the healing of a leper. Our hearts are stirred by his boldness and his faith. We are captivated by the powerful, personal compassion of Jesus. But then, as the story ends, we are shocked at the disobedience, not only because of how brazen it is, but at how detrimental it is to Jesus’ work and purposes.

Mark 1:39 – ³⁹ He went into all of Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

In the very last verse, Jesus specifically said that this is why He had come – to preach the Good News of salvation not just in one place, but all over the region. His primary goal was not to heal people physically. He did a lot of that, but that wasn’t why He came. His aim was to set people free with the truth of His word and to prepare them for the future Kingdom, which was at hand.

Mark 1:40 – ⁴⁰ Then a man with leprosy came to him and, on his knees, begged him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

When we read about leprosy in the Bible, we think immediately of what we call Hansen’s disease today, but it refers to a variety of skin diseases. At the time, leprosy was one of the most dreaded afflictions.^[2] It was essentially incurable. And not only was this a terrible physical plague, most of you also know that it was just as lethal to the social and religious aspects of a Jewish life.

A leper could not worship in the temple. They could not live among the “clean” members of society. They would be outcast, isolated, desperate, living out a prolonged and agonizing death.

As word of Jesus spread, this leper heard whispers and tales of what this Nazarene might be able to do. To him it was more than gossip, it was hope. Certainly this Man Who commanded demons and drove out fevers and healed all manner of sicknesses and sufferings could also help a leper.

We should be inspired by his faith here in verse 40. It is brave. It is humble. It is sincere. It is bold. He broke with convention and came to find Jesus. Lepers like this weren’t supposed to mix with healthy people. Rather, they were to go about wearing torn clothes and letting their hair hang loose as they shouted out, “Unclean! Unclean!” to people passing by.^[3]

But he found Jesus and dropped to his knees. He believed Jesus could heal him. The question was whether Jesus would or not. That’s not a question of ability, it’s one of empathy. One commentary put it this way: “It is sometimes easier to believe in God’s power than in His mercy.”^[4]

We still struggle with this question. We know God is merciful, but sometimes doubt creeps in. Does God actually care enough about me to help? Is He concerned with my life?^[5] Do I matter to Him?

You do matter. You are one of His beloved. You are a special, chosen object of His unending, unyielding, hands-on love. His eyes are on you. His affection is toward you. You are not abandoned.

The leper asked the Lord to make him clean. It didn’t just mean fix his skin problem. In this case, it meant to make him physically clean, ceremonially clean, and socially clean. A comprehensive purification that would impact every aspect of his life. Not just a treatment, but total transformation.

That is what God wants to do for us, by the way. Not just fix one problem or two in our lives – not just solve the heaven/hell problem – but to transform our entire existence for this life and the next.

Mark 1:41 – ⁴¹ Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched him. “I am willing,” he told him. “Be made clean.”

The question was, “Are You willing?” And Jesus’ answer was, “Yes, I am willing.” To us, what we’re “willing” to do is usually something we’d rather not do, but we compromise and go ahead. But that is not what Jesus was saying. The word He used is defined in Bible dictionaries as something someone desires, something they take pleasure in, their will for a situation.^[6]

Christ wanted to heal him. It was His Divine will that it happen. That willingness flowed from Christ’s compassion – a powerful outworking of His lovingkindness. Now, if you’re reading the NIV, your text probably says that Christ was “indignant” in this moment. There are a few manuscripts that use that term and linguists spend a lot of ink arguing over it, but the vast majority of copies speak of Christ’s compassion.^[7] And even if Christ felt righteous anger at the effects of sin in this situation, clearly His compassion is still on display as He reaches out to touch this diseased, repulsive specimen.

Notice the personal nature of Christ’s willingness in this situation. He was “moved with compassion” not to delegate, not to grandstand, not to paper over the problem, but to reach out Himself – to do the unthinkable: Touch a leper! This was an absolutely unheard of act of sympathy and grace.^[8]

Did touching a leper make Jesus unclean? Nothing can defile the Messiah. He takes our sin and bears it away. We do not defile Him, He delivers us.

Mark 1:42 – ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

All the way. His body was healed. His future restored. Now he had hope. He could go back to family and friends. He could return to the family of faith, bringing offerings to the Lord in His house.

Bible teachers are quick to point out that leprosy is a good illustration of sin in the Bible. Sin defiles us, slowly destroys us, isolates us, separates us from fellowship with God and others. It numbs us and shames us, but we’re powerless to overcome it. God must intervene and He has. Just as Christ cleansed this man from his leprosy, He cleanses Christians from their sin.

Titus 2:14 – ¹⁴ He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.

We are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb – redeemed from an empty and hopeless way of life to enjoy grace and power and the presence of God day by day so that we can serve Him.

If you’re a Christian here tonight, your cleansing was accomplished by Jesus, but now you participate in the ongoing cleansing of sanctification. The Lord continues to do His work in us – He continues to wash us and purify us and make us whole. We participate by submitting to the washing of the word. 1 John tell us we participate in the cleansing process as we confess our sin. Paul explains in 2 Corinthians that we cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and the spirit in the fear of God.^[9] The cleansing continues as God’s work in us continues.

Mark’s wording suggests that the people watching this healing could actually see his symptoms vanish.^[10] Hopefully we can look at our lives and see the symptoms of sin dropping away from us, as well. Maybe not as dramatically or immediately as this man experienced, but growing in holiness, growing in Godliness, becoming more and more Christlike is the work Jesus wills to do in us.

But what else did Christ will?

Mark 1:43-44 – ⁴³ Then he sternly warned him and sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

This was a very clear directive. Jesus gave him a four-part assignment: Say nothing to anyone, go, show, offer the prescribed sacrifices for this very situation.

Why? Because this had maybe never happened in all the centuries of Israel’s history! Perhaps this happened in Miriam’s case, but it’s not very clear. What an opportunity! What a unique chance.

Jesus asked this man to do this so that he could be a living testimony for the priests. He wanted him to be a martyrion to them – proof that God was doing a new thing, that the Messiah was here.

Jesus also wanted to demonstrate that He was not against the Law. When interpretations and regulations concerning the Law conflicted with the Law of Love, Christ always sided with love. But He was not anti-Law. Here He said, “You’re healed, but you need to go do the ceremonial stuff in order to be fully restored to Jewish life and worship.”

And the Lord was really serious about it. That word, “sternly” is a term that refers to the snorting of a horse.^[11] Part of why He was so serious was because He did not want to bring the pandemonium of endless crowds if they heard Jesus was there to do miracles. Miracles were not what He wanted people to focus on. But, let’s be real: Would you rather hear a sermon or be able to have your diseased family member healed? Our desires and the Lord’s desires often don’t run parallel.

Mark 1:45 – ⁴⁵ Yet he went out and began to proclaim it widely and to spread the news, with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But he was out in deserted places, and they came to him from everywhere.

The man did the opposite of everything Jesus commanded him. He didn’t go to the priest, he didn’t bring his offering, he didn’t keep his mouth shut. No, he decided that instead of being a martyr, he was going to be a preacher. He went out proclaiming, which is the same word used of what Jesus had been doing at the start of this passage. But he had his own message and his own method and his own priorities that mattered to him.

We sense that he thought he was really helping out Jesus – that he was this great missionary, spreading what people needed to hear. One source says he was going out, “blazing abroad” with his message.^[12] But what was the result? What did his choice to go his own way lead to?

At the beginning of the passage, we see Jesus going in to the towns of Galilee to proclaim eternal life them. Now, after this man does his thing, Jesus is seen being driven out of the towns, pushed out into deserted places. The opposite of what Jesus wanted.

It’s so astonishing that a few verses ago the man was so concerned with what Jesus’ will was. “If it’s Your will.” And now, he had no concern at all about the will of Jesus. The Lord specifically and directly revealed His will to this man, and off he went to do what he thought was best.

This isn’t a problem unique to this man. We read of Moses and how he struck the rock. Hezekiah thought it would be a great idea to show the Babylonian envoys all his treasures. But what was the Lord’s will in those situations?

We suffer from this same affliction. We recognize that we’re helpless without God’s intervention in our lives. But so often we’re then tempted to go our own way. After all, who could know better about how I should do things than me? Well, ask the seven churches Jesus wrote to in the Revelation. How many of them had wandered off onto some path of their own design, just like this healed leper. And when we do that, it does not honor the Lord, it does not benefit us or others. In fact, it clearly delays the progress of God’s will in our lives and our communities! Jesus would say it plainly to Peter: “You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”^[13] And when we do that we are not helping God, we’re helping the Devil!

But even in this moment of failure, look at the shining grace of Jesus. He, of course, knew that the leper would disobey. It was no surprise to the Lord. He knew that this act of supernatural compassion would result in His having to go out to the deserted places – to be delayed in the mission He was so focused on. And yet Jesus healed the man anyway.

The aftermath was an stunning irony: A leper was doomed to slowly die out in deserted places, apart from friends and family, apart from fellowship with the Lord. But the Lord took that on Himself so this man could be made whole.^[14] Jesus took this exile on Himself willingly. Just as He was willing to bear your sins and my sins as He carried the cross to Calvary. To be tortured and killed so that we could live. He was willing. Because of His compassion. Because of His grace. Because of the love that He has for us. He was willing. And despite our failure, He still has a love and gracious will for us.

So what is God’s will for your life? We don’t want to be off on some trail that hinders God’s work in and through us. His will is what matters. Not what I want or what I think is best but His will. Do you know what God’s will is for your life generally? What about specifically? In each example of Scripture, we don’t see God saying to Christians, “Just do whatever and I’ll catch up with you later.” We see that He has specific plans, specific callings, a life of faith tailored for you. Our job as Christians is not to do what we think is best, not to be self-reliant, but to be Spirit-reliant. Transformed by the cleansing power of God so that we can discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

For One Night Only (Mark 1:29-38)

What’s the longest shift you ever worked? Whatever it was, I’ll be Ludwig Van Isterdael has you beat. In 2023, the Flemish bartender served customers for 120 hours straight through, with little breaks here and there, and set a world record for longest shift tending bar.^[1]

Mark is showing us a day-in-the-life of Jesus and His disciples. It’s a sabbath Saturday. Tonight we’ll see Jesus on a marathon tending and serving shift, as He spends the evening in Capernaum healing many sick and suffering people, before take a quick prayer break, then heading out the next morning to preach the Good News in other towns.

The people who saw these events did not truly understand who Jesus was and what the point of His wonders were. They focused entirely on the miracles, while failing to consider His message.

Mark 1:29 – ²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue, they went into Simon and Andrew’s house with James and John.

The Jewish sabbath started sundown Friday and ended at sundown Saturday. This is still Saturday before sundown, and so the legal and traditional rules about not working and the exact way you must conduct yourself would still be in effect.

Jesus became a local celebrity overnight. His fame was spreading everywhere. When your friend meets a celebrity, usually one of the first questions you ask them is, “What are they like in real life?” Mark wants us to see that Jesus is the same in the synagogue and in the fisherman’s home. Full of grace and truth and power. He was never putting on an act, never inflating Himself or posturing.

The Gospels show Jesus in many different situations. And they always reveal that our Lord is always the same no matter where He goes. We see Him in synagogues and in the temple, in gardens and in deserts, on hilltops and in ships at sea, in humble homes and Roman Praetoriums. He is always the same, always consistent. Always good, always true, always righteous.

But the Gospels also reveal that Jesus has authority and jurisdiction in every one of those places. Not just the sea and the mountains, but also the temples, the palaces, and your home and heart.

Mark 1:30 – ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.

Fevers are not usually a big deal to us – though if you’ve ever had a really high fever, things get scary real quick. But Peter’s mother-in-law was in trouble.

The Gospel writers use phrases like, “[she was] laying prostrate, burning with fever.”^[2] That she had been sick for some time.^[3] In his book, Dr. Luke used a technical, medical phrase of the time, saying “she was holden with a great fever.”^[4]

Not only was she in medical trouble, there could’ve been some societal trouble as well. At the time, fevers were often associated with God’s judgment for disobedience,^[5] or with demonic activity. In fact, some rabbis taught that you could catch a fever from pagan dancing in the moonlight.^[6]

The disciples do something great here: They told Jesus about Peter’s mother-in-law right away. Their swiftness is contrasted with how the rest of the townspeople delay until the sabbath is over to bring their suffering friends and family to the Lord. But Peter and the others did not hesitate, did not delay, did not think Jesus shouldn’t be bothered. They told Him about her at once. They believed Jesus cared and that He had power and that He wasn’t only concerned with battling supernatural entities, but also in bringing hope and help to regular people in regular life.

A biographical note here: Peter was married. Here we see his mother-in-law. Paul also references Peter’s wife and indicates that she traveled with him from place to place in his work as an apostle.^[7] Church history records that Peter’s wife was martyred while he was forced to watch and that as she faced death he called out with comfort and encouragement for her to “Remember the Lord.”^[8]

Mark 1:31 – ³¹ So he went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.

There are several sabbath traditions being broken here. I say traditions because it’s important that we understand that Jesus never broke God’s Law. He was often accused of breaking the Law by the Pharisees, but Jesus absolutely fulfilled the Law.^[9] What He didn’t do is abide by the man-made traditions that the leaders of Israel had added on to the Law. He refuted the human interpretation of God’s Law. And He tried to show the people just how badly they were interpreting it.

This still happens today in our own legal system. We see a judge or a circuit court make a ruling about what must be done and how the law should be followed, and then the higher court or judge takes up the case and says, “No, no, you’ve misinterpreted that law and your ruling is reversed.”

Jesus didn’t break God’s law concerning the sabbath. But the people around Him at the time often couldn’t tell the difference between God’s commands and man’s traditions. In this scene there are several traditions being violated.

First of all, they would say Jesus should not be touching a sick person. Second, the fact that He touched a female who was not a relative would be offensive to Pharisee types.^[10] But then, after being healed, Peter’s mother-in-law gets up and prepares the sabbath meal! It seems that she had been unable to prep the food Friday afternoon. Isn’t that a big no-no? Well, remember – as Jesus points out in Matthew 12 – the priests work in the temple on the sabbath and are deemed innocent, because they are serving God. And Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath. Like David and his men who were hungry and received the showbread, Jesus and His disciples receive a meal from a grateful and sanctified servant in the form of Peter’s mother-in-law.

We are saved to serve. It’s not the only reason, but it is a reason. Of course, there is an endless list of ways that we could serve the Lord whether it’s now or later, near or far. So which things does He want us to do? Well, that’s what walking with God is about. As you walk with Him you discover where He wants you to go, what He wants you to do, how He wants you to be His hands and feet.

But using this example, an important way we serve the Lord is by identifying the needs in front of us. God brings us into relationship with certain people, into a specific time and place, so we can help one another and love one another and bear one another’s burdens. So each Christian should be sensitive to needs right in front of them. God has positioned you where you are for a reason.

Mark 1:32 – ³² When evening came, after the sun had set, they brought to him all those who were sick and demon-possessed.

Maybe they thought Jesus wouldn’t help them before the sabbath ended.^[11] Maybe they were afraid for their own standing in the eyes of the religious rulers.^[12] Either way, this huge pool of suffering people had to suffer a little longer even though Jesus was ready to give tender mercy.

Mark 1:33-34 – ³³ The whole town was assembled at the door, ³⁴ and he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

This is a long night seeing a large number of people. The whole town came out. When it says in verse 34 that He healed “many,” it doesn’t mean there were some He couldn’t heal – the term means all those brought to Him were healed.^[13]

These people knew where Jesus could be found, they knew what He was able to work miracles, and yet there is no discussion at all about them listening to Him or believing in Him as disciples.

They wanted physical help. It’s great that they brought sick loved ones, but there are no questions about eternal life, about what they must do to be saved, about how they might follow Him.

And it’s not speculation on our part. Jesus would later call out Capernaum by name as one of the most unresponsive towns He had been in when it came to faith and belief.

Matthew 11:23 – ²³ ”And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today.

Matthew also explains that Jesus’ miracles in Capernaum directly proved He was the One Isaiah prophesied about. And it wasn’t that the people couldn’t believe, it’s that their hearts were hard. In fact, it was in Capernaum that a centurion has faith that astonished Jesus and caused Him to remark that He hadn’t found that kind of faith in anyone in the whole nation of Israel.^[14]

Mark 1:35 – ³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying.

This is the third time we find Jesus out in the wilderness. At His baptism, at His confrontation with the Devil, now here in prayer. It speaks to us of His fearlessness and His sufficiency and His authority everywhere. In context, we see He didn’t want or need the praise of men. He wasn’t looking for the biggest crowd. He was nourished by intimacy and communion with His Father.

Jesus had a lot of discipline and focus. It seems silly to say that, but think about it: There are no alarm clocks, no GPS maps or Yelp reviews for best praying rock in the desert. But He purposed to spend time praying here in the last watch of the night – sometime between 3am and 6am.^[15]

Our Lord spent a lot of time praying. Mark references Jesus taking time to pray at the beginning, the middle, and the end of His ministry. Mark always shows Him praying at critical moments.

We need to pray. Don’t worry about the “best” method of prayer, just start praying. Use the guidance provided in the Word of God and get to it. Begin praying and learn as you go.

Mark 1:36-37 – ³⁶ Simon and his companions searched for him, ³⁷ and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

Notice how these verses are from Peter’s perspective – “Simon and his companions searched for Him.” Scholars and church history agree that Mark’s Gospel was compiled from Peter’s testimony.

The disciples tell Jesus, “Everyone is looking for You.” And they did more than just look for Him. Luke says they actually tried to stop Him from leaving.^[16] The question is: For what reason? Why did they want Jesus around? It wasn’t so they could hear heaven’s truth, it was to receive physical benefits. In fact, linguists explain that this term “looking for” is usually used with hostile intent.^[17] They were hunting for Him – hunting, not following. They had demands for Him, not devotion.

The people of Capernaum had their own ideas, their own priorities, their own designs of what the Lord should do for them. He could just hang out in the area and they would come when they needed something. He would fix the skin disease, the deafness, the physical problem they wanted resolved. Meanwhile, they had no concern for the healing of their hearts. They didn’t do what Peter’s mother-in-law did after her healing, which was begin to serve the Lord in response.

Mark 1:38 – ³⁸ And he said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come.”

This is a very important moment. Why did Jesus come? Did He come to fix ruined bodies? He did a lot of that, but He came to preach the Gospel and to give His life as a ransom so that our souls could be saved. He came to restore all creation under His perfect Kingdom.

The miracles He performed were not the point of His coming. They were meant to prove He was telling the truth – that He was, in fact, the Messiah. But the message of salvation was His primary focus. In fact, as one Bible scholar points out, we do not see Jesus going out of His way to find someone to heal, but He regularly goes out of His way to preach the Good News.^[18]

And the number of miracles He performed weren’t that important to Him. Rather, He was looking for faith, for belief, for obedience to His word. He was not working so that everyone could be physically healed. He worked so that people everywhere could hear the message of salvation, which He would accomplish not by healings and exorcisms, but by His death on the cross.

The people of Capernaum thought, “Jesus is a miracle worker.” But they were wrong. He is the Messiah. And that misunderstanding led to the greatest failure of their spiritual lives. But they were content to say to Jesus, “Do for me,” and go no further. They did not consider Who Jesus is.

For our part, we are reminded that we want Jesus to work in our lives – to help us and deliver us and bless us – but we must also realize Who He is and what He has said. And we must cultivate a desire to hear what He has to say to us. The Lord wants to work in our lives, absolutely, but God has things He wants to say to you and me today and tomorrow and the next day. Eternal truths He wants us to apprehend so that we can spread the message of salvation to a lost and dying world.

Jesus invited Peter and Andrew and James and John to go with Him to spread the word. “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages.” You and I are invited, too. To be a part of the ongoing preaching of the Good News. Preaching with power, yes, but the Word of God going out to us and through us. Because the Gospel is the power of God for salvation. That’s why He came and that’s why He sends us.

Any Given Saturday (Mark 1:21-28)

Sometimes celebrities go viral after sharing their daily routines. Mark Wahlberg got a lot of attention a few years ago after sharing his typical daily schedule, which he claims starts at 2:30am with prayer, breakfast and then “Workout A” from 3:40am to 5:30am.

Orlando Bloom also went viral after sharing his typical daily schedule. Sadly, no one was impressed. In fact, many of his fans thought he must have been joking. He said things like he “earns” breakfast in the morning by going on a hike and listening to Stone Temple Pilots.^[1] That mixed with the “brain octane oil” he eats must make for quite a day.

In our last study, Jesus defeated the Devil after withstanding 40 days of temptation. For anyone else, that title fight would’ve been followed by a well-deserved off-season. Mark shows Jesus going immediately to the seaside to seek out disciples and then straight into ministry in Galilee.

What follows are some very memorable stories of Jesus teaching and healing and interacting. But scholars believe that what Mark wants to do here is show a day-in-the-life of Jesus’ ministry.^[2] This is one particular Sabbath, but these are things things He filled all His days with.

As we watch, there are a lot of fantastic feats, colorful characters, interesting incidents, but Mark wants us to see Jesus. In this first scene, Mark references Jesus 12 times in 8 verses. There are scribes and disciples and a congregation and a demon, amazement, antagonism, and activity, but our eyes should be fixed on Jesus. Who He is, what He says, how He acts, where He leads.

Mark 1:21 – ²¹ They went into Capernaum, and right away he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach.

Synagogues were gathering places for Jewish believers, Gentiles who had converted to Judaism, and people called “God-fearers,” which were Gentiles who were interested in the God of Israel but had not officially converted. They didn’t offer sacrifices there – that was only done in the temple in Jerusalem. Instead, according to what we know, their services weren’t that different than ours.

They prayed, read the Scripture, heard a sermon which exposited the text, and gave benedictions.^[3] Traveling teachers or rabbis would often be asked to give the sermon. Jesus often took advantage of this custom, as did Paul and Barnabas in the book of Acts.

What did Jesus teach that day? We’ve already seen the general message He preached back in verse 15: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” But His address that morning wasn’t just a stump speech like politicians recite when they’re on the campaign trail. Jesus’ message had a profound, stunning effect on His listeners. The word used for teach means He instructed them.^[4] He had a living message for them. Something that shook them up and totally arrested their hearts and minds.

One writer notes, “Judaism had become a book religion.”^[5] The chosen people of God were walking in darkness. God hadn’t sent them a new message in 400 years. They had lost dominion of their promised land. Their king was not a son of David, but a perverse murderer installed by Rome.

Religious life in Judea had become a snarl of fragmented and polarized groups, each in fierce opposition to the others. And all of them were weighed down by an ever-growing burden of human traditions masquerading as Godliness that no one could ever hope to actually achieve.

So let’s say you’re a faithful Jew – you want to follow God – but God seems to have forgotten Israel. You’re oppressed by a Gentile government, discouraged by your religious leaders, waiting generation after generation for the Messiah to arrive or a prophet to arrive or just someone who actually knew some truth about God and His dealings. And then, one day, God Himself comes to town, with hope and help and kindness and grace – with a message for your life and future.

Mark 1:22 – ²² They were astonished at his teaching because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes.

The scribes weren’t just court reporters. They were professionally trained to be experts in both the Law of Moses and in the traditional laws and regulations that had been built up around the Law.^[6]

When they taught at synagogue, usually they would just recite doctrinal precedents – long quotations of what other teachers had said.^[7] It was theoretical, abstract, and tedious.

In one dialect, their title is paraphrased as “Those who know the Jews’ ways.”^[8] But it will become very clear that they did not know God’s ways. They didn’t know His heart. They didn’t know His love.  They didn’t know how to actually connect man to God and God to man. Jesus came to show us the Father – to reveal that everything the Father has is Christ’s and to declare it to us.

When Jesus spoke to them, they were absolutely amazed. Mark uses a very strong word here.^[9] It hit them hard, but not in a bad way. When the scribes “taught” the people, with their lifeless recitations, all they did was put millstones around the necks of their listeners. But when Jesus spoke, He set them free.^[10] They were overwhelmed, not by discouragement, but with comfort.^[11]

Mark 1:23-24 – ²³ Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue. He cried out, ²⁴ “What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

Talk about a pivot! If you thought Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars a few years ago was shocking, try to imagine this situation.

The Devil didn’t quit after getting beatdown in the wilderness. He waited for other opportune times to strike at Jesus. There seems to have been a convergence of demonic activity especially during the three and a half years of Jesus’ ministry.

Demon possession can and does still happen today, but it does not seem to be as frequent as it was in the Gospels. And that makes sense, because Satan was focused on stopping Jesus.

This demon immediately recognized Jesus and He even knew where He was from – both His heavenly and earthly homes – but He wasn’t sure what Jesus was about. It’s clear that the demon felt his very existence was threatened, and he clearly had some knowledge of the plan of God, but he honestly didn’t know why the Lord was there that day.^[12] The question he asked indicates that the demon was wondering why Jesus was invading “their” turf. Why was Jesus interfering?

More than that, it seems that this demon tried to battle against Jesus, to get the upper hand on Him. You see, the demon specifically spoke both Jesus’ earthly identity and His heavenly identity.  The Jews there that day would’ve seen this as offensive maneuver because “it was widely believed at that time that if you knew a person’s true identity and could utter his name, you could gain a magic power over him.”^[13]

Now, this demon stood no chance, but this situation does teach us something: Knowledge alone doesn’t save.^[14] This demon knew more about Jesus than anyone else in the building. Yet, obviously, he was the furthest from salvation. The scribes knew a ton about the Old Testament – the ins and outs of every phrase and syllable – but they would be instrumental in having Jesus killed.

We need knowledge, because we must have the truth revealed and preached to us, but salvation is about faith and trust and obedience, not just intellectual familiarity.

Mark 1:25 – ²⁵ Jesus rebuked him saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

So Jesus came into their service, shared a sermon that blew their minds and made them think, “This Guy speaks as if He has real authority from heaven!” And now we see that Christ really does have authority from heaven. When He speaks, demons must obey. When He speaks, the wind and the waves listen. When He speaks, mountains move.

Jesus certainly didn’t need a demon as a PR person. He didn’t need their accursed advertising. As it is, some of the people would ultimately say Jesus got His power from the ruler of demons.

But notice this exorcism: He needed no incantations, no rituals, no props of any kind.^[15] He spoke a word and the fight was over. The demon was muzzled. The man was set free.

Mark 1:26 – ²⁶ And the unclean spirit threw him into convulsions, shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.

This demon did not go quietly. Luke assures us this demon left without hurting this man at all.^[16] But this image gives us a sobering reminder about the character and conduct of our spiritual enemies.

Sin, satan, the rebel self within our hearts are all part of the same fallen kingdom of darkness. I doubt anyone here is demon possessed, but we still have sin lurking in our hearts. It crouches at the door. It wants to capture you and rule you and enslave you. It isn’t your friend. It doesn’t make you stronger. It wants to dominate your life the way the demon dominated this man.

Jesus wants to set you free from that domination. And we see here that the power of His word is enough. The process can be unpleasant, but Jesus kept this fellow safe, even as the demon was shouting and kicking and trying his best to keep control over this life.

There’s nothing Christ can’t free us from. That’s why He came – to rescue us. To unshackle us. But don’t give sin a foothold in life. Because this is how sin treats a person.

Tonight, maybe you didn’t come in with an unclean spirit, but with a fearful spirit, a worried spirit, a discouraged spirit, a confused spirit. Christ will help you. Jesus is willing to minister to you.

Mark 1:27 – ²⁷ They were all amazed, and so they began to ask each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

As one scholar points out, don’t confuse their astonishment for faith.^[17] Mark gives the impression that they’re in a bit of a panic.^[18] This was an intense discussion.^[19] “Who is this Guy???” They realized that everything about what they had just heard and seen was new. New in quality as compared to the old, worn out, dead religion they had always known.^[20]

This Teacher was not just another rabbi. He wasn’t just another exorcist. What He said and did was so strikingly different that they were astonished and alarmed. “What is this???”

But, they spoke to each other, not to Him. They spoke to their neighbors, not the Man Himself.

Mark 1:28 – ²⁸ At once the news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.

Fascination spread, but not necessarily faith. Even what they were spreading around was more like rumors than reports.^[21] Paul would later use this term in 2 Timothy when he warns about people have an itch to hear what they want to hear.

Jesus became a local celebrity, but generally speaking, their astonishment didn’t lead to acceptance. God was shaking them up – disturbing everything they had known with truth and power and real hope for the first time in centuries – but most of the people just rolled over and went back to spiritual sleep.

But we know there were some who took seriously what was being revealed in their midst. We think of those Greeks in John 12 who had heard about Jesus and they put foot to pavement and came and found a disciple and said, “We want to see Jesus.” They wanted to speak with Jesus. He told them, “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me.”^[22] Eyes and ears and heart and mind and hands and feet all together in faithful discipleship. God reveals, we respond with living, exercised faith.

If Jesus had instruction for a Capernaum synagogue, He has instructions for me. If Jesus had commands for a demon – His adversary –  what does He command me, His servant?

Like the people in this Gospel, I often find myself focusing on the wrong thing. I’ll think, “Oh, I wish Mark would’ve told us what Jesus’ awesome sermon was that day. I wish we knew what He said.” We do! It’s called the Bible.

I think most of us would say, “I want to know what God wants me to do and if He showed up to talk to me today, I’d definitely do what He says.” But He has shown up! He has spoken. Come and see what God has said. Come and see what God has done. Come and see what God has commanded. And He has sent His Holy Spirit to speak to us day by day. Our job is not to wait for a miracle to be performed in front of us. Our part is to learn to understand what the Spirit says to us, how the Word applies to us, where the Master is leading us. To realize that the Messiah is in our midst, teaching.

Mark shows us that a typical day in the life of Christ is filled with Him doing work in your life.  He wants to teach you, to rescue you, to reveal things to you, to lead you.

I don’t want to suggest we put ourselves in the place of the demon in this text, but the question he asked is a good one for us to ask, albeit from a completely different perspective: Lord, what do you have to do with me today? What adjustment? What opportunity? What encouragement? What task? You’ve come to disrupt my life with Your new life and so, Lord, speak, direct, bring me along, because I know Who You are: The Messiah, the King of kings, my Savior and Master and Friend.

The Sovereign Is Calling And I Must Go (Mark 1:12-20)

Wilt Chamberlain made his NBA debut in October 1959. He dominated in college and delighted audiences during one season with the Harlem Globetrotters. But how would he do in the big leagues? At the end of his first game, Wilt left the court with 43 points and 28 rebounds.^[1] Quite a rookie performance. And he still holds the record for more 40 point games 66 years later.

Last week Mark introduced Jesus. Socially speaking, He was an unknown. He had no political clout, no earthly certifications, no foot in the door with the Jerusalem elite. The people at the Jordan weren’t there to see Jesus, there were there to see John. But none of that mattered because when He came up out of the water heaven itself split open to grab our attention and say, “This is the Messiah. Look at Him. Listen to Him.” This was the One to behold.

So what would be Jesus’ first act? Would He throw Caesar off the throne? Host a big fundraiser? Would He demand genuflection or commission a palace? All would’ve been within His rights as King of kings. What would His first act be?

We learn very quickly that this King is not like other kings. In this Gospel, He begins His work going into battle alone – on our behalf – and then inviting us to fall in line behind Him to enjoy the victory. He doesn’t grind us down under His thumb, but lifts us up in His loving embrace.

Mark 1:12-13 – ¹² Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. ¹³ He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving him.

There’s a sudden shift from verse 11 to verse 12. Mark makes fast movements in his writing. He’s going to use this term “immediately” more than 40 times.^[2] There is an urgency to the work of Christ culminating in His death and resurrection. He was on a mission, not a vacation.

As we read the other Gospel accounts it’s easy to think that Satan came, threw out his 3 temptations, which takes less than 2 minutes when you read it right through, and then took off. But we see here an extended period of testing and conflict between the Lord and our Adversary.

The wilderness doesn’t only speak to us of danger and isolation. It also proves an important point about Who Jesus is. You see, Moses had failed in the wilderness, due to frustration.^[3] Elijah failed in the wilderness, due to fear and despair.^[4] But Jesus did not fail.

Not only was Jesus doing what Elijah could not and what Moses could not, more significantly, Jesus conquered while Adam had surrendered. When Satan came and tempted Adam, he gave in. And he was defeated in the garden. A perfect garden where he was at home, where every need was met, where his perfect companion was constantly with them and together they communed with God Himself face-to-face. But Christ, the Second Adam faced an extended barrage of temptations in the wilderness alone. Hungry but with nothing to eat. Mark says angels were serving Him, but Matthew reveals they didn’t arrive until after the Devil left.^[5]

We’re told that the Spirit drove Jesus into this situation. It was an absolute, Divine necessity that He go and prove that He was qualified to be the Savior.^[6] It’s not that it was a question – God the Father wasn’t wondering if Jesus would pass the test – but as Hebrews would later explain:

Hebrews 2:17-18 – ¹⁷ Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

He was tempted not only to show He had what it takes to defeat the Devil – something no human had ever been able to do – but to also so that He might sympathize with us in our weakness.^[7]

And to think: This was Jesus’ rookie performance. Usually you don’t face the champ in your very first fight. But Jesus did and it wasn’t even close. Total victory over ultimate temptation.

Mark 1:14 – ¹⁴ After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God

About a year passes in-between verses 13 and 14. The Gospel of John records that Jesus had an early Judean ministry that overlapped with John the Baptist’s ministry – in fact, they may have been in the same general area.^[8]

But Mark’s Gospel has 3 major parts. You have the Galilean ministry in chapters 1 through 8. Then you have Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem in from the last part of chapter 8 through 10. And then you have Passion week in chapters 11 through 16. The opening 13 verses of chapter 1 are an introduction and the last few verses of chapter 16 are an appendix.

Here in verse 14 the Galilee portion begins. Galilee is not just some random place. As one scholar points out, Galilee has both a geographical dimension and a theological dimension.^[9] It was a place where the barriers between Jew and Gentile started to break down. There were a lot of religious Jews there, but it was also semi-pagan.^[10] Matthew calls it a Gentile district.^[11] In this remarkable place, Jesus met all kinds of people and proclaimed the Good News to all of them. Salvation for anyone. And in coming to Galilee, Jesus fulfilled yet another Isaiah prophecy: that the Lord would bring light and freedom and joy to the people living in darkness – the people in Galilee!^[12]

I couldn’t help but wonder, “Why wasn’t John one of the 12 apostles?” Wouldn’t he have been an incredible addition to the team? Full of the Holy Spirit from the womb. A faithful Nazarene. A great preacher. Humble and fearless. Yet, he was “arrested.” The term actually means “handed over into the power of men.”^[13] It’s the same word that will later be used when Jesus is betrayed by Judas.

Why wasn’t John brought into the 12? We obviously don’t know the mind of God, but we do know that, in His providence, God had set aside John to serve as the herald of the Messiah and to maybe use him as the “Elijah that was to come.” Later in Mark we’ll hear Jesus say, “Elijah does have to come before the end of human history, and John could have been Elijah, but he was rejected.”^[14]

You see, Christ’s offer to Israel to restore her and establish the forever Kingdom was a genuine offer. But Israel’s leaders, both political and religious, rejected Jesus, and so we now wait for the full and final consummation of the Messiah’s work and the establishment of His physical Kingdom.

Mark 1:15 – ¹⁵ “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

In the Garden of Eden, looking on the failure of man, the infiltration of sin and death into creation, the Lord made a promise to send a Son to defeat the Devil and save the world. And now, so many centuries later, the time had come. Not only were the gates of the Kingdom thrown open, but the arrival of Christ also signified the beginning of the end. Mark 1:15 is the start of the last days.^[15]

The coming of the Kingdom is good news, but it isn’t only good news. Along with the offer of salvation comes the promise of judgment. Those who refuse to enter in will face His inescapable wrath. And so, while sharing the happy tidings, Jesus also urgently invited people to enter in.^[16]

From the beginning, He explained how to gain access to the eternal Kingdom of God: Repent and believe the good news. In those few words we see an entire life being oriented toward the truth of God in trust and obedience. You have the heart, the mind, and the actions all together moving the progress of a life from going in one direction to now going in another direction.

We don’t earn a place in the Kingdom, we don’t climb in by our own grit or ability. We are invited in by the King, Who loves us and wants very much to spend eternity with us. But to receive what God has offered, we must have an operational faith – belief with repentance. A faith that is not just intellectual – and not just emotional – but rooted in love, truth, and motion toward God. It’s not just about words we say. In fact, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, “the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”^[17] And so, we must respond to Christ’s urgent summons with a living, childlike faith.

Are we in the Kingdom now? Some Christians and church traditions teach that we are and shouldn’t expect a physical manifestation of Christ’s Kingdom in the future. And Jesus said, “The Kingdom has drawn near. It’s at hand.”  But He would also go on to tell His disciples to pray, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Even later He will teach in His Olivet Discourse, “When you see the following things happening, you know the Kingdom is near.”^[18]

As Christians, we live in the reality of the Kingdom now in the sense that we know that this world is not our home, and that while we are passing through we are on a mission to further the King’s work and bring more citizens to His Kingdom. At the same time, here at Calvary we are futurists who see the unfulfilled prophecies in the Bible, including those about a Millennial Kingdom, and recognize that just as the prophecies of Christ’s first coming were literally fulfilled, so the prophecies about His second coming and the establishment of a Kingdom in Jerusalem will be literally fulfilled. And that belief should impact our plans, our values, the things we’re excited about, and so much more.

In the meantime, I receive the Kingdom here and now by submitting to God’s rule over my heart and life. I live a life defined by belief and repentance and trust in this Savior King Who has been revealed and Who works in and through my life as I walk with Him.

Mark 1:16 – ¹⁶ As he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.

First thing Christ did after being introduced was fight a battle He didn’t have to fight to so He could share with us a victory we couldn’t win for ourselves. The second thing He did was go looking for disciples. This may seem like normal to us in a world full of brand ambassadors and military recruitment, but this was an unusual thing. Old Testament prophets didn’t go looking for disciples. Most rabbis didn’t either.^[19] John the Baptist had disciples, but they came to him. But Jesus is the Good Shepherd Who goes looking for lost sheep. He seeks after you. He calls out to you.

Now, normally we thinking of the fishermen of Galilee being a coarse and impoverished lot. But the truth is, they were not peasants. In fact, they would occupy what we might call the middle class, (relatively speaking).^[20] But that doesn’t mean Christianity is a middle-class movement. Jesus brought people of every background into His fold, as He continues to do today. Because the Gospel brings hope and transformation to all peoples of all places and social classes. Spiritually speaking, no matter who we are, we’re blind, bankrupt, and in need of rescue. Jesus comes to us.

Mark 1:17 – ¹⁷ “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”

Jesus’ was not like the other teachers of Scripture at the time.  The other rabbis of Israel would not say “follow ME,” they would say, “Come learn the Torah from me.”^[21] And when Jesus talked about fishing for people, it would’ve reminded these Jewish fellows about that same image used in the Old Testament prophets. But there, fishing for people led to wrath and judgment. Here, Jesus says, “I’m going to send you to fish for people to save them from wrath and judgment.”

His call to them may only have been 10 words, but there could not have been anything more transformational, radical, or demanding. This was a command from the Son of God. But with the command came a promise. To receive that promise, they must go along with Christ’s demands – and He demanded everything. “Fall in line behind Me, come after Me, wherever I lead you.” But, if they were willing to follow, He would lead them into a greater life and experience than they could’ve possibly imagined.

Mark 1:18 – ¹⁸ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Look at this! Incredible faith. Incredible obedience. Immediate trust and belief in practice.

With that said, the Gospels are full of examples of the disciples making profound mistakes. They’re not recorded to shame them, but to help us. But you have to wonder, why not just pick those angels from verse 13 to be the Messiah’s entourage? Angels don’t misunderstand. Angels can’t be imprisoned. Angels don’t fear or falter. Humans do. But it is God’s desire to redeem us and sanctify us and make us His own special possession to be put on display for all the cosmos to see His power and grace and mercy and faithfulness. We are chosen despite our failures and weakness.

Mark 1:19-20 – ¹⁹ Going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat putting their nets in order. ²⁰ Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

These brothers would make up the core four of Jesus’ disciples. Though we’ll see their obedience was definitely not perfect, it was prompt and complete here at the start.^[22]

What enticed them to go? They saw no miracle. They may have known something about Jesus, but Mark gives us no such indication. They were propelled by Christ’s authority and Word. His word and presence were powerful despite there being no supernatural manifestation.

And so they left their own plans, they left their own designs, they left their human father to be led by Jesus, and lead Him He did, through thick and thin, ups and downs, failures and triumphs. Christ was always faithful to them. And His desire was to lead each of these fellows in very specific, and in some cases very different ways.

James would be a relatively early martyr for Christ in Jerusalem. Peter would become a leader in the Jerusalem church and, ultimately, be led to Rome. John would become the bishop of Ephesus, be exiled to Patmos, and receive the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Andrew “went as far as the borders of Russia” with the good news.^[23]

They didn’t know any of that that day as the water lapped the shore by their nets. But they believed that not only was Jesus worth serving, He was going to lead them for the rest of their lives.

Christ’s introduction in this chapter shows us so much about Him and about the life He’s called us to. Through this book, we see that Jesus has also sought you out and said to you, “Follow Me.” And He really, actually, wants you involved in His work and His Kingdom. He could use angels. He could find other John the Baptists. But He wants you and me to come after Him and be sent into a specific life of faith and power and grace and truth. One where we can overcome temptation because our Savior overcame every temptation. One where we continue to be renewed in our belief and built up in our faith by God the Holy Spirit, living under the protection of the Most High, dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty. A life where the King of kings brings us into His Kingdom and shares all He has with us. A life we get to walk in as we exercise our faith, grow in our knowledge and understanding of Christ Jesus our Lord, and wait with expectation and hope for all that He will accomplish by His power on our behalf.

Talking With A Man Down By The River (Mark 1:4-11)

Small towns like ours aren’t usually homes to pop-up shops. Popups are temporary spaces, placed in specific locations for a few days or weeks to blitz a market or generate interest in a new product. From celebrity chefs to fashion brands to Pokémon, there are all kinds of popup shops out there. Even big name companies like IKEA and Porsche have used the model.

The most interesting has to be the Icehotel in Sweden. Since 1989, this hotel has been built anew every November, accepting guests from December till March. It’s completely made out of natural ice and snow, and is redesigned each year.^[1] The Icehotel has received travelers from all over the globe, who have the chance to stay in a never before seen, artist-designed suite.

In Mark 1, a different sort of popup grabbed Judea’s attention. A wild and unique preacher opened a baptism ministry in the Jordan river. But this was not just some monk in the wilderness, this was a man with a famous past. The story of his birth would have been well-known: His father, a temple priest once spoke with an angel, who miraculously struck him mute. Later, he was healed when this son was born far past when his mother should have been able to have him.

But this remarkable baby did not grow up to follow in his father’s footsteps, even though he, too, was a descendent of the great High Priest Aaron. Instead of priest, this fellow became a prophet of Israel – the first in centuries. And more than a prophet, he became the herald, the forerunner of the Messiah. Tonight we see Mark’s record of John the Baptist’s work and his encounter with Jesus.

Mark 1:4 – ⁴ John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

John was sent by God to accomplish this specific ministry. It was hyper-focused and limited in both time and scope. It really was a popup. The truth is, John wouldn’t live much longer – we’ll see that in chapter 6 – but this was what God called him to do: To preach and baptize and reveal the Messiah.

Mark is very brief in his description here. We know from the other Gospels that John also taught that the Kingdom of God was at hand and that repentance should be demonstrated through acts of justice and morality, what John called fruits of repentance.^[2]

The Jews hearing his message and his call to be baptized would’ve had great cause for offense at his message and methods.^[3] You see, it was all happening in the wilderness – the historic site of Israel’s disobedience toward God. And Jews didn’t get baptized. Gentiles had to be baptized when they converted to Judaism, but not the children of Abraham. On top of that, being dunked in the Jordan would’ve brought to mind the story of Naaman the pagan, Aramean leper being washed clean in that river at the word of Elisha.

Now here’s a new prophet saying, “You’re all Naaman. You all need the same kind of conversion a pagan Gentile needs when he’s brought into the family of God.” He’s treating Jews as pagans.^[4]

Baptism does not earn you forgiveness. Don’t misunderstand what Mark wrote. Scholars, linguists and historians agree that this verse is not teaching that you are baptized in order to be forgiven.^[5] For one thing, this is not Christian baptism.^[6] But secondly, we see that repentance precedes the rite of baptism, which then becomes the outward obedience and testimony that you had repented.

What is repentance? Repentance is first an acknowledgement that you need God’s forgiveness and then choosing to not only change your mind but also your choices and actions accordingly. It means to turn away from your sin not toward a general sense of good, but toward God Himself.

Mark 1:5 – ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

This is a big deal. Tons of people in this southern region were steadily streaming to John and many (though not all) were having their lives truly changed by his teaching. This was no easy thing they were doing. To travel from Jerusalem to the Jordan was not only a 20 mile walk, you also had to come down 4,000 feet of elevation and then climb back up on your way home!^[7]

But on top of that was the cultural and philosophical journey they had to make. They had to leave where the temple was and go out here to this guy who was saying, “I’M telling you the true way to be forgiven.” This is a seismic event, theologically speaking. But we learn from the other Gospels it wasn’t just religious Jews going out to him. Crowds of people were coming out, full of Pharisees and tax collectors and soldiers and everyone in between. And we see here they didn’t just come to experience something exciting, they were confessing and believing his message.

Mark 1:6 –  ⁶ John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

Does Mark just want us to know John was a little strange? No. He wants us to know that John was a prophet. You see, this is how Elijah was described in 2 Kings.^[8] And when John’s father spoke with the angel, the angel said, “Your son is going to go in the spirit and power of Elijah and he’s going to turn many people’s hearts toward God and prepare them for the coming of the Messiah.”^[9]

The description of John paired with where he set up shop makes many people think he was one of the Essenes. They were a group of ascetics who believed in prophecy and had strong anticipation of the Holy Spirit.^[10] There are definitely some overlaps between John’s message and the Essenes, but there are also a lot of significant differences. Enough that it’s unlikely they would’ve still listed him as a member.

Mark 1:7 – ⁷ He proclaimed, “One who is more powerful than I am is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.

Everything about what John said and did was signaling something new, something monumental – that God’s dealings with mankind were dramatically changing. This sandal statement was part of it. The religious leaders of the day wanted the best places, the highest accolades, recognition in the marketplace, but not John. A few centuries later when the Talmud was compiled, Jewish rabbis taught that a disciple must do everything for his teacher that a slave would do for his master except menial things like taking off his sandals.^[11] John’s ministry was the start of a dramatic, new thing.

Meanwhile, the people wondered whether John was the Messiah himself.^[12] He was very clear that he was not the Messiah, but that the Messiah was much greater than him – that the Messiah was God Himself Who was coming to ultimately judge the entire world.

It’s interesting to me that John talks about how the people saw him as “powerful.” He said, “One more powerful than me is coming.” Clearly, there was great power in what God was doing through John. But he worked no miracles. He won no battles. There didn’t seem to be any manifestations or exorcisms. Those aren’t bad things, but they aren’t the only ways God shows His power. God’s power showed in John’s preaching and through the work of the Holy Spirit in drawing people of every background out to hear this first preaching of the Good News of the coming Messiah.

Mark 1:8 –  ⁸ I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

Did the people at the Jordan know what John meant by this? He didn’t seem to explain it and Mark never explains it. We’re left to discover it in Acts and in our own lives as we walk with the Lord.

John understood that his ministry and his baptism were only preparatory – there was something else coming. When you get to Acts, where the baptism of the Holy Spirit happens at Pentecost and the full work of Christ in His death and resurrection have been revealed, we learn that John’s baptism isn’t sufficient for Christians. In fact, in Acts 19 Paul meets some believers who received John’s baptism and Paul has to tell them that the Holy Spirit exists and that Jesus is the Messiah and those guys were then baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

But even in his limited scope, John was signaling here that real religion, true spirituality is not just ethical activity. It’s not just about being nice or socially good. It wasn’t just about people saying sorry for doing bad things. On top of Godly morality, it was about this full connection with God, being baptized with the Holy Spirit through Christ Jesus. Real Christianity is about seeking the God Who is seeking us and then living in His presence and having Him indwell our hearts.

A lot of times John the Baptist gets a reputation of being angry and crazy and overly harsh. He did say some very frank and difficult things to people. But his message was not a message of anger.^[13]

If we want to know what John’s message was like, we can go back to Isaiah 40, which is about John and his ministry. And there, describing the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, we read:

Isaiah 40:1-2a – “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. ² “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and announce to her that her time of hard service is over,”

John was sent to tell Israel that the Messiah “protects his flock like a shepherd, he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them…He gently leads those that are nursing.”^[14]

John’s point was not only that people should get right with God, but that God Himself was coming to meet them. That’s what Isaiah prophesied, and throughout the Old Testament it’s made clear that only God can pour out the Holy Spirit. So, if the Messiah is the One Who comes and pours out the Holy Spirit, then He cannot be simply a man, He must actually be God.

Mark 1:9 – ⁹ In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.

Among the vast multitudes of people, suddenly Mark trains his focus on one Person – a stranger in their midst. You see, Mark has shown us all southerners so far. Suddenly, this one Man from the far north has come down to be baptized, walking maybe 75 miles to get there.^[15]

John did not know Jesus was the Messiah. He says in John 1:31, “I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” No one knew. It had to be revealed.

The question is: Why did Jesus get baptized? He certainly didn’t need to repent of anything. In fact, Matthew seems to feel a little uncomfortable that Jesus received John’s baptism. He records that John tried to stop Jesus and Jesus commanded John to allow it to happen.^[16]

Jesus did not need to be baptized. He didn’t need forgiveness. He didn’t need reconciliation with God. He didn’t need to flee from the coming wrath. So why did this happen?

It happened because Christ came to identify with us and to take our place.^[17] To be forgiven, to be saved, human beings need our sin to be dealt with. It can’t be ignored, it can’t be swept under a rug, it must be judged. And so God promised to supply a Substitute for us so that our iniquity could be pardoned. To accomplish this, God promised that He would provide Himself the Lamb – the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus was baptized so that you could know that He identifies with you, that He loves you, that He is willing to take your sin upon Himself.

Mark 1:10 – ¹⁰ As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

The Gospel of John reports that at least John the Baptist could also see this happening. This wasn’t just a beam of sunlight shining down. Mark uses a strong word that means the sky was “rent asunder.”^[18] It was a dramatic event signaling the start of something new.

What was starting was Jesus’ work and ministry. At the end of His Incarnate work, Mark will once again use this verb for tearing when he reports that the veil in the Temple is torn in two and Jesus is once more identified as the Son of God.^[19]

John’s ministry was forecast in Isaiah. Toward the end of Isaiah, in chapter 64, the prophet brings this request to God: “If only You would tear the heavens open and come down,” and he goes on to ask the Lord, “how can we be saved from our sin?”^[20] And here, God gives the answer.

Mark 1:11 – ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.”

In other world religions there are often many son gods. Zeus had Apollo, Hermes, Dionysus, a bunch of others. Odin had Thor, Baldr, and others with strange names. Jesus Christ is the only, unique Son of God, and He is the only way you and I can be saved from our sins.

Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha all had the Jordan parted, showing they were authorized by God. For Jesus, the Jordan wasn’t parted, but the whole cosmos above it was!^[21] This was not just some wise teacher, this was not just a good man from Galilee. This is the One we’ve been waiting for.

God said, “This is My Son.” And in His message, He identifies Jesus as the figure from Psalm 2, from Isaiah 42,^[22] the God-Man, Shepherd-King, Redeeming-Messiah that had been promised all the way back in the Garden of Eden. That’s Who God says Jesus is.

Who do you say Jesus is? Jesus Christ is God come in human flesh, Who came to identify with you so He could be your Messiah and Redeemer and Friend and King and Savior.

To be saved by Him also means to surrender to Him and to serve Him. He came to us, now we must go to Him. To give our lives and hearts to Him, accepting His rule over us that we might receive His baptism. Morality isn’t enough. Social justice isn’t enough. “Speaking truth to power” isn’t enough. We must have the intimate with-ness with Jesus, through God the Holy Spirit Who Jesus has poured out on us so we can have fellowship with Him.

For those of you who have received the Lord, the question is what your Lord has commanded of you? Up in verse 4 where it says, “John came baptizing,” Mark does a funny thing. He wrote something like, “John came to pass.”^[23] We saw how the Lord had this plan for him to serve as the forerunner described in Isaiah. This beautiful, specific plan and calling.

What does God want to bring to pass through your life? What calling has He given specifically to you? Because God also has a plan and a will for your life and He loves you as a son or daughter and you are invited to please Him through the exercising of your faith and obedience. We may not be worthy to untie His sandals, but we’re welcomed to be a part of His ongoing work. So, let’s look on Jesus, listen to Him, and follow Him forever.

Who Do You Say That He Is? (Mark 1:1-3)

Mark 1:1-3 – The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ² As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.” ³ A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight!

Have you ever wondered why we have these four Gospels in the New Testament? Christ’s life could’ve filled thousands of books. In fact, John tells us the whole world isn’t big enough for what could be written about Jesus’ life on the earth.^[1] But Matthew, Mark, and Luke seem to cover a lot of the same material. So much so that scholars group them together in what they call the “Synoptic Gospels.” John is off doing his own thing in his book.

The Holy Spirit determined that these four accounts were what we need to know about the life of Christ. Each was written from a unique perspective, to a unique initial audience, and with unique emphasis. Matthew was a Jew writing to Jews, Luke a Gentile writing to Gentiles. Luke’s Gospel is extremely historical, John’s very theological. Matthew wants us to see Jesus as the Son of David. John presents Him as the eternal Light of the World through Whom all things were created.

Where does Mark fit in? Frankly, Mark is often the odd man out. A lot of Christians can tell you that the Nativity is in Luke 2, that the Sermon on the Mount starts in Matthew 5, that Jesus’ meeting with Nicodemus is in John 3. I bet most of us don’t have a similar familiarity when it comes to Mark.

It is the least frequently read or referenced Gospel.^[2] In fact, there was no commentary on Mark for 500 years after it was written! And then there wasn’t a second one written for another 300 years!^[3]

Would it surprise you to learn that Mark was not only the first Gospel written, but that, with this book, Mark invented the literary genre that we call “Gospel?”^[4] You see, like the other Gospels, Mark is not really a biography – certainly not in the way we think about it. It doesn’t give any information about the beginning decades of Jesus’ life. Mark doesn’t really tell us what was going on in the wider world. Biographies usually try to fill in as many gaps as possible with character development.

But Gospels are not just biography. They’re something new in human history. They present the story of the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. They’re proclaiming Good News to needy hearts. The opening line of this book is paraphrased this way: “The beginning of the preaching of the joyful tidings concerning Jesus the Messiah.”^[5] This is no mere biography. This is a we-interrupt-your-regular-programming, breaking news message. It’s not a book for the shelf, it’s a book for you.

In these opening sentences, Mark provides a lot of specific information at us about this Person He wants us to know about, Jesus. First, He is identified as the Christ. It means the Anointed One, the Messiah.^[6] The single most significant, important, consequential figure in all human history.

In Jesus’ day, there were many concepts of who the Messiah would be and what he would do.^[7] Several individuals had already tried to lay claim to the title, but none lived up to the name. Today, humanity still searches for a Deliverer. Who is going to save Western civilization? Who is going to stop all the wars? Who is going to overcome the existential threats looming on the horizon? Who will get society on the right track?

Here on page 1, chapter 1, verse 1, line 1, Mark points his finger directly at this Man from Nazareth and tells us, “This is the One!” This is the Person we can hitch our lives, our families, our communities, our nation to. This is the Person Who changes everything.

But then, not only is Jesus the promised Messiah, but He is the Son of God. This is a very important truth Mark highlights as he opens and closes the book. The last thing that a human being will say about Jesus in this Gospel is, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” Mark is being extremely clear and direct about his message: Jesus of Nazareth is God come in Human flesh and He is the Savior.

As Mark introduces this Person to us, he lets us know right away that this is exactly Who the Old Testament anticipated. Jesus doesn’t just show up out of nowhere. The Old Testament shows us that He is the One sent by God. We’re not waiting for someone else. The Messiah has come.

In your version, verse 2 may say, “As it is written in the Prophets.” In many others, it specifically name-checks Isaiah. Mark’s quote here is an amalgam of Isaiah, Malachi, and Exodus. Mark seems to have a special affinity for Daniel as well – he quotes from every single chapter of Daniel’s book.^[8]

Today with all the sequels and reboots and cinematic universes, sometimes before you see a movie you kind of need to see some other movies, right? Or at least, seeing those previous entries will give you context for what you’re about to see.

We want to know Jesus. We want to be in intimate communion with Him. In a sense, Mark starts off by saying, “I’m going to tell you a lot about this Messiah, but when’s the last time you cracked open Malachi?” Jesus came in the volume of the Book. Though Mark was creating a new genre of literature, it was simply a continuation of God’s special revelation of Himself to humanity.

So, Mark wants us to know that Jesus is the Christ and He is the Son of God, but what we’ll also see is that Mark really wants us to understand that Jesus came as the suffering-Servant.

In a climactic moment, Jesus is trying to explain to His disciples why He came, and says:

Mark 10:45 – ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Perhaps this is why Mark has no genealogy for Jesus, no reference to the angelic host lighting the sky on the night of His birth. No one really cares where the servant comes from.^[9] Jesus came to serve. He came with unfailing love and mercy and sacrifice toward the people of earth. This Gospel shows us encounter after encounter between Jesus and all sorts of people, and His attempts to help them, to teach them, and save them. To change their lives by being in relationship to Him.

Amazingly we will find that almost no one understood Jesus during His earthly ministry. In fact, in every single chapter we find people misunderstanding Him, failing to comprehend what He meant, and bewildered by His choices. People are constantly coming up to Him and saying, “Why did You do that? What are Your disciples doing? What did you mean? Who do You think You are?”

There was constant friction between Jesus and peasants, Jesus and Pharisees, Jesus and scribes, Jesus and Sadducees, Jesus and Herod, Jesus and Pilate, Jesus and Jews, Jesus and Gentiles, Jesus and His family, Jesus and His disciples. We’ll find in Mark that His disciples almost constantly misunderstood their Master, sometimes in truly embarrassing ways.

This Gospel focuses not only on the saving work of Christ, but also on whether or not people understood Who He was and what that meant for them.

The hinge of the entire book is this scene where Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they offer all sorts of answers. But the pivotal moment comes when Jesus says to them, “But you, who do you say that I am?” That’s the key narrative thrust of this book. And because this is not just a biography, but a Gospel, a living proclamation directed at you, we, too, must answer that most-important question. Mark is a message delivered to you that demands a response.

Mark could have written a book listing all the triumphs of Christ, without the denials, without showing the fears of the people around him. But he didn’t. Instead, Mark seemed to write this Gospel for people in crisis.^[10] People who had failures of their own. People who had heard the preaching about Jesus, but were they following Him? Did they understand what it meant that the Messiah was revealed and was calling them into relationship with Him?

Mark wrote this book primarily to Christians living in the city of Rome and elsewhere in Italy.^[11] It was somewhere around 65AD. Rome had just burned in 64AD. Nero blamed the Christians for the fire and prejudice and violent persecution was engulfing the believers in the area.^[12] As they faced this terrible trial, what hope could they have for deliverance? What good was Christianity in a time like that? Where was the Messiah? Could the power and love and life of Jesus really help them?

Mark wanted these persecuted Christians to not only know that their Christ had power for them but that He identified with them. He wanted them to be encouraged and filled with hope by seeing their Savior. Toward that end, he put a few easter eggs in this book. For example, Mark’s is the only Gospel that mentions the “wild animals” with Jesus during His wilderness temptation. At the time, Christians were being brought into the arena and fed to wild beasts.^[13] Mark is the only Gospel-writer to record Jesus’ statement that, “everyone will be salted with fire.” Nero used Christians as torches in his courtyard. This Gospel was speaking directly to its initial readers. It still speaks today.

It shows them that the Messiah has come. He lived, He taught, He died, and He rose. And now it was time for them to decide what they really believed about Jesus. Who did they say He is? Was He just another phony revolutionary, or was He the real real? Who was this Jesus? Would they run and hide as we see so many people do in this book or would they walk by faith?

Mark knew something about doubt and fear and failure. He knew about cutting-and-running. He’s an interesting Bible character. We more commonly know him as John-Mark and through various references are able to sketch a good picture of his life. In fact – I have to throw this in – the church fathers say that he was known as Mark “stump-fingers.”^[14]

He grew up in a wealthy home. By Acts 12, the church was meeting in his mother’s house in Jerusalem. Papias, the church father who lived from 60-130AD records that Mark did not follow Jesus as a disciple before the resurrection. But at some point after, he became a Christian. Perhaps it was through the ministry of his cousin, Barnabas, the friend and missionary partner of Paul.

Paul and Barnabas brought Mark on their first missionary journey. He wasn’t just tagging along – he was given an important role on the trip.^[15] But, partway through, Mark abandoned the team. We don’t really know why, but we know that Paul was not happy about it. Mark had deserted them.

Later, when Paul and Barnabas were getting ready to hit the mission field again, they argued so passionately about whether to give Mark a second shot that they parted ways. Many scholars believe Mark was the young man referenced in Mark 14:52 who was in the Garden of Gethsemene but ran away naked when everything went down. The first act of his story is fear, failure, and flight.

But then, as the New Testament continues, Mark’s story changes because Mark changes. Before his martyrdom, Paul had changed his mind about Mark. In his final letter, he asks Timothy to bring Mark to see him because,  Mark “is useful to me in the ministry.”^[16] In Colossians, Paul says Mark had become a comfort to him and a coworker for the kingdom of God.^[17]

Peter called Mark his son in the faith.^[18] What Timothy was to Paul, Mark was to Peter. In fact, church fathers like Papias in 140AD and other writings near that time record that Mark worked with Peter and received all his material for this Gospel from him. Mark was called the “interpreter” of Peter’s message.^[19] Which is probably why Peter is such a highlighted figure in the book.

So, what changed? How did he go from being a doubting, fearful flake to a faithful disciples and Evangelist? From stump-fingered to stout-hearted? Circumstances didn’t get easier. The answer is simple: This Messiah transformed his life. Through faith, he was converted from fear to certainty, from flakiness to dependable, from cutting-and-running to serving in the eternal Kingdom of God. Once he truly realized Who Jesus is he was able to understand what it really meant to be a disciple.

Now, looking around at his Christian brothers and sisters in Italy and beyond, he knew they needed to understand not only what was true about their Messiah, but what it really meant to follow Him. Wilfrid Harrington writes, “[Mark realizes] It is easy enough…to declare, even with conviction: [Jesus is] the Messiah. What matters is how one understands that confession.”^[20]

What does it really mean to follow Jesus as a disciple? In this book, we’ll see again and again that the disciples were the ones who seemed to misunderstand Him the most! But the good news is that failure isn’t the last word. Not for Peter. Not for the disciples who scattered from Gethsemene or the women who ran away in fear at the empty tomb, not for John Mark, and not for us.

The One true Messiah still calls us to follow Him and have our lives transformed by His power, His teachings, His values, His understanding. To understand Who He is and what discipleship is.

Remember the very first words of the book: The beginning of the Gospel. This is not just a message for Peter or for people in Rome. It is a living, preaching testimony of Good News to you and to me. So, who do we say Jesus is? Mark closes his book with all the characters in the wind, all confronted with a faith choice. We know the choice Mark ultimately made, the choice Peter made. What about you? If Jesus is who Mark says He is, then everything must change. My whole life must become a response to His arrival, like someone preparing the way for the coming of a King, making His path straight. To ready myself for Him, conform my life to Him, watch for Him, listen to Him.

As we see our Savior on the pages of this Gospel, we’ll see His kindness, His compassion, His patience, His power, His tenderness, His grace, His divinity – but also His expectations and commands. Not only Who He is but what it really means to follow Him. The Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God has been sent to us. Who do we say that He is?