Gospel of Mark Study #5

“Willing, Ready, and Able”

Mark 1:35-45

Study #5 in Mark Series 

INTRODUCTION:

One of my favorite biblical passages is found in Romans 1:14-16. It is a text that God has used multiple times in my life to refocus my ministry perspective and renew my commitment to preach the Word. In those verses Paul uses three phrases that describe his attitude toward sharing the Good News of the Gospel with those who had never heard. In verse 14 he states, “I am under obligation [KJV “a debtor”] both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.” In other words, he is saying that he owes it to them to tell them of Christ’s love and saving power. Secondly, in verse 15 he declares, “I am eager to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome.” This expression tells us that he was ready and excited to share the Good News, to tell others about the Savior who had changed his own life. Thirdly, in verse 16 he says, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” These three expressions, “I am under obligation, I am eager (ready), and I am not ashamed” provide us a window into the soul and motivations of the Apostle Paul.

To put it in other words, Paul might say, “I am willing, ready, and able to preach the Gospel.” Likewise, this should be every Christian’s attitude toward sharing his/her faith with others. Why? Because this was the Lord Jesus’ attitude when He went to the cross for us. He was willing to give His life for us. He was ready to pay the price to be made sin for us. He was able to save all who would call upon Him. Jesus was willing, ready, and able to save. 

TRANSITION:

In our last study we looked at Mark 1:21-34 and the account of a short period of less than 24-hours in the life and ministry of Jesus in which He did several remarkable things. Accompanied by four of His newly commissioned apostles He went to Capernaum to participate in a synagogue service where He was invited to read the Scriptures and expound upon them. The Bible says that the people there were amazed at the power and authority of His teaching, which was so unlike the rabbinic teaching they were used to. In that meeting a demonic spirit manifested its presence in a man who had come to the service. Jesus cast out the demon and freed the man, once again amazing the crowd of people gathered there to witness the event. 

Later in the day, Jesus healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law who was bedfast and terribly ill with a high fever. Made well immediately, she got up and began to serve them. Then later that night people from all over the region gathered in the street in front of Simon’s house begging Jesus to heal their sick and injured loved ones and to cast the demons out of those who were possessed, which He did, working late into the night. Now, in verse 35 we continue the story, seeing the events that followed, starting early the next morning.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 35: And in the early morning, while it was still dark, He arose and went out and departed to a lonely place and was praying there.

• I do not know about you but when I am up late into the night working on something, I hate having to get up early the next morning. But that is exactly what Jesus did. He got up before the sun, while it was still black outside, and He went out into a solitary place to pray and to spend time in communion with His Father.
• I wish I could tell you that I have established this same pattern in my own devotional life. I would love to report that I get up every morning before daylight to study my Bible and to pray. But I would be lying to you. I believe that it is a wonderful practice, and it is one that I aspire to, but I am not there yet. I am usually brain dead for the first hour after getting up. I need coffee and food before my brain kicks in. Only then am I wide-awake enough to comprehend what I read and stay awake during my prayers.
• I know some people who get up early every morning to have their personal devotions. Speaking for myself, I find them very irritating. Jesus must have been a morning person. I am not, and maybe you are not either. But the fact is, whether you are a rooster or a night owl, all of us need to find time to spend alone with God to recalibrate our life and to check in with the Master. If Jesus needed it, how much more do we need it? I think it is important to notice that Jesus began His day by preparing Himself spiritually for what He would encounter during the day. Some people tell me they have their devotions at night. That makes no sense to me whatsoever. That is like closing the barn door after the horses have already escaped. We need to prepare ourselves beforehand, not after the fact. You do not have to do it at the crack of dawn before you have your coffee, but by all means do not wait until the enemy camp gets up and around. Do it early in the day, so that you will be prepared for what is coming—your armor on, all prayed up, spiritual radar engaged, and weapons of warfare ready. Jesus taught us that by His example. 

Verse 36-37: And Simon and his companions hunted for Him; and they found Him and said to Him. “Everyone is looking for You.”

• It sounds like Simon and the boys got a little panicky when they could not find Jesus.  Obviously, they were not familiar yet with His practice of early rising for prayer. Also, they did not yet really know who He was. Otherwise, I do not think they would have had the nerve to verbally chide Him this way.
• “They hunted for Him… and found Him.” This reminds me of the Lord’s words recorded in Jeremiah 29:13-14, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you.” I can imagine their sense of relief when they found Him.
• “Everyone is looking for You.” Who is this “everyone”? I believe that many of the people who were there in the street the night before came back to see Him again, perhaps bringing other friends and family members. Also, word of the healings had continued to spread, and more people were showing up by the minute to be touched and healed by the Rabbi from Nazareth.
• But what were all these people after? I pointed out in our last study that even after all these healings not one person connected the dots to worship Him for who He was. Up until now in this story not one person has come to believe in Him as Savior and Messiah. They want what He can give them, but they do not want HIM! Isn’t that typical? That is the way it is today too.

Verse 38: And He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, in order that I may preach there also; for that is what I came out for.”

• It was Jesus Himself who oversaw their trip itinerary. I can imagine Simon saying, “But Lord, look at all the people right here. There are hundreds of them right now out in the street waiting for you to come out and heal them. Why do you want to go someplace else?”
• At this point in the story the apostles were clueless about Jesus’ earthly mission. With their own eyes they had seen Him heal the sick and cast out demons. With their own ears they had heard Him preach and teach the Scriptures like no one else could. But they still did not really know Him, or what He had come to earth to accomplish. They would eventually gain that knowledge, but it would come slowly, by bits and pieces.
• “Let us go to the towns nearby.” What were some of these nearby Galilean towns that the Bible says Jesus visited? Three towns formed what has been called, “the orthodox triangle,” an area inhabited primarily by devout Jews—Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazin. Other towns in Galilee that Jesus visited include Magdala, Nain, Cana, and Nazareth to the west, and Caesarea Philippi and Bethsaida Julius to the north. Although not mentioned by name, we believe that Jesus visited many more of the towns and villages of Galilee, healing the sick, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God, and announcing Himself to be the promised Messiah.
• “…for that is what I came out for.” This is an interesting statement, especially considering the modern usage of “coming out.” But it has a similar meaning. After 30 years of living quietly as the Carpenter of Nazareth Jesus has finally “come out” and begun to reveal who He really is. Why did Jesus choose this time and place to begin to reveal His true identity? We do not know exactly, but the Bible says in Gal. 4:4, “In the fullness of time God sent forth His Son.” In God’s mind this was the right time and place. The circumstances were all in place and Jesus stepped out onto the world’s stage.
• From the get-go Jesus knew His mission and was committed to it. He knew why He was on earth. We saw that fact back on that day when He was 12 years old, and He said to His parents: “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49) They did not understand His mission, but He certainly did. 

Verse 39: And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons. 

• Why did Jesus do this? In the Old Testament God announced that through the Jews would come the promised Savior of the world. Furthermore, through the Jews all the nations of the world would be blessed. The Jews were the saltshaker through which God chose to deliver the salt. They were the beacon through which God chose to radiate His light to the world. They were His chosen instrument, not because of any innate goodness in them, but because of His sovereign will and plan. So, Jesus took the message “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek,” the exact pattern that Paul later followed in proclaiming the Gospel.
• Jesus went out doing the same things He had done in Capernaum—revealing Himself as the Messiah, preaching about the Kingdom, healing the sick, and casting out demons.

Verse 40: And a leper came to Him, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 

• Here the story really begins to get interesting. Mark does not record where this incident took place. Matthew says it happened after Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount on His way back to Capernaum.
• Picture this in your mind… Jesus is talking with people, or perhaps walking along the road when suddenly He is approached by a man with leprosy. Immediately all the people with Jesus begin backing up, trying to put distance between themselves and the diseased man. Luke’s Gospel records that this man was “full of leprosy,” meaning that his body was covered with it.
• What the man did required great courage and great faith—great courage, because what he did was punishable by death; great faith, because he was confident that Jesus could heal him.
• “If You are willing, You can…” Two issues here: Jesus’ willingness and His ability. The leper apparently had no doubts about Jesus’ ability. He said, “…You can.” The only question in the man’s mind was whether Jesus would be willing to do this for him. But what he discovered was that Jesus was more than willing, ready, and able to heal him.

Verses 41: And moved with compassion, [Jesus] stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 

• This is one of the most remarkable, moving, and poignant stories in the New Testament. The man said, “You can make me clean.” Leprosy was a filthy disease. One common form of the disease resulted in weeping, festering wounds with foul smelling discharge. The bandages and clothing would get soiled but because of their living conditions the lepers were unable to keep their bodies and clothing clean.
• What Jesus did must have shocked all those who witnessed it. Moved with compassion toward the man, Jesus reached out and touched him, something no sane person would even consider doing. There must have been a collective gasp from the crowd.
• Notice that as soon as Jesus spoke the words, the man was immediately cured of his disease. 

Verse 42: And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 

• Several facts stand out:
• There was no time lag between the pronouncement and the cure. It happened instantly. This was not about medicine, but a miracle.
• Secondly, the disease left him. It did not go into remission. It did not abate or just get better. It left completely. When Jesus cures, He does it perfectly.
• Thirdly, Jesus cleansed the man. We will see that it was necessary for the man to be pronounced clean by the priest, but He was made clean by Jesus. Only He can do that.

Verse 43-44: And [Jesus] sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, and He said to him,  “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” 

• At first glance it seems like Jesus was rude to the man. It says, “He sternly warned him.” Personally, I have never liked stern warnings. Why didn’t Jesus just give the guy a hug and send him home to his family? After all, now he is cured and perfectly safe to be around.
• To understand what Jesus did, you must understand the man’s situation and the law under which he was living. Leprosy was a death sentence. All of this is carefully described and explained in Leviticus chapters 13-14. To be diagnosed with leprosy meant that you would have to move away from your family and away from society. No one could touch you or even come closer than within about 15 feet from you. For that reason, lepers tied bells to their clothes to warn people of their proximity. As a leper if you approached a person, you could be stoned to death because in those days, they did not know how the disease was spread, and they were not taking any chances. Lepers lived by themselves or in small groups, usually in caves or in shacks that they built for themselves outside the city. Family members would take packages of food and clothing and leave them in designated locations for the leper to retrieve after the family member had gone away. There was no medicine and no cure. Lepers stank and often had open, oozing sores on their bodies that they tried to cover with rags or veils. Eventually they would die from complications resulting from the disease. They would be buried by other lepers in unmarked graves. Before he met Jesus, that was what this man had to look forward to.
• So why did Jesus tell him to go immediately and show himself to the priest? The answer is simple. Jesus was telling the man to obey the law as described in Leviticus 14 and to go about things in the correct way. In that day, the priests were not only the religious leaders, but they also served as the disease control officers of the town or village. For the man to be allowed to move back home with his family he would have to convince the priest that he was indeed fully cured. Then he would have to undergo ceremonial cleansing and receive a clean bill of health. If he had gone back into town without doing this, he could have been killed. Jesus was doing the man a favor by reminding him to obey the law and do this right [see Deut. 24:8]. But alas…

Verse 45: But [the man] went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news about, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere. 

• We have mixed feelings when we read this because we can all identify with this man. On the one hand, the guy totally disobeyed Jesus, which is a bad thing. On the other hand, he was so filled with joy and wonder that he went out telling everyone about Jesus, which is a good thing. So, should we criticize this man or honor him? Maybe both. One thing is for sure, he complicated Jesus’ life even more than it already was. People were already swarming around Jesus wherever He went. The man undoubtedly had good intentions, but after healing this guy Jesus could not even come to town anymore. Lesson: Our disobedience always hinders Christ’s work.
• But the man’s life was radically changed by his encounter with the Savior. Not only was he freed from leprosy; he was now a new man with a future and a hope. 

CONCLUSION:

That is what Jesus does for people. When we come to know Him, He makes us into a new person, heading in a completely new direction. In this story, we see that Jesus was willing, ready, and able to heal the leper of his disease. But more importantly, in the Word of God we also discover that God is willing, ready, and able to save to the uttermost any person who will come to Him by faith and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Sin is a disease far worse than leprosy. Leprosy can only kill the body. Sin destroys the soul for all eternity.

Have you put your faith and trust in Him? If not, do it today, while there is yet time. Open your heart and invite Him into your life. Do it now.