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. 

Gospel of Mark Study #4

“The Man Is the Message”

Mark 1:21-34

Study #4 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

At the end of John’s Gospel, he tells us why he wrote all the things he did. In 20:30-31 he says, “Many other signs [i.e., miracles] therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and the believing you may have life in His name.” In other words, John is saying that the miracles that Jesus performed were like His professional business card, identifying who He was, what He came to do, and what He had to offer.

TRANSITION:

Everyone understands that in the sales business the salesman must sell himself before he will be able to sell his product. His first and biggest job is to convince people about himself and make them believe in him and his ability to provide them with a valuable service. We might say, “The man is the message.”

This was true of Jesus as well. He came to earth to accomplish a mission—to save people from their sins and to establish His Church. But to do that He had to sell Himself to a world filled with skeptical sinners.

In today’s passage we see Him beginning to do just that, to present Himself, and to give a little glimpse of His infinite power to heal and to save.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 21: They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.

• “Kapharnaum” (or Capernaum) means “village of Naum” (not the prophet). It was a bustling little fishing village on the north end of the Sea of Galilee with about 1,500 inhabitants. It was an important town on the main road to Damascus in Syria.

·         “The synagogue” – There is a synagogue there that you can visit today but it was not built until 300 years after Jesus’ time. Synagogues were primarily teaching institutions. The synagogue service consisted of only three things: prayer, the reading of God’s Word, and the exposition of it. There was no music, no singing, and no sacrifice. Those things only went on in the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus was regarded as a rabbi (i.e., teacher) and therefore was granted the honor of reading the scripture portion assigned for that day and commenting on it. That was the custom. In the absence of a rabbi the ruler of the synagogue would fulfill this role, or else call on someone to do it.

·         “When Sabbath came” – Apparently this was just the regular Sabbath, which had begun at sundown on Friday evening and went for 24-hours until sundown on Saturday. This meeting apparently occurred sometime on Saturday morning.

·         “Began to teach” – We have no idea what He said, nor do we know the passage from which He was teaching, but we can see the effect that it had upon His hearers.

Verse 22: The people were amazed at His teaching, because He taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

·         There were four (4) primary groups of religious people in Jesus’ day.

o   Pharisees—They were the fundamentalists of their time, sticklers for the Law and mostly rich men. They highly valued the oral traditions that had been passed down to them.

o   Sadducees—They were the theological liberals of that era. They did not believe in angels, resurrection from the dead, or an afterlife. They had little use for the oral traditions and only considered the Torah to be authoritative.

o   Essenes—They were hermits and mystics, living in the desert and having little to do with anyone.

o   Scribes—They were professional copyists of the sacred scrolls. They hand-copied the Scriptures and thus knew the text better than anyone else. For that reason, they were valued as teachers of the Law. Because the Pharisees were in power, they and the scribes formed a united religious front against the Sadducees.

·         Jesus amazed them because He taught in a way that was so different from anything they had ever heard before. His words rang with truth and authority. They were used to hearing, “Rabbi So-and-so says this, and Rabbi What’s-his-nose says that.” But Jesus spoke, “Thus saith the Lord!” John 7:15 gives this same thought in the minds of the people. – The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?”

·         Let me give you an idea of the kinds of things the Jewish people had become accustomed to hearing from their teachers. Here is a portion I picked at random from the Talmud discussing regulations concerning what garments (serving as ornaments) women may go out with on the Sabbath.

o   MISHNA I.: In what ornamental apparel may a woman go out, and in what may she not go out? A woman is not allowed to go out even in private ground either with woolen or linen bands or with straps on her head to keep her hair in tresses as a precaution lest she enter public ground and take off the bands to show to her friends, thereby becoming guilty of carrying movable property for a distance of four ells or more. Nor is she to bathe herself with the bands on unless loosened. Nor is she to go out with either Totaphoth or Sarbitin on, unless they are fastened; nor with a hood in public ground, nor with gold ornaments, nor with nose-rings, nor with finger-rings that have no seal, nor with pins. But if she did go out with these things, she is not bound to bring a sin-offering as they are ornaments and not burdens.

o   GEMARA: “Bathing.” Where is bathing referred to and what has it to do with the Sabbath? Said Rabbi Na’hman ben Itz’hak in the name of Rabbi ben Abuhu: The Mishna means to say: What is the reason that a woman is not allowed to go out with either woolen or linen bands? Because the sages have decided that she is not to bathe herself with them on, even on week days, unless loosened; therefore she shall not go out with them on the Sabbath at all, lest it happen that she become in duty bound to bathe herself, and, while untying her hair, be forced to carry the bands in public ground for a distance of four ells or more.

 

Verse 23-24: Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

·         Try to picture this… “a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit.” It is certain this guy was well-known in the community and in the synagogue. Remember, they did not get a lot of drop-in visitors to their meetings. And I am sure that no one in that meeting except Jesus knew that the guy was demon possessed.

·         Can demons get into people and even have them sit through church services with no one knowing? YES! But in the presence of the Son of God the demon could not keep up his disguise and his charade. The evil spirit was subject to Jesus and obviously frightened of Him, knowing who He was and what power and authority He possessed.

·         “What do you want with us? Have you come to destroy us?” The demon speaks using the man’s voice. Notice that he speaks first using the plural, “us.” But then the demon switches to the singular: “I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” Perhaps the demon was referring at first to the fact that Scripture says that someday Christ will utterly destroy Satan and all his demons. Perhaps he was thinking that day had come. It is obvious that he was aware of Christ’s identity. All the supernatural forces of Hell know who Jesus is and they fear Him.

Verse 25-26: “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”  ²⁶ The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

·         Literally Jesus told the demon to “muzzle himself.” Jesus addressed the demon the way I used to address my dog, Bubba, when he barked at the cats or at some sound he heard. I would yell at him to “Be quiet! Shut up!” Jesus showed no fear whatsoever. He ordered the demon to come out of the man immediately. Having no choice, the demon did as he was told, although not without complaint. Petulantly he shook the man and let out a shriek. What happened to the man and the demon after that we are left to guess. Mark does not tell us any more details about what happened.

Verse 27: The people were all so amazed that they asked each other [or “debated among themselves” NASV], “What is this?  A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits, and they obey him.”

·         “The people were amazed” – this is the second time in this text that we read that the people were amazed at Jesus. They were amazed at His teaching, and now they are amazed at His power to perform miracles.

·         The Scribes could not teach like Jesus did. The Pharisees could not cast out demons the way Jesus did. No one could do the things He did, and the people were amazed at what they had heard and witnessed.

·         “He even gives orders to evil spirits, and they obey him.” – This observation reminds me of Luke 8:25. Jesus and his disciples were in a boat crossing the lake and Jesus fell asleep in the back of the boat. When a terrible storm arose, the disciples were afraid they were all going to drown so they awakened Jesus and begged Him to do something. He spoke to the storm and immediately the winds and waves ceased. Jesus spoke to His disciples saying: “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

Verses 28: News about Him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

·         This verse is sort of an aside. It should have a parenthesis around it because it is a general observation about what effect this miracle had.

·         They say, “bad news travels fast,” but so does Good News. There was no TV, Internet, radio, or newspaper back then but information about Jesus quickly spread by word of mouth.

·         As soon as they heard what had happened people began saying to themselves and to those around them, “I wonder if this rabbi from Nazareth might be able to help So-and-so. Let’s take him to Capernaum and find out.”

Verse 29: As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.

·         I take this to refer to the five: namely, Jesus, James, John, Simon, and Andrew, probably followed by a bunch of people who had been in the synagogue meeting. Apparently, this was Simon’s house, but it appears that Simon was the patriarch and head of the extended family. Andrew must have lived there too. 

Verse 30: Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her.

·         This verse is one of the Roman Catholics’ worst nightmares. They insist that Peter was the first Pope. But popes are not allowed to marry. However, the only way to get a mother-in-law is to be married so it is a big mystery. The Bible tells us nothing about Peter’s wife, or about any children he might have had. But that’s not a surprise because it doesn’t give any information about any of the other apostles’ families either. Yet according to 1 Cor. 9:5 many of them were married, including Simon Peter.

·         Anyway, Peter’s mother-in-law was extremely sick, in bed with a high fever. That would have been a big concern to Peter’s whole family. People often died from fever in those days. Someone shared the problem with Jesus. 

Verse 31: So, He went to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to wait on them.

·         She was probably lying down in a back room. Jesus went in to where she was and simply took her by the hand. No details are given about how He did it but apparently the miracle occurred the moment He touched her. Luke’s Gospel records that Jesus “rebuked” the fever and it “left her immediately.”

·         Her healing was immediate. Minutes later she was back on her feet waiting on Jesus and the other houseguests.

Verse 32: That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon possessed.

·         Why did the people wait until after sunset? Remember the rules of the Sabbath. People could only travel a short distance on the Sabbath, so they waited until the Sabbath closed at sundown. Can you imagine that scene? The street in front of Simon’s house was jam-packed with sick people. They came limping, crawling, and hobbling. Some had to be carried on pallets by their friends or family members. It was getting dark, and the breeze coming off the lake was getting cold. The people were calling out Jesus’ name, asking Him to come out and help them.

Verse 33-34: The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but He would not let the demons speak because they knew who He was.

·         Here Mark uses hyperbole to tell us that a whole bunch of people showed up at Simon’s door wanting Jesus to come out and heal all their diseases and cast out all their evil spirits.

·         But why did Jesus not allow the evil spirits to speak? According to Luke 4:41 the demons were identifying Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, but He repeatedly refused to let them speak. Mark’s use of the Greek imperfect tense here indicates repeated action. This knowledge of His person is further evidence that these were not merely cases of mental illness, as many sceptics contend, but of genuine demonic oppression.

·         We see that the Lord steadfastly refused to accept demoniac testimony to His Godhood. All such testimony is non-voluntary, an unwilling recognition of an observed fact, and thus corresponds to no moral or spiritual transforming discovery. Besides, everyone knows that a testimony is only as valid as the character of the witness. That is why we give so little credence to the testimony of a jailhouse snitch. Character counts. Jesus did not need character references about His holiness and Godhood from demons from Hell. It makes sense when you think about it. 

CONCLUSION:

In this story, covering only one day in Jesus’ life, we see Him healing people three times. First, He healed in the synagogue; second, He healed in the house of His friends; and now, third, He healed in the street. Wherever there was trouble Jesus was ready to use His power to help and to heal.

The people flocked to Jesus because they recognized in Him a man who could do things. There were plenty who could talk and expound and lecture and teach; but here was someone who dealt not merely in words but also in actions.

But I see something sad here as well. The crowds came because they wanted something from Jesus. They did not come because they loved Him or really believed in Him as the Messiah sent from God. In the last analysis they just wanted to use Him. Still today, that is what most people want to do with God and with His Son, Jesus.

Gospel of Mark Study #3

“Repent and Believe”

Mark 1:14-20

Study #3 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

I really like old-time radio programs. I grew up in the era when the old radio programs were on their way out and television was coming in, but I can still remember sitting in the living room at night with my sister and listening to “Inner Sanctum” and “Lights Out,” not to mention “The Shadow” and “Gunsmoke.” Years later I worked at a radio station in Portland, OR during my second and third years of college, and while working there I became acquainted with a lot of the old radio comedies like, “Our Miss Brooks,” “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Amos and Andy,” and “The Bickersons.”

But one of my favorite programs was always, “Dragnet.” The theme music from that show is deeply etched into my memory. Jack Webb, who played the part of Sgt. Joe Friday, had a phrase he often used while interviewing witnesses. He would say, “Just the facts, ma’am. We just need the facts.” By that he meant that he just wanted the pertinent facts, not the opinions and wild-haired suggestions of the person he was interviewing. 

There are lots of situations in life in which it is important to get right to the bottom of the subject. For example, when you talk to your doctor you want him to level with you and not try to sugar-coat the news or to snow you with complicated explanations. “How long do I have to live? Just tell me straight out, Doc.” And when you visit your car mechanic you want to know the bottom line. “Bill, just tell me how much this is going to cost me?” 

In the same way, many of us want to know the bottom line of what we must do to be right with God, and to know that we will go to Heaven when we die. We want the facts, just the facts. 

In our text for today Jesus makes a statement that is hard to miss. He boils it all down to six words that anyone can understand: “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” But we need to unpack these six simple words to see what they mean.

TRANSITION:

We are engaged in a study of the Gospel According to Mark. For those of you with short memories or who were not with us when I gave the introduction to this little book a couple of sessions back let me try to quickly bring you up to speed. 

Mark is the shortest of the four Gospel accounts, with just 16 chapters. Although he was a Jew, born and raised in Jerusalem, he was living in Rome when he wrote his account of the life and ministry of Jesus. Moreover, he wrote with Romans in mind. He wrote to explain the actions and teachings of Jesus to people with no Jewish background or understanding of the Old Testament. His primary mentor was the apostle Peter, who was a first-hand witness to all these events that Mark recorded for us. 

In his Gospel account Mark focuses more on the miracles of Jesus than on His teachings. He goes into detail about what Jesus did and leaves us to draw the logical conclusion about who Jesus was. 

In this first chapter Mark quickly moves us through the early events in Jesus’ ministry: i.e., His announcement by John, His baptism, and His 40-days in the wilderness being harassed by Satan himself. After His time in the Judean desert Jesus made his way 80 miles back up north to His home area in Galilee where He began His 3½ year public ministry leading up to the cross. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 14-15: Now after John [the Baptist] had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.”

·         Mark does not give us any details here about what happened to John the Baptist. We must wait until chapter 6 to get the rest of the story. But apparently John’s arrest by Herod occurred shortly after Jesus’ baptism, sometime during the 40-days while He was in the wilderness. After hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus left Judea and headed back up to the Galilee region.

·         But by that time John had completed his task. He had paved the way for the Messiah, announcing His arrival to all who would listen. Even sitting in jail, he could say with the apostle Paul, “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8). John fully accomplished what he had been put on earth by God to do. How many of us can truthfully say that?

·         “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God.” This word “preaching” means declaring, heralding, proclaiming. So, what was Jesus proclaiming? – the Good News from and about God. That is what the word Gospel means... Good News. Up in verse one Mark started out his book this way: “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Now he says that Jesus was preaching the Good News.

·         What was the content of Jesus’ message? Three points:

o   “The time is fulfilled” = The Old Testament time of waiting is over. Paul put it this way in Galatians 4:4 – “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.” The centuries of waiting for the appearance of the promised Messiah has now come to an end. He is now among you. His name is Jesus, the Christ.

o   “The Kingdom of God is at hand” = The appearance of the Son of God marks the end of Satan’s kingdom of darkness. The time has come when God will begin to take back what man gave over to the enemy in the Fall. Phase One of the hostile takeover involved the arrival on the scene of the Owner’s Beloved Son.

o   “Repent and believe in the Gospel” = Here is that simple Gospel message that I mentioned in the beginning. It is not complicated or difficult to understand but it involves both Good News and Bad News. The Bad News is that we are all lost and headed for Hell. We are all sinners both by nature and by choice and the Bible says that the “wages of sin is death.” The Bible says that we are all in the same boat and that none of us has what it takes to get us to Heaven under our own steam. Remember all those ugly shouting matches Jesus had with the Pharisees? They thought that they were so righteous and pure that God would have to let them into Heaven. Jesus called them all “hypocrites” because they knew full well that they were rotten to the core, although none of them would admit it. To “repent” means to have a complete change of mind. It is a mental “about-face.” In this context it means that you must give up all ideas of your own intrinsic self-worth and realize that before God you are a spiritually bankrupt sinner who cannot save yourself. It means to turn away from the path of self-righteousness and throw yourself on the mercy of God. It means to finally believe that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be and that He came to earth to save you. To “believe” means to deposit your faith and trust in something or someone. In this case, Jesus was calling men and women to believe in Him, as their Messiah, Savior, Redeemer, and King. “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” The Gospel, the Good News, is all about Jesus. Without Him there would be no Good News, only Bad News. All of mankind was headed for Hell and then Jesus, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” showed up to give us a future and a hope. Praise God! 

Verse 16: As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.

·         Some background information: The Sea of Galilee is not really a sea at all, but a big fresh-water lake, 13 miles long and 8.1 miles wide. It has an average depth of 84 feet, with a maximum depth of 157 feet. At 686 feet below sea level, it is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake in the world (after the Dead Sea, which is a saltwater lake). The Jordan River runs into it at the north end and runs out of it at the south end. Because of its shape, its traditional Hebrew name was Yam Kinneret (Harp Lake), from the Hebrew word, kinnar, meaning, “harp, or lyre,” the kind David played. The Romans renamed it the Sea of Tiberius, after their emperor, Tiberius Caesar.

·         Mark does not say exactly where on the lake Jesus ran across Simon and Andrew. We know that they lived in the village of Capernaum, but they undoubtedly knew every inch of that lake. The point is that Jesus knew exactly where to find them! I believe that He went looking for them. This was a divine appointment, not a chance meeting. And this was also not the first time they had met Him. Check that story out in John 1:40 42. It is also probable that John, who we meet in verse 19, was one of those referred to in John 1:35-39 as following Jesus.

·         They were real fishermen—not the hook and line kind of anglers like most of us. They did not do it just for fun and relaxation. Their family had been fishing for a living for many generations. It was who they were, what they did. It was their life, their livelihood. If they did not catch fish their families did not have food and clothing.

·         To do their fishing they used two basic methods. Sometimes they would use large round throwing nets, with weights tied around the edges. They could either throw them from the shore or from a boat. However, they also used large purse-nets, which could be pulled behind a boat and closed-up like a purse, trapping the fish inside for a larger catch. Simon and Andrew were experts in all kinds of fishing. They certainly did not need anyone to teach them how to do it.

Verse 17: And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

·         Did Jesus yell at them out in their boat or did He just talk to them on the shore—we do not know. But we can imagine what might have gone through their minds: “What does this carpenter think he can teach us about fishing? And what does he mean by ‘fishers of men’?”

·         The occupation of fisherman like Simon and Andrew was rather labor intensive. Remember, the imagery of using a lure and a fishing pole and waiting for the fish to strike is totally foreign to this text. Jesus is not speaking about finesse as in fly fishing or using the right kind of bait. The imagery here has nothing to do with “hooking” unbelievers with the Gospel. Furthermore, the picture is not individualistic—He is talking about work that required a team effort. The point is not one person being reeled in at a time, but a whole net full of “fish.” All these notions have to do with line fishing, but this is not the picture seen in this text. Rather, the imagery of a fisherman involved much strain, long hours, and often little results. Notice too, that Jesus did not say, “Come follow me for a week or two and see how you like it.” He was calling them, not to an interesting weekend, but to an amazing lifetime. And notice the order of events. First comes the call, the invitation: “Come and follow Me.” That is the first big hurdle for people. After that comes the promise: “…and I will make you to become fishers of men.” If we really follow Him, how can we not become fishers of men? If we love Him and seek to imitate Him, we will also naturally tell others about Him. That is the primary work of a fisher of men.

·         One more thing... Jesus says, “...and I will make you become fishers of men.” No one is born knowing how to be a fisher of men. To learn it is a process (“to become”), and Jesus is the teacher (“I will make you become...”). If you and I want to learn how to be fishers of men, we must submit ourselves to the teaching process and to the Master Fisherman.

Verse 18: Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

·         Notice those 3 key words: “immediately,” “left,” and “followed.” What was it about Jesus that got to them? Was it Jesus' melodious, hypnotic voice? Was it His snappy looking outfit? Was it His promise of wealth and material gain? Did He threaten them? Why did they immediately leave all their gear, in which most of their money was wrapped up, and follow Jesus? AMAZING!

Verse 19: Going on a little farther, He saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.

·         “Going a little farther.” I assume this means that He walked on down the shoreline to where James and John were working. We know that these four guys often worked together. Although they were from different families, they were from the same small fishing village and had undoubtedly known one another all their lives. They were friends and colleagues.

·         Get the picture in your mind. Jesus called Andrew and Simon to follow Him. They left everything and trailed after Jesus on up the beach to where James and John were sitting in their boat at the water’s edge, repairing their nets. James and John had probably been watching Jesus and their friends approaching but they did not know what was going on. 

Verse 20: Immediately He called them; and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him.

·         Look at this. It is amazing! Jesus “called them” and they left everything behind to follow Jesus. What do you think their father thought of their idea? What did the servants think about it? We do not know, but it appears that the only thing that mattered to those four men in that moment was to follow Jesus, even though they had no idea where that path would lead them. Notice too that Mark uses the same 3 key words in verse 20 that he used in verse 18.

·         But really, does anybody know where we will end up if we choose to follow Christ? Did you have any idea where He might take you? I certainly did not. After hearing about Him and learning about my own sinfulness and my need for a Savior, and after learning how much He loved me, I just knew that I wanted to be with Him. That is all that mattered to me at the time. I think that is how these four guys felt as well.

·         Of these four men, only one of them died from natural causes. The other three were all martyrs for Christ and the Gospel. If they had known what the future held for them would they still have followed Jesus? We do not know, but I think so.

CONCLUSION:

“Fishers of men.” When you hear those words, what picture comes to your mind? For Simon, Andrew, James, and John they knew exactly what being a fisherman meant. And it would not have been too difficult to extrapolate from there:

·         Fishing is arduous, back breaking work.

·         Fishing is often performed in solitary places with no one watching or cheering.

·         Fishing requires teamwork, which means getting along with co-laborers.

·         Fishing is often discouraging.

·         Fish stink, and some of them bite

·         Fishing can produce life-giving, nurturing sustenance for many people.