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Mark 1:1-34 revealed Jesus knew the time was right for Him to fulfill God’s plan. The time of His ministry had come. The first six Bible studies explain this. Each encounter Jesus had with people showed His authority and power. Mark’s gospel is a catalogue of Jesus’ ministry. As a reminder of what Mark wrote in the first thirty-four verses of chapter one, below is a summary.

After John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, Jesus traversed to the wilderness for forty days, endured Satan’s temptations without sinning, then returned to inhabited Israel. On Jesus’ return, He called four fishermen to follow Him. These fishermen immediately left their boats and nets. Jesus then walked into the Capernaum synagogue where He taught Scripture with power and authority. While in the synagogue, a man possessed by many demons confronted Jesus. Jesus cast the demons out after commanding them not to say who He is. After revealing His power and authority at the synagogue, Simon and Andrew invited Jesus to their home. When they arrived, Simon showed his care for his mother-in-law by telling Jesus she was sick in bed with a fever. Jesus had compassion for the woman, walked to her bed, touched her hand, and helped her arise. He willed for her to be well, and it happened. She served the people in the house. After the Sabbath ended, the entire city of Capernaum showed up at the door. These people wanted Jesus to heal and cast out demons. Some just wanted to see Jesus do miracles. They heard about Him and wanted to see him.

In the above occurrences, Jesus showed He has power and authority over sickness and the spiritual world. He taught Scriptures and called disciples with power and authority. In Mark 1:35-39, Jesus prepared to show His power and authority again. He modeled for the disciples what is most important.

Commune

³⁵And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. ³⁶Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; ³⁷and they found Him and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” (Mark 1:35-37 [NASB])

Mark wrote of Jesus’ ministry as one encounter quickly followed by another. “In the early morning” meant the morning after the Sabbath. The Sabbath included the hours from 6pm Friday to 6pm Saturday. This means Jesus awoke before dawn on Sunday. He arose from his bed and left Simon’s house. He left to be with his Father privately. Jesus wanted privacy to commune with His Father in prayer before the day got busy. His relationship with the Father was more important to Him than anything else. From reading the New Testament, a person can discern Jesus considered prayer to be important. Sometimes, His disciples joined Him and saw its importance. As their teacher, they noted Jesus secreting away to quiet places to pray. Jesus was holy, yet prayer was important to Him. How much more important should it be to us unholy people?

Mark recorded Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Jesus. They hunted him down in a good sense. Simon begins to show the character that Bible readers and scholars recognize about Him. He is a leader. Simon is also impulsive. He had to hunt for Jesus because He did not tell Simon He aimed to go to a quiet place. Simon felt they must see more people so Jesus could heal them.

Simon’s sense of urgency, Mark relays in verse thirty-seven. When Simon found Jesus, he said to Him, “Everyone is looking for you.” Imagine how Simon felt and how he might have expressed his finding of Jesus. Perhaps, he huffed and put his hands on his hips when he spoke to Jesus. If it was us, would we have huffed and said, “Where were you and why did you leave us?” Consider Simon’s words; he said, “Everyone.” Did all 1000+ people of Capernaum think Jesus lost and so searched for him?

From reading about Simon Peter later in the Bible, we recognize he was impulsive and spoke in exaggeration. When Simon told Jesus he would never deny Him, he was very adamant he would not leave Jesus. Just as adamantly, he denied Jesus to three people, the girl and two men, before the rooster crowed twice. Is it possible in this verse, Simon was excited that his teacher had become popular so quickly? Did he want to show himself to be a disciple of this authoritative and powerful teacher? We do not know Simon’s motivation for his exaggeration and his hurry.

We recognize, after the fact, Jesus came to earth to help all people, and He came in obedience to the Godhead. Jesus, as part of the Godhead, wanted to continue to commune with the other two-Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus modeled ministry for the disciples. It includes time for ministry and time with God. With this thought, Jesus responded to Simon’s urgency.

Herald

³⁸He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there, for this is why I came.” ³⁹And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee and casting out the demons. (Mark 1:38-39 [NASB])

Jesus did not sit back and reflect on the number of people He healed from sickness and demon possession. He did not regale people with how He cast out the legion of demons. Jesus understood why He came to earth. He understood He had not finished His mission. Jesus came to earth at the right time. His ministry was at the right time. People searched for a savior, though the one they thought they needed was not the one Jesus came to be. Jesus explained to Simon and the others who searched with him for what He came to do. He said he came to preach.

Did Jesus come just to preach to the residents of Capernaum? He said they must go somewhere else to the towns nearby. Jesus realized there were always people somewhere else that needed to learn about Him and the salvation He gives. Why? Because He came by the power of God to preach the gospel. “Preach” comes from the Greek word kerusso and means to proclaim the gospel. It means to be a herald of the Good News. Jesus came to save everyone. To do that, each person must hear the gospel. It's not just for a few places. Jesus modeled ministry that reached outward from home to connect with each person in the world. Staying in the comfort of one’s home does not lead to that occurring. Ministry requires going and proclaiming. When did you last herald the good news?

In verse thirty-nine, Jesus continued modeling as He ministered how to go and proclaim. Jesus showed Himself to the Jews first. He met them where they congregated, the synagogues. Jesus showed He was more than a teacher like the scribes who taught in the synagogues. He was a rabbi, a priest in the truest sense. Jesus continued teaching and preaching with power and authority throughout Galilee, the northern-most province of Israel. He continued casting out evil spirits, showing He has power and authority over the spirit world. He did these things because He loves everyone. Jesus did these things because He came to each to set free each captive person. He did these things because He is almighty and omniscient.

Jesus’ life was the example the disciples would recall. As they obeyed the Great Commission of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, they would remember Jesus praying and proclaiming. Jesus said in His commissioning of all disciples,

Jesus came up and spoke to them (His disciples), saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. God, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [NASB]

Application and Conclusion

Jesus kept busy proclaiming the fulfillment of God’s time had come. The Messiah was with them in person. With the fulfillment of time, the Romans would crucify Jesus as the Jews requested. This would open the veil between God and humanity so people could know God personally. They would understand God is not just a lawgiver and judge who speaks through the priest. People could experience the removal of the weight of their sins. They would realize the salvation Jesus gives as freedom. Do you take Jesus’ example of being a herald personally? Do you share about the salvation He gives so each person can know Him as their Savior? As a disciple of Jesus, He commissions each person who believes in Him to proclaim the gospel.

Jesus added visual examples of His power. He amazingly healed the sick and cast out demons. Jesus also, in this passage, taught the disciples about the necessity of prayer. Prayer is about having a relationship with God. It quickly should go beyond obedience to an act of love, of wanting to be with the One you love most. Life gets busy; we let it. We let “life” get in the way of relationships, even our relationship with God. Jesus showed we should get away from life to be with God. Why? Because He is our source of life and salvation. God continues each day to give us life. If for no other reason to pray, we should thank God each day for awaking on earth.

Jesus modeled that prayer was more than saying, “Thank you.” Prayer is personal. It should come from our desire to be with God. Prayer is when our heart and spirit call out to His heart for connection with Him. God, through the Son, gives each person the possibility of quenching daily our heart and spirit’s desire. We can commune with God in a soul-satisfying way and never be parched again.

Jesus is more than a model for people. He is the Christ, the Messiah. Prophets foretold He would bear the sins of all people, so those who believe in Him will receive salvation from their sins. These believers will have an eternal relationship with God. God’s heart calls to ours. Our heart yearns for His. We each choose either to turn to God and have our greatest desire filled, or turn away from God and never be fully satisfied. Jesus gives us the freedom to choose a soul-quenching relationship with God.

Do you let life get in the way of a relationship with God?

Jesus shows how to get away from life and have a relationship with Him.

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Creation To Christ Story FULL VIDEO English from Creation to Christ Story on Vimeo.

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Healed

 

Jesus’ ministry began when John the Baptist baptized Him in the Jordan River. Following His baptism, He spent forty days in the wilderness, during which He did not sin when tempted by Satan there. Jesus began formal ministry from this point. He walked to Galilee and walked around the Sea of Galilee. Jesus met and called Simon and Andrew, brothers and fishermen, and John and James, who were brothers and fishermen, too. After they walked to Capernaum, they immediately entered the synagogue, where Jesus taught from the Scriptures with power and authority. He was confronted in the synagogue by a man overcome by demons. To these demons, who recognized Jesus was from Nazareth and the “Holy One of God,” Jesus commanded, “Be quiet and come out of him!” (Mark 1:25)

Each of these instances showed Jesus’ power and authority. He had power over temptation, too. Jesus displayed His authority when He called disciples. He revealed power and authority when He taught from Scripture in the synagogue. Jesus exhibited His power over demons. Mark’s purpose was to show Jesus is the Son of God who came for everyone. He spent no time reminding his readers and listeners about Jesus’ genealogy. Mark was determined to share the good news about Jesus. So, he declared who Jesus is at the beginning of his gospel. Mark told of Jesus’ actions and words during His three-year ministry. This Bible study continues teaching from Mark 1 as he disclosed more of Jesus’ life and ministry.

Touched

²⁹And immediately after they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰Now Simeon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and they immediately spoke to Jesus about her. ³¹And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she served them. (Mark 1:29-31 [NASB])

Mark continued to use his favorite adverb, “immediately,” to begin this passage. Jesus wasted no time. He spent every moment intentionally ministering. Jesus showed the disciples and others who watched or heard about Him what Christian service should include. Serving as a Christian means being ready for opportunities to serve other people. It means readily telling them about Jesus, the Messiah.

At the right time, Jesus was born on earth. At the right time, He was baptized. Now, Mark shows in his gospel, the right time for ministering was still immediate. Jesus realized His time on earth was brief. He must tell and show people who He is. Jesus wants people to know why He came to earth. So, at once, Jesus and the disciples left the synagogue and went to Simon and Andrew’s house in Capernaum. They walked to their house to complete the Sabbath day, which was from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday. When they arrived at the house, Simon and Andrew spoke to Jesus about Simon’s mother-in-law being sick. Jesus arrived at Simon’s house at the right time.

Jesus continued to reveal Himself. To people at the synagogue, He began revealing his power and authority at the synagogue. Jesus taught Scripture with power and authority and had power and authority over the Satanic powers, as He showed when He cast out demons from the man. With this recent occurrence at Simeon and Andrew’s house, Mark continued telling how Jesus continued to show His power. After Simon and Andrew spoke to Jesus (vs. 30), Jesus walked to Simeon’s mother-in-law and touched her hand. The fever left her immediately. The touching and raising her up held no magical power. His divinity and loving intention that she gets well caused the fever to leave her body and she be well.

Consider what occurred in Simon’s and Jesus’ actions. By telling Jesus about his mother-in-law, Simon showed he cared about her and that she was equally important as anyone else in his eyes. Consider this: no antibiotics or aspirin existed in those days. Fevers could come from bacteria or virus in the region, such as dysentery, pneumonia, and malaria. Jesus did not say he was afraid to touch her. He did not ask for hand sanitizer, latex gloves, or mask. Jesus recognized the woman was ill since she did not force herself to get up and serve them like women of that time did. He wanted her to be well. Jesus did not want her to worry about hosting.

Knowing these things, Jesus went to the mother-in-law’s bed with Simon and Andrew. He entered her room to heal her. Jesus wanted her to seek and come to recognize Him as the Messiah. He cared about her body, mind, soul, and heart. Jesus touched the feverish woman and helped her get up. His power as the Son of God because He willed it healed her. Jesus cared about her as He cares about all women and men. Jesus freed this woman from sickness and from anguish that she was not being an excellent hostess.

With this action, Jesus showed to the world He has power and authority over sickness and demons. He taught and spoke with power and authority when He taught the Scriptures. Jesus did these during the Sabbath. Jews believed people must not work on the Sabbath. Jesus later taught, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27 [NASB]).

Gathered

³²Now when evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. ³³And the whole city had gathered at the door. ³⁴And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and cast our many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who He was. (Mark 1:32-34 [NASB])

Until the people gathered at Simeon and Andrew’s home after the Sabbath, Jesus revealed Himself just to Jews. With the casting out of the demons at the synagogue, word spread. The people of Capernaum sought to understand more about Jesus. John wrote this in John 12:32. He stated Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Myself.” Jesus came so that each person would hear about, seek, and believe in Him so they would be saved.

Jesus’ ministry was to proclaim the kingdom of God has come. He set about proving He is the Son of God. He did this so when He told them He was the prophesied Messiah, they would believe in Him for salvation. By powerfully and authoritatively showing His divinity, He brought more people near to Himself and released people captive to sin, illness, blindness, demons, and a host of other things (Luke 4:18 & Isaiah 61).

When the Sabbath ended, people of Capernaum brought sick people and demon-possessed people to Jesus for Him to heal and release them from their captivity. They flocked to see Jesus’ works to prove what other people said was true. Remember, the people of Capernaum came from several places — Rome, Greece, Syria, Israel, etc. They had known other people could do the same works. These people wanted to see Jesus prove He has power and authority. People wondered if Jesus is truly the Son of God.

Mark said the whole city gathered at the door of Simon and Andrew’s house. Mark claimed that 1500 people from Capernaum were at the same house. He might have exaggerated. From each gospel writer’s account, people sought to see the man called Jesus. They wanted to understand who Jesus is. They wanted to see what He could do. It was worth the time to take that person to Jesus if He truly could heal their sick family member or friend. Mark did not say anyone believed in Jesus as the Messiah that day. From this passage, we realize an entire city could testify Jesus has power over sickness and demons and power and authority to teach Scriptures.

Besides these things, Mark noted Jesus would not let the demons say who He is. The time was not right for Jesus to be known as the awaited Messiah. Politics were not right; the people would expect Him to be their victorious warrior-king. For Mark, primary importance was to show Jesus is who He says He is, the Servant-Son of God who came to set captives free. That captivity could be because of illness, slavery, sin, society, etcetera. In the right time, Jesus would show Himself to the world as the long-awaited Messiah. Peter was the first to declare Jesus as the Messiah. In Mark 8:29, after Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Christ (Messiah).” Notice after this confession by Peter, Jesus warned the disciples to tell no one about Him. That revelation was not due.

Application and Conclusion

Jesus quieted the demons. He told others not to declare He is the Messiah. Now, almost two thousand years after Jesus’ ministry, many people still have not been told about the Messiah. Some Christians live as if Jesus is still telling His followers not to say who He is. Does He act less in our world today? Do marvelous rescues of the oppressed, enslaved, and sick people not occur? Or is there nobody who needs saving anymore?

Lest we think we are in a world where Jesus is irrelevant, consider the violence, wars, prejudice, thievery, rage, illnesses locally and globally, depression, and suicide. Is there less reason for Jesus to care today about people? No, just as in the past, the world needs a Savior, who heals, frees, shows mercy and love, and forgives sins. No one has ever died, then returned to life, ascended to heaven, or interceded with the Father as Jesus did/does. His intercession to the Father and breaking into our reality with His powerful works still occurs and will until time ends.

Where do you stand with Jesus? Have you heard about Him? Did you turn your back on what He offers? Have you listened to people tell of Him, believed in Him, and accepted His love and salvation, but live as the world lives? Have you never heard of Jesus? Are you curious?

Jesus is the Son of God, who was born to a virgin by the Holy Spirit. He was raised and faced testing and temptation, but never sinned. He died a sinner’s death by crucifixion (suffocation) on a cross, like the worst of sinners experienced. Three days after His death, He came back to life and walked among people for forty days. After those forty days, Jesus ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father, interceding for His followers to the Father. He lives throughout eternity and existed before time began.

Now, where do you stand with Jesus? Will you seek Him and believe? Will He be Messiah and Savior for you? Jesus told the demons not to say He is the Messiah. Why? He said it not to lie, but because it was not the right time.

Now is the right time.

If we Christians stay silent, even the rocks will cry out (Luke 19:40). Jesus is not telling you today to stay silent. After His resurrection, He commissioned His disciples. Jesus said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18020 [NASB]).

The Messiah already is. His existence on earth and in heaven cannot be dismissed.

Will you dismiss your salvation? Will you dismiss Jesus’ commission of you?