Say Nothing, Go Your Way

As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Mark 1:42-44

The former leper had a startling message to tell, but Jesus strictly warned him to say nothing. Actions were to be his testimony for the time being. This man would not be the only one Jesus told to keep silent. Sometimes Jesus was obeyed in this, other times they went out and spread the news far and wide. This former leper was one of the latter, and it hindered Jesus. Soon He had to stay outside of towns and still the people found Him in the wilderness.

Easily we can see that to obey the man who had cleansed us of such a terrible affliction would be the way to follow. But from the day Eve first reached out to take that forbidden fruit and gave some to Adam, we have been a race of disobedient folk. Keep quiet, obey the law, get back to work are simple instructions, but like the leper we have probably mucked it up too. Fortunately for us and that former leper, a day will soon come in scripture where a risen Savior will issue a command to tell everyone of Him and His good news.

Great is the day of our Lord Jesus!

Bucky

Moved With Compassion

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Mark 1:40-41

No judgment from the Lord Jesus, just a moving of His compassion to heal a leper who came to Him in faith. The question was not whether the Lord could, but a matter of willingness to do what faith said He certainly could do. And Jesus touched the leper. "Wait," the Pharisees would have cried had they been there, "Unclean!" But Jesus had the healing touch in His compassion. "Keep your distance," the disciples might have cried, "the Law!" Jesus reached for the man to relieve the hurting of loneliness a leper would know too well. From the first moments of His ministry, Jesus turned things upside down.

Happy Monday to you in Christ our Lord!

Bucky

Going Forth

But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  Mark 1:38-39

After all the healings and casting outs, Capernaum really wanted Jesus to hang around for a bit. Simon and the gang had searched for and found Jesus alone out of town, but Jesus did not go back where everyone was looking for Him. His purpose was to preach in the next towns. And by now they would have heard of Jesus and His healing. All of Galilee received the Good News in their synagogues and benefitted from the reduction in demoniacs. 

Imagine the confusion among the census takers the next year when no one showed up to register as a demoniac. The tax collectors were happy though, all those former demoniacs had to go out and get paying jobs. Next thing ya know, Jesus will be cleansing the lepers too. Everyone will be getting back to work.

Have a great weekend in Christ the Lord!

Bucky

He Did Much More

Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. Mark 1:29-31

So, tra la la, He just lifts her up and off she goes to serve? As the miracles of Jesus go this one is stated quite simply, as they usually are. We know from a couple thousand years of further learning and discovery that a fever is but one of the body's reactions to an infection. Therefore Jesus didn't just lower the woman's temperature, but also cast out the infection, probably cleared up a runny nose or a nasty cough, and gave her the strength, suddenly and immediately, to get up and do work. And as we can imagine, with tremendous relief and gratitude, she serves Jesus and His disciples as honored guests. Which means that God's provision of food and drink was already in place as well.

The Lord our God has prepared the way for us too!

Bucky

What Is This?

Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.  Mark 1:26-28

The unclean spirits had to obey, but Jesus began His ministry to a group that could be unbelieving, unfaithful, ignorant, foolish, opposing, and even murderous to new prophets. The stones were seldom far from the hands of the Jewish people of Galilee and Judea. The unclean spirits knew who He was, but Jesus didn't want their testimony. Instead for about three years, Jesus would face humanity at its worst, and in time He would lay down His life for them. For all that the Jews of this time will do, at this moment in scripture the Lord Jesus comes to them as a big question: What is this? 

Asking is a good start, but believing in Him is a better finish,

Bucky

They Knew Who He Was

Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” Mark 1:23-24

Last night I watched a drone swoop and spin over a neighborhood to the north of my house. The LED lights on it were visible in the evening light from several blocks away. A few moments later, I had the thought that 50 years ago this same performance would have had people snapping out-of-focus photos and taking grainy video footage while their spouses were on the phone with the police and US Air Force. Some of that media might have even made it to a congressional hearing in Washington D.C. Technology advances and we take what was once a sensation with nonchalance.

As Jesus began His ministry in Capernaum of Galilee, one of the sensations in that time was people with unclean spirits, or demon-possessed persons. The Pharisees and scribes of the synagogue were apparently ineffective in dealing with the problem as the man sat right in the synagogue as Jesus spoke His word. However the unclean spirit did have something to say, and it testified of its special knowledge of Jesus. Aaannd... it had some shade to cast on our Lord's mission on earth, "Did You come to destroy us?" Not us as in to wipe out its kind, but us as in to destroy the people/town of Capernaum or even all of Israel. Since, with evil help such as that, everyone knew that God had it in for Israel.

The story for those who believe in Jesus though turns quickly to victory. As we know that in a hot scriptural minute that unclean spirit goin' be tossed right out o' there!

Praise God for His sovereign authority!

Bucky

Crank Up The Start

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:21-22

A person may have enjoyed the privilege of jumping onboard an organization or company at or near the start of things. How a thing begins often affects its history for years and decades. People may talk of the old times and how things were back in the day. And if things go wonky, those memories may be tinged with longing and a regret for how changes have made what was beloved into something begrudged. They may even feel betrayed. {Oy, you with the 'be' words - behave!}

Jesus seems in Mark's good news to begin His ministry at a place least likely to need it, a synagogue. And yet, the people in the synagogue at Capernaum that Sabbath received a special privilege and a teaching by an authority. So much different from the normal was our Lord's teaching that they were astonished. It would appear that one with authority can strike an organization suddenly and with great effect.

Praise God for Jesus striking our lives for good!

Bucky

Leaving The Nest

When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.  Mark 1:19-20

With a prosperous and cheerfully-named father, the sons of Zebedee probably saw their future lined out before them until that day. Mending nets may not have been their favorite part of the job, but equipment maintenance must be done or the equipment fails when it's needed most. However, their mending net days were about to go on a long pause. Did they look down the coast and see Jesus call Andrew and Simon? Maybe, but the calling of James and John came next, and they dropped the nets to follow this new rabbi. 

We can see from the gospels - and the Revelation (heh, look out below, John!) - the amount that the brothers did not know that day was huge. They left the nest to follow not just any rabbi, but the messiah foretold in a host of prophecies. The brothers would come to believe in Him, while most of their nation would remain hardened of heart and unbelieving. Oh, but the signs they would see on this journey and the words they would hear from the Christ!

Love and joy to you in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Bucky