WE ARE STUDYING THE FOUR GOSPELS MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN TO KNOW THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM.
Our Savior was rejected in Nazareth see;
Then He;
We see that He;
He then tells us how to get saved;
Jesus ends His Ministry in Judea and;
John the Baptist Exalts Christ.
Jesus finished His Ministry in Judea and went up to Galilee but did not take the long road the Jews normally take to avoid going through Samaria but went straight to a place called Sychar near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there.
Jesus and the Woman of Samaria.
Jesus returned via Samaria to Galilee and we see The Rewards Of Service John 4:28-38, The Growth Of Faith John 4:39-45 and lastly The Reward Of Trusting Jesus’ Word John4:46-54.
Back in Galilee after a year in Judea;
Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds.
Nazareth’s loss was Capernaum’s gain. The people in the latter city recognized that His teaching was authoritative. His words were convicting and impelling.
The Sermon on the Mount.
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
The Beatitudes. Salt and Light.
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law
Retaliation and Love Your Enemies
Secret giving and secret praying
What to Seek and Whom to Serve
Ask, and It will Be Given & The Golden Rule.
The Messiah’s Miracles Of Power And Grace, And Varying Reactions To Them
Rewards Of Faith, The Great Physician
Frederick Brotherton Meyer, a contemporary and friend of D. L. Moody and A. C. Dixon, was a Baptist pastor and evangelist in England involved in ministry and inner city mission work on both sides of the Atlantic presents it to us this way;
THE HELPER OF THE NEEDY
Mark 1:21-39
The word straightway is typical of our Lord’s life. It occurs at least eleven times in this chapter (R.V.), and is the keynote of Mark’s Gospel, which is pre-eminently the gospel of service. The ancient symbol for this Gospel was the ox. There is comparatively little said in it, as in Matthew, about the King; or, as in Luke, about the details of Jesus’ humanity; or, as in John, about His divine sonship. There are suggestions of all these, but emphasis is laid on the unresting labors of Jesus, who went about doing good. In illustration of this trait in the Master’s life, the evangelist narrates the proceedings of two typical days, the one at the beginning, the other at the close of His ministry. The first typical day is recorded in this chapter, Mar_1:21-38. The morning was spent in the synagogue, where at the close of the service the demon was cast out; the afternoon witnessed the healing of Peter’s wife’s mother; the evening beheld the throng at the door, whom he healed. Early next day He had gone forth for prayer, and forthwith started on a mission throughout all Galilee. The second typical day is recorded in Mar_11:20-33; Mar_12:1-44; Mar_13:1-37.
THE FRIEND OF SINNERS
Mark 1:40-2:22
The leper, Mar_1:40-45. The news of Christ spread fast and far until it reached the outcasts from Jewish society, the very dregs of humanity. As the story of the wonderful miracles wrought by our Lord was pondered deeply by this man, He concluded that the only question which remained was that of Christ’s willingness to hear. As to His power there could be no doubt. But no one of all the religious world of that time had ever thought of extending a helping hand to such as he. Note the instantaneousness of our Lord’s response to this appeal. His love and power are commensurate; when you gauge the one, you have measured the other.
The paralytic, Mar_2:1-12. The disease had resulted from sin. It was necessary to deal with the soul before the body could be emancipated. As soon as we sin, God’s pardon awaits our asking for it, and of this fact our Lord gave the paralytic man definite assurance. Jesus’ right to speak was evidenced by His power to heal. If the latter was effectual, so was the former.
The sinner’s friend, Mar_2:13-22. They thought to coin a term of reproach, but they added a crown of glory. In eternity the Friend of sinners will surround His table with saved sinners who have become His guests.
We thank William MacDonald (1917-2007) who, for more than forty years, written directly about the key issues of Christianity. Leaving a promising business career as an employed investment analyst with First National Bank of Boston “at the foot of the Cross”, he had travelled worldwide, proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ for the Believer’s Bible Commentary.
An Unclean Spirit Cast Out
Mark1:21-28
Verses 21-34 describe a typical day in the life of the Lord. Miracle followed miracle as the Great Physician healed the demon-possessed and diseased.
The Savior’s healing miracles illustrate how He liberates men from the dread results of sin. This is illustrated in the chart above.
Though the preacher of the gospel is not called upon to perform these acts of physical healing today, he is constantly called upon to deal with their spiritual counterparts. Are these not the greater miracles the Lord Jesus mentioned in Joh_14:12 : “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do?”
1:21, 22 But now let us return to Mark’s narrative. at Capernaum, Jesus had entered the synagogue and had begun to teach on the Sabbath. The people realized that here was no ordinary teacher. There was undeniable power connected with His words, unlike scribes who droned on mechanically. His sentences were arrows from the Almighty. His lessons were arresting, convicting, challenging. The scribes peddled a second-hand religion. There was no unreality in the teaching of the Lord Jesus. He had the right to say what He did, because He lived what He taught.
Everyone who teaches the Word of God should speak with authority or not speak at all. The Psalmist said, ”I believed, therefore I spoke” (Psa_116:10). Paul echoed the words in 2Co_4:13. Their message was born of deep conviction.
1:23 In their synagogue there was a man possessed, or inhabited, by a demon. The demon is described as an unclean spirit. This probably means that the spirit manifested its presence by making the man physically or morally unclean. Let no one confuse demon-possession with various forms of insanity. The two are separate and distinct. A demon-possessed person is actually indwelt and controlled by an evil spirit. The person is often able to perform supernatural feats and often becomes violent or blasphemous when confronted with the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:24 Notice that the evil spirit recognized Jesus and spoke of Him as the Nazarene and the Holy One of God. Notice too the change of pronouns from plural to singular: “What have we to do with You?. . . Did you come to destroy us? … I know You. . . .” At first the demon speaks as joined to the man; then he speaks for himself alone.
1:25, 26 Jesus would not accept the witness of a demon, even if it was true. So He told the evil spirit to be quiet, then commanded him to come out of the man. It must have been strange to see the convulsed man and to hear the eerie cry of the demon as he left his victim.
1:27, 28 The miracle caused amazement. It was new and startling to the people that with a mere command, a Man could drive out a demon. Was this the beginning of a new school of religious teaching, they wondered? News of the miracle immediately spread throughout … Galilee. Before leaving this portion, let us note three things:
1. The First Advent of Christ apparently aroused a great outburst of demonic activity on the earth.
2. Christ’s power over these evil spirits foreshadows His eventual triumph over Satan and all his agents.
3. Wherever God works, Satan opposes. All who set out to serve the Lord can expect to be opposed every step of the way. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph_6:12).
Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed
Mark 1:29-31
“Immediately” is one of the characteristic words of this Gospel, and is especially suitable for the Gospel which stresses the servant character of the Lord Jesus.
1:29, 30 From the synagogue our Lord went to Simon’s house. As soon as He arrived, he learned that Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. Verse 30 states that they told Him about her at once. They wasted no time in bringing her need to the Physician’s attention.
1:31 Without a word, Jesus took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. She was cured immediately. Ordinarily a fever leaves a person in a weakened condition. In this case, the Lord not only cured the fever but gave immediate strength to serve. And she served them. J. R. Miller says:
Every sick person who is restored, whether in an ordinary or extraordinary way, should hasten to consecrate to the service of God the life that is given back. … A great many persons are always sighing for opportunities to minister to Christ, imagining some fine and splendid service which they would like to render. Meantime they let slip past their hands the very things in which Christ wants them to serve Him. True ministry to Christ is doing first of all and well one’s daily duties.
It is noticeable that in each of the healing miracles, the Savior’s procedure is different. This reminds us that no two conversions are exactly alike. Everyone must be dealt with on an individual basis.
That Peter had a mother-in-law shows that the idea of a celibate priesthood was foreign to that day. It is a tradition of men which finds no support in the Word of God and which breeds a host of evils.
Healing At Sunset
Mark 1:32-34
News of the Savior’s presence had spread during the day. As long as it was the Sabbath, the people dared not bring the needy to Him. But when the sun had set and the Sabbath had ended, there was a rush to the door of Peter’s house. There the sick and the demon-possessed experienced the power that delivers from every phase and form of sin.
Preaching Throughout Galilee
Mark 1:35-39
1:35 Jesus rose a long while before daylight and went out to a place where He would be free from distraction and spend time in prayer. The Servant of Jehovah opened His ear each morning to receive instructions for the day from God the Father (Isa_50:4-5). If the Lord Jesus felt the need of this early morning quiet time, how much more should we! Notice too that He prayed when it cost Him something; He rose and went out a long while before daylight. Prayer should not be a matter of personal convenience but of self-discipline and sacrifice. Does this explain why so much of our service is ineffective?
1:36, 37 By the time Simon and the others got up, the crowd was gathered outside the house again. The disciples went to tell the Lord of the rising popular sentiment.
1:38 Surprisingly, He did not go back to the city, but took the disciples into the surrounding towns, explaining that He must preach there also. Why did He not return to Capernaum?
1. First of all, He had just been in prayer and had learned what God wanted Him to do that day.
2. Secondly, He realized that the popular movement in Capernaum was shallow. The Savior was never attracted by large crowds. He looked below the surface to see what was in their hearts.
3. He knew the peril of popularity and taught the disciples by His example to beware when all men spoke well of them.
4. He consistently avoided any superficial, emotional demonstration that would have put the crown before the cross.
5. His great emphasis was on preaching the Word. The healing miracles, while intended to relieve human misery, were also designed to gain attention for the preaching.
1:39 Thus to the synagogues throughout all Galilee Jesus went preaching and casting out demons. He combined preaching and practicing, saying and doing. It is interesting to see how often He cast out demons in synagogues. Would liberal churches today correspond to the synagogues?
A Leper Cleansed
Mark 1:40-45
The account of the leper gives us an instructive example of the prayer that God answers:
1. It was earnest and desperate—imploring Him.
2. It was reverent—kneeling down to Him.
3. It was humble and submissive—“If You are willing.”
4. It was believing—“You can.”
5. It acknowledged need—“make me clean.”
6. It was specific—not “bless me” but “make me clean.”
7. It was personal— “make me clean.”
8. It was brief—five words in the original.
Notice what happened!
Jesus was moved with compassion. Let us never read these words without a sense of exultation and gratitude.
He stretched out His hand. Think of it! The hand of God stretched forth in answer to humble, believing prayer.
He touched him. Under the law, a person became ceremonially unclean when he touched a leper. Also, there was of course the danger of contracting the disease. But the Holy Son of Man identified Himself with the miseries of mankind, dispelling the ravages of sin without being tainted by them.
He said, “I am willing.” He is more willing to heal than we are to be healed. Then “Be cleansed.” In an instant the skin of the leper was smooth and clear.
He forbade publicizing the miracle until first the man had appeared before the priest and had made the required offering (Lev_14:2 ff). This was a test, first of all, of the man’s obedience. Would he do as he was told? He did not; he publicized his case, and as a result, he hindered the work of the Lord (v. 45). It was also a test of the priest’s discernment. Would he perceive that the long-awaited Messiah had come, performing wonderful miracles of healing? If he was typical of the nation of Israel, he would not.
Again we find that Jesus withdrew from the crowds and ministered in deserted places. He did not measure success by numbers.
A Paralytic Healed
Mark 2:1-12
2:1-4 Soon after the Lord entered Capernaum … many gathered around the house where He was. Word had spread quickly, and people were anxious to see the Miracle-Worker in action. Whenever God moves in power, people are attracted. The Savior faithfully preached the word to them as they clustered round the door. At the rear of the crowd was a paralytic, carried by four others on an improvised stretcher. The crowd hindered his getting near the Lord Jesus. There usually are hindrances in bringing others to Jesus. But faith is ingenious. The four carriers climbed the outside stairs to the roof, uncovered a portion of the roof, and lowered the paralytic to the ground floor—perhaps to a courtyard in the middle—bringing him near the Son of God. Someone has nicknamed these good friends Sympathy, Cooperation, Originality, and Persistence. We should each strive to be a friend who displays these qualities.
2:5 Jesus, impressed by their faith,. . . said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now this seemed to be a strange thing to say. It was a question of paralysis, not sin, wasn’t it? Yes, but Jesus went beyond the symptoms to the cause. He would not heal the body and neglect the soul. He would not remedy a temporal condition, and leave an eternal condition untouched. So He said, “Your sins are forgiven.” It was a wonderful announcement. Now—on this earth—in this life—the man’s sins were forgiven. He didn’t have to wait till the Day of Judgment. He had the present assurance of forgiveness. So do all who put their faith in the Lord Jesus.
2:6, 7 The scribes quickly caught on to the significance of the statement. They were well enough trained in Bible doctrine to know that only God can forgive sins. Anyone who professed to forgive sins was therefore claiming to be God. Up to this point, their logic was correct. But instead of acknowledging the Lord Jesus to be God, they accused Him in their hearts of speaking blasphemies.
2:8, 9 Jesus read their thoughts, a proof in itself of His supernatural power. He asked them this provocative question: “Is it easier to pronounce a man’s sins forgiven or his paralysis cured?” Actually it is just as easy to say one as the other. But it is equally impossible, humanly speaking, to do the one as it is to do the other.
2:10-12 The Lord had already pronounced the man’s sins forgiven. Yes, but had it really taken place? The scribes could not see the man’s sins forgiven, therefore they would not believe. In order to demonstrate that the man’s sins had really been forgiven, the Savior gave the scribes something they could see. He told the paralytic man to get up, to carry his straw pad, and walk. The man responded instantly. The people were amazed. They had never seen anything like this before. But the scribes did not believe, in spite of the most overwhelming evidence. Belief involves the will, and they did not want to believe.
The Call of Levi
Mark 2:13-17
2:13, 14 It was while He was teaching by the sea that Jesus saw Levi collecting taxes. We know Levi as Matthew, who later wrote the first Gospel. He was a Jew, but his occupation was very un-Jewish, considering he collected taxes for the despised Roman government! Such men were not always noted for their honesty—in fact, they were looked down upon, like harlots, as the scum of society. Yet it is to Levi’s eternal credit that when he heard the call of Christ, he dropped everything and followed Him. May each of us be like him in instant and unquestioning obedience. It might seem like a great sacrifice at the time, but in eternity it will be seen as no sacrifice at all. As the missionary martyr Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”
2:15 A banquet was arranged at Levi’s house so he could introduce his friends to the Lord Jesus. Most of his friends were like himself—tax-collectors and sinners. Jesus accepted the invitation to be present with them.
2:16 The scribes and Pharisees thought they had caught Him in a serious fault. Instead of going directly to Him, they went to His disciples and tried to undermine their confidence and loyalty. How was it that their Master ate and drank with tax-collectors and sinners?
2:17 Jesus heard it and reminded them that healthy people don’t need a doctor—only those who are ill. The scribes thought they were well, therefore they did not recognize their need of the Great Physician. The tax-collectors and sinners admitted their guilt and their need of help. Jesus came to call sinners like them—not self-righteous people.
There is a lesson in this for us. We should not shut ourselves up in Christianized communities. Rather we should seek to befriend the ungodly in order to introduce them to our Lord and Savior. In befriending sinners, we should not do anything that would compromise our testimony, nor allow the unsaved to drag us down to their level. We should take the initiative in guiding the friendship into positive channels of spiritual helpfulness. It would be easier to isolate oneself from the wicked world, but Jesus didn’t do it, and neither should His followers.
The scribes thought they would ruin the Lord’s reputation by calling Him a friend of sinners. But their intended insult has become an endearing tribute. All the redeemed gladly acknowledge Him as the friend of sinners, and will love Him eternally for it.
Controversy about Fasting
Mark 2:18-22
2:18 The disciples of John the Baptist and of the Pharisees practiced fasting as a religious exercise. In the OT, it was instituted as an expression of deep sorrow. But it had lost much of its meaning and had become a routine ritual. They noticed that Jesus’ disciples did not fast, and perhaps there was a twinge of envy and self-pity in their hearts when they asked the Lord for an explanation.
2:19, 20 In reply, He compared His disciples to companions of a bridegroom. He Himself was the Bridegroom. As long as He was with them, there was no occasion for an outward demonstration of sorrow. But the days were coming when He would be taken away; then they would have occasion to fast.
2:21 Immediately the Lord added two illustrations to announce the arrival of a New Era which was incompatible with the previous one. The first illustration involved a new patch made of cloth that has not been shrunk. If used to repair an old garment, it will inevitably shrink and something will have to give. The garment, made of older cloth, will be weaker than the patch and will tear again wherever the patch is sewed to it. Jesus was comparing the Old Dispensation to the old garment. God never intended Christianity to patch up Judaism; it was a new departure. The sorrow of the Old Era, expressed in fasting, must give way to the joy of the New.
2:22 The second illustration involved new wine in old wineskins. The leather wineskins lost their power to stretch. If new wine was put into them, the pressure built up by the fermentation would burst the skins. The new wine typifies the joy and power of the Christian faith. The old wineskins depict the forms and rituals of Judaism. New wine needs new skins. It was no use for John’s disciples and the Pharisees to put the Lord’s followers under the bondage of sorrowful fasting, as it had been practiced. The joy and effervescence of the new life must be allowed to express themselves. Christianity has always suffered from man’s attempt to mix it with legalism. The Lord Jesus taught that the two are incompatible. Law and grace are opposing principles.
Please pray the Holy Spirit-The Paraclete will use these sermons and studies to bring many to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
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