February 10 - Jesus saw the lonely and hurting

You’re listening to OKY. The place where we discuss what we believe and why we believe it to be true! Yesterday we started a quick series on the life of Jesus. Today we will continue that as we jump into more of Mark 1. 

 

Let’s start in vs. 14

 

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

 

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. 

 

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. 

 

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you-the Holy One of God!” 

 

“Be quiet!” Said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 

 

The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching-and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

 

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 

 

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, 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. 

 

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” 

 

Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else-to the nearby villages- so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So they traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. 

 

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 

 

Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 

 

Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing,, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. 

 

 

 

Jesus was indignant. . . That’s what verse 41 said. 

 

What do we see in this last half of Mark 1? 

 

Jesus, and people. Not just any people, but those who were in need. IN fact, the one who called out to Jesus for help was a person with leprosy. And what was it that this person said to Jesus? Look at vs 40 again. 

 

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 

 

Why this terminology? IF YOU ARE WILLING. . . 

 

The man is down on his knees. This implies that he was brought to a lowly spot. Now, we don’t know anything about this man. His family. . His job. .  We don’t know if he was a person of prestige or a lowly peasant. But we know in this moment, his disease has caused him to feel the pain of being brought low. He is begging Jesus for help. 

 

And then his words. . . If you are willing. . . 

 

Why these words? 

 

Well for a leper, it was a lonely and heartbreaking disease. You were cast out of your community, and left to fend for yourself. Often, family members would abandon you because of their fear of catching this highly contagious disease. So when the man said, “if you are willing. . .” this indicates the let down he was already feeling. 

 

He could have had loved ones and people he thought would help him - actually let him down. They didn’t care for him and now he was out on his own. . . 

 

Yet listen to Jesus’s response. Vs. 41 - Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 

 

How was the man cleansed? 

 

Jesus verbally told him to be clean. 

 

Yet he still reached out and touched the man. Why? 

 

Because what we learn from Jesus in this second half of Mark 1, is that he sees people. And he has compassion on them and is willing to not only be with them, but touch them. He wasn’t scared of what others thought, or worried for his own self. He wanted people to know his love and receive life. You see, a leper probably hadn’t been physically touched by anyone since they got sick. And as a sign of closeness and relationship, Jesus put his hand on the man. This wasn’t what needed to happen for healing the disease. This was what needed to happen for healing the heart. See, Jesus cares about people. He sees the ones who have been outcast, sick, hurt, demon possessed, and lonely. And he doesn’t just preach to them. He sees them and relates to them. He touches them and heals their pains. When everyone else would kick them out of their community and alienate them, treating them like the disease they carry - Jesus found himself right in the middle of them - loving them. 

 

If there is one thing this world needs more of right now, it is a people who will act like Jesus. A people who will see everyone right where they are, and put the work in to love them. To sit with the broken, place a gentle touch of compassion on the alienated, look into the eyes of the ashamed and fearful, and let them know they are loved. 

 

Listen, politically we are a divided nation. And unfortunately that divide has eaten up people. Both sides spew hate and frustration at the people opposing them. Yet we were called to a different standard. As people who long to imitate Jesus, we are called to love so deeply, that people go away transformed! When our pride, or even fear, gets in the way of us loving others, we are doing this all wrong! Be a person who strives to love others so well, that even the most outcasted, rejected, alien feels nothing but the love of Jesus as you talk about them, encounter them, and live along side of them. If you do this, you will truly be living like Jesus. 

 

That’s all the time we have left for today. I love you, and God bless.