Mark 1:21-39.  Yesterday we saw that Mark’s history of Jesus really moves.  Mark’s gospel was written originally for the believers living in the capital city of Rome.  The early church suffered at the hands of both the Jewish people and the local authorities, both of whom saw them as a threat to the way life had been.  And it wouldn’t be too long in the future that Nero would be king of the empire and he would persecute the believers in Rome severely.  Mark repeatedly uses the word “immediately” in his “good news” story.  The word not only means quickly but carries the idea of directness.  Jesus’ actions were the best way to get God’s plan done.  We also saw that Jesus was concerned with telling the people what was going on.

In today’s reading in verses 21-22 we see Jesus entering the synagogue (sort of a Jewish church) to teach the people.  The people were amazed at his teaching, His teaching seemed to have a sort of power and authority that they did not get from their regular teachers.  Then an amazing thing happened a demon-possessed man was in the synagogue and the demon caused him to act up.  Jesus immediately caused the demon to come out of the man and the people were further amazed.

Verse 25 is interesting because when Jesus is talking to the demon he tells the demon to be quiet.  The demon was telling people who Jesus is, confirming that he is the messiah or Christ or chosen one.  You might wonder why Jesus told the demon to be quiet.  Several times in the Mark’s gospel Jesus does things like this.  Bible scholars call this idea in Mark the “divine secret”.  It is clear from the Mark’s gospel and from the others that Jesus wasn’t keeping who he was a secret.  Remember that Mark starts out by reminding his readers that John was the predicted herald of the messiah.  We also saw that John was telling people that the Messaih was coming and eventually identified Jesus as that chosen one.  So there is really no secret here.  What we do have is Jesus following the best “straightest” path so that the most people would eventually know who he is (God in human form) and what he was here for (to eventually die in our place, take our punishment for our sins).

By forcing the demon to leave the man in the synagogue (interesting that we would find a demon possessed guy in church) Jesus was proving that he was more that just a good talker, he had real power, and the people recognized it (verses 27-28).  After leaving the synagogue we see Jesus in the home of the mother of two of his followers.  And again we see him doing a miracle.  In verses32-35 we see that word was getting out and many people were coming to the house looking for healing, which Jesus did.  But in the morning Jeus got up early and went out to a quiet place to talk to God the Father (see “Three or One?”).  His followers went to find him and kind of scolded him, telling him that a lot of people were looking for him.  You can just guess what the people wanted out of him, more miracles.  Remember that the miracles were causing the people to really believe in his power and authority, but that is all they seemed interested in.  Remember at his baptism that Jesus was identifying with people’s need to have their relationship with God fixed, they needed to repent (turn back to God) and be empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus response to his followers shows us just this, instead of going back to the house he tells them he wants to go somewhere else and tell the good news to others, he tells them that that is what he really there for.  The last verse is today’s reading is cool though, Jesus does go all over the place preaching (proclaiming, telling) but he keeps on healing.

Several things about this part seem cool to me.  First, Jesus was all about telling people the good news, he was serious about people getting right with God.  Second he was not afraid to use his power to back up his words.  Third he was concerned with the needs people had.  Fourth he was careful to do things in the best way possible.  That meant the way that would eventually help the most people turn to him.  Jesus is powerful, he had authority, and he was willing to use it.  All of these things should have encouraged the troubled believers in Rome and it should encourage us too.  God wants the best for us and that starts with us recognizing our sins and giving them to Jesus to deal with.  Jesus said that he is “The way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to God except through him” (John 14:6).  If you haven’t trusted Jesus with your sins give them to him today, all you have to do is believe in who he is and that he is the only way and he will do the rest.  If you do put you faith in him, register and then let me know through this blog.

God help many people hear what Jesus has to say to them.  Let many people put their faith in him as the only way.  God thank you for being involved in my life.  Thank you that you always do things in the best way, the way that will help the most people find you and eternity in heaven.  Thank you for my place there.  Help me be a voice for you in my world.  Give me the poser to please you each day.