THE KING'S PROOF, POWER, AND PRIORITY (Mark 1:29-39)
INTRODUCTION:
The world that we live in is devastated by sickness, disease, pain, and death. That truth was clearly seen in the pandemic that we went through and are still recovering from. This world was not always this way. In Genesis 1:31 we read, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31a, NASB95)[1] At the end of the sixth day of creation when God viewed all that He had created it was without blemish or defect. The creation was a reflection of the perfect One who had spoken it into existence.
But then Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and everything changed. When sin entered the world it brought with it disease, decay, and death. Romans 8 tells us the whole creation was cursed and Adam and Eve were alienated from God and banished from Eden. Today sickness, suffering, and the reality of death serve as painful reminders of the fact that we now live in a fallen world. Even modern science has not eradicated sickness, disease, suffering, and pain. But when Jesus lived on this earth it was far worse. Medical technology was primitive if it existed at all, which means people simply suffered under the full effects of sickness, disease, and injury. For many there was no hope of ever getting better.
We know and understand that Jesus Christ took on human flesh so that He might spiritually rescue sinners who were dead in their sins and facing God’s wrath. Jesus Christ chose to exhibit that power to save and to show His profound love and compassion by freeing and rescuing people from their diseases and demons. This ability of Jesus Christ also was a preview of the conditions of His coming earthly kingdom, in which Satan and his demons will be bound, and the curse will be lifted as stated in Romans 8.
Our passage this morning takes place on the same Sabbath day as last week’s passage. It picks up shortly after Jesus delivered the demon possessed man in the synagogue. This morning, we will witness Jesus’ authority and power over the physical effects of sin. These two events in these two passages reveal the supernatural nature of Jesus Christ’s sovereign power. Whether in a confrontation with demons or a physical ailment, both flee at Jesus’ command. This kind of sovereign power gives us the undeniable proof of Jesus’ deity, which supports and confirms Mark’s theme that Jesus Christ is the messianic King, the Son of God.
To be the Savior of the world Jesus had to be able to rescue souls from sin and from Satan. To be the resurrection and the life, He had to have power over both the physical and the spiritual effects of the curse. To be the Redeemer, Jesus had to be able to redeem both the soul that was lost and the body that was decaying. Throughout His earthly ministry Jesus repeatedly and consistently displayed divine power by casting out demons and healing diseases to show His total dominion over both the spiritual and physical realms devastated by sin. By these miracles He clearly proved that He possessed the power to impart eternal life to souls and bodies. In today’s passage Mark continues to give us the evidence that Jesus Christ, the messianic King is the divine, compassionate Son of God. We will see the proof of the King, the power of the King, and the priority of the King.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles this morning to Mark 1:29-39, our passage for today. Please, if you are able, stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word and follow along as I read.
Mark 1:29-39,
“And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them. When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was. In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Simon and his companions searched for Him; they found Him, and said to Him, ‘Everyone is looking for You.’ He said to them, ‘Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.’ And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.” (Mark 1:29–39, NASB95)[2]
THE PROOF OF THE KING (Mark 1:29-34)
A Sabbath synagogue service usually ended around noon. As I mentioned last week, Jesus’ first four disciples would have attended this service with Jesus, they along with the crowds would be amazed at the authority of His preaching and at His authority over the demon who confronted Him. Once things quieted down and the service was dismissed, we read, “And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.” (Mark 1:29, NASB95)[3] I am sure as they came out of the synagogue with Jesus, they were excitedly talking about what they had heard and seen. Then we read that they came into the house of Simon, also known as Peter, and Andrew. Now remember these four men are partners in their fishing business, so they have known one another for some time. They seemed to have quite a successful fishing operation and it was headquartered in Capernaum. As already mentioned, fish was a staple meat in the Mediterranean world and the Sea of Galilee yielded enough to export it throughout that part of the world. But both these sets of brothers had walked away from their boats and their nets to follow Jesus and to seek first His kingdom. In the synagogue they had the privilege of seeing with their own eyes the Kingly authority of Jesus. You can be sure that they were talking about it as they made the short walk to the house of Peter and Andrew.
1st Corinthians 9:5 indicates that Peter was married and that his wife traveled with him after the Lord’s ascension. At this point, early in the ministry of Jesus, Peter lived in Capernaum with His extended family, this included his wife, his mother-in-law, and Andrew and his family. As I mentioned last week, archeologists have unearthed what they believe to be Peter’s house, and it is only a short distance from the ruins of the synagogue. The site of Peter’s house has a large, covered courtyard and all the doors and windows would have opened into this courtyard. It is believed that this is where the early church of Capernaum met.
Because Simon and Andrew were disciples of Jesus and residents of Capernaum and lived relatively close to the synagogue, it would have been natural to invite Jesus along with James and John to their home for the noon day meal. Arriving home Peter learns that his mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever. Luke in his account provides the detail that only a doctor would, he notes that it was a high fever, which may have indicated that she was suffering from a severe infection of some kind. We are told that immediately they spoke to Jesus about her, without doubt Peter and his wife were concerned and they hoped Jesus could do something for her. Simon had seen Jesus’ display of power in the synagogue when He cast out the demon and they wanted Jesus to heal Peter’s mother-in-law.
Jesus with compassion and tenderness does what only Peter and his wife had hoped. Mark writes in verse 31, “And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them.” (Mark 1:31, NASB95)[4] Luke writes in the parallel passage to this that Jesus stood over her and rebuked the fever (Luke 4:39) Matthew says Jesus touched her (Matthew 8:15) From these three parallel accounts we can see Jesus Christ standing close to her bed, taking her by the hand, rebuking the fever, and gently raising her up before Peter and his astonished wife. Earlier that morning in the synagogue He had rebuked the unclean spirit, and the demon departed. Here He rebukes the fever and Peter’s mother-in-law is completely healthy. Whether in the spiritual or the physical realm, whenever Jesus issued a rebuke, the effects were immediate. Mark makes the comment at the end of verse 31 that she got up and waited on them. She was completely healed. Her symptoms were gone. There was no recovery period. One minute she had been too weak to do anything but lie in her bed, the next minute she was on her feet, full of energy and ready to help prepare the Sabbath meal. It was as if she had never been ill. News of this healing must have traveled fast because when evening came, when the sun had set signaling the end of the Sabbath the people of Capernaum began bringing to Jesus all who were sick or demon possessed. Jewish law prohibited the people from carrying anything or anyone on the Sabbath. For the Jews, the day ended at sunset and a new day began. So once the sun set the residents of Capernaum rushed to transport their friends and relatives to Jesus. The crowd got so large outside Peter’s house that Mark wrote, the whole city was gathered at the door. The Greek verb translated “began bringing” is in the imperfect tense which means that they kept coming and coming. Jesus again with infinite compassion laid His hands on each person and healed them. When Mark writes, “He healed many” he is not saying that there were some who were not healed, rather he is saying that Jesus healed a great number of people on that occasion. Many sick and suffering people came to see Him that evening, and of the many who came all were healed.
Not only was He healing those who had various diseases and making them completely whole, but many came who were demon possessed and He cast out the demons, but He did not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who He was. Jesus did not allow the demons to declare who He was because He did not want the affirmation of His deity to come from the agents of Satan. Their testimony of Him would only confuse the issue. We do not know how many were healed on this occasion or how many demons were cast out, yet this may have gone on late into the night until all who had come were healed or freed from the unclean spirits inhabiting and controlling them. And this was just one night in the life of our Lord. Jesus Christ would continue to display this type of divine power throughout His three-year ministry. During the three years of Christ’s ministry there was an unparalleled healing explosion in Israel that had never occurred before or since.
Jesus performed these miraculous healings to confirm the true Gospel, to give undeniable proof to the fact that He was the messianic King, that He was the Son of God, and that He was the Savior of the world. His miracles were the proof of His authority over demons and disease, over both the spiritual and physical creation. They highlighted and confirmed His power to conquer sin and Satan, and they gave proof positive of His ability to rescue sinners from sin, death, and hell and to raise bodies from the grave to eternal life.
To be the Redeemer who would redeem men and women from the devastating effects of sin, Jesus Christ Himself would suffer and die. Sickness, suffering and death could not be permanently removed until sin itself was defeated. Through His death, Jesus paid the full penalty for sin, and through His resurrection, He conquered death forever. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ defeated both sin and death for all those who would repent and put their faith in Him. Jesus Christ’s full work of redemption will ultimately be fulfilled for those who have put their faith in Him in the future, when we will receive our resurrection bodies. On that glorious day all who have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation will be given physical bodies that are forever free from sin, sickness, disease, suffering and the threat of death. Though that hope is yet future for those on this side of the grave, Jesus proved that He is able to fulfill that promise by what He did throughout His ministry.
THE POWER OF THE KING (Mark 1:35)
It was likely that Jesus healed and cast our demons far into the night. It is very possible that it was long past midnight before the last of those who had gathered at Peter’s door had returned to their own homes. After such an exhausting day of ministry, Jesus needed rest and refreshment, but more refreshment then mere sleep could provide. Jesus laid down and slept for a while, but then Mark writes in verse 35, “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” (Mark 1:35, NASB95)[5] The proof that Jesus Christ was the promised messianic King had been demonstrated in His miracles, but the power behind His action was prayer. Jesus Christ had subjected Himself to the will of the Father, and all He did was in the power of the Holy Spirit. Because of this a time of private communion with His Father was essential. So having slept for a short time, Jesus got up and quietly left the house while the others were still sleeping, and He went and found a secluded place where He could be alone and undisturbed while He enjoyed and was refreshed in His fellowship with the Father.
If you read through the Gospels, you will find several times that it speaks of Jesus going to an isolated place to pray. These times that Jesus slipped off by Himself to pray and commune with the Father were not the only times that Jesus prayed. The entire ministry of Jesus was marked by continual communication with His Father. Jesus prayed during His baptism (Luke 3:21), He prayed before formally calling His twelve disciples (Luke 6:12-13), He prayed before and after feeding the 5000 (John 6:11, 15), He was praying when He was transfigured (Luke 9:28-29), He prayed before He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:41-42), He prayed and gave thanks in the upper room as He instituted the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-27), He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane before His arrest (Matthew 26:26-36), and even while He was hanging on the cross He prayed (Matthew 27:46). We have recorded for us an extended pray by Jesus to the Father in John 17:1-26 that clearly shows us the unity that existed between the Father and His Son. Jesus always prayed that all that was the will of the Father would be accomplished and He taught the disciples to pray in this same way.
The prayer life of our Savior was more than just a model for the disciples to follow. The prayer life of Jesus was a critical part to His obedience and submission to the Father. In Christ’s incarnation, Jesus set aside the independent use of His divine attributes. He humbled Himself in becoming human, relying fully on the plan of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit. Often, He said that He only did what the Father had told Him to do, and that even His miracles were performed through the power of the Holy Spirit. At every point in His life on this earth He was fully dependent on the Father and the Holy Spirit. He relied on Them completely to guide Him and empower Him to fulfill His mission. Because of this prayer was essential to keep the King focused on the Father’s plan and remain totally dependent upon the power of the Spirit.
THE PRIORITY OF THE KING (Mark 1:36-39)
When Simon Peter awoke on Sunday morning, he quickly discovered that Jesus was not in the house. Luke implies that the townspeople were looking for Jesus on Sunday morning, possibly they were gathering again at Peter’s door and asking to see Jesus. Peter and his companions, most likely Andrew, James, and John went out and began to look for Jesus. Eventually they found Him in the secluded spot that He had chosen to fellowship with His Father. This search party began telling Jesus that everyone was looking for Him. Jesus knew why they were looking for Him, it was not because they believed in Him as their Messiah and Savior, but because of the healings and the casting out of demons that had taken place the night before, they wanted to see some more miracles. They wanted to satisfy their curiosity and see this miracle worker with their own eyes.
Remember Jesus had come to preach the gospel of God, the good news of His coming kingdom. Our Lord’s ultimate purpose was not to deliver people from temporal sicknesses, or diseases, or possession; His ultimate purpose was to save them from sin and eternal judgment. When Jesus healed people or cast out demons, He was demonstrating His compassion and power, but His purpose for coming was to redeem sinners. Because of this and Jesus knowing that the people of Capernaum only wanted to see His miracles, He knew it was time to go and preach the gospel in the neighboring towns and villages. Possibly Jesus response to Peter and his companions came as a surprise. Jesus planned to leave, rather than taking advantage of His newfound popularity in Capernaum. Mark writes in 38, “He said to them, ‘Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.’ ” (Mark 1:38, NASB95)[6] Even though Jesus was willing to compassionately heal the sick and free the demon possessed, the priority of His mission was explained numerous times in the Gospels. For example, in Luke 5:32 Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32, NASB95)[7] In Luke 19:10 Jesus stated, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10, ESV)[8] Jesus’ mission was to seek out lost sinners and call them to repentance and belief through the preaching of the gospel. Remember earlier in this chapter Mark wrote, “Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’ ” (Mark 1:14–15, NASB95)[9] The miracles that Jesus performed authenticated and confirmed His gospel message, but miracles alone could not save anyone from the effects of sin. Salvation came only when people responded in repentant faith to the preaching of the gospel.
Jesus in keeping with the priority of His mission as the messianic King, decided not to return to Capernaum that day. Verse 39 states, “And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.” (Mark 1:39, NASB95)[10] In just one short verse Mark covers weeks if not months of time that Jesus continued to do what He had done in Capernaum, He preached the gospel of God and He overpowered the demons. In this way Jesus Christ authenticated and confirmed His identity as the messianic King, and also proclaimed that salvation can only be found through faith in His name. When He entered the synagogues of Galilee, Jesus’ emphasis was on proclaiming the gospel of salvation. Paul many years later would agree with Jesus’ priority of proclaiming the gospel in his letter to the Romans. He wrote in Romans 10:13-15, “for ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’ ” (Romans 10:13–15, NASB95)[11]
CONCLUSION:
As I close this morning, I want you to think back over these verses. Mark stated very clearly and concisely for us three main components of the earthly ministry of Jesus. First, he gave us the proof of Jesus’ divine kingship which was His miracles. Second, the King’s power came from His prayer life, as He submitted to the Father and depended on the empowering of the Holy Spirit. The third main component was the King’s priority to preach the gospel to sinners, so that through Him they might have everlasting life.
As we think about these what can we learn from Jesus’ life? First, prayer is important. I often tell you how important it is to read our Bibles, and that is important, but developing a prayer life is important as well. Do you regularly spend time in prayer? Do you take time daily to fellowship with God? Jesus made it a priority in His life, and we should try to be like Him. Second, Jesus prioritized preaching the gospel, and He left us with a mission to make disciples and that requires us to be sharing the gospel. Is this a priority in your life? If it is not, I challenge you to talk to someone about the Lord this week. Maybe you will not get to share the whole gospel, but maybe you can plant a seed that will give you an opportunity at a later time to share the gospel.
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[8]The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[11]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.