Dwell in the Word Mark 1:29-39

Consider these questions as we look at Mark 1:29-39.

1. How does the theme of urgency continue to play a significant role in the passage, and what is emphasized about the message of Jesus?

2. What is the significance of Jesus's healing of Peter's mother-in-law, particularly in terms of the immediacy and completeness of her healing?

3. The passage highlights Jesus's practice of rising early in the morning to pray, despite the urgency of his mission. Why is this practice important, and how does it demonstrate Jesus's commitment to his primary mission of preaching the good news?

Transcript:

As I start out today, I know that you know what I'm going to say first. The words immediately are here again. Right away, we see this idea of the urgency, the continued idea that the message of Jesus is of utmost importance. It is primary. And so what is happening in this passage that is so important that we understand? Why did Mark include this in the Book of Mark? Well, Jesus goes to the home of Simon and Andrew, and they find that Peter's mother-in-law is ill. Well, Jesus takes her by the hand and she heals him. Again, the idea is that this is quick and that it is absolute. Notice what it said in the text. She began to serve them. She didn't get healed of the fever. She didn't lay there and go, I'm feeling better, but give me a bed. The healing of Jesus is absolute. She feels better immediately. So what happens as a result of this? Well, the people hear about this, and so people come to the door, and Jesus healed many who are sick with various diseases. He cast out demons. Notice what it says in verse 33, the whole city was gathered together at the door.

 People came. The fame of Jesus spread very quickly. So what happened? He healed all these people, and he cast out many demons. But notice, he would not let the demons speak because they knew him. What is being conveyed to us here? That Jesus has power over sicknesses. Jesus has power over demons. And notice also that we find this Messianic secret that we find in the Book of Mark. Here, once again, He doesn't allow the demons to speak because they know who He is. And what Jesus doesn't want to happen is His population to rise in fame because they know that He is the Messiah. He is worried that the people will elevate Him and push Him out and push Him into a position of authority that there will be an overthrowing of the powers around Him. But Jesus didn't come to do that. He didn't come to be an earthly King. He came to save his people from their sins. And so what does Jesus do? He has this ministry of proclaiming the Gospel, and we see that as we look at the rest of the passage. But what does He do? He rises early in the morning, while it's still dark.

 He goes out and He prays. Even though stuff is being done immediately, immediately, immediately, all the time in the Gospel of Mark, we see that he gets up early. He takes the time to pray. He slows down, right? That's because he has a particular mission. He has a job to do. And even though Jesus went off to pray, people didn't see him, they're still looking for him. Simon Peter lets him know, Hey, people are looking for you, but what does Jesus do? He doesn't say, Hey, let's bring him around. Let's let him know how awesome I am. We'll build my fame up and then we'll go overthrow Rome. That's not what he does. He says, Well, because everybody's looking for me, let us go on to the next town. Let's not let this get out of hand here, because I have a mission to preach. That's what it says. I may preach there also, for that's why I came out. Yes, he is healing people. Yes, he is casting out demons. Yes, he has that authority. But his primary mission is to proclaim the good news to preach. And so what did we read? He went all around Galilee preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

 He is doing the mission that God has called him to do what he came to do. And so once again, we come away from this text, and we want to apply it to our lives. Well, what can we take away from this? We live in a world of urgency. I think that's one of the reasons I like to read the Book of Mark because it keeps me going. I feel like I'm moving along, like I'm moving along at the pace of life. But yet what do we read? That Jesus slowed down, that even though He had a mission to do, he did not for the sake, praying. No matter how popular he was, no matter what people wanted him to do, he still went to his place on his own, and he prayed. He spent time in prayer communing with the Father. And so for us, we live in a world, as I said, that is fast paced. We want to go, go, go. We want to immediately, immediately, immediately. But it is important that we slow down and take the time to commune with God through His word and through prayer, trusting that He will work in us, that the more we spend with Him, the more time we spend with him, the more content we will be with what he has blessed us with.

So may we slow down in an immediate world. May we slow down and spend our time with our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, communing with Him and with the Father and the Spirit in prayer.