Mark 1

Photo by Gregor Moser on Unsplash

 As I will be preaching each chapter of Mark this year, I have decided to put my notes as they are here for you to look at. Disclaimer: My notes and my sermon rarely match and there may be things I leave out here. As it is I pray that it is something you can be blessed by.

Leviticus 11:9-12; 13:45-46; 15:31; Exodus 15:26  

Leviticus 11:9-12 “ ‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean. And since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean. Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.

Leviticus 13:45-46 “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’  As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.

Leviticus 15:31  ‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place,  which is among them.’ 

Exodus 15:26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”

The Disciples and Capernaum (village of comfort)

Mark 1:14-45

Jesus Announces the Good News

 

Mark 1:14-15 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!”

Galilee of the Nations/of the Gentiles was referred to because of all the areas of Israel it had the most gentiles of any other area, it was also considered the most pagan part of the country but the religious leaders.

Yet this is where Jesus started his ministry.

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

Mark 1:16- 20 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.

Things to note: This isn’t a contradiction of the calls we see in other gospels. Mark is laying out something about where these two sets of brothers came from and their occupation.

Fishermen according to rabbinic teaching considered Fishermen lower even than shepherds. They were considered bottom feeders because not only did they bring up fish but they would also bring up salvage. They were considered greedy and dishonest (a loose translation of Rabbinic text said one should watch their wallets). In text from the Sanhedrin, they were referred to a “bears.” They considered bears not only dangerous wild animals but unclean.

Typically, fishermen didn’t work together, in other gospels we will read that they did, but here Mark is pointing out they are not sitting beside one another.

Mark is pointing out that Jesus is going to the worst place and picking some of the worst men to begin his work. Jesus as we will see will continue to choose people who by all rights should hate each other and yet he brings them together.

Capernaum and the Synagogue

Mark 1: 21-28 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 are—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.

Capernaum means “village of comfort?”

1.   Roman’s had a garrison here as well as center of tax collection.

2.   Demon was in church and either they didn’t know or couldn’t do anything about it.

a.   Note: Jesus doesn’t carry on a conversation with the demon just says be silent and come out.

b.   Jesus is wanting people to focus on the message and the demon is distracting with a truth.

3.   The people missed the message but latched onto the power.

a.   The message was to repent and believe.

b.   They spread the story of his power

 

Jesus Heals Many

 Mark 1: 29As 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.

Things to note

1.   James and John come to the home of Simon and Andrew

2.   Simon’s mother-in-law sick (warn Jesus unclean)

3.   Jesus touches here (see this a lot Jesus can’t be made unclean)

4.   There were a multitude who had demons and sickness (Where were the Levites?)

The people who lived in the village of comfort were not comforted. Jesus had to bring them comfort

Jesus Prays and Leaves

Mark 1:35-39 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 he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

1.   Jesus went off to pray (so should we)

2.   Jesus didn’t tell them (he still doesn’t)

3.   Go and PREACH (preaching was why he came)

4.   Yet, he still keep driving out the demons (Jesus is willing to drive out not just literal demons, but as we discussed last week the demons of sin/bad habits/addictions in your life).

Man With Leprosy

Mark 1:40-45 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.

Personal note to self; indignant - moved on the inward parts often translated compassion possibly both anger toward the disease/satan and compassion for the person. 

1.   Jesus touches the man

2.   Jesus gives two commands

a.   Don’t tell anyone

b.   Go to the priest & offer sacrifice

3.   The man probably didn’t do either

4.   Jesus’ ministry hindered (but not stopped)

We can hinder the ministry of God in our midst (it looked like Herod did when he arrested John the Baptist and here).

We can’t stop God’s work in the world.

 

Conclusion

1 Corinthians 1:25-31 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,  so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

1.   Jesus calls the unlikely

2.   Jesus is powerful than evil

3.   Jesus can cleanse the unclean

4.   We might be able hinder God’s work but we can’t stop it.

The take away: You might come from the worse place, you might have a horrible pedigree, you might be invested with all kinds of evil and sin but Jesus can cleanse you in fact he wants to cleanse you.