Not much Downtime

Mark 1:28-34

Mark is always in a hurry to get to the next part of his account, I want you as a reader to notice how often he uses words or terms like “as soon” or “immediately.”  “And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.”

Now, this verse may mess with some groups belief system that believes Peter never married, but I do not know how one gets a mother-in-law without being married.  The next observation is Peter’s wife must have been supportive of his ministry in 1 Corinthians 9:5-6, “Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?”  We find Jesus renaming Peter in John 1:42 with the Greek word Cephas, meaning stone or rock. 

Let us observe what happen when Jesus was told Peter’s mother-in-law was sick.  “And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.”  Jesus did not speak to the mother-in-law but took her by the hand, and she was healed.  It is incredible the many ways Jesus used to heal those he came in contact with and is that not significant; otherwise people would have a church with only one way to be healed.

Do you recall when the Scripture states that often Jesus went away to a quiet place to be alone with the Father?  In Luke’s Gospel 5:15-16, we find this account; “But now, even more, the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.”

“That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door.” (Mark 1:32-33)  Not a lot of downtime for Jesus to rest and spend time with the guys. The whole city has shown up at the door with everyone who is sick or oppressed by demons, and I keep wondering where did all those demons go, could it be to Washington D.C. and the Congress of the United States of America?  Yes, they are there, but they are also in our homes and church schools and local government.  I wonder how long before we are willing to bring them to where Jesus is as did the people of Capernaum?

We will end today with verse 34, “And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak because they knew him.”  Did you notice it says He healed many who were sick and many who were with demons but it does not use the word all anywhere?  He also healed the sick but drove out the demons from those who had them.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice