Jesus on Silent, Solitude and Salvation (A Reflection on Mark 1:35-39)

---

Jesus on Silent, Solitude and Salvation (A Reflection on Mark 1:35-39) Posted: 26 Mar 2014 09:07 AM PDT "Very early in the next morning, long before daylight, Jesus got up and left the house. He went out of town to a lonely place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35, GNB). Jesus is not too busy to pray. In the Gospel of Mark, there are three occasions where Jesus intentionally set apart time "to a lonely place". After the feeding of the five thousand He "went away to a hill to pray" (6:46) and at the garden of Gethsemane He "went a little farther… and prayed" (14:35). In the midst of His popularity and success, amazingly, Jesus never let anything distracted His eyes from His Father. He loves people because He loves the Father. That was why He needed a quiet time to be alone and have fellowship with His Father. We are so not like Jesus. We're busy impressing God with our performance and service. We easily become proud when we are getting popular. We desire worldly success and then forget about the mission. We look at wealth, health and prosperity but not to Jesus anymore (Well, only when we need Him to rescue us from trouble and anxiety so that we can achieve more of our dreams. Just like a genie in the bottle). We are too loud to hear God speaks to us. We don't remember how joyful it is to be alone with God. Maybe this verse is for you and me as a reminder. Perhaps we are more like Simon Peter – loud and restless. "But Simon and his companions went out to search for [Jesus], and when they found him, they said, 'Everyone is looking for you.' But Jesus answered, 'We must go on to the other villages around here. I have to preach in them also, because this is why I came.'" (Mark 1:36-38). Peter and the others want Jesus to perform more miracles and win more crowds. Jesus, however, wants to go to the other places. They put miracles first, but Jesus put preaching the Good News first (1:39). They seek healings, but Jesus seeks the lost. Jesus had a mission not a goal. We must remember that "the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).This is why Jesus came. This is why you're saved. This is why also you're saved for – to preach the Good News from God about Jesus Christ to the lost! Amen. THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Heals Many People (A Reflection on Mark 1:29-34) Posted: 25 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PDT "Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever, and as soon as Jesus arrived, he was told about her. He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to wait on them." (Mark 1:30-31, GNB) In the previous verses we read that Jesus have authority over lives when He called the fishermen to become His followers, His authority over minds when the people were amazed at His teachings, Hisauthority over spirits when He ordered evil spirit from a man in the synagogue and here we see that Jesus also have authority over illnesses. I assumed by now the disciples were beginning to grow in faith. I think that was why "they immediately told Jesus about [Simon's mother-in-law]" (1:30, NLT) for Him to heal her. Jesus went, lifted her to her feet, and she was immediately well. She was sick with fever on bed one time and then another time – she gets busy preparing a meal. The healing is instant and complete, not like today's modern healing schemes! Later that day Jesus healed a great crowd of people (v. 32-34). He was the busiest man in town. As I read this, I asked myself 'Why Jesus heals?' The Scripture seems to give more than one reason. Because He is compassionate, to fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies, to reveal the Father's glory, to destroy the works of the devil – and most importantly, to prove His mission on earth, that is "to preached the Good News from God" (1:14). It is important for us to understand that healing is not the end, the Gospel or the Good News from God about His Son, Jesus Christ, is. Healing, just as for the case of miracle, is a sign to what is more important – namely, Jesus Christ Himself. If we seek healing more than we seek the Healer, then we have missed the point (Be extra careful with false teachers nowadays. Be wise and discern). But there is nothing wrong with asking for healing. It is even commanded in the Scripture. Simon's mother-in-law who did not ask for it (but the disciples asked for her) and the people who come for it – both were healed by Jesus. Indeed, He is the Healer. Sometime we do not receive healing because we didn't ask for it. All we have to do is ask. But sometimes it is because we don't really believe in the Healer… In this case, get to know Him personally. Ask God and seek Him first. Amen. THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

You are subscribed to email updates from Word Speaks Today To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Share this Post :