Jesus explained that sin begins with an attitude of the heart before it becomes a behavior. Our problem is within. Focusing on changing the outward behavior is unfruitful when only faith in Jesus will change the heart. The human heart is born with an attitude of rebellion against God saying, “My will,” rather than “Your will be done.” Jesus came to change human hearts knowing that no amount of washing our hands would cleanse our hearts.
After Jesus had sent his disciples out two by two to witness, they returned full of excitement and stories to report. They had been following Jesus and learning from him for some time and now after being sent out on their own for the first time, they were glad to be back in the presence of their Lord and to tell him “all things” about their work. Can you picture the excitement? Perhaps the Lord had to tell Peter to sit down and let Andrew tell his story too. Then, after everyone had debriefed their stories with Jesus and he had given them feedback, he invited them to take a retreat to get some rest with him. This is a crucial step to add to our ministry. Take time to discuss your day with Jesus. Tell him “all things” you’ve done and taught. Listen for his feedback. Then, obey when he invites you to get some rest with him.
When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth with his disciples and preached in the synagogue, the people were offended. It puts to mind the old saying “familiarity breeds contempt,” because since the people of Nazareth had known Jesus and his family since his youth, they doubted his authority. When we become a Christ follower, often the hardest place to begin telling others is in our “own country” among our “own relatives” and especially in our own “house.” These people really know us and often doubt our life change. Yet, this is exactly where we are commanded to begin our witness. For Jesus taught us to begin in “Jerusalem” and then to the “ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Have you yet shared the gospel with your own family and hometown?
This with today’s OT reading in Leviticus 11-12 makes for a revealing juxtaposition. Leviticus details how touching a dead body or a bleeding woman makes one unclean. Mark shows how a touch from the holy Jesus has the reverse affect: The dead girl rises again and the bleeding woman is healed. Their impurity did not make Jesus unclean, but His holiness was transmitted to them making them whole.
When the Tabernacle was completed and its furnishings and priests were consecrated, Aaron and his sons made the first worship offerings. It began as a day of celebration with God’s glory appearing to all the people (Lev. 9:23), but it ended as a day of mourning. For two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, took it upon themselves to offer worship contrary to God’s instruction and God judged them for it. The fire of His glory went out from the Lord and devoured them and they died. This was a hard lesson for Aaron and the Levitical priests to learn. For those who are called to lead in worship are held to high account. When we answer the call of God and take His Name upon ourselves, we become His servants, His representatives, and we are to live lives of worship in the way He commands. As Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48). Our worship must not draw attention to us, but to the Holy One, so that He is the One glorified before the people.
How we handle money and possessions reveals much about our hearts. The righteous not only repay their debts, but give generously to those in need. The wicked avoid even repaying what is owed, much less being a giver to others. Has believing in Christ affected how you handle money?
Christ’s three-prong strategy for reaching the world with the gospel: 1) Appoint disciples, 2) Call them to follow Him, and 3) Send them out to preach the gospel. Notice that Christ’s first call is to Himself. And so, the twelve followed Him day and night for three years. And after they saw the resurrected Lord, they preached the gospel that turned the world upside down. This simple strategy worked because they had first spent time with Jesus and were filled with His Spirit. I’m glad that Jesus is still appointing disciples “that they might be with Him.” Are you spending time with Jesus?
The Mosaic sacrificial system was very specific and demanding, yet it revealed our desperate need for a Savior that could set us free not only from sin’s penalty, but from sin’s power over us. Yet, the principles revealed in the old system for receiving forgiveness are still true. We still must admit our sin, confessing it specifically to God. Then, we must trust in Christ as our ultimate, once-for-all, sufficient “trespass offering” to God for the forgiveness of our sins. Under the Old Testament sacrificial system, our sin offerings would never be enough. The work of sacrifice would never finish. But Christ finished it. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old. Have you confessed your sin and placed your trust in the sacrifice of Christ as payment?
The Gospel of Mark is unique among the four in that it was written in present rather than past tense. Mark’s action-oriented writing is marked by his favorite phrase, “and immediately,” which is found throughout the book. Each gospel presents a different perspective of Jesus. Matthew sees Him as King, Luke as Son of Man, and John as Son of God. But Mark presents a man of action, Jesus the Servant of all. And whatever Jesus does, He does “immediately.” Is there any urgent need requiring Christ’s immediate attention in your life?
Jesus made Capernaum His center of operations when He first began His ministry. Located at the Northern end of the Sea of Galilee, it was a major crossroads with the Via Maris (“Way of the Sea”) passing through it and the King’s Highway intersecting just North, connecting Cairo to Damascus and beyond. Here, Jesus called His first disciples and began to teach, “Repent of your sin and believe the Good News!” Great crowds of people began to travel to the area to see and hear Jesus. This is our calling today, to pray and declare the Good News, so that the “news about Jesus” spreads quickly throughout our world.