“And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay” (Mark 2:3-4 ESV).
What friends these were! Neither the crowds nor the barrier of the small house stopped them from getting their paralytic friend before Jesus. This is probably the same house, which belonged to Peter’s mother-in-law, where Jesus had stayed in Capernaum before. Perhaps Peter reflected back to when he had let Jesus use his boat and how it nearly sank with the huge catch of fish. And now, he was letting Jesus use his house and it was so full of people that they were crashing through the roof!
Jesus commended the faith of the paralytic’s friends, he forgave the man’s sins and healed him. So that the cripple who had been lowered on a mat through the roof, now picked up his own bed and walked out the front door, a new man.
Two application questions: 1) Am I the kind of friend who is willing to overcome every barrier to get them in front of Jesus? 2) Am I willing to let Jesus use my stuff (my house, my car, my possessions) for His kingdom purpose?
I wonder if Jesus later helped repair the roof? He was a carpenter after all.
PRAYER: Dear Father, grow our faith, so that we are like this man’s friends. Help us overcome barriers to bring people to Jesus. Give us faith that brings down the roof. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the Lord’s” (Leviticus 3:16 ESV).
The priests were to burn the fat off of the offering as a sweet aroma to the LORD. Although a portion of the offering belonged to the priests for their food, the fat was not to be eaten, for it belonged to the LORD.
Anyone who has smelled bacon cooking, knows the sweet aroma of frying fat. The LORD wanted His people to offer their best. Perhaps He wanted them to offer the sweet-smelling fat because it represented them giving their best to HIm. Or perhaps it was because fat represented the surplus energy that an animal stored for winter, therefore God wanted them to know He gave them surplus to share. Whatever the reason, all the fat was the LORD’s.
Later, during the time of Samuel, among the many blasphemies of Eli and his sons, was that they did not burn off the fat. Instead, they kept it for themselves, fattening themselves on the LORD’s offering (See 1 Sam. 2). The LORD warned them and finally removed them from the priesthood for taking that which belonged to Him and to His Tabernacle. It wasn’t enough that He had provided plenty for them to eat, they wanted the LORD’s portion too.
We no longer live under the law, but under grace. For Christ has fulfilled the law and set us free to live by faith. Yet there are timeless principles found in the law. Perhaps when God blesses us with more than we need, instead of fattening ourselves on the surplus, we should give tithes and offerings to Him and help meet the needs of others in His name.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we are thankful that we have been set free from law-keeping by faith in Your Son. Yet, we are still thankful for Your law. For the law is good. Give us strength and wisdom to live in a way that pleases You. And when You give us surplus, help us to remember to whom it belongs. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them” (Mark 1:31 HCSB).
After preaching in the Capernaum synagogue, Jesus went to Peter’s home, where his mother-in-law lay sick in bed with a fever. So Jesus went to her at once. He healed her and she began to serve them. Let us consider the details.
First, notice that Jesus “went to her.” When He heard that she was sick He went to her at once. Remember how Jesus said that the Son of Man would one day commend the righteous? He said, “I was sick and you visited Me” (Matt. 25:36). When they said they didn’t remember doing this for Jesus. He replied, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40). When we visit and care for the sick, Jesus said we are doing it for Him.
Next, Jesus “took her by the hand.” Jesus never hesitated to touch the sick. He recognized the power of touch. He could’ve healed from a distance, but went to her and took her hand. Today, we as believers are the body of Christ. We are His hands. And people are in the greatest need for human touch in recent history.
Finally, Jesus “helped her.” He healed her. There is healing power in the touch of Jesus. And there is power in touching people in His name. The Scripture says, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up” (James 5:14-15).
What was the result of Jesus raising up this woman to health? She “prepared a meal for them.” She didn’t return to the bed. She didn’t go about her business. No. She began to serve the brethren, the fellowship. She was raised from sickness to service.
PRAYER: Dear Father, You have saved us and made us the body of Christ and He is our Head. Strengthen our hands and feet to visit the sick and to pray for their healing. And when we are sick and You heal us, strengthen us to serve. For Your Son has called us to follow Him. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
The Gospel of Mark is unique among the four gospels in that it was written in the present tense. Mark’s action-oriented writing is marked by his favorite phrase, “and immediately” (Greek: “καὶ εὐθὺς”), which is found throughout the book. Here, the NLT translates the phrase as “instantly.”
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 “instantly.”
Is there any urgent need requiring Christ’s immediate attention in your life? No matter the hour, day or night, Jesus is always available and willing.
PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the love and care You have for us. Teach us to look to You for help first rather than after we’ve exhausted all other sources. For You care for us. Help us to care for others with the same urgency. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
After preaching in the Capernaum synagogue, Jesus went to Peter’s home, where his mother-in-law lay sick in bed with a fever. So Jesus went to her at once. He healed her and she began to serve them. Let us consider the details.
First, notice that Jesus “went to her.” When He heard that she was sick He went to her at once. Remember how Jesus said that the Son of Man would one day commend the righteous? He said, “I was sick and you visited Me” (Matt. 25:36). When they said they didn’t remember doing this for Jesus. He replied, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40). When we visit and care for the sick, Jesus said we are doing it for Him.
Next, Jesus “took her by the hand.” Jesus never hesitated to touch the sick. He recognized the power of touch. He could’ve healed from a distance, but went to her and took her hand. Today, we as believers are the body of Christ. We are His hands. And people are in the greatest need for human touch in recent history.
Finally, Jesus “raised her up.” He healed her. There is healing power in the touch of Jesus. And there is power in touching people in His name. The Scripture says, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up” (James 5:14-15).
What was the result of Jesus raising up this woman to health? She “began to serve them.” She didn’t return to the bed. She didn’t go about her business. No. She began to serve the brethren, the fellowship. She was raised from sickness to service.
PRAYER: Dear Father, You have saved us and made us the body of Christ and He is our Head. Strengthen our hands and feet to visit the sick and to pray for their healing. And when we are sick and You heal us, strengthen us to serve. For Your Son has called us to follow Him. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
The priests were to burn the fat off of the offering as a sweet aroma to the LORD. Although a portion of the offerings belonged to the priests for their food, the fat was not to be eaten, for it belonged to the LORD.
Anyone who has smelled bacon cooking, knows the sweet aroma of frying fat. The LORD wanted His people to offer their best. Perhaps He wanted them to offer the sweet-smelling fat because it represented them giving their best to HIm. Or perhaps it was because fat represented the surplus energy that an animal stored for winter, therefore God wanted them to know He gave them surplus to share. Whatever the reason, all the fat was the LORD’s.
Later, during the time of Samuel, among the many blasphemies of Eli and his sons, was that they did not burn off the fat. Instead, they kept it for themselves, fattening themselves on the LORD’s offering (See 1 Sam. 2). The LORD warned them and finally removed them from the priesthood for taking that which belonged to Him and to His Tabernacle. It wasn’t enough that He had provided plenty for them to eat, they wanted the LORD’s portion too.
We no longer live under the law, but under grace. For Christ has fulfilled the law and set us free to live by faith. Yet there are timeless principles found in the law. Perhaps when God blesses us with more than we need, instead of fattening ourselves on the surplus, we should share it with those in need.
So, the next time we smell bacon frying, let’s remember to whom the fat belongs. May its sweet aroma remind us that God gives us surplus to share, so that we are able to give tithes and offering to Him and meet the needs of others in His name.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we are thankful that we have been set free from law-keeping by faith in Your Son. Yet, we are still thankful for Your law. For the law is good. Give us strength and wisdom to live in a way that pleases You. And when You give us surplus, help us to remember to whom it belong. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The Gospel of Mark is unique among the four in that it was written in present tense. Mark’s action-oriented writing is marked by his favorite phrase, “and immediately” (καὶ εὐθὺς), which is found throughout the book. Here, the NLT translates the phrase as “instantly.”
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 “instantly.” Is there any urgent need requiring Christ’s immediate attention in your life?
PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the love and care You have for us. Teach us to look to You for help first rather than after we’ve exhausted all other sources. For You care for us. Help us to care for others with the same urgency. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Salt was the opposite of leaven. Salt was always to be added to the sacrifice, but never leaven. Salt represented purity and preservation, but leaven represented impurity and sin. Salt was a sign of God’s eternal covenant. It was even mentioned as a sign of the eternal covenant God made with David that the throne belonged to his descendants forever (2 Chron. 13:5). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told His disciples that they were the “salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). We are to be agents of Christ in this world, representing His gospel to the nations.
What friends these were! Neither the crowds nor the barrier of the small house stopped them from getting their paralytic friend before Jesus. This is no doubt the same house, which belonged to Peter’s mother-in-law, where Jesus had stayed in Capernaum before. Perhaps Peter reflected back to when he had let Jesus use his boat and how it nearly sank with the huge catch of fish. And now, he was letting Jesus use his house and it was so full of people that they were crashing through the roof! Jesus commended the faith of the paralytic’s friends, he forgave his sins and healed him. So that the cripple who had been lowered on a mat through the roof, now picked up his own bed and walked out the front door, a new man.
Two applications questions:
1) What kind of friend am I? Am I willing to overcome every barrier to get people in front of Jesus?
2) Am I willing to let Jesus use my stuff (my house, my car, my possessions) for His kingdom purpose?
I wonder if Jesus later helped repair the roof? He was a carpenter after all.
Leaven is a substance, typically yeast, that is added to dough to make it ferment and rise. It helps make bread light and fluffy and more tasty. So, why does God prohibit its use in the grain offering? The Bible doesn’t answer this question directly, yet it does offer several hints. Consider how Jesus used the symbol of leaven to describe the false teaching and hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt.16:6,12, Mark 8:15, Luke 12:1). He warned his disciples to “beware the leaven” of their teaching. In the apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he used leaven to illustrate how a little wickedness and corruption will “leaven the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:6-8). So, he warned them to purge it out and become a “new lump.” If leaven is the biblical symbol for sin and death, then it would be taboo to offer it on the altar of blessing and life.