Wonderful Jesus!

Hidden Treasures!

Mark 4:21- “Then he asked them, “When someone lights a lamp, does he put a box over it to shut out the light? Of course not! The light couldn’t be seen or used. A lamp is placed on a stand to shine and be useful.” TLB

I have been reading the Bible for decades. There are times when I have read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, word for word, at least three times in a year. I said that to say this, it never ceases to amaze me how often we can read and study the Bible, and then one day, the light goes on, and we get it! Even if gaining understanding includes me letting go of what I thought I already knew. The Word is alive and active and is revealed to us when we are ready for it, and that’s the point of today’s blog!

When we think of buried treasure, we think of the days of the pirates, when they would board another vessel, take all of their treasures, and go to an isolated island and bury their treasure. But sometimes buried treasure can be found in other places. Last year, as a man was gardening in his yard, he found 63 gold coins and one silver coin from the 15th century. Their value is unknown! I was amazed at the stories on the internet about people finding treasures in their yards and attics. It’s an exciting read! But the hidden gems that lie in the Word of God are also invaluable and are hidden in plain sight!

Jesus spoke a parable to the people in the first part of chapter four. In this parable, He addressed the four types of soil, or heart conditions, that the word encounters. (That was my previous blog)! Although I ended the blog after the explanation, Jesus had not finished His comments about the purpose of parables.

Then He asked them, “When someone lights a lamp, does he put a box over it to shut out the light? Of course not! The light couldn’t be seen or used. A lamp is placed on a stand to shine and be useful.”
Mark 4:21 TLB

With this statement, it appears that Jesus has changed topics, but He has not. He is still addressing His reason for using parables. Jesus brought up the subject of a lamp. At that time, if they wanted to see after the sun went down or in a room with little sunlight, they needed to light a lamp. Jesus uses the lamp, a familiar object, as He did the soil, the seed, and the sower. What value is a lamp that is under a box? It is of no value because it cannot be seen. The purpose of the lamp is to place it where it gives off light and is helpful. Parables, therefore, are to be understood, so He wasn’t trying to keep us from knowing what He was talking about!

“All that is now hidden will someday come to light. If you have ears, listen! And be sure to put into practice what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand what I tell you. To him who has shall be given; from him who has not shall be taken away even what he has.
Mark 4:22-25 TLB

Jesus tells His disciples that the things that He shares in parables may be hidden at the time of sharing, but someday they will be understood. He implies that just like a lamp is not helpful if it is hidden, neither will the kingdom’s message be beneficial if it remains hidden. Inside every parable are nuggets, pearls of wisdom and truth, waiting to be revealed, and it all depends on how you hear it!

If you have ears, listen up! If you get stuck on the sower, you’ll miss the concept of the heart. If you get stuck on the impossibility of a man being born again of a woman, you will miss the power of transformation that happens at salvation. Listen up!

The more we learn to pay attention to the word, the greater our understanding will be. As we gain knowledge of the kingdom’s message and then live and share it, the more He will reveal to us. If we choose to hear it and refuse to accept it or share it, we will lose what we had.

This verse reminds me of what Paul said in Ephesians 3, as he explained the mystery of the gospel in relationship to the Gentiles:

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 3:8-9 NKJV

The mystery of the kingdom of God was hidden in God and revealed in Jesus, then it was revealed to His apostles by the Holy Spirit! Maybe you are thinking, “If this is so important for everyone to know, why is it hidden?”

He replied, “You are permitted to know some truths about the Kingdom of God that are hidden to those outside the Kingdom: ‘Though they see and hear, they will not understand or turn to God, or be forgiven for their sins.’
Mark 4:11-12 TLB

Jesus told the disciples that the understanding of the parables was available to those in the kingdom, but those outside the kingdom will not understand it or turn to God. I believe Paul gave us the answer when he wrote that the Holy Spirit revealed it to him. When we are in the kingdom of God, seeking to understand the kingdom, the Holy Spirit helps us with our understanding. It might come through a blog like this one, or through the preaching of the Word you hear in church, or even your quiet time with Him, but it will come because He wants us to understand it if we seek answers.

Parables cause us to dig deep into God’s word. There are times when the message can be taken at face value; He said what He meant, and He meant what He said. But at other times, we have to dig into the word, search out the truth of what He was speaking to His disciples so that we can understand what He is saying to us.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus was quoted as having said this:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Matthew 13:44 NKJV

I was reading a Christian western novel not long ago. A man was riding his horse in the mountains when he stumbled on a trail in the story. As he followed the path through the mountain, he saw a lush valley with plenty of water and grazing land. When he returned to town, he purchased that mountain for pennies because it was considered invaluable. But he had found a treasure, land rich for raising cattle. This is the picture that Jesus is trying to help us to see. There are messages in His parables. When you hear or read the parables, you can have a shallow understanding of them, leaving you puzzled and therefore uninterested. But if you dig for the truths hidden within them, you will see how precious the word of God can become to you. Wonderful Jesus!

Listen Up!

Mark 4:10-11-“But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables.” NKJV

Mark begins this section of his gospel with Jesus teaching by the Sea of Galilee. In a previous chapter, Jesus had requested that the disciples have a boat near so that He could escape the press of the crowd. At that time, the boat wasn’t necessary, but now Mark let us know that the group has grown to such a capacity that Jesus needs to get in the boat to have some distance from the crowd.

“Then He taught them many things by parables and said to them in His teaching: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.”
Mark 4:2-3 NKJV

If you have a study Bible, it probably has a subtitle that reads “The Parable of the Sower.” However, when you read this parable and understand what Jesus was teaching, this parable is not about the sower. The sower is not the main focus of the parable, and neither is the seed, although the seed is essential. In this parable, the seed represents the Word of God or the gospel of the kingdom, and that’s an important element of the parable.

In reading this parable, it is essential to know that the soil is the focal point. The ground represents the heart of the individual who hears the message of Jesus, which is the seed. There are four types of soil mentioned in this parable: the wayside, stony places, thorny ground, and good ground. Each of these soil types represents the heart of the individuals who hear the Word. Let’s learn what Jesus is teaching.

The first type of soil or ground that Jesus mentions is the wayside.

“And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.”
Mark 4:4 NKJV

Jesus explains that not everyone who hears the gospel message will receive it. It will go over the head for some, and their heart will not be open to it. There is nothing wrong with the seed of the message, but it was as if the seed was thrown away for that person, so the birds ate it. An example of this is when someone hears the gospel, and they become hostile towards it, reject it, or mock it. They don’t even realize that the enemy stole that Word from them. It was wasted seed sown in their life because they were unreceptive to the Word.

Then we have the seed on stony ground.

“Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up, it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.”
Mark 4:5-6 NKJV

Jesus said this person also hears the Word and receives it with joy. However, this individual has no root to ground him, so he endures for only a short time. As he is persecuted or has some type of tribulation come upon him because of the Word, he is tripped up.

Since we are being taught about the kingdom, let’s just think about the salvation message. We have all seen that person who hears the gospel, and immediately they embrace it with joy. They are so excited, and we are excited for them. But we notice the next week, or so, they stop coming around. We find out later that this individual came across some things during the week that caused them to feel like what happened to them wasn’t real. They couldn’t handle the persecution from their families; they were thrown by the tribulations that seemed to come out of nowhere, so they stumbled. It doesn’t have to be the end for this person. They were excited about Him and received Him, but they had no root. Easy solution! They need to allow the seed in their heart to take root! They need to be discipled because if they aren’t, this seed will never bear fruit!

The thorny ground has a little more depth to it.

^‘And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.”
Mark 4:7 NKJV

Jesus explained that this person hears the Word but their heart wasn’t right when they heard it and they never allowed the Word to change it. Maybe this is that religious person we meet. They have heard the gospel and can recite the gospel but they can’t live it because the ground of their heart is filled with thorns. As they move forward in life, the Word doesn’t work for them like it should, they can’t get the victory, they still don’t know how to love others, they are challenging to get along with. Jesus said that the cares of this world, children drama, spousal drama, relationship drama choked the Word! The deceitfulness of riches, obtaining that promotion, making more money, keeping up with the Joneses, bigger homes, fancier cars, chasing things, got in the way! They became unfruitful! Maybe at one time they had some fruit, but they later became unfruitful as the thorns choked them to death! This doesn’t have to be their end. They can open up their hearts to the Savior and receive a new heart!

Lastly, we come to the good ground.

“But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Mark 4:8 NKJV

This is the person we should all want to identify with. Jesus said this person not only heard the Word but accepted the Word as truth. This individual is excited about the Word and the Word has taken root in their heart and is producing much fruit. Their lives are blessed, they live what they hear and believe! They are the ones planted by the rivers of water. (See Psalm 1). This person will bear much fruit because the ground was ready for the seed. Jesus said that we wouldn’t all bear the same amount of fruit, some will produce thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. That’s great news, because we are fruitful, even when we are not all producing the same way.

Let’s go back to the sower. The sower is the pastor, the Bible teacher, the Sunday School teacher, the conference speaker, your next-door neighbor, or friend. Anyone who is sharing the Word. In this text, the responsibility for bearing fruit isn’t on the sower but on every person who hears the Word of God. Only we can determine what type of soil our heart is in when we hear the Word. Lord, help us to have good soil, ready and prepared to receive your Word!

Being unreceptive, shallow, or too preoccupied with the world hinder the Word of God from taking root in the soil of our hearts. It hinders fruitfulness in our lives. This is why Jesus said it is such a vital parable, and it helps us understand others. What is produced in our lives depends on how we hear and understand the Word that is sown. Jesus said, “Let him who have ears to hear, let him hear!” Wonderful Jesus!

The Attacks Begin!

Mark 3:22- “The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul (Satan),” and “He is driving out the demons by the [power of the] ruler of the demons.” AMP

Jesus came to preach the good news of the kingdom, God’s rule, and His authority. As He moves forth in ministry, He starts making enemies of the religious leaders.

Then the Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians [to plot] against Him, as to how they might [fabricate some legal grounds to] put Him to death.
Mark 3:6 AMP

After the Pharisees left the Sabbath meeting, they went to the Herodians to plot how they could destroy Jesus. The Herodians were Jews who supported Herod and Rome, and therefore, were not friends of the Pharisees. Yet, they went to the Herodians to portray Jesus as an enemy of Rome of Herod.

Mark tells of the incident when the first attack began. Jesus was visiting with Simon again, in his home, where people started gathering. The first attack came from His natural family. It was probably his brothers or some other relatives, but they showed up saying that Jesus was out of His mind. When I first turned my life over to the Savior and made Him my Lord, my family thought the same thing about me! Sometimes family members are the last to accept and realize that there has been a change in your life. Cut them a little slack and trust God because they may eventually come around. If they don’t come around, stay away until they can at least be civil!

The second attack came from Jerusalem in the form of the scribes. Jesus wasn’t performing miracles when they showed up, and yet the first thing they do is accuse Him of operating by the power of the devil.

The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul (Satan),” and “He is driving out the demons by the [power of the] ruler of the demons.”
Mark 3:22 AMP

How insulting! They recognize that miracles are happening, but they attribute them to Satan. And to make matters worse, they said that Jesus was possessed by Satan! The kingdom of God demolishes the kingdom of darkness. Satan was so upset that Jesus was casting out demons, healing the sick, and exposing him that he stirred up the Pharisees and then the scribes.

Jesus called the scribes to Himself and offered them this explanation:

“How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided [split into factions and rebelling] against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man, and then he will ransack and rob his house.
Mark 3:23b-27 AMP

First, Jesus asks them how Satan can drive out Satan? He wouldn’t. Then Jesus tells them that a kingdom or house divided against itself cannot stand. A civil war breaks out under that type of division, causing the house or the kingdom to fall. Jesus also points out that if Satan was rising against himself, his kingdom was coming to an end!

Verse 27 ought to make us shout! Let’s reread it:

But no one can go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man, and then he will ransack and rob his house.
Mark 3:27 AMP

This accusation of the scribes against Jesus that He is possessed by the devil gives Jesus an open door to expand on His mission. Jesus tells the scribes that no one can go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless the strong man is overpowered. Jesus was doing damage to the kingdom of darkness because He had already defeated the devil, thereby enabling Jesus to ransack his house and rob him. That’s the power of the kingdom of God in action!

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV

Jesus makes one final point about the only thing that God will never forgive, blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and all the abusive and blasphemous things they say; but whoever ^[j]blasphemes against the Holy Spirit and His power [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin [a sin which is unforgivable in this present age as well as in the age to come]”— [Jesus said this] because the scribes and Pharisees were [attributing His miracles to Satan by] saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Mark 3:28-30 AMP

We dance around this, and hee-haw about it, but Jesus cuts through the chase and gets to the point! If you say that Jesus performed miracles by the devil and not the Holy Spirit, you are blaspheming the Holy Spirit! We need to be very careful about what we contribute to the devil and what we contribute to the work of the Holy Spirit! Even today! If we are unsure, then we need to say that we are unsure.

I would like to make you feel good about this by stating that no one can know or that it is something other than what it is. But Jesus clearly states (and I admit to using the AMP bible because it was more direct) what blaspheming is. He said it immediately after being accused of being possessed by the devil and working under his power!

I won’t argue about it, but when I read this passage, it seems pretty clear to me. A lot has happened in chapter three, but the most important thing to remember is that Mark has introduced us to the suffering Jesus, and there is so much more ahead for Him. Wonderful Jesus!

Portraying the Savior!

Mark 3:13-15- “And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.” NKJV

Jesus has created quite a stir since starting His public ministry. Although I have read the Bible from cover to cover, more times than I can remember, I am still amazed at the response of the Jewish leaders to Him. Of course, I am aware of the prophecies, and I know the end of the story, but still, this is Jesus, the Son of God!

Multitudes of people were beginning to show up wherever Jesus visited. They followed Him from one place to another, to see what He was doing. I’m sure we would have been following Him too! Mark wrote:

But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him”
Mark 3:7-8 NKJV

Why did you come to Jesus? Was it because of what you thought He would do for you? I think that may have been the original motivation for most of us to follow Him. But now I trust that we follow Him because we know that He is God and there is none like Him!

Jesus asked His disciples to have a small boat that He could use if the crowd became too much. The crowd was trying to get as close to Him as they could to get their needs met. He didn’t rebuke them and tell them to give Him space; He just made arrangements to have a way to step away from the crowd if He needed to step away.

Why were they acting so frantic, you might wonder? Mark tells us!

For He healed many so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.”
Mark 3:10-12 NKJV

The kingdom of God was thriving! Jesus not only preached the kingdom of God, but He demonstrated that the kingdom was near at every opportunity. Many are healed and delivered from unclean spirits in demonstration of the kingdom. Mark, a writer who gets to the point, doesn’t give us the details of these healings, but he does let us know that they really wanted to touch Him.

Traditionally, I always thought that the woman with the issue of blood was the first to want to touch Him, but here we see the crowd wanting to get close enough to touch Him, and she hasn’t been introduced to us yet by Mark! Demons left the bodies and spirits of people, screaming in terror of the Son of God, as He warned them that they were not to make Him known. It had to be a busy day of ministry!

Finally, Jesus leaves the sea and goes on the mountain where He called a group of men that He wanted to spend some time alone with Him. It is at this meeting that the twelve were chosen as apostles. What I want us to note is the fact that Jesus called them for a specific purpose:

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.”
Mark 3:13-15 NKJV

This news is exciting to me! Jesus appointed twelve men to disciple. What a special privilege they were given, for many were following Him. The twelve apostles were Simon and Andrew (who were brothers), James and John (also brothers), Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas (who was called The Twin), James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, and Judas who betrayed Him. It is said that Bartholomew is also Nathaniel, and that Thaddeus is Jude, the son of Alphaeus.

What did Jesus call them to do? Exactly what He was doing! He called them to preach the gospel of the kingdom, to heal the sick and cast out devils. In Matthew, Jesus gave more details to their mission:

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
Matthew 10:7-8 NKJV

In other words, Jesus’ ministers represent Him, not just with the gospel message, but also with the gospel power! Disciples follow their leaders, displaying many of the same traits and teachings that they have learned. Traditionally, as Christians, our focus has been on getting people saved. Since people need the Lord, this is a good strategy. But when Jesus went out, He spoke of the kingdom of God, and then He demonstrated the kingdom of God. He didn’t tell people that they had a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. Although this is accurate theology! His focus was on wooing people into the kingdom, not scaring them into His kingdom!

The early church added something else to their message, the message of Jesus the Christ! They proclaimed Jesus everywhere they went, preached the gospel of the kingdom, and demonstrated it with power! They also used the wonders of the King and His kingdom to reach the lost! Fire insurance (scaring the Hell out of people) will only take you so far!

A man convinced against His will, is of the same opinion still!
Mary Wollstonecraft, “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

As the early church began to grow, the apostles had to put some things in place to institute order, but they never changed the message of Jesus! And they never lost their focus! They healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out devils, all while spreading the gospel of the kingdom!

As followers of Jesus, we need to know that we have a responsibility to the message of the Savior. We live in this world, but we are not of this world, and we are to tell people about the King. I am sure that most of us already do! But we also have to ask God to bring us to a point where we boldly proclaim the kingdom and then watch as He demonstrates the kingdom through us.

People are still lost in their sins, as they were when Jesus walked on this earth. They are still in need of physical healings and deliverance from the demonic attacks that plague society. If we genuinely believe that Jesus Christ is still the same as He was and forever will be, we must realize that we have been missing a big piece of the puzzle, and it is time for us to reevaluate how we portray the Savior!

Much is happening in our world today. As I write this blog, Hurricane Ida is raging in Louisiana with a trajectory to cross several more states. I am praying that the damage will not be as severe as expected and that there will be many testimonies of people and property being kept by God. As you read this blog, please do the same. The virus isn’t taking a vacation while all of this is happening, so people need prayer for protection as they shelter in place. We don’t need to be afraid or worried about all that is going on; we just need to trust that God is who He says He is and believe that He will answer our prayers. Wonderful Jesus!

Not Reason Enough!

Mark 3: 1-2 “And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.”

We’re closing chapter 2 of the book of Mark and beginning chapter 3. It is the Sabbath. When Mark wrote this manuscript, it wasn’t in chapter and verse, so I am combining two events that occurred on the Sabbath.

At the end of chapter 2, Jesus and His disciples are walking through grain fields, possibly headed to the synagogue. As they are passing through the areas, they pluck off the heads of grain, causing the Pharisees to be alarmed:

And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”
Mark 2:24 NKJV

When Jesus was eating with Levi and his guests, the Pharisees were quick to point out to the disciples that Jesus was out of order; now, they point out to Jesus that the disciples are out of order. It reminds me of those people who are always trying to mess up somebody’s relationship with their criticisms. But that’s for another day.

By the time Jesus was born, the Law had many rituals and artificial rules added to it. Some laws included carrying things in every manner but with your hands; and some laws dealt with how you handled food on the Sabbath. Jesus was aware of these laws but wasn’t bound to them. When He heard what they said, He responded.

But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?”
Mark 2:25 NKJV

He asked the Pharisees if they were aware of the time that David ate the showbread in the days of Abiathar, the high priest? Not only that, David gave some to his men! This was considered unlawful, and yet to satisfy his hunger and the hunger of his men, David had no problem asking for the bread. If you look up the reference, Ahimelech was the priest that David encountered. Commentators believe that Abiathar was the high priest or a co-high priest with his father, Ahimelech. I won’t try to prove either, but I wanted to point that out for those of you who might look it up!

Mark shares no response from the Pharisees but Jesus was well aware that the Pharisees knew David had done precisely that; and they had great admiration for David.

And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:27 NKJV

In Genesis, when God established the Sabbath, He did it so that man would have a day of rest from his labors, not to put him in bondage. God created man to have fellowship with Him, not to be bound to rules. When I was growing up, my dad had a whole list of things that we couldn’t do on Sundays, because it was considered to be the Sabbath, and so did the world. You couldn’t purchase alcoholic beverages and you couldn’t go to the mall. Now, everything goes. Even still, bondage wasn’t the idea of the Sabbath; rest was the idea.

Jesus then declared to the Pharisees that He was Lord over the Sabbath! Now the Pharisees are not happy with Jesus. They are offended with Him, His methods, and His lack of respect for their rules, and most importantly, He is influencing others to be the same way.

We now enter chapter three and our key verse:

And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might ^[accuse Him.
Mark 3: 1-2 NKJV

I believe it is still the same Sabbath day. Jesus entered the synagogue, and there is a man there with a withered hand. It doesn’t appear that the man has come for healing from Jesus, more like the Pharisees had the man there to see what Jesus would do. Jesus did not disappoint!

And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent.
Mark 3:3-4 NKJV

Jesus invited the man to come forward. He turns to the Pharisees and asks them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they didn’t say a word. Jesus got upset at this point! Mark said that it grieved Him to see the hardness of their heart. Jesus saw that the Pharisees cared more about their laws being followed than they cared about the people. Surely, we are not like that today? Or are we?

Their hearts were so hardened, so fixed on their way of doing things, that they refused to see, the good that Jesus was about to do and be happy for the man. God forbid we become so focused on our cause, what we believe in, that we become blinded to human kindness. Lord have mercy on us if we get to the point that what we believe drives us to wickedness, as it did the Pharisees. Here’s something to consider, if that attitude angered Jesus then, it angers Him now!

He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
Mark 3:5b NKJV

Jesus performed a creative miracle. The withered hand responded to Jesus’ command as the man in need of healing made an effort to stretch it out. Faith without works is dead! He could have argued with Jesus or scoffed at Him, but instead, he obeyed and was made whole!

The Pharisees left angry! Mark implied that this was the straw that broke the camel’s back for them! They went out and immediately began to plan how to destroy Him.

Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
Mark 3:6 NKJV

Isn’t it amazing that Jesus did a great thing for someone in need, and the religious people got angry? Have we become the Pharisees and the Sadducees of our day? Are we more concerned with how we view our religion and traditions than we are with how we treat people? I certainly hope not!

It was the Sabbath day. The disciples picked grain and ate it. The Pharisees didn’t like it. Jesus healed a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees were upset. But more importantly, Jesus was upset. As Lord of the Sabbath, He was demonstrating that He cared more about people then He did about programs, politics, days, celebrations, or religious taboos. As His people, we should live in the same manner. No reason is a good reason to mistreat God’s people. And nothing is worth incurring the anger of Jesus! Wonderful Jesus!

Things Are Changing!

Mark 2:16 – “And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” NKJV

You don’t have to look far to see the changes in our society. Since COVID-19 sneaked upon us in 2020, everything in life has been altered. When we leave our homes and go out in public, we wear masks. We are more mindful of the people we hang around when socializing. In church services we sing praises with a mask on, and when we greet one another we do so carefully. Change has come to us all, whether we like it or not.

Such was the case with the things we find in Mark 2. Mark gives us the impression that when Jesus called Levi, the tax collector, to be a part of His ministry, He was walking into un-chartered territory.

Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.”
Mark 2:13-14 NKJV

The interesting thing to note about Levi is that he was a Jewish individual who worked for the Roman government. As part of his role, he also had access to Roman soldiers who enforced the collecting of taxes from the Jewish people. Therefore the Jews were not fond of the tax collectors. Commentators note that the Jewish tax collectors were excommunicated from the synagogue, along with family members, and were no longer welcomed in the Jewish society.

Jesus knew who Matthew was before He called him to be a disciple. He knew that the Jewish society looked down on him, and had ostracized him from their social circles. However, not only did He call Matthew, also known as Levi, but He went to his home for dinner.

Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.”
Mark 2:15 NKJV

When Jesus called Levi, He stepped out of the standard way of doing things and demonstrated that a change had come. The person who the Jews excommunicated was accepted and honored by Jesus as His disciple! Levi recognized the change for what it was, accepted the call and followed Jesus. This change resulted in Levi leaving his job and his past to be a disciple.

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”
Mark 2:16 NKJV

Commentators state that Jesus was a friend to sinners, and this is true. But in being their friend, He wasn’t condoning their sin as being okay; He was opening the way for them to come to Him! We can learn from Jesus how to love the sinner without accepting the sin! Jesus was willing to eat with sinners because in doing so, He was offering them an opportunity to have fellowship with Him.

This was not normal. The Pharisees and scribes wouldn’t be caught dead with a sinner. And to them, most people were probably sinners. They heard Jesus teach and preach and understood Him to be a leader, but they had a problem with the way He was dealing with ordinary people. It just wasn’t done!

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Mark 2:16-17 NKJV
Mark 2:16-17 NKJV

Jesus heard what the Pharisees said about Him and responded on His own behalf. He likened the sinners to those who were sick. (The theme of sin and sickness is being repeated with this comment). Jesus simply stated that it was the sinners who needed a Physician, not the righteous, and He had come for them. This was definitely not the way the Pharisees thought and conducted church business. Sinners were for exploiting and making them feel better about themselves. They had formed a twisted view of God. Jesus, on the other hand had come to change the way people viewed God. He had come to change the way sin was defined. He had come to change lives from the inside out!

Jesus answered the scribes and Pharisees in a manner that left them speechless, for the moment. Then they thought of something else:

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” Mark 2:18
Mark 2:18 NKJV

Jesus compared Himself to a bridegroom, stating that it was not appropriate for the friends of the bridegroom to fast while they were with the groom. Fasting is a discipline that everyone can benefit from, spiritually and naturally. We know that Jesus believed in fasting because He fasted for forty days and forty nights. But here we find Jesus stating that this wasn’t the time for fasting, although it would come. Here again, we see Jesus changing the way things were being done.

Change is inevitable in all of our lives, and when Jesus comes into the picture, things should be changing. We shouldn’t do life the same we did life before Jesus, there ought to be a change. There may even be things that will have to be let go, as Matthew had to give up his old job to follow Jesus. We shouldn’t hang out with the same people we loved to sin with, we need some different friends. And when we hang out with sinners, it should be to share the love of Jesus, not to have a time of pleasing the flesh! Many new believers struggle with the changes that are a part of the Christian life, for some it is hard. But when you have an encounter with Jesus like Matthew did, when you think about all that He has done for you, when you rest in the truth that He is all you need, you won’t struggle as much!

Yes, things are changing around us, but some times we need to just embrace the change! Wonderful Jesus!

Anything Can Happen!

Mark 2:1-3- And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.” NKJV

I’m excited about today’s blog! While in my previous blog, I tried to focus on the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, moving forward, I want to focus on His ministry and how it applies today.

Jesus has arrived in Capernaum, and after being there for a few days, the people begin to hear that He is in the house. We know that He is in a physical home, but as a preacher, I also know that it is a beautiful thing for Jesus to be in the house! When Jesus is in the place, anything can happen! Because Mark doesn’t specify where they are and just uses the phrase that He is in the house, we will assume that He is at Simon’s and Andrew’s home again.

A crowd gathers at the house, and Jesus preached! We know He preached the gospel because He only had one message, the kingdom of God is at hand! As Jesus is preaching, four men arrive with a friend who was paralyzed. Mark doesn’t explain if the man wanted to go to Jesus and asked his friends to take him or if they heard about Jesus and insisted that he go to see Jesus. We don’t know for sure. But what we do know is that they went to Jesus to receive healing for their friend.

When they got to the house, it was crowded. People were everywhere, and there was no way to get to Jesus. Instead of giving up or sitting around until hopefully, they could see Jesus, and they took matters into their own hands:

And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.”
Mark 2:4 NKJV

Can you imagine sitting in your house with friends and someone tears your roof off? We know it wasn’t the shingle or clay tiles on roofs today, but the concept remains that they took apart Simon’s rooftop to get to Jesus, letting down the cot and the man for Jesus to see.

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” Mark 2:5 NKJV
Mark 2:5 NKJV

When Jesus saw their faith! What does faith look like? Can you see it? According to this verse, faith can be visible, and Jesus saw their collective faith! The friends agreed that if they could just get to Jesus, everything would be alright!

Jesus does something unexpected! Instead of laying hands on the man or speaking words of healing over the man, Jesus forgives his sins! What? The scribes were confused at Jesus’ words. They thought that Jesus was out of order, for only God can forgive sins. Listen to their thoughts:

And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Mark 2:6-7 NKJV

Mark is clear that the scribes never said a word. They just thought this in their heart. And Jesus perceived it. Haven’t you ever been in a crowd or talking with someone and were able to perceive their thoughts? Well, what Jesus did was more than get a feeling about what they were thinking; He actually told them what they were thinking.

But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?” Mark 2:8 NKJV
Mark 2:8 NKJV

If you follow me, you will remember that a few weeks ago, I blogged on the gifts listed in Romans 12. One of those gifts is the perceiver or prophet gift. As the prophet of God, Jesus saw precisely what was in their heart and told them. He perceived their uneasiness with what He had said. People with this gift can also perceive the environment that they are in, maybe not as accurate as Jesus, but others have been gifted to do this.

Jesus continues with these words:

^“Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
Mark 2:9-11 NKJV

An essential truth about the gospel of Jesus has been demonstrated in this passage; there is a direct spiritual connection between forgiveness of sins and physical healing. In Matthew, when Peter’s mother-in-law and the others were healed, Matthew wrote that it was in fulfillment of the verse in Isaiah:

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:4-5 NKJV

This theme in the word of God is woven throughout the fabric of the New Testament, but today I can just briefly mention it. Salvation and healing are connected in the word of God. Many come to Jesus like the leper in chapter 1, “if you are willing,” but in chapter 2, we begin to see that He is not only willing but it is provided in the kingdom.

Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Mark 2:12 NKJV

Immediately the man was healed as he and his friends believed that he would be! I think the church world as a whole has been so bent on telling us that God doesn’t heal anymore that we genuinely don’t expect anything to happen for us when we ask. As a minister of the gospel, I have laid hands on people who have been healed and on people who have not been healed. After I prayed for her, someone told me, “I knew nothing was going to happen”. Then why were you wasting my time, I thought?

My prayer for this series of blogs is to increase our hunger and thirst for the supernatural God of the word. That we won’t be satisfied any longer with just a deep conviction of our salvation but will obtain a deep assurance that Jesus is alive and still willing and able to do what He did when He walked on this earth! Wonderful Jesus!

Authority in the Kingdom!

Mark 1:21-22- “Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” NKJV

Mark has shared a lot with his readers thus far about Jesus in just a few verses. Jesus has been baptized in water, the Holy Spirit has rested on Him, God has affirmed that Jesus is His Son, He has been tempted of the devil, and He has begun His public ministry.

Jesus and His disciples have now entered Capernaum, and it is the Sabbath! Jesus enters the synagogue, which is a normal practice of His life. It seems as if time has passed, but if you read with an understanding of Jewish culture, you can see how it could be the same day that He entered Capernaum. The evening and the morning was how the Jews looked at a day, meaning Thursday evening came before Thursday morning. Therefore, they could have been walking on Thursday afternoon, and as soon as the Sabbath started, after 6 pm, they were in a new day, Friday evening. The important thing to note is that Jesus went into the synagogue and taught.

To us, it might seem strange that Jesus would just walk out of the streets into the synagogue and start teaching. It always seemed a little odd to me. Then I read in a commentary that it was Jewish custom that they had no assigned teachers to teach in the synagogue. Their tradition was called “the freedom of the synagogue,” and learned guests could preach on the day’s scripture. Jesus therefore walks into the synagogue before things get started, and He began teaching.

Mark speaks of the people’s reaction to Jesus’ teaching by stating that they were astonished for He taught with authority. They may or may not have known Jesus, the carpenter, but they certainly didn’t know Jesus, the Teacher. And as a result, they were pleasantly surprised by the depth of knowledge He possessed of the scriptures and the way He expounded on those Scriptures. So much so that they said He did a better job than the scribes!

They did not realize that they were about to experience that authority in action.

Now, there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, sayings, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
Mark 1:23-24 NKJV

Before Jesus comes on the ministry scene, we see minimal reference to the devil. The devil didn’t just show up when Jesus started His ministry; he had been operating since the Garden. He was present in the book of Job and again when David went to play for Saul, but not as the perpetrator of man’s ills. Jesus is in the synagogue, and a man with an unclean spirit, a demon, starts yelling at Him: leave us alone, did you come to destroy us? We know who you are!

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Mark 1:25-26 NKJV

Jesus rebuked that spirit, telling him to shut up and come out of him! Just that simple. For us, we have complicated the matter. We try rebuking the demonic spirits out of people, and it takes us hours of wrestling with demons. I think the demons enjoy the game. But Jesus had so much authority that when He spoke, demons trembled and obeyed! Now He has the people’s attention, and they are amazed, wondering what new teachings they were hearing!

This teaching was the kingdom of God in operation! Before Jesus came, we didn’t have the knowledge or the power to overcome the demonic forces of darkness, but with Jesus, we have been given authority over demons. Demonic activity didn’t begin during Jesus’ time, nor exorcisms; it just means that before Jesus began His ministry, humanity was powerless against the devil.

After they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
Mark 1:29-31 NKJV

Jesus leaves the synagogue and visits with Simon and Andrew in their home, with John and James. When He arrives, they tell Jesus that she is sick with a fever. It’s interesting to me that they even told Jesus that she was ill. I believe someone wanted to see if the same Jesus who exercised authority over demons would heal the sick. He heals her, exercising His authority in the kingdom.

As word began to spread around the city of the things that Jesus had done, people started looking for Jesus, and they found Him at Simon’s home.

At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Mark 1: 32-34 NKJV

Jesus had a healing service at the disciples’ home. Mark lets us know that it was at the end of the Sabbath. This timing would be Saturday evening by the Roman calendar, but the beginning of the first day/evening of the week for the Jewish calendar. Jesus healed the sick and cast out demons, all as an illustration of His authority.

The following morning, Sunday morning, Jesus arises early, finds a quiet place, and spends time in prayer. By example, Jesus is teaching His disciples that time alone with the Father is a source of strength and power.

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”
Mark 1:35-37 NKJV

Although the people are looking for Jesus, He continues on His journey to spread the good news.

But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also because for this purpose I have come forth.”
Mark 1:38 NKJV

Jesus and the disciples continue their travel throughout the cities of Galilee, and he continues preaching and casting out demons. The last miracle in this chapter is the healing of the leper.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Mark 1: 40 NKJV

What I want to refer to is the phrase, “If you are willing, You can make me whole.” Jesus was willing then, and He is willing now. That isn’t the requirement for healing. The condition is what we can believe. Can we believe that Jesus wants to heal us? Do we believe that Jesus will heal us? Or have we been taught to think that it depends on Him?

After this, Jesus couldn’t go into the cities to preach anymore. The man healed of leprosy was so excited that he told everyone, even when Jesus told him not to. I’m not sure about the reason behind Jesus’ request, but Mark states that He could no longer openly enter the city from this point on. Wonderful Jesus!

The Reign of God!

Mark 1:14-15- “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” NKJV

The Kingdom of God!

Mark not only uses words like “immediately” and “straightway”, he seems to write in a hurry, getting straight to the point, so I will do likewise!

In our text, Mark states that John has gone to prison. He doesn’t tell us why John the Baptist is in prison, just that he is. Later on in this book we will get more details, but for now, this is all that he tells us. Mark is giving us a timeframe to help us to understand what is happening in his narrative. It is also interesting to note that Jesus did not begin His ministry until John was completely off the scene.

After John is put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee. I learned a little more about Galilee in my readings. Galilee was an area ruled by the Romans at the time of Jesus. Prior to the Romans, the Greeks controlled the area and left its mark on the region. If you ever wondered why the New Testament was written in Greek and not Hebrew, it is because of the Greek influence.

Demographically, Galilee had Jews and Gentiles living in the area. The Gentiles were a diverse group of people with Grecian, Roman, and other backgrounds. In this environment was a mixture of Jews, those who considered themselves to be Orthodox Jews, and those who had embraced the culture of the day. The Jews were struggling to maintain their identity in this environment.

Mark tells us why Jesus went to Galilee:

Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God
Mark 1:14b NKJV

Remember that Mark writes in the beginning that this “book” was about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark stated that Jesus went to Galilee for the express purpose of preaching to the Galileans. His message was simple: the gospel of the kingdom of God. And yet, somehow, we have managed to complicate the message!

In the Young’s Literal Translation, the kingdom of God is translated, the reign of God. Jesus, knowing that the Jewish nation is under the rule of Rome, starts His ministry preaching about a new rule, the rule of God! When you think about it, this was a serious situation that demonstrated the absolute boldness of Jesus. The Roman rulership has been established, and everything and everyone must adhere to it, but Jesus announces a rulership by God, to the people, in this occupied land!

Jesus said to them:

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Mark 1:15 NKJV

Let’s look at that first phrase, “the time is fulfilled”. The word for “time” in this verse is “kairos” and it means “a fixed and definite period of time”, or the season. What Jesus was saying is the time had come for the kingdom of God to be made manifest. It was a fixed time in the plan of God, an undeniably, unstoppable time, and He was there to fulfill that assignment. With Him came the kingdom of God!

This was not to be a natural kingdom as some supposed it would be. Those of the Jewish nation knew that in previous times, they had conquered their enemies and ruled the land God had given them. However, after many years of disobedience and assimilating to the cultures around them, instead of being true to God, they lost the land and they lost their hunger for the true and living God. Actually, many of the Jews that Jesus encountered were indoctrinated in the Hellenistic/Roman culture of the day which included polytheism and a love for self. Therefore, Jesus announced that the time had come for a change of rulership!

`Fulfilled hath been the time, and the reign of God hath come nigh, reform ye, and believe in the good news.’
Mark 1:15 YLT

The reign of God has come near, reform! Change! Repent! Jesus was preaching that it was time for a change! We think, repent, but often times we think of it in terms of godly sorrow. That’s not what Jesus is saying here! Jesus is saying, change, reform, turn away from the kingdom you are in and come into the kingdom of God! You’ve been under the wrong rulership, it’s time to change!

It is also important to remember that the region of Galilee is where the kingdom was to be established, according to Isaiah:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.
Isaiah 9:2 NKJV

Galilee was a land of the shadow of death, with a people who walked in darkness! But the Light of the world entered this city of darkness, exposed the darkness, and brought life to the inhabitants!

Believe the Good News! Jesus declared that this was good news! God has returned His affection to His people and has come to establish His kingdom, or His rule over the earth! This is exciting news, Jesus tells them! Believe it! It’s true! It’s for real! No longer do you have to be subject to the rulership of the worldly government, because there is a new government. God’s government! Get excited! Believe!

Immediately Jesus tells His listeners how this kingdom operates! It operates on faith! You have to believe in this kingdom, and believe what is shared about this kingdom, in order to experience this kingdom. Faith in the God of the kingdom, and His way of doing things! That’s what the kingdom of God is all about!

His rulership! His rules! And to be in this kingdom all you need to do is change and believe! It takes an absolute trust in God, trusting His word, trusting the relationship! And as we get into learning about the kingdom of God, we come to terms with the truth that things are different in this kingdom, different from the Roman kingdom, different from the Hellenistic kingdom, and most certainly different from the kingdoms of the world!

Jesus doesn’t stop to do an altar call! He has preached His message! He has encouraged His listeners to believe! And now, Mark tells us, He goes and recruit some workers for the kingdom!

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
Mark 1:16-18 NKJV

Mark writes that after preaching His first sermon, He calls four of His disciples: Simon and his brother Andrew, and James and John, sons of Zebedee; all natural fishermen. Jesus told them that He would make them fishers of men!

Although Mark doesn’t make mention of these disciples outside of their trade, there are some things we can infer as truth. Simon and Andrew were on their boats working, as were James and John. Quite possibly they were coming in for the day. The Zebedees obviously had a larger boat with more people on it because they left their father and the hired servants on the boat. At least, Mark felt that it was necessary to mention this. I believe that Simon and Andrew had someone else on the boat because they would have lost the boat to looters if they would have just abandoned it. Later, we know that Peter was in his boat fishing because Jesus got on the boat and told him to launch out into the deep.

Another thing about the disciples is that this isn’t their first meeting of Jesus. John tells us about their meeting Jesus in a different way. But this is when Jesus calls them to be partakers of the kingdom with Him, and they follow Him during His earthly ministry, learning of Him and from Him!

In my next blog, we will look at Jesus demonstrating the kingdom of God! Wonderful Jesus!

Jesus, Our Example!

Mark 1:9 – “It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan” NKJV

Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God! I may repeat that frequently, but it’s important for us to know and declare that He was no ordinary man. He was both man and deity, and as such, was God in the flesh!

As we go through the book of Mark, we will see Him as the suffering Servant, the One who went through much on our behalf. As the suffering Servant, He suffered in His physical body, as a human being, on behalf of mankind. As we go through Mark, we will see Jesus in both His humanity and His divinity!

Mark tells us that Jesus came from Galilee. Although he makes on a brief reference to this fact, Matthew points on that Jesus being in Galilee was a fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah:

But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain. The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee were once hated. But this land of the Gentiles across the Jordan River and along the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly respected.
Isaiah 9:1 CEV

Jesus lived on purpose, for purpose, and because of that, there were things that He had to do. Getting baptized in the Jordan, was one of those things. He tells John that He must be baptized by him to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15).

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan [River], to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him [vigorously protesting], saying, “It is I who need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus replied to him, “Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John permitted [it and baptized] Him
Matthew 3: 13-15 AMP

Before Jesus begins His public ministry He is baptized in water. Baptism is symbolic of our identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord. Jesus had no such need to make this public declaration of faith as we do, but He felt it necessary. He said that John had to baptize Him to fulfill all righteousness! In other words, there are some things that everyone is going to need to do, and He came to demonstrate it all in the flesh!

As Jesus is coming out of the water, several things take place all at once:

And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Mark 1:10-11 NKJV

First, He sees the heavens part! I believe that God was so excited that the time had come to reveal His Son and to see Him in operation that He pulled back the curtains of heaven to let Jesus see Him!

As the curtains parted, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus. The Bible clearly uses a simile at this point by saying that His Spirit descended like a dove. Many think that He descended in the form of a dove, but I believe this was a figurative statement, and not literal. Then God speaks from heaven validating that Jesus is His beloved Son, and He is well pleased with Him! What a wonderful experience! And what a glimpse at the Trinity, as both the Father, and the Holy Spirit, bears witness to Jesus to the Son!

The Holy Spirit not only bears witness of Jesus, but He empowers Jesus to do ministry. Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 11:2, that the Spirit of God would rest upon Him, which He did when Jesus came out of the water. But we also know that the Spirit of God empowered Him to do ministry. Let’s look at what Jesus said to the disciples:

Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
Luke 24:49 NKJV

We can infer that if the disciples needed the power from on high, which is through His Holy Spirit, then that is where Jesus’ power came from, the Holy Spirit. And as Jesus was headed into His earthly ministry, it was needful for Him to be endued with power from on high!

Mark doesn’t give us a lot of details about these events, so I had to go to the other gospels for clarification. Such is the case in the temptation of Jesus. Mark wrote:

Right away God’s Spirit made Jesus go into the desert. He stayed there for forty days while Satan tested him. Jesus was with the wild animals, but angels took care of him.
Mark 1:12 -13 CEV

Mark penned that the Spirit of God made Jesus go into the desert. Other versions say Jesus was led or driven into the wilderness. In any case, it was a part of the plan for Him to experience the wilderness. While in the wilderness we know that Jesus was on a fast. Mark doesn’t mention it, but other gospel accounts let us know that for forty days and night, He fasted. While He was in the wilderness, on this supernatural fast, Satan tempted Him. (See Matthew 4, for details)

We know from other gospels that Satan tried to get Jesus to bow down to him, to prove that He couldn’t die because He was the Son of God, and to use His power to turn stones into bread. Jesus refused to participate with Satan’s games, using the Word of God on him, and then rebuking Him. All keys to us getting the victory over the devil! But that blog has been written already!

After Jesus overcomes His temptations at the hand of the devil himself, angels minister to Him. In the CEV it gives the impression that the angels protected Jesus from the wild animals; but most versions state that the angels ministered to Him.

As we look at the life of Jesus, let’s glean all that we can from Him. Jesus was baptized in the water as an example to fulfill all righteousness. In order for us to make sure that we have done the same, we need to be baptized. If you have not been baptized yet, I encourage you to do so! You will be fulfilling all righteousness! If you did it, but don’t remember it because you were so young, do it again, so that you’ll have a marked experience of identifying with the Savior!

Jesus was immersed in the Holy Spirit as He rested on Jesus! Immersion is another word for baptism. If you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit, I also encourage you to be baptized. Jesus didn’t even face the devil until He was baptized in the Holy Spirit! Once He was filled with the Spirit of God, He was empowered to deal with the devil! Not just demons, but the devil himself!

Jesus fasted for forty days and nights! This is a supernatural fast, so if the Spirit of God doesn’t lead you to do it, don’t! But we should all find ourselves spending time fasting and praying. Jesus did it, so we should do it! As we continue in Mark, let’s make a new commitment to be more like Him! Wonderful Jesus!