Mark Reading – W1D5 | Crossroads Grace Community Church

Pray

Thank God for something in your life and ask Him to speak to you through your reading and reflection today.

Bible Reading (read these verses three times slowly)

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Reflection & Questions

In our last reading of the week, Jesus shows himself to be God through his power to heal and cast out demons. These are incredible miracles.
Curiously, though, Jesus wants His power to be kept under wraps. He would not let the demons speak and he tells the leper, “don’t tell this to anyone.” And he refuses his excited companions who can’t wait for him to heal all the people who’ve shown up.
Why keep it quiet? Why leave the sick to go elsewhere? Jesus tells them: “Let us go …to the nearby villages – so I can preach there. That is why I have come.” Jesus had not come to be a celebrity healer. He’d come with a message of good news that will multiply followers and transform the world. If he becomes a healer, he won’t be able to reach the crowds freely with the good news. Mark tells us the leper doesn’t keep quiet and Jesus could no longer enter a town openly, staying in “lonely places”. However, people continue to flock to Jesus – his teaching and power were unrivaled.

Jesus ministered even to the most outcast of his society, the lepers. Who are the outcasts today? How do you think Jesus would minister to them? Would you join him?
God still works in powerful ways today! We can pray for healing or miracles, and sometimes God will work in amazing ways and other times will respond “no” or “not yet.” We don’t always know why, but we can trust Him. What need do you need to bring to God today and ask for his help?

Pray

Pray for those in need around you today. Start with your family, then your neighborhood, workplace and community.

Worship Song

Worship God today through the song Miracle Maker by Leeland.

Bible Reading

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Reflection & Questions

In our last reading of the week, Jesus shows himself to be God through his power to heal and cast out demons. Weren’t those some incredible miracles?

But for some reason, Jesus wants His power to be kept secret. He would not let the demons speak and he tells the leper, “don’t tell this to anyone.”

Have you ever done something so amazing, and so cool, that you just wanted to tell everyone around you about it? Like an awesome score on a really hard test, a championship win in your sport, or an accomplishment that you’ve been working really hard for? You want EVERYONE to know, don’t you??

So why did Jesus want it to be a secret that He did all of these amazing things? Jesus tells His disciples: “Let us go …to the nearby villages – so I can preach there. That is why I have come.” Jesus didn’t come to be a celebrity healer. He came to tell everyone the good news, that He was going to save the world from its sin! If He became a famous healer, do you think He would ever be able to travel around anymore? Don’t you think people would just line up 24/7 to try and get healed by Him? In the story though, we learn that the leper doesn’t keep quiet, and now Jesus couldn’t even walk into a town without being recognized! Which makes sense, because He’s Jesus! I mean, wouldn’t you go and find Jesus too?

Have you ever done something so amazing that you wanted everyone to know about it? How would you feel if NO ONE ever found out? Would you be a bit sad? So why do you think Jesus didn’t want people to find out about the amazing things He was doing?
Jesus loved the most outcast people in His society, the lepers. Are there any people that you know or see who are not loved by many people? How can we show them love?

Prayer

Pray for the people around you today! Pray for your family, your friends, and your school – and ask God how you can help show God’s love to all of them.

Bible Reading

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Devo Focus

Mark 1:40-42 40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 41 Jesus was indignant.He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

Question

When problems come up… who do you go to first?

There’s lots of people that we go to for our problems. We go to our parents, our friend, maybe a youth leader. But when things are really HUGE problems do we go to God first?

In this section we see that people had some major problems. They had diseases that couldn’t be cured, they were unpopular people looking for a family, they were people who have had problems for a long time and they went to Jesus for help. At one point a person with leprosy (which is a flesh eating disease that made people live isolate away cut off from people) asks “if you are willing, can you make me clean?” Basically he is asking for the biggest problem in his life, if maybe by chance, could Jesus possibly maybe, you know, help Him out? Like Jesus was about ready to be really inconvenienced for helping.

How about you?

Do you sometimes think that you are too much trouble for God? What’s the truth though?
Maybe that’s not the problem, but do you think that your problems are too big for God?
Ask God to help you, no matter how big the problem is.
Trust God today to help you when problems arise.