Temptation and Healing

 Jesus' Temptation, Teaching and Healing

 Book of Luke Chapter 4

 When we need to know how to act in any situation, all we need to know is how Jesus would act in that situation.

 Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 We have no greater example to follow than the Lord Jesus Christ!

 This will not always be an easy thing to do.

 Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

 1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 

 We must never get confused. The Lord Jesus is God in the flesh!

 Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 

 Jhn_1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 Our greatest problem that we face in our Christian life is that we just do not handle temptation very well.

 If Satan finds out what works on us, he will use that against us unless we wise up to him.

 Victory over temptation is our greatest challenge as we walk in the ways of Jesus Christ.

 Every temptation we face today is the same as the ones the Lord Jesus faced in His lifetime in the flesh.

 *****Luk 4:1  And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 

Luk 4:2  Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 

 Then Jesus was baptized.

 The Lord was the fulness of the Holy Spirit.

 Here the Lord Jesus shows how to handle the temptations of the Devil.

 The Lord Jesus Christ was about to launch the most important work of Yahweh.

 The work of the Lord Jesus Christ was to determine the eternal fate of this world we live in today.

 It was the Holy Spirit who led the Lord Jesus into the wilderness so that He could be tempted.

 Mar 1:12  And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 

Mar 1:13  And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

 Mat 4:1  Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 

Mat 4:2  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 

 The Lord Jesus could not begin His ministry unless He could stand up to temptation.

 The devil is our adversary, and we must know how to deal with him!

 1Pe_5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

 If Satan, the Devil, is not afraid to tempt the Lord Jesus, then who do we think we are that we will not face his temptations?

 The Lord Jesus is not tempted as the Son of God, but He is tempted as the Son of God who is also the Son of Man.

 God allows this so we know that we have an example of the Son of Man, the man Jesus could withstand the attacks of the Devil.

 We can too if we learn how the Lord Jesus accomplished this.

 The Lord Jesus, one hundred percent God but also one hundred percent man, had to be totally committed to the salvation plan of God the Father.

 He needed to gain the victory that was needed so that whosoever believed these things could be saved for an eternity in the presence of God.

 God's plan included the cross, the way of sacrifice and suffering, to help others.

 The Lord Jesus would always be tempted to use His power of God to end His temptations, and had He done so, we would all still face that Burning Lake of Fire we know of as Hell.

 The man Jesus had to be assured that the God Jesus had the power to deliver him and conquer temptation.

 We must be winners of the trials of life.

 1) Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit.

 2) Jesus was led to spend time alone with God the Father.

We must spend some time alone with God.

 3) Jesus was led to be tried and tested.

It is our trials that test us and make us stronger.

 4) Jesus was led to fast and pray.

Most of us pray, and maybe not enough, but very few of us take fasting seriously.

 We must understand that God is not allowing us to be tempted so that we will fail! God is allowing our temptation so we can have victory over it.

 Temptation comes from our heart; temptation does not come from God!

 Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 

Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 

 We are never singled out for some special temptation. The same temptations can happen to all mankind.

 1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

 There is only one way to overcome temptation!

 Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

 Let's watch the Devil do his dirty work.

 *****Luk 4:3  And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. 

Luk 4:4  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 

 The Devil knew exactly that Jesus was the Son of God, but if he could get Jesus to use His godly powers to sustain His human side, then Satan would win this battle.

 Jesus had gone forty days without food in a fast that was intended to prepare Him to begin His ministry.

 Jesus, the man, knew He needed all the help He could get from His Heavenly Father, and by fasting, He wanted His Father to know how much He would give up completing His ministry.

 Remember the Lord Jesus came to die for us, but Satan was not aware of all the plan of God.

 No doubt Jesus was hungry, and those river stones probably looked a whole lot like a baked loaf of bread.

 Certainly, He had the power to make some food if He wanted to, but His forty-day fast and prayer had given Him much spiritual strength.

 All the power that Jesus had at that time could not be used to sustain Himself.

 He had to live as a man in order for God's will to be done and He refused to go against the will of His Father.

 He could only use those powers that He had to help mankind!

 Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 

 Jesus had to be who He claimed to be, just as every Christian is to be who they claim to be.

 Each Christian and his ministry is to follow in the ways of Jesus Christ.

 1) If Jesus used His power upon Himself, then it could not be said that He trusted His Heavenly Father.

2) If Jesus used His power upon Himself, it would be like saying that man could use their own abilities upon themselves instead of helping a lost world to come to know their Savior.

3) If Jesus used His power upon Himself, He would be teaching that men could use their own abilities to build themselves up instead of honoring God for His power.

 If you are a Christian, you already know that we could not survive in this world without our Heavenly Father supplying our Spiritual means.

 Food alone is not enough to sustain us; we need the Word of God and the strength of the Holy Spirit.

 We must clearly understand that we may be better off than those who are lost, but we are not better than anyone else in this world, nor should we see ourselves as better; our pride will get in the way of God's work.

 There is a Spiritual hunger that food cannot satisfy!

 *****Luk 4:5  And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 

Luk 4:6  And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 

Luk 4:7  If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 

Luk 4:8  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 

 Satan does not give up easily, and we should understand this fact.

 As we grow up in this wicked world, we are taught that we must have ambitions to succeed.

 In the devil's evil mind, he thought that Jesus, with His great power, would also have ambitions beyond those of His Father.

 We must never believe that Satan does not have some powers, even though his powers are allowed to take place under the watchful eyes of God.

 Satan never has control of this world, but the fact is, he can control every unbeliever because God allows it.

 2Ti_2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

 What were the ambitions of the Lord Jesus Christ?

 Luk_19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 

Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 

 Satan made a bold claim that he controlled the possessions and the glory of the world, which was a lie.

 Satan may be the "prince of this world," but every prince serves a King, and the Devil serves the Almighty God, Yahweh.

 Dan 4:25  That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 

 Joh 12:31  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

 Satan is only the author of confusion.

 2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

 Satan offered this part of the world that he influenced over to Jesus if Jesus would fall on His knees and worship him.

 1) Could Jesus compromise His standards and behavior?

2) Could Jesus compromise His loyalty and faithfulness to His Heavenly Father?

3) Could Jesus give up His ministry and His mission?

 The Lord Jesus was quick to answer: Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

 Jesus could not follow the ways of worldliness and still be God!

 We can have all the ambitions we want as long as they are in the Will of God for our lives.

 God wants us to do the very best we can in everything we do, but not sin.

 All sin is an abomination to our Heavenly Father!

 1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

 *****Luk 4:9  And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: 

Luk 4:10  For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 

Luk 4:11  And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

Luk 4:12  And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 

 Again, we see that Satan is persistent, so we must be strong in the Lord.

 We may not know what or where this pinnacle was located, but we do believe that the roof of Herod's portico of the Temple, which overhung the ravine of the Kedron Valley, was six hundred or seven hundred feet high.

 Surely this would have been the place that Satan would use, for no man could survive such a fall.

 Jesus allowed Satan to take Him to this place because Satan had no intention of throwing Him off, but he wanted Jesus to jump off under His own power.

 God had said that He would take care of His Son no matter what happened.

 Psa 91:9  Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 

Psa 91:10  There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 

Psa 91:11  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 

Psa 91:12  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

 This was not the will of God for the life of Jesus the man!

 Satan tempted Jesus to die some other way than the cross.

 Luk 9:21  And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 

Luk 9:22  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 

 We know that Satan did not know about the cross.

 1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

 If Satan had known, then those wicked men in Jerusalem would have known.

 If you listen to this world, you will begin to believe that that are many ways to get to God's House in Heaven, but reality is that there is only one way and that is God's way.

 God's way is the way of the Cross!

 Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 

Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

 Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 

Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 1Co_1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

 Heb_12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 Again, the Lord Jesus was quick to answer, and He answered for all of us: It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

 When God says there is only one way to get to Heaven, He means what He says, and He says what he means!

 *****Luk 4:13  And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. 

Luk 4:14  And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 

Luk 4:15  And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 

 Though Satan is much smarter than the sinner, he does not have a chance against the wisdom of God.

 This is the major reason why we need the wisdom of God.

 Satan did not have anything else with which to tempt the Lord Jesus at that time, but we see he would linger in the background until he thought he had something else.

 Satan began working on the people of Jerusalem and those who represented the government of the Jews and the government of Rome. Those who did not have the power to resist him.

 For us, the Church, we can see that Satan is a loser!

 This man, Jesus, had defeated Satan and shows us that we can defeat Satan by making use of the Word of God.

 It is God's truths that defeat the Devil!

 The Devil knows he is a loser, but he does not ever give up!

 We must remember that Satan does not have to convince the sinner who already belongs to him.

 Satan can spend the majority of his time trying to confuse God's people, and he is good at it.

 He has been doing it for two thousand years.

 Rom 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 

Rom 16:18  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 

 When we have victory over temptation, we will be able to see our lives change, and we will be able to see that change in others.

 What did the Lord Jesus tell the Church, and the Holy Spirit confirm? Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 

Rev 3:22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

 *****Luk 4:16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 

 The Lord Jesus was not a Nazarene because He took some oath. The Lord Jesus was a Nazarene because He was raised in Nazareth.

Those people in that synagogue would be very familiar with Jesus, who was raised by Joseph and Mary, who kept the Sabbath and the Laws.

 At the age of thirty, Jesus was allowed to teach and this is the place and He began His ministry here at this place.

 There is something in the Book of Isaiah that these other Jews needed to take to heart.

 Here it is not the man Jesus who is speaking it is the Son of God who is speaking: Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 

 Here again, we see the Triune God. We see the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus, and Yahweh, and it is here where the Lord Jesus first claims that He is the Messiah, sent from Yahweh.

 *****Luk 4:17  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 

Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 

Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 

 We should be able to understand that when the Lord Jesus read the Scriptures, it was far different from when others read.

 The author of a book knows his intentions when he reads his own words.

 The Lord Jesus treated those Scriptures with reverence, and is another example for us when we read those same Scriptures.

 The Messiah was anointed by the Holy Spirit.

He was called by the Holy Spirit.

He was equipped by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit goes with God's Messiah everywhere He goes.

 This is the same job the Holy Spirit does with every child of God today.

 1) The Lord Jesus came to preach the Gospel, the Good Tidings of Yahweh.

He would preach to those who were poor financially, but more importantly, to those who were poor in spirit.

He was to preach deliverance to those who were captives of the Devil.

 2) The Lord Jesus came to minister. To help and heal the brokenhearted. Give sight to those who were blind spiritually and physically. The Lord Jesus came to make us free from this wicked and evil world.

 3) The Lord came to preach the Day of Salvation!

 The Lord Jesus read from Isaiah sixty, verses one and two, but He did not read from verse three because verse three dealt with judgment.

 The Messiah will deal with "judgment" when He returns with His saints.

 Luk_21:24  And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

 When the Lord Jesus finished reading, He sat down, but He was not through.

 *****Luk 4:20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 

Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

 We may not realize it, but after the reading of the Scripture, the preacher would sit down to preach.

This is the way it was done in the Jewish synagogues.

 All eyes were focused upon the Lord Jesus Christ as He sat down.

 Jesus told them they were looking at the beginning of the fulfillment of this prophecy of Isaiah.

 This was to be the work of God's Messiah.

 It made them mad that He, the son of Joseph, could say such things, and they would have murdered Him if they had been able to do so.

 Jesus left and came to Capernaum and spoke at the synagogue in that place for several Sabbaths.

 Jesus also began to heal many of their sicknesses and ailments.

 *****Luk 4:38  And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. 

Luk 4:39  And he stood over her and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

 When we follow the life of Jesus Christ, we will see many miracles, and we should know there is a reason behind every miracle that He did.

For instance, the Lord Jesus could have healed everyone who lived during His life here on earth, but Jesus chose to heal certain ones, and He had a reason for each one.

 Some say Jesus cured or healed the neediest.

 The Lord Jesus had just left the synagogue in Capernaum and went to the home of Simon Peter.

 Peter was a married man, and his mother-in-law was ill.

 Notice she had a great fever.

 Even today, the marshes associated with the River Jordan are the most fever-stricken regions of Israel.

 In most cases, it was malaria carried by the mosquito.

 It could cause jaundice in those who frequently have repeated attacks of this fever.

 Typhoid was also common in this region.

 This mother-in-law was critically ill and would probably not have lived through the fever at this time.

She was helpless and could not even speak.

She was so weak, she could not get out of bed.

 I do not know how many of you have been this sick, but I have during cancer treatments and chemo. It's terrible to think you might be gone by the next day but it is wondeful to know that if you do die you will wake up in Heaven.

 The Lord Jesus just spoke the Word, and her fever was gone.

 All the Lord has to do is speak the Word, He does not have to be present for the healing to take place.

 Joh 4:52  Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 

 Next, we see that whoever was in the home at that time compelled the Lord Jesus to heal her as He had those at the synagogue.

 We can see that no matter what the Lord Jesus was doing as He began His ministry, it was always okay to take our needs to Him.

 He is never too busy to deal with God's children.

 If and when you go through these days, you will find that the Lord Jesus is your only hope!

 Also, notice that fever obeys the Lord just as if it were a person.

 The power of this miracle is shown as this lady immediately rises, completely healed, and begins to minister to those in Peter's home.

 As many had witnessed this miracle, they left to bring back all those who were sick in that city.

 *****Luk 4:40  Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. 

 The Lord Jesus had been busy this day as His ministry began, but He never said no, "I'm too tired to do more".

 The Lord never gets tired of showing us His Grace!

 2Co_9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

 No matter when we call upon the Lord today, He is always willing and ready to help us.

 Notice it did not matter what disease was presented to the Lord Jesus; He had the power to heal.

No matter what misery was brought to the Lord, He was able to remove that misery.

 We see where those who were helpless had been brought to Jesus; they were so helpless.

 No matter how helpless we are, we can always reach out to the Lord Jesus.

 The Lord Jesus did not overlook any illness or infirmity.

 Jesus spoke to some illnesses, and some He just touched them, but they were all healed.

 Some of those who were brought to the Lord Jesus had their bad health caused by the Devil.

 *****Luk 4:41  And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. 

 Notice that those demons knew exactly that Jesus was the Son of God.

 Notice also that the Lord Jesus does not want any testimony from demons.

The Lord Jesus does not want His name associated with false preachers!

 Demons were a deity and spirits. They were superhuman, but they were not supernatural!

 Psa 106:37  Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, 

 Deu 32:17  They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

 Some people believe that demons are the spirits of dead evil people, but this is proven to be false by Scripture.

Remember that rich and evil rich man and Lazarus? Luk 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 

Some people believe these demons are the remnants of those wicked people who rejected the preaching of Noah.

This theory comes from those who believe in the Gap Theory. They believe there is a great gap of time between Genesis Chapter 1, verse 1 and verse 2.

We know that God did not make man until verse 26, and besides this, we have Scripture that says sin entered because of Adam.

Rom 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 

Some people believe that these demons were the offspring of angels and women from the verse in Gen 6:2,  That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 

Gen 6:4  There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 

That these giants became the demons that hound us today.

The majority of Christians believe that these demons are a remnant of fallen angels whom God has left unconfined.

Many of these demons followed Lucifer, and God allowed some to roam free.

Mat 12:24  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 

Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 

We know that at least most of those angels that followed Lucifer, God has already bound: 2Pe 2:4  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Another group is confined in a more secure pit: Jud 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Even some of these will be released during the Tribulation Period: Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 

Demons are called spirits because they have no bodies: Mat 8:16  When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

Demons are not omnipresent but exist locally and cannot go very far from where they are located: Act 16:16  And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 

Demons are intelligent, but they do not know all things; they do know who the Lord Jesus Christ is: Mar 1:24  Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 

Demons will lead you away from Christ if you listen to them: 1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 

Demons have some power. Mark 5:3-4

Demons can inflict disease. Luke 13:11

Demons can influence the mind. 2 Cor 4:4

Demons will deceive you. 1 Thess 3:5

Demons can possess you. Throughout the Gospels

Demons can deceive nations: Rev 16:14  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 

After praying alone, seeking the presence of God, Jesus became a traveling evangelist.

Jesus prayed often alone during His ministry, another great example for us!

*****Luk 4:42  And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. 

Luk 4:43  And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. 

Luk 4:44  And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee. 

We need some time alone with God!

Jesus had been preaching and healing for at least twenty-four hours, and He was exhausted.

Many desperate and helpless people were trying to find Him, and it is the same today.

Many desperate people are seeking something that they do not know, and it is our job to tell them where to find it.

It is in a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

We will need to stay in touch with God and seek His help.

After all, it is His plan, and we are to become a part of His plan.

We cannot save anyone, but we can lead them to the One who can.

The Lord Jesus was determined to complete His mission, and He had very little time to do it.

He already had a date with a cross on Mount Calvary.

Isa 50:5  The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 

Isa 50:6  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 

Isa 50:7  For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 

Amen

The Patience Of The Lord Jesus

The Patience Of God's Servant

Teaching, Feeding, and Healing

Book of Mark Chapter 6:32-56

Though we took a quick look at some things last week, let's take a closer look at some things this week in Chapter six.

We have already see many times the compassion of Our Lord and we will see it again in this passage!

There is a saying that goes like this:

“People do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

What we should realize is that the compassion Jesus has for the lost, is a reflection of His incredible love for all humans!

What is compassion?

According to the Webster Dictionary, compassion is suffering along with a sufferer or painful sympathy.

So compassion is hurting along with some one else who is hurting.

What was the ultimate show of compassion by the Lord?

Then said Jesus while He hung on the cross:

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do". And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

What is mercy?

Mercy is a tenderness that comes from the heart.

Mercy overlooks the faults of another person by showing love toward them!

What is God's ultimate show of mercy?

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Mercy can best be understood as God's goodness!

*****Mar 6:32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

Why did Jesus and His chosen 12 depart for a desert place?

Mar 6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

Jesus had also gotten the word of the murder of John the Baptist and His disciples were preaching the same message that John preached.

It was time for a short rest!

God had already shown us the need for a period of rest at the time of His creation!

Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

But the world would not allow for God's rest!

Many of our pastors suffer from a lack of rest today!

*****Mar 6:33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.

A few weeks ago we saw a picture of the Sea of Galilee and we could see that on a clear day ships and boats on the this sea could be seen from the shoreline.

Jesus and the disciples could take a ship or a boat but they could not hide where they going if traveling by day time.

In some cases, a destination could be reached faster by land than as by sea which happened here in our verse.

This multitude also grew as it traveled toward Jesus!

And, this also proves that most of the religious leaders were too proud or too corrupt to teach the Word of God and no one taught like Jesus!

They were hungry for the Word of God!

But also anxious to see the "Miracle Maker"!

No matter how tired Our Lord was, we can see His "Compassion"!

*****Mar 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

A sheep is a symbol of meekness, and gentleness and submissiveness. Sheep require a lot of patience!

We may look but we do not find sheep that exists in the wild state. Sheep were created for man!

That being so, the sheep was the animal first used for sacrifice!

With these thoughts, we can understand the Lord is our shepherd and those that believe on Him, are His flock!

God is very aware of why He chose to use sheep to describe the Church.

Jer 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
Jer 23:2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

God is very aware when so called Pastors do not properly lead His sheep!

Jehovah God is our Head Shepherd but in order to save His sheep, He had to become a Lamb!

Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

We were introduced to this "Lamb of God" in a recent lesson:

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

We should also remember the words of Abraham to Isaac:

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

That sacrificial Lamb, was The Lord Jesus Christ!

But we should always remember something else about Jesus?

Jesus the "Carpenter" was the builder of the entire Cosmos.

But most important, this Jesus this "son of the virgin Mary" was Jesus Christ the Son of God!

Jesus Himself said:

Joh 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

But Jesus also said these words:

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

James had this to say:

Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

The voice of Jesus, is the Word of God and if we are not obedient to God's Word then we have not listened to Our Shepherd!

It was the True Shepherd that began to teach this great multitude!

*****Mar 6:35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
Mar 6:36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.

These people that had followed Jesus had not given any thought that Jesus might need some rest.

These people that followed Jesus had not given any thought that the chosen 12 disciples might need some rest.

In fact this great multitude that had followed Jesus had not even thought to pack a lunch and Jesus had intentionally led the disciples to a desert place where there were no towns or villages very close by.

We can see that a desert place is a place where there is very little or no life.

And, these people had no purpose!

The one thing they all had in common was that were all poor and they were all hungry!

But, we have a generous Savior, willing to bless all those that follow Him under any conditions!

The Lord will provide all things but we must be just as willing to receive His "Gifts"!

*****Mar 6:37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
Mar 6:38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

Philip responded that Judas had only 200 pennyworth in the bag where the money was kept.

Joh 6:7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

This was not enough money to buy a small quantity of perfume:

Joh 12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

And it was certainly not enough money to satisfy the hunger of this great multitude!

So Jesus asked if their were any food available.

Thank God for moms!

There was one mother who had taken the time to prepare her son a lunch.

As I write today, my mom is not expected to live more than a few days, but she was like this mom!

Joh 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

The 12 disciples would have allowed this multitude of people just to leave hungry and thus unfulfilled but Jesus would not do this.

There is also another lesson our churches need to learn.

If there is not enough "Faith" in the Church, that God will provide, then the multitudes will drift away in search of fulfillment and Satan will take advantage of this!

2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

*****Mar 6:39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
Mar 6:40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.

Was this count important to the Lord?

Only if we consider that He wanted us to know how many were fed this day!

Our God is a God of order!

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

It would be impossible to have fed this multitude if God's servants could not pass amongst them!

But what is impossible for man is not even a simple challenge for the Lord!

Can The Lord feed such a multitude as this?

Psa 78:19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

There had been many miracles of healing every known disease.
There had been miracles showing The Lord's power over nature.
There had even been those that were raised from the dead.

Jesus had already performed many miracles but this miracle would be a miracle of "creation"!

This mighty work of the Lord was the only one that is included in all four of the "Gospels"!

God had spoke our world into existence and He would now speak to Our Father in Heaven and these people would be fed.

And Jesus knew what He was about to do!

Joh 6:6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

*****Mar 6:41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
Mar 6:42 And they did all eat, and were filled.
Mar 6:43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
Mar 6:44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.

See if we can get this picture.

A young lad trusted the Lord Jesus enough to give Him all the food he had.
Jesus looked up into Heaven.
Jesus blessed this meager meal.
Jesus brake these 5 small loaves but we know they did not diminish.
Jesus brake the two fishes but they fed them all.

As the disciples set a basket before the Lord it was filled and this continued until much more than 5000 were fed.

They were not just given a meal!

They were given a meal that was much as they could hold!

These people were hungry!

These people were filled!

And, from 5 loaves of barley and 2 small sardines, there remained 12 baskets of fragments.

The blood scared hands of Jesus, can still deliver much more than we need with some leftover for those that have not yet come to the knowledge of Christ.

Jesus Christ is the "Bread of Life".
Jesus Christ gives of Himself, that we be nourished.
Jesus Christ gives more than we need so we can show others "His Mercy" and "His Grace".

There is great satisfaction in knowing Jesus Christ as Lord!

Psa 145:16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

*****Mar 6:45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

The disciples were unwilling to leave Jesus alone with this great multitude but as always, The Lord can convince us the right things to do if we just listen to His Words!

God's "Will", will be done!

The Apostle John gives us a better description of what took place:

Joh 6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
Joh 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

There were some of those that had seen the miracle that realized the Jesus was indeed that Prophet that was to be likened unto Moses.

Moses had prayed for the "Manna" that had fed the children of Israel in their escape from Egypt.

This "Manna" had fulfilled God's purpose by preserving God's people in the wilderness for 40 years but it was gathered day by day.

But there was a "hidden Manna" that the Jew did not know and have not found even today.

Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

These men realized that only a prophet such as Moses could have brought this bread from Heaven this day.

They looked around at the 5000 men that Jesus had fed and they saw a 5000 men standing army that would have followed Jesus anywhere.

They "saw escape" from the tyranny of Rome and the Rome appointed rulers of Israel.

Christ Jesus knew what was in these men's hearts and He did not want the 12 He had chosen to start the Church, to get caught up in these things.

It was not time for Jesus to be King.!

This would only come after the "Rapture" of the Church!

1Ti 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

This will happen at the "Second Coming" of Our Lord:

Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

So Jesus sent these people away and He felt the need to pray for them!

*****Mar 6:46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

Did Jesus pray for Himself? No

Jesus prayed for the lost, that they might come to believe on Him!

Jesus prayed for the saved, because He is Our Mediator!

Jesus could have prayed anywhere but He went up on a the mountain!

Though He knew what was going to happen to the 12 disciples, He went up onto the mountain so He could see with His human eyes.

Prayer is the pouring out of the "soul" before God!

Prayer is the drawing nearer to God!

Prayer is the "faith" that there is someone (God) who can do something about our problems!

And "Prayer" must be sincere!

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

BUT, "Prayer" must be offered in true "Faith"!

*****Mar 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
Mar 6:49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
Mar 6:50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

Even while Jesus was praying for the lost, His mind was also on His disciples.

Jesus was on that mountain top but even through the darkness He could see them!

We should be getting a picture of God's Church and the struggles that will happen in this evil world!

Most of our struggles are within our own selves!

Christ has given us a commandment to be like Him, but we are addicted to our own will and this brings with it failure!

Paul wrote:

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

We should picture ourselves in this little fishing boat struggling with all our might against against the dark and stormy evil of this world.

We sometimes doubt and even forget God's Grace, His promise of Eternal Life, and even the Power Of God, and this burdens our soul.

These things rob of of our joy and our peace that God wants us to have!

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

God did not promise us an easy road after salvation, we will toiling while we are rowing in this sea of evil we call Earth.

BUT, God did promise that He would be with us every step of the way!

AND, you see God is watching over us all the time!

If it is getting dark and Jesus has not arrived, we must realize that He may have paused along the way to pray for us!

And if we look hard enough, we may see Jesus coming to stop the storm!

God has promised He will never forsake us for any reason after our name is written in the Lamb's Book Of Life!

Just as these disciples did not understand why Jesus was not with them at this time, we may not understand many of the things we are going through!

We should realize that for every good day, there will be some stormy nights and the darkness of the sin in this world, will magnify our fears.

We must know that we are not alone, every Christian will travel this same path, some more than others:

1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

All these things are God's training ground to make us better prepared for His purpose for each and every one of us:

1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

There is no force of Nature and no power of man that can come between us and Christ that He cannot, and will not overcome!

Walking on water to the Lord is the same as walking on pavement to us.

Notice that Our Lord never explains His absence, He just says, "It is I, be not afraid" because He knows we have these fears!

When the Lord speaks things happen!

*****Mar 6:51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

Before Jesus went into the ship there was one more thing that happened that Mark does not mention.

Mat 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
Mat 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

When we add this incident to all these other things we can see why these disciples were so amazed and also another reason their hearts were hardened.

Peter wanted to do the thing that Christ Jesus was doing.

And this impulse of Peter was not some kind of test the Lord Jesus was performing with Peter.

This impulsive act of Peter could have led to his death if not for the Lord Jesus.

Man was never made to walk on water!

If our "faith" is strong enough, there is no sea that is too rough for us to travel.

BUT, It takes a special "faith" to do the things where no human power on this earth can help!

You see, it was not the water that was supporting Peter for that was impossible. It was his "faith"!

We must always be very careful not to try to prove the power of the Lord!

There was no real reason for Peter to walk to the Lord, but the Lord will use our own mistakes did to train us as He did here with Peter!

Peter was corrected by a merciful God!

Peter was allowed to test his own "faith" and then the Lord exposed his error.

"O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt"

I believe Peter got out of the boat for the wrong reasons!

They were so amazed in themselves, they did not know how to express what they had just witnessed!

I believe the other disciples hearts hardened because of this impulse of Peter to go to the Lord but most of all because he failed and this showed the weakness that they all had.

*****Mar 6:52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

It had only been a few hours since Jesus had proved that He was the "Creator" when He had fed many more than 5000 people by making the bread that was eaten out of thin air.

Remember there were 12 baskets of leftovers!

The Lord had not used those 5 loaves nor those 2 fishes!

These 12 were eye witnesses to this great miracle!

This had to be a wonderful time in the lives of these men but Jesus still said, "why do you have these doubts'?

*****Mar 6:53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
The Apostle John said while these things were on there mind, the ship just landed on shore.

Joh 6:21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

The "Navigator" was back on board.

Gennesaret was on the western shore of Galilee and does not exist today.

This was the same area that was named after the Hebrew name for the Sea of Galilee which was Chinnereth:

Num 34:11 And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the [sea of Chinnereth] eastward:

In the Greek is was called the Lake of Gennesaret.

Luk 5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

And, This is the same sea that politicians had renamed the Sea of Tiberius.

Joh 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

*****Mar 6:54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
Mar 6:55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

It did not take long for these people to realize that Jesus of Nazareth was in town!

And again prophesy is fulfilled:

Psa 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

A day before Jesus had fed more than 5000 and no matter where Jesus appeared, great crowds would gather and the greater the size of these crowds, the more attention to Jesus came from the elders, the government, and religious system.

And they came from far and wide.

*****Mar 6:56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

They were from the villages.
They were from the cities.
They were from the country.

They were from all walks of life!

It did not matter where Jesus showed up except, for His home of Nazareth, He was able to some good.

These people had no doubt that Christ Jesus had the power to heal!

Again the garment they were seeking to touch was the fringes of the prayer shawl that Jesus wore.

Each and every Pastor would be overwhelmed with the results that Jesus had obtained!

He drew enormous crowds!

He was popular with all walks of life of the people!

He had unfailing results!

Jesus was becoming famous!

For at the touch of Jesus:

Blinded eyes can see
Broken hearts are mended
Captives are set free

When He speaks,
The mountains move at His command

At the touch of Jesus
Fallen lives can stand

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Purpose Of Jesus Christ

The Purpose Of God's Servant


"Preaching The Gospel"

Book of Mark Chapter 1:29-45

Purpose is best described as "that which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished. It is similar to a "goal" but even to reach a goal requires "purpose"!

Jesus Christ had a "purpose" for everything that He did while He was on this Earth!

In our last lesson we saw Jesus and how He had begun His ministry of training His disciples in Galilee beginning at Capernaum.

Jesus had at least four of His disciples with Him at this time which were, Peter, Andrew, James, and John.

They had left their means to provide for themselves and their families and followed Jesus to become fishers of men.

Jesus had preached His Doctrine in the synagogues and He would many times more.

We know the fame of Jesus was spreading throughout the area.

We also know it was time to gather the future Apostles to begin their training.

So let's pick up where we left off:

*****Mar 1:29  And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

The greatest lesson we can learn from this verse is this. "When ever we leave our place of worship it is in our best interest to take Jesus with us" and not leave Him at church.

We know that this house was in Capernaum but Peter and Andrew had another house in Bethsaida where it appears they were raised:

Joh 1:44  Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

This city and Capernaum were wicked places to live:

Mat 11:20  Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
Mat 11:21  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Mat 11:22  But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
Mat 11:23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

This should remind us somewhat of how people thought at the time of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel.

And we see that James and John went home with Andrew and Peter who had brought Jesus.

*****Mar 1:30  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.

We see that Peter was a married man with a wife at home but no children are mentioned.

Normally a widow would have been taken care of by her own sons but we see that this mother was in the house of her daughter and son in law, Peter.

The Laws of Moses stated that widows were to be treated with respect, so we can see the character of Simon Peter.

Many times in the scriptures we seem to find fault with Peter but we know he had had a job, he provided for his family, and he care for his mother in law and obeyed the Laws of Moses.

Exo 22:22  Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

But also the New Testament:

1Ti 5:3  Honour widows that are widows indeed.
1Ti 5:4  But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

We can see that this mother in law had some health problems.

Doctor Luke said this was a great fever:

Luk 4:38  And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a "great fever"; and they besought him for her.

A "great fever" in this day would have been a much more serious thing than in our day, when it is still serious.

This woman was very sick, because we all can relate to how it feels to be running a high fever, either ourselves or seeing how it affected our children.

From what these four had witnessed in the synagogue they immediately told Jesus about her.

We may not know anything about Peter's wife but we do know, she also cared for her mother, and

Peter did not hesitate to bring a houseful home to this caring wife which showed her hospitality and her acceptance of the decisions her husband had made in following Jesus, not knowing where her next meal would come that required faith on her part as well.

Again this was still a Sabbath Day.

The Lord was considerate of Peter's situation.

And it seems that Our Lord made this house of Simon Peter and Andrew, His home also when He was in Capernaum.

*****Mar 1:31  And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

Mark says that Jesus just took her by the hand.

In other words Jesus took control of the sickness!

Jesus Christ showed all that was present and us, that He also had the power over all disease.

Another thing we witness this day about Our Lord, is that He had not only a public ministry He also had a private ministry!

Jesus showed that both had the same importance to Him!

We are never to abandon those that are spiritually sick and we are never to abandon those that are physically sick!

Both require our attention!

But everything Jesus did was used to teach a valuable lesson these disciples!

Jesus still had these words:

Mar 2:17  When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Those that reject the Word of God and think they are saved by their own works and righteous in their own eyes, are not in need of His attention no more than they need a doctor if they are not sick!

Just as the Bible say, our world seems to be full of evil men in this day we live.

The secular world will say they are in need of a doctor, or they will say they suffer from society, or from their parents and this could be true of a few.

But most are just evil people who reject authority, both secular and Spiritually and these evil people are going to get worse as we can see with our own eyes and as the Word of God so states.

2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

It is too easy to say that they are sick when the truth is that they are just evil!

Those evil people, who so easily deceive others will find it even harder to recover themselves from their evil ways.

But we see that this precious mother in law,  immediately, as soon as her fever left her, went to work ministering to her adopted family and friends and her new friend "Jesus of Nazareth".

*****Mar 1:32  And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

At "even" time would have been the end of the Sabbath day and the beginning of the next day which would have been Sunday.

It is not hard to see that the teaching of the scribes, who were most of them Pharisees, that it could be unlawful to seek a cure even for severe sickness on the Sabbath day.

What we do see that did take place is that these people had spread the word that a miracle man was among them and Andrew had already said that Jesus was the Messiah.

They were either curious or their faith was moving them but as those in need of help passed by, Jesus laid His hands upon them and they were all healed.

Luk 4:40  Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and [he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them].

And those that were possessed with devils, Jesus commanded them to leave with His voice:

Mat 8:16  When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and [he cast out the spirits with his word], and healed all that were sick:

Matthew wrote that all these things were a fulfillment of prophecy from the Old Testament:

Mat 8:17  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Compare:

Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: [yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted].

The Jews could only see evil in the miracles of Jesus:

Joh 19:7  The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, [because he made himself the Son of God].

But all these that had come this day, only knew one thing!

They knew they had a need and that need could only be fulfilled by this "Jesus of Nazareth"!

They had heard of this Jesus, they had found out where He was located, and they had brought their needs to Him.

They had been very busy on this Sabbath day when they could only walk so far and only lawful to prepare a meal!.

We should also notice that all these things took place and we did not hear that Jesus was preaching or teaching to any at this time.

Jesus knew that these people had not come to hear the "Gospel", they had only came for the "Free Gifts"!

There are many like these in our churches today that do not want to hear the message of the "Gospel", they only wanted to receive the "Free Gifts" of God!

Salvation is a "free gift" BUT God chose preaching to convey His message and the Apostle Paul understood this when he wrote these words:

1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, [it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe].
1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

Paul also realized that the Jews would always want to see some miracle to prove the existence of Our Savior.

God still performs these miracles of healing and He still cast out devils every time someone is saved but these things go unnoticed in today's societies!

Jesus would go on to show many miracles to the people of Capernaum but not many ever believed on Him!

*****Mar 1:33  And all the city was gathered together at the door.

Capernaum was large enough to be called a city rather than a village and may have had up to 1500 residents at this time.

Most all of them found out where Peter lived and they came to his house!

To all that doubt the there was a real Jesus of Nazareth, then this is more proof  because these all would have been eyewitness to His existence and to His miracles.

We know that Mark also spent a great deal of time with Peter and was led to the Lord by Peter.

We should realize that Peter would have a great memories along with Andrew, James, and John as they had witnessed the "Power of God" this day!

There is a purpose to everything Our Lord does!

When you bring Jesus into the home, doubts will soon disappear!

*****Mar 1:34  And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

It was not that Jesus refused to heal all of Capernaum but we can be certain that there were some who had not come to the house of Peter.

Christ Jesus wanted all these people to see God in the flesh not because they were told to but only if they wanted to see Him for themselves.

In the Old Testament God was dealing with the Nation of Israel for the most part and Jesus had begun His ministry dealing with only those of Israel.

In the New Testament as the Church is about to begin, we see that Our Lord is seeking a personal, one on one relationship, with all people and this has not changed as of this day we live.

Jesus certainly did not want His true nature to be confessed by demons.

Jesus was not trying to keep secrets, we will find out later in this passage why this was so important.

Another thing needs to be pointed out here.

These demons had an intellectual and a physical knowledge of their Creator!

James the half-brother of Jesus gave us these words:

Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

These demons, were evil spirits and subject to Satan, but they also knew who sits on the throne in Heaven.

These are the same spirits that work in all those that reject Christ Jesus today and refuse to obey the Word of God!

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, [the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience]:

The Lord Jesus was probably up late and had had little chance to sleep but there was something else more important than sleep!

*****Mar 1:35  And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

The doctrine of the humanity of Christ Jesus is equally important as the doctrine of the Deity of Christ Jesus!

Jesus had to be a man if he was to represent fallen man.

The Apostle John wrote:

1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

If Jesus Christ was not a real man then His death on the cross would amount to an illusion.

Jesus was a complete human being, having a body, a soul, and a spirit.

Jesus was troubled in His soul on many occasions!

Jesus was self-conscious, that He would have to bear the sins of the world and Jesus expressed His emotions very often.

Joh 11:33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, [he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,]

It was God that had stood before all those the prior evening and healed all that came to Him!

But it was that flesh side that needed to be in contact with His Father very early this next morning!

Both of these natures of Our Lord were necessary for redemption.

As a man, Christ Jesus could represent man and die as a man!

As God, that death would provide redemption for the sins of the entire world!

Jesus was an example to us all and this verse shows us the importance of secret prayer:

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, [pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly].

*****Mar 1:36  And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
Mar 1:37  And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.

That morning was still Sunday and Jesus had told these 4 men to follow Him.

Jesus wasted no time showing them the importance of prayer and not just prayer but "Closet Prayer".

Jesus was not just outside the door of Peter's house, they had to search to find Him.

They had not searched for Jesus for their own purpose but they had been awakened by another crowd that had gathered at the house of Simon Peter.

To Mark, the disciples are now just called "Simon and his companions" who did not yet understand "what to follow the Lord" actually meant.

Had Christ not needed this time alone with the Father, He certainly would not have taken it!
For His remaining days before the Cross there would always be some one looking for Him and most of them were His enemies.

These people were seeking Jesus of Nazareth, the "miracle worker" and this hindered the message of Our Lord!

Jesus healed for many reasons but His biggest reason "was because of His compassion for His creation"!

Did Jesus return to perform more miracles?

*****Mar 1:38  And he said unto them, "Let us" go into the next towns, that "I may preach there also": [for therefore came I forth].

Why had God come to this Earth?

Here we have our answer!

Jesus had come to preach the "Gospel"!

Jesus was not impressed by large crowds just seeking something from Him!

It was more important to seek those "that are lost and had never heard His message".

This is our rule of thumb for today. Our priority should be given to those that have never heard the "Gospel" rather than to those that have heard it many times and have rejected it!

Jesus had come to preach!

The Apostle Paul wrote:

Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? [and how shall they hear without a preacher]?

What was His message?

We read that in verse 15:

Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and "believe the gospel".

The message is "to believe the Word of God"!

The "Gospel", the "Good News" of Jesus Christ must be preached to this lost world!

Every follower would have to be grounded in His Word!

"Let us go" meant "are you going with Me"?

Jesus ask everyone of us this same question when He calls us out of this lost world and saves us.

Are you going to pick up your own cross and follow Me?

This is our purpose!

Peter did not yet understand what is was to follow the Lord BUT he followed Him.

*****Mar 1:39  And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

Lower Galilee contained the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar.

Upper Galilee was considered the "Galilee of the Gentiles".

Mat 4:15  The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

Matthew also added these words:

Mat 4:16  The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

We know that "great light" was the preaching of "Jesus of Nazareth"!

Where did Jesus get His Words to preach?

Joh 12:49  For I have not spoken of myself; [but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak].

This the same place that every true preacher should get his own sermons!

And it is the preaching of the truth that will "cast out" all of Satan's demons that gather inside the house of God.

*****Mar 1:40  And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

It may be easy to understand why Christ would touch a feverish woman who was trying to take care of her family, but to touch a leper could mean death.

Lepers were supposed to keep their distance and warn people that came into their presence.

Lev 13:45  And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
Lev 13:46  All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.

This leper understood that if Jesus could heal the sick, the blind, and the crippled, and cast out devils, then it would be no great task for Him to heal a leper also.

This leper was just not sure if Christ was willing!

Most every lost sinner has it in their mind that their sins are so great that they could never be forgiven, but just like this leper they should know that God has made  it abundantly clear that "He is "not willing" that sinners perish".

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, "not willing that any should perish", but that all should come to repentance.

Those that perish because of sin, do so because they chose to do so, by rejecting the truth of the "Gospel"!

Our Lord wants all mankind to be saved:

1Ti 2:4  Who will have "all men to be saved", and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

It is then not hard to see that leprosy is in fact, a picture of sin!

SO, "to be clean" is then to be enlightened to the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, "and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin".

*****Mar 1:41  And Jesus, [moved with compassion], put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

Jesus had compassion.

To have compassion is to actually feel the pain and the suffering of someone else!

Jesus could feel the pain of this leper!

Jesus could feel the longing this leper had just for the touch of another human being!

Jesus healed this leper with His Word just as He had brought all creation into existence, just by His spoken Word!

Jesus had compassion on this leper because he had sought Him out!

Jesus healed many while He was on this Earth simply because God Is Compassionate!

Jesus has compassion on the lost because they are like sheep, who have no shepherd!

Mat 9:36  But when he saw the multitudes, [he was moved with compassion on them], because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, "as sheep having no shepherd".

*****Mar 1:42  And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

How long did it take for this man to be healed?

The Lord spoke and it was done!

No drugs, No follow up, No rehab, No nothing, just healed!

Physically and emotionally healed!

What is the difference between regeneration and religion?

Religion has an agenda:

Religion calls for good works, for rites, for rituals, for self-denials, and for some, payments. But religion never healed anyone and certainly not a leper. Religion is a creation of man!

Regeneration is instantaneous!

Regeneration is miraculous!

Regeneration is ETERNAL!

Regeneration can only come by "Touch" of Christ and God's Word!

When God speaks, His Creation listens, all but Humans, who He gave a choice.

*****Mar 1:43  And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;
Mar 1:44  And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Jesus could have kept this leper around to draw a crowd as some faith healers do but Jesus sent him home but so could tell others what had happened to him.

There should be some things that are just between you and God!

There was only one thing that he must do. He was to present himself to the priests.

Lepers were robbed of their name, a chance to work, fellowship, family, and a chance to worship.

None of these things could be restored until they went to the priest!

Under the Laws of Moses, this man was not clean until a priest said he was clean. (Leviticus 14)

*****Mar 1:45  But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, [insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places]: and they came to him from every quarter.

Jesus was God in the flesh and He had all power over His creation, over diseases, and over all evil spirits but He allows man to rule his own heart and his own mind.

God does not want a bunch of robots!

It is that free will that God gives to mankind that separates us from all His other creations on Earth.

God also gave free will to the angels in Heaven but they only have one chance.

The greatest question this world has to answer is "What Are You Going To Do With Jesus"?

Sadly most of our world has chosen to "reject" Christ Jesus.

Jesus could no longer enter the cities because drawing large crowds could cause many wrong things to happen.

Jesus did not stop His ministry!

The people now had to come to Jesus on His terms "and so they did"!

What have we learned?

1.) If Jesus came as a servant, then we are to be servants. There is no greater calling than that of a servant in the House of God.

2.) God shares His authority with His servants. Only those servants called of God can have the
authority of God

3.) All servants must have compassion not only on other believers but also on the "Lost".

If it is inconvenient to serve God, then you cannot pick up your cross and follow Jesus.
The "Cross" is a sign of suffering and death!

Questions?

Let's Pray!