Face Time with Your Father

Today’s passage is Mark 1:29-39. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 1:29-31 (NIV)
²⁹  As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.
³⁰  Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her.
³¹  So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

On verses 29-31:  In Mark 1:21-22, we saw Jesus’ power to teach God’s Word.  In Mark 1:23-27 we saw Jesus’ power to drive out evil spirits.  Now in Mark 1:29-34 we see Jesus’ power to heal the sick, beginning with Simon’s mother-in-law.

Notice how Simon’s mother-in-law responded after Jesus healed her: “she began to wait on them” (v31), that is, to serve Jesus and his team.  The same should be our response to Jesus as well after we witness and experience Jesus’ power in our lives.  May we not be consumers who just keep wanting more and more things from Jesus, treating him like our servant.  Rather, like Peter’s mother-in-law, may our response be to serve Jesus and His followers rather than always wanting to be served.

Mark 1:32-34a (NIV)
³²  That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.
³³  The whole town gathered at the door,
³⁴  and Jesus healed many who had various diseases.  He also drove out many demons,…

On verses 32-34a: What a long day it had been for Jesus. After teaching at the synagogue, Jesus delivered a demon possessed man, then went to Simon Peter’s home and healed his mother-in-law, and then that evening the entire town brought their sick and demon-possessed to Jesus for him to heal them.  Jesus must have been exhausted after a long day of ministering to others.

Mark 1:34b (NIV)
…but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

On verse 34b:  Why wouldn’t Jesus let the demons speak and tell everyone who he was?  I believe there are at least two reasons for this.  First, Jesus was focused on doing His Father’s will and giving His Father glory (John 5:19).  Jesus understood that there is a proper time and procedure for every matter (Ecclesiastes 8:6).  So Jesus refused to let His Father’s agenda and timing be interrupted or compromised by evil spirits who didn’t know any better. 

Second, Jesus did not want to leave it to evil spirits to declare who Jesus is.  That would give them too much credit.  Jesus wants to His own people who believe in Him to declare who He is.

Mark 1:35-37 (NIV)
³⁵  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.
³⁶  Simon and his companions went to look for him,
³⁷  and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

On verses 35-37:  Mark notes how Jesus would get up very early in the morning to pray by himself.  Why would Jesus do that?

• Keep in mind that Jesus, the Son of God, was accustomed to being in heaven with his Father.  Heaven was where Jesus’ home and family were.  For all his time on earth, Jesus was doing long distance with his heavenly Father.  Missing his family in heaven, Jesus cherished the times when he could get some “Facetime” with his Father.
• This time of prayer was Jesus’ chance to unload his burdens, to think and plan through the upcoming day, and to remind himself as to why he was doing what he was doing. Being in his Father’s presence was Jesus’ fuel and power for ministry. 

Even with everyone clamoring for Jesus’ attention, Jesus would still prioritize time to be with his Father.  If Jesus needed to spend time with his Father and to be refreshed, renewed and refilled in His Father’s presence, how much more do we need time in our Father’s presence as well. Before we can wait on others and serve them well, we need to wait on God.  For all these reasons, like Jesus, make “face time” with the Father your priority.

Mark 1:38-39 (NIV)
³⁸  Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else–to the nearby villages–so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
³⁹  So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

On verses 38-39:  “That is why I have come.”  Jesus was clear on his purpose, on why his Father had placed him on this earth.  Jesus would not let anything get in the way of the mission his Father had given him.  Through Jesus and the Bible, we too can know our purpose. 

At Thrive Church we express our God-given purpose this way: you were made to worship Jesus (“Alive”), to grow more like Jesus (“Expectant”), to serve Jesus (“Involved”), to lead others to Jesus (“Out Loud”), and to love God’s family (“United”).   It’s for these five purposes that God has placed you on this earth.  It’s your “calling”.  Now how we express this calling will depend on our unique God-given shape, but everything we ever do or aspire to be can be explained by one of these five purposes.  May you live every day knowing clearly what your purpose is.

Thank You Jesus that through You and Your Word, I can find healing, I can know what my purpose is, and I can draw near to the Father.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!