Read Mark 6:7-29
Unintended Consequences

People were confused about Jesus.

Those who had read their Bibles thought maybe He was Elijah, whom the prophet Malachi predicted would appear again some day (Mal. 4:5). Others said, “No, He’s not Elijah. But Jesus is another mighty prophet God has sent to us. He’s another one like Isaiah or Jeremiah. After 400 years of silence, maybe there is hope for Israel yet.” King Herod was sure he had the authoritative idea. Herod said that man doing all these wonderful things is John the Baptist, come back from the dead. “I should have known I could not get rid of him,” Herod thought.

The tawdry tale of John’s killing on Herod’s orders (vv. 17-29) is what writers call a “flashback.” It had happened previously. Mark recounts it to explain why King Herod is upset when he hears of the breathtaking things Jesus and His disciples are doing.

Why should this matter to us? Why did the Holy Spirit impress, not only Mark, but also Matthew and Luke to include the story of John’s murder (Matt. 14:1-12; Luke 9:7-10)?

Is it because this true story illustrates a universal truth for all time? An evil woman and a weak man with a guilty conscience combine to kill a good person. Heard any version of this universal triangle recently?

Read Mark 5:21-43
Who Did It?

Jesus is divine, Son of God. Jesus is human, son of Mary.

Mark’s story of the woman’s healing illustrates a curious blending of Jesus’ human and divine natures. Jesus and His companions were edging their way through a large crowd. The sick woman, in faith, said to herself that if she could just touch His clothes, not even Him, she would be healed. She shouldered her way through the throng, and touched Jesus’ cloak. She was healed.

Jesus turned around and asked, “Who touched me?”

The disciples didn’t know whether to be amused or irritated. “We’re swamped, jostled with people until we can hardly walk. What do you mean, ‘who touched me’?”

But Jesus persisted. He had to know. The heavenly Jesus sensed the divine shooting out of power. The human Jesus kept trying to figure out to whom or where it went (v. 32).

The woman could have run away, silent and healed, and Jesus would never have known. But she was so overcome emotionally that she came to Jesus, even in shaking fear.

Bottom line: the divine power of God wins out. Jesus went immediately from demonstrating a small human limitation—not knowing who touched Him—to do a mighty divine miracle, raising a child from the dead. Jesus, God the Son, displayed control and foreknowledge of that entire situation (vv. 35-43).

Read Mark 5:1-20
Family News

Jesus met a case of demon possession head on. He came upon Legion, met the hoard of evil spirits with which the man was infested, and controlled them.

Although we may never have seen such a thing first hand, there is a part of this story with which we can identify. That is Jesus’ instruction to the formerly demon-possessed man. “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (v. 19). Jesus didn’t tell him to found a ministry and preach to crowds. He said to begin where you are. Go to your family. Preach in words. Tell them.

The last time his family saw Legion, he was out of control, an embarrassment. Did they even recognize him when he knocked on the door of his old home? Was his family’s first reaction an attempt to send him away again?

Legion must have also preached in deeds. When he just stood there quietly, did somebody finally say, “Ok, let him in, let’s give him a chance”? Over the days after his return, was Legion kind? Was he honest? Could you count on him? Did he take out the trash when somebody asked him to?

We’ve come a long way in ministry when a family member says, “You’re different. You didn’t used to be like this. What changed?”

Read Mark 4:35-41
Just As He Is

Did it ever occur to you to make an issue, not of Jesus’ acceptance of you, but on what terms you would accept Him?

Verse 36 contains one of those little details for which Mark is famous. Jesus suggested they get into the boat and cross the lake. Mark notes that they took Jesus, “just as he was” into the boat.

We’ve all sung Charlotte Elliott’s gospel song, “Just as I Am,” including the glorious certainty stated in Ms. Elliott’s last stanza: “Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, / Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve.”

He assures us that He will accept us, just as we are, and help us straighten out our lives later.

Will we take Him “as is”? Or will we want to make some changes in Him before admitting Jesus into our lives?

How is Jesus, “as is”? He is utterly sincere. When He says He loves us, we can believe it; there is no hidden agenda. Plain spoken, He says sin is sin; we must repent. When He says He will help us, He will do so, without reservation. His plans for our lives will work out better than the plans we make for ourselves because He knows the future and we don’t. But if He boards our boat, He wants to be the Captain. We will take Him as He is—or not at all.