Mark 1:32-37 — "Sunset, Sunrise"

Gospel for Today = Mark 1:32-37
That evening at sundown they brought to him

                                 all who were sick

                                                  or oppressed by demons.

³³And the whole city was gathered together at the door.

³⁴ And he healed many who were sick with various diseases,

                                              and cast out many demons.

    And he would not permit                            the demons to speak,

                       because they knew him.

 ³⁵ And rising very early in the morning,

while it was still dark,

           he departed and went out to a desolate place, and

  there he prayed.

³⁶And Simon and those who were with him searched for him,

                                                       ³⁷and they found him and said to him,

               "Everyone is looking for you."

³⁸And he said to them,

"Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also,

                                   for that is why I came out."

Comments:

As I read this passage today, I was reminded of the song in the musical/film Fiddler on the Roof where Tevye is lamenting how quickly the years flow by. Jesus had less time than most and yet he never had to lament lost time.

Galilee Sunset, Photo: Greg K. Dueker

This passage starts with a sunset, the end of the Sabbath, when people could work by bringing the sick to Jesus and Jesus could be expected to work healing and deliverance in them. His day had started with an “immediately” going to the synagogue to teach and deliver. Then his afternoon involved “immediately” going to Simon’s house and healing Simon’s mother-in-law from the great fever she was suffering. Then as that day comes to an end and a new day starts after sunset, “the whole city” (v.33) stands at the door seeking healing and deliverance. They didn't even wait for an "immediately!" Jesus made the most of his time. There is no telling how late into the night he would have worked among the people of Capernaum. Yet did he take some "comp time" to sleep in the next morning? No, he was up before sunrise, seeking a quiet place for the most important appointment of his day.

Sunrise over Galilee, 
Photo: Greg K. Dueker

In the morning light, Simon (Peter) and the disciples come looking for Jesus and when they found him I think the tone of their message in v.37 was probably, “What are you doing out here? Don’t you know that everyone is looking for you back in town, you don’t want to keep them waiting.” But Jesus’ made it clear to them that his mission wasn't just to be Capernaum’s personal miracle worker, but to preach the gospel in all the towns and villages while there was still time (v. 38). I think we can skip over the phrase at the end of verse 38 too quickly as a throw-away phrase referring to his larger mission. However, to what “coming forth” is Jesus referring? Is it a statement of his larger ministry purpose, having come out of obscurity into the public view? Or might Jesus be really answering Simon’s concern by saying, “The reason I am out here, instead of in town, is because I must preach in other villages as well.” He had come out while he couldn’t be prevented by the needy crowd. He had prayed and communed with his Father in the quiet. He had listened to God’s plan without being deterred either by his disciples' advice, or the call of the Capernaum crowd.

Sunset, Sunrise… it seems that Jesus didn’t miss too many of them…regularly spending one with the people, and one with his Father. The last time I was in Israel I didn't miss many either!

Jesus had not a day to lose, not a place to miss, not a moment to waste, yet…

·         never did his life spin out of control.

·         never did he minister in his own strength.

·         never did he play to the crowds as others would have advised him to do.

·         never did he pull up short or hold back from fully obeying his Father’s voice.

Jesus was a man fully committed to the mission of the Father…to seek and to save the lost. 

Questions:
Whose voice do we long to hear today? 
Whose plan will we follow today? 
What results are we seeking, expecting, and seeing?

Sunset, sunrise…I know I need to take at least one of those daily times alone with God. Jesus did.