FEBRUARY 16 READING…Mark 5
In our reading today Mark shows the Lord Jesus serving others by healing some, casting demons out of a man, and even bringing someone back from the dead. Each of these narratives in this chapter reveal two things about Jesus. First, He came to serve people’s deepest needs. To those who were sick, He served their need to be healed. To the man possessed by demons, Jesus served him by setting him free of the torment. To the little girl who had died, Jesus served her by giving her life back to her. Second, our reading revealed that though Jesus came to serve, He served from a position of power and authority over demons, sickness, and death itself. Jesus is God incarnate…He is God who came in the flesh. He walked in the flesh dependent upon His Father, and relying on the Holy Spirit. He showed that He had the authority of the God-Head to deal with all natural and supernatural things that we humans have to deal with.
The first narrative Mark shares with us is about a man in the region of Gadara who was possessed by many demons. Gadara is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee opposite of Capernaum. It clearly was considered an unclean place for orthodox Jews…as it was a place where pigs were raised and cared for. This man was given such demonic strength that he could not be bound. Jesus with a word removed a legion of demons from this man…and he sent these unclean demons into a group of unclean pigs. Where does that which is unclean belong…with the unclean. We as believers are no longer unclean, for our sins have been forgiven…so we are no longer to be a part of this unclean world. Yes, we do go out in the world…but we do that for the purpose of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that others might be rescued from being unclean, and be made clean by Jesus. Mark then tells us of a man named Jairus, whose daughter was very sick and ultimately died. Jesus went into the little girl called the little girl by name, and she returned to life. This reminds me of when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead…did you notice in both cases He called them by name, and they came to life. You see Jesus has done that very same thing for each of we believers. We were dead in our sin, and Jesus called us by name, and brought us to life. Finally, while Jesus was walking among the crowd there was a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years, no one could help her…she was considered unclean by the religious community. As Jesus passed her by, she reached out to just touch the hem of His garment…believing in doing so, it would bring her healing…which it did.
In today’s reading we see Jesus among the people…serving them, and demonstrating His authority. Don’t let it pass you by that each person in today’s readings would have been considered unclean. Those with demons, living in an unclean land…unclean! One who has died…unclean! The woman with an issue of blood…unclean! Religion could not and would not do anything for these unclean people. But Jesus came to make the unclean clean. And that is what He has done for us…Praise Him!
Please share your thoughts from today’s reading.
TOMORROW'S READING…Mark 6
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