Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news. As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit, throwing him into convulsions and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured 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.
In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’ And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
REFLECT
Jesus picks up John's message of life-altering faith in God. John has been arrested. What risk is Jesus taking by following in John's path of public leadership?
The time is fulfilled. Kairos time is upon them; this is a moment of crisis, change, challenge, invitation into something new. Kairos time is when we become most vulnerable and most open to God's intervention or invasion in our lives. Can you think of a recent Kairos time, when things in your life changed to such a degree that you began to wonder about the meaning of it?
Jesus recruits fishermen to become his students and he begins his work. His work is confrontational and authoritative. He confronts powerful enemies of God at work within the religious community. Notice, it is not the Roman Empire he takes on, but the synagogue, Change begins at home in one's own heart, within one's own family and tribe. He is recognized by the enemy as "the holy one of God" sent to destroy their power. I suspect this demon held the synagogue hostage to a way of thinking about God and their own situation that left them paralyzed and powerless. How often do the voices of reason and order and control tell us to avoid change or challenge because of fear of the unknown? Fear of change impedes our progress toward a better world. Religious people can get stuck in their traditions and rules and boundaries in unhealthy ways, cutting people off from the life-saving help of God. Churches have too often demonized those outside their ranks while failing to see and address the demons among them.
Jesus is shown as a healer, whose intention is to set people to rights so that they can perform their God-given service. Healing is always for the building up of the whole community. Healing allowed Simon's mother-in-law to perform her vocation as servant provider for those who gathered. She fed the men. We can view this as sexism or we can see this as a restoration of her body so that she might participate in God's work. Everyone has a part in the kingdom movement unfolding with Jesus.
Jesus continues to heal crowds of people. He gets involved. He touches people. He shows compassion His public ministry is open, hospitable, and non-discriminatory. And then he retreats.
Jesus prayed, because his work required that he understand God's mission, what God intended to do through him. He prayed in the early morning, the darkness before the dawn. His ministry symbolized this moment, as he confronted the demons of the human heart and mind holding people hostage to ways of thinking and acting that were not aligned with the heart and mind of God. Its always darkest before the dawn, they say. Perhaps, that is the image Mark is conjuring up for us here. There is darkness, suffering, brokenness, and abuse. But now, anticipate light. Be hopeful. What Jesus is doing is right and good and must be done. Now as much as then,
Jesus' work is a movement. He is not stagnant. He goes. The work of God is a movement among people to bring about peace, justice, and health. We must keep moving always toward the next neighbor. This movement is nothing less than the in-breaking of the power of God, come in the flesh to heal and restore us.
What would you be willing to give up to follow this Jesus? What about his work frightens you? Inspires you? Confuses you? What needs to be healed in you? What do you know about your neighbors?
PRAY
Jesus, your kingdom comes through acts of compassionate mercy. Call us out of fear and complacency and into a powerful movement of healing and restoration. Show us how to embrace those around us who are suffering. Open our hearts and minds to receive the good news: God has come near us. Give us hope for the journey of following you. Amen.
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