Jesus teaches and heals: the Good News Spreads
Theme: Good News to Share
Theme Verse: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10b NIV
Readings: Mark 1: 21-45
Memory Verse: "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn." Isaiah 61:1-2 (Luke 4: 18-19)
After John the Baptist was put in prison, Jesus begins his ministry proclaiming that God's rule, God's kingdom was near. They needed to turn away from their own ways and return (repent) to God and believe and act on the good news God was sending. After Jesus called several men to follow him and be his disciples, he goes to Capernaum, where he lived for a while (Mark 2"1), and began to teach in their synagogue.
Notice the close relationship between teaching and healing -- each validates and explains the other. Jesus taught "as one who had authority", not as teachers of the law did. Jesus' words had the power of God behind them. When he spoke words of healing, people were healed. When he taught, the power of God was in those words. They were not complicated words or just endlessly quoting other authorities or endlessly trying to ask questions about what the Scriptures meant, as lawyers did -- he knew! and said so! Evil spirits recognized who he was and protested but obeyed! Jesus didn't allow the evil spirits to speak because they knew who he was and any "witness" they would give would distort the truth. People had not seen this before. (Before John the Baptist there had been about 400 years with no real prophets of God.) Word received: The difference between My son Jesus and teachers of the Law is My Spirit. When you have My Holy Spirit you will do the same things Jesus did. Seek after My Holy Spirit.
Notice the man in verse 23 that Evil can't stand to be with the power of God and will fight against it -- but the power of Jesus is stronger! (See also vs.32 & 34) Jesus' word and the power of his Name are stronger than the evil fallen angels we call devils or demons. But when Jesus cast out the evil spirits, people knew they were seeing a glimpse of God's rule, God's power, God's Kingdom at work -- and they flocked to Jesus. Jesus said a number of times "Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even thought you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." -- John 10:37-38 Healing and deliverance are powerful forms of evangelism.
Why don't we see signs and wonders like this in our Christian communities? Word received: I want it to be like this scripture for all of you. Seek Me. Rely on Me. Obey Me. Repent of your sin. Come back to Me. Don't be afraid. I want to heal you too so you can heal others.
Stop and respond to Jesus' word to us and ask for more of His Holy Spirit.
Note that even in a place of worship of God there can be people present who are harassed by evil spirits. (vs.23)
The healings and deliverances and preaching are signs which point to Who Jesus Is and Where He comes from. Jesus said in John's gospel that "he who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9) "I and the Father are one". (John 10"30) When we see Jesus having compassion, healing, delivering people, telling them about God, we see a picture of God the Father. Jesus is giving people a vivid picture of why he came -- to bring God's people back to God, so that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10)
Notice the other healings Jesus did here. He healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law. Call it healing of a clergy family! Jesus responded at once when the family told him. Her response of joy was to immediately serve him and others. Mark also tells us he healed a leper, someone who was ostracized by the community. Jesus had compassion on those who were afflicted. We need to pray for that too.
It just kept going on and on so Jesus had to go out in the country long before daylight to get time alone to pray. Do we put that priority on time with the Lord??? Even Jesus needed to go off by himself to be with his Father in heaven and talk with him and pray for strength, renewal, guidance. Think how much more we need to do this. Word received: Don't get to be so busy that you can't take time for Me. I want you to get to know Me, but how can you if you don't spend time with Me?
But look what happened. Jesus' disciples "pursued" him. They were excited to be disciples of so popular a man. But Jesus' concern was the places where the Good News had not reached. As a result of this fame Jesus had to stay in lonely places (not at his house). It must have been hard -- but people still came. How can we get people to come? We need to spend time alone with Jesus listening to his guidance.
Notice that the leper who was healed didn't obey Jesus about not talking -- and as a result, Jesus' ministry there was hindered. When Jesus tells us to speak or not to speak, we need to listen and obey.
Now read the Memory Verse. Jesus read the first couple of verses of this chapter when he preached in Nazareth. The he "closed the book and sat down and he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:16-21). Read the first four verses. The Lord wants to speak to us also through this passage. This is part of God's good news and shows what God's Kingdom and God's King are about.
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me," (Isaiah 61:1a) A word received: I want my Spirit to rest on you as well.
"Because the LORD has anointed me" (Isaiah 61:1b) A word received: I want to anoint you for my service.
"To preach good tidings to the poor;" (Isaiah 61:1c) A word received: I want you to ask me for eyes to see the poor all around you: those poor in purse and those poor in spirit.
"He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted," (Isaiah 61:1d) A word received: I will heal the broken-hearted -- will you pray for them?
"To proclaim liberty to the captives," (Isaiah 61:1e) A word received: The captives are all around you -- captives to sin and captives to degradation; I long to set them free. Will you pray for them?
"And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;" (Isaiah 61:1f) A word received: I want to set the prisoners free -- prisoners to crime, prisoners to sin, prisoners to hopelessness. Will you pray for them?
"To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD," (Isaiah 61:2a) A word received: Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation. Will you pray for those who need salvation?
"And the day of vengeance of our God;" (Isaiah 61:2b) A word received: There is a day of judgment coming -- will you pray for those who are not yet ready to face it?
"To comfort all who mourn," (Isaiah 61:2c) A word received: I have come that you may have life and have it in abundance. I want you to share the good news with those who mourn.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, console those who mourn among your people. Give them beauty for the ashes of despair; the oil of gladness instead of mourning; the garment of praise instead of the spirit of heaviness. A word received: I want my people to be called trees of righteousness, my planting so that I may be glorified. (From Isaiah 61:3)
If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. (Isaiah 58:10-12)
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 09
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.Jesus wants to teach us more about himself.
2. Jesus wants to heal us and use us to heal others.
3.Jesus wants us to share with others what Jesus say and what he can do.
4. Jesus wants us to listen to what he says, to obey and not to be afraid.
5. Ask God to give you His Holy Spirit to give you power to obey him and to pray for others.
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