This is why I came.

Mark 1:29-2:12 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

And immediately after they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and they immediately spoke to Jesus about her. ³¹ And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she served them.

³² Now when evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. ³³ And the whole city had gathered at the door. ³⁴ And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

³⁵ And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. ³⁶ Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; ³⁷ and they found Him and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” ³⁸ He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.” ³⁹ And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons.

⁴⁰ And a man with leprosy came to Jesus, imploring Him and kneeling down, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” ⁴² And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. ⁴³ And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, ⁴⁴ and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

2 When Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, it was heard that He was at home. ² And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. ³ And some people came, bringing to Him a man who was paralyzed, carried by four men. ⁴ And when they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and after digging an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralyzed man was lying. ⁵ And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking it over in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God alone?” ⁸ Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were thinking that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you thinking about these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? ¹⁰ But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralyzed man, ¹¹ “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet, and go home.” ¹² And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Today’s text says: Now when evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew who He was. And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; and they found Him and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.” And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons. And a man with leprosy came to Jesus, imploring Him and kneeling down, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 

Today’s text is full of accounts of miracles, deliverances and healings. These are well documented throughout the gospel accounts. I find it both interesting and revealing that in the midst of these miraculous accounts, it says: “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.” And He went into their synagogues preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons. The miracles were the by product of the message. Jesus message from the beginning of His ministry was: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) The reason the kingdom of heaven was at hand is because Jesus, Immanuel (God with us) was here. When He came from heaven, He brought the realities of the kingdom of heaven with Him. The miracles were the result of the kingdom of heaven impacting the situations and circumstances on earth. In Matthew 18:20 Jesus says: “Where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” When we gather in His name, we should not seek the miracles. We should seek to hear the message and we should welcome His presence. In His presence, according to His word, the miracles will come. Jesus taught us to pray saying: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven…’ When Jesus is in our midst, the realities of heaven will impact the situations and circumstances of earth. As He said to the man with leprosy, He will say to us: “I am willing; be cleansed.”

The text says: Many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. And some people came, bringing to Him a man who was paralyzed, carried by four men. And when they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and after digging an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralyzed man was lying. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking it over in their hearts, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except God alone?” Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were thinking that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you thinking about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralyzed man, “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet, and go home.” And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”  Jesus knew that the greatest need of the paralyzed man was not that he could walk, but that his sins would be forgiven. In Mark 8:36 Jesus says: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” In John 3:16 Jesus says: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”  In truth, that was both His message, what He said and His mission, why He came.

In Mark 16:15-18 Jesus tells us what our message and mission should be: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Amen. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.