Introduction: The Gospel of Mark is a fast moving synopsis of the life of Jesus. Mark uses the word “immediately” no less than forty times in his manuscript to try to capture the activity and movement of our Lord. “Never a dull moment,” is a good way to picture Jesus as he made his way among the crowds. However, even though there is much to see and say about the entire Gospel of Mark, let’s just focus on the text for today and ask the simple question: “What stands out in this passage?

I. Well, the first thing to stand out in this passage is the tight schedule and strict discipline of Jesus. I am humbled by his example. Verse 29 sets the stage: “As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.” The verses prior, 21-28, say that Jesus was busy all morning teaching in the synagogue. To be sure, according to Jewish custom the main Sabbath meal came immediately after the synagogue service at the 6th hour which would be 12:00 o’clock or high noon. The Jewish day began at 6 a.m. so this means that Jesus had been “hard at it” for 6 consecutive hours. He might well have claimed the right to rest after the demands of the morning but once again he was called on to spend himself for others—Peter’s mother-in-law was in need of his help. So without lingering, Jesus goes to the aid of this poor, sick woman.

Upon entering the home, Jesus goes directly to her bedside; and, without saying so much as a single word, Jesus “took her hand and helped her up.” It’s now later than usual—dinner was typically ready right after the morning’s service. It most likely took a couple of hours to prepare and serve the dinner, so let’s say it’s now about 3:00 p.m. when all is said and done: dinner is over and finally there’s a chance to be alone; but, lo and behold, crowds are already getting ready to pounce at the backdoor—“News about [Jesus] spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee” (v. 28). And the crowds waited only until the Sabbath was officially over to begin begging Jesus for help: “That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door.” According to Jewish custom, the Sabbath ended at 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening and normal schedules could be resumed. That means Jesus only got about 2 1/2 to 3 hours of rest before he was “back at work.” I have no idea what time he got to bed that night but it is important to realize that Jesus never tired of giving himself for the sake of others.

II. When I ask, “What stands out in this passage? The second thing is the fact that the crowds came to Jesus because they wanted something from him. They didn’t come because they loved him; they didn’t come because they caught in his image a glimpse of some new vision. No, they didn’t come to learn more about him; they came because they wanted to use him. That’s what nearly everyone wants to do with God and his Son. For one prayer of thanksgiving that goes up in good and prosperous times, ten thousand go up in times of trouble. Religion, for many, is a crises affair. It is only when they have gotten themselves into a mess or when life deals them some knock-out blow that they begin to remember God and call on his name. Psalm 147:1 sums it up, saying, “Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” God is not someone only to be used in the day of trouble; he is to be loved and remembered every day of our lives. Again, from the psalms we hear it said: “Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good and his mercy endures forever” (Ps.106:1).

III. The third and final thing to stands out for me in this passage is Jesus’ sensitivity for the need to be connected to God in prayer. Have you ever experienced “the whole town gathered at the door” (verse 33) or being “looked for” or better said, “hunted down” (verse 36) lately? Are there times you just want a little peace and quiet? Are there days when you just want time to be alone? Well, what stands out in this passage is the fact that Jesus knew that he could not face the day without prayer; he knew that to meet the needs of those around him he first had to meet with God. Jesus prayed that he might be spared the horrors of Good Friday, but it was not meant to be. He prayed for strength to carry out God’s plan of salvation and then moved into the hands of the crowd. He was mocked, ridiculed, and finally crucified before being raised as the Lord of lords and King of kings on Easter Sunday. He did the work of our salvation. It was not easy task. It is important to realize that prayer will never do our work for us; what it will do is to strengthen us for work that must be done.

Conclusion: I don’t know what stands out to you in this passage, but I am humbled by the Savior’s intense concern for others; I am ashamed of my need for time alone, and I pray that God strengthen us all for the work of His kingdom which amounts to serving others and placing their needs before our own desires. Amen