WEDNESDAY 17 March 2021 “Peer Pressure”

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Hello my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,

In recent months we’ve had many examples of social pressure applied to people in a wide range of settings… political pressure, social media pressure, tv news media pressure, and even the ‘cancel culture’ pressure… and as we’ve watched we’ve seen dramatic things happen in response to pressure. It’s rare to find someone who can stand strong against social pressure, especially standing for what is right.

In these days we’re walking with Jesus toward Easter, and it seems with each passing day His popularity increases and thus the social pressure to BE and DO what the people wanted Him to BE and Do. Yesterday we saw Jesus was rejected by His own hometown and social pressure ran Him out of town, so Jesus went to Capernaum, a nearby Sea of Galilee shoreline town. We saw yesterday that He freed a man in the synagogue from a demon. Let’s pick up the account from Mark’s perspective: “As soon as they left the synagogue they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.” (Mark 1:29)

A few verses earlier, Mark explained Jesus had been walking on the shoreline and invited these two sets of brothers to leave their fishing nets and follow Him. He promised them “I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17) This was not their first encounter with Jesus, for as we’ve seen in John’s account, they had been with Jesus in Cana at the wedding, and in Jerusalem for Passover. But clearly they had returned to their fishing business and now were challenged by Jesus to make an important, longer term decision.

By leaving their nets and spending full time with Jesus, they knew much would change in their lives, their priorities, their values, and perhaps their future life purpose. May I ask you my friends, do you have an authentic, alive relationship with Jesus? If so how much has changed in your life as a direct result of your relationship with Jesus?

Jesus helped Simon’s mother-in-law with her fever and then they had a meal together. This of course tells us Peter was married, although we never meet his wife by name in the Gospel accounts. Mark then records: “That evening, after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon possessed. The whole town gathered, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons…” (Mark 1:32-34)

Because it had been a Sabbath day, people waited until after sunset to come to Jesus. Sabbath ended and a new day began at sunset. Word had evidently spread through town that Jesus had expelled a demon from a man in the Synagogue earlier in the day, so people came hoping whatever His power was, perhaps He might help them and their friends. Can you see the scene of people sitting on the ground all around the area outside the house, waiting for Jesus?

We’ve all had the experience of sitting in a crowded doctor’s waiting room, or urgent care facility, wondering when it will be our turn. But none of us has watched as person after person are healed, right there, on the spot. Totally healed with a touch and kind word of Jesus. This evening in Capernaum, no one left with medications in their hand and instructions about how many meds to take for help. They walked away fully healed and deeply grateful, and I imagine overwhelmed with amazement at what they had seen and experienced. I suspect it was late in the evening when Jesus, James, John, Andrew and Peter all laid down for the night.

For the four men, I wonder how long it took for sleep to capture them. How could they explain what they had seen that day? If they did stay with Jesus for a while, as He had invited them, what were the weeks ahead going to involve? How would their lives change as a result? And for Jesus, what was He thinking?

What a contrast of the past few days. Run out of His own hometown of Nazareth, and then enthusiastically welcomed in Capernaum and the opportunity to bring life changing help to many people! But Jesus knows us humans and He knew word would spread very quickly and there is never an end to human need. Never. How could Jesus keep His mission in proper balance? What would His heavenly Father want Him to do next?

Mark tells us “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where He prayed.” Jesus needed time with God the Father to give Him clarity as to what He should do next in accomplishing His earthly mission.

This is an important lesson for all of us my friends. Have you developed a personal habit of spending personal, quiet time with God as you begin each new day, for the purpose of seeking God’s guidance for your day? Since He knows EVERYTHING that’s going on in your life, and everything you will face today and everyday the rest of your life, doesn’t it make sense to spend time with Jesus early every day, seeking to gain His perspective, His direction, His instructions on how to live your life today?

Evidently this was not yet a habit for Simon, for Mark writes: “Simon and his companions went to look for Jesus, and when they found Him they exclaimed, ‘Everyone is looking for You.’ Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else, to the nearby villages, so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So Jesus traveled throughout the Galilee, preaching in their Synagogues and driving out demons.’ (Mark 1:36-39)

This was a major ‘defining moment’ for Jesus and His four friends as they learned to become ‘fishers of men’ rather than fishers of fish. Here, they were learning neither applause nor appeal for help should determine the course of action for a follower of Jesus. Our ability to discern Jesus’ leading needs to be the priority. You and I, my friends, will always have people around us who want to tell us what they think we should do, how we should spend our time and money.

God offers His people the remarkable privilege and advantage of living our lives in lock step with Jesus, as He directs our steps, He defines our priorities. But it’s a spiritual discipline which requires effort to learn how to spend daily time seeking God’s guidance. It’s one thing to ask God to guide us, it’s another to discern what God is telling you about what specific steps He wants you to take. I find God speaks most clearly to me through His Word. So I ask in prayer for His guidance and then I read and listen! Have you developed that important ability and are you living in lock step with Jesus my friends? I also keep a log where I can record my questions and the answers or guidance that I receive from God.

In closing today we need to realize that even if we’ve developed this wonderful habit of meeting with Jesus early in the morning to discern a plan for the day, sometimes the unexpected happens. Mark writes: “A man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged him on his knees, ‘if You are willing You can make me clean.’ It appears to me this was unexpected. As Jesus and His friends are walking along, suddenly this leper approaches Jesus asking for help. No appointment, no warning…what should Jesus do? Does this happen to you sometimes my friends? Can you in that instant breath a prayer of request for guidance from the Holy Spirit for that unexpected need?

“Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man, ‘I am willing, Be clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.” (Mark 1:40-42) Despite the fact Jesus had told the man to NOT speak publicly of this miracle, but go directly to the priest to show that he was healed, as was made clear in the law of Moses, instead this man spread the word of his healing and more and more people sought help from Jesus. I guess we can’t really blame the man, after all living as a leper in isolation was a horrible way to live. But it did complicate things for Jesus, because people started seeking Him out wherever He was. Very rapidly word of Jesus’ healing power was spreading all around the Galilee area. So it causes me to ask… what’s the last great thing Jesus has done in your life? Something so significant you had a hard time keeping quiet about it?

Let’s pause right here and ponder. How exciting for Andrew, Peter, James and John as they were watching rapid fire, wide ranging, power demonstrations from Jesus resulting in dramatic healings and freedom from demons! As they tried to imagine what this new journey of ‘walking with Jesus’ was going to be like, can you imagine their excitement?

With less than 20 days till Easter, are you excited about what Jesus wants to do in YOUR life as we ‘walk with Jesus’ toward Easter 2021? Why don’t you take a few minutes and just tell HIM… how much you are looking forward to what HE wants to do in your life, in these next days?

Today’s Scripture is Mark 1:29-45.

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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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