A Busy Schedule - 26th April 2026 (pm)

Rev Lyons continues the series in Mark's Gospel.  The Bible Reading this evening is from Mark Chapter 1 from V21 through to the end of the chapter.

Transcript

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Mark chapter one verse twenty one. Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching for he taught them as one having authority, and not as a scribes. Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, Let us alone. What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be quiet and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. And immediately his fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told him about her at once. So he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her, and she served him. At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were demon-possessed, and the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons, and he did not allow the demons to speak because they knew him. Now in the morning, after rising, after rising, after having risen a long while before daylight, he went out and departed to a solitary place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him. When they found him, they said to him, Everyone is looking for you. But he said to them, Let us go into the next towns that I may preach there also. For this, because for this purpose I have come forth. And he was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee and casting out demons. It is the Lord's word, and we always look to him for his blessing. Just a short prayer together, please. Father, once again, we bow before your word. We love your word, and we pray that you would speak to us through your word. Give us correct understanding and interpretation and application into our lives. Lord, thank you that you have purposed to build up your people by the word of your grace. We pray they'll do that tonight for Jesus' sake. Amen. In our first pastorate, there was a man that I used to travel with to the denomination's monthly council meeting. He was an avid reader, but not only was he an avid reader, he was an avid reader with a sharp mind to retain massive information. So much so that someone said he wrote Wesley's journals. On one occasion he told us a story of an individual who was transporting Samuel Logan Brangel of the Salvation Army. Now his driver was traveling a little bit faster than he was comfortable with. So Mr. Brangel turned to the driver and said, I would rather be Samuel Logan Brangel late than the late Samuel Logan Brengel. Life's a bit like that, isn't it? It just seems one big mad rush. And we're all the victims of the busyness of life. George Washington wrote on one occasion in his diary, he said, Tonight my wife and I had dinner alone for the first time in 20 years. Possibly there were many reasons for that statement, but a busy life was certainly part of it. As children, I'm sure you were no different to I, we were convinced that there were more than 60 seconds in every minute. But now that we're older, we are convinced of the opposite of that. We're convinced there's not even 60 seconds in one minute. Simply because we have more responsibilities and our lives are fuller than they used to be. And it seems we can we find it so difficult to humanly fit into each working day what needs to be done, because our lives just seem to be going much faster. Possibly for you, your life seems so busy. And sometimes families are like ships passing in the night. And I know retirees don't escape this. Maybe it's worse for them. As we follow the Lord Jesus and his ministry, that could be said of him because he certainly lived a busy life, and he had a hectic schedule. And in verse 37, it says that everybody was looking for him. Despite all this busyness, he never lost focus. In this busy schedule, we note the three points that stand out in these verses, and they're there. And we turn to the first one, and it's the power of Christ, verse 29 to 34. In this section, the power of Jesus is demonstrated through various healings. We commenced by reading again, verse 29. Now, as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon, better known to us as Peter, and under his brother with James and John. The excavation of a synagogue in Capernaum revealed that it was built upon the first in the first century, but it was built upon the foundation of an earlier synagogue. This would seem to be the one that Jesus preached in and delivered this demon-possessed man mentioned in the previous section. The further discovery was made that close to that older synagogue was a building with religious graffiti on the walls. It had the feature of doors opening into a larger area where people could gather. Historians and archaeologists are convinced that this was a place where believers gathered in early times, and they are also convinced that it was the home of Peter. That would make sense as it says they left the synagogue and entered Peter's home. Then we read in verse 30, but Simon's wife's mother lay sick with the fever, and they told him about her at once. So he came and took her up, took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her, and she served him. Although it's not the main thing here, yet we can see that Peter was married. And if Roman Catholicism believes he was the first Pope, then surely there's a discrepancy between Peter and celibacy of priests today. Jesus is told about Peter's mother-in-law and how she was sick with a fever. The Lord Jesus had a wide ministry, a ministry to all types of people, not only to crowds, but also to individuals. He was interested and concerned for people. He wasn't a person who had a big egotistic ministry which would have said, I cannot go and see that lady because my ministry is bigger. It's synagogue ministry. Jesus was about his father's business. And wherever that would lead him, there he would go. So now he is in this home ministering to this lady in tremendous need. Being unable to get out of bed reveals the seriousness of her illness. And being a doctor, Luke highlights the fact that she has a fever, a high fever. That suggests something a little more serious than flu. Something that possibly was life-threatening. Here we have such a tender picture of our Lord Jesus Christ as he takes her by the hand, lifts her up. Maybe that's where Peter got it from. You know, with the healing of the lame man and how he took him by the hand and lifted him up. He lifts this woman up, and we're told that immediately the fever left her. She was completely and miraculously healed. Now, sorry, but it's difficult not to follow the well-worn path at this point of the well-known and greatly appreciated preacher, and you've heard it before from me. In a certain town, a preacher spoke. One man who was in attendance was quite impressed, and he thought, if that preacher was ever back, you know, I think I would like to go and hear him. So a few months later, the man was speaking in another town nearby, and he decided to go and hear him. So the man stood up and announced his text. Peter's wife's mother lay sick of a fever. Now the man was disappointed to hear the same message from the same man, but he decided to give the speaker another chance to redeem himself. So some time passed. Same preacher was after, advertised his speaking another time. So he went to hear him. Again the preacher stood up, announced the text for that evening. Peter's wife's mother lay sick of a fever. The man was totally disgusted. So he headed off to catch his train. He sat down in his seat and a man came and sat beside him. Sure enough, it was the preacher. As they were waiting for the train to depart, a hearse pulled alongside their carriage and brought a coffin onto the train. The speaker happened to remark, I wonder who has passed away. To which the man replied quickly, it's probably Peter's wife's mother, because she has been sick for a terribly long time. Well, one thing is certain in the passage that this lady didn't die, but she was restored to perfect health and strength. And the whole subject of healing really is a thorny issue, isn't it? But certainly I believe God heals through the medical system. God's raised that up and he heals through the medical system. But I believe he can step in and do what others just cannot do. And there are special, specific times that he's done that. And you could tell me a story or two, and I could tell you a very clear, definite story. I do not believe that it's God's will to heal everybody, no matter what anybody tells us. That's not in the Bible. And when it is his will, it will always be for his glory. I refuse to put God into a box that's marked lack of faith and says he will not do it. And as the power of Christ was displayed through this healing, so is there a power even to do it today. This was such a complete work that this lady then served them. The fever's gone, and off she goes to the kitchen to serve a meal for them. It's a wee bit like, you know, the boat out in the storm at the end of Mark 4, you know, and Christ speaks to the wind and the waves, and there's immediate calm. Well, you know, if you've ever had a fever, if you've ever felt unwell, you know, you just don't feel like getting up and getting at it and going on again. There's a bit of fatigue there. But this woman got up and she went and served a meal for them. Not this is tremendous what Christ has done and how he has transformed this lady's situation. She goes to serve the Lord Jesus as a response of gratitude and thankfulness for all that he has done for her. It's a good example to follow and expressed in the old hymn by Charles Gabriel. And like her, we should never cease to praise the Lord through service for him. So it's approaching the end of the day, you would think. Jesus might sit down, put up his feet, but we've got a very different picture in verse 32 and 33. At evening when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were demon-possessed, and the whole city was gathered together at the door. Jesus has been at the synagogue service, and one with a difference where he meets the man who is demon-possessed. From there to Peter's house in the healing of his mother-in-law. He's just had his dinner, and now there are scores of people to deal with. When Mark says the whole city was gathered at the door, he is speaking in hyperbole, meaning it's not literally as it reads. There's a lot of people, but it's not every individual person in the place. The news of the deliverance of the demon-possessed man in the synagogue and the healing of Peter's mother-in-law has traveled so fast. The news of it has traveled so fast, the sick and the demon-possessed are brought to him. When it says that they are brought to him, it means that they kept on bringing to him the sick and demon-possessed. Not only did they bring them, but they were not turned away, because people are at the heart of the mission of the Lord Jesus. And that's demonstrated in the next section in the healing of the leper, the one who naturally people would avoid, like the plague. Jesus cares for people, so their journey to him wasn't wasted, and he didn't disappoint them in verse 34. Then he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and he didn't allow the demons to speak because they knew him. Jesus is the Son of God with power, and that's demonstrated here. He has power over sickness, he has power over Satan's power. And we're aware that there are four main enemies in life: sickness, Satan, sin, and death. And the Bible testifies to the fact that the Lord Jesus overcame them all. And as the power of Jesus is demonstrated in this first section, we may conclude that he cares for individual people. He cares for groups of people, and he is sufficient for various needs. So whatever our need is this evening, and if you're here this evening and it's forgiveness you need, then you can come to him. Because as Charles Wesley says, plenteous grace in thee is found. Grace to cover all my sin. And if it's forgiveness we need, we can come to him and we can find forgiveness. If there's something absolutely stressing you out in your life and it's causing you to feel anxious, we can come to him and cast all our cares upon him because he cares for us. That doesn't mean the situation will be remedied, remedied. That doesn't mean that things will change in my circumstances, but it does mean that he can change my perspective. It does mean that he can help me to see that he is greater than what's happening in my life, and therefore he can give me peace in the midst of the storm. Is there an area in your life where you need guidance? Come to him because he is the wonderful counselor. So that's the power of Jesus Christ. And then in verse 35, we have the priority of Christ. We aren't told when Jesus got to bed that evening, but it was an exhausting day. He has taught in the synagogue, delivered a demon-possessed man, healed Peter's mother-in-law, and to finish the days, he dealt with these crowds and various diseases and dealt people, delivered people from demons. You would think a lie in or a day off would be in order. Yet we see what he did in verse 35. Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, he went out and departed to a solitary place. And there he prayed. And Mark sets it between the feeding of the five thousand, which could have been probably 20, 25,000, and prior to the episode of him walking on the water. The third takes us to the night in which he was betrayed when he resorted to Gethsemane. These are three, and it doesn't mean they were the only times that he prayed. But this was a regular habit, as Luke tells us, that he prayed all night prior to choosing the twelve disciples. The Lord Jesus made time alone with his father a priority. Not only did he do it in his life, it's what he taught when he was contrasting the pious attitude of the religious hypocrites. Matthew 6, verse 6 says, We know it well, but you, when you pray, go into your room. When you shut your door, pray to your father who is in the secret place. So what he taught them was but an extension of how he lived. And what an example he left us in respect to prayer. And it's no wonder he spoke with such authority and effectiveness. Without getting carried away with this, we bring the practical point and the great challenge to our own lives with our full schedules and our flurry of activity. It challenges us to make right priorities in this respect. When we don't prioritize, even with all our busyness, the question may be asked, is the problem really our busyness? Or is it a deeper issue regarding commitment to the Lord in our walk with Him? If our lives were less busy, would we be spending more time with Him? In the early 20th century, Mosy Lister, a prominent figure in Southern Gospel music scene, wrote over 500 songs during his career. Songs like Till the Storm Passes By, Where No One Stands Alone, Then I Met the Master, and many more. There's another well-known one which has been used by various artists like Jim Reeves and Elvis Presley and various gospel singers. It is How Long Has It Been? It's a classic song that has endured for decades. Its main theme is a challenge to prayer, which we may gather from some of the lyrics. How long has it been since you talked with the Lord? Told him your heart's hidden secrets? How long since you prayed? How long since you stayed on your knees till the light shone through? How long has it been since you knelt by your bed and prayed to the Lord up in heaven? How long since you knew that he'd answer you and would keep you the long night through? There's something special about the beginning of the day with God in prayer. And if we develop a regular habit of that, then when it comes, something happens, we miss it. Well then we deeply miss it, don't we? Whatever demands our daily lives make upon us. This is the best way to begin the day. To make this priority, and then a busy, challenging day will always be a busy, challenging day. But then we'll find it easier to cope with a Busier, challenging day. Elizabeth Elliott said the devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements noise, hurry, and crowds. He will not allow quietness. I think that's true. How does it work for you? Do you find it difficult to prioritize when it comes to prayer? I think it's always a battle. Going through Bible college, we were as students, the bell rang at 6 30 in the morning, and it was to set a habit within not a habit that you wear, but a habit that you do in our lives, that then you would have a certain amount of time set aside for your devotions before you would even have breakfast. And it's important to develop sometime in the morning if you can do it then. I don't think there's any young mothers here tonight, but if you're a young mother with children, or if you know a young mother with children, that's not practical, you know, because they'll be screaming, or they'll be shouting, or they'll be creating a havoc, or they'll be climbing all over the top of you, and it's not practical. But you've got to set a point and set a time where it does work for you, when they're asleep, or whenever, or night time. But it's important that we set that time within our lives. It's a discipline because the devil fights us on it, and he will make us busy, more busier than we need to be, and he will keep at us and keep at us to try and squeeze out our time with the Lord because he knows that that's our source of strength. He knows that that's our powerhouse, and that's what enables us to live in victory in this world. The third thing is the purpose of Christ, verse 36 to 39. The Lord Jesus said that he must be about his father's business, and that's where his priority lay. This came through in respect to prayer and communion with his father, but also in carrying out the work which he came to do. In this section, we see that he put this even before people and even before people's needs. The first part of this section sees the disciples looking for Jesus, verse 36, 37. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him. When they found him, they said to him, Everybody's looking for you. And the force of the verb searched means they were searching frantically for him. It wasn't easy to find Jesus, yet that is the whole point of a quiet place, isn't it? They seem to be a bit annoyed. And there seems to be a little sense of rebuke here. You know what it's like when you're searching for somebody, you know, or or you've made the dinner and you're you've given them the call to come and nobody's coming, you know. And then when they eventually turn up, you say, Where on earth have you been? And there's a little sense of rebuke here when the disciples came to Jesus. Everybody's looking, don't you know? Everybody's looking for you. The popularity of Jesus is on the increase. And the disciples obviously see this as the great need. But Jesus cites her elsewhere and refuses to be sidetracked by popularity or even by the need of the people. Verse 38 to 39. But he said to them, Let's go to the next towns that I may preach there also. Yes, I know all that stuff's here. But that's going to be there too, and there and there and there. Let's go to the next towns that I may preach there also. Because for this purpose I have come forth. And he was preaching in their synagogue throughout all Galilee and casting out demons. The Lord Jesus didn't leave the preaching of the word to decide and focus only on a healing ministry, because Jesus just didn't come to heal people physically but spiritually. And that's why the word of God has to be central in his ministry, as it ought to be in ours. We shouldn't focus only on meeting temporal needs, be it health-related, be it financial, to the extent that time is not given for the word of God. We should focus on the needs of people and do what we can, but the word of God is central. It's immaterial what we permit to push aside the word of God, because there's nothing that legitimizes such a foolish move. We should never deny the healing power of Christ through the natural institutions and supernatural ways. But we ought not to get carried away so that it takes over from God's word. There's no doubt that the disciples seem to be carried away with a great excitement generated from the healings. In so many words of saying, Lord, isn't this absolutely marvelous? Everybody's looking for you. You are so popular. So let's capitalize upon this opportunity. But Jesus isn't blown away with the popularity. D.A. Carson said, Jesus refused to be sought out as a mere miracle worker. He wanted to be recognized as a savior. The way to achieve this was to preach the good news. And Jesus committed himself to doing that in the nearby villages. Sometimes we can get blown away with the spectacular, as it appeals to fleshly hearts, and we can run from one fad to the next and yet have little appetite for God's word. These disciples are followers of Jesus. Jesus is teaching them. And they need to learn what is the most important. And he's telling them it's the word. When you cross over into chapter 2, back in Capernaum, the crowds come to Peter's house. In fact, it gives us the impression the place is bunged to the doors. And Jesus, it says, He preached the word unto them. This is the focus they need to have. To go and preach the good news about the Lord Jesus as Savior. And as we follow the gospel account through into Acts, we see the purpose being fulfilled. So here in these verses, we see the busy schedule of our Savior. We also have busy schedules. But if we need what we need to know, the power of Christ being revealed, and the purpose of Christ being fulfilled in us, and if that's to be so, then we have to set this priority of prayer down in our hearts and our relationship with the Lord. Amen.