Mark is the Gospel of urgency…he does not let the grass grow under the narrative what may take the other Gospels several verses, like for instance the baptism of Jesus, Mark sums all of it up from going to the water and coming-up out of the water in just three verses. In the first chapter alone the word “immediately” appears 10 times.

Yet I love in the midst of that first chapter and all those “immediately’s” there is a slow down verse…

“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” Mark 1:35

Jesus might have been moving quickly…He did after all have a lot to do in 3.5 years, but He was never to busy to spend time alone communing with God in Heaven.

Should that be a lesson to us who use busyness as an excuse for time missed with God?

Verse 38 also struck a chord in my heart…

He *said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” Mark 1:38

The true preacher of Jesus will not want to ever limit his or her reach. Now we may be limited by God and that is fine, but a true preacher of the Gospel will NEVER intentionally limit his or her own reach! We may be asked to, I know I have but this verse supports resisting such a request.

Mark chapter 2 verse 15 was a new underline in my Bible today.

“And it *happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him.” Mark 2:15

Of course I have underlined and even preached the front part of this text before, but the new emphasis to me today was,

“for there were many of them, and they were following Him.”

Oh I want to be like Jesus where even though my sermons are condemning the lifestyles of sinners potentially…or those that are irreligious (my Bible has a notation the sinners were “irreligious Jews”) that even the irreligious are drawn to the message because it is done with the overarching love of Jesus. Oh how I long to preach and teach and live like Jesus!

I love the Gospel of Mark I am so glad it is now part of our weekly blogging!

Tomorrow’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 7 & 8