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Jesus’ family thought he was losing it.  The scribes were convinced he was evil.  Neither was right.  Jesus understood them far better than they understood him.

²⁰ Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. ²¹ And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

²² And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” … ²⁸ “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰ for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

³¹ And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside…

Early in his ministry Jesus claims to have authority to forgive sin and calls himself the Lord of the Sabbath.  This sounds like blasphemy unless Jesus is actually God.

Mark 2.pdf

Mark 2.mp3

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for sending Jesus to us who experienced what we experience and went through what we go through.  He gives us a way to truly relate to God.

We thank you also that while here on earth he exercised divine authority. In doing so he shows us that he truly is God as well as a perfect man.

Help us to be more like him in desiring to see sinners saved.  Help us to never consider ourselves too good for someone else. Help us to never see ourselves as better than those around us. Help us to serve them well in order to better serve you.

Let us remain flexible, eager to grow and change for the better so that we can continuously be used by you.  If you should decide to do something new and exciting, we want to be a part of it.

Help us to recognize when…

¹³ He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. ¹⁴ And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

¹⁵ And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus is still eating with sinners.  The church is…

Mark begins his Gospel with the ministry of John the Baptist.  After Jesus is baptized by John he moves into his public ministry.

Mark 1.pdf

Mark 1.mp3