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Specifications of Christ's Compassion - Mark 1:29-45

Sermon Series: Spare Me the Details - Just Give Me Jesus

"Specifications of Christ's Compassion" - Mark 1:29-45

In one of my former jobs I was required to prepare a lot of products for shipping.  But before we could ship the products the company we used to ship them would require us to report the specifications of each product (i.e. the height, length, width, and weight of each box).  The shipping company we employed used these specifications in order to determine how much they were going to bill us each month.  So each time I prepared a box to ship I was required to measure and weigh the box in order to determine it's specs.  Knowing the specs was a requirement if we wanted our product to be shipped and make it to the customer.  

The first chapter of the gospel of Mark has been incredibly strategic in what we have covered so far.  In the first few verses (1-13) Mark makes a case for who Jesus is.  In order for the reader to consider the good news of Jesus and have any hope in Him, Mark demonstrates for the reader that Jesus is the Messiah, God's Son, and the One who had come to conquer Satan.  In the next few verses (14-28) Mark unfolds the ministry plan of Jesus.  He sets the stage for the rest of the gospel by demonstrating Jesus' message, His partnership, and His authority.  Mark then follows these verses with the text we will consider today, verses 29-45, in which he details some of the specifications of Christ's compassion.  In much the same way that our products could not move forward without declaring their specs, Mark seems to hold a similar idea, that the good news of Jesus may not move forward unless the reader understands some of the specs of Christ's compassion.  The reader of Mark's gospel then, and now, will have great hope that the gospel of Jesus really is good news when they catch a glimpse of both the scope and depth of Jesus' compassion.

As we begin examining the text of Mark 1:29-45 the first thing that we will notice is that the narrative being told in verse 29 follows chronologically what took place in verses 21-28.  Jesus has just left the synagogue where he taught with extraordinary authority and where he demonstrated His extraordinary authority by casting out a demon from a possessed man.  And verse 28  tells us that "His fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee."  Jesus has just been thrust into the spot-light and is beginning to have celebrity-like status in the region of Galilee.  Now consider the places that 'famous' people and celebrities spend time and who they often spend time with.  We think that most of the time celebrities spend their time in big houses, popular restaurants and clubs,  and at exotic hotels and resorts.  We also think of most celebrities spending their time with other celebrities and famous individuals, other people who live their lives in the spot-light and have status and influence.  Rarely if ever do we see celebrities spending time in common places with common people.  So what takes place in verses 29-34 would probably come as quite a surprise to most readers.  Jesus leaves the synagogue and heads to the house of a couple of fishermen.  He heads to the house of a couple of average guys.  And when he arrives he discovers that Simon's mother-in-law, a woman of very little status or influence (so little the readers are not even given her name) is lying ill with a fever.  Then, in verse 31, Mark begins to put on display the compassion of Jesus.  Verse 31 tells us that Jesus goes to this woman, takes her by the hand and lifts her up, and that when He does the fever leaves her.  This is the first account in which we begin to see the scope of Christ's compassion being put on display.  For here Mark begins to detail that Jesus' compassion extends to all humanity.  Here we see Jesus demonstrating His compassion for common people - people without fame, position, or status.  Now someone may be tempted to argue that this act of healing doesn't really show Jesus' concerned about common people - instead, all we see here is Jesus doing a favor for one of His followers.  But Mark follows this account with verses 32-34 in which we see the scope of Christ's compassion extending to all humanity once again.  For as soon as the Sabbath ended at sundown, Mark says the whole city gathered at the house and that they brought "all who were sick or oppressed by demons."  We don't find all of the "wealthy and significant" or all of the "rulers and leaders" coming.  What we do find is a city full of common individuals all showing up at Simon and Andrew's house, having brought all who were sick and oppressed, and we see Jesus having great compassion on them.  

The next few verses continue to follow a chronological order, as in verse 35 we see Jesus rising early in the morning to go out of the city to a desolate place to pray.  But it appears that the narrative continues to place the emphasis on the scope of Christ's compassion.  While Jesus is out praying, Mark says that Simon Peter and "those who were with him" (probably Andrew, James, and John) came out searching for Jesus and that when they find him Simon says, "Everyone is looking for you."  One of the things that we have to remember is that these four fishermen's lives had probably been very different over the last 24 hours as Jesus' fame began to increase.  They were with Him when He was at the synagogue.  And they were with Him at the house while the whole town had come bringing the sick and oppressed.  While not directly in the spot-light themselves, it is probably safe to assume that these four men began feeling like their influence and status was growing along with the fame of Jesus.  It is probably safe to assume that the whole town had never gathered at Simon and Andrew's house prior to the night before.  It is probably safe to assume that most days these four men went about their business as fishermen and that people were not in the habit of seeking them out.  The day before though things began to change.  When they arrived at the synagogue yesterday they came with the One who taught with authority and who cast out a demon.  When they went home last night they went with the One who the whole town had come out to see.  And this morning they were seeking out Jesus and His followers, so that they might once again be in the presence of Jesus.  These four men were beginning to taste fame and it appears they were hoping for more as Simon and the others search Him out and implore Him to come back to the city.  But Jesus gives them an answer which again speaks to the scope of His compassion when He says, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out."  Though Jesus loved and had compassion for the city that He had been in, the scope of His compassion extended to all humanity.  And so Christ left that city in order to travel to others where He could proclaim His message and demonstrate His love and compassion to others.  And Mark tells his readers in verse 39 that that is exactly what Jesus did as "He went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons."

The scope of Christ's compassion is just one spec that Mark details in this opening chapter.  In verses 40-45 Mark also details the depth of Christ's compassion.  In these verses Mark details Jesus' cleansing of a leper.  What is unclear is whether or not this narrative follows in order chronologically.  But what is clear is that Mark saw the depth of Christ's compassion on display in this account and chose to insert the story here so that the reader could see that Christ's compassion in extraordinary in not only it's scope but also in its depth.  In order for us to fully appreciate the shocking nature of what transpires at the beginning of this narrative it is helpful for us to consider part of the Law located in Leviticus 13:45-46.  "The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean.'  He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease.  He is unclean.  He shall live alone.  His dwelling shall be outside the camp."  The Law had strict regulations for individuals with leprosy.  Because of the great fear and lack of understanding of the disease, individuals who suffered from leprosy were victims of far more than just the skin disease itself.  The individuals, being forced to live outside of the towns lost their jobs, their families, and their opportunity to worship with others.  They also lost their dignity as they were supposed to dress in torn clothes, keep their hair long and loose, and they were supposed to shout their condition whenever anyone was around, declaring not only that they were sick, but that spiritually they were an unclean person as well.  As Mark begins retelling this account, what the reader sees would have been absolutely shocking, for Mark says that this leper approaches Jesus in order to draw close to Him and so that he might request cleansing.  This approach would have shown direct disobedience to both the Law and Jewish custom.  And the expectation would be that the one being approached would have been horrified and enraged.  But be sure to note the question asked by the leper.  He doesn't ask Jesus "If you can, will you make me clean?"  What he does ask demonstrates the great faith that He had in Jesus for what he does say is "If You are will, You can make me clean."  The leper was absolutely sure of Jesus' ability to cleanse him and so his questions is a simple one of willingness.  Jesus' response in verse 41 should come as another shock to the readers.  Jesus has a new found status as a religious leader with great authority.  As a result any number of reactions would have been expected.  Some might expect Jesus to be disgusted by the appearance of the leper and expect Him to step back and retreat.  Others might expect Jesus to be enraged by the leper's direct disobedience to the Law and to rebuke him for his sin.  Still others might think that Jesus may extend cleansing, but that He will do it while still keeping His distance and maintaining His spiritual 'cleanliness.'  But that isn't what Mark says Jesus does.  Mark says that Jesus, "moved by pity" reaches out and touches the leper.  He touches him!  Then Jesus says that He is willing and gives the command for the leper to be cleansed.  What was Jesus doing?  Why not just heal this man by making the proclamation?  Why touch the one who was unclean?  The answer demonstrates the depth of Christ's compassion.  Understand that this leper had probably not received any form of physical touch since he had contracted leprosy.  No hugs.  No pats on the back.  No hand shakes.  Not even an accidental bump or brushing while standing in a crowd.  This man had probably been without any physical touch for a long time.  Jesus understood that and in an amazing act of compassion offers not only the healing that He was able to provide, but an act of love and compassion which no one else would provide.  Jesus also foreshadows what would be His greatest act of compassion in which seeing humanity's need for a Savior, He would take on our sin and our uncleanliness on the cross so that He might offer us cleansing.  The great depth of Jesus' compassion was put on display when He went beyond what He had to do to make the man clean in order to show His love and compassion in ways that would specifically and deeply impact this leper's life.  But the story doesn't end there.  Notice after the cleansing takes place that Jesus gives the man a command to not tell anyone.  But this newly cleansed leper acts in great disobedience and Mark says that he begins to openly talk about it and spread the news.  This act of disobedience has huge implications for Jesus, for notice what Mark says, "Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places."  Jesus in a sense, ended up trading places with this leper.  Whereas Jesus had been able to come and go and to enter towns and cities as freely as He wanted and the leper had been forced to remain outside of these areas; now, because of Jesus' healing work the leper was free to enter the towns and cities, and because of the leper's disobedience, Jesus was forced to remain outside in the desolate places.  The interesting thing is, because Jesus is God's Son, He was most certainly aware that the leper would turn around and act in disobedience and that that disobedience would come at a great cost to Him.  But Jesus still acted with extraordinary compassion on a man who had great faith in Him.  Because of His great compassion He was willing to do even that which would cause Him greater difficulty.

Understanding both the scope of Christ's compassion and the depth of Christ's compassion should bring the reader incredible hope.  As we consider this in the context of our church and our culture there is great hope.  If Jesus' compassion only extended to one group of people we would be without any hope, for the assumption would be that Jesus' compassion would extend only to the Jews.  But praise God that throughout the New Testament (NT) the scope of Christ's compassion extends to all humanity.  Throughout the NT we find Jesus demonstrating His compassion to Samaritans, to Gentiles, to tax collectors, to adulterers, to prostitutes, and to every kind of sinner.  That is "good news" - that the gospel of Jesus assures us that His compassion extends to all humanity.  But not only is it good news that His compassion extends to all of humanity, but it is good news that there is unmeasurable depth to the compassion He extends to us.  For understand that the leper was physically what we all are spiritually.  We are sinners and that sin has had an incredible impact on who we are.  Though created in God's image, the sin in our lives terribly disfigures and mars that image.  Though created to be in a personal relationship with God, our sin has cast us out of His presence now and for all eternity.  If Jesus' compassion was not willing to go to extraordinary measures in order to make cleansing available to us, then we would still be without hope.  But just like the account Mark gives, the NT tells us that Jesus was willing to become unclean on our behalf, taking on our sin and it's consequences and dying on the cross in our place.  Through His death, burial, and resurrection He offers us cleansing from our sin and reconciliation with God the Father.  And even though He was fully aware that those who would come to faith in Him would continue to struggle with sin and disobedience, He did't let that stop him from acting with great compassion on those who were in great need of cleansing.  That is truly "good news."  And having proclaimed the specifications of Christ's compassion at the beginning of His gospel account, Mark has given his readers great hope and reason to continue considering the life, teachings, and ministry of Jesus.

 Questions for Small Group Discussion

1. Read Mark 1:29-34.  In these verses Jesus used the home of Simon and Andrew to the setting in which He would show compassion to many.  So much of Jesus' ministry and so many of His acts of compassion in the NT take place outside of settings like the synagogues or the temple.  Are we using our homes as a place where we can demonstrate the compassion of Christ to others?  Should we be?  If so, how can we do that?

2. Read Mark 1:35-38.  Simon and the others lost sight of Jesus' mission and began to want to use Him for their own personal gain.  Is the Church every guilty of this?  If so, what can we do to help us stay focused on the mission?

3. Read Mark 1:40-45.  Jesus shows extraordinary compassion to this leper.  Are our lives, ministry, or church marked by demonstrations of extraordinary compassion?  Should they be?  What are some things we can do as individuals and as a small group to demonstrate the extraordinary compassion of Christ?

4. What step of faith does this passage of scripture require us to take as individuals and as a small group?  How do we work this out on mission?