What Jesus Did

[When asked why his disciples didn't fast,] Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can't fast while the groom is with them. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast."

—Mark 2:19-20 NLT

Key Thought​

The reason Jesus' disciples didn't fast was involved with the timing of his ministry, not their piety. They would fast when he was taken from them. Jesus' statement about being taken away is the...

 

Once when ###'s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, "Why don't your disciples fast like ###'s disciples and the Pharisees do?"

—Mark 2:18 NLT

Key Thought​

As today's passage, the preceding verses, and verses later in the chapter [1] indicate, Jesus was in a time of close scrutiny. Some people were trying to understand the LORD and his message; but, even at this early stage of his ministry, many of their leaders' questions were attempts...

 

Later, ### invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus' followers.) But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?"
When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor — sick people do. I have come to call not those who...

 

And the man [who was healed] jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, "We've never seen anything like this before!"

—Mark 2:12 NLT

Key Thought​

The lives in which Jesus works bring praise to God. So ... are we allowing Jesus to work in our lives, and are we helping bring others to Jesus so he can work in their lives as well?

Today's Prayer​

Father, use me to open people's hearts to Jesus...

 

Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.

—Mark 2:13-14 NLT

Key Thought​

Two exciting things happened in these two short verses. First, Jesus showed that the call to follow him should be offered to all kinds of different people: Many, today, that we may think...

 

Jesus knew immediately [that the religious teachers were accusing him of blasphemy], so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk'? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"

—Mark 2:8-11 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus healed...

 

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven."
But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, "What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"

—Mark 2:5-7 NLT

Key Thought​

Yes, the statement is the correct one! "Only God can forgive sins!" This startling statement was made by the religious teachers who opposed Jesus, but it is intended for us as well. While we need to...

 

When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God's word to them, ...

—Mark 2:1-2 NLT

Key Thought​

Once again, the crowds swarmed to see Jesus, presumably because of what they had heard about his miraculous power to cure lepers, to heal the sick, and to cast out demons. However, Jesus...

 

While [Jesus] was preaching God's word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven."

—Mark 2:2b-5 NLT

Key Thought​

Notice what is the basis of this miracle: "Seeing THEIR faith ..." The four men were...

 

But the man [who had been cured of leprosy] went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn't publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.

—Mark 1:45 NLT

Key Thought​

Many times, we think we know what is best. Unfortunately, some of those times we actually disobey the clear teaching of the LORD because we think we know...