Everyone is Looking for Him!

Mark 1:35-45 

Preaching in Galilee

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. 36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."

38 But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."

39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."

41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

Everyone was looking for Jesus when they heard of how He gave hope and healing to the sick and possessed.  The example the Lord gave us just before we hear these things was time alone in prayer with our Father in heaven for strength, guidance, and fellowship.  He did this as a man like we are to encourage us to do the same and as God’s Son to demonstrate their fellowship of a relationship we can have with them by God’s Spirit in us, giving all the more reason to find a quiet time place and place to commune alone with God first thing in the morning which I am doing now as I write these lessons learned from this time spent with Him in prayerful thought in the scriptures.  After Jesus was done some disciples sought Him out and told Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  This desire we will also have even more as we imitate Christ in our own quiet times.  Those seeking Him then wanted healing outwardly but really desired spiritual healing of their sin to be restored whole in both body and soul.  What was the answer Jesus provided to this desire of people seeking these things?  He said He would go to the nearest towns and preach the word of God which is the gospel of deliverance from sin’s penalty and judgment in mercy through repentance and faith.  As He preached the word of God Jesus cast out the demonic forces holding the listeners back from hearing and responding to the gospel of deliverance.  He then heard a leper begging to be made whole and was cleansed in body and soul.  This man was told to keep it on the down low but proclaimed the deliverance high and low wherever he was to go.  He simply was unable to hold in the wonder works which God had done for him!  He had to tell everybody of the mercy and forgiving grace of God shown to him.  Have not we who have been likewise saved down the same when the prison doors of sin’s dark condemnation were thrown open and His light beamed in on our souls (Isaiah 9:2, Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Peter 2:9, Greek: 1 Peter 2:9 (BYZ)), leading us to joyfully share that witness (1 John 1:2) of God’s salvation with others after we also have seen Him?  May we rekindle that great joy again and again as we bear witness of our salvation with the words and works of the Lord who delivered and will continue to deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:10)!  People who hear of God’s work whom He calls will come from every corner of the earth to hear as we pass through it with this message of hope and deliverance from the darkness and penalty of sin’s eternal consequences.  The few with ears to hear will be moved to search for Him (Acts 17:27-28) and finally find the eyes of their hearts opened when they hear the gospel to know this same overwhelming joy and gladness and in turn tell others.  Let us then continue to proclaim it freely.  Just as Jesus preached and restored people devastated by sin we hear Everyone is Looking for Him who know their brokenness and how they have offended God in their disbelief and disobedience, finding healing and restoration of body and soul.