Mark 1:29-45 29  And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30  Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31  And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. 
32  That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33  And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34  And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 
35  And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36  And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37  and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38  And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39  And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. 
40  And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41  Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42  And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43  And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44  and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go,  show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45  But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.  

As Jesus began His public ministry and demonstrated His authority as the Son of God and the Christ who came to save mankind from sin, He quickly drew the attention of all the people in Galilee in the northern part of Israel.  Crowds very quickly were forming wherever He went.  But what was their motivation in following Jesus?  In seasons of revival and spiritual awakening all kinds of people who had no interest in God before all of a sudden begin to attend churches and show interest in the things of God.  But do they all remain?  As many churches in our day are not able to attract a large crowd there would be great excitement if this happened in our day.  But crowds do not necessarily mean converts and Jesus knew this better than anyone.  The crowds that so quickly followed Jesus at the beginning of His ministry would abandon Him at the end.  The purpose of the great signs that Jesus performed in healing the sick and casting out demons was to authenticate the Word of God that He spoke, proving that He is God in the flesh and confirming the words that would be recorded in the New Testament that we have today.  
Simon Peter and the disciples didn’t understand this and got caught up in the excitement at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry especially with the signs and wonders that Jesus performed.  Jesus’ ministry began very differently from John the Baptist who performed no miracles.  It would have been very natural for Simon Peter and the disciples who had previously followed John the Baptist to get caught up in this for this was something new and exciting from what they had seen before.  When Jesus disappeared from Capernaum to a desolate place, Simon Peter couldn’t understand why Jesus was in hiding.  After all, everyone was looking for Him.  Why would the Christ not be reveling in this attention from man?  Because the attention of God the Father was far more important.  Jesus’ goal was to preach the Word of God in all these places- not just to perform signs and wonders.  He didn’t come to perform healings that would be temporary.  Those who were healed would still taste physical death in their future.  Jesus came to proclaim the Good News of what He was about to do upon the cross.  He came to perform eternal healing of the root problem of sin in the soul of man.
We then read the account of Jesus healing a man from leprosy- a terrible disease.  A leper was required to live outside the camp and cry out “unclean, unclean” when any other person was near them.  Imagine if someone today with corona virus was required to say this?  The corona virus is very contagious while leprosy is not.  But the disease of leprosy was a picture of sin for the people.  Leprosy was "the outward and visible sign of the inner spiritual corruption; a picture of its small beginnings, its gradual spread, its internal disfigurement, its destruction little by little of the whole body, of that which corrupts, degrades, and defiles man's inner nature, and makes him unfit to enter the presence of a pure and holy God" (Maclear's Handbook O.T).
Jesus shows this man compassion, touching him and making him clean.  But it is what Jesus says next that is so fascinating.  He sternly charges him in verse 43 to not tell anyone but to show himself to the priest and to offer a sacrifice as commanded by Moses.  Jesus spoke to him in a stern voice.  It was very important for the man to obey what Jesus said.  Leviticus 14:1-32 describes the laws for cleansing leprosy.  But, even though this man was a Jew, he had no regard for the Word of God in carrying out what was commanded in the Law of God as emphasized by Jesus or in not telling others of what Jesus had done.  Rather he ended up preventing Jesus from being able to share the Word of God in the towns because the crowds were now too great as the healed leper spread the news about what Jesus had done for him.  
On the surface it seemed as the healed leper had done the right thing in telling everyone about what Jesus had done.  But did this man understand that his leprosy was a picture of his sin?  Did he see that the man who healed him of his leprosy could also heal him of his sin?  Did he see any need for this?  Did he understand why he was supposed to show himself to the priest and to offer a sacrifice as commanded by Moses?  He had been healed but his sin nature remained.  He had been touched by Jesus and was made clean but his soul was still stained by sin.  The cross of Jesus Christ was still a mystery to him.  
What a contrast with the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law of her fever.  When she was healed she immediately began to serve Jesus in humility.  But for so many who were healed by Jesus they had no genuine regard for the Word of God.  Rather than a desire to serve Jesus and to obey the Word of God they only wanted this miracle worker to serve them- to remove what was troubling them.  Is this your desire for the things of God in the midst of this pandemic or are you seeking Jesus Christ for the right reasons?  Has Jesus cleansed your soul?  Have you been thoroughly made clean by His finished work upon the cross or are you as this leper? 
Pastor Murray Hack

Mark 1:16-28 16  Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17  And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18  And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19  And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20  And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. 
21  And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22  And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23  And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24  “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26  And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27  And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28  And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. 

Last week, as we celebrated Easter Sunday I shared with you how Jesus Christ is King of a Kingdom that is not of this world.  So many people do not understand this and how unique Jesus of Nazareth is among all the people who have walked on this earth.  The only way to enter into this Kingdom is to know the King- Jesus Christ and to be united to Him through His shed blood upon the cross.
At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry it is recorded that Peter and Andrew and James and John left their professions at the call of Jesus.  Being with Jesus of Nazareth was more important than anything.  So much so that the Good News that they heard from Jesus and would come to fully understand after Jesus’ resurrection would send them on a path to preach this message to the surrounding nations and to die for the One who called them.  Their lives became consumed with Jesus Christ who was their Saviour!  Are you consumed with Jesus or is He just another person who may or not have lived upon this earth?  Does His very existence mean everything to you or have you not even examined who He is?  
No one comes to give up everything to follow Jesus all at once and Peter and Andrew and James and John were no different.  They had already been looking for the Christ when Jesus had called them.  They had been prepared by John the Baptist who had declared to them in reference to Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:35) and they knew to follow Him.  They had already been born again by the Spirit of God.  It is only by a close examination of Jesus Christ that anyone will hear Jesus calling them and turn to Him.  
But no one will examine Jesus Christ unless they have a reason to.  Peter and Andrew and James and John under the preaching of John the Baptist had come to know the God of the Bible, they had come to see the wicked state of their own hearts, and they had come to see that they needed to look for the Christ, the Saviour, who was to come.  In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis how many people are searching and are in distress but do they see a need to examine Jesus Christ for who He really is?
From the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry Jesus demonstrated that He was unlike any other man.  He demonstrated that He was a King from a Kingdom not of this world.  He had an authority that was far and above any other man.  He entered the synagogue on the Saturday and taught the people and astonished them!  He spoke the Word of God in such a manner as led by the Spirit of God that they had never heard before!  Everyone was hanging on every word that He spoke and looking at Him in wonder!  Who was this man?  Does the Word of God amaze you?  In the midst of this COVID-19 crisis have you heard the Word of God as enabled by the Spirit of God?  Not just reading the Bible like any other book but the very Truth of God is revealed to you by the Spirit of God as you read it?  Jesus Christ Himself is made known to you and you are amazed!
In the synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit, someone who was demon possessed.  At the proclamation of the Word of God the demon spoke to Jesus saying:
Mark 1:24 24  “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 
Satan and his demons know that there is a judgment awaiting them for their rejection of the Holy One of God.  This final judgment will be revealed to them when Jesus stands before them one day in the future in all His authority as Judge.  They had been created as angels in eternity past but at some point they had rejected the authority of God.  They had gone their own way and had become demons- fallen angels and no longer had fellowship with God.  The demon within this man was afraid that the time of their judgment had come and so he cried out to Jesus.  Jesus could see this demon.  His Kingdom is not of this world.  He could see the forces of darkness in that synagogue unrecognized by the Jews around him.  Jesus’ Kingdom is a spiritual Kingdom where no darkness reigns.
And what does Jesus do?  He authenticates His Word in casting out the demon:  
Mark 1:25 25  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26  And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.
All the forces of darkness will one day be removed with the second coming of Jesus Christ.  This was shown at the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.  But His first coming was not as the Judge but the Saviour.  He rebuked the demon and cast it out setting the man free!  What authority Jesus has!  He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him! 
Do you recognize the One who has authority?  Do you know the King of a Kingdom that is not of this world?  Or are you too living in fear of the Judgment?  Are you afraid of being cast out forever with the demons apart from the presence of God?  Do you continue to reject the Holy One of God?  He came in authority to set you free!  He came to call you to Himself! 
Pastor Murray Hack

John 18:28-38 28  Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29  So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30  They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31  Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32  This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 
33  So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34  Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35  Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36  Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37  Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38  Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.  
John 19:14-16 14  Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15  They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16  So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. 

Last week, I shared with you about the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry at His baptism.  The Kingdom of God was at hand.  Jesus of Nazareth was revealed!   The means of our salvation was finally publicly made known as Jesus came onto the world stage and He began to perform miracles and teach people the Word of God in the nation of Israel and surrounding it.  But our salvation is not found in just following the teachings of Jesus or seeing signs and wonders performed by Him but in what this god-man has done for you and for me.  And this is the significance of Easter.  We are not commemorating a religious leader or a set of teachings but we are reflecting on this historical event that occurred over 2,000 years ago that established Jesus’ Kingdom.
There are many different kingdoms in this world but Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world as He said to Pilate the Roman governor in John 18:36.  Pilate questioned whether Jesus was the King of the Jews.  Pilate points out that if Jesus was only the King of the Jews it didn’t reflect very good upon Him that His own people and the chief priests had delivered Him over to be killed (verse 35).  But Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world and Jesus confirms this to Pilate by telling him in verse 36, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”  
Jesus stood before Pilate alone.  He acknowledged to Pilate that He was a king (verse 37) but of a different kind of kingdom of which at that time it appeared there were no subjects.  No one defended Jesus.  No one fought for Him as Jesus was facing imminent death.  His disciples had fled for fear of their own lives and none of the women who followed Jesus stood up to the Jewish authority.  Pilate was speaking with Jesus whom He recognized as a man of authority but who was this man who claimed to be a king of an empty kingdom?  
Over three and a half years, in spite of all the amazing miracles that Jesus had performed and all of the teaching that demonstrated a unique authority from God as He taught as one with authority and not as their scribes (Matthew 7:29), Jesus stood before Pilate without a single servant fighting for Him.  There was not a single person in the nation of Israel or in the entire world within that generation that stood with Jesus.  And there is not a single person throughout any generation that could have stood with Jesus in His defense.  Why?  Because all of mankind has been corrupted by sin.  All of us have been defeated.  All of us were born with a sin nature that is prone to evil and turning away from God.  The devil has defeated us all.  All of us have been born into a kingdom where darkness reigns.  All of us by nature are not in this Kingdom where Jesus is King.  Jesus, as the King of a kingdom which is not of this world, was flogged and beaten alone, He was sentenced to death alone, and He went to the cross and died alone- a king of an empty kingdom.  
But He did not remain alone and His kingdom would not be an empty kingdom!  On the Lord’s Day, on Sunday, He rose again!  His relationship to all of His disciples was restored as He appeared to them!  When He rose again He bore witness to the truth- the truth that He had proclaimed to them before He rose from the dead.  Pesus said to Pilate in verse 37-38, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  Jesus bore witness to His disciples that He had died and rose from the dead in order that they could be forgiven of their sins and be transferred into His Kingdom- the kingdom of His beloved Son.  This is why He had to die:
Colossians 1:13-14 13  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 
The darkness had been overcome!  The Kingdom of God had been formally established!  Our sins were placed upon Jesus’ body as He died and He bore our punishment and through faith we receive His righteousness.  This is the only way to enter into this Kingdom where Jesus is King- by hearing this truth and believing it, by listening to the voice of Jesus Christ and believing in what He has done for you and for me.  There is no other way to enter into this eternal kingdom that is not of this world.  But so many people know nothing of this Kingdom that Jesus speaks of.  They think that Jesus’ kingdom is of this world.  They say as Pilate said to Jesus in verse 38, “What is truth?” They are still in darkness and will not listen to the voice of Jesus.  If this is you, repent and believe.  Come into the Kingdom of God through His Son Jesus Christ!
Pastor Murray Hack