Mark 1:40–2:17

Bringing the sermon home:

This passage contains three accounts of miracles that Jesus performed. First, we read of Jesus cleansing a man afflicted with leprosy, a disease which forced the man to be cut off from fellowship with God and His people (see Leviticus 13). The reason Jesus is able to take away the man’s disgrace is because Jesus is going to bear that disgrace in his place on the cross. Because of the cross, we too can be cleansed from every feeling of disgrace.

This account is then followed by the account of Jesus healing a paralyzed man who was let down through the roof of the house by four friends while Jesus was “preaching the word to them”. Before commanding the paralyzed man to “rise, pick up your bed, and go home”, Jesus teaches that the man’s greater need is not physical healing here in this life, but the forgiveness of sins for the sake of eternal life. To prove His ability to forgive sins, which belongs to God alone, Jesus heals the man.

Finally, we read of Jesus calling a tax collector named Levi (a.k.a. Matthew), and of Levi walking away from his tax booth to follow Jesus. This is no less of a miracle than the cleansing of the leper or the healing of the paralytic. In many respects, this is the greater miracle, for a greedy man’s heart was transformed and caused to desire fellowship with God and His people more than sin. The Pharisees prove themselves to be self-serving frauds by separating themselves from outwardly wayward sinners.