June 4, 2019 -- Mark 1:21-26 -- Jesus the Holy One of God

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.  And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.  And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,  “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.”  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”  And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

Mark 1:21-26 ESV

Have you ever felt “unclean”? Yesterday I had the privilege of watching our youngest granddaughter. She had been sick. At one point in the day she had a terrible case of the runs. It leaked through her diaper, through her clothes and was on the floor and the wagon she was playing on. Cleaning up required many wipes and cloths and you can bet I was constantly washing my hands as our little one’s dad and me cleaned her up. Our oldest granddaughter wanted to comfort me and come near and hug me. I am like sharply saying, “Stay away!” I was aware how infectious I could be and how unclean I was which is why I was so curt in my response.

Sin makes us unclean before God. Awareness of our wrong-doing makes us ashamed to approach the Holy One of Heaven. We feel we can’t go to church. We think we must isolate ourselves. When the prophet Isaiah had a vision of the Holy One seated in splendor he cried out: “Woe is me! I am disintegrating [undone].” That is the powerful presence and glory of the LORD’s holiness.

Notice the contrast of our passage! A man with an unclean—an evil—spirit approaches Jesus. This man is aware of his need. The demons within him cry out in fear of Jesus, the Holy One of God—but the man runs to Jesus. This is huge. Jesus is fully God. He is fully able to cast out demons as in our passage today. He is fully able to heal the sick (Mark 5:25ff). This is the theme constantly repeated in the Bible!

In the case of those who are sick and those who are demon possessed, such persons would run from the Father—seated high and in terrible majesty. In fact, the thought of even approaching Him is beyond imagining. Jesus is the Holy One—fully Human, and fully God—sent from God, is the great and glorious sign of God’s persistent live. As humans we are able to approach another man—a human. This is why the Father sent the Son—so that a man would seek and save us, lost humans. Jesus is “the Holy One of God” and He is our Savior. He is approachable. He takes from us our uncleanness and gives to us the cleansing forgiveness and healing our body, mind and soul need.

If you know you are sinful—don’t stay away from church! It is the place of meeting Jesus, it is the place of healing. In a Christian church we lead each other to the wells of salvation, to Jesus the Holy One of God and find our sins are washed away.

The Scriptures show us Jesus—the Holy One of God—approachable by the sick, by the ashamed, by those mastered by sins too great for them to fight and they find in Jesus the One Who heals, Who welcomes, Who sets free and covers them all with His forgiving grace. No wonder we have the glorious invitation “Today, if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts”(Psalm 95:7)—do not find excuses to stay away and think your sins are unique in all of human history and too great for Holy One of God! Come to Jesus and find in Him forgiveness and cleansing.

Ah Jesus, as the hymn writer stated so long ago: What amazing love! Bold I approach Your throne and claim the crown through Christ my own! Forgive me. Heal me. As hope and wonder flood my soul, by Your Spirit enable me to dedicate my thoughts and hands, my heart and my actions to Your service all to the glory of the Father in heaven. Amen.

The above prayer is based on the Hymn “And Can It Be?” here is a wonderful version of it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu2uA6U4Fxg&list=RDnHCMdIOg1gs&index=2