³² That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. ³³ The whole town gathered at the door, ³⁴ and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.  ³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” ³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” ³⁹ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

–Mark 1.32-39 (NIV)

Mark gives us important insights to those who are interested in following Jesus. He also gives us important insights into how God plans to bring forth his kingdom on earth as he does in heaven.

In today’s lesson, Mark paints quite a chaotic picture. Word has gotten out that Jesus is a healer and after the Sabbath ends, folks in Capernaum bring their sick to have Jesus heal them, which he does. Notice carefully that Jesus gets up early the next morning to pray. Even our Lord needed prayer to be refreshed and renewed each day, to be reminded of his mission and the work ahead of him that day and beyond. Jesus started his day out in prayer because of the day’s heavy demands and so that he could be attuned to God’s will for him. In doing so, Jesus clearly enjoyed peace with God and found strength to do his work every day. Do you start your day thusly?

And then Peter comes to Jesus and says, “Everyone is looking for you!” Indeed. Everyone looks for Jesus as long as we think he can do something for us. But when he makes demands on our time and lives that are not consistent with our needs or wishes, we are not so interested in finding him because suddenly Jesus becomes quite an inconvenience. It is always helpful for us to examine our motives for seeking (or not seeking) Jesus on a regular basis to see if we seek (or don’t seek) him primarily for what he can do for us. I am not suggesting that we shouldn’t ever ask Jesus to do things for us or to help us. But if that is why we follow Jesus, we will soon discover that he is not very interested in having that kind of relationship with us. After all, how do you react toward those whom you perceive are willing to bring nothing to your relationship with them, that they are only hanging out with you because of what they perceive you can do for them?

Last, Mark gives us insight into how God intends for his kingdom (his rule) to break forth on his broken world. It isn’t by force or military might. It isn’t going to come suddenly (at least until the end of time), primarily so that we can be healed rather than destroyed.

No, the kingdom comes through selfless service to others in God’s name. It comes through healing the sick, raising the dead, and having mercy on those who don’t deserve it. It comes primarily through our actions. Look carefully at Jesus’ ministry in all the Gospels and you will see this is exactly what Jesus did. He preached through his actions and then tried to explain those actions to those who would listen in terms of bringing about God’s kingdom here on earth.

The good news for those of us who want to follow Jesus is that we have the opportunity to do likewise. We can deny our selfish desires and be prepared to do the hard things Jesus calls us to do so that we can follow him. We may not be able to raise the dead but we can bring Jesus’ great love for all people to bear on those who need it. We can feed the hungry. We can pray for and anoint the sick. We can advocate for God’s justice to be brought to bear where we see injustice being perpetrated, especially on the least and most vulnerable of our society. That is the whole point behind Matthew 25.31-45. Check it out.

We don’t have to wait to die before we can have a real and satisfying relationship with Jesus. He is interested in us right now. There is work to be done on his behalf and if we are unwilling to do the work Jesus calls us to do, it is quite likely that we are more interested in having a relationship with him that is based on what we think he can do for us. In other words, we aren’t really interested in having a relationship with Jesus.

Of course, Jesus has done quite a lot for us already, but it is stuff that we might not be thinking about. He has taken God’s just condemnation for our rebellion against God from us. He has offered us new life in the Spirit. He offers us the wondrous hope of New Creation where we will get to live directly in God’s presence one day. He offers us rest and refreshment from our work and worries through the ordinary means of grace like prayer, Bible study, the Eucharist, and Christian fellowship. This isn’t a complete list, but you get the point.

Is that the kind of life you are looking for? Do you see where there is potential for great meaning and purpose in your life if you decide to follow Jesus? Do you understand you can tap a power that is well beyond your own to help you in the work God calls you to do? If so, you are ready to follow Jesus–and for all the right reasons.