In these paragraphs, Mark describes Jesus' Sabbath stay in Capernaum. While teaching, He'd had to deal with the outbursts of a demon-possessed man in the synagogue congregation. As Jesus went home with Simon Peter and Andrew, the demands continued—especially after sunset, when the Sabbath ban on travel was no longer in force.

How did Jesus respond to real needs and popular demand?

1. How did Jesus respond to the needs of Simon's mother-in-law and of those arriving after sunset?



2. Would you say that Jesus viewed His time as His own?



3. How did Jesus respond to the report (v. 37) that He was in high demand?



4. Did Jesus view His time as belonging to others to meet their needs?



5. What drastic actions did Jesus take to break away from others and hear from the Father?



6. So to whom did Jesus understand that His time belonged?

Ask God to help you offer up your time to its rightful owner, inviting Him to tell you what He wants you to do with it.

²⁹After Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, they went over to Simon and Andrew's home, and James and John were with them. ³⁰Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. ³¹He went to her bedside, and as he took her by the hand and helped her to sit up, the fever suddenly left, and she got up and prepared a meal for them.

³²That evening at sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. ³³And a huge crowd of people from all over Capernaum gathered outside the door to watch. ³⁴So Jesus healed great numbers of sick people who had many different kinds of diseases, and he ordered many demons to come out of their victims. But because they knew who he was, he refused to allow the demons to speak.

³⁵The next morning Jesus awoke long before daybreak and went out alone into the wilderness to pray. ³⁶Later Simon and the others went out to find him. ³⁷They said, "Everyone is asking for you."

³⁸But he replied, "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too, because that is why I came." ³⁹So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and expelling demons from many people.

Prayer for the Week

Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn. —Psalm 5:8

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