Monday - The Gospel According To Mark

Welcome to Daily Prayer.

This week we are walking through sections from Mark 3 that reveal the new people that Jesus is forming and what it means to be part of God’s family.

As Jesus’ ministry expands and draws crowds, we see that he chooses twelve disciples to be authorized apostles for his message. Misunderstanding and growing opposition from his family and religious leaders reveals how he is redefining true family around allegiance to himself. Today, we see a snapshot of the growing crowd that surrounded Jesus. 

As we begin our time together, let’s quiet our hearts and minds before the LORD. 

Lord, you are the Creator and the one who saves, heals, and restores. 

We want to know you, love you and follow you. 

Free us from anything that hinders. 

Lord, we don’t want to just be attracted to you. We want to do your will. 

We surrender to you. We trust you.

I give everyone and everything to you. 

O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise. 

A Scripture reading from Mark 3:7-12:

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon.

When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him.

11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

In todays reading, Jesus withdrawals with his disciples to the sea of Galilee but a great crowd presses in from every direction. Even people from surrounding nations begin to come. Think of the prophetic purpose of Israel to be a blessing and a light to the nations. This is being fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus restores what sin, sickness, and injustice have broken..a world that had been dominated by evil is being restored by the strong Son of God. 

A Prayer of Adoration:

Lord Jesus, you have healed so many people. You touch the untouchables. You restore the broken. You redeem what sin, sickness and evil have stolen. The crowds gather because you do amazing things. The nations come to your light. People are desperate and you are the provider. Just a touch from you can bring restoration and life. The spiritual realm recognizes your authority and falls down before you. You are the Son of God and we worship you.

A Prayer of Confession:

Lord, in this passage crowds gathered because of the testimony of those who saw you at work. They quickly shared about your healing and deliverance. Forgive me for not actively sharing all the ways you are working. Forgive me for taking for granted that you are a deliverer when so many people around me need you. Forgive me Lord. Lord, I need you.  

People in this story were almost crushing you because they were just trying to get close. Forgive us for staying at a distance. 

A Prayer of Trust:

Lord, I believe that you are still in the healing and deliverance ministry. I believe that a touch from you can change everything. I trust you can make clean what has been contaminated by sin and evil and you will do it for all who trust in you. We look to you for life. 

A Prayer of Intercession and Petition:

Lord, you are more than just a healer but we know that you are a healer and a deliverer. As we hear of your powerful working today, we want to bring before you those we know who are sick. 

Let’s take a few minutes to lift up specific people we know who are sick and in need of wholeness:

Bring healing.

Bring deliverance.

Empower us to make your gospel known. 

Bring Salvation. Bring healing body, soul, and spirit. Restore what has been lost in this evil world. 

Let Your mercy flow through our church and into our community. May the name of Jesus be lifted high. 

A Moment of Reflection:

Lord, is there any need that I am holding on to that you are inviting me to bring to you today?

As we listen to the passage again, let's listen for a word or phrase that the Holy Spirit may want to say to us:

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

And now Our Weekly Passage to Memorize together:

Mark 3:35

“For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Let’s pray the Lord’s Prayer Together as we close:

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Your kingdom come

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread and

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever 

amen