Mark 2 • Walking Home with Jesus

God worked in the background to ready the world for His Son to make His appearance. Through angels, God announced the coming of His kingdom with Jesus as the king. Mark recorded Jesus making this same announcement about Himself. Such good news gave hope to a discouraged people as they looked to Jesus as their deliverer. In this post, we will learn from Mark chapter 2 that Jesus is with us in our homes and uses our homes to reach others around us.

Listen to this blog as a similar podcast from our Heartbreak to Hope Bible Study of Mark.

Where You Live

Picture in your mind where you live. Is it a house in a neighborhood or in the country? Is it an apartment? Or do you occupy a room of someone else’s house? Home is where you live—where you do life together with family and friends. You may spend so much time in an office or in your car that you might feel like you live there.

Mark chapter 2 describes what takes place in two homes filled with real people in a real town. Just like that, you and I go home every day to real places surrounded by real people in a real town. The real town for Jesus was Capernaum. Mark wrote this,

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home. (Mark 2:1)

Jesus made this town His home base for ministry to all sides of the Sea of Galilee. He made Himself at home among His new neighbors. And He does the same thing with us.

This is what Jesus said in John chapter 14,

“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23)

Isn’t that delightful? That means walking in the door of wherever we live, Jesus is “with” us. What I think Jesus wants us to know today is this: we can experience and enjoy His presence in our homes—daily—and so can our house neighbors.

What does it mean to walk home with Jesus? Let us look at the first real home in Capernaum—Peter’s house, where the paralyzed man was healed.

Enjoying Jesus’ Presence at Home (Peter’s House)

Scholars and tradition strongly hold that Peter’s house became “the house of Jesus.” Whenever Jesus was in Capernaum, He walked across a small rocky yard through the front door, into the courtyard of a large house and dwelled there with His new “house neighbors.” Who were they?

For sure, Peter and Andrew, plus Peter’s wife—let us call her Mrs. Peter—and Mrs. Peter’s mother (Mark 1:30). Later in Mark, when the disciples were in the house arguing about something, Jesus took a little child in His arms (Mark 9:33-37). I doubt if He reached out the window and grabbed one off the street! So, I think there were children in Jesus’ new home.

What do you think it was like for Mrs. Peter to experience Jesus’ presence in her home? Of course, there were the fun things like great conversation around the dinner table! What about how He healed her mom?

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. (Mark 1:29-31)

That is answered prayer for sure, especially since there were so many men to feed.

Jesus not only ate meals that she prepared, He also befriended her husband and discipled him to be a more mature man. And Mrs. Peter got to learn from Him herself as He taught in her home. Whenever He was present in her home, she could enjoy Him.

To enjoy Jesus’ presence in your home means to accept it as an absolute fact.

Before we can begin to enjoy Him in our homes, we must accept His continual presence as an absolute fact. I don’t mean Jesus lives in the walls or ceilings of your house. You are not going to find Him hiding in the closet—nothing spooky like that. This is what I mean:

When you and I hear the good news of Christ and put our faith in Him, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you and me. We become united with Jesus Christ—one with Him in Spirit. For me, that means He lives in me, and I live in Him. When I am in my house, He is with me. When I leave my house, He is still with me. What I do, He is in on it. That is true for anyone who trusts in Him. And get this: we can enjoy Jesus’ presence even when life is not presently enjoyable.

Sometimes life was a bit challenging for Mrs. Peter. For instance, the evening after her mom was healed, every sick person in the whole town was at her front door!

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. (Mark 1:32-34)

How do you think she felt about that? How would you feel?

Then, townspeople and uninvited guests were crammed into her house to hear Jesus preach.

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. (Mark 2:1-2)

For Mrs. Peter, she had wall-to-wall sweaty people sitting on her chairs and floor mats. Then, what happens? Crumbled mud starts dropping down all over her floor. She looks up and sees four men tearing this huge hole in her roof to let their friend’s stretcher down near Jesus.

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. (Mark 2:3-4)

What do you think she might have been thinking? Even if it was not Mrs. Peter’s house, it was someone’s house. What would you be thinking?

Some of those sweaty people were likely friends whom she knew and liked—her “street neighbors.” Jesus may have healed some of them outside her front door a while back. They were interested or already believed in Him.

But some of Mrs. Peter’s neighbors were not so nice. Here, Mark introduces us to some critical snobs called “Teachers of the law” who were like modern lawyers or seminary professors.

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? (Mark 2:6-8)

For Mrs. Peter, those lawyers had traveled from all parts of Israel to prominently place themselves in her house, on her chairs, and cast their critical remarks. How do you feel about someone who always finds fault with you? Who comes into your home to do the white glove test on your windowsills?

All of these different kinds of people were in the presence of Jesus in Mrs. Peter’s home. She needed to accept that reality. There is one more thing…

To enjoy Jesus’ presence in your home means giving Him permission to make it His own.

For Mrs. Peter, this involved many years. Whenever Jesus was in Capernaum, He and his disciples probably stayed in her house. That meant feeding a bunch more men besides her own. Crowds gathered at the door at mealtime so they could hardly eat before the food got cold (Mark 3:20). Later on, a church met in her home. Mrs. Peter needed to remember who made His home in her house. And so do we.

When we go to wherever it is that we live, we walk in that door with our Lord. He wants us to give Him permission to make it His own. Likely that will not involve having crowds of people crammed into your place and tearing holes through your roof. But it might.

What do you do then? If you prayed about the place where you are now living, for what did you ask God? Something affordable? Comfortable? Near good schools? We pray. God answers by providing a place. Then what? Do we consider that God has provided not only for our shelter but also for His use?

A picture that has been on our living room wall for many years reads: “This is the Lord’s house, temporarily occupied by the Newtons.”

Looking at this picture should remind me that Jesus gave us this place to live but not just for our comfort and enjoyment. It is His home too. Am I enjoying His presence here? Does He have permission to use it to introduce Himself to those who need to know Him?

Jesus was at home in Mrs. Peter’s house. She believed in Him. She experienced and enjoyed His presence. And while Jesus stayed there, He got to know His new neighbors, including the one who owned the next real home we are visiting—Levi.

The Neighbors Enjoying Jesus’ Presence (Levi’s House)

Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. (Mark 2:13-15)

Levi was on a “get rich quick” path of life. A tax collector back then was like a drug dealer today, except his business was legal. The Romans collected a tax on everything including highway tolls and customs on any goods you carried through the city. That is what Levi was doing—sitting in his tollbooth, collecting that money. To do this job meant that he was educated and could write in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. His job required that he carry an inkwell at his waist and some paper for making notes.

Tax collecting was for the greedy. You could charge whatever you wanted above Rome’s share to line your own pockets. So if you were a Jewish tax collector, you were considered a cheat, a liar, and a traitor. You were part of the scum of Jewish society along with the “sinners” who were really bad people like moneychangers, thieves, and prostitutes. Tax collectors were so despised that they were not allowed to attend synagogue or to testify in court.

Remember that paralyzed man in Peter’s house? He was desperate. But so was healthy, wealthy Levi! Do you live near someone like that? Smart, but hopeless. Jesus knew his desperate condition and offered hope by saying two words, “Follow me.” Levi did. So Jesus walked home with His new neighbor, Levi.

Paul asserts in 1 Corinthians 9:5 that all the Apostles had believing wives so Levi was probably married. Let us call her Mrs. Levi. Her husband’s disgrace extended to her as well. No synagogue for her. The Jewish community shunned her.

Perhaps there is someone in your neighborhood, even in your church, who has experienced this. She is married to a guy who has a prison record, who struggles with pornography, who is a registered sex offender, or is an alcoholic. How do you feel about her? How does she feel about herself?

That is Mrs. Levi.

Jesus’ presence brings a life change.

If there was a Mrs. Levi, how do you think she felt when Jesus walked through her front door, arm-in-arm with her husband? We do not know. But something had changed her husband. It would change her life as well.

Look at what Levi did to celebrate his new relationship with Jesus. He threw a big party. And look whom he invited—guys from the office. Mrs. Levi was probably used to that. They stuck together. And they brought friends—moneychangers, thieves, and maybe a prostitute or two. Jesus came with His disciples and those who followed Him. Plus, look who else showed up.

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:16-17)

The Pharisees were listening outside the front door, peering through the windows. Unlike Mrs. Peter’s house, they would not have stepped foot inside this one!

Wherever Jesus goes, people are always watching and asking questions. Those snobbish Pharisees saw Him do the unexpected—eating with “sinners,” so they asked Him why. Back then, eating with someone was a sign of friendship so how could a preacher be a friend to sinners? Before those Pharisees would have eaten one bite of food with Levi, they would have demanded that Levi wash seven times in the Jordan River plus completely sanitize his house. Even that would not be enough! But that is not how our Jesus is.

Sure, Mr. and Mrs. Levi did not go to church to hear Jesus. They were guilty of sin in their lives just like we are. They needed God’s mercy just like we do. Mercy is God’s amnesty. It is being pardoned and not getting the judgment or punishment we deserve.

Who in your life is desperately in need of God’s mercy right now? What about that woman next door or sitting in that office? We are supposed to allow Jesus to use His presence in our lives and homes to reach them. Perhaps your own “house neighbors” need the Jesus living in you to extend mercy to them, the kind of mercy you have already received from Him.

 Jesus’ presence brings new purpose.

Levi became known by another name—Matthew—meaning, “beloved of God.” That name certainly reflected his new identity. Mrs. Levi was no longer Mrs. Tax Collector but Mrs. Matthew, also beloved of God. And Matthew had a new way to use his skills. His gospel is the longest one and records more of Jesus’ teachings than the other authors do. In his gospel, Matthew lists himself among the apostles as “Matthew, the tax collector.” That reflects how he was known before and after knowing Jesus.

Matthew’s account of this story records Jesus saying to the Pharisees,

“Go and learn what this means. ‘I (God) desire mercy and not sacrifice.’” (Mark 2:17)

Mercy is what Levi needed. Mercy is what his wife and friends needed. Jesus offered it to them all—right there in Mrs. Levi’s home.

To Mrs. Peter and Mrs. Levi, Jesus was God with skin on. He is not here on earth in His body anymore. But His Spirit comes to live inside our spirits so that even today homes are central to Jesus’ ministry on earth.

Homes Are Central to Jesus’ Ministry on Earth.

Think about it. Homes were significant to Jesus. In homes, He taught and had discussions with His disciples. You will see this throughout Mark (Mark 7:17; 9:33; 10:10). In homes, He ate with those who loved Him as well as with those who were skeptical of Him (Luke 7:36-47, 14:1). In homes, women sat at His feet, listening to Him teach and tearfully pouring out their hearts to Him. Homes were central to His ministry then and are still important now. Do you think that way?

There is a third home in Mark chapter 2. In Peter’s house, Jesus told the healed man to do something.

“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:11-12)

Jesus told the healed man to go home. Why not to the synagogue? You know, go brag to the priests and rabbis. What was at home? The people who loved him and cared for him were there. Who do you think enjoyed Jesus’ presence more that day—the Pharisees or the healed man and his family? I agree, the man and his family.

Jesus often told people to go home. Later, in Mark 5, he said to another healed man,

“Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. (Mark 5:19-20)

The healed man obeyed Jesus. Those at home heard his story.

Where do you live? What has Jesus done in your life that your “house neighbors” and “street neighbors” and “work neighbors” need to hear?

I heard one of my favorite teachers, Josh McDowell, say this,

“Relationships determine what we believe. We are talked into talking; we are loved into loving; we are related into believing.” (Josh McDowell, Dallas Theological Seminary Commencement, May 2005)

A loving relationship with God incites you to accept His truth. A loving relationship with a child stimulates that child to accept the truth by which you live. A loving relationship with a neighbor, co-worker, or family member just might stir that person to accept the truth that drives your life. That is why Jesus sent those men and others home. He basically said, “Go to the ones with whom you have a relationship and introduce me to them.”

What about you? Maybe you are curious but not yet convinced about Jesus. Is the Holy Spirit drawing you today to commit yourself to Him? If the prayer of your heart is for Jesus to have mercy on you as a sinner, at this moment Jesus is saying to you, “Follow Me.” Say yes. When you go home today, you will be walking home with Jesus. Please do not leave this post without knowing for sure.

If you are already a Christian, what are you going to do with this message? You can enjoy Jesus’ presence in your life and in your home.

Enjoy reading these other articles related to the gospel of Mark:

• Mark 1: The announcement about the kingdom of God coming to earth and how that related to Jesus.
• Mark 5: As Jesus interacted with people, He satisfied the most desperate hearts with hope when they needed healing and comfort. He does the same for us today.
• Mark 7: Jesus showed love for shunned women by demonstrating kindness toward them.
• Mark 8: Jesus challenged His followers then and now to dare to be different from your world
• Mark 12: Jesus revealed to us the God we can know and love because He is a trustworthy God.
• Mark 13: Avoiding deception trails while following Jesus daily and waiting for His return.
• Mark 14-15: The crucifixion. Read “God Makes Ugly Beautiful” to see how God took the ugliness of the cross and made it something beautiful for every believer.
• Mark 16: The resurrection. Read “Resurrection…What Does It Really Mean?”

Let Jesus satisfy your heart with hope, healing, and love as you get to know Him and trust Him more each day.

The above information is covered in our Heartbreak to Hope Bible Study of Mark.

Related Resources:

• Satisfied Series 10 Podcasts (Mark)
• New Testament Women: Trust Jesus to satisfy your heart needs
• Luke 1-2: Mary-Jesus satisfies your heart with GRACE
• Pathway #1: Start with Knowing Jesus Christ

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