The Servant Jesus - is There a Jesus in the House?

As we learned in Mark chapter 1, Jesus began His very public ministry in Capernaum. He entered the town and began preaching about the Kingdom of God. In that chapter, Jesus also demonstrated His great power. He cast out demons and healed diseases of every sort. From Mark 1:32, we learn that Jesus must have healed nearly every sick person in that town!        His miracles eclipsed His message! The people flocked to Jesus to see what He would do next. Each miracle left them hungry for more. To escape this frenzy, Jesus and His four disciples left Capernaum and began a preaching tour through Galilee, 1:38-39.        That preaching tour is over, and Jesus and His men return to Capernaum. This town was an important place in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. Capernaum served as the northern headquarters for His ministry. It was here that He put His great healing power on public display. It was here that He preached in power. In Capernaum, Jesus Christ made His very public claims to be the Messiah here. But Capernaum had a problem!        This city valued the miracles more than the message or the Messiah. They wanted the spectacular and rejected our Lord’s offer of salvation. As a result, Jesus later pronounced a curse upon this city, Luke 10:13-15. (Ill. Those who have received much from the hand of the Lord and rejected it will face the greater judgment, Luke 12:48. Ill. I would rather go to Hell from anywhere than from a pew in a Bible-believing Baptist church!)