You read the Gospel of Mark, you get the impression that Jesus didn't like crowds. Which is strange considering that he's a Messiah who has come to save the whole world. But I'll tell you something even stranger, he hides the fact that he is Messiah. When the demons recognize him, he says, "Don't tell anyone. Keep it quiet." Which makes it even more curious, because in this phase of his ministry, it's at the beginning, he's in Galilee with his friends, he is preaching to those who are enthusiastic about him. Mark describes it in these words. "At once his fame spread throughout all the surrounding territory of Galilee."

This is our text for this morning. It's in the first chapter of Mark, the chapter that introduces Jesus' ministry. The description includes three anecdotes, which allow us …