跟隨基督的腳蹤
馬可福音一章21至34節
21到了迦百農，耶穌就在安息日進了會堂教訓人。
22眾人很希奇他的教訓，因為他教訓他們，正像有權柄的人，不像文士。
23在會堂裡，有一個人被污鬼附著。他喊叫說：
24“拿撒勒人耶穌，我們與你有甚麼相干，你來滅我們嗎？我知道你是誰，乃是神的聖者！”
25耶穌責備他說：“不要做聲，從這人身上出來吧！”
26污鬼叫那人抽了一陣瘋，大聲喊叫，就出來了。
27眾人都驚訝，以致彼此對問說：“這是甚麼事？是個新道理啊！他用權柄吩咐污鬼，連污鬼也聽從了他。”
28耶穌的名聲就傳遍了加利利的四方。
29他們一出會堂，就同著雅各、約翰，進了西門和安得烈的家。
30西門的岳母正害熱病躺著，就有人告訴耶穌。
31耶穌進前拉著她的手，扶她起來，熱就退了，她就服事他們。
32天晚日落的時候，有人帶著一切害病的和被鬼附的，來到耶穌跟前；
33合城的人都聚集在門前。
34耶穌治好了許多害各樣病的人，又趕出許多鬼，不許鬼說話，因為鬼認識他。
信息分享
在第一章的經文中，我們看見基督與污鬼碰面。馬可福音共有35次提及污鬼和撒但；他們不單用盡各種方法來對抗基督，還在當時牢籠著許多人。
留意第25節和34節，基督不准污鬼說出祂的身份，儘管他們可能承認祂就是神的兒子。基督為何禁止他們呢？其中一個可能的解釋是，基督不准他們說出祂的身份，以免別人誤會他們是屬於一夥的，所以他們才聽從基督的命令。其後的確有些法利賽人這樣說──基督之所以能夠趕逐污鬼，是因為祂與撒但同夥。基督厲聲斥責他們這種講法（見可三22-30）。
經文沒有告訴我們，污鬼附著在故事中那人身上多久。基督至少在另一個場合，將附著在一個男童身上的污鬼趕走。今天有些人會否定污鬼的存在，他們對這些「奇蹟」的解釋是，基督早已知道沒有鬼附這回事，祂只是附從當時人的普遍看法，把精神病視作鬼附。然而，我們卻相信，聖經的記載是絕對可靠和真實的。
我們不知道這人被趕出污鬼之後生命有甚麼改變。神蹟發生時他身在會堂，顯示他可能想要來敬拜真神。他後來是否相信了基督呢？極有這個可能。一個親身經歷了基督作為的人，下一步當然就是跟從祂了。
FOLLOWING CHRIST’S FOOTSTEPS
Mark 1:21-34
21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.
22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”
26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.
27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.
31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.
33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door.
34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Message
Here in this first chapter, Christ comes face to face with demons. Thirty-five times in this Gospel, demons or Satan are mentioned. They sought to oppose Christ in every possible way and had a cruel hold on so many people at that time.
Notice in verse 25 and verse 34 Christ would not allow the demons to speak even though they might be acknowledging Him as the Son of God. Why was this so? One possible explanation could be that Christ would not allow them to speak in case it gave the impression that He was on their side and that they simply did what He told them to do. Later some of the Pharisees said this - that Christ cast out demons because He was in league with Satan. Christ rebuked that thought in very strong words (See Mark 3:22-30).
We are not told how long the demon had possessed the man in this story. On at least one occasion Christ cast out a demon which had control of a boy. There are those today who deny the existence of demons. Their explanation of this “miracle” is that Christ knew there was no such thing as demons but He went along with the prevailing view of that age and called mental illness, demon possession. Those of us who believe the Word of God take this story as being absolutely accurate and trustworthy.
We do not know what happened to this man in his later life. The fact that he was in the synagogue when this miracle took place may mean that he had some leaning toward the worship of the true God. Did he believe in Christ in the days which followed? It could well be. When Christ has done His work in a person’s life, the next step is to follow Him.