Sermon Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Sermon
Location Faith Lutheran – Date 2/8/2009
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany – Year B
Primary Text: Mark 1:29-39
Jesus Christ was in a barroom mingling with the ne'er-do-well and others as he was wont to do to demonstrate the inclusion of everyone in the kingdom of God. He bought one man a drink and the man thanked him. Christ said "You are welcome, my son" and touched him on the left shoulder. Immediately the man felt a healing warmth and the stiffness of many years disappeared and he had full range of motion of his shoulder. He was amazed and gratified and soon the whole barroom was aware of the miracle. Christ bought another man a drink and the man thanked him. Christ said "You are welcome, my son" and touched him above his left eye which was blind and covered by a patch. Immediately the man felt a healing warmth and he lifted the patch and he could see perfectly with that eye. He was amazed and gratified and soon the whole barroom was aware of the miracle. Jesus bought a third man a drink and the man thanked him. Christ said "You are welcome, my son" and reached to touch him on the chest. The man backed up and screamed "Don't touch me! I'm on disability leave from work!"
When I was in High School the Youth Minister at my home church did a study on the Gospel of Mark, during the study he called Mark the James Bond Gospel. Jesus is immediately sent to the wilderness, the disciples immediately left their nets and followed him, as soon as they leave the synagogue, they enter Peter’s house. They immediately tell Jesus about Peter’s mother-in-law. And so on and so on. In fact in just the first chapter of Mark, the greek word often translated as immediately shows up 11 times. It shows up just 5 times in all of Matthew, once in Luke, 3 times in John and once in Acts. Also adding to the 007 feel is that Jesus is always on a mission. His first words in the book are talking about his mission to proclaim the Good News of God. In our reading today he states that he needs to go to the neighboring towns to proclaim the message, because that is what he came to do.
In fact, the pacing of the Gospel of Mark seems like a Bond movie as well. There are few pauses to slow down and catch your breath. We are 5 weeks into epiphany where we have 4 readings from the beginning of Mark, all of which take place in the first chapter, and next week finally concludes the chapter. We just jump into the story, Jesus appears, is baptized, and is tempted in the first 13 verses. In the next 15 he calls his first disciples, begins to teach in synagogues, and heals a man with a unclean spirit. In the ten verses that we get today, he enters Peter’s home, heals his mother in law, then heals the whole city who gathers around and in the house. The whole of the book up until this point is one mad dash, jumping from thing to thing.
In 35, we find the first point where Jesus gets some alone time and is able to just sit and pray. In the midst of this story, we see Jesus go out on his own to pray, for what we do not know, but even Christ in the midst of this hectic pace, takes time to make sure and talk to God, as the direct meaning of the word says. Even here, he is quickly hunted down, found and told that everyone is searching for him. In the midst of our own hectic lives, filled with work, serving, and caring for others, we too need to take that small time to go and talk to God, and when we are found, we go back out, knowing that God heard our prayers, that God knows our troubles, and that we are loved, and will be healed.
What does Jesus do after getting caught? Does he go hide further, no he in fact increases the amount of people that he is proclaiming to. In eight verses, 31 to 39, he goes from healing one person to proclaiming and casting out demons throughout the entire region. That certainly sounds James Bondish, no just staying in London and catching the bad guys who are there, Bond goes from London, to Berlin, to southeast Asia, to Moscow, New Orleans and back to a few of those places again. Jesus does not just stay in Capernaum, he spreads to the entire region.
During his fast action in Mark, Jesus does not stay in one spot nor does he ignore some because of who they are. Jesus associates with those with unclean spirits, with women who are often seen as outsiders in that culture, even to this day, and next week he heals a leper, often seen as the ultimate outcast. Not once does Jesus say no, I will not heal them, or they are not worthy of my proclamation, he heals them, he cures them, he casts out their demons, not just there, but throughout Galilee, and that good news has spread throughout the world.
These days there is so much attention on what we call the Holy Land, but we need to remember that to God, everything, is good every thing is holy. All that was created, God saw as good. Yes, Israel and Palestine are in the location of Jesus direct ministry and I often feel that for peace to exist anywhere we must work to bring peace to Israel and Palestine. However, just as Jesus quickly left Capernaum to proclaim to the entire region, Jesus is present not just to the Holy Land. Christ is present to all, Christ message is for all of God’s creation, not just those of one place or of one denomination or way of thinking. We are a part of those whom Jesus came to; we have been told of the good news, that through Christ we are saved.
Jesus comes to all each and everyday, when we call out because of sickness, pain, grief, loss or for any reason, Christ immediately comes to us and lifts us up. The word used to describe Jesus lifting Peter’s Mother-in-law up is the same used for Christ resurrection, for just as he was raised, through him we too will be raised. We will be cared for and comforted, and when we are at the lowest of the low, we remember that Christ came deep, deep down to us, taking on human form, to take our hand and lift us up.
Let us Pray,
God of all, we ask you to be with us in all that we do, call to us to talk to you, telling you our troubles and problems. We know that you reach to us immediately and that through your touch we are healed, we ask you to be present to all in this world and work to bring peace to all. Help us to reach out to all those in need.
We ask this in your name,
Amen
Location Faith Lutheran – Date 2/8/2009
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany – Year B
Primary Text: Mark 1:29-39
Jesus Christ was in a barroom mingling with the ne'er-do-well and others as he was wont to do to demonstrate the inclusion of everyone in the kingdom of God. He bought one man a drink and the man thanked him. Christ said "You are welcome, my son" and touched him on the left shoulder. Immediately the man felt a healing warmth and the stiffness of many years disappeared and he had full range of motion of his shoulder. He was amazed and gratified and soon the whole barroom was aware of the miracle. Christ bought another man a drink and the man thanked him. Christ said "You are welcome, my son" and touched him above his left eye which was blind and covered by a patch. Immediately the man felt a healing warmth and he lifted the patch and he could see perfectly with that eye. He was amazed and gratified and soon the whole barroom was aware of the miracle. Jesus bought a third man a drink and the man thanked him. Christ said "You are welcome, my son" and reached to touch him on the chest. The man backed up and screamed "Don't touch me! I'm on disability leave from work!"
When I was in High School the Youth Minister at my home church did a study on the Gospel of Mark, during the study he called Mark the James Bond Gospel. Jesus is immediately sent to the wilderness, the disciples immediately left their nets and followed him, as soon as they leave the synagogue, they enter Peter’s house. They immediately tell Jesus about Peter’s mother-in-law. And so on and so on. In fact in just the first chapter of Mark, the greek word often translated as immediately shows up 11 times. It shows up just 5 times in all of Matthew, once in Luke, 3 times in John and once in Acts. Also adding to the 007 feel is that Jesus is always on a mission. His first words in the book are talking about his mission to proclaim the Good News of God. In our reading today he states that he needs to go to the neighboring towns to proclaim the message, because that is what he came to do.
In fact, the pacing of the Gospel of Mark seems like a Bond movie as well. There are few pauses to slow down and catch your breath. We are 5 weeks into epiphany where we have 4 readings from the beginning of Mark, all of which take place in the first chapter, and next week finally concludes the chapter. We just jump into the story, Jesus appears, is baptized, and is tempted in the first 13 verses. In the next 15 he calls his first disciples, begins to teach in synagogues, and heals a man with a unclean spirit. In the ten verses that we get today, he enters Peter’s home, heals his mother in law, then heals the whole city who gathers around and in the house. The whole of the book up until this point is one mad dash, jumping from thing to thing.
In 35, we find the first point where Jesus gets some alone time and is able to just sit and pray. In the midst of this story, we see Jesus go out on his own to pray, for what we do not know, but even Christ in the midst of this hectic pace, takes time to make sure and talk to God, as the direct meaning of the word says. Even here, he is quickly hunted down, found and told that everyone is searching for him. In the midst of our own hectic lives, filled with work, serving, and caring for others, we too need to take that small time to go and talk to God, and when we are found, we go back out, knowing that God heard our prayers, that God knows our troubles, and that we are loved, and will be healed.
What does Jesus do after getting caught? Does he go hide further, no he in fact increases the amount of people that he is proclaiming to. In eight verses, 31 to 39, he goes from healing one person to proclaiming and casting out demons throughout the entire region. That certainly sounds James Bondish, no just staying in London and catching the bad guys who are there, Bond goes from London, to Berlin, to southeast Asia, to Moscow, New Orleans and back to a few of those places again. Jesus does not just stay in Capernaum, he spreads to the entire region.
During his fast action in Mark, Jesus does not stay in one spot nor does he ignore some because of who they are. Jesus associates with those with unclean spirits, with women who are often seen as outsiders in that culture, even to this day, and next week he heals a leper, often seen as the ultimate outcast. Not once does Jesus say no, I will not heal them, or they are not worthy of my proclamation, he heals them, he cures them, he casts out their demons, not just there, but throughout Galilee, and that good news has spread throughout the world.
These days there is so much attention on what we call the Holy Land, but we need to remember that to God, everything, is good every thing is holy. All that was created, God saw as good. Yes, Israel and Palestine are in the location of Jesus direct ministry and I often feel that for peace to exist anywhere we must work to bring peace to Israel and Palestine. However, just as Jesus quickly left Capernaum to proclaim to the entire region, Jesus is present not just to the Holy Land. Christ is present to all, Christ message is for all of God’s creation, not just those of one place or of one denomination or way of thinking. We are a part of those whom Jesus came to; we have been told of the good news, that through Christ we are saved.
Jesus comes to all each and everyday, when we call out because of sickness, pain, grief, loss or for any reason, Christ immediately comes to us and lifts us up. The word used to describe Jesus lifting Peter’s Mother-in-law up is the same used for Christ resurrection, for just as he was raised, through him we too will be raised. We will be cared for and comforted, and when we are at the lowest of the low, we remember that Christ came deep, deep down to us, taking on human form, to take our hand and lift us up.
Let us Pray,
God of all, we ask you to be with us in all that we do, call to us to talk to you, telling you our troubles and problems. We know that you reach to us immediately and that through your touch we are healed, we ask you to be present to all in this world and work to bring peace to all. Help us to reach out to all those in need.
We ask this in your name,
Amen
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