Did you know that you are a minister?

That’s right. Each and every one of you is a minister, because if you have faith in God, he wants you to use that faith to reach out to a lost and hurting world. We have a ministry, even if we don’t work for a church. We must proclaim the truth of God’s love in thought, word and deed, as if we are a dying man or woman of God ministering to dying people.

As Christians, we focus on Christ and his love, but this love is just a vague concept to most people unless that love is reborn in each and every one of us each and every day and we learn to love others as Christ loves us. After all, Christ said that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love people.

As ministers, we are to show that love by shining a light on the Gospel. The Gospel has been hidden to those who are lost, in the dark and who follow Satan. The human heart is wicked and blind. For example, Paul’s opponents didn’t understand his ministry because they didn’t know the meaning of the Gospel. Satan has been defeated, but he is still powerful. He is still a dominant force in our world. If he can trick people into thinking he is equal to God (as he did to Eve in the Garden of Eden), he can blind people to the truth of the Gospel. Truth that can be trusted is truth that changes and also testifies to others. We have been entrusted as ministers of the Gospel.

In the past century, the church has been divided among those whose focus was evangelism (the proclamation of Christ crucified) and those who were focused on social welfare or social justice. Which should we be doing? The answer is that we should be doing both. However, the proclamation of Christ crucified should be our central focus, and efforts to achieve social welfare or social justice should be an outgrowth of that focus––and not the other way around.

Jesus’ name must be on the lips of those who believe in him. Their service in his name should confirm the integrity of their message, especially if the message comes from those who have been called to preach the Gospel. God does not shine his light on anyone’s heart for his/her sake alone. Every believer’s knowledge of Christ must shine on a world that desperately needs Christ’s love. The light of the Holy Spirit shines on the world. It allows our lives to be touched and our faith to be kindled. Paul’s preaching was open and sincere, but the Gospel is hidden from many people. The only way it can be revealed is by witnessing to others. This witnessing involves spiritual warfare because Satan is actively opposed to Christian witness. Nevertheless, we need to be lights in our dark, sin-filled world.

Paul was not motivated by money or the need for human approval. Consequently, he refused to water down or change God’s word to suit what people wanted to hear. Paul is a good example for us to follow. We must not be motivated by earthly desires. We must be motivated by a deep and sincere desire to spread the Good News of the Gospel. We must not alter or change God’s Word to conform to what people want to hear. We must not “tickle their ears.” We must pierce their hearts, minds and souls. Honesty is beautiful and refreshingly simple, just like servants of God-no hidden meanings, no hypocrisy, no duplicity, and no political games.

When we do God’s work, we must not tamper with the Gospel, no matter how much we are tempted. If we tamper with the Gospel, it loses power and our witness and ministry are negatively affected. The things of this world must not become more important than our devotion to Christ. He is the utmost authority we must obey. We must stay true to the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus. Everything we do must point people to Jesus. That is what evangelism is in its purest form.

Paul’s ministry is an example of servanthood. Servanthood implies diligence, faithfulness, loyalty and humility. Servants don’t compete, grandstand, polish their image or grab the limelight. They know their job, they admit their limitations, and they do what they do quietly and consistently.

We must not be discouraged when we face rejection or persecution. The evil in our world can easily discourage us, but we must remember that throughout history the evil nature of our world has rejected and persecuted those who preach the truth of what is written in the Bible. We must not lose heart, faith or hope. We have been given a specific ministry-something we can do and that God wants us to do. When we do what God tells us to do, we find encouragement about ourselves and about life.

We must constantly remind ourselves that God does the work in our ministry. We need to be faithful to what he has asked us to do and depend on him for everything. We have to count the cost and responsibilities for what we do, but God takes the responsibility to get us through. God said in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never, not ever, not ever, leave you or forsake you.”

We must do everything we can to minister to the needs of those around us. These people can be in our family, our neighbourhood, our circle of friends, our church, or our community. We must be a daily witness and servant to everyone we meet.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• Chafin, K.L & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 31: 1,2 Corinthians (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)

• James MacDonald, “Eyes Open.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Charles Swindoll, “Absolute Honesty.” Retrieved from eministries@insightforliving.ca

• Richard Inness, “Never Give Up.” Retrieved from acts@actsweb.org

• Charles Swindoll, “Servant-Hearted.” Retrieved from eministries@insightforliving.ca.

• David McCasland, “Filtered Light.” Retrieved from donotreply@email.rbc.org

• “Ministry.” Retrieved from info@dailydisicples.org

• Exegesis for 2 Corinthians 4:3-6. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

Have you ever had an experience that was so powerful that it changed your life? I have-that’s why I’m able to stand before you today and preach the good news. Jesus had several powerful experiences, including his Transfiguration, which we heard about in Mark 9:2-9.

Transfiguration is a believer’s spiritual transformation into the image of Christ. Mark’s version of the transfiguration story offers a glimpse of Jesus’ divine nature and his radiant, divine glory. He radiates light from the inside. In the future kingdom, Jesus’ glory will not be veiled. It will shine like a thousand sons. No one will be able to mistake it.

Moses represented the Old Testament law, Elijah represented the prophets. Together they represented the Old Covenant. In Old Testament scenes where God revealed himself, human audiences were often at a loss for words. Peter was also at a loss for words, so he said the first thing that came to his mind. Mark argued that Peter spoke out of great fear. He was scared by what he saw.

Holy moments can do that to us. Words can bring healing, and the right words at the right time can bear holiness, light and life, but words said quickly and too easily can distract us and allow us to avoid whatever it is we might feel in the words that were not said. In cases like this we have the ingredients we need for Christ’s glory to be seen and transfigure the time. Then we can see Christ’s glory in our ordinary time. As long as we continue to do ordinary things, Christ will be present. As long as birth, deaths, hope, despair, courage, fear and faith are with us, Christ will be with us.

Peter was amazed by what he saw. He did not want to leave. That’s why he offered to build the three shelters. God had to bring Peter back to reality by telling the disciples to listen to Jesus. You can’t really blame Peter for wanting to stay on the mountaintop. All of us have had mountaintop experiences that we did not want to see come to an end. These experiences could be anything from the birth of a child or grandchild, our wedding or any other life-changing event. They provide stability and assurance that our world is intelligible, orderly and has value, if only for a short time. The problem is that we can’t stay on the mountaintop. The past can never be preserved, and we as faithful people must live in the present. We have to come down and get back to the mundane reality of everyday life. It is in everyday life where we have to do the work God has given us to do.

There was an expectation among the Israelites that Elijah would appear just before God sent the Messiah and restored the reign of the Lord in Israel. Moses promised the people before he died that God would send a prophet like him at a time in the future. That moment happened during the transfiguration, and the disciples were scared as they saw Jesus for who he really was. Their physical sight gave them the gift of spiritual reality, and it was too much for them. Something very powerful and life-changing was happening before their eyes.

Jesus’ glorification is like dessert that is served as part of a meal. It has to come at the end. Jesus glorification needs to come after his suffering and death. If we start with the desserts, we may never get to salvation events. If we focus our attention only on the desserts, we will find a lot of people who are pretending to be Christians, not really believing in or serving Jesus, not really willing to deny themselves and carry their crosses, but seeking an escape from their problems.

The cloud confirmed that Jesus’ transfiguration was a re-enactment of the Covenant given to Moses on Mount Sinai in Exodus 24. Moses and Elijah conveyed the law, but Jesus was the law. Peter would remember this event years later because it revealed to the disciples that Jesus is the son of God. This experience is not meant to diminish the importance of the law and the prophets. They work together and with the revelation of Jesus as the son of God. Moses and Elijah were important, but they are not as important as Jesus.

Jesus sought help from the scriptures for understanding his life and mission. He knew how to listen to them and how to interpret them in relation to what they said. For him they were not merely sources in the present. They spoke of God as our creator, sustainer and redeemer, the loving giver of bread and forgiveness and protection from evil; the one who calls us into relationships of love to him, our neighbours and ourselves.

At the transfiguration, Jesus had a visionary moment in his life where he knew that his life had a meaning. There are times when we can have the same type of moments in our lives. We might not be able to pinpoint the exact time of that moment, but we know that our lives have a meaning and a goal. We know that God has a purpose in our lives, a destiny in this world, and we have surrendered ourselves to a purpose that is larger than us. This vision allows us to see beyond any obstacles.

When Jesus came to earth, he did not give up his deity. He shrouded his glory and laid aside the privileges of his deity. Why? So that he could serve us and save us. He modeled what it was like to be a servant. We are to follow his example. If he could lay aside his divine privileges, then we can lay aside our own needs to put the needs of others first.

Jesus told his disciples not to reveal what they had seen until after his resurrection. They would not be able to understand what had happened during his transfiguration until after his death and resurrection. They might have even tried to bring on the kingdom prematurely themselves. When Jesus was transfigured, the disciples saw the glory of Christ as God’s son. Christ’s death and resurrection put his transfiguration in its proper context. Jesus and his disciples will endure suffering and death, but their final destination will be glory. This story offers hope. Jesus struggle doesn’t diminish the confidence of his promises, including the promise of a future with him. He promises to be with us during the difficult times in our lives.

Anyone who rejects the Messiah rejects God because God sent the Messiah. Peter, James and John saw Jesus’ glory and his greatness over Moses and Elijah. They also hear God authenticate Jesus as his son. Jesus alone will walk the path of suffering for our redemption. This knowledge was reserved for Peter, James and John. They needed to prepare for Christ’s death and resurrection. They were overwhelmed by the prophecies of Christ’s suffering, and they needed to see what Christ meant by his power and glory if they wanted to break the world’s hold over their lives. They could not endure the cross or hate the shame that awaited them as well unless they shared Christ’s vision of joy. They saw the glory of his sinlessness, his sonship and his suffering. They learned that every word Jesus spoke carried the glory of the truth of the Gospel.

Peter had a problem with this. His confusion was the reason why he offered to build the three shelters. Peter was scared, and most of us would probably also be scared if Jesus had taken us up to the mountaintop. God had to reassure them by telling them to believe Jesus. He reassures us today by telling us the same message-believe Jesus. He makes our lives simpler. He helps us avoid mistakes. He helps us to inherit a heavenly treasure. He helps us experience joy. The only way we can experience this is to study his world. We can listed to CDs and great preachers and read books, but they can’t take the place of reading the Bible.

Mark’s Gospel is all about the cross and suffering along with the glory of Jesus. The vision of Christ in his glory in the transfiguration is an encouragement both to Mark’s audience and to us. Only after Christ’s death and resurrection can we understand that the Jesus at the transfiguration is the same Jesus who was crucified—and that’s the beginning of a wonderful story. Mark’s version of the transfiguration is a transition from the season of Epiphany with its emphasis on the power and presence of the good news of salvation through Jesus to Lent, with its emphasis on Jesus’ journey to suffering and the cross.

The transfiguration had several purposes:

1. To see God’s kingdom coming into power.
2. To connect and contrast Jesus with the law and the prophets.
3. To point to Jesus as the one whom the prophets expected.
4. To connect Jesus with “mountaintop experiences” at down times.
5. To show Jesus as a divine being.
6. To show Jesus’ coming martyrdom.
7. To show the disciples their blindness.
8. To allow the disciples to hear God’s declaration that Jesus is his son.
9. To usher in a new commandment from God-that is, to listen to Jesus.
10. To remind us that there is a time for us to speak and a time for us to listen.

We want an encounter with God, but we often fear him at the same time because we are afraid of being changed or transformed. Standing in God’s presence gives rise to a feeling of reverence that is similar to fear. We are small in the face of God’s ministry. The God who struck fear in the heart of Peter is the same God who heals the sick, frees the oppressed and forgives sinners.

We are called on to create an environment in which God’s glory can be revealed and celebrated, and in which our understanding and experience of Jesus can be deepened. We have to get people to see that the only God that is important in their lives cares deeply for them and for us and allows his Son to take our place of punishment that we know we deserve, to die for us and rise again to give us life.

What keeps God from getting through to us? Are we so certain that we know the end of the story? Are we so busy that no one can get through to us-not even God? Stories like the story of the Transfiguration bring us closer to God and draw us farther away from the world. We need to figure out how to listen for God’s voice among the noise of our worldly lives. We need to listen as Jesus tells us to get back to reality and do the work he has given us to do. Only then can we move forward in our Christian lives.

Bibliography

 * Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2013)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J. : The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

• MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2006)

• Exegesis for Mark 9:2-9. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

• Ron Buford, “Divine Interaction.” Retrieved from dailydevotional@ucc.org

• Sarah Henrich, “Commentary for Mark 9:2-9.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.,org

• David Lose, “He Came Down.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org

• James Boyce, “Commentary on Mark 9:2-9.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org

• The Rev. Brian Cole, “Day-to-Day Glory.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

• Walter Harms, “If I Could Only.” Retrieved from http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archive~81060226-5e.html

• The Rev. Edward Markquart, “Visions on a Mountaintop.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com

• The Rev. Edward Markquart, “Mountains, Valleys and Plains.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com.

• Greg Laurie, “Our Example to Follow.” Retrieved from www.harvest.org

• John van de Laar, “Brainstorming for Worship: Transfiguration”. Retrieved from http://sacradise.com/blog/?p=1746

1. Pastor Dave Risendal, “The Transfiguration of our Lord, Year B (2/15/1015). Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com
2. Lectionary Homiletics, Feb./March 2015 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary, pp 16-22)

Have you ever been so busy that you’ve had to go to a quiet place to be alone for a little while? Jesus certainly was. He was always busy teaching, preaching and healing. He was always followed by a crowd of people, including the disciples. He was always busy, but he always had time for solitude and prayer. In the reading from Mark 1:29-39, Jesus had a successful day of casting out demons and healing the sick. He ran the risk of exhausting his energy. It’s no wonder, therefore, that he had to be alone and pray.

We do have busy lives. We have enough things to do in our lives-work, home, rest, maybe the odd movie. Jesus was probably the busiest man in history, but he always found time to pray. If he, as busy as he was, could find time to pray, so can we.

In prayer, Jesus allows God to do for him what he did for Peter’s mother-in-law. The reason why Jesus healed people was to proclaim God’s love in human affairs. In order to do this, he had to be in constant fellowship with God through prayer. God had a firm grasp on Jesus and would never let go. Jesus always made time for prayer, and we need to make time for prayer too. Prayer fills our spiritual gas tank. Prayer gives us the energy we need to do God’s work in our world. Prayer refreshes us. Prayer allows God to use his love to warm our hearts and ease our suffering. Jesus knew that prayer could help us get through life. He knew that prayer would give us life. He knew that prayer changes us for the better. Prayer becomes a lifestyle. We must never become too busy to pray. We are special to God, and he loves us so much that He wants regular time with us.

Prayer involves order and discipline. It will stand the test at work. It is decisive for the day. If we neglect prayer, it will cause wasted time that we are ashamed of, temptations, weakness, lack of discipline and discouragement. Prayer will allow our time to be ordered and well-scheduled.

Jesus went to pray in a place that was spiritually similar to a desert wilderness. He was free from distractions so that he could find strength from the God he came to serve. Jesus regularly prayed in a solitary place before his day began so he could commune with his Father and prepare himself for the challenges he would face. Even when our plans are laid out for us, we need to take time to listen to God’s will for our lives.

When his disciples found him, they told him that people were looking for him. Mark’s mention of the whole city suggests a crowd large enough that everyone in Capernaum knew what Jesus had done. The disciples thought that Jesus would build his popularity by attending to the people he had already attracted. Because Jesus knew that his primary purpose was to preach the good news of salvation, he could ignore the expectations of others and concentrate on his mission. He wanted people to hear the word of God and not see his miracles. He knew that his mission was preaching and teaching instead of healing, and he knew that there were more people who had to hear his message. That’s why he moved on instead of staying in Capernaum.

Jesus set a good example for us to follow. He wants us to grow as Christians. If we stop growing, churches become paralyzed and the body of Christ becomes infected with our frustration. Jesus chose risk over security. He did not know how people in other towns would react to his message, but he pressed on because of his mission.

We have the same mission. We are called on to witness to other people. We have to fulfill the Great Commission. That does not necessarily mean that we have to preach in other churches like I do. We can fulfill our mission by sharing our faith with our friends and neighbours.

Jesus’ healing of Peter’s mother-in-law was typical of all of his earthly miracles. It was tender, personal, low key, matter-of-fact, and without fanfare that other healers often sought. When Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, he made it possible for her to help others and to serve them with dignity. He does the same thing for us so we can serve others in the same way.

When Jesus heals, he also gives new life. Those who receive this new life become willing and able to serve others. When one receives, one usually wants to share. The best ministers among us do their work with a sense of joy that comes from their experiences of Jesus “raising them up.” I’m speaking from personal experience. Jesus has raised me up from the valleys I’ve had to walk through recently. I have a sense of great joy when I do my work as a minister. The new life Jesus gives us gives us the power to see the needs of others and respond with energy and enthusiasm.

Jesus does not need the endorsement from the forces of evil. His teachings and deeds would prove that he was the son of God. When Jesus casts out demons, it shows that God’s kingdom is advancing and is driving back Satan’s power over our lives.

We need to be motivated by what God calls us to do and not by what other people expect us to do. We have to do God’s will even if it doesn’t please people. God’s message is not in sync with the rest of the world. The way the world works isn’t how God works in teaching, healing and dismissing the evil in our hearts and minds. That does not mean that we must abandon the world. We need a certain amount of power, money, community and enjoyment, but none of these can take the place of God.

Jesus knows what it’s like not to be able to please people. He could not heal and help everyone. He consoled himself with the knowledge that he would do what he could do for the people he met. We have to remember this. We can’t please everyone, but we must remember that if we help the people we can help, God will be pleased. God favours service, not power. Christ blesses us when we take on the role of a servant.

When we are ready to be healed, we are ready to let Jesus come into the place that is wounded and help us. Jesus didn’t seek out the sick. They came to him. Jesus frees us from what binds us so we can offer our lives in service to others. We are drawn to what God asks us to do, and we can go about it with a deep sense of purpose.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2013)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 5^th Sunday (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

• Sharon Jaynes, “Avoiding Burnout, Part 2.” Retrieved from www.girlfriendsingod.com

• William L. Self, “Jesus and Prayer: Programming the God Machine.” Retrieved from www.preaching.com

• Jim Burns, “Too Busy to Pray.” Retrieved from www.homeword.com

• Berni Dymet, “Jesus Prayer.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Pastor Bob Coy, “People Pleasers?” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org

• Exegesis for Mark 1:29-39. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

• John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Year B, Fifth Sunday after Epiphany. Retrieved from www.lectionary.seemslikegod.org

• The Rev. Danae Ashley, “Is There Healing Without Curing?” Retrieved from www.episcopaldigitalnetwork.com

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Day 3.” Retrieved from biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com    

We’ve all played games as children, and some of us still play games today-games such as golf or curling. Every game has rules, and so does life. Our rulebook is the Bible, and it was written by God. We have to learn the rules before we can play any game, and we have to know the rules God gives us. The only way we can learn God’s rules is to read and study the Bible both by ourselves and as part of a larger group.

In the passage we heard from Mark’s Gospel, Jesus went to the synagogue and started teaching. The people were amazed because Jesus sounded like someone who had written the rules-and He did write the rules, because He was God in human form. Whereas the people were “astonished” at Jesus’ authoritative teaching, they were amazed in this instance because Jesus had absolute authority over the demon. His words had full power to accomplish what He spoke.

In our churches it’s unlikely that a stranger would be allowed to walk into the church, enter the pulpit and begin teaching. There are rules to be followed. There is the issue of credentials. I am a lay minister with credentials issued by the Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and I also serve under the guidance and direction of my Parish priest. Churches have to be careful about who gets to teach and preach, especially since there is a lot of bad theology such as the prosperity gospel in the world today. We might not be comfortable with Jesus getting up and preaching, especially if we don’t have a sense of who He was (or is) beforehand. Most ministers would let Jesus take the pulpit if they knew He was coming.

The regular teachers of the people interpreted the Law for the people and decided cases. In their teaching the scribes would have drawn on past teachers and commentators. They wouldn’t have claimed their own authority. When Jesus taught, he referred to no source of authority beyond Himself. He was (and still is) the source of authority. Without saying so, Jesus laid claim to be the Son of God. The only authority He had was the confidence that what He did and said was God’s will and God’s truth. His authority lay in the power of His words and deeds. His authority lay in his living as God’s servant. Jesus used His authority to serve humanity, not to obtain power for Himself.

Every rule has exceptions. Every rule can be broken occasionally, and when that happens, there are consequences. Jesus broke one of the Pharisees’ rules when He healed the demon-possessed man. Jesus did the healing on the Sabbath, and that was against the Pharisees’ rules. Healing was work, and the people weren’t allowed to preform healing on the Sabbath. When He performed the exorcism, Jesus said to the Pharisees in effect, “You are making void the Word of God through your tradition which you hand on.” Does Jesus turn to us with the same accusation? In our longing for greater certainty and clearer religious authority, it is often people who suffer. In order to shore up the tradition we devalue precious women, men and children. How, for example, can churches continue to make judgments about gay and lesbian people without hearing and seeing precisely people who have been judged by religious rules? We must judge ourselves and our churches by Jesus’s insistence in valuing people more than laws.

Does any of this sound familiar? Sometimes our “unclean spirits” take up residence in our holy places. That is, we carry our destructive habits and tendencies right into our churches, our friendships, our families, and our workplaces. Sometimes our demons — our fears, our addictions, our sins, and our compulsions — recognize Jesus first because they know that an encounter with him will change everything. So they make us recoil as soon as he shows up in the guise of a loving friend, or a provocative sermon, or a pricked conscience. Sometimes our lives get harder when we move towards faith and healing, because unclean spirits always fight the hardest when their time is up.

When Jesus ordered the demon to come out of the man, the demon obeyed, but not without a fight. When Jesus’ authority is invoked in teaching and preaching, there is a violent confrontation with the demons who possess our souls and rule our lives. You see, the devil wants to obey his own rules, not Jesus’, but the devil does respect Jesus’ authority.

The demon instantly recognized Jesus and called Him the Holy One of God, perhaps in hopes that identifying Jesus by name would give the demon power over Him. The title “Holy One of God” refers to Jesus’ high priestly authority. Ironically, the demons recognized this first.

The demons had authority over both the man and the congregation. When Jesus used his authority to strip the spirits of their ability to control human beings, He denied their capability to have a settled place or influence in the world. When they lost opportunities to win over people’s bodies and minds, they lost the authority they thought they had.

Jesus didn’t use his authority to self-aggrandize or to consolidate power. He used it only to heal, to free, to serve, and to empower those around him. Maybe this is precisely why his audience found him so compelling — his was the authority of a servant king. He had no political power. No earthly throne or kingdom to speak of. But he had an integrity and a consistency that compelled people to follow him.

Second, Jesus stepped directly into the pain, rage, ugliness, and horror at the heart of this story. He wasn’t squeamish. He didn’t flinch. His brand of holiness didn’t require him to keep his hands clean. He was in the fear, in the sickness, in the nightmare, ready to engage anything that diminished the lives of those He loved.

The people waited a long time for God to come to their aid. Jesus’ teachings and power revealed that God had arrived and enabled them to resist and overcome evil. The exorcism is visible proof of God’s very present power. Jesus also wants to restore people to the community, and one example of this is the exorcism. Jesus is still at work today, because through His resurrection He is present with us now. He still speaks and acts with an authority that overcomes evil.

Jesus paid a price for revealing His authority in the synagogue. Hope began to stir among the people, and they came to Jesus for healing. His authority for healing is as much the Good News as His message that the time has come, and the Kingdom of God is near. Jesus connected His teaching with His miracles. The miracles were designed to point to the validity of both His teachings and His personal claims.

The power in God’s Word has the capacity to help us make profound changes in our lives. It has that power because it is backed up by the rules God has given us to govern our lives. These rules tell us something and do something to us. For example, when the priest pronounces the absolution of our sins during a worship service, we not only learn about forgiveness, but we experience forgiveness as God casts our sin aside and frees us from whatever bondage grips us. In our last hour God’s Word will have the power to call us from the grave and create us anew.

Are we astounded by God’s Word today? Are we willing to grant Him authority in our lives, even over the many other sources of authority in our world? How do we stay on the narrow way? How do we maintain our standing before God? How do we progress in the Christian life? The answer to these questions is the power of the authoritative Word of Christ. It commands, and in the strength of the Holy Spirit, those hostile powers that would undermine our faith are subdued. We hear and are set free by the grace of Christ’s authoritative Word. Our standing as a Christian yesterday, today and tomorrow rests on Christ’s authoritative promises, not on what we may, or may not, be able to do.

This story is mostly about Jesus’ authority. It is about recognizing Jesus as one of authenticity and power. The demon-possessed man knew this most of all. He expressed his fear that an encounter with Jesus changes everything that ever was and ever will be. He knew who Jesus is and he knew what this means. The question for us is this. Do we know who Jesus is and what this means? Where are we still amazed by Jesus’ authority, by His teachings and His deeds that can change our assumptions about what is possible? Where can we see souls set free from destructive tendencies and powers that we thought were beyond anyone’s control?

The people acknowledged Jesus’ powerful and effective teaching, but they didn’t line up behind him and follow him out of the synagogue. They didn’t make a commitment to follow this teacher who showed forth God’s authoritative presence by his teaching and deeds. They didn’t change their lives. They were admirers, but not followers, which is something a lot of modern people do — admire the “great teacher Jesus” but not follow him.

The man with the unclean spirit cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” That’s a good question for us to ask ourselves. What changes for the better have Jesus caused in our lives? Then, when we realize his authority over our lives has been a guiding and saving light for us, we are ready to give thanks.

The result of the advent of Jesus’s authority is liberation and awe. The authoritative word of Jesus is a word that offers a course to the directionless, release to the bound, possibility to the cornered, and hope to the despairing. It also creates an appropriate fear as, along with giving people a new and liberating direction, the authoritative word of Jesus imposes the weight of responsibility and the dread of the accountability that accompanies it.

Jesus’ authority reaches out to us today-more than 2,000 years since He walked the earth. We are still captured by His words. We feel His authority and the power of His words to guide and direct us. He wants to be in control of our lives. He wants to be in control of the plans we make, the words we say, the things we do, and the places we go. Why? Is he a control freak? No! He wants to be in control because he wants what is best for us. The Bible tells us that God has a plan for us. It is a good plan that will give us hope and a bright future, but we will never see that plan work unless we allow Jesus to be in control.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1344)
2. “Living by the Rules.” Retrieved from www.Sermons4Kids.com
3. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 47-49)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2005)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2006)
6. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 4^th Sunday (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
7. Wendell Debner, “Mark 1:21-28.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.
8. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for Mark 1:21-28.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
9. The Rev. Dr. Barbara K. Lundblad, “A New Kind of Authority.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
10. Rev. Janet Hunt, “As One Possessed: Recognizing Jesus.” Retrieved from www.dancingwiththeword.com
11. Matt Skinner, “Commentary on Mark 1:21-28.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
12. Stephen Hultgren, “Commentary on Mark 1:21-28.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
13. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Fourth Sunday (B), January 28, 2018.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
14. Debie Thomas, “The Exorcist in the Synagogue.” Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net
15. “Who’s in Control?” Retrieved from www.Sermons4Kids.com

Have you ever noticed that everywhere you go in life, people in authority are telling you what to do and what not to do? These people can be teachers, police officers, government officials or even the staff of nursing homes or hospitals. Hopefully these people will do what they feel is best for us instead of what is best for themselves. Someone else who has authority and can tell us what to do and what not to do if we will let him is Jesus. We see a good example of his authority in the reading we just heard from Mark 1:21-28 a few minutes ago.

The demon recognized Jesus and called him the Holy One of God, perhaps because he hoped that by identifying Jesus by name he would have power over Jesus. The title “Holy One of God” refers to Jesus’ authority as a high priest. It was ironic that Jesus’ authority was first recognized by a demon. The people were amazed at Jesus’ authority and teaching, especially his authority over the demon. His words had full power to accomplish what he said.

The purpose of Jesus’ earthly ministry was teaching, not performing miracles or casting out demons, even though these actions accompanied his teaching and told of God’s presence within him. Casting out this particular demon reinforced Jesus’ authority to teach. When he taught in the synagogue, he referred to no source of authority beyond himself, unlike the Jewish rabbis who referred to the authority of the Scriptures. Jesus is the source of authority. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, and the demons reinforced this claim by acknowledging him to be the Son of God. The demon came out because it could not resist Jesus’ authority. The Scribes and the Pharisees only recognized a Jesus who threatened their authority.

A Bible teacher who wants to have an impact on his/her students must teach life applications from the Scriptures that they have lived out personally. In other words, the teacher must “practice what he/she preaches.” Jesus did that when he cast out the demon.

There are people who capture the interest and attention of their audience every time they speak. These people often speak with authority. Jesus was one of those people. When he spoke, people listened because he spoke the very word of God. When God speaks, there is a ring of authenticity. His authority and power can encourage us to make changes in our lives. An encounter with Jesus and his authority changes everything. A good example is the apostle Paul. He met Jesus while on the road to Damascus, and that encounter changed him from a persecutor of Christians to an eager disciple of Jesus.

All of us have been given authority to tell others about the Good News of the Gospel. Some of us have been given a particular anointing from God to use to touch the lives of others. God will reveal our anointing only if we ask him-and that asking includes prayer.

The Gospel emphasizes the authority of Jesus and his teachings instead of his words. We need to study his teachings to see the authority they have to change our lives. This can only happen when Jesus is the highest authority in our lives.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1344)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

• McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982, pp. 47-49)

• Os Hillman, “Teaching versus Imparting.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com.

• Berni Dymet, “The Blah, Blah, Blah Treatment.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• The Rev. Dr. Janet Hunt, “As One Possessed.” Retrieved from www.dancingwiththeword.com

• Exegesis for Mark 1:21-28. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

Let’s play a game that most of you probably know. I’m going to give the first person in the pew a message and then I’ll ask him/her to pass it on. The last person in the line then has to tell the congregation what the message was. Are you ready? Cover your ears tightly while I tell the congregation what the message will be. 

Boys and girls, why do you think it’s important for us to pass on a message properly? Well, sometimes, the message might be an emergency, such as when you call 9-1-1. When the operator answers the phone he or she needs to know the exact details of your emergency so that you can get the exact help that you need. Here’s an example.

One day I had to call 9-1-1 because my mother was very sick. The first operator asked me what the nature of the emergency was. I told her that my mother was very sick, and the operator connected me with an ambulance service operator. He asked me some more questions so that he could pass on information to the paramedics so that they could look after my mother and take her to the hospital. The doctor at the hospital asked me some questions so that she could get the information she needed to take care of my mother. I’m pleased to tell you that because of the information the paramedics and the doctor had, they were able to help my mother get better, and even though she is still in the hospital, she is well on her way to making a complete recovery.

If you had an important message to give to someone, how would you give it to them? Well, you could give it to them in person like we did a few minutes ago, but supposed you wanted to give a message to someone who lived far away? You could call them on the telephone, speak to them over the Internet by email or through Skype, or you could mail them a letter.

Jesus also had an important message to deliver, but when he lived on earth he didn’t have the Internet or telephones or the post office. He had to deliver the message in person, and I’ll tell you about it by reading a passage from Mark’s Gospel  

Boys and girls, Jesus calls on all of us to deliver the same message. Some of us might take it to people in a land far away, and others might take it to a neighbour or friend. I put the message in my sermons and my children’s talks, and in turn they are posted on my blog, which is read by people from all over the world. The important thing to remember though is to carry the message.

Let’s close our eyes for a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for the gift of your message. Help us to be faithful messengers so that we can carry your message to people who need to hear it. In Jesus’ name we pray.  

Bibliography

 * “Answering the Call.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com

• “Carrying the Message.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com

In Mark 1:14-20, we hear the story of the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He is beginning his ministry just as John the Baptist is ending his ministry. Both of them called on the people to repent. The main difference between both ministries is that while John the Baptist was a one man show, Jesus built a team. Jesus knew that he would not be able to do all of the work himself, so he went out and recruited his disciples. One would think that Jesus would have chosen educated people, perhaps even some of the religious leaders of his day, but Jesus chose ordinary, common people. Some might think his choice was unwise, but Jesus, like God, knew what he was doing.

God calls ordinary people like you and me to be the church, the body of Christ in the world today. God doesn’t necessarily choose those who are particularly gifted or capable or who are made of the “right stuff”. Jesus chose them because he saw qualities that were needed for successful discipleship:

1. Diligence. Fishermen are always busy doing something. God needs people who are not afraid to work.
2. Patience. It takes time to find a good school of fish, and it takes time and patience to win others to Christ.
3. Experience. Fishermen have an instinct for going to the right place and dropping their nets at the right time. Winning souls demands skills too.
4. Perseverance. Fishermen have to go from place to place until fish are found. God wants people who won’t give up when things get tough. Fishermen have to work together, and God’s work demands cooperation.
5. Courage. Fishermen often face danger from storms and other mishaps. It takes courage to reach out of our comfort zone and touch lives in the name of Jesus.
6. Humility. A good fisherman keeps himself out of sight as much as possible. A good soul winner keeps himself out of the picture as much as possible as well.
7. Faith. Fishermen cannot see the fish and are not sure their nets will enclose them. They have to have faith and trust in their fishing gear. Soul-winning requires faith and alertness too, or we will fail.

God calls the unlikely and he says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”. Discipleship involves taking a leap of faith into the unknown while at the same time trusting Jesus to lead us to the right destination. Jesus took the strengths and weaknesses of the first disciples and taught them how to be his servants working in his power. He does the same thing for us today. He takes our strengths and weaknesses and uses them to do his work in our world. We are Christ’s eyes, ears, hands and legs. Only then do we become really useful to our fellow man.

Mark’s Gospel captures the sense of urgency that Paul conveyed to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 7:29-31. Jesus was operating under a sense of urgency. He had too much to do and not enough time to do it. He had a sense of immediacy. He had an immediate message that required an immediate response because the message was so life-changing and so wonderful that the people who heard it could be immediately moved to repent, respond and react. That was the reason why the disciples answered his call without hesitation.

What response will we make to Jesus when he enters our lives and invites us to “repent and believe”? He announces a call and invites us to answer with a new way of thinking and acting. He doesn’t spell out in detail what he expects of us. He doesn’t give us a rule book explaining how we are to behave. Instead, he comes and announces a new time and invites us to follow and trust him. We don’t have a roadmap into the future, but we follow Jesus who leads us there.

We must answer the call right away when he calls us. Only then will we be enriched spiritually. Jesus will teach us just like he taught the disciples, and just like the disciples in turn taught the people. The response will be immediate when we know by faith that Jesus’ death on the cross has conquered our sins and defeated Satan. We belong to Jesus because he sought us out, just like he sought out the first disciples. We are to spread the Good News that Christ loves people-not just deacons and elders, not just choir members, and not just Sunday school teachers. He loves all people, and we are called to love people like noisy neighbours, beggars on the street, or the homeless alcoholic. We are called to make Christ’s love known to them, and the only way to do that is to love those people as Jesus does.

We are the same as the disciples. We are all the same no matter our education or ability or experience or enthusiasm. We remain sinners who need to repent and hear the Good News of acceptance and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. We need to hear over and over again about God’s love for us in Jesus’ life and death and resurrection. We need to be reminded that we are called to repent and believe and follow. Repentance loosens our hold on things of this world and tightens our grip on the things of God’s world. It involves embracing the source of life itself.

Bibliography

• Charles Spurgeon’s Evening Devotional. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com

• Matthew Glowacki, “Following Him”. Retrieved from www.lhm.org/dailydevotionsprt.asp?date=20100716

1. Mark D. Roberts, “Follow Me!” Retrieved from www.TheHighCalling.org
2. Pastor John Barnett, “Are You Fishing for Eternal Souls?” Retrieved from www.dtbm.org
3. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), January 23, 2000”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
4. Charles Spurgeon, “Fishers Follow Him”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
5. Exegesis for Mark 1:14-20. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
6. The Rev. Beth Quick, “Immediately”. Retrieved from www.bethquick.com/sermon1-22–6.htm
7. The Rev. Dr. J. Bennett Gareas, UMC, “Follow, Follow, Follow”. Retrieved from www.day1.org/529_follow_follow_follow.print
8. Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “Fishers of Men”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
9. The Rev. Dr. James D. Kegel, “The Good News of God”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
10. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Year B, Third Sunday after Epiphany. Retrieved from www.lectionary,seemslikegod.org/archives/year-b-third-sunday-after-epiphany
11. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), January 22, 2012”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
12. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker Bible Software package
13. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible Software package

Come and see.

Think for a moment about the effect those words might have on you if you were to hear them in an everyday context. Would they generate a sense of excitement about whatever it might be you were being invited to witness? Perhaps they might ignite your curiosity. Perhaps you might be thankful that someone thought to include you?

Come and see.

The words are both simple and warm, issuing an invitation not only to see something, but also to join a community. To come along and be part of something.

Come and see.

Have you ever used those words to invite friends to come to church with you? Have you ever talked to your friends about Jesus and what He has done in your life? If some laugh and say you’re foolish to believe as you do, don’t argue with them. Be friendly and accept them as Jesus does. After a while, your friends may be curious and willing to “come and see” what church is all about. Best of all, they may come to know Jesus.

We see a good example of this in the passage we heard from John’s Gospel. Philip invited Nathaniel to come and see the long-promised Messiah. The law and the prophets were the two most important parts of the Hebrew Scriptures. Philip told Nathaniel that he found the one that the Scriptures had been telling them to anticipate. The Messiah was now in their midst, but He went beyond the prophets of the Old Testament. He was the Word-the one who most perfectly revealed God and God’s will.

Nathaniel couldn’t believe that the Messiah came from Nazareth. Nathaniel was prejudiced. He came from Cana, which was another town in Galilee. Galileans were hated by the Judaeans, and Galileans hated people who came from Nazareth. The reason might be because Nazareth was an insignificant village that didn’t have prophetic importance. Today, many people allow their minds to be filled with prejudice against religion, and they pronounce their prejudice without examining the subject. The invitation to come and see is an invitation to join Jesus as He walks in the footsteps of the poor and stands in solidarity with those who suffer from systems of injustice and prejudice.

The darkness of the sin called prejudice allows us to sit and judge everyone and everything around us. It allows us to jump to conclusions about people without knowing their full story. It’s too bad for the people who don’t fit into our nice, neat categories. It doesn’t matter if it’s a nerdy kid at school who doesn’t dress like we do or that estranged family member, the strange neighbour or a congregation full of hypocrites. We even do the same with God. We judge His holiness and faithfulness by the circumstance of our lives. We don’t give God the right to be God.

The world is prejudiced against Christianity today. The world asks if any good can come from the One who calls us to stake our whole existence on Himself, and who calls us out of our individual worlds to follow Him to His cross. Our culture finds that offensive and labels it as a need to bring punishment on ourselves. The person of Jesus is the great cleaving sword of humanity. He divides those who come to faith in Him from those who reject Him. He separates the sheep from the goats as written in Matthew 25.

People do not need to be argued into the kingdom of God. Philip simply told Nathaniel, “Come and see.” The role of believers is to introduce people to Jesus, sharing His story and their stories of what He has done. Philip didn’t try to reason with Nathaniel. He asked Nathaniel to go and examine things for himself, to see Jesus, to hear Him speak, to lay aside his prejudices and to judge after he made a fair and candid personal inquiry.

Similarly, we should encourage people to lay aside their prejudices against religion and Christianity. If people want to know what God is like, they can look to Jesus. If they want to know what Jesus is like, they should be able to look at His followers. Can people see Christ in us? Seeing Jesus is the most compelling argument that exists for Christianity.

The heart of Christian evangelism is inviting people to come and see Jesus, God’s gracious Word and flesh for themselves. To come and see those who are inspired by Jesus enough to follow Him. To come and see how God continues to work in the world and in our lives. The invitation to “come and see” is the only appropriate response to having seen the grace and mercy of God taking shape among us.

Despite the setbacks of being from Nazareth, Jesus had insight and intuition that the best family, geography and education can’t give. He knew people, their nature, their motivation and their desires. That’s what drew him to Nathaniel as He saw him sitting under the fig tree.

Jesus sought out Philip and went after Him. Philip was an ordinary man, but Jesus invited Philip not just to stand out, but to keep on following Him. This encourages those of us who are shy and feel that we have so little to offer, just like the little boy in the Christmas Carol, “The Little Drummer Boy.” These are the type of people He looks for most eagerly. Similarly, Philip sought out Nathaniel and invited him to come and follow Jesus.

Jesus saw Nathaniel for who he really was. Nathaniel lived up to everything he saw and did. He was sincere and upright. Jesus knows who people really are. He sees their hearts. He sees their true motives. Jesus is divine, so He sees what we do when we think we’re doing it in secret. He sees us even when we don’t think He sees us. He sees us in our private devotions, hears our prayers and sees our meditations. He judges our character chiefly by our private devotions. If we have faith in Jesus, it will always be strengthened. If we believe His Word, we will see proof that it is true. Jesus was under God’s protection, and His friends will also be protected. God will defend us and save us if we put our trust in Him.

When he addressed Jesus as the Son of God, Nathaniel didn’t understand the full meaning of that title, but he knew that Jesus had an unusual relationship with God. Nathaniel called Jesus the King of Israel, but since Jesus referred to Nathaniel as an Israelite, Nathaniel surrendered to Jesus as his own king. This should encourage all of us to surrender to Jesus as our own king.

Nathaniel will be given far deeper grounds for belief than Jesus’ perception of who he is. As Jesus’ ministry unfolds, Nathaniel will see mighty works, great and wondrous surprises that will reveal God. We will see the same things when we surrender our lives to Jesus. It’s only as we get real and courageously honest with ourselves and God that He can help us become the people HE wants us to be. If we live up to all we know, we will know more. If we are all we can be, we will become more.

Nathaniel went on to become a disciple and friend of Jesus. He traveled across India, Armenia, Ethiopia and Southern Arabia, sharing the gospel and drawing people to Jesus. When he encountered Jesus, he stood under a fig tree minding his own business. As he trusted that Jesus knew him inside and out, it changed the direction of his life.

What gifts are inside of you? They may seem ordinary to you, but not to Jesus, He sees our gifts of hospitality, deep compassion, music or writing. He is happy that you are good with kids or a good planner, or that you have a natural ability to lead others. Jesus sees those gifts because He gave them to us. Are we using them to their fullest potential? Are we using them to do God’s work in the world?

What does it take for us to believe? God doesn’t need to prove He is God as much as we need to prove we believe He is God. Despite how we feel, what we see or how we think, in the words of Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” Faith goes beyond the senses to a deep understanding and knowing that He is God in the midst of a hassled day and the hurts from life’s circumstances. Faith is believing without seeing, as Jesus told the apostle Thomas.

The essence of discipleship is to follow Jesus. It’s what most of us want for ourselves, our family members and our friends. Life is much better for people when they follow Christ. To be a Christian is to realize that we have been called by God. Called to grace, called to life, called to move. Our proper response is to follow Jesus-slowly, perhaps not perfectly, but to try and follow nonetheless.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1443)
2. “Come and See.” Retrieved from www.KeysforKIds.org
3. Barnes, Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package
4. Fredrikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 56-60_
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010, pp. 1451-1453)
7. Suzie Eller, “He Sees the Gift in You.” Retrieved from devotions@proverbs31.org
8. Richard Innes, “Authenticity.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
9. Pastor Dick Woodward, “A Fig Tree Fellowship.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
10. “Just Believe.” Retrieved from www.dailydisciples.org
11. Rev. Wayne Palmer, “The Darkness of Rash Judgment.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
12. Matthew A. Maus, “John 1:43-51.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
13. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for John 1:43-51.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
14. David Lose, “Come and See.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org.
15. Pastor Edward Markquart, “Come and See Gospel Analysis.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany. We remember the visit of the three wise men, but we also remember that Jesus came into the world for everyone-Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, upper class people and lower class people, humble shepherds and wise men and so on.

It is also a happy time or a sad time depending on how you look at it. It marks the end of the 12 Days of Christmas and the end of the holiday season. For most of us, the decorations have been put away for another year, the parties and celebrations are over, visitors have returned home, and we are settling back into our daily routines after the Christmas season. We, like the Magi, need to break away from our daily routines and busyness to take time to look for the Christ Child. It might mean stopping in the midst of our daily lives to pray that God will help us center our thoughts on Jesus more than our daily lives. It might mean that we have to put down our to-do list to pick up our Bibles to read and absorb God’s Word.

The wise men endured a long, difficult journey. They endured dangers, hardships and scorn to find Christ, and so should we. When they found him, they worshipped him, and so should we. They set an example for us as Christians to follow. The Magi were on a quest, looking for more in their lives. They were not satisfied with the way things were. Otherwise, they would have stayed put. Change started for them when God made the first move and showed them a light in their darkness. They didn’t have to follow that light, but they picked up and began a journey that took them to Christ. They left their daily routines to find Jesus.

The star the Magi followed was not a natural phenomenon. It is a reminder that we need divine intervention to find out where Christ is in our lives. The busyness of our everyday lives can distract us from seeing the Messiah. When the light of Christ dwells in us, it guides us and blocks out the light from outside, worldly distractions. The light of Christ gives us the strength we need to make the name of Jesus known throughout the world.

The wise men studied the stars and believed in astrology. They believed that a person’s destiny was influenced by the star they were born under. They believed that if something strange happened in the sky, it was because God was breaking into the natural order to announce some special event. That is why they noticed and followed the star of Bethlehem. They had a limited sign and came to the Messiah, but those who knew the truth about God, his words and actions failed to take the Messiah’s birth seriously when they found out about it. In fact, they, like Herod, saw it as a threat to their positions and their way of life. Herod even saw it as a threat to his rule.

The Magi could not return to their old way of living after they met the Messiah, and we can’t return to our old way of living after we meet the Messiah. Jesus’ presence changes everything. There is more to life than our routines and careers. Life has more meaning now because the light of God’s presence is among us.

Those who refused to take the Messiah’s birth seriously were wrong. Jesus was a threat to their positions and their way of life because he challenged their way of doing things. He challenged them to change their ways, accept God in faith and follow his ways and teachings. He was ignored and despised not only because he challenged the established way of doing things, but also because he was not the type of Messiah people were looking for. They were looking for a Messiah who would come from the established ruling class and drive out the Romans. Instead, they got a humble servant who came from earthly parents who belonged to the lower classes of society. This fit in with one part of God’s plan for salvation-concern for the poor and disadvantaged members of society.

Epiphany is more than the inclusion of the Gentiles as part of God’s Kingdom. It is about breaking down the barriers that divide people. It challenges us to reconsider how we look at people whom we see as being outside the boundaries of God’s love. We must remember that God’s love knows no boundaries. We must take off our spiritual blinders and welcome those whom we don’t want to love.

The wise men represent us in God’s plan. They represent everyone who sets out in search of a king and finds the son of God. They gave Jesus the most precious material gifts they had, but each and every one of us can give him something even better-ourselves. Those who, like Herod and the chief priests and scribes, try to derail God’s plan for salvation will fail. They are no match for God or God’s people. God loves everyone, and Jesus came to save everyone.

The Magi were foreigners in the eyes of the ruling class, but Jesus was of keen interest to them. They went out of their way to find him and set treasures before him. The gifts the Magi brought were symbolic. Gold was a gift fit for a king, and Matthew’s Gospel introduced his Jewish audience to a king who would rule with love instead of hate, peace instead of violence. Frankincense is a gift for a priest. Jesus ministers to God on behalf of men. Myrrh is a gift for someone who is about to die. Jesus came to die for us on the cross. As we end another Christmas season, one of the best things we can do is to think about what gifts we can bring to him.

Bibliography

• Billy Graham, “Who Were the Wise Men?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com

• Augsberger, M.S. and Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

1. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2009)
2. Jim Liebelt, “The First Christmas Gifts”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
3. Mel Lawrenz, “”Magi”. Retrieved from thebrookletter@me.com
4. Exegesis for Matthew 2:1-12. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
5. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Epiphany of the Lord (A)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
6. Karen Ehman, “Search Carefully”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
7. Fr. John Boll, O.P., “Volume 2, Feast of the Epiphany (A)” Retrieved from Volume2@preacherexchange.org 

Today, we heard about Jesus’ baptism and the coming of the Holy Spirit on him. John proclaimed Christ’s superiority by distinguishing between his own baptism with water and the baptism that Christ would provide with the Holy Spirit. Several Old Testament passages speak of the Holy Spirit being poured out like water. Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit supplies us with supernatural power just like the Holy Spirit revealed its supernatural power at Jesus’ baptism.

All three members of the Trinity-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-were present at Jesus’ baptism. The parting of heaven was a foretaste of both Jesus’ statement in Mark 1:15 that the kingdom of heaven was near and the tearing of the veil of the temple when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus’ birth ended the separation of God and man that was created when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.

The Holy Spirit changes things. It works through Jesus to bridge the gap between us and God. Reconciliation with God was possible because of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Not only was this gap first bridged at Jesus’ baptism when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven like a dove, it was also bridged at his death when the veil in the temple was torn in two. The Temple was divided into several sections, including the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the temple by a curtain. The only person who could enter this particular part of the temple was the High Priest, and even then he could only enter on the Day of Atonement. No one else could enter, so a rope was tied to the high priest’s waist so that if anything happened to him he could be removed without anyone else having to enter. A bell was attached to the high priest so that people on the outside could hear him move. If the bell stopped ringing for any length of time, the people would know that something happened to the high priest and that they needed to pull him out of there immediately.

God claims us through baptism. In the waters of our baptism, God speaks our name, unites us to Christ and grants us the promise of new life. He says that he loves us, he claims us and he is proud pf us. Nothing else is needed. No one can take our new identity in Christ away from us. No matter what other names we are called by others or even by ourselves, we are now beloved children of God. In the Baptism Service in the Anglican Church of Canada’s Book of Alternative Services, there is a line that is read when a person is baptized-“I sign you with the sign of the cross, and I mark you as Christ’s own forever.” We have been adopted into God’s family. God’s love for us can’t be changed. It guides our behaviour. Because of God’s love, there are certain things we won’t do and there are certain things we will do-things that we must do. Through Jesus, we have a love that will take risks and a family identity that can’t be broken.

Baptism tells us that we are deeply rooted in the possibility toward goodness. That is a revelation to us. It goes against the stain of original sin which I mentioned earlier. It encourages us to take a risk by going into this unknown territory. God offers harmony, intensity, peace, compassion and justice-things that are alien to our world.

Why did Jesus have to be baptized? After all, he was sinless. Jesus said in Mathew 3:15 that he needed to be baptized “to fulfill all righteousness.” It was God’s counsel in Luke 7:29-30 that people be baptized of John. In other words, God tells us to repent. Jesus asked John to baptize him as an act of obedience to God’s purposes. Jesus wanted to set a good example for us by doing the Father’s will. His baptism also served to introduce him to John and the people of Israel as the long-promised Messiah.

Jesus’ baptism was necessary in order to fulfill the requirements of the Old Testament law, which required repentance from sins and hence John the Baptist’s baptism of repentance. Jesus had to be baptized because he was born and died under the law to deliver us from the law (which was so strict that it could not be obeyed perfectly). The Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at his baptism commissioned Jesus for a unique service. Jesus carried the Holy Spirit wherever he went and gave it to those who were receptive to his message. When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we are empowered to do God’s work in our world.

Jesus was God’s answer to Isaiah’s prayer that God would come down to earth and be fully present with humanity. He was and is God’s son in a way that others created in God’s image are not. Jesus was the Son of God, but his baptism gave him the verbal assurance that he was indeed God’s son. He was born of the Holy Spirit, but his baptism gave him the visible assurance that the Spirit was certainly present with him. Jesus’ baptism gave him the positive assurances that he would need during his temptation, his time of ministry, his sufferings and death.

We long for someone to tell us the truth even if it will hurt us. God created this longing in our hearts. We long to have someone who can help us understand what is going on in the world and what we need to do. That person may or may not be a prophet as long as he or she speaks the truth of God’s word. Take me, for example. I don’t consider myself to be a prophet, but each and every message I preach is based on the truth of God’s word as written in the Bible.

Jesus and John the Baptist also spoke the truth. They spoke of the need for repentance, and repentance is the first step in a journey that leads us to baptism by the Holy Spirit. It requires us to change our direction. In other words, we have to “turn or burn.” Baptism is the second step in the journey. It means a burial with Jesus and resurrection to a new life in Christ. Baptism with water is a symbol of the washing away of the dirt of our old, sinful life. Forgiveness of sins is the third step. It is ushered in by our baptism and our repentance. When God forgives us, he wipes our record clean. He takes his big bottle of Liquid Paper or his big roll of correction tape and crosses out the mistakes of our lives, just like the father forgave his wayward son in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Jesus’ baptism ushered in a new way of dealing with sin. People did not have to go to the temple in Jerusalem because Jesus became the new temple. Repentance is not something we can do only once in our lives and then forget about it. Repentance must be done each and every day because each and every day Satan will try to get us to move in a different direction. When we come together in worship, God tells us that he loves us, and in return we tell him that we love him too.

Baptism with the Holy Spirit allows us to see ourselves as gospel peacemakers in our world. It allows us to be merciful to those who ask for forgiveness. It allows us to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves-the poor, the hungry, the oppressed, prisoners and so on. It allows us to spread God’s love to everyone.

When I was preparing this homily, I saw a story about a mother who was at home with her two young daughters one lazy afternoon. Everything seemed to be just fine until the mother realized something strange. The house was quiet. And as every parent knows, a quiet house in the daytime can only mean one thing: the kids are up to no good.

Quietly walking into each of the girls’ rooms and not finding them there, she began to get worried. Then she heard it: the sound of whispering followed by the flushing of a toilet. Following the sound, she soon realized where it was coming from. It was coming from her bathroom. Whispers, flush. Whispers, flush. Whispers, flush. Poking her head into the room, she was able to see both of her daughters standing over the commode. Whispers, flush. One of them was holding a dripping Barbie doll by the ankles and the other one had her finger on the handle. Whispers, flush. Wanting to hear what her daughter was saying, she slipped quietly into the room. Whispers, flush. And this is what she heard: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and in the hole you go.” Flush.

We know what it feels like to have life grab us by the ankles and dangle us over the waters of chaos. And we know that this happens in spite of our faith. We even know that, at times, it happens precisely because of our faith. When this happens, we can take comfort in the knowledge that because we have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, we have the strength we need to face life’s challenges.

Baptism means that God has broken through the barrier between him and us. In return, we are to break through the challenges and problems of the world with everything we have been given by the Holy Spirit. Saying yes to our baptism means saying yes to facing the challenges of our world and yes to a life torn open by God’s love. Saying yes to our baptism means that our sins have been forgiven and we have been given a new start in life through Jesus Christ.

As soon as he was baptized, Jesus was on the move, and that fits in with the urgency of Mark’s Gospel. We have a similar calling. We are baptized for action. We are baptized to go out into the world and be the hands, voice and presence of Christ. We are baptized for the sake of others and for the sake of the world. For example, I publish all of my sermons on my blog-www.sermonsfrommyheart.blog.ca-and they have been viewed over 88,000 times by people from all over the world. Regardless of what we do, say or think, we must be bold in our actions and faithful to our calling. That way, when we get to the Pearly Gates, we can hear God say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• Exegesis for Mark 1:4-11. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

• Kristopher J. Hewitt, “I Love You Too.” Retrieved from dailydevotional@ucc.org

• Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Baptism of the Lord, (B)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

• The Rev. David Lewicki, “As It Was in the Beginning.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

• The Rev. Timothy T. Boggess, “In the Hole He Goes.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

• Rick Morley, “Handling Sin: A Reflection on Mark 1:4-11.” Retrieved from www.rickmorley.com/archives

• Brian P. Stoffregen, “Mark 1:4-11, 1^st Sunday after the Epiphany/Baptism of Our Lord-Year B.” Retrieved from http://www.crtossmarks.com/brian/mark1x4.htm

• The Rev. Maxwell Grant, “Torn Open, By God.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

• Pastor Dave Risendal, “Baptism: the Heart of our Faith.” Retrieved from http://onelittleword.org/?p=6765