Sermons From My Heart

In Romans chapters 2 and three, Paul argued that through the Gospel, it is faith that brings humans into harmony with God. In the passage we heard from Romans, Paul considers Abraham as an example. Abraham was blessed because he believed, had faith, that he would be father of a nation and a source of blessing for everyone. Abraham received the promises of God through faith, and not through the law.

The basis of Abraham’s relationship with God was faith, and faith is the primary basis of our relationship with God. Abraham’s faith was confidence in a person-God. The object of faith matters more than anything else. Abraham’s faith was exemplary, because his faith was in God. Abraham’s faith was related to his knowledge of God, the object of his faith. He had faith in the God who could breathe life into deadness, especially since God breathed life into Abraham and Sarah so they could have a child.

Abraham’s faith was conversant with the problems he faced. His faith was consistent in its progress. When he was faced with delay and discouragement with God’s plan, his faith didn’t waver. It was strengthened. He was also convinced that God’s promises would be fulfilled. Abraham knew that God never promises anything He can’t deliver. Do we believe that? If we do, then it only makes sense to put our complete trust in Him, regardless of how dark our circumstances might appear. All believers become heirs with Abraham of the promise. Abraham’s faith is a good example of the faith we as Christians should have. It led to Abraham’s justification. He had faith in a God what could provide the divine answer to the human problem.

When God’s people look to the law for justification instead of to God, failure to keep the law makes them guilty and they face death instead of life. God’s promise of the law is uncertain. His promise of faith is certain. The promise given to Abraham has not expired nor become the private possession of any one race. It permeates the entire world.

Abraham’s faith conquered impossibility, improbability, inadequacy, inconsistency, insecurity and infidelity. Abraham believed in the God of creation, who “calls those things which do not exist as though they did.” This is the essence of faith. The same God of Genesis 1-2 who brought forth life and the earth and sky out of nothing also brought forth Isaac, the son of promise, from the deadness of Sarah’s womb. Later, at the altar, standing over that same son with a knife in obedience to the Lord, Abraham again believed that God could give life to the dead. Hope that is centered in God is contrary to the world’s hope.

Abraham did not waver in his faith at the time of testing, God’s ability to perform His promises was the foundation of Abraham’s faith’s stability. Faith looks past the gift to the Giver and past the promise to the One who promises. Abraham’s faith was linked to God’s power and faithfulness. Abraham didn’t have great cause to expect God to fulfill His promise because of the circumstances Abraham was in. In spite of this, he believed God’s Word and looked forward to the time when his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

God can declare people who believe in Him to be righteous even though they aren’t. He can do this by giving His righteousness to them, just like He declared Jesus’ “Sin” and punished Him even though Jesus was not a sinner. If Abraham was justified by faith, then all of us are justified on the same basis. The proof is God’s acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice. God would be able to be just and yet justify the ungodly.

God considered Abraham a righteous man because Abraham looked beyond the limitations of his age. God considered Abraham to be someone who could accomplish His goals. Abraham accepted God by faith. Similarly, if we accept God by faith, God’s grace will be available to us. When we act in faith, we give God the glory for the outcome, like Abraham did. Abraham didn’t parade greatness or look for praise from others.

When his hope died, Abraham went on hoping in faith. Similarly, when we are at a dead end in our lives, we need faith, and we need to read and study the Bible. It gives us encouragement because even if something is out of our control, it isn’t out of God’s control. As we spend time reading and studying the Bible, God will show us how to live by faith. We do this by preparing well, speaking in a Christlike manner, sharing God’s love and understanding that God wants to change our lives.

Faith is something that is strengthened over time. Abraham and Sarah waited for years for God to fulfill His promise. Abraham considered and thought about God’s strength and ability. He thought about God’s faithfulness and gave praise and glory to God. Abraham’s faith allowed God to do mighty things in and through him.

God gives us great promises-the same promises made to Abraham-and invites us to come by faith and receive the grace of those promises and the fullness of life with God. God invites us to join Him in a bond of peace that nothing that can overthrow and that is richer, fuller and more durable than anything the world can offer.

Paul understands Jesus’ death as representative of all humanity. Jesus entered the death into which all humanity condemned by its sinfulness and then rose from the dead. His resurrection is representative of what can be true for all who accept what God has declared in the story of Jesus. There can be no discrimination based on race and religious tradition. All human beings need to enter a relationship of faith with God, and all human beings can enter that relationship. Paul argues that we shouldn’t think of Abraham in terms of being the patriarch of Israel, but rather as the model and mentor of all who believe.

So how do we lay hold of these promises so that we may enjoy the full and abundant life He plans for us?

1. We need to make sure we understand the promises of God and that we see them for as precious and great as they are.
2. We must give glory to God for His promises-praising and thanking Him daily, taking the promises back to Him and exalting Him for such grace and mercy, rehearsing our plans and visions before Him with gratitude and praise.
3. We must remember that we are called to be people of faith who are not misled by denominational traditions. The law has always been a mean of pointing the way to God. It is an instrument that helps us know and do the divine will. As such the law is meant to free us, but when the law is mistaken for an end, the consequence can be a state of spiritual confusion in which all hope is obscured. The law can’t set us right with God and therefore give us access to God’s promised blessings. Any relationship with God that is grounded in and lives out of the law is not a right relationship.

When we praise God, we’re putting our faith in action. Just as putting our physical bodies into action so they will grow strong, putting our faith in action through prayer, worship and thanksgiving will make it grown strong too.

Faith is the determination to keep on walking with God no matter what happens, and that faith results in commitment. Faith demands dependence and we resist depending on God because of our stubborn independence. It’s hard for us to trust God more fully because of our willful pride and our sinful nature.

The world judges us by how much we can gather for ourselves, but there are no wages in heaven. In faith, God sets us free of needing to earn our way. We are freely showered with God’s mercy. When we see our lives from God’s viewpoint, we no longer have to worry about comparing ourselves to others. No one has to be worthy. God’s grace overturns all our economies. Abraham and Sarah trusted God, though His promise seemed to good to be true, and they received a son whom they nicknamed “Laughter.” We trust that the same God whose promise is good and true and receive abundant, eternal life in Jesus.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1291-1292)
2. Briscoe, D.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 101-107)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Os Hillman, “Being Fully Persuaded.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org
6. Pastor Rick Warren, “God’s Grace is for Everybody.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

1. Pastor Rick Warren, “At Hope’s End? Rely on God’s Word.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
2. T.M. Moore, “Covenant Promises (6).” Retrieved from www.ailbe,org
3. T.M. Moore, “Failing to Take the Next Step.” Retrieved from www.ailbe.org
4. Bruce Pinter, “Bible Study: 2 Lent (A).” Retrieve from www.episcopaldigitalnetwork.com
5. Joel Osteen, “Consider Your God.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com
6. Joel Osteen, “Growing Strong through Praise.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com
7. Joel Osteen, “Keep Faith Alive.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com
8. Jessica Christy, “Romans 4:1-5,13-17.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.
9. Dr. Harold Sala, “The Testing of Faith.” Retrieved from info@guidelines.org
10. Arland J. Hultgren, “Commentary on Romans 4:13-25.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
11. Daniel G. Deffenbaugh, “Commentary on Romans 4:13-25.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
12. Richard Carlson, “Commentary on Romans 4:13-25.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
13. Katherine Schifferdecker, “Romans 4:13-25.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

The scene in Mark 8:27-38 is the climax of the first half of Mark’s Gospel. This first half focuses on miracles and gradually reveals Jesus as the Messiah. The second half explains the nature of that Messiahship and has far more teaching and far fewer miracles.

Caesarea Philippi was located well into the heart of Gentile Territory. Why would Jesus choose this location instead of Jerusalem to reveal himself as Israel’s Messiah? The most likely reason was to state that his followers were not to remain in Jerusalem, but were to go to the ends of the earth and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel.

Jesus did not want the disciples to reveal his identity right away because they did not completely understand what that meant, as Peter demonstrated when he rebuked Jesus. Peter’s reasoning was demonic. He was influenced by Satan, hence Jesus’ demand to “Get behind me, Satan.”

Three times Jesus mentioned that his death and resurrection were part of God’s plan, and each time the disciples misunderstood his meaning. They thought that the kingdom meant Israel’s return to power and the end of Roman rule. Christ’s way meant suffering and sacrifice, not political maneuvering. Jesus knew that the freedom people need the most is spiritual freedom from sin and God’s wrath, not freedom from political oppression.

Christ’s death represents atonement for sin, and the beginning of God’s eternal, messianic rule. Nothing can make up for the loss of our soul, but there are many times when we exchange our souls and our lives for worldly things instead of spiritual things. Worldly things do not lead to eternal life. Those who give up their lives for the sake of Christ and the Gospel will find eternal life. This concept was very evident to the readers of Mark’s Gospel because they faced persecution and conflict. They saw this as a challenge to be faithful. We have the same challenge today. The world is still hateful to both Christians and the Good News of the Gospel.

I read a news story some time ago about a group of young people who were arrested for trespassing and attempted burglary. They drove to a car lot late at night and removed a set of tires from one of the cars on the lot. Unfortunately for them, the lot’s owner saw them on closed-circuit television. While they were busy trying to steal his tires, he picked up their vehicle with his forklift and hid it inside a building. When they finished their dirty work and were ready to leave, they had no transportation.

Many people today are the same. They spend all of their time trying to get material goods that they think will make them happy, when what they really need for happiness is a personal relationship with God. That relationship will provide us with the transportation we need to get to heaven when we die.

We must not let anything or anyone worldly take control of our lives. Self-control is the fruit of the Spirit that the apostle Paul refers to in Galatians 5:22-23. When we have self-control, we can stand up to people and things who try to tell us what we should be and what we should do.

Jesus taught that being great in God’s kingdom means self-denial and sacrificial service. These values are opposite to the world’s values. Self-denial means letting go of self-determination and becoming obedient to and depending on Jesus. Happiness comes from service, and we need to practice service and generosity today. These two things will bring more happiness to our lives than anything else, and they also define what it means to be a Christian. Jesus is calling us to carry the cross of sacrificial living. Words come easy and living the life is more of a challenge, but in today’s world people need to see that sacrificial living leads to fulfillment and real life.

Sacrifice does not necessarily mean martyrdom. It also means doing small tasks such as giving food to a hungry person or a cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty. It also means doing things in the church such as teaching a Sunday school class or singing in the choir. Our willingness to do the small tasks as they are needed is more important than our willingness to die for Christ when that is not needed.

We do not have to do this alone, and we can’t do this alone. We need strength, and Jesus will give us that strength. This strength will allow us to live a life that will bring us blessing and fulfillment beyond our wildest dreams.

If we become suffering servants like Christ was, there is a danger that we might assume that the saving work of Christ is automatic. Mark’s Gospel reminds us that this assumption is false. Christ’s suffering servanthood teaches us about the Incarnation, but the passion of his suffering teaches us about his redemption. Too much emphasis today is placed on the healing of human hurts, which reflects Christ loving care for us when we hurt. More emphasis needs to be placed on righting of human wrongs, also known as sin.

This might makes us uncomfortable in the short term. We like our worship to be comforting and uplifting, and while this is a necessary part of worship, it must not be the most important part. The main emphasis must be on redirecting our lives, our values and our priorities. This disruption in our lives is necessary if we truly believe that the heart of Jesus’s message is change or repentance. If we accept this, we have to let go of the lives we have now, no matter how painful the process will be.

Jesus’ message of self-sacrifice won’t always fit neatly into our earthly lives. Words like “Come die with us,” or “Follow Jesus no matter what the cost,” or “Called to sacrifice for the world” aren’t heard very often in churches today. These words are the heart of what Jesus taught. He wants us to follow him by giving of ourselves so that others may know his grace. Believers have resisted this call since it was first made over 2,000 years ago, so it isn’t surprising that the same call is resisted today. How do we as Christians see it?

Our attitude as children of God must centre on a life that is lived in him. In return for his sacrifice we need to make good use of the opportunities Christ sends our way. God wants to be an active presence in our lives, and it is because God has been an active part of the lives of men and women throughout history that the church has survived and thrived. If the church is to survive today, God needs to be active in our lives today. If more people made God an active part of their lives, the world would be a better place (and our churches and offering plates would be full to overflowing every Sunday!).

Bibliography

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

1. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
2. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006
3. Paul Estabrooks, “The Cross-Choosing to Follow Jesus.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
4. Rick Warren, “You’re Happiest when You Give Your Life Away.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
5. Exegesis for Mark 8:24-38. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
6. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Let Us Follow Jesus.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
7. Steve Arterburn, “Will You Have a Ride?” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Pastor Dave Risendal, “What does it mean to be a Christian?” Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com   

How many of you like to read the articles in Reader’s Digest? Have you ever noticed that some of them are edited versions of articles that have been published elsewhere? Mark’s Gospel is similar to these articles because although his Gospel does include many of the same stories that are in the other three Gospels, Mark’s versions leave out many of the details that are included in the other Gospels. A good example is Mark’s version of Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness. Mark’s version doesn’t include Jesus’ conversations with Satan.

Mark wanted believers to know that Jesus triumphed completely over the enemy-and they can triumph too when they are tempted. Mark 1:9-15 begins with the exhilaration of Jesus’ baptism and leads to his retreat into the wilderness where he was tempted by everything God opposes. Jesus went willingly into the wilderness, but the Spirit is pictured as moving him to battle Satan’s temptations. Jesus often went into the wilderness during his ministry. It is in the wilderness where we often meet God. We don’t choose to go to wilderness places such as times of trial, temptation and struggle. They happen to us. Even when the challenges are caused by our actions, we rarely seek out or even want such hardship. Even when we face life’s challenges, the Holy Spirit will make use of us.

All of us have wilderness experiences from time to time. These experiences often force us to confront the negative experiences of our lives. They force us to strip away our pride and worldly resources and come to God in faith. I know, because several years ago I went through a wilderness experience because of my mother’s health issues. It was a tough time for me. I had to turn the situation over to God, but in doing so my faith was challenged and strengthened. Jesus knows that unless we are liberated at the core like I was, we won’t live the life God wants us to lead. We have to get rid of the values, motives and attitudes of the world.

Some people believe that if you follow God’s will, you will have a life of ease. Nothing could be further from the truth. The way of God often involves circumstances where we must trust in God and draw on his truth and strength. God tests us to help us grow, to show us that we have the faith and ability to stand up to the testing, that we will trust God in difficult times and to strengthen our faith and Christian character. At the same time, Satan has his own purpose-to turn us away from God and tempt us to sin. It is our responsibility not only to teach people the difference between right and wrong, but also to motivate them to want to do the right thing.

Satan and much of human society want to make us do the wrong thing. Jesus was the son of God, but his earthly life was full of challenges that he had to endure. God sometimes uses the devil to test people. His purpose is to strengthen our faith, but Satan wants to destroy our faith. We will face the trials of life, but we can endure if we draw strength from Jesus. After all, Jesus’ faith was strengthened by his time in the wilderness.

When we turn away from God we find ourselves pursued and served by God in the person of Jesus. When we become his followers, his “no” becomes our rejection of evil. His “yes” becomes our battle cry of hope for God. With his victory over evil, Christ can now proclaim the coming of the Kingdom, because he can announce that which he possesses-namely, the kingdom.

After the temptation in the wilderness, Jesus started his mission of preaching the good news of salvation. Jesus announced the kingdom’s arrival by saying that it was time for the kingdom to come. It includes the good news of hope, peace, promise and eternal life. The kingdom is more than simply the rule of the Holy Spirit within us. The kingdom will ultimately include the restoration of all creation.

The wilderness can be a lonely place. Jesus was alone emotionally, environmentally and physically. It was a good time for Satan to make his move. He tested Jesus’ character, creativity and communion with God. Jesus was tempted to take care of his own needs first, but his character included a reservoir of strength that he could draw on when he was tempted-the word of God. In the silence of the wilderness, God spoke to him.

We are often led into the wilderness just after moments of triumph in our lives, just like Jesus was led into the wilderness after his baptism. When we are in the wilderness, our character is also tested, especially when we are tempted. Do we let faith guide us, or do we give in to worldly pleasures? Do we draw on our faith? Do we let God speak to us?

When we are in the wilderness, we don’t know how long the journey will last or what is on the other side, but it is a time of preparation. Lent is a wilderness journey for us. We are invited to embark on a journey that will take us through a wilderness that will toughen our faith so that at the end of the journey when we are at the foot of the cross, we will be victorious.

The arrival of the kingdom comes with a sense of urgency, and this sense of urgency is often portrayed in Mark’s Gospel. It is shown in the brevity of the stories he includes in the Gospel and in the stories he left out (such as the Incarnation). The arrival of the kingdom requires an urgent response. God controls the timing, not us. Every sermon that is preached or heard, and every witness we give must have an urgent tone. Our lives and God’s patience are short when it comes to accepting or rejecting Christ.

We must not place obstacles in the way of people who reach out in faith to Christ. For example, a follow-up study of people who made decisions for Christ at a Billy Graham crusade condemned people who wanted to keep the kingdom of God out of the reach of sinners. The report showed that the decisions were genuine, but only a few new believers became members of a church after their conversion. The churches had no plan for bringing someone else’s converts into the fellowship of faith.

The good news is decisive. The call to repent is decisive and urgent. People expect that preaching will lead to a call for a decision. Jesus calls on us to turn around and walk with God. It is a theme that is repeated again and again and again throughout the Bible. Repentance loosens our hold on the world and strengthens our hold on the good news. It calls on us to trust God.

Jesus preaches repentance, which requires a change of mind and heart. It is a full-time, ongoing commitment to change. We are to turn away from whatever distracts us from God and turn toward God. We will receive the help we need, because repentance won’t be easy.

Sometimes people do not change. One reason is because change involves making a decision. Only by deciding to live a better life can we have lives that are truly happy and fulfilled. Another reason is because they don’t really want to change. They do not want to repent. They focus on the consequences. In other words, they don’t really hate what can be changed-they just hate the consequences when they are found out.

Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. The number 40 is often associated with intense spiritual experiences. Christ’s temptation in the wilderness was an intense spiritual experience for him. Our wilderness experiences can be intense spiritual experiences for us because they force us to draw closer to God in faith.

Jesus’ temptation was a foretaste of his entire ministry. It involved unending assaults from evil forces. He was sustained in the wilderness and he was sustained throughout his ministry. He did not replace evil earthly rulers or lift up the poor and oppressed. People still suffer today, but God is still with them and us.

Today is a good day to make decisions about our lives and how we are going to live them. Lent is a time for us to think things over, to reconsider, and to be more aware of our limitations, our mortality and our need for God and the transforming grace he offers us through Jesus. Even as we look at our own broken, sin-filled lives, we can take comfort in the knowledge that Jesus has preceded us in this journey. Jesus came into our dark, sin-filled world in order to be joined to our brokenness and redeem it. When we find ourselves in the wilderness of disease, loneliness, joblessness, depression or any other things that challenge us, Jesus has been there before. He meets us in our wilderness to bear our burdens with us and for us.

Lent is a time for us to loosen our grip on the ways of the world and draw nearer to God’s grace. It is a time for us as Christians to take a journey through the wilderness to the cross. We can’t avoid this journey, but we can take comfort in the knowledge that God will bring us through it to the other side. God will not deliver us from the suffering we will endure during the journey, but with his help we will be transformed by it. God will show us how to make our divine lives spring to fuller life. We’ll have to change our vision of the world, but God will help us get rid of our old worldly lives.

Bibliography

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

• Preaching Magazine, Nov./Dec. 2014 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing; pp. 80-81)

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

• Pastor Ken Klaus, “Leave Behind the Past.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org

• Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 1^st Sunday of Lent, (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

1. Sarah Henrich, “Commentary on Mark 1:9-15.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
2. Exegesis for Mark 1:9-15. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
3. David Lose, “Beginnings and Endings.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org.
4. Brian F. Stoffregen, “De Jevu All Over Again?” retrieved from www.crossmarks.com/brian/mark1x9.htm
5. The Rev. Christopher Henry, “Where to Begin?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
6. Lectionary Notes, Volume XXVI, Number 2 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary, pp. 23-30)
7. Margaret Manning Shull, “Through Wilderness.” Retrieved from slice@sliceofinfinity.org

Tom scowled as he furiously raked leaves. “I was gonna collect aluminum cans today to make a little money for a new skateboard,” he muttered to himself, “but no! Dad says I have to help rake the lawn first, so here I am, doing dumb yard work.” Just then, he noticed a large hole in the base of a big tree. “Look, Dad,” he called as he knelt to peer inside. “I never noticed this before. This would be a good place to hide stuff.”

Dad walked over to look. “Maybe there’s a cache of jewels or a sack of stolen money inside,” he teased. He poked his rake into the hole, and they heard a scraping sound as the rake hit a metal object.

“Something is hidden in there!” cried Tom. Plunging his hand inside the cavity, he felt around and finally pulled out a small box. “Wow! A real treasure chest!” he shouted. “I wonder who put it there.” Eagerly, Tom opened the old box and looked inside. Then he let out a disappointed groan. The treasure turned out to be a handful of multicolored stones, a rusty pocketknife, and a soggy, moldy book about fishing.

“Somebody must have hidden these things, but then forgot about them,” said Dad. “Now look at them. I hope whoever stored these here put most of his treasures in a better place.”

“Yeah. Maybe he got smart and started putting important things in one of those safe deposit boxes at the bank,” suggested Tom.

“I was thinking of an even better place than that,” said Dad. “Jesus said we should put our treasures in heaven, where they’ll never be ruined or stolen.” Dad shook his head. “We often put so much emphasis on things here on earth–things like houses and clothes and cars . . .”

And skateboards, thought Tom.

“We need to remember that things won’t last,” said Dad. As Tom looked at the rusty pocketknife, he realized that what Dad was saying was true. I still want a skateboard, he thought, but I guess I shouldn’t get so upset over it. He put the box back into the hole in the tree and picked up his rake.

The choices we make today affect our future. Our words, our actions, how we use our money, the time we spend in prayer can be translated to eternal treasure when they are submitted to God. What the world offers isn’t what we are looking for. It leaves us disappointed.

Trumpets are sounded as signals to large groups of people. Anyone who draws attention to himself is said to “blow his own horn.” For example, the temple compound housed 13 large chests with funnel-like openings into which people placed their financial contributions. Hypocrites often converted their gifts into the largest number of coins possible so their money would make a loud noise when dropped into the chest. This is what the Pharisees did when they gave alms. These alms were given to be seen by men, so every effort was made to prevent people from missing the sight. The Pharisees had the reward they were looking for-the admiration of the people. It was the only reward they would receive.

When we give, we should give with a pure motive-obedience to God, out of love for our fellow man, or just wanting to help someone else who is trying to make it through another day here on earth. When we give not to be seen by men but out of a right heart, God will reward us openly. Everyone will see that God’s hand is on us. God’s blessings will come into our lives.

The hypocrisy of the Pharisees extended to public prayer. They stood in the synagogues and on street corners and, with faces turned to heaven and hands lifted high, offered silent prayers. It was a pretended act of paying respect to God when it was really an effort to obtain honour from men. Standing does not merely describe the upright position of a person’s body. It also suggests striking a pose to gain attention. The Pharisees were committed to praying at set hours: at six, nine, twelve and three o’clock. They arranged to be in the most public places at these times so they would be recognized for their commitment to God. Jesus is not condemning public prayer but prayer that is self-serving.

Jesus modelled for us the proper way to pray and give alms. Both were to be done in secret. For example, many times Jesus went off by Himself to pray to God. Sometimes He took people aside to heal them in private. The time we spend with God in prayer should be free from disguise and pretense.

Prayer involves opening our lives to God. It is inviting Him to act in our lives. Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, it is being willing to accept His will in our lives. Prayer moves the hand of God by giving Him the moral freedom to do in our lives what He has been waiting to do. God doesn’t impose His will upon us. He can function in our lives in accordance with the degree of freedom we surrender to Him.

Jesus doesn’t say how often we should pray to God in secret. The reasons may have been:

1. That it should be voluntary
2. Setting times would make religion formal and heartless.
3. Occasions would be so numerous that it would not be easy to fix rules.

Jesus did suggest times when secret prayer would be proper:

1. In the morning, after we have been protected during the night and when we are about to face the trials of another day.
2. In the evening to ask for forgiveness, give thanks and ask for protection from the dangers of the night.
3. In times of embarrassment and difficulty.
4. When we are tempted.
5. When the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray.

Part of our prayer life should include fasting, provided that it is not a ritual but a voluntary time of meditation when drawing near to God. Fasting deprives us of the normal performances of life for the sake of enriching our Christian lives. The proper way of fasting is to empty ourselves so we can be filled with God. It is by truly giving of ourselves that we will be truly found. We do these things not to be hypocrites but to be real about our origins and our destiny.

Jesus warns against the use of fasting-going without food or water to devote oneself to prayer-as a means of impressing others. Fasting is never to be an outward display but an inward discipline. Rather than looking sad and disfiguring their faces when fasting, believers should seek to appear normal-thus the command to “anoint your head and wash your face.”

In New Testament times, treasures were not always stockpiles of coins. Since wealthy garments often represented a person’s holding, Jesus spoke quite literally when He warned the people that moths could destroy the worldly wealth. It is better to place one’s hope in the Person and promises of God than in anything this world has to offer.

Earthly treasures have two characteristics-they decay and because of their value, there is always concern for security. Treasures in heaven can’t be stolen, and they won’t decay. The treasures of eternal life are the securities that remain. They are matters of character-a godly personality, minds that can enjoy the great thoughts of God and His creation, and hearts that can overcome selfishness by loving.

Jesus is not against the accumulation of wealth and property if they are not used for our own selfish purposes. These resources are to be used to help the poor and spread the Good News of the Gospel. Only then will we have true happiness, because our reward will be waiting for us in heaven, and our reward will last.

It is the true nature of Christianity to help the poor and needy. Christians don’t have to be told to do it. All they have to do is ask for the chance. To give and do charitable deeds in secret reflects a person’s desire to please God more than people. God blesses those who honour Him.

Jesus emphasized service for the sake of righteousness or fellowship with God. When we serve for the praise of God, we will be blessed, but it won’t be noticed by other people. Our reward will be a good conscience and peace with God. We must not scheme or plan for our advantage or to get human attention. We must give and serve others in complete trust when the gift is in the spirit of love and the giving must be for the good in the experience itself rather than from personal benefit.

Sometimes we feel that we aren’t appreciated when our efforts aren’t recognized by other people. God knows what we’re doing. He sees what others don’t see. It pleases Him when we serve for His sake and not for man’s praise. The hand that is closed can’t receive the treasure that God wants to give.

It’s when we think no one is watching that our true allegiances are revealed. In the quietness of our alone time, we’re either exposed as people who are seeking the things of God, or we’re exposed as people who are seeking the things of the world. That’s because God knows our hearts and sees everything we do.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1291-1292)
2. The New Testament Commentary, Vol. 1-Matthew & Mark. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
4. Augsberger, M.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982, p. 18)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
7. Leslie Koh, “God Knows.” Retrieved from donotreple@email.rbc.org
8. “The Right Treasure.” Retrieved from keys@lists.keysforkids.org
9. Anne Graham Lotz, “How to Receive Treasure.” Retrieved from info@angelministries.org
10. “How You Can Avoid a Secretly Sinful Life.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
11. Steve Arterburn, “Belonging.” Retrieved from www.newlife.com
12. Neil Anderson, “What We Treasure.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
13. Bayless Conley, “A Matter of the Heart.” Retrieved from www.answersrbc.org

We just heard a passage from the Book of Leviticus, and it is a book that we rarely hear read from in churches today. The passage we heard talked about how people who had leprosy or other skin diseases in Old Testament times were to be treated. Today, treatment methods are much different.

Only the Old Testament priests could pronounce that a leper was cured. To be ill with leprosy (or any of the skin diseases that were referred to by the Hebrew term) was no more a sign of personal sin that to be ill with cancer today, but because the disease could spread, various means were used to quarantine the infected person in hopes of preventing an epidemic. The infected person was isolated for as long as two weeks to allow the symptoms time to improve.

Sin that goes unchecked among a people may similarly become an epidemic. The aim of God’s Laws about cleanliness was to protect the people from disease, but more importantly, to teach them by vivid lessons how God wanted purity, holiness, and cleanliness among His people. Failure to obey these laws was considered sin. While following God’s laws did provide good hygienic results, they also separated the pure and clean from the impure and unclean. The Israelites were to be distinct from the pagan nations surrounding them. Similarly, we as Christians are to be distinct from the people around us. That does not mean that we are to ignore them. Rather, we are to love them as Christ would and share the Good News with them.

Some of us ask ourselves if the book of Leviticus applies today. The answer is “Yes.” Leprosy and other skin diseases are symbols of the sinful nature of human beings. They show the sinfulness of sin and the effect of sin in action. For example, many health conditions today such as lung cancer and sexually transmitted diseases are the result of sinful activities such as smoking or unsafe sex. The leper who had to walk down the street and cry out “Unclean! Unclean!” reminded the Israelites that they were moral lepers who needed supernatural cleansing.

The victims of these diseases were not treated humanely. The Hebrews dreaded living outside the Israelites camp, because they lived and breathed for the community of God’s people, unlike many modern Western individuals. To be outside the camp was to be removed from the worship of God, because the tabernacle was in the midst of the camp. To be outside the camp was to be cut off from one’s people and from God’s covenant. Similarly, people today who do not know God or who do not go to church without a good reason are removed from other Christians and God’s love.

Only when we begin to feel the dehumanization of anyone who lives outside of the love of God and His children can we appreciate the compassion and love Jesus had when He healed the leper in Mark 1:40-45, Matthew 8:2-4 and Luke 5:12-14. The lesson we can learn from this passage is that we should use every human means available for physical and spiritual healing as well as God’s direct intervention.

As long as we excuse our sins and think that we are basically good people, we are not fit to receive God’s grace. When we realize that we are helpless and undone, without one hope or one redeeming trait, God’s grace can have its blessed way with us. We must fall on our knees at Jesus’ feet. We must confess that we are full of need and sin. Only then are we near to Christ and fit to be richly blessed. Then, in the words of a famous radio pastor, the Lord can make us a blessing-a blessing that can be shared with the world.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1344)
2. “Daily Journey from the John Ankerburg Show, March 1, 2017.” Retrieved from Jesus.org@crosswalkmail.com
3. Demarest, G.W. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 3: Leviticus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1990, pp. 129-136)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 142-143)

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