Living Worship: 2 Samuel 6:1-5,12-19; Mark 6:14-29

We humans worship whatever we place highest in life.  From culture idols worshipped in culture --from athletes to entertainers, there's almost no limit to the individuals and objects we can lavish with love, time, creative energy, and money.  It might be an accident that a popular TV show is called American Idol--but it proves the point: God made us to worship --and if we won't seek out God and the things of God as the highest good we'll find something less than God to hold up for worship instead.  Money, power, and political ambition and more can all become the objects of our love.

We're really getting thing backwards from God initial intent.  After all God started his commandments with a simple direction: “I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods.” Exodus 20:2–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21.  In his Small Catechism Martin Luther wrote this means, " We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things." 

This week, looking at scripture, we can find two stories of worshippers: King David and John the Baptist.  They're lives were full of worship--moments and even seasons when they put God first and foremost.

King David is described rejoicing in God's presence.  In 2nd Samuel 6:19-19 he dancing in front of the Arc of the Covenant symbol of God's presence in the midst of the people.  John the Baptist shunned any distraction and went out to the wilderness Mark 1:1-14.  He preached to crowds calling them to repentant and he baptized them for repentance preparing for the coming kingdom of God. 

These two very different men experienced God's presence and power in numerous and profound ways.  And they both knew and spoke of God's activity in their lives.  Both men knew God firsthand.  For David that meant a lifetime knowing God's blessings and power, judgement, wrath, and forgiveness.  For John worshipping God meant a time, maybe of few years preaching to crowds and an early death for remaining faithful.

Both men lived worshipping God and for us today both men are models of what worship really is and isn't.  Worship isn't just an hour in a week to go through religious motions.  Worship is living focused on God the maker of Heaven and Earth.  Worship for David meant the freedom to sing, to dance, and to rejoice in the presence of the holy.  Worship for John meant holding nothing back; even his earthly life.

This very same God who David and John worshiped comes today in the person of Holy Spirit working in more ways than humans know and imagine.  He comes to us and we can rejoice in all circumstances knowing that in God's presence we will find true freedom.

Pax, John

unaproved authority Mark 6:1-13

When Jesus walked on earth He brought the kingdom of God with; and multitudes celebrated and rejoiced in His presence.  Seizing authority over diseases and daemonic powers he released many from bondage.  He had authority; but he wasn't authorized by the religious leadership of his day (Mark 2:18-22) or by his own family (Mark 3:20-35)--rather his power came straight from God.  The church, in the same way, has authority not from people, prestige, or popularity.  Rather the true authority of the church begins and ends in the person of Jesus and our faithful service in his name.  Whenever the church confuses the authority of truth with the authority of power we fall away from the way of Christ.  But when we come humbly in service to poor and forgotten we walk in Christ's footsteps and renew our strength.

As Jesus came home with his disciples to minister and teach a second time reaction grew against him.  The people knew Jesus and his family; but they didn't recognize his power to speak.  By what right did he say these things? He was only Mary's son with the carpenter.  In whispers they likely remembered his scandalous conception.  Who was Jesus to speak (Mark 6:1-3).  There is something scandalous about being church--about broken people telling others the way to wholeness and freedom in Christ.  Anybody who knows us well knows all our sin and failures.  And the scandal and the hope of the Gospel continues into the world as we tell of Jesus who sets us free.

All believers, are called to speak the truth in love, just like Jesus did, and in the truth of the cross there is always real transformative power. As Jesus taught in his home synagogue he felt disbelief.  Other communities welcomed him honoring his ministry and wisdom.  But at home he was nobody special.  Mark says he could only heal a few in the midst of such unbelief (Mark 6:3-6).  Even in the face of disbelief he still had power.  Let anyone with eyes see and ears here what God is doing.  Even if we reject Jesus he still is at work releases the captive and healing the hurting. 

After a humbling visit home Jesus sent followers out 2 by 2 with power over unclean spirits (Mark 6:7).  He offered simple directions for travel.  Take only what you need: staff, sandals, one cloak and go.  Stay where received and leave places that won't receive you completely; knock even dust off your feet as testimony of their unbelief.   Jesus followers went to do great things--and they did.  The news was stunning--daemons caste out, the sick anointed and healed.  The Kingdom of God came close to many (Mark 6:8-13.

In the same way he calls us to go into the world traveling light as the church trusting in God's power and provision.  He sends us out to caste out daemons and heal hurting people.  He sends us to pray for the sick and anoint them.  He sends us to name evil and the daemonic forces that destroy people and stand against the enemy.   may the joy of his presence light our way today.  pax, john.

healing won't wait Mark 5:21-43

Ever wonder what faith is? Just look at Mark 5:21-43 to hear of two believers who came for healing and found it in Jesus.   Jesus changed lives along the shores of Lake Galilee in Mark 4 and 5.  In the middle of the lake he calmed a storm, on one shore he caste out daemons, and on the other he met people who needed healing the moment the met him.

Right as they reached the shore a crowd surrounded Jesus and friends Mark 5:21.  Crowds weren't new to them.  People searched him out wanting freedom from daemons and diseases.  At the front of the crowd was Jairus, a synagogue leader with a dying daughter at home.  Desperate he begged Jesus for help and Jesus headed with him to meet her and the crowd followed along. (Mark 5:22-24)

In Bible School the crowds have come to see Jesus this week.  We encouraged the kids to imagine crowds.  "Stand tight together shoulder to shoulder in lines.  Imagine if Jesus moved left and everybody followed."  They couldn't move fast.  They had to shuffle together to stay near to Jesus.  No doubt there were accidental trips and upsetting falls as people moved close to Jesus.

A woman full of faith and troubles came up, touched Jesus, and was healed (Mark 5:25-29).  Jesus felt power go out from him.  He looked wonder who was healed (Mark 5:30-32).  The woman knew what happened and knelt before him shaking (Mark 5:33-34).  She met him with faith and troubles and left free; the one she believed in set her free.  Right as Jesus sent her away with a blessing of peace word came from Jairus home, his daughter was dead.  He continued onward with Jairus' saying μὴ φοβου, μόνον πίστευε don't fear, only trust /believe /be confident . (Mark 5:35-36)  

Jairus hoped Jesus could heal his daugter--and he'd witnessed a miracle on the way.  After she was declared dead--Jesus kept on moving towards her like he could still help.  Leaving the crowd behind they  entered the house as people inside laughed him off (Mark 5:37-40).  But he kept on moving towards her.  Reaching out his hand He called to her in Aramaic--ταλιθα κουμ (talitha koum) little girl arise (Mark 5:41) and she stood up. 

Healing came for two who had faith in Christ.  This is faith--profound and sublime--saving trust in God revealed in Jesus the Christ. This isn't intellectual assent to doctrine--this is trust in the person who came bringing the kingdom of heaven close to them.  We know him as he is revealed to us in the Living Word read in scripture, preached in the assembly of believers, sung about in hymns, discovered in Bible study, and in any other way that the Lord of Heaven and Earth might choose to come to us. And through faith we see miracles like Jairus and the hurting woman who went away in peace.  


Pax, John.

Storm Calmer Mark 4:35-41

In the middle of a crisis fears, limitations, and character all become clear.  After all it was in the middle of a storm when Jesus' closest disciples, filled with fear, had a profound experience of His raw divine power.

Setting the scene: Jesus spoke to a crowd down by the lakeshore in Mark 4:1-34.  He told the crowds beautiful parables about the kingdom of God.  Marks gospel ads a key detail to the story--Jesus explained with the parables meant directly to his closest disciples but leaving mystery behind for the crowd as their pondered his teaching. Mark 4:33-34. 

Jesus' friends feared the storm:

Jesus, leader and teacher, turned to his closest followers and asked to cross the lake and go toward the other side Mark 4:35.  Others came along in boats too.  Mark doesn't leave any details about them coming along with for the whole journey or just a little way out from the shore Mark 4:36. 

The lake probably seemed calm or at least calm enough to cross as they set out with Jesus towards the other side.  And Jesus slept comfortable on a cushion in the stern as Mark as a storm blew up over the lake 4:38.  In the midst of the waves these friends feared for their lives Mark 4:37.  They called to Jesus laying asleep in the stern of the boat teacher/instructor don't you care if we are destroyed/apocalypted? διδάσκαλε ου μέλει σοι ότι απολλύμεθα.  The storm was real; it was their apocalypse and in their moment of fear they called for help to their teacher.

Jesus over-powered the storm:

Jesus was and is someone who can change a situation with just a word.  He was asleep, or maybe (Pastor Steve Whitmer argues well) Jesus faked sleep there in the back of the boat as the storm overcame them.  And right as fear overwhelmed his friends confidence in their ability to cross the lake they called to their teacher for help.  And Jesus, God in flesh and blood, overwhelmed the storm. All it took was his word σιώπα, πεφίμωσο silence, muzzle-yourself and the storm was gone.

The storm seemed like the most powerful force in the world at the moment of greatest fear.  But it was clear--Jesus, the one there with them in the middle of the storm, had such power that even wind and wave obeyed him. 

Thanks be to God for working in our lives in times of storm and struggle.  Thanks for overpowering the storms when we doubt and fear.  AMEN.

Pax, John

Reading Parables that Read Us Mark 4:26-34

When crowds came close enough to listen to His teachings Jesus spoke in parables (Mark 4:33-34). Jesus' Parables read us pointing out what God sees in us leaving questions for later pondering and invitations to later action.

Reading Mark 4:26-34 we'll discover 2 of our great teacher's parables about the Kingdom of God: one about someone who scattered seed and one focused on a mustard seed. Alone with just His twelve closest followers Jesus said it plainly, but when crowds came 2000 years ago it was time for parables. And these same pointed stories speak today testifying about God's kingdom coming among us.

Jesus compared the kingdom of God with someone scattering seed. He doesn't know exactly how it sprouts but trusts it will (Mark 4:26-27). In our age of hybrids and genetic trait selection there's still no guarantee every seed planted in the spring will sprout and produce a harvest. Instead the person who scatters seed, like a person of faith, counts on something else often something unseen to do the work.

People of faith count on God the Holy Spirit to act unseen like the soil supporting seed as it sprouts and grows (Mark 4:28-29) Jesus invited his hearers to imaging the God's kingdom as a mustard seed starting small (Mark 4:30-31) but growing exponentially from tiny seed into a bush (Mark 4:32) David Lose explores the nature of mustard plants growing like weeds in a very powerful way in this story.

Over the past 3 years I've placed a mustard seed in the hand of each seventh grader starting Confirmation. Midwestern Lutherans, like me, put emphasis on Confirmation ministry. It's a tradition that's stayed alive for 12-15 year-olds as the majority of parents in the past two generations have drifted away from churches of all stripes. Young people come immediately facing their parent's inconsistency. They wonder why it matters if they know about God and church if their parents worship so infrequently if ever. They wonder why parents expect them to be in church for 3 years but don't come themselves. These kids come ready for seed. Troubles come when we aren't planting the seed these kids need. They need the seeds of faith—the stories of Jesus love and a chance to be part of the church—the living breathing people of God.

When we plant the seeds of Jesus in what we say and do we will see God at work. It's time to be church—planting the seeds with faith God will act. AMEN.

Jesus Living Family Mark 3:20-35

Jesus living family is alive today. He named his family saying those who do God's will are his mother, brothers, and sisters (Mark 3:33-34). The church catholic today is a living household of faith, united together listening to God's Word and seeking out how best to do His will.  The Christian relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ is often underestimated—but believers learn here on earth and in the life to come that full breadth and depth of Christ's family is bigger than any human can know.

Human imagination can limit our visions of Jesus' family. His family is defined not by national or ethnic relationships, denominational or parental lineage. The boundaries of God's household are established not by DNA but by the gift of faith growing and nurtured by the Spirit leading believers to follow and serve God.

Early in Jesus' ministry crowds followed close to him seeking miracles and acts of great power (Mark 3:7-13). He had even designated close followers calling 12 men to walk with him as their teacher (Mark 3:14-19). The moment Jesus came home with this huge crowd his birth family reacted both to Jesus personally and to the crowd and the disciples. They treated Jesus like he'd gone mad (Mark 3:20-21). Jesus' mother and siblings needed a change of heart and mind about him. They knew one dimension of Jesus' being—this man who'd lived with them all his life—but now they were seeing the emergence of his full divinity. Jesus own mother underestimated his power.

The pharisees joined in accusing Jesus of having a daemon (Mark 3:22). Jesus didn't laugh off their words. Instead he turned to them with a question, “How can Satan Satan cast out?” πως δύναται σατανας σαταναν εκβάλλειν (Mark 3:23-24). Jesus was outside the lines the pharisees and his own family knew and understood—but the crowd was with him waiting for more. And Jesus spoke so boldly about who Satan is and what he does in response to this accusation. (Mark 3:25-30)

Jesus' family came near again. Many a believer, especially pastors, have similar stories to tell. A woman disowned by her pastor father after seeking to serve God as a pastor herself. A Roman Catholic family who turned away from their son when he sought ordination in an evangelical church. A Baptist family refused to communicate with their son when he entered a Catholic seminary. Even close human families will sometimes miss the calling and activity of God in the life of a beloved child or sibling.

Why should any other human family like Mary and Jesus' siblings be any different?

As Jesus taught the crowd and the disciples His own mother and sibling sent word that they were outside—and Jesus wouldn't leave the company of the crowd to go meet them (Mark 3:31-32). The family's relationship with Jesus was going to be forever different. The crowd recognized something inside of Jesus that even the ones closest to him hadn't seen. His words to the crowd sound harsh towards his family at first (Mark 3:33-34). But pay attention here.  Jesus had a mission and he couldn't turn back from it.  And taking up that mission He didn't disown Mary and the rest of the family. Here we see an opening not only for Jesus family but for all who trust in God to be His brother, sisters, and mother.

Pax, John

Like a Rushing Wind Acts 2:1-21

Jesus friends gathered all together for Pentecost and God broke in.
Acts 2:2 tells of a rushing wind from heaven. God the Holy Spirit arrived like a violent wind that filled the entire house where Jesus' friends gathered. Tongues of flame rose from their heads in Acts 2:3.

On the prairie in southern Minnesota we're no strangers to wind. In our near century old house some winter nights we hear and know the power of the wind. Some good neighbors have figured out how to harness wind to produce electricity. Generations ago wind powered pumps pulled water from deep wells to sustain homes, farms, and livestock.

There's raw power in wind and Acts says that's how the Holy Spirit arrived—like a violent rush of wind penetrating every corner of their domain in Acts 2:4 and every corner of our homes and world today. The believers will filled with the Holy Spirit and wonderful things happened: they spoke in tongues and underrstood each-other plainly like everyone in the room was speaking the same native language in Acts 2:5-11.

Wind can be dangerous too—terrible storms remind us of our fragility and dependence on God in the worst of times. And God—the true God who made heave and earth—is to be revered for His awesome power to both make and remake heaven and earth.

Acts 2 reaffirms the truth that God's on the loose, not domesticated to answer at our whim; rather God is free to reach in to our world and more personally into the lives of believers. Many looked on at this with wonder and ind doubt suggest in Acts 2:12 that they were just drunk. But Peter stood up and declared the wonder of what was happening in Acts 2:13. They weren't drunks; God was at work in them in new and wonderful ways Acts 2:14-16. Peter reminded all who were listening that day that God was making good on a promise made through Joel for the sake of those who would believe in the last days Acts 2:17-21.

Pax, John