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Welcome to Devotions for Worship where we meditate on the appointed Scripture readings for the upcoming Sunday. I am Pastor Eric Tritten from Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hudson, OH.
Thank you for being with me today.
This coming Sunday will be the 5th Sunday after Epiphany. It is also the 2nd-to-last Sunday of the Epiphany Season this year. There can be as many as 9 Sundays after Epiphany, and Transfiguration Sunday is always the last Sunday of the Season. It is also always the Sunday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, which begins on February 14 this year.
As I’ve said before, the Epiphany season shines light on Jesus so that we can know Him as our Savior and God. Today’s reading displays His power in miracles. Let’s take a look at it.
The Reading:
Mark 1:29-39 (ESV)
29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.
33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." 38 And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out." 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. (Mk. 1:29-39 ESV)
Comments
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but four out of the last five gospel readings have come from Mark 1. Mark begins his gospel with these words, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” From the word, “go,” his task and purpose is to show us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, which fits perfectly with the Epiphany season. So we read about Jesus’ baptism, skipped his temptation in the wilderness because we’ll read that on the first Sunday of Lent, and then read about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, calling His first disciples, healing a man with an unclean spirit in the synagogue and now healing many. And if we had more Sundays this Epiphany we’d keep reading Mark 1 and into chapter 2 because the whole purpose is to show us that Jesus is our Savior and our God.
This reading shows Jesus’ power over illness. God created all things through Jesus. Part of Jesus’ ministry is to restore what sin has broken, and that includes the brokenness of our bodies. The Creator of all things displays His power by healing the broken. However, we should notice that this healing ministry is not Jesus’ key concern. It is a mark of his power and authority, but it is not what He came to do. We see this the morning after Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law and the many that crowded to their house that evening.
That next morning Jesus got up and went off to pray, as seems to have been His normal habit … a good precedent for us to follow! … and when the disciples found Jesus he told them it was time to move to the next town because He wanted to preach there also. He says that preaching is what He was sent for, and we can connect that back to Mark 1:15, when Jesus began His ministry and His first message was, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is and hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” His primary ministry was to preach the gospel and repentance. Miracles displayed His authority to proclaim that message.
Let’s meditate on this today: Jesus ministry included healing and preaching. He is concerned about both the body and the soul. As we follow Jesus, where do we find the opportunity to care about people, to love our neighbors, in ways that show Jesus’ concern for body and soul?
Prayers
Lord Jesus, You healed Simon’s mother-in-law and many others. Crowds were attracted to You because of Your miracles. Nevertheless, You chose to move to the next town in order to preach the gospel there. Thank You for Your concern for our bodies and souls. Thank You for loving our whole selves. Please forgive us for times that we have not loved our neighbors enough to address either needs of their bodies or souls. Grant us Your Holy Spirit so that He might teach us to love our neighbors the way You love people … including us. Amen.
Memory Verse:
Isaiah 40:29 - He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. (Isa. 40:29 ESV)
Thank you so much for using Devotions for Worship, I pray that our time together has blessed you and given you something to meditate on – some reminder of God’s grace to rattle around in your brain – for the rest of the day.
Would you do me a favor? If you got something out of this devotional time, would you like and/or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or wherever you do social media? That would help me get the word out, and hopefully help these devotions be a blessing to others.
Look this podcast up on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/devotions-for-worship/id1295926846?mt=2
God bless you!
Welcome to Devotions for Worship where we meditate on the appointed Scripture readings for the upcoming Sunday. I am Pastor Eric Tritten from Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hudson, OH.
Thank you for being with me today.
This coming Sunday will be the 5th Sunday after Epiphany. It is also the 2nd-to-last Sunday of the Epiphany Season this year. There can be as many as 9 Sundays after Epiphany, and Transfiguration Sunday is always the last Sunday of the Season. It is also always the Sunday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, which begins on February 14 this year.
As I’ve said before, the Epiphany season shines light on Jesus so that we can know Him as our Savior and God. Today’s reading displays His power in miracles. Let’s take a look at it.
The Reading:
Mark 1:29-39 (ESV)
29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.
33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." 38 And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out." 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. (Mk. 1:29-39 ESV)
Comments
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but four out of the last five gospel readings have come from Mark 1. Mark begins his gospel with these words, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” From the word, “go,” his task and purpose is to show us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, which fits perfectly with the Epiphany season. So we read about Jesus’ baptism, skipped his temptation in the wilderness because we’ll read that on the first Sunday of Lent, and then read about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, calling His first disciples, healing a man with an unclean spirit in the synagogue and now healing many. And if we had more Sundays this Epiphany we’d keep reading Mark 1 and into chapter 2 because the whole purpose is to show us that Jesus is our Savior and our God.
This reading shows Jesus’ power over illness. God created all things through Jesus. Part of Jesus’ ministry is to restore what sin has broken, and that includes the brokenness of our bodies. The Creator of all things displays His power by healing the broken. However, we should notice that this healing ministry is not Jesus’ key concern. It is a mark of his power and authority, but it is not what He came to do. We see this the morning after Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law and the many that crowded to their house that evening.
That next morning Jesus got up and went off to pray, as seems to have been His normal habit … a good precedent for us to follow! … and when the disciples found Jesus he told them it was time to move to the next town because He wanted to preach there also. He says that preaching is what He was sent for, and we can connect that back to Mark 1:15, when Jesus began His ministry and His first message was, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is and hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” His primary ministry was to preach the gospel and repentance. Miracles displayed His authority to proclaim that message.
Let’s meditate on this today: Jesus ministry included healing and preaching. He is concerned about both the body and the soul. As we follow Jesus, where do we find the opportunity to care about people, to love our neighbors, in ways that show Jesus’ concern for body and soul?
Prayers
Lord Jesus, You healed Simon’s mother-in-law and many others. Crowds were attracted to You because of Your miracles. Nevertheless, You chose to move to the next town in order to preach the gospel there. Thank You for Your concern for our bodies and souls. Thank You for loving our whole selves. Please forgive us for times that we have not loved our neighbors enough to address either needs of their bodies or souls. Grant us Your Holy Spirit so that He might teach us to love our neighbors the way You love people … including us. Amen.
Memory Verse:
Isaiah 40:29 - He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. (Isa. 40:29 ESV)
Thank you so much for using Devotions for Worship, I pray that our time together has blessed you and given you something to meditate on – some reminder of God’s grace to rattle around in your brain – for the rest of the day.
Would you do me a favor? If you got something out of this devotional time, would you like and/or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or wherever you do social media? That would help me get the word out, and hopefully help these devotions be a blessing to others.
Look this podcast up on iTunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/devotions-for-worship/id1295926846?mt=2
God bless you!
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