From the Pastor's Desk
Reverend David Kaul
“ Excerpts from the sermon on Jan 29- Mark 1:21-28 ”
Give thanks and thumbs up.
Dear friends in Christ,
"The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, for those who sat in the shadow of death, light has dawned. Alleluia!" Matthew 4:16
One of the most humbling but also liberating moments in life is to admit that "I don't have all of life's answers." Many people came to worship that day. One man gets our attention. He came to church full of fear and evil. He leaves with a completely new understanding of our Lord. Mark tells us that evil had a very strong foothold in this mans life. In fact, it was controlling him. Think of an Al Qaeda trainer spewing out hated for everyone who isn't one of us. Who fund their wars by selling drugs. Who teach a person to be a terrorist or a suicide bomber to kill innocents.
First, I am amazed at the people our Lord includes in the circle of his compassion. Jesus reaches out to people that you and I may not like very much.
The person who is self centered.
The kid who mocks, ridicules and bullies others at school.
The person who always has to be the center of attention.
The person who has an addiction to drugs or is attracted to doing bad things.
Most of us have to admit that it is easy to love the people who are kind and work hard, people who make themselves easy to love just by being themselves. All of us have met people like that! You just like them. But what about those who are not!
Mark tells us there was a man who came to church that day with an unclean spirit. He kept interrupting Jesus as he spoke. Our Lord saw what was wrong with the man. If he were here today, we would want him to shut up so we could enjoy the sermon. Jesus saw that his pain went much further. His life was being ruled and controlled by an evil spirit. Most of us would tell him, friend, you're not welcome here. But not Jesus!
Jesus looks right at him and rebukes the evil spirit, "Be silent!" and come out of him."
Evil always yields in the face of God. And our Lord welcomes this man into his love.
What an encouraging word from Mark! He is telling us that when I am at my worst. When I am full of fear and anger and unbelief. God doesn't turn his back on me. He is still calling to me, asking my spirit to be quiet and listen for His voice. There isn't a place I can go where God's love is not present. He is ever reaching out to me. He is calling to me. To that end that I might trust in him, believe in him, know that he is with me, even in my darkest and biggest faith failure moments.
Isn't it good that "I don't have to know everything" but know someone who does. His name is Jesus! When I am at my worst, my beautiful savior is at His best!
Second, let us pray to take this to the next step. Here Jesus calls his church to widen the boundaries of our love. We are to love not only the loveable, the beautiful, the gifted, the most popular, the kind, but to stretch our circle of concern, our listening, our patience, our conversation, our kindness to those who are sometimes difficult to love.
Amen!
God bless,
P. Dave