Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24 What an interesting invitation - to provoke one another to love! This verse intrigues me because we don’t usually associate being provoked with love. Being provoked is usually seen as a negative thing. We are provoked to anger, for example.…
A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then [Jesus] called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance,…
Looking up to heaven, [Jesus] sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Mark 7:34-35 This Sunday’s gospel reading (Mark 7:24-37) offers us two well-known miracle stories. And I want to look at them in the reverse order, starting…
The Pharisees and the scribes asked [Jesus], “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” Mark 7:5 I am sure that we have all been told to wash our hands before coming to dinner. Maybe we were even taught to sing “Happy Birthday” while washing…
On the Sabbath [Jesus] began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. Mark 6:2 Our gospel reading today (Mark 6:1-13) begins on the Sabbath, and begins with Jesus doing what he always did on the Sabbath: Worshiping God. Which is why we are here, after all. Today, we are doing…
Jesus said: "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." Mark 5:34 Before Jesus died and rose again, he raised three people from the dead: the widow’s son at Nain, Lazarus, and Jairus’s daughter, the one in today's gospel reading (Mark 5:21-43). To me, this begs the…
Jesus said: “The Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath." Mark 2:27 “Observe the Sabbath day,” we are told in Deuteronomy 5:12, “and keep it holy.” But what does that mean? In today’s gospel reading (Mark 2:23-3:6), we see that Jesus and the Pharisees do not agree about this basic commandment.…
Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Mark 16:6 Early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, three women went to the tomb of Jesus. They found the stone rolled away, and the tomb empty.…
Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Mark 15:43 There is so much happening in our worship service today that I thought I would narrow the focus for my sermon, and…
Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Mark 1:17 The story is told of a young woman applying for college. She felt that her application was strong, until she got to the question that asked, simply, “Are you a leader?” Her heart sank. Being both honest and conscientious,…
My Pastoral Ponderings 