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Mark 1:16-20
As Jesus begins his ministry proclaiming the arrival of the Kingdom of God, he calls his first disciples. These are to be the first who follow him closely enough to learn his way directly - from Jesus the person. Our lesson comes from noticing how Mark describes their response when Jesus lets them know it's "go time." Without delay, they leave everything else behind to follow Jesus wherever he will lead them. This message draws upon Proverbs 2 for insight into how we, the Church, can help our community as the coronavirus crisis deepens.
The Coronavirus pandemic has gotten everyone's attention. Numbers of cases of people infected with this new virus increase rapidly, and some people are dying. There is more that is unknown about this disease than is known. At such times, fear begins to distort the reality of the situation.
This sermon highlights current facts about the disease according to trusted experts. Several suggestions are made regarding how Christians can see these developments, finding hope rather than fear and panic. The wisdom of God is manifest in everything God has made. Yet, our times are marked by atheism - or at least agnosticism - among the smartest and most knowledgeable people in our culture. Several of the Proverbs teach us that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." God teaches his wisdom to those who respect him as God and who seek his will in order to obey it.
Mark 1:1=15
When Jesus came proclaiming "the kingdom is near," he was announcing that, with him, the Kingdom of God is arriving. Jesus is the Christ, the One promised to continue forever on throne of David. With Jesus' arrival, Israel's error in rejecting God as their king (1 Sam. 8:7) is being corrected. Better than any other king, Jesus provides and protects God's people. James 5:19-20
James concludes by encouraging us to be ready to take action when we see a brother or sister in spiritual peril. This world is as deceitful as ever. Christians can find themselves well down the wrong path before realizing what's happening. We need to watch out for each other and, drawing on the wisdom and power of the Bible, call one another to account. Doing so rescues souls from eternal condemnation. Romans 15:30-33.
Paul asks the Christians in Rome to "strive with [him] in prayer" as he perseveres in the good work of carrying relief to the Christians in Judea. In the same way, the work of prayer is a way to be with one another, working together even when many miles separate us. James 5:13-18.
The "prayer of faith" is the work of the faithful. So, James calls us in Jesus to confess our sins to one another so that we can pray effectively for one another. Chuck Marshall, preacher for Northside Church of Christ in Farmington, NM, shares a message from Hebrews 3:7-19 during our combined worship Sunday evening.
Heart disease is the leading cause of natural death in the United States today, and it continues to be the leading cause of spiritual death. Chuck Marshall mines the mind of God in Hebrews 3 to help us know how to keep our hearts spiritually healthy. |
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