Lectionary Year B
February 9, 2003

Mark 1:29-39
Contemporary Address


Step VI - Contemporary Address

A. Goals
(JFC) This sermon might begin to reveal how we who are imperfect might be made better by Christ's healing touch.

B. Describing the Audience
(JFC) A congregation I served as Stated Supply after another Stated Supply had served them for a few years while they convinced themselves they might be able to afford another fulltime resident minister, still thought of themselves as being unable to afford, if not non-deserving of a resident, fulltime minister, might appreciate this sermon.

C. Address
(JFC) A sermon, entitled for this working draft, "How Christ Heals Us" or, dare we, "Jesus 'Takin' It To The House'," a colloquialism for a dash for the finish line, for a touchdown on the gridiron, for a basket on the hardwood.

Introduction
We are ailing. We are Simon's other-in-law, sick in bed. We are the victim(s) beaten, robbed and left by the side of the road in the Good Samaritan parable. We are less than whole. We suffer through our prejudices, by yielding to temptations, in our frequently looking for the easiest way to do things, when we sin, etc. We are ill and need healing.

I. Jesus Heals
A. Jesus makes a house call, i.e., He goes into Simon and Andrew's house. He shows up on earth and comes to us where we are -infirmed. He participates, gets involved with us.
B. Christ's eternal presence with us comforts and sustains us as we limp through our lives here on earth and even beyond when and where we never limp again, nor cry, nor hurt. And, remember, "By His stripes we are healed." It is past tense. Christ has healed us.

II. Jesus Prays
A. Jesus and God communicate personally. So can and do we communicate in prayer personally with God. Sometimes prayer can be so very personal, even, intimate, private. Psalm 46, "Be still and know God." In His business, Jesus pauses to pray. Shall we?
B. Christ hears our prayers as we pray. Linked with our Living Lord, we can get support to serve as did Simon's mother-in-law after she was healed, as did several other Biblical characters, see Acts 19:22, Phil 13, II Tim 1:18, I Peter 1:10-12 and II Cor 3:3 and 8:19.

III. Jesus Goes On
A. Jesus is sensitive to His Sitz im Leben. His prayer in Gethsemane's garden is followed, in Mark 14:32f, by His sensing it is, again, time to move on. He realistically interprets the givens in and of the world He inhabits. Some problems need escaping.
B. He sees some ills from which He needs to take His leave. Luke 9:5's "dust off your feet". Jesus leaves off any punishment we might think logically we might deserve for our mistakes, etc., see Mark 1:18, 2:5ff and Luke 7:47ff.

Conclusion
As Jesus traveled with His contemporaries, so He goes with us, too. As Jesus was a pray-er, so, too do we pray. As Jesus moves from the past into the future, so, as well, do we go on and on and God goes with us every step of the way. We follow both Jesus' model and His call for us to go and do likewise, see Matthew 10:8.



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