Feb 5, 2012  SERMON ARCHIVE

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ! AMEN.

The text for our meditation today is the Gospel Lesson for today, Mark 1:29-39. There we read these words:

And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 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. 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. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." 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." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

We begin in the name of Jesus, AMEN.

Dear Christian friends,

When Mark says, "the whole city was gathered together at the door," he was referring to the city of Capernaum, which sat on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. Archaeologists say that the population of Capernaum at that time was about 1,500 people. That means there were plenty of people in town whom you would not have liked too much. Certainly, there were also many people whom you would have liked and enjoyed being around.

But you know what life is like in a relatively small group of people:

· Some are a little too rough around the edges for your taste or preference;
· Some are downright offensive and rude with their words or actions;
· Some people say the wrong things to you; even worse, other peoepl fail to say anything at all, especially when you need them to speak;
· Some people hurt your feelings or anger you, or they seem to treat others more respectfully than they treat you;
· Some people routinely make bad decisions and appear to have all the wrong priorities, no matter what good advice you would have liked to give, or perhaps already gave;
· Some strike you as irresponsible or selfish or necessary-to-avoid for countless other reasons.

All of the above were gathered at that doorway in Capernaum.

When Jesus visited the home of Simon and Andrew, "the whole city was gathered at the door." The good, the bad, and the ugly joined together in one place, shoulder-to-shoulder, and Jesus sat in the center of their complete and undivided attention.

We also read that "That evening at sundown they brought to [Jesus] all who were sick and oppressed by demons."

And while the text does not say so, you ought to know that whole and healthy people were certainly there also, watching, listening, believing, and receiving their own benefits from being with Jesus.

Jesus poured out grace and mercy in great abundance, giving to each according to his or her own need. "He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons."

Jesus undoubtedly preached the Kingdom of God, with all of its rich forgiveness, to everyone who had gathered there. After all, Jesus Himself explained at the end of today’s Gospel that the preaching of the kingdom is the reason why He "went throughout all Galilee."

Dear friends in Christ. As Jesus sat there in the house of Simon and Andrew, grace, mercy, and forgiveness of sins all shown brightly in the darkness, even beaming out of its doorways and windows.

In this Gospel, Jesus is kind of like the bulb on your back porch that draws the moths out of the darkness and gathers them into the light: "the whole city was gathered at the door," friends sitting with enemies, polite people sitting with those who were uncouth, reputable people sitting with those who were disreputable, those who were wise sitting with the foolish, generous people sitting with those who were selfish.

At that moment, no one had any time—and in that moment, no one had any interest—in focusing on the strengths or weaknesses of those other people who were gathered there.

"The whole city was gathered at the door" and everyone was focused upon Jesus: Jesus’ Words; Jesus’ miracles; Jesus’ riveting presence among them.

While Jesus was there, who really had time for the pettiness and the banality of every day judgment and disgust?

Who had time to nurse a grudge, when the Great Victim of all grudges was present?

Who wanted to resent old wounds while the Healer of the Nations was reaching out His hand?

Who would dare withhold forgiveness from someone else while forgiveness itself showered down upon them in Jesus’ Words and gifts, soaking into peoples lives like rain upon parched ground?

Dear Christian friends. Peace reigns while Jesus is present. "The whole city was gathered at the door." All eyes are upon Him, all ears bent toward Him, and nothing else mattered.

There is no single Word written anywhere in God’s Bible that is meaningless.

There is no sentence that is merely a passing comment or a useless detail.

It is for you, each and everyone of you, and for your salvation that St. Mark took pains to say in today’s Gospel, "the whole city was gathered at the door."

With these Words, do you truly believe that Mark was really only talking about the city of Capernaum and its plus-or-minus 1,500 inhabitants?

What happened in today’s Gospel sounds very much like what happens in our worship every Sunday. Here in this place, Jesus’ Words and Jesus miracles must remain the sole focus of our attention.

"The whole city was gathered at the door."

If you ask me, these Words sound like a description of a Christian congregation, perhaps even the one that sits perched at the corner of 4th Street and North Federal Avenue right here in Mason City, IA.

These Words sound like a description of what our task is in this place we call home. As the people of God we are to provide opportunity for our neighbors, even those we may not like, to come and sit in the presence of Jesus.....

Through our worship services......

Through our bible studies.........

Through our Sunday School.........

Through our Preschool............

Through our Childcare............

An opportunity to come and sit in the presence of Jesus, and to hear with their own ears.....

Christ is Risen. Your sins are forgiven.