Pentecost 18 – Proper 20
September 23, 2018
Mark 9:30-37
Our Father cares for
His children with the Gospel of His Son
“Jesus’ definition of greatness”
The Collect for Proper 20: “O God, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, grant us humility and childlike faith that we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” Amen
For your information: Capernaum was a fishing village
located on the northwest tip of the Sea of Galilee. It is mentioned in all four
gospels. It was reported to have been the hometown of the tax collector
Matthew, and located not far from Bethsaida, the hometown of the apostles Simon
Peter, Andrew, James and John. One Sabbath, Jesus taught in the synagogue in
Capernaum and healed a man who was possessed by an unclean spirit (Luke 4:31–36
and Mark 1:21–28). This story is notable for being the only one common between
the gospels of Mark and Luke, but not contained in the Gospel of Matthew.
Afterwards, Jesus healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law of a fever (Luke 4:38–39).
According to Luke 7:1–10 and Matthew 8:5, Capernaum is
also the place where Jesus healed the servant of a Roman centurion who had
asked for His help. Capernaum is also the location of the healing of the
paralytic lowered through the roof to reach Jesus reported in Mark 2:1–12 and
Luke 5:17–26. In Matthew 9:1 the town is referred to only as "his own
city" (Matthew 9:1-7).
Questions/Discussion
1.
According to vs.
30-32 Jesus again foretells His death, and resurrection. “They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want
anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of
Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And
when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not
understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.”
2.
By the time we
get to verse 32, Jesus has just imparted a crucial teaching, telling them who
he is, and not for the first time. The prospect of the Messiah being taken and
killed just does not compute. When God comes in glory, it is surely to conquer
his enemies, not to "be handed over into the hands of men, and they will
kill him" (31). So, "they did not understand what he was saying and
they were afraid to ask him" (verse 32).
3.
What is the focus of Jesus’ work with the
disciples at this point? Why?
4.
To what degree do
the disciples seem to understand Him? What is their chief concern? What is the
point of His words about the child? How do they speak to what the disciples
have been saying?
5.
Brainstorm. Make
a list of questions you think the disciples might have wanted to ask Jesus at
that point. What questions are people afraid to ask God? What questions do you wish could be asked at
church?
6.
What does this
passage have to do with the other readings for today? The Theme for today: “The Christian and his opposition” can be clearly seen in the three
main readings. In the Old Testament lesson [Jeremiah 11:18—20], Jeremiah asks
vengeance upon his enemies. In the
Epistle [James 3:13-4:10], opposition has its source in worldly wisdom. In the
Gospel, [Mark 9:30-37], Jesus goes to Jerusalem to face His oppressors. Christians
live in a world with a different mindset.
Friendship with the world places us at enmity to God. So, how do we
strike a balance of living in the world and still being different?
7.
What important
points did you glean from the text, the sermon, and service? What was important
to you?
Grant us Thy peace throughout our earthly life,
Our balm in sorrow and our stay in strife;
Then, when Thy voice shall bid our conflict
cease,
Call
us, O Lord, to Thine eternal peace.
Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name We Raise st. four, Lutheran Service Book #917
Image © Higher Things
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