Saturday, September 22, 2018

Reflections on Pentecost 18 - Proper 20




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



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