Epiphany
5 – February 6th,
2012
Mark
1:29-39
Everyone
is Looking for Jesus
“Everyone
is looking for you, Jesus”. So Peter said when they found him
alone, praying. And how true it was. Jesus had made quite a name
for himself in a short period of time. His healing touch, and his
authority to cast out demons had caused quite a stir. Everyone
seemed to want something from Jesus. Everyone was looking for him.
It's
much the same today. Everyone is looking for Jesus. At least,
everyone is looking for something, and if Jesus will give it to them,
then they want Jesus. Do you want to find a job? Ask Jesus. Do you
want your husband to appreciate you more? Ask Jesus. Do you want
your aches and pains to go away? Ask Jesus. Do you want to get over
the death of your loved one? Ask Jesus.
In
Capernaum, if you had a demon, or you were sick, then you were
looking for Jesus. But that's not why he came. Sure, he had
compassion on so many. Sure, his heart went out to those who
suffered. But his purpose was different. He wasn't there to give
them what they wanted, as much as to provide for them what they
needed.
When
Peter and the others find Jesus off alone, praying, he says, “Let's
go to the next towns so that I may preach there also, for that is why
I came”. Yes. It's the preaching. That's the reason. He went to
the synagogue in Capernaum and preached. He would go to the mount
and the plain and the villages and towns and preach. Even in the
very temple in Jerusalem, he would preach. That's why he came. To
give them what they really needed – the word.
It's
still the Epiphany season, and we're still answering that big
question, “Who is this Jesus who was born as our Savior?” What
kind of savior is he? What is he all about? What did he come to do
and why? Today it's quite clear: he came to preach.
But
what? We must listen closely to his words. We must take note of
just what he says, even more so than what he does (although the two
go hand in hand). And as we listen to Jesus we will hear the message
ring out – that he came to seek and save the lost. That he came to
give freely the blessings of his Father. Forgiveness of sins, new
and eternal life. To make us his friends, not slaves. To call us to
follow him. To defeat the strongman, our enemy the devil. To make
us disciples by his baptism and teaching. To feed us in his meal,
with his body, his blood. To be handed over to the Jews and Romans,
to suffer for us, to die for us, and on the third day to rise from
the dead, for us. This is what he preached. This is why he came.
To proclaim himself, our savior, and to back up his talk with a
perfect walk.
Nowadays
people are still looking for Jesus to do all sorts of things for
them, but not always what he means to do for them. We think small.
We want this or that, not the grand gifts he offers. We want
actions, not words. We want to see it now, not have to hold on to
promises. We want the glitz and success and fireworks of glory, not
the suffering and dying and shame and defeat of Calvary.
Our
old nature, anyway, chases after a Jesus that really isn't Jesus. A
Jesus of our own imagination, made in our own image. A Jesus at our
beck and call for all of life's little problems, to make the boo-boos
better.
But
much better is the real Jesus. The Jesus who calls us and recreates
us into his own image, and gives us new life forever. The Jesus who
gives us his word – and what a word it is! That word, that eternal
word, which is our rock in the storm, our comfort in sorrow, our
fortress in the raging battle. I think of Luther's hymn, “A Mighty
Fortress” and the line, “And take they our life, goods, fame,
child and wife – let these all be gone, they yet have nothing won,
the kingdom ours remaineth”. Yes, we have it all because we have
Jesus and his word.
Last
week, we included in our prayers a Pastor Jeff Geske, a classmate of
mine, who was with his family in a terrible car accident. His wife
and two of his three children were killed. A terrible tragedy on so
many levels, for him personally, for his son, for his congregation,
where he had only begun serving about a month ago. Well on Tuesday,
Pastor Geske posted these words of encouragement, and I share them
with you now:
“Thank you! I would like to thank everyone for the words and love shown to me during this most difficult time at the death of Laura and Joshua and Joy. I rejoice knowing that they are now in heaven with our Savior Jesus. I miss them so much, but I know that one great and glorious day, they will along with Jesus welcome me home to heaven.
May
this difficult time for me remind you and encourage you to continue
to express your love to your family. They are so precious and truly a
gift from God on loan to us. May God comfort you as He is comforting
me. Never forget how much God loves you! John 3:16-17
Take comfort in the five most important words you can ever know which are, "Jesus died for my sins! Jesus loves you and so I ask and encourage you to love others and share His love, forgiveness, and salvation with them. Heaven is our home!”
What a powerful word Jesus
preached, that it brings comfort even to this family tragedy. A
Savior who came not just to wow us with miracles, or to make our
lives free of trouble, but to proclaim an eternal word of forgiveness
and salvation. That's the Jesus we know. That's the Jesus we look
to, and listen to. That's Pastor Geske's Jesus, and yours, and mine.
In His Name, Amen.
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