The Word @ Home

February 26, 2012

Ginger, February 21, 2012

by Sue Olesen

Scripture: Mark 1:9-15

Thoughts:

Teachers of composition often encourage their students to include details in their writing. Details add interest and color. Either Mark never took that course, or he scorned its teaching.

These seven verses in the first chapter of Mark compress four significant events in the early days of Jesus’ ministry.

1. Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist;

2. Jesus’ days of temptation in the wilderness;

3. John the Baptist’s imprisonment;

4. Jesus’ first statement in his ministry.

This statement of 17 words included two facts: (1) the time is fulfilled; (2) the kingdom of God is at hand. It concluded with two directions: (1) repent; (2) believe the gospel.

And so, straightway and immediately (two of Mark’s favorite words), we must repent and believe.
Discussion:

What is our core belief?

Activity:

February 19, 2012

Ginger, February 14, 2012

By:  Sue Olesen

Scripture: Mark 2:2-9

Thoughts: “Have you heard?  Jesus is at Ephraim’s house!”

“Oh, let’s go!”

To see him?

To listen to him?

To be healed?

To be forgiven?

Undoubtedly, the crippled man wanted healing most of all.  Perhaps he was surprised and disappointed when Jesus’ first words to him were “Son, your sins are forgiven.”  He may have thought, “Sins! What sins? How many sins can I commit when I can’t even walk?  Cut to the chase, man!  I want to be healed!”

Discussion:  Why do we go to church?

To see people?

To listen to the minister?

To be healed?

To be forgiven?

February 12, 2012

Ginger, February 8, 2012

By:  Sue Olesen

Scripture:  Mark 1:40-45

Thoughts:   Many people implored Jesus for help.  They crowded around him; they clamored for his attention.

Some people wanted healing for themselves or for loved ones.  Some wanted dead loved ones restored to life.  Some even broke through a roof to lower a cripple to Jesus’ feet.

But this leper knelt before Jesus and simply said, “If you will, you can make me clean.”  He had implicit faith in Jesus’ ability to heal.

In defiance of all the rules, Jesus touched the leper.  That first small gesture must have given great comfort to this man who had lived with scorn and exclusion.  Then – the miraculous healing – the hideous deformities gone – the leper regained his life.

Discussion:  What deformities in our words and our actions do we need to shed?

January 29, 2012

Ginger, January 24, 2012

By:  Sue Olesen

Scripture:  Mark 1:21-28

Thoughts:  Mr. Pierce was old and grim, but he could explain geometry theorems with precision and clarity.  Miss Merrilees was faded and squeaky, but she knew ingenious ways to help her students memorize the symbols for elements.

They taught with authority.  Apparently, the scribes in the synagogue at Capernaum did not.  We don’t know whether they didn’t know their material, or whether their teaching was dull and uninspired.  But when Jesus taught in the Capernaum synagogue, the people were “astonished at his doctrine.”  They went home for lunch saying, “Now I understand…” and “I never realized that…” and “I hope Jesus teaches again soon.”

Discussion:   What topics do we need to teach with authority?

January 22, 2012

Ginger, January 17, 2012

By:  Sue Olesen

Scripture:  Mark 1:14-20

Thoughts:  Mark makes every one of his 678 verses count.  These seven verses in today’s lesson cover John the Baptist’s imprisonment, the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and the recruitment of Jesus’ four best known disciples.

Neatly, the seven verses mention seven men:  John, Jesus, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, Zebedee, John.  Probably the least known, Zebedee is nevertheless an interesting person.  Many scholars think his wife was Salome, the sister of Jesus’ mother Mary.  So his sons James and John were Jesus’ first cousins.

Mark tells us Zebedee had hired servants, so he must have been a prosperous businessman.  Very possibly, he was not pleased to see his sons leaving him so precipitately to follow Jesus.  He would worry about their welfare.  He would miss their help in his fishing industry.  And Zebedee would miss his sons.

Discussion:  What calls for help do we prefer to ignore?