Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. Here we are at the next to the last day of January. It has been so mild around here we have seen Crocus up by the parsonage grounds. Sunita flew back to Washington, DC safe, sound, and blessed. Micah called us yesterday and gave us full report on her parents, and on her little brother and sister. She told us that she rode her bike for three miles (with no training wheels).
The Lord blessed us with a joyful weekend. It was a great thrill and joy to be in the house of the Lord worshipping and serving testifying. Laureen led the worship Saturday evening. Alice preached at Wesley yesterday. When the saints gather to worship and proclaim His majesty, Satan trembles. The Gospel reading for yesterday was taken from Mark 1: 21-28. The ministry of our Lord Jesus included preaching, teaching, and prophesying. He confronted the ugliness of His opposition.
Strangely, the ugliness is not always found outside our four walls, but it’s often found in our midst. The ugliness, along with the darkness, is often discovered in ourselves. One does not have to search the far corners of the world to encounter evil; but that evil can be found in our very midst. There is an ongoing spiritual war that attempts to hinder the work of God. Satan goes to church every Sunday to undermine its mission and ministry.
In Mark 1:21-28, Jesus and His disciples were in the Synagogue. Jesus was teaching with authority. In the same synagogue was a man possessed of an unclean spirit-- demon possessed. In the Gospel of Mark, the demons were the first to recognize who Jesus was. Here is a man who knew who Jesus was. He heard the word preached by Jesus. The demon knew the right things to say, calling Jesus the Holy One of God.
The first thing we learn about Jesus and his effect on his community is that all responded with immediacy. Throughout the opening chapters, Mark consistently used the phrase, “And immediately”. The word ' immediately" occurs 41 times in Mark's Gospel. "And immediately he saw the heavens opened and the spirit descending upon him like a dove. . . And immediately the spirit drove him into the wilderness. . . And immediately Simon and Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus. . . And immediately, he called James and John and they left their father in the boat. . . And immediately the paralytic rose up and too up his mat and went out. . . And immediately, after she touched the hem of his garment her twelve years of hemorrhaging ceased and she was healed."
Throughout Mark’s gospel, there is an immediate response to God’s voice – to his word. The Greek word used here for ‘immediate’ is the word, “euthus” meaning without wavering and straightway. It indicates more than a lack of hesitation but it implies a person charging to his goal with an urgency and filled with excitement. Jesus approached his ministry as though he was charging forward to his goal. People responded to his word, as though they were running across the finish line winning a race.
That is how we also must approach this ministry. We have to respond to it as we were crossing the finish line. In reaching the lost we must respond immediately - no, not later. There is no time even to think it over or pray over it. We have to do it right now. We must proclaim healing to the sick right now, proclaim life to the dead right now, and proclaim liberty to the demonic right now.
To have such a ministry means to have direct contact with that which seems unclean. Ministry cannot be done from a distance but, rather, ministry is to be done "up close and personal". We need to realize that the Lord has given us authority to confront that evil in our lives, and around us. Jesus has given ys authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt us. The good news is that the same Jesus who encountered those unclean spirits long ago with an authoritative word is alive today, speaking such words to today’s bound people.
The good news today is that Jesus has declared to our unclean spirit, “Be silent, and come out.” “Be silent and Come out”. He speaks to those spirits of selfishness, jealousy, dissension, and envy to be silent and come out. He addresses the spirits of sorcery, idolatry, and witchcraft to, “Be silent and come out.” He commands the spirits of drunkenness, rebellion, and that party spirit to “be silent and come out”. The spirit of doubt, fear, worry, and anxiety,or the spirit of prejudice, hatred, and bigotry are commanded to be silent and come out.
Then, only, can the Spirit of the Risen Lord dwell within, and there is room for nothing else.
All Hail the power of Jesus's Name.
In Him,
Brown
On FEBRUARY 11, 2012 Saturday, at First United Methodist Church, 53 McKinley Ave., Endicott, at 5:30 PM - There will be a Special Banquet prepared by Joe Walker, including a variety of international Cuisine... It will be a great celebration. At 6:30 PM there will be a Hymn Sing with Aric Phinney at the Grand Piano and Yancey Moore at the Organ. Dave Berry will lead the Hymn Sing.
On FEBRUARY 4 & 5, the Movie, “Courageous” is to be shown. On Saturday, at First United Methodist Church, 53 McKinley Ave, Endicott the Doors will open at 5:30. On Sunday the movie will be shown at Union Center UMC, doors opening at 2:00. As vividly illustrated in COURAGEOUS, the impact of fathers in the lives of their children is immense. This powerful film has been the starting point for a movement of fathers creating a legacy of Godly families. A free will offering will benefit the youth retreat in April.
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