MARKed By Good News- Week 5
Sermon begins at about 12 minutes
Pastor Andrew Schmidt continues a new sermon series called, “MARKed by Good News”. This is part of our MARKed: A Year in the Gospel of Mark. This week’s passage centers on MARK 1:29-39. Aubrey Schneider begins this sermon by reading the passage from Mark.
You can listen to the sermon below, or you can subscribe to our Celebrators Podcast wherever you listen.
Sermon Notes:
Mark 1:29-39
In graduation season a message often communicated is something like “You can do whatever you want.” “Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.”
Perhaps, without denigrating the positive aspects of that perspective there is a better message to share: “You have the ability to be an agent of goodness in the world. You can bring goodness uniquely through who you are, the circumstances you inhabit, and the people around you.
And perhaps this is a true and important message not just for graduates but for people of all ages.
Jesus knew why he came. He came proclaiming good news. (Mark 1:38) He brought goodness into the world.
And for those of us who want to do that he says, “Come follow me and I will show you how).
In Jesus humanity, he knew the importance of Intimacy (drawing close to God) with the Father. So he got up early to pray and discern the voices before all the other voices came to try and get him to do want they wanted (Mark 1:35)
Along with intimacy, Jesus is the ultimate intercessor (praying for others).
In order to bring goodness into the world, we can follow his example in prayer of intimacy and intercession.
Jesus didn’t just pray though. He was active. “Let us leave and let us go peach the good news. That is why I have come.”
This combination getting together in worship, prayer, listening to God’s word, and encouragine one another with blessing our community in word in deed is what we are about at Celebrate. Gathering to Go with the Presence of Jesus.
In bringing goodness Jesus also drove out evil (Mark 1:32-34, 39). We are to shut the door on evil with the authority we have in Christ.
That is why Jesus came. That is why we are here. To bring goodness and drive out evil in his name.
One application of this will be a prayer walking initiative that we will be doing as a church throughout the month of June. (Check back for more on this)
Resources:
Lectio Davina Approach to Scripture PDF
Free Online Bible: BibleGateway
Free SmartPhone Bible App: YouVersion
