Emmanuel Lutheran Church

Mark 6:30-56

³⁰ Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. ³¹ And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. ³² So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

³³ But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. ³⁴ And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. ³⁵ When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. ³⁶ Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.”

³⁷ But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”

³⁸ But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”

And when they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.”

³⁹ Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. ⁴¹ And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. ⁴² So they all ate and were filled. ⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. ⁴⁴ Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

⁴⁵ Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. ⁴⁶ And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷ Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸ Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. ⁴⁹ And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; ⁵⁰ for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” ⁵¹ Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. ⁵² For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

⁵³ When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. ⁵⁴ And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ⁵⁵ ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. ⁵⁶ Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

In today’s reading the disciples have returned from being sent by Jesus (see yesterday’s reading). After their adventures our Lord invites them to rest from their labors.  When Jesus sees the multitudes, Mark records that He “was moved with compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”  Jesus then goes on to feed well over 5,000 people, multiplying bread and fish to satiate them all, and there are plenty of leftovers to boot! Then Jesus calms the disciples when they were caught in the midst of a storm and healed all who came to Him.

Jesus gives, multiplies, provides, calms, and heals. This is exactly what our good and gracious God does every time we participate in the Divine Service.  He Himself is our Good Shepherd who has given us His undershepherds, His pastors, to give, multiply, provide, calm, and heal us through their faithful delivery of Word and Sacrament – through their faithful delivery of Jesus for you.

No one should be without a shepherd. The “shepherds” in Jesus’ day were the religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, who knew nothing of Jesus as Messiah and fulfiller of all OT prophecies and Who came to bring forgiveness. Therefore, they could not comfort, feed, guide, or calm the people. The only message they had to deliver was Law and fear.

If you, by God-given faith, believe that Jesus died for your sins, rose from the dead, and will come again to take you to be with Him in heaven, you have forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. That comfort, healing, guidance, and calm is the “glue” that holds you together throughout this life. Jesus is your Savior. He is your Good Shepherd.  He has paid for your sins and continues to feed you with His forgiveness and strength through the Gospel rightly preached and His Sacraments rightly administered.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for paying for my sins. Keep me in the one true faith until You call me Home. Amen.

Mark 6:1-29

6 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. ² And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! ³ Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

⁴ But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” ⁵ Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

⁷ And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. ⁸ He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— ⁹ but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

¹⁰ Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. ¹¹ And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

¹² So they went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³ And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

¹⁴ Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

¹⁵ Others said, “It is Elijah.”

And others said, “It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.”

¹⁶ But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!” ¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. ¹⁸ Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

¹⁹ Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; ²⁰ for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

²¹ Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. ²² And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³ He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

²⁴ So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”

And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”

²⁵ Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, ²⁸ brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

There’s a lot going on in today’s reading, and it sums up the world in which we live.

First, Jesus is relatively unknown and unbelieved in His own country. The people were astonished at His teaching in the synagogue but were unable to get past the fact that He was from their neighborhood. Therefore, Jesus could not be the Messiah, at least to their thinking; they didn’t know or just didn’t believe the prophecies which Jesus Himself was fulfilling.

Later, Jesus sends out His disciples to preach repentance, and gave them His power over unclean spirits. In some places they were received, in others not so much. We, too, will be both received and rejected in this life for telling others the truth about Jesus – that He paid for the sins of the world and that people must believe in Him for salvation. When the Holy Spirit gives saving faith, we rightly rejoice. But when the Gospel is rejected, remember that it is not we who are being rejected, but Christ. It is not any of our doing that anyone comes to faith, but like it was with us, people are called by the Gospel, enlightened with God’s gifts, and sanctified and kept in the true faith through the power of God’s Word alone.

Finally, we hear of John’s beheading at the hand of evil Herod. John’s “sin” was telling Herod that it was wrong for him to have his brother’s wife. It was a gutsy call on John’s part, but he spoke the truth in order to call Herod to repentance that he, too, might be saved. We, too, are encouraged always to “speak the truth in love” to others so that they will hear of Christ’s endless love for all mankind by His holy, innocent, suffering and death by which He paid for the sins of the world. It may even be, God forbid, that we lose our lives for that, but we will have given God the glory and possibly be used by Him for the salvation of another.  We count all things as loss for the excellence of knowing Jesus Christ and His eternally wonderful payment for all our sins.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, use us for Your glory and the good of others. Amen.

Mark 5:21-43

²¹ Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. ²² And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet ²³ and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” ²⁴ So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

²⁵ Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. ²⁸ For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

²⁹ Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. ³⁰ And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

³¹ But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

³² And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. ³³ But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴ And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

³⁵ While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

³⁶ As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” ³⁷ And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. ³⁸ Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. ³⁹ When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

⁴⁰ And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. ⁴¹ Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” ⁴² Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. ⁴³ But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

In today’s reading Jesus healed a woman from a 12-year flow of blood and raised a young girl from the dead. In this we see that Jesus most certainly has power over sickness and death.

Sin, death, and the devil are constant companions to all of us in this sin-sick and falling-apart-at-the-seams world; they are our enemies, and they are bound together.  But Jesus picks them off one by one, overcoming them and destroying them.  Our Savior won the victory over sin; He rose again, destroying death. And we know that the devil ultimately will be toppled from his throne and cast down, for, as we confess in the Catechism, “where there is forgiveness of sins, there also is life and salvation.”  With Jesus there is always life in the place of death.  With Jesus there is always salvation and freedom instead of captivity by the devil.

Wherever Jesus is, there is life.  And wherever Jesus overcomes death, He is also overcoming sin and the devil.  And this is a good thing, for while our three enemies are bundled in their assault against us, they are also bundled together in their defeat.  When one goes down, they all go down. On Jesus’ cross they are bound together in a bundle of divine destruction.

Take heart, dear fellow redeemed, that when those enemies come to fight against us, the Lord Jesus comes to fight against them.  This is what Jesus came to do and still does: He fights sin, death, and the devil.

In this life we are surrounded by death because of sin.   But Jesus has taken hold of us, He has paid for our sins, He has set us free from the devil, and He has raised us from the fear of death, knowing that when He returns, He will raise us as well from the grave and grant us eternal life before His face in the new heaven and the new earth.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for defeating our enemies. Strengthen our faith in You through Your Word and Sacraments so that we may be with You forever in heaven. Amen.

Acts 17:16-21

¹⁶ Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. ¹⁷ Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸ Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?”

Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

¹⁹ And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? ²⁰ For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Verse 16 states that Paul’s “spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city (Athens) was given over to idols.”  This, in turn, led Paul to engage in conversations with the Athenians in the marketplace daily and caused some to believe that Paul was a “proclaimer of foreign gods.” Would that we knew exactly what those conversations entailed; we don’t, of course, because the Holy Spirit has not revealed that information.

What we do know is that Athens was basically a polytheistic city; it held to the idea of many gods. Greek gods filled the lives and superstitions of all its residents – gods which must be placated, pleased, and kept happy…or else!

However, today’s text reveals that the Athenians expressed some interest in Paul’s message. This reminds us that in this ungodly world we never know when or where God will give us opportunities to speak to others about Him.  Most often we will meet with opposition, but there will be times when we are called upon to confess the faith and speak clearly about God’s work of paying for the sins of all mankind in His Son Jesus, and that folks actually will want to hear what we have to say. Thanks be to God when they do!

This world is full of idols – things and people that replace the one true God.  And every time we notice this, our spirit, like Paul’s, should also be “provoked within” us. We Christians must never give credence to any but the one true God for, of a truth, all other gods are false. We have the only saving message in all the world, that Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son, took on our human flesh, lived in perfect obedience to God for us, suffered and died for us, and then rose again to defeat even death for us. His payment for all our sins has set us free to live a life of thanksgiving and praise to God for His great love. May that move us to speak truthfully and lovingly to anyone who may listen.

Let us pray: O Lord, open my lips that my mouth may proclaim Your praise. Amen.