Loading...Sermon February 4, 2018
Bill Rohm
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s, Newport, PA
Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany, Year B
//lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpi5_RCL.html
“Those that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Please be seated.
I have two questions for you today. The first is; When did you feel closest to God? Think about that for a moment. When have you felt the presence of God most strongly both around you, and in your heart and soul?
Most of you know I had a 30 year career in the Navy. I thought when I began to consider this question that my answer would have something to do with the beauty, power, and teaming life of the ocean. So I was surprised that what quickly flashed in my mind was an experience in the Olympic Mountains in western Washington State. These mountains are near Pudget Sound, and rise quickly from a coastal tropical rain forest to above the snow line at the mountains top.
While assigned to the Naval Base at Bangor Washington, I took up the hobby of mountain climbing. On one occasion, I climbed to near the top of Mount Olympus, an elevation of about 8000 feet. I sat near the top to rest, eat a power bar, and enjoy the breathtaking and beautiful view. Suddenly an eagle soured close over head from behind me, and let forth with it’s haunting powerful cry. This echoed over and over through the mountains.
And I was overwhelmed with the presence of God. I was energized. I felt I could run and not be weary , walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 became one of my favorite Old Testament Bible verses. I have found I share this with my two favorite Rebeccas. Our rector recently told me this was one of her favorites also. And my daughter Rebecca had this verse tattooed on her lower back on her 21st birthday, much to my chagrin.
So how do you react to an experience like that? I had all this energy, and just wanted to do something, and to keep on doing it forever. I felt like Peter and his mountain top experience with Jesus, John, and Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration. He was so worked up he wanted to build a bunch of pray booths. So I prayed.
But the words that came into my heart were not an answer to my prayer, but a question. Which is my second question for you this morning. What would Jesus do?
What would Jesus do? We get some good insight into that from this morning’s Gospel from Mark.
As a prelude to this morning’s Gospel, Jesus is at the beginning of his ministry, has gathered his disciples, and gone to Capernaum. On the Sabbath, He went to the synagogue, taught with authority, and cast out a demon, which got everyone’s attention, and they were all a buzz about who this guy might be.
Then He went on to Simon’s house, and the rest is in today’s Gospel. He’d made such an impression at the synagogue that the whole town showed up that evening at Simon’s home asking to be healed both physically, mentally, and spiritually.
So what does Mark tell us about what Jesus would do? First, He studied Scripture, and became knowledgeable in it. Second He was thus able to speak with confidence to others about His faith. Third, he cared for the sick, both physically and mentally, as well as the poor and less fortunate in society, and Fourth, he prayed in the early morning.
So this is our call. As followers of Jesus this is what we should do. Study Scripture. Speak out on issues related to our faith. Have an active prayer life. Care for those in need.
And know that God will be with you. For the Lord shall renew your strength, you shall mount up with wings like eagles; you shall run and not be weary; you shall walk and not faint.”
Amen
