A Thought from the Word

A brief thought based on Matthew 5:14,16 - “You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.”

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 31, 2021

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Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Sunday at the border

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Sunday at the border: Presbyterian border ministry leads a pilgrimage of prayer, lament, repentance and commitment at the wall July 31, 2021 The Rev. Mark Adams, ...

A Thought from the Word

A brief thought based on Psalm 119:93 - “I won't ever forget your teachings, because you give me new life by following them.”

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 30, 2021

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Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 29, 2021

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Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Dismantling racism together in West Virginia

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A New Devotion - Behind the Scenes

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Mark 6:47-56

When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Behind the Scenes

Although I consider myself to be a theater person, I’m definitely not an actor. And I think it’s interesting that some folks are surprised when they hear me say that. You see, they see me up in front of groups all the time, and large numbers seem to energize me. Therefore, they assume that I would love to be in plays, but that’s not the case at all. For me, presenting material is a lot of fun, but the whole idea of memorizing lines, that’s sends a cold chill up my spine. 

But having said that, about twenty-five years ago, I was in a play at a tiny theater in Indianapolis. It was aptly entitled, “The Worst Christmas Play Ever.” Now I was only in it, because there was a character who was a minister and in that regard, I qualified. Of course, my part was tiny, just two lines and no pressure. And I remember, each evening, as I was waiting for my cue, I had a lot of time backstage. And I’ll tell you, I was amazed by the controlled chaos behind the scenes. You see, even though all kinds of stuff was going on that the audience never saw, there was no question that the director and her assistant were in complete control; therefore, the show was certainly going to go on. 

And I think that’s what the disciples in the boat and the folks around Gennesaret realized about Jesus. I mean, even though the wind was adverse, he was in control of both the lake and the storm. And while there were all kinds of sick folks in marketplaces, he had authority to heal what ailed them. Now that’s what they was saw when they looked toward Jesus. And as we deal with all the chaos that we encounter in our lives, this is something we may want to recognize too. You see, regardless of what’s happening, Jesus will always have authority behind the scenes.

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, July 25, 2021

Sunday, July 25, we continued a series entitled "Walking with Jesus in the Gospel by Mark." As disciples of Jesus, we've been called to follow him by claiming his example and learning from his teachings. From June to October, we're going to focus on the Gospel of Mark so that we might better understand how we might follow our Savior and live as his community. 

During the following twenty Sundays, the message will apply following passages:

June 6, 2021 - Mark 3:20-35

June 13, 2021 - Mark 4:26-34

June 20, 2021 - Mark 4:35-41

June 27, 2021 - Mark 5:21-43

July 4, 2021 - Mark 6:1-13

July 11, 2021 - Mark 6:14-29

July 18, 2021 - Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

July 25, 2021 - Mark 7:14-23

August 1, 2021 - Mark 7:24-37

August 8, 2021 - Mark 8:27-38

August 15, 2021 - Mark 9:30-37

August 22, 2021 - Mark 9:38-50

August 29, 2021 - Mark 10:2-16

September 5, 2021 - Mark 10:17-31

September 12, 2021 - Mark 10:35-45

September 19, 2021 - Mark 10:46-52

September 26, 2021 - Mark 12:28-34

October 3, 2021 - Mark 12:38-44

October 10, 2021 - Mark 13:1-8

October 17, 2021 - Mark 13:24-26, 32-36

Below is a copy of the bulletin, a podcast of the sermon and the video of the worship service. 

Sunday's Message - Why We Build Walls

As disciples of Jesus, we've been called to follow him by claiming his example and learning from his teachings. From June to October, we're going to focus on the Gospel of Mark so that we might better understand how we might follow our Savior and live as his community. 

During the following twenty Sundays, the message will apply following passages:

June 6, 2021 - Mark 3:20-35

June 13, 2021 - Mark 4:26-34

June 20, 2021 - Mark 4:35-41

June 27, 2021 - Mark 5:21-43

July 4, 2021 - Mark 6:1-13

July 11, 2021 - Mark 6:14-29

July 18, 2021 - Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

July 25, 2021 - Mark 7:14-23

August 1, 2021 - Mark 7:24-37

August 8, 2021 - Mark 8:27-38

August 15, 2021 - Mark 9:30-37

August 22, 2021 - Mark 9:38-50

August 29, 2021 - Mark 10:2-16

September 5, 2021 - Mark 10:17-31

September 12, 2021 - Mark 10:35-45

September 19, 2021 - Mark 10:46-52

September 26, 2021 - Mark 12:28-34

October 3, 2021 - Mark 12:38-44

October 10, 2021 - Mark 13:1-8

October 17, 2021 - Mark 13:24-26, 32-36

On Sunday, July 25, 2021, we looked at Mark 7:14-23. The passage, the message and the podcast is below:

Mark 7:14-23 [Contemporary English Version]

Jesus called the crowd together again and said, “Pay attention and try to understand what I mean. The food that you put into your mouth doesn’t make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean.” 

After Jesus and his disciples had left the crowd and had gone into the house, they asked him what these sayings meant. He answered, “Don’t you know what I am talking about by now? You surely know that the food you put into your mouth cannot make you unclean. It doesn’t go into your heart, but into your stomach, and then out of your body.” By saying this, Jesus meant that all foods were fit to eat.

Then Jesus said:

What comes from your heart is what makes you unclean. Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God.

Why We Build Walls

This last week, as I thinking about what I was going to say this morning, I kind of got stuck. I mean, even though I don’t think the passage itself is all that hard to understand, how to present it, man, that just wasn’t coming. And so Friday evening, after Coco and I got home, we just stretched out on the bed with everything quiet so that I could think and pray and sort of meditate on what Jesus said and how it might related to us. And I’ll tell you, as I was laying there, one name kept coming up over and over again. And of course that name was King Kong. I mean, dah.

Let me explain. How many of y’all have seen any of the movies entitled King Kong, and I’m talking about the ones made in 1933 or 1976 or 2005? Even Kong: Skull Island would work. Well, in each of those movies, when the white guys on the ship get to the island, they find natives, portrayed in ways that reflected the prevailing racial sensitivity of the time. Anyway, given the fact that the natives were sharing a little bit of real estate with a ginormous gorilla and a bunch of other prehistoric creatures, in each movie, some natives in the past had built a wall to separate the people from the beasties. And evidently it has worked for centuries, of course, until the white people from the ship came and messed things up. But we really shouldn’t be concerned about the natives. I mean, they were all extras anyway. But be-that-as-it-may, at some point in their history, they built a great, big wall to protect themselves from this external threat.

And it seems to me, that’s probably the reason most walls are built. You see, whether they’re made with bricks and mortar or with words and laws, all walls seem to have the same purpose, to protect those on the inside from some threat on the outside. And I’ll tell you, when that’s the case, walls are really great, that is until a bunch of white people show up and mess things up. I mean, just think about what they offer when bad or unpleasant outside stuff is trying to get in. My gosh, they certainly offer a sense of security, even comfort when the temperature is cold and the wind is strong. And they sure separate us from all the stuff on the outside that we sure don’t want to let in, not unlike what the Parisians experienced when a horde of Vikings attacked their city in the year 845. But maybe most important of all, when we start feeling secure because the threat is out there and not in here, we can really focus on what’s most important, you know, stuff we couldn’t do if we were living a field in the middle of winter or running away from guys with horns on their heads. You see, when there’s a real threat coming in from the outside, man, walls are pretty sweet, aren’t they?

But I’ll tell you, that all changes when the real problem isn’t out there, instead it’s in here. You see, walls are kind of a waste of money and stone and paper when the real problem is with those within the house or the city. As a matter of fact, they may actually be worst than just a waste, because the minute we focus our attention on getting the wall built, that might actually cause us to feel a false sense of security. I mean, that’s a lot like Lou Costello barricading the door only to find the monster in the room with him. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, go home and watch Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. But not only that, when we misunderstand where the real threat is coming from, man, we can end up pushing away men and women who are actually really good people, you know, folks who can make living better. But you know, maybe worst of all, when we expend time and effort and money to protect ourselves from a bunch of non-threats, all that can really distract us from fixing what may actually be most important and most dangerous. You see, although walls may be great when the danger is on the outside, they become useless when the real problem is on the inside. 

And I’ll tell you, I think that was the issue in the scripture we just read a little while ago. You see, in the passage that came right before, a bunch of Jewish Pharisees and scribes were ragging on Jesus about why his disciples didn’t wash their hands before they ate, something that their religious law required them to do. But of course, it wasn’t the first time this kind of thing had happened to Jesus. My gosh, they’d already gotten on his case when the disciples were plucking off and eating heads of grain on the Sabbath, something that violated the Law, or when Jesus had healed a guy with a withered hand, also on the Sabbath. And when Jesus put is hands on a leper or when he allowed a bleeding woman to touch his clothes or when he took the hand of that little girl who’d died, it didn’t matter to them that the man was healed and the woman was made whole and the girl recovered. You see, according to their law, doing any of those things made Jesus unclean (period, close the book, Elvis has left the building). Now that’s what they believed.

And you know, since those Jewish leaders saw nothing wrong with what they were doing, they brought the hammer down on Jesus. You see, for them, the Law, well, that was like a wall, protecting them from all that evil stuff out there in the world. In fact, they believed that their very relationship with God was threatened; therefore, they couldn’t allow unclean thoughts and actions to pollute them and their way of life. My gosh, just think of the children, if people were allowed to do things that were good but illegal on the most holy day of the week or worse if folks were allowed to the cleanse the unclean by touching them. You know, that stuff rubs off, and one rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel. And so they believed that they could construct a wall of rules and regulations that would keep them safe from the evil lurking on the outside, you know, that would protect them from the obvious danger posed by bacon and crabs and my personal favorite, oysters. And that’s exactly what they did. And since they believed what they were doing was both right and godly, they made no exceptions, even for someone who healed the sick and raised the dead.

But as Jesus reminded them in the passage we read, their whole premise was wrong. You see, according to Jesus, their relationship with God wasn’t damaged by eating with dirty hands nor could it be compromised by the food they ate. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t threatened by all that outside evil trying to get in. Instead, the problem was with all that inside garbage that was constantly leaking out. Remember, “then Jesus said: What comes from your heart is what makes you unclean. Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God.” [Mark 7:20-23, CEV] You see, the legal wall those Jewish leaders had created, man, it solved a problem that didn’t exist; therefore, not only did it give them a false sense of security and separate them from everyone else, it ultimately led them to condemn their own messiah to death on a cross. But that’s just what happens when you build a wall, but the problem is on the inside. 

And I’ll tell you, I think this is something that applies to us just like it did to them, and I’m talking about us as individuals and as a community. I mean, whether we want to admit it or not, we can focus a lot of attention on the outside when we probably should be looking within. And because we know that can cause all kinds of problems, I think it’s probably worth our while to do three things that those Jewish leaders in Mark never did. You see, first, I believe it’s important for us to recognize that Christians can do the same kind of thing in our world that those Jews did in theirs. I mean, let’s get real; I think it’s incredibly easy for Christians to assume that we’re threatened by a lot of bad stuff on the outside, and I don’t care whether you’re talking about public morality and political agendas or peewee football on Sundays or cell phones in the sanctuary. And because it’s easy for us to assume that this is causing the problems we face, it just makes sense for us to construct laws to keep those wicked values far away from us. I’ll tell you, as it relates to building walls, I think we need the honesty to recognize that modern Christians can be just as wrong as ancient Jews. That’s one.

And second, once we’ve recognized that we might be wrong, we can then accept that Jesus just might be right. He was right about them, and he just might be right about us. Now, let me be clear; I’m certainly not saying that his laundry list of unclean stuff is pouring out of every heart. That would be ridiculous. Still, before I decide to wag my finger at those out there, I probably should take a hard look at what’s going on in here. Now to me, that just makes sense. And remember, according to Matthew, Jesus said, “God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them. You can see the speck in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the log in your own eye. How can you say, ‘My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you don’t see the log in your own eye?” [Matthew 7:2-4, CEV] You see, right after we recognize that we might be mistaken about the source of what threatens us, we can then muster up the humility to accept that we might want to look inside before we blame those on the outside. And that’s two.

And I’ll tell you why I think that’s so important. You see, third, after we’ve taken a long, hard look at ourselves, we can start working to change some of the stuff on the inside that we’d prefer to ignore. In other words, instead of me grabbing some tweezers to work on their specks, I might want to lease a skidder to remove my logs. Now that’s something we can do. And as we start, I think it’s crucial that we keep two things in mind. One, every single unclean item Jesus listed can be scrubbed, if we decide to do it. And two, we’re making changes in the context of God’s love. And that’s also important to remember. You see, God’s compassion and mercy isn’t based on us being right or even doing the right things. As Paul wrote, “nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” [Romans 8:39b, CEV] I said it last week, and I’m saying it today, and I may say it again next Sunday: God loves us. And because of that, who knows, as we clean ourselves up, we just might become more aware of a different source of security, one called grace. And we just might become more inviting to the very folks who hoover on the fringes. And we just might become more able to do the very thing we’ve been called to do. You see, after recognizing that we might be wrong and accepting that Jesus might be right, we claim the strength needed to change. And that’s three.

Of course, as any of the four King Kong movies taught us, building a wall can make a lot of sense, because as every native knows, it’ll keep a giant gorilla from stomping on your village, at least until some white people on a ship come and mess things up. No, a good, solid wall can offer a lot security and can separate us from threats and can enable us to focus, but only if the problem is coming from the outside. But of course, that’s not always the case. I mean, as Jesus reminded those Jewish leaders, our relationship with God may be far more threatened by what’s coming from the human heart and than anything our laws and rules were written to keep away. And for that reason, we might want to recognize the reality we face and accept our flaws and short-comings and work to improve ourselves on the inside. Now those are some things we can do. And you know, in light of that, as Christians, maybe instead of thinking about why we build walls, maybe we should be asking ourselves this: from where are the real threats coming?

Looking at Mark - Introduction

Every Sunday morning, your friends and neighbors at Sligo Presbyterian Church gather to discuss our faith in Jesus Christ. Currently, we're using the Gospel of Mark as our guide. Pastor Rudiger is leading the discussion and everyone is invited. And so plan to come join us as we grow in our understanding.

During our second session, we discussed the introduction offered by Mark. Next week we'll consider John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus.

Mark 1:1-3

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way;

the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight,’”

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 28, 2021

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A Thought from the Word

A brief thought based on Hebrews 11:1 - “Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.”

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 27, 2021

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A brief thought based on Psalm 119:60 - “As soon as you command, I do what you say.”

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 26, 2021

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Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 25, 2021

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Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 24, 2021

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The Bulletin for Our Service - Sunday, July 25, 2021

Below is the bulletin for our service, on July 25, 2021.

Prayer Requests to be shared during Sunday’s service

On Sunday, July 25, Silgo Presbyterian Church will lift to God the following needs.

• Armed Forces 
• Bruce Amsier
• Bruce Bowman
• Bus Clark
• Church Leaders 
• College Students
• Danny Dooyema
• Dianne's Brother & Uncle
• Doctors & Nurses & all essential workers
• Donna Pryor's mother
• Gerry Gould
• Government Leaders 
• Jim Mason
• Kathy
• Maxine Hartle
• Maxine Simpson
• Nancy Campbell
• Our Youth
• Police Officers
• Randy Frampton
• Ron & Shelly Haines
• Rwanda Partner
• Sam Williams
• Sean Bayless
• The Family of Amanda Gallaher
• The Family of Tom Curry
• The people of Haiti
• Trisha's Family
• Velma Stewart
• World Vision

Pray, Praise and Worship: Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

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Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 23, 2021

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A Thought from the Word

A brief thought based on Psalm 119:30 - “I am determined to be faithful and to respect your laws.”

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 22, 2021

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A brief thought based on Isaiah 41:10 - “Don't be afraid. I am with you. Don't tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.” 

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for July 19, 2021

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Sunday's Message - Outside

As disciples of Jesus, we've been called to follow him by claiming his example and learning from his teachings. From June to October, we're going to focus on the Gospel of Mark so that we might better understand how we might follow our Savior and live as his community. 

During the following twenty Sundays, the message will apply following passages:

June 6, 2021 - Mark 3:20-35

June 13, 2021 - Mark 4:26-34

June 20, 2021 - Mark 4:35-41

June 27, 2021 - Mark 5:21-43

July 4, 2021 - Mark 6:1-13

July 11, 2021 - Mark 6:14-29

July 18, 2021 - Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

July 25, 2021 - Mark 7:14-23

August 1, 2021 - Mark 7:24-37

August 8, 2021 - Mark 8:27-38

August 15, 2021 - Mark 9:30-37

August 22, 2021 - Mark 9:38-50

August 29, 2021 - Mark 10:2-16

September 5, 2021 - Mark 10:17-31

September 12, 2021 - Mark 10:35-45

September 19, 2021 - Mark 10:46-52

September 26, 2021 - Mark 12:28-34

October 3, 2021 - Mark 12:38-44

October 10, 2021 - Mark 13:1-8

October 17, 2021 - Mark 13:24-26, 32-36

On Sunday, July 18, 2021, we looked at Mark 6:30-34, 53-56. The passage, the message and the podcast is below:

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 [Contemporary English Version]

After the apostles returned to Jesus, they told him everything they had done and taught. But so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go to a place where we can be alone and get some rest.” They left in a boat for a place where they could be alone. But many people saw them leave and figured out where they were going. So people from every town ran on ahead and got there first.

When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd that was like sheep without a shepherd. He felt sorry for the people and started teaching them many things.

Jesus and his disciples crossed the lake and brought the boat to shore near the town of Gennesaret. As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus. So they ran all over that part of the country to bring their sick people to him on mats. They brought them each time they heard where he was. In every village or farm or marketplace where Jesus went, the people brought their sick to him. They begged him to let them just touch his clothes, and everyone who did was healed.

Outside

Well, here we are, communing with nature, close to an unnatural body of water, but maybe most obvious of all, we’re outside our church buildings. Now I didn’t say outside our churches, because when you get right down to it, since we are the church, wherever we are, the church is there too. But still, we’re outside the structures in which we usually meet, because today we’re having our annual church picnic, the one Sunday a year when we kill the fatted calf (or pig) and feel at least moderately comfortable with the kids running amuck. And although the pandemic and shut-down may have dampened our enthusiasm about being away from our sanctuaries, I still like being out here. And since it’s my first northwestern Pennsylvania picnic, I’m really excited to see if all the rumors I heard when I lived in Virginia are actually true. But be-that-as-it-may, at least for me, it’s nice to be outside.

Of course, in a broader sense, being on the outside, well, it’s generally not the place most Christians really want to be. You see, I think it’s really easy for us, as believers, to focus our attention inside on the church rather than outside on the world. But maybe that’s to be expected. I remember, years ago, I went to a this ministerial workshop on outreach, and I’ll never forget, what the leader said. He told us that we really weren’t in a very good position to know how to do it. You see, even though we may have read books and attended workshops, all our colleagues were Christians. And most if not all of our friends were Christians. And the people we work for, man, they were Christians too. And so, how could we know what folks outside our faith, how could we know what they actually needed, much less what they valued and how they communicated? You see, when it came Christian outreach, we were the ultimate insiders. Now that’s what he told us. And I’ll tell you, even though I don’t like to admit it, I think he was right.

As a matter of fact, I think this is something with which most churches sort of struggle, and I’m talking about how we can actually do what Jesus commanded us to do, namely to disciple all nations. I mean, let’s face it, often we’re a whole better chillin’ together than venturing outside. And when you think about, why wouldn’t we be? We sort of like one another, don’t we? We share some fundamental beliefs. We certainly speak the same language. And let’s get real, we pretty much know a good hymn and a good sermon and a good worship service when we hear it, right? You see, staying on the inside, man, that’s really comfortable. But going out there, now, that’s scary. Man, they’re on their phones all the time and they listen to rap and they won’t even make an effort to learn The Apostles Creed. And just try to get them to put down the electronics and listen to church music and not doze through the sermon, man, that can wear you out. But not only that, it can be really discouraging, because no matter how hard we try, often those on the outside just don’t want to come to inside and become one of us. You see, I think that’s what we generally face. And for that reason, well staying behind the stained glass, I’m telling you that’s a whole more comfortable and pleasant than going outside. And so that’s what we often do.

Of course, there’s just one problem with that; Jesus said, “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples.” [Matthew 28:19a, CEV] He didn’t say, “Build it and they will come,” although I kind of wish he had. No, just like “[Jesus] called together his twelve apostles and sent them out two by two with power over evil spirits” [Mark 6:7, CEV], he’s also sent us out. And you know, that’s what we’re going to talk about this morning.  We’re going use the passage we just read and consider how we can better reach out. And as we do that, we’re going to focus on three things that I believe Jesus did and we can do as we share the good news to all those folks who there on the outside.

And like I said, I think we’ve got a great example of what we can do in the scripture we just read. You see, at the beginning of this passage, I think Jesus and his disciples had every reason to take a step back and focus on themselves for a while. I mean, according to Mark, a little bit earlier in this chapter, “the apostles left and started telling everyone to turn to God. They forced out many demons and healed a lot of sick people by putting olive oil on them.” [Mark 6:12-13, CEV] Now that was what they’d been doing. But now they were back, and naturally they wanted to tell Jesus about their work and I think Jesus wanted to hear it. But of course, that wasn’t possible because “so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat.” [Mark 6:31a, CEV] And that’s probably why “Jesus said, ‘Let's go to a place where we can be alone and get some rest,’ and they left in a boat for a place where they could be alone.” [Mark 6:31b, CEV]  But even that didn’t work. Mark wrote, “But many people saw them leave and figured out where they were going. So people from every town ran on ahead and got there first.” [Mark 6:33, CEV] Now, I don’t know about y’all, but I think Jesus would have been well within his rights to send the crowd away or cast off into the lake. And then he and his disciples could have had what I think they all wanted, some quality time with one another. You see, just like we sometimes do when facing the world, he sure could have focused on those inside his group and let all those outsiders fend for themselves, at least for a little while. 

But of course, that wasn’t what he did, was it? According to Mark, “When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd that was like sheep without a shepherd. He felt sorry for the people and started teaching them many things.” [Mark 6:34, CEV] You see, instead of ignoring them or sending them away, Jesus did three things. First, he looked and saw the large crowd. And second, he felt sorry for them. And third, he started teaching. You see, instead of focusing on the inside, Jesus moved to the outside. And I’ll tell you, I think it’s really cool that he didn’t do it just once, he did it again in the second part of what we read. You see, when he was face to face with a whole bunch of outsiders, Jesus did the exact same thing twice. He looked and he felt and he acted.

And I’m telling you, if we’re serious about reaching out beyond ourselves, we can do the same thing. You see, first, I think we can choose to look and we can choose to listen. In other words, we can intentionally open ourselves up so that we hear and see needs and concerns that we may not have noticed before, needs that may be physical but also emotional and spiritual. But more than just that, we can keep our eyes open so that we can see new ways that and different places where we can show our love for God and our compassion for our neighbor. And we can listen carefully so that we can understand how we might be better at sharing the faith that we treasure, and I’m talking about sharing it with people who may be more comfortable with Tick-Tock than listening to a sermon. You see, we have the ability to accept that different isn’t bad and that helping folks realize that they are loved by God and saved through Christ and inspired by the Holy Spirit really should be our top priority. But to do that, we may need to set aside some of those assumptions and prejudices that can get in the way of them experiencing the good news. You see, following the example of Jesus, first, we can look and listen to those who are on the outside.

And then, after we do some looking and listening, second, we can then relax and allow ourselves to feel, and I’m talking about to feel compassion for those whom we’ve seen and heard. Of course, to do this kind of thing, man, it’s not easy. I mean, if I’ve already labeled certainly people “lazy” or “undeserving,” if I’ve already identified them as “crazy” or “self-destructive”, and if I already assume that they’re totally uninterested therefore a waste of time and energy, if that’s what I think before they’ve said a single word, well, I doubt that I’ll end up feeling anything close to compassion and love. And for that reason, it may be important, as best we can, to put aside some of the assumptions we carry into every situation and to view all those on the outside as men and women who are loved and saved and inspired; they just don’t know it yet. Again, following the example of Jesus who felt compassion for the crowd, we can allow ourselves to feel, and that’s the second thing we can do. 

And after the looking and the listening and of course after the feeling, third, we can act. In other words, as we’re moved by what we feel, we can do something to address what we’ve seen and heard. And I’ll tell you, in my opinion, this is really where the rubber hits the road. I mean, we can look and listen until the cows come home and we can allow ourselves to feel all kinds of compassion and love. But, as Catus Jack Garner said about the Vice Presidency, that stuff ain’t worth a bucket of spit, if we don’t do something about it. Of course, taking action may mean we’ll have to change some of our plans. It may mean entertaining possibilities we’ve never considered before. As a matter of fact, it may mean stepping away from what’s comfortable and secure. And doing that kind of thing, man, it’s not easy. And for that reason, I think it’s really important for us to remember that we’re not doing it alone. Right now, we’re being prepared and equipped by the creator of the universe to do the stuff we’ve been called to do. And as we step out, we can find support and leadership and companionship with all those other insiders whose vision and mission is intentionally pointed out. You see, just like Jesus, we can take action, and that’s the third thing we can do.

And now, I hope you realize that we’re closer to eating then we were when I started talking. Of course, before we do that, we’ll be gathering around the Lord’s Table and sharing another kind of meal, one that brings us together in a special way. And as we do that, let’s think about how we might use this communion with Christ and with one another to move us to look and to feel and to act so that those on the outside might begin to understand the love shown by the host of this meal.

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