24 January 2011

24 January 2011

Psalm 41, 52; Isa. 48:1-11; Gal. 1:1-17; Mark 5:21-43

The Lord addresses those who “swear by the name of the LORD and confess the God of Israel,
but not in truth or right.” They are reminded that in the past God has announced what He would do and then has done it so that they could know He is indeed God, can do as He wills, whatever that may be. He now tells them that He is doing something brand new, something He has not told them before, they can make no claim to having known them, they are put on notice to keep their eyes and ears open. What is it that He refers to here? It would seem that the inclusion of the Gentiles in the plan of salvation and the covenant community is the reference. He is preparing for Himself a people who will not profane His Name by not confessing Him in truth and right. Jesus said that the Father is Spirit and seeks those who will worship in spirit and in truth. Are we confessing Him in truth and right and worshipping in spirit and truth or are we either re-defining Him according to our own desires for a god or simply going through the motions in worship and thereby failing to honor Him as is His due?

Remember where Jesus is coming from when he arrives in this scene. He has been in the country of the Gerasenes, with the demon possessed man, in the tombs, and in close proximity to pigs. All these things taken together would certainly have been a problem for the Jews who now throng to Him. He would have contracted ritual uncleanness that would have normally caused them to give Him wide berth. Their needs for what He could potentially offer them overrode all those concerns and two in particular come near, Jairus whose daughter is sick and the woman with the issue of blood. Jairus, as the synagogue ruler, would certainly have normally been very careful about this situation but his personal situation caused him to be desperate enough to not care at all. The woman with the issue of blood actually takes a significant risk as she is, herself, unclean and should keep her distance from everyone lest she contaminate them. Her need, likewise, is great so she takes the risk of faith. In both cases, faith is rewarded with healing and wholeness. Sometimes we have to be desperate to exercise faith.

Faith matters but the content of that faith is critical. Paul launches into this letter like a rocket. Once the pleasantries are done with he immediately lays out his complaint, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel…” Paul’s concern is that the Galatians have indeed followed something other than grace, they have allowed themselves to be seduced by another gospel. Do they not know that there is only one Gospel? He mentions his call here because the “gospel” to which they have turned is what he formerly believed and preached and he knows better than anyone that this is no Gospel at all. He knows that following that way led him to the place where God had to blind him and nearly destroy him in order to re-orient his thinking and understanding. It is important to Paul that their faith be entirely and only in Jesus. There is no other way.

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From a life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny