Monday, February 1, 2021

Sermon (January 31) by Rev. Robert McDowell




     It’s amazing how much you can learn about a person from one incident but that’s what we get from our Gospel reading this morning. Mark gives us this story of when Jesus healed a man who had an unclean spirit.

     At first glance, we might be tempted to just say, “Oh, this is just another story of where Jesus healed someone,” and leave it at that and move on. Notice how flippant I am with that initial impulse of just moving on from this story. 

     This just goes to show how accustomed I am to reading about Jesus healing people. But then I started thinking about it. That healing changed this man’s life as all healing can do whether it be physical, mental, emotional, relational or spiritual healing.

     This story reminds me of just how many people Jesus impacted during his ministry. Think about all of the healings, all of the miracles, all of his teachings, and all of the people who experienced new life and wholeness because of him.

     I think it’s creative the way Mark describes this particular healing story in helping us to see all of who Jesus is. Let’s look at this healing story a little more closely to appreciate all of these dimensions of Jesus.

     Let’s start with how Mark begins this healing story with Jesus teaching in the synagogue. This little detail reminds us that Jesus impacted people through his teachings as a rabbi. This was not an isolated case of Jesus teaching in the synagogue. He was known to be a very powerful and prophetic teacher, impacting the lives of many. Mark even tells us that the people in the synagogue were astounded at his teaching.

     And then of course, Jesus’ showed that he was a compassionate healer as he healed a man who had been suffering with an unclean spirit. We’re not sure what this unclean spirit really was. 

     Was the phrase, “unclean spirit” the biblical world’s way of describing what we think of today as a mental health issue? Or was it more of a physical condition? Or was it primarily about a spiritual torment that he was experiencing as this story indicates? Whatever it was, this man was in need of healing and because of Jesus, he was healed.

     This one small story shows us that Jesus was a teacher, a healer, and the Son of God. Notice that when the man was brought to Jesus to be healed, the unclean spirit cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God?”

     In telling us this story, Mark wants us to see not only who Jesus is as a teacher and as a healer, but also as the very Holy One of God. And because of who Jesus is, he impacted many people through his healings, through his teachings, and through his identity as the Son of God.

     In all of these ways, Jesus as the Son of God demonstrated throughout his ministry what it means to be a walking presence of compassionate humanity. Compassionate humanity. I wonder if this story and so many of the other gospel stories about Jesus are to help us see not only who Jesus is but who we are called to be. Like Jesus, we are called to offer God’s healing love with compassionate humanity.

     This past September, I received the sad news that a good friend of mine, a high school classmate died suddenly of a heart attack in his home. Craig was not only a dear friend but a distant relative.

     Growing up, we spent many of our summer days in south central Pennsylvania at each other’s house playing baseball. We also played sports together in high school and were in a lot of the same classes.

     Penny and I moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1985. A few months after we arrived, Craig was traveling through the state and we ended up spending a couple of days together. That was the last time that I spoke with Craig. I heard through another classmate over the years that Craig became a doctor and moved to Texas, but that’s all I really knew about him. 

     He wasn’t on Facebook, so I wasn’t able to keep up with him that way. When Craig died suddenly this past September, that’s when I was blown away by Craig’s remarkable career. Little did I know that this childhood friend brought healing and compassion to so many people through his career as doctor.

     He was a Brigadier General in the Air Force and was a recognized leader in emergency medicine. He was the Medical Director for the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians and an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Health Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. 

     His deployments included Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and he lead evacuations from the New Orleans’ Convention Center during Hurricane Katrina as well as leading multi-state massive medical responses to Hurricane Harvey. 

     So I’m reading all of this thinking, wow, Craig. Way to go!

     But what caught my eye was what the family included at the end of his extensive obituary. And it has a direct connection with our Gospel reading for today. His obituary concludes with these words, “His compassionate humanity and humble leadership are already missed. Friends and family will always remember his consistent question that he asked everyone he encountered, “What can I do for you?”

     What a wonderful way to be remembered. As someone who was known for his compassionate humanity and for how he would ask people, “What can I do for you?”

     But we don’t have to be a Brigadier General or a well known emergency doctor in order to live out Jesus’ healing ministry. We just need to be open to the opportunities where we can be a blessing to others.

     Sometimes these opportunities have a domino effect. Like this past fall when we were collecting food and hygiene products for the international students here on campus. You were so generous in helping out with that mission opportunity.

      It was during that collection when Goodwill Activities and Training Center donated food to our Monday Lunch ministry. And because we already had a large stockpile of food when we received those donations, Tom Murray, our Monday Lunch coordinator decided that their food donations to our church would be better served by giving it to the international students. The people at Goodwill agreed and so our church was able to give even more thanks to the timing of these donations.


      I love this picture of the people from Goodwill and Tom Murray showing some of the food items that we were able to jointly give to the students. Even though they are wearing masks in the photo, you can tell that they are all smiling. 

     Our Stephen Ministers have been active either by calling on people in our congregation to see how they’re doing or by meeting with people over the phone and offering a listening ear and spiritual encouragement. When we think of the healing ministry of Jesus,’ our Stephen Ministry banner that we have in our sanctuary really says it all. 



     Notice the Stephen Ministry statement. It says, “Christ Caring for People Through People.” This ministry which provides one to one peer support has blessed many people over the years and I’m so thankful that we have it here in our church. 

     Here are some comments from people who have been on the receiving end of Stephen Ministry:

     A young woman describes how her caring relationship with her Stephen Minister allowed her to experience Jesus in a personal, tangible, and life-transforming way. She says, “I began to feel God’s love again.”

     Another person tells how having a Stephen Minister during a family crisis provided a spiritual anchor and the opportunity to focus on her own needs. When describing Stephen Ministry to others, this person says how it provides “a steady reminder of God’s presence.”

     A man says how grateful he is for Stephen Ministry and how it built a highly trusting relationship apart from his regular circle of friends, so that he could move forward through a tough time in his life.

     Stephen Ministry is one example of how the church offers God’s healing presence. Let us know if you would like to know more about Stephen Ministry.

     This healing story of Jesus from our Gospel reading today reminds me to be open to the opportunities to offer God’s healing love to others. Here’s a short prayer that I discovered about a year ago that has reminded me to be more open to these opportunities. It’s a prayer written as a poem.

     Dear Lord Jesus, help me to do the things I should. To be to others kind and good. And in all I do or say, grow more loving every day.

     Say that with me: Dear Lord Jesus, help me to do the things I should. To be to others kind and good. And in all I do or say, grow more loving every day.

     And like my friend, Craig, may we be known to ask this question to the people we encounter, “What can I do for you?”


Compassionate Humanity
Sermon Discussion Questions
Mark 1:21-28
January 31, 2021

This week’s appointed Gospel reading from Mark tells the story of Jesus healing a man with an unclean spirit. Just think about how this healing changed this man’s life in so many ways. 

Share a time when you have experienced healing in your life? Was it a physical, emotional, relational, mental, financial or other type of healing?

Our Gospel reading offers three important dimensions of Jesus in this one story! Jesus was a healer (the man with the unclean spirit), a prophetic teacher (the crowd was astounded by his teaching) and he was God’s Son (the unclean spirit recognized that this was who Jesus was.)

Which of these dimensions of Jesus stands out for you? Healer/Teacher/Son of God

Pastor Robert shared about the sudden death recently of one of his classmates, a widely respected doctor who was known for his compassionate humanity and for asking the people he encountered this question, “what can I do for you?” 

Why do you think this question is important to ask? 

Our Stephen Ministry which consists of trained men and women who are available to offer one to one confidential peer support is one of the many healing ministries in our church. The stated purpose of Stephen Ministry is ‘Christ caring for people through people.” Anyone who is interested in either having a Stephen Ministry or becoming a Stephen Minister, please contact our church office.

What do you think of the Stephen Ministry purpose which is “Christ caring for people through people?” How has God used you to care for someone and offer God’s healing love?

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