I’m writing this fairly late in the day. Normally I write the lectionary post first thing. I start the day off right. Today I have not. I’m not that disciplined. The text in bold was used by the Navigators when I was a kid to get us to build into our lives habits of righteousness. But the plans we have get moved around by circumstances and our own weaknesses.
The other thing to reflect on is that Jesus told people not to speak of what had happened. He wanted to be able to move between villages. But his fame spread, and he had to base himself in the wilderness — no village could handle the crowds.
29As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” 39And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
40A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” 41Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” 42Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, 44saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.
In our society, the narrative is that the church must grow. We must publicize. We must have professional musicians, a good stage and light show, paid advertisements in the newspaper and TV. if not our own TV show. We must be big or we will go extinct. Well, my church is growing (praise God) and we have one advertisement — we put a banner up outside the hall when we have services. There is a healing ministry but it is not made public.
We would rather preach the gospel.
And we do not want to be tied to public pressure or the restrictions the mass media put on us. In this age, by being different we preach. And the PR companies want to make us bland when we should be strong.
So let us leave the media alone in their narrative. We need to base what we do on what is true, and what our brief is. To be the hands and feet of Christ.
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