God
tells his people that he will choose a prophet from among their
people to speak his words to them.
The
psalmist talks about the wonders God has created and how he provides
for every need of this world. He ends by saying that “The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all
who follow his precepts have good understanding.”
Paul
begins by saying that everyone has knowledge
but that it isn’t everything. Knowledge doesn’t have the power
that love has. Those who believe in Jesus as the Christ and believe
that in God everything came into being have this knowledge but not
everyone has the same degree of understanding. His emphasis is on
being careful with that knowledge. Be careful…“that
the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the
weak.”
And
Mark’s gospel is about the teaching style used by Jesus. It was
new; it was delivered with confidence. It was different from what
they were used to hearing in the synagogue. Mark described it as
forthright and confident, different from their normal fare.
So,
from all these words what are we to learn? Here’s what I think.
It’s all God, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, compassion, and
learning. God created, God cares for and provides, God gives us
knowledge and understanding and compassion, and God teaches, first
through Jesus and now through his Holy Spirit. It’s all God and we
would do well to remember that.
God
didn’t create all this and then go away to sit and watch and wait
to see what would happen. He has been active from the very beginning.
His hand has been constantly stirring, rearranging, adjusting, and
protecting. He still calls people to prophesy. He still gives people
wisdom and knowledge. And he still teaches, and it would be wise to
listen and learn.
Friends,
that’s the lesson I believe is in these words we have heard read
today. As John puts it, “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It’s all God, God the
Father, God the Son, Jesus the Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. It’s
all God and he cares. Thanks be to God. Amen.
