Hope Lutheran Church in Warren, Michigan

(from Feb 7th)

Mark 1 paints a picture of Jesus that is one we would hardly recognize today. It portrays Jesus as the One who inspired amazement from His hearers simply with His words, because He spoke those words with the authority of God Himself.

Don't get me wrong, Jesus still speaks today with that same authority. His word carries with it the very authority of God Himself. The problem is that this age is no longer amazed. Maybe it is more correct to say people are still amazed today, just not by Jesus and His words. Why? Where has the amazement gone? Just take a look around...

Every morning your homepage offers a whole new set of "amazements." Talking dogs, spectacular sporting feats, the latest high-tech gizmos are all there, just waiting to dazzle and amaze. We find it hard not to click on at least a couple of the links...just 'cause we want to be amazed. And...if we really are drawn in by it, we will forward it to our address book so they can be amazed too. Usually we will forward the link with a simple, short intro. such as, "This is AMAZING!"

Get the idea? We have been slipped a substitute for God and His word, and we have gladly sucked it down..much to our delight and amazement. Is it any wonder that we as a society are no longer amazed by Jesus and His word? Who needs it? We have a talking dog to fill our amazement quota today!

Might I suggest that the pablum of amazement that is offered by our world has garnered a bit too much of our attention. Might I also suggest that heaven is not dazzled by our snippets of amazing jugglers and witty UTubes. Might I further suggest that maybe, just maybe we need to limit our diet of earthly amazements, and realize that none of them actually amounts to a hill of beans. And finally, might I suggest that we need to get back to being amazed by what really is amazing - The All-Powerful God of the Universe who loves us so much that He sent us a Savior; so that when the talking dog stops talking, and the synchronized juggler stops juggling, and next generation I-Pad quits working, we get to be amazed by God's love and life given to us forever!

"The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law."
Mark 1:22

Don't forget there's homework:

+ Why not limit your use of the word, "Amazing" to that which is really amazing...Jesus?

Prayer Requests:

+ Pray that the trinkets of this age, dangled in front of us by the god of this age, do not capture us or our attention, but that Jesus remains Lord of our Life.

+ For all who battle the foes of pain, hurt, and death, pray that the Lord will grant them visions of life, love, and reunion in Jesus - "Because He lives I CAN face tomorrow!"

Don't forget to check out the latest Hope sermons and Bible studies at HopeWarren.org .

Jesus is our Hope!
+ Pastor John