Let's Get To Work With the Gospel

"Today's Devotion" For September 17, 2005

Read: Mark 1:21-28; I Corinthians 2:1-5

LET'S GET TO WORK WITH THE GOSPEL

"For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (I Cor. 2:2)

Mark begins his Gospel by declaring it to be, "The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God." By these words Mark is clearly pointing to the reality that, while Jesus is indeed the Son of God - "the Word made flesh" (Jn. 1:14), His life, ministry, and death on the Cross while on earth is only the beginning of God's Plan of Salvation for the world. God's continuing work of salvation comes through the preaching of the Gospel, as is evident in the preaching of the Apostles after Jesus' Ascension - we note St. Paul's statements in I Corinthians 2 for instance - and in the lives of those of us who follow after and are called to be "fishers of men."

By God's grace and blessing, through faith in Jesus, we are Jesus' "fishers of men" today. Through us the Gospel of Jesus Christ is presented and extended to more and more people. But first we had to be �caught for Jesus� before we could become "fishers of men." We had to hear the Word, the Holy Spirit had to work faith in our hearts, and subsequently, through Holy Baptism, God made us His very own. This is the work Jesus began, continues, and will continue through His disciples until the Last Day.

As Jesus walked the earth people saw His power and authority as He healed their diseases, illnesses, lameness, blindness, spiritual darkness, and cast out demons. He healed body, soul and spirit, which no one else had ever done before, nor has ever been able to do since. Even the evil spirits knew Him - it did them no good. Jesus, in His great love for sinners, drove out the evil spirits from those they had possessed, to free people to know Him and His love. This was a special part of His saving work and God's Plan of Salvation.

Jesus did all these things as part of His ministry and God's Plan of Salvation so that we might see Him and know Him truly as "the Holy One of God"; that seeing we might believe this "new teaching"; that believing we might heed His call to be "fishers of men"; and, that through our witness others might also hear.

Jesus didn't leave us when He ascended into Heaven. He is still among us, empowering us by Word and Spirit to share His love, grace and mercy with others. His miracles continue today as people are healed of diseases of body, mind, and spirit. His miracles continue today as His children are continually amazed by His great goodness and the authority of God's Word. Growing in His grace and experiencing His love and forgiveness which is new to us every morning, we are empowered and encouraged to carry on Jesus' work, carrying the Plan of Salvation forward into the lives of people everywhere. We've got a lot of people to tell so "let's get to work with the Gospel."

Prayer: Father, You sent Jesus to earth to save everyone from Sin, Death and Satan. By the power of Your Word and Spirit give me the strength of purpose and the courage of faith to "get to work" displaying that great truth with my life and through my words. Let the miracle of Christ's coming never cease for me that I may look forward each day to the completion of His work of salvation in my life and that of the whole world. Thank You, Father, for this marvelous, wonderful salvation in Jesus; in Whose precious name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.