Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Mark 1:21-45

In 1st century Palestine, when people encountered Jesus, they knew there was something different about him—he spoke with authority. Back then, and today, speaking with authority is enough to make people pay attention (or maybe even elect you to an important position), but if you don’t follow that up with positive action, people will lose interest and look for a better authority elsewhere. Jesus demonstrated his authority in dramatic ways—casting out demons, curing illnesses, and, perhaps most importantly, allowing people to move from the fringes of society into the mainstream of life. He still demonstrates his authority that way.

God’s peace