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5th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
The almighty and transcendent God gives us energy and strength for the journey (Isaiah
40) into new places of ministry that may require us to build bridges to strangers (12
Corinthians 9) in order to proclaim God’s good news about God’s coming kingdom
(Mark 1). In particular, the 2nd lesson and the gospel reading most closely connect in the
theme of proclamation of the gospel. Enjoy!
Isaiah 40:21-31-To whom will you compare me?
In these verses the prophet extols the powerful creator God. The prophet envisions God
sitting atop the heavens in glorious power, viewing human activity and history from that
vantage point. God asks a rhetorical question: "To whom will you compare me" (v
25)? The all-powerful creator and ruler of history is also the all-knowing God who knows
our struggles and cares about them, even though they may doubt such knowledge. The chapter
closes by comparing two images-the first the greatest human energy one can offer-a human
being at their prime. But look the strength that God promises people is that of a soaring
eagle-"Those who wait on the Lord will . . . fly high on wings like eagles."
1 Corinthians 9:16-23-I kept my bearings . . . but I entered their world
This passage looks deeply into the psyche of Paul the church planter to reveal the
passion and strategy that drove him to birth new congregations and to christianize the
Roman world. He is compelled by God to offer the gospel without charge to whomever he
meets-meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the
demoralized-whoever. His self-confession suggests that he adapted his message and personal
behavior to Jews and Gentiles to create a common ground which would allow him to proclaim
the good news.
Mark 1:29-39-In the maelstrom of ministry
We continue in Mark’s episodic first chapter, stopping this week to . . . view
Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law, offering healing and deliverance to villagers,
and giving high priority to prayer by rising very early on the following day. This lesson
focuses on Jesus-in-action: he heals, exorcises evil spirits yet refuses them to reveal
his identity; he prays, and (as a result?) changes the direction his ministry seems to be
taking. In the end of the lesson, Jesus leaves the place of ministry into other frontiers
of ministry-"all over Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and driving out
demons" (v 39).
