“All to All”
Rev. Barry W. Szymanski, J.D.
Minister of Pastoral Care
First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa
February 5, 2012

From January 8 through February 12 we will have heard the entire first chapter of Mark’s Gospel. Remember his introduction? “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Then Mark dives right into the Gospel. When we hear or read the Gospel we tend to concentrate on only one individual – Jesus himself. We do not pay much attention to all of the other people mentioned in the Gospels. Sometimes it helps to visualize who else is mentioned – even in just one chapter, the first chapter, of Mark’s Gospel.

If you just glance at just one chapter of Mark’s Gospel, just the first chapter, you can see the number of people involved. This is, I think, important, because each one of the individuals mention is a person. Each has a history. Each has desires. Each has some pain. Each wants some happiness. Each seeks a degree of comfort. Each has goals and aspirations.

But, you can do that on your own, today, now, let us focus on today’s Gospel reading. Mark 1:29-39 As soon as [Jesus and the apostles] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.[Jesus] came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, [the apostles and disciples] brought to [Jesus] all who were sick or possessed with demons.And the whole city was gathered around the door.And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and [Jesus] would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, [Jesus] got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.And Simon and his companions hunted for him.When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’[Jesus] answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’And [Jesus] went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. [These are the words of sacred scripture]

Today’s Gospel passage tells us that Jesus worshiped his Father in the local synagogue. Then, after that, he cured Peter’s mother-in-law – she had a bad fever and was bed-ridden. The next morning while it was still dark, Jesus went by himself to a desolate place to pray. I like the verb used by the author of the Gospel, when he states that the apostles HUNTED for Jesus! That must have been one uninhabited and foreboding place that Jesus went to pray!

What was Jesus’ message? God’s Kingdom was at hand! A new Covenant was in process! Jesus was excited about his mission. So what did he do? He traveled throughout Galilee. He went to the synagogues and taught and preached. He cast out demons. He did so with his 12 apostles and his disciples in tow. They saw what he did. They saw him pray. They saw him worship in the synagogues. They saw him heal. They heard his teaching. He explained his teachings to them. They experienced who he was.

While living with him they witnessed his character, his integrity, his total sense of mission. And, except for Judas, they devoted their lives to him, both during His life on earth, and then immersed in Christ after his resurrection and ascension. Are we apostles and disciples? Are we called to teach and preach the message? Are we called to preach by every action we take? By every word we speak?

Are we judged as Paul says he is judged? Paul said that ‘woe to him if he does not proclaim the Gospel’!! I don’t think that it means that we are to grab a soapbox and go down to the Village and preach. I do believe that it means that once we understand the Gospel, and the Gospel is Jesus himself, we are to proclaim God’s Kingdom.

Look at parents. We clearly know that children do not pay much attention to what parents say. Children pay a lot of attention to what parents do. Any parent knows this – and it is frightening, because those little eyes are watching every move that parents - and grandparents – make!

Paul understood what Jesus asks of us – Paul realized that he was entrusted by Jesus with a commission. Army officers are commissioned officers. They have authority – but they are also responsible for those who they authority over. Paul told the Corinthian community that he has a commission. Do you feel that you have been entrusted with God’s word? Do you believe that you have been given the gift of the Gospel?

Do you trust that you are commissioned to live Christ? That you have been blessed by God to share a bit deeper into his life? Yet, that God’s blessing also calls you to a greater responsibility? Paul realized that. So he tells the Christians in Corinth that he is “All to All”. Paul says he has adapted himself to each and every person he meets – not to give in to them, but to show them that he is living, as he says, “Christ’s law”.

What is the law of Christ? To live in such a manner as to lose one’s life for the Gospel. To live for the Father – and the Father’s Kingdom. Jesus tells us that he was brought to preach his message – the message of God – the true meaning of life!

I don’t believe that Jesus was a dour person. I think he had a great sense of humor – a sense of wit, and a sparkle in his eyes. But he had a focus – and his apostles experienced his motivation.

In today’s OT reading from Isaiah 40:28-31 I can easily imagine Jesus praying over that Prophet’s words: Have you not known? Have you notheard? TheLordis the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of theearth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.

In our everyday life there is much that we can do quietly: We can pray. We can accept the commission offered to us. We are responsible for the blessings and powers given us. We can become weak to the weak. We can help the sick who are around us. There are so many people who suffer: emotional problems, physical problems, and loneliness. We can work, as Paul said he did to the Corinthians, to become “All to All”.

What I think that meant for Paul was that he did not insert his ego onto another person. -- he was not overbearing with them. -- he accepted who they were. He did all of this for the sake of Christ’s Gospel. And Christ’s Gospel, as we know through our own life’s difficulties, can have a positive healing affect on us.

Just look to Mark’s Gospel, just his first Chapter, to see how many people were enthused by Jesus, then look at how many people we encounter. Then realize the power that we have in Christ – all we have to do is to walk with Him! Amen.

Additional Scripture

1 Cor 9:16-23

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe betide me if I do not proclaim the gospel!For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel. For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them.To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law.To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law.To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some.I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.