Bob Stillerman

In 1977, George Burns, then 81, played the role of God in the Carl Reiner-directed film Oh God! It’s a classic movie with a star-studded cast: John Denver, Teri Garr, Dinah Shore to name a few. And it’s funny, God, portrayed by Burns, doesn’t seem as old to me now as he did when I was a kid. God’s even young enough to run for president!

So…we don’t just read stories and sing songs and say prayers during our preschool chapel. Sometimes, we go on adventures, and this past week, we went on a bear hunt. And if you’ve ever been on a bear hunt, you know it’s full of tall grass, and swift waters, and muddy bogs, and even dark caves. You can’t go over them. And you can’t go under them. And you can’t go around them. You’ve gotta go through them.

Yes, throughout Mark’s gospel and the others as well, Jesus may dazzle. Jesus may rise. Jesus may ascend. Jesus may walk on water. Jesus may do three dozen things we’ll never be able to fully explain or understand. But that’s not what’s important. Here’s what is: This morning, God tells us Jesus is a source worth listening to.

When Mark describes the healing, teaching, praying, congregating, loving, and all-around hummingbird-ed-ness of Jesus, (and in just 39 verses mind you!!!), I can’t help but picture this little bouncing ball zig-zagging around the Galilee. What’s most striking to me, is that when Jesus offers a little piece of himself

From its very beginning, Mark’s gospel doesn’t hesitate to let us know that Jesus is called and credentialed to bring about God’s world. The prophets have foretold it. The Evangelist has baptized Jesus. God has affirmed Jesus. The wilderness has even tempted and tested Jesus. Jesus is ready!!!

Jesus is a day laborer. Some say a carpenter. Perhaps a mason. Maybe a handyman. And Jesus wouldn’t have been able to find much work in the tiny town of Nazareth. What good would carpentry skills do you in a place that didn’t have many buildings, or many people in need of fixing or living in such structures?