Oh, I Didn't Know That

Oh, I Didn’t Know That

During the Epiphany Season our Bible readings for Sunday morning often contain something of an epiphanic nature to discover, to realize. Just so this morning with verses from Deuteronomy 18. Moses is telling the people God’s promise for the future. 15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. An epiphany task in Sunday School this morning may be to discover who that prophet might have been in gospel retrospect ages later.

Another task might be to explore today’s gospel a bit: Mark 1:21-28. And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. (KJV). What’s going on? It’s not simply that Jesus casts out demons; rather, Mark’s entire gospel agenda is encased in this passage; discovering that may be something of an epiphany to be realized.

We’ll see.

Both last Sunday and the Sunday before, people asked me to tell again my own personal epiphany story. It’s weird, a bit squirmy and discomfiting, highly doubtful, and makes me uncomfortably self-conscious -- therefore seldom told and never open for discussion later. But it’ll come out one last time in my sermon this morning, and then we'll forget it forever.  

My Laughing Place.
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