Episode 07: Mark 1:29-39

Translation: New Revised Standard Version updated edition (NRSVue)

3 Questions:
What word, phrase or image strikes you in this text?
Toward what is God calling you in this text?
How are you searching for Jesus?

Additional texts:
Isaiah 40:21-31
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c
1 Corinthians 9:16-23

Transcript

00:00.93
nathanpile
Well, it's time to tend welcome back to 10 to bible podcast this week we are looking at the first chapter of Mark versus 29 through 39. We're going to use the translation. Ah, the new revised standard version updated edition. Um, again, you can follow along with a bible that you have close to you or you could go to bible Gateway.com are 3 questions this week what word phrase or image strikes shoot in this text. Toward what is god calling you in this text and how are you searching for Jesus mm.

00:46.33
Kevin Shock
Again, it will make more sense when we read the or give more context when we read the the verse or the passage a disclaimer about who we are Nathan and Kevin are men married to women in financially stable households white in our late forty s.

01:02.71
nathanpile
Um.

01:05.84
Kevin Shock
College and seminary educated we work in the lutheran church and we're born and raised in Western Pennsylvania all of this affects how we read scripture and discuss it. But none of this makes us better able to read and discuss scripture than anyone else. We believe that the wisdom of scripture is the whole community's compiled interpretation for life with god and with one another so we want to know what you hear and think from your life experience and understanding. So this is a reading from marx. First chapter verses 29 through 39 as soon as they 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 he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. And the fever left her and she began to serve them that evening at sunset they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by 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 he would not permit the demons to speak because they knew him in the morning while it was still very dark. He 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 every one is searching for you.

02:33.22
Kevin Shock
He answered let us go on to the neighboring town so that I may proclaim the message there also for that is what I came out to do and he went throughout throughout all galilee proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons if you are. Currently meeting with a group while you're listening to this, you can pause the podcast now and engage the questions on your own Nathan ah, for those of you for those people who are not meeting with a group what word phrase or image strikes you in this text.

03:06.97
nathanpile
I am struck here at the beginning of this of Jesus's healing both of the mother in law. But then also those who have been brought to those who are sick with various diseases and um. And have demons. Um I'm struck by that because boy that would it would be miraculous and for for Simon's mother in law like. I'm miserable when I'm sick like let's be honest like when I don't feel good if it's if it's caused me to lay in bed I'm I I'm I'm at the end like look yeah I just if. Like I'll struggle through with a runny nose with a cold a little bit but when I'm laying down like that's and here she's laying down and then boop she's up and serving everybody like this is a complete transformation for her from having no energy and feeling.

04:07.87
Kevin Shock
A.

04:18.60
nathanpile
Like the only thing she can do is lay in that bed to poof. She feels like she's 100 % or 110 percent and can get back to the things that she has guests so she's going to serve her guests kind of a thing. Um, yeah, that there's quite a transformation there and then to to imagine others being brought to Jesus and that everybody gets to witness that and I think you know I think that when I was when I was younger. Um.

04:55.32
nathanpile
You know you I always used to lament about boy. It'd be really nice to have been able to see Jesus do all of these healings and and and cure people and cast out demons and and it would be obvious to me that the um. The disciples would follow Jesus but as I've gotten older. There's lots of miraculous things that we justify in other ways today. Um, and so I'm not positive of that. But but there is something for me here of of being able to witness.

05:22.93
Kevin Shock
You.

05:32.60
nathanpile
Um, Jesus transforming sickness to life. Um, that caught my attention this morning and and what that would be like and then and then Mark being Mark um, that whole idea of the demons not being able to speak because they knew who he was.

05:51.61
nathanpile
Mark's in a hurry to ah to move the gospel along but doesn't want anybody to know it until it's the right time to know it kind of a thing and so but that that's just that's the section that caught my attention here this morning.

05:59.10
Kevin Shock
Me.

06:08.34
nathanpile
As you as you read that.

06:10.87
Kevin Shock
Yeah, and as you were um as you were reflecting on it I I thought I don't for a little bit listening to you talk I thought well maybe these healings were different. You know, Um, like you said when when we're sick. When we're like laid out in bed when we're not doing anything and I know for me too. It's not the healing is not a um, instantaneous thing. Um, you know I I you know I I can think yeah yeah I can think the last time I was sick.

06:35.71
nathanpile
Right? Yeah, yeah days and the older I get the longer it takes it seems.

06:44.51
Kevin Shock
But it's pretty much every time I'm sick that you know oh I feel kind of better. So I'll start to you know, do things the same things I used to do and then I do something for an hour and I need to go take a nap because I'm just wiped out again I feel better but I'm not back to where I can do the things that I was doing before getting sick.

06:49.60
nathanpile
Math.

06:59.45
nathanpile
Ah, yeah, yeah.

07:03.86
Kevin Shock
Um, and you know and and like people. Ah you know, um, my my brother in-law just had surgery and you know for him. It was ah um, you know something that like his his knee had to heal after the surgery before he could start physical therapy. And now he's doing physical therapy and it's going to be a while before he's back to where he can return to work because he has a physical job and um, but certainly you know where he can like he's expecting. Ah you know more mobility freedom from pain things like that.

07:28.32
nathanpile
Now.

07:42.83
Kevin Shock
It's going to be a while before he gets there. So at first I was thinking well you know well maybe these maybe these healings are just like you said miraculous instantaneous? Um, but then you said something about how often do we justify the miraculous as something else. Ah.

07:58.43
nathanpile
So.

08:01.54
Kevin Shock
Which made me kind of back pedal a little bit on what I was originally thinking. Um I do think that being in the presence of Jesus um, probably there was a sense that the the people who were healed were not just.

08:11.64
nathanpile
Are.

08:20.90
Kevin Shock
Being healed of their physical ailments or their spiritual ailments but they were also being restored to community. Um Jesus was Jesus was being attentive to them and ah and. Welcoming them back into their role in the community that they had had before they were sick or ill or possessed by demons or whatever it was um so I think there's something there too about it's not just it. It's not just physical relief. But it's also like social relief I don't know exactly what that is um I that is to say I think that healings must have been different in the presence of Jesus but also um.

08:56.35
nathanpile
ME.

09:10.87
Kevin Shock
The healings that we experience today are can be just as miraculous. So yeah I don't want to I don't want to minimize that by saying well Jesus's healings were different. Um, they were and they weren't I guess um.

09:16.16
nathanpile
Oh absolutely. Yeah.

09:30.41
Kevin Shock
Jesus still heals today. Not maybe in the way that we expect that it happened back when he was walking the earth but still very miraculous still life giving. Yeah well, that's just my reflection on your reflection.

09:47.22
nathanpile
Well just I wonder and maybe it's true in every time period. This is the only one I'm living in so I don't know that but do does every time period like the miraculous seems miraculous in the moment or even. Shortly thereafter. But do we does it lose with time does it Lose. It's all it's wonder with us and and I think it depends how close we are to the Epicenter of the miracle if that makes sense. Maybe.

10:15.74
Kevin Shock
No f.

10:22.33
Kevin Shock
Sure sure yeah.

10:25.26
nathanpile
Um, like if I'm the one that gets bad news from the doctor and then healing occurs that no one really understands to me that like that I think there would be a sense of awe and wonder. For all the rest of my life. Um, but if you're 1 or 2 1 or 2 layers out from that. Maybe you don't feel that way you just kind of discount it? Um so I don't know the the.

10:44.27
Kevin Shock
And here here.

10:53.63
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

11:01.19
nathanpile
Our world is um, the unexplained doesn't seem to have much space in our world. We push it to the edges because it's hard to wrestle with.

11:18.95
Kevin Shock
Yeah, and yeah because we can't There's so much we can't explain now I think that's part of it. Um, you know we we had a few episodes ago I Remember we had a conversation about the um ah I can't remember exactly what it was but science not being able to look.

11:21.57
nathanpile
Right? yeah.

11:36.94
Kevin Shock
Ah, um, not always being poetic but ah, um, that sometimes we need Poetry. That's a I mean I'm using that as kind of an overarching term ah non-scientific language to open up. Ah, mystery and wonder about something that we perceive or observe in our world. Um, but also science can be Poetic. Science can open things up to us in a way that we never would have thought possible. Otherwise so anyway, this just reminds me of that as well. Yeah I.

12:00.75
nathanpile
Ah.

12:07.99
nathanpile
S nest.

12:13.70
Kevin Shock
There's There's so much that's unexplained in the natural world. But even even more so in our spirits and in our in our I don't even know what to say our our mind space. Maybe I don't know. Anyway, ah.

12:32.70
nathanpile
Well what? what was what word phrase image stuck out to you as you read this hunted.

12:37.89
Kevin Shock
Hunted hunted. Yeah and Simon and his companions hunted for him. Ah, ah, just Wow I I mean that's.

12:45.95
nathanpile
Ah.

12:53.51
Kevin Shock
They didn't look for him. Ah they hunted for him and once they fought when they found him they said to him everyone is searching for you. Oh my gosh this is this is the first chapter. This is the first chapter give jesus a break. Um.

12:56.59
nathanpile
Ah.

13:12.34
Kevin Shock
I mean he he was taking a break to be fair. That's why they were hunting for him because he got up while it was still very dark and went out to a deserted place and there he prayed. Um, yeah I just that I don't know why that strikes me. Today as we're talking about this but um I don't think I ever really noticed that word before and this would be a translation that I've read many times for this passage. So um, yeah, they really wanted to find Jesus they were.

13:45.25
nathanpile
Yeah.

13:48.00
Kevin Shock
They were pursuing him and it's obvious that he was his fame was blowing up and right away he was We need to go elsewhere. Um, so I can proplay in the message there too for that's what I was called to do.

14:05.49
Kevin Shock
Or that's what I came out to do is what it says here. Yeah.

14:09.70
nathanpile
As you as you share that it makes me think about our society today and social media and um for Jesus, it's the message more people need to hear the word that's being proclaimed and in in some ways it feels as if for the disciples it's about. Jesus we got to get you out back and out in front of these people like they're looking for you. Not the word they're looking for you and so Jesus is um is push is is to say well we have to go to the plate people that haven't heard the word. It's not about.

14:36.19
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

14:46.89
nathanpile
Um, it's not about me. It's not about that piece and we live very much in a culture today and I guess I thought I think of it as that. It's an isolated time because of social media but hearing your reflection that you know this was. They didn't have social media back then but the disciples are still about marketing jesus putting it into cut into today's some of today's language I guess but about getting him out there making sure he's you know no no, what is it? What is today saying no press is bad. Press.

15:10.43
Kevin Shock
E.

15:25.12
nathanpile
Um, you know anytime you're in front of people you're in front of people That's what we want kind of a thing. Um, so I guess I I didn't think of it that way like because I think about ah us being isolated with this ah new level of technology with social media. But.

15:26.37
Kevin Shock
Ah, yeah, right.

15:44.39
nathanpile
Um, like Peter and and the other disciples are hunting for him because um because he's popular. We want to make sure he's out there. He's in front of people.

15:59.68
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, or yeah and I don't know that they've yet elevated to the status of being his handlers or his public relations people. But um, but certainly other other people are mesmerized by his personality. Yeah, and that's not a.

16:12.20
nathanpile
Sure.

16:15.83
Kevin Shock
Ah, Hero Worship doesn't did not existed well well before social media and and in our I mean I think that's the thing here is that how many of these people who are searching for him. Um, are being drawn in by his personnel or there.

16:18.82
nathanpile
Sure did he sure did.

16:34.40
Kevin Shock
They're they're chasing his personality and not the message that he's given um and in our in our line of work in in the church and what you and I know we all have had experiences of people talking about their.

16:38.00
nathanpile
Yeah.

16:53.17
Kevin Shock
Beloved pastor you know from two generations ago um and and we've seen that you know when a I mean I hate to say it popular pastor leaves a congregation that the you know attendance can drop. Um.

17:08.69
nathanpile
Yeah.

17:11.58
Kevin Shock
And and so we I'm not putting I'm not putting any of this on the pastor. Um, because I'm not talking about anything specifically. But I think it just highlights the point that people have always chased personality. And if the message were the most important thing to people it would endure beyond any 1 personality and I think it does for many people but not for everybody. Yeah, so yeah, they they hunted for Jesus not.

17:29.58
nathanpile
Must.

17:38.26
nathanpile
No no.

17:46.83
Kevin Shock
Not his word but for him now all right? Well second yep.

17:48.62
nathanpile
Know let's do the second time. Yeah, as soon as they 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 he 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 they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by 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 he would not permit the demons to speak because they knew him in the morning while it was still very dark. He got up and went out to a deserted place and they. 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. He 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 he went throughout all galilee proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. Well Kevin toward what is god calling you in this text.

19:20.24
Kevin Shock
Oh boy I I don't I don't even know I Maybe it's um yeah I have a couple of answers here. Um, and yeah.

19:32.62
nathanpile
When you don't have an answer you have a couple.

19:38.17
Kevin Shock
Um, and and I mean I think that you know like scripture like if I would have read this. You know three days ago. Um I might have a different answer than what I do now you know I mean just yeah, ah different things get highlighted. Um I think.

19:50.70
nathanpile
Sure sure.

19:57.37
Kevin Shock
Praying is one of those things that I'm being called toward ah you know in the in the model of Jesus um, going going out to a deserted place and praying. Um. But I don't even I don't think I'm being called to go out to a deserted place right now. Ah and I don't even sometimes I don't know what? Um, what kind of praying I'm being called to do does that make sense I mean.

20:29.43
Kevin Shock
Prayer can take many different forms. It can be you know sitting quietly by yourself. It can also be ah listening to other people and their joys and their sorrows. It can be ah, just being silent. Um, it can be. Doing something with your hands and being silent. Um, yeah prayer can just take lots of forms. It can be taking a walk I'm not going to do that currently because it's frigid outside. Um, but yeah, so I.

21:01.61
nathanpile
Um, it.

21:05.75
Kevin Shock
I give that as my first answer but saying I don't really know what it is um and the other one alludes to our third question and that is I I feel like I need to be searching for Jesus um, but I also don't know how to do that. Ah, right now.

21:07.31
nathanpile
I.

21:22.47
nathanpile
E.

21:26.37
Kevin Shock
Um, and I don't I don't mean that and like it like a downcast like I don't you know I'm having this existential crisis and I don't know how to search for Jesus I just in the same way that um, there could be many different forms of prayer. Um. I think there can be many different forms of searching for Jesus too. You know it can be reading scripture reading the gospels. It can be It can be praying in some form it can be ah, paying attention to the people that Jesus would pay attention to um, you know the people on the margins of society it. It. Ah, again, it could be silence. You know? Um, yeah, so those 2 things prayer and searching and I don't know how to do them so that's my that's my answer to the second quote.

22:18.60
Kevin Shock
What? Ah what about you? What are you being called into or called toward.

22:24.10
nathanpile
Um, yeah, the searching thing was the thing that I think kind of stood out to me as I was um.

22:33.28
nathanpile
as as I was reading it that time through the call to search and and and I think I would echo what you just shared in again like I have been around you know. I've spent I've grown up in the church I know the the Pat answers of what I'm to do when I'm searching for Jesus? um, but I think there's a part of me today. Um.

22:59.17
Kevin Shock
A.

23:10.30
nathanpile
In the midst of everything that's going on in our world and the shifting the the leaving the the modern error to whatever the new error will be the the paradigm shift that's happening the significant number of of people at least. In the United States walking away from the church but not walking away from god there's still a ah a major majority 80% or better that still believes in god um, it's just they're not in churches.

23:45.98
Kevin Shock
In.

23:46.99
nathanpile
Um, and so what does it mean to be searching for Jesus today and not have our own agenda of who we want Jesus to be when we find him? Um, yeah I know I know.

24:02.92
Kevin Shock
You're asking a lot Nathan well, you're not asking I just I just think quickly when when Jesus was being hunted and searched for it people. They want to.

24:06.34
nathanpile
Um.

24:11.79
nathanpile
Absolutely yep, they they had their own agenda. Yep yeah, they had their own agenda. So but I think that's part of but that to me I think is a part of you know I understand that as human beings we will never perfectly purely.

24:16.98
Kevin Shock
It was their own agenda. Yeah yeah, okay anyway, sorry sorry to interrupt.

24:30.53
nathanpile
Search out Jesus for not our own reasons our own selfish reasons like I get that we're broken human beings and so we're as broken human beings. We're searching for Jesus because some of our brokenness we want Jesus to heal that. Um, but we're gonna have our you know we're going to have our own motivations as a part of that and because we're human, um, and so then selfishness is a part of who we are. There's going to be some of that motivation that drives us to toward looking for Jesus. The same time I also believe that we are. We're saint and sinner. So. There's a part of us that also wants to purely find Jesus for Jesus for what Jesus brings to the world. The love of god the the forgiveness the the peace all of those all of those other things that we. Connect to who god is and and the holy spirit um blesses us with so like I get that tension between saint and sinner and us trying to to do that searching.

25:45.25
nathanpile
I would just hope that in our searching we're able to self- differententiate a little bit you know strive to get better. Maybe striving to get better to be more self- differenterentiated um in. Our understanding of who Jesus is and why Jesus is come in and that Jesus hasn't come just for Nathan's to do list that Jesus has come for god's to do list. Um, and so trying to make sure that. That as I search for Jesus I don't put Jesus into that box that we but we've talked about before that small confined space that god is bigger than that. So yeah I think that would be I feel that how do we? how do we get and look for how do we search for Jesus and I think in today's world how do we look for jesus beyond the structures of the church and how might we even name it as this is jesus beyond the structure. You know beyond the structures. It's not just. We're looking for the church here. We're looking for. We're looking for god in the church but also god beyond the church out in the world because that's where god really is god's everywhere and so being able to to find Jesus in places there where as a person who grew up in the church.

27:20.10
nathanpile
Um, as a lifelong lutheran Christian um, not to believe that Jesus is only in the lutheran Christian Church but that Jesus is in all of the denominations and that Jesus is and god is. Actively working in those places and so not to discount or push out but be able in my searching to be to to take off my own blinders and be able to say yeah this is the holy spirit this is god at work here now in this place and it doesn't have anything to do. With the lutheran christian church maybe it's a you know, maybe it's in the food pantry down the road or in the local bar something happens and being able to see Jesus for Jesus. In all kinds of spaces and places. So I think my what my prayer would be or what? what what? I felt feel called to is an openness in my searching and openness to to trust that Jesus is in lots of places. And how do I get by past my own stuff that I might see that more clearly.

28:43.49
Kevin Shock
Um, that's a pretty ah that's a pretty good answer.

28:50.45
nathanpile
Thanks! ah.

28:54.54
Kevin Shock
But better better than my non committal answer I Well yeah, no I I I mean the openness is a good thing. Um, yeah I Yeah I.

28:56.75
nathanpile
I Don't know I think your your answer was good.

29:13.41
Kevin Shock
When you when you were talking about Beyond the structure of the church. Um I don't know my brain was kind of turning around I think that? um yeah, when I think of when I think of the structure when. When I when I think of what you're describing I think of the institution of the Church. Um, and and yet there is structure. The church is structured Beyond the institution of the church. Um, which I mean it's it's you know it's a.

29:33.95
nathanpile
Um, yes, yeah.

29:47.80
Kevin Shock
Being nitpicky about words I just think wherever Jesus shows up there is the church. Um, yeah, yeah, and and it doesn't even have to be somebody who like goes to church and you know and has said the creed.

29:54.75
nathanpile
Um, yeah, the body of Christ tip. Sure.

30:07.30
Kevin Shock
Recently or something like that I mean I guess the church is anywhere that someone receives his message that's part of it for me at least? um.

30:24.10
nathanpile
Even even if they've not heard the message can the church. Be someplace where God's love is being lived out and yet the message never be heard.

30:25.41
Kevin Shock
The the message is key.

30:37.98
Kevin Shock
Um, well yeah, but I think if I think if God's if God's love is being lived out then the message is being received I mean that that's my argument. Um, yeah, ah.

30:43.20
nathanpile
Okay.

30:49.65
nathanpile
I'm just saying it might not have been labeled as God's love.

30:52.34
Kevin Shock
Yeah, no it. No no it. It may not be that someone is there saying this is God doing this? um and and that's ok, that's that's all right I don't Um, we don't need to. We don't have to name every place The cut is.

30:56.70
nathanpile
I Guess right. F.

31:11.10
Kevin Shock
Although it is it doesn't us Well ah within the institution of the church to name all of the places that we do um experience God at Work. Um, if only to say the church isn't limited to this building or this day. Or this group of people.

32:53.59
nathanpile
Well why don't we do this a third time.

32:56.95
Kevin Shock
Okay, from Mark chapter one as soon as they 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 he 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 they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by 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 he would not permit the demons to speak because they knew him. In the morning while it was still very dark. He 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. He 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 he went throughout all galilee proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons Nathan maybe already answered this. How are you searching for Jesus.

34:07.62
nathanpile
Um I my answer is definitely connected to number 2 the all of the things that I just talked about in number 2 um, but I so I think as I so. My first initial response is um, any time like when you and I do this. This helps me search for Jesus our conversation on this podcast helps me search for Jesus? um, the but you know prayer.

34:34.45
Kevin Shock
Um, yeah, agreed.

34:42.97
nathanpile
Of which um I'm good at prayer I'm not as good. You know you talked about a little bit what a bit ago about going for a walk and and yes I'm not doing it because we're ° here or something like that this morning.

34:56.41
Kevin Shock
Oh why? not.

34:59.69
nathanpile
Ah, it would. It would definitely um, speed up my metabolism trying to heat heat my body as I'm walking for sure. But um, but that that idea of of active participation in my relationship with god. Um, is is what I would say is how I I'm searching for Jesus um, and so prayer is one of those pieces bible study is one of those pieces being in conversation with others with other faithful individuals loving individuals. Um, people may not feel like they're always faithful. Ah, to god and so I would also say you know it doesn't it's not just about like saying that we're that we're I'm only talking to people who are faithful but people who are loving who are living in and trying to trust this relationship that they have with god and so that active how I'm I'm searching is. Um, is trying to be active in in a relationship with god ah and and and that is prayer that is you know you know the prayers that I that I pray at night before I go to bed and my prayer of thanks for the food that we eat at the dinner table.

36:00.91
Kevin Shock
F.

36:17.60
nathanpile
Um, yes, those are patterns of of that. But also um, one of the things that I hope to this spring as as our our weather does break and it's supposed to start to warm up here. Um. Is to be outside a little bit more because I happen to live in a space and place that is beautiful. You know we we have I don't know eighteen inches down or something like that now it's probably not that deep because it's all been crushed down on top of each other but we've had at least that much fall in the last week if not more and so everything's kind of got a code of weight everywhere and so it's just it's really pretty. But um I don't oftentimes make that a part of my um, my journey with god is to take advantage of the space and place that I'm in and to walk and to be. Talking with god in that time. Um one on one. Um and just ah, being able to also then listen I think a lot of times when I pray it's me lifting up prayer about something that has happened or or of hearing someone someone else or. I think of someone in my life and I know oh let me just pause and give a prayer for them in the midst of what's happening but being able to also take the time to listen um and and to me listening is an active thing and so that's a part of that searching is being able to kind of actively listen for god.

37:49.55
nathanpile
Um, and walks are are one of the ways that I do that for myself giving giving myself those walks those opportunities to kind of stretch my legs and and to breathe deeper and slower and to listen for what God's doing So I think that would be. Um, and I don't mean to say active and and make people think that it has to be like you could sit in a rocking chair and it can be active listening um you know for me right now and at the age that I'm at I'm no longer running.

38:17.90
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah.

38:29.21
nathanpile
Ah, so walking is ah is a way for me to still um, enjoy what I used to do when I was in my younger days which was to to run. Um, but but in just in some ways of of actively being a part of this relationship that god has created with. With us with me um and being able to kind of be listening for um, for Jesus it. It kind of is a ah juxtaposition from what I think of as hunting and what the disciples were doing like they're searching everywhere.

39:02.80
Kevin Shock
E.

39:06.88
nathanpile
For me I think it's it's more about ah pausing my life and allowing god to enter into it and for me to listen to that because I do believe that god is is here as god is everywhere and so it's making space. Making openness. Um for for god to enter and for me to to be slowing down enough to to hear that but to me that there's there's there's still action in all of that. Even though it's it can sound passive as is just I'm just kind of listening but making the space. Slowing myself down. Um, that's that is the part of searching for Jesus I think that is um is where I'm focused right now at least in my life.

39:58.83
Kevin Shock
Good segue I'm waiting for jesus to show up the way that I need Jesus to show up and I don't know how I need Jesus to show up. Um, so yeah I ah your answer was much more. Um.

40:04.79
nathanpile
E m.

40:16.17
Kevin Shock
Um, ah, disiply and and not self-serving. Ah my answer at least where I am in my head feels like ah it's it's not a demand but it's kind of like Jesus I don't I don't know how to search for you. So. Show up in the way that you think is best and I'll do my best to pay it I do think that I agree with you paying waiting is active biblical waiting is active. Holy waiting is active um, paying attention is active. Um, and and sometimes that kind of activity begs that we stop all of the other activity that fills our days and our spaces and our schedules and our time. Um you know, ah Jesus gets up.

41:05.89
nathanpile
Yeah.

41:11.58
Kevin Shock
Goes out to a deserted place and there he prays. Um, that there's a reason for that. There's a he can't he can't He can't be. He can't commune with God in the way that he needs to if someone's always knocking on the door and.

41:29.35
nathanpile
E.

41:31.13
Kevin Shock
The email notifications always going off and the text messages are coming through and he can't do it. He just can't do it. Um, and he's Jesus so if he can't do it. Yeah, that was my that was the.

41:43.16
nathanpile
What are we trying to do.

41:50.21
Kevin Shock
The purpose that that was where I was hoping my pregnant pause would leave lead. Um, yeah I so I yeah again I don't know exactly I don't know if I'm doing this well I don't know if um I think in some ways I am in some ways I'm trying to um. Some of those things I just mentioned like um emails I'm I'm trying to kind of build better boundaries around the way that I focus on those throughout the day. Um, it's it's easy. It's easy for me to get distracted by things. Coming in. You know, um, and to pay attention to the things that are ah not the things that I need to pay attention to but the things that are begging for my attention. Um, and that's that's a big thing too that you know when Simon and his companions and. And quote unquote everyone they're begging for Jesus's attention and jesus needs to put his attention elsewhere. Um for a little while when he prays. But also he he tells them explicitly we need to go elsewhere. So that we can continue to proclaim the message. Ah those places needed to the message has been proclaimed here and so now we have to go elsewhere and do the same thing. Um, the other thing that I would I mean that's the answer to my question. The other thing that I was thinking that I wanted to reflect on a little bit is.

43:23.30
Kevin Shock
When you were reading this wait I was reading it when I was reading this last time I was thinking of the discussion that we had over the last question and and Verse Twenty nine shows is a good demonstration.

43:27.25
nathanpile
Is last time. Yep.

43:41.73
Kevin Shock
Well ah, verses 29 through 31 is a good demonstration about how god is not confined to the the institution of the church. Um, because the the work of god though we trust that the work of god was taking place there in the synagogue.

43:52.71
nathanpile
And.

44:00.33
Kevin Shock
The work of god at least continues and is certainly taking place after they left the synagogue they leave the synagogue the work of the work of god is not done. Um, he heals Simon's mother in law. Um.

44:03.59
nathanpile
E.

44:19.96
Kevin Shock
He she he lifts her up and she begins to participate in the work of God serving them so that all of that stuff is church happening but not inside the confines of a particular building.

44:25.81
nathanpile
Now.

44:38.43
Kevin Shock
Or a particular um gathering or a particular type of worship or searching for god so that that was just something that I noticed as I was reading through at this final time. Um, you know those. Those things. Yeah those those things are just as important I ah the you know I'm a firm believer as a as a christian first a lutheran second and a pastor third that um, the liturgy. The mass the church service centers us in a way that we need to be centered if if we're there. Well sometimes not even if we're there in the right spirit if we're there with our defenses down enough that Jesus can speak to us. That's maybe that's the best way to put it. Um.

45:31.59
nathanpile
And.

45:35.11
Kevin Shock
Ah, that that I think I do think it's necessary I think it's helpful I think that going to church does a lot more for somebody than just teaching them how to live better. Um it it. It. It does do that. But it's. But more importantly, it's centering them so that that their life can be god centered and not self-centered and um and they can therefore better learn learn how to better love themselves and god and others. Um, so I do there's a centrality for me to the worship the mass but the center is not the whole if worship is the center then the whole is everything else that happens in Jesus' ' name beyond that.

46:25.53
nathanpile
A.

46:28.41
Kevin Shock
And including that but beyond that as well I like I'm I'm convinced that um ah man in I don't know why don't know why that was such a big sigh and anyway, um, post covered.

46:48.10
Kevin Shock
I think coffee hour is way more important than what it used to be because I think it's an opportunity for people to learn how to be with 1 another again and get to know one another again and I think that I I think that being able to go from the worship.

46:49.59
nathanpile
And moving much.

46:57.64
nathanpile
Now.

47:07.93
Kevin Shock
Event The thing that centers us or the thing it through which God centers us ah to a time where we can chat with one another you know, have some coffee eat a donut just be with one another.

47:25.25
Kevin Shock
There There are some powerful conversations and necessary conversations that happen at Coffee hour and and we learn how to live with one another on a very low level at Coffee hour and I think that right now that's wholly and necessary for. The state of the world. Um to the gathering in that Way. So That's just I'm I'm I'm way way off track when it comes to the question. But um, all things I was thinking about so.

48:00.50
Kevin Shock
Do you have anything that you would like to reflect further on Nathan.

48:06.45
nathanpile
No I think um, um, everything that you said I wouldn't disagree with um and I and I appreciate and I appreciate your again there. This is why there's 2 of us on this podcast. We have different.

48:14.60
Kevin Shock
Ah, okay, ah.

48:22.86
nathanpile
Differing. Um, and so I appreciate your your reflection of my reflection earlier and it shows up here again that when we talk about the church when we talk about the body of Christ it's wherever god shows up. It's not as I was talking.

48:39.36
Kevin Shock
Now.

48:42.29
nathanpile
About it. It was the structure of the church. It wasn't the body of christ that theoite and so I think that's an important piece and how do how do we live that out with one another and and I agree coming out of the pandemic um relationships is our. Are are a critical part of and it's not just because of the Pandemic. It's because of all of the technology that we've encountered and and um and the political social social and political world that we live in if you don't match my opinion then. I'm I don't need you. Um, that doesn't really, it's not a very true Statement. We need each other every every other human being on this planet needs every other human being on the planet to live in in such a way that we.

49:20.37
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

49:37.94
nathanpile
Try to accomplish things together that that's what has allowed us to survive and Thrive is working together. So this idea that it it has to just be about my way or the highway that that doesn't fly There has to be a middle road together.

49:44.18
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

49:55.70
nathanpile
That we find and that we seek out and that all has its foundations in being able to form friendships and being able to develop relationships and so I I agree that I think Coffee hour is one of those important things for the church moving forward of.

50:03.21
Kevin Shock
And.

50:12.64
nathanpile
Helping us to refigure out. How do we form relationships with 1 another in the midst of our diverse and varying views and values theological political.

50:16.86
Kevin Shock
M.

50:31.16
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

50:31.95
nathanpile
Etc. So.

50:37.84
nathanpile
Additional texts um isaiah forty the fortieth chapter of Isaiah verses 21 through 31 the creator of all cares for the powerless. We see that here in the and the gospel passage. We just read from Mark. Ah, psalm one forty seven verses 1 through eleven and twenty c the lord heals the broken-hearted and first corinthians chapter 9 verses 16 through 23 a servant for the sake of the Gospel so those would be some additional texts that you could dive into this um this week as well. Ah, a reminder. Um, Kevin and I are inviting individuals to join us for a bible study through lent that'll be the Tuesdays of lent at seven P M starting on February twentieth and going through March Twenty Sixth so there'll be 6 studies and we'll be using the book Manna and mercy. By Daniel Erlander we have a couple of copies at camp so you could reach out to me if you would want one of those copies there $15 that allows us to ship them to you? Um, wherever you're at so um.

52:07.40
nathanpile
So if you get a hold of us. We can still get this out that out to you because we don't start till the twentieth of February um, and as always Kevin I thank you for your sharing in your reflections and we hope to hear from you who are listening if you have. Um, ways that you're searching for Jesus that you'd like to share with us. We'd be. We'd be really interested to hear what those are or ways that you're seeing others search for Jesus so hope to to tend our faith with you again soon. Grace to you.

52:41.65
Kevin Shock
And peace.