Fifth Sunday in Lent, Cycle C

• NEW FOR CYCLE B — Lent/Easter (Click here for Kindle Edition)   Dean Feldmeyer It Pays to Advertise Mark 1:40-45; 2 Kings 5:1-14      It has been said that selling is part of the American DNA. We Americans love to sell products. Advertising is part of our cultural makeup -- and no matter how much we complain about them, we love good commercials… ones that make us laugh, ones that make us cry, and even ones that make us cringe.      We reward the most creative and effective ones with Clio Awards. We talk with our friends during the Super Bowl, but all talking ceases for the commercials.We pay for the privilege of advertising for companies by wearing their t-shirts and, we pay extra for clothing designers who put the label on the outside.      People running for public office routinely pay about $1 for every 30 voters in their district just for the yard signs they will distribute (the effectiveness of which is dubious at best).      When the leper came to Jesus in Mark 1:40, Jesus was just "a healer." When the same man leaves the scene in 1:45, Jesus has become "my healer." And that man can't help himself; he just has to tell others about his healer....more Epiphany 6 Theme For The Day God desires us to be partners in our own healing. Preaching Possibilities A sermon based on either the Old Testament Lesson or the Gospel Lesson (or both) could focus on the need for us to be full participants in our healing. Elisha requires Naaman to go bathe in the Jordan seven times -- something he's reluctant to do, and almost doesn't do at all (thereby coming very close to letting the thing he most desires slip through his hands). Jesus requires the leper to go off and be ritually cleansed by the temple priests....more David Kalas Is There Something Wrong with Me? We are a very sensitive generation. While words that were once considered impolite and profane have become more commonplace on the one hand, a great many other words have fallen out of favor as "politically incorrect" on the other. We have worked hard as a culture to eliminate all language -- even all expressions and experiences -- that may be offensive to an individual or group....more Peter Andrew Smith The Path to Healing 2 Kings 5:1-14 Chuck slammed the door and threw his knap sack beside the desk. "That was a waste of time."     "Visit with the chaplain not go well?" Sam asked looking up from his homework.     "I don't want to talk about it." Chuck flopped into a chair. Sam waited patiently for a few moments while Chuck fiddled with a pen on the desk. "I went to a man of God to try and get some help."     "He couldn't see you?" Sam said.     "Oh, he saw me all right. Took me into his office and sat across from me pretty much like we are sitting now." Chuck gestured at the space between them. "We talked about nothing important for a while and then he asked me what was up."....more Janice Scott Mr Skillett and Mrs Round Mr Skillett was as tall as a bus, and as thin as two pieces of paper stuck together. When he entered his house in The Street, he had to fold in half at the waist. And once inside, he had to sit down very quickly in case his head went through the ceiling.     Mr Skillett was always lonely, because as soon as he went out into The Street, everyone else disappeared indoors.....more Anna Shirey Being a Blabbermouth First Thoughts: This is one of those provocative stories in the gospel where Jesus seems to want to keep his ministry a secret. We don't know why Jesus tried to conceal his identity but we do know that it never worked. Jesus' ministry was so exciting and so life-changing that there was no way to keep it quiet. Have you ever had such good news that you couldn't keep it to yourself? Even found yourself looking for strangers with whom you could share your good fortune? Have you ever felt that way about the gospel message -- sharing not because you're "supposed" to but because you just can't keep it in? Spend a few moments in reflection and prayer on your own experience of the good news....more

Author of Lectionary Scripture Notes

Dr. Norman A. Beck

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