Claimed, gathered and sent

Here are some thoughts regarding this coming Sunday's gospel. This was sent out electronically to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church .  Gospel: Mark 8:27-38 27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.   31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divi...

This is the sermon I preached Sunday, 9/9/18 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The gospel was Mark 7:24-37 . Today’s gospel reading starts out with Jesus on the move. Earlier in this chapter, we’re told he was in Galilee, probably Capernaum, where Peter’s house was. Jesus then goes to Tyre for some rest. That’s around 35 miles from Capernaum. That's where he’s at for our story. After that, he goes “by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee,” (v. 31). I don’t think so! Sidon is about 15 miles northeast of Tyre, while Galilee is southeast of Tyre. Later, Jesus goes to the Decapolis, parts of which border Galilee, to feed the 4,000. The point is that the route was pretty circuitous. We see this in other gospels as well, such as when Jesus went to Samaria.  “[Jesus] left Judea and started back to Galilee. 4  But he had to go through Samaria,” (John 4:3-4). No, he didn’t. The most direct way from Judea to Galilee is through the Jordan Valley. Samaria was a detour, but Jesu...