What Am I To Do Lord?-Based Upon Mark 1:21-28

I am always amazed at the many things I read in the Bible and the breadth of how awesome Jesus must have been. The Gospel of Mark is a book unlike the other gospels in that he gets right to the point and continues on. Mark and I would have been good friends, as I like the same thing of moving on after a point. However, I was confused for a moment upon exploring this section of scripture. We read about Jesus teaching in front of high officials, and nothing is said of what exactly he was teaching. We know that he is showing his authority given te audience around him.

Jesus appears as a man of action, and man of ppurpose if he is in this situation. Yet, in the midst of his teaching, a man of "unclean spirit" interrupts him. He must have been one of the people we tend to avoid on our streets today (i.e. a homeless man, a man with some communicable disease, or even someone with a mental illness). I started thinking back to a person I could relate to in this situation and that was "Bucket Joe." "Bucket Joe" was the southside's answer to this biblical character. A man who lived on the streets and drank his liquor of choice. A man who didn't know what a shower was, unless it rained. A man who played his radio loud and sang in a dialect unfamiliar to those who heard him.

I can only imagine if "Bucket Joe" was to wander into that same synagogue and shout out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the Holy One of God." If this happened in churches today, the ushers would scramble in trying to remove him, people would feel a bit tense in the presence of the outburst. He might be told where the closest shelter might be and then be told to go on about his business. The disciples don't figure it out until later, so this guy is obviously ahead of the curve. This unclean man is asking a very good question, "What are you going to do with people like me? Are you going to destroy us?"

Jesus' next step is the remove the "unclean spirits" from the man. Whatever an "unclean spirit" is, I am impressed that Jesus is able to remove it. We don't know what Jesus was talking about at this time, but one thing is certain..Jesus had the power over things people label as unclean. The point Mark is making is this: That the will and purpose of God present in Jesus in engaging and fighting against the purposes of evil that exist among humanity. This is a battle not fought by those at the highest levels of authority, but by those of us who are in the midst of life. The battleof good versus evil, right versus wrong, life versus death happens amidst the people who are gathered for worship. Christ has come to set us free from prejudice, pride, greed, and other 'isms. If we devote ourselves to something other than what God has directed us to do, we have missed the goal of faith.

This week, as we mourn the loss of Coretta Scott King, I reflect upon her life and the lives of others the King Family has influenced. Many years ago, they had the responsibility of asking Jesus, "What do you have me to do?" Life is much more fulfilling in leading others to know that Jesus has a purpose for their life. There is more to life than work, honors, fame, wealth, poverty, struggle, sickness, and "unclean spirits." The purpose is rather to engage in the urgent struggle of living out God's will.

I'm not sure how I would answer that question on a daily basis, because sometimes I just don't know what God wants me to do with my life. There are days where I am like the man with "unclean spirits." I believe all of of us have our moments. We don't understand the things happening all around us. We don't understand our emotions and the ways they control us when we don't want them to. In essence, we are searching for some power that can set us free to live in the right way.

This scripture is here to remind us that Jesus stands right beside us, ready to cast aside that which binds us and constricts us. The demons that defeat our best and highest purposes are removed instantly. Christ stands ready with the power of grace, which breaks the power of sin over us. It is in this gift, that Jesus has much to do with us.

Based upon a reflection by Rev. Todd Weir

Finally, An Update!!!

Well, it has been quite some time since my last update. Needless to say, many things have been going on in the world of Glenn. I started back to school with 5 classes and three different subjects to teach. On top of all of that, the district introduced new curriculum that I was getting to know a little better. Along with all of these changes came the greatest change of all. Julie and I got married on November 12, 2005, at Dover Place Christian Church. Big surprise I know. Preparations, marriage couseling and arranging the actual wedding ate into my time to dedicate to this blog. Everything is pretty well calmed down now that all of these things are over with and the holidays are long gone as well.

WOW just completed its' 100th service and are heading into our thir year within a month. I know that I have changed over that time, but the message has not. We continue to look to the wilderness that is outside the doors of Dover Place and seek out new believers, or believers without a home. When Dover Place was built at its current location, it was in the wilderness of the Carondelet neighborhood. People worried that nobody would come so far for church. Well, due to the persistence and enduring faith of the minister (Rev. G.E. Ireland), Dover Place has remained an anchor of the community for 110 years. All of this in an age when churches are growing exponentially or going away, Dover has maintained her charm as being a community of believers sharing the faith with others.

As I reflect on John the Baptist living in his cave in the wilderness, living in the most meager of settings, I believe our mission is the same. Baptize believers in the name of the Father and Son, but allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and guide us. Dover's theme for the year is "Faith In Action," and we are taking the first steps to active leadership and spirtual renewal in the community. The spirit of the Lord is ready to descend upon those who don't know the power that Christ has in their lives. I will report the blessings yet to come or that have already come.