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“Hearing the News” by Peter Andrew Smith
“Rejecting the Darkness” by Frank Ramirez


Hearing the News
by Peter Andrew Smith
Mark 10:46-52

“And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.”  (v. 52b)

Good morning whoever is out there.

I hope you boys and girls are here this morning. Since I can't see you, let me know if you are actually present. (have the children touch and/or speak and/or sing) (Humor works, like have the children repeat something silly like, “Good morning fantastic, awesome, most highest lord pastor/teacher”)

Job 42:1-6,10-17
It is not Job’s or our deep faith which leads to faith and repentance. Famed 20th-century Reformed theologian Karl Barth made that clear:

Most translations have it wrong. Job doesn’t repent in dust and ashes. He repents from dust and ashes, turning away from a false view of life, and turning toward a positive image of humanity.

In Hebrews we’re called to turn away from a false view of the need for the Temple. In Mark we turn away from a false view of defining people by a disability.

Job 42:1-6, 10-17 and Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22)

I remember going to a Lent group years ago, where the priest gave all us lay folk a piece of paper and a pen and asked us to write down what we knew about Jesus. He didn't want us to write down what we'd been told about Jesus or read about Jesus, but simply what we knew for ourselves from our own experience.

I ended up with a blank sheet of paper, but one person wrote, "I know that Jesus saves me." That led onto an interesting discussion along the lines of: saves you from something? Or for something?

Miracle Nine

From Beggar To Follower

The Text