CreatingCommunity is an email devotion to guide your preparation for worship next weekend. Imagine how much more clear and relevant God's Word will be if you have had an opportunity read, reflect, and dwell in the Word prior to worship. You may do this devotion alone, with others, as a family, or over Zoom as a small group.

This devotion is to be done in preparation for this coming weekend's worship.

Please follow these three steps:

1. Read through the text
2. Respond to the questions (select one of the sets of questions)
3. Offer a Prayer
Mark1:21-28

[Jesus and his disciples] went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
No Experience Necessary Questions:
  1. What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this text?
  2. What delights me in this text?
  3. What stories or memories does this text stir in me?
  4. What is God up to in this text?
Family Questions (for the entire family):
  1. Jesus goes to church/synagogue on the Sabbath/Sunday. Talk about what it is like for you to go to church on Sunday. What do you enjoy? What is a challenge? Why are you there?.
  2. When Jesus is at church he teaches. Do teachings from Jesus happen at your church? Explain.
  3. There was a man who was sick at church. Jesus made him well. Are there people "sick" at church today? Have you ever seen anything like that at Church? Explain.
Advance Questions:
  1. Already in the first chapter, there is confrontation. What do you make of this way to start the story of Jesus? What do you make of this "fight" happening in the synagogue/church?
  2. Do you think Mark's story of Jesus describes how he has come to oppose all the forces that keep the children of God from the abundant life God desires for all of us? Explain.
  3. The church of today has been described as valuing being nice above all else. However, being nice means that "No Is Challenged eNough". What is the place of challenge in the church/Prince of Peace today? How do we confront one another in love? Give examples
Click here to listen and SING ALONG in preparation for Sunday
with this week's CreatingCommunity song
"Shine Jesus Shine"
Say a Prayer of your own or offer this one.
Amazing God, in this season of Epiphany, enable us to celebrate where Christ becomes visible and known to the world. Help us to recognize Jesus’ authority. And by his teachings and deeds’ upend our assumptions about what’s possible. Show us how to see that we have been set free from destructive tendencies and powers that we thought were beyond anyone’s control. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Pastor Lutz would love to hear your responses, questions, thoughts about your experience with CreatingCommunity. You can reach him at poppastorpaul@sbcglobal.net