03/08/2022
Today's Meditation:
(Jesus said) “And these signs will follow those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly it will by no means harm them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. - Mark 16:17-18
When Jesus said these words to his disciples, even those who had walked with him and worked with him from the beginning must have been startled. Yes, they had seen Jesus heal, raise the dead, and do other miracles. He had even told them “Greater things than these you shall do.” (John 14:12) They heard him, they believed him, and yet…. It’s likely that Jesus was speaking literal truth in some things he said, and giving challenging examples with other things. But these were Christ’s last words, in his last hours – his last moments – on earth. He would not, in those moments, have spoken anything less than the truth, and his words would have been meant for his followers in future generations – you and me – as well as his disciples. No wonder this passage is called the Great Commission. No wonder it has lasted for 2,000 years. But the ministries to which Christians are called change with the times and places in which they live. Right now, as pastors and churches in the U.S. peacefully prepare for Easter, Christians in Syria courageously gather in the dark, in secret, fearing for their lives; knowing that their worship could mean death. Different places, dramatically different ministry. Healing meant one thing in the first century – laying on of hands, ointments, herbs, prayer – but healing means other things today: prayer, but also MRIs, EKGs, infusion therapy, joint replacement, heart transplants, mobility devices. Today, many physicians, therapists, and theologians recognize the mind/body connection and the link between physical health and mental/emotional/spiritual health. As we continue to discover the body’s own potent powers for self-healing, the church of tomorrow may well have dedicated Spirit-based healthcare programs. As for casting out demons, we do that today when we free people from addictions or emotional ills. We can’t imagine what the ‘demons’ will be in 2050 or 2100, or how the faith community will be called upon to confront them. Speaking in new tongues once meant new languages, sounds, and strange utterances. Could Christ have also meant speaking with new kindness, love, acceptance, and respect? If we take Christ’s words – his Commission and his empowering of us – seriously, it opens the doors to new and exciting ways to live a faith-centered life and to share God’s words, presence, and love with others: the heart of the Great Commission. In our 21st century, the church of Christ may well change more than it has in the prior 20 centuries. Tomorrow, we remain with Jesus in his last days; looking, listening, and learning what he thought matters most.
© Carol Dean Henn
Artwork by Anthony Falbo
