{"id":17850,"date":"2021-09-21T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-21T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/urc-daily-devotion-tuesday-21st-september-2021"},"modified":"2021-09-21T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T05:00:00","slug":"urc-daily-devotion-tuesday-21st-september-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/urc-daily-devotion-tuesday-21st-september-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"URC Daily Devotion Tuesday 21st September 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
Tuesday 21st September 2021<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 I just can\u2019t help myself   <\/strong>Mark 2:40-45<\/strong><\/p>\n

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling] he said to him, \u2018If you choose, you can make me clean.\u2019 Moved with pity, Jesus] stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, \u2018I do choose. Be made clean!\u2019 Immediately the leprosy] left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, \u2018See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.\u2019 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely…
 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Reflection<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is quite surprising, but only one person named in the New Testament is referred to as an \u2018Evangelist\u2019.  Others clearly fulfil the role and evangelists are listed among the five-fold ministry of the Church in Ephesians 4, but only Philip gets to be called one (Acts 21:8).  And this is interesting, because, officially, Philip should not have been doing this!<\/p>\n

Philip was one of \u2018The Seven\u2019 appointed as deacons in the Jerusalem Church.  As such he was set apart to take over the practical and caring ministry of the Church, precisely so that others could focus on proclaiming the word (Acts 6).   And yet, it seems that Philip just could not help himself!  Wherever he went, he was telling people about Jesus.  Eventually the nickname \u2018The Evangelist\u2019 stuck.<\/p>\n

Time and time again in the Gospels, evangelism happens through ordinary people who could not help themselves. Quite spontaneously, they gossiped about what Jesus had done for them \u2013 even when, like the leper mentioned in our reading, they were specifically told not to!  They were bubbling with good news to share.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Looking at the Church of today, we may find ourselves asking what went wrong?  Why do we need reminding all the time (as Paul had to remind Timothy) not to forget to \u2018do the work of an evangelist\u2019? (2 Tim 4:5). Is it really that bad that we\u2019d sooner forget about it?<\/p>\n

Perhaps this is because of fixed (and not always favourable) ideas of what an Evangelist is and does?  Can we break away from these stereotypes and simply encourage a free and natural sharing of what God has done for us, personally and corporately, in Christ?<\/p>\n

What excites you about Jesus?  Are you bubbling to tell of what he has done for you?<\/p>\n

Prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say anything to anyone!\u201d you said, Lord,
but they could not help themselves and they rushed to tell everyone.
\u201cGo into the world and proclaim the good news!\u201d you say, Lord,
and we fight shy, find our excuses, and keep quiet.
Give us new hearts, enlivened by your Spirit, 
eager to share what you have done for us in Christ.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tuesday 21st September 2021  I just can\u2019t help myself   Mark 2:40-45 A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling] he said to him, \u2018If you choose, you can make me clean.\u2019 Moved with pity, Jesus] stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, \u2018I do choose. Be made clean!\u2019 Immediately the … <\/p>\n

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