Sunday - The Gospel According To Mark

Welcome to Daily Prayer. This week we are walking through Mark 6:1–8:10, where Jesus faces rejection, sends out the Twelve, confronts empty religion, and demonstrates compassion to crowds and Gentiles alike. We see Jesus forming a community who will follow him in faith and mission. Today we look at Jesus’ painful rejection in his own hometown.

As we begin our time together, let’s quiet our hearts and minds before the LORD.

Lord, you are the Wisdom of God and the Mighty Worker of miracles.

We want to know you, honor you, and believe you.

We surrender every prejudice, every offense, every low view of who you are and what you can do.

We give everyone and everything to you.

O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise.

A Scripture Reading from Mark 6:1-6

 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.

After Jesus heals the women who had been sick for 12 years and raises the little 12 year old girl from the dead, Jesus returns home to Nazareth. The people who watched him grow up as the local carpenter are amazed at his teaching and wisdom, but they stumble over his background. “Isn’t this Mary’s son?” Familiarity turns to offense. Because of their unbelief, Jesus is limited in what he can do. But even in the midst of unbelief, he still heals a few who reach out in faith. His hometown community is like the seed that fell on shallow soil. The kingdom does not flourish where there is hardness or shallow understanding. This community is scorched by their lack of depth. They are hindered by overfamiliarity. They have no honor for Jesus. 

A Prayer of Adoration:

Lord Jesus, you deserve all the honor and praise. You are the Wisdom from above. You are the Healer of the broken. You were rejected by those closest to you and yet your compassion flows. 

You do not force yourself on hard and offended hearts, yet you gladly heal all who come to you in faith. Jesus, we worship you as the Prophet greater than Moses. You are the builder who rebuilds broken lives and the One who is worthy of honor in every place.

A Prayer of Confession:

Lord, forgive us when we treat you as ordinary because we think we already know you. Forgive us for the ways we let past experience keep us from expecting your power today. We confess our low expectations and our lack of faith. Forgive us Lord. Forgive me for not honoring you with my life and my faith. Soften our hearts Lord. Keep us from offense. 

A Prayer of Trust:

Lord, we trust that you remain the same powerful Savior, even when those around us doubt. We believe you are who you say you are. You are the Son of God and the Son of Man. We open our hearts to you today.

We place our faith in who you are. We open our hearts to expect and anticipate your work in our lives today.

A Prayer of Intercession and Petition:

Lord, we don’t want to amaze you with unbelief. We want to be a people who hear and welcome your Words. Who look to you for life. We know that you are bigger than we can imagine. We know that you can do more than we can ask or imagine. Keep us humble and expectant. 

We ask for you to move in power among us Lord. Save, deliver, heal, restore. Do what only you can do in our families and in our community.

Lord, we pray for missionaries and believers who are rejected by their own people. Strengthen them and uphold them. May they continue to draw close to you and not turn away. 

Lord, you have the Words of eternal life. 

A Moment of Reflection

Lord, is there any place in my life where familiarity or offense is keeping me from expecting your power today?

As we listen to the passage again, let’s listen for a word or phrase that the Holy Spirit may want to say to us from today’s verses.

Mark 6:1-6

 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.

And now Our Weekly Passage to Memorize together:

Mark 6:34

“When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.”

Let’s pray the Lord’s Prayer together as we close:

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread and

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever

amen