You would almost think, just from reading the first few chapters of Mark’s Gospel, that Jesus was constantly as busy as we are today, rushing nonstop from one healing and teaching and deliverance to another. But then, toward the end of the first chapter, we find that Jesus has slipped out before sunrise for a time of personal prayer. The reasons for this, and what it teaches us about the place of prayer in our lives and in the reign of God, I sought to spell out in yesterday’s message (April 27) at Emmanuel Mennonite Church, which was itself an answer to prayer. Check out the message here: Download kingdom_prayer.doc  to find out why.

Mathew Swora

I was rather surprised when I ordered my favorite meal at the restaurant a few months back, and found it had changed. And not for the better. This was at the only restaurant I knew that served beef enchiladas with an authentic Mexican molé sauce. To die for! And the molé sauce was as good as I remembered. But inside the enchiladas I found ground beef, and a rather bland, institutional type of ground beef, like what you get out of a 45 ounce can, rather than the spicy shredded beef that they used to fill it with. Why the change? Then I remembered, the restaurant was under new management. And one change the new management was making was from gourmet shredded beef to cheaper ground beef, probably to cut costs. It didn’t surprise me too much when that restaurant went out of business recently. That’s what you get for skimping on real shredded beef.

In the stories of healing and exorcism of Mark chapter 1, things are happening that tell us the whole world is coming under new management. Unlike my former favorite Mexican restaurant, this time, for the better. In effect, the long-promised and prayed-for kingdom of God is drawing near through the healing ministry of Jesus. For more on what the healing ministry and miracles of Jesus mean from an Anabaptist Christian perspective, check out last Sunday’s message (April 20) atDownload healingword.doc

Samuel Traore (age 9), of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, made such good friends with our daughter, Emily Swora, that he wasn’t about to let her get into the bus to leave for Bobo-Dioulasso and points west without a struggle (summer, 2004).

In some times and cultures, it is the very reason for living, and the one thing that always makes it worthwhile, the one enduring sweetness, given all the sufferings and losses we sustain. No, not Mexican food(though it comes close)! I mean Friendship! Consider the ancient Greek story of Damon and Pythias, who…..well, read the attached message (below) from Emmanuel Mennonite Church for Sunday, April 6, to find out what they did for each other.

But in this day and culture, friendship is something of a lost art as relationships come increasingly to be seen in the service of the market and money, rather than vice versa. Our church and movement (Anabaptist/Mennonite) make a big thing out of "discipleship." But sometimes we make that out to be simply a matter of strenuous rules and high expectations, forgetting that Jesus’ call to four fishermen along the Sea of Galilee, to "follow me," was essentially a call to share their lives in love, to the point even of being willing to give them in exchange for each other. And there you have friendship.

Or did I miss the point? Check out the following message at  Download friendships.doc and let me know what you think.

Your friend,

Mathew Swora, pastor