# Today’s lecturer is the assistant pastor Mizuguchi

1. The legend

After the day of Pentecost we continued reading the Gospel according to Mark. Last Sunday’s lecturing passage was the story about Jesus’ act of feeding five thousand. Jesus performed the miracle because of his compassion on the crowd who were “like sheep without a shepherd"(Mark 6:34).
Today we commence for 5 sessions to reflect in detail on the same feeding story according to John. The Gospel writer John added extended significance to the event by interpreting the bread as Jesus corps on the Cross. In other words he described the episode as background of the upcoming Passion. (³¤­…)

1. like sheep without a shepherd
From the day of Pentecost we are reading the Gospel according to Mark. Last Sunday our lecturing portion was the scene on which Jesus sent the Twelve to many towns for preaching. Today’s part is the following one concerning what disciples did and talked during their mission. They came back after the first experience , excited but tried. So Jesus wanted them to take some rest ;- he(Jesus) said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."(Mark 6:31)
However the crowd tried to catch up with Jesus ;- But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. (³¤­…)

1. Jesus sends the Twelve

Today we are given the Gospel according Mark chapter 6 for the lecturing portion. The last Sunday we read the episode about villagers in Nazareth. Mark finished the passage with this ;- And they (villagers in Nazareth) took offense at him(Jesus).
It means they rejected Jesus’ words and ignored his divinity as the Son of God. Nonetheless Jesus was not discouraged and continues preaching journey in Galilee. The following part tells that Jesus sends out his disciples in order that they succeed to his ministry and enlarge the field of activities. He chose the Twelve for that purpose and gave them instructions on the lakeside of the Galilean sea. Afterwards they become the founders of the early church. The contents of today’s lecturing passage invites us to reflect upon the significance of preaching activities and the role of the church in them. (³¤­…)

1. Offense at Jesus in his hometown

Today’s lecturing passage is Mark 6:1-6, which tells us an episode of villagers in Nazareth. When Jesus preached at his hometown, though the crowd was amazed by his powerful words, they became rather skeptical with him. Listening to Jesus’ impressive teaching they said at first ;- “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!” Nonetheless their amazement resulted in suspicious feeling then they murmured ;- Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son. And Mark concluded ;- they took offense at him. (Mark 6:3) (³¤­…)

1. Healing of a sick woman

Today, the 5th Lord’s day after Pentecost, we read Mark 5, the verses from 21st to 43rd. The long portion tells about Jesus’ two miraculous works, healing and resurrecting stories. The former is placed amid the latter.

When Jesus came back to Galilee one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, was waiting for him. Jairus, believing in Jesus’ divine power, asked him to save his daughter who was dying of a grave illness. Jesus accepted the request. On the way to Jairus’ home Jesus healed a sick but faithful woman and praised her by saying “your faith has healed you.” Then he went to Jairus’ house where he resurrected the daughter who had been dead before Jesus’ arrival. By reading today’s passage we will reflect upon the power of faith which changes humans’ lives . (³¤­…)