Lessons for February 5, 2006 – Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany The first lesson Isaiah 40:21-31 Have you never heard or understood? Are you deaf to the words of God—the words he gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant? 22It is God who sits above the circle of the earth. The people below must seem to him like grasshoppers! He is the one who spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them. 23He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing. 24They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and their work withers. The wind carries them off like straw. 25"To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?" asks the Holy One. 26Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out one after another, calling each by its name. And he counts them to see that none are lost or have strayed away. 27O Israel, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? How can you say God refuses to hear your case? 28Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. 29He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. 30Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. 31But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (NLT) Psalm 147:1-11 L. Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God! C. How delightful and how right! L. The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem and bringing the exiles back to Israel. C. He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds. L. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. C. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! L. His understanding is beyond comprehension! C. The Lord supports the humble, but he brings the wicked down into the dust. L. Sing out your thanks to the Lord; sing praises to our God, accompanied by harps. C. He covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, L. and makes the green grass grow in mountain pastures. C. He feeds the wild animals, and the young ravens cry to him for food. L. The strength of a horse does not impress him; how puny in his sight is the strength of a man. C. Rather, the Lord's delight is in those who honor him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. L. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! (NLT) The second lesson 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 For preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't do it! 17If I were doing this of my own free will, then I would deserve payment. But God has chosen me and given me this sacred trust, and I have no choice. 18What then is my pay? It is the satisfaction I get from preaching the Good News without expense to anyone, never demanding my rights as a preacher. 19This means I am not bound to obey people just because they pay me, yet I have become a servant of everyone so that I can bring them to Christ. 20When I am with the Jews, I become one of them so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with those who follow the Jewish laws, I do the same, even though I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ. 21When I am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. 22When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ. 23I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy its blessings. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson Mark 1:29-39 After Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, they went over to Simon and Andrew's home, and James and John were with them. 30Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. 31He went to her bedside, and as he took her by the hand and helped her to sit up, the fever suddenly left, and she got up and prepared a meal for them. 32That evening at sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. 33And a huge crowd of people from all over Capernaum gathered outside the door to watch. 34So Jesus healed great numbers of sick people who had many different kinds of diseases, and he ordered many demons to come out of their victims. But because they knew who he was, he refused to allow the demons to speak. 35The next morning Jesus awoke long before daybreak and went out alone into the wilderness to pray. 36Later Simon and the others went out to find him. 37They said, "Everyone is asking for you." 38But he replied, "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too, because that is why I came." 39So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and expelling demons from many people. (NLT)