16 Aug 2020 Sunday Morning Service

Bible
Exodus 32:1-10
Mark 9:9-29

Exodus
32:1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
32:2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”
32:3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.
32:4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
32:5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.”
32:6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
32:7 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.
32:8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
32:9 “I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people.
32:10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

Mark
9:9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
9:10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.
9:11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
9:12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?
9:13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”
9:14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.
9:15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
9:16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
9:17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.
9:18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
9:19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
9:20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
9:21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered.
9:22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
9:23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
9:24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
9:25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
9:26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.”
9:27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
9:28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
9:29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”