What a story!

What a story!

Looking at this passage this week I felt like this was a series of stories like a string of beads; each one different, but all combined to be something amazing.

A quick run through of the five parts:

Part 1:

Jesus has been travelling around Galilee and goes back to Nazareth;
where he is son of, brother of ….
these people watched him grow up,
and they take offense at this upstart who speaks of a new way of living.

Have you ever been in that place –

where people see you as

the awkward teen,

the frazzled young parent,

the learner driver.

Sometimes it is hard to grow out of the box we are placed in by others.

The people in Nazareth think they know who Jesus is,

they don’t notice all that he is,

and all he has to offer them.

And he is unable to display the power he has in other places.

Part 2:

The sending out of the disciples

Jesus says:

Take my power with you

Pack light

Accept hospitality

Don’t stay where you are not wanted.

The disciples have been with Jesus for a while, they have seen him heal and cast out demons, and now it is their turn.

“The apostles returned from their mission and gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught.”

Just like coming home from an adventure and wanting to tell people what has happened.

Part 3:

Herod heard about Jesus and what he was doing. People wondered who Jesus was?

Elijah

Another prophet

John the Baptist

Which brings us to Part 4:

a looking back

Herod and Herodias and John the Baptist.

This is where this passage gets really ugly.

Herod is concerned about how popular John is,

that could lead to unrest, so

Herod puts John in prison,

And hopes that will keep him out of the way.

Herodias is furious. She wants this ‘holy’ man out of the way.

Herod is hosting a lavish party

And the daughter of Herodias is dancing for his friends

Remember Esther approaching the king looking to secure her people’s lives?

Some of the same words are used in this passage.

This time it ends with the death of John the Baptist.

Part 5:

There are people everywhere, Jesus takes the disciples away for rest;

And the people follow.

Jesus is filled with compassion and teaches them

And then the question about dinner for a crowd.

The rest of the chapter tells of everyone being fed

the disciples get in a boat crossing the lake – again.

Jesus going up the mountain to pray

Jesus sees the disciples struggling as the wind gets stronger

He walks to them on the water

They are terrified

He tells them who he is, the wind calms down, they get safely to shore.

When they get out of the boat, another crowd of people looking for healing.

What a story! And that is just one chapter!

What to take away from all this.

·         Some people will see you as a five-year-old or a thirty-year-old and not the person you are today.

·         Ministry is dangerous, both John and Jesus died for teaching about a new way of living; and living it out.

·         The people with power in the current system won’t thank you for challenging the status quo. Leaders, especially those who are insecure will do anything to stay in power and can be often easily manipulated.

And there is plenty more in this passage that resonates with life today.

I will focus for a moment on the section where Jesus calls and sends the disciples.

There is much good advice in here

If you are a leader, share authority

When you travel, pack light

Rely on hospitality and stay in the same place – don’t go looking for better quarters or fancier food.

All this happens in the midst of rejection and business.

Jesus knew what it was like to be rejected, “In between calling the 12 and sending the 12, Jesus is rejected by his family, legal experts, foreign people across the lake, and his hometown.” ^[i]

I know for many of you your energy levels are depleted through poor health or an overwhelming sense of responsibility.

One thing that comes through passage for me is about relationships.

relationship with Jesus and each other.

Jesus didn’t send the disciples out alone, they went with another disciple, they stayed with people who offered hospitality

they went with the authority of Jesus.

If Jesus said to me go and cast out demons, I am not sure what I would do.

But Jesus hasn’t asked me to do that, or maybe I should say not yet 😊

Jesus asks each of us to be faithful to our call,

to bear witness to the love and grace of God.

That could be through teaching school

or being an accountant

or delivering parcels

or cutting hair

or packing lunches

or flying to the moon ……..

Jesus calls us to follow and sends us out to be in mission

I think this passage reminds us that Christianity is not a series of rituals and prayers

Christianity is a lived faith, a way of living and that means participating in God’s re-creation of the world.

I know many of you will tell me that why you can’t be part of bringing about of the kingdom of God.

But ‘what if you are exactly what is needed in a situation’ [ii]

it may be that God has given you the gift that will help someone feel welcome or included or safe or forgiven.

When we each use the gifts we have, for the kingdom of God, amazing things can happen- remember the disciples were fishermen and a tax collector and a zealot, and they turned into healers and teachers.

What might we do with God when we all work together with Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit?

Also remember that when we upset the tyrants of the world

when we march for justice

picket for fair wages

hold our political leaders to account

they probably won’t thank us for it.

The Uniting Church, along with most churches in Australia continues to call on the Federal Government

to act on climate change

to treat refugees and asylum seekers with dignity

the Uniting Church is part of a group calling on the State Government to treat drug addiction as a medical and social issue rather than a criminal issue.

The Uniting Church speaks on issues of justice, recognising the inherent dignity of each person.

Throughout the Gospel of Mark we see power being challenged, used and abused.

This morning we read of

the abuse of power by Herod and

the healing power of Jesus.

We saw places where the people could not see past the problem.

But when we work with God in bringing about a kingdom of grace and justice, we also know that the answer may not be the one defined for us.

Jesus almost always gives a different way:

a new way of living

another kind of power

one that is not focussed on our own status or pride.

I see it happen on Friday morning. People come to playgroup with their children, or grandchildren. They feel welcome, and in turn welcome others. One grandmother stayed and helped in the kitchen for two years after her grandchild had gone to school.

I see it in the relief in the faces of parents when someone listens to their concerns

I see it when one of the volunteers sews on a button or mends a hem or sews a strap back onto a favourite dress.

I see glimpses of the kingdom of God each Friday morning as people are welcomed

hospitality is offered

comfort and prayer provided

hope given

a smile and a cuppa can mean so much when life feels like a continual struggle.

There is a lot in this story, a story of

relationships

mission

power

life and

death.

It is a story not unlike our own

Where do we see glimpses of the growing of the kingdom of God?

Where do we participate the growing of the kingdom of God?

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[i] https://www.pulpitfiction.com/narrative-notes/2-23

[ii] https://bibleworm.podbean.com/e/episode-024-mark-61-29-jesus-sends-out-the-twelve/

a prophet v 2

Proclamation of the Word

I know some of you have family who visit from time to time, and they come and worship here. We look at people who we have seen grow up here, and think about what they were like as children, and how they have turned out. How much they have grown and changed. And then their children come, and there are comments about how much this grandchild is like their parent or aunt or uncle was growing up. It seems to be part of our human make-up to look for family resemblances.

Jesus was back in his home village, visiting his family, and teaching in the local Synagogue. At first the people were astounded, amazed, at what Jesus was teaching, then they look at him, and see it is a home town boy of suspicious parentage – he is called Mary’s son rather than Joseph’s son. The villagers have seen Jesus and his sisters and brothers grow up.

And they wonder - Who does he think he is?!

Sounds like the Aussie ‘tall poppy’ syndrome. I can remember watching sport with my father, who was similar physical build to me, and he would say, I could do that, I just don’t want to show off. Now there was no way he could run a sprint or a marathon, or swim or dive or any of the other amazing things we will at the Olympics this year. In Australia we have habit of knocking those we deem to be too much ‘in the spotlight’.

And the people of the village wonder - Who does he think he is?!

This Jesus, this carpenter, this boy who grew up with our sons and daughters.  Who does he think he is?!

The reactions of the people in the village is not unusual.

I wonder how we respond to Jesus?

When Jesus asked his disciples ‘who do people say I am?’

“[The disciples]  replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”. “ [Matthew 16:14]

Jesus reminded people of the prophets.

Prophets were, and are, people who speak God’s word into a situation. People who speak up, and act, for the marginalised, for the whole creation, for the hungry, for the abused.

We can think of Jesus as a friend and companion, healer and teacher – and he is those things. But that is only part of who Jesus is.

I wonder, have we grown so comfortable, so familiar, that we don’t hear what is being said anymore, that we miss the strangeness of the Gospel.

The gospel which tells us of Jesus including the excluded, healing the sick, calming the storm, teaching, calling disciples, challenging those in leadership. The Gospel is good news, but it isn’t about being good in terms of middle-class western respectability.

For many people today, Christianity and the Church is about respectability, being good and nice. 

But Jesus was not that.

Jesus was not respectable.

Jesus did not stay on the ‘right’ side of the powerful and important.

Jesus broke the rules.

Jesus challenged the way things were.

What might Jesus challenge today – our treatment of asylum seekers, our fixation on ourselves, the cult of individualism, the way that economics decides what health and education are available for those unable to afford private schooling and healthcare.

What might Jesus challenge today –in your life?

In this community?

In this nation?

Who does he think he is?! This Jesus, who comes asking the difficult questions.

This Jesus who comes as challenges us to step out of our complacency, to see beyond our own life.

Who does he think he is?!

a Prophet in town

After a three week break, a weekend off, then 2 weeks ill, back preaching this week.

I know some of you have family who visit from time to time, and they come and worship here. We look at people who we have seen grow up here, and think about what they were like as children, and how they have turned out. How much they have grown and changed. And then their children come, and there are comments about how much this grandchild is like their parent or aunt or uncle was growing up. It seems to be part of our human make-up to look for family resemblances.

Jesus was back in his home village, visiting his family, and teaching in the local Synagogue. At first the people were astounded, amazed, at what Jesus was teaching, then they look at him, and see it is a home town boy of suspicious parentage – he is called Mary’s son rather than Joseph’s son. The villagers have seen Jesus and his sisters and brothers grow up.

And they wonder - Who does he think he is?!

Sounds like the Aussie ‘tall poppy’ syndrome. I can remember watching sport with my father, who was similar physical build to me, and he would say, I could do that, I just don’t want to show off. Now there was no way he could run a sprint or a marathon, or swim or dive or any of the other amazing things we will at the Olympics this year. In Australia we have habit of knocking those we deem to be too much ‘in the spotlight’.

And the people of the village wonder - Who does he think he is?!

This Jesus, this carpenter, this boy who grew up with our sons and daughters.  Who does he think he is?!

The reactions of the people in the village is not unusual.

I wonder how we respond to Jesus?

When Jesus asked his disciples ‘who do people say I am?’

“[The disciples]  replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”. “ [Matthew 16:14]

Jesus reminded people of the prophets.

Prophets were, and are, people who speak God’s word into a situation. People who speak up, and act, for the marginalised, for the whole creation, for the hungry, for the abused. A few weeks ago you watched a DVD about the Uniting Church’s Statement to the Nation from 1977. To me this is a prophetic statement, even now. There are some copies available at morning tea, here are

[The] six affirmations of the Uniting Church in 1977 were: [on PP slides] [Rev Dr Dean Drayton retiring address as President of the Assembly

http://assembly.uca.org.au/component/k2/item/295-church-members-called-to-act-on-historic-statement]

1. We will challenge values which emphasise acquisitiveness and greed in disregard of the needs of others …
- compare this statement to the response of people to changes in interest rates, tax tables and various charges for services. How much do we respond from our situation rather than the poorest, the least?

2. We affirm that the first allegiance of Christians is God, under whose judgment the policies and actions of all nations must pass. We realise that this allegiance may bring us into conflict with the rulers of our day.
- are we, like Jesus willing to be in conflict with the rulers of this country – religious and political and social?

3. We are concerned with the basic human rights of future generations and will urge the wise use of energy, the protection of the environment and the replenishment of the earth’s resources for their use and enjoyment.
- are we aware of how our consumption undermines our grandchildren’s future?

4. We affirm our eagerness to uphold basic Christian values and principles such as the importance of every human being.

- Do we treat some people as less important than others? Why is the death of one person in Australia more newsworthy than hundreds in another country?

- How do we respond to the Government intervention in the Northern territory and now Bankstown and some others cities, are the human rights of some more important than others, do we afford more dignity to some people?

5. We affirm … the need for integrity in public life, the proclamation of truth and justice.

- where do we get our information from? It seems that much of the public discourse on important issues is what we get in a  30 second sound bite on the nightly news. Or from people who make a living by creating conflict and division.

6. We pledge ourselves to hope and work for a nation whose goals are not guided by self-interest alone …

 - how do we as a nation make decisions?

- ----

How do you feel about this list, about being part of a church that runs a medically supervised injecting facility, that has chaplains in prisons and detention centres, that speaks out on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers, that calls politicians to task for their double standards. What is it like being part of a denomination that doesn’t always agree with other denominations?

It can be easy to worship each week and forget about some of that the Uniting Church stands for – justice, human rights, the dignity of all people and all of creation.

We can think of Jesus as a friend and companion, healer and teacher – and he is those things. But that is only part of who Jesus is.

Have we grown so comfortable, so familiar, that we don’t hear what is being said anymore, that we miss the strangeness of the Gospel.

The gospel which tells us of Jesus including the excluded, healing the sick, calming the storm, teaching, calling disciples, challenging those in leadership. The Gospel is good news, but it isn’t about being good in terms of middle-class western respectability.

For many people today, the Church is about respectability, being good and nice. 

But Jesus was not that.

Jesus was not respectable.

Jesus did not stay on the ‘right’ side of the powerful and important.

Jesus broke the rules.

Jesus challenged the way things were.

In this passage Mark records that Jesus was unable to perform many miracles, because of the unbelief of the people. Now it would take a long time to explore this in detail, but I wonder how often we miss what God is doing in this community, and around the world, because we only see the Jesus we are comfortable with, the one who is kind, our friend, our support, our comforter.

What if we looked for, encouraged and supported the prophets in our midst, the ones who call politicians to account, the ones who question our lack of concern for the excluded of the world, the ones who make us feel uncomfortable in our comfortable lives.

Who are the prophets today, where do we speak God’s word into the world.