Community of Hope Sermon
Be Who You Are, See What you Have, Do What Matters
Mark 1:21-28
January 29, 2012
Mark's gospel was written 30-40 years after Jesus' death during a time of great tumult and uncertainty. Best guess for when it was written is between 60 and 70 C.E./AD. Followers of Jesus and other Jews were being increasingly persecuted by the Romans. Jewish revolt between 67 and 70 CE led to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and all the Jews and followers of Jesus being driven out of that city. Context: lots of change, a new paradigm.
It is likely that Mark's was the first gospel written and served as source material for Matthew and Luke. Remember that what we have here is a collection of oral stories that had spread from Jerusalem and Galilee throughout the Roman Empire and were being collected and interpreted by Mark to speak to a particular community and to encourage them with a particular message and perspective on Jesus during a time of great change and uncertainty. By the time this gospel is written, Paul has already traveled all over starting new churches.
This morning's story follows immediately upon the story we read last week of Jesus beginning his ministry in Galilee and calling his first 4 disciples. In this story, Jesus, Simon, Andrew, James and John travel from the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum and go to worship at the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Jesus is invited to teach and we are told that all present were astounded at his teaching because he taught as one having authority. This reference to Jesus' authority reappears after Jesus casts the unclean spirit out of the man who approached him in the synagogue – all of the people wonder “what is this: A new teaching with authority.” Whenever a scripture writer repeats a word or phrase in a story this is a hint to the reader to pay close attention -there is something important here...
Looked up this word “authority” in my new favorite book - “The Essential Reference Book for Biblical Metaphors” by James Rowe Adams
Authority - “exousia”- meaning from out of one's being – Jesus' authority came from within himself and was not derived from an outside, institutional source. The Greeks believed that it was God who granted this authority to Jesus.
Jesus’ followers are imbued with this same authority In Ch. 3 of Mark's gospel where we read the story of Jesus appointing 12 apostles to “be with him and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons.”
Two meanings of authority in English
- Power to enforce obedience
- Power to influence or inspire.
The connection between the Greek word “exousia” from out of one’s being and the second English definition of authority is easy to make. The power to influence or inspire is the kind of authority that comes from within a person. It has nothing to do with their position or their power but with who they are. Jesus possessed this type of authority, he imbued his followers with this sense of authority and it is the authority that we all possess as people of faith and followers of Jesus as we go out into the world. This authority is a matter of mutual respect and is based in relationships. It is rooted in who we are as people and not in our positions or roles within institutions and I would argue it is a much more powerful form of authority than that which must be backed by force or the power of a system or institution to compel obedience.
Another important element of our text for this morning comes in the encounter between Jesus and the man with the unclean spirit. This man appears in the synagogue and challenges Jesus but Jesus drives the unclean spirit out of the man and the spirit obeys. Jesus' words have power over unclean spirits and this show of authority spreads throughout Galilee and Jesus quickly becomes famous.
What I see in this encounter between Jesus and the man with the unclean spirit is an example of Jesus' ability and commitment to crossing boundaries. He is in the synagogue – a sacred and holy place and someone who is profane, with an unclean spirit comes into this sacred space and Jesus deals with him with compassion and kindness, casting out the spirit, restoring the man to spiritual health, returning him to the community. Jesus crosses the boundary between the sacred and profane, drawing both into the purview of God's realm, relating to both with authority, with God's divine power, out of the deepest sense of who he is and how God has called him to be in the world. Jesus erases the dualism – there is no longer sacred and profane – all places are open to God’s divine work and presence.
So what do I make of all of this and how does it apply to our lives as today's followers of Jesus?
There are two things I draw from this passage that I think are important for us to keep in mind. First, this word authority is important for us. Each and every one of us possesses the type of authority we learn also belongs to Jesus. We have authority that comes from who we are and with that authority we have the ability to influence others and the world around us through relationships and mutual respect. I am convinced that every single one of us in this room today is impacting our co-workers, neighbors, friends, family and the wider community simply by being the thoughtful, faithful, creative, kind and generous people we are at our very core.
I am convinced that the main thing God asked of Jesus was to be who he was to the best of his ability, to use the gifts and skills and abilities at his disposal in order to bring healing, redemption, reconciliation and new life into the world. And I am convinced that this is also what God asks of each one of us as we attempt to follow Jesus in our lives. God calls us to be who we are, to be authentic, to live with integrity and to channel the best of who we are as we use what we have at our disposal – our gifts, skills and abilities to bring healing, redemption, reconciliation and new life into our world.
Second, in Mark's stories about Jesus I see an ancient paradigm shift taking place – the location of authority is shifting from the temple, the scribes, the pharisees and the priests to Jesus and the people. In Jesus' time this is a huge shift. I believe that a similar shift is taking place in our world today. The authority of the Church is crumbling all around our ears, in some cases for good reason. Unfortunately over the centuries the Church has too often exhibited, or attempted to exhibit the first kind of authority we talked about – the authority of power and dominance and control. In recent years this authority has been shown to occasionally be corrupt, occasionally to be wrong and out dated, and most importantly of all, many people are rejecting that form of authority and what it represents as no longer relevant for their lives.
The good and hopeful news is that Jesus' authority comes from a different place and the power of the story of our faith transcends the institution of the church. The authority that matters now, I am more and more convinced, is the authority that resides deep within each of us as people of faith and in our relationships with one another, with God and with creation. I believe God is now more than ever before calling us to shift our focus when it comes to ministry to look even more diligently beyond the walls of the church into the world to see where it is that God is at work and attend to those places with who we are as God's people, using our particular skills and abilities, our strengths and also our challenges. For far too long the only forms of ministry that received recognition and blessing from the Church were those done on behalf or, through or in the Church itself. It is my conviction that this view of ministry is too narrow and confined and that we must recognize, claim and celebrate all of the ways each of us engages in ministry in God’s name – whether we call it that or not – throughout our daily lives.
So this morning, I’d like to spend a few moments considering all the things all of us do in our daily lives that are a blessing to the world, that are ministry in God’s name, that are perhaps inspired, fed and nourished by our involvement in this community of faith but not soley defined by this community. We might have to stretch our brains and hearts a little bit to recognize that we are doing God’s work in the world as we go about our days but close your eyes, if you’re comfortable and think about how you interact with your family, your neighbors, your friends, your colleagues, think about the work you do whether volunteer or paid, think about how you care for the earth, for creation, think about the things you do that fill you with joy and nourish your spirit, think about how you interact with strangers, or how you drive…Think of what you do that makes you proud and that you know matters to others… This and so much more is your ministry and it is the ministry of this community of faith. It is the way in which we open ourselves so that God’s love can pour through us, so that who we are, our authority as people of faith touches our world in large and even minute ways opening the possibility for healing, reconciliation and new life.
Now, write your ministry efforts on the stars you received from the children and when you’re ready, bring the stars forward to the communion table and offer them to God.
Sisters and brothers it is an honor to be entrusted with responsibility for ministry in God’s name in every setting of our lives. To affirm your covenant with this body and with God to faithfully minister in all these ways (gesture to stars) and more, will you answer the following questions:
Do you promise to continue serving this community and the wider world with the help of God, in Jesus’ name and by the power, presence and authority of the Holy Spirit?
I do with the help of God
Do you promise to continue exercising your ministry, work and service diligently and faithfully, showing forth God’s love to the best of your ability?
I do, relying on God’s grace.
Friends, we have heard the promises we have made to as God’s servants and Christ’s disciples. Let us affirm our intention to continue living in covenant with one another. Will those who are able rise and witness to the commitment we are now making? (in bulletin)
Community prayers
Read a few of the ministries that people are engaging in…
We thank you God for these ministries of grace, presence, compassion, justice and love. Bless us all as we do our best to serve you by being who we are, using our gifts, skills and abilities in your name as we do what matters to you and to us. God who blesses all our intentions… we pray to you.
God of new life, we give thanks for two babies born into our circle of love this week – for Jen and Dan’s new daughter Lucie Marie and for Avis’ granddaughter Kendra’s new baby. Bless these new lives and their families with your love and presence always. God of new life… we pray to you.
Let us now hear the prayers of the gathered community as we share the hoys and concerns on our hearts with one another…
We thank you loving God for the grounding, fulfilling nature of this community and this time of worship. From this place we go forth into the world challenged, encouraged and inspired to be your loving presence for all we encounter and in our care of all that you have made. Guide our hands, our thoughts, our actions, our words so that it is your Spirit who works in us and through us to bless the world…Loving God… we pray to you.
And let us now join our voices as one voice to pray together words that Jesus gave to us... Our Mother/Father in heaven…