“Responding to God” 2015

Mark 6:1-13

Mark 6:1-13

He left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honor, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Perhaps you noticed that I was away the past couple of weeks.

I was in Virginia officiating at my niece’s wedding,

which happened to be held in the church where I grew up.

The senior pastor and I have been friends for well over 30 years,

and he invited me to speak at both of their Sunday services.

It was a wonderfully satisfying and fulfilling experience.

I based my comments that day on Paul’s letter to the Philippians,

where he wrote, “I praise and thank my God every time I remember you … because of your sharing in the Gospel.”

Clearly the most significant fact and truth about my life

is that by grace, I belong to God,

and by faith I walk in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

So I praise and thank God for the faithfulness of that congregation

because through the ministry and fellowship

of their worship, CE programs, opportunities to serve

and the life-examples of Christians I observed,

* a knowledge of God and faith were nurtured in me.

It was incredibly satisfying and meaningful to offer my thanks

and my gratitude for how God used them to influence my life.

It was such a blessing to reconnect with people of my past so dear,

so important in the formation of my faith and call to ministry,

and that they received and welcomed me so graciously.

That stands in stark contrast to how poorly Jesus was received

when he returned home and spoke at the synagogue of his youth.

vs. 2-3

On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James…, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

The people did acknowledge the cool stuff Jesus was doing,

and were astounded by the teaching and miracles he performed…

… nobody was doubting any of that.

The issue was that he was a carpenter they all knew,

and that was not a resume or background they would accept.

It must have been very frustrating for Jesus, that the people

closest to him, that he had known since childhood rejected him…

… as we read in John’s gospel, 1:11

He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.

 

Jesus came wanting to share the rich goodness and blessings of God

with these people he loved so dearly, but they were offended,

which stifled

the preaching and healing he could do among them…

… and so they missed out on the blessings and healing God intended.

vs. 5-6

And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.

The people were amazed by his teaching and miracles,

and Jesus was amazed by their unbelief and lack of faith.

Clearly, God can do anything, so what do we make of the phrase,

“And he could do no deed of power there” ?

I remember going to church on Mother’s Day one time,

and the sermon that day

was the worst, most offensive and sexist I’ve ever heard,

and I couldn’t believe how badly that preacher misunderstood and mangled the Scripture text.

I sat through the service seething, and feeling a bit smug.

I was offended and got nothing from that worship service,

and planned how I would make that known to the pastor.

But then on the way out past the preacher shaking hands,

a woman ahead of me hugged him and through tears

explained how that sermon had touched her,

and how God spoke to her deep hunger and need.

Turns out that God was at work during that worship service,

but in my pride and prejudice I had managed to miss it,

probably because I couldn’t get past

the ineptitude of the servant God chose to use.

I had blocked and stifled

whatever blessing or healing God had for me that day.

* I would have fit in well with the offended people of Nazareth!

I think Mark’s story also challenges us on another deeper level.

Do I really believe Jesus has the power to change things in my life?

The stuff of my life and living I would most like to change,

but have so far been powerless to do anything about it …

… the power to heal my brokenness that damages my relationships,

the darkness of fear and guilt, insecurities that hold me back,

does Jesus have to power to heal and change that or not?

This story suggests to me that unbelief and faith

have much to do with God’s choice and power

to break in to heal, to transform and change us…

… and maybe it’s skepticism, a lack of trust, cynicism or disbelief

that’s thwarting the Spirit and power of Jesus in my life.

The mission of the Church

is to bring people into the transforming presence of Jesus,

and each of us decides

whether or not to take him at his word,

whether or not to make him our Lord,

and whether or not to trust him as our Savior.

How much does disbelief thwart the power of Jesus in my life?

In most of Mark’s gospel,

Jesus performs miracles and amazes crowds with his teaching,

but generally

the disciples are a bit confused and miss the point.

In the second story of this Mark 6 passage

Jesus sends his disciples out to preach in pairs

with only the clothes they wore with no reserve or backup.

vs. 12-13

So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Do you see it, do you see the connection and contrast?

Jesus Christ himself is blocked by the people’s unbelief,

and in the next story

the disciples taking nothing with them but their faith

are remarkably powerful and effective.

If they are received and welcomed, though seemingly ill-equipped,

the disciples can do what they were sent to do,

and have everything they need to accomplish it.

But if they are not welcomed and received,

they simply leave the people to their own ends,

and the people don’t receive God’s blessings and healing.

** This is not a text of angry judgement or condemnation today,

but it’s a call to grace, faith and hope,

to the full joy and blessings God intends for us…

… it is a gracious warning, that like the people of Nazareth,

by our presuppositions, by the knowledge we think we know,

we can stifle the Spirit,

and we can miss out on the blessings God intends…

… blessings available to us that God wants us to receive and enjoy.

And perhaps like the disciples sent out two by two,

with no money or reserve, but only the clothes they wore,

we too may need to leave some stuff behind,

and instead, trust and rely on God to provide.

For the disciples,

the hospitality of strangers was a sign of God’s care,

and a lesson about relying on Jesus and his promises

rather than on the stuff and baggage of this world.

Faith in this passage

is about hope and trusting God’s goodness, love and grace,

believing that God can heal even my worst brokenness,

and that God really does want to bless and care for me…

… not because I am so wonderful, faithful or hard-working,

but because God loves me and God chooses mercy.

Faith simply opens us up to receive what God wants to give to us.

So as we come to the Lord’s Table today as a reminder

that the power that raised Jesus from the grave

is the same power who promises us,

that all who come to me, I will feed,

and I will hear with gracious love

all who ask, “Lord have mercy on me.”