Healing Authority

January 28^th, 2018      “Healing Authority”        Rev. Heather Jepsen

Deuteronomy 18:15-20 and Mark 1:21-28

         There is a lot of discussion these days about truth and authority.  In fact, it seems as if truth has never been more subjective.  From cries of “fake news” to an all out assault on journalism it is hard to know who is telling the truth.  Is that article in my Facebook feed from a reliable news source or is it something a foreign country has planted to sway my opinion?  If I agree with it, I will probably think it is true.  And it appears that is one of the major problems with communication in our country these days.  Most of us are only consuming news sources that support opinions and theories we already hold, and we are not actually looking to be informed by facts.  From the left to the right, we all have our favorite media outlets.  Even when faced with actual facts, many of us somehow convince ourselves that what we are seeing is fake or polarized.  It seems these days that no one can agree on who has authority and who speaks the truth.

          In our Old Testament reading the early Israelites were also dealing with issues of authority.  They knew that at some point Moses would no longer be there to lead them and they were worried about who would come after him.  “How will we know this new leader is a true prophet from God and not some faker?” they ask.  Moses tells them not to worry, that God will raise up another prophet who speaks with authority just like Moses did. 

         Moses warns that there will be false prophets that arise among the people as well.  Just like in our modern day and age, folks will come forward who are seeking power and authority, but who are not actually called by God.  These folks are only interested in personal gain.  Moses says that the false prophet will be struck down by God and they will die.  If a prophet speaks the truth with authority from God, then the words that prophet says will prove true. 

         The job of the people is twofold.  First, they must discern whether or not the prophet speaks the truth.  If it is a true prophet, then they must be willing to follow the words the prophet says.  Even if it is scary, even if the path is hard, Moses tells the people to follow the words of God.  God will hold the people accountable for heeding the words of the true prophet.

         In our reading from Mark, Jesus demonstrates that he is the one who has God’s true authority in his time.  Our reading picks up right where we left off last week.  Jesus has just gathered his first followers from the Galilean seaside and now he takes them into Capernaum.  On the Sabbath they go to the synagogue and Jesus teaches there.  Simply in his style of teaching and his presence, the folks gathered that day recognize that Jesus has authority.  Like the Israelites in Deuteronomy, they discern that Jesus is one who is authorized to preach the true word of God.

         Another one is present who recognizes Jesus’ authority, and that is a demon.  The demon is frightened by Jesus and cries out, disrupting the service.  Jesus rebukes the demon, and heals the man he was possessing.  This miracle causes folks to be even more astounded.  Just like the test for truth among the Israelites, what Jesus says happens and so he must truly be a prophet of God.  The people probably don’t comprehend the fullness of who Jesus is, but they certainly recognize him as one with God’s truth and authority.

         So how do these two texts inform our modern struggles with truth and authority?  Who has the authority in our world today?  And who, dare we ask, speaks for God?  Our reading from Deuteronomy isn’t as helpful as we might wish.  Moses says that the false prophet will be struck down dead and that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.  I think there are plenty of folks in our world, both inside and outside of the church, who claim to speak with the authority of God but are really in it for their own profit and glory.  God doesn’t seem to be striking these folks down dead anytime soon.

         On the other hand, Moses’ advice on looking for truth from the prophet’s own words can still be a good measure of authority in our modern time.  Do the words of those in power speak to the plain truth of scripture?  Throughout the Bible God’s word is focused on justice for the oppressed.  From widows and orphans, to the poor and imprisoned; God is pretty clear that the kingdom is for the least of these and our job is to do everything we can to bring about equality and justice in our world.  When those in power speak words that uphold the least among us, then perhaps they are speaking with the authority we are looking for.  When those in power speak of wealth and privilege for certain groups only, then perhaps those are the false prophets we are warned against.

         In the reading from Mark, Jesus’ authority is demonstrated by his power to heal.  While we may struggle with modern definitions of demon possession, we can all recognize that this man was ill and in need of healing.  Jesus was able to offer that healing with the power of his voice and so his authority in this situation was unquestionable.

         Where in our world today do we find those with the power to heal?  And where do we find those using their power to harm?  I think that the sign of authority that Jesus offers in Capernaum is as true today as it was in his time.  Those in power who seek healing for those who are in need of healing, are those who are acting in the will and authority of God.  Those who are seeking to oppose healing or to divert resources away from healing efforts, could be seen as the false prophets of our time.  The one who has the authority to speak the word of God is the one who offers healing.

         This measure of authority can be used in our churches as well.  Are our churches places that acknowledge brokenness and offer healing, or are they places that only speak of the sunny side of life?  In the book we are reading for Brown Bag, Barbara Brown Taylor expresses concern over what she calls “full solar” churches that only preach on faith and good times.  If your faith is strong enough, nothing bad will ever happen to you these churches claim.  When folks go through dark periods of sickness and doubt, they find themselves less welcome in these sunny churches.  It seems to me that these “good times” only churches don’t pass the test of Jesus’ healing with authority.

         By contrast, I think a mark of a true church is one that offers healing.  To offer healing, the church needs to acknowledge that we all have issues of brokenness in our lives.   If we tell the truth about our own illness and suffering, then we can offer healing to each other within the community.  We may not be possessed with a demon like this fellow in Mark’s gospel, but I am sure there are those among us who are possessed by other forces of evil.  From greed and apathy, to addiction and depression, there is as much brokenness within the church community as in the world beyond.  The mark of the true church is one that offers welcome, community, and healing to those who are broken.  This is how we act with the true authority of God.

         In our world today, from politicians to religious leaders, there are many who claim to speak with the authority of God.  There are also many that claim truth is subjective.  Our texts today warn us against such thinking.  Moses tells us to search for truth among the words of those who claim to be prophets.  This truth is verifiable in the words of God and not subjective.  In Mark’s gospel, Jesus demonstrates that authority rests in the power to heal.  The truth can be found in individuals and churches who seek healing and wholeness for all people.

         Just like in Biblical times, there are many voices calling for our attention and admiration.  The scriptures today tell us that we can look for words of truth and healing as a sign of true authority in our world.  May our church and its leaders be a community that offers such healing.  And may God help us to go out into the world this day prepared to discern truth and authority within our midst.  Amen.

Gone Fishing

January 21^st, 2018       “Gone Fishing”      Rev. Heather Jepsen

Mark 1:14-20

         This morning we find ourselves back in the gospel of Mark where everything is short and sweet and to the point.  John the Baptist has been arrested and we don’t even get his story.  All Mark offers us is “now after John was arrested” and it appears that Jesus sees this as a sign to begin his ministry.  It is a foreboding sign for sure, and that is no accident.  The writer of Mark’s gospel wants us to see that Jesus’ road will not be an easy one. 

To begin his ministry Jesus heads into Galilee, which is a bit of a backwater town.  Galilee was not too big or too small, just a regular everyday place, much like our own home of Warrensburg.  The message that Jesus proclaims to get the ball rolling is “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near!”  He then calls folks to “Repent, and believe in the good news.”  That sure seems like a serious way to begin your ministry.  I don’t think yelling “hey everybody, repent!” is really a great way to start a church. 

We often think of the word repent in negative terms but when Jesus says repent he is using the word in a different context.  He is not talking about regret; instead he is talking about a major change.  Jesus is telling people that they need to turn, to change direction, to get a new orientation in life.  This use of repent is not about what we have done in the past, rather it is about what Jesus is doing in the future.  This is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and his first word to the world is “look out, get ready, something new is on the way.” 

Jesus immediately begins the work of changing people’s lives.  He walks by the Sea of Galilee and sees two brothers, Simon and Andrew casting nets into the water.   Jesus calls out to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”  Just like in last week’s reading from the gospel of John, Jesus is compelling.  After he speaks Andrew and Simon immediately leave their nets and walk after him.  As they go a little further they happen upon the brothers James and John on the shore mending nets with their father Zebedee.  When Jesus calls James and John, the brothers leave their nets and their father, and follow him.

         I’ve been thinking about evangelism this week, following along the lines of our “come and see” sermon.  Last week we considered inviting folks to “come and see” our church and this week Jesus is claiming to make us fish for people.  I’m not much of an evangelist myself so I’ve often side-stepped sermons on this topic.  To preach two sermons back to back on evangelism is a rarity for me, if not unheard of. 

This week I was trying really hard to re-embrace this idea of fishing for people.  And you know what I realized?   I realized that a lot of fishing is just hanging out, and I’m pretty good at that!  Granted there are lots of different fishing operations out there, and some folks are netting followers by the thousands, but I don’t think that’s been my call in life.  I’m not a big corporate fishing operation with a fleet of boats in the Pacific.  I am more of a Saturday afternoon on the lake with a sandwich and a beer kind of fisherman, and that suits me just fine.  Sometimes I catch a fish and sometimes I take a nap, but I am always happy to hang out in the name of Jesus.  And you know what?  I have found that over time being a laid back fisherman enables me to catch some pretty cool fish!

         How about you?  What kind of fisherman do you consider yourself to be?  God has called all of us to share the good news of Jesus Christ with our friends and neighbors.  I know that some folk here are really enthusiastic fishermen; you are gifted with the courage to speak about your faith and invite others to join you.  I also know that some folks here are pretty shy with this evangelism stuff, so maybe hanging out fishing sounds about right to you.  Either way, I think it helps to play it cool and see if you can get that person on the line for God.  We all know if that if you are too enthusiastic, if you tug too hard on the line, the line will break and that fish will be lost forever.

         What is interesting about this reading is that Jesus is not just giving us one more task on our “to-do” list, rather he is asking for a change of identity.  This isn’t about spending a Saturday on the lake; rather this is about a lifetime’s worth of fishing.  The NRSV translation does us a disservice here as it quotes Jesus saying “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”  That sounds a lot like “follow me and I will give you more work to do” and that is definitely not something many of us are interested in these days.  We are overworked as it is.  A better translation is the old one that you are more familiar with “follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  See the difference, “make you fish” vs. “make you fishers”?  It’s all about a change in identity.

         This goes back to the first thing Jesus says in this gospel “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”  The world is changing, and if we are to be followers of Jesus, then our lives will be changing as well.  When we follow Jesus we will not be offered one more job to do, “fish”.  Rather, we will be offered new identities “fishermen”.  Following Jesus changes our whole life, and those lives should draw others to the faith.

For some of us the change will be dramatic.  Simon and his brother Andrew walked away from their jobs to follow Jesus.  James and John walked away from the family business, leaving their father alone with the nets.  Those are some pretty dramatic changes.  I imagine I walked away from a career as a professional harpist, and in seminary I had a friend that had left behind a successful business career in the financial halls of San Francisco.  For some folks, the call to fish, is profoundly life altering.  Some folks really do drop everything and follow.

For others though, the call to follow Jesus into a fishing career is more subtle.  We keep our jobs and families, but the way we do things changes.  We are less free with the offensive jokes at the office water cooler, we notice the kids in school that others look away from, we see that person on the corner outside McDonalds and we buy them a cup of coffee.  We aren’t changing our career, but the way we do things is different.  We are living lives as disciples, seeing each task through the lens of our faith.  Even though our fishing style is a whole lot of hanging out and waiting, every now and then we make a catch.  I think the reserved life of faith can be more attractive then we realize.

This morning’s reading marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in the gospel of Mark, and Jesus begins his ministry by changing lives.  He announces that he is fulfilling the kingdom of God, and he challenges folks to pay attention and to rearrange their lives accordingly.  Jesus walks by the docks in Galilee and begins gathering up the fishermen working there, making them his first (and closest) disciples.  These men who have built lives on casting nets, will now attempt to fish for people.  Like us, they are far from perfect.  As the gospel moves on they will misunderstand Jesus, be accused of having little faith, fall asleep at the most important moment, and even deny their Lord.  And yet, they are Jesus’ fishermen and even now, thousands of years after their time, we continue to be inspired by their story.

I hope this week that I have encouraged you to rethink this idea of “fishing for people” or becoming “fishermen.”  I know I have tended to shy away from this phrase as it makes me think of the old “bait and switch” or of somehow tricking and trapping people.  But this week, when I imagined the hanging out style of fishing, I could really get behind the idea.  There are plenty of folks I hang out with, who don’t go to this church, and I am certain, if you ask them, that a bit of my faith has rubbed off in some way on them.  In the world we live in, a quiet evangelism can be just what is needed.

As you go out into the world this week, think of all the ways you are fishing.  The call of Jesus is a call that changes lives.  My hope is that the changes in your life will speak to the people around you.  You can shout your faith from the roof tops, or you can quietly just be there for folks in need.  Either way, we are fishing for people, and eventually God will fill our nets.  Blessings this week as you go fishing!  Amen.

Come and See

January 14^th, 2017      “Come and See”       Rev. Heather Jepsen

John 1:43-51

         Last week I was busy telling you that we will be reading from the gospel of Mark this year and now here we are in the gospel of John.  Confusing!  When we talk about the gospels you might hear me mention the synoptic gospels.  These are the gospels that are similar; Mark, Luke, and Matthew.  Scholars think that Mark was written first.  Then Matthew and Luke copied Mark and added in their own traditional stories.  John was written much later, separate from the other three, and while the overall narrative is the same a lot of the stories are different.

         Most Sundays, I focus on the liturgical cycle of readings that were developed by the early church in an attempt to teach most people most of the Bible.  Year A (which was last year) focuses on Matthew and Year C focuses on Luke.  Year B, which we are in now, is a combination of Mark and John.  It’s a pretty strange combination because Mark and John are the two most divergent gospels.  In Mark, Jesus is very human, which we talked about last week with the possibility that he might not even know he is the Son of God until the moment of his baptism.  In John’s gospel, Jesus is very divine.  He is a cosmic Christ, in existence before the dawn of time and with almost super powers.  I hope that throughout the year as we read from both gospels, you will get a sense of both of these divergent pictures of Jesus.

         So in this morning’s reading, we are in the gospel of John.  We have a very holy, otherworldly Jesus.  He can compel people to follow him through the simple sound of his voice.  He can see people, when he is not physically there.  And he can know the inner workings of people’s hearts.  As Nathanael says, this Jesus is clearly the Son of God and the King of Israel.  (And we’re only in chapter one!)

         In our story for today, this Jesus is busy gathering disciples and he decides to go to Galilee.  He finds Philip and says “Follow me.”  That’s all it takes and Philip is all in on this mission.  Philip runs to tell his friend Nathanael “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph of Nazareth.”  That’s a lot to discern from a simple “follow me”.  This is a great example of the magnetic power Jesus has in the gospel of John.

         Nathanael is my favorite character here, because he’s just like “what? He’s from where?”  Nathanael is honest with his prejudice, “Can anything good come of Nazareth?”  Ouch!  It sounds like a dig but Nazareth really was no place to be.  It was a tiny town of about 200-400 people; it would be a backwater even in our time.  Nazareth was nowhere, why would this important dude be from there?

         The cool thing here is that Philip doesn’t argue, he just says “come and see”.  Man, could we use a dose of this today; all we do is argue with each other!  Go back a bit, Philip had just told Nathanael possibly the biggest news of his life.  He has found the Messiah.  He is going to feel super excited, super pumped, can’t wait to share, big news.  And when he tells Nathanael, Nathanael totally bursts his bubble.  Think of how excited you are when you have big news about something really important to you.  It fills you up; you are practically bouncing to tell it.  And to have someone just pop your bubble, ugh, heartbreak! 

         Lots of us would launch into defense here.  We would get busy telling Nathanael why he is wrong about Nazareth and defending Jesus, and trying to argue our point.  Which would probably make Nathanael dig in, and before you know it we have a full blown argument on the merits of people from Nazareth.  But instead of responding with defensive moves and argument, Philip just says “come and see”.  Brilliant!

         Nathanael is naturally curious and so he follows.  Like Philip he is drawn to the magnetic power of Jesus and before long he is declaring that this one is the Son of God and the King of Israel.  Pretty big news for someone from Nazareth.  Jesus declares this is coming soon to a town near you.  As you all will soon see Jesus like the ladder in Jacob’s dream.  Jesus is the one connecting heaven and earth, it’s pretty exciting.

         This week I was really drawn to this idea of asking others to “come and see”.  These days it is so hard to discuss faith with our neighbors.  I for one am pretty quiet about my line of work when I am outside these doors.  I learned that lesson early on.  When I tell people I’m a pastor half of them are offended because I am a woman and want to argue about that, and the other half are offended because I am a Christian and they want to argue about that.  There are so many different types of Christians that when people make assumptions about my faith it can be hard not to be defensive.  And it can be hard to explain what I am talking about when I talk about church.  This is where we can take a tip from Phillip.  Instead of getting defensive or trying to explain who we are, we can just invite others to “come and see.”  We can be invitational.

         And you know what, this makes sense.  You can’t explain who Jesus is or what church is about.  Folks really do just have to “come and see” what we’re doing here.  Philip couldn’t explain to Nathanael why he was following Jesus, so much of it was just a feeling he had.  But when Nathanael comes to see, he gets that feeling too.  A lot of the things I love in the world I can’t explain to you.  I love purring cats and good wine, bread and rich cheese.  I love steak and I’m starting to love sushi.  I love a cup of coffee in the morning and I love a brisk walk in the fresh air.  I love music and harp playing, church and Jesus.  Most of these things I can’t really explain to someone else; they have to try it for themselves.  You don’t know how good a fresh cinnamon roll can be until you have one.  You have to “come and see” these things and no amount of explaining is going to help you understand.

         This is why so much of our faith is experiential.  Last week we came forward and touched the water to remember our baptisms.  We could have just talked about it, but to experience the water made it real.  We had to “come and see”.  Today we gather around the communion table, and you have to come and eat it to know what it’s like.  I can’t explain communion to you, or take it on your behalf.  You have to “come and see” it for yourself.

         This is why we do so much of what we do.  Ours is a faith you have to “come and see”.  From practicing an open table where everyone is welcome, to traveling to Malawi where we can place hands on our mission projects, to volunteering at the Food Center, we need to “come and see” our faith.  We need to experience things to love them and know them. 

         When I get in conversations about faith with those outside these doors, I try not to get defensive; rather I try to be invitational.  When folks are curious about my church I invite them to “come and see”.  Of course, the flip side of this conversation is being willing to “go and look”.  When I find myself in Nathanael’s position, asking “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”, I need to be willing to “go and look”.  If I want to understand what others are talking about when they talk about the things that they love, I need to be willing to experience these things myself. 

         This week, as you head out into our divided argumentative world, see if you can employ this trick of “come and see”.  When folks deride you for your faith, either as too conservative or too liberal, invite them to “come and see”.  I mean come on, you’ve got one of those crazy “woman” pastors, there has to be some draw there!  And when folks do take the time to invite you into their life to “come and see” the things that they love, you should probably “go and look”.  Jesus reminds us that good things can come out of Nazareth, and many other surprising places. 

         Let us be willing to “go and look” in our world and to invite others to “come and see” this church and this Jesus which mean so much to us.  Amen.

Epiphany of Love

January 7^th, 2018    “Epiphany of Love”     Rev. Heather Jepsen

Isaiah 60:1-6 and Mark 1:1-11

         Today we are celebrating a combination of two liturgical holidays.  Yesterday was Epiphany, or the day we celebrate the Magi coming to worship the baby Jesus.  It is a day focused on God’s light in our world, and our own enlightenment regarding who God is.  Today is Baptism of the Lord Sunday, a day when we honor and remember the baptism of Jesus Christ, and search for meaning surrounding our own baptisms.  This week I find these two church holidays together to be an interesting and insightful combination.

         I want to begin with the reading about Jesus’ baptism.  We are in liturgical year B this year, which means we will be spending a lot of time in the gospel of Mark.  You will notice that Mark’s style of writing is very brief and concise.  This is the very beginning of Mark’s gospel and absent is the story we have been celebrating for weeks.  There is no narrative about a virgin, angels, or a holy birth.  Mark begins with the story of John the Baptist, the one who is preparing the way for the Lord Jesus, who doesn’t appear until the 9^th verse.

         Mark also leaves out some of the more interesting details about John.  Gone is his preaching on God’s wrath and his arguments with the religious leaders.  Gone is his struggle to define why exactly, he, who is less than Jesus, should be the one to baptize the Messiah who is greater than him.  Like Elijah, John is simply out in the wilderness, serving as a prophet for the Lord. 

         Jesus comes and is baptized by John there in the river Jordan.  As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he has a vision.  The heavens are torn open and the Spirit descends like a dove.  Jesus, and perhaps John and the crowds as well, (Mark isn’t clear exactly who), hears a voice declaring “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.”

         In theological circles, there is a lot of talk around this passage and folks wonder whether or not this is God adopting Jesus as God’s son.  With Mark being the earliest gospel written, these words were probably composed before the narrative we have been celebrating for weeks.  Logically, if there is no story of a miracle birth, no angel announcements, no worshipping magi, then this character of Jesus in Mark’s gospel might not be the “son of God” like we read about in Luke where the Holy Spirit comes upon Mary and the child who will be born is holy. 

         Some scholars think that if there is no birth narrative that this point, at the baptism, is when Jesus becomes the son of God.  The formula of words God uses here is the legal language used in the culture of the time to signify adoption.  So, scholars think this may be the moment when Jesus was adopted as God’s son, rather than being born as God’s son.

         All just ideas, and I don’t really want to go too far down that road, but I do want to talk about what God says.  God says, “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.”  Issues of adoption aside, these were the words that really struck me this week, because I think that these are the words that God says to us too.  “You are my child, I love you, and with you I am well pleased.”  Especially as we join ourselves with Jesus in our own baptisms. 

         Like Jesus, we are children of God.  Like Jesus, we are God’s beloved.  And like Jesus, God is well pleased with us.  “Wait a minute,” you might be saying “I haven’t done anything to make God pleased with me.”  Possibly, but look at the text, Jesus hadn’t done anything either.  This is the very beginning of Mark’s gospel.  Jesus hasn’t done any miracles, he hasn’t taught any lessons, he hasn’t mixed it up with the Pharisees, and he hasn’t healed anyone.  He might not even know he is God’s son.  According to Mark, Jesus is just suddenly there in the water, and God is pleased with him.  He hasn’t done any ministry, and God is pleased with him.  Jesus is of inherent value to God, not for what he does, but for who he is.

         This is my epiphany this week.  Like Jesus, we are of inherent value to God, not because of the things we do, but simply because of our belovedness.  When the world around us constantly tells us that we are not good enough, pretty enough, rich enough, or whatever enough; our God tells us, “you are my child, I love you, and no matter what I am pleased with you.”  That is a pretty profound thought for this New Year.

         Our reading from Isaiah is an epiphany reading, not a baptism reading.  While it seems like nothing but positive, this scripture was actually written in very negative circumstances.  The people of Israel have returned from exile in Babylon only to find their country in ruins.  The cities and towns are wastelands, and the disappointment they feel is profound.  Isaiah once again, offers the people a vision of hope.

         Look and see, he says.  Israel will be a light for the nations.  Even though the people feel like they are in darkness, the light of God is shining all around them.  Darkness will be in the land, but the people of God will be a light in dark places.  The people of God will open their eyes and they shall be radiant.  Their hearts will rejoice, and it will draw others into their midst.

         I think that if we truly believe that we are God’s children, if we believe God loves us and if we believe that love is not about what we do, but about who we are; then we as a people can be a light to the nations.  Just like the Israelites our world is a dark place.  But God is in that darkness because God is in our hearts.  God has adopted us as beloved children, and God loves us no matter what we do.  With that love in our hearts, we can go out into the world and be a light in the darkness.  Like Isaiah writes, “when we see this we shall be radiant; our hearts shall thrill and rejoice, and the nations shall come to us.”

         The season of Epiphany is a season of light and it will last in the church until Lent starts next month.  During this time of new awakenings, and celebrating the light of God, I want you to remember your own state of belovedness and your own inherent value.  Like Jesus, who was praised before his ministry even began, God loves you.  God loves you not for what you do, God loves you for who you are, a beloved child of God.

         I want you to remember your baptism today, as you are one who is united with Christ and with God’s love.  As we make our way this year in a dark and cold world, remember God’s love, and let that love shine in the darkness as a beacon for others.  For if God loves us, then God loves us all.  May we live an epiphany of love, and may we be a light in the darkness this New Year.  Amen.

         As we strive to remember our baptisms and remember our union with God’s love in Christ Jesus, I invite you to come forward during this next hymn and touch the waters of baptism.