Monday, February 10, 2020

Resistance to the Gospel


February 9th, 2020   “Resistance to the Gospel”  Rev. Heather Jepsen

Mark 6:1-29

         This morning we continue our narrative lectionary readings with the story of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Mark.  In the past few weeks our sermons have been all about the blessings that Jesus brings.  Jesus offer gifts of healing to individuals and to communities, he offers the forgiveness of sins, he crosses boundaries to heal us of all uncleanliness, and he encourages us not to be afraid.  One might imagine that Jesus’ ministry is without fail and that every person around would be drawn to this gospel of hope.  Our reading for this morning reminds us that this is not the case.  In fact, there are numerous reasons people rejected the gospel and we are tempted to reject the gospel for those very same reasons today.

         In our first story, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth.  While there he teaches in the synagogue.  The listeners in the synagogue that day are astounded at Jesus’ teaching.  First of all, they are awed by his message and wisdom.  But they are also bothered by the fact that they know this guy, he is from their hometown.  The people cannot imagine that someone who grew up with them, the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Simon and Judas could possibly possess such wisdom.  They wonder how and why this carpenter would assume to speak to them in such a fashion and the community begins to take offense. 

         The issue here is one of familiarity.  The people are too familiar with Jesus and his family.  They already know him, they have already formed conclusions about him, and they know he could not possibly be the Son of God or some sort of prophet.  This is Jesus from the hometown.  This is Mary and Joseph’s kid.  This is the guy we shared a desk with in woodshop.  This is no one special.  He cannot possibly possess any special wisdom or blessing from God.  We know his brothers and sisters, and his family is just like ours. 

         Because the people already know Jesus, or at least think they do, they are unable to hear the new message he brings of the Gospel.  So too, we are at risk of missing the message of God because we are too familiar with the messenger.  If someone we have known forever tries to tell us something new about God or our faith, it is easy for us to write them off.  Believe me; no one I went to high school with can wrap their head around the idea that I am a Pastor.  And those who went to college with me only see a musician.  We can be friends on Facebook, but I cannot preach the gospel to them any more than I can offer them pastoral care.  It just doesn’t work.

         We do this too when we assume we already know someone.  We make assumptions about other people and we don’t allow new experiences or information to inform our decisions.  Our ears are closed to hearing a gospel message because we imagine that we have heard it all before.  When we are too familiar with the messenger we often miss the message all together.  We aren’t even listening for God. 

         In our gospel story Jesus declares that “prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.”  Jesus is able to lay hands on a few people for healing, but overall he is not able to perform deeds of power in this place.  The writer tells us that Jesus was amazed at the people’s unbelief, a most serious condemnation of their lack of faith.

         In our second story, Jesus sends the twelve out to do the ministry of sharing the gospel with the surrounding community.  He instructs them to rely on hospitality alone.  He sends them out with no money, no lunch sack, and no change of clothes.  The disciples are to rely on the hospitality of strangers.  It is a daunting mission and one that would not be accepted lightly.

         Jesus knows already that they will be rejected in their journey and gives them instructions for that time.  When folks refuse to welcome them and refuse to hear the message of the gospel, the disciples are told to leave the area and to shake the dust off their feet.  Shaking the dust off one’s feet was a gesture of cursing a place.  This would be a testimony before God that the community refused to hear God’s word.

         Why would someone reject a visit from the disciples?  I imagine this is due to their foreignness.  Rather than not being able to hear the gospel because we know the messenger too well, this time we are unable to hear the gospel because the messenger is a stranger.  I know at the Jepsen house, we are never happy when the doorbell rings.  If it is friends come to play, that is wonderful.  If it is a stranger, my kids run and hide.  I know I don’t want pest control, my house painted, or my carpets cleaned today.

         To this day the Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses send out missionaries two by two to knock on doors across America.  I imagine that they are about as well received as the original disciples.  Some may invite them in for a chat but most of us are not interested in strangers at the door trying to tell us about God.  We have already made up our minds about these things, and it would have been no different in Jesus’ time.  It is hard for a stranger to teach us about God.

         Our final story for this morning is about the death of John the Baptist.  Herod was a Jewish king put in power by the Roman authorities, and he was responsible for arresting John the Baptist.  Herod had divorced his own wife and married his brother’s wife Herodias while his brother (also named Herod) was still married to her.  John rightly condemned this marriage as being against the Jewish laws, and so Herod held him in prison.

         Herodias hates John but Herod is drawn to him.  He liked to visit John and hear him teach.  He also sensed that John was holy and so was reluctant to take any further action against him.  But, all of this goes south when Herod throws his own birthday party.  His daughter comes and dances for him, and in a drunken show of his authority he offers her any gift she can imagine.  I’ll leave it to you to imagine what kind of dance this may have been that would have moved Herod so.  I got a lot of blowback this week making comments about the overt sexuality of the Super Bowl Halftime show so I am not eager to visit that discussion again anytime soon.

         The daughter asks her mother what she should do, and Herodias, sensing her opportunity, asks for the death of John the Baptist.  Not only that, she asks for his head on a platter, a disgusting show of dishonor and disrespect.  Herod must save face in front of all his party guests and so he concedes defeat and John is killed, his head paraded around the party scene.

         This is a violent and disgusting story that is nonetheless about the rejection of the gospel.  Herod rejects the message of Jesus because it is a threat to his power.  John the Baptist assumed he had the authority to tell Herod what he can and cannot do, and a ruler cannot tolerate that kind of insubordination.  Though Herod is drawn to the word of God that John brings, he cannot allow that knowledge to become public.  To publicly acknowledge that he believes John to be a prophet would forfeit his role of power and authority.  Herod cannot let that happen.  So he keeps John in private as long as he can, and when Herodias pushes the point he must concede, and John is killed and humiliated.  Herod has to do it to save himself from his own humiliation, and to keep his own power and authority.

         So too, we are in danger of rejecting the gospel because it is a threat to our power and authority.  The true message of the gospel seeks to alter the balance of social power.  On a global scale, we are among the most powerful and privileged people, being mostly white and mostly wealthy.  We live in relative safety and comfort here in Warrensburg.  It can be hard for us to hear the true message of the gospel as it runs the risk of condemning our wealth and lifestyles.  Jesus is well received by those on the margins; it is a lot harder for those in power to hear his words.

         After weeks of marveling at Jesus’ gifts of healing and hope, this morning’s stories remind us that the message of the gospel is also easy to reject.  There is a dark side to this story of grace and mercy.  Jesus is dismissed in his hometown and people remain un-healed.  The disciples are rejected as they seek to spread the good news.  And John the Baptist is killed for daring to speak truth to power.  The cost of discipleship is high.

         This morning we gather around the communion table and we remember that the cost was high for Jesus as well.  Though these are the good days of his ministry, soon he will turn his face toward Jerusalem and certain death.  He will be killed for speaking the truth to power, by both his government and his church.  In fear his friends will abandon him to die a criminal’s death.  And in shame he will be buried in an empty tomb.  Like John, it will appear that Jesus is abandoned by his God.

         But of course, that is not the end of this story.  In the resurrection of Jesus, God declares an end to the triumph of the powerful.  God declares an end to unjust death and destruction.  God declares that this pattern of lawless killing of innocent people cannot go on forever.  While many innocent people will die for the truth before and after Jesus, in the resurrection of Christ God makes it clear which side God stands on.  God always chooses the weak over the strong, the poor over the rich, and the just over the unjust.  God always chooses life.  While the world around us may continue to condemn and kill the prophets, we know that this is not the way of our God.

         And so this week, I encourage you to think on all the ways we are tempted to reject and resist the gospel.  Are we unable to hear the word of God because we are too familiar with the messenger who brings it?  Can we not see Jesus because we think we already know who he is?  Or do we reject the Gospel because it is brought to us by a stranger knocking on our door or a person on the street?  Are we so sure of our understanding of God that we reject any new message someone might offer?  And finally, do we reject the gospel because it is a threat to our way of life?  This last one may be the hardest one for us to look for and understand.  Where is the gospel speaking truth to our power?

         The communion table reminds us that those who would spread this good news will face great difficulty and persecution.  And yet, the gospel will continue to spread.  God always chooses life over death.  God always chooses justice.  And God always chooses grace, continuing to reach out to us in love each and every day, even in the midst of our own attempts to resist the gospel.  Amen. 

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