Taste and See

October 28^th, 2012        “Taste and See”         Rev. Heather Jepsen

An experiential sermon based on Psalm 34:1-8, 19-22 and Mark 10:46-52

1.    Introduction

·       Our Gospel reading is a healing story.  Jesus opens the eyes of a blind beggar.  Once his eyes are open, Bartimaeus, the beggar, follows Jesus on the way.

·       In our reading from the Psalms, the psalmist invites us to taste and see the goodness of the Lord.  Today we are going to taste in the hopes that it will open our eyes to the world around us.

·       Our sense of taste can detect five separate tastes; sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami.  Today we will explore three of these tastes as a window to open our eyes to the goodness of God.

2.    Sour – Lemon

·       First examine the lemon.  Notice the beauty of its color and texture.

·       Lemon is both sour and refreshing.  To taste a lemon is uncomfortable but it also brings clarity, it cleanses your palate so that you can better taste other things.

·       In our lives, it is often in the uncomfortable moments that we find clarity about who we are and who God is.

·       Psalmist – even the righteous suffer “many are the afflictions of the righteous”.  Bartimaeus, senses who Jesus is despite his lack of sight.

·       Sour experiences open our eyes to the world around us, taste and see

3.    Salty – Pretzel

·       First examine the pretzel.  Notice the salt on the outside, it is an addition to the actual bread of the pretzel. 

·       We don’t ever sit down and eat salt, but we crave and love the flavor of salt.  Salt makes other things taste good.

·       Think of being salt of the earth.  Salt brings out the flavors of other things, it calls our attention to what is really there.  It makes things better, it magnifies flavor.

·       In the world around us, faith calls our attention to what is really there.  It makes things better.  It magnifies the flavor of the world around us. 

·       Salt opens our eyes to flavor, taste and see

4.    Sweet – Chocolate

·       Open the wrapper, examine the chocolate, a sense of anticipation for what we know is good.

·       Chocolate is creamy and sweet, it is a joy, a blessing.

·       There are times in our lives when we totally miss the goodness around us.  Our eyes are closed to the blessings we have received.  To eat a piece of chocolate is to open our eyes to the beauty of creation and the blessings of God.  With eyes closed we can taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

5.    Conclusion

·       We often go through life like Bartimaeus.  Sitting on the edge of the path, unable to see the world around us.  The wonders of creation and God’s blessing are before us, we sense that they are there, but we cannot see them clearly.

·       The divine passes close to us and we have an opportunity for an encounter with God.  We encounter the possibility for sight.

·       God opens our eyes, and we are able to see the truth of the world around us. 

·       Like Bartimaeus, when our eyes are opened, we follow the path of God.

·       Today we had an encounter with the divine in the simple things of lemon, pretzel, and chocolate.  Today we had a chance to taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

·       As you go out from this place today, go out with open eyes.  Follow along the divine path.  Taste, see, and enjoy the world around you!