January 28th,
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.
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