God Help Us

Sermon-year B-proper 12-July 26, 2009
In seminary we had Eucharists every day of the week. Usually there is a saints day at least every other day, so the readings and theme for the sermon would change regularly. But one week, for some reason, there were no saints days, no changes. So every sermon that week had to be on the same 3 lessons. By Friday we all were dreading ONE MORE SERMON. We’d just heard 4 already on the same lessons in 4 days. The preacher on the 5th day stood up and started off saying, “ some day YOU will have to preach a sermon 5 times on the same lessons. God help you.”
This year the gospel every week is from Mark. But the year that we read from Mark, the lectionary stops just when Mark gets to the story about the feeding of the 5000, and instead the people in charge insert a chapter from the gospel of John. And they don’t just use the gospel of John for one week. You will hear the 6th chapter of the gospel of John for 5 weeks. This whole chapter is essentially devoted to one saying by Jesus, “I am the _____________(Bread of Life)”.You get to hear all about this saying for the 5 weeks. God help you.
Let me set up the story for you. John the evangelist is a lot different than Mark the evangelist. You won’t hear this story in the same way as you have been hearing Mark. No sandwiches here. One important way you k now that it’s the gospel of John is because he points out the “signs” of Jesus. “Signs” are miracles that John says show the true nature of Jesus. John says that Jesus does seven signs that point to his being the Son of God, and by chapter 5 he has already done 3 (water into wine, raising the official’s son, and healing the paralyzed man) . Notice how John points this out in verse 2: 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.
Ok, so now you’re looking for signs, miracles that show who Jesus really is. So we hear the only story that is told in all four gospels-(not Jesus’ birth, not the Good Samaritan, not the raising of Lazarus). The only story that is told in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is____(the feeding of the 5000). Do you think it’s important?
So you know that this is going to be a miracle story. You know it’s going to be one of the seven signs. And you know that this story is so important that all the writers chose to include it in their gospels.
Here’s one more thing that you need to know. JOHN WILL HAVE LOTS OF OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES IN THE STORY. That’s what John the evangelist likes to do. Here are a couple of clues. Who was the greatest leader in Jewish history? (Moses). What was Moses greatest claim to fame? ; (He led the Hebrew people out of captivity into freedom). As they fled from Egypt, what great miracle had to happen so they could escape? (the parting of the Red Sea). And when they were stuck in the wilderness what did they do (they grumbled). And what miracle was given the Hebrew people so they could survive? (manna/bread from heaven). (12 baskets of crumbs, THE mountain)
Greatest leader in Jewish history, Moses, listen: 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”
As Moses led the people out of Egypt he showed God’s power over the sea-. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When the disciples had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
What did the Hebrew people do in the wilderness? They complained. 7Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?”
And finally, what miracle occurred so the Hebrew people could survive in the wilderness? 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.
Ok, I’ve spent a lot of time proving a small point. John the evangelist wants his hearers to see Jesus as the new Moses, the new leader, the new king. Only there is a difference. Jesus wasn’t Moses. He wasn’t going to be their new king, he wasn’t going to spend his life healing the sick-or raising the dead-or feeding the hungry. He wasn’t going to spend his life doing miracles. John wants us to see very clearly who Jesus WASN’T: ”15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”
Jesus wasn’t going to give people what they wanted. He wasn’t going to be the answer to their prayer. He wasn’t what they expected. And that is why John tells this story. Jesus could do miracles, but that’s not why he came. He could do wonders. But that’s not why he came. He could turn water into20wine, heal the sick, raise the dead, feed the hungry, calm the waters. But_____________ (that’s not why he came).
And that’s how the 6th chapter of the gospel of John begins: with 2 miracles, 2 signs- the feeding of the 5000 and the rescue of the disciples in the storm. But John takes great pains to say that Jesus didn’t do these to show that he was a wonder worker. He had something more important that he wanted to show the crowds that followed him-and us. And so begins the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John, the story of the feeding of the 5000. John is going to reveal to us that Jesus does more than just answer our wants-he also gives us life. But John is going to do this slowly, carefully, as he peels back layer after layer of this wonderful story to uncover who Jesus really is-and what he is really about. So get ready, we have 4 more weeks of listening and learning to understand what this simple miracle is really about. Let’s enjoy this story. For John the evangelist, it’s not JUST a miracle. It’s sign. It’s pointing to something greater than just multiplying a few loaves of bread for hungry people. Man does not live by bread alone. The 4 evangelists all included this story because it was more than “just” a miracle. It is supposed to show us how Jesus can live in us, and we in him. God help us.
John 6:1-21
6After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9“There is a boy here who has five ba rley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”
15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. 16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

Seven Signs
This section recounts Jesus' public ministry.[2] It consists of seven miracles or "signs," interspersed with long dialogues and discourses, including several "I am" sayings.[3] The miracles culminate with his most potent, raising Lazarus from the dead.[3] In John, it is this last miracle, and not the temple incident, that prompts the authorities to have Jesus executed.[3] Jesus' discourses identify him with symbols of major significance, "the bread of life" (John 6:35), "the light of the world" (John 8:12), "the door of the sheep" (John 10:7), "the good shepherd" (John 10:11), "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), and "the real vine" (John 15:1).[3] Critical scholars think that these claims represent the Christian community's faith in Jesus' divine authority but doubt that the historical Jesus actually made these sweeping claims.[3] The teachings of Jesus are so different in John from those found in the synoptic gospels, that since the 1800s scholars have understood that only one of the two traditions could be authentic, and they have unanimously chosen the synoptics as the source for the teachings of historical Jesus.[11]
The Seven Signs of Jesus' Deity in John's Gospel:
Turning water into wine at Cana (2.1-11)
Healing an official’s son in Capernaum (4.46-54)
Healing an invalid at the Pool of Bethesda (or Bethsaida) in Jerusalem (5.1-18)
Feeding the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee (6.5-14)
Walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee (6.16-21)
Healing a blind man in Jerusalem (9.1-7)
Raising dead Lazarus in Bethany (11.1-45)

An Admirer Or A Follower

Sermon-Year B-Proper 10-6thPentecost July 12, 2009
The Cloud of Unknowing, "O God, our great companion, lead us ever more deeply into the mystery of your life and ours, that we may be faithful interpreters of Life to each other, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."
Did you know that Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate birthdays? How many of you DID NOT know that? Do you know why? Because of today’s gospel. Two times birthday parties are noted in the Bible, once in the Old Testament (with Pharaoh) and once in the New Testament (with Herod) and both times they are bad for people of faith. So Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate birthdays. In this case, it’s at Herod’s birthday party that John the Baptist is beheaded. It’s the only story in the New Testament that’s also confirmed by non Biblical sources. Josephus the historian also tells the story of Herod killing John the Baptist.
Remember a couple of weeks ago, when I told you that Mark the gospel writer likes to make “sandwich” stories, where he puts one story inside of another to reveal a deeper layer of it? He did that 2 weeks ago with the story of Jesus on the way to see Jairus’ daughter, and then he ran into the woman who had been bleeding. Well, today’s story is another sandwich. Here goes. Last week’s gospel ended with Jesus sending out the 12 disciples He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. Remember that? Well Jesus has just sent the disciples out to “proclaim[ed] that all should repent. [13They] cast out many demons, and anoint[ed] with oil many who were sick and cured them, when this story of the disciples is interrupted. That’s the bread, here’s the meat. People are hearing about Jesus and his disciples. He has come out of nowhere, and the people surrounding Herod are scared and uncertain of who he is-the great prophet Elijah, they wonder? A different or new prophet? No, Herod says, it’s John the Baptist! (Try to remember this because in mid September this will come up again-who Jesus is). Herod is afraid that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead, and then we hear the story of how Herod had him killed.. Mark wants everyone hearing this story to see the connection between John the Baptist and Jesus. They were so much alike that even Herod thought Jesus was John. It becomes an “identity sandwich”. John said terribly honest, painful things to Herod-and still Herod liked him. But he killed John anyway. And do you remember at the end of Mark’s gospel Herod keeps asking the crowd about Jesus, “are you sure you want me to do this?” and then he says, “oh go ahead- crucify him.” It’s the story of John all over again. Did you notice how the story of John ends, “29When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.” Sound familiar?
Mark the evangelist is giving us a foreshadowing, a warning of what Jesus’ death will be like in this story of John. And he squeezes all this in while the disciples are being sent out on a trial basis to carry the good news to the world, on their first missionary trip.
Meanwhile the disciples are going to come back and tell Jesus how well their mission went. But we’re supposed to understand that story with this story.
So, do we get it? Jesus sends his followers, his students out, to see if they can do it, can they be little Jesus’s. They’re filled with power. And emotion. And excitement. They are going to cast out evil, heal the sick, be utterly dependent on others for their livelihood. Do you think they’re energized? Have you ever felt like this? You’re so full of hope and power and excitement, you feel as though you can climb mountains, leap rivers, swim oceans. And then the story of John. Why would Mark the gospel writer do this? What is he trying to show us? What does he want us to see?
The disciples are out carrying the good news, and John, like Jesus, is killed almost on a whim, by the king. What do you learn from that? What would the early Christians, hearing the story of the disciples and John the Baptist, understand with this “sandwich”? What do you learn? I have set it up for you. Mark goes into real depth describing John the Baptist’s painful death in between telling us about the disciples being sent out as ministers and missionaries. So what is Mark trying to tell us about Jesus?
Lutheran pastor Brian Stoffregen of Faith Lutheran Church tells this story:
There were two brothers in Georgia during the 1950's. One decided that ….he was going to support and participate in the formation of a multi-ethnic multi-cultural community. The other worked as an attorney for a prominent law firm. Both were Christians and attended church regularly. As the integrated Christian community formed social pressure forced them into court proceedings, the one brother asked his attorney brother to help them with the legal work. The attorney refused, saying that he could lose his job. The pressure increased to help with a reminder from one brother to the other, that he was a Christian. The lawyer responded, "I will follow Jesus to his cross, but it is his cross. I have no need to be crucified." To this his brother replied, "Then you are an admirer of Jesus, but not his disciple."
Why does Mark the evangelist fill the sandwich with this story of the death of John?
Stoffregen says “Herod can throw a large party for important people. The twelve are sent out with no bread, no bag, and no money. [But]Herod has everything. The disciples have nothing.”
I think Mark wants us to understand that the story isn’t always clear, that the gospel is a sandwich. He loves to show both sides of discipleship, the glory-and the fear; the joy and the cost. I think Mark tempers every victory with a shadow, and every defeat with a sense of hope. I think we’re supposed to realize that the world is tough, and life is uncertain. Rulers and people of power can act whimsically and brutally. Disciples can be courageous and cowardly. The gospel isn’t a black and white story. Not in Mark’s gospel. It’s full of nuance and shadings. And Mark likes to show us how dangerous the gospel is. We’ll see every story with these two sides. The disciples are sent out with power to change the world-and back home prophets are being beheaded. And in the midst of all this we are called to make a decision-do we want to be an admirer of Jesus-or a follower. It’s not an easy sandwich to swallow. Over and over Mark will challenge his hearers with this-do you want to marvel at Jesus-or do you want to walk with him.


Mark 6:14-29
14King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” 15But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”
17For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. 18For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and of ficers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” 23And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” 24She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Lighting A Pile Of Wet Sticks

Sermon-Year B-Proper 9-5thPentecost July 5, 2009
The Cloud of Unknowing, "O God, our great companion, lead us ever more deeply into the mystery of your life and ours, that we may be faithful interpreters of Life to each other, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."
So we’re at my high school reunion, sitting at a table with three other people. We were at one of the few tables available and every once in a while someone would come over to sit with us. Just as they were about to sit down, one of the people at the table would teasingly say to them, “You better be careful what you say, HE (pointing at me) IS A PRIEST!” And the person would sit with us for about 30 uncomfortable seconds and then move on. I think they may have been a little um, “intimidated”. I was tempted to swear or say something rotten just so people would stay and talk.

Always, always, we should begin every gospel (in year B) with this question, “what did Mark want us to see?” Because he is always, always is trying to get us to see connections, associations, links between every set of stories. For instance, Jesus is ignored in his home town, and then he commissions his disciples to go out 2 by 2 into the world. Doesn’t appear to be a connection, right?
Jesus has calmed storms on the sea, healed people, cast out demons, and he goes to his home town, and, as one commentator writes, Someone surely left Capernaum that day saying, “I’m sorry, that new preacher just didn’t do a thing for me.” Jesus comes home and people are not happy. They knew him! Where does he get off pretending to be someone special? Preachers, me, are always talking about accepting the stranger, but here we see that the hardest person for us to tolerate isn’t the person we don’t know-it’s the person we have known all our lives. 5And he could do no deed of power there…
Listen to this quote: Barbara Brown Taylor employs a wonderful metaphor in her sermon on this text to illustrate why Jesus couldn't work the same "deeds of power" in his hometown, where the people refused to respond to him. Jesus was still Jesus, she says, and "still had power to share with them, only he could not do anything with it because they would not let him." She compares it to the experience of trying to light a match to a pile of wet sticks: "It does not matter how strong your flame is: what you need is something that will catch fire. So call this an 'un-miracle' story, in which Jesus held the match until it burned out in his hand, while his family and friends sat shaking their heads a safe distance away."
That’s a great image to describe Jesus at his home town synagogue: trying to light a match to a pile of wet sticks.
And then Mark follows this seeming defeat with the sending out of the 12. Jesus finds that he is almost powerless with people who won’t believe in him, and yet he decides at this time to send out his followers 2 by 2 to do wondrous things. Does that seem odd to you? The timing is all wrong. You don’t send these guys out AFTER your most recent defeat. You have just failed in front of your friends, your family! They’ve seen Jesus with limitations and powerless, and now, now he sends them out? -not after the calming of the storm, not after the healing of the woman, nortafter the raising of Jairus’ daughter-but NOW. It makes no sense why he would do this, now.
Except. They see what the good news cannot do. The gospel does not win over everyone. Jesus cannot change people who do not want to be changed. They have just seen the boundaries, the limitations. And yet Jesus sends them out. Did you ever wonder why Jesus chose 12 people to teach, to walk with him, to be his disciples and later apostles? Why didn’t Jesus do everything on his own? Why use these other people, Peter, James, John, all the rest? especially considering how often they failed? It is after they see how Jesus can’t or won’t do it all, that he sends them out. And he sends them out with so little: a staff. Period. No food, water, clothes, money. It’s as if he wants them to realize that the gospel, the good news is utterly dependent on others. These disciples aren’t so strong, so independent, so autonomous that they can live without people. And neither is the gospel. Everything in today’s teaching is about how much the good news needs open ears to exist, and other people to flourish. In the ancient near east there was a philosophical movement called Cynicism. The cynic believed in total self-sufficiency. They carried a staff-like the disciples, and then they carried everything else that they needed in a bag over their shoulders. They never wanted to be reliant on anyone. Their goal was to live completely self-reliant-without the help or assistance of others. Contrast that to what the disciples are told- they were told to be COMPLETELY dependent on others. And it’s after Jesus showed this side of himself in his home town that he sends them out. After Jesus sees that the gospel cannot work, cannot shine, cannot exist-unless people are willing to listen, does he send them out.
It’s as if he wanted them to know that the gospel, the good news, wasn’t just something that was dumped on people-take it or leave it. It is only as powerful as people allow it to be in their lives.
We are tempted to believe that the gospel is about the teller, only, the person who shares the good news, but it’s also about the listener, too. Matches don’t light wet sticks. First the disciples see Jesus fail at home, and then they are given their walking papers. They are sent out to do deeds of great power-cast out evil, heal the sick -and at the same time they are told to be totally dependent on others for food, and shelter.
The good news is a powerful message, a life saving message, an invitation to come into relationship with God through his Son. But it can’t light wet sticks. For those who refuse to hear it, those who don’t want to be touched by it, Jesus says, just move on.
What a strange turn the Gospel takes this week. Jesus seems powerless, and the disciples are told to be needy. It’s a good lesson for us who always see the Gospel as just the opposite-Jesus as all powerful, the disciples as completely self-sufficient. Good lessons for us to hear about two stories that do not seem at all related. And a good thing for us to learn about the good news-if people don’t listen, no good news is told. And if we appear so holy and independent, no one will ever want to sit at the table with us. Matches can’t light wet sticks. If people don’t sit down at the table, there is no reunion. If people are afraid, no good news is heard. The world needs the gospel. And the Good News needs the world. Amen.

Amen.

6He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2On 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! 3Is 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 offense at him. 4Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” 5And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6And he was amazed at their unbelief.
Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11If 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.” 12So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.