“Preparation for failure”

Sermon-6 Pentecost-Proper 9-July 8, 2012

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 that Life to each other, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Mark 6: 1-13
He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On 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! Is 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. Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If 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." So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

There is a famous story about a 3^rd year seminarian.  He’s about to be ordained and then assigned as an assistant at a new church.  So he’s meeting with the bishop about what church he should go to.  The seminarian says, “Bishop, I am open to any church  you want to send me-except the church at New Canaan.”  The Bishop asks, “why not New Canaan?”  The seminarian says, “well, that’s where I grew up-and you know a prophet is not without honor except in his home town.”  The bishop pauses for a moment, and says, “don’t worry son, no one is going to confuse you with being a prophet.”

I have been telling you that Mark the gospel writer loves these “sandwich” stories about Jesus.  Last week was kind of a club sandwich, this week is open face.  But what Mark enjoys doing are presenting 2 stories that build on each other, connect to one another-and especially reveal each other.

If you have been married for a long time, or you have adult siblings, or if you have parents, a single word or phrase can carry a lot of meaning.  I heard a story about  a couple a million years ago who were meeting with a marriage counselor.  The husband was explaining to the therapist what the problem in the marriage was.  “When I walk in the door at night my wife says “hello, honey, how was your day?”  And I can’t take all the judgement and accusation that she means by that.”

Jesus goes to his home town, and his neighbors, the people who have known him all his life ask, "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! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary….”

We’re so used to thinking about  Jesus as Lord, that we don’t hear all the snide references in this simple passage. “Where did ‘this man’ get all this? “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary…?”First they call him, “this man”.  A little subtle.  Then they refer to him as “the carpenter”-a little stronger-this is like saying, “this common laborer”, and then they turn nasty, “son of Mary”. This is a patriarchal society.  Calling someone by his mother’s name was akin to saying he had no father.

So, ok they have insulted and snubbed Jesus.  He couldn’t do any of his miracles there. Barbara Brown Taylor “ compares it to the experience of trying to light a match to a pile of wet sticks”. Things aren’t going well with Jesus in his home region. We’re in the 6^th chapter, earlier In the 3^rd chapter of Mark his family thought he was crazy. A few verses later in that chapter his family tried to remove him from his teaching ministry. 

Jesus has come home-and people don’t give him any respect. This isn’t what we usually expect, but here is the hard news- Jesus is failing. 

So what happens next?  He commissions his 12 friends to go out in his name and spread the good news.  This is bizarre.  Jesus is rejected so he sends out his friends in his name?  And what does he tell them?  “If 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."

I know I keep reminding you of this, but you have to remember the context of these stories. Mark the gospel writer has collected these stories so that his church can hear all about Jesus.  So when Mark’s church hears first that Jesus was unwanted in his home, that his disciples might be rejected when they take the good news out, and that bearers of the good news often fail-how would his church take this?  They might be discouraged (why try), they might be disappointed (why don’t people like our words), or they might be ….COMFORTED!  “SEE EVEN JESUS STRUGGLED, EVEN HIS DISCIPLES WERE PREPARED TO FAIL!”  Mark wants his church-and all who read his words about Jesus to understand that rejection, discouragement, even failure happened to Jesus and his friends-but they weren’t deterred.  They tried new strategies, they attempted new plans, they imagined new ways to take out the good news.  They believed God was with them.

Years ago we had a Weight Watchers group that met in our parish hall.  The woman who ran it was thin, svelte, beautiful.  But then over the years she put on a little weight.  Then she had a baby.  She never lost those pounds.  She wasn’t obese but she was a little overweight.  I remember asking one of our parishioners who attended the group for a long time how they felt about attending now that the leader was no longer the perfect image.  She answered “The group is more popular now than it’s ever been-everyone knows that they won’t be judged when they attend.”

I think Mark puts these two stories back to back to say to the new Christians in his church, “listen, it will be hard to convince people that what you have is good news.  It was hard for Jesus.  The first disciples found it tough.  Everyone was prepared for being rejected. “  Does that make you feel a little better about your , um, “inadequacies” as a Christian?  Do you feel a little better about what a miserable evangelist you are? 

Let me finish with a few quotes and a story about failure-just to make you feel better.

“the only thing worse than having God speak to you through your spouse is to have God speak to you through your teenage daughter.” Markquart

“Even on our worst days, we can be as effective as Michael Jordan. On his  television ad [several years ago]Jordan said: ‘I've lost over 300 games, I have been asked to take the game winning shot 26 times and missed; every time I fail I get better.’” Rev. Kirk Kubicek

Here’s the story from The Rev. Anthony Robinson.“ Not long ago I visited a once prominent church, a church that had for decades been known far and wide as the home of great preachers and a center of great social causes. Like many, however, this church had declined in recent decades.

When I arrived to give a lecture there, I was met by an officer of the church. As I was early, he asked if I would like a tour of the grand facility. As we walked he told me that twenty years ago he had feared for the future of his church. In fact, he said, "I was pretty sure than by now we would have closed our doors. You see, we were just fifty elderly people left in this great sanctuary." Then he brightened. "But something has happened. Something has changed. We're experiencing a kind of renewal, a revival."

"Really," I said, "that's wonderful." "Yes, these days we have four or five hundred people in church. We have new ministries in the community. We are seeing new people, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight."

"How do you explain this?" I asked.

He thought for a moment, his hand on his chin. Then he said, "Well, it wasn't all our new minister, but he has made a difference."

"What's he done?"

"Well, he got us studying the Bible . . . yes, our minister gives a wonderful Bible Study. In fact, he can give you the entire message of the Bible in just six words."

Inwardly, I groaned. "Another fast operator?" I thought.

"And what might those six words be?" I asked skeptically. My host, ....grinned broadly. "The six words that summarize the entire message of the Bible? 'I am God and you're not.'" We both laughed.

"I am God and you're not."

Don’t worry about your insufficiency, your inadequacy, your success as a sharer of the gospel, Mark tells his church.  Jesus didn’t always hit a 1000,  and the disciples died thinking they had failed.  Be prepared to face opposition.  Don’t get discouraged when people shut the door in your face.  Shake the dust off and move on.  Remember, God’s in charge, and we’re not.