Sermon Notes - July 6, 2015
It’s said you can never go home. Returning home can be risky business. This August my high school class is
holding our 40th reunion.
I have debated about going, I probably won’t. I recognize that I will want to impress those people I knew
so long ago. I will want to
inflate my importance, my accomplishments. I’ll enlarge those long ago months of working for Jimmy
Buffett. I’ll recount how I’ve
lived in Southern California and Nashville (not the little coastal community of
Cardiff near San Diego, and Spring Hill, a Podunk town very different from
sophisticated Nashville) I may
mention how I used to help produce the Dove awards, but will emphasize my one
year of working on the CMA’s and met , Hugh Jackman, he even kissed me on the
cheek. And now I work on “Music
Row” leaving the glitzy arena of concerts and award shows for the admirable job
of helping to bring a revolutionary music curriculum to our public schools.
I might even share how I’m seeking ordination in the
Anglican Mission. But I
probably wouldn’t say that Jesus saved me. That even though there was a time in high school when I was
telling them about Jesus, the
artsy liberal girl they knew wasted the next 4 – 5 years of her life with rock and roll, alcohol and drugs and needed saving.
That I am alive because of a God who saw me, and brought his light and
love to my broken heart. And that
he will do that for them too.
Unlike Jesus, I want to impress. (even you guys) I want them to like me, think I’m still
cool. I don’t want to risk
judgment or rejection. And I often
think that this inclination disqualifies me from being used by Jesus. When I am more holy, more like Him,
then I can share the gospel.
In today’s verses in Mark we see Jesus returning to his
hometown.
Mark 6:1 - 6
He
went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to
teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where
did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such
mighty works done by his hands? 3 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. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A
prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives
and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his
hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.
"We see, in the first place, how apt men are to undervalue things
with which they are familiar… Jesus said A prophet is
not without honor, except in his hometown… Never had any
place on earth such privileges as Nazareth. For thirty years the Son of God
resided in this town, and went to and fro in its streets. For thirty years He
walked with God before the eyes of its inhabitants, living a blameless, perfect
life. But it was all lost upon them. They were not ready to believe the
Gospel, when the Lord came among them and taught in their synagogue. They would
not believe that one whose face they knew so well, and who had lived so long,
eating, and drinking, and dressing like one of themselves, had any right to
claim their attention. They were
"offended at Him."
We see, in the second place, how
humble was the rank of life which our Lord condescended to occupy before He
began His public ministry. The people of Nazareth said of Him, in
contempt, "Is not this the carpenter?"
This is a remarkable expression, and is only found in the Gospel of
Mark. It shows us plainly that for the
first thirty years of His life, our Lord was not ashamed to work with His own
hands. There is something marvelous and overwhelming in the thought! He who
made heaven, and earth, and sea, and all that therein is--He, without whom
nothing was made that was made--the Son of God Himself, took on Him the form of
a servant, and "in the sweat of His face ate bread," as a working
man. This is indeed that "love of Christ that passes knowledge." Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He
became poor. Both in life and death He humbled Himself, that through Him
sinners might live and reign for evermore."
By JC Ryle – Priest and Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, a man born
with wealth and opportunity, at 21 protracted a lung disease and during his
long convalescence began reading the bible and came to faith, at 25 he became a
priest after his family fortune was lost.
His first two wives died young and he was widowed twice by age 43. His
best and most fruitful years of ministry took place after age 64.
---------
Jesus
was rejected because they were astonished by the words that he said, how could
He be wise, do the works He has done?
Jesus was rejected because of preconceived ideas of who they thought He
was.
They
took offense at Him. Their hearts were hard.
Our perception of who Jesus is will influence what we hear. Here he refers to himself as a prophet. No doubt they had heard the stories that we
read looking further back in Mark: Marks first words in Chapter 1 are “The
beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
the Son of God. “ Upon Jesus baptism God
the Father said that He is his son in whom he is pleased. Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the
gospel. “The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” The unclean spirit
in the man in the synagogue declared Jesus was the Holy One of God.
When walking through the grain fields and confronted by the Pharisees,
Jesus referred to himself: So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
But they couldn’t get past what
they thought they knew about Him. Often we can't get past what we think we know about Jesus.
MARK 6:6b-13
And
he went about among the villages teaching.
7 And he called
the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over
the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them
to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in
their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and
not put on two tunics.10 And he said to
them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and
they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your
feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So
they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil
many who were sick and healed them.
------------
The apostles have been living and walking with
Jesus. They’ve heard him teach in
the synagogues and to the crowds.
And they’ve been taught by Him apart from the group, He’s explained the
parables to them, But even after living and walking with Jesus, hearing his
teaching, seeing the miracles, when Jesus calms the raging sea the disciples ask “who is this that the wind and sea obey him?”
And we know from stories further along in the gospels
that they still have far to go.
They will quarrel about who is the greatest, they will fall asleep in
the garden. Peter will yet deny
Jesus 3 times. Thomas will not
believe Jesus is resurrected until he touches his side. But Jesus deems it the time to send
them out. To spread the message.
To heal the sick, anointing with oil, and to cast out demons.
FATHER JOHN
MCKINNAN says in his commentary on Mark 6:
The process adopted by Jesus was significant.
Firstly they had been with him and had observed his approach, and to a
certain extent had been personally involved in his activity. Jesus now
took a further step in their formation. He gave them responsibility to
act without his being present. Indeed human formation requires more than
observation: it needs action.
Jesus obviously trusted them.
Interestingly, they were not really ready for mission; they had so much
still to learn. Yet their formation could happen only through their own
activity, and through the questions that their activity would raise and make
real for them. It seems to be part of the human condition that learning
occurs mainly in process.
Perhaps one aspect of the message of the Kingdom
is that imperfection does not disqualify from mission or from responsibility.
Indeed, imperfection can proceed towards further growth only through the
assumption of responsibility. In the issues that matter, people are
always out of their depth. Jesus' own insight into the deepening nature
of his mission was also a gradual process.
--------------
When Jesus gave them instructions to go out, they
did: “12 So they went out and
proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And
they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed
them.”
There’s no record of the 12 questioning him, or first
setting their affairs in order. Were
they concerned that they would be judged or rejected? We’re just told that they went out.
Jesus was very specific as to how they should go (cited from Lectionary.org):
Jesus sends out the twelve two-by-two. This
strategy is powerful for three reasons:
• A partner bestows strength––"For if
they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he
falls, and doesn't have another to lift him up" (Ecclesiastes 4:10). Not
only do partners protect each other from physical danger, but they also provide
pleasant companionship and encourage each other in difficult circumstances.
• A second person lends credibility. Deuteronomy 15:19 requires two or
three witnesses to convict a person of a crime, because a single witness is
likely to make a mistake. For that same reason, one witness has less
credibility than two––an important consideration when sending disciples to bear
witness. Jesus could have sent them in groups of three, but two people are
usually more effective than three. In a group of three, often two will bond
with each other and will not fully accept the third person.
• A partner fosters accountability. A person is less likely to succumb
to temptation when accompanied by a partner.
--------------
"He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey,
except a staff only: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse, but to wear
sandals, and not put on two tunics" (vv. 8-9). Jesus tells the twelve to take
nothing but a staff and sandals––no bread, no bag, no money, and only a single
tunic. Jesus prohibits not only frivolous items, but essential ones as well.
His requirements go beyond simplicity to reckless faith. The disciples are to
proceed without adequate preparation, trusting local people for hospitality
but, above all, trusting God to provide for their needs.
"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from
there" (v. 10). The requirement for the disciples not to move from house to
house serves two purposes: First, it prevents bad feelings among hosts who
might be embarrassed if the disciples leave their home for better
accommodations. Second, it prevents the disciples from being distracted by
concern for their physical comfort.
Jesus is still sending us out to share the glorious good
news. The news that there is a God
who created us, loves us, is with us and will never leave us. He walked this earth as a man. He knows our sorrows and sufferings. He
knows rejection. He has
experienced them. He died for
us. But the risen Christ has
broken the power of sin and death, and although we live in a world still
ravaged by the fall, He is making all things new. He has brought us to repentance, He is making us new. We are no longer citizens of this
world, but citizens of the Kingdom of God, sons and daughters of the King
. As His children we can bring His
healing to the world around us, we can vanquish the powers of darkness in His
name.
What we’ve been given we need to pass along.
Jesus is saying to us now. Go Out. Spread the gospel.
Be my agents of healing.
Don’t wait till you feel ready. You’ll never reach that point. In going, in serving, a mystery will
happen. Jesus will change us.
Go in faith. Go in weakness.
Your words will not convert anyone.
The power of the Holy Spirit, convicts, brings to
repentance, brings salvation.
Jesus mercifully and generously uses imperfect
vessels such as us, to speak the words the Holy Spirit works through, to be the
hands the Holy Spirit touches and heals through.
And He doesn’t call us to go alone. He has placed us in a body of
believers, family. He has knit our
hearts together in love. We have
walked through places of joy and pain together. We pick each other up when we fall. We testify to the truth of the gospel
that we speak.
We know Jesus, Mary’s son, the carpenter, who we
believe, by faith, is God Incarnate, Creator and Savior of the world. In Him we live and move and have
our being. Today He is calling us
to go out, go out and proclaim the Gospel of Christ and bring His healing to the
world.
