Sermon; Christ the King; 2024; John 18:33-37

Here we are on the Last Sunday after Pentecost, also known as Christ the King Sunday.  On the Church calendar we have come through his birth, Passion, resurrection, ascension, and life in general to end up here where we proclaim Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords.  And while it is good and proper that we acknowledge Christ as King, we have to be careful about the details.  What I mean by that is this:  we need to be careful about not worshiping an idol of Jesus that we’ve made in our image.

Our image of kings has been shaped by what we have seen and learned over time.  From the medieval kings of Europe to Pharaohs, warlords, chieftains, and, yes, even Popes, we have an image of what a king is and how he should act.  Some kings are more tyrannical than others, but ultimately a king has absolute power to rule absolutely, and always does so in his own best interest.

There are those in the world today who would use this view of a king for Jesus.  Christian nationalism and other heresies that promote a manly, muscular Christ who conquers his enemies by force, and always with our help, are on the rise.  These beliefs and movements distort and corrupt the message of Christ, twisting it to serve the sole purpose of feeding their egos and fueling their grasp for worldly power.  The kingly Jesus they want is one who operates like Caesar – crushing enemies and establishing “peace” through forcibly silencing anyone who opposes them.

But that is not the Christ of the gospels.  It is not the Christ of the New Testament.  And it should not be the Christ we proclaim.

The kingdom of Christ, and the reign of Christ the King that we proclaim and that Christ lived into, turns those dominionistic and nationalistic ideas upside down.  Proclaiming Christ as King is not an act of power and control, but a subversive act of love.  We see this not only in the New Testament, but throughout all scripture.

Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, Second Person of the Trinity and coeternal with the Father, came to earth as a helpless, powerless, and vulnerable infant.  John the Baptist refers to him twice as the Lamb of God.  Revelation uses the Lamb as an image of Christ multiple times.  Jesus says he came not to be served, but to serve.  He says he is humble and gentle in spirit.  And most tellingly, when asked directly by Pilate, Jesus says, “My kingdom is not from this world.  If it were from this world, my followers would be fighting for me.”

Christ the King presents us with a very different kind of king from what people normally desire.  He is the God and King of reversals.  We want big, he comes small.  He leads by serving.  He lives through dying.  Last week we read the Prayer of Hannah:

            The bows of the mighty are broken, the feeble gird on strength.

            Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,

                        But those who were hungry are fat with spoil.

            The Lord raises up the poor and lifts the needy.

The Song of Mary is a similar prayer/prophecy:

            He has cast down the mighty and lifted up the lowly.

            He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

 The kingdom of God runs counter to the kingdoms and desires of men.

Whereas the kingdoms of men seek to build walls, the kingdom of God is always open.

Whereas the kingdoms of men seek to expel those deemed different,

the kingdom of God draws in all people.

Whereas the kingdoms of men control and limit resources,

the kingdom of God sows the seeds of reckless generosity

so that all may be fed and healed.

The kingdom of God is based on justice, mercy, and love.  The kingdom of God works to bring restoration to the outcast.  The kingdom of God works to feed, clothe, and heal the hungry, the naked, and the damaged.

If the kingdoms of earth do not work to do these things, then they are not of God.  And if the kingdoms of earth proclaim they are being led by a Jesus who does not do these things, then they are being led by an idol of Jesus made in their own image.

If we proclaim Christ as King, then we must proclaim the Christ of subversive love.  If we proclaim Christ as King, then we must proclaim the Christ of the Beloved Community.  If we proclaim Christ as King, then we must proclaim Christ as the King of peace.  If we proclaim Christ as King, then we must proclaim Christ as the One who stands against violence, degradation, separation, and hatred.

Proclaiming Christ as King is to make a bold proclamation and to take a bold stand against the corrupt, divisive, and self-serving powers of the world in favor of the Kingdom of love, justice, mercy, and healing.  It is by proclaiming Christ as King in this way that we will take back the definition of the Reign of Christ that has been corrupted and twisted by the powers of the world.

If we do that – unapologetically, boldly, and faithfully, then we just might get a glimpse of God’s kingdom here on earth . . . as it is in heaven.

Amen.

Sermon; Proper 28B; Mark 13:1-8

We are almost at the end of Ordinary Time and Advent is only two weeks away.  Advent is the beginning of the new Church year and we will go from Year B to Year C on December 1.  We will also move from Ordinary Time – that long, green season focusing on the life of Jesus – to Liturgical Time – the time of seasonal and color changes that focus on the events of Jesus’ life.  The year begins with Advent because that is the time we anticipate and prepare for the coming of Christ – both in what was (his birth) and what is yet to be (his coming again).

For the past two weeks we have heard gospel stories that come from Jesus’ last days on earth.  This is from what we now call Holy Week, and they are, in a way, preparing the disciples for his ultimate departure.  This theme of Advent preparation, then, actually begins a little before Advent.

Last week we heard the story of Jesus in the temple watching as people put money into the treasury.  Amongst all the commotion and fanfare of wealthy people putting in amounts that could be both seen AND heard came a lonely widow who literally put in her last penny.  I imagine this woman coming in and trying not to be seen.  I imagine her being ashamed for not being able to contribute more.  And I imagine her trying to leave before being noticed.  But Jesus noticed, and he commended her willingness to put God above everything else in her life.  This story isn’t about giving our last penny to the Church, but about asking us to see God as the widow saw God.  How are we preparing ourselves to follow God over and above everything else in our lives?

Today’s passage comes immediately after last week’s story.  Jesus and the disciples are leaving the temple when they point out to him the grandeur of it all.  Jesus is less-than-impressed when he says it will all be thrown down.  “When will this be?” they ask.

Everyone is concerned with the last days or end times.  Thousands of books have been written about it, prophecies and interpretations have been made, televangelists have made millions by spouting end-time scenarios.  And you know what they all have in common?  They’ve all been wrong.  Every.  Single.  Time.  They’ve all been comically and disastrously wrong.

From the Millerites in 1844 to Harold Camping in 2011.  From the London Fire in 1666 to Joanna Southcott in 1813.  From The Late, Great Planet Earth of Hal Lindsey to the blood moons of John Hagee.  End time prophecies and predictions have a 100 percent failure rate.  And yet people keep predicting and people keep following and people keep sending money.

People ask me, “Are these the end times?”  I always tell them, “It’s the end time for someone.”

In today’s gospel, the disciples are trying to find out when the end times will take place.  Jesus, rather than giving them a time, talks about being prepared.  Being prepared does not mean blindly following those who preach and guarantee a specific end of days; but it does mean having the wherewithal to discern messages.

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed.  Why not?  Because humans have been at war for almost our entire history.  The US alone has been involved in 114 military conflicts since the Revolutionary War.  To put that another way, the US has been engaged in some form of military conflict for 228 years of its existence.  While this indicates our willingness to use military force, it does not indicate the end times.

There will be earthquakes and famines.  The earth is geologically alive, earthquakes and volcanoes happen.  Continental drift and slippage occur causing great damage.  The land surrounding the Pacific Ocean is known as the Ring of Fire due to the number of volcanoes.  But St. Helens, Etna, Vesuvius, Krakatoa, and others, did not usher in the end times.  Neither did the earthquakes of San Francisco in 1908, Anchorage in 1964, or Tokyo.

Many will come in my name and say, “I am he,” and they will lead many astray.

As I pointed out earlier, many people have led many others astray, either by their false claims of knowing when the end will occur or by their false claims of being the messiah.  Jim Jones and David Koresh come to mind.  There have also been, and will continue to be, political leaders who sway their followers and lead them astray with promises that they are the only ones who can save the people from whatever mess they seem to be in, while also denigrating and demonizing anyone who is different or who opposes them.

A final note about end time predictions and beliefs:  these are often based in escapist fantasies.  That is, some people have such a strong belief that the world is going to hell in a handbasket that they will grasp at anything or anyone who promises them an easy way out.  It’s much easier to believe you will be whisked away from all this and into salvation than it is to do the hard work of living out and into the examples of Christ in the here and now.

Jesus is preparing his disciples and us for the end times, but those end times are not coming as you might think.  His preparation isn’t about reading the signs of the times as guideposts to destruction.  His preparation has to do with discernment.  Do these people claiming to be the messiah live into the message of the gospel?  Do they love their neighbors?  Do they work to feed, clothe, shelter, and visit those in need?  If they don’t act and speak the message of Christ as found in the gospels, then they are antichrist.

The end is surely coming.  And when it does the Lord will make a feast of rich food for all people.  He will swallow up death forever.  The home of God will be among mortals.  He will dwell with them as their God and they will be his people.  Every tear will be wiped away and all things will be made new.

The end is surely coming.  It’s our job to discern if that is based on the revenge fantasies of people, or if it’s based in the love of God.  Learn to discern, and then live your life as the God of love calls us to.

Amen.

Sermon; All Saints' Sunday Year B; 2024

Today is All Saints’ Sunday, the day we remember those who have died, the day we commemorate the saints of the Church gathered here with us, and one of four days we renew our baptismal vows.  On top of all that, for me this day will always be our anniversary, the first Sunday we came together as priest and people.  All of these things make today a joyful celebration.

All Saints’ Sunday is already one of my top five days on the Church calendar, and this year, Year B, is my favorite year of the three.  That’s because the first two readings are also appointed for funerals, and the gospel reflects a deep abiding love between friends.  Funerals, at least in the Episcopal church, are times when people are reminded of how much God loves them and of their love for each other and the person who has died. 

In today’s gospel, Lazarus has died.  Mary and Martha have sent word to Jesus that he was ill, but then he died before Jesus could get there, and Jesus shows up four days after the fact.  There are other stories about Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and Jesus scattered through the gospels giving us an idea that these three siblings had a close relationship with Jesus.  We see some of this deep connection on display today when Jesus weeps at the tomb of his friend Lazarus.

Jesus is fully human and fully divine, and here we see a wholly human response to the death of a loved one.  We all cry and mourn in our own way.  For some reason, I tear up when officiating funerals, which drives me nuts, but that’s another story.  Hippolytus, a 1^st and 2^nd Century theologian, states that Jesus wept to give us an example of “weeping with those who weep.”  That might be a bit of a stretch.  I prefer to think that the human side of Jesus was touched by grief, just as we are, and that grief can be overwhelming.

We read the names of those who died this past year at the beginning of the service.  None of us know all those names, but their deaths caused grief and tears for those who did know them.  That grief can be softened over time by our resurrection hope and our belief that those people have entered into glory.  Even with that hope and faith, I have never attended or officiated a funeral where people were joyfully celebrating a death.

But as I said, our grief can be softened over time.  I think our first two readings do that.

Isaiah gives us a vision of restoration, a time when enemies of the Lord are defeated and God’s people are restored to wholeness.  God’s people are not only Jews, but anyone who worships the Lord.  In this vision, all people are welcome to the banquet and all people will be free from oppression.  On that day death will be no more and tears will be wiped away as a mother wipes away the tears of a crying child.

Today’s reading from Revelation comes near the end of the book.  In it we hear of a new heaven and a new earth, a time when all creation will be renewed and transformed, free from imperfections.  Chaos, represented by the sea, will be no more.  Death will be no more.  Mourning and crying will be no more.  God will dwell with us and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.

In these two readings, and even in the gospel passage, there is a hopeful vision of restoration.  Isaiah talks of all people restored to wholeness in God.  John sees a vision of unity with God where death and mourning and crying and pain are no more.  Lazarus is restored to life to live with his family once again.  On All Saints’ Sunday these are hopeful visions that can help diminish the pain of death.  They can also help us to not fear death as our faith tells us that all this, no matter how permanent it may seem, is only temporary with the glorious restoration yet to come.

Besides these readings of comfort and hope there’s another reason All Saints’ is one of my top five days of the Church year, and that is because this is what mystics call a thin place.  There are places and times when the spiritual and the physical are drawn close together or touch.  Sometimes these places are named as spooky – like a graveyard.  Sometimes they are named as other-worldly – like a peculiar piece of nature.  But they can also be a moment in time, like today.

Today is a thin place as we remember those who have gone before.  It’s a thin place as we hold them close to our heart and live in the faith and hope that they are in God’s loving embrace.  Today is also a day when we are reminded how extraordinary the ordinary actually is.

Every Sunday we gather to worship God, offer our thanks and praise, and share in a holy meal.  Every Sunday we gather not to be entertained but to spend time in God’s holy presence.  Every Sunday we recite ancient words and prayers, and sometimes that repetition dulls our senses to the mystical – until a day like today.

On this All Saints’ Sunday, let us worship God not only with those gathered here, but with all those who have gone before and who have yet to come.  Let us acknowledge that we worship God with angels and archangels, and ALL the company of heaven – saints above and saints below.

On this All Saints’ Sunday, in the midst of the chaos swirling around us, here in this thin place, let us hold fast to Isaiah’s vision of restoration and look forward to the time when all creation will be renewed, remembering that we are not alone, for the saints of the Church are gathered here with us.

Amen.

Sermon; Proper 25B; Mark 10:46-52

The Gospel of Mark has been described as a Passion Narrative with a really long introduction.  This description plays out when you realize that close to 40 percent of this gospel is dedicated to the Passion narrative – Palm Sunday to Easter.  I bring this up because for the past few weeks Jesus has been on his way to Jerusalem, and today that journey continues as he and the disciples find themselves in Jericho.

Today’s story of Jesus’ encounter with the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, is the last story of the introduction.  It’s the last story before he rides into Jerusalem on the donkey, kicking off Holy Week.  Bartimaeus is the last person in Mark to receive a healing miracle from Jesus.  And Bartimaeus is the last person to follow Jesus, making him the last person in the gospel to choose to follow Christ.  This final story before Jesus enters Jerusalem is strategically placed to counteract the two stories that immediately precede this one.

Two weeks ago we heard the story of the rich man who came to Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” which led to a discussion about following the Commandments and a harder request to sell all he had, give the money to the poor, and then follow Jesus.  “And he went away grieving for he had many possessions”

Last week we heard about James and John asking Jesus to grant that they should sit on his right and left when he comes into his glory.  That led to Jesus teaching about godly leadership.  You want to be great?  Become a servant.  You want to be first? Become a slave.  This is a completely different way of seeing leadership and power.  It’s a completely different way of seeing than how the world sees.

Today, in this final encounter before Jesus enters Jerusalem, we hear about Bartimaeus, a blind man who sat by the roadside begging for food or coins on which he could live.  The road from Jericho to Jerusalem was well-traveled (see Luke 10 and the parable of the Good Samaritan), so it may have provided a decent living for ol’ Bart, but not so well that he could stop begging.

As we heard, Jesus is going from Jericho to Jerusalem.  Blind Bartimaeus hears that it’s Jesus passing by and calls out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  He is the only person in the Gospel of Mark to use that particular messianic title for Jesus.  The crowd, however, tries and fails to silence him, as he cries out even louder.  Eventually Jesus hears him and calls him over; at which point he jumps up like Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka, throws off his cloak, and is escorted to Jesus. 

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asks.

“My teacher, let me see again,” he replies.  Immediately he regained his sight and followed Jesus on the way.

As I said, this story is strategically placed after the stories of the rich man looking to inherit eternal life, and that of James and John looking for seats of power, and before Jesus enters Jerusalem.  And here’s why.

First, we have the story of the rich man.  His concern is with inheriting eternal life, so he comes to Jesus to ask the question.  Jesus recites the Law:  Don’t murder; don’t commit adultery; don’t steal; don’t defraud; don’t bear false witness; etc.  When he claims he’s done all that, Jesus tells him to sell everything and then follow.  And the man goes away because he had many possessions.

Contrast that story with the one we just heard.  Bartimaeus was blind, so that limited his career choices.  He was a beggar because that’s the only job he could perform – sitting by the side of the road begging for money and/or food.  Chances are he was homeless because he didn’t make enough money to buy a house or even rent a room.  Living wherever he could find shelter, his cloak was his only possession.  And yet, when Jesus calls him, he throws off his cloak.

The rich man, when called by Jesus to get rid of his possessions and follow can’t do it.  The poor man, whose only possession is a cloak, willingly gets rid of it when called by Jesus.

Second is the issue of blindness.  Blindness can be a physical condition, but it can also be used as a metaphor for ignorance or not being able to understand.  In today’s gospel it means both.  Bartimaeus has a physical condition that makes him unable to see.  But, as I said earlier, blind Bartimaeus is the only character in Mark’s gospel to use the messianic title “Son of David” about Jesus.  This makes him the only character in Mark’s gospel able to see what others could not.

Contrast this with James and John.  “Teacher, we want you to grant us to sit at your right and your left when you come into your kingdom.”  They had been following Jesus for three years and were unable to see what Jesus was all about.  Although physically able to see, they were spiritually blind.

Bartimaeus sees what the disciples can’t.

There’s one final piece here.  The rich man comes to Jesus asking about eternal life because he sees Jesus as a man of power who can make that happen.  James and John ask about sitting on Jesus’ right and left because they see him as a man of power ruling in glory.  Bartimaeus is different.

Bartimaeus follows Jesus after tossing aside his only possession and regaining his sight.  And where does he follow Jesus?  He follows him on the way.  On the way to where?  Not to power and glory, but to Jerusalem where he will take up his cross, be executed, and buried.

The story of Bartimaeus is more than just the last encounter of Jesus before entering Jerusalem and his Passion.  The story of Bartimaeus ends this section of Mark with a call for us to let go of possessions that keep us from following Christ and to see with new eyes.

As we go forward, the question we need to ask ourselves is this:  Which of these three stories are we following?

Amen.

Sermon; Proper 24B; Mark 10:35-45

Jesus and the disciples are continuing their journey to Jerusalem.  Between last week’s gospel and today’s reading are three verses that set the stage for today.  In those three verses we hear Jesus give his third and final Passion prediction saying that in Jerusalem he will be condemned to death, be killed, and rise after three days.

One of the characteristics of Mark’s gospel is that the disciples frequently do not understand what is going on with Jesus.  As a friend of mine is fond of saying, “They aren’t called the DUH-sciples for nothing”

Today, though, there’s a glimmer of understanding by James and John.  After this third Passion prediction, a light seems to go off in their heads.  If Jesus is going to rise again after three days, then he’s got to be some kind of special.  And if he’s that special, then we want to be part of that ruling class when he comes into his glory.  They had had enough of being the low man on the totem pole.  They had had enough of being used and abused by the Roman occupation.  Finally understanding what resurrection might mean, they want to ensure that they will become members of the new ruling class.  So they ask, “Grant that we may sit, one on your right and one on your left, when you come into your glory.”  But, as per Mark, even with that bit of insight, they just don’t get it.

The other ten hear of this and become angry with the two brothers.  I have to think, though, that the ten were less angry with James and John for asking this question than they were with themselves for not thinking to ask first.  So, with dissension brewing in the ranks, Jesus calls the disciples together for a little lesson on leadership.

What Jesus tells his disciples, and all those who claim to follow him down through the ages, is that we are called to be different.  We are called to present a different way of being and leading from how the world operates.  When it comes to how we present ourselves and our leadership to the world, we are to be counter to what the world expects.

Jesus calls their attention to Gentile rulers.  In the context of his day, that meant primarily the Romans.  I suppose it could have also included Herod, who, although a Jew, served at the pleasure of the Roman governor.  But Jesus is primarily drawing attention to non-Jews, or “others.”  For us today, we can pretty much think of any leader from the local to the national level.

What Jesus says then is true today:  there are leaders who lord that over their people and who are tyrants.  They use their power to arrange for special treatment.  They arrange for enemies to be imprisoned or eliminated.  They manage to pass laws for thee but not for me.  Jesus knew that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

This is not us.  This is not how followers of Christ are to behave.

Once again Jesus turns the tables and reminds them of what he has been saying for a while.  If you want to be great, you must become a servant.  If you want to become first, you must become a slave to all.  Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.  Jesus, Second Person of the Trinity, God incarnate, Lord of lords and King of kings, did not come to lord his leadership over anyone, but to serve – to serve the sick, the lost, the hungry, the downtrodden.  You want to become great?  Become a servant.

This message of Christ is more important now than it has been in a very long time. 

Unfortunately the message of Christ has been ignored or twisted by certain groups of people to ensure that they become part of the new ruling class.  The rise of Christian nationalism is based on a twisted message of power and retribution.  They take James’ and John’s request to the extreme.  That is, when Christ returns in glory, they want to be seated next to him in power.  Additionally, they aren’t satisfied to wait for Christ’s return to gain power, they want that power now, and they want retribution for all the perceived wrongs committed against them.  The Christian nationalism movement lures people in with promises of power and retribution.  And that is a very dangerous message.

But look at the message Jesus actually proclaims – You are not called to lord power over others, nor are you called to be tyrants.  If you want to be great, you must become a servant.  If you want to be first, you must become a slave to all.

We are not called to make this a Christian nation.  We are not called to punish those with whom we disagree.  We are not called to rule over others.  We are not called to create power structures that benefit the right type of Christian.

What we are called to do is to speak truthfully.  We are called to speak against those who harm others.  We are called to serve – widows, orphans, children, the sick, the homeless, the hungry, and all those in need.  We are called to feed others physically, spiritually, and mentally. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  if your Christianity calls you to harm others, then you aren’t following Christ.

In these days, be very wary of how individuals and churches want to wield their power.  Because the only acceptable request according to Jesus is not, “Grant us to sit at your right and left when you come into your glory,” but, “Grant us the humility to serve others in your name.”

Amen.

Sermon; Proper 23B; Mark 10:17-31

“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

So begins today’s gospel passage.  I would guess it’s a question that we have all considered or asked at one time or another.  Jesus answers the man by rattling off a list of Commandments:  Don’t steal . . . Don’t murder . . . Don’t defraud . . . Don’t bear false witness . . . Don’t commit adultery . . . Honor you father and your mother.

“Yes, yes, I’ve done all that.  But what ELSE can I do?”

Jesus looks at him and says, “Go, sell all you own, give the money to the poor, and then come and follow me.”

“Oh . . . well . . . um . . . wow . . . Really?  Let me go think about that . . . hoo-boy . . . that’s . .  um . . . Wow.”

Here are a few things to know about today’s gospel passage. 

First, Jesus’ admonition to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor” was directed to that man.  As we move into pledge season, aren’t you glad for that?  As I’ve said before, “Context is everything,” and the context of this exchange is that Jesus is speaking directly to this particular man, not to his disciples, and not to a wider audience, including us.

Now, if you have discerned that God is calling you to sell all your possessions and help the poor, ala Saint Francis, that’s one thing; but neither Jesus nor I are telling you all to do that.  So now that we have that out of the way, what is going on here.  Why would Jesus put this requirement on this man?

The primary issue Jesus is addressing is attachment, and this is something that is addressed to all of us.  The man went away because “he had many possessions.”  Even though he has led a morally upright life, even though he has kept the commandments, even though he is interested in obtaining eternal life, his priorities are still his possessions, for in reality, they mean more to him than anything else.  The real issue for this man was his inability to make God a priority.  As one commentator says, “The man has a greater desire for his possessions than he does for eternal life.”

A second point is that it’s not only our possessions that get in the way of a right relationship with God, it’s what those possessions mean socially.  Wealth tends to convey status and power, whether intentional or not.  People will buy or build homes to symbolize or show off their wealth and status.  They do the same with cars, clothes, and jewelry.  Besides giving up his possessions, the man was loathe to give up the status and social position they represented or had led him to.

A third part of this interaction is the man’s assumption or expectation that this is a transactional relationship.  “What must I DO to inherit eternal life?”  If I keep the commandments, then I will inherit eternal life.  If I feed the hungry, then I will inherit eternal life.  If I attend worship services every Sunday, then I will inherit eternal life.  And the list goes on.  But our relationship with God is not transactional.  We don’t do those things in order to inherit eternal life.  We do those things because God loves us and that is how we show our appreciation.

While this passage is not telling us to sell all our possessions, this passage IS asking us to evaluate our relationship with our possessions and with God.  By many standards, we are wealthy.  We need to take an honest look at our wealth, our lives, and our practices and evaluate how those possessions hinder or help our relationship with God.

As we make those evaluations, we must also be reminded that we do not and cannot do anything to be saved.  “Who can be saved?” the disciples ask each other.  Jesus’ response is basically, “It’s only through the grace of God that people are saved.”  What we are asked to do is to continually evaluate our priorities and work to make sure that our possessions don’t possess us.

And then Jesus closes out with something interesting.  How many of us have heard the prosperity gospel preached?  That is something like, “God will reward you with all kinds of blessings if you say the words and commit to him.”  Things like the Prayer of Jabez, which was popular several years ago.  Or a belief that following Christ will automatically set you up to be rich and powerful.  That message is a heresy that has no basis in scripture.

But look closely at what Jesus does say:  those who leave homes, family, income, for his sake will receive a hundredfold all those things – and persecutions.  Following Christ will lead to persecution.  And not those claims of persecution because you weren’t allowed to put up the Ten Commandments in a courtroom, or because teacher-led prayer was removed from schools, or because of any other faux Christian outrage.  We probably won’t be killed because of our faith, but we may experience modern-day persecutions because you choose to follow Christ instead of society, or because you choose to feed the hungry in opposition to government edicts, or because you give homeless people shelter and access to personal hygiene, or because you choose humbleness over power.

This gospel passage isn’t telling us to sell all our possessions; but it is telling us to honestly evaluate our priorities.  It is asking us to evaluate whether we own possessions, or our possessions own us.  It does remind us that the gate to eternal life isn’t based on what we do, but that what we do is a generous response to God’s love for us.  And it reminds us that following Christ will not be easy.

Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?  What you can do is to evaluate your life so that your actions match your words, ensuring that God really is your first priority.

Amen.

Sermon; Proper 22B; Mark 10:2-16

When quoting scripture, what is the most important thing to remember?  Context is everything.  I said this a few weeks ago and pointed to Matt. 18:8 (“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away”) as an example.  I also said, to borrow a phrase from Emily, you shouldn’t be playing Bible roulette.  Context matters.

The context of a verse within a passage matters.  The context of the passage within a chapter matters.  The context of the chapter within the book matters.  And the context of everything in life matters.

I bring up context again because today we are faced with one of the more difficult passages in the gospels – that being Jesus’ teaching and discussion on marriage and divorce.  This is one of those passages I can hear someone, most likely a church leader, say, “The Bible clearly says divorce is a sin and should not be allowed.”

It’s hard for me to say that.  I am a child of divorce.  My sisters have each been divorced.  I’ve had parishioners, friends, and colleagues who have been divorced.  But the Bible clearly says . . .  So as hard as this passage is, let’s spend some time looking at it.

Jesus is now beginning his journey to Jerusalem and his eventual crucifixion and death.  Crowds once again gather around him and he begins to teach.  During his teaching, some Pharisees show up to test him.  That word, test, is the same word, by the way, that is used when Jesus is in the wilderness and tested/tempted by Satan.  And as we have seen before, these confrontations are designed to bring dissention and allow for charges to be brought up against Jesus.

I won’t go into details, but there were two religious camps around the idea of divorce.  On one side, the only valid reason for divorce was infidelity.  On the other side, any fault a man found with his wife was grounds for divorce.  The Pharisees threw Jesus into the middle of this argument in a game of “gotcha” hoping he would alienate at least half of his followers.

So Jesus is asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”  His first response is legalistic:  “What’s written in the law?”  Going back to Deut. 24:1-4, the Pharisees say that Moses allowed for divorce.

But Jesus was never one to be legalistic.  He says, “It was because of your hardness of heart that Moses wrote this.” 

Hardness of heart.  This is a phrase that comes up several times in scripture.  Pharaoh’s heart was hardened when he refused to let the Israelites worship God, resulting in the Exodus.  Hardness of heart is used to show the Israelites’ unwillingness to follow God completely.  And Mark uses the phrase to show Jesus’ anger toward the religious leaders and their lack of compassion when Jesus heals a man’s withered hand on the Sabbath.  When we are more concerned with ourselves or how people aren’t meeting our expectations, our hearts have been hardened.

In other words, divorce laws are necessary because we are obstinate, self-centered, stubborn, hurtful, or reflect any number of other behaviors not grounded in God.  It is these human tendencies that lead to relational ruptures.  Rather than get mired in the legalities of divorce, Jesus redirects the discussion from man’s legal issues and concerns to what the will of God actually is.

Laws for divorce are necessary because of our hardness of heart, which is in direct opposition to how God desires we live.  There is no description of warm-heartedness in scripture, but something that comes close is Paul’s list of the gifts of the Spirit found in Galatians.  These include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  By applying these gifts to our lives and our relationships, including marriage, we begin to live as God intended us to live.  Relationships, all relationships – friendships, marriages, families, etc. – become life-giving, nurturing, and healthy when we operate as God intends.

Unfortunately we do not always reflect those gifts of the Spirit.  We can become selfish, self-absorbed, and inwardly focused to the detriment of those around us.  It’s important to evaluate the relationships we are in.  Do we love others?  Are we loved?  Do we nurture the other person?  Are we nurtured?  Do we provide a safe place?  Are we safe?  Among other questions.

When it comes to weddings, and Joelene knows this, I only have one sermon.  Some of the details change, but the overall sermon is this:  What is 1 + 1?  One plus one equals three.  You, your spouse, and the marriage.  You need to care for all three for it to work.  You need to nurture all three for it to work.  You need to love all three for it to work.

As I alluded to earlier, this passage has been used over the centuries to inflict great harm on people, primarily women.  Can you imaging being in an abusive marriage and have your priest tell you that you couldn’t leave because Jesus said so?  That’s how women die.

But as I said earlier, context is everything.

Abusive relationships are sinful.  Self-centered relationships are sinful.  Manipulative relationships are sinful.  And if we know one thing about Jesus, it’s that he came to free us from the bondage of sin.

The ideal marriage is a life-long union between two people that nurtures, cares for, and strengthens those people who have entered into that covenant.  This is the ideal of what God has brought together.  It is that ideal that no one should separate, and it is that ideal to which Jesus appeals.

Divorce can happen for any number of reasons – abuse, infidelity, financial malfeasance, addiction, growing apart, and the ever-popular “irreconcilable differences.”  Some of these reasons are more valid than others – I would never tell an abused spouse to try and work it out.  But I’m convinced that all divorce is based on self-centered, selfish reasons.  My needs aren’t being met.  I found someone else.  They aren’t being obedient to me.  And the list goes on.

Even so, divorce, on some level, damages us.  It terminates a union begun under the auspices of God’s desire for us.  It causes children to take sides.  It can leave us with deep scars.  It ruins friendships.  The ripples caused by divorce spread far and wide.  And this is what Jesus is getting at.

If we loved others as God loves us, if we loved others as we love ourselves, if we nurtured, cared for, and worked for the well-being of others AND the relationships we enter into, then we would be that much closer to living into God’s ideal, and we would be that much closer to ending divorce.

May we all have our hard-hearted hearts warmed to the point where we value our relationships as much as we value ourselves.

Amen.