Going where Jesus sends us

A sermon for July 9, 2006

Mark 6:1-12

The first half of this gospel lesson always reminds me of the Rev. Charlie Cook. He taught a senior class at the seminary that was designed to help us transition out into the world of ministry. One of his favorite sayings was, “You can’t go home! Every one of the synoptic gospels tells you that. You can’t go home.” About a year ago, one of the people from my home parish asked me, “Nan, don't you think you’re about ready to come home?” They were in a search process for a new priest and didn’t seem to be having much luck. I told her, “I don’t think that’s a very good idea. Remember what happened to Jesus when he tried to go home.”

Jesus tries to go home – he’s been out running around the countryside – preaching good news, healing the sick, raising the dead, driving out demons… You’d think that the hometown crowd would be delighted to see him – that they’d put out the banners and roll out the red carpet, but they don’t. They listen to what he has to say – now Mark doesn’t tell us what he says, but it made an impression on them. Their attitude is, “Where’d he get this? We know him – what makes him better than us?” And with their unbelief, Jesus found himself severely limited in what he could do for them.

And it’s true that when you follow Jesus, you sometimes find yourself in the same kind of situation where you are not accepted even among your own family. I have a cousin; I call her Pat even though it’s not her name. We’ve always had a good relationship and have always been able to talk about God, and Jesus and our beliefs - that is until I was ordained. After I was ordained to the priesthood, she began to start in on me, “How do you reconcile being a priest when Paul says that women are not supposed to speak in church.”

My response was simply that I could do no less that what God called me to do, regardless of what St. Paul said. It kept on like this until Pat’s sister died. Her sister had called me to the hospital and asked me if I would conduct her funeral and of course I agreed. Several months past and her sister died and I did conduct the funeral. A week or so later I received a note from Pat thanking me for the service and acknowledging that I was indeed doing what God had called me to do. Now when we go see Pat, she proudly introduces me to her friends as an Episcopal minister. She still takes me to task for what general convention does and we do have some quite lively discussions.

When I started walking this path with Jesus - things went well until I got caught up in something like ‘reverse spiritual pride.’ When I started saying, “I can’t do this, and I can’t do that…” With excuses like I’m not smart enough, I’m not good enough, I don’t know enough… Three times – reminded me of Peter when I finally stopped to think about it.

What happened was Jesus was trying to send me out and I just wasn’t having any of it. I was scared to go – afraid that I would fail – afraid that I wasn’t good enough. I had forgotten two important things. First, that when God calls us to a ministry, he equips us for that ministry. And the second thing I forgot is that I would not be alone. Yes, I have God on my side – the Holy Spirit to guide me; but I also have Sam by my side – to encourage me when I doubt.

And that’s what the second part of our lesson is all about – the sending out. Jesus sends out his disciples – and their training is not yet finished. Jesus doesn’t wait until they’ve taken all the classes and passed all the tests. He sends them out – OJT – on the job training. This is an object lesson; that they can go out and minister and do the same things that Jesus does. I want you to notice, they don’t make that decision to go out on their own. Jesus sends them out – and not by themselves. He sends them out two by two.

I can’t think about this without thinking about two religious groups who send missionaries out right here in the states and you’ve probably had them knock on your door. The first group is Jehovah’s Witnesses. In my experience, it’s always been women – two or sometimes three who knock on your door and offer you a copy of the Watchtower. And the second, of course, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We’ve all seen the white shirts and ties riding their bicycles down the street, knocking on doors and leaving a “Book of Mormon” with anyone who will take it. I’ve gotten into some really interesting conversations with their young missionaries. They’re not real sure what to do with a woman priest.

Jesus sends out his disciples, two by two, with only a staff, sandals, and one tunic. With no money, no extra clothes, and no food, they must be totally dependent upon God for the things they need. (There’s a reason for traveling light. When Sam and I first started going out for Jesus – I had a little ol’ cheap guitar and Sam had a “gut-bucket” he had made from a washtub and broom handle and a string. We traveled light and loved to go play and sing at a church in a town… Then as time went by, I had a new guitar, Sam had a electric bass with amp, I had a keyboard, and we both took trumpets and a big box of books. It took us an hour to load the car and unload it. And once we got there, we were so busy setting up that we never had a chance to visit and get to know people.

Yea, Jesus was smart limiting what the disciples took with them. It not only keeps them from worrying about their possessions, but makes them dependent on God. When they enter a town and find a house to live in, they are to stay in that same house – they can’t “trade up” or try to make a better deal. They were to preach repentance, drive out demons, and heal the sick. If the town refused to hear what they said, they were to shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against them. He didn’t tell them to stand outside that place and denounce the people, he didn’t say to curse them or do anything to them; simply to shake the dust off, and move on to the next town.

All of our lessons today speak to this. Our lessons from Ezekiel, we find God telling Ezekiel, “I am sending you out to the people… (of Israel)… to a nation who has rebelled against me.” We acknowledge in our Eucharistic Prayer that God has send messengers over and over – Isaiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Hosea, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah and many others. God sent Jesus, and Jesus sent the disciples – then Paul and now us. And we acknowledge that we haven’t always listened to them. God tells Ezekiel, whether they listen or not, they will know there has been a prophet among them. The response of others to what we say or do is not dependent upon us. We are not responsible for how our word is received. We are simply to be faithful to listen to God and follow his direction. Sometimes we think we have to force others to conform to us, or to follow our direction – but that’s totally up to them.

Then we get this strange lesson from Paul about being caught up in the third heaven – I have to admit that I read it and think, “What are you talking about?” I’m reminded of C. S. Lewis’ book “The Great Divorce” where he gives us a view of both heaven and hell. It’s a book of last chances and the lengths that God is willing to go to in order to save those who have condemned themselves. Each of the characters have a sin that them have been unwilling to let go of so that they can be accepted into communion with God.

Paul talks about having a thorn in the flesh. Scholars have never been able to figure out exactly what he means by that. There have been speculations that have ranged from head aches and eye sight problems to malarial fever to temptations or persecutions. Whatever it is, the point is that there is always something that hinders or tries to keep us from doing what God calls us to do.

And when we find ourselves drawing away from God’s call, we must always remember God’s words to Paul – “My grace is sufficient for you…” and when we think we are not strong enough to carry the work on any further, God reminds us that “power is made perfect in weakness.”

There is real danger in being strong, because when we are strong, we don’t need any help, not even God’s help. It is in our weakness that we learn to reach out to God – to depend on his strength and his power.

In today’s lesson we see the danger in having knowledge. The hometown people in Nazareth thought they knew who and what Jesus was. He was the carpenter, the kid they watched grow up. But they didn’t really know him – so they had no idea what they were rejecting.

I have been totally blown away this week as I have talked to you and listened to what you have to say. There is a spiritual depth here unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere. There is an understanding that goes beyond simple knowledge. I see joy and I see hope of the faces of the people of Redeemer. I see not only a desire for personal communion with Jesus, but I also see a willingness to go out into the world to minister in his name. Together, over the coming weeks and months, we will begin to discern that call and see where Jesus is calling us to go and what he is calling us to do.

Please feel free to comment. Send an email to me at nan@doerrworks.com