thought I might stick some sermons out there a bit - they’re seldom particularly academic or intellectual, but hopefully that’s helpful for some!
Here’s one on Mark 6:1-13:
I find these passages exciting.
In the same way I think parachute jumping [slide], or swimming with sharks , or personally stopping an armed robber [slide] would be exciting.
But thats exactly what this guy did - there was no way he was standing back and watching a crime happen - he was getting stuck in - however much I’m sure his personal instinct for survival might have been trying to convince him otherwise.
There’s bits about this passage - which actually tells of two distinct events, one in Jesus’ home town and one out and about around surrounding villages - which if I’m honest I find really intimidating, if not genuinely terrifying, and yet nonetheless I still find them exciting, challenging and inspiring.
I suspect that might have been how the disciples felt a some of the time, like they were skirting a fine line between terror and exhilaration.
And if we too are called to follow in their footsteps, just as they did in Jesus’, then surely sometimes we’ll also feel a little out of our depth.
Which makes this passage an even more interesting one to be thinking about with regard to team building!
So lets have a look at the passage shall we?
The Lack of faith of the people to whom Jesus goes at first ACTUALLY SEEMS to PREVENT his mission. [slide] [v5]
This is a massive thing to get our heads around - does this mean that Jesus’ power is somehow dependent on our faith? Do the people somehow dis-empower Jesus?
Every bit of me wants to question this verse - if Jesus truly is, as we proclaim in the creed, ‘fully God and fully man’, then surely he can do anything?
But I’m not sure thats the point - I think there’s more here in the reality that Jesus refuses to force himself on those he’s coming to. He wants them to see themselves as part of the team, as partners in God’s mission to themselves and to the world, and as such, their choices are honoured and make a difference.
MY choices are honoured and make a difference.
MY lack of faith in what God can do in with and through me might actually have an adverse effect on the brothers and sisters I claim to love.
Thats what terrifies me about this passage.
because it’s not long after we see that Jesus explicitly gives his authority to his disciples. [v7]
It’s like he’s saying to them come on, your turn now, everything you’ve been watching me do, I want you to do it as well.
And this rag tag group of nothing specials that Jesus has been gathering to himself are sent out into the world to do amazing things.
I love the way the Message describes what they go on to do:
‘ Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies, healing their spirits.’
A rag tag group of nothing specials that Jesus has been gathering to himself are sent out into the world to do amazing things. If that’s not something encouraging and exciting then I’m not really sure what might be.
Jesus has built his team, and Jesus will make good use of his team.
Which leads us on to the story maybe getting a little intimidating again
Because the jobs the Disciple’s go and get up to are at the same time, by our human standards, booth amazing, and completely beyond us:
proclaim that all should repent - maybe, if I’m feeling brave
drive out demons - ok, starting to feel a little out of my depth here
Heal the sick - but what if it doesn’t work? I can’t do that, cant we get a specialist in for that?
And yet Jesus sends the team out, and this is what we read elsewhere they come back rejoicing in - which Jesus will remind them is the signs of the Kingdom of God and that it is God who is glorified through it.
Because they went out, listening to Jesus, and gave it a go.
I don’t know if they were trusting it would work, or if this was a group of people acting in faithful obedience to what Jesus had said, but they went out, and they gave it a go.
In there everyday lives, with the people they met and the communities they would be a part of, they gave it a go.
And their choices were honoured and made a difference.
And this is the the big question the story poses - how will we get involved in the mission of Jesus - where will we walk as members of his team?
It’s a searching question, but our reading this morning kind of gives us two opposite ends of the spectrum of answers to it
Are we so overwhelmed by the questions and the ways we think we can answer them about who Jesus is and what he can do that we’re paralysed to the spot, or are we out standing in the mirror pool offering to pray for healing and wholeness for everyone we pass?
Are we terrified of the challenge, or exhilarated by the possibilities?
I suspect if we’re honest, most of us are probably somewhere in the middle, wishing we were a bit closer to the right hand side of the line (as we’re looking at it!).
If you are, I think there’s a nice blunt question to how we move along that line:
What are you going to DO about it?
So I want to put a little challenge out there - this week has been international Random act of Kindness week according to the internet, so lets try, as part of our team effort, to each do something which we think proclaims or enacts the Kingdom of God for someone this week - I don’t know what it’’’ be, don’t plan it, just keep your eye out for the opportunity to share God’d love into someone’s life this week.
Because the amazing message this passage reminds us is that, in simple terms, You are enough.
Jesus’ final instruction to his disciples in Matthew’s Gospel shows us that his command to them is also his command to us - what they’ve been taught, those they teach must follow also.
to preach the kingdom of God, drive out demons and heal the sick.
It maybe intimidating to be part of a team with that remit.
It may be the most exciting thing you’ve ever been part of.
Our task, like theirs then, is to listen to Jesus, and to trust his authority and obey his call and a way to get involved in what He’s doing in the world around us. It will look different for each of us, as we’re each given different Gifts by our wonderful God, but it’s the team that all of us is part of, and team which needs all of us in order to be complete..…
