Sermon for February 28

The reading

Mark 12:1-17

Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country.When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture:

‘The stone that the builders rejected

    has become the cornerstone;

this was the Lord’s doing,

    and it is amazing in our eyes’?”

 When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.

Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.” And they brought one. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Jesus said to them, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.

 The message

Last week, I mentioned that the Gospel of Mark contains a series of escalating conflicts between Jesus and the religious authorities. This morning, we experience those escalating conflicts getting close to their high point.  Our list of Sunday readings suggested that the scripture for this week would be one of these stories, Jesus parable about the tenants or the religious authority’s question “is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, should we pay them or should we not”.  I decided to look at both of these stories together, since they actually both share the same message.    

Jesus tells a very large crowd a parable which many perceive as directly and blatantly condemning the religious authorities.  In Jesus teaching story, often called the parable of the wicked or greedy tenants, a man planted a vineyard.  In this illustration, God is the man and the vineyard is the world.  The person in the story does everything necessary for the vineyard to grow a good crop and produce great vine.  The vineyard is created, protected, fully provided for and entrusted to tenants for its care.   At this point in the story, we realize that God has provided everything that people needed to thrive, plenty of resources for everyone to have enough, scientific curiosity, a self-sustaining world, laws and guidance for everyone’s joy and  God’s promise to listen and care for us.  This came along with the freedom for people to make decisions and do what we want with it.  

The story moves on to the time when the man who planted the vineyard goes to collect his share of the produce.  As we all know, it’s hard to find good help and this group of people entrusted with the vineyard earn their title as the wicked, greedy tenants.  They refuse to give the vineyard owner his share. They decide to keep everything.  Im sure they had lots of ways to justify this decision, “we did the work”, “we will enjoy it this season and send what is due next year”, “we need a reserve to ensure we survive”, “he has not been here all year, why send anything”.   The vineyard owner sends servants to collect, recognizable, official representatives authorized to collect what the tenants agreed to give. They plan to frustrate and drive the owner away.  Each representative is attacked, insulted, beat or killed by the tenants. The owner decides to send his son, certainly, he will be respected.  The tenants decide to double down on their approach to getting out of the agreement. They kill the owner’s son. They reasoned, we’re committed to this plan by now, eliminating the heir may allow them to keep everything.  The owner is out of patience now, this time, sending forces to destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 

This is the part that upsets the religious authorities so much.  After all, they are the tenants, entrusted to care for God’s world. Like the vineyard owner sent servants and others to collect what is due, God sent many messengers to the world, prophets, kings and messengers to call people back to faith and obedience to God’s law, to care for others, to love God above all things and your neighbor as yourself, to maintain a fair world, to remind everyone it’s time to give to God the things that are God’s, to live like we promised.  Each time, the authorities ignore, reject, beat or kill these messengers and ignore their message.  They want to be in control not in debt, to be important, not just servants, to be praised and honored, not give praise and honor.  

Finally God sends God’s son to the world, certainly he will be respected.  The religious authorities reject Jesus, just like all of God’s messengers before.  Now the kingdom of God will go to others, who will give to God the things that are God’s.     

The religious leaders respond first by plotting to have Jesus arrested.  After giving it more thought, they realized that action would anger the crowds and definitely cause the people to turn on them. I’m sure they remembered a few years earlier when King Herod had significant problems after arresting and beheading John the Baptist. The religious leaders had less power than King Herod and Jesus had a much larger following than John the Baptist. Debate and criticism were fine but any attempt to publically arrest or eliminate Jesus would not end well for them.  They needed to do something to weaken Jesus’ public influence and popularity.  The religious leaders end up responding with a very smart question “should we pay taxes to the Roman Empire”.  It’s virtually perfect.  If Jesus says no, do not pay taxes, they could quietly report him to Rome as a subversive, a crime certainly punished with death, enforced by the Roman Authorities and leaving them free and clear of Jesus and, just as importantly, free and clear of any role in his death. If Jesus says yes, pay the tax, the adoring, growing crowds will turn on him since he supports this extremely oppressive burden on their community. Without the support of the people, they could get rid of Jesus themselves.

Jesus answer, “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and give to God the things that are God’s”  evades the trap and has challenged and redefined how people of faith live in the world. As much as they hated it, everyone knew that taxes to paid to Rome were an obligation they took on themselves, a deal to maintain their community, a promised part of a fragile peace with a much more powerful empire easily able to crush them should a decent reason appear.  Jesus basically reminds them , “Come on, people you know the story with taxes, the emperor’s picture is even on the coins used for them, give to the emperor that things are the emperors”.  Then Jesus repeats the same thing he expressed in the parable of the wicked tenants, give to God the things that are God’s. Here again, this was something that the religious authorities were not doing, in fact they were so caught up traditions and themselves, they barely even thought of it as an obligation or promise.  Jesus reminds everyone of the agreement they made with God,  to be God’s people, to praise and worship, to remain faithful, loving and obedient to God’s law, to care for others, to love God above all things, to love your neighbor as yourself and to maintain a fair world  (even if it costs you money, safety or status).

In a few weeks, we will see Jesus go the way of the vineyard owners son, to be killed because of  fear and greed.  After that, Jesus will rise again, freeing people from the consequences of sin and death.  God has completed God’s part.  Now it’s time to do ours, to respond with care, grace and love, to give to God the things that are God’s.  

Sermon for February 21

The Reading 

Mark 10:32-52

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him,  saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles;  they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again."  James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."  And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?"  And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"  They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;  but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." 

 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.  But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.  For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."  They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.  When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you."  So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.  Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again."  Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

 The message

With 6 Sundays left until Easter, we are now more than half way through our faith journey into Mark’s Gospel.  I wanted to take a few moments this morning to review some of the things we have experienced and help place the events and lessons of Mark’s Gospel we have heard so far in their larger context.   

Mark’s account of Jesus life, death and resurrection is more complicated than it often first appears.  A majority of Mark tells the stories of Jesus miracles of restoration, care and compassion, signs of power, and expressions of God’s love for the world through healing and helping others.   Mixed in with these stories are a series of teachings centered around radical news about the Kingdom of God, the most shocking is Jesus consistent warning that the he will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles;  they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.   (Jesus has said this on 3 or 4 occasions already in Mark’s Gospel, each time it is ignored, denied or misunderstood by even Jesus closest followers)

There are reasons Jesus was often misunderstood or ignored and people wanted to eliminate him.  The message Jesus shared was truly radical, it challenged and changed long held religious beliefs and traditions.  Jesus teachings had little or no respect for the religious or political leaders and little interest in keeping things the way they were.  Jesus words confronted systemic injustice in which everyone, except the very poor and outsiders, participated in, Jesus talked about God’s love for all people, established men along with outsiders, the poor, women and children (who were all widely considered sort of useless at the time). Jesus stripped away the exclusiveness of faith, God’s love was for everyone.  That is why people ignored and walked away from Jesus, he made them uncomfortable.  Many people viewed Jesus the same way we would view someone who walked into our church and started yelling “that is not correct, everything you are doing is wrong, I know secret things about God, I have a new message to share” in the middle of our bible reading.  This actually happened to a friend of mine a few months ago at a church upstate.  A new man walked into church and about 15 minutes into the service, started to yell and share his interpretation of the scriptures. The community called the sheriff who showed up in a few minutes and took the man ,kicking, screaming and yelling, to the local hospital for drug testing and a psych exam.  We do not like our worship being disturbed, but we really hate when how we understand ourselves as good and faithful lives disturbed. In Jesus’ case, he did upset the ancient traditions and practices of faith but things were a little more complicated though; his teachings were supported by impossible signs of power (which reflected the truth of his words) . Even Jesus own 12 disciples often fail to understand what Jesus is teaching and what these things mean for the world.  (Mary and Jesus female followers honestly seem to do much better, remaining faithful and getting it from the start).

Throughout Mark, Jesus’ words and power lead to a series of escalating conflicts. There is the conflict between good and evil seen in the casting out of demons and the temptation in the wilderness that starts Lent.  Then there is the conflict between  Jesus and the religious and political authorities which will eventually lead to Jesus death.  This group of Pharisees, Sadducees, high priests, lawyers, kings and governors become more frightened, confused and aggressive with each miracle Jesus performs and each time he addresses the crowd.  They start by challenging Jesus with trick questions and using their knowledge of the law to expose him as a fraud. When these attempts fail, they quickly move on to plotting ways to kill him (while maintaining their own power and control).  

This morning, we see conflict between the disciples.  Jesus repeats himself and tells his 12 disciples that he will suffer, die and rise again. 10 of them have no idea what to say or think, so they ignore it. James and John bring misunderstanding to a whole new level.  They do not ask for a clearer explanation, they do not offer prayer or help, they do not promise to walk with him and they do not try to alleviate some of his anxiety.  Instead, they ask for rewards, to be set apart from the others, to sit in places of honor after all that other stuff is over.  This is not exactly bold, faithful and sacrificial discipleship but there is something so very human and honest in their request.  They want to be recognized and acknowledged, celebrated and honored.  Jesus gives them two answers.  First, Jesus tells them “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;  but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."  After this, conflict starts between Jesus disciples.  Now that James and John made this power grab, the other 10 thought those 2 should be punished and knocked down a few levels. Jesus again tells them to stop acting like the rulers and important people he has spent so much time confronting and criticizing; Jesus tells his disciples “but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.  For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."  Jesus disciples are invited to live differently, to live as people who know they are valued and important since they are children of God, just like everyone around them, good, bad, rich, poor, similar or different, are valued and important since they too are also children of God.

Jesus warning about his death and resurrection and invitation to a joyful life ends with the healing of blind Bartimaeus.  Jesus was on his way out of Jericho and people wanted to see, hear and experience every single thing he had to say.  This might be the last opportunity they had to encounter Jesus. No one was there to have this sacred moment disturbed by some poor blind guy so they all tell him to shut up. (sort of like the amount of shushing and be quiet that goes on at a broadway musical or classical concert whenever someone near you whispers or wiggles).  Jesus is not disturbed by Bartimaeus at all though. Jesus calls him over and asks “okay, you have my attention, what do you want?”  Bartimaeus wants to see and completely believes Jesus can restore his sight.  Jesus responds by saying Go; your faith has made you well." And immediately he regained his sight and followed Jesus on the way.  

In Mark, Chapter 8, before Jesus starts to talk about his suffering, death and resurrection, there is also the healing of a blind man.  These 2 signs of power intentionally surround the most difficult and shocking of Jesus teachings.  Jesus restores the sight of 2 people who are blind to the light, colors and shapes of the world and tries to restore the sight of everyone who is blind to God’s loving presence and restorative work in the world.   The same faith that allowed the blind to see can allow people to see what God is doing in the world. It was considerably easier to make the blind see. We have a lot of work to do.   

Sermon for February 14, 2016

The reading

Mark 10:17-31

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again,  “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’

 Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news,* who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’

The message

A few weeks ago, I spent 6 days being rich. I went on a trip to Mexico City to visit a friend and explore that gritty but beautiful and historic city.  During my visit, the Mexican Peso hit a record low against the US dollar.  I was getting more than 18 pesos to 1 dollar in a country where the minimum wage is about 90 pesos a day. That meant tens of millions of Mexican people live on around 5 dollars a day and that I could basically go wherever I wanted and buy whatever I wanted.  This difference became obvious to me one night when I was counting the pocket change I accumulated throughout the day and realized it was more than many people’s daily salary.  Full dinners at some of the top 10 restaurants in the country cost me less than a steak at your average local diner here in NY.  I looked around some of the antique shops in one of the upper class neighborhoods and as soon as I walked in and said Hello, I was obviously the most important customer.  The owner would instantly welcome me and frantically find the person who spoke the most English to assist me.  You also had to protect yourself and be very careful, just by being an American there, regardless of how you were dressed, what you spent or where you went, you were a target for pickpocketing, robbery or kidnapping.  The most surprising part, that I never really adjusted to, was that I could buy whatever I wanted and I could eat and drink wherever I wanted. There was virtually no concern about what things cost and after most purchases, I did some math, converted pesos to dollar and was left thinking “I can’t believe it was that cheap”.

This morning, in our reading, Jesus meets a rich man, someone able to buy and do whatever he wanted in a 1^st century world also filled with economic inequality and severe social class separations.  The rich man does not appear to be horrible or cruel. If we believe his claim that he has kept all the commandments since his youth, he is actually a pretty good guy. He approaches Jesus with great respect, kneels to him and calls him “Good teacher”.  Knowing that he could depend on his wealth to buy whatever he needed or wanted in this world, he is concerned about the next and asks Jesus a simple question “what must I do to inherit eternal life”  The man proceeds to list the ways he has earned it, that he has kept the commandments and wants to verify that he is not an evil rich man who cheated or abused people to get where he is.  After this, Jesus’ response is one that has challenged people and organizations of faith ever since: “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’  The man is shocked, the price sticker on eternal life is “everything you have” and there is no room to negotiate. This is an unfair cost and too expensive a price for him, eternal life is something he cannot buy.   

Jesus response is not just shocking to the rich man, Jesus own disciples, who are by no means rich and who have pretty much given up everything to follow him, start to worry.  Jesus disciples start to talk amongst themselves,  wondering how wealthy is wealthy, would they have to give up even more to inherit eternal life, certainly Jesus would accept their personal sacrifices and they would enter heaven right, or where they just wasting their time.  Jesus repeats himself  “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ and again  “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God”.  

The disciples become even more frustrated, annoyed and confused, basically asking Jesus “okay mr know it all, this makes no sense, who then can be saved”. Jesus responds “ For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” At this time, the disciples are desperate for a straight answer, to hear Jesus at least say “you John, don’t worry, you have done enough, you will inherit eternal life” , “you James, don’t worry, you have done enough too, you will inherit eternal life”. But they do not get that answer. Now Peter gets involved, he starts to tell Jesus all the things that they have done with him and for him, leaving their jobs, homes and families, traveling around healing the sick, casting out demons, boldly teaching all the things Jesus taught them. Peter begins an argument on why they should receive eternal life.  Look, we have left everything and followed you. Before Peter can even get started, Jesus interrupts him to let him know,  he, the disciples, all of Jesus followers will have eternal life “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’

 

Those words end the recorded conversation. After this, Jesus and his disciples move on to the next place.  Jesus cannot really say anymore about how all things are possible with God, or why he is so sure they will have eternal life. Even Jesus initial words, hints about what God is doing in the world, do not make any sense yet. These things only make sense after Jesus death and resurrection for the forgiveness of our sins and the restoration of us and God to a relationship of eternal peace.  After Jesus death and resurrection, we see why it is impossible for the wealthy man to earn eternal life, to enter the kingdom of God based only on what he does or gives, why it is impossible for the disciples to earn eternal life based only on the amazing things they do.   God’s gift of eternal life comes to us because Christ has died and risen.  It is not something we earn, buy, get by being nice or receive by being good enough.  Instead of wondering and stressing about “what we have to do to earn eternal life”, we are driven to the cross, to the only place where we can be certain of our salvation.  God’s greatest gift to us is the assurance that because, and only because Christ is Risen, we will arise.  Even Jesus own disciples were unable to understand, anticipate or consider this a possibility (as we saw last week when Peter yells at Jesus and rejects his statement that the son of man will suffer, die and rise again)   

Our church comes out of these questions “what must I do to inherit eternal life” and “who then can be saved”. Martin Luther saw the  stress and anxiety in the hearts, minds and faith of the people. They were worried about their salvation. He personally struggled to hear and understand that his sins were forgiven, that he would inherit eternal life.  Luther also knew that God would not be born as one of us, that Jesus would not teach, heal, struggle, pray, suffer, die, and rise again so we would have to be anxious about our salvation.  Eternal life must be a gift that God gives out of love, that is the comfort and joy of the Gospel.    

Sermon for February 7, 2016

Mark 8:27- 9:8

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel,* will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words* in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’

 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus

The message

A few weeks ago, we heard the author of Mark’s gospel report two very different miracle stories which happened moments apart in the midst of excitement and chaos. As Jesus is traveling through a community, Jaruis, a leader of the Jewish center there, calls out to Jesus and begs him for help. Jarius’ daughter is very sick, at the point of death and Jesus is her last hope. Jesus agrees to go and see the young girl.  On the way a very large crowd starts to gather around Jesus, seeking healing, help, understanding or even just a glimpse of him. One woman in the crowd, identified only as a person who was sick for 12 years and had lost everything trying to restore her health, reaches out, touches Jesus clothing and is healed.  Immediately after this, Jesus is aware that God’s power had acted in the crowd.  Jesus stops and asks “who touched me”.  The woman identifies herself and Jesus sends her back to her life with the joyful words “go in peace, your faith has made you well”. This is a very public miracle, seen by thousands and talked about in all different communities around the area.  Immediately after this, Jarius receives awful news, word comes that his daughter had died.  Like everyone else, Jarius knew that people of great faith and power could heal the sick but no one could raise the dead. Knowing this, he tells Jesus not to bother coming anymore, nothing could be done.  Jesus insists on going to see the girl anyway. This time, he dismisses the crowds and only takes a handful of followers with him.  What he was going to do at Jarius’ home is not going to be so public.   When Jesus arrives there, the home is filled with mourners, distraught and angry people asking why such a young girl, the child of such a good man had to die. Jesus  insists that the girl is not dead, just sleeping. Jesus brings a few people with him to see the girl and with the command “little girl, get up”, her life is restored. Jesus again insists that the handful of witnesses say nothing about it, sticking to the sort of ridiculous claim that the little girl was simply sleeping and Jesus woke her up.  

There is a good reason why healing the woman is a very public work while restoring Jarius’ daughter to life is done in secret.  Jesus knew that God’s power and love for all people would ultimately be revealed in suffering, through his death and resurrection, not by signs of power and miracles.  Those works of power would get people’s attention, would alleviate suffering, reveal God’s power to act in the world and empower people to go and do the same but those things would not be God’s ultimate revelation.  This is something we need to understand in order for today’s reading to make sense and fit into Mark’s Gospel.  Today we start with a milestone in Mark’s Gospel, the arrival at the villages of Ceasri Phillipi. This was the edge of the known  Jewish world at the time.  After Ceaseri Phillipi, Jesus would have reached everyone.   On the way, Jesus talks with the disciples, the people who followed him and had seen him heal, teach with great authority, cast out demons and express God’s love for all people. Jesus asks them 2 questions.  1: who do people say that I am and 2:  who do you say that I am.  Peter, knowing what he has seen and experienced,  answered the second question ‘You are the Messiah, the promised and long expected savior’.   Jesus does not really recognize the response, he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.   Again, Jesus would not be revealed as the Messiah because Peter thought so, he would be revealed as the Messiah through his death and resurrection.

After this great declaration of faith, Jesus assumes his followers are ready to hear the next thing, so he tells them that the Son of Man, this promised person who would restore the world, is going to be rejected, suffer, be killed and rise again. That is how God’s power and love will be revealed. Jesus is actually wrong here, the disciples were not ready to hear these things.  Peter pulls Jesus aside and yells at him, Peter’s savior is not going to endure these things, not if he can help it.  Jesus responds by calling Peter “Satan” and telling him to get out of the way.  Here Jesus is not calling Peter the devil complete with fire, horns and pitchfork.  The Hebrew word, H’satan literally means “obstacle” or “adversary” and that is exactly what Peter is being. He is so caught up with worldly things, with the ideas of the Messiah as Hero and King, he cannot accept a suffering savior, its just too much to deal with.  Jesus goes on to explain the power of God vs the power of this world, the difference between being obsessed with worldly things or Godly things: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”  After this, the conversation stops and Jesus gives his disciples time to absorb, understand and process.

Six days later, we come to the Transfiguration.  Transfiguration itself is a compound word from latin: trans meaning to change  and figura meaning form or appearance.   This is the moment where a handful of his followers witness a glimpse of Jesus glory. At this time, he is surrounded by Moses who represents the law and Elijah who represents the prophets.  Jesus role as the fulfillment of God’s plan for the world and promises to the people is visually confirmed.   This event is so secret and so powerful, only three of Jesus 12 disciples are invited to witness it. Like the raising of Jarius’ daughter from the dead, the transfiguration will also be kept very quiet. It will only be understood in light of Jesus death and resurrection, where Jesus true glory will be revealed.  In one of the few changes that Martin Luther made to the church year, he moved the transfiguration to the last Sunday of Epiphany so that it would be the last reading before Lent.   As people of faith, we are invited to remember who was born on Christmas,  that it is God with us who faces temptation in the wilderness, the transfigured who is subject to these trials, the one who could rule the world who is killed by it, the one who could easily escape the cross who dies on it,  

So far, this has been a lot of explaining and analysis,  so I would like to finish with some words  about what this means for us and  how we reveal God to the world.  There are a lot of church communities that teach something along the lines of  “if you are faithful, if you give lots of money and live a Christian life, you will be rewarded with wealth, success and all good things”  Here, the depressing and frightening opposite of that is true as well, if something bad happens, that means you are being punished for your sins, that you were not faithful enough and that God has turned on you.  That is exactly how Peter appears to feel.  Obviously, the Messiah will be immune to suffering of any kind and surely the true son of Man will be glorified and celebrated. Here, faith becomes little more than a magical way to get all of the worldly stuff we want and make ourselves feel special. 

This is not what Jesus teaches and this is not the work of the God Jesus reveals to us. With Jesus insistence on things like raising the dead and the transfiguration being kept quiet and with his insistence on God’s Glory being revealed by the cross, by his own death and resurrection. Jesus bring us into relationship with a God who is present with us in the suffering of this world.  Jesus never offers us a get out of suffering free card, Instead we are offered a note promising to be with us through all things and another one promising a place for us when the joy and suffering of this world is over. We are invited to experience the joy of knowing our sins are forgiven and realize that beats a new car, the comfort of knowing God loves all people and that beats wondering about being saved, the peace that comes from knowing God is with us always and that beats being popular.  As we enter the time of Lent together, we are called to take time to absorb, understand, process and be changed by these things.