SCRIPTURE: Mark 9:38-50
TEXT: 39But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. THEME: Treat everyone with kind regard, God maybe teaching us something. INTRODUCTION In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is revealing a life beyond the one we are living, for something renewing with God and with others. SCRIPTURE Someone was casting out demons in Jesus’ name. John was surprised as this person was not with them. Jesus doesn’t seem as alarmed. Let them be. God is working through that person; they are on God’s side and part of what God is doing. This reveals the complexity of God’s working in multiple ways, through multiple people, in a variety of settings. We get the story of how God works though the family of Abraham and Sara, but could God also work through other families, people and cultures? Could God through the Holy Spirit work in the spirituality of people to draw them to God’s self? I think of the agape concept of love that was held by the Hawaiians called Aloha or the sense of the God of Creation through the Lakotas with the Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka. Imagine what we could have learned about God if colonizers listened first, instead of trying to convert the conquered with their version of God? Jesus seems to be okay with other people’s journey of discovery with God, learning about himself, and the work of the Spirit through their lives. Interesting, it is not about controlling God as it is about God’s work being active beyond our understanding, our culture and our experience. There is a sense of preserving what we know about God and there is also a discovery of who God is through a variety of sources such as science, nature, wisdom, life, cultural revelations and others experiences of the sacred and the holy. Jesus warns us to be discerning so we don’t become an obstacle to someone else’s relationship with God. Sometimes our conception of God is limited to preserve our own beliefs rather than considering something different that would expand our view of God. APPLICATION How is our faith lived beyond the preservation what we believe? Wayne Cordero, the pastor of Hope Chapel said, “To lead in the church, you have to keep on reading.” In other words, we have to keep learning in order to lead the church. We have to relate our faith to what is going on in the world and find God’s truth in how to live in these challenging times. This is why the TIA had sponsored the ETCL events, bringing seminary professors here to conduct workshops for us. And why programs like CTEL via the internet from PSR are important for our continued learning. Our theology evolves and can never contain everything there is to know about God. Over the years, Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu and the Dali Lama, two inspirational world religious icons have become friends. When Krista Tippet ask Archbishop Tutu about this friendship, he responded by saying that his God is far greater than what his Christianity could contain. In other words, there are things that Archbishop Tutu can learn about God from the Dali Lama. Our faith has more to it than preservation. Missionaries brought Christian Endeavor to Micronesia but when they left, the Micronesians were left trying to preserve the faith they received. Their Christian faith became locked in time. Preserved, regulated, protected, resisting change or evolution over the years. Stagnant of new thoughts, insights or discussions that would help their faith grow with the changes of the people. Instead, their faith was regulated and controlled by being held to an old colonial standard and culture. The last key to help us to have a faith that is not only preserving what we believe but is being informed by what God is doing is to be discerning. This is why when John, seeing someone who is not with them, doing things in the name of Jesus, he questions it and asks. We do the same by taking our questions to Jesus in prayer. Then Jesus discerns what John has seen as people are being freed from their demon possession. Jesus is given credit for this powerful work; this will also draw people to God. For the hearer of this passage, as well as for us, this is legitimizing what we do as part of Jesus’ continued ministry through us. Since Jesus is not around in the same way to give us a definite answer, we must depend on each other. We bring our “What about this...?” kind a questions to each other and ask for others to engage in this discernment together. We check the Bible to see if something there might help shed some light to what we are wondering about. We listen to see what God may be telling us. We read what other Christians around the world may be doing about what we are wondering about. And then we try it out and see what the results of our participations are like. I always try to be in the company of people who are smarter than myself. It makes me look smarter. The former resident theologian of the Catholic Church in Hawaii and I served on Molokai at the same time. During the time when a movement was brewing in the Catholic Church about Mary, the mother of Jesus becoming a “co-redemptrix” along with Jesus, I bumped into him at St. Anthony’s. I asked him what he thought about Mary being a “co-redemptrix” with Jesus and he gave me a thumbs down. Then he said, “Anything that takes you away from Jesus is no good.” I like that, simple, plain, and a good theological grid to carry. Why carry the burden of another step to get to Jesus? To that point, we do not do the work of discernment by ourselves, we need to engage with others, to listen, to discuss, to convince, to journey with us in our crazy ideas about God, to confirm the fruits of the spirit being displayed, to witness love, so we all can share this understanding and experience of God. CONCLUSION One commentator said that this part of Mark was added on later. Maybe for the continued ministry of Jesus being done through us and others. Expanding the parameters of the ministry of the disciples to include us; as a witness to what Jesus is doing in our time, of what Jesus is doing through our culture and to what Jesus is doing in our setting so far away from the Middle East. What we know about Jesus is more than trying to preserve our faith but to continue to learn, expanding our theological boundaries to take us to new discoveries and living expressions of what it means to love God and to love our neighbors.
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SCRIPTURE: Mark 9:30-37
TEXT: 37a“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me,” THEME: Live love over greatness. INTRODUCTION In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus shows us a life beyond the one we are living. Jesus encourages us to look at the tradition and rituals we hold and discover the meaning behind them, so we can live beyond our culture. The Realm of God goes beyond our boundaries of culture, territory, race, religion, sex, prejudice, status, power and more, as he casts out demons from the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter and heals the deaf man in Gentile country. Jesus points us to a life of love; towards something we can give our heart to. Beyond human things to divine things. In today’s passage Jesus encourages us to live beyond the world’s notions of greatness. SCRIPTURE Jesus is not finished telling the disciples about the kind of Messiah he is. He will be betrayed, handed over to human hands who will kill him and three days later, he will rise again. The disciples didn’t want to ask him about what this meant because they saw what happened to Peter when he quested Jesus on the way to Caesarea Philippi. Pretending to have understood what Jesus was saying, they ended up arguing about who was the greatest among them. When they got to Capernaum, Jesus asked the what they were arguing about. Needless to say, they were embarrassed when they had to admit to Jesus they were arguing about greatness. What they were giving their heat to, was for themselves, to be great and not like Jesus who was giving his heart, to the lives and betterment of others. In the house they were staying in, Jesus took a little child and put it among them. Taking it in his arms, he said, “Whoever welcomes on such child in my name welcomes me.” There is no benefit to us, to care for a child. We protect, shelter, clean, feed, clothe, comfort and love them. Not for ourselves but for their benefit. As we hold them dear to ourselves, we foster a relationship of love. Traci Blackmon, our Associate General Minister of Justice & Local Church Ministries for The United Church of Christ, talked about at tribe in Kenya, called the Maasai. Their traditional greeting is asking, “How are the Children?” They believe that the vitality of any people is rooted in how well the children are doing. Are they fed, healthy, happy educated, playing, safe? Or are they missing, dirty, abused, hurting and sad? APPLICATION Can you see how welcoming a child, is the way Jesus want us to engage in life? When we stop thinking about what people think of us, what freedom do we have to live apart from the judgements of others? Yesterday, as we were having lunch, Samm and I watched Snow White on Disney+. The difference between Snow White and the Queen, was that Snow White was not looking for Greatness. She was willing to serve others, cleaning the Seven Dwarfs’ home and cooking for them. She was willing to do things for others and not for herself. At the end, (spoiler alert) it was “True Love’s kiss” that brought her back to life. Is this a metaphor for Christ’s Love, that brings resurrection? Christ’s true love kiss for us that led to the cross and beyond. This is what Jesus was trying to convey to his disciples as he talked about the events in Jerusalem, his death and resurrection. Christ’s love for is not so much romantic, as it is powerful. My new CTEL class on Ethics, had us listen to an On Being podcast where its host, Krista Tippet interviewed Senator John Lewis in 2013. He didn’t talk about ‘good trouble’ as much as he spoke about an African proverb, “When you pray, move your feet.” Before the protests, they were trained in the ways of non-violence. They were trained how to cover their head and the vulnerable parts of their body from blows. They were trained with other religious teachings on non-violence. They looked their oppressors in the eye to spark a view of the divine in their humanity. They helped others who were in trouble. They tried to smile even when spat upon. They never gave up on anyone. His words humbled me as he spoke about boarding the freedom bus, they were ready to die. At the bridge at Selma, he thought he was going to be arrested not beaten. This is what he gave his heart to. To make a difference in our United States, for a change in our society, for a better life together with all. A powerful love that in whatever happened to them, they responded with love, kindness and a sense of faith. This is the power of someone who takes the Love of Jesus and lives it in their lives. This is the story of God’s incarnate in Jesus, ministering, healing and teaching among us. This is the story of God giving God’s heart to us. Love coming in flesh and blood to be around us in Jesus. John Lewis taking this love and advocating for a nonsegregated America. For us taking the Love of God to love our neighbors, by taking what we have, and providing the leadership to have a few rental units built, to offer food to those who have more month than money, to pray by adding our feet in action to those prayers. CONCLUSION It is hard for us to imagine a life different from the one we are living. But we have stories of those who have given their hearts to something more. We can expand our vision of what is possible. Jesus did not want to be king. He was a different kind of Messiah. Jesus’ life and ministry held us in his heart. His love for us brings us to God and shows us how to live love. Jesus shows us how to live in loving ways with God and with our neighbor. Redemption is lived in vibrant relationships of reconciliation. Jesus’ followers; Peter, John, James, Philip, Paul. Mary, Martha, Martin Luther King Jr., Senator John Lewis, Mother Teressa, and Wailuku Union Church, give their hearts to God, to live love instead of greatness. SCRIPTURE: Mark 8:27-38
TEXT: 33But 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.” THEME: The price of love might include suffering. INTRODUCTION Moving through the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is expanding all kinds of boundaries. I used to see Jesus’ ministry as an invasion encroaching the boundaries of Satan’s occupation. But Jesus is not just venturing into the territory of the Gentiles, but into the boundaries in the minds of the People of God. Invading boundaries of tradition and cultures that have formed creating prejudice reservations. In this periscope, Jesus is expanding the boundaries of our own thinking. SCRIPTURE I imagine the walk up to Caesarea Philippi lined with Cedar trees as this crew of Jesus’ disciple walk along this path while Jesus asks, “Who do people say that I am?” If we were making a movie of this, we would zoom in on Peter’s puzzled face and then to a ‘flashback’ sequence, at high speed of all that Peter had seen, done and heard with Jesus from the first time that he heard his voice on the fishing boat until now. Teaching, healing, preaching, leading, theological discussion, caring, feeding 5000, calming the seas, encounters with sinners, tax collectors, the crowds, the ill, the sick and demon possessed. The battle between old time entrenched religion and something fresh and new in living with God. All spinning faster and faster in his mind until he blurts out, “You are the Messiah!” Jesus is pleased by his answer, but cautions him not to tell anyone, because not everyone is ready for this information and this could get you killed. Jesus then takes the lead, by taking a Messianic reference of ‘Son of Man’ to speak about the suffering, rejection, death and rising that is to come. Peter is really confused now. His head is ready to explode, so he pulls Jesus to himself and says, “Don’t talk like this”. But Jesus even more forcible says,” The selfishness of this world blinds us to think only about ourselves, but there is so much more for us when we live love for God and others.” Consider this love. Consider a love so great, that it desires the very best for us, and is not deterred by the suffering it causes, because of the very best it creates. Selfishness creates a world that has very little impact for good. Everything that selfishness creates can be taken away. Love creates good for others that cannot be taken away. Love is relational, and our relationship with God has eternal consequences. So, when we read this passage about bearing our cross, it is not about what we are willing to die for, but it is about what can we give our heart to. It is about living love. APPLICATION Jesus invites us to place our focus on divine things. What change to our actions do divine things bring? Our journey with God is to live love. This will lead us at times of episodes of suffering, in order to bringing about something good. Flossing our teeth can really hurt our gums but if we do this, we won’t get cavities, or the poke in the arm to receive the vaccine is a fearful thing, but if it has the potential of preventing me from spreading this deadly virus to someone I love, it’s worth that risk or facing a humiliating admission of wrong so reconciliation can take place with forgiveness. Living love means standing up for what is right even before everyone else is enlightened to see things from its righteousness. Human things are about selfishness; greed, power, popularity and the accumulation of stuff. Divine things are about relationships and loving one another. We bear the cross of being loved by God and loving others. In the movie RED (Retired and Extremely Dangerous) a team of retired agents are trying to figure out who is trying to kill them. As they head towards danger, John Malkovich’s character asks Bruce Willis, “Are we going to get killed there?” Bruce responds, “Is that a problem?” John says, “No, I’m just saying.” Off they go to uncover a conspiracy. They are willing to die to keep each other safe (Love). Don’t tell anyone but loving others could get you killed. As we neared the 20th anniversary of the bombing of the Twin Towers in New York, NPR interview a veteran who served in Afghanistan after 9/11. Upon his return he got a teaching degree and has been teaching in his home town for the past 10 years. One of the classes he teaches is on 9/11 Many of his students don’t make the connection with the bombing of the towers and the War in Afghanistan. Before this interview, as he got dressed for work, he saw a group of women protestors being whipped on TV. Fearful of being repressed by the new Taliban government they took to the streets to protest their liberties being taken away and they were whipped in the streets. He questioned why our armed forces were there. This made me think about the women suffragettes who protested for the right to vote in the U.S and in Britain. Culture is a difficult thing to change but it can with a long persistent effort, conquering nations have tried to change the culture of Native American Indians and Hawaiians. Their nations may not remain, but their culture does. The change of culture comes when the pain is so great changes have to be made or by a new perspective that inform us to leave something behind for doing things in a new way. We are beginning to see this taking place in protest by these Afghanistan women. They are a valuable resource to the development of the new Taliban regime, as they move their culture towards change beyond human boundaries and into divine territory. CONCLUSION As Peter identifies Jesus as the Messiah, it is inconceivable that he will die when they get to Jerusalem. The Kingdom of God that Jesus brings, is not a conquering rule over every nation, but that in every nation of the world there would be followers of the Messiah who would permeate their people and move their culture, thinking, values, nation towards divine things over human things. Divine things that they can give their hearts towards. To evolve beyond human boundaries and towards divine matters such as their relationship with God. This may seem like so little change after 20 years of occupation, but this is what I believe is happening in Afghanistan with women protesting for their rights. They cannot go back to the way thing had been. They are educated, valued contributing members of society and want to be treated as such. A protest for women’s rights would not have happened 20 years ago. This is a short time for any culture to change, but there it is. We need to pray for those who are living love, in ways that will make them suffer for a change in their culture and country for something more divine. SCRIPTURE: Mark 7:24-37
TEXT: 29Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” THEME: God’s mission goes beyond our reservations. INTRODUCTION This is the second sermon in the series named “Life Beyond”. Last week we saw how what Jesus brings, can go beyond the traditions we practice. This week we find that Life with God is not just for our relatives or natives but extends beyond our cultural, region, and racial boundaries. SCRIPTURE Jesus moves into the Roman Providence of Syrophoenicia. He didn’t want to be noticed, but a woman whose daughter had an unclean clean spirit immediately hears about him and goes to the house where he was staying to ask him to cast the demon out of her daughter. When our kids are sick, we are desperate. And when medical options have been exhausted, desperate hope makes us look towards to other sources of healing. This Greek mother, from a Roman Providence did not let any of that prevent her from putting her hope in a Jewish Rabbi who had been doing miracles and casting out demons. Finding out that he is in her village, she begs at Jesus’ feet, to cast the demons out of her daughter. Jesus reply is insulting, “The Children of God first, then to everyone.” He even positions her in the status with the dogs who eat the crumbs that fall off a supper table. But love and desperation has opened her eyes to what Jesus can do for her daughter. Jesus’ ministry may have been focused on the Jews, but that doesn’t mean that others have not heard, witnessed and believe in what God was doing through Jesus. The truth of God in Jesus is found in every crumb of truth. What Jesus can do is not limited just to the Jews, but is for all people. She has seen through Jesus’ guise as he says to her, “for saying that you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” He didn’t have to lay hands or see the girl, all he had to do was speak the words and it was so. Breaching spiritual, racial, gender, and religious plains. This is a break through as now the Gospel is no longer just for Israel’s children, but for all. One of the fears the Community may have about our Wailuku Mission Housing project, is that if we are allowed to do this on our property, then what is to stop other churches from trying to do the same on their properties. Creating a density to Wailuku Town that would cause it to lose its charm. The difference being, a church sensitive to our community and our neighbors, not a developer creating affordable housing, whose goal is not profits, but servicing our neighbors in desperate need of housing, and creating an in road to making living on Maui possible for locals, by breaching the high cost of housing. The other comment I heard about this concern was. “Isn’t this what is needed?” Then Jesus left for Tyre through Sidon, when a man who is deaf and with a speech impediment is brought to Jesus. There is no clever banter to convince Jesus to act mercifully, that has already been done. Jesus takes him aside in private and opens his ears and releases his tongue. Immediately He could hear and speak plainly. Jesus tells his friends, his family, the observers not to tell anyone, but they are so excited for their friend/relative/ stranger, they zealously proclaim what Jesus has done. Astounded beyond measure they cannot contain themselves or be prevented from talking about the excellence of Jesus. A natural enthusiasm that crosses the boundaries of self-control with joy, amazement, gladness for what God has done for others, being witnesses of God’s great works. When we see God at work, we have to tell somebody. This is a natural part of our nature to worship. APPLICATION We are included in the life Jesus brings with God. Jesus helps us to be transformed and for our situations to be changed with healing. Jesus expands the boundaries of God’s love to all. A multiracial worshipping community. Inclusive mission field. How does Jesus’ expansiveness of ministry open up our boundaries for ministry? How are the boundaries of our church expanded to include others who come from different backgrounds? I think our theology is evolving and other churches’ theology may not serve them in the future, but even though we may have a growing understanding of what it means to be a Christian, we are to be gracious, accepting and tolerant with others because if what we believe does not get translated into how we treat others then we are meaningless. Thinking about this, the sermon could have been entitled “Beyond Reservations”. Jesus moves beyond his initial reservations of helping the Syrophoenician Mother until he had that humanizing chat with her. I was listening to Krista Tippet’s interview with Mexican writer Luis Alberto Urrea, in this Pod cast he talked about Borders as Liminal Spaces. We create these borders with our fear, hate and dehumanization of the other. But when asked about how move beyond these boundaries of religion, voting, and sexuality, he said, it is with empathy and love. It begins by just talking to human beings. Then we will discover, everybody has a dream, everybody has people that they love. And everybody has pain. His hope for the world is to be like Star Trek, Where the stranger in the dark is waving a hand to say hello and not to harm. To be able to appreciate someone else’s culture, music, cuisine, or even to listen about their religion and discover what is interesting about it. A world where we evolve into enjoying each other more. On Friday the Preschool called me about a man who had laid down on the sidewalk in front of my office, who said that he was mugged. While evacuating the students on a fire drill they called the police and 911. I was the first one on the scene. As I neared the top of the steps I said, “Hi, can I help you, are you alright?” He said, are you the Pastor? I said yes, then he told a story of being mugged and robbed. How he was hurt and needed food, protein, shampoo, and clothes. I told him that I would check the food pantry. He had been there before and he showed me his Id. I rummaged through the cupboards and got him some canned meats, beans, and water and He gratefully took the bag and said he was going to join the party in front of the State Building. As he walked away, a police officer appeared from Aupuni street and when he saw there was no incident he left. Sometimes all we have to do is listen to someone’s story. The Love of Christ engages us in conversation. CONCLUSION We all have our reservations about somethings, situations, people, others. Even though we have those reservations, we can move beyond them and find out what’s going on, what the story is, and then we can choose how we want to respond. I don’t agree with the mask less freedom fighters who were having a party in front of the State building, but I can identify with their fear of wanting to protect children, and how they don’t like it when someone is telling them what to do. I think they are going about it the wrong way but they are afraid, and maybe just by listening to their story we might discover a bit of humanity to enjoy. Our mission is not to colonize them into the Star Trek Federation, but to let them evolve on their own without our telling them what to do. Maybe by our example, of exploring their religion, listening to their dreams, tasting their food and identifying their pain, we might find something to enjoy about their humanity and be inspired to something different with God. |
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April 2024
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