July 7, 2024 Sermon
Sermon title: “No Respect!”
Scripture: Mark 6:1-13
(Other lectionary suggestions include II Samuel 5:1-5 and 9-10, Psalm 48, and II Corinthians 12:2-10.)
Mark 6:1-13
The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
1He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” 5And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6And he was amazed at their unbelief.
The Mission of the Twelve
Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Some of you may remember the comedian, Rodney Dangerfield. One of his memorable lines was, “I don't get no respect!” Well, I called today's sermon, “No Respect!” because Jesus doesn't get any respect at his hometown synagogue. What he experienced seems to be what lots of famous people experience when they go home. Perhaps it's a jealousy that YOU made something of your life and I did not, or maybe there's this almost automatic belief that you CAN'T be famous because I remember when you were this little kid.
I had some of these feelings after graduating from high school and going on to college. The basketball team when I was in high school was sort of mediocre - but a few years later the team at my high school was REALLY GOOD, and the players I remembered as little grade school kids were now REALLY GOOD high school players! And I was tempted to say, “You were just a scrawny little kid the last time I saw you, and now you are contending for a state championship!” So maybe I was envious, and maybe those people at Jesus' synagogue were a little envious, too. And besides, he was telling them stuff that they didn't want to hear. No wonder they gave him a hard time!
Interesting, too, I thought that we were told that “he could do no deed of power there.” Also, Jesus was amazed at their unbelief. Apparently, God can do everything EXCEPT if we don't believe! Apparently, you and I need to be participants with God. We can't do it alone. But also, GOD can't do it alone, either! Or maybe God WON'T do it alone without us. Something to think about, perhaps.
Not to let you and me off the hook, but if even Jesus was thwarted by those who didn't or wouldn't believe, perhaps we shouldn't beat ourselves up too much if sometimes we fail at something that we try to do. I'm not saying that we can blame others for our own inability - but keep in mind that sometimes Jesus had to have been disappointed in something he wanted to do. Also, perhaps the author of the Gospel of Mark is reminding us ahead of time that eventually Jesus the Messiah would be unwelcome in his House, the Temple in Jerusalem.
Most of us, I think, probably picture Jesus as a lonely and solitary figure. He was, of course, during the Crucifixion and the events leading up to it. But actually, if you noticed the Scripture reading for today, he may have come from a fairly large family! As the reading says, isn't he the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, “and are not his sisters here with us?” So, he may have had a lot of blood relatives. He was, of course, the oldest. Otherwise, there goes the Doctrine of the Virgin Birth! Seriously, it's quite possible that he did have a lot of brothers and sisters. In fact, many of these family members were important in the life of the early church. Two of his great-nephews during the reign of the Emperor Domitian in the 90s of the first century were hauled before the authorities and accused of being members of a royal family. But they were let off when it was discovered that they had rough hands, because they were laborers!
The most famous of Jesus's brothers was James, who possibly wrote the New Testament book of the same name. During Jesus's earthly life, he was not a believer. (Think about it: somebody says, “Hey, your brother is the Messiah!” What's a rebelling younger brother going to say, other than, “Right!”) Anyway, I Corinthians 15:7 says the resurrected Christ appeared to his brother, and James became the anchor of the Jerusalem church while Peter and Paul were traveling in their attempts to spread the Gospel. And I think James was martyred for his faith.
Another thing we heard in today's Scripture reading is of Jesus beginning to send out the disciples in pairs.
Most of us think, and rightly, I think, that most of what is written in the Bible is good for everybody at all times. The Ten Commandments comes to mind, and also the Beatitudes. Both have good information for everybody and at all times and places. However, the last part of today's Scripture reading is NOT for all people at all times and places. Jesus was giving specific instructions for a specific assignment. That's why he told his disciples to take no bread, no bag, and no cash - and if they weren't received, get the heck outa Dodge and move on to the next town! Time was of the essence. People needed to repent, and if they didn't, don't argue. Keep on moving.
Jesus knew that some people would not be receptive, but he didn't want his disciples to waste time arguing with those who weren't going to repent anyway. The point was to get the message out as soon as possible and to visit as many locations as possible.
Jesus was trying to do three things. He was trying to drum up support, he wanted to give as many people as possible the chance to repent, and he was doing the groundwork for what would happen in the aftermath of the great catastrophe. That would be, of course, the destruction of the Temple and Rome's obliteration of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
So, Jesus was giving specific instructions to a specific group of people for a specific purpose. We in the 21st century should not think that Jesus was speaking to you and me. In other words, don't go on a trip with only one change of clothes, and don't expect people to take you in and feed you. Some people have tried that because it says other people did so in the Bible. Things did not go so well for them. Sometimes things said in the Bible are for everybody, and sometimes they are not. What we heard at the end of today's lesson was NOT for everybody! Amen.
Pastor Skip
