Sermon Mark 1:29-39

What strikes me most about the start of today's gospel reading is its humanity. Like many of us, after worship we get together with a friend or with family who can not make it to worship. Jesus and the first disciples leave worship and head over to Simon-Peters house. His but obviously his mother-in-law could not come to worship because she was sick with a high fever.

It must have been the power Jesus showed at worship that made Simon-Peter ask him to heal her. You remember last week's reading right? While Jesus was teaching at worship a man with an unclean spirit cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God!" And Jesus rebuked him saying "Be silent, and come out of him! And convulsing, and crying out in a loud voice, the unclean spirit came out of him.

After such an event, Simon-Peter must have thought he might be able to help his mother-in-law. And so it says, Jesus took her by the hand, the fever left her and she began to serve them. Now all the "unclean spirit" part of the story is quite strange however did you notice that the events happen amid very common events in life; worshipping, visiting, eating together.

What strikes me is that Mark's gospel does not portray some great mythic battle between good and evil. Telling of good gods battling evil gods in some endless expression of the spiritual powers at war, but rather God's power is expressed here amid the day to day of living, in a specific time, in a specific and with real people.

And yet, what are we to make of all this talk of unclean spirits and demons? For the text says that everyone in the city came to Simon-Peters house with the sick and with those possessed by demons. While miracle healing is amazing enough to our generation, the idea of people being inhabited by demons is the stuff of fiction for many, especially for westerners with their love of scientific thinking.

Indeed, we in the United Church often avoid talk of demons or if we do talk we dismiss them with reason; "Oh those were people who were mentally ill or who had illnesses that were strange; like epilepsy." And, let's be fair, in some cases the demonic possessions sound a lot like certain mental disorders. Not that people who are mentally ill are possessed, but rather for Mark it was the best explanation for people who were suffering in explained ways.

And yet, we might be able to explain away demons with science, expect for one problem. Some of the demons and unclean spirits know who Jesus is and they know what his mission is about. They know that the days of their power over humanity is numbered. They know that in this Jew from Nazareth is someone who is more than a great teacher, more than a healer, more than a prophet, but the Holy One of God. The messiah, the Christ, the one with the power to bring about salvation for humanity. They know this is bad news for them and good news for humanity.

I like how earthy Mark's Gospel is. Sometimes this is missed in our English translation since the translators were being polite with the Greek. You see, when Jesus silences the demons, he doesn't say, "Be silent" or even "Be quiet", but rather he says what one says to a barking dog, "SHUT UP!". What do they say to loud dogs in Taiwan? {Wait for answer} That is what Jesus says to these demonic powers that plague humanity. No long debates, or verbal trickery or magic fight, but just, "Shut up and get out!"

Now we need to be careful in talking about demons since Hollywood has given us a popular image of the demonic in shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". We know the images of horned devils with nasty powers, freaky cat eyes, and sharp teeth. And of course with all sorts of magical powers and of course set on destroying the human race. And of course Buffy, the messiah of the show, with karate chops and kicks beats them up and destroys them with violence.

And yet, in the Bible, the story is different. Strangely enough Jesus shows no fear of these powers. He gives them no authority or regard but rather tells them to "shut up!" and to "get out!" A few words from Jesus, and they are no more. No punching, no magic, just the word from Jesus and they are gone from us.

But there are some connections between Hollywood and today's text. In both images of the demonic, they want to enslave and make us less than human. Of course, this is why in Mark's Gospel family members were bringing their loved ones to Jesus. They wanted to free them from that which was oppressing them; from that which was destroying these persons and disrupting their lives.

They knew that a word from Jesus or the gentle touch of his hand held a power to release them from the forces of chaos. And is that not what we too wish for? To be freed from illness, be it physical or mental. To be freed from the chaos of suffering, and hunger and poverty. To be freed from lies which create chaos in our lives and those around us.

One could argue that much of history is humanities struggle against the forces of chaos that plague humanity. This week the US might expand its war against the chaos of terrorism by warring with Iraq.

Indeed, we human beings will go to extraordinary efforts to free ourselves of chaos, yet however the harder we try to destroy chaos, the worse things become. In some ways we have some success. Throughout the past two thousand years, Christians have done much good for those who have suffered. Learning the Muslim invention of the hospital, we brought healing across the globe. Wasn't McKay in Taiwan a doctor? We also created schools so that the poor could rise out of their poverty. We created social programs, did you know that it was Christians who brought about Universal medical care in Canada. Jesus cared for the sick, so we should too.

However, we need to tell the truth about our Christian history too. There have been times when clearly we have tried to destroy what we thought was evil and in doing so unleashed hell on countless numbers of people. During the crusades, we killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Muslims who would not convert. And not just then, about five hundred years ago we said to native people in parts of North American, covert to being a Christian or be killed. And of course we engaged in many wars in order to "rid the world of evil". And yet, the vain promise of "a war to end all wars" in WWI brought instead a century of the worst violence in human history.

More than ever we need to listen and follow Jesus. Did you notice what he did in the text after healing people and casting out the demons? After Jesus, in his compassion, heals those with disease and demons for a full day, he gets up in the early morning to pray. While it was still dark and goes to a place alone and prayed.

The text doesn't say what he prayed; I wonder if he says nothing but just listens. An older Christian once said that praying was more about listening than asking from God. He said, "Most times just sit in silence and listen for what God wants you to know and do."

And so his companions find him praying and begin to tell him what he must do. "Everyone is searching for you." OK, Jesus, they are saying, it is time for you to really show them your power and to expand your popularity. That is what we want you to do, be successful.

And yet, Jesus will not let the disciples set the agenda. Did you notice that? He says, "Let's go on to neighbouring towns so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came to do." And he went through Galilee proclaiming the message in the places of worship and casting out demons.

It is interesting that Jesus message itself casts out the demons. You remember what Jesus was preaching? "The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe the good news." It is a simple message however as we shall see, all the forces of Hell will set themselves against this one from Nazareth. And still he will not respond to their chaotic fury with a punch, or kick or slash of the sword or dropping of a bomb, but rather he will speak the truth to them and to us even to the point of death on a cross. Where we expect him to crush evil and chaos with a divine army, instead he speaks the truth, even to the point of a death on the cross.

And to many, responding to evil in his way is folly; to respond to power with truth is insanity; and of course to die for one's enemies rather than fighting them to the last breath seems nothing less than absurd.

And yet, still we gather under the sign of the cross; the throne of God's power. We who have been called to proclaim the message of Christ's reign. We who are entrusted to proclaim to those around us that there is a way which can cast out the demons that deceive us and create chaos in the lives of humanity.

Proclaiming the Gospel starts in a simple way. Do you know that you are beloved? That God has welcomed you, just as you are, into a new way of life. Do you know that Jesus, the Holy One has called us friends, broken people like us, troubled people like us, sinners like us, friends We who could not make it to God by being rich enough, or smart enough, or popular enough or good enough. The kingdom of God has come near, come to us in Jesus Christ. If anyone, even yourself tells you that you are unworthy of life, tell them, "Shut up!". If someone says to another that they unlovable, tell them, "Shut up!" And of course, there is more to the story, and more to the Gospel, but at the core is God's love for a chaotic and broken world.

His kind of power may not be what the world expected but it is enough to claim us and make us sons and daughters of the most high God. To call us to share in God's mission as the very body of Christ. For when all is said, we are called to proclaim with our lives that the power and truth of God is at work setting us free and the whole world free death and destruction.

To follow this Holy One who does not destroy enemies, but rather gives his life for them, is the most important mission of all. While the world may not realize it and we may not yet realize it, but the church is the most important thing that is happening in New Westminster. I sincerely believe that. For we have been called to follow Jesus and witness to God's loving power at work in the world. And to be asked to share in the divine power and mission of Jesus love is the greatest news of all!

Sermon Mark 1:14-23
by James Love