“First Impressions,” Rev. Melissa St. Clair, 2/1/15
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https://heartoftherockies.org/wp-content/uploads/_file_mp3/718602-8543e432.mp3“First Impressions”
A sermon preached at
Heart of the Rockies Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Fort Collins, CO
by the Rev. Melissa St. Clair
February 1, 2015
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
“Your reputation precedes you.”
Jesus lived in a time before such phrases were cliché, but not before they were actually true.
We read from Mark’s gospel this morning an account of Jesus’ first public act of ministry. He’s already been baptized and spent 40 days in the wildness facing down Satan. He’s even called his first disciples. John has been telling anyone who would listen about Jesus. Mark is sparse on the details – as is his MO – but it seems safe to say that people had at least heard Jesus’ name by the time he showed up at the synagogue in Capernaum.
READ MARK 1:21-28
The evergreen tree sat in the corner, the rainbow of colors already cascading from each limb shimmering in the sunlight that streamed through the sanctuary window. It didn’t look like your typical Christmas tree. And it was this time of year, a little past Christmas tree season, anyway. Of course, this wasn’t your typical congregation, I quickly learned. The church I attended my first year of seminary, before I was placed in a congregational ministry setting, was unlike any I’d been a part of before.
The ribbons on the tree, I came to find out, represented the various “-isms” that plague our world – race, class, orientation, gender, ethnicity, creed, physical and mental health and ability. Each week, the congregation would be invited to tie a new color of ribbon on the tree, as prayers committing to combatting these “–isms” were prayed.[1]
I’d never had such an experience in worship.
I’m guessing the people gathered at the synagogue in Capernaum that day Jesus showed up for the first time could’ve said the same thing.
A “new teaching” was the liturgy for that day. Now I’ve not been preaching all that long. Just long enough to know that “new teachings” are not always met with the most enthusiastic reception. The teaching of the scribes would be familiar, traditions that had been passed down through generations. The way things have always been done. The way things have always been done is not always a bad way. It is, however, a different way than the one Jesus proclaims.
That tends to get people’s attention.
I’m guessing that no matter what you’ve learned about Jesus throughout your journey of discipleship, there’s still a part of each of our brains that defaults to picturing Jesus as the sweet, gentle shepherd holding a lamb in his cradled arms, a la your Sunday School classroom growing up.
I think it’s safe to say that the Jesus Mark introduces us to is not your Sunday School Jesus.
My limited capacity for movie-watching is significantly impacted by my amazing capacity to fall asleep just about any time, anywhere. This especially holds true for action movies. Ironic, isn’t it? Anyway, from what I understand, action movies have several important qualities. They are characterized by:
- tremendous impact
- continuous high energy
- lots of physical stunts and activity
- rescues, battles, fights
- spectacular rhythm and pacing and
- adventurous heroes[2]
By these criteria, the gospel of Mark is ripe material for an action screenplay. And Jesus is right in the middle of the action. More than that, he’s the impetus for it.
Consider that Jesus’ first public act of ministry is one of confrontation. It’s pretty clear from the start that it’s an unevenly matched fight, and the odds are stacked squarely in Jesus’ favor. That unclean spirit didn’t stand a chance.
“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?” the unclean spirit cried out.
Jesus’ answer? A resounding YES.
It’s an answer he gives time and time again, in quick succession throughout Mark’s gospel. Euthys is the Greek word that gets translated in a variety of ways in English – then, at once – if not omitted all together eventually. But euthys really only means one thing in Greek: immediately. Immediately, immediately, is the steady drumbeat that keeps Mark’s gospel moving along.[3] It’s like Jesus knows he doesn’t have a lot of time to do what he came to do, and so he doesn’t waste any time. (Although notably, he does take plenty of time pray.)
Jesus doesn’t do battle in a violent sense, but it’s pretty clear that in Mark’s view, he isn’t even a little bit shy about opposing the forces that do harm to the ones he loves, which is to say, all of us. And all of God’s people.
In fact, we see throughout Mark’s gospel a Jesus that is fierce in his solidarity with those who, by virtue of class or circumstance, are seen as less-than. He doesn’t hesitate to destroy the demons he sees at work in the world around him – social isolation, damaging labels and stereotypes, gender inequality, lawful living solely for lawful living’s sake. Jesus doesn’t seek to destroy for the sake of wreaking havoc; rather, it’s for sake of full humanity. That all may be known for who they are – a beloved child of God – regardless of how society labels them.
And society isn’t short on labels. In 1944, George and Carl played on opposing football teams in their hometown of Gary, Indiana. George played for the all-black Roosevelt High School. Carl played for the all-white Horace Mann High School. It was a hard-fought game when the two schools were pitted against one another. Carl’s team, the all-white Horace Mann, won. At the end of the game, with the fans watching, Carl extended his hand to George to congratulate him for a game well played. This was an act not so well received by all in a town split by Jim Crow. It was, however, the beginning of a life-long friendship
After they both served in World War II, Carl and George returned to their home state to play football for Indiana University – this time on the same team.
George recalls a time the two went to the movies together. It was a Tuesday. George decided that he was not going to obey segregation signs. He knew that Carl could sit downstairs. And so he took a screwdriver and removed the sign that said “colored.” He still has that sign to this day.[4]
Boundaries that painfully obvious can take more than a screwdriver to truly dismantle.
We’re pretty darn good at creating boundary lines that draw some people in and others out, sometimes subtle other times, not so much. And yet each and every boundary we try to put in place, we think is in place, even the boundary we are convinced is impenetrable, God bursts through.
Political parties
Social stigmas
Religious righteousness
Ethnic ethnocentrism
Racial ranking
Sexual stereotypes
Gender gaps
Illness isolation
All of them. Shattered.
Even the final boundary – death – is not beyond God’s ability to bust. We call that resurrection.[5]
When we work to break down boundaries that draw some people in and others out, we can be confident we’re doing it on good authority.
The authority Jesus exercised in the temple that day he commanded the unclean spirit out had less to do with power in the way the world wants it – with control, dominance, and clout – and more to do with a willingness to do what needs to be done to see justice served.[6]
Each time we commit to that work, each time we break down a boundary, we build up the kingdom of God.
Where does work like this begin? It begins by seeing boundaries where they exist. Naming them. And committing to taking a step over that line. It doesn’t have to be huge to start. Tools of the trade have included things as simple as a handshake, a screwdriver, and a ribbon, remember?
Whatever small step we take, God multiplies.
Because “in the presence of Jesus, demons lose their power and qualities of the realm of God prevail.”[7]
[1] Details from this experienced refreshed from liturgyoutside.net/RainbowFish.html#2003.
[2] From www.filmsite.org/actionfilms.
[3] Gary W. Charles, Feasting on the Word, Year B, Vol. 1, 309.
[4] Story by Josh Elliot aired on the Today show, NBC, on Friday, January 30, 2015. Watch here.
[5] Karoline Lewis, Dear Working Preacher, “Exorcisms for Our Day,” Sunday, January 25, 2015. Read full post here. Alliteration mine.
[6] Mike Graves, Feasting on the Word, Year B, Vol. 1, 313.
[7] Ron Allen, The Life of Jesus Today, 60.