Proper 5, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield
Proper 5, Yr B (2024) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield
1 Samuel 8:4-20, 11:14-15 St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Psalm 138
2 Cor 4:13-5:1
Mark 3:20-35
In the name of the one, holy, and living God:
in whom we live, and move, and have our being. Amen.
Many years ago,
when I was in my mid-20s and wasn’t afraid to open my front door to strangers,
I heard a knock
and opened the door to find several well-dressed folks standing on our front stoop.
When I saw the small pamphlet in one woman’s hand,
I knew I was being visited by the 7th-day Adventists who worshipped around the corner.
Now, being raised an Episcopalian,
I used to always get nervous when I knew folks would start quizzing me on Scripture.
So, I took a deep breath and said, “Good morning!”
They introduced themselves,
and then asked the first question.
I breathed a sigh of relief because I knew the answer to this question!
“Who is in charge of the world?” she asked.
God!
God is in charge of the world!
Apparently, that was NOT the correct answer to the question after all
because the woman handed me her pamphlet.
“Take a look at this,” she said.
I opened it up and began to read…
apparently Satan is in charge of the world.
That was a frightening thought
and one that I was sure was not correct…
at least that was not what I had heard in church or all those Sunday school classes.
I’m not sure where our conversation went after that,
but I do know that they didn’t convince me that God wasn’t in charge of the world.
Now many years later,
I’d say that Satan – evil – has more of a hold on this world than I care to see,
and I still believe that God is in charge!
Today’s gospel reading takes up the topic,
as do all the readings in their own way.
In each reading there seems to be a tug-of-war about who we think is in charge.
Mis-directed humanity seems to always want to take charge…
to have things our own way…
to not trust in God’s guidance and goodness and offer of abundant life.
In the reading from Samuel,
the Israelites are grumbling against the God who delivered them from slavery
and provided for them the wise leader of Samuel.
Now, they want a king so that they can be like every other nation,
even though Samuel tells them that a king will take everything from them:
their children, their crops, their servants, their animals.
Even so,
they insist on serving a king as their leader rather than serving God,
who will bestow upon them every good gift…
a God who will give them life,
not take it away from them.
In today’s gospel story, the scribes and even Jesus’ own family seem to be equally misguided.
Jesus’ family goes out to restrain him because folks are saying that
“he’s gone out of his mind”… “he’s crazy!”
The scribes claim that he has Beelzebul,
although Jesus rightly questions why,
if he is Satan, would he cast out Satan from others?
That is one of the reasons why they say he’s gone out of his mind:
that he is casting out demons from people!
And yet, so many people are gathering around Jesus and his disciples
that they don’t even have time to sit down and eat.
Folks have to cut a hole in the roof in order to get to him,
and he has to cast a boat into the sea to find a place to sit down and not be crushed.
All these folks know that something else is going on…
that Jesus is offering healing…
new life.
None of them are claiming that he’s “out of his mind.”
He is healing them.
Only the people afraid of losing power or control
or who feel uncomfortable with such power
are claiming that he’s lost it.
They think Jesus is not acting the way he’s supposed to.
Jesus continually breaks the rules,
and that makes people uncomfortable,
but he breaks the rules so that people can experience God’s grace.
He heals on the Sabbath.
When his disciples are hungry,
they pluck grain on the Sabbath,
breaking the “law” by “working” on the Sabbath.
He eats with sinners and tax collectors.
He touches lepers.
And because he is not following the “rules,”
he is deemed “crazy”…
even though he is offering healing and new life.
It is so strange how we humans insist on our own way,
even when new life stares us in the face!
Jesus says,
“Truly I tell you,
people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter;
but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an eternal sin.”
He says this because they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
I wonder:
Could it be that the unforgivable sin
is to negate, or deny, the work of the Holy Spirit?
Jesus was offering new life,
yet those who opposed him could not accept, or even allow for, such Grace.
Jesus offered…
and offers God’s healing love and grace to all who will accept it.
As Paul says,
“we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus.”
“So we do not lose heart.”
We do not lose heart
even though, at times, when we look at the world around us,
it seems like Satan is in control of the world.
It is not true.
God is in control of the world,
and God offers us healing and new life.
Jesus breaks the rules… the “law,”
in order to break down the barriers that keep hurting and broken people cast aside.
Jesus goes into our dark places of loneliness and fear and pain
to bear the light of God’s healing love.
If we are able to say with the confidence of the Psalmist:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart…
“I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your Name,
because of your love and faithfulness….
“When I called, you answered me;
you increased my strength within me….
“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe…”
Then we will be able to not only accept God’s gift of life
but will also be able to extend that gift to others.
Jesus says, “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
The will of God is life and Light.
Will we accept it?
Will we share it?
How do we do that?
Each of us bears gifts that bring life and Light into this world.
I invite you to consider the following questions when you think about St. Andrew’s:
What do you value about this community?
What would help you to grow in your life of faith?
In what ways do we, and can we, extend the Good News of God in Christ to others?
Let us continue to dream and to work together for the coming of God’s kingdom.
I look forward to our journey together in this world in which
God loves us,
God forgives us,
God embraces us,
and God offers us eternal life. Amen.
