Pentecost 17

Pentecost 17 (Mark 9:3-37)  “What were you arguing about?”

People argue about everything. The most intense arguments focus on the trivial and the transcendent- neither of which have answers in this world of duality.

The apostles argued over who is in charge. They had heard Jesus tell about his death and resurrection- the very essence of the Plan of Salvation. They did not understand his teaching. They were afraid to ask him to explain. Their fear was grounded in their pride. They were the chosen. They were the righteous elite for the coming kingdom. They could not admit their confusion. And, they were afraid of what Jesus might say.

The apostles worked within a system of belief fueled by pride and activated by self-will. Questions were an admission of failure. The only thing worse than a question was the admission they might be wrong. As with so many of their generation they not only believed they knew that God was on their side. They knew that they had been chosen- chose to rule, to judge and to exclude the unrighteous.

Jesus presented them an opportunity to accomplish their goals and the goals of their nation. There was one problem. Jesus did not use the vocabulary of power. He welcomed everyone. He healed everyone. He fed everyone. He even spoke with people and had dinner with people who were notorious sinners.

Such behavior confused the apostles and enraged the religious and political elites.

How dare he speak with women and teach women. Everyone knew that God created man and man alone in his image. He created woman from man’s rib to serve not to walk with man as an equal.

How dare he heal gentiles? Everyone knew that God judged Gentiles as unworthy of divine favor.

How dare he heal the blind, the lame, and the lepers? Everyone knew that these afflictions were punishments for sin. By healing sinners Jesus was endorsing sin.

How dare he speak of his coming death and resurrection? Everyone knew the Messiah would have the power to impose divine law on Israel. Everyone knew the Messiah would conquer the Gentile nations, enslave them and enrich Israel. Everyone knew the true Messiah had the power to debase his enemies and reward his friends.

The Bible is very clear. The great obstacle to faith is not doubt. It is belief. It is a form of belief that asks no questions. Through pride, this form of belief ignores all contradictory data and new data. It develops a rigid inflexible and uncompromising religious and political system.

The apostles were lost in this form of belief as indeed everyone then and everyone now is lost in this form of belief. Wisdom begins with a question. The disciples of Jesus seldom asked questions. They argued amongst themselves over the meaning of what Jesus said and did.

Jesus did not come to earth to endorse any one nation, religion or system of belief or list of behaviors. He came to save. He came to save humanity from the terrible consequences of the choice we made and continue to make to separate from God.

The lost are lost in pride and self-will. We are lost in the pursuit of power. The apostles argued amongst themselves over who among them would have the highest positions in the new world order they knew Jesus was about to institute. They argued over who would be in charge because they could only think of God in terms of power.

Jesus scandalized his generation by speaking of God in terms of love. Jesus used the language of the Prophets which is the language of personal relationships. He spoke of himself as the Bridegroom who had come to seek his bride who had walked away from him. He spoke of the Kingdom as a wedding feast to which everyone without exception or precondition is invited.

What was most horrifying to the people of that generation as it is to people of every generation, Jesus employed the language of personal relationship and applied it to himself. He did not offer a list of beliefs or behaviors for people to follow as a precondition to gain God’s favor and avoid God’s wrath. He did not use the language of judgment, condemnation or exclusion. He used the language of unconditional love. He invited people to receive his love and to become transformed by that love.

The apostles wanted the power. Jesus offered the love. Jesus offered the infinite and eternal love of God. The religious and political elites wanted the judgment and condemnation. Jesus offered reconciliation and transformation.

The Jesus way is the only way to reunite the lost to God.

The Jesus way is the only way to transform sin back into its original virtue.

Jesus repeatedly reminded people that in God’s eyes we are one family and one community. He taught: as you receive or reject me so you receive of reject God. As you receive or reject those you consider the least among you so you receive or reject me. Jesus is the second Adam- the pattern for a new way of being human. That new way is the way of grace. It is the way of kindness and compassion.

The old way of Adam is the way of separation sustained by pride and self-will. The new way of Jesus is the way of reunification with God, reconciliation with each other and personal transformation in holiness.

The kingdom of heaven is not about command and control. The kingdom of heaven is about kindness, compassion and personal transformation.

If you want the judgment it’s there. If you want the condemnation it’s there, too. If you want the wrath there is plenty of wrath to go around. But you won’t find these things in Jesus. And because you won’t find these things in Jesus you will not find them in God. You will only find them in the depths of your own soul. And, there are plenty of people in this world who will use fear to keep you lost in judgment, condemnation and wrath.

Jesus set a child in the midst of the discussion about command and control. Jesus reminded his apostles gently and firmly: I have come to serve and I send you out to serve. I have come with kindness and compassion and I only authorize you to do the same. I am the Good News of divine welcome. I am the one who will not break a bruised reed. I am the one who will not quench a dimly burning wick. I am your predestined forever friend who invites you to adopt the teachability and openness of a child so you can be transformed by divine love.

Jesus reminded his apostles and he reminds us. The kingdom of heaven is all about and only about the invitation to receive the universal and unconditional love of God in the person of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus, the co-eternal Beloved of God and the new pattern of humanity.