Pentecost 16 - 8:00 service

Sermon for Hope Episcopal Church
The Reverend Martha Frances
Year B, Pentecost 16, Proper 2024 September 2006
8:00 service

Text: Mark 9: 30-37
Other Readings: Wisdom 1:16-2:1 [6-11] 12-22; Psalm 54; James 3:16-4:6

Jesus doesn't waste any time on the road, for he teaches those who will carry on his ministry even as they walk along. Last Sunday they were in Gentile territory, but this week they are in his home neighborhood & indeed headed toward Capernaum, his adult hometown. The best place for some concentrated training of the disciples is in the privacy of his own home.

First, Jesus once again predicts his own passion-his death & resurrection. There's a sense of urgency as he announces that the Son of Man-he himself-will be betrayed to those who will kill him but that he will rise again. Jesus is saying, "Listen up! I'm not going to be around much longer, & I have a lot to tell you before I go. Let's not waste a minute of time."

Throughout Mark's gospel, the disciples are incredibly dense, missing the points Jesus makes. But here, perhaps they are at least figuring out what he's telling them about his death. When they finally get to his house & he asks them what they were arguing about on the way, they are embarrassed to tell him. They've been arguing about who is greatest. You'd think they would be in deep conversation about how to save Jesus from the death he's sure will befall him. But no, they're avoiding the whole subject altogether. I think we call this avoidance "denial." If we deny it, it will surely go away. Right?

You would think that Jesus would be pretty frustrated with the disciples' denseness & avoidance by now, but instead, he takes their argument as a teaching opportunity. Their expectations about what kind of Messiah he is to be don't fit his reality, so he tells them that if they want to be first in his book, they'll have to learn how to be servants. "What good is that kind of Messiah?" you might hear them say. Jesus knows he's got to do something drastic to help them understand what it means to be a servant.

His response to them is amazing. He reaches over & scoops up a child in his arms & embraces the child. This isn't an unusual action in our child-centered society. This week as we prepared for Tobe Ndubuisi's baptism later today, I gathered him into my arms to help him know me before I hold him up in front of God & everybody to baptize him.

But in Jesus' time, children were really non-persons until they were old enough to help the family economically. Children were socially invisible & were treated like servants. This child wouldn't usually have been in the public room with the men but rather back in the kitchen with the women & other children.

However, Jesus embraces this child whom society would consider last, a no-count. Jesus demonstrates how those whom society discounts should be treated. Jesus pays special attention to one who matters no more in his society than the poor & the homeless. Furthermore, he says a couple of incredible things to these disciples: they should treat children & other of society's disenfranchised people the same way. Jesus says it's their job to treat people that other ignore or avoid as the most important people around.

I'm reminded of the story of Elizabeth's restaurant lunch with her mother & aunt. When their waiter asked Elizabeth what she wanted for lunch, her mother answered for her. Patiently, the waiter again asked Elizabeth what she wanted. This time, her aunt tried to order for Elizabeth. When the waiter asked Elizabeth what she preferred the 3rd time, Elizabeth turned to her mother & aunt, saying, "This man treats me like a real person!" Perhaps our treatment of children is not so different from Jesus' time.

Jesus says further that we are to welcome children. We're to be hospitable to those who are most vulnerable. You see, Jesus was using that little child to represent all who are discounted in society-young or foreign or poor or ragged. We're to welcome them. We're to treat them as honored guests, not to try to get rid of them as quickly as possible. We have a special responsibility to those who cannot take care of themselves.

Several of the homeless folk at Lord of the Streets insisted on helping serve breakfast before they ate their own. That's treating others with integrity. We're all responsible for passing God's grace & love on to others no matter how much we can contribute financially. Those who can have a responsibility to pledge from their income & actually pay that pledge.

When Jesus' treats the little child like he or she matters in the world, Jesus teaches his disciples-& us-how to behave toward others, even those whom the world tries to ignore. Jesus begins his discipleship training by helping the disciples see how we must treat one another, especially the most vulnerable of our society.

One way we can be responsible Christians is to register to vote-soon-then learn about the candidates before voting our preferences. Another responsibility we all have is to let our elected officials know how we believe they should vote. Keeping up with the issues of the day & responding to them is expected of every citizen in a democracy. We have opportunities both to reach out to others personally & also to participate in changing systemic policies which need to be improved.

Looking back at today's gospel reading, Jesus tells us that those who welcome a little child welcome Jesus himself. Our care for others really is representative of our love of God. Each of us can fulfill both of the great commandments for, when we show love to our neighbors, we are truly loving God with our heart & mind & strength. Amen.