Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Notes
Transcript
The importance and reality of Weakness
The importance and reality of Weakness
On Super Bowl Sunday- a day of prowess and athleticism and strength we’re marching in the opposite direction. Today is about how crucial it is to be truthful regarding our infirmities.
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Mk 1:29-39 is a historical and accurate account of how the world really works.
It’s not a beautiful scene - not a Thomas Kinkade painting.
Jesus is coming to endow an entire broken community with life. When was the last time you visited a house with someone truly sick? When someone is truly sick- dying an entire economy is devoted to that single person.
Hospital smell (Oxygen, cleaner, sweat,coffee) Put a hospital bed in your living room. Imagine that thing - it’s more like a queen bed by the time you stick the oxygen, ostomy bag, and bedside table with pills, instructions, wads of kleenex and the nurses that come and go like the tide. The family either gets takeout or is fortunate enough to have a church and friends bring meals.
It’s interesting Jesus enters this household of Simon and Andrew and get’s right to work. No small talk is recorded. It’s a working economy (seems like it shouldn’t be working) , there is no partisan gridlock, no joint committees, no study period. Jesus lifts her by His hand. Thats a bedside manner! In weakness Jesus brings life.
The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.
It is not just the physical maladies that Christ heals.
I want to point out there are those who are oppressed by sickness or demons AND the legal obligations of their day.
Did you catch this in v. 32?
That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.
Why Sundown? It’s after the sabbath. You’re not supposed to heal on the sabbath. Their sense of urgency about healing and pursuing life is oppressed by their obligation to the Jewish Law.
Now- what is something that is supposed to be good that is oppressing you?
Food? On today we have a strange relationship with food. (Today will be weird)
Christians are the weak ones
Christians are the weak ones
I hope you know, it is honest to be weak. Looking at Mk 1 this world is full of weak people. Because we’re honest, we confess our failings.
The church should be made up of weak people according to Paul
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
It’s curious right? That the gospel, thing we value most of all, we give away free. This does not make it any less valuable, just more accessible. The gospel is free of charge but gives you everything.
This is how you should feel, weak but valuable.
This is the point that Paul is making in His letter to the church in Corinth. He lists various groups and says that he identifies with them so that the gospel may bring them worth.
Jews, oppressed by law, without law, weak.
He sees each group as having little to no hope without Christ.
Compare this with the marketing technique of the church today- we proclaim a false gospel:
Look how together we have it! Our worship services are perfectly choreographed
Our kids ministry has it’s own director with a PhD in human development
Our budget is always overflowing
Do you know the dying words of Martin Luther? After a lifetime of preaching the gospel and world renown? “We are all just beggars”
How’s that for a church slogan?
To be all things to all people does not mean chanting perfectly or wearing skinny jeans well. It means a demonstration of vulnerability. It is an invitation to humility. It means having the courage of honesty.
It is a picture of Jesus
The New life in Christ
The New life in Christ
Courageous weakness is not enticing but it is a reality that we as Christians should hold onto.
The life of Christianity serves 2 purposes in our new life:
Grants humility - Curbs Pride
Provides Purpose
Grants humility
Grants humility
Seminary (Every dude had a flex - book guy, gym guy, outdoors guy, I think I was Northwest guy
Wanted to be 1st in something - CONSTANTLY trying not to be dethroned (book guy & corn)
If we look to identify ourselves and others only by our STRENGTHS we are constantly:
Worried about losing our position (It’s the fear of rejection, not good enough)
Use others to prop up our stature (what can you give me?)
Identifying with weaknesses concedes all things. You’re stronger than me - great! You’re smarter than me? Nice! You have more hair than me, just you wait. Puts us in a position where we are not intimidated by our neighbor or utilitarian in our relationships
Provides Purpose
Provides Purpose
Look at Mk 1:31
And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
With a new sense of self in tact we are no longer afraid of helping those around us nor worried about our position in life.
One could argue that this was just the patriarchal period exploiting women but I think that Mark is after something much more egalitarian.
Who does Jesus appear to first in Mk? The Women
At the crucifixion not one disciple is mentioned as having stayed behind, instead you hear of The Mary’s and Salome- and many others.
Mark doesn’t waste valuable time and space on insignificant characters. These women are a picture of the church, waiting and serving our Lord - preparing the world for His resurrection. Mark is exalting their humble estate!
Think about these women, patiently waiting for Christ to come down so they can care for His body. How impatient are we? We’d be rushing off to the next soccer practice or checking the stimulus package.
Compare this to the sick and infirm who have no choice but to be patient and await the healing of their souls.
Friends, today is a call for us to realistically consider ourselves and our world. Today is an encouragement to be honest about the difficulty of our lives. This reading should encourage you and me to take hold of the assurance that Christ knows our very weakness and assumed that humble estate himself. Finally, today’s readings produce a new lifestyle based on service and weakness rather than consumption and strength.
May you be fortified by Christ and serve our world as He did . Amen.