Liberation Sunday

This sermon can be listened to here

Gate Pa – Year B  5th Sunday in Epiphany 2021,
 
Readings
Psalm                         Psalm 147:1-11,20                                                     
First Reading              Isaiah 40:21-31
Second Reading         1 Cor 9:16-23                         
Gospel                         Mark 1:29-39                         
What I want to say:
Use some of Rob Bell’s story to explore some of the issues with our gospel reading this morning, particularly how healing stories are problematic, and how passages like this are used to limit the role of women in ministry to serving men who do the real work of ministry.
Then want to use the theme of liberation, in scripture and in Mark, to ask how this might be read as a story of liberation and restoration. Karoline Lewis says that Jesus heals because the Kingdom of God is here. Now is the time!  Healing people restores them to communities and restores and heals communities. Peters mother in law is liberated from her fever and restored to her household and her vocation in that household. And in her service, she reminds us all that the real work of ministry is service. Jesus said so of himself. She can be seen as the first disciple who gets that. Some of the men take much longer.
What has this to do with Waitangi Day?
 
What I want to happen:
How are we a restored community of justice, generosity and aroha this Waitangi weekend?
Mark 1:29-39 - Common English Bible
29 After leaving the synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. 31 He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.
32 That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered near the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons. But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.
35 Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. 36 Simon and those with him tracked him down. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”
 
38 He replied, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.” 39 He travelled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons.

The Sermon

       1.     Rob Bell – Everything is Spiritual

Reading book by Rob Bell
Tells some of his story
-         February 1999, Bell founded Mars Hill Bible Church
ð Explore different ways being church
ð Place to explore the questions about scripture and where they might go
ð Space to be a lot more creative and to explore other avenues teaching
ð Fastest growing churches North American history
ð Quickly 1000’s coming
-         Within a year the church was given a shopping mall in Grandville, Michigan, and purchased the surrounding land.
-         In July 2000 the 3,500 "grey chair" facility opened its doors.
-         As of 2005, an estimated 11,000 people attended the two "gatherings" on Sundays at 9 and 11 AM
-         Needed staff – 75
Pressure to change what doing
-         Spend less time creative projects (books, dvds, etc..)
-         to be senior pastor of mega church
also unhappiness about some teaching
after one series on place women in Kingdom of God
-         no limits on what could do
-         God works through all people regardless of gender
found group within church working have him fired
-         from the church he had started.
Tell that story 2 reasons
see same pressures on Jesus at end of story
-         people like what he was doing
-         wanted him to stay keep doing it
-         not what he was about
 

       2.     Peters mother in law

story heard is still used justify understanding that
-         in God’s eyes, ideal women is like Peters mother in law
-         serving men
-         Who are getting on with real work of ministry
Difficult story
Raises hard questions about place women in God’s community
-         Why did Jesus let this sick women serve them?
o   Is that only reason he healed her?
-         Is Jesus supporting these gender based roles
Raises questions nature healing then and now.
 

       3.     Liberation in Mark

Over last two weeks named some themes with Mark
As we read rest gospel need to keep them in mind
2 weeks ago spent time on Mark 1:15 - CEB
Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news
Or some suggested
Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Let that blow your mind, and trust this good news.
Heart of this good news blowing our minds
God’s liberating work
Saw last week Jesus liberated man caged by unclean spirit
 

       4.     Liberating God at Work

This liberation in Mark is not a new thing
One big themes in all bible
People of God are slaves in Egypt
God hears their cries
And liberates them from Pharaoh
Brings them out into wilderness
Teaches them what means to be liberated people
Gives them law
Guide their living presence of liberating God
So that be part of God’s ongoing liberating work
-         Care for poor, orphan, widow
-         Forgiveness of all debt every 7 years
-         Care for foreigner living in midst
They forget
Have story Solomon
Great king
Builds the temple for liberating God with…
Slaves
Become Pharaoh
More concerned own splendour and wealth and power
Response we have prophets
Remind leaders of responsibilities
And consequences of not living God liberation
-         Exile being God’s punishment for failure to living liberation
God is revealed as liberating God
Reading from Isaiah
-         God’s promise of liberation from exile and return home
This liberation in Mark is not a new thing
This is as old as people of God themselves
Always been what reign of God was and is about
hope of liberation was palpable in Jesus time
seemed shattered by time Mark wrote gospel
-         Fall Jersualem and destruction of temple
So when read the follow up story this week with Peter’s mother in law
Want ask
Where is God’s liberation at work at here?
 

       5.     A liberated disciple

A lot of discussion about this story
Note two things
-         Healing is not just about the individual, it is about the community
-         When someone is healed they are restored to their place in the community
-         Last week man caged by unclean spirit was restored
o   Son
o   Brother
o   Maybe husband and father
o   Place in wider community
ð Peters mother in law is restored to her place in the family group
-         Maybe also restored to her vocation
-         Number of commentators wonder
ð Liberated to show us all what being a disciple is about
 

       6.     Discipleship

In chapter 10 Jesus says
“I have not come to be served but to serve”
John pushes that furthest –
-         He teaches “love one another as I have loved you” and washes their feet
All the gospels
-         Real work of being a disciple is to serve
-         Serve each other
-         Serve our neighbours
When that happens there is liberation
When that happens there is the reign or kingdom of God.
Peter’s mother in law is the first to understand that
She models that for all who were to follow
Those who say that the ideal women serves
while the men get one with the real work on ministry
-         have missed the point
The real work of ministry is to serve
As Peter’s mother in law did
Sadly many failed understand,
-         including, Andrew and Philip, James and John.
 

       7.     Waitangi day

Yesterday celebrated Waitangi day
Week ago group come to town to tell us Treaty either irrelevant
-         Or simply makes us all the same
Talk about history
How does our theme of liberation speak to that?
Honest – much story not had any liberation for Maori
Yesterday significant gathering at Hopukiore – Mount Dury
Remember and honour treaty
some speakers describe treaty relationship being like a marriage
Where divorce is not an option
While we are one together
Marriage is best when both parties have space to be who God created them to be
And can support each other
Work together benefit of both parties
Others talk about double hull waka that first came here
Treaty offered us picture of two people
Each in our waka
Held by the Treaty
Having to talk to each other and work together
Paddle in the same direction
Greatest sadnesses is that we so quickly abandoned that relationship
Sought impose our will on other
Impose our idea of who we thought the other should be
And like any marriage
Led bad relationship
Bad outcomes for at last one fo the parties
If not both
I wonder what liberation we are willing to be part of for this country?
I wonder what serving Maori looks like for us?
 
 

       8.     Us

Now is the time
God’s liberating kingdom has come
Let this blow your mind
Trust this good news

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