Liberation Sunday

This sermon can be listened to here

Gate Pa – Year B  5^th 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