When, What, Witness

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. My sermon title is WWW, and my focus is our Gospel (Mark 13:1-13). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Before WWW stood for World Wide Web, it also stood for Wild Wild West, With Warm Wishes, What Women Want and dozens of other phrases. I am not going to discuss any of those, although I must admit that The Wild Wild West was one of my favorite TV shows. Reading our passage for today, I am struck by how many W words there are – what, wonderful, when, wars, witness, whatever, who and will. Other versions of this passage include watch and worry. With a nod to the letter W – one of the newest letters in the alphabet – I move on to my three points: When, What (sign) and Witness.

First, When. As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the Temple he and his disciples had just left, the four original disciples asked a two-part question: “When will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”[1] This launched the longest teaching section in Mark’s Gospel. The second longest is found in chapter four. That teaching was addressed to the crowds; and this one to his disciples. While the two-part question is about to be answered, we should know that these two questions are different. The first deals with time and the second with end-time (eschatology).

We should also place the questions within their proper context. Notice that they were asked after Jesus left the Temple for the last time. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, he went into the Temple, looked around at everything, and because it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.[2]

The next day, he “entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.”[3] He left the Temple again.

Then the next time he entered, the chief priests, scribes and elders confronted him and challenged his authority. His response is directed against this group as well as the Pharisees and Sadducees. After he completed teaching and observing, he left the Temple for the final time, and one of his disciples marveled at the Temple stones and building.

Now, if you have been to Jerusalem, no doubt you went to the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall, which is all that remains of the Temple. You also know that this disciple (in our passage) was not exaggerating. The Temple Jesus knew was not the one built by Solomon, but the second one built in 516 B.C. It was later renovated by Herod beginning around 20 B.C. and was still in progress at the end of Jesus’ life.[4] The outer buildings were completed in eight years, and the Temple campus covered one-sixth of the city.

The façade of white marble was adorned with dazzling gold. The retaining walls rested on blocks of limestone so huge that archeologists cannot explain how they were moved into place. These limestone blocks were 40’ long and weighed over 500 tons. In comparison, the largest stone of the pyramids weighs 11 tons. The Temple looked permanent and indestructible, striking awe in any onlooker.[5]

The other thing about the Temple is that Jesus loved it. What Jew would not? He venerated the Temple by going up to it for Jewish feasts of pilgrimage. With zeal, he loved God’s dwelling place among men. So, when he told them to take a good look, he did not speak glibly because the time was approaching when these buildings in all their magnificence would come tumbling down. As to the first question his disciples asked, Jesus did not answer it. Yet, he was in line with the prophets who also announced the Temple’s destruction.[6]

That brings me to my second point and the disciples’ second question: “What will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” Whereas the first part of the question was an historical one, the second was an eschatological one. Asking about the end times and the final fulfillment of all these things, Jesus warned against false signs lest the disciples be misled. His answer can be divided into four parts: 1) don’t be misled; 2) great signs; 3) fulfillment; and again, 4) don’t be misled. For Jesus and the disciples with him, the events mentioned in verses 5-13, were in their future. For Mark and his community, much of what Jesus referenced was in the past.

Jesus began by warning his disciples not to be deceived by those who would come in his name. Many would be deceived by imposters related to Jesus in some way, but not associated with the Apostles.

Jesus then warned not to be alarmed about wars and rumors of wars. Wars, earthquakes and famines would happen, but they did not indicate the end. Christians in Mark’s community could look back and see that these things had been happening all along. They were not meaningless, but represented the beginning of labor pains, that is, new life. In short, God’s kingdom would come with a new age, but not without pain.

Jesus then warned them about persecutions. Kings, governors, judges and religious leaders would harass, beat and imprison Christians. Again, this was not the end because they must first proclaim the Gospel to all nations. Because he reassured his disciples that the Holy Spirit would speak through them, Jesus told them to put away their Xanax and not to worry or be anxious. When the time arrived for them to witness, the Holy Spirit would be right there.

Their witnessing would not be without the loss of intimate relationships with family members. Hatred from brother, sister, parent or child because of their relationship with Jesus would lead to salvation for those who endure. They should consider even this a great missionary opportunity to witness to Jesus and the Gospel. Well, if that teaching doesn’t get you all fired up to knock on doors and stand on street corners, I don’t know what will.

Where does that leave us? I mean, we know that the Apostles and the Church witnessed to the world after Pentecost. It seemed to Jesus’ disciples that they were indeed living in the end times. I mean, if you were convinced that we had only six months to a year to live, would you spend your time and energy trying to save the planet or save souls? Balancing your portfolio or your work-family life or witnessing to the Gospel? Catching up on current events or confessing Christ? In short, these questions lead me to my third point, Witness.

A witness is one who has wit or personal knowledge of some event, person or thing and can speak about it. Witness is a literal translation of the Greek word martys or martyr, which came to be known as Christians who in former times were put to death because they would not renounce their beliefs.[7] We find the word witness used hundreds of times throughout the Bible, sometimes prefaced by faithful and at other times false.

We can read volumes on those who were witnesses to Christ and the Christian faith, and their stories inspire us. These days, we read of individuals who label themselves or others as martyrs because they wish to die for a radical Islamic faith after killing innocent people minding their own business or because they take a knee for a personal or political cause long after their football career is over. They are not martyrs or witnesses.

If you want to read the accounts of 20^th century Christian martyrs, I would suggest two books. By Their Blood: Christian Martyrs from the Twentieth Century and Beyond by James and Marti Hefley, and The Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century: A Comprehensive World History by Robert Royal. Both books point out something unknown to a great many Christians today – that there were more martyrs in the 20^th century than any other century in history.

If you want to read how and where Christians are witnessing to Christ’s Gospel, you can find plenty of information on the website for Open Doors USA.[8] It is dedicated to the idea that every Christian belongs to one Church and one Family, and for more than 60 years, has worked toward a simple goal: strengthening Christians, wherever they are threatened for their faith in Jesus. The biggest threats are found in North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan and Somalia where governments are dictatorships or unstable.

What if I don’t have the wherewithal to witness to the point of losing my life or job, my friends or family members, how then can I witness to Christ’s Gospel in my remote corner of the world? Countless opportunities abound. I suggest you start by asking the Lord to make it clear for you by saying, “Here I am, Lord. What do you want me to do for you and the world today?”

Some people are called to directly proclaim the word of God as evangelists or teachers. First Peter urges us, “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.”[9] You can boldly and courageously witness to the faith in this way or informally as a friend, neighbor or coworker, which moves hearts more than you might imagine.

Others can witness through prayer. I tell people who are unable to leave their family home or nursing home that they are not expected to minister to others through their works, but they are not excused from prayer. When all human methods fail to change a situation, prayer is most powerful. Write a list of people or causes and include them in your prayers. Ask God to open individuals’ hearts and receive His good and gracious will.

Others witness through their suffering. How many of us know Christians suffering not only from sickness or disease, but also poverty, loneliness, loss of belongings, their homes or a loved one? In their loss, their grief, they witness by offering their suffering to God. In the words of St. Paul, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church.”[10]

However it is that you witness, it must always come from a deep compassion for the suffering of the world and born out of a personal experience of the love of God and a living relationship with Jesus. Otherwise, it will be nothing other than propaganda.

Now, why do I ask for a witness? To answer my own question: I turn to an article entitled The End of Religion. In it the author wrote, “Speculation about the end of religion itself has been with us for a long time and lingers unabated. Yet, if there is reason to worry about the health of religion today, there is clear evidence that spirituality, however defined, as a driving force within and among individuals, is alive and thriving. The quest for meaning is ever-present and reveals an underlying hunger for authentic spirituality that satisfies the deepest human yearning.”[11]

If people hunger for authentic spirituality that satisfies the deepest human yearning, am I resting in the presence of God enough to witness to that authentic spirituality myself? Is my experience of the love of God and a living relationship with the Risen Jesus deep enough to satisfy the deepest human yearning others have? Personally, I ask myself those questions all the time when it comes to satisfying your spiritual desires.

Friends, you and I are sent by the church and by Christ to witness the Gospel. We have been anointed with the fragrance of Christ. The ingredients of this fragrance are joy, simplicity, humility, gentleness, purity, confidence, mercy, peace and hope.[12] Because God has anointed us with His divine perfume, you and I witness the Gospel simply by living our lives as Christians. And because of this, other people should find us more attractive. Hopefully they find us other worldly, and recognize that we are like angels of God, messengers of God. Remember, God does not have a plan for you; God has a plan for your neighbor, and you are part of that bigger plan by loving him, and bringing the Gospel to him or her.

Friends, we’re entering the most stressful and frenzied period of the year. Like others, we can be stressed and frenzied about the holidays. Let’s observe the holidays as authentic witnesses of the Christian life by first resting daily in the Lord. Rest in God’s Word and in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Reflect on God’s presence in your life when running errands or walking into a cold wind, when you’re completing a project or preparing dinner, when you’re all together as family or when you’re all alone, and when you do, may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Mark 13:4.

[2] Mark 11:11.

[3] Mark 11:15.

[4] Eugene LaVerdiere, The Beginning of the Gospel: Introducing the Gospel According to Mark. Collegeville MN: The Liturgical Press (1999), p. 196.

[5] Mary Healy, The Gospel of Mark. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic (2008), p. 258.

[6] See Micah 3:11-12; Jeremiah 26:1-6, 18-19.

[7] See the words witness and martyr in https://www.etymonline.com.

[8] https://www.opendoorsusa.org/

[9] 1 Peter 3:15.

[10] Colossians 1:24.

[11] Richard Boileau, “The End of Religion: New Explorations in Spiritual Practice with Aelred Graham,” The Way, 60/4 (October 2021), 7–21.

[12] Jacques Philippe, “Our Witness of Hope: Bringing the Gospel to a Fragile World,” The Word Among Us, (September 2001), 10-15.

Discipleship and Stewardship

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. My sermon today is entitled Discipleship and Stewardship, and my focus is our Gospel (Mark 12:38-44). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are standing within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Discipleship. Discipleship means being a disciple, student or follower of Jesus, for He is our master teacher. It is more than learning his teaching because a disciple must apply it to his or her own life, and live what He taught. You are either a disciple or you are not. There is no middle way. That said, what do we learn from Jesus in our passage today?

There are two passages in our Gospel that Mark linked together on the grounds of the reversal of status which they display: in vv. 38-40 the ostentatious scribes are the exploiters and the widows the victims, whereas in vv. 41-44 a poor widow is used to show up the ostentation of the wealthy. The theme of ostentation is the link.[1]

To set up our scenes, we keep in mind Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and what he does when he arrives at the Temple. He cleanses it, and the chief priests and scribes seek a way to destroy him. Recall even earlier in Mark that people were amazed at Jesus’ teaching, and exclaimed that he teaches with authority and not like the scribes. (1:22) The scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy when he healed the paralytic (2:7), and later as being possessed by Satan (3:22). Immediately prior to today’s passage, a scribe asked Jesus what the greatest commandment is (12:28-34); and with the exception of this one, all the scribes we meet in Mark are critics of Jesus.

Here, Jesus’ denunciation of the scribes is stronger than that of the Pharisees or even Herod; and it is not because of what they intend to do to him. Jesus’ critique of the scribes is because they are ostentatious, exploitative and hypocritical. This passage is polemical, but nonetheless, it is based on what Jesus saw.

The scribes took pleasure in and desired social prominence. They loved perks. They loved to dress up in their festive robes – often reserved for celebrations – and walk around the marketplace. Picture someone wearing a tuxedo at Costco or Sam’s. To sit in the front seats of the synagogue meant they were facing the congregation in order to be seen. And because they loved to be flattered, Jesus warned his disciples against such behavior.

On the other hand, the vulnerability of widows is a recurrent theme in the Bible, and anyone who would defraud a widow is despicable. We must speculate how the scribes devoured widows’ homes. Some bilked them through excessive legal fees, mismanaging an estate as trustees, taking people’s homes as pledges for unpayable debts, or promoting the temple cult which ate up the sources of the pious poor. Overall, they exploited people’s hospitality and trust.[2]

Finally, their prayers were insincere. Before Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, he said, “When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.” (Mt 6:5) For all these reasons, Jesus stated that they would receive the greater condemnation. Their punishment would be more severe than that of Pilate and Herod, the Pharisees and Sadducees, the Romans and the pagans.

Mark then shifts from Jesus speaking polemical words against the scribes to watching people throw their donations into the collecting chests. The continual flow of the scene tells us that Jesus has not moved. He was in the Court of the Women. The treasury was near it. We know this because a woman walks by and throws her coins into the chest.

This woman was not the only person present, but Jesus singles her out as an object lesson. What she placed in the chest was the smallest denomination of currency. It was a copper coin worth less than one hundredth of a denarius. Her offering was known as a kodrantes in Greek or quadrans in Latin, and was worth about 1/64 of a denarius, a day's wage for a laborer. In our day, the minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $7.25/hour, or $58/day. Her contribution today would be about ninety cents.

So, when Jesus calls his disciples and begins with, “Truly, I say to you…,” he means, “Mark my words.” He commends the widow’s self-sacrificing generosity as an example for all God’s people, and turns upside down the human valuation of people.[3] What matters in God’s sight is not what a person has, but the devotion which causes her to give even at great personal cost, even if it is negligible in comparison with the enormous wealth of the temple. The gift does not matter so much to God as the giver.

Her spare change would never be missed, and lest you miss the point of this lesson, her behavior is contrasted not only to the rich men, but also to the rich young man. With that, let’s turn back to the brief conversation between Jesus and his disciples after the rich young man walked away in sorrow. (10:17ff) Jesus said, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

The rich young man failed to sell all that he had to give to the poor, and follow Jesus. This widow could have kept one of her coins, but voluntarily gave all that she had. Like the widow of Zarephath, she was without means for her next meal, but “the jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord.” (1 Kg 17:16) While others dropped silver and gold coins, the widow’s two tiny copper coins resounded clearest in God’s ears.

Stewardship. Thirty-eight years ago, I had an experience that eventually led to my Master’s thesis at Christ the King Seminary. The title of that thesis was Responsible Christian Stewardship. If you receive the weekly email from the church office, it was attached. If you did not receive it, I will email it to you. It is worth reading, especially if you want to understand this part of my sermon.

There are a few ideas in it that I would like to highlight. Stewardship is the practice of controlling the affairs of a large household executed by a steward. Tithe was a practice of ancient civilizations in which one-tenth was collected to support public or religious purposes. First fruits are related to the first born, the one sacred to Yahweh through whom life flowed.

Prior to the Book of Deuteronomy, the is no direct evidence regarding the tithe. Abraham’s gift to the priest, Melchizedek, is not from his first fruits, but from the spoils of victory over Chedorlaomer. His gift is neither demanded nor explained; it is spontaneous, as was Jacob’s (Gen 28:22).

The tithe was meant to offer something to God who created and owns everything, even everything you possess. Eventually, the tithe became a way for society to care for widows, orphans, foreigners and priests. After the Babylonian Exile and the reform of Judaism, the tithing system was restored and reinforced.

This brings us to today’s Gospel, which is the only place, other than instructing Peter to pay the Temple Tax, where Jesus refers to almsgiving. But, as I pointed out earlier, “The Widow’s Mite” cannot be separated from the condemnation of the scribes. That there is next to nothing taught by Jesus regarding the tithe, we should note that it gives way to a practice more important than tithing, and that is love. The commandment of love or to love is the cornerstone of the New Law and the new practice. Almsgiving, prayer and fasting are the Christian elements to loving God and neighbor taught by Jesus in the Sermon of the Mount (Mt 6).

Although we can only conjecture why Jesus did not teach much about tithing other than a couple of passages, my personal opinion is that there are other teachings that Jews took for granted because they practiced them so religiously that there was no need to speak of them. The Evangelists did not record Jesus’ teaching about abortion, however, that does not give a Jewish or Christian teacher a pass to promote abortion as morally acceptable. Likewise, Jesus did not teach a lot about tithing, but it’s more than covered in the Sermon on the Mount, the Dialogue with the Rich Young Man, and the Widow’s Mite under the teaching of love of God and neighbor.

St. Paul did write about stewardship. In 2^nd Corinthians 8-9, Paul appealed for a collection for the saints in Jerusalem. Remember that Paul’s primary activity was preaching the Gospel; the collection was secondary. His desire was to bring together the various Christian communities, and the collection was an expression of love of God and neighbor, even if they were in another country.

Christians in Macedonia exceeded Paul’s expectations because they gave in a way that was incompatible with their poverty. Their joyful attitude was an important factor in stewardship. Paul’s writings also show us that he never commanded Christians to give; rather, he appealed to them. Do not confuse this with prosperity theology, but one who gives cheerfully is gifted with God’s blessings.

On the other hand, one who does not thank God for graces received is morally and religiously corrupt (Rom 1:18ff.). Because Paul’s appeal flowed from his preaching of the Gospel, we see that he was motivated by the Gospel to bridge these communities into one, and this left an everlasting impact on the Church. That brings me to Stewardship.

Step back and look at the vast horizon that everything is God’s and nothing is ours. Those golf clubs that I gave to my son-in-law or grandson that he later sold are no longer mine, and even if they are, they will belong to someone else when I am dead. Nothing belongs to me, and everything to God. Yet, I am a steward of what belongs to God and is entrusted to me by God.

That includes more than my property and belongings. I am called to be a good steward of my spouse and family. They belong to God, and God has entrusted them to my care for the time being. I care for them not only by providing them with basic human needs – food, shelter and so on – but also the higher needs – the desire to advance their intellect and skills. As a parent or teacher, I encourage young people, especially children, to study, read, research, write and speak publicly.

As a pastor, I am called to provide you not only with what Scripture and Jesus teach, but also how you can apply it to your daily living. Do you spend more time in Wordle than you do in the Word? Set aside time for prayer and reading the Bible. Do you love God and neighbor by living the Ten Commandments? Do you understand them, the Creeds, the Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments by reviewing the Small Catechism? Do you seek forgiveness from your spouse or neighbor? Do you enrich your marriage and family relationships by listening to loved ones without interrupting them? Do you teach personal and communal responsibility to young people?

As a member of this congregation, how do you practice stewardship? Do you serve as an elder, usher, greeter, acolyte or altar guild member? Do you pitch in when needed and without being asked? Do you speak highly of other church members to outsiders? Do you purchase goods for the food pantry when you shop? As a church council member, do you seek how to better communicate with the congregation? Do you plan and provide current written reports? And finally, do you use the Mite Boxes to support Lutheran missions?[4]

There are many areas where each of us can better steward God’s gifts that we should practice. Care for widows, orphans, forgotten or neglected elderly people and unborn persons. Join others who promote the right to life and security to our nation’s citizens. Seek the Truth that only Christ provides. Share the Good News of the Gospel with those who really need to hear that Christ freed them from eternal condemnation. Friends, God gave us Law and Gospel. As stewards, take time this week and share them with those who need them, and when you do may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

 

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[1] R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (2002), p. 488.

[2] Ibid, p. 491.

[3] Ibid., p. 493.

[4] Mite Explanation and History. https://www.lwml.org/mites

Blind Bartimaeus

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. My sermon title is CCD. My focus is our Gospel (Mark 10:46-52). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

CCD stands is short for a few topics. If you grew up Catholic and attended public school, you probably attended CCD or Confraternity of Christian Doctrine class. If you work with digital cameras, you may know that CCDs are sensors used to record still and moving images. If you are a public-school educator, you may access the Common Core of Data, the Department of Education's primary database on public education in the US. Maybe your vet understands CCD as canine compulsive disorder, a behavioral condition in dogs, similar to human obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

I am not talking about religious education, cameras or canines. Today, CCD stands for Call, Clothing and Dialogue. Bartimaeus’ call to Jesus, the clothing he wore and the dialogue between the Lord and the blind man. After all that, a quiz.

To call means to cry out, summon, invoke, demand, order or give a name to from the early Germanic kall meaning to speak, say or tell. When I call my wife to get her attention, I can walk into our house and shout, “Cindy!” If I am outside and Maggie does not respond to me calling her, I can press a button on a remote that activates a stimulus device on her e-collar. It vibrates and she returns to me. If I’m sitting in the bleachers, I wave my arms while holding cash to get the attention of the popcorn vendor. Before texting, I might have had someone paged.

In our Gospel today, Bartimaeus calls to Jesus. Notice that Jesus was leaving Jericho for Jerusalem with his disciples and a sizeable crowd. Jesus was on the way. Bartimaeus was by the roadside. He was not going anywhere. He was blind. His blindness was symbolic of the blindness of all who have not had their eyes opened in faith by Christ.[1] He sat by the road begging pedestrians for money. Hearing that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he called out to him. In spite of those surrounding him who tried to silence Bartimaeus, he persisted.

Note that Mark introduces the blind beggar as Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. It is the same way that he introduced us to James, son of Zebedee. The father was better known than the son, but it could also be a parallel designation. The son of Timaeus called the Son of David. In short, Bartimaeus was the son of an unknown father with a Greek name. Jesus was the son of King David.[2]

So, Bartimaeus called out, “Jesus, Son of David,” but the second time he called, he used only the title – Son of David – and not the name – Jesus. Why did Mark record the call like this? This title was not used in early Christian writings. We find only one reference in Paul. He wrote in Romans 1 that God’s Son, Jesus, “descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead.”[3] Mark used it two other times.[4] His aim was to purify the title of any hope for a restoration of David’s earthly kingdom. He did the same with another title – Christ – as he associated it with the dying and rising of the Son of Man. The title Christ was purified of all political and military expectations.

Bartimaeus’ call is a plea for pity well known among Jews. It is used nearly 20 times in the Psalms. In Psalm 6, it is a prayer for healing. In Psalm 26, a prayer for redemption; in 27, for salvation; and in 51, for forgiveness. In short, Bartimaeus’ call was a prayer. And while many rebuked him, Bartimaeus persisted in his call, in his prayer – to God!

Now, let’s move to my second C, Clothing. How often have you been confronted by beggars? Not many beggars outside of Pittsburgh. Other than someone holding a sign at an intersection, where have you seen one around here? And those we do encounter are quite tame compared to the ones I met in San Francisco. I mean, even 14 years ago when I lived in the Bay Area, beggars confronted pedestrians within seconds of them emerging from a BART station (which has nothing to do with Bartimaeus). They were so obnoxious that even the beggars in Berkeley, where I worked, viewed them with disdain.

Bartimaeus, on the other hand, showed amazing energy and quickness. Immediately, he jumped up like a Jack Russell Terrier and ran to Jesus. But before he did that, Mark recorded that he threw aside his cloak. Street people do not cast away clothing – even tattered rags – until they have something better. But this man was no ordinary beggar. He wanted something more valuable than his most prized possession.

This beggar pinned all his hopes on Jesus. All of them. He hoped against all hope that Jesus would provide everything he needed. Everything. And somehow, he knew that with Jesus he would no longer be a beggar.

In Biblical culture, clothing expressed a person’s identity. It was a personal symbol and played an important role in someone’s self-communication.[5] Bartimaeus wanted to join Jesus and his disciples on the way. To do this, he had to throw off his cloak, symbol of his former self and way of life, because he is following Christ on the way to his passion-resurrection. And no one, said Jesus, sews a piece of unshrunken cloth to an old cloak.[6] Becoming a disciple of Jesus meant more than patching up your old identity. It called for throwing off that identity for good and putting on a new one.[7]

Early Christians applied putting off old clothing and putting on new clothing in the baptismal rites. For Bartimaeus, putting off his old cloak for something new meant that he was ready to join Christ on the way to his death and resurrection. For us, it means the same because of our baptism. Well, I am not a clothes hog or a fashionable dresser, and I don’t have much else to say about clothing. So, let’s proceed to my third point, Dialogue.

A dialogue can be a written composition in which two or more characters are represented as conversing or a conversation between two or more persons. The Greek word dialogos means conversation, and is formed by joining the words dia meaning across (diagram, diaphragm, etc.) and legein meaning to speak. The dialogue in our passage goes like this.

 

Bartimaeus: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus: “Call him.”

Disciples: “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”

Jesus: “What do you want me to do for you?”

Bartimaeus “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”

Jesus: “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”

 

The dialogue between Jesus and Bartimaeus opens with an introductory question: “What do you want me to do for you?” It is a strange question to ask a beggar. Why not, “What do you want me to give you?” But the man was not asking for money; he was ready for anything Jesus could do. Of course, he was. He gave up his only possession.

Bartimaeus’ response was specific. While our text uses the word rabbi, better translations use Rabbouni, the equivalent of Kyrios or Lord. To the point, the man wants to recover his sight. He was not always blind, but wanted to see again. Until now, Bartimaeus was not on the way with Jesus, but having thrown off his cloak, he was eager to see where he was going with Jesus.

To the ordinary reader of Mark, it may seem that Jesus ignored Bartimaeus’ request when He said, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” Yet, the word “go,” was used in the sense that Bartimaeus was healed. It is no ordinary dismissal that a supervisor would say to an employee for it is grounded in what Jesus did. The man’s faith saved him.

There you have it: CCD – Call, Cloak and Dialogue. Now what? Now, let’s look at a few other people Jesus met on the way to Jerusalem beginning with the first blind man. I want you to go back and read Mark 8:22-10:52 and see the many characters Jesus met on his way to Jerusalem. Here, now, is my quiz.

Am I like any of them? Am I blind like the two men who bookend this section? Am I comfortable or obtuse like Peter? Addicted to my way of thinking, acting and living like James, John and the other disciples? Paralyzed like the possessed boy’s father crying out to help my unbelief? Addicted or in love with worldly possessions, prestige or power like the rich man who walked away from Jesus’ offer for eternal life? Am I doubtful like those wondering if Jesus’ offer is too good to be true – that I will receive a hundredfold more if I follow him? Do I try to influence or intimidate others who cry to God for pity? Have I reached a point of desperation, but fear calling out to Jesus? Or are there days when I just don’t love my neighbor and God very much?

Folks, when you turn to Christ in prayer, you’re not asking for help from one with political or military power. You’re not begging from one rich and famous. When you call to Christ, you’re speaking to a man stripped of all clothing and human dignity, one weak and nearly dead, one scorned and spat upon, forsaken by friends and followers. And you must wonder what this man can do for you.

In the end, Bartimaeus received his sight and followed Jesus on the way. He joined the Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Man as a servant and a slave. Bartimaeus showed that giving up everything to be saved and receive a hundredfold in the present age and the age to come was worth it. He would enter the kingdom of God because, in giving up everything, he accepted the kingdom like a child. Everything became possible because he had faith and turned to Christ in prayer.

Friends, I close with this. Today, we observe Reformation Sunday. Throughout his lifetime, Martin Luther taught a great many people so much about God’s love, grace, mercy and what faith means in the shadow of Christ’s cross. He criticized popes and priests, praised his wife, family and friends. He said many things that people remember – “Here I stand.” – “Peace, if possible, truth at all costs.” – and many others. But perhaps the most important words were not posted on a church door or printed in a book. The words were scribbled on a note found in his pocket after he died. “Wir sind pettler, hoc est verum” “We are all beggars, this is true.”

Today, take time to dialogue with God about your need for mercy. Listen to Him speaking to you, and when you do, may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Eugene LaVerdiere, Mark. 122.

[2] LaVerdiere, 122.

[3] Romans 1:3-4.

[4] Mark 11:10; 12:35-37.

[5] LaVerdiere, 127.

[6] Mark 2:21.

[7] LaVerdiere, 127. If you want to read more about clothing, I encourage you to turn to four passages from Paul Galatians 3: 26-29; Romans 13:12-14; Colossians 3:9-11; Ephesians 4:20-24.

Hebrews

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. My sermon title is Letter, Passage and Word. My focus is our Epistle (Hebrews 4:1-16). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

The Early Church argued over whether the Book of Hebrews belonged in the Bible because the identity of its author was unknown. Some suggested the author was Paul; others thought it was Luke; and still others said it was Apollos or Barnabas, but each is problematic. There are several reasons why Paul is not thought to be the author. For one reason, there are great difference of vocabulary and style between Hebrews and Paul’s letters. Another is the different method of citing the Old Testament. Nevertheless, the book was finally accepted into the canon without knowing the author because it agrees with the teaching of the Apostles and puts Jesus Christ and His salvation at the center.

The book focuses on Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of and superiority to every institution in the Old Testament – Sabbath, sacrifices and priesthood. Because the writer talks about the priests offering sacrifices—an activity that ended with the destruction of the temple by the Romans, we know it was written before 70 AD. And in view of the fact that 13:24 says those in Italy send greetings, it may have been written in Rome.

The pattern of Hebrews’ writing is homiletic. It is a sermon written to Jewish Christians suffering persecution for their faith and contemplating a return to Judaism, which was legally protected in the Roman Empire, unlike early Christianity. The letter reminds them of the glory they would be giving up and the divine judgment they would bring upon themselves if they abandoned Christianity and returned to Judaism.

The danger of apostasy of these Christians was not due to any persecution from outsiders but to a weariness with the demands of Christian life and a growing indifference to their calling. Hence, the letter’s main theme – the priesthood and sacrifice of Jesus – was not developed for its own sake but as a means of restoring their lost fervor and strengthening them in their faith.

By using a device common in Greek and Roman rhetoric called synkrisis, that is, placing one person alongside of another in order to praise the first one, Jesus is compared to Moses and to angels. The letter begins with a reminder of the preexistence, incarnation and exaltation of Jesus that proclaimed him the climax of God’s word to humanity. Christ is God’s final word of salvation communicated not merely by word but through his suffering in the flesh common to him and to all. This enactment of salvation went beyond the pattern known to Moses, a prophet faithful to God’s word, for Jesus as high priest expiated sin and was faithful to God with the faithfulness of God’s own Son.

Another important theme of Hebrews is that of the pilgrimage of the people of God to the heavenly Jerusalem. This theme is intimately connected with that of Jesus’ ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. Because Christians are people of faith, we recognize the reality of what is not yet seen and is the object of hope. The saints of the Old Testament gave a striking example of that faith. Their perseverance is shown forth in the earthly life of Jesus. Despite the afflictions of his ministry and the supreme trial of his suffering and death, he remained confident that God would bring him triumph. The author was trying to convey that the difficulties of human life have meaning when they are accepted as God’s discipline, and if Christians persevere in fidelity to the word in which they have believed, they are assured of possessing forever the unshakable kingdom of God.

The letter concludes with specific moral commandments, where the author recalls again his central theme of the sacrifice of Jesus and the courage needed to associate oneself with it in faith. We’ve got a thumbnail sketch of Hebrews. Now, let us proceed to my second point, Passage.

In verse 12, we read that “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Now, when we hear or read the Scriptures, quite a lot can happen to us. This passage points out that the Scriptures have the power to pierce to the deepest part of our hearts and minds. They can uncover our sin and lead us to repentance. They can cut away what is excess baggage in us, pruning us so that we can bear even more fruit for the Lord.

But the Scriptures do more than pierce us. They can also sharpen us. God's word has the power to make things clearer to us, helping us to see the world more as it really is and as God intends it to be. They can help us to become more aware of who we are and what's happening inside of us. That kind of sharpening makes us more effective in drawing closer to the Lord. As the psalmist prayed, “The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye.”[1]

Conversely, if we are not reading the Scriptures, we run the risk of our minds and hearts growing dull. We risk losing our heavenly perspective, thinking and acting primarily with an earthly perspective. We miss out on the privilege of being led by the Lord and end up going our own way instead. Ultimately, without the input of God's word in Scripture, we risk losing sight of Jesus, for as St. Jerome said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”

Given all that is at stake these days, I urge you us to take up the Word of God! Let the Scriptures cut away all that stands between the Lord and you so that – as individuals and as a congregation – you know how living and effective his word can be. And that, folks, brings me to my third point, rest.

This passage cites Psalm 95 three times. Psalm 95 is the invitatory psalm I pray almost daily. The version I memorized is this one.

Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us. Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving and sing joyful songs to the Lord. The Lord is God, the mighty God, the great king over all the gods. He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the highest mountains as well. He made the sea; it belongs to him, the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands. Come, then, let us bow down and worship, bending the knee before the Lord, our maker, for he is our God and we are his people, the flock he shepherds. Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did in the wilderness, when at Meriba and Massah they challenged me and provoked me, although they had seen all of my works. Forty years I endured that generation. I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray and they do not know my ways.” So I swore in my anger, “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Until recently, I had not thought of Psalm 95 in terms of its use in Hebrews. Psalm 95 invites people to worship God as the supreme deity and shepherd, and is classified as an enthronement hymn.[2] God is Savior, Creator and Great King – the title borne by emperors of the ancient Near East. After citing the fact that he is our God and we are his people, the flock he shepherds, the tone of the psalm abruptly shifts to a warning about infidelity, echoing Israel’s testing of God in the wilderness at Meribah and Massah.[3]

Why did the author of Hebrews cite Psalm 95? He cited it because he was warning Christians not to harden their hearts as the Israelites did in the wilderness. Hence, the original point of verses 7-11 of the psalm was to warn against disobedience rather than recount God's act of deliverance.[4]

Israel’s wilderness wandering period was one of wrath whereas the Church's is one of divine blessing. Hebrews told its original readers that the age in which they live, and the blessings of which they partake, are themselves a certain and true witness to God's ongoing faithfulness in bringing this new Exodus community to its rest. The promised land is where God’s people could rest from their wanderings and wars and enjoy a permanent dwelling place. Since this land belongs to Yahweh, he refers to it as ‘my land.’[5]

By citing Gen 2:2, Hebrews argued that the rest that is the reward to the faithful is not physical land, but the rest that God enjoyed after He completed creation.[6] We read, “God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”[7]

Before I conclude, let me ask: Do we rest? Rest is commonly known as freedom from activity or labor or a state of motionlessness or inactivity. We rest our bodies as well as our minds. Although its origin is uncertain, the original meaning of the Germanic noun rast was probably a measure of distance after which one rests.

The word Christians and Jews associate with rest is Sabbath. It comes to us from the Hebrew word shabbath meaning ‘day of rest.’

Jewish teaching defined rituals and activities to both remember and keep the Sabbath and to sanctify it at home and in the synagogue. In addition to refraining from work, the sanctification of the day through blessings over wine, the preparation of special Sabbath meals, and engaging in prayer and religious study were required as an active part of Shabbat observance to promote intellectual activity and spiritual regeneration on the day of rest from physical creation. Jewish teaching stated that the best food should be prepared for the Sabbath, for one who delights in the Sabbath is granted their heart's desires.

As Christians, you already understand that Sunday – the Lord’s Day – is meant for worship, religious study and fellowship. You are here worshipping. You also fellowship. Hopefully, you are engaged in some type of religious study, spiritual reading or prayer time. That would complete your sabbath trifecta.

I must confess, that even as a pastor, I saw my free time on Sunday as an opportunity to get ‘er done on our house and our 21-acre property. Thankfully, my wife’s spiritual director suggested that we create our own sabbath from Saturday afternoon through Sunday night. We started that over three years ago. I would like to suggest the same to you.

Cindy ordered and read a book entitled Rhythms of Rest by Shelly Miller. Miller founded the Sabbath Society in 2013. It is a community of people living all over the world who persevere on the path of finding rhythms of rest because life is full of interruptions and roadblocks. You can find the book or view Miller’s website, but I want to tell you what we do and how we benefit.[8]

After leading two worship services, we eat lunch and nap. We read spiritual or nonspiritual books and magazines. Most Sundays, we eat leftovers or have our meals delivered. We do not watch much TV, clean the house, mow or work our property. We have one day of regeneration to refocus on the Persons of the Trinity.

Because we are not cramming so much on the weekend, we are not exhausted as we begin our jobs Monday morning. I did this even when I worked as a Background Investigator and as a Pastor. Our sabbath is our time to rest in God’s presence, and that means that we have to plan ahead to do those activities that we used to do on Sunday.

The primary benefit of our sabbath is that we have developed a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. We are also calmer and more relaxed when facing issues or concerns throughout the week. Our sabbath works for us, but our sabbath is not yours. Each of us must develop our time to rest in the Father as did our Lord. Throughout his lifetime, Jesus found time to rest in the Father as the Spirit guided him.

Friends, the kingdom of heaven is our final and everlasting rest. God rested from his work. The Israelites rested on their Sabbath. We have the opportunity to rest every week. Let me close with this quote from St. Augustine – maybe you can make it your maxim. “Our heart is restless until it rests in you.” May God give you the time to rest today, and may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Psalm 19:9.

[2] John S. Kselman and Michael L. Barre, Psalms in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Pentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs NJ (1990), p. 542.

[3] See Exodus 17:1-7.

[4] Peter E. Enns, Creation and Re-Creation: Psalm 95 and its Interpretation in Hebrews 3:1-4:13. Westminster Theological Journal 55 (1993) 255-80.

[5] Kselman, p. 542.

[6] Enns, p. 275.

[7] Genesis 2:2-3.

[8] www.shellymillerwriter.com.