“Pack Light”

The gospel of Mark has taken us over the past three weeks or so through some important events in the ministry of Jesus. We have learned of three miracles of Jesus: the release of the man’s demonic spirit, the healing of the hemorrhaging woman, and the reversal of death of the daughter of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. In today’s scripture, we read of Jesus and his return home to Nazareth. It seems that even Jesus is plagued by the old adage: you can never go home again.  Before we get into that discussion, let’s take a moment and examine our reading from 2 Samuel and the appointing of David as King of Jerusalem and his people.

In this passage God calls David to be King and leader of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. He is appointed by God, not by the people – even though they are hungry for his leadership to fulfill their covenant with God. God’s new model of power is through shepherding and covenant-making between God and the people. Like Jesus, David heard God’s call and responded.  Like Jesus, he was a young man who struggled to gain a foothold in leadership.  David was only 30 years old, and he reigned for 40 years. What is revealed is that God makes plans, calls people, and stands behind them in their commitment to faith and covenant. Covenant was central to the relationship between God and Israel. David’s story is not only about kings and kingdoms, but about the dwelling of God in our midst.

One might think that Jesus, the Son of God, would be received by his people with even greater regard than David. After all, Jesus has performed miracles on both shores of the Sea of Galilee. He has earned the praise of Gentiles and Jews alike for His love, compassion, power, and miracles. Wow, what a story. His trip home to Nazareth should have inspired a hero’s welcome.  But the people in the synagogue where he taught are perplexed and critical of Jesus. “Where did this man get all this?  What is this wisdom that has been given to Him?” They are offended by Jesus. They disparage His humble family. “He’s no more than a lowly carpenter,” they say. They see him as the Jesus they’ve always known, and they struggle to see him in a new light. They struggle to see him as the leader and teacher he is and has been since he first left Nazareth.

This is not a flattering picture of the people of Nazareth, and Jesus showd his human side in his tough and somewhat sarcastic response.  He says, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their own hometown, and among their kin, and in their own house.” One of the questions we might ask is, “How would I have responded to Jesus in this situation?”

I grew up in Gary, Indiana, a town built by the steel industry. As I’m sure you’ve heard this week, Michael Jackson and his family grew up in Gary, too. Michael’s father, Joe, was an overhead crane man in the 80-inch hot strip mill where I worked one summer in the mid 60s. He sang constantly into the microphone and was heard throughout the mill, and he was pretty good.  All eleven Jacksons lived in a house about the size of a garage.  In the late 60s, the Jackson Five made it big in Motown. When they returned to Gary for a concert in the early 70s their hotel rooms were robbed and trashed by the hometown crowd.  I guess people resented the Jacksons leaving Gary in the rearview mirror.  Now I’m not comparing the Jacksons to Jesus, but I guess it’s hard to go home when you become a star. The question is what do people resent – your fame and notoriety, or their own lack of personal power?

What would we think about a regular neighbor that turns into a miracle worker, let alone the Son of God? We can grant the people of Nazareth a bit of skepticism. They struggle to see beyond their own limited vision. It doesn’t make sense, they say. It’s understandable that they wouldn’t have pegged Jesus the carpenter for the Son of God, the Messiah. It is an absurd proposition indeed. It’s why the people who question Jesus the most are the ones who have known Him the best. Maybe those of us without preconceived notions are the best to discern the improbable.  

This rejection of Jesus by his own hometown crowd sets up Jesus’ call to the disciples to prepare for a life in ministry. Like Jesus, the disciples, and even King David, we may not be received as well as we might hope to be. We might start out slow. God informs our lives, but sometimes we struggle to hear it. Jesus says, “if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as testimony against them.” In other words, let the criticism roll of your back, move on.  Which is exactly what Jesus calls the disciples to do.  It’s also what he calls us to do.

Jesus makes it clear that the disciples should pack light. This is far more than a reference to their suitcases, and it’s pretty good advice for all of us as we travel on our journeys. Just this past Wednesday my nephew Andrew reported for his Plebe Summer at the US Naval Academy. Following an arduous summer of organization, indoctrination, and discipline designed to level the playing field, he and 1,200 other fourth class midshipmen will begin their college experience.  If not for an injury and major knee surgery, Betty and Bill Booth’s granddaughter Julie would be standing tall with the incoming class. Sounds like Julie will be there next fall, with successful surgery and ongoing instructions from the academy about how to stay prepared.

Like the disciples for their ministry, Andrew was told to pack light for the Academy.  Ten pairs white athletic socks, 10 undershirts, 10 undershorts, a toothbrush – and arrive on time. And he did. Andrew’s process and journey are much like that of the disciples and all of us.  The message is clear: all you need to bring is yourself. Bring your true self, and show up ready to work.

Back to our scripture, which continues, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.” This command from Jesus is about being present in the moment, and not always looking toward the door, wondering if there’s a better gathering down the road. Sometimes we’re guilty of this.  We say, when I get that job, or when we get that house, that’s when life will begin.  But to do this is to miss the gift of this moment, right now, and what we might bring to it   

Sometimes we Christians miss the impact we are to have on the world.  Theologian William Willimon calls this the “Theology of Relinquishment.”  He says, “in a success-oriented, materialistic society, for a young person, as well as one with maturity, to stand up and testify to the ability to let go, to launch out, to give up, well, it’s downright subversive.” Willimon is referring to Jesus and the disciples here. But he’s also speaking to us as we consider our gifts to the larger world, the one beyond our own safety zone, and that of our church community.  Jesus was sending the disciples out into the world to be messengers of the word. He was sending them into battle with those who would reject their message and threaten their lives.  The disciples needed to learn to be selfless and prepared. It was not about them, and it’s not about us.  It’s about Jesus Christ and the gospel of Good News.

Jesus instructed us how to build and maintain our church community. While we are full of energy in so many areas, it’s the gospel we are called to engage in worship and in our lives. We are called to be a mission church that preaches the Word of Christ in equal measure to our outreach. We are doing a great job in our mission and outreach, and we can continue that work while we proclaim the word of Jesus. Our balance is good, and we need to feel the presence of the Word in us in all we do beyond worship. This is neither a challenge nor a criticism – it is a call to the exhilarating awareness of how Jesus sent the disciples into the world, and how we are now sent to be the bearers of the message. We are called to speak the truth in love, straight from our hearts, in our own words, and never be afraid to be known as a Christian.

A woman named Emma stopped by the church office this week looking for help with her electric bill.  After telling an incredibly sad story about her broken relationship with another church, I assured her she’d be welcomed and supported here at Dennis Union.  She paused a minute and said, “That’s what the other church said.”  It reminded me that as long as we stay out front with our evangelism, making sure people know who we are, we can avoid being automatically lumped into a body of church folk like Emma described. It’s why we must continue to offer our proclamation in word and deed. We are the living word, and we are called to offer it in our authentic roles as disciples of Jesus.

We are all ministers of the word of Jesus. We are all called to be points of reference to Jesus’ call. So many of you have acknowledged the role of our youth in worship recently. Thank you for the compliments offered directly to these young people about their service. We are called to be authentic references for them in their lives as young Christians. Jesus called the disciples to be the ones to equip others, and enable them to do what he could not accomplish on His own.

So the question is, how do we enhance our roles as disciples of Jesus mission and proclamation? We continue to invest deeply in worship, in word and song, we continue to study the scriptures to get deeper into their meaning for us. We continue to steward our mission budget, and figure out ways to raise the necessary resources dedicated to the mission and outreach of Dennis Union. (By the way, please come to the church on July 8 to learn more about the activities of the Cape Cod Human Rights Commission.)  We continue to offer our hands to those in need. We continue to support our wonderful youth programs for kids of all ages. We remember, and forget, and remember again that it’s not about us. 

We have so much to do in order to do the work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is already on the move, in us and in others. So, let’s get ready. Remember, pack light and wear good shoes. That’s all you need for the journey. The message is in you, in your smile, your embrace, and in your heart. And what better time to renew our resolve, as we gather around the communion table to hear the words of Jesus:

“Do this in remembrance of Me.”