Epiphany 4 B The Authority of Jesus

Having survived the fish, it's time to move on to unclean spirits. The astounding authority with which Jesus heals and teaches is the crux for me of our gospel pericope next Sunday (hopefully you already know that it is Mark 1:21-28) I had always found this scripture a bit hard to preach, because I nearly always have some kind of image or metaphor which guides my sermon-building, based on the scripture and the meaning I sense for me and the folks in the pew. I really never got there. That wis, until I was preaching at Community UMC in 2000 on this scripture (which also was Superbowl Sunday) and I preached the sermon I have posted at:

http://sermonsfromsusan.blogspot.com/

BTW If you ever should be so led as to use something from one of these sermons I am posting, please let the folks know it was me who said it first. This way, you can blame me if things don't go so well :-) But seriously, I'd appreciate a nod... Also, remember these sermons were preached at a particular time; and so some of the observations I make are not as apt now as I hope they were then. This is one of the sermons that I use as proof that one can be nearly too creative in metaphor, but man, even when I read it just now, I realize that time to time, despite my generally self-deprecating sense of my preaching, I did in fact, do really more than okay once in a while. The folks at Community, as I recall, really did get something out of it. And by then, they were used to me.

As I look back over other sermons I have preached on this scripture, another approach I have taken is that where Jesus' authority rested wasn't in intellectually reasoned arguments, or cool headed debate, but in his passion and his lived ministry...integrity you might say, walking the talk. Integrity is in short supply in many facets of our culture, so this might be an approach that would resonate with you and the people.

I took an even different approach in a sermon earlier in my preaching days, and actually it looks like I preached this one in at least two different churches...the Ernest Angley sermon. Ernest was a faith healer with flair to spare broadcasting on Saturday nights in Nashville while I was in seminary at Vanderbilt. Some of us would gather 'round the TV and watch this toupeed, chubby, white suit wearing, carnation brandishing showman. He had an affinity for healing the deaf by putting fingers in their ears and saying "Satan, come out!" He also made the name of Jesus into a 4syllable word..."Ja-E-Sus-a". In the sermon, after dismissing Ernest, I talk about everyone's need for healing, that Jesus does heal, most of the time through our relationship with other, and I end with Nouwen's Wounded Healer story, which I guess every preacher is obligated to use at least once a quadrennium. It's a good story, but many have heard it. I would not preach this sermon again. The Angley image is really too strong. I have grown tired of myself and others who easily dismiss miraculous healing, or the mystery of God's power, or the charismatic gifts. The years and my own deep grief and the witness I can make of the miracle of God's healing since especially the mid-nineties make me a little less inclined to dis those things I don't understand. Not that Ernest wasn't a charlatan, but when the people hear you making fun of guys like this (who really are so easy to make fun of) they sometimes use your take on him as reason to dismiss others who may be true instruments of the gifts of the Spirit. Not that we shouldn't be skeptical. But we NEVER should be so certain that we can define how God works so completely that we think we have in our intellectual grasp the mind of God. Remember, if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans (or your theology of healing.)

About it being Superbowl: although it isn't on our liturgical calendar, this may be THE high holy day for American sports. You may be doing "Souper Bowl Sunday" where your youth or others bring a can of soup for the local food pantry. There may be Souper Bowl gatherings at the church or in members' homes My advice would be not to worry too much about theologizing at the parties about the game or about American sport or materialism or athletes who make way too much money. For the day, enjoy it and the people. Remember not to drink with parishioners (I would say remember never to drink with parishioners, though I know in other parts of the US there may be different customs), don't get anyone too riled up over team loyalty, and maybe, if you are invited to the home of a member of your church, you might just get to know some of the folks in the pew in a brand new way. Listen at the party more than talk, smile and laugh a lot and refrain from sermonizing if at all possible, though prayer never hurts; in fact it always helps. Offer to pray but in this circumstance but don't push to pray. You personally may need to pray silently for the will to eat one of those appetizers made from Vienna sausages. Try it, though, you might really like it. And enjoy the commercials.