Sermon: Mark 7: 24-37 Who is Jesus? Lord of all

When we were on holiday a few years back, part of the hotel we were staying in had been transformed into a movie set. There were all sorts of rumours going around about who was filming their movie, and we wondered if we’d see any celebrities. And then, one evening as we were eating our dinner, filming had just ended and Will Ferrell walked through, saying hello to everyone on the way past.

Contrast that to when we lived in east Belfast and had popped into the big Tesco near Ikea to get a few things on Saturday night. And there, wandering the aisles, with his coat up high and a baseball cap was none other than the comedian Peter Kay. (I resisted the urge to give him a packet of garlic bread). He had been appearing in the Odyssey, but it was clear that he didn’t want to be recognised or engage with anyone.

Now that’s my only two celebrity encounters - I’m not a stalker - but in our reading this morning, it seems that Jesus is slightly more like the second of the celebrities I spotted. When we get to verse 24 (p 1010), we find that Jesus has left Galilee and Israel behind, and has crossed the border into the vicinity of Tyre. And just like Mr Kay in Knocknagoney Tesco, he ‘entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.’ (24)

It could be that the threat of Herod was still there while he was in Galilee; and he had just had another confrontation with the Pharisees, who were already plotting to kill him. And so Jesus is away from home, where maybe no one will know him. But he just can’t keep it secret that he is there. Someone has recognised him. someone knows him, and the word gets out. Jesus is here. His presence is never a secret. When he’s in your heart and in your life, then it’s obvious. And so here, the secret gets out.

And soon enough, as soon as she heard about him, a woman comes to see Jesus. She fell at his feet. She was desperate, begging Jesus to do something. You see, her little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit (25). She begs Jesus to ‘drive the demon out of her daughter.’ (26).

Now, I wonder were you surprised when you heard what happened next. You see, so far in Mark’s gospel we’ve seen how Jesus immediately helps people who are in need. He heals people, drives out demons, restores sight and even raised a little girl back to life. That’s what you expect to happen, because that’s what Jesus does. Isn’t it?

But here, rather than helping straight away, Jesus starts a discussion. It’s almost as if he’s objecting to being asked to do the miracle, to help this woman and her daughter. That seems strange, doesn’t it? And even stranger, is what Jesus then says to the distressed mother: ‘First let the children eat all they want, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.’ (27)

So what’s going on here? Is Jesus being cheeky? Rude? Racist? There’s the contrast that he brings in between the children and the dogs. Now, you know the way there are words used by one people group about another? So in Northern Ireland there are words used when describing someone from the other community - words not to be used in the pulpit. For the Jews, anyone who was a Gentile was seen as unclean, and one of the words used about them was ‘dog.’

So it seems that Jesus is buying into this in some way, likening the Jews to the children, and the Gentiles to the dogs - not (as would normally have been thought) a wild dog, but (here) a pet dog. But he says it all the same. That it wouldn’t be fair to take what is for the Jews and to instead give it to the Gentiles. What we don’t have, and can’t immediately tell, is the way in which he said it. We just have the words on the page. We can’t tell if he said it in a harsh way, to shut down the conversation; or in a jokey way, to see if she would play along.

But perhaps her answer helps us to see how he said it and how it was taken. She grasps onto his first word - the word ‘first’. You see, Jesus wasn’t saying that he is only for the Jews. And he wasn’t saying that his grace was only for the Jews. But it was for the Jews first of all. And there she finds hope to continue; there she presses into the grace on offer:

‘Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ (28) Ok, she says, if you want to think we’re dogs, then even the dogs get the crumbs and scraps that fall from the table. So won’t you let a crumb of grace fall to me? She’s playing the game, and displaying her faith that Jesus can make a difference, and that he will make the difference for her daughter. Did you see what she called him? Lord! This Gentile woman recognises who Jesus is. She calls him Lord.

And he shows it by sending her home - saying the demon has left her daughter. And that’s exactly what she finds when she gets home. Jesus is Lord, not just in Israel, but even in Tyre. He is Lord, Lord of all.

We see that in another place that is outside of Israel’s borders. Jesus has travelled from Tyre, through Sidon to the region of the Decapolis. That’s where he had sent the man who was previously demon possessed that we met in chapter 5 back in January. Do you remember him? He had been possessed by many demons, Legion, and Jesus had driven out the demons into the pigs and restored the man. He had wanted to come too, but Jesus sent him home to tell of all that God had done. So they’ve heard of Jesus in the Decapolis (the ten cities).

And again, he’s quickly recognised. This time, some people bring to Jesus a man who is deaf and could hardly talk. They begged Jesus to place his hand on the man. And once again, we find that Jesus does something strange, something unusual. With the Syro-Phoenician woman’s daughter, Jesus healed her from a distance. With some of the other healings we’ve seen, Jesus healed with a word. But here, Jesus does much more.

Now, we’re still in the midst of the no-touching advice of the Coronavirus guidelines, but Jesus is really touchy-feely here. Look at verse 33. ‘Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spat and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”)

Now why did he do all that? He’s telling the man what’s about to happen. The man may be deaf and mute, but he’s not blind. And so Jesus is showing him what he’s going to do. He touches his ears. He spits to show the clearing of a blockage, then touches the man’s tongue. As he looks up to heaven, he’s showing the man how he’s going to be healed - from God, by God’s power - and then with the sigh says ‘Be opened!’

‘At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.’ (35) The blockage is removed, and the man can hear. The blockage is removed and the man can speak. And only by God’s power. In the Old Testament, in Exodus 4, at the burning bush, Moses is arguing against God’s call on his life to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. And God says this to him: ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute?... Is it not I, the LORD?’ (Ex 4:11) God is the one who has the power over the ear and the tongue, making deaf or restoring hearing; making mute or restoring the power of speech. And that’s exactly what Jesus can do - even in this Gentile territory.

Now we’ve heard some strange things that Jesus said and did in our reading today. But there’s one more just before we finish. And it’s there in verse 36: ‘Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.’

Jesus didn’t want his picture in the local paper, or a post on Facebook about what he had done. Jesus didn’t want people to talk about what he had done. Doesn’t that seem strange? Why might that be so?

He’s already had crowds gathering to him in Galilee. And as we’ll see next time we’re in Mark’s gospel, crowds gather to him in these Gentile regions too. Isn’t that a good thing? Wouldn’t he want a bigger crowd? And especially when you read verse 37 - people are speaking of him so favourably, his approval rating is through the roof, they are overwhelmed with amazement as they say: ‘He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’

Those categories, making the deaf hear and the mute speak, they’re part of the checklist for the Messiah that we read earlier in Isaiah 35. They’re grasping who Jesus is, and seeing that he’s Lord of all, (which is more than the disciples have managed so far), but they would still get the wrong end of the stick.

It’s true that Jesus is Lord of all; that his church will continue his mission from Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth. It’s true that Jesus will bring healing and wholeness to all his people - some here and now, but for all in the fullness of his kingdom.

But as much as these Gentiles have grasped Jesus’ identity, they still can’t grasp the fullness of Jesus’ mission. And, as we’ll see, the disciples haven’t grasped it yet. No one else can see it yet, but for Jesus to be Lord of all, and for Jesus to bring healing and wholeness to all his people, he has to go the way of the cross.

And so, he wants them to keep it secret. To not tell anyone. For now. Who is Jesus? Lord of all, the Lord of healing and wholeness, the long-promised Messiah.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 8th March 2020.

Sermon: Mark 7: 1-23 Who is Jesus? Clean or Unclean?

For the last few weeks we’ve been hearing about the threat of Coronavirus - seeing the devastation in parts of China, and watching how it has been spreading to different parts of the world, coming closer, to north Italy, and now, inevitably, to Northern Ireland. Coronavirus is here, and there’s all the advice about self-isolation if you’re at risk, and if you cough or sneeze, to catch it in a tissue, bin it, and wash your hands. To try to prevent the spread of this virus, and to try to make sure you don’t get it, it’s important to practice good hygiene and good hand washing.

In our reading this morning, we find a group of people who are also concerned about washing hands. But it’s not really about preventing the spreading of disease. No, their concern was about being clean and keeping clean - in a ceremonial, ritualistic kind of way. And as we’ll see, they get upset that Jesus’ disciples aren’t as concerned about it in the same way.

So who were these people? They were the Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law. Remember them? We haven’t encountered them in this whole section, but we’ve previously met them in Mark’s gospel, back in chapter 2 and 3. They’ve already fallen out with Jesus over Jesus’ teaching on fasting, and Sabbath, and about him eating with tax collectors and sinners. And that whole row ended up with them plotting how they might kill Jesus (3:6).

For a few chapters they’ve been absent, but now they’re back. They’ve come from Jerusalem for more observation and investigation of this man on their hitlist. And they’re watching closely, to make sure that things are being done properly (or maybe they’re watching to note down all the things that are being done incorrectly in their eyes). If we’ve got the Public Health Agency advising on the coronavirus; then these guys see themselves as the Spiritual Health Agency.

And what do they see, as they gather round Jesus? They see (verse 2) ‘some of his disciples eating food with hands that were “unclean”, that is, unwashed.’ And immediately, their alarm bells are going off! They can’t believe what they’re seeing! Unclean hands making the disciples unclean.

Now, it’s not that the disciples’ hands were filthy. It’s just that they hadn’t done what the Pharisees would have done. We see that in the brackets in verses 3-4. They ‘do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders... And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.’ What they mean by a ceremonial washing was pouring water over the hands from a wee jug - not washing hands with soap and water as we would expect.

Do you see the issue? The Pharisees do it, the disciples don’t, and so they ask Jesus the question in verse 5: ‘Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their hands with ‘unclean’ hands?’

The Spiritual Health Agency have noticed a problem. They’ve made an intervention. But they didn’t expect Jesus to say what he says to them: ‘Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”’ (6-7)

Jesus confronts them, and calls them hypocrites. They seem to care about God, they honour him with their lips, but their hearts are far from God. So they say that they care about being clean, but it’s all on the outside, all show. They can wash their hands as many times as they like, but it won’t make them clean. Why? Because they’re only following their own rules, not God’s word.

Did you notice that? It’s all about the tradition of the elders; other traditions; the tradition of the elders. That’s what they’re concerned about, rather than God’s word. And Jesus summarises it for us in verse 8: ‘You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.’

If you can only hold on to one thing, which do you hold onto? God’s word or human traditions? The Pharisees had chosen to drop God’s word, to let it go; and they were clinging on to their traditions, elevating them to the ultimate level, and seeking to obey them.

Now Jesus isn’t saying that traditions are bad. We have lots of traditions in the Church of Ireland. The Prayer Book is part of our tradition of how we do church. But our traditions always must submit to God’s word. If we have to choose between them, then God’s word must come first. And the Pharisees had gone the other way, holding on to their traditions, insisting everyone needed to do what they did, even though God hadn’t commanded it.

Jesus then gives them an example of how they had chosen to set aside God’s commands in order to observe their traditions. In the commandments we heard earlier, we heard God’s word say that we are to honour our father and mother. But the Pharisees had a special procedure called Corban (not Jeremy Corbyn!) - rather than spending your money looking after elderly parents, you could instead dedicate your money to God, and keep it for yourself. So their tradition trumped God’s word. And that was just one example.

Could it be that we care more about our traditions than about God’s word? Could we have formulated rules that we live by and expect others to follow, but which aren’t mandated by God in his word? Could we be like the Pharisees in trying to be the Spiritual Health Agency, judging others based on our rules or preferences or traditions? May it not be so!

The Pharisees were concerned about being clean and not being unclean. It was a good desire, but they were going about it the wrong way. By insisting on outward rituals and pouring water, they thought they would be clean. But Jesus goes on to show us that the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.

He calls the crowd to him and says, verse 15: ‘Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.’ Do you get it? Do you grasp what he’s saying? Yes? Maybe? No? Well neither did the disciples. we said last week that they’re slow to grasp what’s happening. And it’s the case here as well, so they ask Jesus later, privately about it.

He explains it in verses 18 onwards. Nothing you eat will make you unclean, whether you’ve washed your hands or not. (Now, if you haven’t washed your hands you might get an upset tummy, but it won’t make you unclean spiritually). Why? Because the food goes in your mouth, into your stomach, and eventually out again (and we’ll say no more about the process). It doesn’t go into your heart, to make you unclean.

So what makes us unclean? Look with me at verse 20: ‘What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean’. For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils comes from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’’

That’s quite a catalogue of corruption, an index of iniquity, a shopping list of sin. And they all come from within, from our hearts. The Pharisees were concerned about the outside, all those washings, all those ceremonies. But no matter how many times you wash the outside of a cup, it won’t make the inside of it clean. And so, despite their outward concern about purity, they were unclean on the inside, where the washings couldn’t reach.

Isn’t that the same with us? Now, we scrub up well on a Sunday, we look respectable and clean and tidy; we look as if we have it all sorted. But inside each of us, at the heart of the matter is the matter of our heart, and our hearts are manufacturing all kinds of evil thoughts and desires and actions. Each of us will be different, tempted by and prone to different sorts of sin, but our hearts are all the same. It’s why we have to pray a prayer of confession when we meet together, acknowledging that this is us, that this is what we’ve been like since we last met together.

We’re unclean. And so some people use religion (any religion!) to try to improve themselves. And others use traditions and man-made rules. And others just try really, really hard to be better. But all those efforts can lead to more sin - pride in our achievements. Or they’ll lead us to despair at our predicament. Is there any answer to our uncleanness? Any hope of being made clean?

Our only hope is in the only one who is clean. That list of sins that flow out of our hearts - they are our normal existence, our daily reality. But they were completely absent from the Lord Jesus. Take each one - evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly - they were not to be found in Jesus’ heart, or Jesus’ life.

Peter, who spent three years with Jesus, summed it up with these words: ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ (1 Pet 2:22) The only person who is clean. He perfectly obeyed God’s commands, every one of them, so that he could take our sins upon himself, and die in our place. As Peter goes on to say:

‘He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.’ (1 Pet 2:24)

With Coronavirus here now, good hygiene will be important. Washing hands will be vital. But even more important than that is to be cleansed - not by water, but by the blood of Jesus, who died to take our sins and make us clean and pure and new. Don’t be tempted to seek your own cleansing routine, or to try and do it yourself. Come to Jesus, and be cleansed by him. Every sin, paid for. And a new heart provided for you. Come for the first time, and trust in Jesus to be your Saviour. Come for the hundredth time, as you seek his grace for the ways you’ve messed up. But come to Jesus, the Saviour, the one who brings cleansing.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 1st March 2020.

Sermon: Mark 6: 45-56 Who is Jesus? Water Walker

It won’t be long until Jamie starts to do jigsaw puzzles. Starting with the small number of big pieces, and then with smaller pieces but more of them, he’ll build up the puzzle until he’s able to see the finished picture. At the start, there’s just a jumbled pile of pieces, but by the end, the picture is clear and obvious. Now, normally, when you’re building up a jigsaw puzzle you can see the picture on the box, but it’s much harder if you’re trying to build it without knowing what it’s meant to be.

That’s sort of what’s happening in this section of Mark’s gospel. The disciples have been asking ‘who is Jesus?’ and they’ve got lots of puzzle pieces, and they’re trying to piece together just who Jesus is. But they haven’t quite managed it yet.

They’ve seen Jesus heal people, and drive out demons, and teach, and calm the wind and the waves with a word, and raise a dead girl, and so much more. So they’ve all these pieces, all these clues, but they haven’t put them together yet. They haven’t joined the dots.

But I don’t need to tell you that it’s much harder to get things done when you’re sleep-deprived or even just very tired. Jigsaws, or normal everyday life, or thinking straight can be more difficult when you haven’t slept. And that’s what we see here in today’s reading. The disciples are getting more puzzle pieces to put together, more clues as to who Jesus is, but they still can’t work it out, and all the more so because of everything that’s been happening.

I’m sure you’ve had days when you get to the end of them and you think - did all that happen in one day? So much going on, so much you’ve been through, and it was all in twenty-four hours. Well, put yourself in the sandals of the disciples for a moment or two.

Earlier in Mark 6, they had been sent out by Jesus to teach and heal and drive out demons - the things that Jesus had been doing. And at the start of this day in question, they had come back to Jesus and reported all that they had been doing. (30). But there were so many people about that Jesus, caring for the disciples, took them by boat to what was going to be a quiet place to get some rest. Except, the crowds were there before them, and it was as busy as ever around Jesus. So Jesus cared for the crowds (as the good shepherd for these sheep without a shepherd), and then cared for the crowd using the disciples, as he fed the five thousand men (plus women and children) from just five loaves and two fish.

So if you’ve put your feet in the disciples’ sandals, they’re probably warm, and sore, and a bit sweaty, after you’ve been walking through this big crowd, catering for their needs, bringing them bread and fish until they’re all full. And there’s no break afterwards, as we see in verse 45 of our reading. Dinner has been served, and the clearing up has happened, and ‘immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.’

But they’re not on a cruise liner with good food and entertainment and sunloungers aplenty. They’re in a wee boat, in a big storm. Look at verse 48. Jesus is on the land, having been praying alone on the mountain, and he sees ‘the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.’ This isn’t row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. This is row hard, straining at the oars, trying to make progress against a strong headwind. After all they’ve already been through that day.

And then, around the fourth watch of the night (between 3am and 6am), they catch a glimpse of something seemingly walking on the lake. Tiredness might make you hallucinate, but they all see this figure, maybe a ghost? And they cried out, because they were terrified!

But it wasn’t a ghost. It was Jesus, walking on the water. Now that should be a big clue as to who Jesus is - because it’s just not possible for any of us to walk on water (when it isn’t frozen into ice). And it’s definitely not icy - the disciples were straining at the oars; but also, it isn’t calm and flat - the wind is up, the waves would be rough - and yet Jesus is walking on the water.

There are two other clues to Jesus’ identity in the way Mark tells this story. Look again at the end of verse 48. Did you notice this when it was read? ‘About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them...’

What’s that about?! Jesus is out walking on the lake, and he wasn’t even going to the boat, he was going to pass by them. That’s an echo of something that happened a few times in the Old Testament - to Moses and Elijah - when God passed by them; showing them his glory.

So in Exodus 34, the glory of the LORD passed by Moses, as God’s name and character were revealed to him - ‘The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness...’ (Ex 34:6). And in our reading from 1 Kings 19, the LORD passes by the disheartened prophet Elijah, revealing his presence and recommissioning him for service. In each case, the encounter is marked by the LORD passing by, revealing his identity and glory. And that’s what Jesus is revealing, as he is about to pass by the frightened disciples.

But there’s one more clue, one more puzzle piece for the disciples, and that’s in what Jesus says to them in verse 50: ‘Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”’ Those are words of reassurance, of comfort - words that you often hear when God appears to someone in the Bible. But the middle phrase has a deeper meaning. You see, Jesus isn’t just saying, it’s ok, It’s me, I’m here. He is saying that, but he’s saying more than that.

You see, the words he uses literally mean ‘I am’ - the way that God introduces himself to Moses in Exodus 3 at the burning bush: ‘God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”’ (Ex 3:14)

Do you see the puzzle pieces they are holding in their hands? Jesus has fed people miraculously giving them bread in a remote place - just as God did in the wilderness in Exodus 16. Jesus has walked on the water - which is something only God can do. Jesus was about to pass by - which is what God did in the Old Testament. And Jesus uses God’s name as his own form of address as he says, ‘I am.’

The disciples have all the puzzle pieces; they have enough to put it all together and work it out; it seems so obvious. And yet they still don’t get it. They still can’t grasp who Jesus is. Why is that? Why might it be when you’ve talked to a friend, and you’ve told them about Jesus, and you’ve answered their questions and explained about who he is and why he came and how much he loves them, and yet they still don’t grasp it for themselves? Why do people sometimes not get it, even when it seems plain and clear and obvious?

‘They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.’ (51-52) The disciples had all the information they needed, but they still don’t get it because their hearts were hardened. It’s not that they couldn’t see - they just wouldn’t see. Even when they had been part of the miracle, and had seen Jesus in action up close, they still weren’t getting it.

Perhaps you are getting frustrated with the disciples by now. Or getting frustrated with your friends or family who aren’t getting it. Yet here we see that Jesus is patient with these slow learners. He doesn’t give up on them; he continues to show them who he is, bit by bit and step by step. And we ought to give thanks for that - because we can be slow to learn and slow to recognise Jesus too.

What pieces of the puzzle do you have? Which bits of Jesus’ identity have you seen and heard? And how do you put them together?Are you forming this picture of who Jesus is?

The irony of the very last verses of our reading today is that while the disciples still don’t recognise Jesus for who he is, the people of Gennesaret (who haven’t been up close and personal in the midst of the storm, and who haven’t seen Jesus walk on water) - they know who Jesus is. They recognise him and immediately run through the region to bring everyone who was sick. They recognise Jesus - if only as healer - while the disciples are still struggling to work him out.

Today, as we baptise Jamie, our prayer is that he will grow up to get to know Jesus, to recognise him as his Saviour, and God, and friend. And it’s our prayer for each of us gathered here today. We don’t need to have everything worked out, and every detail absolutely covered before we commit - hopefully the puzzle pieces we do have show us enough of Jesus to know that he is Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, who came to save us. Who still speaks those words of comfort and assurance because he has paid the penalty for our sins, and died on the cross for us, and comes to us to say: ‘Take courage, I am. Don’t be afraid.’

Together we are getting to know Jesus better, as we encourage one another, and help one another to grow in faith in God, and knowledge of God, and love for God.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 23rd February 2020.

Sermon: Mark 6: 30-44 Who is Jesus? Provider (1)

Have you ever wondered to yourself: Does God really care about me? I mean, there are so many people in the world, with so many needs and wants, does God care about me? Yes, I know that God loves me - he loves everybody after all, but does he care about me?

This morning I hope you’ll see that Jesus cares about you - because he cares about his disciples; and he cares about the crowd; and he cares for the crowd through his disciples.

So first of all, Jesus cares about his disciples. I’m sure you’re well used to the idea of catching up with someone - you haven’t seen them for a while, or just all day, and so you find out what they’ve been up to. So the boys and girls get home from school and you ask ‘what did you learn in school today?’ Or you get in from work - how did you get on today? Or you meet a friend for coffee - what have you been up to? That’s what’s happening here in verse 30.

You see, to understand verse 30, we need a flashback; like in the start of each episode in a TV series - previously on... If you glance to the previous page, you’ll see that Jesus had sent the Twelve out, two by two, in verse 7. We get a summary of what they had been up to in verse 12-13 - preaching that people should repent, driving out demons, anointing and healing people. That’s what they had been up to. But now in verse 30, they’re back with Jesus, and they report to him all they had done and taught.

You can imagine that, with the summary we get, that they would be as excited as children coming in on a Monday to tell their teacher everything they got up to over the weekend. Or the Paraguay team will be when we get back at the end of April. They’re definitely excited, and they’re probably tired as well. And it’s busy. ‘Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”’ (31)

Jesus knows what they need - peace and quiet and rest. You see, Jesus doesn’t just care for our souls - he cares for all of us. He knows that we need to rest and recover, that we can’t be on the go all the time. And so he cares for his disciples. And it’s Jesus who will care for them - did you notice? They weren’t just being sent off by themselves; they were invited to come and rest with Jesus, to find in him their rest, because he cares for them.

Jesus cares about his disciples. Are you experiencing that today? You see, we can be so busy working for the Lord, that we neglect to take time out with the Lord. We can get caught up in the cares of our particular ministries and service, that we forget that the Lord cares for us. That we can feel guilty to be resting. But Jesus cares about his disciples - and he cares about you if you’re following him today.

Now, have you ever had that moment where you’re away on holiday, and you bump into somebody you know? A few years back, we were in New York on holiday, just walking up the street, and who should be coming the other way, only two other Church of Ireland ministers! They were there for a conference. And we thought - you can go nowhere!

Well here, Jesus and the disciples set off in the boat, going to a solitary place. Somewhere nice and quiet. Get a bit of peace. Some time off. But it didn’t work out that way. You see, the sea of Galilee wasn’t that big, and as Jesus and the disciples sail along, the crowd spot them going, and can run around the shore, and be there before them! So much for a quiet time!

So, how would you finish this sentence: ‘When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he...’ What do you think? What would you do? He groaned inwardly and thought, so much for a quiet time. Or, he jumped back in the boat and they sailed away again. Or, he told them all to go away and leave them alone. Much as we might be tempted to do one or all three of those, that’s not what Jesus did.

Do you see how the sentence ends? ‘When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.’ (34)

Jesus cares about the crowd. He has compassion on them. He feels for them. And why does he do that? Because they were like sheep without a shepherd. They were lost. Bewildered. And he cares for them, because he is the shepherd Lord.

And the way he cares for the crowd, and guides them, is by teaching them. These sheep without a shepherd hear the shepherd’s voice calling to them.

Sheep without a shepherd. Could that describe the people you come into contact with every day? The people you share an office with; the people you meet in your work. People who need to hear the shepherd’s voice calling them, guiding them. Could that be you today? Jesus came to be your shepherd, to lead and guide you. He cares for you. He has compassion on you. Can you hear him calling you?

Jesus cares about his disciples. Jesus cares about the crowds. But it seems that the disciples don’t care about the crowds. You see, it’s getting late, and they urge Jesus to send the people away. Tell them to go off and get themselves something to eat. It’s very practical, and you could even argue, compassionate - the disciples don’t want the crowds getting hungry, so send them away to sort themselves out.

And then Jesus says those incredible words in verse 37: ‘You give them something to eat.’ The disciples are quick to jump in with the absurdity of the situation: ‘That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?’ (37)

That’s a huge amount of money, for one meal. And the disciples can’t get over the thought of it. They’re thinking practically, Humanly. It’s as if they’ve forgotten what they’ve just been doing in their preaching, healing, driving out demons mission trip. It’s as if they’ve forgotten all that they’ve already seen Jesus do. It’s as if they still haven’t realised who Jesus is - not just an ordinary man, but Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus will care for the crowd through his disciples. He’s already indicated that by telling the disciples to feed the crowd. So then he asks them what they have. That’s where we start. Not by thinking about what we don’t have - as if we think, oh, we would need this and this and this before we could start to make a difference. No, Jesus asks them what they have. However small.

It turns out they have five loaves and two fish. Don’t think of a pan loaf, though, this is more like a wee bap or a wee bread roll. It seems so small, so insignificant, when faced with such a great need. But Jesus can use the little we have in amazing ways. And he cares for the crowd through his disciples. And so he gets them to get the crowd sitting down, ready to eat. This vast open air dining room, as the sheep without a shepherd sit down on the green pastures.

Jesus takes the loaves and the fish, gives thanks, breaks them, and gives them to the disciples to set before the people. Those verbs (action words) are the same words in the same order as at the Lord’s supper. Taking, giving thanks, breaking, and giving. Jesus is supplying the peoples’ need, caring for the crowd through his disciples.

And his grace supplies abundantly, even more than enough. From just five little loaves and two fish, the whole crowd ate and was satisfied. They had their fill. But grace supplied even more - twelve baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish. The original amount wouldn’t have filled one basket, but now there are twelve baskets of leftovers. And that after the five thousand men (and however many women and children) had eaten.

We asked the question at the start: Does God really care about me? What do you think? We’ve seen how Jesus cares about his disciples - not a slave driver, but the Master who cares about rest and refreshment for his gospel workers. We’ve seen how Jesus cares about the crowd, having compassion on them because he is the shepherd Lord, who cares about the shepherd-less sheep. And we’ve seen how Jesus cares for the crowd through his disciples, using the little they have to multiply and magnify his abundant grace.

Jesus cares about you, whoever you are. He loves you so much that he came into this world to care for you. The bread, broken into pieces, would be taken again by his disciples on the night before Jesus died on the cross - his body, broken to satisfy the penalty our sins deserve. He offers you his shepherd care today. He’s calling you to come and be with him, to know the Lord as your shepherd today, and all your days, and for evermore.

That’s our prayer today for Charlotte and Freddie. And it’s our prayer for all of us gathered here - that we’ll hear the shepherd’s voice, and know the shepherd’s compassion, and receive the shepherd’s rescue - that we’ll commit as his disciples, and be used by him to care for the crowd.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 9th February 2019.

Sermon: Mark 6:14-29 Who is Jesus? Baptist's Back?

Who is Jesus? If you type that question into Google, there are 1.7billion results; 1.7billion web pages seeking to answer that question. But the question didn’t begin with the internet age. Rather, it’s a question that has been asked since Jesus began his earthly ministry about 2000 years ago. And, as we can see in our reading today, it’s a question that has always, from the beginning, produced many different answers.

With the disciples, we’ve been asking that question this term, as we journey through Mark’s gospel, as we listen and watch as Jesus teaches and heals and performs miracles. This morning, we get to hear some of the answers that people are coming up with as they ask that same question: Who is Jesus?

But before we dive in to the passage itself, it might be helpful to take a step back, and recognise that this seems to be a strange sort of passage. Perhaps you noticed the strangeness when Mary announced the reading with these words: ‘Hear the gospel of our Saviour Christ...’ and concluded it with the words: ‘This is the gospel of the Lord.’ It seems strange to say or hear those words when, apart from one mention in passing, the passage doesn’t really feature Jesus. In fact, the passage as a whole is more about John the Baptist, and what happened to him.

Yet it’s still the gospel of the Lord, our Saviour Christ. John is a servant of the Lord, a servant of the gospel, and as he points to Jesus, he shows us what it might look like to be faithful to Jesus. And that brings us back to the question of the hour, the question of all of time: who is Jesus?

Google will give you 1.7 billion answers. In our passage today, we hear of three popular answers. It’s a bit like on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and they ask the audience. Everyone gets to vote on which of the four answers they think is the right one. So who is Jesus?

Well some people in verse 14 say that Jesus is John the Baptist raised from the dead. Others say that Jesus is Elijah - a famous prophet from the Old Testament, who would come to prepare the way for the Lord. And others claim he is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago. Three different answers, different opinions about who Jesus is. What do you think of them? Are any of them convincing, based on what we’ve already seen of Jesus in Mark’s gospel?

The first one is obviously wrong - after all, John had baptised Jesus back in 1:10. They’re two different people. And as for the second, Elijah comes to prepare the way for the Lord, but Jesus himself is the Lord, whose way is prepared for him by the Elijah - John the Baptist. So the first two options are wrong. Now, the third gets closer to the mark. Jesus described himself last time as a prophet without honour in his hometown. And he is prophetic, but he’s much more than a prophet (as Mark has told us in 1:1 - Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God).

So the people are coming up with possible ideas about who Jesus is, but they’re all wide of the mark. And among them is none other than King Herod. He was the ruler of the province of Galilee, and son of the King Herod who had ordered the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem when Jesus had been born. And Herod heard about all that Jesus was doing - and how his disciples were going two by two among the villages preaching, healing people and driving out demons.

And what does Herod think when he hears of the name of Jesus which is now well known? ‘John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!’ (16) Herod is almost haunted with the thought that John the Baptist is back from the dead.

Now that immediately raises questions for us. You see, the last we heard of John had been back in 1:14. It was after John had been put in prison that Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. But now we hear that he has died - been beheaded by Herod. So how did all that come about? That’s what Mark tells us in the rest of our passage.

It was Herod who had ordered for John to be arrested, bound, and put in prison. And why did that happen? ‘He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married.’ (17)

Herod was married to someone else, and Herodias (who turned out to be his niece), was married to Herod’s brother. But Herod got rid of his wife, and Herodias divorced Philip, and Herod and Herodias married. In the old BCP (1926), there was a Table of Kindred and Affinity. It set out who could not get married, because they were related. And Herod and Herodias’ relationship was also forbidden (Lev 18:16, 20:21). And John told Herod this, to his face: ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ (18)

John spoke the truth of God’s word to the people in power, the people who thought they could do what they wanted. Herodias hated John for it, held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But Herod was more complicated. He heard what John said, and while he didn’t like it, he was still captivated in some way by John.

We’re told that he feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. And we’re told that when he heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (20)

Herod is caught in a dilemma. He likes to hear what John has to say. But he doesn’t want to do it - because he likes living in his sinful rebellion even more. He knows that John is a man of God, but doesn’t want that for himself - because he likes being Herodias’ man even more. He’s being challenged to repent, to turn to God, to give up his sin. But Herod thinks he’s in control of the situation. He holds the keys that keep John locked up. But it turns out that Herod is more of a prisoner than John is. Herod is in bondage to his sin, and is imprisoned because of his desires. And he has lost control of the whole situation.

It all comes to a head on Herod’s birthday. He throws a big banquet for his high officials, military commanders, and the leading men of the region. It must have been a boozy affair, and then Herodias’ daughter comes in to dance for the men. Now, it wasn’t that she did a ceilidh dance - something respectable. The subtext is that this was a provocative, lustful kind of dance. Highly inappropriate - and even more so because this is Herod’s step-daughter and niece. Yet he’s so impressed that he offers her whatever she wants - and swears it on oath, even up to half his kingdom.

The girl goes to her mother, and her mother knows exactly what she wants. John’s head. And the girl shows she is her mother’s daughter, by wanting it on a platter. Right now.

Herod was ‘greatly distressed’ (26) by the request. He didn’t want to do it, yet because of his oaths and his guests, he didn’t want to lose face, and so he gave the order. And straight away, John was beheaded. The voice of God’s servant to him was silenced, without so much as a final word or even a farewell.

It’s no wonder that Herod was fearful that John had been raised from the dead when he heard of the miracles of Jesus. Was it his guilty conscience pricking as he remembered what he had done to that righteous and holy man John? How he had chosen to side with Herodias and his sin, rather than John and God’s word?

We can know the right path; we can be called to it time and again; and yet choose to go our own way. And with Herod, it wasn’t a temporary stumble into sin, or a momentary lapse. It was a headlong, deliberate choice to go his own way, fully knowing how wrong his path was. He liked to listen to John the Baptist, but it didn’t change his mind or his heart or his ways. He thought he could sort out his sins some other time. And that’s a dangerous path to go down.

You see, later on, Herod greatly desired to meet this Jesus. He had heard so much about him, and wanted to see him perform a miracle for him. Luke tells us about the meeting in Luke 23:8-12. Herod had many questions for Jesus, but ‘Jesus gave him no answer.’ And then Herod ridiculed and mocked him. As Sinclair Ferguson writes: ‘Having rejected the preaching of John, he ended life ridiculing the One whom John had said was greater than himself. In the end, God had no more to say to Herod.’ (p117)

Herod shows us the danger of hearing God’s word and doing nothing about it; of loving to hear preaching, but loving our sin even more. Could that be a description of (some of) us? We think that we’ll repent some day - but that some day may never come. Today is the day of salvation! Don’t delay any more if this is you!

John shows us what it means to serve God as we point to Jesus - speaking truth to power, even saying the uncomfortable things, no matter what the cost. John didn’t water down his message, didn’t change it so that his hearers would like it better; didn’t say to himself that times change and we need to be relevant to the culture and sure everybody’s doing it these days. He was faithful - even though it cost him his head.

And in one sense, we’re no further on in our quest to answer the question of who Jesus is. The three answers provided are either wrong, or not fully complete. But Jesus is not just a prophet; and he’s not Elijah; and he’s not John the Baptist brought back to life. Jesus is the one who was raised to life. The day after his meeting with Herod, Jesus was crucified, dying to take away our sins, bearing our burden on his back. And on the third day, Jesus rose again, triumphing over sin and death and hell - rising to give us the assurance of life with him; life for all who will repent, and turn from their sin, and trust in him as their Saviour. What a wonderful name, the name of Jesus - the only name given to us by which we must be saved. Are you trusting him today?

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 2nd February 2020.

Sermon: Mark 6: 1-13 Who is Jesus? Rejected Prophet

In 180 days, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will begin. Athletes from all disciplines are working hard in their training to be ready for the world’s biggest competition. Their focus is on winning the gold medal, and standing on the podium to hear their national anthem played. Yet another amazing experience would also await them a few days later, when they arrive back at Heathrow, or in Belfast, or Dublin, when they experience a triumphant homecoming. Can you imagine that? Being back in your hometown, being welcomed with crowds and cheering and jubilation? A homecoming hero.

You see the same with football teams. So last season (apologies if this is a painful reminder), Manchester City won the domestic treble - the league and both cups - and thousands turned out to celebrate as they drove around Manchester on an open top bus. The city turned blue as they celebrated their homecoming heroes.

Now, if that’s how homecoming heroes are celebrated for kicking a ball around a field, or being fast at running, then can you imagine what sort of homecoming welcome someone like Jesus would deserve? Flags and banners and balloons, songs and music and dancing, crowds and cheering and celebration - he’s one of our own! He’s one of us!

I mean, if Dungannon has a sign up stating that it’s the home of Darren Clarke, then surely Nazareth would be cashing in on the fact that Jesus grew up in its streets? [Now, you’re right, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but he then grew up in Nazareth, as Matthew 2:23 tells us] So when we read in Mark 6:1 that Jesus went to his home town, we’re expecting quite a homecoming hero’s welcome.

It’s what we would expect, having heard all that we’ve already heard in Mark’s gospel about Jesus. Last time, we heard about him healing the woman who had been ill for twelve years, and raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead. No doubt people would have talked about that, and word would have spread. And that’s besides all the other healings Jesus has performed, and the crowds that were following him, and all his teaching. He’s been touring about Galilee, but now he’s coming home. The home town hero.

Except, that’s not quite what happens. Jesus is not so much the home town hero as he is the prophet without honour in his home town. It seems so promising at the start, though, doesn’t it? Look at verse 2: ‘When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.’

That sounds good! Jesus is teaching, and the people in church that morning are amazed. Now, that could be really positive - it could be that they’re amazed at just how great Jesus is, and amazed at the excellent teaching that he is giving. Except, that’s not how they’re reacting: instead, their amazement is entirely negative.

First of all, they wonder at what Jesus is teaching: ‘“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles?”’ (2) In effect they’re saying, who does he think he is? He went away from here and now he thinks he’s all high and mighty.

And then they show that they know exactly who Jesus is: ‘“Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offence at him.’ (3)

All through this term, through this section of Mark’s gospel, we’re asking the question: Who is Jesus? And the people of Nazareth have no doubt about who Jesus is. He’s nothing special, he’s just a wee fella from about here who now thinks he is something. He used to do a bit of woodwork but now he thinks he’s a preacher and miracle worker. But sure we know his family, we know all about him.

Can you imagine that? They knew Jesus better than anyone else. He had grown up in their town. He had played in their streets. And they can’t get beyond that, to see who Jesus really is; to see how great Jesus really is. So much so, that they’re offended at him! It’s almost as if they were over-familiar with him - they had their notions about him and couldn’t see him in any other way.

Could that happen to us as well? That we’ve always thought of Jesus in a certain way; maybe a particular image from a children’s Bible or a picture, and no matter what else we hear about Jesus, no matter what else he may say to us in his word, we will only think of him in that one way, whether it’s right or wrong.

And so Jesus recognises that, far from the homecoming hero, he is, to the people of Nazareth, the prophet without honour in his home town: ‘Only in his home town, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honour.’ (4) Perhaps you’ve found this yourself. You might be ready, and willing, and able to talk to anybody about your faith in Jesus. And who are the hardest people to talk to about your faith in Jesus? The people who know you best - your own family. Do you know what? Me too.

But did you notice what Jesus claims about himself in those words? The people of Nazareth see him as a carpenter, but Jesus says that he is (at the very least) a prophet - a prophet without honour, granted, but he is at least a prophet. And yet they couldn’t even accept that. And they couldn’t accept him. And so they couldn’t accept his ministry - no miracles, except for a few healings. And it’s Jesus who is amazed in verse 6 - amazed at their lack of faith.

It’s homecoming heartbreak, as Jesus is treated as a prophet without honour in his home town. But that doesn’t stop Jesus in his mission. It’s not that he is rejected at Nazareth and he gives it all up to become a carpenter again, having heard the truth in the Nazareth synagogue. No, he is undeterred in his mission, and in fact, ramps it up.

Up to now, the mission has been centred exclusively on Jesus. The proclamation of the kingdom has only been happening where Jesus is. But now, the mission is shared, and as Jesus goes, teaching village to village, he sends out the disciples two by two (just like the animals going into the ark!). Jesus shares his mission with the twelve, and he also shares his authority with them - authority over evil spirits. What Jesus has done, the disciples will now do as well.

And their work is by faith. Nazareth were faithless, but the disciples are to live by faith - not by bringing along a packed lunch or loads of supplies or even a change of clothes. They can take a staff, but no bread, bag or money; sandals but no extra tunic. They’re to stay at one house in the town (not shifting about as they get better offers). And they’re to shake the dust from their feet if they are rejected.

It’s a short-term strategy for effective ministry in this particular period of time, as Jesus proclaims the gospel in Galilee. Now, there isn’t just Jesus doing it; there is Jesus plus six pairs of disciples - meaning that seven villages at once are all hearing the good news, as the disciples go on work experience, practicing what they’ve seen Jesus doing.

And we see the effects in verses 12 and 13. ‘They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.’ They preached, and they healed. And it wasn’t just a few sick people who were healed (as it had been in Nazareth). No, now there are ‘many’ demons drive out and ‘many’ sick people who are anointed and healed.

Just think of the stir going around the country. Villages are turned upside and turned around by the visit of Jesus and his disciples. Everyone is talking about it - and as we’ll see next week, word even reaches to the palace of King Herod. The kingdom is coming all over the place, except in Jesus’ hometown.

Could it be that we think that we know all about Jesus? We’ve grown up with him, hearing stories about him since our childhood. We’ve always been aware of him. But nothing will move us from our settled opinion about him; our pre-conceived notions about him.

As we continue to follow Mark’s gospel story, please don’t think to yourself, oh I know all about Jesus, I know who he is. Keep listening, and thinking, and growing in your 2020 vision of who he is - in all his power and might and majesty. Make him your hometown hero, rather than regarding him as a prophet without honour.

And, as we think about Jesus, let’s also consider what he thinks about us. May it never be that Jesus would think of us as he thought of the people of the synagogue in Nazareth that day, in the words of verse 6. They were religious, they were in the church of their day, and yet, they were, ultimately, faithless: ‘And he was amazed at their lack of faith.’

We are so familiar with Jesus; with his word; with his stories. May it never be that we have all that, and yet lack faith in him. So keep listening and thinking, as you grow in your faith in Jesus, this rejected prophet without honour, and yet, our hometown hero, our prophet, priest and king.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 26th January 2019.

Sermon: Mark 5: 21-43 Who is Jesus? Powerful Healer

Who is Jesus? That’s the question we’re asking as we follow the unfolding story of Mark’s gospel. And it’s the question that is again being answered as he lands back in Galilee after his short visit to the other side of the lake. Last week, we saw how Jesus is the merciful Lord, who brings cleansing and restoration to the demon-possessed man, overpowering what had overpowered the man, because he is the Son of the Most High God.

And when people in the town and area heard of what had happened, and saw the change in the demon-possessed man, they turned up to tell Jesus to go away. And now, as Jesus arrives back in Galilee again, there’s another crowd gathering around him. They’ve heard about Jesus, and they want to see what he can do. They’re maybe there for different reasons - something to do; something to see; but we’re introduced to one man who has a pressing, urgent need - a man called Jairus.

Jairus was an important man in the local community. He’s a ruler of the synagogue, a religious man, responsible for services, inviting people to speak and read the Scriptures. He was well respected, and well known. But despite his lofty position, he falls at Jesus’ feet, begging him to come to his house. There, something terrible is happening.

We hear about it in verse 22: ‘ “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”’ Perhaps he had watched out especially for Jesus’ return - his situation was desperate. Even going for help would be agony, being away from his daughter. And so Jesus went with him. And the crowds come too.

And then, suddenly, Jesus stops, looks around and asks, verse 30: ‘Who touched my clothes?’ When was the last time you were part of a big crowd, of people jostling and bumping into one another as you move along? It’s what happens in a crowd. And that’s what the disciples say as well: ‘You see the people crowding against you, and yet you can ask, “Who touched me?”

But Jesus keeps looking to see who had done it. Back in verse 30 we’re told that Jesus realised that power had gone out from him. He’s looking for the one person who received power from him.

Now as we read the passage, we already know who had touched him. We’re introduced to her in verse 25. If you were looking for a complete opposite of Jairus, then this is her. Jairus was a man of standing in the community; the woman was probably an outcast. Jairus was a religious man, observing the Law read and preached in the synagogue; the woman probably hadn’t been to synagogue in years. You see, her bleeding made her ceremonially unclean. Jairus was probably wealthy, financially secure; the woman had spent all her money on doctor’s bills, getting second opinion after second opinion, all the time getting worse, not better.

The woman had heard about Jesus, she came up to him and touched his cloak. Why did she do this? ‘...she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”’ (28). And that’s exactly what happened: ‘Immediately, her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was free from her suffering.’ (29)

Perhaps she thought that she could just touch him, and slip away into the crowd again. But Jesus won’t let that happen. He knew that power had gone out from him, that the woman had been powerfully healed. And by verse 33, the woman knows that she can’t remain hidden, and so, ‘trembling with fear’, ‘came and fell at his feet and... told the whole truth.’ Notice that she appears in the same position as Jairus back in verse 22 - they both ‘fell at his feet.’

As she speaks out the truth of what has happened, she gives her testimony of what Jesus has done for her. But more than that - the people who knew this woman would have known about her affliction. They would have known her shame at being ceremonially unclean all the time - this had gone on for twelve years. This was the way that she could be received back into the life of the community.

And do you see what Jesus says to her in verse 34: ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’ This is the only time that Jesus calls someone ‘daughter’ - a word of tenderness and compassion. Her faith in Jesus brought about her healing.

That word ‘healed’ also means ‘saved’ or to be made whole. This is what Jesus still offers today - to be saved, healed. And how do we achieve this salvation, this wholeness? It’s only by faith - faith alone in Christ alone. Jesus shows us that it’s not a superstitious touch or action that saves the woman - it’s simply her faith in Jesus. We can’t touch Jesus’ cloak these days, but we can approach him in faith, taking hold of his promises.

We get to the bottom of the page, the end of verse 34, and we might have forgotten that there was another pressing situation that was interrupted. Remember, Jesus was on his way to the house of Jairus, where his daughter was dying. But now, in verse 35, some men arrive from his house to break bad news. Jairus’ daughter has died. ‘Why bother the teacher any more?’ There’s no point taking up Jesus’ time any more, seeing the girl is dead. Do you see what they’re really saying? They’re saying that there are limits to Jesus’ power - he might be able to heal someone who is still alive, but once they’ve died then he’s powerless, and all hope is gone.

Perhaps Jairus was thinking the very same thing. Maybe it would have been all right if Jesus hadn’t been distracted by that woman. He had been on the way. But do you see how Jesus responds to the news? ‘Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”’ (36) The outcast woman is held up as an example for Jairus the synagogue ruler. She had faith, Jairus; you believe too.

When they arrive at the house, it’s a scene of mourning. There’s a commotion, people crying and wailing loudly. A scene without hope. And Jesus asks why they’re crying - ‘The child is not dead but asleep.’ And they laugh at him. They know better than him. Of course the girl is dead!

Everyone is put out of the house apart from the girl’s parents, and three disciples (Peter, James and John). ‘He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”) Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old).’ (41-42)

Little girl, get up. The power of Jesus has no limits, no restrictions. It wasn’t that he could help the woman, and might have been able to help the little girl if she had still been alive, but death was beyond his power. No, Jesus is powerful to heal and to save everyone and anyone. He even has power over life and death.

Isn’t it good to know that? And yet, it leads us to wonder why Jesus doesn’t heal everybody when we pray for them; and why believers get sick, and don’t always get better, and even die. And we ask why, God? Why did you let so-and-so get sick? Or why did you not heal so-and-so?

We’re back to the question we asked last week, aren’t we? Why would Jesus say no to the believer’s request? And we saw last week that Jesus’ wisdom is wiser than our wisdom; and his purpose is greater than we can take in. And that applies to our questions about healing too.

Jesus calls us, like this woman and like Jairus, to believe; to have faith in him. And our faith will save us, even if we don’t experience healing here and now. But that ultimate salvation is what really matters - being saved and healed and made whole in the new heavens and the new earth. One day, Jairus’ daughter would die again; and one day this woman would die; but through faith in Jesus, they will live forever.

And there’s a hint of that in what Jesus says to the little girl. The NIV has rendered it ‘get up.’ Other versions render it ‘arise.’ Because the word used by Jesus there is the same word that is used to describe what would happen to Jesus as he arose from the tomb on the third day.

Who is Jesus? He’s our powerful healer who will remove all suffering and sickness when he ushers in his kingdom rule. And we will be healed as we come to Jesus, and trust him.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 12th January 2020.

Sermon: Mark 5: 1-20 Who is Jesus? Merciful Lord

Happy new year! The new year can be a time when we evaluate and review how things are going; a time when we chart the direction of our life; when we make commitments and resolutions in order to ‘this year’ make the change we’ve always wanted - whether it’s to take up a new hobby or get fit or whatever. I’m praying, though, that this year will be particularly significant for us as a church family. I’m praying that in 2020, we will have 20/20 vision.

Now, I’m not saying that if you wear glasses or contact lenses, then your sight will improve and you can throw them away. What I’m praying for is perfect clarity in our spiritual vision - and especially in regard to this question: ‘Who is Jesus?’

If we were to stop people on the street and ask them the same question, how would they respond? How would you answer that question? What would you say?

However you would answer it, I’m praying that our Sunday mornings from now until Easter will help us to gain clarity, and improve our vision, so that we can see with 2020 vision, just who Jesus is - because that’s the question that runs through the next section of Mark’s gospel (chapters 5-8).

Over the last couple of years from January to Easter we’ve been working our way through Mark’s gospel. We’ve seen how in chapter 1 verse 1, Mark tells us exactly who Jesus is - Jesus the Christ, the Son of God. But the gospel shows us how people gradually come to realise those truths about who Jesus is. We find ourselves listening in as Jesus has called his disciples, and has gone about teaching, and healing; watching as the disciples work out who Jesus is.

And the last time we were in Mark’s gospel (back on 24th March), we finished on an Eastenders-style cliffhanger. You know the dum-dum-dum-dum-dum kind of thing. If you’ve forgotten, you can see it at the bottom of page 1006. Jesus and his disciples were in the boat, and a storm broke so that the experienced fishermen disciples were afraid; while Jesus slept on a cushion. They rebuke him, but Jesus stands, and rebukes the wind and the waves. He calms them with a word.

And it’s only then, when peace has descended on the lake and on the boat, that the disciples are terrified. Here’s the cliffhanger question they ask: ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’ (4:41)

Who is this Jesus? The disciples are still piecing together the puzzle. They’re still trying to figure him out. And others are asking the same question as we’ll see in the coming weeks. Will you ask that question too? Will you try to work it out, as you commit to being here on Sunday mornings, so that together, we’ll develop 2020 vision? [And that’s not just a challenge to people who aren’t already Christians - if you are a Christian there is much to see, and learn, and clarify as we grow ever closer and more like the Lord Jesus.]

Now, that’s a rather longer than normal introduction, but it helps us to set up the whole series. And it leads into this morning’s passage quite nicely too. You see, the disciples are asking, ‘who is this?’ and if they’re listening, they’ll hear the answer from a most unlikely source.

At the end of chapter 4 they were in the boat on the freshly calmed lake. When they step out onto dry land at the start of chapter 5 (across the lake), they find a fearsome fellow. Or rather, this fearsome fellow finds them. He comes to meet Jesus. You know the expression, wouldn’t want to meet someone on a dark night? This guy fits the bill.

He’s tormented by an evil spirit - a demon of some kind. He has cut himself off from normal society - he lives among the tombs, he’s been bound hand and foot, but breaks the chains and irons, and no one is strong enough to subdue him. Everyone knew about him, and everyone feared him.

And look - in verse 7 - he knows exactly who Jesus is! The disciples were wondering, asking the question, but this man knows the answer: ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!’ He recognises who Jesus is - the Son of the Most High God. How does he know when the disciples didn’t? Because the demon knows - and trembles.

He says all that because Jesus had already ordered the evil spirit out of the man. (8) And, as it turns out, the man had more than one evil spirit living in him - he was called Legion, because there were so many. And the demons beg Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. And then the demons beg that they be sent into a large herd of pigs feeding nearby. It’s only when Jesus gives permission that the evil spirits go into the pigs, who then rush down the hillside into the lake and were drowned. So Jesus, the Son of the Most High God, has power over the evil spirits or demons. He is stronger than them; he has authority over them.

Imagine, a flock? a herd? a collective group of pigs (a team) all suddenly running downhill and into the lake. The people who had been tending the pigs ran off into the town to tell about what had happened. Pigs acting like lemmings - they hadn’t seen anything like it before. And then everyone comes out to see what had happened. And what do they see?

‘When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.’ (15) The pigherders told what had happened to the man, and to the pigs.

Now, how would you react? What would you think? What should happen next? They held a great party and rejoiced at the man’s freedom? Nope. They asked Jesus to help them with their problems? Nope. Here’s what they actually did: ‘Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.’ (17)

God the Son has arrived, bringing his power over sin and evil spirits, and they ask him to leave. They’ve seen or heard how he can change people, restore people, bring freedom and new life... and they want no part of it. They want him gone, out of their lives.

Could that be us as well? We see how some of our family or friends begin to follow Jesus, and we see the change it brings in their life, and we don’t want it for ourselves. We’re happy the way we are. We’re afraid of what we might have to give up, or might lose, if we turn to Jesus. And so we ask him to leave us alone, the way things are.

May that not be us in this new year! May we have 2020 vision in the year 2020, so that we see who Jesus is - the Son of the Most High, the one who is stronger than whatever may have overpowered us, so that we find our peace in him.

A while back I heard a sermon by the Scottish minister and author Sinclair Ferguson. He asked a very provocative question in the sermon. Here it is: Why did Jesus say yes to the pleading of the demons, but no to the request of his follower? It sounds strange, doesn’t it? Almost topsy turvy. Jesus granted the request of the demons, to send them into the pigs; but Jesus says no to the request of his new follower. Why would Jesus do that?

And when you see his request, it seems even more unfair. Jesus is getting into the boat. He’s leaving the area again, going back across the lake. And the man who had been demon-possessed wants to come with him. He wants to be with Jesus. That’s a fair enough request - a good request, isn’t it? But Jesus says no. How unfair! How cruel it seems!

But Jesus says no to his request, because Jesus has a better task for him to do. In our wisdom, we maybe can’t understand what Jesus is doing, or why he says no to our requests and prayers. But God’s wisdom is higher than ours, and he knows his purpose.

You see, here, in this case, Jesus has been drummed out of the area. They won’t listen to him. They don’t want him around. But he will not be left without a witness. That’s why Jesus says what he says: ‘Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’ (19)

The man can’t come with Jesus, because he can witness for Jesus in his own town, and among his family. And notice his order - tell them how much the Lord has done for you. In Luke’s version of this event, it’s ‘tell how much God has done for you.’ (Lk 8:39)

He’s told to talk about the Lord. And who does he talk about? He knows who the Lord is; he knows who God is: ‘So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.’

From one afternoon with Jesus, he knows that Jesus is the Son of the Most High God; that he is the Lord, that he is God. He’s a witness to how God’s power and love and mercy can change a person, and overpower whatever has overpowered a person.

What’s your story? How have you been changed by Jesus? My prayer is that as we see Jesus ever clearer, and gain 2020 vision, we’ll see him at work in our lives to change, and heal, and restore - and amaze the community around us.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 5th January 2020.

Sermon: Mark 4: 35-41 Who is this?

When I was in P7, our school trip went to York. I think it might have been the first time I was on a ferry. I had taken my travel sickness tablets, and, as we got out onto the Irish Sea, the boat began to rock, and I thought, oh no... I remember mentioning to some of the teachers that it was quite rough, only for them to laugh and say that it was actually very calm. And then they started telling all the horror stories of school trip sea crossings when it really was stormy!

In our reading today, the disciples find themselves in a boat a lot smaller than the Stranraer ferry. And on a sea a lot rougher than the gentle Irish Sea that day. And the boat trip leaves them asking questions. But we’ll come to them in a moment or two.

As we launch into the passage, we find that this episode comes ‘That day when evening came’ (35). In the rest of chapter 4, we’ve listened in as Jesus taught the crowds about God’s kingdom. Perhaps you remember the parables he told - of the sower, sowing the seed of God’s word, with the soils being the different reactions to it. Or the parable of the seed which grows, no matter what else the farmer does. Or the parable of the mustard seed, which starts off small, but ends up with exponential growth. And Mark reminded us that Jesus spoke the word to the crowd with many similar parables.

After the full day of teaching, now that evening has come, Jesus says to his disciples: ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Back in verse 1 we saw that Jesus had used a boat as his pulpit, now he uses the boat as a boat, to travel across the Sea of Galilee. And they go straight away: ‘Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were other boats with him.’ (36).

These are eyewitness details - this is the record of someone who was in the boat, telling their story of what happened. And as the journey continues, you can hear the details of what was happening - and how frightening it all was: ‘A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.’ (37)

One of Northern Ireland’s national hobbies is talking about the weather, but even so, you may not use that word squall very often - I had to look it up to get the sense of it. A squall is a sudden violent gust of wind or localised storm. So imagine what a furious squall must have been like - an even more furious sudden violent gust of wind. A big wind, noisy, and fierce. And with it, the waves breaking over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

Can you picture yourself there as one of the disciples? The wind blowing, the waves splashing, soaking you through, endangering the boat as it starts to fill up, desperately trying to get the water out again and take control of the boat, trying to weather the storm but not getting anywhere. Every hand to the deck, frantic stuff, life-or-death actions. And then someone looks to the back of the boat, and catches a glimpse of Jesus. He’s not pulling his weight, helping to keep the boat above the water. No, Jesus is (38)... sleeping on a cushion.

When I started driving, I would take my mum and dad and granny out for a drive on a Sunday afternoon. Somewhere different every week, somewhere we hadn’t been for a while. And every week, after a few miles of driving, at least one of them would fall asleep. Sometimes, all of them. And I’d think - why am I bothering to drive when you could all sit and sleep at home?! That might have been mildly annoying, but imagine the annoyance of the disciples. In fact, you don’t have to imagine it - look at the rest of verse 38: ‘The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”’

They can’t believe that Jesus, their Teacher, has been sleeping in the storm. They’re all in danger. They’re afraid, even the experienced fishermen among them. Yet Jesus has been sleeping in the storm. Don’t you care if we drown? In other words, get up and help. Maybe they expected him to help by throwing some of the water back out of the boat. Maybe he could help by rowing as they tried to get to safety. Whatever they expected from Jesus, it wasn’t what he actually did when he got up:

‘He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.’ (39).

Jesus, who was sleeping in the storm is now stilling the storm. The furious squall of wind, blowing a gale, dies down. It’s a bit like when the teacher leaves the classroom to go on a message. And slowly, the sound levels from the class begin to rise. Everyone is talking, laughing, enjoying a few moments to catch up in the middle of class, and then suddenly, the teacher returns. One word - quiet - and the class is deadly silent again. The sound of silence would be deafening.

And as for the waves? One moment, breaking over the boat, the next, completely calm. Growing up, we always had Matey for our bubble bath. It produced loads of bubbles, but we also worked out that if you started to make waves, by paddling, or by moving your legs back and forth, you got even more bubbles. It was great fun, right up until the moment when the water started splashing out of the bath and soaking the bathroom floor. But once the splashes started happening, I couldn’t say to the water, no, don’t go over the edge!

But that’s what Jesus does. He says: ‘Quiet! Be still!’ And suddenly, everything is calm. No more wind. No more waves. It is quiet.

Quiet, except for the voice of Jesus. Look at verse 40. ‘He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”’

Jesus had rebuked the wind and the waves, but now Jesus is rebuking his disciples. He’s questioning their fear. He’s challenging their lack of faith. He’s asking them those searching questions.

Why are you so afraid? The obvious answer is that they were so afraid because of the big bad storm that had hit their boat, threatening their very lives. Yet Jesus is asking why they were afraid, even in the midst of the storm. He’s saying that there was no reason for them to be afraid. They didn’t need to fear, no matter how big or bad the storm was. Not when Jesus was with them.

Do you still have no faith? What is he asking there? Jesus seems to think that they should have faith, they should be trusting him, believing in him. He seems to think that by now they should know who he is, and should be trusting him. It’s not even, ‘Do you have no faith?’ It’s, ‘Do you still have no faith?’ Earlier they maybe didn’t trust him, but do they still not trust him? After all they’ve seen already?

As you’ll see time and time again, the disciples are a bit slow to pick up on things. They don’t really get what’s happening. They misunderstand. That’s encouraging, because sometimes we can be a bit slow on the uptake - at least I can - and yet Jesus perseveres with the disciples. He gives them another opportunity, and another. He keeps teaching them, showing them, and he does that for us as well. If this is discipleship for slow learners, then we’re in we’re all in the same boat (pardon the pun).

Jesus, who was sleeping in the storm is the one who stills the storm. But rather than answering the disciples’ question, it leads them to a bigger question, a more troubling question, a more fundamental question. Look at verse 41: ‘They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

It’s obvious that the disciples were afraid in the midst of the storm. Jesus asks them, ‘Why are you so afraid?’ But do you see when we’re told that they were terrified? It’s not when the wind is blowing. It’s not when the waves are crashing over the side of the boat. ‘They were terrified’ in verse 41, when the wind had died down, and the waves were calm, and the danger was past.

They were scared before, but now they’re terrified. The original Greek says: ‘And they feared fear a great’. Why do they fear a great fear? Not because of the storm, but because of the stiller of the storm. Do you see what they ask? ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’

Next time you’re at the seaside, try this (making sure you’re not near other people, in case they wonder what you’re at) - tell the waves to be still. Would it work?

Or the next time the wind gets up, when Storm Hannah rolls in, tell the wind to be quiet. Will it work?

But Jesus speaks to the wind and the waves, and they obey him. They do what he says. So who is this Jesus? Do you see what they thought of him, back in verse 38? ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we drown?’ They see him as their teacher. But Jesus is more than a teacher. So who is he?

Mark leaves the question there, for now unanswered. The disciples are slowly discovering who Jesus is. But remember that Mark has already told us in the very first verse of his gospel. ‘The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’ And our readings from Job 38 and Psalm 65 show us that it is God who rebukes the waves, who tells the sea what to do. Can you see who he is? Jesus, the one whom the wind and waves obey, is more than just a man - he is also God the creator, who commands his creation. He is God over all, he’s in charge. He stills storms.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 24th March 2019.

Sermon: Mark 4: 21-34 Kingdom Parables

Last week, we tuned in to the Match of the Day highlights of one day of Jesus’ teaching. The main focus was on the parable of the sower - how the same seed is scattered over different sorts of soils, but the soils produce vastly different responses. We then got the inside track on what the parable is all about - the sowing of God’s word, and how people respond to it. Now, on Match of the Day, they’ll include bits from each of the games that have taken place, and from our reading this morning, we see that it’s further highlights from the same day of teaching.

Do you see that at the end of our reading, in verse 33? ‘With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.’ (33-34). We’re getting to listen in as Jesus speaks ‘the word’ - as he sows the good seed. There were many similar parables, but Mark is giving us these four so that we can hear Jesus’ words, and so that his word will produce a harvest in and among us.

That harvest theme comes in the two kingdom parables, which we’ll come to in a moment or two, but first, Jesus gives us two parables to encourage us to listen up, and to encourage us to think about the word that we’re hearing.

Maybe over the past week, you’ve been pondering the parable of the sower. You’ve been thinking about which of the soils you are. You’ve been reflecting on the ways in which you sow the seed of the word, and the responses that you’ve seen. Well here, Jesus is encouraging us to keep pondering, keep thinking about what we’ve heard him say.

In verse 21, Jesus asks a question. ‘Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed?’ So, even though there’s a quare stretch in the evenings, and the days are getting longer, there still comes a time when you need to turn on a lamp. For us, they’re electric, just a flick of the switch. For the people hearing Jesus that day, it would have been an oil lamp. But whether it’s electric or oil, the principle is the same. Would you turn on a lamp, and then cover it up, or put it under the bed? Answer - no, of course not! What good would it be?

He then continues by saying: ‘Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?’ With electric lamps, they’re probably in place on a table or unit. With oil lamps, they would be put on a stand. Why? So that things could be seen.

‘For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.’ (22-23).

Now, I must confess that I’ve been struggling to grasp what Jesus is saying here. And especially how it fits into this day of teaching. But I think I’ve got it now - and I think it helps us to see what Jesus is saying. Have you heard of a lightbulb moment? It’s the moment when you suddenly ‘get it’ - when you realise what something means. The Collins English Dictionary defines it as ‘a moment of sudden inspiration, revelation or recognition.’

Before it, we were in the dark about something, but now we can see it and understand it. And just as God’s word is like seed sown in our hearts, so it is also a light, or lamp. It shines in our darkness and helps us to see. Remember how last week (11), the secret of the kingdom of God’ had been given to the disciples? Jesus is encouraging all who hear to think about what they’ve heard - ‘If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.’ Because it’s as we think, and ponder, and reflect, that God’s word will turn on the light, and we’ll get it! We’ll have that lightbulb moment (or oil lamp moment!) as we hear what Jesus is saying.

And the next parable builds on that encouragement to listen, and particularly, (24) ‘Consider carefully what you hear.’ Think about it - because the more receptive you are, the more you’ll be given. ‘With the measure you use, it will be measured to you - and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.’ (24-25).

These days we bring along our own shopping bags, and you normally know what you’re planning to buy, so you have the right number of bags with you. But here, the image is of something being given out, and you get as much as you’re willing to receive. So imagine that grain is being given out, for free. The bigger the bag or container you bring, the more you’ll be given. Or, imagine an all-you-can-eat buffet. When you’re going there, you make sure you’re hungry, you’re ready to eat lots, because you can eat as much as you can eat. But if you go and only want one piece of toast, then it would be a waste!

But what is being given out is more precious than an all-you-can-eat buffet; more precious than grain; what’s being given out is God’s word. The hungrier you are for it, the more God will give you. The more you take in, the more you will be given. One commentator suggests that while in primary school, to be called big ears would be an insult - this is what Jesus wants us to have, spiritually speaking. When you sit down to read your Bible, or when you come to church, are your ears big, ready to listen, to take in what God is saying? With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

So let’s ask God to shine his light in our hearts, to help us to grasp his word. And let’s ask God to give us big appetites and big ears to hear his word to us. Because when we do that, then we come to the promised harvest. This is how we’ll produce the thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold crop from the parable of the sower. And we see the harvest in the two parables of the kingdom from verse 26 on.

‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces corn... As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’ (26-29).

Jesus is teaching us how the kingdom of God comes. At the start, comes the sowing - the seed is scattered on the ground. And at the end, comes the harvesting. By then the plant has grown and is ready and ripe.

So how did it come about? Does it depend on the farmer? Not really - so long as the seed is sown, he doesn’t really have anything else to do with it until harvest time. Whether he slept from sowing time until harvest, the plant would grow. Whether he tried to stay awake the whole time, he wouldn’t make any difference to it. He doesn’t even know how it works - he just knows it does. Seed into soil equals a harvest.

And, building on the parable of the sower, we know that the seed is the word, God’s word. So when the word has been sown in the good soil, the harvest will come - you can depend on it. We can’t do anything to help propagate the seeds, we don’t need to keep digging them up to see if anything is happening below the surface. We can trust that God’s word sown in peoples’ hearts will bring a harvest.

You might have heard Martin Luther’s summary of how the reformation came about just over 500 years ago. ‘I simply taught, preached, and wrote God’s word; otherwise I did nothing. And while I slept, or drank Wittenberg beer with my friends Philip and Amsdorf, the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that no prince or emperor ever inflicted such losses upon it. I did nothing; the Word did everything.’

That was Luther’s summary - I did nothing; the Word did everything. I don’t think I’d like Wittenberg beer; I don’t like any beer. But am I content to preach the word and let the word do the work? Are you? That’s what Jesus is saying - when we sow, the word grows and produces a harvest.

In God’s kingdom, his word is effective. But then Jesus goes on to show how in God’s kingdom, his word is also exponential. Look at verse 30:

‘What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.’ (30-32).

The contrast here is between how it starts, and how it ends up. You have the smallness of the mustard seed, something very tiny, 1-2 millimetres (0.039 to 0.079 in). It’s so small, unimpressive, it looks like it wouldn’t amount to much. Yet it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, big enough for birds to perch in its shade. The smallest becomes the biggest. We’ve a similar saying - great oaks from little acorns grow.

And Jesus says this is what God’s kingdom is like. It seems so small, so unimpressive - just Jesus, and his twelve apostles. But history shows how that ragtag bunch has grown into something much bigger. A while back, Regatta clothing company were running a special advertising campaign looking back at the history of the company, how a group of people had started to make affordable outdoor products back in 1981. Here was their strapline: ‘There were 12 of us. Now there are millions.’

Couldn’t that be our strapline? There were 12 of us, but now there are billions. And it’s because God’s kingdom is like the mustard seed, starting small but growing exponentially, beyond all expectation. You’re invited to become part of his kingdom, and it comes about as God’s word is sown and grows in your heart - as you hungrily hear God’s word, and as God gives you the lightbulb moment of understanding. The harvest is coming. God’s word is effective, beyond all expectation.

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 10th March 2019.