One with authority

Mark 1:21-28

My turn to preach this week. I'm just getting a start on my sermon for Sunday, and have been thinking about different kinds of authority - authority that comes from a position or office that is held, and authority that is earned.

Mark writes that Jesus spoke in the synagogue as one who had authority, and that all who listened were amazed at his teaching. I like to imagine the kind of person Jesus must have been to command authority so quickly and easily. He was obviously commissioned by God, which definitely helped, but he also must have exuded authenticity and integrity.

I also wonder what kind of authority Jesus holds today. Personally, and societally (my computer tells me that is not a word, but I assume you know what I mean). Any thoughts?

I'll leave you with part of a prayer taken from revgalblogpals.blogspot.com/

O God,

we puff ourselves up with accumulated knowledge,

but without love for you we have no wisdom.

We take advantage of the liberty you give us through grace,

and become bad examples to our sisters and brothers.

We alternate between fear of your authority

and denial of your authority.

We dread to face our demons,

and we are faithless in the presence of your power over them.

Save us, Lord, from the sins we know,

save us, Lord, from the sins we hide...

Wendy Janzen

Follow Me (Mark 1:14-20

"What a short passage to try to write a whole sermon on. Is that all I have to work with?" That's what I told Wendy on Tuesday after reading the passage given to me to preach this Sunday. It really is a bare-bones passage. Jesus simply sees two sets of brothers - first Simon (Peter) and Andrew and then James and John. Each time he says "Follow me" and they immediately drop their nets and follow. No dialogue, no conversation, no inner stuggling, no questions of Jesus. They just follow. Can it really be that simple? especially after Curt's sermon last week on scepticism and doubt coming out of the calling of Nathanael.

Maybe that is why we need to look at all the passages where Jesus calls his disicples -there is quite a range of how this happens. At the same time, what can we learn from this particular passage and its brief but powerful example of following Jesus immediately. Part of it is the style of gospel writer Mark -he likes action and moving the story forward, all to support what is really important - discipleship and the Kingdom of God coming near. But this passage has made me also ask how these fishers were able to simply drop everything and follow Jesus. It's made we reflect on how I make decisions in general, and how I respond to Jesus and God. What risks do I take? How willingly do I just take the jump and follow God's calling?

How does this story speak to you? I would be curious.

Being a Faithful Church - II Timothy 3:14-17

This past Sunday (January 8) we began a two-session process of discussion on our use of scripture at SJMC. Mennonite Church Canada has requested feedback on this as phase one of its "Being a Faithful Church" process on matters of human sexuality. If you weren't able to pick up a copy of the background materials MC Canada has published on this, you can download them here:
http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/tiny/1643 (the feedback tool we are using)
www.mennonitechurch.ca/tiny/1516 ("Being a Faithful Church" 1-3)

We had a pretty good start to these feedback sessions, and it's clear we have lots to talk about. Our experiences with the Bible have been mixed, and it's clear that our approach to the Bible has changed over the past decades. As usual, we ran out of time to get to everything, so here's an opportunity to do some work at home.

Since we're thinking about scripture and how we use it, it makes sense to engage scripture itself as we go. Perhaps the best-known biblical passage in relation to the purpose and function of scripture itself is II Timothy 3:14-17:

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

A few things to take note of:

1. When this passage was written, there was not yet a "New Testament" to the Bible. The scriptures it refers to are the Old Testament Hebrew scriptures. Even though it's written before Jesus was born, these sacred writings are still able to "instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus"!

2. Timothy is commended for having known the sacred writings from childhood. Our engagement with scripture needs to begin early.

3. What does it mean that all scripture is "inspired by God?"

4. The passage mentions various intentions or purposes for the good use of scripture:
a) instruction (towards salvation through faith in Jesus Christ)
b) teaching
c) rebuking
d) correcting
e) training for righteousness and justice
f) equipping and making us proficient in Christian good works
This suggests that any interpretation of scripture that doesn't do these things, or that cultivates the opposite, is not a good interpretation of scripture

5. Does this description of scripture resonate with our experiences at SJMC? Are there things here we're uncomfortable with, or things we're surprised not to find?

6. Does this passage provide any insights to how or why we use scripture the way we do?

We'll take a few minutes at the beginning of this week's session to hear any responses that come out of this passage. Otherwise, we'll aim on Sunday to reflect more directly on our use of scripture in the context of congregational discernment and decision-making.