ࡱ> GIF'`  *bjbj 88!  8 L ******$VhX ** **p * * * |cU0L +d  *r<\M***p***L d \D \  Gospel reading has two parts two small stories that foundationally describe some of the nature of the gospel in the lives of Gods people. In the first part we see Jesus in his home town, doing what hes been doing in other places, but not having a significant impact on the people who see and hear him. Its like their familiarity with Jesus short-circuits their capacity to see who he is and take in what he teaches. This little paragraph might well describe what the early church experienced the communitys own are not always regarded well, especially when the individual experiences some spiritual transformation. The second part of todays gospel reading is what the early church also experienced that is, individuals and small groups were transformed by the messages of the gospel of Jesus Christ and they felt compelled to share this experience and faith-life with others and it makes a difference a transforming difference to others. The gospel of Jesus Christ has a capacity to change people profoundly, bringing healing and new wholeness. Back to the first paragraph of todays gospel reading A Bible scholar and author, Eugene Peterson, provides an interpretive version of Marks gospel story in his book, The Message He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "He's just a carpenter Mary's boy. We've known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?" They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further. Jesus told them, "A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child." Jesus wasn't able to do much of anything there he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that's all. He couldn't get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching. Petersons rendition offers contemporary wording and phrases to the familiar biblical readings sort of like adding color to a black and white film. When it is sometimes typical for a small town to feel proud of what one-of-their-own was able to accomplish in life, Ive also seen people have an opposite kind of reaction when one-of-their-own comes back into their midst. That is more of what we see here, I think. Some resentment some distrust some unbelief that one-of-their-own could possibly become somebody other than who they started to be. I know in myself some of that kind reaction. Im caught by Petersons description of the people of Jesus hometown: They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further. They never got any further because of the peoples capacity to set in stone their perceptions and conceptions of things even when incomplete or incorrect. I have always found it interesting how newly started congregations can develop and grow in their new-found excitement of the gospel in community. Sometimes, a newly formed congregation can increase its size significantly in a short time often moving to use its giving resources to build a building a church. I recall very early in my ministry seeing such congregational starts create their first building and then never grow beyond what they built. Its like congregations have a way of reaching their level whatever it might be and then remaining there even defying further development and growth in their interest to maintain what is or what was. But, God-in-Christ has this capacity to speak a new word in the midst of established life, of creating something new, of instilling new visions into the people of God and empowering new realities as the future continually unfolds. What didnt happen in the home town of Jesus when Jesus returned? Well, as Peterson suggests, they tripped over what they knew about Jesus and got no further. They didnt envision the possibilities they didnt experience in their midst what many others had when they encountered Jesus. Jesus himself was ineffective at what was evident in his life and ministry peoples lives were changed and made more whole. As the New Revised Standard Version states (what we have printed on the backs of our bulletin covers): Jesus could do no deed of power there A miracle is not just an event but it is an interpreted event. Jesus is not regarded to be capable of healing, and healing that does happen wont be attributed to him. There is nothing here to see Part of what Ive enjoyed watching during my time here at St. Johns is the developing of a new sense of vision for ministry in the life of the congregation. No, the process is not easy nor does the developing sense of new ministry potential carry a guarantee for a congregational life of success and ease. But, people are exploring what God might be doing in our midst. Im observing a spirit of hope beyond just trying to maintain what has been as new possibilities for ministry and congregational identity. I think that God is calling St. Johns toward something that can be significant in the community, both locally and more wide ranging. It would do us well to avoid some of the characteristics of Jesus hometown that impeded what Jesus was able to accomplish in their midst. Belief, trust, and openness in what God is doing in our midst is important crucial for the congregations future. And, to spend a few moments on the second part of the gospel reading in which we see Jesus send his called-out twelve to carry out his work and mission This some of the very sense of the word evangelical that we are called by Christ to carry the freeing and empowering good news of Jesus Christ to others. Ive recently encountered a couple of new books that make a case for the concept of liberal-evangelical. Im only part way through the first book but Im really caught be the authors ideas and descriptions of faith and politics in our current times. The story about communion that was read in church last Sunday was a quote from the latter part of the first of two books. I looked at their website this morning for the first time very briefly. The websites name is, interestingly enough, LiberalEvangelical.org. The websites top banner states their perspective quite briefly: Empowerment for intentionally moderate Christians. Resources for creatively inclusive congregations. I havent absorbed enough of the books to be able to explain much of what the writers are describing, but it seems to me that they have their fingers on the pulse of something important in our contemporary realities within society and the church. As ELCA Lutherans, we have a heritage of liberal theology, that is, the God of Grace, mostly clearly seen in Jesus Christ, is alive and active and creating and making new. As ELCA Lutherans, we have a heritage of an evangelical calling to share this gospel of Jesus Christ with others and within our community and to the whole world. The word, evangelical, is part of our congregational and church name St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church ELCA. This God of Grace calls each of us to be a part of sharing that good news within our various communities. We do this as individuals, as a congregation, as a part of the church-wide witness. We are called to be a part of that sharing and witness. We are called to be involved making the church happen. I will continue to ask people to think about HOW you are called to be a part of the congregations life HOW you might be a support to making the congregation be what it is called to be as a witness to the world around us. I will continue to ask people to think about which of the new committees you might be a part of that are forming to support the life and ministry of the congregation. Ive described this briefly before and I will do it again There are two newly forming committees: ATT (with three sub-groups: Ask, Thank, Tell) and LEGS (an acronym for Learning, Evangelizing, Growing, Serving). The twelve disciples sent out by Jesus to begin the new church were the stuff of regular people and they were called. The twelve disciples sent out by Jesus had lives of their own, yet responded to the call of Jesus to share the gospel with others in ways that changed peoples lives. The twelve disciples sent out by Jesus helped to create the church which continues to this day as a witness to the God of Grace in Jesus Christ.     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