Not Without Honor
Mark 6:1-6[1]
The work of ministry
can be challenging. It’s one of those endeavors where you don’t normally get to
see the results of your efforts. In a world that is so thoroughly
“results-oriented,” the work of the church can be frustratingly maddening. When
I was a brand-new minister, I struggled with this frustration personally. I always
worked hard to do my best, and yet it seemed that I was constantly faced with
the fact that others who didn’t put forth anywhere near the same effort met
with far greater success, at least outwardly. I could easily identify with
Paul’s sentiment when he saw himself as the “least of the Apostles” compared
the others and said, “I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but
the grace of God that is with me” (1 Cor 15:9-10).
I think that side of
the church’s ministry is one reason why the Bible uses so many analogies from
agriculture. Any form of agriculture can be risky. You never know what the
outcome of your efforts will be until the harvest is complete. Even then, you
may not be entirely sure how much you will make from your crop, because it all
depends on how you time your sale! The work of the church is like that, except
the harvest is extended seemingly indefinitely. We’re all constantly planting
seeds and tending the fields, not knowing what the outcome will be. But that’s
just the nature of the work. Expecting certain results only sets you up for
disappointment and even bitterness.[2]
Our Gospel lesson for
today reminds us that even Jesus faced this challenge. Although for the most
part the Gospel of Mark tells us about the vast crowds that thronged to Jesus
for healing, today’s story is very different. It’s about Jesus’ visit to his
hometown, Nazareth. If a teacher like Jesus could expect to find support
anywhere, it should have been from “his own hometown, and his own kin, and his
own house” (cf. Mk. 6:4). That’s not always the way things work, but I would
say that most of us look for support from those who know us best.
Unfortunately, in
Jesus’ case, it was precisely the fact that they knew him so well that kept
them from responding to his ministry. The episode begins with Jesus teaching in
his hometown synagogue. Initially, the response was one of surprise on their
part: “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given
to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!” (Mk 6:2). I would
assume that they had heard about the amazing things Jesus had been doing.
Perhaps they were even waiting for the day when they could see the “hometown
boy made good” for themselves. But when the day came, it was the fact that they
knew him (or at least so they thought) that stumped them. Any curiosity turned
to resentment: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?” (Mk 6:3). They
knew his family, including his brothers and sisters. Some of them may even have
been extended family. But instead of responding to him with faith, they “took
offense” at him, or they “stumbled” because of him.
In reply, Jesus quoted
what must have been a well-known proverb in that day: “Prophets are not without
honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own
house” (Mk. 6:4). Perhaps in our day we might say, “Familiarity breeds
contempt”! It would seem that they resented him for the fact that he had gained
such fame by his “wisdom” and “deeds of power.” They still saw him as “the
carpenter,” not as the one empowered by God to bring the kingdom. As a result,
Mark tells us that “he could do no deed of power there” and that “he was amazed
at their unbelief” (Mk 6:5-6). It wasn’t that they couldn’t believe; the
problem was they refused to believe.
And yet, Mark adds a comment
that could easily be overlooked. He says, “he laid his hands on a few sick
people and cured them” (Mk. 6:5). I love that! Jesus, faced with a level of
unbelief that surprised even him, was prevented from carrying out his task of
bringing the new life of God’s kingdom to the people who knew him best. But
there were a few who must have responded with faith. And they did experience
that new life through his ability to heal them of their diseases. Among the
Gospels, only Mark includes this detail. But I think it’s important, because it
says to me that even when it seems that everything is standing in the way of
God’s work, the power of the kingdom finds a way.
I think that’s an
important reminder for all of us. The work that we carry out together as a
community of faith is work that can be frustrating from the apparent lack of
results. It’s especially discouraging when other churches seem to be doing so
much better. But when those comparisons get us down, perhaps we should remember
this surprising encounter Jesus had with his hometown. Even though the results
didn’t seem to be what one would expect, God’s kingdom found a way to touch the
hearts of those who responded in faith. I believe we can continue to do the
work of ministry regardless of outcomes, confident that God’s kingdom will do
its work among us. Other people may not think much of us in comparison with bigger
churches. I say let them think what they want. I believe that all who remain
faithful in the work of the kingdom are “not without honor” in God’s sight.
[1] ©
2021 Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. on 7/4/2021 for
Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE.
[2] Cf. Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Wounded Healer, 76, where he says that
Christian leadership is based on hope in the promise of God; by contrast,
looking for tangible results is “like building a house on sand instead of on
solid rock.”
No comments:
Post a Comment