Sermon for Sunday 1/29/12 “What is This?” Mark 1:21-28
The text of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL on Sunday, January 29, 2012.
This morning’s Bible reading is from Mark 1:21-28
Unclean Spirit
Jesus cast out an unclean spirit from a man who interrupted him.
The ‘unclean spirit’ places in the Bible make me uncomfortable. In the time of Jesus, folks with brain disorders/mental illnesses were thought to be possessed by unclean spirits. That idea has carried through in religious circles long after medicine has identified brain disorders/mental illness and has found ways, in many instances, to treat it. The “pray away the demon” theology is harmful to folks who suffer from brain disorders/mental illness. I believe that God is capable of healing any illness – and that God has given us the ability to continually find more effective treatments to disease. Merely “praying away the demon” ignores God’s presence in medicine as well as prayer.
I struggle with the “casting our demons” parts of the Bible because I wonder how things would have been different if brain illness was treated as other illnesses. I wonder if Jesus didn’t “get” that brain disorders are something that can be treated – just like other illnesses can be treated.
But then I also wonder. Jesus healed people who couldn’t see and who couldn’t walk and he “woke up” people who had died. He didn’t make a huge deal about it as he did it. There was no parade and no giant sideshow for people to be distracted by. In this case, Jesus cast out an unclean spirit without any fancy rituals – and that when the man was healed the folks “got” that Jesus was something way outside what they’d ever experienced – he was the real thing while others were just pretenders. He cured the man with a brain disorder/mental illness of the affliction that the people would have understood him to have – an unclean spirit. He announced that this man was no longer afflicted and was again restored to the community.
- Jesus’ way is one of restoration – not disdain. Have you ever treated someone with a brain disorder/mental illness, or any disability, as an outcast who just needed to “snap out of it?”
- Jesus’ way of restoration is also one that has everything to do with justice for those who are outcast.
What are you doing individually – How are we involved in community to bring restoration and justice to those who are outcast?
Jesus’ witness – Jesus’ actions – Jesus’ life calls us not to be the place where everyone behaves well and where we learn how to stay out of trouble and live a successful life. What Jesus calls us to think, to do, to be . . . . is a community that reaches out in restoration.
We’ve got financial issues. We’ve got uncertainty issues. We’re struggling with how we’re going to be as a church in the coming months and beyond. We’ve got every reason to decide that it’s time to take a breather. It’s time to regroup and take care of the minimum we need to take care of for awhile.
And taking care of the minimum necessary to get by isn’t what Jesus’ witness – Jesus’ actions – Jesus’ life calls us to.
Restoration. Inclusion. Attention. Action. That is the way Jesus calls us to.
Now is always the time to be a community that lives restoration, inclusion, attention, and action.
How? Start with the invitation. Invite the folks that “aren’t supposed to be included” to come and experience something different from church – acceptance . . . and more than that – inclusion . . . and more than that – being valued . . . and more than that – celebration . . . and more than that – true, unconditional love.
Who are the folks that “aren’t supposed to be included”? Look – it includes everyone. So invite people you see in the grocery stores. Invite the people you cut you off when you’re driving. (No – I don’t know exactly how to do that – but don’t stop me – I’m on a roll!) Invite people you meet in the bars. Invite people who annoy you. Invite your friends. Invite people you meet in the strip clubs. Invite people at the gas station, the post office, at school, wherever.
Invite people who say that they never liked, felt welcome at, or saw any need for this community of faith we call church.
And may all who come here experience something different. Something wonderful. Something challenging. Something life-giving. Something restorative and inclusive. Something that shows people paying attention to one another. Something that calls people to loving, welcoming, and justice-related action.
May all who come here be wonderfully surprised as they experience something marvelous they can’t quite explain – but instead remark with an inspired smile – “What is this?!”
Amen.
