Sermonon John 8:31-36

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

I find something in our Gospel story puzzling.

Jesus had been teaching in the Temple, and it says that “As he was saying these things, many believed in him.”

Then, our reading today opens right after that, saying that Jesus was talking to “the Jews who had believed in him.”

But then, they objected to Jesus saying that the truth would make them free, saying: “’We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone.’”

Now, the Gospel of John is the latest written of our Gospels and makes a strong effort to make a distinction between the early Jesus followers and the non-Jesus-following Jewish community, even though Jesus was Jewish.

Over the next couple millennia, the way the Gospel of John talks about “the Jews” has led to an atrocious amount of antisemitism, even though it never means “all Jewish people.” So, we have to be careful how we read the Gospel of John when it says: “the Jews.”

And another thing to remember is that Jewish people are not and never have been a monolith, any more than Christianity is. Think for just a moment about the variety within Christianity and how very little we all agree on.

But still, it seems so strange that the Gospel of John would record a conversation where any Jewish people would forget the Exodus!

Arguably the most important event in the Hebrew Bible involves God’s people being freed from enslavement.

So, were these Jewish people forgetting their history? Were they speaking metaphorically? Ironically? Was the writer of the Gospel of John simply using them as a literary device to allow Jesus to elaborate on his teaching about freedom?

I don’t know. And that’s frustrating.

But,Jesus said in our reading that “the truth will make you free,” and the truth that we can glean from Jesus’ teaching and from the Exodus is this:

God frees God’s people.

Whether God freeing the Israelites from Egypt or Jesus freeing us all from the power of sin and death in his death and resurrection, God frees God’s people.

And especially on this Reformation Sunday, we remember that it is God who frees us. It’s God’s work, not ours. There’s nothing we can do to make God love us any more or any less. God already loves you infinitely.

We are freed from having to try to be good enough. We are freed from having to try to live up to some inhumanly impossible standard, because God loves us as we are.

Jesus has set us free, and so we are free indeed!

And still we forget—I probably forget multiple times a day—that we are free.

A primary theme in Martin Luther’s work during the Reformation is that we don’t have to earn our salvation. Again, it’s God’s work, not ours.

But so often we live like that’s not true.

We sometimes forget our history—where we’ve come from as people of faith.

We move so fast through our lives, powering through our to-do lists and striving toward the next thing.

It’s hard to slow down enough to look back.

But the past can help us in so many ways:

1.    We see whose shoulders we’re standing on when we honor the struggles and accomplishments of those who have come before us.

2.    Looking back helps us get in touch with our values. We see the values our ancestors held, and we get to decide whether we want to continue that work or live differently.

3.    Looking back helps us decide the legacy we want to have. We see where we’ve come from and look ahead at the path we’re on. We see the legacy of those who came before us and imagine how we want to be remembered in the future. That informs how we live now.

That’s important reflective work. And it’s hard to find the time and energy to actually do it.

One of the gifts of Sabbath is that it gives us time and restores our energy.

The point of Sabbath isn’t so that we can work harder the other six days of the week. It’s not something we have to earn by working hard, and it’s not a productivity tool.

But it can give us the time we need to slow down and reflect and make sure we’re going in the right direction those other six days.

Sometimes we work so hard trying to get through our to-do lists that we don’t stop to wonder if those things even need doing or if they’re contributing to the way of life we want to live.

It takes rest to remind us that we’re humans, not machines. We have agency and the Holy Spirit to guide us in creating our way of life and our legacy.

We’ve been contemplating and practicing Sabbath throughout this year. I hope it’s been giving you some time to reflect, play, take life a little less seriously, and at the same time, do the serious practice of orienting your life toward God.

Sabbath can give us time to remember our past as we journey into the future.

The stewardship team has invited us all to write down our stories about this congregation—whether from last week or fifty years ago. Let’s embrace it as part of our Sabbath practice this season.

Take some Sabbath time this week and reflect on the past. You can do it while sitting quietly, journaling, drawing, walking, talking with a loved one—whatever lets you settle and just be.

Take that time, reflect on the past, and see how it informs your future.

Our Lutheran tradition was birthed from and is steeped in reform. Knowing our history, examining our present, and deciding what we want the future to look like is an important part of our tradition.

When you reflect on your ancestors’ stories and your own life story, what do you want your legacy to be?What do you want this congregation’s legacy to be?

What do you want your life and the life of this congregation to say about God?

There is much generosity, service, love, and hope in stories of this congregation, and I’m looking forward to hearing more of those stories on Thankoffering Sunday next month. Generosity, service, love, and hope sound like a pretty good legacy to me. We can decide how to contribute to that into the future.

Don’t forget: we are free in Jesus.

Now, let’s slow down enough to reflect.

That reflection may lead to reformation—a new way of being in the world that better reflects our values and what God is calling us to.

On this Reformation Sunday, I want to close with part of a prayer from our Presbyterian siblings:

"O Lord our God, on Reformation Sunday we remember the complex legacy of our church. Grant us the internal space to view the ancestors of our faith as their whole selves, gifts and sins together.

We give thanks for the beautiful legacy of the Reformation: for the resurgence of the humanities and the gift of reading Scripture and offering our prayers to you in our own tongue, for the examples of those who resisted government overreach and abuse of power, for those who stayed true to their conscience in the face of great loss. We carry these lessons with us knowing they came at a great cost.

Through the gift of baptism, you have not only called clergy or special Christians or only some of us, but you have called each one of us to use our God-given gifts to reflect your grace and glory, to impact this world for Christ’s sake, and to engage in activities that enable our neighbors to thrive and flourish in this world you so love.

Help us to rejoice in the legacy of the Reformation, according to your Word, Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen."[1]

[1]https://pres-outlook.org/2022/10/a-prayer-for-reformation-sunday/?utm_source=EDLARJ+Newsletter&utm_campaign=1ef8849459-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_10_05_06_11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-1ef8849459-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

Sermon on Mark 10:35-45

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

Last month, we talked about this pattern in the Gospel of Mark where three times, Jesus predicts his death and resurrection, the disciples misunderstand him, and then he teaches them more about what it means to follow him.

We read two of these passages last month, and this week, we’ve finally reached the third time.

James and John remind me of a time when I was in first or second grade. I was in class, and I had some sort of minor physical ailment (I don’t even remember what it was). But I told my teacher, and she asked if I wanted to go to the office or tough it out.

I didn’t know what “tough it out” meant, but I was proud enough that I wasn’t going to ask. I decided to tell her I would tough it out, thinking maybe it was something that would make me feel better. To my dismay, she went back to the lesson without doing anything to ease my woes.

I learned an uncomfortable lesson that day about pretending I understood something I didn’t.

Similarly, James and John asked Jesus for glory and special treatment, and he replied, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” James and John replied in the affirmative, but they obviously didn’t know what they were talking about, and Jesus knew it.

They apparently had not been paying attention to Jesus’ prediction right before this that he would be “handed over to the chief priests and thescribes, and they [would] condemn him to death; then they [would] hand him over to the gentiles; they [would] mock him and spit upon him and flog him and kill him, and after three days he [would] rise again.”

That’s not a cup James and John, with their daydreams of glory, should have been so excited to drink from. And remember: this was the third time Jesus had told them all of this. But they still weren’t getting it.

And then the other disciples were miffed at James and John for presuming to ask for those positions of status. They obviously missed the point, too, that Jesus was going to suffer and die very soon.

So, Jesus began to teach them what power really means in the Beloved Community.

Our culture today values power and status in a similar way to what James and John were picturing.

We don’t have to look far to hear about or scroll past people striving for power and status:

1.    Celebrities are nothing new, though, it’s an odd phenomenon to have so many people today who are “famous for being famous.”

2.    Other people are making entire careers out of being social media influencers, vying to shape culture and get the attention of brands.

3.    And in a contentious election year, we’re killing countless trees to print the political advertisements that stuff our mailboxes.

So many people spend so much energy to attractpeople’s attention, support, and esteem. And rarely do people consider the cost.

After all, attention is fickle—a household name one day is forgotten the next, political careers come and go.

If the goal is so dependent on others’ opinions, what happens to one’s sense of self when the attention diminishes?

The Church too in the US is grieving its loss of influence in society. Many of you remember the heyday of the Church in the US in the 20th century.

It was a time when church was the center of community, when business connections wanted to know what church you attended, when Sunday school rooms overflowed, and youth groups thrived.

Christianity was people’s assumed religion, and a Norwegian-Swedish Lutheran couple was considered a “mixed marriage.”

The Church in the US today is not what many people had picturedthe future would look like 50, 60, or 70 years ago.

So, many Christians have gotten caught up in the power struggle, striving for political power, demeaning anything in popular culture that’s getting more attention than church, denigrating younger generations for not attending church or taking over the committee roles their parents and grandparents held, or doubling down onworldviews that are exclusionary and ungenerous.

Too many of us, in trying to resist culture, have actually fallen prey to the same values and tactics so many people use to try to acquire power and status.

Brene Brown calls this “power over.”[1] She describes this approach to power as being driven by fear. People who wield “power over,”

1.    Believe that power is finite and use fear to protect and hoard power.

2.    See decency as a sign of weakness—something “for suckers.”

3.    Believe that being right is more important than getting it right.

4.    Give people someone to blame for their discomfort—preferably someone who looks/acts/sounds different than they do.

5.    Maintain power over by shaming and bullying.

Our society rewards “power over.” It’s even seen as necessary in business or politics or media.

It sounds a lot like what James and John were asking for. They were afraid they weren’t going to have the positions of status they wanted, so they went over the other disciples’ heads to vie for power directly from their rabbi. They expected Jesus to be a “power over” sort of messiah.

But that’s not who Jesus was.

He used this opportunity to teach his disciples a different form of power: the power of service.

Instead of clawing their way to the top, stepping on others to get what they want, Jesus taught his followers to follow in his example of service. In the Beloved Community he was instituting, power is inverted: “whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant.”

Brene Brown also describes a form of power other than “power over”: she calls it “power with/to/within.”

Leaders who work from a position of “power with/to/within”:

1.    Believe that power becomes infinite and expands when shared with others.

2.    They value decency as a function of self-respect and respect for others.

3.    Create learning cultures. Getting it right is more important than being right.

4.    Normalize discomfort and move away from shame and blame and toward accountability and meaningful change.

5.    Frame leadership as a responsibility to be in service of others rather than served by others.

This type of power isn’t easy. It’s against the grain of the human instinct toward “power over.” Jesus came to teach us a different way, and he died for it.

But fortunately, that’s not the end of the story, and the upside down Beloved Community will be complete one day, where the last will be first and the first will be last.

Until then, we too can follow Jesus’ example of greatness through service. It’s not easy, and there’s plenty in our culture that resists it.

But we have the Holy Spirit within us to guide us, and we have each other to encourage us along the way.

This congregation has a spirit of service—it’s our mission and purpose to feed our neighbors, body and soul.

And I’ve experienced your humility and servants’ hearts. A while back, the stewardship team led a project where we collected acts of kindness. We encouraged you all to write down the acts of kindness you did throughout the month.

But even though I witness your kindness all the time—watching out for each other, showing generosity to the community—I had a couple people pull me aside and tell me how uncomfortable it made them to have to write down their acts of kindness. The slips of paper were even anonymous, but you were too humble to even write down that you held a door for someone.

It's beautiful, and I love that about you. You care about other people so much and want to serve and don’t want to be acknowledged.

So, as the stewardship team is collecting stories about this congregation for our Stories of Us project, you don’t have to write anything about yourself. But maybe this week, write down a way you’ve seen others in this congregation serve the community.

It’s okay to brag about each other’s kindness. Let’s remind each other of how much this congregation strives to serve.

That’s a way we can remember to follow in Jesus’ example of servanthood instead of the world’s “power over.”

Let’s continue this congregation’s legacy of service as we serve our community and all our beloved neighbors together.

[1]https://brenebrown.com/resources/brene-brown-on-power-and-leadership/

Sermon on Mark 10:17-31

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

It’s been said that the job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. The same might be said about our Gospel reading today.

To people neglected by society, Jesus’ promise that the first will be last and the last will be first is good news. His promise of a hundredfold of everything sacrificed for the sake of following him is a relief.

To people with a lot of possessions and power, “the first will be last and the last will be first” sounds more like a threat. And the promise of a hundredfoldseems like sorry compensation for having to give up everything first.

I find this story more afflicting than comforting, and probably a lot of you feel the same.

Most of us don’t consider ourselves rich, but when 700 million people around the world live on less than $2.15 a day, it puts things in perspective. We don’t have to be billionaires to identify with the man who approached Jesus and went away grieving.

His story startedpromisingly. Instead of the religious leaders who were always trying to trap Jesus, this man approached him and knelt down—like the stories throughout the Gospel of Mark when people ask Jesus for healing.He came to Jesus with humility and hope.

His question seems earnest—“what must I do to inherit eternal life?” and Jesus answered in his trademark indirect way: you know the commandments.

The man’s claim that he had kept all the commandments might sound pompous to us, but Jesus didn’t seem to disagree with him. It even says that Jesus looked at him and loved him. He just gave him one final task: sell everything you have, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow him.

The man “was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.” He came to Jesus for healing but wasn’t willing to go through with the treatment.

Then, the disciples seemed anxious about the implications of Jesus’ words. In their culture, riches were indications of God’s favor and blessing (which is not so different from our own culture), so if this rich man couldn’t enter the kingdom of God, how could someone with presumably less of God’s favor enter it?

So, the disciples started to remind Jesus that they had given up everything to follow him, and that makes them okay in God’s eyes, right? Right?!

Jesus reassured them that anyone who sacrificed relationships, status, property, possessions, etc. for the sake of following Jesus would receive a hundredfold “in this age” and eternal life to come.

That’s not super reassuring today, when I have a garage in need of organizing and a retirement account and have never had to wonder where my next meal will come from.

Preachers often try to soften this text, doing theological gymnastics to try to let us off the hook.

Someone in the 9th century made up a story that there was a small gate in Jerusalem called “the eye of the needle” that a camel couldn’t go through unless it was unburdened.[1]

Other people say Jesus knew this man had a particular vice of greed that needed to be addressed in this way, but that the same prescription doesn’t apply to us.

I think that’s letting us off too easily.

Why would Jesus declare that it’s so hard for people with wealth to enter the kingdom of God if he were just talking about that one person?

Why wouldn’t that apply to those of us who live at least relatively comfortably in one of the wealthiest countries in the world?

If we don’t need healing in the same way this man did, why does this story bother us so much?

In various places around the world, people use simple traps to catch monkeys. They get a jar or a gourd with a small opening big enough for a monkey’s paw to get through. Then they put some food inside. When the monkey reaches in and grabs the food, the opening is too small to let the paw and the food through. The monkey would have to let go of the food to get free, but it’s unwilling to let go.

The monkey seems silly for not letting go, but then I read this Gospel story, look around at my many possessions, and realize I’m not so different.

My stuff weighs me down. It can be a burden. I am in need of healing.

I’ve been fascinated by minimalism for many years. I crave the simplicity and the peace that seems to come with having less stuff.

From Marie Kondo to tiny homes to capsule wardrobes, minimalism has been having a moment in US culture.

But minimalism for its own sake is not what Jesus is talking about in our Gospel reading.

Getting rid of things so that you can brag about how little you have can make minimalism an idol.

Striving for less so that you can feel like you’re enough is still trying to earn salvation by works.

As much as Jesus gives tangible instructions in this week’s story, works are not what saves us. Jesus saved us in his death and resurrection. It’s already done. Salvation is about God’s work, not ours. We rely purely on God’s grace, and that is enough. As Jesus said, “for God, all things are possible.”

So, when Jesus talks about entering the kingdom of God, he’s not talking about getting in the gates of heaven. Christianity has focused so much on heaven that we forget the kingdom of God is here now, too.

Jesus came to usher in the Reign of God on Earth. He collected disciples to form a community in the present that would carry God’s love and care into the world.

Jesus wasn’t talking about how hard it is for rich people to get through the pearly gates; he was talking about how hard it is for people with a lot of possessions to be willing to give all that up to be part of the Beloved Community here and now, even though they would get so much more out of it than they put in.

When we cling to our possessions, we’re like the monkey with its paw in the trap. If we let go, we are free. But it’s so hard to let go.

But Jesus was inviting the man to sell what he had and give the money to the poor. It wasn’t just about letting go of what he had. It was for the sake of his neighbors’ flourishing. It was about becoming part of a community of mutual support and love.

That is the “hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields.” Jesus also mentions persecutions, because this community is not how the world works. Indeed, early Jesus followers were persecuted by the Roman Empire. They were willing to die for the community Jesus instituted. Jesus took care of salvation, but their sacrifice was to live fully now. That is what Jesus’ invitation is about.

It's Jesus’ invitation to us, too. As much as we want to be let off the hook for this costly instruction, it’s not about our salvation but about our freedom to love our neighbor and live an abundant life in community now.

Every big change starts with a small step. Today, let’s remember the values we share as a community. This congregation has a rich and lengthy history.

It’s a generous community dedicated to service. Some of you have lived your whole life in this congregation. Some of us have spent much less time here. Regardless, you are each an important part of this community, and your stories are important.

Our stewardship team is inviting all of us to share our memories of this congregation. You can share them on these slips of paper or email them to Terri Robertson, and we will be collecting them and sharing them in November.

You can share any memories you like and as many as you like. In honor of today’s Gospel story, though, perhaps think of a memory of this congregation’s generosity.

How have you experienced the generosity of this congregation?

How has generosity formed this congregation’s identity?

When we remember our history together, it’s easier to live out our values.

As hard as Jesus’ instructions are, they lead to community. We’re not alone. We have each other, brought together by the Holy Spirit in this place and time with many decades of history in and care for the community.

As we remember that history and this congregation’s values, let’s let the Holy Spirit work in us to help us let go of what is keeping us trapped.

There is freedom in God and abundance in the Beloved Community for all of us.

[1]https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-28-2/commentary-on-mark-1017-31-4