Proper 3; Pentecost 2
Preaching
Preaching Mark's Gospel
A Narrative Approach
We may need to refresh our memory by noting that today's gospel text is one of four controversy stories in Mark 2:1„3:6. Jesus performed a burst of healings and exorcisms in chapter 1 which captured the admiration of the crowds (Mark 1:45; 2:12). With a new set of stories that end in 3:6 we find Jesus mired in constant controversy. These stories end on an ominous note (Mark 3:6). The leaders of the Jewish people come off in these stories in such a way as to suggest to some that they are the hearers of whom Jesus spoke in the Parable of the Sower when he said: "ƒ when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them" (Mark 4:15).
Mary Ann Tolbert had noted for us that the section of Mark's Gospel which covers 1:16„2:12 begins with the calling of disciples and ends in amazement. So the section that commences in 2:13 also begins with the calling of disciples, though this section ends in 3:6 in the first rumblings of a plot to destroy Jesus. In the stories at the beginning of these sections Jesus takes the initiative in the calling of the disciples. In all the stories that are sandwiched in between the disciple-calling passages, human beings take the initiative in moving toward Jesus. People in their need come to Jesus with a cry for help. And Jesus helped! He healed and exorcized and forgave.
In 2:15-17 we have a brief story regarding Jesus' table manners. Table fellowship was a sacred matter in most of the ancient world. Table fellowship was the most intimate form of public fellowship imaginable. And here is Jesus transgressing boundaries again! He eats with tax collectors and sinners. He accepts Levi, a tax collector, an outcast in Jewish society, into his inner circle! The Pharisees were the keepers of the laws which established proper boundaries for the community of the religious. Jesus is clearly not very interested in this kind of stable community. He breaks down the boundaries, says Juel, in order to "ƒ bring back the lost, heal the sick, cleanse the sinful." The time is fulfilled. The reign of God is near. God is at work in Jesus' gathering the lost! Jesus' word in this setting is certainly the gospel message in nuce; "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners" (Mark 2:17).
Something new is at hand! In Jesus' mind this is a time of feasting and celebration. It is a time of table fellowship where the sinners and outcast are welcome. It is not a time for fasting! The Pharisees had fasts. John's disciples had fasts. Jesus did not fast. The Pharisees wanted to know why. Jesus told them: "The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast" (Mark 2:19).
Something new is happening! That's Jesus' word to the Pharisees. This is a time of discontinuity. The new is incompatible with the old. You can't put the new wine into old wineskins. What Jesus is about, that is, is unprecedented in Israel. It is startling and unique. Sinners are welcome to the table! Such a thing was unheard of! Let's get it right. What is new is not that God loves sinners. What is new is that God loves sinners without waiting for them to become righteous and deserving. "ƒ God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Homiletical Directions
We have before us another passage of great richness and depth. The gospel message is here in a startling way. Let's not miss it! A first homiletical possibility would be to focus on the different sets of relationship to Jesus that are present in Mark's first two chapters. Story One can focus on the calling of the disciples. Tell the story in 1:16-20 and 2:13-14. Tell these stories in such a way that the initiative of Jesus is the focus of the telling. Here, too, Jesus speaks and it is so. The power of his authoritative word is manifest in calling disciples. Jesus says, "Follow me," and people follow.
Story Two can be a quick review of the stories in 1:21„2:12 where people come to Jesus to be healed, cleansed, forgiven. Tell these stories so that the focus is on their initiative in coming to Jesus in the midst of their desperate need.
Our logical minds might find a dilemma here. Which is it to be? Do we come to Jesus or does he come to us? This is one of many theological paradoxes which is probably best left unresolved. Both are true! In our lifelong relationship with Jesus there are times when his call to discipleship is paramount. "Follow me" is the word we hear. At other times in that relationship our needs are paramount. "Come to me" are the words we hear in those times.
The sermon might conclude, therefore, with these words of Jesus being addressed to our hearers. Jesus calls us to discipleship still today, we might say. Follow me. Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow! "Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it" (see Mark 8:34-35).
Jesus has another word for us today as well. "Come to me," he says. Come with your feelings that the hidden powers of this world have invaded your life. Come and hear Jesus say: "Come out."
Come with the uncleanness that mars your life. Come and hear Jesus say: "Be clean."
Come with the weight of your sins. Come and hear Jesus say: "Your sins are forgiven."
A second sermon possibility could focus on the events at the welcome table. Story One would be an elongated retelling of Mark 2:15-17. Put some of the background material about the nature of table fellowship in Jesus' day into your story. Let the focus of the story be on the nature of the welcome. Who is welcome at Jesus' table? "Those who are well have no need of a physician ƒ I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
Stories Two and Three could be tellings of the stories of Jesus' feeding of the multitudes in Mark 6:30-44 and 8:1-9. Focus the telling of these stories on the same question as above: Who is welcome at Jesus' table? The answer is that everyone is welcome. "Those who are well have no need of a physician ƒ I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
Story Four in this approach to the text would be a telling of the story of Jesus' institution of the Lord's Supper in Mark 14:12-25. Telling of these stories would be particularly appropriate, of course, on a Communion Sunday. Jesus' table is set in our churches yet today. Who is welcome at Jesus' table? "Those who are well have no need of a physician ƒ I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
Mary Ann Tolbert had noted for us that the section of Mark's Gospel which covers 1:16„2:12 begins with the calling of disciples and ends in amazement. So the section that commences in 2:13 also begins with the calling of disciples, though this section ends in 3:6 in the first rumblings of a plot to destroy Jesus. In the stories at the beginning of these sections Jesus takes the initiative in the calling of the disciples. In all the stories that are sandwiched in between the disciple-calling passages, human beings take the initiative in moving toward Jesus. People in their need come to Jesus with a cry for help. And Jesus helped! He healed and exorcized and forgave.
In 2:15-17 we have a brief story regarding Jesus' table manners. Table fellowship was a sacred matter in most of the ancient world. Table fellowship was the most intimate form of public fellowship imaginable. And here is Jesus transgressing boundaries again! He eats with tax collectors and sinners. He accepts Levi, a tax collector, an outcast in Jewish society, into his inner circle! The Pharisees were the keepers of the laws which established proper boundaries for the community of the religious. Jesus is clearly not very interested in this kind of stable community. He breaks down the boundaries, says Juel, in order to "ƒ bring back the lost, heal the sick, cleanse the sinful." The time is fulfilled. The reign of God is near. God is at work in Jesus' gathering the lost! Jesus' word in this setting is certainly the gospel message in nuce; "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners" (Mark 2:17).
Something new is at hand! In Jesus' mind this is a time of feasting and celebration. It is a time of table fellowship where the sinners and outcast are welcome. It is not a time for fasting! The Pharisees had fasts. John's disciples had fasts. Jesus did not fast. The Pharisees wanted to know why. Jesus told them: "The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast" (Mark 2:19).
Something new is happening! That's Jesus' word to the Pharisees. This is a time of discontinuity. The new is incompatible with the old. You can't put the new wine into old wineskins. What Jesus is about, that is, is unprecedented in Israel. It is startling and unique. Sinners are welcome to the table! Such a thing was unheard of! Let's get it right. What is new is not that God loves sinners. What is new is that God loves sinners without waiting for them to become righteous and deserving. "ƒ God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Homiletical Directions
We have before us another passage of great richness and depth. The gospel message is here in a startling way. Let's not miss it! A first homiletical possibility would be to focus on the different sets of relationship to Jesus that are present in Mark's first two chapters. Story One can focus on the calling of the disciples. Tell the story in 1:16-20 and 2:13-14. Tell these stories in such a way that the initiative of Jesus is the focus of the telling. Here, too, Jesus speaks and it is so. The power of his authoritative word is manifest in calling disciples. Jesus says, "Follow me," and people follow.
Story Two can be a quick review of the stories in 1:21„2:12 where people come to Jesus to be healed, cleansed, forgiven. Tell these stories so that the focus is on their initiative in coming to Jesus in the midst of their desperate need.
Our logical minds might find a dilemma here. Which is it to be? Do we come to Jesus or does he come to us? This is one of many theological paradoxes which is probably best left unresolved. Both are true! In our lifelong relationship with Jesus there are times when his call to discipleship is paramount. "Follow me" is the word we hear. At other times in that relationship our needs are paramount. "Come to me" are the words we hear in those times.
The sermon might conclude, therefore, with these words of Jesus being addressed to our hearers. Jesus calls us to discipleship still today, we might say. Follow me. Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow! "Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it" (see Mark 8:34-35).
Jesus has another word for us today as well. "Come to me," he says. Come with your feelings that the hidden powers of this world have invaded your life. Come and hear Jesus say: "Come out."
Come with the uncleanness that mars your life. Come and hear Jesus say: "Be clean."
Come with the weight of your sins. Come and hear Jesus say: "Your sins are forgiven."
A second sermon possibility could focus on the events at the welcome table. Story One would be an elongated retelling of Mark 2:15-17. Put some of the background material about the nature of table fellowship in Jesus' day into your story. Let the focus of the story be on the nature of the welcome. Who is welcome at Jesus' table? "Those who are well have no need of a physician ƒ I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
Stories Two and Three could be tellings of the stories of Jesus' feeding of the multitudes in Mark 6:30-44 and 8:1-9. Focus the telling of these stories on the same question as above: Who is welcome at Jesus' table? The answer is that everyone is welcome. "Those who are well have no need of a physician ƒ I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
Story Four in this approach to the text would be a telling of the story of Jesus' institution of the Lord's Supper in Mark 14:12-25. Telling of these stories would be particularly appropriate, of course, on a Communion Sunday. Jesus' table is set in our churches yet today. Who is welcome at Jesus' table? "Those who are well have no need of a physician ƒ I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
