Sermon by Mike Stutso, Deacon-in-training, based on Mark 10: 2-16
Let the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, “O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
When I first looked at today’s Gospel from Mark, I thought to myself, what does the 1st and 2nd reading and the Psalm look like. Then I thought about it some more and guess what, I ain’t running from nothing. I will do the research just like I did with the bread or like Fr. Chris had to do last week with eyes, hands and feet.
I recently read about Bible readings that some readings are referred to by theologians as “Text of Terror” I get it. Let’s face it some of these readings are uncomfortable to us they can hit too near home and my friends I am living proof of that hurt. We also watch how some people will take the bible and its readings to hurt people instead of love and support, just like the Pharisees.
Again, at first look you might think well there are two stories here which one will he focus on, well I’m thinking they are connected and l will try to connect them together but not yet.
As we look at 1st century Israel and the Torah we see that most writings are about men because women were at the lower level of society. They were property of men and children were no better because they could not produce anything. Now women had their place in society but face it, it wasn’t very good or glamourous.
An example would be, Morning Rituals in the 1st century, the woman was far away in Yahweh’s Temple. Women prayed at the northern gates while the men were in the most inner courts for service. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but where’s the fairness in that?
One of the reasons a reading like this is hard for us is the statistics on the percentages of divorce both in 1st marriages and subsequent marriages, anywhere from about 30 – 40% of 1st time marriages end up in divorce and 2nd and 3rd is even higher going up close to 70%.
If you are thinking that religious people’s numbers are lower, think again no real difference. As we can all see the church and society has been struggling since Moses and the 1st century on how to deal with divorce. The problem is interpretation and then everyone digs their heals in on their beliefs and it just gets messy.
But that is not really what this reading is about, it’s just another opportunity for the Pharisees to trap Jesus. It says that the Pharisees came to Jesus to test him, as if this is something new for Jesus.
So they ask him “is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Now we all know that Jesus knew exactly what they were up to. He also knew Torah inside and out, he knew a man could divorce his wife and that in the Greco-Roman regions that a woman could divorce her husband.
Jesus knew their game they were trying to trap him into an answer. Now if he says that it is unlawful, let’s remember that Herod Antipas was the Roman governor in Galilee. We all know that he divorced his wife and if Jesus says its unlawful then it could be the same fate as his cousin, you remember his Cuz, John the Baptist (off with his head).
And if he says its ok then it could be seen as Blasphemy because he dared to contradict Torah and that would be punishable by death. Jesus knew either answer could mean death so he asks them a question. “What did Moses command you” in other words what is Torah law. Their answer, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her”. This goes back to Deuteronomy 24:1, where if a man found something objectionable he could write out a certificate and send her on her way. Really, what is objectionable, this is hard core, like bad breath or a bad hair day or maybe she burnt the cornbread or any other trivial thing.
This reading took me back to when I served in the A.F. At my duty assignment in 1974 was England, during our in brief it was pointed out to us in England how important Border Collies / herding dogs are. It was said that it would be better to hit a wife or child with your car than to hit a working dog! Now that was deep.
But back to our story, Jesus at this point turns the table a bit and starts to teach (obviously it was needed) and he states (READ FROM SERMON) Jesus was showing them God’s original intent of a lifelong commitment of love and devotion blessed by God. Now that would include the blessing of children, Remember be fruitful and multiply.
I was reading a commentary by Matt Skinner where he believes the Pharisees misunderstood scripture, more precisely they misunderstood God’s design and misused and misinterpreted the scriptures to justify their errors. Wow, that made total sense to me.
My thoughts are although Jesus was teaching it was based on love not anger or hatred. You know if we find this reading uncomfortable how do you think the Disciples felt?
My belief is that God intended for marriage to be a lifelong commitment but God created us so God knows our weaknesses and faults. So God knows unfortunately there will be divorces due to physical, mental or emotional issues. So out of God’s love for us just maybe God allowed Moses to build in an escape mechanism with the certificate, that divorce is the lesser of two evils? Not sure but just more food for thought.
I’m also going to give God and Moses a little credit by saying a hand written certificate. It made me think how many 1st century Jewish men could read and write? Can you say reconciliation?
Again just a thought.
Jesus’ concern for the vulnerable continues when the people bring the children to him. How children loved Jesus and he loved them. Isn’t it interesting how children will not gravitate to mean people, they know instinctively who to love we read this we could also get upset on how the Disciples talked sternly to the children. Because again children like women had no significant status in life, the children could neither help nor hurt Jesus’ ministry.
Well Jesus is going to straighten this out right now and said (READ FROM SERMON) Now I will try to tie the two readings together a little and if I do or don’t please come up to me and let’s talk, I love to learn.
In the two stories Jesus has uprooted all kinds of norms by showing his love for us by healing lepers, physically impaired, the blind, the deaf, women, children, gentiles, the possessed, he ate with tax collectors, sinners and all of this with dirty hands. Well, tell me it ain’t so.
As we know and can see, Jesus’ ministry shows us his love and devotion to all people with or without a voice or status in this world, they are the vulnerable without any power or ability to help themselves. But they and we have the love of Jesus and God. Children are innocent so they accept Jesus with a childlike faith. Why? Because they trusted Jesus just like they trust us to care for them, guide them. With that comes the responsibility of their spirituality, which we along with our children’s ministry programs.
But it’s a two way street and we need to observe the children and learn from them their spirituality and unconditional love for Jesus and God, they see it as a gift. We need to learn to come to Jesus with a childlike approach. That is with empty hands, open minds and trusting hearts, totally dependent on this gift from God. I read this from another commentary. “When Jesus embraced the children he embraced the human race and replaced its pain with the love he has in his heart.”
Man, isn’t that a beautiful thought?
So we need to come to Jesus in that childlike simple faith, it’s Naïve with an appetite to learn, love and appreciate this total gift from God.
Now before I end this sermon, I have a challenge for y’all. Remember I said before if I send you out of here thinking about what I’ve said then I have accomplished something.
The challenge is to look up the words to Ray Stevens 1970 hit “Everything is Beautiful” The first lyrics goes like this: “Jesus loves the little children, all little children of the world, red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.”
Please look up the words, it really hit home with me and this reading today. If it spurs thoughts for you let’s talk about it next week.
AMEN