15
July 2012
St. Athanasius Lutheran Church
Pentecost
7 Vienna, VA
“At
Home in Christ”
Text:
Mark 6:14-29 (Ephesians 1:3-14)
Grace,
mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. Amen.
John
the Baptist never was at home in this world. He was an interloper. A stranger.
A misfit.
It
began with his birth which was not the usual way. He was born miraculously to a
couple who could not have children because they were too old and she was barren.
He
was given the wrong name (in the opinion of all who were there when he was
born). Everybody wanted him named Zechariah, after his father. That was how it
was done; that was the tradition - to name the first born son after the father.
But no. His name would be John.
He
didn’t wear what everyone else was wearing. If he was around today, he’d be one
of those people you notice walking down the street that everyone points to and
snickers and says “really?” A camel’s hair shirt with a leather belt around
your waste?
Then
there was his diet. John went primal before it became a fad diet! Locusts and
wild honey.
He
did his preaching out in the wilderness. And he didn’t pander to the crowd - he
was a fiery preacher of repentance. And if you got into his crosshairs, he
wouldn’t let you out. He didn’t care who you were - Pharisee, Sadducee, Scribe,
King. And he’d keep after you, even from prison . . . he didn’t care. He just
didn’t care.
John
was like a bizarre visitor from another place and time. The world was not his
home. It never would be.
Ever feel like John?
Not quite at home in this world? Maybe you wear the wrong clothes, listen to
the wrong music, have the wrong friends, or believe differently than others.
Just a little out of step with everyone else . . .
Truth
is, Christians do have a little John in them; a little bit of weird in
them. Because like John, we have a whole lot of Jesus in us.
Think
about it. Like John, you too were miraculously born - born from above by water
and the Spirit in Holy Baptism.
Like
John, you too wear different clothes - the robe of righteousness given to you
by Christ.
Like
John, you too eat strange food - the Body and Blood of the Lord in His Supper
here.
Like
John, your thinking and values and loves are different.
And
so as a Christian, like John, you’re never quite at home in this world and
life. Just a bit out of step. For you, there’s something more, something
different, something greater . . .
King
Herod, on the other hand, was a man of the world. He lived large. He saw what
he wanted and took it. And he made no apologies for it. Yet even so, though
Herod gets what he wants, he never seems to get what he wants. He’s never
satisfied. Never at peace. But that’s the way of the world. That’s the way of
it with sin. It never leaves you satisfied, but always wanting more. It enslaves in that way.
And
it enslaved Herod on his birthday. A lustful king made a foolish promised and
an angry wife took advantage of the situation. And Herod, who didn’t want to
disappoint his guests or look out of step with the world, is trapped. Sin isn’t
as harmless as it looks. A dancing girl, a little lust, what’s the harm? . . .
But Herod’s hand is forced. He’s not a free as he thinks. So he sadly
gives the order, and John loses his head.
But
though John loses his head, he doesn’t lose his voice. For even after John is
dead and buried he’s still in Herod’s head. Herod’s got John on the brain. So
when Jesus comes along, Herod thinks: John’s
back. Raised from the dead. Because Herod saw in Jesus and heard from Jesus
the same things he saw and heard from John. Someone who didn’t think the same
as everyone else. Someone who didn’t have the same values as everyone else.
Someone who didn’t fear the same things as everyone else. Someone different.
Not of this world.
John
was the perfect forerunner. Not only for
Herod, but for you too.
Because
sometimes we play the Herod or the Herodias. It’s not who you are, but
sometimes we play the part. We give in to the lusts and temptations and we think
what’s the harm? There are things in
this world that we want and we go after them, even if they are not for us to
have. We want to please others and so sometimes say what we later regret and
make promises that get us into trouble. We want others to like us and so do
what we shouldn’t do. We get so filled with anger and resentment and desire for
revenge that while we may not go around chopping each other’s heads off, we
certainly bite them off, chew up their reputations, and boast in doing so,
parading around and gloating as if we had their head on a platter. And it can
get pretty ugly, what we do to one another.
And
when you do so, do you feel good? Are you satisifed? Did you get what you want?
Oh, maybe for a moment. But like with Herod, sin never leaves you satisfied. It
just gets worse and leaves you wanting more. And sooner or later, it always
winds up biting you and harming you and enslaving you.
There’s
only one way out of that. The way of John. The way of Jesus. The way of
repentance and forgiveness. To confess that we’ve played the Herod and played
the Herodias and listen to John, who though he was beheaded so many years ago
is still preaching to us today. Preaching to us to repent - but not only that!
But even more, preaching us to the cross. To behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
To see Jesus there on the cross as the one who became enslaved for you and
bound to the cross with the chains of your sin, in order to set you free. For
that’s what forgiveness is. The word for forgiveness in the Greek is the same
word for being released, for being set free. And so forgiveness is to be set
free from your sin, from your slavery
to sin, from the condemnation of sin
- free to be a child of God. And that is what you are. In Jesus.
So
Jesus went to the cross to die and rise because that’s what you needed. Sin
cannot be defeated any other way. Sin doesn’t give up; it has to die. Again,
look at Herod - even when he wanted to do what was right, he couldn’t. Herod
feared John. He knew John was a righteous and holy man. He kept John safe. He
heard John gladly. But in the end, Herod’s sins and sinful desires were too
much for him. Either he had to die or
John had to die, and . . . well . . . you heard how that turned out.
But
Jesus - Jesus who was not enslaved by sin - made a different choice. Because of
sin, either He had to die or you had to
die, and Jesus chose Himself. He would die so that you could live. He would
take the death sentence to set you free. The Son would become a slave, so that
we slaves be sons of God.
And
so Jesus, in your place, enters the prison of sin, death, and the grave. He
puts His neck on the chopping block for your foolishness, your lusts, your
murder and anger and pride and hate and rebellion . . . and as the blade is
coming down says: Father, forgive them.
Set them free. And He does. And you are. Forgiven and free.
And
here’s where Jesus surpasses John. Both gave their life, but while Herod
thought John had risen from the dead,
Jesus really did. While John’s voice lived on in Herod’s head, Jesus
lives now in His same flesh and blood. Which means Jesus didn’t just pay for
your sin, die your death, and enter your grave, He destroyed them. To break
their hold on you. That you not be enslaved by sin anymore. That you not fear
death and the grave anymore. But know that in Jesus, as Paul said, you have the
guarantee of an inheritance in heaven. The promise of eternal life in Him.
Which
means you are a bit strange, a bit weird and out of step with the world.
For baptized into Christ, you are a new person, having died and been raised
with Christ. You have one foot in the grave and one foot in life. One foot in
mortality and one foot in immortality. You are no longer a slave to your sinful
nature, but set free to live in the Spirit of God given to you. To possess the
things of this world, but not be possessed by them. To live in the world
without the world living in you. And even to lay down your life for others.
That when one of us has to die, when it’s either me or you . . . I’ll do it. I’ll serve, I’ll forgive,
I’ll love. Because you can. Because you have been given so much more, and the
promise that though you die, yet shall you live.
Oh,
you’ll still have your sinful urges. Your flesh will always want to be served
and have its sinful appetite satisfied. And you’ll give in - you know it and I
know it. But as often as you do, just as often come and eat and drink the food
of forgiveness and life - the true
Body and Blood of your Saviour Jesus Christ. Repent and receive the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world. Eat this food that strengthens you sons
and daughters of God.
For
just as Jesus is greater than John, so this feast is greater than the feasts of
the world. For while Herod’s feast lasted but for a time and ended in despair,
this feast will last forever and gives joy and peace. John lived - and died -
in that confidence and peace. You too. And if that’s a bit strange and weird,
so be it. The day is coming when all
things will be made new. When what is now hidden will finally be revealed. And
when what now seems strange will be shown to be the way things were meant to be
all along.
In
the Name of the Father and of the (+) Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now
the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds
through faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.