Sermon: July 8, 2012

 Do You Believe?

Scripture: Psalm 123 Read Responsively and Mark 6: 1-13

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ July 8, 2012

 Reception of New Member Brandi Crabb and baptism of Jeremy, Courtney, Heather, Jaron and Joseph Crabb

Amanda Clark special music and Mission speaker during worship

Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana 

Introduction to Scripture:

Psalm 123 Read Responsively

Going on a pilgrimage is not something most of us will do.  But psalm 123 is found a series of songs that are believed to have been sung while on the road to Jerusalem for pilgrims from all over the known world.  Here is this short song there is both adoration of God and lament of pilgrim’s rejection by others who reject their religious zeal.
¹To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
²As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy upon us.
³Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.
⁴Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.

Mark 6: 1-13
The tension between Jesus and his family or hometown was an on-going sub-plot of the story in Mark’s Gospel.  Here people cannot imagine him as anyone more than the illegitimate child of Mary, a simple carpenter.  To be seen as a great teacher and healer is beyond their comprehension.  So are we any different today?  Do we too, label young people and reject that they can become our leaders in the future?

He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.²On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! ³Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.⁴Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.”⁵And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.⁶And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then he went about among the villages teaching.⁷He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.⁸He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;⁹but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.¹⁰He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.¹¹If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”¹²So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.¹³They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Homily

We have baptized the Crabb today and welcomed them into this part of the body of Christ.  Perhaps someday Brady will serve on session and have a new vision for Unity.  Perhaps Courtney will become a pastor or Heather will be a doctor or Jaron will write praise music.  The point of this story is that even when Jesus grew up among them, they did not believe in his full potential to change lives. Think about your own baptism or those you have witnessed.  What were the feelings you had at these times?

When you were young did your family and faith community value you or where they like the people of Nazareth who saw Jesus in one light?  They did not believe in his full potential to change lives.  Who encouraged you to dream big?  Thank God for those who came into your life and nurtured your potential.

Amanda Clark has spoken about her sense of call to ministry in Ethiopia.  Think back to the dreams you had as a youth.  Think about how hard it was to follow those dreams and pray for Amanda in her journey of faith. 

What do you believe generates the power to change lives and change your life.  Believing makes a difference in your life because every day of  your life has value and meaning.  Where there was unbelief, even Jesus had a hard time healing.  Then he sent out his disciples, as Amanda is being sent out, and amazing things happened.  They went out and made a difference in people’s lives by proclaiming a message of repentance.  God has invite us into the work of redemption.  God uses your faith to continue change lives.  To the church in Ephesus, Paul wrote:

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.  Each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. (Ephesians 4: 4-7)

Keep the faith that has been passed on from generation to generation.  Amen.