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.
