Sermon for July 21, 2024
Pentecost 9 B
House of Prayer Lutheran Church
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
Rev. Karl-John N. Stone
I heard Jesus is in Cleveland! Why Cleveland, you may ask? Well, I’ve personally never been there (even though I spent three years of seminary just a couple hours down the road in Columbus, Ohio)—but I’ve heard a few things about the place that lead me to believe Jesus is there.
The city sits on the shore of a beautiful Great Lake—Lake Erie. Similar to Milwaukee, you’d be able to find places to fish, swim, or boat in those cold blue waters. The Cuyahoga River flows through Cleveland—this is the river that once was famous for being so polluted that it caught on fire! But there has been a systemic effort to clean it up, and the river has made a comeback. Which is good, not only for the people who live nearby, but for the fish, birds, plants, and wildlife who depend on the river for food and shelter.
Cleveland is the hometown of LeBron James, the greatest basketball player of his generation (maybe even of all time). Cleveland also hosts the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, the house from the classic movie “A Christmas Story”, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Great Lakes Science Center, and the International Women’s Air & Space Museum. So, with such a collection of places that feature the beauty and abundance of God’s creation, as well as the discoveries and achievements of human beings who have used their own God-given abilities to accomplish wonderful things…I’d say there’s a pretty good chance that the presence of Jesus will show up somewhere around there.
I’ve also heard that the Church is there, too. You will see Christians in places like the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist where you’ll find ornate religious artistry and a sense of transcendence; or in places like the humble low brick building of the Lutheran Men’s Shelter, where struggling men have a place to go to get back on their feet, eat a good meal, and attend a bible study. And there are countless other churches around town where Jesus makes it a habit to show up! Plus, there are all kinds of people in Cleveland, from all walks of life, all of whom have been created in the image of God; all of whom God has a special love and compassion for; all of whom—whether they know it or not—have a special purpose in this world that God has given them.
I’d say that our House of Prayer Youth Group picked a great place for their mission trip—and in fact, they are on their way to Cleveland as I speak! As many of you know, our youth group has a strong tradition of going on mission trips, going back many years. Think of all the places they’ve been, the things they’ve accomplished, the people they’ve met, the friendships they’ve grown, the things they’ve learned. This spiritual practice of theirs—of going somewhere away from home as followers of Jesus—actually goes back all the way back to the Bible! We hear about one example in today’s gospel reading from Mark chapter 6.
The 12 apostles have just gotten back from the villages Jesus sent them to, where they have been successful in casting out many demons, and anointing many sick people with oil and curing them. You may remember from earlier in Mark chapter 6 that the apostles were actually more successful at this than Jesus himself was, at least in his own hometown, where the townsfolk couldn’t quite believe that this local kid Jesus who they’d known their whole lives since he was in diapers could actually do all these great things.
When the apostles got back from doing all the things they’d been doing, Jesus looked at them and said: “You guys look like you need some rest!” So they got in a boat and sailed to a deserted place where they’d be able to just enjoy hanging out with Jesus for a while. Doesn’t that sound great? It’s like they’re getting a sneak peek into heaven, when we’ll all be hanging out with Jesus for all eternity.
But things don’t exactly go as planned. Yes, they got in the boat, and they sailed to the place down the lakeshore that Jesus had in mind—but lots of people saw them going, and figured out where they were headed, and hurried over there on foot. When Jesus and the apostles landed on shore in what they thought would be a restful, deserted place—a great crowd of people was already waiting to greet them. What happens next is a real-life parable of what Jesus means when he talks about the kingdom of God: “Jesus had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.” This speaks volumes about who Jesus is and what he’s about.
1. “Jesus had compassion for them.” In Hebrew, the word “compassion” derives from the word “womb”. The God of the Bible is a God of compassion, who has a “womb-like” love for all people—protecting and nourishing us so we can become the people God created us to be. If you want to see Jesus, and experience where God’s kingdom is breaking into the world, then look for compassion and caring towards others.
2. Jesus recognizes that the people are “like sheep without a shepherd.” That phrase was an expression frequently used by the prophets in the Old Testament when they criticized kings who kept themselves well-fed, while most people went hungry. Unlike those kings who had no compassion, Jesus was dedicating himself to bringing refreshment and healing into people’s lives, because he knew they were suffering from poverty, hunger, weeping, mourning. And Jesus met these needs in ways both practical and spiritual. So, if you want to see Jesus, and experience where God’s kingdom is breaking into the world, look for how people’s struggles are being met in practical ways, both their short-term immediate needs, and the long-term systemic changes that need to happen for them to have a better life on a continual basis; and look for spiritual practices that give people hope and strength—things like prayer, faith, dwelling in God’s Word, finding friendship, and finding support in community.
And 3. “Jesus began to teach them.” He couldn’t make the whole crowd into a band of apostles (not right away, at least). He had to teach them first. And the big thing he teaches us in this real-life parable is that before you can be caring and compassionate towards others in the way of Jesus, first you need to accept the care and compassion that Jesus already has for you.
Sometimes Jesus calls us to be like the apostles—sent out away from home to carry the compassion and care of Jesus to others. Sometimes, we’re more like the people in the crowd, and we’re the ones in need of Jesus sending someone help us by offering us Christ-like care and compassion. Whether you’re like an apostle or like the people in the crowd, both of these are part of the life of faith; both are part of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Therefore, our success as followers of Jesus doesn’t come from how much we’re able to accomplish, but by simply being with Jesus; by growing in our relationship with the Lord.
And all of the care and compassion that Jesus has for you is revealed most deeply on the cross, where he willingly gave himself for our salvation; and it’s revealed in his rising from the dead—Jesus is alive among us today, and his care and compassion is loose in the world.
So…considering all of that, I am confident about what I heard—that Jesus is already in Cleveland. And I’m confident he’s right here in Franklin, too. Amen.