Sermon: Stumbling over the Jesus I Know

 Mark 6:1-13
Stumbling over the Jesus I Know
James Sledge                                                                                      July 4, 2021

Christ in the Synagogue of Nazareth, unknown artist ca. 1350

Many years ago, I was watching a track and field event on TV, and there was a lot of excitement and build up for the mile run. As I recall, there were a number of the world’s top runners there and expectations were high that a new world record might be set.

The race got underway, and a large pack of runners went out quickly, running the first lap at below record pace. The quick pace continued, and the TV commentator’s voice became more and more animated. It was going to be an exciting finish, and a new world record looked more and more likely.

But into the final lap, disaster struck. I couldn’t tell if someone stepped on someone else’s heel or what, but a runner stumbled and fell, causing a chain reaction that sent everyone tumbling. No one seemed to be badly hurt, and most of the runners gathered themselves and continued on, but there would be no exciting finish. There would be no world record.

I recalled that decades old race when I read the gospel passage for today. Perhaps that seems a strange connection to make, but let me explain. When I begin work on a sermon, I will often take a quick look at the passage in its original language, Greek for the New Testament, and that’s what spurred my recollection of that race.

The Greek version reads pretty much as the English one does. Jesus makes a visit to his hometown. By this time his fame has grown, and people in Nazareth had heard of the amazing things that he was doing, teaching and healing and performing miracles. No doubt the excitement level was high.

Things got off to a great start. Jesus taught on the Sabbath and the people “were astounded.” But then a strange thing happened. The people begin to recall who Jesus was. They knew him. He was a carpenter. His family was nothing special. His brothers and sister and mother lived right there beside them. And they took offense at him, reads our scripture.

The word translated “took offense” is scandalidzo (skandalizw). It’s the origin of our word “scandalize,” but it literally means “to cause to stumble.” And so a literal translation of our passage goes, “And they were caused to stumble because of him.” Now do you see why I thought of that race?

It was an exciting day. The hometown hero had come back. They could see for themselves that he was something special. But then they remembered who he was, and it tripped them. The magic spell was broken and by the end of the visit we hear, And (Jesus) could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.

What the hometown folks knew, or at least what they thought they knew, caused them to stumble, tripped them so they could not recognize what was right in front of their faces. Although from Jesus’ reaction, this doesn’t seem a novel thing. "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house."

I don’t suppose we should be all that surprised at such behavior. I’ve known parents who could not see their adult children as responsible, capable, and able to accomplish significant things on their own. I’ve seen businesses that were so sure they knew the right way to do things that they couldn’t hear the people trying to help them make the changes that were absolutely necessary if they were to survive. Sometimes what people know, or at least what they think they know, can create a barrier that causes them to stumble.

And that raises a question: What do you know about Jesus? Or perhaps, “What do you think you know about Jesus?” Many people who aren’t Christian have some sort of impression of Jesus, but what about you? What is Jesus like? What difference does he make? What does he ask of you? Where does he fit in your life?

Many evangelical Christians know Jesus primarily as an agent of salvation, with salvation defined as getting into heaven. This Jesus isn’t all that concerned with the state of things on earth, with global warming or racial inequities or the growing gap between rich and poor. This Jesus is mostly worried about what happens after you die, with whether or not you believe in him so that you can get your ticket punched for eternal bliss.

Such Christians are sometimes startled to learn that the Jesus in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke speaks so much about God’s new day come to earth and about changed lives that prepare for that new day. This Jesus talks a lot about the dangers of wealth, about the poor being lifted up, about the need to totally reorient your life now. He talks about loving neighbor, loving enemies, and letting go of your wealth, possessions, and even your very life.

If such a Jesus were actually to show up and begin to preach and teach in their presence, I have little doubt that many of them would stumble, tripped up by what they already “knew” and how this Jesus did not fit what they knew.

More liberal Christians often “know” a somewhat different Jesus. They tend to like his teachings on love and caring for the poor. They resonate with his concern for justice and the need for a beloved community. But very often, the liberal’s Jesus is more wise sage than Savior or Son of God. Such Christians are happy to embrace whatever of Jesus’ wisdom that makes sense to them, but they’re not sure they need saving.

These Christians are often troubled by Jesus’ demand that they turn from old ways and follow Jesus on the difficult path of discipleship. They balk at the very idea that they are part of the problem of a sinful, turned in on itself world that perverts God’s good creation.

If this Jesus were actually to show up and begin to preach and teach in their presence, insisting that they repent and reorient their lives to the new ways he showed them, they would likely stumble and trip over this Jesus who so different from the one they “knew,” from the Jesus they preferred.

A lot of Christians, be they evangelical or progressive, liberal or conservative, “know” a Jesus who fits neatly into their view of things. This Jesus tends to agree with them most of the time and makes few hard demands. The Jesus I “know” may want to make a few minor tweaks in my life, but nothing more. And any Jesus who calls me to repent, who demands radical loyalty and obedience from me can cause me to stumble, can be scandalous, offensive to me.

When Jesus tripped the folks in Nazareth so they were scandalized, offended, he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. I wonder how often Jesus is unable to do much in my life because I can’t embrace a Jesus who looks different from the one I already “know.”

I wonder what remarkable things cannot happen in my life because I cannot let go of my preconceived notions of Jesus, faith, and discipleship.  I wonder what remarkable newness and fullness of life might be possible if I could open myself to a Jesus beyond my own imagining and “knowing.” O God, help me be open to that Jesus.