Sermon for the Fifth Sunday in Lent

Texts:
Daniel 12:1-3;
Psalm 119:9-16;
Mark Chapters 12 & 13.

To read the Gospel click this link to Biblegateway.com.

You would think that Jesus might have spent his last days in quiet contemplation. The cross loomed ahead and going there would take everything he had; all his strength clear to his last breath. But no. In Mark’s gospel just before the passion, when the ending really begins, Jesus gets really real.

We’d almost have to say that Mark’s Jesus was merciless in his elocutions of chapters twelve and thirteen. Speaking volumes in a few words. Splintering verbal traps with logic. Employing wit and quick retort with the Holy Scriptures.

Jesus was on fire, and his enemies knew it. They were there in that large crowd. Following Jesus, but not necessarily followers. They dared not touch him. Yet.  But oh, how they wanted to.

First Jesus spoke to the Temple leaders. A cautionary tale for all of us who are called to speak God’s word, all who minister to God’s children. For anyone, in fact, who claims to serve God.

There was no mistaking who Jesus meant when he spoke of violent and greedy vineyard tenants withholding the fruits of the harvest from the owner. It’s clear that the vineyard’s owner and creator was God. The abused servants who were sent to counsel the tenants to act justly were the prophets of course. And the Son who was killed…well, do we even have to say…?

But, said Jesus, the owner was coming back. What would justice and equity look like now?

In case there was any doubt about where the parable was aimed, Jesus laid down a line from Psalm 118:22-23. David was the stone that the builders rejected until God anointed him as king over Israel. Is there any confusion over who God’s anointed was now?

If Jesus wanted to avoid conflict, he was on a fool’s mission. Conflict would come find him and never let him rest. Scholars tried to entice him with praise to make a dangerous statement about taxation. “Teacher, we know you are sincere and show deference to no one…”

Let the record show that the word sincere also means true. So although the scholars said, Teacher, we know you are true…” it seems they didn’t actually know or believe it. When their trap failed they were left amazed, conflicted, and without any greater faith as far as we know.

This may seem like a detour, but trust me here… Do you recall the classic Peanuts Halloween program? Linus tried to convince the others to wait with him in a pumpkin patch.

He believed that the Great Pumpkin would come with gifts for all who waited in the most sincere pumpkin patch. The others laughed and left Linus to wait alone in the night. The Great Pumpkin came and Linus was so overcome with joy he fainted.

Linus waited in the most sincere patch, believing in the promise of great good. For that he received surpassing joy. The others ridiculed Linus, not believing there was any such true place.

Charles M. Schultz was no biblical dummy. He often worked the gospel in his cartoons. He appreciated that what is true, and a great good is worth searching for and waiting with. Schultz also saw that faith’s wait to see what is true and good can get lonely sometimes.

Here in Mark’s gospel, these are Jesus’s last teaching events. There is little time left to move people to faith. The long night is coming. But Jesus does not give up easily.

Time and time again in chapter twelve Jesus undergoes something like a cross examination. Or perhaps we should say that it is the examination of the cross. Who is he really?  He is the One God anointed to rule our hearts. What does he teach? To be alive in God and to keep God’s commandment to love first, and always. Who does he call to follow him?  All who desire to live as he lives, choosing a life of self-giving service that looks like poverty to some, but is real treasure. Could this be you?

Jesus knows this isn’t easy. What seems like mercilessness toward his enemies is actually the opposite. Jesus came to save.  He said so. “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

All of chapter thirteen is dedicated to this proposition. Jesus meant this both for himself and his followers. What does it mean to you to be saved? Many people understand salvation as the moment of being assured a place in heaven with Jesus.

In Scripture salvation is deliverance. God’s deliverance is a birth-and-new-beginning thing, not a death-and-final-ending thing. It is surprising. And mighty. But always merciful.

A destroyed Temple delivers us from thinking God is in structures rather than relationships. Widening the welcome of community and family delivers us from the tyranny of clannishness into mutual belonging and care. Giving ourselves to God’s leading through Jesus Christ delivers us from placing our hope and trust in false messiahs, dictatorial governments, or our own selves.

Even now, says Jesus, the night approaches. Stay awake and watchful. We can only wait now for what is coming. But we don’t have do this alone. We can wait together, and that is a holy gift.

Question to Ponder

What is the deliverance that you pray for?