Mark 4:21-34 (NRSV)

[Jesus] said to them, 'Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.  Let anyone with ears to hear listen!'  And he said to them, 'Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.  For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.'  He also said, 'The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.  The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.  But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.'  He also said, 'With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?  It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.'  With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

“Come to light” is the phrase that stands out today.  Jesus continues to teach in the 4^th chapter of Mark, and makes an argument for the proper use of light, insinuating that light isn’t any good to anyone or anything if it is hidden or isn’t used properly (under a basket or under a bed).  However, if it is put on a lampstand, then it serves it’s purpose.

The passage continues to unfold in the same manner.  Like the light, Jesus tells those he is teaching (we included) that we will be given a measure (Word).  What we do with that measure…  if we serve its purpose, then more will be given.  However, if we ignore its purpose…  if we have nothing, we will loose everything.  More simply put, if we choose to ignore God’s word or if refuse to listen to God’s word, then we will loose an eternity with God.

Jesus continues with the agricultural imagery in his explanation of the Kingdom of God.  He chooses the parable of the mustard seed.  This continues the seed explanation from yesterday’s reflection about the seed cast on good soil.  If the smallest of seeds can produce the greatest of shrubs with great, strong branches, then how much more could we do as receivers and cultivators of the Word.  From the smallest amounts of the received and acted on Word of God, great things can come to build up the Kingdom of God.  The passage says that Jesus continued to speak to his followers in parables, but explained everything to his disciples.

Today, I feel that the call is to make sure that God’s Word is heard and acted on.  It is one thing to hear the Word and it’s another to put it into action.  We can do this in our faith communities, in our families, and in our work places.  I had a friend once that helped me think of my job as ministry, regardless of what it was.  We should figure out how what we do brings glory to God and reconciles the world to Christ.  This will help us bring meaning to our lives as we put God’s Word and God’s love into action.

John 9:18-41 (NRSV)

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes.  Ask him; he is of age.  He will speak for himself."  His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."  So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God!  We know that this man is a sinner."  He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner.  One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."   They said to him, "What did he do to you?  How did he open your eyes?"   He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become his disciples?"  Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.  We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."  The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will.  Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind.  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."  They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out.  Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"  He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him."  Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he."  He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him.  Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind."  Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, "Surely we are not blind, are we?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.

The phrase that immediately jumps out at me in this long passage is, “I have told you already, and you would not listen.  Why do want to hear it again?”  The continuous questioning is obviously getting on the man’s nerves.  The Pharisees are pushing the buttons again, scheming and trying to find something that Jesus has done wrong.

I have got to say that I appreciate the once blind man’s boldness with the leaders.  He answers their inquiries completely, and somewhat sarcastically.  The whole banter following the phrase, “Here is an astonishing thing…” offers the Pharisees an irrefutable explanation of the circumstances.  The leaders refute and claim that the man is trying to teach them (like they are beyond learning something new).  Maybe that’s the problem.

The encounter between Jesus and the blind man is intriguing (then again, wouldn’t an encounter with Jesus always be intriguing?).  In this meeting, Jesus gives the once blind man an opportunity to believe.  The man believes, and worships Jesus.

The leaders overheard Jesus and the man talking and then fall into the conundrum with Jesus over what it means to see.  That is where I feel that the call lies today.  We are called to see.  In order to see we need adequate light and we need to take the time to focus.  Jesus is the light.  He illuminates to dark places in our lives and allows us to see our real selves so that we can deal with it.

John 8:12-20 (NRSV)

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life."  Then the Pharisees said to him, "You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid."  Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.  You judge by human standards; I judge no one.  Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.  In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid.  I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf."  Then they said to him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."  He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

 

“You judge by human standards; I judge no one.”  As we learned yesterday, Jesus forgives and gives guidance more than he judges.  And today we get a glimpse of what it means to walk, live, and learn in the light of Christ. 

I feel human beings will never be able to completely comprehend God, in all of God’s vast glory.  Awesome doesn’t describe it.  To me it’s more like incredible, indescribable, inexpressible, and every other superlative you can think of.  With that said, we also will never be able to comprehend God’s justice in our human context.  However, neither condition keeps us from being drawn to learn and understand.  Much like the Pharisees and scribes who don’t understand Jesus’ authority, we are caught in their circle of living and participating with a limited understanding of God.

Recently I heard a someone say that we are all “cracked pots and that we all fall short of the glory of God, and yet we are the plan for bringing God’s Good News to the whole world.”  Whether we like the term “cracked pot” or not, it’s a great image for this reading.  This is a desperate and broken world that is full of suffering and injustice.  This brokenness wasn’t brought about by God, but by our own selfish behaviors.  We need God to heal and nurture us in our brokenness.  God does that in Jesus, who forgives and guides and judges rightly.  It is through our “cracked pots” that the light of Christ shines through. 

By following Jesus (and his example of forgiveness and guidance) we are participating in him.  (I’ve talked about participation before and its importance.)  By participating in Jesus, he dwells in us and we walk in his light as he enlightens our path.  Today we have been called to testify to the light.  We know that light to be Jesus Christ Our Lord, and we can testify to the ways that God heals us and continues to restore us through Christ.  Maybe then we can do our part and help Jesus be a light to others.