Sermon 06.02.24 – The Unconforming Lord

2nd Sunday after Pentecost

Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Psalm 81:1-10; 2 Corinthians 4:5-12; Mark 2:23—3:6 

Mark 2:23—3:6 

²³One sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields; and as the disciples made their way they began to pluck heads of grain. ²⁴The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” ²⁵And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? ²⁶He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.” ²⁷Then Jesus said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; ²⁸so the Son-of-Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
 ^3:1Again Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. ²They watched Jesus to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. ³And Jesus said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” ⁴Then Jesus said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. ⁵He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against Jesus, how to destroy him.

. . .

The Unconforming Lord

Grace to you, beloved of God, and peace from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Jesus did not go to the shores of the Sea of Galilee and said, wait, take me with you on the boat, and I will help you fish for fish. Then, if you have some time, we will plan some things to help you become light for the world. No, he did not say that. Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”

Then, he went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath. He did not sit silently and listen intently because he had two years and only one mouth. The leaders in the place did not give him a pat on the back and said, good man, where are you from again? No, Jesus stood and taught. They were so astounded that they said, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority!”

After calling a disciple who was working in the tax booth as a collection officer for the Roman Empire and after receiving an invitation for a meal with him and a group of perceived sinners, Jesus did not say, Hey guys, let us take this inside – for he was afraid of what people would say. No, they hang out publicly enough to be noticed and for the disciples to be asked, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He also did not answer along the lines of I am so sorry, let me finish with them, and I will catch up with you; how are you doing, by the way? Instead, Jesus said, “ I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

Then, another Sabbath comes. They are likely starving. Teaching and proclaiming the good news must have required a lot of steps and burning of active calories. So the disciples go for some unplucked heads of grain. Technically, it was not permitted on the Sabbath because it would constitute harvesting. So this guy comes running out of nowhere. Stop, stop, what are you doing? “Why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” Once more, Jesus did not say, I am so sorry, Peter, John, James, put that down. No, Jesus replies with a story about how carrying on with God’s hope of reconciliation with everything is more important than anything. God created the Sabbath so every child and creature of God could rest and regain life. So, the joy of the beginning could be complete again. And by the way, Jesus Said, I am the Lord even of the Sabbath. To prove his point, he restores a person’s freedom to provide for themselves and to rest when needed. 

By now, we can be assured that in his ministry, Jesus is not conforming to the ways of the world.   According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to conform to something means:

• To be in agreement or harmony with something;
• To be obedient or complaint to another’s wishes;
• Or to act in accordance with prevailing standards and customs.

We can say that Jesus is making a point of not being conforming. Jesus can do that because he is the Lord of what is right and righteous and of what is just. Nobody else is.

Jesus is the Lord of what is right and righteous and of what is just because the world does not know to be just. 

The world does not know how to maintain peace.

The world does not know how to nourish the hungry.

The world does not know how to heal the sick.

The world does not know how to give hospitality to strangers

The world does not know how to give life.

The world does not know how to allow every person to live, love, and laugh.

The world does not know how to liberate the people from oppression.

The world does not know how to forgive and to love.

The world does not have enough wisdom to fully comprehend the gracious gift of God’s instructions and, therefore, does not understand how to put it into action.

Jesus does, however, and the ruler of the world has been condemned. All we have left is to conform with the precious gift of freedom and salvation from the confession that Jesus is the Lord of everything. Thanks be to God. Amen.