Service Type: Sunday

Bible Text: Mark 11:1-11 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

When I tell people that my undergraduate degree is in archaeology I can usually catch a flash of excitement in their eyes. Even for just a moment they think of adventure. That archaeologists live like Indiana Jones or Laura Croft using weapons, winning arm wrestling competitions, running from booby traps, following treasure maps, and ending up in a pit of snakes. At the very least they think of a documentary that they saw on the Knowledge network of an exciting discovery in a remote part of the world. I hate to break it to you but the life of an archaeologist is not that exciting. I remember spending an entire semester, 4hrs a week for three months piecing together shards of a large jug from Mesopotamia. Even when we worked out in the field we spent more time on our hands and knees trowelling through dirt one milometer at a time then finding anything. We became so desperate for a discovery that we started hiding loonies in each other’s pits just to keep it interesting. I hate to tell you but most of the time archaeology is mundane work. Cataloguing nail after nail, gathering statistical information, sitting in a lab with a broken piece of pottery. In my five years in the field I never once had to arm wrestle, escape from bad guys nor did I find any snakes (If you are not sure what I’m talking about go home and rent Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark). I think, however, this is the same for most careers, tasks and vocations. There are elements that are exciting, rewarding, and enjoyable but many more times when it is just about getting the job done, about the routine, everyday, unremarkable moments of our jobs. The truth is ministry is often no different. Discipleship is often no different. Today of all days, even with the exciting exclamations of hosannas! And Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, it is quite evident that sometimes it is about the little things.
Of course right before the story of the palms there is some excitement. Right before our narrative begins Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus. Bart cries out to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy upon me!” His first cry is followed by rebuke and Bartimaeus cries out louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus then responds and heals this man. This is in fact the first time Jesus is called the Son of David in the Gospel of Mark. The juxtaposition is perfect, just as Jesus is about to be paraded in to Jerusalem, the City of David, a man calls Jesus the son of David. Meaning Jesus is the anticipated king, the one who they have been waiting for, the one who will restore the kingdom of God, the Messiah. This is an exciting moment but just as this excitement begins Jesus turns to two of his disciples and asks them to do a very mundane task.
Mark writes that Jesus asks two of his disciples to go get a colt. Of course other translations and Gospels describe this story slightly differently but the point is that Jesus rode in on a small, humble animal. The discourse between Jesus and these two unnamed disciples is quite lengthy. This is out of character for Mark who is usually very abrupt and concise with his stories. This time there is great attention to detail and in fact the description of where, how and why a colt takes longer to read and describe then the procession itself! Over half of this passage is taken up with mundane details about acquiring an animal.
I wonder if when the disciples were called to drop their nets and be fishers of people whether they realized just how basic some of their jobs would be. Thomas Long a professor of theology and amazing homiletic writer once said that when he took his ordination vow, “Will you seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination and love?” he didn’t realize what kind of jobs that would entail. He says, “Such language implies that ministry is a brave white-water romp over the cultural rapids toward global transformation in the name of Christ. Never once is it mentioned that serving the people with energy, imagination and love often boils down to stuff like ordering bulletin covers, changing light bulbs, visiting people in nursing homes who aren’t quite sure who you are, getting brakes relined on the church van, making a breathless Saturday afternoon run to the florist because someone forgot to pick up the palm branches, and as two of Jesus’ disciples found out, finding a suitable donkey at the last minute.” For the record I am willing to do all those things except maybe reline tires on the van. Its best if I stay away from vehicle maintenance.
Often our work as a community seems like we are just fulfilling chores. But at this junction of the mundane, just as Jesus asks these disciples to fetch a colt, a pretty basic chore, Mark also notes that Jesus imparts some of his best theological wisdom. Getting that donkey, fulfilling that chore, is part of preparing the way of the Lord!” The way to make our hearts and minds ready for Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, into our world, into our time and place, is by preparing everything, even the little things, even the dirty jobs. The way to prepare is not by becoming valiant leaders, or defenders of Christendom, but rather by performing humble and routine tasks. When Jesus said, “Follow me” it was leading them into a ministry of handling all the details of every day living.
Tom Long’s words help here as well, “On the one hand, we are called to prepare the way for Jesus’ ministry and it is his ministry, not ours that ultimately counts. We are but donkey fetchers. On the other hand, because we are-in ways often hidden from our eyes- preparing the way of the Lord, the routine, often exhausting, seemingly mundane donkey-fetching details of our service are gathered into the great arc of Jesus’ redemptive work.”
Of course as we wave our palms and shout our Hosannas there is a festive flavour to our service, and by service I mean both worship and work. After this passage Jesus will go into the temple not to conquer it but to cleanse it. There is an energy in the crowd that we wish we could maintain as we face the week ahead. We want to keep our hands in the air and say, “Jesus is number one!” We want every aspect of our ministry to be dynamic and exciting and living like every day is a palm parade but discipleship isn’t always that exciting and certainly isn’t always that easy. Sometimes discipleship is a dirty job, like going into a stable and leading a colt to our king. Sometimes discipleship is all those routine tasks.
We are heading into the most holy of weeks. These are not routine services. It is our time to face what will be the most challenging time of the lives of the disciples with Jesus and there was nothing mundane about it. As a result we often think that these little tasks are doing nothing to improve or prepare the way. But in reality, what this passage of the palms tells us is that when we are preparing the coffee, washing the dishes, putting the chairs back, taking minutes, sitting in a meeting, doing our vocal exercises, watering the plants, dusting the sills, hanging our banners, prepping our Sunday School room, putting out toys in our nursery, picking up a friend on our way or even out of our way, vacuuming our carpets, doing our chores in this church, it is all part of our donkey fetching details, a part of our discipleship. This passage in Mark tells us that discipleship is standing in a stinky barn trying to corral a colt for Jesus. Thank you for standing in the stable with me, doing all that you do as disciples of Christ. Amen

Bible Text: John 12:20-33 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

This may be our 20th anniversary year but did you know that there is another institution or rather, event that next year will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. In 1986 Tim Horton’s began its “Roll Up the Rim” campaign. For 29 years, during the lenten season, we have been trying our luck with a cup of joe. And yes, did you realize that one reason why roll up the rim happens over lent is that two things people give up most is coffee and donuts and as a result the franchise needed to come up with a marketing campaign that would discourage people from giving those items up. At this time of year, we Canadians become more like our national animal than consumers of baked goods and caffeinated drinks because it demands that we act like beavers,  using our teeth to break the tightly woven up paper lip of our cups. According to the cups there are millions of prizes. Did you know that in its inaugural year the biggest prize one could win was a snack box of timbits. Of course this competition is not without its controversies. It goes without saying that there is a severe problem with all those paper cups being disposed of and littering our roadsides. We can’t forget the time in 2006 when two families went to court over an SUV , valued at $32,000 when a little girl picked up the winning coffee cup from the garbage. When the little girl couldn’t roll up the rim she asked an older girl to help her and thus the court battle begun. Well, we are in the final days of this contests as it only runs until April 2, that’s right, right before Easter. It is your last chance to possibly win with a cup of coffee. I don’t know what it is about last chances, but often when we hear that it is our last chance for something our adrenaline kicks in. It’s quite a marketing trick. Who knows when the opportunity will arise again, if at all!
Today we hear Jesus’ last public discourse. Most of the observers likely had no idea that this was the last time Jesus would address a crowd. In fact, it was likely only Jesus who knew this. Who knew that he would not have another opportunity to preach and teach with such an audience. After this chapter in John Jesus will spend time in the upper room with his disciples. Certainly some of his best lessons are yet to come but they will only be shared with a select few they will not occur in a public arena.
Our passage begins with some Greeks wanting to approach and talk to Jesus. It may seem irrelevant to the story as even Jesus himself seems to ignore the request. But it is probably more telling than we realize. John’s gospel was written in a time and context in which the ties between those who follow Jesus and Judaism are being severed, and Jesus needs to appear to be responsive to the concerns of a broader world and people. The conversation that follows is in part a response to this request. If you wish to see Jesus, then this is what you will and must see and do.
This includes a concern as to why it is necessary for Jesus to be crucified in order to save humankind. The Gentile, or Greek, audience would not be burdened with the same expectations that made Peter, and others who believed Jesus to be the Messiah, reluctant to accept a suffering Messiah. As I have mentioned before they were reluctant to reconcile the humiliating death by crucifixion when they expected the Messiah to conquer the Romans not be defeated by them. This is not a concern shared by the Greeks who are living not so much in oppression as privilege and their religious context does not carry with it knowledge or need for a saviour. As a result Jesus needs to explain why his death is not only relevant to his Jewish followers but his Gentile ones as well. This passage is a reflection of some of the discussion from last week in when the Gospel frames the trial, torture, and crucifixion in terms of glorification rather than humiliation. For example, the agricultural metaphor of a seed being planted before it can grow and bear fruit is followed by a reminder that anyone who wishes to follow Jesus must also be ready to experience the “glory” of losing his or her life.
Jesus last public words also foreshadow his personal words to the disciples. The metaphor of bearing fruit will receive fuller treatment in the image of the vine and the branches in Chapter 15. But seeing as Jesus is currently speaking to a mixed crowd, perhaps his comment has less to do with the function of Jesus’ death as it does with the possibility of what the disciples and audience will do when Jesus is gone. In fact, Jesus tells them they will do more than they are doing now once Jesus is gone. So much of this last discourse from Jesus is about discipleship regardless of whether they are Jews or Gentiles. To serve Jesus is to follow Jesus and to follow Jesus is to do the works that he did, to feed and tend his sheep, to witness and testify on his behalf.
There are of course words of judgement in this text as well because this is the last time the public world will hear Jesus’ words. Karoline Lewis wrote a commentary on John and she writes, “To listen to Jesus is to believe in him and this for all intents and purposes, is the last chance. The ruler of this world will be cast out [This will begin in the next chapter with Judas’ betrayal]. This is another example by which to know that what Jesus says is true.” Although we seem to feel like he is focusing on his death , after all the subheading in the NRSV says, “Jesus Speaks About His Death”, in this case death and glorification are synonymous. Like last week we are faced with a bit of a paradox. Yes, Jesus’ death will be painful and humiliating but in John’s Gospel Jesus seems prepared for it. He knows this is all part of the plan. In death, God glorifies Jesus’ name. Similarly in the darkness of death there is light.
It is possible that Jesus is not concerned that the hour of death is coming because he does not cling to earthly existence. Perhaps that is the message from this passage for us today. We are distracted by marketing ploys, distracted by competitions, distracted by earthly things but Jesus tells us in order to have true life we need to turn away from those distractions. Jesus is calling us, his followers, to give up everything for his service. Whatever may bind us to this life, whatever we have grown to love, must be secondary to our desire to be with Christ. This is not just something we should apply to ourselves over this last week of Lent but they should have meaning throughout the church year and throughout our lives. We don’t want to miss our chance to hear God’s voice calling us to attention. Amen

Bible Text: John 3:14-21 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

Believe it or not I was once a huge wrestling fan and I don’t mean the sport. I mean the terribly dramatic, often controversial, ever choreographed, World Wrestling Entertainment. I was such a fan that I have attended Wrestlemanias and Monday night Raw events live. I know, your estimation of me has plummeted. However, it is important that you know who I really am. Now back when I was following this wrestling entertainment it was called the world wrestling federation and there was one particular wrestler who held the belt for a long time, Stone Cold Steve Austin. His signature moves included the piledriver and the spinebuster but his finisher move was the stone cold stunner. And I never thought I would open a sermon talking about him. However, it was this stone cold stunner that won him the King of the Ring title in 1996 when he won against Jake “the Snake” Roberts. At the time Jake’s character was portrayed as a born-again Christian. Upon winning the match Austin turned to Jake and said, “You sit there and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn’t get you anywhere! Talk about your Psalms, talk about John 3:16, Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your” I think you get the point. After that the words Austin 3:16 became the most popular catchphrase in wrestling history and the slogan Austin 3:16 became one of the best-selling T-shirts in the franchise’s merchandising history. It also inspired numerous spin off slogans, always finishing with the numbers 3:16. I can vividly remember one of my peers talking about the slogan and I was able to explain to him where it came from. In my own little way I was able to evangelize while equally shouting at a live event at the Skydome in Toronto. In an attempt to mock, criticize, demean and ridicule, the Bible’s best known Scripture passage, this character actually spread it and reached a demographic that the church has struggled to reach and speak to for decades, teenage boys.
John 3:16 has become a kind of trademark for many Christians. In one sense, that’s perfectly fine, we all need a little snippet of something that helps us get through a tough time. Or a mantra or motto that we can turn to as a reminder of who we are and why we do what we do. However, it has also become a way to reduce and simplify one aspect of the Gospel to a quick sound bite. Yes, it is true this one simple passage was Jesus’ way of providing a kind of summation of God’s good purposes for the world. But at its deepest level there really isn’t anything simple about it.
Although we tend to treat this passage as a slogan it really needs to be taken in context. And the context suggests that the truth about God’s purposes in Christ is confusing and troubling. Even Nicodemus, a learned man, a scholar and leader within the Jewish community finds it confusing, In part because it demands that he let go of all that he has accomplished and understood, let go and become like a newborn, ready to receive the world on completely new terms.
What makes this passage extra specially difficult is that Jesus chooses to describe himself using the troubling passage from Numbers. He says that he is like the serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness. In the story from Numbers, God sent the poisonous snakes into the Israelite camp as punishment for the people who were complaining against God. When the people repented God told Moses to fashion a serpent out of bronze and lift it up on a pole. Jesus says, “so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” In Greek the word is “hypsoo” which literally means not just to be lifted up but “to exalt”. This is one of these contrasts that I was talking about in the introduction. It points to both a physical lifting up of Jesus on the cross and a lifting up in exaltation of Jesus by God. The cross is a moment of complete suffering, total humiliation and utter defeat. But also in John the death, resurrection, and ascension create one divine moment of God fulfilling a promise in Jesus Christ. This is similar to the paradox required by the Israelites when they had to look upon the very thing that brought death in order to receive life. The cross for us is a symbol of hope but also great suffering. We are smack in the middle of our lenten journey and we too are asked to look upon Jesus who was humiliated in a crucifixion but also acknowledge with joy what we receive as a result.
Part of the lesson this morning is humility as we are humbled by what we learn in the passage and struggle to understand. When we attempt to understand this Gospel passage as more than just a catchphrase we must be prepared to ask questions about a world with which we may not be familiar. This difficulty is confirmed by the centuries of controversy that grew out of John’s Gospel. Along with humility of understanding we must also come away with encouragement. This passage from John provides an excellent model for Christian faith and practice. It demonstrates that it is difficult, dynamic and life changing. It is not just an attempt to memorize a few traditional verses and statements. This is a passage that should be lived more than anything else. What better way to live it than to come to this table in communion.
We are asked to believe in this love, suffering, sacrifice and miracle. But what does it mean to believe? Homiletics scholar Lance Pape says that “To believe this Good News in a way that brings salvation requires more than “believing” it requires “trusting in”. To trust in Jesus is not simply to believe something about what happened long ago, but also to let our own lives be transformed by the Jesus we encounter in this story.” This trust is threefold. One, placing our trust in Jesus means withholding our ultimate loyalty and trust from other things that ask us to pledge our allegiance. Two, placing our trust means noticing that the new life Jesus offered was especially difficult for those bound by their religious traditions, and three, placing our trust in Jesus means confronting the uncomfortable truth that God’s purposes for those God loves are not synonymous with our own values of happiness. Pape goes on to say, “The trail of faith that Jesus blazed reveals that while, there is nothing in this world worth killing for, there are things worth dying for. The lifting up of Jesus reminds us that the true life God has promised us is not the life that we can secure for ourselves through self-interest and caution.”
To also say we believe in Jesus so that we are not condemn to hell is, well rather, a cheap form of faith. If that is the only reason we are here and say we believe than we aren’t really following Jesus. The Greek work for eternal, perisson, actually means abundant or full. As a result it is as much about a quality of being as it is about time. What that means is that we need to emphasize not just a slogan but a lifestyle, that it is not just about belief but about experience, experiencing abundant life by following the way and teachings of Jesus. That is why we are here this morning, to experience life giving bread and drink.
We come to the table today, a table which Jesus has prepared, and we come hoping that we can trust enough to surrender ourselves to Jesus’ love and suffering. This is a paradox we see even today as people attempt to manipulate, ridicule and use Scripture to serve there own means. Even it is coming from an entertainment wrestler. We all wrestle with our belief. We all wrestle with the challenging texts that confront us in the Bible. We all wrestle with our ability to trust in God. We all wrestle with our experiences of God. But that is also precisely why we come to this table. It is not a meal for those who completely understand, or believe or experience but rather for those who love God a little and want to love God more. Amen

Bible Text: Mark 8:31-38 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

Following a service it is customary for the minister to stand and shake hands as people are leaving. On one such Sunday a man who the preacher had not seen for some time approached the minister as she shook hands with this man, the minister said, “You need to join the Army of the Lord!” The man looked at her and said, “Pastor, I’m already in the army of the Lord”. The minister questioned him, “If that’s true how come I only see you at Christmas and Easter?” The man whispered back, “I’m in the secret service.”
Although I would likely never tell someone they need to join the “army of the Lord” it is true that there are people we only see on the High holy days. We can bemoan the changing landscapes of our society and criticize that people just don’t seem to have their priorities straight. On this, the day of our annual meeting, no doubt we will discuss the future and the very legitimate concerns we have. But in all honesty, aside perhaps from the very early church, this is the best time to be the church. This is a time when we really and truly can practice what we preach, can live the gospel, as Jesus says in our passage this morning, take up our cross! But as it was with the disciples so it is with us, taking up our cross is not exactly what we have in mind when it comes to living out our faith.
Our passage in Mark this morning is the first of three conversations that Jesus will have about his death. We are so accustomed to the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection that we overlook just how shocking, terrifying and upsetting it must have been for the disciples. This is the most shocking thing Jesus has said to them thus far. The disciples have witnessed miracles, heard his teachings and received his mission. They have established that the hope of the Israelite people is personified in this man. They assume that he will be the one who will bring freedom from the Romans. They are beginning to put it together that this guy is the Messiah. Everything they have seen Jesus do and heard him say until this time has been impressive and brought about big hopes for the future. And then he has to go and spoil it. Jesus astonishes them by saying that he will undergo suffering and will be rejected and killed. It is the worst possible thing that Jesus could have said.
I feel for Peter because, as I’ve mentioned before, it seems that he is only expressing concern. I feel as though “rebuke” is too strong of a word. Peter identifies Jesus as the Messiah but instead of encouraging this realization Jesus sternly orders the disciples present not to tell anyone. In part this is because Jesus knows that Peter represents the average observers- that what they are witnessing is the end of an era and the Roman rule will come to an end. Peter does not comprehend that Jesus represents a different kind of Messiah than was expected by the majority of the Hebrew people. For centuries, the Jewish people had asked God to provide them with a new anointed one, a new king David who would defeat the oppressors. This is why as soon as Jesus begins to explain that he will suffer and die Peter objects. Peter’s expectation of the Messiah is not for a suffering Messiah but for a conquering one. Little does he realize that what Jesus will conquer is so much more than an oppressive government.
In many ways the church needs to reflect on this passage a little more. In our minds to be successful means to be prosperous, strong and influential. That’s how our culture understands it but also how we tend to understand our church. We base the success of a church on numbers, youth, and influence in the community. The golden age of the church is no longer- but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, in fact, it means we can become more as Jesus intended for the church. Dr. Douglas John Hall, a theology professor at McGill describes this as the end of Christendom. In Christendom the church was riding high. It dominated the personal, social and political lives of the north western hemisphere, particularly in Europe. There were grand cathedrals built, the church had armies to do its bidding and priests lived as kings. But also under Christendom came the crusades, the witch hunts, and residential schools. There was no need to take up a cross, no need to deny oneself anything, no need to work hard at being the church. Hall sees hope in a post-Christendom church, “Our mandate is not to judge the past so much as to let the past instruct us for the future…The Christian faith is being made free from its captivity to political, cultural, racial and (yes) religious structures to the end that it may be and become what in essence it is: salt, yeast, light.”
The reformation it many ways was an attempt to return to the theology of the cross, as members of the reformed church we must remember we have not completed the task, we are indeed reformed but also always reforming. I also have respect for Pope Frances, of late his actions have demonstrated that we need to return to a mandate of being followers of Christ, that is, disciples, by denying ourselves and taking up our cross. By living with and among those on the margins.
But be careful, taking up the cross and denying oneself does not mean a contrived kind of humility. It does not mean to suffer for sufferings sake. Following Jesus does not mean demeaning ourselves. Rather it is to do the very best we can with the talents and abilities God has given us. We are to be the body of Christ in the world- Jesus- who suffered, died and was resurrected. But as Paul says, “For as in one body we have many members and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace give to us.” When Jesus says take up your cross it means to join him in this life giving not life taking mission with our various gifts. Also to deny oneself means to keep our priorities in harmony with Jesus, with those two great commandments, Love God and love your neighbour.
This is a good time to be the church. This is a good time for us to meet and reflect on the year gone by and begin to vision for the future. We are blessed to be here, you know it and I know it. Therefore what a privilege it is to take up our cross and be the body of Christ in this world at this time for this community. Amen.

Bible Text: 2 Kings 2:1-12, Mark 9:2-9 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

On the rocky shores, on an isolated island, off the west coast of Vancouver Island one is often not surprised to find one stand alone sign of human habitation. I think there are about a dozen lighthouses just along the western sea shore alone, and that is just the lighthouses, there are hundreds of beacons, buoys and towers, not to mention all the ones that dot the Georgia Straight and North Coast of BC. There is something historic about lighthouses, they conjure up a time before GPS and other technology. There is something enticing, they are a symbol of travel and adventure. There is something mysterious, only a few feel called to care for these isolated lights. The lighthouses on the West Coast of Vancouver Island also have incredible stories. Fisgard Lighthouse, now a historical site, but still operational, was the first lighthouse on Canada’s west coast. Estevan lighthouse was attacked, during World War II, the only manned attack on Canadian soil. Cape Scott lighthouse, despite it’s remoteness, is one of the last lighthouses not to be automated. My personal favourite is the lighthouse on Nootka island, which is also staffed. It is known best as Friendly Cove but also as Yuquot by the Mowachaht people. When James Cook approached the island the Natives were yelling “Nutka-sitl! Nutka-sitl” which he misunderstood as the place name but really meant “Go around! Go around!” They were trying to redirect him to the crescent bay which later provided safe harbour for many a mariner. Not only do lighthouses represent this human presence in otherwise desolate places but they are beacons, lights to a lost or wandering traveller. In fact, the more we change to automated lighthouses the more we loose that first point of contact for a ship in trouble. Many a lighthouse keeper has stories of going out in a storm to rescue a listing boat. It is no wonder that often a symbol for faith is a lighthouse, a beam of light traversing a dense fog. A glimpse of hope in an otherwise wild world. A flash of light in a moment of darkness.
I imagine that as Jesus stood on that mountaintop with Peter, James and John, it was just like standing in front of a lighthouse beam. A moment of brilliant bright light despite previous words of darkness. Right before the transfiguration Jesus foretells of his death. Peter begins to rebuke him but Jesus calls out, “Get behind me, Satan!” I imagine it would have been a dark moment in their time together. Peter is simply caring and fearing for his friend and the friend yells at him and calls him names. The disciples hit one of their low points right before this mountaintop experience. Right before light illuminated the hope found in Christ.
Jesus invites Peter, James and John to accompany him up the mountain, to be apart, to be by themselves. When they get to the top, Jesus is transfigured, that is , his appearance is altered. In this moment of change Elijah and Moses appear on the scene. All of a sudden as the light begins to blind the disciples, a cloud overshadows everything and a voice says “this is my son, listen to him!” When the disciples pull themselves together its only Jesus who is standing with them.
The transfiguration of Jesus is a strange story in the Bible. It is a very different kind of epiphany. In Mark’s gospel epiphany begins with Jesus’ baptism where a voice comes from heaven and says, “This is my Son with whom I am well pleased”. There is no physical change to Jesus but there certainly is a change to Jesus’ purpose. Often epiphanies are like that, the change is subtle, no one notices right away. But the transfiguration is a very different kind of revealing, a different kind of epiphany. Jesus becomes a beacon- is changed, even just for a moment, in a very physical way. Jesus’ purpose is changed as well. What transfiguration says is that Jesus is someone who will be noticed. That his ministry will not be conspicuous. What he will disclose and preach, provide and restore is, not necessarily the purpose of life but rather, his purpose- who he truly is.
There is significance to the presence of Moses and Elijah that also reveals who Jesus is. They are the two greatest prophets within the Hebrew tradition. They had a very special, even intimate, relationship with God. Moses practically had face to face chats with God, he even had an opportunity to see God, even if it was as God walked away. Elijah was called into the prophetic tradition not by a voice but rather by the sound of silence. The Jewish tradition believes that these two prophets were so closely linked to God that they avoided death, both going directly to heaven, as reflected in our passage from in 2 Kings. There are similarities between these prophets and Jesus. They all worked to help the people of God remain faithful despite the fact that the people were being drawn into idolatrous behaviour. All of them laboured to keep the people of God hopeful even as the people suffered under oppression and totalitarian leadership. This is good company for Jesus to be in. Of course what differentiates the prophets from Jesus is that the voice of God announced to all who were present, be it at the side of the Jordan river or to the three disciples on the mountain that Jesus was God’s son.
The season of epiphany comes to an end today but just as it started it includes words of affirmation by God. In one translation God says in both instances, “This is my beloved son in whom I take delight.” Mary Gordon, and American author, wrote a book called, Reading Jesus, in which she uses her literary training to read the Gospels, says, that at transfiguration, “we are in the presence of delight. Delight as an aspect of the holy.” It is as if God is smiling down at Jesus. We have all seen little Michael smile- it brings us delight. And of course, there is also a sense of delight when we love. Transfiguration Sunday is about light but also delight and love.
As the bright light of Jesus shines like a beacon it also affirms the love God has for us. The transfiguration of Jesus is not the end of God’s transfiguring ways, it continues through Jesus to us. This is important because we are about to head straight into the tumultuous waters of lent. As Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness so too do we head off into the wild. We will need to be reminded of that love, and see that light, even if it is coming from a beacon far off in the distance. That light shines ahead into Lent to keep this on coming season in perspective. We are not without hope. Through baptism and our relationship with God, we are changed and charged with the instruction, listen to him! Listen to Jesus. The light of Christ speaks of a promise that God is here in our love, providing us with delight and showing us who Jesus truly is. God seeks relationship and delights in it because God is love. Amen

Bible Text: Mark 1:29-39 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

This past week has been rainy and grey. Thankfully not too cold but I feel as though a bit of cabin fever is setting in. I haven’t spent enough hours outside this week. I’m looking forward to warmer weather and sunnier – longer days. I’ve got an itch to get back out there. As many of you know last year almost every Sunday night from Mid-march to late October Mike and I enjoyed a night of camping in our rustically converted mini-van. I say rustic because it is really just a foamy laid out in the back of the van. I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea but for me the smell of the outdoors, the crackle of the camp fire, the early morning song birds, and a hike around a forested area, well, that is next to heavenly, even when we have to put on extra layers or eat from a can or toss and turn just to get comfortable. Be it Kitty Coleman, Miracle Beach, or Qualicum Falls or any number of campgrounds around town. It is my sabbath moment. That one night is enough for me to catch my breath and reflect on the week gone by while also preparing for the week ahead. That is not too say that I am tired and certainly I’m not exhausted after a Sunday service or a week with you folk but it is nice to just take a time a part to restore and commune with the great outdoors that God has created. Sometimes just a walk through the North East Woods is good enough for me. I am relieved to discover that I’m no the only one who needs this little rest time. Although it is not the main theme for this week’s gospel passage, the one verse, “In the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place and there he prayed” caught my attention. That was Jesus’ sabbath moment, a time to catch his breath between two stories, a time when Jesus was able to be healed rather than be the healer. We all need little moments like that.
This Gospel passage is a continuation of our story from last week. As soon as Jesus rids the man of the unclean spirit in the Synagogue he comes to the house of Simon and Andrew where Simon’s mother-in-law is suffering from fever. As I mentioned in the introduction our stories are linked not only because they occur on the same day but because they are healing stories. Mark continues to portray Jesus as one who has ultimate power and authority. It is also symbolic of God’s desire for health and wholeness. Simon’s mother in law as well as those later on in the passage are all restored by Jesus and the line between healing and exorcism is very fine. As I mentioned often symptoms of a fever were believed to be related to possession by an unclean spirit. This is in part because ancient medicine generally assumed that illness, of many different kinds, was the result of some form of demonic possession or oppression. If you have ever suffered from a fever or a cold, especially the ones going around this season, you know that is often how you feel. It’s as if a beast takes over. There’s a fog that descends, if you’re stuffed up you will often have a deeper voice, and well, you can get a little loopy. I know, that’s exactly how I felt for a few days last week! So it is not beyond us to understand fevers in this manner.
But despite these similarities between the man in the synagogue and Simon’s mother-in-law, there are two very important distinctions. The healing in the synagogue was very public, people were amazed and commented on Jesus’ authority. The second portion of our reading this morning seems to have a similar effect. But first in this morning’s passage we have Jesus providing healing in a private home with only a few of his close friends watching and witnessing. Also, the healing in the synagogue involved a man, now Jesus is healing a woman. If we put the two stories together they provide us with quite a range to Jesus’ healing. They are different settings, involving different people, suffering from different symptoms. The implication is that Jesus’ ministry, healing ministry as well as ministry of deliverance and preaching has widespread influence and has the potential to benefit all kinds of people. In every realm, in each space, Jesus brings the presence of God’s restorative power to light. This wide scope continues as we hear that, that very evening Jesus continues to provide healing to both the sick and the possessed. The following day Jesus is up at it again, only this time he is travelling throughout the region healing and preaching. No wonder Jesus needed a sabbath moment, a moment a part, a moment of rest and restoration, a moment to pray.
I suppose that’s why a different phrase from this passage irks me. I know I need time to refuel, clearly Jesus needed a break every now and then, so why is it that as soon as Simon’s mother-in-law is cured she immediately begins to serve the disciples? Of course there are gender biases going on and there are cultural expectations of the hostess so I’m not about to debate any of that. What intrigues me is that Mark felt it was important enough to include it in his telling of this story.
The term to serve translates as diakoneo in Greek and is often used within the context of food service, so it could mean that Simon’s Mother-in-law “waited on” them. But Mark, throughout his Gospel, tends to use this term in a slightly different manner. He uses it to mean “to minister” to them. Mark often restricts use of this verb. In fact one of the next times that Mark uses it is within the context of Jesus, that Jesus declares that he came to minister. In Mark 10: 45 Jesus says, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” and he uses the same Greek verb. This woman actually ends up being Christ-like in her healing. So, perhaps Mark wanted to demonstrate that those who are healed by Jesus are then able to be Jesus to others. Some commentators say that to serve is to be totally vulnerable and to be totally vulnerable is to be open to God. So what Mark may be telling us is that those who are truly vulnerable are capable of true service or ministry because they are freed by their lack of power. But I don’t feel like that’s a fair assessment.
Do you know what I think? This tells the story of Jesus’ true healing, of truly lifting up burdens and taking our yoke, of truly revitalizing a weary world, of truly being able to soar as an eagle. It demonstrates the vastness of Jesus’ ministry and power. Jesus’ mission stretches from the ordinary, like everyday realities of common household tasks to the extra-ordinary realm of healing and defeating darkness and demon possession. The woman was healed at once- not just from her fever but from all that weighed her down. She was given new energy and enthusiasm, strength and a sense of service. Not only was this such a great miracle that she did not need to time recuperate but that she was ready to minister with her gifts. That is true healing.
Through this story, Mark proclaims the power of Jesus to restore life and to relieve those who have been suffering from dis-ease. In the public and private realms, the sacred spaces like the synagogue, to the ordinary places like a home, to the very public crowds throughout the countryside. Jesus is bringing not only life-saving power but also new uplifting energy. There are times when we are tired, times when we need to refuel, times when we need to seek out quiet calm moments. In our vulnerability we can also seek that new energy which Jesus provides. We can be lifted from our fatigue and invigorated with the Spirit among us. Amen

Bible Text: Mark 1:21-28, Deuteronomy 18:15-20 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

Let me preface this sermon by saying I know nothing about American football, truth be told, I know nothing about any style of football. In University I went to the games and yelled when the ball was going in the right direction, but that really is about it. My mother, on the other hand, is a huge fan. As a result I felt I should do a little research for this afternoon’s game and assuming that some of you are like me I thought I would share what I found out. According to nfl.com the match up between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots (and yes, I even had to Google who was playing in the Superbowl) has the potential to be an outstanding game. It is a match up that pits a legendary coach and quaterback combo against the greatest defence of the era. Tom Brady, that’s the qb for the patriots, is heading into his sixth super bowl appearance. Russel Wilson, the qb for the Seahawks, I am told conjures up memories of a young Brady who “plays wise beyond his years. Now the two passers collide.” I really do not know what any of this means but it does make it sound like this afternoon’s game is going to be exciting. Makes you want to watch the game doesn’t it. It appears that it will be an equal fight and whoever wins this Superbowl will have some authority among other teams. Many commentators are calling it a classic old guard-new guard match up with the stakes at their highest.
The match up between Jesus and this unclean spirit was hardly fair. More over, the scene in this Capernaum synagogue, a place of prayer, teaching, worship and community, centres around the question of Jesus’ authority. Mark wants us to know at the outset of Jesus’ public ministry that Jesus’ authority will be contested. Jesus’ very presence, words, and actions threaten the other forces that claim authority over people’s lives, be they religious teachings, idols, distractions, or darkness. In particular the religious authority but others as we discover in this story, have something to lose, have a lot to lose.
It is a difficult passage because we are uncomfortable with the subject matter. Possessions, exorcisms, demons and unclean spirits are all subjects for horror films rather than our real life experience and there have been many discussions over the years about whether this person was suffering from a possession or mental illness and perhaps in the future I will go down that road a little further but it also strikes me that whether it was one or the other that is not the point of the story. Regardless of his situation Jesus heals this man. I also decided that I needed to look at it from a socio-historical perspective. The people who witnessed this event and certainly Mark and the early readers all believed and interpreted that this man was suffering from the presence of an unclean spirit and so to delve into the story we must also look at it from that perspective, how the original readers would have understood it.
This man, with an unclean spirit, seeks Jesus out in the synagogue. The first question he asks is a strange one, “What have you to do with us​?” It seems to convey something more like, “Why are you here to pick this fight? Couldn’t you have just left things alone?” It appears that Jesus, by his sheer presence in this sacred place has upset the order and crossed a margin. Time and time again Jesus crosses an established boundary and tears it down.
The next question, “Have you come to destroy us?” appears to be a fearful acknowledgement on the part of the unclean spirit that their end is in sight. This spirits’ fate is sealed because at that moment it leaves the man’s body- where it goes Mark does not elaborate. But the authority and power it once had with this man is gone. In some ways this man foreshadows teachings Jesus will share about the religious authority- how they who thought they would be first will actually be last. How the structured order will be turned upside down. How what once had great authority over other’s lives will no longer have power. It also foreshadows Jesus’ death- that what once gripped and crippled the people- sin and death- will be no longer, will have no position of power.
Also those present at this astonishing event are surprised and it resonates with reactions that Jesus will have throughout his ministry. I love the language used to describe how the people felt, “they were amazed!” The fact that Jesus is allowed to teach in the synagogue is not necessarily remarkable but what captures their attention is the manner in which he teaches- with such authority, with such knowledge and wisdom, with such confidence in the Word of God. The religious authority and scholars of the Torah see this as a challenge. If you recall from last week the disciples are northerners, what do they know about the Torah? What authority do they have? Matt Skinner, a new testament theologian calls Jesus’ teaching style, “More declarative than deliberative. That is, he interprets the law and speaks on behalf of God without engaging in much dialogue about the traditions, as the scribes were known to do… at minimum, this passage provokes us to stop assuming that “the way things are” must always equal “the way things have to be.””
This is early on in Mark’s gospel and so he is establishing a clear understanding of Jesus’ nature. Mark clearly chooses to portray Jesus within the prophetic tradition that is referred to in the Deuteronomy passage. Mark establishes that it is Jesus who has the ultimate authority, who is the ultimate winner, who provides the ultimate forgiveness, who is the ultimate mediator between God and God’s people. It is also important to note that Mark portrays Jesus as one who works on God’s behalf in particular ways. Notice how Jesus is not the one who declares any authority. Jesus doesn’t even demand that people listen to him. Rather the attention and fame he receives are through his actions of healing a man who is tortured internally by the presence of the unclean spirit. At this very early stage in his ministry it is not through his words but through his actions that others see him as someone to pay attention to. Jesus demonstrates his power as one filled with God’s Spirit through an act of liberating compassion.
I tried to imagine what it would be like for those first observers those people who came to the synagogue for prayer and ended up having a trans-formative experience. How amazing that would be. I wondered, where and when are we still amazed by Jesus’ authority? The theme for this Sunday calls for a discernment of the presence of God’s love and justice in the midst of words and deeds. We should be amazed at the continual liberating compassion of the gospel in the actions of those around us. Today, Superbowl Sunday, often has a different focus but if you recall we are still in the midst of epiphany, a time of year when we focus on God revealing a presence in our world. It is not just about acknowledging these past manifestations of Jesus’ greatness, authority and wisdom. It’s about being amazed now! Through Christ we are part of a winning team! Amen

Bible Text: Mark 1:14-20 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

Well, look at you now Comox Valley Presbyterian Church. Twenty years ago 45 people became charter members, 15 more joined as adherents, and twenty children attended the presbytery service of constitution on January 24, 1995. The presbytery was then moderated by Ivan Cronsberry. The congregation now holds steady at just over 100 (105) members and 50 adherents (52). This is a big deal. Sure you’re only twenty but at 18 you moved out and started a life all on your own following the final mortgage payment. Do you remember what you were doing in your twenties? The twenties is when we will really come of age. It’s when we really grow up. It’s the college years. A time when a lot of mistakes are made, a lot of fun is had, a time when true friendships are solidified, a time when we start to seriously think about our identity and future. It is both an exciting time and scary time. There are a lot of unknowns. And not all twenty year olds are the same. Perhaps what separates us from other 20 year olds is that we know we are getting older and not as invincible as we once were, we know our future is fragile and we know we still have a lot of work ahead of us.
Today’s gospel lesson continues the story from last week. It is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and he is calling his first disciples. Today Jesus calls four fishermen at the Sea of Galilee, Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. It is a powerful moment in the Gospel because there seems to be little to no hesitation. What separates these four disciples from Philip and Nathaniel in last week’s reading is that Philip and Nathaniel were already disciples of John, they had been preparing for Jesus’ arrival, and even so, Nathaniel is a little hesitant and as we discovered needed an extra nudge. Whereas these four fishermen seem to be caught unawares and yet they simply drop their nets. Jesus calls out, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” The NRSV says, “And immediately they left their nets and followed him.”Eugene Peterson’s The Message interprets, “They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.” They became disciples, just like that.
Other than their names and former occupations we don’t really know much about these disciples. We do know that they are northerners- men from the northern province of Galilee. This is interesting because the capital of Israel is Jerusalem which is in a Southern province, formerly known as the Southern kingdom. Jerusalem is also the religious centre of the Jewish faith in part due to the fact that it is the location of the temple. As a result it is not at all surprising that when Jesus and his disciples travel to Jerusalem they are greeted with scepticism. Jesus and his disciples would naturally be considered outsiders. They are northerners, what do they know about faith and practice? Perhaps that’s the point, they don’t have to know much about faith and practice to be faithful followers.
With this basic information we can tell that these companions were ordinary men (and certainly there is evidence that there were ordinary women disciples as well). Jesus doesn’t appear to check references or even assess their abilities. There are certainly no tests with regards to their knowledge of the Torah or even if they practice their faith on a regular basis, what about their prayer life, does it even exist? I’m betting that these four, being fishermen, probably lived according to the schedule of the fish not the Sabbath. But Jesus called them, no matter their ability or experience, status or i.q. In fact, some of the disciples were of such ill repute that they gave Jesus a bad reputation just for following him. We also know that they were not perfect and certainly struggled to understand Jesus’ teachings. Despite this example of them leaving their nets and immediately following him we know they did not always follow so blindly. Peter denied and Judas betrayed him. Yet, Jesus personally chose and called each one of these ordinary fishermen.
We often refer to being called by God when talking about clergy but God’s call is not limited to ordained ministers. We believe God calls each one of us, ordinary people, regardless of status or iq, ability or experience. Over twenty years ago God called a group of people together in this valley, close to fifteen years ago a building began to take shape, around ten years ago, despite pain and challenges this congregation grew even more and out of sorrow arose a caring community, about five years ago new programs and ministries were introduced, one year ago my church family grew. Each one of you is called- no matter how ordinary and no matter what wisdom. You have been personally chosen. New Testament scholar Deborah Krause says, “[In this Gospel passage] one message is clear: God calls God’s people and creation into a transformed relationship with God. This transformation requires a release from our preconceptions and assumptions about who is and is not worthy of God’s love and mercy.”
When the disciples were called by Jesus there must have been something remarkable about him because they left their lives to begin an unknown journey. They followed him into an uncertain future. These disciples followed Jesus with no idea where it would lead. Perhaps if they had known how long the journey would be, or how much work it would take, or the pain they would experience they would not have left and followed in the first place. But when all was said and done few of them had regrets- yes, they probably would have done a few things differently but they realized that they had been privy to God in their midst.
God’s call is always into an uncertain future. When we enter into our callings we have no idea how it will all end up. However, if we use the gifts and talents God has given us, when we open ourselves up to the Spirit’s guidance, when we take that journey together we can look back and realize that God was indeed in our midst and if God was in our midst during those first twenty years imagine how much more God will be present with us as we head into the unknown future together. Amen

Bible Text: 1 Samuel 3:1-10, John 1:43-51 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

I enjoy listening to a program on CBC radio called, Under the Influence, it exposes some of the secrets in advertising and is hosted by Terry O’Reilly, a advertizing guru. On one such episode I heard about Nudge Marketing. Nudge Marketing is when an organization uses small nudges to gently steer people toward making more positive decisions in their lives. Nudges are often small and invisible to the untrained ear or eye. Often resembling whispers. Here is an example. In Britain, the government tried to encourage homeowners to insulate their attics to save energy costs and prevent heat loss. They worked on creating all kinds of campaigns that gave compelling economic reasons why the public should insulate their attics including monetary incentives and subsidies. However, nothing seemed to be working. There was a great lack of interest and the government couldn’t figure out why. When they researched a little further they stumbled upon the reason for the resistance. The British people simply did not want to clear out all the junk in their attics. The attic being the predominant place for storage. Perhaps it was embarrassing, perhaps it was too difficult, but mostly it was because the mere thought of having to clear out their attics was enough for people to forgo the energy and economic savings of insulation. Once the government figured out this problem they teamed up with a home improvement company and offered an attic cleaning service. The amount of people who insulated their attics doubled. The attic cleaning offer was the nudge people needed to get to a bigger issue. This nudge marketing worked so well that the British government soon began to experiment with other nudges. For example, they discovered that people who were behind in paying their taxes responded to handwritten notes far better than computer-generated ones. Prime Minister David Cameron saw how great the effects of these nudges were that he set up an official “nudge unit”, making Britain the first country to adopt nudging as part of their strategy but they certainly weren’t the last.
Learning about nudge marketing made me think about how we often refer to the nudges of the Holy Spirit. That sometimes we experience nudges that make us do something a little out of routine but ultimately have a positive effect. Or perhaps a nudge reminds us that we should check in on a friend, pray for someone in need, or follow up with a comment. We sometimes call those nudges the prompting of the Holy Spirit from within. I’m not suggesting that the Holy Spirit or God are using dirty marketing tricks but rather are truly using nudge marketing in the best way possible, truly nudging people toward making a positive decision in their lives. When we think about the various ways in which God calls us we realize that nudging is one such way. But how often are we open to these nudges? And how often do we ignore them or mistake them for something else or even, like Samuel, someone else?
The passage from 1st Samuel was the first one to direct me down the path of Spirit nudges. Samuel is a young man, perhaps a teen, and he is living in the temple with an elderly priest, Eli. In the middle of the night Samuel receives these nudges, a voice, calling out his name. There are two very interesting sentences in this passage. The first, “The word of the Lord was rare or precious and visions were not frequent.” This is the only time such a phrase comes up in the entire Bible. The Hebrew word for rare is typically reserved for items like precious gems, something that is extremely valuable due to pure lack of supply. For the first time in memorable history the word of the Lord is in short supply. It does not explain why all of a sudden God’s voice and visions are no longer abundant it just simply states that they are. Perhaps it is because people had started to tune out the Spirit’s nudges. If not during the time of Samuel than it reflects the time now. Certainly we could claim that like Samuel’s time “The word of the Lord is rare or precious and visions are not frequent.” But it is not because God has stopped communicating but rather that we have stopped listening.
The second interesting phrase is that it says that “Samuel did not yet know the Lord” which is why for the first three times that Samuel heard the nudges he mistook it for the voice of Eli. I do find it a little strange that Samuel has been living in the temple for most of his childhood and yet he still doesn’t know the Lord. If I was the one in charge of the Sunday, rather Sabbath School, I would be a little concerned and definitely reviewing the curriculum. However, God called out to Samuel despite Samuel not knowing the Lord and God did not give up but rather the voice continued to call until Samuel was ready to answer. Despite the chances that most of the time we miss the nudges of the Spirit, the Spirit continues to nudge and call us. Despite the chances that we may not know or understand the Spirit in the fullest sense, the Spirit continues to nudge and call us.
Thankfully we also have the examples of the disciples to teach us about these nudges and sometimes a nudge comes not from our inner being but from others. When Philip meets Jesus he is ready to follow, straightaway, no nudge required. Then he goes to tell Nathaniel and says, “We have found the one promised in the Old Testament.” Nathaniel needs a little more nudging. After all, nothing good seems to come out of Nazareth, let alone a prophet or even the Messiah. But Philip responds, just come and see for yourself! This is important as well. Philip didn’t feel the need to try and analyze or even answer Nathaniel’s scepticism. He didn’t need to “prove” anything. Philip could have given Nathaniel some of his own thoughts on the matter. Instead he just simply says, come and see. Come and experience it for yourself. Sometimes when we try to express to people why they should come to church we feel we have to prove something but perhaps we should just say, “Come and see for yourself!” Sure Nathaniel continues to be sceptical until he truly experiences a meeting with Jesus, and talk about a nudge that brings about a positive change. Nathaniel is so impressed that he calls Jesus the Son of God and King of Israel. Philip used another marketing tool, word of mouth. In fact, we know that ‘word of mouth’ is one of the best ways to advertise but it is also the way in which Jesus managed to meet the needs of the most people. Jesus did not send out emails, Facebook updates or tweets, just simply travelled the countryside and by word of mouth the people came. Philip was not the only one to say, “Come and see for yourself!”
Samuel and the disciples are not unwilling to hear God, but they still struggle with discerning how God is revealing God’s self. Who are you in these stories of nudges? Are you Samuel, who can hear the nudges but doesn’t quite understand? Are you Nathaniel, who needs physical evidence and someone to nudge him along? Are you Philip who doesn’t need any nudging at all but rather nudges other people? I suspect we are each one at different times. Nevertheless, we must remain open to the Spirit’s nudges so that we can experience God in Christ in the fullest way and as followers of Jesus it isn’t our job to try to prove anything but rather invite people to “Come and See. And experience it for themselves!” Be open to the Spirit’s nudges in your life and be ready to nudge others. Amen