Jesus in Our Own Making
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
7 July 2024
The Rev. Robert J. Kossler
Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown and among their kin and in their own house.” (New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, Mk. 6:4)
Good morning, my friends. I hope you enjoyed the 4th of July despite the heat. We saw fireworks from our front porch, capping a relaxing day in the Oakland Hills.
Today’s Gospel reminded me of when my son Patrick was in the seventh grade. I am sure many of you struggled to find summer activities for your children, especially after the pandemic when so many programs closed. We also faced many obstacles. For example, our summer camp went “castors up” at the end of May the year before. We lost about $1500 since we had to pay in advance and then hurried to find another program.
The summer between seventh and eighth grade, I found a program called Adventure Treks. Patrick loved camping and backpacking, and this program seemed the perfect fit. The program started in 1993 and is more than just a summer camp for teens, as Carol and I can attest. These outdoor programs for teens help young people build skills for their future success. The students go rafting, climbing, hiking, biking, camping, kayaking, and canoeing in some of the most fantastic places in our country. But what was most important to us was how the program fosters growth. These programs build self-confidence, social achievement, teamwork, leadership, and outdoor skills. Think of it as Outward Bound for teens.
I hope this doesn’t sound like an advertisement. The point of my story is the changes we saw each summer after Patrick returned. The first summer, Carol flew Patrick to Seattle, where the AT counselors met Pat. We didn’t see him for over a week. Patrick’s behavior noticeably changed, so much so that Carol asked, “What did they do to my son?” For the next four years, Pat went on multi-week adventures, one where he attempted to summit Mt. Shasta and another where he summitted Mt. Adams in Washington. The programs instilled accountability, responsibility, and looking out for others. He returned engaged and enthusiastic rather than the sullen child we sent away.
Children change. They grow up. As parents, we do our best to launch them on what we hope is the “right path.” And sometimes, well, sometimes, we get surprised at the results.
Consider today’s Gospel. Jesus is home in the town of Nazareth. On the Sabbath, He begins teaching in the Synagogue, a familiar picture, but it is a first for the hometown crowd. And you can imagine the whispering. Is this really Jesus? When did He learn to preach? What was probably hardest for Jesus to accept was their questioning his authenticity and his motives. Not surprisingly, they cannot comprehend the Jesus they “knew” and the one in front of them now.
They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” (Mk. 6:2-3)
So, they reject him, his message, and his miracles out of hand. His very presence offends them.
As modern-day Christians, we look down on these simple peasants. They missed the boat by rejecting Jesus. If only they accepted him, their lives would have been different. Maybe so, but remember, the Romans were not very fond of radical ideas, nor the people that espoused them. What is vital to consider is that we interpret this story two thousand years later. We have the advantage of the New Testament, the witness of the Saints, tradition, and reason. But, do we suffer from the same problem the townspeople had? They knew Jesus, and we think we know Jesus as well. But do we really?
One preacher wrote:
As I drive around our Texas roads and highways, I see bumper stickers that say, "My boss is a Jewish carpenter"; church bulletin boards read, "Jesus saves!" Large billboards along the roads invoke the name of Jesus and make promises to those who believe in him. People all know something about Jesus: his reputation for cures and his wise sayings. Statues and paintings depict him in both private and public places. (Siciliano 2024)
It seems Jesus is a “very present” part of our lives, yet...We find him everywhere, but have we become indifferent because He is too familiar, too ubiquitous?
Sometimes friends ask me what I will say in my sermons this coming Sunday. Usually, I come up with some topic, some idea that I have been thinking about. But, sometimes, especially when the readings challenge or stump me, I want to come to the pulpit and say: “Well, it’s all been said before. I’ve said all I had to say, and so have the others before me. I have nothing new to offer. So, reflect in silence, and we’ll take up the service again in 10 minutes.” I doubt our Bishop’s Committee would appreciate this approach.
But, seriously, my friends, I often feel that I envision “a Jesus of my own making!” And consequently, I sometimes question whether I am presenting my version of Jesus or the “True Jesus.” Today’s Gospel reminds me that there is a strong chance that I might not recognize Jesus if he was a familiar figure in San Francisco. I might miss that despite his appearance and life, I could quickly fail just as those earlier family and friends failed.
The town heard Jesus’ “teaching” firsthand. He taught as they sat and listened. They knew of his “work,” the miracles he did before coming to Nazareth. Just before arriving, he healed Jairus’ daughter and a hemorrhaging woman. To make a difference in his hometown, Jesus needed them to recognize that God was at work in him in a new way. God’s kingdom was at hand, and Jesus inaugurated that kingdom in the lives of those who responded to his message. But the townspeople couldn’t fathom this new reality and rejected his claim because they knew who he “really” was. (Guelich 1989)
For some to believe, like the religious leaders, they ask Jesus for a sign. However, that is not what occurs here. The town already had signs and still rejected him. Who he was before carried far more weight. And because they had more faith in what they knew rather than the change before them, they precluded Jesus’ ability to do any “deed of power”! Those who rejected the basis of his ministry could not experience God’s redemptive work. We can only conclude that faith does not represent the necessary cause for Jesus’ miracles; miracles do not take place without faith. (Ibid.)
The Gospel tells us today, “And 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.” You would think curing a few sick people would have been astonishing enough! If we could heal, many would consider that a miracle, making me wonder what we need. Maybe it is time to look beyond the “Jesus of our own making,” the Jesus we think we already know, and find the Jesus of the Gospel.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Works Cited
Guelich, Robert A. 1989. Word Biblical Commentary, Mark 1-8:26. Vol. 34A. Dallas: Word, Inc. 2021. New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Friendship Press. Siciliano, Jude. 2024. 14th Sunday of the year - First Impressions. June 29. https://homilyhomes.com/14th-sunday-of-the-year-