Sermon for July 15, 2018

Pentecost 8B- July 15

Mark 6:14-29

            One of my seminary professors once observed that Mark’s gospel is like a screenplay—long on action & short on theological commentary. But like any good screenwriter, Mark uses scene placement to make theological points. Today’s very disturbing gospel story of the beheading of John the Baptist is, I think, a case in point.

            Told all by itself, this tale of Herod’s madness & self-centeredness hardly advances the story of Jesus the Messiah; but the scene that immediately follows this vignette provides a counterpoint that tells us much about Christ & his ministry among us. And what is the story that immediately follows this tale? It is the story of the Feeding of the 5000. It’s a much happier story, isn’t it?

             Now, let’s consider its positioning. Herod's horrible banquet runs right into the story where Jesus makes sure that everyone is fed. As Mark tells these stories, they are filled with contrasts. In the Feeding of the 5000:

·       Jesus withdrew to be alone ... But a great crowd followed him.

·       It was a deserted place ... But it became a place of abundance.

·       The disciples said, "Send the people away."...Jesus said, "You give them something to eat."

·       We have only 5 loaves & 2 fish ... Yet more than 5000 ate, with 12 baskets left over.

            Did you hear the contrasts? Alone...Crowded/Deserted...Filled/Send them away...Feed them/Too little ...More than enough. But the greatest contrast of all is between Jesus' banquet of life & Herod's banquet of death. Mark has placed these 2 stories side by side because he wants us to see the stark contrasts between 2 very different banquets.

            Now, as hard as it is to listen to, let's go back to Herod's story. This feast wasn’t in a deserted place, but in a lavish palace. There wasn't a large crowd, but a select guest list of important officials. Herod's wife, Herodias, was there, even though she shouldn't have been because Herod had stolen her from his brother—an action which John the Baptist had condemned as unlawful, landing John in prison.

            Yes, this was a very different banquet--void of the abundance of Jesus' feast. Instead of the 12 baskets of food left over, this banquet had 1 horrifying leftover: John the Baptist's head served on a platter.

            Herod could have made a different choice; but power & privilege had replaced God in his life. Feeding hungry crowds wasn’t on Herod's agenda; impressing people of stature & importance was. Into such a world, Jesus comes with an alternative vision. "The kingdom of God has come near you," he said. Over & over he taught about it, told parables about it, & lived it wherever he went.  Jesus brought his kingdom-vision to the crowds who interrupted his solitary time of prayer. When the hour grew late, the disciples said, "This is a deserted place...send the crowds away so that they may go into the village & buy food for themselves." Everything rational shouts, "Good idea!" Herod would have said, "Great idea! Send them away.” But Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."

            “But, Jesus, we can't. We don’t have the resources.”  Hunger is a very complicated global problem. The needs are too immense--we don't know where to start. I don't have the time or the wisdom to figure out what to do. Even if I did, I'm only one person. I have only 5 loaves & 2 fish.

            Jesus knows we’re perplexed; but our excuses are no better than those of the disciples! Jesus knew long ago what economists & hunger activists know now: we have everything we need to end world hunger. It would take $15 billion a year. That's about 2% of our nation’s defense budget. We, as individuals, might not be able to do everything; but Jesus tells us we can do something; & then God will take over from there. You see, Jesus came to give life, & to give it abundantly.

            We simply need to decide between being part of a banquet of death or a banquet of life. Are we interested in seeing ourselves as part of a chosen elite or as part of the Kingdom which Jesus introduced—a kingdom of service & compassion & caring? Is our focus primarily on ourselves & our wants & desires or is our focus on the other, on those who need what little we may have to give? Are we called to be like Herod or to be like Christ?

            These, I think, are among the questions that the gospel writer is asking us in this action thriller that we might call “The Tale of 2 Very Different Banquets.” Which banquet do you want to attend? Amen.