Sermon 09 29 2024 by Rev Norman A Michaud Have Salt in Yourselves Mark 9:38-50 A strong community enhances the lives of its members. Community is a source of identity. People gain a sense of belonging and pride. Churches often see themselves as “church families.” Often, a church family embodies the community and we identify that community as meaningful and formative. However, as with all families, churches may carry dysfunctions and disagreements that fracture members. Past traumas and present anxiety bring fears to the surface. Those who place politics or dogma above relationships in our presently fractured society can break families apart, including congregations or organizations. A strong community may be so focused on itself that it loses the capacity to relate to those outside.

Mark 9:30-37 Today’s scripture is a critical point in Mark and a critical point for the disciples. Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem has begun. The time of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion draws near. Jesus sees this as the time for questions and conversation with his disciples. He knows that they need to know and understand the truth of the events unfolding. Truth can be hard to accept. Truths can make us feel vulnerable; we often want to deny or bargain. I recall Jack Nicolson’s line from “A Few Good Men”: “You can’t handle the truth.” I feel stuck when I fail to understand what has been said to me. I fear my ignorance will show if I ask for further explanation. I am sure that

Mark 8:27-38 In today’s Gospel reading, Mark presents a scene after Jesus and his disciples have fed the 5000. The Pharisees still ask him for a sign. I can imagine that Jesus is frustrated by this. Thousands have just witnessed a miracle. But Jesus knows that the Pharisees are blind and cannot see. In the passage just before today’s reading (Mark 8: 22-26), after crossing the Sea of Galilee, Jesus comes to Bethsaida. There, Jesus is asked by a blind man’s friends to restore the man’s sight. Jesus takes the man to a private space. He spits onto his hands and places them on the man’s shoulders. He asks if this blind man can see, but the man says that he sees people moving like

John 6:56-69 I have presented John Chapter 6 for the last five weeks, highlighted in our Liturgical Calendar. John’s sixth chapter presents the case for authorizing the Eucharist, or Communion. I spoke last Sunday about “strong and weak” repetition and asserted that John’s repetition is strong. I have presented that over centuries, some Christians have used these passages to amplify their view of John’s writing as the foundation of anti-Semitism in Christian culture and highlighted that Jesus, his disciples, and followers were Jews and followed Jewish traditions. As a Rabbi and Pharisee, Jesus had the authority to question those traditions. This Sunday, we complete this five- week cycle of the Liturgical Calendar. We will not return to John until Sunday, November 24th, when we proclaim

John 6:51-58 John’s Gospel is noted for its poetry, high Christology, and imagery. It must also be noted that John’s Gospel is known for its repetition and redundancy. Once again, this week, we find Jesus speaking to his Jewish audience, defining himself as the “Bread of Life,” the eternal bread that comes from heaven (6:51). I taught composition and writing forms for decades. In those lessons, I emphasized two uses of repetition in writing. One is defined as “weak,” which should be avoided. The other form of repetition is termed “strong.” Using “strong” repetition hammers an audience with a message. John’s repetitiveness can best be viewed as “strong.” Such repetition indicates the importance of thoughts emphasized throughout John’s Chapter 6. John indicates through redundancy the

John 6:35,41-51 We do not save anyone-only God does. We who have been drawn to and choose to believe can abide in the healing, life-giving waters offered by our eternal life in Christ. We can bear witness to what we have come to see. Seeing is believing. We speak what we witness, not to achieve grace but to share Christ’s abundant life with the hearts and lives of believers. Recall John 10:10, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” The abundance is of the Spirit, not of earthly things. John often repeats himself in his text. Recall last week the number of times John uses “I Am …” statements. Today’s reading may be the only time in the Lectionary that the