\nalso says that the time when \u201cmarkets\u201d were created in history
\nwas ALSO the time that the world’s major religions were formed. \u00a0(It
\nwas a LONG era.) \u00a0He proposes the religions were an oppositional
\nforce to the value system of the markets. Instead of valuing coins,
\ninterest, and violence, religions emphasized the inherent value of
\npeople and our responsibility to care for each other.1<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When
\nI read that conception of the history of religion, I was excited and
\nrelieved. \u00a0First of all, it sounds like God. \u00a0God works in contexts,
\nand expansive religions weren’t needed until expansive markets needed
\nto be countered. \u00a0Smaller, tribal expressions of faith worked just
\nfine. \u00a0It also makes sense of our Bible, which if we’re honest,
\nbounces back and forth between utterly radical critique of the
\nsystems of power and empire and — well, justifying systems of power
\nand empire, as if there is a tug of war about the empire trying to
\nappropriate religion. \u00a0Over all though, I found it a relieve to see
\nthe 40,000 foot view of what we’re doing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Both
\nof our passages today are about following God’s ways. \u00a0In Genesis we
\nGod hear claiming Abraham and Sarah and making plans to work with
\nthem in the future. \u00a0In Mark we hear reflections of the early church,
\nwhich was undergoing significant persecution, reflecting on the
\npowers of life and death.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So,
\nwhat does it mean to follow God’s ways?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This
\nwas an open question in Genesis, and in Mark, and has been one in our
\nlives too.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This
\nis an open question in modern times too, and I hear people offer a
\nvariety of answers. \u00a0For some following God includes and is expressed
\nby particular clothing or diets. \u00a0 For some it includes and is
\nembodied in particular prayer types or times. \u00a0For some it is
\nreflected in personal choices \u2013 everything from what words are
\nsaid, to abstinence from drugs or alcohol or sex \u2013 or just dancing
\nto what is purchased and where and why. \u00a0For some this is reflected
\nin choices to join or be present with a faith community for worship \u2013
\nor more. \u00a0For some this is related to particular ways of seeing unity
\nwith the divine. \u00a0For yet others it is related to energy and effort
\nbeing used to build the kindom of God. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John <\/p>\n To <\/p>\n And <\/p>\n It \nThere has been the sacrifice and <\/p>\n \nThere has also been a quieter <\/p>\n At <\/p>\n Religion <\/p>\n Mark <\/p>\n Does <\/p>\n Unless…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Unless <\/p>\n And <\/p>\n For For For For <\/p>\n We <\/p>\n We <\/p>\n Amen<\/p>\n 1<\/a>David 2<\/a>Ched Rev. Sara E. Baron <\/p>\n February 28, 2021<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nWesley broke things into 4 categories: personal acts of holiness
\n(prayer, Bible Study, healthy living), communal acts of holiness
\n(worship, study, group decision making, sacraments), personal acts of
\nmercy (doing good works), and communal acts of mercy (seeking
\njustice.) \u00a0Sometimes I hear people focus on only 1 of those 4, but
\nthey work best as a whole. <\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/64.media.tumblr.com\/84709e8350bf687f3d0ad265b6631c12\/2a29f6fc98cce453-ef\/s540x810\/514478afcd9c318f42d7397a4c34d49faf159cdf.png\")
<\/figure>\n
\nbreak that down into really direct language \u2013 I sometimes hear
\npeople think that speaking without swearing and abstaining from
\ncaffeine are SUFFICIENT ways of being faithful to God. \u00a0More power to
\nthose who find spiritual power in those choices, but I don’t think
\nthey’re sufficient in following God. \u00a0Following God requires
\nconnecting with others, as well as caring for others, not just
\nbehaving \u201cproperly.\u201d \u00a0(Whatever that means.)<\/p>\n
\nall of that gets us to today \u2013 to what some of my friends call
\n\u201cCoronatide.\u201d (If you don’t get it, don’t worry, it isn’t funny
\nenough to explain.) \u00a0When reading a passage so emphatically about
\nself-denial as a means of following Jesus, how do we hear it TODAY?<\/p>\n
\nseems to me that two mostly distinct forms of self-sacrifice have
\nbeen occurring over the past year:<\/p>\n
\nself-denial of those who have directly cared for others at risk to
\nthemselves \u2013which has included people who have gotten sick and
\npeople who have died because of taking this risk.<\/p>\n
\nsacrifice and self-denial of those who have put life as they know it
\naside for the well-being of others. \u00a0(Masks, distancing, not doing
\nthings they love, not being with people they love). \u00a0To some degree
\nthis sort of sacrifice comes with privilege \u2013 many would choose
\nthis one and couldn’t. \u00a0That doesn’t meant that this sacrifice has
\nbeen easy (it hasn’t), nor unimportant. \u00a0These quiet sacrifices have
\ntaken care of the whole, including those in the first group offering
\ncare.<\/p>\n
\nfirst glance, Mark’s passage seems to be about making a choice to
\nfollow Jesus, and sticking with it. \u00a0Upon close examination, the Mark
\npassage is more radical than it first appears. \u00a0One scholar
\nsummarizes, \u201cThe threat to punish by death is the bottom line of
\nthe power of the state; fear of this threat keeps the dominant order
\nintact. \u00a0By resisting this fear and pursuing the kingdom’s practice
\neven at the cost of death, the disciple contributes to shattering the
\npowers’ reign of death in history. \u00a0To concede the state’s
\nsovereignty in death is to refuse its authority in life.\u201d2<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
\n> market\/empire indeed!<\/p>\n
\nsuggests here that to choose to follow Jesus is to deny and ignore
\nthe threats of the state. \u00a0It is to pick a full and abundant life,
\nand not fear.<\/p>\n
\nthat feel strange right now? \u00a0I don’t know if anyone feels like their
\nlife has been full and abundant in the past year. \u00a0And there has been
\nLOTS of fear.<\/p>\n
\nwe change out we think about it. \u00a0No, the past year has not been
\n\u201cfull and abundant,\u201d but this past year we have picked LIFE for
\nourselves and for others over and over again. \u00a0We have prioritized
\nthe full and abundant life of the COMMUNITY over ease and delight in
\nour own lives. We have tried to maximize the number of people who
\nwill have long, full, healthy lives \u2013 with each and every difficult
\nchoice we make.<\/p>\n
\nsometimes it is a really important thing to remember that the stuff
\nwe do \u2013 masks, and social distancing, and zoom (eh) and lack of
\nhugs, we do for a reason.<\/p>\n
\nlife.<\/p>\n
\neach other.<\/p>\n
\nJesus.<\/p>\n
\nthe kindom.<\/p>\n
\nhave been following the way of God in new, different, and difficult
\nways. \u00a0We have been denying ourselves the joy of in person worship;
\nwe have been carrying the crosses of wearing masks, forfeiting the
\nlives we know for \u2026 all for the sake of other people’s continued
\nlives.<\/p>\n
\nhave been trying to take care of all of God’s beloveds. \u00a0We have been
\nreminded that the way to care for one is to care for the whole. \u00a0It
\nhas been hard, and it has mattered \u2013 and it still matters. \u00a0While
\nwhat we’ve done has largely been quiet and seemingly small, thanks be
\nto God for what we’re able to do for each other!<\/p>\n
\n\tGraeber, Debt: The First 5000 Years<\/i>
\n\t(Brooklyn and London: Melville House, 2011).<\/p>\n
\n\tMyers, Binding the Strong Man<\/i>
\n\t(Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1998 and 2008, 274. \u00a0He is quoting
\n\tTaylor, 1963: 247.<\/p>\n
First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305
Pronouns: she\/her\/hers
http:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FUMCSchenectady<\/a><\/p>\n