Year B Proper 5
There is an old saying: Be careful what you wish for – you might get it. In our first lesson today the people of Israel are ready to riot. What do we want? We want a king! When do we want it? Now!!!! The chant echoing through Ramah to the beat of an upside down Home Depot bucket….
The Israelites were
just coming off a significant victory against the Philistines. Samuel had been their shepherd and guide
through years of war and he made sure that the people knew that their victory
was all because of the power and faithfulness of God. God had delivered them from their enemies,
because they had put their trust and faith in God. That’s what covenant is all
about…faithfulness. It is a truth though
that faith is easier to maintain when life is in shambles. And now – in these times having defeated all
their enemies for the time being – well these were the good times and awareness
of the importance of God in their lives had begun to wane in the face of great
prosperity.
Samuel was getting on in years and he wanted to turn the reins over to his sons. But alas the sons were embroiled in bribery and corruption scandals, totally unfit to hold office and the people knew it. So they went to Samuel one more time and demanded that he appoint an imperial leader to govern them in the way that other countries were governed.
Their demands did not find welcome in Samuel. But ever the faithful servant Samuel prays to God to give him guidance – fully expecting God to rein down wrath on the demonstrators. Surprise surprise – God tells Samuel that if a king is what they want - then give it to them. God sees this demand as just one more Golden Calf in a long line of infidelities. They are doing what they have always done – rejecting the God who has delivered them. But God says to Samuel, be sure and warn them about what happens when a king has power over them. When their taxes go up, unemployment is rampant and inflation rules the economy under a human king, they are not likely to be happy with the decision to subject themselves to tyranny.
Taken in the context
of the ongoing convenant though there is more to this demand than a superficial
reading exposes. For one thing, putting
their faith in an earthly ruler means that they are no longer a distinct people
in the world, no longer the chosen of God.
They are turning their backs on that covenant they made with God when
they were in the wilderness. They want to be like everybody else.
Samuel tries to tell them that they have a king – God. It was God who created the heavens and the earth, it was God who delivered them from Egypt, it was God who won the victory over the Philistines. He really just can’t believe that they are being so stupid. So he asks God again and gets the same answer. If it is a king they want then give them one. BUT he tells Samuel, let them know what they are getting into. “Warn them.”
So Samuel says to the Israelites, “This leader you’re asking for? He and his henchmen will conscript you sons for the military. They will fight war after war at your expense. They will abuse your daughters, take your land, put heavy burdens of tax on you. You will be enslaved by power hungry, narcissistic kings who have no compassion for you. And when you have had enough and you come crawling back to God for help – don’t expect God to jump to your aid. You have made your bed and you must lie in it! Typical of human nature though they don’t listen to Samuel. They have made up their minds and they turn their backs on God. “What do we want? A king!! When do we want it? Now!
The covenant with God is broken. The people of God choose the siren call of earthly power. The people get a king. And their world changes forever.
In our Gospel reading today Jesus comes home for supper after a long day of teaching and healing and casting out demons. But the crowds followed him home causing a huge disruption. I mentioned last week that Mark has a decidedly political edge to its teachings. Had he been alive back when Samuel was judging, Jesus would not have been one of those in the crowd demanding more governmental or temple authority and control. Jesus would not have called for a King. Jesus called for faithfulness to God. So much so that his family thought he had fallen off his rocker and they feared for his safety and probably for their own too. But before they can muzzle Jesus the temple authorities come in to challenge him. In effect they were saying that if you challenge our authority then you are opposing the temple authority and therefore you must be from Satan.
Jesus counters with logic.
Spock would have loved it! “You
say that it is Satan who gives me the power to cast out demons… that is not logical, Jim – if Satan has risen
up against himself and is divided, then he cannot stand” … OK I
digress…. But this much is clear, Jesus
is taking a stand on being faithful to God and to his teaching rather than to
the human authority that uses devotion to God for their own end. He is saying that if God is a God of love,
compassion and mercy and if we are called to be the same - then we have got to
bind up those things that pull us away from God both individually and
communally, and follow in the way of justice and mercy and love.
For Mark, when Jesus says, “Follow me,” he means follow him into the maelstrom of life, into the darkness of suffering, into places where we will confront the Satans of the world. Confront the hatred, the racism, the homophobia, the poverty, the addiction, the abuse, the wars, the whatever Satan you want to name. He means follow him into the good-and-difficult work of repairing the breach, building up the weak, healing the sick places of our society and of our church. And for sure when we take a stand for justice and mercy and love we will meet opposition. But the Good news is that we don’t have to start from scratch. God is already on it. We just need to sign on for the long haul.
The Gospel according to Mark can become a grenade that causes angst and discomfort. And I have no doubt that before this liturgical year is over we will encounter that discomfort. There is little doubt that the stories and parables can be unsettling to those who feel bound by social constraints, or religious regimen, or strict beliefs that exclude or diminish others. Mark’s theological rhetoric has a way of highlighting welcome and belonging, healing and restoration.
The German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was executed by
the Nazis, once argued that the decisive, heart-breaking “fall” away from God
isn’t the point in the story when humanity eats the forbidden fruit, but rather
the moment when they hide from God afterwards, in effect turning away
from their Creator and at the same time from their true identity. Perhaps it’s time for us to ask ourselves “What
are we hiding from? What is our true
identity?” “Who is our king?”
Amen
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