Confronting Unclean Spirits

Mark 1:21-28

January 29, 2012 / Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

I can’t remember the last time I saw a commercial for Ivory soap, but the ad that ran during the late ‘80’s had a jingle that has stuck with me:

I want my clean as real as Ivory

It’s gotta be 99 point 44,

I want my clean as real as Ivory

Nothing less and nothing more

I want my clean as real as Ivory

It’s gotta be pure that’s for sure

I want my clean as real as Ivory.

(1988 ad for Ivory Soap)

Ivory is pure soap that claims to leave you really clean.  Isn’t that what we want out of a soap? Of course I always wondered if it is 99.44 % pure, what happened to the other 0.56 %?  Does that mean that it is 0.56% impure?  Does that leave us 0.56% unclean?

Which leads me to wonder – just how clean am I? I washed this morning with Ivory soap – like I have for years.  Is my “clean” clean enough? Have I washed away all the impurities? Can I enter into the presence of the Lord as I am?

Of course, it isn’t the external cleanliness that I’m actually worried about.  Somewhere during my lifetime we quit worrying about what we looked like on the outside when we came to church – everything from stained blue jeans and a t-shirt to a silk dress with high heels is acceptable. What matters is just how clean you are on the inside, or at least how clean you want to be.  God is concerned about our purity and holiness. Ivory soap is almost 100% pure. A pure metal has had all the undesirable elements removed. How pure are you?

It matters because when we enter into this sanctuary we enter into sacred space – a place where we expect to encounter the Holy Spirit. If we are unclean or impure then we are not fully prepared to encounter the holy. That which is holy cannot exist in the same space as that which is unholy. Which is what we witness in today’s gospel lesson:

Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum when suddenly there was a man with an unclean spirit who cried out, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?”

Interesting questions! Clearly the unclean spirit is picking a fight with Jesus! What business does the Holy One of God have with an unclean spirit? Can it be anything other than destruction? Jesus, who is teaching with power and authority, simply utters, “Be silent and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit obeys him, surprising and amazing everyone who is present. This truly is a new teaching, with authority. Something people have never seen before. Even the unclean spirits obey Jesus!

We know nothing about the man who was possessed by an unclean spirit except that he showed up at the synagogue that Sabbath.  He has no voice.  We don’t know if he was well known by the community or a stranger who was passing through. We don’t know if he looked perfectly normal or if it was clear that something was wrong. All we know is that when the unclean spirit who possessed him saw Jesus it recognized Jesus and named the danger. And Jesus responded with power and authority, freeing the man of this unclean spirit.

The point is, in Mark’s gospel, this first miracle of Jesus is an exorcism. The unclean spirit convulsed the man and cried with a loud voice as it came out of him. This unclean spirit is clearly some sort of demon. I suspect many of us would prefer to leave the world of demon possession in the realm of fantasy – we want to believe that movies like The Exorcist have no basis in reality.  And yet, history is full of stories of demon possession. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote extensively about the assaults of demons, and even John Wesley participated in an exorcism.  Hear what Wesley wrote in his journal on Tues. Oct. 23rd:

At eleven I preached at Bearfield to about three thousand, on the spirit of nature, of bondage, and of adoption.

Returning in the evening, I was exceedingly pressed to go back to a young woman in Kingswood... She was nineteen or twenty years old, but, it seems, could not write or read. I found her on the bed, two or three persons holding her. It was a terrible sight. Anguish, horror, and despair above all description appeared in her pale face. The thousand distortions of her whole body showed how the dogs of hell were gnawing her heart. The shrieks intermixed were scarcely to be endured. But her stony eyes could not weep. She screamed out, as soon as words could find their way, “I am damned, damned; lost forever! ... I am the devil’s now. I have given myself to him. His I am. Him I must serve. With him I must go to hell... I must, I will, I will be damned!” She then began praying to the devil.

We began: Arm of the Lord, awake, awake!

She immediately sank down as asleep; but, as soon as we left off, broke out again, with inexpressible vehemence: “Stony hearts, break! I am a warning to you. Break, break, poor stony hearts! ... You need not be damned, though I must.” She then fixed her eyes on the corner of the ceiling and said: “There he is: ay, there he is! come, good devil, come! Take me away. You said you would dash my brains out: come, do it quickly. I am yours... Come just now. Take me away.”

We interrupted her by calling again upon God, on which she sank down as before; and another young woman began to roar out as loud as she had done. My brother now came in, it being about nine o’clock. We continued in prayer till past eleven, when God in a moment spoke peace into the soul, first of the first tormented, and then of the other. And they both joined in singing praise to [God] who had “stilled the enemy and the avenger.”[1]

I suspect even John Wesley was uncomfortable with demon possession and exorcism, and yet there is no doubt about what he experienced.  I know and you know that there are unclean spirits in the world, even today.

So, before we try to dismiss the power of demons and claim that unclean spirits can simply be explained in terms of illness or addiction or sin, we need to read Mark’s gospel.  Today’s story is the first of many exorcisms, pointing to an important theme running through this gospel. Mark’s gospel is a story of spiritual warfare: good vs. evil, sin vs. sanctification, the Holy Spirit vs. unclean spirits, life vs. death, wholeness and health vs. sickness and disease, the power of Jesus vs. the wiles of the devil.

The unclean spirit recognizes Jesus as the Holy One of God and challenges his power: “Have you come to destroy us?” Jesus doesn’t waste a moment or a breath – for that is exactly what he has come to do: “Be silent and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit has no power to do anything but obey.

No one wants to be possessed by unclean spirits. And yet, at some point in our lives most of us wrestle with them. Unclean spirits of doubt, fear, and shame. Unclean spirits of lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride. Unclean spirits that claim power over us, leading us to deny the love of God and the power of the cross.

Friends, we deny the power of the gospel when we ignore the ongoing spiritual warfare in our lives. We deny the authority of Jesus Christ when we allow unclean spirits to reside in us. While most of us have not and hopefully will never confront full-blown demon possession, we have all experienced some sort of unclean spirit. Unclean spirits possess us, leading us to self-doubt and even self-destruction. Unclean spirits consume us, sometimes becoming lord of our lives, haunting our waking hours, and denying us sleep.  Unclean spirits lead us to question God’s love for us; unclean spirits isolate us; unclean spirits can lead us to depression and addiction and sin.

We deny the power of the cross when we ignore the ongoing spiritual warfare in our lives.  As Jesus hung on that cross he took on all the powers of hell – all of the demons and unclean spirits in this world – and silenced them. He crushed their authority. Satan no longer has power where Jesus is concerned.  When we invite the holy into our lives, there is absolutely no room for the unholy.  When Jesus is Lord of our lives, no one and nothing else can be lord.

I’m here to tell you that Jesus has authority over all of the unclean spirits in our lives.  I’m here to tell you that Jesus loves you more than you could ever know.  I’m here to tell you that through the cross you have been set free from all of the powers of hell and death.  Jesus has claimed each one of us as his own! And yet, he has given us the freedom to choose who is Lord of our lives.  Have you chosen Jesus as Lord?

In Jesus the kingdom of God has come near – in Jesus we have glimpsed this holy space, this pure light, this unending joy – in Jesus we have encountered the Holy One of God. And Jesus longs to be Lord of our lives – Jesus longs to silence the unclean spirits that consume us. Jesus has won the battle – the strife is over – victory belongs to our God. Let us claim this victory today!

Let me close with a prayer found in your hymnal:

Silence, Frenzied, Unclean Spirit (UMH #264)

“Silence, frenzied, unclean spirit!”
cried God’s healing Holy One.
“Cease your ranting! Flesh can’t bear it.
Flee as night before the sun.”
At Christ’s words the demon trembled,
from its victim madly rushed,
While the crowd that was assembled
stood in wonder, stunned and hushed.

Lord, the demons still are thriving
in the gray cells of the mind:
Tyrant voices, shrill and driving,
twisted thoughts that grip and bind,
Doubts that stir the heart to panic,
fears distorting reason’s sight,
Guilt that makes our loving frantic,
dreams that cloud the soul and fright.

Silence, Lord, the unclean spirit
in our mind and in our heart;
Speak your word that when we hear it,
all our demons shall depart.
Clear our thought and calm our feeling;
still the fractured, warring soul.
By the power of your healing
make us faithful, true, and whole.

---

[1] http://www.puritanfellowship.com/2009/03/john-wesley-casting-out-demons.html

Stepping Into The Storm

Mark 1:14-21

January 22, 2012 / Third Sunday After The Epiphany

Storms are common on the Sea of Galilee.  Furious windstorms can come up quite suddenly causing damaging waves.  All of the gospels tell of storms on the Sea of Galilee.  Apparently these storms occur because of the differences in temperature between the seacoast and the mountains beyond. The Sea of Galilee lies 680 feet below sea level. It is bounded by hills, especially on the east side, that are 2000 feet high. These heights are a source of cool, dry air. In contrast, directly around the sea, the climate is semi-tropical with warm, moist air. This large difference causes large temperature and pressure changes. This results in strong winds dropping into the sea, funneling through the hills and causing sudden storms.

On top of this, the Sea of Galilee is relatively small and somewhat shallow, just 200 feet at its greatest depth. Shallow lakes are easily whipped up by the wind since there is nowhere for the energy of the wind to be absorbed. This means the waves can be quite large, quite literally swamping small boats that are out on the water when a storm comes up.[1]

This morning the first verse of our opening hymn began:

Jesus calls us o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea;

Day by day his sweet voice soundeth, saying “Christian, follow me!”[2]

Both the tune and the words make turning and following Jesus sound very appealing. We are invited to turn away from the wild, restless sea of our lives – the one where sudden storms come up that can cause boat-swamping waves. Turn away from that tumult and follow the sweet voice of Jesus. How can we respond in any other way except, “Yes! I will follow you!”

Many of us do turn to Jesus during the storms of our lives, seeking comfort, healing, and hope. It is in our times of greatest turmoil that we know we need Jesus, and we pray and read scripture and seek his will for our lives. Upheaval in our lives leads us back to the solid rock that is Jesus Christ, and we rejoice that he always welcomes us back.

The thing is, today our gospel lesson doesn’t talk about storms.  As Jesus walks along the shore, it is very likely that this is a beautiful day on the Sea of Galilee – a day when the water is calm and the sun is shining – a day when mothers might even bring their children to play at the water’s edge. Simon and Andrew are fishing – we can imagine them standing waist-deep in the water casting their nets into the sea.  James and John are mending their nets on the shore as their father Zebedee sits in the boat and watches.  It sounds like a delightful day for these career fishermen.

When Jesus saw Simon and Andrew he called to them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men!” Likewise, when Jesus saw James and John he called, “Follow me!” And all four men left their boats and their nets and followed.

Imagine being Zebedee, the father who is left sitting in the boat.  He’d spent all his life teaching his sons the family business – how to fish, how to mend nets, how to keep the boats storm worthy, how to sell the fish at market...  He taught his sons the same things his father taught him – how to make a life on the Sea of Galilee.  Day in and day out, for as long as he could remember, he headed out to sea with his sons, praying for a good catch to take to market.  Day in and day out he watched his sons grow into the business. Slowly he had given them the authority to manage the business.  Slowly he was reaching the point where he would retire and leave the fishing business to his two sons.  And then along comes this fellow saying, “Follow me!” and the sons drop everything and go! Talk about upheaval! What is Zebedee to do?

Jesus’ call to follow comes on an ordinary day – a day when the fishermen were doing what they did best, working to earn a living.  There are no storms in their lives.  Actually, James and John are doing well enough that they have hired hands working with them! And yet, they leave their families, their livelihoods, the only way of life they have ever known – they leave everything to follow Jesus. Talk about tumult! Their behavior makes no logical sense.

And yet, if we think about it, this is what God calls us to do.  God called Abraham to leave his country and his father’s house to go to a land that God would show him – and Abraham did. Talk about absolute faith in God! And Moses was keeping his father-in-law’s flock when he came upon a burning bush that changed his life. He returned to Egypt – a place of great danger – to demand that Pharaoh let the people of God go. And then he led them through the wilderness for forty years. Talk about stepping out of his comfort zone! The prophet Jeremiah argued, “I am only a boy!” when God called him, and God responded, “Do not be afraid, I am with you!” Jeremiah is often called the weeping prophet because he witnessed so much death and destruction in Jerusalem as he prophesied to a people who did not listen. And Jonah traveled to the foreign city of Nineveh – the last place he wanted to be – to tell the people that the city would be destroyed.  

God calls us to leave everything to follow him. God calls us to step out of our comfort zones and do God’s work. God calls us to preach a message of repentance to others – even those who will not listen.  God calls us to bring the good news of the gospel to a broken world.  And Simon and Andrew and James and John did just that, leaving everything to follow Jesus. And Simon who we call Peter became the rock on which the church of Jesus Christ was built.

No one ever said following Jesus would be easy – notice the ominous start to our gospel lesson today: “Now after John was arrested...” We know John was arrested and killed for proclaiming the good news.  And tradition tells us that both Peter and Andrew were crucified. And yet, in Jesus the kingdom of God has come near – so near that we can see it and touch it and taste it and feel it.  In Jesus we have been given the opportunity to not just proclaim the good news but to embrace it and live it.

Three weeks ago we renewed our covenant with God in a covenant renewal service. Last week we renounced the spiritual forces of wickedness and confessed Jesus Christ as our Savior as we remembered our baptisms. Today, Jesus calls us: “Follow me!”  Are you ready to follow Jesus? Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and take a big risk for Jesus? Are we ready for new opportunities as we seek to feed the hungry in this community? Are we ready to welcome strangers and sinners into our midst and call them brother and sister? Are we ready to leave behind the ease of the known to step into the great unknown? Are we willing to trust that God is calling us to be the body of Christ in this rapidly changing community in ways that scare us, in the confidence that God will be at our sides?

This is the start of a year of possibilities. By summer we may have a daycare operating in our building. By the end of summer we may have a food pantry serving the needs of southern Alamance. By the end of the year we hope to build strong relationships with neighboring churches and other non-profit organizations.  In other words, Jesus is calling us to leave the calm and comfort of our lives and to step out into the storm – a storm that is bound to bring conflict and change – a storm full of new life and hope. 

Are you ready to step out into this storm with me, trusting that God has great things in store for this community? Are you ready to follow Jesus to the cross and death in the absolute assurance that resurrection and new life will follow? What will you do when Jesus calls you, saying “Christian, follow me?”

Jesus calls us from our comfort to a life of risk and faith;

Day by day his challenge calls us, saying “Follow me! Obey!”

In a broken, hurting world, Jesus calls us to respond;

Feed the hungry, save the sinners! Bring new life to one and all.

Jesus, guide us as we serve you, lift our fears and give us strength;

Fill us with your Holy Spirit, help us follow faithfully.

---

[1] See http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/ednk-seaofgalilee.html for these facts.

[2] UMH 398.

The Meeting Place

Mark 1:4-11

Baptism of the Lord / January 15, 2012

At the turn of the twentieth century physicists thought they had the whole world figured out. They claimed that we live in this three-dimensional universe where all motion can be predicted and explained in terms of north-south, east-west, and up-down. And while we may experience time as non-linear – some hours feel like years and sometimes time flies – we know that time marches forward one predictable second at a time.

Most of us experience the world exactly this way, but in the early 1900’s Einstein began to show that space and time aren’t as predictable as we thought. Through mathematical models and thought experiments, Einstein opened up a disturbing and unpredictable world of probabilities. A world where the shortest distance from “A” to “B” might actually involve warping space-time so that the two points meet.

For the past hundred-plus years, scientists have delved more deeply into Einstein’s troubling findings, only to discover that the world is less predictable and more mysterious than we could have ever imagined. And yet, there is also this order and this beauty that are hard to explain. This element of mystery leaves many scientists concluding that there must be a God somewhere. 

There must be a God who created the heavens and the earth, and set the moon and the stars in motion. There must be a God who occasionally tinkers with the earth the way a clock-maker might, making minor adjustments and keeping us from chaos. There must be a God up there in the heavens somewhere who imagined and created this incredible universe in all its complexity and mystery and beauty.

You and I recognize this creator God – this God of glory and strength. We affirm the existence of this God who lives in heaven every time we pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” And yet we know this God is doing much more than keeping us from chaos. Our God deeply desires to be actively involved in all aspects of this creation, redeeming the world.  Our God is a God of love who longs to be in an intimate relationship with the pride and joy of creation – you and me and the rest of humanity. We are created in the very image of God to be in relationship with God and one another.

And, in truth, you and I have always known that the world was more complex than the three-dimensional space we can see with our eyes, for we know that there is a heavenly dimension. We know this heavenly dimension is so near that at various times and places heaven and earth actually touch, and in that place we are able to enter into and experience the holiness of God.

Heaven and earth touched the day Moses came upon a bush that was burning but was not being consumed. As he approached the bush a voice from heaven told him to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. On that day Moses spoke with the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob – the God who longed to come down and save his people.

Heaven and earth touched during the forty days Moses lived on Mount Sinai, receiving the commandments from God. When Moses came down from the mountain his face radiated the holiness of God. And the two stone tablets Moses received from God became a permanent place where heaven and earth touched. After that, the people of God believed that heaven and earth were permanently connected, first in the tabernacle where the ark of the covenant was kept and then later in the temple in Jerusalem. This was the very dwelling place of God on earth – the holy of holies.  People went to Jerusalem for the high holy days so that they might enter into the very presence of God.

Unfortunately, the temple was destroyed and the ark was lost. When a new temple was built it was nowhere near as majestic; on more than one occasion other gods were worshipped there. To many, it seemed as if heaven and earth no longer touched. And the people longed for a Messiah – a Savior – someone who would re-establish the meeting place between heaven and earth.

And then John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins (Mark 1:4-5). Heaven and earth were once again meeting out there in the wilderness. In the waters of the Jordan, people were once again encountering the holiness of God.

But John proclaimed: “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” In other words, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

And in those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  In that moment, as Jesus came up out of the waters, heaven and earth didn’t just touch, but the heavens were torn apart!  The veil that separated heaven from earth disappeared, and God’s Spirit was poured out and a voice from heaven – that same voice that the Psalmist spoke of that flashes forth flames of fire and shakes the wilderness – that voice boomed, “You are my beloved Son and I am well pleased with you.” Wow! What an incredible affirmation of his calling. What an awesome way for Jesus to begin his ministry.

In Jesus, God was doing a new thing. God was establishing a place where heaven and earth not only touched, but met and overlapped, deeply and intimately. In Jesus, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, the world now had the opportunity to not only encounter God, but to see God face to face. And through his death and resurrection, Jesus has become the place where heaven and earth permanently meet, the new Jerusalem. In Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to experience God’s holiness, even through something as ordinary as bread and wine, or water.

Today, as we remember the baptism of our Lord, we gather around this baptismal font to remember and celebrate our own baptisms. To some, this looks like ordinary water. But this is a powerful place where the past and the present and the future meet as we remember the ways the heavens were torn open at Jesus’ baptism, and heaven and earth powerfully met. This is a place where we remember and celebrate that day when we rejected the evil powers of this world and confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives. We remember, not necessarily in terms of the particular events of that day, but in terms of what God has done for us through our baptism. Whether you were an infant or an adult, dunked or simply sprinkled, on that day – the day of your baptism – heaven and earth met right inside of you. The heavens were torn open and the Holy Spirit was poured out on you! Your sins were washed away and you became a new creation.  You became pure and holy – the very temple of the Holy Spirit. And the voice of God affirmed, “You are my beloved child. I am well pleased with you.”

You are a beloved child of God. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. You have been washed clean in the blood of Jesus. Today, as we remember and celebrate our own baptisms, I wonder: Do we live our lives in such a way that we are temples of the Holy Spirit? Are we open to being filled by the Holy Spirit? Are our bodies and our lives places where heaven and earth can and do actually meet? If not, then what are we going to do about it?

Sleuths for Christ

Ephesians 3:1-12

Epiphany / January 8, 2012

 Have you ever thought about the fact that God created us to be curious? Just think of the two year old who asks “why?” about every little thing, driving us crazy with her insatiable curiosity. Or think about the fact that we all slow down with the rest of the traffic to see the damage caused by an accident, curious and wanting to know more. Or think of Eve and the forbidden fruit – we are naturally curious.

Perhaps that is the reason we like mysteries. How will Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew solve this crime? Was it actually Colonel Mustard with the lead pipe in the dining room? What will the characters on CSI learn this time from their autopsy, forensics and visit to the crime scene?  We like watching as pieces of the puzzle are pulled together to reveal the truth. Of course, these mysteries are always solved by the end of the hour or the end of the book; so we leave satisfied, knowing justice has been served once again.

Today we enter into the mystery of the Epiphany. The three wise men were seeking the child who was born King of the Jews. A star led them as far as Jerusalem and then they were stuck. A conversation with Herod led to a conversation with the chief priests who turned to scripture and said “Bethlehem.” And that is where the wise men found the child with his mother Mary and fell down and worshipped him.  Mystery solved, right? Wrong! Why is this child born in Bethlehem being worshipped like a god? How can he possibly be the King of the Jews?  Actually, the visit of the wise men is more like a mystery revealed than a mystery solved. Who is this child, that wise men would travel from the east seeking him? Who is this child, that all of Jerusalem became frightened upon learning about him?

This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

Haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary (UMH 219).

This child is the mystery of our faith.

Interestingly, the Greek word for “mystery” refers to something that is hidden or secret – something that is not revealed. Mysteries are only confided to those who are initiated, the way a fraternity handshake is shared only with the brothers. It should be difficult, if not impossible, for outsiders to discover the mystery, which is why a good mystery story leaves us on the edge of our seats until the very end.  But this mystery is curiously different.  This mystery is not like CSI or Sherlock Holmes. This mystery leaves us all wondering just what Paul is up to when he talks about the mystery of Christ.

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he writes, “In former generations, [the mystery of Christ] was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.”  Just look at Paul’s own life – he didn’t grasp the mystery until he was knocked over the head with it.  Paul was “circumcised on the eight day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteous under the law, blameless” (Phil 3:5-6).  These are the words he uses to describe himself in his letter to the Philippians. Paul should have been on the inside track for understanding the mystery of Christ, clearly one of the initiated.  But instead he was the church’s greatest persecutor. Paul was blind to the mystery until Christ himself struck him down on the road to Damascus asking, “Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:5).  In that moment, Paul’s spiritual eyes were opened and he saw the truth. He then spent the rest of his life sharing the mystery of Christ with the world.

Paul’s story shows us that no amount of data collection and analysis will ever fully reveal the mystery of Christ. You can know it all in your head and still not know Christ in your heart. The mystery of Christ is not like an ordinary mystery. Unlike ordinary mysteries, the mystery of Christ is (1) not a secret; (2) it is revealed and not solved; & (3) it leads to freedom, not imprisonment.

The mystery of Christ is not a secret. Often we point to scripture for evidence of Christ. His coming is foretold in the Old Testament – especially through the prophet Isaiah. The Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Hebrews are full of Old Testament references, revealing the ways Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of old. The mystery of Christ is not a secret; and yet it can never be fully discerned from the facts. The facts point to a deeper truth, a truth that escapes us if we rely solely on the facts.  We sense that the mystery is not a secret, and yet we cannot deduce the truth on our own, no matter how smart we are. No matter how good our intuition is.  The mystery is not a secret, but it often eludes us.

Which is why I believe the mystery of Christ is revealed and not solved. In a typical mystery much time is spent gathering clues and evidence, following a trail that will lead to a solution. But with Christ, rather than piecing clues together, God reveals God’s self – first and foremost as a baby in a manger, God made flesh.  God reveals God’s self most powerfully through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. And today God continues to reveal God’s self through the waters of baptism, and through bread and wine.  Or God may use more ordinary means like a song or a prayer or a walk down the road to Damascus. God reveals God’s self to us through an epiphany – a sudden revelation of the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, our Savior.  God reveals God’s self to us by grace – this incredible gift given to us that helps us discern the truth and sense the presence of the living God.  And it is by grace that we are set free – free to fall down on our knees and worship Christ the King. 

Which brings me to my third point.  The mystery of Christ leads to freedom.  In a typical mystery someone ends up in jail by the end of the story. Once all the clues are pieced together, someone is found guilty and thrown behind bars. But the mystery of Christ leads to freedom.  We are set free from the chains of sin and death, free to live abundant lives in Christ. 

Now at this point, the curious among us must be full of questions. Why can’t we deduce the existence of God? Why are moments of epiphany so rare and so elusive? Why does God seem so far away, often when we need God the most? And why, if we have been set free, do so many of us live as if we are in bondage? Why do so many of us feel like we live in darkness, unable to see the glory of the Lord shining in our lives?

There are no easy answers to these questions; sometimes the only answer seems to be the one we end up giving the two year old who asks “why” all the time: because; just, because.  But Paul does give us one answer when he tells us just what the mystery of Christ is: through Christ, “the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise of Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph 3:6). In other words, not only is the mystery not a secret, but all of humanity has been welcomed into this mystery. We are no longer slaves or servants, but brothers and sisters through Christ, all heirs of God’s kingdom. And lest you want to squabble with your brothers and sisters, concerned that you won’t get your fair portion of this inheritance, Paul speaks of “the boundless riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8).  There is more than enough for everyone. This is the power of God’s love poured out for each one of us – we are one in Christ Jesus, all one body.  By grace, all are promised an incredible inheritance.

We all have access to God in boldness and confidence through our faith in Christ Jesus. Faith that is given to us by grace. Faith that encourages us, and keeps us from losing heart. Faith that assures us that Christ will come again in final victory and we will feast together at his heavenly banquet.

In the meantime, we are called to be sleuths for Christ. Investigators who pour over the Scriptures and listen to the Holy Spirit through daily devotions, Bible study, and weekly worship. Detectives who reveal God’s glory in the beauty of a sunset, a broken piece of bread, and a hug from a friend. We are called to go out and track and trail people to catch them up into this great mystery – this deep truth that all are welcome in Christ’s body. And at the end of the day we recognize that the conclusion to this mystery will only come when all of humanity has been apprehended and brought into the light; the mystery will be solved when Christ has been revealed in his fullness to all the world. So we set out again each morning, putting on our detective’s cap and going out into the world to share the good news of Jesus Christ with everyone we meet, in anticipation of the day when we will meet Christ face to face.

Let me leave you with Paul’s own words in Ephesians, chapter 3: “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph 3:14-21).