Revised Common Lectionary Reflection, Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B
January 28, 2018
Lessons: Deuteronomy 18:15-20, Psalm 111, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Mark 1:21-28
Theme: God’s faithful and generous people are absolutely free in Christ, but they know that freedom such freedom is fully expressed only through absolute discipline.
Key Scriptures: But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 1 Corinthians 8:9
They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching–with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” Mark 1:27
Preaching/Teaching Reflection
As I was praying over and pondering this week’s lessons, a quote from one of my favorite actors, the late Alan Rickman came to mind: “I think there’s some connection between absolute discipline and absolute freedom.” Rickman was speaking about the discipline of acting, but I believe his words are equally applicable to the life of faith and discipleship.
The lessons appointed for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany express themes of authority and tension that balance on a fulcrum of discipline. In the Old Testament reading from Deuteronomy, God’s people have the promise of a prophet but also a strong warning against prophets who speak a false word in the name of the one true God. The result of such action is death—definitely a result not to be taken frivolously. Yes, our words matter. We dare not take them lightly.
Paul, in the lesson from 1 Corinthians, makes clear that our actions matter, too. As Christians we experience absolute freedom in Christ, yet we are not free to hurt others with our choices. Martin Luther, writing in The Freedom of the Christian, said “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.”
The example that Paul offers is specific to the context of Christians in Corinth: eating meat that has been sacrificed to idols. Sure, the mature Christian knows that there are no other gods; therefore there is no reason to abstain from eating perfectly good meat. There’s no problem with that freedom. There is, however, a problem with freedom that is exercised to the detriment of others. Folks who are newer to the faith and less mature in their discipleship, he notes, may not understand the freedom to eat such “repurposed dinner,” and they may find it to be a stumbling block to their own faith development.
This particular example probably isn’t an issue in most modern contexts, but idolatry certainly remains a potential stumbling block. Our selfish choices may, indeed, hurt others and cause them to falter. And this is not an appropriate exercise of our freedom, according to Paul.
Yes, part of stewardship is caring for our neighbors and for their faith development. It’s looking at life through a lens that is outwardly focused and “cross-shaped.” We see not only our own freedom as precious and worthy, but also that of our neighbors. We see one another as beloved children of God and do not mind sacrificing some of our freedom—and perhaps our authority—for the building up of the body.
Speaking of authority, that’s where the good news speaks loud and clear this week. While we may think we have the requisite authority to exercise our freedom, the truth is that Christ alone has ultimate authority and ultimate truth. Our freedom is found in him only. Even the unclean spirits of this world recognize and bow to his authority. This means for us that there is always hope. Even when we mess up (and we will!), Jesus still has ultimate authority and loves us beyond measure. Our worst messes are redeemable, our despair is not the last word, and our losses may be turned to ultimate gain through Jesus.
In pondering Rickman’s comment, here’s what gives me hope: the connection between absolute discipline and absolute freedom is not left to chance or whim. That connection is Jesus, in whom absolute authority rests and whose desire and will is to love and redeem and restore. This, my friends, is good news for all people. Blessings on your preaching and teaching.
In Worship
Consider singing the hymn “Rise, Shine, You People” by Ronald Klug and Dale Wood (Evangelical Lutheran Worship #665) in worship or as part of your sermon. This simple, powerful hymn fits well with this week’s gospel lesson.
With Youth
The epistle lesson from 1 Corinthians provides a good framework for discussing food and faith. No, it isn’t a reading about choosing to be a vegetarian or adopting a paleo diet, but it can be a good springboard for a discussion about the ethics of eating and how our choices can impact others. Some of the subtopics you might explore include factory farming, sustainable farming (think Joel Salatin), the U.S. Farm Bill, agribusiness, GMOs, dumpster diving, and food waste.
With Children
We are free in Christ, AND we are free to serve others in Christ’s name. Talk to the children about how we are called to use our freedom responsibly. For example, show the children an entire bowl of individually wrapped snack bags of Gold Fish crackers. Tell the first child he are free to take as many as he wants, but needs to consider whether it is fair to deprive the other children of sharing in the gift of this snack. (Have extras on hand just in case said child decides to exercise that freedom!) One hopes the first child will want to share with others and all may be served and fed. Talk about how God always provides enough but that we humans sometimes keep God’s abundance from being shared and distributed. Give thanks for the children and offer a prayer of blessing for them. If you have enough extra snacks, give each child two bags with the encouragement to share the second one.
Weekly Stewardship Bulletin Insert
Martin Luther, writing in The Freedom of the Christian, said “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” This means that part of the stewardship of both our freedom and of our neighbor is to take care that our exercise of freedom does not harm or confuse our neighbors’ faith. The best way to ensure that this does not happen is to keep our eyes firmly focused on Jesus.
Stewardship at Home
This week take time to consider the freedom that we have in Christ. How can we use that freedom to love and serve our neighbors? Think of the ministries that take place in your congregation and community. Are there ways you can share food to benefit your neighbors? How can you make good purchasing decisions that will not harm others, for example purchasing clothes that are not made in sweatshops or choosing fairly traded chocolate and tea and other food products that ensure farmers a fair wage.
Note: Reprint rights granted to congregations and other church organizations for local, nonprofit use. Just include this note: “Copyright (c) 2018, Rev. Sharron Blezard. Used by Permission.” Other uses, please inquire: editor@stewardshipoflife.org.
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