Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap and discuss Pastor Jonah Sage's sermon from Mark 3:20-35. H
Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles recap and discuss Pastor Jonah Sage's sermon from Mark 3:20-35. H
Bobby: Welcome to the Midweek Checkup. My name is Bobby Gilles and I’m joined by Lindsey Blair. This past Sunday, Pastor Jonah Sage preached from Mark 3:20-35 to begin our series called Riddles of Redemption.
Lindsey: Pastor Jonah said that the secret invasion of Jesus is won through mercy on the margins. If you’ve forgotten or missed the sermon, it’s time for the Midweek Checkup.
Bobby: Jonah began by talking about a literary technique Mark uses called an intercalation. More colloquially it’s known as a “Markan Sandwich.” Mark sandwiches stories together to help us interpret them well. Like a good sandwich, he puts the meat in the middle. We look to the bread to understand why the middle is so good. We look at these stories and ask ourselves, "what is he teaching us? How do they help us interpret what's in the middle?"
Lindsey: The story begins with crowds of needy people crowding around Jesus, but his family shows up to take him home. They’re afraid he is losing his mind. Then teachers of the law show up. They think he is demon-possessed. Jesus responds with an illustration to teach that if Satan was divided against himself, his kingdom could not stand. Jesus isn’t doing miracles to help hurting people through the power of Satan, because that’s not what Satan does.
Bobby: Our sandwich is prepared. The clues are all set. Crowds, family, religious leaders. Jesus responds: Religious leaders, family, back to crowds: By placing the crowds on either side, Mark is giving us a clue to the mission of Jesus. By placing opposition in the middle, he's showing us what can get in the way. And all of this is to help us see what the real meat of the story is, the secret mission of Jesus. One stronger than Satan himself is upon them. Jesus is invading the kingdom of Satan.
Lindsey: Jesus says it is the crowds who are his family, those who are desperate, those who are needy, those who are helpless. The kingdom of God is not for the power-hungry. It is not for those preoccupied with reputation or public opinion. It is not for those seeking to save the family image or the religious tradition. The secret invasion is not won through firepower. The secret invasion of Jesus is won through mercy on the margins. The Kingdom of God is for the sick who long to be well, the enslaved who long to be free, the outcast who longs to come home.
Bobby: This is the riddle before us: who is Jesus and what is his mission?
Look to the needy. Look to the helpless. What might he be trying to say to you? Don't look to the powerful or impressive. Look to the sick and marginalized. Perhaps he's trying to say...look in the mirror. We are the mission of Jesus because we are the needy, the helpless, the sick and the marginalized. We are the place where victory was won because the mission of Jesus is won through mercy on the margins.
Lindsey: This Sunday, we will continue our sermon series, Riddles Of Redemption. And in Bible Fellowship, we’ll discuss Exodus sixteen, where the Israelites complain of hunger and God sends manna. Join us and bring a friend.