Date: September 8, 2024

Scripture: Mark 7:24-37

Sermon Title: “Ephphatha: Be Opened!”

Preacher: Rev. Dr. Bob Jon

You can also listen on Podcast from iTunes and Spotify. Search for “Podcasting from Rev. Bob Jon.”

In his book, S. I. McMillen shares a story about a young woman who wanted to go to college. She read the question on the application blank that asked, “Are you a leader?” Her heart sank. She wanted to be honest, so she answered, “No,” and returned the application. A few weeks later, she received a letter from the school, “Dear Applicant. A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is important that they have at least one follower.” I think that this story reveals some truth about our society today that many want to be the leader. There are plenty of books that discuss what makes a good leader in your business, politics, and even church. But there are not many books that tell us how to follow others. 

We know that the early Christians were not called Christians. There were no Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, or Pentecostals in the beginning of the Church. The early Christians were called the “Way.” It was because they were following the way of Jesus who showed us what it means to love God and love our neighbors. So when the early Christians called themselves the “Way,” it meant that they were following Jesus just like the sheep follow their shepherd. Jesus also said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to God except through me.” Following Jesus means that we confess our faith in Jesus as their Lord who freely gives us a new life in God and salvation. It also means to follow his action in compassion and love. 

However, I think that there are moments when we do not want to follow Jesus. Instead, we want Jesus to follow us. Jesus, how many times do I have to forgive my neighbor who did wrong to me? Jesus says, “Seven seventy times.” But how often do we say, “Get behind me, Jesus. You do not know what he or she has done to me.” Jesus taught, “No one can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and wealth.” How often do we feel that money blocks our relationship with God? Jesus calls us to take our cross and follow him. But how often do we want to answer, “Lord, I will come and follow you only after I retire from my work and help my children finish their education. You certainly understand how busy I am now, right?” 

Look at Peter today. Peter is often described as uneducated, impulsive. But when Jesus called him to follow him, he immediately left his boat and his father. He left his job and family to follow Jesus. Some years ago, I was spending the winter in Nicaragua to study Spanish. One day, I met a new family that just moved from Canada. The husband and wife along with three little children studied Spanish at the school with me. One day, I asked them whey the moved to Nicaragua. The father said, “I used to be a teacher in Canada, but I heard the voice of God calling me to come here. So, I came here as a missionary with my family.” I was amazed to hear his determination to follow Jesus and come down to Nicaragua where poverty, violence, hunger, and political unrest were pervasive. 

Jesus turned to his disciples and gave them a pop quiz. “Who do people say that I am?” His disciples answered him, “Well, some say you are John the Baptist. Some say you are a prophet like Elijah.” Jesus asked again, “Ok, that’s good. But who do you say that I am?” Essentially, Jesus is also asking us the same question. “Now, Who do you say that I am?” You have been coming to the church for many years, if not all of your life. You have been reading the Bible, hopefully. You have been praying. You even take time to go and serve in the soup kitchen. So, who do you say that I am?” Jesus’ disciples looked at each other to see who would be bold enough to give it a try. Then, Peter raised his hand and said, “You are the Messiah.” The anointed one. 

Usually, when you give the correct answer in the classroom, your teacher gives you a praise for paying attention to the class. But Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell others about it. And he started telling them how this Messiah must go through great suffering and be rejected by the religious leaders and be killed and after three days rise again.” He did not even use metaphors or symbols to allude what was going to happen. Instead, Jesus openly told his disciples. So, Peter got up and looked at his disciples who looked puzzled and terrified. He began to rebuke Jesus. Matthew tells us that Peter said, “God forbit it, sir. This must never happen to you.” To which Jesus replies, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” 

Mark Yaconelli is a youth pastor who wrote Contemplative Youth Ministry. In his book he shares a story of when he had a conversation with his son, Noah who was 4 years old. He was tucking his two sons Noah and Joseph into bed. He sang a song that contained the word, Christian. Noah asked, “Dad, what is a Christian?” He panicked for seconds as he realized that this was a very important opportunity to share his faith with his son. For a split second, he thought about all the education he got from the seminary. Theologians, theories, and books. When Noah interrupted him asking, “Well, Dad what does it mean?” He said, “Noah, it means little Christ. People who are trying to live like Jesus call themselves Christians.” Noah paused and thought about the definition and said, “Dad, are you a Christian?” “Yes, I am” replied Mark. 

After a little while brushing their teeth, listening to a bedtime story, it was finally a time for the little boys to go to bed. As Mark was about to leave, Noah said to him, “Dad, I don’t think I want to be a Christian.” “Why is that, Noah?” He said. “Well, Jesus gets killed by the soldiers, doesn’t he?” “Yes, he does. But God raised him and his Spirit is still with us today.” “Yes, dad, but I don’t want to get killed.” There was silence. “Don’t worry, you are not going to get killed. That happened a long time ago.” Little Noah yawned and said with his eyes closed, “Yes, but if Jesus is still with us today, it can happen again. I don’t think I want to be a Christian, Dad.” Mark later reflects on the moment and comments, “Noah realized that being a Christian has consequences. That living a life of love often results in suffering.” 

I believe that is the reason why Peter rebuked Jesus telling him that this must not happen to him. It is because we as followers of Christ are called to follow Christ, as he goes through rejection, great sufferings, and even killed. If we truly follow Christ, we cannot avoid but take our cross and follow him. This is why Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in his book The Cost of Discipleship, “The cross is laid on every Christian. As we embark upon discipleship, we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death. Therefore, the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls us, he bids us come and die.” Is there anyone who still wants to follow Christ? 

It seems that more and more Christians do not want to discuss the cross as the center of their Christian lives. Many Christians often try to celebrate the resurrection without Good Friday. They try to sing the empty tomb without first going through the cross. It has become a mere symbol of socio-political tragedy that Jesus, the innocent man, was mislabeled as a rebel against the Roman Empire. They say that it is our Christian duty to eradicate unnecessary suffering by removing the root of all evil and injustice. But as C. S. Lewis points out, the way of Christ is full of paradoxes that in order to live, we must first die. As Frederick Buechner says, the good news of the gospel can come only after the bad news. As Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7, we become free by being a servant of God. Fanny Crosby lost her vision and could not see but she could see Christ and sing of his love in the cross. She wrote,
 
In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever,
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river. 
 
When I was studying in Boston in 2005, I met Anthony. I often asked Anthony to help me with grammar checks. Anthony earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in NY. He was working as an editor at the World Trade Center in Manhattan. His salary was good, and he had such high hopes for life. On September 11, 2001, he was delayed to work because he had some errands to run that morning. As he was on his way to work late in the morning, he heard that an airplane crashed into the World Trade Center. He saw the building where he and his co-workers used to work collapsed to the ground. Twenty-three years ago, most of us can remember where we were when we heard this attack. Some of us at work. Some of us grocery shopping. Some of us traveling. 

Something changed in Anthony. He decided to quit his work and study more about God by enrolling in Boston University School of Theology. Honestly, I thought that he was going to be a brilliant scholar when I noticed the quality of his papers. But he decided to go lower and lower in following Christ. He joined the Capuchin Friary in Jamaica Plain. He drives a van to different parts of Boston. He and other friars serve sandwiches, coffee, and hot chocolate to the homeless people. There are other places in Boston and Cambridge that also provide food and try to meet the physical needs. But Anthony and other friars want to help people feel seen, recognized and heard. Anthony sits with the homeless, prays with them, and writes their names to pray for them when he returns to the friary. 

I know that not all of us do not have such a dramatic experience as Anthony did. I believe that most of us were diligent in getting our education, doing the best for our children, for their education, sports games, and vacations. We have worked hard and sacrificed much for our work and the company, saving as much as possible for our retirement. When we think we have figured out what we want to do with our lives, Christ comes and interrupts our lives, calling us to follow him. He tells us that he has a bigger plan for us, to make us fishers of people. He will use our talents, our gifts, and our resources not just for our own happiness but to change the world. 

Amen.