WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:07.300 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 00:00:07.300 --> 00:00:08.100 Amen. 3 00:00:11.100 --> 00:00:11.900 Sisters and brothers 4 00:00:11.900 --> 00:00:14.700 it probably won't surprise you when I say that I like to think about 5 00:00:14.700 --> 00:00:19.600 words about figures of speech about metaphor stuff like that. 6 00:00:21.200 --> 00:00:25.600 I don't know how many languages of course only one really, but I 7 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:27.900 suspect every language has these things. 8 00:00:28.900 --> 00:00:29.700 It's interesting 9 00:00:29.700 --> 00:00:33.000 sometimes when you take a figure of speech or a image from one 10 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:35.700 language and translated directly into another it doesn't work very 11 00:00:35.700 --> 00:00:41.700 well. I don't know if you've ever noticed this with so with apologies to 12 00:00:41.700 --> 00:00:43.500 those of you that actually speak German. 13 00:00:44.100 --> 00:00:48.400 I'm told that in German you literally say I have a nose full of you. 14 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:53.600 And that means I'm fed up with you right. Now, 15 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:57.200 by the way, since you have masks on at that point you were supposed to 16 00:00:57.200 --> 00:00:59.800 laugh loud enough for me to hear. 17 00:00:59.800 --> 00:01:00.300 Thank you. 18 00:01:00.300 --> 00:01:01.300 I appreciate that very much. 19 00:01:02.500 --> 00:01:05.500 Rhetorically, it's very weird to preach with people 20 00:01:10.600 --> 00:01:11.400 who are wearing mask. 21 00:01:12.600 --> 00:01:17.900 There is a way that we speak sometimes and often metaphorically or 22 00:01:17.900 --> 00:01:21.800 with figures of speech when we think that we buy or you or someone has 23 00:01:21.800 --> 00:01:23.000 gotten things reversed. 24 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:26.200 You've gotten it just kind of backwards. 25 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:28.800 If you were from the south. 26 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:32.000 You can do it and want an elegant word. 27 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:35.300 You can say you've got it all cattywampus. 28 00:01:37.300 --> 00:01:39.000 Two southerners nod in here. 29 00:01:40.700 --> 00:01:41.900 A little more elegantly. 30 00:01:41.900 --> 00:01:44.800 You might say you're getting ahead of yourself. 31 00:01:46.800 --> 00:01:50.800 Which is kind of and odd thing to say when you think about it, but it it works. 32 00:01:52.100 --> 00:01:53.300 But to make it even clearer 33 00:01:53.300 --> 00:01:57.800 you can give a slightly larger picture and you can say you're putting 34 00:01:57.800 --> 00:01:59.200 the cart before the horse. 35 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:03.300 And if you think about that, that's pretty clear. 36 00:02:06.300 --> 00:02:10.199 Now as I ponder the reading from Mark chapter 1 it was for me a 37 00:02:10.199 --> 00:02:14.000 reminder not to put the cart before the horse in Lent 38 00:02:15.100 --> 00:02:15.800 or anytime. 39 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:19.200 Know what do I mean by that 40 00:02:19.200 --> 00:02:21.200 and why did the reading remind me of that? 41 00:02:23.100 --> 00:02:26.300 First let me just mention that as you could probably guess by thinking 42 00:02:26.300 --> 00:02:30.600 about it Matthew and Luke recount the same events that Mark 1:9-15 43 00:02:30.600 --> 00:02:31.300 does. 44 00:02:32.200 --> 00:02:36.500 But just as a rough comparison they take at least three times longer 45 00:02:36.500 --> 00:02:37.600 to do that. 46 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:43.600 The accounts in Matthew and Mark are much much longer are Matthew and 47 00:02:43.600 --> 00:02:45.200 Luke than in Mark. 48 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:51.200 Jesus baptism, Jesus Temptation, John's arrest and the beginning of Jesus 49 00:02:51.200 --> 00:02:55.100 preaching in Mark are 14 lines in the Greek New Testament. 50 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:00.200 So Mark has squeezed things down considerably. 51 00:03:00.200 --> 00:03:06.900 It's very brief very tight and now we're getting to the point. 52 00:03:08.700 --> 00:03:11.600 He's left no place in the reading for you 53 00:03:14.200 --> 00:03:15.400 or for me. 54 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:18.600 There's no place for me here 55 00:03:18.600 --> 00:03:19.600 there's no room. 56 00:03:21.500 --> 00:03:24.400 Because you're not John the Baptist and I'm certainly not Jesus. 57 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:28.900 None of us is the Father or the Holy Spirit and thankfully none of us 58 00:03:28.900 --> 00:03:29.600 is Satan. 59 00:03:30.700 --> 00:03:33.000 There are no crowds or no disciples. 60 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:34.900 There's only Jesus. 61 00:03:39.200 --> 00:03:43.100 Now, let me just mention briefly now and I'll say it again at the end 62 00:03:43.100 --> 00:03:44.000 of the homily. 63 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:49.200 What you do as a Christian is important and your Christian living is a 64 00:03:49.200 --> 00:03:50.100 lot of hard work. 65 00:03:50.100 --> 00:03:54.400 And yes Lent you can be a time to think about these things. 66 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:00.300 But this morning I want to invite you not to get ahead of yourself. 67 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:07.600 Or to put it the other way not to put the cart before the horse either 68 00:04:07.600 --> 00:04:08.200 in Lent 69 00:04:09.300 --> 00:04:15.400 or in any other season of any other year as long as there are years. 70 00:04:18.700 --> 00:04:23.500 In other words, Jesus is saying to you in this text repent, repent from 71 00:04:23.500 --> 00:04:28.000 thinking that what you do and what you don't do comes first. 72 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:33.300 In any important sense of the word first repent and don't think you 73 00:04:33.300 --> 00:04:37.100 have to put yourself or push yourself into a place where you don't 74 00:04:37.100 --> 00:04:40.000 actually have a place. Some things are about me and some things are 75 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:40.600 about you. 76 00:04:40.600 --> 00:04:44.700 But some things are not about you and they're not about me in this 77 00:04:44.700 --> 00:04:45.400 reading isn't. 78 00:04:46.700 --> 00:04:50.000 There's a time and a place for you and me and again, I'll mention it 79 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:55.800 at the end, because Mark mentioned it at the end after the end of this 80 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:59.000 reading and he mentions it at the end of his gospel. 81 00:05:00.100 --> 00:05:01.500 But you're the cart. 82 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:08.300 All of your hard work as a Christian as important as it is is the 83 00:05:08.300 --> 00:05:08.800 cart. 84 00:05:10.500 --> 00:05:12.300 in these verses Jesus 85 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:14.600 is the horse. 86 00:05:16.200 --> 00:05:17.200 He's the power. 87 00:05:18.200 --> 00:05:21.000 Mark gives us Jesus 88 00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:24.400 and what he has come to do. 89 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:30.100 Now yes, John is there and he baptizes Jesus but this really says 90 00:05:30.100 --> 00:05:33.400 something about Jesus not so much anything about John. 91 00:05:33.400 --> 00:05:39.000 Jesus was baptized which is a little odd because John was baptizing 92 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:40.900 people who were confessing their sins. 93 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:44.200 Anyway, Jesus is baptized and look what happens next. 94 00:05:44.200 --> 00:05:49.700 Look what it's time for the heavens were not opening as the ESV says 95 00:05:49.700 --> 00:05:53.500 they were being torn open. Torn open 96 00:05:53.500 --> 00:05:58.700 the heavens are being torn open and the Holy Spirit is coming down in 97 00:05:58.700 --> 00:06:04.000 a way that he had never come down before. And the Father speaks and he 98 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:09.300 endorses Jesus and he's a very happy, very happy, and what Jesus is 99 00:06:09.300 --> 00:06:15.100 about to do and then Jesus does it. He goes is driven out into the 100 00:06:15.100 --> 00:06:19.100 Wilderness and he meets the enemy he meets the enemy who lurks behind 101 00:06:19.100 --> 00:06:23.800 every evil deed and every selfish word and every deadly piece of 102 00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:24.100 gossip. 103 00:06:24.100 --> 00:06:29.500 Jesus is driven into the desert and he goes into battle with the satan 104 00:06:29.500 --> 00:06:35.100 with the opponent, the adversary, who actually loves it when you put the 105 00:06:35.100 --> 00:06:37.100 cart before the horse. 106 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:42.300 Satan loves to say oh what a nice cart 107 00:06:42.300 --> 00:06:44.400 you have there, you know. 108 00:06:46.200 --> 00:06:48.000 You're not quite making enough progress. 109 00:06:50.900 --> 00:06:51.900 You need to go faster. 110 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:54.300 No 111 00:06:56.100 --> 00:06:56.900 after 112 00:07:00.100 --> 00:07:00.500 no 113 00:07:02.500 --> 00:07:03.200 faster. 114 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:08.300 The adversary loves it. 115 00:07:09.200 --> 00:07:11.900 When he can get us to put the cart before the horse. 116 00:07:14.200 --> 00:07:15.600 He loves to say, you know, that's 117 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:19.700 that's a pretty pathetic cart you have there, 118 00:07:21.500 --> 00:07:23.200 lots of people have nicer ones. 119 00:07:24.900 --> 00:07:26.300 Why is yours so slow? 120 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:29.800 Why is yours so weak? 121 00:07:34.400 --> 00:07:38.900 In the wilderness Jesus meets that enemy that opponent for 40 days. 122 00:07:40.100 --> 00:07:41.300 And he survives. 123 00:07:42.900 --> 00:07:44.000 And he stands. 124 00:07:45.300 --> 00:07:50.600 In fact, it seems as though Mark is telling us thatJesus changes the 125 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:54.200 Wilderness into a place where you don't have to be afraid. 126 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:58.300 Where the danger is gone. 127 00:08:00.300 --> 00:08:04.900 It's as if Jesus is putting together the broken pieces of the world. 128 00:08:06.900 --> 00:08:08.900 He was with the wild beasts. 129 00:08:11.100 --> 00:08:11.900 But no harm. 130 00:08:13.700 --> 00:08:15.100 And Angels were there. 131 00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:17.900 And they were serving him. 132 00:08:21.700 --> 00:08:24.800 And then Jesus begins to speak good news in Galilee. 133 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:25.600 He says it's time. 134 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:27.800 The king is coming. 135 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:29.000 The king is here. 136 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:30.000 God is here. 137 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.100 Jesus says I am here. 138 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:38.500 It's good news, and it's not about me or you but it's for me. 139 00:08:39.500 --> 00:08:40.500 And it's for you. 140 00:08:42.299 --> 00:08:43.799 Jesus says it's about me. 141 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:46.700 Mark is telling us 142 00:08:48.100 --> 00:08:52.000 don't put the cart before the horse. Repent, 143 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:55.200 Jesus says believe in me 144 00:08:56.400 --> 00:08:58.500 and what I have started to do. 145 00:09:02.900 --> 00:09:06.900 So here at the beginning of his Gospel of Mark squeezes things down 146 00:09:06.900 --> 00:09:07.500 and there's room 147 00:09:08.700 --> 00:09:10.000 to look at no one but Jesus. 148 00:09:11.900 --> 00:09:16.800 The heavens are torn open at last it's happening at last. 149 00:09:17.900 --> 00:09:22.300 And Jesus is there and the gospel of Mark actually sort of ends in a 150 00:09:22.300 --> 00:09:25.000 very similar way just like it began. 151 00:09:26.500 --> 00:09:31.200 it happens after God and Jesus became king in Galilee and Judea but there 152 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:34.400 were so many people everyone really who who did think it was about 153 00:09:34.400 --> 00:09:34.800 them. 154 00:09:34.800 --> 00:09:36.100 They wanted it to be about them 155 00:09:36.100 --> 00:09:39.000 and so they wanted to put the cart before the horse. 156 00:09:40.500 --> 00:09:44.600 And so by the end of the Gospel, they've all either abandon Jesus or 157 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:45.100 killed him. 158 00:09:47.900 --> 00:09:52.800 There in a shockingly true sense the Father whoever remains pleased 159 00:09:52.800 --> 00:09:53.600 with his son 160 00:09:54.700 --> 00:09:56.600 abandons him for a time. 161 00:09:58.500 --> 00:10:02.400 And just like at the beginning there's a tearing of the curtain of the 162 00:10:02.400 --> 00:10:04.800 temple is torn open. 163 00:10:06.100 --> 00:10:11.100 Just like the heavens are torn in chapter 1 and it's from top to 164 00:10:11.100 --> 00:10:13.900 bottom the tearing goes from top to bottom. 165 00:10:13.900 --> 00:10:17.700 It does not move from bottom to top. 166 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:25.300 It does not start at top and bottom and meet in the middle of no 167 00:10:25.300 --> 00:10:28.200 no, it's from top to bottom. 168 00:10:29.800 --> 00:10:32.000 No one did that but God. 169 00:10:35.300 --> 00:10:39.100 And then on the third day, there's a young man there at the empty 170 00:10:39.100 --> 00:10:40.700 tomb, but we know he's an angel, right? 171 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:45.100 Jesus promises on his lips to go and meet him in Galilee. 172 00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:49.200 The women didn't help with that the disciples didn't help with any of 173 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:49.400 that. 174 00:10:49.400 --> 00:10:52.800 No one did he pulled the load. 175 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:56.000 Because only he could. 176 00:10:57.500 --> 00:10:59.200 The Father was so pleased. 177 00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:03.300 The Father is still so pleased with his son. 178 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:05.700 And now 179 00:11:07.900 --> 00:11:11.200 when the satan, the opponent, criticizes your cart. 180 00:11:12.400 --> 00:11:17.400 You can say I actually already know that my card isn't strong enough. 181 00:11:17.400 --> 00:11:18.400 I already know that. 182 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:21.100 And it can't get me anywhere. 183 00:11:21.100 --> 00:11:24.300 That's the whole point of its being a cart. 184 00:11:26.400 --> 00:11:30.500 Or when the adversary praises your card and tries to get you 185 00:11:30.500 --> 00:11:33.100 to think a wonderful it is. You could say what? 186 00:11:34.900 --> 00:11:37.400 You want me to be impressed with my cart? 187 00:11:37.400 --> 00:11:40.300 I'm dumb, but I'm not that dumb. 188 00:11:41.400 --> 00:11:42.800 It's just a cart. 189 00:11:43.900 --> 00:11:45.800 It's just my cart. 190 00:11:48.100 --> 00:11:49.500 I would rather repent 191 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:52.200 and look at Jesus. 192 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:58.700 Jesus has opened the way and in him God came down and he forgives and he 193 00:11:58.700 --> 00:12:03.600 saves him and Mark's gospel has its way with us like that and we are so 194 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:09.000 focused on Jesus alone. Jesus as king of the Kingdom. Jesus as the one 195 00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:13.400 who does the Father's will. Jesus as the strong man 196 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:20.300 who snatches you back from the adversary and claims you for God. 197 00:12:21.300 --> 00:12:24.500 Then you're ready to push the cart after 198 00:12:26.300 --> 00:12:28.700 after the horse where it belongs. 199 00:12:30.500 --> 00:12:33.700 Jesus met them in Galilee after he was raised from the dead. Mark 200 00:12:33.700 --> 00:12:37.000 doesn't actually narrate that but we know we did because he promised 201 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:37.300 that he would. 202 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:43.900 And here in Mark chapter 1 after verses 9 to 15 in Galilee, Jesus meets up 203 00:12:43.900 --> 00:12:46.900 with some fishermen and he says come after me. 204 00:12:49.300 --> 00:12:50.300 Jesus first 205 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:53.200 then we follow. 206 00:12:55.700 --> 00:12:58.600 And for me and you this Lent for the rest of your days 207 00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:02.300 until the heavens are torn open again. 208 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:04.600 That's your cart. 209 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:07.000 That's your place. 210 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:14.700 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.