Being a disciple of Christ takes willingness – a willingness to invite, to allow, and to open ourselves up to the power of transformation that the good news has upon our lives; a willingness to effect change in our lives, in our communities, and in others; a willingness to cross borders and engage issues of racism, sexism, and discrimination. Being a disciple of Christ takes a willingness to become whole, a willingness to grow, and a willingness to welcome.
February 11, 2024
The Gospel of Mark, Chapter 1
“I Am Willing”
Mark 1: 40-45
Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl
Mark 1: 40-45
A leper came to him, begging on his knees, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.” Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy. Jesus dismissed him with strict orders: “Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people.” But as soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had happened, spreading the news all over town. So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over.
I Am Willing Mark 1: 40-45
We are at the end of Chapter 1 in the Gospel of Mark. Who would have thought we could spend six weeks on just 45 verses? However, when we remember again that Mark is known as the shortest Gospel and that he has a tendency to put a lot of significant information in a short description, we really shouldn’t be too surprised. After all, Mark is asking us as Jesus’ followers to explore, to claim, to share who Jesus is for us. Mark is reminding us as his readers of the power of the Kingdom of God to transform us, to open our eyes to a new way of seeing, to a new way of experiencing the world around us.
From the very beginning of his Gospel, Mark has been telling us that God was sending God’s messenger before us, that this messenger would prepare the way for us, and in response to this message, we are called to prepare the way, to make straight the paths.
Mark has been telling us that everything about Jesus would shift our understanding on how the Kingdom of God works, would shift the narrative from power and might to hope and grace. Mark has been telling us from the beginning that everything about Jesus would shift our understanding of who God is and how we are called to be as followers of Jesus Christ.
Throughout these 45 verses, in just Chapter 1, Mark gives us a glimpse into the ebb and flow of what is to come for Jesus in his ministry, moving seamlessly from private moments to public ministry and then back once more, creating connections and relationships wherever Jesus goes, and shifting from healing to preaching and teaching then back again as the need arises.
Because each of these instances of Jesus’ ministry shared within Chapter 1 is an opportunity for us as his followers to experience the good news. Each of these is an opportunity for us to deepen our understanding of the mystery of God. These 45 verses which tell us of Jesus’ ministry is a revealing of who Jesus Christ really is and how as his followers we are to respond to such a revelation.
And today’s story is no different. In our text today, we encounter another healing story. This story with its five verses is deceptively simple. It is not really different from the other healing stories we have encountered in the first chapter of Mark…except that it is because in verse 40, unlike before in the other healings, the leper asks Jesus, “If you want, you could make me clean.” Unfortunately we miss part of the conversation because of the translating from Greek to English. The sentence actually reads, If you want and you do, you could make me clean.
Through this question, Mark is pointing out to us as his readers that when it comes to following Jesus, want and willing are not the same thing. Just because we want something doesn’t mean we are willing to make it happen.
In this particular story, Mark is telling us that the Gospel message, the good news of God’s grace and love is just too good of news not to share. It is going to get out. It is going to change lives. It is going to bring healing. It is going to bring wholeness. As followers of Jesus Christ, that’s what we want to happen but Mark is asking us if we are willing to make it happen.
Because being a disciple of Christ takes willingness…a willingness to invite, to allow, to open ourselves up to the power of transformation that the good news has upon our lives, a willingness to effect change in our lives, in our communities, in others as well. Being a disciple takes a willingness to cross borders, to engage issues of racism, sexism, discrimination against gender identity, against all the isms which fill our world. Being a disciple of Christ takes a willingness to become whole, a willingness to grow, a willingness to welcome.
I wish I could tell you that I had this really great sermon illustration to bring it all home but I don’t. Because well, the beauty of the Gospel of Mark. He is not going to leave us with 3 points and poem. He is leaving us with a question. He is leaving us wanting more because no one can decide for us as individuals if we are willing to follow Jesus, if we are willing to open ourselves up to the Kingdom of God in our midst. The preacher can’t do that for us. The spiritual gurus can’t do that for us. Sure they can suggest. They can share wisdom. They can nudge people in the direction of love and grace but no preacher, no spiritual guru, not even communities of faith can make the choice for us to move from wanting the Beloved Community to come to fruition here on Earth to a willingness to work to make it happen. As followers of Jesus Christ, only us as individuals, only us as communities of faith can decide if we are willing to put in the difficult work, the uncomfortable work, the often frustrating because we don’t see quick results work into building up the Beloved Community here on Earth for all of God’s people.
I know so many of us, especially now in these crazy times, so many of us are wanting a more spiritual connection to Jesus in our lives. I have heard so many people say that they are wanting to find some way, something which will strengthen their connection to God, almost as if they achieve or get this one thing, they will no longer have to keep doing the hard work of the Beloved Community because they will “have” Jesus.
The danger with this way of thinking is that we turn Jesus into an object. We turn Jesus into someone that thinks like us, that acts likes us, that looks like and in doing so, Jesus becomes someone we control. We begin to create Jesus in our image rather than the other way around. When this happens, we limit who Jesus is. We limit what Jesus is. We limit the possibilities of new life because they do not fit into our understanding of how the Kingdom of God works.
That’s why throughout Chapter 1, in fact throughout his whole Gospel, Mark gives us these glimpses of the Kingdom of God through Jesus’ teachings, through Jesus’ healings, through Jesus’ words and actions. Mark does this to keep us on our toes, to entice us to follow, to engage us so that we will continue becoming who God created us to be, so that we continue to be willing to do the messy often uncomfortable work of bringing about the Beloved Community here on Earth. These glimpses invite us to experience the mystery of God at work in our world. They awaken us to the wonder of it all. These glimpses entice us to expand our understanding of who God is and who we are called to be as the people of God. These glimpses open our eyes to the Spirit of God, moving in and among us, bringing healing and wholeness for all of God’s people. These glimpses show us that there is no one right way, that there is no one right direction for us to take. These glimpses into who Jesus, into how the Kingdom of God works continue to shift the narrative on us. These glimpses show us time and time again, the beauty of God’s transformative power in all things and through all things.
So instead of offering some sermon illustration to tie it all together, this morning, I am leaving us with a question..because at the end of Chapter 1, we are back at the beginning…Jesus is extending the call to change our hearts and lives, and trust this good news!” That’s the want of the Beloved Community. But is there a willingness in us, for us to hear the call and respond? May it be so.
Amen.
See also: Theology Tuesday for Sunday, February 11, 2024 – I Am Willing Mark 1: 40-45.
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