Stewardship of Life

Collision Course

By Sharron R. Blezard, January 26, 2009

Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. –Mark 1:23-26 (NRSV)

 

It is a scene that might well be lifted straight from a Hollywood horror movie — a rising conflict between the new and the status quo, a power struggle between good and evil, and an exorcism. One thing we are guaranteed: nothing about Jesus or his ministry is going to be ordinary, tame, or boring.

First, Jesus strides into the synagogue and begins to teach with unprecedented authority, a rabbi who really knows his stuff and is able to communicate it effectively. The people are awestruck at the freshness and strength of his words.

Second, the conflict between the religious leaders and Jesus is slipped into the story quite skillfully; it’s contextually important, and it will show up as a plot point repeatedly, but it is not the main confrontation of this story. No, the tension in this little drama is the age-old struggle between good and evil, played out between Jesus and an unclean spirit that possesses a man in the crowd. Faster than one can dial the crack team at Ghostbusters, Jesus commands the unclean spirit to shut up and get out. And it does, to the growing amazement of the crowd. This public encounter between Jesus and the forces of evil inaugurated a collision course that would mark his public ministry.

Those who follow Jesus will inevitably find themselves on a similar path with the darker side of reality. We often assume, or at least hope, that our life as a Christian will be more akin to the prosperity gospel that some evangelists tout instead of the hard knock life of a first-century disciple. It would be so much easier to waltz through our days enjoying the good times of potluck fellowship, treasuring the warm fuzzies of Christmas Eve candlelight and carols, and placing our offering in the plate to “do” the mission for us

The issue becomes more complicated when we are called to step out of our pews, to pull away from the comfort and safety of our warm homes, and to confront a world of pain and suffering. As disciples of Christ and stewards of the good news, our course is set.

No longer may our eyes remain closed. We will see, and what we see will often hurt. No longer are we able to avoid the knowledge of evil at work in our world, even in our communities — perhaps right next door. No longer must we pretend that everything is okay. It is not as long as one child goes to bed hungry and as long as one family lives in fear.

Lest you worry that I am going to feverishly paint a picture of doom and gloom or browbeat your with a puritanical rant, I remind you of some very good news. We are not alone. The victory is won in the end. We’ve read the last page of the script, and the resolution is most satisfactory.

However, we’re not to the end yet. In this present time we are called to follow Christ into the dark places. We are asked to confront evil and expose it for the broken, defeated sham that it really is. We are commanded to speak out and work for justice and peace. We are to name the darkness and point to the light of Christ. Yes, friends, we’re on a collision course alright, but it is one that leads not to death but rather to abundant life.

Copyright (c) 2009, The Rev. Sharron Lucas, all rights reserved. Used by permission.