Do you want an amazing life? February 1, 2009

I love magic, I love watching close magic like Harry Anderson and the huge spectacular feats like David Copperfield. I was so amazed when Copperfield appeared far from where he had been locked in a safe and a building was imploded on him.

Four of us Scouts enjoyed an amazing tent while camping at Big Basin Redwoods Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We slept inside of a standing, living redwood tree. Decades before, it had been gutted by a fire but it was still alive, growing and hollow. I've been shocked to silence at the amazing sight of our galaxy spread out in the darkness far away from a city and from the sight of whales breaching off of Maui. Yet nothing was more amazing to me than the birth of our three boys.

So what causes you to be amazed? We usually think of amazing in positive terms but not so in the ancient world. The root of the word actually comes from the idea of being "slapped" in the face. It has strong negative undertones of uneasiness and dismay. It's the feeling one gets just before everything goes terribly not right. And Mark uses the word twice as he describes the reaction of the worshipers to Jesus teaching and to the healing that took place.

I assume this was Peter, James, Andrew and John's home synagogue. Each Saturday they probably sat in the same place as usual. Each Saturday the Rabbi or another would read the scroll and explain what other great men had said about what was read. Each week the same people, the same friends, the same business associates and the like were in their same places. It was a comfortable and predictable place to spend a Saturday.

What made this week different was Jesus. News of these four fishermen walking away from their nets was known. There were probably more than a few conversations with their families and a lot of speculation on just who this teacher, this Jesus, really was. That Saturday, as tradition demanded, this Rabbi Jesus was asked to read and teach.

This is where the problem began. Worship didn't remain predictable and comfortable as Jesus taught. He didn't rely on the hand-me-downs from past Rabbis. He didn't rely on Mishnah and traditions. He "taught as one who had authority". It may have well been as he did in Matthew where he said, "You have heard it said... but I say to you." Mark's concern is with the reaction of the people to Jesus not to what Jesus said. And the people were amazed, [remember amazed equals bad]. Then the real stuff started to happen. The demon's in a man there at worship start to shout at Jesus and to identify him to the crowd. In short order, Jesus silences the demons and casts them out and the man is delivered. Once again, the people are "amazed".

Here's what I believe God wants us to hear from His word. Jesus enters into the most comfortable places in our lives with authority. He tells us a new reality has come, a new day has dawned, and a new Kingdom is among us. When this happens the comfort becomes uncomfortable because we know we have to do something with this Jesus.

Jesus' authority is backed up with the power to change lives. We know nothing of this man other than while teaching demons with him exploded in fear and loathing at Jesus. It seems entirely likely this guy was there regularly at worship. If so, consider this; the demons were never threatened by the usual teaching that went on in there. They were never worried. They never felt confronted. They were never afraid to be among religious people. It wasn't till Jesus happened on the scene that things became unsettling and painful.

Today Jesus does the same things. He shakes up our comfortable and predictable world with his teaching. Then he takes our foibles, sins, hang-ups, mistakes, past, present, future, relationships, and habits and when they raise their ugly heads like excuses for not changing they are cast away and we are set free from them and our excuses. Jesus shakes us up challenges us and changes us. Yet sometimes we are too amazed at Jesus to see his offer of hope.

When someone accepts Christ's authority they become new. Their lives and direction change. That is what people probably saw in those four disciples of Jesus' who were with him in worship.

In Andrew Greeley's novel Patience of a Saint a hard-bitten Chicago newspaper writer has a religious experience and returns to his faith. He is transformed. A man, who was the subject of this reporter's newfound honesty, commits suicide. Those who Red Kane thought would be overjoyed to see such a change attack him mercilessly. Red goes to a priest who knows him.

Blackie says to Red, "Red, you should have kept off the road to Damascus. Everyone looks up to you, admires you, laughs at your jokes... They lament that you have become something of a moth-eaten, down at the heel character, hiding behind the mask of cynicism. When the Lord God activates your hidden potential and...a new Red Kane—crusading journalist, dedicated truth teller, scourge of dishonesty and corruption, brilliant writer, sensitive and loving husband, sympathetic and helpful father, dedicated churchman. Do we all shout hooray for the new Red Kane? ...Nonsense, rather, down with the new Red Kane. People don't like us to get better."

Jesus is in the business of making us better and he does it by his teaching and backs that up with his power. There is NO evil that Jesus cannot overcome. There is NO barrier that can stand against His authority. And that is why we come to this table this morning. It is here that we discover once more the truth of just how far Jesus would go to transform us. It is this cup and bread that Christ meets us and offers to transform us as well.

Some of us have been holding on to old things way too long. Some of us have become comfortable in our spiritual lives and elsewhere. Some of us don't want our politics, social views, friendships, or lives touched with anything that will move us away from the status quo. If you're one of those people you need to stay the heck away from Jesus because his total purpose for coming, the entire reason we have this meal, is because he wants to leave us amazed and transformed.

Come to this table if you dare. May Christ amaze you, and in that amazement may you sense His call to follow Him. Let us come to the table this morning.