Ezekiel 2:1-5, Psalm 123, & Mark 6:1-13 on July 7th
Above is audio of the sermon pulled from the video and amplified.
Below is transcript pulled from the video and formatted by artificial intelligence. There may be inconsistencies or errors.
Hello? How may I direct your call? Oh, hello, God. You have Beth Newbauer here. I imagine you want to speak to Pastor Jason, but he's on sabbatical this summer, not that you wouldn't know that already. I just want to make sure you realize that I'm only here, tempering. Oh, you say that we're all only tempering in this world? No reason to apologize for that. It's all part of your master design as we use our different gifts for the benefit of all. Okay, I'll remember that, God. Thank you.
Yes, things seem to be going well. Thanks for asking. We're getting ready for Bishop Ginny's visit next Sunday. And then our Christmas in July celebration begins the week after that. You know, God, we can never celebrate too much Christmas down here. That's by your design as well. The birth and coming of Emmanuel, God with us is to be welcomed, celebrated, embraced every day by those you love. You have heard us sing our prayers be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay. And you want us to know you're already doing that. Close by us forever to love us always. Understood. I'll certainly pass that on to the congregation as well.
You know, while we're talking about Christmas in July, I'd like to put a plug-in for one gift, God. I don't know what pull you might have on a church parking lot, finally being completed. You're right, our Christmas in July celebration is more about giving than it is receiving. But we would appreciate anything you could do to make things happen. Thank you.
So back to our plans for this summer. In August, we'll kick off a busy week of vacation Bible School. And our outreach to the Greater Myrtle Beach community will include equipping children with new backpacks and putting in snacks to extend your nurture and love throughout the school year. Okay, God, I'll tell everyone how happy these plans make you, how much you enjoy blessing children.
What's that? You then want me to challenge the congregation to keep growing? You desire all your beloved, all the children of the world to be reached and blessed by your church. And you want me to explain that as much as you delight in our gifts of backpacks and school snacks, you expect us to keep reaching out farther. To find new ways to lighten the load, any beloved child in your world must carry. And to treasure the fellowship known and breaking bread together.
You know, I'm going to have to think about that, God. I've been told by more than one congregant that after a week of stress, strain, and being bombarded by absolute opinions, they simply want a sermon that helps them feel good, not necessarily challenged. Your hard truths, teachings like love one another as I have loved you, or pray for your enemies, or forgive as you've been forgiven. Or welcome the stranger. Yes, those strangers. Or find in the least of your neighbors the face of your Lord. Or take up a cross and follow. You know, these teachings are easy to say, God, but awfully hard to apply. And you give no wiggle room. You demand a wholehearted response, one that takes all of our resolve, strength, and devotion. Yours is not really a feel-good message.
And I'm starting to understand how a prophet like Ezekiel must have felt when you called him to speak your truth. And you pointed out from the start, he'd have to deal as well with people's stubbornness, not like the enthusiastic crowds Jesus faced during his ministry near Galilee.
Well, yes, God, I did spend time this week reflecting on today's Gospel lesson from Mark. I read where Jesus wasn't welcomed in his hometown, where he was doubted and rejected. And yes, I also remember all that Mark had recorded earlier about others who questioned his authority, those who had watched Jesus carefully and plot ways to bring him and his ministry to an end. I read it all.
So what is it that you'd have me say to your people today, God? Good news, can I tell? What blessing from this worship will they take home to support their discipleship this week? What encouragement have you to give when they face the taunts of family and neighbors, the painful judgment and cold rejection of others who also judge Jesus as irrelevant, who reject his way and pronounce his foolish, very teachings of faithful strive to live by?
You want me to have worshipers focus again on today's Gospel and put themselves in that story to see themselves among Jesus' disciples that day in Nazareth when he faced rejection of his belief, you want me to point out that while Jesus seemingly could do no deeds of power in their sight, still he laid hands on the sick and healed them completely. I get the importance of that, God, despite the greater community's disbelief and opposition, your reign was, is and always will be sure. Your power cannot be held captive by the rebellious and stubborn ways of humans, and you will always have the last word, the final victory, that word makes us whole and well.
So what's that, God? Not only do you have the last say, but you also speak to expand your kingdom. That's what happens next in the Gospel story. Jesus calls His disciples those serving then, those serving today and gives them marching orders. They are sent out with authority. You know, that's where I wanted to go with my sermon, God. The disciples are not given just any authority in power. They are given Jesus as the source of both. The disciples go out to reflect His work in mission, to oppose the injustices in evil Jesus opposes to bring healing in His name, and that mission has not changed right up to this day. How you must believe in us, God, to give the church responsibility to help heal your world.
I hear that concern, God. You do not call us of the church to be know-it-alls on earth, or gatekeepers in heaven. You call us to share the heart and mind of Jesus. You desire we become humble like Jesus. Take time to pray and ponder and seek your holy will, aligning our spirits to the Father's Spirit. I hear you, God. Too often we make our prayers more about directing you than seeking your direction. I guess you want me to pass that on to the congregation too.
Okay, so here it is. The truth is we were made by God's hand, and for God's delight, we were not made only to make God an hour image for our own delight. Those are some powerful thoughts for me to ponder, God. I appreciate your sharing them, but I got to get back to the task at hand. In fact, your phone call came, and I didn't even get in my children's sermon. I was about to begin my sermon, and now I've used up most of my time.
So what's that, God? You want me to go back to the beginning of this phone conversation and end with that? I'm not sure what you have in mind, but okay, you're the boss. So here it goes.
Hello. How may I direct your call? It's for you.