Called to Fail

Rev. Debbie Cato

2 Samuel 5:1-5; 9-10 and Mark 6:1-13

Peace Presbyterian Church

July 5, 2015

“Called to Fail”

Thomas Edison, an American inventor and businessman who invented the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and of course the light bulb, said, “I have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”

Our 26^th president was an American statesman, author, explorer, and soldier – among other things. Teddy Roosevelt is credited with saying, “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”

Michael Jordan is a professional basketball player who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships and won the Most Valuable Player Award five times. Jordan became the most decorated player in the NBA. He is also an Olympic athlete, successful businessperson, and actor. Michael Jordan knows how to win.

Talking about his success, Michael once said, “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

“I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Yet, we all fear failure, don't we?

Jesus, the Savior of the world, faces multiple obstacles to proclaiming the Good News. Some people are fearful – is Jesus committing blaspheme by forgiving sins? Scandal develops – did you hear? Jesus' disciples do not fast! The fact that Jesus heals on the Sabbath and Jesus' disciples do not keep the Sabbath outrages people. Others say that he casts out demons by the power of Beelzebul. When Jesus announces that a young girl is asleep and not dead, he is laughed at for his foolishness. ¹

As a prophet, Jesus stirs up trouble in and around Galilee. He not only has a kind word for lepers, but he dares to touch them and heal them! He heals the sick but, even more shocking, he forgives their sin. He upsets the local etiquette police by eating with “tax collectors and sinners.” Jesus is an apostle of change, charging old wineskins are not adequate to hold the radical effervescent grace of God. He is reading and interpreting Scripture in fresh new ways – suggesting that pressing human need trumps religious ritual and rules every time. Is it any wonder the locals are worried Jesus is coming to town?²

And now, some in Jesus' own family think that he has “gone out of his mind.”

“Where did this man get all this knowledge? Is this not the carpenter –
the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon,
and are not his sisters here with us?”

They actually take offense at him! The locals in Nazareth were not expecting God to show up in a lowly carpenter who lived two doors down. Neither was anyone else. The hostility and resentment that Jesus faces in his hometown undercuts his authority. “And he could do no deed of power there.”

Think about the significance of this encounter in Nazareth. Jesus heads to his hometown – his people. He wants them to hear and understand the Good News. He wants them to understand God's amazing grace. He wants them to be freed from oppressions; to understand they are beloved children of God. These are the people Jesus knows and loves. And instead of blessing them; his message offends them. They get angry. In fact, Luke's account tells us that:

And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff.  But passing through their midst, Jesus went His way.

Jesus knows about failure. He knows about disappointment. He knows about great intentions of ministry in his community that flat line. He knows what it's like to have people he loves, reject him. But failure does not stop Jesus. He knows that somewhere else will be people who will be eager to hear about the kingdom of God. He knows that somewhere else, people will believe.

And so, on the heels of his hometown disappointment, the passage says Jesus, who is “amazed at their unbelief”, shakes the dust from his feet. He shakes off their rejection. And then; “Then Jesus goes about among the villages teaching.”

Jesus keeps doing what he's called to do. Even when he “fails.” He knows not everyone is open to hearing and so he moves on looking for those ready to hear about a new life.

Having experienced both success and failure in reaching people with his message of the coming kingdom of God, Jesus gathers “the twelves” and proceeds to scatter them to the surrounding villages, giving “them authority over the unclean spirits.”

He says, “Show up.” Show up in the villages surround Galilee. Don't wait for those in need to knock on your door or call or text for an appointment. You go out to them. Jesus' disciples are to take the lead from their Master – who went to the seashore; who went to the marketplace; to the synagogue – and they are to go wherever the people are and the need is. And if they are rejected? If no one welcomes them? Well, Jesus knows all about that. “Shake the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” Then go to the next village. Don't give up! Try something new.

Jesus knew that his disciples would have both successes and failures. He did. Why wouldn't they? He simply asked his disciples to show up. Do your best, and then leave the rest to God. No one, not even God, can (or will) control another's response. The disciples' calling is not success. Their calling is faithfulness.

You know that's our calling too, right? Just like the first twelve, we are Jesus' disciples. He sends us out. He calls us to show up. To plant seeds. To go where the needs are. To bring healing into our community. To share how our faith has changed us.

It's a call to faithfulness. Faithfulness in sharing Jesus' mission. Faithfulness in meeting needs. Faithfulness in bringing healing. Showing up. This Scripture passage teaches us that we too must expect failure! Our ministries will not always have the outcomes we want. They will not always be received. We need to learn to shake the dust from our feet and move forward. Try something else. Failure is not an excuse to stop; but an opportunity to take the next step. It is part of the fieldwork of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, let me ask you a question: If we were not afraid to fail; if we were not afraid of critics telling us they knew it wouldn't work; how might we engage with our community out of faithfulness to our call? What does out community need if we went out and looked? What would it look like for Peace Presbyterian Church if we identified needs in our neighborhood and said, let's go out. Let's show up. Let's be faithful. Let's see what God does.

1 Feasting on the Gospels: Mark. Theological Perspective. Joseph Bessler. P164.

2Feasting on the Gospels: Mark. Pastoral Perspective. Bob Setzer Jr. p166.