Sermon for 8th Sunday after Pentecost – Ephesians 2:11-22

This week I’ve been assisting the Lutheran Deaconness Conference to host their annual meeting on Zoom. With 140 or so guests in one meeting, it makes for a pretty exciting and action packed time behind the scenes! At any rate, one of the things that fascinates me about the LDC, is that their membership is fairly equally split between the ELCA and the LCMS – two Lutheran denominations (there are a number of them, actually) which haven’t been known to play nicely with each other, for a variety of reasons (full disclosure, I’m a member of the ELCA). Yet, this is a large community of folks who are deeply committed to a thriving community that demonstrates honest grace. So, what makes this kind of gracious community possible?

Well, St. Paul has some thoughts about it in our reading from his letter to the Ephesians. From the way Paul talks about them, they sound like the perfect church. It’s a time of blessing (1:3). They’ll make the wisdom of God known to rulers and authorities (3:9-10). Paul’s heard of their faith and constantly gives thanks for their example (1:16). That’s high praise. Compare all that to some of Paul’s other letters where he rails about heresy, scandal, persecution, gossip – a laundry list of issues. If only we could all be like the Ephesians!

But there has to be a catch, right?

Sermon for 7th Sunday after Pentecost – Mark 6:14-29

The gospel of the Lord? Really? Herod sends a soldier to chop off the head of John the Baptizer. They bury his body. The end. What a messed up story! But Herod’s involved, so we shouldn’t be surprised. Let’s remember who Herod is. This is Herod Antipas (AN-ti-puhs). His dad was Herod the Great. Dad’s ruthless, murderous, paranoid. When Jesus was born, he hears a rumor that the king of the Jews has come into the world. But HE’S supposed to be the king of the Jews. This is a threat! So he orders the slaughter of all the male infants in the kingdom. What kind of maniac does that? Daddy. When that’s your parental role model, do you think you might have a few issues? Here’s another. One day, this Herod, the son, goes off to Rome to visit his brother Philip, wife Herodias, and daughter Salome. He likes what he sees and steals Herodias away to be his wife. But he takes Salome too, because family values.

Now, here comes John the Baptist. He’s a prophet. That means he’s all about speaking truth to power. His mouth gets him in trouble. But he doesn’t know when to shut up. He goes and tells Herod like it is – you stole your brother’s wife. You’re breaking God’s law. Herod should be furious, right? But get this – Herod still likes John anyway! “When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.” Go figure. Herodias on the other hand, she wants John dead. John’s message REALLY gets under her skin. So if we read between the lines, maybe she didn’t exactly MIND Herod stealing her away. Now, imagine the bedroom fight. Herodias wants John dead, Herod wants John alive. But Herod’s smart. Put John in prison. It’ll get Herodias off his back AND keep John around. Mission accomplished! Maybe he even thinks John should be thankful. At least he doesn’t have to eat locusts in the desert anymore, right?