Scripture Readings for this sermon: Mark 1:21-28
I remember once I got into an argument with my dad. It was a stupid argument, over nothing really. It was about which is better, soccer or hockey. And it got so heated, there was yelling and everything. And to be honest with you, I don’t even care that much. I like hockey well enough, but not that much. I’ll watch it if it is on, but since I got rid of cable, I find myself caring progressively less and less. I’ll periodically check the scores and standings, but beyond that, meh. Maybe that’s because I’m a Leaf fan. I don’t know why what he was saying was pissing me off, but it was. And I argued.
And suddenly, I said to myself, “Oh! I’m angry!” As if I was caught by surprise. I was arguing so heatedly over something that was absolutely meaningless. I had become irrational, I was yelling. I had to say to my dad, “I need to end this right now. I can’t argue anymore.” It was ridiculous. But I didn’t realize how ridiculous I was being, until I saw and said to myself, “Oh, I’m angry.” Anger had taken control of me, and whisked me away.
In our scripture reading for today we read the first story in Mark about an exorcism, about casting out a spirit that had taken control of man. Jesus is teaching in the synagogue, when a man, possessed by an unclean spirit, approaches him. Such a man would likely not have been welcome in the synagogue, or the town for that matter. He was unclean, and very likely there would have been fear of him, or of being infected by him. Jesus, however, is unwilling to allow this man to be cast aside to the margins. Rather than sending the man away, the way the rest of the world would have and probably did, Jesus heals him. People are in awe of this power, and quickly, word begins to spread beyond the town about this man, this teacher, this healer.
Something really surprising happens in this story that today’s readers may not catch. The words from the man with the unclean spirit carry an extra element of danger that we might not pick up on. “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?” the man cries out, “I know who you are, the Holy One of God!” Whatever is possessing the man, whatever controls his body, knows exactly who it is confronting, and the unclean spirit names him. “Jesus of Nazareth” it says, “I know who you are, the Holy One of God!”
During the time of Jesus, it was believed that knowing the true name of someone gave you power over them. The unclean spirit that is controlling the man knows the name of Jesus. It is so obvious to the unclean spirit who it is facing, it recognizes Christ instantly and clearly states it.
And it has absolutely no effect.
This is noted a few times in Mark. Immediately after this story, it describes Jesus casting out demons that he would not let speak because “the knew him.” Whether this is to protect his identity from the public is unclear. In fact this secrecy is another common theme of Mark, Jesus seems determined not to let too many people know he is the Messiah. But again, in chapter five of Mark, a demon once again states Jesus’ name and identity, and it holds no power over him. But when Jesus demands the name of the demon, it immediately speaks, saying “I am Legion” and Jesus casts it out.
Knowing and naming those demons, knowing and naming the spirits, knowing and naming what dwells within is a tremendously powerful tool. And in this story, we see Christ embody his authority, calling those demons, calling those unclean spirits out into the light. Though he is known by whatever dwells within, though they have seen into his very soul, his very being, they have no power over him. And when they try to control him, he simply brings them out into the light. And everyone is in awe.
There are so many things in this world, that we hide from. So many things that we never talk about, that we may never even admit to ourselves. My earlier story was not a criticism of anger. Anger can be a good thing. Anger can be an energizing, positive force for change in the world. Martin Luther King Jr. was angry, and thank God that he was. Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians, “Be angry, and do not sin.” There is nothing wrong with anger in itself. The danger comes when it goes unrecognized. When we do not know its name is when it has power over us.
This goes for so many of our emotions. Fear is another big one that can control us if we do not know its presence. Fear in itself need not be a bad thing. If there is a tiger running at me, fear is a good thing. Not having fear at that moment is stupid. But fear can also creep into our very being and take control of all things. I have to watch myself, I have a fear of conflict, and so I need to be very conscious of checking myself, that in certain situations it is not that fear driving me. We all have fears that go unknown and unnamed, and it is then that they become dangerous.
This goes beyond simple emotions. Our desires as well can be viewed the same way. What about sexual attraction or romantic desire? Are those bad things? Of course not! They’re awesome. One should not feel bad about being attracted to someone. We can’t pick and choose who we think is sexy. It just happens. If we see it, if we admit it to ourselves we can take appropriate measures, we can say to ourselves “Uh oh, better be careful around her, or him.” Or we can say to ourselves, “Yeah! This is a good thing, and I’m pretty happy about it.” It is when we cannot admit it to ourselves, when we cannot name it, when we bury it because for some reason we feel it is wrong; it is then that we begin to cross boundaries that need to be checked. The desire controls and corrupts from the inside.
Needs become addictions when they go unnamed. There is a reason that someone must admit they have a problem before an addiction can be overcome. They have to name it, name that demon and call it into the light.
Even at a social level these demons take effect. We call them taboos. Those topics that are so difficult to bring up, so they remain hushed whispers. I’ve had it said to me by a number of different people that at the funeral on Thursday, when I first said the word “suicide” there was an inaudible intake of breath. It was the elephant in the room, the unspoken word, the unnamed presence. Once it was named however, it lost all its power.
We need to be talking about these things. Especially in church. This should be a place where it is safe to talk about those taboo issues, and yet ironically throughout history we have been the purveyor silence. We should be talking about suicide, we should be talking about mental illness, depression, addiction and alcoholism. They should not be whispered topics of conversation we say under our breath. We should be talking about domestic violence and abuse because it happens. In this community, I promise you it happens. Probably by someone you know and love to someone you know and love. We should be talking about sex, and not just in the old churchy way about why it can be dangerous, but also about why it can be awesome. There, if that doesn’t get you coming to church anticipating that sermon, I don’t what will.
This is the power of Christ, to bring things out into the light. This is the authority of Jesus, he didn’t cast off all those taboos, he dwelt among them, casting love and compassion onto all of them. We are an incarnational faith, we believe God existed and continues to exist here in the world. My appreciation of this has grown tremendously over the last little while. If God is in this world, then that is where the Church should be. If Christ cast light upon, taught to embrace, and named all those powers which take control of us, then so should the church. Because if not even the church can have those conversations in healthy, life giving ways, then who can?
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