Sermon for 5th Epiphany
Demons
By The Rev. Eric Christopher Shafer -
Last Sunday St. Mark told us of Jesus beginning his ministry of preaching and healing by casting out an “unclean spirit.” In this Sunday’s gospel lesson, St. Mark tells us that, as people brought those who were sick and possessed by demons to Jesus, Jesus healed people and that Jesus cast out many demons.
Now we know in 2021 that what people in Jesus’ day called “unclean spirits” and “demons” were various illnesses, mental and physical, many of which are now treatable by modern medicine.
So, perhaps, all this talk about “unclean spirits” and people “possessed by demons” has no relevance for us in 2021.
Or does it?
As I write this more than 2.2 million people in this world have died in the past year from COVID-19, 435,000 of these in the USA. Makes me think that if this pandemic is not demonic, I am not sure what is!
People possessed by demons? Well, we do have a new Congresswomen who has written that the California wildfires were caused by a secret Jewish space laser! This would be almost laughable if it were not so anti-Semitic. This same Congresswoman has stated that the Parkland and Sandy Hook school shootings were staged, faked. I think a Parkland or Sandy Hook parent would have no trouble calling those comments demonic.
However, we do not need to look at massive health issues or unhinged Congress members to find the demonic. For many people demons are far too real and close to home – alcoholism, drug abuse, bullying, “cutting” and all kinds of physical abuse done to ourselves and others, depression and anger, thoughts of suicide, gambling, smoking and even over-eating. For far too many, these are their demons.
And then there are the larger demonic forces in society – racism, white supremacy and hate of all kinds – including homophobia, anti-Semitism, islamophobia – and that sad list could go on and on.
Violence, war, poverty, hunger – all demonic. Terrorism of all kinds including domestic terror from the far right and left. And many would add the threat that climate change brings to all of us.
And what does our gospel text tell us that Jesus did in the face of the demons of his time?
Here is what Jesus did: Jesus continued his ministry. Jesus continued to heal the sick. Jesus continued to proclaim his message of salvation. And Jesus did not allow the demons to speak. Jesus did not allow the demons of his time to stop him from sharing God’s love.
I have always liked an old Barbra Streisand song called “Free the People in which Streisand sings, “Free the people from the fire, pull the boat out of the ranging sea, tell the devil he’s a liar, come and save the likes of me.”
I just love that phrase – “tell the devil, he’s a liar.”
Back when I was newly ordained, I attended what was then called a “Stewardship of Life” seminar led by the Rev. Richard Lee “Dick” Peterman, a stewardship giant in the church at that time. I do not now remember a lot from that excellent three-day workshop, but I do remember one thing that Peterman stressed in stewardship, something that I have found relates for me to my entire ministry and even all of my life. Peterman stressed not to count the small group of negative folks in our congregations, those who always are saying “no” to ministry and mission, but to count the always larger group of positive people. For me as a young pastor, that was an incredibly freeing statement. I returned to my congregation and began ignoring the complainers and troublemakers and, no surprise, that congregation continued to grow and thrive.
And, I believe, Peterman’s words go much further than any congregation’s life and ministry. Peterman’s words can easily apply to all of our lives – that we, you and I, need to focus on the positives in our lives and not the negatives. Now I know we are in the midst of a terrible global pandemic and in the midst of one of the worst economic crises in recent history. I do not want to belittle the difficulty that many have faced with the loss of loved ones to this terrible disease and the loss of jobs and livelihood. And I certainly would not and could not tell anyone who has been victimized by hate and abuse to just get over it and move on. I know it is far too easy for me, as a privileged heterosexual, older white male to say that.
However, in the midst of so many challenges, I believe that the only way we can and will get through any tough times is to do as Jesus did, not to allow the demons to speak in our lives. To call out hate and evil wherever we see it. To tell the devil he’s a liar by our words and by our actions.
Thus today, as we again gather for worship in this unique way, let us all be healed from all that blocks us from fully accepting God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, no matter what our physical or economic state may be. Jesus cured many who were sick with many diseases and cast out many demons. And Jesus would not permit the demons to speak. To the demons and the devil, Jesus said it plainly – you lie and I will not permit you to control my life or the lives of those around me.
Are we, you and I, ready to follow Jesus in this way? Are we ready not to allow the devil to control our lives whether that control is physical or emotional, addiction-related or even economic? It is time, today, not to allow the demons to speak in our lives, to call out hate and to tell the devil that he lies.
Jesus tells the truth, and the truth is that God’s love for all people is eternal. God’s love for people is eternal – it never ends. We have a God who forgives us, and that forgiveness may take many forms, but it comes with a promise, the promise of God’s eternal love for us all.
With that promise, we can tell the devil he’s a liar. We can at least begin to say no to any demons trying to control our lives or the lives of those around us. We can begin to reject all the hate we see around us. We can give up any and all the demons in our lives to God and begin to have them gone from our lives. Today. Here and now. Forever.
Amen.
The Rev. Eric Christopher Shafer
Senior Pastor - Mt. Olive Lutheran Church
Santa Monica, California
Sermon for:
February 7, 2021
