Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Two of our Scripture readings today deal with a situation that is timeless, and they remind us, once again, about God’s all-inclusive love. The readings from Ephesians and from the Gospel according to Mark ask us to stop and think about who’s in and who’s out. Where do people draw lines — and why?

Last week we heard about the non-traditional prophet, Amos, and the fiery prophet, John the Baptizer. We heard about how they were not insiders among the leadership of the nation, but they WERE insiders when it came to God’s love. In fact, they were SO inside that God chose them to announce God’s plan to others. No matter how uncomfortable this proclamation might have been to speak and to hear, these people of God felt called according to God’ s purposes for their lives.

Both Amos and John faced fierce discrimination as they lived their lives according to God’s plan. We can see from their records that discrimination is nothing new. It’s been around forever, but that doesn’t make it right. And, dealing with the results of discrimination can be draining.

After Jesus sent his followers out two-by-two to tell towns and villages along the way that he’d be visiting them soon, Jesus needed to get away for some much needed time to regroup, to pray and to properly grieve his cousin’ s death. But, that just wasn’t going to happen. Our gospel reading for today tells us those seventy witnesses he’d sent out just a few days before were returning from their mission. They were all excited about the people’s eagerness to learn more about the kingdom of God. In fact, they told Jesus, they just happened to bring a few thousand of those eager seekers along with them to meet the Messiah in person!

What’s a Savior to do? Jesus, of course, sits down and breaks bread with them – but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. That’s next week’s gospel lesson. Today’s passage skips right past the feeding of the 5000 and sends Jesus across the sea to the land of Gennesaret, the land of “heathens and unbelievers” — at least that’s how they were regarded by the righteous temple goers of that time. But, even in this so-called God-forsaken place, there were people who “at once recognized Jesus, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.” (Mk 6:55 NRSV)

Did Jesus ask them if they’d been to see the priests at the temple on the past Sabbath? Did Jesus ask them if they’d recently studied the Scriptures? Did Jesus ask them if they even believed in one God? Our passage doesn’t report on any kind of screening or registration or identification being necessary. These people, whether in villages or farms, “laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.” (Mk 6:56) The people were amazed! This was definitely something new. What was this new idea they were amazed by?

The new teaching, simply put, was that God does not discriminate. God among us, Jesus of Nazareth, followed in his father’s footsteps. And, though some records indicate he struggled with the concept for a time, in the end he showed no partiality. But, the ordinary every-day men and women who wanted to follow Jesus back then weren’t so sure about this new way of doing things. After all, they’d lived in a divided land their entire lives. Their collective memory reminded them their people had been conquered. Their ancestors had been hauled off into exile and forced to serve as slaves simply because they were different. Is it any wonder these people clung to the comfort of dividing walls they’d known for generations?

I think I know what they were feeling. They were afraid. They’d heard stories. They each knew someone who knew someone who’d had a bad relationship with one of “them.” That’s how they justified their prejudices. Of course, it didn’t help any that their temple leaders, their ministers, their pastors, their revered and learned leaders had been telling them for centuries that God SAID it should be so.

And, those temple leaders weren’t lying. Although it’s not part of our readings for today, you remember hearing that God chose Abraham from among all the people of the earth and set him apart. Abraham and Sarah were asked to leave their ancestral lands, travel to a new land, and trust that this spirit who called them by name was speaking the truth. God told Abraham and Sarah that they were special. They were different. They were set apart to be the first in a line of great and unique people. They were God’s own. God would increase their numbers and bless them.

And, it’s on those centuries-old promises the Jewish people of Jesus’ day based their isolationism. In addition to the written words recorded by scribes, centuries of commentaries from revered scholars and theologians backed up the idea that the Law of God meant the world to be divided like this: the righteous faithful on one side and all others outside.

And then along comes Jesus, God among us, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Lord of Lords, brother, shepherd, friend. And, he has a new word of God to share with the people of God. Jesus tells them that their creator doesn’t want any more walls. Jesus has come to build a bridge, to BE a bridge, so that all former rules and regulations can be overcome. “For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall between us. ... that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two.” (Eph 2:14-15)

Today we are to remember that the time for discrimination of any kind ended 2000 years ago. Jesus came to put to death that hostility. Through him all people have access in one Spirit to our Creator. We are all members of the household of God. (Eph 2:16, 18-19)

Some of you know about my early childhood. I may have mentioned some of this before in a sermon. So, you may remember that I grew up in the Los Angeles area. When I was a small child, the real estate agents there legally practiced what was called “red-lining.” In every agent’s office there was a map on the wall. And sections of the Los Angeles basin were literally outlined in red. This was so that the agents wouldn’t accidentally sell property to one kind of people in a neighborhood that another kind of people wanted to keep “pure.”

When I was 6 years old my family moved to a house in the town of Compton, CA. Now, Compton, at that time was one of those red-lined communities. Next door in neighboring Lynwood, African American people were able to buy homes, but not in Compton, not in 1956. And, along the other border, in Huntington Park, people of Mexican heritage were allowed to buy homes, but not in Compton. The lines were drawn.

That summer I played outside with my little brother and both of us tanned brown as berries — we’d inherited our easily-tanned skin from our French father. When I started first grade in a new school that fall, my mother dressed me in my nicest school dress. She’d permed my dark hair so I’d have Shirley Temple curls. But, even then my hair refused to behave and I had more frizz than curl!

Inside the classroom the teacher was so nice. And, the kids were nice, too, until it came time to walk home from school. That’s when some of them began to repeat phrases they’d learned at home. Following along my homeward path, ducking behind trees or telephone poles, they’d pop their heads out and stick out their tongues and call me a name I’d heard before. It was a bad word I knew the people in Lynwood were called. I knew it wasn’t nice, but I couldn’t understand why they’d want to call me that name. After all, I wasn’t one of THEM.

My grandmother had always told me that Jesus loved all people. So, why would they want to call me hurtful names? Why would anyone want to call anyone a name that would set them apart? That wasn’t what Jesus would do, my six-year-old theology informed me.

Over 45 years later, though, I still hear people dividing themselves with hurtful names. In Minnesota, where I did my ministry internship, people identified themselves according to whether their churches served lutefisk or sauerkraut at the annual Christmas dinner. But then, everyone there served Jell-O and drank strong coffee at their congregation hotdish suppers, so at least they’d found some common ground!

A century ago, Lutherans divided themselves over issues of whether purchasing life insurance was in accord with biblical teaching or whether to use bread or wafers for Holy Communion. And, families were torn apart and friends cast aside if they didn’t agree on how often the Sacrament should be received: once a year? once a quarter? Or, could it possibly be received more often?

Right now, in our ELCA, there’s a sexuality study that’s going on that’s doing more than raising eyebrows. At the churchwide assembly two years ago, voters made up of 2/3 lay representatives from congregations and 1/3 pastors asked the Church to make a formal statement about how human beings should relate to each other in their lives as single, married, widowed, divorced, heterosexual and homosexual beings.

This August, when the national meeting takes place again, the assembled representatives will receive a progress report on that study. It’s by no means finished, and the task force members are requesting input from anyone who wants to be heard, all around the county, in addition to faithfully examining scripture for their final report due in 2005.

But, already, people are separating themselves into camps. Some cling to what they’ve always been taught, others wish to study the issue to see if God is doing a new thing, and yet others prefer to ignore the entire issue, afraid of even considering a possible change in the comfort of dividing walls they’ve known for generations.

And those are only the internal-to-the-Lutheran-Church divisions we raise up between us. What about the age-old rivalries among Christians and Jews, Catholics and Protestants, rich and poor, gay and straight, young and old — who’s inside and who’s outside God’s love?

Well, according to today’s scripture readings, everyone’s in. No one’s out. Jesus demonstrated that. Paul and his followers taught it. The Bible says it’s true. And, in words even a six-year-old can understand you know it, too. “Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Our faith is secure, no matter what new thing God might do among us.

Discrimination is nothing new. It’s been around forever, but that doesn’t make it right. God’s love is nothing new. It’s been around forever. And, the love of God is right for ALL people. Jesus Christ, the son of God — He is our peace; in his flesh he has made [all people] into one and has broken down the dividing wall between us. ... that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two.” (Eph 2:14-15)

Our Savior gave his life to reunite us with our Creator. As followers of the good shepherd, you and I are sometimes called out of our comfort zone to follow his example and tell others of the never-ending love of God. There is a place within each of us that needs healing — that place that clings to the way it’s always been. Jesus offers us healing so we can grow into the people God calls us to be. There is a world out there that needs the healing touch of the Savior. Laws may need to be changed. Neighbors need to be accepted. Attitudes need readjusting. Jesus offers us healing for those wounds, too.

Reach out in faith. Don’t be afraid. All who touch the Savior can be healed. Take courage and work for unity in Jesus’ name. Amen