Sermon, trial 1

I tried out my sermon ideas at the nursing home today. I can never tell how it goes over by their responses because they are always just happy to see someone who cares enough to visit. I got a great response from my church member who has lived there the last 5 years who was trying to fill me in on the gossip at church -- ah, the grapevine keeps getting smaller! Anyway, I tried out the labyrinth story and realized I really need a visual to tell that story so I may have to use the projector screen for my illustration. The bigger question I have as I have begun reading commentaries is, how do we make a way in the wilderness? It seems that John the Baptizer made the way by hearing confessions and reminding them that God had forgiven them. We in the Presbyterian Church don't listen to confessions very often. We offer a corporate confession which reminds us that we as humanity are sinful and, no matter how pious we may feel, we keep sinning against God and against our neighbors. And so I'm wondering if that's what is at the heart of Mark's gospel -- how do we make a way in the wilderness? Jesus is Mark's obvious fulfiller of Isaiah's prophecy yet for Jesus to come, John had to make a way. John had to begin to do what was right, even though it was counter-cultural. John had to speak the truth when others did not want to see it and eventually beheaded him. John offered a ritual for the forgiveness of sins that was not about animal sacrifice but about being in a right relationship with other people and with God. John made a way in the wilderness. We too have to do that. We've got to make a highway for God-with-us to accompany us on. And along that highway we have to speak the truth, even if our congregations don't want to hear it. We have to speak what God wants us to speak and we have to live as God wants us to live. We've got to be real, change-makers, even if that means putting ourselves on the line. Peace as we wrestle through this week's lectionary together.