September 29, 2024 – Pentecost +19B

“John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward. “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of G-d with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. “For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Mark 9:38-50

As I reflect upon this lesson, I am reminded of the Blue Man Group. Have you seen these guys? The Blue Man Group consists of three men who, as their name suggests, are blue – entirely blue from head to toe.  It’s a deep, rich color of blue.  What is interesting about their costumes is that it makes them all look the same – it is hard to tell one from another they look so similar.  And not only do they look the same while they perform, which involves drums, music, weird looking instruments, etc., but they act the same as well.  Each one of them has a wide-eyed sense of wonder about their world. 

As we talk about the Gospel lesson this morning, I want you to hold that image of the Blue Man Group in your head. Why? Well I think there is something to learn from the Blue Man Group. You see, although they look and act the same, they do not completely squelch their individuality.  As I watched the Blue Man show, I noticed that on occasion, while all three of them were doing the same thing, one of them would break off to do his own thing – usually learning something new about himself, or discovering something new in his environment. And in learning or discovering something new, it doesn’t divide them, it brings the three of them together in a new way. That is what I want us to consider this morning, how we can come together in new ways. As I prepared for this Gospel lesson this week, it is no wonder that I thought of the Blue Man Group.

My friends, Jesus wants to be relevant in our lives – relevant enough to change us – to transform us so much that we live differently – that we stand out in a crowd because being a follower of Jesus should make us act differently and live differently.  But when life continues to pull us away from the church, and we think that our time does not really matter because nothing will ever change, then instead of being completely committed to the church, instead of looking like a member of the “Blue Man Group”, you know, being completely committed, the best we can do is leave a blue handprint here and there.  We try to commit, we try to volunteer, but we do it hurriedly, half-heartedly, last minute, we feel blue instead of looking blue.  And instead of being the hands and feet of Christ – all we can do is offer a hand now and again.  And the less we do, the more the blue handprint begins to slowly fade away.  No wonder I am feeling blue. 

But then I remember that Blue Man Group. Remember earlier I said that in the midst of their performance, one of them breaks off to begin doing something new. And in the process of doing something new he learns something new about himself, or discovers something new, and in doing so it brings them all together in a new way. I think it is time for us to consider a question – does G-d know a different way for us to exist – to thrive – to be Lutherans in this community so that we can leave our mark on them?

The time you spend here each week, hearing the Gospel, sharing in some ministry should change you – even if just a little.  But G-d doesn’t want only a little of you. G-d doesn’t want you to have just a blue hand – G-d wants you to be completely blue. In other words, G-d wants all of you – all of your heart, your mind, and your very being. A little salt changes the flavor of food a little, but a lot of salt will make you go “WOW”. We each need to find our salt, what flavor of ministry we have inside us, and spread that salt – share it – and add it to the flavorings that other members of our church, and other Lutherans may have to offer. So with that in mind, if even just a little of Jesus, a little word, a little bread, and a little wine, changes you a little, imagine what more we can do when we ALL work together – a rainbow of colors of Christians, here at Zion, and together with other Lutherans from other churches, spreading the Gospel in our community, and the world.

Pastor Dave