1/24/21 “All In” by Nancy E. Petty

Mark 1:14-20

For millions of Americans January 20, 2021 felt like “The time was fulfilled, and the kingdom of God came near.” Finally, after four years of wilderness wandering, we could, again, begin to believe in “good news.” The good news that our democracy which affirms and proclaims that all people are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is still alive. The good news, as the young poet so eloquently put it, “Somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed / a nation that isn’t broken / but simply unfinished…And yes we are far from polished / far from pristine / but that doesn’t mean we are / striving to form a union that is perfect / we are striving to forge a union with purpose / To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and / conditions of man / And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us / but what stands before us…” This “good news” from the young poet and prophetic was manna given just in time to a people starving for some truth and justice, some grace and compassion.

Many of us have wondered if our democracy would/could survive the lies and attacks thrust upon it for the last four years. Would the foundation laid by our founding ancestors be strong enough to withstand a “shaking of that foundation” unlike any other time in our history since the civil war? On January 6, it felt like we might crumble beyond repair. And in truth, the work before us to repair the breach is significant and only time will tell how and if the repair can be made. But January 20 felt like a beginning. Finally, it felt like we had exited the wilderness and was being ushered into a new place with a new beginning.

In our text this morning from Mark’s gospel, Jesus has just emerged from forty days of being in the wilderness, tempted by all sort of lies and deception. He comes out of that time and proclaims the good news of God, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Western Christian theology and tradition has put a spin on those words that gives a very different meaning than the message Jesus was giving his earlier followers. As Marcus Borg writes:

Mark concludes his advance summary of Jesus’s message with, “Repent, and believe in the good news.” The word “repent” has two meanings here, both quite different from the later Christian meaning of contrition for sin. From the Hebrew Bible, it has the meaning of “to return,” especially “to return from exile,” an image also associated with “way,” “path,” and “journey.” The roots of the Greek word for “repent” mean “to go beyond the mind that you have.” To repent is to embark upon a way that goes beyond the mind that you have.

So also the word “believe” has a meaning quite different from the common Christian understanding. For Christians, “to believe” often means thinking that a set of statements, a set of doctrines, is true. But the ancient meaning of the word “believe” has much more to do with trust and commitment. “To believe in the good news,” as Mark puts it, means to trust in the news that the kingdom of God is near and to commit to that kingdom.

In other words, if we dare to hear Jesus’ message today as he meant it our work going forward in 2021 will be to embark upon a journey with a mind that goes beyond our old ways of thinking. Our work now is to resist putting our new wine—what we have learned and are learning about racism and police brutality and ecological devastation—back in old wineskins. We have to go beyond and think with a new mind about racial justice/equity, policing and our stewardship to the environment as we begin repairing these breaches. Our minds will need to let go of old paradigms, old structures, old ideals, old beliefs and think in new and creative ways. IF, if our repentance takes on this form, and if our belief is rooted not in doctrines or “right” belief or saying but we’ve always done it this way, but rather in our trust and commitment to God’s justice and love, then we will begin to see and experience the kingdom of God here on earth as God envisioned it. The kingdom as always been about the here and now.

After Jesus gives this sermon, he takes a walk along the Sea of Galilee. It is there that he comes across Simon and Andrew, fisherman by trade casting their nets into the sea. Jesus says to them, “Follow me and I will make a new kind of fisherman out of you.” And, as the story goes, they immediately left their nets and followed him. Continuing his stroll along Lake Galilee, he comes across James and John who were in their boat mending their nets. Jesus calls out to them, “Follow me.” And they too, immediately left their boat and nets and followed Jesus.

I have often wondered what made them immediately drop everything and go “all in” to follow this itinerant teacher/preacher. They dropped everything. They left their livelihood. They left their possessions. They left their village. In that moment they went “all in.” James and John, the story tells us, left their father Zebedee who was in the boat with them, and immediately followed Jesus. All in!

I’ve been thinking about what it means to go “all in” to follow Jesus. “All in” is a phrase I often hear from my peers and young people. The invitation comes: want to go to the movies tonight? Sure, I’m all in. Want to skip work and go play? Yep, I’m all in. Want to get tickets to the Dolly Parton concert? Heck yea, I’m all in. Want to take road trip across the county? Yep, I’m all in.

Want to go to a protest to stand up for democracy? Hell yes, I’m all in. Want to follow Jesus? Hold on, wait a minute. What do you mean? What will I have to do? What will it cost me?

I’ve been “all in” these last four years fighting for justice as I understand it and standing up for democracy as I understand democracy. And I don’t regret my “all in” when it comes to fighting for healthcare and voting rights and living wages. And for certain there is an intersection between my politics and my faith convictions. But I must confess, I’m not sure I have been “all in” when I think about what it really means to be “all in” to follow Jesus. Have I been “all in” when it comes to sharing my power and privilege? Have I been “all in” when it comes to doing my part in caring for the environment, especially when it inconveniences me? Have I been “all in” when it comes to loving for and praying for my enemies? Am I “all in” when it comes to loving my unlovable neighbor as I love myself? Am I “all in” when it comes to sharing my wealth with others to advance God’s commonwealth here on earth?

Why is it that we liberals can be “all in” when it comes to saving democracy but only half in or two-thirds or one-third in when it comes to following Jesus? I know that’s not a fair question. I know that life and faith is more complicated than that question implies. And yet, we are at moment in the life of our nation and in the life of our faith when it seems like asking ourselves this question of are we “all in” or only partially in is important. The two are not separate. But as a person who professes faith in following Jesus I am feeling compelled to take stock in my willingness to be “all in” in all the ways that my faith requires of me, not just in the ways of democracy.

In his inaugural address, President Joe Biden said: “Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: Bringing America together. Uniting our people. And uniting our nation.” Joe Biden was saying as our president “I’m all in.” With my whole soul, I’m all in. And thank God, we now have a president who is “all in” in being the president of the United States of America and is committed to discharging the duties of the office to protect and defend the Constitution and democracy. A president who has empathy and compassion. A president who cares about truth and justice. Thank God our country has a leader who is “all in” with his whole soul.

I guess I’m asking the question of us this morning does God have some people here at Pullen Church who are “all in” to discharge the duties of the good news of the gospel. Are we “all in” when it comes to putting what we are learning about racial injustice and a broken policing system and environmental injustice into some new wineskins? Are we “all in” when it comes to sharing our privilege and power with those who don’t have any privilege or power? Are we “all in” in praying for and loving our enemies? Are we “all in” in feeding the hungry and fighting for affordable housing for those who are housing insecure? Are we “all in” when it comes to changing our years of tradition to welcome others in? Are we “all in” in nurturing our spiritual life as a church so that we are grounded in our faith as we do the work before us. Can we say our whole soul is in, doing our part in continuing to make our church a community and sanctuary where God’s light of love and justice shines? For that, are we willing to say we are “all in.”

I will go ahead and confess now, for myself, what I know to be true about the future. Some days my actions will give witness to being “all in” when it comes to following Jesus’ way and path; and other days will give witness to being only partially in. On those days, pray for the courage to fall on my knees in prayer and confession—to keep learning, to keep deepening God’s love within my heart and to keep surrendering to that love.

Thomas Merton said: “There is so much to learn, so much deepening to be done, so much to surrender. My real business is something different from simply giving out words, and ideas and doing things—even to help others. The best thing I can give to others is to liberate myself from the common delusion and be for myself and others, free. Then grace can work through me for everyone.” To be “all in” requires this kind of freedom.

I want you to know that I live with the intention and hope and desire that more days than not I will join you, the beautiful people of Pullen, in being “all in” to living our touchstone of “doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.” To being that church that extends a radical love and welcome, and is not afraid to stand up for justice love. As one among us all, I will work to liberate myself so as to be free for God’s light to shine through me. This is the invitation as I understand it of what it means to believe in the good news and to be “all in”, not with perfection but rather with purpose. I close with the words of poet Amanda Gorman, “The new dawn blooms as we free it/ For there is always light, / if only we’re brave enough to see it / If only we’re brave enough to be it”

May we continue to be brave enough to be “all in” for the light of God’s love and justice.