Isa. 54:1-10(11-17); Gal. 4:21-31; Mark :11-26

Today in Mark, Jesus speaks of the yeast of the Pharisees, and its evil.

If there is one strength we have as Christians it is that WE REMEMBER.  We REMEMBER every time we gather at the table and break bread.  We REMEMBER our story every Sunday as we read scripture together.  We REMEMBER the saints that have gone before us.  We REMEMBER well.

These days there is a temptation – a great temptation.  It is to FORGET.

…to bury our heads in the sand and forget history

…to dismiss science and FORGET what we have been taught.

The goal of many politicians today is based on fear, deflection, uncertainty and doubt.  We heard a good dose of this last night.

Fear is the opioid we are being fed.  This is today’s yeast of the Pharisees.

Mainly I think it is done to deflect us from the real issues, which is massive excesses in spending, and accepting policies we would otherwise find abhorrent.  It is to deflect our minds from the real issues – that economic inequality is eroding the soul of America.

Jesus cautions us: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees.

Today is Trayvon Martin’s birthday.  He would have been 24 today.  Let us never forget how racism and racial inequality continues to rip at the soul of our country.

Let us never forget that when leaders fail to lead it is for a good reason – to distract us from something critical to our liberty.

Jesus has some harsh words for the disciples, “Do you still not perceive or understand?  Are your hearts hardened?”

God reveals today in Mark that God is not only interested in right teaching, and right following, but in the hungry, the oppressed, and somehow the truth of the gospel hinges on the actual physical care of those around us.

This smells a lot like the “social gospel”.  And while it is not the only thing scripture doles out, we get a heavy dose of the social gospel from the gospel writers.

It is radical and untapped grace.

Be confounded today by the mystery of God, and confront the yeast of the Pharisees with me.

Let us REMEMBER.

-Matt