One of the things we overlook at our peril in
the economy of God is that a call to ministry has two component parts, both of
which must happen if the ministry is to be blessed as God intends it. There
needs to be both an ‘anointing’ and an ‘appointing.’ The former is often a
private matter (or at least something evident to only a few people) and so it
is here. Samuel gives Saul specific prophetic directions by which his physical
needs will be met as he travels to meet a group of prophets and the Holy Spirit
comes upon him ‘in power.’
Samuel had told him that when this happens,
‘you will be changed into a different person.’ Centuries later, Jesus, after
himself being filled with the Holy Spirit, teaches Nicodemus that he needs to
be born again. A few years later, St
Paul teaches the Corinthians about becoming a new
creation. If we seek new life – for the first time in conversion or a renewal
of commitment or ministry – the agent is always God’s Holy Spirit. There is no
sidestepping his anointing if we are to be fruitful for the Lord God.
But this is only the beginning. For an
anointed ministry to be truly authentic and fruitful, the person (or, on
occasion, group) must be appointed by God’s people – specifically by its own anointed
and appointed leaders. In modern church life, there are many people who clearly
carry the Lord’s anointing but whose ministry is not flourishing as it could
be. The two main reasons for this are, on the one hand, the failure of church
leadership to identify and release anointed people into appointed ministry;
and, on the other, the refusal by anointed people to come under the godly
authority and leadership which God has ordained.
Our reading from Jeremiah is chilling but not
a message we can avoid. Judgement will come upon those who will not bow the
knee to the Lord. Peter tells us that the Lord is patient, longing for all to
come to saving faith. Are we doing all we can to help others to find it?
A second feeding of the multitude? Surely
there must be some mistake? That is the conclusion of liberal scholars. But
would Mark really be that dim? More to the point, would the Holy Spirit?! There
is no mistake here. Jesus repeated this miracle because people are so slow to
understand that he truly can meet all our needs. All week we have seen God’s
people – in the time of Samuel, Jeremiah and Jesus himself – struggling to
maintain a pure faith in him rather than subtly moving it to something else:
the ark of the covenant, a warrior king or powerful ally, religious observance.
The repetition of the miracle is followed by
a private conversation between Jesus and his disciples, in which Jesus holds
the ace card of being able to follow those parts of the conversation they think
are hidden inside their heads. In warning them to avoid ‘the yeast of the
Pharisees and of Herod,’ Jesus is telling them not to place their trust in
human religious or political power, but in God alone.
After restoring sight to a blind man, Jesus
asks his followers a question to determine whether they have gained spiritual sight. It’s THE question, the
one to which all human life must address itself at some stage, the question
which demands an answer of all of us. ‘Who do you say I am?’
Straight away we read Peter’s glorious
assertion of the true identity and purpose of Jesus, followed by Jesus’ warning
that following him means choosing the path of sacrifice and death, at least in
the world’s eyes.
But before we move on to another week of
readings, what answer have you given to Jesus’ question?
(member of the
clergy)