Out Our Way: The Gospel According to Goliath

Jesus went into a house but the crowds that followed him were so great neither he nor the disciple could even find the time or freedom to eat. Now when his family and those with whom he had grown up heard about this, they tried to come and take him away, for they believed he must be deranged. - The Rev. John Bruington's paraphrase of Mark 3:20-21

Out our way, talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words. Goliath and Babe both think they have a smooth gait, but the truth is, while you could sip tea on the back of Babe at full gallop, Goliath is more like riding a jack hammer when he takes off. I used to stand in the stirrups when at the lope because, I am just not that good at sitting a horse that is constantly missing his leads. There is also the fact that as much as I love old "Doc" - he is a clumsy critter who tends to stumble on a smooth road - and every once in a while, he get's a hitch in his giddy-up and lashed out with his hind left leg in a most disturbing manner. I believe my last unscheduled "flight" over his head came while racing up a very smooth dirt road in the Bear Paws.

For a tenderfoot like myself, I find that while a horse can look great in the pasture - can even look great on the lead rope - until I actually get aboard and ride - I really cannot determine what he can and cannot do. I have no complaints about Goliath - when I bought him I did indeed give him a "test drive" and found that while his ride was not smooth, his ability to respond to leg and neck rein were pretty good. But I knew I was not going to have a smooth ride from the get go.

Folks who really know horses can tell a lot about them by just looking - but even they say that a "test drive" is the only way to really prove a horse. Get on and see for yourself.

That was Jesus' way as well when it came to his claims about being the Messiah. He encouraged the curious to come and see for themselves saying, "Come and see." Those who did discovered who he was. Those who did not continued to speculate make assumptions - but most didn't bother to check out their doubts. Hence many who could have known and seen the long awaited Messiah when he was right in their midst, missed him and saw nothing. That still happens today.

The term  "agnostic" - literally means, "One who is without knowledge." In short - to be ignorant. In most things, ignorance is not considered a desired state of being. We send our children to school and honor teachers - or we ought to - for helping our children to learn and gain knowledge. 

Now, as we see in the Gospel account, when Jesus first began to preach and proclaim himself, many people dismissed him as a liar or a lunatic. Some his own family and those with whom he had grown up believed he had lost his mind. Others, especially the powerful religious authorities, believed he was a false prophet. To them, as to those who were more open-minded he gave the same invitation:  "Come and see." Even John the Baptist had doubts and wondered if Jesus was truly who he said he was. To John and to all others Jesus offered the same answer: "Come and see."

In a few more weeks we will face the major stumbling block to the faithful and the doubter - the reality of the empty tomb. "Facts are stubborn things," as our second president, John Adams, noted. Public opinion, popularity, personal preferences and all do not phase facts. They remain whether we like them or not.

As many far more brilliant theologians than I am have pointed out over the last 2000 + years - the empty tomb demands an answer. It was because of that empty tomb - and the reality of the risen Christ - that some of those in today's text who thought Jesus was a lunatic, eventually became its strongest leaders and proponents. Some died for that belief but never rejected it again. Liar? Lunatic? Lord? The empty tomb stands before you. Which of these options can explain it?

(John Bruington, Scout and Goliath can be shared with others at http://www.havrepres.com. And thanks to those of you who really messed up my taxes this year by buying the book Out Our Way, "Theology Under Saddle" available on Amazon.com)