No Placebo

Text:  Mark 9:38-50

Theme:  "No Placebo"

18th Sunday after Pentecost

September 30, 2012

First Presbyterian Church

Denton, Texas

Rev. Paul R. Dunklau

 

+In the Name of Jesus+

 

³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

⁴² “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. ^{[44] [b] 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ^{[46] [c] 47} And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸ where

“‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’^[d]

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted with fire.

⁵⁰ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

Today's text brings us to the conclusion of a real whiz-bang chapter in the Gospel of Mark.  The scene, presumably, is still set in Capernaum and at the home of the brothers Peter and Andrew.  Jesus isn't out on the stump; he's relaxing in a living room with friends.

He says a number of things any one of which could add up to countless messages from just as many pulpits.  But what caught my eye this time around is the world salt.  He says, "Everyone will be salted with fire."  What in the world does that mean?  It doesn't make any sense.  You put salt on your steak, or on your freshly-sliced tomatoes -- except where I come from, in Nebraska, where most folks put sugar on their tomatoes.  What's the deal with salt, and, for that matter, with this business of being "salted with fire"?

I did a little word association game with salt, and the first thing that popped to mind was the two-word phrase:  "salt substitute."  Some say that too much salt is bad for you, but what is food without the zest, zip, and tang that a little seasoning -- like salt -- can provide?  Still, "doctor's orders" may mean that you need to try a substitute.  Morton Salt makes a salt substitute called precisely that:  "Salt Substitute."  Then there's another item called "Nu-Salt".  But the trouble with salt substitutes, apparently, is that many have too much potassium, and that's not good if you have kidney or heart problems.  Look it up on the web; it's all there.  There are any one of a number of studies. 

Another word that popped into mind when thinking of salt was "placebo."  A placebo, in its popular understanding, is a "substance having no (pharmacological) effect, but given merely to satisfy a patient who supposes it to be a medicine."  A "placebo", interestingly enough, is essentially what Jesus said:  it is "salt that has lost its saltiness"!

Oh, that got my gears grinding!  We've got a whole world of people where the salt has lost its saltiness.  We've got a whole world of people, myself included, who sing right along with Mick Jagger:  "I can't get no satisfaction!"  We try and try and try, but can't seem to get it. If we do get it, it lasts only a short while.  Then it's back to "I can't get no satisfaction."   Some elements of Christianity come along and say:  "Give your heart to Jesus; give Him your money too, and all your problems will go away.  You'll be healthy; you'll be wealthy; you'll be wise.  You'll have your best life now, and you'll have a perpetual smile on your face.  You'll be satisfied."

That works for awhile -- until another crash comes.  What then?  We can't get no satisfaction.  Worse, it feels like we're people who have been sold a bill of goods, who have been given a placebo;  we feel like fools.  We're ashamed.  Or, spiritually speaking, instead of salt we've been taking a salt substitute.  We get something different -- and something far less -- than the real thing, the genuine article, what Jesus Christ -- and not many of His modern preachers -- were talking about:  SALT!  "Have salt among yourselves," says Jesus Christ!

Earlier this morning, we had the great privilege of hearing from Tim Madigan.  In his book, I'm So Proud of You, he tells the story of the incredible friendship he developed with television's "Mister Rogers".  In his book and with his presence here, Tim paid us a great tribute.  He shared various situations in his life -- some of the very, very painful and interpersonal problems he faced.  He felt, to carry the analogy through, that he was running on a placebo, on a kind of spiritual salt substitute.  On the outside, he looked great and sounded fine.  But on the inside, he was crashing down.   He was afraid and hurt and ashamed.  But then along came a chance friendship with Mr. Rogers, and, along the line, Tim Madigan heard the words from Fred Rogers that helped to set him free:  "I'm so proud of you."  Despite your pains and your problems, you are of infinite value to me.  You are loved, and admired, and appreciated just because you are you.  If that sounds like unconditional love, well, you're right; it is!

Tim Madigan caught the salt of Jesus Christ through Fred Rogers -- not the salt substitute; not the placebo; not the good time, plastic banana, rock and roll Christianity but the real thing. 

If the people of Jesus' day played a word association game with the word salt, I'm sure that some would offer up the word "sacrifice."  Back in Jesus' time, salt was used in religious rituals called sacrifices or offerings.  It seems ridiculous to the modern, "enlightened" mind, but bear with me.   Salt was a visual reminder of the covenant between God and God's people.  Leviticus 2:13 reads:  "Season all your grain offerings with salt.  Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings."

Along with the religious aspect, the contemporary of Jesus would use salt to season his/her food.  In addition, salt was used as a preservative.  In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said to His followers:  "You are the salt of the earth." In other words, you give the world its flavor; you help to preserve it!"

As Tim Madigan paid us the tribute of candor in the pleasant surroundings of our Sybil Hopper room, so Jesus Himself paid His followers the tribute of candor in the warm, intimate environment of that home on the north shore of Galilee.  Jesus doesn't "sugar-coat" anything.  He tells it like it is:  "Everyone will be salted with fire."  In other words, there aren't always going to be, as the song of yesteryear declared, "Hot times in the old town tonight."  Life in our fallen world is going to bring its share of hardship, pain, separation, hurt, illness, addictions, depressions,  tragedy, death.  It will seem as though we're being salted with fire -- and, in fact, we are.  Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow me."  They'll come after me; they'll come after you, too.  But be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life!  Have salt among yourselves.  Be who you are.  Tell it like it is.  Become what I shall make of you.  And "Be at peace with one another," says Jesus.

Set the salt substitues and the placebos aside.  Let the words of Jesus -- filled with salt and peace -- fall down upon us like the warm and gentle autumn rains.  Amen.