It is good to be back. 

Today’s readings speak a compelling word about power: earthly power and divine power.

For several weeks, we’ve been following the story of King David through the books of Samuel. We began with God calling David from sheep-herding---and anointing him to lead Israel. David was young when God called him; he was not yet equipped to hold authority. For many years he served Saul, the King who preceded David. When he turned 30 years old, the elders came to David and anointed him to be their leader to hold earthly power.

In the Gospel, Mark has shared many stories of Jesus’ miracles. Last week, we heard the phrase, “Your faith has made you well,” in several examples of healing.  Today, Jesus visits his hometown: Nazareth. Like David, he is about 30 years old. Unlike David, the elders of Jesus’ hometown reject him. Their familiarity with Jesus blinds them to the presence of the Divine. Mark said Jesus was “amazed at their unbelief.” 

Thirty years after the crucifixion, Paul was suffering with an affliction. He described it as a thorn in his flesh. He appealed to God: please take this away from me. But God responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Power is made perfect in weakness --- not in strength…not in winning…not in triumph…all the experiences we covet. A life of perfect harmony and security does not reveal the depth of God’s grace for us.

Paul said, “I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ…for whenever I am weak,” he said, “then I am strong.” These are the moments when we feel the grace and strength of Christ in us.

Earthly power is upside from Divine power.

The good folks of Nazareth just couldn’t see it. They saw a carpenter. A man they watched grow into his father’s trade. They have a box of expectation for Jesus. He will hammer nails, take care of his mother, and be the leader of his family until he dies. End of story. To them, his future is certain. They’ve already nailed the box of expectation closed. 

But God was just beginning a new thing.

Jesus called the disciples to him, and he anointed them with authority to heal. His divine power given to them. Then he sent them into the world, two-by-two.  And he told them to take nothing with them—no food, no money, no extra pair of underwear. Go –with no safety net-- and change the world. 

Divine power is made perfect in human weakness. When we cannot rely on our own reserves — our own resources — our own strength, then we know the power of Christ.

Soon after I came to St. Christopher’s, our choir director dropped by my office.   She began telling me about the voices in our newly formed choir and then the tone of the conversation began to shift. I realized she was building a case to purchase new music. Uh-oh, I thought, this must be a big deal---a face-to-face meeting for permission to purchase sheet music. So, I steeled myself for the ask: “How much will it cost?” $15.38.

In the conversation that followed, Shirley said something that I will never forget: “It’s just that we’ve been in survival mode for so long….” 

The world had built box of expectation for us — Without a building, without a strong budget, St. Christopher’s will just exist in survival mode. The world nailed the box of expectation closed.

But God was calling us to new life.

Survival mode, or scarcity, was the thorn in our flesh. Through that weakness, we experienced grace — grace sufficient for us.

We began to grow in all kinds of ways: discipleship, stewardship, hospitality, worship, and our mission field began to grow, too.

Last December, I stepped out of the Vestry meeting so that our Senior Warden could make a petition for me: Would the vestry allow me to have an extra week of vacation and take three weeks off in June?

I walked into the fellowship hall and waited for their decision and waited and waited and waited. Finally, Barbara called me back to the meeting. The vestry was all smiles. “Of course you can have three weeks off in June.” 

But wait, there’s more….

One of the vestry members had a dream the night before our meeting. In the dream, St. Christopher’s welcomed a curate to our staff. While I was pacing in the fellowship hall, the vestry was debating whether it was right time for us to ask the diocese for a curate. They unanimously passed a motion directing me to investigate the curacy program.  One month later, they evaluated the cost of a curate, the diocesan curacy program, and unanimously passed a motion for us to participate in the process.

On July 15^th, The Rev. Paul Flynn, will begin his curacy at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church. As of today, we have received gifts and pledges equal to the curate salary for two years.

The vestry’s dream is just beginning.

Like Paul, the hardships and calamities we have endured for the sake of Christ, have opened our eyes and hearts to experience grace that is sufficient for us. 

The world wants to define us. Whatever box the world tries to nail you into is not God’s box. There are no walls or certainty in God’s vision for us. Instead, we are welcomed to lives of prayerful discernment -- listen for God’s calling. It is a perpetual, life-long conversation. 

We can look back over the past two years and see God’s fingerprints on our path:  From scarcity to abundance -- and in many other ways -- we are becoming a new vision. The gift that has been given to us is not ours to keep — it is ours to carry into the world.

We are called, anointed, and empowered to go into this world bearing God’s grace: grace that is sufficient for the world.