Leaven, ferment or froth?
Sermonations on Mark 8:11-21
How does Jesus' message in the so-called "Yeast of the Pharisees" story speak to the church in emerging culture? I'm crowd-sourcing an upcoming sermon, and I would appreciate your thoughts about what this text means to us today. Please share -- the more voices the better!
11The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. 12And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.
14Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” 16They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.” 17And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20“And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
OK, friends...help me out. Use the headline link to go to my Facebook note, or add your thoughts in the comments below.
What was the leaven the religious establishment (Pharisees) and the culture-makers (Herod) brought to the batter of spiritual and political/economic life?
What form do those yeasts take today?
Why are the disciples so fixated on bread? What is Jesus trying to get across to them?
How does it feel to see Jesus be so exasperated?
What about our paths of discipleship would cause Jesus to "sigh deeply from his soul?"
11The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. 12And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.
14Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” 16They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.” 17And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20“And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
OK, friends...help me out. Use the headline link to go to my Facebook note, or add your thoughts in the comments below.
What was the leaven the religious establishment (Pharisees) and the culture-makers (Herod) brought to the batter of spiritual and political/economic life?
What form do those yeasts take today?
Why are the disciples so fixated on bread? What is Jesus trying to get across to them?
How does it feel to see Jesus be so exasperated?
What about our paths of discipleship would cause Jesus to "sigh deeply from his soul?"
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