Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 10:11-14,18; Mark 13:24-32; Psalm 16

November 14, 2021

Larry Campbell

Mark 13:24-37

May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of all our hearts be pleasing to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer.

Seamus Heaney was an Irish poet. In 1995 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was described by some as the most important Irish poet since Yeats, and many considered him the greatest poet of our age. In August of 2013, after a fall outside a restaurant in Dublin, he had to be taken to the hospital. However, early the next morning, before the procedure could take place, Seamus Heaney died. At his funeral it was revealed that his last words were not spoken, but texted to his wife. He wrote “Noli Timere” (Nol-ee ti-mer-a), which in latin means “Do not be afraid”.

Do Not Be Afraid. What an interesting thing to say to the love of your life at the end. Why was he telling her to ‘not be afraid’? Don’t be afraid of loneliness? Don’t be afraid of death? Don’t be afraid of the unknown? These are things that concern us all.

We live in a time when “being afraid” could easily become a way of life, and perhaps it has. We’re afraid of COVID. We’re afraid of vaccines. We’re afraid of being without vaccines. We’re afraid for our loved ones, our children, our elderly. We’re afraid of climate change. We’re afraid when we learn about the regular extinction of entire species. We’re afraid of financial instability, personally, nationally and inter-nationally. We’re afraid when we see partisan animosity and conflict, wars and rumors of wars.

This section of Mark, not just our reading today but this whole chapter, is quite disturbing. Not only because of it’s dark content but also because it’s, like, “what are you talking about!?!” First Jesus is talking about the destruction of the temple, then he says he’s the temple, then he suggests that everything is going to happen in their life time. We wonder, “how does this apply to us?” He says there’s going to be false Christs, and the people may be deceived by charlatans. And then the poetry gets really dark. And I do think it is poetry. But it’s not clear. There will be destruction, desolation, and death! God only knows when these events will happen... but still we’re told to, “keep watching!”.

And in the middle of this chapter Jesus said to his disciples, “On top of all this, when you get arrested and brought to trial,” I assume because of their association with him, Jesus said, “do not be afraid. ”

Being afraid seems to be an issue in the gospels.

• on the mount of transfiguration, Peter, James, and John saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. Peter came up with this cockamamie idea about setting up some sacred tents. And, suddenly, a fog surrounded them and they heard a voice say, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him!”

They were terrified. Think about it. Who wouldn’t be!? And they hit the dirt. But Jesus came up to them and said, “Do not be afraid.”

(Matthew 14:7)

• several times during the advent narrative, we’re told that Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds were all visited by angels. Could you imagine that?. The image I have of an angel is massive, 9 feet tall, wearing the very sword after which was fashioned the sword of Aragorn, son of Arathorn. 

Even if our idea of angels is meek and mild, it would be a scary thing to just have them appear. In each case the angel had to say, “Do not be afraid.”

(Luke 1:13, 30, 2:10)

• an official from the synagogue asked for Jesus to heal his dying daughter. While they were talking, some of the official’s friends came with the news that his daughter had passed, but Jesus said to him, “Do not be afraid.”

(Mark 5:36)

• there was that time when the disciples were having trouble rowing their boat across the lake because of the wind. Jesus figured he’d come out to help them, and when they saw him walking towards them on the water, they freaked out! But Jesus said, “have courage. Do not be afraid.”

(Mark 6:50)

• another time, the disciples were going across the lake. This time Jesus was with them. A huge storm came up. Waves crashed over the boat. The disciples feared for their lives. They found Jesus asleep at the back of the boat on a cushion. They woke him us, and shouted, “Doesn’t it matter to you that we’re all going to die?!” Jesus got up, and told the storm to calm down. Then he turned to them and said, “Why are you afraid? Even after all we’ve been through.”

(Mark 4:40)

• during Jesus’ time, 90% of the population lived at a subsistence level or below. There was no middle class. There was no social safety net. The occupying Roman Empire ruled with brutish cruelty. Although Jesus attracted sizable crowds because of his preaching and miracles, those who had power in the religious community hated him. They wanted him dead. So, for those who were among the rabble that hung out with Jesus, it was very dangerous.

And into that narrative, that context, Jesus used the analogy of the sparrow that was so insignificant, you could buy them cheap; one for a farthing; a quarter of a penny. And Jesus said, “One of them does not fall to the ground without their loving Creator knowing about it. As for you,” he said, “every hair on your head has been counted.” Then he said, “So, Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

(Matthew 10:29-31)

I don’t want this to sound flippant or patronizing. Some of us need medication to deal everything from high blood pressure to depression, for instance. Some have had to deal with scary diagnoses. All of us could probably do with therapy.

But do you struggle with anxiety? Do you lose sleep worrying about something you can’t quite put your finger on? Does watching the news trigger panic attacks for you? We all have things in our lives that cause us concern.

But the One who watches over us neither slumbers nor sleeps. We are loved by the God who is Love.

So, Do not be afraid; remember, you are worth more than many sparrows.