The Oreos

First Lesson: Proverbs 1: 20-33
Responsive Reading: Psalm 19
Second Lesson: James 3: 1-12
​Gospel Lesson: Mark 8: 27-28

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Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
The year was 1996.  King Carl Gustaf XIV and Queen Silvia of Sweden were traveling to America in honor of the 150th Anniversary of Swedish Immigration to the States[1].  They were going to visit Ellis Island, meet with the Head of the United Nations; they were then going to make their way to Minnesota to visit the college named after perhaps Sweden’s greatest king Gustavus Adolphus, they were going to visit the American-Swedish Institute in Minneapolis and dine with Governor Carlson.  They had one additional stop planned on the five-day stateside trip.  They were going to visit a small town of about 2,500 people just outside the Twin Cities.  They were coming to my hometown of Lindstrom.  The visit was big news.  The President of the United States probably had never heard of Lindstrom.  Never even remember the Governor of Minnesota stopping by.  Here were the King and Queen of Sweden coming to town.  They were coming to see the “Nya Duvemala” house which was a replica of the prairie house found in Vilhelm Moberg’s Emigrants book.  So I got out of a day of school to attend!  Local musician’s serenaded the King and Queen.  Other locals dressed in their most authentic Swedish garb.  Hanging in my dad’s office is a picture of the King and Queen immaculate dressed, walking towards the house, standing right next to my dad and I where it looked like they were conversing with each other.  I had never dreamed up of being this close to actual royalty, so I imagined that this was exactly how it should look.  What if my picture of true royalty is wrong??  What if others have made similar mistakes?

Today’s Gospel lesson comes to us from Mark 8[2].  Our lesson takes place in the middle of Jesus’ public ministry[3].  People had heard him preach.  They had witnessed miracles.  His reputation had begun to spread.  Peter and the rest of the Disciples had front-row seats to it all.  They had recently witnessed him feeding thousand with just a few loaves of bread and small fish[4].  They had just witnessed him heal a man born blind at Bethesda[5]. 

So Jesus as a way of figuring out what the Disciples understand about his ministry asks: “Who do people say I am[6]?

The Disciples answer “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets[7].”

This answer reveals the problem of comparison.  Every new articulate politician might be the next John F. Kennedy or Ronald Reagan.  Every great young Basketball player might be the next Michael Jordan, every preacher whose fame spreads might be the next Billy Graham.  The problem of such comparisons is they tend to downplay what people bring to any given moment of history[8].

Jesus knowing these comparisons didn’t work asks the Disciples directly.  “Who do you say I am[9]?

Peter then answers quickly, “You are the Christ[10].”  Peter declares that Jesus is more than just a mere prophet like in Old Testament days.  Peter declares Jesus to be God in human flesh.  Peter declares that Jesus will be the savior of the nation of Israel.  Peter answered the question, correctly. 

Only for moments later, Peter had his answer flipped completely upside down.

Once upon a time, there was a farmer named Hank who lived in a small town in Central Minnesota[11].  One of his relatives invited him to visit in Saint Paul for Thanksgiving.  Hank didn’t want to deal with Twin Cities traffic, so he decided to take the passenger train that passed through his town.  At the first stop, the conductor announces a brief stop.  Hank being hungry goes to find a vending machine where he purchases a carton of milk and a six-pack of Oreo cookies.  Hank proceeds to wander to the waiting area, puts down his stuff, and sits next to what Hank would term a “city-slicker.”  The man was dressed immaculately and was reading the Wall Street Journal.  Not a lot of gentleman looked like this guy where Hank came.  He reminded Hank of Ward Cleaver of Leave it to Beaver fame.

Hank just wanted to get something to eat though.  So he sees his Oreo's opened lying between both gentlemen.  Hank takes a cookie, only for Hank to be shocked as Ward Cleaver grabs one for himself without asking, never even looking down from his paper.  Back where Hank came from, no one would ever do something as rude as this.  Ward grabs another cookie.  Hank is so irritated he quickly grabs a second and third cookie, and then begins to eat them quickly.  Only for Hank to see Ward grab the final cookie, fold his paper, and walk away from Hank huffing and puffing looking annoyed.  Hank couldn’t believe how strange city folks like Ward acted.  So Hank finishes his milk and approaches the train to re-board.  Hank reaches into his pocket for his ticket, while feeling something else in there he wasn’t expecting.  As soon as Hank pulls out his ticket, he pulls along with it an unopened six-pack of Oreo cookies.

Now picture Hank’s reaction to Ward.  Now let’s look at what takes place within our Gospel lesson after Peter declares Jesus to be the Messiah.

Jesus then starts talking exactly how the Messiah isn’t supposed to talk.  He must go to Jerusalem. The “Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again[12].”

For Peter, these words would have been as seemingly out of place as Ward eating those Oreo cookies.  Kings don’t talk like this. King don’t speak of their death.  Kings need to be like when the King of Sweden came to Lindstrom hailed by people for their title and the ways they stand out for the rest of us. 

So Peter gets mad.  Peter getting mad would have made sense[13].  Peter and his brother Andrew had given up their fishing business to follow him; they had given up their home for generations in Galilee.  They had trusted everything on the promise that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah, who was going to save the people of Israel not end up upon a cross. 

So Peter takes Jesus aside for rebuke and correction, to minimize Peter’s embarrassment[14].   Jesus can merely say to Peter in response: “Get behind me, Satan!” “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns[15].”

What if when we hear Jesus’ rebuke of Peter, we remember how we might think the same way, often looking for royalty in all the wrong places.

Once upon a time, there was a mayor of a small village not much bigger than Lindstrom.  The mayor received a message that was seemingly too good to believe[16].  The message had just been delivered by a royal messenger himself.  The message read: “I, King Edward, am on a tour of the northern provinces, and I would like to stay in your village tomorrow night.  If this is agreeable to you, please have prepared a warm supper and a place of lodging[17].”

The mayor said “Of course, who would turn down the King of the land.”  He is greatly loved in these parts and we will anticipate his visit.

The mayor immediately gets to work in anticipation of the King’s visit.  He enlists everyone that he knows in the preparations.  Everyone important would be immediately invited.  By the next afternoon, the town was looking perfect.  All the citizens gathered on the road to greet King Edward[18].

Just then a figure appeared off in the distance.  He was slovenly dressed and on his back carried only a ragged sack.  The mayor was embarrassed at what the king would think seeing such a man in town.  He had previously ordered all the beggars away from the street.  The mayor thought of a solution; he told one of his servants “take that traveler down the road to old Jacob’s hut[19].”  Jacob is a good and decent man who would never turn anyone away.  We will pay for his accommodations for the night.  The man was hurried away.  The town resumed waiting for King Edward only for hours to pass with no king appearing.  They were all like Peter upon hearing Jesus’ predictions for his upcoming death; they were gravely disappointed.

The beggar eventually arrives at Jacob’s hut.  Jacob’s hut wasn’t much to see.  But Jacob served him the best soup and bread that he had.  The beggar then began to tell Jacob about his travels; all the lakes and mountains he had seen, and all the cities that he had visited.  Jacob was having the time of his life in the presence of this beggar[20].

The following morning, the Mayor received another message.  What the Mayor saw left him frozen and shaking his head in despair.  It was on the same paper as the previous message as the King[21]. 

“I wish to express my sincere gratitude for the fine provision of food and lodging, and the generous hospitality of such a fine host.  You could not have chosen for me a better companion than Jacob.  Perhaps on a later visit I can meet with you.”  It was signed, KING EDWARD[22].”

The Mayor had just experienced, exactly what Peter experienced in our Gospel lesson.  He had such expectations for the King’s visit that he ended up missing out on what was truly important. 

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”-Mark 8:34-36.

The Messiah came not for Earthly power, but for Earthly people.  He came within their midst.  As he was soon to go to the Cross they did not recognize him.  He didn’t fit with their expectations of how the Messiah of Israel should look.  Although Peter rebukes Jesus Today, although he denies knowing him three times upon his arrest and Peter would be a witness to Christ’s resurrection, Peter would see a world of forgiveness and hope begins to be unveiled before his very eyes.  For Peter, these things would serve as a reminder that there might indeed be unopened Oreo cookies in your pocket after all. Amen 
 


[1] “Sweden’s King and Queen on Whirlwind Tour of America.” Vestkusten. No 16. 1. Oct.1996. Web. Aug.21.2018 taken from California Digital Newspaper Collection.
[2] Mark 8:27-38
[3] Zingale, Tim. “Faith's Famous Four Words.” Sermon Central. 17. Sept.2003. Web. Aug.21.2018. 
[4] Mark 8:1-13
[5] Mark 8:22-25
[6] Mark 8:27
[7] Mark 8:28. 
[8] Hoezee, Scott. “Mark 8:27-38.” Center for Excellence in Preaching. 7. Sept.2015. Web. Aug.21.2018. 
[9] Mark 8:29
[10] Mark 8:29
[11] Stephens,  Rev. Dr. Wiley. “Read the Fine Print.” Day 1. 14.Sept.2003. Web. Aug.21.2018.  Story comes from Baxter Black on National Public Radio. 
[12] Mark 8:31.
[13] Carder, Kenneth. “Why Follow Christ.” Day 1. 14.Sept.1997. Web. Aug.21.2018. 
[14] Mark 8:32
[15] Mark 8:33
[16] Stier, Leon. “Mistaken Identity.” Email Mediatations. 15. Jan.2018. Web. Aug.21.2018. 
[17] Stier, Leon. “Mistaken Identity.” Email Mediatations.
[18] Stier, Leon. “Mistaken Identity.” Email Mediatations.
[19] Stier, Leon. “Mistaken Identity.” Email Mediatations.
[20] Stier, Leon. “Mistaken Identity.” Email Mediatations.
[21] Stier, Leon. “Mistaken Identity.” Email Mediatations.
[22] Stier, Leon. “Mistaken Identity.” Email Mediatations.