“Hoof in Mouth Disease” 

Mark 8:27-38

James 3:1-12 

I am not a veterinarian and know nothing about hoof and mouth disease.  However, I do know a lot about this other problem of hoof in mouth having had to pull my foot out of my mouth many, many times.  Let me give you an example. 

Marty was a tall, athletic young officer who worked for me; I had all of six years of experience and was 'the old man'.  Unfortunately, Marty was not doing well in spite of his West Point education and training.  I knew that when it would be time to write his efficiency report, his annual report card, that it would not be a good one.  So Marty and I went over to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee.  I had a blank report that we started to fill out together with as much honesty as we could.  When we got done, I asked Marty if he would like that report in his files.  His reply was that it would end his career; and he was correct.  So, for the next hour we discussed what we would do in the next six months, the six months before I would actually have to write that report, to help Marty improve. 

Unfortunately, Marty unexpectedly left the unit the next week, he had a shot at making an Olympic team, and I had to send in a report that would most probably end his short career.

Twenty years later, I was getting lunch near the Pentagon.  I was now a Colonel; a very tall Lt Col walked up to me, calling my name, and asked how I was doing.  As my eyes locked onto his name tag, I blurted out “Marty, I thought I had ended your career!” 

Hoof in Mouth Disease! 

Maybe this is why I identify with the Apostle Peter; often referred to as the person with no thought unspoken.  In Mark's passage, Peter proclaims Jesus as the Messiah, boldly stating his own conviction.  A great model for all of us.  Soon thereafter, he puts his foot in his mouth when he counsels Jesus as to what it means to be the Messiah; literally, the anointed one.  And receives one of the harshest rebukes in the Bible. 

Hoof in Mouth Disease.  Messiah. 

Up to this point, the stories have told of Jesus moving further and further away from Jerusalem, teaching crowds, healing people, Jews and Gentiles.  Now Mark shifts emphasis.  Jesus is turning.  He is turning inward toward his disciples, teaching them.   He will soon physically turn toward Jerusalem; the start of that final journey.  He teaches his disciples what will happen when they get there: death and then resurrection.  It is not what they expect.  It is unsettling, even terrifying, to hear their teacher talk of his own death; a criminal's death.  And this idea of rising again on the third day?  What could that possibly mean? 

For the people of Israel, three groups of people were anointed by God: Kings, Priests, and Prophets.  What does it mean to us today, this idea of a Messiah, an anointed one?  Perhaps we can learn from some of the people in Scripture.  The zealots knew what a Messiah was, should be.  They had had enough of foreign occupation.  They refused to pay taxes to Rome for only God could be the King of Israel, only to God would they pay taxes.  For them, the Messiah would be a righteous and mighty warrior.  He would lead them to freedom; a political freedom allowing them to freely practice their religion.  A ruler who would turn to God as the one true king. 

There was no hope in their minds that things could be turned around without pain, without sacrifice.  Things had gotten too bad for easy solutions.  There was no hope that peaceful suggestions would ever change the minds of the Roman occupiers.  Too many of their fellow Jews had sold out to the Romans; they were getting rich at the expense of their own people.  The Temple leaders had even compromised with these pagans; they could worship within bounds, could collect the temple taxes, could live well.  No, things were too bad to hope for an easy solution.  Only a revolution would free the land from the evil atmosphere brought into it by these pagans; only a revolution would free the Temple from those who had compromised the true religion. 

As we look at this world of ours, confronting terrorism, wars, civil unrest, wouldn't it be wonderful to have an anointed one, a kingly leader, who could lead us into the future?  Some of us may not see much hope in our land, in our world, for easy solutions, for salvaging the system.  No, it is time for a revolution.  Perhaps not a militaristic revolution of guns and death, but definitely a revolution in thought, in lifestyle, in how we live in this world.  Perhaps a total revolution of faith.  The revolutionary Messiah would have clarity of vision, strength founded on righteousness, charismatic leadership.  And if it takes a zealot's dagger it is only because the complacent have let things deteriorate to that point. 

Who is this Messiah? 

The Pharisees also sought an anointed one, a priest.  Their view of the Messiah was different.  They had carefully studied the Scriptures; they had looked at the world around them.  They saw that people, the people of Israel, were not living the way God had taught them to live.  Clearly the cause of their troubles, the Roman occupation, was because God was not happy with them.  If they could get everyone to live the way that they should, and the Pharisees thought that they knew exactly what that meant, then the people would once again find favor in the eyes of God; life would then be good.  The people of God had strayed.  Rules that freed the slaves, returned lost property, helped people escape from poverty, or at least be shown compassion and support while in poverty, were all ignored.  The widows and orphans were no longer supported.  But the Messiah would restore the rules. The Messiah, the priest, would enforce the rules; make everyone follow the correct lifestyle, if that is what it took.  And the Pharisees would be eager assistants as they helped the Messiah rebuild society.  Then God would again let His face shine upon them, would again bless the people of Israel.   

It is tempting to join the Pharisees as we search for a Messiah today.  People just do not follow the rules anymore: wouldn't it be nice, and so much safer, if every one would use their turn signals while driving?  We know the rules that should be enforced.  Congress should be more interested in the welfare of the nation than getting reelected.  Corporate executives should only be paid a reasonable amount and be accountable to stockholders.  We should love our neighbors as ourself, take care of the widow and orphan, free those in economic poverty, those exploited by race or nationality or gender.  Free those trapped by chemical dependencies.  We know what should be done, the barriers that keep us from living the way God desires us to live, the barriers that divide us from each other.  We just need a Messiah, a strong religious leader, that will help us enforce the rules, pull down these barriers.  And we will be more than willing to help. 

Who is this Messiah? 

There were those who thought that both the Zealots and the Pharisees had it wrong.  Yes, the pagans were horrible and had destroyed the land.  Yes, the rules might be clear; and not being followed.  But the answer lay inwards, within us, a place for prophets.  The answer was not a revolution or a massive societal repair program; the answer lay inside.  People needed to withdraw from the corrupt world.  To study Scripture, to pray.  The answers could be found through a life of purity and simplicity.  The Messiah would lead them back to these simple truths, would lead them to find the goodness that was within each of them. 

There are many today who search for truth, for the Messiah, by turning inward.  There is goodness within each of us, we do need to find it and express it.  Truth is not a set of rules, it is not a political system, it is hard to define, but we will know it when we find it, when we discover it through meditation.  Of course, since I am different than you, my truth might be different than yours.  But we can live with that tension.  The Messiah as prophet will teach us what to do; will coach us in doing it better.  If we could just let go of being so insistent that we are right, that we know truth, then this world would start to improve. 

So, who is this Messiah? 

Is the Messiah a revolutionary, God fearing leader who will tear down and rebuild the world?  Is the Messiah a social and religious activist who will re-engineer society into what we all know it ought to be?  Or is the Messiah a meditative guru who will change the world by leading us inwards?  Is the Messiah a King?  A Priest?  A Prophet? 

Yes.  And No. 

Each of these groups knew what the Messiah would be like; and none of them recognized the real Messiah when he walked amongst them.  Peter, in spite of his hoof in mouth disease, came close.  He recognized Jesus as the Messiah even as he tried to help Jesus fit the role, help Jesus fulfill Peter's expectations. 

Perhaps I am no less guilty than Peter, wanting to fit Jesus into my idea of what a Messiah ought to be like.  But I have learned two things; two things that Peter also learned.  The first is that the Messiah is gentle and forgiving.  In spite of Peter's hoof in mouth disease, after the incredible rebuke by Jesus, after Peter later denied Jesus multiple times, Jesus still loved Peter.  Jesus still used Peter to further the Kingdom of God.  Jesus still built his church upon this Rock called Peter.  And Jesus still today is equally gentle and forgiving of our mistakes; of our hoof in mouth disease and our desire to offer advice.  Jesus still uses us today in spite of whatever terrible mistakes we may make. 

The second thing that I have learned is that Jesus is far greater than any Messiah that I can imagine.  Peter watched in dread the trial and crucifixion; things that no Messiah should suffer.  Peter witnessed the Resurrection; something no Messiah was expected to do.  Peter was present at Pentecost as the Holy Spirit came upon the crowd, a gift no other Messiah had promised.  Christ is so much more than any of the groups, perhaps more than any of us today, expected him to be.  I am still learning just how much more the Messiah is than what I expect; so much more than what my limited imagination suggests.  We should be careful to never constrain Jesus to our expectations.  We should allow Jesus to surprise us with what a Messiah is. 

Jesus forgave Peter his hoof in mouth statement.  Jesus built upon this Rock called Peter as the foundation of the church.  Jesus taught, more importantly, demonstrated by his life, what it means to be a true Messiah.  A Messiah who is more than a king or priest or prophet.  A Messiah who is more than we expected. 

It turns out that Marty had not made the final cut for the Olympic team.  He then pulled out what we had worked on and decided to try to make some of the changes.  When we met, he was finishing a successful career marked by well performed jobs critical to the national welfare.  Rather than being upset with me, and the negative report, he thanked me for getting his attention so that he could save his career. 

Neither Marty nor I can claim to be saints, to be special.  Yet, Marty not only forgave my embarrassing hoof in mouth statement, he told me how I had helped him, how my advice had changed his future. 

As we embrace this Messiah, as we allow the Christ to define what a true Messiah is, then we begin to experience the priest, king and prophet, and so much more, in our lives today.  Jesus is more than we expect.  Jesus knows what we need; knows better than we know.  When Jesus enters into our lives, we experience an inner peace transforming us, and through us, transforming the world around us.  This love is the truth that we can share with others.   

September 17, 2006

Pastor Al Hammond

First Presbyterian Church

Logan, Utah