“And he would not permit the demons to speak, for they knew him.” (Mark 1)

“But those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40)

There is an old saying about a sea captain who was at the top of his profession. He had earned a reputation as one who could make excellent decisions in times of crisis. People did notice, though, that just before it was time to give his orders to the crew, he would to down to his stateroom, open up his safe, and pull out a slip of paper and read it.

Then, he would stride on deck, and make the right call. Naturally, curiosity was high. It was no surprise, that, when he died, one of the first things the crew did after his funeral service was to gather in his stateroom and watch while the first mate opened the safe and pulled out well-worn slip of paper. He read it aloud.

Port left, Starboard right.

In difficult times, the captain knew to remind himself repeatedly of the basics. The captain’s little slip of paper held information—but was a secret; his secret was the source of his ability to act.

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus is like a sea captain with a secret. Scholars often refer to this as the Messianic secret.

We find this secret is a curious phrase within the quietly lovely and powerful story of Jesus’s healing Simon Peter’s Mother in Law. “He would not permit the demons to speak—for they knew him.”

The scriptures spoke last week that the power of evil, natural or moral, seems to know Jesus.

Throughout the Gospel of Mark we will find Jesus secretive about his identity.

Examples abound and you will encounter them throughout Mark’s Gospel over the coming year.

Jesus refrains from appropriating any Messianic title for himself. Mark speaks of Jesus teaching his parables in secret and in secret explaining all to his disciples.

Jesus repeatedly issues “stern orders” not to tell his secret-which he is Messiah.

Why?

Humility yes; maybe even reality; did Jesus struggle with his senses of vocation and the reality of his role as Messiah within God’s providence slowly dawned on him. Could it be that the Son of God could be—uncertain and unsure at times?

Yet, the “Messianic Secret” seems to be a strategic goal for Jesus. It did not work actually; those who are healed spread the news; the Gospel of Mark suggests that the disciples let slip the news of the Transfiguration.

William Wrede, a great New Testament scholar suggests that the “Messianic Secret” was a kind of “damage control” and device for “spinning” the truth that Jesus was not recognized as Messiah until after the resurrection.

I think Jesus’s strategy about the Messianic secret and why he said, “Shuuu” to the demons, and “hush” to the disciples again and again is about something else.

Something else more true to the Strategy of Jesus; a reason why, perhaps Jesus was NOT recognized as Messiah until after his death.

In modern 21st century language, Jesus did not a “success” model for Messiah; he did not want to link supernatural “success” to faith and to God; his did not want to “authenticate” his ministry and life by being a wonder-working cure-giving, earth-shaking charismatic figure.

We saw last week that the Gospel of Mark clearly links “Authority” –not with miraculous cures and the bashing of evil—and Exorcist like Hollywood movie moments of supernatural fantasy; no, the “Authority of Jesus is the authority of hope and compassion.

What did Jesus desire his identity to be about—Messiah or not? Service, Love, Healing in a broad sense—and above all, doing the will of God and finding one’s center in God.

When called good in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus pointed to God.

We see this in the story of Jesus healing the loved one of his friend on this morning; What does Mark say is really important? What did Jesus think was important? The “supernatural cure?”

I don’t think so: we read, “Jesus went out in the dark to pray.” We read that once the fever left her, see “served.”

“She served,” The true miracle! “She was restored.” Not just to physical health but to reconciliation with her community because, in the days of Jesus, Illness made you a true leper. Especially for women in the days of Jesus, illness excluded you from community and family.

The true miracle here in this story? Restored relationship—compassion—love.

What does Mark say? “Everyone is searching for you!” Of course! Let’s have more cures! Let’s have more supernatural change. Let’s have more “success!” That is what everyone wanted. Not our Lord.

“No more of this”, says, Jesus. “Let us go to the neighboring towns—let us move on; there are more who need us.” “Above all, let us preach the Gospel and serve our God!” says Jesus.

This Sunday, millions of people will watch the New England Patriots and the New York Giants face off in the Super Bowl.

As it happens, the scripture appointed for worship is one that we cited over and over again when I was a part of the Fellowship of Christian athletes in High School

“Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Coincidence for today? That these words part of the pantheon of scriptures that shape many Christian sports programs are read this morning?

Coincidence that the “poster boy” for the integration of faith and sports, whether you like it or not, Tim Tebow, emblazoned “Isaiah 40:31” during his days as a quarterback for the Florida Gators. He also choose this verse to wear in a game against Kentucky in September 2009 while he was battling a respiratory illness.

The subject of faith and sports is a hot topic today, fueled largely by Tebow’s outspoken evangelical Christian faith and his come from behind wins with the Denver Broncos this season.

Tebow’s practice of publically professing his faith in Jesus at every opportunity has made him a lightning rod for debate over the issue.

So: the question arises? Does God really care about any of this?

Let us actually mark what Tim Tebow says about his witness to Jesus as a professional athlete-and I take him at his word:

“The game does not matter; I mean, I give 100 percent of my heart to win it, but in the end, the thing I most want to do is not win championships or make a lot of money; it is to use this opportunity, granted to very, very few people in their lives—an opportunity to make a difference.”

A few weeks ago, Tebow-took some hits and flack for not appearing with his teammates for interviews or even for consolation after losing to the New England Patriots; he did not appear before the media; he did not go to the locker room.

No, he went to see, as he always does after a game, a child or a young person—ill—sick—kids like Baily Knaub a girl who has endured dozens of surgeries in her young life; kids like Zac Taylor, a nine year old boys who lives in constant pain.

After the loss to the Patriots, Tebow visited with a young man named Zach McCloud undergoing extensive chemotherapy for cancer at age 11.

Does God care about who wins a football game?

Does God care about the role of American sports within his Providential care to make a Difference?

God may be with Tim Tebow on the football field. But God is certainly with the injured, sick and hurting kids who watch him—and who learn that Tim—and God—care about them.

An old Church of the Brethren layman was walking down the street in a little PA town. The Church of the Brethren stem from the “free church” wing of the Reformation and place deeds over creeds as the center of Christian faith.

A young evangelist approached him and handed him and asked him, “Sir, have you been saved?”

The old gentleman took the tract, peered at it for a moment, and then pulled a pencil out of his pocket and began writing on the tract. The younger man stood by impatient and curious. Finally, the old man handed him back his tract.

The response stated: “I’ve written down the names and phone numbers of several of my family and friends. Ask them if I’ve been saved. I could tell you anything.”

The real miracles of faith? Not “success,” not competition, in sports or anything else.

But the “secret” of taking some time to talk to a kid in a life or death struggle with Cancer. And, of course, that’s no secret to faithful, loving, Christian life—at all!

Amen!

A sermon preached by the Rev. Hugh E. Brown, III, D. Min, on the 5th Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B, on Isaiah 40: 21-31, and Mark 1:29-39, in All Saint’s Episcopal Church, Princeton, New Jersey on February 5th, 2012