Scripture/Sermon of the Day

18 “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

25 At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I. While campaigning in Iowa last week — at a Pizza Ranch — Mike Pence was confronted by a woman who was upset that he disobeyed Trump's command to ignore the certified results of the 2020 election and send the results back to Trump-allied state legislatures that would have presumably reinstalled him as president. She told Pence: "If it wasn't for your vote, we would not have Joe Biden in the White House. Joe Biden shouldn't be there and all those wonderful things that you and Trump were doing together would be continuing and this country would be on the right path. Do you ever second guess yourself that it was a constitutional right you had to send those votes back to the states?"

Pence, calmly and respectfully, gave her a detailed answer about the how the U.S. Government and the Constitution work and explained why he couldn’t do that.

He said “Let me speak to that because I know that it is an issue that continues to be misunderstood…” He explained that he did not have the authority to change the outcome of the election. He went through the various steps that the Trump campaign took to legally challenge some of the results in court — “60 different lawsuits went to the courts,” Pence said.

When those challenges all failed in court, Pence said, he had little recourse but to obey the Constitution. He said: “The Constitution affords no authority for the vice president or anyone else to reject votes or return votes to the states.” He even specified where in the Constitution it says that. “The Constitution of the United States, Article II, states it is the job of the vice president to serve as the presiding officer at the joint session where you open and count the votes.” he said.

Finally, Pence said, being extremely respectful to this woman:

“Don’t take my word for it -- read the Constitution... The Constitution is very clear. I'm sorry, ma'am. but that's actually what the Constitution says. No vice president in American history ever asserted the authority that you have been convinced that I had. But I want to tell you with all due respect what I said before: President Trump was wrong about my authority that day and he's still wrong.”

Later, the woman was interviewed and she told the reporter: she might consider supporting Pence for president, but his decision to "alter history" that day remains a "hiccup" for her.

"I believe he is a good man,” she said. “I love the fact that he is strengthened by his faith. But I really do feel like he altered history," she said. "He has that one hiccup.”

Others at the Pizza Ranch were interviewed and there were three types of people there. People were either “immovable,” or “moving” — they were open to changing their position — or “had totally moved and were in agreement with Pence.”

II. Do you see where I’m going with this? What does this conversation between Mike Pence and this woman in Iowa at a Pizza Ranch have to do our gospel reading?

III. I don’t think this word is ever used in the whole Bible, but the word that describes the issue here between Jesus and the crowd following him and Mike Pence and the woman asking him a question is EPISTEMOLOGY. Wow — let me pause for a moment just to fully appreciate this big word that I’m using. EPISTEMOLOGY! In thirty years — I don’t think I’ve ever used that in a sermon —until now! EPISTEMOLOGY. Man! Are you impressed?

IV. There are terribly long and tedious and boring books written about this subject, but here’s a short definition. Epistemology is a branch of philosophy that studies knowledge. It asks questions like: “What do people know?” And, “How do people know that they know?”

The woman in Iowa WAS CERTAIN SHE KNEW that Mike Pence could have changed history by voting to send the election results back to the states to decide. Mike Pence KNEW that she was wrong, that the Constitution did not give him that authority. Right there in Pizza Ranch he gave her a lesson in U.S. Government 101. But even after his detailed, fact-based and Constitutionally-correct answer, the woman still “felt” that her KNOWLEDGE was right and Pence’s was wrong.

V. And that’s just what’s happening in today’s gospel reading. Jesus is like Mike Pence — his knowledge is right and accurate — but the people didn’t believe him. They also thought he was immoral and of poor character— they called him “a glutton and a drunkard.”

Same with John the Baptist — he spoke the truth — but people said he was possessed by a demon. They believed they were right and John was wrong.

VI. In another place, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Then he said, “I’m telling you the truth — why don’t you believe me?”

The people told Jesus he was possessed by a demon and picked up stones and tried to kill him.

And they were absolutely certain they were right.

Let us pray: O God, give us eyes to see as you see, and the put within us the mind of Christ, so we may understand as Jesus did, and live within our hearts so we may love as you love.