Tiger in Your Tank

In the late 1950s, the gas station Esso, trying to encourage people to buy their gasoline,

came up with the slogan, “Put a tiger in your tank.”

came up with the slogan, “Put a tiger in your tank.” So they had posters all over with a tiger at the gas station, filling up your car, and the slogan

So they had all sort of posters with a tiger at the gas station,

filling up your car, and the slogan with bold letters, “Put a tiger in your tank.”

Well I’d like to let you know that the day Jesus was baptized, He received a tiger in his tank. Go with me to .

Mark’s account of Jesus’ baptism is vastly different from Matthew and Luke.

Both Matthew and Luke choose the verb “open.”

Both Matthew and Luke choose the verb “open.” Not Mark, this event is not a comforting moment between God and humanity. Mark chooses the verb schizo, “tear,” “rip,” “rend.”

Not Mark, this event is not a comforting moment between God and humanity.

Mark chooses the verb schizo, which means to “tear,” “rip,” “rend.”

Mark on the other hand tells us that heaven was TORN open.

This was no quiet, gentle breeze experience.

You have clouds tearing, heavens ripping, divine voice booming, Spirit descending.

Sin cannot live in God’s presence, the sky, the firmament is a buffer zone between us and God.

We know what a buffer zone is: Every time you visit the Cincinnati Zoo, you run into buffer zones.

God. We know what a buffer zone is: Zoo analogy. Needed a buffer zone because of the power

They are fences and walls to protect us from wild animals.

of the animals.

Buffer zones are needed because of the power of the animals.

And so there was this buffer zone between us and God.

God’s presence was in the temple, in the Most Holy Place.

And there was this buffer zone between the sinner and God.

You were not allowed to come into the most holy place to talk to God and worship God.

And even the high priest entered on your behalf once a year.

This buffer zone was very important, to keep sinners safe in the presence of a Holy God.

Mark’s only other use of the verb schizo is at , , at the death of Jesus. (Read)

Mark’s only other use of the verb schizo is at , , at the death of Jesus. God again breaks through humanity’s buffer zone.

God again breaks through humanity’s buffer zone.

The veil was a buffer zone, God ripped through the buffer zone and into the lives of humanity is a powerful way.

The veil was a buffer zone, God ripped through the buffer zone and into the lives of humanity is a powerful way.

Through Jesus God was saying that you no longer have to put up a curtain, no longer have to seek out God once a year through the high priest. The buffer is removed by God we could be filled with the Holy Spirit in a mighty way.

Through Jesus, God was saying that you no longer have to put up a curtain,

no longer have to seek out God once a year through the high priest.

The buffer is removed by God, we could be filled with the Holy Spirit in a mighty way.

And so at the baptism of Jesus, God was ripping apart the buffer zone,

and was loose in the world through Jesus Christ.

God was ripping apart the buffer zone and was loose in the world through Jesus Christ.

Scholar Don Juel, wrote the following regarding Jesus’ baptism, “Viewed from another perspective, the image may suggest that the protecting barriers are gone and that God, unwilling to be confined to sacred spaces, is on the loose in our own realm.

unwilling to be confined to sacred spaces, is on the loose in our own realm.

If characters in the story find Jesus’ ministry threatening, then they may have good reason.”

One time Professor Juel teaching on this subject in his classroom,

explained to his students that when God ripped the buffer zone at Jesus’ baptism, it opened up for us an access directly to God.

the student disagreed with the notion that we have access to God,

instead, the student challenged, God has access to us.

the student disagreed with the notion that we have access to God, instead, the student challenged, God has access to us. The God who was trapped behind the veil is now on the loose.

The God who was trapped behind the veil is now on the loose.

God breaks through as Jesus’ ministry in inaugurated and answers the call of “Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down!”

God breaks through as Jesus’ ministry is inaugurated and answers the call of (next slide verse)

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down!”

Some scholars argue whether it was a real dove or was it imaginary,

Some scholars argue whether it was a dove or was it imaginary, the answer is who cares? Mark doesn’t care, you miss the point if you get caught up with the dove imagery. The point is that by the dove descending upon Him, Jesus is infiltrated, possessed by the Holy Spirit.

the answer is, who cares?

Mark doesn’t care, you miss the point if you get caught up with the dove imagery.

The point is that by the dove descending upon Him, Jesus is infiltrated, infused, possessed by the Holy Spirit.

The word could mean either “into” or “upon,” but there is another word for “upon” and Mark elsewhere uses that word, the point is, he probably meant “into” Jesus.

The word could mean either “into” or “upon,” but there is another word for “upon” and Mark elsewhere uses that word,

the point is, he probably meant “into” Jesus.

Even the skin and bones cannot be a buffer zone for Jesus, the Holy Spirit penetrates all that and moves into Jesus.

Even the skin and bones cannot be a buffer zone for Jesus,

the Holy Spirit penetrates all that and moves into Jesus.

And what does it look like when God is loose in the world through Jesus?

Look at .

Lepers were cut off from society, for health reasons, not to spread disease.

Lepers were cut off from society, for health reasons, not to spread disease. Cut off from society, spiritually, a pure people could not be tainted by such an impure person.

They were also cut off spiritually, for a pure people could not be tainted by such an impure person.

Lepers had to yell unclean, unclean wherever they went so that nobody would accidentally touch them.

Jesus not only heals him but touches him.

And notice Jesus not only heals him but touches him.

I wonder when was the last time this leper felt a human touch, a caring touch, a loving touch?

When God is loose in the world, He touches lepers.

He touches those that society abandons.

But that’s not all, look at , some friends bring a paralyzed man to Jesus.

Hoping that Jesus could heal him. And notice what Jesus does first. .

Jesus oversteps the bounds of the priestly infrastructure for they are the ones responsible for bringing the sin of the people before God and petitioning God for forgiveness.

Jesus oversteps the bounds of the priestly framework,

for they are the ones responsible for bringing the sin of the people before God and petitioning God for forgiveness.

And again, the first thing Jesus does is not heal this man but offer forgiveness.

Obviously this man had a really guilty conscience about something in his life.

He probably went to the priests and sought forgiveness for his sins, but was denied and rejected.

He was probably told that God is punishing you for your sins, that is why you are paralyzed.

So he was sent home rejected and abandoned by the religious leaders,

and he thought he was rejected by God.

But remember, God is loose now, on the move through Jesus Christ.

And what does He do? He forgives sins, when humans want to reject sinners.

And lets look at one more picture in the life of Jesus.

Jesus calls Levi Matthew, the tax collector, to be his disciple.

Levi threw a party for Jesus, let’s pick up the story in .

Hated by people because they collected taxes for hated enemy, Rome had a set amount, you collect as much as you wanted to make a living for yourself. Generally reviled for this predatory behavior, also considered ritually unclean.

Tax collectors were hated by people because they collected taxes for the hated enemy,

Rome had a set amount, you collect as much as you wanted over that amount,, to make a living for yourself.

Tax collectors were generally reproached for this predatory behavior,

they were also considered ritually unclean and a good religious person would not eat with tax collectors.

For by eating with them you would accept them into your fellowship.

Jesus was pulling into his community precisely those who had been legally

Jesus was pulling into his community precisely those who had been legally excluded.

excluded.

Each story we looked at, underlines the fact that the Spirit of God takes hold of and possesses Jesus.

And that through Jesus, God is loose in the world.

And what does his family and the religious people think of all this? Turn to .

His family ends up thinking Jesus is crazy and want to take him home and keep him away from people.

And the teachers say that Jesus is demon possessed.

When in actually Jesus is not demon possessed but Holy Spirit possessed. Amen?

He’s got the wild Spirit of God running loose inside him.

“Jesus has a tiger in his tank.”

To use the old Esso slogan, “Jesus has a tiger in his tank.”

You want to know what that Tiger will do?

Want to know what happens when you get too close to God, when you get touched by the power of God’s Spirit?

You don’t sit still and enjoy the view...,

You don’t sit still and enjoy the view, you don’t lay down and take a nap, you don’t bask in the glory of what great thing has just happened to you.

you don’t lay down and take a nap...,

you don’t bask in the glory of what great thing has just happened to you.

You go immediately to wild work.

You go immediately to wild work.

To work for God is to be thrown directly into the path of those who would oppose God.

So Mark tells us that Jesus was immediately driven into the wilderness by the Spirit of God.

God. He didn’t just happen to wander across the wilderness border by mistake because his

He didn’t just happen to wander across the wilderness border by mistake because his compass was broken.

compass was broken. He didn’t decide to take a camping trip. He was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness for a specific purpose.

He didn’t decide to take a camping trip.

He was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness for a specific purpose.

You think that Jesus is in trouble out there with the wild beasts?

It’s when he gets into the civilized towns with the religious people who go to church every Saturday that he really gets into trouble.

every Saturday that he really gets into trouble. The wilderness looks like a first-century Disney World compared to his hometown, the

The wilderness looks like a first-century Disney World compared to his hometown, the synagogue, the Temple and the religious leaders.

synagogue, the Temple and the religious leaders.

If you want to know what happens when God gets on the loose and gets into you...,

When God gets into you, you get into trouble because God drives you until you’re running wild in a world headed to destruction and the religious want to just keep everything the same. “Don’t rock the boat.”

take a look at what happened to Jesus.

When God gets into you, you get into trouble...

because God drives you until you’re running wild in a world headed to destruction...

and the religious want to just keep everything the same. “Don’t rock the boat,” they say.

Well in Mark’s gospel, Jesus is infused with the Holy Spirit...

and he touches lepers...,

He dines with the cheating tax collectors...

He dines with the cheating tax collectors... and the stealing sinners,

and the stealing sinners,

Jesus allows a prostitute to anoint him at a party, And breaks the traditions and rules of the religious leaders.

Jesus allows a prostitute to anoint him at a party,

And breaks the traditions and rules of the religious leaders.

Jesus lived at a time when the religious leaders and the religious people wanted to be holy, wanted to be pure, righteous.

Jesus lived at a time when the religious leaders and the religious people wanted to be holy...,

wanted to be pure, and righteous.

They didn’t really dislike Jesus personally, but they wanted to keep the holy separate from the unholy. And have a buffer zone between the two.

They didn’t really dislike Jesus personally,

but they wanted to keep the holy separate from the unholy.

And have a buffer zone between the two.

They did not want to be contaminated by the unholy folk, in reality they didn’t realize that they were the ones contaminating the unholy folks by their attitudes.

They did not want to be contaminated by the unholy folk,

in reality they didn’t realize that they were the ones contaminating the unholy folks by their attitudes.

Jesus showed that when he touched the leper, he did not get leprosy, but the leper became whole. When Jesus sat down to eat with tax collectors, he did not get taken into their sins, but

Jesus showed that when he touched the leper...,

he did not get leprosy, but the leper became whole.

When Jesus sat down to eat with tax collectors, he did not get taken into their sins...,

took them out of their lifestyles and on a wild discipleship journey.

but took them out of their lifestyles and on a wild discipleship journey.

But let’s admit it, just as the religious leaders did not like the wild Spirit loose through Jesus...,

But let’s admit it, just as the religious leaders did not like the wild Spirit loose through Jesus, many Christians don’t really want a wild God on the loose either.

many Christians don’t really want a wild God on the loose either.

Do you want a wild Tiger on the loose in your neighborhood?

Do you want a wild Tiger on the loose in your neighborhood?

We don’t want a wild Tiger, but a domesticated kitty cat. We want the power that God and God’s reign represent, but we want that power domesticated, working for us. We want it on a leash, our leash.

We don’t want a wild Tiger, but a domesticated kitty cat.

We want the power that God and God’s reign represent...,

but we want that power in our control, working for us.

We want it on a leash, our leash.

But the story of Jesus’ baptism suggests that this is not how God works. When God gets hold of us, the Spirit drives us to where God wants us to go, to do what God wants us to do.

But the story of Jesus’ baptism suggests that this is not how God works.

When God gets hold of us...,

the Spirit drives us to where God wants us to go, to do what God wants us to do.

The Holy Spirit got into John the Baptist and drove him to mouth off to kings, soldiers and priests.

The Holy Spirit got into John the Baptist and drove him to mouth off to kings, soldiers and priests.

The Holy Spirit got into the disciples of Jesus and drove them to proclaim the reign of God, cast out demons, heal the sick, teach the people.

The Holy Spirit got into the disciples of Jesus and drove them to proclaim the reign of God...,

cast out demons, heal the sick, teach the people.

When the Holy Spirit got into Jesus and drove him, he went around cleansing the Temple that was supposed to be the pinnacle of religious cleanliness.

When the Holy Spirit got into Jesus and drove him...,

he went around cleansing the Temple that was supposed to be the pinnacle of religious cleanliness.

When the Holy Spirit gets a hold of you, you start doing all that kind of crazy stuff that gets you into all kinds of crazy circumstances.

When the Holy Spirit gets a hold of you...,

you start doing all that kind of crazy stuff that gets you into all kinds of crazy circumstances.

When the Spirit gets on the loose inside you, you start to do things that turn your world upside down and inside out.

When the Spirit gets on the loose inside of you...,

you start to do things that turn your world upside down and inside out.

You know we go crazy if somebody changes the format to the bulletin, if we make changes to the church service, if we remove one instrument or add an instrument.

You know we go crazy if somebody changes the format to the bulletin...,

if we make changes to the church service...,

if we remove one instrument or add an instrument.

Just imagine if people stopped doing all the traditional things in all the traditional ways, stopped standing in religious line and started lining up to make the kinds of moves necessary to transform their churches and the neighborhoods in leper-touching, prostitute-protecting, sinner-sitting, tax-collector loving kinds of ways.

Just imagine if people stopped doing all the traditional things in all the traditional ways...,

stopped standing in the religious line...

and started lining up to make the kinds of moves necessary to transform their churches and their neighborhoods...

in leper-touching,

prostitute-protecting,

sinner-sitting,

and tax-collector loving kinds of ways.

Imagine what would happen if people were so possessed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit...

Imagine what would happen if people were so possessed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit that they stopped caring as much for how pure and holy they looked and started getting down into the dirt and mud and muck of the world and started cleaning that world up.

that they stopped caring as much for how pure and holy they looked...

and started getting down into the dirt and mud and muck of the world...

and started cleaning that world up.

Too many of us treat heaven as if it’s a cotillion and we’ve got to look spiritually gorgeous if we’re going to get in.

Too many of us treat heaven as if it’s a beautiful gala...

and we’ve got to look spiritually gorgeous if we’re going to get in.

So we spend all our earthly time in church like it’s a beauty salon, touching up our faith, washing our hands of the wrong kinds of people, perfuming ourselves so we won’t be tainted by the smell of a disintegrating world.

So we spend all our earthly time in church...

like it’s a beauty salon...,

touching up our faith...,

washing our hands of the wrong kinds of people...,

perfuming ourselves so we won’t be tainted by the smell of the world.

4

But when God is on the loose...,

God’s Spirit drives you out of the church and into the unkown...,

But when God is on the loose, God’s Spirit drives you out of the church and into the unkown, into the wilderness, where staying clean is not an option, because like Jesus, you’ve been driven into a down and dirty fight for those whom He came to save!

into the wilderness, where staying clean is not an option...,

because like Jesus, you’ve been driven into a down and dirty fight for those whom He came to save!

And that’s the good news!!! There’s good news whenever boundaries are broken down, buffers are ripped apart, dividing lines are shredded, and people are set free to reach out to others and set them free too.

And that’s the good news!!!

There’s good news whenever boundaries are broken down...,

buffers are ripped apart...,

dividing lines are shredded...,

and people are set free to reach out to others and set them free too.

The good news in this story about God breaking free into Jesus and Jesus breaking free into our world is that we can tap into that boundary-breaking power to change the world in which we live.

The good news in this story about God breaking free into Jesus...

and Jesus breaking free into our world...

is that we can tap into that boundary-breaking power to change the world in which we live.

This is the kind of Tiger that it’s good to have on the loose, running free and unfettered.

This is the kind of Tiger that it’s good to have on the loose, running free.

running free

I appeal to you to ask God to break into your life and infuse you with the Holy Spirit Recognize that God wants to be loose in your life,

I appeal to you to ask God to break into your life...

and infuse you with the Holy Spirit.

Let’s Recognize that God wants to be loose in our lives, Amen?

Remember that God longs to be loose in your church, Work with the God who is loose in your world.

Remember friends that God longs to be loose in our church,

and let’s Work with the God who is loose in our world.

That way when people talk about you to other people, they won’t say, “He’s a nice man.” They won’t say, “She’s a good church worker.” They won’t say, “He’s real religious.” Why they won’t even say, “She’s a good Christian.”

That way when people talk about us to other people...,

they won’t say, “He’s a nice man.”

They won’t say, “She’s a good church worker.”

They won’t say, “He’s real religious.”

They’ll say something else instead. Something wild, something crazy, something dangerous, something like “He’s got a Tiger in his tank!”

Why they won’t even say, “She’s a good Christian.”

They’ll say something else instead.

Something wild, something crazy...,

something dangerous...,

something like “He’s got a Tiger in his tank!” “She’s got a Tiger in her tank.”

The Spirit is willing if you are willing. Ask for the Holy Spirit to take you on the wildest journey of your life, transforming your life and the lives of those around you.

The Spirit is willing if you are willing.

Ask for the Holy Spirit to take you on the wildest journey of your life...,

transforming your life and the lives of those around you.

Ask for the Holy Spirit to take you on the wildest journey of your life, transforming your life and the lives of those around you.

Let us pray.