Rubbernecking through Life

“Rubbernecking”  Mark 6: 14-29

One night on a lonely country road a Flying Saucer landed at a gas station. The two aliens inside seemed completely unconcerned about possible detection. In fact, the letters 'UFO' were boldly emblazoned on one side of their space craft. As the station owner stood gawking in amazement and nearly paralyzed by the shock, his young  attendant routinely filled up the tank, received payment and waved as the aliens left.

"Do you realize what just happened?" the station owner finally said. "Yeah," said the young man. "So?" "Didn't you see space aliens in that vehicle?!" "Yeah, So?"

"And didn't you see those letters 'UFO' on the side of that vehicle?!" "Yeah, So?"

"Are you telling me you don't know what 'UFO' means?!" The young attendant rolled his eyes. "Good grief, boss! I've been working here for five years. Of course I know what 'UFO' means - it means 'Unleaded Fuel Only'"

How many of you have heard the term “rubbernecking?” Do you know where it came from? Rubbernecking means to look about or stare with curiosity, as by craning the neck or turning the head. It can also be used as noun to indicate a curious onlooker, sightseer, or tourist. Rubbernecking can be extremely dangerous to others as it disrupts the flow of traffic and blocks the brain’s information processing.

There are many occupations that claim the usage of the word as a derogatory term and inside joke, The term may have first originated with those people who would listen, uninvited, to other people using the telephone on a party line.

(For you younger folks – think of a party line as a cell you have to share with your sister or brother with no privacy.) It was later applied to tourists riding around in tour buses or those people stopping to gawk at accidents and the like.

King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead: and for this reason these powers are at work in him. But others said, “It is Elijah,” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her.

For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him.

When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.

But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee.

When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.”And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.”

She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head.

He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. (NRSV)

These verses provide us with rich historical detail about central figures in the life and times of Jesus. They give us information that helps us learn about the character and personality of John the Baptist, Jesus, King Herod, Herodias, and Salome.

In the NRSV translation you have to follow the text closely so as to not be confused with the names of Herod’s wife and daughter, as they are two separate people.

The story of John the Baptist’s death is a gruesome one and certainly serves as a warning to Jesus as to the utter ruthlessness of the ruling class of his day.

This passage starts out with King Herod beginning to become aware of Jesus’ increasing reputation in the community and what people are saying about him.

The clear context of the verse suggests Herod knows nothing about Jesus until after John is long dead, and fears that his hand in killing John has come back to haunt him.

There is a verse that jumps out of this text during our reading – the second part of verse 20 that says, “When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.” We could say that Herod may have acted like a deer caught in the headlights when John was around.

Is Herod rubbernecking during his interactions with John? There are other times when this behavior is readily apparent during Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem.

Rubbernecking may have been what happened when his step-daughter danced as well. Because of his reaction to her Herod was willing to give anything he had to her. Either way Herod was distracted and dazed and agreed to something he didn’t realize would have serious consequences.

Many people, including Christians, are willing to give up everything for worldly things even if they find Jesus and God interesting but perplexing.

Rubbernecking has been described as a human trait that is associated with morbid curiosity. It can be the cause of traffic jams as drivers slow down to see what happened in a crash. It also causes accidents as drivers become distracted and change their speed while other drivers are also distracted. Rubbernecking has also come to be used more generally to describe voyeuristic interest in someone else's "business" or difficulties.

We’ve all been there – think of the 21^st century term “viral video” and you capture the sense of rubbernecking and gawking. Think “reality TV” and you are there.

How else do you explain the Kardasians, Snooki, Mob wives, Big Ang, and all of the pawn shops and auction programs on TV?

H.L. Mencken once said the word “rubberneck” is "almost a complete expose of American psychology" and "one of the best words ever invented." Was he a prophet?

The lesson here for us is an important one: Do we have a “rubberneck” faith which deserts us when our curiosity and attention to our secular and humanistic culture calls, or are we like the gas station attendant who does his job, keeps the faith, and doesn’t buy into the sensation of the moment, even while others are losing theirs?

Are we caught up in moment or do we maintain an external perspective?

Do you wonder more about how your friends, celebrities, or the fads of the day say about religion and faith than Jesus does in scripture?

Who has the authority over your life – emotions or faith and trust in God?

I personally will try to only rubberneck when I worship God and read scripture.

Will you join me? Amen.