Tawa Baptist

God on our side

Scripture: Psalm 124

 

Title: God on our side

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Psalm 124
  • 2 Samuel 5:17-25
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

Today we continue our series on the Songs of Ascents – which we know as Psalms 120 to 134

 

The word ‘Ascent’ has to do with moving upward

–         The temple in Jerusalem was on a hill

–         On their way to religious festivals Jewish pilgrims might sing these songs as they ascended the hill to the temple

 

The 15 Songs of Ascents, then, are about being on a journey – not just a physical journey to Jerusalem but also a spiritual journey

–         As we make our way through these Songs of Ascents we notice the psalmist draws closer to God

 

We plan is to explore these Songs of Ascents as we journey toward Easter

–         This morning we take a closer look at psalm 124

–         This song is attributed to king David

–         Not all the psalms were written by David but it appears this one was

–         As a hymn of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance psalm 124 is not a solo performance – it looks like it was meant to be sung in a responsive way with the cantor (or the worship leader) singing a line and the choir repeating it

–         We are not going to try and sing psalm 124 this morning, but to help us enter into the feel of the song I’m going to read the lines in plain type and I invite you to respond by reading the words in bold italics

–         From the New Revised Standard Version we read…

 

1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side     —let Israel now say— 2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side,     when our enemies attacked us,

 

3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,     when their anger was kindled against us;

4 then the flood would have swept us away,     the torrent would have gone over us; 5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.

 

6 Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. 7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

 

8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, 

who made heaven and earth.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this song for us

 

Psalm 124

On the wall here is a photo of British & French soldiers lined up on the beach at Dunkirk in May 1940, awaiting evacuation across the channel to England

  • – The German army had invaded France and were headed north, closing in fast on the Allied troops
  • – In one of the most widely debated decisions of the war, the Germans halted their advance on Dunkirk.
  • – German Field Marshalls suggested that the German forces should cease their advance on Dunkirk and consolidate, to avoid an Allied breakout.
  • – The army was to halt for three days, which gave the Allies sufficient time to organise the Dunkirk evacuation and build a defensive line.
  • – Despite the Allies’ gloomy estimate of the situation, with Britain even discussing a conditional surrender to Germany, in the end more than 330,000 Allied troops were rescued [1]

 

 

Although Dunkirk was a defeat (as far as the Allied forces were concerned) it was also a miracle of deliverance

–         The Allied forces could have easily been swallowed up, overwhelmed and trapped

 

In psalm 124 David gives us four images or metaphors to describe Israel’s deliverance from their enemies

–         Israel was nearly swallowed alive

–         They were almost overwhelmed & swept away, as if by a flood

–         They were hunted like prey

–         And trapped like a bird in a fowler’s snare

 

These are all images of terrifying power – where Israel is vulnerable and powerless to save themselves (not unlike the Allied forces at Dunkirk)

 

I remember as a kid watching Return of the Jedi

–         In those days it was number three in the Star Wars series but these days its number 6 (if you don’t include Rogue One)

–         Anyway there was this scene where Luke had come to rescue Han Solo and Princess Leah from Jabba the Hutt

 

Jabba the Hutt was a pretty nasty piece of work and he planned to throw Han Solo into the Sarlaac pit

–         The Sarlaac was a terrible monster which swallowed people alive and then digested them slowly for a 1000 years

–         It is nightmare stuff on the edge of human imagination

–         David wouldn’t have been thinking of the Sarlaac when he used the image of being swallowed alive

–         More likely he was thinking of the Philistine army

 

Israel’s enemies are angry

–         Their anger is described as being ‘kindled’ – like a fire

–         Fire of course destroys everything in its path and is difficult to control

–         Just as there is no reasoning with fire, there is also no reasoning with an angry enemy – there is no diplomatic solution in other words

 

The only thing an angry army will give way to is some power or force stronger and more terrifying than itself

–         David is saying: the Lord God is more powerful, more terrifying and more organised than any army

 

As for the second image – of being swept away in a flood – that reminds me of a tsunami (a tidal wave)

 

David probably wouldn’t have known about tsunamis where he was situated but, for the Jewish people generally, flood waters were a symbol of chaos – in contrast to a well ordered creation as God intended it

–         David was saying; our enemies represent chaos (anarchy) – they only want to make a mess

–         But where there is chaos the Lord God (our creator) is able to bring order

 

The image of a flood or torrent also suggests being outnumbered – as if David were saying, ‘there are too many of them for us to handle’

–         But despite the overwhelming odds against Israel God holds the balance of power

 

Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.

–         That’s David’s third image

 

As a shepherd David would have faced wild animals – predators, like this wolf here

–         A predator is known for being cunning or skilful in hunting its prey

–         Israel’s enemies were hunting them like a wolf hunts a sheep

–         From Israel’s perspective it’s a picture of vulnerability and powerlessness

–         What can a sheep do to defend itself against a wolf

–         What could Israel do to defend themselves against their enemies

–         The only thing they could do was look to God to protect them

–         God isn’t just more terrifying and more powerful than Israel’s enemies – he is also more clever, more skilful than any predator

 

The fourth image of Israel’s vulnerability is that of a bird caught in a fowler’s snare

–         A fowler is a professional bird catcher

–         One strategy of fowlers is to put nets out which the birds fly into and get tangled up in

–         Then the fowlers would sell the birds (live) for sacrifice or for eating

–         Fowlers sometimes used caged birds to attract wild birds

–         The wild birds would hear the bird in the cage calling and fly straight into the trap

 

Once a bird is tangled in a net or a snare it can’t do anything to save itself

–         The more it struggles to wriggle free, the more tangled it becomes

 

A bird is the image of freedom

–         Israel’s enemies want to take away their freedom and make them slaves

–         But the Lord God delights in setting people free

–         Jesus said of himself, “I’ve come to set the captives free”

–         Not only has God set Israel free he has also broken the snare so that it no longer poses a threat

 

Because, on this occasion, the Lord God was on their side, Israel was not consumed, not overwhelmed, not killed and not trapped

–         They lived to fight another day

 

2nd Samuel 5:17-25

Please turn with me 2nd Samuel chapter 5 – page 305 near the front of your pew Bibles

  • – Psalm 124 was probably written by David out of personal experience
  • – More than once God had helped David and saved Israel in battle
  • – From 2nd Samuel 5, verse 17 we read…

 

17 The Philistines were told that David had been made king of Israel, so their army set out to capture him. When David heard of it, he went down to a fortified place. 18 The Philistines arrived at Rephaim Valley and occupied it. 19 David asked the Lord, “Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give me the victory?”

“Yes, attack!” the Lord answered. “I will give you the victory!”

 

20 So David went to Baal Perazim and there he defeated the Philistines. He said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies like a flood.” And so that place is called Baal Perazim. 21 When the Philistines fled, they left their idols behind, and David and his men carried them away.

 

22 Then the Philistines went back to Rephaim Valley and occupied it again. 23 Once more David consulted the Lord, who answered, “Don’t attack them from here, but go around and get ready to attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees. 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the treetops, then attack because I will be marching ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army.”

 

25 David did what the Lord had commanded, and was able to drive the Philistines back from Geba all the way to Gezer.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us

 

The Battle of Trafalgar was fought by the British Royal Navy against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies on the 21st October 1805

 

Twenty-seven British ships, led by Admiral Lord Nelson, defeated thirty-three French and Spanish ships in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Spain, just west of Cape Trafalgar

 

The French and Spanish fleet lost twenty-two ships, without a single British vessel being lost. It was the most decisive naval battle of the war, conclusively ending French plans to invade England. [2]

 

Perhaps psalm 124 resonated with the English following their victory at the battle of Trafalgar

  • – England was under attack and despite being outnumbered they won a decisive victory
  • – Was it because God was on their side or was it Lord Nelson’s wise naval strategy or was it both? I don’t know?

 

As I mentioned before, David probably wrote psalm 124 out of personal experience

  • – The two accounts of battle in 2nd Samuel chapter 5 were perhaps something equivalent to David’s battle of Trafalgar
  • – Although, fortunately for David, he wasn’t killed in battle like Admiral Nelson was
  • – In any case David attributes his victories to God being on Israel’s side

 

If the Lord had not been on our side when our enemies attacked us, then we would have been swallowed alive…

 

Hmm? If the Lord had not been on our side?

  • – Most people think God is on their side in battle
  • – The crusaders of a thousand years ago thought God was on their side but from our perspective in history we doubt that
  • – I imagine the French & Spanish forces thought God was on their side when they decided to attack England in 1805 and yet they lost, decisively
  • – Both the Allied and Axis forces of World War One thought God was on their side to win – but they couldn’t both be right
  • – And more recently, Islamic State thinks God is on their side while the rest of world is pretty certain He isn’t
  • – History is littered with people who thought God was on their side
  • – It seems God’s name is hijacked and taken in vain to justify all sorts of crimes

 

For this reason I feel uneasy when people say: ‘God is on our side’ – as if God could be co-opted to serve our ends

  • – It would seem more accurate to talk about us being on God’s side
  • – What is God’s purpose in any given situation and how might we align ourselves with His purpose
  • – We can’t take it for granted that God will support us unconditionally
  • – God is faithful and kind but He is also free and He is Lord (not us)
  • – He doesn’t appreciate people misusing his name for their own purposes

 

David was very careful not to take God for granted and not to co-opt God to serve his own ends

  • – David did not make any assumptions where God was concerned
  • – Yes, Israel were God’s chosen people and yes, David had been anointed king of Israel – so he was God’s special man
  • – But he didn’t automatically think that entitled him to go to war against whomever he chose

 

David was well aware that God had not always been on Israel’s side

  • – Saul (the previous) king embarked on some major military disasters under the false assumption that God would support him
  • – But even before Saul (in 1st Samuel chapter 4, during the time of the priest, Eli) the Israelites took the Ark of the Covenant into battle against the Philistines without checking with God first and Israel suffered a terrible defeat including losing the Ark

 

In the context of 2nd Samuel chapter 5, David has just been made king of all Israel

  • – Previously Israel had been a divided nation
  • – Now with one king they were united
  • – This made Israel more of a threat to the Philistines and so the Philistines acted out of their fear and set out to try and capture David
  • – They took their idols with them
  • – Apparently the Philistines thought their gods were on their side

 

When David heard of it he didn’t go out straight away to face them

  • – Instead David went on a spiritual retreat in order to find out what God wanted him to do
  • – This reminds us of Jesus whose first action (after being baptised) was to get away from it all so he could spend time with God and find out what God wanted him to do

 

David asked the Lord: Shall I attack the Philistines? And, will you give me the victory?

  • – And the Lord said ‘yes’ to both
  • – After he had won David attributed his victory to the Lord God saying…
  • – “The Lord has broken through my enemies like a flood.”
  • – This flood language reminds us of psalm 124

 

Later, at another time, the Philistines attacked again

  • – It may have been tempting for David to think, ‘I don’t need to consult God. He was on my side last time he will give me victory again this time’
  • – But David doesn’t do this
  • – Once again his first response is to enquire of the Lord
  • – Like the Roman Centurion who showed faith in Jesus to heal his servant, David sees himself as a man under authority
  • – God is his commanding officer – David gets his orders from the Lord

 

It’s just as well David checked because this time God tells him not to attack from the same angle but to come around from the other side

  • – When you hear the sound of marching in the tree-tops, then attack because I will be marching ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army
  • – God was indeed helping David but not because David or Israel were entitled in anyway
  • – Had David charged ahead without listening to God first it could have ended in disaster

 

Conclusion:

The point is, when David talks about God being on his side, he doesn’t mean that God can be co-opted for Israel’s own parochial (them against us) concerns

  • – I think he means something along the lines of: But for the grace of God Israel would be no more.

 

Having said that God won’t be co-opted to serve human political agenda, God is still free to choose sides

 

When God became a man (in the form of Jesus) he was saying to humanity: “I am on your side”

 

When Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan, God was saying to all who repent of their sin: “I am on your side”

 

When Jesus healed people, God was saying to the sick: “I am on your side”

 

When Jesus cast out demons, God was saying to those who are oppressed by evil: “I am on your side”

 

When Jesus restored sight to the blind, God was saying to those sitting in darkness: “I am on your side”

 

When Jesus stood up for Zacchaeus and the woman caught in adultery and others like them, God was saying to the despised: “I am on your side”

 

When Jesus died on the cross, God was saying to all who suffer injustice: “I am on your side”

 

When Jesus was raised from the dead, God was saying to all who place their faith in Christ: “I am on your side”

 

And when Jesus pours out His Holy Spirit on us today, God is still saying: “I am on your side”

 

 

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dunkirk

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Trafalgar

Tawa Baptist

Mercy

Scripture: Psalm 123 (also Luke 18:35-43)

 

Title: Mercy

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Human mercy
  • Honour & shame
  • Jesus’ mercy
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Today we continue our series on the Songs of Ascents – which we know as Psalms 120 to 134

 

The word ‘Ascent’ has to do with moving upward

–         The temple in Jerusalem was on a hill

–         On their way to religious festivals Jewish pilgrims might sing these songs as they ascended the hill to the temple

 

The 15 Songs of Ascents, then, are about being on a journey – not just a physical journey to Jerusalem but also a spiritual journey

–         As we make our way through these Songs of Ascents we notice the psalmist draws closer to God

 

The plan, over the next couple of months, is to explore the Songs of Ascents as we journey toward Easter

–         This morning we take a closer look at psalm 123

–         Last week, in psalm 122, the palmist sang about arriving in Jerusalem

–         Now that he has arrived his first word is a prayer to God for mercy

–         Not mercy in the sense of forgiveness for anything he might have done wrong – but rather, mercy in the sense of a reprieve from the wrong that has been done to him by others

–         From the New Revised Standard Version we read…

 

1 To you I lift up my eyes,     O you who are enthroned in the heavens! 2 As the eyes of servants     look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid     to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God,     until he has mercy upon us.  3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,     for we have had more than enough of contempt. 4 Our soul has had more than its fill     of the scorn of those who are at ease,     of the contempt of the proud.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this prayer for us

Human mercy:

In their book “A Higher Call” Adam Makos and Larry Alexander retell a true story of mercy from WW2…

 

The pilot glanced outside his cockpit and froze. He blinked hard and looked again, hoping it was just a mirage. But his co-pilot stared at the same horrible vision.

 

The men were looking at a gray German Messerschmitt fighter hovering just three feet off their wingtip. It was five days before Christmas 1943, and the fighter had closed in on their crippled B-17 bomber.

 

The B-17 pilot, Charles Brown, was a 21-year-old West Virginia farm boy on his first combat mission. His bomber had been shot to pieces by swarming fighters, and his plane was alone in the skies above Germany. Half his crew was wounded, and the tail gunner was dead, his blood frozen in icicles over the machine guns.

 

But when Brown and his co-pilot, Spencer Luke, looked at the fighter pilot again, something odd happened. The German didn’t pull the trigger. He nodded at Brown instead.

 

What happened next was one of the most remarkable acts of mercy recorded during World War II. Instead of finishing the American bomber off the German fighter pilot continued to fly in close formation with the bomber to protect it from German anti-aircraft guns on the ground

 

The German pilot’s name was Franz Stigler. Franz was a fighter ace. One more kill and he would have been awarded the Knight’s Cross.

 

But Stigler was driven by something deeper than glory. His older brother, August, was a fellow Luftwaffe pilot who had been killed earlier in the war. American pilots had killed Stigler’s comrades and were bombing his country’s cities. The temptation for revenge was intense.

 

Despite having strong reason to shoot, Stigler pressed his hand over the rosary he kept in his flight jacket. He eased his index finger off the trigger. He couldn’t open fire. It would be murder.

 

Stigler wasn’t just motivated by vengeance that day. He also lived by a code. He could trace his family’s ancestry to knights in 16th century Europe. He had once studied to be a priest.

 

A German pilot who spared the enemy, though, risked death in Nazi Germany. If someone reported him, he would be executed. Yet Stigler could also hear the voice of his commanding officer, who once told him:

–         “You follow the rules of war for you — not your enemy. You fight by rules (or principles) to keep your humanity.”  [1]

 

Many years later the two pilots, Charles Brown and Franz Stigler met in person

 

Whether in war or peace, mercy is part of humanity’s code

–         The capacity to show mercy, compassion and kindness is what sets us apart as creatures made in God’s image

 

One of the things we recognise from Franz’ story is that human mercy is circumstantial – by which I mean the circumstances need to be right for us to show mercy

–         Like Franz Stigler we need to be in the right place at the right time with the right resources to be able to demonstrate mercy to others

–         Sometimes we may wish to show mercy but it might not be in our power to do so because we aren’t in the right place at the right time or we don’t have the resources (or the power) that is needed to help

–         That’s okay – so long as we are always prepared to show mercy when the opportunity presents itself and it’s in our power to do so

 

Unlike us human beings, God is not limited by time or space or power

–         He is present everywhere and His resources are infinite

–         So God’s mercy is qualitatively different from human expressions of mercy

 

Honour & shame:

One of the big concepts found in psalm 123, which is perhaps not as obvious to us as the concept of mercy, is the idea of honour & shame

–         To understand where the psalmist is coming from we have to think in terms of honour & shame

 

An honour-shame mind-set is different from an innocence-guilt mind-set

–         Innocence & guilt are about the things we do

–         While honour & shame are about who we are

 

Innocence and guilt has to do with the personal moral decisions we make

–         For example, Franz Stigler made a personal moral decision not to shoot the struggling B-17 bomber out of the sky

–         He reasoned that would be murder

–         If Franz had shot the plane down he would have been guilty

–         But he didn’t – he saved the plane – and so he was innocent, in that situation at least

 

Honour and shame is different from innocence and guilt

–         Honour and shame is something that other people put on us

–         So if Franz had shot the plane down his superiors would have honoured him with the Knight’s Cross – a special medal

–         Ironically he wouldn’t be innocent but he would be honoured

–         By not shooting down the plane Franz took the risk of being shamed by his superiors – being branded a traitor or disloyal

 

Focusing just on shame for a moment…

–         I remember when I was about 15 or 16 riding along Ward Street in Hamilton on my bike and a couple guys rode past and spat on me

–         I had no idea who they were – it was completely unprovoked

–         They were simply looking for a fight

–         Now I didn’t feel guilty about that – I hadn’t done anything wrong

–         But I did feel shamed – they literally put shame on me by spitting on me

 

Now the temptation when someone puts shame on us is to retaliate and try to put shame on them as well (as if that could restore our honour)

–         I didn’t retaliate in this situation, mainly because they were bigger than me

 

Looking back on it now I think the reason they spat on me was because someone had tried to put shame on to them and they were simply trying get rid of that shame by passing it off onto me – it wasn’t personal

 

Shame, then, isn’t so much about making a mistake

–         Shame is a statement or action that says you are a mistake or you are nothing, you don’t matter

 

People can put shame on us in a whole variety of ways

–         Usually it’s by name calling – saying things like ‘you’re a looser’, or ‘you’re ugly’ or ‘you’re stupid’ or whatever

–         But they might also cause shame in other ways too – like physical or sexual abuse or by causing us social embarrassment

–         When someone tries to put shame on us, we have a choice

–         We can believe the lie that we are worthless

–         Or we can remember the truth that we are made and loved by God

–         That we are valuable to him

–         We are so valuable to God in fact that he was prepared to put His Son Jesus in harm’s way for us

 

In psalm 123 the author hasn’t done anything bad – he isn’t feeling guilty

–         But he has been made to feel shame

–         Other people are showing him scorn and contempt

 

To be shown scorn & contempt is to be rejected – treated like you are nothing, like you are a mistake

–         Scorn & contempt isn’t so much a criticism of what you’ve done

–         It’s more a criticism of who you are

 

But the psalmist chooses not to accept the shame that his enemies are trying to put on him

–         Instead the psalmist looks to God for honour

 

 1 To you I lift up my eyes,     O you who are enthroned in the heavens!

 

God is the one enthroned in the heavens

–         You can’t get any higher status or position than that

–         God has the most honour and he is the source of real honour

–         God has conferred on human beings the honour (and glory) of being made in his image

 

2 As the eyes of servants     look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid     to the hand of her mistress,

so our eyes look to the Lord our God…

It’s interesting how in today’s world we are used to having eyes on us

–         We are used to security cameras watching our every move,

–         Speed cameras waiting to snap us if we go over the limit,

–         Security guards monitoring us to make sure we don’t get out of hand

–         Managers keeping an eye on us to ensure we do our job, and so on

 

But here in verse 2 all eyes are on the master

–         The servants and the maid are not the centre of attention – the Lord is

–         The servants and the maid are trusted

–         They give their attention to the hand of the master

–         Why the hand?

–         Well the hand is symbolic of power & authority

–         A simple hand gesture from the master tells the servant what to do

–         The hand also protects and provides

 

By describing themselves as servants and maids who diligently look to obey God their master, the Jewish pilgrims are essentially saying…

–         ‘Our honour comes from the Lord – not from what other people think of us. We are not defined by those people who show us scorn and contempt.

–         We are defined by God himself – we are his servants, he is our master’

–         The implication is: there is honour in being a servant of God Most High

 

If you have suffered shame by the way people have treated you or the lies they have spoken about you then, let me say, you are not defined by the proud or the abusive

–         You are not defined by the flippant or by those whose lives are easy

–         You are defined by God Himself

–         You are his precious child – his beloved

–         And He (the Lord) places immeasurable value and honour and respect on your life – you are loved by him

–         Jesus came to transform our temporary suffering into eternal glory

–         He came to clothe our shame with his honour

 

Returning to verse 2, another thing we notice is the wonderfully inclusive language used here

–         Women are honoured alongside men, on the same social level as men

–         This is not a boys only club

–         Women have the dignity (the honour) of serving God, as men do

–         This might not seem like such a big deal to us now but equality between the sexes was a big deal 3,000 years ago

 

The Jewish pilgrims look to the Lord for mercy because they are fed up with being shown scorn & contempt by those around them

 

Mercy has to do with power

–         To show mercy one must be in a position of power

–         Mercy is basically using your power to help someone

–         There is no one more powerful than God and also no one more merciful

 

What we see here is that the psalmist does not ask mercy from the proud who are showing him scorn and contempt

–         Instead he asks God for mercy – he goes right to the top

–         This is an admission that God is the one who is really in control

–         The proud can only show contempt because the Lord allows it

 

It’s a bit like when Pilate said to Jesus, “Don’t you know that I have power to release you and power to crucify you?”

–         Meaning, “Don’t you realise I have the power to show you mercy?”

–         And Jesus replied, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above”

–         In other words, ‘Pilate, you’re not really in control here. This is only happening because God is allowing it. God could take away your power at any moment’

 

The proud are on notice – they are not in control, even if they think they are

 

As it turned out God allowed Jesus to be crucified

–         Crucifixion isn’t just physically painful

–         It is also incredibly shameful

–         Jesus hung on the cross naked while people heaped their scorn and contempt and insults on him

–         But three days later God honoured Jesus by raising him from the dead

–         Resurrection is honour

 

Psalm 123 ends in a way that feels unfinished

–         We are left hanging as the psalmist is left hanging

–         The pilgrim has asked God for His mercy but we don’t know, at this point, how God will respond

–         God is silent

 

This is often how the spiritual life is – we make our petitions to God in prayer and are left waiting with no quick results

–         Perhaps you have had a similar experience

–         Maybe asking God for healing and not getting it straight away

–         Or asking God for a job and then having to wait for months just for an interview

–         Or asking God for some direction in your life only to hear a long silence

 

The Lord’s timing is not our timing – but it is right in the end

 

Mercy can take a variety of forms

–         In the example of Franz Stigler and Charles Brown, mercy took the form of a reprieve from death

–         In psalm 123 the mercy requested was an end to contempt and shame

–         Mercy can also be the restoration of something that was lost

 

Jesus’ mercy:

Many years ago there lived a man who was blind

–         The man had not always been blind – he had lost his sight part way through life

 

It wasn’t the man’s fault that he was blind – it wasn’t because of anything he had done wrong and yet he didn’t feel good about himself

–         He survived by begging on the side of the road

–         No one really likes a beggar – they tend to make people feel guilty

 

Although the man couldn’t see he could certainly hear well enough

–         It wasn’t just the rude things people would say about him, it was their tone of voice as well

–         Most people tried to avoid him, some were afraid of him, others were irritated at the inconvenience he presented and just a few were abusive

–         He felt like a dead weight – not contributing anything to society, just getting under people’s feet, making them feel uncomfortable

–         He was made to feel shame every day

 

The blind man could never voice his frustration to others though

–         Even if they did stop long enough to listen how could they possibly understand the daily grind that was his reality

–         Being made to feel shame for who he was – something he had no control over – It wasn’t fair

–         Not that he would give in to self-pity – not for a moment

–         He had enough pity from others without adding to it himself

 

One day the man heard a commotion further down the street

–         He recognised the sound – it was a large crowd on the move

–         Crowds made him nervous

–         A crowd is an unpredictable thing – a dangerous thing, especially if you’re blind

–         But curiosity got the better of him and he asked what was happening

–         “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by”, they told him

 

Jesus of Nazareth

–         The blind man had heard of Jesus

–         Jesus would have known about shame and contempt

–         There were rumours about his heritage – his mother got pregnant before she was married (or so they said)

–         Nearly as bad as that, Jesus came from Nazareth – and everyone knows nothing good comes from Nazareth

–         Of course the blind man knew that was just a prejudice

–         It wasn’t fair to right someone off because of where they lived

–         Not everyone can afford a nice house in a leafy suburb

 

The blind man had heard how Jesus could heal people – make them whole again

–         This might be his only chance – maybe Jesus would heal him

–         Maybe he could see again and get a job so he didn’t have to keep begging

–         Maybe he could be free of the shame people kept heaping on him day after day – God knows he had had his share of contempt

–         So he cried out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”

 

This was a bold thing to say

–         ‘Son of David’ was another way of saying ‘Messiah’ or ‘King’

–         People were divided by Jesus

–         Many were uncomfortable with thinking he might be the Christ

–         The man had no qualms though

–         It was funny how he (a blind man) could see that Jesus was God’s promised Messiah, while others with 20/20 vision couldn’t see it

 

The people around told him, in no uncertain terms, to shut up

–         But he just shouted even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me.”

–         All those years of taking their shame – no way was he going to be quiet

–         It was worth the risk of getting punched in the face

–         They did not define him – God defined him and Jesus was from God

 

Jesus stood still and the crowd slowed to halt also

–         Then, without moving, Jesus ordered the blind man to be brought to him

–         The man had called Jesus a ‘king’ because a king he is

–         Standing still while one of his subjects was brought before him was a very kingly way of handling the matter

 

When the man was near, Jesus asked him…

–         “What do you want me to do for you?”

–         The man liked that Jesus didn’t make any assumptions

–         To be asked what it was he wanted made him feel respected – it empowered him, gave him a real choice and dignity

 

“Lord, let me see again.”

 

It was a simple sentence and yet it said so much

–         The blind man addressed Jesus as “Lord” – it was a way of giving Jesus honour, placing himself under Jesus’ authority

–         “Let me see again” – was an acknowledgment that Jesus had the power to restore sight and to end the contempt and shame he suffered

 

Jesus responded just as simply as the man had asked, saying…

–         “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.”

–         Not only did Jesus give the man his physical sight back, Jesus also restored the man’s honour by giving him credit for his faith

–         Jesus acknowledged the man’s spiritual vision

 

Those who had tried to the silence man were now the ones with nothing to say

 

But the man wasn’t worried about them – he could see again and was overjoyed, praising God as he followed Jesus down the road toward Jericho

–         The man’s joy was infectious – the people around him couldn’t help but join him in praising God too

 

Conclusion:

Mercy – it is one of God’s defining characteristics

–         Jesus shows us what divine mercy looks like

–         Jesus shows us what it is to be made in the image of God

 

 

Let us pray…

–         Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us

–         And help us to pay your mercy forward

–         Amen.

 

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/19-feb-2017-mercy

 

[1] http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/09/living/higher-call-military-chivalry/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Tawa Baptist

Arrival

Scripture: Psalm 122

 

Title: Arrival

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Arriving
  • Gathering for worship
  • Asking for peace (within)
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

Today we continue our series on the Songs of Ascents – which we know as Psalms 120 to 134

–         In ancient Israel people went on road trips each year to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the three main religious festivals

–         To help them prepare for the festivals pilgrims might sing these 15 songs on their journey

 

The word ‘Ascent’ has to do with moving upward

–         The temple in Jerusalem was on a hill – so the pilgrims were physically ascending (or moving upwards) as they made their way to the temple

–         And, at the same time, they were drawing closer to God

 

In April this year we will celebrate Easter

–         Easter is the main festival for Christians, alongside Christmas and Pentecost

–         The plan, over the next couple of months, is to explore these Songs of Ascents as we journey toward Easter

–         This morning we take a closer look at psalm 122

–         In this song the psalmist arrives in Jerusalem – his destination

–         Jerusalem is where he finds security

–         And, it is where the people of God gather for worship & justice

–         From the New Revised Standard Version we read…

 

1 I was glad when they said to me,     “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 2 Our feet are standing     within your gates, O Jerusalem.

 

3 Jerusalem—built as a city     that is bound firmly together. 4 To it the tribes go up,     the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel,     to give thanks to the name of the Lord. 5 For there the thrones for judgment were set up,     the thrones of the house of David.

 

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:     “May they prosper who love you. 7 Peace be within your walls,     and security within your towers.” 8 For the sake of my relatives and friends     I will say, “Peace be within you.”

9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,     I will seek your good.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this song for us

 

Arriving:

On the wall here we have a diagram of the water cycle process:

–         Precipitation, evaporation and condensation

–         Precipitation is rain or snow – basically water falling out of the sky because it has become too heavy to stay in the clouds

–         After precipitation the water collects on the ground for a while until it evaporates

–         Evaporation is when the liquid on the ground turns into water vapour which is transported up into the sky by the power (or heat) of the sun

–         And condensation is basically the formation of clouds, when the water vapour condenses before eventually turning into liquid precipitation (or rain) again

 

This water cycle process (precipitation, evaporation and condensation) has the effect of purifying the water

–         When the water gathered on the ground evaporates it leaves behind the impurities

 

Psalm 122 describes the Jewish pilgrim happily arriving at the gates of the holy city, Jerusalem

–         Arrival is both an end and a new beginning

–         It is a change from being on the move to being still

–         Verse 2 touches on this stillness with the psalmist saying…

–         “Our feet are standing within your gates O Jerusalem”

–         In other words, we have arrived, we are here, we are safe & secure

 

As I mentioned before there are 15 songs of Ascents and we’ve only got to the third song – yet already the psalmist has reached his destination

–         We might not have expected him to reach his journey’s end until perhaps the 14th or 15th psalm

–         Maybe we are not meant to think of these 15 songs in a linear way – travelling from point A to point B

–         After all, arrival is both an end and a new beginning

–         Perhaps our spiritual journey is more like the water cycle process, involving both movement and stillness, transformation and purification

 

Alec Motyer notes: “The 15 songs seem to form five sets of three. For the most part the keynotes of the psalms in each set are distress in the first, power in the second, and security in the third” [1]

 

So there is a repeating cycle or movement from distress to empowerment to security (not unlike precipitation, evaporation and condensation)

–         This seems to fit what we’ve come across so far in this series

–         Psalm 120 describes the distress the Jewish ex-pat felt as he was surrounded by liars, a long way from home

–         While Psalm 121 describes the power (or grace) of God to protect the pilgrim as he makes his journey through the wilderness

–         And Psalm 122 talks about the security or safety embodied by Jerusalem.

–         Looking ahead to psalm 123 we pick up notes of distress again

–         Followed by power (or deliverance) in psalm 124 & security in psalm 125

 

In a general sense we could apply this pattern to our own spiritual life

–         By his power (or grace) the Lord transports us from distress to security

 

For example…

–         The power of God’s judgment transports us from the distress of our anger (at injustice) to the security of peace

–         Likewise, the power of Jesus’ forgiveness transports us from the distress of our sin & guilt to the security of acceptance by God

–         So too, the power of Christ’s resurrection transports us from the distress of death to the security of eternal life

–         And, in the meantime, the power of the Holy Spirit transports us from the distress of fear and anxiety to the security of trust and assurance

 

It seems to me that God takes us through this cycle of distress, power & security many times in this life – and in the process we are purified, sanctified

 

Okay then, Jerusalem is a place of security

–         It is also a centre for worship and justice

 

Gathering for worship:

In physics the mass of an object is the amount of matter (or stuff) it contains

–         The more matter an object contains the greater its mass

–         So, an elephant has a greater mass than a mouse because an elephant contains more matter

 

Mass is what causes gravity

–         The greater the mass of something (the more stuff it contains) the stronger its gravitational pull

–         So the elephant here has more gravitational pull than the mouse

–         Just like the sun has more gravity than the earth and the earth has more gravity than the moon

 

Now just because something appears bigger (just because it takes up more area) it doesn’t automatically follow that it has more mass

–         Mass is measured in kilograms, not square metres

–         Take this balloon for example. If I blow it up like this [blow up balloon] it appears larger than this chocolate bar

–         But which of these two things do you think has the greatest mass – the balloon or the chocolate bar?  [Wait]

–         I reckon it is the chocolate bar because there is more matter (more stuff) compacted together in the chocolate bar than there is in the balloon

–         The chocolate bar has a mass of 25 grams – whereas the balloon would be less than a gram

–         The chocolate bar has more gravitational pull than the balloon, especially if you are hungry. The balloon is just full of air

 

In verse 3 the psalmist describes Jerusalem saying it is built like a city that is bound firmly together

–         Or as the NIV puts it: built like a city that is closely compacted together

–         The image here is one of strength, wholeness and substance

–         In other words, Jerusalem is not full of air

–         It may not look as large as other cities but it contains a lot – it has significant mass, real gravitational pull – enough gravitational pull in fact to draw the tribes of Israel together in worship

 

Verse 4 makes this explicit

–         Jerusalem is the place that the Lord chose (or decreed) for the Israelites to gather to give thanks and offer sacrifices

–         According to Deuteronomy 12, verses 13-14, the Israelites were not to offer their burnt offerings at any [old] place they happened to see. But only at the place that the Lord will choose…

–         Jerusalem was the place the Lord chose

 

What we notice here is the contrast between the Jewish idea of worship and the pagan idea of worship

–         Pagans made sacrifices to try and win the favour of the gods

–         They thought, if the gods are happy with my sacrifice they might make me rich and successful

–         These days we might call this ‘cargo cult’ or ‘prosperity doctrine’

 

But Israel had a different approach to worship

–         They didn’t make sacrifices to keep God happy or try to win his favour

–         God had already shown them his favour

–         They could no more control God than they could the weather

–         The Israelites made sacrifices to say ‘thank you’ for the blessings God had already provided

–         The name of the Lord refers to God’s goodness – his integrity

–         True worship involves thanking God for his goodness, his love, his forgiveness, his faithfulness and so on

 

Verse 5 then explains the other part of the gravitational pull of Jerusalem

–         It is the place where the thrones for judgement were set up

–         The thrones for judgment were the legal institutions, or seats of justice, that had been set up by king David. [2] (They were like our law courts)

–         So people came to Jerusalem to seek justice

 

It’s interesting that in the Jewish faith worship of God and justice for people go together – they are not separated – they are bound firmly together

–         This is how it is to be in Christian faith also – worship & justice go together

–         We cannot say we love God if we do not treat the people around us fairly

 

So far then we have heard that Jerusalem is a destination for security, for worship and for justice

 

Asking for peace within

With these things in view the psalmist says to pray for the peace of Jerusalem

–         Peace in Hebrew thought isn’t just the absence of conflict – it is more positive than that

–         Peace (or shalom) is the presence of health and prosperity and right relationship in community with others. It is wholeness & abundant life

–         As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, truth & justice is the pre-requisite to peace – without truth & justice there can be no peace

–         So to pray for peace is to ask God for fairness and justice for all – so that everyone prospers

–         This is a prayer the poor will readily pray – but it’s a lot more difficult to pray if you are rich & powerful and have something to lose

 

If we widen the lens of our perspective to include the verses that follow, what we notice is that half way through verse 6 (having just told us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem) the psalmist then directly addresses his beloved city saying:

–         May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls…” and so on

–         This shows us how much the psalmist cares about Jerusalem personally

–         Jerusalem is like a close friend to him – he cares for her like his own family. His very heart is wrapped up in her

–         If the city were cut he would bleed

 

Given Jerusalem’s importance both to the Jewish nation generally and to the psalmist personally it is essential that the city be kept in peace

–         However, the biggest threat to peace does not lie outside the walls

–         The biggest threat lies within

 

That word, ‘within’, is repeated three times in two verses

–         It seems the psalmist is particularly concerned for internal harmony

–         He doesn’t want any in-fighting or in-justice – no corruption here

 

It’s a general principle in life that the inner workings are often more important than what happens on the outside

–         About 10 days ago Robyn had her morning shower and noticed the water was cooler than usual

–         By the time it was my turn the water was practically cold – so it was a shorter shower for me

 

We got the electrician in and he discovered what I suspected

–         The problem was not with anything external like the shower or the water supply – The problem was within

–         The element inside the hot water cylinder was caput

–         It happens to hot water cylinders from time to time

–         No big deal, just have to drain the water out of the cylinder so you can replace the element inside and restore the warmth

 

Like the psalmist, Jesus was personally concerned for the peace of Jerusalem

–         Unlike the psalmist though, Jesus did not approach Jerusalem with joy

–         Luke 19 tells us Jesus wept over Jerusalem, addressing the city directly like it was his treasured child, saying…

 

“If you, even you, had only recognised on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground…and will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognise the time of your visitation from God”

 

Jesus came to show people the way of peace – genuine peace – the kind of peace which comes from within the community – from doing justly and living in right relationship with those around us

–         But the people rejected Jesus

–         They didn’t realise God was visiting them in the person of Jesus

–         They didn’t recognise the things that make for peace

–         They thought peace was secured by external force – by armies and political pressure and that sort of thing

 

Less than 40 years after Jesus’ death & resurrection (around AD 70) the people of Jerusalem rebelled against Rome and, just as Jesus had predicted, they were crushed and the temple was destroyed – not one stone left upon another

 

The city of Jerusalem has suffered much

–         During its long history it has been destroyed at least twice

–         Besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times & captured & recaptured 44 times [3]

–         Israelis and Palestinians both claim Jerusalem as their capital

–         The city remains a source of bitter conflict till this day

–         It appears people’s prayers for the peace of Jerusalem have not been answered in 3,000 years

–         The earthly situation seems hopeless

–         I can only imagine that Jesus still weeps over Jerusalem

 

Looking at recent history we would have to say that over the past century peace has not come to Jerusalem from the outside

–         It hasn’t come from the League of Nations or the United Nations or Britain or America or anyone else in the west

–         If we take seriously what the psalmist is saying then peace must come from within – what’s more it can’t be achieved without divine help

 

Conclusion:

So where does that leave us? How are we to interpret and apply this psalm?

–         Indeed what might it mean for us to seek your good [Jerusalem] for the sake of the house of the Lord our God

 

I’m not sure what we can do in a practical sense for earthly Jerusalem, especially from this distance (being on the other side of the world)

–         Distance aside though, we in the West are deluded if we think we can restore peace in the East – our cultures are fundamentally different

–         Peace will not come from the outside

 

So does that mean this verse and indeed this psalm is redundant?

–         No – I’m not suggesting that we no longer need to care about Jerusalem

–         Jesus cared for the holy city and he is our model

–         I’m simply pointing out the limits of what we can do

–         And I’m suggesting we take a broader view of what Jerusalem represents

 

In the book of Revelation the apostle John saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And [John] heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live among them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  [4]

 

Taking a broader view then, Jerusalem represents the gathered people of God

–         Therefore, this psalm is still very relevant if we apply it to the church

–         In our own strength and understanding we may not be able to bring peace to the earthly Jerusalem but we can seek peace where we are

 

It’s interesting how the night before he died Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another – by this will all people know you are my disciples [5]

–         Jesus was concerned that there be peace within the community of his followers – peace and warmth

–         We need to ensure the element in the hot water cylinder of the church (that is, our love) is functioning properly

–         When we (the church) get that right – when we love one another and seek the good of those in the pews with us – then those outside the church come to know Jesus and they know we are genuine

–         Our love for one another gives the church real mass (real gravity) – drawing others to give thanks to God

–         Without love for one another we are just a balloon – full of air

 

Perhaps our greatest gift to the world is to model what it means to be a Christ-like community of peace from within (from the inside out)

–         If (by God’s grace) we can do that then we will be light in the darkness

 

 

Let us pray…

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/12-feb-2017-arrival

[1] Alec Motyer, ‘Psalms 73-150’, page 220.

[2] Refer James Mays’ commentary on the Psalms, page 393

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem

[4] Revelation 21:2-4

[5] John 13:34-35

Tawa Baptist

Travelling Mercies

Scripture: Psalm 121

 

Title: Travelling Mercies

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • God is our guardian
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

Today we continue our series on the Songs of Ascents – which we know as Psalms 120 to 134

–         In ancient Israel people tended to go on road trips each year to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the three main religious festivals

–         To help them prepare for the festivals pilgrims would sing these 15 songs on their journey

 

The word ‘Ascent’ has to do with moving upward

–         The temple in Jerusalem was on a hill – so the pilgrims were physically ascending (or moving upwards) as they made their way to the temple

–         And, at the same time, they were drawing closer to God

 

In April this year we will celebrate Easter

–         Easter is the main festival for Christians, alongside Christmas and Pentecost

–         The plan, over the next couple of months, is to explore these Songs of Ascents as we journey toward Easter

–         This morning we take a closer look at psalm 121

–         Psalm 121 is a song to give assurance to pilgrims as they travel through the wilderness to Jerusalem

–         For this reason I’ve called today’s sermon ‘travelling mercies’

–         The overall message of the psalm is that God is our guardian

–         From the NIV we read…

 

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—     where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord,     the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—     he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel     will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—     the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day,     nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—     he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going     both now and forevermore.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this song for us

 

God is our guardian:

On January the 15th, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 was scheduled to fly from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport to Seattle.

  • – The aircraft was an Airbus A320-214 powered by two turbofan engines.
  • – The pilot in command was 57-year-old Chesley Sullenberger (known as ‘Sully’ for short)
  • – Sully was an experienced pilot and at the time, he had logged over 19,000 flight hours in total
  • – His first officer, Jeffrey Skiles, aged 49, was also very experienced having accrued over 15,000 flight hours in his career
  • – There were 150 passengers and three flight attendants on board

 

Three minutes after take-off the plane struck a flock of Canadian geese causing the engines to lose all power

 

Unable to reach an airport Sully & Skiles glided the Airbus onto the Hudson River, off mid-town Manhatten

  • – Being the middle of January, in New York, the water was freezing
  • – But people managed to evacuate onto the wings
  • – All 155 souls were then safely rescued by boats on the river
  • – Remarkably no one died – hence it became known as the ‘miracle on the Hudson’. (Later a movie was made starring Tom Hanks)

 

The miracle on the Hudson reminds me in some ways of psalm 121

  • – It speaks of God’s protection on a journey – His travelling mercies

 

Psalm 121 begins in a personal way (as did Psalm 120) with the psalmist talking about himself (his own situation)

–         He is on a journey, on the road, and he says…

–         I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?

 

It is unclear whether the writer sees the hills as a good thing or a bad thing – as a strength or an obstacle

 

Jerusalem was on a hill, so looking to the hills could be a reference to looking to Jerusalem – the holy city – in which case the psalmist gets strength and encouragement from looking to the hills

 

Conversely, if the hills in question were not near Jerusalem, the psalmist may have felt anxious looking to the hills

–         In ancient Palestine the high places (the hills) were a place where the Canaanites went to worship their idols

–         Therefore the hills would have been littered with shrines to Baal and other foreign deities

–         The hills were also a place for bandits to wait in ambush for travellers

–         In this case the psalmist saw the hills as a place of difficultly and opposition

 

Either way the psalmist’s focus does not remain on the hills, it rests on God

–         As Alec Motyer notes: He looks beyond the dangers [the hills] may hold to the One who made them. [1]

–         My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

–         Because God is the maker of everything the psalmist does not need to be afraid anything in creation

 

Travelling in the open wilderness, a long way from home with no police protection, can make one feel quite lonely and vulnerable

–         But the psalmist is not alone – God is with him

 

Verses 1 & 2 are written in the first person: I lift up my eyes…

–         But then from verse 3 to the end of the psalm the grammar changes to the third person: He will not let your foot slip…

–         Either the psalmist is talking to himself – like a Shakespearean soliloquy

–         Or the song is a duet, sung antiphonally, with a soloist singing the first two verses and a choir (or priest) responding in affirmation from verse 3 onwards

–         Either way the message is clear: God is your guardian

 

Having the change from first person to third person saves the psalm from becoming all about me

–         It has the effect of making God the main focus – so that it’s really more about what God does than it is about the psalmist himself

–         The Lord will not let your foot slip

–         The Lord will not slumber

–         The Lord watches over you

–         The Lord is your shade

–         The Lord keeps you

 

Verse 3 tells us that the Lord God (Yahweh) never sleeps but keeps constant watch over his people

–         This is in contrast to the Canaanite god, Baal, who as a nature deity needed to be woken up from a seasonal sleep [2]

–         The God of Israel is a diligent and vigilant guardian – he doesn’t get tired

 

Verses 3 & 4 go on to tell us that he who watches over you (personally) is the same as he who watches over Israel

–         This is incredible – it implies that God cares about the individual as much as the whole nation – each person is important to him

–         You are not just another brick in the wall

–         This personal care and attention shown by God reminds us of the 23rd Psalm, where David says: ‘The Lord is my shepherd’

 

In verses 5 & 6 we read, the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

 

This is poetry

–         To say, ‘the Lord is… at your right hand’, means the Lord is close – right beside you like a personal body guard. He is not far away

–         Although we can’t see God he is still present with us

 

The right hand could also be significant for people in the ancient near east in that it represents a vulnerable spot

–         If soldiers carried their shield in their left hand then they were less protected on their right side [3]

–         We all have our vulnerable points – those aspects of our lives where we are weaker for whatever reason

–         Having God at your ‘right hand’ is like saying God is your shield where you are weakest, your protection where you are most exposed and  vulnerable

 

The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night – what does that mean?

–         Well, the sun is the most powerful force in creation

–         In the wilderness it has the power to kill a person

–         God made the sun – so he is more powerful than the sun

–         He has the ability and willingness to protect the psalmist from the sun or anything else in creation that could harm him

 

By day represents those things that are known and can be seen

–         While by night represents those things which are unknown and can’t be seen – insidious forces

 

You might be wondering, how can the moon harm you?

–         Surely the moon illuminates the darkness?

–         Well the moon can make it easier to see by night but that’s not the meaning here

–         In the ancient world the moon was considered by some to have a deranging influence on people

–         The English word ‘lunatic’ derives from lunar as in moon – originally meaning those who have succumbed to the influence of the moon [4]

–         If this is what the psalmist meant then to be protected from the moon means to keep a sound mind – to not lose your perspective on reality

 

The point is, God will protect your body and your mind as you make the journey to draw closer to him

 

Psalm 121 isn’t just about going on a physical journey, from one geographic location to another

–         It also speaks to our spiritual journey with God

–         The thing about being on a spiritual journey is that it tends to change us, often in unexpected ways

 

There is a book about one man’s spiritual journey in our library at the moment called: Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus

–         In this book Nabeel Qureshi tells the true story of how, as a devout Muslim, he came to believe in Jesus

 

Nabeel was raised in a Muslim home with two loving parents

–         He grew up reading the Quran, going to prayer in the Mosque and holding the Islamic faith in high esteem

–         However, in the process of seeking Allah, God gave Nabeel three dreams which pointed him to Jesus

–         God also put a Christian friend alongside Nabeel – a man named David to help him

 

The Holy Spirit brought Nabeel to the point where he could no longer deny the reality and truth of Christ – that Jesus is the Son of God

–         This is huge for someone who comes from a Muslim background

–         Muslims can accept that Jesus was a prophet but to call Jesus ‘God’ seems like blasphemy to them

–         It is not easy for a Muslim to become a Christian

 

When Nabeel reached the point of realising that Jesus is the way the truth and the life he had a very difficult (painful) decision to make

–         Nabeel knew that if he became a Christian his parents would reject him

–         His accepting Christ would break up the family

–         If that wasn’t hard enough Nabeel also knew becoming a Christian would break his parent’s hearts

–         How could he cause so much pain to people he loved

 

In the book Nabeel recounts his wrestling in prayer before God, saying…

 

“But Lord, acknowledging my faith in You will mean the end of my life. If I don’t die a physical death through emotional torment or at the hands of some misguided Muslim zealot, at least my entire life as I know it will come to an end.” [5]

 

In response Nabeel felt God gently saying to him…

–         “My child, whoever finds their life will lose it and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”

 

Nabeel had to give up his life in order to receive Christ’s life. This was not some platitude or cliché. The gospel was calling him to die.

 

When Nabeel’s parents did finally learn that he was getting baptised his father said to him: “I feel as if my backbone has been ripped out from inside me”

–         And his mother said: “Why have you betrayed me?”

–         For Nabeel the decision to follow Jesus came with deep pain & grief

 

Psalm 121 finishes with the confident assurance that…

 

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—     he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going     both now and forevermore.

 

This is a general catch-all type summary to the psalm

–         Not only will the Lord God protect the pilgrim psalmist, as he makes his way through the wilderness to Jerusalem – He will look after the psalmist through all of life

–         That’s what, ‘…your coming and going…’ refers to – everyday life

 

The phrase: The Lord will keep you from all harm… is perhaps the most challenging aspect of this song

–         Simple observation, if not personal experience, make that hard to believe

–         Anyone who has suffered some kind of misfortune or tragedy – like the death of a loved one or the breakdown of a significant relationship or the loss of health or some other tragedy, knows that God cannot be relied on to keep us from all harm

–         The Jewish people (of all peoples) should know that God doesn’t prevent all harm – more than once in their long history hostile forces have tried to annihilate them

–         And, as we have just heard from Nabeel’s story, the decision to follow Jesus seemed to result in a lot of emotional harm for his family

 

So how are we to understand these verses?

–         Is psalm 121 just wishful thinking?

–         Is it a kind of whistling in the dark to make oneself feel better about the unknown – sort of like when someone tells a child “it’s going to be okay”, even though they don’t really know that for sure?

–         Or can we rely on the psalmist’s claim that the Lord will keep you from all harm?

 

Well, we need to read Psalm 121 in light of the whole of Scripture

–         In the Bible, to be kept from all harm (or all evil) does not imply a cushioned life. It does imply a well-armed life though [6]

–         Psalm 23 expects a dark valley but also the means to face it

–         Your rod and your staff they comfort me

 

God did not prevent the geese from flying into the engines of Flight 1549 but he did make it possible for Sully & Skiles to land the plane safely on the river

 

Jesus did not say, ‘You won’t ever suffer in this life.’

–         No. He said, you will suffer, but I will send you a comforter (an advocate), the Holy Spirit to help you

 

Jesus also said that one keeps their life by losing it for His sake

–         And this turns our idea of harm on its head

–         Just because something is painful and difficult it doesn’t automatically follow that it is harmful

 

In one sense surgery (cutting someone open with a scalpel) is harmful

–         But ultimately it is helpful, life-saving even

–         Sometimes, like a surgeon, God allows us to experience what feels harmful, in order to heal us and help others

–         We may not always understand this at the time though

 

Conclusion:

God did not prevent Joseph’s brothers from harming him (by selling him into slavery in Egypt) but God did protect Joseph and use it to save many lives

 

God did not prevent his Son Jesus from dying on the cross but he did raise Jesus to eternal life, for our salvation

 

We don’t always understand what constitutes harm

–         Suffering is not necessarily harmful. Sometimes comfort can be harmful

–         We see dimly now, as through a glass – we don’t see the whole picture

 

To be kept from all harm doesn’t mean we won’t experience difficulty, suffering, pain and loss in this life

–         To be kept from all harm means that God can use what we feel is harmful for good and so redeem our suffering

–         God will make all things right in the end – in eternity

 

Let us pray…

 

[1] Alec Motyer’s commentary on the Psalms, page 222.

[2] Geoffrey W. Grogan, Psalms, page 200.

[3] Josh Moody, ‘Journey to Joy’, page 35.

[4] Josh Moody, ‘Journey to Joy’, page 35.

[5] Nabeel Qureshi, “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus”, page 278.

[6] Refer Derek Kidner’s commentary on the Psalms, page 468.

Tawa Baptist

For Peace

Scripture: Psalm 120

 

Title: For Peace

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Distress
  • Decision
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

A number of you would have travelled away for the holidays – perhaps spending many hours in the car on the way

–         One of the things that helps on a long road trip is having some music to listen to

–         When our kids were younger we listened to a lot of High 5 and Wiggles music. Now though it’s more like Ed Sheeran and Adele

 

In ancient Israel people tended to go on road trips each year to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the three main religious festivals

–         They didn’t have CD players or MP3’s on their donkeys back then but they did have a special collection of 15 songs they would sing on the road

–         They called this album the Songs of Ascents – which we know as Psalms 120 to 134

 

The word ‘Ascent’ has to do with moving upward

–         The temple in Jerusalem was on a hill – so the pilgrims were physically ascending (or moving upwards) as they made their way to the temple

–         And, at the same time, they were drawing closer to God

 

In April this year we will celebrate Easter

–         Easter is the main festival for Christians , alongside Christmas and Pentecost

–         The plan, over the next couple of months, is to explore these Songs of Ascents as we journey toward Easter, beginning this morning with psalm 120. From the NIV we read…

 

I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree.

 

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war. 

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this psalm for us

 

There’s a great clip in the film Jerry McGuire where Jerry is on a road trip searching for the perfect song

–         Eventually he finds Tom Petty’s song, Free Falling

 

In the context of the movie Jerry was a sports agent

–         His job was to manage sporting stars – getting them lucrative contracts and endorsement deals

–         But Jerry became tired of the falseness and deceit in his line of work – he felt jaded

–         One night he has an epiphany and writes a new mission statement for the company – essentially…

–         Fewer clients, less money, better quality relationships, really caring for the people we represent

–         And he called his mission statement: The things we think but do not say

 

Jerry was being honest with those around him

–         Unfortunately they weren’t so honest with him

–         To his face they were nice enough but behind his back they plotted to get rid of him

–         Eventually he was fired and they stole all his clients, all but one

 

The scene we just saw came after Jerry had been fired and as he was starting out again from scratch

–         For Jerry McGuire Tom Petty’s Free Falling was (ironically) a kind of song of Ascents

–         It was about being set free and rising above

 

The writer of Psalm 120 reminds me a little bit of Jerry McGuire

–         Like Jerry he is lied about and deceived by his neighbours

–         And like Jerry he doesn’t follow their lead

–         He deals straight and stands apart from them

 

Distress:

Psalm 120 begins in a very personal way

–         The pilgrim says, “I call on the Lord in my distress…”

 

The word for distress here carries the idea (in Hebrew) of being in a narrow or confined space – the psalmist feels trapped [1]

–         In particular he is trapped by the lying lips and deceitful words of those around him

–         He can’t trust those around him because they are out to ruin his good name

 

Jesus faced this very thing from time to time in his interaction with the Pharisees

–         In Matthew 22 we read how the Pharisees sent some of their own to try and trap Jesus by asking him a question

–         They said, “Teacher, we know that you tell the truth. You teach the truth about God’s will for man, without worrying about what people think, because you pay no attention to man’s status. Tell us then, what do you think? Is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor or not?”

 

Notice the sucker punch

–         They start off all nice, with flattery, but it’s a trick

–         They think they’ve got him with their question

–         If Jesus says, ‘No it’s not lawful to pay taxes to Caesar’, they can accuse him to the Roman authorities

–         And if Jesus says, ‘Yes it is lawful to pay taxes’, they can accuse him of supporting the enemy – being a traitor to Israel

 

Jesus doesn’t allow them to trap him with their deceitful tongues

–         He says to their face, “You hypocrites”

–         A hypocrite (in this context) is an actor – someone who wears a mask and pretends to be something they are not

–         “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin for paying the tax”

–         They brought him a coin

–         “Whose face and name are these?”

–         “The Emperor’s” they answered

–         So Jesus said to them, “Well then, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God”

 

In other words, it’s not either / or – it’s both / and

–         Pay your taxes and worship God

 

Returning to Psalm 120, the psalmist says, “I call on the Lord…

 

What’s interesting here is that when the psalmist is deceived, lied to and slandered he doesn’t respond by lying or deceiving or spreading nasty rumours about his antagonists

–         No. He calls on the Lord

–         He takes the problem to God

–         He says, “Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and deceitful tongues”

–         He doesn’t descend to the level of his enemies

–         He ascends (or lifts his heart & mind up) to the Lord

 

The point I want to highlight here is that even though the psalmist feels trapped he still has some freedom

–         He can’t control what those around him say or do

–         But he can control his response to his enemies

–         While it is true that their words are putting him in a bind he still has options – he doesn’t have to behave in the same way they do

–         Like Jerry McGuire he has the freedom to do something different

 

The point of application for us is that, with God, we always have the freedom of another option

–         No matter how trapped we might feel, when we look to God, he is able to create a way out so that we don’t become like those who mean us harm

 

Okay, so even though he feels trapped the psalmist still exercises what freedom he has by calling on the Lord, and the Lord answers him

–         Isn’t that intriguing

–         What does it mean that ‘the Lord answers him?’

–         The psalmist doesn’t say explicitly how the Lord answers – that is left to us to read between the lines

–         (Although this psalm is relatively short there is quite a bit left unsaid between the lines)

–         It is unlikely that the psalmist heard an audible voice talking to him

–         It is more probable that the psalmist found God’s answer in the Scriptures

–         By reflecting on the Law of Moses and the story of Israel

 

The psalmist is Jewish – he knows from reading the Hebrew Bible that God is just. The Lord is for truth and he won’t let liars get away with it

–         In the end God will see that the truth comes out and justice is done

–         What’s more the Lord is able to use these circumstances for good

 

Although God doesn’t get a speaking part in this psalm we can figure out God’s answer from what follows in verses 3-4, where the psalmist says…

–         What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree.

 

Now we might think, that doesn’t sound very nice or gracious

–         Well, we need to remember that these words are poetry

–         So sharp arrows and burning coals are metaphors for the damage that lying words can do

 

Words, when they are misused, are like arrows

–         They can really get under our skin and wound us

–         Slander or lying words are also a bit like burning coals

–         A burning coal sets fire to most things it touches

–         Gossip spreads like wild fire, destroying a person’s reputation, ruining trust

–         What’s more, a burn isn’t a short sharp pain – it is a long lingering pain, which if not treated properly can become infected

 

The psalmist’s enemies have slandered him

–         They have shot his reputation to pieces and burned his trust

–         So the psalmist takes comfort in the knowledge that God will punish those deceitful tongues, like for like

 

What about forgiveness though?

–         Isn’t that what Jesus preached?

–         Yes – Jesus did preach forgiveness

–         But, if we are honest with ourselves, forgiveness is not usually automatic

–         Forgiveness is normally a process, for us

 

You see, if we suffer injustice then what we are left with is anger

–         Forgiveness is the process of letting go of that anger

–         Rather than trying to get even himself the psalmist calls on the Lord and (reading between the lines) the Lord’s implied response appears to be…

–         ‘Leave it with me. I will deal with these deceitful tongues’

–         Knowing that God will punish his adversaries sets the psalmist free

–         It enables him to let go of his anger and move on

–         He doesn’t need to take revenge because God is going to do that

 

Therefore what we get in verses 3 & 4 is the road to forgiveness or the means of forgiveness

–         So if you have been wronged by someone and they are unrepentant so you are angry with them – struggling to forgive – then one strategy for dealing with your anger is to imagine God’s punishment for them

–         However, this is more of a last resort strategy where the injustice is big

–         A better strategy for letting go of your anger at being hurt is to remember your own wrong doing and the grace you have received

–         There’s nothing like remembering our own guilt for taking the wind out of the sails of our anger

 

Decision:

In the first half of the psalm (verses 1-4) we hear about the psalmist’s distress

–         Now, in the second half (having processed his anger) the psalmist moves from distress to decision – a decision for peace

 

In our church library at the moment we have a new book called Saving My Assassin by Virginia Prodan

–         You may have read the book review that Elaine wrote about it

–         Saving My Assassin is the autobiography of a Romanian attorney who lived through the communist regime in that country during the 1960’s, 70’s and 80s’

–         Virginia Prodan reminded me of the author of psalm 120

 

In her book Virginia writes: “During the totalitarian regime of Nicolae Ceausescu, the most brutal and repressive regime… Communist Romania was a land of lies. Religion was tolerated only to keep up outside appearances, and internal dissidence was not permitted. Ceausescu’s goal was to demolish the churches…” [2]

 

Like the psalmist Virginia Prodan was surrounded by lying lips and deceitful tongues – communist Romania was not a place of truth or trust

–         As an attorney she found herself frustrated by the lack of justice and was on the brink of giving up her career in law

 

This is probably quite difficult for many of us here in NZ to imagine

–         According to a recent international survey, NZ is the least corrupt country in the world at the moment – not that we are perfect [3]

 

In any case Virginia went in search of the truth and was invited to a Baptist church where she heard the words of John 14:6 for the first time

–         This is where Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life” No one comes to the Father except through me.”

 

Virginia found Christ and became a lawyer who successfully defended Christians whose crimes against the state included possessing a Bible, showing the Jesus film in their homes and holding prayer meetings and Bible studies

–         For this she was kidnapped, tortured, beaten and nearly killed

–         The mistreatment she suffered was perhaps worse than the distress described by the writer of psalm 120 who says in verses 5-7…

 

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war. 

 

The idea of peace is central to these verses and indeed is at the core or the heart of the psalmist’s identity

–         When the psalmist says there, “I am a man of peace” he means peace is my middle name – I embody peace – I live sleep and breathe it

 

The Hebrew concept of peace or shalom isn’t just the absence of conflict

–         It is the presence of health and prosperity and right relationship in community with others. It is abundant life

–         In order to have this kind of peace one must first have justice

–         By saying he is a man of peace but his adversaries hate peace, the psalmist is essentially saying…

–         ‘I seek truth & justice, while those around me are corrupt’

 

Meshech and Kedar are a long way apart geographically speaking

–         Meshech is in the far north of that part of the world while Kedar is in the south east

–         Again the reference is poetic, symbolising the Gentile (or non-Jewish) world in which Israel is dispersed [4]

–         Basically the psalmist is living away from home among a people who are hostile to him

–         The implication (reading between the lines) is that wherever they go in the world the Jews have enemies

 

The psalmist’s cry, “Woe to me…” seems to be a cry of desperation

–         As a man of peace he walks a narrow path

–         On the one hand he doesn’t want to compromise his beliefs and values in order to fit in with those around him

–         Because he knows that would be like selling his soul – being untrue to himself and there’s no peace in that

–         By the same token he doesn’t want to always be in conflict with those around him because there’s no peace in that either, it’s just exhausting

–         So, “Woe to me” means, ‘How I am supposed to maintain my integrity?’

–         How am I supposed to be a man of peace in such a hostile environment?

–         I try to get along with them, but when I speak they are for war

 

The psalmist really is between a rock and hard place

–         And so he reaches a decision saying, “Too long have I lived among those who hate peace…”

–         The implication here is that he has to get away, at least for a little while

–         If he doesn’t have a break from this he risks losing himself

 

Like the psalmist, Virginia Prodan was a woman of peace – meaning she stood for truth and justice

–         Sadly, the land in which she lived (communist Romania) was for war

–         Meaning it was corrupt and hostile to Christian believers

–         It came to the point where Virginia could no longer stay in Romania

–         Eventually she was offered asylum in America where she now practices as a human rights lawyer in Dallas, Texas.

 

Some things just don’t go together

–         This is a picture of two animals (an ox and a donkey) unequally yoked

–         Incompatible

 

What the psalmist realises by the end of his song is that he can’t be friends with everyone – he is incompatible with those around him

–         Sometimes as Christians we might feel like we have to try and be everyone’s friend – that we must offer our trust to everyone

–         I don’t think that’s very wise – you can’t be everyone’s friend

–         Don’t throw your pearls before swine

–         Don’t give your trust to those who are not worthy of it

–         Freedom is found in Christ, not in trying to please people

 

When people deal falsely with you then do what you need to do to forgive them

–         Find a way to let the anger go, for your own sake

–         But forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to be yoked to them as their friend forever

–         Be smart – look for peace

–         Build friendships with those you can trust

 

The psalmist’s journey begins with distress and discontent

–         But his distress is the catalyst for his ascent

–         It clarifies things for him – leading him to the realisation that he cannot be yoked to those who want war (when he embodies peace)

–         And so he makes a decision to leave that place, for his own survival

–         Although Psalm 120 doesn’t explicitly say where the psalmist intends to go we know from the songs that follow that he is headed for the temple in Jerusalem where he can be free to be the man of peace he is

 

Like the psalmist we are a people of peace

–         But in this world the path of peace is sometimes narrow and difficult

–         On the one had we don’t want to compromise who we are in order to fit in with those around us

–         But at the same time we don’t want to be in constant conflict with those around us either

 

Our temple (our place of pilgrimage) is not in Jerusalem

–         Our temple is the body of Christ – his church

–         Wherever 2 or 3 of Jesus’ followers are gathered together, that’s our temple – that’s one reason why we gather here each Sunday

–         To remember who we are in Christ

–         To gain the strength and perspective we need to walk the narrow path of peace.

 

Perhaps the question for us is: what do we need to do (both personally and corporately) to remain a people of peace? (To stand for truth, to seek justice)

 

Conclusion:

You wouldn’t think it at first but Psalm 120 touches on some pretty significant issues, when we scratch beneath the surface

–         Lies and truth

–         Betrayal and trust

–         Anger and forgiveness

–         War and peace

–         Feeling trapped and finding freedom

–         Being stuck in a rut and going on a journey

 

Let’s stand and sing…

 

♫       Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah

 

This is a song about going on a journey

[1] Refer Josh Moody, ‘Journey to Joy’, page 19.

[2] Virginia Prodan, “Saving My Assassin”, page 3.

[3] As reported on TVNZ’s “One News” during the past week

[4] Refer Derek Kidner, Psalm 73-150, page 466.

Tawa Baptist

Imagination with God

Scripture: Genesis 15:1-6 and 2nd Kings 6:8-23

 

Title: Imagination with God

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • God uses imagination to form faith
  • God uses imagination to reveal reality
  • God uses imagination to create new realities
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

When you daydream or imagine, what do you see yourself doing?

 

[Wait]

 

Perhaps you’ve had a hard week at work and you imagine being on holiday somewhere nice and relaxing

–         Or maybe you are studying for exams and you imagine graduating and getting your dream job

–         Or perhaps you are a teacher and there’s a student in your class who comes from a tough background and you imagine a better future for them

–         Or you might have lost someone close to you and so you imagine being reunited with them again, in heaven

 

This morning we continue our series on ‘Being with God’

–         This series is essentially about Christian spirituality

–         In very basic terms we could say that, for Christians, spirituality is Christ’s way of being with us as well as our way of being with Jesus

–         Using the analogy of wireless internet, if wifi is the capacity to connect and interact with others on-line

–         Then spirituality is our capacity to connect with God – to interact with His Spirit in other words

 

Rebecca Nye has a wonderful acronym which we are using to give structure to this series. [1]  Her acronym spells the word S.P.I.R.I.T.

–         Space, Process, Imagination, Relationship, Intimacy & Trust

 

These are all essential elements of Christian spirituality

–         We need these six things to connect with and interact with Jesus

–         So far we have looked at the importance of sacred space and process in our relationship with God

–         This morning we explore imagination with God

 

God uses imagination to form faith

Last week I told you about my grandfather who took me fishing

–         Although my grandfather didn’t go to church, fishing with him was sort of like a spiritual experience

–         The ocean was our sacred space

–         We enjoyed the process of fishing for its own sake – we were happy just being with each other

–         And going out on the boat, imagining all the big fish we might catch, was a bit of an adventure

 

My grandfather was a driller and he was good at it

–         He drilled water bores for farmers mostly, but he also did survey jobs

–         I don’t ever remember my grandfather talking to me about his work

–         He never elaborated on the finer points of water pumps or seismic stability or any of that stuff

–         What I do remember is him telling me stories

–         Each night, as I was going to bed, he would ignite my imagination with tall tales of adventure, involving a hero (usually himself) who triumphed over incredible odds

–         The stories didn’t have a moral to them necessarily – they were really more about courage and hope and never giving up

 

Sometimes we might associate the word ‘imagination’ with some kind of fantasy or fairy tale

–         Something made up or pretend, like an imaginary friend

–         With this kind of definition we might think our imagination is there to help us escape reality

 

But with God imagination is not about escaping reality – it’s about revealing reality and in fact creating new realities

–         Imagination is how God forms faith in us

 

In some ways our imagination is a bit like the soil in which the seeds of faith & hope grow – imagination nurtures and supports and feeds our faith

–         If our imagination is the soil then the seed of Christian faith is sown by telling the stories of Jesus

–         Stories of courage & hope, as well as adversity & redemption

 

In the book, Shaped by God, Sarah Arthur talks about ‘The Importance of Story in Faith Formation’ [2]

–         Christian faith is formed more by story more than by facts or information

–         God exists – that’s a fact

–         Jesus is the Son of God – that’s another fact

–         While getting our facts straight is important, knowing those facts doesn’t necessarily form faith in us

–         Being a Christian isn’t just about accepting certain facts or doctrines

–         It’s about trusting a person we can’t see – God

 

Looking back, my grandfather’s approach was similar to God’s approach

–         Just as my grandfather gave me stories, and not information

–         So too God gives us stories to ignite our imagination and form faith in us

 

The Bible is not an encyclopaedia or a text book

–         It is essentially a collection of stories (true stories of adventure) – which tell the larger story of God’s involvement in human history

 

C.S. Lewis seemed to understand the importance of imagination and the power of stories to form faith

–         In his book The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Lewis created a character called ‘Eustace’ – a boy with no imagination.

–         Eustace knows nothing of stories of adventure

–         The only books Eustace likes are ‘books of information’

–         Books which have a lot to say about exports & imports and governments & drains

–         Because of this Eustace has a very stunted imagination

–         Which makes him ill-prepared to handle the adventure of sailing with the King of Narnia to the edge of the world

 

When Eustace sees a dragon for the first time he has no idea what he’s looking at

–         The books Eustace read were weak on dragons and so he doesn’t know one shouldn’t steal a dragon’s treasure or you will become a dragon yourself

–         Only after he has become a dragon does Eustace realise his mistake

 

The valiant mouse Reepicheep takes pity on Eustace and to cheer him up tells the boy stories

–         Reepicheep’s stories give Eustace hope

–         They are tales about great men who had fallen on hard times but who were able to recover and be restored

–         These stories enable Eustace to imagine a different outcome for himself

–         They make faith possible

–         Eventually Eustace is converted from a dragon back into a boy again by Aslan – and in time he finds redemption

–         Like the heroes in Reepicheep’s stories Eustace grows into a virtuous character able to handle the adventure of sailing to the edge of the world

 

There is at least one book in the Bible which has a dragon in it – and a beast and a bride and a mighty hero

–         Who can tell me the name of that book [Wait]

–         That’s right, the book of Revelation

 

It’s a great shame really that Revelation is one of the most misunderstood books of the Bible

–         Perhaps that’s because we live in the ‘information age’

–         The internet is basically a huge database of information which we can access at our fingers tips

–         Collectively, Western society has become a bit like Eustace

–         We prefer technical information and so we are weak on dragons

–         We don’t recognise a dragon when we see it – therefore we don’t know how to defend ourselves against evil

 

What’s more we don’t realise that facing adversity is part of the adventure

–         Something a bit tough happens and we might panic or be tempted to despair or give up

–         We forget that the hero of the story always suffers

–         Without imagination we are ill equipped for the adventure of faith

 

The book of Revelation was written for the early church, most likely at the end of the first century AD

–         At that stage in history the Christian church was facing persecution in a variety of forms – it was a difficult time to stay loyal to Christ

–         Christians needed hope and strength

–         You don’t get hope from a download of data & information

–         Googling the word ‘hope’ won’t give you hope

–         Hope and strength to persevere comes from hearing a story which enlivens the imagination

 

And so that’s what God gives his people – a story which they can identify with

–         A story which is strong on dragons so they will be able to recognise evil when they see it and consequently avoid becoming like the dragon

–         A story with a virtuous Son of Man and a terrible beast so they will know what it is to be human and will keep their humanity

–         A story with a Bride in distress who is rescued by a mighty hero so they will wait faithfully and not give up

 

For those who are familiar with Revelation the dragon is Satan, the beast is the Roman Empire, the Bride is the church and the Hero is, of course, Jesus

–         In the end the dragon and the beast are defeated, while Christ and his Bride (the church) live happily ever after

 

Now what I’ve given you there is a very basic sketch – there is certainly more to Revelation than that

 

I also need to say that in describing Revelation as a story I don’t mean to imply that it is fantasy or that it’s somehow untrue

–         As I said before, in Christian spirituality imagination has to do with what is real

–         Revelation actually deals with ultimate realities – unseen realities

–         It uses imagination to show us what’s going on behind the scenes

–         In fact, God often uses our imagination to reveal reality

 

God uses imagination to reveal reality

The earth’s surface curves out of sight at a distance of 3.1 miles (or 5 km’s)

–         But if the earth were flat, or if you were standing on top of a mountain, then you could see a lot further than 5 km’s with the naked eye

–         On a dark night you could even see a candle flickering up to 48 km’s away [3]

 

What I’m trying to say here is, we can’t see the whole picture

–         The reality we see is limited, to a large extent, by our horizon

–         God gives us an imagination to help us see beyond our horizon so that our view of reality is fuller or more complete

 

We could say our imagination is a bit like a telescope or a pair of binoculars

–         It enables us to see further and clearer

 

Please turn with me to Genesis chapter 15 – page 17, toward the front of your pew Bibles

–         This Scripture shows us one of Abram’s encounters with God

–         Abram was rich and successful in many respects but his wife, Sarai, was unable to have children

–         From verse 1 of Genesis 15 we read…

 

After this, Abram had a vision and heard the Lord say to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I will shield you from danger and give you a great reward.”

 

2 But Abram answered, “Sovereign Lord, what good will your reward do me, since I have no children? My only heir is Eliezer of Damascus. 3 You have given me no children, and one of my slaves will inherit my property.”

 

4 Then he heard the Lord speaking to him again: “This slave Eliezer will not inherit your property; your own son will be your heir.” 5 The Lord took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and try to count the stars; you will have as many descendants as that.”

 

6 Abram put his trust in the Lord, and because of this the Lord was pleased with him and accepted him.

 

Do you see what God did there?

–         He didn’t simply tell Abram, ‘You will have a son’

–         He engaged Abram’s imagination

–         He took Abram outside and invited him to look beyond his immediate horizon: ‘Look up at the night sky and count the stars if you can. You will have as many descendants as that’

–         Then Abram put his trust in the Lord

 

Abram’s perception of reality was quite small and narrow

–         God used the stars to help Abram see things differently – to inspire Abram to imagine the full picture

–         God’s word in the soil of Abram’s imagination inspired faith & hope

 

God uses imagination to form faith in us

–         To reveal ultimate reality to us

–         And to create new realities with us

 

God uses imagination to create new realities

On the 30th August 2004, Yoko Ono, the wife of the late John Lennon, placed a full page ad in the New York Times

 

The Ad had only two words: “Imagine Peace”

–         At that time it was less than 3 years since the attack on the Twin Towers and the war on terror was well underway

–         Walter Brueggemann comments…

–         [Yoko Ono’s ad] “…is a recognition that peace will not come by thinking inside the box, but only by pushing beyond the presently available reality to a newness that is given at the edge of the human spirit.” [4]

 

While we might sometimes use our imagination to escape unpleasant realities

–         God uses our imagination to create new (and better) realities

 

There’s a funny story in 2nd Kings about the prophet Elisha [5]

 

The king of Syria was at war with Israel

–         Whenever the king of Syria set up an ambush for the Israelites, God would tell Elisha, the prophet, where the Syrians were

–         Then Elisha would tell the king of Israel and he would warn his people so they could avoid the ambush

 

After this had happened several times the Syrian king started to get a bit paranoid

–         He called his army officers together and confronted them saying,

–         “Which one of you is the traitor? Who keeps giving our position away?”

 

They all looked sideways at each other until one of them spoke up…

–         “It’s none of us your majesty. The prophet Elisha tells the king of Israel what you say even in the privacy of your own room”

 

Sadly the king of Syria lacked imagination

–         Like Eustace he was only interested in books of information

–         Books like ‘Guerrilla Warfare for Dummies’ and ‘How to ambush your enemies in 6 easy steps’

 

Anyway, as I was saying, the king of Syria wasn’t the sharpest knife in the draw and so when he heard that Elisha kept giving his soldier’s position away he thought he might have a chance if he could capture God’s prophet

–         It didn’t occur to the king that God would warn Elisha the Syrians were coming for him (as the Lord had done on every other occasion)

–         What is it they say? The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result

 

Nevertheless, God is a good sport & perhaps because he felt sorry for the Syrian king, God decided to give the Syrians a chance

–         God let the soldiers find Elisha in Dothan

–         So all the king’s horses and all the king’s men went to Dothan and surrounded the town

 

When Elisha’s servant got up and went outside the house he saw the Syrian army and panicked. Running back to Elisha he exclaimed…

–         ‘Master, we are doomed. What shall we do?’

 

But Elisha wasn’t at all surprised – it was like he had anticipated this all along

–         So he said to his servant ever so calmly…

–         “Don’t worry about it mate. They are the ones that are outnumbered”

–         Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see”

–         The Lord answered Elisha’s prayer and enabled the servant to see reality beyond his limited horizon

–         The hillside was covered with horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha

–         God’s army had been there as back up for Elisha the whole time, only the servant hadn’t seen it

–         Now the servant was imagining a different outcome

 

When the Syrians attacked, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, strike these men blind!”

–         In an instant the Syrian soldiers lost their sight and started bumping into each other

–         Elisha could have run away at this point but that wouldn’t have solved anything

–         So he said to the men, “You are on the wrong track… Follow me and I will lead you to the man you are after.”

–         And he led them to Samaria, a stronghold of the Israelites, their enemies

–         It was kind of ironic really – all this time the Syrians had been trying to ambush the Israelites and now Elisha had led the Syrians into an ambush

 

Once inside the city of Samaria Elisha prayed again asking the Lord to restore the Syrians’ sight

–         The Lord did and when the Syrians realised they were the ones surrounded, things got real

 

The king of Israel couldn’t believe his luck – the Syrians were sitting ducks

–         He eagerly asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, shall I kill them?”

–         It turns out the king of Israel wasn’t all that different from the king of Syria – they both lacked imagination

–         Because their only solution was a hammer every problem looked to them like a nail

 

Elisha, however, imagined a different solution saying…

–         ‘No. You wouldn’t kill soldiers you had captured in combat, let alone ones that had been brought to you blind.

–         Instead show them kindness and hospitality – give them something to eat and drink and let them return unharmed to their king’

 

So the king of Israel provided a great feast for them and after they had eaten and drunk their fill he sent them back to the king of Syria

–         After that the Syrians stopped raiding the land of Israel

 

What was it Jesus said?

–         “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

–         Perhaps he was inviting us to, “Imagine Peace”

 

The problem with both kings (the king of Israel and the king of Syria) is they lacked imagination

–         Their thinking came from inside the box, from their limited horizon

–         They couldn’t imagine anything other than raiding and fighting and seeking revenge

–         They needed someone like Elisha to help them push beyond the presently available reality to a newness that is given at the edge of the human spirit

 

Conclusion:

This morning we’ve been talking about the value of imagination in our spiritual life with God

–         Shortly we will share communion together

–         Communion is a spiritual thing – it is a way of being with God

–         Communion provides an opportunity for sacred space

–         It is more about process than product – it’s something we do for its own sake and not to achieve some end result

–         Communion also engages our imagination, nourishing and strengthening our faith & hope in Christ

 

By sharing the bread and the cup we remember Jesus’ story – in fact we enter into his story

 

Communion is not an escaping of reality

–         It is a way of revealing the reality of Christ’s presence with us

 

In communion we look beyond our limited horizon to catch a glimpse of the bigger picture of God’s story

–         Just as Jesus’ suffered, died and was resurrected – so too we share in his sufferings and we will share in his resurrection one day

 

I guess I could say more – but I don’t want to spell it all out for you – I want to leave something for your imagination…

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/6-nov-2016-imagination-with-god

[1] Rebecca Nye, ‘Children’s Spirituality’, page 41.

[2] Sarah Arthur, ‘Shaped by God’ (Ed. Robert J. Keeley), pages 38-41

[3][3] http://www.livescience.com/33895-human-eye.html

[4] Walter Brueggemann, “Mandate to Difference”, page 95.

[5] Refer 2 Kings 6:8-23

Tawa Baptist

Space with God

Scripture: Genesis 28:10-22

Title: Space with God

Structure:

  • Introduction – S.P.I.R.I.T.
  • Jacob’s space with God
  • Our space with God
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

‘Wifi’ – we rely on it so much these days

–         Wifi enables us to interact with others on Facebook

–         To search a world wide database for all the answers to our questions

–         To watch TV shows and YouTube clips, to download stuff,

–         To send and receive email messages

–         To pay our bills and so on

–         I really don’t understand how Wifi works

–         I only know that Wifi gives us the capacity to interact with a whole different world – not the physical world but a virtual world of data and information

 

‘Spirituality’ – you sometimes hear that word (but not as much as wifi)

–         In popular culture these days it’s not cool to be religious but it’s okay to be spiritual

–         If you Google that word ‘spirituality’ it takes you down a whole lot of rabbit holes

 

What then does it mean to be spiritual?

–         Well, if wifi is your capacity to connect with the virtual world of the internet – to interact with others on-line

–         Then spirituality is our capacity to connect with God – to interact with His Spirit in other words

 

I have used the metaphor of wifi to illustrate what we mean by spirituality

–         Jesus used the metaphor of the vine and its branches. Jesus said…

–         No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches… Remain in me.  [1]

 

In very basic terms we could say that, for Christians, spirituality is Christ’s way of being with us as well as our way of being with Jesus

 

Today we begin a new sermon series which I’m calling ‘Being with God’

–         It is essentially about Christian spirituality

 

Now some of you may not think of yourselves as all that ‘spiritual’

–         You might think, I’m more of the down to earth or practical type

–         But being practical and down to earth doesn’t make you any less spiritual

–         In fact it probably makes you closer to God if anything

–         All human beings have the capacity to relate with God and so we are all spiritual beings whether we are aware of it or not

 

Rebecca Nye, who has written a book on children’s spirituality, has a wonderful acronym which I’m borrowing for this series [2]

 

Her acronym spells the word S.P.I.R.I.T.

–         S stands for Space

–         P stands for Process

–         I stands for Imagination

–         R is for Relationship

–         The second I stands for Intimacy

–         And the T stands for Trust

–         Space, Process, Imagination, Relationship, Intimacy & Trust

 

These are all crucial aspects or essential elements of Christian spirituality

–         We need these six things to connect with and interact with Jesus

–         Spirit is our equivalent of a wifi connection with God

–         Over the coming weeks I plan to unpack each of these elements, starting with Space this morning

 

By space we don’t mean ‘Space the final frontier…’

–         It’s not space as in Star Trek or Star Wars

–         But space as in a sacred place

–         A special place where you connect with God

–         A space that especially helps you to be more aware of God’s presence

 

Jacob’s space with God:

To help explore this idea of sacred space please turn with me to Genesis chapter 28 – page 32 near the beginning of your pew Bibles

–         To set the scene a little Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, is on the run from his twin brother Esau – and Jacob has an encounter with God

–         We pick up Jacob’s story from verse 10 of Genesis 28…

 

10 Jacob left Beersheba and started toward Haran. 11 At sunset he came to a holy place and camped there. He lay down to sleep, resting his head on a stone. 12 He dreamed that he saw a stairway reaching from earth to heaven, with angels going up and coming down on it. 13 And there was the Lord standing beside him. “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham and Isaac,” he said. “I will give to you and to your descendants this land on which you are lying. 14 They will be as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth. They will extend their territory in all directions, and through you and your descendants I will bless all the nations. 15 Remember, I will be with you and protect you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done all that I have promised you.”

 

16 Jacob woke up and said, “The Lord is here! He is in this place, and I didn’t know it!” 17 He was afraid and said, “What a terrifying place this is! It must be the house of God; it must be the gate that opens into heaven.”

 

18 Jacob got up early next morning, took the stone that was under his head, and set it up as a memorial. Then he poured olive oil on it to dedicate it to God. 19 He named the place Bethel. (The town there was once known as Luz.) 20 Then Jacob made a vow to the Lord: “If you will be with me and protect me on the journey I am making and give me food and clothing, 21 and if I return safely to my father’s home, then you will be my God. 22 This memorial stone which I have set up will be the place where you are worshiped, and I will give you a tenth of everything you give me.”

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

 

We were recently in the South Island and were lucky enough to travel down the West Coast

–         We had never been there before, so it was new and exciting

glacier-country-franz-josef-1

We stayed a couple of nights at Franz Josef and during the day we walked up the valley to where you could see the end of the glacier about 500 metres away

–         You can’t actually walk on the glacier anymore unless you go in a helicopter

 

We could see where the glacier used to be – how it has carved out this massive path through solid rock

–         For thousands of years the glacier ice has been slowly advancing and receding, moving mountains as it goes

–         The glacier is God’s chisel

 

There’s a fault line that runs down the valley to the petrol station in the township of Franz Josef and a splinter fault running at right angles to the valley

–         It is a real intersection for the forces of nature

 

Strangely, I felt quite peaceful in that environment

–         The largeness of that space made me conscious of how small I am

–         The oldness of the space made me think how short and insignificant my life really is

–         And the wildness made me aware that I wasn’t in charge

–         I was subject to powers far greater and far older than me

 

Now you may be wondering, how does all of that give you a sense of peace?

–         Well, it’s difficult to explain really – it just does

–         Perhaps it’s the peace which comes from perspective – all your problems fade into insignificance against the grandeur of that kind of background

–         Or maybe it was the understanding that God is in control here, not me

–         And because God is in control I don’t need to worry

–         My life is in his hands

–         Whatever the reason, the bigness of the environment made me feel lighter and freer – it was wonderful

–         For me those mountains and glaciers, and the valleys in between, all that ancient wide open space, was sacred

 

In Genesis 28 Jacob is on the run from his brother Esau

–         Jacob had tricked Esau out of his birth right and the blessing too

–         Naturally Esau was angry

–         Jacob was between a rock & a hard place – he had little choice but to run

 

Alone, scared, exhausted and in an unfamiliar place, Jacob lies down to sleep

–         He is so tired he uses a stone for his pillow

–         And when he dozes off the Lord God appears to him in a dream

 

This morning we are talking about the importance of space in our spiritual lives – that is, in our interactions with God

–         Jacob’s encounter with God takes place, not in wakeful control, but at a time when his guard is down, while he is asleep [3]

–         It also takes place when he has been forced to leave home – while he is on his way into exile

 

The initiative for this encounter is with God

–         Jacob hasn’t been praying or seeking God in anyway – he’s just been running for his life

–         So this interaction is unexpected from Jacob’s point of view

 

Jacob knows on some level that he has done wrong and, if anything, he isn’t expecting grace or encouragement – he’s probably feeling guilty and expecting punishment

–         Yet there is no word of reproach from God

–         There is no telling off, no reprisal

–         The Lord himself stands beside Jacob

–         Wow – imagine that – seeing God stand beside you

–         God isn’t up in heaven sitting on his throne looking down on Jacob

–         He is ‘down to earth’ standing alongside Jacob

 

The main point of Jacob’s vision of the stairway reaching from earth to heaven with angels going up & down, seems to be that heaven and earth are connected

–         Angels are heavenly messengers, running errands for God, so there is an on-going connection between heaven and earth

–         Heaven is in fact coming to earth

–         Jacob can count on the resources of heaven

 

In Jacob’s dream the Lord introduces himself and reiterates the promise he had made to Abraham – Jacob is now the beneficiary of that promise

–         Then the Lord basically says three things to Jacob…

–         I will be with you, I will protect you and I will bring you back to this land

–         Presence, protection and homecoming

–         That was not what Jacob was expecting to hear but it was exactly what he needed to hear

 

When Jacob woke up he said…

–         “The Lord is here! He is in this place and I didn’t know it. What a terrifying place this is. It must be the house of God; it must be the gate that opens into heaven.”

 

It was God’s presence in that place that made it sacred space

–         As a memorial to God’s presence Jacob set up a stone and poured olive oil on it to consecrate it to the Lord

–         Then he named the place “Bethel”

–         Beth means ‘house’ and El is one of the names of God

–         So Bethel means ‘House of God’

–         This is sacred space

 

One thing we note is that it’s not just the physical space which is in view here – Jacob’s emotional space also gets a mention

–         He says, ‘what a terrifying place this is’

–         The presence of God is often presented in the Bible as a frightening thing for human beings

–         In a paradoxical way the fear of God actually gives us a deeper sense of peace

–         When we fear God our other fears don’t seem like such a big deal

–         Like walking in the mountains – being in the presence of something far older and more powerful gives us perspective, setting us free from our petty anxieties

 

The point is, Jacob’s encounter with God has put Jacob in a better emotional space

 

God has made promises to Jacob so Jacob makes a promise to God

–         He will worship God and give the Lord 10% of everything God gives him

–         We call this 10% a tithe

–         Giving in proportion to what we receive

 

The obvious thing to note here is that financial giving is an act of spiritual worship

–         Jacob’s tithe is not a tax – it’s freely promised by Jacob

–         By giving this tithe Jacob is acknowledging that everything he receives actually comes from God and therefore belongs to God

 

Sometimes when we give our offerings in church or through AP’s we might think we are doing God a favour, giving to God out of our own resources

–         But that’s not right – that’s entitlement thinking

–         Everything we have is a gift from God including the ability to work and earn money

–         There are plenty of people in the world who work harder than us and get paid a lot less

–         When we make an offering to the church we are simply returning something to God which came from him in the first place

–         It’s not our money, it’s His

 

The point we shouldn’t miss here is that Jacob’s spirituality permeated the rest of his life

–         It wasn’t something abstract or out there, separate from his life

–         Jacob’s spirituality affected him emotionally and financially

 

Okay, so Bethel was Jacob’s sacred space with God

 

Our space with God:

What about our sacred space with God?

–         Where is it that you are especially aware of God’s presence?

 

For many people the church sanctuary is sacred space

–         After all, it is where people gather for special occasions like weddings and funerals

–         It is also where we come together to sing songs of praise to God, to hear his word, receive communion and take care of our relationships together

–         All special, all sacred and meaningful rituals which support our spiritual life

 

One of the things people notice about this auditorium is that it actually looks like a church

–         It has been purpose built and consecrated as a church

–         It’s not just a generic warehouse style building

–         It’s not that God can’t meet with people in a warehouse – he can

–         It’s more that there is something special about the feel of this place

–         This is more obviously a sacred space

 

When we look around in this auditorium we see a huge space above us

–         From a practical point of view having this massive space overhead doesn’t make sense – it’s difficult to heat, hard to change the light bulbs and doesn’t seem to serve any functional purpose – But I like it

–         It speaks to me of the largeness of God – the spaciousness of God

–         In a way it reminds me of being in the mountains

 

I suppose because church buildings are sacred space they can potentially be a touchy subject if we make changes to the place

–         The thing to keep in mind here is that we worship God, not the space

–         What makes a space sacred is God’s presence

–         Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” [4]

–         Where Christ is, there God is also

–         That means it’s not the architecture which makes a building sacred space, it is Christ among his people who make it sacred

 

While we don’t worship this space we still want to take care of it – to maintain it, keep it clean and tidy and safe for people

–         You know how it is – when you have people coming over to your house you whip round with the vacuum cleaner and make the place clean and comfortable for them.

–         How much more so when it is Christ who we are meeting with

 

As we’ve seen from Jacob’s encounter with God at Bethel, sacred space is not limited to church buildings

–         You may have encountered God while walking up Colonial Knob and so that is sacred space for you

–         Or you may have a particular room in your house which is sacred space because that’s where you go to pray and read the Bible

–         We need to go to those spaces often to be with God in a special way

 

One of the things that goes hand in hand with physical space is time

–         We can’t be in a space without spending time

–         Time seems to be in short supply for most of us these days

–         Life seems to be very busy and rushed

–         Some of that is the choices we make but not all of it

 

Tomorrow is Labour Day when we get a day off to celebrate the introduction of the 40 hour working week

–         It is difficult to find many people in fulltime jobs who work as little as 40 hours a week these days

–         Employers demand more and more – that is one of the downsides to living in a consumerist society I suppose

–         Some people have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to make ends meet

 

The good news is that even though we are relatively time poor God is Lord of time – he is able to make room in our busy schedules

–         And he is able to accomplish quite a lot in a short amount of time

 

Take Jacob for example – He was in a hurry, a hurry to get away from Esau

–         He didn’t have many discretionary daylight hours

–         So God met with Jacob while he was asleep – in a dream

–         And God accomplished a lot in Jacob’s heart & mind in that short time

 

Now I’m not suggesting we shouldn’t try to make time for God

–         Of course we should – we could often do with less TV and more listening to God and each other

–         But if you are a parent looking after young kids at home then it can be quite difficult sometimes to find half an hour of sacred space to be alone with God

–         God understands that – he gets it

–         He is able to meet you in your busy-ness

–         Maybe for you sacred space is when the other kids are at school or kindy and you take your baby for a walk in the pram – they go to sleep and you listen for God while you walk

–         Or if that doesn’t work then think of some other way you could connect with God as part of your normal routine

–         Or if you are in paid employment and have a demanding job maybe use the commute to listen to some sermons or something else that helps you focus on God – put your earphones in and away you go

–         The point is, be open to God’s presence in the ordinary routines of life for God can meet us anywhere

 

Another form of sacred space is silence

–         There is so much noise in many of our lives and silence gives us rest from the noise

 

Not just that though – when we are silent in order to listen to other people we create sacred space for that person to be heard and understood

–         And when they are heard and understood loneliness is kept at bay

–         Then light and warmth find their way into the soul

 

Stephen King wrote a book called The Body which was later made into the 80’s cult classic movie, Stand by Me

 

In his book Stephen King writes…

–         The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of because words make them smaller. When they were in your head they were limitless; but when they come out they seem to be no bigger than a normal thing.

 

That is very true in my experience

–         Some things are so important their meaning cannot be properly expressed by mere words

–         Silence can be the vehicle which preserves the sanctity of those pearls

–         Or it can be a way of saying something so important it can’t be put into words [5]

 

Conclusion:

Talking about our spiritual lives, like we are, doesn’t really do justice to the reality of being with God

–         With this in mind I want to create the opportunity for some sacred space for you now

–         In a moment I will step down from the pulpit and we will have a minute or two of silence

–         You might want to close your eyes during this time and just be with God

–         Let go of your worry and anxiety and simply listen

–         What is it Jesus wants to say to you – what is it he wants to give you…

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/23-october-2016-space-with-god

[1] John 15

[2] Rebecca Nye, ‘Children’s Spirituality’, page 41.

[3] Walter Brueggemann’s Interpretation commentary on Genesis.

[4] Matthew 18:20

[5] Rebecca Nye, ‘Children’s Spirituality’, page 45.

Tawa Baptist

Good News for the Oppressed

Scripture: Nahum 1:11-15

 

Title: Good news for the oppressed

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • The message to Nineveh (and its king)
  • The message to Judah
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

Today we continue our series on the city of Nineveh

–         First we looked at Nineveh through the eyes of Jonah

–         Now we look at Nineveh through the eyes of another prophet, Nahum

–         Nahum is sort of like the Brussel sprouts of the Bible

–         You know it’s good for you but that doesn’t make it taste any better

 

In the book of Jonah, the people of Nineveh repented of their violent ways and God had compassion on them – He relented and did not destroy their city

–         Sadly Nineveh’s repentance did not last

–         Some decades later the Assyrians went back to their old ways of terrorism and torture

–         Fast forward 100 years or so from the time of Jonah and God has another message concerning Nineveh

–         This time Nahum is given a vision of Nineveh’s destruction

–         While Nahum’s message is bad news for Nineveh, it is good news for the people of Judah

 

We pick up the prophecy from verse 11 of Nahum chapter 1…

 

From you, [O Nineveh], has one come forth who plots evil against the Lord and counsels wickedness. This is what the Lord says:

“Although they [Assyria] have allies and are numerous, they will be cut off and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, [O Judah], I will afflict you no more. Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.”

 

The Lord has given a command concerning you, [O king of Assyria]:

“You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the carved images and cast idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave for you are vile.”

 

Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace. Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfil your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.    

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

 

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the name Nahum means comforter

–         Although it might not seem like it to us (because of the strong language used in this book) Nahum’s message was essentially a message of comfort to the people of Judah who had suffered much at the hands of the Assyrians, for more than a century

–         It was a comfort to the oppressed to know that God was going to bring an end to the terror and violence of Assyrian rule

 

Today’s verses contain a message for two audiences – that is: Nineveh (in particular the king of Assyria who lived in Nineveh) and Judah (the Jews)

–         First, let us consider Nahum’s word to Nineveh and it’s king

 

The message to Nineveh (and its king):

One of the truly impressive things about Nahum, we believe, is that he predicted the downfall of Nineveh at a time when Assyria was at the height of its powers

–         I expect it would have taken a great deal of faith and courage for Nahum to say what he said against Nineveh

–         Violent dictators tend to take exception to individuals (like Nahum) who criticise their regime

–         Not only that but Nahum’s own people (the Jews) did not take kindly to false prophets or to false hope

–         To most people Nahum’s prediction that Nineveh would be destroyed would have seemed highly unlikely in the context

 

In the next Jack Reacher movie there is a scene where Jack Reacher is sitting in a diner (a café) and he gets arrested by a Sherriff

–         While he is in cuffs and still in the diner Jack says to the Sherriff

–         “In the next 90 seconds two things are going to happen. First the phone is going to ring and then you will be in these hand cuffs on your way to jail”

–         The Sherriff laughs at him and says, “That’s a hang of a prophecy”

–         Then the phone rings – next thing you see the Sherriff in cuffs and being taken away in a patrol car

–         Apparently the Sherriff was dirty and Jack Reacher had proven him guilty

 

Nahum’s prediction was a bit like Jack Reacher’s prediction

–         Just as the sheriff’s situation would soon be reversed so that he was wearing the handcuffs and not Jack Reacher, so too Nineveh’s situation of relative power would soon be reversed, even though it seemed highly unlikely in the context

 

In verse 12 the Lord says…

–         “Although they [Assyria] have allies and are numerous, they will be cut off and pass away…”

 

Nahum’s prediction (that the most powerful nation in the world would be ended) seemed unlikely, but that’s exactly what happened

–         In 612 BC – some years after Nahum’s prophecy – the Babylonians completely destroyed Nineveh

 

God’s message here isn’t just for Nineveh generally – the Lord has a personal message for the king of Assyria in particular

 

In verse 11, Nahum talks about one who plots evil against the Lord and counsels wickedness

–         This is a reference to the king of Assyria who was planning and scheming to destroy Jerusalem

–         God knew what the king was thinking and took personal offence at the king’s plans

–         To give you an idea of the evil character of the kings of Assyria, this is what one of them wrote about himself

–         These words were discovered by archaeologists – content may disturb…

 

I flayed [the skin from] as many nobles as had rebelled against me [and] draped their skins over the pile [of corpses]… I cut off the heads of their fighters [and used their heads to] build a tower before their city. I burnt their adolescent boys [and] girls… I captured many troops alive: I cut off, of some, their arms [and] hands; I cut off, of others, their noses, ears, [and] other extremities. I gouged out the eyes of many troops. I made one pile of the living [and] one of the heads. I hung their heads on trees around the city. [1]  

 

That gives you an idea of the kind of person the king of Assyria was

–         Not only did he torture & terrify people – he was proud of it

–         God is patient and slow to anger – but he’s also just, he won’t tolerate that sort of behaviour for too long

–         Given the terrible things the king has been doing the Lord says to the Assyrian leader…

 

“You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the carved images and cast idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave for you are vile.”

 

Three consequences for the king of Assyria here…

–         He will have no descendants

–         His religion (everything he had sacrificed for & believed in) will be destroyed – which essentially means his life will have no meaning

–         And he will die – God will bury him

 

Now some people might think – gee that’s bit harsh of God

–         But in actual fact what we notice here is God’s mercy in punishment

–         God does not threaten to torture the king, as the king had tortured others

–         God takes no pleasure in the suffering of his enemies

–         His punishment, in this context, is annihilation – which is a relatively merciful outcome

–         The other kindness God shows the Assyrian king is to dig a grave for him – this is more than the Assyrians had done for their enemies

 

So that’s God’s message for the people of Nineveh and for their king personally

–         What then does the Lord have to say to the people of Judah?

–         Well it’s (mostly) good news for them

 

God’s message to the people of Judah:

Last week we were fortunate enough to spend some time in the South Island

–         One of the places we stayed at was affordable but a little bit dodgey

–         We woke up one morning to find that we were locked in our room

–         The door wouldn’t open from the inside so we had to phone someone to come and unlock the door from the outside

–         That was fine except the same thing happened the next morning, which was a bit more frustrating, not to mention dangerous

–         (Especially when the phone didn’t work at first)

–         Not sure what would have happened if the building had caught on fire

–         Having just spent the previous few days walking through some wide open spaces, I didn’t appreciate feeling trapped & powerless in a tiny room

–         Fortunately our incarceration wasn’t long

 

Judah were a trapped nation

–         “Decades earlier the Assyrians had subjugated and exiled the peoples of the northern kingdom [Israel] (2 Kings 17). They did not overthrow the [southern] kingdom of Judah at that time, but for almost a century… the Assyrians controlled Judah as a kind of puppet kingdom” [2]

–         In other words, Judah were essentially locked in their room, unable to escape Assyrian control

–         They were powerless to free themselves and needed someone to release them from the outside

–         This is essentially what God was promising to do for Judah in verse 13 where he says…

 

“…Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.”

 

Shackles are like hand cuffs and, in this context, the yoke is a metaphor of oppression

–         A yoke is a wooden cross bar that fits over the neck of the ox

–         The farmer uses the yoke to control the ox

–         The Assyrian yoke (their means of controlling Judah) was going to be broken – this was good news for the captives

–         But the good news came with a little sting because just before this, in the second part of verse 12, the Lord says…

 

“Although I have afflicted you, [O Judah], I will afflict you no more.”

 

God is basically taking responsibility for Judah’s suffering

–         It was God who put the Assyrian yoke on Judah’s shoulders in the first place

–         On the one hand this is a difficult truth to face – God has had a hand in Judah’s affliction

–         But on a more positive note it does reassure us that God is in control of the situation

–         Just as he had the power to put the yoke on them, so too he has the power to remove the yoke

 

To give you some context the people of Judah had behaved badly themselves

–         They had been disloyal to the Lord and cheated on him by worshipping other gods

–         Consequently God tried to bring his people back into line using the yoke of Assyrian oppression

–         Unfortunately the Assyrians had gone too far and so God had to break the Assyrians’ power

 

The day would come when the Lord would give his people an easy yoke

–         As Jesus said…

–         Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light

–         Jesus’ yoke is not one of fear or oppression – it is one of wisdom and freedom to do right

 

The message of good news for Judah continues in verse 15…

 

Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace…

 

Here Nahum imagines the future with a messenger running through the mountains carrying the message of good news that Nineveh has fallen

–         Nineveh’s destruction will mean peace for the people of Judah

 

This word would give light to the people living in darkness

–         It would be like being in a prison camp during the Second World War and receiving word that the Allied soldiers had recaptured Paris and were on their way to Berlin

–         Or it would be like living in Syria and hearing the news that the war was finally over (for good this time) and life could return to normal

–         To those who believed Nahum’s message it would have the power of giving people hope to carry on

–         There was light at the end of the tunnel and it wasn’t a train coming

 

Nahum’s verse finds an echo in Isaiah 52, verse 7…

–         How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns”

 

This is the crux of faith really – believing that God reigns (that the Lord is in control of events) even when everything appears to be in chaos

 

Nahum 1 verse 15 continues with the words…

–         Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfil your vows.

 

Just as we have Christian festivals like Easter & Christmas so too the Jews have their religious festivals – community rituals for remembering their history & identity

–         By saying, ‘celebrate your festivals O Judah’, Nahum is encouraging the people to remain faithful to Yahweh

–         Remember who you are, stay solid in your faith, by continuing your normal patterns of worship

 

Most of the Christian life comes down to faithfulness

–         What we generally get in the Bible is the highlights of God’s dealings with humanity throughout history

–         We don’t get the whole 5 day test match

–         For example, we hear how Joseph went to Egypt and saved his family from starvation and then 400 years pass without much comment until Moses comes along

–         What happened in that 400 years between Joseph & Moses?

–         God had promised to give Jacob’s descendants the land of Canaan and yet there they were faithfully waiting in the land of Egypt, believing in the promise and passing on their faith to their children – simply trusting God to make good on his promise one day, somehow

–         Nothing spectacular – just remembering who they were and abiding in God’s promise – Being the people of God together

 

There’s a wonderful article in the latest edition of the Baptist magazine by Dr Greg Liston [3]

–         His article addresses the issue that while the Christian church is growing rapidly in places like Asia, Africa and South America, it is (generally speaking) declining in size, status and significance in western countries like ours

–         Some people respond to this decline by saying we need to do more and do it better – be more relevant, more polished, more innovative, etc.

–         The problem with this is that we end up taking the responsibility (and the stress) for the success of the church on our own shoulders – big mistake

 

Greg says the church’s deepest challenge actually lies – not in working out what we can do better, but in remembering who we are…

–         We need to remember that the church is not principally a human organisation, but one foundationally constituted by God’s Spirit

–         This means the church is not primarily a responsibility

–         Rather the church is a gift

–         So our job is not to make stuff happen

–         Our job is to join in with what God is already doing

 

As Mother Teresa is often quoted as saying…

–         ‘God has not called me to be successful, he has called me to be faithful’

 

Or, as Jesus says…

–         Apart from me you can do nothing

–         Abide in me and you will bear much fruit

 

Celebrate your festivals and fulfil your vows

–         We shouldn’t try to be something we’re not

–         Remember who you are and remain faithful in your worship as you wait for God to fulfil his promises

 

Chapter 1 of Nahum concludes with the words…

–         No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.   

 

This is the good news which makes it possible for Judah to wait faithfully

–         “The wicked” most likely refers specifically to the Assyrians

–         God is not making an unconditional promise here that Judah will never be invaded by anyone ever again

–         He is saying they won’t be invaded by Assyria

 

Sadly the people of Judah were not able to remain faithful to the Lord for long

–         And because of their unfaithfulness Jerusalem eventually fell to the Babylonians, as well, and the survivors were carried off into exile

 

Conclusion:

This part of Israel’s history is a bit sad really

–         Fortunately it doesn’t end there

–         In a kind of muted way Nahum’s prophecy points beyond the politics of his day to Jesus

 

In Luke 4, Jesus gives his job description – quoting from the prophet Isaiah he outlines what he came to do…

–         The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor

–         He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind

–         To release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour

 

The people of Jesus’ day, who lived under Roman occupation (which was similar but perhaps not quite as bad as Assyrian oppression) naturally thought Jesus had come to destroy Rome, as Nineveh had been destroyed

–         But Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world

–         He didn’t come for political revolution

–         Jesus weapons were not swords or spears

–         His weapons were grace & truth

–         Jesus didn’t come to wage war against flesh and blood

–         He came to destroy sin & death

 

Jesus set the captives free by healing people of their diseases

–         By casting out evil spirits

–         And through forgiveness

 

Jesus’ greatest victory was won by laying down his life and dying on a cross

–         Jesus’ resurrection is the sign of his victory over death

–         Our job is to be faithful in trusting Jesus and his resurrection

 

Let us pray…

 

 

[1] Quoted in James Bruckner’s NIVAC on Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,  page 29

[2] Tremper Longman III – page 798 of ‘The minor prophets’ (Nahum).

[3] Greg Liston, Baptist Magazine (NZ), ‘I believe in the Church, pages 4-6.

Tawa Baptist

Nahum on Nineveh

Scripture: Nahum 1

 

Title: God’s comforting judgment

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • God’s comforting judgment
  • God’s righteous anger
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

When I was a kid dinner was meat and three veg and sometimes the three veg included Brussel sprouts

–         Boiled Brussel sprouts tasted just awful to me

 

Recently though, I had a salad with thinly sliced raw Brussel sprouts, apple straws and a nice dressing – it tasted surprisingly good

–         I still don’t like boiled Brussel sprouts but I love raw Brussel Sprouts in a salad – delicious

 

This morning we continue our series on the city of Nineveh

–         Over the past few weeks we have looked at Nineveh through the eyes of Jonah

–         Today we begin looking at the city of Nineveh through the eyes of another prophet, called Nahum

 

People generally like the story of Jonah because it’s familiar and because it reveals a God of compassion and mercy

–         A God who is slow to anger and rich in love

–         And they are the characteristics of God that taste good to us

–         Consequently Jonah gets preached on widely

 

Nahum, on the other hand, presents quite a different side of God

–         Nahum uses some very strong language and can leave one with a feeling of judgment and doom

–         In the book of Jonah, God is patient, Nineveh is saved and Jonah is angry

–         But in the book of Nahum, God is angry, Nineveh is destroyed and Nahum’s feelings are not explored

 

Consequently Nahum has the reputation of being the Biblical equivalent of Brussel sprouts

–         Yea, it’s good for you but kind of hard to swallow

–         But if you thinly slice it and eat it raw – if you break it down and understand it in its original context, it is surprisingly good

 

In the book of Jonah, the people of Nineveh repented of their violent ways and God had compassion on them – he relented and did not destroy their city.

–         Sadly Nineveh’s repentance did not last

–         Some decades later the Assyrians went back to their violent ways

 

Fast forward 100 years or so from the time of Jonah and God has another message concerning Nineveh

–         This time there is no opportunity for repentance – the Assyrians have gone too far and so Nineveh will be destroyed

–         From Nahum chapter 1, verse 1, we read…

 

An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;     the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes     and maintains his wrath against his enemies.

 

3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power;     the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,     and clouds are the dust of his feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up;     he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither     and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.

 

5 The mountains quake before him     and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence,     the world and all who live in it. 6 Who can withstand his indignation?     Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire;     the rocks are shattered before him.

 

7 The Lord is good,     a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, 8     but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh;     he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

 

9 Whatever they plot against the Lord     he will bring to an end;     trouble will not come a second time. 10 They will be entangled among thorns     and drunk from their wine;     they will be consumed like dry stubble.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

 

God’s comforting judgment:

Charles Dickens’ classic novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ begins with that famous line “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”

–         This is a kind of paradox – a thing exhibiting apparently contradictory characteristics

–         If we think in terms of ‘either / or’ then we will probably struggle with paradox

–         But when we learn to think in terms of ‘both / and’ then paradox starts to make more sense to us

 

Other examples of paradox include…

–         ‘Nobody goes to that restaurant, it’s always packed’

–         Or, ‘The sound of silence’

–         Or, one by our friend C.S. Lewis, “Someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again”

 

The humble Brussel sprout is a paradox too – it can taste disgusting but it can also taste delicious

 

The Bible is full of paradox – seemingly contradictory things that go together

–         Like our friend Jesus says…

–         ‘The first shall be last and the last shall be first’

–         Or, ‘Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it’

 

Nahum presents us with paradox in the nature of God

–         The same God who is merciful and ready to forgive the people of Nineveh is also a jealous and avenging God

–         God is full of anger but at the same time in control of his anger

–         He can be a powerfully destructive force against the guilty and a refuge for those who trust in him

–         Paradox – it’s ‘both / and’, not ‘either / or’

 

One paradox in particular that Nahum draws out is God’s comforting judgment

 

The name ‘Nahum’ means comforter

–         And yet, Nahum’s message seems anything but comforting

–         It’s about God coming in judgment to destroy Nineveh

–         This is what God (through Nahum) has to say to Nineveh…

 

…but with an overwhelming flood he [the Lord] will make an end of Nineveh;     he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

9 Whatever they plot against the Lord     he will bring to an end;     trouble will not come a second time. 10 They will be entangled among thorns     and drunk from their wine;     they will be consumed like dry stubble.

 

Nahum is writing poetry here but it is poetry that came true in history

–         The city of Nineveh was eventually overwhelmed by a flood of enemies in the form of the Babylonian army

–         The city was also destroyed by a literal flood of water

–         The river which Nineveh had relied on as a natural defence became the instrument of its destruction

 

To be pursued into the realm of darkness is a frightening image

–         Darkness in Scripture usually means distress, terror, mourning, dread and  oblivion

 

Entangled among thorns is a picture of pain & powerlessness

–         If you are entangled in thorns then you can’t move without tearing your own flesh or impaling yourself

 

Likewise, being drunk means losing all control and making a fool of one self

–         The thing about being drunk is that it’s self-inflicted

–         In other words, Nineveh have brought this disgrace on themselves

–         They, and no one else, are to blame for their predicament

 

Dry stubble is grass or vegetation that has been consumed so only the short little stalks protrude out of the ground

–         To burn the stubble is to completely destroy what is left

–         There will be no trace left of the city

–         This may seem harsh but it is quite fair

–         The Assyrians used a scorched earth policy with others – burning everything to the ground in their wake

–         Now God is going to do the same with them

 

Overwhelmed, tangled, drunk and consumed – this is to be the end for Nineveh

–         How is that comforting?

–         Well, it’s not comforting if you are from Nineveh

–         But to Nineveh’s enemies (especially to Israel), who have suffered much at the hands of the Assyrians, it is actually a great comfort to know that God is on your side

–         That the evil and violence you are suffering will be brought to an end

 

It’s the comfort of facing a violent attacker knowing that the police are on their way – the bad guys are not going to get away with it

 

The paradox of God’s judgment is that it is a comfort for those who trust him and at the same time a nightmare for those who oppose him

 

7 The Lord is good,     a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,

 

We don’t like to think about God’s judgment all that much – it scares us

–         We prefer to think about his mercy and forgiveness

–         We still need to remember his judgment though – not so that we are frightened but so that we will be comforted when we suffer injustice

 

If we complain that God is not fair then it could be that we don’t have an adequate grasp of his judgment

–         Jesus said, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; they will be satisfied

–         Things may not be right now but God is going to make them right in the end – there is comfort in knowing this

 

God’s righteous anger:

God’s judgment is comforting and his anger is righteous

 

Verse 2 describes the Lord (Yahweh) as a jealous God

–         We generally think of jealousy as a bad thing

–         We think jealousy is born from the fear of being replaced by a rival

–         We associate jealousy with envy

–         And while it can carry those connotations it can also have a more positive meaning

–         As in having zeal or ardour to safe guard or protect something from thieves and robbers (from those who have no right to it)

 

For example, it is entirely appropriate for a husband to be jealous for his wife and for a wife to be jealous for her husband – jealous in the sense of protecting your marriage and not sharing your partner with another man or woman

 

Likewise, it is a parent’s job to be jealous for their children – to protect them, to not allow any harm to come to them and to search for them when they lost

–         Jealousy in that sense is a good thing

 

Jealousy in its best sense is a form of righteous anger

–         Jesus demonstrated zeal or jealousy for God’s temple when he overturned the tables of the money changes

–         Jesus was rightly angry at the merchants because their greedy presence was preventing people from coming to God for worship & prayer

 

There has been a series of movies over the past decade called Taken, starring Liam Neeson

–         The first in the series tells the story of a retired CIA agent whose daughter is kidnapped by some human traffickers

–         I haven’t watched any of these films, mainly because I have two daughters and I don’t find that sort of thing entertaining

–         But there is a famous scene from the first movie, which has become part of popular culture, where Liam Neeson’s character is on the phone with the kidnappers and says to them…

I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. But if you are looking for a ransom I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills that I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that will be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you.

 

This is a bit dark and threatening but it helps to illustrate what we mean by jealousy in a fatherly sense

–         Please don’t misunderstand or misapply the illustration

–         I’m not suggesting we have a license to behave like Liam Neeson’s character in that movie

–         We are not to go after our enemies with death threats

 

The point of the illustration is to help us understand what Nahum is getting at when he says…

–         The Lord is a jealous & avenging God… slow to anger & great in power

 

The Assyrians (the people of Nineveh) had kidnapped the people of Israel

–         You’ve heard the expression, ‘the 10 lost tribes of Israel’ – well it was the Assyrians (Nineveh) who did that

–         They invaded Israel and those they didn’t kill, they carried off into slavery, leaving nothing but scorched earth behind them

–         Like human traffickers they were cruel & brutal and did not show mercy for women & children

 

The Lord God is like Liam Neeson’s character in two ways…

–         He is a loving Father who is jealous for his children Israel

–         He will stop at nothing to go after those who have taken his daughter

–         He is also a mighty warrior – the Lord has a particular set of skills that make him a nightmare for people like the Assyrians

–         The difference with God is that he knows exactly who the Assyrians are and where they live

–         And, unlike any human being, the Lord is qualified to act as judge and executioner

 

Now God’s jealousy isn’t just for his children Israel

–         The Lord is also jealous for his reputation and his role as God

–         If anyone tries to displace God by worshipping idols or by putting themselves in the place of God then the Lord is not happy with that

–         It’s not that God feels threatened or fearful of rivals

–         It is that God feels protective of his creation

–         When we try to displace God, when we worship the things we have made rather than our maker, creation suffers for it

–         God won’t tolerate any rivals because it is bad for the world he loves

 

The people of Nineveh had put themselves in the place of God

–         They were arrogant – they thought they were untouchable, undefeatable

–         And at the time when Nahum delivered his oracle (his burden) they were the leading world power of the day

–         Which makes Nahum’s message even more remarkable – because he was predicting Nineveh’s downfall at the height of their powers

 

One of the things we note about Liam Neeson’s character, in the movie Taken, is that he is calm – he is in complete control of his anger

–         There is quite a bit about God’s anger in our reading from Nahum

 

In verse 2 we are told that the Lord is filled with wrath and then in verse 3 we are told the Lord is slow to anger and will not leave the guilty unpunished

–         These statements seem contradictory don’t they – but its paradox

–         Nahum’s point here is that God is in complete control of his anger

 

That the Lord is filled with wrath tells us (paradoxically) that God cares and is deeply affected by injustice and evil

–         If God didn’t care he wouldn’t feel angry – he wouldn’t feel anything

 

That God is slow to anger tells us that God is in control of his temper – he doesn’t react in the heat of the moment or fly off the handle

–         To give you an idea of how slow to anger the Lord is, the Assyrians’ reign of terror lasted for 250 years

–         God’s anger is righteous – He releases his anger at just the right moment and in just the right measure so that the guilty are not left unpunished

 

The image I get when thinking of God’s anger is one of a huge dam holding back water

–         The water of God’s anger (and power) is released in a controlled way

 

It is precisely because God is good and in complete control that he is qualified to take vengeance on his foes – We are not qualified to pass judgment

 

We don’t have time to explore every line of poetry in these verses but there are a couple of metaphors of God’s power I need to draw your attention to

 

In verse 4 we read that God dries up the sea and makes all the rivers run dry

–         To the ancient Hebrew mind the sea symbolised chaos

–         Nahum is saying here that God has the power to make chaos disappear

–         In other words, God’s jealousy (his righteous anger) restores order

 

Then in verse 5 we read how the mountains quake before the Lord and the hills melt away

–         Mountains and hill are the image of stability and security

–         Nineveh may think they are immovable – as stable and secure as a mountain

–         But before God’s righteous anger they are not

 

What was it Jesus said…

–         “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you”

 

Conclusion:

Our reading from Nahum began today with the words…

–         An oracle concerning Nineveh…

 

The original Hebrew word translated as oracle also means burden

–         Nahum’s message is a burden, just as vengeance is a burden

 

So with all this talk of anger & destruction, where is the good news for us?

–         Well, the good news is: we don’t have to carry the burden of vengeance

–         We don’t have to worry about getting even with our enemies because we know God is more than able to take care of that

 

Following the teachings of Jesus, the apostle Paul (in his letter to the Romans) writes…

 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.   

 

To heap burning coals on their heads isn’t to be taken literally

–         It is a metaphor which means something like, ‘when you show kindness to your enemies, it causes them to burn with shame’

–         Loving your enemies – it’s a paradox

 

Because God takes vengeance on our behalf, we don’t have to – we are free to keep our hands clean and let God do the dirty work

–         Let us pray…

Tawa Baptist

Nineveh Repents

Scripture: Jonah 3

 

Title: Nineveh Repents

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Jonah’s preaching
  • Nineveh’s repentance
  • God’s compassion
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

The Economist Intelligence Unit did a global livability study looking at the most “tolerable” cities to live in given crime levels, threat of conflict, quality of medical care, levels of censorship, climate, schools and transport links [1]

–         And they came up with a list of the 10 best cities in the world

–         There were 4 Australian cities in the top 10 and 3 Canadian cities

–         With Melbourne being rated the best city to live in, in the world

–         Auckland, NZ, came in tenth – which made me wonder whether they had considered Wellington at all

–         We lived in Auckland for 3 years and while it wasn’t too bad, Wellington is a way better city in pretty much every way

 

At the other end of the spectrum, if you google ‘most violent cities’ then Latin American countries are predominant

–         The city of Caracas, in Venezuela, is currently ranked the most dangerous with nearly 120 homicides per 100,000 people  [2]

 

Today we continue our series on the city of Nineveh

–         These days Nineveh is more of a province in northern Iraq

–         But in ancient times it was a significant city

–         Nineveh would not have won any prizes for being the most tolerable place to live but it was certainly up there as one of the most violent places

 

For two Sundays now we’ve looked at the city of Nineveh through the book of Jonah

–         This morning we pick up the story from Jonah chapter 3

–         I will be reading from the New International Version – the words will appear on the wall…

 

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.

 

Now Nineveh was a very important city; a visit required three days. 4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

 

6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.  9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

 

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

 

There are essentially three parts to this chapter…

–         Jonah’s preaching

–         Nineveh’s repentance

–         And God’s compassion

 

First let’s consider Jonah’s preaching…

 

Jonah’s preaching:

Robert Frost has a poem called Reluctance

–         The last verse goes like this…

 

Ah, when to the heart of man

Was it ever less than a treason

To go with the drift of things,

To yield with a grace to reason,

And bow and accept the end

Of a love or a season?

 

Jonah is sometimes described as the reluctant prophet – and for good reason

 

When God asked Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah protested and when his protest failed he tried running away

–         Then when God saved Jonah from drowning, by providing a large fish, Jonah was thankful but he wasn’t really sorry for running away

–         Nevertheless God wanted to give Jonah a second chance, so he spoke to the fish and the fish spewed Jonah out onto the beach

 

Once again God calls Jonah to go and preach to the people of Nineveh

–         This time Jonah obeys God, but only reluctantly

–         His heart is not really in it

–         ‘The drift of things’ (of everything in fact) is pulling Jonah towards Nineveh and yet it still feels to his heart like treason

–         Yes, Jonah obeys God this time, but it is a reluctant yielding to reason

–         Like a man subject to the change of seasons or to a love which is ending, Jonah is subject to forces he cannot control

–         The most sensible option available to Jonah is simply to go with it

 

We can’t be sure where the fish spewed Jonah out, but we do know that Nineveh was inland by quite a distance (about 500 miles north of Jerusalem) so it would have taken Jonah a fair while to walk there

 

Verse 3 tells us that a visit to Nineveh required three days

–         This probably means Jonah could reasonably expect to budget three days to proclaim his message in all of Nineveh’s public places

 

Jonah’s sermon, in a nutshell went like this…

–         “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned”

 

Now you might think, a short sermon is a good sermon

–         But this is too short

–         We know for a fact that Jonah could do better

–         Just last week we heard his beautifully composed poem about how God rescued him from drowning

–         Jonah delivered this poem in the belly of a fish where no one but God could hear

–         Now, when he is faced with an enormous audience, Jonah gives 8 words of doom (it’s actually only 5 words in the original Hebrew)

 

There are no illustrations or movie clips and no miracles to prove his point

–         There is no explanation of what Nineveh has done wrong, nor is there any specific application about what they can do to put things right

–         In fact, God’s name is not mentioned at all

–         If Jonah wanted to save Nineveh then we might expect him to be a bit clearer with the details

–         Instead Jonah’s message is blunt and vague

–         It appears that Jonah is forcing himself to obey God – all the time hoping that his message won’t be successful

–         To be fair to Jonah though, the people of Nineveh spoke a different language – so that may have been a limitation

 

Language is a funny thing

–         One word, spelt exactly the same, can have two quite different meanings

–         For example, the word bark can mean a loud noise, like a dog might make, or it can mean the covering of a tree

–         The word light can refer to a lamp but it can also mean not heavy

–         And the word cool – can refer to temperature but it can also mean something is really good or acceptable – as in, ‘that’s cool man’

 

The word, “overturned”, which Jonah uses in his sermon (hapak in the original Hebrew), has a double meaning [3]

–         On the one hand it can mean destroyed – as in God is going to wreck this city

–         But on the other hand it can also mean changed – as in God is going to transform this city, he is going to turn your world upside down so that your whole way of life is different

 

Jonah was hoping for the first meaning (destroyed) but he knew God well enough not to rule out the second meaning (changed)

 

Nineveh’s repentance:

Despite his half-hearted (reluctant) sermon, Jonah’s success as a preacher is unparalleled in history

–         The entire city from the least to the greatest (from the livestock to the king himself) took Jonah’s message to heart and very quickly repented

 

Apparently Jonah didn’t need to use the full three days to spread his message, because the people of Nineveh spread it themselves

–         They didn’t need the problem explained to them because they already knew what they had done wrong

–         The king of Nineveh certainly knew – he summed it up as…

–         “Let them give up their evil ways and their violence”

–         What’s more, even though Jonah never mentioned Yahweh’s name, verse 5 tells us the people of Nineveh believed God

 

Belief in God goes hand in hand with repentance

–         You can’t really have one without the other

–         If we believe in God it will inevitably lead to repentance

–         If belief doesn’t lead to repentance then we are just kidding ourselves

 

For example, if it’s cold and the clothes you are wearing are wet, then the best way to get warm is to get out of the wet clothes and into something dry

–         Simply thinking warm thoughts isn’t repentance

–         Actually changing your clothes (changing your behaviour) is repentance

 

The problem is, most people don’t want to get out of their wet clothes because they think, “I’m not that wet anyway” or “I’ll soon dry off” or “It’s going to make me even colder getting changed”

–         They’re not really facing the problem

–         In order to change our clothes we need to feel even colder

 

If we apply this metaphor to the people of Nineveh, then they were already cold, standing around in wet clothes, when Jonah turned up

–         Jonah’s message to them was, “You’re going to get hyperthermia & die”

 

The people of Nineveh didn’t need convincing – they were freezing and they knew what they had to do to get warm – change into some dry clothes

–         In other words, stop their violent ways and practice kindness

 

Real repentance only comes about when we realise just how cold & wet we are

–         So long as we hold on to the illusion that we are right – so long as we keep denying the truth and justifying ourselves,

–         So long as we keep saying, “I’m not that wet, I’ll dry off soon” – we can’t change

 

It’s harder for good people, respectable people (like Jonah) to admit when they are wrong – they don’t want to change their wet clothes, it’s too embarrassing

–         It was easier for the people of Nineveh to admit they were wrong because they could feel the coldness of their actions

 

Again it is ironic that Jonah (who has experienced God’s miraculous power & grace) is unwilling to say sorry and seek forgiveness

–         Yet the people of Nineveh (who have never experienced God’s miraculous power and only hear a message of judgment) are willing to repent and seek mercy

 

In Matthew 12 Jesus says to the men & women of his day…

–         The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here.

 

If the people of Nineveh listened to Jonah (a foreigner) and believed his message (as poor as it was), it seems crazy that Jesus’ own people did not believe Jesus’ message (as rich as it was)

 

In some ways the king of Nineveh shows more insight than Jonah himself

–         In verse 9, after making a royal decree for everyone to repent and change their ways, the king says…

–         Who knows? God may relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish

 

This is interesting for what it reveals

–         Unlike Jonah, the king of Nineveh seems to intuitively understand that God is free

–         Just because they have repented, it doesn’t automatically follow that God must forgive them

–         The king throws himself and his people at God’s mercy and hopes for the best

 

Earlier this week Brian Gillies sent me a link to an article about Henry Gerecke[4]

–         Gerecke was an American army chaplain during the second world war

–         He served in a field hospital in 1944 following the D Day invasions

–         He also saw inside the Nazi concentration camps at the end of the war

 

Gerecke was preparing to return to the US following the war when he was asked by Colonel Andrus if he would stay behind to act as a chaplain to some high profile Nazi war criminals (Hitler’s henchmen) as they stood trial at Nuremburg

–         Many people on the home front thought these Nazi’s shouldn’t be given the chance to make their peace with God

–         Consequently, Henry Gerecke (a Lutheran pastor) together with Father Richard O’Connor (a Catholic priest), were inundated with hate mail

–         What they were doing was thought to be anti-Semitic, unpatriotic and unjust – a kind of betrayal of the Jews and allies who had died at the hands of the Nazi’s

 

It was a difficult decision to make but in the end Gerecke and O’Connor felt that ministering to these loathsome men was what Christ would have them do

–         Christ too was criticised for keeping bad company but always maintained he came to seek and save the lost

 

Gerecke’s situation was similar to Jonah’s in that God had called Jonah to minister to his enemies – people Jonah considered beyond redemption

–         It would have felt like a betrayal of his own people

However, unlike Jonah, Gerecke and O’Connor were willing to serve and did not try to run away from God

–         Gerecke & O’Connor were not as successful as Jonah

–         Of the 21 men who stood trial, 11 were condemned to die and, according to Gerecke’s final report, only four of them…

–         “…died as penitent sinners trusting God’s mercy for forgiveness [and] believing in Jesus who shed his blood for their sins.”

 

Will those repentant Nazi’s be forgiven and make it into heaven?

–         God is free, so like the king of Nineveh the most we can say is…

–         Who knows? God may relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish

 

God’s compassion:

Jonah’s preaching was reluctant – half hearted

–         By contrast, Nineveh’s repentance was genuine – fully committed

–         But it’s God’s compassion which triumphs in the end

 

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

 

There are two sides to the coin of compassion

–         One side is entering into the suffering of another – sharing their pain

–         The other side is doing something to alleviate that pain

–         When we feel someone else’s pain as our own then we are motivated to relieve their suffering

–         So to have compassion is firstly to feel and then to heal

 

This is a picture of the memorial at Gallipoli

 

The story that goes with this memorial is that there was a wounded British soldier groaning in agony in no man’s land between the trenches

  • – At that moment a piece of white underwear was raised from the Turkish side and a well-built, unarmed soldier appeared.
  • – The Turk walked slowly towards the wounded British soldier, took him in his arms and carried him to the Allies’ side, before gently placing him down on the ground and returning to his trench.

 

There are some who question the accuracy of this story

  • – I don’t know, I wasn’t there
  • – Either way, it is a picture of compassion
  • – Feeling another’s pain and then acting to help & heal that person
  • – Feeling and healing

 

To say that God had compassion on the people of Nineveh means that he was affected by their sin (he felt the hurt they inflicted on each other) and he acted to heal that hurt – feeling and healing

 

God’s compassion wasn’t just a response to the people’s repentance

–         His compassion is seen long before that, when he sent Jonah to warn them

 

That God is compassionate and open to change tells us that the details of God’s will are not fixed in stone

–         Sometimes we are tempted to think of God’s will as a train travelling along the tracks

–         The thing about a train is that it can’t really deviate off the tracks – it has to follow the path laid out for it

–         And once the train gets up some speed it is very hard to stop, because it’s got all this weight (all this history) behind it

 

But I don’t believe God’s will is like a train following the tracks

–         I see God’s will as more dynamic than that

–         God’s will is like a 4WD vehicle

–         God can follow the road or he can go off road

–         If someone or something is in the way then God can easily stop to wait or change course to avoid a collision

–         Yes, he has a fixed destination in mind (the redemption of his creation)

–         But he also has the power and freedom to alter his course in getting to that destination

–         And that’s what he does in the case of Nineveh – God changes his course (without changing his overall purpose) and saves the city

 

Conclusion:

This morning we’ve heard that Jonah was a reluctant preacher

–         But despite his reluctance the people of Nineveh still humbled themselves in genuine repentance

–         And God had compassion on Nineveh

–         God is free and he uses his freedom to love his enemies

 

I’m conscious that today is September 11 – fifteen years since the attack on the Twin Towers in New York

–         The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and injured over 6,000 others

–         In response to these attacks America declared a war on terror and thousands more died

–         So people might say the city of New York is akin to Nineveh, with its violence

–         Others say, no, it’s the terrorists who are more akin to the people of Nineveh

–         I suspect it’s not that black & white

–         All of our cities have violence in them

–         All of our hearts the seeds of terror

–         None of us can claim to be completely pure or righteous

 

I don’t think the events of 9/11 were God’s will

–         I think what happened that day grieved his heart and went against his will

 

Jesus points us to the will of God (to the compassion of God) when he says…

 

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous…

 

 

Let us pray…

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/11-sep-2016-nineveh-repents

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/pictures/9477990/The-worlds-10-best-cities-to-live-in.html?frame=2311083

[2] http://www.businessinsider.com/most-violent-cities-in-the-world-2016-1/?r=AU&IR=T/#1-caracas-venezuela-had-11987-homicides-per-100000-residents-50

[3] James Bruckner, NIVAC ‘Jonah’, pages 90-91.

[4][4] http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/may-web-only/would-you-share-gospel-with-hitlers-worst-henchmen.html?start=3