Where Are We Coming From And Where Are We Going?
Good Morning Friends,
Today is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement in the Jewish tradition. It ends the ten-day celebration that began with Rosh ha-Shanah and the Talmudists in preparation for it, I am told read the Book of Job contemplating Job’s sufferings and tribulations. A selection from the Book of Job is rightfully part of today’s lectionary. Traditions have the setting of Job’s life as being the 210 years ranging between the lives of Abraham and Moses with one linking the timing of Satan’s attack on Job to the moment that the Hebrews during the Exodus were making a Golden Idol to worship as Moses was bringing the Ten Commandments down from the Holy Mountain. We have all heard it said that pride comes before the fall and we get a sense of this in today’s scripture readings that both hint that there is greater hope in humility than puffed up conceit but that also Satan uses pride and what we worship to attack our very beings. C.S. Lewis, in the book Mere Christianity says, “True humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less.” Pride can be a serious problem. In today’s Gospel reading the disciples were so focused on who was greatest that they were failing at doing their job. They were caught up in the seeking of power even as Jesus was setting his sights on Jerusalem and the sacrifice to be made on the cross to atone for all our sins. Because the disciples were focused on the wrong things, they were unable to cast out demons. They were afraid to ask for help. They were preoccupied with self and position and they were seeking an exclusivity that diminished the kingdom. Today we look at this situation about suffering and greatness both personally and as a nation and ask, Where Are We Coming From And Where Are We Going?
Scripture: One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.” Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. One day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the eldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell on them and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three columns, made a raid on the camels and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.” Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong-doing.
Job 1:6-22 (NRSV)
An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.” John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.”
Luke 9:46-50 (NRSV)
Message: Today we look at the question of where we are coming from and where we are going to and with a focus on the greatness of our God and the reality that Satan knows a lot about human nature. We look at the captivating story of Job and the message reveals that God is greater than anything in this life. Many of us are familiar with the story of Job, and at least some parts of the book of Job. But I think a lot of times we just dismiss this as a little story and miss some of the great points within this great book which is probably the earliest writings in the Bible. I hope today that through our scriptures you will see that our God is greater. Greater than all the Earth, greater than our sin, greater than our suffering, and God is far greater than anything we can ever imagine. Friends, you may have been thinking that I was going to address the question of why the righteous suffer but no that is not the focus today. The focus today is rather for us to ponder if we are really persons faithful to God for the sake of God. This is a question not for our mind but for our soul. It is not about why evil is permitted but how evil is overcome. It is about atonement. It is about the one day of the year when the High Priest was permitted to enter the Temple’s innermost sanctum, the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of sacrificial animals on the ark and symbolically cast off the nation’s sins by releasing a goat into the desert.
And So, against this dramatic backdrop of the Job story, I love the instructive way Jesus confronts the failure of the disciples and their division that would work against the great hope of atonement. He uses children and the child in each of us as a visual aid and a teaching tool for something that can glorify the Father. Indeed, Jesus loved the little children, but it is important to understand that in Jesus’ day, children were viewed as a nuisance. Jesus however felt the opposite, so in response to the challenge of the disciples jostling for position and power he takes hold of a child’s hand as if holding up a mirror to the situation and future hope and says, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me.” Jesus is telling them that there is power and purpose in being a humble servant. Jesus is telling them that immaturity always causes us to think about ourselves and not others. Friends we are to choose faith over fear, wisdom over worry and prayer over panic. We like the disciples need to atone for our sins. We like Job need to learn to submit and trust God.
Pray we focus on the hope of Christ as a solution to whatever may befall us. Pray we compare ourselves with Jesus and not others. Pray we understand the importance of humility and service for the cause of Christ. Pray we realize that Jesus is the standard of a humble servant we are to seek in our own lives. Pray therefor for faith on the path of service. Pray we have an attitude of service. Pray we resist temptations to choose profit over benefit…money over value. Pray we have praise for a God that does not leave us in our foolishness but rebukes us and nudges us into lives of fruitful service. Pray we covet the abundant life of service to community. Pray we are not good for nothing but good for a purpose. Pray we repent and turn from our foolishness and live in God’s love. Pray we have faith enough to do great things with God and for God. Pray we avoid the sin a pride. Pray we live for those who love. Pray we live for those who see the truth. Pray we are moved to act for the cause that needs assistance. Pray we are moved to act against the wrong that needs resistance. Pray for the future in the distance. Pray for the marks of true greatness in the simplicity, humility and utility of a life lived for God’s glory.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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