Old Mystic, June 21, 2009
Psalms 9:9-20
Summary
David’s poem of thanksgiving and appeal is a reminder that God is gracious and just and will deliver those who seek him and witness to His saving work. In a world of violence and suffering God takes the side of the poor and the oppressed.
Sermon
This Psalm is indeed a remarkable poem in the heart and mind of a young shepherd turned to warrior and king. Even though it is mostly scholarly speculation, many believe that this piece was composed by David shortly after his slaying of the giant Goliath, an epic story that has captured the imagination of generations of children raised in our Christian tradition. I can recall having heard it way back in my childhood read by mother from the thin-paper old Reina-Valera Bible that used to belong to my late grandmother. Who wouldn’t fall in love with the child-hero who came to the rescue of his nation, Israel, God’s people, killing the uncircumcised pagan giant who dared to “defy the armies of the living God?” Many of us, 21st century onlookers, however, cannot help but cringe as we read the ending of the battle between the child and the giant. It took just a stone and a slingshot; yet, in spite of David’s declaration to Goliath that “the Lord does not save by sword and spear,” he finished the giant with his own sword and cut off his head. There might have been political, cultural, and religious reasons for such a display of violence but today, as much as in those days, people of faith must rely on God’s deliverance and God’s ways which we can claim are not violent.
David’s song of thanksgiving is at the same time a declaration of God’s deliverance from suffering, hate, persecution, and oppression, and a reminder that our ways fail, that we fall short of our good intentioned goals, and that we continue to deal violently in this world because we are only human. As David put it speaking of us all, “Put them in fear, O Lord; let the nations know that they are only human.” These words are a very necessary call in this day and age as we struggle with our human failure; failure to realize that we have a small planet and that its resources will be depleted if we continue our trend of unbridled consumption; failure to faithfully respond to God’s implicit summons to be our brother’s or sister’s keeper as we see almost half of the population of the world living with less that two dollars a day. I can continue to speak negatively and endlessly about human failure and describe how much it touches our lives and why we are broken and our relationships are broken. But today’s’ passage is a song of thanksgiving.
“The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” David’s proclamation of thanksgiving is soothing for anyone conscious of his or her humanity. God is our strength and will not forsake those who seek him. His words are a compelling invitation to seek God, to know God. David knew and trusted God, not because of what he had heard about God, or out of knowledge acquired through training. David had experienced God in a very personal, intimate, and profound way.
There has been much talk about God through the centuries. Systematic theologies have come up with statements and propositions about the attributes and essence of the Divine Being. Paul Tillich calls God “the ground of all being.” We read in Psalms 139 how inescapable God is. He knows us; he knows where we go and we can never dodge his watchful eye. We affirm also with the 24th Psalm that “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it; the world, and those who live in it.” We can continue with a long list of things we can say about God, but do we have a relationship with the Living God? Do we engage in conversation with God? David’s trust in God was based on the relationship he had with him. For that reason he was able to honestly plea, “Be gracious to me, O Lord. See what I suffer from those who hate me; you are the one who lifts me up from the gates of death,
so that I may recount all your praises.” David knew God personally and intimately.
And it was because of that knowledge of God, of that close relationship with him, that he could discern the heart of the Living God. Wisdom and discernment—perhaps the most useful gifts for ethical analysis—inspired David to say that the needy will not be forgotten and the hope of the poor will not perish, an assertion that permeates the Scriptures. There are very few teachings in the Bible that continuously recur as the admonition that God takes the side of the poor. As difficult to comprehend as it seems, indeed, God is bias and levels the playing field. Unfortunately, we live in a world where the poor and the oppressed are the ones to blame, the scapegoats. Very often those who have a hard time to secure a job, or make the ends meet find themselves under judgment in a society that does not forgive failure, that consistently fails to deliver justice to many, and is very slow to acknowledge its own failures. We must be cautious about slandering the poor and the oppressed because God is on their side. Jesus’ words in his ministry’s inaugural address are powerful and clear, “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor… to let the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
David was not without guilt himself but in that relationship with God he had found the gates open for confession, forgiveness, and healing. He knew that suffering is such a part of the human condition but he knew that God, who is a loving God, is a God of deliverance. And in spite of his own use of violence, he acknowledged that God “avenges blood” and is mindful of the afflicted. And what he means is that God will bring to reckoning those who violently shed blood. It would be perhaps too simplistic to say that if more people come into a personal, close relationship with God they’ll be much slower to commit acts of violence. But it is a starting point; the right place to start.
Knowing and trusting God brought joy to David’s life. He was confident to exhort, “Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion. Declare his deeds among the peoples.” For him, worship and witness were also rooted in that relationship with the Living God. And we know that there was no economy of words for David when it came to worship, praise, and adoration. It was his reaching to the full understanding of his own humanity and of God’s grace; his ability to express powerfully his feelings toward a God that loved him and delivered him from his enemies. As we inch ourselves into a relationship with the Living God our understanding of worship grows. Our praises, our poems, our songs, and our prayers are not empty formulas. They are addressed to someone who is very present in our midst; they are offerings to a God who delights in them. It is difficult for many of us—due to cultural constraints or personality traits—to be bold about our expressions of worship. And we don’t have to follow the trends, or do what others are doing, or sing a praise song because it is number one in the hit parade of Christian music. Perhaps, we just need to utter sounds, or sigh deeply, or silently open our hearts. Yet, God will honor our wholehearted and sincere worship.
Finally, in spite of the fact that we are only human, God has chosen us as his witnesses. David is perhaps one of the best examples in the Scriptures. His words, inspired by God, stand as a powerful witness to God’s grace. He has been telling for ages to those who are seekers that God delivers. “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” Many need to be reminded of these words because they have gone astray; they have forgotten about that promise or never heard about it; and either they have abandoned that relationship with God or have never had it. Jesus came into the world to bridge the gap and bring us into that relationship with God.
We are only human and the world entrusted to us by God is a reflection of our failures, the failure of individuals and of nations. David reminds us that “The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught.” Haven’t we dug a hole for ourselves! The worst economic downturn in many decades, two wars, and the prospect of more violence as the looming threat of nuclear proliferation grows are just but a sample of the many challenges humanity faces. How can we solve these problems? David pleas to God: “Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail; let the nations be judged before you.” Yes, we are only human. Nonetheless, we can meet and know God, the Living God personally, and we can trust him with all our hearts because God delivers.
Seeds of Hope
Old Mystic, June 14, 2009
1 Samuel 15:34 ~ 15:13
Summary
The story of David’s early anointing as the king of Israel while he was young, unaccomplished, and just a shepherd exemplifies how God calls and empowers people regardless of their background and appearance to introduce change and fulfill God’s purposes in history. As David was a seed of hope for the future of Israel and of God’s universal kingdom, we are also called, as God’s mission is expanded to all in the New Testament, to be seeds of hope for the building of that kingdom.
Sermon
How many bumper stickers with the line “I’d rather be…” have you seen? Probably, quite a few. They express that playful side of the human spirit that desires to be doing something enjoyable instead of dealing with the daily pressures of job, household, and other responsibilities. Some would rather be fishing; others sailing, or skiing, or flying. I must confess that some could be a little challenging for me like “I’d rather be skydiving,” for example. I’m inclined to more quiet activities, so I’d rather be reading or painting. At any rate, when the pressure builds up, when the task is difficult, when the job is risky, in all honesty, who wouldn’t be doing something else?
When I look at the text of David’s anointing to be the king of Israel, in spite of the risk of speculating too much about an ancient text that does not account much for specific human reaction, I can’t help but think that David’s response could have been, “Me? The king? I’d rather be shepherding.” We know by reading his Psalms how much David enjoyed nature and how by being in contact with God’s creation he had developed such a wonderful relationship with the Lord. Why would he leave the peaceful slopes and meadows of Judea and a tranquil life of contemplation enjoying God’s company to take over the reins of a nation constantly in war with their neighbors? Yet David was confronted with a calling; it was God’s calling.
Samuel was a very special man. His life was a miracle since Hannah, his mother, could not have children so she fervently prayed and prayed to God to grant her the joy of bearing a child; just bearing him, because she would dedicate him completely to be raised in the temple of Shiloh, in ancient Samaria, under the wing of Eli, the priest. Samuel was brought up to be a priest, a prophet, and a judge. And so he became the kind of leader that walked with God; that had a powerful and profound connection with the Lord, and that was appointed to lead the nation of Israel, God’s people.
The task was not easy for Samuel. He was dealing with a nation that was paying too much attention to the customs, religious practices, and the political structure of the neighboring nations. Samuel believed that they had the perfect form of government being God the ruler acting through the priests, prophets, and judges. The people, however, they were fascinated with the glamour of kings. So they wanted a king. To Samuel’s chagrin, God granted them their wish in spite of being a rejection to seeing God as their ruler; they were going to have a strong man, someone who they could be proud of; they would have a king who was head and shoulders above the rest.
And so was Saul; but he was not a good king. He did not fulfill God’s expectations, his motives were no the right ones and in the final analysis he was not the faithful servant-king he was expected to be. As the priest who had reluctantly anointed him, Samuel was now facing the difficult task of dealing with a complicated transition, one that in the end would not come about easily. But Samuel was diligent in being obedient, faithful, and committed to God, so he went to look for the new king under God’s instructions. Once again, Samuel was confronted with change.
Change is difficult. We all prefer the familiar, the habitual, the “way things have always been” or “how we do things here.” Most of us favor safe structures, solid foundations, and the clarity of fundamentals. When things get difficult, we want to go back to the basics, or to the “good old ways” that have served us well in the past. But even when the retrieval of the ideas or the ways of the past is possible, these are never be the same; they will be always re-shaped and transformed into actually new ways or ideas that are useful and relevant to new realities. We live in a dynamic and changing world and we are facing new challenges that require faithfulness. But faithfulness grounded in a relationship with the Living God where we do not encapsulate the Living God in old, familiar patterns, but we submit to the surprises He has in store for us. Faithful leadership is leadership that responds to a calling from God that implies taking risks. And change is risky but it is risk we have to tackle. After all, as they say, change happens.
I am not sure whether Samuel was a person who would resist change. We know he was faithful and would do what he had to do. And his instructions were precise; he had to go the small town of Bethlehem and look for a man called Jesse who had many sons and he was supposed to offer a sacrifice with this family. Having Samuel coming to worship in his home must have been really something special for Jesse but he couldn’t possibly imagine what was bringing the beloved prophet/priest to his home nor would Samuel reveal to him what he was about to do. But Samuel knew that he had to choose a king from Jesse’s sons and anoint him as king of Israel and so the pageant began. And Samuel was impressed by Eliab yet he heard God’s powerful admonition: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature… for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Seven sons of Jesse paraded before Samuel’s eyes but none of them was the one; God was looking for the right heart. But there was another son; one that was not accounted for, who was underestimated perhaps because he was young and ruddy, though he was handsome and had beautiful eyes. Besides, he was a shepherd because someone, not up to greater things, had to take care of the flock. “Are all your sons here,” Samuel asked Jesse. “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep,” responded Jesse. And when he was brought in and Samuel saw David he knew the he was the one God was calling.
God calls people and, not to romanticize or spiritualize this story to an extreme, we should be reminded that God has had the very practical idea of building his kingdom with volunteers; with workers, or servants, or the saints who, according to the letter to the Ephesians are the ones who are being equipped “for the work of the ministry, for the building of the body of Christ.” God’s calling is not just for some special individuals endowed with unique gifts; God’s calling is for everyone who has a heart for God. Many of us we will just do little things that with God’s blessing and anointing in turn will be great things; many of us are indeed seeds, small seeds that will give spiritual life to others; seeds of hope.
God calls people and looks on the heart, not on appearances. It is not about credentials, or attractiveness, or charm, or charisma; not even training and education. Any of those traits is good but not absolutely necessary. Indeed, all the training and education in the world cannot make someone God’s worker unless his or her heart is in the right place. God call people no matter where they are; there is no job too big or too small; we all are called to sow seeds for the kingdom.
When David came into the room where Samuel, his father, and his brothers were gathered, God spoke to Samuel and said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” And when David was anointed with the oil, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him and he began a long journey to eventually become the great King David. His life was not perfect; he made many mistakes, he suffered losses, and did things that were very wrong. Yet, God was with him and honored him as his servant.
The events of Pentecost continue to remind us that the anointing of the Holy Spirit and God’s calling are for all. They are gifts from God. When we go about our lives, no matter where we are, or what we do, we are God’s servants, workers, volunteers, God’s people, who are empowered to bring hope to the world, most of the time by doing what we know, but very often also by accepting some daunting challenges. Whatever the circumstances, we are endowed with God’s Spirit to measure up to the task.
It is not by chance that we are here. We have been granted the privilege to be part of this adventure, this beautiful community, this challenge we call the church. And the responsibility we have is by no means small. God could have chosen angels to do the work around here but, look around, we are the angels! Though we can acknowledge our limitations and admit that we are very human. But in spite of those limitations, or if we come to the realizations that we are no angels, we are still God’s seeds of hope. In one of the other Lectionary readings for this week we find Jesus teaching the parable of the mustard seed, one of the smallest seeds out of which a large tree will grow, and he compares the kingdom of God with this seed. It may look small but it will grow. So is with us. We may feel small, or inadequate, or too young, or too old. Yet God calls us and empowers us for change; we, the small seeds, yet seeds of hope.
1 Samuel 15:34 ~ 15:13
Summary
The story of David’s early anointing as the king of Israel while he was young, unaccomplished, and just a shepherd exemplifies how God calls and empowers people regardless of their background and appearance to introduce change and fulfill God’s purposes in history. As David was a seed of hope for the future of Israel and of God’s universal kingdom, we are also called, as God’s mission is expanded to all in the New Testament, to be seeds of hope for the building of that kingdom.
Sermon
How many bumper stickers with the line “I’d rather be…” have you seen? Probably, quite a few. They express that playful side of the human spirit that desires to be doing something enjoyable instead of dealing with the daily pressures of job, household, and other responsibilities. Some would rather be fishing; others sailing, or skiing, or flying. I must confess that some could be a little challenging for me like “I’d rather be skydiving,” for example. I’m inclined to more quiet activities, so I’d rather be reading or painting. At any rate, when the pressure builds up, when the task is difficult, when the job is risky, in all honesty, who wouldn’t be doing something else?
When I look at the text of David’s anointing to be the king of Israel, in spite of the risk of speculating too much about an ancient text that does not account much for specific human reaction, I can’t help but think that David’s response could have been, “Me? The king? I’d rather be shepherding.” We know by reading his Psalms how much David enjoyed nature and how by being in contact with God’s creation he had developed such a wonderful relationship with the Lord. Why would he leave the peaceful slopes and meadows of Judea and a tranquil life of contemplation enjoying God’s company to take over the reins of a nation constantly in war with their neighbors? Yet David was confronted with a calling; it was God’s calling.
Samuel was a very special man. His life was a miracle since Hannah, his mother, could not have children so she fervently prayed and prayed to God to grant her the joy of bearing a child; just bearing him, because she would dedicate him completely to be raised in the temple of Shiloh, in ancient Samaria, under the wing of Eli, the priest. Samuel was brought up to be a priest, a prophet, and a judge. And so he became the kind of leader that walked with God; that had a powerful and profound connection with the Lord, and that was appointed to lead the nation of Israel, God’s people.
The task was not easy for Samuel. He was dealing with a nation that was paying too much attention to the customs, religious practices, and the political structure of the neighboring nations. Samuel believed that they had the perfect form of government being God the ruler acting through the priests, prophets, and judges. The people, however, they were fascinated with the glamour of kings. So they wanted a king. To Samuel’s chagrin, God granted them their wish in spite of being a rejection to seeing God as their ruler; they were going to have a strong man, someone who they could be proud of; they would have a king who was head and shoulders above the rest.
And so was Saul; but he was not a good king. He did not fulfill God’s expectations, his motives were no the right ones and in the final analysis he was not the faithful servant-king he was expected to be. As the priest who had reluctantly anointed him, Samuel was now facing the difficult task of dealing with a complicated transition, one that in the end would not come about easily. But Samuel was diligent in being obedient, faithful, and committed to God, so he went to look for the new king under God’s instructions. Once again, Samuel was confronted with change.
Change is difficult. We all prefer the familiar, the habitual, the “way things have always been” or “how we do things here.” Most of us favor safe structures, solid foundations, and the clarity of fundamentals. When things get difficult, we want to go back to the basics, or to the “good old ways” that have served us well in the past. But even when the retrieval of the ideas or the ways of the past is possible, these are never be the same; they will be always re-shaped and transformed into actually new ways or ideas that are useful and relevant to new realities. We live in a dynamic and changing world and we are facing new challenges that require faithfulness. But faithfulness grounded in a relationship with the Living God where we do not encapsulate the Living God in old, familiar patterns, but we submit to the surprises He has in store for us. Faithful leadership is leadership that responds to a calling from God that implies taking risks. And change is risky but it is risk we have to tackle. After all, as they say, change happens.
I am not sure whether Samuel was a person who would resist change. We know he was faithful and would do what he had to do. And his instructions were precise; he had to go the small town of Bethlehem and look for a man called Jesse who had many sons and he was supposed to offer a sacrifice with this family. Having Samuel coming to worship in his home must have been really something special for Jesse but he couldn’t possibly imagine what was bringing the beloved prophet/priest to his home nor would Samuel reveal to him what he was about to do. But Samuel knew that he had to choose a king from Jesse’s sons and anoint him as king of Israel and so the pageant began. And Samuel was impressed by Eliab yet he heard God’s powerful admonition: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature… for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Seven sons of Jesse paraded before Samuel’s eyes but none of them was the one; God was looking for the right heart. But there was another son; one that was not accounted for, who was underestimated perhaps because he was young and ruddy, though he was handsome and had beautiful eyes. Besides, he was a shepherd because someone, not up to greater things, had to take care of the flock. “Are all your sons here,” Samuel asked Jesse. “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep,” responded Jesse. And when he was brought in and Samuel saw David he knew the he was the one God was calling.
God calls people and, not to romanticize or spiritualize this story to an extreme, we should be reminded that God has had the very practical idea of building his kingdom with volunteers; with workers, or servants, or the saints who, according to the letter to the Ephesians are the ones who are being equipped “for the work of the ministry, for the building of the body of Christ.” God’s calling is not just for some special individuals endowed with unique gifts; God’s calling is for everyone who has a heart for God. Many of us we will just do little things that with God’s blessing and anointing in turn will be great things; many of us are indeed seeds, small seeds that will give spiritual life to others; seeds of hope.
God calls people and looks on the heart, not on appearances. It is not about credentials, or attractiveness, or charm, or charisma; not even training and education. Any of those traits is good but not absolutely necessary. Indeed, all the training and education in the world cannot make someone God’s worker unless his or her heart is in the right place. God call people no matter where they are; there is no job too big or too small; we all are called to sow seeds for the kingdom.
When David came into the room where Samuel, his father, and his brothers were gathered, God spoke to Samuel and said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” And when David was anointed with the oil, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him and he began a long journey to eventually become the great King David. His life was not perfect; he made many mistakes, he suffered losses, and did things that were very wrong. Yet, God was with him and honored him as his servant.
The events of Pentecost continue to remind us that the anointing of the Holy Spirit and God’s calling are for all. They are gifts from God. When we go about our lives, no matter where we are, or what we do, we are God’s servants, workers, volunteers, God’s people, who are empowered to bring hope to the world, most of the time by doing what we know, but very often also by accepting some daunting challenges. Whatever the circumstances, we are endowed with God’s Spirit to measure up to the task.
It is not by chance that we are here. We have been granted the privilege to be part of this adventure, this beautiful community, this challenge we call the church. And the responsibility we have is by no means small. God could have chosen angels to do the work around here but, look around, we are the angels! Though we can acknowledge our limitations and admit that we are very human. But in spite of those limitations, or if we come to the realizations that we are no angels, we are still God’s seeds of hope. In one of the other Lectionary readings for this week we find Jesus teaching the parable of the mustard seed, one of the smallest seeds out of which a large tree will grow, and he compares the kingdom of God with this seed. It may look small but it will grow. So is with us. We may feel small, or inadequate, or too young, or too old. Yet God calls us and empowers us for change; we, the small seeds, yet seeds of hope.
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