Psalm 133
Romans 11:1-2a & 29-32
Date- 18 August, 2002 (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)
WE DO NOT OFTEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNIT TOGETHER WITH COMMON MEANING THE FOUR SCRIPTURES FOR A GIVEN SUNDAY AS WE DO TODAY. LET’S CONSIDER EACH SCRIPTURE AS WE ENCOUNTERED IT IN OUR SERVICE AND SEE WHERE IT LEADS.
WE READ PSALM 33 IN ITS ENTIRETY AS OUR RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP. IT IS A CELEBRATION OF UNITY AND COMMUNITY THAT RESULT FROM GOD’S BLESSINGS USING TWO SIMILES. THE FIRST SIMILE, OIL, IS BASED ON EXODUS 29 WHEN MOSES ANNOINTS AARON WITH OIL AS THE FIRST HIGH PRIEST OF ISRAEL. THE OIL FLOWING OFF AARON.S HEAD ONTO HIS ROBES SYMBOLIZES GOD’S BLESSINGS FLOWING FROM HIS HIGH PRIEST ONTO HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE MAKING THEM A BLESSED COMMUNITY UNITED BY THEIR BELIEF IN GOD. IT IS A PERFECT COMMENTARY ON THE BLESSING OF GOD’S PEOPLE THROUGH GOD’S ACTIVITY IN THE LIFE OF JOSEPH. THE SECOND SIMILE, DEW ON MOUNT HERMON, SYMBOLIZES GOD’S BLESSINGS FLOWING DOWN ON HIS PEOPLE FROM THE HIGHEST POINT IN ISRAEL ONTO ALL WHO LIVE IN ISRAEL. THIS IS A PERFECT COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S ASSERTION IN ROMAN’S 11 THAT SALVATION WILL COME TO JEW AND GENTILE ALIKE IN ISRAEL AND ON JESUS’ INITIAL STEP IN MATTHEW 15 TO BRING SALVATION TO NON-JEWS AS WELL AS JEWS LIVING IN ISRAEL. PSALM 133 IS THE PERFECT CALL TO WORSHIP FOR A SERVICE CONTAIN-ING THE OTHER THREE SCRIPTURES FOR TODAY.
THE CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF JOSEPH IN GENESIS 45 SHOWS THE UNIFICATION OF BROTHERS, OF A FAMILY AND OF GOD’S EMERGING CHOSEN PEOPLE THROUGH THE HIDDEN ACTIONS OF THE HAND OF GOD IN INDIVIDUALS AND IN THE LIFE OF TWO NATIONS. AS JOSEPH REVEALS HIMSELF TO HIS BROTHERS HE ALSO PROVIDES A POWERFUL THEOLOGICAL INSIGHT, “ GOD SENT ME BEFORE YOU TO PRESERVE FOR YOU A REMNANT ON EARTH AND TO PROVIDE FOR YOU MANY SURVIVORS.” REVELATION AND A CHANGE IN MORAL AND ETHICAL LIVING FREQUENTLY OCCUR TOGETHER. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE REVELATION OF GOD AT WORK IN HIS LIFE GAVE JOSEPH THE COURAGE TO BECOME A SON AND BROTHER AGAIN OR THE DECISION TO REJOIN HIS FAMILY LED JOSEPH TO THE REVELA-TION. THE OUTCOME IS THE SAME AS INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND NATIONS ARE BLESSED BY GOD’S BEHIND THE SCENES WORK TO MAKE ROMANS 8:28 A REALITY. GOD TURNS ADVERSITY INTO GOOD FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND ALLOW HIM TO DO SO.
THE BIBLE PORTRAYS LIFE AS FULL OF ADVERSITY AS A NORMAL PART OF LIVING AND GOD STANDING READY TO TURN THAT ADVERSITY INTO GOOD FOR THOSE WHO PUT HIM IN CONTROL. I THINK THIS IS ACCURATE DESPITE OUR ORIENTATION TOWARD SEEKING MORE AND MORE CONTROL FOR OURSELVES WHEN THINGS DO NOT GO WELL. IN OUR STORY OF JOSEPH WE BEGIN WITH A FAMILY DISRUPTED BY FAVORTISM, ENVY AND GREED AND DUE TO GO’S PLAN AND ACTIONS WE CONCLUDE WITH INDIVIDUALS, A FAMILY AND NATIONS AT PEACE. PSALM 133 CELEBRATES THIS STORY.
IN ROMANS 11 PAUL CONCLUDES HIS LONG AND CIRCUITOUS ARGUMENTS REGARDING THE STATUS OF GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, THE ISRAELITES, IN THE LIGHT OF THE BIRTH, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CHOSEN PEOPLE TO ALL OTHERS- THE GENTILES. PAUL CONCLUDES THAT THE HAND OF GOD IS AT WORK EVEN THOUGH THE ISRAELITES DO NOT YET SEE IT. THE CHOSEN PEOPLE ARE STILL THE CHOSEN PEOPLE AND SALVATION IN CHRIST IS FIRST FOR THEM. DESPITE BEING THE CHOSEN OF GOD THEY, TOO, HAVE TO COME TO GOD THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST. SINCE MANY ARE NOT READY TO DO THIS, GOD WILL USE THEIR HARD HEARTEDNESS TO BRING SALVATION TO THE GENTILES. THEN GOD WILL USE THE SALVATION OF THE GENTILES TO BRING SALVATION TO THE ISRAELITES. ALL MEN AND WOMEN ARE IN NEED OF GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE. THE END RESULT WILL BE THE UNITY OF GENTILES AND ISRAELITES IN JESUS AS THE NEW CHOSEN FAMILY OF GOD. PSALM 133 CELEBRATES THIS COMING UNITY IN CHRIST FOR ALL WHO DWELL IN ISRAEL, GENTILES AND JEWS ALIKE.
FINALLY, IN MATTHEW 15 JESUS MAKES TWO POWERFUL STATEMENTS OF SPIRITUAL TRUTH. FIRST HE DECLARES TO THE PHARASEES THAT THE FOOD LAWS ARE NOT A POINT OF DISTINCTION AND SEPARATION BETWEEN ISRAELITES AND GENTILES BECAUSE WHAT WE PUT INTO OUR MOUTHS DOES NOT AND CAN NOT MAKE US UNCLEAN. IT IS WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR MOUTHS AS WORDS, THE MEDITATIONS OF OUR HEARTS THAT SET OUR BELIEFS AND PRIORITIES AND THE ACTIONS OF OUR DAILY LIVING THAT MAKE US CLEAN OR UNCLEAN. THUS IT IS ALSO WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR MOUTHS AS WORDS, THE MEDITATIONS OF OUR HEARTS THAT SET OUR BELIEFS AND PRIORITIES AND THE ACTIONS OF OUR DAILY LIVING THAT MAKE US ONE IN CHRIST AND UNITE US AS THE NEW CHOSEN FAMILY OF GOD.
SECOND, JESUS HIMSELF TAKES THE FIRST STEP IN BRINGING SALVATION TO THE GENTILES. IT IS A WONDERFUL STORY. IN ALL OF HIS DEALINGS WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS DID JESUS EVER LOSE A THEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT? NO. NEVER! HE CERTAINLY DID NOT LOSE THE AGUMENT WITH THE PHARASEES OVER WHAT MAKES A PERSON UNCLEAN. BUT HE LOST THE ARGUMRENT WITH THIS CAANANITE WOMEN! SHE REQUESTS A BLESSING FOR HER DAUGHTER, A NON-JEWISH WOMAN WITH A DEAMON POSSESED DAUGHTER, AND JESUS REPLIES THAT IT IS NOT FAIR TO TAKE FOOD FROM THE CHILDREN AND GIVE IT TO THE DOGS. JESUS CALLS NON-ISRAELITES, GENTILES, YOU AND ME, DOGS! THIS IS SOMEWHAT SOFTENED BECAUSE THE WORD TRANSLATED AS “DOGS” IS “FAMILY PETS”. THE WOMAN IS LOVED BY JESUS SINCE HE LOVES US ALL, BUT SHE ALSO IS NOT PART OF THE FAMILY OF ISRAELITES, THE CHILDREN OF GOD. BUT THE WOMAN IS NOT PUT DOWN BY THIS REBUKE AND SHE PERSISTS AND RESPONDS. “YES, BUT EVEN THE DOGS, FAMILY PETS, ARE ALLOWED TO EAT THE CRUMBS THAT FALL FROM THE MASTER’S TABLE.” SHE HAS HIM! SHE HAS JESUS AND HE KNOWS IT. YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE SMILE HE TRIES TO HIDE AT THE CORNERS OF HIS MOUTH. SHE INDEED HAS HIM AND HE GRANTS THE BLESSING SHE REQUESTS AND THE DEAMON LEAVES HER DAUGHTER. SALVATION HAS COME TO A GENTILE THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS. HER FAITH STANDS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE HARD HEARTEDNESS OF THE PHARASEES. HAVE FAITH AND KEEP KNOCKING AND THE DOOR WILL OPEN. AND PSALM 133 CELEBRATES THE UNITY IN FAITH BETWEEN GENTILES AND JEWS.
PERHAPS WE WOULD DO WELL TO REVIEW OUR LIVES LOOKING FOR GOD’S HIDDEN HAND AND FOR WHERE THERE IS ONLY ONE SET OF FOOTSTEPS IN THE SAND. GOD IS CONSTANTLY AT WORK IN HIS CREATION CREATING NEW THINGS AND WORKING TO MAKE ROMANSA 8:28 A REALITY FOR EACH OF US. HIS ANNOINTING OIL RUNS OFF OF OUR HEADS AND ONTO OUR ROBES AND THE DEW OF HIS BLESSINGS SHOWERS DOWN ON US. ALL PRAISE TO OUR AWESOME GOD, WHO LOVED US.WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS AND WHO THROUGH JESUS MAKES US SONS AND DAUGHTERS. AMEN.