A WORD FOR TODAY, September 15, 2021
Peggy Hoppes
We pray you have been blessed by this daily devotion. If you received it from a friend, you can see other devotions and studies by visiting our website at www.awordfortoday.org.
Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, September 15, 2021
Lectionary Scriptures for September 19, 2021, Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost: Jeremiah 11:18-20; Psalm 54; James 3:13-4:10; Mark 9:30-37
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” James 3:6, WEB
The deuterocanonical book “The Wisdom of Solomon” was written for Hellenized Jews in Alexandria, people torn between the life of faith and the tempting cultural life in Alexandria. It was exciting to live there, with fascinating mystery religions, cults, astrology, and other interesting religious perspectives that seemed better than a life of servanthood and of suffering. It is very easy to get caught up in a world full of excitement and pleasure. It is naturally human to be on top and to be part of the crowd. These Hellenized Jews would probably have joined in the cry, “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Wouldn’t we all like to live by this doctrine, too?
The truly faithful are persecuted in this type of society. They are outsiders, they are unwilling to go along with the crowd. The faithful are considered weak because they willingly submit to a life of servanthood, and they are inconvenient to the life the wicked want to live. They are both the doormats and the stumbling blocks in this world. The writer of the Book of Wisdom says, “He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; the very sight of him is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that of others and his ways are strange.” (NRSV) This is the very reason that the righteous become victims of the wicked.
The Old Testament lesson is a brief personal lament by Jeremiah the prophet over the suffering he faces. It is difficult enough to be persecuted by the world and the powerful, but his own family wanted to destroy him. He was being persecuted because he preached about their unfaithfulness; they broke the covenant and were cursed by their guilt. Despite God’s saving grace, leading them out of Egypt, they turned from Him and would suffer exile. Jeremiah was not even to pray for the people or to offer a plea for them. They’d gone too far to be saved from the consequences of their rebellion.
I imagine that Jeremiah would have preferred being ignorant; no one really wants to be a prophet in the first place. Jeremiah’s words fell on unwilling ears. He was opposed on every side. His words brought the wrath of the leaders on his head, but they had the potential of destroying his family who would also suffer God’s wrath. His family schemed to destroy him, to stop his words to protect their lives. A plot against Jeremiah would have had a positive impact on those who perpetrated it. They would have found favor with those in authority and may have been elevated for their courageous acts against the prophet. The Lord made this conspiracy known to Jeremiah. Jeremiah probably would have preferred to remain ignorant of this, too. Who wants to know that their family is trying to destroy them or that their loved ones care more about getting ahead than caring for family?
We’d rather be ignorant. That does not mean we like to be stupid, or that we are anti-intellectual. We simply prefer not to know some things. We don’t want to ask the hard questions. We don’t want to know what was going on under the surface. We don’t want to find out that the people we trust are not trustworthy. We don’t want to find out that we are wrong. We don’t want to know the truth if that truth is hard.
This brief passage from Jeremiah is a personal lament by the prophet over his suffering. Jeremiah is honest with God. He is hurt and angry, so he asks God for vengeance. We know this is not the way we should be dealing with our enemies, but we understand, don’t we? We know that as Christians we are called to love our enemies and face persecution with trust and faith. We can’t help, though, to empathize with Jeremiah and wonder whether we have good reason to ask for a little vengeance.
Despite the lament and imprecation, Jeremiah’s words show deep trust in God. God does not always answer our prayers as we wish, but we pray with faith that God is willing to listen to our ranting and our anger and that He will make all things right. Jeremiah trusted God enough to be honest with Him, to speak the words that he felt and to admit his desires. This display of anger and lament did not bring God’s wrath on Jeremiah; God answered with mercy and grace.
The early Christians experienced persecution, too, and Jeremiah’s words helped them as they tried to understand their suffering. They had faith enough in God to speak their fears and their anger, knowing that God will listen and answer. He gives strength to those who call Him, even when the cry is one of anger and lament. He lifts us up and brings us through our troubles, forgiving our sin and giving us the grace to go on.
Matthew Henry tells us that the key to today’s psalm rests in the title. “For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, ‘Isn’t David hiding himself among us?’” The Ziphites were traitors, men who turned David over to Saul, whose intent was to kill David. Saul knew that David was God’s intended king, but he thought that if David were dead he might be able to hold on to his reign. He relied on men like the Ziphites to betray David.
David was experiencing much the same persecution as Jeremiah, the threats came from people who were close. He was hiding among them, suggesting that he trusted them to protect him. He was betrayed, but David was able to lift his voice to God, crying out for salvation from his enemies.
David sings, “Save me, God, by your name.’ We all know name droppers, and perhaps do a little name dropping ourselves. Knowing the right people can get us a better table at a fancy restaurant or it can get us free ice cream at the local grocery store. Knowing the right people can get a road fixed more quickly or it can get a child into a better school. We rely on the clout that comes from the right name when we are job hunting or when we are making a major purchase. My Dad was once able to get me a better deal on a car and a friend once got me a discount on an electronics purchase; all I needed was their name.
The name of the Lord is the manifestation of His character and accessibility to His people. We cry out to Him by His name, and He hears our prayers. Light Jeremiah, David calls out for vindication. He also asks God to judge him according to His own strength (the strength of God) not according to the strength of David's life or importance. Vindication will come not because David has done anything particularly important but because David is the chosen one of God. Vindication will come not to the glory of David, but to the glory of God.
David trusts that God is his helper. In this psalm David began with a cry for help, then a confession of trust in God, and finished with a vow to offer thanksgiving and praise. David was confident that God would save him from his enemies. He comforted himself in the knowledge that God is faithful to His promises. We can do the same thing. When we are persecuted, we too can cry out to God with our worries and fears. Like David, we can do so with the assurance that God hears our prayers and is our helper.
We need to be careful that we don’t call every hurt or disagreement is a matter of persecution. Ralph Waldo Emerson is reported as saying, “Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.” Ben Carson said, “Just because somebody happens to disagree with you about something doesn’t mean that they become your mortal enemy and that you should try to destroy them and destroy their life and destroy their family.” Morgan Freeman is quoted as saying, “Just because I disagree with you does not mean I hate you. We need to relearn that in our society.”
Persecution exists and we might experience it. God knows and He responds appropriately. are human. We are all sinners. Sometimes we are wrong. David was the great king of Israel, beloved of God, but he was not perfect. We are just like David, and he reminds us to trust that God knows what is right. He will make all things right in the end.
Jesus warned the disciples, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.” They were afraid to ask Jesus what He meant because they didn’t want Jesus to know that they didn’t understand. Like the rest of us, though, they probably didn’t want to know. It is so much better to be ignorant, to be blind to the troubles that surround us.
They also did not want Jesus to know what about their conversation. Were they embarrassed by the immaturity of the conversation? Were they beginning to see that being part of the king of God meant sacrifice and self-giving and they weren’t ready for that kind of commitment? They did not want Jesus to know that they were arguing over which one of them is most important. In other similar stories, they want Jesus to tell them who will lead at His side. Who will be the CEO? Who will be the General? Who will be the boss? They want to know and understand the hierarchy of the ministry. But they didn’t want Jesus to know that they were asking this question.
Jesus sat down to explain that greatness in the kingdom of heaven was not as it is in the world where the rulers seek fame, power and possessions. In the kingdom of heaven, the least are the greatest. Welcoming a little child is like welcoming God Himself, and if they want to be first they must be the last and servant of all.
Notice how the disciples are quiet about what Jesus wants them to know, but they are very vocal when they are thinking in their own terms, according to their own wisdom. We all have a skewed idea of what makes a truly wise person. We think in terms of flesh, earth, natural things. Jesus wants us to see something greater, something beyond ourselves.
Martin Luther and other reformers understood that there are two kingdoms: the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of God. They believed that God ruled both kingdoms, but He did so in the kingdom of the world through temporal authority. The left hand of God is found in the hands of kings and presidents, church leaders, bosses, parents and others who hold positions of authority. These temporal authorities have the power to rule through law, including the use of military power as necessary. The right hand of God rules the spiritual, and this authority is not given to man, but to the Holy Spirit whose power is the Gospel. A Christian can (and should) serve in the kingdom of the world but should never allow the kingdom of the world to usurp the authority of the kingdom of God. Notice that church leaders are appointed to rule in the kingdom of the world,
Martin Luther wrote, “God has ordained the two governments: the spiritual, which by the Holy Spirit under Christ makes Christians and pious people; and the secular, which restrains the unchristian and wicked so that they are obliged to keep the peace outwardly... The laws of worldly government extend no farther than to life and property and what is external upon earth. For over the soul God can and will let no one rule but himself. Therefore, where temporal power presumes to prescribe laws for the soul, it encroaches upon God’s government and only misleads and destroys souls. We desire to make this so clear that every one shall grasp it, and that the princes and bishops may see what fools they are when they seek to coerce the people with their laws and commandments into believing one thing or another.”
Luther also said, “We are to be subject to governmental power and do what it bids, as long as it does not bind our conscience but legislates only concerning outward matters... But if it invades the spiritual domain and constrains the conscience, over which God only must preside and rule, we should not obey it at all but rather lose our necks. Temporal authority and government extend no further than to matters which are external and corporeal.”
It is hard to hear that we should willingly lose our necks, particularly in a world where many Christians are being beheaded. While we might not be experiencing this kind of persecution in America, Open Door USA reported in January of this year that an average of thirteen Christians a day are dying for their faith. I suspect that number is rising. Many of my readers are from Nigeria, and we have heard the frightening stories of what happens to Christian girls at the hands of extremists there. None of us would choose that kind of life.
We might not choose it, but by choosing Jesus we are laying our lives on the line for Him. And when we are at even greater risk when we actively participate in the Kingdom by sharing the Gospel with others. It is a matter of trust, of course. Do we, like David, trust that God will make everything right even when it seems like everything is out of control? Are we willing to face persecution for His sake, humbling ourselves for His glory?
The disciples were thinking like politicians on that road through Galilee. They were arguing with one another about who was the greatest. In other versions of this story, some of the disciples insisted on being Jesus’ right hand and left-hand men. They wanted to be part of the ruling party and felt they deserved it. They saw themselves as better than the others and thought Jesus should appoint them to the positions of power and authority. Jesus had another way.
He lifted a little child onto His lap and told them they should believe in His words the way a child does, without fear or worry or anxiety. They should just act in faith, doing what it is they’ve been gifted to do while trusting that God will make it work to His glory. Children aren’t afraid to hold someone’s hand when they are crying. Children don’t worry about whether or not they have the right words, they speak from their hearts. Children talk about Jesus and God and love and peace and hope in a way that we no longer understand because we have lost our innocence.
The disciples did not yet understand, but then do any of us? We still want to live in that world where we “Eat, drink and be merry” or chase after the prize in war and in peace. Who wants to be persecuted when going along with the crowd can be so much fun? Who wants to be a servant when there’s a chance for a position of power and authority? Perhaps we don't really want to be ignorant, but we'd rather follow our own wisdom. James writes, "Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you?" We become involved with conflicts and disputes because we follow our cravings rather than trust in our God. We ask for the wrong things. We seek pleasure and in doing so we turn from God. We are motivated by our flesh rather than our spirit.
They would be persecuted. Most of the disciples would be martyred. It is not a life any of us choose. Jesus reminded the twelve that they do not need to be the best or the first or the greatest, they simply need to believe. That’s the kind of humility Jesus is looking for in our lives. The humble Christian is a servant that does not seek gold, power or fame, but who walks and works in faith that God will accomplish His good work in our lives. The world will think we are ridiculous, they will persecute us because we do not live as they expect, but we can trust that God will get us through to tomorrow.
The passage from James includes ten commands calling us to action in rooting out the sin of pride in our lives. Pride is what causes us to chase after gold, power and fame. Humility, the opposite of pride, leads us in a life of service to others.
First, we submit to God. Submitting to God means trusting in Him. It means seeking His wisdom, being meek. We often misunderstand the word “meekness” to mean weak, but the reality is that meekness is the humble understanding that you are not the greatest. Greatness does not come to those who force or manipulate others. True greatness comes to those who do what they are called to do in a way that glorifies God. He will glorify them for their faith. Humility is trusting that God will accomplish His work through us as we go about life doing what we can do, even if it means risking everything.
Next, we must resist the devil. You see, the devil is clever. Too many people, Christians included, have fallen for the lie that the devil doesn’t exist. The world laughs at the image of a red creature with horns and a tail, saying it is just ridiculous to think anything like it exists. The truth is that Satan himself has created that image to fool those who want to remain ignorant of the spiritual battle that is raging all around us. Then, when you don’t believe he exists, the devil convinces you, slowly but surely, that all that God talk is ridiculous. And so you believe his word over that of God. We must resist!
Third, James writes, “Come near to God.” This means that we should daily take time to be in His presence. We can resist the devil are more easily if God’s Word is on our lips and in our hearts. Daily prayer, study of scriptures, worship and service in His name will give us the strength and the power to resist.
Fourth we are to wash our hands. This is not a statement about good hygiene, but rather points back to the practice of the Old Testament priests. They were required to wash their hands before they could approach God in the tabernacle. The next command “purify your hearts” continues this thought. Washing our hands symbolizes spiritual cleansing. Washing our hands is then an outward act showing the inward cleansing. We wash our hands and purify our hearts of sin by confessing that which we have done and failed to do in thought, word and deed. By admitting our sinfulness, we open ourselves to God’s grace and forgiveness.
The next three commands come together: we are to lament, mourn, and weep. They may sound like they are redundant, but as is true of so much of the ancient languages, there is always subtle shades of meaning that are not quite visible in English. In Greek, the word that is translated “lament” means “be afflicted” or “endure hardship.” James is calling us to be willing to accept the consequences of our sin. We are to mourn sinfulness, which is our failure to live up to the expectations of our God. And finally, we are to weep. There is more to this than simply crying; we are to wail. While cleansing our hearts is an inner confession, wailing over our sin is a public, outer confession. These are all acts of repentance, a recognition that we are not the greatest in anything.
We, like those in the days of the early church, treat our sin casually. Just as we reject the idea of the devil, we reject our wrongdoing is sin. We dismiss as sin those things which don’t hurt others. We justify our actions even when they don’t line up with the Word of God, rewriting the scriptures to fit our desires. Just as we laugh at the idea of the devil, we laugh at those who call us to repentance, and we embrace our sin with joyful glee. We do what the world says we can do even when it leads us away from our God, and we do so with joy because the worl’'s idea of life is so much more satisfying than the life that risks death and persecution. James calls us to change our laughter into mourning and our joy into gloom.
Finally, James says, “Humble yourselves.” This returns us to James’ quote of Proverbs 3:34 in verse 4:6, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The other nine commands bring us to the point of receiving God’s grace. When we are humbled, we can embrace the kingdom of God which begins with forgiveness and ends in the fulfillment of God’s promise of eternal life. None of the other commands have any value unless they lead us to rest in God’s grace fully and completely. That’s true humility.
The humble Christian is a servant that does not seek gold, power or fame, but who walks and works in faith that God will accomplish His good and perfect work through our lives.
We are no different than the disciples, or the people in Jeremiah’s day. We still want to win. We still want to be the one at the top. We still want to be the most important one in the kingdom. But Jesus says, “Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.” God sometimes shows us what we don’t want to know, but He promises to bring us through the hard times. Jesus showed us the child because a child trusts without condition. Can we? Or would we rather ignore the truth?
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org.
|