Where's the Love?; Matthew 1:1-17, II Samuel 12:24-25, I Kings 1:5-31, I Kings 2:13-25

 

It was such a scandalous event, such a mar on the life of King David, such an embarrassment in the history of Israel, that Matthew doesn’t even list her by name.  She is called “of Uriah”, and rightly so, for that was her legitimate marriage.  Unlike Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth, Bathsheba is not remembered for her faith or for her character.  She is remembered for two things--the one whose husband was murdered., and the queen mother to King Solomon.  It was not Bathsheba’s fault that she ended up in this predicament, except I suppose, that she could have refused and fought King David possibly ended up dead like her husband.  Would a martyr’s death have been better?  When one thinks of David and Bathsheba, one has to wonder, “Where’s the love in this story?”  I don’t see much love.  There’s lust, murder, adultery, scandal, and pride, but not much love. 

            We know that David was so repentant over his sins with and against Bathsheba that he wrote no less that three psalms about it.  He was repentant because he realized what he had done when Nathan confronted him.  That story of Nathan’s confrontation can be found in the first part of II Samuel 12, prior to today’s reading.  A pastor friend of mine always wanted to have some T-shirts printed that said, “You’re the man!” on one side and the reference II Samuel 12:7 on the back.  “You’re the man!” is no complement!

            What do we know about Bathsheba, other than she was really hot!  We know her hometown was Gilon in southern Judea.  Gilon means “exile,” and was a city where many of the Gentile remnants from the people who originally inhabited the promised land lived.  She married Uriah, a Hittite, a Gentile.  Uriah was a believer in Yahweh, very devoted to his wife and to King David.  Bathsheba probably was not Hittite but may have been part Gentile.  Her father was Eliam, also very loyal to King David.  Her grandfather was Ahithophel, loyal and wise counselor to King David for quite a while, but joined in the first revolt against King David, that of Absolom.  Ahithophel committed suicide when Absolom refused to take his advice, and Ahithophel could see that Absolom’s revolution was doomed.  One wonders if Ahithophel supported Absolom in part because of what had happened to his granddaughter and her husband. 

What else do we know about Bathsheba?  Her name means “daughter of an oath, or daughter of wealth.”  We also know that she actually had 4 sons in addition to the one that died, and that despite today’s reading, Solomon was the youngest of these sons, not the next one.  In genealogies, children are always listed in birth order, and in II Sam. 5:14 and I Chron. 3:5, Solomon is listed last.  The brother next oldest to Solomon is Nathan, the son of David listed in Luke’s genealogy.  Yet it is Solomon that is the chosen king, the son who is loved by God, which is what Nathan the prophet called him—Jedediah, Beloved of God.  Solomon in Hebrew is Schlomo, from the word Shalom, peace.  It is Solomon, not the other sons who is called the child of Bathsheba’s consolation. 

            We read the story of Solomon’s rise to kingship in our second Old Testament reading this morning.  This doesn’t seem like much of a redemption of the scandal of David and Bathsheba.  Once again we see conniving, rebellion, manipulation, unfaithfulness, and not much love.  Adonijah is much like his older brother Absolom.  He is handsome and loved by people.  Like Absolom, he was neglected and spoiled by his father by turns.  David certainly does not win any father-of-the-year awards.  He was a terrible father.  King Saul was actually a much better father than David ever was, even to Michal and Jonathan, who both tricked him.  Saul loved them both and we see reconciliation between Saul and Jonathan before their demise.  Too many parents today though are following David’s style of parenting.  They don’t spend much time with them and then let them do whatever they want and have whatever they want.  David is even reluctant to step in when Adonijah declares himself king until Nathan and Bathsheba remind him that he has made a promise in regard to Solomon.

            There is a division between David’s loyal supporters.  Most go with Adonijah, including Joab, who killed Absolom and Abithar, one of the priests.  Adonijah even invites all of his half-siblings to his coronation feast, even Solomon’s brothers, all except Solomon, probably because he knew of his father’s promise.

            There was no logical reason Solomon should have been king.  He wasn’t next in line.  Adonijah was the 4^th son of David, next in line since Amnon, Absolom, and the one in between, Daniel or Kileab, son of Abigail, must have also been dead for some reason.  Solomon wasn’t even the first son born in Jerusalem, as we learn that he had older brothers.  But Solomon was the one whom God chose and David had promised to Bathsheba.  Having one of Bathsheba’s sons be King would protect her and also promote her to a position of power.  Wives of kings were not usually called queens.  But the mother of a king was called a queen and given some power.  This would be redemption for her.  Otherwise, since the marriage was never really legitimate, she did face the possibility of being killed.  The other families of David would be fine as long as no one challenged for the throne. 

            Adonijah’s fair-weather friends abandon him when David finally steps in and has Solomon crowned king.  They don’t, however, run to Solomon, but instead pledge loyalty to King David.  Adonijah clings to the altar for his life, seeking refuge.  His refuge is granted by the new king at first, until Adonijah asks for Abishag to be his wife.  This is considered an act of treason, whether Adonijah meant it or not.  Why did Bathsheba tell Solomon?  She most likely knew this would end not only in Adonijah’s death but also Joab’s, the man who gave the order to have the troops leave her husband, Uriah, hanging out there by himself in battle so that he would be killed.  Is Bathsheba getting her revenge?  Is she protecting her son?  What are her motives?  And poor Abishag, what happens to her?  This poor girl who was taken from her home to take care of an old, dying man, is she locked away forever with the rest of David’s concubines?  Solomon isn’t legally allowed to have her either.  Is she set free?  Again, there doesn’t seem to be much love in this story.  It’s all violence and people using one another for their own profit, not caring who they hurt to get the power they want.  And sadly, it isn’t too different from the way people act today.

            So where is the love in this story?  Isn’t the fourth Sunday of Advent supposed to be about love?  I suppose you could say that David did love Bathsheba.  After all, she had multiple children by him.  David loved Solomon, because he made Solomon king.  Bathsheba loved Solomon; he was the son of her consolation.  But the real love in this story is the love of God.  God loved Solomon from the time Solomon was born.  It had nothing to do with Solomon.  Solomon didn’t earn it or deserve any more than any other child of David.  We see from Solomon’s later life that he did a lot that was very unloving and not worthy of being loved.  But God loved Solomon and chose him.  God has this same love for us.  We don’t deserve God’s love any more than any one else, but God chose us before the foundation of the world.  God loves us despite what we do.  God loves us before we are ever aware of it and able to express our love in return.  God loves us not for anything in us, but simply because.  Because God is love.

            Secondly, God loved David.  Despite David’s gross sins, despite being a murderer, despite breaking multiple commandments.  Even God’s discipline of David was evidence of God’s love for David.  God forgave David for everything.  If God can forgive David for all that, surely God can forgive anyone, and indeed God can!  The Lord forgives the darkest, most wicked, and depraved sins.  The same love that forgave David for lust, adultery, murder, greed, and arrogance forgives our sordidness.  God forgives us for all of our sins.  No matter how serious we think they are, no matter what we’ve done, God can and does forgive us in Christ Jesus, if we will receive that forgiveness.  Even though we may have to endure the Lord’s chastening and face the consequences of sins, it doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love us and forgive us.  In fact, the New Testament tells us that God disciplines those God loves, like a loving Father.  God even blesses us despite our continual failings, just as God continued to bless David.

            This same love of God took away Bathsheba’s shame and gave her a place of honor as the Queen Mother of Solomon.  The one who had everything taken away from her is protected and honored, just like Tamar and Rahab were loved and honored by God.  This same love of God takes away our shame and replaces it with honor.  We are honored as children of the King, joint heirs with Jesus Christ.  We are offered protection in God our Refuge and Strength, out Mighty Fortress, and Strong Tower, our Hiding Place, our Shelter in the Time of Storm.

            And finally in this story we see God’s love in the gift of a peace child to David and Bathsheba.  This child comforted both of them, enabled them to be at peace with each other, and most of all showed that God was at peace with them.  This same love blessed the world with a peace child when God Himself took on human flesh and came into the world as a baby boy.  The peace child Jesus was love with skin on, showing us who God is.  The child grew up and died on a cross so that we could be at peace with God, so we could be reconciled to God.  And in being reconciled to God we are able to be reconciled to one another.  The risen man ascended so that a new family could be formed, the Church, a place of love and reconciliation and from which the message of the love of God is taken to the world and demonstrated for the world.  The love in God’s story is in Christ Jesus.  He is where love is!  May you know that God is love and be found by Love.

Joy from Bitterness; Matthew 1:1-17, Ruth 1, 4:9-22

 

On this 3^rd Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of joy, we find that our story is as much today about Naomi as it is Ruth.  Ruth is a harbinger of joy in Naomi’s life.  Ruth reminds us that we can bring joy into the lives of others, often by our persistent presence and by providing physical help in times of sorrow and deep distress. 

In the first part of our reading from the book of Ruth, we find Naomi in deep sorrow.  As she comes back to Bethlehem and her friends and relatives greet her, Naomi tells them, “Don’t call me Naomi (My Delight); call me ‘Mara’ (Bitter).”  Naomi is depressed.  She has held on to her faith, but I suspect that Naomi is struggling a bit with being angry at God.  So we have Naomi, bitter, sad, depressed, and angry.  All of this changes through her faithful daughter-in-law, Ruth.

            Naomi had tried to send Ruth away.  Ruth, a Moabite, after all had no more obligation to her mother-in-law.  But Ruth had truly embraced the faith of her late husband and his family.  She feels more kinship with her mother-in-law than she does her own relatives and countrymen.  Even before Christ came, we see that God’s family extends beyond blood relationship.  Jesus Christ called His disciples His family.  The Church is a family, the family of God.  Shared faith forms deep bonds between folks who might not otherwise fellowship together.  And joy flows through this sacred kinship. 

            Ruth knows Jewish law well.  She takes it upon herself to go gleaning, which she knows is her privilege even as a Gentile stranger in the land.  She selflessly works hard to provide for herself and her mother-in-law.  She works long hours in the fields from early in the morning until sundown, taking a break only at Boaz’s insistence.  When Naomi sees what Ruth has gathered and finds out that she had gleaned in the field of Boaz, Elimelech’s relative, she stops being angry with God.  Her bitterness begins to dissolve as she praises the Lord for not forsaking the living nor the dead.  She realizes that God does have a plan, and joy begins to take the place of her sorrow.  Naomi is the one who concocts the plan for Ruth to seduce Boaz.  Perhaps Naomi is thinking of Tamar, who did what she thought she had to do in order to gain an heir.  Naomi herself is past child-bearing age.  Ruth could have refused.  She didn’t even have an obligation legally to provide an heir for Naomi, but she has devoted herself to Naomi out of love, not obligation.  Ruth obliges, and asks Boaz to marry her.  Ruth knows Boaz is a kind, generous, and devout man.  Ruth wants more than a one-night stand.  I think Naomi sensed as well Ruth’s respect for and admiration of Boaz, and wouldn’t have proposed this plan to Ruth if she thought Ruth would not be willing. 

            Boaz gladly accepts Ruth’s proposal but must run it by the nearer kinsmen and the elders so that the redemption of the property and their marriage will be legal and public.  I wonder if Boaz’s sympathy and hospitality toward Ruth was because Boaz’s own mother was a Gentile.  Remember that Boaz is the son of Rahab, the Canaanite.  So we are now only to the next generation.  Boaz could understand a shared faith with an outsider more than the nearer kinsman of Jewish blood.  God knew what He was doing when God put Ruth and Boaz together.  Ruth not only brings joy to Naomi, but also to Boaz, and in giving herself freely, she too receives joy in return. 

            Boaz is blessed by the elders and all the people at the gate when he promises to marry Ruth and raise up an heir for Elimelech.  They pray for Ruth and for children yet to be, especially that the children would bestow a name in Bethlehem.  They pray that the house of Boaz and Ruth will be like that of Perez.  Remember Perez?  He was the second twin son of Tamar, the neglected Canaanite wife, who pretended to be a prostitute in order to gain an heir, whom God honored.  Boaz stands as a man of honor in contrast to Judah and his sons, who were wicked.  Boaz stands as the kinsman-redeemer who will raise up an heir for Elimelech.  Ruth will not end up like Tamar.  She and Naomi will not be forgotten and tossed aside.  They will have protection and provision.  The people bless Boaz, asking that he be rewarded with heirs of his own with Ruth for his honor in providing an heir for Naomi.  The firstborn, Obed, would actually be Elimelech’s heir.  But future children would be heirs of Boaz.  Notice too the last few verses of our passage.  We have a mini genealogy here that starts with Perez.  The genealogy shows what the people’s blessing to Boaz meant.  Perez did indeed have a blessed line of descendants.  We also learn that Perez’s descendant is Salmon, Boaz’s father, the husband of Rahab the Canaanite.  The genealogy ends with King David.  These 3 Gentile women, 2 Canaanite, and one Moabite, find themselves as ancestors of Jesus.  Each is praised and remembered for her faith.

            The story ends “happily ever after.” Ruth and Boaz are happily married.  Her own joy is multiplied as she finds a loving community and a loving husband.  Ruth and Boaz have a son, who is not their heir, but the heir of Elimelech, Naomi’s husband.  The son inherits all the property of Elimelech and his two sons, Mahlon and Kilion.  That’s why he placed in his grandmother Naomi’s arms and is blessed.  Naomi sees this child as her grandson, her special heir.  By blood, he’s a distant cousin, but by law, Obed is her grandson, her one and only grandson.  Though I have a feeling, she also took interest in Ruth’s other children.  Noami’s bitterness is turned into a complete joy.  Her female friends remind her how blessed she truly is, not just because of this grandson, but because her daughter-in-law loves her so much, and that her love and care is worth more than seven sons!  Seven is the number of completion.  These women are saying to Naomi that it would be impossible for anyone else to love Naomi as much as Ruth has.  It is the women together that get to name Obed.  His name is derived from the Hebrew word for “servant.”  He would serve Naomi and help care for her in her old age, but even as a baby he serves her by bringing her joy, much like any beloved grandchild does.  In fact, he is called the “a son to Naomi”.  And he becomes the grandfather of King David.  Notice that this story takes place in Bethlehem, where King David would be born and where Jesus would be born. 

            One final word about Naomi, her faith in the sovereignty of God never wavered.  Though she was bitter and angry at God, she knew that God was in control of all things.  She also believed in the goodness of God despite her own circumstances.  We see this in the way she blesses Ruth and Orpah as she tries to send them away.  She prays that God will take care of them, reward them for their kindness, and provide them security in their homes with new husbands.  She returned to Bethlehem because the Lord had provided food for His people.  When Ruth brings back grain from Boaz’s field, Naomi praises the Lord for His kindness and not forsaking the living or the dead.  Naomi still grieves and is somewhat depressed, but her hope rests in God even though she suffers at God’s hand.  The one who takes away can also restore.  Ultimately, she rests in the goodness of God and rediscovers joy as she sees God at work in the circumstances, events, and people around her, particularly through her daughter-in-law Ruth.  Naomi’s hope is our hope.  That God is in control and God is good despite the bad things that happen to us and in our world.  This is our Father’s world, and He has plans for good, which sometime include using us.

            Ruth was one of those instruments of God used to restore Naomi’s world, confirm her hope, and renew her joy.  You may be the one whom God uses to bring joy into someone’s life.  Christmas isn’t a happy time for many people.  Many people will be experiencing a first Christmas without a particular special loved one.  Many people will have no one with whom to exchange gifts or have a Christmas dinner.  Suicide rates skyrocket around holidays, especially the winter ones as the cold and dark play on ones psyche.  Letting someone know that he or she is not alone, that God can handle their anger and bitterness, can help restore someone’s joy as they see that yes, there are good things happening in their lives and in the world.  When we act selflessly out of love for another person, we too are blessed just as Ruth is blessed for her selfless giving.  May God use you to be a harbinger of joy in the lives of others, even in the life of someone this week.

People of Peace; Matthew 1:1-17, Joshua 2:1-21, Joshua 6:15-25, Hebrews 11:31, James 2:22-26

When Jesus sent out the seventy(two) disciples to minister, He instructed the pairs to find a person of peace in the towns where they were sent.  Jesus told the pairs that when they found this person, that they were to stay in that house.  To this day, missionaries look for people of peace in the areas they serve.  When I was serving in Japan, both of my Japanese teachers were people of peace.  Neither one was a believer, but they were sweet, kind, patient, nurturing women, who were open to working with the Church and with a missionary.  My first Japanese teacher took many steps toward the gospel, but she did not commit her life to Christ during my time with her.  I know that she maintained a relationship with some of the church members after I left, and I pray I will meet her in heaven one day.  My second Japanese teacher did not take as many steps toward the gospel, and didn’t maintain a relationship with the church, but I pray that other believers come across her path, and that she will embrace Jesus one day.  Jesus has people of peace all over the world—not-yet-believers who end up aiding the Church, many of whom eventually come to Christ, like Rahab, the main character in today’s lessons.  Not only are we called to find the people of peace and work with them, we are called to be peacemakers.  Rahab shows us what being a person of peace looks like.

Thousands of years before Jesus’s instruction to look for people of peace, the two unnamed spies that Joshua sent to Jericho did the same thing. They found a woman of peace in an unusual situation.  This woman of peace was a prostitute named Rahab.  Rahab was a Canaanite woman living in Jericho.  Apparently, she came from a poor family and was supporting her parents because we are told her parents were still living.  She had other siblings, some of whom had families of their own.  If you recall from last week, women who worked as prostitutes often did so because they were single women with no male protector, or poor with no property.  Sadly, there are many women today who work as prostitutes to support their families.  Many are even forced into it by their parents, either sold or coerced.  Jim and I support a missionary family whom I have known from my seminary days, who work to rescue women from prostitution in Thailand and train them in other jobs so that they can support their families through work that brings dignity.  At the same time, they introduce these women to Jesus. 

            We hear in our story today, that Rahab has a budding faith.  The people of Jericho had heard how the Israelites had attacked and destroyed several cities.  They had heard of the Exodus and the parting of the Red Sea.  They had heard stories of Yahweh.  The people were afraid, but Rahab had faith.  She believed that Yahweh was indeed the true God.  And she demonstrated it by asking for her life and that of her entire family to be saved and protecting the spies from capture.  Rahab and her entire family were indeed spared in the conquest of Jericho.  The part of the wall where Rahab lived did not fall down.  All who were gathered with her were delivered.  They were spared and put outside the camp.  They had to live outside the camp at first because they would have been considered unclean.  Those like Rahab who believed, would have undergone purification rites including baptism, and circumcision for any men, before being welcomed into the camp.  We know this is indeed what happened to Rahab. 

We hear in Joshua 6 that Rahab lives in Israel “to this day”—the day that Joshua was written.  It also implies that her descendants continue to live in Israel, which we know from Jesus’ genealogy.  Rahab married a man named Salmon and has children, one of whom is Boaz, who will be very important in our story next week.  This Canaanite woman who had been a prostitute, who had to work to help support her parents, found a home.  Once again, the dishonored is honored.  She is praised for her faith in the New Testament.

Our Hebrews and James passages this morning seem to contradict one another.  In Hebrews, Rahab is praised for her faith.  In the great hall of faith of Hebrews 11, Rahab is the only woman listed by name other than Sarah.  Moses mother, Jochebed, is alluded to as are other women, but only Rahab and Sarah are named.  Futhermore, Rahab is the only Gentile mentioned by name.  She alone has this special honor.  In James, Rahab is commended for her actions.  But although Hebrews emphasizes Rahab’s faith and James her works, Rahab is commended for the same thing—welcoming the spies.  Notice that Rahab is not praised for her deceit, but for her hospitality, protection, and faith.  What these passages say is that faith and deeds are inseparable.  Faith alone justifies us before God, but our deeds prove to others that our faith is real.  Faith isn’t faith unless it is demonstrated.  We acknowledge God’s Lordship over our lives when we say, “Yes, Lord.”  Our faith is demonstrated in that “Yes.”  But simply saying “Yes, Lord” isn’t enough.  Jesus tells a parable of two sons whose father asked them to complete a task.  One son said, “Yes, dad,” but never got around to doing the task.  The other son griped and complained and refused to obey, but later on went and did what his father wanted him to do.  Jesus then asks his audience, “Which of these two sons did the will of the Father?”  Someone replies, “The one who did the will of the Father,”--the one who obeyed, even though he complained at first.  We may doubt and question on our faith journey why God wants us to do something, but when we actually do what God wants us to do, our faith is made real.  We can say, “Jesus is Lord,” all we want, but if we don’t actually let Jesus be Lord by giving Him that right to our lives and submit to Him in obedience, it’s just a worthless claim.  We must say, “Yes, Lord, even though I don’t get it, but I will trust and obey.”

Our lone Hebrews verse emphasizes that Rahab welcomed the spies in peace.  She was a woman of peace.  Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”  We see that Rahab was indeed a blessed woman.  What can we learn from Rahab about what it takes to be a peacemaker?  First of all, we learn that hospitality is a key way of being a peacemaker.  Rahab is praised for her hospitality.  She welcomed the spies in peace.  She provided for their needs, and sent them away safely.  In fact, we also learn from the Scriptures that Jericho was condemned for disobedience, for its lack of hospitality, just as were Sodom and Gomorrah.  Canaan was no longer the welcoming place it had been for Judah, who quickly made friends there.  There was little graciousness among the people of Jericho, save Rahab, just as Lot was the only hospitable soul in Sodom.  A lack of hospitality is disobedience, and disobedience is an indication of unbelief.  Jericho did not believe.

When we show hospitality to others, we are being peacemakers.  Welcoming people into our homes and church and making them feel welcomed and comfortable are peacemaking activities.  Caring for the immediate needs of others in regards to food, shelter, clothing, health and hygiene are peacemaking activities.  Being a caregiver is a peacemaking activity.  When we refuse to give a helping hand, when we are unwelcoming and unkind, we are the antithesis of peacemakers.  We act as those who do not believe.

Secondly the call to peacemaking often requires risking one’s own life for the benefit of others.  Rahab risked her life multiple times over in proving that her faith was real and acting as a woman of peace.  She risked being killed by the people in her own city for a crime of treason.  She risked being killed by the Israelites if someone hadn’t gotten the word about their promise to her, or if someone should have broken that promise.  She risked being killed by God should the part of the wall that she lived in collapsed like the others.  Peacemaking may mean for us being called a traitor by our own communities and countries.  Peacemaking may mean having our hearts broken and betrayed by those we trust and are trying to help.  Perhaps you have been stabbed in the back by someone you thought you could trust.  Peacemaking means being willing to be taken advantage of. 

Peacemaking may entail risking our lives in the face of physical danger.  I think of those who help with disaster relief: those firefighters, those who fly helicopters into storms to rescue people trapped by floodwaters, doctors who go to disease ridden areas to help the sick, volunteers who go into war-torn areas to aid refugees.  All of these are peacemaking activities in which people risk their lives for the benefit of others.  Not to mention those who take the gospel to hostile places at risk to their lives. 

For Rahab, peacemaking was worth the risks.  She believed that God would not fail her, she believed so strongly in the claims of Yahweh.  She desired to be one of His children.  Do we believe that God’s promises make peacemaking worth the risk to our own lives?  Are we willing to be taken advantage of because we know there are rewards beyond what our physical eyes may ever see?  Are we willing to get our hearts broken, to be ostracized by those we think are our friends to be obedient to Jesus?  Do we have the courage to be peacemakers? 

Rahab also challenges us to look for people of peace in the unexpected, to look at people differently, through the eyes of faith, to look beyond appearance, nationality, gender, socioeconomic status, occupation, to the heart and soul.  We are challenged to allow ourselves to be touched and served by people of peace though we think they may have little to offer us.  We are to be motivated by love and charity.  We are challenged to serve and be served, to work side by side to bring peace to our lives, our communities, and the world.  May we have our eyes open to the people of peace around us and may we be ready to reach out to them with the gospel. 

Hope for the Helpless; Matthew 1:1-17, Genesis 38

 

     When we get to these long lists of names in Scripture, we want to skip them.  You won’t find Matt. 1:1-17 in the lectionary.  It’s boring, right?  Well, reading a long list of names can be boring and difficult, but genealogies are not boring.  For example, to my knowledge, I had never previously met my college roommate at UNC-Greensboro, but we got along well from the start.  Christine invited me early on to the church she had been attending.  It was a college student welcome day, and after church there was a potluck luncheon.  Christine was also into county line dancing and clogging.  That evening she invited me to go with her and her family, who lived not far away.  We drove to Christine’s house, and she and her mom were trying to teach me a couple of the dances.  Her mom inquired about church, and Christine said, “There was so much food, it was like a Phillips reunion.”  I said, “Phillips reunion?  I’m a Phillips!  Which ones are you?”  So we pulled out the genealogy book that my great-aunt and one of her cousins had spent years researching and preparing about the history of the Phillips clan in North Carolina.  Christine and I found out that we were 5^th cousins and had indeed been at some of the same reunions as children.  Her mom found a couple of group photos, and we pointed ourselves out.  Christine’s mom remembered my mom, and connections were made.  I’m sure that some of you have researched your own histories and found interesting stories.  So although long lists of names can be boring, the people whom the names represent are anything but boring.  And certainly this list in Matthew has some very interesting characters!  This is after all the genealogy of Jesus.  It is traced through Joseph through the kingly line.  The theme of Matthew’s gospel is Jesus is King, or Jesus is Messiah, so this genealogy is important in setting the stage.  Luke also contains a genealogy traced differently.  Luke’s theme is son of man so Luke’s genealogy goes all the way back to Adam, whereas Matthew’s starts with Abraham.  King David is at the center of both, the first common ancestor of Mary and Joseph.  If you compare with the Old Testament, you may think you find a few discrepancies, but this is because “begat” doesn’t mean “father of” but legal direct descendant.  That’s why a few intermediaries may be left out, but the truth of the statement remains. 

            While there are indeed many interesting characters in these genealogies, only Matthew includes women in his.  In addition to Mary, 4 women are named.  All women other than Mary are Gentiles, which is especially interesting.  I think this helps to show that the Messiah was never meant to be simply King of the Jews, but King of All, Savior of the World.  We will be looking at these women during Advent this year. 

            On this first Sunday of Advent, we will take a look at the first woman that appears in Matthew’s genealogy, Tamar.  One who is first hopeless is given hope and honor.  Christ came to bring hope to the hopeless, and that includes us today.

I would never name my daughter Tamar.  They just don’t fair to well in the Bible.  Judah, son of Jacob, made a happy home among the Canaanites in Abdullam.  He befriended the locals, married a Canaanite woman and has 3 sons.  They are the ones who occupy the Promised Land, whom God will command Joshua to wipe out, but that time has not yet come.  Judah chooses Tamar, a Canaanite woman, to be the wife of his oldest son, Er.  Let’s remember who the Canaanite’s are.  Marriages arranged by parents are common, and Tamar wouldn’t have thought twice about it.  Here is Judah forging an even stronger alliance with the Canaanites.  It is likely that Tamar is a teenager.  We don’t know how long Er and Tamar were married, or what the pair thought of one another, but we know they weren’t married too long, because they had no children.  More importantly, we know what the Lord thought of Er, and it wasn’t very good.   Our text says, “He was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death.”  So Tamar gets passed along to Er’s brother Onan.  This seems barbaric, but it was actually intended to be merciful.  There weren’t a lot of careers for single women back in Bible times.  They lived with their fathers or brothers (if their father was dead) until they were married.  If women did not have a man to live with, they either had to support themselves by prostitution or were sold into slavery, like the demon-possessed girl in Acts.  Older widows were to be supported by the community.  Widows of child-bearing age were married off to the nearest kinsman, so that an heir might be produced to inherit the original husband’s property and to take care the mother. 

            The original husband’s property would go with the wife in the care of the kinsman-redeemer until the heir could inherit it.  Unlike the situation in Ruth, whom we’ll study in a few weeks, Onan wasn’t given the opportunity to refuse the request to act as kinsman-redeemer.  He was ordered into it by his father-in-law.  Judah is trying to take care of Tamar, and honor the vows that were made in this arranged marriage.  Onan didn’t mind inheriting his brother’s property, nor did he mind using poor Tamar for his own pleasure.  But he refused to allow Tamar and his deceased brother to have an heir.  Tamar was in a pretty hopeless situation. 

Onan was greedy, and so he too died an early death.  Apparently, Shelah, the youngest son, and next closest kinsman-redeemer, was not yet of marrying age, so Judah sends Tamar back home, but promises to marry her to Shelah, when he is older.  Tamar would have been older than Shelah, but probably not by more than 5 or so years.  She still would have been well within childbearing age by the time Shelah would have come of age.  Judah, blind to the wickedness of his own children thinks that Tamar is somehow cursed, causing his sons to die young.  Shelah grows up, but Tamar is forgotten. 

Once again, things seem hopeless for Tamar, but this woman is smart.  She knows her father-in-law well.  So she dresses like a prostitute and waits for Judah on the road to Timnah at Enaim.  Apparently, Judah has adopted some Canaanite practices.  Visiting a temple prostitute as part of a sheep-shearing celebration would have been one of them.  This is one of the practices for which the Canaanites would be later condemned. This was not something Judah did while his wife was alive.  Tamar is smart enough to ask for payment upfront.  Judah promises her a kid, which would have been a substantial payment, but Tamar wants collateral, because, after all, she isn’t doing this to support herself, she has had to take desperate measures in order to get back what it hers, namely, her first husband’s property.  Onan’s would also be added to this unless Onan had had another wife and had produced a legal heir of his own with her.  We don’t know.  But in order for Tamar to get her husband’s property back, she needed an heir.  So for collateral, Tamar takes 3 things that would specifically identify Judah as her “customer”.  She takes his signet (how he would sign his name), his staff (identifying his clan), and his cord from which the signet hung.  Michael Hollinger says, “That would be like taking someone’s drivers license, passport, and a power of attorney all at once. That signet cord was Judah.”

            Judah does send his promised payment by his friend Hirah to recover his pledge, but Tamar cannot be found.  No one knows anything about her.  No one knows anything about a prostitute.  Tamar does get pregnant.  Like Mary, Tamar’s pregnancy is scandalous and could cause her to lose her life.  Judah hears about it and is ticked even though he had no intentions for her to marry Shelah.  Tamar’s pregnancy is an embarrassment and slight against his family.  Adultery was also a death penalty offense, although death by burning was a harsh sentence.  As Tamar is being bought out, she makes it publicly known that the father of her unborn children is the owner of the pledges she carries.  Judah cannot deny that the items are his.  He has to own up.  Tamar is vindicated and exonerated.  Judah calls her righteous.  He knows that he did not own up to his end of the deal by marrying her to Shelah.  He knows he was cheating her out of an inheritance.  He also knows that he was not acting as a follower of Yahweh should by visiting a prostitute.  Tamar acted more “Jewish” than Judah did.  She knew what was rightfully hers.  Tamar did what she had to do in that society in order to survive.  She had honorably waited for Shelah to grow up.  She had remained dressed as a widow, signifying she was unavailable for marriage to someone else.  Tamar is vindicated and her inheritance is being restored.

Tamar endures a difficult childbirth.  One baby’s arm comes out first.  The midwife ties a red cord to it, for it will be the firstborn (the rightful heir).  But the hand is withdrawn, and the other son is born first.  He is Perez.  His name means “dawning or brightness.”  His brother comes out second with the cord on his arm.  His name is Zerah.  His name means, “from the hand.” Like Jacob and Esau, the second born twin is the honored one.  Both grow up and have heirs of their own.  Zerah probably does become Er’s heir, the one who would have received the property, but it is Perez whom God chooses to honor to be the father of the kingly line.  His father after all was not Er but Judah, through whom God had promised a king.  Interestingly, in the genealogy in I Chronicles 2, Perez is listed before Zerah. 

Judah doesn’t marry Tamar, nor does he give her to Shelah.  Tamar is left to raise her children alone as a single mom.  Unlike Mary, who had Joseph, Tamar raises her children alone, without the help of Judah, although likely under his protection or that of her relatives, but still without a direct father figure for her boys.  But it doesn’t matter.  She had Er’s property to help her provide for herself and her children.  She is no longer used and abused by men or subject to such abuse.  Tamar is a victim no longer.  She shows herself instead to be a woman of strength.  Hope had been given to a hopeless woman.  The one cast aside becomes honored.  Her shame is turned to honor as she is named in Jesus’s genealogy.  God transforms Tamar’s and Judah’s sinfulness into righteousness.  Jesus transforms our sinfulness into righteousness, our shame into honor, giving us hope.

There is a larger picture of hope in this story.  Hope is showed for the nation of Canaan.  Later on, God will command Joshua and the Israelites to totally eliminate the Canaanites, but in this early period, God shows mercy.  Abraham’s descendants are living in the promised land, showing the people what Yahweh is like.  And Tamar embraces Yahweh as her God and passes that along to her children, who were raised without a Jewish father.  I’m sure other Canaanites became followers of Yahweh as well, perhaps even through Tamar’s witness as they saw the faithfulness of Yahweh in her life, and how God redeemed her.  Furthermore, this is not the only Canaanite in Jesus’s lineage.  Next week we will look at Rahab, another Canaanite ancestor of Jesus.  Though the Canaanites deserved death for their wicked practices, God shows mercy.  This was one of the most hated and dreaded peoples in Scripture, and yet, God includes them in God’s great plan of redemption.  God offers them time to repent and sends witnesses among them.  God gives us time to repent and sends us witnesses. When we deserved death, God too showed us mercy.  Jesus gives us life for death.  Who do we consider the enemies of God or our enemies?  Let us remember that God loves them, God created them, God sent Jesus for them, and God wants to redeem them.  No one is without hope in Christ.  The opportunity for salvation through repentance is given to all.  Let us pray that God will raise up witnesses among them, trusting that God’s promise of the redemption of people from every people group will be fulfilled.

 

 

Our Reigning and Exalted Christ; Ephesians 1

 

On this Christ the King Sunday, we celebrate that Jesus is King now, even though we look forward to His coming again in glory to reign on the earth, when earth and heaven become one.  Today we will be looking at two questions from the Westminster Catechism in connection with Ephesians 1 that remind us what it means that Christ is our exalted King, and what it is He is doing now, even while we wait for His return. 

            On Ascension Sunday, the parallel Sunday to today, we celebrate Jesus’s return to heaven after His resurrection, noting that the importance of that event is both the promise of His return, the promise of His giving of the Holy Spirit, which was fulfilled on Pentecost, and the fact that when Jesus ascended, He did so in bodily form.  This wasn’t just a spiritual ascension, but a physical one.  When Christ came down to earth, He was incarnate—God in flesh.  When He ascended, He took flesh to heaven.  Flesh made divine.  And now He is seated at the right hand of the Father, the promised place of rule.  The end of Ephesians one tells us that this place of rule is far above all earthly and spiritual powers.  And His rule is not just temporary but throughout all eternity.  No one can ever usurp Christ’s reign.  He will have no successor.  No coup can overthrow Him.  His term won’t expire.  The Westminster Catechism tells us that it is from this position that Christ, “gathers and defends His Church, and subdues their enemies.”  This is how Ephesians 1 ends.  When it says in verse 22 that God put all things in subjection under Christ’s feet, that means even the enemies of the Church are subdued. Then we hear Christ is the head of the Church, His body, and that the Church is the fulness of Christ. 

            The Westminster Confession describes our exalted Christ as having all fullness of joy, glory, and power.  Jesus has all of His divine glory restored.  Notice the word “glory” is used 4 times just in Ephesians 1.  Our adoption as sons adds to Christ’s glory.  And not only do we glorify Him, we share in His glory.  He is the summation of all things. 

            The Confession goes on to tell us that Jesus “furnishes His ministers and people with gifts and graces.”  My Catholic friends use the term “graces” frequently.  I think most of the time, we protestants tend to think of “grace” as a singular, though big thing.  “Graces” isn’t used in Scripture, though God does display grace toward us in many ways.  But we can think of spiritual gifts and abilities as “graces” plural.  The term spiritual gifts is based off the word grace.  Grace is “charis” and spiritual gift is “charismatos,” which does appear in the plural form many times in Scripture.  So what are some of these graces the exalted Christ extends to us? Grace is the favor of God upon us.  Ephesians 1:6 says that it is through the Beloved—Jesus—that God freely, generously bestowed grace upon us.  In verse 7, Christ graces is described as having riches, one of which is the forgiveness of our trespasses.  We break God’s laws a lot, but Christ forgives us again and again. Knowing God’s will is a sign of God’s grace in our life.  The gift of wisdom is grace.  Having purpose in life is a gift of grace, and that purpose is found in Jesus Christ.  Jim and I attended the Carteret County Young Life banquet this week at the invitation of one of my friends.  I was so encouraged to see these high schoolers so enthusiastic about this organization and about the difference Jesus is making in their lives.  We got to hear from a few students.   Having a sense of identity and purpose is huge in everyone’s life, but it is a huge deal for teenagers.  This is the age where they are desperately trying to figure that out.  So to hear a couple of testimonies from teens who found their identity in Christ was good to hear.  Everything about our salvation is grace. Sharing in the riches of Christ’s inheritance with other saints is grace.  The Holy Spirit who gives us spiritual gifts and works through us is a sign of grace.  We are to use our gifts of grace to minister to others, to live for Christ. 

            A big role that Christ our King plays is to intercede on our behalf.  Christ prays for us.  We know that Christ acts as advocate before the Father interceding for our sins.  Christ also prays for us to not fall prey to the enemy or be tempted.  I was reminded this week of how at the Last Supper, which we will celebrate shortly, Jesus said to Peter according to Luke 22:31-32, after exposing the fact that Peter was about to deny Him 3 times, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  Yes, the “you” in verse 31 is plural.  It wasn’t just Simon that Satan had asked to sift, but all the disciples.  And we know that they all fled except John.  But Jesus prayed a special prayer for Peter in particular.  The “you” in verse 32 is not only singular, but the informal singular—the kind of speech reserved for close friends and family.  “I prayed specifically for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail, and when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  Even though Peter was going to fall away along with the others, even though he was going to commit an even graver sin by denying Jesus, Jesus prayed for him.  He prayed in advance that Peter would repent, which Peter did, and Jesus set him up to be the leader of the others and to encourage them. I wonder how Jesus has prayed for us in our times of failure. I wonder what temptations we have been able to resist because Jesus prays for us.  Everything that comes to us must pass through the Father and the Son.  Even Satan has to ask permission to mess with us.  Romans 8:34 says that our ascended Christ intercedes for us, so that no one can bring any charge against us, and so that nothing can separate from the love of God.  In question 55 the Westminster Catechism says that Christ’s intercession brings us “quiet of conscience.”  We can have internal peace because we can be sure that Christ prays for us.  Hebrews 9 tells us that Christ’s sacrifice has far more power to give peace to our conscience than the bloody sacrifices of cows and goats because as Hebrews 9:24 says, “Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”  And in Hebrews 4:16, as summed up in question 55, we can confidently come before the throne of grace and receive mercy and grace to help in time of need.  Our King also acts as our Great High Priest.  His gift is grace abundant. 

            We live in troubled times.  If all we do is watch the news, we will be constantly discouraged and fearful, but when we remember that Christ is on the throne, we can have a different outlook.  No matter what happens, we don’t have to fear because God is on the throne.  I heard a talk on fear on the radio this week.  As the cohosts were dialoging, they talked about how we find courage not by avoiding the things that are scary but by trusting God is with us as we go through them.  Jesus said, “I will never leave You nor forsake you.”  He sees us from His throne.  We must remember that He is in control, that nothing comes to us without His permission.  We must remember that He cannot be overthrown.  We have been given grace after grace, grace that enables us to live fruitful and full lives.  When we feel abandoned, we can remember that we are accepted in the Beloved, that Jesus intercedes for us.  He knows us by name.  Jesus is not a weak King.  He is a strong ruler over all things in heaven and earth and, as the Bible says, “under the earth” as well. 

Remembering & Reflecting with Gratitude; Psalm 105

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Speak Out; Luke 12:4-12

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Bad Stewardship; Luke 12:35-38

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Treasures in Heaven; Luke 12:13-34

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The Welcoming Table; Luke 14:15-24

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Count the Cost- Luke 14:25-35

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Living and Dying with Purpose: Luke 13:31-35

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Don't Be Left Out; Isaiah 49:8-13, Luke 13:22-30

 There are a lot of Scriptures mentioned in this sermon.  If you don't have time to look them up while listening, I would suggest writing them down and looking them up later.  I do read the texts in the message other than the two written in the title line, which should be read in advance.  To listen to the sermon, click here.

Small Is Not Insignificant; Luke 13:18-21

     As we wind down our 40 days of prayer this week, I hope that you are seeing that as you allow yourself to be filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, that you can impact the kingdom of God.  And that a church, even if small, when led by the Spirit is not insignificant.  This is what we see in today’s gospel. 

            These two parables are probably familiar to most of us.  In fact, we had the Matthew version of these parables in our 40 days reading back on Day 24. On that day, we were reminded not to despise small things.  The message in Luke is the same, but the context is different.  The phrase “Therefore he was saying” at the beginning of verse 18 would make it seem like the synagogue service is continuing.  Jesus could have been continuing His comments on the day’s Scripture, but more likely, He was using these parables to tell the congregation that what had just happened was a sign of the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus frequently proclaimed healings as signs of the kingdom.  In this case, only one person was healed.  It was a small thing for Jesus, but It was huge for this woman.  And as we said last week, it was declaring victory over the devil, marking the end of Satan’s kingdom.  It also had further repercussions than just the woman healed as a multitude of people witnessed it.  Small acts done for the glory of God expand the kingdom and defeat darkness.

            The Church may seem small and weak, but God’s kingdom is pervasive and strong.  In these parables, God is presented as a male gardener and a female baker.  God is the initiator and the kingdom works.  We could say that the Church is the mustard seed, and God’s people are yeast.  Jesus doesn’t give a detailed explanation of the parables.  One of the differences between Jesus telling the story in Luke versus the recordings in Mark and Matthew is that Jesus doesn’t exaggerate as to the size of the mustard seed.  He doesn’t say it is the smallest of seeds, and it isn’t.  It’s a fairly small seed that grows into more of a shrubbery that might get 10 ft. tall, which isn’t huge, considering other varieties of trees, even for the area in which Jesus lived.  In this telling in Luke, the emphasis isn’t so much the size of the seed, but the fact that the birds can rest in its branches.  Craig Keener interprets the branches as God’s extending authority.  Still this type of seed wasn’t one that you would generally plant in a garden.  If we see garden here in the English sense, like in the cultivated areas of the grounds, then planting this shrubbery might make a lot of sense.  But Mark and Matthew use the word “field” instead of “garden”.  Field is definitely the food growing area.  Normally you wouldn’t want to attract birds to your food area.  Birds are generally considered a nuisance in a field.  But if it’s on the edge of the field, it might not be a bad idea after all. The birds love to eat the mustard seed, and hopefully they would stay away from the other crops.  I don’t know, but Jesus is certainly talking about a positive thing when he says the birds can roost in the mustard tree.  They can find food and shelter.  The birds are outsiders.  Most scholars think the birds represent other nations.  After all, God’s original promise to Abraham was that God would bless all the nations through Abraham.  God’s kingdom is attractive to outsiders.  We find rest and nurture in the kingdom of God.  How might we create a more welcoming and nurturing environment? 

            A seed looks very different from the tree, but the potential for the tree is in the seed.  The seed casing must fall away for the tree to emerge.  What needs to fall away?  William Barclay points out that the kingdom works from the inside but the power comes from the outside.  We have to be careful to avoid change for change’s sake-to simply make visible changes without intention. Superficial change will do little to advance the kingdom of God.  It is changing with the purpose of promoting human flourishing, God’s shalom—wholeness and perfection, that will enable the kingdom of God to expand. Just as the tree looks very different from the seed, sometimes kingdom expansion takes a different form than we expect.  Sometimes it is indeed radical change happens.  But it happens little by little as the tree shoot is nurtured.  At some points it grows more quickly and sometimes it grows more slowly.      

            In the second parable, we again see Jesus taking something normally seen as negative--leaven and presenting it as something good—the kingdom of God.  Leaven was normally used as a metaphor for sin.  The amount of bread this woman is making would feed about 100 people. God is up to no small thing in growing the kingdom.  It is the maximum amount of dough a woman could knead at one time. The Kingdom little by little is changing the world in big ways and affects everything. It happens in a hidden way.  I’ve listened to several speakers lately, both in person at the Wilberforce weekend I attended in May and on some recent podcasts, regarding the effects Christianity has made on the world.  Even paganism has been changed.  Our unalienable rights, that are so called self-evident, are not really so.  They never existed in much of the ancient world and don’t exist in much of the modern world.  These rights are seen because they are in the Bible, and were lived out and taught by Jesus.  As Christianity spread, the way of seeing the world changed.  It is comforting to me to know that the kingdom of God is continually expanding in our world in ways we don’t always see.  Lives are transformed one by one.  Small pockets of believers persevere in the darkest places, and the Holy Spirit is doing amazing things through and among them.  How does leaven work?  It is the by-products of the yeast as the metabolize sugar that causes the yeast to rise.  It is persistent faithfulness on the part of God’s people that causes the kingdom to expand. 

            In both of these parables, we see that big development and big impact comes from small beginnings, particularly when it comes to the kingdom of God.  It might not seem like much is happening at first, but it is in the process of taking over, bringing forth good things.  Sometimes the kingdom grows visibly, like the mustard seed into a tree.  Sometimes it grows invisibly, like yeast working within the dough, and you only see the end results. 

            Jesus also told us that through parable that if we are not faithful in the little things, then how can we be trusted to be faithful in the big things.  The apostle Paul reminds us that God uses the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  Every successful venture began small.  Even this church began small.  Now it’s time to see what God wants to do next for the good of God’s kingdom in and through this congregation.  I love the ways we have been faithful lately with little things that are helping to promote the kingdom of God in our community.  Let’s keep on keeping on even while we wait to be entrusted with bigger things, even when we can’t see the kingdom growing.  If we are faithful, we will not become insignificant.  One of the questions that churches are encouraged to ponder is, “Who would miss your church if it ceased to exist?  How would you be missed?”  Someone created an affirmation of faith based on the kingdom parables of Jesus.  The part that is relevant to us today reads thusly:  “We believe the love-kingdom is like a mustard seed; sown in apparent insignificance, growing into magnificence for the flourishing of the world.  We believe the love-kingdom is like yeast; inserted in humble insignificance into the dough of life, expanding into enough bread for the world.”  Friends, can we say we believe this?  God’s kingdom is a kingdom of love—a kin-dom as has become popular to call it.  One thing we must keep in mind is that the kingdom of God is much bigger than the local church.  The kingdom of God is the rule of God exercising the Lord’s authority in the world.  I have to confess that years ago, I worked with a colleague in ministry.  The ministry started to bear fruit and people were coming to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Yet I was a little bummed because the people to whom we were ministering chose to join my colleague’s congregation and not mine.  That was me being sinful.  Scripture tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice.  Who cares where people were going to church, so long as it was a church that is preaching and teaching the gospel!  People were being transformed and becoming faithful disciples of Jesus!  That’s kingdom expansion and the best thing of all!  May we not devolve into petty envy of our brothers and sisters in Christ, but may we rejoice wherever we see the kingdom expanding!  And I still love cooperative ministry when God’s people can come together in the unity for which Jesus prayed to exhibit the kingdom of heaven to the world.  Our Book of Order lists 6 Great Ends of the church the last of which is “The exhibition of the kingdom of God to the world.”  It is honestly a summation of the other 5.  Let us not only exhibit the kingdom of heaven to the world, but may God use us to expand God’s kingdom in Havelock and even to the ends of the earth.