This Day the Scripture is Fulfilled in your hearing
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Third Sunday after Epiphany - Year C
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Third Sunday after Epiphany - Year C
Let us pray: We long for news that is good, O God - good for this earth, good for our hearts, good for communities. Teach us to listen for your good news about those ways you have set before us, exemplified for us, and called forth from us, in Jesus the Christ. Amen.
In case you didn't notice there is a strong emphasis in at least two of our readings this morning on the importance of scripture. In the reading from the Hebrew Bible we heard how the people gathered expectantly to hear scripture being read by Ezra. In the gospel passage we heard how Jesus returned to his home town, Nazareth, and during worship read from the writings of the prophet Isaiah. The exception, of course is the passage from the first letter to the Corinthians.
Our relationship with scripture, standing as we do in United Church tradition most commonly as liberal or progressive in our outlook, is always a bit of a challenge. We squirm at the idea of literal interpretation, in recognition of the fact that the bible has far from a unified perspective on the issues of life, and therefore can offer clearly contradictory advice β assuming we even want to consult scripture in that way. As followers of the scholarly tradition, we also are aware of the importance of context in our interpretation of scripture β needing to know what was going on with people, politics and the economy when particular portions of the bible were written. We also know the unsolvable problem that crops up from time to time when a particular theological argument is buttressed on both sides of the discussion by the hurling of one bible verse against the other, the result being of course that nothing much is proven except perhaps the ability of one party to memorize more of the writing than the other, or for both participants in the discussion to look incredibly silly.
Of course, one response to this ambivalent relationship with the βWord of Godβ is to not give it a whole lot of attention. When the bible is reduced to being used to prove one particular point of view against another, and especially when it seems to support both points of view, it might be easy to see why some would just want to walk away. However, there were many people within the liberal tradition that is part of who we are , that were concerned by this increasing disregard for scripture. As a result there was a movement in The United Church of Canada a good decade ago to reclaim a place for scripture and its role in our life of faith. This movement was not a unified one, but instead was variously lived out in such things as Biblical Literacy projects and groups known as Kerygma bible studies. I haven't heard as much about these things in recent years, but I think their value is still worth considering. Scripture plays a vital role in our faith life β not as a resource that can be used to proof-text our way to a firmer resolve for our particular point of view, but as a resource for what it means to be in relationship with God.
The beauty of the bible is wondrous β not as a manual that can be consulted for any particular aspect of life, but as a resource that describes just how diverse and full of twists and turns our relationship with God can be. The bible is often referred to as I said a few moments ago as βThe Word of Godβ - and quite often when scripture is read during worship, it is referred to in that way. Do you ever consider that ending phrase or closing remark and wonder just how it fits the bill as βThe Word of Godβ? For that very reason I more often say something like this βGive us wisdom, O God, so that we may know the truth that is in these words.β Even so, the beauty of the bible is indeed wondrous. It is beautiful for so many different reasons β lovely writing β just consider how so much of the writing in the bible has gone through at least two if not three or four translations, and possibly many years of oral tradition before that, and yet it still contains words and phrases that flow like honey off the tongue and conjure up images that are a delight to consider. It is beautiful for the depth of humanity it describes. How many other writings of that age and diverse origin can still speak so clearly to the human condition and the relationship that we have with God? I think it is always important rather than think about how little the biblical context has in common with our own context, to consider just how much the people of the Bible β their dilemmas and questions, the issues that faced them can have such relevance to us in this day and age when so much around us has changed. There is a timelessness in the scriptural story that is a marvel and a wonder.
And in case you think that the depths of scripture have been mined for all time β that there is nothing new to be learned from the words of this our holy book β just take a moment and find a recent book that explores some area of biblical scholarship. Even better, see if you can find a seminar or lecture by someone with a liberal outlook but with an abiding love and appreciation for the value and depth of scripture. I can't tell you you how many times during my time at seminary and in any number of other times and places β most notably at events like Epiphany Explorations in Victoria β which I just realised is happening this very weekend, I've sat in awe and wonder and had layer after layer of depth and meaning revealed to me as a biblical scholar or a gifted storyteller takes a particular scene or story from the bible and opens up a whole new perspective on it for us and the call that God makes to us to live as God's people.
And really that's what it is all about. In the baptism liturgy in which we all participated earlier in this service there are these words β directed to the parents, but really words that we are all invited to consider: Do you covenant to bring your child into the life of the Christian community to worship, to hear the story of the roots of our faith, to be called into response to the Gospel, and to be in relationship with other believers as he/she grows into her/his own choice of faith in God? Did you pick up the reference to scripture in there? It's not described specifically β perhaps you heard the word Gospel β but I'm thinking of the slightly more obscure reference β namely the phrase β to hear the story of the roots of our faith β that's a reference to both scripture as written in the bible and the scripture that gets lived out in the lives of faithful people. But notice that it's only one phrase in that whole sentence β in that whole promise. It's part of a journey β a journey which neatly summarizes what the faithful life is about β community β bring children into the life of the Christian community to worship β story β bring children to hear the story of the roots of our faith, through exposure to the bible through reading and exposition and response β living our faith by answering the call of the gospel in our lives. Being faithful is not just about coming to worship, it's not just about hearing the story of those who've gone before us β whether described in the bible or in stories about other faithful people β it's about being Christ in the world. That's exactly what Paul meant in that other passage we heard this morning β doing our part, fulfilling our role as part of the body of Christ.
We didn't hear the second part of the gospel story today. It's quite a deeply meaningful scenario. Jesus stands up and reads from Isaiah. A great passage β speaking about the love and care God has for the least among us, but of course it is only truly meaningful when that love and care is lived out, when God's idea of Jubilee is lived as a time of relief from overwhelming burden and debt. And you can just feel the excitement and anticipation of the crowd who heard Jesus read those words and then respond to the call. But in a signal of just how dangerous and transformative this call can be, we need read only a few verses past today's reading to learn that the excitement and anticipation quickly turned to something life threatening for Jesus. But that's always the way it will be, that's the kind of power that the gospel will have on us β exciting and dangerous β because it dares to tell of a new way of being in relationship with God and with each other, and because it dares to upset tried and true ways of being β ways that are comfortable for the comfortable, but revolutionary for the oppressed. That's the living word of God β a word informed by scripture, by story of faithfulness, by response as members of the body of Christ in the world. That's the word of God. Amen.