There are many ways of describing the lives we live—There is the ideal and there is the reality—there is the romantic description and there are the actual details. Over the last four weeks our Old Testament lessons have presented portions of the story of Abraham and God’s covenant with this ancient patriarch of the faith—the stories have ranged from the idealized vision and promise that an aging couple would be the ground of God’s covenant to the harsh realities of jealousy that causes a wife to sentence her slave and child to almost certain death. The Children’s Bible version of our lessons omits the harsher realities of the story of Abraham and Sarah—Last Sundays story of the sacrifice of Isaac is almost impossible for any child to understand—let alone adults who love their children more than their own lives—in our modern suburban culture maybe even more than God—The last couple Sundays have challenged our faith a bit as we tried to identify exactly how far we wanted to go with any possible moral from the lessons we heard.—Trust in God is fine but the picture we want to see at the end is not one of our children stretched out before God offered potentially to death.
This is summer time—we want a break from too much intensity—maybe pictures of God’s blessing—A more ideal life with God’s favor. In that spirit our lesson for today should prove to be no problem—It is as if the teller of the patriarch’s life suddenly hit upon a chapter that was about a favorite relative—Here is a romantic moment to be savored and enjoyed—An aging widowed father sends forth a servant to find a wife fitting for his son—and the servant encounters the ideal young lady—sensitive and gracious in her hospitality—receptive to the adventure of travel and a new life—proper and demure in her meeting with Isaac—And it appears to be love at first sight when Rebekah catches a glimpse of her future husband walking in the fields. Of course the reality was undoubtedly quite a bit different from the story told centuries later around the campfires –at the synagogue gathering—in the modern church sanctuary. To start with we are talking about camels—smelly hot spitting camels—and a young woman who is able to not only lift enough water from the well to quench the thirst of a weary traveler but to also water ten camels—ten thirsty camels! This must have been some kind of woman!—No wonder the servant Eliazer was so taken with her. Of course Rebekah was undoubtedly equally impressed by the wealth and resources of her future husband—If she had to marry she could certainly do a lot worse than someone of Isaac’s promise. Here the romance of the story loses something in translation as the servant gives her a nose ring and bracelets—But clearly Rebekah knows a good deal when it is offered.
The hard realities are that the romantic vision of divine guidance bringing two star crossed lovers together does not exclude a certain amount of all too human reality—where reading between the lines reveals a certain amount of human self interest blended into the romantic ideal Were the tale told by dis-interested witnesses to the events it would probably sound a bit different. Yet our lives crave the romanticized ideals—the memories of how things should have been—the yearnings for the good that could have been—if only. The celebrations of another 4th of July reminded us again of the great ideals and vision that we like to believe informed the creation of our nation—Of course by now most of us know that historical research has pretty well humanized most of the founders of our nation—They were still good and noble in many of their deeds but we now know them to be no where near as perfect and godlike as the patriotic myth of our beginnings in grade school history books sometimes makes them out to be.—John Adams was not particularly popular or well liked—Ben Franklin may have loved far too many women more than his country—Thomas Jefferson visioned freedom for the new nation but had difficulty freeing his own slaves.
The good and the ideal is far easier to describe than it is to be or do. That, is the truth that the Apostle Paul recognized and wrote of in his letter to the Romans—our second lesson for today. The good that he would do he found he did not do but that which he did not want to do he did. The romantic ideals of a perfect faith—the good Christian—are betrayed by the realities of life Our lives are filled with good intentions gone awry But Paul is concerned about matters more severe than good intentions Paul is concerned about the doing of Good and Evil When Eliazer set out to find a wife for Isaac he trusted God to show him the right choice We make our journey of faith with similar hope and expectation. --People give of themselves and their time to do what they think is good and right only too often—as time passes—things don’t turn out quite as we planned or expected. Eliazer found the right woman—a good wife for Isaac—except that in the years to come Rebekah proved to be capable of great deception to Isaac—she would do what she thought was for the best—even when it involved creating a life of lies and deceptions for her sons—and the story of Israel becomes mixed with conflict and deceptions. --Try as we might—time and again—the good that we would do becomes lost to the evil we do.
The challenge of understanding our faith and living it is not new In our Gospel lesson for today Jesus spoke to a crowd attempting to help them better understand the direction and meaning of their lives To what will I compare this generation? Jesus asked. Each generation looks for its heroes and leaders Each generation seeks its ideals and dreams Unfortunately the dream is increasingly exposed to be misguided—distorted by out right acts of wrong doing and evil Like Eliazer seeking the perfect bride for Isaac—In the first century the people were waiting for a messiah—the perfect leader—someone who would challenge the social, political, religious, intellectual and economic orders of the day --While he was a slow starter--John the Baptist came on the scene --he was a curiously dressed character wandering through the countryside --he condemned just about everything and challenged people to reorder their lives way from all things material --Those who were most disturbed by his message dismissed him as obsessed --maybe even demon possessed --When Jesus showed up on the scene there was serious question about his identity --In some respects he began his ministry like John’s but quickly moved in a radically different direction. --Jesus did not avoid the material--he attended parties --sat down at crowded tables with just about anyone who invited him. --While his words were judgmental his actions seemed to have no regard for the categories of the sick, sinful or outcast. How often this story repeats itself in our daily lives --A new coach is highered to lead a team in a new direction and she at first is welcomed and supported but as time passes and her results are not the results we wanted or expected --or not achieved the way we expected--the favor fades --there is talk of looking for another coach.
Of course it may not be a coach--it may be a teacher--an
employee--a new boss--a pastor --it may be someone we volunteer with--a new
friend or neighbor. Jesus said, “We played the flute for you, and you did
not dance” We have opportunities to embrace something new We are presented
with moments that might turn us toward the good But the harsh realities--short
comings--our feelings and needs All turn us from that which is for the good.
We cannot dance because we do not hear the music--don’t like the song --or
find fault in the player of the flute Paul’s insights into himself in our
second lesson are glimpses into the all too human spirit Paul repeats--I do
not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want but I do the very
thing I hate Paul explains his failings by noting that every good brings with
it the possibility of evil And our human fascination with evil quickly draws
us to the wrong What child left alone for long cannot find something that is
tempting and the more creative define new possibilities to do the wrong What
adult upon hearing of another’s success or triumph does not secretly wonder
--if only for a moment--what price was paid for the victory --and in our heart
of hearts not take at least a moments satisfaction when we learn of the failure
of a famous or successful person. Enron—Worldcom—Afghanistan—Images
that at one time were pictures of wealth or power now exposed by human sin—Good
denied—we shatter the romantic ideals and dreams with realities of a fallen
world Paul cries out for rescue from his own failings and short comings --He
does not shift the blame to others --Our modern disposable society usually moves
on --cut yourself off and go seeking for something new --find fault in the other--criticize
them--for surely there is no fault in ourselves --in our litigious age we do
not always have to sue someone to decide that justice must be carried out against
the other But Paul knows himself and his God --ultimately he cries out Wretched
man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? --there is no blame
here --there is only full recognition of the harsh reality
This is not an easy moment to encounter To admit to self and to others that we are not perfect And there is no one to blame It is almost too much to bear--in fact it is too much to bear but the good news of the Gospel is that we do not have to bear it Jesus said, Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burden, and I will give you rest This 4th of July weekend is a time of much attempted resting by many people --it is interesting to note that the nature of rest does not always mean inactivity --while a nap may be part of the holiday rest agenda --there is also always much activity--food--socializing What we find in holiday is a break from the ordinary routine --the activity may be recreational using muscles not normally used—or engaging in physical activity out of the ordinary --the activity may be creative--reading things for fun --watching movies or videos that produce different feelings and thoughts --the activity may be what others call work but for this moment carries a different meaning—an opening to something new. Rest is not the absence of activity but activity that has a different rhythm--sound--feel--meaning When Jesus invites us to rest in him it is not an invitation to inactivity Christ calls us to discover new meanings in the things we say and do Take my yoke upon you and learn from me Jesus said. We are tempted too often to think of our faith as something that removes us from the realities of life—Jesus did little that we would recognize today as the type of thing that happens on Sunday morning—Jesus lived his life and ministry much more engaged in the activity of Monday morning—and he called his disciples to live their lives the same way.
The Apostle Paul grounds our faith in reality
when he names the reality of temptation and the ease with which we betray ourselves
to doing the very things we know we should not do. The good news this morning
is that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God --and that means
we have no choice but to let God be God The romantic story of finding Isaac
a wife is remembered not because it is so beautiful but because it demonstrates
again what happens when someone opens themselves to God’s will and God’s
future—A servant prays to God and says simply “Show me the way”
--try as we might to create the best companies to invest in --try as we might
to find the best people to associate with --try as we might to build the best
country this world has ever seen --The perfect ideal eludes us—even deceives
us. --The good that we would we do not do and that which we would not do we
do --We are left with but one word--Grace Accept the gift of forgiveness God
offers us in Jesus Receive the miracle of sacramental bread and wine --given
and shed for you--for you! This is truly the beginning point for a beautiful
relationship.
Amen.