Who Would You Follow? (2 Samuel 3:1-12)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel; his second was Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third was Absalom son of Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; the fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital; and the sixth was Ithream, of David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?” 

The words of Ishbaal made Abner very angry; he said, “Am I a dog’s head for Judah? Today I keep showing loyalty to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends and have not given you into the hand of David, yet you charge me now with a crime concerning this woman. So may God do to Abner and so may he add to it! For just what the Lord has sworn to David, that will I accomplish for him: to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba.” And Ishbaal could not answer Abner another word because he feared him.

Abner sent messengers to David where he was, saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and I will give you my support to bring all Israel over to you.” (New Revised Standard Version)

Our basic inner character as people is a combination of:

  1. What we do (actions and inactions)
  2. Why we do it (attitudes and motives)
  3. How we go about doing it (means and methods)

We can observe one’s personal character by the reactions and responses to their life events and situations. In addition, Holy Scripture is also concerned and attentive to all of our actions, interactions, inactions, and reactions in the world.

Stories in the Old Testament are largely designed to help us, as readers and listeners, to compare and contrast the mindsets, motivations, and morals of the principal actors in those narratives. We are meant to understand the difference between godly and ungodly people through how the story shakes out.

Three leaders are paraded before us in today’s Old Testament lesson. The story is arranged so that we will take a look at their manner of life. The lesson invites us to implicitly ask ourselves, “Which of the three characters would I follow?”

David

King David was the sort of leader who inquired of God continually, listened to God’s voice, and used his authority to extend kindness and justice, like God does. Because of David’s character, his reign became stronger and stronger.

David was also the sort of leader who had no intentions nor plans to annihilate all of Saul’s heirs as rivals to this throne. Neither did David set out to make their lives miserable – despite the fact that most people of the time would actually expect him to do that.

Ish-Bosheth

Whereas David was initially ruling only over Judah, Ish-Bosheth was a son of Saul and king of Israel. But he was a mere figurehead. Abner, the army’s general, was the one really calling the political shots in Israel.

Ish-Bosheth was too fearful to challenge Abner, and so, never exerted a significant influence in Israel. Instructive for us as readers, is the absence of this king’s prayers or efforts to do anything helpful or constructive for the Israelite people.

The name “Ish-Bosheth” essentially means “Master,” a dignified word which is meant to communicate respect. The incongruence between Ish-Bosheth’s ascribed name, and his actual attitudes and lack of action, betrays a double-minded person, divided in decision-making, not knowing quite what to do. And so, he pretty much did nothing, at least nothing that truly helped anyone in the kingdom.

Contrasting Ish-Bosheth with David, we can clearly see that David was no figurehead, but was the leader of his people. Unlike Ish-Bosheth, David was also no washrag, and no one’s puppet. Instead, David took charge of situations by inquiring of God, then acting.

Confidence comes from knowing the Lord and stepping out in faith, which is precisely what David’s pattern of kingship was like – and exactly what the reign of Ish-Bosheth was not like.

Abner

Israel’s general, Abner, was neither like David nor Ish-Bosheth. Although Abner had qualities of confidence and initiative, unlike David, he was a self-serving leader.

Abner used his position to gain for himself power and prestige. He was willing to quickly switch his loyalties when it was no longer helpful for him, personally. Although Abner did right by working toward uniting the kingdoms of Israel and Judah (a good thing) he did it for all the wrong reasons (a bad thing).

Compared to David, Abner had only self-interest, and not the common interest of all citizens in mind. He acted for what he could personally get out of it – which is just the opposite of David, who had an eye which scanned the horizon to do what was best for the common good of all the kingdom’s subjects.

Conclusion

When we read today’s story, the guided narrative wants us to arrive at the conclusion of saying, “I don’t want to become, or follow, somebody like Ish-Bosheth or Abner. I want to become and to follow someone like King David.”

David listened to God, prayed to God, and acted with justice and kindness because of God. There’s likely no better approach to the spiritual life than that.

Grant us, Lord God, a vision of our world as your love would make it: a world where the weak are protected, and none go hungry or poor; a world where the benefits of abundant life are shared, and everyone can enjoy them; a world where different races and cultures live in tolerance and mutual respect; a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love. And give us the inspiration and courage to build it. Amen.

Addressing the Divisions Amongst Us (1 Corinthians 4:8-13)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Are you already satisfied? Are you now rich? Have you become kings while we are still nobodies? I wish you were kings. Then we could have a share in your kingdom.

It seems to me that God has put us apostles in the worst possible place. We are like prisoners on their way to death. Angels and the people of this world just laugh at us. Because of Christ we are thought of as fools, but Christ has made you wise. We are weak and hated, but you are powerful and respected. 

Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don’t have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don’t have a place to live. We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient. When someone curses us, we answer with kind words. Until now we are thought of as nothing more than the trash and garbage of this world. (Contemporary English Version)

On this particular July 4 in the USA, there is perhaps no more pertinent biblical passage than today’s in addressing the current American political and emotional climate. Yet, before this is specifically addressed, let’s understand what was going on with the Apostle Paul and the Corinthian Church…

The Corinthian Divisions

Special interest groups had formed within the church. Each was following a specific person – some Paul, some Apollos, and some other leaders and teachers. The groups began to harden into political church factions. And Paul wanted nothing to do with this way of being Christian, because it is antithetical to the gospel itself.

Christ died to bring unity, not division. Paul established egalitarian churches that showed no favoritism. The Corinthians were called to a way of being that breaks down barriers between rich and poor, Jew and Greek. This business of groups and factions only fostered the division which Christ died to do away with.

By the time the Apostle wrote his letter to the Corinthian Christians, they had devolved a way of being with each other that was judgmental. They were pointing out unhealthy and demeaning comparisons, and boasting about how their group was more spiritual and wise than the others.

The Apostle Tackles the Divisions

So Paul, never one to shy away from initiative and justice, went on the offensive. Admittedly, in today’s New Testament lesson, Paul is quite sarcastic. He was actually mocking the Corinthians for their sinful arrogance and pride; and he used their own ways of being together against them to demonstrate how utterly foolish and ridiculous they were being.

The Apostle Paul countered with some comparisons of his own, using the example of the apostles themselves. Through his sarcastic comparison, he essentially argued that God used the very real oppression and suffering of the apostles toward good and positive ends.

Paul contrasted the apostles and the Corinthians to show the injustice that was happening in their factional wars with each other. By drawing attention away from the Corinthians and putting it on the apostles, Paul upheld a Christian ministry of weakness, not strength.

The apostles endured much suffering and opposition in their ministry. Paul viewed himself as a sort of dishrag that was used to clean the dirty dishes of the world. And he was okay with that, because it had a redemptive purpose. But he was not at all okay with the dirty business of factions and divisions within the church.

George Washington Addresses the Divisions

In our own day, it’s as if we have not learned the lessons of the past. And that is most likely because we have such little historical knowledge and awareness. I know of few people who realize George Washington was very much against a party system of government – and argued against it for similar reasons to the Apostle Paul.

Washington considered parties to be the bane of republican government. Parties were factions that threatened to divide the electorate into competing groups who might use violence to advance their interests.

He argued that political parties might also disrupt the separation of powers, especially in the case of unified government where loyalty to a party could interfere with the system of checks and balances.

What’s more, Washington said that parties threatened to stand in the way of effective representation, with elected officials tempted to represent only fellow party members and to leave opposition groups without a voice in government.

George Washington was mostly unique among the founders in never reconciling himself with political parties and never acknowledging the positive things that parties can bring to republican government.

Although it’s likely that Washington understood that parties were inevitable, he argued for keeping them under restraint and limiting their interference in the political process as much as possible.

Obviously, the party system won out, and rather quickly. In a healthy state of being, political parties can mobilize voters and encourage voter participation. They help build support for officeholders and serve as conduits of communication to the people. Political parties allow minorities to form coalitions to create majority rule.

Stick with the Evidence

Yet, what we seem to continually experience nowadays is the unhealthy aspect of the party system. People are hardened and reified into established positions and refuse to listen to the other. In such a position, evidence-based practices take a back seat.

For example, although there is not a shred of evidence that the former U.S. President experienced a hung jury and a corrupt judge in being convicted on 34 felony counts, a sizable chunk of Americans believe the corruption to be true – seemingly only because the former President said so, and without any objective, reasonable, and serviceable evidence to offer in backing up that claim.

And that prideful hardened spirit is the very thing that was happening in the ancient Corinthian Church. They wanted what they wanted, and they didn’t care what the other group thought. Each group believed (without evidence) they were wise and right. Yet, all of them were, in reality, foolish and unjust.

If we want a better public political climate; the freedom to be who we are; and confidence for the future; then, we had better begin with examining ourselves and listening well to the other first, before we assume that our own group is in the right and should be in control.

The privileges of freedom can only be enjoyed by embracing the responsibilities of freedom. And those responsibilities include a unified concern for the common good of all citizens, and not just the ones I like and who agree with me.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, and the Prince of Peace; Give us grace to lay aside our unhappy divisions. Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from godly union and concord. Help us to build bridges, not walls, and live into the unity you provided for us in Christ, through the Spirit. Amen.

The Logic of Faith and Prayer (Mark 9:14-29)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Help Thou My Unbelief, by J. Kirk Richards

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” (New International Version)

Please, stick with me here, on what I see as the logic which undergirds this story:

God has authority over everything. God is powerful. Therefore, God can do the miraculous.

Humans have limited authority over some things. Humanity is sometimes strong, yet often weak. Therefore, humans must look outside themselves for a miracle.

God created people. Humans reflect the divine image and likeness of God. Therefore, God and humanity are inextricably linked.

God has miraculous power. Humans can have confidence (faith and hope) in God’s power. Therefore, miracles can happen when God’s power meets human confidence in that power.

God is personal. Humans are personal. Therefore, humans can know God.

God listens to human prayers. Humans have the ability to pray to God. Therefore, God’s power and human faith in that power are very much connected to each other.

Since God is authoritative, powerful, and personal, then God’s choice and ability to effect miracles is not an impersonal force which can be used and manipulated by humans, but rather is a gift to be prayed for and received with gratitude to God.

This then, is why Jesus seems exasperated with the experience of a botched exorcism, because:

  1. The father and the crowd have a profound lack of faith in God’s authority and power to personally effect the miraculous.
  2. The disciples have a disappointing lack of prayer in their own ministry.

The father of the son with the bad spirit was understandably desperate. And, on top it, disappointed with the disciples’ inability to do anything about the situation. The issue, however, is never about God’s ability – which is where the father went in talking to Jesus.

“If you are able” expresses little confidence in Christ.

Jesus emphatically replied that everything can be done for the one who believes. To which the father, still desperate, but then adding a healthy dose of honesty, confessed: “I believe; help my unbelief!”

That was all Jesus needed. The father’s humble and honest confession opened the soul’s door to receive the gift of faith. And the boy was rid of the bad spirit.

Furthermore, the father was also rid of his own bad spirit. The man was not demonized, like his son, nevertheless he possessed a spirit of ill confidence. The encounter with Jesus changed him, as well. It wasn’t just one person who walked away healed; both a father and a son were healed.

As often happened, the disciples left the scene with Jesus scratching their heads. They couldn’t figure out their own inability and failure to help the desperate father and his demonized son.

The bad spirit was indeed a stubborn one, and quite hard to deal with. Jesus told his disciples that one like this can only come out for those who nurture the spiritual habit of prayer.

Essentially, Jesus was saying that the vital connection between God and humans is dependent upon God. People don’t give orders to God, or act as the keepers and manipulators of divine power, like the ancient magicians did with their gods.

Rather, humans pray and ask for what they need, based upon the quality of their connection with God. This isn’t about the level of faith; it’s about whether there is any connection.

I can have lots of faith that my desk lamp will illuminate if I tell it to, but it won’t light unless I plug it in and turn it on. And if I do that, and the lamp will not turn on, then I know there is a problem with the connection – and not with my level of faith in making the lamp light up.

Everything in life must be maintained well, and taken care of. If it isn’t, it will eventually stop working, and may even fall into complete disrepair.

Faith and prayer are not simply tools which we wield with our own authority and autonomy. They must be developed and used with care for where they’ve come from.

Our prayers are opportunities for us to establish and maintain our vital connection with God via faith. Then, whenever we are in dire straits, the confidence is there, because of our connection with the Lord; nothing is hindering the power from flowing and lighting up the situation.

At its heart, Christianity is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. And that relational connection has been brought about God, not me; and the means to maintain the relationship is from God, not me. Yet, we get to enjoy this beautiful access.

So, take advantage of it.

O Lord, our blessed Companion in life and death, your love is steadfast and never ends. Our wondering and weeping may linger in the night, but you give joy in the morning. Touch us with your healing grace so that, restored to wholeness, we may live our calling as your faithful resurrected people. Amen.

Ministry to the Poor and Needy (2 Corinthians 9:1-5)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

If I wrote any more on this relief offering for the poor Christians, I’d be repeating myself. I know you’re on board and ready to go. I’ve been bragging about you all through Macedonia province, telling them, “Achaia province has been ready to go on this since last year.” Your enthusiasm by now has spread to most of them.

Now I’m sending the brothers to make sure you’re ready, as I said you would be, so my bragging won’t turn out to be just so much hot air. If some Macedonians and I happened to drop in on you and found you weren’t prepared, we’d all be pretty red-faced—you and us—for acting so sure of ourselves.

So to make sure there will be no slipup, I’ve recruited these brothers as an advance team to get you and your promised offering all ready before I get there. I want you to have all the time you need to make this offering in your own way. I don’t want anything forced or hurried at the last minute. (The Message)

Organizing relief efforts, and giving to relief organizations, is nothing new. Poverty and need has existed as long as humans have been on this earth. The constant rub is this: Some people aren’t in poverty, and some are.

So how do we get resources from the people who have them to the people who are really in need? Just as important, and perhaps more basic, how will folks care enough about the poor to give money and basic relief?

The Apostle Paul informed the Corinthian Church that he boasted about them to the Macedonians – about their eagerness to participate in ministry toward their fellow believers in need. The Macedonian believers had been ready to participate for quite some time.

In stating this, Paul intended to stir up the Corinthians about the offering for believers in Jerusalem. He had organized a delegation of Macedonians, along with persons from Paul’s own ministry team, to go to Corinth together. The last thing Paul wanted was to have the Corinthians unprepared to give.

Paul was a person who intended to do good, and then followed through with it. He held people accountable for their actions and inactions. He organized the benevolent offering for Jerusalem’s believers, and then made sure that all of the churches good intentions became reality.

Although Paul’s concern in organization and accountability may strike some as coercion for funding, it seems to me that a more plausible reason is that Paul simply wanted to try and ensure that everyone’s giving was done from a place of love, not coaxing or guilting.

The Apostle wanted believers and churches working together for good purposes. He wanted everyone to have a positive experience of helping and being united in spirit and purpose. The churches were young, and Paul was doing everything he could to encourage their growth in grace.

A good way of fostering unity and mission would be to have the churches participate in helping needy believers in Jerusalem. It was a very worthy and needed cause – and also served the cause of Christ.

What’s more, ministry to the poor has always been a hallmark of pure religion. A concern, dedication, plan, and accountable action on behalf of the poor helps everyone, and demonstrates authentic ministry.

My dear friends, pay attention. God has given a lot of faith to the poor people in this world. God has also promised them a share in his kingdom that he will give to everyone who loves him. (James 2:5, CEV)

We are to care about the needy because God cares about persons trapped in poverty. The poor are people; and all people are important. Jesus came to this earth to have a ministry to them; and he lifted a text from Scripture (Isaiah 61:1) to give his reason for doing so:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.”(Luke 4:18, GNT) 

God has a lot to say about the poor and needy because they are dear to the divine heart. The Old Testament law was quite clear about how to treat the poor: 

Poor persons will never disappear from the earth. That’s why I’m giving you this command: you must open your hand generously to your fellow Israelites, to the needy among you, and to the poor who live with you in your land.(Deuteronomy 15:11, CEB)  

Let’s keep in mind that only the poor in spirit will enter the kingdom of heaven. Our trust is to be in God, and not in our money or our stuff. 

The genuine believer has a real humility that demonstrates grace to people who cannot offer them something in return. It’s easy to be merciful to those who will turn around later and scratch our backs. But it is altogether a different thing to give without any strings attached. 

God cares about the condition of our souls, and not the balance on our bank statements. Since God does not judge people on face value, nor on the state of their finances, then neither should we.

The Apostle Paul, in his ministry, sought to teach others in the way of Jesus by:

  • Turning people from only associating with those they are comfortable with, to lovingly reaching out to people very different from themselves
  • Changing people’s thinking from what they can obtain and consume, to becoming people of love and generosity with their words and their physical resources
  • Putting to death: a proud spirit that looks to get ahead; all personal petty agendas; accumulation of more power; and exertion of control – but instead, provide humble repentance and forgiveness

Ministry to the poor is a non-negotiable for the Christian church. Beyond only dispensing benevolent funds, the poor need relationships, connections, resources, and a chance to give back in ways they can contribute.

Lord God, you came to honor the least, the forgotten, the overlooked, and the misjudged. You came to make the last, the left behind, the misunderstood, and the undervalued, first. You came to give a warm welcome to the lost, the orphaned, the abandoned and the destitute.

Help us to be your ears to listen to their cries; and your voice speaking out love and acceptance. Help us to be your feet walking beside those in need; and your hands to clothe, feed and shelter them. You came for the least, the lost and last of this world. Lord, hear our prayer. Amen.