Tag: status quo

The Lord Was With Him (1 Chronicles 11:1-9)

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

All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”

When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander in chief.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.

David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. He built up the city around it, from the terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. And David became more and more powerful because the Lord Almighty was with him. (New International Version)

Originally, in the Hebrew Bible, 1 and 2 Chronicles were one book, not two; and the Chronicles are the final book of Hebrew Scripture. The Greek translation of the Hebrews Bible – the Septuagint – was accomplished around the turn of the second century B.C.E. and made Chronicles two books because of its length.

Compilers of Christian Scripture moved the location of Chronicles from the end of the Old Testament and put it alongside the other historical books of 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings – mostly because Chronicles is generally a restatement of those books for a different generation of Jews living in the post-exilic period along with Ezra and Nehemiah.

Chronicles largely retells the story of the ancient Israelites, and then summarizes their history before focusing primarily on the reigns of King David and King Solomon. Yet, it is more than a retelling.

Chronicles is a restatement that emphasizes the importance of faithfulness to God and highlights the necessity of taking God’s Law seriously.

Religious reforms play an important part of Chronicles. Removing idols, obeying God’s Torah and God’s prophets, and honoring the proper worship of God are central to ensuring that a Babylonian exile never happens again – that the people will see the consequences of infidelity to the Lord, and live in the right and just ways handed down to them.

King David is pictured as a politically unifying figure of all Israel and Judah because he sought to conscientiously and faithfully live according to God’s commands. Later generations of kings did not do so, which led to the people losing their land and their temple.

David had proved himself as the right person for the job of leading the people. After becoming king, he used his position and authority to do God’s will. And it was a long time in coming; David patiently waited for the Lord’s timing and purpose to be accomplished.

Although anointed by the prophet Samuel as king while Saul was still in his reign, it took years for David to be enthroned as the actual king. David had several opportunities to make himself king by killing Saul (who was trying to kill David) but he allowed God to enthrone him in God’s own good time.

Rarely does anything the Lord promise come to fruition immediately. We must wait patiently for deliverance from painful trials of faith and the return of Christ. God makes promises. Then we persevere until those promises are fulfilled.

All of David’s waiting finally dissipated into kingly action. Before there were kings, judges ruled in Israel. And before that, Joshua led the people into the Promised Land. They had a mandate to expel the Canaanites. Those instructions from God only partially happened. There were still remnants and pockets of resistance. The Jebusites, ensconced in the city of Jebus (Jerusalem) were the most stubborn.

Part of the reason there were Canaanites still living in the land was the former King Saul’s failure to follow through on God’s plan. One of the first acts of King David was to finish and fulfill the complete takeover of the land.

David was willing to attempt something nobody else could do, and that no one believed could be done. If we were a fly on the wall during discussions about this, I can imagine a coterie of people saying to the king, “We tried that before. It won’t work. You cannot get rid of the Jebusites. This is a fool’s errand.”

Pessimism and passivity certainly do not dislodge anything, and the people had fallen into a cynicism that believed they needed to put up with the current situation.

Whenever a group of people fall into passive defeatism, criticism is rife because folks are not working together toward shared goals and solutions. Instead of addressing problems, there is merely complaining about whatever they don’t like.

On the other side of it, the Jebusites were smug in their self-confidence, showing their bravado through being blowhards. However, they had not yet faced David. If they thought another king like Saul was coming along, they were in for a big wake up call.

The Lord almighty was with David. And that is what made all the difference.

King David did not accept the status quo. He worked toward accomplishing the Lord’s will, as he understood it. And his faith always led to effective action.

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Challenging the Status Quo (Acts 4:1-4)

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

While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees confronted them. They were incensed that the apostles were teaching the people and announcing that the resurrection of the dead was happening because of Jesus. They seized Peter and John and put them in prison until the next day. (It was already evening.) Many who heard the word became believers, and their number grew to about five thousand. (Common English Bible)

I’ll be honest. I like upsetting the status quo. It drives me nuts when a system or group of people get so used to doing things a certain way that there is no room for anything different. Peter and John did exactly that – they went off the beaten path. According to the religious authorities, they were creating trouble, causing a stink, disturbing the peace, and making waves.

At the heart of the disturbance was the authorities’ deep concern of potential social disorder. After all, the Roman Empire with all its great strength was firmly ensconced in Judea. It was already hard enough for Jews to maintain their customs and religious practices. Now, these rabblerouser disciples of Jesus come along with their unorthodox teaching, and threaten the very social fabric of Jewish life. No! Get them out of here!

So, off to jail Peter and John went. That’s how the politics of fear typically works. Being afraid of change leads to removing the object of fear. Stuff the apostles in the gulag. Shut and lock the door. Maybe if they are out of sight they will be out of mind to the people.

But the rulers were too late. A lot of people heard the message of Christ’s resurrection. The number of believers in Jesus swelled into the thousands. Well, now, everyone’s really in a pickle! That is, except the church. Each time the Christians got squelched and silenced, more of them showed up. Oh, my, goodness. The ruling council saw they were multiplying like roaches!

It didn’t help the authorities that these religious bugs continued to interpret their own whippings and jailtime as a positive thing – enjoying the solidarity of suffering with their Lord. Ugh. What’s a decent Sadducee to do with that kind of thinking and behavior?

Apostles Peter and John heal the sick, by Pieter Aertsen (1508-1575)

Turns out nothing can stop resurrection. It cannot be chained, bound, or imprisoned. Once life gets into the hearts of people, there’s no getting it out. The message takes over and consumes the whole person. Then it spreads to another, like an infectious disease.

Before you know it, the entire social order is off kilter. What a bunch of weirdos. Following a dead guy who they say isn’t dead. Walked right out of the grave, they say. Sheesh. Pull yourselves together. So many unhinged delusional people believing in resurrection!

It’s easy for some Christians to be hard on non-Christians, just as it was easy for the ancient Jewish rulers to be hard on others leaving their fold. Sometimes we followers of Jesus forget whence we have come. We can get so upset and worked up in fear.

It could be that our underwear is too tight. More likely, we take the prideful stance of believing that our own status quo is best for everyone. So, there’s no listening, paying attention, or teachable spirits.

Peter, John, and the other apostles just went about proclaiming good news with joy. And the gospel spread. Jesus became known first to thousands, then tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, and millions. Today, according to the Pew Research Center, there are over 2.5 billion Christians in the world. That’s a lot of people.

Christianity has had two thousand years to create their own status quo, some of it good, some of it not so much.

Yet, at the heart of it all, is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death. It’s a message that still speaks to billions. And it’s a message Christians need to come back to, whenever they are fearful of others challenging their hegemony.

All the hopes and expectations of Christians everywhere are realized not in maintaining some Constantinian sort of Christendom, but in the resurrection of Jesus Christ the dead. The former does a lot of handwringing over social and cultural issues. The latter has a lot of joy, celebration, and renewal which works itself out in both personal and systemic redemption.

Because the good news of Easter can hardly be contained in a single day’s celebration, it’s message of new life in Christ is like a bright sun of inexhaustible grace to people everywhere – still warming the earth all these centuries later.

The Apostle Peter went on to pen a letter to struggling Christians facing hard circumstances in a world not yet dominated by Christianity, reminding them of the heart of Christian faith:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-9, NIV)

Don’t get stuck in the status quo to the point you cannot see anything outside yourself.

May we come back repeatedly to Christianity’s message so that our faith is strengthened, the church is edified, and the world is blessed. Amen.

The Question of Authority (Mark 11:27-33)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
The Pharisees Question Jesus, by James Tissot (1836-1902)

Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”

“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do because everyone believed that John was a prophet. So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.” (New Living Translation)

Jesus was an outsider. During his earthly ministry, he was viewed, at best, as an avant-garde leader; and, at worst, a flat out heretic. It may be easy to overlook that reality, because we typically think of Christ as Lord and always on the inside of things.

Although Jesus was a teacher and a rabbi – and was neither a priest nor a member of any Jewish religious sect – he nevertheless walked around as if he owned the place (which he did). That gave the established religious leadership of the day no end of consternation and frustration.

Jesus made significant inroads into people’s lives, especially with outsiders like himself. And this situation created anger and jealousy with many of the religious ruling class. Since Jesus was not a card-carrying member, the leaders wanted to hear from him why he kept acting confidently and deliberately on their religious turf.

“What gives you the right? Who authorized you to act this way?” was their cry.

The established authorities are depicted in today’s Gospel lesson as a craven bunch who did not want to alienate the crowds, and yet were eager to get the upstart Jesus out the way. This appears to be an age-old situation of leaders putting their fingers to the wind to go with whatever will keep them popular and in power.

Since Jesus consistently refused to play such games, the authorities believed he needed to go. They, however, had no intention of risking an outright confrontation and showing their shadow motives.

Jesus clearly connected himself with John the Baptist, as both coming from the same authority. John was yet another figure for whom the established leaders could not control.

We ought never to underestimate both perceived and actual threats to status quo leadership. Such leaders have no inkling of being public servants when true moral authority comes along. The lack of conformity from John and Jesus would cost them both their very lives.

Speaking truth to power while not becoming defensive doing so is a tricky art. Yet, Jesus did it. Continual challenges to his authority left him unfazed as to his mission and purpose on this earth. Christ was assertive without becoming despotic; forward without taking the bait of useless arguments; confident with no hint of arrogance.

For me, the contrast between Jesus and the religious authorities is trenchant. The confident, wise, and calm authority of Christ is in direct opposition to the fear, anxiety, and worry of the ruling leaders. Whereas they kept anxiously ruminating about what to do about this threat to their established authority, Jesus exhibited a non-anxious presence which maintained a steadfast focus on God’s righteous, holy, and benevolent rule and reign.

Sometimes, continual fear is a big red flag that the leader is so worried about losing their place or position, that the will of God gets pushed aside as merely a secondary concern.

Questioning Christ’s credentials was the giveaway that the existing religious authorities were concerned about their power and privilege, and not the people. The wise person will see such queries for what they are.

Wherever we observe those who refuse to share power, have a xenophobic bent toward outsiders, and seem to do just about anything to maintain the status quo, there we will find the abuse of authority.

Conversely, where we observe a deep concern for equity, justice, and the common good of all persons, there we see compassionate leadership who will champion ethical leadership and espouse moral authority.

In any democratic society, we must choose our leaders wisely.

Great God of hope, in these times of change and uncertainty, unite your people and guide our leaders with your wisdom. Give us courage to overcome our fears and help us to build a future in which all may prosper and share together through Jesus Christ our Lord in the strength of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let Go (Exodus 11:1-10)

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

Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” (The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)

So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.” Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you—so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country. (New International Version)

It takes a lot for the status quo to die, to let go of something that has been relied on for centuries. In the case of ancient Egypt, it took the deaths of every Egyptian first born son.

The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years. The vast Egyptian Empire was literally built on the backs of Jews. After so long, their cry about being in bondage was heard by God – who sent Moses to deliver them. But Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, was not about to let go of this large labor force.

So, a series of 10 plagues came upon the Egyptians from God. Today’s Old Testament lesson is the tenth and final plague – the one most devastating to Egypt. Although Pharaoh was determined to keep the Israelites in bondage, not even mighty Egypt could keep it’s grip on the people when God was determined to free them and bring them to the Promised Land.

God graciously informed Moses that this was the final plague. After nine others, and hearing Pharaoh say he would let the people go multiple times, it must have been a relief to hear that this would not keep going any longer.

Moses and Aaron debating with Pharaoh, by He Qi

What’s more, the Lord added that not only would Pharaoh finally change and not hinder the people from leaving, but also that they should ask the Egyptians for what they needed when going. Indeed, the people of Egypt became so eager to have the Israelites away from them that they would give them anything to get them out.

The Israelites had worked hard and labored intensely for hundreds of years without any compensation. Now, they would leave the world of slavery and receive the riches of Egypt from which they were defrauded. Whereas Pharaoh’s heart became exceedingly hard, the Egyptians hearts became disposed to give – even though it was to be rid of the Israelites once and for all.

And so, God would deliver the Jews from their bondage and enrich them with many needed possessions, as if they were carrying away plunder from an enemy. The Lord both frees and empowers; God delivers from one situation and enables for another. When God closes a door, then another door is opened.

Indeed, the first will be last, and the last shall be first. In God’s upside-down kingdom, the oppressors eventually become the oppressed, and the poor become rich.

With this last and final plague, there would be no next generation to rise up and take back the Israelites into slavery again. A distinction was made between the first born of the Egyptians and the Israelites. Only the Egyptians experienced the awful deaths of so many.

After four centuries of keeping the Jews enslaved, maybe the Egyptians thought it would always be this way. Perhaps they even believed what they were doing was perfectly acceptable and right. So, when Moses comes along, speaking on behalf of God to Pharaoh, the great king of the empire thought things will not change; the Israelites ought to always be in subservience to Egyptians.

Why is it so hard to let go? Why do people keep holding on, even when it costs them nearly everything?

Whenever we cannot envision a different world or an alternative to what we are currently experiencing, then we hold on – even if it hurts to keep grasping it. Just because there was no divine judgment in hundreds of years, does not mean that God was okay with the situation in ancient Egypt. So, when the Egyptians experienced the judgment, it was absolutely devastating.

If ever we need to control other people in order to realize or maintain our own happiness or contentment, then we are in a very unhealthy place and need immediate help – before the providence of God steps in and pries that control from your clenched fists.

Conversely, if we have been in a place of oppression for a long time, it will not last forever. God sees the injustice. And God hears the cries which are uttered to heaven. A time is coming when all things will be made right.

Also, there are various sorts of traumas that people have endured. Sometimes, people don’t want to talk about any of it, and never do. But eventually, it overwhelms them. Without help, they will be in bondage. None of us can change on our own. We need others. Not everyone is going to harm us or shame us. There are people that God is ready to use in order to extend hope, healing, wholeness, and help. We should let them in, and keep the slave masters out.

Gracious and merciful God, help us to overcome the menace of evil in this world, and to be a part of freeing those weighed down with sinful oppression to realize a future of health and hope.

From famine and war, deliver us.

From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of others, deliver us.

From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and international, deliver us.

From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.

Accept our cry on behalf of the sufferings of all humanity, and of entire societies of people.

Empower us by your Spirit to resist evil in all its insidious manifestations.

May the saving grace and the redemption of Jesus put a stop to cruel bondage everywhere; and may hope be kindled in every heart. Amen.