Let’s Make a Deal
Lent 2C 02/28/10
All readings
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our lord Jesus Christ.
Is it your belief that God controls all events and determines the process and outcome of everything that happens? Or are you of the opinion that God has an end in mind and adapts to the changes caused by us humans making the wrong decisions, following the wrong paths, and in general just gumming up the works? Perhaps you find yourself somewheres in between?
My personal outlook is that God is unchangingly changeable. And changeably unchangeable. By this I mean that God can be counted on to be God—whatever that entails—and that all roads, new and old, lead to God eventually. The bible says that God’s word does not return to him empty, but that it achieves the purpose for which he sent it out. God’s promises are sure and certain. But the ways in which his word achieves its purpose and the reactions of those touched by its power are free to be variable. Variable to the point at which God is re-acting to them, instead of merely reading along with the script while the predetermined action takes place.
That implies God is not all knowing, nor is God in complete control of the creation. Which is not a bad thing, unless you prefer that everything be controlled with puppet-like precision. But to the puppeteer, a puppet is only a thing to be manipulated (outside of Disney World). Living, breathing, interfering, disagreeing, I’d-rather-do-it-my-way, stubborn, selfish, but potentially well-behaved and God-loving little critters like us demand a different approach.
And so God is relational—there is give and take in his relationships. There is dialog—speaking and listening. Acting and reacting. God, adapting to our good choices and bad choices, continually makes the goal accessible by opening us to new possibilities in a life that is less linear then it is branch-like—with an infinite number of routes to the divine.
Now, maybe you couldn’t stand such a loosey-goosey God. Well, like I said a minute ago, even a loosey-goosey God has purpose. I never said God had no clue as to how the novel he’s writing was going to proceed and ultimately finish. God did know that, left alone, humans would mess with the world he created good. He knew he wanted a special relationship with the people of Israel. He knew there would be fits and starts along the way. And that he would send his Son in the ultimate show of related-ness, to experience and then destroy the power of death, to open up the floodgates of new possibilities for a life renewed.
This “purpose” of God, which played out in the past but effects our present and shapes our future as well, this purpose is known as “salvation history.” It is the story (told in the bible) of the relationship between God and people. And in it God basically says, “You are loved and forgiven. Come and be with me!” And we ignore, subvert, disregard, misread, selfishly and stupidly, the grace of God that flows down to us—even as we struggle and scheme on how to get up to God ourselves.
This disruption of the salvation history timeline is part of the human-divine relationship that God expects. It can be seen throughout the bible, and it shows up vividly in our readings for today.
First, in Genesis. God has promised Abram a son. But Abram is not a satisfied customer. The LORD comes to him in a vision, promising him a great reward and right away, Abram is complaining. “What about an heir, Lord? All I got is Eliezer (who is unknown to everyone), and a slave-born child (who only counts in a pinch). You haven’t given me an heir! And land—what about some land? An Aramean doesn’t want to wander all of his days, you know. What are you going to do about these things?” Abram is the kind of customer that, when he walks into the Goatskin Tent Emporium, the help just scatters.
But the LORD expects it from Abram, and doesn’t mind playing the role of complaint department. He takes Abram outside and shows him the stars—millions of them! “Count em if you can,” says the LORD, “your descendants will be just as numerous.” He didn’t have to say the obvious—if I can make solar systems and black holes and supernovas—then I guess you can trust me to knit together some progeny for you, Abram. Abram concedes the point, and the LORD gives him credit for that.
But what about the land? Abram wants some assurance that the LORD will deliver the land. “I guess the whole thing with the stars and the descendants wasn’t impressive enough when it comes to real estate,” thinks the LORD. “But I know—a covenant—a pinkie sweared, blood brothered, spit sealed promise of the if-then typology. If you’ll do this, then I’ll do that. A covenant. Yeah, that’s the ticket!”
“Better make it sound official, not too easy, something with lots of blood.” “Bring me a heifer, aaaa goat – a female goat, and aaa, a ram, yes a ram—all…three years old. And what the heck bring me some birds too—a turtledove and a pigeon—not too old for the pigeon—a young one. Now here’s the thing—you gotta cut them in half and arrange them just so.” (Let’s see him do all that!)
But Abram got the heifer and the goat and the other animals. And he cut all but the birds in half. And he waited. Shooed away the vultures. Then a “deep sleep fell upon him.” The last time the LORD used that one, woman was created! And a terrifying darkness came over him.
The LORD, who always loved a good fire, had a smoking fire pot and burning torch pass between the butchered animals. Why? Who knows, except for the LORD and Abram? But that was good as a John Hancock. It sealed the deal. (Oh, by the way, did you catch the part about this being four hundred years from now? It was in the verses we left out!) “Gotta read that fine print,” says the LORD.
Abram will no doubt be writing to the CEO.
Human beings like control, they like assurances. They want it in writing—or blood. God refuses to be put in such a box. But God does relent and make a covenant with humankind—the relational equivalent of a contract. Through it, God enters into relationship with us, and all that is asked in return is that we have faith in God to do that. And yet, over and over, human beings lose that faith and try to take things into their own hands. Gumming up the works. Like in Paul’s experience with the Philippians.
Poor Paul. After all the time he spent and trouble he went to to establish these churches, it always seemed like he had only just cleared the city limits when some interloper was trying to sway their affections and pollute their understanding of the gospel. Enemies of the cross, he calls them here in Philippians.
And his warning and advice to the church is to “stand firm in the Lord, imitate me (Paul) if you have to imitate anyone besides Christ Jesus. I’m no superman. But I know Christ.”
“Don’t let these charlatans who promote dietary laws, circumcision, and the bodily restrictions as a way to get to heaven. You are already citizens of heaven. And when Jesus returns—he won’t be looking to see if you’ve eaten bacon. The cross of Christ fulfilled the law, and he will transform your body from sinful to glorious because you have faith. Hold onto that faith.”
God’s purposes were in good hands with Paul. In his preaching and teaching, and for us—in his correspondence—Paul proclaims God’s burning desire for relationship with everyone. And Paul’s ministry, in its constant adaptation to the diverse context in which he operated, reflects a God who is open and adaptable as well. Even as his letters reveal the presence of those who would alter the grace of God, preaching the law without the gospel. And thereby effectively short-circuiting salvation history.
People are always getting in the way of salvation history. And not just the villains—the heroes too! Abram gave his wife away to not one but two foreign kings—risking the end of the Yahweh-chosen genetic line for the Sarah-Abraham’s. Pharaoh gets all wishy washy about letting the Israelites go. The good king David turns out to be less than perfect. Prophets hide and give up rather than give the tough love to Israel. Even after the Jesus event, Paul’s churches were plagued by those who would divert them from the true gospel. Every step of the way it seems there is someone or some ones who, if left alone, would throw the proverbial monkey wrench into the cogs of the great plan of God.
In our gospel passage, it appears that the Pharisees are ones with sabotage on their minds. As the story opens, the Pharisees are annoying Jesus again. No surprise? Well, yes surprise, because they appear to be trying to help Jesus by warning him to clear out of Herod’s neighborhood. They appear to be genuinely concerned for Jesus’ welfare.
But their motives are unclear—hidden. I wouldn’t friend them on Facebook just yet. Whatever their inspiration, these Pharisees are putting themselves in between Jesus and the successful completion of his mission (the culmination of salvation history). Not gonna work.
Jesus tells them to let Herod, the old fox that he is (that’s not as in crazy like a fox, sly as a fox, or foxy—but the kind of varmint that destroys all the eggs in the hen house just because he can.. That’s the kind of fox Herod is), Jesus says you tell Herod I’ll be here till closing time. And closing time is when all the work is complete. After which you can find me on the road to Jerusalem.
Because what started in Jerusalem, ends in Jerusalem. The story of Jesus began with angel silencing Zechariah, the soon to be father of John the Baptist. And where does it end? With the cross? In Jerusalem. It’s the home of kings and site of the temple, but when it comes to disrupting the salvation-history timeline, Jerusalem stands out, especially in the “kill the messenger” division.
You’d think that Jesus would have a certain distaste for the people that “Jerusalem” symbolize. But no, Jesus loves them and wants to gather them up – not like Herod the fox, but like the mother hen who holds the chicks under her wing. Unfortunately, these willful little peeps are dead set on screwing up the plan by protecting themselves. But Jesus is willing to wait, and holds out the same hope God always offers. If you’ll be my people—I will be your God.
He offers that to us. A new covenant. Not for heirs, as we are the heirs. Not for land, for wherever two or three gather in his name there Jesus is also. For forgiveness. For redemption. For transformation. For suffering along with us even as he ends the suffering in the world. For love. So stand firm, believer.
I think even Abram would not complain about that.