FIRST READING ISAIAH 40:21-31 / SECOND READING 1 CORINTHIANS 9:16-23
/GOSPEL MARK 1:29-39
Our Old Testament reading from Isaiah grabs us by the shoulders and give us a good strong shake, doesn’t it?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
Speaking through Isaiah God is clearly frustrated – and has even reached the point of using a deep and biting sarcasm. “What are you not getting about everything I have told you since the beginning of time? Have I not made all things clear beyond the shadow of a doubt?”
Isaiah then sums up for them the truth of who God is – as if it needs any summary: “It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.”
Don’t miss the massive contrast here – God sits above the eternal “circle” of creation, outside of space and time – beyond even our ability to imagine! And mankind sits bodily upon the earth – as nothing more than the wisp of a cricket – that dries up and is then blown away by the wind.
Isaiah continues: “It is HE who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; it is he who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as NOTHING!” Yes – even the princes – those held in highest esteem and worldly honor are NOTHING in comparison to him – and NOTHING APART from him!
Looking for some good supporting scripture for the doctrine of Neo-orthodoxy? Well here it is!
And then in verse 25 God gets right to the point: “To whom then will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” Look for yourself! “Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? (The celestial bodies of the heavens) “He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name . . . Because he is great in strength [and] mighty in power, not one is missing!” Not one! Of a Trillion Billion galaxies much less the uncountable stars within them!
“Are you hearing me?” says God. “If this is the case, how could you ever say that “I don’t know what is going on in your life and that I don’t care? That I am not concerned with what is best for you? Do you really think I created all of this just to watch you muddle your way along come what may? And so here comes the opening salvo again: “Have you not known? Have you not heard!?”
And then like a good teacher who holds her breath and gathers up her patience God gives it to us simply and sweetly – as straight as a beam of light so there can be no misunderstanding:
“The LORD is the everlasting God – the Creator of the ends of the earth.”
“He does NOT faint or grow weary.”
“His understanding is unsearchable.”
“He gives power to the faint – and strengthens the powerless.”
And all for His unknowable purposes.
“LISTEN,” says Yahweh, “Even youths will faint and be weary – the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for ME shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
So go – do as I have told you from of old – follow my commandments – and TRUST that I will work things out in MY time – and in ways that you have no ability to understand . . . that is YOUR part . . . Trust me. I will do mine.
Our scripture from I Corinthians brings us an entirely different message. Here we have Paul saying some pretty radical stuff about how he is compelled to follow his calling – which is “to proclaim the Gospel.” In fact, Paul feels this calling so strongly that he declares, “Woe unto me if I do not proclaim the Gospel . . .” And then he says some pretty peculiar stuff:
“For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law . . . so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law . . . so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.”
Well, this is a rather bold proclamation of the need to mix with and become like other people in order that they might hear the gospel. Especially coming from Paul of all people, who debated Peter so hotly about being TRUE to the central truth of the gospel. Remember, Peter and Paul disagreed on whether it was OK to allow and practice circumcision and honor other Hebrew laws so that the gospel might be heard among the Jews. Peter was for accommodating them while Paul, at that time, stressed the importance of keeping the message uncluttered with traditions.
But here he is saying, “To the Jews I became a Jew in order to win Jews.” Well, not exactly – Paul was a Jew long before he was struck down on the road to Damascus. Perhaps he could have put it better by saying that God had made him a Jew so that he one day could reach them with the gospel. But nevertheless, Paul’s point is clear: We are to do WHATEVER it takes to reach others with the Truth of who Jesus is! WHAT – EVER – IT – TAKES!”
He then takes this further by declaring that we can – within the redemptive Law of Christ – do ANYTHING that the truth of his salvation allows. That we simply do not know HOW God may work through our efforts to bring others to Christ, and therefore we need to be open to the wildly imaginative and unpredictable work of His spirit in the world. That while we know nothing of how God might work, we are we able to do EVERYTHING and ANYTHING when truly lead by the indwelling Grace of God!
Are we as Disciple of Christ prepared to live that truth out in this time and place?
Our final scripture is an account of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry – right after he has called the four fisherman (Peter, Andrew, James and John) and then begun to heal people – first in the synagogue and then later at Peter and Andrew’s house. And outside of those rather amazing first miracles there really isn’t much more to tell.
Except that in the middle of this flurry of healing along the coast of the Sea of Galilee we are told that Jesus gets up one morning while it is still dark and goes off by himself to pray. And when the four disciples go searching and finally find him they tell him “everyone is looking for you,” presumably because the word has gotten out about the people he has healed the night before.
But instead of allowing the crowds to all gather around him and propelling his ministry forward on this building notoriety for healing, Jesus forgoes all the attention (the book signings the TV coverage, the movie deals) and simply replies, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.”
And two things are resoundingly clear. 1.) He has gone to his Heavenly Father in prayer and will now trust him COMPLETELY with the results of his ministry – knowing that God is with him and has heard his prayers he will now “let the heavenly chips fall where they may.” Even the ones that appear to be landing in some strange places. Secondly, he will clearly accept and do whatever it takes to follow the road that God has put before him – regardless of what his followers or anyone else says. Even unto worldly criticism and mockery. Even unto death upon a cross.
And so, we too have been called by our savior to “proclaim the message.” From the rooftops (yes) and via books, TV’s and movie deals, I suppose – if that’s how we are truly called to do it.
But real Christian witness – where lives are TRULY transformed and brought into right relationship with Him (far more often than not) comes person to person – face to face – in the real everyday moments of life. Where friends, family and sometimes even complete strangers need guidance or healing – or maybe just a fitting word that affirms – or a halting but honest prayer whispered. Or maybe just someone who will sit with them in the depth of their silence when there is simply nothing else to be done.
So go into those places and moments, whenever and wherever you are called – and go with the boldness and faith and unwavering confidence that is born of trusting all that God has promised “from the very foundations of the earth.” That all we do in faithful response to His grace and mercy will return unto Him – bearing the fruits of His divine purposes.
Isn’t it just the most amazing thing?! That we, who are so small and so insignificant before almighty God and the whole of creation, can through HIS mercy, love, forgiveness and grace – do anything and everything through Him?!
Thanks BE to God!
– Stuart Revercomb
