7th Sunday before Easter JLG Year 2
NUMBERS 15: 32-36 COLOSSIANS 1;18-23 JOHN 8: 2-11
THE SERMON THIS MORNING CARRIES A HEALTH WARNING TO SAY THAT IT IS UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.
(MOSES PRESCRIBES THE DEATH PENALTY FOR THOSE WHO DELIBERATELY BREAK THE SABBATH DAY.)
THE OLD TESTAMENT READING (NUM 15: 32-36) PRESENTS US WITH CONSIDERABLE PROBLEMS. IT’S THE KIND OF PASSAGE WHICH TAKEN ON ITS OWN MIGHT WELL BE USED AGAINST CHRISTIANS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE GOD WHOM WE CLAIM IS A GOD OF LOVE IS SHOWN HERE AS A PETTY VINDICTIVE TYRANT. THE DEATH PENALTY FOR GATHERING STICKS ON THE SABBATH WOULD SEEM TO BE JUST A LITTLE EXTREME FOR 21ST CENTURY TASTE. IF WE EXAMINE THE PASSAGE IN DETAIL WE CAN SEE THAT THE FINAL VERDICT AS DELIVERED BY MOSES WAS CLEARLY GOD’S WILL.
FROM THIS CASE THERE IS A DEFINITE ASSERTION THAT THOSE WHO GATHER STICKS ON SUNDAY DESERVE TO DIE - THE BIBLE SAYS SO AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD. "THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD."
THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS PASSAGE ARE TWOFOLD; IF YOU ENGAGE IN THE MODERN EQUIVALENT OF GATHERING STICKS - FOR EXAMPLE WASHING THE CAR, CUTTING THE GRASS, OR GOING FOR A SWIM IN THE LOCAL POOL THEN YOU’D BETTER WATCH OUT, OR YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF NEXT IN LINE! SECONDLY THE REST OF US HAVE A CLEAR DUTY TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH THOSE WHO BREAK THE SABBATH DAY- STONES WILL BE PROVIDED AS YOU LEAVE!
THIS LINE OF APPROACH MAY APPEAL TO THE PROTESTANT FUNDAMENTALIST WHOSE GOD IS REALLY THAT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT NOT THE NEW, AND WHOSE CHIEF CONCERN IS TO SEE THAT PROPER PUNISHMENTS ARE HANDED OUT RATHER THAN TO CARE FOR THE WELFARE OF THE OFFENDER.
IN ORDER TO IMPOSE DISCIPLINE ON A WHOLE COMMUNITY MOSES SACRIFICED THE LIFE OF ONE UNIMPORTANT PERSON AS AN EXAMPLE TO THE REST. THE JEWS BELIEVED IN THE SOLIDARITY OF THE NATION AND DID NOT SHARE OUR SENSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL. MOSES WAS THE GREAT HERO OF THE DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT. HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS LEADERS IN ISRAEL’S HISTORY AND THE FOUNDING FATHER OF THE JEWISH NATION STATE.
YET HERE WE SEE HIM AS A TOUGH RUTHLESS DICTATOR WHO TOLERATED NO OPPOSITION AND WHO USED THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE LAW AGAINST ONE HAPLESS INDIVIDUAL. WAS MOSES RIGHT TO SAY WHAT HE DID AND TO CLAIM DIVINE AUTHORITY FOR HIS ACTION? PERHAPS THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE LITTLE MAN WHO WAS OUT GATHERING HIS STICKS DIDN’T HAVE A TRADE UNION TO STATE HIS CASE - THAT WOULD HAVE SORTED MOSES OUT.
FOR SOME PEOPLE TO QUESTION THE RULES IS TO BE SEEN TO QUESTION THE AUTHORITY OF GOD AND KING, OF CHURCH AND STATE AND THEREFORE TO PRESENT A THREAT TO THE ORDERED FABRIC OF SOCIETY AS WE KNOW IT. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE RULES NEED TO BE QUESTIONED ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH OF IRELAND WHERE WE HAVE WHAT ARE QUAINTLY DESCRIBED AS "IRISH SOLUTIONS TO IRISH PROBLEMS":DIVORCE, CONTRACEPTION, ABORTION, HOMOSEXUALITY, UNEMPLOYMENT. WE EXPORT THEM TO SOMEONE ELSE’S DOORSTEP. THEN IF WE CLOSE OUR EYES WE CAN PRETEND THAT THEY DON’T EXIST HERE. FOR SOME ENGLAND HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE ANSWER TO IRELAND’S PROBLEMS
THERE ARE THREE READINGS APPOINTED FOR TODAY. THE OLD TESTAMENT TELLS OF ONE WHO DIED UNWILLINGLY FOR HIS OWN SINS. THE EPISTLE IN CONTRAST TELLS HOW WE ARE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD THROUGH FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS SHED ON THE CROSS AS FULL PERFECT AND SUFFICIENT SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF ALL. WHEN WE PUT OUR TRUST IN JESUS WE STOP BEING ENEMIES OF GOD - AND ARE CHANGED INTO HIS FRIENDS.
NOW IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN TREMENDOUS COURAGE FOR SOMEONE TO POINT OUT THAT MOSES MIGHT JUST HAVE GOT IT WRONG: THAT THERE WERE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED THAT WERE MORE IMPORTANT THAN RIGID ADHERENCE TO THE KEEPING OF THE LAW. YET THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT JESUS DID IN THE GOSPEL READING (JOHN 8: 2-11) WHICH IS ABOUT THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF AULTERY.
I WONDER WHAT DID JESUS WRITE ON THE GROUND THAT CAUSED HER ACCUSERS TO BEGIN TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS? (I WOULD SUGGEST PERHAPS THE WORDS GOD IS LOVE). WHATEVER IT WAS WE ARE TOLD THAT THEY WENT AWAY THE ELDEST FIRST - THE STRONGEST ACCUSERS WERE THE FIRST TO LEAVE.
AS WE LISTEN NOW TO THE GOSPEL PASSAGE WE CAN REFLECT ON OUR OWN ATTITUDES TO CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS. HOW MUCH ARE OUR JUDGEMENTS BASED ON THE LAW OF MOSES RATHER THAN THE ACTIONS OF JESUS?
