Sermon, Epiphany +4

  There's a beautiful, subtle theme throughout the scriptures today. It focuses on being amazed - astounded - surprised. By God.

Deuteronomy promises an unlikely prophet is going to rise, not from somewhere else, but from within the community. This is NOT what the Israelites are expecting, in several ways.

First, it's Moses talking - he who has spoken with God - so they already considered him kind of the be-all and end-all of humanity. For Moses to speak of someone else, someone with greater authority would have been shocking.

And he's also saying that this greatness will come from within the community: not some outsider coming to rescue the oppressed Israelites, but one "from among your own people" - this meant that someone that had been known - maybe the person who had been a brat as a child, or the neighbour who always took more than their share at shared meals, or the person who skipped worship - one of the everyday common neighbour folks would be the prophet, to speak the word of God, promising salvation to all. Shocking.

And even moreso: the demand of unwavering obedience was not popular - nor is it easy. God tells them that they need to stop listening to, and speaking of, the many other deities clamoring for popularity - on pain of death. And that anyone who would presume to speak on God's behalf, without God's permission, would also face the same consequence. Prophets - and everyone wanted to be one - well, true prophets had a very narrow path to follow. And this was shocking.

The Psalmist carries on the theme that our connection to God is through praise and thanksgiving and giving glory to God and God alone! It's not about traditions or "we've always done it that way" but about loving one another - with a love that is so profound, so deep, so careless, so open, that it is shocking. It is a love that comes from knowing, and being known by God who is the definition of love. It's a lesson for all ages, to put aside differences and be shocked by love: the deep respect of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. AMAZING!

So let's jump to Paul's letter to Corinth. He's really not one to mince words: knowledge 'puffs' up but love builds up. Sounds great, to our ears; but we must remember that this was revolutionary to the folks first hearing this. Knowledge was power, and authority, and prestige - it was a commodity intended only for the elite. So to speak of it so casually, suggesting that something as commonplace and accessible to everyone as love could connect a person with God! Shocking for the ruling elite to hear that they did not have a monopoly on God; shocking for the normal folks to know that God wasn’t beyond their capacity.

And, having dropped THAT shocker, Paul continues about the law... how it's not about stuff, but about intention. Food was, again, a dividing agent among the people, a nuance that our culture doesn't always understand. The rich ate, and even could afford to eat meat from time to time. The poor - well, basic bread, maybe a few vegetables they had grown themselves. To put on a meal for friends was a symbol of status! To have enough food to feed yourself AND give some choice cuts to the deities? Only the richest of the rich could do that - and they enjoyed pointing that out. It was a way of suggesting that they were close to their gods because of this, and that everyone else was not.

What a shock, then, when Paul says that food is - well, just food. Earthly. Not a currency with which to buy your way into God's inner circle. And to prove that point, he says that he - the self-proclaimed greatest apostle - will give up meat and still be loved by God. Amazing - what the power of God's words can do!

And then the Gospel has some shocking - and exciting! actions of Jesus, as he entered the synagogue. He TAUGHT. Boldly, unashamedly, with confidence. In he went, and taught. Shockingly - no one stopped him. This man, this unknown person, just wanders up to the sanctuary and starts revealing the message of God as revealed in the scriptures.

Not only that, his teachings were authoritative! This was not just a scribe, a literate person, who would read from the scroll - no, this was a man who was divulging the truth of God's love and grace to all the people, through the words on the page. Shocking - and beautiful!

And in the midst of this, in comes a man, clearly distressed, dis-eased, accursed, claiming that this teacher has the power to destroy his demons, and that he is recognised and known on sight as the Holy One of God. To which, Jesus: unfazed, unwilling to cease his teachings - Jesus in one sentence causes the demon to be exorcised and the man to be restored.

At this point, I think 'shocking' is an understatement! No wonder we hear that everyone was amazed, and that they all went out and spread his fame around the area! Miracles, new teachings, an unaccustomed authority. YOWSERS! Life would never be the same for these people -because of their experience of Jesus, their connection with God.

And - In the past 2000 years, Jesus hasn't changed. His message hasn't changed. His teachings haven't changed.


What has changed: is us. We aren't being amazed anymore - not because the Gospel isn't amazing - but because we can take our relationship with God and with the church - for granted. The church is here, so that's good enough. We worship on Sundays, so that's good enough. We say our daily prayers, so that's good enough.

So here's a question to reflect on: when was the last time that God shocked you? When being a person of faith, a Christ-follower, a Christian, demanded more of you than just 'good enough'?

Imagine with me, if you will, what our lives might look like if we were astounded by Jesus every time we heard his words, amazed that because of Jesus, even old teachings were to become new?

And here's the next question to ponder, this one may be more difficult. Why aren't we amazed anymore? What aren't we surprised? Why are we not sharing the good news of the exciting and life-giving truth of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, with all those around us? And more importantly: what will it take within us to re-engage that passion, that excitement, that YOWSERS kind of enthusiasm?

I think that will be part of our spiritual growth: when we can examine our lives and decide that "good enough" isn't good enough. That the teachings of Jesus are important to us, and are worthy of our attention. That the words of God have authority in our thoughts and words and actions. That the power of Christ is so strong in our lives that we believe in the spiritual cleansing that comes from him - and him alone. That the reality of being in relationship with the living and loving God is SO. VERY. AMAZING! that we want to tell others, to invite them to share in this amazement.

God is exciting. Jesus is astounding. That we have been given the gift and grace of relationship with the divine should give us comfort when we are afflicted, should encourage us to reach out when we are able, and should excite us to the point of praising God as often as we are able. We are blessed: we know the shocking truth of God, made known to us through Jesus the Christ. It literally doesn't get any better than this! So let's ensure our lives reflect that Good News to a world that is wanting… waiting… desperate to be amazed.