For the Yahwhist, Elohist,
Deuteronomist, priestly writers and final redactors of the Primary History
(Genesis-Kings) the text of Deuteronomy is the centerpiece. The core of the
book of Deuteronomy is in these words, “The LORD is our God, the LORD alone”
(6:4, NRSV).
Why does the passage revere YHWH as
God alone? The Lord has rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and will
fulfill the promise made to their ancestors; by bringing them into the land of
promise. In the same way, Christ is God alone, having rescued all of humanity
from the bondage of deception’s curse on our will, and has fulfilled the law.
All are given the grace of God’s promise (by way of the cross, in the death,
and resurrection of Jesus Christ) many will receive it, some will reject it,
and the rest is a mystery of God.
“The LORD is our God, the Lord
alone.” Only by the work of God, are the promises of God fulfilled.
In YHWH alone we receive the land
of promise; one of milk and honey (vv.1-3).
YHWH alone, we love; by YHWH
alone, we do all things (vv. 4-9).
YHWH alone, gave us everything,
and YHWH alone we shall not forget (vv. 10-15).
The promise of YHWH alone, we
shall remember, and not challenge (vv. 16-19).
The covenant of YHWH alone is, “our
lasting good” – YHWH alone, we revere –
And, by YHWH alone we are justified
(vv. 20-25).
Lord, you are God alone, “hallowed be your name;” for, you are the LORD
alone. All thanks be to you for the promise you made and kept for the
Israelites. All thanks be to you for the promise you made for us (through the
cross event) that has been fulfilled in death and resurrection. We remain in
the hope of Christ’s resurrection; for, resurrection is our promise, by the
work of the LORD alone. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
In this Lenten season we prepare ourselves for the death and
resurrection of Christ, remembering our sinful nature, and repenting of the
mindset it creates. At the end of Lent we will experience hope through God’s
grace in the cross event. The sin nature is not our focus, but the reality of
God’s grace that redeems sinful humanity.
Today, we look at the laws of holiness and how they play a
part in our Lenten journey. Personally, I hate talking about sin and the law, but
it’s important to know how these things lead us to the grace and mercy of the
Lord.
Prior to today’s pericope,
we have a very controversial passage (Lev. 18) about sexual practice (or sexual
idolatry theories, but that’s another conversation). The following chapter
(Lev. 20) is a similar account. Amidst all this talk about the Canaanite god
Molech, idolatry, and more sex than I know what to do with we have our passage
concerning neighbors.
The Lord wants the people of God to be just and merciful to
the people around us: sharing with the poor (vv. 9-10), honest in our business
(vv. 11-14), balanced in our justice (vv. 15-16), reasoning, and loving to our
neighbor (17-18). For the Israelites, this meant showing mercy to their
persecutors, which may have been different than they were treated. This was
true for Israelites dealing with Canaanite idolatry and for those in Babylonian
captivity. This is true for us.
As we sacrifice things through temporary fasts, remembering
the real sacrifice of Christ, may we recall the scriptures and know that it’sall about God – the work God has done and continues to do – and deception’scurse (that bonded our will to sin) has been met with the mercy of a just
Lord.
Lord, God, you sent
your son to atone for the fact that we are sinners, but the fact that we are
sinners pales in comparison to the just mercy of your grace; you are the Lord our
God. May your grace do what the law and our piety fails to do and point our
eyes to your cross. May the words of the scriptures be a reminder that you are
God and only through your work of the cross are we justified. In the name of
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
In yesterday’s reading, we remembered
that it’s all about God and today we look at the metanarrative of
creation’s fall away from God. God creates the heavens and the earth (Ch. 1-2).
After the humans are banished from the Garden of Eden, we have the story of
Cain and Able. The story of Creation and Fall portray the beginning of all
life, all brokenness, and the journey through history that would lead to the
cross event (death and resurrection).
All people share in the consequence
of Original Sin and the condition that bonds us to death and separation from
God; this is what makes redemption necessary. How did this come to be our
reality? In the second creation account (Gen. 2:5-25) we are told that eating
from the tree of knowledge (both good and evil) cuts us off from the tree of
life (2:17). Genesis 3 illustrates the tale of how we became sinners (3:1-7).
The cunning serpent stands in
contrast to naked innocence (Robert Alter, Genesis).
The snake deceives the woman and the man does not try to resist. They are lured
into a lust for knowledge (both good and evil). Once the snake successfully
deceives the humans, they hide from the LORD God (3:7-10). God’s response, “Who
told you that you were naked” (3:11) reveals some intriguing possibilities for
the Genesis metanarrative.
Looking at the story of Genesis
3:1-24, from the perspective of Yahwist writers and redactors, during the Babylonian
Exile (587 BCE) it’s not hard to see the serpent as parallel to the sea dragon Tiamat of the Ancient Babylonian
creation story the Enuma Elish
(Simpson, IBC). What makes this parallel
important? The Primeval and Primary History (Genesis-2 Chronicles) repeatedly
displays the challenge of remaining devoted to Yahweh in a henotheistic culture. The deception of the snake conceives
sin: which brings forth blame, hardship, subordination of women, deviation, and
separation from God (3:12-24). This was not God’s desire for us.
Original Sin causes individual
sins, making it a greater alienation between us and God. In our innocence,
humanity was once free and had an equal share in everlasting life. Now that we
have been infected by Original Sin, our will is bonded and we have equality in
being sinners. Humanity was not meant to have the knowledge of good and evil,
like God (3:22-23). Therefore, the deception of our sin condition is what
separates us from God and only God can restore the connection to life that Original
Sin has broken.
Lord, God, “for dust [we] are and to dust shall [we] return.” “Forgive
us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Lord, you are
God and we are broken people because we were deceived to think otherwise. May
we kneel at your cross and repent and may the work of Christ reconcile us
through the grace of a loving God. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. Amen.
As we begin this Lenten journey
with God incarnate – in life, death, and resurrection – I humbly invite you to
join me in these devotional readings.
Our text today is really all
about God and the teachings of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount. Immediately
preceding our pericope, Jesus has told his audience to love their enemies and
to pray for them. Following the selected text, Jesus instructs people not to
judge because we will be judged in the same light. In the first section of today’s
text, the Lord warns against public piety (actively expressing one’s devotion
to God through deed and practice) saying that pious actions are not to be done
for show (I sincerely hope this devotional doesn’t fit such a description).
In giving and in prayer (vv. 1-6)
we’re told not to show off what we do for God or that will be the extent of our
reward. Throughout the discourse (Mt. 5:1-7:28) we are given instructions of orthopraxy
(correct practice) and the same is true for this pericope.
In turn, we are taught to pray
the Lord’s Prayer. We pray to “Our Father in heaven,” the generator of all
things; whose name is pure, “hallowed be your name.” We are to pray with reverence and humility
because our prayers, our giving, our possessions, our daily needs, and our
fasting (which is important to Lent) are all about God. Jesus’ teaching in this
discourse is really all about God: how we serve God, how we pray to God, how we
treat people in the name of God, and how we respond to the work of God.
Lord, God, thank you for your word and this difficult teaching that
really says control is not ours to have because you have originated all things.
Thank you for the fact that your grace is what saves us, through the cross. May
we be ever humbled by this passage and remember that our hope is in you and not
in the showiness of our deeds or piety. Thanks be to God, The message of the scriptures
continue to transcend culture and remain relevant in this world,. We pray in
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Last year, Lent brought the
inception of The Dialect of Praxis;
this year, the blog will host a Lenten Devotional series, beginning Ash
Wednesday (February 22, 2012) and ending Easter Sunday (April 8, 2012). Posts
will occur daily by 10AM EST. There are two ways to follow the series: “Join
the conversation by email” (on the right side of the blog) or access it via the
link to this introduction found on Facebook, which will contain a link to each
daily post (email subscriptions will be easier).
It’s been a quiet month for The Dialect of Praxis, but many thoughts
have been brewing, and it’s about to get a little louder. Among the percolating
questions, who are role models, why do so many Christians misunderstand mental
illness, and Sanctification; what happens after Justification? Today’s post, “What
type of role model are you; The False Dichotomy of Role Models” (we’ll get to
the other questions another day).
Everybody is a role model. But, not
everyone is the same type of role model and maybe some people shouldn’t be
afforded the title. Everyone’s a role model, but not everyone wants the job.
“I'm not a role model... Just because I dunk a
basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids” (Charles Barkley).
“I would like to be called an
inspiration to people, not a role model - because I make mistakes like
everybody else. When I'm offstage, I'm just like everybody else” (Britney
Spears).
“I’m not a “Role Model,” I don’t
wanna babysit kids…” (Eminem).
The previously quoted celebrities
claim they are not role models and I feel sorry for them. Few people choose or
feel called to be rolemodels, but it’s
not that simple. It used to be, parents, teachers, ministers, and prominent
public figures that were bestowed the title of role model. Thanks, in large
part, to the internet, no one is exempt from the title. If you come into
contact with other human beings, you are a role model, but what type of role
model are you?
To be a role model is an arduous task
and all have been designated with the job, but not all share the same
responsibility. NBA super-stars, like Barkley, may be an example to kids and/or
admirers, but their examples may not be what parents want for their kids; that’s
why celebrities and public figures are generic-role-models.
The difference between celebs, parents, and people like me, job description
defines what kind of role model responsibilities come with the position.
Public figures, like celebrities,
teachers, and ministers have two things in common: first, they are not primary-role-models; second, if they don’t want to be criticized for their
influence they’re in for a bumpy ride. Hence, this is where I let celebrities
off the responsibility train. Their example (intended or otherwise) is one of a
generic-role-model and their job
description is only the technical definition of “role model.”
Teachers and ministers make a
decision or fill a calling; as a result, they are secondary-role-models. A secondary-role-model has more
responsibility than celebrities (who are generic-role-models).
Teachers and ministers were hired (professionally and voluntarily) to fill an,
intentionally, influential position. As secondary-role-models,
they will receive more critical reviews. As a Ministry Worker (and a human
being) I don’t enjoy heavy criticisms of what I say or do, but it comes with
the job description. Thus, the difference for secondary-role-models (like me) and generic-role-models (like celebrities and public figures) is we
have a greater responsibility to respond to our critics. This reality does not give
us primary responsibility.
Parents are the primary-role-models. It is a parent’s
job description to raise their children in the ways they think best and they
have the most responsibility for the behavior they want their children to
emulate. If parents want their kids to be educated, it is on them to foster
good work habits and environments, it is up to them to work with teachers, and
it is up to them to be the primary
example of learning for their children. If a parent wants their child to have
lifelong faith discipleship, then a parent has to model the example of faith
that they hope their children will live out. As a Youth Minister, I will teach
young people the scriptures and foster orthodoxy to the best of my abilities,
and encourage orthopraxy, but the job of faith discipleship starts with the
parent.
Bottom line, all people are rolemodels, but parents are primary-role-models, educators and
ministers are secondary-role-models,
and celebrities and public figures are generic-role-models.
No one is exempt (thank you Social Media, Internet, and human communication).
All aforementioned role models fail and God’s grace is sufficient. Jesus, the
Role Model of Role Models, died for all of us role models (called humans) out
of grace for our imperfect modeling; may we look to the cross in humility, as
none of us has been afforded our positions as role models, without the work of
God.
