Sunday, August 25, 2024

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah 29:11-19
Psalm 14
Ephesians 5:22-33
Mark 7:1-13

Yahweh looked down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who understood, who sought after God.

We cannot imagine what it was like to face the suffering and persecution that the early Christians experienced. Our lifestyle is not always accepted by Western society, we are sometimes called “weird” or said to follow fairytales, we do not generally experience the fear of death for our faith. That is not true for Christians in places like China or the Middle East, where martyrs are still made every day. It is estimated that worldwide 13 Christians are killed a day, with millions experiencing high levels of persecution and discrimination.

Many people are suffering physical, spiritual, and emotional tragedy as the country of Sudan has been experiencing drought, famine, and civil war for several years, especially the Christian minority. Islamic government troops are invading villages throughout Sudan. The motivation is racial and religious hatred. These troops are murdering the people, raping the women, and putting those who survive into slavery. Those who enslaved are being starved to death with food that is not fit for human consumption. This is part of an Islamic jihad, a holy war, to expand the territory of the Islamic faith. Some Christians have even been crucified. The horrors in Sudan are beyond our comprehension, but we cannot ignore the truth of this world. Following Jesus can mean death because the world rejects His message and His salvation.

Though Christians in America or other western nations do not suffer the persecution of the early Christians, we need to know that there are Christians who do. We need to stand with them in prayer and do everything within our power to help these people to be freed from the slavery, poverty, and death. A group of children put their money where their hearts were a few years ago. They wept after hearing the plight of the people of Sudan, and collected funds from their allowances, fund-raisers, and yard sales. They held a letter writing campaign to seek the help of government leaders and celebrities. In just seventeen months, they collected $50,000 to free a thousand slaves. This happened more than twenty years ago, but the struggles continue today. Unfortunately, we have forgotten those who suffer and ignore their needs. It is easy to forget. After all, we have our own problems, right?

I read a book by a woman who was a child in Germany during World War II. She wrote a book about her experiences, which looks at what happened from the point of view of a non-religious Protestant family. Her descriptions of life in her early years sounded pretty normal, with birthdays and family, school and everyday activities. As time passed and she grew older, the world around her began to change in ways she did not like. Her family did not support Hitler, although they had to make concessions to the world that was developing around them, just like their neighbors. She became less and less comfortable with what was happening as she matured, not only because the changes were inconvenient but because they simply were not right.

Still, we wonder what their suffering has to do with our lives.

The girl knew the history of the First World War, and the thought of a second frightened her. She wasn’t interested in being involved with the organizations that rose around Hitler’s regime, but it became increasingly difficult to avoid it. She had teachers who devoutly taught the propaganda. It was everywhere: in the newspapers, on the radio, and on the newsreels at the movie theater. She experienced the growing apprehension that came with ration cards and rules that didn’t make any sense. While her thoughts and fears did not come from a strong and active faith, something within her knew that what was happening was not as God meant the world to be.

We often hear that Christianity, and quite frankly Lutheranism, should be blamed for what happened during the early part of the twentieth century in and around Germany. While it is true that Luther wrote negatively about the Jews late in his life, the use of his works by the Hitler regime was purely convenience, not conviction. No one who can murder millions of people is Christian. Hitler did not just target the Jews. He also killed the disabled, the sick, the old, the blacks, the homosexuals, the gypsies, the communists, and others who did not support him, including Christians who stood firm on what was right and good according to God’s Word. Hitler may have claimed to be a Christian, but he did not live the Christian life. He claimed faith by tongue, but not by action. Unfortunately, the same could be said about many other Christians around the world even today.

How could it have happened. How did all those Germans allow the horror of the Hitler regime become the norm? I think this is why I was so interested in the perspective of this woman’s book. We know the stories of Bonhoeffer and others involved in the conspiracy to stop Hitler. We know about Schindler and his list. We know about the Jews who escaped and those who survived; we know the stories of those who died from the testimonies of those who did not. But we rarely see how life unfolded for the average German.

We wonder why they didn’t do something, but this makes us ask the question whether we are willing to fight a culture that is determined to make us conform. Why aren’t more people standing up for what we believe, like men such as Bonhoeffer? The woman’s story shows how subtly it happened. One day everything was normal, then one small thing after another changed until it became obvious that the culture was going down an irreversible path. Then it was too late, and none of those Germans felt there was anything they could do. I consider myself faithful and faith-filled, and yet I know that I am about as powerful as those average Germans.

They didn’t even try in the beginning because each change was presented in a way that made it seem like a good thing for Germany and her people. There was no harm to enlisting the children into organizations; as a matter of fact, it helped build them into better citizens! It was probably a good thing to limit the ability to bear children for those with deformities, for the sake of the child as well as the nation. The communists were bad, very bad, so they probably deserved to die. “We need the resources found in those territories and thank goodness someone is willing to stand up for Germany against the world that wants to keep us down!” It became uncomfortable when they were directly affected, like when there were food shortages, but they were still willing to sacrifice for their homeland. Besides, isn’t this exactly why we need to take back the land that was stolen from us in the previous war?

There is no exact comparison between then and now, especially since people on every side try to paint their “enemy” as the villain Hitler. Hitler had a broad range of ideologies that cross the boundaries that divide us today, making it impossible to truly label him as “one of them” or “one of us.” I read about some of his programs and ideas and think, “That’s what ‘they’ are trying to do,” but then read others and think, “My guy could have said that.” We have to be careful about how we deal with our own interpretation of what happened then and what is happening now. It was a different time, and even the language and definitions are different than the understanding a hundred years ago.

The starting point of living as a Christian in this world is to look deeply into our own hearts. Isaiah wrote, “The Lord said, ‘Because this people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught; therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden.’” Do we say, ‘Lord, Lord’ with our mouths but live lives conformed to the world around us? Sometimes we try to conform our lives of faith to ideology that is a benefit to our lives rather than the Word of God. conform to the way we think is best, benefiting ourselves rather than living according to God’s Word?

That’s what was happening with the Pharisees in today’s Gospel lesson. They questioned Jesus about the way the disciples did not wash their hands according to the traditions of the elders. We all know that hand washing is a good thing. Thanks to people like Florence Nightingale, we have learned that it helps stop the spread of disease. They might not have fully understood the reason that hand washing works, but they saw a correlation that seemed to make a difference, so they made it a rule of faithful living.

Jesus answered their question with the quote from Isaiah, telling the Pharisees that they are more interested in the laws of men rather than the Law of God. Then he pointed out their hypocrisy. He said, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban , that is to say, given to God”;’ then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this.”

The idea of Corban seems good because it appears that they are committing their resources to God. However, the idea of Corban is to be much more loosely understood. See, they were committing the resources to God as a promise, but they continued to hold onto the money for their own use while they were living. They used the man-made law of promise as an excuse to not share their wealth with their parents in need while acting as if they were being faithful to God’s Law. Their legalistic attention to the laws they prescribed had nothing to do with faith in their God. It was a way of grasping power while rejecting and ignoring God’s grace.

God doesn’t need our promises. He blesses us to be a blessing. God wants us to use our extra resources to help others in need; who better to help than those who bore and raised us? Corban, a promise of money, does nothing to glorify God, but obeying the Law of honoring our mothers and fathers will also honor the God who is our Creator and Redeemer Father.

It is not easy to be a Christian in this world, and sometimes it is dangerous as people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Christians in Sudan have learned. We struggle with God’s Word because we have been taught ideas that sound good like those Germans, and we believe them until it is almost too late. The truth tugs at our hearts, but then we wonder if there’s anything we can even do to make a difference.

Obeying God is a difficult thing. He has extraordinary expectations for our lives. The world would have us follow our own path and do what we think is best. They promote self-righteousness and encourage conforming to what they think is good and right and true. God expects us to be humble and to rely on Him. The world looks at outer appearances; God sees our hearts. Isaiah was writing to the self-righteous of Israel whose hearts were not humble before God though they appeared to be doing everything right.

Foolishness is sometimes very obvious. It is not kind to say, but there are some people who are just fools. They do not have any common sense; they do not use their brains. There was a story about a man who decided to rob a home. He managed to get many valuable items out of the house, but as he was leaving he noticed an expensive bottle of wine open on the counter, which he decided to drink. Unfortunately for him, the family used the wine bottle to store their vinegar, and it made him very sick. He called 911.

Several Boeing employees decided to steal a life raft from a 747. They succeeded, until they took the raft on to the river. Shortly after beginning their ride, a rescue helicopter responding to the distress signal that was set off when they inflated the raft approached them. Another would be robber entered a liquor store and asked for all the cash in the drawer. He then decided to demand a bottle of scotch. The attendant refused, telling him that he did not look old enough for alcohol. The robber insisted he was, pulled out his driver s license. The cashier looked it over and agreed the man was old enough. As soon as the criminal left, the cashier called the police and reported the robbery, giving the man s name and address to the police. A guy tried to rob a liquor store by using a cinder block to break the window. Unfortunately, the pane was not glass, but was Plexiglas, so the block bounced right back and knocked him out when it hit him on the head. The entire scene was caught on videotape.

Most of us aren’t trying to steal, rob, or cheat people, but we all manage to do stupid things. We have moments of foolishness, perhaps bad enough to end up on the Idiot of the Year list, but there is one bit of foolishness that is greater than these funny stories, but there is no humor to it at all.

The criminals in these stories were caught because of their foolishness and they suffered the consequences. The foolishness of rejecting God has far more permanent consequences. We may appear to be good people, however when we conform to the world, our good works are no better that our foolish ones because we do not honor God. When we trust in God and obey His Word, even when we have to go against the expectations of the world, we will honor Him and experience a life filled with love, peace, and joy. God is our refuge and our strength.

There is a show that looks at theories about ancient aliens. According to their experts, there is nothing that can’t be credited to alien astronauts. I have laughed at their interpretations of art or explanations about incredible human accomplishments. I even laugh at their claims that angelic or spiritual appearances were actually from aliens. I cannot laugh at their claim that there is no such thing as a god, but that the gods were our misinterpretation of the ancient aliens that came to create and develop our world. One of the experts explained that we have religious beliefs because we are not intellectual enough to accept their “truth” that ancient made us what we are. Those of us with faith in God are stupid, foolish ones.

An archeologist who is known for his work in the field, although his work was always a challenge to the theories. He called the theories ridiculous in an interview. His interest began as a teenager when he had a conversation with a hairstylist who asked what he thought of a theory that aliens built the pyramids. He had not heard that theory and thought she must be mistaken. This happened about the time with Erich von Daniken’s book “The Chariots of the Gods” was very popular. He soon heard the theory again and realized that the hairdresser was referring to the theories in the book. He has spent his life refuting those claims.

He told the interviewers that he was asked to be an expert on a show about aliens. They didn’t realize that he would not conform to their ideas. Since he is associated with the topic, they assumed he must be a believer. He told them that he’d be happy to be on their show but that he would always be honest about his opinion, which is that he thinks the theories are execrable bull****. He never heard from them again. The Ancient Astronaut Society sent him a pile of information and an invitation to join the experts at a meeting.

The experts that appear on those shows seem to believe what they are saying, but I wonder if they believe it as pseudoscientists or if they believe it because the theories have lined their pockets. Does the narrator on those shows believe what he is scripted to say, or does he shake his head in disbelief and silently laugh when he says, “Ancient astronaut theorists believe...”

The experts on the shows have rejected the truth that is God our Creator. The rejection is obvious by their words, but it is less obvious to see the lack of faith of our neighbors. Some people, like atheists, speak blatantly about their denial. Others suggest that even if there ever was a god, then he is dead. Sadly, there are many in our world who claim to believe in God, but have replaced Him with their own interpretation or expectation of Him. We all have our own “gods” that we put ahead of the one true and living God of the scriptures. It is easier than we expect to conform to the ways the world defines Him, never realizing that they have twisted the reality of God. As the psalmist says, “They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, no, not one.” We are part of that “all”; we are sinners in need of a Savior. We ignore or forget our responsibility to stand firm on God’s Word, especially when the culture around us slowly transforms in ways that seem good, but ultimately dishonor God.

Paul referenced today’s Psalm in Romans 3, reminding us that we have all turned away. Thankfully God knows His people. We are saved by His grace; we are made righteous by faith in Jesus Christ. All have sinned and fallen short, but through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus we are justified by His grace. Without God we would all be fools, without God’s grace we would all reject Him. Through Jesus Christ, we are invited to believe in the God who is our Creator and Redeemer, even when the world thinks our faith is weird or reject the saving grace of Jesus as a fairytale.

The world calls us fools, especially when they read texts like today’s Epistle from Ephesians. The language even makes us uncomfortable. Many modern wives scoff at the suggestion that they should be subject to their husbands, or that they should fear him. These words seem foolish because we read them as if women are expected to be doormats, held by the power of someone deemed “greater.”

That’s not what Paul intended at all, as we can see in the context of the passage. Marriage is a complimentary relationship; both partners providing something to make the two become one. A woman is free based on God’s grace to be what God created her to be, to live in the relationship with her husband who is called to be like Christ to her.

Who has the harder task? Is it the wife who submits to the husband, or the husband who must be Christ-like and love his wife more than his own life?

Of course, there have been people who have claimed faith in Christ who have used passages like this to force compliance to a misplaced understanding of the relationship between husband and wife. It is no wonder that we cringe when we hear these words. Women have been abused throughout history, acts that were justified because these words have been interpreted that a man has that right according to the “biblical standard.” Like the question of Corban and caring for parents, those who interpret this text in this manner are ignoring the command that the husband is to treat his wife with a sacrificial love, to nourish her, and to treasure her as if her body was his own. He is to be Christ-like and the man who abuses a woman, especially his wife, is not being like Christ. He must be willing to give even his life for her sake.

Just as honoring one’s mother and father honors God, so does the marriage covenant stand as a witness to the relationship between Christ and His Church. The Father loves the Son, Jesus Christ. The Son loves the Church. In response to the love, the Son submits to the Father and the Church submits to the Son. The love provides, the submission accepts. In love and submission, the two become one body, in both marriage and in Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His very life for our freedom from sin. We know that we will face persecution because of our faith. Though we may not personally be able to save the world, we must stand firm in our faith and walk boldly in the truth of Christ. The Lord God Almighty is your refuge, no matter what the world says or does against you. What are you going to do today?

I wish I could say without a doubt that I would stand firmly like Bonhoeffer and not conform to the world as it changes around me. I can’t. As a matter of fact, I am certain that I am more like that woman who conformed to the culture in Germany in the days leading to World War II. I am certain that I stand in the ranks of those who may find it is too late to make a difference when our culture goes in the wrong direction because I am a failing, sinful human being. I fear the wrong things, I seek my own benefit. I follow man-made laws because they sound much better than the ones that God has given to us. I can’t count on myself, but I can count on the God who has promised to forgive me.

The words from Isaiah sound hopeless, but there is hope. God can overcome our faithlessness. God can and does provide for us, even in our failure. God has set us free by the blood of Christ, and while we are imperfect as we live in that freedom, He will also save us from ourselves. We are called seek God so that we understand and obey, responding to God’s saving grace with fear and trembling. We may even see God turn our faithlessness into something good for His kingdom. In the end we will know true joy in the relationship He has made between Jesus Christ and His bride, the Church, between Jesus and you and me. We will fully know and experience that joy as we dwell in the Word of God rather than follow the traditions of men.