October 10, 2004 |
See also: [2007] [2001] |
Contributed by Rick Marshall
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Psalm 66:1-12 or Psalm 111
2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Luke 17:11-19
Three of the assigned texts for this week (Jeremiah, 2 Kings and Luke)
focus on the important biblical theme of the permeable boundaries
between those who are considered insiders and those who are considered
outsiders regarding God’s
grace. Against those who would like to maintain strict separations and
divisions between people based on economics, ethnic identity, social
position, religious commitments, God’s involvement in the world is not
simply focused on the socially acceptable
people, but on all people. This theme calls to mind other texts,
especially those of the Apostle Paul’s
that clearly state that before God there is neither Jew nor Gentile,
slave nor free, male nor female...and the list of divisions could go on:
straight
nor gay, Democrat nor Republican, rich nor poor, Christian nor Muslim.
The 2 Kings text makes this point (along with several other points as
well) Naaman is obviously not a Jew; he is a Gentile and one from
the enemy camp, a commander of the Army, no less, in the court of the
king of Syria, and well regarded by the king. The list of
disqualifications (to separatists) piles up. It’s
difficult to imagine a person lesser qualified to experience God’s
attention. “But” (and this is a great narrative
turn)--the word “but”
spins the story into a different direction. But Naaman has leprosy, a
liability even in the eyes of his supporters. The story continues with a
rumor (from a slave) that there is a prophet in Israel that can cure
even this problem
The Syrian King sends a letter, along with may gifts, to the King
of Israel vouching for the commander and asking that the King of Israel
cure him. But the King of Israel is shocked to be asked to cure someone
of a disease and thinks it’s
a set up, a pretext
for a fight. He rips his clothes in exasperation: he can’
t heal. “Who does this King think I am?” Elisha, the prophet, gets
wind of this situation and sends word for Naaman to come to him. Elisha,
without seeing him, instructs Naaman to wash in the
Jordan river
seven times, with an air of vagueness that gets under the famous Naaman’s
skin. Naaman was expecting more personal and dramatic treatment, some
direct display of divine power on his behalf. After all, he’s a
commander of a superpower army
and knows how power works. Elisha simply does not meet with Naaman’s
expectations of either a prophet or of God. The Commander’s servants
implore him to take the prophet’s remedy. He does and is healed and
makes the parting claim: ”I know there is no God
in all the earth but in
Israel
” v15.
It’s fair to say that Naaman learned a lesson about the nature of
God’s healing power--and the reader, too, learns the same lesson and
more. The reader (presumably Jewish and now Christian, too) learns that
God’s healing
power recognizes no boundaries. It extends even to such a person as
Naaman. The reader also learns something about the nature of God’s
power--Naaman expected courtly, regal power to intervene on his behalf.
But his healing came by way of a different
kind of power, a power he disregarded. But what kind of power is this?
That’s
the question he carried with him back to
Syria
, and we, the reader, carry away with us What is the nature of
God’s power? It’s not coercive, but persuasive, a prime process
category. It’s
not controlling or manipulative or forced, but is freely given out of a
divine desire toward well being for all. It would be easy to extrapolate
these narrative dynamics to our own current political context.
The
Jeremiah text is addressed
to those who are in exile in
Babylon
. Again, the problem of divine power is lurking in the narrative
background. “How
did the divine power fail to protect us from being over run by the
Babylonian’s? And now, here we are, captive in a strange land without
hope.”
The point being, do well where you find yourself. The logic of the point
is simple: your welfare depends upon the welfare of the city. It
is easy once again to extrapolate these narrative dynamics to our own
situation of feeling stranded
in a strange land (life). No matter who we are or where we live, we are
dependent upon one another for well being. Even go so far as to pray for
the city in which you live.
The Luke story has a foreigner coming back to Jesus to give thanks for
being healed. The one, along with nine others, asked Jesus to heal him
and he did. They followed his instructions to show themselves to the
priests to confirm the healing, and hence be restored to the
community. “Was
no one found to return and give praise to God
except this foreigner?”
vs 18.
Preaching
the texts:
All
three texts highlight different aspects of God’s grace extending to
“foreigners.” We live in such polarized times with many
conservatives and liberals, Democrats and Republicans, etc. claiming divine
support for their perspective or cause. We are often offended that God’s
grace might extend to someone we don’t like or someone we disagree
with or don’t respect. That someone might even be an enemy and wish to
harm us. The sermon could focus on the
nature of God’s
grace and how it goes beyond the boundaries we set around ourselves and
others. Furthermore, my welfare depends upon the welfare of others. We
are all God’s children.
For
myself, I would start with the Naaman story as the main part of the
sermon, and just tell this powerful story, drawing out the relevant
points along the way. Then I would bring in the Jeremiah text and the
Luke text to further extend the basic points of the 2 Kings text.
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