by Rev. Dr John Evans
Sermon for the 27th week of Pentecost, 9 Nov. 2008
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Matthew 25:1-13
What an amazing, historic week. A week which we all will remember: the election of the first African-American President of the United States. But more than that – a person who, with soaring rhetoric and yet measured delivery has brought a vision of hope and change to the world.
I sat glued to the television on Wednesday afternoon and was left mesmerised, and at times mildly choked up, as I listened to his victory speech. What was your reaction? How did you feel?
So, what is going on here?
I think first of all, we all know, even your average American knows, that the world situation is grim. We have an environmental disaster on our hands – global warming and the squandering of scarce resources like water and oil are real; we have an international financial crisis of an unprecedented nature – let alone the devastation this will bring on the poorest on this planet – and these really are only this year’s problems. What about wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the so-called war on terror and interfaith relations – and so it goes on.
Barack Obama presented a simple message of the need for change and hope – for all. Indeed I think it was the Christian message of death, and resurrection.
He sought, I believe, to avoid the usual route to the White House of playing to prejudice, fear and insecurity and thus cobble together a sufficient base of supporters. He wished to be far more expansive – and see principles and long-term goals as being far more important. So, as he said, it should not be because the US is the most powerful, militarily the strongest and the wealthiest nation on this planet that it commands respect – but because it lives out its ideals of freedom, equality and justice.
However, something lurks within our minds, even colours our hearts, or is our worst fear – can there actually be change? Does he really have the policies? Will we be here in four years time – bitterly disappointed, and feeling that the great opportunity for change was squandered and wasted?
You know, and I think he knows, mighty ideals, great hopes require more – otherwise they become but empty words.
In a sense that is the theme of this sermon today – what is that ‘more’, that is required? Or is it just a dream? How does a political hope become a reality, how does a personal hope become a reality – how does that hope of the gospel for a full and transformed life, become a reality?
In our readings today we have on the one hand a national story – a bit like what has happened this week; and on the other, in the difficult and perplexing story of the ten bridesmaids, a personal story. In both there are clues for us; for Barack Obama and for our own nation and our own life together as the Church of All Nations, as to how dreams and visions may come to pass.
The Old Testament lesson concerns the renewing of the covenant, just prior to the death of Joshua, and the beginning a new phase in the national life of the Children of Israel. When we last read this story, Moses had led the Children of Israel through the wilderness for 40 years. There had been many twists and turns in this saga, but we last saw them with their new leader, Joshua, crossing over the Jordan into this new land, this land flowing with milk and honey. Here, at last, was the promised land. Here was the vision of the future, the hope they had had come to pass. This was the promise that Yahweh had undertaken to keep with Abraham and his descendents all those centuries before.
The transition, however, into that land had not been smooth sailing – it was bloody, violent and to Christian sensibilities, quite troubling. The local indigenous people had been turfed out. So there were such memorable incidents like the battle of Jericho, and the bloodthirsty capture of Ai. However, all of these battles had now more or less passed – the children of Israel and its various tribes occupied the land; they had overcome all of those other nations and groupings – all the various “ites”’ – like the Amorites, and had become a settled community. Joshua gathers the people, and their leaders. He recounts their story – or it really was Yahweh’s story – and seeks their commitment, as they are to begin a new phase of their life together.
Joshua says:
Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt and serve Lord.
Joshua sees there is a choice. “Choose this day whom you will serve,” he says. This
God-given vision of a new life, a new nation, a new land requires commitment to that vision; it requires commitment to God.
Again the people chose to serve Yahweh. “No they would not go after foreign gods, we will serve the Lord!” Or, “Yes we can”. There at Shechem, in a new, perhaps uncertain phase of their national life, they chose to renew the covenant that their forebears had made. They pledged their loyalty to Yahweh.
Here is the first aspect of how a vision for the future may happen – not only is leadership required, like that which Barack Obama offers – but it requires commitment of all to that vision and hope. I thought it was interesting, perhaps more than that, essential, in the acceptance speech – that he endeavoured to play down the cult of the celebrity and indicate that all of us – and I think he was speaking to the world at this point – will need to be committed to a new vision, to hope for a new society and strive for a different world. He, the leader, could not do it all. Poignantly, he was not the Messiah.
Now it is true, in Christ we do see the pivotal, crucial role being played by one individual – by his death, and significantly his resurrection, we see a new relationship forged with God. And ever since people, lone individuals, have claimed themselves or others have done it for them, to be a new Messiah. This person is the one who can save us, it is said. In other contexts we call it the cult of celebrity. We expect this leader to do it all for us. Indeed I sometimes wonder that all contemporary talk about the need for leadership, is really us all projecting a desire that there can arise a new messiah, a new super-hero, who with the click of the fingers, can solve all our problems and woes . . . and we do not have to do a thing.
Obama said, don’t treat me like that – we all need to bear the cost. Likewise Joshua sought a commitment from all the people, from the leaders of the tribes to the very least, to Yahweh, the covenant and this vision for the future. There will be no change if the world, we, you and I, are not prepared to be committed to change, a new world, and bear our appropriate burden, pay our fair share – be committed.
I have spoken before of my great disappointment in my generation – the baby boomers. We have had vast potential, amazing opportunities, but we have managed only to be concerned about self and not have had a shared vision for all and for future generations. I have increasingly come to admire my parents’ generation – those who saw the ravages of the Great Depression and the horrors of a war against monumental tyranny, who for all their stodginess and almost puritanical lives were together committed for a better world. Remember those amazing visions they had with the establishment of the United Nations, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the World Council of Churches and even the Uniting Church in Australia.
We all need to be committed to a vision of a better world. Sadly, the Children of Israel’s commitment to Yahweh and the covenant did not last. It is however, needed if a vision is going to be achieved.
From the story of the 10 bridesmaids – the so called five foolish and five wise ones, we get another message. Simply – at all times, we must be ready.
Commentators rightly see considerable complexity with this famous story which only is recorded in Matthew’s gospel. Oil available at midnight? Why is the bridegroom and not the bride relating with bridesmaids? Why didn’t the five wise ones share their oil, with those who had none? Isn’t that, after all, what Jesus would have done? And the message to “keep awake” is strange, because both the wise and foolish were asleep when the bridegroom came.
So there is much conjecture as to the meaning of this parable of what the kingdom will be like. However, at a basic level it is about being ready, active and serving our Lord . . . even if we might feel assured all will be well if we are important invited guests – like being a bridesmaid. Be active – don’t rest on your laurels.
The future vision here is about what we call the second coming, the return of the messiah, the end of the age . . . that time when God will be all in all. It is a difficult concept for us in our sort of church. However, this was the hope, the vision that the early church saw would be quickly fulfilled after the death of Jesus. However, as the years passed, even in those early times, questions arose as to how were the followers of Jesus to live? Were they to just rest on their laurels, take it for granted that they were followers of Christ and they would eventually join in the heavenly banquet – the great feast of God? Or were they to continue to live out a Christlike life of righteousness – loving God and loving their neighbours as themselves. Oil, a symbol of righteousness, it was concluded, was needed for the wait. They needed to be ready.
So are we also ready, as we await a fulfilment of the vision. There needs to be more than just a commitment to God, and belief in the vision, and an understanding of God’s will for us shown in Jesus’ life death and resurrection – we need to be ready too. Have that oil of righteousness – and live out those values.
All of this is important for the US, the various nations of the world, our lives and this community of the Church of All Nations. Are we clear about our vision of who we are, of who God is calling us to become, of even death and resurrection? Is this something to which we all are committed – and not just our nutty, newish minister. And then are we ready like the five wise bridesmaids?
Our meeting next Sunday will be important as we look to our future. We all need to be committed to a vision, and all ready to serve and share our gifts.
Last Wednesday Obama was doing a rerun of Kennedy’s’ inaugural – ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.
Meanwhile, there is a new hope within the world. Death and resurrection seem possible – we all hope and pray that it may come to pass. We however will need to show commitment to a vision of a renewed world and a preparedness to love our neighbours as ourselves.
