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Text: Genesis 37-50; Isaiah 61 ● I am discovering that the issues which cause the most turbulence in our hearts are the ones that are the most difficult to articulate. They are also the ones that require not only thoughtful introspection, but decided action. Frankly, beyond the package of bologna and the loaf of bread, or the occasional internet donation, the resolutions are not always so clear [I have no new economic strategy to unveil]. I also know that, sometimes, we just ‘feel better about ourselves’, having talked about it. ● Every time we are confronted with human tragedy and pain, we have to decide what we believe to be true about the hurting in the world: helpless victims of a repressive socio-economic system? habitual losers? getting what they deserve? (reaping consequences of your own stupid choices!) Review: ► Another word for God’s dream… “shalom” (wholeness; peace). God’s dream for peace (‘shalom’) has always involved transforming the individual, which, in turn, will allow for the restoration of the community and the systems/structures under which we live. ► God’s dream not only envisions his good intentions for his creation, but sharply criticizes human systems and structures that attempt to oppose or prevent those good purposes from being realized. The story of God repeatedly challenges social systems which ignore the most vulnerable- widows, orphans, and the poor: the ‘marginalized’… people with no ‘voice’. The voices of the prophets were not only resounding toward foreign nations, but in respect to Israel’s failure to exemplify justice fitting with her God. ● Justice is ‘things being set right’; it’s a way of being/responding that’s fitting the relationship. Deuteronomy 32:1-4 “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he”. ● In Isaiah 61, Isaiah is writing to a people, once again, in “exile” (displaced; marginalized; desperate for a ‘way back’; a ‘way out’); living under systems which exploit and oppress people. So, Isaiah sets out to provide an image which would help interpret God’s dream for the world. He describes, in practical and metaphorical ways, what ‘shalom’ looks like on earth. ● Within such oppressive systems: ~ ordinary people had no ‘voice’. ~ money was power: the system was structured in such a way the highest percentage of the wealth ended up in the hands of the wealthiest 1-5% of the population. ~ the consequences for the poor were severe: malnourishment, disease, lack of opportunity… mourning. ● As a result, (2) primary classes of people emerged: 1) Very wealthy (small percentage of people who controlled the greater percentage of wealth) 2) Very poor (exploited and often victimized by the wealthy) ● The clear disparity always creates a ‘margin’! (marginalized) In fact, Jesus’ message was delivered mostly to the disenfranchised; those without leverage; without opportunity. The story says that Jesus traveled around the countryside (i.e. rural areas) where the least influential resided (the affluent occupied the cities). ● So, when Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you…” (Matthew 26:11), could it be that he understood that, in many cases, the human systems we create seem to perpetuate poverty? Sometimes the question is not ‘are you hungry’, but ‘why is there hunger’? ● I think ‘the poor will always be with us’ because… … of a lack of contentment (we’re not satisfied, but we just want to feel ‘full’; our consumption of resources due to our insatiable desire for ‘more’), … of the ‘love of money’ (1 Timothy 6:10), “…the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs”. … unjust systems/structures, … of laziness (Proverbs 10:4 “Lazy hands make a man poor…”, “The sluggard craves and gets nothing…” Proverbs 13:4) [It just seems that when you’re ‘wealthy’ and ‘powerful’, it’s harder to be ‘compassionate’ and ‘kind’; you no longer view yourself as a ‘steward’, but as a ‘benefactor’- the one responsible]. ►“Kingdom of God”… shorthand for what life would be like if God were King; if God’s desires/passions were the order of the day! The word ‘kingdom’, to the original recipients, had tangible impact; ‘kingdom’ was not some magical place, far, far away or some predominately nominal monarchy as in the UK. Kingdom referred to the political systems under which they lived. ● So, when Jesus came announcing that the “Kingdom of God” was here/available, there was an immediate contrast to the current system under which they lived. With Jesus as ‘King’, every social system would now be scrutinized and life together re-defined. Everything must now reflect the desires of the king! ►When it comes to justice, ignorance is never an option, but avoidance is! “What possible justification could we muster for being aware of a need and refusing to get involved?” Most often our response is that we don’t want to enable them or endorse a counterproductive lifestyle. So, we compromise, and do nothing at all! ►Our systems must be the best possible reflection of God’s dreams; God’s passions. The Greek word for ‘house’ (oikos) is the root of our word ‘economy’. It means that we are to understand our role as a steward in God’s house; managing resources in a manner consistent with his desires. Stewardship places us squarely in the story; right in the middle of God’s restorative work in order to help us embody all the information we’ve taken in about him. “What are the principles/values which govern the economic systems under which we live? Whose interests do they serve? Are they inclusive (not limited to the wealthiest small percentage); do they extend opportunity?” [“People are lazy and uneducated”. But, don’t be fooled into thinking that everyone’s wealth came upon them honestly or because of their own ingenuity and diligence]. Sometimes, those who oppose talk of reform are those who have vested interests in the systems as they presently function. “I love justice… I hate robbery” (Isaiah 61:8) ‘robbery’ (Heb)- literally, ‘denial’ (exclusion). ● At the heart of justice is inclusion; ensuring that opportunity is available for all despite social or economic status. ►God’s Kingdom is not about everyone having the same, but everyone having enough. God’s dream for the world seems to be marked by a desire for enough, even if others have more! Kingdom-centered living which would free us from worry and allow us to concentrate on the “more than” issues of life (Matthew 6:25 “Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothing…” [Ask the person that’s hungry and naked and see what answer you get!] So, maybe if we were really living God’s dream of justice (seeking first the kingdom), “all these things” would be provided and a degree of trouble would be eliminated. ►We can never experience ‘shalom’ as long as humanity is the standard of measure. Shalom (justice; peace) is the quantifiable result of humans living in vital union with God and each other- loving God and each other. Only as we realize that all humans are created in the image of God can we expect to rightly respond to them- not as they are deserving because of their accomplishments or efforts, but simply because of their status as image-bearers. ►God has called us to ‘advocacy’. 1 Peter 2:9 (Isaiah 61:6) “Priests” and “Ministers” (servants) The priest was a representative of God, ensuring that people understood that God was available and accessible. An advocate is one who intervenes to mediate, or restore peace (1 Timothy 2:5 “… there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…”) Jesus always seemed to measure our progress in terms of how we were responding to ‘the least of these’. Advocacy is one of the purest expressions of godliness; to act on behalf of someone who is helpless. ►Life after death; life before death. We have come to this passage on the other side of Jesus. God has demonstrated in him that he is still about bringing his rightness (justice) to rule over all of creation as he accomplishes through the lives of transformed people. Clearly, Jesus’ concern was not just for the “afterlife”. The invitation is incredible because it maintains that even though we are still broken; that there parts of our lives that are still in need of ‘shalom’, it doesn’t preclude us from being part of the restoration process. ● Obviously, this notion of ‘shalom’ appears to be an ideal that we will never achieve, so, we’ve convinced ourselves that it’s not worth the effort. But, wouldn’t seeking to develop systems/structures which allow us to come closer to shalom be better than living with those which seem to take us farther away?
By recognizing the
availability of the kingdom of God [realizing that Jesus is in charge, and we
are called to live under his authority], we are able to step into God's new
world - now, in a more limited way, but later in ways that we can hardly
imagine! |
