"A Blessing or a Curse"
Sermon Presented June 22, 2008
Jeremiah 20:7-18
Until last week, when I heard the name of Tony Blair, I thought of his past service as Prime Minister of Great Britain and his close alliance with George W. Bush. I don't recall ever hearing of his faith in God until I read the June 9th issue of Time magazine (pp. 33-36). Blair's first biographer, John Rentoul, pointed out years ago that Blair's faith had been noted by those around him since he was a small child, but because his parents weren't church-goers, he wasn't a part of organized religion until his days at Oxford. Blair is deeply religious but in the secular climate of Britain, didn't talk about his faith while in office.
Now that he's out of office, his faith in God and what he believes is God's call on his life has inspired him to establish the Tony Blair Faith Foundation - dedicated to proving that different religious faiths can come together to address some of the world's most pressing social problems. Blair believes that faith matters - and can be used to either improve the lot of humankind through understanding - OR to induce ignorance, fear and a withdrawal into antagonistic communities. Blair believes he is called to spend the rest of his life trying to bring diverse faith groups together, and he has convinced other important world personalities such as Bono to join his efforts.
Blair said that "the worst thing in politics is when you're so scared of losing support that you don't do what you think is the right thing. What faith can do is not tell you what is right but give you the strength to do it." (Ibid. 36) In a nation like Britain, where cynicism is a way of life, Blair is swimming upstream in deep waters. He passionately believes that the world will be a better place if people of faith harness their talents to aid the common good. Blair, a modern-day prophet, must come up against the tide of popular opinion.
Our text today is a prayer from the ancient prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah is called by God to speak words of judgment against his own people and their religious and political leaders. God's people have forgotten God. When Jeremiah stands in the temple and tells the people that God will destroy Jerusalem and all of the surrounding cities because of their disobedience, Pashur, the chief priest who is speaking an opposite message, accuses him of false prophecy, strikes him and places him in stocks.
However, Jeremiah won't be silenced. As soon as he is released, he tells Pashur that the King of Babylon will capture the people of Judah and that he, Pashur, will die in Babylon because of his false prophecies. This doesn't enhance Jeremiah's popularity!
Religious leaders are called to speak God's word faithfully. Pashur, the chief priest of the temple fails because he says what the people want to hear - and his words are false! Jeremiah speaks the truth, but no one wants to hear his unpopular message. Now Jeremiah faces the consequences of being faithful to his calling. Hear this passionate poetic prayer of lament spoken to God by the prophet. Jeremiah 20:7-18 (Read text.)
Jeremiah tells God what he is thinking - no matter how harsh the words. His grief, anger and desire for vengeance are captured in the words I just read. He's honest in his communication with God and people, and I admire his courage and authenticity. He's my hero of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Jeremiah believes God has deceived him. The people haven't turned to God, nor has God carried out the promised judgment. Either would have exonerated him! Even his close friends have turned against him. Jeremiah is suffering emotionally and physically. So much for being rewarded for speaking God's word!
In his pain, Jeremiah has the gall to charge God with seducing and raping him - that's the literal meaning of the text. His bold speech spewed at God sounds sacrilegious! He even prays for vengeance against those who oppose him! But Jeremiah has a relationship with God that allows that kind of speech. He says what he thinks and God accepts his honest feelings.
We also have that privilege in our communication with God. As we speak our feelings to the one who deeply loves us, we experience God's presence in the midst of our trials. I often advise people in the depth of depression to pray Psalm 13, which begins: "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all day long?" I firmly believe that the reason there are so many lament psalms and lament prayers in the Hebrew Scripture is so we will understand that this is natural and appropriate speech to God and that we, too, can speak this kind of bold language to God when we are overwhelmed by life's circumstances.
There are many "false" prophets today who either speak a message of hate OR messages of health, wealth and prosperity - both of which are contrary to Jesus' teachings. I was in Kansas for nine years - the home state of Fred Phelps - the man who takes his "church" all over the nation wielding signs that proclaim "God hates fags!" There was also a best-seller written during the last decade stating that if you faithfully pray the "prayer of Jabez" God will give you whatever you ask. From my point of view, both of these men are false prophets. God doesn't hate any group of people - and the life of a Christian will be plagued with trials - no matter what you pray.
I have no doubt that there is a cost to discipleship and when God puts a word in the heart of a person, that word must be spoken - even when it is unpopular. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian whose life bore out the cost of following Jesus. He was imprisoned and killed for speaking out against Hitler to the Christian community in Germany. He was accused of participating in a plot to kill Hitler and after spending time in a concentration camp, was executed a few days before the end of World War II. Bonhoeffer knew that God's grace came with a price tag.
Like Bonhoeffer, Jeremiah delivered a clear and certain message to God's people. Through the words of both, we see clear glimpses into their interior struggle with the message they were called to deliver. Jeremiah loved his people and didn't want to speak a message of judgment. However, he was frustrated with their refusal to turn around and he was frustrated with God for not following through with the promised judgment. He wanted vindication from the charges against him.
The 14th through the 18th verses - not in the lectionary text - are a cry to God from the depths of Jeremiah's soul. He's seriously depressed. He curses the day he was born. He curses the one who brought news of his birth to his father. Please remember that Jeremiah first heard God's call to be God's messenger when he was a child! At THAT time, God assured Jeremiah that he needn't worry because God would be with him and protect him. Now Jeremiah believes his life is worthless and wishes he had never been born. In this depression, Jeremiah unloads his feeling onto God.
Not everyone has the same calling. I doubt if there are any Jeremiahs or Bonhoeffers here. But God does call us to be faithful where we are - in all that we do. We may not ever fully realize "why we were born" but when we are faithful to God, our purpose will be realized by those whose lives we touch.
A week ago last Friday, Tim Russert died. I can't explain why his death affected me so greatly because I wasn't able to watch Meet the Press on Sunday mornings - the arena where he shone the brightest. But each time I saw him on NBC Nightly News I would say to myself: "Yes! Yes! Yes!" He was able to use his brilliance, humor, and investigative and questioning skills to get to the answers he wanted from the political figures he interviewed. I wanted to know him! I wanted to sit down and chat with him - NOT be interviewed by him.
I read with great interest an article titled God,
Politics and the Making of a Joyful Warrior in the June 23rd
issue of Newsweek by Jon Meacham, the
editor of that magazine. Meacham told of a call he received from Tim
asking him to be on the same show with Christopher Hitchens, who had
just published a fiery attack on religious faith. Russert wanted a balance
on the program. He knew that Meacham had vowed never to debate Hitchens
- one of the great intellects and wits of the age because a person could
never win a debate with him. When Meacham tried to decline, Russert
said: "It's the faith, Brother. I can't do it - I'm the moderator.
But it'll be great." (p. 31) The
debate occurred and Meacham said Russert grinned through the whole program.
Meacham went on to tell of the faith of this American icon. Russert
loved his neighbor, honored his parents and cherished his country. He
moved among popes and presidents with ease, and was sweetly grateful
for and a little amazed at his success. Meacham believes that "his
rise and reign can be best understood in the context of his religion,
because his religion wasn't just a part of his life but his whole life…."
Ibid Russert was immersed in both faith
and culture.
A nun introduced Russert to journalism and it stuck. For him, faith and journalism and politics were bound up with one another. When President Kennedy was assassinated, Russert considered his death "martyrdom." He idolized Kennedy! His school newspaper produced a special edition and sent copies to President Johnson, Mrs. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy. Some months later they received personal responses from all of them and this changed his life. The thrill of recognition was transformative. On that school newspaper, he was learning how to report, how to communicate, how to write, and here, people they watched on television suddenly acknowledged not only their existence, but their work. From that time on, Russert know he wanted a career in journalism/public service.
Meacham said that "In a way, Russert was the secular pastor of a circle of Catholic politicians and journalists in the capital. …This was Russert's group, and he loved it, and everyone in it."
God calls us to be faithful to our calling and we can only be faithful to our calling when we stay in close communion with God - even if that communication is one of ranting and raving. Our outer circumstances do not determine our worth or the value of our lives. We don't determine our value. When we speak and live God's call on our lives, we will be deemed faithful.
