A Nation of Rebels

The Fourth of July always presents a daunting challenge to preachers. Every congregation includes a super-patriot or two whose motto is “My Country, Right or Wrong!”; some folks who actually DO love America and want to address how it could be better; and most of the rest, all who think that Red, White & Blue is a lovely color-scheme. And then there’s God. This could be a field-day for those of us who are Prophetic, unafraid to speak Truth, Justice and Peace to the rest of us: prophets need to address those things of the world which are not of God; and to equally announce the things that ARE of God to a hungry world. Do we pride ourselves on being rebels??

Ezekiel’s commissioning (2:1-5) has YHWH sending Ezekiel to a “nation of rebels”, the people of Israel. You’ll need to tell the back-story: armies of Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, and had taken anyone who was someone off to Babylon. Ezekiel, of the priestly class, was one of those exiled. Could YHWH be even in that awful city, Babylon? Or had YHWH abandoned & excluded the People? Ezekiel was called even by the Chebar River of Babylon to say “Thus says the Lord God”–would anyone listen? Some will, some won’t. Making this an analogy for today can be the whole sermon/study class: Is YHWH in charge even in this alien culture? When nothing’s the same, will there still be standards of faith & justice? Will God find us even when we think we’re alone?

Paul was writing to a contentious group of churches in Corinth, II Corinthians 12:2-10. What at first seems desperate self-justification yields eventually into a realization of being held in a grip not of our own choosing. If nothing else springs out, the phrase “My grace is sufficient for you…” can keep us together despite a surrounding arrogance of “We’re #1!”

Mark 6:1-13 tells about Jesus going home to Nazareth, probably for the holiday weekend. The home boys recognized him as son & brother to a local family, and derided his holiness–talk about a rebel nation! “And he could do no deed of power there….he was amazed at their unbelief.” As if in response to his Ezekiel-like experience, he himself sent out his twelve friends to the rebels all around: they were to travel light, accept hospitality, and to expect rejection by some. Even so, they managed to preach a turn-around and to cast out demons, important to Mark.

Somewhere amid the flags & multi-colored cupcakes comes the Word of the Lord. We speak Truth, Justice & Peace the best we can, knowing that some will do something about it and others won’t. Don’t take it personally, like Paul did. Sabine Baring-Gould wrote, “Crowns & thrones will perish, kingdoms rise and wane, but the Church of Jesus constant will remain.” Our small voice is yet important in the Grand Scheme of Things. Rejoice! The Lord is near!

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

My encounters with scripture assigned to the upcoming weekend can be visited every Tuesday at horacebrownking.com