Wouldn’t it be nice to climb into our DeLorean and zoom into the Future? God would still be God; but our toys and shiny objects would’ve tarnished. Scriptures to be heard on this upcoming weekend are to encourage us to have hope: whatever battles may loom, we still claim that God is and will be in charge.
The prophet JEREMIAH was in trouble most of his life–he persisted in calling back the People of God into some sort of observable holiness. Not just mouthing the tradition, but actually holding out for Justice and Loving the Neighbor. Here in 32:1-15, the Babylonian forces were at the gates of Jerusalem and it looked as though Judah would be dissolved. Why in the world would he buy a field, using all the proper rituals, when disaster was so obvious? “Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.” Note especially Baruch: he was to keep the story, to remind the new residents, the “new Israel”, that God was still in charge.
Paul’s FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY 6:6-19 concludes this epistle of hope in the same way it began: trust in God, don’t worry about (or covet) the toys that will depreciate. But how can I be content when TV ads show me shiny cars & trucks doing wheelies in the desert and beautiful people enjoying life after they dose themselves with snake oil? Wealth is not condemned, but Timothy and I are enjoined not to seek it for itself. Rather, we are to be fully engaged in following the way of Christ.
LUKE has been busy describing the travels of Jesus to Jerusalem, and the stories he tells to folks he met along the way. Here in 16:19-31 Jesus tells the story of a rich guy who never saw or recognized the desperately ill man right in front of him, “at his gate”. You know the story: the rich guy goes to hell (Jesus figured anyone rich much be on the take), while Lazarus (not Mary & Martha’s brother from Bethany) is taken to the bosom of Abraham, where all good Jews aim to go. Looks like Paul was right: the rich man’s money couldn’t buy him Life Eternal.
So how long will our visions of Hope last? HOPEfully some time after we get to the parking lot. The Future begins now! It’s not too late to re-prioritize our quest for The Good Life, and to claim our hope in God alone for the things we really need.
In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King
Come join us each Tuesday as we explore–and are explored by–readings from the revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming weekend; at horacebrownking.com
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