Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (proper 17): September 3, 2006.Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 Psalm 15 James 1:17-27 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 First Reading There is something really startling star·tle v. star·tled, star·tling, star·tles v.tr. 1. To cause to make a quick involuntary movement or start. 2. To alarm, frighten, or surprise suddenly. See Synonyms at frighten. in this Deuteronomy text. Usually we praise individuality and creative thinking when we look for positive examples among people. Deuteronomy does not praise creativity, nor does it promote individuality apart from Yahweh. There is one LORD, one God (Deut 6:4). Obedience to Yahweh's "statutes and ordinances" will show the wisdom of Israel to the nations. I'd be willing to wager that not many discussions of "effective evangelism strategies" begin with "obedience." There's a lesson here! Psalm 15 underscores Deuteronomy's emphasis with its talk of "those who walk blamelessly blame·less adj. Free of blame or guilt; innocent. blame  less·ly adv.blame and speak the truth from their heart." Several other traits of the righteous, worthy to "dwell with God," are also mentioned. A sermon on this psalm would be affirming of Deuteronomy's continual call to "remember." Most of us struggle with Mark 7, wading through the murky waters of Hebrew dietary and cleanliness Cleanliness See also Orderliness. Cleverness (See CUNNING.) Berchta unkempt herself, demands cleanliness from others, especially children. [Ger. Folklore: Leach, 137] cat continually “washes” itself. laws. It's not our strong suit, and the discussion is far removed from modern concerns. Jesus is not railing against these laws; he is saying that the inside of a person is what drives one's actions. When the heart is rightly oriented, behavior follows. Legalism le·gal·ism n. 1. Strict, literal adherence to the law or to a particular code, as of religion or morality. 2. A legal word, expression, or rule. for the sake of mere obedience is not enough, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Jesus. James is famous in Lutheran circles as the "straw epistle epistle (ĭpĭs`əl), in the Bible, a letter of the New Testament. The Pauline Epistles (ascribed to St. Paul) are Romans, First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, First and Second Thessalonians, First and ." Place James's letter against Paul's letters, and Paul gets Martin Luther's approval every time. In our text, however, James calls the law "the perfect law of freedom." James urges not just hearing the law but doing it. James's view seems to be the true and ancient Hebrew view: the law of Yahweh is life-giving! That message mirrors Psalm 15. Who is worthy? The one who does the law. Pastoral Reflection As I ride with the Central Point police officers as their chaplain I become very aware of how the law is life-preserving, if not life-giving. If not for the law some nights "all hell would break loose" in our city of Central Point, not to mention in the big cities of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , Chicago, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , Detroit, you name it. Moses speaks the words of Yahweh to the people at the edge of the promised land. The "wandering in the wilderness" is coming to an end. Israel will be a new people, a settled people, living alongside and among others. Israel faces changing conditions, a new way of life. Sounds familiar in our twenty-first-century world of fast-paced living, where one fad, theme, or song changes to the next in the blink of an eye, where cities and suburbs and countryside and neighborhoods are ever changing. Come to think of it, I haven't heard much about the "Purpose-Driven Life" lately. Oh, that theme went by two years ago! What is it that not only changes us but also sustains us? Israel saw the law of God as life-giving and sustaining (see not only Psalm 15 but also Psalms 1 and 119). Jesus makes the point that it is our hearts, our inclinations, and our deepest thoughts that are to be God-centered, that need "conversion." Sometimes looks can be deceiving, because God sees on the inside while we look at the outside. This is why police chaplains are called and law-enforcement personnel sometimes need further help. Peace, as in "cessation of hostilities," is not enough. Real peace occurs where hearts are fixed on God, and lives lived according to the commandments express gratitude for the love of God This article is about the Steve Vai guitar piece. For the artwork by Damien Hirst, see For the Love of God (artwork). "For The Love Of God" is an instrumental guitar piece by Steve Vai. in Jesus, the forgiveness of our sin. TCG (Trusted Computing Group, Beaverton, OR, www.trustedcomputinggroup.org) The successor to the Trusted Computer Platform Alliance (TCPA), announced in 2003 by founding members AMD, HP, IBM, Intel and Microsoft. |
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