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“A Deed of Power”
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22;
James 5:13-20; Psalm 124;
Mark 9:38-41, 49-50
Rev. Sandy Nuernberg
Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, WI
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time -
Peacemaking Offering Sunday
Worldwide Communion Sunday
October 1, 2006
A requirement of Presbyterian
pastors is to take the ordination exams after seminary when they are given,
either in February or September. It seems I was lucky because I chose for my
exegesis paper portions of today’s text in Esther. Given a N.T. Greek text, or
an O.T. Hebrew text to choose from, I learned from a friend, “Hebrew is tough
but they usually pass you the first time”!! I chose the Esther text and loved a
Biblical story of faithfulness, female boldness and power, unity of a people;
but mostly, I learned what God gives us, and what we believe and choose to do
with what we are given. There are many implications in this powerful Esther
story.
But my decision to choose the
Hebrew text wasn’t easy; how could I write about a passage, where, in the entire
book, God was not mentioned once, and, Esther as a Jewess, chose not to reveal
her ethnic-religious origins in her marrying and living in pagan royalty. But it
was in her faithfulness to her people in her position of queenly royalty that
her individual deed, ‘for such a time as this’, was in advocating for the safety
of all the Jews. She risked her life and begrudgingly went to the king and in
her deed of power said, “If I perish, I perish.”
In today’s world, the Feast of
Purim for Jews, resulting from Esther’s deed, is at the end of the winter in
February or March. Her people read the Book of Esther as the seasons change and
it seems like a new year is beginning. Jews express their gratitude to God as
each remembers their own escapes from danger. It is a rich and wonderful
tradition of celebration of their unity, through an individual deed of power of
Esther. This story, as a whole, is important for all believers, as we choose
opportunities in making a difference for the welfare and the good of all.
Jesus wanting unity among his
followers can best be appreciated in Mark’s text also where, 'another person not
following us’ performs a deed of power. John whines to Jesus and Jesus
says something like, ‘Let him go, he’s sort of like us, isn’t he?’ And, “Whoever
is not against us is for us ( v. 40).” As pastors can do, I chose not to include
the next verses of the lectionary because they were too gross, ( you can read
them on your own!) Mark was too explicit with the consequences of our losses if
we don’t abide by Jesus’ Word; maybe it was personal!! Like a millstone around
your neck, cutoff limbs, a torn-out eye, all stumbling blocks to belief in
Christ!! But the point is driven quite explicitly, isn’t it? Or is it? Pour salt
on your wounds, and peace to you all. “This is the Word of the Lord.” AMEN.
But really, that’s what Christ
does; Christ performs deeds of power; preaching, healing, convincing
repetitively and telling his baffled disciples he’s leaving their world and they
better understand such things as darkness, suffering and death. As Christ
mentioned his own resurrection, they didn’t grasp it until Jesus died and
returned. That’s what God gives, that’s what Jesus does, and that’s what
Christians believe. We might ask, “ How do we know unity isn’t unified?” Well,
‘for such a time as this’ we live in a world of disorder; this past week we can
ask how a lad of 15 in Weston can deliberately take the life of a principal of a
school? Or any of the past school tragedies in Colorado? How can a group of
terrorists, five years ago, confront a country with visible and lasting
destruction in New York City and in our nation’s Capitol? We don’t know, but we
know God knows!
Today, Worldwide Communion Sunday
has been observed since 1936 ecumenically and we Presbyterians affirm our unity
with all believers at the Lord’s Table. We, as members of the PC(USA) happen to
have ecumenical relations with not less than 165 worldwide church partners and
organizations in celebrating our unity with all Christians. Mark and Esther
exemplify others, even Jesus’ teachings of others, who may be of another belief
or group or camp, but who do seem to work in Jesus Christ’ Name and Spirit.
Jesus Christ works inside churches; Christ works outside the churches. Jesus
ensures us, even if someone gives another person a cup of water, there would be
a reward! (http://www.pcusa.org/peacemakingoffering/worship.htm.)
The good news of the Gospel is
that Jesus is the peculiar force of God’s Self in human form for us to know and
to love, as Christ loves us. This Jew, this Jesus of Nazareth can not be
separated from the substance of God; this Jew who lived briefly among us, and
died so very unexpectedly and in whom we can not deny God’s being in the flesh.
We, as hearers of the God’s Word, receive this “message”; it is a message of
unity, of oneness in God. In our Christian unity, yes, we are experiencing the
living God in Christ Jesus.
As we come to the table, you and
I, we know our world is full of chaos, confusion, and conflict. But we can, by
our receiving the bread and the cup, affirm that the church, the Body of Christ,
continues to affirm this disorder. But along with this disorder, the allowance
of God’s sovereignty, God’s deeds of power for/in us that come to us knowingly
and willingly; this is the nature of the living God.
AMEN.
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