The Joy of Covenant

            I would like to begin this morning’s sermon with a big thank to this congregation for all of the hospitality that you have shown beloved and myself since we’ve moved to Tinytown a week and a half ago.  The visits, the warm wishes, and especially the food were very much appreciated as we went about the work of settling into our new home.  I just wanted to let you all know that the dishes that you brought the food in are in the kitchen on top of the checkered table cloth.  All dishes not claimed by the end of the day today will be sold in a rummage sale next week.

            Moving to a new place is an exciting yet overwhelming task.  In the short time that we’ve been here, Beloved and I have had to find a new place to go grocery shopping, gas our cars, get our hair cut (ladies you know how important that task is) and even open new bank accounts which I tell you was quite an adventure.  Thanks to the Patriot Act our interview with the Banker was quite extensive, not only did we have to give her our previous banking history but we also had to give the banker our past and present employment information as well.  When the banker asked me who my supervisor was at my current place of employment, I thought for a second and then said, “well God of course.”  To which she replied, “I can accept that.”  It helps that I am the pastor of the church next door, because thank goodness she didn’t ask for God’s phone number to verify my employment.

            All joking aside, as people of faith we all can claim God to be our ultimate supervisor.  One of the marks of discipleship is being accountable to the one who is the God of the promise and the God of the law and part of God’s law are the Ten Commandments which were read this morning from the Hebrew Testament.  The four thou shalts and 6 thou shalt nots cover how we are to live with God and with each other.  Some believe these commandments to be universal moral principals and would like to see the Ten Commandments in the public square, whereas others shy away from the commandments preferring to dwell on the promise of God’s grace freely given than on the anything that implies we have to earn that grace.  However it is as preacher Barbara Brown Taylor puts it, “Promise without law is like a tent without tent poles.  It is amorphous.  It will not hold up.  It will not hold up.  It looks one way to one person and another way to the next, with know way to tell which way is right.”[i]

            In order to truly understand what any passage the Bible is saying, we have to understand the time from which the scripture was written, the place in which it was written in, who wrote it and why it was written.  We remember that the book of Exodus tells the story of God saving the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through the work of God’s servant Moses.  The Israelites had been wandering in desert looking for the Promised Land and the longer they journeyed, the crankier they got.  When the Israelites encountered hunger and thirst they complained to Moses that they would have been better off staying enslaved in Egypt.  Moses would cry out to God, “What am I to do with these people?  They are almost ready to stone me.” (Exodus 17:4)  Then God would provide food and water.  And yet even though God was providing for their basic needs, the people continued to behave in ways that were irresponsible and detrimental to the community as a whole.  God needed to get the people back to a way of life that works for having a relationship with God and with each other.  God gave them the law.

            What is interesting is the form in which the Ten Commandments are written.  It is written just like a treaty between a king and his vassal-that is a person or nation that is dependant upon the king for land and protection.   There is a power difference between the parties of the treaty.  The commandments comes from God to the people, this is not a dialogue.  However, the Israelite people are free to agree or disagree with the terms of the treaty.  This is a binding agreement based on mutual commitment.  In it are promises and obligations, reliability and durability.

By using the form of a treaty that puts God in the role of King, the authors of the book of Exodus are trying to portray God as all-powerful and benevolent.  Had the authors used a treaty where the power relationship was equal, this would have put God on the same level as the people, which would have been problematic.  The purpose of the Exodus story is to promote the one God of Israel.  To show the people of Israel that the God of their ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Joseph has a plan and that God has the power to intervene in history to make that plan come to reality.  The people of Israel are thus utterly dependent upon this sole God and should show their gratitude to God by following the commandments. When people are dependent upon God of Israel, they are less tempted to follow the religious traditions of the gods of other communities such as Canaan.

            The language of the Ten Commandments may sound harsh but the intent behind them is not.  God knows what is life giving and what is not.  If you murder, steal, commit adultery, covet etc. etc. life will be miserable.  If you honor God, honor your parents and keep the Sabbath, then life will be good.  Obedience to the law does not earn the promise of God’s grace, that promise has already been granted by God unconditionally and forever.  Obedience to the law is a sign of belief in the promise and a witness of your faith.[ii]

            In this season of Lent we remember that God came to us to make a new covenant in the human form Jesus, not to have power over us but to be in solidarity with us.  To the world this way of sharing power with would seem foolish, especially because the way Jesus lived landed him on the cross. However the Apostle Paul states, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved, it is the power of God… God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are so that no one might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18, 28-29)  On Good Friday it would seem that death won, but Easter shows us that in the end, God’s love wins.

            In January you have called me to be your pastor and I was honored to accept this call.  We joyfully made a covenant together based on a relationship of mutuality and equality.  As your pastor I will not have power over you but I will share in God’s power with you in this community of faith.  The future holds so much excitement for all of us as we begin our journey together.  It may feel awkward at first as I try to learn your ways and you get used to mine.  There will be challenges ahead but I am confident that God will give us what we need to meet each challenge and together we will continue to fulfill First Congregational Church’s mission to be  “followers of Jesus Christ and servants of God, striving for love, truth, justice and peace within our congregation, community, and the world."  May it be So.  Amen

---

[i] Barbara Brown Taylor “Promises” Gospel Medicine.46

[ii] Ibid 49