Second Presbyterian Church

"Are We Weak Enough?"
July 6, 2003

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Sermons Homepage » Sermons for 2003 » Sermons for July 2003

14^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
by The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.

• 2 Samuel 5: 1-5, 9-10
• 2 Corinthians 12: 2-10
• Mark 6: 1-13

I am fascinated about the paradoxes in life and I am convinced that they are a product of Original Sin. Let me explain. We use antibiotics to kill germs. That's good. But after a while germs develop resistance to the antibiotics. The net result is: antibiotics produce stronger germs. Another example from nature: have you ever-noticed how tough weeds are and how delicate cultivated grass is? We find ways to kill weeds and I am convinced that weeds develop survivability to weed killers and to drought conditions. I shall never forget the time we spent our first summer in Syracuse, NY. It was a dry summer and all the neighbors were watering their lawns. Not me. I was used to a climate that when it got dry the grass would brown, but then turn green when the rains returned. This didn't happen in Syracuse. We lost our entire front lawn, except for the dandelions; they did just fine because they had deep, strong roots.

The paradox also seems to be true with people. In the 60's the United States declared war on poverty and developed an extensive welfare system to aid people who were out of work or could not work. After a few years it became clear that many of the people who were on welfare bore children who also went on welfare. Instead of eliminating poverty, a culture of poverty became more established. Don't get me wrong, I am not pure Republican either. To assume that all people who are on welfare are lazy is also absolutely wrong. There are people in need and they need assistance.

Laws tend to do the same thing. We make laws that are attempts to bring a spirit of due process and fairness for everybody. But after a while loopholes are found so that injustice can be claimed while still being technically legal. So other laws are made to manage the loopholes. And so the process of legal complication and confusion marches on.

And so we come to the paradox contained in our Scripture lessons. Now, according to Second Corinthians, the Apostle Paul had experienced a wonderful, tremendous vision. He describes it as having been taken to the third heaven (?) where he saw and heard things that a mortal cannot manage. It was a definite experience of elation that made his heart explode with joy. Then Paul wrote some interesting things. He described how he was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan, to keep him from being too elated. He also wrote how he pleaded with the Lord to have the thorn in the flesh removed, which didn't happen. (By the way, this is a Biblical example of someone with great faith whose request to have a symptom removed was turned down.) And the answer from the Lord was, "My grace is sufficient."

These are not the only interesting statements Paul makes. He goes on to say how in his weakness the power of Christ is made perfect.

Now, this is a paradox. This seems so foreign to practical human thinking and assumptions. But it is so true for Christians. It has to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it is by Grace we are redeemed.

As I understand it, the hardest part about the Good News of Jesus Christ is that our redemption and reconciliation is a free gift from God. I don't care if you were a horrible person, or if you were an outstanding pillar of the community. Your redemption was not earned. Your redemption was a gift from God with love.

If Paul thought that it were from his own strength, even his amazingly great faith, that removed the thorn in his flesh, then he would have inadvertently believed that He had a part in his redemption. The reality of the matter is that Paul didn't have a part in his redemption. When it comes to redemption Paul, like us, was totally helpless, totally weak. When we realize just how helpless we are in this matter, then we are more able to be open to the Grace of God through Jesus Christ! His Grace is sufficient. Christ becomes strong in our weakness.

The story, about the anointing of David as King of all Israel, contains in it a similar theme. And it is a prominent theme throughout the entire Old Testament and New Testament. David had already been King of Judah for 7 years; he ruled from Hebron. Then the Elders from the Northern tribes came to David and they worked out an agreement and anointed him king over all of Israel. But the point of this passage comes in verse 10. It reads, "And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

The theme - as it often reads in the Old Testament - is this: a person's, or Israel's greatness comes from the blessing and help of the LORD. It does NOT come from the nation's, or the individual's own strength. Two kings do what they are to do. King Saul did not become great, for the LORD was not with him. The LORD had withdrawn from him. His reign failed. King David did follow the LORD. And his rule was blessed; he was successful, because the LORD blessed David's efforts. And for the most part David did not forget that his strength came from God and not from himself.

Perhaps not so predominantly, the same principle exists when Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs. Don't take a suitcase. Don't pack your lunch. Don't take any traveler's checks. Don't make any motel reservations. You are to preach the Good News of repentance, that the Kingdom of God has drawn near, to heal the sick and to cast out demons. The disciple missionaries were vulnerable. They had to depend upon the community to take care of their personal needs. They, in other words, had to totally rely upon God for their livelihood. And it worked! In their weakness and vulnerability they proclaimed the Gospel, cast out demons and were taken care of. In their weakness, the strength of God became very apparent.

Are we weak enough? Are we weak enough to remove our delusions of self-sufficiency? Are we weak enough to remove our delusions that we can do it on our own? Are we weak enough to realize just how dependent we are upon the Grace of God for our livelihood? It is God who gave us all that we have, to be stewards of his creation. It is God who gave us our families to love and cherish. It is God who provides us with every breath we breathe for life. We depend upon God for our physical life. And we depend upon God for our spiritual life. It is Christ who gave us our salvation, not we ourselves. It is Christ who nailed our sins upon the cross, not we ourselves. It is Christ who rose from death so that we can live forever with God; we did nothing. It is the Holy Spirit who witnesses to our hearts that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. It is the Holy Spirit who witnesses to our hearts that we are to come together in love and fellowship. It is the Holy Spirit who witnesses to us, to urge us to reach out to our neighbor with the love that God has shown us, with the love that God commands us to show one another.

Are we weak enough? It is only when we give ourselves a sober assessment of how weak and vulnerable we mortals are that we are open to the tremendous, powerful, loving, life-giving strength of our God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Are we weak enough? So far one can understand what I am saying from an individual point of view, but the point is also valid for us as a congregation. Our future is not in my hands. Our future is not in your session's hands. Nor is our future in your hands. Our future is in the hands of the Head of the Church, the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Are we weak enough to accept that? Regardless of how strong we might have been, we no longer are. Regardless of how strong we are, it can be gone by tomorrow. Are we weak enough to accept Jesus as the one who provides for our future as a congregation? If we are, then there is a chance. There is a chance that our efforts to be the presence of Jesus Christ in our community will be blessed by God. The reason being: if we do grow, if we do become "stronger," it is because the LORD is with us. That is the ONLY reason we will grow from here.

And Second Presbyterian Church becomes stronger and stronger, for the LORD - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - is with us. It is the only way: through the strength of God - a strength we tend to ignore unless we have no other choice. Amen.

The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.