Monthly Archives: August 2015

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on August 27, 2015
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We All Need Our Hearts Examined For “Selfish” Reasons — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

image       August 27, 2015

“But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord, and the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” 2 Samuel 12:1-7

“In this story from the book of Samuel we have a picture of a hospitable man, a man who really wanted to help the poor traveler who came to him, but who wanted to help him with another man’s property, to feed him on a neighbor’s sheep. There is real charity in the impulse. There is essential meanness in the act. “He spared to take of his own flock and his own herd to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him.” Here is real kindness and real selfishness in the same heart…” Phillips Brooks (1835 – 1893) “The Candle of the Lord” (a sermon) “For All The Saints” volume II
(p. 436)

Just because someone seems to be doing an act of kindness does not mean that his or her heart is in the right place. In the case of David, one could say that he responded with kindness to take the wife of Urriah the Hittite into his palace once her husband had died in battle. But when we look deeper into the story, we discover that David arranged it so that Urriah would die in battle — so the sin of David would remain hidden. What David did not consider is that all sin is evident to G*d — no matter what lengths we go to hide them. Nathan tells David the story to highlight the hidden “selfishness” in the manner that humanity seeks to treat one another.

Coveting another’s goods, property or spouse is one of the most common sins in our society today. Coveting another’s spouse can lead to lust, which can lead to danger and dis-repair in relationships. The “sword” (as the Lord put it) would never leave David’s house. Now that he had mis-trusted the Lord, the Lord who had given him everything he possibly could want or need, David would suffer the consequences of his sin for the rest of his life. (“I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me…” 2 Samuel 12:8-10) But the Lord did not completely abandon David. He continued to lead a life of righteousness even though this “sword” would dog him the rest of his life.

We should constantly look into our hearts to see what it is that drives our inner thoughts, needs, desires, and wants. If we are coveting another’s goods, property or spouse, we need to take time to examine our need for what is not ours — and what is behind that need. Remembering that the Lord blesses us with all that we need, (not always with what we want but definitely with what we need) will help us move forward thanking G*d for all of the blessings we have.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on August 26, 2015
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The Sacred is Meant For Life — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

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August 26, 2015

“When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen shook it. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there because he reached out his hand to the ark; and he died there beside the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:6-7

“In the worldview of that time a sacred object could bring good and harm. It was not meant to be touched by a common person and when this occurred as with Uzziah, he died because of God’s anger and the punishment of death was for his breach of etiquette. It reminds me a little of the incredible outburst by the British papers when Paul Keating (then Prime Minister of Australia) touched the Queen on the back. The outburst was as though God had struck him dead.

We have to remember this was the understanding of the time. Now we eat what is sacred (the body and blood of Christ) and it is meant to be life-giving not a means of death. Since the advent of Christ we see a compassionate God who would not act in this way towards people. We still treat certain objects with due reverence, but it is not a matter of death if by accident it gets dropped or used for another purpose.” Anna Grant-Henderson “Old Testament Lectionary” (Uniting church website)

There are the stories that we hear as Seminarians about dropping chalices of wine during communion, or dropping bread on the floor while distributing the “body of Christ”. It is one of the biggest fears I have in handling the elements during Holy Communion, but it is going to happen once in a while. Thank goodness G*d will not strike me dead if in fact this kind of accident takes place. We read the story of poor Uzzah who simply tried to keep the ark of the covenant from toppling over, and we are shocked by the reaction from G*d. But G*d made a distinct separation between the Holy and the Profane — the sacred and the secular — and poor Uzzah crossed the line. So what is the purpose of the story?

Today, the sacred is meant for life — not for death. We need to remember that there are things that are sacred to G*d and therefore need to be treated with utmost respect. The sacred leads to eternal life — things like G*d’s Word, the sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism, and sacred space like where-ever two or three gather in the name of Jesus. No longer does G*d smite those who mistreat the sacred, but we still need to teach that the sacred is devoted to G*d, and therefore needs to be treated with reverence.

Pastor Dave