“God Enlightens the Journey: (Part Three) Called & Calling”
Dt. 18: 15-20 & Mark 1: 21-28 ~ Rev. G. Scott Turnbrook ~ Northwood United ~ February 4, 2024
Who speaks for God? Pat Robertson, pastoral leader of the 700 Club, reported to be doing this several years ago. Robertson claimed to be speaking for God. He claimed that God caused Ariel Sharon's massive stroke. It was punishment for conceding land to the Palestinians. He claimed that Satan caused Dick Cheney's shortness of breath that briefly hospitalized the Vice President. He extended condolences to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, after a motorcycle accident, that he was pretty sure was caused by Satan. He added, though that Satan is no match for a Republican." Who speaks for God?
Going back in time a little further to 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. attempted to speak for God at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Speaking for God, King preached: “I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama... little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” Who speaks for God? And how will God’s words continue to be heard?
This was the dilemma at play in the Deuteronomy text that John read for us this morning. Moses had been speaking for God…he had been God’s prophet at a pivotal time for the people. God spoke to him at the burning bush. And at that bright fire, he was enlightened to his new role. Parting the waters at the Red Sea; leading the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery; showing them how God would provide in the wilderness: manna for food, water from the rock. He went up the mountain and received the law….the decalogue…the 10 commandments. He spoke God’s law to them. They wandered through the wilderness…40 years he led them…speaking God’s words to them! They wandered as Moses spoke God’s words of encouragement; as Moses spoke God’s words of guidance…Moses spoke for God.
As we move into this final chapter of his life, Moses can see the Promised Land, yet he will not lead them into it! The journey has been long and hard on Moses. Looking ahead in the story, at the age of 120, on Mount Nebo, Moses will die. And in this text, he reassures the wandering Israelites that God will continue to provide prophets to speak God’s words of hope, of liberation, of peace. God will continue to speak!
So, who continues to speak for God? Over the generations, after Moses God continued to speak. Joshua will lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Prophets will speak: Samuel and Nathan, Elijah & Elisha. We might think of the 12 minor prophets (minor only because they have smaller books) Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Or the major prophets who we hear from more during the high festivals of Easter and Christmas: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. And God continues to speak!
In this morning’s gospel text that John read, we hear God speaking through the light of the world. We hear him as the echoes of the many others find their culmination in Jesus. All of those who spoke for God share that one commonality of God’s pure light beaming through them…revealing God’s care, guidance, and truth. In the gospel text, the demons inside the man recognized Jesus. So many in scripture fail to recognize who he was. Yet, the dark demons came out of the man, recognizing Jesus as “The Holy One of God”.
What we are uncovering is this powerful dynamic of the faithful who speak God’s word. The first part of the dynamic that we have been exploring with the many different call stories is that God calls. We explored call stories for Jonah and Samuel, for the disciples. For Moses, God’s light had shone at that burning busy…the fire that did not go out. God spoke in that sacred moment and called Moses. God calls. The second part is that all of these prophets move ahead and speak for God. They do not hold God’s light inside. They share that light as they live their calling. They are called and they are calling. Moses calling out was one of liberation, of providence, of protection, of guiding towards the Promised Land.
And this brings us to today’s pivotal question: ‘who speaks for God?’ The ones who speak for God are the ones who are first called. And then they, in turn, are calling back out into the world. A clergy group I attended began exploring the question: ‘what is the biggest competitor to the church?’ An early response given was Sunday sports. We are competing with girls soccer, and hockey, and other activities. Is the church competing with the value of athleticism over one’s spirituality? Perhaps, but I think it’s a lot more complex than that. Martin Luther said that “whatever you would sacrifice your daughter to, that’s your God”. And the answer to what our biggest competitor is, I think, is our silence. Church is wonderful, and it is one deeply meaningful way for us to ‘be’ and grow spiritually. But the call of the Christian is much more pronounced than forgoing Sunday morning soccer, or brunch, or a leisurely sleep-in. The call of the Christian is to be one who also calls! We are called; and we are a calling people.
Called and calling is the challenging lifestyle that extends far beyond attendance at church or study groups, or an AGM. Called and calling is a lifestyle of sharing God’s light that you first received. This is why we remember Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Teresa, some of the great pastors of your life, some of the great Sunday School teachers, some of the great people who shone God’s light further into the world.
I love the image of the window and it’s refraction of the rays of light back into the world. That window receives the beautiful light, holds it, and shines a rainbow display back into the world. I wonder if that is a good image of what ‘called and calling’ is truly all about. The Deuteronomy text assures us that God will always provide a voice for the people. Sometimes…that voice is YOU! God’s gentle voice of love, of care, of guidance. God’s loud voice of justice. God’s healing voice of reconciliation or peace. God WILL provide a voice…that is your call…that is your destiny as a follower of the Light of the world.
I’m not saying this is an easy task. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Every prophet has their own version of a protest against God. Moses protested that he had poor speech, Jermiah was only a youth…no prophet is excited about their task. And the good pastors I admire are quite overcome with nerves prior to preaching. But it is something we do because it is something we cannot avoid. We have been called, so that we can be offer God’s words to others!
So, who speaks for God? I think that it is God’s dream that ~ at times ~ we all speak for God. At times we listen…we receive…we ponder: we are called. And at other times God is nudging us to be God’s voice in the world…to call…to speak justice / hope / care. To shine back the light that we once received.
Called and a calling people. May we be who we are.
Amen.