Texts: Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18; Ephesians 6:10-20; John 6:56-69
Theme: Not the easiest group of readings for today's desire for pluralism, mutual respect, tolerance and inclusivity! All three give us a stark choice, none more so than the climactic passage from chapter 6 of St John's Gospel. We could try one last variation on the theme of heavenly food, but I think something closer to Peter's rhetorical question would be better. I'm going for "What choice do we have?" NOTE: In our Church Calendar, today is designated Anglican Communion Sunday, so we should keep at least one eye open for any useful guidance in these readings for our Church.
Introduction. Joshua is not one of my all-time favourite Old Testament books, and even today's passage, usually presented in its most positive light as a ringing endorsement of true faith – and the importance of making an individual commitment – has a decidedly dark overtone when read in the context of the earlier chapters. But the main point is clear: we have a choice and we must make it. Are we committed to the God of Israel or to some other god? St Paul reaches the end of his wonderful letter to the Ephesians (my favourite Epistle!) with a somewhat laboured image drawn from the Roman military. But the call is equally clear: we must take our stand. And the end of chapter 6 of St John's Gospel shows Jesus' erstwhile followers deeply divided over his insistence that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood if they are to have eternal life. Today is not for the indecisive or the faint-hearted!
Background. Once again the challenge before us is to be true to the Scriptures – that do consistently demand exclusive commitment – while trying to avoid coming across as somewhere between Ian Paisley, a mad mullah and an evolution-denying Southern Baptist. So here's a little story from the great Egyptian Father of Monks from the Egyptian desert of the 4th century:
When Abba Anthony thought about the depth of the judgments of God, he asked, 'Lord, how is it that some die when they are young, while others drag on to extreme old age? Why are there those that are poor and those that are rich? Why do wicked men prosper and why are the just in need?' He heard a voice answering him, 'Anthony, keep your attention on yourself; these things are according to the judgment of God, and it is not to your advantage to know anything about them.' [Source: The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, translated by Sister Benedicta Ward, S.L.G.]
Along similar lines is the famous response of the Risen Christ to Peter's impertinent question about what was to befall the Beloved Disciple: John 21:22. The sorts of questions that were perplexing St Anthony in the desert – and have bothered people down to the present day – are all very interesting to the human intellect; but ultimately they are what Jesus called things of human concern rather than things of God. The invitation of come to God is direct and personal and calls for a direct, immediate and whole-hearted (and single-minded!) response. St Anthony's questions, wittingly or unwittingly, are diversionary tactics at best; at worst they are attempts to negotiate an arrangement with God. In effect, in raising such issues, we are really saying to God something like this: "Well, I have received your invitation and am prepared to consider it. But first I need to cross-examine you on a number of matters. Whether or not I ultimately accept your invitation will depend on how satisfactory I find your answers to my questions."
Here's a couple of shorter ways of approaching this issue. First, consider mountaineers attempting to climb a particularly difficult mountain. Their best chance of success lies with choosing which route they will follow and sticking to it. It may not be the only route that leads to the top, but if they start off, then abandon it and try another one, they are likely to be going up and down without getting anywhere. Commitment to the one route chosen freely is the best plan.
Now, having perhaps exposed my ignorance of mountaineering, here's a safer analogy. To join a faith community is to enter into a particular narrative or story. Our story begins with Abraham, continues through the entire Bible, and on through the history of the Christian Church right up to today. If we suddenly decide that we don't think this story quite fits us anymore and we need to try a different story there is again a sense in which we have to go back to the beginning and start all over with a new chapter 1.
And here's a bonus. The athlete who is training for the javelin event in the next Olympic Games would be unwise to give up half-way through the training and switch to pole-vaulting!
We believe (don't we?) that our spiritual quest begins with God's initiative. God calls us and we respond. We are on the journey along the Christian route because that is the route that God has called us along. That is not to say that there are no other routes, or that God cannot call other people to him along other routes. But what is that to us? We are called to follow Christ, hard teachings notwithstanding.
Joshua. There is no escaping the fact that this is the Book of Conquest. It calmly records what today we would consider gross acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, etc. But that's not why I think today's passage speaks to us particularly well on this Anglican Communion Sunday! Go back a wee bit in this saga and we find that this is part of Joshua's farewell address. He is now nearing his death, so it's a time of monumental change for the people. They are still trying to move from a tribal to a national identity. Chapter 22 illustrates the ongoing tensions and suspicions between the eastern and western tribes which almost spilled over into civil war. So the background to this general assembly of all the people is that all is not sweetness and light. The community is deeply divided. Yet the conclusion of chapter 22 sends the clear signal: the one thing that unites them is their faith in the one God. And because they worship the one God they share in a common story.
Today's general assembly, then, comprises ALL the tribes of Israel, and all the elders, leaders, judges and officials are called forward. Joshua addresses them with a message from "the Lord, the God of Israel", which starts with a recitation of their shared story. Only when that has finished does the point of the message become clear: it is time to choose. No more keeping the old household gods in the cupboard for emergencies. No more each-way bets. It's time for total commitment. You are either totally committed to the God of Israel or you are not committed to him at all. The choice is yours.
Taking It Personally.
· Joshua expressly refers to the gods of their ancestors and to the gods of the Amorites among whom the Israelites were living. We might see them as representing the values of a past age and of our surrounding society. Which are more tempting to you?
· On a scale of 1 to 10, how committed are you to following the way of Christ?
· How would you apply this passage to the Anglican Communion today? Is the call for unity a smokescreen to hide diversity and cases of injustice? Or is unity at the heart of God's call to his people? Can our modern version of tribalism be overcome through prayer and worship?
· As we again ponder the future of our diocese what can we learn from this passage? Are we too committed to past gods, or present-day values? Will our version of tribalism (congregationalism?) prevent us from being open to fresh pastures?
· Now pray for our Church in all its variety, perplexity, and human muddle.
Ephesians. I must confess that I struggle with this military image, and the rather laboured series of analogies. But the thrust is helpful. "Armour" is essentially defensive or protective; and it's noticeable that the only weapon mentioned is a sword which represents the Word of God. We are called to be strong "in the Lord" and "in his mighty power". This is not a call to launch a crusade or jihad against those we perceive as enemies (of God). Indeed, it could be argued that this is a pacifist charter: in contrast to the Roman Centurion from which Paul has taken this image, who was famed for his exploits in war and conquest, what this passage seems to call upon Christian "warriors" to do is simply to STAND. It's a call to resist, to refuse to surrender, not a call to attack. Think about that word "stand" for a moment. We "stand up" to someone. We "take a stand" on a point of principle. We "stand firm (or tall)". That's the sort of sense in which we are to take this exhortatory passage, I think.
Two other points. We're likely to be a bit iffy about talking in terms of spiritual warfare today. We shouldn't be. Paul couldn't be clearer about evil in the spiritual realm. Personally, I do not doubt the reality of spiritual evil: the evidence for it is all around us.
Secondly, notice that the passage ends with a call to continue to pray, and notice whom we are to pray for. We are called to pray for ourselves, our fellow believers and for the Pauls among us – those who are called to preach the gospel.
Taking It Personally.
· Meditate on the petition in the Lord's Prayer, "Deliver us from evil". What does that refer to? Do you agree that it must include the evil in the spiritual realm that Paul is talking about in today's passage?
· Pray for your present needs; be specific.
· Pray for each member of your faith community by name.
· Pray for our Diocese, and for Bishop Kelvin.
· Pray for the Anglican Church in this country.
· Pray for the Anglican Communion worldwide.
· Pray for all those who are called to preach.
· Set yourself a daily commitment of time for prayer. Take your stand on that and refuse to yield in the face of distractions, boredom, stiffness, or anything else. This is a good way of learning to take your stand with and for Christ.
John. And so this tremendous chapter reaches its dramatic climax. If you have been following these notes for some time, you can now evaluate for yourself Raymond E Brown's argument that this gospel comes out of a deeply divided community, suffering sectarian disputes and mass defections (excuse the pun); and that one of the central issues was the practice and meaning of the Eucharist. Verse 66 is the key: From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. That word "disciples" is vital. These are not fickle crowds, people who followed him for a show, and fell away when the mood took them. This is a reference to people who were committed to Christ but have now abandoned their faith (in John's view), and (if Brown is right) left the community of faith from which this gospel came. The question to those who remain is, "You do not wish to leave, too, do you?" and Peter answers for all true disciples, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life?" That this is in essence a spiritual struggle is again stressed by John in verse 63; and he again reminds us that we can only come to Jesus if God enables us to do so.
Taking It Personally.
· Read through the whole chapter slowly. What verses, phrases, or thoughts strike you particularly? Take those into prayer.
· Have you ever been tempted to "turn back and no longer follow him"? Why? By what?
· Is it possible to leave the Church without leaving Christ? Where then would you receive Communion? Do you agree that this chapter insists that Communion is essential to spiritual health?
· Ponder verses 68-69. Does Peter speak for you?
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