The main theme of the Church was Theological Education: Equipping People of God. The theme is quite relevant in this era. But I felt it to be too scholastic to be preached in Church where the community is mixed and all don’t enjoy high funda theology. Taking that into consideration I thought of preaching from the Old Testament portion based on the Theme – Home: The Place Where God is Unveiled.
Deuteronomy 6:1-17
Few verses to base my meditation 6:4-5, 10-12
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
10 When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
I am reminded of one the great Anglican cleric and Christian theologians, John Wesley sharing his view on the Bible. During the last years of his study in seminary he went to a restaurant along with his friends for evening tea. They soon began to discuss on the different versions of the Bible. One of them said “I love the King James Version and I would be using it for my sermons and study. The Old English language used is so captivating.” Hearing this the other commented, “I think the NIV is the best version for it is neither too hard to comprehend nor too easy to be felt as childish.” The third one in their group said “for me the Good News Version is the best, for all in my congregation will be able to understand it without much explanation.” John Wesley maintained silence. On this the friends asked which version you will follow. On being asked again and again he said, “I like my mother’s version.” Hearing this the fellow friends laughed as they knew his mother didn’t have any schooling. They said how can your mother translate when she doesn’t know how to read. To this John Wesley replied, “Her life itself is a translation.”
How will our children know who God is and what God wants from us? It is through the life we will be living. As parents we need to translate the Biblical God through our lives for our children to see and learn. Home is the place where a person spends major portion of his/her life. A statistics shows that an average church goer spends 16% of total life for studies and work, 1% for church activities and the rest 83% spends at home. So I title my sermon Home: The Place Where God is Unveiled.
The read portion is known as Shema – the central prayer in the Jewish prayer book (siddur) and is often the first section of Scripture (Deut 6:4) that a Jewish child learns.
Few things that this passage draws our attention to.
1. Loving God is your First Priority
These instructions are given to the Israelites who have now reached their promised land after all the bondage, toil and trouble. God knows that there are all probabilities and chances of Israelites turning towards many other things as they don’t have much trouble now. God has seen this in their life. On their journey to the Promised Land many a times when things did not go as they wished they made their own gods and started worshipping. So God is commanding and asking them to set Him and no other as their first priority.
God says love me with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength. The heart is the foundation of all emotions, the soul is the very life of an individual and God says till the time there is strength for you to speak and for you to worship don’t make excuses. You need to worship me for it is I who have brought you out of slavery.
Is God today our first priority? When God asks us to give tithe it’s not just the money but also the time and resources. When we look back what has been our priority. We have excuses for everything that we do.
Our home should be the place where children should be taught that God has to be given the first priority. Do we take major decisions of our life asking God? All major decisions should be taken as a family asking God in prayer. The children should see this in their parent’s life. Only then will it translate in their life.
2. In A World Of Independence God Asks You To Be Dependent. (v. 12)
We are living in an age where we love independence. We want to be free to take and make our own decisions. We don’t want anybody helping us. The modern era parents are also eagerly teaching the children to be independent in their lives. But there is selfishness in it. It’s because they want to concentrate more on their jobs. God very clearly says you cannot live independently. There will come a time in your life when you will have to bend your knees and come to Him asking for refuge and strength.
Today when we have health and wealth we feel we don’t need anyone. God is also reminding the Israelites don’t forget the God who brought you thus far.
I am reminded of an illustration where a father and boy went for mountain climbing. As they walked up the path they found a pretty big stone on their way. The boy was in front and tried to remove it. The father wanted to teach the boy a lesson. The father asked the boy to look around and use his complete resource. The boy looked around and saw a stick. He took and stick and a small stone and tried to roll the big stone hindering their way but could not. The big stone didn’t even move a little. The father asked him to look around and use his resources. The boy looked around and said now there is nothing that I can use. The father asked “have you used all your resources.” “Yes” replied the son. “No my son, resources are still left”, replied his father. Irritated he asked can you just show me where I can find one. To this his father replied, “Dear son, you could always have asked me to help you.”
We too in our life forget the most useful resource in our times of trouble and problems. Our Father in Heaven says, you have not used all your resources, I am still there for you.”
3. Gifts are received and not gained. (v.10b-11)
We knowingly or unknowingly start to believe that all that we have in our life is gained by our hard work and ability. But dear friends I want you to read the verses 10 (b) and 11. As you look back at the years you have spent in this land where you are working isn’t it true that God has given you homes that you have not built, water from wells that you have not dug, fruits from plants that you have not planted. The verse ends in saying you will eat as much as you want. Which means you will eat till you are satisfied.
We take everything for granted. I was very much moved by an incident which happened a week back. As you all are aware these days I am alone as my wife Saumya and daughter Nanma, are at Baroda along with my parents after the intussusception surgery that Nanma had to undergo. Most of the days I do the cooking myself. I had made chapatis and after my dinner there were two more chapatis left. I thought of having it the day after for breakfast. But one of our members brought idli and sambhar and I forgot about the chapatti. It was only after two days I am realizing there are two chapatis in the caserol. I thought that as its been two days old let me throw it away. I put it in the bag and when the sweeper cam gave it to him. He opened the cover as usual and put all the waste in his wagon. But after doing so when he saw two chapatis he took those and then removed the visible dust and then kept it in a white plastic. The sight made me standstill for a moment. I didn’t have the courage to ask him why did he do this?
We are living in abundance and so seldom value the beauty of things and respect what God has given us.
Let our homes be places where our children can see true living God. The basic theological and secular education I believe starts not from Schools and Seminaries but from our own Homes. May God help us to build such homes.
