Jim:
Jeremiah 24:1-1
Here, as before in the book of Jeremiah, we have the prophet gaining from common elements of everyday life a glimpse into the actions and intentions of God. Two baskets of figs, one full of very good figs, the other full of very bad ones, would have attracted little attention from anyone else, but for the prophet they become reminders of what God is doing and a source of insight into God's justice and righteousness. As a preacher, I would call the baskets of figs good illustrative material used well by Jeremiah to convey a vivid image. The image is of God acting out of sovereignty and determining who will be held accountable for their actions and how.
Romans 9:19-33
Paul also treats the issue of God's sovereignty and uses an illustration that Jeremiah has used to great effect. Verse 21 says, "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use?" If we recognize God as sovereign, and if we believe that God is free to act however God chooses, then we have to also recognize that God will make decisions that we, as creatures, can not fully understand and will not fully agree with. But we must also remember that whatever God chooses to do will be, by definition, good. There is no guarantee that anyone will be condemned. God may save everyone. But God alone has the freedom to make that determination. We who are called must recognize our calling not as a free pass, but as an opportunity to be about the work of God doing whatever we can to share the good news with others.
John 9:1-17
The gospel reading gives another perspective on this whole question and perhaps the key to understanding it. Asked who had sinned that would cause a man to be born blind, "Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him.'" (v. 3) In other words, God is at work in our midst. Sometimes God's work becomes apparent through healing, and sometimes it is baskets of figs that allow us to see God's activity. Whatever the case, God's sovereignty is such that God can and does act out of justice and righteousness, mercy and compassion, judgment and grace as God wills. We who stand in relationship to God as God's people are called to live lives of faithful obedience, trusting God.
I’ve got to tell you, that's a lot of stuff to deal with on a Monday!
2 comments:
Romans Passage-
Verses 21-23 of this passage speak to me the most. When I think about the idea of 'God's chosen people' and those who are not...the imagery of a potter that makes some items for ordinary use and some for special use is something I can wrestle with. The next part of the passage implies that for us to truly appreciate the grace and mercy of our God, we have to be witness to his wrath and power. I read somewhere that we as humans have a need to understand things by contrast or opposites. We cannot truly have a sense of great joy unless we have experienced sorrow or pain. Without understanding one end of the spectrum, we don't know where we are on the other end of the spectrum. I have seen this idea play out in service, as well. It is sometimes hard to appreciate the many blessings in our lives if we only look up at people who have more than us. But, when you serve the poor and befriend the destitute, God's gifts in our lives are so much more apparent and perhaps more valued.
I appreciate the illustration of contrasts in the Jeremiah passage and the Romans passage. And, the idea of the potter is valuable, as well. In any case, God's sovereignty is very apparent in all three passages. I take a lot of comfort in that. To me, it does seem to give the most glory to God when we can accept the fact that it is all in his hands and give up our need for control. Some religious theories seem to want to hang on to that control...and seem to say if you do these things on the checklist, God has to honor the contract and let you in. I have never been comfortable with that...mostly because I don't feel like I could check off all the things on the list (certainly not on my own). There is a sense of peace that comes from knowing that God is in control and it is out of my hands. I think that peace is what leads to a life of thanksgiving and service.
I have made a little tiny leap in my understanding of God's grace and sovereignty over the last few days. Jim and Debbie, thank you for your insights...they are, as always, helpful and thought provoking.
Megan: Your insight is also very helpful, and I appreciate your willingness to share. I really like the idea that we learn a lot through contrasts or opposites. That will preach!! (Hint, hint.) Glad the blog is helpful. It is doing a lot for me, too, because any time we are challenged to make our beliefs clearer we gain from the experience.
Jim
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