Ash Wednesday A
Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, Psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist, Patreon
Diann Bailey, Senior Pastor of First Church Suffield, CT
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Initial Thoughts
Back to the Sermon on the Mount - great if you did Epiphany 7A, confusing if you jumped to Transfiguration
These are the passages that surround the Lord’s Prayer - several scholars argue that the Lord’s prayer is inserted by Matthew into a larger sermon form Q
Interesting pick for Ash Wednesday, when we make a formal and public show of our religion and often decide to choose a fast.
Bible Study
“When”
Jesus is not asking people to pray, give or fast - that is assumed.
What Jesus is talking about is the motivation - “how” we pray, give, and fast
The manner in which we pray, give and fast, is actually more important than the praying, giving, or fasting itself
Giving can lead to toxic charity
Praying can lead to transactional, self-centered faith
Fasting can lead to self-flagellation and false martyrdom
“Practice your religion/piety” is literally righteousness
Wilda Gafney: “Now, beware of practicing your justness before other people.”
“Justness/justice, ‘uprightness,’ and ‘righteousness’ are all translations of dikaisoynen (deek-aye-soy-en). Those righteous acts include far more than the almsgiving, prayer, and fasting in the following verses.” (Wilda Gafney, A Women’s Lectionary For the Whole Church, Year W, p. 73)
In secret
Confusing at first - didn’t Jesus just tell us not to hide our light under a bushel (Mt. 5:14-16), but now is telling us to give and pray in secret - which is it?
Motivation - If you are giving or praying in order to be seen as being generous or pious, then your motivation is all backwards. However if you are being open about your generosity and praying to inspire others to be generous with the focus on helping those who need it and on God, that is altogether different.
“The Torah enjoins one to “walk humbly” regarding matters of public (and private) prayer and ritual.”Aaron Gale, “Matthew”, The Jewish Annotated New Testament, p.22
These warnings “function to warn Christians about the natural tendency to use religious exercises for ulterior purposes, to engage in a piety that for whatever reason seeks social approval.” (Texts for Preaching, Year A, p. 189)
Hypocrite - hypocrisy is one of the only sins that Jesus specifically calls out - often referring to the Pharisees.
Comes from the greek term for “actor” and can mean one seeking public praise or who is deceitful
“The rabbis use the term “hypocrite” to refer to one of four classes of people (along with liars,scoffers, and slanderers) who will not bask in the glory of the divine presence, in Heb Shekhinah.” Gale, p.22.
Giving
Blow your trumpet - this is hyperbolic, no Jews did not and do not “blow their trumpet” to announce donations
In contrast to the surrounding Greco-Roman society, Jews regarded giving money to the poor as a religious obligation and not merely a humanitarian one. This perception was grounded in the Torah (Deut. 15:11).” Douglas R. A. Hare, Interpretation: Matthew, p. 63.
Since ancient times, one’s ability to give and how much they gave acted as a status symbol - Think putting your name on a building (or a pew)
This can be complicated as being open about your giving can inspire generosity
We are called to be generous, because God is generous and all we have belong to God, therefore we cannot be praised by using God’s resources to take care of God’s people ( we are the stewards, not the owners of our wealth) - look ahead to 6:19-21.
Prayer
Whenever you pray - traditionally Jewish “prayers are said three times daily: morning, late afternoon, and early evening.” Gale, p.22
Reward - the reward mentioned in 6 is not a transactional reward but rather focuses on the transformative act of prayer (or giving and fasting). We do none of these things to change God or others, but rather to be changed by God (or at least our perception of God, others, and ourselves).
When you remove the Lord’s prayer - it makes sense to go from verse 6 to verse 16
Fasting -
“When Jewish people fasted, they not only abstained from food, but also from washing their clothes, having intercourse, shaving, and anointing themselves. People anointed their skin with olive oil and then scraped off the oil to cleanse themselves. Like many Gentiles, Judeans and Galileans often anointed their heads with oil inconnection with washing.” (Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, p. 1636)
Thoughts and Questions
Beware of Virtue Signaling. an attempt to show other people that you are a good person, for example by expressing opinions that will be acceptable to them, especially on social media: (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/virtue-signalling)
Nike using Colin Kapernick as a spokesperson while employing slave labor
Chik Fil A closing on Sundays while investing in anti-LGBT charities.
What is the reward of piety? Jesus defines what not to do with almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. What should it be about?
Our focus in praying, giving, or fasting should be on God, not on ourselves
We pray to tune our hearts to God - who is always tuned towards us
We give to share in God’s generous abundance
We fast to be in solidarity with those who hunger and to reflect on changing our hearts and lives away from pride, shame, fear, or popularity and toward the God of love, grace, and justice.
Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting are not prohibited. In fact, they are assumed to be a part of a faithful life. Jesus is teaching about how to make it meaningful, not arguing for or against. These practices are a given. The question is, who are they helping?
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Initial Thoughts
This is also the sermon that Peter draws from in his Pentecost sermon.
Bible Study
Background of Joel
Hard to place historically. Is it an ecological disaster or a response to an invading army?
1:4 Describes a terrible locust plague.
1:6 Describes a nation that has invaded the land.
Alter and Holder assert that it is locusts, and that the nation invading is a metaphor for this natural disaster.
“In this instance, the invading nation is a metaphorical representation of the locusts.” (Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible, v. 2 The Prophets, p. 1242)
“The breadth of the prophet’s vision is cosmically expansive rather than historically specific. Many scholars propose that the strong apocalyptic elements featured in the second half of the book suggest a late rather than early dating.” (William P. Brown in the notes on Joel in the Discipleship Study Bible, p. 1242).
“The theological center of Joel is found in the motif ‘the day of the Lord,’” which is marked by judgment and salvation, and destruction and restoration. (ibid.)
“Joel’s message, in short, dramatically moves from repentance to the explosive possibilities of new life and worship.” (ibid.)
In the aftermath of disaster - natural or man-made, ecological or militaristic (for all options are a possible reading of this text)
God will restore all things.
There will be a time of plenty and abundance.
Repeats: “My people will never be put to shame.”
Joel and the oppressed
In the Africana Bible, Holder asserts that the trouble is a plague of locusts - a natural disaster with social and economic implications. As in most natural disasters, it is the poor who suffer the most.
He compares Joel to African American Spirituals, “I Am Seekin For a City”
“There are significant levels of convergence between the message of the Old Testament prophets and African American spirituals that emerged out of oppressed Black communities in the United States. Both the Hebrew Bible and the songs spring from the well of human experience that seeks to resolve contradictions of life while embracing hope in God who never lets go, in spite of these contradictions.” (John W.D. Holder, Africana Bible, p. 169)
“The community of Joel also needed assurance of Yahweh’s presence in spite of the ‘devil’ reflected in the locust plague. The prophet provides assurance by asking the people to engage in acts of prayer and penance. Like the experience of slavery, the locust plague is interpreted as having some eschatological significance.” (Holder)
“In the spiritual, as in the case of Joel, there is a longing for that decisive moment of divine intervention. The song offers words of hope and encouragement for a beleaguered people. The same can be said of Joel 2:18-27, where Yahweh promises to relieve dire conditions created by locusts.” (Holder)
V. 12-13 - when you don’t know where to turn, turn to God
In this passage the devastation felt is interpreted as a sign of God’s judgment - but the “why” something is happening is not as important as the “what do we do now?” And what we do now is return to God
It is hardest to turn to God when everything is falling apart and we are most tempted to blame others, withdraw, or lash out.
V. 13 - Rend your hearts
Casey Thornbourgh Sigmund, Workingpreacher.org
“Rend your hearts” is traditionally seen as a sign of sincerity
Hebrew meaning, “heart” implies “determination, purpose, or courage.”
In other words, this original meaning better relates to the first invitation in verse 12—your weeping and lamentation are welcome. Even if you have nothing else to bring, that would be enough. You do not need to feel happy or better to courageously rend your heart to God.
True repentance happens within the heart - it is a dedication of the heart to the purposes of God and away from our own fears and desires
V. 13b- why should we repent and focus our hearts on God, because God is a God of love and grace
Looking ahead -
v. 28
The “ruach” of God - same word used a couple weeks ago as the wind which caused the storm that hit Jonah when he was fleeing to Tarshish
Spirit is (James Limburg, Interpretation: Hosea-Micah)
powerful (Give the power to tear a lion apart-Judges 14:6; break bindings - Judges 15:14; kill enemies - Judges 14:19)
Inspiring (ralling tribes together - Judges 6:34)
Life-giving (life into dry bones - Ezekiel 37:1-14)
Liberative (makes a path to freedom amidst the waters - Exodus 15:8)
Spirit upon everyone
The healing of the people and the land is a remarkably universal healing.
Sons and Daughters
Young and Old
Slave and Free
This is a wonderful picture of God working through all people.
v. 32 “But…”
There is also suffering. The restoration is marked with “blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.”
“Those who call upon the Lord” are saved. Sort of undoes the great universality of the previous couple of verses.
“…why does there always have to be a big but? But…then we come to verse 30—32 and all of a sudden our vision of inclusive—hope filled—dreams are made dark with apocalyptic images of blood, fire, darkness and terrible days. I guess we can’t have our cake and eat it too! Someone is going to have to suffer and endure the days ahead. Top it all off only those who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved…”
All this brings to mind my younger days sitting in front of a fired up revivalist selling the fear of hell as the ticket price to heaven. “Turn or burn!” “If you died tonight would you go to heaven?” Whatever happened to “All” and the power that comes through God’s grace and redemptive action on our behalf?
I guess, I wonder at what point did this eschatological vision of hope and God’s gracious outpouring on all flesh turn toward doomsday darkness and the need of self justification?” (Roy Terry, The Hardest Question)
Thoughts and Questions
For Sunday of Peace, this story of ecological disaster seems like it doesn’t fit. This should be about the end of war, not of the end of a natural disaster. Yet climate change, which has caused a lack of potable water in many places, has pushed people to migration and extremism.
There is ecological good news, especially if you include verses 21 and 22. God is telling the soil and the animals “Do not fear.” This is good news not just for Israel, but for all creation. Part of our act of repentance that God calls for is to remove the fear from the soil and animals as well. Good news for Israel is good news for all of Creation.
Female ordination and inclusion is still an issue - not for mainline Christians, but for a large part of Christianity. Even within mainline tradition, where women have been ordained for decades, how many of the “First Churches” in our conferences are pastored by women? The Spirit poured out on “all flesh” is an important concept as women continue to be denied a voice (#Repealthe19th). It is also applicable concerning matters of ordination for LGBT community.
Psalm 51:1-17
The backstory – 2 Samuel 11-12
David no longer goes out with the army
Staying at home – his idleness leads him to see Bathsheba bathing on the roof
He “takes her” with no regard for her desires or will – a clear abuse of power
She gets pregnant
David conspires to trick Uriah to come home and sleep with his wife (even getting them a bottle wine)
Uriah – righteous – refuses to sleep in his bed with his wife while his men are in the field of battle
David gets him drunk- Uriah still refuses
David arranges for Uriah to be killed
David then “graciously” marries the pregnant widow
“Gets away with it” until Nathan calls him to account – the sheep stealing man
“YOU ARE THE MAN”
The Beginning of the end for David
His sons- like David – will use people and take what they desire without regard to justice or consequence. David will never again achieve greatness due to the consequences of his actions.
God grants us grace but we still face the consequences of our actions
Aspects of lament – but this is suffering cause by the Psalmists’ own actions
Some of the greatest pain we experience is self-inflicted, but that doesn’t keep us from God’s grace
Attributes of who God is
Gracious – hannun
Merciful – rahum
Steadfast love – hesed
Attributes of Humanity - Three words for Sin:
“Transgressions” (vv. 1, 3, 13) is the same word as rebellion as used in Isaiah 1:2
“Iniquity” (vv. 2, 5, 9) means to be “bowed down” or “bent out of shape”
“Sin” (vv. 2, 3, 4, 9) or “Sinner” (vv. 5, 13) – Heb. Hata – means “to miss the target” used in Judges 20 about the slinger of the tribe of Benjamin who could “sling a stone at a hair and not miss (hata)”
Verse 5 – the sinfulness of humanity and the need for a new heart
The pervasiveness of sin
Not the biological transmission of sin, but the acknowledgment that humans are, by their very nature, sinful.
Attributes about who humans are
Attributes of God's reaction to human sin - Three words for forgiveness:
“blot out” – to wipe away, as in tears (Isaiah 25:8) or dirty dishes (2 Kings 21:13)
“wash” away iniquity (vv. 2, 7) – to scrub, as in dirty clothes (Exodus 19:10, 14)
“cleanse” (vv.2, 7) – to be clean, used for washing clothes and for ritual purification (Lev. 13:6, 34, 58)
Connection to Exodus 32-34 (Golden Calf Narrative)
The future of Israel’s story is in peril and will not continue- the relationship has been broken UNLESS God is willing to have steadfast love and forgiveness
Once again the future of the people of Israel is in peril – the King is God’s servant and the king’s actions are evil – the story may not continue UNLESS God is willing to be merciful and forgiving
Exodus – David – Psalmist – Exile – “A New Creation in Christ” – today
Story of the Hebrew People
Story of the Monarchy
Story of the Jews in Exile
Story of the Disciples
Story of the Christian Church
Story of the Contemporary church
Story of us – our church, our families – us as individuals
Recognition of a deep and complete sin which was rebellious, has bent David’s relationship with God “out of shape” and how deeply David’ action shave missed the mark. Only God has the power to clean the relationship and David himself.
Heart Transplant
Create in me a clean heart – to ask for a completely new thing
Heart – the center of being – the brain – the Spirit- the controlling essence of a person
There is not fixing what was broken, but God has the power of creation – the ability to make some new
We cannot go back, we cannot undo what was done, but we can confess and work to make something new
The goal of the Psalmist is to be back in right relationship – NOT to escape consequences.
Then what?
Teach, Sing and Praise God
“How Can I Keep from Singing?”
Having experienced God’s steadfast love (hesed), the Psalmist cannot help but share the story of what God has done in their lives
Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Misirlou”), Nicolai Heidlas (“Sunday Morning”, "Real Ride" and “Summertime”) and The Steel Wheels for our transition music(“Nola’s First Dance” from their album Lay Down, Lay Low) and Paul and Storm for our closing music (“Oh No”).