September 19, 2021 Prophets – Jeremiah’s Temple Sermon, Jeremiah 26

 Introduction to the Lesson

I’m sure you’ve seen people with megaphones or placards in front of government buildings preaching whatever their view happens to be.  It is usually something pretty extreme – either to the political left or to the right.  Some of them may have a religious message saying it is God has judged the land and will be bringing wrath down upon us if we don’t change our ways immediately.

People like this make us feel very uncomfortable; even if we generally agree with the message they are proclaiming.  When I encounter them I give them a wide berth – walking as far away from them as possible.  While the First Amendment gives them every legal right to do what they are doing, I often feel like they are being counterproductive – doing more harm to their cause than good.  But who knows?  You’ve got to get your message out somehow!

Have you ever been one of the people who are out there alone with a megaphone or placard?  It takes guts, that’s for sure!  Or maybe a bit of craziness!  You really have to believe in what you are saying and you are opening yourself to ridicule from everyone.

We are about to read about what is called Jeremiah’s “Temple Sermon.”  It recounts a time when Jeremiah went to the temple courtyard and proclaimed the message from God to the nation.  I suspect the scene was a lot like a person standing in front of a government building shouting into a megaphone.  You’ll be able to tell when we read it that lots of people heard.  The response was mixed.

Sermon

Jeremiah was called by God to preach a very unpopular message.  We’ll find in the weeks to come that Jeremiah was basically preaching against his own nation.  Americans like to champion the underdog who fights for what is right against insurmountable odds.  Fights like that usually end up with the underdog getting squashed, but we tend to forget those stories.  Instead we remember the rare times when the underdog does triumph.  We think of things like the military victory of Washington crossing the Delaware.  Or a legal victory like the story of Erin Brockovich.  But the message of giving in to the bully because it is God’s will is not something Americans generally go for.  Yet that is what a lot of Jeremiah’s messages to his people were.

That’s complicated and we’ll look at it in more depth in the weeks to come.  For today we want to focus on the idea of boldly preaching an unpopular message that will probably get us enemies.

We live in a divided nation.  And the divisions seem to be getting worse.  The list seems to be growing all the time: racial issues, immigration issues, economic issues, all sorts of issues about the pandemic, religious issues, political issues.  It’s getting to the point that the only safe thing to talk about is the weather!  No, not even that because you’re likely to get into a fight about climate change!  So I guess all that’s left is whether the Buffalo Bills have a shot at the post season!

Americans have always had a diversity of opinions.  The problem is that in the past there seemed to be the possibility of civil discourse and ultimately a working together.  Now each point of view has become its own close-minded tribe.  They have their own experts who create evidence to support their point of view.  Then they believe it and mock the other side.

I’m not immune to all this.  I certainly have my thoughts and opinions.  I think that people who think like me are smart and that the people who disagree with me must be complete and total idiots for believing what they believe. 

I suppose I could use the pulpit as a platform to spew out my own beliefs and sway you all.  But our congregation is not unified.  We are all over the place in this stuff.  Those of you who would agree with what I said may compliment me for my boldness at proclaiming the truth.  Those of you who disagree with what I said would either say I must have gone off my rocker for a Sunday, or eventually look for a different church – again a source that tells us the truth that we want to hear.

Actually if you want my opinions about all of this stuff I’d direct you to the many social statements that have been made by the ELCA over the years.  While I don’t agree with all of them, they do represent my overall thought processes.  And one of the key things behind those statements is that God and God alone knows the full and complete truth of anything.  Our role is to apply the knowledge and wisdom that we have; and apply them with self-giving love.  We do that because that is exactly what Jesus did in the crucifixion.  The arrest, crucifixion, and death of Jesus of Nazareth defies all logic, yet it is the perfect statement of self-giving.  And that is our model.

So with that in mind, and with the example we have from Jeremiah, let’s give ourselves two very big challenges.

Challenge one: Would you do what Jeremiah did?  Would you be willing to be the person with the megaphone that preaches a deeply unpopular message?  Would you be willing to publicly proclaim a message that presents challenges to the foundational beliefs of our nation? 

What would God have to do in order to convince you to do that?  Would the clouds have to spell out your name and the message you are to give?  Would God have to make you, or a family member, personally suffer as the victim of some great injustice before you would act?  What would it take for you to do something for God that is way out of your comfort zone and that would subject you to public ridicule and maybe even a criminal trial?

I think that’s worth pondering because it tells us how deeply rooted we are in our comforts and our way of life.  If there’s anything that upsets God the most with our nation today I doubt it’s issues of sexuality or any given piece of public policy.  I think it’s about the way so many people are basically addicted to life being comfortable and safe.  Or perhaps I should say that too many people feel entitled to a life that is comfortable and safe.  They are simply unwilling to listen to or accept anything that takes them out of that.   They are so certain that comfort and safety are God’s will for their lives.  A look at the Bible will tell you there is no truth to that!

And then there’s the second challenge.  We are deeply divided, entrenched even, in our beliefs about many things.  As I said before, each side has its own set of facts and experts to back up their point of view.  It’s a self-affirming cycle that makes true critical review impossible.

And so, what would it take for you to be able to see the value of the point of view of those who are your opponents?  What would it take for you to break from the tribal circle of thinking we so easily develop and be open to new facts?  Maybe those who perceive things differently than us truly are wrong with 95% of their facts.  But that still means there is 5% of truth in what they say.

I’m no prophet like Jeremiah.  I don’t begin to think I can predict the future 100 years ahead like he did quite effectively.  But I do think I can safely say that our nation is going to rip itself apart from the inside if we cannot learn to walk together into the future. 

That does not mean we have to be nice to those we don’t like.  I’ll never preach that.  But each needs to be able to learn the value of the other.  Maybe you totally disagree with a person and think he or she is a total moron.  But you still need to invest in understand why they think the way they do.  And don’t then cast them off as simple or ignorant or trapped in fear.  Truly dwell in the reality they live.

They may do the same for you, or they may not.  You can’t keep other people from being jerks.  But through the faith God creates in you, you can keep from being a jerk yourself.

Our world is facing huge problems.  There are always huge problems to face in the world.  If any nation is to be great (as great as the ancient Jews Jeremiah spoke to wanted to be) it must engage problems collectively and with courage.  Comfort and convenience must be set aside and all must roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty.

Ultimately we are all sinners in need of God’s grace.  None of us is righteous enough to say we deserve eternal life or even an easy life here and now.  God alone is righteous.  God alone must save.  It is in God that we hope, and it is God that we take courage to do what God calls us to do.