Too Light a Thing (Sunday, January 15th, 2017)

Bible Reference(s): Isaiah 49:1-7

Sermon by Rev. Terri Thorn

On Monday, we will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States. That holiday, of course, honors Dr. King -  the undisputed leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the US in the 1960s. Dr. King is remembered for a variety of things…his soaring rhetorical style, his commitment to non-violent protesting, and his refusal to be intimidated by opponents who threatened his life, bombed his family home, and wiretapped his phone conversations.  Tomorrow on television, there will undoubtedly be replays of his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech from 1963, as well as his passionate "I Have Been to the Mountaintop" address which was given in Memphis on the night before he was killed. 

Let's be clear, King was not without flaw.  He had his own personal demons (as we all do), and over his short lifetime he experienced his shares of both personal and professional failures. But those facts do not make him less of a national hero…instead, they make what he accomplished even more inspiring.  Inspiring because, just like you and me, he wasn’t perfect…he didn’t have it all together…and yet, by channeling the spirit of God within him, he was able to become an agent of change.  Most will agree that he was the very definition of a modern day prophet.

And King—who was a pastor—loved the Old Testament prophets. He studied their techniques, he commiserated with their failures, and he exalted with their successes. We can find numerous examples in his speeches and sermons where he extorts the prophets’ message in order to inspire ordinary people to do extraordinary things. 

King resonated with the prophetic texts of the Old Testament.  Like the ancient prophets, he cast visions of what could be...he called out what should not be...and he most certainly made himself vulnerable to those in power for the sake of righteousness.   If you spend any time watching video or reading his writings, it's evident that the “suffering servant passages” from Isaiah were certainly among those which influenced both his theology and his social action.  So, it is fitting, and perhaps divine, that one of those passages appears in today’s lectionary.  

Now, let me clarify what we mean by "suffering servant" passages.  You see, there are four distinct places in the book of Isaiah where he makes reference to "The Servant" in a way that would imply it was a specific person or entity.  Quite often, the servant is described as suffering for the work of God.  That said, Biblical scholars are not in agreement about who the servant is.  Is it Isaiah, himself? Is it a prophecy of the future of the nation of Israel? Is it some historical figure whose name has been lost to the ages? Is it a prophecy of the coming messiah?

All of these are plausible answers, as all have suffered for the sake of God's work.  However, I believe the powerful thing about the words of the servant is that they speak boldly to us, even if we don't know the servant's identity.  In fact, maybe what draws us  to these texts - and what drew Dr. King to them - is the fact that, as people of faith, we could even see ourselves as the servant.

Now, at first, that might seem like an egotistical thing to do. Seeing ourselves on the same level of power and suffering and relationship with God as the great prophet Isaiah. But I think—and I suspect King recognized this, too—that only by doing so are we able to receive the full power of the spirit that is at work in these ancient texts.

So let’s take a closer look at what the servant says that we need to hear.  More importantly, how will we relate to it now, several millennia later?   Of course, as with any scripture, to answer that question, we must consider the purpose and context of the text...why Isaiah included it and what it was intended to do. 

Keep in mind that as these words are spoken, Israel is still in exile in Babylon. They are slaves. Their homeland has been left in ruins. They are living in a strange land with strange traditions and cultures.  The longer the Israelites remained in Babylon, the less connection they had with their home…the promised land.  There were enormous pressures to assimilate into Babylonian culture.  Lots of pressure to just go along with the status quo for the sake of pacification. The prophet’s job was to remind the Israelites that they belonged to God, not the Babylonians. 

Clearly, God called the Servant to some very difficult prophetic work - to be a sharp sword, a polished arrow, to be used at God's own bidding in order to inspire hope for restoration and cast a vision of future redemption and peace for God's people.

Now, the language and imagery of this text might be sound odd or be a little strong for our 21st century sensibilities, still the point behind it is just powerful today as it was then.  Think about it for a moment.  God has called all his servants -- including his servant, the church-- to be powerful tools of mercy and justice and redemption.  Yes, as ordinary as we are, we have been created and equipped to do the extraordinary, albeit challenging, work of God’s Kingdom.    

That said, it might be the Servant's response rather than his call to which we can more fully relate.  Take a look.  God has just given this beautiful pronouncement and blessing to the servant, and what is the first word of response? “But!”  "But, God...I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity…” In other words, "God, I've already tried that...preached that sermon, offered that forgiveness, tried that approach...and nothing has changed.  I have failed.  Your servant has failed."

Let's face it, this is not an uncommon response.  When it comes to doing God's work, frustration and doubt are easy temptations for our minds.  Many folks can relate to the feeling of stepping out of your comfort zone doing what you think God wants you to do, only to seem to get zero results? Worse yet, some have stepped out and become a target for others to shoot down.  When that happens, we feel lost, hopeless and maybe even afraid.  We can see how it would be tempting to just shut up, sit down, and blend in with the Babylonians. 

But clearly, God has something else in mind for his Servant.  When the Servant points out his own challenges and failures, rather than coddling him, God raises the stakes.  Seriously.  He says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob  and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."  In other words, "Servant, not only will you be a prophetic voice to my people, you will be a light to all the world on my behalf."    

Now, when I first heard the words, "it is too light a thing to raise up the tribes of Jacob," my inclination was to interpret this as saying it's not enough to just take care of our own...and I think there's real truth to that perspective. It is not enough to just be concerned about our own congregation, our own denomination, or own nation.  It is not enough to limit our interest to what is right or best for ourselves.  And, we don't get to remain quiet about the good news of salvation that has been given to us.  No, Christians are called to be God's light to all nations...to get beyond ourselves and outside the walls of our high steeple churches to interact with the world for God's glory. 

Yet, as I've pondered the phrase this week, I've also come to see it from a different angle.   To say that something is too light a thing may be an admonition against selling God's purposes short.  We are often guilty of minimizing the power of God's Spirit at work in and through our weaknesses - relying instead on our own abilities rather than trusting in God's strength.  We are sometimes short-sighted about what it means to be a Christian - focusing on one particular aspect of faith.  Perhaps something is too light a thing when it limits the possibility of what God can do through his servants.  So maybe God says "it is too light a thing" as a reminder that the work to which his servants are called is always part of a bigger picture...code for "Folks, you ain't seen nothin' yet!"

When God says it is too light a thing, I think he is saying that our call is to a much bigger picture than what we see...far beyond ourselves, bigger than our abilities, with a purpose greater than our personal preferences.

When it came to the civil rights movement, I think Dr. King understood that it was too light a thing to just focus on a specific outcome.  He was aware that he might not live to see the vision of racial equality recognized, but he genuinely and wholehearted believed that God had called him to do his part to bring it to fruition.  He understood that his work was part of a bigger picture of social justice in our nation and in God's world. 

So, when we speak out against racism and bigotry today, it is part of a bigger picture...a picture of life in God's Kingdom.  When we demand justice, uphold truth, and protest oppressive systems, it is part of the bigger "Kingdom" picture.  When we plant seeds of mercy, when we cultivate compassion, when give voice to the voiceless, it is part of the bigger picture to which we are called.  Every time we choose the way of Christ...welcoming the stranger, caring for the sick, providing food for the hungry, clothing for the naked, shelter for the poor...every time we do these things...we are working in a bigger picture...the picture that Jesus painted with his life...a picture of God's Light and Love filling the world to bring peace.

Make no mistake, though, the servant's work is not easy. 

The servant's words are not always popular. 

And at times, the servant will suffer.

Even the "too light of a thing"  may feel very burdensome, scary, or challenging.  Especially when we cannot fully see the bigger picture. Going beyond it may seem impossible. 

Yet Christ, who was the epitome of the suffering servant, had to choose to do the more difficult thing...the thing way, way beyond the lighter thing.  He chose to suffer on the cross for the sake of a much bigger picture of salvation for the world. 

And the good news of the gospel is that the same empowering spirit that was within in him is within us as well, beckoning us to be a part of God's bigger picture...to do those things, whatever they may be, that increase the presence of God's love in the world.

Friends...one look at the brokenness around us...the fear, the worry, the shadows of death...and there is no doubt that God is calling his church to be like Isaiah's Suffering Servant, to choose to do what God asks of us. Not just the too light a thing, but the more challenging thing...the uncomfortable things...the speaking out and speaking up things.    And we choose to do it...not because we are afraid God won't love is if we don't...we do it because the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen us to...and that is the only reason we need.  Amen.

 

For the time of reflection

Earlier this week I was watching some video from Dr. King's most famous speeches and I was particularly struck by his last speech...given in Memphis...the night before he died.  It was very eerie to watch...because in retrospect...it sounds as if almost knew he might die soon.  Still, he did not seem to fear that or worry about it...he was convinced, to the core of his being, that he was doing what God had asked him to do.  If you haven't seen the speech it's worth watching...to hear him speak about going up to the mountaintop to see the Promised Land of racial justice will give you chills.

Today, during our time of reflection, we're going to listen to a song written and performed by Patty Griffen to honor Dr. King...it was based on his Memphis speech.  I invite you to use this time to ponder what it is that God is asking of you, of us and of his church.  And friends...at the risk of my words being unpopular, I have to say... given the state of division in our nation and the level of injustice in the world, if God is not calling you to greater work, it is only because you are not listening.