Sermon 15 - Iisaak
Romans 13:7
Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect
I'm trying to learn the Nuu-chah-nulth language. To learn a new language is not simply to learn vocabulary, syntax, and grammar. The language, in many ways, carries the culture. What words mean, and the emphasis and priority putting put on certain of those meanings, tells you a lot about the people who use that language.
I learned a new word recently. It's called iisaak. It means "respect."
But, as is usual, it doesn't just mean respect: it has other meanings as well. Translating from one language to another is like that. The word Naas, for example is the word for God, but it's also the word for creator, and it's also the word for sky, and it's also the word for heaven. Multiple meanings for the same word, at least in terms of what we think a word should mean.
Anyway the word iisaak means respect. But it also means observe. And it also means appreciate. And it also means to take wise and thoughtful action. All in one word.
And, if you think about it, isn't that what respect is? If we respect someone or something, do we not observe it? Do we not note the behavior of the person that we respect, and even try and emulate it? Do we not observe what they do and say, and learn what we can from it?
And if we respect someone, don't we appreciate them? Don't we appreciate every minute we can spend with them? Do we not resent when other people take their attention from us?
And taking wise and thoughtful action. Isn't that in there as well? If you respect someone, do not you consider your own actions in comparison with theirs? Do we not try and emulate their thoughts, and their wisdom?
Kelly, who taught me this word, uses the variety of meanings to make a framework for conflict resolution. And for dealing with a variety of problems. I think it's an excellent idea. For one thing, conflict resolution should always be based on respect. But the additional meanings do allow you to build a framework, and a process, that can be very effective for resolving conflicts and problems: first observe, and make sure that you understand what the problem actually is; then appreciate the valid points on the other side; and then take wise and thoughtful action to resolve the issue. I think it's a terrific framework.
And, of course, it also makes for a terrific sermon. We need to respect God. And that means that we need to observe, and appreciate, and take wise and thoughtful action with regard to God.
First off, we need to observe. God has revealed himself to us in a variety of ways. To begin with, there is God's word: the Bible, the scriptures. We get to hear God speaking directly to us. We get to hear, pretty plainly, what God wants to tell us. How he expects us to act. What it is that he expects of us. And, of course, even within the scriptures, God has revealed himself to us, very particularly, in the person of Jesus Christ. This is a revelation, a very special revelation, for those of us who believe. It is the most direct, personal, and plain revelation to the world.
But God reveals himself in all kinds of ways. The heavens declare His handiworks. The Earth is full of his glory. The atheists like to raise the problem of pain as a proof for the non-existence of God. The problem is, we say that God loves us, and that he is all powerful. Well then, say the atheists, why does pain and suffering exist? If God was good he would want his creatures to be happy, and yet there is suffering. So, either God is not good, or he is not all powerful. This is the problem of pain. Well there are a number of answers to the problem of pain. But the atheists have another problem: the problem of beauty. If God doesn't exist why is the world so beautiful? What is the purpose of having such amazing glory all around us for no particular reason? Why is there an absolutely gorgeous sunset pretty much every day. And, since I tend to be up most earlier than most of you, I can also tell you that the day starts off pretty much the same way: absolutely glorious.
And observe the provisions that God makes for us, and for every living creature as well. God provides for us in so many ways; such prolific ways; such a variety of ways. God takes care of us. But there is such beauty in the universe! The wonders of the orbits of electrons in the smallest atom and the structure of the cosmos overall like a giant soap foam, made up of galactic clusters. Look at the smallest weed wildflower growing in your patch of lawn. Consider how beautiful it is, just as it is. And then take a lens, and look at it more closely. Consider the structures in veining and the amazing design of the individual pedals themselves. And then go even deeper, if you can find a powerful enough microscope, and consider the beauty and art that goes into the cells, and the channels that fluids flow through in order to nourish the plant and give it life. And all of this beauty, that could have been just simply functional, for no particular reason at all. At least no reason if there is no God who does not want us to see the beauty of his creation. And all of this may be provided for one single planet of people: us. All this amazing provision, just to keep us alive. And entertained?
And do we appreciate it? Do we appreciate the beauty, the grandeur, and the provisions? Are we properly grateful for the fact that God keeps us alive minute by minute? He maintains the world. He maintains the universe. He maintains us. He feeds us. He feeds everything, and in some weird and wonderful ways. He provides us with life. And then, even though we are ungrateful, and selfish, and disobedient, he saves us. He provides salvation, as well as life.
Do we appreciate the beauty? Do we appreciate the provision? Do we appreciate that God, the creator of the entire universe, and any other universes that there are if you believe that there are other universes, wants to be your best friend? Wants you to live with him forever?
Do we respect God enough to appreciate all that he has done for us?
And then there is the thoughtful and wise action. Give thought to the respect that is due to God. Give thought to all that we have to appreciate, which is provided by God. And then, give thought to the fact that our respect for God, the appropriate respect for God, and our appreciation for all that he has done for us, must prompt us to action. And that action must be thoughtful. Yes, our appreciation may prompt us to throw our hands in the air and praise. That is all well and good. But is that all that we owe God? Thoughtful action would indicate that we need to do something more for God. Therefore, we need to determine, or at least try to determine, what it is that God would have us do. What action God would have us take.
Fortunately, God has provided us some help in this regard. He has given us his word, the bible, the scriptures. He has shown you, oh man, what it is that he requires of you. God has provided us the law. God has provided us the words of the prophets. God has provided us with stories and histories and wisdom, and even his son as an example for us as a rabbi for us, as a direct statement to us of what it is that we are to do. And so, we should emulate that example. We should look into those stories and give them careful thought, and then take action based on what we read there. We need to take action. We need to, as closely as we can, do, and act, in the way God would have us act. This is the thoughtful action that we would take we need to take.
And we need to take action, rather than doing nothing. Failing to take action is not wise. But, in addition to action, and addition to giving thought to what actions to take, we need to study wisdom. We need to be wise in our actions. We need to give thought, we need to ponder wisdom, we need to ponder the words of God and consider and root them deeply into the way we work and the way we think, and we need to use that wisdom to guide our actions. It is not enough simply to observe. It is not enough simply to appreciate. It is not enough to give thanks, no half matter how effusive. And, it is not enough to take action, simply any action. The action must be thoughtful, and the action must be wise. And, given all that God has done for us, the wisdom must be the best that we can give. The thought must be the best that we can give, so that the action is the best that we can give. God deserves the best. To do anything less is to lack respect for God. To demonstrate a lack of respect for God. To demonstrate that we have failed to show the proper respect for God.
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