Rescue or Ruin?
Commentary
It seems obvious if we had a choice, we would choose rescue over ruin. Right? But will our pride let us admit we are wrong, or, worse yet, that we need help? People don’t like to admit they are not self-sufficient, that we need grace, that salvation comes to us not because we’re really nice but because we’re on the edge of ruin and God reached down to us. There’s that hymn — “My Faith Looks Up To Thee.” But does it? Is our default setting looking up to God when we need help?
In Numbers the people complain once again and are afflicted with poisonous serpents. Moses provides a solution at God’s direction. People must look up beyond themselves to the copper snake that resting high on a pole. If they don’t — ruin. If they do — rescue.
The Ephesians believe they have all the answers in all the faiths they practice in their city. Indeed, as the home of many different faiths, many of them practice syncretism, which is a way of saying, “all of the above.”
But the apostle tells them we are raised up with Christ. We have to look to Christ crucified. Make up your minds. Make a choice. Rescue or ruin?
Nicodemus comes at night because he doesn’t want to be seen talking to Jesus. Jesus makes it clear if we want to be saved — and God so loved the world that the only begotten son will be given as a sacrifice — we must look up to the cross as the people looked up to the serpent and be seen doing it. Rescue? Ruin? What’ll you have?
Numbers 21:4-9
If this is the third time the people grumble, it is the worst time because the passage makes it clear that the complaint was directed directly at God. Prior to this they complained about Moses, although the Lord said at one of those earlier occasions that they were really complaining against God. By the way, the complaint is against God, not YHWH. They refused to use the name of God, abandoning the personal relationship with a deity who had revealed the real name.
These snakes, identified as seraphs, are thought to have been flying snakes that breathed fire. This is really, really bad!
Whatever else you may think about the curative powers associated with a copper snake (and in several ancient cultures snakes were associated both with sudden and painful death as well as healing) when Moses raised up a copper serpent on high for the people to look on and be healed, one thing at least is accomplished. The people are no longer focusing on themselves. They are looking up. They can choose rescue. They can choose ruin.
That’s crucial. One of the ancient rabbis once said, “Could the snake slay or the serpent keep alive? It is, rather, to teach you that whenever the Israelites directed their thoughts on high and kept their hearts in subjection to their Father in heaven, they were healed; otherwise they pined away.” (Mishnah Rosh Ha-Shanah 3:8)
Rescue or ruin? Which is it?
Ephesians 2:1-10
I’m not a fan of the Zombie mythos, but most of my family are. They’re always talking about the Walking Dead, a typology in which these beings are not what they used to be, but capable of malice and evil. Notice in the first couple verses here Paul talks about the walking dead. Walking is a term for a way of life, and those who are described as both dead and the children of wrath are walking around, engaged in a destructive lifestyle, serving another master, the ruler of this age, this era. But eras change. Resurrection is not only possible, but thanks to God’s mercy, it’s a reasonable expectation. There is not only the resurrection of the dead, which we look forward to in the future, but there’s also the resurrection of the walking dead, those walking in the deeds of darkness, those dead to goodness and hope because that former age is passing away. It will be no more, and if you continue to live according to the era of the walking dead, obedient to the false ruler instead of being faithful to Jesus, you will not live in the present resurrection, which means embracing real life, good life, kingdom life, but you will have chosen the wrong side when it comes to the future and final resurrection.
The Ephesians, home of emperor worship, a center for worship of the hunter goddess Diana, and many other religions, practiced what we call syncretism. Like a religious buffet, you go down the line and pick up only what you like? You like mushrooms? You pick out the mushrooms and leave the rest of the dish there. You like the “feel-good” aspects of a faith but not some of the requirements when it comes to changing your behavior? Take what you want. Leave the rest.
Rescue or ruin. Which is it?
John 3:14-21
John 3:16 is one of those go-to verses that you can count on. Folks have it memorized. You can just say the words “John 3:16” and people’s eyes light up. But this lectionary passage calls upon us to do more than “just” say a few words, accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and relax.
I hope you will not ignore the presence of Nicodemus, even though Jesus is on such a roll when you pick things up at verse 14 you can forget all about him. But at this stage he’s a respected member of the council, so he is sneaking in at night to talk to Jesus. And Jesus is telling him that’s not good enough. If you want to be healed, you have to stand up, look up, and be made well. Be counted.
The point is emphasized right off the bat. Hearkening back to the story in Numbers that is also a selection for this weekend, Jesus reminds him — and us — about the time in the wilderness where the people, after 38 years of wandering, are this close to the finish line, and they rebel. And they are stricken with seraphs, frightening snakes that may even fly and breath fire. And when the people despaired, Moses was instructed to build a copper snake, put it high on a post, and whoever looked up to the snake was healed. And Jesus makes the clear connection. His death on the cross will have the same healing effect as the snake.
And why is God doing this? Because in the end God so loved the world…. But you know this bit.
Nor should you forget that Nicodemus stands up for Jesus in the Sanhedrin and throws dignity to the wind by carrying a 75-pound sack of burial spices after the crucifixion, when all seems lost and he really should be about his pious Passover preparations, but all that seems to have been cast aside. Nicodemus evidently looked up to Jesus on the cross and is ready to stand up for Jesus when everyone else has abandoned him, even when it doesn’t look like there can be any payback for the faithful. Grief-stricken, numb, lost, Nicodemus will have been found by the end of this, because he realized something was wrong, he looked up, and got busy.
Rescue or ruin? Which is it?
In Numbers the people complain once again and are afflicted with poisonous serpents. Moses provides a solution at God’s direction. People must look up beyond themselves to the copper snake that resting high on a pole. If they don’t — ruin. If they do — rescue.
The Ephesians believe they have all the answers in all the faiths they practice in their city. Indeed, as the home of many different faiths, many of them practice syncretism, which is a way of saying, “all of the above.”
But the apostle tells them we are raised up with Christ. We have to look to Christ crucified. Make up your minds. Make a choice. Rescue or ruin?
Nicodemus comes at night because he doesn’t want to be seen talking to Jesus. Jesus makes it clear if we want to be saved — and God so loved the world that the only begotten son will be given as a sacrifice — we must look up to the cross as the people looked up to the serpent and be seen doing it. Rescue? Ruin? What’ll you have?
Numbers 21:4-9
If this is the third time the people grumble, it is the worst time because the passage makes it clear that the complaint was directed directly at God. Prior to this they complained about Moses, although the Lord said at one of those earlier occasions that they were really complaining against God. By the way, the complaint is against God, not YHWH. They refused to use the name of God, abandoning the personal relationship with a deity who had revealed the real name.
These snakes, identified as seraphs, are thought to have been flying snakes that breathed fire. This is really, really bad!
Whatever else you may think about the curative powers associated with a copper snake (and in several ancient cultures snakes were associated both with sudden and painful death as well as healing) when Moses raised up a copper serpent on high for the people to look on and be healed, one thing at least is accomplished. The people are no longer focusing on themselves. They are looking up. They can choose rescue. They can choose ruin.
That’s crucial. One of the ancient rabbis once said, “Could the snake slay or the serpent keep alive? It is, rather, to teach you that whenever the Israelites directed their thoughts on high and kept their hearts in subjection to their Father in heaven, they were healed; otherwise they pined away.” (Mishnah Rosh Ha-Shanah 3:8)
Rescue or ruin? Which is it?
Ephesians 2:1-10
I’m not a fan of the Zombie mythos, but most of my family are. They’re always talking about the Walking Dead, a typology in which these beings are not what they used to be, but capable of malice and evil. Notice in the first couple verses here Paul talks about the walking dead. Walking is a term for a way of life, and those who are described as both dead and the children of wrath are walking around, engaged in a destructive lifestyle, serving another master, the ruler of this age, this era. But eras change. Resurrection is not only possible, but thanks to God’s mercy, it’s a reasonable expectation. There is not only the resurrection of the dead, which we look forward to in the future, but there’s also the resurrection of the walking dead, those walking in the deeds of darkness, those dead to goodness and hope because that former age is passing away. It will be no more, and if you continue to live according to the era of the walking dead, obedient to the false ruler instead of being faithful to Jesus, you will not live in the present resurrection, which means embracing real life, good life, kingdom life, but you will have chosen the wrong side when it comes to the future and final resurrection.
The Ephesians, home of emperor worship, a center for worship of the hunter goddess Diana, and many other religions, practiced what we call syncretism. Like a religious buffet, you go down the line and pick up only what you like? You like mushrooms? You pick out the mushrooms and leave the rest of the dish there. You like the “feel-good” aspects of a faith but not some of the requirements when it comes to changing your behavior? Take what you want. Leave the rest.
Rescue or ruin. Which is it?
John 3:14-21
John 3:16 is one of those go-to verses that you can count on. Folks have it memorized. You can just say the words “John 3:16” and people’s eyes light up. But this lectionary passage calls upon us to do more than “just” say a few words, accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and relax.
I hope you will not ignore the presence of Nicodemus, even though Jesus is on such a roll when you pick things up at verse 14 you can forget all about him. But at this stage he’s a respected member of the council, so he is sneaking in at night to talk to Jesus. And Jesus is telling him that’s not good enough. If you want to be healed, you have to stand up, look up, and be made well. Be counted.
The point is emphasized right off the bat. Hearkening back to the story in Numbers that is also a selection for this weekend, Jesus reminds him — and us — about the time in the wilderness where the people, after 38 years of wandering, are this close to the finish line, and they rebel. And they are stricken with seraphs, frightening snakes that may even fly and breath fire. And when the people despaired, Moses was instructed to build a copper snake, put it high on a post, and whoever looked up to the snake was healed. And Jesus makes the clear connection. His death on the cross will have the same healing effect as the snake.
And why is God doing this? Because in the end God so loved the world…. But you know this bit.
Nor should you forget that Nicodemus stands up for Jesus in the Sanhedrin and throws dignity to the wind by carrying a 75-pound sack of burial spices after the crucifixion, when all seems lost and he really should be about his pious Passover preparations, but all that seems to have been cast aside. Nicodemus evidently looked up to Jesus on the cross and is ready to stand up for Jesus when everyone else has abandoned him, even when it doesn’t look like there can be any payback for the faithful. Grief-stricken, numb, lost, Nicodemus will have been found by the end of this, because he realized something was wrong, he looked up, and got busy.
Rescue or ruin? Which is it?
