Judge Deborah
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
Dear Fellow Preachers,
This week's installment of The Immediate Word is especially appropriate following the recent election that included a number of women on the ballot. It follows the lead suggested by the Old Testament lectionary text about Deborah, and connects it with the parable of the talents in the Gospel reading. While some of our churches have opened up so that people, regardless of gender, may use their full range of gifts and talents, other churches have a long way to go. Despite some progress, this dichotomy still applies in the world at large, as well.
The installment is written by TIW team member George Murphy, who is on the staff of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Akron, Ohio. We have also included team comments, some related illustrations, worship resources by Chuck Cammarata, and a children's sermon by Wesley Runk.
Judge Deborah
By George L. Murphy
Judges 4:1-7
Matthew 25:14-30
Half of the judicial contests on the ballot when I voted last week were won by women, including two for positions on the Ohio Supreme Court. Women will be governors in six states in the coming year and there are corresponding numbers holding state and national legislative seats. Of course this is not 50 percent and some (e.g., Ellen Goodman in her column published in the Akron Beacon Journal on November 8) still speak of a glass ceiling in government. In any case, things look quite different here from the way they did a century ago.
That's true in the corporate world as well. Progress may be slow, but women are assuming positions of authority here as well. The troubles of Martha Stewart may be an indication that women have reached a position where their misdeeds will be treated just as men's are -- or it may be that hers are being singled out for special attention because she is an influential woman. But the very fact that she has attained a prominent role in business again illustrates the change from traditional ideas about gender roles in our society.
Some would also say that it's quite a change from the proper roles for women that are prescribed by the Bible. While some churches today ordain women to the pastoral ministry, most Christians in the world today are members of communions that do not allow women to hold such positions of authority in the church. Two weeks before the election, the former wife of an Ohio governor, Dagmar Celeste, made it known that she had been ordained with six other women in a service in Europe this past summer, and had been excommunicated by the Roman Catholic church because of this.1 The Orthodox Church and some Protestant churches are also opposed to the ordination of women.
And until relatively recently, some churches insisted that it was wrong for women to have any authority even in the civil realm. They opposed women's suffrage and, shortly after the 19th amendment passed, my father was told by his Lutheran pastor that it was wrong for a woman to vote unless she followed the directions of her husband.
For some Christians, this refusal to allow women to have positions of authority in the church will seem to be a clear biblical mandate. 1 Timothy 2:12-15, for example, may be cited. But then we hear this week's Old Testament reading from the fourth chapter of Judges with its statement: "At that time Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel." This woman is pictured in the Bible both as a judge in civil affairs and as one exercising a prophetic role.2 Deborah is the one who gives Barak God's command to fight the oppressors of Israel. She is celebrated in one of the oldest texts of the Bible, the "Song of Deborah" in Judges 5. (Verses 7 and 12, however, suggest that it is more of a song about Deborah than by her.)
And we should note that this activity of Deborah is simply reported in a matter of fact way. Apparently the biblical writer felt no need to explain why a woman was in a position of authority here.
I realize that for some Christians who hold conservative views about the roles of women, it may seem offensive to question those views. But those questions arise here from scripture itself. Nor is the story of Deborah an isolated aberration. We also read about Huldah in 2 Kings 22:14-20/2 Chronicles 34:22-28 and about Phoebe -- among other women -- in the New Testament (Romans 16:1-2). Respect for the authority of scripture demands that we ask about the implications of such passages. Perhaps traditional views of what the Bible says about gender roles have been limited by a selective reading of scripture. Is it an accident that older lectionaries didn't include the story of Deborah?
And I realize that the response from some Christians in churches that do ordain women may be "Big deal! Of course women can be ordained." But adoption of that practice may have been accompanied by a weakening of biblical authority because of a sense that, while desirable, having women as pastors is inconsistent with some views of scripture. The stories of Deborah, Huldah, and other women in scripture suggest that there is more variety in scripture on this matter than used to be recognized, and that equality for women isn't simply a concession to the spirit of the age.3
There are, of course, constants in scripture. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). God's love and faithfulness do not change. The gospel we are to preach is the same that Paul preached, though we may need to express it in new ways. But the Bible does not give us a static once-for-all picture of the way in which society or the church is to be structured. There are not fixed "orders of creation" which determine for all time what roles different groups of people should be allowed to play.
Certainly there are limitations placed on the roles of women in the Bible, such as the text noted earlier in 1 Timothy or 1 Corinthians 14:33-36. But these can be understood as regulations for specific situations at particular times and places. The examples of Deborah, Phoebe, and others make it hard to see them as unqualified restrictions. And the general direction of scripture is toward the reality that Paul states in Galatians 3:28: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).
(Citation of this verse on behalf of the equality of women has sometimes been met by the claim that it has to do only with a person's status before God and not with the ordering of society or the church. But no one today whose views would command attention would try to apply the same argument to the Jew-Greek or slave-free pairs and say that it was legitimate to refuse ordination to persons of certain races or economic classes. As the conservative biblical scholar F.F. Bruce put it: "If in ordinary life existence in Christ is manifested openly in church fellowship, and if a Gentile may exercise spiritual leadership in church as freely as a Jew, or a slave as freely as a citizen, why not a woman as freely as a man?"4)
The fact that we are not tied to a specific ordering of society set out in the Bible is illustrated by the institution of slavery. Both the Old and the New Testaments saw this as legitimate within certain limits. (Note, for example, 1 Timothy 6:1-3 and the language of this week's Gospel reading.) But the way slavery is spoken of in some parts of scripture, such as Galatians 3:28 and Philemon, together with the overall biblical view of the value of human beings, suggests that the ownership of one human being by another simply is not appropriate. Today no Christian theologian worth listening to would defend slavery.
Equality of opportunity means that each person has both the freedom and the responsibility to use to the full the gifts God has given to that person. This week's Gospel reading is Jesus' parable of the talents. The slaves who used the money put in their care in order to earn more for their master are commended, and the fearful one who buried it in the ground is condemned. Preachers have often used this text to talk about stewardship, and may in fact be planning to use it in a stewardship campaign this Sunday. But at the same time the church has sometimes told certain groups that they aren't allowed to use the abilities that God has given them. When we look at these two texts together, one of the implications is perhaps that no one should be forced to bury her or his talents. At the same time, each of us has the responsibility to use the gifts we've been given as fully as possible in the situations in which we find ourselves.
Finally, the fact that women exercise leadership roles in some churches has been accompanied by a lack of participation of men in such roles, so that some people may feel that women are "taking over." It should be clear that equality of opportunity for women doesn't mean that men are just to hand over all the work to them. Deborah is not the only hero in our First Lesson. She is the one who gets the word from the LORD and tells Barak what he is to do, but it is Barak who commands the army and routs the forces of Sisera. Without him the job wouldn't have gotten done. None of us is to bury our talent, but all -- male and female -- are to use what we have been given to do God's will as it is made known to us.
Notes
1 See, e.g., http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/Midwest/10/22/female.priest.ap/.
2 See, e.g., J. Alberto Soggin, Judges [Westminster, 1981] for a detailed treatment of the text.
3 See, e.g., George L. Murphy, "The Trajectory of Creation and the Ordination of Women," The Bride of Christ XXIV.1, 16, 1999.
4 The Epistle to the Galatians (Eerdmans, 1982), p.190.
Team Comments
Carlos Wilton responds: If anything, I think you're being a bit too gentle with those who take a literalistic approach to the scriptures in matters such as the ordination of women. (Though I'm convinced there's as much interpretation going on in their exegesis as they would claim is present in ours -- witness how they neatly sidestep stories like those of Deborah and Huldah, as you indicate. Their interpretation is mostly unconscious, which makes it all the more dangerous.)
Anyway, let me respond to a few specific points.... not as criticism in any sense, but in order to take your arguments a little further.
1. You mention the number of women on the recent ballot. I think I read somewhere that the absolute numbers of women serving in the House and Senate is down over what it's been in past years. It's certainly true in the Senate.
2. You say, "For some Christians, this refusal to allow women to have positions of authority in the church will seem to be a clear biblical mandate. 1 Timothy 2:12-15, for example, may be cited." Sure, it "may be cited." But those who cite it in a literalistic fashion would do well to explain how they deal with 1 Timothy 6:1-3 -- which, if interpreted in the same literalistic fashion, clearly justifies slavery.
3. You say, "I realize that for some Christians who hold conservative views about the roles of women, it may seem offensive to question those views." How can it be offensive to question any view? If a view cannot stand up to questioning, then it's a weak view indeed.
4. I very much appreciate your citation of the conservative scholar F.F. Bruce. Those who consider him credible in other areas may think twice when they hear of his openness to women's ordination.
5. You say, "The fact that we are not tied to a specific ordering of society set out in the Bible is illustrated by the institution of slavery." Excellent point. The more I read of the history of the abolitionist movement, the more I come to see it as an absolutely revolutionary development in biblical interpretation -- a move away from proof-texting, in the direction of developing a true biblical theology, against which specific passages may be measured to assess their consistency with the central themes of scripture.
6. You say, "Finally, the fact that women exercise leadership roles in some churches has been accompanied by a lack of participation of men in such roles, so that it appears that women are 'taking over.'" Is this really an example of "uppity women" taking over ... or is it a matter of certain men withdrawing, as they implicitly (and erroneously) see the presence of women in leadership as devaluing positions once held exclusively by men? Personally, I find the "taking over" language distasteful. I know you're not advocating that view, you're just being descriptive of what some others believe ... but even so, I think you're being extremely gracious and charitable with a bigoted viewpoint that really isn't worth that kind of attention. As long as there's still a "stained glass ceiling" preventing women from moving into the full range of leadership positions in the church, they can hardly be seen as "taking over," can they?
Carter Shelley responds: You've done a nice job raising a number of issues from the Judges and Matthew texts as they pertain to Christians in general and women's opportunities in particular. I hope that subscribers will save your words for a future sermon if it does not fit their church's needs this week.
Several things come to mind.
1. Deborah's marital status gets mentioned in the Judges text right away in order to eliminate any concerns about her safety and vulnerability in a time of war. That done, it's kind of matter-of-fact that she's the judge at that particular time and as such will indeed go with the troops into battle as evidence of God's favor and support. The description of her office and actions would not be altered were she male, and that's what many women have been seeking: no concessions for gender, but no limitations on opportunities either.
2. To me the parable of the talents reminds us of Jesus' call to all his followers to follow him fully, faithfully, and with all of their being, which includes all their gifts. Such texts as this one are appropriate with reference to women, because Jesus' own friendships with, graciousness toward, and inclusion of women consistently invite us to be full participants in his kingdom and in his ministry. To deny any individual the right to develop his or her own talents to the fullest is to deny the person God created each of us to be.
3. As one of the first batch of women to attend seminary with a call to ordained ministry, I sometimes find myself dismayed by the naivete and indifference of younger women who believe all the worthy concerns have been addressed and the glass ceiling no longer exists when it certainly does. Why has Martha Stewart's fall led to so much public commentary and glee? I believe it's because women and men alike relish the fall of an ambitious and successful woman more than that of a successful man. Traits that are expected in men are judged negatively for women. With Stewart, some women resent her because she's a perfectionist who is good at many of the idealized domestic skills women have touted to them in magazines located in the grocery store checkout line. Stewart is also an effective CEO and self-promoter.
4. Women still receive so many mixed messages about who we are and who we should be:
-be blond, thin, gorgeous and under 35 no matter what your age.
-be smart, articulate, but compassionate and empathetic without making demands for yourself.
-pursue a professional career but never admit you enjoy it more than children and child-rearing; you must love both to be considered normal and acceptable.
-never admit to being ambitious or capable; you will be seen as conceited and arrogant rather than confident and competent.
-succeed at what you do but never make more or do what you do better than your husband does in his work.
-don't whine, complain, or demonstrate emotions except in appropriate contexts.
-don't talk too much in meetings, if you speak up twice, it will be magnified as your having dominated the meeting.
5. The book Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher offers incredible insights into what adolescent girls face when they reach the ages of 12 and 13. A girl who continues to speak out in class, assert herself, have opinions, and not put boys first, gets incredible pressure from her peers and our culture to conform to being seen and not heard. The sexual pressures are incredible and far worse than most parents want to acknowledge for children of both genders. Girls who continue to speak out in middle school are often shut out socially and penalized in other ways for being vocal and smart.
6. I studied with F. F. Bruce while at the University of Manchester in 1972, and he was always an advocate for women's ordination based upon his reading of Paul. An excellent source for folks starting on the ground floor of these concerns is The Unfettered Word: Confronting the Authority-Inerrancy Question published in 1994. Along with extremely helpful explanations of the differences between fundamentalism, inerrancy, and the authority of scripture is a chapter written by Charles H. Talbert: "Biblical Criticism's Role: The Pauline View of Women as a Case in Point."
7. Another helpful source is Phyllis Trible's piece "The Pilgrim Bible on a Feminist Journey," Princeton Seminary Bulletin 3 (1990): 232-39, and another helpful article: "Five Loaves and Two Fishes: Hermeneutics and Biblical Theology," in The Promise of Biblical Theology, ed. John Reumann, 1991.
8. Any time any one of us is resistant to changes that may lead to opportunities or advancement for others, it's important to ask:
"How are my own interests advanced due to the fact that I don't believe my wife should: a) work outside the home; b) serve as a church officer; c) seek professional fulfillment; d) express her own views, etc.?"
"How are my interests and person challenged by the changes that have taken place in the role of women in the church, in politics, in the job market?"
"How have my interests and needs benefited from the changes in roles and expectations that women in our country have sought and achieved in the past 30 years?"
9. No sermon on this subject would be complete without prayers for women in those Muslim countries where women's rights are an oxymoron. It's important to celebrate those places where Muslim women do have freedoms and opportunities, but we also need to pray for those who have been murdered, punished, and stunted in their development due to reactionary readings of their own religion. Deborah is indeed their sister as she is ours. The same holds true for third world countries who resist women's leadership in the church. The self-interest of the church leadership question again deserves consideration.
10. You make many excellent points in this piece, George. I particularly like the reminder that Deborah didn't do it all by herself. One of the earliest objections to women's ordinations as church officers and clergy was voiced by women: "If women become officers and ministers, the men won't do any work anymore." I find that stance very condescending towards men, and believe most mainline denominations and women have moved beyond it.
11. Having taught "Public Speaking for Ministers" at the new Wake Forest Divinity School [Baptist background], I know that their women students are struggling with issues Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, etc., dealt with 25 years ago: Do I have the right to preach? How do I deal with church members who don't think I have a call? How do I find my voice when all of my role models are male?" Thank goodness many churches and Christians affirm and support women in leadership roles in the church, but, as these moderate Baptist women living in the South demonstrate, we still need the affirmations of biblical role models like Deborah and the parables of a Savior who comes to affirm and redeem all of humanity.
Charles Aaron responds: George, as you acknowledge, many churchgoers consider this a moot issue. Some believe that the battle has already been won. However, I heard a woman District Superintendent in my United Methodist Annual Conference (North Texas) say that even now, women are pioneers in the church. They still face tension, opposition, and patronizing attitudes. I read only a few years ago about a woman pastor in a small town who discovered that the local ministerial alliance disbanded rather than allow her to join. So, this piece is timely and important. Those of us who agree that women should be allowed the unfettered ability to pursue their talents and make their contribution must continue to make this point.
Another place in scripture where the role of women is emphasized is in the resurrection stories. In Matthew, for example, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are the ones who first announce the Resurrection (see Matthew 28). They are the first to proclaim the good news of Jesus' victory over death. The proclamation of the Resurrection is at the heart of Christian preaching. Women, therefore, were the first Christian preachers, and must not now be denied their place in the pulpit.
Larry Hard responds: I like the way the recent election of women and the lectionary lessons, the story of Deborah and the Parable of the Talents, are brought together to proclaim equal opportunities for women. The Parable of the Talents could be expanded even more to affirm that God gives us responsibility to give women full opportunities. In the parable it is God who is making the investment, giving talents to be used, not us. Therefore it is not for us to deny the use of God's investment in people. When we deny opportunities, we are responsible for limiting God's work in the world. Also in the parable, the Giver of talents is blamed by the one who doesn't wisely and fully use the talent given. Men and women need to stop blaming God or some sacred traditions to justify denying equal opportunities, and do what we can to enable all of God's children to fully use that which has been entrusted to them.
Chuck Cammarata responds: Since I was the one who argued against this topic, you -- the team -- may be thinking I'd be very critical of the work - ah ha! Not so! I actually like what George has written. In fact, I like it a lot. I like the balance in it and the pastoral tone. I like that he quotes F.F. Bruce's work - a scholar who has credibility across theological lines. There is another very helpful treatment of the role of women in the church by Gilbert Bilezikian. He is the theologian from Boston University who had a formational impact on Bill Hybels. Bilezikian was part of the team of people who founded the Willow Creek Church in Chicago, which is considered by many to be a conservative church, but has ordained women to leadership positions from its start. In his book Community 101, Belizekian discusses in depth the passages from Timothy and Titus that are often cited in support of positions against allowing women to lead in the church. His book powerfully describes the nature of the community God intends for us to establish in the body of Christ: a community that is intended to witness to the world as to the shape of relationships that reflect God's will. This type of community is accepting without being permissive, inclusive without being boundary-less, compassionate without being namby-pamby, and responsible without being judgmental and repressive. This is the kind of community that allows and encourages all its members to serve God fully and freely so that the community can be all it has been intended to be: an ideal that we are often -- in many churches -- far from today.
Related Illustrations
"God of the Women" is a hymn written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, co-pastor with her husband of First Presbyterian Church in Pitman, New Jersey. The hymn has since been included in a book of new hymns from Geneva Press (Gifts of Love: New Hymns for Today's Worship), and is included here with permission.
"God of the Women"
(Tune: Irish Ballad, "Be Thou My Vision")
God of the women who answered your call,
Trusting your promises, giving their all,
Women like Sarah and Hannah and Ruth--
Give us their courage to live in your truth.
God of the women who walked Jesus' Way,
Giving their resources, learning to pray,
Mary, Joanna, Susanna, and more--
May we give freely as they did before.
God of the women long put to the test,
Left out of stories, forgotten, oppressed,
Quietly asking: "Who smiled at my birth?"--
In Jesus' dying you show us our worth.
God of the women who ran from the tomb,
Prayed with the others in that upper room,
Then felt your Spirit on Pentecost Day--
May we so gladly proclaim you today.
O God of Phoebe and ministers all,
May we be joyful in answering your call.
Give us the strength of your Spirit so near
That we may share in your ministry here.
Genesis 12-23; 1 Samuel 1-2; Luke 8:1-3; Mark 14:9; Acts 1:14, 2:1-21; Romans 16:1
Reproduced from GIFTS OF LOVE. (c) 2000 Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. Used by
permission of Geneva Press.
Text: Copyright (c) 1998 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved. 305 South Broadway, Pitman, NJ 08071; Phone: 609-589-8444; Email: Bruce_Gillette.parti@ecunet.org
Permission is given for free one-time use of this hymn. The Gillettes would appreciate a copy of your worship bulletin.
You may view Carolyn's other hymns on her church's website by clicking this link: www.firstpresby.org/hymnlist
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"What is going on today when women New Testament scholars today remind us that, in Luke's Gospel, right after Jesus tells the parable of the Good Shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to look for the one that got lost, he goes on to preach a parable with a female protagonist, a woman searching for her lost silver coin? Both parables depict the work of God the Redeemer, one in the imagery of male work, one in that of female work. But for all the churches and statues of the Good Shepherd, where are the churches dedicated to God the Good Homemaker? Where are the sermons that start, like Augustine did, "Holy Divinity has lost her money, and it is us!" Why has this seeker of money that is very important to her not become a familiar image of the divine?"
(Elizabeth Johnson, "Naming God She," in The Princeton Seminary Bulletin, vol. XXII, no. 2, 2001, 136.)
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"Perhaps it is no wonder that the women were first at the Cradle and last at the Cross. They had never known a man like this Man -- there never has been such another. A prophet and teacher who never nagged at them, never flattered or coaxed or patronized; who never made arch jokes about them, never treated them either as "The women, God help us!" or "The ladies, God bless them!"; who rebuked without querulousness and praised without condescension; who took their questions and arguments seriously; who never mapped out their sphere for them; never urged them to be feminine or jeered at them for being female; who had no axe to grind and no uneasy male dignity; who took them as he found them and was completely unselfconscious. There is no act, no sermon, no parable in the whole Gospel that borrows its pungency from female perversity; nobody could possibly guess from the words and deeds of Jesus that there was anything "funny" about women's nature.
"But we might easily deduce it from his contemporaries, and from his prophets before him, and from the church to this day...."
(Dorothy Sayers, on the appeal of Jesus to women )
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One response to the ordination and excommunication of Dagmar Celeste may be found at: www.cleveland.com/letters/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_stan...
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According to the Associated Press, Rosie O'Donnell says that if she still had her talk show, she would use it as a forum to defend Martha Stewart. O'Donnell said, "I'd be singing Martha Stewart a love song every day. I want every housewife in America to band together and refuse to let them tear down one of the most successful female entrepreneurs in our country's history."
(Associated Press, November 4, 2002)
Related Worship Resources
By Chuck Cammarata
CALL TO WORSHIP
LEADER: Harmony.
PEOPLE: BEAUTY.
LEADER: Serenity.
PEOPLE: EQUALITY.
LEADER: Justice.
PEOPLE: PLEASURE.
LEADER: Unfettered joy.
PEOPLE: UNMITIGATED LOVE.
LEADER: This was the intention of God for all humanity.
PEOPLE: IT WAS EDEN.
LEADER: Paradise.
PEOPLE: PERFECTION.
LEADER: But paradise was lost,
PEOPLE: DARKNESS SWEPT CREATION,
LEADER: And God's intention was unfulfilled.
PEOPLE: UNTIL...
LEADER: The light returned in Christ Jesus.
PEOPLE: AND THE CREATOR'S INTENTION BEGAN TO BE REALIZED ANEW.
LEADER: Let us celebrate God's will for creation.
PEOPLE: HALLELUJAH!
LEADER: And let us share this joy.
PEOPLE: AMEN.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
LEADER: In the beginning God created "Adamah" - humanity.
PEOPLE: MALE AND FEMALE GOD CREATED THEM.
LEADER: Partners.
PEOPLE: EQUAL BEFORE THE LORD.
LEADER: No dominance,
PEOPLE: OR SUBSERVIENCE.
LEADER: Peers in partnership with their creator.
PEOPLE: UNTIL...
LEADER: Lord God, forgive us that even we Christians,
PEOPLE: NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST,
LEADER: In whom the old has passed away and the new come,
PEOPLE: FORGIVE US THAT WE PERPETUATE FALLEN
RELATIONSHIPS;
LEADER: That we allow,
PEOPLE: EVEN ENCOURAGE,
LEADER: Dominance by one gender, or race, or creed over others.
PEOPLE: FORGIVE US
LEADER: And teach us to live fully into Your perfect intentions for us.
PEOPLE: INTENTIONS OF JUSTICE,
LEADER: Equality,
PEOPLE: AND LOVE.
LEADER: We pray it in the name of the one who embraced all,
PEOPLE: JESUS CHRIST THE LORD. AMEN.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
LEADER: This is the good news! Forgiveness is free,
PEOPLE: AND ABUNDANT,
LEADER: But it cannot be received without true repentance.
PEOPLE: SO LET US TURN FROM OUR SINS OF REPRESSION,
LEADER: Let us seek justice and mercy,
PEOPLE: THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THE RICHNESS OF OUR GOD'S GRACE.
LEADER: Amen.
PASTORAL PRAYER
Father in Heaven, remind us as we go about our very comfortable lives that there are - all over this world - sons and daughters of yours - sisters and brothers of ours - who have no comfort, no security, no justice. And guide us towards ways of thinking, living, and acting that make possible the increase in the flow of the rivers of righteousness that you will for your people.
We are ambassadors for Christ, agents of the Kingdom of God; make us compassionate in our service, and courageous in our witness to our communities, our country, and our world. Amen.
HYMNS AND CHORUSES
I Sing the Mighty Power of God
All Creatures of Our God and King
How Great Thou Art
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Rise Up O Church of God
Let Justice Roll Down
Shout to the North (can be found on a number of current worship CDs)
A Related Children's Sermon
By Wesley Runk
Judges 4:1-7 (10 added)
Text: "A that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel ... Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him. (vv. 4, 10)
Objects: a gavel, a Bible, and a sword or shield.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know the name of a famous hero or heroine? (let them answer) What makes people famous? (let them answer) Is it because they are strong? Is it because they are beautiful? Is it because they are intelligent? Is it because they are brave? Is it because they are fast? Is it because they are tall? (let them agree or disagree with each item)
Do you think that both men and women are smart? Do you think that both men and women are brave? Do you think that both men and women are intelligent, smart? (let them answer)
Today we are going to talk about a person in the Bible who was very smart. This person was so smart that the people asked this person to be their judge. This person had the power to discover who was right and who was wrong and get everyone to agree to this opinion. (show them the gavel) When this person made a ruling and announced it (pound the gavel), it was like making a law.
This person was also very close to God. When God wanted to send a message to the people, God spoke first to this person and the person then told the people. People called this kind of a person a prophet. This kind of a person was a messenger from God. (hold up the Bible) The messages from God are written in the Bible, but first they were delivered to a prophet.
Finally, I want to tell you that the person in the Bible I am speaking about was also very brave. This person had courage and believed that God was the real leader. (hold up the shield or the sword) This person went into battle and stood beside the general and gave God's word in such a way that others followed and defeated the enemies of God.
Does anyone know the name of the person I am talking about? (let them answer) Do you think it was someone really special? Was it Moses? Was it Joshua? Was it David? Remember what I said. This person was a judge, a prophet, and an advisor to generals. It wasn't Moses. It wasn't Joshua, and it wasn't David or Solomon. Who was it? It was Deborah! No, she wasn't a man but a great woman whom God chose to be the leader of the Israelites.
Today our church is looking for great leaders. Some of the leaders are going to be men and some of them are going to be women. God chooses his leaders because of their faith, their courage, their intelligence, and their love of Jesus Christ.
The next time you think of famous people perhaps you will think of Deborah, the judge of Israel. She was a prophet and an advisor to the military. She was one of God's great leaders.
The Immediate Word, November 17, 2002, issue.
Copyright 2002 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
This week's installment of The Immediate Word is especially appropriate following the recent election that included a number of women on the ballot. It follows the lead suggested by the Old Testament lectionary text about Deborah, and connects it with the parable of the talents in the Gospel reading. While some of our churches have opened up so that people, regardless of gender, may use their full range of gifts and talents, other churches have a long way to go. Despite some progress, this dichotomy still applies in the world at large, as well.
The installment is written by TIW team member George Murphy, who is on the staff of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Akron, Ohio. We have also included team comments, some related illustrations, worship resources by Chuck Cammarata, and a children's sermon by Wesley Runk.
Judge Deborah
By George L. Murphy
Judges 4:1-7
Matthew 25:14-30
Half of the judicial contests on the ballot when I voted last week were won by women, including two for positions on the Ohio Supreme Court. Women will be governors in six states in the coming year and there are corresponding numbers holding state and national legislative seats. Of course this is not 50 percent and some (e.g., Ellen Goodman in her column published in the Akron Beacon Journal on November 8) still speak of a glass ceiling in government. In any case, things look quite different here from the way they did a century ago.
That's true in the corporate world as well. Progress may be slow, but women are assuming positions of authority here as well. The troubles of Martha Stewart may be an indication that women have reached a position where their misdeeds will be treated just as men's are -- or it may be that hers are being singled out for special attention because she is an influential woman. But the very fact that she has attained a prominent role in business again illustrates the change from traditional ideas about gender roles in our society.
Some would also say that it's quite a change from the proper roles for women that are prescribed by the Bible. While some churches today ordain women to the pastoral ministry, most Christians in the world today are members of communions that do not allow women to hold such positions of authority in the church. Two weeks before the election, the former wife of an Ohio governor, Dagmar Celeste, made it known that she had been ordained with six other women in a service in Europe this past summer, and had been excommunicated by the Roman Catholic church because of this.1 The Orthodox Church and some Protestant churches are also opposed to the ordination of women.
And until relatively recently, some churches insisted that it was wrong for women to have any authority even in the civil realm. They opposed women's suffrage and, shortly after the 19th amendment passed, my father was told by his Lutheran pastor that it was wrong for a woman to vote unless she followed the directions of her husband.
For some Christians, this refusal to allow women to have positions of authority in the church will seem to be a clear biblical mandate. 1 Timothy 2:12-15, for example, may be cited. But then we hear this week's Old Testament reading from the fourth chapter of Judges with its statement: "At that time Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel." This woman is pictured in the Bible both as a judge in civil affairs and as one exercising a prophetic role.2 Deborah is the one who gives Barak God's command to fight the oppressors of Israel. She is celebrated in one of the oldest texts of the Bible, the "Song of Deborah" in Judges 5. (Verses 7 and 12, however, suggest that it is more of a song about Deborah than by her.)
And we should note that this activity of Deborah is simply reported in a matter of fact way. Apparently the biblical writer felt no need to explain why a woman was in a position of authority here.
I realize that for some Christians who hold conservative views about the roles of women, it may seem offensive to question those views. But those questions arise here from scripture itself. Nor is the story of Deborah an isolated aberration. We also read about Huldah in 2 Kings 22:14-20/2 Chronicles 34:22-28 and about Phoebe -- among other women -- in the New Testament (Romans 16:1-2). Respect for the authority of scripture demands that we ask about the implications of such passages. Perhaps traditional views of what the Bible says about gender roles have been limited by a selective reading of scripture. Is it an accident that older lectionaries didn't include the story of Deborah?
And I realize that the response from some Christians in churches that do ordain women may be "Big deal! Of course women can be ordained." But adoption of that practice may have been accompanied by a weakening of biblical authority because of a sense that, while desirable, having women as pastors is inconsistent with some views of scripture. The stories of Deborah, Huldah, and other women in scripture suggest that there is more variety in scripture on this matter than used to be recognized, and that equality for women isn't simply a concession to the spirit of the age.3
There are, of course, constants in scripture. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). God's love and faithfulness do not change. The gospel we are to preach is the same that Paul preached, though we may need to express it in new ways. But the Bible does not give us a static once-for-all picture of the way in which society or the church is to be structured. There are not fixed "orders of creation" which determine for all time what roles different groups of people should be allowed to play.
Certainly there are limitations placed on the roles of women in the Bible, such as the text noted earlier in 1 Timothy or 1 Corinthians 14:33-36. But these can be understood as regulations for specific situations at particular times and places. The examples of Deborah, Phoebe, and others make it hard to see them as unqualified restrictions. And the general direction of scripture is toward the reality that Paul states in Galatians 3:28: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).
(Citation of this verse on behalf of the equality of women has sometimes been met by the claim that it has to do only with a person's status before God and not with the ordering of society or the church. But no one today whose views would command attention would try to apply the same argument to the Jew-Greek or slave-free pairs and say that it was legitimate to refuse ordination to persons of certain races or economic classes. As the conservative biblical scholar F.F. Bruce put it: "If in ordinary life existence in Christ is manifested openly in church fellowship, and if a Gentile may exercise spiritual leadership in church as freely as a Jew, or a slave as freely as a citizen, why not a woman as freely as a man?"4)
The fact that we are not tied to a specific ordering of society set out in the Bible is illustrated by the institution of slavery. Both the Old and the New Testaments saw this as legitimate within certain limits. (Note, for example, 1 Timothy 6:1-3 and the language of this week's Gospel reading.) But the way slavery is spoken of in some parts of scripture, such as Galatians 3:28 and Philemon, together with the overall biblical view of the value of human beings, suggests that the ownership of one human being by another simply is not appropriate. Today no Christian theologian worth listening to would defend slavery.
Equality of opportunity means that each person has both the freedom and the responsibility to use to the full the gifts God has given to that person. This week's Gospel reading is Jesus' parable of the talents. The slaves who used the money put in their care in order to earn more for their master are commended, and the fearful one who buried it in the ground is condemned. Preachers have often used this text to talk about stewardship, and may in fact be planning to use it in a stewardship campaign this Sunday. But at the same time the church has sometimes told certain groups that they aren't allowed to use the abilities that God has given them. When we look at these two texts together, one of the implications is perhaps that no one should be forced to bury her or his talents. At the same time, each of us has the responsibility to use the gifts we've been given as fully as possible in the situations in which we find ourselves.
Finally, the fact that women exercise leadership roles in some churches has been accompanied by a lack of participation of men in such roles, so that some people may feel that women are "taking over." It should be clear that equality of opportunity for women doesn't mean that men are just to hand over all the work to them. Deborah is not the only hero in our First Lesson. She is the one who gets the word from the LORD and tells Barak what he is to do, but it is Barak who commands the army and routs the forces of Sisera. Without him the job wouldn't have gotten done. None of us is to bury our talent, but all -- male and female -- are to use what we have been given to do God's will as it is made known to us.
Notes
1 See, e.g., http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/Midwest/10/22/female.priest.ap/.
2 See, e.g., J. Alberto Soggin, Judges [Westminster, 1981] for a detailed treatment of the text.
3 See, e.g., George L. Murphy, "The Trajectory of Creation and the Ordination of Women," The Bride of Christ XXIV.1, 16, 1999.
4 The Epistle to the Galatians (Eerdmans, 1982), p.190.
Team Comments
Carlos Wilton responds: If anything, I think you're being a bit too gentle with those who take a literalistic approach to the scriptures in matters such as the ordination of women. (Though I'm convinced there's as much interpretation going on in their exegesis as they would claim is present in ours -- witness how they neatly sidestep stories like those of Deborah and Huldah, as you indicate. Their interpretation is mostly unconscious, which makes it all the more dangerous.)
Anyway, let me respond to a few specific points.... not as criticism in any sense, but in order to take your arguments a little further.
1. You mention the number of women on the recent ballot. I think I read somewhere that the absolute numbers of women serving in the House and Senate is down over what it's been in past years. It's certainly true in the Senate.
2. You say, "For some Christians, this refusal to allow women to have positions of authority in the church will seem to be a clear biblical mandate. 1 Timothy 2:12-15, for example, may be cited." Sure, it "may be cited." But those who cite it in a literalistic fashion would do well to explain how they deal with 1 Timothy 6:1-3 -- which, if interpreted in the same literalistic fashion, clearly justifies slavery.
3. You say, "I realize that for some Christians who hold conservative views about the roles of women, it may seem offensive to question those views." How can it be offensive to question any view? If a view cannot stand up to questioning, then it's a weak view indeed.
4. I very much appreciate your citation of the conservative scholar F.F. Bruce. Those who consider him credible in other areas may think twice when they hear of his openness to women's ordination.
5. You say, "The fact that we are not tied to a specific ordering of society set out in the Bible is illustrated by the institution of slavery." Excellent point. The more I read of the history of the abolitionist movement, the more I come to see it as an absolutely revolutionary development in biblical interpretation -- a move away from proof-texting, in the direction of developing a true biblical theology, against which specific passages may be measured to assess their consistency with the central themes of scripture.
6. You say, "Finally, the fact that women exercise leadership roles in some churches has been accompanied by a lack of participation of men in such roles, so that it appears that women are 'taking over.'" Is this really an example of "uppity women" taking over ... or is it a matter of certain men withdrawing, as they implicitly (and erroneously) see the presence of women in leadership as devaluing positions once held exclusively by men? Personally, I find the "taking over" language distasteful. I know you're not advocating that view, you're just being descriptive of what some others believe ... but even so, I think you're being extremely gracious and charitable with a bigoted viewpoint that really isn't worth that kind of attention. As long as there's still a "stained glass ceiling" preventing women from moving into the full range of leadership positions in the church, they can hardly be seen as "taking over," can they?
Carter Shelley responds: You've done a nice job raising a number of issues from the Judges and Matthew texts as they pertain to Christians in general and women's opportunities in particular. I hope that subscribers will save your words for a future sermon if it does not fit their church's needs this week.
Several things come to mind.
1. Deborah's marital status gets mentioned in the Judges text right away in order to eliminate any concerns about her safety and vulnerability in a time of war. That done, it's kind of matter-of-fact that she's the judge at that particular time and as such will indeed go with the troops into battle as evidence of God's favor and support. The description of her office and actions would not be altered were she male, and that's what many women have been seeking: no concessions for gender, but no limitations on opportunities either.
2. To me the parable of the talents reminds us of Jesus' call to all his followers to follow him fully, faithfully, and with all of their being, which includes all their gifts. Such texts as this one are appropriate with reference to women, because Jesus' own friendships with, graciousness toward, and inclusion of women consistently invite us to be full participants in his kingdom and in his ministry. To deny any individual the right to develop his or her own talents to the fullest is to deny the person God created each of us to be.
3. As one of the first batch of women to attend seminary with a call to ordained ministry, I sometimes find myself dismayed by the naivete and indifference of younger women who believe all the worthy concerns have been addressed and the glass ceiling no longer exists when it certainly does. Why has Martha Stewart's fall led to so much public commentary and glee? I believe it's because women and men alike relish the fall of an ambitious and successful woman more than that of a successful man. Traits that are expected in men are judged negatively for women. With Stewart, some women resent her because she's a perfectionist who is good at many of the idealized domestic skills women have touted to them in magazines located in the grocery store checkout line. Stewart is also an effective CEO and self-promoter.
4. Women still receive so many mixed messages about who we are and who we should be:
-be blond, thin, gorgeous and under 35 no matter what your age.
-be smart, articulate, but compassionate and empathetic without making demands for yourself.
-pursue a professional career but never admit you enjoy it more than children and child-rearing; you must love both to be considered normal and acceptable.
-never admit to being ambitious or capable; you will be seen as conceited and arrogant rather than confident and competent.
-succeed at what you do but never make more or do what you do better than your husband does in his work.
-don't whine, complain, or demonstrate emotions except in appropriate contexts.
-don't talk too much in meetings, if you speak up twice, it will be magnified as your having dominated the meeting.
5. The book Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher offers incredible insights into what adolescent girls face when they reach the ages of 12 and 13. A girl who continues to speak out in class, assert herself, have opinions, and not put boys first, gets incredible pressure from her peers and our culture to conform to being seen and not heard. The sexual pressures are incredible and far worse than most parents want to acknowledge for children of both genders. Girls who continue to speak out in middle school are often shut out socially and penalized in other ways for being vocal and smart.
6. I studied with F. F. Bruce while at the University of Manchester in 1972, and he was always an advocate for women's ordination based upon his reading of Paul. An excellent source for folks starting on the ground floor of these concerns is The Unfettered Word: Confronting the Authority-Inerrancy Question published in 1994. Along with extremely helpful explanations of the differences between fundamentalism, inerrancy, and the authority of scripture is a chapter written by Charles H. Talbert: "Biblical Criticism's Role: The Pauline View of Women as a Case in Point."
7. Another helpful source is Phyllis Trible's piece "The Pilgrim Bible on a Feminist Journey," Princeton Seminary Bulletin 3 (1990): 232-39, and another helpful article: "Five Loaves and Two Fishes: Hermeneutics and Biblical Theology," in The Promise of Biblical Theology, ed. John Reumann, 1991.
8. Any time any one of us is resistant to changes that may lead to opportunities or advancement for others, it's important to ask:
"How are my own interests advanced due to the fact that I don't believe my wife should: a) work outside the home; b) serve as a church officer; c) seek professional fulfillment; d) express her own views, etc.?"
"How are my interests and person challenged by the changes that have taken place in the role of women in the church, in politics, in the job market?"
"How have my interests and needs benefited from the changes in roles and expectations that women in our country have sought and achieved in the past 30 years?"
9. No sermon on this subject would be complete without prayers for women in those Muslim countries where women's rights are an oxymoron. It's important to celebrate those places where Muslim women do have freedoms and opportunities, but we also need to pray for those who have been murdered, punished, and stunted in their development due to reactionary readings of their own religion. Deborah is indeed their sister as she is ours. The same holds true for third world countries who resist women's leadership in the church. The self-interest of the church leadership question again deserves consideration.
10. You make many excellent points in this piece, George. I particularly like the reminder that Deborah didn't do it all by herself. One of the earliest objections to women's ordinations as church officers and clergy was voiced by women: "If women become officers and ministers, the men won't do any work anymore." I find that stance very condescending towards men, and believe most mainline denominations and women have moved beyond it.
11. Having taught "Public Speaking for Ministers" at the new Wake Forest Divinity School [Baptist background], I know that their women students are struggling with issues Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, etc., dealt with 25 years ago: Do I have the right to preach? How do I deal with church members who don't think I have a call? How do I find my voice when all of my role models are male?" Thank goodness many churches and Christians affirm and support women in leadership roles in the church, but, as these moderate Baptist women living in the South demonstrate, we still need the affirmations of biblical role models like Deborah and the parables of a Savior who comes to affirm and redeem all of humanity.
Charles Aaron responds: George, as you acknowledge, many churchgoers consider this a moot issue. Some believe that the battle has already been won. However, I heard a woman District Superintendent in my United Methodist Annual Conference (North Texas) say that even now, women are pioneers in the church. They still face tension, opposition, and patronizing attitudes. I read only a few years ago about a woman pastor in a small town who discovered that the local ministerial alliance disbanded rather than allow her to join. So, this piece is timely and important. Those of us who agree that women should be allowed the unfettered ability to pursue their talents and make their contribution must continue to make this point.
Another place in scripture where the role of women is emphasized is in the resurrection stories. In Matthew, for example, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are the ones who first announce the Resurrection (see Matthew 28). They are the first to proclaim the good news of Jesus' victory over death. The proclamation of the Resurrection is at the heart of Christian preaching. Women, therefore, were the first Christian preachers, and must not now be denied their place in the pulpit.
Larry Hard responds: I like the way the recent election of women and the lectionary lessons, the story of Deborah and the Parable of the Talents, are brought together to proclaim equal opportunities for women. The Parable of the Talents could be expanded even more to affirm that God gives us responsibility to give women full opportunities. In the parable it is God who is making the investment, giving talents to be used, not us. Therefore it is not for us to deny the use of God's investment in people. When we deny opportunities, we are responsible for limiting God's work in the world. Also in the parable, the Giver of talents is blamed by the one who doesn't wisely and fully use the talent given. Men and women need to stop blaming God or some sacred traditions to justify denying equal opportunities, and do what we can to enable all of God's children to fully use that which has been entrusted to them.
Chuck Cammarata responds: Since I was the one who argued against this topic, you -- the team -- may be thinking I'd be very critical of the work - ah ha! Not so! I actually like what George has written. In fact, I like it a lot. I like the balance in it and the pastoral tone. I like that he quotes F.F. Bruce's work - a scholar who has credibility across theological lines. There is another very helpful treatment of the role of women in the church by Gilbert Bilezikian. He is the theologian from Boston University who had a formational impact on Bill Hybels. Bilezikian was part of the team of people who founded the Willow Creek Church in Chicago, which is considered by many to be a conservative church, but has ordained women to leadership positions from its start. In his book Community 101, Belizekian discusses in depth the passages from Timothy and Titus that are often cited in support of positions against allowing women to lead in the church. His book powerfully describes the nature of the community God intends for us to establish in the body of Christ: a community that is intended to witness to the world as to the shape of relationships that reflect God's will. This type of community is accepting without being permissive, inclusive without being boundary-less, compassionate without being namby-pamby, and responsible without being judgmental and repressive. This is the kind of community that allows and encourages all its members to serve God fully and freely so that the community can be all it has been intended to be: an ideal that we are often -- in many churches -- far from today.
Related Illustrations
"God of the Women" is a hymn written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, co-pastor with her husband of First Presbyterian Church in Pitman, New Jersey. The hymn has since been included in a book of new hymns from Geneva Press (Gifts of Love: New Hymns for Today's Worship), and is included here with permission.
"God of the Women"
(Tune: Irish Ballad, "Be Thou My Vision")
God of the women who answered your call,
Trusting your promises, giving their all,
Women like Sarah and Hannah and Ruth--
Give us their courage to live in your truth.
God of the women who walked Jesus' Way,
Giving their resources, learning to pray,
Mary, Joanna, Susanna, and more--
May we give freely as they did before.
God of the women long put to the test,
Left out of stories, forgotten, oppressed,
Quietly asking: "Who smiled at my birth?"--
In Jesus' dying you show us our worth.
God of the women who ran from the tomb,
Prayed with the others in that upper room,
Then felt your Spirit on Pentecost Day--
May we so gladly proclaim you today.
O God of Phoebe and ministers all,
May we be joyful in answering your call.
Give us the strength of your Spirit so near
That we may share in your ministry here.
Genesis 12-23; 1 Samuel 1-2; Luke 8:1-3; Mark 14:9; Acts 1:14, 2:1-21; Romans 16:1
Reproduced from GIFTS OF LOVE. (c) 2000 Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. Used by
permission of Geneva Press.
Text: Copyright (c) 1998 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved. 305 South Broadway, Pitman, NJ 08071; Phone: 609-589-8444; Email: Bruce_Gillette.parti@ecunet.org
Permission is given for free one-time use of this hymn. The Gillettes would appreciate a copy of your worship bulletin.
You may view Carolyn's other hymns on her church's website by clicking this link: www.firstpresby.org/hymnlist
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"What is going on today when women New Testament scholars today remind us that, in Luke's Gospel, right after Jesus tells the parable of the Good Shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to look for the one that got lost, he goes on to preach a parable with a female protagonist, a woman searching for her lost silver coin? Both parables depict the work of God the Redeemer, one in the imagery of male work, one in that of female work. But for all the churches and statues of the Good Shepherd, where are the churches dedicated to God the Good Homemaker? Where are the sermons that start, like Augustine did, "Holy Divinity has lost her money, and it is us!" Why has this seeker of money that is very important to her not become a familiar image of the divine?"
(Elizabeth Johnson, "Naming God She," in The Princeton Seminary Bulletin, vol. XXII, no. 2, 2001, 136.)
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"Perhaps it is no wonder that the women were first at the Cradle and last at the Cross. They had never known a man like this Man -- there never has been such another. A prophet and teacher who never nagged at them, never flattered or coaxed or patronized; who never made arch jokes about them, never treated them either as "The women, God help us!" or "The ladies, God bless them!"; who rebuked without querulousness and praised without condescension; who took their questions and arguments seriously; who never mapped out their sphere for them; never urged them to be feminine or jeered at them for being female; who had no axe to grind and no uneasy male dignity; who took them as he found them and was completely unselfconscious. There is no act, no sermon, no parable in the whole Gospel that borrows its pungency from female perversity; nobody could possibly guess from the words and deeds of Jesus that there was anything "funny" about women's nature.
"But we might easily deduce it from his contemporaries, and from his prophets before him, and from the church to this day...."
(Dorothy Sayers, on the appeal of Jesus to women )
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One response to the ordination and excommunication of Dagmar Celeste may be found at: www.cleveland.com/letters/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_stan...
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According to the Associated Press, Rosie O'Donnell says that if she still had her talk show, she would use it as a forum to defend Martha Stewart. O'Donnell said, "I'd be singing Martha Stewart a love song every day. I want every housewife in America to band together and refuse to let them tear down one of the most successful female entrepreneurs in our country's history."
(Associated Press, November 4, 2002)
Related Worship Resources
By Chuck Cammarata
CALL TO WORSHIP
LEADER: Harmony.
PEOPLE: BEAUTY.
LEADER: Serenity.
PEOPLE: EQUALITY.
LEADER: Justice.
PEOPLE: PLEASURE.
LEADER: Unfettered joy.
PEOPLE: UNMITIGATED LOVE.
LEADER: This was the intention of God for all humanity.
PEOPLE: IT WAS EDEN.
LEADER: Paradise.
PEOPLE: PERFECTION.
LEADER: But paradise was lost,
PEOPLE: DARKNESS SWEPT CREATION,
LEADER: And God's intention was unfulfilled.
PEOPLE: UNTIL...
LEADER: The light returned in Christ Jesus.
PEOPLE: AND THE CREATOR'S INTENTION BEGAN TO BE REALIZED ANEW.
LEADER: Let us celebrate God's will for creation.
PEOPLE: HALLELUJAH!
LEADER: And let us share this joy.
PEOPLE: AMEN.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
LEADER: In the beginning God created "Adamah" - humanity.
PEOPLE: MALE AND FEMALE GOD CREATED THEM.
LEADER: Partners.
PEOPLE: EQUAL BEFORE THE LORD.
LEADER: No dominance,
PEOPLE: OR SUBSERVIENCE.
LEADER: Peers in partnership with their creator.
PEOPLE: UNTIL...
LEADER: Lord God, forgive us that even we Christians,
PEOPLE: NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST,
LEADER: In whom the old has passed away and the new come,
PEOPLE: FORGIVE US THAT WE PERPETUATE FALLEN
RELATIONSHIPS;
LEADER: That we allow,
PEOPLE: EVEN ENCOURAGE,
LEADER: Dominance by one gender, or race, or creed over others.
PEOPLE: FORGIVE US
LEADER: And teach us to live fully into Your perfect intentions for us.
PEOPLE: INTENTIONS OF JUSTICE,
LEADER: Equality,
PEOPLE: AND LOVE.
LEADER: We pray it in the name of the one who embraced all,
PEOPLE: JESUS CHRIST THE LORD. AMEN.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
LEADER: This is the good news! Forgiveness is free,
PEOPLE: AND ABUNDANT,
LEADER: But it cannot be received without true repentance.
PEOPLE: SO LET US TURN FROM OUR SINS OF REPRESSION,
LEADER: Let us seek justice and mercy,
PEOPLE: THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THE RICHNESS OF OUR GOD'S GRACE.
LEADER: Amen.
PASTORAL PRAYER
Father in Heaven, remind us as we go about our very comfortable lives that there are - all over this world - sons and daughters of yours - sisters and brothers of ours - who have no comfort, no security, no justice. And guide us towards ways of thinking, living, and acting that make possible the increase in the flow of the rivers of righteousness that you will for your people.
We are ambassadors for Christ, agents of the Kingdom of God; make us compassionate in our service, and courageous in our witness to our communities, our country, and our world. Amen.
HYMNS AND CHORUSES
I Sing the Mighty Power of God
All Creatures of Our God and King
How Great Thou Art
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Rise Up O Church of God
Let Justice Roll Down
Shout to the North (can be found on a number of current worship CDs)
A Related Children's Sermon
By Wesley Runk
Judges 4:1-7 (10 added)
Text: "A that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel ... Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him. (vv. 4, 10)
Objects: a gavel, a Bible, and a sword or shield.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you know the name of a famous hero or heroine? (let them answer) What makes people famous? (let them answer) Is it because they are strong? Is it because they are beautiful? Is it because they are intelligent? Is it because they are brave? Is it because they are fast? Is it because they are tall? (let them agree or disagree with each item)
Do you think that both men and women are smart? Do you think that both men and women are brave? Do you think that both men and women are intelligent, smart? (let them answer)
Today we are going to talk about a person in the Bible who was very smart. This person was so smart that the people asked this person to be their judge. This person had the power to discover who was right and who was wrong and get everyone to agree to this opinion. (show them the gavel) When this person made a ruling and announced it (pound the gavel), it was like making a law.
This person was also very close to God. When God wanted to send a message to the people, God spoke first to this person and the person then told the people. People called this kind of a person a prophet. This kind of a person was a messenger from God. (hold up the Bible) The messages from God are written in the Bible, but first they were delivered to a prophet.
Finally, I want to tell you that the person in the Bible I am speaking about was also very brave. This person had courage and believed that God was the real leader. (hold up the shield or the sword) This person went into battle and stood beside the general and gave God's word in such a way that others followed and defeated the enemies of God.
Does anyone know the name of the person I am talking about? (let them answer) Do you think it was someone really special? Was it Moses? Was it Joshua? Was it David? Remember what I said. This person was a judge, a prophet, and an advisor to generals. It wasn't Moses. It wasn't Joshua, and it wasn't David or Solomon. Who was it? It was Deborah! No, she wasn't a man but a great woman whom God chose to be the leader of the Israelites.
Today our church is looking for great leaders. Some of the leaders are going to be men and some of them are going to be women. God chooses his leaders because of their faith, their courage, their intelligence, and their love of Jesus Christ.
The next time you think of famous people perhaps you will think of Deborah, the judge of Israel. She was a prophet and an advisor to the military. She was one of God's great leaders.
The Immediate Word, November 17, 2002, issue.
Copyright 2002 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
