Sermon in 100secs (ish)
In the Hebrew Bible there’s the story of the ark of the
covenant, the big box containing the stone tablets of the 10 commandments, the
manifestation of the physical presence of God, being brought to Jerusalem.
King David, shepherd boy, Goliath killer, turned warrior-king,
so excited by this and overcome with joy, clothes himself with a priest’s apron
and starts dancing before the ark as it entered the city!
Michal, David’s Wife is outraged by this unseemly display. After
this she says to him “Look at how the KING distinguished himself today!
Revealing what he’s really like in front of the servants!
This was very public humility. Some don’t like to see those
in power making themselves humble, they say they are making fools of themselves
but what really worries them is what people may think of them for not being as
humble.
This was the King of Israel, not caring about what looked
right, what was seemly or dignified. It was David doing what was right before
the Lord. Living out his faith in spite of the cost to his dignity and the
dignity of his wife it would seem. The will of God was being brought back into
the presence of the people. The shock is similar to Jesus’ friends when he put’s
on the servant towel and begins to wash their feet!
You see, being part of God’s family is about Joy, not being
proper, it is about doing what is right, not what is seemly, it is about getting
messy while serving the needy not being dignified.
Pocket Prayer
Amazing, astounding, boundary breaking God,
Your love and power know no bounds. Never concerned with
what humanity considers right or proper.
You chose a people who were poor and enslaved, weak and
badly treated, to be your people, to be your blessing to the world.
You chose children to speak for you, sent the coward into
danger to carry your message.
You conquered armies of thousands with only hundreds.
You worked through widows and the vulnerable to secure a
future for all people.
You chose a small shepherd boy to be king!
King David, we may dance before your presence unashamed.
We may vow to become even more undignified in following you
but we hold back.
Fearfully we try to act properly and conservatively.
Worrying what people will say or think if we follow our heart.
We listen to the Michal’s of this world who speak of us in
words dripping with sarcasm “Oh look how you have distinguished yourself! See
how you have revealed the you that should have remained hidden!”
We hide our light, your light in us. We place it under a
shade, we cover it over so the world does not see.
Like Moses coming down from the mountain after speaking with
God, his face truly glowing as one in love, then hid his face with a veil
because it caused distress. We hide away our glow to not offend, to fit in.
Fill us with the confidence in you and in ourselves that we
dress ourselves in the vestments of the priesthood of all believers and tie the
towel of the servant around our waists.
Help us to think not “What would people think if they saw me
doing this?” and instead think “What would God think if God saw me doing this?”
Cause us to be so moved that our desire, our joy and our
delight that we give without counting the cost, act.
Not concerned with what humanity might think was proper, as
King David clothed himself as priest and danced with joy, you clothed yourself
in humanity as Jesus and took the world by the hand leading it in a dance of
love and joy!
Let us then emulate the one we follow as the child mimics
their hero,
Your Son, our teacher and our friend, Jesus Christ.
Who was daily questioned and accused over his actions of
Loving Kindness to those who needed it and the hospitality and welcome he both
gave and received.
Jesus Christ who dined with tax collectors
Jesus Christ who touched the leper
Jesus Christ who asked Samaritans for a drink
Jesus Christ who allowed the sinner to wash his feet
Jesus Christ who taught women
Jesus Christ whose kingly birth was in a borrowed room and
heralded by shepherds
Jesus Christ who broke man’s sabbath law for the sake of righteousness.
Jesus Christ who turned the social order upside down
Jesus Christ who caused a near riot in the temple courts
Jesus Christ who died a criminal’s death
Jesus Christ who refused to stay dead!
Undignified God, unseemly God, Outrageous God, Passionate
God, Righteous God.
Lead us in your dance we pray and help us to dance as if no
one but you is watching!
Amen
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