Westminster Presbyterian Church - Mark Bradshaw-Miller
Fourth Sunday in Lent
"Snake Pole" Number 21:4-9; John 3:14-21
When I looked over the lectionary passages in preparation for Lent, I came across this passage from the book of Numbers thought: “I just have to preach on that! I have no idea what I am going to do, but I have to preach on that!” Along came this week and I began to rethink the wisdom of such a decision. Coming face to face with this strange story, where looking at snakes on poles can save a life, does not appear to contain much contemporary relevance. After a few days of wrestling with the passage I decided to focus on snakes in the biblical witness.
In the biblical story our first encounter with a serpent is in the Garden of Eden. The result is that the offspring of Eve and the offspring of the serpent are destined forever to be enemies. However, forever does not seem to last all that long. The passage from Numbers turns this relationship with snakes on its’ head.
It all begins when the people begin to grumble against Moses and God and are rewarded with an onslaught of poisonous snakes. Following God’s directions, Moses fashions a snake on a pole. God says that healing will come by looking at the snake pole. Taking this story alone could lead us to say something like, “don’t grumble against God or the pastor or the snakes will come raining down.” That is not only irresponsible but simply ridiculous. There is something more going on which is worth our attention.
The fascinating truth of this passage has little to do the snakes or even the grumbling. At the heart of this passage is the way in which the source of death, the snakes, become the instrument of healing, the snake on a pole. God takes what symbolized death in the serpent or snake and uses it as the source of healing. It is a reminder of how often the witness of our faith shows that those things which cause us pain or bring us face to face with our mortality can actually become instruments of healing. While this is not always true in every case, the possibility is present.
In order to grasp the importance of the snake pole we must move beyond the bounds of this passage. The snake pole fashioned by Moses lives on for many years in the community of faith. This strange item served as an important religious icon. Over time this symbol of healing began to take on a life of its own. Instead of reminding people of God’s ability to take the places of death in our lives into the places of new life, the community began to worship and sacrifice to the snake pole. What began as something which pointed us towards God becomes the object of our worship.
In the book of second Kings, our passage comes full circle. King Hezekiah destroys this icon and ends an age old tradition in the life of the community of faith. He realized that it no longer served the community and had become an impediment to faithfulness. It is in learning the conclusion of the snake pole which helps this ‘ancient’ story become contemporary. In fact, it becomes a warning for all generations about the risks of worshiping that which points us to the healing of God instead of God. It is a warning about idolatry.
Idolatry is not something for which most of us seek. Instead, like the faithful of ancient Israel, it sort of sneaks up on us. When we take that which is good an object, or practice, or tradition and turn it into something which is beyond faithful and critical examination it takes the form of an idol. This is not news to anyone. If we are honest we can name all sorts of thing which have become more important in our lives, and our community of faith, than faithfulness to God. I think an example of this can be shown in our second scripture passage.
Possibly one of the most famous verses of scripture is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This passage, which shares the simple truth of God’s love, has taken on a life of its own. And I believe this life dances dangerously close to edge of becoming an Idol. Before I am smashed like the snake pole, let me elaborate.
It may not be an idol it is important to at least consider the possibility. At the heart of this short but well known passage is the confession about God’s amazing love for the world. It begins with “For God so loved the world…” So anything which does not hinge on that has lost its moorings. However, the focus of this passage, in many circles, is on the issue of belief. In other words, this passage is quoted so as to check the orthodoxy or beliefs of others. It becomes our way of sorting out who is and who is not included in God’s love. The main way of interpreting this passage then becomes our beliefs instead of the love of God. We know the passage begins: “For God so loved the world.” However, in practice the verse becomes: “Belief is your get out of hell free card!” Quoting this passage then is a way of check to verify who is saved and who is damned. No longer is the foundation of this passage that God loves us but about our understanding of that love. See the problem? And when this happens, this passage of scripture becomes an idol, or at least our interpretation has become the idol. Either way it is time for it to be smashed.
Author and preacher Barbra Brown Taylor recently shared a story of a time, early in her ordained ministry, when she received an invitation to speak at a church. Taylor asked the pastor on what he would like her to speak, he said: “Tell me what is saving your life right now.” It was a blunt question which moves us from concerns over litmus tests to the heart of our faith. By asking this question regularity we will find that our faith has the power to save us in surprising ways. This salvation will not be that which keeps us “out of hell,” but that which has sustained and will continue to sustain us though the places of hell on earth. It is this faith that will “save our (lives) right now.”
I love this story because it gets to the heart of the passage. God has the power to transform the broken places of our lives, even the places of death. But like the Israelites we are always at risk of turning that transformation into the object of our worship. So let us pray for healing in the broken places of our lives but always be on guard not to worship the broken places. Amen.
Fourth Sunday in Lent
"Snake Pole" Number 21:4-9; John 3:14-21
When I looked over the lectionary passages in preparation for Lent, I came across this passage from the book of Numbers thought: “I just have to preach on that! I have no idea what I am going to do, but I have to preach on that!” Along came this week and I began to rethink the wisdom of such a decision. Coming face to face with this strange story, where looking at snakes on poles can save a life, does not appear to contain much contemporary relevance. After a few days of wrestling with the passage I decided to focus on snakes in the biblical witness.
In the biblical story our first encounter with a serpent is in the Garden of Eden. The result is that the offspring of Eve and the offspring of the serpent are destined forever to be enemies. However, forever does not seem to last all that long. The passage from Numbers turns this relationship with snakes on its’ head.
It all begins when the people begin to grumble against Moses and God and are rewarded with an onslaught of poisonous snakes. Following God’s directions, Moses fashions a snake on a pole. God says that healing will come by looking at the snake pole. Taking this story alone could lead us to say something like, “don’t grumble against God or the pastor or the snakes will come raining down.” That is not only irresponsible but simply ridiculous. There is something more going on which is worth our attention.
The fascinating truth of this passage has little to do the snakes or even the grumbling. At the heart of this passage is the way in which the source of death, the snakes, become the instrument of healing, the snake on a pole. God takes what symbolized death in the serpent or snake and uses it as the source of healing. It is a reminder of how often the witness of our faith shows that those things which cause us pain or bring us face to face with our mortality can actually become instruments of healing. While this is not always true in every case, the possibility is present.
In order to grasp the importance of the snake pole we must move beyond the bounds of this passage. The snake pole fashioned by Moses lives on for many years in the community of faith. This strange item served as an important religious icon. Over time this symbol of healing began to take on a life of its own. Instead of reminding people of God’s ability to take the places of death in our lives into the places of new life, the community began to worship and sacrifice to the snake pole. What began as something which pointed us towards God becomes the object of our worship.
In the book of second Kings, our passage comes full circle. King Hezekiah destroys this icon and ends an age old tradition in the life of the community of faith. He realized that it no longer served the community and had become an impediment to faithfulness. It is in learning the conclusion of the snake pole which helps this ‘ancient’ story become contemporary. In fact, it becomes a warning for all generations about the risks of worshiping that which points us to the healing of God instead of God. It is a warning about idolatry.
Idolatry is not something for which most of us seek. Instead, like the faithful of ancient Israel, it sort of sneaks up on us. When we take that which is good an object, or practice, or tradition and turn it into something which is beyond faithful and critical examination it takes the form of an idol. This is not news to anyone. If we are honest we can name all sorts of thing which have become more important in our lives, and our community of faith, than faithfulness to God. I think an example of this can be shown in our second scripture passage.
Possibly one of the most famous verses of scripture is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This passage, which shares the simple truth of God’s love, has taken on a life of its own. And I believe this life dances dangerously close to edge of becoming an Idol. Before I am smashed like the snake pole, let me elaborate.
It may not be an idol it is important to at least consider the possibility. At the heart of this short but well known passage is the confession about God’s amazing love for the world. It begins with “For God so loved the world…” So anything which does not hinge on that has lost its moorings. However, the focus of this passage, in many circles, is on the issue of belief. In other words, this passage is quoted so as to check the orthodoxy or beliefs of others. It becomes our way of sorting out who is and who is not included in God’s love. The main way of interpreting this passage then becomes our beliefs instead of the love of God. We know the passage begins: “For God so loved the world.” However, in practice the verse becomes: “Belief is your get out of hell free card!” Quoting this passage then is a way of check to verify who is saved and who is damned. No longer is the foundation of this passage that God loves us but about our understanding of that love. See the problem? And when this happens, this passage of scripture becomes an idol, or at least our interpretation has become the idol. Either way it is time for it to be smashed.
Author and preacher Barbra Brown Taylor recently shared a story of a time, early in her ordained ministry, when she received an invitation to speak at a church. Taylor asked the pastor on what he would like her to speak, he said: “Tell me what is saving your life right now.” It was a blunt question which moves us from concerns over litmus tests to the heart of our faith. By asking this question regularity we will find that our faith has the power to save us in surprising ways. This salvation will not be that which keeps us “out of hell,” but that which has sustained and will continue to sustain us though the places of hell on earth. It is this faith that will “save our (lives) right now.”
I love this story because it gets to the heart of the passage. God has the power to transform the broken places of our lives, even the places of death. But like the Israelites we are always at risk of turning that transformation into the object of our worship. So let us pray for healing in the broken places of our lives but always be on guard not to worship the broken places. Amen.
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