Luke 17:20-18:8
On Friday morning I was angry to hear about another South African Artist killed as a result of a violent crime: Lucky Dube, a reggae musician; someone who had fought his way through many of the injustices of life to be where he was was apparently killed by carjackers in Rosettenville Johannesburg.
I know that the murder of Dube was just the tip of an iceberg of crime and injustice that overwhelms our country.
If I was to ask those in this church today to raise their hands if they knew someone who was affected by violent crime or they were personally affected by violent crime I think nearly everyone would raise their hands.
If I asked you if you had ever experienced some injustice of any sort - just about everyone would have a story to tell.
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The thing about crime happening to a celebrity, especially an artist like Dube is that it reminds us, that the people who are victims of injustice, violence and crime - regardless of their race, sex or religion - are real living people.
We feel somehow connected to people like Lucky Dube, Taliep Petersen, Brett Goldin and Richard Bloom these people have probably moved us in some way at some time… We feel like we know them somehow, they may have made you laugh at TV shows, made you angry, made you dance and sing, or moved you with some other emotion that their particular art ignited in you.
Because of our emotional link to these people (however faint it may be) we feel somehow wronged when they are wronged… even if we didn't particularly like them or admire them.
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Someone has said:
"As soon as you look at someone and do not see a human face, then you have already committed an act of violence against them."
I'm not sure who said it - but it seems to resonate with what Jesus would teach...
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The first chapter of Genesis, verse 27 tells me I am made in God's image… as funny looking as I may be. It reminds me that this God, Yahweh sees you and me as somehow special - as important enough in his universe for him to make us in his own image. Later we will find out that we are important enough in his universe for him to become one of us and suffer with those who are violently persecuted.
This idea which we find in Genesis contrasted sharply with the ideas that the nations surrounding the Isrealites had. Rulers made their people believe that only Kings and people of power and authority were made in the image of God.
In contrast, the Israelites believed that all people were created in the image of God, (male and female both of them) and because all people were created in the image of God… they had to be respected.
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Because of this deep respect for people as bearers of God's image God gave the Israelites laws that applied to all people, protecting them from each other… laws that prohibited people from stealing, from adultery, from working on the Sabbath (and even making the non-Israelites who worked for you work on the Sabbath); laws that promoted justice for all people (no matter who they were - even in spite of their religious background and race).
Even the most powerful person in the nation, the King, was subject to those same rules.
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Jesus teaches that all of those rules can be summed up in two commandments:
" 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' "
- Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus tells us that loving your neighbour is a way of loving God. The first commandment - "Love God" - and the second is just like it - "Love your neighbour."
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But even in
Those with power abuse those without.
The rich abuse the poor.
The strong abuse the weak.
Those in authority abuse those without authority.
Those with bigger weapons and bigger muscles get to tell those with smaller weapons and smaller muscles what to do.
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People forget to see the face of God in people.
And God gets angry.
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Prophets speak God's frustration to the world, about God's anger at injustice… and people hope for a new Kingdom; a reality in which people live as if God were truly their King, as if the people around them were truly image bearers of the King and should be treated as such.
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The gospel reading for today - although we only read 18:1-8 finds its beginning in 17:20: The Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God was coming, Jesus' answer to them is that the Kingdom is among them; it is in their midst.
He then speaks to the disciples about being ready to be a part of the Kingdom… like in the days of Noah when Noah had to be obedient to God and build an ark - the disciples have to be obedient to God and live and teach as Jesus has taught them.
Like in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah Lot and his family had to leave town when they were called; when Lot's wife looked back longing for the possessions which she had left behind - the scriptures tell us that she turned to a pillar of salt.
Both of these destructive apocalypses happened because people were being unjust… The story of Noah begins in Gen 6:11 with the line "The earth was corrupt in God's sight, and filled with violence."
Ezekiel 16:49 tells us the reason for the destruction of
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The
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And so, Luke tells us in vs. 1, Jesus encourages the disciples to pray always and not lose hope by telling the story of a widow and a corrupt Judge.
The widow - one of the most vulnerable people in society keeps returning to the judge to ask for justice; and eventually because of her persistence - he grants her justice.
Jesus encourages his disciples saying that even if a corrupt and fearless judge knows how to grant a poor and powerless widow justice… how much more will God be able to bring the justice of the
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It is interesting to look at the word translated from Greek into English for not losing hope or not being discouraged in verse 1 - it implies more than just an emotion; but rather a willingness to act in the face of opposition… Literally translated the word ἐγκακεῖν means to not give in to evil.
Prayer for Jesus is never an excuse for inaction - rather it is always the beginning of action. The "Our Father" which he taught his disciples to say is filled with calls to practical action: "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done," is us asking God to use us… to enable us to be people who make God's Kingdom a reality in the world in which we live.
Whenever Jesus goes away on his own to pray - he always comes back to do what God has asked him to do - even on one occasion when the call was for him to go to the cross.
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I began with talk about the corruption we see in the world around us; the injustice which is carried out by all sorts of people with power… Sometimes it's the power of a person with a gun, like a thief or a hijacker. Sometimes it's the power of someone with money. Sometimes muscles. Sometimes authority.
People somehow seem to be able to be so mean to each other because they don't see the human face of God in those whom they encounter…
The only way for us to change this attitude is to begin to treat each other, all the people we encounter, sinners, saints, Muslims, Jews, wives, husbands, children, enemies and friends with the same sort of respect with which God has treated us.
And we need to campaign for others to do the same.
Knowing always that God hears our cries.
In God has a Dream a book by Desmond Tutu he speaks of how at protest marches he used to shout to the troops - who were bigger than him, and much more powerful: "Come and Join the winning side!"
Because he knew - like we should, that when we work with God we will ultimately have the victory.
Amen
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