Faith of our Mothers- by Lijo Johnson, Gurukul

Text: 2 Tim 1:3-7

Paul had written his second letter to timothy while he was in Rome. The apostle’s main aim was to instruct timothy with regard to the heresies that were multiplying around and within the church, and to encourage him in the midst of all the trials which would come up on him as a Christian and as an official of the church. Our text (2 Tim 1:3-7) is the opening statement of what is entitled Paul's second letter to Timothy. These verses begin with an expression of gratitude for Timothy's faith. This is the kind of greeting with which most Pauline letters open. 

The theme of remembering is strong in these verses, as Paul remembers Timothy's faith and urges him to both remember it and teach it. This is not a casual recall of past information, but the recollection of meaningful stories that have shaped personal and communal identity. The past is made alive and powerful for the present so that it can shape the future. There is intense emotion connected to this act of remembering. Paul prays for Timothy constantly, remembering his tears and longing to see him. Memory and prayer are connected. As Paul remembers Timothy's tears, praying for him constantly, he stands with him, sharing in his suffering before God. He is also described as having a stable faith that goes back to his ancestors. Elsewhere in the Pauline letters, the disconnect between Paul's Jewish past and his Christian faith is emphasized (Gal 2:15-21; Phil 3:4-9). Here the author stresses the stability and the antiquity of Paul's faith and the importance of the Christian household in assuring the transmission of the truth faith.

Paul in vs. 3 reminds timothy about the sincere and unqualified faith of his mother, Eunice and grandmother, Lois that laid the base for Timothy’s faith. In fact Paul reminds timothy that he recognizes the gift of God that timothy had was not just because of the laying of hands during his ordination but also due to the faith that laid the foundation by his mother and grand mother. 

The life of a mother is considered as a high level of spirituality. It is entirely different from the spirituality that men experience. Her body itself is a source for experiencing her spirituality. Dr. Rosy Thampy, a writer and a college professor in kerala , explains the experience of a women in training a child as the most creative effort of a women. Her task is similar to an artist that shapes a sculpture. She has to do the task of transforming a child into a person by giving constant care and love.

Every person has a similar memory to recall about the faith of one’s mother in their life. The transformation of the church father Augustine was influenced by the faith and prayer of his mother Monica. Geevarghese Mar Osthatios, a profound orthodox theologian gratefully remembers poor women with simple faith, who gave money to do his theological studies. In my own personal experience the life of my mother influenced and challenged me. 

But as part of the patriarchal society, we too are reluctant to recognize the role, encouragement of women. Influenced by the dualistic pattern, our theology too is intoxicated with patriarchal nuances. We often remember the church fathers who participated in formulating the theological doctrines in the church councils but we forget or hesitant to remember the contribution of many women in our lives. 

The pidiyari is a practice of voluntary giving in Kerala, where one handful of rice is set apart everyday by the women in a Christian family before the rice is being cooked. These women who consistently reserved one handful of the rice served as the practical theologians who tried to reduce the poverty in Kerala through their simple means. 

From the biblical passage we saw the great transformation caused by women in the life of a God’s minister. Though women are traditionally branded as weak and vulnerable, here their faith, as Paul mentioned, is sincere and strong. It had resulted in the formation of a great leader and a bishop. Does our faith make any change in others? Does our faith cause any transformation in our society? The faith and vision of a simple woman named Agnes who was later fondly called by others as Mother had resulted in the formation of Nirmal Hriday and later the whole order of Missionaries of Charity. 

For many of us Faith has become mere museum pieces impotent to make any fruitful result in our society. Let the signs of our times enable us to transform our faith so that it may became relevant and effective. Amen

[Lijo Johnson, the leader of this meditation is a final year BD student in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India.]

Jesus, the High Priest- by Liju, Gurukul

Text: Hebrews 5:1-5

Only in the book of Hebrews the term "high priest" is applied to Jesus. The author may intend to convey that Jesus as superior to all other priests, Or he may be using the term because he sees Jesus' saving work as fulfilling all that is signified by the ceremonies of the Day of Atonement.

Within the religion of the Jews, the high priest hold an highly exalted position. And the most important task of the high priest took place on the Day of Atonement.

On this day, he would be arrayed in a white linen robe over which he wore a blue robe, a breastplate with 12 stones, and a golden frontlet. On this day, he would enter into the innermost part of the temple and make a sacrifice for the sins of the nation. On this day, he was the official representative of the people before their God.

The passage is very clear in stating the qualifications as a high priest.

The writer closed the chapter 4 with the statement that we have a high priest in the person of Jesus. The high priest has the quality of A Godly Calling. For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God.

The main function of a priest was not to teach or preach. His main function was to act as a mediator between human beings and God.

Now, the fact that human need a mediator to approach God implies that there is not anything wrong with human. After all, human were originally created in the image of God. Jesus is also a mediating priest. He has crossed the gap between God and human. He has provided reconciliation between God and human.

Jesus is not only a mediating priest; He is also a GENTLE priest. The reason that He is gentle is because He knows what it is like to be vulnerable. The best kind of comforter is one who has gone through the pain and anguish and who can empathize with us. He understands because He has been there.

We have seen that Jesus is a mediating priest, a gentle priest and an appointed priest. He is also a SUFFERING priest. When we think of the suffering of Jesus, are drawn to the pain of His beatings during the trials, the crown of thorns and the scourging and later the torture of the crucifixion with the nails in His hands and feet.

But the suffering which is viewed in this verse is different. It is not the suffering upon the cross. It is the suffering that preceded the cross. It is the way of his life and ministry which voluntarily took suffering for the noble cause. Although He was a Son; He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

We have seen that Jesus is a mediating, a gentle, an appointed and a suffering priest. He is also an OBEDIENT priest. A lot of people have a problem being under authority. Jesus has been characterized as a rebel and a revolutionary. But that misses the point that He was one who was obedient to authority. The only question was which authority.

As we all are being the ministers of this high priest in our different realms of life are we ready to mediate between the needy and the god can we became gentile enough to do so. Are we ready to take up the suffering for the cause of justice and peace in a way obedient and disobedient to the authority for the cause of vulnerable human beings. Amen.

[Liju Raju, the preacher of this sermon, is a final year BD student in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India.]

Repentance - by Iswar Dutta, Gurukul

TEXT: JONAH 3:1-10

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in this scripture we can see that, Jonah would obey the second commission with renewed strength and divine authority. He would appear in Nineveh as a sign, an outward proof of a divine purpose in his life and work. Jonah lived in the reign of Jeroboam II. In his youth he was probably contemporary with Elisha and afterward with Hosea and Amos prophets of the kingdom of the ten tribes. He prophesied when Israel was oppressed by Syria. “The word of Jonah to Jeroboam appears as the sun-gleam with which Jehovah’s countenance had beamed on Israel”. Living among the revolted tribes testifying to their iniquity and the patience of God, he never thought of exercising his ministry among the heathen. The commission to Nineveh was a special and extra ordinary event. In love with his own country and prejudiced against others, he naturally shrunk from it. In his sentiments he is an image of the people to whom he belonged. Like him they declined to fulfill their commission to the Gentiles, but had to obey and set forth the mercy of God to the heathen world. The events of his life were not myths, but realities and typical of the saviors death resurrection, the great facts of our redemption.
Who knows? The poignant question asked in the decree and echoed in Joel 2:14, expresses the theological issue around which the chapter revolves contingency and sovereignty. Jonah is not certain what will result from his finally preaching in Nineveh the words God has given him. Jonah can hope for the destruction of the city, but cannot surly expect it (cf-4:5). God alone will decide its fate. The citizens of Nineveh can believe and repent, but sincerity alone cannot control what God is free to do for them or against them. They can hope for deliverance, cannot surely expect it (v.9). The hearer/reader does not know what will happen either. Then in v.10 comes the answer to the suspense generated already in 1:2. Nineveh’s repentance was acceptable to God. He spared the city and none, after all perished, God alone knew the answer to the question “Who knows?”
A message of the book of Jonah is that God does not exercise his power arbitrarily and discriminatorily, Jonah the nationalist wants God to bless Israel and harm all its enemies. His own actions, showing respect and concern for the sailors in chap.1 and the plant in chap.4, are of course, evidence of the inconsistency of his own position. But God is patient, “not wanting any one to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peters-3:9), and, “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim-2:4). He manifests his sovereignty not in stubbornness but in grace, not in narrow particularism but in a willingness to forgive any people. There is however a contingency. The book of Jonah does not teach a naïve, lowest common-denominator universalism. Only general repentance can result in forgiveness. God’s threat is not to be taken lightly; His warning is as severe as the Ninevites took it to be.
Eventually, Nineveh became again a nation famous for its evil. It is clear that the city-wide repentance need not have been permanent in order for God to forgive the city. What the people showed was genuine contribution at one point, which was enough for God to unleash his waiting grace and bind his waiting wrath. Biblical descriptions of the effects of repentance seem to presume that an act of general repentance in relevant to a single generation (cf.e.g.Deo-4:9-compared to 4:25). Later generations will be responsible for their own repentance. A later generation of unrepentant Ninevites was destroyed (in 611 B.C.).
The only answer to this question is found in the sovereign will of God. God does as he pleases with whomever he pleases. When God decided to do a work in the city of Nineveh, he chose to use Jonah in spite of his imperfections. God did not need a sinless prophet to accomplish his purpose. He used Jonah just as he was, imperfect, rebellious, and bitter. He can certainly do the same with us. We must be careful to realize, though, that just because we are being used by God doesn’t mean that we are right with God. The story of Jonah is a clear example of this. The secret to success in ministry doesn’t depend on our character, personality, or method; it depends on God.
It is true that our sin is often removes the blessing of God from our lives and ministries. The fact of the matter, however, is that we can be living in a right relationship with God and still, like the prophets of the old, see no fruit in our ministry. On the contrary, we cannot say: “I must be living right, look at how God is blessing my ministry.” As a sovereign God, he can accomplish his will through a sinner like Jonah or through a great Saint Paul.
Ultimately the advancement of the kingdom of God depends more on God than on human. If God’s work depended upon our goodness and spirituality, there would not be much hope for this world. A quick look at the shape of the church in our day ought to prove the validity of this statement. God works despite our imperfections and shortcomings. Dear brothers and sisters let us make a vow that we walk in the right path. God is so gracious with us despite of our shortcomings. This is the day that the God has made for us. Come to him, he is ready to forgive our sins ever. May God shower his grace upon us. Amen

[Iswar Dutta, the leader of this meditation is a final year BD student of Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India.]

The Ethical Glory of God - John Haide,Gurukul

Scripture: Exodus 33:18-23

The passage which was commencing from vs. 18-23, is a conversation between YHWH and his trustworthy servant Moses. Having obtained the full restoration of the people to God’s favor, Moses felt emboldened to ask God a benefit for himself. He had already been admitted to closer communion with God than anyone of the race of humans since Adam. Moses makes a request of God “Show me your glory” (v18). Glory for Moses refers to the face or presence of God no longer enveloped by the cloud or fire. Since God appears to his people in cloud and fire, Moses wants to see the unveiled glory of God. This is a request for a sign that God himself will dwell among them without judgment.

Friends, in this morning I would like to call your attention to the “Glory of God” which Moses wants to see. Glory is characteristically used by P source for the theophanies of the exodus period (Ex. 16:7,10 and 24:16,17). The present verse 18 is however earlier than P.

Verses 18-23 disclose the request of Moses to see God’s glory and the reply to it. A good human being thirsts forever fuller manifestations of the divine glory. The more he/she knows of God, the more he/she would know. God’s glory is twofold. 1. Essential glory. 2. Ethical glory. Let me briefly explain what they mean for.

The Essential glory of God

The essential glory of God pertains to his existence. It is compared in scripture to the white dazzling light. This glory is well described in Paul’s first letter to Timothy 6:16 says that the light which no one can approach unto and no one has ever seen. Human in his present state of existence can receive the vision of God’s essential glory under great limitations. The full discovery of it would slay him as it is in v20. Moses partially saw its reflection. Even thus to perceive it implied an exaltation of the consciousness and an opening of the spiritual eyes.

The Ethical glory of God

This is the most perspicuous and precious character of God. This is the glory of his character. It was revealed when God proclaimed God’s name to Moses. (v.19, 34:5-8) God grants Moses’ request only in part, for the reason that no one can see God and live but if we carefully observe God redirects the question of Moses. Instead of speaking glory, God speaks of “goodness” (v19). The most genuine sign to Moses is not simply the direct view of God but a specific indication of the “good” character. A direct view of God will not say much at all about God’s character. It is more important to know what kind of God this is than to see that God. The ethical glory of God is nothing but the God’s goodness.

There is a visible appearance of God in the center of the text that cannot be argued away. The anthropomorphic language for God is consistent with the human form of other theophanies, but it is unique. God’s own hand is used to prevent Moses from seeing the divine face. When God has passed by, God will take the hand away and Moses will be able to see God’s back but not God’s face. The significance of God’s back may well relate to what one would see of a God leading the people from the front on their journeys. God as a fore runner leads his people while the people follow God. 

God expresses no displeasure with Moses’ request. In fact God positively moves with Moses throughout. God allows Moses a vision at all is a demonstration of God’s mercy and graciousness. Other dimension of this theme may be implicit here. It refers to the epistemic distance between God and human beings, structured into the created order for the purpose of preserving human freedom and hence life.

YHWH’s response to Moses’ request of seeing God’s glory consists in 4 powerful affirmations (19-23).

I will make all my goodness pass before you (v19). The term goodness can be used as a synonym for shalom and thus refers to the material blessings of creation. This is a manifestation of God’s good gifts. It parallels the concerns of Ex. 3:14.

I will proclaim before you, my name YHWH (19b). It concerns God’s name and embodies the full disclosure of YHWH’s sovereign character. It makes allusion to Ex. 3: 14 and 6:2.

I’ll be gracious to whom I’ll be gracious.

I’ll show mercy on whom I’ll show mercy (v.19c). These last two affirmations concern God’s capacity to be unconditionally generous but more specifically refer to YHWH’s resolve to be generous to Moses. Both are parallel in structure and content. Jack Lundbom has shown that the literary structure of the last two promises is a rhetorical device used to terminate a conversation abruptly.

These 4 affirmations do not explicitly concern Israel, but they seem to reassure Moses on the future attentiveness of YHWH toward Israel in its hazardous journey. 

Moses had enjoyed much intercourse with YHWH and often he had heard the voice that gave commandment and guidance. He had asked much for his people and it was fitting that he should ask something for himself. And he asked something worthy, something pleasing to God, something of highest profit to himself. But his request could not be granted fully, yet the glory is manifested in God’s goodness, righteousness, love and care for his people.

The meaning of glory to God is not omnipotence, nor ubiquity, nor dazzling light. It is the goodness and love shown by God to humankind through his son Jesus. The manifestation of ethical glory of God is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. As John 1:14 interprets, the divine son is the perfect embodiment of God’s ethical or moral glory. 

God has made his goodness pass before us that is his son Jesus Christ. God has kept nothing back and has revealed his name. If we want to experience the glory of God, we have to show the same goodness to our fellow beings that God had shown to Moses and his people. Let’s be bold enough to pray with Moses, “Lord, teach me your ways so that I may know you and continue to find favor with you… show me your glory.” Amen.

[John M.Haide, the leader of this meditation, is a final year BD student of Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India.]

'God and Darkness'- by Paul Davis, Gurukul

Scripture: Exodus 19:9-16.

Once a Japanese man was invited for a conference in one of the European countries. He arrived on the particular day and was received by an European. This European friend was behaving very differently towards the Japanese visitor. The European took him to a Restaurant and he introduced the meal like this to the Japanese Friend. This is platee , this is spoony, this is forkee, and now you can eatee. This Japanese friend felt a bit bad about the attitude of the European host but he kept himself cool and calm. On that evening the Japanese person had to speak in a public meeting and the European friend was also sitting along with him on the dais.

When the time came for the Japanese person to speak, this European friend again pulled him by saying Now go and Speechee. But the Japanese person stood before the great crowd and spoke in very good English for half an hour and came back and seated near the European who was already put to shame and then whispered in his ears “how was my speechee?”

Similarly most us have different opinion about other people and when it comes to God we have a whole lot of ideas and many of them would sound funny also.

I am going to ask you ask you a question, where is God, though it may sound silly, what will be your answer? You may respond by saying, God is in heaven or above or everywhere and so on. Or you may shoot another question back like this if I truly know where God is why I would have come to study theology at all. And if I am going to further ask you as to how God lives? Many of us I am sure would reply that God is seated on a big throne and reigns the whole universe. The New Testament gives us a portrait of how God is, it says that God resides in an unapproachable light and in a marvelous light. Today I have a surprise for you. Do you know that God likes darkness and even lives in utmost darkness? Does it sound unbelievable? Yes, it is true, this is not my invention, but a discovery of many biblical writers themselves.

For people of Israel, the law or the torah is the bible and in it the 10 commandments are very very important. Today’s reading explains the context of such a law that was given for the first time.

Chapter 19 of Exodus, verse 9 says that the Lord said to Moses, I am going to come to you in dense cloud for giving those laws for the first time. The reason stated is that the people may hear when God speaks with Moses and people can trust Moses forever. And there was thick darkness present as God desended according to Exo 20:21.

Darkness or absence of light is mostly understood in terms of evil, satanic, dangerous and even death. But quiet interestingly Yahweh God, who is the creator of Light in this Universe, at the right and precious moment of making a covenant with His chosen people of Israel on Mount Sinai, to give law for the first time surrounded Himself with a dense cloud or in otherwords darkness.

When I tried to study about the association of God with darkness, I was astonished to the core, that there are number of passages supporting this idea. But usually we are carried away by the Greek philosophy of dualism in which light is attributed to goodness and darkness to evil. Let me offer you a glimpse of what I learnt from the scriptures.

1. At the time of creation, God created light according to Gen1:3 but the preceding verse says that darkness was covering the face of the deep even before light was created. So which came first and what was given preference by God is a question. And God did not separate Darkeness from Light and throw darkness away as we do with the grains or the weeds. Instead God separated Light from darkness. More or less we have each day both light and darkness naturally equal. Can we imagine a day without darkness in which we take enough rest?

2. God spoke to Abraham according to Gen 15:12 and made a covenant with him and that time a terrible darkness descended upon Abraham.

3. King David in II Samuel 22:10 &12 sings his song of thanksgiving in that he says there was thick darkness under the feet of God and God made darkness around him a canopy.

4. King Solomon also called wisest of all, testifies as recorded in I Chro 6:1 and I kings 8:12 that the Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. For many of us darkness is scary and terrifying.

5. Job too acknowledges in Job 22:12 in which He says that Thick clouds enwrap him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the dome of heaven.

6. In the New Testament we have many incidents in which Jesus was associated with darkness. The first ever goodnews about the birth of Jesus was announced to shepherds in darkness. Jesus was found praying even when it was still dark in the morning.-Mk.1:35. Jesus choose to walk on the waters to reach his disciples in the darkness. –John 6:16.

Jesus introduced the practice of euchrist during the dark night`s last supper. He suffered more than on the cross in the garden of Gethsemane during the night when he was betrayed. There was Darkness surrounding everywhere when Jesus died on the cross.Jesus` Resurrection was also witnessed by a woman very early in the morning while it was still dark.

Book of Psalms, Isaiah, Genesis, Joshua, Amos too contains many relevant resources to this understanding. I can keep quoting many passages and incidents in the bible where many important moments were associated with darkness and God is also part of it. I am not here to compel or discard your imagination of God. We have the freedom to think in our own way. But I would like to motivate, inspire and convince you that God is not only a God of limited imaginations as we think. God is beyond all human imaginations. He is a God of Light as well as God of darkness and He is a God of all Colours. There is no partiality with God. He loves each one of us and everything without any bias and let us enlarge our understanding about God as our Good Lord leads us.

[Paul Davis, the leader of this meditation is a third year BD student in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute , Chennai, India.]