10 May 2012

Psalm 70, 71; Lev. 19:26-37; 2 Thess. 1:1-12; Matt. 6:25-34

I grew up believing that tattoos were sinful.  I don’t think that is a good reading of those few words, I think it is related to the clause before it and it is also related to the fact that these are things that the people around did for religious or at least quasi-religious reasons and the mark of the Hebrews identification with God was circumcision.  They were to refrain from tattooing in order to differentiate themselves from the peoples around them.  All these laws in this section are telling them that God’s ways are different from the practices of the pagans around them, He wanted a peculiar people and this passage tells us that there were many things people were doing for religious reasons that weren’t pleasing to the One who created them.  The Jews were to be a light that showed His desires for life, all life, so that others would see the blessings given to those who practice these things.  It was certainly odd and different that they had one law for the nation and the stranger and that strangers were to be treated just like they were part of the tribe, they weren’t different, there is a brotherhood of man because we are all created in the image of God.  A very different notion for many people then and now.

In the same way, Jesus tells His disciples and all the others who heard this teaching that we are supposed to be different from everyone else because of God.  Everybody worries about the things Jesus is talking about here but He says that if you believe in God then you shouldn’t worry about these things because He worries about them.  Can we believe that?  Can we really live that way?  Jesus says yes and if you concern yourself with His kingdom and righteous life then you can expect God to provide all that you need.  Our problem is that what we need isn’t the same as what we want.  It is primarily the stuff we want that consumes our thoughts.  Maybe the antidote is partly to be truly thankful that we have the stuff we need and that will begin to change the way we think.

Paul says there are two things in particular about the Thessalonians for which he gives thanks, the increase in their faith and their love for one another.  Those things need to go hand in hand because the increase in our faith should open us more to others in love because that is more like Jesus.  He also tells them not to worry about the suffering they experience because it isn’t permanent and in the end Jesus will come and deal with them as they deserve.  They should, therefore, persevere in spite of the difficulties so that they will be spared such judgment.  It has always been the same, keeping the main thing the main thing and our differences are the witness.

Come, let us with our Lord arise,
our Lord who made both earth and skies,
who died to save the world he made
and rose triumphant from the dead;
he rose, the prince of life and peace,
and stamped the day for ever his.

Tune