5 June 2012

Psalm 45; Eccles. 2:16-26; Gal. 1:18-2:10; Matt. 13:53-58

Solomon is beginning to get it right at the end of this passage.  All wisdom, folly, toil, entertainment, etc. finds its purpose and meaning in God.  When he only had these things in and of themselves they gave him no joy or pleasure, he hated life.  He sees, however, that the Lord wants us to find enjoyment in our toil for we labor unto him and our very labor is a gift from the Lord.  All that we do finds its meaning and purpose in him or it has no lasting significance at all.  Solomon sees that you can’t take it with you and leaving it to your children as inheritance isn’t a guarantee either as they may be fools who waste all you worked for.  Meaning is the question we all seek for and the Bible says that life has meaning because the God of all created it and our lives in particular have value because we are created in His image as stewards of creation.  It is important that whatever we do in our vocation we see that there is the possibility of it having eternal value if we turn that over to Him.

It is amazing how quickly people move from questions that should inspire awe and wonder to answers that bring them anger.  The question they ask first comes from their astonishment at what Jesus does. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? “  They acknowledge Jesus possesses wisdom that can’t be taught and can do things that defy reason so they want to know how.  They reject the obvious answers, his parents, they can’t be responsible for these things.  They know who He is and who His family are and they are otherwise unremarkable. Why then take offense so quickly?  They have also rejected that these things come from God, they can’t make right judgments.  They are indeed fools without wisdom or sense.  They can’t determine good and evil.  They are looking for answers in the wrong place.

 Paul provides information that the apostles have accepted and blessed his ministry and the particulars of the Gospel he is preaching to the Gentiles, meaning that they do not have to become circumcised in order to participate in the covenant nor do they have to observe all the Jewish law.  The matter was settled in Acts 15 at the Jerusalem council and yet there were those who always wanted to demand more of the Christians, particularly the Gentiles.  Paul’s argument is that there is no further discussion required, the apostles have affirmed his message and his mission, those who now come to preach “another Gospel” have no such claims, in fact they are going against apostolic tradition and doctrine.  There is something in us that desperately wants to add something to grace, something we can or must do in order to make our salvation secure.  Grace is a difficult concept because it is so foreign, it isn’t the way the world works.

Mighty Victim from the sky,
Hell’s fierce powers beneath Thee lie;
Thou hast conquered in the fight,
Thou hast brought us life and light;
Now no more can death appall,
Now no more the grave enthrall;
Thou hast opened Paradise,
And in Thee Thy saints shall rise.

Tune