What is God like? Christianity in a Nutshell. 2.
Exodus 3: 5 – 10, 13 – 15; John 14: 5 – 11
Some ‘names’ for God are more helpful than others!
Today our focus is on who God is? Last Sunday’s sermon on – why I believe – possibly was a little too theological and may not have been seen to be practical. I hope this sermon will restore the balance. However I do think it is important to reflect on why one believes or does not believes.
Clarifying who God is helps us in two ways: it frees us from the prisons of negativity and confusion about God; and, it frees us to utilize the power of God.
I could give you endless stories of people’s confusion and negativity. I recall reaching the bedside of a parishioner in hospital. He was very sick. I asked him if he felt at peace with God. The parishioner replied that he felt he was not good enough for God. I was surprised. This parishioner ran the church’s library and had critiqued my worship leading from time to time and read theology. This parishioner was a stalwart in the faith, yet on his sick bed he felt uncertain about his relationship with God. He wondered if he was ‘good enough’ for God. The parishioner seemed to have missed the point about God’s gracious love. Somehow the notion that God’s love comes freely to us through Christ Jesus had been overlaid by the notion of ‘working for our salvation’. Surely this is an indication of some confusion about who God is and what God does.
Only the other day we met a couple in Perth. We were talking about life. In the conversation they mentioned that their son had tragically died in a motorcar accident. I asked the woman if she went to church. (Now that question was set in a much longer conversation and was more sensitively asked.) Her response was spontaneous and angry, “Don’t go there!” That was the end of it. She just didn’t want to talk about it. While her husband still worshipped God she refused to go to worship. She was angry – angry with God.
Now there are good reasons to be confused about God and angry with God. You see, if God is the all powerful Lord and King and in control of this world, then why does God not do something about the awful suffering and injustice in the world? It is confusing to sing about the almighty power of God and then witness what seems to be God’s powerlessness or disinterest. If one firmly believes that God is in control then why does God let awful things happen? Does God intend this to happen? If so, then I too am angry with such an indifferent and capricious god.
In the 90s I was a chaplain and team leader to the Scripture Union Family Mission at Tidal River, Wilson’s Prom. The young leaders used predominantly three terms to describe God – Father, Lord and King. Of course, our Christian songs predominantly use such concepts to describe God. Let us ask ourselves what do these terms raise in our minds? The first thing is that all three are male images. So it is easy to assume that God is a male. Oh, of course, we’re going to add, but God is a spirit and we mean this spiritually. Well, having said that, the overall impact, the subtle message is the maleness of God. This is the reason why I use the language I do and refer to the Spirit as she. Think of the pronouns and the words that you use in your devotional life. Ponder the songs and the concepts of God we use. These three terms not only conceptualise God as male, but also conceptualise God as powerful one. The term lord describes a person of noble rank who has authority over us. We hardly need to unpack the meaning of king. The problem is not that we use these terms but that we tend to use them exclusively. The result is that we have hardwired our brains to think of God being in control of everything. If that is so then God is responsible for everything. However the Bible does not use these terms exclusively. On the contrary the Bible has many names for God and not least that God is merciful, compassionate and suffers with and for us. The most powerful image for us is the Cross and we often take it for granted.
Nothing challenged Western Christianity’s faith more than the Holocaust. The Holocaust – Germany’s Nazi genocidal programme that exterminated 6 million Jews – raised enormous questions about the existence of God. Why did God let this happen? Such tragedy on such a scale does beg the question about God – who made this world.
Where is God when we suffer? What is God doing? What is God like? These questions are important to address because we need a level of clarity in our times of great need, otherwise we slip into the prisons of confusion and anger.
Three German theologians, Jürgen Moltmann, Dorothee Soelle and Johan B Metz, addressed this issue. They had to, the church had to, and we have to as well. They came up with an insight that I use often. I talk about the God who suffers with us and for us. What theologians recognise today is that God the Creator comes to us not as the dominant ruler demanding obedience, but the loving Guide calling us to walk and work with God. Jesus reflects this truth. Jesus never lorded it over his disciples or the people. He walked beside. He walked a few paces ahead. He gave his life for us. Jesus emptied himself of all kingly power [Phil 2:7] so that we could see the true nature of God – the God who hears our cry, gives us life and suffers with and for us. That latter phrase I have often used.
Jesus comes, walks amongst us, experiences our life, and loves us to the ultimate point of giving himself so that we might freely experience the love of God. The sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross is not a sacrifice to an angry God, but the expression of God’s very self and his love for us. Recall again what Jesus said to Thomas and the other disciples.
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. [Jn 14:10,11]
We need to expand our concept of God to balance any notion of a powerful God who lords it over us with the picture of God working with us and for us. This means that God suffers with us and for us. The story of Hosea the prophet, the prophetic vision in Isaiah’s suffering Servant poems, the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus and the first Christians’ understanding of Jesus all point to this truth. God also works with us and for us in leaders such as Moses.
Now we come to the second practical advantage of clarifying our concept of God. When we understand that God is a god who suffers with us and for us, then we not only are set free from the prisons of our negativity and confusion, but also set free to embrace God’s power. God doesn’t want to do things for us. If that were the case we would remain small children, if not God’s puppets. God wants us to look past the distractions of life and our small pictures of reality to see that we are surrounded by the presence of God. God the Holy Spirit infuses all of life. God the Holy Spirit breathes life into this world. Where there is life there is God. God wants us to harness this power and become mature in the faith. This is why Paul talks so often about spiritual gifts and becoming mature in Christ.
God is all-powerful as the Creator but does not use this awesome power to control but set us free. God sets us free to serve. Instead of being caught up in our confusion or anger, we are free to see God working in us, about us and through us. I have come to see that God does not have a plan for us. I have always felt uncomfortable with this notion that God has a plan. S/he who has a plan for someone inevitably tries to influence, manipulate and drive the plan. I have come across a better expression for this idea of God having a plan. It is this. God doesn’t have a plan for us; God has a vision for us. God’s vision is in the teaching of Christ about the Kingdom of God. The Vision of God is that the lion will lie down with the lamb and that we will beat our swords into ploughshares as Isaiah prophesied [Is 2: 3-4]
What is God like? My answer is this. God is the Living God of the Bible, who hears our cry, walks with us and suffers with and for us. Rider 1. God has many names and we should not presume that any one is exclusive. Rider 2 is that the phrase, the Living God, is used 21 times in the Bible at critical points meaning, the God of life.
When we understand God as the God of Life this sets us free to work with God and allow God to empower us.
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Peter C Whitaker, Leighmoor UC: 10/11/2019
/ www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org
