The three readings assigned for the 3rd Sunday in Lent for Series C are Ezekiel 33:7-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 and Luke 13:1-9. Selected to preach on is Ezekiel 33:17, “Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ But it is their way which is not fair.”
A typical passage from the Bible in which all the signs are reversed. Just as the world regards evil as good (getting God’s attention through our “good” works) and regards good as evil (suffering), so also the world regards the ways of God as unfair. Ezekiel is running up against those who can’t understand a god who would disregard all the “righteous” works of a man who thinks he will be delivered from his transgressions because of his righteousness. They can’t seem to understand that such a self-righteous individual imagines that he can control the God of the universe by his puny works? Thus, God is considered as unfair not to take into account human effort and good deed.
But what really has them at wit’s end is the notion that those who have practiced sin all their life could also look forward to a heavenly home with all of their sins forgiven. It just isn’t fair that such a gift be given to those who do not deserve it. This is not a just God, they say. We agree wholeheartedly. For we dare not desire a just God Who would then give us what we truly deserve; namely, temporal and eternal punishment. Even the best of our efforts involve old Adam sinful motivation out of our self-interest.
One could make a case that Jesus Himself was crucified because He was not just according to Judaism. Not only would He disobey ceremonial laws of the Sabbath but He also befriended the hated tax collectors, prostitutes, Samaritans and other such “sinners.” “Thank God, I’m not like them” is the self-prayer of the self-righteous Pharisee who does not realize how taken up with himself he has become.
The problem, though, is how do we arrive at that righteousness that God considers as adquate for entry into heaven? The answer is we don’t. That is the primary theme of the Christian faith that what man could not do because he is incapable of a sinless good work, God did in the Person and work of Jesus, the Christ! He became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God through Him. He died so that we might live. The paradoxical nature of the cross is mentioned in “Seduction of Extremes” by Peter Kurowski which can be found at www.lawgospel.com under Products/Rsources.
Unlike other man-made religions which are commonsensical in nature, the unique charateristic of Christianity is its paradoxical side. A paradox is a statement that upon first hearing sounds contradictory. However, after more reflection and explanation, it makes sense to the one with eyes of faith. That is why Christians hold to these ridiculous notions: Jesus is both God and man; God is both One and Three; I am at the same time 100% sinner and 100% saint.
The passage from Ezekiel reveals that we can become the voice through which God speaks as we boldly proclaim the Law to assert one’s sinfulfness and then gladly proclaim the Gospel which reveals the merciful and gracious side of God. For unlike justice which gives a person what he deserves; mercy does not give a person what he deserves and grace gives a person what he does not deserve (forgiveness and the robe of righteousness). It may be that our message sounds ridiculous to ears of wax but to eyes of faith, it is believed as the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Name:Tom Baker