“THE MOST IMPORTANT THING”

Readings; Psalm 146, Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Hebrews 9:11-14, Mark 12: 28-34
Preached at First Presbyterian Church, Baldwin, NY, November 4th 2012

A printable PDF file can be found here.

Last week, Carol Howard Merritt preached about Job and the problem of suffering. Job suffered at the hand of forces that were beyond his control. So this week we have been visited by Hurricane Sandy, and she didn't play nice! She proved well beyond anything we could handle. It's been a tough week for most everybody over a large area of the East coast. Some have lost a great deal. Some didn't make it.

Whilst we are still a little shell shocked by the events we are at the same time very  thankful for all those who have come to our aid. People have dug deep into their resources to try and rebuild what has been taken away. The emergency services have been heroic in their efforts. People have pulled together and by and large done what they can they do.

Our reading from the gospel this week had somebody asking Jesus what was the most important thing?
I'm sure if they, like Job, and like many in our area, had just been through a traumatic experience, they may answer differently than they would at a time when all was going well.

In the light of all we are going through right now, what would you say was the most important thing to remember? (Ask congregation for their responses)

After the congregation had responded, expressing thankfulness just to still be alive and sharing storm stories... there wasn't really much less to say and we went to prayer. But if I had preached the rest of the sermon …

When Jesus is asked by a very religious Jewish gentleman, “Which is the most important commandment?” Jesus firstly answers him with something known as the 'shema'. 'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD  your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.'

We know the account of Moses leading the people out of slavery in Egypt to a new land.  In the Old Testament the Book of Deuteronomy tells us how, before they reached the promised land, Moses gave the people the laws.

On the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes (and many not-so-traditional homes!) you will often find a small case known as a 'Mezuzah' attached to the doorpost. Sometimes those entering the house will pause to touch it and offer a prayer. Inside the 'Mezuzah' is scroll with the words of the 'Shema' written upon it.

In you attended one of our local synagogues you may notice that when some of the men come to worship they have a leather pouch, known as a 'tefillin' or 'phylactery' strapped to their head or on their arm. In the pouch  are the words of the 'shema'. They take quite literally the command of Moses that these laws were to be written on the door frames of their houses and tied on their hands and bound on their foreheads.

This morning is a communion service. Something we do to remind us that loving God is important. We will take bread and wine and invite God to renew our lives so we can be faithful disciples. It is not our practice to write the law on our gateposts or wear pouches with the law on our heads or arms. Yet many of us may have pictures or plaques with bible verses on them. Many of us may wear a cross somewhere near our heart as a reminder of what we believe. 

Jesus adds something else. A second command that was equally as important as the first one. 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Jesus saw how even the most religious people could do one and sometimes forget about the other! They were so busy thinking about God that they forgot to think about other people!

It has been said, “The church is the only institution in the world whose main reason for existing is the benefit of those who are not it's members!” We worship our God in order that we may go out and serve our neighbor. I've been in churches where they say or have printed in their bulletins at the end of the Sunday service something like “The worship is over, now the service begins.” or even, “The service is over, now the worship begins”... because worship is all about doing, not just about saying prayers or singing hymns!

Maybe, right now, we are more in touch with the loving neighbor part than we are the loving God part. We have been reminded this week of the importance of loving our neighbor. We have been grateful for good neighbors who have checked on us,and told us what they knew. We have had a chance to reach to others and help where we can. 

Getting back to Job, who we were thinking of last week. At the end of the Book of Job everything is restored to him. Some commentators feel that the ending we have was not the original ending of the book. That the first draft of Job ended with Job, having lost everything but having gained something that meant a lot more to him. The knowledge that God was with him in the midst of his unprecedented trials and suffering. That though there were things he would never understand, God would still be there.

When you do read the happy ending in Job it does all seem a little fantastical. He inherits so much and lives so long! Another commentator suggests that we should remember that in some Old Testament stories numbers are used symbolically. That maybe all the things Job had restored to him were not in this life at all, but in eternity.

Well... I'll  leave the commentators to sort that out. For today, I think it is safe to say that when a hurricane hits your life, you aren't too worried about what the future may hold, or about a happy ending, you just want to get through each day.  Job discovered that by trusting in God he could mange to do just that.... and even more than that his relationship with God was strengthened and deepened.

Here's our chance around the table to ask the Lord of the Storm to help us clear up after the storm. Here's an opportunity to be thankful that we're still here to tell the tale of Hurricane Sandy.  Here's an opportunity to recharge our spiritual batteries.  Here's a chance to remember that Jesus went through the storm of a crucifixion to let us know that whatever happens, we are loved, that whatever depths of suffering we travel through,God knows how it feels and promises to help us through.

Like Job, we may never understand why bad stuff happens. Like Job, may we also discover the most important thing. God is with us and can help us in the task of rebuilding what has been destroyed. Let us recommit our lives to loving God by loving our neighbors! Amen.

Rev. Adrian J. Pratt B.D.