God’s Name Shall be There
Rev. Barry W. Szymanski, J.D.
August 23, 2009

We don’t often begin a sermon with a prayer. But this morning we heard that Paul requested that the Ephesians pray for him. He asked for their prayers so that when he spoke the Gospel he would make the mystery known – and preach it with boldness. Eph. 6:18-20. We are all ministers with Paul. Therefore his request that he speak and live the Gospel with boldness is a prayer that each of us must make as we live the Gospel; and it is a prayer that I pray when preparing a sermon.

Let us pray for each other:

Lord, we pray that we live our lives in unity with your Gospel; that we speak the Gospel and act in accord with the Gospel with boldness, We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The readings this morning address the name of God, the Word of God, where God resides, how to stand with God, and the attitudes that people have of the divine. King Solomon’s prayer, which we heard this morning, is exceptional! He declares that God is one, the name of God is holy, and the nation of Israel must attract other nations to God. Solomon’s relationship with God was close. Solomon knew that other people held other attitudes and beliefs.

Over the course of our lives we have met people who either don’t believe in God, or don’t care whether a God exists, or don’t want to think about dealing with a God – or worry abut anything divine. We have also met people who think about a God on Sunday mornings, or are afraid of a God, or somehow, believe that, no matter what, God will be of benefit to them. We have met people who believe that they are on God’s side and so act as prosecutors for God, and serve as judges on God’s behalf! I have covered almost all of the attitudes and beliefs that people have. The last group of people I want to mention are those who strive for a relationship with God, and daily work at integrating God into their lives as best as they know how. If our own personal history is any indication, as we continue to live our lives, we have probably have held many of these attitudes – if even for just a moment. I will confess that there have been times in my decades of life, when I have had a lot more hair, and it was a lot darker than now, that I had moments, or even months, of living with the various attitudes and beliefs that I described. Many of us waiver in our beliefs and attitudes to God during our lives. Why? Because we are human.

There are three basic questions of life: * Where did I come from? * Why am I here? * And, where am I going? When we ask ourselves these fundamental questions during life we often vacillate in how we answer them. What is wonderful is that, as we get older, we, like a pendulum, begin to reach a center point. Hopefully, the center point is that of wisdom, and not that of neurosis. Yet we wonder about our own attitudes and beliefs – and those of other people. Labeling ourselves – and other people is not important for regardless of how we label a person; whether we call her or him an atheist, or a deist, an agnostic, or a hypocrite, a believer, fundamentalist, evangelist, church-going, un-churched, naturalist, exhibitionist, saint or sinner, we have to also wonder what people think of us! Because we are all different. And that is great for Congregationalists to know – and to embrace. For we are a people who embrace the living covenant. We understand, or at least try to grasp and live with an understanding of God’s covenants with us. In the past people looked to the covenants of Noah, and Abraham and Moses, and David and Solomon. And now, for 2000 years, we embrace the New and Eternal Covenant of Jesus.

But, other than the fact that we live many years after Jesus did, we are not much different in our attitudes and beliefs of the divine from the people of 2,400 years ago when the text of 1st Kings was first edited. The author of the Book of 1st Kings was keenly aware of the many of the attitudes and beliefs of people. In chapter 8 of 1st Kings we meet Solomon. Many of us first learned of King Solomon in church pre-school. We learned that he was a wise king. This morning we learned that Solomon called the Israelites and their leaders to take the Ark of the Covenant of God out of the city of David and to place it into the new Temple. [v.1] The occasion for Solomon’s prayer was the placing of the Ark of the Covenant in the Inner Sanctuary, in the Holy of Holies in the brand new Temple which Solomon just finished building. How Solomon prayed, shows us his strong belief in the divine.

By the way, since we are Congregationalists, and we place great theological stress and lay our foundation on God’s covenants, do you find it interesting that the Ark of God is called the Ark of the Covenant? The Ark of God, or the Ark of the Covenant was named because it contained the tablets, which Moses brought down from the mountain. Other translations for Ark are Chest or container. The Container of the Covenant was the visible symbol of God’s contract with His people.

Some 450 years earlier, God, through Moses, had given the Ten Commandments on tablets to his people. [Deut. 10] If his people followed them, they, by covenant, were God’s people. The tablets, which Moses brought down from the mountain, came about because God was reaching out to us. Therefore, the ark, which held those tablets, was treated with great care. It was beautifully decorated and placed “. . . in the [new] Inner Sanctuary . . . in the most holy place . . .” [v6] Solomon prayed outside of the Inner Sanctuary, many yards away, at the altar upon which animals were sacrificed to God. In his prayer Solomon told God that “. . .there was no God like [Him] in heaven above or on earth beneath . . .” [v.23] Keep in mind the Lord’s prayer, which Jesus taught, when Jesus told us to pray that “. . . God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven . . .” We, as part of the Judeo-Christian tradition believe that God is everywhere! Solomon believed our God is active both on earth and in heaven. And, because of God’s active involvement in our lives. Solomon believed that God continually reaches out to us. Solomon described how God keeps His part of the “covenant” [v.23] and that God’s love for his servants is relentless. Solomon believed that God has a special love for those people who walk before God with all their heart, and live in obedience to God’s way. [v.23] Solomon pointedly asked this vital question: “Will God indeed dwell on the earth?” [v.27]

People are regularly asking this same question: Is God here, among us? Solomon’s belief was that God is here. People, who are in pain, or suffering, ask this same question: Is God here with me while I am in pain? And in my suffering? When we are in pain, it is often hard to realize that God is near, but often that is when God is closest to us. If we believe that God is among us, are we are willing to invite God to move into our neighborhoods! And from there, to move into our homes; and, if we allow God, in the person of Jesus, into our homes, are we willing to give Jesus access into all of the rooms of our home? Is there a certain room that we will not allow Jesus to enter? Or are there certain times when we don’t want Jesus in a room? Are there certain times that we do not want Jesus to enter into our minds? Or into our hearts? From yet another persons’s viewpoint the question posed might be, is God dead?

For those of us who remember the 60’s -by the way, I am referring to the 1960’s, and not the 1860’s[!] – the question posed on the cover of TIME magazine was, “Is God dead?” The article addressed whether society thinks that God is active in this world, or whether God was lifeless. At that time some admitted that God might be active in heaven, -- wherever that is. But God was certainly not active on this earth. Yet Jesus preached and performed miracles to tell us that God is very active on this earth. The real question was whether the Body of Christ was active! -- whether the members of the body of Christ were the light of the world – and the salt of the earth.

But let’s hold that thought for a short while and return to Solomon, who did believe that God did dwell on earth. At one point in his prayer in the Temple - and I imagine Solomon shouting as loud as he could when he stood the altar – that “Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain [God], much less this house that I [, Solomon,] have built! [v.27] Solomon was humbled by God, and he confirmed that he was God’s servant. His plea was that God pay attention to his prayer; [v.28] “. . .that [God’s] eyes may be open night and day . . .” [v.29] Solomon said that God himself called the Temple the place where, my name shall be honored. Another translation is: ‘My name shall be there.’ Solomon held the name of the Lord sacred. Remember the 3rd Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain; in other words, don’t call upon God in the wrong way. Solomon told God that the Ark is no more than a symbol of God. And that the Temple is no more than a symbol of God. But what Solomon did recognize was that the ark and the temple serve as places to focus upon God – and upon God’s presence. With that in mind, we can easily reframe that part of Solomon’s prayer, with us, this First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa, in mind, as we would pray, Lord, O God, ‘heed the prayers that we pray to you in this sanctuary, the First Congregational Church. Hear our pleas when we pray your holy name in this church; God, hear us in your dwelling-place; heed and forgive.’ That Temple in Jerusalem, and this church, like all of the churches of Wauwatosa and throughout the world, stand as symbols that the people of God built and maintain as special places dedicated to God. Many people who do not belong to a church, or do not attend church regularly, see these buildings daily. These church buildings influence people whether we understand it or not. And maybe it is best not to work to hard to understand, but just let the Holy Spirit work on those people in their time and in the ways of the Holy Spirit. Solomon may have understood the workings of the Spirit-of-God also, especially as to the foreigners who he knew would be visiting and see the huge Temple.

Solomon prayed to God that God not forget the foreigners who would be coming from far countries because of the reputation of the God of Israel. Solomon knew that foreigners would be attracted to Jerusalem and would come to pray at this Temple. So Solomon prayed to God that God honor the prayers of the foreigners so that people all over the world will know who God is and what God is like and will live in reverent obedience before the God of Israel. [v.41-43] I am in awe of the universality of this part of Solomon’s prayer. Solomon reached out to all people who desire to know about God. Solomon had the expectations of a man of God for he knew the power of God. And he was willing to work with God’s power. In praying Psalm 84 this morning we joined with Solomon by praying that God’s dwelling place is lovely. But, more importantly, than beauty of a building is that ‘Our souls long for the place of the Lord, and our hearts and our bodies sing for joy to the living God.’ Solomon could never have imagined what Jesus would do for all of us. His idea of a messiah, an anointed one, was probably not at all what Jesus was. He could never have anticipated the universal church that Jesus’ followers have built – the real church: the Body of Christ, not of the individual churches such as this one that we are members of – and I am speaking of the people, not the buildings, that stand in every community.

For what is important is what Jesus taught us: that those who partake of Jesus, as he told us to remember him, will abide in him. The words of John’s Gospel this morning are powerful: Jesus told those who had come to listen to him: ‘Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood enter into me, and I into them. In the same way that the living Father sent me here and I live because of my Father, so whoever takes me as a meal lives because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven . . .’ John 6:56-58a

Now, I began this message with the various attitudes or beliefs, which people have toward God, or even whether or not they acknowledge God. For there are some people who simply make up a God in their own minds. In other words, there are some of us who, at least at some times in our lives, imagine a God who thinks like we do, and acts like we do, and judges like we do, and provides, or holds back mercy, like we do, and has a way of remembering as we remember.

Sometimes we are like the people who John’s Gospel reports when he wrote that when many of his disciples heard [about eating flesh and drinking blood], they said, “This teaching is difficult [to understand]; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, was aware that his disciples were complaining, and he said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then [Jesus said to them] what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? [Jesus told them that] It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. [And he also told them that] The words that [he spoke to them are words of] spirit and life. [Jesus told them that] among you there are some who do not believe.” John 6:60-54.

Now, today, in our world, there are people who create a God in their imagination, people who would rather conceive of a God than to learn more about who God really is, there is no surprise to us when John tells us that: “Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.” John 6:66. Many people today do the same thing. They just turn their backs on God and no longer go about with him. Not much has changed for over 2,500 years – probably not since the first men and women began to ask the essential questions about life. And, even though we realize that God continually reaches out to us, God gives us the absolute freedom to walk away -- the freedom to say it is too difficult. Today’s Gospel shows us how Jesus reached out to his disciples in a very human way. After many people walked away from Jesus, which must have greatly disappointed him, he asked the twelve apostles who were still standing there with him if they wanted to leave also. Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom would we go?

You have the words of [real and] eternal life. We have come to [confidently] believe that you are the Holy One of God.’” John 6:67-69. We can ponder whether we would answer the same way that Peter did. We can do a self-assessment of where we are we in our attitudes and beliefs. At this time in our lives we can ask, even for a moment: Whether we at a stage of not believing in God, or not caring whether a God exists, or not wanting to think about anything dealing with God. Or are we at a stage when we only think about a God on Sunday mornings, or at a stage of being afraid of God, or are we at a stage of believing that God will somehow be of benefit to us. Or are we at a stage that we believe that we speak for God and therefore we can act as a prosecutor for God, or judge on God’s behalf? Or are we at a stage where we strive to integrate God into our lives as best as we know how – and try to walk with Jesus – and be attentive to the Holy Spirit of God? The stage of where we are is one that we must answer honestly for the self-awareness of our relationship with God is the foundation of our spirituality. In King David’s time the Ark of the Covenant moved around and was housed in a tent. God was among the people, but had no one place to ‘call home.’ In King Solomon’s time the Ark of the Covenant was housed in a magnificent Temple. The Ark had a home. Solomon built the inmost Temple and invited God into that holy place.

What Jesus is asking us is to accept him as a meal. Jesus asks us to bring him into our souls, into our hearts, into our very being. The inmost sanctuary is our very being. The question is whether we are inviting Jesus into the Temple of our hearts? Jesus has made it very plain: I will not come into your heart until you invite me. Our understanding and acceptance of the divine within our hearts, and minds, and our very beings is what allows the Holy Spirit to gently move us closer and closer to a deeper relationship with God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Let us pray:

As the people of God, we pray that we walk with God. We pray for foreigners; for, at times, we may all be foreigners. Lord, look on our faces, for we are your anointed. Our souls long for you, and our hearts are joyful because You are our living God. We pray in the name of Jesus, our Christ, and invoke the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

CLOSING CHARGE

Paul was a minister of the Gospel. Each of us is a minister of the Gospel. As God the Father reaches out to us, As Jesus invites us to Eucharist, As the Holy Spirit invites us to wisdom, Let each of us respond by inviting God into our inmost sanctuary: our mind and our heart!

1 Kings 8:1,6,10,11,22-30,41-43

[Dedication of the Temple]

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. [Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication] Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. He said, ‘OLord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart, the covenant that you kept for your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. Therefore, OLord, God of Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, saying, “There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.” Therefore, OGod of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David. ‘But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! Have regard to your servant’s prayer and his plea, OLord my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; that your eyes may be open night and day towards this house, the place of which you said, “My name shall be there”, that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays towards this place. Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray towards this place; Ohear in heaven your dwelling-place; heed and forgive. ‘Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a distant land because of your name —for they shall hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm—when a foreigner comes and prays towards this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built.

Eph 6:10-20

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. John 6:56-69

[Jesus said]

‘Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’ Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’