Mature thanksgiving faith
Commentary
Object:
It is Thanksgiving or any one of the winter holidays, and certain couples who have no children are considering where to spend their holiday. Shall they stay home, eat, watch television, and be alone? Shall they go to any one of the extended family gatherings, which will be at least an hour drive from home? This entails the commitment of bringing a dish as well as spending the day with relatives -- some who like to brag, others who drink a few too many beers and thus feel free to tell others their political views, kids running around the house, and bored teenagers trying to find a way to leave the family event. Despite the portrayal of the pilgrims and the Native Americans, and the huge home-cooked meal view of Thanksgiving -- this is not reality for some families. The holiday is a burden. It is a time to see who is spending money where and on what objects. It is a time when some people worry about work, education costs, and whether the area gas stations are gouging consumers for a tank of gas on this extended weekend. What is there to be thankful about? The texts for this day invite people of faith to develop "mature Thanksgiving faith," despite unmet promises, less than happy people, and those who take blessings -- while being rude to their family and loved ones who provide for them.
Deuteronomy 8:7-18
This book is written for a community who is about to enter into another chapter of their lives. That is, they are leaving the desert wilderness wandering years and are ready to become an established nation. The words to emphasize are: "But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today" (Deuteronomy 8:18). "This sermon looks forward to the future, to the situation when Israel is settled in the Promised Land" (Von Rad, p. 72). God is the divine instructor who has delivered these people from Egyptian bondage and through the difficult wilderness wandering years. This God has earned Israel's respect, honor, and devotion. Their strength to wander long distances came from this God. This God has kept his side of the covenant or agreement he has made with the people. Now they are about to embark into a new chapter in their lives. They may even experience abundance and prosperity, as well as more trials. The same laws that served them in the wilderness will serve them as an established nation. Thanking God here is to continue in his ways. This is a mature thanksgiving faith.
Regardless of whether one wants to credit "Moses" or the Deuteronomy's historian with this text, the message remains the same. God will remain faithful in the future, as God has been in the past. Will the people respond with thanksgiving and living out the covenant or will they rebel?
This text is applicable to people who are entering into another chapter of their lives, be it positive or negative. The God who was with them in school will be with them in the workplace. The same God who was with a person during their working years will be with them during retirement. If a changing health condition is now taking its toll on a person's lifestyle, God's covenant remains. Deuteronomy's theology is essentially that God will continue to reward those who are faithful and allow those who are unfaithful to become victims of the false gods of their choosing. During any changing season of one's life, God remains faithful to God's covenant. Thanking God here is simply to remember and live out the covenant. It is not a way to earn God's favor but a response to God's gifts and presence. This is stewardship and thanksgiving theology from Deuteronomy. [source: Gerhard Von Rad, The Old Testament Library: Deuteronomy (Westminster Press, 1966)]
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
One way to worship God is by giving as a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Paul uses the theme from Proverbs 22 in the Septuagint version (LXX). Paul draws out the theme that "God blesses a happy and generous man" (Best, p. 86). Generosity brings glory to God. A mature thanksgiving faith here is giving to others in need as a way to praise God for God's generosity. The Jerusalem saints of that time were in need, so Paul was always trying to promote a generous spirit to assist them. This is not unlike many modern churches that might have a special offering or mission partnership with a sister congregation in another community who strives to do faithful ministry but struggles financially.
A couple directions one can go with this text include first and foremost that these are Gentile Christians whom Paul appeals to, who were seen as "suspect" Christians by the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. Now that the Corinthian community is in a better financial situation, they are able to help the Jewish Christians. This is one way to show authenticity and genuineness of practicing one's faith in the same Jesus as Christ they confess during worship times.
Another direction of the text might be Paul's ongoing conflicts with the church in Corinth, a city that received a windfall of economic prosperity by becoming one of the Roman empire's commercial hubs for shipping and receiving merchant goods. On Thanksgiving Day of any year, how do the economic winners respond to the economic losers of any stock market or employment cycle change one sees on the cable/satellite business news channels? In the above illustration, one family member loses their job to a plant closing while another family realizes a surge in their stock portfolio as a result of corporate profits from downsizing and offshore business expansion. Who is not to say that there might be a trend to "buy American and support American-made products"? In which case the laid-off worker could benefit while the stockholder is left appearing unpatriotic and greedy.
A third direction one can go with this text is that of testing the Deuteronomy historian's theme of whether giving always yields a prosperous return. What if there are more "taking units than giving units" of time and money within any given organization? Does one give in order to receive a return? There are all sorts of ministries that would use this text to suggest such an outcome. Others would qualify the term of "return" in terms of spiritual rewards. Following the Deuteronomy logic of covenant and Paul's theology in Romans and Ephesians regarding grace, one gives without expecting any returns. People of faith give purely because God has initiated a relationship with the person or community. Death, loss, or anything that represents falling into any of life's ruts or valleys of despair need not be the final word, but rather "new life" is the good news for anybody who is a cheerful giver and thanks God daily through growing as a disciple while putting away foolish arguments and quarrels that are transitory in the larger picture of God's creation. [source: Ernest Best, Interpretation, A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching: Second Corinthians (Westminster John Knox Press, 1987)]
Luke 17:9-11
The events of this text take place on the border of Samaria and Galilee (Luke 17:11). The ten lepers are calling out to Jesus from far off because the purity laws demand that they keep their distance from the mainstream populace. They call out to Jesus for healing! He tells them " 'to go show yourselves to the priest.' And as they went, they were made clean" (17:14). They would be back into the community (Leviticus 14:1-32). This is another example of how Jesus' words have a healing power. This might be tied to the creation motif in Genesis 1-2, where God's words create life.
Once they realized they were clean, nine of the lepers continued to distance themselves from Jesus as they went back the community, while only one returned to thank Jesus. Jesus makes his whole. This is a second healing of a leper in Luke. The earlier account is when Jesus reaches out and touches a leper. The Hebrews Bible regulations are spelled out in more detail in the Luke 5:12-16 account.
The other nine lepers are made clean, as only one leper returns to thank Jesus. He is not only "made clean" but restored to a full health of any other ailments, inner turmoil, or spiritual issues that he may have had in addition to the leprosy. The text indicates that as both a Samaritan and leper he is a doubly marginalized outsider as related to the temple community of that time. Upon the act of thanks and being made whole, the Samaritan joins the ranks of other select outsiders in Luke's gospel who experienced the fullness of Jesus' words and touch of healing. They include: the Roman soldier (7:9); the despised woman (7:5); the blind beggar (18:42); and the woman with chronic bleeding (8:48). In Luke's view, "healing" is multilayered to include physical, spiritual, and social healing. This event does run in harmony with Jesus' mission in Luke that being to "seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10).
Application
The other nine cleansed lepers who did not return might be equated to certain people who have had one good experience in the church, but then complain that they "no longer get anything out of the pastor's sermons or worship service." They received their salvation in whatever form their church tradition supports (conversion or sacramental views), but do not follow up with thanking God or living a life of glorifying God, which is what stewardship is all about. It is also what discipleship entails. To come to church for the one "thrill event" of a concert, speaker, or meal but not return to live a life of thanksgiving does not negate one's salvation per se, but they will not have the wholeness that the one Samaritan leper received.
In days when people are proud to say "I am spiritual but do not need to get involved with any organized religion," this text would suggest that the one who goes back and thanks Jesus receives a fuller gift of health on all levels of life: physical, spiritual, and social healing. If one wants to grow spiritually within the context of this lesson, it means living a life of thanking God in both words and actions.
Thanking God is a way of living that gives glory to the God who meets humans where they are and provides healing. An illustration might be that one can go to God for the annual metaphorical "flu shot," then leave. Another option is to find a place in the healing community to help others who need flu shots or some type of care. Another practical example might be if a car breaks down along the freeway. The mechanic offers to either do a quick patch-up job that will take the family to their destination or they can wait until the mechanic restores other areas of the car that might give the family problems in the future. It is their choice. The car is still theirs. The mechanic can get them back onto the road in a short time. It is purely a choice of how well maintained (or "whole") the family wants their vehicle.
Christ always offers a fully wholesome life. Are people of faith willing to take time to thank God for the gracious gifts that are already given? This is a Thanksgiving Day question that could apply to almost any year. [source: John T. Carroll, The New Testament Library: Luke (Westminster John Knox Press, 2012)]
An Alternative Application
False gods let us down, be it this year or the next -- whether we want to admit it or not. On Thanksgiving one can cheer for one's favorite sports team. They may or may not be victorious. Eventually they will lose a game. However, the God of scripture continues to create life. Which false gods do we tend to offer thanks to in our time and talents, even though they continue to disappoint us? Subscribing to the newest church growth program or populist Christian electronic media craze may or may not produce results.
Usually, failure results in blaming the leader of the immediate congregation rather than questioning the assumptions of the programs themselves. However, it is pretty certain that somebody will experience valleys of doubt, despair, and loss. Such people will need healing and new life that the basic gospel message of Jesus' death and resurrection offers us every day. [source: Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Volume 3 (University of Chicago Press, 1963)]
Deuteronomy 8:7-18
This book is written for a community who is about to enter into another chapter of their lives. That is, they are leaving the desert wilderness wandering years and are ready to become an established nation. The words to emphasize are: "But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today" (Deuteronomy 8:18). "This sermon looks forward to the future, to the situation when Israel is settled in the Promised Land" (Von Rad, p. 72). God is the divine instructor who has delivered these people from Egyptian bondage and through the difficult wilderness wandering years. This God has earned Israel's respect, honor, and devotion. Their strength to wander long distances came from this God. This God has kept his side of the covenant or agreement he has made with the people. Now they are about to embark into a new chapter in their lives. They may even experience abundance and prosperity, as well as more trials. The same laws that served them in the wilderness will serve them as an established nation. Thanking God here is to continue in his ways. This is a mature thanksgiving faith.
Regardless of whether one wants to credit "Moses" or the Deuteronomy's historian with this text, the message remains the same. God will remain faithful in the future, as God has been in the past. Will the people respond with thanksgiving and living out the covenant or will they rebel?
This text is applicable to people who are entering into another chapter of their lives, be it positive or negative. The God who was with them in school will be with them in the workplace. The same God who was with a person during their working years will be with them during retirement. If a changing health condition is now taking its toll on a person's lifestyle, God's covenant remains. Deuteronomy's theology is essentially that God will continue to reward those who are faithful and allow those who are unfaithful to become victims of the false gods of their choosing. During any changing season of one's life, God remains faithful to God's covenant. Thanking God here is simply to remember and live out the covenant. It is not a way to earn God's favor but a response to God's gifts and presence. This is stewardship and thanksgiving theology from Deuteronomy. [source: Gerhard Von Rad, The Old Testament Library: Deuteronomy (Westminster Press, 1966)]
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
One way to worship God is by giving as a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Paul uses the theme from Proverbs 22 in the Septuagint version (LXX). Paul draws out the theme that "God blesses a happy and generous man" (Best, p. 86). Generosity brings glory to God. A mature thanksgiving faith here is giving to others in need as a way to praise God for God's generosity. The Jerusalem saints of that time were in need, so Paul was always trying to promote a generous spirit to assist them. This is not unlike many modern churches that might have a special offering or mission partnership with a sister congregation in another community who strives to do faithful ministry but struggles financially.
A couple directions one can go with this text include first and foremost that these are Gentile Christians whom Paul appeals to, who were seen as "suspect" Christians by the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. Now that the Corinthian community is in a better financial situation, they are able to help the Jewish Christians. This is one way to show authenticity and genuineness of practicing one's faith in the same Jesus as Christ they confess during worship times.
Another direction of the text might be Paul's ongoing conflicts with the church in Corinth, a city that received a windfall of economic prosperity by becoming one of the Roman empire's commercial hubs for shipping and receiving merchant goods. On Thanksgiving Day of any year, how do the economic winners respond to the economic losers of any stock market or employment cycle change one sees on the cable/satellite business news channels? In the above illustration, one family member loses their job to a plant closing while another family realizes a surge in their stock portfolio as a result of corporate profits from downsizing and offshore business expansion. Who is not to say that there might be a trend to "buy American and support American-made products"? In which case the laid-off worker could benefit while the stockholder is left appearing unpatriotic and greedy.
A third direction one can go with this text is that of testing the Deuteronomy historian's theme of whether giving always yields a prosperous return. What if there are more "taking units than giving units" of time and money within any given organization? Does one give in order to receive a return? There are all sorts of ministries that would use this text to suggest such an outcome. Others would qualify the term of "return" in terms of spiritual rewards. Following the Deuteronomy logic of covenant and Paul's theology in Romans and Ephesians regarding grace, one gives without expecting any returns. People of faith give purely because God has initiated a relationship with the person or community. Death, loss, or anything that represents falling into any of life's ruts or valleys of despair need not be the final word, but rather "new life" is the good news for anybody who is a cheerful giver and thanks God daily through growing as a disciple while putting away foolish arguments and quarrels that are transitory in the larger picture of God's creation. [source: Ernest Best, Interpretation, A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching: Second Corinthians (Westminster John Knox Press, 1987)]
Luke 17:9-11
The events of this text take place on the border of Samaria and Galilee (Luke 17:11). The ten lepers are calling out to Jesus from far off because the purity laws demand that they keep their distance from the mainstream populace. They call out to Jesus for healing! He tells them " 'to go show yourselves to the priest.' And as they went, they were made clean" (17:14). They would be back into the community (Leviticus 14:1-32). This is another example of how Jesus' words have a healing power. This might be tied to the creation motif in Genesis 1-2, where God's words create life.
Once they realized they were clean, nine of the lepers continued to distance themselves from Jesus as they went back the community, while only one returned to thank Jesus. Jesus makes his whole. This is a second healing of a leper in Luke. The earlier account is when Jesus reaches out and touches a leper. The Hebrews Bible regulations are spelled out in more detail in the Luke 5:12-16 account.
The other nine lepers are made clean, as only one leper returns to thank Jesus. He is not only "made clean" but restored to a full health of any other ailments, inner turmoil, or spiritual issues that he may have had in addition to the leprosy. The text indicates that as both a Samaritan and leper he is a doubly marginalized outsider as related to the temple community of that time. Upon the act of thanks and being made whole, the Samaritan joins the ranks of other select outsiders in Luke's gospel who experienced the fullness of Jesus' words and touch of healing. They include: the Roman soldier (7:9); the despised woman (7:5); the blind beggar (18:42); and the woman with chronic bleeding (8:48). In Luke's view, "healing" is multilayered to include physical, spiritual, and social healing. This event does run in harmony with Jesus' mission in Luke that being to "seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10).
Application
The other nine cleansed lepers who did not return might be equated to certain people who have had one good experience in the church, but then complain that they "no longer get anything out of the pastor's sermons or worship service." They received their salvation in whatever form their church tradition supports (conversion or sacramental views), but do not follow up with thanking God or living a life of glorifying God, which is what stewardship is all about. It is also what discipleship entails. To come to church for the one "thrill event" of a concert, speaker, or meal but not return to live a life of thanksgiving does not negate one's salvation per se, but they will not have the wholeness that the one Samaritan leper received.
In days when people are proud to say "I am spiritual but do not need to get involved with any organized religion," this text would suggest that the one who goes back and thanks Jesus receives a fuller gift of health on all levels of life: physical, spiritual, and social healing. If one wants to grow spiritually within the context of this lesson, it means living a life of thanking God in both words and actions.
Thanking God is a way of living that gives glory to the God who meets humans where they are and provides healing. An illustration might be that one can go to God for the annual metaphorical "flu shot," then leave. Another option is to find a place in the healing community to help others who need flu shots or some type of care. Another practical example might be if a car breaks down along the freeway. The mechanic offers to either do a quick patch-up job that will take the family to their destination or they can wait until the mechanic restores other areas of the car that might give the family problems in the future. It is their choice. The car is still theirs. The mechanic can get them back onto the road in a short time. It is purely a choice of how well maintained (or "whole") the family wants their vehicle.
Christ always offers a fully wholesome life. Are people of faith willing to take time to thank God for the gracious gifts that are already given? This is a Thanksgiving Day question that could apply to almost any year. [source: John T. Carroll, The New Testament Library: Luke (Westminster John Knox Press, 2012)]
An Alternative Application
False gods let us down, be it this year or the next -- whether we want to admit it or not. On Thanksgiving one can cheer for one's favorite sports team. They may or may not be victorious. Eventually they will lose a game. However, the God of scripture continues to create life. Which false gods do we tend to offer thanks to in our time and talents, even though they continue to disappoint us? Subscribing to the newest church growth program or populist Christian electronic media craze may or may not produce results.
Usually, failure results in blaming the leader of the immediate congregation rather than questioning the assumptions of the programs themselves. However, it is pretty certain that somebody will experience valleys of doubt, despair, and loss. Such people will need healing and new life that the basic gospel message of Jesus' death and resurrection offers us every day. [source: Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Volume 3 (University of Chicago Press, 1963)]
