Dots On A Screen
Sermon
Sermons on the Second Readings
Series II, Cycle B
Several years have now passed since the television series Survivor first debuted to become a summer ratings sensation. The concept was simple: place a group of individuals with diverse backgrounds, skills, and personalities into close proximity with a common purpose, namely survival on a deserted island, and let the audience watch as their relationships develop, or fall apart.
This, of course, is not to be confused with a much earlier comedy series based on the "seven stranded castaways" of Gilligan's Island. The Survivor contestants were to live similarly, with "no lights, no phone, no motorcars -- not a single luxury," but unlike the Sherwood Schwartz series, the basic theme is competition, and someone gets booted off the island each week.
Like a hybrid version of the old daytime drama mixed with the competition of professional wrestling, what we now term "Reality TV" was born. Other shows have since emerged with exotic locations or other variations to the theme. Some have a more romantic angle, placing couples in separate exotic island resorts to test their fidelity. Music channels like MTV and Nashville Network feature a variation which is more like Star Search. Some have a more profiteering angle. (Who really would want to work for Donald Trump, anyway?) Some are just plain silly (as if the above mentioned are not).
Yet, with each fall's schedule come new variations to the plot. The appeal of such shows is measurable, if not comprehensible. People are tuning in in amazing numbers. But no matter what the location or personalities involved, reality television is in reality an oxymoron -- a pairing of mutually exclusive ideas -- like "jumbo shrimp" or "dry hydrant" or "government intelligence."
Television, by its very nature, is not reality. Although some household pets may bark or paw at their television counterparts, young children and even most animals learn quickly that television is really just shades of light or dark on a flat screen. The real people or objects are, in fact, unseen and in another place, usually far away. While the television screen can project meaningful images of an invisible reality, it is not the reality itself, and while the dramas and events portrayed upon the television or cinema screen can often be an important glimpse into an unseen reality, they are not to be confused with real life. Not all adult humans seem to grasp this fact and often confuse the actors with the characters those actors portray.
For some folks in isolated areas, the television screen can provide a glimpse into the larger reality that lay beyond view. Images of the wonders of nature and architecture, and nowadays history-in-the-making, can be transmitted into homes and public gathering places half a world away. Still, it is always fascinating to see the recognition and even awe on a person's face when they first spy the real thing. Comments like, "He (or she) looks much different in real life," are often heard, often in a disappointed tone. Or, on the other hand, one can see pictures of Mount Rushmore on postcards, in travel books, or on the picture screen, but only with an up-close, in-person visit can one fully grasp its beauty and grandeur. That fact is usually audible as folks gasp in wonder at their first view. Compared to that firsthand vision, everything else is just dots on a screen.
Our biblical ancestors traveling the desert obviously had no concept of television, yet in some sense the ancient tabernacle (and the later Jerusalem temple) and the accompanying rituals functioned as a kind of television screen that offered worshipers a glimpse into an unseen heavenly reality. Some Greek and Jewish philosophers of the first-century period conceived of the earthly realm as a kind of parallel universe to that of the heavenly existence, and as such, the Jerusalem temple was viewed as having a spiritual equivalent in the heavenly realm. In the human quest to encounter God, the temple and its rituals served as a kind of television screen that projected an image of the heavenly reality, invisible and far away. Every detail of architecture and ritual pointed to a cosmic truth in the human relationship with God: "dots on a screen" so to speak, or in the words of the Hebrews text, "a copy of the heavenly reality." The annual observance of the Day of Atonement represented the holiest of cosmic dramas to be played out before the audience of worshipers.
At the appointed day each year the high priest would enter the holy of holies at the very center of the temple, and there he would ritually sacrifice two animals, the first in recognition of his own sins, and the second for those of the nation. If he emerged alive, the people rejoiced in Yahweh's forgiveness and continued presence and favor. Scripture does not say if any high priest ever actually died during the ceremony, only that a cord was attached to retrieve his corpse should God's wrath go unappeased.
The yearly ritual bears some resemblance to the dramatic reenactments of the cosmic myths performed in the temples of the pagan gods of Israel's Canaanite, Egyptian, and Greek neighbors. Acknowledge the breach between God's holiness and rebellious humanity, offer the appropriate sacrifices and receive divine favor for another year. Dots on a screen, so to speak: visual representations of a bigger, richer reality that is far away and out of sight. Nevertheless, such dramas played a vital role in the shaping of the people's minds and spirits. Like the plays, television, and motion pictures of our own day, people's lives were touched and "cleansed." The Greeks called it catharsis, a kind of emotional purification. The audience of worshipers could be drawn closer to God as they watched and participated.
And yet, like the veil in the temple, the barrier between divine and human reality remained. For all its powerful imagery the experience remained "dots on a screen" -- a faint copy of the heavenly reality.
Then along came Jesus. The preacher of Hebrews insists that, unlike the pagan myths or the Jewish ritual, Jesus is no actor playing a role, he is the real thing: More than a screen image of God, he is God incarnate -- love in human skin. His trust in God was uncompromising, his obedience unwavering; his love for us is undeniable. His bloodshed was real and human -- not that of a lamb or bull or goat.
The community of Christians to which Hebrews was first addressed was surrounded by pagan cults and idol worship -- "dots on a screen" that had enamored the congregation and diverted their attention from the real life-giving power necessary for their continued faith journey. The preacher adamantly insists that Jesus' death upon the cross was the real and final salvation event -- not a mystical ceremony but the reality itself. And, unlike our modern television dramas, there are no repeats! One historical sacrifice offered by Jesus -- once for all -- the real live event. No other performances are necessary. All others are merely "dots on a screen."
Jesus' ultimate sacrifice went far beyond eating slimy worms and bugs. The test of his fidelity had no connection with scantily clad bathing beauties or office politics. They put nails in his hands and a crown of thorns on his head and a spear in his side. The prize to be won surpassed all human treasure. He confronted human sin and depravity, and it cost him his life in exchange for ours.
Through his absolute obedience and pure love and faith, Jesus entered the heavenly holy of holies and accomplished the atonement to which all previous sacrifices merely pointed. The final sacrifice is accomplished -- our sins are forgiven and our high priest is now in God's presence offering prayers and intercessions on our behalf.
Like that high priest of the Jewish temple, we await his promised return, a survivor of death itself. Like the crowd of Hebrew worshipers outside the holy of holies, we await the moment when our high priest Jesus shall reappear and we shall sing and shout for joy with his pronouncement of God's eternal love and continuing presence.
In the meantime, we are called to "get real" in our own faith journey. Our response to the "reality television fad": "Get a real life!" Rather than peering in as others exorcise their fears and passions in a half-scripted "reality show" why not confront the very real dangers presently threatening our real world? Real life-and-death dramas unfold all around us each day:
¥
Little children need to be loved and cherished.
¥
Our elderly in nursing homes need to be visited.
¥
Teenagers are struggling with the meaning and purpose of their lives, and are considering ending them.
¥
People are tortured by guilt and shame and desperately need redemption.
¥
Unchurched family, neighbors, and strangers need to hear the gospel.
Rather than escaping to watch other people's melodramas on soap operas and so-called "Reality TV," we are called to invest our time and our passion in the people who are right in front of us each day.
¥
Would you like to be part of a diverse group of people with various skills and talents challenged to work together toward a common destination with an "eye on the prize"? Join the church!
¥
Do you want adventure in exotic places with danger, physical challenges, and an unscripted outcome? Become a missionary!
¥
Are you willing to lay personal relationships on the line for the sake of authentic love and true intimacy? Share your faith story!
¥
Are you ready to risk it all in the realm of high finances? Learn to tithe!
¥
Do you want to show off your hidden talents for all to see? Use them in Christian service!
¥
Do you want to experience life-altering drama? Volunteer at a crisis-counseling center!
Let us not be distracted by dots on the screen, caught up in mere images and reflections of life. Let us instead focus on the real thing -- our daily journey of communion with God and each other -- real relationships, real struggles, and an honest-to-God prayer life. Together, let us turn our attention toward Christ and aspire to living reality in accordance with God's script(ure). As we trek toward the heavenly realm let us strive to be more than survivors, let us seek to be true children of God.
This, of course, is not to be confused with a much earlier comedy series based on the "seven stranded castaways" of Gilligan's Island. The Survivor contestants were to live similarly, with "no lights, no phone, no motorcars -- not a single luxury," but unlike the Sherwood Schwartz series, the basic theme is competition, and someone gets booted off the island each week.
Like a hybrid version of the old daytime drama mixed with the competition of professional wrestling, what we now term "Reality TV" was born. Other shows have since emerged with exotic locations or other variations to the theme. Some have a more romantic angle, placing couples in separate exotic island resorts to test their fidelity. Music channels like MTV and Nashville Network feature a variation which is more like Star Search. Some have a more profiteering angle. (Who really would want to work for Donald Trump, anyway?) Some are just plain silly (as if the above mentioned are not).
Yet, with each fall's schedule come new variations to the plot. The appeal of such shows is measurable, if not comprehensible. People are tuning in in amazing numbers. But no matter what the location or personalities involved, reality television is in reality an oxymoron -- a pairing of mutually exclusive ideas -- like "jumbo shrimp" or "dry hydrant" or "government intelligence."
Television, by its very nature, is not reality. Although some household pets may bark or paw at their television counterparts, young children and even most animals learn quickly that television is really just shades of light or dark on a flat screen. The real people or objects are, in fact, unseen and in another place, usually far away. While the television screen can project meaningful images of an invisible reality, it is not the reality itself, and while the dramas and events portrayed upon the television or cinema screen can often be an important glimpse into an unseen reality, they are not to be confused with real life. Not all adult humans seem to grasp this fact and often confuse the actors with the characters those actors portray.
For some folks in isolated areas, the television screen can provide a glimpse into the larger reality that lay beyond view. Images of the wonders of nature and architecture, and nowadays history-in-the-making, can be transmitted into homes and public gathering places half a world away. Still, it is always fascinating to see the recognition and even awe on a person's face when they first spy the real thing. Comments like, "He (or she) looks much different in real life," are often heard, often in a disappointed tone. Or, on the other hand, one can see pictures of Mount Rushmore on postcards, in travel books, or on the picture screen, but only with an up-close, in-person visit can one fully grasp its beauty and grandeur. That fact is usually audible as folks gasp in wonder at their first view. Compared to that firsthand vision, everything else is just dots on a screen.
Our biblical ancestors traveling the desert obviously had no concept of television, yet in some sense the ancient tabernacle (and the later Jerusalem temple) and the accompanying rituals functioned as a kind of television screen that offered worshipers a glimpse into an unseen heavenly reality. Some Greek and Jewish philosophers of the first-century period conceived of the earthly realm as a kind of parallel universe to that of the heavenly existence, and as such, the Jerusalem temple was viewed as having a spiritual equivalent in the heavenly realm. In the human quest to encounter God, the temple and its rituals served as a kind of television screen that projected an image of the heavenly reality, invisible and far away. Every detail of architecture and ritual pointed to a cosmic truth in the human relationship with God: "dots on a screen" so to speak, or in the words of the Hebrews text, "a copy of the heavenly reality." The annual observance of the Day of Atonement represented the holiest of cosmic dramas to be played out before the audience of worshipers.
At the appointed day each year the high priest would enter the holy of holies at the very center of the temple, and there he would ritually sacrifice two animals, the first in recognition of his own sins, and the second for those of the nation. If he emerged alive, the people rejoiced in Yahweh's forgiveness and continued presence and favor. Scripture does not say if any high priest ever actually died during the ceremony, only that a cord was attached to retrieve his corpse should God's wrath go unappeased.
The yearly ritual bears some resemblance to the dramatic reenactments of the cosmic myths performed in the temples of the pagan gods of Israel's Canaanite, Egyptian, and Greek neighbors. Acknowledge the breach between God's holiness and rebellious humanity, offer the appropriate sacrifices and receive divine favor for another year. Dots on a screen, so to speak: visual representations of a bigger, richer reality that is far away and out of sight. Nevertheless, such dramas played a vital role in the shaping of the people's minds and spirits. Like the plays, television, and motion pictures of our own day, people's lives were touched and "cleansed." The Greeks called it catharsis, a kind of emotional purification. The audience of worshipers could be drawn closer to God as they watched and participated.
And yet, like the veil in the temple, the barrier between divine and human reality remained. For all its powerful imagery the experience remained "dots on a screen" -- a faint copy of the heavenly reality.
Then along came Jesus. The preacher of Hebrews insists that, unlike the pagan myths or the Jewish ritual, Jesus is no actor playing a role, he is the real thing: More than a screen image of God, he is God incarnate -- love in human skin. His trust in God was uncompromising, his obedience unwavering; his love for us is undeniable. His bloodshed was real and human -- not that of a lamb or bull or goat.
The community of Christians to which Hebrews was first addressed was surrounded by pagan cults and idol worship -- "dots on a screen" that had enamored the congregation and diverted their attention from the real life-giving power necessary for their continued faith journey. The preacher adamantly insists that Jesus' death upon the cross was the real and final salvation event -- not a mystical ceremony but the reality itself. And, unlike our modern television dramas, there are no repeats! One historical sacrifice offered by Jesus -- once for all -- the real live event. No other performances are necessary. All others are merely "dots on a screen."
Jesus' ultimate sacrifice went far beyond eating slimy worms and bugs. The test of his fidelity had no connection with scantily clad bathing beauties or office politics. They put nails in his hands and a crown of thorns on his head and a spear in his side. The prize to be won surpassed all human treasure. He confronted human sin and depravity, and it cost him his life in exchange for ours.
Through his absolute obedience and pure love and faith, Jesus entered the heavenly holy of holies and accomplished the atonement to which all previous sacrifices merely pointed. The final sacrifice is accomplished -- our sins are forgiven and our high priest is now in God's presence offering prayers and intercessions on our behalf.
Like that high priest of the Jewish temple, we await his promised return, a survivor of death itself. Like the crowd of Hebrew worshipers outside the holy of holies, we await the moment when our high priest Jesus shall reappear and we shall sing and shout for joy with his pronouncement of God's eternal love and continuing presence.
In the meantime, we are called to "get real" in our own faith journey. Our response to the "reality television fad": "Get a real life!" Rather than peering in as others exorcise their fears and passions in a half-scripted "reality show" why not confront the very real dangers presently threatening our real world? Real life-and-death dramas unfold all around us each day:
¥
Little children need to be loved and cherished.
¥
Our elderly in nursing homes need to be visited.
¥
Teenagers are struggling with the meaning and purpose of their lives, and are considering ending them.
¥
People are tortured by guilt and shame and desperately need redemption.
¥
Unchurched family, neighbors, and strangers need to hear the gospel.
Rather than escaping to watch other people's melodramas on soap operas and so-called "Reality TV," we are called to invest our time and our passion in the people who are right in front of us each day.
¥
Would you like to be part of a diverse group of people with various skills and talents challenged to work together toward a common destination with an "eye on the prize"? Join the church!
¥
Do you want adventure in exotic places with danger, physical challenges, and an unscripted outcome? Become a missionary!
¥
Are you willing to lay personal relationships on the line for the sake of authentic love and true intimacy? Share your faith story!
¥
Are you ready to risk it all in the realm of high finances? Learn to tithe!
¥
Do you want to show off your hidden talents for all to see? Use them in Christian service!
¥
Do you want to experience life-altering drama? Volunteer at a crisis-counseling center!
Let us not be distracted by dots on the screen, caught up in mere images and reflections of life. Let us instead focus on the real thing -- our daily journey of communion with God and each other -- real relationships, real struggles, and an honest-to-God prayer life. Together, let us turn our attention toward Christ and aspire to living reality in accordance with God's script(ure). As we trek toward the heavenly realm let us strive to be more than survivors, let us seek to be true children of God.
