The Winds of Change: On Holy Ground
Sermon text for June 1:
II Samuel 6:1-5; 12b-19
When I was a boy, the choir in my home church often called the people to worship with this introit: “The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before him; keep silence, keep silence, keep silence before him.” I could not have expressed it then, but I knew that I was on sacred ground, and in the presence of the One who is Holy. Sacred ground. Holy objects. Presbyterians don’t usually talk of such things. But today’s lesson almost demands it.
The winds of change have blown mightily over the land of Israel. Nothing is as it was just a generation ago. David is king and rules from Jerusalem, which has become the center of his government. But strangely, there is no center for practicing faith. A generation before, the Shrine at Shiloh was the center of religious practice because that was where the Ark of the Covenant was located. In those days the faithful considered Shiloh holy ground.
Year after year, believers traveled to Shiloh to offer sacrifices because God was believed to be present there with the Ark. But Jerusalem was different. There was no holy place, and in the context of decades of mind numbing change, the people yearned for the stability and security of worshipping on holy ground. They wanted to worship near the Ark of the Covenant.
Like our ancient brothers and sisters, we too need to experience sacred space and the presence of God. For some of us, the church is holy ground, but not for all of us.
King David listened to the elders who wanted Jerusalem to be the center of religious practice as well as the center of his government. He realized that if he was going to be successful in the long run, he needed to be seen not only as a great general but as a religious leader as well. The answer for David was to recover the Ark of the Covenant and bring it to Jerusalem. With the Ark there, Jerusalem would become the center of religious faith.
In earlier times soldiers carried the Ark into battle with them. They believed that as long as they had the Ark, they had God and could not be defeated. Then in one decisive battle not only was the army defeated, but the Ark was stolen by the Philistines. It was a bitter betrayal, and even though the Ark was eventually returned, the army never again took it into battle. For a long time after the Ark was returned it remained in storage in someone’s home. After being in the hands of the Philistines, the Ark seemed less sacred, and lost some of its luster.
Even so, the Ark remained Israel’s most important sacred artifact and David decided to retrieve it and bring it to Jerusalem. It was a bold, insightful move, but David did not consider the consequences of moving a holy object. The Bible tells us that as the Ark was being moved David was giddy with joy, perhaps celebrating his own genius. He danced wildly while his own personal band played.
But along the way tragedy struck. The Ark began to tumble and the young man who reached out instinctively to steady it was struck dead. One does not lightly reach out and touch that which is holy.
The story sounds odd to our modern ears. It seems like foolishness, magic or some kind of superstition. But ancient people understood. Even today in primitive societies those who unworthily touch sacred objects often die.
But David was livid. Death seemed like a heavy price to pay for such an innocent gesture. David stopped the Ark’s progress toward Jerusalem and found a family who would keep the Ark while David pondered the next steps. Eventually, David did bring the Ark to Jerusalem, but this time with reverence bordering on fear. With the Ark in the City, Jerusalem became the religious center for the People of God.
Sometimes that which is holy loses its allure if trouble or tragedy is attached to it. That is why after the young man died David wanted nothing to do with the Ark even if it was said to be holy. And sometimes the church seems like anything but sacred ground, especially if we have had hurtful experiences.
Before coming to Denver, Sharon and I started a new church in Wyoming. The new congregation had normal ups and downs and by the grace of God the church grew. Finally, the leaders decided that we needed to build our own building. It would be our very own sacred ground. Plans were made, money raised and everything was hopeful and exciting. But then it all turned sour. Some members didn’t feel they were adequately represented, and suddenly it seemed as if our congregation was disintegrating.
There were charges and counter charges. And the fellowship we had built so carefully no longer felt safe, let alone sacred ground. It was as if someone had reached out to steady the Ark and died in the process. People were at each others throats, friends said hurtful things to friends and even coming to worship was painful.
We got past our pain through long conversations in which members were honest and vulnerable to one another and by holding a special service of reconciliation and forgiveness. Those most deeply hurt agreed to attempt reconciliation, and in a very moving service, we allowed God to bring healing. We asked for and received forgiveness from one another and from God. In the weeks that followed our congregation once again began to seem like sacred ground where we could experience the presence of God.
I wonder how you have gotten beyond the pain you have experienced as a congregation. When you have had major disputes with one another, what did you do to give and receive forgiveness? I pray that you are assured of each others’ forgiveness and that you have experienced heart-felt reconciliation, so that when you gather in this place you know you are on holy ground. That is the only soil from which to launch a new ministry.
Copyright © 2008 by Dwight R. Blackstock
II Samuel 6:1-5; 12b-19
When I was a boy, the choir in my home church often called the people to worship with this introit: “The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before him; keep silence, keep silence, keep silence before him.” I could not have expressed it then, but I knew that I was on sacred ground, and in the presence of the One who is Holy. Sacred ground. Holy objects. Presbyterians don’t usually talk of such things. But today’s lesson almost demands it.
The winds of change have blown mightily over the land of Israel. Nothing is as it was just a generation ago. David is king and rules from Jerusalem, which has become the center of his government. But strangely, there is no center for practicing faith. A generation before, the Shrine at Shiloh was the center of religious practice because that was where the Ark of the Covenant was located. In those days the faithful considered Shiloh holy ground.
Year after year, believers traveled to Shiloh to offer sacrifices because God was believed to be present there with the Ark. But Jerusalem was different. There was no holy place, and in the context of decades of mind numbing change, the people yearned for the stability and security of worshipping on holy ground. They wanted to worship near the Ark of the Covenant.
Like our ancient brothers and sisters, we too need to experience sacred space and the presence of God. For some of us, the church is holy ground, but not for all of us.
King David listened to the elders who wanted Jerusalem to be the center of religious practice as well as the center of his government. He realized that if he was going to be successful in the long run, he needed to be seen not only as a great general but as a religious leader as well. The answer for David was to recover the Ark of the Covenant and bring it to Jerusalem. With the Ark there, Jerusalem would become the center of religious faith.
In earlier times soldiers carried the Ark into battle with them. They believed that as long as they had the Ark, they had God and could not be defeated. Then in one decisive battle not only was the army defeated, but the Ark was stolen by the Philistines. It was a bitter betrayal, and even though the Ark was eventually returned, the army never again took it into battle. For a long time after the Ark was returned it remained in storage in someone’s home. After being in the hands of the Philistines, the Ark seemed less sacred, and lost some of its luster.
Even so, the Ark remained Israel’s most important sacred artifact and David decided to retrieve it and bring it to Jerusalem. It was a bold, insightful move, but David did not consider the consequences of moving a holy object. The Bible tells us that as the Ark was being moved David was giddy with joy, perhaps celebrating his own genius. He danced wildly while his own personal band played.
But along the way tragedy struck. The Ark began to tumble and the young man who reached out instinctively to steady it was struck dead. One does not lightly reach out and touch that which is holy.
The story sounds odd to our modern ears. It seems like foolishness, magic or some kind of superstition. But ancient people understood. Even today in primitive societies those who unworthily touch sacred objects often die.
But David was livid. Death seemed like a heavy price to pay for such an innocent gesture. David stopped the Ark’s progress toward Jerusalem and found a family who would keep the Ark while David pondered the next steps. Eventually, David did bring the Ark to Jerusalem, but this time with reverence bordering on fear. With the Ark in the City, Jerusalem became the religious center for the People of God.
Sometimes that which is holy loses its allure if trouble or tragedy is attached to it. That is why after the young man died David wanted nothing to do with the Ark even if it was said to be holy. And sometimes the church seems like anything but sacred ground, especially if we have had hurtful experiences.
Before coming to Denver, Sharon and I started a new church in Wyoming. The new congregation had normal ups and downs and by the grace of God the church grew. Finally, the leaders decided that we needed to build our own building. It would be our very own sacred ground. Plans were made, money raised and everything was hopeful and exciting. But then it all turned sour. Some members didn’t feel they were adequately represented, and suddenly it seemed as if our congregation was disintegrating.
There were charges and counter charges. And the fellowship we had built so carefully no longer felt safe, let alone sacred ground. It was as if someone had reached out to steady the Ark and died in the process. People were at each others throats, friends said hurtful things to friends and even coming to worship was painful.
We got past our pain through long conversations in which members were honest and vulnerable to one another and by holding a special service of reconciliation and forgiveness. Those most deeply hurt agreed to attempt reconciliation, and in a very moving service, we allowed God to bring healing. We asked for and received forgiveness from one another and from God. In the weeks that followed our congregation once again began to seem like sacred ground where we could experience the presence of God.
I wonder how you have gotten beyond the pain you have experienced as a congregation. When you have had major disputes with one another, what did you do to give and receive forgiveness? I pray that you are assured of each others’ forgiveness and that you have experienced heart-felt reconciliation, so that when you gather in this place you know you are on holy ground. That is the only soil from which to launch a new ministry.
Copyright © 2008 by Dwight R. Blackstock
posted by Dwight Blackstock | 8:00 AM
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