This being the first Sunday of September we will be celebrating the sacrament of the Lord's Table. If you are joining us virtually you are invited to have food and drink available so that we can all break bread together.
The Scripture Reading this week is Exodus 3:1-15.
The Sermon title is Who Am I? Who Are You?
Early Thoughts: How would you respond if you were Moses? Would you jump at the chance to serve? Or would you be a little dubious (once you got past the part about talking to a burning bush that is)?
I have known the story of Moses and the burning bush for decades. As part of the Exodus saga, it was one of those "keynote" stories we were taught as children. But still every time I read it I see something a little different.
I have long recognized that Moses is a little reluctant to take on the task. But this year as I read the story it jumped out at me that in his reluctance Moses asks two distinct questions.
First is "who am I that I should take on this task?". Why me? I can't be the right person, I am not qualified. Why would anyone listen to me? I suspect that many of us sympathize with Moses in this moment. How many of us have been asked to do something we were sure we are not suited for?
In this case the answer is a bit of a sidestep. God never says why Moses is the right person (actually in the course of Scripture God rarely tells someone who is reluctant to take answer God's call why they are they right person). What God does is tell Moses that he will not be doing this task alone. God will be doing it with/through Moses. Is that what makes Moses the right person?
Next in Moses' bag of reluctance is "well who are you anyway?". Great you will be with me but who are you? When the people ask on what authority I am setting the Hebrews free what do I say?
In Jewish tradition the Divine name is not uttered. But the rough translation of the Name is the past present and future tenses of the verb 'to be' all at the same time. Of course that makes no grammatical sense. But then God is beyond our ability to define and name. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg has suggested that this strange grammar means the God is pure being (I wonder if that can be linked to Paul Tillich's expression that God is the Ground of All Being???). Rabbi Ruttenberg also points out that if one were to attempt to pronounce the Tetragammaton (often placed in our alphabet at YHWH) you would in fact be making the sound of breath.
The one who fills us with the breath of life, the one who is existence itself is calling Moses to take on the task of liberation. No wonder Moses is first told that he is on sacred ground.
I am not sure Moses gets great answers to either of his questions. However he is moved to take on the task. Despite his fear (after all he fled Egypt as a wanted murderer), despite his feeling of inadequacy, Moses heads back to Egypt to tell Pharaoh "let my people go". [Anyone else hear Charlton Heston's voice as they read those words or it that just me?]
What has the burning bush (probably a metaphorical one for most of us) asked you to do? Have you wondered who you are to take on the task? Have you wanted to know who t was that was asking you? What might have convinced you?
Being curious may lead one to sacred ground. Sacred ground might be a place where we are challenged. Being in God's presence can be comforting, challenging, terrifying, and awe-inspiring all at the same time.
--Gord
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