Pastor Sherry’s message for October 27, 2024

Scriptures: Job 42:1-17; Ps 34:1-8, 19-22; Heb 7:14-28; Mk 10:46-52

In a story borrowed from Our Daily Bread, it was recounted that…

 “Shortly after Booker T. Washington, the renowned black educator, took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace. A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady. 

“The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely. “It’s perfectly all right, Madam,” he replied. “Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it’s always a delight to do something for a friend.” She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute.”

Another true story of a famous person who demonstrated humility is told of the great evangelist George Whitefield.  Whitefield was a friend and a contemporary of John Wesley, who, in the 1740’s, led the American colonies in a huge revival known as “The First Great Awakening.” 

“Although George Whitefield disagreed with John Wesley on some theological matters, he was careful not to create problems in public that could be used to hinder the preaching of the gospel. When someone asked Whitefield if he thought he would see Wesley in heaven, Whitefield replied, “I fear not, for he will be so near the eternal throne and we at such a distance, we shall hardly get sight of him.” 

(W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers,  Moody Press, 1984, p. 255.)

Both Dr. Booker T. Washington and Rev. George Whitefield illustrated the very rare virtue of humility.  We know that Jesus was humble. So too was Paul.  In Acts 20:19 (all biblical quotations cited are from the New Living Translation), Dr. Luke states that Paul asserted in Ephesus: I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews.  By the time he penned his epistle (1 Peter 5:5-6), Peter had also learned to be humble: All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” [Proverbs 3:34].  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. 

Humility is one of the marks of a true follower of Jesus. I believe our God rejoices in us when we put aside our pride and live lives characterized by true humility.

A. Job (42:1-17) is another great example of a man who learned to be humble before God.  Verses 1-6 reveal that as a result of his confrontation with God, Job humbly admits he has erred by assuming he could judge God.  He admits his sinfulness (v.6): I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance

Then, in verses 7-9, God takes Job’s judgmental friends to task.

He rebukes them for their presumptions and their spiritual arrogance—for thinking they knew God’s purposes with Job.  He directs them to make sin offerings to atone for their guilt.  And then He tells them to ask Job to pray for them. God vindicates Job before his best but wrong-minded buddies.

Finally, God restores Job’s fortunes.  Somewhat like when the Egyptians gave the Israelite slaves their “back pay” when they left Egypt, Job’s relatives and friends (v.11) are prompted to bring him silver and gold, a kind of “grub-steak.”  God himself replenishes his supply of animals: WOW!  Consider the Lord’s largesse:  14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen (really 2,000 oxen), and 1,000 female donkeys (remember donkey milk was prized then in the Ancient Near East)—twice as many animals as before.  He also helped Job procreate 7 sons and 3 beautiful daughters (not 20 kids, because he would later see the first 10 in heaven.)  And He grants him long life.  Scholars believe Job was about 70 when all of this took place, so God added 140 more years to his life.

The book of Job illustrates, among other things, that humbling ourselves before God brings us blessings.  Job lost everything, even his health, but God restored him two-fold—due to his faith, trust, repentance, and humility.

B. Psalm 34 was written by King David to express his gratitude to God for rescuing him from his enemies.   In verses 1-2, David praises God for delivering him from a king of the Phillistines (Achish, who was an Abimilech, or ruler in the Canaanite tongue).  In verse 3, he calls on others to praise God too.  David says (v.4): I prayed to the Lord and He answered me; He freed me from all my fears.  He continues in verse 8, Blessed is the man [or woman] who takes refuge in Him.  He concludes in v.19: A righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.  Just because we love the Lord does not mean we live trouble-free.  Actually, Jesus later stated (John 16:33): Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows [will not might or could].  But take heart because I have overcome the world.  It means that He will sustain us through our difficulties. 

Essentially, David’s point is that we can and should depend upon the Lord.  He can and does rescue us when we cannot save ourselves.  Holding firmly to this insight should make us humble, as we realize that we can’t but God can.

C.  The writer to the Hebrews (7:14-28) pretty much spends his [or her] entire book outlining why we humbly owe Jesus our love, gratitude, and respect.  (Many credit Paul with writing the Letter to the Hebrews, but Paul always identified himself as the author of his books and did not do so here.  Other scholars speculate it may have been Priscilla of Priscilla and Aquila fame.  She had been raised in Rome and probably had had an exceptionally good education, as the Greek used in this book is of a very high level.  We can only speculate and will have to ask in Heaven who the actual author was.)  

Whatever the case, Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, not of Levi, the priestly tribe.  But, as verse 16 explains: Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed.  He became a priest through His resurrection from the dead.  As is clear from Psalm 110:4 [God is speaking]: The LORD has taken an oath and will not break His vow:  You [meaning Jesus] are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedec [the mysterious priestly king of Salem, forerunner of Jerusalem, in Abraham’s time].  In other words, Jesus surpassed the Arronic priesthood (begun with Moses’ brother, Aaron) because He is both perfect (without sin) and eternal.  And today, He is seated at the Father’s right hand, interceding for each of us, sinners though we are.  If that isn’t humbling, I don’t know what is.

D.  As a good friend of ours often states, “moving right along,” in our Gospel lesson (Mark 10:46-52), Jesus encounters a blind fellow named Bartimaeus.  Jesus is leaving the vicinity of the Old Jericho (left in ruins with a curse upon whoever might dare to rebuild it) and instead is departing from the “new” Jericho, built in a different location by Herod the Great.  Beggars often sat outside city gates, so they could solicit money from passers-by.  Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is passing and calls to Him (v.47): Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!  Jesus graciously stops and responds to the man, What do you want Me to do for you?  We suspect the guy would want to be healed.  But maybe he wanted more money, or a better place to live, or even a spouse.  Jesus often asked people to clarify their motives for themselves and for any onlookers.  But, Bartimaeus honestly says, I want to see.  And in verse 52, Jesus heals him saying, Go, your faith has healed you.

Jesus commends him for his faith.  Huh?  Jesus realizes Bartimaeus is a man of faith because he calls the Lord, “Jesus, Son of David.”  This is a Messianic title from the Old Testament.  Bartimaeus believed Jesus was the Messiah and that He was meant to bring about God’s Kingdom rule on earth.  Bartimaeus knew from Isaiah 61 that this meant Jesus would minister to the poor—of which group Bartimaeus was one—and that He would heal the maimed, lame, and blind, his particular affliction.  Notice, Jesus doesn’t touch him, but simply speaks healing into his life.  And then a sighted Bartimaeus humbly and gratefully follows Jesus.

So, where do these passages lead us?  Our God has told us back in Micah 6:8: The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you:  to do what is right [just], to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.  We don’t see much humility around us these days, do we?  Instead of being humble, people tend to put themselves forward and/or brag about their accomplishments.  I, for one, am much more impressed by a proficient athlete who praises God for their successes than I am by to those who take all the credit themselves.  Scripture provides us with many examples of men and women who humbled themselves before God and people.

I think a case can be made for us each to act humbly because…

1. As Job discovered, we can question God but our minds are not capable of understanding the complexity of the universe, nor of comprehending the mind and plans of the Almighty. We need to approach God mindful of and repentant for our sins.  We should come before Him in all humility. 

2. King David says in Psalm 34, God hears our prayers and rescues us from trouble.  As Beth Moore, the wonderful Bible teacher, frequently states, “God loves to mess with our messes.”  Even if we have behaved like an absolute stinker, if we ask the Lord to redeem our mess, He will in ways beyond what we might have asked or imagined. 

3. As the writer to the Hebrews says, Jesus is powerful enough to save us and to intercede for us with God the Father.  We can’t save ourselves by our own actions.  We needed our great high priest, Jesus, to do the work of atonement for us—and He has!

4. Similarly, Bartimaeus knew he could not restore his own vision.  He needed the healing power of Jesus Christ to do it for him.

This week, let’s try to do the right thing, to love extending grace and mercy to others, and to walk humbly with our God.  Amen!

©️2024 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams