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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion February 27, 2005 Let’s See Your Certification, Jesus. |
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FRONTLINE DEVOTION FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2005 By Fritz
Foltz
Matthew
21: 23-27
A frequent question today is, “Is she certified to do that?” Sometimes it
makes sense, and sometimes it does not. In our lesson Jesus sidetracks such a
question.
It is the day after he cleansed the temple, driving merchants from the only area
where foreigners and women could pray. The priests and elders, who apparently
gave the merchants permission, come to Jesus asking by what authority he has
done this.
He refuses to answer directly, throwing a question back at them. “I’ll
answer yours, if you will answer mine. By what authority did John the Baptist
minister?” The officials are afraid to answer, not wanting to endorse John,
who obviously like Jesus was not a certified rabbi, and not wanting to criticize
him lest the crowd, who included John’s admirers, turned on them. It is
evident no matter what their certification, the officials were afraid to stand
up for what they believed. That’s sad when we know that Jesus, no matter what
his certification, will soon give his death for the truth.
The passage is a serious message about authority. The temple officials are not
making a simple inquiry. They speak to a serious challenge of their prestige and
control. Jesus is appealing not to his own authority, but rather to God’s
truth. Truth is truth and does not depend upon a certified person’s
endorsement.
I had to come to terms with such questions early in my ministry. My wonderful
congregation included many people with PhDs and many with 8th Grade Educations.
Being young and well certified myself, I had to be careful not to favor always
the opinions of the well educated. It actually did not take too long to realize
having a lot of letters behind your name did not mean you were competent in all
areas or even qualified to judge truth with a capital “T”. Education
does not necessarily mean you can cope with everyday, critical truth under
difficult conditions.
One of the lighter incidents that made this clear for me happened at a Communion
Service. I thought the wine looked a little funny, but we served it to at least
two tables of 35 people each. Finally one of elderly women with very, very
little education, blurted out loud, “My goodness, that’s maple syrup”. And
so it was. It seemed the youth group used an empty wine bottle to store maple
syrup, and the sacristy workers used it for the sacrament by accident. About 70
people took it without question until a perceptive and honest woman expressed
the truth, and in doing so saved the stomachers of many laity and the face of
one pastor.
We all leave our titles at the door of the Church. Nobody
questions the certification of another. We simply listen for the truth and then
try to live it with courage.
Let us pray: Father, we give thanks for the simple truth and ask that we never
be afraid to express it. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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