Sermons from Bible stories often look at a human character's behavior and ask, "To be or not to be?' But is that really the question? Will this approach ? following or avoiding the example of a character ? really help us discover the theological message which the story intends to communicate? Let me give you a definitive answer: Maybe!
If my ?definitive' answer seems a bit ambivalent, it's because the theological message of a Bible story sometimes aligns with the characters' behavior and sometimes does not. The stories in Judges 3:12-30 and 4:1-24 provide a case in point.
In Judges 3:12-30, the message of the story does not align with the behavior of the main character. The narrator gives us no hint that we are to view Ehud as a good example to follow or a bad example to avoid. Rather, this left-handed man from a tribe known for it's right-handedness reflects how God delivers His people. Ehud, who credits Yahweh as the deliverer (3:28) in this story, is part of the surprising way that God delivers His people. So this story teaches that God delivers His people from hopeless situations in surprising ways.
In Judges 4:1-24, however, the theological message of the story does align with the response of the human characters. Once again, God is the hero of the story. He is the one who delivers His people (see 4:23). This time, however, the emphasis is not so much on "how" He delivers but on "whom" He uses. Barak, the Israelite general, receives a very clear word from God which outlines a very reasonable, doable strategy. But he hesitates (see 4:8). As a result, Deborah, the prophetess, informs him that the honor will not be his. Rather, Yahweh will deliver the enemy general to a woman (see 4:9). This turns out to be Jael, a woman with all kinds of social, economic, and technological limitations. She doesn't have a clear, definitive word like Barak. Yet she has the courage to do what is right. A careful reading of the details leads us to conclude that God wins victories through people who have the courage to obey His call to serve.
Here is my point: If you start with the human characters, you'll correctly identify the message of a story some of the time. But if you start with God, you'll correctly identify the idea (or at least get close to it) every time! If the story's message is tied closely to the characters' behavior (good or bad), you'll see this, too. Whatever we "learn" from the human characters in a Bible story must be located in what the story says about God and His relationship with His people.
Posted by Steve Mathewson at 7:10 AM on October 5, 2007
Comments
Thanks again, Steve, for a helpful reminder. In fact, I am more and more convinced that it is not just narrative texts that reveal God, but EVERY text is a revelation of the Triune God. Theocentric preaching will help people to live theocentric lives. And lives focused on God will enrich every single aspect of our existence.
Posted by: Harry Shields on October 5, 2007
HARRY: You make an excellent point. God-centered preaching applies to every other genre or literary form in the Scriptures. It helps unlock difficult passages in the OT prophets, OT wisdom books, and in the apocalyptic visiosn of Revelation.
Posted by: Steve Mathewson on October 9, 2007