Another week with a text I have never preached. The sermon led me to doing some research on the ark (well, I consulted Harper's Bible Dictionary), and I ran across an interesting article by Tom Long on preaching difficult texts. The challenge is how to not dismiss the death of Uzzah or be so turned off by it that the story gets lost.
I had the idea to have the imaginary conversations before each section as a way of inviting the listener into the story in a way that made the people and their actions seem like real human responses. not sure how it worked for the listener, but I have some fun with that part of the sermon.
“The Ark” July 15, 2018, SAPC, Denton; 2 Samuel 6: 1-20
12 It was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing; 13 and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14 David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
17 They brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before the Lord. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, 19 and distributed food among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat,[g] and a cake of raisins. Then all the people went back to their homes.
Introduction: this may be old news to some of you, but here are a few reminders about the Ark, or what is also known as the Ark of the Covenant; or the Ark of Yahweh, or if you are from a priestly tribe, the Ark of the testimony.
The Israelites believed the Ark, by whatever name, contained the presence of God’s. At least once Moses actually addressed the Ark as God (Numbers 10: 35-36) and the Philistines equated the ark with God (1 Samuel 4: 6-8).
Sometime during the reign of Solomon, King David’s son, the Ark was transferred into the Holy of holies of the new Temple Solomon built for God and the ark became stationary, like a throne on which God sat.
But before that moment, the ark was carried by God’s people. It led the people through the wilderness; it was carried as the Israelites marched around Jericho before the famous conquest of Jericho; often, the ark was brought to the Israelite camp before an important battle; it was carried from place to place and kept in a tent.
the portability of the ark suggested God went with the Israelites. Wherever they went, the presence of God was with the,
As we might expect, the Israelites had elaborate rules for carrying the ark. they used poles inserted in rings on the ark to carry it because no one should or could touch the ark containing the presence of God. Only the Levite priests were allowed to even carry the poles (Background information was supplemented by information from Harper’s Bible Dictionary).
Prior to the story we read this morning (go back to the 4th chapter of I Samuel), the Ark had been captured by the Philistines in the battle when the priest Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinehas were killed.
the philistines placed the ark in a temple next to a statue fo their God, and in the morning the statue was knocked over, bowing down before the Ark. The Philistines put their statue back in place, but the next morning it was back on the ground, this time with the arms and the head cut off.
When bad things kept happening to the Philistines in the city where the captured ark was kept, it was moved to another city, which then suffered.
finally, the Philistines decided having the ark with the presence of God caused two many problems, so they sent the ark back to the Israelites.
Now that David has gained total power, he goes to get the Ark.
This morning, we get a glimpse of what happens to the ark at this juncture in its story.
I want to reflect on two aspects - Uzzah’s death and David’s actions - and to begin each section, we will hear a conversation never heard before…today.
Move 1: We begin with Uzzah
the following conversation between the brothers Ahio and Uzzah probably did not take place, but it could have…maybe.
Hey Ahio, my brother. I have this great idea. why don’t we use one of the ox carts to transport the ark. In fact, we could call it an ark cart!
Uh, Uzzah, my brother. Aren’t there rules for how we are supposed to carry the ark? it’s a holy thing. Presence of God. Follow the rules for dealing with the presence of God.
Ahio, my brother, rules, schmules. there are a bunch of rules about how to carry it, who can touch it, but those rules are from another time. A time before we had a cart on which to carry the ark. We are the new generation. We have a new cart. The old rules no longer apply.
Well, Uzzah, I hope you are right.
Trust me, I am dead right.
Well, Uzzah got the dead part correct!
a. Difficult text - Tom Long, renowned preacher and professor of homiletics uses this text as an illustration of difficult texts to preach!
1. From our vantage point, Uzzah’s death comes across as another senseless death in an Old Testament story that has little in common with the world as we know it.
2. Why should Uzzah be struck dead for reaching out keep the ark from falling off the ox cart.
b. hard to understand, but recognize that tensions being lifted up in this part of the story between what Uzzah represent and the ark?
1. Uzzah stands for new technology. Uzzah stands for those who think God needs a little help.
2. the ark is the presence of God.
3. does new technology, like an ox cart, change how the Israelites dare to approach God?
4. Does the presence of God need Uzzah’s help or is God sovereign and in charge? (Both Eugene Peterson, First and Second Samuel, Westminster Bible Companion, 161 and Tom Long “The Fall of the House of Uzzah . . . and Other Difficult Preaching Texts
by Thomas G. Long
Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey; ournal for Preachers, 7 no 1 Advent 1983, p 13-19; 16 reflect on these issues).
c. We live in a different time.
1. we are not a minority religious groups struggling to maintain our identity as the chosen people of one God.
2. We no longer have an ark that carries the presence of God.
3. Nor the demands of how to care for an ark.
4. But we know the struggle.
5. the struggle to live under the sovereignty fo God. We much prefer to face a problem with an “i got it God. Maybe you can help me next time!”
6. Or we turn to God in prayer so God can reveal to us how the position we have or the choice we have made can be ratified by God.
7.the text is asking us: are you going to be Uzzah and begin with your technological advances and your belief that God needs your help? Or are you going to begin with God and let God guide and show you how to use technology and how to follow God’s desires for your life?
what is our staring point?
move 2: What about David?
The following conversation between David, and well himself, probably did not take place, but it could have….maybe.
David, you’re looking good big guy. Got the king of Israel and King of Judah thing down. Love the power synergy of ruling both kingdoms.
Self, I am doing pretty well, if I do say so myself. do you like the way I sort of brought back the ark, but when there seemed to be some trouble around Uzzah’s death, I left it in the kingdom, but not quite with me in Jerusalem. pretty slick move, don’t you think?
David, you are one smooth king. But, have you noticed that Obed-Edom is really prospering with the ark in its midst. What do you think about getting that for Jerusalem?
Self, you are always one step ahead. it’s time to bring that ark home to Jerusalem, and with it all the good things God has for us!
a. David understands the importance and power of the ark, but he’s been hedging his bets.
1. Bring the ark back, sort of, but leave it somewhere else.
2. Don’t give yourself over completely to being in the presence of God because it might cause a problem.
b. But when it it looks like the ark is bringing some good stuff where he left it, David rushes to get the ark to Jerusalem.
1. we get the sense that David is less concerned about honoring God and more concerned about what will benefit David the most.
2. Not David’s greatest moment.
c. Again, the text points out a tension - this time between our desire to serve God and our desire to gain riches?
1. there are a lot of places where that is not a tension, where the gospel is proclaimed as little more than a get-rich scheme.
2. Give your life to Jesus and the rewards, defined as material possession, will come flowing in to you.
3. Or you want to be wealthy, believe in Jesus.
4. David finds himself in that tension - does he want the ark of God in Jerusalem because he desires to be in the presence of God, or does he want to the ark with him because it enriched the last people who had the ark?
5. we know that tension. we live in it, finding ourselves challenged again and again - should we pursue riches give our lives over to God.
d. of course, we know the God who comes in Christ.
1. in the coming of Christ, we discover God’s invitation, not to know riches, but to know Chirst, who is God’s presence in our midst.
2. In the coming of Christ, we hear God’s invitation, not to pursue wealth and material possessions, but to have a personal relationship with Christ, who is God’s presence in our midst.
conclusion: Baptism - at the heart of baptism is the question, “Who is your Lord and Savior?”
The question is not: Do you need a lord and Savior when you have technology? Or how can you help God be God? Or who can make you rich and give you lots of possession.
No, the question is “Who is your Lord and Savior/“
To which we stand and answer for ourselves and for and with those being presented for baptism: “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.”
Go and follow him.
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