JC Disciples
What Do You Want
Acts 17:22-31, I Peter 3:13-22, John 14:15-21
As some of you know, I've been taking Latin for the past two semesters at Mesa Community College. Among other things, studying Latin has allowed me to revisit the Greco-Roman mythology I enjoyed during my high school English classes. My class work has included translating passages from a book of Latin writings. Among the writings were some of the ancient myths. I'd like to share with you a bit of what I've learned.
The gods and goddesses of Greco-Roman mythology were a capricious lot. They were erratic and often unpredictable. What pleased a deity one day might not do so the next. Their favor could change suddenly without any discernible reason.
For example, when the Greeks left a wooden horse outside of the gates of Troy, the local priest of Neptune, god of the sea, warned his fellow Trojans not to accept this gift. However, after issuing this warning, the priest was killed by a sea monster. Neptune had, at least until now, been a defender of Troy. Since the priest had been killed by a sea monster, the Trojans concluded that Neptune had killed his own priest for speaking falsely. Little did they know their patron deity had changed his mind and begun to favor the Greeks who were hiding in that horse. So the Trojans brought the horse into the city. It turned out to be a disastrous mistake.
Neptune wasn't the only one fickle with his favors. Zeus was ever cheating on his wife with whichever mortal lass caught his eye at the moment. It didn't matter whether the woman was interested in his attentions or not. As king of the gods, he helped himself to whatever he wanted. To hide his affairs from his wife, he would occasionally assume a disguise; on other occasions, he would disguise his lover. According to myth, one unfortunate girl spent a fair amount of time stuck in the shape of a cow and imprisoned by Zeus's wife, Hera.
One also had to beware of making requests of the gods. They were likely to grant what was asked for in an unexpected fashion. Aurora, goddess of the dawn, once asked Zeus to grant her mortal boyfriend eternal life. Zeus did give the man eternal life. The man kept on living, but he also kept on aging. I suspect this was not quite what Aurora had in mind when she made her request. When the man's mind deteriorated to such an extent that he could only babble, Aurora changed him into a cricket so that his babbling would at least be pleasant.
A poor woman named Cydippe longed to view a beautiful statue of Hera, wife of Zeus and queen of the gods. She was unable to walk the distance the trip required and, being poor, she had no horse or donkey to pull the cart. Her two sons pulled the cart themselves so that Cydippe might see the statue. She was so touched by her sons' efforts on her behalf that she asked Hera to give her sons the best gift possible. Immediately, Hera killed the two boys. After all what would be a better gift than a painless death? Somehow, I don't think that was what Cydippe was expecting when she made her request.
We may shake our heads over such stories. In our more enlightened age, we don't need capricious gods and goddesses to explain random acts of nature or the erratic fortunes of life. Yet to the Greeks of Paul's time, these were hardly fanciful stories. These stories, and many more like them, were given the same faith and credence that we give the words of our Bible today.
Strange as it may seem now, the Greeks truly believed that in order to have favorable weather, to prevail in battle, to recover from illness, to attain anything in life, the proper deity had to be pleased. But what worked yesterday might not work today. The god who favored you today could just as easily reject you tomorrow. These gods and goddesses held complete control over all matters of life, and of death. People lived in continual fear of these gods.
With such a world view, is it all surprising that the people of Athens erected an altar to an unknown god? They were wise enough to realize that there could be another deity somewhere in the heavens, or on the earth. If they left him out, what might he do to them in a fit of anger at being excluded? The altar was an attempt to make sure all deities were acknowledged, an attempt to cover all the bases.
Paul used this altar to an unknown god as a starting point for the gospel message. "What you worship as something unknown," he explained, "I will now reveal to you." This Unknown God, Paul went on to say, is the only God, the One who created everything. Unlike the flighty and erratic gods the Greeks had known, this God wanted not only to be sought after, but to be found as well. Instead of hiding from people at the unreachable summit of some Mount Olympus, this God was close at hand and had revealed God's own self to all people. This was the good news, and the very meaning, of Jesus' life.
Sadly, there are many today for whom God remains the unknown god. True, most people express some form of a belief in God when questioned for opinion polls. But what do they believe about God? What do they know of God?
For many, God closely resembles a stern judge. They believe each person will appear before God at death and then God will pronounce sentence on his or her life. People who have been good enough will go to heaven; those who have been bad will be sent to hell for punishment. Much like the ancient Greeks, these people live in fear of God.
For others, God is like the genie of the lamp or a heavenly sugar daddy, someone who will give them what they ask for. If they didn't receive what they wanted, then they must not asked properly. After all, since God loves them, God wants them to be always happy. They are looking for things to do to please God, just like the ancient Greeks did.
Others believe there is a God somewhere out there who has some influence or something like that. While they may be certain that God exists, they aren't too sure who God is or where God fits into their lives. For them, God is an impersonal force with no specific interest in individual lives. As did some in ancient Greece, they believe God has little, if any, concerns for the people God created.
But when calamity strikes, these gods aren't enough. People find that the old ways in which they have been relating to God no longer work. For some, a time of crisis is the first time they have seriously questioned the nature of God and God's role in their lives. In hospital corridors, in unemployment lines, on the side of the road, on storm-tossed waters, from cemeteries, from the back corners of churches, they hurl their prayers heavenward to an Unknown God.
"What do you want?" they cry. "I've done the best I can!" "Okay, I promise to be better. I'll quit drinking. I'll stop smoking. I'll be in church every Sunday no matter what." "Please, do this one thing for me and I'll do anything you want. Help me just this once." And when the crisis is death and it is focused on the dearest of loved ones, there comes the most desperate plea of all: "Take me instead."
Who are you, God? What is it you want from me? These questions arise in all of us, sooner or later. Paul told the people of Athens that their unknown god had been revealed in Jesus. During this Easter season, we have been hearing lessons from the portion of John's gospel known as the Upper Room Discourse. In his final night with the disciples, Jesus wanted them to understand what God is like and how the events that were about to happen fit into God's plans.
In last week's gospel, Jesus stated that he and the Father were one. To know Jesus is to know God. In tonight's lesson, this thread is picked up again with Jesus' words "I am in my Father." Then he adds "and you are in me and I am in you." We are connected to God. Just as Paul said, God is very near.
Jesus promised the disciples then that he would not leave them alone like abandoned orphans. The Spirit of truth would come to them from God to give them comfort and guidance. This promise is for us now, as well as for the disciples then. The Spirit is with each of us forever. We are never lost or separated from God.
"If you love me," Jesus said, "you will obey my commands." Notice that statement. It doesn't read, "If you obey me, then I'll know that you love me." It doesn't say, "If you obey me, then I'll love you." Jesus didn't even say "In order to love me, you must obey me." Jesus simply says, "If you love me, you will." Obedience will happen just as night follows day. It is a consequence of our love for God, not a precursor to God's love for us.
And finally, our gospel lesson tonight closes with these words: "The one who loves me will be loved by my father and I too will love him show myself to him." Who receives the love of God? The one who loves God. What did that person do to merit God's love? That person simply loved God.
That's all there is to it. God does not remain hidden somewhere far removed from us, shrouded in mystery. God came among us as Jesus. God remains with us as the Holy Spirit, dwelling in every believer. God calls us to seek and promises when that we do, we shall indeed find God. We will not be led on a cosmic goose-chase. The very moment we look for God, God will be there waiting for us.
God is not a stern judge whom we must please with the conduct of our lives in order to merit divine favor. God is not a magic genie, ready to do our bidding if we just rub the magic lamp the right way. God is not an impersonal, unattached force inhabiting the universe somehow, somewhere, with no connection to us and no concern for our well-being. God is not a cosmic version of Monty Hall, playing 'Let's Make a Deal' with peoples' lives.
There is no reason why our God should remain an "unknown god." As Paul said, God is not far from each one of us. God came as Jesus so that we could see and know God. Through the gift of the Spirit, God remains with us. It is God's desire to be loved by us and to love us in return.
What does God want? Only our love. What do we have to do? Simply love. As Jesus promised, those who love him will be loved by God. Jesus will love us too and reveal Christ's living presence to us.
Yes, Jesus, we do love you. Help us trust in your promises. May we learn to love you more. Amen.