DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 Nativity Fast Great-Martyr Barbara
and John of
1st Vespers, Martyr: Isaiah 43:9-14 Epistle: Galatians
3:23-4:5 Gospel:
Witnesses: Isaiah 43:9-14 LXX, especially vs. 10: “Be ye My witnesses, and
I too Am a witness, says the Lord God, and My Servant Whom I have chosen: that
ye may know, and believe, and understand that I Am He: before Me there was no
other god, and after Me there shall be none.” Nativity scenes
in parks or the word Christmas in advertisements stir up lobbyists,
court actions, and protests; but these contests are mere symptoms of a deep
social question: Is the Lord of the Church really this world’s ultimate
God and King? The present passage
from Isaiah discloses that this issue is ages old, as well as pertinent for
countless decisions that Christians have to make every day. In the courtroom of this world, Truth is
on trial, and, as God declares in these verses, “ye are My witnesses” (vs. 12). Do you count yourself as a
Christian? Notice, then, that
God’s declaration comes after His earlier command to you and me:
“be ye My witnesses” (vs. 10).
Are you ready to be God’s witness? Think about the purpose of witnesses -
to establish a truth being challenged.
Witnesses provide evidence to support one view or another of what the
truth is on the basis of their experience, belief, and understanding (vs. 10). The present trial is unique, for
everyone is a witness on one side or the other, as the Lord Jesus says,
“He who is not with Me is against me” (Lk. 11:23).
Thus, being Christian is to be in God’s witness pool. Notice, God speaks to us corporately, as His
Church - “ye...My witnesses,” including Himself among the
witnesses: “I too Am a witness...and My Servant Whom I have chosen”
(Is. 43:10).
How serious is the presence and activity of
God in this world versus whomever or whatever else may compete for allegiance,
obedience, and solutions?
“Before Me there was no other god, and after Me
there shall be none. I Am
God” (vss. 10,11). The God revealed in Jesus Christ gives
no ground to competitors at the absolute end of the scale. His testimony is that, in rank order,
allegiance to Him stands above all created powers, entities, and persons. Currently, truths are peddled to coddle
buyers, pander to interest groups, or curry favors or money or power with the
effect of ignoring or qualifying God’s first-rank position. The Lord challenges such: “let
them bring forth their witnesses, and be justified; and let them hear, and
declare the truth” (vs. 9).
In the mental health arena many panaceas and
pills are offered for sleeplessness, anxiety, tension, nerves - and mostly
these treat symptoms and not deep, root causes. The Pharmaceutical companies hawk their
wares on television. How do you
witness to the Source of health?
One should not discount the counsel, prescriptions, and therapies
offered by doctors, but do evaluate your behavior and their choices as God’s
witness from the context of prayer and not of panic.
National security in the face of ideological
and religious claims from “strange gods” (vs. 12) must not be
treated flippantly. There are
devotees of gods-who-are-not-God who are frantic and fanatic to prove they are
right. God challenges them to stand
up against His testimony and that of His witness pool, the Church (vs. 9). The solutions are complex and elusive in
this fallen world; but a Christian starts at the high end of the scale, knowing
that human solutions are ultimately limited. What science, technology, warcraft, or political treaty ultimately “can deliver
out of [God’s] hands: [He] will work, and who shall turn it back?” (vs. 13). Act
from His peace.
We serve a God Who offers deliverance and
salvation, not on a temporal scale but on an eternal one. The redemption (vs. 14), the salvation
(vs. 12), that the True God brings is not of this world. The Babylons from which He frees (vs. 14) are sin, evil, Satan,
and the deaths that stretch across time into eternity. In the Lord, you witness to the
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be
Thy Name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil.
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