THEY GAVE SENSE

Nehemiah 8:1-10
Luke 4:14-21

The first time I attended an event at a synogogue, I felt lost and out of place.  Because it was a new experience, and not really knowing what was going on, I was afraid I was going to say or do something wrong.  But my Jewish friend was there to explain everything to me.  She was my interpreter, the one who gave sense to the experience.   

As we continue in learning what it means to be the Body of Christ in an age of high tech and social media, what lessons can we draw from the experiences of God's people as told in the Book of Nehemiah?

Different people process information in different ways. Me, I'm very much a visual learner, which a majority of us are. Show me a picture, write it down for me or give me an image provoking example, and I've got it. 

 In seminary, I had some difficult classes. In one, my professor only lectured and rarely ever moved from one spot. I not only struggled in that class, but I dreaded going to it.

In another, the professor not only lectured, but he used PowerPoint with lots of picture, some of which were animated. It really helped me understand and remember information. Even though it was hard for me, I looked forward to his classes.

 Even in church and in matters of our Christian beliefs, there are times when we need help interpreting theology (how we talk about God) and the meaning of scripture, help putting it into language and images we can relate to in the context of our experiences and our culture.  It was even true in the Old Testament time of Ezra and Nehemiah. "So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation.  They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading."  (Nehemiah 8:8, NRSV)

Let's put that scripture quote into context.  The books of Ezra and Nehemiah chronicle the return of the Jews from exile in Persia.  The prophet Jeremiah delivered the God's word to the people of Israel while they were captives that they would remain in Persia for seventy-five years.  When they were released and allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, the people of Israel didn't go back to their homeland all at the same time.  They made that return over a period of ninety-three years in three waves under Zebulah, Ezra and Nehemiah.

Because there was a span of about one hundred ninety years living in Persia, there were few of the original captives who returned.   Most of them probably had been told stories by their parents and grandparents who tried to keep the traditions, the teachings and their Jewish culture alive while living as exiles in a foriegn land.  Living and working so long in Persia probably took its toll as the people became more and more assimilated into the local culture - intermarrying with Persians, adopting and adapting local customs and borrowing some of the values and beliefs from their host culture.

That's why, I believe, the day Ezra and read the Law of Moses to the returned Jews, people were stationed among the crowd to answer questions and explain the Law of Moses in terms and meanings the returnees could understand.  They also probably needed help understanding the context in which the Law was originally given and what it now meant to them.

We're seeing the need for that in our churches today.  As God's grace is drawing people back into relationship with him, some of them have spent little or no time in a church.  

Do you remember your first day in school? I do. I had had never been inside the school or ridden a school bus before. Up until that time, my only experience of formalized education was watching “Romper Room” on TV. My first day at school was intimidating – everyone else seemed to know the rules and fit in. On top of that, my teacher wasn't anything like the sweet young teachers on “Romper Room.” By the end of the afternoon, I was convinced that I didn't want to come back again the next day.

Have you ever felt like that? Well, for those for whom church is a new experience, they may feel the same way.  With little or no previous experience with church or maybe even some bad experiences, walking into an unfamilar environment like the church with its own specialized jargon can be very uncomfortable and threatening.  Everyone there seems to be in the know except them. In addition to needing to feel emotionally safe and genuinely welcomed, like the returnees to Israel, they need someone to interpret the experience, share the good news of Jesus Christ in language and images they understand and help them connect with God and God's word in ways that bring sense to their experience.

Jesus has commissioned us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

In order to meet the challenge of Christ's commandment, it's important to remember that people learn in different ways and need to connect with the experience of Christ in ways that may be very different than the way we do.

While we might not like social media or understand today's technology, we can repect that it important to others.  It does not mean that what is most meaningful to us is lost, but rather the story we love to hear and tell and which is never lost in translation, will be proclaimed to new generation.

And as we mover forward to meet these new challenges, let us remind ourselves what else Jesus said, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Every commandment of Christ comes with that promise: He is with us, has prepared the way for us and will provide us with whatever we need if we will but take the first steps into God's future for us.