Shema Yishrael

Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Psalm 146; Mark 12:13-34

Central Baptist Church, Lowesville, VA

05 November 2006

It is easy to live unaware of God’s presence. It is easy to walk, talk, work, and live as though God’s reality does not impact our lives beyond a package of morality. Sunday comes around and God becomes a topic we discuss among other believers. Unintentionally we relegate God to a subject for study or discussion, making sure that we get our doctrine straight. We miss that God desires day-to-day participation in our living experience. We know faith should impact all of our living, conversation, and actions. Can we make room for God to actively participate and direct our lives?

Deuteronomy is a recap of God’s essential instruction throughout the four preceding books. The Shema in chapter six is a hallmark passage of this summary. The Jews recognized its importance such that it became one of the essential declarations of faith within Judaism. Similar to the declaration of Islam, “There is no God but Allah,” the words we read this morning have been used as a mantra of monotheistic faith. They did not always mean, however, that there was only one deity. In a context of nations worshipping numerous supposed deities, there was but one for this people—Yahweh.

“Listen-up, Israel! Take notice! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh alone!” There is no substitute; there is no alternative; there is no secondary deity to whom allegiance may be given. There is but One who is and will be Lord. We take such words for granted, but then, we have inherited a very different religious context—until recently, that is. As Election Day approaches, we hear many reminders that our nation was founded upon a Judeo-Christian heritage. We no longer live that reality.

We have heard of religious pluralization in America. We have seen New Age, Mother Earth, and Eastern Mystic religious and philosophical influences around us. At our nation’s founding, such were not recognized. We have seen rapid rise in Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism within our borders. We have seen a dramatic increase in secularism and practical agnosticism in our new reality. Despite reports of such radical changes in the religious environment, we have failed as Baptists and Christian believers to address this new reality. Our language, ritual, and practice remain that of a people unaware of other religious options on the market. We act as though the Shema were a doctrinal statement of monotheism, when it is rallying cry to declare singular allegiance to Yahweh in the face of competing claims for our attention and service.

Faith is not a set of beliefs, it is allegiance and trust. Missions and evangelism is not asking people to accept the truth of our claims over others. It is inviting people to trust Christ Jesus—to experience the truth of God’s faithfulness. Much more than creed or ritual, faith is a living relationship, inviting and granting God participation in our lives. It is experiential living, not right thinking.

Our appointment process as missionaries included questions about our beliefs. That was a needed part of a larger process. That larger process focused not on beliefs, but on experience and action. Those evaluating us looked at what difference our professed faith made in our daily lives. Had we placed our lives at God’s disposal, or was faith simply a declaration of our beliefs about God? When we were asked seven years later to bind our faith to a static document, we were at a loss. Salvation was never based on holding the right answers. It was God’s action as we gave our lives to Christ Jesus. Faith as a living commitment is a compelling witness far beyond knowledge of truth. Knowledge of God cannot compensate for excluding God from directing our lives.

This was the primary issue underlying the discussion between the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and Jesus. They had a host of answers and truths locked up in a tight package. Though they disagreed with each other, they had plenty of rituals and routines to keep their observance of rules and regulations in order. They were zealous and committed to their concepts of truth and interpretation of God’s instruction through the Torah. Jesus’ concern was that their focus was on their traditions about truth, rather than on serving the Author of truth.

They argued among themselves about their truth claims, but did not worry enough about applying the character of God’s desire for mercy, justice, and care for the oppressed. The Pharisees were concerned with power structures, including the political, as getting in the way of God’s blessing for the nation. The Sadducees were comfortable being in the power structure, but worried about definitions of truth in contention with others. The Scribes were zealous for preserving the Scriptural traditions over the oral interpretations. They all missed the boat.

In all three instances of groups questioning Jesus, he pointed out their failure to understand the need to submission to God. The Pharisees needed to accept roman authority, while giving God due allegiance in their lives. The Sadducees needed to grasp the living vitality of faith in God’s interaction in their lives. The Scribes needed to grasp the meaning of giving allegiance to God beyond the preservation of god’s recorded word. They needed to look closer at the demands of relating faith in God to their daily practice of fulfilling God’s will above their own issues.

The Scribe identified the greatest commandments. The problem was applying them to his life. The Shema required thinking about and talking about God in all of our daily routines. This was designed to lead us to practice living God’s instructions in every area of life. Jesus’ concern was not whether the Shema were recited enough, it was whether its intent were taking root in our daily lives. Are we carrying out our faith in accordance with God’s will, living daily with the express purpose to please God?

When I looked at career possibilities, I kept coming back to one issue that overruled so many other options. I wanted my life to make a difference, an eternal difference to the greatest number of people. There were careers I could have chosen that would have benefited me personally. I wanted to be sure that my life benefited others first. When missions was taken away from me as a career, I had to go back to evaluate again the whole issue of giving my life purpose. I recognized that career was not the issue at heart. It was my purpose in living through whatever career path God might take me.

Faith is not about truth. Faith is not about a career. If so, we should disband this church, leave our jobs, and all become missionaries. Faith and faithfulness is about mission, purpose, and the action of giving God wholesale Lordship over our lives. Faith is about how Christ wants to change us and fashion our lives for God’s service. Faith is about experiencing God reign in our daily lives. Faith is about proclaiming and living our commitment to accept Christ Jesus as the only and sufficient Lord of our lives, allowing for no competing claims on our allegiance. Faith is living not only in the awareness of God’s constant presence and reality. It is living constant submission to God’s claims on our lives.

What does it take for God to get our attention? Are we too enamored by competing claims for our allegiance, energy, or resources? Are we ready for God to use us to impact others for the gospel? God wants participation in our lives. Will our lives speak a compelling witness for Jesus Christ?

—©2006 Christopher B. Harbin