Questions
This Sunday, August 25, I’m beginning a sermon series at University Heights (uhumc.com) based on a book by Trevor Hudson titled “Questions God Asks Us.” I wonder if you have noticed how often during his earthly ministry Jesus poses questions. Sometimes he even answers a question with a question! Jesus engaged with those around him in ways designed to stimulate critical thinking. Questions are important because they demonstrate that we are curious and open to learning. When we stop questioning, we stop learning and growing. Our world and the Church is changing at a rapid pace and COVID brought significant and permanent changes to our culture. If churches think we can just do the same old same old, we’re doomed for failure. Likewise, people on a genuine spiritual quest aren’t going to be placated by “I told you so.” If churches care about reaching people, we need to welcome questions and be willing to ask and respond to a lot of questions.
Toward that end, throughout my current sermon series, I’m inviting people at church to write their questions to God inside outlined question marks on poster board stuck to the walls of the sanctuary. One question someone wrote was this: “Why did you [“you” being God] allow Eve and Adam to bring sin into your perfect world?”
It’s a great question. That first man and woman ruined Paradise for all of us, right? And, we’ve been trying to get back to the garden ever since (as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young sang). You may not know that many ancient Eastern cultures had creation stories. The ancient Babylonian creation account, Enuma Elish was loaded with violence. Multiple gods fight one another for primacy and humans get caught in the cross-fire. A god named Marduk is triumphant over another god named Tiamat. A god who aligns itself with Tiamat becomes the raw material Marduk uses to create humans. We read of Marduk’s purpose in creating humans: “I will establish a savage, ‘man’ shall be his name… He shall be charged with the service of the gods.”
What a different story we encounter in Genesis. In the second account of creation in Genesis, chapter 2, God is intimate with creation. God gets down into the dirt to shape the first human. God breathes his very breath into the man, a very intimate gesture. God isn’t seeking to enslave the man for he places him in a beautiful garden. God wants the man to enjoy fellowship so he creates woman to be his ezer, his helper or partner. God comes into the garden in the evening to hang out with the man and woman. Clearly, God creates out of a desire for beauty and fellowship, with a desire to bless. God wants relationship with these humans.
But relationships require trust. Relationships can’t be built on coercion, manipulation or force. Relationships always give the other the option to choose for themselves, the option to reject intimacy. Relationships promote freedom. But freedom can always be abused and that’s what happens. In Genesis 3:5, the serpent’s assertion that the forbidden fruit can make the woman “like God” is a temptation she cannot resist. It appears the man and woman want to “level the playing field.” They do not trust that God has their best interest at heart. Trust is a relational concept, not a legal premise. God desired relationship with us so much, God was willing – and still is – to take the risk and allow us to choose for ourselves if we are willing to trust God.
Come join us for worship at University Heights UMC, 4002 Otterbein Ave, Indpls, at 9 a.m. each Sunday.
traceyleslie 