September 7, 2008
“Living The Word”
Psalm 119:33-40

In the Psalms God’s word is alternatively called “statutes,” “law,” “commandments,” “decrees,” and “ordinances.” Psalm 119 is an ode to God’s word that uses a complex and fairly sophisticated writing scheme to celebrate the many ways of divine teaching in life. An acrostic is a poem that usually uses the first letter of each line to spell out something. The writer of Psalm 119 uses an acrostic, only with eight stanzas for each letter! Going through the entire Hebrew alphabet in order, from Alpha to Omega, the Psalmist extols the virtues of God’s word and how we should learn that word as a means to “give us life.” It is a shame that translation, by its very nature, looses this wonderful device for helping us to understand, remember, and better live out the Word of God.

Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann, tells us of three reasons why the Psalmist may have used such a difficult and intricate technique. First, it may have been for teaching purposes. Using as the first letter of each section a different letter of the alphabet allowed students to memorize the Psalm better, or at least remember its content. Or, by using this method the writer may have been making a theological statement: God’s word is so comprehensive, it covers everything from A to Z! Finally, the writer may have wanted to honor God’s word and engrain in the reader the feeling that God’s word is reliable in every situation and completely symmetrical, balanced, predictable, just like life in God’s word can be. (1)

But my inspiration for choosing Psalm 119 for today has less to do with the words themselves, although they are inspirational for a day we are celebrating Christian Education and Lifelong Learning. I chose it, rather, because of my deep appreciation for the work that goes on “behind the scenes,” so to speak, in order for learning to occur. Obviously, teachers prepare for each class session. Thinking about how their students might learn best, and taking into consideration everything from the room in which the education will occur to the time of day the class is offered, teachers seek to make the best possible environment for learning.

But even behind that is the curriculum the teacher is using. Some teachers write their own curriculum. They are dependent upon scholars that write the Bible commentaries or organize the Bible concordances. Others use curriculum, whether in the form of lessons in a book or on a DVD, that come from wise teachers and scholars, who are also dependent upon their teachers and biblical and educational resources. Even those of us who do lots of Bible Study on our own rely upon the good work of others. Perhaps we use books and tapes and movies, but we also use the experiences we have had with human beings: Sunday School teachers, Religious Education teachers, parents and grandparents, pastors and elders, friends, neighbors, and perhaps even a few strangers along the way.

All of us are dependent upon the wisdom passed down, renewed, rediscovered from others around us and before us. I would like for us now, to spend the rest of the sermon time recognizing aloud those who have been the Living Word to us in our lives. Who taught you about God’s ordinances and laws? Who led you in the Way of Christ? Who were your teachers in the statutes and decrees of God? Who walked you through the Word of God so that you might have life, and have it more abundantly? Please share with us today:

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Personally, I remember two such teachers well. One was Karol Smith, my youth minister at First Christian Church in Roswell, New Mexico. She brought a vibrancy and bounce to the Christian faith. Even though she always took seriously her teaching responsibility, she did so with a positive, hopeful, approach. I still remember her bringing me into her office as my baptismal day approached, and working through scripture carefully, reminding me of the examples of baptism in the Bible, and the meaning of it for today. Karol taught, and I assume she still does, through her creativity, and seemed to believe that we learned best when we had fun learning.

The other was also at First Christian, Roswell, and also a Carol. Carol Mills just happened to have been my second grade teacher in public school, but she was also high school youth advisor at my church. Carol was very matter-of-fact in her approach to faith, and believed it was so important that we needed to stay focused. She, too, was creative and fun-loving, but had a much more serious side to her. We knew that learning was critical to our future by the deliberate way Carol Mills taught us and cared for us.

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Let us remember that the Word of God was never meant to be cold, lifeless words printed on a page. God’s law, God’s decrees, God’s wisdom was meant to be alive and living. And whether we do that through creative writing, like the Psalmist’s acrostic of Psalm 119, or by living it out in word and in deed in our daily lives, let us never forget that WE are the Living Word Of God.

Amen.

(1) Walter Brueggemann, “The Message Of The Psalms: Augsburg Old Testament Studies,” (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1984), p. 40.
 

Rev. Allen V. Harris
Franklin Circle Christian Church
www.FranklinCircleChurch.org


 

Copyright 2008 -- The Rev. Allen V. Harris

Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113-3096