Will God Indeed Dwell on Earth?

Will God Indeed Dwell on Earth?

Rev. Mark Schaefer
Kay Spiritual Life Center
August 27, 2006
1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43; Ephesians 6:10-20; John 6:56-69

1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43. Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. He said, "O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart, the covenant that you kept for your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. Therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, saying, 'There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.' Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David. "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! Regard your servant's prayer and his plea, O Lord my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, 'My name shall be there,' that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive. "Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a distant land because of your name --for they shall hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm--when a foreigner comes and prays toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built.

Ephesians 6:10-20. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

John 6:56-69. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

I. BEGINNING

Welcome to the Kay Spiritual Life Center. Kay celebrated its fortieth anniversary recently as the home for religious life on campus, and is truly a remarkable place where all the religious communities of AU have a home and gather to worship, study, or just hang out.

Architecturally, it is an interesting building, fondly referred to by many on campus as the "flaming cupcake". When I first came to AU, the students told me of another name for Kay: the "God box". I thought that name was telling. Often we think of our houses of worship as 'God boxes', whether consciously or not.

Sometimes we think of our churches as places where God lives--and thus, it's where we can keep an eye on God . Churches are one of the ways we like to make God safe. God is safely caged in this building where he can't get out and cause any trouble. There was one episode of The Simpsons where in a strange plot twist, Homer becomes a missionary in the South Pacific. After helping the natives to construct a church Homer says, "Well, I may not know much about God, but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for Him."

There has always been the danger that when we build places for God we run the risk of domesticating God .

II. THE TEXT: THE TEMPLE

Tonight, we read from the account in 1 Kings of the dedication of the Temple under King Solomon . What is interesting is that Israel had existed as a people in the land for nearly 500 years before the temple was built. During the four centuries of the rule of the judges and the 40 years of Solomon's father King David's reign, there had been no temple. Worship of God took place in the tabernacle, the movable tent-sanctuary in which the Ark of the Covenant was housed.

Because of the mobility of the sanctuary, the Ark, and thus the symbol of God's presence , could move throughout the land of Israel. And so, when it came time for Solomon to build the Temple, it was not without controversy. Suddenly, the movable experience of God would be centralized, located in a Temple in Jerusalem. Institutionalized. Contained. Safe.

Many were skeptical about this move and wondered whether it was faithful to the faith of Israel. These voices continued long after the building of the Temple and are echoed throughout the prophets, reminding Israel that its God is transcendent. There is even something of this skepticism found in Solomon's own words before the sanctuary :

"But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! Regard your servant's prayer and his plea, O Lord my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, 'My name shall be there,' that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place.

"But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!" Solomon's question is especially relevant since the palace that he himself lived in was a good deal bigger than the Temple he'd built for God.

So, undoubtedly, Solomon knew the answer to his question: no, God would not fit into the Temple . But I think that there is more at stake.

III. COMPREHENDING GOD

For, we certainly do not believe that God is capable spatially of fitting inside a temple, or a church, or a mosque . We get into trouble when we imagine that God is capable of fitting theologically into such a structure . That is, the problem with our 'God boxes', whether built out of stone or built out of our own preconceptions, is that we run the risk of thinking we've got God all figured out.

In our churches we often have nice paintings and beautiful stained glass representations of Jesus and it makes us feel nice and safe. God is perfectly domesticated and won't cause any trouble.

But here again, Solomon's words give us pause: "Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you..." Now, it should be pointed out that Solomon's conception of the universe was decidedly smaller than our own. The entirely of the creation was only a few thousand (if that) miles across covered with a dome of sky. A giant 'snow globe' , as Lia Comerford referred to it in a Bible study we had.

But even though Solomon's understanding of the cosmos was significantly smaller than our own, is his statement any less true? Could even the entirety of the cosmos encompass God? If we could know every piece of information in the universe, every last subatomic particle, every quark and neutrino in all Creation, would we come close to knowing God? Could even our heavens and the farthest reaches of the Universe contain God?

When we ask these questions we realize the folly that somehow we might 'capture' God and make God safe . The folly that we might somehow domesticate this God and truly be in control of the situation.

But then we start to wonder, whether it is possible to comprehend God at all ? How, given the immensity, the infinity, the eternity, that is God, could we small, finite, mortal creatures even begin to understand. Will God indeed dwell on the earth that we might understand him?

IV. INCARNATING GOD

Of course, we are Christians here. And as Christians be believe that God has dwelled on earth in the person of Jesus. The early Christians referred to Jesus as the 'son of God' and as the 'word of God'. The 'word' being an expression of the mind of God, the idea that by encountering Jesus you encountered the mind, the divine reason of God. We believe that it is possible, through a relationship with Christ, to really know God.

The Good News here is that we do not have to comprehend God. God comes to us, on our terms, in our flesh, into our lives and makes herself known. All of the structures, all of the theologies, all of the philosophies that we might built are insufficient to comprehend the living God. But in Christ we see that God comes to us.

We see a God who comes in humility, as a defenseless child . A God who comes to the poor and preaches good news. Who comes to the sick and the lame and brings healing and wholeness. Who comes to the socially outcast and the marginalized and who invites them in. Who comes to the 'least of these' and makes them to be the greatest in the Kingdom. A God of mercy and a God of justice. A God who knows our sufferings and who knows our death. A God who has taken into godself all that is broken and redeems it with the promise of new life.

V. WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED

And there is something else.

Jesus said to us that 'where two or three are gathered' there he would be in the midst of us. Because of this, I think--just maybe--God does dwell in these little houses we've made. These churches. But God dwells here not because we have built a 'cage' or a 'box'. God dwells in the community that gathers here.

And it is in the church that is the people that God really does dwell.

• Communion

First we understand that we encounter the presence of God in our worship . Jesus speaks about how those who eat his flesh and blood, that is, partake of the communion, participate in the life that he has brought from the Father. That in our worship, we are not simply reading stories, or singing songs, or eating bread and drinking grape juice, we are participating in the abundant life that God freely shares with us. We are participating in God through our community life .

• Witness and Justice

The author of Ephesians talks about putting on the spiritual armor of God , by which he means to give us encouragement to withstand the perils of the world in order to preach the Gospel of Peace. For the church is called first and foremost to be a witness in and of itself . That is, the world encounters God on earth in us . The world can be a difficult place, and in it we--the church--continue to be incarnational, to put flesh on other people's encounters with God.

For it will be primarily through us that other people encounter God. It is primarily through us that God dwells on earth.

If people on this university campus are to have an encounter with God they will have it through you, through us. In the time you take to help someone or extend a kindness, or stick up for someone, or provide a comforting embrace--in those acts others will encounter God through you.

When this community gathers in worship and celebrates with joy over our blessings and mourns together over our tragedies and hurts, praying for one another, lifting one another up, and proclaiming the message of hope and salvation, God indeed dwells on earth.

When this community creates a culture of hospitality , welcoming all regardless of race or creed, national origin, class, status, sexual orientation, age, ability, or depth of belief, we reflect the love that Jesus shares with us and God indeed dwells on earth.

When this community helps each other to grow in spiritual disciplines, covenanting together to grow in the knowledge of the purposes of God, helping one another to grow in understanding, God indeed dwells on earth .

When this community works for justice, hearkening to the cry of the needy, providing a voice for the oppressed, raising the prophetic voice in a world that becomes increasingly uncaring, God indeed dwells on earth .

When this community gathers in fellowship , creating and sustaining relationships that become beacons of love and support, God indeed dwells on earth.

VI. END

There is no building big enough to house God in fullness . Even if the University ever gets around to expanding the chapel, like they've planned, it cannot capture God completely. There is no theology that can sum up God completely. No philosophy that can reveal the totality of the mind of God.

God is mystery, and mystery profound.

The greatest mystery is that God should love us so much, weak, finite, and mortal though we are--and seek us out, that we might share this love with all whom we meet.

It is in the sharing of this love that we have received from God that God dwells on earth and that those who encounter this love through us, encounter God.

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*Will God Indeed Dwell on Earth?* Rev. Mark Schaefer Kay Spiritual Life Center August 27, 2006 1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43; Ephesians 6:10-20; John 6:56-69 1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43. Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. He said, "O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart, the covenant that you kept for your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. Therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, saying, 'There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.' Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David. "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! Regard your servant's prayer and his plea, O Lord my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, 'My name shall be there,' that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive. "Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a distant land because of your name --for they shall hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm--when a foreigner comes and prays toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built. Ephesians 6:10-20. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. John 6:56-69. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." I. BEGINNING Welcome to the Kay Spiritual Life Center. Kay celebrated its fortieth anniversary recently as the home for religious life on campus, and is truly a remarkable place where all the religious communities of AU have a home and gather to worship, study, or just hang out. Architecturally, it is an interesting building, fondly referred to by many on campus as the "flaming cupcake". When I first came to AU, the students told me of another name for Kay: the "God box". I thought that name was telling. Often we think of our houses of worship as 'God boxes', whether consciously or not. Sometimes we think of our churches as places where God lives--and thus, it's where we can keep an eye on God . Churches are one of the ways we like to make God safe. God is safely caged in this building where he can't get out and cause any trouble. There was one episode of The Simpsons where in a strange plot twist, Homer becomes a missionary in the South Pacific. After helping the natives to construct a church Homer says, "Well, I may not know much about God, but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for Him." There has always been the danger that when we build places for God we run the risk of domesticating God . II. THE TEXT: THE TEMPLE Tonight, we read from the account in 1 Kings of the dedication of the Temple under King Solomon . What is interesting is that Israel had existed as a people in the land for nearly 500 years before the temple was built. During the four centuries of the rule of the judges and the 40 years of Solomon's father King David's reign, there had been no temple. Worship of God took place in the tabernacle, the movable tent-sanctuary in which the Ark of the Covenant was housed. Because of the mobility of the sanctuary, the Ark, and thus the symbol of God's presence , could move throughout the land of Israel. And so, when it came time for Solomon to build the Temple, it was not without controversy. Suddenly, the movable experience of God would be centralized, located in a Temple in Jerusalem. Institutionalized. Contained. Safe. Many were skeptical about this move and wondered whether it was faithful to the faith of Israel. These voices continued long after the building of the Temple and are echoed throughout the prophets, reminding Israel that its God is transcendent. There is even something of this skepticism found in Solomon's own words before the sanctuary : "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! Regard your servant's prayer and his plea, O Lord my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, 'My name shall be there,' that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!" Solomon's question is especially relevant since the palace that he himself lived in was a good deal bigger than the Temple he'd built for God. So, undoubtedly, Solomon knew the answer to his question: no, God would not fit into the Temple . But I think that there is more at stake. III. COMPREHENDING GOD For, we certainly do not believe that God is capable spatially of fitting inside a temple, or a church, or a mosque . We get into trouble when we imagine that God is capable of fitting theologically into such a structure . That is, the problem with our 'God boxes', whether built out of stone or built out of our own preconceptions, is that we run the risk of thinking we've got God all figured out. In our churches we often have nice paintings and beautiful stained glass representations of Jesus and it makes us feel nice and safe. God is perfectly domesticated and won't cause any trouble. But here again, Solomon's words give us pause: "Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you..." Now, it should be pointed out that Solomon's conception of the universe was decidedly smaller than our own. The entirely of the creation was only a few thousand (if that) miles across covered with a dome of sky. A giant 'snow globe' , as Lia Comerford referred to it in a Bible study we had. But even though Solomon's understanding of the cosmos was significantly smaller than our own, is his statement any less true? Could even the entirety of the cosmos encompass God? If we could know every piece of information in the universe, every last subatomic particle, every quark and neutrino in all Creation, would we come close to knowing God? Could even our heavens and the farthest reaches of the Universe contain God? When we ask these questions we realize the folly that somehow we might 'capture' God and make God safe . The folly that we might somehow domesticate this God and truly be in control of the situation. But then we start to wonder, whether it is possible to comprehend God at all ? How, given the immensity, the infinity, the eternity, that is God, could we small, finite, mortal creatures even begin to understand. Will God indeed dwell on the earth that we might understand him? IV. INCARNATING GOD Of course, we are Christians here. And as Christians be believe that God has dwelled on earth in the person of Jesus. The early Christians referred to Jesus as the 'son of God' and as the 'word of God'. The 'word' being an expression of the mind of God, the idea that by encountering Jesus you encountered the mind, the divine reason of God. We believe that it is possible, through a relationship with Christ, to really know God. The Good News here is that we do not have to comprehend God. God comes to us, on our terms, in our flesh, into our lives and makes herself known. All of the structures, all of the theologies, all of the philosophies that we might built are insufficient to comprehend the living God. But in Christ we see that God comes to us. We see a God who comes in humility, as a defenseless child . A God who comes to the poor and preaches good news. Who comes to the sick and the lame and brings healing and wholeness. Who comes to the socially outcast and the marginalized and who invites them in. Who comes to the 'least of these' and makes them to be the greatest in the Kingdom. A God of mercy and a God of justice. A God who knows our sufferings and who knows our death. A God who has taken into godself all that is broken and redeems it with the promise of new life. V. WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED And there is something else. Jesus said to us that 'where two or three are gathered' there he would be in the midst of us. Because of this, I think--just maybe--God does dwell in these little houses we've made. These churches. But God dwells here not because we have built a 'cage' or a 'box'. God dwells in the community that gathers here. And it is in the church that is the people that God really does dwell. • Communion First we understand that we encounter the presence of God in our worship . Jesus speaks about how those who eat his flesh and blood, that is, partake of the communion, participate in the life that he has brought from the Father. That in our worship, we are not simply reading stories, or singing songs, or eating bread and drinking grape juice, we are participating in the abundant life that God freely shares with us. We are participating in God through our community life . • Witness and Justice The author of Ephesians talks about putting on the spiritual armor of God , by which he means to give us encouragement to withstand the perils of the world in order to preach the Gospel of Peace. For the church is called first and foremost to be a witness in and of itself . That is, the world encounters God on earth in us . The world can be a difficult place, and in it we--the church--continue to be incarnational, to put flesh on other people's encounters with God. For it will be primarily through us that other people encounter God. It is primarily through us that God dwells on earth. If people on this university campus are to have an encounter with God they will have it through you, through us. In the time you take to help someone or extend a kindness, or stick up for someone, or provide a comforting embrace--in those acts others will encounter God through you. When this community gathers in worship and celebrates with joy over our blessings and mourns together over our tragedies and hurts, praying for one another, lifting one another up, and proclaiming the message of hope and salvation, God indeed dwells on earth. When this community creates a culture of hospitality , welcoming all regardless of race or creed, national origin, class, status, sexual orientation, age, ability, or depth of belief, we reflect the love that Jesus shares with us and God indeed dwells on earth. When this community helps each other to grow in spiritual disciplines, covenanting together to grow in the knowledge of the purposes of God, helping one another to grow in understanding, God indeed dwells on earth . When this community works for justice, hearkening to the cry of the needy, providing a voice for the oppressed, raising the prophetic voice in a world that becomes increasingly uncaring, God indeed dwells on earth . When this community gathers in fellowship , creating and sustaining relationships that become beacons of love and support, God indeed dwells on earth. VI. END There is no building big enough to house God in fullness . Even if the University ever gets around to expanding the chapel, like they've planned, it cannot capture God completely. There is no theology that can sum up God completely. No philosophy that can reveal the totality of the mind of God. God is mystery, and mystery profound. The greatest mystery is that God should love us so much, weak, finite, and mortal though we are--and seek us out, that we might share this love with all whom we meet. It is in the sharing of this love that we have received from God that God dwells on earth and that those who encounter this love through us, encounter God. Back to Sermons page Back to AU UMC Home Copyright © 2006. Mark A. Schaefer No part of this text may be reproduced or otherwise disseminated without the express written consent of the author.

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