October 22, 2014

  • Bragging on God!

     

    Brag10-14usually a statement designed to set oneself apart from everyone else by way of positive spin. It’s common to hear people brag. They do it all the time. Heck, probably every one of us has a tendency to brag from time to time.   And at some level we may even understand when someone is bragging.  But as my son-in-law has said, we understand that a brag even at its best  is not usually considered to be a positive thing. A boast at its core probably contains an element of truth.  Somewhere along the way there is usually the twist of exaggeration; what we might even be compelled to confess is just not true!

    What surprised and snagged my attention was the context of how this term ‘bragging’ was used last week as we listened to a radio program on our way to worship. The narrator in telling his story spoke to the fact that at an early age very little of God was communicated to him in his home. It wasn’t until he was out and about as a young adult that he began to be exposed to the God of Scripture. The people he had become acquainted with who shared his interest in providing assistance to Native Americans, were very kind and compassionate not only to these people, but also to himself. In his very unique manner he said they “loved on him and bragged on their God”.

    That phrase; ‘bragged on God’ just seemed really strange-- so incompatible. It just seems that ‘bragging’ and ‘God’ have no place in the same sentence together. To me, the action of bragging involves overstatement and embellishment. From the narrator’s perspective, these people were using terms of exaggeration to describe who their God was and what He was about. I thought about that. What was it they were saying that led him to adopt such an idea?

    I then began to think about some phrases and statements in Scripture that might have some bearing on this. I was reminded of the early days of Jesus’ ministry. He found Philip and challenged him to follow Him. Philip immediately located his friend, Nathanael and spoke to him about Jesus: “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph.” Nathanael spat out his reply: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?!” Philip’s response returned in a very simple yet compelling manner; “Come and see” (John 1:45-46).

    The story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar came to mind as well. Jesus had been traveling through Samaria back North to Galilee from Jerusalem when He sat down at a well near Sychar. A woman at midday came to draw water and Jesus engaged her in conversation. Through the course of their visit, the woman, apparently an outcast from among her people, came to the realization that Jesus was no ordinary man, but a prophet--THE Prophet of God Moses had written concerning in the Law. As she returned to her village, she announced to the people; “Come, [and] see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:1-30).

    As I considered these things the thought came to mind that these two individuals from Scripture were probably doing in their own simple manner just what the radio narrator was apparently doing with his ‘bragging on God’ remark. They were challenging all those around them to take a closer look at God and Jesus and see for themselves whether their claims were simply exaggerations--embellishments, completely hollow and devoid of any real merit and totally unworthy of any serious consideration--or not.

    We have all been ‘let down’--disappointed by the extravagant claims of others. We had such high hopes, but nobody could deliver. After all was said and done, everyone exposed themselves for who they really were--just human beings ‘bragging on themselves’. And in time, it became obvious to everyone else as well. You would think we would eventually become smarter than we are. You would think that we would finally become complete cynics, galvanized from any such lavishly absurd assertions. But there seems to be something deeply embedded within that longs for a sense of certainty--something that will be there day in and day out. And every single one of us wants that dependability--that something that we can truly lean upon even when everything else gives out!

    I think that is the reason Jesus’ statement in Matthew 11: is so astounding. It takes one’s breath away: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch  how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matthew 11:28-30 [MSG]).

    This sounds like Jesus was bragging on Himself. However, toward the end of His ministry, He asked His remaining disciples if they too were going to abandon Him and His ministry. Several others of His disciples had found that following Him had become too inconvenient for them. And Jesus wanted to know if the remaining disciples who had been with Him for a long time were also going to ‘throw in the towel’. If Jesus were only a man like all the other charlatans before Him, Peter, of all people, should have known by then. That’s what makes his answer all the more astounding:

    “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69 [NIV]).

    There are many places in the Gospels where it sounds like Jesus is ‘bragging on Himself’, but  I think He is saying in essence to every one of us; “Come and see for yourself”.

    “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see--how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him” (Psalm 34:8 [MSG].

    ~L.A.Williams