Did you spend your last week as like Gods beautiful masterpiece?
We keep thinking of beautiful surroundings, but the beautiful thing is that we recognize that we dont change we still need Gods help and we still need to be kept by God. In todays sermon from the Rambam, lets consider why we need to be saved by God.
First, because we are easily fooled by the world.
Jerusalem is now besieged by the Assyrian army, and Hezekiahs trust in God is mocked by Rabshakeh. Hezekiahs three ministers are afraid that the people will hear what Rabshakeh is saying, so they ask, 'Please dont speak in Hebrew, but in Aramaic,' but Rabshakeh, a master of psychological warfare, shouts even louder in Hebrew. Rabshakeh urges Hezekiah to listen to Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and not to be deceived by Hezekiah, who says, 'The Lord will surely deliver us this city will not fall into the hands of the king of Assyria.' The words echoing out loud to the people of Judah as the worlds ruler Sennacherib surrounded the city with his army were heart-meltingly terrifying. The Assyrian king seems all too right, as no one in Judah can stand up to the Assyrian army. Rabshakeh also assures the people of Judah that if they surrender and leave, he will guarantee them figs and well water, and even move them to a new neighborhood that will be like paradise on earth, and they will live and not die. But Rabshakehs words are a blatant lie. This is the loud cry of the world, the one that frightens us and makes us envious, the one that moves us away from our place of trust in God, because the Assyrian migration policy is a very cruel one, designed to erase the identity of the subjugated people and prevent them from rebelling. We need to believe the Word of truth so that we can stand on the truth and not be deceived, but it is our weakness and limitation that the power and status and ability of the world, like the Assyrian king, seems more right in the moment than the Word. 'To be saved up' appears no less than seven times in todays text, and the more we are deceived and undeserving of being lifted up, the more reason we have to be lifted up by God.
Second, because we keep trying to stay higher.
Rabshakehtells Hezekiah not to listen when he tries to convince him that God will deliver us, but to surrender. Assyria was a superpower that occupied much of the Middle East at the time. Sennacherib, among other Assyrian kings, became arrogant with all the captives, hostages, money, and land he had gained through his many victories. He became so convinced that no one in the world could be his enemy that he defied and disrespected even God. Such is human nature. So, what is the evidence of pride? How do you know youre prideful? The answer is simple: you love to be praised and recognized. Stanford Universitys psychology department conducted an experiment in which participants were given the opportunity to make various moral choices after recording and praising their good deeds. The results showed that they made more morally regressive choices than before the praise. This is because they were so convinced that they were good people that they felt it was okay to make negative choices. Thats why we need to be scolded by God on a daily basis. Praise is a need, and the more its fulfilled, the more we demand more, and we cant stand even the slightest criticism, and we even judge and ignore God. Even the king of Assyria is a sinner in need of salvation, and our hope for our lives lies in God alone.
Third, because we are utterly powerless.
After hearing all thatRabshakehhad to say, the people of Israel were silent, an application of their upbringing by King Hezekiah, who had a reformation that removed the high places. The best that can be done is to do nothing, and silence symbolizes 'the utter helplessness of the saints in the face of the loud cries of the world and its great pride. Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah are the smartest men in Israel, but they are unilaterally defeated by Rassages speech and tear their clothes they go before the king as they are, in shame and humiliation. It is true worship to come before God with a torn heart, shattered pride, failed zeal, and empty hands that have nothing left. It is when we are overwhelmed by our utter helplessness and want to walk away that we seek God and come to Him to be lifted up. God lifts us up because we are utterly helpless. Hezekiah abolished the temple worship so that there could be silence and repentance. Listening to the Beatitudes day after day in my ups and downs allows me to recognize myself. They are Gods desperate cry of love to cry out loudly, to turn and repent, not to be high-minded and perish like the Assyrians.
A community confession is shared by a couple who fought fiercely in their pasture. My wife pays for my cigarettes with her credit card because I dont make enough money. My wife was angry that a pack of cigarettes a day costs 135,000 won a month, so I got angry, swore at her, and left the house. She said, 'Lets get a divorce!' and 'Give me your car keys, cell phone, cards, everything, and leave!' My son wants me to help him study after seven years, and Ive been shamed and ridiculed for my gambling addiction, which has destroyed our family, and I still cant stop smoking. My wife says she likes it when I share honestly on the ranch, but its different when I get home, and now she doesnt even like it on the ranch and wishes I would do as much at home as I do on the ranch. Im not angry and resentful because its acknowledged, 'If Im bad enough, Im still being told this!' My friends, its a situation where we have no choice but to tear our clothes and be silent, but we go to God, and may He make all times like this beautiful.
We are utterly helpless to want to be exalted in the world, deceived day by day by fear and envy of the worlds cries but we must praise and pray that God accepts us as we are, and may we repent in silence of our pride in wanting to be exalted under any circumstances, and may God grant us the grace to be sustained.
