A Black Man to the Rescue...
Jeremiah 38:7-13...
Sermon #2
DRIVING THEME:
Genuine community is a realizable goal for the human family.
PROPOSITION:
God uses the most unlikely sources as instruments to bring about God's purposes.
ANTITHESIS:
The authorities have finally had enough with Jeremiah. Jeremiah is a traitor
who deserves to die. He is undermining the war effort, and that cannot be tolerated.
His is an effective act of sabotage of royal policy because it combines an
intelligent political assessment of the chances for Jerusalem with a claim
of theological insight. Zedekiah abdicates and throws Jeremiah in a miry cistern,
presumably to die through neglect (38:6).
Ebed-Melech, a black man, highly trained, highly competent, trusted, and respected
member of the administrative staff of King Zedekiah happened to be simply strolling
by. Emanating from the cistern were agonizing groans. When he removed the cover
he found Jeremiah languishing in the bowels of the cistern. Ebed-Melech risked
everything to rescue Jeremiah.
The Bible refers to him as "The Ethiopian" or "The Cushite." The
name "Cushite is synonymous with the word "Ethiopian," and one
thing that even the most racist scholars have not been able to do is hide the
fact that the ancient and biblical Ethiopians, like contemporary Ethiopians,
were North African black people. Jeremiah was a Jew, Ebed-melech was an Ethiopian,
but still they were brothers in the Lord.
Ebed-Melech, like the Samaritan of the New Testament parable, was the most
unlikely person to risk everything to rescue Jeremiah.THESIS: God often calls
us to move beyond our comfort zone to reach out to those in need. The Church
of the Nazarene begun with a commitment to reach the underprivileged, marginalized,
and hopeless with the gospel. The heart-felt need superseded all other concerns.
It was an adventure pregnant with risks. Our missionaries faced dangers from
unsanitized irrigation systems, wild beasts, contagious diseases, sickness,
and loneliness.
Today, compassionate ministries in our congregations are a testament that
God intends for us to cross the boundaries of race, culture, class, gender,
and status to bring relief in unexpected places. God is looking for Christians
who would dare risk all to become the incarnation of Christ to a darkened world.
RELEVANT QUESTION:
What are the qualities that one must possess to move beyond our comfort zones
to come to the rescue of the stranger?
SYNTHESIS:
The answer to the question can be found in the character of Ebed-Melech.
Ebed-Melech was a man of Conviction. The king was making legal decisions and
judging cases, but Ebed-Melech interrupted him on behalf of Jeremiah. Ebed-Melech
was moved by the injustice and inhumanity experienced by the man of God. Why
is the church so silent when there is so much injustice being done to God's
creation? Do we have the conviction to speak up on their behalf? God waits
for the person of conviction to make a difference. God's deliverance is always
the employment of the lowest of the low, the thing that is least prestigious,
the most insignificant, the poorest, the most despised.
Ebed-Melech believed that Cooperation was imperative. It is dangerous to isolate
oneself from others. This unlikely passerby, comfortable in his status, understood
the importance of partnerships. He found thirty men who would help him lift
Jeremiah out of the dungeon. There is power and protection in numbers.
We need to build partnerships with others if we are to reach our community
and our families. Ebed-Melech knew quite well the advantage and protective
power of cooperation. When you pull somebody up somebody is trying to pull
you down.
Ebed-Melech exercised Compassion in a ministry of emancipation and liberation.
Jeremiah by this time is only skin and bones. If they tried to pull him up
with the ropes he could be further injured, cutting him through the shoulders.
They had compassion and secured rags to provide a benevolent cushion.
Ebed-Melech had Confidence in God (39:16-18). Read the following chapter to
get a glimpse of Jeremiah, in the midst of the destruction of Jerusalem, being
commanded by God to single out Ebed-Melech for special consideration because
he trusted in God. Trust in God was rewarded.
Ebed-Melech was not leaning on King Zedekiah to bring about Jeremiah's deliverance.
He was confident that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords would do it.
God is able to make obstacles disappear; God is able to rebuild broken-down
bridges; God is able to restore the washed-out roads; God is able to open locked
doors; God is able to neutralize hidden dangers; God is able to stem the floods;
God is able to calm the storm; God is able to rescue stranded Jeremiahs; We
can take a lesson from Ebed-melech; and make ourselves available for service.
Regardless of the risk, let us lend each other a helping hand.
|