A meditation by David. Roquemore
Celebrations of the sacraments of baptism and communion
The Camp Hill Presbyterian Church
July 4, 2010
Hosea 6: 1-6
Have you been watching the World Cup, the soccer championship? If you have, or if you do, you will see the world’s most committed diehard fans. These people follow their team no matter what. Yesterday before the game between Argentina and Germany, the fans were holding a large banner that said, “God is an Argentino” – alas, God is apparently a German Lutheran. (Germany soundly defeated Argentina.)
The fans were crushed. Their hopes are undone, until next time. But we can see before us a clear display of unbending, unchanging allegiance.
Do you know the origin of the word ‘diehard’? It was used of those for whom death came with difficulty, but gradually became used to mean “do not give up, but fight to the last man, to the last breath.” It was in 1811, in Spain, that an English commander told the British 57th Regiment of Foot, “Die hard the 57th, die hard!” That regiment later became known as the Die-hards. That is allegiance; that is loyalty.
Our text today is about loyalty. Since we read the beginning of Hosea last week, there have been five chapters of warnings, judgment, and condemnation of Israel for idolatry and unfaithfulness. At the end of chapter five, God says he will wait until Israel repents and begs for his favor, using the words of chapter six. When will Israel turn and affirm its loyalty to God?
Listen again to the first three verses of chapter six,
‘Come, let us return to the Lord;
for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us;
he has struck down, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live before him.
3 Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord;
his appearing is as sure as the dawn;
he will come to us like the showers,
like the spring rains that water the earth.’
Did you hear that? Let us return to the Lord. The Lord God has brought this punishment upon us, but he will bring healing. He will take care of us. God will not leave us desolate. “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” Does that sound familiar? Rising on the third day?
Yes, it is Jesus Christ who rises on the third day. This prayer of Israel says it will be we who rise – and Paul’s theology of baptism in the New Testament makes is quite clear that baptism is a connection to Christ in his death and rising. We rise with Christ, on the third day. We live before God, healed, with Christ. We have confidence and hope in the promises because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The prophet makes God’s complaint clear, as he goes on to say that Israel’s faith is as inconstant as the morning fog. Israel might pray for healing and repentance, but soon is off again, following another path. God wants, the prophet declares,
steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings.(v6)
God tells Israel it is not in the details of observing the commandments and rituals that they honor God. No, it is in the attitude of heart; it is their piety, their faith, their love for God and neighbor that their allegiance is found. That is what God wants, from them and from us. God wants our allegiance, first place in our hearts. It is that simple.
Today is a day about allegiances. This is the day when symbolically we threw off British rule in 1776, though actual freedom to a war to win. So today is an important national day, and will be filled with symbols and declarations of allegiance. We have a hymn today that speaks lovingly of our nation, and at the end, asks God to bless it. Nothing wrong with that at all. It can become wrong. It can become idolatrous, if we think we are declaring God’s approval and blessing on whatever we are doing as a nation. But to acknowledge God as sovereign and ask for blessing, which may mean repenting of some things, — nothing wrong at all with that.
The flag of our country is a symbol of allegiance. And some worry that it sends a confusing message about our allegiances when it is displayed in the sanctuary. Let me tell you a quick story. I served a church where the sanctuary ladies removed the flags before every communion service. I watched this for a month or two, then asked them why they did it. The answer was, the previous pastor said it was not appropriate to have the flag present during communion. Other Sundays, it was just fine. That seemed inconsistent to me, and so I told that congregation it could stay in place every Sunday, — that brought a lot of smiles especially from our veterans — it could stay, because every Sunday the nation needs the reminder that Jesus Christ is Lord, and the flag stands under the cross, the nation under the judgment of God. Not so many smiles, but they agreed.
We have allegiances that vary in importance. Many would die for their country; fewer would die for the Phillies, though some might. But who would die for the Lord? Whose allegiance and trust is first and foremost for God?
We come to the Table to affirm our allegiance, to pledge our allegiance, and to receive strength so that our faith will not be as passing as the morning dew, but will stand strong and be proclaimed with clarity and love to all our neighbors.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
