November 12, 2006

Cawson St. Church of Christ

Hopewell, Virginia

Mural Worthey

 

Jacob’s Choice

 

Introduction

   A couple of weekend’s ago, Norma and I along with Tom and Eva Reaves visited Amish country in Lancaster, PA. Nearby was the scene of the school shooting where young Amish girls were killed.

   The Amish and Mennonite culture are interesting to those of us on the outside (we are called “English” by the Amish). Thousands of tourists each year go to see their homes, farms and the people.

   Before our tour of the area, we saw a film titled “Jacob’s Choice.” Jacob was a young teenage boy who was struggling with the decision to join the Amish Church and their lifestyle.  We learned that their children cannot make their decision until they are sixteen years old.  They want them to be mature enough to make a commitment to this lifestyle.

   Jacob was seventeen and had not yet decided.  His father was putting pressure on him to make up his mind.  Jacob bought a car contrary to the practices of the Amish culture.  His parents and family allow them to decide.  Driving a car is a sign of independence and rebellion among them; in contrast we go out and buy our kids a car.  It was interesting to hear the reasoning of Jacob’s grandfather concerning cars.  The grandfather argued that there were good reasons why they used a horse and buggy.  He reasoned with his grandson that if one drives a car it will carry you far from home.  Jacob’s choice was not only about a lifestyle, but also whether he would live with his family or leave the community and lose his Amish heritage.  This was the strongest argument that was made, it seems to me.

   In the film, a teenager driving a car started to cross a covered bridge.  He did not slow down to see if anyone was coming from the other side.  It was Jacob’s grandfather in a buggy.  The car hit the horse and buggy, killing Jacob’s grandfather.  In the end, Jacob decided to stay with his family and join the Amish Church.  They said that 95% of their children make the decision to stay with their families and continue their heritage.

 

 

 

In the World, But Not of the World

 

  The Amish and other religions have many rules that they bind upon one another in order to keep themselves distinct and separate from others.  For every rule, they have several exceptions and many who break them.  While we admire their desire to stay away from the evil in the broader American culture, I question how they can be the light of the world and the salt of the earth.  Note these three symbols or metaphors. 

 

   Salt.  Jesus also said, “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted?  It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.”  (Matt. 5:13.)  How can salt do its work isolated from food?  How can Christians affect the larger society for good hiding in communes?  The Amish have made a choice to isolate themselves from others.  This was a part of Jacob’s choice.  Their choice is not so unlike that of monks living in monasteries.

 

   Light.  Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick and it gives light to all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven.”  (Matt. 5:14-16.)

 

   Leaven.  “Your glorying is not good.  Know you not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?”  (1 Cor. 5:6, Gal. 5:9.)  Jesus told a parable about leaven, a one sentence parable.  “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened.”  (Matt. 13:33.)  Leaven must be mixed in with the flour for it to work properly.  So also must we be in the world, but not of the world.  Here are some examples or applications of the symbols.

 

   Paul added: “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators.  Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must you need go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, covetous, idolater, or an extortioner, with such a one not to eat.”  (1 Cor. 5:9-11.)

 

   “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”  (John 17:15-16.)  Jesus answered the question about what Jacob’s choice really is.

 

   Peter wrote about how a believing wife should live around her unbelieving husband.  She was told to divorce him.  She was told to live a chaste life coupled with fear of God.  (1 Peter 3:1f.)

 

   The choice that we all have before us is to separate ourselves in our lives, in our participation, in our thinking, from the evil practices of the world.  To get away from the broader sinful culture altogether, we would have to be taken out of the world.  The Lord wants us to live among those in the world and be a light unto them.  Jesus is a good example of that decision.  He received and ate with sinners, but he did not participate with them in their sins. (Luke 15:1-2.)  His enemies accused him of being sinful due to association, but he was not.  He balanced this problem in the right way.  This is the right decision.  This is not only Jacob’s choice, but ours as well.  Is one guilty by association?  No, if so, Jesus was guilty of sin.  We are guilty only by participation.  This is really Jacob’s choice and ours as well. 

 

Presented with False Choices

 

  Many are presented with false choices in life.  It is not between riding in a 200 to 300 horsepower car/truck or one-horse power buggy.  One can be riding in a buggy and still be a part of the world in one’s heart.  One can be isolated in a monastery and still have sin dwelling in one’s heart.  Jesus walked and rode a donkey.  Why not ride a donkey rather than riding in a horse-drawn buggy?  Those are false choices.  It is not wrong to ride in a high speed train or airplane.

 

   The choice is not between my traditions and your family or cultural traditions.  Many of those external things that we do are a matter of indifference to God.  There are many religious traditions that are not wrong, but they are not a part of the truth of the Gospel.  We discuss and debate them endlessly, but those things are not Jacob’s choice or ours.  We discussed many of those recently in our series “Common Religious Mistakes.”  Religious people often confuse truth and traditions.

 

   The question is not whether we should have the freedom to choose.  We have a choice. The choice is between right and wrong, good and evil.  Many think that becoming a Christian limits, binds, restricts, and takes away a life of happiness.  One thing that I liked about “Jacob’s Choice” was that Jacob really did have a choice.  The grandfather expressed that well.  He told his grandson that it was his decision.  If he wanted to leave, he could.  If he wanted to drive a car, he could.  It was his decision.  Christianity does not set up a set of false dilemmas or choices.  They are not limiting or harmful or bizarre.  The choices have to do with life and happiness, death and despair.  (John 10:10.)  If you find anything in Christianity or the Church that is truly harmful to you, reject it.  It is not of Christ. Christianity is for our good always.  (Deut. 6:24.)

 

   The spirit of man is such that it needs to be controlled by some outside power.  Why? Because it is not in man that walks to direct his own pathway.  We do not know how to live if left by ourselves.  We will harm ourselves and others.  (Jer. 10:23.)  But if we are controlled by any other power or force other than the Spirit of God, it will harm us physically, emotionally, psychologically.  The Spirit of God guides us to follow the Christ and to be godly.  Being like Jesus Christ will not harm you.  It will bring happiness, peace, maturity and security.  We do not need to be controlled by someone like Jim Jones, Hitler or any other man.  Clans and isolated communities are always controlled by someone desiring power and control over the lives of others.

 

   God allows us to choose so that our choices will be genuine.  Joshua challenged Israel of old, “Choose you this day whom you will serve…For me and my family we will serve the Lord.”  (Joshua 24:15.)  “If any man will do my will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it is of God, or whether I speak of myself.”  (John 7:17.)

 

   Concerning the abortion issue, those promoting abortion have set up a set of false choices.  Those opposing abortion say that we are pro-life.  Those advocating abortion say that they are pro-choice.  Of course, human beings have a right from God to choose how they will live, but there are consequences to our choices.  It is like asking, Do I have the freedom to choose whether I will become a suicide bomber?  Yes, you can make that choice, but there are immediate consequences.  Do you have the right to decide to become a homosexual?  Yes, but your life expectancy will be lower by 25-30 years when you do.  The choice is not between pro-life and pro-choice.  The choice of the mother is between allowing the baby to be born and live, or aborting it and putting it to death.  They frown upon such a dilemma, but these are the true choices.  Changing the words do not change what one is doing.

 

One Important Choice

 

   There are many lesser choices that we make in life, but there is one big decision that affects all others.  Once this decision is made, many other decisions will fall into place.  If we make the wrong choice on the big life question, we will go down many winding, harmful, and destructive paths. The big decision is whether we will follow Jesus Christ or not.  This is the greatest of all questions and choices.  Is the Christian worldview the right one?  Is Jesus who he said he was?  If he is the Christ, the Savior of the world, then we ought to honor Him as God among men.  This is really Jacob’s choice.  His choice was not whether he will wear plain clothes rather than colorful ones.  It is not whether he will marry only an Amish girl, but whether he will follow the Christ.  Jacob’s choice is not between remaining a farmer instead of going to law school.  Those are false choices that confuse and cloud the issue.

 

   The villagers of Samaria said, “Now we believe, not because of your saying, for we have heard him ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”  (John 4:42.)  “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”  (Matt. 11:28.)  “Whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely.”  (Rev. 22:17.)  “Ho, everyone that is thirsty, come to the waters and he that hath no money.  Come ye, buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.”  (Isa. 55:1.)

 

   The real choice we all face is whether we will live by faith or not.  This is the greatest decision of all.  (Joel 3:14.)