Sacraments and Symbols

I put this on my finger this morning because I wanted to remember something. And so every time I looked down at my hand, I'd see this ribbon and ask say to myself 'don't forget!' Do you know what it was that I wanted to remember? A few weeks ago I was telling Gabriel that I was going to be preaching this morning, and that I have been talking about wanting to take some time to talk to the kids first. And he said that he wanted me to do that this Sunday, so I put a ribbon on my finger to remind myself that before we did the prayer and announcements and the sermon, that I was supposed to come and talk with you. And see, it worked!

Do you ever do things like that to help you remember something? Do you or your parents ever put something near your school bag or next to the front door so you'll remember to take it with you in the morning? Or do your parents ever leave notes or reminders for themselves? We can get so busy and distracted that it's hard to remember things sometimes. I have lots of reminders to help me remember things.

But I also have reminders of things that make me happy. I have pictures up in our house of the day that Elisabeth and I got married, because that was a very happy day. And we have pictures of Gabriel and Judah when they were born, because those were very happy days too. Sometimes when I'm having a bad day, they help remind me of how much I love my family and how blessed I am to have them.

Did you know that God gives us reminders of His love and His promises to us too? Can you think of any? (Rainbows, Jesus on the cross, all of creation)

And we can do things to help remind us of God's love and promise too.

We can put Bible verses in places that we'll see them every day

We can remember his part in everyday things. Especially Christmas, because it's full of symbols

Presents represent the presents brought to Jesus from the wise men

The star on top of the tree represents the star that the wise men followed, (or the angel Gabriel that told them to go)

Prayer

Sacraments

Festivals

So we have Sacraments, which are the “holy moments” that symbolize and remind us of God’s grace. We looked at festivals which are commanded to the nation of Israel, and others which are part of the modern day Christian calendar. These each have different meanings and symbolize different things, but are all designed to draw our attention to God, to serve as reminders.

And finally, I want to talk about Symbols. And for this, I’m talking about physical symbols or things.

Symbols

I want to start with two symbols that are still very present for modern day Jews. Has anyone ever seen either of these?

Tefillin

small black leather boxes

one on the forehead, one on the bicep of the left arm (sometimes non-dominant arm)

inside are four passages of scriptures

Ex 13:1-10, Ex 13:11-16, Deut 6:4-9, Deut 11:13-21

put on in a very specific way and very specific order

worn during morning prayers every day (except Sabbath and religious holidays)

in Orthodox communities, only worn by men. In non-Orthodox communities, may be worn by men and women

Mezuzah

case placed in doorways

often have the Hebrew letter Shin on the outside

inside are two passages of scripture: Deut 6:4-9, Deut 11:13-21

placed on nearly every doorway in a home or office (except bathrooms, laundry rooms, and closets), typically on the right hand side, tilted inward.

So why do Jews have these particular symbols? Why do they pray with leather boxes on their heads, and put little boxes in all their doorways? Because God said to. One of the passages inside both of these is Deut 6:4-9, which is part of one of the most important prayers in all of Judaism, the Shema Yisrael.

Shema Yisrael

Sh’ma Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad!

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 ESV

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Jews repeat the full prayer twice a day, “when you lie down, and when you rise”. They take the very word of God, his commands, and write them on scrolls, and place them in boxes which they “bind as a sign on your hand, and as frontelets between your eyes”.

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