Game of Thrones

As I write, it’s the eve of the third annual National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. I plan to wear an orange shirt tomorrow and Sunday and I’ve been blessed to have time today to take in some Indigenous culture and interviews to honour what is happening and to learn.

My Sunday sermon is actually titled Game of Thrones. No, I’ve never read the books or watched the Emmy-winning tv show. I do know that it’s about kings and power and wars to gain and protect land, and that it contains some of the most violent and worst of human behaviour. Death is a constant companion. This is colonialism at some of its most grim. It seems a fitting reference when I’m preaching on Abram gathering his men to go and get back the stolen people and goods from the conquest of Sodom, including his nephew Lot. It’s also fitting on this Truth and Reconciliation weekend.

There is lots going on in this story from Genesis 14. Abram steps up to rescue Lot and the others and their stolen stuff, and then a mysterious King and high priest, Melchizedek, serves him bread and wine and blesses him. Abram then gives him a tenth of the spoils, the first official tithe recorded in scripture. The king of Sodom offers to let Abram keep some of the loot that he got back, but Abram refuses. He knows the reputation of Sodom and doesn’t want any tie to it whatsoever or to owe them anything. We know that not too much later it was decimated for the wickedness of the people there.

Many of the chapters in Abram’s story are intriguing, but this one in particular stands out. There seem to be important precursors to Jesus here - the bread and wine offered by a high priest - and the idea of giving a tenth of what you ‘earn’ to the one representing God. Melchizedek is later mentioned in Psalm 110 and Jesus references this psalm in every gospel but John.

I’m a pacifist, so the testosterone of Genesis 14 doesn’t do much for me. However, being willing to sacrifice yourself out of loyalty to family is something I can get into. Having integrity to do the right thing, not keeping what you pillaged back from enemies in order to keep your conscience clear, and honouring God - these are things that I find courageous and inspiring in this story.

There area many kings talked about here and alliances formed and battles fought. We still today have colonial roots to overcome, with some ‘kings’ - whether in politics or business or elsewhere - who lack the ethics and faith of Abram, who are looking to increase their territory and loot at any cost. They see no problem with workers living below the poverty line or causing environmental destruction but instead only see opportunities to accumulate more. They would not understand the significance of a blessing from someone like Melchizedek or fellowship at a shared meal.

I wonder if we are keeping our eyes focused on those God has given us in family and community rather than the shiny things that we are constantly reminded we need and should hoard to look after ourselves first. Are we still spiritually attuned enough to hear the cry of those needing our help because of the constant battles they face, sometimes from beyond the grave? Are we listening or just worn down with our own problems and missing the heart-breaking realities of those all around us? Are we able to recognize the long-term cost of the pillaging done by those before us?

This is an important weekend for so many reasons. May we see Christ among us, offering us bread and wine even as we return to the table from the people we are reaching out our hands to serve in His name. May we have done the work that is needed so that our high priest offers us a blessing that will keep us going. May we return to a place of peace, handing it all over to the High Priest who reigns above.