Maundy Thursday
April 21, 2011
It's All About Cleansing
John 13:1-15
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Only two disciples are mentioned by name in our Gospel account of the Last Supper: Judas and Peter.
Jesus knew was Judas was about to betray Him. But He still washed Judas' feet along with all the rest of the disciples. Why did He wash Judas' feet? Why didn't He just have Peter, James, and John kick Judas out of the upper room? Or better yet, why had Jesus called Judas to be one of His disciples in the first place?
Because of His great mercy. He wanted Judas to go to heaven. So He allowed this sinner to hear His Word of forgiveness countless times. Jesus washed his feet, but in the end Judas tragically rejected forgiveness.
On the other hand, Peter rejected the foot washing. Perhaps the other disciples felt akward or even ashamed that Jesus was having to the perform the lowliest dirtiest of all jobs. But no one said anything. And then Peter spoke up and told Jesus that He'd never wash his feet.
But at least this time Peter listening when Jesus answered.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For He knew who was going to betray Him, and that was why He said not every one was clean. (John 13:6-11)
What was it that Peter would later understand? That because of Jesus' sacrifice, by His making Himself nothing, the lowest of the low, the most shameful sin-carrier of mankind, Peter was clean in God's eyes.
This foot washing pictured the love that sacrifcies our get-our-own-way attitude and clings to our Father's will so that another person's best interests are looked after. And getting clean is in everyone's best interest, because everyone is filthy because of sin.
Everything that Jesus did for us is about getting us clean. Hours before He gives up His body and sheds His blood on the cross, He gave His church His true body and blood to eat and to drink for the cleansing of sin.
As we join Peter in eating and drinking this Holy Supper, let us rejoice that it's all about cleansing.
Praise be to Christ, our Savior who washes us clean!
Amen.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday
April 17, 2011
What Does The Donkey Say?
Matthew 21:1-11
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
I've always been confused about the role of the donkey on Palm Sunday. Did riding on that donkey make Jesus more royal and regal? Or did it make Him ordinary and plain? I think that when these questions are answered, they'll help to inform our view of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and of Holy Week itself.
Growing up I heard that Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem was kind of like a President riding in a limo into Washington, D.C. The basic idea was that a donkey was considered to be a royal animal or at least an animal that carries royalty. But, of course, we usually think of donkeys as lowly animals, lowly beasts of burden used by common people to carry ordinary people and mundane cargo.
Consider some other people in the Bible who have ridden on donkeys. Maybe this will help us to understand the significance of the donkey. Moses' wife and kids rode on a donkey as they traveled with Moses as he went to tell Pharoah to let God's people go (Exodus 4). Balaam, a false prophet, rode a donkey on his way to curse God's people (read Numbers 22 to see how God used the donkey to actually save Balaam's life). Wise Abigail brought herself and many gifts to David on a donkey (1 Samuel 25). King Saul's invalid son Mephibosheth rode a donkey, but he never ruled anything (2 Samuel 16). We read last Sunday how the Shunammite widow rode a donkey on her way to cry and grieve at Elisha's feet over her dead son (2 Kings 4). There were a couple of other folks who rode on donkeys, but explaining who they were would take too long. Suffice to say, none of them were kings.
Another picture of Palm Sunday and Jesus riding a donkey was of a general who has conquered an enemy and was given a ticker-tape parade (or what the Romans used to call, a triumph, essentially a controlled riot) as he rides along in a chariot or on his war horse. I've also heard experts say that in the Middle East the donkey was an animal that symbolized peace, so that contrary to riding a war horse, Jesus was using this symbolism to show that He was a peaceful king.
Bottom line: there are lots of ways to understand what the donkey says or symbolizes. But the only way to understand Jesus' very intentional use of a donkey is to read Zechariah.
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9-10)
The folks laying down palms and cloaks on Jesus' path knew their Bibles. They knew God's Word because their parents had diligently taught them. So these kids grew knowing the promises about the Savior, the Messiah. Along with the buzz about Lazarus' resurrection, riding a donkey into the Holy City of David silently shouted, “This is the Messiah! This is the Christ! This is the Anointed One!”
Many in the crown, to be sure, were certain that Jesus was finally going to lead a coup d'etat against Pontius Pilate and Herod. A moment like Palm Sunday didn't come along very often, and they thought, Jesus riding a donkey was yet another sign that He was Messiah, the Chosen One. One can almost imagine people laying out palm branches leading toward the Roman palace and Herod's mansion. Perhaps they could even see Jesus' purpose in raising Lazarus from the dead to rally the people to His cause. And it had worked. Jesus had it all in the palm of His hand: the power, the crowd, the momentum. This was it!
Then He allowed the moment to pass.
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,”He said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ”
The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked Him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“ ‘From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise’?”
And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night. (Matthew 21:12-17)
Instead of going to the Roman palace and kicking out Pilate, He went to the Temple and kicked out the money-changers. Then He healed some people, had one more debate with the chief priests, and finally went back to Bethany. Huh? This isn't how you start a revolution.
To understand what the donkey says and what Palm Sunday is all about, just one thing. Move it. Move all of it back one week. Wouldn't this celebration have been so much more appropriate after Jesus rose from the dead?
So why ride a donkey now? For the same reason He rose Lazarus from the dead. To announce His true identity—the Son of God made flesh—and to bring about His true purpose—to suffer and die for our sin.
This Holy Week let us watch and pray and comtemplate our Savior's identity and purpose. The donkey says a lot. He says, “I am carrying your Savior. I am carrying your Salvation.”
Amen.
April 17, 2011
What Does The Donkey Say?
Matthew 21:1-11
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
I've always been confused about the role of the donkey on Palm Sunday. Did riding on that donkey make Jesus more royal and regal? Or did it make Him ordinary and plain? I think that when these questions are answered, they'll help to inform our view of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and of Holy Week itself.
Growing up I heard that Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem was kind of like a President riding in a limo into Washington, D.C. The basic idea was that a donkey was considered to be a royal animal or at least an animal that carries royalty. But, of course, we usually think of donkeys as lowly animals, lowly beasts of burden used by common people to carry ordinary people and mundane cargo.
Consider some other people in the Bible who have ridden on donkeys. Maybe this will help us to understand the significance of the donkey. Moses' wife and kids rode on a donkey as they traveled with Moses as he went to tell Pharoah to let God's people go (Exodus 4). Balaam, a false prophet, rode a donkey on his way to curse God's people (read Numbers 22 to see how God used the donkey to actually save Balaam's life). Wise Abigail brought herself and many gifts to David on a donkey (1 Samuel 25). King Saul's invalid son Mephibosheth rode a donkey, but he never ruled anything (2 Samuel 16). We read last Sunday how the Shunammite widow rode a donkey on her way to cry and grieve at Elisha's feet over her dead son (2 Kings 4). There were a couple of other folks who rode on donkeys, but explaining who they were would take too long. Suffice to say, none of them were kings.
Another picture of Palm Sunday and Jesus riding a donkey was of a general who has conquered an enemy and was given a ticker-tape parade (or what the Romans used to call, a triumph, essentially a controlled riot) as he rides along in a chariot or on his war horse. I've also heard experts say that in the Middle East the donkey was an animal that symbolized peace, so that contrary to riding a war horse, Jesus was using this symbolism to show that He was a peaceful king.
Bottom line: there are lots of ways to understand what the donkey says or symbolizes. But the only way to understand Jesus' very intentional use of a donkey is to read Zechariah.
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9-10)
The folks laying down palms and cloaks on Jesus' path knew their Bibles. They knew God's Word because their parents had diligently taught them. So these kids grew knowing the promises about the Savior, the Messiah. Along with the buzz about Lazarus' resurrection, riding a donkey into the Holy City of David silently shouted, “This is the Messiah! This is the Christ! This is the Anointed One!”
Many in the crown, to be sure, were certain that Jesus was finally going to lead a coup d'etat against Pontius Pilate and Herod. A moment like Palm Sunday didn't come along very often, and they thought, Jesus riding a donkey was yet another sign that He was Messiah, the Chosen One. One can almost imagine people laying out palm branches leading toward the Roman palace and Herod's mansion. Perhaps they could even see Jesus' purpose in raising Lazarus from the dead to rally the people to His cause. And it had worked. Jesus had it all in the palm of His hand: the power, the crowd, the momentum. This was it!
Then He allowed the moment to pass.
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,”He said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ”
The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked Him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“ ‘From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise’?”
And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night. (Matthew 21:12-17)
Instead of going to the Roman palace and kicking out Pilate, He went to the Temple and kicked out the money-changers. Then He healed some people, had one more debate with the chief priests, and finally went back to Bethany. Huh? This isn't how you start a revolution.
To understand what the donkey says and what Palm Sunday is all about, just one thing. Move it. Move all of it back one week. Wouldn't this celebration have been so much more appropriate after Jesus rose from the dead?
So why ride a donkey now? For the same reason He rose Lazarus from the dead. To announce His true identity—the Son of God made flesh—and to bring about His true purpose—to suffer and die for our sin.
This Holy Week let us watch and pray and comtemplate our Savior's identity and purpose. The donkey says a lot. He says, “I am carrying your Savior. I am carrying your Salvation.”
Amen.
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Fifth Sunday in Lent
April 10, 2011
A Resurrection That Led to The Resurrection
John 11
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead to make sure that Good Friday and Easter would happen, all according to His design and plan.
(1) Consider who was there to see Lazarus' resurrection.
(2) Consider the timing of Lazarus' resurrection.
(3) Consider the location of Lazarus' resurrection.
(3) And consider what the Scriptures tell us is the result.
Early in His public ministry, in Nain (Luke 7), Jesus healed the son of a widow in public. The reaction by the people is one of fear and awe. Jesus' reputation continued to grow. This resurrection seemed to be the incident that cause John to ask Jesus if Jesus was the promised Savior (Luke 7). But this public resurrection seems to be too early in Jesus' public life for it to be the catalyst for a conspiracy against Him.
In His next resurrection as His popularity grew, He purposely hide His power from the public. When Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead (Mark 5 and Luke 8), He only allowed her Mom and Dad and Peter, James, and John to actually be in the room when the miracle happened.
There were many folks outside of Jairus' house who were wailing with grief. These people laughed at Jesus when He said that this twelve year old was just asleep. He was telling them that as easily as they woke up their child from sleep, He was going to raise her from the dead—and they despised Him for this cruel joke that He was pulling on the parents.
But the miracle happened and Jesus promptly told the witnesses not to speak of it. It's not clear how long it took for the townsfolk to figure out that she was alive again, but certainly it didn't have the impact of seeing Lazarus walk out of his grave.
But perhaps more important than who saw the miracle was the timing of this particular miracle. He did it just before Passover. And then He went to Jerusalem, a city where His enemies were planning to kill... except not during the Passover Feast.
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.” (Mark 14:1-2; parallel Matthew 26:3-5)
But Jesus went to Jerusalem at Passover... and forced the chief priests and teachers of the law to finally deal with Him. Palm Sunday wasn't just about Jesus' cumulative greatness; the people were in a frenzy because of this last miracle, the resurrection of Lazarus. So many people had seen it and they all lived two miles from Jerusalem (instead of all the way up north in Galilee like Jairus' daughter and the widow's son).
The result was that dozens, if not hundreds of eyewitnesses to an undeniable miracle, poured into the Holy City just as thousands of pilgrims were arriving for the Feast of Passover.
And the result of that was that Jesus had to die. Lazarus, too.
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in Him. (John 12:9-11)
And everything turned out for the best for everybody involved. The chief priests' conspiracy to murder Jesus turned out just fine, and instead of a riot against them, they were able to turn the mob against Jesus.
But even all their crafty plans were used by Jesus to His own plan and purpose. By raising Lazarus He forced His enemies to kill Him during the Passover, the feast which involved slaughtering an innocent perfect lamb. The lamb's blood was painted on the doorframe so that the angel of death would pass over them. The original Passover had happened in Egypt, and had resulted in the deliverance from slavery and into the Promised Land.
The original Passover pointed directly into the future to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Jesus shed His bled and died. Then He rose from the dead. Good Friday and Easter happened because Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The empty tomb in Bethany led to Jesus' empty tomb and to our forgiveness and salvation.
Praise to Christ who raises the dead from their sleep!
Amen.
April 10, 2011
A Resurrection That Led to The Resurrection
John 11
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead to make sure that Good Friday and Easter would happen, all according to His design and plan.
(1) Consider who was there to see Lazarus' resurrection.
(2) Consider the timing of Lazarus' resurrection.
(3) Consider the location of Lazarus' resurrection.
(3) And consider what the Scriptures tell us is the result.
Early in His public ministry, in Nain (Luke 7), Jesus healed the son of a widow in public. The reaction by the people is one of fear and awe. Jesus' reputation continued to grow. This resurrection seemed to be the incident that cause John to ask Jesus if Jesus was the promised Savior (Luke 7). But this public resurrection seems to be too early in Jesus' public life for it to be the catalyst for a conspiracy against Him.
In His next resurrection as His popularity grew, He purposely hide His power from the public. When Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead (Mark 5 and Luke 8), He only allowed her Mom and Dad and Peter, James, and John to actually be in the room when the miracle happened.
There were many folks outside of Jairus' house who were wailing with grief. These people laughed at Jesus when He said that this twelve year old was just asleep. He was telling them that as easily as they woke up their child from sleep, He was going to raise her from the dead—and they despised Him for this cruel joke that He was pulling on the parents.
But the miracle happened and Jesus promptly told the witnesses not to speak of it. It's not clear how long it took for the townsfolk to figure out that she was alive again, but certainly it didn't have the impact of seeing Lazarus walk out of his grave.
But perhaps more important than who saw the miracle was the timing of this particular miracle. He did it just before Passover. And then He went to Jerusalem, a city where His enemies were planning to kill... except not during the Passover Feast.
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.” (Mark 14:1-2; parallel Matthew 26:3-5)
But Jesus went to Jerusalem at Passover... and forced the chief priests and teachers of the law to finally deal with Him. Palm Sunday wasn't just about Jesus' cumulative greatness; the people were in a frenzy because of this last miracle, the resurrection of Lazarus. So many people had seen it and they all lived two miles from Jerusalem (instead of all the way up north in Galilee like Jairus' daughter and the widow's son).
The result was that dozens, if not hundreds of eyewitnesses to an undeniable miracle, poured into the Holy City just as thousands of pilgrims were arriving for the Feast of Passover.
And the result of that was that Jesus had to die. Lazarus, too.
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in Him. (John 12:9-11)
And everything turned out for the best for everybody involved. The chief priests' conspiracy to murder Jesus turned out just fine, and instead of a riot against them, they were able to turn the mob against Jesus.
But even all their crafty plans were used by Jesus to His own plan and purpose. By raising Lazarus He forced His enemies to kill Him during the Passover, the feast which involved slaughtering an innocent perfect lamb. The lamb's blood was painted on the doorframe so that the angel of death would pass over them. The original Passover had happened in Egypt, and had resulted in the deliverance from slavery and into the Promised Land.
The original Passover pointed directly into the future to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Jesus shed His bled and died. Then He rose from the dead. Good Friday and Easter happened because Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The empty tomb in Bethany led to Jesus' empty tomb and to our forgiveness and salvation.
Praise to Christ who raises the dead from their sleep!
Amen.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
First Sunday in Lent
First Sunday in Lent
March 13, 2011
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
Matthew 6:13
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Sometimes God seems to be the enemy.
From time to time we feel that God gives us too much to handle. We sense that God is allowing too much temptation into our life. From our point of view here on the earth it even may seem as though God is the one who is tempting us, directly or indirectly. It seems like He is the enemy.
Dear children, do you remember your parents telling you about what God asked Abraham to do Isaac?
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” (Genesis 22:2)
He asked him to kill Isaac, his only son. God seemed to be so cruel. He asked Abraham to destroy the one thing in his life that he truly cared about, his miracle son, Isaac. He asked Abraham to commit kill an innocent man. He asked Abraham to destroy the plan of salvation that God Himself had promised to Abraham, when He told him that all nations on earth would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 18:18).
On top of all that, God makes Abraham think about all of this during the three-day walk to Mt. Moriah (the future location of Jerusalem), the intended place of Isaac's sacrifice.
Dear children, doesn't God sometimes seem to be the enemy?
And dear grown-ups, what about Job? Later today tell your children what God did to Job.
And this kind of thing doesn't stop in the Old Testament.
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came to Him and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” (Matthew 15:21-26)
Where is gentle Jesus, so meek and so mild?
Even in the Lord's Prayer, is there not a hint of the possibility of God as the enemy? We cry to Him: “Lead us not into temptation!” St. James tells us, “When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.” (James 1:13) Luther echoed this thought in his explanation to the Sixth Petition—God is never the source of temptation.
But still, given the examples mentioned, does not God at times appear or allow Himself to be perceived as the source of temptation? And isn't this what we are asking of God when we prayer His prayer? Please dear God, don't deal with me like this, don't act like You want me to fail and fall and despair and die without You! Don't appear as the One who would lead into temptation!
How are we supposed to love a God who seems to hate us? This is the question that has haunted the faithful for thousands of years. And what is the answer? Job's wife advice to her husband was to curse God and die (Job 2:9). But the answer of the faithful is the answer of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)
When faced with the temptation to doubt God's love, the answer of the faithful sounds feeble, but it is still the answer. We confess absolute trust in God's ways, just as Abraham trusted God.
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. (Hebrews 11:17-19)
When you pray, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner,” you are confessing total trust in God and His ways and in His way of doing things. And His ways of doing things was to ask His only begotten Son, Jesus, to sacrifice Himself on Mt. Moriah, Jerusalem. And Jesus willingly answered His Father's request.
And He spent not three days with the knowledge of His sacrifice, but thousands of years. And He still went.
He faced real temptations for 33 years on earth. And He still went.
He went for us.
Amen.
________________
This sermon was adapted from the wonderful and insightful words of Prof. Em. Daniel Deutschlander (The Theology of the Cross: Reflections on His Cross and Ours, pages 56-60). Any confusing or inaccurate portions belong to me alone. Indeed you must read this insightful work many times to mine its treasures. It is available from Northwestern Publishing House.
March 13, 2011
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
Matthew 6:13
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Sometimes God seems to be the enemy.
From time to time we feel that God gives us too much to handle. We sense that God is allowing too much temptation into our life. From our point of view here on the earth it even may seem as though God is the one who is tempting us, directly or indirectly. It seems like He is the enemy.
Dear children, do you remember your parents telling you about what God asked Abraham to do Isaac?
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” (Genesis 22:2)
He asked him to kill Isaac, his only son. God seemed to be so cruel. He asked Abraham to destroy the one thing in his life that he truly cared about, his miracle son, Isaac. He asked Abraham to commit kill an innocent man. He asked Abraham to destroy the plan of salvation that God Himself had promised to Abraham, when He told him that all nations on earth would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 18:18).
On top of all that, God makes Abraham think about all of this during the three-day walk to Mt. Moriah (the future location of Jerusalem), the intended place of Isaac's sacrifice.
Dear children, doesn't God sometimes seem to be the enemy?
And dear grown-ups, what about Job? Later today tell your children what God did to Job.
And this kind of thing doesn't stop in the Old Testament.
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came to Him and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” (Matthew 15:21-26)
Where is gentle Jesus, so meek and so mild?
Even in the Lord's Prayer, is there not a hint of the possibility of God as the enemy? We cry to Him: “Lead us not into temptation!” St. James tells us, “When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.” (James 1:13) Luther echoed this thought in his explanation to the Sixth Petition—God is never the source of temptation.
But still, given the examples mentioned, does not God at times appear or allow Himself to be perceived as the source of temptation? And isn't this what we are asking of God when we prayer His prayer? Please dear God, don't deal with me like this, don't act like You want me to fail and fall and despair and die without You! Don't appear as the One who would lead into temptation!
How are we supposed to love a God who seems to hate us? This is the question that has haunted the faithful for thousands of years. And what is the answer? Job's wife advice to her husband was to curse God and die (Job 2:9). But the answer of the faithful is the answer of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)
When faced with the temptation to doubt God's love, the answer of the faithful sounds feeble, but it is still the answer. We confess absolute trust in God's ways, just as Abraham trusted God.
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. (Hebrews 11:17-19)
When you pray, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner,” you are confessing total trust in God and His ways and in His way of doing things. And His ways of doing things was to ask His only begotten Son, Jesus, to sacrifice Himself on Mt. Moriah, Jerusalem. And Jesus willingly answered His Father's request.
And He spent not three days with the knowledge of His sacrifice, but thousands of years. And He still went.
He faced real temptations for 33 years on earth. And He still went.
He went for us.
Amen.
________________
This sermon was adapted from the wonderful and insightful words of Prof. Em. Daniel Deutschlander (The Theology of the Cross: Reflections on His Cross and Ours, pages 56-60). Any confusing or inaccurate portions belong to me alone. Indeed you must read this insightful work many times to mine its treasures. It is available from Northwestern Publishing House.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Transfiguration Sunday
Transfiguration Sunday
March 6, 2011
Moses and Elijah Say A Lot
Matthew 17:1-9
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
About a week after Peter correctly confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus went up a mountain—we're not sure which one—and allowed His glory to shine. The visible glory coming from Jesus, along with the Father's voice from heaven, combined to confirm with certainty that Peter had been right earlier in the week.
And speaking of time, Jesus showed His glory at this specific time for a specific reason. He showed His glory not at the beginning of His public ministry or shortly after calling His disciples. Instead, His transfiguration happened shortly before He travels to Jerusalem to die.
He dazzled Peter, James, and John at this specific time to finish His work of revealing Himself to them. If you will, this was the final act of His epiphany, His revealing Himself to other people.
In addition to Peter, James, and John, there were two other men there that day: Moses and Elijah. I think one of the most interesting aspects of Jesus' transfiguration is the presence of Moses and Elijah.
To understand why Moses and Elijah were there that day you have to understand who they were. In short Moses was the Law and Elijah was the Prophet. They represented a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Jesus and His apostles often use the nickname “the Law and the Prophets” for the Old Testament.
For example... [Jesus said:] “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:40)
[Jesus said:] “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.” (Luke 16:16)
After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to [Paul and Barnabas], saying, “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.” (Acts 13:15)
[Paul wrote:] But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. (Romans 3:21)
Moses symbolized the Law and Elijah symbolized the Prophets.
God used Moses as His representative to Pharaoh and under his leadership God led Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 2-14). Then God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on the mountain of Sinai (Exodus 20). To every Israelite, Moses was the Lawgiver, the ambassador that God had chosen to reveal God's perfect expectations for every human being.
Elijah was one of the greatest prophets who ever lived. He was the prophet of God who challenged hundreds of false prophets to a contest to see whose God was the true God (1 Kings 18). After God won the challenge for him, Elijah led the people to kill the false prophets. This caused the evil king of Israel, who liked the false prophets, to chase after Elijah. And Elijah ran to Mt. Sinai, where God appeared to him as a whisper (1 Kings 19).
Moses and Elijah shared this experience—they both encountered God on Mt. Sinai. Another common bond was that their lives ended in extraordinary ways.
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo... across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land... And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. [The Lord] buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. (Deuteronomy 34:1,5-7)
As [Elijah and Elisha] were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. (2 Kings 2:11-12)
These two men knew God. And God took a personal interest in how they left the earth. And now Peter, James, and John saw these men standing next to Jesus and talking with Him. St. Luke tells us that they spoke about His departure, which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem (Luke 9:30).
Moses and Elijah represented the Old Testament or Promise; Jesus represented the New Testament, but even more He was the New Promise. He was going to fulfill eve perfect expectation that He, God, had for every human being.
Just by being there, Moses and Elijah say a lot about who Jesus is and what He did for us.
Amen.
March 6, 2011
Moses and Elijah Say A Lot
Matthew 17:1-9
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
About a week after Peter correctly confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus went up a mountain—we're not sure which one—and allowed His glory to shine. The visible glory coming from Jesus, along with the Father's voice from heaven, combined to confirm with certainty that Peter had been right earlier in the week.
And speaking of time, Jesus showed His glory at this specific time for a specific reason. He showed His glory not at the beginning of His public ministry or shortly after calling His disciples. Instead, His transfiguration happened shortly before He travels to Jerusalem to die.
He dazzled Peter, James, and John at this specific time to finish His work of revealing Himself to them. If you will, this was the final act of His epiphany, His revealing Himself to other people.
In addition to Peter, James, and John, there were two other men there that day: Moses and Elijah. I think one of the most interesting aspects of Jesus' transfiguration is the presence of Moses and Elijah.
To understand why Moses and Elijah were there that day you have to understand who they were. In short Moses was the Law and Elijah was the Prophet. They represented a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Jesus and His apostles often use the nickname “the Law and the Prophets” for the Old Testament.
For example... [Jesus said:] “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:40)
[Jesus said:] “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.” (Luke 16:16)
After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to [Paul and Barnabas], saying, “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.” (Acts 13:15)
[Paul wrote:] But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. (Romans 3:21)
Moses symbolized the Law and Elijah symbolized the Prophets.
God used Moses as His representative to Pharaoh and under his leadership God led Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 2-14). Then God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on the mountain of Sinai (Exodus 20). To every Israelite, Moses was the Lawgiver, the ambassador that God had chosen to reveal God's perfect expectations for every human being.
Elijah was one of the greatest prophets who ever lived. He was the prophet of God who challenged hundreds of false prophets to a contest to see whose God was the true God (1 Kings 18). After God won the challenge for him, Elijah led the people to kill the false prophets. This caused the evil king of Israel, who liked the false prophets, to chase after Elijah. And Elijah ran to Mt. Sinai, where God appeared to him as a whisper (1 Kings 19).
Moses and Elijah shared this experience—they both encountered God on Mt. Sinai. Another common bond was that their lives ended in extraordinary ways.
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo... across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land... And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. [The Lord] buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. (Deuteronomy 34:1,5-7)
As [Elijah and Elisha] were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. (2 Kings 2:11-12)
These two men knew God. And God took a personal interest in how they left the earth. And now Peter, James, and John saw these men standing next to Jesus and talking with Him. St. Luke tells us that they spoke about His departure, which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem (Luke 9:30).
Moses and Elijah represented the Old Testament or Promise; Jesus represented the New Testament, but even more He was the New Promise. He was going to fulfill eve perfect expectation that He, God, had for every human being.
Just by being there, Moses and Elijah say a lot about who Jesus is and what He did for us.
Amen.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
February 20, 2011
Jesus Goes the Extra Mile
Matthew 5:41
Dear friends,
You really got to hand it to David. He really pulled a stunt that people have been talking about every since. He and a buddy snuck into the enemy camp and stole the enemy king's water jug and spear.
Now this prank won't make any sense unless you know that this enemy king, Saul, was trying to kill David. You also need to know that God had anointed David as the new king of Israel, specifically to replace corrupt Saul.
From the world's point of view, David had every right to take out Saul. Some might even say that this was self-defense, since Saul had already hurled a couple of javelins at David.
From a believer's point of view, killing Saul might have justified since Saul was essentially a usurper to the throne. A king who respected God's word would have abdicated the throne to God's chosen successor.
But David was having none of that. He honored his king, God's representive, and refused to harm him. The words of the Fourth Commandment and its explanation show us David's thinking:
Honor your father and mother, that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. This means that we should fear and love God that we do not dishonor or anger our parents and others in authority like kings, but honor, serve, and obey them, and give them love and respect.
David went the extra mile. From every human point of view he had every right to protect himself, but because above all things he trusted in God, he chose to put the best interests of others before his own best interests.
What a great guy, right? Wrong. Little David, whom Samuel had anointed to be the next king, who killed Goliath, and who had lead Israel's armies to many victories, showed who he really was when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband eliminated.
David walked many extra miles because of God's mercy, but in the end he fell into the ditch.
Listen. There are times when I know you go the extra mile.
When friends come to you with juicy gossip about a personal enemy, you amaze them by refusing to participate in their sharp words, and perhaps even speaking well of him.
There are times when you use blasphemous words in front of our children and instead of pretending that it's okay to use God's name in vain, you amaze your children by confessing that your words are sinful and that you are ashamed of yourself and will strive to run away from those words in the future.
One of my favorite things about the Hy-Vee is watching the kind workers and shoppers help each other. Maybe something as simple as a bag boy running after a shopper who forgot their milk. Perhaps someone noticing that a small child is alone and risking a misunderstanding by stepping in to make sure that she is reunited with her mom.
Believers and unbelievers alike go the extra mile. But in the end we must admit that we are just like David. He said:
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me. (Psalm 51:1-3)
David saw that no matter how many mountains of earthly good he did, it added up to barely a hill of beans to God. All the extra miles David walked didn't get him one inch closer to God.
But David still asked that God wash away his sin. In light of what I just said, this doesn't make much sense. But in view of Jesus and His cross-bearing for us, God will wash us clean because Jesus went the extra mile. And He walked for us in our place.
Ever done a walk-a-thon? You walk for other people who can't walk and they pay money to your charity based on your mileage.
Jesus walked for us.
We didn't pay Him;
He paid for us.
We don't donate anything on His behalf to anyone;
instead He rewards us by bringing us near and into His kingdom.
We walked because He first walked for us first. We love because first He loved us.
Jesus walked the extra mile for us. Period.
Amen.
February 20, 2011
Jesus Goes the Extra Mile
Matthew 5:41
Dear friends,
You really got to hand it to David. He really pulled a stunt that people have been talking about every since. He and a buddy snuck into the enemy camp and stole the enemy king's water jug and spear.
Now this prank won't make any sense unless you know that this enemy king, Saul, was trying to kill David. You also need to know that God had anointed David as the new king of Israel, specifically to replace corrupt Saul.
From the world's point of view, David had every right to take out Saul. Some might even say that this was self-defense, since Saul had already hurled a couple of javelins at David.
From a believer's point of view, killing Saul might have justified since Saul was essentially a usurper to the throne. A king who respected God's word would have abdicated the throne to God's chosen successor.
But David was having none of that. He honored his king, God's representive, and refused to harm him. The words of the Fourth Commandment and its explanation show us David's thinking:
Honor your father and mother, that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. This means that we should fear and love God that we do not dishonor or anger our parents and others in authority like kings, but honor, serve, and obey them, and give them love and respect.
David went the extra mile. From every human point of view he had every right to protect himself, but because above all things he trusted in God, he chose to put the best interests of others before his own best interests.
What a great guy, right? Wrong. Little David, whom Samuel had anointed to be the next king, who killed Goliath, and who had lead Israel's armies to many victories, showed who he really was when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband eliminated.
David walked many extra miles because of God's mercy, but in the end he fell into the ditch.
Listen. There are times when I know you go the extra mile.
When friends come to you with juicy gossip about a personal enemy, you amaze them by refusing to participate in their sharp words, and perhaps even speaking well of him.
There are times when you use blasphemous words in front of our children and instead of pretending that it's okay to use God's name in vain, you amaze your children by confessing that your words are sinful and that you are ashamed of yourself and will strive to run away from those words in the future.
One of my favorite things about the Hy-Vee is watching the kind workers and shoppers help each other. Maybe something as simple as a bag boy running after a shopper who forgot their milk. Perhaps someone noticing that a small child is alone and risking a misunderstanding by stepping in to make sure that she is reunited with her mom.
Believers and unbelievers alike go the extra mile. But in the end we must admit that we are just like David. He said:
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me. (Psalm 51:1-3)
David saw that no matter how many mountains of earthly good he did, it added up to barely a hill of beans to God. All the extra miles David walked didn't get him one inch closer to God.
But David still asked that God wash away his sin. In light of what I just said, this doesn't make much sense. But in view of Jesus and His cross-bearing for us, God will wash us clean because Jesus went the extra mile. And He walked for us in our place.
Ever done a walk-a-thon? You walk for other people who can't walk and they pay money to your charity based on your mileage.
Jesus walked for us.
We didn't pay Him;
He paid for us.
We don't donate anything on His behalf to anyone;
instead He rewards us by bringing us near and into His kingdom.
We walked because He first walked for us first. We love because first He loved us.
Jesus walked the extra mile for us. Period.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 13, 2011
Jesus Hates Hate
Matthew 5:21-22
Dear friends,
Is it ever okay to hate something?
If by hate you mean getting emotional and angry, then the answer is no.
But if you mean recognizing that something to be dangerous and saying as much, then the answer is yes, and it would be foolish not to.
Jesus recognizes that sin is dangerous and He says that the sins of murder and hate are really the same sin and both are dangerous to our souls.
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)
Even unbelievers recognize that ending another human life when they have no right to do so is evil. Murder is wrong. There are many unbelievers who recognize the truth that abortion is the murder of unborn children. You don't have to trust in Christ to call murder a sin.
But even believers struggle to properly recognize that hate is sin. Jesus hates hate. That is to say that Jesus, our perfect Savior, recognizes that burning grudges and angry thoughts against our fellow man are dangerous to our souls. He hates hate.
We do everything we can to pretend that hateful thoughts and silent anger aren't dangerous. We even call these sinful feelings good by pretending that they are directed toward people who are different from us. Since we are good and they are bad, then it is okay to hate them. And these “bad” people have probably done something to you, probably something that you never bothered to bring up with them because if they didn't know what they've done wrong, then you have every right to go on hating them.
I used to shepherd a large congregation. It was filled with many wonderful folks. But it was also a place where many grudges were alive and growing. Old conflicts that had never seen the light of Christian conversation or rebuke had become the bitter lifeblood of many members. And not just the older folks.
I've been here less than two years. So far I haven't seen that kind of bitterness here, and I thank our gracious God for this blessing. I mention all of this because it is better to talk about these sins openly and by Jesus' mercy, to run away from the temptation to hang on to hate.
Jesus hates hate. He regards these sinful thoughts seriously and rebukes them harshly. Years after the Sermon on the Mount, He inspired His Apostle John to say that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in Him (1 John 3:15).
This means that all of us don't deserve eternal life because all of us by nature love to hate. Maybe we rarely lose our temper, but hate can be quiet, too. Every time we put our selves first we are hating our brother and loving me first. This is natural. It is also sinful. We love to hate.
But Jesus hates hate and this precisely why haters like us will have eternal life. Only the perfect Son of God who hides Himself in human flesh can perfectly avoid hate and always love others in a perfectly selfless way. His every thought was in perfect harmony with His Father's will and His Father's will is that all should be saved. He wants the best for everyone. And He sacrificed Himself to get the best for us.
So when you hear Jesus' rebuke that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, despair of yourself and put your trust in Jesus, who hates hate perfectly. He is love in the flesh. And His love sent His body to the cross and suffering.
Through Baptism He has given Riley new life and a new heart of love. And for her whole life whenever she is tempted to hate, she can run to her refuge and strength, Riley's every present in trouble. And should anger overwhlem her, she will turn her eyes to the cross and to her heart to her Baptism, where Jesus died and where she personally was made clean forever.
Jesus hates hate, but He loves Riley and He loves you.
Amen.
February 13, 2011
Jesus Hates Hate
Matthew 5:21-22
Dear friends,
Is it ever okay to hate something?
If by hate you mean getting emotional and angry, then the answer is no.
But if you mean recognizing that something to be dangerous and saying as much, then the answer is yes, and it would be foolish not to.
Jesus recognizes that sin is dangerous and He says that the sins of murder and hate are really the same sin and both are dangerous to our souls.
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)
Even unbelievers recognize that ending another human life when they have no right to do so is evil. Murder is wrong. There are many unbelievers who recognize the truth that abortion is the murder of unborn children. You don't have to trust in Christ to call murder a sin.
But even believers struggle to properly recognize that hate is sin. Jesus hates hate. That is to say that Jesus, our perfect Savior, recognizes that burning grudges and angry thoughts against our fellow man are dangerous to our souls. He hates hate.
We do everything we can to pretend that hateful thoughts and silent anger aren't dangerous. We even call these sinful feelings good by pretending that they are directed toward people who are different from us. Since we are good and they are bad, then it is okay to hate them. And these “bad” people have probably done something to you, probably something that you never bothered to bring up with them because if they didn't know what they've done wrong, then you have every right to go on hating them.
I used to shepherd a large congregation. It was filled with many wonderful folks. But it was also a place where many grudges were alive and growing. Old conflicts that had never seen the light of Christian conversation or rebuke had become the bitter lifeblood of many members. And not just the older folks.
I've been here less than two years. So far I haven't seen that kind of bitterness here, and I thank our gracious God for this blessing. I mention all of this because it is better to talk about these sins openly and by Jesus' mercy, to run away from the temptation to hang on to hate.
Jesus hates hate. He regards these sinful thoughts seriously and rebukes them harshly. Years after the Sermon on the Mount, He inspired His Apostle John to say that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in Him (1 John 3:15).
This means that all of us don't deserve eternal life because all of us by nature love to hate. Maybe we rarely lose our temper, but hate can be quiet, too. Every time we put our selves first we are hating our brother and loving me first. This is natural. It is also sinful. We love to hate.
But Jesus hates hate and this precisely why haters like us will have eternal life. Only the perfect Son of God who hides Himself in human flesh can perfectly avoid hate and always love others in a perfectly selfless way. His every thought was in perfect harmony with His Father's will and His Father's will is that all should be saved. He wants the best for everyone. And He sacrificed Himself to get the best for us.
So when you hear Jesus' rebuke that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, despair of yourself and put your trust in Jesus, who hates hate perfectly. He is love in the flesh. And His love sent His body to the cross and suffering.
Through Baptism He has given Riley new life and a new heart of love. And for her whole life whenever she is tempted to hate, she can run to her refuge and strength, Riley's every present in trouble. And should anger overwhlem her, she will turn her eyes to the cross and to her heart to her Baptism, where Jesus died and where she personally was made clean forever.
Jesus hates hate, but He loves Riley and He loves you.
Amen.
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