Quinquagesima
February 19, 2012
Justified by Faith Alone
Luke 18:35-43
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
I've never been blind, but I get sick once in a while. So do you. And when you're sick, you're helpless. You're weak, tired, and in pain. It's hard to think. Others have to help you. And this is just the 24-hour flu! Some of you face much more long lasting weakness where you must depend on others constantly.
Consider the blind man whom Jesus healed. (Mark tells us that his name was Bartimaeus.) His blindness made him helpless. He was able to eek out a life by begging, but in every way that mattered he was helpless. And being helpless made him bold. So when he's told that Jesus is going by, he screams out again and again, “Son of David, have mercy on me! Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Son of David was name for the Messiah of the world. Bartimaeus was confessing his faith in Jesus as his Savior by using this special name. He was able to use this special name and mean it because of his faith in Jesus. How did he come to have this faith in Jesus? Jesus gave it to him, just like He gave Bartimaeus his sight.
When Jesus said that Bartimaeus' faith had healed him, He was not saying that his faith was the cause of his healing. Faith only receives what Jesus gives. The cause of the blind man's healing was Jesus' desire to heal him and make him see.
Sickness, blindness, sin—they all have one thing in common. They make us helpless, more or less. The sick can recover, the blind can survive, but sin makes us totally helpless. The only hope against sin is faith in Jesus and His cross.
Being sick, being blind, and being sinful are all real problems, but it is much easier for many to pretend that sin isn't a big deal. It is so easy to sing the Kyrie without any real thought to it. “Lord, have mercy on us!”
Here's the thought behind the Kyrie: we totally rely on Jesus for absolutely everything that we have. Health, sight, and forgivness from our sin are all gifts from Jesus. When you sing this song, remember that you are blind and sick with sin. You are helpless. But in your helplessness, be bold! Have mercy, Lord!
Back in the Old Testament, you can read about Naaman, a foreign general who had leprosy. He went to God's prophet Elisha and asked to be healed (2 Kings 5). He brought $400,000 of silver and $4 million in gold to pay for his healing. But God through His prophet said, “I don't care about your money. Be healed.”
Being poor doesn't change a thing either. This blind Bartimaeus had nothing to offer Jesus—he didn't have a dime or denarius to his name. He was a blind beggar. But Jesus says, “I don't care about your lack of money. Be healed.”
Rich or poor doesn't matter to Jesus. His love is what makes us clean. When Paul talks about love in 1 Corinthians 13, he isn't talking about the passing love within friendship or the burning love of romance that burns out over time. He's talking about the love that God's Son has for you. His love put what is good and best for you ahead of what is good and best for Him.
In our Bible study today we'll hear about this love in Romans 5: 6 For at a time when we were still weak, Christ died for us ungodly people. 7 Hardly anyone will risk his life for the sake of what is right, although for a good cause someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God puts his own love for us on display in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
This is the object of our faith, Christ's love on the cross that saves us. This alone is where our faith is founded. Listen to Jesus: 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Today you'll need to keep your distance from me because I'm still a little sick. How remarkable that while we were still deathly sick with sin, Jesus came to us like the Good Samaritan and carried us to safety.
Amen.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Sexagesima
Sexagesima
February 12, 2012
Justified by Word Alone
Luke 8:4-15
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Whenever someone tries to tell you something by telling a story, they are trying to get across one idea. For example, when Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches, He's telling us a very short story to get across one idea: we totally depend on Him for everything. He's not saying that we should wear clothing made of leaves or only drink vine sap or only eat grapes.
This same principle is true today. Jesus teaches us this idea: you are justified by His word alone. But in years past Lutheran pastors in Germany saw this story as a chance to preach about sound agricultural techniques. They preached about farming for 45 minutes and ignored what Jesus was really talking about! They took an earthly story with a heavenly meaning and forced it to be a heavenly story with an earthly meaning.
These pastors who were Lutheran in name only missed the point. We are justified by God's word alone. This truth opposes any false idea that the Holy Spirit brings forgiveness directly to us. For example, many claim that they are spiritual, but not religious. What does that mean? It means that they don't go to church. Why? Because they think that their relationship with God is based on directly experiencing the divine. They scorn the truth that God has promised to come to us through His Word alone.
I'll talk about this again in April, but consider why Jesus waited all day before visiting His apostles on the evening of Easter Sunday. He did appear to the women at His empty tomb and told them to tell His men that He was alive. Why did He do that? Because He wanted them to trust His Word. He was carefully preparing them for the time when they would no longer see Him in the flesh, but would have the presence and promise of His Word alone.
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9, “though seeing, they may not see.” What does He mean? Does this mean that He really doesn't want some people to go to heaven? Certainly not. What Jesus is teaching us is that there are some who are so set against the truth, that they make themselves blind. For example, those who are in favor of murdering babies. How can they be so blind? They see the ultrasound of a little baby, but instead of a life, they see an inconvenience.
Jesus uses parables to help those who can see—believers—see even more clearly. But those same words to those who are blind—unbelievers—make them even more blind. It is to God's credit when we see more clearly, but those who are blind are blind because of their own stubbornness.
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
The Word is the key to this parable. The seed represents God's Word. Believers sow the seed as they confess Christ's cross to their friends and family. Preachers sow the seed as they proclaim Christ and Him crucified to their flocks. Parents and grandparents sow the seed as they teach their little children to pray before meals and bedtime; they sow the seed as they discuss our Christian faith at home in informal conversations around the dinner table with their teens. But at the end of the day, when we think over our religious conversations with them, whatever the outcome, we trust the real work of making the blind see is in the hands of the Holy Spirit.
But these sown seeds doesn't always produce the immediate result that we'd like. There are many who hear God's Word and dismiss it quickly. Many of you have told me about your conversations with your friends about religion. Sometimes they are say, “Hmm, that's interesting” or “You're rather narrow-minded, aren't you?”
There are others who have faith for a time, but fall away in a time of testing. Others overwhelm themselves with the earthly priorities. The test: how will you spend your time on Sunday morning?
This test strikes soon after Confirmation. We see that many of our young people aren't here. Why? There are many excuses, but they all come to this fact: what they want is more important than what Jesus wants.
But it's not just our young people; many of our mature memebers are missing, too. Why? Because they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
How can we help them? We need to allow the Holy Spirit to grow roots in our homes. Parents and grandparents, we need to water the seed that was planted at Baptism. The best way to pour the water of life upon our little kids is to water ourselves first. We can have the courage to actually re-memorize the Small Catechism—I know, it's a little scary! Have hymnals at home—one for each member of the household—and spend a little time memorizing beloved hymns. When will you have time to do all this? Turn off the electricity. Shut it down. Pull the plug and open a book. Read the Bible together. Read children's books that help you develop a Christian way of looking at the world. Good examples are the books of C.S. Lewis, his Chronicles of Narnia.
For our mature members who we miss, we'll keep on sowing the seed. Sometimes the seed will be the Law and sometimes it'll be the Gospel. So I'll continue my visits and make myself available to answer their questions about God's Word. But some of our loved ones need to have their alarm bells rung. When I listen to a member blather on about how they don't need to go to church, I must rebuke this deadly attitude because Jesus doesn't want them to burn in hell. Sowing the seed. Sometimes my rebuke will fall on deaf ears, but sometimes it won't. The same is true of you when you sow.
Just two more things. First, we are not good plants ourselves because our soil was so good. Not so! Our soil was just as rocky and dead as any other soil, to extend the metaphor of the parable. But Jesus made us good soil and sowed His holy seed of His Word. Second, sowing seed isn't a one-time operation. We have been given God's Word in abundance and we sow it recklessly, and recognize that God the Holy Spirit does the real work of planting and growing and harvesting.
We stand before God as His holy plants because Jesus died on a tree. Can a plant take credit for growing and bearing fruits and flowers? No. God makes them grow. God makes us bloom and grow through His Word alone and soon He will bring in His harvest.
Amen.
February 12, 2012
Justified by Word Alone
Luke 8:4-15
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Whenever someone tries to tell you something by telling a story, they are trying to get across one idea. For example, when Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches, He's telling us a very short story to get across one idea: we totally depend on Him for everything. He's not saying that we should wear clothing made of leaves or only drink vine sap or only eat grapes.
This same principle is true today. Jesus teaches us this idea: you are justified by His word alone. But in years past Lutheran pastors in Germany saw this story as a chance to preach about sound agricultural techniques. They preached about farming for 45 minutes and ignored what Jesus was really talking about! They took an earthly story with a heavenly meaning and forced it to be a heavenly story with an earthly meaning.
These pastors who were Lutheran in name only missed the point. We are justified by God's word alone. This truth opposes any false idea that the Holy Spirit brings forgiveness directly to us. For example, many claim that they are spiritual, but not religious. What does that mean? It means that they don't go to church. Why? Because they think that their relationship with God is based on directly experiencing the divine. They scorn the truth that God has promised to come to us through His Word alone.
I'll talk about this again in April, but consider why Jesus waited all day before visiting His apostles on the evening of Easter Sunday. He did appear to the women at His empty tomb and told them to tell His men that He was alive. Why did He do that? Because He wanted them to trust His Word. He was carefully preparing them for the time when they would no longer see Him in the flesh, but would have the presence and promise of His Word alone.
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9, “though seeing, they may not see.” What does He mean? Does this mean that He really doesn't want some people to go to heaven? Certainly not. What Jesus is teaching us is that there are some who are so set against the truth, that they make themselves blind. For example, those who are in favor of murdering babies. How can they be so blind? They see the ultrasound of a little baby, but instead of a life, they see an inconvenience.
Jesus uses parables to help those who can see—believers—see even more clearly. But those same words to those who are blind—unbelievers—make them even more blind. It is to God's credit when we see more clearly, but those who are blind are blind because of their own stubbornness.
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
The Word is the key to this parable. The seed represents God's Word. Believers sow the seed as they confess Christ's cross to their friends and family. Preachers sow the seed as they proclaim Christ and Him crucified to their flocks. Parents and grandparents sow the seed as they teach their little children to pray before meals and bedtime; they sow the seed as they discuss our Christian faith at home in informal conversations around the dinner table with their teens. But at the end of the day, when we think over our religious conversations with them, whatever the outcome, we trust the real work of making the blind see is in the hands of the Holy Spirit.
But these sown seeds doesn't always produce the immediate result that we'd like. There are many who hear God's Word and dismiss it quickly. Many of you have told me about your conversations with your friends about religion. Sometimes they are say, “Hmm, that's interesting” or “You're rather narrow-minded, aren't you?”
There are others who have faith for a time, but fall away in a time of testing. Others overwhelm themselves with the earthly priorities. The test: how will you spend your time on Sunday morning?
This test strikes soon after Confirmation. We see that many of our young people aren't here. Why? There are many excuses, but they all come to this fact: what they want is more important than what Jesus wants.
But it's not just our young people; many of our mature memebers are missing, too. Why? Because they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
How can we help them? We need to allow the Holy Spirit to grow roots in our homes. Parents and grandparents, we need to water the seed that was planted at Baptism. The best way to pour the water of life upon our little kids is to water ourselves first. We can have the courage to actually re-memorize the Small Catechism—I know, it's a little scary! Have hymnals at home—one for each member of the household—and spend a little time memorizing beloved hymns. When will you have time to do all this? Turn off the electricity. Shut it down. Pull the plug and open a book. Read the Bible together. Read children's books that help you develop a Christian way of looking at the world. Good examples are the books of C.S. Lewis, his Chronicles of Narnia.
For our mature members who we miss, we'll keep on sowing the seed. Sometimes the seed will be the Law and sometimes it'll be the Gospel. So I'll continue my visits and make myself available to answer their questions about God's Word. But some of our loved ones need to have their alarm bells rung. When I listen to a member blather on about how they don't need to go to church, I must rebuke this deadly attitude because Jesus doesn't want them to burn in hell. Sowing the seed. Sometimes my rebuke will fall on deaf ears, but sometimes it won't. The same is true of you when you sow.
Just two more things. First, we are not good plants ourselves because our soil was so good. Not so! Our soil was just as rocky and dead as any other soil, to extend the metaphor of the parable. But Jesus made us good soil and sowed His holy seed of His Word. Second, sowing seed isn't a one-time operation. We have been given God's Word in abundance and we sow it recklessly, and recognize that God the Holy Spirit does the real work of planting and growing and harvesting.
We stand before God as His holy plants because Jesus died on a tree. Can a plant take credit for growing and bearing fruits and flowers? No. God makes them grow. God makes us bloom and grow through His Word alone and soon He will bring in His harvest.
Amen.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 22, 2012
Just Say the Word
Matthew 8:8
The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Centurions weren't nice guys. Centurions were soldiers in the Roman Army who commanded 100 soldiers. And most of the time they were strict and cruel. They treated soldiers, servants, and civilians harshly. In those days using force was common and expected by everyone. You didn't want to cross a centurion.
But you might not come away with this impression if your only information about centurions comes from the Bible. In the Gospels we hear of two centurions.
One of them, the centurion who had helped to crucify Jesus, witnessed the unique events of that most remarkable day and confessed: “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)
Today we learn of the other centurion and learn from him the basis of faith. He says to Jesus, “But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” He is certain that Christ will help his servant. He does not require Christ's personal presence or a miracle or anything visible or tangible to be certain. Jesus' word is enough.
This centurion only desires one thing: for Jesus to simply say the word. Jesus is astonished by how this man puts into words what faith is. This centurion articulates the connection between the word and faith by an example from his own life.
For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Matthew 8:9)
His example describes the power of his words. When he tells someone to do something, he trusts that it is as good as done. Since this is true of an unreliable wretched sinner, how much more infinitely certain is the Word of God's Son, Jesus Christ.
The centurion confessed that he was unworthy to receive the promise of God when he told Jesus that he did not deserve to have Jesus in his house. So if he, a nobody, could use words to command and to cause trust—again—how much more infinitely does this apply to Jesus, who is the Word of God in the flesh and who speaks Himself to a world of nobodies.
Jesus is the Word made flesh. John introduce his Gospel by stating: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
The Word made flesh—Jesus—was astonished by this centurion's confession of his faith. Perhaps just as astonishing is what the centurion did not base his faith upon.
He doesn't mention his decision to be a devout follower of Jesus.
He doesn't mention that he has been a good husband, good soldier, and good master.
He doesn't mention that his servant is a good man and deserves to be healed.
He doesn't mention that he is risking his reputation (1) by going to Jesus, a poor Jew from backwater Galilee and (2) by doing all this for a mere slave, not his son, not his wife, but a slave.
The faith of the centurion and our faith both say the same thing: “Just say the word.” When we are troubled by our doubts, Jesus just says the word through Matthew, “I am always with you to the very end.” When we wonder if Jesus will forgive us for habitually cursing when no one else is around, Jesus just says the word through His pastor, “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” When we wonder if Jesus is truly present in the Sacrament of the Altar, Jesus just says the word through His pastor, “This is My body, given for you; this is My blood, shed for you.”
Just say the word, Lord. Not our words, just Yours. Say the word, say the word.
Amen.
January 22, 2012
Just Say the Word
Matthew 8:8
The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Centurions weren't nice guys. Centurions were soldiers in the Roman Army who commanded 100 soldiers. And most of the time they were strict and cruel. They treated soldiers, servants, and civilians harshly. In those days using force was common and expected by everyone. You didn't want to cross a centurion.
But you might not come away with this impression if your only information about centurions comes from the Bible. In the Gospels we hear of two centurions.
One of them, the centurion who had helped to crucify Jesus, witnessed the unique events of that most remarkable day and confessed: “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)
Today we learn of the other centurion and learn from him the basis of faith. He says to Jesus, “But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” He is certain that Christ will help his servant. He does not require Christ's personal presence or a miracle or anything visible or tangible to be certain. Jesus' word is enough.
This centurion only desires one thing: for Jesus to simply say the word. Jesus is astonished by how this man puts into words what faith is. This centurion articulates the connection between the word and faith by an example from his own life.
For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Matthew 8:9)
His example describes the power of his words. When he tells someone to do something, he trusts that it is as good as done. Since this is true of an unreliable wretched sinner, how much more infinitely certain is the Word of God's Son, Jesus Christ.
The centurion confessed that he was unworthy to receive the promise of God when he told Jesus that he did not deserve to have Jesus in his house. So if he, a nobody, could use words to command and to cause trust—again—how much more infinitely does this apply to Jesus, who is the Word of God in the flesh and who speaks Himself to a world of nobodies.
Jesus is the Word made flesh. John introduce his Gospel by stating: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
The Word made flesh—Jesus—was astonished by this centurion's confession of his faith. Perhaps just as astonishing is what the centurion did not base his faith upon.
He doesn't mention his decision to be a devout follower of Jesus.
He doesn't mention that he has been a good husband, good soldier, and good master.
He doesn't mention that his servant is a good man and deserves to be healed.
He doesn't mention that he is risking his reputation (1) by going to Jesus, a poor Jew from backwater Galilee and (2) by doing all this for a mere slave, not his son, not his wife, but a slave.
The faith of the centurion and our faith both say the same thing: “Just say the word.” When we are troubled by our doubts, Jesus just says the word through Matthew, “I am always with you to the very end.” When we wonder if Jesus will forgive us for habitually cursing when no one else is around, Jesus just says the word through His pastor, “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” When we wonder if Jesus is truly present in the Sacrament of the Altar, Jesus just says the word through His pastor, “This is My body, given for you; this is My blood, shed for you.”
Just say the word, Lord. Not our words, just Yours. Say the word, say the word.
Amen.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
The Circumcision and the Name of Jesus
The Circumcision and the Name of Jesus
January 1, 2012
The Name That Saves
Luke 2:21
And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
(New King James Version)
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Already on the eighth day of Jesus' life, His destiny is revealed in His name and in His circumcision. On this day He was given His name that His angel had delivered to His guardian:
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV 1984)
The name of Jesus in those days was a popular name like Noah or Ethan are today. There are many examples of others named Jesus in Jesus' day. But God's Son picked Jesus to be His name not because it was popular, but because He would make His name come true. Jesus means He saves.
This saving began with His conception by the Holy Spirit in blessed Mary's virgin womb. It began there because Jesus had to become what He was going to save. He had to become a human to save humans. And the only way to save us was to offer His perfect blood to pay for our guilt and sin. God became a man so that He could bleed for us.
So on this eighth day of Jesus' life, He was circumcised. Now it might seem strange to celebrate this event in Jesus' life, since for most people these days circumcision is simply a medical procedure. But from the time of Abraham to the time of Jesus, circumcision was a symbol of the unity between God and His people.
9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” (Genesis 17:9-14 NIV 1984)
Based on the promise of the coming Savior, circumcision made them one with God. And in these times, baptism has replaced circumcision. St. Paul explains:
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:9-11)
Jesus Christ was both circumcised and baptized. Why? Because He is a man. And by undergoing these divine acts of unity and forgiveness, He stepped into the role of a sinful human being, even though He was without any sin. He became Adam to save Adam's race, to save us sinners.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5 NIV 1984)
This is why Paul wrote that Jesus was born under law. He joyfully and willingly obeyed His own Law. He obeyed to save us. Because He was circumcised and with His perfect obedience, His name is a saving name. Jesus saves you.
Amen.
January 1, 2012
The Name That Saves
Luke 2:21
And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
(New King James Version)
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
Already on the eighth day of Jesus' life, His destiny is revealed in His name and in His circumcision. On this day He was given His name that His angel had delivered to His guardian:
An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV 1984)
The name of Jesus in those days was a popular name like Noah or Ethan are today. There are many examples of others named Jesus in Jesus' day. But God's Son picked Jesus to be His name not because it was popular, but because He would make His name come true. Jesus means He saves.
This saving began with His conception by the Holy Spirit in blessed Mary's virgin womb. It began there because Jesus had to become what He was going to save. He had to become a human to save humans. And the only way to save us was to offer His perfect blood to pay for our guilt and sin. God became a man so that He could bleed for us.
So on this eighth day of Jesus' life, He was circumcised. Now it might seem strange to celebrate this event in Jesus' life, since for most people these days circumcision is simply a medical procedure. But from the time of Abraham to the time of Jesus, circumcision was a symbol of the unity between God and His people.
9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” (Genesis 17:9-14 NIV 1984)
Based on the promise of the coming Savior, circumcision made them one with God. And in these times, baptism has replaced circumcision. St. Paul explains:
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:9-11)
Jesus Christ was both circumcised and baptized. Why? Because He is a man. And by undergoing these divine acts of unity and forgiveness, He stepped into the role of a sinful human being, even though He was without any sin. He became Adam to save Adam's race, to save us sinners.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5 NIV 1984)
This is why Paul wrote that Jesus was born under law. He joyfully and willingly obeyed His own Law. He obeyed to save us. Because He was circumcised and with His perfect obedience, His name is a saving name. Jesus saves you.
Amen.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sunday of Last Judgement
Sunday of Last Judgment
November 6, 2011
John 5:29
The Good Will Rise to Live
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sometimes Jesus confuses our Lutheran ears.
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28-29)
At the end of the world, the good will rise to live. Are you good?
There was one time when Jesus was traveling when a trust fund baby, a young man—we'll call him Mark—ran up to Jesus and asked Him how to get to heaven. This is what Jesus said:
“No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ” (Mark 10:28-29)
And Mark said, “Fantastic. I never did any of that stuff for my whole short life. I'm good.” Even though Mark's confidence in his own goodness was misplaced, Jesus loved Mark anyway. But since He loved Mark, He had to crush Mark's confidence in Mark.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:21-22)
Jesus slams trust in wealth; He could also have used the rest of the story to crush trust in human goodness. Substitute “good” for “rich” in the following:
Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich [or good] to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich [or good] man to enter the kingdom of God.”
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:23-27 NIV 1984)
Being rich is a state of mind. When you're a kid, a dollar is lot of money. When you're in grade school, $100 is a lot. When you're a teenager, $1,000 is a lot. How much is a lot when you're grown-up? Depends on where you come from.
Being good is a state of mind, too. When you're a kid, cleaning your room is good. When you're older, being good gets complicated. Depends on where you come from.
Some say you're good if you go to church; others say you're good if you don't. Some say you're good if you're rich; others say you're good if you're poor. Some say you're good if you're active in public life; others say you're good if you stay away from worldly business.
They're all wrong. Not of that makes you good.
Let me make it simple, or more accurately, let's let Jesus make it simple: saving yourself with your own goodness is impossible.
So God gives it to you. God does the impossible—the Father sent His Son who sends His Spirit. He loves, He dies, and He makes us alive. Hebrews 9:26 says: “[He] has appeared once for all … to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
A few minutes ago I said that sometimes Jesus confuses our Lutheran ears. The key is understanding where the good comes from. Not from us; it comes from Jesus to us through the Gospel of the Cross, sprinkled, spoken, supped.
The good will rise to live. Jesus says that you are good. That's good enough for me; it's good enough for you. God is good and He gives it to you.
Amen.
November 6, 2011
John 5:29
The Good Will Rise to Live
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sometimes Jesus confuses our Lutheran ears.
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28-29)
At the end of the world, the good will rise to live. Are you good?
There was one time when Jesus was traveling when a trust fund baby, a young man—we'll call him Mark—ran up to Jesus and asked Him how to get to heaven. This is what Jesus said:
“No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ” (Mark 10:28-29)
And Mark said, “Fantastic. I never did any of that stuff for my whole short life. I'm good.” Even though Mark's confidence in his own goodness was misplaced, Jesus loved Mark anyway. But since He loved Mark, He had to crush Mark's confidence in Mark.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:21-22)
Jesus slams trust in wealth; He could also have used the rest of the story to crush trust in human goodness. Substitute “good” for “rich” in the following:
Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich [or good] to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich [or good] man to enter the kingdom of God.”
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:23-27 NIV 1984)
Being rich is a state of mind. When you're a kid, a dollar is lot of money. When you're in grade school, $100 is a lot. When you're a teenager, $1,000 is a lot. How much is a lot when you're grown-up? Depends on where you come from.
Being good is a state of mind, too. When you're a kid, cleaning your room is good. When you're older, being good gets complicated. Depends on where you come from.
Some say you're good if you go to church; others say you're good if you don't. Some say you're good if you're rich; others say you're good if you're poor. Some say you're good if you're active in public life; others say you're good if you stay away from worldly business.
They're all wrong. Not of that makes you good.
Let me make it simple, or more accurately, let's let Jesus make it simple: saving yourself with your own goodness is impossible.
So God gives it to you. God does the impossible—the Father sent His Son who sends His Spirit. He loves, He dies, and He makes us alive. Hebrews 9:26 says: “[He] has appeared once for all … to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
A few minutes ago I said that sometimes Jesus confuses our Lutheran ears. The key is understanding where the good comes from. Not from us; it comes from Jesus to us through the Gospel of the Cross, sprinkled, spoken, supped.
The good will rise to live. Jesus says that you are good. That's good enough for me; it's good enough for you. God is good and He gives it to you.
Amen.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
August 21, 2011
The Christian Faith, One Word at a Time: Chosen
Romans 8:28-30
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
A long time ago a huge army surrounded Jerusalem. The king of this army was determined to destroy the king inside the city. This enemy king made fun of the king in the city by saying that he was like bird in a cage.
But one night God sent an angel from heaven down to Jerusalem. This angel proceeded to destroy the whole army. In the morning 185,000 dead soldiers (2 Kings 19) surrounded Jerusalem. The enemy king tucked tail and ran back home. Once again God had saved His people from certain destruction.
On the morning of this victory, a little boy looked out from Jerusalem as he stood on the city walls and saw the carnage. The day before he had looked out and had seen thousands and thousands of soldiers, spearmen, charioteers, archers, sappers, and calvarymen deployed around his city. But today he saw a miracle. This boy was Manasseh. He was a prince—he was the son of good king Hezekiah.
But seeing this miracle did not drive lasting faith into Manasseh's heart. Earlier you heard the evil things he did. But then... another miracle! Manasseh repented and believed (2 Chronicles 33). When his life ended, he did not die as God's enemy.
We see the hand of God in Manasseh's life that brought him into suffering. He was conquered and captured. He was tortured. But God chosen him and destroyed his hard heart. Manasseh's sufferings pointed him to his Rescuer, the coming Son of God, Jesus.
Romans 8:28-30 could have been written about evil king Manasseh.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Manasseh was chosen by God. We know this because God revealed to us in the Bible that Manasseh knew the Lord.
In the days that followed Manasseh's conversion he must have had some doubting days. He knew the sins he had committed.
He had worshiped idols.
He had used religion as an excuse to commit adultery.
He had descrecated God's Temple.
He had led God's people away from God.
And he had murdered his own son.
The devil must have tried to shame Manasseh into despair and drive him into unbelief. The devil must have shouted at Manasseh, “God did not choose you!! God couldn't ever choose you! Look at your life! It is filled with digusting and arrogant rebellion against God!! Hardened criminals would blush at your crimes!”
Exactly. The devil was right. Manasseh could only look at his life and despair of divine rescue. His days as a prisoner with a hook in his nose didn't make up for all the evil he had done. Even his life after coming to know God couldn't square things with the Lord.
No. Manasseh's only hope was his Savior. His hope was Jesus. And he was not disappointed. God not only wants all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4); Jesus not only paid for the sins of all people, but God in eternity chose Manasseh to be one of His sheep who would end up in heaven. Then God so ruled over history that Manasseh would hear about the coming Rescuer, Jesus, and by the power of the Gospel, Manasseh would believe it and in the end die in saving faith.
God has chosen you. You and I trust in Christ's bloody cross and in His Holy Spirit's gifts of Baptism, Word, and Communion. They are rock-solid evidence that we are chosen of God. Do not look to your life to determine if God has chosen you. Rather look to Paul's words and by faith see how God has chosen you and let it fill us with humility and comfort.
Amen.
August 21, 2011
The Christian Faith, One Word at a Time: Chosen
Romans 8:28-30
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
A long time ago a huge army surrounded Jerusalem. The king of this army was determined to destroy the king inside the city. This enemy king made fun of the king in the city by saying that he was like bird in a cage.
But one night God sent an angel from heaven down to Jerusalem. This angel proceeded to destroy the whole army. In the morning 185,000 dead soldiers (2 Kings 19) surrounded Jerusalem. The enemy king tucked tail and ran back home. Once again God had saved His people from certain destruction.
On the morning of this victory, a little boy looked out from Jerusalem as he stood on the city walls and saw the carnage. The day before he had looked out and had seen thousands and thousands of soldiers, spearmen, charioteers, archers, sappers, and calvarymen deployed around his city. But today he saw a miracle. This boy was Manasseh. He was a prince—he was the son of good king Hezekiah.
But seeing this miracle did not drive lasting faith into Manasseh's heart. Earlier you heard the evil things he did. But then... another miracle! Manasseh repented and believed (2 Chronicles 33). When his life ended, he did not die as God's enemy.
We see the hand of God in Manasseh's life that brought him into suffering. He was conquered and captured. He was tortured. But God chosen him and destroyed his hard heart. Manasseh's sufferings pointed him to his Rescuer, the coming Son of God, Jesus.
Romans 8:28-30 could have been written about evil king Manasseh.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Manasseh was chosen by God. We know this because God revealed to us in the Bible that Manasseh knew the Lord.
In the days that followed Manasseh's conversion he must have had some doubting days. He knew the sins he had committed.
He had worshiped idols.
He had used religion as an excuse to commit adultery.
He had descrecated God's Temple.
He had led God's people away from God.
And he had murdered his own son.
The devil must have tried to shame Manasseh into despair and drive him into unbelief. The devil must have shouted at Manasseh, “God did not choose you!! God couldn't ever choose you! Look at your life! It is filled with digusting and arrogant rebellion against God!! Hardened criminals would blush at your crimes!”
Exactly. The devil was right. Manasseh could only look at his life and despair of divine rescue. His days as a prisoner with a hook in his nose didn't make up for all the evil he had done. Even his life after coming to know God couldn't square things with the Lord.
No. Manasseh's only hope was his Savior. His hope was Jesus. And he was not disappointed. God not only wants all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4); Jesus not only paid for the sins of all people, but God in eternity chose Manasseh to be one of His sheep who would end up in heaven. Then God so ruled over history that Manasseh would hear about the coming Rescuer, Jesus, and by the power of the Gospel, Manasseh would believe it and in the end die in saving faith.
God has chosen you. You and I trust in Christ's bloody cross and in His Holy Spirit's gifts of Baptism, Word, and Communion. They are rock-solid evidence that we are chosen of God. Do not look to your life to determine if God has chosen you. Rather look to Paul's words and by faith see how God has chosen you and let it fill us with humility and comfort.
Amen.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
August 7, 2011
The Christian Faith, One Word at a Time: Longing (Eschatology)
Romans 8:19,23
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
There was once was a little boy. He was about seven years old. And one day, as he was eating his breakfast, he noticed that the cereal company was offering a special deal. Eat eight boxes of the cereal, cut out the UPC barcode thing, send all eight UPCs in to the company, and they'd mail you a hat.
Well, that boy just had to have that hat. So he started eating his cereal. It used to be his favorite cereal, but since his heart was set on that hat, the cereal didn't taste as good anymore. Eating all that cereal became a chore.
But he did it. He ate enough cereal and collected enough UPCs for the hat. He mailed off the labels to the cereal company and waited. Every day after school, he'd get off the bus and run to the mailbox to see what was inside. And everyday he was crushed when the box wasn't there.
The company promised delivery in six to eight weeks, but for a little boy it felt like forever. But still the little guy's hope in the coming hat box lived on. After weeks of running to the mailbox after school, his friend thought that he might be getting numb—a constantly empty mailbox must have proved to him that the hat was never coming. But even the suggestion that the postman might have misplaced the box in his truck and just might have made a second trip to the mailbox caused the little boy to speed off toward the mailbox just in case. His longing for his treasured hat was still alive.
We've all waited for things. When you're younger, most of the time you are waiting for things: toys, bikes, hats, games, you know, stuff. But as you get less young, you mostly wait for things to happen. When will I be done with middle school? When will I be done with high school? College? My apprenticeship? My promotion? When will I get married? When will I have children? When will I get to travel? When will I be done working and retire? When will I get to see my grandchildren? How long do I have to stay here on earth?
So often we long for earthly things or for earthly things to happen; rarely do we long for heaven. That's why Paul has to remind us that we are strangers here and that heaven is our eternal home:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)
We should long for things above, not because hats (worldly things) are bad, but because hats don't last. The world God created in six days can't create anything that will last forever.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed… Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:18-19, 23-25)
The devil wants us to grow numb with waiting and longing. He hopes that we turn to other diversions to pass the time and in the end divert ourselves to spiritual death. I'm not really saying this to you here today; I'm hoping that you'll help me pass along this gentle warning to the member of our church family. For our friends and family in their 20s and 30s who are just getting started in life, focusing on earthly things and failing to long for things above is dangerous.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means… 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. “ (Matthew 13:18, 20-22)
The seed on rocky places reminds me of our young adults. Some of them have not seen the Christian life modeled as they grew up. Thus they have no root. After church was over their folks never talked about church or the sermon. Church was placed in a box and only came up again on Saturday night. It consisted of parents wondering, “Are we going to church tomorrow?” Young adults have been taught that church is a boring chore.
The second half of the parable's explanation speaks to the parents and folks in their middle years. So much to do because you've tried to do it all. You're so busy that you have no time to sit and be still and ponder the mercy of Christ and how He has forgiven you and that He is coming back. You've no time to long for the things above.
Remember the longing of that little boy. He longed for that hat. He waited and waited. He still went to school. He still ate breakfast. But his heart was standing on tip-toes as he waited patiently for his earthly thing.
Dear chosen ones of God, let your hearts long for your complete redemption. As a young adult, did you skip a decade of receiving the Sacrament? You are forgiven in Christ. As a parent, did you teach your children to love the things of the world? You are forgiven in Christ. As a human being, have you allowed the worries of this life to squeeze your faith into a box? You are forgiven in Christ.
Dear fellow believers, we long for the glory that is hidden in Christ to be revealed. The Greek word for revelation at its most basic is the idea of uncovering. We perhaps can see that little boy ripping open the box for his longed-for hat. Let us so much more long for the revelation that will occur when all things are made new.
Amen.
August 7, 2011
The Christian Faith, One Word at a Time: Longing (Eschatology)
Romans 8:19,23
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear friends,
There was once was a little boy. He was about seven years old. And one day, as he was eating his breakfast, he noticed that the cereal company was offering a special deal. Eat eight boxes of the cereal, cut out the UPC barcode thing, send all eight UPCs in to the company, and they'd mail you a hat.
Well, that boy just had to have that hat. So he started eating his cereal. It used to be his favorite cereal, but since his heart was set on that hat, the cereal didn't taste as good anymore. Eating all that cereal became a chore.
But he did it. He ate enough cereal and collected enough UPCs for the hat. He mailed off the labels to the cereal company and waited. Every day after school, he'd get off the bus and run to the mailbox to see what was inside. And everyday he was crushed when the box wasn't there.
The company promised delivery in six to eight weeks, but for a little boy it felt like forever. But still the little guy's hope in the coming hat box lived on. After weeks of running to the mailbox after school, his friend thought that he might be getting numb—a constantly empty mailbox must have proved to him that the hat was never coming. But even the suggestion that the postman might have misplaced the box in his truck and just might have made a second trip to the mailbox caused the little boy to speed off toward the mailbox just in case. His longing for his treasured hat was still alive.
We've all waited for things. When you're younger, most of the time you are waiting for things: toys, bikes, hats, games, you know, stuff. But as you get less young, you mostly wait for things to happen. When will I be done with middle school? When will I be done with high school? College? My apprenticeship? My promotion? When will I get married? When will I have children? When will I get to travel? When will I be done working and retire? When will I get to see my grandchildren? How long do I have to stay here on earth?
So often we long for earthly things or for earthly things to happen; rarely do we long for heaven. That's why Paul has to remind us that we are strangers here and that heaven is our eternal home:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)
We should long for things above, not because hats (worldly things) are bad, but because hats don't last. The world God created in six days can't create anything that will last forever.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed… Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:18-19, 23-25)
The devil wants us to grow numb with waiting and longing. He hopes that we turn to other diversions to pass the time and in the end divert ourselves to spiritual death. I'm not really saying this to you here today; I'm hoping that you'll help me pass along this gentle warning to the member of our church family. For our friends and family in their 20s and 30s who are just getting started in life, focusing on earthly things and failing to long for things above is dangerous.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means… 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. “ (Matthew 13:18, 20-22)
The seed on rocky places reminds me of our young adults. Some of them have not seen the Christian life modeled as they grew up. Thus they have no root. After church was over their folks never talked about church or the sermon. Church was placed in a box and only came up again on Saturday night. It consisted of parents wondering, “Are we going to church tomorrow?” Young adults have been taught that church is a boring chore.
The second half of the parable's explanation speaks to the parents and folks in their middle years. So much to do because you've tried to do it all. You're so busy that you have no time to sit and be still and ponder the mercy of Christ and how He has forgiven you and that He is coming back. You've no time to long for the things above.
Remember the longing of that little boy. He longed for that hat. He waited and waited. He still went to school. He still ate breakfast. But his heart was standing on tip-toes as he waited patiently for his earthly thing.
Dear chosen ones of God, let your hearts long for your complete redemption. As a young adult, did you skip a decade of receiving the Sacrament? You are forgiven in Christ. As a parent, did you teach your children to love the things of the world? You are forgiven in Christ. As a human being, have you allowed the worries of this life to squeeze your faith into a box? You are forgiven in Christ.
Dear fellow believers, we long for the glory that is hidden in Christ to be revealed. The Greek word for revelation at its most basic is the idea of uncovering. We perhaps can see that little boy ripping open the box for his longed-for hat. Let us so much more long for the revelation that will occur when all things are made new.
Amen.
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