He Did Not Spare His Son from Temptation or Death

First Sunday in Lent

February 22, 2015

Mark 1:12-13

He Did Not Spare His Son from Temptation or Death

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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

He had to walk for days to get there. He brought others along, but in the end He was alone. And when He got there, He must have dreaded what He was going to have to do. And even in those last hours He prayed that His heavenly Father would intervene and would stop everything and let Him go. But His Father said that He was His beloved Son and so Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, just as He said He would.

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled. . . . Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him. "Abba, Father," He said, "everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14:32-33, 35-36)

It was the same and different for Abraham. He, too, walked for days to get to the place of sacrifice. He, too, must have dreaded what he was going to have to do. And in those last hours he must have hoped that his heavenly Father would intervene and would stop everything and let them go. And He did. He sent His Son—the angel of the Lord—to stop Abraham's knife. Abraham's son Isaac was spared.

Isaac was spared from death; Jesus was not. Why one and not the other? The answer for both was the Lord's great mercy: giving sinners the opposite of what we deserve. Life for sinful Isaac and Abraham and us; death for holy beloved Jesus.

Our dear Lord did not spare His Son from death because of His mercy. For the same reason He did not spare Him from temptation. The Letter to the Hebrews explains why the Father did not spare His Son from death or temptation.

Since the children [people of all ages] have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy Him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:14-18)

Jesus suffered in death and temptation to help us.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

He suffered and was tempted in every way to help us. And note the specific reason He helps us—so that we can stand before God's holy throne with confidence, so that we may receive mercy, so that we find grace to help us in our time of need.

When Abraham was facing the last hours of Isaac's life, he held onto to one thing that he had been given from heaven: the Lord's promise of life through the coming Savior. Whether Abraham lived or died, whether Isaac lived or died, whether we live or die, what matters is that Christ Jesus died and lives. He drank the cup of suffering His Father sent Him to drink. Repent and trust this good news!

Christ Jesus came into the world

to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

Amen.

Peter, He Just Wants Us to Listen

Transfiguration

February 15, 2015

Mark 9:5-6

Peter, He Just Wants Us to Listen

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In the name of the Father

and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Mark leads into the account of the Transfiguration with a very specific dateline: "after six days." Six days after what? Going back a bit further you read that it was six days after Peter's confession of Christ:

Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way He asked them, "Who do people say I am?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ. " (Mark 8:27-29)

The most important question in the world is Jesus' asking, "Who do you say I am?" And through the Word preached to Peter, Peter answered truthfully, "You are the Christ." With these words Peter confessed that he was a sinner and that Jesus is the Christ, the One anointed by God, to die for our sin.

By including this time stamp on the Transfiguration, it's hard not to contrast Peter's good confession of Christ with his off-the-cuff remarks on the mountain in front of a dazzling and terrifying Christ.

Peter's words earlier will contrast with his words on the mountain:

Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) (Mark 9:5-6)

Chad Bird's comments on Peter's interruption are worth pondering.

But in the middle of this breathtaking scene, what does Peter do? He starts jabbering, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” (Mark 9:5). Mark says, “Peter didn’t know what to answer” because they were terrified. In his version of the account, Luke gently adds that Peter “didn’t realize what he was saying,” (9:33). No kidding. Really, Peter, you want to build tents? You want to do something besides sit there and drink in every word? You want to turn your back on this phenomenal epiphany of Jesus’ glory to hunt down sticks and branches? You want to interrupt the conversation with Jesus and Moses and Elijah to tell them what you’d like to do for them? I have a better idea: hurry up and do nothing. That’s the most important thing you can do right now. It is indeed good for you to be here. So just be there, simply shut up and be there. (Chad Bird, 10 February 2015, "Sometimes God Wants Us to Shut Up", birdchadlouis.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/sometimes-god-wants-us-to-shut-up)

Peter's right about how good it was to be there, scared as he was. But like us, when confronted with things we don't understand, we often feel like we have to say something. And Peter says something.

But Jesus had not asked Peter to say anything. He just wanted him to use his ears and eyes. He never asked him to open his mouth. The words of Psalm 46 come quickly to mind.

Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)

And here was God standing in front of him. James and John and Peter were standing, well, cowering before God in illuminated flesh. And later the eyewitness testimony of these three men would bring added proof and comfort to the disciples of Jesus.

Even in this glorious miracle Jesus did not do this for Himself, but for His people. If He had done this for Himself, Elijah and Moses wouldn't have spoken of His coming suffering and death (Luke fills in this information for us). They would of spoken of happier things. No, Moses and Elijah were sent by God to preach the Word one last time to Peter, James, and John.

And this is why Jesus' command to them wasn't strange when He ordered them to keep this to themselves until after His death and resurrection. He didn't want them spreading this visible proof around before His Passion. His glory wasn't why He wanted them to follow Him. His suffering was the reason He came down from heaven. His suffering was the cup He would drink in order to fulfill the justice He demanded for our evil deeds and selfish attitudes.

We remember this silence commanded by Christ to His disciples in a symbolic way when we restrain our Alleluias during the season of Lent. Christ is no less glorious during the forty days of Lent that begin this Wednesday. But for our benefit we direct our eyes and ears to listen to what He does for us. We are still for a while and keep our rejoicing muted during this time. Our joy is still here and filled to overflowing because of the answer to Jesus' most important question: "Who do you say I am?" Our Spirit-given trust our dear Father's answer: "This is My Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!" And in the promise of the Son our ears hear and receive what He does: "Through water and blood, I forgive you now and forever. Amen."

Christ Jesus came into the world

to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

Alleluia! Amen.

Praying in the Dark

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

February 8, 2015

Mark 1:35

Praying in the Dark

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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. (Mark 1:35)

It had been quite a day. Jesus had gone to church where He was confronted by a screaming demon-possessed man. After He had cast out the demon, He was invited to the home of one of His disciples for dinner. But upon His arrival He was told that Peter's mother-in-law was very sick. So He healed her and then they ate. And when the Sabbath ended at sunset, hundreds of people converged on Peter's house. And Jesus spent the evening and into the night healing the sick and driving out demons.

When Jesus was finally able to lay down, He only did so for a few hours. He got up before the sun was up and went off to pray. He got up early to spend time speaking with His heavenly Father. We don't have a record of their words, but it is safe and wise to assume that the topic of discussion was us and our salvation.

"I pray . . . for those who will believe in Me through [the apostles'] message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me. I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them." (John 17:20-26)

These words from John 17 were prayed by Jesus just before He died. This time of praying in the dark from Mark 1 happened very early in the morning and very early in Jesus' preaching ministry. And we can safely see Jesus' prayer with His Father even earlier in His earthly life. When Mary and Joseph found the 12-year old Jesus, they found Him in His Father's house. Jesus made it clear that this was the natural place for Him to be: at His Father's.

Where is your natural place to be when you speak with your heavenly Father? To start with, in His house, church, either here or St. Paul's. And we see Jesus in the Temple and in Jewish worship at the synagogue. But in Mark 1 He also prayed early Sunday morning. He prayed in the dark in a secluded place. He needed to find a place where He could focus on one thing, the most important thing, the Word of God, His Word, without distractions.

I encourage you to find a place where you can speak to your Father without distractions. And perhaps your secluded place isn't so much a where, but a when. In the morning or at night when the rush of life slows, make a choice to listen to God's Word and to speak with Him about what He has just told you. Pray the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer and then let Him speak to you as you open His Book to where you left Him yesterday.

Dearly beloved, pray in the quiet dark and hear His voice as He comforts and forgives you with His Word. And His Word will do what He says. His Word drove out demons. His Word drove away fever and blindness. His Word certainly will heal your soul, day and night.

In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. (Mark 1:35)

I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: I in them and You in Me. (John 17:22-23a)

Christ Jesus came into the world

to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

Alleluia! Amen.

The Noisy Devil Cast Out By the Quiet Deliverer

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

February 1, 2015

Mark 1:23-26

The Noisy Devil Cast Out By the Quiet Deliverer

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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Though devils all the world should fill,

All eager to devour us,

We tremble not, we fear no ill;

They shall not overpow'r us.

This world's prince may still

Scowl fierce as he will,

He can harm us none.

He's judged; the deed is done!

One little Word can fell him. (A Mighty Fortress, stanza 3)

Jesus went to the Jewish place of worship, the synagogue, and began to teach with authority that the kingdom of heaven was near. But what often seems to happen when God's Word is taught faithfully for the first time in a new place happened there: the Devil tried his best to divert attention to himself.

The Devil and his underlings are so noisy. They scream and they shout. They shake and they shriek. But all of their noise is unable to overcome the firm words of that Jesus of Nazareth.

Dear friends, as we repeat and affirm the promises of Jesus in our lives, don't be surprised when we encounter the noisy attacks of our own sinful flesh and from the world and from the Devil. Noise is not a substitute, but in our time style has replaced substance as what is most important. The Devil is counting on this confusion of noise as a substitute for real authority.

All we can do is to stand firm in Christ's quiet words that deliver us from evil and the Evil One. When Jesus speaks the filthy demon out of that man at church, He tells the demon to be muzzled like one would muzzle an animal. And the demon does. He must do as God's Son demands.

How comforting for us! Even our worst and ugliest enemies must surrender to our Savior. His Words drive away our foes.

And immediately a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit cried out, "What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us. I know who You are—the Holy One of God!"

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be muzzled and come out of him!"

The unclean spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. (Mark 1:23-26)

Christ Jesus came into the world

to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

Alleluia! Amen.

+ + +

For a further discussion of this portion of Mark 1, listen to this podcast by Prof. Deutschlander:

http://welswwd.weebly.com/deutschlander-seminars.html

The Pastors's Bible Class, Part 2 (2012) by Prof. Daniel Deutschlander

Pastor's Bible Class 2012 - Part 1 - Prof. Daniel Deutschlander