Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
It is not a typo (not that I don’t occasionally make a mistake when pushing the keys while I am on the computer). It even gets through the spell check (but not the grammar check). It is just not the way that we are used to hearing the phrase. Usually it is, “So and so won’t let you down.”
But it just one extra letter—an “r.” Jesus won’t let you drown. It makes sense. Even more so if we go to the Sea of Galilee. The disciples needed to recognize that. We need to realize it too. Jesus won’t let you drown—figuratively. He comes with his merciful help and with his mighty hand. We read from …
Matthew 14:22-33
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, our present and powerful Savior,
During the summer months, it is not uncommon at some time to be around or in water. We do have 11,842 lakes in this state. In some cases, a life jacket is not just recommended by mom, but required by law. They are valuable when you are swimming or when you are kayaking.
Those activities are fun. But they can be dangerous. So it is good to strap one of those around your chest even though they are unwieldy and even if they are uncomfortable. (There is your public service announcement. The DNR can thank me later.) That is because we don’t breathe too well under water (without an oxygen tank or plastic snorkel, of course). If you haven’t tried it already, don’t. And it also takes a bit of effort and expertise to float above water. Especially in the case of an emergency, the life jacket does its job.
So does Jesus.
Jesus Won’t Let You Drown
1. He comes with his merciful help (22-27)
2. He comes with his mighty hand (28-33)
1. He comes with his merciful help (22-27)
Pools and ponds often have lifeguards. They are not there to work on their tans. They are to guard life. (It is in the name.) In case there is a problem, they lend their professional assistance so that you don’t sink to the bottom and stay there. They do it to get paid. Jesus does it to take care. Jesus won’t let you drown. He comes with his merciful help.
It had been a busy day for Jesus. He had healed the sick (Mt 14:14). And he had fed the hungry—5000+ with a boy’s lunch box of two fish and five loaves of bread. There were even leftovers! That got the people excited. The thought crossed their minds, “Wouldn’t it be great if he would do that all the time?” He would make quite the king with his free food (Jn 6:15).
But that is not why Jesus came—to provide social security, but instead to offer salvation security. So he took action right away. “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd” (Mt 14:22). He quickly put a stop to any plans to put him on a throne. That kind of thinking could not corrupt his followers or continue in their heads.
It wasn’t that he didn’t like groups of people like some stay away from the Great Minnesota Get-together because of the mass of humanity. He needed some quiet time. “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray” (Mt 14:23). The Son had to speak to his heavenly Father. He had not come to be declared a king by popular choice, but to die on a wooden cross. That is how he would wear a crown. “When evening came, he was there alone” (Mt 14:23). Did he ask for strength to keep on going in those evening hours? Did he plead for his followers in his earnest requests? He prayed. And for an extended period of time.
While he was on that hill, the 12 were in the boat. But this was no pleasure cruise. They had been at it for hours, rowing and rowing. They had made some progress—“the boat was already a considerable distance from land” (Mt 14:24). But then things got ugly. One of the storms that is characteristic of that body of water blew in. That is because it sits in a bowl—680 feet below sea level. Gusts whip over the surrounding peaks and rile up the sea. If you have seen any footage of Hurricane Harvey in Texas you might get a visual. Good thing that many of them were fishermen. They had dealt with this kind of tempest before. But their experience only did so much. Their little ship was in serious trouble—“buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it” (Mt 14:24). It kept on beating and beating against their faces. Their oars did little good. This was getting scarier and scarier as the hours passed. It was the “fourth watch of the night” (Mt 14:25). That is between 3:00-6:00 in the morning. They were more than likely weary and worn.
But those men were never out of sight or out of mind. In fact, Jesus had put them in that vessel aware of the squall that was coming like a mother who takes a toddler to the doctor mindful that there might be some pain. He knew where they were now and what they confronted. That is a good reminder for us. We use that comparison when we encounter difficulties or dangers. We refer to them as “the storms of life.” And it may not be water from waves running down our faces. Those are tears. And then we wonder. Where is Jesus?
He is there. It was that way for the disciples. “Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake” (Mt 14:25). He strolled along on the waves as if it were dry land—on the very thing that they were fighting. This was not along the shoreline, but across the surface. Jesus can do that. He is God.
And that is when superstition got the best of them. It is just like a little boy hears a noise at night and assumes that there is a monster under his bed. Only for them, it went like this: “When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear” (Mt 14:26). Their hearts on the inside matched the weather on the outside. It felt like a typhoon was raging in their chests. We have felt that too.
Jesus came to them when they were in that desperate situation with his merciful help. Don’t miss that. Jesus came to them. That is the way that the Lord handled Elijah when he was discouraged and disappointed as he commented and complained: “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too” (1 Ki 19:10). Not in the howling wind, the trembling earthquake, or the roaring fire. But in the gentle whisper of his word (1 Kg 19:12). That energized and equipped Elijah to carry out his assigned tasks of anointing certain individuals. Jesus also had comforting words for those struggling men: “Jesus immediately said to them” (Mt 14:27). (That is the second time we come across that word “immediately.” He didn’t wait.)
“Take courage!” (Mt 14:27). They could be bold. Jesus was there.
“It is I” (Mt 14:27). He is the changeless One (Ex 3:14). He still was all-knowing and all-powerful. And that would not ever be different.
“Don’t be afraid” (Mt 14:27). That emotion could now stop.
When trying times pound on us—and they will, Jesus is present with us. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Mt 14:27). He may take it away. He may take us through it. Either way, Jesus comes to us in his Word. We can be still (Ps 46:10). God is God even now or even then. He will not abandon us all the way to our dying day (He 13:5; Ps 23:4). Jesus will not let us drown. He comes with his merciful help in his Word.
2. With his mighty hand (28-33)
I suppose that if you are close enough to the side or the shore, a lifeguard can reach out and pull you to safety. Or he might toss a life preserver or she may lob a life ring and drag you away from the threat of drowning. Jesus does the same. Jesus won’t let you drown. He comes with his mighty hand.
It was Peter who was the first to open his mouth when there was no way of a mistaken identity. It was really Jesus. And he makes a bold request. “Lord, if it’s you (it is in the sense of “since it is you”), tell me to come to you on the water” (Mt 14:28). That is good desire—to be with the Lord. And Peter didn’t assume; he asked. Jesus gave him permission: “Come” (Mt 14:29). I wonder if the others didn’t get mad that they didn’t think of that too. Because it happened. “Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus” (Mt 14:29). This wasn’t a sandbar or a shallow spot. He walked on the water.
Well, for a time. “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid” (Mt 14:30). This last Monday the warning was sounded, “Don’t look directly at the sun during the eclipse or it will burn up your retinas. You need special glasses for that.” (The cloud cover helped with us missing the spectacle of the century.) Peter was supposed to look straight at the Son. Because when he looked down, he went down. When the waves got bigger in his eyes, Jesus got smaller in his view.
Now he was in jeopardy. “Beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Mt 14:30). The disciples were probably not so jealous anymore. They weren’t much safer than him, but they were at least still in the boat. Peter proves that a short prayer is often long enough—three words. It wasn’t, “I am kind of in a precarious spot at the present moment. Jesus, if you could, please stretch out your arm far enough that you might grab me and then draw me up so that I could stand once again at your side.” No. “Lord, save me.”
“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him” (Mt 14:31). (That is the third time we come across an “immediately.”) No delay. And then the question: “You of little faith, … why did you doubt?” (Mt 14:31). Peter didn’t have a decent answer. But do we? In the middle of a tough setting—when we might not be below the surface, but the water seems to be at our bottom lip, we fail to fix our eyes on Jesus and fixate on the circumstance. That is not what he desires (He 12:2).
And Jesus doesn’t let us drown with his mighty hand. We learn to state confidently with the psalmist Asaph: “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Ps 73:23,24). It is like a parent and a child crossing a street. The dad holds on to the child’ hand, not the other way around. He is the strong one, not the little one.
And we can trust his powerful hand. “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down” (Mt 14:32). Another miracle. He controls nature. And because Jesus conquered Satan and sin on the cross, no one will be able to snatch us from his hand (Jn 10:28). We join the disciples kneeling in the boat here sitting here in church as we worship him together, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Mt 14:33). Yes, Jesus is the Christ, as Paul pointed out: “who is God over all, forever praised!” (Ro 9:5). Jesus won’t let us drown. He comes with his mighty hand over all.
In the long run an “r” doesn’t make a difference. It is true whether we claim, “Jesus won’t let you down” or “Jesus won’t let you drown.” In reality it comes out the same, doesn’t it? Jesus is with us as seen at the Sea of Galilee—with his merciful help and with his mighty hand. It is so and will be so. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you (Ro 16:10). Amen.
August 27, 2017
St. John Lutheran Church Sermons
Monday, August 28, 2017
Sunday, August 13, 2017
The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (Romans 8:28-30)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
Apparently it didn’t happen. That is according to the website, 15 Things You Were Taught in School That Are Total Lies. An apple did not fall on Sir Isaac Newton’s head thus helping him discover gravity. (It was there all along.)
The grain of truth in that account is that the fruit was part of the development of his theory. Evidently as he sat in a garden, he would often wonder why an apple fell perpendicularly to the ground rather than sideways or upwards.
That hardly casts doubt on any and all education. Contrary to popular belief or internet surveys, school is not bad. Teachers impart essential facts.
It is good to remind ourselves that there is nothing false in the Bible. We don’t have to scratch our heads in wonder. It is all true because it is God’s Word. Everything—from beginning to end. We would do well to echo the prayer of the psalmist: “Give me understanding” (Ps 119:34).
So if God tells us, we trust him. God cannot and does not lie. Therefore, we are positive. We know. We know God’s sure promise of good and God’s certain path to glory. We read from …
Romans 8:28-30
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of all,
You don’t have to be the inventor of calculus or even a student of it to understand that apples fall from a limb to the earth. If you extend your arm and drop an apple, it would not be a matter of, “I suppose” or “I suspect that it will descend to the floor.” (If only all science experiments were that easy.) We know.
That goes for what God states in Scripture. It is not, “we want” or “we wish.” It is …
We Know
1. God’s sure promise of good (28)
2. God’s certain path to glory (29,30)
1. God’s sure promise of good (28)
Our promises can be fickle. We make them, but we do not always keep them. A father can say to his son, “We will go out for lunch tomorrow to your favorite restaurant,” but something may interfere or interrupt that outing. And it doesn’t happen. And then we can get skeptical and cynical about every assurance from everybody. Not when it comes to our God. We know God’s sure promise of good.
We are headed to heaven. It is a place that is beyond compare—so great and so grand (Ro 8:18). There are so many reminders that this is not it right now. It is not right here. We groan because of things like sickness and stress, disaster and even death (Ro 8:23) and many other troubles and tribulations until we enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). But we are not alone. The Holy Spirit prays for us (Ro 8:26).
And our God cares for us. That is not something that we have to guess about, but can be glad about. Paul recalls that for us. “We know” (Ro 8:28)—just like we know that apples fall down. “We know that in all things God works for the good” (Ro 8:28).
We can pick that promise apart. “All things” (Ro 8:28). Not many or most, some or several. It comes down to that three letter word—all. All things.
That includes what we consider good in our minds. We perhaps forget that too easily. When life is going well, do we ask: “Why am I so happy?” Or “Why am I so healthy?” That is God working—showering and sending blessings on us. Those things work for our good.
That covers what we call bad in our opinion. That is usually what we think of—the hurt or the heartache. Typically it sounds like this: Why this? What that? Why them? But we know God’s sure promise of good—no matter what the situation or the circumstance. We may not get it, but we grab that. That is God, who is all-knowing and all-powerful, continually working it out like the parts of a car engine operate in sync as the vehicle moves along the road. Those things work for our good too.
That is the case as Paul puts it for “those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Ro 8:28). That might cause us to pause because our love for God is not always strong. But this is not dependent on us as if we have to drum that love up. But “we love because he first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). Our love is a response to his love which moved him to send his Son to save us (Jn 3:16). And he has invited us into his family like a neighbor asks you over for supper—summoning us from the darkness of sin to the light of salvation (1 Pe 2:9).
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Ro 8:28). Isn’t it easier to acknowledge that in the lives of others?
[When Joseph’s brother’s sold him into slavery because they disliked him (That is putting it mildly.), God was with Joseph—in Potiphar’s house, in a local prison, and in a government position. God had a plan—for good. The Lord saved many lives during the famine as well as the kept alive the family of the Messiah (Ge 50:20).
When his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus brought him out of the tomb (Jn 11). God had a plan—for good. He glorified Jesus.
[Slide 12] And on that Friday outside of Jerusalem, Jesus was crucified. It was a dark day. But God had a plan—for good. He put our sin on Jesus so that he could pay for them all.
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Ro 8:28). We can admit in our own life—even in the midst of an individual challenge when our question is “what about this?” or in the middle of an important change when our concern is “what about that?”. Satan wants us to focus on the pain, not the promise. If you go to an art museum, you need to stand back to take in the whole image instead of staring at the corner of a painting. Otherwise you will miss the beauty of the portrait. We remember what God states and realize that is what God does. We know God’s sure promise of good. He pulls us closer rather than pushes us away because he is good (Ps 106:1). It is only good all the time.
2. God’s certain path to glory (29,30)
Our paths may be faulty. Even if father and son strap on the seatbelt to make their way to the restaurant of choice and turn off the wrong exit, there will be no wings for dinner. Not with our God. There is nothing that gets in the way. We know God’s certain path to glory.
And God links it all together in a seamless chain—one event after another. And it stretches from eternity to eternity. And they are all a reality.
“For those God foreknew” (Ro 8:29). Before the creation of the world, God had an intimate knowledge of us. It is not like I know the current president of the United States. But how I know those in my family. And with God it carries the concept of approval and acceptance—not because of what we would do for him in life, but what he would do for us in Jesus. Long before we could lift a finger or plead our case, God did it all and placed his claim on us. That is grace.
Those are the very ones whom God “also predestined” (Ro 8:29). God put a boundary around us like we put a fence around the field out back. It bears repeating: Not because we would be sinless (he was aware that we would be sinful), but because of our sinless Substitute, Jesus. It was also not because we would come to faith, but because he would bring us to faith. That we are his sons and daughters is unmerited and undeserved (Eph 1:4,5; 2:8,9). It was that great mercy that Solomon recognized in his family history: “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day” (1 Kg 3:6).
And why did God select us? “To be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Ro 8:29). The sons of God have the same blessings as the Son of God. Our Brother Jesus—the first in a long line of siblings—made that possible. We have righteousness that never fails and life that never ends. And one day he “will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body” (Php 3:21).
Paul continues the unbroken sequence: “And those he predestined (he reuses that verb from before), he also called” (Ro 8:30). The Holy Spirit used Word and sacrament to create faith in our hearts. The same means by which he keeps us in that faith.
“Those he called, he also justified” (Ro 8:30). As Paul often does, he takes us to a courtroom. The evidence is dreadful. We confess it. As the gavel comes down, our head goes down. But the verdict is wonderful. God lifts it our eyes to the cross where Jesus shouldered our guilt and shed his blood. And God clears our account of all sin. It is indisputable because Jesus rose from the dead. We are right with God (Ro 3:21ff; 4:25).
There is one more connection in the series. “Those he justified, he also glorified” (Ro 8:30). Up to this point, it has made sense. All those events have been in the past—foreknew, predestined, called, justified. But now glorified? That lies in the future. Heaven is ours right now. But the full realization is yet to be. But that is what is so significant, if not special. From God’s perspective it is as good as done. We are glorified at the moment. Jesus will return one day to take us to the place that he has prepared (Jn 14:2,3). On judgment day, there will be a separation of believers and unbelievers, “the wicked from the righteous”—like good and bad fish in Jesus’ parable (Mt 13:47-52). And we will be with the Lord forever. We know about God’s certain path to glory. It is only good for all time.
When I saw that there was a fabrication with Sir Isaac Newton supposedly taught still, I was hoping that the fruit was wrong. For the sake of a joke, I was wanting it to be a fig rather than an apple. Like “fig newton.” Even though we are not a scientist or a mathematician, we know about gravity. Things are drawn to the earth. More important we know God’s sure promise of good on earth and his certain path to glory in heaven. Yes, we know that it shall be so. Amen.
To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen (Ro 16:27).
August 13, 2017
Apparently it didn’t happen. That is according to the website, 15 Things You Were Taught in School That Are Total Lies. An apple did not fall on Sir Isaac Newton’s head thus helping him discover gravity. (It was there all along.)
The grain of truth in that account is that the fruit was part of the development of his theory. Evidently as he sat in a garden, he would often wonder why an apple fell perpendicularly to the ground rather than sideways or upwards.
That hardly casts doubt on any and all education. Contrary to popular belief or internet surveys, school is not bad. Teachers impart essential facts.
It is good to remind ourselves that there is nothing false in the Bible. We don’t have to scratch our heads in wonder. It is all true because it is God’s Word. Everything—from beginning to end. We would do well to echo the prayer of the psalmist: “Give me understanding” (Ps 119:34).
So if God tells us, we trust him. God cannot and does not lie. Therefore, we are positive. We know. We know God’s sure promise of good and God’s certain path to glory. We read from …
Romans 8:28-30
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of all,
You don’t have to be the inventor of calculus or even a student of it to understand that apples fall from a limb to the earth. If you extend your arm and drop an apple, it would not be a matter of, “I suppose” or “I suspect that it will descend to the floor.” (If only all science experiments were that easy.) We know.
That goes for what God states in Scripture. It is not, “we want” or “we wish.” It is …
We Know
1. God’s sure promise of good (28)
2. God’s certain path to glory (29,30)
1. God’s sure promise of good (28)
Our promises can be fickle. We make them, but we do not always keep them. A father can say to his son, “We will go out for lunch tomorrow to your favorite restaurant,” but something may interfere or interrupt that outing. And it doesn’t happen. And then we can get skeptical and cynical about every assurance from everybody. Not when it comes to our God. We know God’s sure promise of good.
We are headed to heaven. It is a place that is beyond compare—so great and so grand (Ro 8:18). There are so many reminders that this is not it right now. It is not right here. We groan because of things like sickness and stress, disaster and even death (Ro 8:23) and many other troubles and tribulations until we enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). But we are not alone. The Holy Spirit prays for us (Ro 8:26).
And our God cares for us. That is not something that we have to guess about, but can be glad about. Paul recalls that for us. “We know” (Ro 8:28)—just like we know that apples fall down. “We know that in all things God works for the good” (Ro 8:28).
We can pick that promise apart. “All things” (Ro 8:28). Not many or most, some or several. It comes down to that three letter word—all. All things.
That includes what we consider good in our minds. We perhaps forget that too easily. When life is going well, do we ask: “Why am I so happy?” Or “Why am I so healthy?” That is God working—showering and sending blessings on us. Those things work for our good.
That covers what we call bad in our opinion. That is usually what we think of—the hurt or the heartache. Typically it sounds like this: Why this? What that? Why them? But we know God’s sure promise of good—no matter what the situation or the circumstance. We may not get it, but we grab that. That is God, who is all-knowing and all-powerful, continually working it out like the parts of a car engine operate in sync as the vehicle moves along the road. Those things work for our good too.
That is the case as Paul puts it for “those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Ro 8:28). That might cause us to pause because our love for God is not always strong. But this is not dependent on us as if we have to drum that love up. But “we love because he first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). Our love is a response to his love which moved him to send his Son to save us (Jn 3:16). And he has invited us into his family like a neighbor asks you over for supper—summoning us from the darkness of sin to the light of salvation (1 Pe 2:9).
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Ro 8:28). Isn’t it easier to acknowledge that in the lives of others?
[When Joseph’s brother’s sold him into slavery because they disliked him (That is putting it mildly.), God was with Joseph—in Potiphar’s house, in a local prison, and in a government position. God had a plan—for good. The Lord saved many lives during the famine as well as the kept alive the family of the Messiah (Ge 50:20).
When his good friend Lazarus died, Jesus brought him out of the tomb (Jn 11). God had a plan—for good. He glorified Jesus.
[Slide 12] And on that Friday outside of Jerusalem, Jesus was crucified. It was a dark day. But God had a plan—for good. He put our sin on Jesus so that he could pay for them all.
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Ro 8:28). We can admit in our own life—even in the midst of an individual challenge when our question is “what about this?” or in the middle of an important change when our concern is “what about that?”. Satan wants us to focus on the pain, not the promise. If you go to an art museum, you need to stand back to take in the whole image instead of staring at the corner of a painting. Otherwise you will miss the beauty of the portrait. We remember what God states and realize that is what God does. We know God’s sure promise of good. He pulls us closer rather than pushes us away because he is good (Ps 106:1). It is only good all the time.
2. God’s certain path to glory (29,30)
Our paths may be faulty. Even if father and son strap on the seatbelt to make their way to the restaurant of choice and turn off the wrong exit, there will be no wings for dinner. Not with our God. There is nothing that gets in the way. We know God’s certain path to glory.
And God links it all together in a seamless chain—one event after another. And it stretches from eternity to eternity. And they are all a reality.
“For those God foreknew” (Ro 8:29). Before the creation of the world, God had an intimate knowledge of us. It is not like I know the current president of the United States. But how I know those in my family. And with God it carries the concept of approval and acceptance—not because of what we would do for him in life, but what he would do for us in Jesus. Long before we could lift a finger or plead our case, God did it all and placed his claim on us. That is grace.
Those are the very ones whom God “also predestined” (Ro 8:29). God put a boundary around us like we put a fence around the field out back. It bears repeating: Not because we would be sinless (he was aware that we would be sinful), but because of our sinless Substitute, Jesus. It was also not because we would come to faith, but because he would bring us to faith. That we are his sons and daughters is unmerited and undeserved (Eph 1:4,5; 2:8,9). It was that great mercy that Solomon recognized in his family history: “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day” (1 Kg 3:6).
And why did God select us? “To be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Ro 8:29). The sons of God have the same blessings as the Son of God. Our Brother Jesus—the first in a long line of siblings—made that possible. We have righteousness that never fails and life that never ends. And one day he “will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body” (Php 3:21).
Paul continues the unbroken sequence: “And those he predestined (he reuses that verb from before), he also called” (Ro 8:30). The Holy Spirit used Word and sacrament to create faith in our hearts. The same means by which he keeps us in that faith.
“Those he called, he also justified” (Ro 8:30). As Paul often does, he takes us to a courtroom. The evidence is dreadful. We confess it. As the gavel comes down, our head goes down. But the verdict is wonderful. God lifts it our eyes to the cross where Jesus shouldered our guilt and shed his blood. And God clears our account of all sin. It is indisputable because Jesus rose from the dead. We are right with God (Ro 3:21ff; 4:25).
There is one more connection in the series. “Those he justified, he also glorified” (Ro 8:30). Up to this point, it has made sense. All those events have been in the past—foreknew, predestined, called, justified. But now glorified? That lies in the future. Heaven is ours right now. But the full realization is yet to be. But that is what is so significant, if not special. From God’s perspective it is as good as done. We are glorified at the moment. Jesus will return one day to take us to the place that he has prepared (Jn 14:2,3). On judgment day, there will be a separation of believers and unbelievers, “the wicked from the righteous”—like good and bad fish in Jesus’ parable (Mt 13:47-52). And we will be with the Lord forever. We know about God’s certain path to glory. It is only good for all time.
When I saw that there was a fabrication with Sir Isaac Newton supposedly taught still, I was hoping that the fruit was wrong. For the sake of a joke, I was wanting it to be a fig rather than an apple. Like “fig newton.” Even though we are not a scientist or a mathematician, we know about gravity. Things are drawn to the earth. More important we know God’s sure promise of good on earth and his certain path to glory in heaven. Yes, we know that it shall be so. Amen.
To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen (Ro 16:27).
August 13, 2017
Sunday, August 6, 2017
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (Romans 8:26,27)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
“I can’t.” Those are difficult words, aren’t they? Because there is an admission behind them that causes us to swallow our pride. “I can’t” means that we are unable to do something. And we don’t like that. We want to be strong and solid. But we are forced to admit—sometimes stubbornly, other times sadly: “I can’t.”
I am not talking about a physical challenge at the gym like lifting 500 pounds with your arms or squatting 1000 pounds with your legs. (I doubt any of us is able to do either of those. Very few can.) But I am referring to a personal problem which is hard or a particular pain which is heavy. Those can feel just like a huge weight on the ends of a barbell. You are not immune to them. I am not alone with them. And finally we throw up our hands in frustration, “I can’t.” Perhaps we say it to others. Possibly we say it to God. Where do we turn?
Enter the Holy Spirit. He helps us as he prays on our behalf and as he prays for our good. We read from …
Romans 8:26,27
Dear Fellow saints, holy in God’s sight through God’s Son,
If you scan the pages of Scripture, you come across some great prayers and some good pray-ers. There is Jacob as he wrestles the Lord by the river, holding on tightly. There is David as he writes so many psalms, strumming on his lyre. Add to the list those like Abraham who prayed for some cities who were evil or Moses as he prayed for some people who were rebellious. And some others like Nehemiah or Daniel. We could go on.
And when you read those pleas, it is clear that their expressions are so lofty. And when we examine our own attempts, they fall so short. And maybe we come to the conclusion: “I can’t.”
Now what? Do we give up and shut down? No. We have the Holy Spirit. Not only does he call us to faith, but he keeps us in that faith. One of the ways is with his prayers. When we struggle or when we stammer with ours,
Enter the Holy Spirit
1. Who prays on our behalf (26)
2. Who prays for our good (27)
1. Who prays on our behalf (26)
Let’s imagine that you are pumping iron at your local fitness center. You want to push yourself. You plan to do 8 repetitions on the bench press, but only can pull off 7. The bar now rests uncomfortably on your chest. And there it sits. Enter a spotter. He (or she) grabs it and places it back on the posts above your head for you. (It is embarrassing when that one does it with just one arm.) That is critical. How about when we pour out our hearts? It is even more crucial. Enter the Holy Spirit who prays on our behalf.
There is a lot of groaning (and not just about doing the dishes). The apostle Paul reminded his readers in Rome that “the whole creation has been groaning” (Ro 8:22). That is because sin touches nature and taints it too. There are floods and famines, for example. But not only that, “we ourselves … groan inwardly” (Ro 8:23).
But we are not by ourselves. We have the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:23). And we wait on tiptoes for the time when Jesus will return to take us to the glory of heaven instead of the grind on earth.
Joel told us about judgment day. And Jesus taught us about the last day.
The prophet shared that nations will gather in the “Valley of Jehoshaphat … the valley of decision” (Joel 3:12,14). He used the picture of the harvest being ripe. But the reminder is that there is no reason for fear. “The LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel” (Joel 3:16). That is similar to what the psalmist David had us sing: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge” (Ps 18:2).
The Savior showed with a parable of the wheat and the weeds. On the final day, the angels will separate the two—believers and unbelievers. Those who do evil will be thrown “into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Mt 13:42,43). Because we are right with God, we will live with our heavenly Father forever.
In the meantime—between then and now, we have the Spirit’s sighs. And he is not just a curious onlooker like someone who drives by an accident. He is constantly available and continually active. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Ro 8:26). It is like a mother who takes her son by the hand, leads him upstairs, and assists him in putting his clean clothes in the dresser. We need the Spirit’s aid because of our “weakness,” a lack of ability. Who of us hasn’t felt that? And not just physically. Paul spells it out: “We do not know what we ought to pray for” (Ro 8:26). It comes down to a question. And it is not, “What if I say the wrong words.” There is no technical jargon. It is simple and straightforward like a child with his dad. It is this: “What should we pray for that is in line with God’s will?”
As we make our way through our earthly life to our eternal life, there are those complicated situations and complex circumstances when we are at a loss as to what to request. (It should not be because we are out of practice when it comes to prayer. We have that privilege to speak to God anywhere and anytime. Or because we have been distant from God’s Word and ignorant of his guidance.) But it could come down to being absolutely unaware of what to pray. It could be when there is a diagnosis from the doctor or when there is a difficulty with a relationship. What is the content of our contact with God:
Do we ask God to give us relief from it or resolve for it?
Do we ask God to spare us or strengthen us?
Our tongues are tied like a boy trying to chat with a girl that he is sweet on. (Perhaps he should stick to texting.)
Paul passes along the emphatic reminder that the Holy Spirit steps in: “But the Spirit himself intercedes for us” (Ro 8:26). God the Holy Spirit, he is the very one who does that for us—for our sake. It is his ongoing effort of the One who has brought us to believe in God who saved us to plead for us to God who supports us. He is more than just a good friend who assures us that he or she will always be there. That may not be. It is with the Holy Spirit. And he does that “with groans that words cannot express” (Ro 8:26). The Holy Spirit shares our hurts and speaks to the Father on our behalf with unspoken sounds like the thoughts in our minds.
So instead of being bashful—what if my prayers are foolish or childish?, we are bold. God wants us to approach him in the day of trouble—with our cares and concerns (Ps 50:15). It can be from the forgiveness of sins to the support for the future. And anything and everything in between. If we wonder and waver, enter the Holy Spirit who prays on our behalf. He is on our side.
2. Who prays for our good (27)
Let’s envision the bar is not laying on your ribs, but on your throat. To clear up any confusion, that is not healthy. It restricts oxygen from going into your lungs. Enter a spotter who snags it off your windpipe. That is valuable for staying alive. So is the Spirit. He is useful for going forward. Enter the Holy Spirit who prays for our good.
Not one thing gets by God the Father. He is the One “who searches our hearts” (Ro 8:27). And he doesn’t need fancy equipment like an X-ray or CT scan, a stethoscope or a microscope to do this thorough inspection like a hound dog sniffing every inch of the yard for the scent of a squirrel. God knows everything (Ps 139:1,2; Pr 20:27)—all the way to the deep, dark recesses. He doesn’t spot any sin because he has scrubbed it all away with Jesus’ blood (1 Jn 1:7).
And if he has that information, it is not surprising that he “knows the mind of the Spirit” (Ro 8:27). The Father is God. The Holy Spirit is God. (As well as the Son is God.) They are one. A wife may claim to know what her husband has in mind when it comes to supper, but not always. That is not the case with the Father and the Spirit. He knows what he is thinking and the way he thinks. And they are in complete harmony.
And it comes back to the assistance of the Spirit. “The Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” (Ro 8:27). Jesus taught us to pray: “Our Father in heaven, … your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:9,10). The Holy Spirit prays that perfectly—what is in line with what God wants. There are no misunderstandings or miscommunications. And his desire is only for the best of his loved ones. Or as Paul put it—“the saints” (Ro 8:27). That is, holy ones. Because that is what the Holy Spirit has made us—free from sin and far from sin. It is for us that he prays. That doesn’t make us sloppy in our prayer life, but steady. The Holy Spirit can take bumbling, fumbling prayers and make them beautiful, fantastic prayers. And God hears them and answers them. Enter the Holy Spirit who prays for our good—what is best and what is beneficial.
There will always be things that we simply cannot do—even all together. But one of them is not prayer just like those heroes in the Bible. We have the opportunity to pray. We have the encouragement to pray. And not only that, enter the Holy Spirit as he prays on our behalf and for our good. With him, “I can’t” becomes “I can.” Amen.
To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen (Ro 16:27).
August 6, 2017
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