Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
Severe weather is not out of the question any time of the year around here—from snowstorms in winter to thunderstorms in the spring. Sometimes there is so much hail that snow plows have to be brought in to move it like last Sunday in parts of this area.
And if the threat gets bad enough, we have different alerts in place. There are the sirens blaring from poles, notifications waiting on phones, and messages scrolling on TVs. Often it comes down to the reality that awful weather is coming, it is just a matter of when. We want to be ready. So we listen for them and to them. Jesus makes a similar point, or better, a spiritual point, when he talks about some tempests. Be the right kind of hearer—hear confidently and consciously. We read from …
Matthew 7:24-27
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus who is wisdom from God,
So how do you react when those weather warnings are out? I suppose there are two options—disregard them completely or do something quickly. Find a trusty shovel in the garage or safe place in the basement. Especially if someone tells you too—like a weatherman who is standing outside in the dangerous elements encouraging you to be inside. Or maybe dad.
Today is Father’s Day. It is a chance for us to honor those men in our lives by acknowledging and appreciating them—faults and all. One of the things that we might thank them for is their words of wisdom, based on their experience or expertise over the years. The greatest of which is if they passed on what their fathers told them as the psalmist said: “the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done” (Ps 78:4). That way the next generation “would put their trust in God” (Ps 78:7). Moses echoed that as he took his leave of his people. Christian education was a family affair. “Teach them [that is, Moses’ words from God] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Dt 11:19). That is worth giving our ear to.
As Jesus wraps up his teaching on the hillside in Galilee, he shares true wisdom. He uses the picture of building a sturdy house that will endure. We would do well to listen.
Be the Right Kind of Hearer
1. Hear confidently (24-27)
2. Hear consciously (24-27)
1. Confidently (24-27)
For the realtor it is all about the location. For the contractor it is all about the foundation. In a sense, Jesus combines the two—the location and foundation—as he instructs. Be the right kind of hearer. Hear confidently.
When the temperature is pleasant, students always seem to make the request, “Can we have class outside?” Jesus did that—whether the plea was there or not. We usually refer to it as “The Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5-7). Before he puts an “amen” on it, he puts an “ahem” to it—like we might clear our throat to grab one’s attention. In case there was anyone who might be drifting off, he directs them to a comparison—two builders who represent two hearers, one wise, one foolish. It is not a matter of graduating at the top of the class as opposed to the bottom. This is not what a person’s GPA is. It is where an individual’s faith is.
Keep in mind these are disciples at Jesus’ feet—listeners and learners. In his lecture, he is not training them how to become a child of God, but how to be a child of God. That is an important distinction. It is how they were to live their life of faith that was the purpose of his lesson plan.
Those who believe in Jesus have eternal life (Jn 3:16). He is the way the truth and the life (Jn 14:6). It is not what we do, but what he did—living perfectly in our place, dying willingly on our behalf. Those are words of eternal life (Jn 6:68). We want to hear them often and heed them—turn to them and trust in them. That is “work of God:” “to believe in the one he has sent” (Jn 6:29)—Jesus.
To illustrate that point, Jesus speaks of two men and their building projects. It is not how they were made—like The Three Little Pigs. The big, bad wolf huffed and puffed and blew in the one of straw and the other sticks but not the last one because it was constructed of bricks. It comes down to where they were made in Jesus’ contrast. The two houses might have looked alike.
The wise man built his house on the rock, or bedrock, something solid and stable. The foolish man built his house on sand, something shaky and suspect. So when the same rain fell from above, the same water rose from below, and the same wind gusted from the side, the one held up like a skyscraper standing tall in the city and the other fell down, and hard, like the tide talking out a sandcastle on the beach.
Jesus is the only foundation for our faith (1 Co 3:11). We build on him. Not just during the storms of life—and that is crucial. Sometimes temptations come fast and furious, others times troubles come slow and steady. We lean on Jesus’ presence with us at all times. We look to Jesus’ promises to us for all things (Acts 14:22). Nothing separates us from God’s love in Christ Jesus (Ro 8:39). On him we will never be put to shame (1 Pe 2:6).
But Jesus as our foundation is more important at the end of life. That is critical. We don’t put our stock in our savings, but in our Savior. We don’t to pass off our righteousness, but put on Jesus rightness. As the apostle Paul reminded us, “a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known” (Ro 3:21). From him to us. We are now right with him because he declares us “not guilty.” It is for free and for nothing. It is grace—unmerited. It is because Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7).
It is God’s Word that makes us wise, wise for salvation (2 Ti 3:15). If it came down to our effort or our endeavors, that would be a flimsy foundation. But if it comes down to Jesus, that is a firm foundation. Be the right kind of hearer. Hear confidently. Build on Jesus, the chief cornerstone (Eph 2:20), the living Stone (2 Pe 2:4). He alone saves.
2. Consciously (24-27)
A realtor will pay attention to what a potential buyer wants after a contractor has taken note of the floor plans. The walls and windows are all in the right place. Jesus wants the same kind of careful listening. Be the right kind of hearer. Hear consciously.
Jesus continued to tutor his pupils. A child of God responds to the love from God with a life for God. We are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is not alone (Eph 2:8-10). Not some of the time, but all of the time. With the two men, the preface is the same: “everyone who hears these words of mine” (Mt 7:24,26). The distinction is what is next:
• “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice” (Mt 7:24). That one is wise, sensible.
• “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice” (Mt 7:26). That one is foolish, senseless.
Jesus doesn’t just want his words to go into our ears, but come out in our actions. A listening and a doing, not just a nodding and not doing (Ja 1:22-24). I know that school is out. But think of a student who hears the homework, but leaves his book in the locker as he heads home. That won’t end well in the grade book.
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Lk 11:28). If you think of what that means in Jesus’ discourse:
• We are poor in spirit (Mt 5:3)—beggars with nothing to offer, but everything to receive like forgiveness of sins and a home in heaven.
• We are peacemakers (Mt 5:9). We promote it, not prevent it in our relationships.
• We are salt—serving as a preservative in a sinful world (Mt 5:14).
• We are light—shining as a reflection of the merciful Lord, so others praise our Father (Mt 5:14).
• We seek first God’s kingdom, not worrying about this or that (Mt 6:25-34).
• We keep on asking, seeking, and knocking in prayer (Mt 7:7).
All of that and more. Be the right kind of hearer. Hear consciously. We put into practice what Jesus states. It is not to get things, but to give thanks.
I have not checked the weather for today. So far so good. I am not sure if there is anything to be careful of. But with all we have, it should not catch us off guard. If there is, we will listen closely like to a great dad. Be the right kind of hearer. Hear confidently. Build on Jesus and only on Jesus. He is the right person. Hear consciously. Build for the right purpose. Out of gratitude for Jesus. We can’t and won’t go wrong. Amen.
To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen (Ro 16:27).
June 18, 2017
St. John Lutheran Church Sermons
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Sunday, June 11, 2017
The First Sunday after Pentecost (Matthew 28:16-20)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Co 1:2). Amen.
You probably are like I am. When you walk into a dark room, you feel for the light switch on the wall and flip it on. The brightness is immediate. You don’t have to be able to explain electricity to enjoy it. I doubt many of us can anyway, but we are still grateful for it.
What we say about the current in the wall could be applied to the God in the Bible. Today is Trinity Sunday. We celebrate the Triune God. Tri = 3 and une = 1—three in one and one in three.
But it is not to apprehend it so that it makes sense to us, but to appreciate it so that we give thanks to him. And that Triune God wants to be with you. That includes a great claim, a great commission, and a great comfort. We turn to the last chapter of the Gospel of Matthew as Jesus nears the end of his earthly ministry. We read from …
Matthew 28:16-20
Dear People of our Triune God—One God, three persons,
I don’t have to tell you that we live in a day and an age where communication is very simple. Thanks to mobile devices and personal computers. If we want someone’s company from anywhere around the globe, we can facetime, snapchat, Instagram, and a whole host of other things that I don’t know how to download or how to use. We don’t have to go far to have someone near. (I will put my plug or plea that none of those should replace face to face contact. A picture or post is nice, but look up and look at others around you. Enough of the soapbox.)
Just as we wish to be with friends and family God has the same longing for you.
The Triune God Wants to Be with You
1. That includes a great claim (16-18)
2. That includes a great commission (19,20)
3. That includes a great comfort (20)
1. That includes a great claim (16-18)
When describing God, we use the word “attributes,” or characteristics—what God is like. What is true of the Father is true of the Son and is true of the Holy Spirit. One of those fancy terms is “omnipotent.” It means “all-powerful.” Nothing is outside of his ability. It is not like the older brother who brags to his younger brother that he can do anything. God can. That is good to know as the Triune God wants to be with you because that includes a great claim.
We have to backtrack in time just a bit having just marked Pentecost on the church calendar last week—when we observe the coming of the Holy Spirit. During the time between his resurrection from the grave and his ascension into heaven, Jesus appeared to different people at various places during those 40 days like on Easter Sunday without Thomas and a week later with him (cf. Jn 20; Acts 1:3). He did it to show them that he was indeed alive. Matthew records one to the 11 in Galilee as he wraps up his Gospel. (Remember that Judas was no longer with them).
Jesus had instructed these men to meet him there in the north of Israel (Mt 28:7,10). And now this arranged get-together happened on an unnamed mountain (Mt 28:16). “When they saw him, they worshiped him” (Mt 28:17). That makes sense, doesn’t it? But it wasn’t that they sang a few hymns or said a few prayers—what we generally think of as “worship.” But they knelt down before him—a sign of respect and reverence, faces to the ground. Here was the risen and glorified Lord, the King over all. He is worthy of that. The psalmist encouraged us numerous times in Psalm 150 to do that—13 times in 6 verses: “Praise the LORD” (Ps 150). And we do—everywhere, for everything, with everything, and alongside everyone. What we do right now, we will do forever (Re 5:12).
What may sound strange is this: “but some doubted” (Mt 28:17). Doubted what? The resurrection? Not really. There was Jesus himself in front of them. It was more along the lines of confusion—what did all this mean? How did it all fit together? How did they fit in with all of this? What a blessing the Holy Spirit was at Pentecost who helped them figure it all out. He made them brave and bold witnesses (Acts 1:8; 2:11).
How patient the Lord is with us at times as we wonder or even worry about this or that—our future, our finances. He took that to the cross and takes away our guilt.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’” (Mt 28:18; cf. Da 7:13,14). Those are hollow words if they aren’t right like if I were to state that I am the most powerful man on the face of the earth. But it is real for Jesus. When the Son of God became the Son of Man, taking on human flesh like ours, he humbled himself. He gave up the full and constant use of his power that he had as God to live under the law and hang on the cross. But no more. He finished what he came to do—to give life to all who believe (Jn 19:30; 3:16). He now took that up might again as God exalted him (Php 2:9-11).
The relationship that we have with our Triune God, the one he wants to have with us—is based entirely on his absolute power.
The power in creating us. That was evident in how God originally spoke and it simply came to be. “Let there be … and there was …”—light and the land animals, the sky and sea creatures—and everything in between (Ge 1,2). And then he fashioned man in his image, the crown of his creation, with the care of a potter at his wheel. He formed us in our mother’s wombs, with the same concern, fearfully and wonderfully (Ps 139:14). Our Triune God has all power.
The power in redeeming us. Jesus paid the price necessary to set us free from our sin with his blood (1 Pe 18,19). He defeated death and the devil for us. Our Triune God has all power.
The power in sanctifying us. The Holy Spirit has set us apart from the unbelieving world—calling us from the darkness of sin to the light of salvation (1 Pe 2:9). Our Triune God has all power.
That Triune God wants to be with you. That includes a great claim that is correct. Jesus can make it because everything is under his rule and command. There is no reason to be afraid. All authority is his. And he uses it to benefit us.
2. That includes a great commission (19,20)
Since God is omnipotent (all-powerful), he has the right to convey what he wants us to do. But it is not bossing us around like siblings like to do with made-up authority: “Mom says you are supposed to vacuum the living room.” (Of course, it is his turn to do that chore.) The Triune God wants to be with you. That includes a great commission.
Since Jesus has all authority, he draws a conclusion: “Therefore” (Mt 28:19). “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). After they went out, they were to preach and proclaim the same words that Jesus did. Those words God would use to cause people to be listeners and learners. That is what a “disciple” is.
And not some or several individuals—“all nations” (Mt 28:19). No one is to be left out—not even Gentiles. (There were plenty of them around where they were in Galilee. [Mt 4:15]) God wants to be with all (Ge 12:3; 1 Ti 2:4). Finally the good news of Jesus has reached all the way here to St. Paul—to us.
And Jesus didn’t leave them guessing at how to carry out their huge assignment. It wasn’t as if a first-grade teacher expects a student to write a 357-page novel without any direction. “Just do it.” No, he gave the means—baptizing and teaching (Mt 28:19,20).
Here Jesus institutes baptism—“ baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). We have heard it and seen it. Water plus Word. The Triune God puts his name on us—adopting us into his family. He does everything and we do nothing—clothing us with Christ’s righteousness, his holiness (Gal 3:27). We are now under his protection—his careful eye and constant attention. It is not a coincidence that we open the service with a reminder of that—“In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” It takes us back to that special day when water connected to Word ran down our foreheads—God asserting “my son” or “my daughter” as he washes away sin and welcomes us as children of God. Or after the announcement of absolution when God’s representative reiterates: “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” All because the Triune God wants to be with us.
Add to that “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Mt 28:20). They didn’t have to come up with a power point presentation with catchphrases for a mass campaign. Like Jesus did, educate. The results are up to the Lord.
That is a command. But we often refer to it as the “Great Commission”—what the church is to be about. And it continues—baptizing and teaching. And this education is to be comprehensive. We are not to pick and choose—what we like or love. Everything. We guard like we do with something precious like a family heirloom. And we pay attention to it as we do with something pertinent like a recipe. God doesn’t do it to bother us, but to bless us. The “means of grace”—the gospel in Word and sacraments—are the tools by which the Triune God starts and strengthens faith. The Triune God wants to be with us. That includes a great commission. As we go, we keep on baptizing and teaching God’s Word.
3. That includes a great comfort (20)
Since God is omnipotent (all-powerful), that sets our minds at ease as he directs us to declare his Word. It is much better than one child with her arm around the other, consoling. She can do nothing. God can and does. The Triune God wants to be with you. That includes a great comfort.
The last sentence that Matthew writes keeps that before us as he cites Jesus: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Mt 28:20). Jesus is emphatic. “Surely.” This is no joke. And he would have us note something as if to say, “Hey, look at this. And look at it very closely.” “I am with you” (Mt 28:20). The risen and now ascended Lord is not just a casual observer, but an obvious companion—“I am with you.” “I am with you,” not “I was with you.” And not some of the time, but all of the time—always, all the days. All the way to the close of this age, the time when he brings all of his own to a knowledge of the truth (1 Ti 2:4).
The Triune God is with his people. Period. He doesn’t leave them or forsake them—on earth to eternity. That is a great comfort generally. We are not alone. Ever. And that is a great comfort specifically. When we go about the task of baptizing and teaching, he is there—in good times and bad—when times are very challenging or smooth sailing, when some accept and others reject. The Triune God wants to be with you. That includes a great comfort. He is by your side.
We are spoiled. I don’t know if we could function without electricity. How would we be able to find an outlet to charge our phones? We don’t have to consider being without God. The Triune God wants to be with us. And that is big. That includes a great claim—Jesus has all authority. That includes a great commission—Jesus charges us to baptize and teach. That includes a great comfort—Jesus is with us. And what he desires he does. Happy Trinity Sunday. Amen.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Co 13:14). Amen.
June 11, 2017
Monday, June 5, 2017
Graduation (Joshua 1:9)
Go with the Lord Your God
Now what? It is a legitimate question. Whether quickly or slowly, or a mixture of both, the years have passed. During that stretch, there was an opportunity to listen carefully and to learn quietly, a chance to grow older and get smarter. But going forward is going to be different. Now what?
I am not talking about the soon to be graduates of St. John Lutheran School. I am referring to the soon to be guide of Israel. Joshua was no longer the four decade understudy at Moses’ side. He was the brand new leader. Moses had faithfully served in that role for 40 years. But he was dead (Jos 1:1,2). That responsibility now rested on Joshua’s shoulders. (That is a good thing to keep in mind that God’s work does not depend on one individual. Others come after to fill sandals and shoes.) Joshua was a good choice—a competent general and a confident spy, Moses’ right-hand man for so long (Ex 17:13; Nu 14:6-9; 27:18; 32:12). He would now be in charge of a nation often known for its grumbling and groaning.
So now with the Jordan River in front of Joshua and the children of Israel—how would they go across?—and the land of Canaan beyond that—how would they go in?, maybe the thought crossed Joshua’s mind: Now what?
More than likely that is why the 8th graders chose this section of Scripture for today (and tomorrow, next week and next year). They can identify with him. There may be some anxiety. What about this? It is no different from the rest of us. There may be apprehension. What if that? We hear what the Lord said to Joshua. And we take it to heart. Like Joshua, we don’t look back, but look ahead. Go with the Lord your God.
The Lord asks—not for information, but for instruction. Think of a parent who consoles a child: “Did I not explain that I am right here?” The answer is obvious. Of course. There you are. So it is with the Lord. “Have I not commanded you?” (Jos 1:9). There is authority behind that—like a teacher to a student: “Didn’t I tell you to turn in that paper?” “Yes. Yes, you did.” But this is better. “Didn’t I direct you to focus on my presence? The answer was “yes.” “Yes, you did.” “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous” (Jos 1:9). Not once right before this: “Be strong and courageous” (Jos 1:6). Not twice: “Be strong and very courageous” (Jos 1:7). Now three times when this verse picks up: “Be strong and courageous” (Jos 1:9). The repetition is for emphasis to slow his breathing down. Again like a mommy to her little one: “It’s ok. It’s ok. It’s ok.” To paraphrase the Lord God, “Joshua, be bold and be brave.”
Add to that two more commands: “Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged” (Jos 1:9). Perhaps his knees were shaking like standing in a skyscraper during an earthquake. Possibly the thoughts in his head were going in a hundred directions like a broken glass on the kitchen floor. To reword the Lord: “Joshua, don’t be full of dread and filled with terror.”
I could state that in the middle of a tornado and it would mean nothing: “Don’t be alarmed.” But I can’t do one thing to stop the funnel cloud spinning in circles. It is different with God. “For the LORD your God will be with you” (Jos 1:9). Again it is like a parent holding the hand of a little one to comfort. Really it is “because with you the Lord your God.” He highlights why there is no reason for fear—with you (personally, individually)—and who is there—the Lord your God (your God!). God would not leave Joshua: “For the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Jos 1:9). No matter where his would walk as he went before the people, conquering cities and capturing towns, the Lord his God was right beside him.
The Lord your God does not forsake you (He 13:5). Today is not just Graduation, but Pentecost. Jesus had been with the disciples for almost three years. But now he was leaving them—to head to the cross to die for our guilt and out of the grave to guarantee your rescue and to head back to heaven and God’s right hand to rule over all for you (Eph 1:20ff.).
But he promised another—“the Counselor” (Jn 16:7), that is, one who comes to your side to help and to guide like when a coach who puts his arm around a dejected player to encourage. That is the assurance of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who convicts of sin—that it is something against God. But he convinces us that we are right with God because he clears our account of any charge through Jesus. We have nothing to be afraid of, not now, not ever, because Jesus defeated the devil for good. As the school theme verse for this year recalled for the student body: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (He 6:19). We put our hope in something, better, someone, sure—Jesus.
That doesn’t mean that there won’t be danger or difficulty in life. The apostle Paul listed some: “trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword” (Ro 8:35). Those were real for the Roman Christians. Ours may be different. But just as dangerous. But we are “more than conquerors” (Ro 8:37). As such, no one and no thing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro 8:39). Through her baptism that is true of Tenley. God adopted her and will not abandon her. Or us.
What about the future? What now? There are unknowns and uncertainties. But what is undeniable and unchangeable is that you don’t go alone. “The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Ps 121:8). You go onward. Go with the Lord your God.
We read from Joshua 1:9 as the Lord reminded Joshua and our God reassures us:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
June 4, 2017
Now what? It is a legitimate question. Whether quickly or slowly, or a mixture of both, the years have passed. During that stretch, there was an opportunity to listen carefully and to learn quietly, a chance to grow older and get smarter. But going forward is going to be different. Now what?
I am not talking about the soon to be graduates of St. John Lutheran School. I am referring to the soon to be guide of Israel. Joshua was no longer the four decade understudy at Moses’ side. He was the brand new leader. Moses had faithfully served in that role for 40 years. But he was dead (Jos 1:1,2). That responsibility now rested on Joshua’s shoulders. (That is a good thing to keep in mind that God’s work does not depend on one individual. Others come after to fill sandals and shoes.) Joshua was a good choice—a competent general and a confident spy, Moses’ right-hand man for so long (Ex 17:13; Nu 14:6-9; 27:18; 32:12). He would now be in charge of a nation often known for its grumbling and groaning.
So now with the Jordan River in front of Joshua and the children of Israel—how would they go across?—and the land of Canaan beyond that—how would they go in?, maybe the thought crossed Joshua’s mind: Now what?
More than likely that is why the 8th graders chose this section of Scripture for today (and tomorrow, next week and next year). They can identify with him. There may be some anxiety. What about this? It is no different from the rest of us. There may be apprehension. What if that? We hear what the Lord said to Joshua. And we take it to heart. Like Joshua, we don’t look back, but look ahead. Go with the Lord your God.
The Lord asks—not for information, but for instruction. Think of a parent who consoles a child: “Did I not explain that I am right here?” The answer is obvious. Of course. There you are. So it is with the Lord. “Have I not commanded you?” (Jos 1:9). There is authority behind that—like a teacher to a student: “Didn’t I tell you to turn in that paper?” “Yes. Yes, you did.” But this is better. “Didn’t I direct you to focus on my presence? The answer was “yes.” “Yes, you did.” “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous” (Jos 1:9). Not once right before this: “Be strong and courageous” (Jos 1:6). Not twice: “Be strong and very courageous” (Jos 1:7). Now three times when this verse picks up: “Be strong and courageous” (Jos 1:9). The repetition is for emphasis to slow his breathing down. Again like a mommy to her little one: “It’s ok. It’s ok. It’s ok.” To paraphrase the Lord God, “Joshua, be bold and be brave.”
Add to that two more commands: “Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged” (Jos 1:9). Perhaps his knees were shaking like standing in a skyscraper during an earthquake. Possibly the thoughts in his head were going in a hundred directions like a broken glass on the kitchen floor. To reword the Lord: “Joshua, don’t be full of dread and filled with terror.”
I could state that in the middle of a tornado and it would mean nothing: “Don’t be alarmed.” But I can’t do one thing to stop the funnel cloud spinning in circles. It is different with God. “For the LORD your God will be with you” (Jos 1:9). Again it is like a parent holding the hand of a little one to comfort. Really it is “because with you the Lord your God.” He highlights why there is no reason for fear—with you (personally, individually)—and who is there—the Lord your God (your God!). God would not leave Joshua: “For the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Jos 1:9). No matter where his would walk as he went before the people, conquering cities and capturing towns, the Lord his God was right beside him.
The Lord your God does not forsake you (He 13:5). Today is not just Graduation, but Pentecost. Jesus had been with the disciples for almost three years. But now he was leaving them—to head to the cross to die for our guilt and out of the grave to guarantee your rescue and to head back to heaven and God’s right hand to rule over all for you (Eph 1:20ff.).
But he promised another—“the Counselor” (Jn 16:7), that is, one who comes to your side to help and to guide like when a coach who puts his arm around a dejected player to encourage. That is the assurance of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who convicts of sin—that it is something against God. But he convinces us that we are right with God because he clears our account of any charge through Jesus. We have nothing to be afraid of, not now, not ever, because Jesus defeated the devil for good. As the school theme verse for this year recalled for the student body: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (He 6:19). We put our hope in something, better, someone, sure—Jesus.
That doesn’t mean that there won’t be danger or difficulty in life. The apostle Paul listed some: “trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword” (Ro 8:35). Those were real for the Roman Christians. Ours may be different. But just as dangerous. But we are “more than conquerors” (Ro 8:37). As such, no one and no thing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro 8:39). Through her baptism that is true of Tenley. God adopted her and will not abandon her. Or us.
What about the future? What now? There are unknowns and uncertainties. But what is undeniable and unchangeable is that you don’t go alone. “The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Ps 121:8). You go onward. Go with the Lord your God.
We read from Joshua 1:9 as the Lord reminded Joshua and our God reassures us:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
June 4, 2017
Monday, May 29, 2017
The Seventh Sunday of Easter (1 Peter 5:6-11)
Grace and peace be yours in abundance (1 Pe 1:2). Amen.
Perhaps this is a strange question. But I will ask it anyway. Do you ever look at someone’s hands (Maybe you just did with the person sitting next to you.) If I glance at a mechanic’s hands, how is it that they can they change the spark plugs and mine can’t get the hood open? If I gaze at a pianist’s hands, how come they can tickle the ivories and mine seemed to be glued together?
The Bible speaks of God’s hand. The hand is a symbol of power. The Lord can do things that we cannot. Look at God’s hand—powerful to rely on and powerful to rejoice about. We read from …
1 Peter 5:6-11
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, who rose from the dead and returned to the Father,
I wonder if Peter ever stared at Jesus’ hands a time or two or three. He had plenty of opportunities.
There was that time when he was walking above water on the Sea of Galilee. He started fine, but sunk fast. As soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to go under. But Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him (Mt 14:31). That was not the hand of an ordinary lifeguard at a city pool.
On Easter evening, when he and his buddies were behind locked doors, Jesus appeared. He showed them his hands and side (Jn 10:20). The same thing happened a week later when Jesus encouraged Thomas to touch his wounds (Jn 20:27). Those nail marks in his hands meant victory over sin and Satan.
Forty days after Jesus rose from the dead, he went back to heaven. (We celebrated the Ascension this past Thursday.) Before he left, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.
Whether Peter checked out Jesus’ hands or not is not important. But he does direct us to God’s hand.
Look at God’s Hand
1. Powerful to rely on (6-9)
2. Powerful to rejoice about (10,11)
1. Powerful to rely on (6-9)
Tomorrow is Memorial Day. We recall those men and women who lost their lives in service to this country. If I think of a soldier’s hands, I doubt that they are soft. Rather they are strong. The same would be true for God’s. Look at God’s hand—powerful to rely on.
The apostle Peter turns our attention to our attitude. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand” (1 Pe 5:6). Humility is not always an easy characteristic for any age group—from early age to teenage to middle age to old age. We don’t like to or want to put ourselves lower than another. We like it when life is about me, me, and more me.
How does that look in our relationship with God? When problems or pains come, we complain: “God has no concern.” Or we criticize. “God has no control.” Peter would have us put away such an approach. And he follows with a reminder: “that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Pe 5:6). He raises us up according to his timetable. There is a set time for this, a definite time, like a birthday on the calendar. That can be in different ways. He takes our affliction away, gives us the stamina to go on, or finally ushers us home to heaven.
That is evident in Jesus’ life. Jesus became one of us and just like us—developing in the womb of a virgin girl to dying on a cross. He gladly and willingly kept to God’s plan. We marvel at what that meant—from his birth in a barn to his burial in a tomb. But he did not stay in the there. God exalted him. Jesus came out of the grave. And for a month and 10 days he was in and out of the disciples’ lives, giving them insight and instruction. And then Jesus ascended into heaven, not to rest or retire, but to reign and rule as the Head of the Church, orchestrating all things for our benefit. We count on him.
And so we turn to and trust in God. Because he tells us as much. “Cast all your anxiety on him” (1 Pe 5:7). All those cares that fill our heads during the day and all those concerns that flood our hearts during the night we throw it on God—the pain of a guilty conscience or the problem of a family conflict. I am not a truck guy. I just don’t fit the part. That is my opinion. But that is my picture. It is like tossing all the brush from your yard after some spring cleanup into the bed of a pickup. Let it do the work of hauling. And leave it there. Wouldn’t it be odd to hold on to the sticks and twigs in the back as the vehicle makes its way to the compost site? That makes no sense. But we like to do it anyway.
But listen why we can throw it on him. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pe 5:7). Peter is emphatic. “To him it is a concern about you.” And not once in a while, but all of the time. He never stops being interested in us whether there is happiness or heartache. Peter was on that mountainside when Jesus lectured his listeners: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear” (Mt 6:25). Then he spoke of the birds of the air who do not plant crops and the lilies of the field who do not sew clothes. God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. In the words of the psalmist David, that is all the work of his fingers (Ps 8:3). And God cares for what he has made. That includes us who are valuable. Look to God’s hand—powerful to rely on. This is the One who handed over his Son to the world, the One who stretched out his hands on the cross, and the One who hands us the truth in the Word.
But so that we don’t get sloppy or sleepy, he warns. “Be self-controlled and alert” (1 Pe 5:8). He wants us to have a clear head and open eyes. This is much more serious than driving while under the influence or steering while on the phone. Again Peter had firsthand experience with the opposite. When they were in Gethsemane, Jesus poured out his heart in prayer while the disciples closed their eyes in sleep. When Jesus roused them, he reminded them: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Mt 26:41). He found that out a few hours later around a fire. He had boasted and bragged that he would even die with Jesus (Mt 26:33-35). But he found himself cursing and contending, “I don’t know him.” Three times (Mt 26:69-74).
The danger is real and the results can be deadly. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pe 5:8). We have one who is very much against us. All the time. He is relentless. And for that reason we dare not underestimate him. He lives up to his name, “the devil”—the accuser, the slanderer. Like someone in a court of law, he brings accusation after accusation against us. Of course, that is after convincing us that he is our friend. But none of that. He now points out our sin against God—and he is right—and then he points to our sentence from God—and it is fair. The devil would like nothing better than to drag you to hell.
That is why the illustration is so informative. You have seen the fearsome king of the jungle stalk an unsuspecting antelope secretly and silently. And then he strikes. He doesn’t do that to take it to lunch, but to take it for lunch. And he swings his paw quickly and swallows his prey completely.
But possibly we might think of the zoo. Lions don’t roam around the sidewalks where people can pet them. They stay in the cages. There they wear down a path as they pace around. Their growl is still intimidating, but it is not frightening. As long as we don’t go through the moat or over the glass. So Peter makes plain: “Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1 Pe 5:9). We oppose him and he has no choice but to flee from us (Ja 4:7). “Yes, I have sin. But yes, I have a Savior. He was dead, but now is alive. He went into heaven and works for my good.” Satan can try as he will to convict us, but God clears us through Jesus who carried our guilt (Ro 8:1). As Jesus mentioned about himself in his prayer to his Father the night before he died, “For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him” (Jn 17:2). We believe and live.
And then Peter assures us that we are not alone in our suffering and sorrow. We should not be surprised when it comes (1 Pe 4:12). We should expect it. But we have a band of brothers and no shortage of sisters to stand by us and with us. “You know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1 Pe 5:9). Again if we go back to the wild, a lion will attack an animal that is by itself, not in the middle of the pack. So we surround ourselves with each other’s company to comfort. We stay close to one another and to our God so that Satan cannot cause us to be weak or weary. Together as we go through many tribulations, we look at God’s hand—powerful to rely on.
2. Powerful to rejoice about (10,11)
Memorial Day allows us to thank those in the military for the ultimate sacrifice. (And our appreciation is for those who have served and still serve, even though that is another holiday. But we can’t be too grateful, can we?) That is the case with God. Look at God’s hand—powerful to rejoice about.
And that is what the apostle Peter does as he focuses on God, “the God of all grace” (1 Pe 5:10). God loves. It is who he is and what he does. And that grace is what he brings and gives. And we see that as Peter calls to mind that God is the One “who called you to his eternal glory in Christ” (1 Pe 5:10). He invited us to be his own. That is a better offer than any summons to supper.
Nothing can remove us from that or ruin it for us. As Peter highlights even difficulties last only “a little while” (1 Pe 5:10). They are “light and momentary” (2 Co 4:17). And through it all, the God of grace “will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Pe 5:11). Notice how he piles up the comfort of God’s ability. He will put things in order like a doctor sets a bone. He will strengthen. He will make us able to carry on. He will provide a firm foundation. And God can back it up. That is why Jesus prayed to the Father to protect us (Jn 17:11).
And when Jesus comes back from heaven the way that he went into heaven (Acts 1:11), he will take us to his side. That led Peter to break out in song: “To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Pe 5:11). God is capable of all he offers. We affirm that with our own “Amen.” So shall it be. Look to God’s hand—powerful to rejoice about.
Someone called the other day and wanted to take a picture of our stained glass window up in front. They saw it on the internet and thought it was worthy of a photo. And more than likely we take it for granted. But front and center is Jesus. His hands in blessings like at the end of worship. They are a bit hard to see so we have to look closely. Not such a bad thing. Look at God’s hand—powerful to rely on because of his mercy. And powerful to rejoice about because of his might. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen (1 Pe 5:11). Yes. Amen.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ (1 Pe 5:14). Amen.
May 28, 2017
Perhaps this is a strange question. But I will ask it anyway. Do you ever look at someone’s hands (Maybe you just did with the person sitting next to you.) If I glance at a mechanic’s hands, how is it that they can they change the spark plugs and mine can’t get the hood open? If I gaze at a pianist’s hands, how come they can tickle the ivories and mine seemed to be glued together?
The Bible speaks of God’s hand. The hand is a symbol of power. The Lord can do things that we cannot. Look at God’s hand—powerful to rely on and powerful to rejoice about. We read from …
1 Peter 5:6-11
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, who rose from the dead and returned to the Father,
I wonder if Peter ever stared at Jesus’ hands a time or two or three. He had plenty of opportunities.
There was that time when he was walking above water on the Sea of Galilee. He started fine, but sunk fast. As soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to go under. But Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him (Mt 14:31). That was not the hand of an ordinary lifeguard at a city pool.
On Easter evening, when he and his buddies were behind locked doors, Jesus appeared. He showed them his hands and side (Jn 10:20). The same thing happened a week later when Jesus encouraged Thomas to touch his wounds (Jn 20:27). Those nail marks in his hands meant victory over sin and Satan.
Forty days after Jesus rose from the dead, he went back to heaven. (We celebrated the Ascension this past Thursday.) Before he left, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.
Whether Peter checked out Jesus’ hands or not is not important. But he does direct us to God’s hand.
Look at God’s Hand
1. Powerful to rely on (6-9)
2. Powerful to rejoice about (10,11)
1. Powerful to rely on (6-9)
Tomorrow is Memorial Day. We recall those men and women who lost their lives in service to this country. If I think of a soldier’s hands, I doubt that they are soft. Rather they are strong. The same would be true for God’s. Look at God’s hand—powerful to rely on.
The apostle Peter turns our attention to our attitude. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand” (1 Pe 5:6). Humility is not always an easy characteristic for any age group—from early age to teenage to middle age to old age. We don’t like to or want to put ourselves lower than another. We like it when life is about me, me, and more me.
How does that look in our relationship with God? When problems or pains come, we complain: “God has no concern.” Or we criticize. “God has no control.” Peter would have us put away such an approach. And he follows with a reminder: “that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Pe 5:6). He raises us up according to his timetable. There is a set time for this, a definite time, like a birthday on the calendar. That can be in different ways. He takes our affliction away, gives us the stamina to go on, or finally ushers us home to heaven.
That is evident in Jesus’ life. Jesus became one of us and just like us—developing in the womb of a virgin girl to dying on a cross. He gladly and willingly kept to God’s plan. We marvel at what that meant—from his birth in a barn to his burial in a tomb. But he did not stay in the there. God exalted him. Jesus came out of the grave. And for a month and 10 days he was in and out of the disciples’ lives, giving them insight and instruction. And then Jesus ascended into heaven, not to rest or retire, but to reign and rule as the Head of the Church, orchestrating all things for our benefit. We count on him.
And so we turn to and trust in God. Because he tells us as much. “Cast all your anxiety on him” (1 Pe 5:7). All those cares that fill our heads during the day and all those concerns that flood our hearts during the night we throw it on God—the pain of a guilty conscience or the problem of a family conflict. I am not a truck guy. I just don’t fit the part. That is my opinion. But that is my picture. It is like tossing all the brush from your yard after some spring cleanup into the bed of a pickup. Let it do the work of hauling. And leave it there. Wouldn’t it be odd to hold on to the sticks and twigs in the back as the vehicle makes its way to the compost site? That makes no sense. But we like to do it anyway.
But listen why we can throw it on him. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pe 5:7). Peter is emphatic. “To him it is a concern about you.” And not once in a while, but all of the time. He never stops being interested in us whether there is happiness or heartache. Peter was on that mountainside when Jesus lectured his listeners: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear” (Mt 6:25). Then he spoke of the birds of the air who do not plant crops and the lilies of the field who do not sew clothes. God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. In the words of the psalmist David, that is all the work of his fingers (Ps 8:3). And God cares for what he has made. That includes us who are valuable. Look to God’s hand—powerful to rely on. This is the One who handed over his Son to the world, the One who stretched out his hands on the cross, and the One who hands us the truth in the Word.
But so that we don’t get sloppy or sleepy, he warns. “Be self-controlled and alert” (1 Pe 5:8). He wants us to have a clear head and open eyes. This is much more serious than driving while under the influence or steering while on the phone. Again Peter had firsthand experience with the opposite. When they were in Gethsemane, Jesus poured out his heart in prayer while the disciples closed their eyes in sleep. When Jesus roused them, he reminded them: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Mt 26:41). He found that out a few hours later around a fire. He had boasted and bragged that he would even die with Jesus (Mt 26:33-35). But he found himself cursing and contending, “I don’t know him.” Three times (Mt 26:69-74).
The danger is real and the results can be deadly. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pe 5:8). We have one who is very much against us. All the time. He is relentless. And for that reason we dare not underestimate him. He lives up to his name, “the devil”—the accuser, the slanderer. Like someone in a court of law, he brings accusation after accusation against us. Of course, that is after convincing us that he is our friend. But none of that. He now points out our sin against God—and he is right—and then he points to our sentence from God—and it is fair. The devil would like nothing better than to drag you to hell.
That is why the illustration is so informative. You have seen the fearsome king of the jungle stalk an unsuspecting antelope secretly and silently. And then he strikes. He doesn’t do that to take it to lunch, but to take it for lunch. And he swings his paw quickly and swallows his prey completely.
But possibly we might think of the zoo. Lions don’t roam around the sidewalks where people can pet them. They stay in the cages. There they wear down a path as they pace around. Their growl is still intimidating, but it is not frightening. As long as we don’t go through the moat or over the glass. So Peter makes plain: “Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1 Pe 5:9). We oppose him and he has no choice but to flee from us (Ja 4:7). “Yes, I have sin. But yes, I have a Savior. He was dead, but now is alive. He went into heaven and works for my good.” Satan can try as he will to convict us, but God clears us through Jesus who carried our guilt (Ro 8:1). As Jesus mentioned about himself in his prayer to his Father the night before he died, “For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him” (Jn 17:2). We believe and live.
And then Peter assures us that we are not alone in our suffering and sorrow. We should not be surprised when it comes (1 Pe 4:12). We should expect it. But we have a band of brothers and no shortage of sisters to stand by us and with us. “You know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1 Pe 5:9). Again if we go back to the wild, a lion will attack an animal that is by itself, not in the middle of the pack. So we surround ourselves with each other’s company to comfort. We stay close to one another and to our God so that Satan cannot cause us to be weak or weary. Together as we go through many tribulations, we look at God’s hand—powerful to rely on.
2. Powerful to rejoice about (10,11)
Memorial Day allows us to thank those in the military for the ultimate sacrifice. (And our appreciation is for those who have served and still serve, even though that is another holiday. But we can’t be too grateful, can we?) That is the case with God. Look at God’s hand—powerful to rejoice about.
And that is what the apostle Peter does as he focuses on God, “the God of all grace” (1 Pe 5:10). God loves. It is who he is and what he does. And that grace is what he brings and gives. And we see that as Peter calls to mind that God is the One “who called you to his eternal glory in Christ” (1 Pe 5:10). He invited us to be his own. That is a better offer than any summons to supper.
Nothing can remove us from that or ruin it for us. As Peter highlights even difficulties last only “a little while” (1 Pe 5:10). They are “light and momentary” (2 Co 4:17). And through it all, the God of grace “will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Pe 5:11). Notice how he piles up the comfort of God’s ability. He will put things in order like a doctor sets a bone. He will strengthen. He will make us able to carry on. He will provide a firm foundation. And God can back it up. That is why Jesus prayed to the Father to protect us (Jn 17:11).
And when Jesus comes back from heaven the way that he went into heaven (Acts 1:11), he will take us to his side. That led Peter to break out in song: “To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Pe 5:11). God is capable of all he offers. We affirm that with our own “Amen.” So shall it be. Look to God’s hand—powerful to rejoice about.
Someone called the other day and wanted to take a picture of our stained glass window up in front. They saw it on the internet and thought it was worthy of a photo. And more than likely we take it for granted. But front and center is Jesus. His hands in blessings like at the end of worship. They are a bit hard to see so we have to look closely. Not such a bad thing. Look at God’s hand—powerful to rely on because of his mercy. And powerful to rejoice about because of his might. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen (1 Pe 5:11). Yes. Amen.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ (1 Pe 5:14). Amen.
May 28, 2017
Sunday, May 21, 2017
The Sixth Sunday of Easter (Acts 17:22-31)
Grace and peace be yours in abundance (1 Pe 1:2). Amen.
All of us have probably been at one in some fashion and at some time. A meeting. It could be work related—the manager and staff meet to hammer out a presentation for a client. Or school related—a parent and teacher meet to talk about a problem in the classroom. Those might not be high on our list of thrilling things to sit through. I don’t know what crosses your mind when you hear the word “meeting.”
If it is negative, we don’t want that to color our consideration this morning as we go to Greece. It is positive. Attend a meeting in Athens. It is about the present. It is about the future. We read from …
Acts 17:22-31
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the One whom we adore and await,
There can at times be travel for a conference. It might be to a coffee shop all the way to a convention center. Perhaps that lessens the pain of a get-together since it is out of the office or out of the state. Even more so if there are comfortable chairs and complimentary water on the tables. (Maybe I just have low standards.)
How about if we head to southeastern Europe? Not by plane or by ship. But in thought and in meditation. Put yourself in their place from your pew.
Attend a Meeting in Athens
1. It is about the present (22-30)
2. It is about the future (31)
1. It is about the present (22-30)
It is always good to know the outline in a meeting (or at least when the breaks are scheduled). It is called an agenda. Item #1 for the meeting in Athens. It is about the present.
The apostle Paul’s travels continued. He had been at Philippi, Thessalonica, and most recently Berea. There was always a mixed reaction—rejection of God and persecution of Paul as well as reliance on God and protection of Paul. So the faithful sent him on. The noble Bereans even escorted Paul down the road or on the sea—whatever it was (Acts 17:15).
The next stop was Athens. But still it was a key city, but not quite the cultural center that it had once been. It had been the home of intellectual greats like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. And high above the city still stood the acropolis with the beautiful temple, the Parthenon, dedicated to Athena, their patron goddess.
While Paul waited there for his coworkers—Silas and Timothy—to join him, he didn’t take a break. He started teaching right away in the synagogue. That is where Jews who were familiar with Moses and the prophets could see Jesus as the Messiah—the One who had to die and rise.
But his work of the good news about the Christ spilled out into the marketplace—with Greeks, Gentiles. That was where there was men would meet to have conversation and exchange ideas. Paul spoke with those who followed the popular philosophies of the day (Acts 17:18)—the Epicureans who had the notion that life was all about the pursuit of pleasure and happiness (“eat, drink, and be merry”) and the Stoics who espoused the outlook that one’s goal in life was to be dutiful and virtuous. There was great knowledge without real wisdom—Christ crucified (1 Co 1:23,24).
Paul received the invitation to address the Areopagus—a group that supervised educational and religious affairs. This was more out of curiosity—a formal hearing for the visiting missionary, not an official trial.
So Paul got to his feet: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious” (Acts 17:22). He credits them with a certain fear of the supernatural, even it was more superstition. He had observed that as he did some sightseeing around the town. The comment has been made that there were more gods in Athens than men. That was evident with all the shrines and statues. But these gods and goddesses were just supermen and superwomen, bigger and better than them, but at times kind of naughty.
But Paul highlighted one in particular. As he walked all around, he thought carefully about their “objects of worship” (Acts 17:23). They were so conscientious that they didn’t want to offend anyone. They covered their bases with “an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD” (Acts 17:23).
That is when Paul followed an important educational principle—going from the known to the unknown. A math instructor will make addition clear before going on with division. He didn’t begin by asking them to take out their scrolls with the Scripture on them. They didn’t have them. “Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). It is not a “what,” but a “who”—a personal God.
He is the Creator. “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands” (Acts 17:24). No house of worship can confine him. He is above all and over all.
He is the Controller. “And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:25). That was the Greeks’ impression of the gods—a kind of “you scratch my back and I will scratch yours” – I will do for you and you will do for me. But the Lord starts life and sustains it as our lungs inhale and exhale and every other thing. We need him, not the other way around.
And what is more: “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” (Acts 17:26). God manages history—from empires to individuals. He regulates it all like we put a fence around a yard—when one rules or where one resides.
There is a definite purpose to his plan. “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). Our God is not remote or removed so that we grope in the air as when you walk around the house in the dark. There is access and availability to learn about him. We do that as we listen to the gospel. Jesus became one of us. He lived with us and for us—perfectly. He died on the cross in our place and for our benefit—willingly. Peter put it well: “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Pe 3:18). God shaped us and he saved us. Jesus even promised that the Holy Spirit, the “Counselor” (Jn 14:16), one called to another’s side to help, would come to testify to the truth (Jn 14:17).
None of this should have been foreign to them. Paul displays his wisdom as he quotes from their poets: “‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring’” (Acts 17:28). We come from God, not the other way around as if clay can fashion the potter. Creatures cannot form the Creator. Paul draws the conclusion: “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill” (Acts 17:29). That is not the Lord. An idol has ears, but cannot hear, eyes, but cannot see, a mouth, but cannot speak. Not our Lord. He hears. He sees. He speaks. He is intelligent and immense.
And now Paul gets to the meat of the message. Ignorance is not innocence just like when you don’t know the speed limit and you get caught for exceeding it. (That is hypothetical, of course.) “But I didn’t know.” That doesn’t work, not with an officer, nor with God. “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
If we have let our minds wander a bit during this meeting like an employee glancing at or staring at his phone, now would be when we want to perk up. God announces what he wants done. Repent. That is, change our minds like a change of directions. Life is not to be without God—living for and by ourselves, but God living with and for him. And that is life, life to the full (Jn 10:10), eternal life (Jn 3:16). It is not just right now, but forever. It all goes back to Easter Sunday. Because Jesus came out of his grave, we will too. In Jesus’ words, “Because I live, you also will live” (Jn 14:19). Not even death will separate us from him (Ro 8:38,39). Attend a meeting in Athens. It is about the present. We realize our sin against God. And we remember our Savior from God.
2. It is about the future (31)
Item #2 for the meeting in Athens. We are making our way through the agenda. It is the final point. It is about the future.
There are all days on our calendars. But this is the day with a capital “D.” “For he [that is, God] has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). That is Judgment Day. The Last Day. There is urgency because it is getting closer.
It is not a day for us to be afraid of, but to look forward to. Jesus will administer justice rightly. Those who turned from him he will turn away. Those who trusted in him he will take to himself. We can be sure because God brought Jesus out of his tomb—proof that he accepted Jesus’ sacrifice. Attend a meeting in Athens. It is about the future. It is not terrifying, but exciting because we know the Judge and the verdict. Jesus will usher us to heaven.
Perhaps you have left a meeting and decided that it was not too bad, even if you dreaded it. This one in Athens was beneficial. It was about the present. God made us to be his own. And it is about the future. One day he will take us to our home. Come, Lord Jesus. Meeting over. Amen.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ (1 Pe 5:14). Amen.
May 21, 2017
All of us have probably been at one in some fashion and at some time. A meeting. It could be work related—the manager and staff meet to hammer out a presentation for a client. Or school related—a parent and teacher meet to talk about a problem in the classroom. Those might not be high on our list of thrilling things to sit through. I don’t know what crosses your mind when you hear the word “meeting.”
If it is negative, we don’t want that to color our consideration this morning as we go to Greece. It is positive. Attend a meeting in Athens. It is about the present. It is about the future. We read from …
Acts 17:22-31
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the One whom we adore and await,
There can at times be travel for a conference. It might be to a coffee shop all the way to a convention center. Perhaps that lessens the pain of a get-together since it is out of the office or out of the state. Even more so if there are comfortable chairs and complimentary water on the tables. (Maybe I just have low standards.)
How about if we head to southeastern Europe? Not by plane or by ship. But in thought and in meditation. Put yourself in their place from your pew.
Attend a Meeting in Athens
1. It is about the present (22-30)
2. It is about the future (31)
1. It is about the present (22-30)
It is always good to know the outline in a meeting (or at least when the breaks are scheduled). It is called an agenda. Item #1 for the meeting in Athens. It is about the present.
The apostle Paul’s travels continued. He had been at Philippi, Thessalonica, and most recently Berea. There was always a mixed reaction—rejection of God and persecution of Paul as well as reliance on God and protection of Paul. So the faithful sent him on. The noble Bereans even escorted Paul down the road or on the sea—whatever it was (Acts 17:15).
The next stop was Athens. But still it was a key city, but not quite the cultural center that it had once been. It had been the home of intellectual greats like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. And high above the city still stood the acropolis with the beautiful temple, the Parthenon, dedicated to Athena, their patron goddess.
While Paul waited there for his coworkers—Silas and Timothy—to join him, he didn’t take a break. He started teaching right away in the synagogue. That is where Jews who were familiar with Moses and the prophets could see Jesus as the Messiah—the One who had to die and rise.
But his work of the good news about the Christ spilled out into the marketplace—with Greeks, Gentiles. That was where there was men would meet to have conversation and exchange ideas. Paul spoke with those who followed the popular philosophies of the day (Acts 17:18)—the Epicureans who had the notion that life was all about the pursuit of pleasure and happiness (“eat, drink, and be merry”) and the Stoics who espoused the outlook that one’s goal in life was to be dutiful and virtuous. There was great knowledge without real wisdom—Christ crucified (1 Co 1:23,24).
Paul received the invitation to address the Areopagus—a group that supervised educational and religious affairs. This was more out of curiosity—a formal hearing for the visiting missionary, not an official trial.
So Paul got to his feet: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious” (Acts 17:22). He credits them with a certain fear of the supernatural, even it was more superstition. He had observed that as he did some sightseeing around the town. The comment has been made that there were more gods in Athens than men. That was evident with all the shrines and statues. But these gods and goddesses were just supermen and superwomen, bigger and better than them, but at times kind of naughty.
But Paul highlighted one in particular. As he walked all around, he thought carefully about their “objects of worship” (Acts 17:23). They were so conscientious that they didn’t want to offend anyone. They covered their bases with “an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD” (Acts 17:23).
That is when Paul followed an important educational principle—going from the known to the unknown. A math instructor will make addition clear before going on with division. He didn’t begin by asking them to take out their scrolls with the Scripture on them. They didn’t have them. “Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). It is not a “what,” but a “who”—a personal God.
He is the Creator. “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands” (Acts 17:24). No house of worship can confine him. He is above all and over all.
He is the Controller. “And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:25). That was the Greeks’ impression of the gods—a kind of “you scratch my back and I will scratch yours” – I will do for you and you will do for me. But the Lord starts life and sustains it as our lungs inhale and exhale and every other thing. We need him, not the other way around.
And what is more: “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” (Acts 17:26). God manages history—from empires to individuals. He regulates it all like we put a fence around a yard—when one rules or where one resides.
There is a definite purpose to his plan. “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). Our God is not remote or removed so that we grope in the air as when you walk around the house in the dark. There is access and availability to learn about him. We do that as we listen to the gospel. Jesus became one of us. He lived with us and for us—perfectly. He died on the cross in our place and for our benefit—willingly. Peter put it well: “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Pe 3:18). God shaped us and he saved us. Jesus even promised that the Holy Spirit, the “Counselor” (Jn 14:16), one called to another’s side to help, would come to testify to the truth (Jn 14:17).
None of this should have been foreign to them. Paul displays his wisdom as he quotes from their poets: “‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring’” (Acts 17:28). We come from God, not the other way around as if clay can fashion the potter. Creatures cannot form the Creator. Paul draws the conclusion: “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill” (Acts 17:29). That is not the Lord. An idol has ears, but cannot hear, eyes, but cannot see, a mouth, but cannot speak. Not our Lord. He hears. He sees. He speaks. He is intelligent and immense.
And now Paul gets to the meat of the message. Ignorance is not innocence just like when you don’t know the speed limit and you get caught for exceeding it. (That is hypothetical, of course.) “But I didn’t know.” That doesn’t work, not with an officer, nor with God. “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
If we have let our minds wander a bit during this meeting like an employee glancing at or staring at his phone, now would be when we want to perk up. God announces what he wants done. Repent. That is, change our minds like a change of directions. Life is not to be without God—living for and by ourselves, but God living with and for him. And that is life, life to the full (Jn 10:10), eternal life (Jn 3:16). It is not just right now, but forever. It all goes back to Easter Sunday. Because Jesus came out of his grave, we will too. In Jesus’ words, “Because I live, you also will live” (Jn 14:19). Not even death will separate us from him (Ro 8:38,39). Attend a meeting in Athens. It is about the present. We realize our sin against God. And we remember our Savior from God.
2. It is about the future (31)
Item #2 for the meeting in Athens. We are making our way through the agenda. It is the final point. It is about the future.
There are all days on our calendars. But this is the day with a capital “D.” “For he [that is, God] has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). That is Judgment Day. The Last Day. There is urgency because it is getting closer.
It is not a day for us to be afraid of, but to look forward to. Jesus will administer justice rightly. Those who turned from him he will turn away. Those who trusted in him he will take to himself. We can be sure because God brought Jesus out of his tomb—proof that he accepted Jesus’ sacrifice. Attend a meeting in Athens. It is about the future. It is not terrifying, but exciting because we know the Judge and the verdict. Jesus will usher us to heaven.
Perhaps you have left a meeting and decided that it was not too bad, even if you dreaded it. This one in Athens was beneficial. It was about the present. God made us to be his own. And it is about the future. One day he will take us to our home. Come, Lord Jesus. Meeting over. Amen.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ (1 Pe 5:14). Amen.
May 21, 2017
Sunday, May 14, 2017
The Fifth Sunday of Easter (Acts 17:10-12)
Grace and peace be yours in abundance (1 Pe 1:2). Amen.
Today is Mother’s Day. I realize that mention of that can bring a wide range of emotions—from both ends of the spectrum, painful to wonderful. And for different reasons. And perhaps there is a mixture of those feelings all at once. I pray that we can still say, “Happy Mother’s Day” whether you have one, are one, or will be one.
I will assert the obvious as I have before. I am not a mother. The chances are not good either. Many others of us fall into that category. That doesn’t mean that we cannot take one day out of the 365 to think about and to thank mothers. That also doesn’t give us the excuse to disrespect or disregard them the rest of the year.
There is something or someone that we can all be. Be a Berean—with the right attitude and with the right action. We read from …
Acts 17:10-12
Dear People of God whose Word we eagerly examine,
Comparisons can be harmful. Maybe there is a mother who looks at another mom and feels as if she doesn’t quite measure up. Sometimes her children point out the perceived gap when there is a complaint about her or when it is convenient for them. And a mommy sighs in discouragement, “I can’t be like her.”
But comparisons can be helpful. A mother looks up to another like her own mom or a mom figure—to imitate or emulate. She works to improve since there is no such thing as a perfect mom. So she states with determination, “I can be like her.”
That is the tactic that we are going to take with the citizens of a city in Macedonia. I can be like one of them.
Be a Berean
1. With the right attitude (10,11)
2. With the right action (11,12)
1. With the right attitude (10,11)
Moms seem to have a special way of addressing their child’s outlook when it comes to helping around the house—like making a bed in the morning. It can be sharply or subtlety. There is either a minor or major adjustment to have the same mindset. That might happen as we work our way to Berea. Be a Berean with the right attitude.
Paul and Silas made a quick exit at night under the advisement of the believers in Thessalonica. They had been there for three weeks, preaching and proclaiming the necessity of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Acts 17:2,3). But the Jews got jealous and started a riot in a misguided attempt to uphold God’s honor and to discredit the new teaching. It was not safe for the two missionaries to stay because of the persecution. When it was dark, they departed. “As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea” (Acts 17:10).
Those two did not take a little time to regroup or reorganize—which is in and of itself amazing. It had to have crossed their minds, “what will the reaction be here?” It was a legitimate question and real concern. There was no giving up, only going on. “On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue” (Acts 17:10).
That was Paul’s normal practice. That was the place where he would meet people who were familiar with the Old Testament. That was their house of worship. Not too far from what we are used to. On the Sabbath day, there would be readings from books of Moses and selections from the prophets. There would also be prayers and petitions as well as a time for someone to expound and explain the Scriptures. And that is what Paul would do. He would make clear that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the One whom God selected to save (Acts 17:3).
But things were the opposite in Berea than in Thessalonica. “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness” (Acts 17:11). It wasn’t because there were better mothers 55 miles farther south in that province—ones who taught good manners like “be polite to strangers.” The Holy Spirit worked in their hearts a willingness, a readiness, to listen to and learn from the Word. They might have echoed the psalmist David: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD’” (Ps 122:1).
That is not natural. It is not exciting, more along the lines of insulting, when we hear that there is a great distance between us and God because that is what sin does—whether it is by what we do or don’t do. And we don’t bridge it with all the good things that we do.
But God has brought us to himself. It is through Jesus who once emphasized the night before he hung on the cross for us and three days before he headed out of the grave: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:6). The way to the Father is through the Son. That is truth. And it results in life because all who believe have eternal life (Jn 3:16). For us there is a room, a permanent place that Jesus has prepared for us. Or as Peter reminded us, Jesus is the “living Stone” (1 Pe 2:4), the One on whom we build our faith and base our faith. And what follows is “the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (1 Pe 2:5). And then those descriptors: “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God” (1 Pe 2:9).
It doesn’t become a burden or a bother to be in God’s Word. Finally we could be sleeping or shopping or something else this morning. It is not like the teenager who complains, “Why do I have to get cornflakes for mom on the second Sunday in May anyway? She knows where they are in the pantry. And coffee? With cream and sugar?” It is not an “ought to” or “have to”—a duty or a responsibility. It is a “get to” or a “want to”—a privilege and a treat. As the explanation of the Third Commandment highlights: “We should fear and love God that we do not despise preaching and his Word, but regard it as holy, and gladly hear and learn it.” We can’t get enough of having it cross our ears that God loves us in Christ. And he forgives us in Christ. It is another songwriter who encourages us: “Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him” (Ps 33:1). We do. Be a Berean with the right attitude. We receive the message with great eagerness.
2. With the right action (11,12)
Moms like the proper response when they call attention to the sheets all crumbled at the end of the bed or on the floor. A delay is not in one’s best interest. (I have gleaned that from years of personal experience.) And usually once a year is not sufficient. It is more significant subject material in Berea. Be a Berean with the right action.
The Bereans’ right attitude to God’s Word led to the right action with God’s Word. “They … examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:10). We sometimes claim that a student is a sponge—they soak everything up. That is good.
But the Bereans were not just passive—getting the Word, but active—grasping the Word. They gave careful consideration to Paul’s teaching. Did Paul’s spoken word contradict or confirm God’s written word? As Jesus once commented: “These are the Scriptures which testify about me” n 5:39). It is all about Jesus (1 Co 2:2).
The Bereans came to that conclusion after diligent investigation (cf. 1 Jn 4:1). I was to a particular tourist attraction in the city of Wall, South Dakota. (Maybe you have heard of the famous pharmacy.) To urge you to part with your money, you can do some prospecting. You buy a bag of sand or dirt. You put it in a wooden box with a screen on the bottom. You place it in the running water and shake it. Suddenly precious fake gems come into view. You inspect them and match them up with a sheet of paper to determine the name. This is bigger. But that is what the Bereans did. They sifted thoroughly what Paul spoke. They matched up the promise of the Savior with the fulfillment of the Savior. Jesus. These things were really so.
Paul wasn’t upset or angry. “Don’t these people know who I am?” No, he welcomed it. Because it was true. It is fine to take note of what is being presented in church and then take time to verify it. Read the Bible on your own and with your family—in the morning or in the evening, talk about worship, listen to memory work (and maybe memorize it too). And not here and there. The devil will back up our claim that we are busy, too busy. And then we become lazy and lax. But make it a daily habit like brushing your teeth (assuming that it your usual procedure).
And it wasn’t occasionally, but regularly. Daily. Not just that we would reserve our look at Scripture for Sunday. Or we have the idea that we did the confirmation thing or we do the Little Light thing. There is no reason to limit our exposure like to the dangerous rays of the sun between 10 AM and 3 PM. It won’t be detrimental. Martin Luther once quipped: “We need to hear the Gospel (the good news about Jesus) every day, because we forget it every day.” Moms don’t appear to tire of their children telling them quite often, “I love you.” We could hardly get sick of the Lord recalling his grace and goodness.
With that noble activity day after day, the consequence will be as clear in us and around us as with that town: “Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men” (Acts 17:12). The Holy Spirit creates faith and keeps that faith as our trust grows deeper and deeper. That is a blessing. Be a Berean with the right action. We examine the Scriptures every day.
Today is a shout out to moms (not to shout at them). There can be varying sentiments. Regardless, a good mother is a gift of and from God. Appreciate that no matter how you are related to motherhood. But pattern yourself after a Berean. Be a Berean with the right attitude and the right action. Lord, we are eager to examine your Word. Help us with that. Amen.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ (1 Pe 5:14). Amen.
May 14, 2017
Sunday, May 7, 2017
The Fourth Sunday of Easter (1 Peter 2:19-25)
Grace and peace be yours in abundance (1 Pe 1:2). Amen.
Sometimes we look for recommendations. Do you know a good _____ ? (Fill in the blank with your need—a good mechanic for your car, roofer for your house, dentist for your mouth.)
People usually are willing to offer suggestions based on their experience.
• “We were happy with so and so when there was a strange noise under the hood.”
• Or “we liked this company when there was hail damage.”
• Or “we were satisfied when he drilled and filled a big cavity.”
If we boil it down, it is a matter of being “good.”
We don’t need an endorsement. We have Jesus’ statement: “I am the good shepherd” (Jn 10:11; cf. v. 2). Peter did it and encourages us to do it: Follow the Good Shepherd to his cross and with your conduct. We read from …
1 Peter 2:19-25
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd who once was dead, but who now is alive,
The pictures make it look easy, don’t they? Especially the ones with Jesus in them. The sheep are on his shoulders or at his feet. So still. So serene. I suppose that is the point of the portrait.
But it can’t be so simple to be a shepherd. They are still animals. (I have enough problems getting the family dog to listen. I am not sure that I would be any better with a wooly animal.) Sheep need constant care and concern. The shepherd needs to have his eyes and ears open at all times. Otherwise, we might not put him in the category of “good.”
Jesus is—not just your Shepherd (King David once a shepherd boy taught us to sing: “The LORD is my shepherd” [Ps 23:1]), but we can classify him as “good.” He goes before; we go after.
Follow the Good Shepherd
1. To his cross (22-25)
2. With your conduct (19-21,24)
1. To his cross (22-25)
As Jesus used the comparison of shepherd and sheep, he gives a pretty good description of both: “He [that is, the shepherd] goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (Jn 10:4). The shepherd walks ahead. The sheep walk behind. That fits Jesus and us. Follow the Good Shepherd to his cross.
That is where the apostle Peter takes us—to that Roman instrument of torture. And he makes it clear why Jesus went. It wasn’t for his sin. Quoting from the prophet Isaiah, Peter confirms: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth” (1 Pe 2:22; Is 53:9). No sin. Not one sinful syllable crossed his lips. Ever. He didn’t trick anyone when he spoke like you try to trap an unwanted mouse in your pantry so you put a little peanut butter on that wooden death-gadget. Jesus knew no sin (2 Co 5:21). No one could prove him guilty of sin (Jn 8:46).
How true that was when Jesus was on trial before Caiaphas, the High Priest, after he was arrested late Maundy Thursday night. There were false witnesses and fake accusations. But they did not agree. And Jesus remained silent.
That was the case when they paraded Jesus before Pilate The chief priests and elders shouted, but Jesus’ mouth was shut.
Or even at the cross when his enemies were anything but calm: “He saved others [Jesus did.] ... but he can’t save himself! [Jesus didn’t want to.] He’s the King of Israel! [That was on the announcement above Jesus’ head.] Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him” [That would have made no difference.] (Mt 27:42).
Peter summarizes that well: “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats” (1 Pe 2:23). They kept going and he kept quiet. He didn’t return abuse for abuse like in an argument, we scream, “Oh, yeah, …” and then try to one up the other individual. Jesus didn’t promise that he would make them pay. None of that.
How could he? “Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pe 2:23). Jesus placed himself confidently in God’s hands, knowing that the Father was pleased with what he was doing in carrying out the plan to rescue sinners.
No. It was for our sins. He headed to that wooden apparatus on Calvary for our benefit and in our place. Peter emphasizes that fact. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Pe 2:24). He sacrificed himself as our Substitute like a lamb lost its life in Old Testament so that the sinner could go free. Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29). God put our sins on him so that he could put our sins aside (Is 53:4,5,12). It was all for us, only for us (1 Co 15:3).
And the result: “by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pe 2:24). Jesus allowed himself to be beaten and bloodied so that we might be made whole and well. In fact, that was what Jesus showed his disciples on Easter evening—the marks on his hands and his side, signs of victory—as he greeted them with, “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19,20).
He did it all for his sheep. Us. That might not be a likeness that we latch on to. Sheep may not be so strong or smart. But there is that unflattering characteristic of wandering that Peter mentions: “For you were like sheep going astray” (1 Pe 2:25). Perhaps we get the idea that a shepherd puts his sheep in a field like the one out back, with grass so high that it scratches their bellies. They just chomp and chew what is around them all day long. But maybe we have to imagine a green tuft here and another one there. They put their head down and go from one to the next. They can be distracted and soon distanced from the shepherd, hopelessly lost. And so we can become disinterested in God or disobedient of God, terribly adrift.
“But now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Pe 2:25). Jesus has turned us from heading away in the opposite direction from him to heading with him along the right paths (Ps 23:3). He provides us with forgiveness as his kindness is with us. He protects us from our enemies as his attention is on us. Follow the Good Shepherd to his cross. It is there that he saves (Jn 10:9). We now have life, and life to the full—on earth and in eternity (Jn 10:10). Jesus makes it possible to proclaim like David: “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Ps 23:6).
2. With your conduct (19-21,24)
Jesus hits on another trait of the shepherd/sheep association. “But they [the sheep] will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice” (Jn 10:5). That is how they act. And so do we as we spend time in and around his Word, becoming acquainted and familiar with what he says—knowing right and wrong. Follow the Good Shepherd with your conduct.
Persecution is not a new phenomenon in or for the church. It has been around for a long time. That is why Peter is writing. His readers were suffering and struggling with it. He writes to strengthen and support them in it. It should not surprise them any more than it should shock us. If they treated Jesus poorly, we can anticipate the same (Jn 15:20).
That mistreatment was there with Stephen. The Sanhedrin got excited when he brought up how they brought about Jesus’ death. They hauled him out of the city and hurled rocks at his head, making him the first martyr (Acts 7:58). He testified to the truth with his life.
Peter put it this way: “For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God” (1 Pe 2:19). When sorrow comes because of unfair treatment, we can be patient because we know God’s grace is still there. He does not ditch us or dump us.
But he also wants them to keep this in mind with his question: “But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?” (1 Pe 2:20). It is not pain for pain’s sake like two brothers taking turns punching each other on the arm to see which one backs down first. There is no glory in getting a ticket for speeding or being grounded for sassing. “But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (1 Pe 2:20). We are still blessed (Mt 5:11,12). The devil would deceive us that God doesn’t have a clue or is not in control. But not true. God is by our side. We are still his children. He will sustain us with all that we need.
As Peter indicated, Jesus is our Savior. But he is more. “To this [the cheerful endurance of painful abuse] you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pe 2:21). Think of how we learn to write. There are workbooks or worksheets and you trace the dotted lines or follow the arrows. We behave in the manner that Jesus did like a child copying his father’s path through the snow (even on May 1!).
We love as Jesus loved. We forgive as Jesus forgave. And like Stephen on the ground who echoed Jesus’ prayer from the cross, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60; cf. Lk 23:34). There is no room for retribution or repayment. As Peter made clear: Jesus lifted up our sins “so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Pe 2:24). We can change the phrase “It’s a matter of life and death” to “It is a matter of death and life.” Dead to sin and alive in Christ (Ro 6:2,11), delighting in what God considers pleasing and pleasant all our life. And again similar to Jesus and Stephen on the day he invites us home, we commit our lives into his hands, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59; cf. Lk 23:46). And we fall asleep in death to wake up in heaven. Follow the Good Shepherd with your conduct.
It is not often that you need a recommendation for a good shepherd unless you want a petting zoo for a birthday party or you are going green when cutting your lawn. But we have one. Jesus. It is not a difficult job for him. Follow the Good Shepherd to his cross where he gives his life for you—to save you. Follow the Good Shepherd with your conduct as you give your life for him—to thank him. There is no one better to be in front to follow. Amen.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ (1 Pe 5:13). Amen.
May 7, 2017
Sometimes we look for recommendations. Do you know a good _____ ? (Fill in the blank with your need—a good mechanic for your car, roofer for your house, dentist for your mouth.)
People usually are willing to offer suggestions based on their experience.
• “We were happy with so and so when there was a strange noise under the hood.”
• Or “we liked this company when there was hail damage.”
• Or “we were satisfied when he drilled and filled a big cavity.”
If we boil it down, it is a matter of being “good.”
We don’t need an endorsement. We have Jesus’ statement: “I am the good shepherd” (Jn 10:11; cf. v. 2). Peter did it and encourages us to do it: Follow the Good Shepherd to his cross and with your conduct. We read from …
1 Peter 2:19-25
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd who once was dead, but who now is alive,
The pictures make it look easy, don’t they? Especially the ones with Jesus in them. The sheep are on his shoulders or at his feet. So still. So serene. I suppose that is the point of the portrait.
But it can’t be so simple to be a shepherd. They are still animals. (I have enough problems getting the family dog to listen. I am not sure that I would be any better with a wooly animal.) Sheep need constant care and concern. The shepherd needs to have his eyes and ears open at all times. Otherwise, we might not put him in the category of “good.”
Jesus is—not just your Shepherd (King David once a shepherd boy taught us to sing: “The LORD is my shepherd” [Ps 23:1]), but we can classify him as “good.” He goes before; we go after.
Follow the Good Shepherd
1. To his cross (22-25)
2. With your conduct (19-21,24)
1. To his cross (22-25)
As Jesus used the comparison of shepherd and sheep, he gives a pretty good description of both: “He [that is, the shepherd] goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (Jn 10:4). The shepherd walks ahead. The sheep walk behind. That fits Jesus and us. Follow the Good Shepherd to his cross.
That is where the apostle Peter takes us—to that Roman instrument of torture. And he makes it clear why Jesus went. It wasn’t for his sin. Quoting from the prophet Isaiah, Peter confirms: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth” (1 Pe 2:22; Is 53:9). No sin. Not one sinful syllable crossed his lips. Ever. He didn’t trick anyone when he spoke like you try to trap an unwanted mouse in your pantry so you put a little peanut butter on that wooden death-gadget. Jesus knew no sin (2 Co 5:21). No one could prove him guilty of sin (Jn 8:46).
How true that was when Jesus was on trial before Caiaphas, the High Priest, after he was arrested late Maundy Thursday night. There were false witnesses and fake accusations. But they did not agree. And Jesus remained silent.
That was the case when they paraded Jesus before Pilate The chief priests and elders shouted, but Jesus’ mouth was shut.
Or even at the cross when his enemies were anything but calm: “He saved others [Jesus did.] ... but he can’t save himself! [Jesus didn’t want to.] He’s the King of Israel! [That was on the announcement above Jesus’ head.] Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him” [That would have made no difference.] (Mt 27:42).
Peter summarizes that well: “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats” (1 Pe 2:23). They kept going and he kept quiet. He didn’t return abuse for abuse like in an argument, we scream, “Oh, yeah, …” and then try to one up the other individual. Jesus didn’t promise that he would make them pay. None of that.
How could he? “Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pe 2:23). Jesus placed himself confidently in God’s hands, knowing that the Father was pleased with what he was doing in carrying out the plan to rescue sinners.
No. It was for our sins. He headed to that wooden apparatus on Calvary for our benefit and in our place. Peter emphasizes that fact. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Pe 2:24). He sacrificed himself as our Substitute like a lamb lost its life in Old Testament so that the sinner could go free. Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29). God put our sins on him so that he could put our sins aside (Is 53:4,5,12). It was all for us, only for us (1 Co 15:3).
And the result: “by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pe 2:24). Jesus allowed himself to be beaten and bloodied so that we might be made whole and well. In fact, that was what Jesus showed his disciples on Easter evening—the marks on his hands and his side, signs of victory—as he greeted them with, “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19,20).
He did it all for his sheep. Us. That might not be a likeness that we latch on to. Sheep may not be so strong or smart. But there is that unflattering characteristic of wandering that Peter mentions: “For you were like sheep going astray” (1 Pe 2:25). Perhaps we get the idea that a shepherd puts his sheep in a field like the one out back, with grass so high that it scratches their bellies. They just chomp and chew what is around them all day long. But maybe we have to imagine a green tuft here and another one there. They put their head down and go from one to the next. They can be distracted and soon distanced from the shepherd, hopelessly lost. And so we can become disinterested in God or disobedient of God, terribly adrift.
“But now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Pe 2:25). Jesus has turned us from heading away in the opposite direction from him to heading with him along the right paths (Ps 23:3). He provides us with forgiveness as his kindness is with us. He protects us from our enemies as his attention is on us. Follow the Good Shepherd to his cross. It is there that he saves (Jn 10:9). We now have life, and life to the full—on earth and in eternity (Jn 10:10). Jesus makes it possible to proclaim like David: “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Ps 23:6).
2. With your conduct (19-21,24)
Jesus hits on another trait of the shepherd/sheep association. “But they [the sheep] will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice” (Jn 10:5). That is how they act. And so do we as we spend time in and around his Word, becoming acquainted and familiar with what he says—knowing right and wrong. Follow the Good Shepherd with your conduct.
Persecution is not a new phenomenon in or for the church. It has been around for a long time. That is why Peter is writing. His readers were suffering and struggling with it. He writes to strengthen and support them in it. It should not surprise them any more than it should shock us. If they treated Jesus poorly, we can anticipate the same (Jn 15:20).
That mistreatment was there with Stephen. The Sanhedrin got excited when he brought up how they brought about Jesus’ death. They hauled him out of the city and hurled rocks at his head, making him the first martyr (Acts 7:58). He testified to the truth with his life.
Peter put it this way: “For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God” (1 Pe 2:19). When sorrow comes because of unfair treatment, we can be patient because we know God’s grace is still there. He does not ditch us or dump us.
But he also wants them to keep this in mind with his question: “But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?” (1 Pe 2:20). It is not pain for pain’s sake like two brothers taking turns punching each other on the arm to see which one backs down first. There is no glory in getting a ticket for speeding or being grounded for sassing. “But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (1 Pe 2:20). We are still blessed (Mt 5:11,12). The devil would deceive us that God doesn’t have a clue or is not in control. But not true. God is by our side. We are still his children. He will sustain us with all that we need.
As Peter indicated, Jesus is our Savior. But he is more. “To this [the cheerful endurance of painful abuse] you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pe 2:21). Think of how we learn to write. There are workbooks or worksheets and you trace the dotted lines or follow the arrows. We behave in the manner that Jesus did like a child copying his father’s path through the snow (even on May 1!).
We love as Jesus loved. We forgive as Jesus forgave. And like Stephen on the ground who echoed Jesus’ prayer from the cross, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60; cf. Lk 23:34). There is no room for retribution or repayment. As Peter made clear: Jesus lifted up our sins “so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Pe 2:24). We can change the phrase “It’s a matter of life and death” to “It is a matter of death and life.” Dead to sin and alive in Christ (Ro 6:2,11), delighting in what God considers pleasing and pleasant all our life. And again similar to Jesus and Stephen on the day he invites us home, we commit our lives into his hands, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59; cf. Lk 23:46). And we fall asleep in death to wake up in heaven. Follow the Good Shepherd with your conduct.
It is not often that you need a recommendation for a good shepherd unless you want a petting zoo for a birthday party or you are going green when cutting your lawn. But we have one. Jesus. It is not a difficult job for him. Follow the Good Shepherd to his cross where he gives his life for you—to save you. Follow the Good Shepherd with your conduct as you give your life for him—to thank him. There is no one better to be in front to follow. Amen.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ (1 Pe 5:13). Amen.
May 7, 2017
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