Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
Perhaps it depends on who you are. Possibly it differs with each of you. But have you ever thought of what the majority of your communication is? Is it in person or through devices? In other words, is it face-to-face talking or phone-to-phone texting? Finally we have both. And both have their place and their purpose.
But is there a disadvantage to what is written as opposed to what is spoken? At times. So that someone understands our humorous tone in a message, we include an appropriate emoji or additional “j/k” (“just kidding”). If we type an email, there is bold print or all-caps for emphasis. (You can argue if that is stressing the point or screaming at the person.)
We have Jesus’ spoken word in the written Word. There are times when what he says is easy to get. Like “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). God loved. God gave. God saved. It is simple. And straightforward.
Then there are those instances when what he states is harder to grasp. It takes a bit more effort and energy to digest. (Good thing that we have it in black and white or red and white to go back to reread and rethink.) What we have to chew on is more along those lines. As Jesus talks and Matthew transcribes, we listen in to Jesus’ words as Jesus describes a worthy disciple in a series of statements. He wants to encourage us, not discourage us.
Jesus is wrapping up his instruction to the 12 as he gets them ready for their mini-preaching tour among their own people. As he commissions them, they were to heal the sick and preach the Gospel (Mt 10:7,8). The final terms are realistic and specific, if not shocking and revealing.
“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Mt 10:34). More than likely we sit up a bit straighter when that crosses our ears. “What is that, Jesus?” Jesus’ reason for coming to this earth was to restore peace—peace between us and God. Sin destroyed that bond. Instead of harmony, there was hostility. But Jesus died on the cross. Jesus rose from the dead. Our guilt is gone. Our rescue is real. Now the “prince of peace” gives peace as a gift (Is 9:6; Jn 14:27). Jesus established that peace and we enjoy it. As the apostle Paul put it: we are now “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Ro 6:11). It is baptism that connects us to Christ’s death and resurrection. He demands nothing from us and delivers everything to us. We might label it a “vertical peace.”
Jesus is referencing a “horizontal peace”—between believers and unbelievers. And those are the only two categories that people fall into. There is a clear-cut division—for him or against him. It is one or the other, no in between. And sadly there will be friction between the two (Ge 3:15). That has been going on a long time. And it will continue. Even, as Jesus mentions, possibly in one’s own family (cf. Mi 7:6): “For I have come to turn
“ ‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household’” (Mt 10:35).
That could play out in different, sad scenarios. A father believes in the one true God and his son belittles him. A daughter is regular in worship while her mother is reluctant to attend. A mother-in-law is at odds with her daughter-in-law, not because of how she cleans, but what she confesses about her sin and her Savior. Where Jesus is not at the center of the house, there will be strife in that house—even to the point of enemies. We might be tempted to hide our faith, rather than highlight it. Or we downplay sin instead of denouncing it.
Not even natural attachments are not to interfere or inhibit. “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Mt 10:37). It is not as if Jesus is like a jealous boyfriend. He is not against normal ties—sons respecting fathers and daughters revering mothers, fathers caring for and mothers cuddling children. He had a mother whom he loved. The key is the comparison—“more than,” in the sense of “over and above.” The Fourth Commandment is still in force: “Honor your father and mother.” But the First Commandment is foremost: “You shall have no other gods.” Our fear, love, and trust in God are to surpass everyone and everything (Ex 20:3; Mt 22:37). Love for God is primary, not secondary. Jesus does not stand for equal billing like costars in a movie (Is 42:8). That is Jesus’ description of a worthy disciple.
And he continues: “And anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Mt 10:38). Jesus’ cross that he would pick up is down the road a bit. But the disciples knew what crucifixion entailed when the Romans condemned a person to that instrument of torture. There was intense suffering and that lead to eventual death. So it was for those men and us. Along with them, we can expect persecution and pain as we go after Christ. When we acknowledge Jesus (Mt 10:32), we anticipate that there might be those who mock us for our different language, not cursing or swearing. Or there are those who will make fun of us for our different lifestyle, contributing our money to the work of the church and spending time to care for the church. The cross may not be small or convenient. Maybe it means giving up an hour in front of the TV to be in God’s Word—not just on a Sunday, but any weekday. But it is specific and comprehensive as we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus (2 Pe 3:18).
And Jesus adds that it is not halfway, but all the way. “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Mt 10:39). At first that seems like a contradiction. It is not. If life on earth with all of its expensive accommodations and exotic vacations is the be all and end all, that will be all and not end well. It is not that those things are wrong. They are not to be our priority. But when we find joy in our right relationship with God through Jesus, we have the good life right now and forever. We can sing with the psalmist: “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness” (Ps 89:15,16).
Jesus concludes his conversation with a reminder about the reaction as the 12 head out. They were to faithful like Jeremiah, even in the face of opposition like he encountered with Hananiah (Je 28:5-9). They were to proclaim peace, peace through Jesus. Some would reject; some would rejoice. “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward” (Mt 10:40-42). This is not a reward for service rendered. Salvation is a gift. This is a reward of grace. Those who welcomed God’s devoted disciples—even by simple actions like a refreshing drink—would share in what they had—the comfort of knowing that sin is removed and that heaven is reserved. That is how Jesus describes a worthy disciple. It is not dependent on us, but on him. It is not to get something because he has given us everything.
It doesn’t matter if you are with somebody or write to somebody to communicate. As long as you are clear. Your words are to be helpful, not hurtful. Especially when it comes to conveying what it means to be a listener and learner of Christ—a disciple. We don’t have to come up with that on our own. Jesus describes a worthy disciple. We have peace in life on earth and into eternity as we put God first—ahead of all people and along with all people.
We read from Matthew 10:34-42:
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I have come to turn
“ ‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.
41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”
Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Ro 15:4). Amen.
July 16, 2017
St. John Lutheran Church Sermons
Monday, July 17, 2017
Monday, July 10, 2017
The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Matthew 10:24-33)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
A word ending in –ian explains and expresses that there is a relation to something. I submit two simple examples. A musician has to do with music and a mathematician with math(matics). It is not hard to see.
The same is the case with a Christian. We are connected to Christ, associated with him. That is a good thing. We appreciate it and admit it. Christian, confess Christ fearlessly and faithfully. We read from …
Matthew 10:24-33
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, whom we profess before all and proclaim to all,
If you can play and instrument or solve a problem, I don’t think that is embarrassing. It would be strange for someone to state:
• “I am sorry. I tickle the ivories.”
• “I apologize. I understand algebra.” (Well, maybe that one.)
Hardly. It is who they are. So they will sit at a bench to push keys to make sound—reminding a person of Bach—or behind a desk to punch calculators to find solutions—replacing numbers for letters.
It is no different with a person who knows Jesus. There will be excitement. And so there is the encouragement.
Christian, Confess Christ
1. Fearlessly (24-31)
2. Faithfully (32,33)
1. Fearlessly (24-31)
It is not so much the noise as it is the unknown. When there is a bump in the night under the bed or in the closet, the boy sits up in bed startled. “What was that?” And then the wonder: “Is it going to hurt me or harm me?” That sensation of fright is not something that just strikes a six-year-old. And we also freeze up at times. Jesus inspires us to open up. Christian, confess Christ fearlessly.
Jesus is getting his disciples ready to go out on a little preaching tour into the harvest field (Mt 9:38). They were going to tell the good news that Jesus has arrived. They would copy what they had seen Christ do. They had a mission to go.
But Jesus is clear. He doesn’t fill their head that it would always be great or only be glorious. There would be difficulty and danger. (And after Jesus went into heaven, for all of them except one would be death.) Persecution would be a part of the process. In fact, they could expect the same treatment that Jesus received. It would not be a superiority, but a similarity. Jesus brings that out with a comparison: “A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Mt 10:24). What is true of one is true of the other. Jesus was not trying to make them sad, but glad. Their attitude could be like Jesus’ (Php 2:5). “It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master” (Mt 10:25). That would be sufficient for them. Think of your favorite teacher or best boss. For an individual to comment, “You are just like him or her,” would be flattering. Now to be sure, there would be rejection. There were those who wanted nothing to do with Jesus, even to the point of one day calling for his crucifixion. But there was also reception, calling on his name. Some would respect the messenger and rejoice about the message. That was to remove any fear.
Jesus is even specific. They could anticipate slander—a lie in order to wreck someone’s reputation. When Jesus performed miracles, the Pharisees preferred to deny him and to declare that he was in league with the devil (Mt 9:34; 12:24), Beelzebub, a name which means “lord of the flies”—like the ones that hover around manure (Mt 10:25). Certainly not a compliment, but also not correct. “If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!” (Mt 10:25). The saying goes: Like father, like son. We could alter that to this: Like Jesus, like disciples. The prophet Jeremiah found that reality. There was ridicule and “reproach all day long” when he opened his mouth with God’s Word (Je 20:8). Even from friends. We might face that same ridicule from those close to us—at home or at work. The charge against us may be that we are unloving or intolerant.
But disciples—present and past—are not to be scared. Ever. “So do not be afraid of them” (Mt 10:26). Why? No plot or plan could be covered up like one hatched in some back room. “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known” (Mt 10:26). Jesus is aware of everything and attentive to his own. Jeremiah could be strong because of the One who stood behind him: “But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail” (Je 20:11). They would not be able to silence or stop. That echoes the thought of David who had us sing that the Lord is our rock of refuge and strong fortress (Ps 31:2). We can rely on his rescue. That would make them confident to carry out what Jesus wanted: “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs” (Mt 10:27). They were to herald what they had heard. Bravely and boldly—not holding back, but holding out, announcing to others in public what Jesus communicated to them in private. We do the same.
For the second time Jesus brings up fear and commands them to stop it: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt 10:28). The worst anyone can do is to take one’s life on earth, not one’s life in heaven. Only God can sentence a person to hell forever. It is a dreadful thing to fall into his punishing hands (He 10:31). But no one will be able to snatch us from his loving hands (Jn 10:28). And that is where he has put us.
Satan would have us shudder in fear rather than share without fear. And you have been there—knees knocking or butterflies flapping. It seems safer to bite our tongue than speak our mind. That results in fewer problems and pain. Who wouldn’t want that?
Jeremiah for one who had anything but an easy ministry—thrown in prison, put in stocks. He related being silent or still to a fire burning inside. And he could not keep God’s Word in (Je 20:9). And we don’t either. As the apostle Paul pointed out why it is so necessary: “just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Ro 5:12). A sinner sins. And a sinner dies. But we don’t shy away from that kind of talk because we have the solution for sin and death—God’s grace and gift of Jesus who died with our sins and rose with our salvation (Ro 4:25; 5:15). Even in death, there is life. And instead of death, there is life.
We are that important to our Father in heaven. More precious than anything since we are the “crown of his creation”—fashioned with body and soul. Jesus drove that point home by looking at common, ordinary birds. These are not expensive parrots or endangered eagles. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? [Jesus anticipates a “yes” response.] Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father” (Mt 10:29). They didn’t come at a high price for a meal. Their currency was not the same as ours. But we get the meaning. Rarely do people even pick a cent off the street because the risk of bending over is greater than the reward of being rich. But those insignificant animals don’t die when they dive-bomb into the link windows, as they have been regularly lately, without the knowledge and consent of our Father. (Note that he is our Father.) And then the emphatic addition: “You are worth more than many sparrows” (Mt 10:31). Perhaps we could say it this way: You treasure the vehicles in your garage, but how much more the children in your house.
Not only that, but notice the intimate knowledge that our Father has of us. “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Mt 10:30). (He has an easier time of that with some of us.) We don’t make a big deal when we find one or two in the bathroom sink (maybe not until there are clumps in a comb or brush). But the Lord can identify which one and from where—whether it will grow back or you will go bald. Possibly it is more along the lines of the lame joke. Someone asks: “Did you get your hair cut?” And you answer: “No. I got all of them cut.” God distinguishes each one. That takes away any terror. And so we can sing with the psalmist: “My times are in your hands” (Ps 31:15). That is why Jesus brings us fear the third time: “So don’t be afraid” (Mt 10:31). That emotion can cease. Christian, confess Christ fearlessly. Your Father is behind you and backs you.
2. Faithfully (32,33)
So when the cry goes out from the next room when there is a bang (and not from the 482nd firework of the past week), “Mommy,” or “Daddy,” they get up and go to the next bedroom right away. They don’t yell, “Quiet! I am trying to get some sleep in here.” That is their role as a parent. We have a responsibility as a Christian. Confess Christ faithfully.
Jesus cites two possibilities when it comes to making a statement about him. Basically his attitude about us mirrors our outlook about him. We will look at the second one first. It is a warning. “Whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven” (Mt 10:33). Anyone who imitates Peter around the fire the night when Jesus was arrested, inventing oaths and inviting curses, affirming three times, “I don’t know him,” will receive the same from Jesus: “I don’t know you either” (Mt 7:23). It would be like a stranger that we meet on the street. Remember that when we falter, our Father is faithful, remaining true to himself (2 Ti 2:12,13). And he forgives us and will not blot out our names from the book of life (Re 3:5).
There is the beautiful flipside to that. And that is where we find ourselves as we confess Christ. “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven” (Mt 10:32). Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we can assert with Thomas a week after Easter: “My Lord and my God” (Jn 20 28). He is One who is over all and above all, the changeless One. His love for us is unending and enduring. He defeated the devil. He defends us as we stand firm in the truth that he is the one and only Savior from sin. There was a civil war soldier on a southern battlefield who was hurt seriously when a fragment of a shell hit him. He was bleeding badly from his lacerated arm. It would only be a matter of time. Until a passing physician bound up the artery and saved his life. “Doctor, what is your name?”, the thankful man pleaded. “No matter,” was his response. “Oh no,” the man came back. “I want to tell my wife and children who saved me.” Even more so. We want to speak of his name (Acts 4:12). It is Jesus—whose very name means “the Lord saves” (Mt 1:21). His name is on our lips. Right now and forever.
And ours is on his. Before his Father, he contends: “This one believes in me. This one belongs to me.” Christian, confess Christ faithfully. That is what Jesus does about you.
You may not great at music or math. (That is a relief to me because of my lack of talent in those areas, whether notes or numerals). But we are Christians—linked to Christ. Confess him. Fearlessly and faithfully. Without terror. And in trust. Amen.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 15:5,6). Amen.
July 9, 2017
A word ending in –ian explains and expresses that there is a relation to something. I submit two simple examples. A musician has to do with music and a mathematician with math(matics). It is not hard to see.
The same is the case with a Christian. We are connected to Christ, associated with him. That is a good thing. We appreciate it and admit it. Christian, confess Christ fearlessly and faithfully. We read from …
Matthew 10:24-33
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, whom we profess before all and proclaim to all,
If you can play and instrument or solve a problem, I don’t think that is embarrassing. It would be strange for someone to state:
• “I am sorry. I tickle the ivories.”
• “I apologize. I understand algebra.” (Well, maybe that one.)
Hardly. It is who they are. So they will sit at a bench to push keys to make sound—reminding a person of Bach—or behind a desk to punch calculators to find solutions—replacing numbers for letters.
It is no different with a person who knows Jesus. There will be excitement. And so there is the encouragement.
Christian, Confess Christ
1. Fearlessly (24-31)
2. Faithfully (32,33)
1. Fearlessly (24-31)
It is not so much the noise as it is the unknown. When there is a bump in the night under the bed or in the closet, the boy sits up in bed startled. “What was that?” And then the wonder: “Is it going to hurt me or harm me?” That sensation of fright is not something that just strikes a six-year-old. And we also freeze up at times. Jesus inspires us to open up. Christian, confess Christ fearlessly.
Jesus is getting his disciples ready to go out on a little preaching tour into the harvest field (Mt 9:38). They were going to tell the good news that Jesus has arrived. They would copy what they had seen Christ do. They had a mission to go.
But Jesus is clear. He doesn’t fill their head that it would always be great or only be glorious. There would be difficulty and danger. (And after Jesus went into heaven, for all of them except one would be death.) Persecution would be a part of the process. In fact, they could expect the same treatment that Jesus received. It would not be a superiority, but a similarity. Jesus brings that out with a comparison: “A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Mt 10:24). What is true of one is true of the other. Jesus was not trying to make them sad, but glad. Their attitude could be like Jesus’ (Php 2:5). “It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master” (Mt 10:25). That would be sufficient for them. Think of your favorite teacher or best boss. For an individual to comment, “You are just like him or her,” would be flattering. Now to be sure, there would be rejection. There were those who wanted nothing to do with Jesus, even to the point of one day calling for his crucifixion. But there was also reception, calling on his name. Some would respect the messenger and rejoice about the message. That was to remove any fear.
Jesus is even specific. They could anticipate slander—a lie in order to wreck someone’s reputation. When Jesus performed miracles, the Pharisees preferred to deny him and to declare that he was in league with the devil (Mt 9:34; 12:24), Beelzebub, a name which means “lord of the flies”—like the ones that hover around manure (Mt 10:25). Certainly not a compliment, but also not correct. “If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!” (Mt 10:25). The saying goes: Like father, like son. We could alter that to this: Like Jesus, like disciples. The prophet Jeremiah found that reality. There was ridicule and “reproach all day long” when he opened his mouth with God’s Word (Je 20:8). Even from friends. We might face that same ridicule from those close to us—at home or at work. The charge against us may be that we are unloving or intolerant.
But disciples—present and past—are not to be scared. Ever. “So do not be afraid of them” (Mt 10:26). Why? No plot or plan could be covered up like one hatched in some back room. “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known” (Mt 10:26). Jesus is aware of everything and attentive to his own. Jeremiah could be strong because of the One who stood behind him: “But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail” (Je 20:11). They would not be able to silence or stop. That echoes the thought of David who had us sing that the Lord is our rock of refuge and strong fortress (Ps 31:2). We can rely on his rescue. That would make them confident to carry out what Jesus wanted: “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs” (Mt 10:27). They were to herald what they had heard. Bravely and boldly—not holding back, but holding out, announcing to others in public what Jesus communicated to them in private. We do the same.
For the second time Jesus brings up fear and commands them to stop it: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt 10:28). The worst anyone can do is to take one’s life on earth, not one’s life in heaven. Only God can sentence a person to hell forever. It is a dreadful thing to fall into his punishing hands (He 10:31). But no one will be able to snatch us from his loving hands (Jn 10:28). And that is where he has put us.
Satan would have us shudder in fear rather than share without fear. And you have been there—knees knocking or butterflies flapping. It seems safer to bite our tongue than speak our mind. That results in fewer problems and pain. Who wouldn’t want that?
Jeremiah for one who had anything but an easy ministry—thrown in prison, put in stocks. He related being silent or still to a fire burning inside. And he could not keep God’s Word in (Je 20:9). And we don’t either. As the apostle Paul pointed out why it is so necessary: “just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Ro 5:12). A sinner sins. And a sinner dies. But we don’t shy away from that kind of talk because we have the solution for sin and death—God’s grace and gift of Jesus who died with our sins and rose with our salvation (Ro 4:25; 5:15). Even in death, there is life. And instead of death, there is life.
We are that important to our Father in heaven. More precious than anything since we are the “crown of his creation”—fashioned with body and soul. Jesus drove that point home by looking at common, ordinary birds. These are not expensive parrots or endangered eagles. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? [Jesus anticipates a “yes” response.] Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father” (Mt 10:29). They didn’t come at a high price for a meal. Their currency was not the same as ours. But we get the meaning. Rarely do people even pick a cent off the street because the risk of bending over is greater than the reward of being rich. But those insignificant animals don’t die when they dive-bomb into the link windows, as they have been regularly lately, without the knowledge and consent of our Father. (Note that he is our Father.) And then the emphatic addition: “You are worth more than many sparrows” (Mt 10:31). Perhaps we could say it this way: You treasure the vehicles in your garage, but how much more the children in your house.
Not only that, but notice the intimate knowledge that our Father has of us. “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Mt 10:30). (He has an easier time of that with some of us.) We don’t make a big deal when we find one or two in the bathroom sink (maybe not until there are clumps in a comb or brush). But the Lord can identify which one and from where—whether it will grow back or you will go bald. Possibly it is more along the lines of the lame joke. Someone asks: “Did you get your hair cut?” And you answer: “No. I got all of them cut.” God distinguishes each one. That takes away any terror. And so we can sing with the psalmist: “My times are in your hands” (Ps 31:15). That is why Jesus brings us fear the third time: “So don’t be afraid” (Mt 10:31). That emotion can cease. Christian, confess Christ fearlessly. Your Father is behind you and backs you.
2. Faithfully (32,33)
So when the cry goes out from the next room when there is a bang (and not from the 482nd firework of the past week), “Mommy,” or “Daddy,” they get up and go to the next bedroom right away. They don’t yell, “Quiet! I am trying to get some sleep in here.” That is their role as a parent. We have a responsibility as a Christian. Confess Christ faithfully.
Jesus cites two possibilities when it comes to making a statement about him. Basically his attitude about us mirrors our outlook about him. We will look at the second one first. It is a warning. “Whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven” (Mt 10:33). Anyone who imitates Peter around the fire the night when Jesus was arrested, inventing oaths and inviting curses, affirming three times, “I don’t know him,” will receive the same from Jesus: “I don’t know you either” (Mt 7:23). It would be like a stranger that we meet on the street. Remember that when we falter, our Father is faithful, remaining true to himself (2 Ti 2:12,13). And he forgives us and will not blot out our names from the book of life (Re 3:5).
There is the beautiful flipside to that. And that is where we find ourselves as we confess Christ. “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven” (Mt 10:32). Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we can assert with Thomas a week after Easter: “My Lord and my God” (Jn 20 28). He is One who is over all and above all, the changeless One. His love for us is unending and enduring. He defeated the devil. He defends us as we stand firm in the truth that he is the one and only Savior from sin. There was a civil war soldier on a southern battlefield who was hurt seriously when a fragment of a shell hit him. He was bleeding badly from his lacerated arm. It would only be a matter of time. Until a passing physician bound up the artery and saved his life. “Doctor, what is your name?”, the thankful man pleaded. “No matter,” was his response. “Oh no,” the man came back. “I want to tell my wife and children who saved me.” Even more so. We want to speak of his name (Acts 4:12). It is Jesus—whose very name means “the Lord saves” (Mt 1:21). His name is on our lips. Right now and forever.
And ours is on his. Before his Father, he contends: “This one believes in me. This one belongs to me.” Christian, confess Christ faithfully. That is what Jesus does about you.
You may not great at music or math. (That is a relief to me because of my lack of talent in those areas, whether notes or numerals). But we are Christians—linked to Christ. Confess him. Fearlessly and faithfully. Without terror. And in trust. Amen.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 15:5,6). Amen.
July 9, 2017
Monday, July 3, 2017
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (Romans 5:6-11)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
In two days it will be the 4th of July. That date has significance for us. It is not just an ordinary day of the month, but a national holiday on the calendar. It is Independence Day. We again recall the blessings of now 241 years of this country—not without some faults, but with significant freedoms. There will be firecrackers and sparklers at night. (Some extend the pyrotechnics to the 5th and 6th of July. They must really like to celebrate.) There will also be get-togethers in parks and gatherings around pools. All of that adds to the excitement. Because of that, we greet each other with “Happy 4th of July.”
But what about the 2nd of July? We remember something that we enjoy, not just today, but every day. Just like our citizenship in the United States of America. Rejoice about reconciliation in the present and in the future. We read from …
Romans 5:6-11
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus who died for us and lives for us,
There will be an ooh for the first firework of Tuesday when the wait for darkness is finally over. That will be followed by an aah when the second one explodes in the sky. But my guess is that half away through the show, the delight will dwindle. Perhaps the question: “How much longer?” That happens. What is thrilling initially becomes boring eventually. Even with multicolored or magnificent display overhead.
Can that take place with God’s love? Possibly. We hear it so often that it becomes ordinary. Even with the fancy terms that we use. Like reconciliation.
Maybe we need to define it so that we are on the same page. If we don’t understand the meaning of “reconciliation” or “reconcile,” then we are just using fancy pants language. And that kind of jargon does us no good. No more than a mechanic talking over our heads with his technical lingo like transmission.
It carries the connotation of “to change” like what you do when you travel out of the country—exchanging dollars to euros, for example. Specifically, in the Bible, it means restoring a relationship, or renewing a friendship. God does it all for us. We are on the receiving end of that. That ought not to become tiresome. Ever. Instead …
Rejoice about Reconciliation
1. In the present (6-8)
2. In the future (9-11)
1. In the present (6-8)
We use so many initials nowadays. Is it because there are too many syllables in the words that we have to abbreviate everything? Neither here nor there. But if someone is your “BF,” that stands for your “best friend.” (See. That is not too complicated or cumbersome just to state it.) There is a closeness and that is the case right now. And that is nice. Even better is ours with God. Rejoice about reconciliation in the present.
God is love (1 Jn 4:8). And God does love. That is significant. He doesn’t just declare his love, but he displays it. Think of how God loved the world and gave his Son (Jn 3:16). There is an emotion and an action. It is like a child who shares his love with an occasional, “I love you,” to his mommy. But he also shows it by helping her clean the house.
And God had to love us first. It not like we brought some endearing qualities to the table like two people who have the same interests and a mutual respect develops. Hardly. And it hits hard. But let it for a moment. Paul mentions two truths:
• We were “powerless” (Ro 5:6). Without power. How is that? A good credit score allows us to make a major purchase. Big muscles help us to lift heavy weights. But none of that when it comes to us and God. We were unable to do anything about our guilt like a person deep in debt to the bank or stuck under a barbell at the gym. Powerless.
• We fit into the category of “ungodly” (Ro 5:6). We attach that designation to really bad individuals. Paul? Us? But there we are—without any reverence or respect for God by nature (Ro 8:7). It is in the sense of spitting in God’s face rather than kneeling down before his glory. Ungodly.
And yet, Christ, the Messiah, the One whom God selected, came into the world. And he died. He laid down his life for us—in our place, for our benefit, for our sake (Is 53). He did it “at just the right time” (Ro 5:6). When God decided the correct moment in history (Ga 4:4), Jesus hung on the cross. It was all according to his eternal plan (2 Ti 1:9,10).
It is hard to find an adequate comparison to that kind of love. For whom would you be willing to die? Who would make that list? It might not be a long one—immediate family like spouse or children. But how far do you go? A first cousin? A shirttail relative? A complete stranger? A bitter rival?
It does happen, but not often. Paul concedes that point. “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die” (Ro 5:7). Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is off Buntrock Road. It is named for the former Mequon police chief. It is a longer story, but the condensed version goes something like this. He was accidentally shot and killed by friendly fire. A robbery suspect took a man and his infant child hostage in a car. The chief traded places with them. After a scuffle in the backseat, the chief disarmed the man. As he was getting out of the vehicle, a fellow policeman mistook him and fired, fatally wounding him. The chief is hailed as a hero. We would agree. That is outstanding. But it would make even more sense if it was Buntrock’s own child. There are similar examples—pushing someone out of the way of a speeding bus only to be hit or jumping on a grenade in battle. But it is not every day. But that is exactly what Jesus did.
Or as the apostle states—both the reality and the reason: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Ro 5:8). Again, it smarts a bit. “Sinners”—those who have missed the bullseye, not by a little, but by a lot, and not occasionally, but regularly. But for powerless, ungodly sinners, Jesus died. Now that is love. That is something that is new every morning for us to rejoice about (La 3:22,23). That kind of one-sided love belongs to God. And it comes from God. To us.
That helps us appreciate how God dealt with Israel. He chose them, not because of their greatness, but because of his graciousness. And he brought them out of Egypt. He carried them “on eagles’ wings” (Ex 19:4). And from them ultimately came the Savior. Like them, we have to admit that we don’t deserve to be his “treasured possession” (Ex 19:5). But we are. We are that valuable to him that he sent Jesus to die for us. The very One who looked at his people as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36). But for them and for us the Good Shepherd gave up his life (Jn 10:15). And so we join the psalmist in shouting for joy and serving the Lord (Ps 100:1,2). “We are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (Ps 100:3). That is true right now. Rejoice about reconciliation in the present. It is for every day.
2. In the future (9-11)
So affix another “F” alongside “BF” and what do you get? Best friends forever. That is a lovely sentiment, but not always likely. Your BFF in grade school may switch in high school. Not when it comes to our association with God. He guarantees it. Rejoice in reconciliation in the future.
There is no doubt about our legal status before God. Because of what he has done. “We have now been justified by his blood” (Ro 5:9). Once again Paul takes us to the courtroom. It is there that God acquits us, clears us of any and every charge. There is no long jury deliberation. Not guilty. How? It is only in Jesus’ blood, shed on Calvary, which cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7). That wipes away all wrong on our record.
If that is right—that God has justified us, and he has, or since it is the case, there is a greater likelihood of something else. “How much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” (Ro 5:9). It will only be 10 minutes on the 4th of July. That is either a short time or a long time depending on your perspective or your hunger. But in that span, 20 men and 15 women will try to consume as many hotdogs as possible. (Here is a public service announcement: Kids, don’t try this at home.) Last year’s champion was Joey Chestnut. He consumed 70.5. That is an interesting test of patriotism in front of an estimated crowd of 30,000 to 40,000, not to mention those viewing on the 4-letter network. But if he can eat that many on the 4th, he can eat one on the 5th. If Christ died for powerless, ungodly sinners, he can certainly rescue them on Judgment Day. It is not a day of anger against us—God already poured it out on Jesus, but a day of acceptance of us. All through Jesus who will take us to the home that he has prepared for us (Jn 14:1-3).
One more time Paul points us to a former circumstance. We were “enemies” (Ro 5:10)—against God, opposed to God. But he didn’t let that condition continue. “When we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son” (Ro 5:10). There was a badly broken connection. But God made it a beautiful one. Where there was once friction, there is now friendship. There is that concept of reconciliation. It is a personal bond between us and God. It came about by means of Jesus’ death.
But a dead Savior is no Savior. God brought him back to life. Since we have been reconciled, it is impossible to think that he won’t take us to heaven. “How much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Ro 5:10). Because Jesus lives, we live (Jn 14:19). His resurrection to life guarantees our return to life. Our future is bright.
Paul closes with the comfort that all of that is our possession at the moment. “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Ro 5:11). We are so thrilled about it that we cannot keep quiet. We boast. We rejoice. Jesus Christ our Lord brought it all about. We are friends of God in the family of God. Rejoice about reconciliation in the future. It is for this day all the way to the last day.
Can someone get bored with 4th of July fireworks? It could be in minute 27 of a 45-minute extravaganza. Or up to the grand finale. But as they light up the heavens, it is spectacular. There may be a standing ovation or at least eager clapping. If not, certainly when it comes to reconciliation—God transforming our relationship—from hostility to harmony. Rejoice about that reconciliation. It is good in the present. It is good in the future. It is so. It will be so. Amen.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you (Ro 16:20). Amen.
July 2, 2017
In two days it will be the 4th of July. That date has significance for us. It is not just an ordinary day of the month, but a national holiday on the calendar. It is Independence Day. We again recall the blessings of now 241 years of this country—not without some faults, but with significant freedoms. There will be firecrackers and sparklers at night. (Some extend the pyrotechnics to the 5th and 6th of July. They must really like to celebrate.) There will also be get-togethers in parks and gatherings around pools. All of that adds to the excitement. Because of that, we greet each other with “Happy 4th of July.”
But what about the 2nd of July? We remember something that we enjoy, not just today, but every day. Just like our citizenship in the United States of America. Rejoice about reconciliation in the present and in the future. We read from …
Romans 5:6-11
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus who died for us and lives for us,
There will be an ooh for the first firework of Tuesday when the wait for darkness is finally over. That will be followed by an aah when the second one explodes in the sky. But my guess is that half away through the show, the delight will dwindle. Perhaps the question: “How much longer?” That happens. What is thrilling initially becomes boring eventually. Even with multicolored or magnificent display overhead.
Can that take place with God’s love? Possibly. We hear it so often that it becomes ordinary. Even with the fancy terms that we use. Like reconciliation.
Maybe we need to define it so that we are on the same page. If we don’t understand the meaning of “reconciliation” or “reconcile,” then we are just using fancy pants language. And that kind of jargon does us no good. No more than a mechanic talking over our heads with his technical lingo like transmission.
It carries the connotation of “to change” like what you do when you travel out of the country—exchanging dollars to euros, for example. Specifically, in the Bible, it means restoring a relationship, or renewing a friendship. God does it all for us. We are on the receiving end of that. That ought not to become tiresome. Ever. Instead …
Rejoice about Reconciliation
1. In the present (6-8)
2. In the future (9-11)
1. In the present (6-8)
We use so many initials nowadays. Is it because there are too many syllables in the words that we have to abbreviate everything? Neither here nor there. But if someone is your “BF,” that stands for your “best friend.” (See. That is not too complicated or cumbersome just to state it.) There is a closeness and that is the case right now. And that is nice. Even better is ours with God. Rejoice about reconciliation in the present.
God is love (1 Jn 4:8). And God does love. That is significant. He doesn’t just declare his love, but he displays it. Think of how God loved the world and gave his Son (Jn 3:16). There is an emotion and an action. It is like a child who shares his love with an occasional, “I love you,” to his mommy. But he also shows it by helping her clean the house.
And God had to love us first. It not like we brought some endearing qualities to the table like two people who have the same interests and a mutual respect develops. Hardly. And it hits hard. But let it for a moment. Paul mentions two truths:
• We were “powerless” (Ro 5:6). Without power. How is that? A good credit score allows us to make a major purchase. Big muscles help us to lift heavy weights. But none of that when it comes to us and God. We were unable to do anything about our guilt like a person deep in debt to the bank or stuck under a barbell at the gym. Powerless.
• We fit into the category of “ungodly” (Ro 5:6). We attach that designation to really bad individuals. Paul? Us? But there we are—without any reverence or respect for God by nature (Ro 8:7). It is in the sense of spitting in God’s face rather than kneeling down before his glory. Ungodly.
And yet, Christ, the Messiah, the One whom God selected, came into the world. And he died. He laid down his life for us—in our place, for our benefit, for our sake (Is 53). He did it “at just the right time” (Ro 5:6). When God decided the correct moment in history (Ga 4:4), Jesus hung on the cross. It was all according to his eternal plan (2 Ti 1:9,10).
It is hard to find an adequate comparison to that kind of love. For whom would you be willing to die? Who would make that list? It might not be a long one—immediate family like spouse or children. But how far do you go? A first cousin? A shirttail relative? A complete stranger? A bitter rival?
It does happen, but not often. Paul concedes that point. “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die” (Ro 5:7). Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is off Buntrock Road. It is named for the former Mequon police chief. It is a longer story, but the condensed version goes something like this. He was accidentally shot and killed by friendly fire. A robbery suspect took a man and his infant child hostage in a car. The chief traded places with them. After a scuffle in the backseat, the chief disarmed the man. As he was getting out of the vehicle, a fellow policeman mistook him and fired, fatally wounding him. The chief is hailed as a hero. We would agree. That is outstanding. But it would make even more sense if it was Buntrock’s own child. There are similar examples—pushing someone out of the way of a speeding bus only to be hit or jumping on a grenade in battle. But it is not every day. But that is exactly what Jesus did.
Or as the apostle states—both the reality and the reason: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Ro 5:8). Again, it smarts a bit. “Sinners”—those who have missed the bullseye, not by a little, but by a lot, and not occasionally, but regularly. But for powerless, ungodly sinners, Jesus died. Now that is love. That is something that is new every morning for us to rejoice about (La 3:22,23). That kind of one-sided love belongs to God. And it comes from God. To us.
That helps us appreciate how God dealt with Israel. He chose them, not because of their greatness, but because of his graciousness. And he brought them out of Egypt. He carried them “on eagles’ wings” (Ex 19:4). And from them ultimately came the Savior. Like them, we have to admit that we don’t deserve to be his “treasured possession” (Ex 19:5). But we are. We are that valuable to him that he sent Jesus to die for us. The very One who looked at his people as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36). But for them and for us the Good Shepherd gave up his life (Jn 10:15). And so we join the psalmist in shouting for joy and serving the Lord (Ps 100:1,2). “We are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (Ps 100:3). That is true right now. Rejoice about reconciliation in the present. It is for every day.
2. In the future (9-11)
So affix another “F” alongside “BF” and what do you get? Best friends forever. That is a lovely sentiment, but not always likely. Your BFF in grade school may switch in high school. Not when it comes to our association with God. He guarantees it. Rejoice in reconciliation in the future.
There is no doubt about our legal status before God. Because of what he has done. “We have now been justified by his blood” (Ro 5:9). Once again Paul takes us to the courtroom. It is there that God acquits us, clears us of any and every charge. There is no long jury deliberation. Not guilty. How? It is only in Jesus’ blood, shed on Calvary, which cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7). That wipes away all wrong on our record.
If that is right—that God has justified us, and he has, or since it is the case, there is a greater likelihood of something else. “How much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” (Ro 5:9). It will only be 10 minutes on the 4th of July. That is either a short time or a long time depending on your perspective or your hunger. But in that span, 20 men and 15 women will try to consume as many hotdogs as possible. (Here is a public service announcement: Kids, don’t try this at home.) Last year’s champion was Joey Chestnut. He consumed 70.5. That is an interesting test of patriotism in front of an estimated crowd of 30,000 to 40,000, not to mention those viewing on the 4-letter network. But if he can eat that many on the 4th, he can eat one on the 5th. If Christ died for powerless, ungodly sinners, he can certainly rescue them on Judgment Day. It is not a day of anger against us—God already poured it out on Jesus, but a day of acceptance of us. All through Jesus who will take us to the home that he has prepared for us (Jn 14:1-3).
One more time Paul points us to a former circumstance. We were “enemies” (Ro 5:10)—against God, opposed to God. But he didn’t let that condition continue. “When we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son” (Ro 5:10). There was a badly broken connection. But God made it a beautiful one. Where there was once friction, there is now friendship. There is that concept of reconciliation. It is a personal bond between us and God. It came about by means of Jesus’ death.
But a dead Savior is no Savior. God brought him back to life. Since we have been reconciled, it is impossible to think that he won’t take us to heaven. “How much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Ro 5:10). Because Jesus lives, we live (Jn 14:19). His resurrection to life guarantees our return to life. Our future is bright.
Paul closes with the comfort that all of that is our possession at the moment. “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Ro 5:11). We are so thrilled about it that we cannot keep quiet. We boast. We rejoice. Jesus Christ our Lord brought it all about. We are friends of God in the family of God. Rejoice about reconciliation in the future. It is for this day all the way to the last day.
Can someone get bored with 4th of July fireworks? It could be in minute 27 of a 45-minute extravaganza. Or up to the grand finale. But as they light up the heavens, it is spectacular. There may be a standing ovation or at least eager clapping. If not, certainly when it comes to reconciliation—God transforming our relationship—from hostility to harmony. Rejoice about that reconciliation. It is good in the present. It is good in the future. It is so. It will be so. Amen.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you (Ro 16:20). Amen.
July 2, 2017
Monday, June 26, 2017
The Third Sunday after Pentecost (Matthew 9:9-13)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
I don’t know if you ever thought about writing your autobiography—the story of your life.
Maybe you would come up with some objections to that plan:
I was/am not a big fan of English. That sounds too much like school. Besides it is summer vacation. Students shouldn’t have to think for a few months.
I am not famous (or notorious). It might not make for interesting reading for someone’s free time at the pool or at the cabin. It definitely wouldn’t make a best seller list—online or in store.
I haven’t done anything significant. It might be more of a one-page essay rather than a 649-page book. (That would save on publishing costs.)
Those may be true. But the Holy Spirit allowed Matthew to scratch his down in Scripture. At least one day of it. It is not intensive—5 verses, but instructive.
But our focus is not on Matthew, but Jesus. We see how he operates in his ministry. The Savior’s concern for souls is similar to a doctor’s care for bodies. Watch the Doctor work as he calls and as he cures. We read from …
Matthew 9:9-13
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Good Physician,
It was a dumb question. I know that. But at least I didn’t start with: “You are probably going to say “no,” but …” That would have allowed him to come back with “no.” I was having surgery on the pinky finger of my right hand. When the surgeon came in the room, I asked, “Can I watch?” You can probably guess: “No.” So up went a blue sheet conveniently between me and him and my arm was put to sleep quickly. (He may have hoped for the same of me.) Perhaps he didn’t want me to see the hack job. That was his name: Dr. Hacker. I don’t make these things up.
Jesus doesn’t mind if we observe him on the job. It is not to be gruesome, but grateful. Because as we do, we can appreciate his skill.
Watch the Doctor Work
1. As he calls (9,13)
2. As he cures (10-13)
1. As he calls (9,13)
I don’t know many doctors, if any, who pull you up on their contact list and push “call” to find out if you are under the weather. Usually it is the other way around. Not Jesus. Watch the Doctor work as he calls.
Matthew was at the office when Jesus stopped by. He was “sitting at the tax collector’s booth” (Mt 9:9). I don’t know if it is still the same. I remember growing up and going through Chicago. There would be toll booths. Dad would chuck a quarter or a dime or both in a basket. If you didn’t have the correct change, there would be an individual there to help you with your dilemma and your dollar so that the arm could go up and you could go on to the next one a mile away (or so it seemed). It is probably automated by now. But that was Matthew. He was there along the road. He would make sure that the people coming into Capernaum to peddle their goods paid their cash. It was kind of a reverse sales tax—the right to sell in the city; for the vendor, not the buyer.
Recall that these kinds of men were not really anyone’s favorite. Moms didn’t dream about their sons growing up to be tax collectors. That is because they worked for the enemy—the Romans, who had conquered the Jews and now controlled them. And with a heavy hand. They would sell off sections of Israel to the highest Roman bidder to bring in a certain fixed amount of revenue for the government. That one, in turn, would hire others, publicans, to do the actual work for them. And if it came about that they brought in a bit more than necessary because everyone needed their cut, they might happen to line their own tunics in the process. It was not too hard to imagine that the profession attracted men of questionable character who might cheat more often than not. So on the local level, these were not slimy foreigners, but fellow citizens who participated in this legalized extortion. There was no love lost for the greedy traitors, even keeping them out of the synagogue.
Jesus does what is shocking, if not surprising. Note that it was Jesus’ idea and initiative. Jesus approached Matthew, not the other way around. It is as if we are standing right there eavesdropping: “‘Follow me,’ he told him” (Mt 9:9). That was an offer to go along with Jesus as his disciple, listening to him and learning from him.
And that is what Matthew did. “Matthew got up and followed him” (Mt 9:9), leaving everything immediately—his profession and profits (Lk 5:28). And his life changed from then on—walking with Jesus, witnessing all that he did and said. He later became one of the 12 apostles, specifically and specially chosen to go out with the gospel (Mt 10:3). And then the Holy Spirit used him to author the first Gospel. The name “Matthew” means “gift of God.” He had been busy taking, not he would be giving—forgiveness of sins and hope of heaven, in spoken and written word.
It might not just be an unlikely choice, but an unbelievable one. Matthew? A tax collector? Really? Or how about some others. Moses who was a murderer to lead the God’s people out of Egypt. Paul who was the persecutor to preach the gospel all over Asia Minor and Europe and pen 13 epistles in the New Testament. Unlikely at best.
But why would we stop there? We could add some more to the list. You. Me. Why us? Our potential? Our promise? No. None of that. Our résumé, like Matthew and company, reads “sinner”—as if that were our profession. And at times, we are quite good at it, echoing the hymn writer, “chief of sinners” (CW 385; 1 Ti 1:15).
And yet Jesus comes to us, “Follow me.” Why? We have Jesus’ own summary of his mission: “For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mt 9:13). We had missed the mark, now we are in line with Jesus. Righteous, right with God, not because of what we do or bring, but because Jesus carried our sin to the cross and came out of the grave (Ro 4:25). Just like Abraham, God credits righteousness to us, Jesus’ righteousness (Ro 4:24). He came to save sinners and that is exactly what he did (1 Ti 1;15). In a sense, Jesus rips up that résumé and writes “saint” (Ro 1:7)—free from sin. Watch the doctor work as he calls. He called us to be his own.
2. As he cures (10-13)
No one wants to go to the doctor and come home feeling worse. We look for a remedy along with relief. That is the result with Jesus. Watch the Doctor work as he cures.
When is the last time you heard of a doctor making a house call? I am not referring to home health care. I am talking about a person in a white coat with a black bag. Jesus made a house call. Matthew invited Jesus to his house for a supper. But there were others on the guest list. “Many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples” (Mt 9:12). Matthew wanted to share Jesus with his friends and show Jesus to them. This was not a small little gathering.
And it brought a lot of attention. And an accusation. The Pharisees inquired, not of Jesus, but of his followers: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (Mt 9:11). In that culture, as well as ours, eating a meal with someone meant a close association. You don’t pull up to the table of a complete stranger. In their minds Jesus’ action was sad and his activity was shameful. Those tax collectors and sinners were to be avoided and excluded, not accepted and embraced. Who does Jesus think that he is? There was disgust and there was disapproval.
The disciples didn’t respond. Jesus did. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Mt 9:12). When you go to a waiting room, what do you see? The strong, sweating from a workout at the gym, or the weak, struggling from a virus in their chest? It is obvious.
And so is Jesus’ point. A doctor has to get close to his patients, not to get the disease, but to give the diagnosis. It would be strange to state: “It would be great being a doctor if it weren’t for all the sick people.” That is their occupation. And that is what Jesus was doing. He is not endorsing their wrong, but encouraging their repentance—turning from their sin and turning to him.
Jesus was not implying that the Pharisees were healthy. They assumed so. After all they were so much better than others, living up to their name, “the separated ones.” In their estimation, they were in good shape …
exercising by doing so many good works,
sleeping well because their consciences congratulated them, not condemned them,
and eating right because they dined with the right people, their own kind.
They had no use for Jesus. Why? They were hearty enough all by themselves. Or so they supposed.
But Jesus wants them to examine their attitudes carefully. “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” (Mt 9:13; Ho 6:6). God didn’t want just the right actions on the outside—a simple going through of the motions like a child who washes the dishes with a scowl on his face. He wants the correct emotions on the inside. They were not extending mercy to those who needed it—“tax collectors and sinners.” Jesus was. He saw their need and was moved to help. That is why he came—to cure the sick of their sin.
Are we healthy? Or sick? Not physically, but spiritually. Do we need mercy from the Doctor? Yes. We don’t want to be like the person who recognizes that he has a terrible cold but refuses to see a physician. The hope is this: “Maybe it will just go away.” Our sin won’t. Sin is fatal.
Unlike the Israelites in Hosea’s day, we are sincere. We admit our guilt (Ho 5:15). And we acknowledge God (Ho 6:6), knowing that he is merciful to us as he sends his Son, loving to us as he sends our sins away. He makes that known to us in his Word. And so we join the psalmist in saying: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Ps 119:103). And that mercy that cures us is the mercy that comes from us to others. That is why we are here—to get mercy and to give mercy. That drives our ministry and directs our mission. Watch the Doctor work as he cures. He cures us to be his own.
Would you entitle your autobiography “Me: The Uncut Version Volume 1.” (You are anticipating a sequel I guess.) But that could only be if you haven’t had any surgeries. Matthew described how he went from collector of taxes to follower of Jesus, the good Physician. Jesus functions the same way with us. Watch the Doctor as he calls. “Follow me.” And watch him as he cures. “You are forgiven.” There is no reason to complain about that healthcare. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you (Ro 16:20). Amen.
June 25, 2017
I don’t know if you ever thought about writing your autobiography—the story of your life.
Maybe you would come up with some objections to that plan:
I was/am not a big fan of English. That sounds too much like school. Besides it is summer vacation. Students shouldn’t have to think for a few months.
I am not famous (or notorious). It might not make for interesting reading for someone’s free time at the pool or at the cabin. It definitely wouldn’t make a best seller list—online or in store.
I haven’t done anything significant. It might be more of a one-page essay rather than a 649-page book. (That would save on publishing costs.)
Those may be true. But the Holy Spirit allowed Matthew to scratch his down in Scripture. At least one day of it. It is not intensive—5 verses, but instructive.
But our focus is not on Matthew, but Jesus. We see how he operates in his ministry. The Savior’s concern for souls is similar to a doctor’s care for bodies. Watch the Doctor work as he calls and as he cures. We read from …
Matthew 9:9-13
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Good Physician,
It was a dumb question. I know that. But at least I didn’t start with: “You are probably going to say “no,” but …” That would have allowed him to come back with “no.” I was having surgery on the pinky finger of my right hand. When the surgeon came in the room, I asked, “Can I watch?” You can probably guess: “No.” So up went a blue sheet conveniently between me and him and my arm was put to sleep quickly. (He may have hoped for the same of me.) Perhaps he didn’t want me to see the hack job. That was his name: Dr. Hacker. I don’t make these things up.
Jesus doesn’t mind if we observe him on the job. It is not to be gruesome, but grateful. Because as we do, we can appreciate his skill.
Watch the Doctor Work
1. As he calls (9,13)
2. As he cures (10-13)
1. As he calls (9,13)
I don’t know many doctors, if any, who pull you up on their contact list and push “call” to find out if you are under the weather. Usually it is the other way around. Not Jesus. Watch the Doctor work as he calls.
Matthew was at the office when Jesus stopped by. He was “sitting at the tax collector’s booth” (Mt 9:9). I don’t know if it is still the same. I remember growing up and going through Chicago. There would be toll booths. Dad would chuck a quarter or a dime or both in a basket. If you didn’t have the correct change, there would be an individual there to help you with your dilemma and your dollar so that the arm could go up and you could go on to the next one a mile away (or so it seemed). It is probably automated by now. But that was Matthew. He was there along the road. He would make sure that the people coming into Capernaum to peddle their goods paid their cash. It was kind of a reverse sales tax—the right to sell in the city; for the vendor, not the buyer.
Recall that these kinds of men were not really anyone’s favorite. Moms didn’t dream about their sons growing up to be tax collectors. That is because they worked for the enemy—the Romans, who had conquered the Jews and now controlled them. And with a heavy hand. They would sell off sections of Israel to the highest Roman bidder to bring in a certain fixed amount of revenue for the government. That one, in turn, would hire others, publicans, to do the actual work for them. And if it came about that they brought in a bit more than necessary because everyone needed their cut, they might happen to line their own tunics in the process. It was not too hard to imagine that the profession attracted men of questionable character who might cheat more often than not. So on the local level, these were not slimy foreigners, but fellow citizens who participated in this legalized extortion. There was no love lost for the greedy traitors, even keeping them out of the synagogue.
Jesus does what is shocking, if not surprising. Note that it was Jesus’ idea and initiative. Jesus approached Matthew, not the other way around. It is as if we are standing right there eavesdropping: “‘Follow me,’ he told him” (Mt 9:9). That was an offer to go along with Jesus as his disciple, listening to him and learning from him.
And that is what Matthew did. “Matthew got up and followed him” (Mt 9:9), leaving everything immediately—his profession and profits (Lk 5:28). And his life changed from then on—walking with Jesus, witnessing all that he did and said. He later became one of the 12 apostles, specifically and specially chosen to go out with the gospel (Mt 10:3). And then the Holy Spirit used him to author the first Gospel. The name “Matthew” means “gift of God.” He had been busy taking, not he would be giving—forgiveness of sins and hope of heaven, in spoken and written word.
It might not just be an unlikely choice, but an unbelievable one. Matthew? A tax collector? Really? Or how about some others. Moses who was a murderer to lead the God’s people out of Egypt. Paul who was the persecutor to preach the gospel all over Asia Minor and Europe and pen 13 epistles in the New Testament. Unlikely at best.
But why would we stop there? We could add some more to the list. You. Me. Why us? Our potential? Our promise? No. None of that. Our résumé, like Matthew and company, reads “sinner”—as if that were our profession. And at times, we are quite good at it, echoing the hymn writer, “chief of sinners” (CW 385; 1 Ti 1:15).
And yet Jesus comes to us, “Follow me.” Why? We have Jesus’ own summary of his mission: “For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mt 9:13). We had missed the mark, now we are in line with Jesus. Righteous, right with God, not because of what we do or bring, but because Jesus carried our sin to the cross and came out of the grave (Ro 4:25). Just like Abraham, God credits righteousness to us, Jesus’ righteousness (Ro 4:24). He came to save sinners and that is exactly what he did (1 Ti 1;15). In a sense, Jesus rips up that résumé and writes “saint” (Ro 1:7)—free from sin. Watch the doctor work as he calls. He called us to be his own.
2. As he cures (10-13)
No one wants to go to the doctor and come home feeling worse. We look for a remedy along with relief. That is the result with Jesus. Watch the Doctor work as he cures.
When is the last time you heard of a doctor making a house call? I am not referring to home health care. I am talking about a person in a white coat with a black bag. Jesus made a house call. Matthew invited Jesus to his house for a supper. But there were others on the guest list. “Many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples” (Mt 9:12). Matthew wanted to share Jesus with his friends and show Jesus to them. This was not a small little gathering.
And it brought a lot of attention. And an accusation. The Pharisees inquired, not of Jesus, but of his followers: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (Mt 9:11). In that culture, as well as ours, eating a meal with someone meant a close association. You don’t pull up to the table of a complete stranger. In their minds Jesus’ action was sad and his activity was shameful. Those tax collectors and sinners were to be avoided and excluded, not accepted and embraced. Who does Jesus think that he is? There was disgust and there was disapproval.
The disciples didn’t respond. Jesus did. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Mt 9:12). When you go to a waiting room, what do you see? The strong, sweating from a workout at the gym, or the weak, struggling from a virus in their chest? It is obvious.
And so is Jesus’ point. A doctor has to get close to his patients, not to get the disease, but to give the diagnosis. It would be strange to state: “It would be great being a doctor if it weren’t for all the sick people.” That is their occupation. And that is what Jesus was doing. He is not endorsing their wrong, but encouraging their repentance—turning from their sin and turning to him.
Jesus was not implying that the Pharisees were healthy. They assumed so. After all they were so much better than others, living up to their name, “the separated ones.” In their estimation, they were in good shape …
exercising by doing so many good works,
sleeping well because their consciences congratulated them, not condemned them,
and eating right because they dined with the right people, their own kind.
They had no use for Jesus. Why? They were hearty enough all by themselves. Or so they supposed.
But Jesus wants them to examine their attitudes carefully. “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” (Mt 9:13; Ho 6:6). God didn’t want just the right actions on the outside—a simple going through of the motions like a child who washes the dishes with a scowl on his face. He wants the correct emotions on the inside. They were not extending mercy to those who needed it—“tax collectors and sinners.” Jesus was. He saw their need and was moved to help. That is why he came—to cure the sick of their sin.
Are we healthy? Or sick? Not physically, but spiritually. Do we need mercy from the Doctor? Yes. We don’t want to be like the person who recognizes that he has a terrible cold but refuses to see a physician. The hope is this: “Maybe it will just go away.” Our sin won’t. Sin is fatal.
Unlike the Israelites in Hosea’s day, we are sincere. We admit our guilt (Ho 5:15). And we acknowledge God (Ho 6:6), knowing that he is merciful to us as he sends his Son, loving to us as he sends our sins away. He makes that known to us in his Word. And so we join the psalmist in saying: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Ps 119:103). And that mercy that cures us is the mercy that comes from us to others. That is why we are here—to get mercy and to give mercy. That drives our ministry and directs our mission. Watch the Doctor work as he cures. He cures us to be his own.
Would you entitle your autobiography “Me: The Uncut Version Volume 1.” (You are anticipating a sequel I guess.) But that could only be if you haven’t had any surgeries. Matthew described how he went from collector of taxes to follower of Jesus, the good Physician. Jesus functions the same way with us. Watch the Doctor as he calls. “Follow me.” And watch him as he cures. “You are forgiven.” There is no reason to complain about that healthcare. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you (Ro 16:20). Amen.
June 25, 2017
Sunday, June 18, 2017
The Second Sunday after Pentecost (Matthew 7:24-27)
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
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
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
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