Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Co 1:2). Amen.
It is kind of bland, if not blah, when someone states: “It is good to _____ .” And then there is a follow up of something “good” to do. The word “good” in that sentence doesn’t sound all that great. Kind of take it or leave it. For example: “It is good to grill out on Father’s Day.” That comes across as nothing more than a useful suggestion or some helpful advice. (Plus, it also has a hidden assumption of who will turn on the gas or lay out the charcoal. Of course, dad can pick what he wants to make over the open flame. It is his day, after all.)
That is not what the psalmist had in mind. It is not a simple recommendation, but a sincere invitation. More along the lines of “it is good and right so to do” (CW pp. 21, 33). It is good to praise the Lord for his faithfulness and for our fruitfulness. We read from …
Psalm 92:1-15
Dear People of the Lord our God, who once saved us and now strengthens us,
We have another one of these special celebrations today. Father’s Day. And so we say, “Happy Father’s Day.” We pray that it is.
If you are a father in the present or have been a father in the past, you know that it is not always easy. (That is not to talk anyone out of that role in the future. It is an important responsibility from our God.)
While there is no perfect father, it is not a bad thought to show some thankfulness for all that a dad does—whether it is known or even notable, from paying bills to offering prayers. It is good to be grateful to him.
Even more so the Lord.
It Is Good to Praise the Lord
1. For his faithfulness (1-8)
2. For our fruitfulness (9-15)
1. For his faithfulness (1-8)
Being a dad is a full-time charge, not a part-time one. And it is time-consuming and can be sleep-depriving. That is not meant to be a bit of negativity, but a dose of reality. We might not be so good at acknowledging the day-to-day or appreciating the day after day—especially if dad is a constant. But even if, or when, an earthly father may falter, our heavenly Father does not fail. It is good to praise the Lord for his faithfulness.
Not every psalm has a heading. This one does. It was intended to be sung to musical accompaniment—a melody with words (cf. heading—“ A psalm. A song.”). The singer even mentions some instruments: “to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp” (Ps 92:3). He is not being restrictive, but instructive. We can praise the Lord in various ways. Today we have an organ as we chanted the refrain and verses. Nothing wrong with the piano either. The same is true of a guitar or violin or you name it. Music is a means to express our excitement.
And so the psalmist begins with a parallel idea and a precise identification:
“It is good to praise the LORD” (Ps 92:1). It is something pleasing to make a public confession of who God is and what God does. After all, he is the LORD—the One who does not change when it comes to his love (Ex 34:6,7).
“It is good to … make music to your name, O Most High” (Ps 92:1). God’s name is everything that he reveals about himself—his qualities and characteristics, from punishing sin to promising salvation. And he can do that as the one who is above all, mighty and majestic. In fact, in the very middle of the psalm, he stops to shout: “But you, O LORD, are exalted forever” (Ps 92:8). He is on high and we hold him high.
If you go back to the initial information, this was composed “For the Sabbath day” (cf. heading). That was Saturday, the 7th day of the week. The Lord reserved that for rest—physical and spiritual. There was to be no work. But there was to be worship. The children of Israel were to reflect on the refreshment that the Messiah would bring for their weary and worn souls.
Whether it is that day or this day, we recall that God sends our sins away. Our hearts are no longer bothered by or burdened with guilt. All because of what God has done for us in Christ. Time praising God is good for us (Mk 2:27).
But not just one day, every day—all day:
“to proclaim your love in the morning” (Ps 92:2). After a night of safekeeping, God is there with his mercy every new day (La 3:22,23). He sees our needs and supplies them—both around us and in us. Luther captures that in his morning prayer: “I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger. Keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please you” (CW p. 139). We go forward with him watching our coming and going (Ps 121:8). It is good to praise the Lord in the morning.
“to proclaim … your faithfulness at night” (Ps 92:2). The Lord is dependable and reliable through the challenges and changes of the day. He proves it with his presence and with his power. We trust in him as we turn to him. Again Luther leads us: “I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day. Forgive me all my sins, and graciously keep me this night” (CW p. 139). We close our eyes in sweet slumber, safe and secure. It is good to praise the Lord at night.
While there are times that we sing in sadness, the psalmist does it with gladness. “For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands” (Ps 92:4). The Lord has been active all through history—from the creation of the world to the care of his people, even bringing them back to Israel from their captivity in Babylon. All so that the Savior could be born—to carry our sin, going to the cross on Good Friday, and to cry out in victory, coming from his grave on Easter Sunday. Who can measure his initiative and his intention? We add our voices in exclamation: “How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts!” (Ps 92:5; cf. Ro 11:33). There is no scale or gauge for that. We simply stand in awe of them and of him.
That doesn’t mean that everyone gets it. “The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand” (Ps 92:6). In a way, the comparison is to a cow—somewhat dull. It is not intellectual ability, but spiritual ignorance. They don’t get why it is good to praise the Lord. The singer details their lack of discernment: “that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed” (Ps 92:7). You may be mowing your grass regularly—much more so than in January. Those who are guilty may bud and blossom, but they will not last like your lawn come the fall. Those who practice what is harmful to their relationship with God will be ruined eternally. There will be that sad end. We hear that so that we heed it.
But we give our attention to God. And we give our devotion to him. We don’t want to miss any opportunity, any chance. It is good to praise him for his faithfulness. God doesn’t just make a promise, he keeps it. Through Ezekiel, the Lord used picture language to assure of his action: “I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain” (Eze 17:22). That is a reference to the Messiah to come for them—who has come for us. Jesus Christ is the One who came from David to sit on his throne to rule forever (Lk 1:32,33). He even punctuates it—almost as if it is an exclamation mark: “I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it” (Eze 17:24). We consider that every Christmas. We enjoy it every Easter. We praise the Lord for his steadiness.
That is valuable all our life. The apostle Paul pointed out that we spend our days in an “earthly tent” (2 Co 5:1). It is temporary. Our home in heaven is eternal. We look for it. We long for it. And one day it will be ours. In the meantime, “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Co 5:7). But there is no question about it. God has given to us his Holy Spirit “as a deposit” (2 Co 5:5)—like a down payment. When we take out a loan, we put down some cash, pledging that there will be more to follow. God asserts: “There is more to come.” We will live in heaven with him. It is good to praise the Lord for his faithfulness on earth to eternity.
2. For our fruitfulness (9-15)
There is that cliché: “like father like son.” There is often a similarity between the two—their opinions and outlooks, their walk and talk. Our heavenly Father’s work in our hearts leads to work in our lives. It is good to praise the Lord for our fruitfulness.
Once more the psalmist references those who are hostile. And he is emphatic. “For surely your enemies, O LORD, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered” (Ps 92:9). That is even the case at times with those who bring us trouble and cause us hardship: “My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes” (Ps 92:11). We await his timing and anticipate his triumph. God is there: “You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox” [A horn is a symbol of power.]; fine oils have been poured on me” [Oil is a sign of prosperity.] (Ps 92:10).
And he picks that up with another illustration: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon” (Ps 92:12). We are right with God because he covers us in Christ’s righteousness, his holiness. The tall, slender palm tree produced fruit—even in hot, dry climates. The large, magnificent cedar tree was used for construction—beams and pillars. “Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God” (Ps 92:13). God has put the seed of conviction in us. And now like a tree does what it is meant to do—an apple tree yielding apples, so do we. The gift of faith causes fruits of faith—good works. Paul spells it out like this: “So we make it our goal to please him” (2 Co 5:9). We no longer live for ourselves, but for our Savior. And there is growth as Jesus mentioned in his parable: “All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head” (Mk 4:28)—from first planting to final harvesting (Mk 4:29).
And it is not just for a season or a time. “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green” (Ps 92:14). As trees age become older, they may become sickly, affecting the crop. But even past the prime of life, we stay strong in our praise: “proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him” (Ps 92:15). We announce that he is not crooked—a place of solid and sturdy protection, in whom there is nothing bad. It is good to praise the Lord for our fruitfulness.
Father’s Day comes once a year. But we ought not limit our expressions of gratitude to that many times. “Happy Father’s Day” can translate into “Thank you, Dad” (also when he cooks outside). That is good. But it is good to praise the Lord for his faithfulness. That is the way he is morning and evening, day in and day out. It is good to praise the Lord for our fruitfulness. As we live with him, we live for him. That is good. Amen.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you (1 Co 16:23). Amen.
A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.
1 It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High,
2 to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,
3 to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.
4 For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
5 How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts!
6 The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand,
7 that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.
8 But you, O LORD, are exalted forever.
9 For surely your enemies, O LORD, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered.
10 You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured on me.
11 My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.
12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
13 planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,
15 proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
June 17, 2018
St. John Lutheran Church Sermons
Monday, June 18, 2018
Monday, June 11, 2018
The Third Sunday after Pentecost (John 8:31,32)
Grace and peace be yours in abundance (1 Pe 1:2). Amen.
Every year there are anniversaries. That is almost insulting because it is so obvious. That is the very definition of one—an annual remembrance on the date of a notable event.
While every one is special like the celebration of a birthday year after year, there are some significant ones. Usually they end in a 5 or a 0. (A 25th or 50th Anniversary, for example.) But what about when there are two zeros? That is something to overlook.
This is not a commercial, but 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of happenings in the history of two well-known companies.
The first Chevrolet truck rolled off the assembly line for GM.
John Deere also entered the tractor business.
Both of those are recognizable since they are still around today.
But there is another one that is meaningful and momentous. At least for us. It is almost to the day. On June 13, 1918, 130 confessional Lutherans met at Trinity Lutheran Church here in St. Paul to establish the Minnesota District of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Other States. We consider that today.
But it is not about us, or them. But about God. And his grace. How do we observe this anniversary? Continue in Jesus’ Word with faith and for freedom. We read from …
John 8:31,32
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Truth whom we look at and lean on,
An anniversary is beneficial because it allows the opportunity to reflect. Think of a husband and wife as they contemplate whatever number of years that they have spent together on the date of their wedding.
And it could be in all three directions.
Acknowledging the past,
Appreciating the present,
Awaiting the future.
That is what this observance is about. As we go forward, we recall where we have come from and rejoice about where we are. Among the challenges and changes, the Lord remains the same. And so does what he says.
Continue in Jesus’ Word
1. With faith (31)
2. For freedom (32)
1. With faith (31)
The Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed is instructive. In it Luther reminds us: “I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him.” But what we could not do. The Holy Spirit did. “[He] has called me by the gospel (Luther’s Catechism p. 5). He invited you and me into God’s family through God’s Word. That is why our forefathers joined together. They had the same faith in our Triune God. They wanted to stay in that Word. We do too. Continue in Jesus’ Word with faith.
Jesus didn’t shy away from conversation. This time he was speaking “to the Jews” (Jn 8:31). They are described as those “who had believed him” (Jn 8:31). The Word had been planted in their hearts. Jesus’ desire was that it persist. Some turned to Jesus while other turned away from him (Jn 6:66).
It comes down to a connection with Christ. That is critical. Jesus comments as he stresses: “If you hold to my teaching” (Jn 8:31). Really, “if you remain, abide, in my word.” It is interesting that earlier in his Gospel, John identifies Jesus as “the Word” (Jn 1:1). That is how we communicate with one another—with words, what we think, what we feel. That is how God conveys what is on his heart—through Jesus, the Word. That God loved us and sent his Son to go to the cross and come out of the grave to give us life (Jn 6:68; 20:31). The result: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples” (Jn 8:31). That is one who listens to a teacher and learns from him. The mark of a disciple, really the essence of a disciple, is that he or she gives his ear or her attention to Jesus.
It is not surprising that Moses mentioned that as he was taking leave of the people whom he had faithfully led for the last 40 years. “Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live” (Dt 4:1). He reemphasized the Ten Commandments, but more important, God’s tremendous love. He chose them to be his own. They were to cherish that bond. They were to keep before them the Messiah who would come from them and for them to remove their sin. They were to guard that carefully and closely—passing it down from generation to generation (Dt 4:9). The psalmist Asaph spoke along the same lines: “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done” (Ps 78:4).
It was Jesus who used that familiar illustration to instruct: “I am the vine; you are the branches” (Jn 15:5). He has grafted us to himself. We are alive. We witnessed that in a very powerful and beautiful way. God adopted Belle into his family through water and Word, bringing her to trust in him, just as he did with us. That has been going on for last century in the Minnesota District. God has used his Word to bring people to faith and build them up in that faith. That includes us. He leads us to him and keeps us with him. Continue in Jesus’ Word with faith. That makes us real disciples of him.
2. For freedom (32)
It is helpful that Luther states: “In the same way he [that is, the Holy Spirit] calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church he daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers” (Luther’s Catechism p. 5). There is a liberty that we enjoy. Just like those 100 years ago. Continue in Jesus’ Word for freedom.
John quotes Jesus as he was comforting his disciples in the upper room before his crucifixion the next day and his resurrection on the third day. “I am the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6). What he says is true. But it is also the truth (Jn 17:17). The Truth speaks the truth. He is not like the devil, “the father of lies” (Jn 8:44).
And so Jesus informs us that if, better when we continue in his Word, “Then you will know the truth” (Jn 8:32). We will come to realize what is firm, and not false. It is not just intellectual knowledge, but personal experience. And that means that based on that Word, this is correct for both of us:
I confess that I have sinned—in many ways and at many times.
I contend that I have a Savior who lived and died in my place.
Then Jesus goes on to relate the outcome: “and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32). He has released us …
From sin. It no longer enslaves (Jn 8:34). We don’t live to sin or love to sin (Ro 6:1,2). It doesn’t condemn us anymore because Jesus clears us forevermore. That is because Jesus laid down his life for his friends, for us (Jn 15:13). That is freedom.
From death. It no longer frightens. Heaven is ours. As Peter put it: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Pe 1:3). No one and nothing can take that away from us. God gives it to us and guarantees it to us. That is freedom.
From the devil. He cannot dominate us because Jesus has defeated him (He 2:14,15). That is freedom.
For service. Linked to the Vine, we produce fruit—“fruit that will last” (Jn 15:16). We do things that are good—whatever fits under Jesus’ command: “Love each other” (Jn 15:17). That is freedom.
Like those before us, we leave a legacy for those after us. Continue in Jesus’ word for freedom for eternity.
A 100th anniversary doesn’t happen every day. It is traditionally labeled the “Centennial,” or the “Platinum Jubilee.” (It is not the green and gold of John Deere or whatever color the first Chevy pickup was.) It is more important how we commemorate it than what we call it. For 100 years, the Minnesota District has recognized the importance of Jesus’ Word. We follow their lead. Continue in Jesus’ Word with faith and for freedom. Happy Anniversary. Amen.
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Pe 3:18).
June 10, 2018
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Every year there are anniversaries. That is almost insulting because it is so obvious. That is the very definition of one—an annual remembrance on the date of a notable event.
While every one is special like the celebration of a birthday year after year, there are some significant ones. Usually they end in a 5 or a 0. (A 25th or 50th Anniversary, for example.) But what about when there are two zeros? That is something to overlook.
This is not a commercial, but 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of happenings in the history of two well-known companies.
The first Chevrolet truck rolled off the assembly line for GM.
John Deere also entered the tractor business.
Both of those are recognizable since they are still around today.
But there is another one that is meaningful and momentous. At least for us. It is almost to the day. On June 13, 1918, 130 confessional Lutherans met at Trinity Lutheran Church here in St. Paul to establish the Minnesota District of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Other States. We consider that today.
But it is not about us, or them. But about God. And his grace. How do we observe this anniversary? Continue in Jesus’ Word with faith and for freedom. We read from …
John 8:31,32
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Truth whom we look at and lean on,
An anniversary is beneficial because it allows the opportunity to reflect. Think of a husband and wife as they contemplate whatever number of years that they have spent together on the date of their wedding.
And it could be in all three directions.
Acknowledging the past,
Appreciating the present,
Awaiting the future.
That is what this observance is about. As we go forward, we recall where we have come from and rejoice about where we are. Among the challenges and changes, the Lord remains the same. And so does what he says.
Continue in Jesus’ Word
1. With faith (31)
2. For freedom (32)
1. With faith (31)
The Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed is instructive. In it Luther reminds us: “I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him.” But what we could not do. The Holy Spirit did. “[He] has called me by the gospel (Luther’s Catechism p. 5). He invited you and me into God’s family through God’s Word. That is why our forefathers joined together. They had the same faith in our Triune God. They wanted to stay in that Word. We do too. Continue in Jesus’ Word with faith.
Jesus didn’t shy away from conversation. This time he was speaking “to the Jews” (Jn 8:31). They are described as those “who had believed him” (Jn 8:31). The Word had been planted in their hearts. Jesus’ desire was that it persist. Some turned to Jesus while other turned away from him (Jn 6:66).
It comes down to a connection with Christ. That is critical. Jesus comments as he stresses: “If you hold to my teaching” (Jn 8:31). Really, “if you remain, abide, in my word.” It is interesting that earlier in his Gospel, John identifies Jesus as “the Word” (Jn 1:1). That is how we communicate with one another—with words, what we think, what we feel. That is how God conveys what is on his heart—through Jesus, the Word. That God loved us and sent his Son to go to the cross and come out of the grave to give us life (Jn 6:68; 20:31). The result: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples” (Jn 8:31). That is one who listens to a teacher and learns from him. The mark of a disciple, really the essence of a disciple, is that he or she gives his ear or her attention to Jesus.
It is not surprising that Moses mentioned that as he was taking leave of the people whom he had faithfully led for the last 40 years. “Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live” (Dt 4:1). He reemphasized the Ten Commandments, but more important, God’s tremendous love. He chose them to be his own. They were to cherish that bond. They were to keep before them the Messiah who would come from them and for them to remove their sin. They were to guard that carefully and closely—passing it down from generation to generation (Dt 4:9). The psalmist Asaph spoke along the same lines: “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done” (Ps 78:4).
It was Jesus who used that familiar illustration to instruct: “I am the vine; you are the branches” (Jn 15:5). He has grafted us to himself. We are alive. We witnessed that in a very powerful and beautiful way. God adopted Belle into his family through water and Word, bringing her to trust in him, just as he did with us. That has been going on for last century in the Minnesota District. God has used his Word to bring people to faith and build them up in that faith. That includes us. He leads us to him and keeps us with him. Continue in Jesus’ Word with faith. That makes us real disciples of him.
2. For freedom (32)
It is helpful that Luther states: “In the same way he [that is, the Holy Spirit] calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church he daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers” (Luther’s Catechism p. 5). There is a liberty that we enjoy. Just like those 100 years ago. Continue in Jesus’ Word for freedom.
John quotes Jesus as he was comforting his disciples in the upper room before his crucifixion the next day and his resurrection on the third day. “I am the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6). What he says is true. But it is also the truth (Jn 17:17). The Truth speaks the truth. He is not like the devil, “the father of lies” (Jn 8:44).
And so Jesus informs us that if, better when we continue in his Word, “Then you will know the truth” (Jn 8:32). We will come to realize what is firm, and not false. It is not just intellectual knowledge, but personal experience. And that means that based on that Word, this is correct for both of us:
I confess that I have sinned—in many ways and at many times.
I contend that I have a Savior who lived and died in my place.
Then Jesus goes on to relate the outcome: “and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32). He has released us …
From sin. It no longer enslaves (Jn 8:34). We don’t live to sin or love to sin (Ro 6:1,2). It doesn’t condemn us anymore because Jesus clears us forevermore. That is because Jesus laid down his life for his friends, for us (Jn 15:13). That is freedom.
From death. It no longer frightens. Heaven is ours. As Peter put it: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Pe 1:3). No one and nothing can take that away from us. God gives it to us and guarantees it to us. That is freedom.
From the devil. He cannot dominate us because Jesus has defeated him (He 2:14,15). That is freedom.
For service. Linked to the Vine, we produce fruit—“fruit that will last” (Jn 15:16). We do things that are good—whatever fits under Jesus’ command: “Love each other” (Jn 15:17). That is freedom.
Like those before us, we leave a legacy for those after us. Continue in Jesus’ word for freedom for eternity.
A 100th anniversary doesn’t happen every day. It is traditionally labeled the “Centennial,” or the “Platinum Jubilee.” (It is not the green and gold of John Deere or whatever color the first Chevy pickup was.) It is more important how we commemorate it than what we call it. For 100 years, the Minnesota District has recognized the importance of Jesus’ Word. We follow their lead. Continue in Jesus’ Word with faith and for freedom. Happy Anniversary. Amen.
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Pe 3:18).
June 10, 2018
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Sunday, June 3, 2018
The Second Sunday after Pentecost (Mark 2:23-28)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Co 1:2). Amen.
Do you have a day on the calendar that is significant? One that stands out or sticks out in your mind? It could be on a national level. Last week we commemorated Memorial Day. It might be on a personal note. We celebrate a birthday.
For the Jews, it was not once every year. But once every week. The Sabbath Day.
It is just a loan word from Hebrew. Sabbath. We take the letters from the original and replace them with English ones. At least the corresponding sounds. There are some facts that are probably familiar.
The Sabbath day was the 7th day of the week (Dt 5:14). That translates to Saturday. It was a special day. As Moses reminded the people of Israel: “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Dt 5:12). It was to be set apart from and separate from the other 6 days. The Israelites were to guard that carefully like we do with anniversaries when they come around. We refer to it as the Third Commandment.
“Sabbath” signifies rest. There were two aspects to that.
1) Physical rest: “On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do” (Dt 5:13). In sense, they were to unplug from work as some suggest that we do with our phones. But that is just sage advice. We might do well to try it. This wasn’t a suggestion. The Lord who created our bodies knows that they can’t work all the time or around the clock.
So far so good. Jesus’ enemies, the Pharisees, would have no problem with that description, or better, definition. That wasn’t the problem. It was the application of the second part.
2) Spiritual rest: But it was more than just God being understanding. It was a day for worship—to reflect on the rest that the promised Messiah would one day bring, rest from a guilty conscience—the forgiveness of sins.
And it wasn’t just a matter of jealousy. There was that. The Pharisees were not excited when the people listened to and learned from Jesus. But it was also a question of philosophy. The Pharisees had altered or adapted God’s commands over the years. They had their own “What does this mean?” ME! It is on me and about me. The Third Commandment, as well as the others, was a way to amaze God. “Look at what I am doing.” They viewed it as part of their elaborate rules and intricate regulations to be kept to earn salvation by themselves. For example, they added what could and couldn’t be done on that day—like how far one could walk during those twenty-four hours (Acts 1:12).
Or what theoretically constituted “work.” So in their effort to trap Jesus, they finally had an airtight case against him. What lawyer wouldn’t want a slam dunk? And here it was: “One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain” (Mk 2:23). Those men were not stealing. That was permitted in the Old Testament (Dt 23:25). You could go into your neighbor’s field and get some wheat (as long as you weren’t taking a sickle to it). We might think along the lines of a snack. It wasn’t as if you were sneaking in the middle of the night and taking every single tomato from the garden next door.
“The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’” (Mk 2:24). They were shocked by what they witnessed. What made it improper was it went against their tradition, their augmentations or attachments of the Sabbath Day. Jesus’ disciples were breaking rabbinic code. Harvesting—rubbing the grain in their hands to remove the chaff before chewing the kernels (Lk 6:1)—was working. And Jesus didn’t stop them. What kind of a teacher was he?
It is almost as if Mark puts us at the scene of the action as Jesus recalls an account that they were certainly acquainted with. “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?” (Mk 2:25). Of course they had.
It might require a bit of refreshing for us. It happened once when King Saul was chasing after David to kill him (1 Sa 21:1-6). Jesus relates the incident: “In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions” (Mk 2:26). Every week 12 loaves of bread, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, were placed on the golden table inside the holy place of the Tabernacle. The priests were the only ones who were to eat the old ones (Le 24:5-9). It was from those that David and company dined out of an emergency. There was no condemnation of him. Human need trumped Ceremonial Law. Mercy always wins (Ho 6:6; Mt 12:7).
Jesus goes on with his instruction. He draws a conclusion: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mk 2:27). The Sabbath Day was for man’s benefit, a gift from God—to serve him, not enslave him, as a break, not a bother. It is not the other way around. God gets nothing out of it. And Jesus can decide. He is emphatic about it: “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mk 2:28).
He is Lord—over all and above all. He has all authority—even when it comes to the Sabbath.
He is the “Son of Man.” That is Jesus’ favorite designation for himself. He identifies with the ones he came to rescue—us, yet at the same time he is God (Da 7:13).
It comes down to the two approaches to how an individual is saved.
1) One attempts to do it all by himself or herself. It comes from inside of us. Like an arrow from me to God.
2) One admits that he or she needs God’s mercy. It comes from outside of us. Like an arrow from God to me.
God did not give us the law so that we could impress him. But to impress on us that we cannot obey it perfectly, completely, or totally (Mt 5:48; Ja 2:10; Ga 3:10). We are not holy as he is (Le 19:2). The Pharisees might not have seen it. We do. And that is why Jesus came.
To keep the law perfectly for us—in our place. He did.
To take our sins willingly on himself—on his cross. He died.
And now he invites us to come to him (Mt 11:28). And we receive refreshment of our weary and worn souls—the elimination of any and every charge against us, from when our minds stray during worship to when we stay away from worship. That is better than air-conditioning on a hot, humid day. That is why we join Paul in stating: “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord” (2 Co 4:5). And with the psalmist we sing: “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy” (Ps 126:3).
The apostle Paul lumps the Sabbath Day into the category of “a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Col 2:17). It pointed ahead to Jesus as it pictured real rest in him. We no longer look at a silhouette of the Savior when we have him no more than we gaze at a person’s outline on the ground when they are in front of us. We see him clearly.
But that also doesn’t make Sunday the new Sabbath Day. We have the freedom to worship. (Note that I did not say “freedom from worship,” but “freedom to worship.”) We happen to follow the lead of the early Christian church which chose the first day of the week when we worship. It was a reminder of when Jesus exited his tomb emphasizing that his work was sufficient (Ro 4:25).
We can gather around his Word and sacraments any time. As long as we are in them and around them—at church and at home. As a child of God, we delight in that. Or as we call to mind Luther’s explanation of the Third Commandment: “We should fear and love God that we do not despise preaching and his Word, but regard it as holy, and gladly hear and learn it” (Luther’s Catechism, p. 1).
You know other Hebrew words that we bring into English. Hallelujah is “praise the LORD.” It is not so strange that we do it with Sabbath. Rest. The Pharisees wrongly defined the Sabbath day as earning something. Jesus rightly redefined the Sabbath as enjoying everything. It is not requiring, but receiving—the removal of all our guilt through him. We rest in him. We rest easy.
We read from Mark 2:23-28:
23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.
24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?
26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
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 3, 2018
Do you have a day on the calendar that is significant? One that stands out or sticks out in your mind? It could be on a national level. Last week we commemorated Memorial Day. It might be on a personal note. We celebrate a birthday.
For the Jews, it was not once every year. But once every week. The Sabbath Day.
It is just a loan word from Hebrew. Sabbath. We take the letters from the original and replace them with English ones. At least the corresponding sounds. There are some facts that are probably familiar.
The Sabbath day was the 7th day of the week (Dt 5:14). That translates to Saturday. It was a special day. As Moses reminded the people of Israel: “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Dt 5:12). It was to be set apart from and separate from the other 6 days. The Israelites were to guard that carefully like we do with anniversaries when they come around. We refer to it as the Third Commandment.
“Sabbath” signifies rest. There were two aspects to that.
1) Physical rest: “On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do” (Dt 5:13). In sense, they were to unplug from work as some suggest that we do with our phones. But that is just sage advice. We might do well to try it. This wasn’t a suggestion. The Lord who created our bodies knows that they can’t work all the time or around the clock.
So far so good. Jesus’ enemies, the Pharisees, would have no problem with that description, or better, definition. That wasn’t the problem. It was the application of the second part.
2) Spiritual rest: But it was more than just God being understanding. It was a day for worship—to reflect on the rest that the promised Messiah would one day bring, rest from a guilty conscience—the forgiveness of sins.
And it wasn’t just a matter of jealousy. There was that. The Pharisees were not excited when the people listened to and learned from Jesus. But it was also a question of philosophy. The Pharisees had altered or adapted God’s commands over the years. They had their own “What does this mean?” ME! It is on me and about me. The Third Commandment, as well as the others, was a way to amaze God. “Look at what I am doing.” They viewed it as part of their elaborate rules and intricate regulations to be kept to earn salvation by themselves. For example, they added what could and couldn’t be done on that day—like how far one could walk during those twenty-four hours (Acts 1:12).
Or what theoretically constituted “work.” So in their effort to trap Jesus, they finally had an airtight case against him. What lawyer wouldn’t want a slam dunk? And here it was: “One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain” (Mk 2:23). Those men were not stealing. That was permitted in the Old Testament (Dt 23:25). You could go into your neighbor’s field and get some wheat (as long as you weren’t taking a sickle to it). We might think along the lines of a snack. It wasn’t as if you were sneaking in the middle of the night and taking every single tomato from the garden next door.
“The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’” (Mk 2:24). They were shocked by what they witnessed. What made it improper was it went against their tradition, their augmentations or attachments of the Sabbath Day. Jesus’ disciples were breaking rabbinic code. Harvesting—rubbing the grain in their hands to remove the chaff before chewing the kernels (Lk 6:1)—was working. And Jesus didn’t stop them. What kind of a teacher was he?
It is almost as if Mark puts us at the scene of the action as Jesus recalls an account that they were certainly acquainted with. “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?” (Mk 2:25). Of course they had.
It might require a bit of refreshing for us. It happened once when King Saul was chasing after David to kill him (1 Sa 21:1-6). Jesus relates the incident: “In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions” (Mk 2:26). Every week 12 loaves of bread, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, were placed on the golden table inside the holy place of the Tabernacle. The priests were the only ones who were to eat the old ones (Le 24:5-9). It was from those that David and company dined out of an emergency. There was no condemnation of him. Human need trumped Ceremonial Law. Mercy always wins (Ho 6:6; Mt 12:7).
Jesus goes on with his instruction. He draws a conclusion: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mk 2:27). The Sabbath Day was for man’s benefit, a gift from God—to serve him, not enslave him, as a break, not a bother. It is not the other way around. God gets nothing out of it. And Jesus can decide. He is emphatic about it: “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mk 2:28).
He is Lord—over all and above all. He has all authority—even when it comes to the Sabbath.
He is the “Son of Man.” That is Jesus’ favorite designation for himself. He identifies with the ones he came to rescue—us, yet at the same time he is God (Da 7:13).
It comes down to the two approaches to how an individual is saved.
1) One attempts to do it all by himself or herself. It comes from inside of us. Like an arrow from me to God.
2) One admits that he or she needs God’s mercy. It comes from outside of us. Like an arrow from God to me.
God did not give us the law so that we could impress him. But to impress on us that we cannot obey it perfectly, completely, or totally (Mt 5:48; Ja 2:10; Ga 3:10). We are not holy as he is (Le 19:2). The Pharisees might not have seen it. We do. And that is why Jesus came.
To keep the law perfectly for us—in our place. He did.
To take our sins willingly on himself—on his cross. He died.
And now he invites us to come to him (Mt 11:28). And we receive refreshment of our weary and worn souls—the elimination of any and every charge against us, from when our minds stray during worship to when we stay away from worship. That is better than air-conditioning on a hot, humid day. That is why we join Paul in stating: “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord” (2 Co 4:5). And with the psalmist we sing: “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy” (Ps 126:3).
The apostle Paul lumps the Sabbath Day into the category of “a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Col 2:17). It pointed ahead to Jesus as it pictured real rest in him. We no longer look at a silhouette of the Savior when we have him no more than we gaze at a person’s outline on the ground when they are in front of us. We see him clearly.
But that also doesn’t make Sunday the new Sabbath Day. We have the freedom to worship. (Note that I did not say “freedom from worship,” but “freedom to worship.”) We happen to follow the lead of the early Christian church which chose the first day of the week when we worship. It was a reminder of when Jesus exited his tomb emphasizing that his work was sufficient (Ro 4:25).
We can gather around his Word and sacraments any time. As long as we are in them and around them—at church and at home. As a child of God, we delight in that. Or as we call to mind Luther’s explanation of the Third Commandment: “We should fear and love God that we do not despise preaching and his Word, but regard it as holy, and gladly hear and learn it” (Luther’s Catechism, p. 1).
You know other Hebrew words that we bring into English. Hallelujah is “praise the LORD.” It is not so strange that we do it with Sabbath. Rest. The Pharisees wrongly defined the Sabbath day as earning something. Jesus rightly redefined the Sabbath as enjoying everything. It is not requiring, but receiving—the removal of all our guilt through him. We rest in him. We rest easy.
We read from Mark 2:23-28:
23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.
24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?
26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
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 3, 2018
Monday, May 28, 2018
The First Sunday after Pentecost (Isaiah 6:1-8)
We pray: “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise” (Ps 51:15). Amen.
This is Memorial Day weekend. It affords us an opportunity to remember those men and women who have given their lives while serving in the armed forces of the United States military. We thank them for their ultimate sacrifice and honor them for the many freedoms that we enjoy as citizens of this country.
In a sense, today is another memorial day. Not to take away from the significance of tomorrow. It allows us the chance to recall our triune God—one God (Dt 6:4), yet three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Mt 28:19). We marvel at that mystery. But that is how God reveals himself to us in his Word.
Isaiah had a spectacular view of this God as he called him to be a prophet (Jn 12:41). Stand in the presence of the King in humility and for ministry. We read from …
Isaiah 6:1-6
Dear People of God who see and serve the King,
We really don’t get it—royalty. You don’t get extra credit if you got up early to watch the latest royal wedding (perhaps you heard about that last weekend) and can name their official titles (possibly you know about that by now).
But Isaiah got monarchs. He worked as the Lord’s mouthpiece under four of them in Judah (Is 1:1). He even chronicled the events of Uzziah’s reign (2 Chron 26:23). He knew about kings.
But there is an interesting contrast between those kings and the King when a major event happened in Isaiah’s life. He records it specifically: “In the year that King Uzziah died” (Is 6:1). As with the others, that king had power for a time. The King has it for all time. At the death of another of them, he observes the almighty One. And the vision is unforgettable—for him and for us.
Stand in the Presence of the King
1. In humility (1-7)
2. For ministry (8)
1. In humility (1-7)
How would you describe a saint? It is helpful to assert: “a saint is one who is cleansed from sin.” It is not what we have done, but what God has done for us. Isaiah found that out. Stand in the presence of the King in humility.
It was quite a sight for the seer’s eyes. “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Is 6:1). He is the Lord—the One who has amazing majesty and absolute might. His position is ongoing as he towers over all and his garment takes up everything.
And he was not alone. His attendants are impressive like soldiers at attention. “Above him were seraphs” (Is 6:2). This is the first and only time that they are mentioned in Scripture. But that doesn’t take away from their brilliance. Isaiah notes their features: “each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying” (Is 6:2). They showed their respect—even though they are sinless creatures. They didn’t feel comfortable exposing their faces or their feet. They were in the presence of the King. They were obedient and reverent.
That is clear in their proper posture and in their pure praise. Back and forth, this one to that one like if one side of the church says one thing and the other side the same thing, “they were calling to one another” (Is 6:3). Isaiah documents the content of their chant.
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty” (Is 6:3). The Lord—who is changeless in his love (Ex 3:14,15; 34:6,7)—Almighty—over every force in heaven and on earth—is holy times three. It is a way of expressing a superlative. It might be like the answer to how a great supper was: “It was awesome, awesome, awesome.” (That is because the word “awesomest” doesn’t exist.)
The seraphs’ lyrics are significant.
1) Our Triune God is holy. He is set apart from all creation. There is no one in the same category as him—not in wisdom or ability. There is not a top ten and he just happens to be one. He is the only perfect one.
2) Our Triune God is holy. He is separate from sin and what is sinful. He cannot be near it or around it. He must get rid of it like an antibiotic attacks bacteria.
“The whole earth is full of his glory” (Is 6:3). All of what God has made speaks of his splendor.
Isaiah didn’t just see it and hear it. He felt it. “At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke” (Is 6:4). It might be the sensation of when you are in a car and someone pulls up next to you with their music blaring and your vehicle starts vibrating. He might have even smelled the smoke. The Lord involved almost all the senses.
This is not welcome because it was troubling. It was worrisome because it was terrifying. Isaiah’s reaction is real and rational. “Woe to me! … I am ruined!” (Is 6:5). There was despair and doom. He wanted to be hidden rather than to behold. That is about as far away from “Good for me!” as you can get. And he gives the two reasons for his shortcoming:
“For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips” (Is 6:5). Here was the Holy One and he was an unholy one. There was a gap between the wider than the Grand Canyon. Nor could he bring anything to close that divide. Such a one does not belong in such elite company.
“My eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty” (Is 6:5). No one sinful can see God and live (Ex 33:20).
He stood before the King in humility. He was unworthy. What could he anticipate? He more than likely expected to die.
But Isaiah would not die, but live. God did not destroy Isaiah, he delivered him. And in a very symbolic way. “Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar” (Is 6:6). The altar was a place of sacrifice. Think of all the animals who lost their lives and shed their blood as a reminder of the altar of Jesus’ cross (Is 53). That is where he won forgiveness for us, cleansing us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7).
The heavenly being continued his activity. “With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips [that is the very thing that Isaiah complained was “unclean,” or impure]; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for’” (Is 6:7). What Isaiah could not do, the King did. The hot stone did not burn him, but purified him (1 Jn 1:7).
There is no other response than humility before the Holy One, the Lord Almighty. It would be either arrogance or ignorance to contend with arms crossed, “My wrong is not that bad. My guilt is not that big.” The Lord is not a little pure, but a lot. We are not a little impure, but a lot. And those two things can’t coexist. How dare we stand in the presence of the King?
But a holy God found a way to make the unholy holy—the sinful sinless. And that is what we were. Jesus laid it out to his late night guest. He reminded Nicodemus, “Flesh gives birth to flesh” (Jn 3:6). Sinful mommies and daddies have sinful sons and daughters. The color of hair is one thing. The kind of heart is another.
But how simple and how sweet the solution—amazing grace. Again as we eavesdrop, Jesus presents the plan. “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). In such a way and to such a degree the Father loved and provided his Son. Why? “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (Jn 3:17). His goal was not to ship us to hell, but usher us to heaven. Because Jesus was put on the cross like the snake in the desert (Jn 3:14), we live—right now and forever. The Holy Spirit makes us saints through the water of Baptism or the words of the Bible. “The Spirit gives birth to spirit” (Jn 3:6). He assists us in our awareness that everything crooked, bent, or perverse is removed and our sin is covered.
There is no longer fear of God, but faith in God. The apostle Paul calls to mind the blessings of the Triune God.
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Ro 8:16). We are not outside of God’s family, but inside.
“We cry, ‘Abba, Father’” (Ro 8:15). “We can pray to him as boldly and confidently as dear children ask their dear father” (The Explanation to the Address of the Lord’s Prayer).
“We are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Ro 8:17). What is his is ours. We share. We have a life that does not end. Ever. The glory of heaven.
So stand in the presence of the King in humility, admitting your sin, but appreciating your Savior. We are saints—cleansed from sin.
2. For ministry (8)
How would you define a saint? It is beneficial to add: “a saint is one who is consecrated for service.” Who we are—a holy one— leads to what we do—a holy work. Isaiah figured that out. Stand in the presence of the King for ministry.
For the first time the King speaks. It comes in the form of two questions:
• “Whom shall I send?” (Is 6:8). Who will go out in an official capacity as a formal representative? How about the seraphs?
• “And who will go for us?” (Is 6:8). There was a willingness to send someone.
But there was a readiness to be sent. Quite a change. Courage and boldness replace terror and reluctance. Isaiah pipes up: “Here am I” (Is 6:8). It is almost as if he raises his hand. And he doesn’t even really know what he is volunteering for (Is 6:9,10). “Send me!” (Is 6:8). He stands before the King for ministry. He will be God’s spokesman to God’s people.
Isaiah demonstrated an enthusiasm that we can duplicate. That doesn’t require that all of us will be full-time professionals—pastor or preacher, a teacher or professor. Of course, we continue to pray for those who are at the present or will be in the future—that there will always be those who state: “Here am I. Send me!” (Is 6:8). They stand before the King to give themselves for service.
But that doesn’t imply that we can sit back, “There they are. Send them!” We step up and step forward. It takes different forms—from mowing the grass to mentoring the young, from a word of encouragement to a word of prayer. Stand before the King for service. In your different roles—parent to child, manager to worker. And in your various responsibilities—from a Little Light classroom to a councilman boardroom. “Here am I. Send me!” (Is 6:8). “Use me in your kingdom.” Stand before the King for service. We are saints—consecrated for service.
This Memorial Day weekend might mean a barbeque or even a birthday. We are certainly grateful for the veterans who have given all so that we can grill a hot dog or greet a new decade. But we also commemorate Trinity Sunday—how the Father shaped us, the Son saved us, and the Spirit sanctified us. We are holy ones—saints, cleansed from sin and consecrated for service. We go from “Woe to me!” (Is 6:5) to “Here am I” (Is 6:8). Stand before the King in humility and for service. That is a good place to be. Amen.
We say: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD” (Ps 150:6). Amen.
May 27, 2018
This is Memorial Day weekend. It affords us an opportunity to remember those men and women who have given their lives while serving in the armed forces of the United States military. We thank them for their ultimate sacrifice and honor them for the many freedoms that we enjoy as citizens of this country.
In a sense, today is another memorial day. Not to take away from the significance of tomorrow. It allows us the chance to recall our triune God—one God (Dt 6:4), yet three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Mt 28:19). We marvel at that mystery. But that is how God reveals himself to us in his Word.
Isaiah had a spectacular view of this God as he called him to be a prophet (Jn 12:41). Stand in the presence of the King in humility and for ministry. We read from …
Isaiah 6:1-6
Dear People of God who see and serve the King,
We really don’t get it—royalty. You don’t get extra credit if you got up early to watch the latest royal wedding (perhaps you heard about that last weekend) and can name their official titles (possibly you know about that by now).
But Isaiah got monarchs. He worked as the Lord’s mouthpiece under four of them in Judah (Is 1:1). He even chronicled the events of Uzziah’s reign (2 Chron 26:23). He knew about kings.
But there is an interesting contrast between those kings and the King when a major event happened in Isaiah’s life. He records it specifically: “In the year that King Uzziah died” (Is 6:1). As with the others, that king had power for a time. The King has it for all time. At the death of another of them, he observes the almighty One. And the vision is unforgettable—for him and for us.
Stand in the Presence of the King
1. In humility (1-7)
2. For ministry (8)
1. In humility (1-7)
How would you describe a saint? It is helpful to assert: “a saint is one who is cleansed from sin.” It is not what we have done, but what God has done for us. Isaiah found that out. Stand in the presence of the King in humility.
It was quite a sight for the seer’s eyes. “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Is 6:1). He is the Lord—the One who has amazing majesty and absolute might. His position is ongoing as he towers over all and his garment takes up everything.
And he was not alone. His attendants are impressive like soldiers at attention. “Above him were seraphs” (Is 6:2). This is the first and only time that they are mentioned in Scripture. But that doesn’t take away from their brilliance. Isaiah notes their features: “each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying” (Is 6:2). They showed their respect—even though they are sinless creatures. They didn’t feel comfortable exposing their faces or their feet. They were in the presence of the King. They were obedient and reverent.
That is clear in their proper posture and in their pure praise. Back and forth, this one to that one like if one side of the church says one thing and the other side the same thing, “they were calling to one another” (Is 6:3). Isaiah documents the content of their chant.
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty” (Is 6:3). The Lord—who is changeless in his love (Ex 3:14,15; 34:6,7)—Almighty—over every force in heaven and on earth—is holy times three. It is a way of expressing a superlative. It might be like the answer to how a great supper was: “It was awesome, awesome, awesome.” (That is because the word “awesomest” doesn’t exist.)
The seraphs’ lyrics are significant.
1) Our Triune God is holy. He is set apart from all creation. There is no one in the same category as him—not in wisdom or ability. There is not a top ten and he just happens to be one. He is the only perfect one.
2) Our Triune God is holy. He is separate from sin and what is sinful. He cannot be near it or around it. He must get rid of it like an antibiotic attacks bacteria.
“The whole earth is full of his glory” (Is 6:3). All of what God has made speaks of his splendor.
Isaiah didn’t just see it and hear it. He felt it. “At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke” (Is 6:4). It might be the sensation of when you are in a car and someone pulls up next to you with their music blaring and your vehicle starts vibrating. He might have even smelled the smoke. The Lord involved almost all the senses.
This is not welcome because it was troubling. It was worrisome because it was terrifying. Isaiah’s reaction is real and rational. “Woe to me! … I am ruined!” (Is 6:5). There was despair and doom. He wanted to be hidden rather than to behold. That is about as far away from “Good for me!” as you can get. And he gives the two reasons for his shortcoming:
“For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips” (Is 6:5). Here was the Holy One and he was an unholy one. There was a gap between the wider than the Grand Canyon. Nor could he bring anything to close that divide. Such a one does not belong in such elite company.
“My eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty” (Is 6:5). No one sinful can see God and live (Ex 33:20).
He stood before the King in humility. He was unworthy. What could he anticipate? He more than likely expected to die.
But Isaiah would not die, but live. God did not destroy Isaiah, he delivered him. And in a very symbolic way. “Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar” (Is 6:6). The altar was a place of sacrifice. Think of all the animals who lost their lives and shed their blood as a reminder of the altar of Jesus’ cross (Is 53). That is where he won forgiveness for us, cleansing us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7).
The heavenly being continued his activity. “With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips [that is the very thing that Isaiah complained was “unclean,” or impure]; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for’” (Is 6:7). What Isaiah could not do, the King did. The hot stone did not burn him, but purified him (1 Jn 1:7).
There is no other response than humility before the Holy One, the Lord Almighty. It would be either arrogance or ignorance to contend with arms crossed, “My wrong is not that bad. My guilt is not that big.” The Lord is not a little pure, but a lot. We are not a little impure, but a lot. And those two things can’t coexist. How dare we stand in the presence of the King?
But a holy God found a way to make the unholy holy—the sinful sinless. And that is what we were. Jesus laid it out to his late night guest. He reminded Nicodemus, “Flesh gives birth to flesh” (Jn 3:6). Sinful mommies and daddies have sinful sons and daughters. The color of hair is one thing. The kind of heart is another.
But how simple and how sweet the solution—amazing grace. Again as we eavesdrop, Jesus presents the plan. “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). In such a way and to such a degree the Father loved and provided his Son. Why? “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (Jn 3:17). His goal was not to ship us to hell, but usher us to heaven. Because Jesus was put on the cross like the snake in the desert (Jn 3:14), we live—right now and forever. The Holy Spirit makes us saints through the water of Baptism or the words of the Bible. “The Spirit gives birth to spirit” (Jn 3:6). He assists us in our awareness that everything crooked, bent, or perverse is removed and our sin is covered.
There is no longer fear of God, but faith in God. The apostle Paul calls to mind the blessings of the Triune God.
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Ro 8:16). We are not outside of God’s family, but inside.
“We cry, ‘Abba, Father’” (Ro 8:15). “We can pray to him as boldly and confidently as dear children ask their dear father” (The Explanation to the Address of the Lord’s Prayer).
“We are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Ro 8:17). What is his is ours. We share. We have a life that does not end. Ever. The glory of heaven.
So stand in the presence of the King in humility, admitting your sin, but appreciating your Savior. We are saints—cleansed from sin.
2. For ministry (8)
How would you define a saint? It is beneficial to add: “a saint is one who is consecrated for service.” Who we are—a holy one— leads to what we do—a holy work. Isaiah figured that out. Stand in the presence of the King for ministry.
For the first time the King speaks. It comes in the form of two questions:
• “Whom shall I send?” (Is 6:8). Who will go out in an official capacity as a formal representative? How about the seraphs?
• “And who will go for us?” (Is 6:8). There was a willingness to send someone.
But there was a readiness to be sent. Quite a change. Courage and boldness replace terror and reluctance. Isaiah pipes up: “Here am I” (Is 6:8). It is almost as if he raises his hand. And he doesn’t even really know what he is volunteering for (Is 6:9,10). “Send me!” (Is 6:8). He stands before the King for ministry. He will be God’s spokesman to God’s people.
Isaiah demonstrated an enthusiasm that we can duplicate. That doesn’t require that all of us will be full-time professionals—pastor or preacher, a teacher or professor. Of course, we continue to pray for those who are at the present or will be in the future—that there will always be those who state: “Here am I. Send me!” (Is 6:8). They stand before the King to give themselves for service.
But that doesn’t imply that we can sit back, “There they are. Send them!” We step up and step forward. It takes different forms—from mowing the grass to mentoring the young, from a word of encouragement to a word of prayer. Stand before the King for service. In your different roles—parent to child, manager to worker. And in your various responsibilities—from a Little Light classroom to a councilman boardroom. “Here am I. Send me!” (Is 6:8). “Use me in your kingdom.” Stand before the King for service. We are saints—consecrated for service.
This Memorial Day weekend might mean a barbeque or even a birthday. We are certainly grateful for the veterans who have given all so that we can grill a hot dog or greet a new decade. But we also commemorate Trinity Sunday—how the Father shaped us, the Son saved us, and the Spirit sanctified us. We are holy ones—saints, cleansed from sin and consecrated for service. We go from “Woe to me!” (Is 6:5) to “Here am I” (Is 6:8). Stand before the King in humility and for service. That is a good place to be. Amen.
We say: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD” (Ps 150:6). Amen.
May 27, 2018
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Pentecost (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1:2). Amen.
If it is a paleontologist (that is someone who looks for and looks at fossils), standing in the middle of a bunch of bones would be exciting. As he sets out to assemble them like pieces of a puzzle—one to the other, what kind of dinosaur might it be? Perhaps a T-rex? Or possibly even better, a spinosaurus—the biggest and baddest of those carnivorous beasts. And easily a favorite of little boys.
But it is quite another thing if it is a prophet (that is someone who speaks from and speaks for God). Especially Ezekiel. It was exasperating. The timeframe that he served the Lord was definitely not a high point in the history of Israel. King Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army had come down and carted off many as captives, relocating them far away from their homeland. In the process, the soldiers had torched Jerusalem and trashed the temple. All because of their idolatry—turning their backs on the Lord and turning their attention to idols.
Things did not look good. And the people knew it. You can hear it in their complaint: “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off” (Eze 37:11). To paraphrase: “We are done for. It is all over for us.”
Not so. Not true. Ezekiel was about to learn that. His name means “God strengthens.” That is what he was going to do to Ezekiel and through him. The Lord breathes life into the lifeless.
It came in the form of a vision. The Lord allowed his spokesman to view something not normally seen. “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley” (Eze 37:1). This was not a green valley with lush vegetation, but a death valley. “It was full of bones” (Eze 37:1).
God gave him an extended tour. “He led me back and forth among them” (Eze 37:2). Ezekiel had a good look around. And he noted two things—almost as if to say, “hey, look at this:”
The number: “I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley” (Eze 37:2). There was not one or two. If we were walking around the Mall of America, we might comment, “There were millions of shoppers there!” There were bones all over.
The condition: “bones that were very dry” (Eze 37:2). Not just a little dead or half dead. Dead—almost to the point that the smallest touch or slightest breeze would reduce them to dust.
And then the almost strange question—if not absolutely silly. “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Eze 37:3). If you head to a museum of natural history and the guide would pose that with the outline of a triceratops, we might laugh, if not smile. Of course not. This is not like a desk from IKEA with “some assembly required.” This appeared to be a lost cause.
But Ezekiel replies differently. “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know” (Eze 37:3). The One who has all authority and majesty, the One who does not change, could do something, anything, if he wanted.
And he did. “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them, “Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!”’” (Eze 37:4). Ezekiel was to preach, or proclaim, God’s Word to them. There is tremendous power in that and behind that. And not just stating something randomly, but specifically. “This is what the Sovereign LORD [Notice the name again.] says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life” (Eze 37:5). There could be, would be, life. And more than that: “I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life” (Eze 37:6). This was not just a cool trick that you might watch with computer animation. “Then you will know that I am the LORD” (Eze 37:6). Remember God’s people were in exile. There may have been questions and concerns. They would not suspect or suppose, but know. He is the LORD—kind and compassionate, loving and forgiving (Ex 34:6,7).
Ezekiel didn’t scratch his head in confusion, but opened his mouth in confidence—certainly to a strange audience. “So I prophesied as I was commanded” (Eze 37:7). No reason to disobey, no more than when your boss assigns a project to you. And no surprise. “And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone” (Eze 37:7). It was visible and audible like an earthquake. “I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them” (Eze 37:8).
But still one problem: “There was no breath in them” (Eze 37:8). There was no life. Yet.
The Lord addresses that issue next. “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.”’” (Eze 37:9). Those killed in action were deceased. No doubt about it.
Once again, Ezekiel follows orders (Eze 37:10). And it is effective. “Breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army” (Eze 37:10). A battlefield of bones becomes a fearsome force. Recall the inquiry: “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Eze 37:3). Yes. Yes, they can. The Lord breathes life into the lifeless.
The Lord goes from revelation to explanation. “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel” (Eze 37:11). He draws a comparison between the two. It is easy to connect the dots. A glorious nation now gone. It could be like the fresh flowers for Mother’s Day last Sunday. By today, they are wilted, if not in the wastebasket. The tulips were cut from the stem. The dandelions were pulled from the ground. No bit of optimism is going to keep them blooming, let alone growing.
But with the Lord, nothing is impossible. We have his Word on it. And again that is what Ezekiel was to explain. “Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel’” (Eze 37:12). They may have felt that the Lord had abandoned them. But Ezekiel announced, “My people.” God had not given up on them. And one more time for emphasis: “Then you, my people [yes, “my people” for the second time], will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them” (Eze 37:13).
That is really unheard of. When a nation was carried off, that spelled the end as a separate group. The deposed people would not just lose their home, but their identity—swallowed up by the conquering country. And it did occur because God said so. The Lord punctuates this account: “I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”” (Eze 37:14) Years later they did return to and did resettle in Israel.
That serves more than just something trivial. That is tremendous. It was because the Lord had given his word. The Messiah would come from them and from there. And God is not like some—full of worthless words and pointless promises. The Lord declares and the Lord does. And Jesus was born in Bethlehem—to grow up and go up to the cross for us.
The idea was not lost on the apostle Paul, whether he had this image in mind or not. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Eph 2:1). We were born physically alive, but spiritually dead. And the concept is clear. Dead is dead. Not just incapable of living, but unable to.
“Can these bones live?” (Eze 37:3). Yes. Yes, they can. As Luther reminded us, “I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him” (Explanation to the Third Article).
So the Lord acted. The same apostle can go on to assert: “But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ …—it is by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2:4). He breathed on us his breath, his Spirit. “The Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel” (Explanation to the Third Article).
The Holy Spirit works with God’s Word—spoken from our mouths or written in the Bible. There is power for salvation in that (Ro 1:16). Peter and the others witnessed that on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came—not just in impressive displays of nature, but with incredible gifts of boldness. They were talking about “the wonders of God” (Acts 2:11)—the great and glorious things God had done in Christ, most recently his death, resurrection, and ascension. And in understandable languages from all over. These are words of eternal life (Jn 6:63).
But that is not all. There is the Word connected to water in baptism. Or the Word combined with wafer and wine in his Supper. The Lord responds to the prayer of the psalmist that he had us sing: “Create in me a pure heart, O God” (Ps 51:10). He does something exceptional and extraordinary. He gives us hearts that are genuine—cleansed of sin and cleared of guilt. We join those at the first Pentecost because “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).
We can be sure and certain that the Lord claims us and calls us “his people.” We belong to him. We have the peace that Jesus referenced on Maundy Thursday evening. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (Jn 14:27). The night before the most violent day of his life, Jesus stresses peace. All is right between us in God in light of what Jesus would do the next day—dying for our sin and delivering our peace.
A paleontologist can put bones together, but they will only remain a skeleton. A spinosaurus will not walk or run. Ever. It will never be alive. Not so with the Lord. The Lord breathes life into the lifeless through his saving Word. You and me. We live with God right now and forever because the Holy Spirit has brought us to faith and builds us up in that faith.
We read from Ezekiel 37:1-14:
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.
2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.
3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.
6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ”
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’
12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.
14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ ”
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love (Eph 6:24). Amen.
May 20, 2018
If it is a paleontologist (that is someone who looks for and looks at fossils), standing in the middle of a bunch of bones would be exciting. As he sets out to assemble them like pieces of a puzzle—one to the other, what kind of dinosaur might it be? Perhaps a T-rex? Or possibly even better, a spinosaurus—the biggest and baddest of those carnivorous beasts. And easily a favorite of little boys.
But it is quite another thing if it is a prophet (that is someone who speaks from and speaks for God). Especially Ezekiel. It was exasperating. The timeframe that he served the Lord was definitely not a high point in the history of Israel. King Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army had come down and carted off many as captives, relocating them far away from their homeland. In the process, the soldiers had torched Jerusalem and trashed the temple. All because of their idolatry—turning their backs on the Lord and turning their attention to idols.
Things did not look good. And the people knew it. You can hear it in their complaint: “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off” (Eze 37:11). To paraphrase: “We are done for. It is all over for us.”
Not so. Not true. Ezekiel was about to learn that. His name means “God strengthens.” That is what he was going to do to Ezekiel and through him. The Lord breathes life into the lifeless.
It came in the form of a vision. The Lord allowed his spokesman to view something not normally seen. “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley” (Eze 37:1). This was not a green valley with lush vegetation, but a death valley. “It was full of bones” (Eze 37:1).
God gave him an extended tour. “He led me back and forth among them” (Eze 37:2). Ezekiel had a good look around. And he noted two things—almost as if to say, “hey, look at this:”
The number: “I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley” (Eze 37:2). There was not one or two. If we were walking around the Mall of America, we might comment, “There were millions of shoppers there!” There were bones all over.
The condition: “bones that were very dry” (Eze 37:2). Not just a little dead or half dead. Dead—almost to the point that the smallest touch or slightest breeze would reduce them to dust.
And then the almost strange question—if not absolutely silly. “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Eze 37:3). If you head to a museum of natural history and the guide would pose that with the outline of a triceratops, we might laugh, if not smile. Of course not. This is not like a desk from IKEA with “some assembly required.” This appeared to be a lost cause.
But Ezekiel replies differently. “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know” (Eze 37:3). The One who has all authority and majesty, the One who does not change, could do something, anything, if he wanted.
And he did. “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them, “Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!”’” (Eze 37:4). Ezekiel was to preach, or proclaim, God’s Word to them. There is tremendous power in that and behind that. And not just stating something randomly, but specifically. “This is what the Sovereign LORD [Notice the name again.] says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life” (Eze 37:5). There could be, would be, life. And more than that: “I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life” (Eze 37:6). This was not just a cool trick that you might watch with computer animation. “Then you will know that I am the LORD” (Eze 37:6). Remember God’s people were in exile. There may have been questions and concerns. They would not suspect or suppose, but know. He is the LORD—kind and compassionate, loving and forgiving (Ex 34:6,7).
Ezekiel didn’t scratch his head in confusion, but opened his mouth in confidence—certainly to a strange audience. “So I prophesied as I was commanded” (Eze 37:7). No reason to disobey, no more than when your boss assigns a project to you. And no surprise. “And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone” (Eze 37:7). It was visible and audible like an earthquake. “I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them” (Eze 37:8).
But still one problem: “There was no breath in them” (Eze 37:8). There was no life. Yet.
The Lord addresses that issue next. “Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.”’” (Eze 37:9). Those killed in action were deceased. No doubt about it.
Once again, Ezekiel follows orders (Eze 37:10). And it is effective. “Breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army” (Eze 37:10). A battlefield of bones becomes a fearsome force. Recall the inquiry: “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Eze 37:3). Yes. Yes, they can. The Lord breathes life into the lifeless.
The Lord goes from revelation to explanation. “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel” (Eze 37:11). He draws a comparison between the two. It is easy to connect the dots. A glorious nation now gone. It could be like the fresh flowers for Mother’s Day last Sunday. By today, they are wilted, if not in the wastebasket. The tulips were cut from the stem. The dandelions were pulled from the ground. No bit of optimism is going to keep them blooming, let alone growing.
But with the Lord, nothing is impossible. We have his Word on it. And again that is what Ezekiel was to explain. “Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel’” (Eze 37:12). They may have felt that the Lord had abandoned them. But Ezekiel announced, “My people.” God had not given up on them. And one more time for emphasis: “Then you, my people [yes, “my people” for the second time], will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them” (Eze 37:13).
That is really unheard of. When a nation was carried off, that spelled the end as a separate group. The deposed people would not just lose their home, but their identity—swallowed up by the conquering country. And it did occur because God said so. The Lord punctuates this account: “I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”” (Eze 37:14) Years later they did return to and did resettle in Israel.
That serves more than just something trivial. That is tremendous. It was because the Lord had given his word. The Messiah would come from them and from there. And God is not like some—full of worthless words and pointless promises. The Lord declares and the Lord does. And Jesus was born in Bethlehem—to grow up and go up to the cross for us.
The idea was not lost on the apostle Paul, whether he had this image in mind or not. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Eph 2:1). We were born physically alive, but spiritually dead. And the concept is clear. Dead is dead. Not just incapable of living, but unable to.
“Can these bones live?” (Eze 37:3). Yes. Yes, they can. As Luther reminded us, “I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him” (Explanation to the Third Article).
So the Lord acted. The same apostle can go on to assert: “But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ …—it is by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2:4). He breathed on us his breath, his Spirit. “The Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel” (Explanation to the Third Article).
The Holy Spirit works with God’s Word—spoken from our mouths or written in the Bible. There is power for salvation in that (Ro 1:16). Peter and the others witnessed that on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came—not just in impressive displays of nature, but with incredible gifts of boldness. They were talking about “the wonders of God” (Acts 2:11)—the great and glorious things God had done in Christ, most recently his death, resurrection, and ascension. And in understandable languages from all over. These are words of eternal life (Jn 6:63).
But that is not all. There is the Word connected to water in baptism. Or the Word combined with wafer and wine in his Supper. The Lord responds to the prayer of the psalmist that he had us sing: “Create in me a pure heart, O God” (Ps 51:10). He does something exceptional and extraordinary. He gives us hearts that are genuine—cleansed of sin and cleared of guilt. We join those at the first Pentecost because “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).
We can be sure and certain that the Lord claims us and calls us “his people.” We belong to him. We have the peace that Jesus referenced on Maundy Thursday evening. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (Jn 14:27). The night before the most violent day of his life, Jesus stresses peace. All is right between us in God in light of what Jesus would do the next day—dying for our sin and delivering our peace.
A paleontologist can put bones together, but they will only remain a skeleton. A spinosaurus will not walk or run. Ever. It will never be alive. Not so with the Lord. The Lord breathes life into the lifeless through his saving Word. You and me. We live with God right now and forever because the Holy Spirit has brought us to faith and builds us up in that faith.
We read from Ezekiel 37:1-14:
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.
2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.
3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.
6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ”
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’
12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.
14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ ”
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love (Eph 6:24). Amen.
May 20, 2018
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Seventh Sunday of Easter (Acts 1:15-26)
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Pe 1:2). Amen.
We are in between two important holidays.
No. I have not forgotten what today is. So we pause for a moment to mention it: “Happy Mother’s Day.” It is good for us to recall the blessings of mothers. There are countless sacrifices and painful struggles for their families. In spite of a flaw or even a failure a time or two, we thank you. If you are a mother or have a mother, we honor you and them. (Not necessarily by going fishing on opening weekend.)
That being said, this past Thursday was Ascension Day. Forty days after Jesus came out of his grave, he went up to heaven. Ten days after that (which is next Sunday), he kept his promise to send the Holy Spirit. That is Pentecost. So here we are roughly in the middle of those two huge events.
Now what? Jesus is gone, but we are not forgotten. He is out of our sight, but we are not out of his mind. The ascended Lord leads his church through his Word and through his workers. We read from …
Acts 1:15-26
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Lord above all and over all,
The Apostles’ Creed is helpful in condensing key aspects of Jesus’ work for us. I want to highlight two in the Second Article that we professed already. Before we confessed: “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord” (CW p. 19).
“He ascended into heaven …
And is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.”
Even though you may not be an English major, note the significant tenses in those two statements. Ascended. Past time. It happened. Is seated. Present tense. It is ongoing. Jesus is not resting or relaxing. God’s right hand is a position of power and prestige from which the Lord reigns and rules. For our benefit. On our behalf.
The Ascended Lord Leads His Church
1. Through his Word (15-20)
2. Through his workers (21-26)
1. Through his Word (15-20)
If anyone is in charge like a mother with her children, her word is critical. It has to be reliable and dependable—not just making promises, but keeping them. What she declares, she does. In a much bigger way, we can trust what Jesus has to say. The ascended Lord leads his church through the Word.
The followers of Jesus were in the same timeframe that we find ourselves today—appreciating Jesus’ return on high and anticipating the Spirit’s arrival from above. Those 120 or so remained patient, but prayed repeatedly (Acts 1:14). They had seen Jesus bring requests to God numerous times. Some of them listened in as Jesus, the High Priest, poured out his heart to his Father on Maundy Thursday evening asking him to watch other them: “that you protect them from the evil one” (Jn 17:15).
They were eager to have Jesus make good on his guarantee of the Counselor’s coming (Acts 1:4). For the time being, they offered their pleas to God. It is like what we do when we utter the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer—that his name be kept holy and his will be done—those as well as the others.
Peter, a man of action, took the initiative to do something constructive in the meantime—choosing a replacement for Judas, bringing the number back to 12. Luke records the minutes of the call meeting. “Peter stood up among the believers … and said, ‘Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David’” (Acts 1:15,16). He turned their attention to what had been written. And he made clear that this was not the word of men, but the word of God. King David was the Holy Spirit’s instrument. Those words came from God and there was a divine necessity that Scripture had to come to pass (cf. Ps 41:9; Jn 13:18). It was according to what God foreknew and the Spirit foretold.
The reference was to Judas (Acts 1:16). We immediately fill in the details because of our familiarity with the Passion readings during Lent. It is a sad story. Peter takes us back to the night of the betrayal—“Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus” (Acts 1:16). He led the band of men to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and then laid a kiss on Jesus’ cheek, indicating the one they should seize.
But Peter also points out the privilege that Judas had: “He was one of our number and shared in this ministry” (Acts 1:17). Jesus had picked Judas to be an apostle to serve him and others like a waiter does at a restaurant. It was about apostolic service, not apostolic status. For close to three years, Judas heard Jesus preach and teach. He saw Jesus do signs and miracles.
But Judas let greed grow slowly in his heart until it took over completely (Jn 12:6). Not only did he have sticky fingers as the treasurer of the traveling band, he agreed to hand Jesus over to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver (Mt 26:15).
But that brought him no satisfaction, only sorrow. So much so that he thought his sin was too big to forgive. After Jesus had been captured, Judas threw the money back into the temple and went out and took his life by hanging himself. Peter gives some gruesome details. “He fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out” (Acts 1:18).
There is some irony in what resulted. “With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field” (Acts 1:18). That was not his intention. No more than when you fund someone’s vacation when a hacker accesses your bank account. You did not plan that. It was a sad outcome. There is the parenthetical information: “Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood” (Acts 1:19).
Peter continued with two quotations. What Judas did was not right, but it was recorded. “‘For,’ said Peter, ‘it is written in the book of Psalms’” (Acts 1:20).
“‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it’” (Acts 1:20; cf. Ps 69:25).
“‘May another take his place of leadership’” (Acts 1:20; cf. Ps 109:8).
In both cases, David references his enemies. But Peter applies the passage to the traitor. And based on God’s Word, he concludes that there is to be another to take Judas’ position.
It is obvious that Peter was a student of Scripture. That is where he went when there was a matter confronting the group. Where do we go? The opinions on the internet? The outlook of the world? Our gut reaction? Or our good resources? We can study God’s Word. That is how the ascended Lord leads his church. We can take Judas’ example to heart. He let sin linger in his heart. We need to guard against the same. It may not be running after money, but running down another’s reputation. The devil is persistent, prowling and poking where and when we are weak (1 Pe 5:8).
And then if, or better, when, we fall, he lies (Jn 8:44). He got Judas to imagine that what he did was too bad for Jesus to get rid of. Just because it was logged in Scripture doesn’t excuse what he did. He is still responsible. But we avoid the trap. We are accountable and we admit it.
And then we take comfort in the ascension. Jesus left the earth because he left nothing undone. Mission accomplished. Finished (Jn 19:30). He paid for our guilt. How can we be certain? It is in the Word. We can be just as sure this day as the last day. The apostle John reminded us: “we will have confidence on the day of judgment” (1 Jn 3:17). There is nothing on our account because Jesus has cleared it (Ro 8:1). The Savior of the world is the Leader of his church through his Word to you.
2. Through his workers (21-26)
If someone is in control—again we think of a mommy at home, her children are crucial. They help when and where needed with chores around the house even if it means cleaning up after the dog. In a much better way, Jesus sends out his own. The ascended Lord leads his church through his workers.
It wasn’t a matter of a warm body or even a willing one. When you want a new car, it not just a matter of anyone will do—it just has to have an engine. There may be a certain color or kind. Peter sets up the specific qualifications: “Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:21,22). The individual had to have seen and heard it all during the time that Jesus lived on earth. He was to have had firsthand experience from the beginning all the way to the end. If he was to go out with the good news of a risen Savior, he had to have observed everything.
And that is valuable for us. We don’t have to skeptical about Scripture. Did it really happen? We have a solid foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph 2:20; Re 21:14). They watched Jesus work around Israel and walk to the cross and come back to life and go back to heaven. We can trust their eyes and ears. The ascended Lord leads his church through his workers. Through their writings we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And by believing we have eternal life (Jn 20:31).
A pair of capable and competent men made up the call list. “So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias” (Acts 1:23). And then they submitted the selection to the Lord’s discretion. “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry” (Acts 1:24,25). That is an interesting designation for the Lord, “knower of hearts.” At first, that might give us reason to be afraid. But like John, “We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love” (1 Jn 4:16). He sent his Son to be our Savior (1 Jn 4:14). That Savior is the One who is the head of the church (Eph 1:22), managing all things for our good (Ro 8:28). This is the Lord who would direct this undertaking (Pv 16:33). The same one whom David reminded us in the psalm: “[God] made him ruler over the works of [his] hands; [God] put everything under his feet” (Ps 8:6).
There was only one spot. Whether it was a show of hands or a shaking of a vessel and the first stone that came out on which they scratched their names makes no difference. “Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:26). No more mention is made about Barsabbas, or for that matter, Mattathias. No doubt, they served adequately and faithfully the rest of their lives.
Once more there was a full complement of apostles—“ones sent out.” That fits nicely with what Jesus included in his prayer: “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (Jn 17:18). The ascended Lord leads his church through his workers.
It is not in the same way, but that Lord continues to supply his church with workers to prepare each person to use their particular talents for works of service—all to build the body of Christ (Eph 4:7,11,12). Now that it is May, we rejoice in the graduates of Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary as they take up their assignments to be of service to the Savior and to his people. They join those already in the ministry as the ascended Savior keeps on leading his church, through his workers for you.
As we look back to the ascension and then ahead to Pentecost, we are grateful for Jesus—just like we give a shout out to moms today (not just because they catch their limit of fish). The ascended Lord leads his church through his Word. We consult it and he comforts us. The ascended Lord leads his church through his workers. We consider them and they comfort us. That is why we continue to assert: “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. … He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty” (CW p. 19). It is true. Amen.
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Pe 3:18).
May 13, 2018
We are in between two important holidays.
No. I have not forgotten what today is. So we pause for a moment to mention it: “Happy Mother’s Day.” It is good for us to recall the blessings of mothers. There are countless sacrifices and painful struggles for their families. In spite of a flaw or even a failure a time or two, we thank you. If you are a mother or have a mother, we honor you and them. (Not necessarily by going fishing on opening weekend.)
That being said, this past Thursday was Ascension Day. Forty days after Jesus came out of his grave, he went up to heaven. Ten days after that (which is next Sunday), he kept his promise to send the Holy Spirit. That is Pentecost. So here we are roughly in the middle of those two huge events.
Now what? Jesus is gone, but we are not forgotten. He is out of our sight, but we are not out of his mind. The ascended Lord leads his church through his Word and through his workers. We read from …
Acts 1:15-26
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the Lord above all and over all,
The Apostles’ Creed is helpful in condensing key aspects of Jesus’ work for us. I want to highlight two in the Second Article that we professed already. Before we confessed: “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord” (CW p. 19).
“He ascended into heaven …
And is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.”
Even though you may not be an English major, note the significant tenses in those two statements. Ascended. Past time. It happened. Is seated. Present tense. It is ongoing. Jesus is not resting or relaxing. God’s right hand is a position of power and prestige from which the Lord reigns and rules. For our benefit. On our behalf.
The Ascended Lord Leads His Church
1. Through his Word (15-20)
2. Through his workers (21-26)
1. Through his Word (15-20)
If anyone is in charge like a mother with her children, her word is critical. It has to be reliable and dependable—not just making promises, but keeping them. What she declares, she does. In a much bigger way, we can trust what Jesus has to say. The ascended Lord leads his church through the Word.
The followers of Jesus were in the same timeframe that we find ourselves today—appreciating Jesus’ return on high and anticipating the Spirit’s arrival from above. Those 120 or so remained patient, but prayed repeatedly (Acts 1:14). They had seen Jesus bring requests to God numerous times. Some of them listened in as Jesus, the High Priest, poured out his heart to his Father on Maundy Thursday evening asking him to watch other them: “that you protect them from the evil one” (Jn 17:15).
They were eager to have Jesus make good on his guarantee of the Counselor’s coming (Acts 1:4). For the time being, they offered their pleas to God. It is like what we do when we utter the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer—that his name be kept holy and his will be done—those as well as the others.
Peter, a man of action, took the initiative to do something constructive in the meantime—choosing a replacement for Judas, bringing the number back to 12. Luke records the minutes of the call meeting. “Peter stood up among the believers … and said, ‘Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David’” (Acts 1:15,16). He turned their attention to what had been written. And he made clear that this was not the word of men, but the word of God. King David was the Holy Spirit’s instrument. Those words came from God and there was a divine necessity that Scripture had to come to pass (cf. Ps 41:9; Jn 13:18). It was according to what God foreknew and the Spirit foretold.
The reference was to Judas (Acts 1:16). We immediately fill in the details because of our familiarity with the Passion readings during Lent. It is a sad story. Peter takes us back to the night of the betrayal—“Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus” (Acts 1:16). He led the band of men to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and then laid a kiss on Jesus’ cheek, indicating the one they should seize.
But Peter also points out the privilege that Judas had: “He was one of our number and shared in this ministry” (Acts 1:17). Jesus had picked Judas to be an apostle to serve him and others like a waiter does at a restaurant. It was about apostolic service, not apostolic status. For close to three years, Judas heard Jesus preach and teach. He saw Jesus do signs and miracles.
But Judas let greed grow slowly in his heart until it took over completely (Jn 12:6). Not only did he have sticky fingers as the treasurer of the traveling band, he agreed to hand Jesus over to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver (Mt 26:15).
But that brought him no satisfaction, only sorrow. So much so that he thought his sin was too big to forgive. After Jesus had been captured, Judas threw the money back into the temple and went out and took his life by hanging himself. Peter gives some gruesome details. “He fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out” (Acts 1:18).
There is some irony in what resulted. “With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field” (Acts 1:18). That was not his intention. No more than when you fund someone’s vacation when a hacker accesses your bank account. You did not plan that. It was a sad outcome. There is the parenthetical information: “Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood” (Acts 1:19).
Peter continued with two quotations. What Judas did was not right, but it was recorded. “‘For,’ said Peter, ‘it is written in the book of Psalms’” (Acts 1:20).
“‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it’” (Acts 1:20; cf. Ps 69:25).
“‘May another take his place of leadership’” (Acts 1:20; cf. Ps 109:8).
In both cases, David references his enemies. But Peter applies the passage to the traitor. And based on God’s Word, he concludes that there is to be another to take Judas’ position.
It is obvious that Peter was a student of Scripture. That is where he went when there was a matter confronting the group. Where do we go? The opinions on the internet? The outlook of the world? Our gut reaction? Or our good resources? We can study God’s Word. That is how the ascended Lord leads his church. We can take Judas’ example to heart. He let sin linger in his heart. We need to guard against the same. It may not be running after money, but running down another’s reputation. The devil is persistent, prowling and poking where and when we are weak (1 Pe 5:8).
And then if, or better, when, we fall, he lies (Jn 8:44). He got Judas to imagine that what he did was too bad for Jesus to get rid of. Just because it was logged in Scripture doesn’t excuse what he did. He is still responsible. But we avoid the trap. We are accountable and we admit it.
And then we take comfort in the ascension. Jesus left the earth because he left nothing undone. Mission accomplished. Finished (Jn 19:30). He paid for our guilt. How can we be certain? It is in the Word. We can be just as sure this day as the last day. The apostle John reminded us: “we will have confidence on the day of judgment” (1 Jn 3:17). There is nothing on our account because Jesus has cleared it (Ro 8:1). The Savior of the world is the Leader of his church through his Word to you.
2. Through his workers (21-26)
If someone is in control—again we think of a mommy at home, her children are crucial. They help when and where needed with chores around the house even if it means cleaning up after the dog. In a much better way, Jesus sends out his own. The ascended Lord leads his church through his workers.
It wasn’t a matter of a warm body or even a willing one. When you want a new car, it not just a matter of anyone will do—it just has to have an engine. There may be a certain color or kind. Peter sets up the specific qualifications: “Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:21,22). The individual had to have seen and heard it all during the time that Jesus lived on earth. He was to have had firsthand experience from the beginning all the way to the end. If he was to go out with the good news of a risen Savior, he had to have observed everything.
And that is valuable for us. We don’t have to skeptical about Scripture. Did it really happen? We have a solid foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph 2:20; Re 21:14). They watched Jesus work around Israel and walk to the cross and come back to life and go back to heaven. We can trust their eyes and ears. The ascended Lord leads his church through his workers. Through their writings we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And by believing we have eternal life (Jn 20:31).
A pair of capable and competent men made up the call list. “So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias” (Acts 1:23). And then they submitted the selection to the Lord’s discretion. “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry” (Acts 1:24,25). That is an interesting designation for the Lord, “knower of hearts.” At first, that might give us reason to be afraid. But like John, “We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love” (1 Jn 4:16). He sent his Son to be our Savior (1 Jn 4:14). That Savior is the One who is the head of the church (Eph 1:22), managing all things for our good (Ro 8:28). This is the Lord who would direct this undertaking (Pv 16:33). The same one whom David reminded us in the psalm: “[God] made him ruler over the works of [his] hands; [God] put everything under his feet” (Ps 8:6).
There was only one spot. Whether it was a show of hands or a shaking of a vessel and the first stone that came out on which they scratched their names makes no difference. “Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:26). No more mention is made about Barsabbas, or for that matter, Mattathias. No doubt, they served adequately and faithfully the rest of their lives.
Once more there was a full complement of apostles—“ones sent out.” That fits nicely with what Jesus included in his prayer: “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (Jn 17:18). The ascended Lord leads his church through his workers.
It is not in the same way, but that Lord continues to supply his church with workers to prepare each person to use their particular talents for works of service—all to build the body of Christ (Eph 4:7,11,12). Now that it is May, we rejoice in the graduates of Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary as they take up their assignments to be of service to the Savior and to his people. They join those already in the ministry as the ascended Savior keeps on leading his church, through his workers for you.
As we look back to the ascension and then ahead to Pentecost, we are grateful for Jesus—just like we give a shout out to moms today (not just because they catch their limit of fish). The ascended Lord leads his church through his Word. We consult it and he comforts us. The ascended Lord leads his church through his workers. We consider them and they comfort us. That is why we continue to assert: “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. … He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty” (CW p. 19). It is true. Amen.
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Pe 3:18).
May 13, 2018
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Sixth Sunday of Easter (John 15:9-17)
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love (2 Jn 3). Amen.
I don’t have to convince you. At least not for very long. The world that we live in is not very loving. That is fair, isn’t it? We don’t have to look very far for many examples.
On your computer. The news is often brutal because of bad blood all the way to bloodshed.
In your community. There can be tension or trouble.
During your commute. Not often do others wait for you to merge or wave to you to greet.
Love just may be in short supply (Mt 24:12).
And then we get skeptical or cynical. What is love? Seriously it may not be around us and sadly not in us.
And then there is Jesus’ love. Pure. Perfect. We don’t want that to go away. And it won’t. Remain in Jesus’ love to be friends with him and to bear fruit for him. We read from … [Note that the word “love”—either as a verb or a noun—appears 9 times and “remain” 3 times. (In the original “remain” shows up one more time.)]
John 15:9-17
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, our living and loving Lord,
I know that I didn’t come up with it. But I have been using it so long that it has become my own definition of love. Love is “operating in the best interest of the individual loved.” While there is an emotion to love, there is an action in love. Love loves.
Wouldn’t that be great if that were the case? It is. That is the Savior’s love to us as we stay connected to him. That is the Savior’s love through us as we stay close to him.
Remain in Jesus’ Love
1. To be friends with him (9,13-16)
2. To bear fruit for him (10-12,14,16,17)
1. To be friends with him (9,13-16)
We all have a friend or two—virtual ones on social media and actual ones in real life. (There may be some overlap in those two areas.) A nice designation for Abraham is that he is called “God’s friend” (Ja 2:23). Wouldn’t that be a neat description of us? Friend of God. It is. Remain in Jesus’ love to be friends with him.
This is just a snippet from a longer discourse in the Upper Room. It happens on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week. It is Jesus’ last opportunity to instruct his disciples gathered there with him. He had a lot to say—to prepare them for the hours and days ahead. Some of it was weighty—one a betrayer and another a denier. Some of it was wonderful—many rooms in heaven with him and mighty help from the Counselor from him. And then Jesus used a comparison—a vine and its branches. He is the Vine. And we are the branches. Grafted to him—that is the relationship. Gifted by him—that is the reality.
And Jesus goes on to the topic of love. Really how that bond is all possible. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you” (Jn 15:9). There is a striking sameness between the two loves.
“As the Father has loved me” (Jn 15:9). The Father gave his Son out of love for the world (Jn 3:16). And he loved him. It was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry when God bellowed from on high: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17). God was expressing his approval of what Jesus was about to accomplish in the coming years for us. The Father was delighted that the Son was determined to deliver us from the devil. God loves the One who executes his mission.
“so have I loved you” (Jn 15:9). And Jesus loved the ones for whom the mission is executed. That intense love to save would be quite evident the very next day on the cross. Jesus even highlighted that with his general statement. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Jesus gave up his life so that we might live (Jn 3:16). The apostle John depicted it this way: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 Jn 3:9). That Jesus died—it was for our benefit. But it was also in our place. We also know that he took that life up again three days later (Jn 10:17).
And we are Jesus’ friends. He makes that clear. “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (Jn 15:15). A slave serves because he must—receiving orders from his master and carrying them out without question, whether he understands or not. But friends. Those are individuals with whom one associates with and for whom one has affection. That is the way Jesus labels us—friends. He has taken us into his confidence, explaining his saving work. We are not in the dark, but in the know. That is the way it is with your friends. You tell them things because of the closeness and comradery.
But our friendships are with individuals with whom we have common interests—from sports to hobbies to experiences. How is that we come to be Jesus’ friends? We had nothing to contribute to it or cause it. Jesus emphasizes that: “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (Jn 15:16). Our Savior selected us. Certainly an interesting pick as far as those men. Mostly fisherman by trade who had their faults. Later that night in the Garden of Gethsemane, they would sleep rather than stay awake as Jesus prayed. They would abandon Jesus as he was arrested. Friends? And yet Jesus loved them.
As he loves us. Not because of our achievements (Ro 8:7), but because of his activity. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 Jn 3:10). Jesus’ perfect life for us and his painful death for us make us one with God. His blood does away with our sins and gets rid of God’s anger. We can do what the psalmist suggested: “Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things” (Ps 98:1). And what is that? “His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him” (Ps 98:1). We are no longer enemies, but friends. And now Jesus directs: “Remain in my love” (Jn 15:9). And we do. Remain in Jesus’ love to be friends with him.
2. To bear fruit for him (10-12,14,16,17)
The Lord loved Abraham first (1 Jn 4:19). That is because of who God is: “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). As a God’s friend, Abraham’s love followed. His love for the Lord was reflected in his life for the Lord—like changing locations or building altars. We do the same as Jesus’ friends. Remain in Jesus’ love to bear fruit for him.
Jesus details for his disciples what that looks like: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (Jn 15:10). Jesus has the authority to tell us what is right and what is wrong. We are to treasure that, not tamper with it. His word is instructive for us and important to us—like you value a friendship and take pains not to lose it whether you talk to him frequently or text with her regularly. And it is not burdensome or bothersome to do what a friend asks. So it is with Jesus (1 Jn 5:3). Jesus compares his meticulous fulfilling of his Father’s will to our following of his Jesus’ orders. It will demonstrate the faith in our hearts.
And the outcome is twofold:
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you” (Jn 15:11). Perhaps we forget that Jesus is glad when we give him our attention—just like your friends do.
“and that your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11). And the pursuit to please him fills us up with pleasure too (1 Co 10:31).
Jesus lays it out: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12). The key word is “as.” Jesus loved his friends. That was evident earlier in the evening when he wrapped a towel around his waist and washed out the dirt between the toes of his disciples. That is the kind of unselfish love he wanted them to display. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn 13:34,35). In light of what Jesus would do on Calvary, they would do in caring. And so it is that Christ’s love for us generates love in us.
Many misunderstand or misconstrue love. For them, love is what they get from us, not what they give to us. And they may even take advantage of our love. But we keep on loving like Jesus’ love. The early believers did that as persecution pushed them from their homes in Jerusalem. They did not close their mouths, but opened them as they came into contact with Jews and Gentiles—“telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus” (Acts 11:20). The church sent Barnabas to encourage those who had turned to the Lord in Antioch (Acts 11:22). And it is not just interesting trivia, but true insight: “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch” (Acts 11:26). A “Christian” does what Christ does. He loves. We love.
That is what our Friend allows his friends to do: “I … appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (Jn 15:16). That is our assignment as we remain in Jesus’ love—produce fruits of faith. That is what we have been created in Christ Jesus to bring forth (Eph 2:10). Recall that Jesus has just used that illustration of a vine and branches. The link allows life and where there is life there is fruit. You can expect to find grapes on grape vines. We are not passive, but productive.
That also lets us have direct access to the Father in prayer—when there is urgency. “The Father will give you whatever you ask in my name” (Jn 15:16). We approach him through his Son and request what Jesus would have us petition—stronger faith and firmer resolve, all according to his Word and his will (Mt 22:42). And he answers us according to his wisdom.
And then Jesus comes full circle and as he reviews and reiterates: “This is my command: Love each other” (Jn 15:17). “Forgive us for our failure, Lord.” He does. “Help us in the future, Lord.” He will. And all along, remain in Jesus’ love to bear fruit for him.
It is not easy to love in a loveless world. We know that because we are in the world. And we don’t have to search high and low. Our love is often lacking. We are aware of what love is. “Love is operating in the best interest of the individual loved.” (There is no copyright on that. You can borrow it.) But better, you can be loving. How? Remain in Jesus’ love to be friends with him. That is what we are because of his love for us. Remain in Jesus’ love to bear fruit for him. That is what we do because of his love in us. It is that way for now and forever. Amen.
Peace to you (3 Jn 13). Amen.
May 6, 2018
I don’t have to convince you. At least not for very long. The world that we live in is not very loving. That is fair, isn’t it? We don’t have to look very far for many examples.
On your computer. The news is often brutal because of bad blood all the way to bloodshed.
In your community. There can be tension or trouble.
During your commute. Not often do others wait for you to merge or wave to you to greet.
Love just may be in short supply (Mt 24:12).
And then we get skeptical or cynical. What is love? Seriously it may not be around us and sadly not in us.
And then there is Jesus’ love. Pure. Perfect. We don’t want that to go away. And it won’t. Remain in Jesus’ love to be friends with him and to bear fruit for him. We read from … [Note that the word “love”—either as a verb or a noun—appears 9 times and “remain” 3 times. (In the original “remain” shows up one more time.)]
John 15:9-17
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, our living and loving Lord,
I know that I didn’t come up with it. But I have been using it so long that it has become my own definition of love. Love is “operating in the best interest of the individual loved.” While there is an emotion to love, there is an action in love. Love loves.
Wouldn’t that be great if that were the case? It is. That is the Savior’s love to us as we stay connected to him. That is the Savior’s love through us as we stay close to him.
Remain in Jesus’ Love
1. To be friends with him (9,13-16)
2. To bear fruit for him (10-12,14,16,17)
1. To be friends with him (9,13-16)
We all have a friend or two—virtual ones on social media and actual ones in real life. (There may be some overlap in those two areas.) A nice designation for Abraham is that he is called “God’s friend” (Ja 2:23). Wouldn’t that be a neat description of us? Friend of God. It is. Remain in Jesus’ love to be friends with him.
This is just a snippet from a longer discourse in the Upper Room. It happens on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week. It is Jesus’ last opportunity to instruct his disciples gathered there with him. He had a lot to say—to prepare them for the hours and days ahead. Some of it was weighty—one a betrayer and another a denier. Some of it was wonderful—many rooms in heaven with him and mighty help from the Counselor from him. And then Jesus used a comparison—a vine and its branches. He is the Vine. And we are the branches. Grafted to him—that is the relationship. Gifted by him—that is the reality.
And Jesus goes on to the topic of love. Really how that bond is all possible. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you” (Jn 15:9). There is a striking sameness between the two loves.
“As the Father has loved me” (Jn 15:9). The Father gave his Son out of love for the world (Jn 3:16). And he loved him. It was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry when God bellowed from on high: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17). God was expressing his approval of what Jesus was about to accomplish in the coming years for us. The Father was delighted that the Son was determined to deliver us from the devil. God loves the One who executes his mission.
“so have I loved you” (Jn 15:9). And Jesus loved the ones for whom the mission is executed. That intense love to save would be quite evident the very next day on the cross. Jesus even highlighted that with his general statement. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Jesus gave up his life so that we might live (Jn 3:16). The apostle John depicted it this way: “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 Jn 3:9). That Jesus died—it was for our benefit. But it was also in our place. We also know that he took that life up again three days later (Jn 10:17).
And we are Jesus’ friends. He makes that clear. “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (Jn 15:15). A slave serves because he must—receiving orders from his master and carrying them out without question, whether he understands or not. But friends. Those are individuals with whom one associates with and for whom one has affection. That is the way Jesus labels us—friends. He has taken us into his confidence, explaining his saving work. We are not in the dark, but in the know. That is the way it is with your friends. You tell them things because of the closeness and comradery.
But our friendships are with individuals with whom we have common interests—from sports to hobbies to experiences. How is that we come to be Jesus’ friends? We had nothing to contribute to it or cause it. Jesus emphasizes that: “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (Jn 15:16). Our Savior selected us. Certainly an interesting pick as far as those men. Mostly fisherman by trade who had their faults. Later that night in the Garden of Gethsemane, they would sleep rather than stay awake as Jesus prayed. They would abandon Jesus as he was arrested. Friends? And yet Jesus loved them.
As he loves us. Not because of our achievements (Ro 8:7), but because of his activity. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 Jn 3:10). Jesus’ perfect life for us and his painful death for us make us one with God. His blood does away with our sins and gets rid of God’s anger. We can do what the psalmist suggested: “Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things” (Ps 98:1). And what is that? “His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him” (Ps 98:1). We are no longer enemies, but friends. And now Jesus directs: “Remain in my love” (Jn 15:9). And we do. Remain in Jesus’ love to be friends with him.
2. To bear fruit for him (10-12,14,16,17)
The Lord loved Abraham first (1 Jn 4:19). That is because of who God is: “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). As a God’s friend, Abraham’s love followed. His love for the Lord was reflected in his life for the Lord—like changing locations or building altars. We do the same as Jesus’ friends. Remain in Jesus’ love to bear fruit for him.
Jesus details for his disciples what that looks like: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (Jn 15:10). Jesus has the authority to tell us what is right and what is wrong. We are to treasure that, not tamper with it. His word is instructive for us and important to us—like you value a friendship and take pains not to lose it whether you talk to him frequently or text with her regularly. And it is not burdensome or bothersome to do what a friend asks. So it is with Jesus (1 Jn 5:3). Jesus compares his meticulous fulfilling of his Father’s will to our following of his Jesus’ orders. It will demonstrate the faith in our hearts.
And the outcome is twofold:
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you” (Jn 15:11). Perhaps we forget that Jesus is glad when we give him our attention—just like your friends do.
“and that your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11). And the pursuit to please him fills us up with pleasure too (1 Co 10:31).
Jesus lays it out: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12). The key word is “as.” Jesus loved his friends. That was evident earlier in the evening when he wrapped a towel around his waist and washed out the dirt between the toes of his disciples. That is the kind of unselfish love he wanted them to display. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn 13:34,35). In light of what Jesus would do on Calvary, they would do in caring. And so it is that Christ’s love for us generates love in us.
Many misunderstand or misconstrue love. For them, love is what they get from us, not what they give to us. And they may even take advantage of our love. But we keep on loving like Jesus’ love. The early believers did that as persecution pushed them from their homes in Jerusalem. They did not close their mouths, but opened them as they came into contact with Jews and Gentiles—“telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus” (Acts 11:20). The church sent Barnabas to encourage those who had turned to the Lord in Antioch (Acts 11:22). And it is not just interesting trivia, but true insight: “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch” (Acts 11:26). A “Christian” does what Christ does. He loves. We love.
That is what our Friend allows his friends to do: “I … appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (Jn 15:16). That is our assignment as we remain in Jesus’ love—produce fruits of faith. That is what we have been created in Christ Jesus to bring forth (Eph 2:10). Recall that Jesus has just used that illustration of a vine and branches. The link allows life and where there is life there is fruit. You can expect to find grapes on grape vines. We are not passive, but productive.
That also lets us have direct access to the Father in prayer—when there is urgency. “The Father will give you whatever you ask in my name” (Jn 15:16). We approach him through his Son and request what Jesus would have us petition—stronger faith and firmer resolve, all according to his Word and his will (Mt 22:42). And he answers us according to his wisdom.
And then Jesus comes full circle and as he reviews and reiterates: “This is my command: Love each other” (Jn 15:17). “Forgive us for our failure, Lord.” He does. “Help us in the future, Lord.” He will. And all along, remain in Jesus’ love to bear fruit for him.
It is not easy to love in a loveless world. We know that because we are in the world. And we don’t have to search high and low. Our love is often lacking. We are aware of what love is. “Love is operating in the best interest of the individual loved.” (There is no copyright on that. You can borrow it.) But better, you can be loving. How? Remain in Jesus’ love to be friends with him. That is what we are because of his love for us. Remain in Jesus’ love to bear fruit for him. That is what we do because of his love in us. It is that way for now and forever. Amen.
Peace to you (3 Jn 13). Amen.
May 6, 2018
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