Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
How do you describe life? There might be a few different ways. We could go with the obvious—heart beating and lungs breathing. That is medical. From there we might go on with our jobs or our joys—what we do or what we like. That is philosophical.
But is there more? Maybe instead of our theories as we determine life, we get Jesus’ thoughts as he defines it. And he does. Jesus explains life. The Christ serves. The Christian serves. We read from …
Matthew 20:17-28
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, whose service for us lead to service from us,
I mention it because for a long time I missed it. And it bears repeating. It is Lent. We spend a lot of time speaking of Jesus’ death. It is our focus for 6 weeks. It is our emphasis with extra services. And rightfully so. Jesus heads to the cross. He gives up his life. Gladly and willingly. For us.
But that is not all. It is not just about Good Friday. We stop at Calvary. But we don’t stay there. Jesus was there. It is also about Easter Sunday. We sprint to the tomb. We stare in it. Jesus is not there. In a way, today is a reminder of his exit from the grave since it is the first day of the week. There is life. Jesus shows it. And he shares it.
Jesus Explains Life
1. The Christ serves (17-19,28)
2. The Christian serves (20-28)
1. The Christ serves (17-19,28)
“Now this is life.” Perhaps that sounds like an adult on a nice vacation—whether it is the sun on the back or sand between the toes at a beach or the sights on the trial and snow on the peaks in the mountains. It is a matter of personal preference. But there is more to life than relaxing in such a way. Jesus explains it. The Christ serves.
It wasn’t the first time that Jesus brought up the subject material (Mt 16:21; 17:22,23). That is because the disciples needed to know. And it was going to happen soon. Jerusalem was the final destination. The Passover was approaching. But that was not the real reason for the trip to the city in the south. So as they walked, Jesus talked (Mt 20:17). They get some private instruction from Jesus along the way.
Jesus speaks with amazing clarity. There is no ambiguity (nor is there hesitancy). It is more than a father stating, “We are going to Mt. Rushmore someday.” He cannot be exact. “This summer we are going to put the vehicle in space 117 in the parking garage and view the four presidents at 2:34 PM on Tuesday.” There are some things that are possible to relay—the month and means like in July and by car, but not to that extent. Jesus can. And Jesus does.
As he grabs their attention, he goes into detail. It is as if to say, “Boys, this is how it is going to go down. Listen up.” He is specific and straightforward without suggesting options or seeking opinions.
There would be ugly disloyalty. We wonder if Judas was taking notes. “The Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law” (Mt 20:18). “Son of man” was Jesus’ favorite label for himself. He became one of us—flesh and blood—to rescue us (Mt 1:21). But not all would be excited, especially the religious leaders (Jn 1:11).
There would be a distinct sentence. “They will condemn him to death” (Mt 20:18). That was their judgment. Guilty—worthy of death (Mt 26:66).
There would be horrible mistreatment. “And they … will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified” (Mt 20: 19). As God’s people handed Jesus over to godless people, there would be no throwing of stones, but pounding of nails. As we read through the Passion History, we see looking back on what Jesus spotted looking ahead.
There would be a glorious return. “On the third day he will be raised to life!” (Mt 20:19). The disciples left that out when they locked the doors out of fear after Jesus died. We don’t want to skip it. It is critical—not just another point, but an important part. It makes all the difference that Jesus’ death does not mean the end. So if we want to be precise, we would not state: “Jesus predicts his death.” But add, “Jesus predicts his life.” It is not just Jesus’ crucifixion. It is his resurrection. That is crucial because it is comforting. His life guarantees ours. Because he lives, we live (Jn 14:19). This is not tragedy. It is triumph.
Jesus didn’t miss much when it came to his mission. “The Son of Man [That is the second time in this section.] did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). I always put that in terms of dining out at a restaurant. It is clear who is the one waiting on because there is a stroll to the kitchen and the ones who are waited on because there is a seat in a booth. Jesus is the waiter. We are the waited. He could have demanded service from us. But he delivers service to us. Now we are not talking about lunch. But life. He gives his to pay the price necessary to set us free from sin. And his holy, precious blood was sufficient to ransom us and release us from its curse. He offered himself instead of us, in place of us. He took on the form of a servant and became obedient to death, even death on a cross (Php 2:7,8). He is our Substitute, our Servant. He is the one Savior for many sinners. He is the only One for all (1 Ti 2:6).
That is what the apostle Paul pointed out. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Ro 8:1). There is no charge of guilt against us in any way, at any time. It is gone, all gone. For good. For ever. So rather than the insincerity of the Israelites, we encourage one another: “Let us acknowledge the LORD” (Ho 6:3). We look for him earnestly. And we add our voices to the psalmist who taught us to sing: “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Ps 42:5; 43:11). That is who Jesus is—our Savior. And that is what Jesus did—saved. It cost him his life. But he came back to life. Jesus explains life. The Christ serves by dying and rising.
2. The Christian serves (20-28)
“Now this is life.” Possibly that comes from a student on a spring break. It is a chance to sleep to noon and sit in front of the TV. There is also the command that supper be supplied while sprawled on the sofa. Someone has to bring it. There is more to life than resting in such a manner. Jesus explains that. The Christian serves.
Right on the heels of that plain commentary comes a peculiar request from a protective mother. It is not for herself, but for her sons. She lands on her knees because she wants what is best for James and John (Mt 20:20). (Doesn’t every mommy long for that?) With Zebedee’s two sons in tow, she made her appeal hoping Jesus would be on board: “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom” (Mt 20:21). Her desire was that they be prominent and prestigious men in Jesus’ cabinet—#1a and #1b.
None of those three got it (Mt 20:22). But Jesus doesn’t give a tongue lashing. But this is an opportunity for true learning. Jesus corrects as he continues. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” (Mt 20:22). Jesus implies a “no” answer. He would redeem the world all by himself. It would require the Father to press to his lips the ultimate cup of suffering. And inside of that is the full fury of God’s anger against our sin. Jesus would swallow our shame and drink the hell that we deserved—all the way to the bottom.
When they come back with a “yes:” “We can” (Mt 20:22), Jesus keeps educating patiently. He has two responses:
“You will indeed drink from my cup” (Mt 20:23). There would be persecution due to their connection to Jesus. Herod’s sword would separate James’ head from his shoulders as a martyr (Acts 12:1,2). Rome’s power would separate John from his people on the island of Patmos as an exile (Re 1:9).
“But to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father” (Mt 20:23). Sometimes there is a “no.” That was the Father’s business, not his. They were not to busy themselves with that.
That maternal plea didn’t sit well with the other 10. “They were indignant with the two brothers” (Mt 20:24). They were upset that it didn’t cross their minds first. “Why didn’t I think of that?” There was competition among the men as opposed to cooperation. And that had to change. So Jesus invites them to a group study. “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them” (Mt 20:25). Absolute power can lead to an abuse of power. It is selfish and not selfless. There is plenty of examples in the past. Even in the present.
“Not so with you” (Mt 20:26). Jesus contends that there is to be a noticeable contrast between the kingdoms of the world and the kingdom of heaven. It’s not about me; it’s about you. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave” (Mt 20:26,27). A great life comes through humble service. And service of others is modeled after and motivated by Christ’s service for everyone who did not just wash feet from any dirt as he did in a room upstairs, but washed souls from every stain as he did on an instrument of torture.
Those are striking words. And hard to hear. We prefer to turn things around for our benefit, not the blessing of others. We think along the lines of how many are below us, not above us.
But Jesus alters that mindset as he explains life. The Christian serves. “What is useful or helpful for you?” becomes a concern for us like a servant carries out the wishes of his lord and a slave the will of his master. Forgiven for our self-centeredness, we imitate Jesus—serving, not being served. The Holy Spirit aids us in thinking about others (Ro 8:5). Alive in Christ, we are active in Christ. We have many occasions to serve at home, at school, at work, at church. Jesus explains life. A Christian serves in in every activity and with every ability.
We are not cheating Lent by charging ahead to Easter. They fit together rather than one first and the other second. They flow into one another. Jesus hangs on the cross, but he heads out of the grave. It is not about his death, but also his life. Jesus explains life. The Christ serves everybody. The Christian serves each other. Now that’s life. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you (Ro 16:20). Amen.
March 26, 2017
St. John Lutheran Church Sermons
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Lent Midweek (Mark 14:32-38)
In the name of God who wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Pe 3:9)—admitting our wrong that goes against him and appreciating our rescue that comes from him. Amen.
We all wrestle with it every day—every single person in every age group (1 Co 10:13). No one excluded—from young to old. No one is exempted—from school age and below to retirement age and above. It is from the time when we crawl out of bed in the morning until the time when we climb back in in the evening.
Any guesses? It is not being tired. That may be correct at times. It is being tempted. That is critical in life.
What is it though? We should have a working definition of “temptation.” The catechism suggests this: “Any situation in which someone may be led into sin, false belief, or despair” (Luther’s Catechism p. 348). Our old evil foe jabs at us where we are vulnerable. Our ugly sinful nature jumps in. And the everyday sinful world joins in. It is no laughing matter when they want us to fail often and fall hard.
No. This is serious. No wonder Jesus taught us to pray: “Lead us not into temptation” (Mt 6:13). Temptation is not just dangerous; it is deadly as it causes us to make our way from God, not to him.
Where can we turn when there is an attack or an assault against us? Not looking to our strength, but leaning on our Savior.
We get that as we go to the Garden. Jesus and the Eleven had made their way to Gethsemane from the Passover celebration in the Upper Room (Mk 14:32). (Remember Judas had left to lead Jesus’ enemies to him. They would meet up in a bit.) It is in that secluded olive grove that we stop for a while—to listen in and to learn from.
Jesus sits eight of them down. And then he grabs those three—Peter, James, and John. Recall what Jesus allowed them to see firsthand? They had walked into that little girl’s room with him. They had watched with her mom and dad as Jesus took her hand. He raised the 12-year old from the dead as he said, “Talitha koum!” (Mk 5:41). And she got up. Then at that unnamed mountain in the north, they saw Jesus in his all his glory as God spoke about him and to him: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mk 9:3).
But this is different. It is difficult. Well it would have been if their eyes had stayed open long enough to witness what was going on. Jesus had not asked too much of them: “Stay here and keep watch” (Mk 14:34). We might compare it to if you want someone by your side for some company and compassion before you are headed into the operating room. And your close friend is taking a siesta off in the corner of the room. That kind of support and sympathy are not helpful.
Instead of a source of comfort from this inner circle, there was nothing more than a chorus of snores from these men. We can hardly blame them. It had been a long week of fierce attacks from his foes. And a long day with a fine meal—not just a sacrificial lamb, but the Lord’s Supper. And now it is late. It is not too hard to understand. We barely make it through the 9:00 o’clock news let alone stay up long enough for the 10:00 o’clock edition. We wake up from our nap only to turn in for the night. Add to that they were exhausted by their sadness (Lk 22:45). There would be a betrayal and a denial. Jesus leaving; the Holy Spirit coming. All that and more.
After Jesus poured out his heart to his Father the first time, he came back to them. Peter had been anything but rocklike. That is why there is the mild rebuke: “Simon, … are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?” (Mk 14:37). This was the same one who had boasted that he was willing even to die with Jesus (Mk 14:31). The others bragged along the same lines. Where was all of that bravery and bravado now? It is not so impressive when they didn’t have the strength to keep their eyelids from drooping. They promised so much and proved so little.
So Jesus encourages them: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mk 14:38).
“Keep on watching.” That is important when it comes to the driver behind the wheel and the hitter at the plate. You can steer a car or swing a bat with eyes shut. That ends in disaster. We want to be on the lookout for Satan’s temptations. Because he is relentless. He will allow us no rest. He prowls around only to destroy (1 Pe 5:8). So quickly and easily we let our guard down. A little laziness in hearing God’s Word or not acting according to it. Our souls slowly fade into sweet slumber.
“Continue to pray.” That is imperative when it comes to those who are confused in school or befuddled at work. Ask for help from a teacher or supervisor. We have the ear of the One who will provide a way out of temptation (1 Co 10:13). Jesus was tempted too. Yet he was without sin (He 4:15). Think of that 40-day ordeal in the desert—face to face with his worst enemy (Mk 1:12,13). One of them was to bow down and worship him so that none of the nails would be necessary (Mt 4:8,9). But Jesus is stronger than Satan. He can aid us in saying “no” to temptation (Ti 2:12). Temptation doesn’t have to equal sin as if to comment, “The devil made me do it.”
Jesus explains why they watching and praying is so necessary. “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Mk 14:38). Our spiritual nature is eager, but our sinful nature is evil. Good intentions don’t always translate into great actions.
The next few hours and days would be rough for the disciples. Satan would have them stumble as Jesus is placed on trial where he would be condemned and put to death by being crucified. It is hard on us too. But the cross is where Jesus carried our sin to complete our salvation. But Easter Sunday is there too.
But let us not focus on those men and their catnap. But watch Jesus pray. We go about as far away from Peter, James, and John as we might throw a stone (Lk 22:41). Mark reports: “He began to be deeply distressed and troubled” (Mk 14:33). This horror was real at what was ahead. The suffering for sin and the separation from God on the cross was a day away. There was intense anguish along with extreme agony. Go back to the hospital room when you await the surgeon’s scalpel. But this is way beyond that. And Jesus relays: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Mk 14:34). This was profound. We cannot fathom the depth. Nor will we ever be able to or even have to. This was no exaggeration. He was exact.
So he offered up his petitions (He 5:7). With his face in the dirt, he implored “that if possible the hour might pass from him” (Mk 14:35). This was the Father’s appointed time for the Son’s sacrifice for us followed by his resurrection. Was there a plan B like therapy rather than surgery?
Jesus did recoil at the prospect. It is gruesome and gory. So the appeal with the same trust of a child to his dad when there is something troubling: “Abba, Father, … everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me” (Mk 14:38). But he did not refuse the plan. And he is emphatic: “Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mk 14:36). “It is all about your wish, not mine.” Jesus lived what he instructed on that hillside with his model prayer: “This is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, … your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’” (Mt 6:10).
But there was no other way. It was the Lord’s will to crush him (Is 53:10). The Father was pushing the cup and pressing it firmly against Jesus’ lips. And he would drink it to the very dregs. By himself and all alone—without his sleeping companions, or us.
What makes the difference in this discussion is what is in the cup. It is not like a cool glass of water on a hot day or a hot cup of coffee on a cold day. This is not about soothing. It is all about suffering. Look inside how bitter and bad it is. The rebellion of Adam. The adultery of David. The idolatry of Israel. The denial of Peter. And we could go on. And on. And we haven’t even mentioned your guilt and mine—my words to hurt, my deeds to harm, my thoughts to please. Today’s long list of those things would be evidence enough against me. You too. But it’s all in the cup. And that cup is full. But Jesus makes them his own and makes us his own. Jesus carried out the Father’s will by carting all the times that we have been tempted and succumbed all to Calvary. He was the sole object of God’s wrath for our sin. Jesus shouldered so we don’t have to. It is all gone because Jesus did it all (2 Co 5:21).
Temptation will not go away on earth until we go away to heaven. It will rear its ugly head day after day, better again and again, throughout every 24 hours that we have—leading us into sin, false belief, or despair. Dr. Martin Luther once quipped: “You can’t keep the birds from flying overhead, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” Satan is good at tempting. But our Savior is better at triumphing. Turn not to yourself. Turn to your Savior when you face temptations. Only Jesus. Always Jesus.
We read from Mark 14:32-38:
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?
38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen (Re 1:6).
March 22, 2017
We all wrestle with it every day—every single person in every age group (1 Co 10:13). No one excluded—from young to old. No one is exempted—from school age and below to retirement age and above. It is from the time when we crawl out of bed in the morning until the time when we climb back in in the evening.
Any guesses? It is not being tired. That may be correct at times. It is being tempted. That is critical in life.
What is it though? We should have a working definition of “temptation.” The catechism suggests this: “Any situation in which someone may be led into sin, false belief, or despair” (Luther’s Catechism p. 348). Our old evil foe jabs at us where we are vulnerable. Our ugly sinful nature jumps in. And the everyday sinful world joins in. It is no laughing matter when they want us to fail often and fall hard.
No. This is serious. No wonder Jesus taught us to pray: “Lead us not into temptation” (Mt 6:13). Temptation is not just dangerous; it is deadly as it causes us to make our way from God, not to him.
Where can we turn when there is an attack or an assault against us? Not looking to our strength, but leaning on our Savior.
We get that as we go to the Garden. Jesus and the Eleven had made their way to Gethsemane from the Passover celebration in the Upper Room (Mk 14:32). (Remember Judas had left to lead Jesus’ enemies to him. They would meet up in a bit.) It is in that secluded olive grove that we stop for a while—to listen in and to learn from.
Jesus sits eight of them down. And then he grabs those three—Peter, James, and John. Recall what Jesus allowed them to see firsthand? They had walked into that little girl’s room with him. They had watched with her mom and dad as Jesus took her hand. He raised the 12-year old from the dead as he said, “Talitha koum!” (Mk 5:41). And she got up. Then at that unnamed mountain in the north, they saw Jesus in his all his glory as God spoke about him and to him: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mk 9:3).
But this is different. It is difficult. Well it would have been if their eyes had stayed open long enough to witness what was going on. Jesus had not asked too much of them: “Stay here and keep watch” (Mk 14:34). We might compare it to if you want someone by your side for some company and compassion before you are headed into the operating room. And your close friend is taking a siesta off in the corner of the room. That kind of support and sympathy are not helpful.
Instead of a source of comfort from this inner circle, there was nothing more than a chorus of snores from these men. We can hardly blame them. It had been a long week of fierce attacks from his foes. And a long day with a fine meal—not just a sacrificial lamb, but the Lord’s Supper. And now it is late. It is not too hard to understand. We barely make it through the 9:00 o’clock news let alone stay up long enough for the 10:00 o’clock edition. We wake up from our nap only to turn in for the night. Add to that they were exhausted by their sadness (Lk 22:45). There would be a betrayal and a denial. Jesus leaving; the Holy Spirit coming. All that and more.
After Jesus poured out his heart to his Father the first time, he came back to them. Peter had been anything but rocklike. That is why there is the mild rebuke: “Simon, … are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?” (Mk 14:37). This was the same one who had boasted that he was willing even to die with Jesus (Mk 14:31). The others bragged along the same lines. Where was all of that bravery and bravado now? It is not so impressive when they didn’t have the strength to keep their eyelids from drooping. They promised so much and proved so little.
So Jesus encourages them: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mk 14:38).
“Keep on watching.” That is important when it comes to the driver behind the wheel and the hitter at the plate. You can steer a car or swing a bat with eyes shut. That ends in disaster. We want to be on the lookout for Satan’s temptations. Because he is relentless. He will allow us no rest. He prowls around only to destroy (1 Pe 5:8). So quickly and easily we let our guard down. A little laziness in hearing God’s Word or not acting according to it. Our souls slowly fade into sweet slumber.
“Continue to pray.” That is imperative when it comes to those who are confused in school or befuddled at work. Ask for help from a teacher or supervisor. We have the ear of the One who will provide a way out of temptation (1 Co 10:13). Jesus was tempted too. Yet he was without sin (He 4:15). Think of that 40-day ordeal in the desert—face to face with his worst enemy (Mk 1:12,13). One of them was to bow down and worship him so that none of the nails would be necessary (Mt 4:8,9). But Jesus is stronger than Satan. He can aid us in saying “no” to temptation (Ti 2:12). Temptation doesn’t have to equal sin as if to comment, “The devil made me do it.”
Jesus explains why they watching and praying is so necessary. “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Mk 14:38). Our spiritual nature is eager, but our sinful nature is evil. Good intentions don’t always translate into great actions.
The next few hours and days would be rough for the disciples. Satan would have them stumble as Jesus is placed on trial where he would be condemned and put to death by being crucified. It is hard on us too. But the cross is where Jesus carried our sin to complete our salvation. But Easter Sunday is there too.
But let us not focus on those men and their catnap. But watch Jesus pray. We go about as far away from Peter, James, and John as we might throw a stone (Lk 22:41). Mark reports: “He began to be deeply distressed and troubled” (Mk 14:33). This horror was real at what was ahead. The suffering for sin and the separation from God on the cross was a day away. There was intense anguish along with extreme agony. Go back to the hospital room when you await the surgeon’s scalpel. But this is way beyond that. And Jesus relays: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Mk 14:34). This was profound. We cannot fathom the depth. Nor will we ever be able to or even have to. This was no exaggeration. He was exact.
So he offered up his petitions (He 5:7). With his face in the dirt, he implored “that if possible the hour might pass from him” (Mk 14:35). This was the Father’s appointed time for the Son’s sacrifice for us followed by his resurrection. Was there a plan B like therapy rather than surgery?
Jesus did recoil at the prospect. It is gruesome and gory. So the appeal with the same trust of a child to his dad when there is something troubling: “Abba, Father, … everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me” (Mk 14:38). But he did not refuse the plan. And he is emphatic: “Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mk 14:36). “It is all about your wish, not mine.” Jesus lived what he instructed on that hillside with his model prayer: “This is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, … your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’” (Mt 6:10).
But there was no other way. It was the Lord’s will to crush him (Is 53:10). The Father was pushing the cup and pressing it firmly against Jesus’ lips. And he would drink it to the very dregs. By himself and all alone—without his sleeping companions, or us.
What makes the difference in this discussion is what is in the cup. It is not like a cool glass of water on a hot day or a hot cup of coffee on a cold day. This is not about soothing. It is all about suffering. Look inside how bitter and bad it is. The rebellion of Adam. The adultery of David. The idolatry of Israel. The denial of Peter. And we could go on. And on. And we haven’t even mentioned your guilt and mine—my words to hurt, my deeds to harm, my thoughts to please. Today’s long list of those things would be evidence enough against me. You too. But it’s all in the cup. And that cup is full. But Jesus makes them his own and makes us his own. Jesus carried out the Father’s will by carting all the times that we have been tempted and succumbed all to Calvary. He was the sole object of God’s wrath for our sin. Jesus shouldered so we don’t have to. It is all gone because Jesus did it all (2 Co 5:21).
Temptation will not go away on earth until we go away to heaven. It will rear its ugly head day after day, better again and again, throughout every 24 hours that we have—leading us into sin, false belief, or despair. Dr. Martin Luther once quipped: “You can’t keep the birds from flying overhead, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” Satan is good at tempting. But our Savior is better at triumphing. Turn not to yourself. Turn to your Savior when you face temptations. Only Jesus. Always Jesus.
We read from Mark 14:32-38:
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?
38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen (Re 1:6).
March 22, 2017
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Third Sunday in Lent (Isaiah 42:14-21)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 2:2). Amen.
We have had a week to adjust to the time change of Daylight Saving Time. I don’t know how it is going as you attempt to reset your circadian rhythm—your internal body clock. Perhaps it is back in tune or in sync after you lost 60 minutes of sleep or whatever it was last Sunday at 2:00 AM. (Or as someone described it—free jet lag without the airplane trip.)
We are not going to debate the pros and cons or discuss the good or bad of springing ahead one hour. But spring is ahead. You more than likely noticed that we are enjoying light a bit longer than in December when it was dark and in January when it was darker. The season of Lent falls during this time of increasing light. So then it is accurate. There is light during Lent. It is bright. And it is right. We read from …
Isaiah 42:14-21
Dear People of God, who look at and live in the light,
The Third Sunday in Lent marks the midpoint of this stretch before Easter. It might be good for us to review the meaning of Lent. It is not code for “sad” or “somber.” It derives from an old English word that signifies “spring.” We see the root in our “lengthen.” Sometimes people claim that the days are getting longer. That is not entirely precise since they all are still 24 hours. To be more exact, the hours of daylight are getting longer.
Since we are appreciating more of what comes from that fiery ball in the sky, the thought is not lost on us on the church calendar.
There Is Light during Lent
1. It is bright (14)
2. It is right (15-21)
1. It is bright (14)
I suppose there is a loophole. Light comes in different intensities—40, 60, 100 watts. But the reality is that where there is darkness, there cannot be light. And the opposite is true. So if there is light, it stands out and sticks out. It is that way now. There is light during Lent. It is bright.
By the time Isaiah puts pen to parchment, a lot of history has happened. God had created the world and called Abraham. The Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt and placed David on the throne. The Assyrians had flexed their muscles and Babylon was warming up. I realize that is a broad brushstroke of the past. In a sense, the Lord was working behind the scenes—not always apparent or evident as Isaiah now looked ahead to the coming of the Messiah.
But things were going to change. “For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now …” (Is 42:14). The Lord was about to act. And God compares himself to a pregnant woman who cries out, gasps, and pants (Is 42:14). The concept is clear. When it is time for the baby to come, there is no stopping it, no putting it off, no scheduling for a more convenient moment. Now. The nine months are over. And so it is with God.
For many millennia, God was orchestrating when he would send his Son into the world. There is judgment involved in that. Those who deny him will perish. But those who believe in him will live (Jn 3:16). As Jesus explained to the blind man who was now able to see: “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (Jn 9:39). The spiritually blind have spiritual sight as they look to and lean on Jesus as the Savior. And the ones who don’t understand that they are spiritually blind will remain that way because they refuse and reject Jesus.
And then Jesus came—“when the time had fully come” (Ga 4:4), at just the right time. Jesus was born in Bethlehem to save us from our sins (Mt 1:21). Think of how the night sky light up with the angels giving glory to God for the good news of Jesus’ birth (Lk 2:11,14).
Fast forward to Jesus’ ministry. He went from town to town and village to village and pointed to himself as the Christ. Just as he did with the man born without vision. “’Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him” (Jn 9:35-38).
You and I look back at Jesus. As the Son of Man, he heads to the cross with our sins and heads out of the grave with our salvation. Such is our focus and emphasis in Lent. We believe too that he has removed us from sin and Satan and rescued us from death and the devil. We follow Jesus, the Light of the world. We no longer walk in darkness, but have the light of life (Jn 8:12). There is light during Lent. And it is bright. Jesus has arrived once. We were ready for Jesus who has come.
2. It is right (15-21)
My guess is that if you go to one of those home improvement stores (not a highlight of my day, month, or year), you can talk to an expert in lighting. They will share with you the best options for what you need. Is it for the background? Or frontground? (I made that up.) Inside or outside? You go home with what is correct. It is the same right now. There is light during Lent. It is right.
Isaiah didn’t have the perspective of time that we have. We see the span of years between Jesus’ first coming as a baby and his second coming as a Judge. To him it was the same. We could liken it to driving past downtown on 35 or 94. From a distance, two building might look right next to each other, but they could be blocks or even miles apart. To him, Christmas Day and Judgment Day run together.
God has set a day for the second one, just like the first one. We wait for it to happen—sometime in the future. Isaiah depicts the destruction: “I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools” (Is 42:15). There will be ruins.
But there will be another reality: “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Is 42:16). Those who cannot see will be led to safety. The Lord will do it. Perhaps like a fireman takes you by the hand and directs you through the burning house to fresh air—what you were unable to do. But this is bigger than that, even more than the removal of Israel from Egypt long ago and the return of Israel from Babylon in days ahead. He is referring to change spiritual darkness into spiritual light. God will not leave us or abandon us (He 13:5). He has made that plain by delivering us from guilt and hell. And then the Holy Spirit has called us by the gospel. He has enlightened us, turned on the light so that we see Jesus distinctly. As the apostle Paul put it: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord” (Eph 5:8).
But not everyone observes the light. “But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame” (Is 42:17). It makes no difference if they are made out of silver or stone, cast or carved—the images of yesterday for Israel, or are wealth or wisdom, pleasure or possessions—the idols of today for us, they will lead to embarrassment and despair on the Last Day. Individuals like that put their confidence in the wrong place. Really the wrong person. And they will understand their foolishness when they are let down. Only too late. Like if we would only pack flip flops to go to the Northeast right now with all the record snow in that corner of the US. You walk out of the airport to learn of your mistake. Boots would have been the better choice.
There was a stern warning for Israel (Is 42:8). They had a tendency to chase after other gods that were fakes and frauds. The ones who were to serve only God, served other gods. That made them deaf and blind. “Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one committed to me, blind like the servant of the LORD?” (Is 42:18,19). And the Lord calls them on it: “You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing” (Is 42:20). It would be as strange as a student who has a perfect attendance record in school, but he cannot read or write. Unthinkable. The children of Israel missed all of the pictures and promises of the Savior from the prophets of the Old Testament.
But that is not what the Lord wants. So he did something about it: “It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious” (Is 42:21). It brought him joy to make his Word (The law is not just the 10 Commandments, but all of his teaching and instruction.) special and splendid. In it we read that Jesus carted our sin so that God could credit his holiness to us (2 Co 5:21). As the psalmist had us sing: “O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief” (Ps 143:1). He has. All is well between us and God—at this time and for all eternity. The One who is righteous declares us to be righteous. There is light during Lent. And it is right. Jesus will appear again. And we are ready for Jesus who will come.
Perhaps you don’t like the feeling of sleepiness a week later, but you do love the fact of added light the past week. Whether there is gray and gloom or heat and humidity the next three weeks doesn’t matter. There is light during Lent. It is bright. And it is right. Jesus entered our world one time in humility. The next time in glory. And we will see Jesus. There will be no disappointment, only delight. It is so. Amen.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Eph 3:20,21).
March 19, 2017
We have had a week to adjust to the time change of Daylight Saving Time. I don’t know how it is going as you attempt to reset your circadian rhythm—your internal body clock. Perhaps it is back in tune or in sync after you lost 60 minutes of sleep or whatever it was last Sunday at 2:00 AM. (Or as someone described it—free jet lag without the airplane trip.)
We are not going to debate the pros and cons or discuss the good or bad of springing ahead one hour. But spring is ahead. You more than likely noticed that we are enjoying light a bit longer than in December when it was dark and in January when it was darker. The season of Lent falls during this time of increasing light. So then it is accurate. There is light during Lent. It is bright. And it is right. We read from …
Isaiah 42:14-21
Dear People of God, who look at and live in the light,
The Third Sunday in Lent marks the midpoint of this stretch before Easter. It might be good for us to review the meaning of Lent. It is not code for “sad” or “somber.” It derives from an old English word that signifies “spring.” We see the root in our “lengthen.” Sometimes people claim that the days are getting longer. That is not entirely precise since they all are still 24 hours. To be more exact, the hours of daylight are getting longer.
Since we are appreciating more of what comes from that fiery ball in the sky, the thought is not lost on us on the church calendar.
There Is Light during Lent
1. It is bright (14)
2. It is right (15-21)
1. It is bright (14)
I suppose there is a loophole. Light comes in different intensities—40, 60, 100 watts. But the reality is that where there is darkness, there cannot be light. And the opposite is true. So if there is light, it stands out and sticks out. It is that way now. There is light during Lent. It is bright.
By the time Isaiah puts pen to parchment, a lot of history has happened. God had created the world and called Abraham. The Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt and placed David on the throne. The Assyrians had flexed their muscles and Babylon was warming up. I realize that is a broad brushstroke of the past. In a sense, the Lord was working behind the scenes—not always apparent or evident as Isaiah now looked ahead to the coming of the Messiah.
But things were going to change. “For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now …” (Is 42:14). The Lord was about to act. And God compares himself to a pregnant woman who cries out, gasps, and pants (Is 42:14). The concept is clear. When it is time for the baby to come, there is no stopping it, no putting it off, no scheduling for a more convenient moment. Now. The nine months are over. And so it is with God.
For many millennia, God was orchestrating when he would send his Son into the world. There is judgment involved in that. Those who deny him will perish. But those who believe in him will live (Jn 3:16). As Jesus explained to the blind man who was now able to see: “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (Jn 9:39). The spiritually blind have spiritual sight as they look to and lean on Jesus as the Savior. And the ones who don’t understand that they are spiritually blind will remain that way because they refuse and reject Jesus.
And then Jesus came—“when the time had fully come” (Ga 4:4), at just the right time. Jesus was born in Bethlehem to save us from our sins (Mt 1:21). Think of how the night sky light up with the angels giving glory to God for the good news of Jesus’ birth (Lk 2:11,14).
Fast forward to Jesus’ ministry. He went from town to town and village to village and pointed to himself as the Christ. Just as he did with the man born without vision. “’Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him” (Jn 9:35-38).
You and I look back at Jesus. As the Son of Man, he heads to the cross with our sins and heads out of the grave with our salvation. Such is our focus and emphasis in Lent. We believe too that he has removed us from sin and Satan and rescued us from death and the devil. We follow Jesus, the Light of the world. We no longer walk in darkness, but have the light of life (Jn 8:12). There is light during Lent. And it is bright. Jesus has arrived once. We were ready for Jesus who has come.
2. It is right (15-21)
My guess is that if you go to one of those home improvement stores (not a highlight of my day, month, or year), you can talk to an expert in lighting. They will share with you the best options for what you need. Is it for the background? Or frontground? (I made that up.) Inside or outside? You go home with what is correct. It is the same right now. There is light during Lent. It is right.
Isaiah didn’t have the perspective of time that we have. We see the span of years between Jesus’ first coming as a baby and his second coming as a Judge. To him it was the same. We could liken it to driving past downtown on 35 or 94. From a distance, two building might look right next to each other, but they could be blocks or even miles apart. To him, Christmas Day and Judgment Day run together.
God has set a day for the second one, just like the first one. We wait for it to happen—sometime in the future. Isaiah depicts the destruction: “I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools” (Is 42:15). There will be ruins.
But there will be another reality: “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Is 42:16). Those who cannot see will be led to safety. The Lord will do it. Perhaps like a fireman takes you by the hand and directs you through the burning house to fresh air—what you were unable to do. But this is bigger than that, even more than the removal of Israel from Egypt long ago and the return of Israel from Babylon in days ahead. He is referring to change spiritual darkness into spiritual light. God will not leave us or abandon us (He 13:5). He has made that plain by delivering us from guilt and hell. And then the Holy Spirit has called us by the gospel. He has enlightened us, turned on the light so that we see Jesus distinctly. As the apostle Paul put it: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord” (Eph 5:8).
But not everyone observes the light. “But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame” (Is 42:17). It makes no difference if they are made out of silver or stone, cast or carved—the images of yesterday for Israel, or are wealth or wisdom, pleasure or possessions—the idols of today for us, they will lead to embarrassment and despair on the Last Day. Individuals like that put their confidence in the wrong place. Really the wrong person. And they will understand their foolishness when they are let down. Only too late. Like if we would only pack flip flops to go to the Northeast right now with all the record snow in that corner of the US. You walk out of the airport to learn of your mistake. Boots would have been the better choice.
There was a stern warning for Israel (Is 42:8). They had a tendency to chase after other gods that were fakes and frauds. The ones who were to serve only God, served other gods. That made them deaf and blind. “Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one committed to me, blind like the servant of the LORD?” (Is 42:18,19). And the Lord calls them on it: “You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing” (Is 42:20). It would be as strange as a student who has a perfect attendance record in school, but he cannot read or write. Unthinkable. The children of Israel missed all of the pictures and promises of the Savior from the prophets of the Old Testament.
But that is not what the Lord wants. So he did something about it: “It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious” (Is 42:21). It brought him joy to make his Word (The law is not just the 10 Commandments, but all of his teaching and instruction.) special and splendid. In it we read that Jesus carted our sin so that God could credit his holiness to us (2 Co 5:21). As the psalmist had us sing: “O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief” (Ps 143:1). He has. All is well between us and God—at this time and for all eternity. The One who is righteous declares us to be righteous. There is light during Lent. And it is right. Jesus will appear again. And we are ready for Jesus who will come.
Perhaps you don’t like the feeling of sleepiness a week later, but you do love the fact of added light the past week. Whether there is gray and gloom or heat and humidity the next three weeks doesn’t matter. There is light during Lent. It is bright. And it is right. Jesus entered our world one time in humility. The next time in glory. And we will see Jesus. There will be no disappointment, only delight. It is so. Amen.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Eph 3:20,21).
March 19, 2017
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Second Sunday in Lent (Genesis 12:1-8)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
I don’t know if they are as common as before—a father and son business. Perhaps you still see a work van on the road and on the side it reads: “So and So and Son.” It could be a plumber or a painter. The dad has taught the family business to his child and the next generation has bought into it.
It is not that way in my family. My dad is a CPA. (I don’t even know what those initials stand for.) For him, a calculator is not something that you happily chuck once you are finally done with algebra II in high school. You actually keep it and consult it. His fingers fly over the numbers and he can make sense of them. I can’t. I did not follow my father’s footsteps.
But there is one whom we would walk behind and walk with. It is our spiritual father—Abram. We are more used to his other name that God gave him—Abraham (Ge 17:5). Those who believe are his children (Ga 3:7; Ro 4:16). Follow your father’s faith as you listen with attention and as you live with action. We read from …
Genesis 12:1-8
Dear People of God, blessed by God,
It could be on a sandy beach (like on a Spring Break) or a snowy field (like on a Sunday afternoon). The dad goes ahead. The little one lags behind. He strains and stretches his legs to match his father’s long strides. Finally he sits down because he is furious. “I can’t do that.” It is not possible even if he jumps from one to the next.
Possibly that is our contention as we consider Abram. “I can’t do that.” He is so much bigger and better than I am. And we slump down because we are frustrated.
But then we are looking in the wrong place. It is not down at ourselves, but up at our God. The Lord brings us to faith and builds up that faith with his words and with his assurances (Ro 10:17). What he did for Abram, he does for us.
Follow Your Father’s Faith
1. As you listen with attention (1-3)
2. As you live with action (4-8)
1. As you listen with attention (1-3)
There is hearing and then there is listening. You know the difference. Your spouse’s eyes are fixed on the TV or your teenager’s interest is glued to the phone. (You wouldn’t want to miss an awesome play during a game or incredible post from a classmate.) Not even for supper. There were waves of sound from your mouth, but no sign of some awareness. You might even prefer a blank stare than an awkward silence. They heard, but they didn’t listen. That is not Abram. Follow your father’s faith as you listen with attention.
We don’t know how: “The LORD had said to Abram” (Ge 12:1). He initiated the contact. But we know why: “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you” (Ge 12:1). He informed about the content. Maybe you recall that this is not the first time. Earlier God asked Abram’s whole clan to make a major move—from the city of Ur in the far corner of Mesopotamia heading northwest along the Fertile Crescent to Haran. As hard as that might have been, this one was more so. Note the three things that were to be in his rearview mirror this second time—each progressively more difficult:
• Leave your country (Ge 12:1)—the familiarity of the area.
• Leave your people (Ge 12:1)—the friends of that place.
• Leave your father’s household (Ge 12:1)—the family of his relatives. He might never see them again. This was long before facetime and Facebook, Instagram and iPhones.
This time it was just Abram, Sarah, and Lot, his nephew, along with the people and possessions that he had gathered—his stuff and his servants (Ge 12:5). Add to that he had a general direction, but not the exact location. You don’t just punch into your GPS “south.” There is a state, city, and address. But that is what the Lord told a man a bit past middle age, at least by our standards. He was not to settle down where he was staying now.
God didn’t send him on his way with nothing to say for the way. He packed a whole cluster of promises for him to take along—7 of them. The Lord is not shy with the pronoun “I.” “I,I,I” as he supports and strengthens Abram’s faith as he listens closely.
“I will make you into a great nation” (Ge 12:2). This was to a childless 75-year-old man who has a 65-year-old wife who happens to be barren (Ge 11:30). But nothing is too hard for the Lord (Ge 18:14). Later the Lord changed his name from Abram (“exalted father”) to Abraham (“father of many”) (Ge 17:5). Remember the time that God took him outside and told him to count the stars in the sky? That is how many descendants that he would have (Ge 15:5)—physical and spiritual (Nu 1:44-46). We are included in that shining number.
“I will bless you” (Ge 12:2). Abram was already wealthy, only to become wealthier (Ge 24:35). His bank account would grow bigger. Abram was not a self-made man, but a “God-made” man (Ge 24:35).
“I will make your name great” (Ge 12:2). There have been numerous Abrahams who are famous—like our 16th president. But there is no comparison. We are still talking about Abram, not from a little over a century ago, but many millennia ago. And then the Bible refers to him as “God’s friend” (2 Chron 20:7) and “father of us all” (Ro 4:16).
“You will be a blessing” (Ge 12:2). Abram was to live who he was to the glory of God. Really it was: “Be a blessing.” And Abram was. He rescued Lot when he was carried off as a prisoner of war (Ge 14), he entertained angels (Ge 18), he prayed for Sodom and Gomorrah (Ge 18).
“I will bless those who bless you” (Ge 12:3). The Lord would prosper the many who would speak well of Abram.
“Whoever curses you I will curse” (Ge 12:3). Anyone who dared to insult Abram would be the same as doing that to the Lord.
“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Ge 12:3). This was hardly last or least. None of the others mattered without this one. All his assets would amount to nothing. The Lord puts Abram in the line of the Savior and the Serpent-Crusher whom God guaranteed in the Garden. This One would come from Abram. The Promised One would benefit every person in history—all people of all time. That is Jesus. Abram grabbed ahold of that in faith. In fact that famous Descendant once declared: “Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad” (Jn 8:56). The apostle Paul put it this way: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Ro 4:3). Abram’s faith was not in himself, but in his Seed (Ga 3:16).
It is good for us to study our forefather, Abram. Because God deals with us the same—not with demands from us, but promises to us. He comes to us. Through the waters of baptism: “Your sins are washed away.” Through the words of the Bible: “Your sins are wiped away.” He does it all. He saves us in Jesus. It is not something that we earn. Paul made the comparison that our wages are an obligation from our boss, not a gift (Ro 4:4). Grace is unmerited kindness from God (Eph 2:8,9). We have forgiveness because God hands it to us freely. Faith receives it joyfully.
We listen with attention when God pronounces us “not guilty.” We are right with him.
We listen with attention when he reminds us that he doesn’t slumber or sleep. “The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Ps 121:8).
We listen with attention when Jesus is sitting by that well. He engages in conversation a woman—a sinner and a Samaritan. Jesus offers that unlikely candidate “living water” (Jn 4:10). Jesus quenches our thirsty souls and we become a “spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn 4:14). He can provide life on earth and in eternity because he is the Messiah, the Christ. We know him not as the One who was to come, but the One who has come.
Follow your father’s faith. Take God at his word. Trust him.
2. As you live with action (4-8)
So you mention something like “dinner’s ready,” and there is a nod from the other room or a grunt from the lazy boy. But you find that you are the only one at the table. They listened to the information. They just didn’t act on it. That is not what Abram did. Follow your father’s faith as you live with action.
God told him to get going and he got going. Immediately—no complaints, no questions. His obedience is outstanding. “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him” (Ge 12:4). Whether or not it was logical or rational was not an issue. God directed; Abram departed—gladly, willingly. That is faith (He 11:8). It goes forward. It doesn’t sit still. Luther once remarked: “Faith is a lively and powerful thing; it is not merely a drowsy and idle thought; nor does it float somewhere upon the heart as a duck on the water.” That is really worship. With faith in a faithful God, he took steps forward (Ja 2:17). And there were many steps on his way to Canaan.
Follow your father’s faith. Often we define worship as what we do once a week or twice a week (now that Lenten midweek services have begun). We take a bulletin in one hand and a hymnal in another. We sing. We sit. We stand. But that is too narrow. The devil convinces us that even God has to be satisfied with that. But worship is all our moments and with all our might. The apostle Paul puts it this way: “Therefore in view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Ro 12:1).
Nothing is mentioned about the long journey. Just “they arrived there” (Ge 12:5). Abram apparently was not like a little toddler in the booster seat in the backseat: “Are we there yet? Now? How about now?” And then there is a bit of a travelogue—the great tree of Moreh at Shechem, Bethel, Ai. (Those would mean something to the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land under Joshua in the future.) And that is the way it was going to be for Abram the next 100 years—life as a nomad, putting down tent stakes and pulling them up again. This was the land that one day would belong to those after him. The Lord stated as much: “To your offspring I will give this land” (Ge 12:7).
How did Abram respond? “He built an altar there to the LORD” (Ge 12:7). The same thing happened a bit later. But there was also something significant. Where Abram went so did his faith: “He … called on the name of the LORD” (Ge 12:8). That is important because there was that observation: “At that time the Canaanites were in the land” (Ge 12:6). They did not worship the same God, the true God. They were idolaters. And Abram was announcing publically: “I don’t care whom you will worship, but I am going to worship the only God, the LORD, who is kind and compassionate, giving and forgiving.”
It is no different with us. We come together and gather together to worship the Lord. It is here that God reaches down to us because we could not reach up to him. We preach and proclaim the only Savior from our sin—Jesus, the One on whom every sin is placed and punished. It is here that we reflect on God’s grace and goodness in Jesus. Follow your father’s faith as you live with action—in life and in church.
I googled it—father and son businesses. They are still some around. The first one grabbed my attention. It was named “Mosquito Joes.” It started in a city in Texas close to where I lived for a number of years. I had to smile. Their homepage had this clever comment and play on words: “Mosquitoes suck, but we are confident that you won’t feel that way about our mosquito control services.” My mom doesn’t let me say that word. (I don’t mean “mosquito.”) I don’t know if all of the dad’s kids are concerned with pest control. But we follow in our father Abram’s footsteps of faith—as you listen with attention and as you live with action. God tells us of Jesus and we turn to him. Our lives now reflect our love for God. Abram’s footsteps are not so immense that our feet don’t fit. Where he went, we go. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you (Ro 16:20). Amen.
March 12, 2017
I don’t know if they are as common as before—a father and son business. Perhaps you still see a work van on the road and on the side it reads: “So and So and Son.” It could be a plumber or a painter. The dad has taught the family business to his child and the next generation has bought into it.
It is not that way in my family. My dad is a CPA. (I don’t even know what those initials stand for.) For him, a calculator is not something that you happily chuck once you are finally done with algebra II in high school. You actually keep it and consult it. His fingers fly over the numbers and he can make sense of them. I can’t. I did not follow my father’s footsteps.
But there is one whom we would walk behind and walk with. It is our spiritual father—Abram. We are more used to his other name that God gave him—Abraham (Ge 17:5). Those who believe are his children (Ga 3:7; Ro 4:16). Follow your father’s faith as you listen with attention and as you live with action. We read from …
Genesis 12:1-8
Dear People of God, blessed by God,
It could be on a sandy beach (like on a Spring Break) or a snowy field (like on a Sunday afternoon). The dad goes ahead. The little one lags behind. He strains and stretches his legs to match his father’s long strides. Finally he sits down because he is furious. “I can’t do that.” It is not possible even if he jumps from one to the next.
Possibly that is our contention as we consider Abram. “I can’t do that.” He is so much bigger and better than I am. And we slump down because we are frustrated.
But then we are looking in the wrong place. It is not down at ourselves, but up at our God. The Lord brings us to faith and builds up that faith with his words and with his assurances (Ro 10:17). What he did for Abram, he does for us.
Follow Your Father’s Faith
1. As you listen with attention (1-3)
2. As you live with action (4-8)
1. As you listen with attention (1-3)
There is hearing and then there is listening. You know the difference. Your spouse’s eyes are fixed on the TV or your teenager’s interest is glued to the phone. (You wouldn’t want to miss an awesome play during a game or incredible post from a classmate.) Not even for supper. There were waves of sound from your mouth, but no sign of some awareness. You might even prefer a blank stare than an awkward silence. They heard, but they didn’t listen. That is not Abram. Follow your father’s faith as you listen with attention.
We don’t know how: “The LORD had said to Abram” (Ge 12:1). He initiated the contact. But we know why: “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you” (Ge 12:1). He informed about the content. Maybe you recall that this is not the first time. Earlier God asked Abram’s whole clan to make a major move—from the city of Ur in the far corner of Mesopotamia heading northwest along the Fertile Crescent to Haran. As hard as that might have been, this one was more so. Note the three things that were to be in his rearview mirror this second time—each progressively more difficult:
• Leave your country (Ge 12:1)—the familiarity of the area.
• Leave your people (Ge 12:1)—the friends of that place.
• Leave your father’s household (Ge 12:1)—the family of his relatives. He might never see them again. This was long before facetime and Facebook, Instagram and iPhones.
This time it was just Abram, Sarah, and Lot, his nephew, along with the people and possessions that he had gathered—his stuff and his servants (Ge 12:5). Add to that he had a general direction, but not the exact location. You don’t just punch into your GPS “south.” There is a state, city, and address. But that is what the Lord told a man a bit past middle age, at least by our standards. He was not to settle down where he was staying now.
God didn’t send him on his way with nothing to say for the way. He packed a whole cluster of promises for him to take along—7 of them. The Lord is not shy with the pronoun “I.” “I,I,I” as he supports and strengthens Abram’s faith as he listens closely.
“I will make you into a great nation” (Ge 12:2). This was to a childless 75-year-old man who has a 65-year-old wife who happens to be barren (Ge 11:30). But nothing is too hard for the Lord (Ge 18:14). Later the Lord changed his name from Abram (“exalted father”) to Abraham (“father of many”) (Ge 17:5). Remember the time that God took him outside and told him to count the stars in the sky? That is how many descendants that he would have (Ge 15:5)—physical and spiritual (Nu 1:44-46). We are included in that shining number.
“I will bless you” (Ge 12:2). Abram was already wealthy, only to become wealthier (Ge 24:35). His bank account would grow bigger. Abram was not a self-made man, but a “God-made” man (Ge 24:35).
“I will make your name great” (Ge 12:2). There have been numerous Abrahams who are famous—like our 16th president. But there is no comparison. We are still talking about Abram, not from a little over a century ago, but many millennia ago. And then the Bible refers to him as “God’s friend” (2 Chron 20:7) and “father of us all” (Ro 4:16).
“You will be a blessing” (Ge 12:2). Abram was to live who he was to the glory of God. Really it was: “Be a blessing.” And Abram was. He rescued Lot when he was carried off as a prisoner of war (Ge 14), he entertained angels (Ge 18), he prayed for Sodom and Gomorrah (Ge 18).
“I will bless those who bless you” (Ge 12:3). The Lord would prosper the many who would speak well of Abram.
“Whoever curses you I will curse” (Ge 12:3). Anyone who dared to insult Abram would be the same as doing that to the Lord.
“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Ge 12:3). This was hardly last or least. None of the others mattered without this one. All his assets would amount to nothing. The Lord puts Abram in the line of the Savior and the Serpent-Crusher whom God guaranteed in the Garden. This One would come from Abram. The Promised One would benefit every person in history—all people of all time. That is Jesus. Abram grabbed ahold of that in faith. In fact that famous Descendant once declared: “Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad” (Jn 8:56). The apostle Paul put it this way: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Ro 4:3). Abram’s faith was not in himself, but in his Seed (Ga 3:16).
It is good for us to study our forefather, Abram. Because God deals with us the same—not with demands from us, but promises to us. He comes to us. Through the waters of baptism: “Your sins are washed away.” Through the words of the Bible: “Your sins are wiped away.” He does it all. He saves us in Jesus. It is not something that we earn. Paul made the comparison that our wages are an obligation from our boss, not a gift (Ro 4:4). Grace is unmerited kindness from God (Eph 2:8,9). We have forgiveness because God hands it to us freely. Faith receives it joyfully.
We listen with attention when God pronounces us “not guilty.” We are right with him.
We listen with attention when he reminds us that he doesn’t slumber or sleep. “The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Ps 121:8).
We listen with attention when Jesus is sitting by that well. He engages in conversation a woman—a sinner and a Samaritan. Jesus offers that unlikely candidate “living water” (Jn 4:10). Jesus quenches our thirsty souls and we become a “spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn 4:14). He can provide life on earth and in eternity because he is the Messiah, the Christ. We know him not as the One who was to come, but the One who has come.
Follow your father’s faith. Take God at his word. Trust him.
2. As you live with action (4-8)
So you mention something like “dinner’s ready,” and there is a nod from the other room or a grunt from the lazy boy. But you find that you are the only one at the table. They listened to the information. They just didn’t act on it. That is not what Abram did. Follow your father’s faith as you live with action.
God told him to get going and he got going. Immediately—no complaints, no questions. His obedience is outstanding. “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him” (Ge 12:4). Whether or not it was logical or rational was not an issue. God directed; Abram departed—gladly, willingly. That is faith (He 11:8). It goes forward. It doesn’t sit still. Luther once remarked: “Faith is a lively and powerful thing; it is not merely a drowsy and idle thought; nor does it float somewhere upon the heart as a duck on the water.” That is really worship. With faith in a faithful God, he took steps forward (Ja 2:17). And there were many steps on his way to Canaan.
Follow your father’s faith. Often we define worship as what we do once a week or twice a week (now that Lenten midweek services have begun). We take a bulletin in one hand and a hymnal in another. We sing. We sit. We stand. But that is too narrow. The devil convinces us that even God has to be satisfied with that. But worship is all our moments and with all our might. The apostle Paul puts it this way: “Therefore in view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Ro 12:1).
Nothing is mentioned about the long journey. Just “they arrived there” (Ge 12:5). Abram apparently was not like a little toddler in the booster seat in the backseat: “Are we there yet? Now? How about now?” And then there is a bit of a travelogue—the great tree of Moreh at Shechem, Bethel, Ai. (Those would mean something to the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land under Joshua in the future.) And that is the way it was going to be for Abram the next 100 years—life as a nomad, putting down tent stakes and pulling them up again. This was the land that one day would belong to those after him. The Lord stated as much: “To your offspring I will give this land” (Ge 12:7).
How did Abram respond? “He built an altar there to the LORD” (Ge 12:7). The same thing happened a bit later. But there was also something significant. Where Abram went so did his faith: “He … called on the name of the LORD” (Ge 12:8). That is important because there was that observation: “At that time the Canaanites were in the land” (Ge 12:6). They did not worship the same God, the true God. They were idolaters. And Abram was announcing publically: “I don’t care whom you will worship, but I am going to worship the only God, the LORD, who is kind and compassionate, giving and forgiving.”
It is no different with us. We come together and gather together to worship the Lord. It is here that God reaches down to us because we could not reach up to him. We preach and proclaim the only Savior from our sin—Jesus, the One on whom every sin is placed and punished. It is here that we reflect on God’s grace and goodness in Jesus. Follow your father’s faith as you live with action—in life and in church.
I googled it—father and son businesses. They are still some around. The first one grabbed my attention. It was named “Mosquito Joes.” It started in a city in Texas close to where I lived for a number of years. I had to smile. Their homepage had this clever comment and play on words: “Mosquitoes suck, but we are confident that you won’t feel that way about our mosquito control services.” My mom doesn’t let me say that word. (I don’t mean “mosquito.”) I don’t know if all of the dad’s kids are concerned with pest control. But we follow in our father Abram’s footsteps of faith—as you listen with attention and as you live with action. God tells us of Jesus and we turn to him. Our lives now reflect our love for God. Abram’s footsteps are not so immense that our feet don’t fit. Where he went, we go. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you (Ro 16:20). Amen.
March 12, 2017
Sunday, March 5, 2017
First Sunday in Lent (Genesis 2:7-9,15-17;3:1-7,14,15)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
The snow on Wednesday threw me off a bit. I was getting excited about an early spring and my yearly garden.
I am just kidding. You knew that already. I have made my thoughts about gardening known in the past. In summary, I would rather take a nap than till the ground. When I woke up and saw the white stuff on the sidewalk, I was more concerned about my feet getting wet than any seeds getting sown.
One day in March is not a game changer for those who plan to spend some time with their fingers in the dirt and their spades in the soil. [Slide 3] It might not even be time to stick things in the earth so it is not even a setback.
One day did make a huge difference in Eden. It was life altering. After God gives life on the Sixth Day of creation, he guarantees life on the sad day of the fall. There is life in the Garden—seen in the LORD God’s immense goodness and seen in the LORD God’s intense grace. We read from …
Genesis 2:7-9,15-17;3:1-7,14,15
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, who overcame Satan and sin for us
There are certain expectations when it comes to gardens—that the seeds placed in their rows before summer will turn into flowers put on the table for decoration. If not, why all of the effort of bending over to ready the area and all of the energy of breaking your back to weed? There is excitement when a little shoot sticks out of the earth. There is life. That is the anticipation. It was that way in Eden.
There is Life in the Garden
1. Seen in the LORD God’s immense goodness (2:7-9,15-17)
2. Seen in the LORD God’s intense grace (3:1-7,14,15)
1. Seen in the LORD God’s immense goodness (2:7-9,15-17)
“That day changed my life.” That can be something positive. Think along the lines of an engagement for couples or an advancement at work. Those are big things, good things, in life. There is life in the Garden seen in the LORD God’s immense goodness.
You and I only know life on this side of Genesis 3. But God allows us a glimpse of how it was before that chapter. It is interesting and instructive that the name “LORD God” appears 7 times. The “LORD” underlines his mercy and “God” underscores his might. He has the desire and the ability to do good.
That is clear in the manner in which he fashioned man. “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground” (Ge 2:7). There is the picture of a potter going about his profession—his wheel is spinning and his fingers are shaping. [Slide 9] There is care and there is concern as he creates an elegant vase or an everyday vessel. The LORD God went about his labor the same with some dirt particles. But that is significant. While we are just dust (that helps us not consider ourselves too highly), we are still the crown of his creation. Special. And not only that, he “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Ge 2:7). Body and soul (Ge 1:26,27). The LORD God wanted to have a vertical relationship with man. That is still very much the case. He longs for this connection between him and us.
The LORD God was not done. He settled Adam in a magnificent home. “Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed” (Ge 2:8). This marvelous location was paradise—better than any sandy beach by the ocean or log cabin in the woods. God was intent on making Adam and Eve happy. There was shelter. But there was more. “The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food” (Ge 2:9). That locale offered enjoyment and food—foliage beautiful to look at and wonderful to eat from. He was not shortchanging them. Good enough was not good enough. Only the best and finest. The LORD God offers us things that are nice and necessary.
Add another blessing—work. “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Ge 2:15). They didn’t swing on hammocks or sit in lazy boys. That service was satisfying. That activity was appealing. It still can be. Unfortunately we often view it as a means to an end or interruption to the day. Think of the tone of our voice when we speak of “housework” or “homework.” But isn’t always annoying and aggravating. (That comes as a result of the next chapter.)
There was also an opportunity for worship. Of the two trees in the middle, we have little info on the Tree of Life. There is a passing reference and not much more. But the LORD God highlights the other. “And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die’” (Ge 2:17). Again as we straddle Genesis 2 and 3, we might have some questions, even critiques. But Adam and Eve initially did not see this as a bother or a burden. It was a blessing and a benefit. There were all those others for breakfast, lunch, or supper. Just this one. Only one. It limps. But maybe we can compare it to a pizza buffet. Different kinds—meat, vegetable, dessert—under the bright warming lights. The owner asks that you not grab the one that he made for his wife’s birthday. Do we scream or shout like a child (or adult): “Unfair. Unreasonable.” No. So it was. Adam and Eve could choose to obey God—not because they had to, but because they wanted to. A husband buys a rose for his wife because it brings joy, not because it is mandatory like a grade-schooler handing out valentines to everyone in the class. If obedience is forced, it is not free. God could have made them like a computer to control with buttons. But he didn’t. They could respond with gladness. And that is what our worship is—in this structure or with our recreation or with our employment, whatever we do, we do it for the glory of God (1 Co 10:31).
There is life on either side of Eden. We are just on this end. We don’t know life where all is right and well. We understand consequences and after-effects. But as we gaze at life in the Garden, we get the LORD God’s immense goodness. But that doesn’t mean that imply that it is less at the present.
There is pain in our bodies, but they are still “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14).
There are problems with our buildings, but a roof over our heads is a gift from God.
There are difficulties during our job, but not always. It is not a punishment for us, but a purpose for us (Ecc 9:10).
There is distance between us and God, but that is what Lent is about—God repairing what is wrecked. As the psalmist had us sing: “If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared” (Ps 130:3). We revere and respect the LORD God. There is awe and admiration.
There is life in the Garden. We can appreciate it with Adam and Eve, but we can also acknowledge it for us. We see the LORD God’s immense goodness to them and to us.
2. Seen in the LORD God’s intense grace (3:1-7,14,15)
“That day changed my life.” That can be something negative. There are days that live in infamy—historically and personally, an enemy attack or a heart attack. But in the midst of something bad, there is something great. There is life in the garden seen in the LORD God’s intense grace.
A turn in a chapter marks a turn for the worse. It is the worst imaginable. Satan couldn’t stand it with God. So he rebelled against God and God removed him from his presence. And since the devil could not get at God, he went after his highest creatures with the mindset of a wicked kidnapper who takes innocent hostages. It is tragic and terrible.
There it is. A snake (Ge 3:1). Our attention is drawn to it. But more than a serpent. One that talks and one that tempts. This is no ordinary animal. It is Satan (Re 12:9; 20:2). He slithers in to strike and hisses to harm. He is going to drive a wedge between God and his children. We squirm to listen, but we study to learn.
It wasn’t as innocent as it appears. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Ge 3:1). (We have been accustomed to “LORD God.” That is missing here.) It is not as simple as a student who asks another: “Did the teacher say that the homework is due tomorrow?” That is for information. This is not. It is to cast doubt and create disapproval. “Eve, are you sure? Are you certain that you have that right?” He calls word into question—wondering out loud if it was fair and fitting—as if he is interested in Eve’s wellbeing and welfare. Note that he doesn’t hand her his business card: “Hi. I am Satan. I am your tour guide to hell.” No. So subtle and so shrewd. So much more than we envision.
We can still hear him mock as he mentions: “Did God really say … this about marriage or that about money?” The devil does not care about us when he claims, “God wants you to be happy. I will help you with that.” He wants us to waver when it comes to God’s Word. “Is God truthful?” But we have it in black and white to look at and learn from—right and wrong. We can inquire: “Is this something that God prevents or that pleases God?”
And that is where Eve started. “God did say” (Ge 3:3). She was correct. “Hand off that one. That one. God doesn’t want us to die (Ge 3:2)” But the conversation became costly.
That is when Satan snapped back. He is emphatic: “You will not surely die” (Ge 3:4). “Liar. God is a liar.” Imagine that—the “father of lies” calling the Father of love a fraud and a fake. The devil lives up to his name—“slanderer,” one who gives another a bad reputation. “Can God be trusted? Really?” “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Ge 3:5). “God is stingy and selfish, jealous and envious, holding back on you, not wanting you to be equal to him.” (We noticed that there was no indication of that whatsoever in the Garden.)
It continues to this day. The falsehood is still there: “God and his will are not good. He is keeping something from you like a miser with a closed fist, refusing to hand out any money.” And we buy into it.
Eve did. Satan’s poison proved deadly. Eve was deceived (2 Co 11:3). She chose to believe the lie of the devil—that God is not loving. And so she saw the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil differently—“that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom” (Ge 3:6). Not what God intended at all. And she ate. And there Adam stood in awful and absolute silence. Not one word. Not one thing. He joined his wife in her unbelief—chomping and chewing, his mouth full of the forbidden fruit in defiance and disobedience.
Satan was half right. “Then the eyes of both of them were opened” (Ge 3:7). But it turned out to be too good to be true like the pots and pans of a late-night infomercial. They didn’t die on the spot. But there was no longer a bond with God. That is being alive. It was broken. That is being dead. And as the apostle Paul also explained. Sin brought with it its ugly companion of death (Ro 5:12). Death reigns and rules (Ro 5:17). One day they would die (Ge 5:5). Those two now knew from experience that good was gone and evil was evident. It showed in their hastily stitched fig leaf clothes. There was shame where before there was none (cf. Ge 2:25).
The LORD God did not squash them. He saved them out of intense grace. That is who he is and what he does. As they cowered, God came. He cursed the snake which the devil had commandeered for his dirty deed (Ge 3:14). The sliding along the ground would lead to dining on dust and call to mind Satan’s ultimate loss.
And that is exactly what the LORD God promised—the devil’s downfall and the Savior success. It wouldn’t be Eve. It wouldn’t be Adam. “I will” (Ge 3:15). “I will do it.”
“I will put enmity between you and the woman” (Ge 3:15). There was a sick friendship between Eve and the devil. That would not continue. There would be hatred and hostility. The way it should be.
“I will put enmity … between your offspring and hers” (Ge 3:15). That would carry over to those who follow Satan with a lack of faith and those who follow Eve with a heart of faith.
“He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Ge 3:15). But there would be one. The One. A Serpent-crusher. A snake’s head has no chance at the bottom and back end of a cowboy boot—the skull squashed and body still. But there was the Heel-biter. Satan would attack. We saw that in the wilderness. For 40 days and 40 nights the devil tried to rob the world of its Redeemer (Mt 4:1-11). But Jesus never sinned. Not once (He 4:15). He lived perfectly in our place. He willingly credits it to our account.
But the final assault came at the cross. The battle cost Jesus his life. But that is where Jesus beat Satan. So Jesus could cry: “It is finished” (Jn 19:30). [Slide 29] The devil is destroyed (1 Jn 3:8). Death is defeated. That was Jesus’ job. That was Jesus’ joy (He 12:2). The empty grave makes that plain. That is really the goal of Lent. Not Good Friday. But Easter Sunday. That is where we want to end up. Jesus died. But Jesus lives. We die. We live.
There is life in the Garden seen in the LORD God’s intense grace for Adam and Eve. And for us.
With March here we have the reality of a lion and a lamb. There could be snow or sleet still around the corner. There also could be heat and even humidity. (60s today?!) That doesn’t grow my need to garden. We would assume that there is life in a garden. There is in Eden. There is life seen in the LORD God’s immense goodness. That is the way he deals with us in life. There is the LORD God’s intense grace. He did what we could not out of love for us. He sent Jesus to conquer the devil. He did. It is true. Amen.
The God of peace be with you all (Ro 15:33). Amen.
March 5, 2017
Friday, March 3, 2017
Lent Midweek - Ash Wednesday (Matthew 27:1-5)
In the name of God who wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Pe 3:9)—never turning away from him in fear, but always turning to him in faith. Amen.
I don’t know if my younger brother has ever gone back there. It was a long time ago—when we were little kids. On the way home from a regular weekend visit to grandma and grandpa’s house, the family of six would pile out of the brown station wagon sometime during the drive back for some fine dining. It was actually a treat. After we shouted out our suggestions for supper, dad would stop at one so that we could grab a quick bite to eat and then get on with the trip.
One evening, a certain establishment won out. (I won’t give any clues lest I take away any business. They might not even have the meats anymore.) I will spare you the details. But there was a car. And there was a sickness. You can guess at the sounds and smells. Needless to say, we didn’t unwrap a sandwich from there again. (There may have still been those styrofoam containers yet.) I doubt that he appreciates that place now. He probably still avoids it.
Even the mention of the name would bring a loud protest from him (not that an older brother would remind him of his unfortunate illness). He blames the establishment, not his stomach. That might be the case with another name. Not of a fast-food diner, but a onetime disciple.
It was a nice one—Judas. It is the same as Judah which means “praise.” This Judas Iscariot, a man from Kerioth, had the honor of being one of the 12 men whom Jesus selected to be his disciples, later apostles (Mt 10:4). He sent them out on occasion to preach and teach about the kingdom of heaven, even giving them the ability to cure sicknesses and cast out demons (Mt 10:8).
But now it is a notorious one—Judas. We usually add the descriptive phrase, “who betrayed him,” or the familiar designation, “the betrayer.”
What happened? How did Judas go from being handed much from Jesus to handing over Jesus? Turning from a friend listening to Jesus, turning into a foe leading an armed band after Jesus (Mt 26:47)?
It was Satan working slowly in his heart, leading him farther and farther away from Jesus. That is always his goal, not leaning on him more and more. If there is a crack, that snake will stick his head in and slither all the way in. For Judas it was greed. Perhaps the apostle Paul had Judas in mind when he wrote: “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Ti 6:9,10). It definitely played out in Judas’ life. He might even be the poster boy for that.
Perhaps it started innocently enough. Judas must have demonstrated some responsibility at one time. He had the important position of being the treasurer for the group (Jn 12:6). But he became a thief. The coins would often get stuck on his fingers and not make it into the bag. With many supporting Jesus with their wealth, he had the opportunity to line his tunic with a few extra shekels.
Then came the chance to make some fast dough. He struck up a quick friendship with Jesus’ enemies. They were willing to cough up some cold cash for a kiss. He began to watch for a convenient moment to plant that peck on Jesus’ cheek (Mt 26:16). It happened late that Thursday night in Gethsemane. Jesus had finished praying when the mob found him. Really Jesus did the locating. After Judas pressed his lips to the side of Jesus’ face, the guards put ropes around his wrists. Judas had earned his money, the price of a common slave. He was not necessarily lining his retirement account, but it was added income. Jesus then stood trial before the high priest and the Sanhedrin throughout the night. They came to the foregone conclusion: “He is worthy of death” (Mt 27:66). And then went on to mistreat and mock him.
In order to add some formal legality to the illegal investigation (It was against the law to have a hearing at night.), they met again as the sun came up. “Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death” (Mt 27:1). They were just formally confirming their course of action with the “guilty” verdict. Off to Pilate they went (Mt 27:2). Only he could inflict capital punishment. He was the Roman procurator who would hopefully rubberstamp their plan for execution and remove Jesus from their lives for good.
That is when the silver no longer shined so brightly. “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse” (Mt 27:3). We would do well to check our hearts rather than just chide Judas. All that glitters is not gold. The devil deceives. He makes sin against God seem appealing and then it becomes addicting. We can chase more and more money only to cheat our very souls. The amount is never enough (Ecc 5:10). It leads only to a dead end. How differently sin looks before and how it appears after. Ask Judas.
That is what he found out. Too quickly. There was deep regret on his part for his role in betraying Jesus. What did Judas expect that Jesus would do to his enemies—a display of might? What did Judas suspect Jesus’ enemies would do to him—a demonstration of mercy? None of that matters. He was sorry. He was sad. But that is not real repentance. There was godly grief (2 Co 7:10). He just wanted to undo what was done. Tormented and troubled, he “returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders” (Mt 27:3). But there was no release for Jesus or Judas. It did not eliminate the wrong. Nor could it purchase any peace. The money back did not guarantee a quiet conscience like when you go to the customer service desk and they reimburse you.
On the surface, there seems to be a confession: “I have sinned … for I have betrayed innocent blood” (Mt 27:4). That is just a statement of fact, not genuine sorrow over sin. A shoplifter can contend: “Yes. I stole something that was not mine. And I got caught.” There may or may not be any accompanying grief for the consequences. For Judas there was. But he didn’t look to and count on Jesus.
He actually went to the right place—the religious leaders of the day, his pastors. But note their response: “What is that to us? … That’s your responsibility” (Mt 27:4). They got what they wanted from Judas so they turned a deaf ear. That is what is behind their icy indifference to the one whom they had used for their awful purposes. Perhaps with a shrug of the shoulders: “That is on you, not on us.” That in itself is shocking. Imagine that we confess our sins (as we did this evening). And leave it at that. There is no “you are forgiven.” That would fill us with despair as the law hammers hard.
It did Judas. His guilt was too great. He found no rest. “So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself” (Mt 27:5). That is because he turned away from Jesus, not to Jesus. There was a recognition of his sin, but not a reliance on his Savior. It cost him dearly that he doubted that Jesus could possibly love him now.
But we don’t want to fall like Judas (1 Co 10:12). We acknowledge that we have sinned against the Lord (Ps 51:4). Like Judas, it could be that greed has gotten a tight grip on us. Or betraying him by keeping silent.
But in his mercy, God gets rid of it and everything else impure and improper. Jesus’ blood washes it away. We dare not miss that. Jesus willing let his hands be tied and his case tried before Pilate (Mt 27:2). He ultimately gave in and gave the order to send Jesus to Golgotha where he was crucified. But there on the cross was where the guiltless One paid for the guilty ones—you and me. We confess: “I have sinned.” And God comforts: “You are forgiven. In Jesus Christ. Fully. Freely.” We don’t have to take hold of a rope in terror when we can hang on to our Redeemer in trust.
I haven’t asked my youngest sibling about where he eats if or when he goes out. He has invited me or offered to pay. (That is the critical component.) He may still shy away and stay away from that particular place of yesteryear. That is fine when it comes to one’s supper. But not one’s sin. We don’t want to be like Judas. Never turn away from Jesus; always turn to Jesus. Not to yourself. But to your Savior.
We read from Matthew 25:1-5:
1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death.
2 They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen (Re 1:6).
March 1, 2017
I don’t know if my younger brother has ever gone back there. It was a long time ago—when we were little kids. On the way home from a regular weekend visit to grandma and grandpa’s house, the family of six would pile out of the brown station wagon sometime during the drive back for some fine dining. It was actually a treat. After we shouted out our suggestions for supper, dad would stop at one so that we could grab a quick bite to eat and then get on with the trip.
One evening, a certain establishment won out. (I won’t give any clues lest I take away any business. They might not even have the meats anymore.) I will spare you the details. But there was a car. And there was a sickness. You can guess at the sounds and smells. Needless to say, we didn’t unwrap a sandwich from there again. (There may have still been those styrofoam containers yet.) I doubt that he appreciates that place now. He probably still avoids it.
Even the mention of the name would bring a loud protest from him (not that an older brother would remind him of his unfortunate illness). He blames the establishment, not his stomach. That might be the case with another name. Not of a fast-food diner, but a onetime disciple.
It was a nice one—Judas. It is the same as Judah which means “praise.” This Judas Iscariot, a man from Kerioth, had the honor of being one of the 12 men whom Jesus selected to be his disciples, later apostles (Mt 10:4). He sent them out on occasion to preach and teach about the kingdom of heaven, even giving them the ability to cure sicknesses and cast out demons (Mt 10:8).
But now it is a notorious one—Judas. We usually add the descriptive phrase, “who betrayed him,” or the familiar designation, “the betrayer.”
What happened? How did Judas go from being handed much from Jesus to handing over Jesus? Turning from a friend listening to Jesus, turning into a foe leading an armed band after Jesus (Mt 26:47)?
It was Satan working slowly in his heart, leading him farther and farther away from Jesus. That is always his goal, not leaning on him more and more. If there is a crack, that snake will stick his head in and slither all the way in. For Judas it was greed. Perhaps the apostle Paul had Judas in mind when he wrote: “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Ti 6:9,10). It definitely played out in Judas’ life. He might even be the poster boy for that.
Perhaps it started innocently enough. Judas must have demonstrated some responsibility at one time. He had the important position of being the treasurer for the group (Jn 12:6). But he became a thief. The coins would often get stuck on his fingers and not make it into the bag. With many supporting Jesus with their wealth, he had the opportunity to line his tunic with a few extra shekels.
Then came the chance to make some fast dough. He struck up a quick friendship with Jesus’ enemies. They were willing to cough up some cold cash for a kiss. He began to watch for a convenient moment to plant that peck on Jesus’ cheek (Mt 26:16). It happened late that Thursday night in Gethsemane. Jesus had finished praying when the mob found him. Really Jesus did the locating. After Judas pressed his lips to the side of Jesus’ face, the guards put ropes around his wrists. Judas had earned his money, the price of a common slave. He was not necessarily lining his retirement account, but it was added income. Jesus then stood trial before the high priest and the Sanhedrin throughout the night. They came to the foregone conclusion: “He is worthy of death” (Mt 27:66). And then went on to mistreat and mock him.
In order to add some formal legality to the illegal investigation (It was against the law to have a hearing at night.), they met again as the sun came up. “Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death” (Mt 27:1). They were just formally confirming their course of action with the “guilty” verdict. Off to Pilate they went (Mt 27:2). Only he could inflict capital punishment. He was the Roman procurator who would hopefully rubberstamp their plan for execution and remove Jesus from their lives for good.
That is when the silver no longer shined so brightly. “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse” (Mt 27:3). We would do well to check our hearts rather than just chide Judas. All that glitters is not gold. The devil deceives. He makes sin against God seem appealing and then it becomes addicting. We can chase more and more money only to cheat our very souls. The amount is never enough (Ecc 5:10). It leads only to a dead end. How differently sin looks before and how it appears after. Ask Judas.
That is what he found out. Too quickly. There was deep regret on his part for his role in betraying Jesus. What did Judas expect that Jesus would do to his enemies—a display of might? What did Judas suspect Jesus’ enemies would do to him—a demonstration of mercy? None of that matters. He was sorry. He was sad. But that is not real repentance. There was godly grief (2 Co 7:10). He just wanted to undo what was done. Tormented and troubled, he “returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders” (Mt 27:3). But there was no release for Jesus or Judas. It did not eliminate the wrong. Nor could it purchase any peace. The money back did not guarantee a quiet conscience like when you go to the customer service desk and they reimburse you.
On the surface, there seems to be a confession: “I have sinned … for I have betrayed innocent blood” (Mt 27:4). That is just a statement of fact, not genuine sorrow over sin. A shoplifter can contend: “Yes. I stole something that was not mine. And I got caught.” There may or may not be any accompanying grief for the consequences. For Judas there was. But he didn’t look to and count on Jesus.
He actually went to the right place—the religious leaders of the day, his pastors. But note their response: “What is that to us? … That’s your responsibility” (Mt 27:4). They got what they wanted from Judas so they turned a deaf ear. That is what is behind their icy indifference to the one whom they had used for their awful purposes. Perhaps with a shrug of the shoulders: “That is on you, not on us.” That in itself is shocking. Imagine that we confess our sins (as we did this evening). And leave it at that. There is no “you are forgiven.” That would fill us with despair as the law hammers hard.
It did Judas. His guilt was too great. He found no rest. “So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself” (Mt 27:5). That is because he turned away from Jesus, not to Jesus. There was a recognition of his sin, but not a reliance on his Savior. It cost him dearly that he doubted that Jesus could possibly love him now.
But we don’t want to fall like Judas (1 Co 10:12). We acknowledge that we have sinned against the Lord (Ps 51:4). Like Judas, it could be that greed has gotten a tight grip on us. Or betraying him by keeping silent.
But in his mercy, God gets rid of it and everything else impure and improper. Jesus’ blood washes it away. We dare not miss that. Jesus willing let his hands be tied and his case tried before Pilate (Mt 27:2). He ultimately gave in and gave the order to send Jesus to Golgotha where he was crucified. But there on the cross was where the guiltless One paid for the guilty ones—you and me. We confess: “I have sinned.” And God comforts: “You are forgiven. In Jesus Christ. Fully. Freely.” We don’t have to take hold of a rope in terror when we can hang on to our Redeemer in trust.
I haven’t asked my youngest sibling about where he eats if or when he goes out. He has invited me or offered to pay. (That is the critical component.) He may still shy away and stay away from that particular place of yesteryear. That is fine when it comes to one’s supper. But not one’s sin. We don’t want to be like Judas. Never turn away from Jesus; always turn to Jesus. Not to yourself. But to your Savior.
We read from Matthew 25:1-5:
1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death.
2 They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen (Re 1:6).
March 1, 2017
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Last Sunday after the Epiphany--Transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16-21)
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Pe 1:2). Amen.
We are here. Finally. It just took us a bit longer this year. Today is the last Sunday after the Epiphany which was on January 6th. (Doesn’t that seem like a long time ago? We have had winter, spring, and back to winter in that stretch.)
I need to give a bit of explanation. We don’t celebrate Easter on a fixed date like Christmas. It is a moveable holiday. (I won’t bother you with the complicated formula. Then again, it really isn’t that complex. I just don’t know it offhand. That is for others to calculate.) For that reason, the Epiphany season varies in length—4 to 8 Sundays. We went all the way to the 7-week mark.
But we end up at the same place every year on the church calendar. The Transfiguration. It is good for us to be here as we go from the manger of Christmas and head to the cross during Lent. Because of his death on that Roman instrument of torture, we are sure that Jesus is our Savior. Transfiguration helps us with that too—the Son of man shines forth as the Son of God. Be confident before the cross with the witness of the apostle Peter and with the words of the ancient prophets. We read from …
2 Peter 1:16-21
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, whose glory we gaze at today,
We need to be clear. The preposition “before” can refer to at least two things:
“Before” as in time. Epiphany comes before, or ahead of, Lent.
“Before” as in place. During Lent, we come before, in front of, the cross.
So what is it when we say, “be confident before the cross.” In time? Or in place? Yes. Really it is both. We have a number of weeks before Good Friday and when we stand before the cross on Calvary. That makes us certain.
Be Confident before the Cross
1. With the witness of the apostle Peter (16-18)
2. With the words of the ancient prophets (19-21)
1. With the witness of the apostle Peter (16-18)
The idea of a witness usually takes us to a courtroom where that individual sits in a stand. (We will live with the irony.) A witness has firsthand knowledge of a situation and is to give first-rate testimony to the truth. “What did you see?” And then he says. “What did you hear?” And then he states. After all, he was there. That is what we have in Peter. Be confident before the cross with the witness of the apostle Peter.
The significant event that day was etched deep in his memory like a special memory of yours, maybe the first time you peddled your bike without training wheels or you held your grandchild. Those things stand out and stick out in our minds. Peter never forgot that day. It wasn’t at the scene of an accident or of a crime, but the sight of glory and brilliance. Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain in the north of Galilee. It is not important where it is, but what it means. Those three would be enough to establish the facts of what happened (Dt 19:15).
It was there that Jesus was transfigured before them (Mt 17:1-9). They saw the divine splendor that Jesus had and has as God. It must have been quite a sight. Matthew described it like this: “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Mt 17:2). That is not something that you forget. A sunrise or sunset might be magnificent, but it soon slips from your mind. But not this.
And Peter was not afraid to repeat it. “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pe 1:16). Some might deny that Jesus appeared once and will arrive again—not as a baby, but as a judge, but Peter declared it. This was not what he concocted or created. It was no tall tale like Paul Bunyan chasing Babe, his blue ox, around Minnesota. They supposedly left their footprints all around. And when the rain fell, the water formed 10,000 lakes (actually 11,842). What Peter and his two buddies viewed was not something to tell around campfires or at bedtimes like a cute legend, but to build up faith and trust as an absolute reality. This was not fiction; it was fact. Peter makes that clear: “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Pe 1:16).
But there is more. Peter was also an “earwitness” of the honor and glory given to Jesus. He heard the voice of “the Majestic Glory”—the Excellent and Exalted One, the heavenly Father (2 Pe 1:17). He recalls the exact words: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (2 Pe 1:17; Mt 17:5). It is as if the Father points to his Son, “This One here, I am delighted with all that he has done up to this point, preaching and teaching faithfully, living and serving perfectly, and all that he will do in the future, suffering and dying innocently, rising and returning triumphantly. He is near and dear to me.” The Father echoes the approval that he pronounced at Jesus’ baptism. That was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. This comes at the end as he heads into the homestretch to do battle with Satan and beat sin. All of that “on the sacred mountain” was too great for Peter to ignore (2 Pe 1:18). And so he informs.
And so we stop this Sunday on this hilltop to get a glimpse of Jesus’ glory. He is about to go down from this remote peak and go up to the holy city. He winds to Jerusalem resolutely (Lk 9:51). He knows precisely what awaits him there. He has told his disciples of it. We would do well to take to heart what the Father also commanded: “Listen to him!” (Mt 17:5). They are not to be caught off guard.
And neither are we. Remember that as we read through and review the Passion history on Wednesday afternoons or evenings in worship. Soon we will listen to the shouting in mockery from his enemies and the pounding of nails by the Romans. This is God’s plan. There is glory in it too. This is the manner in which Jesus defeated the devil and destroyed death. All for us. All so that the Father could call us his own, the ones he loves, the ones with whom he is pleased. Jesus will hang on a cross for us. But he will also exit from the grave for us.
Hold on to this incident in the days and weeks ahead. Be confident before the cross with the witness of the apostle Peter. He was there when Jesus’ glory was conveyed and God’s voice was communicated.
2. With the words of the ancient prophets (19-21)
The judge and jury take note of what a witness relates, but a stenographer writes it down using a fancy machine with only a few odd buttons. The statements become a matter of court record. Anyone can go back to it and check through it. That is what we have with the prophets. When the inquiry or attack is there, “Did God really say?” (Ge 3:3), we can search continually and stand boldly. Be confident before the cross with the words of the ancient prophets.
As dependable as Peter is, and he is, we have the added benefit and bonus of the Old Testament—“the word of the prophets” (2 Pe 1:19). Consider the two prophets who were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Moses. He was there on Mt. Sinai, when the glory of the LORD settled on it (Ex 24:17). (Whenever that appears it indicates Gods’ incredible desire and intense determination to save.) But Moses also wrote about the Prophet who would come, like him, from among their brothers. He would have God’s words in his mouth (Dt 18:15,18). He pointed to Jesus Christ who would go from town to town and village to village pointing to himself as the fulfillment (Lk 4:21).
Elijah. It was during that showdown on Mt. Carmel with the false prophets of Baal that he called the people of Israel to recognize the true God. When the Lord answered with fire, burning up the sacrifice, they cried out: “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!” (1 Ki 18:39). He is the only God and Lord.
Those men and all the others are trustworthy just like a foundation of a carefully constructed building (Eph 2:20). Their prophecies are solid and sturdy as they mention the Messiah. Peter encourages us: “You will do well to pay attention to it” (2 Pe 1:19). And we do like with the prophet Isaiah:
At Christmas, the virgin gives birth to a baby, Immanuel, “God with us” (Is 7:14) And there he is in the stable in Bethlehem (Mt 1:23).
During Epiphany, kings stream into the church as they follow the light (Is 60:1-6). And there the wise men from the east bow down and open up their gifts (Mt 2:1-12.
Throughout Lent, we the servant of the Lord pierced and punished for our sins and iniquities (Is 53:5,6). And there Jesus is at Golgotha (Mt 27:33).
Peter makes an understandable illustration: “as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Pe 1:19). Satan, the prince of darkness, would have us believe the gloomy lies that come from him straight out of the blackness of hell—that we are good enough, without need of a Savior, or that we are bad enough, without hope of a Savior.
But we focus on the printed Word—“a lamp to [our] feet and a light for [our] path” (Ps 119:105). There in black and white God’s forgiveness in Jesus beams radiantly as at dawn the night fades quickly. Sin is gone and heaven is ours. Peter compares it to the morning star. When it becomes visible, it signals the start of a new day. Jesus has come once; he will come again. He broke the power of hell. We now eagerly anticipate the time when we will spot Jesus’ full glory on the Last Day when we will live with him forever.
How can we know? We have God’s Word, not man’s word. “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation” (2 Pe 1:20). No one ever sat down with the idea, “Today I am going to write a book of the Bible.” This is how it came about: “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pe 1:21). We call that inspiration—God-breathed (2 Ti 3:16), from first to last. Or as someone cleverly contended, the Bible is “in-spirited.” The Holy Spirit supplied the content, using their own style and circumstance. He is the Source of the material about Christ crucified. Be confident before the cross with the words of the ancient prophets who looked ahead to Jesus as we now look back to him through them.
Every year Epiphany concludes with Transfiguration Sunday even if it didn’t come right away this February. It is intentional and instructive as we study the episode on that mountain. We go over again that Jesus is true God and true man. We have the witness of the apostle Peter and the words of the ancient prophets to remove any doubt. With Ash Wednesday in three days, be confident before the cross in time when we get there and under the cross in place when we get there. “Praise the LORD” (Ps 148:1). Amen.
But 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).
February 26, 2017
We are here. Finally. It just took us a bit longer this year. Today is the last Sunday after the Epiphany which was on January 6th. (Doesn’t that seem like a long time ago? We have had winter, spring, and back to winter in that stretch.)
I need to give a bit of explanation. We don’t celebrate Easter on a fixed date like Christmas. It is a moveable holiday. (I won’t bother you with the complicated formula. Then again, it really isn’t that complex. I just don’t know it offhand. That is for others to calculate.) For that reason, the Epiphany season varies in length—4 to 8 Sundays. We went all the way to the 7-week mark.
But we end up at the same place every year on the church calendar. The Transfiguration. It is good for us to be here as we go from the manger of Christmas and head to the cross during Lent. Because of his death on that Roman instrument of torture, we are sure that Jesus is our Savior. Transfiguration helps us with that too—the Son of man shines forth as the Son of God. Be confident before the cross with the witness of the apostle Peter and with the words of the ancient prophets. We read from …
2 Peter 1:16-21
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, whose glory we gaze at today,
We need to be clear. The preposition “before” can refer to at least two things:
“Before” as in time. Epiphany comes before, or ahead of, Lent.
“Before” as in place. During Lent, we come before, in front of, the cross.
So what is it when we say, “be confident before the cross.” In time? Or in place? Yes. Really it is both. We have a number of weeks before Good Friday and when we stand before the cross on Calvary. That makes us certain.
Be Confident before the Cross
1. With the witness of the apostle Peter (16-18)
2. With the words of the ancient prophets (19-21)
1. With the witness of the apostle Peter (16-18)
The idea of a witness usually takes us to a courtroom where that individual sits in a stand. (We will live with the irony.) A witness has firsthand knowledge of a situation and is to give first-rate testimony to the truth. “What did you see?” And then he says. “What did you hear?” And then he states. After all, he was there. That is what we have in Peter. Be confident before the cross with the witness of the apostle Peter.
The significant event that day was etched deep in his memory like a special memory of yours, maybe the first time you peddled your bike without training wheels or you held your grandchild. Those things stand out and stick out in our minds. Peter never forgot that day. It wasn’t at the scene of an accident or of a crime, but the sight of glory and brilliance. Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain in the north of Galilee. It is not important where it is, but what it means. Those three would be enough to establish the facts of what happened (Dt 19:15).
It was there that Jesus was transfigured before them (Mt 17:1-9). They saw the divine splendor that Jesus had and has as God. It must have been quite a sight. Matthew described it like this: “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Mt 17:2). That is not something that you forget. A sunrise or sunset might be magnificent, but it soon slips from your mind. But not this.
And Peter was not afraid to repeat it. “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pe 1:16). Some might deny that Jesus appeared once and will arrive again—not as a baby, but as a judge, but Peter declared it. This was not what he concocted or created. It was no tall tale like Paul Bunyan chasing Babe, his blue ox, around Minnesota. They supposedly left their footprints all around. And when the rain fell, the water formed 10,000 lakes (actually 11,842). What Peter and his two buddies viewed was not something to tell around campfires or at bedtimes like a cute legend, but to build up faith and trust as an absolute reality. This was not fiction; it was fact. Peter makes that clear: “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Pe 1:16).
But there is more. Peter was also an “earwitness” of the honor and glory given to Jesus. He heard the voice of “the Majestic Glory”—the Excellent and Exalted One, the heavenly Father (2 Pe 1:17). He recalls the exact words: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (2 Pe 1:17; Mt 17:5). It is as if the Father points to his Son, “This One here, I am delighted with all that he has done up to this point, preaching and teaching faithfully, living and serving perfectly, and all that he will do in the future, suffering and dying innocently, rising and returning triumphantly. He is near and dear to me.” The Father echoes the approval that he pronounced at Jesus’ baptism. That was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. This comes at the end as he heads into the homestretch to do battle with Satan and beat sin. All of that “on the sacred mountain” was too great for Peter to ignore (2 Pe 1:18). And so he informs.
And so we stop this Sunday on this hilltop to get a glimpse of Jesus’ glory. He is about to go down from this remote peak and go up to the holy city. He winds to Jerusalem resolutely (Lk 9:51). He knows precisely what awaits him there. He has told his disciples of it. We would do well to take to heart what the Father also commanded: “Listen to him!” (Mt 17:5). They are not to be caught off guard.
And neither are we. Remember that as we read through and review the Passion history on Wednesday afternoons or evenings in worship. Soon we will listen to the shouting in mockery from his enemies and the pounding of nails by the Romans. This is God’s plan. There is glory in it too. This is the manner in which Jesus defeated the devil and destroyed death. All for us. All so that the Father could call us his own, the ones he loves, the ones with whom he is pleased. Jesus will hang on a cross for us. But he will also exit from the grave for us.
Hold on to this incident in the days and weeks ahead. Be confident before the cross with the witness of the apostle Peter. He was there when Jesus’ glory was conveyed and God’s voice was communicated.
2. With the words of the ancient prophets (19-21)
The judge and jury take note of what a witness relates, but a stenographer writes it down using a fancy machine with only a few odd buttons. The statements become a matter of court record. Anyone can go back to it and check through it. That is what we have with the prophets. When the inquiry or attack is there, “Did God really say?” (Ge 3:3), we can search continually and stand boldly. Be confident before the cross with the words of the ancient prophets.
As dependable as Peter is, and he is, we have the added benefit and bonus of the Old Testament—“the word of the prophets” (2 Pe 1:19). Consider the two prophets who were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Moses. He was there on Mt. Sinai, when the glory of the LORD settled on it (Ex 24:17). (Whenever that appears it indicates Gods’ incredible desire and intense determination to save.) But Moses also wrote about the Prophet who would come, like him, from among their brothers. He would have God’s words in his mouth (Dt 18:15,18). He pointed to Jesus Christ who would go from town to town and village to village pointing to himself as the fulfillment (Lk 4:21).
Elijah. It was during that showdown on Mt. Carmel with the false prophets of Baal that he called the people of Israel to recognize the true God. When the Lord answered with fire, burning up the sacrifice, they cried out: “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!” (1 Ki 18:39). He is the only God and Lord.
Those men and all the others are trustworthy just like a foundation of a carefully constructed building (Eph 2:20). Their prophecies are solid and sturdy as they mention the Messiah. Peter encourages us: “You will do well to pay attention to it” (2 Pe 1:19). And we do like with the prophet Isaiah:
At Christmas, the virgin gives birth to a baby, Immanuel, “God with us” (Is 7:14) And there he is in the stable in Bethlehem (Mt 1:23).
During Epiphany, kings stream into the church as they follow the light (Is 60:1-6). And there the wise men from the east bow down and open up their gifts (Mt 2:1-12.
Throughout Lent, we the servant of the Lord pierced and punished for our sins and iniquities (Is 53:5,6). And there Jesus is at Golgotha (Mt 27:33).
Peter makes an understandable illustration: “as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Pe 1:19). Satan, the prince of darkness, would have us believe the gloomy lies that come from him straight out of the blackness of hell—that we are good enough, without need of a Savior, or that we are bad enough, without hope of a Savior.
But we focus on the printed Word—“a lamp to [our] feet and a light for [our] path” (Ps 119:105). There in black and white God’s forgiveness in Jesus beams radiantly as at dawn the night fades quickly. Sin is gone and heaven is ours. Peter compares it to the morning star. When it becomes visible, it signals the start of a new day. Jesus has come once; he will come again. He broke the power of hell. We now eagerly anticipate the time when we will spot Jesus’ full glory on the Last Day when we will live with him forever.
How can we know? We have God’s Word, not man’s word. “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation” (2 Pe 1:20). No one ever sat down with the idea, “Today I am going to write a book of the Bible.” This is how it came about: “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pe 1:21). We call that inspiration—God-breathed (2 Ti 3:16), from first to last. Or as someone cleverly contended, the Bible is “in-spirited.” The Holy Spirit supplied the content, using their own style and circumstance. He is the Source of the material about Christ crucified. Be confident before the cross with the words of the ancient prophets who looked ahead to Jesus as we now look back to him through them.
Every year Epiphany concludes with Transfiguration Sunday even if it didn’t come right away this February. It is intentional and instructive as we study the episode on that mountain. We go over again that Jesus is true God and true man. We have the witness of the apostle Peter and the words of the ancient prophets to remove any doubt. With Ash Wednesday in three days, be confident before the cross in time when we get there and under the cross in place when we get there. “Praise the LORD” (Ps 148:1). Amen.
But 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).
February 26, 2017
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