The missionary could not afford a $5.00 book. A book that would equip him to reach souls steeped in spirit worship. A book that would allow an African nation to hear of God’s love. So, the American Sunday School sent their offerings to this missionary.
One little girl (in that Sunday School) did not have much money. She received $5.00 for a monthly allowance. She had nothing saved. But she wanted to help. She stared at the $7.00 in her purse. Five-dollars was more than half of her savings. Giving any amount would mean waiting to buy the luxuries of Barbie clothes, mismatched socks, and glittery nail polish. For a kid, she was ‘poor.’ On the one hand, she has nothing to give because she has little. On the other hand, she does have something she could give. What would you do? Would you give $5.00? …Fifty [dollars]? …Two hundred-fifty [dollars]? God hands you (and I) opportunities where we can determine what portion of our money can be used to support spreading his Word. Yet, the devil sours that view. He hits us again with his lies, and attacks a very sensitive spot. Even though 2 Corinthians 8 teaches us Christian giving, he screeches: You Have Nothing to Give! That’s what the devil wants you (and me) to think. You see, Americans typically steer away from three subjects: religion, politics, money. Do you know how much your sister makes each year? Have you ever asked? Probably not! Money is a personal matter. (Chances are, we do not want to open ourselves up to criticism over our money management.) Good or bad, money is not a subject we talk about much in society— and that’s fine. Yet, the devil takes it a step further. He wants you to think money should never be mentioned in church. Do you know what God says about money? Some estimate that the Bible contains 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 on faith, and over 2,000 on money and possessions (Howard Dayton, Jr. [http://www.compassebooks.org/sample/lesson/your-money-counts]) (After a quick search, it appears those numbers are close.) The point is, God does discuss the impact of money on the heart. If God spends so many words on the topic of money, should we not also discuss it? As Christians, we do not need to treat money as something ‘taboo.’ You realize, in our reading, God does not dissect your spending habits. God dissects his spending habit. Verse 9 says: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ… You do know that ‘grace.’ Jesus demonstrates a love neither deserved nor earned; he comes to change our status before God. You see, Jesus is held up— not wealth, not money, not possessions— just Jesus. Look at him. [T]hough he was rich… What are those riches? Immortality— life never ends. Angels serve his every need and obey his every command. Jesus dictates seasons and weather, planting and harvest. He hinders the work of world leaders; he allows laws passed. You see, Jesus’ ‘richness’ goes far beyond gold and jewels. Jesus possesses authority, respect, immortality— items money could never afford! [Y]et for your sakes he became poor… He leaves those treasures in heaven and is laid in a feeding trough meant for cattle. Religious leaders smear the Almighty with ‘Demon-possessed,’ ‘liar,’ ‘rule-breaker,’ ‘imposter.’ Roman governors accept a phony accusation against the Innocent One. A cross ends the life of the Immortal One. Jesus empties himself of the power he possess as God. He submits himself to death, with our greed being his death sentence. God is crushed for so that you through his poverty might become rich. How rich you are! Jesus has dressed you in the one thing money could never ever buy: his righteousness. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). You wear Jesus’ innocent life. You stand ‘right’ before God. What is more valuable than that? Yet, Jesus showers so much more on you! He hands you immortality (John 14:19). He writes your name into heaven’s citizenship roster (Revelation 3:5). His angels now guard and protect you (Psalm 91:11-12). He ensures all things work out to strengthen your faith and draw you closer to him! (Romans 8:28). You are rich. You have Jesus. And if you have Jesus, You have perspective. If money cannot get you into heaven, then how valuable is it? Not very. Only Jesus gives eternal life, which means, he is life’s real treasure. When you see Jesus as your most priceless treasure, money is no longer worshipped. Consider an ancient example. In verse 1, we learn about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches… These are Christian churches nestled on the coastline of Greece. They suffer. Jealous Jews are eradicating Christianity (Acts 17:1-15). The Roman Empire imposes heavy taxes. Famine might be ravaging the land at this time. So, these Christians lose property, possessions, and income. To make matters worse, you must buy food with what little money you do have. This severe trial of unending expenses presses them down to the point where they could never get ahead. It did not matter if they had little money or lots, these Christians still had joy. They had Jesus, who made them rich for heaven. These Macedonian Christians saw that God gave them ‘grace.’ Here, ‘grace’ means ‘a special privilege’ (or ‘opportunity’). Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. Even under great financial challenges, they gave as much as they were able… Do you notice what they gave? [A]s much as they were able… That means they set aside a portion of their income as an offering (for more on this, see 1 Corinthians 16:2). If they received little income, they marked a proportionate amount for God. If they received a raise, they wanted to reflect a portion of that raise in their offering. They even [gave] beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. These Christians saw an opportunity to help other. So, they evaluated what household income they needed at the moment. They may have put off small luxuries for a little while so they could help. Then they gave what they could. Their offerings may have appeared ‘small’ or ‘insignificant’ or ‘nothing much.’ Yet, in God’s eyes, their sincerity made these little gifts great and lavish items. [These Macedonian churches] did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. That’s what God’s undeserved love naturally does: it changes perspective! My friends, the money you (and I) have is not life’s real treasure. Instead, God gives us money so that we can use it to glorify him. The offering you give demonstrates that you love God more than stuff. That is why we gather offerings in the middle of our worship service. This is our act of thanking the One who gives to us! The devil want us to consider money as a personal possession, used on ourselves first and on God second. Yet, God points you (and me) back to verse 9. We willingly give back because Jesus willingly gave himself. What we do have is used as a tool to reach those inside and outside our congregation. What ‘grace,’ what a privilege God gives you (and me) to participate in this ministry! So, despite what the devil wants us to believe, We Do Have Something to Give. We have Jesus—who is worth more than anything else. And if we have Jesus, we have perspective on proper money management. And if we have a right perspective of money, then we have motivation. See how God motivates our giving. Verse 8 says: I am not commanding you… God does not carve out the Eleventh Commandment: “Thou shalt give (fill in dollar amount) for your offering.” Instead, God simply points to the heart. The joy inside of you motivates you to give joyfully and generously. And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. As a member of [Faith/ St. John] you have committed yourself to a ministry. Your congregation exists (1) To Build Your Faith on Christ, that is, to place your trust in Jesus’ work alone. Then, you (2) Build on Christ— strengthening your faith and leading others to Jesus. How do you accomplish this goal? You put together a yearly church budget. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means… (Just as you already are eager to share the Word, be just as eager to give towards this goal.) For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. Once again God does not squeeze you, “Give money!” No, God makes ‘willingness’ the motivation and ‘as you are able’ the goal. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.” The Corinthians had ‘plenty.’ They had extra savings. They had so much they could dine out and take nice trips. Now, they could use some of their ‘plenty’ to satisfy the spiritual needs of others. Our ‘plenty’—both as a congregation and as an individual— fills the spiritual needs of people. You support a fulltime Pastor who is always available to minister. Your offerings send out more invitations to Easter worship and fund online ads to church events. Your offerings support our Lutheran high schools, colleges, and seminaries. You are relieving a financial burden on students so that they can attend school, study without financial anxiety, and graduate and serve God’s people as Pastors and teachers. Your offerings share the Word in faraway lands. Bible materials are printed in many, many languages so that people Africa, China, Russia, Ukraine (and so many other places) can hear of Jesus! God gives you (and I) these words so that we can constantly evaluate what we have received. You may find yourself with ‘plenty. You have more than needed for retirement. You are able to dine out at McDonald’s several times a week. You make more than you spend. God may be opening the opportunity for you to give generously to satisfy the spiritual needs. God may not be opening the opportunity at the moment. So, you give as you are able. You set aside a portion of income because you want these gifts to satisfy the spiritual needs of others. No matter the amount, God sees a generous heart! God simply gives you an opportunity evaluate what you have, what you need, and what God allows you to give. The little girl gave little. She gave lots. She gave $5.00. That’s not much for adults. She gave $5.00, which was over half of her savings. She saw her money as a tool, not a treasure. God’s generosity motivated her to equip this missionary. After all, God loved her and she wanted others to know God loved them. The devil hates that. He wants you (and I) to defend our money. He lies and wants you to think God never speaks about money or that church should never discuss Christian giving. He knows if you believe the lie, then support for God’s work dwindles. It’s a devilish lie about ministry: You Have Nothing to Give. Ah!... but you do! And 2 Corinthians, chapter 8, highlights them. We have Jesus. We have perspective. We have motivation. We Do Have Something to Give! The devil is a liar (John 8:44). Remember that? He deliberately spews out untrue statements with the intention of leading you (and I) to believe something not true. He wants you to think and behave, act and react in ways contrary to God’s teaching. So, the devil lies in order to lead the whole world away from its heavenly Father (Revelation 12:9). That means the devil is dangerous. You cannot trust him. You cannot trust his temptations. His lies are meant to kill you.
You know that. You understand the devil does not want you in heaven. You have even identified the purpose of his lies. Yet, that does not mean he leaves you alone. He continues lying in order to lure you (and me) into an untrue belief. Why? So that he can use you to help him lead the whole world away from its heavenly Father (Revelation 12:9). For the next three Sundays we will explore three devilish lies about your ministry. We start with a lie that stirs up sadness and worry. A lie we see, but may struggle to answer. The devil points at your ministry and says, “You are losing.” It might appear that he is right. A recent [Pew Research] study surveyed the current landscape of Christianity in America. This study discovered that 51% of those born between 1925 and 1945 worship every week. Putting numbers to that, one out of every two people age 73 to 93[years-old] sit in a pew every Sunday. Of those born between 1980 and 1995 only 38% feel religion is important, and only 28% actually worship every Sunday. That means three out of every four people under age 35 find little reason to worship God. The study also revealed that the members of congregations are getting older and the number of young individuals in worship is decreasing (http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/). The makeup of your congregation reflects the accuracy of that study. Yet, not just your only; every American church struggles with this issue. The Methodist Church has lost 4.5-million members since 1964; roughly one out of every three raised Methodist have left. (https://www.christianpost.com/news/united-methodist-church-continues-to-decline-in-america-but-gains-in-africa-79384/) The Nazarene Church has increased membership in every nation except the United States; about 22,500 members have left over the past decade. (http://www.nazarene.org/sites/default/files/docs/GenSec/Statistics/2017AnnualStatistics.pdf) The Catholic Church still boasts high membership, but only one out of every four Catholics actually attend Mass each week. (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/11/06/the-number-of-u-s-catholics-has-grown-so-why-are-there-fewer-parishes/) Yes, one single church in your city might be adding members; however, no matter how you look at it, Christianity in America is shrinking. Yet, God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” God makes a strong point in the original Greek wording. He uses five negatives (something English does not do often) to stress that something is absolutely impossible for him to do. Quite literally God says: “I will never ever desert you [it is impossible to do so], nor will I ever forsake you [it is impossible to do that].” He cannot stress the point any more than that, can he? God promises that his Word will still exist in this world until the end of time (Matthew 24:35). God promises that his Word will still hit hearts and create faith (Isaiah 55:10-11). God promises that there will still be believers in the world when he returns (Matthew 24:22; Luke 18:8). God will never break his promise because it is impossible for God to lie (Numbers 23:19). Yet, the devil deliberately tells you a different story. He points you (and me) to those sobering statistics. He slides right up next to you, pans the scene, and says: “Look, there are fewer people in church, fewer first-time guests, and fewer young people worshipping. Society is growing more godless. Even your church is shrinking. You are losing.” The devil wants you (and) me to consider God a liar. You will see if that lie has penetrated your heart if you feel self-pity for your ministry. If we act as though Christianity will disappear in the world, we are calling God a liar. If we act as though God’s Word is not affecting hearts right now, we are calling God a liar. If we are afraid that no believers will remain at the end, we are calling God a liar! Do you realize that trusting the devil’s lie is actually calling the devil ‘trustworthy’ and God the ‘liar?’ (What a strange role reversal!) That is why God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” It is absolutely impossible for God to abandon Christians on earth. How do you know? Because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Look back 2,000 years. See Jesus die for a world that could not trust its Creator. See him thrown into the dust of death because even believers doubted God would keep his Word. See him forsaken, that is, separated from God; God ignores Jesus’ cry for help and justice. Jesus is forsaken because this is what our sin deserves. Look back 2,000 years and see Jesus pay your (and my) penalty for doubting our trustworthy God. See Jesus rise to declare that payment made in full. See him march into hell and tell the devil: “Devil, you have lost. You cannot accuse God’s people of deserving hell. I have removed their penalty.” See Jesus rise with good news: “I am going to prepare a place for you, and if I go, I will return to bring you with me” (John 14:2-3). It is absolutely impossible for God to forget about you. Your baptism brought Jesus’ payment into your life. In baptism God welcomed you into his family. Jesus’ resurrection ‘yesterday’ proves that death is conquered. Jesus’ resurrection ‘today’ means that you who trust in Jesus as Savior stand on the winning side. Jesus’ resurrection means that you will live with him ‘forever’ in heaven. Your world might have changed. The virtues of society might have changed. The makeup of your congregation might have changed, but its Savior has never changed. Jesus Christ Remains the Same. He will never forsake you. Since it is impossible for God to abandon you, it means He will always help you. So, we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” If your nation was completely to lose its faith tomorrow, what could they do to you, the Christian? They could imprison you. They could rip down your church. They could kill you. They cannot stop God from raising you to life. They cannot keep you out of heaven. They cannot drag you down from heaven. They cannot stop you praising God forever. “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” You stand on the right side of God Almighty. That means you can march forward with confidence, unafraid of whatever the future might hold. God has already revealed our future— eternal life— and nothing will prevent that eternal outcome! Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Travel back in time to when this church was built— with trucks hauling building material and dozers pushing dirt. Can you picture the people building it? See their faces? See their age? See their family and job life? Be sure, the devil worked on that group too. He told them, “There’s not enough people; it’s not worth building.” He said, “You don’t have enough money.” He warned, “You’re too rural; you don’t have a Pastor. Why bother?” He lied so that those then would stop their efforts and God’s Word would not be planted here. And if God’s Word were not planted here, then you would not hear it today. Yet, those hearts latched onto God’s promises. Those minds looked past what is seen and grasped the unseen promises of God. Before a shovel ever hit the dirt, what was their motivation to build? They built this place in order to hear what God has done for them. To hear in the Word the Risen Jesus say, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19). To receive in baptism God’s promise that sin has been washed away and faith in the Savior created (Titus 3:5-6). To receive in the Lord’s Supper the assurance of forgiveness. You see, this church is not built for personal preference. This church exists to hear again what God has done for your eternal good. The devil will always whisper: “American Christianity is shrinking. You are losing.” He lies for the purpose of leading you into this un-truth. He lies because if you believe this truth, then others might believe it too. My friends, evaluate the purpose of your ministry through God’s eyes. Nowhere does God consider your church successful based on numbers. Catch that? Nowhere does God say that your congregation is succeeding only if it reaches a certain number. God simply says, “Let the one who has my word speak it faithfully” (Jeremiah 23:28). As you are able, preach the Word. Let God determine the results. Simply be faithful. Sometimes God blesses faithfulness with numbers— more worship, more participate, membership increases, the building grows. That’s a blessing. It does not happen because you finally made God’s Word work. Sometimes being faithful means you are blessed not with numbers (I wrote that intentionally). Yes, if you do not see growth on the outside, growth occurs on the inside. The blessing is that you have learned God’s promises better. You did not cave into pressure by sacrificing teaching for the sake of numbers. Your Jesus helps you by strengthening your reliance on him. You see, the devil is a liar (John 8:44). He deliberately spews out untrue statements with the intention of leading you (and I) to believe something not true. He will point at numbers in the hopes of convincing you that your ministry is failing. He wants you to feel sad. He wants you to despair. He wants you to mope around because then you will feel no desire to share the message. God’s promises expose that lie for the deception it truly is. You are not losing. You never can because God will never forsake you. He always strengthens you spiritually with the Word. Then, he remains to always help you. Sometimes that help comes by putting you (and me) in our proper spot. It is not up to you to change hearts and make America more Christian. You don’t have the power to do that. God does. God simply gives you and me the job of sharing the Word. Set your eyes on God’s promises. Imprinting on your head and heart the purpose of your ministry: Jesus Christ Remains the Same! He will never forsake you. He will always help you. We’ll call her… ‘Hannah.’ ‘Hannah’ does not want to get married. To her, marriage means heart-wrenching hurt, and she does not want to experience that hurt again. You see, ‘Hannah’s’ mom and dad were married and had her. Sometime later, they divorced. Dad remarried and had three children with his new wife. Mom married a man with three children from a previous marriage. So, ‘Hannah’s’ family consists of three step-siblings [not related by blood], three half-siblings [related by blood], and she’s in the middle. Her step siblings live with her mom and have a father. Her half-siblings live with her dad and have a mother. She lives with grandma. Dad does not cherish her, mom ignores her. To ‘Hannah’ marriage hurts.
We can call him… ‘Henry.’ ‘Henry’ does not want to get married either. To him, marriage means bitter arguments, and he does not want a wife who only argues. You see, ‘Henry’s’ mom and dad were married for many years and had several children. Then, dad’s wandering eye latched onto a [non-blood-related] sister-in-law. Dad divorced mom; sister-in-law divorced husband, and they married each other. Now, ‘Henry’s’ dad loves him, but his new mom not so much. This leads to arguments between mom and dad. Mom and dad grow so frustrated with each other that they yell at their kids, ignore their physical needs, and do not tend to their emotional needs. To ‘Henry,’ marriage means arguing. ‘Hannah’ and ‘Henry’s’ experience echoes the all-too-common attitude of our society: Marriage is not good. Many associate marriage with hurt and heartache and division. So, marriage is put off in order to avoid pain. The hurt inflicted and the reaction to that hurt was never part of God’s plan. God makes that clear by leading us back to what he intends marriage to be. [S]ome Pharisees came and tested [Jesus] by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Really, the Pharisees have no intention of learning. This calculated question attempts to steer Jesus into a contradiction. Either Jesus (1) rejects God’s institution of lifelong marriage or (2) he disagrees with Moses, the God-approved and revered teacher of the Pharisees. Yet, Jesus is not about to share his opinion. Instead, he returns to the written Word: “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” That’s true; Moses did allow Old Testament Israelites to file for divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) and God did not stop him. Notice, though, God allowed divorce; he did not establish or command divorce. The opposite is true! God instituted (or: ‘set up’) marriage in Eden (Genesis 2:18-24). Later, God protected marriage at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:14). “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’” Just think about that. Man and woman are similar, but different. They look physically alike, but have different features. They both problem solve, but reach different solutions. They have emotions, but comfort in different ways. God makes men different emotionally, physically, and mentally. God makes women different emotionally, physically, and mentally. When you put them together, those differences become compatible. “‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one.” Husband and wife care for one another with a single-minded focus. Men receive emotional, physical, and mental blessings from a wife. Women receive emotional, physical, and mental blessings from a husband. What is important the wife becomes important to the husband. What is important to the husband becomes important to the wife. This companionship is a blessing. It gives the security and the commitment so many crave. God set up something good (Genesis 1:31). The Pharisees’ question is all wrong. The question is not: “Can you divorce?” Rather, “If God did not create divorce, then who did?” That question resounds to this very day. When you look at what God intends marriage to be, you quickly reach the conclusion that God did not create problems through marriage. Husband and wife transform each other’s weaknesses into strengths. Marriage is about how much you give. The reason ‘Hannah’ and ‘Henry’ have such a low view of marriage is because their parents demanded to receive. The number one reason marriages end in divorce is because at least one spouse is selfish. Jesus makes that clear: It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law.” Husbands were bringing home mistresses. They were blowing money at the bar. So, God allowed divorce in order to protect the innocent party. The husband had already terminated his marriage and God allowed the wife to find commitment in a new spouse. The problem is not God, the problem is us. If marriage feels unwanted, then the question must be: “As a husband, am I loving my wife as my own body?” (Ephesians 5:28) “As a wife, do I respect my husband like I want to be respected?” (Ephesians 5:22) “As a Christian, do I treasure the blessings God sets up through marriage?” (Hebrews 13:4) When our attention drift from God’s intention for marriage, then it is we who introduce hurt and heartache into our relationships. Our selfishness actually robs us of the joy God intends marriage to give and be. Marriage is ‘good’ because God made it good. It is our selfishness which separates what God joins together. The way to reverse this attitude is to let God’s Word reverse our hearts. The motivation to love selflessly comes only when we see how selflessly Christ loved us. When we ignored his Word, we separated ourselves from his loving arms. We wandered, chasing after the short-term pleasures of this world. Pleasures of commitment without marriage. Pleasures of domineering and belittling our spouse. Pleasures of transforming relationships only to benefit us. Those pleasures only fill us up with joy for the moment, but never give real happiness. God had every right to sign a certificate of divorce and send us away (read Isaiah 50). Instead, he sought us. Jesus gave his entire life on the cross, putting his needs below our wandering needs. Losing his life because he knew we needed life. He cared for us that he drinks God’s wrath. Raised from the dead, he raises us to be his bride, to live with him in his kingdom forever. Child-like faith grasps the selfless love of God. That is why Child-Like Faith is The Foundation of Marriage. It grasps God’s revealed blessings that he set up. Your faith takes God’s intentions for marriage to heart. You then take those intentions and apply them to your marriage—or to your views of marriage. Remember, what is inside of you will be seen through your words and actions. Faith promotes God’s revealed blessing. The way you treat marriage will reveal to others the blessings God gives through marriage. It starts with you. [Jesus] answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” Remember, Scripture gives two reasons for divorce: (1) marital unfaithfulness (Matthew 19:9) and (2) malicious desertion (1 Corinthians 7:15). The one who had an affair or leaves a spouse breaks the oneness of marriage. The innocent person did not end the marriage, the aggressor did. God protects the innocent by allowing them to find commitment with someone else. Those who break their marriage commit adultery. God’s judgment is reserved for those who toss aside his command, break their promises, and share their body with someone else. Christians who have fallen into this sin repent. (1) They admit their selfishness. (2) They receive God’s forgiveness. (3) They turn from past behavior. The divorced might reconcile with previous spouse. If they do get remarried, they do so knowing full well that God does not desire them to get divorced again. Their second marriage would seriously treat their union as the lifelong union God desires. Faith promotes God’s revealed blessings. Others see it and carry a Godly view of marriage. That is important today. Many live together before marriage, purchasing a home, sharing a bank account, and even raising a family. Do you wonder why that is? During the 1980s and 1990s the divorce rate stood high (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/divorce_rates_90_95_99-11.pdf). Nearly half of those who could marry today came from divorced households. That means, you have a generation who have experienced hurt, heartache, and arguments. Either (1) their parents were divorced and they do not want to bring that hurt on their children or (2) they do not to reintroduce that hurt into their own lives. Delaying marriage is meant to insulate and protect. We do not help when we close our mouths and say nothing. We might say: “Well, times have changed.” Times might have changed, but God’s Word has not. The blessings he showers in marriage then are the same blessings he gives today. Searching for those blessings outside of marriage will never bring lasting commitment. So, God uses you (and me) to share his blessings with others. People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” If others are to know, learn, and live marriage, then they “must be brought” to know and see what Godly marriage is. Some children do not treasure marriage because their parents did not treasure marriage. If we do not model God-pleasing marriage, then how can our children hope to live God-pleasing marriage? Regardless of your age, you can share with others the blessings you received in marriage. You can highlight how selfishness creeps in to destroy union. You can help others set their sights on the selfless giving. People need to hear God’s intentions of marriage. Not just that, people need Godly examples in our world today. Look, you (or your friend) might be apprehensive of marriage. Maybe your parents did not shine the best example. That should not have been. But, do not remain stuck under the shadow of the past. Living together does not bring more commitment. You can still leave at any time! It will still hurt you and hurt children! The way to prevent that hurt is to set your attentions on God-pleasing marriage. See the myriad of blessings God gives. Be different; set a new trend by turning to the Word. Families brought their children to Jesus. He took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. And Jesus blesses you too. You (and I) do not approach him physically. No, we approach Jesus in his Word. Set your heart and mind on the Word and see how he blesses you through marriage. He gives you security. He gives you companionship He gives you the satisfaction in trusting others. Many will see marriage as something ‘not good.’ Yet, you know the truth. Jesus reveals God’s good intentions for marriage. Change a broken view by viewing the Word. As explore God’s intentions, you see how Child-Like Faith is The Foundation of Marriage. Faith grasps God’s revealed blessings Faith promotes God’s revealed blessings. Let’s start with a question. Now, you do not have to raise your hand, stand up, and share your answer out loud; keep your answer in your mind. Since your answer remains yours, don’t worry about someone laughing at you. Don’t fret if you cannot answer the question. Form the best answer you can. Alright? Here it is: What is the first sin?
Remember, God creates a marvelous paradise. The days are never too hot or too cold, never too humid or too dry. Streams water every plant, preventing drought. Prey and predator live together. No aches. No death. No arguments. No division. No fighting. No bickering. Yet, you know what happens next. The devil slithers up to Adam and Eve. He points at the God-forbidden tree and hisses: Did God really say, ‘You cannot eat?’ How do the two respond? Eve eats! Adam watches! (Genesis 3:1-6). So, returning to the question: What is the first sin? Eating the fruit? Nope. That action exposes disobedience, but dig deeper. Touching the tree? No. Listening to the devil? Close, but remember, being tempted is not a sin. (Jesus is tempted, but does not sin [Matthew 4:1-11].) The first sin is Eve deciding that she possesses the right to step out from under God’s command and eat. At the same time, Adam decides that he possesses the right to stand by and say nothing. Simply put, the first sin is rebellion. That’s how the Bible defines ‘sin.’ Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). The rebellious nature of Adam and Eve have trickled down through the ages, through every human heart, and remain the inherited rebellion we still struggle against today. Our rebellious sinful nature remains self-serving— pitting you (and me) against others and against your God. The remedy? Submit Yourself to God. Because God destroys the proud and God exalts the humble. That’s what James says, Submit yourselves, then, to God. ‘Submitting’ sounds so restrictive, something maybe considered negative. That you lose freedom to make personal choices. That someone else controls your life. That you lose self-identity and all the unique, individual characteristics that make ‘you,’ you. The devil does such a tremendous job to sour the word ‘submit’ so that we carry a misconstrued understanding and do not want to embrace it. You see that, don’t you? He hisses to Adam and Eve: Did God really say? The question is his method to lure people out from under God’s command, evaluate its fairness, and then form their own conclusions. So, both Adam and Eve step away from God’s command. They evaluate if God might be withholding something beneficial from them. Then they conclude that God’s command is ‘wrong’ and their choice is ‘better!’ They sit in authority over God. Even when they are caught, that un-submitting heart goes through such great lengths to defend and justify its independence. God approaches Adam, “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (Genesis 3:11). How does Adam respond? Slander. Speak poorly of Eve’s character. “Hey, God, that woman picked the fruit. She put it into my hands. She made me eat it. She did the wrong!” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” (3:13). How does Eve respond? Judge. Determine what aspects of God’s command do and do not apply to her. “God, never mind me. Let me tell you what the serpent did wrong. He lied to me. He’s the one who told me to do wrong. Punish him.” James says, Anyone who speaks against [slander] his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. Adam & Eve find fault with God’s expected applications of his command. Then they form new exceptions for their behavior. Yet, When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. The created exalt themselves over the Creator. They tell God what they will obey. Then, they hold each other to their own manmade standards. You do not have to search long for more examples of the created exalting itself over the Creator. That same puffed-up heart of pride is the natural condition of our hearts as well. God’s command is clear: Worship the Lord your God and serve him only (Matthew 22:37). How is that treated? The devil lures us to step out from under Jesus’ expectation. Then we evaluate if Sunday worship fits into our weekend schedule. If it does, then we go; if it does not, then we put God on hold. You see, we, the created, have just determined how we will execute God’s command. We have determined how and when we will obey. (Maybe more shocking, is when defend our choice!) Or, Christians are people who follow Christ. They love Christ; they cherish his Word. You (and I) have countless opportunities to spend moments with God outside of worship. We have two Bible class times. You carry home devotions. You have Bibles at your house. Yet, out of the heart comes all these excuses as to why God does not fit into your schedule! We can make time for friends at a moment’s notice, but know in advance learning opportunities— and then we just cannot commit. Even when the heart’s excuses are exposed as the excuses they truly are, then turn on the one who exposes it in the first place. “Pastor’s wrong! My Christian parents are wrong! The church is wrong! But never me!” Why is everyone else wrong? Because the heart steps out from God’s command, evaluates it, and decides to reject inconvenient truths for its own pleasures! You see, that sinful nature is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law (Romans 8:7). It leaves you (and I) daring to stand before God, open up his Word, point out what it teaches, and then say, “I don’t want to listen.” You might believe in your heart of hearts that you can somehow deceive God. That does not see your hidden faults. That he is unaware of your secret, underlying motives. You might believe you can dupe God into believing something not true. That God actually thinks you do have a legitimate reason to ignore him. That God actually condones worldly living. Yet, James sounds the warning: There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. That person is not you. That person is not me. When you leave this life, God will take the seat as Judge and he will execute his authority to punish every lawbreaker. Those who fail to Submit to God will find God destroys the proud. James does not mince words. He stresses the seriousness of our behavior so that we step back, evaluate our own actions, and approach our God with the right heart. Because those who Submit to God will find God exalts the humble. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Remember, James speaks to you (and me), Christians. The only reason we would ever want to come near to God is that God has already made us his children. He has put his name on you at your baptism (Matthew 28:19). When we have wandered from his Word, it is the Word that shatters pride. The Word reveals that without God, we are forever lost. Submit Yourself to God and God will draw near to you. How? God approaches you through his Word. There, he shows you (and me) Jesus. The One who has come to obey his Father (John 6:38). The One in whom there is no deceit (1 Peter 2:22). In the Bible, you again hear the Father say, “Jesus has amputated your wild heart and has placed his obedient heart inside of you. You want proof? This new life became yours in baptism. Baptism has washed your guilt away (1 Peter 3:21). Baptism created faith; baptism gives you a new way of life. You want more proof? Then approach the altar. Receive Jesus’ body and blood that was broken for you, that was poured out to make the payment you could never make.” Draw near to God, turn your attention to the Word, and the pride comes down, and God again assures you: “I remember your rebellion no more. You still have full rights as my child.” And when you (and I) stumble and fail again, when the Word convicts and crushes you as the lawbreaker you are, draw near to God and God will draw near to you. In the front of our hymnal, in the ‘Common Service,’ how does it begin? “Beloved in the Lord: Let us draw near (or approach) God with a true heart…” an honest heart that will not hide or distort the facts. Wash your hands, you sinners. Wash away, remove the actions you know are wrong. Remove the excuses you create to stay away from the Word. Throw away the excuses as to why you can knowingly embrace the wrong. That is moral filth and God has washed you holy. [P]urify your hearts, you double-minded. Until the day you enter heaven, you will struggle between two choices: For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing (Romans 7:19) Yet, Jesus has purified your heart (and mine). Look to the cross; see him wipe away every blemish, every stain. God sees you as pure and holy in his sight. This love is the motivation to serve with happy and willing hearts. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. No, not that God wants you to stop laughing or to mope around. Rather, do not rejoice or embrace the sin you know is wrong. Instead, Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. And he has. Christ has set you free from death in hell. He has set you free from seeing his commands as slavish bondage. Now, he has transformed your view of his commands. These Words form a loving God that preserve your life to heaven. As you live under him, you resist the devil. The devil will still hiss his seductive whispers: Did God really say? The question is his method to lure people out from under God’s command, evaluate its fairness, and then form their own conclusions. Yet, submit to God’s Word and the devil flees. Why? Because God’s Word exposes the devil as the liar he is. It tells him that his promises are empty and that you do not want empty promises. Submission is not enslaving. It does not strip away personal freedom or remove self-identity. Rather, living under God means you share in his heavenly victory. You remain close to him. You purge the sin that seeks to snag you into death. You live exalted as an heir of heaven. That carries implications. The first sin is Adam and Eve appointing themselves as god. No matter what sin exists today, they all remain the same at their very core. Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). It declares the self-appointed right to be God. Nothing could be further from the truth. You (and I) have one God, one Law-Giver who obeys. One Judge who declares us “not guilty!” through the life of Jesus! So, what does that mean for you? You are not condemned (Romans 8:1). Instead, you are free! Free to lay aside pride. Free to wear humility. Free to serve the needs of each other. Our rebellious sinful nature remains self-serving— pitting you (and me) against others and against your God. The remedy? Submit Yourself to God. Because God destroys the proud and God exalts the humble Last Sunday I shared two phrases, phrases most had little trouble answering. So, since they were so simple, let’s review. Like before, I will start the phrase and if you know it, then finish it. (You can even say the words out loud). Okay? Alright, here they are:
Both phrases present two realities: (1) Actions reveal appropriate character and (2) Words reveal appropriate actions. Ducks have feathers, waddle around, and quack. Put those sights and sounds together and you can determine this creature must be a duck. Actions reveal appropriate character; the actions of this duck reveal it to be a duck. Or, a football player brags that he can outrun and out-jump any defender. He must prove the truthfulness of his words with actions because words reveal appropriate actions. What is inside must agree with outside actions. That is why James said [last week]: Faith without works is dead (2:17). Christianity is more than just having knowledge of Bible teachings; Christianity is a lifestyle. Christians learn the Bible’s teachings and then put those teachings into practice. Faith inside is revealed with outside actions. Today, you gain proper perspective for Christian living. You Sow peace and reap righteousness from the Real Wisdom that Comes from Above. That’s where James directs our attentions this morning. Up. “Who is wise and understanding among you?” he asks. We often hear those words in the Bible: ‘wisdom’ and ‘understanding.’ Yet, “wisdom” and “understanding” is more than having good advice or being smart. “Wisdom” is knowing by personal experience (or from the experience of others) what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ “Understanding” means putting knowledge to work. So, for example, experience teaches that touching a hot stovetop is dangerous. You prove yourself wise if you know this truth. You demonstrate understanding when you take this knowledge [stovetops are hot] and properly apply it [do not touch hot stovetops]. So, James asks, “Are you wise in knowing what behavior pleases God? Do you put that proper knowledge into action?” By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness [or, humility] of wisdom. There it is again! Your faith reveals itself with actions. Usually we boast about what we know with diplomas and certificates, with success and experience. Yet, Christians do not boast about behavior, they prove wisdom with actions. Those who know God’s Word, know God’s command to ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ (James 2:8). That command is applied by laying aside self-importance and humbly serving the needs of others. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Just let those words sink in for a moment. This is how the world tends to operate. A wife exaggerates her emotions in order to manipulate her husband into satisfying her demands. If someone gets cut off on the road, blast the horn and flip the finger. Shred reputations so that you can promote yourself. Bitter jealousy treats others with anger and resentment. Selfish ambition does not consider the needs of friends, family, or strangers. Instead, jealous selfishness fights for personal advancement. Compare that worldly behavior to the Godly wisdom described in verse 13 and you realize selfish jealousy is the opposite of humility! This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. God does not equip you with gifts of jealousy and selfishness. Jealousy and selfishness comes from the devil! And you realize which wisdom you adopt when you compare your actions to God’s Word. You (and I) live in the world. That means, you (and I) will constantly encounter this attitude of self-promotion. That means, you (and I) will face constant temptations to adopt that attitude of self-promotion. Little-by-little the devil curls you onto yourself, and he begins inflating this effort to protect your pride. The first step to protecting pride starts by creating a list of expectations. You crave (1) kindness and respect. You demand (2) unquestioned obedience to your wants. You expect (3) your plans to always happen! Your chief goal becomes getting your way. So, step two controls others in order to fulfill your demands. If you want your daughter’s attention, then call her. Gripe. Complain. Selfishly promote your desire for attention by questioning her commitment to you. If you’re jealous of your neighbor’s wealth, then attack him. Criticize his character. Label him ‘greedy,’ a ‘cheat,’ ‘uncaring.’ Take away his reputation so that you appear mightier in the eyes of the world. If your sibling attacks you, then hold a grudge. Stop talking— no— do not even try to make an effort to talk. Ignore her; pretend he does not exist. Selfishly refuse the need to admit your fault. Instead, force them to come to you! You see, the devil tempts you (and me) to look inward. The sinful nature elevates itself. The world preaches to guard for your needs above anything else! That earthly sermon has been preached so long that eventually you (and I) get used to it. But God sounds the alarm: “This earthly wisdom is not from me!” If you care only about your needs, then you are embracing a wisdom that comes from the devil. You embrace a wisdom that rejects the words of others and only cares about the words of you. Left unchecked, you will eventually ignore God’s Word. Try to cover up your intentions if you want. Yet, your actions will prove if you lie and go against the truth— that in reality selfish jealousy rules the heart. James draws a clear distinction between two kinds of wisdom. (1) One lines up with God and his Word by serving others. (2) The other partners with the devil by serving the all-important demands of self. Look up, and you will find the Real Wisdom that Comes from Above. That ‘wisdom’ is knowing what pleases God. As you look up, you naturally stop looking at your own needs. You look up at the Son of Man who did not come to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45). He sees selfishness reign among his disciples, selfishness that only seeks self-promotion. Instead of reminding each one of his title as the Almighty, Eternal Son of God, he wears a crown of thorns. He allows nails to be pounded through his hands. He hangs from a cross while crowds turn their noses up and shake their heads, thinking themselves so much more moral than Jesus. Yet, Jesus’ perfectly moral life spills over our immorally self-seeking lives. Jesus looks so lowly on the cross, but rises in authority. He has the authority to give you a pretty powerful title as well: ‘Heir of the kingdom.’ Real Wisdom Comes from Above. Jesus has the knowledge to (1) know God’s commands. He has the understanding to (2) put those commands into perfect practice. Then he serves you. With his life, he satisfies God’s anger. With his life, he removes any need for self-promotion. [T]he wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. From where does this wisdom come? From above. Look up and realize you own the most priceless object of all. Heaven is something you could never earn. You are not entitled to eternal life. This is a gift— won and handed to you from the most significant Person of all time. That wisdom comes down into your life from the Word, that is, the Bible. When our attentions drift from the Word, our hearts will begin drifting into worldly wisdom that only divides and destroys. Remain in the Word and gain the proper perspective for Christian living. Sow peace, reap righteousness. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Take that verse piece-by-piece. First, you see the results: a harvest of righteousness. Imagine riding on your tractor, cutting hay, but instead of hay, you harvest righteousness (that which is ‘right’). You will gather up all this good stuff and it will benefit you. How did this “righteousness” get there? People of peace planted seeds of peace. Those who carry the peace and patience of God in their individual lives, reflect it to the world. They Sow peace with their words and actions; they reap righteousness. Sow peace among your relationships and reap righteousness. Yes, some of you have been wronged. Relationships within your family are strained. Conversations are awkward. You feel forgotten. Thinking about your sibling makes your blood pressure rise. What do you do? Remember: Sow peace, reap righteousness. Begin with you: identify if the anger is really valid. Are you holding grudges because your friend took something away from you, and so now you will take something away from her? “She crashed my car, so I will never forgive her!” “He called me names, I will never forget that!” “They gave me no inheritance, I will sue for something!” The world says, “Get revenge!” Your sinful nature screeches, “Make them suffer!” The devil hisses, “Get even!” That is not wisdom, that is foolishness. Holding onto grudges only sows anger; you will deal in anger and people will respond in anger. That will only make life more miserable, more lonely, more empty— and more importantly, it tarnishes the patience with which God deals with you. So, if a grudge festers in your heart, reflect on it. If you are simply defending your pride or wrestling for control, then look up and find wisdom from above. See how God does not defend his pride, but humbles himself to die for you. See how God does not wave guilt over your head, but forgives freely. You know that wisdom. Loved by God, you love others. Sow peace in your relationships, and reap peace in relationships. Yes, sometimes you must address a painful issue. You may have to address verbal attacks and hurtful actions. If so, remember: sow peace. You are not trying to win an argument, you are trying to win a person. Be gentle with words. Sometimes well-meaning things come out wrong. Be gentle and patient. Be wise to know some issues are better addressed another day with better opportunities. Damage done will never be undone. Yet, your sowing of peace seeks to repair the brokenness of that damage. Sometimes hurt is put in the past— and if it is, then good! Keep it in the past! Nothing good comes from dredging up past wrongs. The only reason it will be brought up is to stoke selfish ambition. Sow peace to reap peace. Sometimes hurt festers. The other person does not listen and you recognize that. Deal with each other in peace. If anger starts simmering, then move yourself out of that situation. Keep peace by not letting anger get a foothold in you. Real Wisdom Comes from Above. Look up, and you gain motivation to sow peace and reap righteousness. Christianity is more than just having knowledge of Bible teachings; Christianity is a lifestyle. You put Bible’s teachings into practice. Your faith inside is revealed with outside actions. It’s not always easy to do, is it? Honestly, it’s difficult. Humility is difficult if our eyes remained locked on self-seeking interests. That’s why God gives you his Word. So that you can look up. Look up and you see what you have gained. Forgiveness and freedom from hellish consequences. Forgiveness and the freedom to live for God today. Forgiveness and freedom for eternal life. Look up and Gain proper perspective for Christian living. Motivated by God’s love for you, Sow peace, reap righteousness. You know this. You are understanding. Look up and find that Real Wisdom Comes from Above. Let’s start a little differently today. I have two phrases in mind, phrases I believe are common, but I’m not entirely sure. So, I will start the phrase and if you know it, then say the words out loud. Okay? Alright, here they are:
We could also add another phrase to our list: Faith without Works is Dead. Christian living is more than simply speaking your intention to live a God-pleasing life; Christian living means that you actually do live a God-pleasing life. Because Faith produces God-pleasing living and God-pleasing living is evidence of faith. Let’s make sure we understand that point. Verse 17 does say: [F]aith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. At first, it sounds as though God gives you faith, but faith is not enough to save you; you must do your part, you must do something. You must live as a Christian in order to prove that you truly are a Christian. You must pray. You must go to church. You must be patient, be kind, be forgiving, be generous. If you do these things, then God will finish saving you. Yet, that’s not what the Bible teaches, nor does our reading teach that. The Bible clearly teaches that God saves you by grace. ‘Grace’ means ‘undeserved love.’ Or, we could put it this way: God does not treat you (and me) as we deserve (Psalm 103:10). God commands: Love me! Love each other! Do this always and you will enter heaven (Luke 10:27-28). Yet, being bored in worship is not showing love for God. Self-righteously pointing out faults does not demonstrate love for your friends. Breaking God’s commands makes us lawbreakers, people who fall under judgment. We deserve hell. Instead, God forgives us, removing our death-sentence. That forgiveness is a gift, a free present. You did not earn it. You did not choose to receive this gift (1 Corinthians 12:3). God declares you (and me) ‘not guilty’ for sin— without any conditions attached (Romans 3:24). That verdict— that ‘not-guilty’-sentence— is your possession through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith says, “Jesus has forgiven me.” So, when James says: Faith without Works is Dead, he does not say that you must earn faith. Rather, his point is this: Those loved by Jesus love Jesus and love his Word. Your Faith naturally produces God-pleasing living. That’s what makes this situation in a Christian synagogue alarming. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes… This man rolls his metallic blue BMW into the church parking lot. The driver side door opens and out steps a man wearing a double-breasted suit, perfectly tailored to his body. Brilliant white dress shirt, crisp pocket square, slicked-back hair. A Rolex glistens on his wrist; golden rings sparkle on his fingers. This man just shines. And the Christians in this synagogue show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you… Sit in the front, right on the end! Then you can see and hear with ease, you can leave first; people can see how wealthy and powerful you are! Anyone in need can ask you for help; you provide something for us.” Then, [A] poor man in shabby clothes also comes in… His rusty car is caked in mud. The driver side door creaks open and out steps a man with shaggy hair. His khakis are wrinkled; there’s a faded mustard stain on his untucked polo. No one notices him walking into the synagogue. When looking for a seat, someone say[s] to the poor man, “You stand there… against the wall, you can stand for an hour.” Or, “Sit on the floor by my feet… in the dust and rocks; I’ll try not to kick you.” These two reactions contradict Christian living! God commands: Love your neighbor as yourself. By giving special treatment to a rich Christian, the church neglects the physical needs of their poor friend. Even worse, they care little about the spiritual health of rich and poor. They act as though the rich man carries God’s favor because of his wealth. They act as the poor man, who has nothing to offer society, has little to receive from God. These Christians have just judged that God’s love is reserved for some people and not for all! That is not faith. Faith believes Jesus is Savior—and not just for some, but for the world (John 1:29, 3:16). Their favoritism-works reveal that their faith is sick. If God-pleasing living does not flow out of them, then James worries their faith could die! Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. Those words serve as a wake-up call. First, pay attention to the audience. James speaks to Christians. In verse 1 he does not say, “Dear nonbelieving heathens…” Rather, he says, “My dear brothers… who share one common faith, one God, one eternal hope.” Then, he urges you (and me) to continue evaluating our actions and see if they line up with God’s commands. As members of a congregation favoritism can creep into your heart (and mine). You may eagerly greet visitors who look, smell, and act like you. Yet, when a rough-looking stranger sits beside you, you may try to avoid him and let him fumble through service alone. Or, you may be more prone to help the stable family unit instead of lending patience to a family struggling to control their children. Or, you may suppress the desire to invite a friend to worship because “he’s just not the Jesus-type” or you do not speak about Christmas and Easter services to the stranger because tattoos cover his arms. Favoritism overlooks those in need because you have judged that person is not worthy of your attention. More than that, that this person is not worthy of receiving God’s love. Favoritism deals with people differently than the way God dealt with us. If you say that God forgave you and you did not deserve it, then how can you say to someone else: ‘They don’t deserve to be here.’ It’s a contradiction! God could say the very same thing to you or me: “You don’t deserve to be here either.” Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? God chose you (and me), people who were spiritually poor. The moment you were conceived, no faith was in your heart. It was as though your heart was an empty bank vault; you had nothing to offer God. You entered this world not wearing clean clothes; rather, filthy garments covered you head-to-toe. God would have every right to look past you (and me). Instead, he sent Jesus for you (and me). Jesus took off the soiled garments of sin, removed them, gone forever. He fits you in a pressed white suit, fitted to you—free of fault. He dresses you in a fitted, clean white dress. He places a ring on your finger, a ring that marks you as an heir of heaven. Now, you are spiritually rich! You own the priceless riches of perfect health, perfect happiness, perfect, unending life in heaven! When you (and I) soil our garments with favoritism, God cleanses us again and again. Your faith remains; it never went away. God still says, “You are still mine” (Isaiah 43:1). God’s love, his mercy produces God-pleasing works. You want to love others because God so richly, so daily loves you! Your Faith is not Dead. It is living! And God-pleasing living is evidence of faith. Remember: If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, sounds like a duck, then it must be a duck. So, if you see a small creature with feathers, waddling around, quacking, then those actions demonstrate that creature must be a duck. That duck does not wake up and say, “Well, I have to remember to quack, otherwise people will think I’m a dog… I have to push out feathers and waddle or else I will be confused with a rock.” No! A duck does not consciously act like a duck in order to prove it is a duck. A duck does not consciously look like a duck to remain a duck. Rather, since the duck is already a duck, he will automatically act as a duck. You already are a Christian and will naturally live a God-pleasing life— and you already do. God’s love for you transforms verse 8 from a “must” to a “want.” If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. So, suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. What do you do? Well, as a congregation, you have turned an eye towards those in need. You have identified individuals in the area who are in need of food. So, you hold food drives. As individuals, you may give extra clothing away to someone with a new baby or donate clothes to GoodWill. Notice, you do not intentionally wake up and consider the ways to prove you are a Christian. Rather, you already are a Christian. With eyes of faith, you look at the many ways God has blessed you— extra money, extra clothes, extra food— and you give a designated amount to benefit others. Or, we could bring this closer to home. When your sister loses her spouse, how do you act? You write cards. You call. You wrap your arms around her. Why? To prove that you are worthy of heaven? No! Because you are sharing the comfort with which God has comforted you! When your friend returns home after surgery and is slow to move, how do you respond? You bring dinner. You help with chores. You drive him around. Why? So that God will save you? No! He already has! Your heart, satisfied by God’s mercy, seeks to satisfy others. The reason you give is more than just the warm, fuzzy feeling of doing something nice. You give because you consider how much God has given you. Your faith reveals itself through actions. God’s love for you flows through you. That which is inside of your heart bursts out automatically. As you remember how graciously God deals with you, you cannot help but to give evidence of your faith. Christian living is more than simply speaking your intention to live a God-pleasing life; Christian living means that you actually do live a God-pleasing life. It sounds daunting, as though you must do something to earn heaven. Relax. God has already made you heirs of the kingdom. He has made a heart without faith into a heart of faith. Now, that Faith produces God-pleasing living and God-pleasing living is evidence of faith. What do people remember about you? Maybe they point out your commitment as a spouse. You are faithful and loyal— keeping your vows from day one. You persevered through sickness and disease. You work through disagreements and conflict. Perhaps people remember your contributions to society. You impacted so many lives at work. You are kind and charitable; you help those in need. Your volunteer-work addresses local issues. Or, maybe people remember your characteristics. Co-workers consider you a very patient listener. Those younger than you appreciate your wise advice and imitate you. Friends consider you trustworthy. What do people remember about you?
Undoubtedly you will ponder that question at least once in your life (and chances are, you’ll wrestle with it more the older you get). Contemplating a question like that demonstrates that life is significant; you will impact others. People will remember a trait about you. When confronted with that reality, you may feel pressure to be known for something great. Let’s make it simple. Out of all your accomplishments and attributes, Boast about the Only Thing Worth Boasting About! No, not in your human achievements. Rather, that God knows you. We read in Jeremiah 9:23-24: 23 This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Out of all the important qualities in life, which one reigns supreme? That you know God. Do you realize that’s all God really needs to say? Let him who boasts boast about [me]… Enough said. Yet, he includes more. In verse 23, God identifies three commonly prized attributes. (1) Wisdom, that is, knowledge gained from past experience (and the resulting consequences). After squandering money as a teenager and having very little, you might be disciplined to save a set sum. Grandparents know many different ways to calm crying babies because they spent many nights trying to quiet their own child. They know what works and what does not. Wisdom grows through life experiences. God also mentions (2) strength, which is having physical abilities, mental toughness, or powerful authority. Finally, he cites (3) riches; either having wealth and possessions (such as houses, cars, and property) or feeling confident in your bank account. God holds up these three common blessings, but then gives a warning. Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom. Many crave wise advice because wisdom presents a right answer immediately (preventing you from fumbling through all the wrong solutions). People may turn to you for advice, or maybe you think you have all the right answers. Go on Facebook and maybe there’s a friend who shares political posts— and implies that if he were in charge, the world would be a better place; all we need to do is follow his opinions as truth. Those holding college diplomas and advanced degrees may deny God because “they’re too smart for that.” The wiser people think they are the more they begin relying on their own knowledge. Then, there is no need to listen to others. In fact, many stop listening to what needs to be heard. Let not the strong man boast of his strength. Those who feel strong find security in their own abilities. Nations find security in the size of their armies and the power of their weapons. The physically fit feel safe because of bulging muscles and youthful bodies. Many pride themselves in their last names because influential city and community leaders offer them favors. Let not the rich man boast of his riches. People act as though money solves troubles! Yes, money might not make you happy, but you can buy medicine. If only you had more money, then you could have the cool clothes, a big house, and a luxurious retirement; you do not feel needy. With wealth comes respect because people will ask you for financial help. What does this have to do with you (and me)? Well, remember that question I asked at the start? What do people remember about you? What was your answer? Did you boast about your worldly knowledge, power, or success? God knows these blessings can pose a serious threat. The Bible makes you wise for eternal life (2 Timothy 3:15). So, you learn the many Bible stories in Sunday School. You learn Bible teachings in catechism class. The more you learn, the wiser you may think you are. After a while, you can think you have learned everything there is to know about God! So, when you (and I) approach the Word, the heart quickly glosses over it. John 3:16? You know that Bible verse. Skip it. Tune it out. You already heard it. Next. Christmas? Easter? You know the story. Jesus is born. Jesus rises. Move on to bigger life issues. Or, we stumble into the delusions of strength. You may believe you have many more years to live, and therefore many more years to get right with God. Perhaps life does not seem all that challenging or complex. And if it does not seem to challenging, then you do not need help. So, why worship? You don’t need God right now; If troubles flare up, well, you know where to turn. Or, you boast that you are saved because this is your family church. God must save you because great-great grandpa built this place! Or, money can sink its poisonous roots into the heart. Money is withheld from offering so that it might be used on toys. Money robs trust in God. After all, God promises to care for bodily needs, but how many hours of sleep are lost because you worry about retaining money? Money becomes a status symbol; you find self-worth in what you own. These blessings can become our boast, our source of self-pride; something we hold up so that others may praise us! Wisdom, strength, and money solves very little. Because death strips away knowledge, strength, and wealth. When you stand before God and he asks, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” there is only one answer. The arrogant wise might say, “Because I demand you love me!” The strong one might say, “My name was in the church membership book!” The rich one might claim, “I gave my offering!” But all those answers remain terribly wrong. All those answers reveal a heart that has rejected a Savior and praises itself as god. None of those worldly treasures can save you. That’s why verse 23 serves as a warning. If you are elevating yourself as God, then time to turn is now! “Do not boast in wisdom or strength or riches… Instead, Let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me.” That, my friends, is the only knowledge that will save your life. What do you understand and know about God? That I am the LORD. God uses the Bible to teach you that only one eternal, all-powerful God exists. That God is not you or your achievements or your self-glory. That God is the One who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth… God so loved the world— he so loved you— that he gave his one and only Son (John 3:16). Christ Jesus was in very nature God, but did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (Philippians 2:5-6). He does not seek riches or a kingdom. Instead, he made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (2:7). The God-man does not demonstrate powerful might and damn to hell every soldier who slaps his face or every smug creature who dares challenge his teachings. Instead, God exercises mercy. He could very well leave you (and me) wallowing in our destructive self-pride. Instead, he sends Jesus and exercises justice. Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient to death on the cross (2:8). God does what is fair; he upholds his threat. Our pride deserves death (Romans 6:23). With our self-pride draped across Jesus and Jesus suffers our death-sentence— and Jesus wipes pride away. God does what is fair; he upholds his promise. He raises Jesus to life because Jesus is perfect. He raises Jesus to life in order to demonstrate that the payment for sin has been made for all time. In complete fairness God now says, “Jesus died for what you did wrong. He is punished so you never will be. You are forgiven.” He declares you: righteous!-- right in his sight, without fault or blame or blemish. In these things I take pleasure, declares the LORD… Out of the many attributes the world considers so important nothing is greater than standing right in the sight of God. Boast about the Only Thing Worth Boasting About! God knows you. You boast that you understand and know him. Be proud in what God has done for you. You can boast with certainty that you will enter heaven. That is not arrogance, that is truth. You can point to the Bible and say, “God promises me that I will live because Jesus lives (John 14:19). Of this I can be sure. It all hinges on what Jesus has done.” That brings real joy and peace. Find joy in understanding and knowing God better. Make the effort to add to your knowledge. The Sunday School lessons you learned, build on them. In every story see how God worked in spite of weakness and still sent you a Savior. Take out your catechism; read (and relearn) the work God did for your benefit! God keeps his promise; this removes worry and fills you with peace. Reflect on Sunday’s message or your devotions during the week. Take home one key truth to discuss with your child or apply one point to a specific area in life. This is how you “boast in God.” Your pride, your joy is centered in what God has done for you. You know it. You understand it. You Boast about the Only Thing Worth Boasting About! No, not in your human achievements. Rather, that God knows you. Life holds many qualities. Some are a reason to be proud. Your commitment as a spouse is commendable. Your contributions to society serve as a blessing for many. Your personality can benefit other. People may remember you for all those achievements. Yet, all human achievements pale in comparison to Jesus’ great achievement. He does the one thing you (and I) never could; he makes you right before God. That, my friends, is something worth boasting about. That is something to delight in. That is something to rejoice over. Out of all your accomplishments and attributes, Boast about the Only Thing Worth Boasting About. No, not in your human achievements. Rather, that God knows you. “God said ‘No.’ That’s why.” She could eat from any other tree in the garden. Any one! Any time! Yet, this one specific tree is off limits. No, it does not possess magical powers. No, you would not become a god and then rival the true God. Rather, this one specific tree stands off limits because God said, ‘Do not eat.’
Quite frankly, Eve loved that command. She knew God loved her. She knew God’s Word is good; that Word kept her close to him. In fact, God’s love for her fueled her love for God. That love revealed itself by respectfully obeying the good Word of a good God. He could not deny that. God’s Word is good. In fact, God’s Word is perfect. It accomplishes what God desires. Since he could not attack the Word, he attacked the person. “Eve, what do you think about the forbidden tree? Yes, we know what God says, but for just one moment, put the Bible down and tell me, do you want to eat?” And Eve fell right into the trap. Oh, you would never fall for the same tricks, right?! If you were in the Garden of Eden, you would have resisted temptation, outwitted the devil, and life would still be perfect! Ever think that? Believing you (and I) can withstand the devil on our own falls into the devil’s trap. If you want to resist, withstand, and overcome the devil’s lies, you must Be Strong in the Lord! Identify your enemy, Put on the armor of God, and then you can March forward in victory. It’s no secret that Christian living is challenging. Friends might slap you with the word: ‘bigoted,’ ‘narrow-minded,’ ‘old-fashioned’ because you follow God’s definition of marriage. You feel this tug-of-war inside; either brush off what God calls ‘right,’ or live with tension between friends. National laws may endorse behavior God does not condone. So, you struggle: stand up for the life of the elderly or condone the relatives who want to end life with medicine. You see, you (and I) face this constant struggle between obeying God’s Word or ignoring it. You feel this tension because you want to obey God out of love, but you also want to be loved by all. In verse 12, the apostle Paul makes that clear: You will have this struggle. Yet, remember this: You struggle because you are a Christian; you follow Christ. Pay attention those verbs; you are, you follow. You do not switch Christian beliefs on and off, just like a light-switch controls a light bulb. The desire to trust God does not exist only here in worship (and then when you get home, you hate trusting God). We do not forgive people here only (and then you “flip the switch” and hold grudges later this week). No, through faith you follow Christ and continue following Christ. God has made you a citizen who belongs to him. Just like a king governs behavior with his word, so Christ governs your decisions, actions, and thinking with his Word. Still, because you live on God’s side, it means you will stand against those who oppose God. Quite simply, those who hate God also hate those who follow God. Who stirs up that conflict inside of you? [O]ur struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Did you catch that? Who is your enemy? Not: flesh and blood; believers do not attack people. Your enemy are not atheists (people who deny God’s existence), nor do you argue and insult nonbelievers. God does not ask you to disengage from the world and never talk to a nonbelieving neighbor, or to only have Christian friends, or to quit your job because you deal with nonbelievers. Your struggle is not ungodly influences, like the teaching of evolution (which denies the existence of a Creator) or progressive social ideas on marriage, abortion, and euthanasia. Your fight is against the unseen spirits who love what is wrong Your enemy is the devil (1 Peter 5:8). If you wish to resist temptation; if you wish to remain strong with the Lord, you must identify your enemy. Know who you stand up against. Recognize his powerful might. Then, Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Because the devil is crafty. He is clever. He prowls around like a lion— hiding, stalking, waiting patiently for the right moment to lunge, collide, and drive you into the ground. Ponder that. The devil recycles his timeless temptation and it sounds so innocent, as though no harm can come out of it. He plainly asks, “What do you think?” Do you realize that is the anthem ruling our present-day society? “Don’t force your beliefs on me!” the world cries! That’s the fancy way of saying, “I will tell you what I feel is fair and not what God says is right.” An early rally cry for same-sex marriage was: “If you don’t like it, that’s fine. Just don’t tell me I’m wrong.” That sounds fair. Yet, Jesus teaches, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). You speak what God teaches on marriage so that others have a chance to hear. The devil wants you to lay aside God’s Word so that you can create manmade rules. So, if you feel it fair that your teenage child (who still lives at home) wants to skip worship, then let him! It feels fair to you; never mind God puts you in charge over the spiritual life of your house (Ephesians 6:4). If you believe you are entitled to hold a grudge, then do so! You think it is fair; never mind God forgives you (Ephesians 4:32). If you do not want to commit to marriage, then don’t! Follow the world; stare at computer images, daydream, do not work toward getting married! Never mind God’s command to honor the marriage bed (Hebrews 13:4). Do we need to go on? The scheming, conniving devil employs the most innocent of looking strategies: Put down the Bible and follow the flawed thinking of a sinful heart (Mark 7:20-23). On our own, you (and I) can never stand against the devil and win. And he knows that; he knows you are no match for him. He knows he will conquer you without Christ. Fail to put on the armor of God and you (and I) will fall. Only God makes you strong to stand your ground. Did you catch that? [B]e strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Right away our minds like to change those words to say, “I am strong. I can be strong. All I have to do is…” No! You do not make yourself strong; it’s an action God does. God makes you strong. God’s Word—a word, which (by the way) you did not create— makes you strong. Your words are not more powerful than the devil. Your opinions are not what is needed. It deflates the ego to know that God’s Word drives away the devil— and God gets credit for those words. But that’s the point! God’s Word exposes the hollowness of our self-trust. God’s Word leads you to the cross, where Jesus crushes the serpent’s head. There you hear powerful words: “It is finished!” (John 19:30). On Easter morning he says, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19) Jesus reveals your future: “Come you blessed by my Father” (Matthew 25:34). God has brought you into his kingdom; you are his (Isaiah 43:1). Then, he dresses you in his armor so that you may stand your ground and never fail into unbelief. You are Strong in the Lord as you put on the armor of God because with God on your side, nothing stands against you. You march forward into victory. That’s the reason for the battle call: Stand firm then… Stand and fight with courageous confidence. Stand with the belt of truth buckled around your waist. Roman soldiers wore a thick leather apron around their midsection and upper legs. It kept very vulnerable parts protected. The devil will lunge at your (and my) weaknesses. He will lie: It does not matter what you believe. Follow what you feel right and fair.” If that lie penetrates your heart and you believe it you can die. Yet, God’s truth protects you. The Bible identifies the devil as he truly is: the father of lies (John 8:44). When temptation seizes you, call the devil by his name: ‘Liar!’ [Stand firm] with the breastplate of righteousness in place. Protect your heart with body armor. The devil never stops his assault. If he cannot get you to believe his lies, he will point to history. He will dredge up your regrets. Just when guilt pierces into your heart, he drives you into despair. Because when you feel so terribly guilty, you feel that God could never love you. If you feel God could never love you, you may actually believe it to be true. But Jesus died for you. And he placed his righteous life over you. Jesus’ righteousness, his perfection, keeps your heart safe. The devil’s lies bounce off because Jesus tells you what really happened: You are forgiven! [Stand firm] with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Feet carry good news. Soldiers covered the tops of their feet, just like you wear shoes. Shoes prevent thorns and sticks from piercing your feet. Just like a messenger runs to share good news, be ready to remind the devil the good news of Jesus’ victory. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith… and not just a little trashcan lid-sized shield. We’re talking about the shield covering you from head to toe. The devil shoots little flaming temptations at you so that they burn into great fires. Lust turns into action which turns into a lifestyle. One beer becomes two which evolves into constant heavy drinking. Anger burns into rage burns into hate. With the shield you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Faith clings to Jesus as Savior. Faith clings to the Word of God. When temptations poke you, remember who you follow and those flames snuff out. Take the helmet of salvation… At your baptism, the sign of the cross was made over your head and your heart to mark you as God’s child. That cross reminds you of Jesus dying for you. That cross reminds you that Jesus’ death is your possession; you carry it. You carry Jesus’ perfection. You are saved; you will enter heaven. His perfect life protects you. Finally, take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Do you see the only weapon you carry? The Word of God. The Word reminds the devil of what God has done. This is that truth, and the devil cannot deny the truth. Nothing and no one has more authority that God. God has already explained what will happen, you win and the devil loses forever— and the devil can do nothing to stop him. When tempted wield God’s Word. Tell the devil:“God says” and he will flee. And you get to March forward in victory. Eve put down the sword and tried to fight the devil with her cleverness. That is exactly what the devil wanted and he won the battle… but Jesus wins the war. As a Christian, remember that you have an enemy. Someone who hates God. Someone who wants to take believers away from God. Someone who attacks you. Yet, you can stand because God dresses you in his armor. He sets the sword of the Word into your hand. Remind the devil of Jesus’ victory on the cross. Remind the devil of your eternal home. Remind the devil his promises are nothing but empty lies. He will flee; you will march forward in victory. This is all yours— not because you are morally tough and strong. Rather, God makes you Strong in the Lord! He Identifies your enemy. He puts the armor of God on you. And you get to March forward in victory. Well, it’s starting up again… Central Michigan University [CMU], Clare Schools, Farwell Schools, and Gladwin Schools all start classes tomorrow. (Harrison Schools will open soon enough.) Are you ready? … excited? …nervous?
The start of a new school year means the start of a school-based schedule. School-based schedules mean your personal schedule adapt to school timing. [Grand]Kids start at a specific time and end at a specific time. So, you have a time period when you can complete errands without toting around extra passengers. You can clean without toys getting in the way. You can sit and relax or read and watch in quiet. Then, when they come home at 3:00 o’clock, you return home around 3:30PM. If they have practice, it means you have practice. If they have a game at 7:00PM, you have a game at 7:00PM. If they must eat before 6:00PM , you must eat before 6:00PM. Your personal schedule will start transitioning from relaxed to rigid. That will hit home even more after Labor Day. School schedules force weekend vacationers to spend more time downstate. That means your streets will less congested, the stores less busy, the sidewalks emptier, the lakes quieter, and the neighbors not-so-noisy. Any frustrations and irritations will melt away. Your personal schedule will be affected by the school-based schedule of others. Even our church schedule will transition. Soon we will start up Sunday School and Bible Classes (new topic included!). Transition brings adjustment. Encountering a transition time means you must adjust your schedule. Summer free-time will now be consumed with fall events. You may not have enough hours to participate in every activity. Your appointments may change based on the availability of others. This transition time presents an opportunity to reconsider your priorities. So, what makes the cut? What’s left behind? Who are You Serving? Throw away the idols of your heart. Fill up with the LORD alone. Our reading brings you to a very crucial transition for Old Testament Israel. Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, a city about 30 miles north of Jerusalem (much like how Harrison is 20 miles north of Clare). Millions of faces look up at him. Joshua looks over the people he led and guided and advised for decades. Their worn, weathered faces had endured 40-years of wandering in the wilderness. Tired eyes had witnessed God wipe out nations so that they could now stand in the land promised to them. Those burdens of traveling, of unpacking and repacking, of encountering obstacles and overcoming obstacles are all over. A new chapter in life begins. Standing in this location— in Shechem— place them into a significant setting. Five hundred years earlier Abraham stood here. He received God’s promise to make him (one man) the father of many people. And those people would call this land home (Genesis 12:7). Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, lived here. In Shechem purged his house of idols and urged every servant, relative, and family member with him to worship God alone (Genesis 35:2-4). Now standing in this monumental city, Joshua urges Israel to do the same thing: keep God the Main Priority. This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: … Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Even though so much of life is about to change they are to love and serve God only. Every thought floating through their minds and every word they speak and every action, is to reflect love, honor, and respect to the One who loved them and rescued them. That love will gush forth as they throw away the gods [their] forefathers worshiped. With the idols of the heart removed, the heart will be less divided. It will cherish God even more. Because idols can tug allegiance away from God. Yes, the idols you serve. Alright, you probably do not hike out into the woods and worship a tree. I’m sure you do not pray to people who have died. Nor do you sing songs to a little golden statue sitting on your dining room table. That is called ‘open idolatry’— when you physically, visibly worship an object that is not God. But what are the idols hidden away in your heart? The hidden objects your heart loves? The secret comforts you trust? The unseen objects you treat as God— as though they have power and control, and have influence over the outcome and future of your life? Well, what demands priority in your heart? Sports? Do you skip Sunday worship for soccer or baseball or softball? Yes, out comes the quick defense: “Well, it’s only one Sunday here, another there. I still come.” That misses the point. God asks: “What takes priority? What do you love more? Your God or your game?” Do you believe the future only rests in the hands of people— as though God has no influence in the world at all? Remember, God guarantees: All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18). He urges: Pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2), turn to me for help. Whose word do you trust more? That which comes from world leaders? or your God? Or, is your idol, well… you? After all, who decides to step outside the commands of God? God makes quite clear: You shall have no other gods (Exodus 20:3). You shall not love your time with sports more than time with me. You shall not trust others ahead of me. You shall love me with all your heart, mind, and soul (Matthew 22:37). Yet, your (and my) heart determines that you are so great, your time so important, your wants and needs so significant that you can refuse to obey God. Have you dared marched up to the Living God, grabbed his royal robes, and thrown him down from the throne of your heart so that you can sit on it? Have you dared bark out, “Listen to me, Lord, for I am speaking.” To set yourself over God is to set yourself against God. A God who demonstrates the Amorite gods are worthless because they could not stop him from taking their land. A God who pours fire down from heaven to consume a sacrifice— something the god Baal could not do (1 Kings 18:16-39). A God who not only makes promises, but keeps him promises including the promise to punish every single person who stands against him (Exodus 34:6-7). Who are You Serving? The Almighty God of the universe? Or, mere mortals who pass away like grass? [I]f serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. Either you serve God or you do not. Either you love God or you love something that is not God. That’s tough, isn’t it? Who can do that? Jesus can and Jesus does. He is your perfect Substitute—meaning, he does what you (and I) never could! For just a moment, see what he pours into his heart. He worships every single week; this is his custom, his habit (Luke 4:16). In worship, he hears the Word. Not just that, but he takes it into his heart— and then lives it! He preaches to thousands so infatuated with him. Then, he hits a crossroads. He preaches: I am the Bread of life. Feast on me, take in my words, believe my life will pay for you to enter heaven (John 6). The crowds respond: This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it? (John 6:60). There it is: Jesus can either cling to God’s Word above all things or he could change that Word, soak in popularity, and speak only what people want to hear. Your Jesus clings to God’s Word alone. Inside, his heart remains this crystal clear temple in which only love for God dwells. On the cross, he takes out your (and my) filthy, corrupted heart and puts his perfect heart in its place. That is why Joshua can say: [C]hoose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. He’s speaking to Christians, people who already believe in Jesus as Savior. He does not ask you to make a personal decision to come to faith. You could never do that (John 6:44; 15:16). The Holy Spirit puts the heart of Jesus in you. The Holy Spirit sets God on the throne of your heart. The Holy Spirit daily turns you to see what great love the Father has lavished on you. As you see your God forgive, promise eternal life, and create the desire to live a Christian life now, you cannot help but shout: As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. The people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.” What’s the point of retelling something they all already know? So that they can look back and remember that God kept his promise. The God who promised to protect them and bring them into the Promised Land is the same God who would be with them in their future. The more attentions fixated on God’s awesome work, the more the heart filled up with the Lord alone. Set the heart on the Word and the Word will fill the heart. Take your attention off from the Word and idols fall back in. One generation later, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel (Judges 2:10). How does that happen? Because Israel separated themselves from the Lord. Instead of teaching the next generation, families kept the Word to themselves. Instead of letting the Word sink into their hearts, empty ritualism grew rampant. Instead of immersing and growing with (and in) the Word, thirsty hearts sought relief in human solutions. Israel sunk deeper and deeper into idolatry. They wander further and further from their God. Learn from Israel’s history! These things are written for you to see, learn, and avoid the same pitfalls (1 Corinthians 10:6). Who are You Serving? Fill up with the Lord alone. How? Make worship a priority. Start the habit of daily devotions. Make the honest effort to attend Bible class. Send your child to Sunday School. Yes, the mind will always scream: “I don’t have time!” The devil will tempt: “You have nothing more to learn!” The heart beats: “You don’t need to know this!” You can make an excuse for anything you do not want to do. In the end, they are just that: excuses. Instead of creating excuses, create reasons to come, to worship, to study, to learn. Carve out time and you will soon realize you do have time to spend with God. Remember Jesus’ saving work and the heart will fill up with the Lord alone. Transitions provide an opportunity to reconsider the priorities of your heart. Summer free-time will now be consumed with fall events. You may not have enough hours to participate in every activity. Your appointments may change based on the availability of others. Transition brings adjustment. So, what your priorities? As you look forward to the fall, what makes the cut? What’s left behind? Who are You Serving? Start your planning with Joshua’s words: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Yet, wisdom holds a unique feature. You can refuse to follow wise advice and still complete your tasks. You can wear loose clothing at the table saw; the saw will still power on. You can have greasy burgers, salty French fries, and sugary sodas for every meal; you will succeed eating. You can slice veggies with your fingers on the blade. Your bike still functions without you wearing a helmet. You can ignore wisdom and complete tasks… but(!) the table saw can grab your untucked shirt and pull you into a blade capable of splitting logs. Too much junk food clogs arteries, increases blood pressure, and can shorten life. Knives slice veggies and can slice off your fingertips. You can bike without a helmet, collide with a car, and damage your brain. Ignore wisdom and you put life in danger. Follow words of wisdom and you preserve life. Each day you are confronted with following wise words or brushing wisdom aside. That truth not only applies to everyday matters, but also to your Christian life. Ignoring wisdom leaves you wandering into spiritual danger. So, God provides his Word of wisdom for you to follow and live. Be Careful to Live Wise. Remember the will of the Lord! Make the most of every opportunity! In verse 17, God defines wisdom: [U]nderstand what the Lord’s will is. If you want to know what the Lord’s ‘will’ is for your life, then you must read God’s Word and hear what God says. There, in the Bible, God reveals his ‘will’ for you: God wants all [people] to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4). God wants you(!) saved. So, he took the necessary steps to accomplish his desire. He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). Those who are wise recognize that life has a beginning and an end. The time you have now (in this life) is the time you have to know that only Jesus makes you right before God. You need to know this truth now because when you die, it will be too late to learn it then.[A.G.E.1] So, real wisdom (1) knows there is an eternity. Real wisdom (2) knows, trusts, and believes that Jesus paid the price for you to enter heaven. Real wisdom (3) remembers the will of the Lord is for you to spend eternity with him. To those who know this, to you (and me), God expands his will. It is God’s will (his ‘want’ for your life) that you should be sanctified (or, ‘live a holy life’) (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Wisdom can be lost. That is why God cautions: Be very careful, then, how you live— not as unwise but as wise. Wise people remember— constantly, always, continually. God has saved you and has called you to live a holy life. Only a fool thinks he is so secure, so safe, so certain that nothing will destroy his faith. And that fool grows careless about what his heart believes. Are you a fool? Well, what’s your response to God’s command (in verse 18): ‘Do not get drunk on wine’? Are you smirking inside? …replaying your drunken escapades? … chuckling about that one time your buddy mouthed off to the cops? Are you rolling your eyes because this sounds so, well… so “prudish?” I mean, this is one of those commands your friend points at: “Oh, Christianity is so strict! It’s no fun; it’s full of rules!” You do not want to be prudish, right? So, ignore God’s wisdom! Brush it aside! Follow whatever decision feels right to you! Let loose! Be excessive! Lose control! Because, after all, getting drunk does not hurt anyone, right? Do you realize God gives the reason for his command? ‘Do not get drunk on wine.’ Why? [It] leads to debauchery. ‘Debauchery’ is wild, immoral living. Just think about where drunkenness leads. Sexual boundaries are crossed— sometimes against better judgment, at other times, it’s illegal. Drunk drivers crash cars and damage property; they injure others and ruin lives. Children are abused by a drunk parent. Reputations suffer. (It takes longer to erase the title “drunk” than serving a jail sentence.) Those are just the shameful, physical consequences! Drunkenness affects you spiritually! You indulge again… and again… and again. Little by little your conscience dulls. Breaking God’s command no longer bothers you; you do not even give a second thought to the holy life you are meant to live! Little by little you foolishly wander away from your God. This command highlights the spiritual dangers surrounding you (and me). The devil uses the most innocent of looking objects and whispers the most subtle of lies: “Is it really that bad?” He wants you to leave God’s wise Word— a Word meant to preserve your life!— and to follow the opinions of your faulty human heart! He can take just one single sin and make it explode exponentially. Yes, maybe you’re not the one getting drunk, but ask yourself this: Does the sight of drunk spouse or a drunk child still bother you? Or, do you tolerate it? Do you laugh? Do you condone it? (Which, by the way, means you stand on the opposite side of God) And if you condone one behavior God calls ‘wrong,’ why stop there? Live in whatever way feels right to you! Dabble with drugs; say nothing when you catch your kids smoking pot! Never mind that God calls you to be sober-minded (1 Peter 5:8). Who cares if your relationship does not honor marriage as God intends it? Follow your own moral code— even if it means you willingly choose to do the wrong instead. You know you should immerse yourself with Word and sacrament— and you even admit this! But create all sorts of flimsy excuses as to why it is just not possible to worship every Sunday. Ignore wisdom and complete tasks! Ignore wisdom and you put life in eternal danger. You see, the more you (and I) ignore God’s commands, the more you dull your conscience. The more you dull your conscience, the less you care about the wrongs you commit. The less you care about the wrongs you commit, the less you care about a Savior. Because, if you do not think your lifestyles are wrong, then what is there to confess? Nothing! And if there’s nothing to confess, then you don’t need a Savior. That, my friends, is the very definition of ‘foolishness.’ You need a Savior. You (and I) cannot save yourself. So, God provides his Word of wisdom to preserve your life. The Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation [eternal life] (2 Timothy 3:15). The Bible points you to Jesus, the only One who desires to obey God’s will, the only One who desires to obey every single command (Psalm 40:7-8; Hebrews 10:5-7). Just like you (and me), the devil trots up to Jesus (Matthew 4:1-10). “Jesus, make bread out of stones; it doesn’t look like your Father cares.” “Jesus, jump down from the building. Let’s see if God will keep his promise of protection.” “Jesus, worship me— just this once— and gain wealth.” Each seductive whisper wants Jesus to wander away from God’s commands. Following the devil’s lies, would lead Jesus into sin. Following the devil’s lies, would fail you (and me). Yet, Jesus wisely stands on the Word. Yes, ‘wise’ because Jesus’ obedience brings eternal life in heaven! God chose to love the world, to send his only Son, to stand in your (and my) place, to suffer separation from God, which is where your foolish wandering leads—separation. Jesus has brought you back to God. Jesus has removed your foolishness. In its place, he fills you with wisdom. The wisdom to know that you are indeed forgiven. The wisdom to know eternal life is yours. The wisdom to know life leads to heaven. God has made you wise to know, to trust, to believe this. So, he urges you, Be Careful to Live Wise! Remember the will of the Lord. Remember you are walking to heaven. Since this walk continues your entire life, make the most of every opportunity. That is how you live wise. Mak[e] the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Non-Christians in the world— friends and family, co-workers and neighbors— will invite you to participate in the things God calls ‘wrong.’ Your sinful heart will continue pushing you to make your own choices. The devil will whisper foolish lies. Every day you will confront countless opportunities to wander into foolish behavior that only harms you. So, make the most of your personal time. Instead of filling your heart up with earthly pleasures, be filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit already lives in you. At your baptism, when water was poured on your head and God’s Word was spoken, he entered your heart. He continues working in you as you remain in God’s Word. When you are unsure of a decision, turn to the Bible first for guidance. Reflect if your words are pleasing to God or not. Consider if you can still control yourself as you head out with friends. Deflate your pride by relying on the fact God saved you. If you are defending and justifying lifestyles you know are wrong, the time to return is now! Separate yourself from that which tempts you. Do not put yourself into a position of pressure. Make the most of every opportunity, that is, make the most of your time on earth by keeping your heart and thoughts close to God. Make the most of every opportunity with others. You have family and friends, co-workers and acquaintances, those you are friendly with and those you know struggle. Some are walking the wide road to hell and may not even know it. The worst thing you can do is to condone the evil you know is wrong. It does not mean that you wag a finger, present a lecture that only rips people to pieces. Rather, speak the truth in love. The friend (young or old) who shrugs off God’s beautiful gift of marriage, simply say, “But marriage is God’s gift of blessings.” The kids smoking bowls when you’re gone; you, as a parent tell them: “I want you in heaven. Follow what is right.” The child greedily craving status, remind: “Status has an end. Your life does not.” God has handed you words of wisdom meant to preserve life! Make the most of every opportunity, fighting to dig deeper into the Word, fighting to sing it with others, fighting to share it now before the Savior returns. Be Careful to Live Wise, making the most of every opportunity to be close to God. You can refuse to follow wise advice and still complete your tasks… but(!) ignore wisdom and you put life in danger. Follow words of wisdom and you preserve life. Each day you are confronted with following wise words or brushing wisdom aside. That truth not only applies to everyday matters, but also to your Christian life. Ignoring wisdom leaves you wandering into spiritual danger. So, God provides his Word of wisdom for you to follow and live. Remember the will of the Lord! Make the most of every opportunity! Be Careful to Live Wise. |
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