Call it a case study if you will... He grew up attending Sunday School and Sunday worship. In later grade school, he studied the teachings of the Bible in catechism class. He continued increasing his understanding in Bible Class. This Christian man even served as an elder in the congregation, giving special attention to the spiritual life of his fellow believers. He made it his regular habit to take in God’s teachings and to live God’s teachings.
Now, this Christian leader had three children: one daughter and two sons— and he cared for their spiritual life. He carried each child up to the baptismal font. He made Sunday School their regular spiritual diet, while he learned in adult Bible class. He faithfully drove each child to catechism class, where they studied the teachings of the Bible. Eventually, each child was confirmed. Now, after confirmation day, this Christian father let his first two children— a daughter and son— decide if they wanted to worship on Sundays. If they wanted to wake up Sunday at 8:00am and join him for worship, they could. Can you guess the decision those teenagers made? They stayed home in bed, sleeping every single Sunday. Can you guess how that affected them spiritually? The daughter grew up, moved out, and stopped attending worship. God was no longer important to her. He did not occupy a place in her life; she could not even give him one measly hour of her week. She created her own teachings for living. The son also stopped worshipping. He married a lady who [honestly!] created her own strange religion. Unfortunately, he floundered in his marriage because he had no firm footing on God’s truth. One final son. The father woke him up every Sunday at 8:00am. Bible Class remained their spiritual diet. He encouraged his son to sing in the church choir and help maintain the church property. Can you guess how that affected this son spiritually? He started studying for the pastoral ministry. Even though he did not become a Pastor, he still assists his congregation every Sunday as a musician. Do you comprehend the results of this case study? Confirmation is not graduation! Confirmands, you are not finished learning what Scripture teaches you! Parents, your child is not graduating (or completing) church! Your life in the Word of God never ends! Each of you will face new challenges that come with the many changes of life. You must Continue Your Training! Your sinful nature constantly fights God, but God keeps you on the way of life. The words for our hearing this morning come from Proverbs 22:6: Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Do you know why you must train a child? Confirmands, you know the answer to this question; in just a few minutes you will describe the natural condition of the human heart. Everyone else, you have witnessed baptisms; in fact, every Sunday you admit: God, I am by nature sinful. The human heart is not naturally good; the human heart is naturally hostile to God. That means, the very moment you (and I) are conceived, we are God’s enemies. You do not submit to God’s law, nor can you do so (Romans 8:7). You do not want to obey God; you fight God. You see, every single child born has a “way.” His “way” leads to death in hell. So God commands: Train a child in the way he should go. A child needs someone to start him on a different “way,” a “way” that leads to life in heaven; a child needs someone to teach him Jesus. Who is that person? You. [Grand]Parents (and Christian examples), you have done that as you carried your child to be baptized into the family of God. You have done that as you brought your child to catechism class. But you are not done yet. You must Continue Your act of Training because the sinful nature continues fighting God. Parents, the devil is still out to destroy the faith of your children. Do you know who he will use to help him? You. He will stoke your own sinful nature to adopt the oft-repeated beliefs of this world. The excuses are many: “I’ll let my child decide what to believe…” “I brought my child to church; I’ve done my part. Now my child will decide what to believe….” “My child is too old to be encouraged to worship…” “Oh, she will come back later…” Do you know what those are? Lies. God explicitly says: Train a child! The devil says: “Why bother?” The devil knows if he can make you— spiritual leaders(!)— indifferent to the spiritual life of your child, he will have removed one more obstacle keeping your child in faith and on the way to life with God. You must Continue Your act of Training because the sinful nature continues fighting God. Confirmands and students, you are walking on this path that leads to life. What you learned in catechism class provides a firm foundation on which to build your life. You will find peace and comfort and strength from God. But you are not done yet. You must Continue Your Training because the sinful nature continues fighting God. The devil’s working hard to destroy your faith. Do you know who he will use to help him? You. He will dangle alluring temptations to snag you away from the teachings you have learned. The temptations are many. Your world will entice you into following its manmade gods of money, pride, and arrogance. Your sinful nature will create fantastic excuses as to why you may ignore what God so clearly teaches. The devil will push you to self-worship: you are the reason for success, you hold all-wisdom, you control life! You must Continue Your act of Training because the sinful nature continues fighting God. Dear friends, Continue Your Training. The sinful nature continues fighting God, but the sinful nature has been conquered. Jesus has opened the way to life. Continue Your Training because God keeps you on the way of life. Parents, do you see where you have ushered your child? Confirmands and children, do you see where you stand? You are walking on the way that has led to the cross of Jesus. This visible reminder preaches God’s love for you. Jesus marched to fight your sinful nature— and did that by resisting every temptation. He makes worship his regular routine. He urges his disciples to follow the words of Moses and the prophets. He puts God in the number-one spot of his heart— and did all this for you. That perfect life trickled out on the cross for you. Jesus paid off the debt of your sin for you. Jesus rises to announce forgiveness to you. Jesus rises up into heaven to make it a home for you. Your faith in Jesus as Savior has placed you on the way of life. So, Continue Your Training. Do not forfeit what you have begun. Parents and Christian friends, Continue Your act of Training. God has set you in charge over the spiritual health of your child (and other Christian friends). You are the people God uses to bring others to him. It is not always the guy next to you. It is not always the Pastor. It is not always a stranger. It is you. That’s why, parents, you Continue Your Training, your act of training up a child. Statistically speaking, these children have about another 70-years to their life. They have much life left and much ahead of them. They have college, marriage, children, parenting, work, retirement, older age, and the thought of approaching death. Those are some serious life hurdles, but hurdles they overcome with God. So, bring them to worship; do not even offer skipping as an option. Encourage them to read their own devotions. Speak your faith to them. Continue Your Training. Children and confirmands, Continue Your Training. God has begun a good work in you; he has brought you to faith. You have a foundation on which to build. So, build on it. Grab God’s promises and find peace in trouble. Run to God in prayer on the day of trouble. Lay anxiety and worry to rest because God is in control. Stand confident of eternal life in heaven because Jesus has won it for you. When you do step off the way, God will use his Word to draw you back. He will expose the error of your walking and the foolishness of you heart. He will walk you up to the foot of the cross and reveal Jesus who died for you. Continue Your Training because God keeps you on the way of life. Our case study demonstrates that truth. One Christian leader. One daughter and two sons. Two spiritually neglected neglect their faith. One spiritually strengthened strengthens his faith. Do you understand the results of this case study? Confirmation is not graduation! It never was; it was the devil who leads us to believe it is. That means, confirmands, you are not finished learning what Scripture teaches you. Parents, your child is not graduating church! Your life in the Word of God never ends! Each of you will face new challenges that come with the many changes of life. So, Continue Your Training! Continue Your Training in the Word of God because Your sinful nature constantly fights God, but God keeps you on the way of life. Imposing stone columns surround you, soaring to incredible heights before interlocking together high above. Thick brick walls press in on your right and left, each one also towering well over a hundred feet above you. The polished granite floor under your feet glistens. Pieces of clear glass pack massive window openings, letting bright white unfiltered light to pour into this temple. A hundred feet ahead lies four steps rising up to an intricately carved altar. On this platform is planted a dominant royal throne. Music fills the air all around you, angelic voices blending together singing praises. Can you picture the scene?
If you can’t, just Google: “British royal wedding ceremony pictures” and drink in those exquisite details. White poufy flowers drape walls and dress the front. Children’s choirs stand to your right and left. Delicate hats rest on the heads of every royal lady. Shiny medals hang from finely pressed military coats and gowns flow from each guest. This is the sight of power and dominance and respect. You get to stand in that grand temple. No, this is no royal wedding. You stand in far more powerful, far more dominant, far more glorious setting. You stand before the King of the Universe! …in his presence! …in a sight of brilliance and dominance! The Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God Almighty! But how? He stands apart from sin. Do you see that? Look through the eyes of Isaiah the prophet. [T]he Lord [sits] seated on a throne… The Lord. Do know what that [name] means? Lord is not God’s first name like: Bob or George or Dick. [The name] Lord has a meaning; Lord credits God as One with authority, all-power, superiority; the One holding control over every single thing in the world with unsurpassed might. This is the God who rules the entire universe! This is the God before whom each individual must give account (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:12)! This is the God who holds final judgment over your eternal future! And your feet remain planted just a few feet away. Staring straight ahead, you only see the legs of his throne. Your eyes trace those legs up higher and higher; your head tilts back more and more, reminding you of just insignificant you are compared to him. [T]he train of his robe fill[s] the temple. Exquisite white linen sprawls across the polished floor, touching each wall, covering every square inch that you dare not step on these unsoiled garments. Above him were seraphs… such unique angels that we know nothing more about them other than what Scripture says here. These angelic beings flash like flames of fire, showcasing the power and the purity found in this temple. Look up; see seraph after seraph after seraph fill the space above your head. [Each one has] six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” You sing the same song in the Common Service. Ho-ly, ho-ly, ho-ly Lord God of heav-en-ly hosts: heav’n and earth are full of your glory Yet, they do not prepare for Holy Communion. These seraphs trumpet a very truthful reality: God is holy. That means two things: (1) Holy: the Lord has no moral fault; he is perfect. (2) Holy: the Lord stands opposed to everything and everyone that is imperfect. Holy: because he is set apart from our sins. Does that sound quite right? The puffed up, proud society in which you live boom: “Hey! Wait just a minute! Who is God that he should call my hate wrong? Who is God that he commands me how to treat my body? Who is God that he condemns my unbelief?” That proud human heart tears down Isaiah’s sight and replaces it with one where the human sits in the throne next to God— or, worse yet, in the throne over the Almighty. Have you wandered into that arrogance? It comes out when you intentionally skip worship for the boat or for yard-work, but you cover over it with your self-understood excuse: “Well, God understands. I’m busy.” Never mind God commands your whole heart (Matthew 22:37); you can determine to give God part of your love. That proud heart smirks oh-so-smugly at harsh words meant to destroy. “Well, she made me angry.” “Dad needs to get with reality.” “I must exert power over my neighbor.” Never mind God expects words to build up (Matthew 5:22); you must have the authority to overthrow God’s command. That arrogant heart wraps an arm around God, calling him your buddy who understands why you can lose self-control, why it’s acceptable for you to neglect your parenting discipline, why it’s alright for you to create your own beliefs. Inside each of us is this heart which believes it sits on the throne of God. That it sits in authority over God. That you are free to live according to your rules. That God is honored by your presence. Do you see who sits on the throne? Not you. Not me. Not the seraphim either. In fact, even the seraphim tremble at the sight. The ones already in heaven cannot even look at the face of God! So how can you (and I), mere mortals living in an unclean world approach God and live? The best we can is join with Isaiah, trembling, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” The LORD God Almighty is Holy, Holy, Holy. He stands apart from our sins. Yet, your Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God Almighty cleanses you with his life. Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar… The altar. The place of sacrifice. The place where blameless animal after blameless animal sacrificed its life to remove sin. Flying from the altar of forgiveness, the seraph touches [Isaiah’s] mouth [with that coal] and says, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” A holy God does not sweep Isaiah away into the very depths of hell. The God of patience and mercy cleanses him with his life. Your Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God Almighty deals with you in the same patience and mercy. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (John 3:16), the disciple John writes. God the Father sends his only Son into a life soiled with sin’s awful grime. The devil pushed pride before him. Jesus faces the pull to run away from the cross and live a cushy earthly life. Yet, he never does. He treasures the Word of the Holy God above all things— remaining the Holy One of God. This Holy One, the One seated on this magnificent, towering throne steps down and humbles himself. Leaving heaven, he takes the form of a servant, allowing corrupt men to spit on him, punch his face, crush a mockery into his head, and nail him to a cross. God so loved you that he laid his one and only Son on the altar of the cross in order to cleanse you. Jesus leaves his tomb and says: See… your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for. Jesus bridges the gap between you and God; that’s what is meant by the word “atone:” Jesus makes you “at-one” with God. At your baptism the Triune God announces, “Look, this water and my Word has touched you: your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” At the altar, Jesus touches you with his body and blood, together with the bread and wine, and says: See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Jesus has removed the stained garments of arrogance and dressed you in splendid white robes. He has washed grimy pride away. He has cleansed an arrogant ego. He makes you (and me) acceptable to approach the Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God Almighty because his holy life has been used to cleanse you. Now cleansed, your Triune God calls you to a holy life. Just look at Isaiah. Just moments earlier trembles at the sight of approaching a holy God, fearing his life would roar to a violent close. Yet, a merciful God sets him free from bondage to hell. Set free from threats of death, he is free to serve God with a willing heart and life. He heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” [Isaiah] said, “Here am I. Send me!” Touched by that forgiving love, he is transformed to share it with many others. God may not have called you to be a minister or missionary. Yet, he has called you into a new way of living. Forgiven, restored, brought into his family, you can approach God with confidence. Your singing of “Holy, Holy, Holy!” comes not from fear, but from hearts thriving on the forgiveness through a Triune God. You shout: “Holy! Holy! Holy! Is the LORD Almighty!” giving God credit for his perfection and him giving you that perfection for eternal life in heaven. You praise God as you read your Meditations devotions. You praise God as you study God’s Word in Bible class. You praise God as you take his Word into your hearts. You demonstrate proper love for God as you place him in the first-place spot of your hearts. His Word drowns out your words… and thoughts… and opinions. You are following the One who is Holy, Holy, Holy! You bring your offerings to God. Gifts of money, of your time, and of your talents. You support a minister bringing God’s Word to your ears and heart— and to your friends and community. You offer God a beautiful space where he might reign and dwell. You serve him from a heart motivated by love. The Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God Almighty has called you to a holy life. On this Trinity Sunday, you stand between two halves of our church readings. From Advent (end-November) through Pentecost (mid-May), we study the life of Christ: his faultless birth, innocent living, and perfect life sacrificed, and triumphant resurrection. Now, after today, the focus shifts from the steps taken to save us to the teachings Jesus gives over his three-year ministry. You are ready for this growth. Your Holy, Holy, Holy LORD God Almighty has ushered you into his grand temple. You look up to see the One high and exalted, seated on his magnificent throne. Yet, you do not fear. Through the blood of Jesus, the Father declares you forgiven. The Holy Spirit points at your baptism as evidence that you belong to God. Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD God Almighty! He stands apart from sin. His life cleanses us. He calls us to a holy life. Good guy chases bad guy— climbing stairwells, sprinting down hallways, dashing around corners, kicking open door after door until... he finally corners him. Gun drawn and aimed directly at the heart of a man who killed an agent. Finger on the trigger because this man shot at him. Bullet in the chamber because this man committed countless crimes.
The two stare each other down— until the cornered man, in one last bout of desperation, darts to flee. A muscle flinches. A finger presses the trigger. The hammer strikes. The bullet fires from the barrel. A criminal slumps to the ground. Whether you are watching James Bond take down a super-villain or a detective bringing a criminal to justice on your favorite television crime show, you watch a tense scene like this and the first thought that floods your mind is?… “He got what he deserved!” If someone breaks the law, then consequences follow. Maybe that was your initial thought from our Old Testament selection. The Israelites traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. Picture (in your head) a map of present-day Israel; Mount Hor is just south and east of Israel. For over forty years the nation inched through the desert to reach the southern border of the Promised Land; they’re on the cusp of entering! All that stands between them and a new life is the nation of Edom. So, an Israelite delegation meets with the king of Edom. They request to use the public highway running through their territory. Israel promises not to use any water, food, grazing grass, or land to rest in— nothing belonging to Edom. In fact, you would never know Israel had even been there. But the king refuses. He even stations a powerful army along the border to deter Israel from marching in (Numbers 20:14-20). The only way forward into the Promised Land now is by heading backwards. In order to head north, the nation must travel south to skirt around the nation of Edom. Picture it: imagine driving to Midland from Clare, but [the city of] Coleman will not let you use HWY-10; you cannot go through the city. So, you must drive back to Clare, up northbound US-127 to Harrison, east across HWY-61 through Gladwin and to White Star, and then head south on HWY-30 into Midland. Do you know how irritating that would be? Your traveling time doubles. You use more energy, more gas. You get exhausted quicker! And as Israel restarts their journey, the people grew impatient on the way. Very soon that impatience boils over into criticizing and grumbling. They spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert?” Can you hear it? Fingers pointing, hearts whining: “God, life was excellent as a slave! You should have just left us there!” They quickly forgot why they left. Exodus 2:23 says: The Israelites groaned in their slavery[…] and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. You see, God did not yank Israel out; the nation cried for help and God answered them (2:24). In fact, right after Israel walks through the Red Sea, they rejoice in their newfound freedom! (Exodus 15) No one complains when God was in the act of delivering them. Only when life did not meet Israel’s expectation did the nation find fault with God. That’s why they gripe: There is no bread! There is no water! After all, they are in a desert. So, God provides water from a rock (Numbers 20:11). When the water is polluted, God purifies it (Exodus 15:23-25). Not to mention, every morning he sends manna. Manna— those little thin wafers of bread— litter the desert floor, and you could simply eat it or use it for any baking needs. Then at night, God sent in quail for meat (Exodus 16). You don’t find much water and food in the desert, but God makes sure to provide for them— and he does this for over 40-years. But they detest this miserable food!” “This food is for the dogs!” they complain, “We deserve so much better! God, [Y]ou brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert!” Wow… talk about ungrateful. They had lacked nothing! And so when you read: the Lord sent venomous snakes among them, you might think: “Yeah, those spoiled little brats got what they deserved.” Did they? If you ask me, I do not think they got what they deserved. They deserved so much worse. The minute they curse God, he could have zipped right into heaven. Left them all alone— crickets chirping, tumbleweed bouncing through the desert, abandoned and forsaken. “You don’t like my food? You don’t like me giving automatic victories over your enemies? You don’t like me freeing you for life in a brand new land you did not work for? Fine! Have it your way! If you don’t want me, then you don’t have me!” That’s what they deserve. Do you know what makes that a truly terrifying thought? It’s easy for me to point my finger at them and smirk: “Yeah… they got what they deserve!” Yet, are their complaints much different from mine?... from yours? Do you realize that God hands you daily bread? You pray for it in the Lord’s Prayer. Gas for the car, money for the rent, (at least?) three meals a day, multiple sets of clothes, a roof over your head and heat to fill the house, toys and video games and smartphones to put in your hands—and still, someway, somehow, out of the mouth comes: “Oh, gas went up $.20 (about $2.00 extra for 10 gallons). Woe is me! God, I have no offering because everything is just so expensive! I have nothing to give you because you gave me nothing!” Is that really true? Has God really handed nothing—like you’re scrounging through dumpsters just to make ends meet? Do you realize that God graciously brought you into his family of believers? He has called you to faith. He repeatedly stresses: “Your purpose in life is to enter heaven” (Luke 21:28; 1 Timothy 2:3-4). He promises: “I’m with you always—to the very end of life” (Matthew 28:20). And someway, somehow comes out of the mouth, “God, where are you leading me? Don’t you see the violence around me? Don’t you care about my health? Will you not finally silence the enemies who attack my faith?” You see, God is not upset that Israel complains (as though God is terribly annoyed listening to them). Rather, grumbling rejects God’s many promises; you refuse to believe that God is with you. Complaining accuses God of not giving good gifts; you fault God for your greed. This arrogance accuses God of not caring. “God, you led me into this world to just watch me die!” And you know what? God would be completely fair to leave you alone. He would be completely fair to let Satan’s bite of sin so thoroughly infect your heart and soul leaving you to die in hell. That would be fair. Yet, God Is Unfair! He does not treat us as we deserve. Catch that? God does not treat us as we deserve. What we deserve is death. Yet, God treats us as we do not deserve. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” What the nation (and we) deserves is for God to say: “No! I’m done with you. You’ve grumbled too much. You’ve lost it. Sorry!” Yet, in his mercy, The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” Notice who answers Moses: the “Lord” (in all capital letters). That’s not a typo; the “Lord” (in all caps) is intentional. That name tells you two things about your God: (1) He will carry out his threat to punish everyone who rejects him. (2) He has compassion on those who turn from rebellion; God forgives (Exodus 34:6-7). God treats Israel as they do not deserve. When anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. Understand, the bronze serpent did not heal (as though it contained a special power). For anyone to look at the serpent meant that they admitted their rebellion was wrong. They looked because they trusted God would heal them. God promised; people believed. Their act of looking demonstrated faith in the promises of God. God has spoken to you (and me) as well. Satan’s deadly venom so saturated your (and my) soul. That venom is what moves us to gripe and complain that God does not have our best interests in mind. That venom chokes our trust in God. So, God raises up his Son on a cross, giving us what we do not deserve. Jesus suffers the effects of Satan’s venom. He is bitten on the heel (Genesis 3:15). The One who never opens his mouth to complain dies for us who grumble. The One who trusted God above all things—even when he has no place to lay his head—dies because we fail to trust. The One in whom Pontius Pilate finds no moral fault is the One struck dead. Jesus removes death from you (and me). Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life (John 3:14-15). God raises up Jesus to rescue you from the death sin deserves. God treats you and me as we do not deserve. That’s why we call it “grace.” Grace means “undeserved love.” So, when you admit: “God saved me by grace alone,” you’re really saying, “God, you saved me by sending Jesus to endure my punishment. I don’t deserve that, but you still gave me Jesus.” When you hear: “You have been saved by grace, through faith,” God hammers home this point: Jesus did everything needed to save you. God’s grace enters your heart through faith. How do you know you have faith? Do not look to yourself—to your own morality (as though you deserve forgiveness). Do not think you made a decision to accept Jesus as Savior; you are conceived and born spiritually dead. It is God who creates life in you through baptism. Yes, it looks so simple! Splash a little water on someone’s head? How can that change anything? It changes nothing--except, except, God takes regular water and packs a powerful promise to it: He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). God makes it clear: baptism saves you. Then, in the Lord’s Supper, he strengthens you faith. Yes, you receive a little wafer of bread and a shot of wine— but that’s not all. God makes it clear (in the Bible) that you receive the body and blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins (1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:25-29). Sound too good to be true? Yes! Yes it does! God is Unfair. He treats us as we do not deserve. Just think about that! God is Unfair! He does not treat us as we deserve. He treats us as we do not deserve. Holding that thought in your life every day changes the way you live. You recognize that you deserve no good gifts from God, but he still blesses you every day. It fuels your appreciation to receive your money, clothes, home, and food with thanks. Never griping, but living content with what God has given you. You recognize for all the times you left God, he never left you. You trust God’s guidance even when you do not know the future; you take him at his Word. What amazing grace! God has made you his child and assures you that you remain his. Inside of you now grows this gratefulness. Rejoice! Because God is Unfair! He does not treat us as we deserve. He treats us as we do not deserve. |
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