You keep coming back! …Every week! Even after hearing the things you hear and saying the things you do! You’re here!
I mean, how does our worship service begin? After our opening hymn, you stand up and the first thing out of your mouth is… “God, I confess that I am by nature sinful... God, I disobeyed you. I chose to do wrong and ignored the right. I deserve your wrath, your anger; God, I deserve to go to hell.” What a way to build self-esteem, right? An admission of guilt? Then there’s the sermon. Each sermon takes a Bible-reading, explains cultural traditions and simplifies Jesus’ teachings; it takes the core truth taught and compares your life to it. You hear applications to your life, reminding you that you are not as perfect as you might think you are. Wow! Who wants to hear that? Isn’t “church” a place to learn how to live a happier Christian life? That we stop talking about the gospel and actually live it? Now, we could stopping talking about “sin” and “evil” and “bad.” We could just start service with: “Yes, you aren’t perfect, but that’s ok! No one’s perfect here. Just forget about the bad things you do. Know that Jesus loves you!” We could sing something upbeat to get our hearts pumping, our minds excited, and our emotions raging. We could do all those things, but we still zero in on this issue of “sin.” Why? Well, for the same reason Jesus does. In our reading, you watch Jesus arrive in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. This once-a-year festival reminds believers that God rescued them from slavery in Egypt. This rescue also pointed forward to a spiritual rescue. God would send a Savior to lead people out of spiritual slavery and into the freedom from sin’s deadly consequences (Exodus 12). When Jesus steps into the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. Now, a few things first. The temple breaks down into two major parts: (1) the temple itself and (2) the courtyard of the Gentiles. Only Jews could enter the temple building, offer their sacrifice and worship. Some Gentiles [non-Jews] also trusted in Jesus as Savior. They worshipped in the courtyard surrounding the temple. Passover worshippers are pouring into Jerusalem. Some travel long distances. Instead of dragging your sacrificial sheep across the desert road, you could purchase your appropriate sacrifice in Jerusalem (see Deuteronomy 14:24-26). In addition to the sacrifice, God required paying a temple tax (Exodus 30:12). Since many worshippers lived in the Roman Empire, they had Roman coins. Pressed into those coins is the image of the emperor—an emperor who claimed to be god. Such an arrogant boast stole glory from God. So, those entering the temple would exchange their Roman coins for Jewish coins. Then they could pay the required temple tax. You see, selling animals and exchanging money was not wrong. Yet, there’s two things wrong about the actions taking place here. (1) Where this business is conducted. Normally, you bought animals and exchanged money outside the Gentile courtyard. Now, someone brought this business into the place where Gentiles worship! Imagine someone bringing the barn into your church. As you pray, a cow bumps into you. You lift your eyes up to heaven in prayer and cannot help but notice a sheep pooping just a few feet away from you. The lemony-pine smell of your incense blends in with the swampy stench of sweaty cattle. You try to meditate, but someone shouts: “Exchange your money here! Low transaction fees!” What could possibly move someone to bring business inside a church? Well, that leads to the second issue: (2) The motivation behind this business. Money took precedence over the worship of God. Instead of assisting people in their worship, the Passover became a convenient tool to make money. No wonder Jesus made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” Here’s the point: God is serious about all of his Word. The Jews felt that because they had the temple, the sacrifices, the Word, they had the freedom to behave however they desired. They put their trust in what they had, not why they had it; they rejected the need to change their hearts. Do you see why we still address sin? Jesus demands your heart. And yes, I know, you are a Christian; the Holy Spirit already lives in your heart by faith (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Yet, worldly filth can clutter it up. Greed. Pride. Arrogance. The stubbornness to refuse admitting that you are wrong. That your lifestyle actually does not match up to God’s commandments. That your cursing and swearing should not be. That your thoughts need to change. Your heart can get filled up with all this filth. If this spiritual filth remains there, then, like these Passover-marketers, you find no reason for Jesus. If you do not think you have sinned, then you do not need someone to remove that sin. When, by chance, you need spiritual certainty, you begin placing your trust in something other than the Savior. You point at your church membership: “All is well because I completed [Adult] catechism class. I never worshipped, but I completed the steps.” You point at your family history: “My great-grandfather built this church. I may not include God in my life, but I want him included at my funeral.” You point at your service: “I planted the flowers. Grandma cooked the dinners. We gave a big offering. I always lent a hand. Yes, I may have created every excuse to stay out of worship, but how dare you question what I believe!” Do you see what happens? If you forbid God’s Word to cut into your heart, you will simply whip at Jesus to leave. You, like those Passover-businessmen, will believe God’s Word does not apply to you. For many, the most shocking thing about this account is Jesus’ demonstration of anger. Does he lose control? Is he being too mean? Does he sin? Focus on something far more shocking than that: Jesus stays in the temple. I mean, do you recognize Jesus could have done nothing? He could have left greed destroy the moneychangers. He could have watched people buy an animal in order to simply fulfill a ritual; go through the empty motions of meeting God’s demand. Jesus could have just left the temple. He could have left those hearts so polluted with worthless filth that would only lead to destroy— but he does not. Jesus does not sin here. Zeal for [God’s] house consume[s him]. Jesus’ anger reveals just how much he hates sin. He does not overlook wickedness, he deals with it. So, he cleanses the temple from becoming a house of greed. More than that, he cleanses the temple of the heart. In case you think I am overstating things here, just look at how seriously Jesus treats the Passover. He, the Son of God— the Alpha and Omega, First and Last, Beginning and End— celebrates the Passover. He has to; he is born to keep God’s law (Galatians 4:4). As a boy, he and his parents went to Jerusalem for the annual Passover festival (Luke 2:41). You watch him celebrate the Passover in this reading. Then on the night he is betrayed, Jesus again celebrates the Passover. This is not some mindless ritual; he wants to worship. He does worship with a heart full of love. More than that, Jesus holds this intense desire to meditate, learn, and speak God’s Word. The temple of Jesus’ heart is perfectly clean. If you (and I) still think God does not care that much about our actions, then you better look at the cross. God is serious about all of his Word. He is serious about his commands. He is serious about punishing the law-breakers and those who scoff at sin. God remains so serious about all of his Word that he punishes Jesus. Jewish leaders succeed in destroying the temple of his body. After all, they rejected Jesus as Savior; they had no use to worship him. So, they got rid of him. And for three days his body lay under a heap of rock. Then, three days later, just as Jesus promised, God rebuilds his temple. Jesus rises from the dead! He preaches forgiveness to sin-burdened hearts. He ascends into heaven to rule a spiritual kingdom. He rules now, using his Word to rule your heart. Yes, that same Word God has placed into your life. As you remain in the Word of God, zeal for God’s house starts to consume you. It does in three ways. (1) You hold this sincere, intense desire to grow closer to God. You make it a priority to worship. Sunday mornings are not an empty-minded ritual; this is not something you do for the sake of doing. Sunday mornings, much like the Old Testament Passover, focuses your attention on a God who delivered you from sin’s damning effects. Sunday mornings are a chance for you to be reminded that Jesus (and only Jesus) has cleaned your heart from all moral filth. So, you can leave here happy; you can leave in peace. God, in Jesus, forgives you! You are set free from obeying the Ten Commandments in order to earn eternal life. You have been released from hell, free of charge! With happy hearts you serve God. How? By shaping your thoughts, words, and actions to the Ten Commandments. You live to serve God not because you must, but out of thankful love for him. Zeal consumes you, meaning, (2) you want to pay attention to what God teaches. Yes, we start service with an admission of guilt. You hear about “sin”—not because I hope to make you feel bad and little about yourself. Not because we love dwelling on the past. Rather, because the moral filth that still plagues us will start whipping at Jesus to leave. So, you listen to Jesus. You compare your behavior to his Word. God uses the Bible to strengthen you to whip out sinful habits. He points at your baptism, reminding you how the Holy Spirit now lives in you and equips you for a life of service. In the Lord’s Supper, your trust in Jesus as Savior grows so that you may remain in the one true faith until you see Jesus in heaven. Finally, your intense love for God moves you to (3) promote the need for worship. Chances are, you will not walk past cattle-sellers and moneychangers on your way out today. You probably will not ask a moneychanger to respect God’s house a little more. But, you will come across those who downplay the importance of worship. You may have a child who has not worshipped for years, but sighs with contentment: I’ve been baptized and confirmed. My name’s still in the book. That’s what God wants.” You may have a friend who thinks that simply by joining a church, God is now happy with him. You may hear someone say: “I believe in God, but I don’t need to worship.” Your zeal for God moves you to address these mistaken ideas. You do not need to flip over tables and chase out animals. Yet, flip false ideas on their head. Chase out excuses. Remind everyone how Jesus has set you free so that you can worship him. That’s what keeps you coming back. No, not stopping all talk about “sin” and “evil” and “bad.” Not by starting service with: “Yes, you aren’t perfect, but that’s ok! No one’s perfect here. Just forget about the bad things you do. Know that Jesus loves you!” Not by manipulating our emotions. What keeps you coming back is zeroing in on this issue of “sin.” Jesus cleanses the temple of your heart. By his Word, by baptism and Holy Communion, he lives in your heart. With him living in your heart, you have the peace of spiritual freedom. You have the joy to serve him now all the days of your life. The Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. It must be completed in under 17-hours. Each segment has its own time limits. You have 2-hours, 20-minutes to finish your swim. Eight-hours to finish biking. Six-hours to run across the finish line. So, seventeen hours to cross about 140-miles of terrain! Could you do it?
You know, I wonder what kinds of thoughts float through the competitors’ minds during that race. Can you just imagine the mental strength needed to press on? You will get tired when swimming. The brain will try to convince you that if you are tired now (so early on), you will never complete the race. So, just quit. Your energy will drain as you bike. Halfway through your 112-mile bike ride, the brain will argue that the race too difficult; you just are not equipped to finish. Your legs will be beat exhausted as you run. The brain will praise you for the race you have run and will tell you that an unfinished race is just as good as completing the race. I’m not sure what is more difficult about the Ironman Triathlon: actually competing or overcoming your doubts. The race is grueling, but surrendering forfeits victory. Push through the pain and the mental agony you can boast in complete victory. Your Christian life may sometimes feel like you are competing in something more grueling than an ironman. You experience wonderful blessings with God, but the suffering in your Christian life grinds you down. Your mind may even tempt you to wonder if suffering is really worth continuing your race of faith. This morning God encourages you to Rejoice under the Cross! God’s grace does not fail you and so You persevere to your eternal hope. This morning we are discussing the Christian cross. You might have heard someone say once before: “Well, that’s my cross to bear in life.” Yet, let’s take a moment and define what the “cross” is. The Christian cross is all suffering that comes because you follow Jesus— because you listen to him, because you obey his Word. So, the “cross” may be (1) the suffering which comes because you believe in Jesus. You become a target for those who reject Jesus. Politicians label your beliefs as “dangerous,” “narrow-minded,” and “outdated”— and your reputation suffers from ridicule. Friends call your God a ‘mythical-fairytale”— and you hurt because someone mocks the God you love. Your own child, who was raised to know Jesus, may admit that he “just does not believe that stuff anymore”— and you ache watching a child reject his need for a Savior. You agonize under the insults, the shame, the ridicule, the laughter others heap on you all because you follow Jesus. The “cross” may be (2) suffering from a personal affliction. Your health is failing and despite your many prayers for healing, you just do not get better. You lose a loved one unexpectedly. He was so young, so healthy, so needed. You trip, fall, and break a bone. The timing of this particular accident makes no sense. Now you are confined to a house, tied up with restrictions and can do very little and travel nowhere. When your body hurts, when you suffer unexplainable tragedy, you still trust God, but you also feel the push to give up on him because you do not receive the answers you want. The Christian cross is all suffering that comes because you follow Jesus. It might be others harming you for your beliefs; it may be you trusting God, but also wanting to let go of God. When a cross presses down on you, it becomes easy to lose sight of who you suffer for. When a cross presses down, your (and my) eyes want to look down at yourself. When that happens, you begin trying to determine if (1) you have earned this suffering or (2) if you are worthy of this suffering. You look at cancer, puzzled. “I exercised. I ate well. I am a moral person. Why is this happening to me? I committed no wrong to deserve this.” A loved one leaves life too early. You begin reflecting on their life. She was an excellent [grand]mother, making each of her [grand]children feel uniquely special. He had friends and always helped out, everyone loved him. They committed no crime; they did not anger dangerous thugs— and yet they still died. Why? You love God and therefore obey him; you live an honest, patient, humble, life of service. Yet, your neighbor still laughs at your beliefs, shaking his head because he pities you. Professors not only reject God, but even call you “dumb” for believing in the unexplainable. You are left looking at yourself, wondering why you suffer for living the way God wants. If your (and my) eyes are locked on yourself, then you will determine that you have done nothing to deserve this suffering. Instead, you discover that much of life’s unpleasantries come because you are connected to God. The easiest way to end personal suffering is to end your connection to God. If you stop clinging to a Savior, then no one will insult your beliefs. If you stop trusting the promises of God, then you no longer have to wait for him to act (or try to make sense of trouble). Throw down the cross, quit the faith, leave Jesus, end the race, and life appears to be better. That’s true— kind of. Throw down your cross and you may have pleasant days on earth, but throw down your cross and you will suffer forever. My friends, the Christian cross does not come because of who you are, but rather because of who you are connected to! When you hold to God’s promises, your (and my) sinful nature tells you to quit following Jesus. The godless world insults you so that you may quit following Jesus. The devil pokes your pain so that you quit following Jesus. The devil, the world, and our sinful nature try to drive a wedge in between you and God in order to split you from him forever. And so, when the Christian cross presses into you and the temptation remains to fixate on yourself, God lifts your (and my) eyes up to the cross of Jesus. Why do we focus on Jesus’ suffering instead of ours? Because God is telling something very important: we have been justified through faith. “Justified,” means to “declare someone ‘not guilty.’” God sets you free from suffering his anger and wrath. Yes, you heard that right; you (and I) do deserve God’s anger. Your (and my) very nature is ungodly. You are sinful from birth, sinful from the time your mother conceived you (Psalm 51:5). You are born dead in sin— not able to bring yourself to spiritual life (Ephesians 2:1). You are an enemy of God— someone who fights against him, behaving the exact opposite of what he commands (Romans 8:7). You (and I) once stood completely helpless to change that status. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. When you (and I) suffer, God points you to Jesus’ cross. Why does Jesus suffer? Why is he rejected, crucified, and killed? Jesus suffers because he would not forsake God. Jesus suffers because you (and I) have forsaken God by our disobedience. Jesus suffers your (and my) sentence for that crime. Christ died for us. By his suffering on a cross, you (and I) have the guarantee of glory. You see, if Jesus had never suffered the cross, you (and I) would still be accountable for your guilt. Since Jesus suffered the cross, you hold the certainty that you also will share in his glory. When the cross presses into you, lift your eyes and rejoice! Rejoice that you are not suffering because of who you are, your reputation or behavior. Rejoice that you suffer because you believe in a God who wipes away sin and gives you eternal life. A personal cross may try to blind you from seeing God’s grace. You may be tempted to despair. So, God strengthens you to press on through your earthly race. Look again at verse 1: we have been justified. “We”— that is personal, that means you (and me), the work of Jesus is done for your benefit! Neither does not say: “We have justified ourselves,” rather, we have been justified. Someone else did all the work and it all depends on what that person has done. The moment Jesus cried out on the cross: “It is finished!” God slammed down his gavel and declared you: “Not guilty!”—once and for all time. Now you live reconcile to him through the death of his Son. “Reconcile”— you know what that word means, right? Reconciling is bringing two opposing parties together as friends. Your status was once that of “enemy,” but now Jesus has changed it to that of “friend.” Since you are reconciled to God, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only did Jesus cancel out the debt of your sin, but he will bring you into heaven; it is impossible to think otherwise! That is “grace,” God’s undeserved love. The Christian cross make tempt you to believe that God does not love you. Yet, God’s grace does not fail you. He demonstrates his love by sending Jesus to make your eternity secure. With God continually pointing you to Jesus in order to remind you of his love, you persevere to enter your eternal hope. Be sure, the devil will try to convince to quit running your race. Yet, you may also rejoice in [y]our afflictions. That sounds odd. Why Rejoice under the Cross? Rejoicing does not mean you walk around with a great big smile plastered on your face under the cross. It does not mean you must force yourself to be happy at a funeral. It does not mean you must smile when hearing tragic news. It does not mean you skip and jump for joy when some insults your faith. Rejoicing means you can take pride in your suffering. You can take pride because you know where to turn in suffering; you turn to Jesus. (1) You know God loved you to wipe away your sin. (2) You know God has opened heaven. (3) You know you may run to your Father for strength, comfort, and peace. This the how suffering produces perseverance. You persevere through troubles to enter your eternal hope. As a result, your character grows. Have you ever faced a stressful situation that you never knew how you could conquer? Yet, when you finish the test, you recognize that you have grown. You are capable of managing your time better, you can learn many facts, or you increase personal strength to push through recovery. As you persevere through affliction, your Christian character grows. You stop relying on yourself and rely on the promises of God more. You pray more, bringing your stress and anxiety to God. You lift up your eyes to your heavenly hope, knowing this is the end-goal of your faith—this is what life is all about. And— like you heard last week, your perspective on life is properly adjusted. Some of you are carrying a cross right now, and it feels excruciatingly heavy. You still feel raw after a funeral. You grieve over the fact life will not be as it once was. You struggle to come to grips with illness. You wonder if you can remain Christian in a society growing “Christ”-less. Yet, you are looking at the cross. You daily remember that God demonstrated his love for you by sending a Savior. You remember eternity is set. You press on through challenges with God at your side, strengthening you, comforting you, and still blessing you. You persevere to reach your eternal hope. I’m not sure what is more difficult about the Ironman Triathlon: actually competing or overcoming your doubts. Your Christian life may sometimes feel like you are competing in something more grueling than an ironman. You experience wonderful blessings with God, but the suffering that comes as a Christians grinds you down. Your mind may even tempt you to wonder if suffering is really worth continuing your race of faith. When the cross presses into you, look up at the cross. There see the One who suffered shame but now sits in glory. See the One who suffered for you so that you may join him in unending glory. This is the reason you may Rejoice under the Cross! God’s grace does not fail you. Persevere to enter your eternal hope. (from our midweek Lenten service)
I have a confession to make: sometimes I try to make do with the wrong product for a project. I stand in the hardware store and I know I need screws, but nails are so much cheaper. So, I try to save a few dollars by purchasing nails when I really should be buying screws (and even though I save a few bucks, nails do not hold my project together). A fly buzzes around the window screen in my upstairs computer room. It annoys me. I really should run downstairs, go into the kitchen and grab the flyswatter, but I’m already holding a pencil. And I don’t want to run downstairs. So, I try to use my pencil and poke a dancing fly to death. (Here’s the disclaimer: It doesn’t work.) Sometimes I try to make do with the wrong product for a project. I push forward with the wrong solution in the hopes of solving my problem, but it doesn’t work. What felt right in my mind was not the answer I needed. It’s the answer I thought I needed, but it still didn’t solve the problem. Life presents a very uncomfortable reality: You are mortal. It means that one day you will stand before God, the Judge of all. What can you rely on to solve this matter? Be sure, many have created solutions to solve their accountability problem before God, but there has always remained just one solution. That solution is found in Jesus Christ Our Great High Priest! who is qualified to serve us and qualified to purify us. This Lenten season we will study the book of Hebrews. You will quickly notice that it connects the Old Testament sacrifices and worship rituals to the work of Jesus Christ; it really ties the Old Testament to the New Testament. The title “Hebrews” does not mean the book was written in the Hebrew language. Rather, “Hebrews” most likely identifies the ethnicity of its recipients; “Hebrews” are Jews. These are not Jews who cling to the teachings of Judaism and are still looking forward to the coming Jesus. These are ethnic Jews who are Christians; they follow Christ. But life is growing difficult for them. After all, they are Jews. Many who share their flesh and blood [their ethnicity] practice Judaism. That means mom and dad still worship in the synagogue and read only the Torah (first five-books of the Bible). Their neighbors elevate the teachings of Moses and Elijah the prophet, treasuring these words more than the words of Jesus. Friends and co-workers do not share the view that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Instead, they’re still looking for the coming Messiah. These Jewish Christians stand at odds with their family members. It’s difficult to hold onto Christian beliefs when the majority do not. To further complicate matters, these Jews live in the Roman Empire during a time when Christianity is not embraced. The Roman Emperors are ramping up persecutions against Christians. Some lose their property because they worship Jesus. Others get arrested and still others are staring down the sword. (Imagine losing your house, your land, your retirement savings because someone found out you were here this one day.) There’s immense pressure to give up on Christianity and to return to Christ-less beliefs. Life would feel so much easier for these Jewish Christians if they just cut their connection to Jesus and returned to the popular, tolerated religion of Judaism. That’s the solution to make life feel better. That’s the solution so many still embrace today. “Sin” is not a popular subject. It does not make you happy to face the reality that you (and I) are nothing but dust and ashes; you (and I) are mortal. It does not feel good to admit that you (and I) are truly the only one at fault for breaking God’s commandments. It does not fill you with joy that you (and I) are accountable for indecency going through your head, the hurt you inflict on others, and the evil which festers in your heart. Since this is an uncomfortable reality, the natural, manmade solution is to find another belief, another teaching that will make you feel happy. Leave Jesus and find a new, popular, tolerated belief. It’s easy to do, right? And maybe you realize it occurs in your life a little more frequently than you care to admit. Downplay the seriousness of sin. “It’s alright if I have hold little feelings for someone other than my spouse. It’s natural… It’s acceptable that babies come before marriage. Everyone does it. God cannot possibly care.” Or you compare yourself to others: “God cannot be angry that I lose my temper. My neighbor abuses his spouse. He’s so much worse than me!” Or you attempt to justify and defend your actions by blaming others: “I wouldn’t be an irritated parent if my kids behaved better… I would be friendlier if she didn’t backstab me… I could listen to my President if he didn’t (fill in the blank) .” Each time you (and I) attempt to justify sin, you declare that you have done nothing wrong. Your heart dares to stand before God and tell him that he and his Commandments are wrong. That you, and your behavior, are acceptable. If you wish to walk down this road, then be sure: you are using the wrong product for the problem. Ignoring sin does not solve your mortality. Considering disobedience as something of little significance does not change the fact God hates sin and will punish it. You (and I) are not qualified to change our status before God and live. So, the book of Hebrews emphasizes one truth, a truth that is still true today: Jesus Christ is Superior. For those Jewish Christians, the pressure to abandon the Christian faith is intense. They could leave— and who could blame them? They have family tensions, the government wants to kill them, their emotions are worn down. Yet, if they return to Judaism, they would leave Jesus, the only solution behind. So, the author of Hebrews contrasts the Old Testaments to Jesus. In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways. As great as Elijah is or Isaiah or Jeremiah or Moses, they did not have the complete picture of (1) who Jesus is, (2) what he would do, and (3) the peace he brings. Each prophet held just one piece of the puzzle. Sometimes on a television show, six different characters hold six different clues to a riddle. When they come together, put their clues together, they discover the complete answer. You see, each prophecy built on another. God promises his Son would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). A prophet said Jesus would come from King David (2 Samuel 7:14). Another said he would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Another said he would be the Son of God (Psalm 2:4-7). Another said he would be crushed and broken for our sin (Isaiah 53). Still another said he would rise from the dead (Psalm 16:10-11). That’s why our writer says: In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets, but today you have something better: in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. You have the privilege of piecing all these prophecies together and clearly seeing: Jesus Christ is Our Great High Priest. Jesus is the One God promised to send. Since Jesus is God-approved, it means he is qualified to serve our spiritual needs; he is the only solution to our problem of sin. Since Jesus Christ is Our Great High Priest he is qualified to purify us. You see, sin presents the serious problem of death. God demands a pure heart, a pure mind, and a pure soul— and Jesus has it all. So, Jesus carries your (and my) attempts to downplay the seriousness of sin. He gathers them up, carries them to Calvary, and destroys them one-by-one. For blaming others for my guilt, Jesus is beaten. For my excuses for my ill-temper, Jesus bleeds. For me daring to think that God is overbearing and that God’s commands are wrong, Jesus endures God’s wrath, anger, and abandonment. Jesus, Our Great High Priest uses his innocent blood to purify us from all sin. “Purify,” that is, he removes the inky scarlet blot from our lives and cleanses us inside and out. Sin is gone once-for-all. To emphasize the thoroughness of his work, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Jesus has completed his work to remove sin; there’s no more work to be done. That’s why he can say: In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:2-3). Since Jesus has removed guilt, since Jesus has fixed your (and my) mortality-problem, you can live with confidence that your stand forgiven, holy, blameless, innocent before God. Sometimes I try to make do with the wrong product for a project. I try to save a few dollars by purchasing nails when I really should be buying screws. I’ve tried to poke a dancing fly to death. I push forward with the wrong solution in the hopes of fixing my problem, but it doesn’t work. What felt right in my mind was not the answer I needed. It’s the answer I thought I needed, but it still didn’t solve the problem. The solution to our mortality is not to run away from this consequence. The solution is not to try and make sin look better than it really is. The solution is not to compare my morality with others. The only solution is to lay what you (and I) have done wrong at the feet of Jesus and watch him purify us from all sin. Jesus Christ Our Great High Priest! who is qualified to serve and qualified to purify us. Fear gripped him. He stood still, absolutely paralyzed. The long, dark alley stretched on in front of him for what seemed like miles. But this was his only way home; he had to walk through it, and it was terrifying. Dumpsters hid danger in its shadows. Suspicious people lingered in the distance, eyes locked onto his next move. The alley blocked out public visibility; he would walk by himself; no one would know if he fell into danger. Fear gripped him. He stood still, absolutely paralyzed because he did not know if he would make safely home.
Just as he lifted his foot to take his first step forward, a security guard popped out from a side-door. Can you imagine how he felt? That security guard walked in front of him. Shiny, golden badge glistening on his chest, a badge trumpeting his authority to everyone. Walkie-talkie clipped to his shoulder, ready to call in additional help. Taser on one hip; mace and baton strapped to the other. That sight, oh, that sight melted away his every fear. He felt safe. Even though this security guard marched before him, danger did not automatically disappear. People did not instantly grow warm and friendly. The sight of that security guard and the knowledge of what he is capable of doing fills this man with comfort. With security guard marching before him, he also marched through this dark, dangerous alley confident that he would reach his goal. Can you relate to that kind of feeling? Troubles can absolutely seize you with fear. You don’t know where to find the answers for cancer. Your heart cries out when yet another responsibility is heaped on you. You feel so hopelessly crushed and burdened when another hope fizzles out. It can feel like you stand at the opening of this long, dark valley of the shadow of death and no one is there to lead you through its awful dangers. That is why God includes this Transfiguration account in the pages of Scripture. Look with the eyes of faith and watch someone completely capable of handling any danger that comes your way. Jesus Reveals His Glory for you to see and for you to stand in comfort. Imagine if that security guard’s identity is covered up by street clothes. You don’t see a badge, you don’t see a walkie-talkie, you don’t see a baton or taser. He pops out in front of you, but all you see is just another man who looks like you. You wouldn’t know that he really possesses the power to fight danger. You wouldn’t feel any safer. You need to see his real identity. The disciples knew Jesus’ real identity is God. After all, they were in the boat when Jesus calmed the stormy sea and howling winds. They watched him take five loaves of bread and two small fish and transform it into a feast for thousands. They witnessed demons fly away screaming, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the mute speaking, the paralyzed walking. It led them to confess: You are the Christ! (Mark 8:29). Remember what is meant by calling Jesus: “Christ?” “Christ” means “Anointed One.” When you call Jesus: “Christ,” you are confessing that this person is more than just another man; you confess that he deserves your worship, your songs of praise; you treat him as God because he is God. The disciples knew Jesus’ real identity is God. Yet, in just a short time, that would not be so clear. Jesus had shared some shocking news with them: the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and after three days rise again (8:31). They will watch the Son of God, the One through whom the universe is created, trudge up Calvary’s hill, beaten, bloodied, bruised, and be killed. Can you imagine what emotions would grip the disciples when they see this? …the desperate fear? …the absolute confusion? …the paralyzing questions of what to do next? Their Jesus would not look so powerful. He would look quite power-less. He would look defeated. So, After six days… (six days after telling the disciples what must happen) Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. Which is what they need, right? To be alone with Jesus when life’s gut-wrenching troubles weigh heavily on the mind. So, they leave behind the sights of religious leaders scheming against Jesus. They stop thinking about the intimidation of Roman soldiers. They block out the Jewish crowds who misunderstand the purpose of Jesus’ life— they leave it all behind. They stop ministering to those in need, to those who are sick, to those who cry out for help for just a moment and they go to be with Jesus alone. That’s something we need— not just some times, but all the time. To leave behind the constant anxiety that comes from cancer. To shut off our frustration of watching a society run astray. To stop fretting about personal struggles for just a moment and to spend time alone with Jesus. Why? So that you can see Jesus’ glory. Up on that mountain, [Jesus] was transfigured before them. Transfigured means Jesus’ appearance changed (or transformed). His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. Jesus is not reflecting light; he radiates light just like the sun shines light. In fact, looking at this transfigured Jesus is like looking directly into the sun. On this mountain Jesus reveals a glimpse of the glory he possesses as God. It’s as though he removes a veil just a little bit so that you can see that he is God. What a sight! Look at this Mount of Transfiguration and remain focused on who your Jesus truly is. Because the devil will twist your (and my) troubles to darken this scene. He wants you to see Jesus as beaten down by life, bloodied by men stronger than him, and killed without a fight. The devil holds up the picture of Calvary in front of our eyes hoping to convince us that this is the real Jesus: powerless, defeated, crushed. And if we’re honest with ourselves, the devil often succeeds, doesn’t he? He succeeds in getting us to fall into despair and to feel that Jesus has no power to help. The doctor walks in with a cancer diagnosis. You may be the one who has to undergo radiation and chemotherapy. You may be the one who has to sit beside your beloved spouse (or friend). You know the body will get tired and grow weak. Not to mention, there’s always the lingering fear that treatments will not help. It gets scary because this is something so out of your control— and it may feel that you have nowhere to turn for solid strength. Life changes— and it gets stressful. The hobbies you once did, you can no longer do. Time heaps new responsibilities on you: a new job with a new schedule and the need for money, the ever-changing needs of children, your ailing spouse, your parents who rely on you. The stress from these responsibilities can just press you down. Or you realize a habit is growing into something worse. Self-control is slipping through your fingers. You’re losing control over the thoughts in your head. Your incessant fretting over politics is consuming you. It feels as though no one is able to reach down and bring you out of this darkness and into safety. It can feel like you are all alone, walking through this valley of the shadow of death, hopelessly drifting from day to day. That is why Jesus Reveals His Glory. He’s like that security guard who pops out a side-door and instantly fills you with peace. Jesus Reveals His Glory for you to see. Did you notice that? Listen again. After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. Before them! Before Peter, James, and John! Jesus does not hike up the mountain alone, stand in a little nook, shine his glory as God, speak with Moses and Elijah in secret, come back down the mountain and act as though nothing happened. He brings Peter, James, and John to this very special mountain so that they can see with their eyes that Jesus is God— their God. Yes, for a brief time Jesus’ glory will be hidden. He marches up Calvary carrying sin on his back. Nails hold him to the cross. He hangs under God’s angry frown. He will look so powerless. Yet, he is actually powerfully crushing the head of the devil. The devil wants us to believe that God does not love us. He wants us to believe that the presence of trouble and the feeling of fear means God does not care. Yet, Jesus destroys those lies by living and dying for us. Then, Easter Sunday, that glory radiates from the empty tomb! Jesus has won! He has conquered Satan! He has opened heaven for you and me! Jesus Reveals His Glory on the Mount of Transfiguration to show us that God deals with our sins. Jesus Reveals His Glory on the Mount of Transfiguration to show us the full glory he has now and the resurrected and living Savior! Jesus Reveals His Glory for you to see and know beyond any doubt he is God. Jesus Reveals His Glory for you to see so that you may stand in comfort. As the disciples stand around Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” If we forget Jesus’ identity, then listen to God the Father. If there’s any worry that Jesus has limitations, then listen to God the Father. If you do not know where to turn in trouble, if you feel alone and abandoned, if you feel hopeless, then listen to God the Father say This is my Son. More than that, Jesus is my beloved one. Not just God’s friend. Not someone God just has sincere feelings for. God himself says that he gives you his very best. Jesus is not leftovers or unwanted. He is loved— and the Father sends you his most loved treasure to make sure that you can be forever connected to him. Jesus Reveals His Glory for you to stand in comfort. As you watch this Transfiguration scene, you realize you have a place to turn in times of trouble. The devil will still try to block out Jesus’ power. He will whisper: “Sickness proves God does not love you.” Don’t listen to the lies. Listen to Jesus who comes to earth because he loves you. He dies for you. He promises eternal life to you. This is evidence of his love. The devil will push: “You’re all alone to make life-choices.” Don’t listen to the lie. Listen to Jesus who speaks unchanging promises in the Bible. The devil will question: “Why follow him? Look how tough life is!” Don’t listen to the lie. Remember this: Jesus suffered too. He suffers for sins he did not commit. In fact, he could have ran away from paying for our sins. Instead, he listens to the Word of God. He listens to the Word even though the Word of God leads him to the cross. Yet, because he holds to the Word of God he wins heaven. You (and I) continue holding to the promises of God even though life appears dark. We hold to this Word because we too will rise in glory. Troubles can absolutely seize you with fear. You don’t know where to find the answers for cancer. Your heart cries out when yet another responsibility is heaped on you. You feel so hopelessly crushed and burdened when another hope fizzles out. It can feel like you stand at the opening of this long, dark valley of the shadow of death and no one is there to lead you through its awful dangers. So, Jesus Reveals His Glory for you to see. For you to see his power as God. The sight of Jesus with you and the knowledge of what he is capable of doing fills you with comfort. Just like a security guard marching before you, so you (and I) can march through life confident that we will reach our heavenly goal. That is why God includes this Transfiguration account in the pages of Scripture. Look with the eyes of faith and watch someone completely capable of handling any danger that comes your way. Jesus Reveals His Glory for you to see and for you to stand in comfort. |
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