The egg helped resurrect the sale of boxed cake mix. Yes, the egg. You see, early instant cake mix only needed water. Dump the mix, add water, stir, bake, and voilà! you had cake. However, sales of boxed cake mix flattened between 1956 and 1960. So, General Mills tasked psychologist Ernest Dichter with solving the problem. Dichter gathered a focus group and analyzed why so many women ignored these mixes. He discovered that:
…the very simplicity of mixes — just add water and stir — made women feel self-indulgent for using them. There wasn’t enough work involved. In order to enjoy the emotional rewards of presenting a homemade cake, they had to be persuaded that they had really baked it, and such an illusion was impossible to maintain if they did virtually nothing. (https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/something-eggstra/) So, the egg was added. By including ingredients to the mix, bakers could contribute and feel less guilty for using easy mixes. Yes, even though instant cake can only call for water, studies show that people tend to embrace instant cake mix if they can contribute to the baking process. Sound silly? Kind of… But then again, consider the purpose for the season of Lent. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). God gives those words for your comfort: Jesus saves you. Still, God’s simple promise can sound too easy. Many still feel this drive to participate in saving themselves. The hope is to feel less guilty about receiving free forgiveness. In spite of human emotions, God’s simple promise still stands. Keep Preaching: ‘Christ Crucified for Me’! This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. So that You can live foolish among the wise of the world. Our reading from 1 Corinthians 1:18 says: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Now (in this verse), the ‘cross’ does not mean two wooden beams tied together and stuck into the ground. No— here, you reflect on everything Jesus Christ suffered on that cross. Blood dripping, groaning cries, painful agony, arms stretched out of socket, life leaving. Not just the physical torment, but you witness the bone-crushing punishment for sin and the forgiveness Jesus wins. All this— the suffering, the penalty, the freedom— combines to make ‘the cross’ of Christ. God made [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). God pummels his Son for the crimes you (and I) commit. Then, God turns to you, smiles, and embraces you. Yes, those who believe, those who trust this message of the cross stand saved. Does it sound too good to be true? …too easy? Human wisdom says, “Yeah!” I mean, just look at our justice system. If you steal clothes, you get arrested. You stand trial. You pay a fine (or jail time). You stand accountable for your actions. Human wisdom wants to transfer our justice system onto God. If you hurt your friends, God sees that. God gets angry at you. You pay the fine. You undo ‘bad’ with more ‘good.’ Maybe you are extra nice, or maybe God will forgive you after giving more offering [money] or coming to church [more] or reading your Bible [more]. Human wisdom pulls us to think that we must participate in receiving God’s forgiveness. This is what human reason does. ‘Reason,’ that is, the information your brain takes in and (then) determines must be ‘true’ or ‘right.’ That is why guilt torments us; we trust our emotions more than the Word—and our emotions tell us that God is an angry Judge. That is why you may never feel forgiven; you rely on your emotions. If you feel bad, then you believe you are not forgiven. Human reason silences what God calls ‘true’ and exalts what you feel is ‘true’! Human reason calls the message of the cross ‘foolish!’ Too silly to be true. Too unreal to trust. Too easy. So, you reject what God says happened and believe what you consider must be right. God calls that thinking “foolish.’ For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” God does not ask if the message of the cross sounds reasonable. He does not invite changes to that message. He simply says, “My Son paid your penalty. You are free.” If that sounds too simple, then the fault lies with the heart— and not with God! So, Keep Preaching: ‘Christ Crucified for Me’! This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Yes, God chooses to save you through a crucified Christ. Yes, God chooses to lump your guilt onto an innocent Man. God chooses to hold Jesus accountable for crimes he never committed. God chooses to strike Jesus instead of you. Sound fair? No! Yet, this is what God chooses to do. Christ crucified means: Done! There is nothing you must do. Because God sends Jesus to the cross, you stand forgiven. You can be sure because God chooses to record a crucified Christ in the Bible. God chooses to create faith through preaching a crucified Christ. This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. But… what now? I mean, you want to do something, don’t you? At least, that is what worldly wisdom says. God must expect you to do something. Maybe prove yourself Christian. Maybe behave really good. Maybe make some personal commitment. What does God expect? Well, keep the order straight. First, you trust the message of the cross. This is faith. You already walk along the narrow road towards heaven. If you already walk towards heaven, there is nothing additional that you must do to get there. So, what do you do? Well, if God has already forgiven you, then do the only thing left to do: Rejoice! Bask in God’s completed work to secure your eternal future. Live in peace! No, God does not ask you to prove yourself Christian each day. He does the heavy-lifting and the dirty work. He lifts off that weight so that you can rejoice! Or, put it this way: You can live foolish among the wise of the world. Because the world will call you ‘foolish’ for thinking only Jesus saves you— but it has always thought this. Jews demand miraculous signs… The Jewish nation kept urging Jesus (1) to storm into Jerusalem on a majestic stallion, (2) to miraculously produce endless food (just like he did with those five loaves and two fish), (3) to reestablish Jerusalem as a golden city. Jews demanded Christ to reign, not save! Greeks look for wisdom… They crave new, mentally challenging teachings. They want new opinions and different ideas to add into their vast storeroom of knowledge. Each group wanted Jesus to satisfy their expectations. They do not want a Savior. [B]ut we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles… Both Jew and Gentile refused to believe God took on flesh. That Almighty God cares for people. That a divine being dies for criminals. That the life of Jesus actually counts for you. Yet, God sent Christ crucified! They cherished human knowledge over the Word. Their human wisdom tripped them into unbelief. Yes, the world may think one death on the cross is too easy to save. They may expect Jesus to reign instead of suffer. [But] to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. God chooses to work through his Word. He creates faith and gives faith, and then gives us touchable signs to which we might point for comfort. You may wonder: “Am I saved?” Yes, baptism saves me (1 Peter 3:21; Titus 3:5-6). The water touching my head and the words my ears heard is a baptism— and that baptism saved. You may ask: “Am I forgiven?” Yes, the Lord’s Supper assures me of forgiveness (Matthew 26:28). The bread and wine touching my lips and the words present bring forgiveness into my life, my spiritual account. God’s promise makes these tools powerful. God attaches a promise with water; he attaches a promise with bread and wine. God chooses to carry forgiveness into your heart in this way. Many will scoff at that. Some consider baptism as an individual’s commitment to God. Others see the Lord’s Supper as just a memorial celebration supper (and nothing more). They reach this conclusion because it just makes sense that God would not act in this way. That’s fine, rely on human wisdom— but remember, the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. God does not ask if his ways make sense. He reveals his ways for your comfort. So, live foolish among the wise of the world. Christ crucified means you can stand sure eternal life because Jesus suffered, died, and rose again for you. This is not too good to be true because Jesus has said that it is not too good to be true. It says so here in the Word. It became yours in baptism. It remains yours in the Lord’s Supper. You can attend a funeral of a Christian and say, “Yes, he is in heaven because Jesus did everything necessary to bring him there.” You can tell your friend, “Yes, I will go to heaven.” That is not too bold to say. Jesus makes this promise in his Word. Even though your past may be littered with hurt, you can remain sure that life is yours because God is pleased to give life through his Word. You do not need to search for powerful signs or good feelings in order to convince you that all is well between and God. The world may look for such signs, but here, in the Word, you find certainty. This is the purpose for the season of Lent. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). God gives those words for your comfort: Jesus saves you. Still, God’s simple promise can sound too easy. Many still feel this drive to participate in saving themselves. The hope is to feel less guilty about receiving free forgiveness. Yet, Jesus removes guilt—and he does it (1) completely and (2) freely. You do not need to participate in finishing the work or contributing to your forgiveness. Christ does it all so that you can rejoice! God’s simple promise still stands. Keep Preaching: ‘Christ Crucified for Me’! This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. So that You can live foolish among the wise of the world. (from our midweek Lenten Series: Three Words of Truth) On March 9, 2018, a judge sentenced Martin Shrkeli to seven years in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. Maybe you recall Shrkeli more as the pharmaceutical representative who hiked up the price of a life-saving medicine from $2 per pill to $750 per pill.
While unethical, Shrkeli did not stand trial for that; he stood trial for running a Ponzi scheme. Now, those trials occasionally happen. Yet, what made Shrkeli’s trial different was his demeanor. When members of Congress were investigating his crime, he called them: “Imbeciles.” In the courtroom, he labeled the prosecution team: “Junior Varsity.” While on trial— he offered $5,000 for a single strand of Hillary Clinton’s hair. Every single day Shrkeli strutted into the courtroom with the most smug, most obnoxiously arrogant smirk stretching from ear to ear. It did not take long for him to earn the title: “America’s Most Hated Man.” Prosecutors begged for a 15-year sentence; legal experts expected ten. Shrkeli received seven (which was a heavy sentence for his crime). So, why did Shrkeli get nearly as long? Well, John Coffee of Columbia law school told reporters: His behavior during the trial was arrogant, and he treated the judge as an irrelevancy. Every defense counsel I know, and I know a lot of them, instructs his client to be respectful and modest because ultimately the judge is going to sentence you. Your arrogance can cost you a very high price.” (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/09/martin-shkreli-sentence-jail-arrogance-sentencing-fraud?CMP=twt_gu) … And the judge made Shrkeli pay a high price. You see, Martin Shrkeli believed he held higher status and more authority than the judge. He felt over the law. He felt answerable to no one. So, he acted however he wished because he did not think he would be sentenced. Yet, the judge shattered that proud illusion with just one hammer-blow. Over-exaggerated self worth can leave you clinging to an authority that does not exist. Our hearts can think we control God. That we overrule his teachings. That he needs us. Jesus shatters that proud illusion with three words: I Am He who allows himself struck and who faithfully preserves the flock. That becomes clear in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas knew Jesus would be praying in the garden. After all, Jesus often met his disciples there. So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. This mob makes sure Jesus will not slip away. I mean, Judas marches about 100 men towards Jesus. Some, Roman soldiers— dressed for battle. Steel armor covering the chest. Bronze helmet with its scarlet, feathery plume protecting the head. Dagger in hand— just in case Jesus lunges forward. Others, Jewish servants. Wooden clubs ready to swat, blazing torches in case Jesus hides. These numbers overwhelm Jesus’ band of eleven lightly armed men. Yet, look beyond the weaponry; see the heart. This excessive show of force only reveals the inner attitude. The Jewish nation (and so many others) want Jesus out of their life forever. What is in the heart comes out of the mouth. Just listen: Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. Can you hear it? They refuse to call Jesus: ‘Christ.’ They do not consider this man God’s long-promised Son. They do not believe this man will rescue them from slavery. He is most definitely not their rabbi, their divine teacher. This man is from Nazareth— that scummy, low-income village from which nothing good comes (John 1:46). So yes, this mob is not here to arrest the Son of God. No, they are here to arrest Jesus, the man who claimed to be God. This is how the human heart treats God— as someone who thinks he is in control, but really is not. That’s why our hearts struggle to listen to his Word. We believe Jesus has no right to direct our life. We believe our desires are equally as valid as his. Jesus commands: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Still, a part of us inside with arms folded, brow furrowed declares: “No. No, I will not do that. I will not show patience. I will not consider the unique needs of others. I will demand that others meet my demands. So, no, Jesus, I will not ‘love one another’ because I choose not to.” Jesus commands: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Yet, the frightened heart beats: “No. No, I will not trust you. I am scared my life will not be pleasant in the future. I cannot trust that you will satisfy me the way I want to be satisfied. I do not think you will answer me in the way I want. So, no, Jesus, I will not trust you because I do not think you are reliable.” Jesus promises: “The LORD watches over you— he will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:3-6). Yet, the proud ego assumes: “No, God, you do not watch over me. Society’s morals are crumbling. People stay out of church. Government and schools teach ungodly things. I have determined that you have failed. Otherwise, you would make sure Christianity is winning. So, no, God, you are wrong. You are not watching over me.” That puny, fist-sized heart can swell so arrogant that it believes it can tell the One who fills the universe how to act. That is called ‘pride.’ Pride thinks you hold final say as God. Pride thinks God must obey you. Pride thinks you are God. Do you know what Jesus does with pride? He knocks it down. To a mob rejecting him as God, Jesus says: “I am he”… When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Understand, the soldiers in front did not trip backwards. The mob did faint from fatigue. Three power-packed words knocked each man down. Three power-packed words tells each man there: Jesus is God, meaning, he holds controls all things as God— including his arrest. The only reason Jesus remains is because he chooses to remain. After all, (1) Jesus knew what would take place; he could have run away. (2) He toppled each guard down once; he could blast them all away. Yet, Jesus remains because he chooses to remain. Jesus is He who allows to be struck. He is. Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” “I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” With those words Jesus faithfully preserves the flock.. Jesus of Nazareth steps forward. Yet, this is no mere man, this is the great ‘I AM’ (Exodus 3:14). This is the eternal God who appears to Moses in a fiery bush. Yes, the eternal God born of a woman so that he could place himself under his own commandments (Galatians 4:4). That requires Jesus demonstrating loving patience to disciples who fail him and religious leaders who reject him. That requires Jesus trusting his Father’s protection even though, now, in Gethsemane, he will be carried away to death. That requires Jesus clinging to victory over death— even though the wicked seem to win. Your Jesus, like you (and me), must have a heart held obedient to God’s commands— and it is. The eternal God allows the disobedient to arrest him. The eternal God allows his creation to judge and sentence him. The eternal God allows nails driven through his hands. The eternal God allows insults to slice into his reputation. The eternal God allows death to cover him. The great ‘I AM’ falls under the status of his creation, under the demands of God’s commands, and under death itself. Jesus held power over each one. Death could not hold him; he rose! His enemies wanted him dead, but the Father gives him life! Arrogance deserves death in hell, but Jesus has removed this penalty! This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” He has not. The blood of Jesus has washed away the stain of pride. The empty tomb declares pride ‘paid in full.’ The word of the Risen Jesus announces peace between you and God. That Word has hit your hearts and together with baptism has created faith— a faith that lumps you into his spiritual family, into his believing flock. That is where you live— in his flock, under his Word. Jesus is your Good Shepherd. He leads you through this life with his Word. As you hear that Word and take it to heart, you nestle close to him. So, you love each other, living in patience, considering the physical needs of one another, working to bring each other closer to Christ— all this because Christ loved you and gave up his life for you. So, you trust Jesus— even when so much seems to be saying: “Don’t!” because Jesus kept his Word to defeat death, and he will keep his Word to give life. When pride balloons, he will use that Word to knock us back. When doubt leads you to accuse God of negligence, he will remind that he is in control. When you tell God that you will no longer be patient, he will reveal your patience Savior. When lie broken because you cannot control world events, he will comfort you with a promise: I am with you always (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is He who faithfully preserves the flock. What awesome news is that! Over-exaggerated self worth can leave you clinging to an authority that does not exist. None of us carries greater authority than the ‘I AM;’ none of us can purge our wrongs. Yet, Jesus can— and he has. Jesus sets us under his care, under his control, under his authority as the sheep we are—and he uses three words to do that: I Am He who allows himself struck and who faithfully preserves the flock. Names impact life. A name represents qualities, characteristics, and behaviors— and your life will adjust to the significance behind that name. For example, the name ‘Mom’ or ‘Dad’ instills a sense of trust; you live confident because these two individuals will not mislead you. The name ‘Policeman’ or ‘Firefighter’ provides security; you live secure knowing that someone protects you and that you can reach out to this designated individual to help you. The name ‘George Washington’ inspires leadership. The name ‘Abraham Lincoln’ calls for unity. Names impact life. You respond accordingly to the characteristics behind a name.
Now, the meaning behind names change over time. ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad’ may no longer be present in your life, which means that you lost some experienced wisdom. ‘Policeman’ or ‘Firefighter’ may be tainted by poor examples, or maybe they do not offer the protection you desire. ‘George Washington’ and ‘Abraham Lincoln’ can be forgotten and with them, their behaviors. Time changes meanings behind names. That can leave you frightened and anxious. These people you relied on are no longer present. This morning, your God reveals his special name. A name that never changes over time. A name that never disappoints you. The LORD is A Name You Can Trust to rescue you from oppressive slavery and to deliver you into new life forever. We get to focus on Exodus, chapter 3. [It starts:] Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian… What’s Moses doing out there? Midian lies about 300-miles east of Egypt (that’s about the distance from Clare to Chicago). We primarily associate Moses with leading millions of Israelites out of Egypt. Yet, you do not find him in Egypt now. About 40-years earlier, Moses did live in Egypt. While there, he saw an Egyptian beating an Israelite. He never forgot the sight. He found this Egyptian. He stalked this Egyptian. He killed this Egyptian in a fit of rage. Word about this murder spread quickly— and when the Egyptian Pharaoh heard it, he demanded Moses dead (2:11-15). So, Moses panics; he runs away and lives in the remote Midian desert. On one occasion, [Moses] led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” Wouldn’t you do the same? You watch fire engulfing a bush— flickering, crackling flames— but the leaves remain green. The twigs stay moist and brown. The bush is not destroyed. I mean, what a strange sight! Yet, that’s the point. This eye-catching miracle is not to figure out how the bush survives, but to see the who behind it all. When the Lord saw that [Moses] had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. How could he not hide? God is holy. To ‘be holy’ means to ‘be set apart.’ Your God is ‘set apart’ from every thought, every word, every action that goes against his commands. Not only is God ‘set apart’ from wrong, he keeps wrong ‘set apart’ from him. At a manufacturing plant you have both parts and inspectors. A car part comes down the line. The inspector picks up this part and examines it. If he finds cracks or holes or missing pieces, he tosses that part into the reject pile. Understand, the part does not decide if it will be accepted. (If you have ever worked in a factory, you know this is true.) The inspector sees if the part meets the high standard of quality. God expects Moses to be as equally holy, ‘set apart’ from the moral filth of the world. Yet, Moses has revenge in his heart. He has lies on his lips. He has blood on his hands. He buries his face into the dust because his union with God lies broken. When God holds you (and me) up to his high standard of holiness, he finds people who fail to match up (Romans 3:23). That is terrifying. I mean, this broken union between us and God produces terror. All people— Christian and non-Christian alike— can sense it. When a tower in Siloam crushes eighteen bystanders, the automatic response was: “Well, they must have really made God angry.” When the blood of Jews is used for sacrifice, many whisper: “God must be getting even with them” (Luke 13:1-9). A guilty conscience testifies to the fact that all is not well between humanity and God. That guilty conscience recognizes there is accountability for wrong actions. There is punishment. The terror comes from knowing there is punishment, but not knowing how to remove it. So, we wonder, we fear if bad things in life happen because of something we have done. You wonder if your spouse died because you did not love enough. You fear cancer arrives because you do not get along with your siblings. You wonder if your injury happened because of a 20-year-old regret. You believe today is a bad day because you were bad yesterday. Those nagging fears come because you (and I) realize everything is not well between us and God. We fail to be ‘set apart’ from the filth of the world like we should be. That leaves us broken. This brokenness drives us into fear. Yet, God does not incinerate Moses. He does not leave him trembling on the ground. Your God is merciful. He says: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Remember those three men? Abraham marries two women because he doubts God will send him a son. Isaac favors one son over the other, creating family rivalry. Jacob marries many women and favors one child over the other. Still, this God remains their God. This God keeps the promises made to them. The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…” God will deliver his people from physical slavery. No more broken bodies or raw flesh. They would be free and rest. Compared to their slavery, this new land would be a little slice of heaven. Yet, God has more concern than just physical freedom; God is concerned about spiritual freedom. Guilt may hang around your neck. You may fear that your current troubles come because of something you have done. Yet, God lifts off that burden. He shackles our sin to Jesus. He drives his Son into the dust of the earth. God forces Jesus’ head down into death. Then, God the Father turns his back on Jesus and just walks away. On that cross, God broke his union with Jesus. Yet, God remembers his promise. He remembers his mercy. He keeps his Word. He raises Jesus to life. When Jesus leaves that tomb, he walks out without any shackle. Picture this: Your guilt was shackled to him on the cross; at that time it was removed from you. On Easter Sunday Jesus walks out of the tomb still without that shackle. Your Lord rescued you from oppressive slavery and has delivered you into new life. Jesus has restored that relationship between you and God. He has scrubbed your heart pure and has dressed you in his holy life. How can you be sure? God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” At first sight, that name seems strange. ‘I AM?’ Yet, God binds three promises to that name. (1) I AM. God is a personal Being. He is not a generic life-force dreamt up by ancient people. One God exists— a God who has emotions and feelings, a God who can think and react, a God who keeps his Word. A God engaged with his world, with you. (2) I AM. Present tense verb. The action continues. Your God does not change with age. He does not become so old that he can no longer relate to your current struggles. He does not change his mind about forgiveness through Jesus. His mind does not drift off onto other matters about the universe. Your God remains the same always. (3) I AM. Your God rules independently. He does not consult your world leaders for advice. Your God is in heaven, he does whatever pleases him (Psalm 115:3). God has taken these three key points and tied them all together in one name: the LORD [all capitals]. The spelling is not a typo; the capitalization is intentional. That name tells you: God is serious to punish and even more serious to forgive (Exodus 34:6-7). Because you stand forgiven, he stands with you. God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” That name— the ‘LORD’— is a name Moses could trust. He stood before that bush cleansed from murder. He stood forgiven for impatience. He stood as God’s child. Before, Moses lived hidden away in Midian. Now, he received strength from God to stand before the most powerful man in the world and march God’s people out of Egypt. The LORD— with his kept promise of forgiveness-- delivered Moses into new life. The LORD delivers you into new life. A life set free from guilt. A life that does not fear God seeks revenge on you. A life certain of forgiveness. This is a name you can trust. The meaning behind names change over time, but the name ‘LORD’ and the promises with it will never change. The LORD is A Name You Can Trust to rescue you from oppressive slavery and to deliver you into new life forever. (from our midweek Lenten Series: Three Words of Truth) They called her ‘unsinkable.’ Shipbuilder Thomas Andrews had designed Titanic with sixteen individual compartments, each with its own watertight door. In case of flooding, the crew could swing the door shut and seal off the damaged compartment. The water would then only fill that compartment and still leave the ship fully operational. In fact, Titanic could suffer four flooded compartments and still float. Andrews and his associates prided themselves in this cutting-edge technology that they supplied Titanic with only 20-lifeboats. (That’s enough to hold about half of the passengers on board.) Even Captain Edward Smith believed in Titanic’s unsinkability; he plowed through a patch of icebergs at 22.5-knots (about 25 miles-per-hour).
Then, on Sunday, April 14, 1912, an iceberg scraped Titanic’s right side, ripping open six compartments. Watertight doors could not stop the flooding. Titanic sank in just three hours. The 20-lifeboats rescued only 705 of the over 3,000 on board. To this day, Titanic stands as the fourth deadliest marine disaster in modern history. Titanic was unsinkable— that is, until she sunk. The disaster shocked the world. I mean, the media, the passengers, the architect, the builders, and the captain boasted in Titanic’s abilities. New technology promised that the days of sinking were over. Overwhelming trust was placed in the designs, the steel, and the handiwork. Pride had blinded many to potential flaws and catastrophes, meaning misplaced confidence brought disaster. For that same reason Jesus warns you to Watch and Pray! Temptation may appear harmless. Temptation may appear manageable. Temptation can unleash total spiritual disaster. So, Watch and Pray! Watch our Savior overcome his flesh by the Spirit. Pray that your Spirit is not overcome by the flesh. That requires struggling. For Jesus, Maundy Thursday is racing into Good Friday. Soon, Judas will appear— not alone, but with a detachment of guards. Eleven dear friends will scatter, bolting into the foggy darkness. Guards will bind Jesus hand and foot and push him through trial. Each passing second brings the future a little closer— and before Jesus towers the cross. So, Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father (John 13:1). He knew it because the Bible foretold it. Zechariah prophesied that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, would be struck (13:7). Psalm 22 put Jesus on the cross and cruel insults all around him. Men would cast lots for his clothing. Humanity would despise him. God would reject him. Isaiah pointed at Jesus, saying, “You will pierced for transgression and crushed for iniquity. You will receive the world’s punishment for sin” (53:5). Little-by-little the weight of the world slides across the back of Jesus Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” In this cup bubbles the most absolute concentrated form of God’s wrath. The bone-crushing, muscle-aching, organ-piercing, soul-wrenching suffering. The Father tips that cup for Jesus to drink. This is what your Jesus must consume for you. This is what your Jesus must remove from you— and the devil knows that. Before Jesus lies God’s unchangeable path: ‘Death for the sins of the world.’ Now the devil illuminates another path: ‘Escape from the sins of the world.’ The devil kneels beside Jesus, slips his arm across his shoulder, and pans over an alternate choice. “Jesus, there’s still time. Judas is not here. Run! Flee! Save your life!”… “Jesus, stop and think for a moment. You are innocent. You do not need to endure this. Do you really want to suffer for people who do not want to suffer for you?”… “Jesus, you are the Holy One of God. God does not deserve such insolent treatment from his creation. Blast your enemies away!” The pressure becomes so intense that Jesus’ sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). When I stop to consider this, two thoughts appear: (1) Jesus is fighting and (2) I do not always fight. Jesus has every justifiable reason to agree with the devil. After all, Jesus is innocent. I am not. That is through no fault of Jesus. I stand guilty because I choose to soil my thoughts, I choose to insult, I choose to push. Jesus resists temptation for me. How quickly I surrender to temptation! Gossip? Sure! Thinking the worst of others? Yep! Letting anger fester? It feels fine. Even right now, a part of my heart cannot wait for this Lenten worship to be done and over so that I can pamper my body with rest, my mind with television, and my mouth with food. Jesus is sweating drops of blood so that he can do the will of God. I would rather avoid the sweat and satisfy my will, my wants! How merciful, how gracious, how undeserving that Jesus still pleads: Not as I will, but as you will. The will of God the Father is that Jesus die as our sacrifice for sin. So, God hangs Jesus on the cross. Yes, even though God has made abundantly clear: The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), Jesus is sentenced to death. I am the one who did the crime. I am the one who should serve the time. Jesus is the One who obeyed as his Father commands. Yet, Jesus is the One who drinks my suffering (and yours)— to the very last drop— and he drains away eternal death forever. Watch our Savior obey what God demands. Watch our Savior resist temptation for your benefit. Watch our Savior overcome his flesh by the Spirit. Watch him forge forward to the cross. Watch him conquer temptation once for all. Watch— and Pray. Pray that your Spirit is not overcome by the flesh. That requires struggling. The devil knows he lost. He knows nothing will stop Jesus from returning to gather those who belong to him. The devil also knows the only way you will enter hell is if you stop following Christ. That means, he will hurl one temptation after another in the hopes of getting you to stumble and lose your faith. Yet, your risen Lord does not leave you fighting temptation alone. [Jesus] returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. For one hour! Peter, James, and John see Jesus in distress. They could offer encouragement and support. They could share Bible passages. They could pray with him. Yet, they sleep. Could they keep watch? The answer is pretty simple: ‘No.’ Understand, Jesus is not concerned about the amount of sleep these men receive. His question exposes our limitations. Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. The disciples wanted to stay awake, but fatigue conquered their bodies. How strong our fight against temptation! As children of God, we love our God. We want to read and hear his Word. We want to put his teachings into practice. We want to grow our knowledge of his promises and better understand our Bibles. This is our desire. This is how we sometimes live. We still fight a sinful nature. The heart cries out, ‘Watch your words!’ but cutting a reputation to shreds feels so deserved. The heart urges, ‘Forgive one another,’ but the mouth just cannot (or does not) want to form those words. The heart loves the thought of worship, but the body loves the thought of laziness. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. We need help— and we have help. In the Lord’s Prayer, you pray: Lead us not into temptation. God does not tempt us, nor does he steer us into temptation (James 1:13). You are asking God to break, defeat, and destroy every devilish temptation. How does he do this? Well, the devil only seeks to lead astray. The Bible teaches what is pleasing to God. For example, the devil may pull on you to doubt God’s love for you. Yet, the Bible promises: I am with you always (Matthew 28:20)—and the same Bible assures you that God does not lie (Numbers 23:19). The Bible exposes the devil’s temptation as the lie it is. God puts his Word in your hands and in your heart so that you can resist temptation, protect faith, and remain a child of God. Yet, God not only hands you his Word, but he fights for you. Your God powerfully drives the devil away. He may do that by removing a personal challenge. A habit (or addiction) no longer entices you. You have renewed confidence to face cancer. You have the strength to remain patient with those that may irritate you. God may even drive the devil away by saying: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). When fierce temptation presses into you, look up to your victorious Jesus, fighting, protecting, watching, and keeping. Watch and Pray— pray that your Spirit is not overcome by the flesh. The Titanic disaster has been called a “legendary story about the dangers of hubris” (https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/unsinkable-titanic-sinks). ‘Hubris,’ that is, ‘exaggerated pride or self-confidence.’ The media, the passengers, the architect, the builders, and the captain boasted of Titanic’s abilities. New technology promised that the days of sinking were over. Overwhelming trust was put in the designs, the steel, and the handiwork. Pride had blinded many to potential flaws and catastrophes. Misplaced confidence brought disaster. For that same reason Jesus warns: Watch and Pray! Temptation may appear harmless. Temptation may appear manageable. Temptation can unleash total spiritual disaster. So, Watch and Pray! Watch our Savior overcome his flesh by the Spirit. Pray that your Spirit is not overcome by the flesh. The fuel gauge in your car is not sharing an opinion. It reports the actual amount of gas in your tank. If your car carries an adequate supply of fuel, it reads ‘Full.’ If your car does not carry an adequate amount of fuel, it reads ‘Empty.’ Your gas gauge reports actual readings.
Now, you can choose to ignore those readings. You can run errands while the gas gauge flashes ‘Empty.’ You can refuse to accept the fact that your car needs attention. You can disagree when your gauge reads: ‘Empty.’ That’s fine— but the fuel gauge in your car is not sharing an opinion. Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, when the gauge reads ‘empty,’ your car will stop. There are instances in life that do not seek your input. Rather, they convey a very real truth. When Jesus preaches and teaches, he is not seeking opinions. He preaches and teaches for the sole purpose of conveying a very real truth. Now, your heart can disregard his warnings, but Jesus makes one thing abundantly clear: Jesus Marches On in spite of rejection, to gather you under his forgiving wings. That is why you find him where you do today. Jesus stands in present-day Jordan. He has already walked down the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36) and is forging ahead one last time into Jerusalem. Only the Jordan River separates him from reaching his destination. This territory belongs to King Herod. At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” Maybe that’s true. After all, Herod did behead John the Baptist. Still, the Pharisees do hate Jesus that they may be making a veiled threat. Whatever their motives, one thing is very clear: Jesus is not wanted. God sends John the Baptist to Herod with this message: “You committed adultery by divorcing your wife and stealing your brother’s wife. This is wrong” (Matthew 14:3-4). Understand, God does not offer a suggestion; this is his Sixth Commandment. Yet, Herod does not cherish this command. He refuses to obey it. In fact, he treats God’s command as an opinion. He throws John in prison. He continues living with this brother’s wife, thinking of his rebellion as no serious matter. God sends Jesus to the Pharisees with this message: “You appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness… First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean”” (Matthew 23:26-27). This is not an opinion; Jesus makes clear: if you reject the need for a Savior, you will die. The Pharisees do not want a Savior. They want a leader who fights the Romans. A leader who rekindles the national pride of Israel. A leader who rules with power, peace, and prosperity! So, they chase their wish instead of the truth. That is the purpose for sending out the Word: to call back wandering hearts. God has been doing this for centuries. He sends steady streams of prophets armed with his Word. Jeremiah foretells destruction because of Judah’s unbelief, but Judah rejects Jeremiah. They do not want to hear the truth, let alone be confronted with it. Even the priests rage against the God they supposedly represent. If you read the rest of Jeremiah 26, you see God’s prophets slaughtered. The problem is not with God’s judgment; the problem is with their heart! You look at such treatment and Jeremiah is not to blame. John the Baptist is not to blame. Jesus is not to blame. Wicked hearts produce wicked actions! The reason for preaching is not to kill, but to save. Not to take away life, but to save life! Jesus himself even laments this: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! If people do not want him, then he will let them have their wish. Jesus Marches On in spite of rejection. That is an absolutely terrifying reality. God makes it abundantly clear that he is not accepting our opinions. He commands. Jesus does not ask if you appreciate marriage, he lays out a one-man and one-wife commitment until death. Jesus does not ask if worship can sneak into your busy schedule, he commands that you set aside time for worship. Jesus does not ask if you would enjoy respecting your authorities, he commands that you respect them. Jesus does not ask if that one sibling is worth your time, he commands that you purge all bitterness from the heart. God does not change his demand of obedience. It is God who demands you (and I) change to obey. If we do not, Jesus Marches On. I wonder, how many think that they will enter heaven simply because they demand that God accept them? Humanity might feel that they have the authority to stand before their Maker and demand that he receive them into heaven for no other reason than they say so. And that God will have no other choice but to cave in and accept this plea. When met with rejection, Jesus Marches On. Herod intimidates Jesus with death, the Pharisees threaten Jesus, and Jesus responds: Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal. Jesus will do as he pleases without interference. Nothing will hinder him from preaching the good news to both believer and nonbeliever. In fact, Jesus forces people to fall in line with his plans. [N]o prophet can die outside Jerusalem. Jesus’ time had not yet come (John 7:30, 13:31-33). Herod would not kill him in Jordan. The Pharisees would not stone him. Jesus would be crucified in Jerusalem. Nothing will stop those mouths from admitting: ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ Nothing. On Palm Sunday Jesus will ride into Jerusalem. People will shout, “Hosanna! Save us, son of David!” Everyone who rejected him as king on that day will forced to acknowledge him as the King he is on the Last Day. Jesus Marches On in spite of rejection— and no one will stop him because Jesus Marches On to reach his goal of gathering you under his forgiving wings. This is the reason for Christmas Day; this is the reason Jesus is born. 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… For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:14-15,17). On that gloomy Friday Jesus would hang rejected. The Pharisees gloat that Jesus is leaving. The people shake their heads, mumbling: “What a fool.” Even God the Father pushes Jesus away like some foul filth. Understand, Jesus is rejected because we chose to reject him. This is what sin deserves: rejection. Yet, it is not you suffering God’s rejection; it is the only One who never rejected his Father. Even in suffering Jesus Marches On to his goal— the goal of gathering you under his forgiving wings. On the third day he reaches it. Jesus’ resurrection declares that God still accepts Jesus, and that God now accepts us. You can be sure that God does love you, that God does forgive you. How? Well, God used baptism to choose you. This is what God’s Word says: [B]aptism […] now saves you also— not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Marches On to the grave and into life in order to gather us under his forgiving wing. That is where you rest now. You live under God’s care, and you always do because God rules your heart with his Word. For 47-years [Faith] 137-years [St. John] God has sent you an unbroken chain of Pastors. These men stand in front of you and proclaim: ‘This is God’s Word..’ Think about that for a moment. These men are not spewing out personal opinions about life or fabricate ideas about God. A prophet of God has no right to change the Word— and if he does, then God holds him accountable (Isaiah 8:20; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 John 10-11). A prophet must point to God’s Word and speak only the Word (Jeremiah 23:28). Those Pastors are sent to you, to bring the Word to you. That may mean your Pastor addresses sin in life. He is not trying to look superior. He is not trying to ruin your day. He is not trying to control your life. Those would be ungodly reasons. Jeremiah does not preach destruction so that he might feel better about life. He preaches some very difficult words because so many strut down the wide road into hell. He speaks to turn back! That’s why your Pastor may say some very difficult words. Understand, he does it out of love. As a fellow Christian, receive those words in love. That is why we (including me!) willingly receive correction when needed. We listen because these are not manmade words, but the Word that comes from your God. When sin is exposed, do not reject correction. Instead, cherish God’s Word. We forge commitment in marriage because the love God has for us compels us to love his command for marriage. We pray for leaders because the love God has for us compels us to love respecting leaders. We set worship as priority because the love God has for us compels us to love growing in our faith. As we keep the Word in our hearts, we remain gathered under the forgiving wings of the Savior. The Word preserves life, just like a fuel gauge maintains a frustration-free life. Your gas gauge reports actual readings. If you choose to ignore those readings, then remember, you are not rejecting an opinion. You are rejecting the truth. When Jesus preaches and teaches, he is not seeking opinions. Jesus Marches On in spite of rejection. When the heart considers this harsh, just remember: The greatest love that God could ever demonstrate is revealing an unbelieving heart so that people may see Jesus and live. That is why Jesus Marches On. He pushes past rejection to deal with your very real punishment. He pushes past rejection to complete his goal of gathering you under his wings. That makes you ready to shout: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! You will not fear. You will rejoice that your Jesus is marching for you. (from our midweek Lenten Series: Three Words of Truth) My three office windows remain shut during the chilly winter months. That makes outside noise muffled and my workspace quiet. So, naturally my ears perked up to an uncommon noise. About 50-feet outside my office window stood a man screaming into his cellphone. His arms are waving, his feet stomping. You could make out some words. Obviously he was upset about something. (Frankly, I’m amazed that someone remained on the other end.) Just to think that he unleashed this tirade on another person. Then, a little later, I heard a car horn blare— and not just a little toot, but hold-the-horn-down-as-long-as-you-can blare. Apparently a Ford Explorer turned onto McEwan Street and this little black Ford Focus did not appreciate that. He blasted that horn from Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home to Witbeck’s Grocery while driving about two feet off the back bumper. Obviously this driver was angry.
Now, perhaps the cellphone-man and Focus-driver were wronged, but that did not catch my attention. Even if they did receive poor treatment, it was shocking to watch them mistreat others even worse. I mean, if they did not appreciate how they were treated, then why would they repeat that same rude action? Know the answer? Behind that anger beat a heart immersed in sheer, careless selfishness. Every human heart— yours and mine included— demands that no one hinder its pursuit of pleasure. When someone does interfere, the heart pushes that menace away. What about you? Jesus probes the condition of your heart with three simple words: Love One Another. Jesus demonstrates real love and Jesus leaves us to live in love. Listen to our reading from John 13:31-35: When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This is still Maundy Thursday evening— and the hours quickly tick down to Good Friday. Judas has just slinked out the back door. You know his intentions; even Jesus exposes his scheming plan. Judas lies: “I will not betray you, Rabbi.” and Jesus responds: “Yes, it is you” (Matthew 26:25). Remember, this is a disciple! Judas marvels at Jesus’ powerful authority to calm wind and waves, to feed thousands with one sack lunch, to raise the dead. That powerful Word even penetrates his heart and had created faith. Now, Jesus peers into the heart of one of his own and pinpoints a greedy, murderous pursuit. Judas believes 30-pieces of silver will fill him with lasting happiness. He pursues this satisfaction to the point that he willingly places the welfare of his Lord into mortal danger. So, he scurries down the stairs, runs out into the misty dusk, and paces towards the residence of the high priest in order to exchange the location of Jesus for money. This is what the human heart is capable of doing. It demands that no one hinder its pursuit of pleasure. If someone does interfere, then the heart pushes that menace away. (1) That’s why frustration appears. A child cries out during worship. Instantly, ‘my’ pursuit of silence is hindered. Because that child hinders my pursuit, I push that child away. I do that with glares. I mumble something just loud enough for the parents to hear so that they can feel ashamed. I demand all people meet my standard of a quiet worship atmosphere. (2) That’s why stubbornness creeps in. ‘I’ hold expectations about Christian giving. Any mention of increased giving hinders my pursuit of maintaining ‘my’ views of giving. Because I do not like hearing about ‘my’ offering, I push back. I refuse to consider my financial blessings. I refuse to ponder God’s teaching about stewardship. I refuse to think about areas where I can grow in giving. I will stubbornly give as I have always given. (3) That’s why jealousy grows. ‘I’ want to feel valuable in the areas in which I want to feel valuable. When I am passed over to serve, that hinders my pursuit of self-value. Because no one praises my talents, I push back. I cut down my church leaders, accusing them of incompetence. I refuse to help when asked because I want my congregation to suffer emotionally just like I did. The list can stretch on… Just think about this. You (and I) might be inconvenienced by a fellow believer. You (and I) may disagree with a congregational decision. You (and I) may have strong opinions not always embraced by others. If you do not appreciate receiving unfavorable treatment, then why repeat the same rude action? If you do not appreciate hearing certain words, then why repay with criticism? Because behind our anger beats a heart immersed in sheer, careless selfishness. The selfishness so often found inside you (and me) is that significant. In fact, it is so significant that Jesus says what he does to the Eleven remaining disciples. The evening’s evil events have been set in motion and Jesus responds: Now is the Son of Man glorified. Understand, ‘to glorify’ does not mean: ‘to be bright’ or ‘shiny.’ To glorify’ means ‘to honor’ or ‘bring praise.’ Jesus will ‘bring honor’ by dying because of Judas? Yes! The only way you (and I) would ever enter heaven is if Jesus allows his innocent life to be used as your payment for sin. So, Jesus willingly demonstrates real love. He lays aside a heavenly throne and an angelic chorus. He allows Judas to lead a mob into Gethsemane. He remains silent when liars deliberately hurl untrue statements. He obeys when faced with death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). Jesus demonstrates real love by removing your selfishness (and mine) and does not seek revenge on you— but rather remembers it no more. In fact, when Jesus examines your heart, he no longer sees selfish pride. Instead, he sees his selfless heart beating. [T]he Son of Man glorified. He ‘brings praise’ into your (and my) life. No longer do we live only for the next short-lived pleasure, we love and live for him who gave all for us! (2 Corinthians 5:15) And we can, because God is glorified. Jesus ‘brings praise’ to our God and Father. No longer do we tremble over our failures to love. Instead, we hear a Father forgive, and a Father who calls us into self-giving living. The only reason we can ever think about loving each other is because Jesus demonstrates love for us. This is where it starts. See the cross, see the love. Then those three words begin making sense. Love One Another because Jesus leaves us to live in love. He can leave. My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. Jesus wins! He conquered any fear we may have of spending eternity in hell. He cleansed your heart. He rises into heaven, not because he runs away from us, but to tell you: “Mission Accomplished.” Jesus might have physically left us, but he has not abandoned us. He still guides and shapes our lives with three simple words. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. This is not a ‘new’ command, as though it never before existed. Rather, Jesus he breathes renewed life into something that was already there. Love one another. The action continues: “Keep on loving… continue showing this love to each other…” Jesus does not throw out ‘love’ for us to determine what kind of ‘love’ we show. Rather, he instructs: As I have loved you, so you must love one another. So, how did Jesus love you? He laid aside all praise, glory, and honor, was beaten to death, and raised to save you. This is the love we imitate. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. The two go hand in hand. Because Jesus loved us, we are his disciples. Because we are disciples, we follow his commands. Because we love following his commands, we love loving each other. You care for one another. You write cards to the sick. You pray for each other. One person’s sadness is your sadness. Concerns and anxieties are shouldered by you. Maybe you do not consider these small reactions as ‘love,’ but they are. Taking time to meet the physical, emotional, and mental needs of others is you reflecting Jesus’ selfless love. You reflect that ‘selfless’ love even when you receive nothing in return. Your Jesus laid aside all things and receives nothing to benefit himself. Him laying aside all things benefits you. You may lay aside a pursuit so that others may benefit. Selfless love is willing to absorb wrong. Selfless love seeks the betterment of others and works toward resolutions. So, instead of anger over noise, you rejoice that the next generation hears the praiseworthy deeds of your God. Instead of sniping at parents, you may ask if they need an extra hand with their child. Instead of dreading setting aside your offering, rejoice that your gifts help share Jesus with many who do not know him. You delight in partnering with each other to carry out this high privilege. Instead of clinging to strong opinions, work gently with your leaders, with your fellow congregation. Even if you still disagree, you rejoice that God’s truth is still proclaimed among you. That, dear Christian, is the most important pursuit of all. Every human heart— yours and mine included— demands that no one hinder its pursuit of pleasure. When someone does interfere, the heart pushes that menace away. Jesus demonstrates real love by never pushing you (and me) away. Instead, he comes for you. He lays aside all things to make you his disciple. So you are! The love that has touched your life is now the love you show through your life. Jesus leaves us to live in love. What joy we have in embracing Jesus’ three simple words: Love One Another. In Ephesians chapter 6 you read: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. With those words God highlights a very real truth: You have an enemy, and your enemy is the devil. The devil whispers untrue statements for no other reason than to destroy faith.
Yet, God has not left you defenseless. He dresses you in protective armor. He even identifies the parts of that armor. In a few seconds you will hear those parts listed. As you listen, pay attention! God names many parts used for defense, but lists only one weapon. I want you to identify that weapon. Alright? Stand firm[…] with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (6:14-17). So, what is the one weapon God hands you? A sword, and the sword is the Word of God. That means, you do not stand powerless against your devilish enemy. God gives you a weapon so that you may strike the devil away. The Word Remains Ever Near You to deliver you from defeat and to rely on in battle. In Romans 10:8, God zeroes in on the sword he puts in your hand. He reminds you: The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart… That ‘word’ is God’s Word, the Bible, the instruction God gives for life. In that ‘word’ God uncovers a perfect universe created for you. In that ‘word’ God lists Ten Commands as to how we are to treat him and each other. In that ‘word’ God points to Jesus, whose obedience makes you a friend of God. In that ‘word’ God whispers promises so that you may set your trust in those promises, cling to them, and live under his care. The word is near you… Literally. You can purchase the Bible at just about any store or order one online. You can download Bibles to your smartphone. We have Bibles in the church and at the library. You can even hear the Word preached. The ‘Word’ can literally be in your hand. Yet, the ‘word’ can be even closer than your end table or bookshelf. The Word is in your mouth and in your heart… You have heard of God’s great love for you. You believe God’s great love for you. What you believe in your heart comes out of you with words. For example, each week you put your faith into words by using the Apostle’s (or Nicene) Creed. You admit: “Jesus is Lord.” That Jesus is more than just a man, he is the Son of God— the Son of God who destroyed the devil by his innocent death and that God raised him from the dead… So, here’s the key point God makes about that sword: You have access to the most powerful weapon in the world because the Bible reveals a Savior who delivers you from eternal defeat. The devil knows that. He knows Jesus conquered him. He knows that as long as you trust in that ‘Word,’ then you will enter heaven. So, he fights and he foams and he rages to separate you from the Word. If he gets the Word out of your hand, then you will have no weapon. If you have no weapon, then you lack the power to drive him away. If the devil does not go away, then he can destroy you. Do you know how he gets the sword out of your hand? With one question: “What do you think?” That sinister question invites you to lay aside what God teaches and rely on your own opinion. That question is so seductive because it speaks to our pride. The devil wants you to think that you already know everything in the Bible. If you think you already know everything, then you will not read it and double-check your knowledge. If you will not read it, then you can forget Bible teachings. If you forget Bible teachings, you will just start creating wrong ideas. Soon, you rely on those wrong ideas. You trust your wisdom. You consult only yourself for life’s many choices. You may tell God he is wrong. The heart can even grow so callous that it divorces God from life. Sound over-exaggerated? Well, the ‘word’ says: “Let us not give up meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25). Were you excited to be here today? Or, did the heart pump out excuse after excuse to stay away from worship? “You’re too tired. You lost an hour of sleep. God wants you to be healthy.” “You’re too busy for Jesus right now. You have school, sports, friends, bed, dinner. Jesus understands if you stay home.” “You already know enough about Jesus. You don’t have to be here that much. After all, you will spend eternity with him. Why spend time with him now?” The ‘word’ says: “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes” (Psalm 118:9). Does that promise steady your heart? Or, do you still worry about the future? The ‘word’ says: “Do all things for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Do you remember that God is involved in your decisions, or have you forgotten that? Do you stop to wonder if the television show you watch is really God-pleasing? Would God be pleased with what you do behind closed doors? Do Or, do you act in whatever way feels right to you? The devil wants you to put down the ‘word’ because when you do, you have laid down your sword. If you have put down the sword, then he can enter your mind and heart without effort. He can lead you false ideas. He can steer you far from a perfect God. He can defeat you for good. So, God points at the sword he gives you. (1) The Word Remains Ever Near You. (2) It even does something great: it delivers you from defeat. In the Bible you see Jesus, the Son of God. The words Jesus speaks are the words God speaks. When Jesus commands, God commands. When Jesus promises, God promises. When the devil tempts Jesus in the wilderness, God strikes down each temptation. Jesus is tempted in every way just as we are (Hebrews 4:15). The devil hisses: “What do you think Jesus? Does God really love you? Do you really need to worship him?” Every sly word is meant to get Jesus to disobey. If Jesus disobeyed, then he would lose. He, too, would be sinful. We would go to hell forever. Yet, Jesus strikes back with: “It is written” (Luke 4:1-13). He points to what will happen. It is written that Jesus will be pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. It is written that God will kill Jesus because we wandered. It is written that we are healed because of Jesus (Isaiah 53:5). All this is recorded in the Bible. You can hear it and read it for yourself. The Word Remains Ever Near You. In that word, you watch Jesus deliver you from (eternal) defeat. You can rely on this word in every battle. Why? Well, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile— the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Your ‘Lord,’ your Jesus has the only thing God wants; Jesus has an absolutely perfect life. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life (Romans 6:23). Jesus never sinned; he lives forever. On the cross, he hands his Father that perfect which counts for you. The devil lost. He never got Jesus to sin one time. You (and I) hold victory. Nothing will keep you (and me) out of heaven. The Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” That is the sword God has placed into your hand. When the devil tempts you, reveal that Word. Cut through the devil’s lies, and remind him that “Jesus wins.” Remind him how Jesus succeeded in his mission to save you. Remind him that you obey the Word of your God because it pleases him. Remind him that you listen to the Word because it will bring you to heaven. How furious Satan will be if we die trusting in Christ, not ourselves. How livid he will be because we will slip between his hideous fingers into our Father’s hands forever! The Word Remains Ever Near You to rely on in battle. Relying on the Word will be difficult because it calls you (and me) to put God’s Word first. That means putting God’s wants ahead of your own wants. Sometimes that will set you at odds with many. That may even put you at odds with yourself. Some days it would feel better to put the Word down, to ignore, to do whatever pleases you. Yet, to remove the Word removes you from God. That is the reason you fight. You fight so that you will not lose—and you will not, not with God on your side. He tells you: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. So many parts are used for defense, but only one part is a weapon: the Word. That Word reveals a Savior who delivered you from the clutches of the devil. That Word replays the devil’s loss again and again. That is the weapon God hands you. Use it and strike the devil away. The Word Remains Ever Near You to deliver you from defeat and to rely on in battle. (from our midweek Lenten Series: Three Words of Truth) The FBI finally closed their investigation in the Stephen Paddock case. Now, in case you do not remember, Stephen Paddock had checked into his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. He brought along 23 assault rifles, one pistol, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. His hotel room overlooked the Las Vegas strip, where over 22,000 country music fans crowded for a Jason Aldean concert. Paddock barricaded his room door, broke out his window, and rained thousands of rounds on the crowds below. In just 11-minutes, he murdered 58 people, injured over 400, and shattered secure comfort for millions.
Police never captured him; Paddock took his own life— taking along any motive for this massacre, meaning speculation ran rampant. Some reported significant gambling losses fueled the shooting. Others thought an argument with his girlfriend pushed him over the edge. Still others assumed he faced bankruptcy from failed real estate investments. Yet, all those theories proved to be just baseless guesses. On January 30th of this year, the FBI found no “single or clear motivating factor” for the shooting. Aaron Rouse, the agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas office, told The Associated Press: “It wasn’t about MGM, Mandalay Bay or a specific casino or venue. It was all about doing the maximum amount of damage and him obtaining some form of infamy… If he wanted to leave a message, he would have left a message. Bottom line is he didn’t want people to know.” (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/apnewsbreak-fbi-finds-no-specific-motive-in-vegas-shooting/ar-BBSUtPV?OCID=ansmsnnews11) That might be a very unsatisfying answer. Many consider the human heart ‘good’ by nature, that is, people automatically do ‘good,’ but deliberately choose ‘evil.’ So, when such unspeakable evil breaks airwaves, many are left speechless. It seems impossible that anyone could commit such a crime. Yet, Jesus’ words reveal the depths to which our hearts will sink just to serve its own self-interests. It leaves us pondering what horror our hearts are capable of unleashing. Is It I? Yes, you are the one with a sinful heart. Yes, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. The reading for our meditation this evening comes from Matthew 26:20-25: When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.” This is Maundy Thursday evening; this is the night before Good Friday. The Twelve disciples gather in an upper room to celebrate the Passover meal with Jesus. Why would they not? After all, just consider why these twelve men follow Jesus. They witnessed Jesus strengthen the legs of the crippled, give sight to the blind, and loosen the tongues of the mute. These men gathered into baskets the pieces left over from two small fish and five loaves. These men marveled as his Word silences self-righteous religious scholars and change many hearts. These are twelve men who take what they see and hear and reach the conclusion: Jesus is God’s Christ (Matthew 16:16). So, they worship Jesus as God (Matthew 14:33). They trust Jesus will make them right with God. They even swear to protect Jesus to the death (Matthew 26:35). Then Jesus looks each one in the eye and drops this bombshell: “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” One close friend has in his heart the desire to intentionally put Jesus in physical harm. They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” What a strange question! After all, what answer does each disciple expect? “Surely not I, Lord?” They expect “No”- answers. “No, not you, Peter. Not you, Bartholomew. Not you, Simon.” If they expect to hear ‘No,’ then why do they ask the question at all? I mean, each disciple already knows the intentions of his heart; each one can determine if he will betray Jesus. So, why do they ask? Because they understand Jesus knows their hearts better than they do. No wonder Jesus says what he does to Judas! Judas asks, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Here is one of the inner Twelve! Judas witnessed Jesus drive out demons, walk on the water, calm winds and waves. He hears the Word of God, the Word that caused faith to blossom in his heart. Yet, Jesus peers into that heart and sees a love that has grown cold. It all began with an ounce of greed, and that greed ballooned into treasuring wealth more than treasuring Jesus. Greed even pushed Judas to suppress what was right so that he could do what is wrong. Jesus warns Judas one last time: “Yes, it is you.” How terrifying is that?! One single enticing temptation led a follower of Jesus into unbelief. If temptation can penetrate the ranks of the Twelve, then temptation has the same power to consume our hearts. Understand, Judas is not the first, nor will he be the last Christian to let temptation destroy faith. Many Christians (on their Confirmation Day) have promised to remain faithful to God until death. Yet, she lays aside God’s commandments so that her friends consider her popular. He finds more excitement outside of church than in it. What about you? Is temptation exchange your wedding vows for adultery and divorce? Is anger steering you away from patient forgiveness and into grudges and revenge? Have you fallen in love with money, that you steal and withhold generous giving to God? Do you believe the lie that you have the Bible so well memorized that you do not need to hear it in worship, read it in devotions, or apply it to life? Little by little temptation urges us to take a step further away from God’s Word, to take a step closer to whatever desire we crave, to step a little further away from our God. If you think that is an overstatement or that I am sounding a false alarm, then the devil has already gained a foothold. That’s the reason Jesus announces such heart-stopping words: One of you will betray me. He could have pulled Judas aside, whispered in his ear: “You will betray me.” He could have asked the Twelve: “Will someone betray me?” He does neither. Instead, he predicts the future. Jesus speaks these words in the hearing of all of his disciples— including the eleven innocent ones— so that each one could examine the cravings of the heart, consider what the heart is capable of doing, and then turn to Jesus. So ask yourself: Is It I? Have I betrayed my Lord? Have I sold him for fiery outbursts? Have I exchanged him for pleasure that really did not satisfy? Have I dumped him so that I am not identified as “Christian?” Is It I? Honestly? Yes, you are the one with a sinful heart, but you are the one for whom the Savior goes. And Jesus goes willingly. I mean, Jesus uncovers the future: One of you will betray me. Yet, he does not slip out the back door. He does not detour from the Mount of Olives. Instead, he tells each disciple—you and me included: The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. He will allow Judas to slink out the back door. He will pray in Gethsemane as the armed mob jostles towards him. He will watch his creation kill him— kill him instead of killing their wicked unbelief. He will go to Mount Calvary where our ‘Woe’ will devour him. Yes, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. His suffers to such an extent that it would be better if he had never been born! Yet, he suffers so that our lives are changed from ‘better off dead’ to ‘better off because of Jesus.’ Jesus, who goes into death for us, also goes out of death for us. He will go out of the tomb without the eternal woe of death. He will go out of the tomb with a new word for you: “Blessed.” You are ‘blessed’ because are you that you are the one for whom the Savior goes. You will always live as one for whom the Savior goes. Each day you rise as a forgiven child of God. It is in the Word that you see Jesus evaluate and judge your hearts: not guilty!” What joy! Judas, who turned from faith, had nowhere to run. The devil duped him into believing that 30-pieces of silver would give him greater satisfaction than Jesus ever could. Yet, when the money actually hit his hands, Judas realized how great of a lie he believed. Worse yet, he failed even to turn to a Savior in his great despair. Without faith in a Savior, he had nowhere else to run. You (and I) will continue battling temptation. The battle will be fierce. The battle will be exhausting. Yet, you have a place to run for strength and victory. You can race to Jesus. His nail-pierced hands gently lift up your chin. His nail-pieced hands point at the altar of the cross, where he removed our woe with his blood. There, in his pierced hands, you find the open, outstretched embrace of forgiveness. There, in his pierced hands, you receive the tender embrace of a dear Savior. There, at the cross, you marvel: Is It I? Jesus goes for me? Yes, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. The human heart is capable of unleashing the most horrific of evils. Recognizing that takes the first step to treasuring the life of Jesus. You are the one with the sinful heart. A heart which still serves its own self-interests. A heart which would push Jesus away if it has the chance. Yet, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. He goes to bring your heart to himself. He goes to align the desires of your heart to his. Is It I? Yes, you are the one with a sinful heart. Yes, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. I stood beside him at his mother-in-law’s funeral. “I hope she’s with all of her loved ones,” he said. “She is,” I replied. “Jesus did everything necessary to bring her into heaven.” His response?“Eh… maybe. I hope she’s there.”
He spoke those words intentionally. You see, this son-in-law attended church for the entire 70+ years of his life. He believed Jesus is the Son of God. He believed Jesus died on the cross. He believed Jesus rose from the dead. Yet, his church reinforced the idea that the only way to approach God is to do more good in order to outweigh the bad. (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm; see Paragraphs 1459-1460) So, this gentleman was telling me that the only way his mother-in-law could enter heaven is if she did more good than bad. Which then begs the question: If Jesus does not make you ‘good’ before God, then why does he come at all? That is a very important question to keep in mind because you (and I) encounter it on a daily basis. If you struggle with guilt, you are confronting that question. If you feel God loves you because of your character, you are confronting that question. If you think bad things happen because you anger God, you are confronting that question. If Jesus does not make you ‘good’ before God, then why does he come at all? Luke centers our attentions on the work Jesus is born to do. On this mountain Jesus transfigures, he changes appearance so that you can be sure that he is your Savior— which means, you do not need to be your own savior. Let’s Follow Jesus into Jerusalem! Only he fulfills the law of Moses and God chooses him to be our Savior. Peter, James, and John recognize this. In fact, Jesus asks them, “Who do you say I am?” and Peter answers, “The Christ of God” (Luke 9:20). Jesus’ disciples clearly confess, they admit that their great Rabbi, Jesus, is the person God promised the world. Surprised they would say such a thing? Or, are you kind of nodding your head, saying, “Of course they believe Jesus is the Savior”? Understand, the disciples identify Jesus as ‘the Messiah,’ but they still struggle grasping the significance of those words. For example, Peter announces: “You are the Christ!” Jesus says, “You are right! Since I am the Christ, I have a mission to complete… [I] must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and [I] must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Peter blurts out, “Never, Lord!” (Matthew 16:13-15, 21-23). Peter, James, and John still pursue what they want in a ‘Messiah.’ They want a God-sent servant to (1) rally the Jews together, (2) chase out the Roman overlords, (3) establish Israel as an independent state, and (4) usher in a reign of power, prosperity, and peace. Jesus prepares for his final journey into Jerusalem and the disciples can only think about earthly fame. They exchange the eternal for the temporal. Even worse, if you crave the temporal, then you claim no spiritual need. You see no need for Jesus. About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Jesus transfigures, literally changes appearance. For 33-years Jesus contains his awesome form as God inside. Yes, you saw glimpses of his power: turning water into wine (John 2:1-12), driving out demons (Mark 1:21-28), driving fish into nets (Luke 5:1-11). Yet, all you saw is a glimpse of his unlimited power. Now you witness his glory on full display. Sunbeams do not illuminate his face; Jesus’ face beams light. Jesus’ clothing does not reflect light; his clothes radiate light. Just like the sun shoots glowing rays through a cloudy sky, so also Jesus removes his earthly appearance and glistens as he does in heaven. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. Why these two? Well, Moses is the great Law-Receiver and Elijah, the great Law-Proclaimer. God carved his Ten Commandments into the hearts of all people and later chiseled them onto two tablets of stone (Romans 2:14-15; Exodus 20:1-17). Our consciences can mislead us, so we can read what God expects of us. The prophet Elijah even preaches God’s expectations. You can hear the standard of living God wants from you. Look at both men and you realize one chief problem: God’s law cannot save you. Each commandment only exposes broken obedience, failure to do what is right, failure to measure up to God. Even Moses and Elijah know that. Moses brings the Commandments, but disobeys and died. Elijah preaches the commands, but still whines: “God, what’s the use?” Yet, they know Jesus obeys. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. That is the reason for this magnificent scene. Jesus lets loose his identity as God so that you can see no smudge of sin tainting his pure appearance, no secret shame found balled up inside. God the Father even shines this radiant spotlight on this very fact. We can nod our heads saying, “Yes, this is true! Jesus is perfect, I am not. Jesus covers me with his perfection. Jesus makes me right with God.” But then, when you get sick, you wonder: “Am I sick because of my filthy thoughts? Is God getting revenge on me?” You go to a funeral, you point at the person in the casket and say, “He was a good man.” What does that mean? That because you consider him ‘good,’ he must be in heaven? This is how a person is saved? Or, our emotions can toss us into despair; you tremble: “Will I really go to heaven? I do not feel saved.” What? Do your inner emotions save you? If you ‘feel’ Jesus, you are saved? If you do not ‘feel’ Jesus, then you are not saved? Friends, we will live mortified of God if we take our eyes off of Jesus. If you try to convince yourself with your feelings or actions or character that you will enter heaven, you will never find assurance. What you are really doing is pushing away your need for Jesus. Let’s Follow Jesus into Jerusalem! Only he fulfills the law of Moses. When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law— God’s law, God’s commandments (Galatians 4:4). God takes those two stone tablets and sets them on Jesus and Jesus carries out every single command. Just to think, Jesus does not obey in order to gain praise for himself. Rather, he obeys because it gives. (1) It gives respect to God. (2) It gives you (and me) life. This brilliant mountain scene will soon darken. Evil men will spit rejection. Calloused hearts will pound nails into flesh. Death will swallow up innocent life. Yet, God wants you to remember this transfiguration scene. Because the man you see on the cross is still God’s promised Son. And he will burst out of the tomb on Easter’s rising dawn. And he will shine once again, still without sin and without our sin! Let’s Follow Jesus into Jerusalem because Jesus fulfills the law of Moses. He does what God desires— and does it for us! That means this transfiguration scene is ours. You will see Jesus in dazzling glory: hair white as snow, eyes blazing like fire, feet like glowing bronze, face shining (Revelation 1:14-16). You will stand there without fear because Jesus has removed our stain of sin and secret shame, leaving us shining in his radiant brilliance. We can be sure because God chooses him to be our Savior. While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” Do you think Peter, James, and John understand now? God the Father wraps himself in a cloud and wraps around them. Then he identifies something special about Jesus: This person is the Son of God. Has God clouded around you? Has he said: “You are my son?” No. He points us sinners to Jesus. He even says, “I have chosen him. I elected him to be your Savior.” Not me. Not you. Not Moses or Elijah. But Jesus. You can be sure Jesus is enough because he is the one God sent; God approves of his life. So, listen to him! Listen to Jesus call himself God. Listen to his pardon. Listen to his promise of life in heaven. Starting Wednesday and the six weeks following, you have this privilege to listen. Yes, a privilege— because the Holy Spirit called you out of unbelief and into faith. On Wednesdays, you see the separation your (and my) sin deserved. You see the price paid to set you free. And in case you think you have Jesus’ Passion memorized, then think again. See Law-Giver Moses and Law-Preacher Elijah leave because Jesus satisfied them! They can leave your life. so, the next time Satan replays the regrets of your youth and whispers: “How can God forgive you for that?” point to Jesus. The next time you worry God will not heal you, point to Jesus. The next time you fear God’s Word lacks power to changes hearts today, point to Jesus. The next time you wonder if you will really go to heaven, point to Jesus. When you point to Jesus, you are pointing at God’s Son— and God is pleased with him. If God is pleased with him and Jesus is pleased with you, then it means God is pleased with you. God chooses him to be the Savior. And that, my friends, brings real peace. You (and I) encounter feelings of unworthiness on a daily basis. A churched-man at funeral remains convinced that you must do more ‘good’ to outweigh your bad. Let’s bring it closer to home. During Lent, people tend to ‘give up’ certain items. Maybe it’s chocolate or Mountain Dew. Maybe it is Television or Facebook. (For me, I’m giving up sleep because of my newborn daughter ). What can happen is that as you ‘give something up,’ it becomes something you do to earn God’s favor. You glean credit for yourself. You brag about your strength to lay aside unhealthy food. You appreciate cutting screen time. (Even fish Fridays was meant for a sacrifice— but now we deep fry the buggers for flavor!) The point of ‘giving something up’ serves to remind us of Jesus giving up his life for us. It is not us doing something for him. Luke centers our attentions on the work Jesus is born to do. On this mountain Jesus transfigures, he changes appearance so that you can be sure that he is your Savior— which means, you do not need to be your own savior. Let’s Follow Jesus into Jerusalem! He comes to make you ‘good before God.’ You can be sure of that. Only he fulfills the law of Moses and God chooses him to be our Savior. |
Details
Archives
December 2019
Categories
All
|