He did not really know his dad. I mean, dad was home— in fact, he was home every single night. He mowed the lawn and trimmed hedges. He repaired leaks and fixed squeaks. He drove to soccer practices and ball games. His La-Z-Boy conformed perfectly to his body. Yes, dad was home— but dad did not talk much. He never talked about work. He taught batting techniques, but never really critiqued anything. He never screamed or cheered at the game on television; he just watched. He was a quiet man.
Yet, every night, right before bedtime, little eyes watched his dad scribble in a journal. Each day ink filled another page. Each week more pages were used. Each year a new journal was needed— until they were needed no more. Hours after the funeral dinner, that son sunk into the form-fitted La-Z-Boy. A box packed full of faded, fuzzy-edged journals lay open. He grabbed one written long ago and started flipping through it. “May 19th: Joe remembered his batting technique and scored the game-winning double. I could not be any prouder of him.” “June 28th: Bought Joe another ice-cream cone after he dropped the first one. Made his tears stop.” “August 23rd: The heat makes roofing unbearable. But I press on for my family’s good.” He leafed through journal after journal, until he came to the last one. On the last page, written just a few weeks earlier, was this sentence: “When I reflect on years past, I thank God for the blessings of wife and children— all of whom I love very much.” Decades of wondering came crumbling down. These journals, this written word, reveal love once unknown. This child has in print a clear, plain declaration of his father’s love. He can return to these words again and again and find concrete evidence his father loved him. The written word makes the unknown known. That very fact abolishes fear. It obliterates nervous worry. It ends baseless ideas the human mind makes up. God does not leave you wondering about his love for you. The Bible Makes an Unknown Relationship Known. It tells of God reconciling you. It increases your grip on your future hope. That makes the Bible important. From cover to cover are words that do not come from the opinions of men, but words God the Holy Spirit instructed men to write down (2 Peter 1:21). That means the Bible is God’s ‘journal.’ This contains his commands, his judgment, and his delight. Since you have this ‘journal’ you have insight into God’s expectation for you. Yet, if you did not have the Bible, what would you have? A diseased, rotting faith— much like the faith of the Colossians. Remember the false beliefs polluting that congregation? A mixture of (1) Jewish and (2) pagan teachings. So, these Christians think God still requires Old Testament religious ceremonies and also concoct superstitious answers to the mystery of who God is and how God lives. This belief poisons them! It has actually led some to challenge the almighty, eternal power the Son of God has (read Colossians 1:15-20). These Christians downgrade Jesus from ‘Savior of the World’ to ‘Super Human Being.” If you treat Jesus as anything less than the Savior, you push away the payment he made for guilt. You start believing an idea not true. That makes the Bible important. God is not sharing opinions; he reveals truth. He tells what he sees. In verse 21, he shares a very ugly, but very real, truth. You (that’s you and me) were alienated and hostile in mind, in your evil deeds. God makes clear: “You stood in this camp. You stood distant and far away. Just like a foreigner has a different culture than American culture, you had a different attitude than the attitude I expect.” That attitude? Evil! [T]he sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. [Since we are] controlled by the sinful nature, [we] cannot please God. (Romans 8:7). It’s impossible! If you (and I) stand as alienated enemies of God, can we enter heaven without a Savior? No! Of course not! You know that; in fact, you confess: “I believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord.” You do not downgrade him… do you? Well, what is your answer to this statement: ‘I am going to heaven because (fill in the blank).’ …“because I’m trying my hardest to be a good parent, a faithful church-goer, a good child”? …“because I am generous and giving”? …“because I’m better than criminals and sex offenders”? Did your answer contain that little word: ‘I’? Did the mental focus instantly shift to that little word: ‘I’? Are you going to heaven because you try? …or made a decision to believe in Jesus? …or because you are somewhat moral? Don’t you see what God clearly wrote in verse 21? You were alienated! You were saturated in evil! You could not, cannot, and can never approach God by you doing the action! You see, like the Colossians, our minds can step off from the Bible. Yes, we have the Bible in our homes. We hear it in worship. We study it throughout the week. It sinks into our ears and hearts, but our sinful nature can blatantly ignore what God clearly reveals. The sinful nature wants to be sure it will enter heaven. So, you point to you instead of Jesus— and that happens because of doubt cannot trust that what God has spoken is truthful and reliable. That is a poisonous belief. That makes the Bible important. The Bible Makes an Unknown Relationship Known. God reveals that you (and I) stand in an evil camp, but in verse 21 he says: You were formerly alienated… That is what you were. Past tense. Formerly. At one time. But today, right now, right here, this moment: different. Why? How? He has now reconciled you… To ‘reconcile’ means ‘bringing two opposing parties together’ or ‘to end hostility.’ Here, Jesus is the subject. The subject performs the action. The action affects the object— and you are the object. Jesus (did the action of) reconciling (the object:) you. See when that took place? That verb ‘reconcile’ is past tense too— meaning, the action was finished long ago. Long ago, God directed his hatred of evil against Jesus. He found our doubting in his Son. He glared at our arrogant-self-worship in his Son. God made Jesus into his enemy, targeted him with wrath, and destroyed him. Jesus has now reconciled you in his fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. God removes the mystery of what he sees in you. The Bible Makes an Unknown Relationship Known. He puts it down in print so that you clearly know what he has done for you. You are presented: (1) Holy, that is, cleansed from moral filth. (2) Blameless: no shame lingers; no fault is seen, no motive for blackmailing. (3) Above reproach: no one can accuse you of evil before God. The relationship is clear: God has reconciled you. That changes your present and future. t increases your grip on your future hope. Verses 26 and 27 explain how: The mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, [h]as now been manifested to His saints (The Bible reveals Jesus your Savior. You believe this. You are a saint, a ‘holy person.’) to [you] God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles [non-Jews] which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. So, what do you gain from the Word? Riches. Treasures. A fortune. God pours peace into your heart— peace that comes from sin forgiven. Shortly after our opening hymn, what do you hear? God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to you. He has given Jesus, his Son, to be the atoning sacrifice for sin. Jesus ‘atones’—that is, Jesus makes you ‘at-one’ with God. Since you already stand at-one with God, you have no fear! No nagging guilt! No cringeworthy shame! God the Father says: “I see you holy, blameless, without reproach! This is what I see.” The Father’s love is clearly revealed in his journal, the Bible. What joy! Your life is not chained to a set of rules and demands that will determine how much God loves you today. No! God has (1) already reconciled you. Therefore, (2) live as someone reconciled. What does that look like? Well, if I go to your house, I do not open your refrigerator, grab a sandwich, sit down, and start eating. I am not welcome to take what is yours; your possessions do not belong to me. We do not have that close, open, confident relationship. (Usually you have that comfort with family and a close friend.) Now, if we have that close relationship, then I can walk into your house and raid your fridge without worry. We have this open, confident relationship. So, God is ‘at-one’ with you. He harbors no anger, no grudges, no memory of wrong (Jeremiah 31:34). That means, you can read God’s promises and take them. Make them your own. Say: “This is what God is doing.” God will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways (Psalm 91:11). Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26). [C]all upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me (Psalm 50:15). Nothing in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39). In my Father’s house are many rooms… I am preparing one for you (John 14:2-3). This all means, that when we tremble about our standing before God, when we feel unworthy or wonder if God hates us, we have somewhere certain to turn— and that somewhere is not you. The Bible Makes an Unknown Relationship Known. That increases your grip on your future hope. For decades a son wondered of his father’s concern. Finally, he held in his hand the very thoughts of his father. These journals, this written word, revealed love once unknown. This child has in print a clear, plain declaration of his father’s love. He can return to these words again and again and find evidence his father loved him. The written word makes the unknown known. That very fact abolishes fear. It obliterates nervous worry. It ends baseless ideas the human mind makes up. God never leaves you guessing about his love for you. The Bible Makes an Unknown Relationship Known. It tells of God reconciling you— which means, you have no reason to try to ‘woo’ God. Everything needed to turn God’s heart to you is done. What joy. What freedom for life! The Bible Makes an Unknown Relationship Known. It increases your grip on your future hope. The alarm clock never went off. So, when she did wake up, she was already ten minutes late for her shift. She jumped out of bed and dashed to the closet— but the clothes did not go on fast enough. One shirt had a stain, the other just was not ‘right.’ She grabbed a button-up, but it took forever to button. She could not find her keys. Her boss called. She was now an hour late with no hope of arriving soon. The thought just consumed her mind: ‘This is happening because I skipped church.’
He tried planting. But it rained for three. days. Eventually, the fields were alright— soggy, but manageable. So, he loaded the planter and hopped on the tractor, but it did not start. A pin broke— and of course it was stuck. So, he pounded. He heated it. He drilled. Two hours later, he got it replaced. The tractor roared to life and he sped off to make up for lost time— but he sped too much. He sunk right into a lowspot, like buried the tractor. So, he ran the quarter-mile back to the barn, brought out the chains, hopped on another tractor, sputtered out, hooked up the chains, tugged and pulled oh-so-gently, until everything was free. That took all afternoon. Soon, darkness came. Rain was forecast for the next four days. He could not plant and he was already behind. He kept wondering: ‘Did I break down because God is angry with me?’ The results? Broken ankle. It should have never happened; she walked to the garden just like she did every day. Today, she stepped on the dogbone hidden in the grass. Of course, her foot twisted cockeyed. She heard the snap. She felt the searing pain. Now her ankle is broken and she is laid up for eight weeks. She cannot shake the guilt. ‘Did this happen because of the argument I had with my sister?’ Do you ever feel that God afflicts you because you failed him? …You did not obey him enough? …You do not love him perfect-lier? We may link bad events to our bad behavior. Yet, we could not be more wrong. As God’s child, he does not come at you in revenge. Instead, God comes with blessing. This morning God speaks in order to silence once-and-for-all every single fear we might have about his view of us. Receive the Triple Blessing of Your Triune God. The Father keeps you. The Son shines on you. The Spirit gives you peace. In the book of Numbers, The Lord [speaks] to Moses. God speaks! Do you grasp the significance of that simple phrase? What follows is not my interpretation (which may or may not be wrong). What follows certainly are not your unfounded opinions about God’s actions. No, God speaks for the same reason we do: to clearly communicate intentions. The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites.’ ” To ‘bless’ means to ‘give the power to prosper,’ to ‘give good.’ God wants his people (that includes you and me!) to know him as the Giver of good! Again, God has to say these words because he knows our human hearts will doubt that he says such kind things. So, here, in Numbers, you can point and say, “God tells me what he is doing.” He tells some very well-known words. The Lord bless you and keep you… Your God ‘blesses’ you, he gives you ‘good’— and the ‘good’ he gives is ‘keeping’ you. Imagine the little child who just caught a lightning bug. His curled fingers hold this bug in his hand. His eyes tracks its movements. He does not squish the bug; he keeps it safe and alive. Your heavenly Father keeps you. He holds you. He wraps his powerful fingers safely around you. That is ‘good.’ Farmers might struggle during this wet planting season, but your Providing Father says: I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit (Leviticus 26:4). Even in this slow start, you’re not worried about your next meal; we do not have food rations. Your heavenly Father has made sure to feed you. He still provides farmers with income; even in tough seasons you have not seen farmers shrivel up, starve, and die. Your Father in heaven keeps you. He provides for your stomach and health, your bank accounts and life— and so much he does even without your asking! That is not always easy to see, is it? Many times the troubles we face block that image from our minds and hearts. We either forget to turn to God because there is nothing to remind us of his presence. We even wonder if the troubles we encounter come because of something we have done wrong. That’s why, in the midst of trouble, in the frustrations of schedules, in the aching pain, we do well to turn to God’s Word. In this ancient blessing God plainly tells you: ‘I, the Father, keep you.’ He makes that clear in order to drive away fears. In order to wipe out self-trust. In order to see him as he is: The Father who keeps you. Receive That Blessing of Your Triune God: A Father who keeps you. As if that was not enough, your God attaches still another gift. (1) The Lord bless you and keep you. (2) The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. That might be a strange phrase: The Lord make his face shine on you. Yet, picture it literally. If someone is looking at you, that is good. Attention is set on your wellbeing. That person will respond appropriately to your needs. You are not ignored. Your God turns his face to you; he looks at you. Not just that, his face shines. That describes a cheerful face, a smile. A face that ‘lights up’ because it sees what it likes. The Lord likes looking at you because of the work of God the Son. On the cross, God the Father gave Jesus no good. In fact, he took good away. He took away respect. He took away health. He took away life. The Father did not randomly do this. No! Jesus endures the fearful, frightening wrath of God Almighty because you (and I) doubt really cares for us, that he really gives good for life. Your God makes explicitly clear: The reason you see a cross is because this is what was needed to save you. Dear friends, the sight of the cross means The Son shines on you. Yes, you might have skipped worship. You know you could have come, you know you did wrong. That does not mean God fills your day with trouble. No. The Son shines on you. He has bleached out that lazy-stain forever. Yes, the fields might be soggy. That does not mean God is getting revenge for something you did. Holy Scripture plainly says: The Son shines on you. Yes, you (and I) do not deserve good things. Yet, God is gracious to us. He gives us good even though we do not deserve it. Yes, accidents stop life. God did not hide a dogbone in the grass because of a selfish argument. Even though you stood completely out of line, God has erased the record of that conversation. He will never bring it up again. He will not dust off your past when you stand at heaven’s gates. The Son shines on you. You can be absolutely sure because your God attaches yet another blessing: the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Or, as you have heard it: ‘May the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.’) God looks at you because he has accepted you. Imagine sitting on a bench at a playground. Children swarm this jungle-gym. You hear screams and shouts, crying and laughing. You see children your face literally turns to them, but you do not know them. Yet, one voice stands out from all the rest. One sight makes your heart leap with joy. Your eyes see your child. Your mind zeroes in on your child. Your heart loves your child. God blesses you, he gives ‘good,’ by promising: ‘You belong to me.’ He made that promise at your baptism. When you were baptized, you were baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). That little word ‘in’ teaches a spatial concept, like painting a big circle on the ground and you standing inside it. When you were baptized, God took you out of the billions of people and put you in this special circle. All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:27). You became God’s child at baptism. That is the Holy Spirit’s work: he makes you God’s child. Because you are God’s child, you have peace. Understand, God’s peace is different from the world’s peace (John 14:27). The world’s definition of peace means: no problems, no violence, no tensions; the absence of trouble. God’s peace means: unhindered relationship. God’s definition is best because you will have trouble in this world (John 16:33). Even though storms rage around you, you have peace. So much of the news is meant to stir emotional reactions of fear and dread. The world’s only hope for comfort is prevent World War 3. Yet, even if World War 3 ended life tomorrow, you lose nothing. You will be in heaven. That is not scary. That is comforting. Bad things do not happen because God afflicts you. Your spouse did not die because you were unkind. Even though you were not ready, God called your spouse into heaven. That is ‘good.’ In loss, God points you to Jesus who died for you, to the Spirit who carries forgiveness into your heart, to the heaven the Father prepared for you. So, even in sadness, you have peace because God makes eternity perfect. You have peace even in injury. If you are a child of God, then it means God is your Father. As your Father, he uses doctors to heal you. Still, injury demonstrates how little control we have over life— and that purges self-reliance. Our trust in the One who holds control over all things only grows stronger. As you rely on him, you worry less about your own limitations. You have peace. When you (and I) take our eyes off of this clear blessing, we will wallow in fear. You may think God afflicts you because you failed him. That you did not obey him enough. That you must love him better. Yet, we could not be more wrong. God does not come at you in revenge. Your Triune God makes clear: ‘I have put my name on you.’ He has brought you into his ownership. God the Son paid the penalty for guilt. God the Holy Spirit took that payment and applied to you, personally, at your baptism. God the Father reached into those waters and pulled you up as his adopted child. Receive the Triple Blessing of Your Triune God. The Father keeps you. The Son shines on you. The Spirit gives you peace. It started off so easy. A father and his young son strolled down a flat, sandy nature trail. The further the two hiked, the more rugged the trail grew. Boulders littered the path, forcing both hikers to squeeze around them. Thigh-deep creeks sliced the trail in two, making them wade through churning currents. Trees had fallen on the path, leaving them no choice but to hop up and over the slimy, mossy bark. Finally, after hours of climbing and shuffling, reaching and grabbing, they saw the trail’s end. It meant no more obstacles, no more exhausting effort, no more struggles. All that separated them from reaching the goal was a deep chasm.
Father and son scoured the area for a bridge, but found nothing. They searched for the start of this chasm with the hope of walking around it, but it stretched both ways for miles. The only way over this challenge was over a fallen oak tree that bridged this great divide. Father went first. His eyes locked onto the end of the trail. He carefully placed one foot on the log, and then heaved his entire weight onto the tree. One foot slid ahead of the other foot. He crept forward inch-by-inch, safely reaching the other side. Turning around, he called out for his son to cross. Yet, the son sees so many things around him— so many dangers, curiosities, fears. He questions the sturdiness of the tree. He wonders what joys might lie on his side of the divide. He fears the raging waters could drown him. So many distractions pull on him, but the father calls, ‘Keep your eyes on me.’ Keep your eyes on me. Last Thursday marked the ascension of Jesus Christ; Jesus crossed from earth into heaven. You (and I) still stand on the other side— in a world that puts a constant strain on your faith. Still, Jesus says: ‘Keep your eyes on me!’ He prepares you for the Final Day. So, Live prepared for the Day. In his final Revelation, Jesus reveals earthly strength and eternal comfort with these words: “Behold, I am coming soon!” He makes that promise not just once, but three times in one single chapter. Three times! …and twice in our selected verses! (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20): “Behold, I am coming soon!” That is true. That is a fact. The entire Bible confirms that. On the chosen day, at the precise second, [t]he Son of Man [will come] on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other… And so we will be with the Lord forever (Matthew 24:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:17). You stand so certain of Jesus’ return that you confess it to be true [in the Apostle’s Creed]: I believe that… Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead. Yes, Jesus is Coming Soon. How many times did that phrase cross your mind this morning? “Today could be the day! Today I might step foot into my heavenly home! Today I could see Jesus with my eyes! Today Jesus could come!” Honestly? I did not— apart from prepping for this sermon. Jesus has been gone 2,000 years. That is not our definition of ‘soon.’ In fact, the Twelve disciples said Jesus would return ‘soon’ (Romans 13:11; James 5:8). I imagine Christians 500-years ago waited for Jesus. My grandparents believed Jesus would return. Yet, nothing! Jesus did not return on a predicted date. He did not return when one group waited for him. He has not returned in my lifetime. Jesus promises to come ‘soon,’ but millennia have passed. So, honestly, that is why this thought never enters my mind. If Jesus has not returned by now, it appears the likelihood of his return is still far off. That, dear friends, leads to a very dangerous temptation. If we feel Jesus will not return in 10-years …10-months …10-days …10-minutes, we can let our faith-life slip. We figure there will always be time to address sin later. To grow in our faith later. To repent of a pleasurable wrong later. Jesus’ response to that is: Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. Jesus will examine every single heart. He will find hearts that stubbornly boast: “Jesus, I refuse to match my relationship to your commands. I do not want to obey you.” Jesus will find hearts that arrogantly sneer: “Jesus, I doubt that you created the world. I doubt that you actually did miracles. I doubt you really saved me. I doubt your life changed mine” Jesus will find hearts boldly bragging: “Jesus, I will not love my neighbor as myself. I don’t need to.” Jesus can even find those hearts sitting here, in a church, for decades. Hearts almost daring him: “You are not here yet. You will not return. I still have time.” Jesus will give that heart hell. That’s why he says it not just once, but three times in one single chapter: “Behold, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20) Yes, Jesus will give to everyone according to what he has done— including you (and me)! Ah! We are by no means perfect! And sometimes we even deliberately do what is wrong! What will he give us? A ‘life’-sentence. Life! God levied against Jesus a punishment that corresponds to all we have done. Yes, he slaps Jesus for stubborn boasting. He pulverizes Jesus for our arrogant sneering. He gives Jesus hell. The innocent blood of Jesus spills from his veins, and God takes you (and me), dips us in that innocent blood, and washes us. He scrubs away boasting. He purifies foolish arrogance. He lifts off death. Plug yourself into verse 14. ‘Blessed are you who have washed your robes, so that you may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates of the city.’ Jesus describes what he has done for you! Jesus prepares you for life! Then he ascends into heaven to prepare a room for you. If he has gone to prepare a room for you, he will then come back so that you also may be where he is(John 14:2-3). Right now, we have the right to the tree of life— the tree found in the Garden of Eden, the tree that brings unending life (Genesis 2:9; 3:22-24). You have life reserved in heaven. You will feast on that tree in perfection forever! Jesus guarantees it. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” “I am showing you what will happen. I am showing you the future.” One day the future will be your present. Yes, we stand on the earthly side of the divide. Jesus has crossed into heaven, but has not left you orphaned (John 14:18). He turns to say: I am Coming Soon! I have prepared you for the Day. Now, Live prepared for the Day. How? Keep focused on your eternal home. You have help. The [Holy] Spirit says: “Come!” You, come! Approach these words. The Holy Spirit compels us to rejoice in what God prepares for you. He deepens our appreciation that God prepares heaven for you. He tightens your fingers around the splendid truth that God has made you his special child— that you live shaped by his Word because you are his child. You are the bride of Christ. The bride, that is, every believer married to Jesus by faith, says, “Come!” You carry those words to each other. You say them to yourself. “Come! Come and see Jesus rule. Come and see Jesus watch you. Come and see Jesus strengthen you. Come to these words. As the bride of Christ, each day you take another step down the wedding aisle towards your groom. Live with a heart filled with love for the One who loved you. That is how you live prepared for the Day. There’s more! [L]et him who hears say, “Come!” The ‘one who hears’ is you. ‘ You’ tell the world: ‘Come!’ Because the world needs to hear that message. Your children may be wandering spiritually. What do you say to them? After all, they are adults. They are exposed to a world that creates the beliefs it wants to believe. They make their own decisions. What do you say when a child who once knew Jesus now no longer worships him? What do you say when your son leaves what you taught him for a church that satisfies his ideas? What do you say to a daughter that always has an excuse to stay out of worship? It’s easy to say nothing .It’s easy to shrug off the false things your child hears about Jesus. It’s easy to surrender parental responsibilities. Yes, your child may be an adult. Yes, your child may make their own decisions. Yet, you have God’s truth. You have a message of God freely, completely washing you in the blood of Jesus— a message very few churches openly embrace, a message a nonbelieving world will never understand without hearing (Romans 10:17). So, how do you respond? [L]et him who hears say, “Come!” “Come, son, and listen to the Bible.” “Come, Daughter, and see your Savior.” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Nothing satisfies more on a hot, humid day than ice-cold, refreshing water. Nothing satisfies both conscience and heart, more than knowing a Jesus who is coming soon! Coming not in terror, but with healing in his wings. You know Jesus is Coming Soon! Live prepared for the Day. Jesus is Coming Soon! He can, because everything needed to save you is complete. He does not need to battle Satan again. He does not need to die again. He does need to offer new payment for sin. All is done! All has been accepted for your benefit! Jesus crossed from earth into heaven. You (and I) still stand on the other side— in a world that puts a constant strain on your faith. Still, Jesus says: ‘Keep your eyes on me!’ He prepares you for the Day. So, Live prepared for the Day. Keep turning for what is wrong. Keep clinging to my forgiveness. Keep coming to the Word and drinking that refreshing revelation. Life has an end— and you will walk across the divide into life eternal. He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Are those words getting old yet? I mean, Easter was four weeks ago. Twenty-eight days. The Easter lilies are fading. Easter hymns are transitioning into hymns specifically about trust, prayer, faith, and so on. Even our Scripture readings find Jesus and the disciples outside that locked room and in public. The few chapters of the Bible reporting the first Easter eventually give way to many, many more chapters of life after Easter. Christ is Risen, He is risen indeed? We should probably start talking about something different.
At least, that’s how our culture treats Easter. We celebrate Easter in spring. Late-spring we observe Mother’s Day. Starting today, you have graduation season. In another week, it’s Memorial Day (the unofficial start of summer). Our minds tend to look forward— and with Easter day behind us, our minds can leave Easter’s lasting impact in the past too. Is that acceptable? We can treat Easter like a one-time event reserved primarily for the spring season. But it is not. Each year we celebrate Easter, it is not as though we are celebrating something new or reenacting the old. What happened long ago still impacts life today. Easter Makes All Things New! The resurrection changes your future from death into life. The resurrection changes your present from fear into certainty. Remember, [the book of] Revelation reveals two major themes you, the Christian, can expect (1:1). (1) A world hostile to Jesus will live hostile to followers of Jesus, but (2) Jesus wins. That last point is not always so easily seen, is it? The first truth is. (1) A world hostile to Jesus will live hostile to followers of Jesus. Society stubbornly rejected him, tormented him, killed him(!)— and that timeless attitude will reject what you hold dear. You may feel ashamed or weak because you are the only one in your circle of friends who worship. You might feel stupid for admitting you believe in a God you cannot see. You may feel defeated and outnumbered because more and more drift from what God calls ‘right.’ Those you were confirmed with do not worship anymore, and, well, their life looks pretty good. So, you wonder: ‘Why am I here?’ You may even think (or act as though) God just lacks the power to silence those who hurt you. Revelation makes clear: (1) a world hostile to Jesus will live hostile to you, the follower of Jesus. That is not a pleasant reality by any means. Yet, if all you see is a dark, uncontrollable future, then you are forgetting Easter. Because Revelation is not simply revealing something you know and experience. It takes the events of Easter and connects it to your present-day life. That is its overarching truth: (2) Jesus wins! On Easter, Jesus regained physical life; he did the one thing no one else in the world has ever done— and it only reinforces the truth that Jesus holds supreme power. In that power, Jesus descended into hell and told Satan: ‘My life has freed sinners from hell’s gloomy dungeon. My life gives believers eternal life— and there is nothing you can do to change that.’ (read 1 Peter 3:18-20; Colossians 2:13-16). When Jesus finished pounding that news to those forever condemned to hell, he then leaves the tomb and shares his victory with you! He is doing that here [Revelation 21:1-6]. Easter Makes All Things New! The resurrection changes your future from death into life. Because Jesus lives, you know what the future holds. A world hostile to Jesus will live hostile to you, but nothing will lock you out of heaven. You will not die and remain in the ground. You will not die and be forgotten somewhere. You will not die and go to hell. Jesus wraps his arm around you and, with his other hand, pans the future. You see a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ‘New’ is what he makes. Now, it may mean God will create a new heaven and new earth out of nothing. It could mean the present world will be wiped clean and God will replace the ‘old’ with ‘superior.’ The Bible does not give precise details about this ‘new heaven and new earth.’ What the Bible does make abundantly clear is that God replaces ‘old’ with something superior. Every single matter that causes pain, heartache, and sorrow has its end. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. In order to have a city you need people. God sees ‘people,’ but not any group of ‘people’; he sees ‘holy’ people. People whose sins the Lord no longer counts against him (Psalm 32:2; Romans 4:8). People who have been washed, cleansed, and given citizenship (1 Corinthians 6:11). Simply put, God sees every single believer of all time from every corner of the world gathered together in heaven. God sees you there already. Sound real? Nope— not if my attention only dwells on what I see on earth. Not if I rely on my emotions. That’s why Jesus has to reveal these things. He points us past what we see to what he has done. He uses two words in verse 2 to stress that point: ‘prepared’ and ‘adorned.’ Literally, those are actions you did not do. You did not prepare heaven; you did not choose to be forgiven. Someone else prepared you; someone else adorned you. That Someone is God. He washed you in baptism. He used water and attached a promise: You who have been baptized have clothed yourself with Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). Then, he keeps those robes white. In the Lord’s Supper he says, ‘Take and eat, take and drink. Do this, be assured your sins are forgiven (Matthew 26:26-28). Easter Makes All Things New! The resurrection changes your future from death into life. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying (that’s Jesus’ voice [Revelation 21:6]) “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.” That ‘dwelling place’ pictures a tent, or better: a ‘tabernacle.’ The Old Testament tabernacle served as God’s dwelling place among people. God literally lived among the people, in the camp. People even saw it. Here, Jesus says, ‘I will literally live with you forever.’ Easter declares sin forgiven. Without sin, you (and I) have a full, unhindered access to him. This will last forever. Easter Makes All Things New. The resurrection changes your future from death into life. The resurrection changes your present from fear into certainty. It helps keep this in mind: Jesus is not expressing a wish. He does not share his hopes and dreams. He is not explaining how these things happen. He simply pulls back the curtain and says: ‘Look.’ See the events happening now. The devil cannot push Jesus back into the tomb; death cannot hold him down. Jesus lives—and that shapes our outlook on life now. Yes, we still live in this world affected by imperfect sin, but we are heirs who already hold our inheritance. You see what is to come. Jesus will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Here is your certain future. Bodies will never age and wear out. Never again will family hurt you; you will never be disappointed by friends. No crying in grief or anxiety. Never again will leaders fail you. Homework will not push you to tears. Frustrations will be gone. No more broken bones, emotional distress, or aches and pains. Since you know what lies ahead, you have answers. You can point at a gravesite and say, “She will rise. He will rise.” Your wife who died with cancer does not have that cancer anymore. Christians fed to lions, insulted for Jesus, attacked for faith no longer cry because the world hates their God. Heaven does not have terrorism, it does not have uncaring teachers, you will not fall down and scrape your knee. All that which causes pain is lifted away. Knowing what lies ahead makes you certain of your present. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Are they? Well, what are the other promises God made? He said to Eve, “Your offspring will crush the serpent’s head” (Genesis 3:15). Isaiah said that Jesus would be punished for our wrongs and heal us with his body (Isaiah 53:5). King David said that Jesus would not remain dead, but would rise to life (Psalm 16:10-11). Did God keep his Word? He sent Jesus at the right time. Jesus conquered sin, death, and the devil on the cross. Then he ascended into heaven. The God who has kept every promise will keep his final promise to bring you home. That removes fear now. He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.” ‘Alpha’ is the first letter of the Greek alphabet; ‘Omega’ is the last. Jesus stands at the beginning of time and at its end. He has no age, he does not change. What he said then stands true today and will remain true always. (1) A world hostile to Jesus will live hostile to followers of Jesus, but (2) Jesus wins. The resurrection changes your present from fear into certainty. Easter might be behind us, but its effects resonate every day. One time, Martin Luther got quite depressed because an event did not turn out the way he wanted. Maybe he hoped the Catholic Church recognized its false teachings. Perhaps a parishioner believed something false. Maybe Luther was sad that God’s clear teaching was not embraced by everyone. We do not know why he was sad. His wife might not have known the reason either. That did not stop her from wearing black funeral robes. Luther noticed. “What has happened?” he asked.“The dear Lord is dead,” she replied. “What nonsense,” he said. “You know that God lives and cannot die.” “Is that possible?” she asked. “I thought surely He must be dead since you seem so distressed.” Luther smiled and said, “You are right. I should not be so sad, because God – who has been, is, and will be – is always the same, loving God.” (https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/default.asp?date=20040416). We can treat Easter like a one-time event reserved primarily for the spring season, but it is not. What happened long ago still impacts life today— and every day. Jesus lives! The resurrection changes your future from death into life. Jesus lives! The resurrection changes your present from fear into certainty. Keep looking at the empty tomb—be it spring or summer or fall. Keep looking and see Jesus wins! Easter Makes All Things New! Chris knew it all. He knew how best to protect himself; he did not need a fence restraining him in the backyard. So, he hopped the fence. He knew how to best preserve his health; he could make his own decisions. So, he wandered in a wilderness chocked full of venomous snakes, poisonous spiders, and wild dogs. He knew how to walk, what to eat, what to avoid; he did not need supervision. Chris was so smart, so intelligent, he did not need over him. He needed no one to listen to. He could follow his gut instincts— and his instincts nearly killed him.
You see, Chris is a sheep. In 2011, he wandered into the untamed, unpredictable Australian bush. For years his wool grew. By the time a hiker discovered him, Chris’ wool weighed 89-pounds. (For comparison, Chris weighs 97-pounds). It covered his eyes. It put him at risk for infection or skin parasites. Chris’ wool was so heavy that if he fell over, he could not get back up; he would have been exposed to predators. In fact, Chris’ wild wool snared him stuck in thickets; he was going to die stuck. Chris felt no need for a shepherd— and his ignorance nearly killed him. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/03/meet-chris-the-insanely-overgrown-sheep-that-nearly-died-for-the-sake-of-our-fashion/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.90295b112d44) Following your own opinions can kill you. You can believe something false. Jesus makes that point abundantly clear—and he makes that point so that you may live. Keep Listening to the Message of Salvation. It steers you from deadly ignorance and It delivers lifelong comfort. The image from [our gospel lesson] John, chapter 10, captures that truth. In it, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John 10:14). A shepherd has a special connection to his flock. He lives among them night and day, days and weeks, weeks and months, months and years. He learns their behavior, studies their habits, and understands their needs. In fact, his primary concern is their welfare. The shepherd guides them along safe, danger-free trails. He leads them to nourishment. His eyes constantly watch for predators. That shepherd wants his flock to live and thrive. Sheep have a special connection to their shepherd. Again, Jesus says: My sheep listen to my voice (John 10:27). Pay attention to that. What makes this one sheep part of the flock of Jesus out of all the other people in the world is that this one sheep listens. Now, of course, ‘listening’ is more than distinguishing tones with your ears. ‘Listening’ takes in words. ‘Listening’ understands the meaning and content of those words. ‘Listening’ considers what areas of life are impacted by those words and then changes life to match what is spoken. ‘Listening’ is important because taking Jesus’ words to heart is what makes you a sheep of Jesus. So this morning, you find two Christian missionaries, Paul and Barnabas, in a synagogue. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.” Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! This group needs to listen because for months, many did the talking! The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus [and the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath] and they fulfilled these words by condemning him. Every single week the synagogue leader read an Old Testament prophecy. (1) Each prophecy clearly outlined what to expect about God’s coming Son. (2) Each prophecy clearly identified Jesus as God’s Son. God sends a message of salvation; he explains how his Son will save the world from death. Yet, the Jews did not listen. Instead, they allowed what they wanted in a Christ to trump the Christ who actually stood before them. Their stubbornness blinded them to the words of the prophets! The Jews did not simply move on from Christ. They did not dismiss him. Instead, they treated God’s Son like a thug. Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. The Jews did not want to take Jesus’ words to heart, they wanted Jesus to take their words to heart. Simply put, they did not ‘listen.’ That’s a problem. Remember what Jesus says: “My sheep listen to my voice…” (John 10:27). Those who do not listen are not his sheep. Such people wander down a deadly path—whether they admit it or not. The question is: Do you listen? Do not point fingers. At this moment we are not interested in your jerk of a co-worker or that neighbor who calls herself Christian, but never goes to church. Paul points a finger at you. Are you listening to the message of salvation? Jesus has called you out of spiritual ignorance and into life! He keeps you close by speaking, by literally giving you the Bible. Do you walk beside him as you let his Word sink into your ears? …mind? …heart? Or, do your personal desires come first? As sheep, we love to wander, don’t we? We love to set our opinions, our incorrect thoughts over the voice of the Good Shepherd. We love to think we are always correct and we know how best to care for life. We may think God does not care about our cursing— but he does! He says so! “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be” (James 3:10). God says honor the marriage bed (Hebrews 13:4). Still, we break marriage vows, we do not encourage marriage (like we could), we resist commitment. Why? Because we see nothing bad happen! So, we think we can wander and life will still be fine! Then, we already have in our minds what we will do, but then try to find an excuse so that our wrong actions appear better. God wants worship to be a priority, but we shrug: “Oh, Jesus understands why I must skip worship.”No! He does not! Fellow sheep, are you listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd? Do you consider what areas of life his words impact and then change life to match what is spoken? Do you listen to him or to yourself? Regardless of what the heart wants to believe, nothing will overrule what Jesus clearly spells out: My sheep listen to my voice and those who do not listen are not my sheep. That ignorance will kill you. Keep Listening to the Message of Salvation because It steers you from deadly ignorance. It delivers lifelong comfort. Everyone in that synagogue needed to hear these words. Some in that synagogue may have even condemned Jesus! The point is: failing to see Jesus as Savior kills!—and it killed him. The reason a cross is mounted to this wall is to serve as a powerful reminder that you (and I) are the reason this cross hangs here. You (and I) wandered from the loving commands of God— and Jesus, your Good Shepherd, noticed. He saw how sin grew in us, how it festers, how it harms. He knows letting your heart wander exposes you to deadly temptations. He knows being stuck in the thistles of guilt will only kill you. So, he searches for you and he finds you. Jesus wanders in the same wilderness. He confronts devilish temptations to do wrong, but withstands. When he finds you stuck in what will kill you, he reaches into your thorny consequences. Yes, Jesus frees you (and me) from death by allowing our sin to pierce him, to cut him, to kill him. He pulls you out of the thistles of death with his life. He sets you free so that God can sheer off your (and my) immense guilt. Jesus dies because we wander. We wander, he dies. But God raised him from the dead. Even though we caused the death of Jesus, even though our actions cared absolutely nothing about him, God raised him from the dead. He did that to make Jesus your eternal Good Shepherd. He did that so that Jesus may carry you into his flock. He did that so that you see Jesus guiding to heavenly pastures. Keep Listening to the Message of Salvation. Keep listening to the work Jesus has done for you because only this truth delivers lifelong comfort. Let those words sink in to your ears, your mind, your heart. “Jesus is Savior.” A ‘savior’ does this work of ‘saving,’ ‘snatching from danger,’ ‘preventing harm.’ If Jesus is Savior, then it means he ‘delivered’ you from hell. What part did you play? What did you do? Nothing. Jesus did it all. Understand this. I have heard people say: “I know God forgives, but I need to try and live better.” No. Your behavior is not dependent on your forgiveness. ‘Being better’ does not make God forgive you ‘better.’ Either you are forgiven or not; there is no ‘in between.’ More than that, you are not listening. We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. God points to this one Man, shines a spotlight on him, singles him out. He says in the second Psalm: ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’ God makes clear: Follow him. Stop relying on your thoughts. Do not cherish your opinions. Listen to the Word. Shape your life around it and you will live. Do you get it? It is all a tremendous gift. It is all meant for you. This is what your Shepherd does. You do nothing—except one thing, I guess. You live! You live with an unburdened conscience! You feed on the Word of Truth. You live happy because Jesus is the reason you have life! Keep Listening to the Message of Salvation. Keep pointing to the magnificent work of the Good Shepherd because It delivers lifelong comfort. Chris was certain he knew everything he needed for life. So, he wandered. He relied on his own gut instincts—and those instincts nearly killed him. Fortunately, a hiker spotted Chris, called for help, and rescued him. Chris needed a shepherd. Following your own opinions can kill you. Those opinions morph into warped views of who Jesus is, the life he lives for you, and the forgiveness he wins. Those opinions can lead you to reject his promise of forgiveness and chase after other teachings that are false. Jesus makes that point abundantly clear—and he makes that point so that you may live. Your Good Shepherd hands you his Word to hit your ears, mind, and heart. So, who are you listening to? Keep Listening to the Message of Salvation. It steers you from deadly ignorance and It delivers lifelong comfort. The Prisoner-of-War camp sucked the life out of Louis Zamperini. His daily meal consisted of a cup of seaweed and fist-sized ball of rice. Japanese officers made him heave hundreds of pounds of mined granite 16-hours each day, seven-days-a-week. At any time of day, for any reason, prison guards could pummel his face, kick his ribs, beat him with sticks and belt buckles without mercy. That went on for 27 months! Eight-hundred-twenty-days of starving, slaving, striking.
Then it all ended. September 2, 1945: the Allied Forces force Japan into unconditional surrender. The War was over— and the American Prisoners-of-War remained in their death-camp two more months. Yes! Even though the War was over, the Americans did not immediately hop back to base. They were not instantly released into the arms of their families. The prison camp is not burned down. The men remained there— but! but… the power of the enemy was snapped. The prisoners became the conquerors and the once-conquerors became the prisoners. The PoWs now barked orders at their former captors: “Get us more food.” “Schedule the train for us.” “Bring us medicine.” The Japanese had to obey. Although surrounded by the sight of captivity, the captives actually lived free. That’s a strange thought: to live free among the sight of captivity. As strange as it sounds, that statement is true! You (and I) live under the effects of Jesus’ victorious resurrection. The devil lost. Hell is broken. Christ wins! Christ reigns! Never lose sight of that. The Lamb Once Slain has Begun His Reign! Complete supremacy belongs to him. This stands true forever. Do you think that’s true? Complete supremacy belongs to Jesus? That his intentions trump the actions of world governments? That he protects life against those who wish to destroy it? It does not seem like it, does it? I mean, killing the unborn remains legal; lawmakers even fight against any restrictions to abortion. Young children are indoctrinated to accept ungodly definitions of sexuality, gender, marriage. Fathers are absent, mothers neglect, and couples refuse marriage. World leaders taunt God and God does not shoot down lightning. Many deliberately mock what is right and nothing happens. Do you think Christ really controls what happens in society? What about matters of church? ‘Church’ deals directly with the things of God! You would assume that Jesus would defend his teachings. You expect Jesus to silence false teachers. Then, you watch some churches label what God calls ‘right,’ ‘wrong,’ and in turn, they parade what is ‘wrong’ as ‘right.’ You call ‘wrong,’ wrong and ‘right,’ right and people reject you! Your congregation stands on the Word, and (1) your friend does not want to hear it, (2) your community dismisses it, (3) many live unconcerned about eternal life! Christ controls his Church? What about your life? You ask God to heal rifts, but family division still runs deep. You pray for mobility, but lose ability. You still mourn and the pain never really goes away. Your issues may seem small compared to greater issues spanning the globe. So you think that at least God should be able to help one single ‘you.’ Then nothing happens! Life never gets better! The Lamb Once Slain has Begun His Reign and evil still runs rampant? It just does not feel like Complete supremacy belongs to Jesus. That’s the problem: You feel. You expect. You assume. You base truth on your ever-changing feelings. You take only what you see and wrongly conclude that Jesus loses. Think back to those American captives. What did they see after the War? Japanese military. Slummy conditions. A foreign land. Based on what is seen, the Americans look enslaved. It took one word to shatter what was seen. One word called them to look beyond the uniforms, the enemy, the territory. One word told them to see their life as it truly is: ‘Victorious!’ God gives you not just one word, but many. The Lamb Once Slain has Begun His Reign and Complete supremacy belongs to him. How can you be sure? Look to God’s Word. Hear it. Take to heart what it tells you. The Apostle John knows exactly what it feels like to wonder if Jesus has control. Revelation 1:9 says: I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos… Why? Well, John does what Jesus commands him to do: preach! Roman Emperor Domitian did not like that. He exiles John! Dumps him off on an island. Alone. Kept away from family, friends, people. All because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Do you think John questions the control Jesus claims to have? Good government? Moral people? Less persecution against your church? Even though suffering, where do you find John looking? To God. Revelation starts: The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place (1:1). Yes, Jesus reveals a difficult life for you, the Christian, but that is not the main focus. Jesus points you past the chaos to see him as he truly is: The Lamb Once Slain who has Begun His Reign. [John] looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. Every square inch teems with angels who blend together in one, thunderous song: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” John sees this now. The victory party has already started. The angels still sing and will sing forever! Jesus wins! He snaps the power of the devil. Jesus never stumbles into temptation. He never shakes a fist at God and demands: “God! Where are you?! Give me instant success!” No. Jesus lives unblemished. On Good Friday—a day where Jesus looks absolutely powerless—he lays down his life (John 10:17-18). Understand, the devil did not kill Jesus. The cross did not kill him. People did not kill him. Jesus willingly died. He chose to deal with your greatest fear: Unending misery. That is what we dread. Death that goes on forever. Jesus stands in front of God the Father, pulls out his perfect record, and gives it to him to use for you. Then, in your place, Jesus tastes unending misery. He dies forsaken, abandoned, alone— and no one helps him. Jesus chooses to deal with this. Then, on Easter, he comes back to life. He does not ask the devil for permission. He does not ask a doctor for help. Nope. He rises from death and walks out of the tomb. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a victorious exclamation point on the truth that your fears have been completely wiped out. You are forgiven. Christ says so. Heaven (not hell) is your home. Christ says so. Christ remains with you. He says so. This vision from Revelation shows these words are not empty wishes, but a reality of what is really going on behind the scenes. The Lamb Once Slain has Begun His Reign! Complete supremacy belongs to him. This stands true forever. Nothing will ever change the effects of Easter. John heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” This loud chorus tells you what happened. Give praise, honor, and respect to Jesus because he has taken the throne! He deserves praise, honor, and respect because he is already sitting in authority. The four living creatures [literally: kept saying], “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. You say ‘Amen.’ You say ‘Amen’ at the end of prayers. You say ‘Amen’ at the close of service. I say ‘Amen’ at the end of each sermon. Remember what ‘Amen’ means? ‘So let it be.’ ‘Yes, everything said about God’s abilities, personality, and character is true. Let everything we ask for happen.’ So, God shows you what definitely happens. First, Jesus holds final say on every single thing that happens in this universe and everything that happens on your globe. Nothing happens without his notice. No one overrules him. So, when the devil whispers: ‘Jesus wins? Then why is Christian living so difficult?’ point him to the cross. Remind him that the cross means you, the Christian, will spend life in paradise. Remind him that the cross means God’s Word will forever remain in the world for you to hear and read. Remind him that Jesus has locked him to hell. When nonbelieving leaders change morality or change Scripture, remember: God will send every rebel to hell (Mark 16:16). They reject his Word. They do not want him. So, they will get the hell they ask for. As for you, regardless of how the world might treat you, God will treat you well forever. Also, remember the final sentence in verse 11: [The angels] encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. Angels are God’s messengers (Hebrews 1:14). The living creatures picture Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the men who put Jesus’ teachings into writing. The elders? That pictures every believer in the Old Testament and New Testament. And they stand in heaven! God shows you where Christians are. Now. Your spouse. Your mother, your father, your child. My grandparents—all those who believed and were baptized are saved (Mark 16:16). They stand in heaven now. With other believers! With angels! With John the Apostle! One day, you will take your place next to them and the Lamb. Finally, The Lamb Once Slain has Begun His Reign. If this stands true forever, then why is life still difficult now? Why face ungodly governments or grueling decisions or limitations? Does Jesus really have control? Yes. Yes, he does. Government pressure urges you to stand on and stand up for God’s truth. Family division only increases your patient forgiveness. Personal struggles teach you to depend on God even more. There is nothing that will not draw you closer to your God (Romans 8:28). You can be sure of that. Your Jesus wins! He unveils heaven, your home. He points out your spot. He is walking you there. The devil, the world, and our hearts try to block this vision from our eyes. Yet, behold the vision glorious and wrap yourself in the comfort of the powerful Christ. The Lamb Once Slain has Begun His Reign! This stands true forever. It can be difficult to see victory— especially when every sight around you is unwanted. Then again, what is seen is not always true. The American Prisoners-of-War remained in their death-camp two months after the War ended. They did not immediately hop back to base. They were not instantly released into the arms of their families. The prison camp is not burned down. The men remain there— but! but… the power of the enemy was snapped. The prisoners became the conquerors and the once-conquerors became the prisoners. Although surrounded by the sight of captivity, the captives actually lived free. You (and I) live under the effects of Jesus’ victorious resurrection. The devil lost. Hell is broken. Christ wins! Christ reigns! Never lose sight of that. The Lamb Once Slain has Begun His Reign! Complete supremacy belongs to him. This stands true forever. Hundreds gathered around five wooden caskets— in a public place, in plain sight, as a Pastor led service. Just two days earlier the Islamic State (also known as ‘ISIS’) detonated eight bombs. Five blew up hotels as families gathered for Easter brunch. Three exploded in churches while Christians worshipped their Risen Lord. Over 350 people died and another 500 lay wounded. (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/world/asia/sri-lanka-bombing.html)
The bombings deliberately targeted the Christian celebration of Easter. ISIS made clear: Easter is not welcome. The resurrection is not tolerated. Jesus is not wanted. The explosive statement hopes to stifle the Easter message and scare Christians into silence. Attacking Easter does not diminish the Christian’s hope, nor does it scare Christians into fleeing the faith. In fact, the opposite happens: Christians cling ever more tightly to Jesus because of Easter. Yes, You will face opposition because of your connection to Jesus. You will be targeted. Yet, God remains determined to exalt his Prince--and no one can stop him. Because of Easter, you can Let Loose the Words of Life. The book of Acts details the life of Jesus’ disciples after his victorious resurrection and triumphant ascension into heaven. Our selection this morning says. The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade… First, the Twelve disciples are the Twelve apostles. ‘Disciple’ means ‘follower’— and these twelve men shape their lives around Jesus’ teachings; they ‘follow’ what he says. ‘Apostle’ means ‘one sent out.’ Those twelve men who ‘followed’ Jesus’ teachings are now ‘sent out’ to share those teachings. They stand in the entryway of the temple, tapping shoulders, grabbing attentions, probing hearts, preaching. These are the same men who, just a few months earlier, huddled behind locked doors terrified they might die for their connection to Jesus (John 20:19-31). Now, they stand in a public place, in plain sight, not worried what bystanders might think— and people do notice them. [T]he high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They had killed Jesus once, hoping to kill his memory forever. Now, these men bring up Jesus again— and people are listening! As the Jews come to worship, they see supernatural miracles like those Jesus once performed. It draws them to the apostles, who then proclaim a living and triumphant Jesus. The Jews pay attention to Jesus once again! The high priest wants attention! So, [t]hey arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail… If you watch your leaders punish the apostles, then maybe you would consider the apostles untrustworthy scoundrels. You could forget the Christian teaching. You could keep waiting for a better Messiah. You realize this is what you witnessed last Sunday. This arrest clearly says: ‘Stop talking about Jesus.’ The Bible makes clear: You will face opposition as you Let Loose the Words of Life. Sometimes that opposition comes from outside. Those entangled in what is wrong do not want to hear God’s instruction. You encourage a friend to worship, but he avoids you, she does not answer the phone, they do not respond to letters and cards. Your child responds to a gentle invite with a list of everything wrong with what you believe. That stings. You approach people with a heartfelt desire to share words for life and your kindness is repaid with sharp, vicious words. It leaves you feeling ashamed. Sometimes opposition to God’s Word comes from within. Your faith— what you believe— may not feel like a source of joy. It may feel more like a burden or a target. You almost feel embarrassed to say that Jesus came back to life; it sounds childish. You may feel crazy for saying the death of one person fixes you. You may wonder if you are stupid for talking about a six-day creation or a worldwide flood or unexplainable miracles. Your faith can cause tension within. The devil uses opposition to shame you. He wants you (and me) to rank popularity as more important than the Word. He wants you to twist Bible teachings to sound more acceptable. He wants you to omit commands that the world considers offensive. He wants you to condone lifestyles God clearly calls ‘wrong.’ He wants you ashamed of what you believe so that (1) God’s truth does not get out and so that (2) you believe something false. This way, he destroys others and you. You will face opposition as you Let Loose the Words of Life. Think about that. You will face opposition-- why? Because you Let Loose the Words of Life. You stand with the living Lord! That automatically pits you against his enemies! God has raised you from spiritual death and has given you spiritual life. You are not entitled to this. It cost a very high price; it cost the life of God’s blameless Son. Jesus is stripped naked, stretched out, and hung publicly for all to gawk at. As he groans, people mock him. When taunted: ‘Come down from there!’ he chooses to remain on the cross. He endures lies, name-calling, and shame because his life is the only life that can save you. God strips away his life in order to raise you (and me) from the hell we deserve. He uses that life to pry out of our hearts any love we may have for this world. He uses that life to lift you out of eternal shame and into a spot next to him. You have life because of Jesus. He has conquered opposition from unbelieving rulers. He has conquered opposition from our hearts. That is tremendous news. Let Loose the Words of Life! You will face opposition, but God remains determined to exalt his Prince The disciples stand in prison, but not for long. [D]uring the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.” At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” You wonder if those leaders ever stop to think how this escape happened. No earthquake happened. No cell-doors clang open. No frenzied escape plan. The last sight of the apostles is in jail. Now, they stand outside (free!) in the temple, preaching and teaching. God did not (and would not) allow his message silenced. The high priest tried. [T]he captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” That is the point! Peter says: “The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree… Yes! You killed God and you did that because you rejected his teaching. You rejected God!” They need to hear this!. They need to be confronted with the fact that they are waging war against the Almighty and they will lose!. The need to see God exalt his Prince as the triumphant Savior he is. So that they repent; so that they turn from rejecting Jesus to listening to Jesus. So that they have life. Opposition to God is a losing battle. God exalted [Jesus] to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Dear friends, you are witnesses of these things. You know answers a nonbelieving world will never unlock. Ever notice that? When you gather in this church with other Christians, you do not stand out so much. Because you all cling to the same faith! You hold to the same promise! You stand united in Jesus. That’s great! You encourage each other to keep standing on the promise of forgiveness and eternal life, to never let go! You may not see spectacular results. You may not feel different, but be sure, even your presence encourages me to cling to God’s exalted Prince. When you step out of here, you will stand out. You have the Words of Life; you know what life is all about. Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again. That is the mantra for your Christian living. A nonbelieving does not have this hope. The world’s solution to death is to cope. Cope by (1) telling jokes, (2) seeing grief counselors, (3) speaking of a generic ‘good place.’ Understand, people may need counsel to rise out of grief. Yet, you know life does not end with death. Because Jesus lives, believers who die on earth live in heaven (John 11:25-26). The world’s solution to regret is to cope. Guilty parents attempt to buy the love of their neglected children. Others think alcohol will help them forget. Still others give money to churches in the hope of scrubbing away the past. Yet, you know Easter preaches sins forgiven. The world’s solution to evil is to cope. Ignore troubles. Call evil bad names on television or Twitter. Yet, you know the Risen Lord has delivered us from life in an evil hell. He still leads us through this evil world to that perfect life above. Let Loose the Words of Life! Let Easter’s empty tomb only strengthen you in your fight against doubt and temptation. Let Easter’s empty tomb be seen in the way you live and in the words you speak. God remains determined to exalt his Prince—in you and through you. Hundreds gathered around five wooden caskets— in a public place, in plain sight, as a Pastor led service. The Islamic State (also known as ‘ISIS’) deliberately targeted Easter. They made clear: Easter is not welcome. The resurrection is not tolerated. Jesus is not wanted. The explosive statement hopes scare Christians into silence. It failed. Those Christians gathered around the Easter truth that the dead in Christ will rise. Easter has transformed your life. You may not notice. You may not feel it. Yet, because of Easter you live confident of a triumphant Jesus who reigns for your good. You will face opposition because of your connection to Jesus. The world may hate that, but the Almighty God remains determined to exalt his Prince— and no one can stop him. Christ lives—and lives for you! Let Loose the Words of Life. The fate of the free world depended on one man. Yes, one man. Supreme Commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower, planned ferrying over 350,000 Allied troops across the English Channel and onto the heavily armed beaches of Normandy. He needed a day. So, chief meteorologist, Captain James Stagg had one job: get the weather forecast right.
The margin for error was zero. Stormy seas would sink ships, swallow tanks, and drown thousands. Postpone the invasion and you give communist Russia a chance to control all Europe. Pass on calm weather and Nazi Germany would discover the invasion. Yet, selecting a day was difficult. In Michigan, we gage weather as it moves across the country; we see what approaches. To the west of the English Channel is nothing but open, unpredictable Atlantic Ocean; you had no records. On top of that, Eisenhower had already selected a date: June 5, 1944. Captain Stagg advised against it. So, Eisenhower faced a decision: trust your meteorologist or trust your own instincts? Who do you trust? (https://www.usatoday.com/amp/9914207) In our day of redacted Mueller reports and exposed church abuse, it feels impossible to trust anyone. So many promises lie broken— and with them lie shattered dreams, deflated hope, and painful heartache. It just seems best to rely on yourself. So, who do you trust? Easter gives us the only answer. The events of this day have changed the course of life forever. Because of Easter you find A Word that does as promised. A Word that gives life. So, Cheer Up! You have God’s Word! That is where you find cheer. Look again at our gospel reading. Verse 1 says: [O]n the first day of the week, at early dawn, the [women] went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. It is Easter, but you discover a cheerless scene. Yes, the first Easter morning is a funeral procession. How could it not be? This group of women watched Jesus die! They saw him buried here! Inside this tomb lies a dear Friend, a beloved Teacher, a trusted Preacher. That is an unwanted reality. They cannot restart the heart. They cannot force the brain to function. They cannot make lungs breathe. Jesus is gone and they cannot fix it. They stand absolutely powerless to create cheer in life. When they reach the tomb, they found the stone rolled away[,] but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus… How much worse can it get? The body is missing! Again, this unwanted reality just crushes them! They were not there to stop the robbers. They did not install security systems. They cannot investigate and hunt down the criminals. These women not only lack the power to raise the dead, but they also cannot control the one thing they could control: make final preparations! They cannot fix it! They cannot do what they want! They are powerless to find cheer in life. While they were perplexed about this, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. [T]hey were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground… Now this! Two men— two angels— who live in heaven, who stand beside the Holy God, now have a message from the Almighty. How can you not tremble? Because whatever comes out of the mouth comes from God. That message may not be good— and the women would be completely powerless to stop what God will do. That first Easter is loaded with strange emotions. Those women stand mortified, they are stressed, they are anxious for the exact same reason I so often am: Because I rely on myself! Why the self-reliance? Because I know ‘me’ better than anyone else knows ‘me.’ ‘I’ know my weaknesses. ‘I’ know my goals. ‘I’ know my needs. No one else knows my desires better than ‘I’ do. No one else thinks about them more than ‘I’ do. Yes, the police officer protects me, but he’s watching over thousands of others. He cannot be everywhere at once. Yes, the teacher cares for me, but she has other students in the classroom. Yes, I know my family is there for me, but each one cares for his own needs first. So, I take it upon myself to find cheer in this life. If I trust myself, then maybe I will be satisfied. Except, like the women, I confront many insurmountable obstacles. I want to prevent sickness, but I cannot stop cancer from entering my body— and I cannot wish it away. I want peace in my family, but I cannot stop my sibling from ruining my plans; I cannot control personalities. I want to reach my goals and dreams, but I fall into addiction again, I stumble into old habits, I foil my own plans. Trusting myself does not bring the peace I so desperately crave. Studying these women only reminds me of the purpose for Easter. This day happens because of us. Those women think self-reliance will help them. In reality, self-reliance caused their sadness. That is why Jesus came in the first place: because each one of us consider ourselves more reliable than a reliable God. In short, self-reliance calls God a liar. Now where does that self-reliance leave the women? The women stare at death and cannot fix it. I stare at death and realize I cannot stop my own grief, I cannot stop my own death, I cannot stand before the throne of God and live! Nothing I can do will erase that awful truth. What good self-reliance does! Thank God he sends angels. Yes, angels. Messengers. If God never did this, then I would still be scratching my head at the empty tomb. Do you realize where the angels point the women? To a promise God made. The angels said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” “Well, what did you see? You witnessed sinful men beat him. You saw him suffer and die. You watched him buried. Since everything happened as he said, what do you think will happen next?” Can you see the light turn on? And they remembered his words… People make promises and break them, change them, forget them. God is not another person. God intentionally made a promise and God deliberately kept his promise. Just like that, fear gives way to joy, assumptions crumble, self-reliance vanishes; trust in the promises of God swells! God did what he said he would do. He hung your (and my) self-reliance on Jesus and crushed it. He leaves him to die by wicked men. Leaves him to be crucified. Leaves him dead. Then, he raised him— body and soul, alive from the grave. Dear friends, Cheer Up! You have God’s Word! Easter proves that God’s own Word does as promised. He not only makes promises, but keeps his Word—which means, God is completely reliable. Because of that, God’s Word gives you life. Yes, life. The resurrection of Jesus is not just one single promise kept long ago. No, the resurrection carries some very long-term results. Imagine setting up a row of dominoes. Tap the first domino and it falls into another, which falls into another, and another and another, and so on. One domino causes many other dominoes to move. Here, God raises Jesus to life. Sounds simple, except that centuries earlier God had promised to raise his Son (Psalm 16:10-11). On Easter, God reached down and raise this one Person to life. Therefore, this one Person is not just another man, but God’s promised Son! (Romans 1:4). One promise kept. Remember, Jesus is God’s Son. Jesus hung on the cross— and God loaded him with my self-reliance and crushed him. He makes him pay my crime. Now, Jesus lives—again! The Bible says: Jesus died because of my sin and was raised to declare us ‘Not Guilty!” (Romans 4:25). That means God has accepted his payment on your behalf! That means Jesus removed condemnation. That means guilt no longer damns you. Another promise made and kept. If Jesus wipes your spiritual record clean, it means God sees you as innocent— which means God kept another promise: Jesus destroyed the devil’s work (1 John 3:8). If the devil cannot convince God to lock you in hell, then it means you will not go to hell. Jesus keeps another promise! Because Jesus lives, you also will live (John 14:19). If you will live, then it means Jesus is keeping another promise: You will live in heaven! (John 14:2-3). Another promise falls complete: Because Jesus lives—no one holds authority over him, no one tells him what to do or how to behave (Exodus 15:1-11). Do you see how Easter changes life? You live by the promises of God— because those promises are not empty wishes, but guarantees of what God will do next! Those promises carry you through every situation. God promises life is not the end for the Christian; life continues in heaven! That means your loved one is not forever forgotten. No, she stands in the throne-room of God. He weeps and mourns no more! (Isaiah 65:19-20). Your body may not do the things it once did. You cannot build muscle, you cannot spark energy, you cannot stop cancer from spreading. Yet, your God promises: I am with you. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). Regret may relentlessly shame you. You feel so unworthy to be around friends, parents, children, God. Yet, God points to Jesus and promises: Because he suffered your penalty, your lawless acts I remember no more (Hebrews 10:17). Where do you find peace like that? Never in yourself, but in the only One who does as promised. A new day dawns Easter. A new day that reveals God is absolutely serious about saving you …about loving you …about being your strength. That removes self-reliance. That lifts you from stressful anxiety. That puts your trust in a God who never fails you. Cheer Up! You have God’s Word! A Word that gives you life. A word like Captain Staggs’. Eisenhower selected June 5, 1944 for D-Day. Captain Stagg advised against it. So, who do you trust: your meteorologist or trust your own instincts? Eisenhower could not see the future, but he trusted the word of his meteorologist. Sure enough, June 5th proved stormy. Waves chopped. Rain pelted. Winds whipped. The mission would have failed. Yet, June 6, 1944, brought the calm weather predicted. The Allies invaded, stormed Europe, and destroyed Nazi resistance. That victory brought new life throughout the world. Easter brings new life for you. In our day of redacted Mueller reports and exposed church abuse, it may feel impossible to trust anyone. So many promises lie broken— and with them lie shattered dreams, deflated hope, and painful heartache. It may feel best to rely on yourself. Yet, Easter reveals life! Life in heaven! Life lived with God on earth! Because of Easter you find A Word that does as promised. A Word that gives life. Yes, the events of Easter have changed the course of life forever. So, Cheer Up! You have God’s Word! 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. |
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