catches the villain; it never fails! Bond may be chained up and dangling upside down over a pool of man-eating sharks, but you know he will escape. He may be strapped to a wall with a laser beam aiming to slice him in half, but he will get out. Someone poisons Bond at a poker game, but you know he will somehow live. James Bond is the good guy! He must win! The villain must lose!
That old adage goes for just about any movie. The hobbits (from the Lord of the Rings series) will always make it to Mordor, toss one powerful ring into its fires, and rescue Middle-Earth from the clutches of goblins, evil wizards, and orcs. Spiderman will always defeat Green Goblin, Doc Oct[opus], and Venom. The American Allies will always crush the evil Axis Powers. John Wayne will always bring rustlers to justice. The nice guy will always beat out the jerk to win the girl’s love. Even in those tense moments when our hero faces some insurmountable challenge, you know that he will succeed some way, somehow. You know that you will leave the movie feeling happy because the good guy always wins. But is that always true? Does he always win? Consider the presence of Christianity in America; do you see victory? A recent [Pew Research] study concluded that 67% of those born between 1925 and 1945 say religion is important in their life. Fifty-one percent of those born between 1925 and 1945 worship every week. So, half of those age 72 to 92 years old sit in a pew every Sunday! Compare that with the Millennial generation. Of those born between 1980 and 1995 only 38% feel religion is important, and only 28% actually worship every Sunday. So, three out of every four people under age 35 find little reason to worship God. Does it look like Jesus is winning? Or, consider that since 1969, the Reformed Church in America has lost 62% of its membership. The Episcopal Church has lost 49%. The Methodist Church is down 33%. The same study reveals that the members of congregations are getting older and the number of young individuals in worship is decreasing. Does this look like victory? Maybe you don’t need those studies to tell you what you already know: your society is growing increasingly God-less. You try to share Jesus. You invite friends to worship— and they come— maybe for one or two services (and then they stop coming). You share events on Facebook, you advertise Christmas Eve service in the newspaper, you send out postcards, but no one responds. Your fellow believers get older and move out of the area and you fight to regain lost volunteers and supporters. Look around at this Christian landscape; does it look like things are getting better? Does it look like Jesus is winning? Or, Are you on the losing side? Jesus holds the answer to that question. The answer is found by him asking you a question: Who Do You Say Jesus Is? That question searches for the (1) identity, (2) characteristics, and (3) actions of Jesus. The disciples share what many concluded about the Son of Man. “Some say [you are] John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” All four of these characters have one thing in common: they point people to God. Their preaching exposes the smug arrogance of the human heart. They announce how no one can live such a good life that God is compelled to love them. They only declare: “You are separated from God!” And still, John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, and the prophets point the world to the Lamb God sends to remove sin (John 1:29). They point people to Jesus. So, when Jesus comes on the scene, many think he is just another great prophet. The Jewish nation waits for a political Savior. They expect a “Christ,” but a “Christ” who would free them from Roman captivity! They expect “Christ” to become their earthly king and restore independence and wealth to the Jewish nation. They expect “Christ” to make life perfect— with food and security and guidance! (John 6:14-15) Since the masses do not see Jesus filling this role, they conclude: he [Jesus] is not the Savior. Is it really any different today? What do so-called scholars claim about the identity of Jesus? History Channel labels Jesus as just another great rabbi who rallied the Jewish nation together, but died before he made any sweeping changes. The Smithsonian Channel questions if Jesus actually existed; maybe he was nothing more than a mythological fairytale. You go on Facebook, and what kind of God do your friends share? A God who promises perfect health and immense wealth to Christians only (even though this thought is found nowhere in the Bible). A God who loves everything everyone does— regardless of their sexuality or the way they treat authority or the way they worship their money (even though God has a few words on those issues). Part of the reason your society stays out of worship is because they see Jesus as just another great teacher. If Jesus is just another great teacher, then it means he is just a human being. If Jesus is only a human being, then you can (1) accept his teaching or (2) reject his teaching—and face no divine punishment. If there is no divine punishment behind Jesus’ teachings, then you have the freedom to change his teachings. You can make Jesus into whoever you want him to be. If you fail to see Jesus as God, then you find very little reason to trust Jesus as God. So, Who Do You Say Jesus Is? We can easily fail to see Jesus as the God he is. When that happens, you try to make him fit your worldly expectations. So, you start by wanting more people in worship so that you can feel successful and popular. Yet, when worship attendance decreases, then you wonder what’s wrong with Jesus… or, what you have to do to win in the eyes of the world. You may expect your society to praise your beliefs and pass laws in your favor. What you have then done is made Jesus an earthly king who is to give you pleasure in this life alone! When you expect something God has not promised, then you change what Jesus actually does. You have changed the person of God. Then you will feel like you are on the losing side. In reality, you have this wrong perception of Who Jesus Is. Peter pushes to the front of the disciples, looks at Jesus, and announces: “You are the Christ! “You”—that is, finger pointed right at Jesus. “Are”— present tense verb— right here, right now, something is uniquely special about Jesus. “The Christ.” “Christ” is a special name. “Christ” is the Greek word for the Old Testament Hebrew name: “Messiah.” So, both “Christ” and “Messiah” mean “Anointed One.” To “anoint” someone means to “set them aside” for a special mission. Jesus is set aside for the special mission of rescuing the world from the consequences of sin. Look at Jesus and what do you see? Someone greater than an earthly king. You see the Savior God promised Adam and Eve. You see Jesus, the child promised to Abraham and Sarah, focused on serving God with his entire life. You see Jesus born on Christmas Day for the sole purpose of opening the kingdom of heaven to you! Who Do You Say Jesus Is? He is the Christ! He is set aside to suffer for your needless despair and self-pity. His mission is to cleanse the selfish arrogance of our human hearts. He comes to make complete payment on your behalf. Jesus, the Christ, has completed his mission of rescuing you from the hell you deserved. Who Do You Say Jesus Is? In the midst of an increasing God-less society, you confess: Jesus is the Christ. As God’s appointed Son, he continues doing what God expects of him. Jesus lives as the Protector of his Church. “Church”— not a protector of your church building. This is the [big-C] “C”hurch you heard about last week. The [big-C] “C”hurch (or the Holy Christian Church) is the total number of believers. Jesus lives to Protect his Church, to protect you— a believer! Peter himself confesses: “You are the Son of the living God!” Jesus still lives today! Since he lives, it means he functions! He pays attention to the troubles in this world. He hears your cries of distress and gives you relief. He still protects you, guides you, and leads you through this life and into heaven. This is what Jesus is sent to do. You can be sure Jesus still remains with you because he himself says so. “[…] on this rock I will build my church.” What’s this rock? It’s not Peter— as though Peter is the leader of all believers on earth. (Both the Greek grammar and much of Scripture does not support this point.) The “rock” is Peter’s rock-solid confession of faith. Peter confesses that Jesus comes to save him. You have made this same rock-solid confession of faith. You admit that Jesus is greater than John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another prophet. You confess he is the Son of the Living God! This God makes sure [T]he gates of Hades will not overcome you. The “gates of Hades” refers to the attacks the devil makes on your faith. He tries every day to discourage you. He will point your eyes to statistics and say, “Look, more are staying out of church. Jesus is losing; he is worthless!” He will point at your emotions. “If you feel sad that more people do not love God, then quit!” He will point at your society. “Look, so many people live happier lives than you. They have more money, better health, and tighter families. Why bother with Jesus?” But remember this: Christ has already won. When he died on the cross, he broke you out of the gates of hell. When Jesus rose from the dead, he announced that you will live with him (John 14:19). Nothing will ever take that away! The devil can never undo Easter. He cannot declare more power than God. You who cling to Jesus by faith live on the winning side. You have won for all eternity. And so Jesus replies, “Blessed are you!” Not: “Blessed are you, now go get more numbers.” Not: “Blessed are you, now earthly life will be perfect.” Not: “Blessed are you, you will never be discouraged again.” Rather, “Blessed are you, because your faith relies on me. I will never fail to bring you into heaven.” Blessed are you, even when people say horrible things about your faith. Blessed are you, even though society separates itself from the Word. Blessed are you because your faith rests on the work Jesus did to save you. No matter what happens in your world or in your congregation, nothing will remove the royal reign of your Jesus. Our grim statistics may only increase. In fact, 50% of the American population could be God-less in the next 20 years. Worship attendance could drop even more. Perhaps the United States will even outlaw public worship. Does it look like Jesus wins? Yes. The government cannot lock Jesus in heaven. An unbelieving generation cannot change the fact that Jesus will come again. No one will topple Jesus off from his throne of authority. The living God is on your side. That means, the good guy always wins. You already know how this movie will end. Your Christ will continue gathering believers into the mansions of heaven. Nothing will stop that. Your Christ will always remain in the Word and sacraments to strengthen your faith and protect you from every evil assault. Who Do You Say Jesus Is? He is the Christ. He is the Protector of his Church.
But what does that mean? … the Holy Christian Church? …the communion of saints? You do notice that “Holy Christian Church” is capitalized, right? (And just in case you’re wondering, that’s not a typo in the hymnal.) Why is this “C”hurch capitalized? What is meant by the expression “Holy Christian Church?” And what is this “communion of saints?” More importantly, what do these words have to do with you?
After all, you are in Isaiah’s prophecy. Isaiah is not describing some random group of people in some random land in some random era. Even though Isaiah lives 700 years before the birth of Christ, he sees you, gathered here, in Clare & Harrison, Michigan, worshipping your God, serving him, and praising his name. Dig into our reading again. See where you fit in. Rediscover what you, as God’s child, are equipped to do. God Reveals His Salvation to make foreigners his citizens and to motivate service for him. It starts with that order. Before you can ever begin reflecting on what you can do to serve God, you must start by recognizing why you can serve God at all. Your service all starts with the Lord. Literally— verse 1 begins: This is what the Lord says[.] Notice who speaks. Yes, the Lord is God, but he uses a special name here. Isaiah does not say: “This is what God says.” It’s: This is what the Lord says[.] That title: the “Lord” (in all capitals) is not a typo; it’s intentional. The “Lord” (in all capitals) tells you two things about your God (Exodus 34:6-7). (1) God expects all of humanity to live a holy life— to be as perfect as he is; to love what is morally good and to hate evil (Leviticus 19:2; Matthew 5:48). So, The Lord says: Maintain justice and do what is right[.] This is how people of God are to act every day. If you wish to know if the way you live is “right,” then compare your behavior to God’s every single commandment (Exodus 20:1-17). Love everyone as much as you care for yourself. If you do not enjoy someone hating you, then do not hate anyone. If you do not want your friends gossiping about you, then do not gossip about your friends. If you want the car salesman to treat you honestly, then be honest, kind, patient, compassionate to everyone. Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Do not stop there, but love your God with every fiber of your being. Do not consider worship boring, but rejoice that you get to worship God. Do not feel home devotions and prayer rob you of time. Rather, fight for time to spend with God in prayer and devotion. Treat God’s name better than a curse Word. Recognize what the name “God” means and trust that “God” is powerful enough, wise enough, and available to be in your life. In case you’re wondering, the Lord is not giving a suggestion; he commands. You are to maintain this morality, this justice, today, tomorrow— always. Do this and you will live; fail and be forever cut off from God (Luke 10:25-28). How do you measure up? Would you be proud if God saw everything you did last week? The God who is everywhere, dwelling in your home, standing beside you, would he be pleased with your internet search or what you post to Facebook or what you watch on television? Would he be pleased with your thoughts on your way to worship this morning or where your mind was from the start of worship to this moment? Could God say that you loved your family with perfect compassion, that you humbly built up others, that you never complained about the way your congregation functions, but that you always supported decisions and offered your time to help? Have you maintained the justice God expects? Did you always do what is right? You trust in Jesus as Savior; you love God. Yet, you recognize there’s still a part of you that finds discontentment in being a member of God’s family. Instead of being a citizen of Christ, that sinful nature wants to live as a foreigner— someone God does not recognize as belonging to him! That is why, when you consider how you serve your God, it can never start by looking at you. Either you will find God’s commands to be a new form of slavery or you will be crushed by the fact you can never be perfect enough. That is why, when you consider your service to God, it must start with the “Lord” (in all capitals). Your “Lord” (in all capitals) threatens to punish every sinner, but he does something else: (2) the Lord is patient, loving, and forgiving. How do you know? Well, Isaiah says, “[The] salvation [of God] is close at hand and [his] righteousness will soon be revealed.” The word “salvation” simply means “to deliver” or “rescue.” When Isaiah is alive, God has made a promise to Jesus to blot out the transgressions of the world. Even though Jesus had not yet been born, his arrival comes closer with each passing day. Everyone who lives before the first Christmas could prepare their hearts for the coming Savior. For all of us who live after the first Christmas, you realize that deliverance and rescue from the wages of sin is found in the forgiveness of Jesus has already won. God’s salvation is always close at hand. You have the privilege to run to the cross again and again and be assured: You are forgiven. God Reveals His Salvation to make foreigners his citizens, to bring forgiven sinners into the family of God. Not just that, God Reveals His Salvation to make foreigners his citizens— literally. Jesus comes through the bloodlines of the Jews. Yet, the Jews do not keep this message only to themselves. The good news of Jesus has reached all people—Jews and non-Jews included. If you look around today, you can see that Isaiah’s prophecy has come true. You are the ones who have been gathered into the family of God. God has come to you in the form of his Word. In this Bible he tells you: God so loved the world that he gave his Son for you— for your eternal benefit— to step into your death sentence and die instead of you. He takes this truth, packages it up, and delivers it to you in baptism. You see, baptism is not just plain water. The water is not supernatural holy water. God takes plain, ordinary water, and attaches a promise to it. When the words are said, “You are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit,” God says that you enter his family. God has put his name on you. Jesus has signed citizenship papers: “Heir of heaven.” “Child belonging to God.” “God is your Father.” And he thrusts those papers into your hand. God has joined you to his family— just like Isaiah said he would. To connect it to what I said earlier, you are therefore brought into the [big-C] “C”hurch. A church is a gathering of worshippers. You see these churches. You see how many there are. Some who enter believe; others do not. So, we call those [little-c] “c”hurches. Yet, the [big-C] “C”hurch refers to the gathering of all believers. All who have faith in Jesus as Savior stand in this gathering. That means, you do not enter heaven just because you sit in a church building. You are not loved by God because your name is in the church membership rolls. You do not earn heaven because you sat for two or three years in catechism class or in adult instruction class. That is how you become part of a visible congregation. You study Bible teachings so that you can confess what you believe. As for entering God’s family, God reveals Jesus, His Salvation, as your Savior from sin. God Reveals His Salvation to make you, once foreigners cut off from God in unbelief, his citizens. God joins you into this [big-C] “C”hurch. The Holy Christian Church? What is that? That’s you! You are those believers who gather around God and God is your Good Shepherd. Since you belong to this [big-C] “C”hurch, you are called the communion of saints? A “saint” because Jesus washes away your sins and makes you a holy person. A “communion” meaning, a fellowship, or a gathering. As God Reveals His Salvation he motivates you to serve him. Isaiah describes three things that people brought into the family of God do: (1) serve him, (2) love his name, and (3) worship him. You serve him by living as the priests you are. No, God is not telling you to enter the seminary and become a Pastor. Neither does he expect you to return to Old Testament worship practices of animal sacrifice. Rather, by faith, God gives you the privilege of coming directly to him just like the Old Testament priests were the only ones able to stand in the presence of God. Old Testament priests would pray for the people, offer sacrifices for their sins, and share the Word. Now, you are the priest who walks right up to God. You can unload your burdens and frustrations. You can ask God to help your loved ones; you can plead for him to deliver you from trouble. You do not need to ask a Pastor to bring your prayers to God; you get to pray directly to God. You can preach the Word to yourself. You have Bibles in your home; you get to read devotions. So, when anxiety fills your mind, you remember: Cast your anxiety on God (1 Peter 5:7). When you have a terrible day, you recall: Come to me—all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). When you have no idea where to turn for answers, you hear: Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you (Psalm 50:15). You love the name of the LORD. God’s “Name” is his reputation. Just think about everything the Name “God” makes you feel. He forgives you—freely, fully, repeatedly. He is patient. He does not afflict you with trouble because you make him angry. He does not make life hell because you missed worship last week. Your God is loving— filling your life with tremendous blessings. Feeding you. Allowing income to flow in. Blessing you through your children, your parents, your grandparents, your friends, and Pastor. You love finding peace and rest in this Name: “God.” So, you worship him. How? By keep[ing] the Sabbath. Now, remember, in the New Testament, God gives you freedom in selecting your day of worship (Colossians 2:16). In fact, that’s what the Word Sabbath means: “day of rest” (and not “Saturday”). You have selected the first hours of the first day of the week to be devoted to God. As citizens belonging to God, you get to worship him. You get to sing praises thanking him for all he does. You get to hear his Word so that you have confidence in life. You get to hear a message shared with you so that you can learn applications; you get to see how God fits into every aspect of your life. Those who love God love worshipping God. Do you see where you fit in? Isaiah paints this gorgeous picture of where you stand. God has brought you to his holy mountain. He has brought you into this the Holy Christian Church. Holy—because Jesus makes you holy from sin. Christian because you follow Christ. Church—because you gather with believers around God. When you confess your faith, you admit that God has made you a citizen. Now, you spend your days serving him. Loving him. Worshipping him. No, not because you must. Rather, as someone touched by God, you are motivated to serve him with your offerings, talents, and time. God Reveals His Salvation to make foreigners his citizens and to motivate service for him.
are made entirely of glass. If you step into this box, you can look out for 50 miles and across four states.You can experience all of this for only $23.00 and a trip to downtown Chicago.
Maybe there’s one more thing you would like to know about “The Ledge.” It’s attached to the outside wall on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower. That’s right. If you wish to look out for 50 miles and across four states you must step into this glass box that stands 1,353 feet over Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago. And yes, in case you were wondering, the floor beneath your feet is made entirely of glass; you can see everything below you. Can you do it? Would you zip up 103 stories and walk into a little box made entirely out of glass and stand 1,353 feet over the ground? Would you place your entire weight into this box, lean against its walls, and (maybe even) take a hop in it? It might be difficult. You know gravity still pulls on you even if you step into something outside the Tower. Your senses tell you to stand on firm ground. Everything you see tells you not to enter the box. In order to step onto “The Ledge,” you must trust the assurance of the engineers. So often we trust what is seen— even if it means trusting our senses and thinking instead of the promises of Jesus. That is why Jesus gives you word of confidence this morning: Take Courage! Jesus is with you! Do not be afraid. He does more than just say these words; powerful miracles trumpet his message. Just last week, you watched Jesus take five loaves of bread and two fish— really a meal best suited for a mother and child— and [he takes them and] he feeds over 5,000 people with these little scraps! The disciples run around, panic over dinner preparations, but Jesus not only feeds this crowd, but gives them more than enough to eat! That miracle demonstrates a crystal-clear truth: Your Jesus uses his power as God to provide for you. Your Jesus— not you! Jesus provides for you, either (1) by using miracles to give you what you need for life or (2) by using your abilities and your talents and your friends to fill your life with blessings. He does this so that you and I, like the disciples, no longer scramble around, fretting about the things you need! He does this so that you may place your complete trust in him and in his Word and in his power. So, how is your trust? Did you leave worship last week and all your fears floated away? Did you live worry-free? …anxiety-free? …stress-free? At each meal, did you, like Jesus, give thanks to God for the food you have? Did you look at your [grand]child and recognize your financial limitations, but then found comfort in God’s unlimited power to provide a secure future? Did you sit in the waiting room and place your health squarely in Jesus’ hands? At very instant stress appeared, did you immediately run to Jesus? If you are like me, it’s a lesson slowly learned. And it’s no different for the disciples either. As soon as the disciples finish picking up the leftover bread and fish, Jesus made the[m] get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side[…] So, these lifelong fishermen hop into a 30-foot boat, drop the sails, and take off— but, they don’t make it far. About 3 ½ miles out, the winds start picking up. These are not little gusts, but winds blasting up to 70 miles per hour. Waves heave, repeatedly lifting this little boat three, six, eight feet into the air, and drop it right into the pit of the sea. They fight this storm for hours— from dinner time to the fourth watch (which is around 3:00am). Just when it seems that this struggle cannot get much worse, it does. Off in the darkness stands a shadowy silhouette— watching, walking, coming right to them! It has a torso, arms, head— a face! “It’s a ghost!” they said, and [they] cr[y] out in fear. What are they going to do? Is this an omen of death? Are they going to die? Can they fight this ghost and chase him away? A few of them thrust their arms into the water, feverishly paddling— but they get nowhere. Hearts pound; stomachs drop; fear paralyzes them. For twelve people who just witnessed the Son of God feed thousands, all they can manage to do in this trouble is hopelessly, desperately weep. Have they forgotten what they just saw? Did it even enter their mind that they could immediately find rescue in a God who does miracles? It is a lesson slowly learned. It is a lesson that needs to hear the voice of Jesus say again and again: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Those words penetrate Peter’s heart. In the midst of whipping winds and heaving waves, Peter sees Jesus for who he truly is: the Son of the Almighty God. The moment Jesus says: “Come!” Peter [gets] down out of the boat, walk[s] on the water and c[o]me[s] toward Jesus. This is not a sleight-of-hand trick. Matthew, the author of these words, is not making these events up. Peter walks on waves and through winds— and he does not sink! Why? Because Jesus has the power to keep him afloat. Peter sees trouble. He hears howling wind. He sees terrifying waves. Our brains would sense danger; water can claim life. Yet, Jesus made a promise: “Come! Come, you will be safe. Come, I will keep you from drowning. Come, it is I—Jesus.” Faith grasps the promises of Jesus and considers them true even when our minds do not see how. But when [Peter] saw the wind… and waves taller than himself… and the billions of gallons of water… he was afraid. For just a moment, he took his faith off the promise of Jesus and placed it onto his human thinking. His brain says: “Human beings sink in water”. His mind screams: “This cannot be! People drown! Not even Jesus can keep you safe!” And he begin[s] to sink. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” What answer could Peter give? What could he say? What could you or I possibly say? Yes, you probably did not attempt walking on a lake last week, but you still carry the promises of God. Did you trust them even when it felt difficult to take God at his Word? Jesus himself says: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18). Yet, your eyes see new threats from North Korea. Your mind compares American military against Korean missiles. Maybe you doubt that Jesus has authority in this missile crisis—because your eyes see the missiles, but do not see the deliverance. Your God promises: The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer (1 Peter 3:12). Yet, your son still battles cancer. You see the tumors spreading. Your mind recalls the years of praying. You feel that God is not listening to you; you doubt that his ears are open to someone like you— and if he’s not listening, then it’s up to you to care for the future of your child. Your God says: Call on me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you (Psalm 50:15). Yet, you’re still behind on bills. You’re still in rehab. Your spouse still died relatively young. Your family still argues. You’re still not happy. You feel as though God is not present. You do not see him helping you. You do not hear improvements. Your mind wonders what is truly real: (1) does God really love you or (2) is he lying to you? So often, the troubles we see overwhelm any trust in God’s promises. So, the answer behind: “Why did you doubt [my Word]?” “Because I trusted myself more than I could trust you, Jesus. I reasoned what you are and are not capable of handling. I concluded that you have limitations, Jesus. Therefore, I could not trust you. I consider you untrustworthy, an exaggerator, a liar.” If that is what our doubt says about him, then Jesus would have every reason to let us wallow in our problems. Yet, he does not. Instead, your God keeps his Word. The moment Adam and Eve ran away from him, God saved them immediately. In fact, he made a promise: You will have a Savior (Genesis 3:15). Century after century God repeated this promise—and believers who lived before Jesus trusted those words. Faith is sure of what we hope for--even when we do not yet see its fulfillment (Hebrews 11:1). You see God keep his Word. You watched a Savior whose life is filled with perfect trust in his Father. You grasp his dying breath: It is finished (John 19:30). With those few words Jesus declares you forgiven. Every single time you doubted God’s ability to keep his Word, Jesus wipes clear. Like he did Peter, Jesus saves you from drowning in hell forever because you (and I) dared to doubt his unbreakable Word. My friends, let Jesus’ words sink in. Let them enter your ears, flow through your mind, and penetrate your heart. “Take courage!” Jesus says to you. Just look at the verb. This present tense verb tells you the action keeps happening. To the disciples: “Take courage now!” …in the storm …as you row to the other side …after you reach the other side … next week as you travel throughout cities. The month after, the year after, the decade later— Take courage! Have no fear. This is not a suggestion; it is a command: Take courage! This is why: “It is I.” This “I” is none other than the Son of God. This is the One through whom heaven and earth is knit together. This is the One who takes bread and fish in his hands, and with no effort, provides a feast! This is the One who has the authority to stand on choppy water and walk through waves! This is the One who has inscribed his promises on the pages of Scripture so that you may read them, grasp them, and live trusting in them. This is the One who has bound himself to his promises— telling you that it is impossible for him to lie (Numbers 23:19). This is the One who fills your heart with confidence and courage as you step out into the world. You may not always see the answer to every trouble. You may wonder how God will rescue you when it seems every option is gone. Yet, you lay aside your feelings and your thinking—and instead trust the unbreakable, always-kept-for-you-Word of God. I’m not sure if I would zip up 103 stories and walk into a little box made entirely out of glass and stand 1,353 feet over the ground. I probably would not place my entire weight into this box, lean against its walls, and (maybe even) take a hop in it. Everything you see tells you not to enter the box. Yet, you are able to run to the Word in every trouble. Why? Because in the Word Jesus reveals his power, his control, his authority, his victory. On the cross he demonstrates his infinite love for you. In a final glimpse, you watch him enter into a heaven that he prepares for you. Focus on Jesus’ unseen, but perfectly-reliable promises. Take Courage! Jesus is with you! Do not be afraid.
A farmer planting two hundred acres spends about $10,000 on seed alone (and that’s a smaller farm!) Ten-thousand dollars! A single American makes on average $53,889 (before taxes). https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?q=average+income&search.x=0&search.y=0&page=1&stateGeo=none&searchtype=web&cssp=SERP). (So, imagine taking 20% of your annual income and using it on this one time purchase.)
Now, of course, the farmer carefully prepares his fields. He clears away trees and pulls out stumps and rocks. He drags his discs through the soil, turning over the fields. He watches the water content in each field. Then, when field conditions are just right, he sinks his tens-of-thousands of dollars worth of seed into the ground. Do you know what he does next? He waits. That’s it! He waits! He puts tens-of-thousands of dollars into ground and can do nothing but wait. Yes, he can provide water by irrigating his fields. He can drain the fields and ensure nothing blocks out sunlight. He can spend $15,000 more to spray pesticide and herbicide. He can do everything in his power to make the seed grow and get his money back— but that’s just it: in his power. He may have the best soil conditions, but he does not possess the power to make seeds grow. He simply trusts that God will provide his income. Could you do that? Can you patiently wait and trust that God will provide your livelihood at the right time— even when you see no answer in sight? The temptation is for you to rely on the little control you have in life instead of God’s unlimited control over everything. Jesus gives you a reason to trust him most. Using a mighty miracle, he teaches you to Bring Every Need to Jesus because He deals with you in compassion. Since he deals with you in this way, Trust his power to provide. Five thousand men swarm the shoreline— and this is just men! There may be an additional 10,000-15,000 women and children blanketing the hillside! And the disciples— well, all they see is a problem. [E]vening approache[s, and] the disciples c[o]me to [Jesus] and sa[y], “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away[!]”If the crowds leave now, then they won’t be hungry all night. Yet, Jesus fires back: “They do not need to go away.” Is Jesus looking at the same thing they are? Doesn’t he see the same problem? “Jesus, there’s zero food and yet you’re telling us they can stay. Who’s going to feed them all?” The answer? “You! You give them something to eat.” The truth is: they already tried that. Before they ever Bring Their Need To Jesus, they search for an answer. They scour the area for restaurants. They empty their pockets and see just how much money they have for dinner (Mark 6:37; John 6:7). All they could find is only five loaves of bread and two fish--which, in their estimation, amounts to nothing. “Jesus, we have exhausted all of our options; we have no other solutions. There is no one left to help us. We have tried everything.” Sound familiar? It’s easy to read an account like this and wonder how the disciples could miss asking the Son of God for help. I mean, Jesus is literally right there, watching the disciples rush around in such needless panic. All they have to do is Bring Every Need to Jesus! But they do not because the disciples trust only themselves. Do you think the disciples would shake their heads in disbelief if they saw how you deal with trouble? If your marriage is not going so well, are you Bringing Every Need to Jesus? Or, are you sifting through your feelings and taking advice from non-Christian sources in the hope of fixing things? If you want the best for your children, are you Bringing your wish to Jesus? Or, are you mapping the future and scrambling to save up for all the schooling and all the camps and all the programs; are you exhausted from acting that you must provide for your child? If your health bothers you, are you Bringing Every Need to Jesus? Or, are you trusting that you— and only you— hold the key to recovery? If you experience fear in life, it is because you are trusting yourself. You feel that God is unreliable and will not provide you with the kind of life you want. So, you turn to someone you consider even more trustworthy than God Almighty: You! You understand you! You recognize your problems and the necessary solution! You know how your challenge must be solved! You feel more reliable than God! Does that make your fear go away? No. Why? Fear erupts because of the realization that you do not have the power to instantly bring about what you need for life. Fear teaches you: You are not God. But Jesus is God and Jesus has the power God has. He uses that power for you. Just look at how Jesus deals with the crowds. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them[.]They are like sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34). Hordes of people have no idea what happens when they die. They do not know God as a kind Father who loves them. No one has pointed them to a Savior who removes guilt with his forgiveness. No one fills their heart with peace. So, Jesus’ heart literally goes out to them. This “compassion” refers to deep emotions pouring out from deep down inside. Imagine hosting a house party. Guests grip their punch in one hand, hors d’oeuvres in the other, and chat away in little groups. Off in the background, an infant cries. Tears stream down her cheeks. Her little arms and legs are flailing. All this little baby wants is for someone to hold her, calm her, cradle and coddle her. Yet, no one runs off to comfort; everyone is consumed with satisfying their wants. If your heart hurts [right now] and all you want to do pick up this little baby and hug her, you are feeling “compassion.” Jesus deals with you in compassion. Not only does his heart go out to you, but his blood pours out for you. It hurts him to see you and me run away from him and rely on our own problem-solving. It hurts him as he endures our death-sentence for such selfish self-reliance. On the cross Jesus deals with your only real need: peace between God and you. Is Jesus trustworthy enough that you can Bring Every Need to Jesus? Look at the cross. Jesus cares about what you need. He deals with you in compassion. He dies to give you eternal life. And if he does the impossible by removing your consequences for sin, then will he not also tend to the matters of everyday life? Bring Every Need to Jesus because He deals in compassion. When you Bring Every Need to Jesus, Trust his power to provide. I can’t help but wonder what must have went through the disciple’s minds as they handed out food. Jesus could have chosen to have the crowds form a line and receive food from him. Instead, [Jesus] directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Then the disciples returned to get more and then handed more out. And then they came back for more and handed even more out. And then they got more and distributed more. And they came back again and again and again until everyone was satisfied— completely full, filled up, loosening their belts. Do you think the disciples learned the lesson? Jesus took the bread and fish they considered worthless and proved he had the power to provide. You know that. Jesus has the power to provide for you. Yet, there’s more to this account than just that. What’s Jesus concerned about here? He’s concerned about what you eat. You could skip supper and still live. Jesus could have snapped his fingers and rained down manna and quail again (Exodus 16). He could have sent the crowds away. Yet, he takes the time to remind you: There is nothing too insignificant for him to handle— even if it is one single meal. So, what’s on your mind? What’s gnawing at you that makes you afraid? Bring Every Need to Jesus and trust his power to provide. Do you worry about money? Are you afraid to increase your offering because you might go without? Do you dread getting a letter in the mail announcing a slash to your pension or a reduction in your social security? Are you anxious that you will lose your job? Bring Every financial fear to Jesus and trust his power to provide. He fills your life with financial blessings; not you. Yes, God has not promised to miraculously put money into your bank account, but how do you get money? Through jobs. How does the company get money? Through an economy. How does the economy thrive? Through leaders God has given you and by God blessing the effort of those leaders. God gives you personal abilities and God provides leaders so that you are able to receive an income. Do you wonder if God really cares about your anxiety? After all, God has so many other things in the universe to worry about (and probably bigger things than health). Does he really care about your aches and pains or what you will have for dinner or how your day at work or school will go? Bring Every anxiety—big or small— to Jesus and trust his power to provide. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus finds it necessary for you to ask: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Jesus wants you to pray: “Ask God to satisfy your needs.” Yes, God has not promised to miraculously fill your cabinets, but that does not mean you must rely on yourself. Where does your food come from? The grocery store. Where does the store get it? The farmer. How does the farmer receive it? The field. Try as farmers might, they cannot control the weather, ground temperature, seasons, or the product. God makes the seed grow. God uses people and their talents to bless you. God uses the kind words of family, friends, and strangers to encourage you. Bring Every Need to Jesus and trust his power to provide. Trust. It means that instead of relying on our own power, we trust that God will do what he says he will do. A farmer sinks $10,000-plus into the ground. There is no guarantee the seed will grow. The farmer does not have the power to make the seed grow. But God does—and the farmer trusts God to provide. God provides for you. You will have trouble in this life. Your heart will try to direct you to trust your own decisions. Your heart will doubt God’s care for you and his power to help. So, Jesus says that he cares for you so that you may not doubt his compassion for you. So, Jesus demonstrates his miraculous power to show he cares so that you trust his power to provide. Jesus does everything necessary for you to run to him first and only in every trouble. Live in peace. Be at rest. Jesus is for you. Bring Every Need to Jesus because He deals with you in compassion. Since he deals with you in this way, Trust his power to provide. |
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