Good guy chases bad guy— climbing stairwells, sprinting down hallways, dashing around corners, kicking open door after door until... he finally corners him. Gun drawn and aimed directly at the heart of a man who killed an agent. Finger on the trigger because this man shot at him. Bullet in the chamber because this man committed countless crimes.
The two stare each other down— until the cornered man, in one last bout of desperation, darts to flee. A muscle flinches. A finger presses the trigger. The hammer strikes. The bullet fires from the barrel. A criminal slumps to the ground. Whether you are watching James Bond take down a super-villain or a detective bringing a criminal to justice on your favorite television crime show, you watch a tense scene like this and the first thought that floods your mind is?… “He got what he deserved!” If someone breaks the law, then consequences follow. Maybe that was your initial thought from our Old Testament selection. The Israelites traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. Picture (in your head) a map of present-day Israel; Mount Hor is just south and east of Israel. For over forty years the nation inched through the desert to reach the southern border of the Promised Land; they’re on the cusp of entering! All that stands between them and a new life is the nation of Edom. So, an Israelite delegation meets with the king of Edom. They request to use the public highway running through their territory. Israel promises not to use any water, food, grazing grass, or land to rest in— nothing belonging to Edom. In fact, you would never know Israel had even been there. But the king refuses. He even stations a powerful army along the border to deter Israel from marching in (Numbers 20:14-20). The only way forward into the Promised Land now is by heading backwards. In order to head north, the nation must travel south to skirt around the nation of Edom. Picture it: imagine driving to Midland from Clare, but [the city of] Coleman will not let you use HWY-10; you cannot go through the city. So, you must drive back to Clare, up northbound US-127 to Harrison, east across HWY-61 through Gladwin and to White Star, and then head south on HWY-30 into Midland. Do you know how irritating that would be? Your traveling time doubles. You use more energy, more gas. You get exhausted quicker! And as Israel restarts their journey, the people grew impatient on the way. Very soon that impatience boils over into criticizing and grumbling. They spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert?” Can you hear it? Fingers pointing, hearts whining: “God, life was excellent as a slave! You should have just left us there!” They quickly forgot why they left. Exodus 2:23 says: The Israelites groaned in their slavery[…] and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. You see, God did not yank Israel out; the nation cried for help and God answered them (2:24). In fact, right after Israel walks through the Red Sea, they rejoice in their newfound freedom! (Exodus 15) No one complains when God was in the act of delivering them. Only when life did not meet Israel’s expectation did the nation find fault with God. That’s why they gripe: There is no bread! There is no water! After all, they are in a desert. So, God provides water from a rock (Numbers 20:11). When the water is polluted, God purifies it (Exodus 15:23-25). Not to mention, every morning he sends manna. Manna— those little thin wafers of bread— litter the desert floor, and you could simply eat it or use it for any baking needs. Then at night, God sent in quail for meat (Exodus 16). You don’t find much water and food in the desert, but God makes sure to provide for them— and he does this for over 40-years. But they detest this miserable food!” “This food is for the dogs!” they complain, “We deserve so much better! God, [Y]ou brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert!” Wow… talk about ungrateful. They had lacked nothing! And so when you read: the Lord sent venomous snakes among them, you might think: “Yeah, those spoiled little brats got what they deserved.” Did they? If you ask me, I do not think they got what they deserved. They deserved so much worse. The minute they curse God, he could have zipped right into heaven. Left them all alone— crickets chirping, tumbleweed bouncing through the desert, abandoned and forsaken. “You don’t like my food? You don’t like me giving automatic victories over your enemies? You don’t like me freeing you for life in a brand new land you did not work for? Fine! Have it your way! If you don’t want me, then you don’t have me!” That’s what they deserve. Do you know what makes that a truly terrifying thought? It’s easy for me to point my finger at them and smirk: “Yeah… they got what they deserve!” Yet, are their complaints much different from mine?... from yours? Do you realize that God hands you daily bread? You pray for it in the Lord’s Prayer. Gas for the car, money for the rent, (at least?) three meals a day, multiple sets of clothes, a roof over your head and heat to fill the house, toys and video games and smartphones to put in your hands—and still, someway, somehow, out of the mouth comes: “Oh, gas went up $.20 (about $2.00 extra for 10 gallons). Woe is me! God, I have no offering because everything is just so expensive! I have nothing to give you because you gave me nothing!” Is that really true? Has God really handed nothing—like you’re scrounging through dumpsters just to make ends meet? Do you realize that God graciously brought you into his family of believers? He has called you to faith. He repeatedly stresses: “Your purpose in life is to enter heaven” (Luke 21:28; 1 Timothy 2:3-4). He promises: “I’m with you always—to the very end of life” (Matthew 28:20). And someway, somehow comes out of the mouth, “God, where are you leading me? Don’t you see the violence around me? Don’t you care about my health? Will you not finally silence the enemies who attack my faith?” You see, God is not upset that Israel complains (as though God is terribly annoyed listening to them). Rather, grumbling rejects God’s many promises; you refuse to believe that God is with you. Complaining accuses God of not giving good gifts; you fault God for your greed. This arrogance accuses God of not caring. “God, you led me into this world to just watch me die!” And you know what? God would be completely fair to leave you alone. He would be completely fair to let Satan’s bite of sin so thoroughly infect your heart and soul leaving you to die in hell. That would be fair. Yet, God Is Unfair! He does not treat us as we deserve. Catch that? God does not treat us as we deserve. What we deserve is death. Yet, God treats us as we do not deserve. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” What the nation (and we) deserves is for God to say: “No! I’m done with you. You’ve grumbled too much. You’ve lost it. Sorry!” Yet, in his mercy, The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” Notice who answers Moses: the “Lord” (in all capital letters). That’s not a typo; the “Lord” (in all caps) is intentional. That name tells you two things about your God: (1) He will carry out his threat to punish everyone who rejects him. (2) He has compassion on those who turn from rebellion; God forgives (Exodus 34:6-7). God treats Israel as they do not deserve. When anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. Understand, the bronze serpent did not heal (as though it contained a special power). For anyone to look at the serpent meant that they admitted their rebellion was wrong. They looked because they trusted God would heal them. God promised; people believed. Their act of looking demonstrated faith in the promises of God. God has spoken to you (and me) as well. Satan’s deadly venom so saturated your (and my) soul. That venom is what moves us to gripe and complain that God does not have our best interests in mind. That venom chokes our trust in God. So, God raises up his Son on a cross, giving us what we do not deserve. Jesus suffers the effects of Satan’s venom. He is bitten on the heel (Genesis 3:15). The One who never opens his mouth to complain dies for us who grumble. The One who trusted God above all things—even when he has no place to lay his head—dies because we fail to trust. The One in whom Pontius Pilate finds no moral fault is the One struck dead. Jesus removes death from you (and me). Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life (John 3:14-15). God raises up Jesus to rescue you from the death sin deserves. God treats you and me as we do not deserve. That’s why we call it “grace.” Grace means “undeserved love.” So, when you admit: “God saved me by grace alone,” you’re really saying, “God, you saved me by sending Jesus to endure my punishment. I don’t deserve that, but you still gave me Jesus.” When you hear: “You have been saved by grace, through faith,” God hammers home this point: Jesus did everything needed to save you. God’s grace enters your heart through faith. How do you know you have faith? Do not look to yourself—to your own morality (as though you deserve forgiveness). Do not think you made a decision to accept Jesus as Savior; you are conceived and born spiritually dead. It is God who creates life in you through baptism. Yes, it looks so simple! Splash a little water on someone’s head? How can that change anything? It changes nothing--except, except, God takes regular water and packs a powerful promise to it: He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). God makes it clear: baptism saves you. Then, in the Lord’s Supper, he strengthens you faith. Yes, you receive a little wafer of bread and a shot of wine— but that’s not all. God makes it clear (in the Bible) that you receive the body and blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins (1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:25-29). Sound too good to be true? Yes! Yes it does! God is Unfair. He treats us as we do not deserve. Just think about that! God is Unfair! He does not treat us as we deserve. He treats us as we do not deserve. Holding that thought in your life every day changes the way you live. You recognize that you deserve no good gifts from God, but he still blesses you every day. It fuels your appreciation to receive your money, clothes, home, and food with thanks. Never griping, but living content with what God has given you. You recognize for all the times you left God, he never left you. You trust God’s guidance even when you do not know the future; you take him at his Word. What amazing grace! God has made you his child and assures you that you remain his. Inside of you now grows this gratefulness. Rejoice! Because God is Unfair! He does not treat us as we deserve. He treats us as we do not deserve. You keep coming back! …Every week! Even after hearing the things you hear and saying the things you do! You’re here!
I mean, how does our worship service begin? After our opening hymn, you stand up and the first thing out of your mouth is… “God, I confess that I am by nature sinful... God, I disobeyed you. I chose to do wrong and ignored the right. I deserve your wrath, your anger; God, I deserve to go to hell.” What a way to build self-esteem, right? An admission of guilt? Then there’s the sermon. Each sermon takes a Bible-reading, explains cultural traditions and simplifies Jesus’ teachings; it takes the core truth taught and compares your life to it. You hear applications to your life, reminding you that you are not as perfect as you might think you are. Wow! Who wants to hear that? Isn’t “church” a place to learn how to live a happier Christian life? That we stop talking about the gospel and actually live it? Now, we could stopping talking about “sin” and “evil” and “bad.” We could just start service with: “Yes, you aren’t perfect, but that’s ok! No one’s perfect here. Just forget about the bad things you do. Know that Jesus loves you!” We could sing something upbeat to get our hearts pumping, our minds excited, and our emotions raging. We could do all those things, but we still zero in on this issue of “sin.” Why? Well, for the same reason Jesus does. In our reading, you watch Jesus arrive in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. This once-a-year festival reminds believers that God rescued them from slavery in Egypt. This rescue also pointed forward to a spiritual rescue. God would send a Savior to lead people out of spiritual slavery and into the freedom from sin’s deadly consequences (Exodus 12). When Jesus steps into the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. Now, a few things first. The temple breaks down into two major parts: (1) the temple itself and (2) the courtyard of the Gentiles. Only Jews could enter the temple building, offer their sacrifice and worship. Some Gentiles [non-Jews] also trusted in Jesus as Savior. They worshipped in the courtyard surrounding the temple. Passover worshippers are pouring into Jerusalem. Some travel long distances. Instead of dragging your sacrificial sheep across the desert road, you could purchase your appropriate sacrifice in Jerusalem (see Deuteronomy 14:24-26). In addition to the sacrifice, God required paying a temple tax (Exodus 30:12). Since many worshippers lived in the Roman Empire, they had Roman coins. Pressed into those coins is the image of the emperor—an emperor who claimed to be god. Such an arrogant boast stole glory from God. So, those entering the temple would exchange their Roman coins for Jewish coins. Then they could pay the required temple tax. You see, selling animals and exchanging money was not wrong. Yet, there’s two things wrong about the actions taking place here. (1) Where this business is conducted. Normally, you bought animals and exchanged money outside the Gentile courtyard. Now, someone brought this business into the place where Gentiles worship! Imagine someone bringing the barn into your church. As you pray, a cow bumps into you. You lift your eyes up to heaven in prayer and cannot help but notice a sheep pooping just a few feet away from you. The lemony-pine smell of your incense blends in with the swampy stench of sweaty cattle. You try to meditate, but someone shouts: “Exchange your money here! Low transaction fees!” What could possibly move someone to bring business inside a church? Well, that leads to the second issue: (2) The motivation behind this business. Money took precedence over the worship of God. Instead of assisting people in their worship, the Passover became a convenient tool to make money. No wonder Jesus made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” Here’s the point: God is serious about all of his Word. The Jews felt that because they had the temple, the sacrifices, the Word, they had the freedom to behave however they desired. They put their trust in what they had, not why they had it; they rejected the need to change their hearts. Do you see why we still address sin? Jesus demands your heart. And yes, I know, you are a Christian; the Holy Spirit already lives in your heart by faith (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Yet, worldly filth can clutter it up. Greed. Pride. Arrogance. The stubbornness to refuse admitting that you are wrong. That your lifestyle actually does not match up to God’s commandments. That your cursing and swearing should not be. That your thoughts need to change. Your heart can get filled up with all this filth. If this spiritual filth remains there, then, like these Passover-marketers, you find no reason for Jesus. If you do not think you have sinned, then you do not need someone to remove that sin. When, by chance, you need spiritual certainty, you begin placing your trust in something other than the Savior. You point at your church membership: “All is well because I completed [Adult] catechism class. I never worshipped, but I completed the steps.” You point at your family history: “My great-grandfather built this church. I may not include God in my life, but I want him included at my funeral.” You point at your service: “I planted the flowers. Grandma cooked the dinners. We gave a big offering. I always lent a hand. Yes, I may have created every excuse to stay out of worship, but how dare you question what I believe!” Do you see what happens? If you forbid God’s Word to cut into your heart, you will simply whip at Jesus to leave. You, like those Passover-businessmen, will believe God’s Word does not apply to you. For many, the most shocking thing about this account is Jesus’ demonstration of anger. Does he lose control? Is he being too mean? Does he sin? Focus on something far more shocking than that: Jesus stays in the temple. I mean, do you recognize Jesus could have done nothing? He could have left greed destroy the moneychangers. He could have watched people buy an animal in order to simply fulfill a ritual; go through the empty motions of meeting God’s demand. Jesus could have just left the temple. He could have left those hearts so polluted with worthless filth that would only lead to destroy— but he does not. Jesus does not sin here. Zeal for [God’s] house consume[s him]. Jesus’ anger reveals just how much he hates sin. He does not overlook wickedness, he deals with it. So, he cleanses the temple from becoming a house of greed. More than that, he cleanses the temple of the heart. In case you think I am overstating things here, just look at how seriously Jesus treats the Passover. He, the Son of God— the Alpha and Omega, First and Last, Beginning and End— celebrates the Passover. He has to; he is born to keep God’s law (Galatians 4:4). As a boy, he and his parents went to Jerusalem for the annual Passover festival (Luke 2:41). You watch him celebrate the Passover in this reading. Then on the night he is betrayed, Jesus again celebrates the Passover. This is not some mindless ritual; he wants to worship. He does worship with a heart full of love. More than that, Jesus holds this intense desire to meditate, learn, and speak God’s Word. The temple of Jesus’ heart is perfectly clean. If you (and I) still think God does not care that much about our actions, then you better look at the cross. God is serious about all of his Word. He is serious about his commands. He is serious about punishing the law-breakers and those who scoff at sin. God remains so serious about all of his Word that he punishes Jesus. Jewish leaders succeed in destroying the temple of his body. After all, they rejected Jesus as Savior; they had no use to worship him. So, they got rid of him. And for three days his body lay under a heap of rock. Then, three days later, just as Jesus promised, God rebuilds his temple. Jesus rises from the dead! He preaches forgiveness to sin-burdened hearts. He ascends into heaven to rule a spiritual kingdom. He rules now, using his Word to rule your heart. Yes, that same Word God has placed into your life. As you remain in the Word of God, zeal for God’s house starts to consume you. It does in three ways. (1) You hold this sincere, intense desire to grow closer to God. You make it a priority to worship. Sunday mornings are not an empty-minded ritual; this is not something you do for the sake of doing. Sunday mornings, much like the Old Testament Passover, focuses your attention on a God who delivered you from sin’s damning effects. Sunday mornings are a chance for you to be reminded that Jesus (and only Jesus) has cleaned your heart from all moral filth. So, you can leave here happy; you can leave in peace. God, in Jesus, forgives you! You are set free from obeying the Ten Commandments in order to earn eternal life. You have been released from hell, free of charge! With happy hearts you serve God. How? By shaping your thoughts, words, and actions to the Ten Commandments. You live to serve God not because you must, but out of thankful love for him. Zeal consumes you, meaning, (2) you want to pay attention to what God teaches. Yes, we start service with an admission of guilt. You hear about “sin”—not because I hope to make you feel bad and little about yourself. Not because we love dwelling on the past. Rather, because the moral filth that still plagues us will start whipping at Jesus to leave. So, you listen to Jesus. You compare your behavior to his Word. God uses the Bible to strengthen you to whip out sinful habits. He points at your baptism, reminding you how the Holy Spirit now lives in you and equips you for a life of service. In the Lord’s Supper, your trust in Jesus as Savior grows so that you may remain in the one true faith until you see Jesus in heaven. Finally, your intense love for God moves you to (3) promote the need for worship. Chances are, you will not walk past cattle-sellers and moneychangers on your way out today. You probably will not ask a moneychanger to respect God’s house a little more. But, you will come across those who downplay the importance of worship. You may have a child who has not worshipped for years, but sighs with contentment: I’ve been baptized and confirmed. My name’s still in the book. That’s what God wants.” You may have a friend who thinks that simply by joining a church, God is now happy with him. You may hear someone say: “I believe in God, but I don’t need to worship.” Your zeal for God moves you to address these mistaken ideas. You do not need to flip over tables and chase out animals. Yet, flip false ideas on their head. Chase out excuses. Remind everyone how Jesus has set you free so that you can worship him. That’s what keeps you coming back. No, not stopping all talk about “sin” and “evil” and “bad.” Not by starting service with: “Yes, you aren’t perfect, but that’s ok! No one’s perfect here. Just forget about the bad things you do. Know that Jesus loves you!” Not by manipulating our emotions. What keeps you coming back is zeroing in on this issue of “sin.” Jesus cleanses the temple of your heart. By his Word, by baptism and Holy Communion, he lives in your heart. With him living in your heart, you have the peace of spiritual freedom. You have the joy to serve him now all the days of your life. (from our midweek Lenten service)
Did you know parents actually have a reason behind the instructions they give to their children? Parents are not mean! Their instructions are truly not farfetched! Their instructions have a reason! I learn that lesson more every day. Being a parent myself, you often find yourself repeating the same instructions you once bristled at as a kid. [For example:] “Eat your vegetables.” I did not want to eat veggies as a kid, but now I find myself saying the exact same thing to my kids: “Eat your veggies.” That instruction is not meant to punish kids, but to preserve health. Or, every single time I came home from a friend’s house, my parents asked: “When did you go to bed last night?” That was their thinly veiled way of asking: “How cranky will you be today?” Of course, as a kid, I always felt they were being cranky by asking that question, but now, when my kids wake up tired, I recognize just how frustrating overly-tired kids can be. As you grow older, you have the opportunity to hear instructions from two different perspectives: from that of a child and that of an adult. As a child, the will of the parent feels overbearing, restrictive, and unpleasant. As a parent, you understand that your will is meant for your child’s wellbeing and protection. In the Lord’s Prayer, you pray: Thy [Your] will be done. Now, God’s “will” are his desires, his wants. He reveals his “will” only in the Bible. In the Bible, God clearly says: “My will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:40). God wants us to have faith in Jesus as Savior. It is God’s will that you should be sanctified (1 Thessalonians 4:3), that you live a holy life. What is the “holy life” God expects? Well, look to the Ten Commandments. There he reveals his “will,” his desires. Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul. Love your neighbor as yourself. Show selfless and self-giving love to your spouse. Respect and honor the reputations of all people. Keep your heart free from greed (Exodus 20:1-17). If you want to know God’s will, then look in his Word. As children of God, how easy it is to pray “Thy [Your] will be done” as God’s will matches our wants. We like God giving us daily bread— our clothing, homes, and stuff. We like God blessing us with strong relationships and a good reputation. We enjoy God granting good days and good recovery. Yet, the moment God’s “will” does not match my “will,” how quickly that prayer becomes: “God, let my will be done! God, approve of what I want!” The heart craves that answer in one of two ways: (1) You fight against God’s will. Relationships strain. Instead of selflessly caring for the needs of my spouse, I demand that my spouse work harder to make me happy. Instead of listening to the emotional needs of an upset friend, speak first so your friend knows how they wronged you. You determine the course, act, and demand that God approve. Or, (2) you blame God for not meeting your expectations. When life falls off track and frustrations pile up, the heart impatiently demands that God instantly come and help! You complain that God does not heal you sooner. You fault God for the money-mistakes you made. You see, a part of the heart does not want to be in a position to receive instructions— be it from an authority-figure, your neighbor who stands correct, or your God. The heart does not want to submit; the heart wants to lead. It wants to follow whatever feels right and makes sense to the mind— even if its “will,” its wants, its desires will lead to death. In mercy, God sends Jesus Christ, your Perfect High Priest to bring wayward hearts in line with his will. During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death… Do not overlook that simple, but profound truth: Jesus lived on earth. Put another way: Jesus Christ is true man. As true man, he has human needs— hunger and thirst, clothing and shoes, the need for rest and the strength to work. He has emotions— laughing and crying; he pours out righteous anger against abuse and holds heart-felt sympathy for those wandering in spiritual darkness. You see his humanity on full display in the Garden of Gethsemane. As death approaches, Jesus collapses and offered up prayers and petitions:“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Mathew 26:39). He winces at the thought of nails piercing his hands, his body pulled and stretched out across a cross, his entire body weight sagging onto his lungs. His mind plays the taunting, the jeering and laughter from smug soldiers surrounding the cross. He looks at the road ahead only to see death. And not just physical death, no— the greatest pain of all is carrying the crushing weight of our guilt, our shame, and our rebellion. Physical pain pales in comparison to the thought of God forsaking you. Imagine that if you can— because no one has ever, ever experienced God-forsakenness. That you, a believer, cry out to God, only to hear nothing in return (as though you shout for help in the Grand Canyon, only to hear echoes bounce off the walls). God is not present to reach down from heaven, destroy your enemies and rescue you. God has turned his back on you. As horrific suffering barrels towards him, Jesus pleads: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). “Your will be done, what you instruct, O God, let this be done.” Although the sight of suffering, crucifixion, and death is repulsive, Jesus does not run from the Father’s will. Instead, he submits to God’s will. And He was heard because of his reverent submission. Yes, Jesus is heard even when he suffers, is crucified, and dies. God did not deliver Jesus from suffering, crucifixion, and death. Rather, God’s answer is found in granting Jesus the strength needed to press on to Calvary. God’s answer is found in Jesus drinking the whole cup of sin’s punishment— dregs and all— to its very bitter end. God’s answer is found in raising Jesus from the dead. God’s answer is found in declaring you: “Not guilty! Forgiven!” Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. As you watch Jesus Christ, Your Perfect High Priest, you watch him learn obedience, or another way of putting it, be obedient himself. He does what you (and I) fail to do in order to change your status (and mine) from that of “rebel” to that of “friend.” Now, Jesus Christ is Our Perfect High Priest who becomes our source of obedience. [A]nd, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. “Made perfect?” It sounds as though at one time Jesus was not perfect. Like he had sinned once before and had his own sins scrubbed on the cross. Yet, the Greek word for “made perfect” means to bring to an end or bring to its goal. Jesus completed his mission to save you. He marched through death and back in order to bring a self-centered heart back to God. That means, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. The “source,” the “cause,” the “reason.” If I dig a well for water, that well becomes the “source” of my water. I cannot run to a tree, knock on the trunk, and hope something comes out. I will not find water in a rock. I cannot expect water to even come through my sink faucet without pipes connecting to the source of water. Only in this well is water found, only in this source and nowhere else. The ever-flowing source of eternal life is Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit has flooded your heart with faith. You trust that Jesus stepped into your world and obeyed God the Father perfectly in your place. Now, the Holy Spirit constantly bends your wills to become obedient to God’s will. You place God’s wants above your own wants—even when it means you must sacrifice some possession. Even if it means you must remain patient a little longer. Even when it means you do not seek revenge on someone who intentionally harmed you. Your new desire is to live a holy life. How can you do this? Run back to the source of obedience. Set your eyes on Jesus, who obeyed the Father’s will and humbly submitted himself to death in order to free you from sin. Set your eyes on Jesus, whose cries and tears were answered as he was raised from death and into heaven. Set your eyes on Jesus who continues ruling this world according to his will, his desires. As you grow older, you have the opportunity to hear instructions from two different perspectives: from that of a child and that of an adult. As a child, the will of the parent feels overbearing, restrictive, and unpleasant. As a parent, you understand that your will is meant for your child’s wellbeing and protection. Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, comes to rescue wandering hearts. He lays down his obedient life in order to meet your great spiritual need. Because he is obedient to death, your disobedience is forgiven. As you walk towards your heavenly goal, the Holy Spirit fills you with the humility needed to follow the voice of Jesus Christ is Our Perfect High Priest. The One who learned obedience and who becomes our source of obedience. (from our midweek Lenten service)
I have a confession to make: sometimes I try to make do with the wrong product for a project. I stand in the hardware store and I know I need screws, but nails are so much cheaper. So, I try to save a few dollars by purchasing nails when I really should be buying screws (and even though I save a few bucks, nails do not hold my project together). A fly buzzes around the window screen in my upstairs computer room. It annoys me. I really should run downstairs, go into the kitchen and grab the flyswatter, but I’m already holding a pencil. And I don’t want to run downstairs. So, I try to use my pencil and poke a dancing fly to death. (Here’s the disclaimer: It doesn’t work.) Sometimes I try to make do with the wrong product for a project. I push forward with the wrong solution in the hopes of solving my problem, but it doesn’t work. What felt right in my mind was not the answer I needed. It’s the answer I thought I needed, but it still didn’t solve the problem. Life presents a very uncomfortable reality: You are mortal. It means that one day you will stand before God, the Judge of all. What can you rely on to solve this matter? Be sure, many have created solutions to solve their accountability problem before God, but there has always remained just one solution. That solution is found in Jesus Christ Our Great High Priest! who is qualified to serve us and qualified to purify us. This Lenten season we will study the book of Hebrews. You will quickly notice that it connects the Old Testament sacrifices and worship rituals to the work of Jesus Christ; it really ties the Old Testament to the New Testament. The title “Hebrews” does not mean the book was written in the Hebrew language. Rather, “Hebrews” most likely identifies the ethnicity of its recipients; “Hebrews” are Jews. These are not Jews who cling to the teachings of Judaism and are still looking forward to the coming Jesus. These are ethnic Jews who are Christians; they follow Christ. But life is growing difficult for them. After all, they are Jews. Many who share their flesh and blood [their ethnicity] practice Judaism. That means mom and dad still worship in the synagogue and read only the Torah (first five-books of the Bible). Their neighbors elevate the teachings of Moses and Elijah the prophet, treasuring these words more than the words of Jesus. Friends and co-workers do not share the view that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Instead, they’re still looking for the coming Messiah. These Jewish Christians stand at odds with their family members. It’s difficult to hold onto Christian beliefs when the majority do not. To further complicate matters, these Jews live in the Roman Empire during a time when Christianity is not embraced. The Roman Emperors are ramping up persecutions against Christians. Some lose their property because they worship Jesus. Others get arrested and still others are staring down the sword. (Imagine losing your house, your land, your retirement savings because someone found out you were here this one day.) There’s immense pressure to give up on Christianity and to return to Christ-less beliefs. Life would feel so much easier for these Jewish Christians if they just cut their connection to Jesus and returned to the popular, tolerated religion of Judaism. That’s the solution to make life feel better. That’s the solution so many still embrace today. “Sin” is not a popular subject. It does not make you happy to face the reality that you (and I) are nothing but dust and ashes; you (and I) are mortal. It does not feel good to admit that you (and I) are truly the only one at fault for breaking God’s commandments. It does not fill you with joy that you (and I) are accountable for indecency going through your head, the hurt you inflict on others, and the evil which festers in your heart. Since this is an uncomfortable reality, the natural, manmade solution is to find another belief, another teaching that will make you feel happy. Leave Jesus and find a new, popular, tolerated belief. It’s easy to do, right? And maybe you realize it occurs in your life a little more frequently than you care to admit. Downplay the seriousness of sin. “It’s alright if I have hold little feelings for someone other than my spouse. It’s natural… It’s acceptable that babies come before marriage. Everyone does it. God cannot possibly care.” Or you compare yourself to others: “God cannot be angry that I lose my temper. My neighbor abuses his spouse. He’s so much worse than me!” Or you attempt to justify and defend your actions by blaming others: “I wouldn’t be an irritated parent if my kids behaved better… I would be friendlier if she didn’t backstab me… I could listen to my President if he didn’t (fill in the blank) .” Each time you (and I) attempt to justify sin, you declare that you have done nothing wrong. Your heart dares to stand before God and tell him that he and his Commandments are wrong. That you, and your behavior, are acceptable. If you wish to walk down this road, then be sure: you are using the wrong product for the problem. Ignoring sin does not solve your mortality. Considering disobedience as something of little significance does not change the fact God hates sin and will punish it. You (and I) are not qualified to change our status before God and live. So, the book of Hebrews emphasizes one truth, a truth that is still true today: Jesus Christ is Superior. For those Jewish Christians, the pressure to abandon the Christian faith is intense. They could leave— and who could blame them? They have family tensions, the government wants to kill them, their emotions are worn down. Yet, if they return to Judaism, they would leave Jesus, the only solution behind. So, the author of Hebrews contrasts the Old Testaments to Jesus. In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways. As great as Elijah is or Isaiah or Jeremiah or Moses, they did not have the complete picture of (1) who Jesus is, (2) what he would do, and (3) the peace he brings. Each prophet held just one piece of the puzzle. Sometimes on a television show, six different characters hold six different clues to a riddle. When they come together, put their clues together, they discover the complete answer. You see, each prophecy built on another. God promises his Son would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). A prophet said Jesus would come from King David (2 Samuel 7:14). Another said he would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Another said he would be the Son of God (Psalm 2:4-7). Another said he would be crushed and broken for our sin (Isaiah 53). Still another said he would rise from the dead (Psalm 16:10-11). That’s why our writer says: In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets, but today you have something better: in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. You have the privilege of piecing all these prophecies together and clearly seeing: Jesus Christ is Our Great High Priest. Jesus is the One God promised to send. Since Jesus is God-approved, it means he is qualified to serve our spiritual needs; he is the only solution to our problem of sin. Since Jesus Christ is Our Great High Priest he is qualified to purify us. You see, sin presents the serious problem of death. God demands a pure heart, a pure mind, and a pure soul— and Jesus has it all. So, Jesus carries your (and my) attempts to downplay the seriousness of sin. He gathers them up, carries them to Calvary, and destroys them one-by-one. For blaming others for my guilt, Jesus is beaten. For my excuses for my ill-temper, Jesus bleeds. For me daring to think that God is overbearing and that God’s commands are wrong, Jesus endures God’s wrath, anger, and abandonment. Jesus, Our Great High Priest uses his innocent blood to purify us from all sin. “Purify,” that is, he removes the inky scarlet blot from our lives and cleanses us inside and out. Sin is gone once-for-all. To emphasize the thoroughness of his work, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Jesus has completed his work to remove sin; there’s no more work to be done. That’s why he can say: In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:2-3). Since Jesus has removed guilt, since Jesus has fixed your (and my) mortality-problem, you can live with confidence that your stand forgiven, holy, blameless, innocent before God. Sometimes I try to make do with the wrong product for a project. I try to save a few dollars by purchasing nails when I really should be buying screws. I’ve tried to poke a dancing fly to death. I push forward with the wrong solution in the hopes of fixing my problem, but it doesn’t work. What felt right in my mind was not the answer I needed. It’s the answer I thought I needed, but it still didn’t solve the problem. The solution to our mortality is not to run away from this consequence. The solution is not to try and make sin look better than it really is. The solution is not to compare my morality with others. The only solution is to lay what you (and I) have done wrong at the feet of Jesus and watch him purify us from all sin. Jesus Christ Our Great High Priest! who is qualified to serve and qualified to purify us. “She’s not coming back.” That’s what one church councilman said to rest of the councilmen (myself included). She was not a member of the congregation, but certainly was under its spiritual care. She worshipped there quite regularly for years. In fact, she had even studied the congregation’s Bible-based teachings with the Pastor. Now, after many years spent in worship, after creating many friendships, after spending time in the Word, she was not coming back. Why? Let me put it in her words: Someone from the congregation told her ‘that she must give a larger offering.’
I wish this was the only time I heard of such things happening in a congregation. The truth is, each of you is different. Look around. Some are elderly; others young. Some have families; others are single. Some of you are lifelong Christians; others pretty new to the Christian faith. Some work; others do not. Some have physical handicaps and others have no troubles with their health or body. Each of you is different. Each of you are at a different stage in life. Each of you have different personal preferences. Those are important factors to remember when you gather for worship. After all, what instrument do you use in worship? A piano? …An organ? …A computer? How should children behave in worship? Where should people sit? How should guests who sit next to you act? Should you wear a suit or jeans? …a dress or slacks? These matters seem so trivial and yet disagreement on these matters have pushed people away from the Savior. The question is not: How do you reach agreement on these things? Rather: How do you reach agreement so that everyone may grow closer to Jesus? Well, by gathering around the one thing that unites you all together: The Gospel. Only The Gospel Frees You from obligations of the Law and it frees you to serve all with the gospel. Over the past few weeks we’ve touched on a Bible reality called: “Christian Freedom.” This morning we’ll dig into (1) what “Christian freedom” is and (2) what it means for you. In 1 Corinthians 9:19 you read: Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. That verse sounds a little contradictory, doesn’t it? The man speaking— the great missionary-Pastor Paul— says that he is both a free man and a slave (two things that seemingly cannot exist at the same time). Yet, Paul is not talking about the civil freedoms he enjoys as a Roman citizen. Rather, he describes the freedom that he possesses as a Christian. Freedom from what? From the stinging, bitter penalty that comes from breaking God’s Law. You see, when God gave his Ten Commandments, he laid down his moral expectations for all people: Love God with all your heart, mind and soul. Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). It sounds simple enough to do, or at least, it’s something you want to do. And yet, you reflect on your words and realize that you do not respect your friends like you should. You reflect on the thoughts racing through your mind and recognize that you love money, your status, the comforts of home more than you love the One who gave them all. You (and I) may want to love God, but we do not. We cannot. Our hearts resist (Romans 8:7). God makes it clear: For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it (James 2:10). The wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23; see also Galatians 3:10). When you break a single command of God, you become a slave; you are enslaved to its penalty. You are not free. Yet, Jesus came to do what you and I could not: obey God’s Law perfectly. The devil tempts Jesus with wealth, kingdoms, and status, and Jesus orders: ‘Go away!’ (Matthew 4:1-10). Although he is true God, as true man Jesus humbles himself to obey his parents (Luke 2:51). When Jesus runs into people who made a mess of their lives, he does not gossip or proudly look down on them, but rather ministers to their heart’s real need (for example, John 4:5-26). You see, Jesus comes to do what you (and I) cannot: obey God’s Law perfectly (Matthew 5:17). To obey it in your (and my) place. Jesus carries no moral fault, no blemishes. He chooses to take your place under God’s death sentence. Jesus takes on our sin and suffers our penalty of death (2 Corinthians 5:21) so that you (and I) never will. His resurrection from the dead declares that he has wiped your (and my) record against God clean. Jesus sets you free from the penalty of death. That is gospel truth. Remember what the word ‘gospel’ means. ‘Gospel’ simply means: good news. The gospel specifically proclaims the ‘good news’ that Jesus endures your penalty for breaking God’s law. The gospel tells you that Jesus has set you free from obligations of the Law. No longer do we follow the Ten Commandments in order to earn eternal life. That’s not the way you enter heaven! Faith in Jesus as the Savior who lived, died, and rose for you gets you into heaven! So, you follow the Ten Commandments out of love for everything God has done for you. This is how you live a God-pleasing life. That’s why Paul says: I am free… I am free from the enslaving penalty of the Law. I am free from the fear spending life in hell. I am free from the soul-crushing guilt that comes every time I fail to match up to God. I free because I see the Savior who forgives. This is ‘good news.’ This is the Gospel that Frees You from obligations of the Law. The Gospel that Frees You to serve others with it. So, missionary-Pastor Paul says: Though I am free and belong to no man… even though God has not handed down specific commands on what I eat or how I dress or what I do in my free-time, I make myself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible. This is the Christian’s number one priority: to share the ‘good news’ [gospel] of Jesus with all people. Paul brings the gospel by meeting specific needs of specific groups. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. Paul adopts Jewish customs. When he preaches to those with Jewish backgrounds, he presents himself a certain way. He stays away from pork and eats only kosher foods. He uses their Old Testament Bibles to point to Jesus. Now, he does not have to. He could eat hotdogs and skip over the teachings of Moses and the prophets—he could because God has given no New Testament laws on these things. Paul is free, but if he behaves carelessly, he may lose his Jewish audience. Some of the Jews may not know why they could eat pork. Others may be offended if Paul appears to disrespect Old Testament prophecy. And so, Paul acts like a Jew so that he has an opportunity to teach Jesus and grow them in Christian living. God has not placed orders as to how you worship. He makes no mention of the use of organs, pianos, drums, guitars, or any other instrument. He does not command that you must use the Common Service or the Service of the Word in worship (any other service being called ‘sinful.’) God does not demand the Pastor wear a white robe or black or any robe. God does not even demand that the Pastor stand behind a pulpit when preaching. Yet, to the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To Christians gathered here, become like them to win them, to be a blessing to their faith, not a burden. Even though you and I are free to worship as we please, we still embrace rich worship practices. Why? Because many here already appreciate our rich worship practices. For me to stand up and preach walking around in a suit (or jeans!) is not wrong. Yet, if I act without explaining to others this freedom they have, I can hurt them spiritually. If I act without listening to them and their appreciate for what we already have, I can drive them away from Christ! So, even though I may prefer one style of worship or I prefer to wear something else, for the sake of others I lay aside my freedom. I choose to not make us of my wishes and my wants so that I do not damage the faith of my fellow believers. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law. Paul even ministers to the non-Jews, the Gentiles. They did not grow up with the Law of Moses. They did not have certain eating rules or worship days or civil laws. (They did have God’s commandments inscribed on their hearts.) In short, Gentiles act differently from the Jews. They are not circumcised. They eat any kind of meat. Some are uneducated with Jewish customs. Yet, Paul serves the Gentiles by adopting their customs and practices. He does not push a kosher diet on them. He does not force them to get circumcised. Paul enslaves himself to Gentile customs so that he may have an opportunity to share the Word with them. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law. Those who worship alongside you may not act like you. The automatic reflex for us is to make a new law. We want to force our wants on others. To make a certain behavior “right” and a certain “wrong.” How many stories have you heard of a congregational member asking someone to “get out of their pew?” How many demand that those around them be quiet instead of moving to another seat? How many have turned around and stared down the parent of a crying child— all because that “noise” was unwanted? How many have complained that shirt, ties, and dresses are the only “right” clothing for worship and anything else is inappropriate? And you may not have seen those troubling matters here. Great! What blessing! And yet, those are true stories I have heard in my brief ministry. This same mindset of creating rules for people to act like us is a constant temptation. In short, we want to make laws even though Jesus sets us free from laws. Jesus sets us free for our eternal benefit and we want to enslave others for our selfish benefit. In humble, selfless love, Jesus meets your needs. Your selfishness. Your needless insecurity. Your desire to control. He meets them all and sets you free from the hell they deserve. That is good news. That is the Gospel which Sets You Free—free to serve it to others. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law. The truth is, God has not made commands for how people act in worship. God has only given a guiding principle: Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way (1 Corinthians 14:40). So, you are free to determine the atmosphere of your worship, but you may need to set aside your preferences in order to meet the unique needs of others. For the sake of younger families, it may mean that you move so that you can hear the message with greater ease and so that younger families can quickly and quietly step out of the sanctuary. For the sake of the elderly, it may means that you take into account their needs— recognizing if your child (or your coughing, etc.) is getting uncontrollably disruptive, for their sakes, you lay aside your freedom and address the issue. Imitating Christ-like humility, I put my needs below the needs of others. Why? I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. This is tough. To be honest, it’s tough because of the sinful nature inside each of us, a sinful nature that wants you and your needs placed ahead of the needs of everyone else. Yet, to let this selfishness go unchecked can wreak havoc among you fellow Christians. Each of you is different. Some are elderly; others young. Some have families; others are single. Some of you are lifelong Christians; others pretty new to the Christian faith. Some work; others do not. Some have physical handicaps and others have no troubles with their health or body. Each of you is different. Each of you are at a different stage in life. Each of you have different personal preferences. How do you meet those needs? By gathering around the one thing that unites you all together: The Gospel. The good news that you are set free from obligations of the Law. The good news you get to serve to all people. The good news that each of you gather together around one Lord and one Christ and that each of you get to grow in this Christ. So, go. Live in harmony with one another. Serve your Lord in gladness. Because The Gospel Frees You from obligations of the Law and it frees you to serve all with the gospel. |
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