The fate of the free world depended on one man. Yes, one man. Supreme Commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower, planned ferrying over 350,000 Allied troops across the English Channel and onto the heavily armed beaches of Normandy. He needed a day. So, chief meteorologist, Captain James Stagg had one job: get the weather forecast right.
The margin for error was zero. Stormy seas would sink ships, swallow tanks, and drown thousands. Postpone the invasion and you give communist Russia a chance to control all Europe. Pass on calm weather and Nazi Germany would discover the invasion. Yet, selecting a day was difficult. In Michigan, we gage weather as it moves across the country; we see what approaches. To the west of the English Channel is nothing but open, unpredictable Atlantic Ocean; you had no records. On top of that, Eisenhower had already selected a date: June 5, 1944. Captain Stagg advised against it. So, Eisenhower faced a decision: trust your meteorologist or trust your own instincts? Who do you trust? (https://www.usatoday.com/amp/9914207) In our day of redacted Mueller reports and exposed church abuse, it feels impossible to trust anyone. So many promises lie broken— and with them lie shattered dreams, deflated hope, and painful heartache. It just seems best to rely on yourself. So, who do you trust? Easter gives us the only answer. The events of this day have changed the course of life forever. Because of Easter you find A Word that does as promised. A Word that gives life. So, Cheer Up! You have God’s Word! That is where you find cheer. Look again at our gospel reading. Verse 1 says: [O]n the first day of the week, at early dawn, the [women] went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. It is Easter, but you discover a cheerless scene. Yes, the first Easter morning is a funeral procession. How could it not be? This group of women watched Jesus die! They saw him buried here! Inside this tomb lies a dear Friend, a beloved Teacher, a trusted Preacher. That is an unwanted reality. They cannot restart the heart. They cannot force the brain to function. They cannot make lungs breathe. Jesus is gone and they cannot fix it. They stand absolutely powerless to create cheer in life. When they reach the tomb, they found the stone rolled away[,] but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus… How much worse can it get? The body is missing! Again, this unwanted reality just crushes them! They were not there to stop the robbers. They did not install security systems. They cannot investigate and hunt down the criminals. These women not only lack the power to raise the dead, but they also cannot control the one thing they could control: make final preparations! They cannot fix it! They cannot do what they want! They are powerless to find cheer in life. While they were perplexed about this, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. [T]hey were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground… Now this! Two men— two angels— who live in heaven, who stand beside the Holy God, now have a message from the Almighty. How can you not tremble? Because whatever comes out of the mouth comes from God. That message may not be good— and the women would be completely powerless to stop what God will do. That first Easter is loaded with strange emotions. Those women stand mortified, they are stressed, they are anxious for the exact same reason I so often am: Because I rely on myself! Why the self-reliance? Because I know ‘me’ better than anyone else knows ‘me.’ ‘I’ know my weaknesses. ‘I’ know my goals. ‘I’ know my needs. No one else knows my desires better than ‘I’ do. No one else thinks about them more than ‘I’ do. Yes, the police officer protects me, but he’s watching over thousands of others. He cannot be everywhere at once. Yes, the teacher cares for me, but she has other students in the classroom. Yes, I know my family is there for me, but each one cares for his own needs first. So, I take it upon myself to find cheer in this life. If I trust myself, then maybe I will be satisfied. Except, like the women, I confront many insurmountable obstacles. I want to prevent sickness, but I cannot stop cancer from entering my body— and I cannot wish it away. I want peace in my family, but I cannot stop my sibling from ruining my plans; I cannot control personalities. I want to reach my goals and dreams, but I fall into addiction again, I stumble into old habits, I foil my own plans. Trusting myself does not bring the peace I so desperately crave. Studying these women only reminds me of the purpose for Easter. This day happens because of us. Those women think self-reliance will help them. In reality, self-reliance caused their sadness. That is why Jesus came in the first place: because each one of us consider ourselves more reliable than a reliable God. In short, self-reliance calls God a liar. Now where does that self-reliance leave the women? The women stare at death and cannot fix it. I stare at death and realize I cannot stop my own grief, I cannot stop my own death, I cannot stand before the throne of God and live! Nothing I can do will erase that awful truth. What good self-reliance does! Thank God he sends angels. Yes, angels. Messengers. If God never did this, then I would still be scratching my head at the empty tomb. Do you realize where the angels point the women? To a promise God made. The angels said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” “Well, what did you see? You witnessed sinful men beat him. You saw him suffer and die. You watched him buried. Since everything happened as he said, what do you think will happen next?” Can you see the light turn on? And they remembered his words… People make promises and break them, change them, forget them. God is not another person. God intentionally made a promise and God deliberately kept his promise. Just like that, fear gives way to joy, assumptions crumble, self-reliance vanishes; trust in the promises of God swells! God did what he said he would do. He hung your (and my) self-reliance on Jesus and crushed it. He leaves him to die by wicked men. Leaves him to be crucified. Leaves him dead. Then, he raised him— body and soul, alive from the grave. Dear friends, Cheer Up! You have God’s Word! Easter proves that God’s own Word does as promised. He not only makes promises, but keeps his Word—which means, God is completely reliable. Because of that, God’s Word gives you life. Yes, life. The resurrection of Jesus is not just one single promise kept long ago. No, the resurrection carries some very long-term results. Imagine setting up a row of dominoes. Tap the first domino and it falls into another, which falls into another, and another and another, and so on. One domino causes many other dominoes to move. Here, God raises Jesus to life. Sounds simple, except that centuries earlier God had promised to raise his Son (Psalm 16:10-11). On Easter, God reached down and raise this one Person to life. Therefore, this one Person is not just another man, but God’s promised Son! (Romans 1:4). One promise kept. Remember, Jesus is God’s Son. Jesus hung on the cross— and God loaded him with my self-reliance and crushed him. He makes him pay my crime. Now, Jesus lives—again! The Bible says: Jesus died because of my sin and was raised to declare us ‘Not Guilty!” (Romans 4:25). That means God has accepted his payment on your behalf! That means Jesus removed condemnation. That means guilt no longer damns you. Another promise made and kept. If Jesus wipes your spiritual record clean, it means God sees you as innocent— which means God kept another promise: Jesus destroyed the devil’s work (1 John 3:8). If the devil cannot convince God to lock you in hell, then it means you will not go to hell. Jesus keeps another promise! Because Jesus lives, you also will live (John 14:19). If you will live, then it means Jesus is keeping another promise: You will live in heaven! (John 14:2-3). Another promise falls complete: Because Jesus lives—no one holds authority over him, no one tells him what to do or how to behave (Exodus 15:1-11). Do you see how Easter changes life? You live by the promises of God— because those promises are not empty wishes, but guarantees of what God will do next! Those promises carry you through every situation. God promises life is not the end for the Christian; life continues in heaven! That means your loved one is not forever forgotten. No, she stands in the throne-room of God. He weeps and mourns no more! (Isaiah 65:19-20). Your body may not do the things it once did. You cannot build muscle, you cannot spark energy, you cannot stop cancer from spreading. Yet, your God promises: I am with you. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). Regret may relentlessly shame you. You feel so unworthy to be around friends, parents, children, God. Yet, God points to Jesus and promises: Because he suffered your penalty, your lawless acts I remember no more (Hebrews 10:17). Where do you find peace like that? Never in yourself, but in the only One who does as promised. A new day dawns Easter. A new day that reveals God is absolutely serious about saving you …about loving you …about being your strength. That removes self-reliance. That lifts you from stressful anxiety. That puts your trust in a God who never fails you. Cheer Up! You have God’s Word! A Word that gives you life. A word like Captain Staggs’. Eisenhower selected June 5, 1944 for D-Day. Captain Stagg advised against it. So, who do you trust: your meteorologist or trust your own instincts? Eisenhower could not see the future, but he trusted the word of his meteorologist. Sure enough, June 5th proved stormy. Waves chopped. Rain pelted. Winds whipped. The mission would have failed. Yet, June 6, 1944, brought the calm weather predicted. The Allies invaded, stormed Europe, and destroyed Nazi resistance. That victory brought new life throughout the world. Easter brings new life for you. In our day of redacted Mueller reports and exposed church abuse, it may feel impossible to trust anyone. So many promises lie broken— and with them lie shattered dreams, deflated hope, and painful heartache. It may feel best to rely on yourself. Yet, Easter reveals life! Life in heaven! Life lived with God on earth! Because of Easter you find A Word that does as promised. A Word that gives life. Yes, the events of Easter have changed the course of life forever. So, Cheer Up! You have God’s Word! Something happened during service that bothered him. So, after worship he pulled me aside and, with a puzzled look, asked, “Why do you baptize babies?” Simple question. Simple answer. “We baptize because baptism forgives sins and saves (Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21). We baptize babies because Christ commands Christians to baptize all nations— and infants are included in ‘all nations.’” (Matthew 28:19; read also Psalm 51:5 [on infant’s sinfulness]; Matthew 18:6; Luke 18:17 [on infants and children having faith]; Acts 2:38-39 [on baptism for adults and children]).
I am not sure he expected that answer. “That’s not the way I see it,” he replied. “Oh, okay. What do you think baptism is?” “I see baptism as me pledging my life to God. It is me choosing to be a Christian.” “So then, are you sure you are saved?” His response? “I ask myself that question every day.” That is a common response among Christians. Many are not sure, they are not certain they will enter heaven unless the heart burns with joy or the mind carries no burdensome regrets. In short, many Christians rely on emotions. They hope feelings can convince them that they are saved. This kind of response comes from human ‘reason.’ ‘Reason’ takes in information, processes it, and determines how it impacts your life. We use ‘reason’ when determining what illness we have, what medicine to take, and how long to take it. We use ‘reason’ when balancing bank accounts, spending money, and saving money. ‘Reason’ helps us answer life’s questions. Yet, ‘reason’ also tries to answer things God chooses not to reveal to us. ‘Reason’ tries to process God’s behavior in ways we can comprehend. Which sounds acceptable— except, where do you turn when ‘reason’ cannot answer the simple question: “Are you saved?” You turn somewhere else. Somewhere that does not rely on emotions. Somewhere that gives a plain, simple answer. You turn to Jesus. He speaks three words of truth to abolish opinions. To set aside ‘reason.’ To give you certainty. Three words of truth for faith to grasp. Take and Eat, Take and Drink. In a way, God spoke those words long before Maundy Thursday. Old Testament Israel languished in slavery. Groaning from bone-crushing oppression. Strength sapped from relentless labor. Hope devastated because of a bleak future. God would do something about that; he would unlock their chains and set them free! So, he commands Israel: Take a lamb [and] eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Take the blood and smear it over the doorframes of your house (Exodus 12:3-8). Understand, God did not set down the Lord’s Supper in Egypt. No. He set down the Passover. That night the Lord ‘passed over’ Egypt. Every household that rejected his command tasted death. Every household that smeared blood across the door he ‘passed over.’ That night God forced Egypt into submission and the next day Israel walked out free. Did the blood save? No. The lamb was not a rare species. The blood was not magical. It was plain blood. What saved is trust that God would do what he said he would do. God said, ‘Put blood on the door and I will save you.’ Faith in the promise of God stood central in that Passover meal. Each year, Jewish families remembered how God kept his promise to rescue their ancestors. Yet, those same Jews looked ahead to God’s great Promise: The Lamb of God would rescue the world from eternal slavery (John 1:29). Maundy Thursday is the fulfillment of God’s promise. Jesus and his disciples gather in the upper room to celebrate the final Passover meal. Yes, Jesus knows he is God’s Passover Lamb. He knows that in just a few hours his life would be used for your freedom. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28) With those words, Jesus institutes (he establishes) the Lord’s Supper. No longer do you look to the Lamb who is to come, but to the Lamb who has come. Still, this is not a symbolic meal. Jesus never uses the word: ‘symbolize.’ He puts it quite plainly: “This bread is my body. This wine is my blood. Take and Eat, Take and Drink.” For what reason? For the forgiveness of sins. Still, human ‘reason’ runs rampant. ‘Reason’ takes in information, processes it, and determines how it impacts your life. It looks at the Lord’s Supper, takes in the sight of bread and wine, ponders the Words, but cannot comprehend how this bread is Jesus’ body and how this wine is his blood. It does not make sense. That would be fine if ‘reason’ just stopped there, but it does not. Instead ‘reason’ keeps trying to make sense of Jesus’ word. In order to make sense of these words, ‘reason’ clings to opinion. You know what ‘opinions’ are. Personal belief shaped by experience. Because you (and I) struggle to forgive, it seems impossible that God could forgive you. I mean, does God really forgive your drunkenness? Will God never bring up your arguments? Does God really wipe away self-trust? If you have difficulty forgiving that, then God must have trouble doing the same! So, opinion takes the Lord’s Supper and makes it into what we think it should be! Something you do for God. You approach God. You eat and drink. You come often. If you do your part, then God sees your efforts, and God must let your past go because you try to right the wrong! Opinion changes the Lord’s Supper from something Jesus does for you into a memorial meal that you do for God! Do you realize what just happened? ‘Opinion’ becomes ‘truth.’ More than that, ‘opinion’ overrides God’s truth. Human ‘reason’ tells God how he will act, what he has done, and what his Word means. Human ‘reason’ thinks it is God. The trouble is, ‘reason’ is not God, is it? Opinion cannot give the assurance that you stand forgiven. Relying on opinion will never give the peace Jesus brings. So, Jesus uses Three words to abolish opinion. Three words he speaks— not me, not my heart— but he. Take and Eat, Take and Drink. Three words for faith to grasp. Yes, faith. Faith that trusts what God says is true. Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Yes, plain unleavened bread. Not rare bread. Not magical bread. Yet, what does Jesus call it? ‘My body.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28) Again, plain wine. Not rare wine. Not magical wine. What does Jesus call it? ‘My blood.’ Understand that he does not say, ‘This symbolizes…’ or ‘This represents…’ If he wanted to say that, then he would have used those words. Instead, Jesus links the bread to his body and the wine to his blood. The rest of the Bible confirms this real presence. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16). It does not make sense; it does not fit reason. Then again, Almighty God is not asking if you approve of his actions. Almighty God speaks and faith clings to those words as true. Faith not only clings to those words, but it also clings to what Jesus gives. This is my blood of the covenant… A covenant is a contract, an agreement. In the Old Testament, God’s contract was clear: Obey the Ten Commandments and live (Deuteronomy 6:24-25). Yet, no one obeys. Therefore, no one lives— except for one person. Jesus takes the old contract and meets every condition. In him is life. Jesus uses his perfect life to write a new contract. He breaks his body so that your body will never be broken. He sheds his blood so that your life will never end. He gives his body and sheds his blood in order to rescue you. That is the new covenant Jesus sets up: Free forgiveness through him. Faith grasps this truth and considers it done. Martin Luther put it well when he asked: ‘What makes us ready to receive the sacrament? Nothing but hearts that believe the words ‘for you.’ Yes, in the Lord’s Supper Jesus says: ‘You are forgiven.’ Yes, you hear that to begin service, in the lessons, in the sermon, and in the blessing. Yet, Jesus chooses to chase away doubts by putting proof on your lips that you are forgiven. Faith points to God’s promise and says: “God, you tell me that in this Supper I receive forgiveness. God, I trust I stand forgiven because you say so.” Point to God’s simple Word. Point to what you receive. Rejoice! Faith grasps the simple promise: I am forgiven. Can you be sure? Yes— because God says you are. What if you do not feel forgiven? It does not change the reality that God declares you forgiven. Ultimately what matters most is not how you feel emotionally, but what God calls you. God calls you cleansed because the life of Jesus, your Passover Lamb, covers over you. God has set you free from eternal slavery. Nothing will hold you (and me) down in the grave. Rather, we have life in heaven! Three splendid words proclaim this truth: Take and Eat, Take and Drink. Three words for faith to grasp. This is something human ‘reason’ will never understand. That’s alright— if ‘reason’ simply lets God’s Word stand on its own. When ‘reason’ tries to comprehend God’s behavior, then you become fixated on what you do for God. Like that man who pulled me aside after service. To him, God’s promise in baptism sounded too good to be true. His conscience bothered him; his emotions did not feel joyful like a forgiven person would feel. So, his ‘reason’ told him: “You are not saved. Do something now.” That ‘reason’ dumped Jesus’ promise. Our puny minds do not stand a chance against an all-powerful God. God knows that. So, he speaks three words of truth to abolish opinions. To set aside ‘reason.’ To give you certainty. Three words of truth for faith to grasp. Take and Eat, Take and Drink. If you drive north from Alma and Shepherd on US-127, you reach an exit (on your left) for the south-side of Mount Pleasant. If you take this exit, you will drive past a semi-truck-trailer parked in a farm field. On the trailer’s side, in big letters is the sentence: ‘God thinks you are worth the death of his Son.’ Is that true?
To have ‘worth’ means you have ‘value.’ If you have ‘value,’ then you must have some desirable trait or wanted characteristic. I mean, this is how we judge restaurant food, right? For example, you eat out and determine if the burger is worth the price. You fix a dollar amount to quality, taste, and size; you attach value to this burger. If the burger and price-point meet your expectations, then you determine it worth your money. If the burger and price-point fall short of your expectations, then you determine it not worth your money. So, for God to think you are worth the death of his Son, it means he finds some desirable trait or wanted characteristic in you. It means he considers content of your life equal to the life of Jesus. Let’s see what God finds. Philippians 2:5-6 says: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus… What is that attitude, that way of thinking and conducting yourself? [Jesus] being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped… Jesus is God. He exists before time began. Together with the Father and Holy Spirit, he creates the entire universe. All things in heaven and earth belong to him; angels upon angels praise him. Yet, Jesus does not use his status as God for personal gain. He does not use his power to look more powerful than anyone else on earth. King Nebuchadnezzar did. He wanted his subjects to worship a golden statue towering 90-feet high; he constructed a statue to reap praise (Daniel 3:1-30). Crowds worship King Herod as god and Herod basks in this praise (Acts 12:21-23). Even in our small community, people name drop for personal advantage. “I’m related to the Dohertys.” “My family helped settle the city.” “I went to school with the shop-owner.” You say those things to receive attention, praise, or discounts. Yet, Jesus never flaunts his divine status. He does not dodge lepers because their ooey, gooey, pus-drippy skin disgusts him. He does not avoid prostitutes because their past is beyond fixing. He does not steer clear of tax collectors because he thinks those cheats would only despise his Word. Nor does Jesus want recognition by gathering philosophers and academics for disciples. Although God, Jesus made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Born to low-income carpenter and his wife. Wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a cattle-feed trough. Raised in the backwoods town of Nazareth (like being raised in Temple). Just like a servant obeys a superior, Jesus puts himself under God’s commandments (Galatians 4:4). He respects the father and mother he knit together in the womb. He worships in the synagogue every week even though he is God. Hatred never burns in his heart— even though he would be completely justified to lash out against those who call him ‘liar!’ Here is the value of Jesus, the worth of his life: (1) Completely blameless. (2) Absolutely faultless. (3) Entirely self-giving. Are you worth the death of his Son? Does God find some desirable trait or wanted characteristic in you that he must exchange Jesus in order to have you? Verse 5 details what God wants: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Is it? (1) Completely blameless? (2) Absolutely faultless? (3) Entirely self-giving? What does God find? Do you wish to admit it? I don’t— because I know exactly what he would see. God finds a heart that wants to avoid worship for no other reason because ‘I’ want …to sleep …to play ball …to vacation somewhere. In short, ‘I’ miss worship because ‘I’ value personal pleasure more than God. God finds a heart that demands others conform to my expectations. ‘I’ want families in church to be quiet like me; ‘I’ want families in church to deal with my noisiness. ‘I’ want first-time worshippers to instantly embrace my style of worship. ‘I’ will not consider removing barriers to worship; the unchurched just need to be quiet and understand this is ‘my’ worship time. ‘I’ want people in church to sing the songs ‘I’ want, to behave the way ‘I’ want, to fit ‘my’ expectations. If they do not, they are wrong. God would find a heart that protects its pride and ego. If ‘I’ reach out to my child, my sibling, my friend and ask them: ‘Why do you not come to worship?’ they might hurt my feelings. In order to avoid that pain, ‘I’ will say nothing. God finds a selfish heart, one that is so self-absorbed! I mean, even when we wake up in the morning, what is the first thought that comes to mind? It’s ‘me!’ ‘My’ busy day. ‘My’ aches, ‘my’ pains. ‘My’ pleasure, ‘my’ rest. What about your family? …your spouse? …your friend …your boss …neighbor? How long does it take before you consider their needs? God has just finished explaining how Jesus only considers your needs …when he wakes up …when he speaks …when he acts. Is your attitude like that? You (and I) are worth the death of Jesus? God would rather kill his obedient Son so that he can finally have self-centered, self-absorbed us? I mean, would you exchange your always-caring child for the brash, undisciplined brat? People who think it a chore to fit you into their schedule? People who care little for your needs? People who think so often about themselves? No, you would not! I would not! So, why would God be any different? The awful truth is: You (and I) are not worth the death of his Son. There is no desirable trait in us that God must save us. There is no wanted characteristic that compels God to get up off his throne and rescue us. That’s what the saying implies; it implies that you did something for God to save you. Instead, it is God who gives you (and I) worth because of the death of his Son. [B]eing found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Jesus humbles himself! This is something he does— on his own accord. Not because God looked down from heaven and said, “Uh oh, I really need those people in heaven. Go die, Jesus.” No, Jesus chooses to lay aside the power and status he has as God. The innocent Son of God rides into Jerusalem one last time. His creation shouts: “Blessed is the Son of David! Hosanna! Save us, Lord!’ In five days his same creation will shout: “Take him away! Crucify him!” Because their proud hearts do not want to hear their wrong. Even courtroom judges accept lies and corruption in order to execute Jesus. Those to whom Jesus is sent will spit him out of their city and inflict on him the most shameful of deaths: crucifixion. The most shocking fact of all: God does not rescue him. Instead, he dumps on him. He sees your (and my) stubbornness on Jesus. He sees your (and my) cold-hearted service. He sees your (and my) always self-centered thinking. He turns his back, walks away, and leaves his Son to die like a criminal. We are worth this? God dying for us? No. But this is what God freely does for you. God makes you worthy. Your forgiveness is a gift, not something deserved or earned. That’s why these words are such a delight. Because God has freely set you on the side of victory! When all is quiet and locked up in the tomb, when it feels as though death finally swallowed Jesus, God exalted him to the highest place… No one outranks him. Anyone who approaches God stands under him. [God] gave him the name that is above every name… Remember what Jesus’ ‘Name’ mean? (Hint: It’s not his proper name: ‘Jesus. ‘God.’ ‘Christ.’) Jesus’ ‘Name’ is his reputation, his abilities, his characteristics. People may have the name ‘Jesus,’ but only One Person with that name has cleansed and purified our hearts of pride. Only One Person with that name is preparing your room in heaven. Only One Person with that name hears your prayers, answers your prayers, and rescues you. God freely promotes you into the rich inheritance that comes by faith in Jesus. Does that feel a little unsettling? I mean, why would God do any of this? Many think Christianity is what you do for Jesus. That’s why you find that semi-truck-trailer south of Mount Pleasant. It implies there was some good spark inside of you that moved God to get off his hind-side and help you out. It wants you to point and say, “Yes, I am worth it!” Others feel a need to prove commitment to him. Still others search for certainty in their Christian behavior. We could put it this way: We feel this pull for instruction so that we feel confident that we are truly Christians. That’s the proud heart acting up again! It wants to take credit! It wants some part doing something to be saved. Christianity centers on this one key point: ‘Done!’ Jesus rides into Jerusalem without your help for you. Next week, Jesus lives again without your help for you. Dear friends, what do you get to do? You get to bask in the spoils! You get rejoice in what is coming! [A]t the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. On the Last Day, the world will admit Jesus is King over all. The angels in heaven above, with our loved ones who already reign in heaven, will praise him. Even the devil and the demons below will admit Jesus is God. Every nonbeliever on earth will kneel before his majesty. Even we believers— whether on earth or in heaven— will acknowledge Jesus as our reigning King. That’s what we get to do. Thank God! Because if you (and I) are worth the death of Jesus, then he would never come. He would never find in us the humble, selfless attitude he expects. We would only live terrified, stressed, anxious, frustrated because we can never be what God wants. Thank God he has given us worth! Literally. Thank him now. Thank him with your prayers, your praise, your confession of what you believe. See what he has done and thank him as you live as Imitators of Jesus Christ. No one was going to tell Harry Randall Truman to evacuate. Nope. He had owned and operated his lodge at the base of Mount St. Helens for for 52-years. At age-83, he had more life experience with that mountain than anyone else in the area.
So, when Mount St. Helens started shaking him out of bed, he moved his mattress to the basement. When news reporters chattered about a possible eruption, Harry said: “I don’t have any idea whether it will blow, but I don’t believe it to the point that I'm going to pack up.” When geologists spotted abnormal bulges in the mountain, Harry bragged: “This area is heavily timbered, Spirit Lake is in between me and the mountain, and the mountain is a mile away, the mountain ain’t gonna hurt me.” When state officials set up a seven-mile evacuation zone, Harry snarked: “You couldn’t pull me out with a mule team.” Harry Randall Truman was convinced the mountain was past eruption and that the geologists were idiots. On the morning of Sunday, May 18, 1980, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake caused the largest landslide in recorded history. Yes, the entire north face of Mount St. Helens collapsed and slid through heavy timber, filled Spirit Lake, and buried Harry Randall Truman under 150-feet of volcanic ash. Truman was never found. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_R._Truman#Celebrity) Harry Randall Truman’s stubborn arrogance killed him. He disbelieved every actual warning. Understand, just because you reject something as not ‘true’ does not actually make it ‘not true.’ It makes you a fool for rejecting truth. Rejecting warnings brings serious disaster. So, God sounds the alarm: Whoever believes in [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because [he rejects the Son] (John 3:18). Eternity is a long time. It is permanent. So, God makes you ready for life with these words: Christ Remains the Only Cornerstone! Even when many reject him, we still build faith on him. That is the reason Jesus stands where he does in our reading. This is Tuesday of the last week of his life. In his final days, he calls people to trust in his saving work! Yet, the religious leaders refuse to even call Jesus ‘God.’ So, [Jesus] went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard… Quick question: What did the Vineyard-Owner want? Fruit. Results. He leases a vineyard and expects fruit. One servant hikes out to the vineyard, but the tenants beat him. No, not pounding him with fists, but shredding his skin with a whip. I mean, what is this servant’s job? To gather the fruit. That is an innocent task! You would hope the farmers could give some of what they produced! Instead, they sent him away empty-handed. So, [the Master] sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully… Not only do they whip this man, they strip him naked. Yes, he must run home and stand in front of his Master empty-handed and buck-naked. [H]e sent still a third, and they wounded him… They hurl rocks at his head. They crack ribs with a bat. They bludgeon this man and threw him out. Just when you expect the Master to storm into his vineyard with blazing fury and seize what is his, he says: I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’ You just want to scream: “No! Don’t do that! Don’t you see what they did to the servants? They will treat your Son the same!” Sure enough, when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? I mean, what do you expect? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Is that a fair punishment? Is the Master being too harsh? Must he be more patient? By no means! This Master watched these tenants trample his servants. These brutes scorned his patience. They refused to pay. Even the crowd understands the point. When the people heard this, they said, “May this never be!” – but they respond for a different reason. You see, God is the Master of the vineyard. He handed the Jewish nation Jesus. For centuries they held the promised Messiah. They knew forgiveness is coming. They could sleep certain knowing heaven is theirs. God so strongly desired fruit; he ached for each listener turn to him in faith and live. Yet, the tenants tossed his promise out. So God sends ‘servants,’ like Isaiah. Like Jeremiah. Like Elijah, Zechariah, Joel, Habakkuk, Hosea, Obadiah. Prophets expose wicked unbelief so that people might turn. Prophets preach destruction so that the people run to God for safety. Prophets preach eternal ‘Woe!’ so that the people may find life in God. Yet, the Jews beat Jeremiah, shame Elijah, and kill Isaiah (and that just to name a few!) Finally, God sends his Son. For them. For their good. For their life. For their eternity— and they kill him! Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the [cornerstone]’?” A cornerstone is completely square. Builders lay this stone to start a structure. Then, more stones are added; they are made straight to match the cornerstone. Because the cornerstone is square, the walls stand straight and strong. Without the cornerstone, the structure will collapse. Here’s the point: Even though rejected, Christ Remains the Only Cornerstone for eternal life. Nonbelievers may reject him as Savior, but that does not change the truth that Christ is the One the Father has sent. Let’s be clear: Jesus said that if the Pharisees do not change, they will go to hell. He will not give relief because they hurt. He will not make their life more pleasant. If the Pharisees did not want God, then he will give what they want. Who is to blame for that? Them— and only them. God hands you his Word so that you build on Christ, the Cornerstone. When you discuss heaven, he wants you to point at Jesus and say, “I have eternal life because Jesus did all the work to save me.” That Word not only teaches this truth, but it keeps us building on that truth. You see, sometimes the Word will rub us the wrong way. We do not want to make God the priority in our life. We want sports before worship. We want friends before devotions. We want rest before Bible study. When Easter comes, we may think dinner is more important than worship. When family comes over, instead of bringing them to church, we join them away from church. Then, when we are faced with our wrong, we want to say: “Oh no, the Word is wrong. The Pastor is wrong. God is wrong. Not me.” That is exactly what the religious leaders said. They discovered that [e]veryone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed. When the Word convicts us, it is not God’s fault. It is the fault of our wandering heart. God sends his Word to straighten our hearts so that we remain standing on him. Christ Remains the Only Cornerstone! Even when many reject him, we still build faith on him. What is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone’? It means this: Christ is the steady cornerstone of your faith. Yes, many may not have wanted Jesus, but God does. When the Father sees Jesus, he sees someone who measures perfectly to his standards. He sees someone without flaws or blemishes. He sees someone who brings life. The Father picks Jesus up out of tomb and sets him down in heaven. Then, one by one, he stacks each believer next to Christ, the cornerstone. He uses Jesus’ perfect accuracy to straighten you. He lifts you up and chisels away selfish laziness. He polishes down pride. He sets you in line with Jesus, in his heavenly structure. Can you picture that? Christ Remains the Only Cornerstone. You point to Jesus and say, “Eternal life is mine because my perfect Jesus has made me perfect and has set me next to himself.” Your faith points to the Bible, which tells you this good news. Your Christian living points to the Bible, which unveils Jesus’ teachings. Your life flows from being built on Christ. And yes, God has already laid you on that cornerstone. So, what now? Looking at our reading, there really does not seem to be much of an answer—except for this. I wonder how many of these religious leaders followed Jesus before turning away? (read John 6:66) How many believed, but let personal opinions become their god? How many hearts grew cold because the sinful nature gained the upper hand? It happened because they pushed the Word of God away. They did not want wrongs exposed. They did not want to conform to God’s expectations. They rejected it. So, God rejected him. It remains vitally important: Remain in the Word. Over this month, you have these marvelous opportunities to better appreciate the depth, the magnitude of Jesus’ love. Midweek Lenten service reveals a Savior who trod through your shame for your eternal good. Maundy Thursday retells Jesus’ great love. Good Friday slams shut the truth that everything needed to save you is finished; you have peace with God. Easter Sunday you can rejoice, you can leave in peace because your Jesus lives again and he lives for your benefit! Do you feel it? I do. A little tug inside; my heart whispering: “Ugh! That’s so boring! You’re too busy! You already know this, after all, you’re a pastor.” No. No. Why do I want to make use of these opportunities? Because my faith rests on Christ and my faith grows because of Christ. The Word further cements me to Christ. The Word keeps me connected to Christ. The Word shows me Christ. Christ Remains the Only Cornerstone! We still build faith on him. God sounds the alarm: Whoever believes in [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because [he rejects the Son] (John 3:18). That alarm keeps going out each day—calling many to see Jesus as the Savior he is. Those who reject warnings will face serious disaster. That alarm keeps you anchored squarely on Christ, the cornerstone. Let the Word continue chipping away every stubborn excuse. Let the Word continue shaping you to be more Christ-like. In this way, you will never face spiritual disaster—not because of how you act, but because you are nestled safely on Christ the Only Cornerstone! Even when many reject him, we still build faith on him. The egg helped resurrect the sale of boxed cake mix. Yes, the egg. You see, early instant cake mix only needed water. Dump the mix, add water, stir, bake, and voilà! you had cake. However, sales of boxed cake mix flattened between 1956 and 1960. So, General Mills tasked psychologist Ernest Dichter with solving the problem. Dichter gathered a focus group and analyzed why so many women ignored these mixes. He discovered that:
…the very simplicity of mixes — just add water and stir — made women feel self-indulgent for using them. There wasn’t enough work involved. In order to enjoy the emotional rewards of presenting a homemade cake, they had to be persuaded that they had really baked it, and such an illusion was impossible to maintain if they did virtually nothing. (https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/something-eggstra/) So, the egg was added. By including ingredients to the mix, bakers could contribute and feel less guilty for using easy mixes. Yes, even though instant cake can only call for water, studies show that people tend to embrace instant cake mix if they can contribute to the baking process. Sound silly? Kind of… But then again, consider the purpose for the season of Lent. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). God gives those words for your comfort: Jesus saves you. Still, God’s simple promise can sound too easy. Many still feel this drive to participate in saving themselves. The hope is to feel less guilty about receiving free forgiveness. In spite of human emotions, God’s simple promise still stands. Keep Preaching: ‘Christ Crucified for Me’! This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. So that You can live foolish among the wise of the world. Our reading from 1 Corinthians 1:18 says: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Now (in this verse), the ‘cross’ does not mean two wooden beams tied together and stuck into the ground. No— here, you reflect on everything Jesus Christ suffered on that cross. Blood dripping, groaning cries, painful agony, arms stretched out of socket, life leaving. Not just the physical torment, but you witness the bone-crushing punishment for sin and the forgiveness Jesus wins. All this— the suffering, the penalty, the freedom— combines to make ‘the cross’ of Christ. God made [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). God pummels his Son for the crimes you (and I) commit. Then, God turns to you, smiles, and embraces you. Yes, those who believe, those who trust this message of the cross stand saved. Does it sound too good to be true? …too easy? Human wisdom says, “Yeah!” I mean, just look at our justice system. If you steal clothes, you get arrested. You stand trial. You pay a fine (or jail time). You stand accountable for your actions. Human wisdom wants to transfer our justice system onto God. If you hurt your friends, God sees that. God gets angry at you. You pay the fine. You undo ‘bad’ with more ‘good.’ Maybe you are extra nice, or maybe God will forgive you after giving more offering [money] or coming to church [more] or reading your Bible [more]. Human wisdom pulls us to think that we must participate in receiving God’s forgiveness. This is what human reason does. ‘Reason,’ that is, the information your brain takes in and (then) determines must be ‘true’ or ‘right.’ That is why guilt torments us; we trust our emotions more than the Word—and our emotions tell us that God is an angry Judge. That is why you may never feel forgiven; you rely on your emotions. If you feel bad, then you believe you are not forgiven. Human reason silences what God calls ‘true’ and exalts what you feel is ‘true’! Human reason calls the message of the cross ‘foolish!’ Too silly to be true. Too unreal to trust. Too easy. So, you reject what God says happened and believe what you consider must be right. God calls that thinking “foolish.’ For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” God does not ask if the message of the cross sounds reasonable. He does not invite changes to that message. He simply says, “My Son paid your penalty. You are free.” If that sounds too simple, then the fault lies with the heart— and not with God! So, Keep Preaching: ‘Christ Crucified for Me’! This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Yes, God chooses to save you through a crucified Christ. Yes, God chooses to lump your guilt onto an innocent Man. God chooses to hold Jesus accountable for crimes he never committed. God chooses to strike Jesus instead of you. Sound fair? No! Yet, this is what God chooses to do. Christ crucified means: Done! There is nothing you must do. Because God sends Jesus to the cross, you stand forgiven. You can be sure because God chooses to record a crucified Christ in the Bible. God chooses to create faith through preaching a crucified Christ. This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. But… what now? I mean, you want to do something, don’t you? At least, that is what worldly wisdom says. God must expect you to do something. Maybe prove yourself Christian. Maybe behave really good. Maybe make some personal commitment. What does God expect? Well, keep the order straight. First, you trust the message of the cross. This is faith. You already walk along the narrow road towards heaven. If you already walk towards heaven, there is nothing additional that you must do to get there. So, what do you do? Well, if God has already forgiven you, then do the only thing left to do: Rejoice! Bask in God’s completed work to secure your eternal future. Live in peace! No, God does not ask you to prove yourself Christian each day. He does the heavy-lifting and the dirty work. He lifts off that weight so that you can rejoice! Or, put it this way: You can live foolish among the wise of the world. Because the world will call you ‘foolish’ for thinking only Jesus saves you— but it has always thought this. Jews demand miraculous signs… The Jewish nation kept urging Jesus (1) to storm into Jerusalem on a majestic stallion, (2) to miraculously produce endless food (just like he did with those five loaves and two fish), (3) to reestablish Jerusalem as a golden city. Jews demanded Christ to reign, not save! Greeks look for wisdom… They crave new, mentally challenging teachings. They want new opinions and different ideas to add into their vast storeroom of knowledge. Each group wanted Jesus to satisfy their expectations. They do not want a Savior. [B]ut we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles… Both Jew and Gentile refused to believe God took on flesh. That Almighty God cares for people. That a divine being dies for criminals. That the life of Jesus actually counts for you. Yet, God sent Christ crucified! They cherished human knowledge over the Word. Their human wisdom tripped them into unbelief. Yes, the world may think one death on the cross is too easy to save. They may expect Jesus to reign instead of suffer. [But] to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. God chooses to work through his Word. He creates faith and gives faith, and then gives us touchable signs to which we might point for comfort. You may wonder: “Am I saved?” Yes, baptism saves me (1 Peter 3:21; Titus 3:5-6). The water touching my head and the words my ears heard is a baptism— and that baptism saved. You may ask: “Am I forgiven?” Yes, the Lord’s Supper assures me of forgiveness (Matthew 26:28). The bread and wine touching my lips and the words present bring forgiveness into my life, my spiritual account. God’s promise makes these tools powerful. God attaches a promise with water; he attaches a promise with bread and wine. God chooses to carry forgiveness into your heart in this way. Many will scoff at that. Some consider baptism as an individual’s commitment to God. Others see the Lord’s Supper as just a memorial celebration supper (and nothing more). They reach this conclusion because it just makes sense that God would not act in this way. That’s fine, rely on human wisdom— but remember, the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. God does not ask if his ways make sense. He reveals his ways for your comfort. So, live foolish among the wise of the world. Christ crucified means you can stand sure eternal life because Jesus suffered, died, and rose again for you. This is not too good to be true because Jesus has said that it is not too good to be true. It says so here in the Word. It became yours in baptism. It remains yours in the Lord’s Supper. You can attend a funeral of a Christian and say, “Yes, he is in heaven because Jesus did everything necessary to bring him there.” You can tell your friend, “Yes, I will go to heaven.” That is not too bold to say. Jesus makes this promise in his Word. Even though your past may be littered with hurt, you can remain sure that life is yours because God is pleased to give life through his Word. You do not need to search for powerful signs or good feelings in order to convince you that all is well between and God. The world may look for such signs, but here, in the Word, you find certainty. This is the purpose for the season of Lent. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). God gives those words for your comfort: Jesus saves you. Still, God’s simple promise can sound too easy. Many still feel this drive to participate in saving themselves. The hope is to feel less guilty about receiving free forgiveness. Yet, Jesus removes guilt—and he does it (1) completely and (2) freely. You do not need to participate in finishing the work or contributing to your forgiveness. Christ does it all so that you can rejoice! God’s simple promise still stands. Keep Preaching: ‘Christ Crucified for Me’! This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. So that You can live foolish among the wise of the world. (from our midweek Lenten Series: Three Words of Truth) The FBI finally closed their investigation in the Stephen Paddock case. Now, in case you do not remember, Stephen Paddock had checked into his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. He brought along 23 assault rifles, one pistol, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. His hotel room overlooked the Las Vegas strip, where over 22,000 country music fans crowded for a Jason Aldean concert. Paddock barricaded his room door, broke out his window, and rained thousands of rounds on the crowds below. In just 11-minutes, he murdered 58 people, injured over 400, and shattered secure comfort for millions.
Police never captured him; Paddock took his own life— taking along any motive for this massacre, meaning speculation ran rampant. Some reported significant gambling losses fueled the shooting. Others thought an argument with his girlfriend pushed him over the edge. Still others assumed he faced bankruptcy from failed real estate investments. Yet, all those theories proved to be just baseless guesses. On January 30th of this year, the FBI found no “single or clear motivating factor” for the shooting. Aaron Rouse, the agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas office, told The Associated Press: “It wasn’t about MGM, Mandalay Bay or a specific casino or venue. It was all about doing the maximum amount of damage and him obtaining some form of infamy… If he wanted to leave a message, he would have left a message. Bottom line is he didn’t want people to know.” (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/apnewsbreak-fbi-finds-no-specific-motive-in-vegas-shooting/ar-BBSUtPV?OCID=ansmsnnews11) That might be a very unsatisfying answer. Many consider the human heart ‘good’ by nature, that is, people automatically do ‘good,’ but deliberately choose ‘evil.’ So, when such unspeakable evil breaks airwaves, many are left speechless. It seems impossible that anyone could commit such a crime. Yet, Jesus’ words reveal the depths to which our hearts will sink just to serve its own self-interests. It leaves us pondering what horror our hearts are capable of unleashing. Is It I? Yes, you are the one with a sinful heart. Yes, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. The reading for our meditation this evening comes from Matthew 26:20-25: When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.” This is Maundy Thursday evening; this is the night before Good Friday. The Twelve disciples gather in an upper room to celebrate the Passover meal with Jesus. Why would they not? After all, just consider why these twelve men follow Jesus. They witnessed Jesus strengthen the legs of the crippled, give sight to the blind, and loosen the tongues of the mute. These men gathered into baskets the pieces left over from two small fish and five loaves. These men marveled as his Word silences self-righteous religious scholars and change many hearts. These are twelve men who take what they see and hear and reach the conclusion: Jesus is God’s Christ (Matthew 16:16). So, they worship Jesus as God (Matthew 14:33). They trust Jesus will make them right with God. They even swear to protect Jesus to the death (Matthew 26:35). Then Jesus looks each one in the eye and drops this bombshell: “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” One close friend has in his heart the desire to intentionally put Jesus in physical harm. They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” What a strange question! After all, what answer does each disciple expect? “Surely not I, Lord?” They expect “No”- answers. “No, not you, Peter. Not you, Bartholomew. Not you, Simon.” If they expect to hear ‘No,’ then why do they ask the question at all? I mean, each disciple already knows the intentions of his heart; each one can determine if he will betray Jesus. So, why do they ask? Because they understand Jesus knows their hearts better than they do. No wonder Jesus says what he does to Judas! Judas asks, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Here is one of the inner Twelve! Judas witnessed Jesus drive out demons, walk on the water, calm winds and waves. He hears the Word of God, the Word that caused faith to blossom in his heart. Yet, Jesus peers into that heart and sees a love that has grown cold. It all began with an ounce of greed, and that greed ballooned into treasuring wealth more than treasuring Jesus. Greed even pushed Judas to suppress what was right so that he could do what is wrong. Jesus warns Judas one last time: “Yes, it is you.” How terrifying is that?! One single enticing temptation led a follower of Jesus into unbelief. If temptation can penetrate the ranks of the Twelve, then temptation has the same power to consume our hearts. Understand, Judas is not the first, nor will he be the last Christian to let temptation destroy faith. Many Christians (on their Confirmation Day) have promised to remain faithful to God until death. Yet, she lays aside God’s commandments so that her friends consider her popular. He finds more excitement outside of church than in it. What about you? Is temptation exchange your wedding vows for adultery and divorce? Is anger steering you away from patient forgiveness and into grudges and revenge? Have you fallen in love with money, that you steal and withhold generous giving to God? Do you believe the lie that you have the Bible so well memorized that you do not need to hear it in worship, read it in devotions, or apply it to life? Little by little temptation urges us to take a step further away from God’s Word, to take a step closer to whatever desire we crave, to step a little further away from our God. If you think that is an overstatement or that I am sounding a false alarm, then the devil has already gained a foothold. That’s the reason Jesus announces such heart-stopping words: One of you will betray me. He could have pulled Judas aside, whispered in his ear: “You will betray me.” He could have asked the Twelve: “Will someone betray me?” He does neither. Instead, he predicts the future. Jesus speaks these words in the hearing of all of his disciples— including the eleven innocent ones— so that each one could examine the cravings of the heart, consider what the heart is capable of doing, and then turn to Jesus. So ask yourself: Is It I? Have I betrayed my Lord? Have I sold him for fiery outbursts? Have I exchanged him for pleasure that really did not satisfy? Have I dumped him so that I am not identified as “Christian?” Is It I? Honestly? Yes, you are the one with a sinful heart, but you are the one for whom the Savior goes. And Jesus goes willingly. I mean, Jesus uncovers the future: One of you will betray me. Yet, he does not slip out the back door. He does not detour from the Mount of Olives. Instead, he tells each disciple—you and me included: The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. He will allow Judas to slink out the back door. He will pray in Gethsemane as the armed mob jostles towards him. He will watch his creation kill him— kill him instead of killing their wicked unbelief. He will go to Mount Calvary where our ‘Woe’ will devour him. Yes, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. His suffers to such an extent that it would be better if he had never been born! Yet, he suffers so that our lives are changed from ‘better off dead’ to ‘better off because of Jesus.’ Jesus, who goes into death for us, also goes out of death for us. He will go out of the tomb without the eternal woe of death. He will go out of the tomb with a new word for you: “Blessed.” You are ‘blessed’ because are you that you are the one for whom the Savior goes. You will always live as one for whom the Savior goes. Each day you rise as a forgiven child of God. It is in the Word that you see Jesus evaluate and judge your hearts: not guilty!” What joy! Judas, who turned from faith, had nowhere to run. The devil duped him into believing that 30-pieces of silver would give him greater satisfaction than Jesus ever could. Yet, when the money actually hit his hands, Judas realized how great of a lie he believed. Worse yet, he failed even to turn to a Savior in his great despair. Without faith in a Savior, he had nowhere else to run. You (and I) will continue battling temptation. The battle will be fierce. The battle will be exhausting. Yet, you have a place to run for strength and victory. You can race to Jesus. His nail-pierced hands gently lift up your chin. His nail-pieced hands point at the altar of the cross, where he removed our woe with his blood. There, in his pierced hands, you find the open, outstretched embrace of forgiveness. There, in his pierced hands, you receive the tender embrace of a dear Savior. There, at the cross, you marvel: Is It I? Jesus goes for me? Yes, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. The human heart is capable of unleashing the most horrific of evils. Recognizing that takes the first step to treasuring the life of Jesus. You are the one with the sinful heart. A heart which still serves its own self-interests. A heart which would push Jesus away if it has the chance. Yet, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. He goes to bring your heart to himself. He goes to align the desires of your heart to his. Is It I? Yes, you are the one with a sinful heart. Yes, you are the one for whom the Savior goes. I stood beside him at his mother-in-law’s funeral. “I hope she’s with all of her loved ones,” he said. “She is,” I replied. “Jesus did everything necessary to bring her into heaven.” His response?“Eh… maybe. I hope she’s there.”
He spoke those words intentionally. You see, this son-in-law attended church for the entire 70+ years of his life. He believed Jesus is the Son of God. He believed Jesus died on the cross. He believed Jesus rose from the dead. Yet, his church reinforced the idea that the only way to approach God is to do more good in order to outweigh the bad. (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm; see Paragraphs 1459-1460) So, this gentleman was telling me that the only way his mother-in-law could enter heaven is if she did more good than bad. Which then begs the question: If Jesus does not make you ‘good’ before God, then why does he come at all? That is a very important question to keep in mind because you (and I) encounter it on a daily basis. If you struggle with guilt, you are confronting that question. If you feel God loves you because of your character, you are confronting that question. If you think bad things happen because you anger God, you are confronting that question. If Jesus does not make you ‘good’ before God, then why does he come at all? Luke centers our attentions on the work Jesus is born to do. On this mountain Jesus transfigures, he changes appearance so that you can be sure that he is your Savior— which means, you do not need to be your own savior. Let’s Follow Jesus into Jerusalem! Only he fulfills the law of Moses and God chooses him to be our Savior. Peter, James, and John recognize this. In fact, Jesus asks them, “Who do you say I am?” and Peter answers, “The Christ of God” (Luke 9:20). Jesus’ disciples clearly confess, they admit that their great Rabbi, Jesus, is the person God promised the world. Surprised they would say such a thing? Or, are you kind of nodding your head, saying, “Of course they believe Jesus is the Savior”? Understand, the disciples identify Jesus as ‘the Messiah,’ but they still struggle grasping the significance of those words. For example, Peter announces: “You are the Christ!” Jesus says, “You are right! Since I am the Christ, I have a mission to complete… [I] must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and [I] must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Peter blurts out, “Never, Lord!” (Matthew 16:13-15, 21-23). Peter, James, and John still pursue what they want in a ‘Messiah.’ They want a God-sent servant to (1) rally the Jews together, (2) chase out the Roman overlords, (3) establish Israel as an independent state, and (4) usher in a reign of power, prosperity, and peace. Jesus prepares for his final journey into Jerusalem and the disciples can only think about earthly fame. They exchange the eternal for the temporal. Even worse, if you crave the temporal, then you claim no spiritual need. You see no need for Jesus. About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Jesus transfigures, literally changes appearance. For 33-years Jesus contains his awesome form as God inside. Yes, you saw glimpses of his power: turning water into wine (John 2:1-12), driving out demons (Mark 1:21-28), driving fish into nets (Luke 5:1-11). Yet, all you saw is a glimpse of his unlimited power. Now you witness his glory on full display. Sunbeams do not illuminate his face; Jesus’ face beams light. Jesus’ clothing does not reflect light; his clothes radiate light. Just like the sun shoots glowing rays through a cloudy sky, so also Jesus removes his earthly appearance and glistens as he does in heaven. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. Why these two? Well, Moses is the great Law-Receiver and Elijah, the great Law-Proclaimer. God carved his Ten Commandments into the hearts of all people and later chiseled them onto two tablets of stone (Romans 2:14-15; Exodus 20:1-17). Our consciences can mislead us, so we can read what God expects of us. The prophet Elijah even preaches God’s expectations. You can hear the standard of living God wants from you. Look at both men and you realize one chief problem: God’s law cannot save you. Each commandment only exposes broken obedience, failure to do what is right, failure to measure up to God. Even Moses and Elijah know that. Moses brings the Commandments, but disobeys and died. Elijah preaches the commands, but still whines: “God, what’s the use?” Yet, they know Jesus obeys. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. That is the reason for this magnificent scene. Jesus lets loose his identity as God so that you can see no smudge of sin tainting his pure appearance, no secret shame found balled up inside. God the Father even shines this radiant spotlight on this very fact. We can nod our heads saying, “Yes, this is true! Jesus is perfect, I am not. Jesus covers me with his perfection. Jesus makes me right with God.” But then, when you get sick, you wonder: “Am I sick because of my filthy thoughts? Is God getting revenge on me?” You go to a funeral, you point at the person in the casket and say, “He was a good man.” What does that mean? That because you consider him ‘good,’ he must be in heaven? This is how a person is saved? Or, our emotions can toss us into despair; you tremble: “Will I really go to heaven? I do not feel saved.” What? Do your inner emotions save you? If you ‘feel’ Jesus, you are saved? If you do not ‘feel’ Jesus, then you are not saved? Friends, we will live mortified of God if we take our eyes off of Jesus. If you try to convince yourself with your feelings or actions or character that you will enter heaven, you will never find assurance. What you are really doing is pushing away your need for Jesus. Let’s Follow Jesus into Jerusalem! Only he fulfills the law of Moses. When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law— God’s law, God’s commandments (Galatians 4:4). God takes those two stone tablets and sets them on Jesus and Jesus carries out every single command. Just to think, Jesus does not obey in order to gain praise for himself. Rather, he obeys because it gives. (1) It gives respect to God. (2) It gives you (and me) life. This brilliant mountain scene will soon darken. Evil men will spit rejection. Calloused hearts will pound nails into flesh. Death will swallow up innocent life. Yet, God wants you to remember this transfiguration scene. Because the man you see on the cross is still God’s promised Son. And he will burst out of the tomb on Easter’s rising dawn. And he will shine once again, still without sin and without our sin! Let’s Follow Jesus into Jerusalem because Jesus fulfills the law of Moses. He does what God desires— and does it for us! That means this transfiguration scene is ours. You will see Jesus in dazzling glory: hair white as snow, eyes blazing like fire, feet like glowing bronze, face shining (Revelation 1:14-16). You will stand there without fear because Jesus has removed our stain of sin and secret shame, leaving us shining in his radiant brilliance. We can be sure because God chooses him to be our Savior. While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” Do you think Peter, James, and John understand now? God the Father wraps himself in a cloud and wraps around them. Then he identifies something special about Jesus: This person is the Son of God. Has God clouded around you? Has he said: “You are my son?” No. He points us sinners to Jesus. He even says, “I have chosen him. I elected him to be your Savior.” Not me. Not you. Not Moses or Elijah. But Jesus. You can be sure Jesus is enough because he is the one God sent; God approves of his life. So, listen to him! Listen to Jesus call himself God. Listen to his pardon. Listen to his promise of life in heaven. Starting Wednesday and the six weeks following, you have this privilege to listen. Yes, a privilege— because the Holy Spirit called you out of unbelief and into faith. On Wednesdays, you see the separation your (and my) sin deserved. You see the price paid to set you free. And in case you think you have Jesus’ Passion memorized, then think again. See Law-Giver Moses and Law-Preacher Elijah leave because Jesus satisfied them! They can leave your life. so, the next time Satan replays the regrets of your youth and whispers: “How can God forgive you for that?” point to Jesus. The next time you worry God will not heal you, point to Jesus. The next time you fear God’s Word lacks power to changes hearts today, point to Jesus. The next time you wonder if you will really go to heaven, point to Jesus. When you point to Jesus, you are pointing at God’s Son— and God is pleased with him. If God is pleased with him and Jesus is pleased with you, then it means God is pleased with you. God chooses him to be the Savior. And that, my friends, brings real peace. You (and I) encounter feelings of unworthiness on a daily basis. A churched-man at funeral remains convinced that you must do more ‘good’ to outweigh your bad. Let’s bring it closer to home. During Lent, people tend to ‘give up’ certain items. Maybe it’s chocolate or Mountain Dew. Maybe it is Television or Facebook. (For me, I’m giving up sleep because of my newborn daughter ). What can happen is that as you ‘give something up,’ it becomes something you do to earn God’s favor. You glean credit for yourself. You brag about your strength to lay aside unhealthy food. You appreciate cutting screen time. (Even fish Fridays was meant for a sacrifice— but now we deep fry the buggers for flavor!) The point of ‘giving something up’ serves to remind us of Jesus giving up his life for us. It is not us doing something for him. Luke centers our attentions on the work Jesus is born to do. On this mountain Jesus transfigures, he changes appearance so that you can be sure that he is your Savior— which means, you do not need to be your own savior. Let’s Follow Jesus into Jerusalem! He comes to make you ‘good before God.’ You can be sure of that. Only he fulfills the law of Moses and God chooses him to be our Savior. |
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