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. The egg helped resurrect the sale of boxed cake mix. Yes, the egg. You see, early instant cake mix only needed water. Dump the mix, add water, stir, bake, and voilà! you had cake. However, sales of boxed cake mix flattened between 1956 and 1960. So, General Mills tasked psychologist Ernest Dichter with solving the problem. Dichter gathered a focus group and analyzed why so many women ignored these mixes. He discovered that:
…the very simplicity of mixes — just add water and stir — made women feel self-indulgent for using them. There wasn’t enough work involved. In order to enjoy the emotional rewards of presenting a homemade cake, they had to be persuaded that they had really baked it, and such an illusion was impossible to maintain if they did virtually nothing. (https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/something-eggstra/) So, the egg was added. By including ingredients to the mix, bakers could contribute and feel less guilty for using easy mixes. Yes, even though instant cake can only call for water, studies show that people tend to embrace instant cake mix if they can contribute to the baking process. Sound silly? Kind of… But then again, consider the purpose for the season of Lent. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). God gives those words for your comfort: Jesus saves you. Still, God’s simple promise can sound too easy. Many still feel this drive to participate in saving themselves. The hope is to feel less guilty about receiving free forgiveness. In spite of human emotions, God’s simple promise still stands. Keep Preaching: ‘Christ Crucified for Me’! This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. So that You can live foolish among the wise of the world. Our reading from 1 Corinthians 1:18 says: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Now (in this verse), the ‘cross’ does not mean two wooden beams tied together and stuck into the ground. No— here, you reflect on everything Jesus Christ suffered on that cross. Blood dripping, groaning cries, painful agony, arms stretched out of socket, life leaving. Not just the physical torment, but you witness the bone-crushing punishment for sin and the forgiveness Jesus wins. All this— the suffering, the penalty, the freedom— combines to make ‘the cross’ of Christ. God made [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). God pummels his Son for the crimes you (and I) commit. Then, God turns to you, smiles, and embraces you. Yes, those who believe, those who trust this message of the cross stand saved. Does it sound too good to be true? …too easy? Human wisdom says, “Yeah!” I mean, just look at our justice system. If you steal clothes, you get arrested. You stand trial. You pay a fine (or jail time). You stand accountable for your actions. Human wisdom wants to transfer our justice system onto God. If you hurt your friends, God sees that. God gets angry at you. You pay the fine. You undo ‘bad’ with more ‘good.’ Maybe you are extra nice, or maybe God will forgive you after giving more offering [money] or coming to church [more] or reading your Bible [more]. Human wisdom pulls us to think that we must participate in receiving God’s forgiveness. This is what human reason does. ‘Reason,’ that is, the information your brain takes in and (then) determines must be ‘true’ or ‘right.’ That is why guilt torments us; we trust our emotions more than the Word—and our emotions tell us that God is an angry Judge. That is why you may never feel forgiven; you rely on your emotions. If you feel bad, then you believe you are not forgiven. Human reason silences what God calls ‘true’ and exalts what you feel is ‘true’! Human reason calls the message of the cross ‘foolish!’ Too silly to be true. Too unreal to trust. Too easy. So, you reject what God says happened and believe what you consider must be right. God calls that thinking “foolish.’ For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” God does not ask if the message of the cross sounds reasonable. He does not invite changes to that message. He simply says, “My Son paid your penalty. You are free.” If that sounds too simple, then the fault lies with the heart— and not with God! So, Keep Preaching: ‘Christ Crucified for Me’! This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Yes, God chooses to save you through a crucified Christ. Yes, God chooses to lump your guilt onto an innocent Man. God chooses to hold Jesus accountable for crimes he never committed. God chooses to strike Jesus instead of you. Sound fair? No! Yet, this is what God chooses to do. Christ crucified means: Done! There is nothing you must do. Because God sends Jesus to the cross, you stand forgiven. You can be sure because God chooses to record a crucified Christ in the Bible. God chooses to create faith through preaching a crucified Christ. This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. But… what now? I mean, you want to do something, don’t you? At least, that is what worldly wisdom says. God must expect you to do something. Maybe prove yourself Christian. Maybe behave really good. Maybe make some personal commitment. What does God expect? Well, keep the order straight. First, you trust the message of the cross. This is faith. You already walk along the narrow road towards heaven. If you already walk towards heaven, there is nothing additional that you must do to get there. So, what do you do? Well, if God has already forgiven you, then do the only thing left to do: Rejoice! Bask in God’s completed work to secure your eternal future. Live in peace! No, God does not ask you to prove yourself Christian each day. He does the heavy-lifting and the dirty work. He lifts off that weight so that you can rejoice! Or, put it this way: You can live foolish among the wise of the world. Because the world will call you ‘foolish’ for thinking only Jesus saves you— but it has always thought this. Jews demand miraculous signs… The Jewish nation kept urging Jesus (1) to storm into Jerusalem on a majestic stallion, (2) to miraculously produce endless food (just like he did with those five loaves and two fish), (3) to reestablish Jerusalem as a golden city. Jews demanded Christ to reign, not save! Greeks look for wisdom… They crave new, mentally challenging teachings. They want new opinions and different ideas to add into their vast storeroom of knowledge. Each group wanted Jesus to satisfy their expectations. They do not want a Savior. [B]ut we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles… Both Jew and Gentile refused to believe God took on flesh. That Almighty God cares for people. That a divine being dies for criminals. That the life of Jesus actually counts for you. Yet, God sent Christ crucified! They cherished human knowledge over the Word. Their human wisdom tripped them into unbelief. Yes, the world may think one death on the cross is too easy to save. They may expect Jesus to reign instead of suffer. [But] to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. God chooses to work through his Word. He creates faith and gives faith, and then gives us touchable signs to which we might point for comfort. You may wonder: “Am I saved?” Yes, baptism saves me (1 Peter 3:21; Titus 3:5-6). The water touching my head and the words my ears heard is a baptism— and that baptism saved. You may ask: “Am I forgiven?” Yes, the Lord’s Supper assures me of forgiveness (Matthew 26:28). The bread and wine touching my lips and the words present bring forgiveness into my life, my spiritual account. God’s promise makes these tools powerful. God attaches a promise with water; he attaches a promise with bread and wine. God chooses to carry forgiveness into your heart in this way. Many will scoff at that. Some consider baptism as an individual’s commitment to God. Others see the Lord’s Supper as just a memorial celebration supper (and nothing more). They reach this conclusion because it just makes sense that God would not act in this way. That’s fine, rely on human wisdom— but remember, the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. God does not ask if his ways make sense. He reveals his ways for your comfort. So, live foolish among the wise of the world. Christ crucified means you can stand sure eternal life because Jesus suffered, died, and rose again for you. This is not too good to be true because Jesus has said that it is not too good to be true. It says so here in the Word. It became yours in baptism. It remains yours in the Lord’s Supper. You can attend a funeral of a Christian and say, “Yes, he is in heaven because Jesus did everything necessary to bring him there.” You can tell your friend, “Yes, I will go to heaven.” That is not too bold to say. Jesus makes this promise in his Word. Even though your past may be littered with hurt, you can remain sure that life is yours because God is pleased to give life through his Word. You do not need to search for powerful signs or good feelings in order to convince you that all is well between and God. The world may look for such signs, but here, in the Word, you find certainty. This is the purpose for the season of Lent. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). God gives those words for your comfort: Jesus saves you. Still, God’s simple promise can sound too easy. Many still feel this drive to participate in saving themselves. The hope is to feel less guilty about receiving free forgiveness. Yet, Jesus removes guilt—and he does it (1) completely and (2) freely. You do not need to participate in finishing the work or contributing to your forgiveness. Christ does it all so that you can rejoice! God’s simple promise still stands. Keep Preaching: ‘Christ Crucified for Me’! This message powerfully blasts away foolish human wisdom. So that You can live foolish among the wise of the world. (from our midweek Lenten Series: Three Words of Truth) On March 9, 2018, a judge sentenced Martin Shrkeli to seven years in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. Maybe you recall Shrkeli more as the pharmaceutical representative who hiked up the price of a life-saving medicine from $2 per pill to $750 per pill.
While unethical, Shrkeli did not stand trial for that; he stood trial for running a Ponzi scheme. Now, those trials occasionally happen. Yet, what made Shrkeli’s trial different was his demeanor. When members of Congress were investigating his crime, he called them: “Imbeciles.” In the courtroom, he labeled the prosecution team: “Junior Varsity.” While on trial— he offered $5,000 for a single strand of Hillary Clinton’s hair. Every single day Shrkeli strutted into the courtroom with the most smug, most obnoxiously arrogant smirk stretching from ear to ear. It did not take long for him to earn the title: “America’s Most Hated Man.” Prosecutors begged for a 15-year sentence; legal experts expected ten. Shrkeli received seven (which was a heavy sentence for his crime). So, why did Shrkeli get nearly as long? Well, John Coffee of Columbia law school told reporters: His behavior during the trial was arrogant, and he treated the judge as an irrelevancy. Every defense counsel I know, and I know a lot of them, instructs his client to be respectful and modest because ultimately the judge is going to sentence you. Your arrogance can cost you a very high price.” (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/09/martin-shkreli-sentence-jail-arrogance-sentencing-fraud?CMP=twt_gu) … And the judge made Shrkeli pay a high price. You see, Martin Shrkeli believed he held higher status and more authority than the judge. He felt over the law. He felt answerable to no one. So, he acted however he wished because he did not think he would be sentenced. Yet, the judge shattered that proud illusion with just one hammer-blow. Over-exaggerated self worth can leave you clinging to an authority that does not exist. Our hearts can think we control God. That we overrule his teachings. That he needs us. Jesus shatters that proud illusion with three words: I Am He who allows himself struck and who faithfully preserves the flock. That becomes clear in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas knew Jesus would be praying in the garden. After all, Jesus often met his disciples there. So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. This mob makes sure Jesus will not slip away. I mean, Judas marches about 100 men towards Jesus. Some, Roman soldiers— dressed for battle. Steel armor covering the chest. Bronze helmet with its scarlet, feathery plume protecting the head. Dagger in hand— just in case Jesus lunges forward. Others, Jewish servants. Wooden clubs ready to swat, blazing torches in case Jesus hides. These numbers overwhelm Jesus’ band of eleven lightly armed men. Yet, look beyond the weaponry; see the heart. This excessive show of force only reveals the inner attitude. The Jewish nation (and so many others) want Jesus out of their life forever. What is in the heart comes out of the mouth. Just listen: Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. Can you hear it? They refuse to call Jesus: ‘Christ.’ They do not consider this man God’s long-promised Son. They do not believe this man will rescue them from slavery. He is most definitely not their rabbi, their divine teacher. This man is from Nazareth— that scummy, low-income village from which nothing good comes (John 1:46). So yes, this mob is not here to arrest the Son of God. No, they are here to arrest Jesus, the man who claimed to be God. This is how the human heart treats God— as someone who thinks he is in control, but really is not. That’s why our hearts struggle to listen to his Word. We believe Jesus has no right to direct our life. We believe our desires are equally as valid as his. Jesus commands: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Still, a part of us inside with arms folded, brow furrowed declares: “No. No, I will not do that. I will not show patience. I will not consider the unique needs of others. I will demand that others meet my demands. So, no, Jesus, I will not ‘love one another’ because I choose not to.” Jesus commands: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Yet, the frightened heart beats: “No. No, I will not trust you. I am scared my life will not be pleasant in the future. I cannot trust that you will satisfy me the way I want to be satisfied. I do not think you will answer me in the way I want. So, no, Jesus, I will not trust you because I do not think you are reliable.” Jesus promises: “The LORD watches over you— he will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:3-6). Yet, the proud ego assumes: “No, God, you do not watch over me. Society’s morals are crumbling. People stay out of church. Government and schools teach ungodly things. I have determined that you have failed. Otherwise, you would make sure Christianity is winning. So, no, God, you are wrong. You are not watching over me.” That puny, fist-sized heart can swell so arrogant that it believes it can tell the One who fills the universe how to act. That is called ‘pride.’ Pride thinks you hold final say as God. Pride thinks God must obey you. Pride thinks you are God. Do you know what Jesus does with pride? He knocks it down. To a mob rejecting him as God, Jesus says: “I am he”… When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Understand, the soldiers in front did not trip backwards. The mob did faint from fatigue. Three power-packed words knocked each man down. Three power-packed words tells each man there: Jesus is God, meaning, he holds controls all things as God— including his arrest. The only reason Jesus remains is because he chooses to remain. After all, (1) Jesus knew what would take place; he could have run away. (2) He toppled each guard down once; he could blast them all away. Yet, Jesus remains because he chooses to remain. Jesus is He who allows to be struck. He is. Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” “I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” With those words Jesus faithfully preserves the flock.. Jesus of Nazareth steps forward. Yet, this is no mere man, this is the great ‘I AM’ (Exodus 3:14). This is the eternal God who appears to Moses in a fiery bush. Yes, the eternal God born of a woman so that he could place himself under his own commandments (Galatians 4:4). That requires Jesus demonstrating loving patience to disciples who fail him and religious leaders who reject him. That requires Jesus trusting his Father’s protection even though, now, in Gethsemane, he will be carried away to death. That requires Jesus clinging to victory over death— even though the wicked seem to win. Your Jesus, like you (and me), must have a heart held obedient to God’s commands— and it is. The eternal God allows the disobedient to arrest him. The eternal God allows his creation to judge and sentence him. The eternal God allows nails driven through his hands. The eternal God allows insults to slice into his reputation. The eternal God allows death to cover him. The great ‘I AM’ falls under the status of his creation, under the demands of God’s commands, and under death itself. Jesus held power over each one. Death could not hold him; he rose! His enemies wanted him dead, but the Father gives him life! Arrogance deserves death in hell, but Jesus has removed this penalty! This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” He has not. The blood of Jesus has washed away the stain of pride. The empty tomb declares pride ‘paid in full.’ The word of the Risen Jesus announces peace between you and God. That Word has hit your hearts and together with baptism has created faith— a faith that lumps you into his spiritual family, into his believing flock. That is where you live— in his flock, under his Word. Jesus is your Good Shepherd. He leads you through this life with his Word. As you hear that Word and take it to heart, you nestle close to him. So, you love each other, living in patience, considering the physical needs of one another, working to bring each other closer to Christ— all this because Christ loved you and gave up his life for you. So, you trust Jesus— even when so much seems to be saying: “Don’t!” because Jesus kept his Word to defeat death, and he will keep his Word to give life. When pride balloons, he will use that Word to knock us back. When doubt leads you to accuse God of negligence, he will remind that he is in control. When you tell God that you will no longer be patient, he will reveal your patience Savior. When lie broken because you cannot control world events, he will comfort you with a promise: I am with you always (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is He who faithfully preserves the flock. What awesome news is that! Over-exaggerated self worth can leave you clinging to an authority that does not exist. None of us carries greater authority than the ‘I AM;’ none of us can purge our wrongs. Yet, Jesus can— and he has. Jesus sets us under his care, under his control, under his authority as the sheep we are—and he uses three words to do that: I Am He who allows himself struck and who faithfully preserves the flock. (from our midweek Lenten Series: Three Words of Truth) They called her ‘unsinkable.’ Shipbuilder Thomas Andrews had designed Titanic with sixteen individual compartments, each with its own watertight door. In case of flooding, the crew could swing the door shut and seal off the damaged compartment. The water would then only fill that compartment and still leave the ship fully operational. In fact, Titanic could suffer four flooded compartments and still float. Andrews and his associates prided themselves in this cutting-edge technology that they supplied Titanic with only 20-lifeboats. (That’s enough to hold about half of the passengers on board.) Even Captain Edward Smith believed in Titanic’s unsinkability; he plowed through a patch of icebergs at 22.5-knots (about 25 miles-per-hour).
Then, on Sunday, April 14, 1912, an iceberg scraped Titanic’s right side, ripping open six compartments. Watertight doors could not stop the flooding. Titanic sank in just three hours. The 20-lifeboats rescued only 705 of the over 3,000 on board. To this day, Titanic stands as the fourth deadliest marine disaster in modern history. Titanic was unsinkable— that is, until she sunk. The disaster shocked the world. I mean, the media, the passengers, the architect, the builders, and the captain boasted in Titanic’s abilities. New technology promised that the days of sinking were over. Overwhelming trust was placed in the designs, the steel, and the handiwork. Pride had blinded many to potential flaws and catastrophes, meaning misplaced confidence brought disaster. For that same reason Jesus warns you to Watch and Pray! Temptation may appear harmless. Temptation may appear manageable. Temptation can unleash total spiritual disaster. So, Watch and Pray! Watch our Savior overcome his flesh by the Spirit. Pray that your Spirit is not overcome by the flesh. That requires struggling. For Jesus, Maundy Thursday is racing into Good Friday. Soon, Judas will appear— not alone, but with a detachment of guards. Eleven dear friends will scatter, bolting into the foggy darkness. Guards will bind Jesus hand and foot and push him through trial. Each passing second brings the future a little closer— and before Jesus towers the cross. So, Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father (John 13:1). He knew it because the Bible foretold it. Zechariah prophesied that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, would be struck (13:7). Psalm 22 put Jesus on the cross and cruel insults all around him. Men would cast lots for his clothing. Humanity would despise him. God would reject him. Isaiah pointed at Jesus, saying, “You will pierced for transgression and crushed for iniquity. You will receive the world’s punishment for sin” (53:5). Little-by-little the weight of the world slides across the back of Jesus Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” In this cup bubbles the most absolute concentrated form of God’s wrath. The bone-crushing, muscle-aching, organ-piercing, soul-wrenching suffering. The Father tips that cup for Jesus to drink. This is what your Jesus must consume for you. This is what your Jesus must remove from you— and the devil knows that. Before Jesus lies God’s unchangeable path: ‘Death for the sins of the world.’ Now the devil illuminates another path: ‘Escape from the sins of the world.’ The devil kneels beside Jesus, slips his arm across his shoulder, and pans over an alternate choice. “Jesus, there’s still time. Judas is not here. Run! Flee! Save your life!”… “Jesus, stop and think for a moment. You are innocent. You do not need to endure this. Do you really want to suffer for people who do not want to suffer for you?”… “Jesus, you are the Holy One of God. God does not deserve such insolent treatment from his creation. Blast your enemies away!” The pressure becomes so intense that Jesus’ sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). When I stop to consider this, two thoughts appear: (1) Jesus is fighting and (2) I do not always fight. Jesus has every justifiable reason to agree with the devil. After all, Jesus is innocent. I am not. That is through no fault of Jesus. I stand guilty because I choose to soil my thoughts, I choose to insult, I choose to push. Jesus resists temptation for me. How quickly I surrender to temptation! Gossip? Sure! Thinking the worst of others? Yep! Letting anger fester? It feels fine. Even right now, a part of my heart cannot wait for this Lenten worship to be done and over so that I can pamper my body with rest, my mind with television, and my mouth with food. Jesus is sweating drops of blood so that he can do the will of God. I would rather avoid the sweat and satisfy my will, my wants! How merciful, how gracious, how undeserving that Jesus still pleads: Not as I will, but as you will. The will of God the Father is that Jesus die as our sacrifice for sin. So, God hangs Jesus on the cross. Yes, even though God has made abundantly clear: The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), Jesus is sentenced to death. I am the one who did the crime. I am the one who should serve the time. Jesus is the One who obeyed as his Father commands. Yet, Jesus is the One who drinks my suffering (and yours)— to the very last drop— and he drains away eternal death forever. Watch our Savior obey what God demands. Watch our Savior resist temptation for your benefit. Watch our Savior overcome his flesh by the Spirit. Watch him forge forward to the cross. Watch him conquer temptation once for all. Watch— and Pray. Pray that your Spirit is not overcome by the flesh. That requires struggling. The devil knows he lost. He knows nothing will stop Jesus from returning to gather those who belong to him. The devil also knows the only way you will enter hell is if you stop following Christ. That means, he will hurl one temptation after another in the hopes of getting you to stumble and lose your faith. Yet, your risen Lord does not leave you fighting temptation alone. [Jesus] returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. For one hour! Peter, James, and John see Jesus in distress. They could offer encouragement and support. They could share Bible passages. They could pray with him. Yet, they sleep. Could they keep watch? The answer is pretty simple: ‘No.’ Understand, Jesus is not concerned about the amount of sleep these men receive. His question exposes our limitations. Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. The disciples wanted to stay awake, but fatigue conquered their bodies. How strong our fight against temptation! As children of God, we love our God. We want to read and hear his Word. We want to put his teachings into practice. We want to grow our knowledge of his promises and better understand our Bibles. This is our desire. This is how we sometimes live. We still fight a sinful nature. The heart cries out, ‘Watch your words!’ but cutting a reputation to shreds feels so deserved. The heart urges, ‘Forgive one another,’ but the mouth just cannot (or does not) want to form those words. The heart loves the thought of worship, but the body loves the thought of laziness. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. We need help— and we have help. In the Lord’s Prayer, you pray: Lead us not into temptation. God does not tempt us, nor does he steer us into temptation (James 1:13). You are asking God to break, defeat, and destroy every devilish temptation. How does he do this? Well, the devil only seeks to lead astray. The Bible teaches what is pleasing to God. For example, the devil may pull on you to doubt God’s love for you. Yet, the Bible promises: I am with you always (Matthew 28:20)—and the same Bible assures you that God does not lie (Numbers 23:19). The Bible exposes the devil’s temptation as the lie it is. God puts his Word in your hands and in your heart so that you can resist temptation, protect faith, and remain a child of God. Yet, God not only hands you his Word, but he fights for you. Your God powerfully drives the devil away. He may do that by removing a personal challenge. A habit (or addiction) no longer entices you. You have renewed confidence to face cancer. You have the strength to remain patient with those that may irritate you. God may even drive the devil away by saying: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). When fierce temptation presses into you, look up to your victorious Jesus, fighting, protecting, watching, and keeping. Watch and Pray— pray that your Spirit is not overcome by the flesh. The Titanic disaster has been called a “legendary story about the dangers of hubris” (https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/unsinkable-titanic-sinks). ‘Hubris,’ that is, ‘exaggerated pride or self-confidence.’ The media, the passengers, the architect, the builders, and the captain boasted of Titanic’s abilities. New technology promised that the days of sinking were over. Overwhelming trust was put in the designs, the steel, and the handiwork. Pride had blinded many to potential flaws and catastrophes. Misplaced confidence brought disaster. For that same reason Jesus warns: Watch and Pray! Temptation may appear harmless. Temptation may appear manageable. Temptation can unleash total spiritual disaster. So, Watch and Pray! Watch our Savior overcome his flesh by the Spirit. Pray that your Spirit is not overcome by the flesh. (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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