The Second Sunday of Trinity

June10. 2012; 2nd Sunday of Trinity; Texts: Ps 130; Gen 3:8-15; 2 Cor 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35; Title: the refutation refuted for the promise preserved. Rev. Tim Beck

Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

For those of you who know Pastor Jordan, he sent me an editorial from his local paper. He was called a religious terrorist. Why? He said only those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior will be saved. For that he was called a terrorist, along with “small minded, odious, repugnant, offensive and proud.” Rev. Jordan laughed, because he’s in good company, sharing company with Jesus. Jesus was called crazy… by his family. They said “He is out of his mind.”  That’s what his mother and brothers said when He didn’t take time to eat while caring for others, his face set toward Jerusalem.

Does being called crazy ring a bell? Do any in your family think you’re off-kilter because of a Jesus-thing? Have you suffered a blow to your reputation because you’re a Christian? And reputation is important. For example, a legal delegation from Jerusalem came to speak about Rabbi Jesus. They gave an official verdict into the ears of the people. “He is demon-possessed. He is in league with the devil.”  That’s a classic approach to destroy someone. For example, we know elections are near by the degree slander is spat out. If you convince enough folks the opponent is mad, immoral, or a liar you win - though the winner loses before God. What had Jesus done to be called mad, immoral, and a liar like the devil? What has Mark’s gospel told us about Jesus so far?

          When Jesus was baptized the Holy Spirit descended on Him and the Father said, “You are my beloved Son.” Soon after He was tempted by the devil, remained faithful, and began preaching “the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.”  He called the disciples to become fishers of men. He taught with authority and commanded unclean spirits to depart. His fame spread everywhere.  He healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever. He healed many of diseases. He healed a leper, and could no longer enter public places without being thronged. He healed a paralytic, saying “My son, your sins are forgiven;” and was called a blasphemer by the scribes (the religious attorneys). He ate with sinners as the Great Physician, for which the Pharisees’ scribes condemned him. He didn’t fast according to their traditions, or follow their scribal impositions upon the Torah. And He claimed “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Then He healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath; and the Pharisees and Herodians counseled how to destroy him. Now they try to destroy Him… by destroying His reputation.  You’ve seen this happen.

          Did you read in the papers about 4 years ago, Alaska’s Representative Stephens was charged by the Feds with corruption and his reputation ruined? Did you hear a few months ago it came out the prosecution knowingly withheld evidence that Stephens was innocent… but too late for Stephens, he lost the election on the basis of that ruinous charge (and died in an airplane crash some months after). Reputation matters if you want to be believed, if you want contribute, to be useful and be thought worthy of living. (Oh Lord, help us keep the 8^th commandment!) Now a powerful group of men set out to destroy Jesus by destroying his reputation. (From this Lord, deliver us!) After all, who wants to follow the devil?

          Does Jesus allow those in his hearing to believe the scribes? Does He allow the scribes to believe their accusations? What does Jesus do? He refutes the refutation for a good reason: He wants the promise preserved for faith in the promise. Because it matters to Jesus if those hearing Him get disenchanted and think He is enchanted by Beelzebul.  It matters to Jesus that people believe him, and follow him even if they too will be called the same names. It matters not for popularity’s sake – though Jesus is out to win followers, ones who do his will because His will is right.  It matters because His will is God’s will. His will leads to life.  The will of those who want the wrong lead to death; injustice exacts a terrible cost… always.

          Why does Jesus refute error? His will is that all come to the knowledge of the truth. Therefore He defends the truth. He speaks the truth. (By the way, contrary to this generation’s worldly motto, there is truth.) How does He deal with a lie? He refutes error by applying the law, by applying the law for the purpose of repentance. That’s why He refutes the refutation of His character, his purpose, and person. He does not want any to go to hell. He knows to be saved one must believe in the truth. And Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, the life.” How does he refute? “You say I’m demon possessed? If I cast out demons that means Satan is against himself. The devil destroys his kingdom? How foolish is that? You say I’m under the power of the Liar? Then why do I destroy the destroyer? How can I cast out demons? Just whose side are you on?” Jesus points out what the slander of these attorneys imply. He points out whose side they are on. They are in league to destroy Jesus. The scribes refute Jesus by calling Him the devil’s ally. Then Jesus refutes their refutation to preserve faith in His promises… to preserve the faithful He sustains faith in those listening to Him.

          And Jesus’ confession agrees with what He does. All agree: He casts out demons; He sets captives free. He casts out those set against God, set against the human race, whose goal is to bind, to hurt, to murder. And all admit the devil is strong. Yet who casts out demons, setting the children of our fallen race free?  Who alone has power over the devil except the Creator, the Living God? Who, when he was baptized was announced by the Father as His only Son, and who in becoming man, took our sins upon Him to justly forgive them? Who came to give life? The crowd around Jesus came to receive healing, freedom from demons, and peace with God; and they did. Jesus preaches the kingdom of God. “Repent and believe in the gospel.” Jesus is the gospel, releasing the captive, setting the slave free, forgiving the sinner because God in the crucified flesh is our redeemer, our deliverer. That’s why Jesus refutes the refuters, for the sake of faith in the promise, for faith in the gospel, the gospel which the Holy Spirit applies to our hearts, saying, “This gift is for you.”

          And that tells us what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is. It is what the scribes do, along with the reason they do it – to reject faith in Jesus as the Christ. Who proves he is under the power of the devil except all who reject the one who freely delivers us from the devil? Who blasphemes the Holy Spirit’s work, but like the devil, the one who persists in hostility toward God? To be against Jesus is to be against the Holy Spirit and to be for the devil. That sounds intolerant, but it is the truth. You know where this kind of talk got Jesus. Yes, he ably refuted the slander against him, refuting those who called Him a liar, immoral and mad. Nevertheless, those same people put him on a cross… so that His mercy might extend to all, including these scribes; for there the Father forgave them. Jesus’ family called Him mad because of His great love for sinners. And He was mad with love… to die for all, to forgive the children of our fallen race… except one sin: continually, consistently, until death, rejecting Jesus as the Redeemer; saying “I have no need of your forgiveness!”   That’s why Jesus clearly says what is true, and by the truth invites the scribes to repentance and faith.

They know right from wrong, but will they believe it? Or will they continue to call Jesus “small minded, odious, repugnant, offensive and proud?” That’s what Pastor Jordan was called because he spoke the truth. Jesus is the only Saviour of the world.  So like Jesus, the faithful are called bad names. Yet we will be saved if we hold fast to Jesus, the world’s redeemer. And Jesus, who refuted the refuters to preserve the promise, fills the faithful with hope. Jesus holds fast to us. He remains faithful.

          To the people who so crowded him that his family couldn’t get close enough to rebuke Him for His mad love - He says, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” And what is the will of God? What were these folks doing? They were sitting at the feet of Jesus. They listen to him and they believe Him. That is the will of God, faith in Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s will on earth.  We are saved by grace through faith alone. Those who believe the gospel are those whom Jesus calls “my mother, my brothers.” That’s why Jesus refutes the refuters, so that those who believe the promise are joyfully, until we receive all that belongs to faith. That’s also why the church refutes errors until Christ returns; and is called small minded, not to mention legalistic and other superlatives.

          The Liar, the immoral and fighting-mad devil is to be refuted, though it means the faithful share in Christ’s sufferings.  As our Lord is blasphemed, so those who sit at his feet share the same reputation in the world. Like Master, like servant. For example, did you read April’s edition of the Lutheran Witness, especially the Synodical President’s report? Testifying before congress, Rev. Harrison spoke for the church against government agencies aiming to force religious institutions to violate conscience. Harrison said “The bologna came fast and furious… My photo (with four other clergy on the panel) was shown far and wide and used by political opportunists with the most vile of rhetoric.  The caption: ‘The Church does not care about women.’ No argument in the hearing was truly heard. In fact, our antagonists weren’t even in the room. They were busy running out and grabbing the next sheet of talking points to lob the next grenade. Regrets? None… (he said) I was delighted to be ridiculed by the world. And I am especially delighted to know that precisely through cross, trial and ill-report, God works His good things. Count on it.” (LW April 2012, p1)

          Rev. Harrison refuted the refutation in the fashion of our Redeemer.  As our Lord suffered and died to win the victory over the devil then rose from the dead to insure our eternal life, so the church follows in the way of the cross... unto life.  The church that believes follows, confident the promises of our Lord are true, relying on Him who died for sinners.  What follows, as in our Epistle reading: Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. Following our Lord, the church refutes those who refute her Lord to preserve the promise, and by the work of the Holy Spirit, faith remains with hope. The faithful will live forever with our Saviour. Jesus Christ is the Redeemer and Saviour of the world.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.