Trinity 12, Romans 13:1-10

Sept. 4, 2011; 12^th S. of Trinity; Texts: Psalm 32:1-7; Ezek. 33:7-9; Rm. 13:1-10; Mt. 18:1-20; Title: The Authority of Love; Rev. Tim Beck  

            Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

Have you wondered how the church leavens society? Have you wondered how the church is empowered to serve? Have you wondered why the church took on that trouble?          Have you noticed how each of today’s texts is troubling? The Lord says to Ezekiel, If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.  By divine inspiration, the Apostle Paul says. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. The Lord Jesus says, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone, and more things that cause trouble. 

          Who likes trouble, except Rose Gaffeny? She was a Bodega Bay rancher who loved it. Once, friends who knew her rule, spread a picnic on her ranch property without asking. When she came home, she drove her truck over their checkered tablecloth, plates, food, and basket.  That’s how she said, “don’t do it again.” Did she do some good? Can telling others what’s bad, do something good? If I’m a policeman, do I really have to tell folks to stop doing bad? If I’m a parent, do I really have to make my kids do as they’re told? If I’m a pastor, do I really have to preach the law?  And don’t forget the flip side: If I’m a policeman, do I really get to protect the defenseless? If I’m a parent, do I really rejoice when my kids make the right decisions? If I’m a pastor, do I really get to preach the grace of God too? There’s this reason for sticking our nose where it belongs - besides the issue of eternal judgment, there’s this universal word - love. Owe no man anything but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.  Love fulfills the law… the law. 

          Where is that word, “love,” to be applied? Love happens in God-given structures - the orders of creation – that’s where the law is to be fulfilled. Ezekiel addresses civil society, including the police; family, including parents; and the church, including pastors; Paul and Jesus teach more of the same.  They speak the law about these fundamental, God created orders for this reason: Cain slew Abel as the first family at war. Pharaoh made slaves of Israel, rejecting God’s civil order. Look what our race did to Jesus when it came to the order of worship. You see it. How well has the government earned your trust you?  How many broken families live on your block?  If folks say they’re spiritual seekers, why aren’t they here? As for you, do you fulfill the law after waiting two hours at the DMV for a piece of paper, and your agent is rude? At home, are you always eager to help, serve, and support your spouse, children and parents; or would you rather watch TV? Do you love God so much that you knock on every door in your block, say “I love Jesus,” and invite neighbors to church? Listen to the law. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  But we fail the task. Most of the time, we don’t even want the task.

          So how does the church find love for those around them?  What empowered second century Christians in Rome to take the abandoned babies and abandoned old folks off the streets and into their homes? Why did sixth century Christians, captured as slaves by Celtic barbarians, when they escaped, return to tell their captors of Christ crucified? Why did 19^th century Christians freely give their lives in far away lands, building orphanages, hospitals, schools, and churches? And all these works go on today. There is a word, but not a law word. It is a gospel word, and not the word “love,” except in one direction, fulfilled in one particular act, and applied in infinite generosity.  This word fulfilled the law for the deficient, for the corrupted, the polluted, for God’s enemies, for the rebellious, for sinners, for us all. This word announced Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who fulfilled the law of love, bore the torment of our hate and the punishment of our sin. In Him the Father forgives; and that gift not only frees us from an impossible command, it is the means by which the church is freed to love.

          The mystery of godliness, of justification, is this: God’s undeserved love declared sinners righteous. God’s unearned love reconciled, redeemed, and then regenerates the unlovely and the unloving. There’s the magnificent declaration by the divine judge, “justified!”  Then there’s faith in the pardon, and release from the prison house of sin. That declaration frees us for a holy life, by the power of the Holy Spirit.   That declaration enlightens us to God’s good in the orders of creation. That declaration contains our future glory, including the cure of the creations’ futility (see Romans 8). When faith receives this gift, “you are declared righteousness,” something inevitably happens. Like a pear tree bearing pears, faith bears fruit. What is faith’s fruit? Love is faith’s fruit. Love is what the Holy Spirit works in the justified, in those who believe God’s love. Declared righteous, we are joined to the love of God in Christ Jesus. Declared righteous, we are grafted onto the tree of life. That’s where the church finds courage to live as Christ’s own in the created orders, in the order of worship, family and civil society.       

          Our imperfect lives, we who are simultaneously saint and sinner, are regarded by God as fulfilling the law – for Christ’s sake. Since Jesus Christ fulfilled the law on our behalf, since we are credited with His righteous love, the law no longer accuses us before God. The justified know the Father is no parent continually reproving his child for every fault.  Hence, we are free to love. The breakfast tray you brought mom on mother’s day, you left a mess, raw egg and flour on the floor, sticky on the cabinets. But your older brother cleaned it up, and you got the credit.    For Christ fulfilled the law. Therefore, God the Father reckons our insufficient love as perfect, through repentance and faith in Christ. When the law points out every failure to love in the civil realm, in family, and in Christ’s church, justification liberates the faithful to serve. While the law calls us to daily repentance the gospel absolves, and absolution empowers us as Christ’s own, knowing we are accepted by God as our dear Father. On one hand, in the kingdom of the left, the civil kingdom, the kingdom of law, we are obligated. Here there is only labor. You must pay your taxes. By government decree, this Labor Day weekend, we honor hard work. And as Christians, we also labor to mortify our flesh, to resist sin in an ungodly world. On the other hand, in the kingdom of the right, the spiritual kingdom, we are bid to “Come, eat and drink, inherit the kingdom of God.”  Here there is no labor, only gift. And that gift transforms our relationship to the law, so that we might freely love. Having been justified, then being regenerated and daily renewed by the Holy Spirit through the Word, Christians see the orders of creation as good, and the place where we love. Christians, confident that Christ fulfilled the law, voluntarily subordinate ourselves to the authorities which God instituted.

          In families, wives subordinate themselves to husbands who love them as Christ loved the church. In civil society, rulers set aside self-interest to seek the good of the people, while citizens support the appointed magistrates.  In the spiritual kingdom, the church receives her Lord in word and sacrament, and that is each pastor’s joy, and each member’s peace, receiving Christ’s love. This is how, by faith, we love in the Orders of Creation, despite our failure to fully love. We see the Lord’s good will is to gather a flock and set pastors over them. We see how parents are indispensable to their children’s welfare. We see that civil government exists to provide stability for the sake of the church.  And the church serves in these created orders through love. And the church picks up the pieces when society rebels against what’s good. That’s why Christians opened their homes to the human refuse of Rome, and sacrificed themselves for the spiritually dead in places like Ireland, and provide for the needy now.     

          Remember last week’s text? We are to take up our cross and follow Jesus. Today’s texts describe where Christians bear a cross of faithfulness in their various vocations in the orders of creation.  For example, remember 9-11? We’re grateful for the civil order, for fire, police and others who serve the nation, including those called to wield a sword for our protection. When disaster strikes, we thank God for his ordained authorities appointed for our physical safety and civil peace. But if our leaders flaunt sin and act irresponsibly, remember Moses and Pharaoh? Although Pharaoh enslaved the Hebrews and murdered their infant boys, he was ordained by God to rule, and to fall.  Moses, called to an impossible task to deliver Israel from Egypt, believed the highest authority is never out of control. He remained faithful by the grace of God. So we, like our coins still say, trust in God, while serving the civil realm through Christ’s love. We trust in God, while sticking with families. We trust in God, not neglecting fellowship in the church. We trust in God, because He forgave all our sin through Jesus Christ.          

          Does justification teach you how to live?   Does this doctrine empower the church in the world? For example, since in costly love, God’s Son died for sinners, we know the extent of his love for sinners like us. Will he not sustain the faithful in the civil realm? If the civil realm rejects love, when you must appeal to Caesar, and when civil remedies fail, do you not remain in the all powerful hands of Him who loves most and best?  For example, since Jesus forgave your sin, do not parents find strength to forgive prodigal children, and those children find hope to return? For example, since you were baptized into Christ, is not your present life and future secure in the banquet that is to come? You have freedom to love because the LORD loves His church. He gave His life for her, justifying her, and only then sent her into the world to proclaim peace. That’s why Jesus did not tell the Roman foreign-fascist occupying centurion to bug off.  Instead he healed the centurion’s servant. Jesus did not strike down the High Priest who in arrogant blasphemy demanded    the death of God’s chosen one, he called for repentance. Jesus did not curse Pontius Pilate when Pilate perverted justice for his own political fears. Instead, Jesus witnessed to the truth. In a love that fulfilled the just demands of the law, Jesus laid down his life for the unjust. That’s God’s love, Jesus fulfilling the law for sinners. Jesus subordinated Himself to the Father’s authority, out of love for the Father, and we received mercy; by faith we receive mercy and become conduits of mercy. 

          Where do you share God’s love? You are appointed to various vocations in work, family, and worship. In these as those justified by Christ, you love; even if on occasion it might mean driving over someone’s picnic. Ezekiel cried out when danger approached, when no one wanted to listen. So too you, citizen, cry out when the State legislates immorality, rejecting God’s created orders. You cry out for family members when they are weak, caring for them. You who are in communion with Christ, we have fellowship one with another.  For the Lamb bore willingly the cost of sin. He cried, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  That’s perfect love, and the love that fulfills us.   For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Rm 5)

          Christ died for us, when we hated the good.    Christ died for us, since we failed in love. Christ died for us, and we were absolved. Christ died, and restores us by Word, Spirit, and water. He brings the love of God into our frail lives. Christ reconciled us to God as Father. He justified us. As the justified, He sanctifies us for lives of love in our various vocations. And in our vocations, we who cannot fulfill the law continually return to justification. We don’t trust in our deeds to win God’s approval, or even in His work in us.  We return to that wonderful declaration, that the Father reckoned us righteous for Christ’s sake. There we find liberty to love. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loves is born of God, and knows God.  He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  (I Jn. 4:7-9)

          Declared righteous, you have liberty, and through faith, faith’s fruit of love grows. That’s not troubling, since Jesus Christ took the trouble to love.

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

Romans 11:33-12:8

Aug. 21, 2011; 10^th Sunday of Trinity; Texts: Isaiah 51:1-6; Romans 11:33-12:8; Matthew 16:13-20; Title: In Christ through Gift to Life; Rev. Tim Beck

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. 

           

That’s the Apostle Paul’s conclusion to the doctrine of salvation.  He concludes, giving glory to God. He concludes in worship. How fitting. Then he applies the conclusion from the vista of salvation. n view of justification, he then admonishes us.   First, Paul speaks from the vista of grace; and grounded in grace. Then he invites us to live in the benediction of Him - for whom, through whom, and to whom all exists. Justification is the centerpiece; that we know the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. That’s our vista point as Christians. We know Christ’s grace; therefore we believe when God created the world, He gave us the Orders of Creation as a blessed gift. We recognize as good what the Almighty made for our good. We recognize how good, because we know Christ’s grace. Apart from justification, sinners doubt the Orders of Creation are good. Your paper evidences the rejection of God’s word on sexuality, family, spirituality, etc… It was just mandated in California that all public school children must learn homosexuality is dandy (SB 48). That’s on hold for now (see the back of your bulletin), but still denies what God said is good. Those who do not know Christ as Savior, so often chafe at what God said is good. Those who see God through the cross of Christ know what is good. Our sins forgiven, we are given eyes to see. We who live by faith in Christ see God as Father. Keep that in mind today; keep in mind the vista of justification. It transforms who we are, and changes our perspective of the world.

          Keep in mind something else the Apostle said immediately preceding out text.  He proclaimed the doctrine of election. Those who know not grace chafe at that doctrine, of God choosing some. Those who know, because they are justified, agree with the Apostle: he showed that election confirms the Lord’s goodness. He showed that election confirms salvation is by grace alone. He showed how by grace alone, sinners born blind are given eyes to see the glorious wisdom of Christ crucified. By grace given sinners, we learn the mind of Christ. Otherwise, who has known the mind of the Lord?  Who but the Lord knew idolater Abraham was elected as the father of nations, the ancestor of the coming Messiah? Who but the Lord foresaw that Joseph, sold into slavery and imprisoned, was elected to deliver his family, for the sake of the promise?  Who but the Lord chose mumbling Moses the murderer, the runaway, 40 years a wanderer, to lead Israel into the Promised Land? Who but the Lord chose the bloody adulterer named David, making him king in Israel and the ancestor of Jesus? Who imagined that by election, Jesus’ blood-line would include prostitutes, murderers, adulterers, idolaters, liars, and outsiders to the promise? Who imagined that God the Son would became man to die polluted, to declare God’s dirty foes clean? Who foresaw that faith alone receives God as Father, through the sin-bearer, and that by faith we receive Christ’s imputed holiness? The Lord revealed justification to the elect, working faith in our hard hearts…so that we know the Lord… and you know Him. That’s why with the Apostle, we breaks out in praise, for from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! He is our Redeemer, opened our blind eyes to worship His veiled majesty. Yes, He brings us into worship, and we see His glory as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.

          O you, elect of God, how blessed to believe in Jesus the justifier. You who worship because the Triune God first served you, are you to live sanctified lives? After his glorious benediction the Apostle asks, how shall we live, we who by the grace of God were created and redeemed? How shall we live sanctified lives? We live by faith, not by sight; and Christ teaches us the wisdom of God the Father. In the wisdom of God, He allows our sanctified life to be a struggle, a struggle that turns us to daily repentance and returns us to our justifier. Justification is the chief article of faith, and Christ the chief. In Christ’s forgiveness we sinners who are also saints stand firm. By forgiveness, He opened our eyes, resulting in a glorious benediction. Worshiping with Paul, we then receive the admonition to live as a holy priesthood. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

          Christ declared you righteous. In the response of thanksgiving you present yourselves - in this way: by the mercies of God, by his compassion, by His pity, by His calling you in Holy Baptism, by His Word of absolution, by His presence in Holy Communion, by His grace - by His mercy present your bodies as a living sacrifice… a living sacrifice. This is language of Old Testament temple worship.  Yet it is a present calling, and a forever calling, that those whom God chose, justified and made uncommon, live set apart for Him, a holy people. It is also a call to mutual participation in holy things, to a shared life in Holy Communion, to fellowship and intimacy in Christ.  It is also an enablement, our holiness before God not found in ourselves, but in our justifier.

          As Aaron’s sons yielded themselves as priests before the altar, we yield ourselves to God. We yield idolatry, selfishness, foolishness, forgetfulness, and anxiety for bread. We confess our pretended self-importance, pretended merit and pretentious pride, asking for mercy, grace, and peace; for Christ’s life, hope, and abiding presence. Then as those declared righteous by grace through faith, we participate in Holy Things, in our Lord’s testament, in His true body and blood. As our Lord once presented His body as the saving sacrifice, now the invisible church of faith gathers around the visible Word, and receives His living body and blood. Our Lord’s visible signs of grace promise us, in our dying bodies, we shall be raised bodily to life eternal. So in our bodies we are made a holy priesthood in this world, to present ourselves. As priests seen before the world, we present ourselves by gathering around Word and Sacrament. Our witness is visible, so too our life-together and mercy for neighbors. We are living sacrifices through Him who justifies the ungodly. As living sacrifices, the Apostle says do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

          Faith presents our bodies to a two fold task, to this summary of sanctification: we were called out of the world’s values; and we are sent into the world as transformed witnesses. As for the first, do not be conformed to this age. Do not be conformed to the form of the devil’s rebellion. Do not be conformed to the world that conforms to idolatry, to human philosophy, to a lifestyle that despises the riches, wisdom and knowledge of God. Do not submit to former bondage, to the devil’s enslaving temptations. You were freed from these in Holy Baptism. There Christian, you were placed in heaven while yet on earth.  There you became the priesthood, set apart to be the Lord’s. If the law’s admonition strikes you, and your disobedience rises up to argue with the holy word of God, then repent. If you see the world apart from Christ, repent. And seek the second: be transformed by the renovation of your mind. Paul does not say renovate yourself, rather, be renewed, made new by the Lord’s mind. But who has known the mind of the Lord? Do you want to know what is eternal, good, true, and holy? It is revealed in Scripture, the means of your metamorphosis. He gives you His mind through the Holy Scriptures. God’s word transforms. The gospel of Christ crucified both works faith and conforms you to His image. What a glorious visitation, be conformed to the image of Christ, be restored to His righteousness!

          Further, the Apostle says that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. This testing is not: you put on a laboratory coat and put God’s word to the test. Rather, as God’s gift He tests us. In order to be conformed to Christ’s image we are given crosses.  By this testing, we are measured by God’s word, that we may know what pleases God the Father through the Son. This is the third use of the law. But the second use of the law is near at hand. For example, in testing we may discover we look at the world as our creation. We may discover we doubt our Saviour or measure ourselves by the conduct of others. Testing is an application of the law; and if at first we are proud about how white our teeth, how neat our lawn, how righteous our appearance... soon the law points out blackberry seeds between our teeth, weeds in the lawn, and our unrighteous hearts.  But the voice of the Savior says, you are saved not by leaving the world’s values, or by being transformed, but by my declared righteousness for you, my sacrifice on your behalf.

          When God-given faith receives this grace, then we are freed from ungodliness and freed for holiness. … for by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. We are Christ’s, won by His blood.  He made us a holy priesthood, a spiritual fellowship, His body.  We are incorporated into that body only by Christ’s sacrifice. We don’t measure our value by our differing gifts or assigned vocations.  In justification, there is no male, female, Jew, Greek, old, young, strong, weak, no “better Christians.” In Christ all are equally received, each with his gifts: be it the gift of being male, female, Jew, Greek, old, young, strong or weak as placed in God’s created orders. Thus, because of justification, we are content with God given vocations. Saved by grace, valued by grace, we humbly serve our neighbors with joy. This wisdom is from Christ’s humiliation for sinners, received by the measure of faith given by God, through which our Lord works all things to good for those of little or great faith.

          For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. The justified are freed to serve. Caring for one another, the church thrives in life together, full of mercy, witnessing to the world.  By faith in Christ, by the mercies of God which called you in Holy Baptism and sustain you by the Word and at His Altar, worship breaks forth, and service too. Given heavenly gifts, the church is a living sacrifice, a sacrifice of praise. Because justification the centerpiece, we see the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God – and live holy lives.  We see the wisdom of the Son of God, made man to die polluted, to declare His enemies clean. We see the goodness of the LORD who justified every prostitute, murderer, thief, liar, and idolater. We understand God the Creator as Father, receiving His unmerited favor and perceiving the goodness of all He has made.  We who believe by the mercies of God know. So that with the Apostle Paul we proclaim, for from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever!

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds on Christ Jesus our Lord. (Amen)

Rom 8:18-27

July 17, 2011; 5^th Sunday of Trinity; Texts: Psalm 119:57-64; Isaiah 44:6-8; Rom 8:18-27; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; Title: Sustained in Suffering unto Glory; Rev. Tim Beck

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

We all have something we look forward to. Children look forward to birthdays, Christmas, the end of school. Youth like ski trips and Christmas, but not exams. Adults look forward to Christmas, vacation, paychecks and retirement. The retired keep busy with trips, especially to the doctors. The Apostle Paul tells us about something far better to look forward to, so much better that we can say with him: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 

          Do you realize that the sufferings of this present time are not only personal, passing moments, but the sufferings of an age, an era, a season of time, a kind of time?  Do you also realize these sufferings are reconciled by a divine plan, reconciled to meaning, purpose, and love? Paul isn’t preaching chronological moments, but about “this present age.” This present time is not a stone age, a silver age, or a golden age. This age is that of the fall, the season of sin, the consequence of Adam’s rebellion, a heart’s condition that is blind and perverse toward God. And that hurts. Futility hurts. Death is bitter. Yet a gracious God offers life to all. And He gives those that believe courage; courage to bear the sufferings of this present age and courage to bear the sufferings peculiar to faith; courage to trust the sufferings of this age are reconciled by faith to eternity. We need courage when faced with the consequences of sin, the futility of the whole creation. We need courage when remaining faithful is difficult or painful, when the world rejects Christ’s life, and His life in us.

          You know where help is found, where courage is gained, where our Lord’s promises are proven true for you and me, where faith finds strength. The incarnate Lord of lords veiled himself in humility. Jesus Christ suffered for sinners. He was the Suffering Servant, the Lamb of God, despised and forsaken. To redeem us, He suffered successfully. Christ rose from the dead. So the church knows that the trials of faith in this present age cannot compare to what is to come. Yet we don’t know the joy that shall be ours, except for a taste.  We do not know the weight of glory, the glory to be revealed. That glory is worth more than today’s trials. It weighs more than any treasure. But for faith’s sake, it remains covered in this present age. In this age, why must the glory remain hidden, why must we live under the veil of death? We are called to trust the goodness of God found in His word, to receive His life through the ways He promises to be present, and wait for what shall be. We live by faith, not by sight. So that we abide in hope, the glory remains hidden. It is true our Lord has gave momentary glimpses into heaven’s glory on earth, like a heavy curtain cracked for a second, a burst of light, then closed. Abraham saw visions. Moses and the 70 elders ate and drank with God the Son. Elisha saw Elijah ascend into heaven on a fiery chariot. Solomon dedicated the temple and the glory of the LORD filled the place so that no priest could stand to serve. Isaiah saw the Lord in the temple and fell on his face. Ezekiel saw a heavenly vision and was overwhelmed. Jesus, in the company of Moses and Elijah, was transfigured; and the 3 disciples present were told, “Tell no one until I have risen from the dead.” Many eye-witnesses saw the resurrected Jesus ascend; and the book of Acts records miraculous gifts seen by many. The Apostle Paul saw heavenly marvels he was not permitted to reveal. When in exile on Patmos, the Apostle John saw the ascended Christ and fell on     his face as one dead. And we are promised to partake in this incomprehensible glory, brighter than the sun, the glory of righteousness.

          We are promised, and await the glory by faith.  A day is coming when nothing will drive us toward harm or death. Deception, maliciousness, anger and anxiety will be unknown. We will have 20-20 vision of what is good, true, and pure.  We will live in perfect fellowship with God as Father, and with each other.  That’s a liberty we can hardly imagine, the freedom of perfect love in an infinite kingdom of grace. The glory shall be illuminated into our very being. We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (I John 3:2). For believers, no matter how weak our faith, we have already entered into the promise. We have entered into that life. We are forgiven. We are justified. We were given the new life of the Spirit. Therefore, the glory is here, but like our Saviour in His humiliation, it is covered, hidden, known by faith. We don’t feel its full weight of worth, although we feel the weight of sin and death. We do know the futility of this present age. Despite that, despite the presence and pain of sin, we have new life. Despite living in a fallen world, a world that everywhere evidences Adam’s rebellion, the devil’s hatred, and the law’s condemnation…we have hope. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

          The creation, subjected to Adam’s fall, will be remade and re-ordered; hence the Apostle describes it as waiting, longing, anxiously expecting one great event. The creation waits until those justified by faith, who live by faith to spite the sufferings of this present age, are clothed in glory, fully clothed in Christ. We live by faith to spite the sufferings of this present age, for the sons of God shall be revealed, uncovered, and shown for what we shall be. What we shall be is like our Saviour, transformed by His glorious radiance. Then even the creation shall be put right, when faith receives its goal.

          We wait for this by faith, trusting in the promises of our Lord. Why was the creation subjected to wind whining over drought-ed fields and howling over desert wastes? Why was the creation subjected to futility, to eat or be eaten, to a certain end? That all of Adam’s fallen race might cry out in repentance, confess our sin, seek God and live... that by confessing sin, those in whom the law works the groans of repentance,         might find hope in Him who bore the futility of sin. Jesus wore the curse of death like a garment; He drank the wrath of God to clothe us in hope, that He might soon clothe us in His glory.  Jesus Christ suffered this present age, bearing all futility on the cross that we might have a confident hope, hope in our restoration to the image of God.  Christ, the Second Adam suffered to reverse the fall of the first Adam, to undo the active power of sin. We shall be set free.

          How can we describe this blessed liberty?  It is not to be master of my body and captain of my soul, to impose my will on God and neighbor, that is, to imitate Adam’s sin. It is not living for self, but is receiving Him who has power to free us from slavery to sin. We are set free by Him who died for us, by Him who names us as His own, that we might call Him Lord, the Glory, our glory. Freedom is to belong to Christ, who calls us to worship and calls us to the good, to the good of our neighbor. As Martin Luther so aptly pointed out, liberty is to be servant of all, in Christ.  The sons of God shall be restored to the freedom of righteousness. We shall be restored to the first commandment, hence restored to paradise. For this end we too groan to receive the fullness of liberty, the freedom promised the servants of the Suffering Servant. Despite this present age, we have tasted the first fruits and are eager for the harvest. Baptism united us not only to Christ’s death, also to His resurrection. We await the complete inheritance to be placed into our resurrected hands. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  

          We live in the expectancy of hope, awaiting the revelation of Christ’s hidden glory. We wait, called to steadfast endurance. Yes, we struggle in the wait, sinning and suffering in this present age. Thank God we are not bereft. Our Lord is with us. He will not desert us. He forgives us still. He en-courages us.  No matter our struggles against sin, no matter the struggles to remain faithful, no matter the struggles to forgive, love, and persevere, we have help. The Holy Spirit helps us through the Holy Scriptures. He applies the word into your circumstances. Who hasn’t been comforted by God’s Word when struck by hardship, fear, or threat?  So your hope is sustained until the promised fulfillment. Until then, the promise of Christ’s real presence feeds us through His real life. Even now we have Christ, we have salvation, we who receive His           body and blood and by faith believe the promise. So we live as Christians, enduring unto the day of glory. We endure since the Holy Spirit takes hold of us at the side. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Literally “the Spirit takes hold of us at the side in our weakness.” Why does He do this? For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

          We know not, due to the fatality of Adam’s wounds, due to our curved-in-on-itself soul. We do no know how to pray, what is right, good, and holy to pray.  But the Spirit teaches us to pray, praying for us, interceding for things we cannot articulate or understand. And His prayers are heard. While the creation groans under Adam’s sin, while we, the first fruits of the Second Adam, groan waiting for complete freedom in Christ; God the Spirit intercedes according to the will of God the Father, that you receive your hope in God the Son... for in this hope we were saved. Note the grammar: we were saved. It is a past event, the event of Christ crucified and the fact of your faith. You who were saved are kept in the hope of glory by a Comforter. The One God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is for you. He reconciled you to the sufferings of this present age through His Divine Plan. He uses the struggles of this present age for your good, and you endure in faith. He turns the futility of sin into a means of repentance, that you receive grace, the forgiveness of all your sin. As He brings you into His sufferings He will also grant you the worth of His glory. For all who believe, He will turn the sufferings of this age into an eternal weight of glory. That’s something to look forward to, better than birthdays, the end of school, ski trips, vacation, paychecks and retirement. It is the fulfillment of Christmas. …the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Amen)

         

John 1:29-42a: A particular faith in a pluralistic world

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

           

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, (Thus far our text.) John the Baptizer was a prophet sent by God. So we believe what he said. We believe his words in their painful particularity and in their wonderful promise.  We believe John was from God because first, there was that marvelous prophesy before his conception and another at the time of His birth.  Then around adulthood, the Holy Spirit impels John into the desert; and there he lives.  He wasn’t the only one out there. Even if few and far between, there were political exiles, zealots, religious ascetics, travelers, robbers.  No doubt the hot sun baked the brains of some of these loners. And John wasn’t normal, was he?  He wore odd clothes and said the Word of the Lord came to him. One day he went down to the Jordan River valley preaching a particular message: repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Still we believe John, not only because of the prophesies surrounding his birth, also because his message wasn’t new. All the prophets preached it before him: repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. What’s new is that John says the Messiah is just about here! That’s not only a particular message; it is a mighty big claim.  Yet people sought him out. For some reason most didn’t dismiss him. Eventually there were crowds around John, asking for the baptism that forgave sin, a baptism which looked forward to the Messiah. 

          Why did some dismiss John’s message? Yes, he stood in a tradition of Old Testament prophets, but they had been silent 430 years. At least the real prophets   had been.  After Malachi c. 430 BC there were all sorts of half-baked nuts in Israel saying all sorts of things about the Messiah. It was like a patchwork crazy quilt.   Take the zealots for example. They said salvation was deliverance from the Romans. Forgiveness of sins, ok, but what matters is political development, so they rejected John. Not unlike some who call themselves church today whose preach nationalized health care, education for minorities, funding for the mentally ill, affordable housing, etc…  Don’t get me wrong. Caring for people is a good thing. We do it here too. But a full belly and opportunity were their gospel. Take the desert Essenes for example. They said salvation was total devotion to God. So they lived communally, were in constant prayer, rejected marriage, and rejected John. Not unlike those who call themselves church today who invent ways to reach God. Yet Devotion is a good thing, we too are devout. But the Essenes turned it into their gospel, like those who go to church not to hear the Word, but just to feel good through worship. Take the Pharisees and Sadducees too. Some of them even came to be baptized. To these, and to all, John cried out, “You brood of vipers!”  To all John preached the universality of sin and the hope of forgiveness. He also said what he preached was not the same “gospel” these others taught.  What was the “gospel” for the Sadducees and the Pharisees (who by the way mostly rejected John)? The Sadducees were perfect politicians, keeping enough religion to be respected, but not so much as to offend. They were zealous for the Temple, because they controlled the Temple. That meant they controlled the money and the power of the church. But they rejected the resurrection because it wasn’t “reasonable”. They said life is what you make of it, in following Moses where he didn’t conflict with reason. In contrast, the Pharisees were convinced of the resurrection, the coming Messiah, and the inspiration of God’s Word. But they made obedience to the traditions their gospel. The gospel for the Sadducees was “live a good life”, and for the Pharisees, “obey our regulations.” They all said, “Repentance and forgiveness is ok with me. It just isn’t central”. But John preached repentance and forgiveness. This is the Gospel.  John just repeated the prophets from Moses to Elijah, from Isaiah to Malachi. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

          It was a particular message.  John’s message hasn’t changed over time either, for the true church. His word still calls you to receive it, to believe it; if you want God’s blessing. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  For all who refuse the Messiah, He comes as judge; to all who believe, He gives heaven to you.  That’s a very particular, demanding, offensive, and exclusive message; yet a message of unlimited hope, a wonderful promise! This is what John announced, the gospel.  There was no talk about “my perception” and “your           perception.”  John’s announcement is to be believed as he gave it. In other words, whoever listens to all the different voices will never grasp John’s message with confidence. God wants you to be confident of His unmerited grace. If you try to appeal to the zealots, the Essenes, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the           historical critics, the romanticists, the existentialists, the post- modernists how can you ever be confident about forgiveness?  How can it be central? John didn’t preach to create unbelief.  He preached for faith.  He preached for faith because his message had a source. 

          What faith needs is the true source, the same source as all the true prophets. John tells you his source, the Holy Spirit, God Himself. This means all contrary voices are wrong.  Those who say, “forgiveness is ok, but the deeper thing is a, b or c,” are deceivers. Yet John offers no proofs, no miracles, and no explanation of his psychological     state. He just says, “It’s so… and Holy Scripture agrees.”  And many believed. Why did so many believe?  There were those prophesies about John’s birth… there is the continuity of the prophets over centuries, the historical events, etc… But the real source of faith is: the Holy Spirit, who creates it through hearing God’s Word.

          In our day many dismiss John (and you and I) by saying, “Maybe John got a word from God, but we just aren’t capable of understanding it correctly!” They say, “We can’t be sure that’s what the Bible means. So we can do another      approach, not a wrong approach, not a right approach, just a different approach”.  But that’s unbelief.  God doesn’t mumble. Their different approach only shows that people are not by nature wonderfully open to the true God. Rather, unbelievers come to believe because the Holy Spirit works through the law convicting us of sin (that’s repentance in the narrow sense of the word); and the Holy Spirit works through the Gospel convincing of sin forgiven (that’s the gospel in the narrow sense). So John, like any Christian should, since the Word is from God he doesn’t try to make God’s word popular.  His message remains excruciatingly particular.  He cries out to all, “Hear this, believe this, by this, live.” 

          What does he expect his hearers to believe?  There is content to His message.  Listen afresh to his epiphany about his cousin: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Jesus is the Lamb of God. The Lamb of God!  Jesus is everything the Old Testament prophets proclaimed.     He is the fulfillment of the promise to Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Israel. He is the end of the sacrificial system given to Moses. He is the Son of David and the fulfillment of the temple built by Solomon. This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ Literally, After me comes a man who before me has come, because he was before me. “My cousin who was born after me yet has always been and will be, is true God and man.  Jesus is the perfect sacrifice for the world’s sin,” said John.

          So how could John, you or I possibly abandon this for some so called gospel of social justice, or personal devotion, or religious respectability, or pay your own way? “Behold!”   Behold this particularity, this Messiah, behold the Lamb of God.  Look at Him, believe Him of whom John witnessed the Holy Spirit descend and remain. What a particular and universal message, yet filled with such infinite hope! This is your hope, the hope of heaven.

          But how in the world can your non-believing friends believe?  Is it enough to point to the factuality of the Bible, the accuracy of its history, the reliability of the documents describing the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the statistical probability of His divinity?  Those are helpful facts, which can help remove the barriers of unbelief. Yet, we believe in this way: Through hearing God’s Word the Holy Spirit works faith.  We believe because the Holy Spirit is at work creating faith.   Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God.  We believe because the Holy Spirit epiphanies the Word of Christ into our hearts. That’s why the Word became flesh, that our sinful nature might be paid for and     overcome by the Word. That’s why John the Baptist declares, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  The Holy Spirit works faith in this word. Further, the word proclaimed works what it declares because it is from God.

          What response does that word work within us?  Let’s take John for an example.  The first response when John beholds the Lamb is faith.  By the revelation of God, he believes. The second response is proclamation.  To his disciples he points out, “Behold the Lamb of God!” And they no longer follow John.  His disciples leave to follow Jesus. That’s the third response, faith is created in others through proclamation.    And the fourth, John accepts his part, his vocation, and even his end. He must now be content to see the crowds, recognition, and his status slip away. This too takes faith that Jesus increase and we decrease. It takes faith when what was personally fulfilling goes away.  That’s true of preachers in exile from a parish, like John in prison. It’s true of parents when their beloved children leave the nest. It’s true in retirement from a useful occupation, and it’s true as age catches up. And it’s true whenever we give up our way to follow Jesus. May Jesus increase and we decrease. 

          Yet, these are the things that the Word works in us; because, the Word will go out. John announces, and the word works faith. Then Andrew begins to follow Jesus. Jesus asks, “What are you seeking?”  And Andrew replies, “Where are you staying?” He means, “Will you be our Rabbi now, our teacher?”  “Can we come and stay with the Lamb of God?  Can we sit at the feet of the Messiah on whom the Holy Spirit rests?”

          And Jesus says, “Come and see.” Come and see the Word made flesh, whose deeds and declarations are Divine. Then these men see, hear, and believe and they too declare the same Word. Andrew finds his brother, Simon, and confesses, “We have found the Messiah!”           The miracle of faith goes on by hearing the Word of God.  The word will go out for this reason: So that faith will continue. Faith will continue, being firmly attached to the confession of the Word. Your faith will continue, despite a world full of competing voices, despite all the clamor, confusion, and conspiracy of the world’s spirituality.  Your faith in a particular message will continue for this reason:  In the midst of pluralism, John’s preaching of the particular Saviour strikes home. The Holy Spirit creates saving faith and you believe in the grace of God. Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. You hear and therefore believe these wonderful promises of infinite hope. You receive this steadfast message; repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This word is given you that you have a confident faith.  This word is preached to you that the Holy Spirit works in you confident faith. And this word works results. The word works your faith. The word works your response of proclamation. The word works faith in others through that proclamation. The word works a faith that is glad when Jesus increases and we decrease. The word works a faith that continues.  Faith will continue because the Word will go out.

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