Epiphany 3 - January 26, 2020 - Hebrews 11:1-12

Theme: The Plan and the Payoff of Faith

1. Gives unknown blessings from God

2. Grants untold ways to serve 

Hebrews 11:1-12 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

I’m assuming most of you have some type of investment. Maybe it’s a retirement account or a separate mutual fund. Whatever account it is, one rule applies to all types of investments – plan for the long-term. If you do well in your investments, it probably means you have patience. Making money on your investment does not happen overnight. Some types of investments are better for longer periods of time, but they all involve waiting to some extent.

You also need an investment that has a good plan – a proper approach that will target the right kind of investments. But ultimately, no one really cares that much about the plan – it’s about the payoff. What are the results? The same thing applies to every other area of life. It helps to know what’s going on and to have a good plan, but ultimately no one remembers those things. What people will remember is what the result of the plan was.

Here we see faith as an investment. It takes patience to live by faith. It’s about the long-term, not what’s happening only in the moment. And faith has both a plan and a payoff. God describes that for us here, both by teaching us what the plan of faith is and by reminding us of its promises at the payoff. He even gives us several examples.

Verses 1-3 are the core of this text. They work like a root system and each example springs forth from it like a branch. Verse 1 is the definition of faith, at least according to the literal word. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. More broadly, we define faith as trust or believing in God. Here, we dig deeper into the word itself. What really is faith? Simply put, in every aspect of faith, there’s a known element and an unknown element. Something you have and something you don’t yet have.

The world simplifies faith too much. They call it blind trust, whimsical hope, a fanciful desire. The world’s explanation of faith only considers the unknown. But God says faith is “assurance” and “conviction,” just not in the ways we typically think.

So, here God describes the plan of faith, what we might think of the gears that make up how it works. Faith works with unknown and unseen things and makes us sure and certain about them. We have an example too – the creation of the world. No one saw it happen. But we can trust this unknown because God explains how He created the world – through His Word. This is one example – a big one at that – but every other expression of faith follows this pattern. This is the plan of faith.

But, like our investments, no one ultimately cares about the plan. What are the results? Does faith live up to its plan? To answer that, God uses more examples, this time from real, living people, found in His Word.

We could have separate sermons on each of these people. They are all well known in Scripture. There are many others in Hebrews 11 also. For today, however, I want you to focus on this point: Within each example of God’s plan of faith working, there are knowns and unknowns. In that sense, each believer is living, walking, breathing example of faith. Their life is made up of things that display the completion of God’s gift of faith, but also the hope of waiting for promises that are ultimately fulfilled in heaven. It is the life of faith – a substance of things hoped for and an conviction of things not seen type of life.

So, the five people mentioned in our text all went through different circumstances, but their faith worked the same purpose for them according to God’s plan.

Abel’s faith was seen in the offering he gave God and how it differed from Cain’s. Abel’s faith in that sense continues to speak to us today, even though he was the first person who was killed. Those are the seen elements of his faith, yet there was also much more beneath the surface. Abel was commended as righteous before God, a treasure of faith not seen by human eyes. How would one calculate or quantify a commendation of righteousness before God? It was there, as real as Abel’s offering, yet it was unknown to others – seen and experienced only by faith.

Enoch was taken by God and did not die. What an amazing thing! Yet, much more significant about Enoch was that he was also commended by God as having pleased God. As the text elaborates, this cannot happen outside of faith. There are good people on earth of many beliefs, but only those who trust God by faith can please Him in a completely holy way – because only believers have Christ’s perfect record in their place. When God is well-pleased with a Christian’s thoughts, words, and actions, it’s because God is ultimately seeing His own Son’s merits in their stead by faith. So as amazing as it was that Enoch’s faith granted him the ability to be taken directly to God, of much greater note was that Enoch was actually able to serve and follow God.

Almost the whole world knows the seen legacy of Noah. He built the ark. The visual lesson of his faith is a constant reminder to the world. Yet, what was below the surface of Noah’s actions, at the heart of his obedience to God’s call? We’re told that he was an “heir of righteousness.” You can’t build that legacy out of timber and pitch. You can’t hold it in your hands and show the rest of the world. But it’s there, in the believer’s heart, the promise that you are an heir of righteousness by faith in Jesus.      

And finally, the text gets to Abraham and Sarah. Their story is a great example of the power of faith and its filled with tangible examples of what God did for them. Abraham was too old for God’s promise. Sarah was barren. And yet, God blessed them as the parents of the Jewish nation, and eventually of all believers in general. There is certainly much to see there with our eyes.

But, like the others, even greater, was the unseen features of their faith. We’re told that Abraham was an “heir of God’s promise,” much like Noah. No number of children or displays of familial wealth could match that. We’re also told that Sarah considered God, the one who gave her promises, to be faithful. Consider what a monumental thought that was and how it indicated how far she had come in her faith.

Sarah, who first doubted the Lord’s promise by laughing it away, an action which would be memorialized in her child’s name, eventually trusted with complete confidence that God was faithful in what He promised. We see the legacy. We can count the descendants. We can measure the impact that Abraham and Sarah had on successive generations. But the ability to take God at His Word is an unseen gift. It manifests itself in actions, but long before that it is firmly in the believer’s heart.  

These treasured gifts – the things we don’t see with our eyes – really capture faith’s payoff. We may hasten after the things we can grasp with our minds or hold in our hands, but that’s not the best of what God gives. He grants the blessing of receiving holiness, of having a guaranteed inheritance in heaven, of being able to accept and believe the impossible, and the privilege of pleasing Him in the holiest way. These are the hidden treasures of faith and really what gives purpose and rise to the actions we express as Christians and those things that others see about our faith. This is how it was for all believers in the Old Testament, and for you today. God’s plan and purpose of faith has not changed, because faith’s substance has not changed. It was and always will be about Jesus Christ, and His atonement for our sins on the cross.

And so our text ends with the payoff:

13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (ESV)

We can expect hidden gifts from faith. We seek blessings in heaven, because that’s what Christ has earned for us. So, akin to the heroes of faith, who we’re told were blessed with certain unseen blessings of faith, what might be said of your life at the completion of your faith? Could you be called one who had courage and comfort despite fearful circumstances? Are you one who obeyed and trusted when called to a difficult task? Perhaps you conquered a trial with an extra measure of guidance and grace from God. Things that others may not have seen. Blessings spurred on by events that cause the world do doubt the payoff of trusting in Jesus. Whatever it has been for you and whatever it could be, the best of what faith offers is that which we don’t see on our own – and the greatest purpose of all of God’s work on our behalf is to lead us we aren’t yet – home to heaven.

Amen.

Epiphany 2 - January 19, 2020 - Ephesians 5:22-33

Theme: From Frustration to Faithfulness

1. In your marriage

2. In your faith

Ephesians 5:22-33 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (ESV).

We don’t like it when things in life are out of our control. Oftentimes that makes us frustrated and angry. But more important than being in control, since we know that’s not possible in everything, is how you respond to not having control. Take two examples from events in our life this past week. Micah’s birthday was last Saturday. One of his gifts was a download of a computer game that he has wanted for quite some time. So, in great anticipation, we made the purchase and downloaded the game. It took some time to complete, but once it was done we started it up to play. As soon as we clicked the PLAY button, an error message popped up on the screen telling us that our graphics card couldn’t run the game. Okay, maybe we needed to restart the program or restart the computer. We tried both – same error. Ultimately, it is out of our control – our computer just isn’t equipped to run the game. We’ll have to wait until we get a newer computer.

Another situation. For a while now we’ve been trying to potty train Lukas. He understands the general point, but he’s scared to do it. Okay, not a big deal, we can gradually work him into it. That’s what we’ve been trying to do the last couple of months. Well, he reached a point in the last couple of weeks where he’s simply done going in a diaper, but he still doesn’t want to go on the toilet. We try explaining it to him – “You gotta go buddy, you’ll feel better,” but he doesn’t really care or understand. Right now his impulse not to go is stronger than his rationale for going. We try persuading him, “You can pick out a hot wheels car or you can have a gummy bear.” Again, it’s enticing for a moment, and he may agree, but he quickly backtracks when the time comes for action. Ultimately, it’s out of our control. He simple has to get to get to a point where he’s comfortable with it.

Both situations are frustrating to a degree, but for different reasons. And the way we respond to that frustration is different for each, even though they are both out of our control. The situation with Lukas is more complicated than the situation with the computer. With Lukas, when dealing with a something out of our control that is directly tied to another person, you have a host of variables – knowledge, human will, stubbornness, attitude, temperament that day. Addressing that situation is more complicated than working with a computer program.

We have a topic today, an institution in fact, that causes frustration for the same reasons. Marriage is a difficult thing, at times, because you’re committing yourself to someone who will do things that are out of your control. And even bigger than that, marriage was instituted by God who takes care of matters beyond our control, and who asks us to trust Him faithfully in those matters. So much of marriage is dealing with those frustrations and working together with your spouse in areas that you don’t have full control. And here’s the point – too often we treat that situation like it’s a program, rather than a person. We convince ourselves that situations in a marriage should be easy, straightforward, and should align perfectly with how we want things to be done. But that’s simply not the case, and there’s no clearer example of that than the very God-given roles we see described here in Ephesians.     

It should be said from the start that the difficulty in this text is not with God. He is clear throughout. So long as you understand the meaning of the words used, you can understand God’s intent. We must be clear, neither God, nor His Word, are what makes marriage difficult. Some want to place to blame squarely on God’s shoulders, though. If He didn’t have so many rules… If He wasn’t so picky… If He just let people live and love in whatever ways they want… we wouldn’t have so many problems. That’s the assumption. It’s not surprising that the arguments against God extend also to believers and those who seek to use His Word faithfully. It’s common to hear among the world, and perhaps even among ourselves at times, that the Church just cares too much about being strict with marriage. But the difficulty is not with God. What He says here is clear and simple.

The difficulty is that to listen and apply what God says here, there has to be a willingness to accept and handle what is out of your control; with your spouse, with the world, and with God. The text really divides into three categories – what God says to wives. What God says to husbands. And how this relates to faith in Jesus. So God says, Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

God’s guidelines for marriage, the safe zone, is partly dictated by wives who are willing to respect their husbands as the head of the family. This is not easy because it involves the wife willingly accepting this role with full knowledge that she will have to trust her husband, and in a bigger sense, God. She has to be content with things beyond her control because God asks her to rely on her husband in this sense. Even when he isn’t the shining example of love, when he fails to lead adequately, and when he sins directly against her – God is asking the wife to respond appropriately to those things beyond her control. This proper response is respect, and it follows the pattern of how the believer submits to Christ’s authority by faith.

This role of the wife is often the element of marriage that our society despises most. It’s seen as demeaning and unfair – a relic of bygone generations of lesser civilized nations. Those sentiments could have an element of truth to them, but only when sinners distort what God is saying – either by what they believe or by how they act.

Ultimately, this section is about expressing the positives of marriage and the boundaries God set up. It’s not a “you shall not” section of Scripture. God is giving us this incredible insight into a complex mystery, almost like an antidote to a deadly disease. He tells us, “Here it is, this will help you out in your life and even into eternity.” It’s simple. It’s clear. But, too often the human response is to forego that live-saving antidote because we don’t want to prick our skin with the needle. We willingly give up on God’s guidelines and standards, His safeguards on marriage, because we don’t want to put our pride on the sidelines. We’d rather indulge ourselves in our frustration at having to deny our own interests in some way.

The same tendency is inherent within men, for God has an equally important expectation for them when it comes to leading and displaying unconditional love. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 28 In the same way [as Christ and the Church] husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

God expects husbands to love their wives in the same way that Christ loved the Church. Therefore, although the husband has a leadership role in the family, and the wife is asked to submit to that leadership – both are expected to serve one other. The Biblical essence of leadership is not about taking power in what we want or depriving others. Rather, it’s the exact opposite – using your God-given power to serve the other over and above yourself. This is the husband’s role, and if you think submitting is difficult, consider for a moment that God uses His own perfect Son, the Savior of the whole who humbled Himself as the Chosen leader of salvation, as the example for husbands. That’s a high standard and an extremely difficult task.

Godly husbands face situations out of their control as well. To love unconditionally means that the object of your love is not always deserving. You can’t control other people’s actions, even your wife’s, yet the charge from God to love as Christ does not waver one bit. To be the kind of leader that puts other’s needs before your own involves doing that even without always understanding why it must be that way. A husband is not called to serve only when the reasons align with his plans or thinking. He is to use his strength, as a leader, to guide and serve in all areas – even those that are beyond his control.

Because both the wife and the husband have unique roles, they will feel the difficulties of these roles in unique ways. But one thing will always be true – they will need to accept the fact that they are not in complete control. To join yourself to someone so deeply as in the marriage commitment necessitates this reality. Paul quotes from Genesis to confirm this – the husband and wife are joined in marriage in an inseparable way and that means relying on each other as complementary pieces. Notice, complementary inherently means that each individual is different and is called to a different role. A marriage that ignores or resists God’s unique callings for wife and husband will lose this bonding element.

But when you’re dealing with things beyond your control, you’re also entering the realm of faith. Hebrews defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.” Paul elaborates on hope by saying, “Hope that is seen is not hope, for why does one still hope for what he sees?” That’s characterized elsewhere as, Walking by faith and not by sight.” When marriage involves two unique roles that require a proper response to things out of our control, you can be sure that marriage requires faith.

It’s not that you have faith in one another, at least in the same sense as trusting God. It’s also not that you need to have faith in Jesus to be married. Marriage is ultimately a gift from God for this life. The faith in marriage finds its source in Jesus and leads to a richer and more fulfilled use of this gift from God. And so, within the husband/wife bond itself, God designed a picture of His bond to you as a believer – “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”  

God is not just saying that marriage is reflection of the believer’s relationship with Christ. Just as marriage is more than boundary, so it is also more than an analogy. God’s ultimate purpose in this connection is to show you where marriage moves from boundary to blessing – where the power to change your marriage comes from. This is not just the blessing of a having a lifetime companion, but the blessing of faith in Christ. Trusting Jesus as your Savior, yet another activity that involves matters beyond your control, will bring another level of profound blessing on your marriage. The boundaries that are meant to protect you will continue to exist, but in Christ you are taken to a new level of confidence in God’s plan, and hope in continual forgiveness for wrongs against one another.

But just like submission and love, so trusting Jesus can be a source of frustration at times. It’s a matter that we can’t control, that we don’t dictate. Faith is not about our power or what we want to make of our lives. At its core, faith is complete dependency on Jesus as your sole Redeemer and Savior. That absolutely takes you out of the driver’s seat and into full reliance on Jesus. But, despite that loss of personal control, what a blessed result that produces – peace and hope in life and the promise of an eternity in heaven.

So, what is your response to the frustrations of marriage? Well, my hope is that it’s same as your response to faith in Jesus, turning back again to His Word of grace and relying by faith in Him as Your Lord and Savior.

Make no mistake, this is not a computer problem. Working with the unknowns of another person or building your trust in God is not a simple process of exchanging parts or re-wiring a connection. There’s more there – a lot more – emotions, feelings. personalities, commitment, and faithfulness. But that also means the daily process of growing with your spouse and growing with God is an exponentially more blessed way. So, whether you are married, were married, or may one day become married – may you have an even greater blessing and hope in the deep commitment of Jesus, your Savior from sin. Amen.

Epiphany 1 - January 12, 2020 - Psalm 78-1-8

Theme: The Process and Purpose of Christian Education

Psalm 78:1-8 Give ear, O my people, to my instruction. Turn your ear to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth to share a lesson. I will speak about puzzling problems from long ago, 3 things we have heard and known, things our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants. We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He set up testimony for Jacob. In Israel he established the law. He commanded our fathers to make it known to their children. 6 Then the next generation would know it, even the children not yet born. They would rise up and tell their children. 7 Then they would put their confidence in God, and they would not forget the deeds of God, but they would keep his commands. 8 Then they would not be like their fathers, a stubborn, rebellious generation, a generation that did not keep their hearts steadfast, whose spirits were not faithful to God.

I was shocked a few weeks ago to get to my office in the morning and find an unexpected surprise outside the door. It wasn’t a package. No animal milling about the property either. Thankfully, no spray paint, either. No, my surprise was this – a new yellow pages. Remember these? I was surprised because it had been so long since I actually used one – there was a moment of shock at the prospect that they’re still distributed.

In our lives, Google has taken over the job of the yellow pages. Both, however, really serve the same purpose. They are information directories when you need a specific type of service. Whereas today you simply type your question into the search engine, or speak a command into your phone’s mic, the old school yellow pages involve looking up the service alphabetically. I chuckled a bit that, in a last ditch attempt at relevancy, this edition came with the sub-title, “The Original Search Engine.” For some of you, the yellow pages are still to go to resource, but that’s probably changed for many in the last decade.

Whether it’s Google or the yellow pages, we rely on information directories because there’s a multitude of needs that arise in life. Most have to do with some type of skill or service offered. So, I can search for contractors, engineers, insurance providers, restaurants, and the list goes on and on. Within each service there are two components – Process and Purpose. Got a clogged bathroom sink? A plumber knows the right process to fix it and how to do so in a way that keeps the purpose of the sink intact. Got a stuck garage door? Certain businesses specialize in the appropriate process to fix it and get it performing its original purpose again. When we call on the help of others it’s often because we lack the ability or knowledge about the process or purpose of our need.

There’s a process and purpose to the theme of our study today as well – Christian Education. God says that He calls on you to help you in this task. Sometimes we’re a bit put off by the thought of training others in the faith. We may be overconfident and minimize the plethora of teachings and instruction that the Lord gives us in His Word – just because we don’t want to take the time to cover everything. Or, sometimes we’re intimidated. You might be tempted to think that the reason you have a pastor is because he’s the professional, and you aren’t qualified to do what he can. For these reasons, and many more, there’s a tendency to contract out the duties of sharing Christ. But when it comes to training and teaching in the faith – God points directly at you, and says you are responsible. Parents, you are responsible for your children. Church members, you are responsible for one another – especially new converts, the young, and the weak in faith. And each person is responsible for what he or she believes. Looking at the process and purpose of Christian education helps us embrace the calling that the Lord gives.

Now when we speak about process, it’s not an insinuation that Christian Education is just a matter of following steps that you check off along the way. Instead, we’re talking about the method behind it – essentially what makes it work.

God tells us what makes sharing and learning His Word work and it starts with commitment. You can’t wait around for your schedule to open up in order to strengthen your faith. You have set time aside. You have to be willing to stop the inward desire to be entertained and prepare yourself to listen. So the first verse says, Give ear, O my people, to my instruction. Turn your ear to the words of my mouth.

As we well know, Christian education is not always an easy process. Our psalm talks about “puzzling problems” and truths that are unknown by nature. That’s part of the process, we’re dealing with wisdom from God – truth that goes above what we can rationally handle in our minds. Christian Education does not come down to who knows the most or who can explain it the best. Ultimately, it’s a matter of faith – as is anything dealing with God. And this difficulty is more acute the older one gets.  

In these two ways, Christian Education is quite an ordinary task. It doesn’t seem like anything earth shattering. The process is to listen and to trust God by faith. We might naturally think of this process taking place at church. Certainly, we have the goal that you would hear God’s Word, learn and be encouraged by it, and grow in your faith. But, as strange as it sounds, church is not the primary place for Christian Education. It should be in your home. If you’re only centering around God’s Word at church, that’s a clue that your spiritual life is not properly balanced. Everything contained in this psalm is directed at the Christian family, and parents are to lead the way.

Sometimes, we don’t understand why Christian Education seems to fail us. Kids grow up attending church each weekend, some are even raised in a Christian school. Parents invest money, time, resources to prioritize Christian education. And the young person eventually leaves it all behind. Why? How can this happen when God promises to accomplish His purpose when His Word is shared? The answer often lies within the home.

Parents need to lead the way in training, teaching, and setting the example of what it means to be a follower of Christ. Part of this is certainly establishing a habit of going to church and pursuing Christian education when possible, but it is only one part. The psalm explains: We will not hide them from their descendants. We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He set up testimony for Jacob. In Israel he established the law. He commanded our fathers to make it known to their children. 6 Then the next generation would know it, even the children not yet born. They would rise up and tell their children.

Too often, we make time with God for an hour each week, but then it’s the wild west the rest of the week. Too often, we defend the virtues of the Christian faith that align with what’s popular in our culture, or in our personal lives, while keeping the rest of God’s truth out of sight. And too often, we preach a lot as parents and role models, but we act in ways that betrays the piety of our words. Kids take notice of all of these things. Just as you can’t fool God about your faith, so often you can’t fool a child either. They will see you for what you are and for what you believe.

So, God tells you the process as Christian parents, role models, and leaders is to take charge! Stand for all of His truth boldly. Declare the wonders He has done, even if it’s beyond the human scope of understanding. Praise Him in all your thoughts, words, and actions – even if you think no one else is noticing. Consider not just where you’re at in life right now, but what the next generation, and even the children yet unborn, will have when you’re gone.

The process is simple – give them what God gives them. As Paul told Timothy – Preach the Word, be ready in every situation – convince, persuade, rebuke, and encourage. That is your job – your privilege – as adult Christians, and our church (whether Redemption or the Church at large) desperately needs you to step up and do your job.

Because through every process there is a purpose. Nothing you do in the name of Christ and through His Word is done as a means to an end itself – but there is always a greater purpose. So our text describes, Then they would put their confidence in God, and they would not forget the deeds of God, but they would keep his commands. 8 Then they would not be like their fathers, a stubborn, rebellious generation, a generation that did not keep their hearts steadfast, whose spirits were not faithful to God. 

It’s interesting that each time the Bible offers a law or a rebuke in something, you can inherently see in it the correct thing to do. So the text ends with a dire warning, but through it we also see what we should strive for. That we would be patient, obedient, a generation whose hearts are steadfast, whose spirits are faithful to God.

Why is that so hard to achieve? Why does it seem rare in our families and in our churches? The quick answer, as it is with any malady in the Bible is sin. A complete and utter fall from God’s righteousness is certainly going to come with its accompanying attitudes, habits, and beliefs. Could it be that despite an outward appearance of optimism and human spirit – we’ve become cynical in our faith? Could it be that we’ve doubted God’s promises for so long, that it’s become so common in our lives, that our children are conditioned to do the same? Could it be that we’ve spent so much time looking for help in other areas of life that we’ve neglected the simple faith we were baptized into? These are the ways that sin affects the overall purpose of Christian education.

But at the very same time, the power and mercy of God remains effective. His Word beckons you to listen to it day after day. Peace from the evils of sin is present just as much as it was when Jesus walked the earth.  Lamentations 3:22-23 Through the LORD'S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

It’s never too late to start the process of Christian Education, for the purpose of enriching lives around you with the blessings that only Christ can give. Within His promises of the gospel are the very renewing gifts we need when reflecting on past moments of failure, apathy, or neglect. What we share to others, including our children, is simply the very thing Christ has done for us. If you feel guilt over not setting the example God calls you to – don’t despair – His mercy is new for you each day. It’s never too late to start fresh. But it can’t just on Sunday, and it can’t just be in talk. We need Him in our homes, at the dinner table, when you get back from work. We need Christ when we’re struggling with homework or we’re planning a vacation. We need Him when we struggle with addiction or absue. We need Him to be our Teacher, our King, and our Advocate. We need Him when we’re depressed or lonely, or when we hit the cruelty of this sinful world head on. Most of those things, and countless other situations, will be at the doorstep of your heart when you’re NOT at church. That’s why you need to take the initiative at home. Do not hide that hope of Christ from one another. Do not keep it from your children. Do not give up the process of Christian Education – because ultimately the purpose is for eternity.

Sometimes, we should sit back and ask ourselves – do I believe in eternity? It’s a simple question isn’t it? Of course. But, you didn’t get to the point of believing eternity because you figured it out or because it made sense in your head. It was faith in Jesus that led you to trust that heaven is my home. That’s the purpose of Christian education.  

How could we want anything more for our kids? We ask ourselves if we believe in eternity because so much of what we’re concerned about has nothing to do with it. We want our kids to have good grades, to be successful people, to have enduring relationships, to establish a family of their own. But what about heaven? Do we even believe it anymore? If you, like me, feel shamed and convicted at a lack of priority toward my children. If the words of our text sting in your ears a bit when you read them – take comfort. It is never too late to share the profound grace of Christ that you have found in God’s Word. You can quit hiding it from others today. You can stop tailoring your messages of God and spiritual to your children. Give them what God gives them – give it all. And we might just be surprised at what results. Then the next generation would know it, even the children not yet born. They would rise up and tell their children. 7 Then they would put their confidence in God, and they would not forget the deeds of God, but they would keep his commands.

Amen.

Epiphany - January 5, 2020 - Matthew 3:4-17

Baptism and Epiphany – Complementary Blessings

Matthew 3:4-17 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (ESV)

On Epiphany, we typically think of the Wise Men or the message that God has brought salvation to Gentiles. Today, however, we look at a different take on the Epiphany theme by looking at its connection to baptism. One of the tasks of John the Baptist, was, as his title suggests, to baptize people. This was a new thing at the time of John. Baptism did not exist in the Old Testament. We don’t know how it developed or started exactly; many believe that it was the New Testament equivalent of circumcision. However, what we do have in the words of our text today, is an explanation of what Baptism is and why God gave it as a gift to the Church.

In our text, we see three types of Baptisms. The first was the one John was performing. The second was the baptism that John spoke about Jesus performing in the future. And the third was when John baptized Jesus. When we analyze these three baptisms, we get a better understanding of how this sacrament is used in our lives and the connection it has to Epiphany.

Looking at John’s baptism first, many wonder if it is of the same purpose and nature as the baptisms we perform today. Overall, it appears as though it was. The key in understanding this is seeing why John performed baptism. The purpose was for repentance. The beginning of our text describes the first aspect of repentance – confessing one’s sins. John’s baptism contained this effect. It was a way in which the people were able to bring their sins before God. Yet, without the second aspect of repentance, confession is pointless. True repentance also involves trust that God has forgiven sins. John’s baptism granted this promise.

This is where the concept of “fruits of repentance” comes in. The fruits we express are products of our faith. Faith indeed understands the sinful nature which we confess before God, but it also receives the grace and merits of Jesus to cleanse us of our sins. The effect is that we see signs, or fruits of repentance in our lives. John’s baptism was essentially about washing away sin and renewing a person’s heart with trust and confidence in Christ. This is exactly what we teach about baptism today. Peter describes, 1 Peter 3:21 …baptism now saves you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The renewal of our conscience before God allows us to display fruits of repentance. In Luke’s account of this text he lists what some of those fruits look like:

-He who has two coats, give one to someone in need

-Tax collectors – be honest in your job

-Soldiers – do not be harsh with the people

In our lives, these fruits can be any manner of actions, essentially any way that our renewed conscience by faith manifests that faith in Jesus.

Despite outward differences in perspective, the effect of John’s baptism is the same as that of the Church today. Baptism brings the blessings of repentance, which include sorrow over sin but also hope of forgiveness in Christ. Here we see the first way that baptism and Epiphany complement each other. Baptism leads a person to faith in Jesus. This is the greatest revelation of the Holy Spirit. It is the light of faith that turns on in a person’s heart. Baptism reveals the mystery long unknown by human nature, that God expresses His unconditional and infinite love toward sinners through His only begotten Son. We could consider this the personal, individual Epiphany of faith.   

The second Baptism that John speaks about is focused on that One who is to come after Him. John declares of Jesus, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” This is the verse that leads many to conclude that John’s baptism must have been a precursor of Baptism as we know it today, and in that sense John’s baptism must have been limited in some way. However, that could not be the case if John’s baptism produced repentance. What John is describing here is not a Baptism in a procedural or sacramental way. He is not speaking of Jesus instituting a new process of Baptism. Instead, John is describing what sets Jesus apart from all others.

Whereas mankind, whether John or us, must communicate the blessings of God through word and sacrament – this is the process, Jesus wields the power of God directly as God. Jesus “baptizes” with the Holy Spirit and fire by holding the complete authority of law and gospel. He is able to directly judge sin or forgive sin. And so, John continues, His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." The Baptism that Jesus performs is not the same as what we perform today. As John said, it is not by water. It is not spoken in words, but it is demonstrated in power directly. Yet, the effect of each is the same. Baptism performed in Jesus’ name and implemented with water and word offers the forgiveness of sins – peace with God. Ultimately, in time and space however, the proclamation is given but the action rests in God’s hands. Our baptisms do not have divine displays of the Holy Spirit or fire. Jesus, on the other hand, will execute His power directly on the final day. In that sense, the effect of His power is the same as the effect of our baptisms – but they are given and look differently. And in that sense, Jesus offers a Baptism that is unique unto Himself.

This second Baptism complements Epiphany in that it reminds us of our need for Jesus. Epiphany is a time for all people to hear the news of universal salvation in Jesus – but that salvation is received through repentance that leads to faith. The authority of the Epiphany promise rests on the same foundation as the authority of Baptism’s promise – Christ’s power. The areas of Christ’s power are found in the four “futures” of our text. John, when speaking of Jesus who would come after him, says that Jesus will 1. baptize (wash), 2. clean out, 3. gather (wheat), and 4. burn (chaff). These four future words succinctly describe the work of Christ and the “baptism” He wields by special right as the Chosen One of God.

The third Baptism of the text is when Jesus requested that John baptize Him. The same question that arose in John’s mind confronts us. If Baptism is about granting forgiveness of sins, why did Jesus get baptized? John objected for this very reason. Sometimes people today take the application of Jesus’ baptism too far by comparing it to their own. Their idea is that Jesus viewed Baptism as a new law from God – something that needed to be fulfilled. And so, that’s how we should view ours also, namely that Baptism doesn’t grant any blessing, rather it’s something we are expected to do to please God.

But that is faulty thinking. Yes, we already described the baptism that John performed, and here, he baptizes Jesus. But, it’s Jesus who tells us that it was for a different purpose than our own baptism. Jesus was not being baptized because He needed to repent. The purpose of Jesus’ baptism was to “fulfill all righteousness” as He said in verse 15. Jesus asked John to make an allowance for this because it was a proper thing to do. Jesus is not teaching us anything here about our baptism. Baptism is not a new law, it cannot be, for it does not demand anything from us.

This third baptism happened only once in this way, and it could only happen this way through Jesus. Jesus, in perfect holiness, received baptism as a sign of His complete righteousness. That’s why the Father expressed approval over His Son. That’s why the Holy Spirit descended upon Him as a dove. It was a signal to the world that Jesus was the Son of God and the acceptable Savior. Jesus did not need the gift of Baptism. He didn’t do it to fulfill a law. It was a message of His status as the Christ – a sign of His complete, or fulfilled, righteousness. And His baptism, though not the same as yours and never duplicated throughout history, does stand as a testament to the validity of your baptism. Because Jesus is who He said He was, and because He accomplished atonement for your sins as He was sent to do – in complete righteousness, you have what God promises you in your baptism. And that covenant of God stands as a daily testimony to you of the forgiveness you have in Jesus.  

As it is in our text, those who doubt this really fall into two camps, which are marked by the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees relied on the law to earn righteousness. They didn’t see a need to be Baptized because they didn’t think they had to confess their sins or repent. So also, many today see Baptism as an unnecessary ritual. They make their faith about what they accomplish according to God’s law. They are all too ready to boast of the piety and holiness that will get them into heaven. They have no need to focus on the promises of God attached to Baptism.

The Sadducees were the priestly sect of Jewish leaders who denied the resurrection and the existence of supernatural things like angels. They used God’s Word but were more skeptical, trusting only what made sense to them. Likewise, many today follow their own path as they trust Baptism in as much as they can understand it. They use Baptism as a symbol of their belief and a confession of their faith – not a gift to all people, but only to mature believers who are ready to declare their faith testimony. Their understanding of God, and His gospel promises, is only contained within the confines of their reason, so they see no way how eternal life could be granted by water and the word – or to a tiny baby who can’t read or talk.        

  

Epiphany is a time to cherish, remember, and share that God has saved all people in Jesus. That is why Jesus was baptized – to publicly reveal His right to earn salvation. This is the clearest way that Baptism and Epiphany complement each other. In that sacred and blessed gift through water and the word, God reveals the long-shrouded mystery of His grace on the cross – what the Jews stumbled over and the Greeks considered to be foolishness. But to the baptized, the cross is the power of God and salvation, and we know that because the Holy Spirit has revealed it to us by faith. Sadly, where baptism is rejected or distrusted today, ironically, the Epiphany, the revealing of God in Christ, will also be cloaked in skepticism, humanism, and man’s reason.

May God grant us faithfulness and strengthen through His Word, and by the power of His Son, to keep these two complementary gifts clear and active in our lives. Amen.