Lent 2 - Mark 9:17-29 - March 8, 2020

Theme: Fight with Faith at Full Strength

Mark 9:17-29 Out of the crowd, one man answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. 18 Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't." 19 He replied to them, "You unbelieving generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to Me." 20 So they brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 "How long has this been happening to him?" Jesus asked his father. "From childhood," he said. 22 "And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." 23 Then Jesus said to him, " 'If You can? ' Everything is possible to the one who believes." 24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief." 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly coming together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!" 26 Then it came out, shrieking and convulsing him violently. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, "He's dead." 27 But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. 28 After He went into a house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" 29 And He told them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.”

For several years, I’ve enjoyed watching the show Survivorman. As the title suggests, it’s about a man who is trained in survival skills who goes out into the wilderness for a week at a time, by himself, to demonstrate how to survive. In one particular episode, he wanted to simulate a common survival scenario, being out in the wilderness with an injury. To portray this, he tied one arm around his back for the entire week he was on his own – to try and resemble a broken arm. In another episode, he fashioned a splint which restricted his leg movement, in order to mimic a sprained ankle or broken leg.

As you can well imagine, it made surviving exponentially more difficult. Even though he wasn’t in a real life or death situation, the injuries made him much more prone to mental and physical exhaustion.  For someone truly surviving this would be a tremendous toll that would be difficult to recover from. When you’re in the middle of something so important, literally that life is on the line, you need to properly use every resource available for your survival.

Today, we study one of the biggest tools God gives our faith – prayer. But all too often, our view of prayer restricts the true power it has. It’s like having an arm tied behind your back or walking with a splint, when you’re trying to survive against the agents of Satan. Prayer is the direct communication line that God gives the believer. You can call on Him in any setting, at any time, and for any reason. He promises to always hear and to always respond.

But prayer is also often the most maligned gift from God. Prayer is often the first thing to go when we lack trust. Think about it. What do you do when you grow distant from someone else? You stop talking to them. You go to great lengths to avoid them. You start to come up with a host of reasons why the divide is their fault – you become acutely aware of their problems. We do this with God too. We see here the connection between faith (which is trust) and prayer. Faith is really the substance of our relationship with God. It’s what connects us to Him. And prayer flows from faith, but it also affects faith.

Just like when our earthly relationships sour, so it is in faith. Words are often the first thing to go – God’s Word to you and your words to God (prayer). This isn’t earth-shattering news. I think we all know this by experience. We’ve all had moments where we’ve wondered in the back of our minds if our prayers are really doing anything. We’re good about talking about prayer, promising to pray for others, or simply extending the thought of a prayer as nothing more than a “hello” to a stranger. But, do we really believe what God promises through prayer? Do we approach it as if we are talking directly to God? Are we always respectful and alert in our prayers? These are the questions we face when we really take prayer seriously, when we treat it as more than a catchphrase.

It amazes me how easy it is as a Christian to talk positively about prayer without actually believing that it does anything before God. It’s sad and astounding. It’s humbling because I know how easy it is to think this way. And it’s debilitating because it puts our faith at a serious disadvantage. In my experience, the most common way people think about prayer is that it’s simply a way to improve your mental outlook. Prayer is compared to meditation, in which a person centers their thoughts or becomes more mindful of their surroundings. So, even many Christians think of prayer as something like that and nothing more. On the more extreme end, many also doubt any element of prayer’s effectiveness, even to the point of having a bitter attitude toward prayer, and God, because it didn’t work for them in the past.

When people feel this way it’s usually because they’ve gone through something terrible, emotionally gut-wrenching, or logically confounding with the promises of God. And it’s so incredibly sad when a person’s outlook at having gone through such a situation is to diminish prayer, to lose trust in God, and to forge their own path ahead. Modern replacements for prayer are the common buzz words: research, science, studies, evidence – all good things in their proper forum (that are gifts from God to be used) but often that become a way to elevate human thinking about God’s Word.    

What makes this challenging as Christians is that unbiblical views of prayer permeate our culture. It’s almost impossible not to sound insincere or offensive when doing exactly what Jesus did in this text – pointing someone who is in the midst of a great trial to trust God. As it is with prayer, in many peoples’ minds that’s equal to saying, have a better attitude about it. That’s because faith and prayer have been belittled so much to have little more effect than a positive mindset. But, when we see Jesus teach, He reinforces the power of prayer and faith. Not wishy, “hope upon a dream” power, but actual power from God.

Consider the way Jesus spoke in this setting. It’s hard not to be shocked at what He said, especially to the man whose son was suffering. First of all, when asked to intervene, Jesus bemoaned the lack of faith by everyone involved, citing the entire generation. In v. 23, after the boy’s father implies an element of uncertainty about Jesus’ ability, he is quickly admonished by Jesus. Jesus tells him, "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes." The tone of our Savior indicates that this father should have known better than to doubt. But who among us can blame the father? If any of us heard this quote without knowing Jesus said it, wouldn’t we feel that it was too forceful and uncompassionate? Yet, Jesus said it and took the time to do so for a reason.

Jesus knew this father needed help with more than just his son’s life. In the same way, Jesus knows you need more than help with just what you’re facing in this life. Faith ultimately looks ahead to eternity and heaven. The Christian’s belief is one of trust no matter the circumstances of the world because there is a greater gift from God than the blessings of this world – even if those blessings are good health, a sound mind, and personal safety. As Jesus postulated in the prior chapter of Mark, “What good does it do a person to gain the whole world, yet lose his soul? (Mark 8:36) We typically apply that passage to greed, coveting, and personal desire but it also applies to even the earthly needs we have; even the times when it seems fair to criticize God because I need something right now. Faith is first and foremost about your soul and about eternity, and you need be willing to part with anything in this world, even your own life, if the Lord so calls you to that end.

These are not easy things to talk about. People, even fellow Christians, will hate you for reminding them to trust God no matter what. You will be called cold and calloused, but it will be worth it if you help them see who Jesus is just a little more clearly. This struggle of faith is described perfectly in the father’s response to Jesus’ rebuke, in v.24: Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief."

There it is – the collision of faith and experience. The life of the believer. “I believe, help my unbelief.” This father was not claiming to be both a believer and unbeliever at the same time. He was pleading for help with his inward tendency to doubt, to question, and to criticize God. These are natural reactions, meaning they happen without us having to purposely do them. It is easy to question God. Yet the struggle is to not allow that to overcome your trust of God. It’s not wrong to have questions, or even to have doubts, or to hold God to His promises. He wants you to seek, to search, to fact-check, to take Him at His Word. But there absolutely is a danger of letting the struggle overtake your faith, or become more important to you than what God has done for you. That defeat manifests itself with the attitude that although God is present, and all-powerful, He really doesn’t have a direct influence in my life. In terms of faith, defeat says, God’s Word is not true. God’s promises will not happen. Faith is an abstract, mental thing at best. And tools like prayer, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper are merely symbolic and figurative in purpose – God does not work through them. This is the fight and God wants you to be at full strength with the tools He gives you.

“But you don’t know what I’ve been through.” “Who are you to tell me what I need?” “Don’t you care about what I’m up against?” Listen, I get it. I’ve heard those sentiments before. I’ve felt them before. We all have in one way or another. The truth that sometimes when we’re experiencing great pain, loss, or agony, there’s still something we need to listen to from God – just like Jesus had something to tell the father in this lesson. Sometimes, in fact, that’s precisely the reason God allows hardship in your life, because He’s trying to tell you something. Simply listening to God’s Word, then, becomes perhaps the greatest tool you’ve been given. What a disadvantage you’ll be at if you choose not to listen.

The tools of fighting by faith are meant to remind you of Christ’s effectiveness – which is also the effectiveness of your faith. To encourage you to pray and do so completely trusting God’s power. To shift your gaze to Jesus and the best gift He offers by forgiveness and strength for your soul is not to minimize your struggle. Nor is to emphasize one person’s opinion over your experience. Rather, it’s to show you the greatest source of healing, answers, encouragement, and peace – through faith in Jesus. 

And if you have someone in your life who loves you enough to point you to trust God, even when every other part of you resists that as nothing more than a cliché, just think about that for a moment, and thank God that you have someone who loves you that much – that they’re willing to put their reputation with you on the line in order to keep your sights on Jesus and eternity.

The man went away that day, not just with a son who was healed, but with a stronger faith in Jesus as His Savior. His son’s body was restored, but their souls were also nourished. In other words, the man didn’t just get what he wanted, he got something even better. In a similar way, there will be times when Jesus answers “yes” to your persistent prayer request. There will be other times He says “no.” There will be times when He wants you to look in a different place – to seek more intently through His Word. There will be times when the struggle rages on – when it feels like no end is in sight. You will be tempted to turn your question into a doubt, to raise your plea to an accusation, and to replace your trust with criticism. Whatever your story may be, you won’t be the only one going through it, but more importantly you’ll never have a Savior who turns His back on you.

His lesson today is don’t put yourself at a disadvantage and into danger by neglecting or resisting the blessings of your faith in Jesus – blessings like prayer, blessings like faith that believes, blessings like fellow Christians who offer admonishment, advice, and encouragement in the best direction for your soul and your eternal well-being.   

“Everything is possible to the one who believes.” Not because of the one who believes, but because of the One whom you believe. So, let it be in our faith – “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.” 

Amen.

Midweek Lent 2 - The High Priest - March 4, 2020

Dear fellow redeemed,

Zechariah 3:8-9 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. 9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. (ESV)

If you want to make something last, you have to make it legal. I don’t mean the distinction between illegal and legal. What I mean is having a way for formalize it, to legitimize your idea or action. We talk about going through the “legal” process of something to verify it or to make it certain. If you need to provide a signature on an important document, you’ll use a notary to make sure it’s legal. If an elected official wants to establish a new law, there’s a process to legalizing it, and it must be verified by several parties. The beginning of an organization is verified through a legal process. Sometimes, this is depicted literally in the sides of their buildings, carving into stone the year of origin. Each of these elements of our modern culture has a connection to our theme for tonight – the high priest.

When most people think of the priesthood, they imagine mystery, symbolism, and ritual. The priest is seen as someone shrouded in tradition and practices that don’t always make sense – things to stimulate the abstract thoughts of religion without any real practical purpose. But in reality, the priest is simply someone who verifies the legality of something. They are the agents through which God declares His unchangeable truth. They bring legitimacy to the practices of faith that we conduct, not because of who they are, but because they verify what is done in our name through the power of God.

This evening we see Jesus in a prophecy from Zechariah about payment for sins taking place in one day. We know this day was fulfilled on Good Friday, when Jesus offered up His life to make atonement for all sinners. What happened on that one day secured salvation for all people. This is a beautiful piece of prophecy in and of itself, but the words of our text run even deeper through Christ and give us even greater insight into the legality of our standing before God as redeemed. To accomplish this, Jesus needed to be our High Priest.

The New Testament also gives evidence of Jesus as the High Priest in the Scripture reading from Hebrews that we had this evening. But we also see Jesus in these verses from Zechariah in terms of the covenant of God. Now, you’re probably familiar with the concept of the covenant, it’s an important Biblical term; but you might also be thinking – why do we see Jesus through it here since the word covenant isn’t in our text. While the word itself isn’t here, the explanation of what a covenant is, and what a covenant secures, absolutely is.

A covenant is a sacred promise meant to guarantee something. In the OT, it was the legal contract and the priest was often the one who formalized the covenant, especially between God and people. The literal image of a covenant in the Hebrew mind was something that was cut. This pertained both to a stone, such as etching writing into something to make it last, and to a sacrifice, such as cutting an animal to offer its life. It was on God’s altar where these two images met – the stone and the sacrifice, and the priest was in the middle of it all.

We also see that Zechariah refers to a stone in these verses, and what a stone it is! He writes, For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. This stone with seven eyes certainly portrays an intriguing scene. What we know about this stone is that God says through it He will remove the iniquity of the land – which prophesied of Christ’s death. He also says that it has seven eyes, which seems to be symbolic for God’s ability to know all and see all. Eyes are the body part through which you see reality and seven is a number in the Bible that portrays perfection. God sees all things in wisdom and power. The image of seven eyes comes up again in chapter 4, this time in connection with the Temple’s foundation, and they are defined as the LORD’s eyes. We could think of our verse in a similar way. The seven eyes of this stone are symbolic for the LORD’s will – the way in which He sees, and oversees, with total perfection the events of the world.

Truly then, as Zechariah writes, it was through this stone – the LORD God Almighty’s will, that Christ was sacrificed for the sins of the world. Remember how many times Christ talked about having to fulfill His Father’s will, both before and after the events of the crucifixion. These words of Zechariah are a prophecy of exactly what Jesus was referring to. But for this stone to testify of salvation, it needed not just the will of the Father, but the willingness of the Son – who was both the priest and sacrifice. Here’s where the imagery of the covenant brings an even greater awareness of Christ’s accomplishment. It was on the stone of His Father’s will that His own blood was shed. The guarantee of our inheritance in heaven was verified by cutting the sacrifice upon the altar of divine justice. And that event in history stands as a testament, yes, an enduring covenant, marking the moment of God’s grace. It’s like a date engraved into the cornerstone of a building, signifying the year of completion. The day of atonement is God’s marker of time that His will was made complete through His Son. The law was upheld. Condemnation was paid for. The sinner’s righteousness was verified before the almighty God. Cut into stone. Cut into the very body of Christ.       

And this is also what makes Jesus the “Chief Cornerstone” that He is, and that He was promised to be. It’s not just about being the foundation of our faith. It’s not just about setting us on the straight and narrow before God. It’s about being in complete harmony with His Father’s will – with that stone of seven eyes. Listen to the opening of the book of Hebrews describe this:

Hebrews 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

And so, we rejoice with the words of the Spirit to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

What results from Christ’s work for us as victim and priest is that He is now the stable foundation for our faith. We don’t have to hope in ourselves. We don’t have to place our trust in a person or thing of this world. We don’t have to try to recreate God’s act of atonement in our own lives. Jesus is the foundation for salvation – and He provides stability for your life.

The book of Haggai the prophet comes just before Zechariah in the OT. Haggai was a contemporary of Zechariah and ministered to many of the same people. In Haggai chapter 2, the LORD commanded Haggai to speak to the leaders of Judah, which included the same Joshua from Zechariah’s prophecy. Here’s what God told Haggai to say, Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, 5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.'" (Haggai 2:4-8)   

The LORD told the people that He would “shake” the heavens and the earth. This shaking would reveal the glory of the LORD’s temple. The shaking indicated here refers to God’s activity on earth. We might think of it as God getting into the mix of life around us. Though God’s shaking can involve judgment, it doesn’t refer to that alone. Anytime God enters our lives He changes up the typical pace and routine that we have. At times, He tests us to strengthen our faith. At other times, He intervenes to deliver on a need we have or to comfort us when experiencing a trial. These are all examples of the LORD’s shaking of our current time and space.

The most immediate way in which the LORD would intervene at this time was by sending His Son to earth. God was preparing Haggai, Zechariah, Joshua, and the rest of His people for that event. And His underlying promise is that despite the shaking, the commotion and agitation that Jesus would bring out in the world around Him, the Holy Spirit would be present to strengthen believers. There was no reason to fear. The LORD promised as much in His covenant, the same covenant He cut with Adam and Eve, and the same covenant He remained faithful to for thousands of years. This covenant was affirmed in the peoples’ sight through the OT priesthood, offering animal sacrifices regularly to assert the legal security God’s people had to trust that a total payment for all sins was coming.

Jesus would shake heaven, earth, and all nations when He came to earth and declared Himself to be that sacrifice, and also the priest to legitimize the offering for sin. Jesus would be both judge and victim and in so doing would achieve peace for all people before God. This provides the most stable and secure foundation stone for your faith and your expectation of eternal life with God.    

That Jesus was both sacrifice and priest shows the extent He was willing to go for our salvation. He did what no other person could even fathom doing. But, we also see in that devotion what Jesus accomplished before His Father’s will. Jesus was the exact imprint of God’s perfect will. He fulfilled the covenant promises that we given by the seven-eyed stone. But Jesus went even further. He willingly entered the covenant, became the substance of the covenant, by allowing His Father to cut into His very body the praise of salvation – the marks of the nails, the spear, and the thorns. Jesus gave up His own body as an enduring reminder that God kept His Word and that your sins have been taken away – now it is your legal and spiritual right to be heaven. Therefore, what God says in His Word is made sure and certain - Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Lent 1 - Knowledge that Protects - March 1, 2020

The Wisdom of Faith Protects

1. From a Foe you cannot defeat

2. Through a promise fulfilled in Jesus

Intro: Last weekend centered on how God did not protect His Son – to pay for our sins. Likewise, there are times when God puts us through a lot here in life. You’ve probably heard the popular Christian saying before that God will not give you more than you can handle. That’s not true, sometimes God does exactly that so that you trust that He can handle anything. This is where God’s protection comes in.

Today, our sermon text comes from our OT reading. We see what happened when Adam and Eve refused God’s protection and went their own way. There are many things we could study about this section from Genesis but today our theme centers on this one point: Sometimes being protected is better than being wise. There was a simplicity or naivety to Adam and Eve before they fell into sin. Much like a child who doesn’t know dirty language, or a young man who doesn’t objectify women in the way he looks at them. There are many examples of the effects of sin by experience.

But the problem is we discredit this protection in our modern, enlightened, liberated age. We hate being seen as vulnerable, even before God. Strength and power are considered the greatest moral virtues of modern America, the ability to pursue your dreams and accomplish them with great tenacity, anything you want. The ability to do whatever you want without anyone telling you no. These are the values people strive for today. But, what about self-control? What about obedience? What about putting others before yourself – even those who don’t like?

God did not design all goodness to be connected to knowledge. All goodness is connected to Him. What are you doing to stay grounded – to avoid the same pitfall as Adam and Eve? How do you fare when the tempter whispers the same flatteries in your ear as he did to Adam and Eve?

·       You’re stronger than God says.

·       You can do greater things than He lets you.

·       Don’t let anyone tell you no.

·       Open your eyes and your wisdom will lead the way.

If you’re educated, do you look down on those who aren’t? Do you diligently listen to what they say, or do you cast it aside because of who they are? Do you think your opinion should count for more than someone else’s?

If you’re experienced in the ways of world, familiar with sin and how human nature works in life, do you look down on those who are innocent in the ways of sin? Do you truly encourage righteousness and staying away from evil or do you think someone has to experience sin in order to be a better Christian? That idea is alive and well out there – it says, don’t bother protecting your children or fellow Christians, they need to get out into the world and let their legs stretch! Now you may not boast openly about sin today. If you wanted to do that, I doubt I’d see you in the pew today. But, do you operate with the same mindset? Is there a sentimental attachment to the life of sin – things like “those were the good days,” or “boy, did I really tear it up back in the day!”

You see, we’re all different people. We are Christians, but we come from different backgrounds, we have different levels of education, we are skilled in different areas. We have different pasts, we’ve experienced different things that have shaped who we are today. Yet, the lie of Satan touches all of us in the same way. You are not more or less exposed to it based on your peculiarities. If Satan could get to the only two perfect members of God’s creation, be sure he can get to you. Your knowledge won’t protect you. Your experience won’t help you. You, in fact, will make it worse.

That’s the biggest thing Satan wants you to think about – you. He wants that to be the only focus you have. He wants to isolate you from your real hope. He wants to put you on an island where he can assault you from all angles. So, before the temptation actually comes, or takes root in your heart, Satan is more intent on isolating you from Christ. And usually the best way to do that is let YOU take the reins. “I’m smarter than that – I won’t fall prey to temptation.” “I’ve been around the block a time or two, I won’t be so easily duped.” “What the Bible says is too simple, you can’t go through life believing that.”

You need to prepare everyday against this threat of isolationism from God. This is the battleground. If you neglect strengthening your faith daily, you will fall when the tempter’s blow comes. The victory over temptation is won in the little things. Think for a moment of all the things in our world that isolate us from Christ.

·       The general attitude of being a good person and everything working out fine (spiritual numbness/blindness). “It’s not about what you believe but how you believe.”

·       Trusting in something else (money, popularity – social media/caring so much what others see me doing or thinking of me, politics or a particular political leader, fulfilling lust and pleasure – having what I want now – latest phone, TV, game, car, house, etc.) These are all examples of tying ourselves to something that will fail – just like our own personal knowledge.   

·       Even in spiritual things –

o   worship is more about being entertained than taught.

o   I know best and I have no need to be corrected.

o   I know what I believe and no one is going to change my mind.

o   Church – God’s Word – the Sacraments are all lesser priorities in my weekly routine. I don’t have time for them, but I do have time for that movie release, or going out to eat with my friends, or taking that vacation, or just chilling at home.

These are the battlegrounds because each of these things can push you a little bit farther away from Christ – and these are just the elements of everyday life around us. God tells you:

Romans 16:19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.  

Proverbs 1:7,10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

Being wise is what is good means being less knowledgeable and experienced in the ways of the world.

Take a look at the example we have from Adam and Eve. The beginning of sin, but also the first promise of a Savior. Satan lied to them in two distinct ways with the intention of isolating them from God. The first lie was about what God said – introducing doubt into Eve’s mind. When Eve explained God’s commandment regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Satan responded immediately “No you will not die!”

The second lie came in the next breath, as Satan continued: "In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." This second lie was about flattering Eve. Through these two lies, Satan sent Adam and Eve on a different trajectory from God. By trying to make God out to be a loveless tyrant and Adam and Eve into greater creatures than they really were – Satan achieved isolation. And the result, once sin had taken hold, was exactly what God had warned of – death. Notice how that death, that separation, is portrayed later in the verses. When God looks for Adam and Eve in the Garden, they hide. They’re afraid. They feel this type of fear for the first time ever, and they don’t know how to respond. For the first time there is something outside of the way God created them that separates them, isolates them, from their Maker.

Did Adam and Eve have a greater knowledge? The case could be made for yes. Their eyes were opened. They had new information about God, but it wasn’t positive or healthy. God asked in verse 11: "Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" Adam and Eve knew more now – but it was the knowledge of sin and the wages of death. As their knowledge increased, their protection before God decreased.

Proverbs 15:16 tells us “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, Than great treasure with trouble.” How true that was for Adam and Eve. How true it is for us. Being protected and safe at the expense of knowledge is not a limitation. It’s a blessing. And the most interesting thing is that we’re not missing out on anything by being protected by God. Satan deceived Adam and Eve by tempting them to believe they could be equal, even greater than God. He told them that their connection to God could be more than how God designed it to be. Instead of being creation, they could be Creator. Mankind can boast in their accomplishments and their power, but it is nothing in comparison to God.

But, true as this is, God did create Adam and Eve in His image. They were not His equals, but they were His. His own children. His special creation. Created with freedom of the will and a conscience in total righteousness. Created with the intent to have an enduring relationship with the divine. Created with an awareness that they were loved and with a total knowledge of how that love came into their lives. Satan deceived Adam and Eve to buy into his lie, but he also won that battle because of what he caused them to forget. He shifted their gaze to what God had forbidden, instead of abundance of what God had freely provided.

The same is true for us when the things of the world shift our focus from God’s blessings to trying to stretch the boundaries of truth. In our vain quest to be in total control of our lives, we too may forget that though we are not gods, we are made in His image too. And maybe, just maybe, that’s much better.  

Satan won that battle, and we’re still seeing the impact today. But that was only one battle – and one that continues to be fought in your heart daily. The war is over. The victory is won in Christ. The promise given in the final verse of our text – the only promise ever to come directly from God to Satan in Scripture – has been accomplished. When Christ died on the cross, He crushed the head of the serpent. Through that moment in history the battles you face have only one outcome in Jesus – total victory. Yes, it wounded His heel. Through offering His own life on God’s altar of justice, Jesus experienced the greatest pain of body soul – even death and condemnation from His Father. But, by that very act that wounded our Lord so deeply – that killed Him, Satan was defeated forever, and his deceptive ploys exposed and confounded by God’s truth.

You are safe. You are protected by Jesus. But the scenario Adam and Eve faced will continue to exist in your life as long as this world endures. Jesus has done everything necessary for your victory and salvation, but He will not force you to trust it. He will not control or manipulate you – rather He pleads to you to follow His love, not His threat. Just as in the beginning, so it is today – faith is about being joined to Jesus – being connected to Him. That may mean foregoing your wisdom. It may mean obeying His Word instead of the world’s. It may mean being simple in evil and experienced in good. It may mean being honest about your inabilities against the serpent and responding in true humility of thought and word. Being connected to Jesus means a lot, there’s no doubt. But most of all it means you are safe for eternity – and in the end, that’s all that matters. Amen.

Midweek Lent 1 - The Humble King - February 26, 2020

Yahweh Remembers: The Humble King

1. Wields a different type of power

2. Earns of different type of fear

Dear fellow redeemed,

Our midweek Lenten series this year comes from the book of Zechariah. Zechariah was a prophet who spoke to God’s people near the end of the Old Testament period. He ministered to the remnant of people who came back to Jerusalem following the Babylonian and Persian captivity. He encouraged them to rebuild the city and the Temple, working with leaders like Zerubbabel, Nehemiah, and Ezra. But most importantly, Zechariah led the people to their Savior, Jesus, who, in the grand picture of history, was soon to be born.

Zechariah’s prophecy provides many vivid and pointed Messianic pictures of the work of Jesus, especially concerning His suffering and death. To guide our Lenten journey this year, we take a look at some of those prophecies, their place in history and Scripture, and the enduring lessons of hope and forgiveness they continue to impart to our lives.

The title of our series this year is called, Yahweh Remembers, which is exactly what the name Zechariah means. These messages from God’s Word tell us how God remembered His promise of salvation throughout the Old Testament; and how He continues to heal the afflictions of believers today in Gospel Word and Sacrament. Our first image of the Savior, given by Zechariah, is that of the humble King. We read Zechariah 9:9-11: 

Zechariah 9:9-11 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.' 11 "As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

Through these holy Words of God this evening, we see that Jesus, the Humble King, wields a different type of power, and earns a different type of fear.

We’re familiar with this prophecy of Jesus. It’s connection to Lent is clear, as it speak of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. When Jesus made a point to ride on a baby donkey it was done with the intent to fulfill this very prophecy. Sometimes, these words are also applied to and used around Advent, when we consider the lowly Child born in Bethlehem who was also the King of heaven and earth.

But this chapter also makes reference to another powerful king in prophetic fashion. In the earlier verses of the chapter, Zechariah spoke of the mighty nation of Tyre, which was a political force to the north of Judea. Tyre is spoken of by other prophets in the Bible too. Their history is intertwined with Israel’s at times. At this current juncture, Tyre was not an ally to Israel. They did not want Israel to resume its role as a geographical power. Along with Syria to the north, and Philistia to the south, Tyre would attempt to thwart the renewal of God’s people in Jerusalem. But God had a plan to protect His people and provide an opening in history for His Son to be born as He had promised.

This is where the first king of Zechariah 9 comes in and it’s not fulfilled in Jesus. In response to Tyre’s aggression against Israel, the LORD promises a day of judgment for the coastal power – a day when their kingdom would fall into ruin. Verse 3 reads: Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets. 4 But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.

Tyre trusted in their wealth and strategic position. And why shouldn’t they have? Even the great Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had attempted to sack Tyre without success. Their island fortification and naval power gave them an impenetrable position on the Mediterranean, with capabilities to reach to Greece, Italy, and North Africa. Tyre had the strongest economy and most advanced technology of the day. To many, it was a foregone conclusion that they would hold power in the region over Israel.

Zechariah was no doubt demeaned as a crazy hermit for suggesting that Tyre would be conquered. Yet, once again, as Proverbs says, Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. In 332 BC the great Macedonian king, Alexander the Great, led his armies into the northern reaches of the middle east. Alexander had heard of Tyre’s might as well, and he knew he couldn’t really control the area without bringing them under subjection to his rule. So he made his way to coastal metropolis but like Nebuchadnezzar before him, he couldn’t penetrate the island stronghold. Undeterred, Alexander began building a 60-foot-wide causeway out into the sea to bridge the half mile channel between the mainland and Tyre. It took a while, 6 months in all, but finally Alexander’s forces breached the city walls and burned it to the ground. Today, Alexander’s causeway still exists, a present reminder of this ancient battle. More importantly, and more impressively, the LORD’s Word, promised 200 years before by the mouth of His prophet, was proven true.

The impending approach a king is certainly a sight to behold. But that fact alone doesn’t guarantee a good reaction. For the residents of Tyre, Alexander’s magnificent march across the channel meant death, destruction, and slavery. Yes, the first king of the chapter did not come on joyous or welcome terms. He wielded great power and terror over his foes. He choked out all literal and metaphorical hope. He instilled a deep sense of dread. Unmistakable, but not with a pleasant ending.

The second King of Zechariah 9 was vastly different. First of all, He came with a different type of power. Zechariah tells us, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. Israel knew even more than Tyre what it was like to suffer at the hands of an enemy force. Being able to rejoice at the sight of a deliverer granting salvation was certainly something they longed for as well. A King wielding justice and salvation was not uncommon, even in earthly terms. But, it’s how He achieved that power and how He uses it that astonished us – in lowliness.

So Jesus, the King, the arbiter of justice and salvation, would ride a baby donkey into battle. There was obviously no literal purpose behind this – it was a message of His willingness to serve, to suffer, and to give of Himself for others. This prophecy was fulfilled on Palm Sunday, as Jesus rode the foal of the donkey into Jerusalem to conquer to greatest enemy that humanity has ever faced. Paul reminds us what that enemy is: For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. How can sinful, fallen, people ever hope to mount any resistance to this foe, let alone achieve total victory? But the humble King did.

Because He fought in a way even more amazing than Alexander the Great. He gave His life in place of those whom He loved. Paul again explains, 5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-- even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow-- of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth-- 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Because of this unique power that gained an impossible victory, Jesus also earns a different type of fear. He is not a king who paralyzes His enemies with intimidation – though He could certainly do that. Rather, Jesus is interested in a much deeper and more fulfilling relationship with His subjects than a Master among servants. As Zechariah writes, Jesus speaks peace. Jesus demolishes the tools of human warfare. Jesus’ kingdom unites mankind – not under strict rules and feudal obligations – but the bond of faith. Jesus desires to build a trusting relationship with you, a relationship in which you come to learn of and believe in the matchless love that He displays in being willing to go through anything to redeem you. This trust builds respect in the believer’s heart – the type of fear that honors the Master, but in deep admiration and thankfulness, and not in threat of punishment.

In that same spirit, Zechariah continues the rest of the chapter by declaring the LORD’s promises through this humble King:

Zechariah 9:12 Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.

Zechariah 9:16-17 The LORD their God will save them in that day, As the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, Lifted like a banner over His land-- 17 For how great is its goodness And how great its beauty!

To the world, a King riding on a donkey is punchline or a joke. To us who know Christ’s purpose, it’s a perfect picture of His loving attitude toward undeserving believers. In the midst of political chaos and danger, God first gave this picture to His prophet, Zechariah, as one of many markers of His Son’s mission on earth. We rejoice in that sign today as we remember Yahweh’s mercy and faithfulness by willingly suffering for and securing salvation for us.

As we continue following Jesus this Lenten season and beyond, let us take His attitude of service as our own – not that people would see our piety, but that our Lord’s light would shine through our thoughts, words, and actions – that others may know what kind of King is theirs by faith. God grant it in His Son’s name, Amen.