Daniel 3 | September 20, 2020 | Pentecost 16

Daniel 3

“Relax, it’s not the end of the world.” How often have we heard that in our lives? It’s a common saying. As Christians, we live with a constant awareness of the end of the world, because the Bible teaches that it could happen at any time. This is the unique ID of the New Testament believer – we are living in the end times. But, more often the idea of the end of the world, or the lack thereof, brings to mind a different thought. That phrase is used as a way to downplay the seriousness or impact of something that seems very important. It’s a call to keep things in perspective, to not go crazy over a situation that is not that big of a deal.

To the struggling student working on their homework, a teacher or parent might say, “You won't always get it right, but it's not the end of the world if you don't.” When the job you really wanted or the offer on your dream house falls through – a friend might kindly say, “I know you’re upset, but at least it’s not the end of the world.” Or sometimes we use it to soften our own mistakes, like the person who says, “I know I offended them, but come on, it's not the end of the world.”

It’s true that most of the things we worry about are not really worth the time or trouble we think they are. The idea of the end of the world is seen by many to be nothing more than fantastic hyperbole. But what about things that are that big of a deal? What if we truly encounter something that will mean the end – maybe not of the world, but of us? That’s what Mishael, Hananiah, and Azariah were faced with in Daniel 3. It was – for them – a matter of the end of the world.

We see another decree of death from King Nebuchadnezzar, but this time it comes as a result of a stand that these three believers take. Their choice meant the difference between life and death, of their world as they knew it in time and space ending – it was really that black and white.

And yet, Shadrak, Meshach, and Abednego – as they’re more commonly known - didn’t act like it – at least, not in the way we would expect. They were fully aware of their situation. They knew the risks. They had time to think about their choice. But, despite all that, they chose death; not that they wanted to die but that they knew it was the reality of the situation they were in. They believed that even if life ended for them, which was certain from any sane observation, they would by okay. Who they really were, beyond mortal flesh and blood, would be safe-guarded by God. So, at times that are far less dire, we easily act like the world is ending. Yet, here, at a time that actually fit the saying – they acted like everything was fine.

Sometimes this story is described in terms of self-preservation. It is taught that Shadrak, Meshach, and Abednego cared little for their self-preservation. On the other hand, there were certainly some, if not many, on the plain of Dura that day who bowed down not because they truly wanted to worship the idol, but as an act of self-preservation. And can you blame them? Every human instinct in their bodies looked for a way out of this life or death situation. And truly, in human terms, there was really only one logical choice – bow down, don’t mean it, and live to see another day.

But to portray this account in such a way is to tarnish the actions of these three men. Shadrak, Meshach, and Abednego were not denying self-preservation, they were choosing the highest form of it. There is no greater life than the one lived with God by faith, and one day, eternally enjoyed in heaven. It was this life that was on the mind of these men. It was this life that they sought to preserve.  Jesus once said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28).” These words are the perfect summary of Shadrak, Meshach, and Abednego’s mindset in this situation. They were living for the higher life that only God gives and preserves. They were entrusting their lives into His care. They were passing over the temporary preservation of here and looking out for the health of their souls.

And it was not a foolish choice. And it wouldn’t have been even if they had been killed. How easy it is to compute the value of our choices based on how many others are doing the same thing. We do this with almost every decision we make. If the majority of people are doing something different, we feel anxious that we might be wrong somehow. It’s really the same essence as the common decisions that are driven by what we call “peer pressure.” Oftentimes, we think of peer pressure in adolescence, as a young person is working their way into adulthood and establishing thoughts, behaviors, and routines of their own. During this experimental period of burgeoning independence, it is so easy to fall prey to popular opinion. The desire to fit in and to be accepted by those around us is intense.

Yet, when we examine the behavior of adults, the same desire does not appear to fade much. From clothing, to home décor, to social status, to occupational influence, adults are just as intoxicated with peer pressure as teenagers. And that same thinking – which is ultimately rooted in selfish preservation and independent control – can have a devastating effect on our faith. Faith in Jesus is the so often the opposite of fitting in.

Jesus framed the New Testament era when He taught near the end of His ministry, Matthew 24:9 "Then they will hand you over for persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another.

Jesus also taught on another occasion: Matthew 10:24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

The New Testament Church accepts this reality as Paul wrote to Timothy, Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Like Shadrak, Meshach, and Abednego – consider what is more important. Life now in the body or life by faith in Christ. Sometimes the difference in a situation is that black and white. No matter how strong the test, temptation, or persecution is – the higher life of faith in His name will never disappoint and it will never be a wasted effort to seek to preserve it at all costs.

When you’re studying bigger portions of Scripture like this, it’s interesting that usually the main thought can be found in one verse or a few words. In this chapter, we see that happen again in verse 18 as the three men speak five extremely powerful words, “But if He does not…” That was the essence of their faith in God – the evidence of its strength.

The outstanding miracle of this story is not the one that everyone remembers. Everyone thinks of the way these men were spared. How the fire was stoked 7 times hotter than normal. How the guards who carried them to their fates died because of the intensity of the heat and flames. How God sent an angel to protect them. How they didn’t even smell of smoke when they were delivered. Everyone remembers those details – with good reason. 

But the miracle that was just as amazing as those things was the fact that three sinners made a decision based on the interests of their faith and not their material life. Not only did they stare death in the face to do this, they went against everyone else in their nation – even their king. At a time when it was easy to bow the knee without meaning it, they stood steadfast for God’s interests, and not their own. They trusted that whether they lived or died – they were the Lord’s, and that was what was most valuable to them. Only God could bring about such a miracle. Only the Holy Spirit, working in the hearts of these men, could grant such a magnificent thing.

The same thought is found in their confession. I mentioned those five words that serve as the pivot in this text, but consider again the surrounding verses. Nebuchadnezzar defiantly asked Shadrak, Meshach, and Abednego: “What god will be able to save you from my hands?” This was the moment of decision. The answer they gave would seal their fate – good or bad. And so, they replied to the king, “We have no need to answer you about this matter. Since our God, whom we serve, does exist, he is able to save us from the blazing fiery furnace. So, he may save us from your hand, Your Majesty.” There’s the miracle. This is what we all remember. God acts. God delivers. God saves. What faith they had to believe this! 

Just when we think in our minds that faith cannot soar higher – it does! And so they continued, “But if he does not, you should know, Your majesty, that we will not serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden statue that you set up.” This is the greater miracle that is more easily forgotten. Even if God does not act, we still believe. Even if we are condemned, God still saves. Even if we die, God raises the dead. Even if all the world forsakes us, He remains faithful and so can we.

The cheap versions of faith in God are often laced in worldly pomp and popularity. They are more easily remembered. They allow opportunities for personal glory and tales of Christian virtue in the lives of the saints. These cheap versions are the easy versions. Even Nebuchadnezzar, at the end of this chapter declared the glory of the true God – but this faith didn’t last.

Real faith – solid faith, is beset with pain, hardship, trial, and persecution. It is the narrow path, strewn with the thorns of divots of this sinful world. No one seeks to travel this path, no one is up to the challenge. Only God can awaken the desire and fortitude to such a cause, and only in the name of Christ do fallen sinners rise to the challenge that ensues. And the path of such faith is marked by the phrase that defined these men – “But if He does not.” In such a lowly thought, such humble and plain words, is contained the greatest miracle – that God could create in sinful hearts a faith that trusts the unknown and the uncertain; a faith that sees through the haze and fog of unbelief to the greater vision of Christ the crucified; and hangs on to Him even unto death.

Most of the time, when you think your world is ending – it’s not. But the miracle of faith in Jesus promises you that even when it does – and it will – He will save you. Amen.

 

Daniel 2 | September 13, 2020 | Pentecost 15

Jesus spoke these timeless words in Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

From this simple illustration we gain these important truths.

·       We are to be bold in our defense of God’s Word and its truth.

·       We are to do this in an equal and fair way to all people.

·       We are to do this to glorify God, ultimately to point to Him.

When you consider the reality of Jesus’ words, it really changes the way we live our lives today. So often we are tempted to do the opposite of each of these truths. We are tempted to be timid and to blend into the godlessness of the world around us. We are tempted to treat others based on what we think of them or how much we like them or what they stand for. And, we are tempted to point to ourselves, and not to God. 

These words not only provide a good reminder for us today, they also are exactly what we see from Daniel in chapter 2. What Daniel does is show us an example of how to live faithfully to God under an ungodly government. We mentioned last weekend that throughout our study of the book of Daniel, we will see several examples of how believers are to operate when under the secular authority of godless rulers. We see a very clear example today, as well as some very practical attitudes from Daniel. Underneath everything we study today is the light of Jesus shining through His servant Daniel. We pray for God’s blessing and that we could say the same of our example today.

One attitude tool we see from Daniel is calm and patience in the midst of extreme trial and evil. This is the first time, that we know of, that Daniel’s life is threatened. Unlike some of the stories coming up, it’s not because Daniel is singled out for his faith. Nebuchadnezzar is overcome by the emotional stirring of his dream and he immediately wants answers from his wise men. Daniel and his three friends were part of this group through their training in the king’s house.

Now, the initial wise men are not being dishonest in their reaction to Nebuchadnezzar’s request, nor was the king necessarily foolish in demanding it. Nebuchadnezzar not only wanted an interpretation to the dream, he wanted a recap of the vision itself. Some think this was because Nebuchadnezzar had forgotten the details of the dream. More likely it was because he wanted to make sure he wasn’t being conned by one of the wise men. So, one might say the king is wise for demanding this, but one might also say the wise men are being fair in their complaint. They say in verses 10-11: “There is no person on earth who is able to reveal what the king wants. No great and powerful king has ever asked for a thing like this from any magician, spell caster, or astrologer. 11 The thing that the king is asking is difficult. There is no one who can reveal it to the king except the gods, who do not dwell with mortal flesh.”

They’re right, aren’t they? This saying, although unintended as such, provides a nice backdrop for the reality of the situation at hand. Truly, no earthly god could reveal such a matter. But, Daniel’s God was no earthly God. The king’s response to this complaint was to issue a death sentence for all the wise men in the kingdom – which would have included Daniel and his friends. Now, how would you have reacted to this kind of decree? There’s little doubt that we would be overcome with panic, fear, and perhaps delirium. However, we’re told that Daniel “responded with good judgment,” went to the chief executioner to get more information, sought the LORD’s counsel in prayer, and even consulted the king directly to request more time. These are not the actions of someone who is freaking out. Daniel is amazingly calm and reserved, certainly thinking clearly, for a person who has just been issued a death warrant.

Now one may retort by saying, “Of course Daniel would respond this way, he knew the dream and its meaning.” But, at this point Daniel didn’t know anything. The LORD had not yet chosen to reveal the meaning of the dream. In fact, that was the entire purpose of the prayer – to request that God would reveal the meaning. Daniel knew with absolute certainty that the LORD’s answer very well could have been no. And yet, Daniel remained patient, calm, and faithful. Why? Because He trusted in God’s plan, whether that meant life or death for Daniel.

These are powerful thoughts for our lives. Few of us could honestly say that we react with a similar measure of calm and faithfulness when confronted with much less severe situations. When we consider our reaction to government, authorities, and politics the thought hits even closer to home. We live in amazing prosperity, comfort, and protection as compared to Daniel. And yet, we are prone to running around in chaos like the sky is falling when things don’t go our way – especially when it comes to the state of the world around us. How rare it is to witness calmness under duress in this day and age!

We see this especially in a particularly divisive election year in our nation. People talk as is the outcome is going to either save or destroy our nation. There is no patience. There is no nuanced position. It is either extreme elation or disappointment depending on whether you get what you want. And sadly, there is no trust of God. How easily the light that Jesus talked about fails to shine through our lives. How quickly we turn to kings and princes of the earth to solve every problem, rather than the Creator of heaven and earth.

I would simply ask you to consider Daniel’s first practical attitude as you look at your heart. Bad leaders alone will not cast our world into chaos and destruction. Of greater effect than them are the Christians who live and act without a care or consciousness for God’s work – without trust in Jesus and a greater look to heaven than to the matters of this world.

The second practical attitude from Daniel is based on where he turned to for help. It was clear that human wisdom could not help in this situation. The wisest and most trusted advisors in Babylon didn’t even know where to begin to find an answer. In contrast, every action of Daniel pointed to the LORD. He began by turning to prayer and enlisting the help of Mishael, Hananiah, and Azariah. He continued by praising the LORD when an answer was revealed. He finished by deflecting the glory from himself to God alone. These are the marks of someone who is shining their light as Jesus taught.

Remember what Jesus Himself taught elsewhere. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12). This is parallel to the last verse of Matthew, with which we opened, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” The light we have comes only from Jesus. It is a product of faith – of trusting in Him as our Savior. We do not have it without Him. We cannot claim it by our works or effort, but only through His grace. It is the light that we first need before anyone else sees it through our lives.

Consider the familiar words we use often here when we confess our sins, 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Human effort and wisdom can do nothing against sin. It’s as powerless as the Babylonian mystics were to answer the king’s demand. Daniel knew this too because he had the same limitation. He said before the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about, no wise men, spell casters, magicians, or diviners are able to explain it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days.”

Daniel before had already confessed similarly in his song of praise, “May the name of God be blessed forever and ever, because wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and eras. He removes kings, and he brings kings to power. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have good judgment. 22 He reveals deep things and hidden things. He knows what is in the dark, and the light dwells with him.”

That was Daniel’s answer – There is a God. A God in heaven. A God who reveals mysteries. A God who gives wisdom to the ignorant. A God who shines light into the darkness. And, a God who redeems sinners. Because this was Daniel’s God, God used him to reveal the truth by letting the light of his faith shine. And through the same dream and interpretation, God pronounced through Daniel the Gospel message in Christ, who would usher in the eternal kingdom of God. In verse 44: In the days of those kings, the God of Heaven will establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another race of people. It will crush and put an end to all of these kingdoms, but it will stand forever.

Why do we live in fear of the kingdoms of this world? Daniel didn’t. He wasn’t so absorbed into the culture around him that lived as if all was lost, even if he didn’t get the leader that he wanted – and his life was at immediate risk. When people see your light – what source does it go back to? Is it bound up in your works? Does it praise and honor human virtue (even under the guise of faith and the Bible)? Is your light all about a political ideology? Listen to Daniel’s witness! The kingdom of Christ – established by the gospel word – will conquer all earthly kingdoms. Don’t put your hope and confidence in people, because there is a God who is in control, who preserves wisdom, and who saves sinners.

God would have us learn from this lesson to protect us in the spiritual climate of our day and age when so many tempt us to run to earthly rulers for help. There is a God who will never be defeated. He has a kingdom which will never end. May He be your sole hope and consolation in difficult days.

Amen.

Daniel 1 | September 6, 2020 | Pentecost 14

Highlighted Verses: Daniel 1:19-21 Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.

The context through which you see life greatly matters. That’s the opening theme as we begin our sermon series on the book of Daniel and as we focus on chapter 1 today. Consider these scenarios. If you only had bread and water to eat for each meal, you might think you were being deprived or you might be tempted to complain. But that’s because you see to situation from the context of normal life. If you changed scenes, your response would be different. For example, if you only had bread and water for every meal, within the context of a being stranded in the wilderness – I’d imagine you would be thankful, instead of prone to complaining – given the fact that you weren’t starving.

Take health issues as another example. No one, at any age, wants to experience disease or affliction of the body. But, the age of a person does change the way we view the situation. If a young person is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, we tend to see it as much more of a tragedy than if the person was 95 years old. In both cases, we value life, and we seek to stem diseases, but we react different based on the age, because with that change our experiences and perception change as well.

Or consider the weather. If you’re looking forward to having a picnic, you’ll be disappointed if it rains. But, if you’re in the midst of a drought, you’ll rejoice if it rains. Context matters to how we respond to situations.

This is something we’ll see throughout the entire book of Daniel, but we talk about it today because it’s really the focus of the first chapter. The context of Daniel’s life is very interesting and complex from the start. Daniel, and his three friends, were part of the first group of exiles that were taken away from Judah and sent to Babylon. In fact, these four young men were taken well before Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem.

Anyone going through that scenario would logically wonder, why me? And God tells us why. It was part of His will that Daniel, Mishael, Hananiah, and Azariah would be trained in the Babylonian culture and ascend to high positions within the nation. You see, while no nation enjoys being conquered by another, the Babylonians were not set on destroying Judah. Rather, they wanted to assimilate them into their own culture. It was the Babylonians’ intention to allow the people of Judah to live in their own land and continue their way of life, with a few exceptions of course. The Babylonians would take the best and brightest of each nation, and train them to become high ranking officials in their kingdom. In this way, the Babylonians would increase their power, wealth, and influence, and for the ancient world, this was really a new concept. This doesn’t excuse the Babylonian conquest as something noble, nor does it mean nothing bad ever happened to the exiled peoples. Jeremiah records in great detail about much of the pain and toil Judah would endure under this rule. But for Daniel and his friends, they had a pretty good life in Babylon.

So, the context matters to understand the nature of Daniel’s captivity. Yet, it was also the context that provided the first great test for these four men. The first story we’re told is about their diets. Part of the training they were to receive in the king’s court involved partaking of the edible delicacies of the Babylonian land. I’m sure we can imagine the great spread of food that would have been available, and it must have been attractive to a group of young men from an exiled land.

And yet, although the four men were strangers in this land, without any real power to speak of, they made a bold request to the king’s steward – that they would be allowed to refrain from eating meat and drinking wine. Why would the four men from Judah ask to only eat vegetables? Well, there were two primary reasons. First, the meat consumed on Babylonian tables was ceremonially unclean for Jewish people. From the time of Moses onward, God has strict and specific commands to His people about what was to eat. Daniel and his friends were raised to respect the LORD’s law. Second, the Babylonians had a tradition of connecting their feasts to the worship of their god – called Bel. We don’t know, within the words of the text, whether this was the case for Daniel and his friends, but it’s very likely that it would have been, especially when conducted in the king’s house. Whether or not idolatry was play we don’t know, but none of the men wanted to give the slightest indication of it in their lives.

It seems downright ridiculous to believe that these four men could make such a request and even be heard, let alone be granted what they asked. They had just arrived from a foreign land. They may have been training in the king’s court, but they were close to the lowest rung of Babylonian society. Not only that, the court official makes it clear that a change in their physical well-being could mean his own head. Why would he willingly go along with such a risky plan? Daniel gives the answer, writing that “God made the chief of the officials favorable and sympathetic toward Daniel.” The LORD was still in control and He was watching over the affairs of Daniel and his friends.

This is an important truth that must be affirmed in our lives also, especially as we consider the context of different situations. No matter what we face, the LORD is with us and is in control. It certainly didn’t seem that way for these young men of Judah, but it was, and they believed that it was. It was this confidence and trust in God that allowed to make such a bold request, and it was the LORD’s power that granted it.

As Daniel went on to record, the LORD proved that Daniel and his friends would be protected, as they not only were sustained through their vegetable diet, but they thrived. In addition to this, we’re told that “God gave them knowledge and insight into all kinds of literature, as well as wisdom,” and that “Daniel also understood every kind of vision and dream,” a truth that is going to be expanded upon as we continue this series. So as chapter 1 ends, we see Daniel, Mishael, Hananiah, and Azariah are excelling far above their peers and life is looking pretty good for them. As we know, there are more bumps in the road ahead, but the constant guidance and protection of the LORD remains with them.

What do we learn for our lives from this opening chapter? Well, as we think about context, we see that Daniel and his friends saw their context in light of God’s Word, not the other way around. They accepted the exile. They were okay with learning under the Babylonians. They were even okay with changing their names. But they would not accept breaking God’s restrictions – a matter that for them was God’s holy Word. When it came to the test of faith, they would not use the trials of their context to change the bigger context of God’s will. In other words, by faith, they submitted to God’s plan, instead of trying to forge their own way. As they grew and increased in knowledge, they used it to serve the LORD, not to detract from Him.

How many people can say the same today? It seems that people only need a mere taste of power, money, or wealth before they begin using those things against the LORD’s will. How well are we doing at curbing the passions of our hearts? We tell ourselves countless times over that if we just get what we want we’ll be satisfied, we’ll make more time for God, we’ll be better at helping others, we’ll stop indulging in that particular sin – yet we only spiral further downward. 

Even more pointed, are you willing to submit to the LORD’s plan? Do you display an attitude of trust that takes risks to stand for God’s truth? Or, do you follow the easier path of fitting into the culture around you, regardless of how godless it becomes? One thing we’re going to see a lot throughout the book of Daniel is the proper Christian response to ungodly rulers. Isn’t that an issue that is at the forefront of our lives today, as we consider how to live as Christians in a politically diverse and divisive nation? These are tough questions to consider and many of the same ones before us today.

Take to heart the lessons displayed here by Daniel and his friends. Conform your context to God’s, not the other way around. Too many Christians today allow media, friends, talking heads, and their pre-ordered political leanings to dictate what they believe about God, instead of allowing God to dictate His truth to the formation of their ideas, goals, opinions, and desires. 

Immediately, in chapter 1, these four believers were confronted with the same obstacle that we continue to face today. Do I follow God’s truth – even if the odds seem impossible, even if the issue seems unimportant, even if I have to deny myself? Or, do I tell God what I’m going to do? That’s the dividing line of context in our lives, just as it was for Daniel.

Now, these things are true because God is the Author of truth and our lives operate best when we follow the truth. That is logical and sensical. But, this is also true because it involves gospel truth. We opened by giving examples of how context matters. It matters to the way we process events and the meaning we attach to things. It matters to the opinions we form and the priorities we dictate. God’s Word tells us that we live in a context of salvation through Jesus. He redeemed us by shedding His blood. He became the embodiment of knowledge and wisdom from God. He removed all obstacles that we created by our sin. This is the context of our lives – right now. We stand cleansed of all filth by Christ.

God wants this most precious truth to shape the way we think, the way we handle His Word, the motives that enlighten our actions, and the agendas we choose to promote. Nothing we stand for should stand in the way of Jesus, our Savior. That was the contextual outcome for Daniel and his friends. No matter how enticing the new Babylonian pleasures and ways were, they could not stand in the way of God. This is the demonstrated faith we will continue to see through this book – faith that apprehended miracles and interpreted visions. And it’s the same faith you have today in Jesus. Amen.

Christian Education Sunday - 2 Peter 1:1-9 | August 30, 2020 | Pentecost 13

Theme: Christian Education as a Matter of Survival 

2 Peter 1:1-9: Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. (ESV)

Some of you may have seen the move Everest from 2015 or read the book which predated it. The tale chronicles the 1996 disaster on Mt. Everest when a team of climbers suffered adverse conditions, and many got stuck on the mountain. In all, 8 climbers lost their lives. The movie describes how one of the biggest elements to the ordeal was the loss of supplemental oxygen for the climbers who were descending from the peak. For one group, the oxygen tanks which they stashed for the return trip were only partially full. For others, the tanks froze over and could not be accessed at higher altitudes. No one knows for sure who was responsible for the issues that ensued, but the mistake surely played a major role in the disaster. 

Climbing to the top of Mt. Everest is clearly dangerous. One could fairly compare it to a survival situation, especially when problems develop. You probably can think of other well-known survival stories that come to mind. Some end well, some don’t. But one thing that all survival stories share is the need for adequate provisions. In the case of climbing Everest, a person needs the right gear – jacket, snow pants, gloves, rope, ice axe, and of course, oxygen. A mistake in any one of these provisions can prove deadly.   

In the middle of our text for today, Peter speaks of supplementing our daily walk of faith with certain provisions. The scene that Peter depicts is hardly one of survival, yet we know that faith in Jesus is a matter of life and death. Likewise, the domains of Christian education – church, home, and school, hardly appear to be realms of survival. Yet, when we consider the hostile war that sin wages in our hearts, we clearly see that they really are.  

To help us along the way, God provides gifts that supplement our faith. They strengthen and encourage it. The protect it against danger. They help us survive until we reach heaven. Peter tells us in verses 1-4 where these gifts come from – the gospel of Jesus Christ - what Jesus did for us in His grace and mercy. Verse 4 reads, by which Jesus has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 

Because we have Jesus to rely on, we can have confidence that God will supplement our faith with these provisions, and that they will stand the test of helping us get through this life on our way to heaven. 

What does this have to do with Christian Education? Well, this is the forum through which we use these provisions and share them with others. As we point out often, Christian education involves far more than just our school here at Redemption. We may see our school as the natural face of education here, which fits. It’s also true that the Bible gives special priority to training children in God’s truth, and the school operates primarily to fulfill this mission in our midst. 

Yet, Christian education must take place in many other forums of life as well. Parents need to be active in instructing and reinforcing the Word of God at home. Without parents on board, pastors and teachers will accomplish very little, and whatever is taught at church or school will quickly be undone. Children need to assume responsibility as they grow and mature. We speak of Confirmation age as the time when children take ownership of their faith and confession. This is a high and important calling. And adults need to take their own faith seriously. This is perhaps the hardest area of Christian education because it’s a matter of personal responsibility. Children are led to the Word by their parents. But adults must make that choice for themselves and appreciate the importance of continuing to study the Word and grow in these areas.  

It’s well documented by both experience and data, that the early periods of adulthood are the most vulnerable to one’s faith. The need is there to take responsibility in making time for God’s Word, much like taking provisions on a survival expedition;, but far too often young adults feel impervious and invincible to spiritual dangers. This attitude is akin to scaling Mt. Everest without respecting the danger. Don’t do it! Don’t succumb to this thinking! Take time to encourage fellow Christians who are in danger! We need to approach our faith like it’s a matter of survival, because it is. 

In order to appreciate Christian education, we need to look beyond the classroom or the Sunday School room. Consider the provisions that God lists through Peter:

• Virtue: “moral excellence” (contrast: self-expression)

• Knowledge: not only to know information, but to use it wisely (contrast: making decisions based on personal feeling)

• Self-control: to exercise complete control over one's desires and actions (contrast: desire and lust)

• Perseverance: capacity to continue to bear up under difficult circumstances. (contrast: impatience and unfaithfulness) attention spans

• Godliness: appropriate beliefs and expression related to God (contrast: worldliness, idolatry)

• Brotherly kindness: Affection for fellow believers (contrast: anger, disregarding the importance of church)

• Love: self-sacrificial care that models Christ (contrast: hate, or any product of unbelief)

Look at the world around us. Where do we see a lack of these provisions? It’s typically in adults, not children. And when children suffer in these areas, it’s usually by association to an adult in their lives. How many of these provisions are cherished in the world today? You might think that most are, but ponder the opposite for a moment and that may give you a different outcome. [go through list again].

Just within the last year, we have seen a monumental rise in hate, anger, self-expression, worldliness and impatience. Idolatry and unfaithfulness have been around for a long time, and continue to grow in popularity. Listen to the news or look online, and it seems like people have forgotten how to speak respectfully and kindly to one another. Cities in our nation are occupied by mobs and riots. Businesses are torched and looted. The poor continue to be forsaken in the wake of greed. Stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues are skyrocketing. If an image could be given to describe our world it would be an exhausted, weary, and near-to-death wanderer in the wilderness.

These are life-giving promises from God, just as Peter writes. We need this reminder that God supplements our faith – for our survival, and He does this through our gracious Savior Jesus. The chief of all gifts that Christ extends is forgiveness to sinners – what He described as the water of life and the bread of life. This is exactly what weary travelers need, but God tells us He offers even more. Virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These are not old, traditional, hokey Christian concepts – they are necessary provisions for survival.  

If you’re wondering why Christian educaiton is important – look around you in the world. Turn on the news. Read the paper. Peruse your outlet of choice on the internet. We are desperate people – all of us. We are struggling to survive. And God gives us the greatest gifts imaginable – for free. Let’s use them. Let’s teach children about science, math, language, social studies, history, AND God in our Christian day school. Let’s make use of Bible studies at church and gathering regularly for Word and Sacrament. Let’s make those things a priority in our lives – putting them at the top of the list. If distractions come our way, let us move those things aside in favor of God, instead of always moving God aside in favor of them. Let us keep the light of the Word burning brightly in our homes. Let us live that Word by thought, voice, and action. Let us be role models for children – especially our children. 

We talk about Christian education in school, church, and home. But I’d propose a fourth arena – society. These provisions exist there too. It may be more challenging in a pluralistic culture to share the Christian faith – but it’s not impossible. It we see hurt and divisiveness in the world, why not offer the “one thing needed” according to the Savior Himself? Maybe the lack of these supplements in our world has something to do with the unwillingness of Christians like us to express them in our lives and to share them with our neighbors. Should we be surprised to see the world spiraling into chaos when cynicism, skepticism, and unbelief of God’s Word predominate? 

The world around us may seem worse off than ever before. We may begrudge the year 2020 on several levels. But it’s never within our faith to despair because God always sustains us. We each know the peril and struggle. We have faced sin of our own just as much as the most unholy person who can imagine. There is only one hope for survival - May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.

Christian education is our high and holy privilege to use God’s truth and to share it with the world. At a time when people are desperate for meaning and hope, let us do that with joy and faithfulness. 

Amen. 

God's Abundant Mercy | August 23, 2020 | Pentecost 12

Theme: The Sunshine of God’s Mercy

1. It uplifts the weary soul

2. It breaks through the fog of skeptics

LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger. Do not discipline me in your wrath. 2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am fading away. Heal me, LORD, for my bones are trembling, 3 and my soul is terrified. But you, O LORD—how long? 4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver my soul. Save me because of your mercy.

5 For in death no one remembers you. In the grave who praises you? 6 I am worn out from my groaning. I flood my bed all night long. With my tears I drench my couch. 7 My eyes are blurred by sorrow. They are worn out because of all my foes.

8 Turn away from me, all you evildoers, because the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD accepts my prayer.

10 They will be put to shame. All my enemies will be terrified. They will turn back.

This last week, my family and I went on a short camping trip. Our campsite was located in a small valley with a river between two larger hills. One thing I found interesting was that in the morning, there was always a thick mist covering the valley. It looked like a band of smoke across the entire valley floor. However, once the sun made it over the hills, the mist would quickly dissipate. One morning I head into a town to the East which was only a couple of miles away. Already there, the sun was on full display and it felt like completely different place. But no matter how cold the mornings began, or how much mist covered the area, the sun would eventually come out and clear it away.

This is the way that David portrays the work of the LORD’s mercy in this psalm. He speaks of it like the sun that clears away the fog of sin and unrighteousness. Life can feel like living in a valley. In one area everything seems to be great and fine, the sun is out and shining and the weather is perfect. At other times, it can feel like we’re caught in the cold and damp shadows of the hills around us, and the fog above keeps us from seeing things for what they really are.  

In terms of his plight, David speaks of two areas. First, he recognizes his own failures before God and the need to be forgiven. Second, he speaks of those who mock God and despise David’s faith. Like David, we suffer in these same two ways, and today, through God’s Word, we see the power of His mercy in addressing both.

David begins by talking about his own personal sins. As the psalm opens, it’s clear that guilt lies heavy on David’s heart. He speaks as a man who has no other hope in life – talking about the LORD’s wrath and anger, describing his life as fading away, his bones as trembling, and his soul as terrified. David is truly conscious of the just consequences of his sins, and he knows that he cannot turn to himself for help.

But in a surprising twist, David is bold in turning to the LORD for help. The opening verses of the psalm are filled with pleas to God for deliverance. David calls to the LORD: be merciful to me, heal me, turn to me, deliver me, and save me. It’s interesting to note these two ways that David speaks of his own sins – first, admitting his shame, guilt, and hopelessness; and second, calling to, and almost demanding that the LORD help.

This response to sin makes no sense to human nature. If we are guilty and justly condemned before God, we have no right to plead and even demand that He help us. Those who are guilty do not get to call the shots. Yet, this is exactly what God wants us to do. In another Psalm (50:15), the writer quotes God as saying, “Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.” Jesus says in Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” And Peter encourages Christians to “cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1Pe 5:7) 

This is an amazing feature of the LORD’s mercy. It allows us, even exhorts us, to come to God for help, healing, and forgiveness when we don’t deserve it. From the standpoint of human nature, we tend to believe that there are times when we deserve things before God and times when we don’t. So often, people think that if you’ve been good enough (maybe not perfect) but good, then you can get something from God. But if you’re a hardened sinner – a bad person in the eyes of the world (think of some of the most heinous sins that people despise today) then you can’t receive any help from God.

But the true reality as God describes it in His Word is that we’re all equally guilty and deserving of punishment. We all stand condemned, without any other options, and underserving of God’s mercy. But, because of the work of Christ on our behalf, we can call to God for help. We can trust and believe that no matter what we have done in the past, His mercy is always promised to sinners. So, the sunshine of that mercy in Jesus, which uplifts the burdened sinner, is not about good people vs. bad people; it’s only about repentant sinners who trust in Jesus for forgiveness. That is always something we don’t deserve, but also always something that God continually offers freely.

Think of the sinful woman from our Scripture reading. Wasn’t that lesson an exact example of what we’re describing here? She was told by the people around her, especially her religious leaders, that she was too far gone for God’s mercy. She didn’t deserve it. She had done too many bad things. She was the kind of sinner that the world around her despised most deeply. And yet Jesus told her she was not beyond His mercy. In fact, she was in a better and safer place than those who stood by and condemned her, because she was no longer trusting in herself. David was in the very same spot in this psalm. Although the opening verses graphically portray his guilt and shame, they are even more so a testament to His Savior’s enduring mercy, and therefore, they beautifully depict the sinner’s hope.

This wasn’t the only connection between David and that sinful woman, either. David, too, had to deal with the accusations of his peers. The second half of the psalm reads, 8 Turn away from me, all you evildoers, because the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD accepts my prayer. 10 They will be put to shame. All my enemies will be terrified. They will turn back.

It’s sad that God has given people the miraculous ability to uplift and bring joy to others by speaking of His mercy in Christ, but so often people instead use their words to pick others apart and destroy. David wrestled with this, as many people around him scoffed at the idea that God would forgive him. Maybe they didn’t believe in God. Maybe they thought what David had done was too horrible. Whatever the case, their words were not only blatant lies, but extremely harmful. The same is true of the woman’s situation. Imagine what would have happened to her if Jesus had not been present to set the record straight. It’s likely she would have been led to ultimate despair about her sins – almost like living under the shadow of a fog and being tempted to believe the sun no longer exists.

That’s the foolishness of unbelief – it denies reality. Many people refuse to believe in God because they think He is not real, that mercy in Jesus is a non-credible source of hope. But, time and time again, through both the testimony His Word, and the examples of past sinners (like David and this woman) God shows how real His mercy is. It’s like living under the sun, enjoying all of its benefits like warmth, the potential for growth, and light, but then denying that it truly exists. Just because the mist of guilt is present in certain seasons of life does not mean the sun ceases to exist. Quite the opposite really. The times of fog are themselves a testament to the necessity of the sun. Likewise, our guilt and shame over our sins is not evidence that God is a myth. Rather, they are further proof that our greatest joy and fulfillment in life can only be given by Him. God uses guilt over sin to drive us to find rest in His waiting arms of grace. Without clouds from time to time, would we really appreciate the sun? In the same way, without the consequences of our sins on our hearts, would we really trust in our Redeemer?

So, as we see how the dark times of life do not nullify the existence and the mercy of God, so also we see more into the rationale behind God’s wrath. David openly confesses that the LORD was angry with him. Part of David’s fear went back to the LORD’s wrath, which David knew and believed was holy in its origin. In this lesson, God is also helping us understand the same thing about our faith.

When you think of the skeptic’s argument against God, the nature of God’s wrath and justice becomes one of their biggest talking points. It is considered dated and irrelevant, sometimes even harmful, to teach that God judges sinners or that God is angry over sin. We hear today the reverberating themes in our society that God is only love, that He never judges, that He accepts all people as they are. These are eternal lies from Satan meant to steer you away from Christ.

The truth that is healthy is sometimes hard to accept. God is angry over sin. God does hate your transgressions before His immutable law. You should be afraid of God if you live in defiance of His commands. David was one of the most righteous people in the Bible and he believed these truths. And through them he was led to hope. Because, God does want sinners to change. God judges not just to condemn, but also to put Satan and his lies in check. God loves, not to have you live as you please, but to have the difficult conversations with you that come from a person who truly has your best interests in mind. Satan will not care for you life this. The world, and the skeptics in it, do not love you in such a way. Only God’s mercy in Christ is appropriate to describe such compassion.

And so, despite the lies of the world, David stands firm with the conviction of faith that God has answered his pleas – not because David proved himself well enough. David was a broken man. His confidence was in Jesus, because David didn’t stray from the truth of God’s path in the tough times, when the fog prevailed. And in due time, the sun arose and dispelled the lies and the myths. So, David echoed the LORD’s response to his pleas of mercy: The LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD accepts my prayer.

No one is too far gone from the LORD’s mercy in Christ Jesus. But sometimes that means hearing what you don’t want to, and what the world hates. Sometimes that means waiting with patience for God to shine that mercy into the situation of your life. No matter what you encounter in the world, or what you bring upon yourself through your own sins, God is abundant with forgiveness through Jesus. And everything He does for you is meant to bring you closer to that reality and to establish your trust in that most important hope. God grant us patience, humility, and faith to trust in the mercy that only Christ can give. Amen. 

VBS 2020 Recap | August 16, 2020 | Pentecost 11

Theme: I Believe that Jesus is My Lord

1. Who He is and What He does

2. What it means to believe in Him

John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

This past week we had VBS, but as it is with many things in the world today, it had to be different. Our VBS series was entirely online, and it’s still on our website for those who missed it last week – I’d encourage you to check out our series – adults can probably learn a lot from it too.

One of the things we love most about VBS is spending time with the little kids. Every year, it’s fun to see how inquisitive, unique, and spontaneous they are. You have to be ready with little kids because you never quite know how they’ll respond to something. I missed that about our online VBS this year, as I’m sure many of you can think of things you miss about seeing people face-to-face and spending time with them. God-willing, we can return to normal VBS next year.

But despite the format we had, I still had some interesting conversations with my own kids. One example of that – on the last day of VBS we studied the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. After the lesson, I looked at Lukas’ picture of Jesus and asked him who it was. “Jesus” he said. Good, then I asked Lukas, “What did Jesus do?” He stared at the picture of His Savior on the cross and he said, “He died for my sins.” Good, finally I asked, “Lukas, is Jesus still dead?” He replied with a quick, “Yep.” Well, I thought, we were 2 for 3, not bad for a 3-year-old.

As amazing as it is what a little child can retain and learn, sometimes you just don’t quite know what they’re going to say. But that’s part of the process right? Today, we follow our custom of recapping the VBS week in our Sunday service. Our series this year was “I believe in Jesus as my Lord.” Each story focused on an important part of Jesus’ life and work as our Lord and Savior. Although our series was all about what Jesus did, with good reason, we kept a little question in the back of our minds throughout the week too. That question was, “What does it mean to believe in Jesus – for Him to be my Lord?”

That question is just as important as anything about what Jesus did, because many people know what Jesus did, but they don’t know what it means for them, or how to believe in Jesus. Now, considering these questions, you might think we’ve drifting from VBS lessons to the existential questions of Christianity. These questions involve some of the most pondered sentiments in our faith that have been debated over and studied by philosophers and scholars from the beginning of time.

And yet, we answered both questions this week – who is Jesus and what does it mean to believe in Him? We answer these questions by using the simple and clear Word of God. We did it in such a way that a 3-year-old could confess Jesus as his Lord and Savior. We did it in a way that the youngest among us can sleep soundly at night with full assurance that they have a home in heaven. How did we do this? It’s not a testament to our ministry or skills, but it’s the reality of using the Word of God as He has presented it to us. And for children, that comes quite naturally. They believe. They trust. They rely on those who are stronger and more powerful than they are. And that’s why children are the model and example for all of us.

The passage before us today summarizes God’s answer to both of those questions, and also provides a nice summary of our VBS week. And on top of that, it’s perfectly suited for young children. The imagery of Jesus as the Vine and believers as branches is one of the easiest to understand in the entire Bible. And it’s a good thing too, because what God teaches through this image is the most important piece of information in the history of the world. With this one passage, Jesus tells us who He is and what it means to believe in Him. May God give each of us a childlike faith to accept and trust His Words before us today.

1) Who Jesus is and What Jesus does

Who is Jesus and what did He do that was so important. Well, as it is with many people, their reputation follows their name. We identify people by their names, and with that comes indications of what we can learn about them. Sometimes those names because titles because they are so closely connected with what a person does. God designed this same feature into the way that He described His Son in His Word. Every name of Jesus indicates also what He does.

And so, we see the name Jesus gives to Himself in this passage – the Vine. The Vine always has a relationship to the branches, and then consequently also to the fruit. We’ll consider that thought a bit more as we get into part two, what it means to believe in Jesus. But, for this first part – who Jesus is, the image of the Vine always teaches us something important about Him, namely that we are connected to Him. Jesus became one of us through His incarnation – the fancy term for Him taking on a human body. Now, that idea isn’t all that strange – everyone of us is born with a body, it’s quite a normal thing for humans.

But this was special for Jesus because He is also God. A human with a body is ordinary – God with a body is unbelievable – it’s miraculous. And yet, to be connected to us in such a way as to give us spiritual life, Jesus had to become like us in every way. He had to allow us to become branches grafted into the Him, the Vine, by faith. We were not able to rise to His level, whether it be in righteousness or in being, and so He came to us.

Now, within the very same thought we also see Jesus’ divinity as God. In order to be the life-giving support system for our faith, He also has to be the one, perfect God. In terms of the birth of Jesus, which we covered on day 1 of VBS, we might think of Isaiah’s prophecy of the Savior, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Again, the names of Jesus also tell us about what He did. When He is given the name, Immanuel, meaning “God with us” it shows that the Savior to come for humanity had to be fully God. This part of Christ’s nature was also integral to His work of giving us life.

And so, as Jesus finishes the illustration in John 15, He reminds the listener that anyone disconnected from the Vine withers away and perishes. In our verse Jesus says that no one can produce any fruit – to do one good and righteous thing – apart from Jesus. Jesus isn’t speaking here of ceasing to be human when He warns of being disconnected from the Vine. These statements are not in terms of His humanity or how our humanity is affected by unbelief. Rather, Jesus is speaking of His creative work as God and how our spiritual lives are lost without Him. So, within this simple verse we have nice summary of the person and work of Jesus as our Lord.

2) What it means to believe in Him

Moving on to the second question – what does this verse say about what it means that Jesus is your Lord – or in other words, to believe in Him? To answer, we recognize a feature of Scripture that is at work in this verse. Here’s what that feature is: What we know and believe about our lives comes from what God reveals about Himself. To put this another way – God’s truth applies to our lives. So, in action, the best thing we can do to understand ourselves, especially with respect to God, is to determine the effect of what He says about Himself to our lives. In order to do this, we need to track the same points that we discussed in seeing who Jesus is and what Jesus does.

In simple terms, because Jesus became Man, what He does applies to you. And because Jesus is God, He is sufficient and able to take care of every need you have. These are truths, and they are important, but they don’t quite help us learn what it means to believe in Jesus. We find this point out by looking more directly at the illustration, but keep in mind that this illustration is built of those two basic points about Jesus.

So, when taking the illustration of Jesus to heart, and applying that truth to our lives, we see these clear facts:

·       Spiritual life only comes through Jesus.

·       If I disconnect from Jesus, I wither and die spiritually.

·       I can only produce fruits of faith (think, thoughts and actions verified to be done in true righteousness before God) through Jesus. 

·       Faith is a living and active relationship with Jesus – He says that “He is in the believer and the believer is in Him.”

These basic applications, all from our single verse of Scripture, give us a picture into what it means to believe in Jesus. But, part of the confusion is also because there are many false ideas out in the world today – so let’s apply these applications to those.

·       Faith is not my work. At no point in the continuum of faith, from beginning to end, am I the active force. In fact, I am passive, as passive as a branch and a piece of fruit is in relation to the Vine. The word passive does not mean dead, it simply means you are not the cause.

·       This also applies to my thoughts, my freedom, and my will. I cannot choose Jesus. Faith is not making a decision for Christ. There is a knowledge to faith. Faith is certainly not rejecting Jesus. And through faith I can understand things about Jesus, but this wisdom is founded on the Word of God, is taught by the Holy Spirit, and is produced by God.  

·       Anyone can have faith. If believing in Jesus is not about our works or our will, then it’s not dependent on our age, gender, race, experiences, feelings, or intuition. We think specifically here of little children, even infants, since many churches today teach that they cannot really believe in Jesus. Again, trusting the straightforward words of Jesus keeps it simple. To believe in Him is to be connected to Him. He can make that possible and He promises to when the gospel is given in Word and Sacrament.

·       To believe in Jesus also means to obey Jesus. The branch does not seek to become the vine. We cannot tolerate any religion or teaching that claims that Jesus is not the only true Savior. As it concerns our human relationships, we cannot love others while supporting their unbelief or false notions about Jesus – no matter what society tells us about diversity and tolerance.  

·       As a summary of all these points, perhaps the best way to describe believing in Jesus is that it means we are with Him. That seems like such a simple thing, but it’s not when you consider our situation. We are born into this world without knowing Jesus. He knows us but we are not with Him, in terms of the illustration, we are stray branches – lost and disconnected from the one true Vine.

The miracle of God’s grace is that Jesus overcame the obstacles that keep us from being with Him. He leveled the valleys and demolished the mountains that kept us from Him. He did that by standing in our place and keeping the demands of justice that hung on our shoulders. He made the payment for our sins, by offering the human body that He took in our place. All of this – so that we could be with Him, and to believe that is to have faith – to have Jesus as your Lord. 

James 1:21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you.

So when you get down to it, this really is a message for children. Because there’s no better example of helpless individuals who need someone greater and stronger to provide for them – than a little child. And that’s what we are with Jesus – thanks be to Him for His love. Amen. 

 

Anxiety and Worry - Pentecost 10 - August 9, 2020

Theme: God Speaks to Worry and Anxiety

Luke 12:32-34 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

There’s a catch-22 in our text today. A catch-22 is a moniker for a paradoxical dilemma where two situations contradict. In simpler terms, a catch-22 is a lose-lose position. No matter what you do, both routes before you lead to the same conclusion.

The “you” in this scenario is God. What He teaches in our text is difficult to accept – to say the least. It seems as if God puts Himself in a catch-22. On the one hand, the immediate words of these verses stand true. God tells us “Do not fear.” We think of this phrase as encompassing the love and compassion of God, and the Scriptures testify in many places to this very truth.

But on the other hand, if we continue in the context of Luke 12, Jesus will soon say (v.48), From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Step back and recognize the theme of this section and you’ll understand what I’m getting at. The context is on the Final Day of the Lord’s judgment – of all people; a day that is completely unknown to us and a day on which our sins and limitations will be laid bare. And yet, Jesus says, “Do no fear.”

This is the catch-22 in the eyes of our human understanding. How can God comfort us while also warning us of a day of final reckoning? Indeed, for many, this is the very contradiction that causes them to deny Jesus. Human reason says, what kind of person would believe in and trust a God who says such things? He tells you, don’t worry, but then also says, much will be required of you.

Maybe you don’t struggle with this supposed contradiction. Maybe you have more Scriptural knowledge to shed light on why God presents these two truths – for there is certainly a further explanation of both in the Bible, and questions can be answered if people are willing to dig deep enough.  

But it’s more what this example represents that we find troubling and difficult. Because, even if you don’t struggle to understand God’s divine mercy when compared with God’s divine justice – if you walk long enough with Him by faith you’re bound to encounter many similar catch-22’s that will eventually prick your conscience. How could it be any different? God is God, we are human. No matter how sensible He seems to us, there will be plenty of differences that make us wonder, question, and even shutter. Perhaps we seek to avoid those unpleasant confrontations because they shock our core a bit too much. But, no one can avoid them – it is the result of the divine interacting with the mortal.

There is an underlying catch-22 at the root of all these situations, and it’s our focus of study today. In summary it is this: people want God to address the problems they face, but people also complain about how God addresses them. Consider this in the context of Judgment Day. Anyone who has a shred of moral fiber in their being wants God to condemn wickedness and correct injustice. How often we hear the cry of people fighting injustice today – it’s certainly not something that has gone out of style. People demand this because God created us as moral beings. We know that the world, and human nature, is not complete without justice.

So, God addresses injustice. He demands holiness. He punishes wickedness. He disciplines the wayward. He sets up safeguards in His Word. He even enacted the full payment of injustice from His own holy Son on the cross. So, you’d think mankind would be eternally grateful. Not so much – people are not satisfied with God’s work. People want God to do things their way. And people really don’t like it when God tells them that they’ve been part of the problem – when His righteous justice zeros in on their lives. So, God provides a solution to our pressing need, but we’re not satisfied with it. This is the catch-22.

Now at this point you might object. You might say, yes pastor, you chose your words wisely – it’s the world that does this. See, I’m different. I follow God. I come to church. I make time for Him. I am willing to be faithful to God even to death. This is not my problem. We like to think in such ways, don’t we? It eases the pain and guilt that we carry because of our sins. But, this is not just some problem “out there” in the world. It’s in here too (the heart). In fact, God says if we think we aren’t part of the problem, then we deceive ourselves, the truth is not in us, we are walking in darkness, and we have even made God a liar – because He says this is a problem with everyone.

These are the thoughts swirling around our text today. What hope is there? Jesus says, “Do not fear.” You know, that idea of fear presents a unique challenge doesn’t it – its own catch-22 of sorts. In the preceding verses Jesus condemns trust in earthly goods and He encourages believers to trust God in all things. That sounds straightforward right? But, what does that trust involve? Jesus says, “Do not worry.” “Do not seek food or drink.” “Think not of clothing or possessions.” “Do not be anxious in your heart.” “Don’t make money more important than faith.” “Be rich toward God.” On the surface, trusting Gods sounds easy, but these are the more specific activities of faith that we don’t like so much.

We have our own catch-22 going on. We want to claim to follow God, but we also don’t want to fully devote ourselves to what that means. We want a little of both. “God, be with me, guide me, and protect me – but let me have all the answers my heart desires and keep my life comfortable.” Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. The life of faith is one that pushes away from earthly and human influence, and directs us to Godly influence. Jesus summarized the thought well in our text: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Aren’t we tempted to live in this catch-22 especially with worry and anxiety? We plead to God for help, but we resist the help that God gives – because He’s pushing us from earthly influences to Godly influences. It’s become so offensive in our world to tell someone they shouldn’t worry – to essentially share the very words of Jesus in this text. When we hear Jesus say those simple words, “Do not worry,” how quickly the defenses erupt in our hearts.

·       I have a right to worry.

·       You don’t know about my life.  

·       It’s not that simple.

·       I have anxiety because of past trauma.

·       It’s not a choice, it’s a medical condition.

·       It’s not as easy as saying, “Don’t worry.”  

How quickly we take the simple message of God – meant to ease our burdened hearts, and we turn it into a statement we loathe with the deepest contempt – the same root catch-22 at work. We all know how easily these defense responses can arise in our hearts. When a Christian offers the words of Jesus, it’s not because he or she never worries or that he or she has overcome all struggle with fear or anxiety. We all taste fear in life – and that’s exactly why Jesus spoke these words.

Think how often you have heard people speculate, or perhaps you have thought yourself, that God simply doesn’t approach some issues. Modern problems. Real-life scenarios. Today’s issues. We hear people say, the Bible is ancient wisdom. It’s abstract. It’s general, not specific. It was written for people long ago, not me today. So, people believe that with a modern ailments like anxiety, worry, and fear, the Bible isn’t equipped to address them. It doesn’t incorporate modern philosophies of the human condition. It’s not based on the empirical evidence. This is part of the catch-22, God provides healing, but the world doesn’t like it – and it tries to drag us along with the same thoughts.

Jesus is not saying “Do not fear” because He’s out of touch with the reality of your life, or because He’s trying to judge you or to shame you into trusting more. The natural reaction of defensiveness that says, “What do you want me to do – just choose to be better?!” is exactly that – a reaction. Jesus is not instructing you to simply pull yourself up and stop worrying. He knows that will only spiral further down into deeper despair. His sole intention here is to point you away from yourself and more to Him. And the same is true when a fellow Christian shares these words. They are not a judgment. They are not a moral chastisement. Rather, they are a beacon of hope. What will be better for the person who struggles with anxiety, than to be drawn closer to Jesus?

Jesus is offering a treatment for worry and anxiety here. We’ve talked about Judgement Day, but these are the core issues in the heart. His treatment is the best – it always works, it covers every issue, it can accomplish so much more than any earthly method. And yet, it’s often the last choice we seek.

Why do we do this? Probably because it calms our hearts to some extent. When you can avoid something difficult or hard to understand, it doesn’t bother you. Simple. But, when that difficult thing is also the truth, suppressing it eventually causes more problems. Jesus is not telling you to buck up, or to get over yourself, or to try harder – whether it be a single issue like anxiety or an eternal issue like judgment. In fact, Jesus directs you to the exact opposite of anything about yourself. He tells you to lose yourself when confronted with anxiety and worry. He implores you to set aside your ideas and pre-conceptions about the Final Day. Instead, Jesus says, “Do not fear,” and here’s the key, “for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” 

That’s Jesus’ treatment for fear, anxiety, and judgment. This is the truth that shatters the catch-22 that you place on God. You are safe, you are healed, you are protected, because God the Father looks at you with tender love and good pleasure. You are accepted into God’s kingdom – now and in eternity. Not because you overcame anything on your own. Not because you escaped this wretched world unscathed. Not because you changed your mental outlook. Not because you are better or different than any other miserable struggling person in this world. Only because of God’s love for you – a love that manifested itself in Jesus taking on every affliction, torment, and disease of mind, body, and soul on Himself so that nothing could keep you from His kingdom anymore.

God put the rending of the catch-22 more simply in: Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. Don’t fall for the false belief that God’s solutions aren’t possible, relevant, or trustworthy. His truth and wisdom is always sound for your life. Strengthened by our heavenly Father’s good pleasure, may we be led to invest in heavenly treasures by faith – in Jesus’ name. Amen.