Psalm 47 | December 6, 2020 | Advent 2

Peace Comes at a Cost

• ·       God Subdues the Nations
• ·       Only Two Sides Exist

Psalm 47: O Clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy. 2 For the LORD Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth. 3 He subdues peoples under us, And nations under our feet. 4 He chooses our inheritance for us, The glory of Jacob whom He loves. Selah. 5 God has ascended with a shout, The LORD, with the sound of a trumpet. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; Sing praises to our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with a skillful psalm. 8 God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. 9 The princes of the people have assembled themselves as the people of the God of Abraham; For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.

When you think about themes around Christmas time, peace is right at the top of the list. But even something as simple sounding as peace can be spoken of differently depending on the person. What do we mean by peace at Christmas time?

I think it’s safe to assume that most people mean world peace – that being peace among peoples and nations on earth. Peace in this sense would mean the absence of conflict, war, and anger. This kind of peace may be a noble goal but it’s hardly close to a reality. The more educated and sophisticated humanity becomes, the more that insight it put into finding new ways to get what is wanted and to hurt others if necessary. More lives have been taken in conflicts since the dawn of the 20^th century than at any other point in history. Yet, we are regularly conditioned to accept that the more progressive and enlightened society becomes, the closer we come to achieving peace.

Others who speak of peace at Christmas time mean something more generic than world peace. Some take the concept of peace and make it more abstract, more of an idea in your mind that settles your heart, without attaching any specific thing or action to it. But what good is peace if it’s just an idea? Doesn’t there have to be a certain amount of reality behind the peace that we desire?

These cheaper imitations of the true peace of Christmas are popular because part of the challenge that we face is a lack of desire to truly understand what it takes to have real peace. This could apply to world peace, but we’re looking past this world into the things of God. To have divine peace, harmony with one’s Creator, is really what the peace of Christmas is about. We connect this peace with Christmas because it was for this peace that Jesus came and was born into this world. Jesus clearly did not bring an end to earthly conflict among peoples’ and nations when He was born. Jesus also intended something much more real and meaningful than a different mental outlook on life. Jesus came to destroy sin and death – not just as an idea, but as a tangible threat to our eternal futures. Sin destroys and fractions wherever it exists. This is reality. There are direct consequences. We have to live, everyday, with the tragic results of sin’s existence in this world. Sin is what makes world peace in an earthly sense impossible.

So, why wouldn’t the entire world beat the doors down to get this peace from Jesus? Because we who are in the world are part of the problem. And when you’re part of the problem, you naturally do not want to be honest about what it takes to achieve a solution to the problem. That’s why people aren’t lining the streets today reciting Psalm 47. In these words, God describes the cost of true peace through Jesus Christ. And it’s not the typical Christmas message we’re used to hearing around this time of year. It’s a message of power. A battle cry in the midst of conflict. A declaration of God as almighty and Lord of heaven and earth.    

What makes this psalm the atypical message of peace is because it portrays how peace is achieved. Peace came at a cost. We see that first come out in this psalm as God speaks of reigning over the nations. It’s hard to imagine a word more different from peace than “subdue.” Subduing brings to mind holding others back. It’s a word that heightens the power differential between two individuals or groups. Peace makes us think of equality. Subdue makes us think of inequality. But for peace to exist through Jesus, the nations of the earth needed to be subdued under God’s power.

What’s interesting about this word for “subdue” is that the basic meaning in Hebrew is “to speak.” The passage is literally saying that God “speaks” the nations down under the power of His people. In the Old Testament, God’s people were obviously the Israelites. We see how the words of this Psalm applied in a literal sense to the conquest of Canaan, when God allowed His people to subdue the foreign nations. But that was not allowed by God because of some worldly nationalistic pride, or because Israel proved to be a better nation than the others. God’s allowance of this power difference was solely to provide an avenue for the Anointed One, the Messiah, to be born of the nation of Israel.

Truly, if you track the nation of Israel’s history throughout the Bible, you’ll find that they were often the ones who were subdued. But despite the ups and downs, God remained faithful in His promise, first to Adam and Eve, and second to Abraham, and then to all humanity, that a Savior would be born of the nation of Israel. Spiritually speaking, for peace to come from Jesus, the evil and wickedness of the heathen nations needed to be put in check. This battle continues to this day. It’s not about the nation of Israel anymore, they served their purpose in God’s plan. Now, it’s about the real estate of a person’s heart – of you and God. Peace by faith cannot exist if sin still has dominion over a person. Only Christ can subdue that enemy.

When we understand the spiritual side of this Psalm, we see not only where we fit into the picture, but also why we have a unique and powerful peace from Jesus. The battle that was portrayed in a literal sense through Israel’s conquest as a nation, is now carried on by believers and continues to be blessed by the same almighty and eternal God in a spiritual sense. Biblical imagery in the Old Testament often follows this pattern. There was an intended meaning for the original audience in the Old Testament, but also a future meaning for believers of all time. This is the Holy Spirit’s handiwork upon the text. The sons of Korah themselves could only speak to their generation. The Holy Spirit alone is able to impart truth to all of God’s people – the universal Church.

So, the Spirit-intended meaning as it concerns our lives is about the battle that continues until time on this earth ends. We praise the LORD with shouts of joy because He reigns over this battle. We strive and we fight, but the peace that Jesus brought to earth extends over the entire story. This is the battle that the Apostle Paul referenced in our Scripture reading, Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1Ti 6:11 NKJ). 

Peace also comes at a cost because there are only two sides to this struggle. There are those who follow God by faith and those who do not. We know that when it comes to life with God there is only one way – as Jesus Himself taught and confessed that He was “the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).” But, for those without God, many and vast are the beliefs and teachings that are confessed. There is no one standard way of unbelief. So, while we live in a world of many different faiths, the simple truth that there are really only two outcomes helps clarify reality. For all people, a side must be chosen. And whichever path veers away from God’s truth of salvation in Christ is also subdued by God in His love and power.

And so this peace that comes at a cost is the only thing that can protect our souls from eternal damnation. The danger we face around Christmas time is that peace becomes meaningless – empty of Christ - worldly or generic. Both senses lose the true hope and foundation of Jesus Christ.

It will forever be true that the value of your peace is determined by what it cost to achieve. Cheap fluffy peace, the kind in many Christmas songs or plastered on the media today, comes at a very small cost. That type of peace is often spoken of in such vague terms that one is left at a loss as to what exactly necessitates peace. Why do we need it if we don’t have any problems with our beliefs, our attitudes, or our behaviors? What value does peace have if we are free to choose what is best for our lives and no one can say that one way is better or more moral than another?

We wind up in a similar place with earthly peace alone. How can one argue against advocating for worldly peace? It sounds inhumane. We certainly should desire earthly peace with fellow humans, but not as a substitute to eternal peace in Jesus. This is especially striking during a season when we get gifts for others. Which of us, when considering a gift, would prefer something artificial to something real? If you bought a diamond necklace, and had an equal choice – wouldn’t you choose real diamonds over fake? If you gifted a wooden hutch, wouldn’t you prefer oak over particle board? If you are going the gift card route, isn’t it better to have a gift card with actual money attached to it, rather than a fancy looking card with no value?

These images impress upon us the stark difference between world peace and peace by faith in Christ. Both are admirable goals, but one is clearly more realistic and more important than the other. And God testifies repeatedly in His Word that the new heavens and new earth of Christ’s reign will usher in a time of world peace. It’s simply a matter of which one must come before the other. God does want world peace, as do we, but the battle reminds us it can only come through Jesus.

Why? Because the cost He paid. You can estimate the value of peace by the cost it takes. Jesus paid the ultimate cost by laying down His own holy life for underserving sinners. He did what no one else could or would. And it started, at least from a physical standpoint, when He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of Mary into this world. From that moment, the warrior that would win the battle for peace entered the arena. The lines between faith and unbelief have always been set, just as they are today. But Jesus struck the first blow toward the serpent’s head as He lay on the manger in Bethlehem.

This was how God achieved peace, and the battle language of Psalm 47 is a continual reminder of this cost. We shouldn’t stray from peace as we read these words, rather we should learn more about it and be left treasuring such a gift even more. Peace will undoubtedly be spoken about this Christmas season and all others. Let us make sure our words mean something – in Jesus Christ. Amen.   

 

 

Luke 1:68-79 | November 29, 2020 | Advent 1

Theme: Zechariah’s Song - Prepare Your Heart

Luke 1:68-79

"Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, 70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, 71 That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, 73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: 74 To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."  

When was the last time you had a heart-stopping moment? I’m thinking of a time when you were shocked or surprised in such a way that time seemed to stand still. I guess “heart-stopping” really isn’t the best description because usually during such times our hearts race faster. A few weeks ago as I was helping re-shingle the parsonage in Tacoma, I had one such moment. While I was carrying a bundle of shingles, my feet started to give out on the steep roof and my momentum began to carry me toward the edge, with gravity obviously pulling me in that direction. Thankfully, I was able to steady myself and regain my footing, but I just as easily could have completely lost my footing. Even now, my hands sweat a bit thinking about and my heart begins to beat a little faster.  

We have those kinds of unexpected moments from time to time. And that’s part of what makes them heart-stopping – we can’t anticipate them. Today, we begin the Advent season, which is all about anticipation. But our first lesson focuses on someone who was completely surprised by the Lord’s grace and mercy – even if he should have known better. Zechariah was a priest and you can tell from his words that he knew the Scriptures well. Yet, he was dumbfounded at the Lord’s declaration that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would give birth to the forerunner of the Savior – John the Baptist.    

Zechariah is most well-known for the fallout of this doubt - being muted by the angel Gabriel. Zechariah doubted Gabriel’s message because he and Elizabeth were too old to have a child. Because of this unbelief Zechariah was not able to talk for the entire duration of the pregnancy. It was only after the baby was born, and after Zechariah confirmed that his name would be John, that his tongue was loosed. The first words Zechariah spoke after John’s birth are recorded as our text. 

What magnificent words they are! Zechariah confirms for us that despite his inability to speak and his moment of doubting; he held with great confidence to the promise of His Savior. While Zechariah no longer doubted, and certainly was not surprised at what had transpired, he had a heart-stopping moment in reflection of God’s goodness. At the time, Zechariah’s song of praise was quite possibly the greatest confession of the coming Messiah made by someone since the prophecies of the Old Testament. That was a time period of over 400 years! 

We might well ask, how did Zechariah come to such a confession? What caused him to “get it” when he so easily doubted 9 months earlier? We shouldn’t be surprised by the answer, for it’s the same way we have come to confess Jesus as our Savior, and Zechariah clearly states it: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old.” Zechariah knew about Jesus because “God spoke” about Him in the Old Testament. So often when people want to find out something about Jesus, they look immediately to the New Testament. Surely Zechariah, as well as all other Old Testament believers, would have been at a loss if only the New Testament gave a clear record of our Savior. But certainly that isn’t the case for the Old Testament has much to teach about Jesus, even to us New Testament believers.

Essentially, Zechariah used what the Lord had given him, and that was sufficient for all he needed to about the Messiah and even more. Look at all the many aspects of Jesus’ life and work that Zechariah knew from the Old Testament:

• Jesus would visit His people (v.68)

• Jesus would redeem His people (v.68)

• Jesus would bring salvation (v.69)

• Jesus would come from David (v.69)

• Jesus was promised long ago to Zechariah’s fathers (v.72)

• Jesus would establish that long-awaited covenant from God which was first given to Abraham (vv.72-73)

• Jesus would allow His followers to serve Him by faith, not by fear (v.74)

• Jesus would grant holiness and righteousness (v.75)

• Jesus would bring a message of repentance and forgiveness (v.77)

• Jesus would bring light and peace in a world of darkness and strife (v.79)

Zechariah knew all of these truths from what the Old Testament promised about Jesus. And this is only what he chose to share at the birth of his son, surely he knew much more! How many of us, who have the entire Bible, are able to confess such a list of truths? How much of the world around us takes time to consider these aspects of our Savior around the time of Christmas? Talk about putting “Christ” in “Christmas!” Zechariah certainly does that here by specifically outlining the work of the Child who, from his perspective, was not even born yet. 

This type of confession, this type of knowledge, can only come just as it came for Zechariah, through the work and blessing of the Holy Spirit. It was precisely because Zechariah worked with the Word of God that he had the gift of the Holy Spirit. There’s no doubt that Zechariah showed the strength of his faith through this song. But how interesting was the way that this faith grew to be so strong. It was first through humility and lowliness that Zechariah understood his place in the Lord’s work. Whereas he was initially quick to doubt God and to try and figure things out on his own, months later he would boldly confess the truth in great detail, and willingly offer his own son for the work of preparing people for Jesus. 

It’s unfortunate that Zechariah will forever be remembered for that moment of doubt and weakness, because in reality he showed the rock-solid foundation of his faith through this song of praise. But perhaps this is good because it stands as a reminder for us. Just as the purpose of John the Baptist’s life was one of preparation, so also the few short moments of his father’s life that we find recorded in the Bible remind us of a similar preparation. God prepared His people throughout thousands of years to receive the gift of His Son, the “fullness of the time” which John the Baptist ushered in. So, too, Zechariah’s story and song continues to prepare us today by reminding us how the Lord works in our lives. Sometimes He needs to humble us in order lift us up. Sometimes He needs to close a door so that another one can open. Sometimes He needs to shut our mouths so that we listen to Him. Our job is to stay focused on the truths of our faith, the same things that Zechariah confessed: 

• Jesus brings us mercy, salvation, and forgiveness. 

• God rescues us from all evil through Jesus. 

• We learn about Jesus through God Word. 

• The same promise that was given to Abraham and the Old Testament prophets, is given to you and me.    

All of these truths are part of what made the “fullness of the time” for Christ’s arrival on this earth. They are also what lead us to confess as Zechariah did, that Jesus Christ born of the virgin Mary is my Lord and Savior. May we both keep the same confidence of faith that Zechariah had and keep ourselves from rebelling against the Lord’s work in our lives, even if it often corrects and humbles us. And may we readily prepare ourselves to see and listen to Jesus, not only during His Advent, but at all times and in all places that His powerful Word comes to us. Amen.

Thanksgiving Day 2020 | Lamentations 3:21-26

A Portion and a Promise on Thanksgiving Day

1. The portion of the LORD’s unchanging mercy

2. The promise of the LORD’s unfailing compassion

Here we are at another Thanksgiving Day. But it’s 2020 – is there really any reason to be thankful?

·       A continuing pandemic

·       A tumultuous election year in our nation

·       Racial discord

·       Civil unrest

·       Rates of depression and anxiety are skyrocketing

·       Many people in financial distress and suffering from lost jobs

By all accounts, this has been an excruciating year for many people. Most people can’t wait to turn the chapter on this year and move on. And yet, we have the annual day of Thanksgiving. Is it anything more than a traditional obligation this year? Are we truly thankful today – do we have reason to be?

Well, it’s clear that we do. We should always take stock of the daily blessings that we have. Some may be lacking, but for most of us we are well taken care of with plenty of blessings from God. Good health, a loving home, friends and family, food on the table, living in peace and freedom, good weather, money in our bank accounts and savings. There may be things in the extended list of daily blessings that come and go, or that we suffer in from time to time, but for all of us we have much more than we need or deserve. And the wise adage that things can always get worse is certainly fitting in any season of life.

But, today as we reflect with Thanksgiving, let us take it one step further, a step that can only be taken by faith. Let us reflect not only on the everyday blessings we have, but the weightier, reaching-to-eternity blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus – things which our earthly eyes do not see. Today, we consider how, because of those blessings in Jesus, we can rejoice with Thanksgiving even in the most troublesome times, as we read from God’s Word in Lamentations 3:21-26: This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. 22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD.

It's hard to imagine a more hopeless scene than the one surrounding the book of Lamentations – the one book of the Bible that is literally named after sorrow. Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah as he witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Unlike Daniel, who was carried off to Babylon, Jeremiah was left behind. We can only imagine the horrors that Jeremiah witnessed. Indeed, it is difficult because few of us have ever seen things that could be deemed similar. War, destruction, famine, pain, captivity, death – and the list goes on. Considering the context of these verses certainly helps us put our current trials in perspective.

And yet, in the midst of an entire volume dedicated to lament – we have these words of hope expressed by God’s prophet. Themes such as hope, mercy, faithfulness, and salvation – where do such blessings come from when one is trapped in the valley of the shadow of death? They come from the LORD almighty – the one, true God. These blessings are also the bigger ones. Yes, food, home, and family had been taken from God’s people in Israel. Yet, no enemy could touch God’s mercy, faithfulness, and salvation for them. The trials they endured highlighted the eternal blessings that they treasured, and the same lesson is played out in each believer’s life when their physical blessings are threatened or taken away.

In fact, at times, God strips us of those very things to lessen the attachment we have to this world. For Israel, God’s greater plan was to humble their hardened pride so that they would no longer drift away from their heritage of faith in the true God. Even the pain and destruction in this sense was used by God for their good. And we’d be foolish to think that we are that much different from Israel and the same principle is not also at work in our lives.

It’s one thing to understand such things. It’s a completely different thing to be thankful in the midst of trials. We may recognize God’s ability to work through trial and difficulty in our lives, but how can be thankful for those very circumstances? The answer is that a change must take place and we see that change in the way our text reads. As Jeremiah quotes his own soul he says, “The LORD is my portion.” The great exchange that must take place is that God must take our place – both in the punishment suffered by also in the hope gained. First, we see that we have a portion of God’s unchanging mercy.

Part of what makes these words remarkable is that a few verses before, Jeremiah confessed the exact opposite: Lamentations 3:17-18 “You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity. My strength and my hope Have perished from the LORD.” But notice the difference, that sentiment was based on Jeremiah. His strength. His hope. Those things were what perished before the LORD – any desire to be sustained by Jeremiah’s efforts. Only when Jeremiah recalled the LORD’s unchanging mercy did hope return to his heart.

Both elements can be true, and even must, for hope by faith to exist. We must abandon any notion that we can accomplish our soul’s needs, or that we can confront and conquer the enemies of our faith. We must discard the idea that we can replicate the fulfillment and happiness that God alone can give. The LORD alone guides and sustains us. Therefore, it is not wrong for Christians to display weakness, discouragement, or failure. The strength of our faith is not in ourselves, therefore, we cannot expect life to look like that. Many have built their image of the Christian life on what they do or what they look like – but what hope does that offer when the storms of life come our way?

When the LORD’s mercy becomes our portion, we lose that false mindset. But consider what mercy is. Mercy is kindness and goodness directed toward those who do not deserve it. Think of it as synonymous with grace. One scholar’s rendering for this Hebrew word is “kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable).” That is what we are. That is why we need the LORD’s mercy. We are lowly. We are needy. We are miserable – and it comes back to our transgressions before the LORD’s holy Word. We are in need of mercy because we have messed it. The difficulties we face are not always someone else’s problem. We are not innocent bystanders. Even as Jeremiah contemplated Jerusalem’s destruction in great sorrow, he reflected on his own hopelessness as a sinner that led to that very judgment. Even God’s prophet was not innocent.

The reason we can be honest about that reality today and still be thankful – is because of what God’s mercy does. It keeps us from being consumed, literally “finished,” by our sinful deeds. God does not give us what we deserve. That is one reason we are thankful today – even if the year has not been what we expected it to be. And sometimes when things don’t go our way, it can be a greater blessing because it helps us recall, as Jeremiah did, the LORD’s mercy in unchanging in the chaos and destruction of life.

Paired with God’s unchanging mercy is the promise of His unfailing compassion. To our ears it may seem that the LORD is expressing the same thing with compassion as we talked about with mercy. It is true that they are synonymous, and they are used that way by Jeremiah. But there is a difference worth highlighting too. The focus of mercy is upon the individual in need of help. The focus of compassion is on the individual giving help. Both thoughts center on love but from different perspectives. Mercy reminds us of what God rescues us from while compassion reminds us of depths of God’s care for us. One word expresses love from the sinner’s vantage point while the other expresses it from God’s vantage point.

We see this connection in Jeremiah’s words as he compares sinners not being consumed with God’s mercy not failing. Our lives with God are directly tied to His compassion and the way His mercy works for us. Mercy points to how He removes the wrong – our sin, and compassion points us to the never-ending supply of His care for us. So as Jeremiah puts it, BECAUSE God’s compassions do not fail, we are not consumed as we are kept in God’s mercy. The blessings that flow from this reality are abundant. We can say with Jeremiah, no matter the circumstance of our lives:

·       The LORD’s mercy and compassion are new every day.

·       The LORD’s faithfulness is great.

·       We have hope in the LORD.

·       The LORD is good to those who wait upon Him by faith. 

These truths are valid and certain for every aspect of our physical lives. When it comes to food, homes, family, health, finances, studies, jobs, hobbies, and all other things – the LORD is present and acting upon your behalf in unchanging mercy and unfailing compassion. But these truths reach highest when you consider your soul and the lengths that God went to secure eternal salvation for you. Because you have the mercy and compassion given by Jesus, as your Savior from sin and eternal damnation – you have heavenly blessings in abundance.

Has 2020 been rough? Sure. Are we ready to move on? Probably. It’s okay to think that way. But trials, struggles, and personal obstacles because of sin will always be present in different forms. The severity of such things may come and go, but let us not trust in man’s planning or crossing our fingers that the next year will somehow be magically better. More productive, and more realistic, than bemoaning our present circumstances, is rejoicing with thanksgiving in the blessings of God that never change. In all things, the LORD gives you a portion of His unchanging mercy and a promise of His unfailing compassion. Oh give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good! In all things and at all times. Amen.