The Baptizer’s Message and the Calling of the Disciples
The Pharisees sent priests and Levites to ask John, “Who are you?”
Why would they ask, “Are you Elijah?” (2 Kings 2: 11; Malachi 4:5; Matthew 17: 12)
Who are they talking about when they ask, “Are you the Prophet?” (Deuteronomy 18: 15—18)
What identity does the Baptizer claim? (Isaiah 40: 3—5)
To what is John referring when he calls Jesus “the Lamb of God?” (Exodus 12)
What experience is John recounting in John 1: 32—34? (Matthew 3: 13—17)
It appears that Andrew was a “disciple” of John the Baptist before he was a disciple of Jesus. Who may have been the other of the “two” mentioned in v. 35? (The film assumes this is the identity of the “other” disciple.)
What do you think of Philip’s “evangelism technique?” (v. 46)
In the span of two verses, Jesus is identified as both “Son of God” and “Son of Man.” This reference Jesus makes ties together two Old Testament events—what are they? What is Jesus saying here? (Genesis 28: 12; Daniel 7: 13)
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Worried Sick
Jesus says to you, “Do not be anxious. Don’t worry.” What do you say to Him?
Do you say, “Well, Lord, it’s not that simple. You don’t know what I’ve been going through. There are so many terrible things going on in the world. I just can’t help it.”
Jesus says to you, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.” What do you say to that? Do you say, “Yeah, Lord, that sounds very spiritual and everything, but I’ve got to put food on the table and clothes on my family’s back somehow!” Or do you say, “How can I not be anxious about life when I just received this diagnosis or when my loved one is in declining health, or they live far away, where I can’t help them?”
When Jesus starts telling his disciples “Do not worry,” we start to tune Him out. For so many of us, the idea of being free from anxiety is a beautiful thought, but so far from reality that we don’t even take it seriously. That’s a shame, because our Lord Jesus clearly intends for us, His disciples, to do something other than worry ourselves sick.
What does He intend for us? He lays it all out in today’s Gospel lesson. First of all, Jesus calls us to consciously reject worldly priorities. He does this first with the story of the Rich Fool. The meaning of the story is easy to understand: God calls this man a fool because he spent his whole life trying to accumulate more stuff; then dies, effectively losing all the stuff he had dedicated his life to gaining. Now sitting in church we may piously give our agreement to this story, but in our everyday lives, do our actions match our agreement? Have we consciously rejected “getting more stuff” as something that matters to us, or are we still on the treadmill of going after more, bigger, and better? In addition to being a meaningless goal, it brings with it many worries, to the point that we stop possessing our possessions and they start possessing us. Worry is neutralized when you consciously reject the lie that “getting more stuff” is going to make you happy. That takes some doing, especially when so much advertising is based on creating a desire in you for something you don’t have. That’s why Jesus doesn’t just say, “reject this mindset,” but continues by saying “replace it with something better.”
But before we get to that “something better,” Jesus pauses and asks us, His disciples, to reflect on His Father and our Father. Jesus asks us to think about the birds that fly around our backyards and the flowers beautify the landscape. God tends to them both. Neither birds nor flowers worry about their existence, yet God provides for them. And if that is the case, Jesus says, don’t you think that God is going to tend to you, as well? You are much more valuable to God than a bird, Jesus says, and that’s not a put-down to birds. It’s just that God values you more; so much so that His Son was raised up on a cross to take your punishment. He didn’t do that for the birds or the flowers; he did that for us, for you and for me, so we could be forgiven; so that we would trust Him with our eternal well-being, along with everything else.
That is the choice Jesus holds before you today. You can worry, or you can trust God. You can torture yourself with a thousand “what ifs,” or you can place your problem in the hands of the God who formed this world and still tends to it. You can worry yourself sick, or you can enjoy a healthy trust in your Father to do what is best for you. You are invited today to just trust that God knows what is best for you, and is working through every little detail of your life, to provide for you and put you on the path that will bring the most blessing to you. That doesn’t mean the most stuff; but that does mean freedom from the agony of anxiety. Just trust that your Heavenly Father knows what to do and will never leave you. Let go of the illusion that your worry is going to change anything. It’s not. Just trust that God has it handled and that He loves you and that His answers are the best answers. They are. The sacrifice of His Son on the cross is proof of how far He would go to care for you.
And when you just trust in the Lord, you are ready to replace old ways of thinking with something much better. Listen to Jesus describe that “better way”: “Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after such things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”
Seeking the kingdom of God, Jesus says, is the better way to live. But what does that seeking mean, exactly? Well, at this point, it would be tempting to refer to what our sister in Christ Rachel is doing, by going to Taiwan to share the light of Jesus there. And that is wonderful work, make no mistake. It is a privilege to be a part of that and to be involved in sending her today. But what I am afraid of is giving you the impression that its only people like Rachel who are seeking the kingdom of God by going to far-off locations, or for that matter, that it is only professional church workers who are out there seeking the kingdom, and that’s simply not the case! He wants you to seek His kingdom, and you can do that without ever leaving this community! Seeking the kingdom means living in a way that shows God’s reality in your life. It means knowing what He says in His Word. It means valuing what He does for you in the divine service. It means adopting God’s priorities as the priorities that you will live by. It means giving freely from what you have and who you are in response to Jesus’ kindness. Seeking God’s kingdom means that you are sold on Jesus Christ and want to bring his compassion and mercy and truth into your corner of the world. Jesus promises that when going after His kingdom is your first priority, you will lack nothing. You’ll have nothing to worry about.
Why not try it, and see?
Do you say, “Well, Lord, it’s not that simple. You don’t know what I’ve been going through. There are so many terrible things going on in the world. I just can’t help it.”
Jesus says to you, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.” What do you say to that? Do you say, “Yeah, Lord, that sounds very spiritual and everything, but I’ve got to put food on the table and clothes on my family’s back somehow!” Or do you say, “How can I not be anxious about life when I just received this diagnosis or when my loved one is in declining health, or they live far away, where I can’t help them?”
When Jesus starts telling his disciples “Do not worry,” we start to tune Him out. For so many of us, the idea of being free from anxiety is a beautiful thought, but so far from reality that we don’t even take it seriously. That’s a shame, because our Lord Jesus clearly intends for us, His disciples, to do something other than worry ourselves sick.
What does He intend for us? He lays it all out in today’s Gospel lesson. First of all, Jesus calls us to consciously reject worldly priorities. He does this first with the story of the Rich Fool. The meaning of the story is easy to understand: God calls this man a fool because he spent his whole life trying to accumulate more stuff; then dies, effectively losing all the stuff he had dedicated his life to gaining. Now sitting in church we may piously give our agreement to this story, but in our everyday lives, do our actions match our agreement? Have we consciously rejected “getting more stuff” as something that matters to us, or are we still on the treadmill of going after more, bigger, and better? In addition to being a meaningless goal, it brings with it many worries, to the point that we stop possessing our possessions and they start possessing us. Worry is neutralized when you consciously reject the lie that “getting more stuff” is going to make you happy. That takes some doing, especially when so much advertising is based on creating a desire in you for something you don’t have. That’s why Jesus doesn’t just say, “reject this mindset,” but continues by saying “replace it with something better.”
But before we get to that “something better,” Jesus pauses and asks us, His disciples, to reflect on His Father and our Father. Jesus asks us to think about the birds that fly around our backyards and the flowers beautify the landscape. God tends to them both. Neither birds nor flowers worry about their existence, yet God provides for them. And if that is the case, Jesus says, don’t you think that God is going to tend to you, as well? You are much more valuable to God than a bird, Jesus says, and that’s not a put-down to birds. It’s just that God values you more; so much so that His Son was raised up on a cross to take your punishment. He didn’t do that for the birds or the flowers; he did that for us, for you and for me, so we could be forgiven; so that we would trust Him with our eternal well-being, along with everything else.
That is the choice Jesus holds before you today. You can worry, or you can trust God. You can torture yourself with a thousand “what ifs,” or you can place your problem in the hands of the God who formed this world and still tends to it. You can worry yourself sick, or you can enjoy a healthy trust in your Father to do what is best for you. You are invited today to just trust that God knows what is best for you, and is working through every little detail of your life, to provide for you and put you on the path that will bring the most blessing to you. That doesn’t mean the most stuff; but that does mean freedom from the agony of anxiety. Just trust that your Heavenly Father knows what to do and will never leave you. Let go of the illusion that your worry is going to change anything. It’s not. Just trust that God has it handled and that He loves you and that His answers are the best answers. They are. The sacrifice of His Son on the cross is proof of how far He would go to care for you.
And when you just trust in the Lord, you are ready to replace old ways of thinking with something much better. Listen to Jesus describe that “better way”: “Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after such things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”
Seeking the kingdom of God, Jesus says, is the better way to live. But what does that seeking mean, exactly? Well, at this point, it would be tempting to refer to what our sister in Christ Rachel is doing, by going to Taiwan to share the light of Jesus there. And that is wonderful work, make no mistake. It is a privilege to be a part of that and to be involved in sending her today. But what I am afraid of is giving you the impression that its only people like Rachel who are seeking the kingdom of God by going to far-off locations, or for that matter, that it is only professional church workers who are out there seeking the kingdom, and that’s simply not the case! He wants you to seek His kingdom, and you can do that without ever leaving this community! Seeking the kingdom means living in a way that shows God’s reality in your life. It means knowing what He says in His Word. It means valuing what He does for you in the divine service. It means adopting God’s priorities as the priorities that you will live by. It means giving freely from what you have and who you are in response to Jesus’ kindness. Seeking God’s kingdom means that you are sold on Jesus Christ and want to bring his compassion and mercy and truth into your corner of the world. Jesus promises that when going after His kingdom is your first priority, you will lack nothing. You’ll have nothing to worry about.
Why not try it, and see?
Monday, July 26, 2010
Bible Study: The Gospel of John
Grab your Bible and join me in this study of John's Gospel, which I have been leading on Saturday nights, in conjunction with the 2003 film, "The Gospel of John."
The Gospel of John
Session One
Prologue: Establishing the Identity of Jesus Christ
Session One
Prologue: Establishing the Identity of Jesus Christ
What deliberate connection is John making in 1:1? (Genesis 1:1)
What does it mean to call Jesus “the Word”? (How did God create? (Gen. 1: 3))
Word: Greek logos; root of English words such as “logic” and “-ology” (the study of…)
What event and action does John want us to know Jesus participated in?
Take a look at what the Old Testament says about the connection between the Word and light in Psalm 119: 105, 130;
“John” in verse 6 is not John the author, but John the Baptist, whom we will meet in verse 19. How does verse 7 describe John the Baptist’s task?
What is the tragic irony of the arrival of the true light in the world? (vv.10—11) At the same time, what does John say also happened? (vv. 12—13)
Right: Greek exousia; meaning “freedom” or “authority.”
“Dwelled among us” in the Greek is eskanosen, which means “tabernacled.” Why would John describe Jesus taking on human flesh as “tabernacling”? (Exodus 40: 34—35)
According to verse 15, what did John the Baptist proclaim about Jesus?
Fullness: Greek plaromatos; meaning “plenty of,” “abounding in,” “complete”
What basic interpretive principle is described in verse 17?
Verse 18 sets up a major theme of John’s Gospel. What is it?
Monday, July 5, 2010
One Nation Under God
Polite society, we are told, welcomes neither religion nor politics in everyday conversation. Well, I guess this is going to be an impolite sermon, then, because we’re going to talk about both. And how can we not? We are Christian citizens after all, and Scripture has much to say about navigating our way through life as both Christian and citizen.
Let’s start here: God has revealed the directions for national strength in a program that is surprisingly plain. These words of God say nothing about imports or exports; inflation or deflation; unemployment; bailouts or campaign finance reform. They don’t even mention the words Democrat or Republican. Yet these words are intensely practical. They penetrate to the first cause of everything helpful and everything destructive to the nation. Here is God’s direction for building a better nation, from Proverbs 14: 34: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Sin destroys. Righteousness builds a nation.
When God warns that “Sin is a reproach to any people,” this is not theory or pessimism—this is history. Where today is the mighty Roman Empire? The world dominion of Alexander the Great? And this is more than ancient history. We see the ugly results of greed in our own nation today. The Biblical concept of marriage and family is disintegrating before our eyes, and in the families that are together, living in relationship with God is seldom the top priority. We hear every day about environmental disaster, ballooning national debt, attempts to destroy lawful and representative government. Behind all this, in one form or another, is the sure consequence for every uprising against God.
Here it is again, and it is no more complex than this: “Sin is a reproach to any people,” no matter how wealthy, how large, how proud, or how brilliant. Don’t argue that we are too strong or too resourceful to fall; if our programs and plans disregard divine truth, dethrone God, and smile on the carnivals of sin, no matter how ingenious or scientifically correct these plans may be, they must fail. Over the lost glory of every nation both the hand of God and the pen of history have written the verdict, “The reproach of sin.”
However, that is not the only word God has for us: remember, He also says, “Righteousness exalts a nation.” This again is not merely idealism talking—this is history! Wherever people have been blessed by Christian righteousness, they have proved themselves to be the “salt of the earth” that has prevented decay. Early Christianity changed the world of its day, exalting marriage, children and parenthood. The first Christians brought honestly and love to cultures that had never thought such a way of life was possible. Christian missionaries literally changed entire regions through the power of the Gospel message. And these things still happen when Christians are courageous enough to actually live out their faith!
Of course, Christians must vote intelligently and prayerfully. But more than this, the United States needs Christians to be Christian—to not just go to church but be the Church, so that our fellow citizens will be persuaded by our lives lived to God and attracted by the righteousness of Jesus that they see in us.
Every single day, Americans are bombarded with promises of happiness and fulfillment: just buy this product; try this exercise system; go on this diet; read this book; practice these principles; take advantage of this government program and you will get what you want. And if that doesn’t work, you can entertain yourself to death. But the Christian Church has something better for our people—and every nation—the one power that can create a clean heart and a right spirit within them—and that is faith in Jesus Christ, his cleansing blood and his victorious resurrection.
To overcome the reproach of sin for you, to break the curse of death in your life, to free you from the nightmare of hell, your heavenly Father did not simply overlook sin. Instead, he sent his only Son, Jesus, to bear on the cross in his crushed and bleeding body my sins and yours, to stand before the bar of eternal justice and plead guilty for us, to take upon himself everything sinful and wrong in our lives, to pay the penalty for sin on our behalf, to bring us full forgiveness of that sin and to open the gate of heaven to all who believe this. This is the most vital message of all human history; this is life; this is heaven and eternal blessing. Believe it, because he did it for you. Even if you have been living like God doesn’t matter and that you matter most, listen to this: Even at this moment, Your heavenly Father invites you to turn around and come back to Him. His arms are open wide, and so is his heart. Reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace are real, thanks to Jesus and his suffering, death, and resurrection.
When Jesus is your Savior, the faith in your heart will show itself. You will have the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures and the Sacraments by which sinful passions are tamed, selfish desires removed and small faith enlarged. You will want to make Jesus known to people, so that they can experience this peace and new life as well.
This is the righteousness our country needs more than any Senate legislation or government program. You and I have been chosen to be the delivery system by which people are introduced to the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the great gifts that he loves to give. In these critical, decisive days, we still have the freedom to speak of Jesus and to peaceably come together around His Word and Sacraments. May the Spirit make us bold to seize the opportunity our freedom affords us; to broadcast, in word and deed, the power and love of Jesus Christ. Because with Jesus in more American hearts and lives, we will have, by His promise, the righteousness that will exalt this nation!
Inspired by and adapted from a sermon by Rev. Dr. Walter A. Maier
Let’s start here: God has revealed the directions for national strength in a program that is surprisingly plain. These words of God say nothing about imports or exports; inflation or deflation; unemployment; bailouts or campaign finance reform. They don’t even mention the words Democrat or Republican. Yet these words are intensely practical. They penetrate to the first cause of everything helpful and everything destructive to the nation. Here is God’s direction for building a better nation, from Proverbs 14: 34: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Sin destroys. Righteousness builds a nation.
When God warns that “Sin is a reproach to any people,” this is not theory or pessimism—this is history. Where today is the mighty Roman Empire? The world dominion of Alexander the Great? And this is more than ancient history. We see the ugly results of greed in our own nation today. The Biblical concept of marriage and family is disintegrating before our eyes, and in the families that are together, living in relationship with God is seldom the top priority. We hear every day about environmental disaster, ballooning national debt, attempts to destroy lawful and representative government. Behind all this, in one form or another, is the sure consequence for every uprising against God.
Here it is again, and it is no more complex than this: “Sin is a reproach to any people,” no matter how wealthy, how large, how proud, or how brilliant. Don’t argue that we are too strong or too resourceful to fall; if our programs and plans disregard divine truth, dethrone God, and smile on the carnivals of sin, no matter how ingenious or scientifically correct these plans may be, they must fail. Over the lost glory of every nation both the hand of God and the pen of history have written the verdict, “The reproach of sin.”
However, that is not the only word God has for us: remember, He also says, “Righteousness exalts a nation.” This again is not merely idealism talking—this is history! Wherever people have been blessed by Christian righteousness, they have proved themselves to be the “salt of the earth” that has prevented decay. Early Christianity changed the world of its day, exalting marriage, children and parenthood. The first Christians brought honestly and love to cultures that had never thought such a way of life was possible. Christian missionaries literally changed entire regions through the power of the Gospel message. And these things still happen when Christians are courageous enough to actually live out their faith!
Of course, Christians must vote intelligently and prayerfully. But more than this, the United States needs Christians to be Christian—to not just go to church but be the Church, so that our fellow citizens will be persuaded by our lives lived to God and attracted by the righteousness of Jesus that they see in us.
Every single day, Americans are bombarded with promises of happiness and fulfillment: just buy this product; try this exercise system; go on this diet; read this book; practice these principles; take advantage of this government program and you will get what you want. And if that doesn’t work, you can entertain yourself to death. But the Christian Church has something better for our people—and every nation—the one power that can create a clean heart and a right spirit within them—and that is faith in Jesus Christ, his cleansing blood and his victorious resurrection.
To overcome the reproach of sin for you, to break the curse of death in your life, to free you from the nightmare of hell, your heavenly Father did not simply overlook sin. Instead, he sent his only Son, Jesus, to bear on the cross in his crushed and bleeding body my sins and yours, to stand before the bar of eternal justice and plead guilty for us, to take upon himself everything sinful and wrong in our lives, to pay the penalty for sin on our behalf, to bring us full forgiveness of that sin and to open the gate of heaven to all who believe this. This is the most vital message of all human history; this is life; this is heaven and eternal blessing. Believe it, because he did it for you. Even if you have been living like God doesn’t matter and that you matter most, listen to this: Even at this moment, Your heavenly Father invites you to turn around and come back to Him. His arms are open wide, and so is his heart. Reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace are real, thanks to Jesus and his suffering, death, and resurrection.
When Jesus is your Savior, the faith in your heart will show itself. You will have the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures and the Sacraments by which sinful passions are tamed, selfish desires removed and small faith enlarged. You will want to make Jesus known to people, so that they can experience this peace and new life as well.
This is the righteousness our country needs more than any Senate legislation or government program. You and I have been chosen to be the delivery system by which people are introduced to the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the great gifts that he loves to give. In these critical, decisive days, we still have the freedom to speak of Jesus and to peaceably come together around His Word and Sacraments. May the Spirit make us bold to seize the opportunity our freedom affords us; to broadcast, in word and deed, the power and love of Jesus Christ. Because with Jesus in more American hearts and lives, we will have, by His promise, the righteousness that will exalt this nation!
Inspired by and adapted from a sermon by Rev. Dr. Walter A. Maier
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Are You Bearing Fruit?
You can learn quite a bit by planting a garden or caring for fruit-bearing trees. One of those things you can learn quickly is how little control you have when it comes to making things grow. Sure, you can help the process in a variety of ways, but in the end, and you green-thumbed people know this best, there is really nothing we can do to make fruit appear. The appearance and growth of fruit—and the conditions that support it—are controlled not by our willpower but by the patterns woven into creation by God Himself.
The Apostle Paul, writing to Christians in Galatia, urges them—and us—to “walk by the Spirit,” that is, to allow the Spirit of God to lead us in thoughts, in attitudes, in what we say and of course in what we do. Significantly, Paul refers to these right thoughts, attitudes, words and deeds as “fruit of the Spirit.” The idea is not hard to catch: Paul is saying that if the Holy Spirit is present in a person, then the Spirit in that person will produce right thoughts, attitudes, words and deeds. And just like in the created world, this is not a matter of our willpower, but it is a process that proceeds from God Himself. He has chosen to live in you, and since He is there, He will produce certain characteristics in you. Paul spells out what those characteristics are—so let’s look at each one in a little more detail.
The first fruit listed is love. Love that proceeds from the Spirit of God finds its highest expression in self-sacrifice. “Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” Jesus said, and He also lived it. Not to be confused with infatuation or lust, Godly love is a willing commitment to put the needs of others ahead of your own. Are you bearing the fruit of love?
Paul also mentions the fruit of joy. This is not simply happiness, but truly enjoyment of God and His gifts. Joy is being amazed at what God has done for you in Jesus Christ. For that reason, joy is not dependent on favorable circumstances. Joy is what the Christian still has, no matter what, even in the worst of circumstances: membership in God’s family! Are you bearing the fruit of joy?
The next fruit of the Spirit named is peace. While we’d settle for a definition of peace such as “the absence of conflict” or maybe just “quietness,” peace rooted in the Holy Spirit means that a lasting truce has been called between you and God. The great big debt incurred and compounded by your sin has been paid off by the agony and death of Jesus on the cross. There is now no doubt about your identity: you are a baptized, adopted, forgiven child of God, and when you know who you are, there is wholeness. Are you bearing the fruit of peace?
Paul says that patience is also a fruit of the Spirit—but I’m afraid it’s fruit that nobody really wants. We live in a world in which “instant” almost isn’t even fast enough for us. And yet those walking in step with the Spirit will have patience. Maybe it would help us to think of patience not so much in terms of “waiting,” and instead think of it as “accepting God’s timing as the right timing,” and trusting that he knows the best “when.” Are you bearing the fruit of patience?
Kindness is next, and while it seems like simple fruit, it also seems to be sorely lacking nearly everywhere you go. Interestingly, kindness is not just a state of being. I’ve never heard anyone being urged to “have kindness.” No! We are urged to be kind! Kindness is being mindful that how we speak and the way we act matters—a lot. Kindness could be thought of as grace in action. Are you bearing the fruit of kindness?
Goodness is another fruit of the Spirit, and let’s not confuse “goodness” with “being nice.” In case you haven’t noticed, it’s not easy to be good and to do good. The opposite of good is evil, and being good will sometimes mean you have to confront evil and call it out, and that takes courage only God can provide. Have you taken a stand for good lately? Are you bearing the fruit of goodness?
The Apostle Paul says that faithfulness is fruit produced by the Spirit, and it is a special and beautiful fruit. Faithfulness is not merely possessing faith, but it is the ongoing pattern of being true to that faith. Faithfulness means orienting your entire life around the Lord and His Word and His wishes. Are you bearing the fruit of faithfulness?
The fruit of gentleness might be the most underrated quality on this list. Men, in particular, might hear “gentleness” and think “that sounds wimpy and weak.” But Spirit-grown gentleness is actually strength under control. Some of you have met our dog, Theo, a one hundred and two pound Newfoundland. He could knock just about anyone off their feet if he wanted to. But he knows not to, and he doesn’t. That’s gentleness, and that’s not a bad way to deal with people, either. Are you bearing the fruit of gentleness?
Finally, there’s self-control. The Spirit grows in us the ability to say no to things that are bad for us and yes to things that are good and Godly. The fruit of self-control makes it hard for the Christian to use the excuse, “I just couldn’t help it.” Self-control means you can always say no to the devil’s lies. Furthermore, you can say yes to meeting God in His Word, yes to His presence in your life and in worship, yes to anything that is going to make that bond stronger. Are you bearing the fruit of self-control?
I love what Paul says next. After making this list of Spirit-borne fruit, he says, “against such things there is no law.” There are plenty of laws against sinfulness, but you cannot be too loving. There is no restriction against being too joyful, or too filled with peace, or too patient. There is no penalty for being too kind, too faithful, too gentle, too self-controlled. God will only be pleased to produce this fruit in you and let you use it.Now, an unfortunate by-product of this “fruit list” is that it does point out what we are not. At the end of each fruit, the question was asked, “Are you bearing it?” And you may have honestly answered, “no,” or “I don’t know,” or “not as much as I should.” If that’s the case—and it’s the case for me—you are urged to confess this before God and admit where you fall short. Do so knowing that even now your sins are forgiven, removed, and cancelled by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The punishment that brings you peace was placed on Him. By His wounds you are healed. And then simply ask the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in you and for you to be aware of it. You may not realize all that the Holy Spirit is already doing in you. You may be bearing this fruit unconsciously. That’s how it is supposed to happen. After all, our tomatoes and apples don’t grow by our own willpower. Neither does the fruit of the Spirit appear in us by our own determination. It is His work in you that makes it happen. Just ask Him—provide Him withthe fertile soil of your heart—and let Him grow miraculous fruit in you.
The Apostle Paul, writing to Christians in Galatia, urges them—and us—to “walk by the Spirit,” that is, to allow the Spirit of God to lead us in thoughts, in attitudes, in what we say and of course in what we do. Significantly, Paul refers to these right thoughts, attitudes, words and deeds as “fruit of the Spirit.” The idea is not hard to catch: Paul is saying that if the Holy Spirit is present in a person, then the Spirit in that person will produce right thoughts, attitudes, words and deeds. And just like in the created world, this is not a matter of our willpower, but it is a process that proceeds from God Himself. He has chosen to live in you, and since He is there, He will produce certain characteristics in you. Paul spells out what those characteristics are—so let’s look at each one in a little more detail.
The first fruit listed is love. Love that proceeds from the Spirit of God finds its highest expression in self-sacrifice. “Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” Jesus said, and He also lived it. Not to be confused with infatuation or lust, Godly love is a willing commitment to put the needs of others ahead of your own. Are you bearing the fruit of love?
Paul also mentions the fruit of joy. This is not simply happiness, but truly enjoyment of God and His gifts. Joy is being amazed at what God has done for you in Jesus Christ. For that reason, joy is not dependent on favorable circumstances. Joy is what the Christian still has, no matter what, even in the worst of circumstances: membership in God’s family! Are you bearing the fruit of joy?
The next fruit of the Spirit named is peace. While we’d settle for a definition of peace such as “the absence of conflict” or maybe just “quietness,” peace rooted in the Holy Spirit means that a lasting truce has been called between you and God. The great big debt incurred and compounded by your sin has been paid off by the agony and death of Jesus on the cross. There is now no doubt about your identity: you are a baptized, adopted, forgiven child of God, and when you know who you are, there is wholeness. Are you bearing the fruit of peace?
Paul says that patience is also a fruit of the Spirit—but I’m afraid it’s fruit that nobody really wants. We live in a world in which “instant” almost isn’t even fast enough for us. And yet those walking in step with the Spirit will have patience. Maybe it would help us to think of patience not so much in terms of “waiting,” and instead think of it as “accepting God’s timing as the right timing,” and trusting that he knows the best “when.” Are you bearing the fruit of patience?
Kindness is next, and while it seems like simple fruit, it also seems to be sorely lacking nearly everywhere you go. Interestingly, kindness is not just a state of being. I’ve never heard anyone being urged to “have kindness.” No! We are urged to be kind! Kindness is being mindful that how we speak and the way we act matters—a lot. Kindness could be thought of as grace in action. Are you bearing the fruit of kindness?
Goodness is another fruit of the Spirit, and let’s not confuse “goodness” with “being nice.” In case you haven’t noticed, it’s not easy to be good and to do good. The opposite of good is evil, and being good will sometimes mean you have to confront evil and call it out, and that takes courage only God can provide. Have you taken a stand for good lately? Are you bearing the fruit of goodness?
The Apostle Paul says that faithfulness is fruit produced by the Spirit, and it is a special and beautiful fruit. Faithfulness is not merely possessing faith, but it is the ongoing pattern of being true to that faith. Faithfulness means orienting your entire life around the Lord and His Word and His wishes. Are you bearing the fruit of faithfulness?
The fruit of gentleness might be the most underrated quality on this list. Men, in particular, might hear “gentleness” and think “that sounds wimpy and weak.” But Spirit-grown gentleness is actually strength under control. Some of you have met our dog, Theo, a one hundred and two pound Newfoundland. He could knock just about anyone off their feet if he wanted to. But he knows not to, and he doesn’t. That’s gentleness, and that’s not a bad way to deal with people, either. Are you bearing the fruit of gentleness?
Finally, there’s self-control. The Spirit grows in us the ability to say no to things that are bad for us and yes to things that are good and Godly. The fruit of self-control makes it hard for the Christian to use the excuse, “I just couldn’t help it.” Self-control means you can always say no to the devil’s lies. Furthermore, you can say yes to meeting God in His Word, yes to His presence in your life and in worship, yes to anything that is going to make that bond stronger. Are you bearing the fruit of self-control?
I love what Paul says next. After making this list of Spirit-borne fruit, he says, “against such things there is no law.” There are plenty of laws against sinfulness, but you cannot be too loving. There is no restriction against being too joyful, or too filled with peace, or too patient. There is no penalty for being too kind, too faithful, too gentle, too self-controlled. God will only be pleased to produce this fruit in you and let you use it.Now, an unfortunate by-product of this “fruit list” is that it does point out what we are not. At the end of each fruit, the question was asked, “Are you bearing it?” And you may have honestly answered, “no,” or “I don’t know,” or “not as much as I should.” If that’s the case—and it’s the case for me—you are urged to confess this before God and admit where you fall short. Do so knowing that even now your sins are forgiven, removed, and cancelled by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The punishment that brings you peace was placed on Him. By His wounds you are healed. And then simply ask the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in you and for you to be aware of it. You may not realize all that the Holy Spirit is already doing in you. You may be bearing this fruit unconsciously. That’s how it is supposed to happen. After all, our tomatoes and apples don’t grow by our own willpower. Neither does the fruit of the Spirit appear in us by our own determination. It is His work in you that makes it happen. Just ask Him—provide Him withthe fertile soil of your heart—and let Him grow miraculous fruit in you.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Love, Obedience, and Abraham Lincoln
I took our car in for an oil change, and I was sitting in the waiting room, which was empty except for me and one other man. There wasn’t much to do, so I struck up a conversation, and pretty soon we were talking about United States Presidents. And that’s when things started to get a little strange. You see, this man began talking about Abraham Lincoln; that he not only considered Lincoln to be the greatest President ever, but also the greatest American of all time and possibly the greatest man in history, period. In fact, he even said that he tried to live his life according to the teachings and example of Abraham Lincoln.
Well, now, this piqued my curiosity. I’d heard of Buddhists and Confucians, but I’d never met a Linconian—a disciple of Abraham Lincoln. I didn’t even know there was such a thing. So I just had to ask a few more questions:
“Are there others like you?” I asked. “Oh yes, there’s a group of about 40 here in Lake County; we meet once a week on Friday evening—that’s the day Lincoln was shot. Our leader has a Masters Degree in American History. Every week, he reads a selection from Lincoln’s writings, and then he gives a talk explaining what it means and suggesting ways we can apply it to our lives. And of course, February 12th, Lincoln’s birthday, is a big holiday for us. We have parties, exchange gifts, and sing Civil War songs. It’s fun.”
“That’s fascinating!” I said. “So you must study Lincoln’s life and writings?” “Well, not exactly,” he said. “I do own a leather-bound copy of Lincoln’s complete works—his speeches and letters. I also own several biographies of Lincoln. One of these days I really do plan to read them. I just haven’t had the time.”
I started to push him a little. “But how can you be a disciple of Lincoln if you don’t read what he wrote?” “Well, it’s mostly common sense stuff, really,” he said. “Do unto others, the golden rule, be nice to people, free the slaves, that kind of thing. And besides, I listen to a half-hour speech about Lincoln every Friday.”
“I see. So how does being a follower of Lincoln affect your life?” “Well, like I said, I go to a meeting every Friday. I celebrate Lincoln’s birthday once a year. I own a leather-bound edition of his writings and speeches. Oh, and most of my friends are also Linconians.”
“So, when you get together with your friends, do you talk about Lincoln’s life and how to live out his teachings?” “Oh, no, not really. That stuff’s for Fridays, when we go to the meetings. No, we mostly talk about sports, politics, our families. We’re normal people, you know.”
As you may have guessed, this conversation never really happened. I just made it up. But it would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it, for someone to claim to be a follower of Abraham Lincoln, and yet not study his writings…not be familiar with the events of his life? You might reasonably doubt the depth of someone’s devotion to our sixteenth president if they had never heard of the Gettysburg address, or the Emancipation Proclamation, or Ford’s Theater. You would rightly expect that if a person claimed to be a disciple of Lincoln’s, it would have an affect on how they lived, beyond attending a meeting once a week.
Do you see where I’m going with this? If you are a Christian…if you are truly a follower of Jesus Christ, it will affect much more of your life than just Sunday morning. Following Jesus isn’t a hobby. It’s a way of life. It’s a way of life that makes us different from the world around us. It’s a matter of identity—it’s not just a matter of what you know, it’s a matter of who you are. To say it another way, Christians define themselves by their connection to Jesus Christ. That connection is a real thing. Again, it makes us who we are: people who have Jesus living inside them. Question number one in Luther’s Small Catechism: What is Christianity? Answer: It is the life and salvation given in and through Jesus Christ. Not a code of regulations. Not a list of do’s and don’ts. Not a burden of guilt to motivate us. Christianity is being chosen by God, adopted by him, cleaned up, forgiven, and being plugged into life with Jesus that lasts forever.
So how does someone respond to all this? Jesus tells us in his usual straightforward manner, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Now, right away you might hear that and think, “whoops,” because we know ourselves. We know our own track record with keeping God’s commands. We are weak-willed, rebellious, in a word, sinful. That’s what made Jesus’ suffering and death on a cross necessary. But again he did that for you so you could be chosen, adopted, cleaned up, forgiven, and plugged into eternal life. So if you return to God and admit your sin and spend some time at the foot of the cross, then your debt is paid in full. You have the proverbial clean slate. Not only that, but you have the Holy Spirit as your counselor and advocate. He goes with you through life pointing you to Jesus. Having given you these priceless gifts, your resurrected Lord gently asks you, “Do you love me?”
If you do love Jesus, then you will want to obey his commands. You won’t have to be forced to. You won’t obey Jesus because you’re scared of what’ll happen if you don’t. You obey his commands because you love him and know that’s what’s best. If you didn’t love Jesus, then you wouldn’t really care what he commanded, would you? If you do love him, then you do care, and you’ll want to do things his way.
By the way, what are the commands Jesus wants us to obey? Any idea? Earlier in this same conversation, Jesus said it clearly. This is chapter 13 verse 34: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Are you sensing a theme here? Love seems to be very important to our Lord Jesus…but he’s not talking about sticky sweet sentimental feelings or warm fuzzies. When Jesus talks about love, he’d usually talking about sacrifice.
How will you respond to Jesus? As you think about that, consider this poem quoted by Pastor Gregory Dawson:
Christ has no body now
But yours
No hands
No feet on earth
But yours
Yours are the eyes
Through which he looks
With compassion on this world
Yours are the feet
With which he walks to do good
Yours are the hands
With which he serves all the world
Yours are the hands
Yours are the feet
Yours are the eyes
You are his body
Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Let’s show Jesus to each other by obeying his commands.
Well, now, this piqued my curiosity. I’d heard of Buddhists and Confucians, but I’d never met a Linconian—a disciple of Abraham Lincoln. I didn’t even know there was such a thing. So I just had to ask a few more questions:
“Are there others like you?” I asked. “Oh yes, there’s a group of about 40 here in Lake County; we meet once a week on Friday evening—that’s the day Lincoln was shot. Our leader has a Masters Degree in American History. Every week, he reads a selection from Lincoln’s writings, and then he gives a talk explaining what it means and suggesting ways we can apply it to our lives. And of course, February 12th, Lincoln’s birthday, is a big holiday for us. We have parties, exchange gifts, and sing Civil War songs. It’s fun.”
“That’s fascinating!” I said. “So you must study Lincoln’s life and writings?” “Well, not exactly,” he said. “I do own a leather-bound copy of Lincoln’s complete works—his speeches and letters. I also own several biographies of Lincoln. One of these days I really do plan to read them. I just haven’t had the time.”
I started to push him a little. “But how can you be a disciple of Lincoln if you don’t read what he wrote?” “Well, it’s mostly common sense stuff, really,” he said. “Do unto others, the golden rule, be nice to people, free the slaves, that kind of thing. And besides, I listen to a half-hour speech about Lincoln every Friday.”
“I see. So how does being a follower of Lincoln affect your life?” “Well, like I said, I go to a meeting every Friday. I celebrate Lincoln’s birthday once a year. I own a leather-bound edition of his writings and speeches. Oh, and most of my friends are also Linconians.”
“So, when you get together with your friends, do you talk about Lincoln’s life and how to live out his teachings?” “Oh, no, not really. That stuff’s for Fridays, when we go to the meetings. No, we mostly talk about sports, politics, our families. We’re normal people, you know.”
As you may have guessed, this conversation never really happened. I just made it up. But it would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it, for someone to claim to be a follower of Abraham Lincoln, and yet not study his writings…not be familiar with the events of his life? You might reasonably doubt the depth of someone’s devotion to our sixteenth president if they had never heard of the Gettysburg address, or the Emancipation Proclamation, or Ford’s Theater. You would rightly expect that if a person claimed to be a disciple of Lincoln’s, it would have an affect on how they lived, beyond attending a meeting once a week.
Do you see where I’m going with this? If you are a Christian…if you are truly a follower of Jesus Christ, it will affect much more of your life than just Sunday morning. Following Jesus isn’t a hobby. It’s a way of life. It’s a way of life that makes us different from the world around us. It’s a matter of identity—it’s not just a matter of what you know, it’s a matter of who you are. To say it another way, Christians define themselves by their connection to Jesus Christ. That connection is a real thing. Again, it makes us who we are: people who have Jesus living inside them. Question number one in Luther’s Small Catechism: What is Christianity? Answer: It is the life and salvation given in and through Jesus Christ. Not a code of regulations. Not a list of do’s and don’ts. Not a burden of guilt to motivate us. Christianity is being chosen by God, adopted by him, cleaned up, forgiven, and being plugged into life with Jesus that lasts forever.
So how does someone respond to all this? Jesus tells us in his usual straightforward manner, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Now, right away you might hear that and think, “whoops,” because we know ourselves. We know our own track record with keeping God’s commands. We are weak-willed, rebellious, in a word, sinful. That’s what made Jesus’ suffering and death on a cross necessary. But again he did that for you so you could be chosen, adopted, cleaned up, forgiven, and plugged into eternal life. So if you return to God and admit your sin and spend some time at the foot of the cross, then your debt is paid in full. You have the proverbial clean slate. Not only that, but you have the Holy Spirit as your counselor and advocate. He goes with you through life pointing you to Jesus. Having given you these priceless gifts, your resurrected Lord gently asks you, “Do you love me?”
If you do love Jesus, then you will want to obey his commands. You won’t have to be forced to. You won’t obey Jesus because you’re scared of what’ll happen if you don’t. You obey his commands because you love him and know that’s what’s best. If you didn’t love Jesus, then you wouldn’t really care what he commanded, would you? If you do love him, then you do care, and you’ll want to do things his way.
By the way, what are the commands Jesus wants us to obey? Any idea? Earlier in this same conversation, Jesus said it clearly. This is chapter 13 verse 34: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Are you sensing a theme here? Love seems to be very important to our Lord Jesus…but he’s not talking about sticky sweet sentimental feelings or warm fuzzies. When Jesus talks about love, he’d usually talking about sacrifice.
How will you respond to Jesus? As you think about that, consider this poem quoted by Pastor Gregory Dawson:
Christ has no body now
But yours
No hands
No feet on earth
But yours
Yours are the eyes
Through which he looks
With compassion on this world
Yours are the feet
With which he walks to do good
Yours are the hands
With which he serves all the world
Yours are the hands
Yours are the feet
Yours are the eyes
You are his body
Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Let’s show Jesus to each other by obeying his commands.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Can You Relate To A Triune God?
If Trinity Sunday is nothing more than a chance to rehash a set of doctrines about God that nobody understands, then this might just be the most boring weekend on the church calendar. And I say that as someone who believes that correct doctrine is of great importance. The Bible itself says that we are to pursue true apostolic teaching. But here’s the rub: God is not a set of doctrines. God is God. God is an intelligent being. God is spirit, and yet more than that—He actually came down and walked around as a human being on this planet that he created. My prayer today is that Trinity Sunday will be transformed when you realize that God wants you to know Him. In other words, He wants to live in relationship with you. He wants you to know what He is like, and He wants to know you in the deepest possible way. Through the words of Holy Scripture, the one and only true God approaches you and says, “This is who I AM.”
The very idea of “having a relationship” has its origin in God. The God of the Bible has, from the very beginning, lived in relationship with Himself. Way back in Genesis chapter one, God can be overheard talking to himself, saying “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Who could he be talking to, except those parts of himself that we have come to know as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? That very idea is expressed in a most beautiful and moving way in today’s Old Testament Lesson from Proverbs 8. Here, Jesus, the wisdom and Word of God, is portrayed as a master workman alongside his Father, crafting the world with creative power. Their work is joyful, but a careful reading of verses 30 and 31 reveals that the act of creation is not the only happiness described; it says, and this is from Jesus’ perspective: “I was his daily delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of men.” Does that not “wow” you just a little? As the Father is raising the skies and filling the oceans, his delight is in His Son. You can almost envision His hand on His Son’s shoulder as they share this indescribable experience. Father, Son, and Spirit have lived in relationship with one another from eternity. The act of creation is a decision God made to live in relationship with other beings beside Himself—namely, human beings. He wanted—and still wants—to live in relationship with people so that his delight and rejoicing will be multiplied! What a thought! When you live in relationship with God, He rejoices! You are fulfilling His purpose for creation.
But sadly, it’s hard for us to live in relationship with God. We may be born with a God-shaped hole in our souls, but on our own, we don’t know what it is. We know there’s an emptiness there, so we try to fill it with achievements; with friends, family, or anyone who seems to care; with possessions; with excitement; and when things get desperate, we put various substances into ourselves trying to fill that hole up. But we will never do it. What we try will never work, because it is a God-shaped hole. The only thing that will fit there is a relationship with God. And because we are by nature sinful, selfish, and spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, we cannot initiate the relationship that can finally make us whole.
Knowing this, The Father, Son, and Spirit formulated a plan that would keep their dream alive—their dream of living in relationship with people. The Son, with whom the Father had hung the stars in the sky and laid the foundations of the mountains, would become one of the human beings that they cared so much for, and in this way, God would deal with the problem of sin. Sin had a devastating effect on relationships. It made people not care about God and even less for their neighbor—witness the son of Adam and Eve murdering his brother. But if sin could be dealt with—more than that, if sin’s cost could be paid for—then a renewed relationship could be possible.
And so Jesus is born into the world he helped create; and so Jesus speaks continually about His Father; about honoring His Father; about being sent from His Father; about His Father giving Him glory; about knowing His Father; and about doing His Father’s will. And it is His Father’s will that he, Jesus, should become the once-and-for-all offering for sin, and that makes it all sound very neat and tidy. It is His Father’s will that He, Jesus, should be hated, betrayed, made fun of, spit upon, beaten, whipped, and finally nailed to a wooden cross. Yet none of that was the worst. No, the worst came when the Father turned away from his Son, withdrawing his relationship from his beloved, co-creating Son, ignoring the cries of the one in whom he had so delighted. This is the hell that Jesus faced on the cross. Not some lake of fire, but his Father walking away.
And there was only one reason for this. Because of our sins of thought, word, and deed; because of the things we have done and the things we have left undone God could have and should have walked away from us. He would be justified in turning his back on us in sadness and disappointment. But the Father put Jesus in the place we were supposed to be, and Jesus willingly and obediently took what we deserved. He took it. He didn’t complain that it wasn’t fair. He didn’t run away or bail out at the last minute. He took it, because He, with His Father and the Spirit, had one goal: to live in relationship with you and thereby to delight and rejoice in you.
Having dealt with sin and hell at the cross, and having crushed death with the resurrection of Jesus, God could now go about initiating the relationship with us that he so desired. So the Holy Spirit goes into action. Through water and the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that very Spirit initiates the relationship that is so precious to Him. In Holy Baptism, the Spirit wraps his arms around one whom he loves, and gives that one the gift of faith—the ability to respond to the Spirit’s embrace with one of his or her own. The Holy Spirit opens your eyes to see all that Jesus did so that you can live in relationship to God. It has all been done for you. It has all been done to you. Spirit, Son and Father moved heaven and earth for you. The relationship between Father and Son was broken so that your relationship with Him could be repaired. He just wants the joy of knowing you.And as you are drawn into a relationship with Father, Son and Spirit, you realize that there is another way you can multiply His delight. That is to live in relationship with other people with the commitment and love that God showed to us. Beyond the greatest gift of our relationship with Him, we also have been given the gift of living in relationship with mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, friends, teachers, students, co-workers, and the list goes on. Sin can damage these relationships just as sure as it can damage a relationship with God; but when our relationship with God is strong, then we will approach all of our other relationships with the grace that we have received and learned from Jesus. We will see the other person that we’re looking at as someone who needs mercy, compassion, forgiveness and friendship, and we’ll share those gifts because Father, Son and Holy Spirit shared them with us. We were made for relationship with this Triune God of ours; and we were made for relationship with each other. How He must rejoice when we finally “get it.”
The very idea of “having a relationship” has its origin in God. The God of the Bible has, from the very beginning, lived in relationship with Himself. Way back in Genesis chapter one, God can be overheard talking to himself, saying “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Who could he be talking to, except those parts of himself that we have come to know as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? That very idea is expressed in a most beautiful and moving way in today’s Old Testament Lesson from Proverbs 8. Here, Jesus, the wisdom and Word of God, is portrayed as a master workman alongside his Father, crafting the world with creative power. Their work is joyful, but a careful reading of verses 30 and 31 reveals that the act of creation is not the only happiness described; it says, and this is from Jesus’ perspective: “I was his daily delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of men.” Does that not “wow” you just a little? As the Father is raising the skies and filling the oceans, his delight is in His Son. You can almost envision His hand on His Son’s shoulder as they share this indescribable experience. Father, Son, and Spirit have lived in relationship with one another from eternity. The act of creation is a decision God made to live in relationship with other beings beside Himself—namely, human beings. He wanted—and still wants—to live in relationship with people so that his delight and rejoicing will be multiplied! What a thought! When you live in relationship with God, He rejoices! You are fulfilling His purpose for creation.
But sadly, it’s hard for us to live in relationship with God. We may be born with a God-shaped hole in our souls, but on our own, we don’t know what it is. We know there’s an emptiness there, so we try to fill it with achievements; with friends, family, or anyone who seems to care; with possessions; with excitement; and when things get desperate, we put various substances into ourselves trying to fill that hole up. But we will never do it. What we try will never work, because it is a God-shaped hole. The only thing that will fit there is a relationship with God. And because we are by nature sinful, selfish, and spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, we cannot initiate the relationship that can finally make us whole.
Knowing this, The Father, Son, and Spirit formulated a plan that would keep their dream alive—their dream of living in relationship with people. The Son, with whom the Father had hung the stars in the sky and laid the foundations of the mountains, would become one of the human beings that they cared so much for, and in this way, God would deal with the problem of sin. Sin had a devastating effect on relationships. It made people not care about God and even less for their neighbor—witness the son of Adam and Eve murdering his brother. But if sin could be dealt with—more than that, if sin’s cost could be paid for—then a renewed relationship could be possible.
And so Jesus is born into the world he helped create; and so Jesus speaks continually about His Father; about honoring His Father; about being sent from His Father; about His Father giving Him glory; about knowing His Father; and about doing His Father’s will. And it is His Father’s will that he, Jesus, should become the once-and-for-all offering for sin, and that makes it all sound very neat and tidy. It is His Father’s will that He, Jesus, should be hated, betrayed, made fun of, spit upon, beaten, whipped, and finally nailed to a wooden cross. Yet none of that was the worst. No, the worst came when the Father turned away from his Son, withdrawing his relationship from his beloved, co-creating Son, ignoring the cries of the one in whom he had so delighted. This is the hell that Jesus faced on the cross. Not some lake of fire, but his Father walking away.
And there was only one reason for this. Because of our sins of thought, word, and deed; because of the things we have done and the things we have left undone God could have and should have walked away from us. He would be justified in turning his back on us in sadness and disappointment. But the Father put Jesus in the place we were supposed to be, and Jesus willingly and obediently took what we deserved. He took it. He didn’t complain that it wasn’t fair. He didn’t run away or bail out at the last minute. He took it, because He, with His Father and the Spirit, had one goal: to live in relationship with you and thereby to delight and rejoice in you.
Having dealt with sin and hell at the cross, and having crushed death with the resurrection of Jesus, God could now go about initiating the relationship with us that he so desired. So the Holy Spirit goes into action. Through water and the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that very Spirit initiates the relationship that is so precious to Him. In Holy Baptism, the Spirit wraps his arms around one whom he loves, and gives that one the gift of faith—the ability to respond to the Spirit’s embrace with one of his or her own. The Holy Spirit opens your eyes to see all that Jesus did so that you can live in relationship to God. It has all been done for you. It has all been done to you. Spirit, Son and Father moved heaven and earth for you. The relationship between Father and Son was broken so that your relationship with Him could be repaired. He just wants the joy of knowing you.And as you are drawn into a relationship with Father, Son and Spirit, you realize that there is another way you can multiply His delight. That is to live in relationship with other people with the commitment and love that God showed to us. Beyond the greatest gift of our relationship with Him, we also have been given the gift of living in relationship with mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, friends, teachers, students, co-workers, and the list goes on. Sin can damage these relationships just as sure as it can damage a relationship with God; but when our relationship with God is strong, then we will approach all of our other relationships with the grace that we have received and learned from Jesus. We will see the other person that we’re looking at as someone who needs mercy, compassion, forgiveness and friendship, and we’ll share those gifts because Father, Son and Holy Spirit shared them with us. We were made for relationship with this Triune God of ours; and we were made for relationship with each other. How He must rejoice when we finally “get it.”
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