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July 30, 2007 by admin.
Colossians 1:21-29
In the name of Jesus, who’s given us the “one thing needful,” dear fellow recipients of his divine Word,
One of the greatest scientists of our time was Albert Einstein. He was a man who was so focused on his scientific theories that he often neglected even the simplest things of life, such as his personal appearance (as evidenced by his out-of-control hairstyle). On one occasion, Einstein was taking a train out of town for a speaking engagement. As he sat in his seat, engrossed in his work, the conductor stopped by to punch his ticket. But there was a problem – Einstein couldn’t find it. He began to frantically search his coat pockets, and then his briefcase, but still no ticket. Finally the conductor reassured him, “Don’t worry about it. We all know who you are, Dr. Einstein. I’m sure you bought a ticket.” But as the conductor moved along he looked back to see Einstein on his hands and knees, searching under the seats for his ticket. The conductor walked back and said, “Dr. Einstein, please, don’t worry about it. I know who you are.” Exasperated, Einstein looked up and said, “I, too, know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going.”
Even today some of the world’s wisest people don’t know where they’re going, especially when it comes to their eternal destination. How can that be? Even though they may have worldly wisdom, they’re lacking true wisdom.
Today we’re centering our thoughts around the theme, “True Wisdom Comes from Sitting at the Lord’s Feet.” True wisdom is God’s wisdom, and when we have that kind of wisdom, we know where we’re going. So today I urge you to make use of that wisdom so that you:
“Don’t Forget Where You’re Going!”
I. Remember what you are in Christ
II. Remember how to live as his saints
Last week in his sermon Vicar talked about how the Christians at Colosse had gotten to the point where they weren’t sure where they were going. Paul had taught them the way of salvation through Jesus Christ, but now some false teachers among them were telling them that Jesus wasn’t enough. They spoke of a “better way,” a way to God that involved subjecting themselves to the Old Testament laws and ceremonies. In this way they felt they could prove themselves worthy before God. Some of them even pushed for angel worship. In short, the people were being told that faith in Christ just wasn’t enough to get to heaven. They themselves had to do more. Such “wisdom” was in direct conflict to all that they had been taught by Paul, and Paul wasn’t about to let this false philosophy steal these people away from their Lord. He wanted to make clear to them that God’s wisdom is the only kind of wisdom that makes a real difference in their lives. He wanted them to remember what they had become in Christ.
Paul begins by reminding them of what they once were when all they had was their own wisdom (v 21), “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.” Once upon a time the Colossians had been enemies of God, barred from being in his company by the load of sin that they bore, as evidenced by their sin-stained lives. But in his divine wisdom, God changed all that (v 22), “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” Sin had mankind heading in the wrong direction, but God set us straight. He “reconciled” us, meaning that he turned us around. The verb form used here means that this reconciliation was a “once-and-for-all” action. It’s a done deal, because it took place “by Christ’s physical body through death.” God’s wisdom called for a plan where his own Son would take on human flesh, live in man’s place, and then die in man’s place. Then instead of sin, we’d have righteousness. Then Jesus could present us to his heavenly Father, “holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” So now we have the holiness heaven requires. Now our sins are covered – we’re spotless in God’s sight. And we’re “free from accusation.” No one can say that we don’t have enough to get to heaven. We have all we need! Remember what you are in Christ!
The Colossians had all they needed, and Paul didn’t want them to give it up. Heaven was theirs as long as they trusted in God’s wisdom. Paul tells them that they have a future in heaven “if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant” (v 23). Paul wants them to remember what he had once told them. He wanted to jog their memories, to get them back to that wonderful gospel message that their salvation was secure because of what Jesus had done for them. The “better way” being peddled to them by the false teachers was the wrong way. Paul wanted them to hang on to what they had, to remember what they were in Christ. He didn’t want them to look elsewhere when all they needed was found in the gospel.
The only way to truly know where we’re going is to trust in Jesus and in Jesus alone. Our Savior says very clearly (Jn 14:6), “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Here’s what it boils down to: You can either trust in God’s wisdom and his plan of salvation through Christ, or you can seek what the world may think is a “better way.” Either your salvation is secure and your relationship with God has been restored, or your salvation is still up in the air and you have to do something yourself to make things right with God. Either you know you’re going to heaven because of Christ, or you’re hoping to do enough so you can get yourself to heaven. Which way do you prefer? The answer is clear. God’s plan is better. His plan was a complete success. Continue in your faith! Trust in Jesus! Heaven is yours already because of him, and because of him you know where you’re going!
You could tell by the way Paul lived how much of a difference this knowledge made in his life. No matter what he suffered, he was still content and could still rejoice. He knew that he was one of God’s children. He knew what he was in Christ — a saint in the eyes of God, washed clean in the blood of Christ. With the same knowledge, let us be motivated to serve our Lord. Let us remember how to live as his saints.
Notice the wonderful irony in what Paul says next (v 24), “Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” Don’t misunderstand these words and think Paul was claiming that Christ’s suffering wasn’t enough for his salvation, that somehow he had to “add” to what Christ had done. No, Paul is simply saying that he was willing to take his turn in suffering for his faith. He states that he could actually “rejoice” in his sufferings, even though he knew there were more to come! We’re reminded of what Jesus said (Mk 13:13), “All men will hate you because of me.” Paul saw his sufferings as proof that he was on the right track! That’s why in Corinthians he could describe his life as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything” (2 Co 6:10). Knowing what he was in Christ had made a difference in Paul’s life. No matter what the circumstances, he could rejoice because in Christ he had everything!
Paul knew that he had received a very special calling from the Lord (vv 25,26), “I have become [the church’s] servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness – the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.” God had appointed Paul to be a servant to his church on earth. He was to proclaim God’s Word in all its fullness. He was to present Christ in all his greatness, in all his supremacy, to everyone and anyone. What once had been a “mystery” during all those Old Testament times, now in the New Testament era has been revealed to all believers, the ones God himself calls “saints.” Yes, you and I are saints – holy and pure, fit for heaven, all because of Jesus. And to us the mystery of salvation has been revealed. To his saints “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (v 27). We live as God’s saints with Christ in us! He’s in our hearts and in our lives. He’s always with us, drawing us closer to him, leading us to live our lives for him, making sure we always hang on to “the hope of glory” that awaits us – all so that we never forget where we’re going!
This is a hope God wants all people to have. That’s where we come in. Just like Paul, God has work for us to do as we live our lives as his saints here on this earth (v 28), “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” It’s up to us to get the message of God’s wisdom out. That involves “admonishing,” letting people know when they’re sinning so that they see the need for a Savior. It involves “teaching,” sharing with people God’s wonderful plan of salvation in Christ. Our goal? To “present everyone perfect in Christ” — to present them “complete” as our Savior’s “finished products”! Then we, too, will share in the glorious vision of all people standing before the throne of God, covered in the robe of Christ’s righteousness!
A wonderful calling, but not an easy one. But notice what Paul says about our source of strength (v 29), “To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” We often hear about the years of strenuous training athletes endure in their quest to become all that they can be. Paul also speaks of the hard work he was enduring to reach his goal – the goal of reaching the lost. But he wasn’t relying on his own strength or power. No, he was struggling with all God’s energy, the energy that was “powerfully” working in him. Paul himself had proclaimed (Php 4:13), “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” God gave him his assignment, and God gave him the strength to carry it out. Paul knew he was only the instrument. Saving souls was God’s work, and it would always be done to God’s glory. Paul knew the difference the Savior had made in his life, and he was willing to live as one of his saints to make a difference in the lives of others.
Personally, I need the reminders found in these verses. I need to be reminded that even though life as a Christian may involve some sad times at the hands of a sinful world, I can still rejoice because Christ has made me a saint in the eyes of my God. I need to be reminded of why I’m here on this earth as a Christian – to unveil the mystery of salvation so that all can see how much God loves them and what he’s done to save them. And I need to be reminded that my labors and struggles will not be in vain, because it’s God’s energy that keeps me going as I join with all Christians in striving to present as many people as possible as “perfect in Christ.” I need these reminders. And so do you.
That’s because we all face the temptation to be like Albert Einstein, to forget where we’re going. Even worse, we’re tempted to forget how we get there. But then our Lord calls us in and has us sit down at his feet. There we’re reminded of what we are in Christ — his saints, washed clean in his blood. There, at our Lord’s feet, we’re reminded of our responsibility to live as his saints and to share his salvation with others. We know where we’re going – our ticket’s already punched. It’s marked “paid in full” by our Savior! Don’t you forget it!
Amen
– Rev. Jonathan Rockhoff
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July 23, 2007 by admin.
Colossians 1:1-14
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Amen.” (2 Peter 1:2)
Every year, a variety of different sources and periodicals, such as Forbes, Sports Illustrated, and People, compile a list of America’s most powerful people. It’s interesting that the word powerful can be used in such differing categories based on how you perceive power. Beauty, money, status, physical strength are all things that could be defined as a source of power. A beautiful woman can manipulate legions of men. A wealthy individual can pay others to do the things that he doesn’t want to do. A persuasive speaker can have loyal masses of followers. And an overgrown bully can rip the lunch money away from his scrawny classmate. All of these can be displays of power. The common denominator to all of these is who is in control. Who is powerful in the world essentially depends on who is in control. And power is appealing to all because we all like the feeling of being in control.
Above all these things, though, in terms of power, is knowledge. Knowledge of making weapons could start WWIII. Knowledge of an ever-fluctuating stock market or perhaps just private knowledge of passwords, social security numbers, and banking information could make someone enormously wealthy. Knowledge can even cause someone to become more physically beautiful. If you want your excess fat sucked out, your nose sculpted, or your stomach stapled, we now have the knowledge to do that. If you want to have power, you have to have knowledge. It’s a simple formula. Today, I pray, we will grow in our understanding of how
“Knowledge is a Powerful Thing”
To do that, we consider our sermon lesson for today from Colossians 1:1-14. A little research to the book of Colossians tells us that the believers in Colosse certainly understood that knowledge was a powerful thing. Paul learned of their intense desire for knowledge from a man named Epaphras, who was not only a faithful believer in Colosse, but also probably the founder and leader of the church. But problems in Colosse were getting bigger than Epaphras could handle, so he went to Paul for spiritual guidance.
The Colossian believers were beginning to fall prey to a destructive heresy that was unique to them and which was consequently named after them. The Colossians were so desperate for knowledge and power, that they concocted a belief system based on a combination of a variety of different teachings. The “Colossian heresy” had components of Christianity, Jewish ceremonialism, and apparently a false teaching of Greek philosophy that would become even more influential in the next century, called Gnosticism. You may have heard of Gnosticism before. It’s made a lot of news over the past five years or so with the publication of the supposed Gnostic Gospel texts and the success of Dan Brown’s book The Davinci Code. Essentially, Gnosticism is based on gnosis – a secret, hidden knowledge of how to attain salvation. The central tenet of this “secret knowledge” was the popular Greek philosophical concept at the time that all matter, including the body, is inherently evil, and that only the spirit has any value. You push this to its logical conclusion and Jesus’ status as true God is naturally diminished because when he became man, he took on human flesh.
If you still don’t understand Gnosticism, it’s okay. It’s not really essential. But what is essential for understanding Paul’s letter to the Colossians is the problem underneath the problem. Do you see what happened with the Colossians? They borrowed from several different belief systems because they didn’t know what to do or who to believe. Christianity? Yeah, we like that. It seems loving. Judaism and its ceremonial laws? That sounds good too. It has loyal followers and lots of tradition. Gnosticism? Why not? It’s certainly popular right now and we too want to be on the cutting edge. The poor Colossians didn’t know who or what to believe, so they believed a little of everything and hoped they got something right.
This is a very modern spiritual problem – either gathering beliefs from a variety of different religions out there or simply not caring about the doctrinal differences that exist between church bodies. There’s just simply so much information out there, how can I know who holds the truth? Information levels are at an all-time high. The 20th Century rolling over to the present is known as the age of information. I can go online and find out pretty much anything I want about anyone or anything. Think of the power. I can dial a couple numbers and get an update from someone on the other side of the world. I can flip on the T.V. or pop in a DVD and see anything my imagination desires. I can communicate in seconds with anyone anywhere via email, fax, blackberry, or instant messenger. We have access to more information than we ever believed possible. But, instead of empowering people, it only leaves people feeling more left behind. A hundred years ago it took half a century or more for the world to double its knowledge base. Now it happens every other year.
All this information coming so fast makes life unpredictable. There are too many factors beyond our control. Our problem is that we don’t know what we don’t know. There appears to be too much information to forecast the future, so we feel vulnerable. As a result, people today have a well-developed sense of tentativeness. They’re afraid to make commitments, because they know they could never have all the facts.
I simply don’t know what to believe when people are giving me contradicting information. Some people are telling me to vote “yes, yes” on propositions 1 and 2 because casinos will be better for local businesses, will lower taxes, and will create jobs. Other people are telling me to vote “no, no” because casinos are often owned by and filled with greedy, morally corrupt people, many of whom will eventually bankrupt and I’ll be paying for them to be on welfare through my taxes. Both of the people making these claims know the situation better than I do. Who am I to believe?
The world tells me that if I want to look good and be healthy, I’m going to have to maintain a healthy diet. Well, some people tell me I need to cut carbs out of my life. Others say it’s simply an issue of calories. Others say I need more fiber. Others are concerned that I have too much cholesterol or sodium in my diet. Maybe I just need to eat my vegetables. If I eat my carrots every day, my eyes will be healthy. Coffee? Eggs? Chocolate? I have no idea if they’re good or bad for me anymore. So I end up eating frozen burritos 4 or 5 times a week – they’re cheap, they’re tasty, and you can fill up on them.
What do I believe? What can I believe anymore? Everybody seems to have answers. All I know is that I’m lost. Why is it so difficult for a college student to choose a major? Why is it so difficult for me to order something off of the big menu board at McDonald’s? Why is it so difficult for people to choose a church or even go to church? There are so many options out there and so much information, it’s overwhelming. What should I do? Who can I trust?
What about issues of morality, spirituality, and the afterlife? Everyone has opinions there too, but no one seems to know. We all seem to be in agreement that we’re a little uncertain because the one thing you are allowed to say confidently in society is “don’t judge.” The world says, “Until you can quantitatively, scientifically prove to me that you have the truth, why should I believe what you have to say. What is right for me is right for me. What is right for you is right for you. Whatever works. You’re in no position to judge me.” So the world is left to live according to whatever fragment of a conscience might remain and whatever motherly morals they learned in youth. And even these eventually get washed away by a combination of what “feels right” and what “seems reasonable”. Unfortunately feelings and reason can be Satan’s one – two punch, that are always only a couple of sins away from callusing a conscience completely.
What is true? What is right? What knowledge is true knowledge? The Colossians wanted to know. They desperately were grasping at different beliefs trying to find something that worked – something that felt right and seemed right. I need to know too, because Knowledge is a Powerful Thing. In fact, it’s essential for survival.
If you were trapped all by yourself in the wilderness – in the woods, or mountains, or the desert, you’d need to have a knowledge of the land to survive. You’d need to know what you could eat, what you could use to keep warm, which direction you were facing, etc. Every day we walk around in a wilderness of sin, which we ourselves contribute to. The devil, the world, and our sinful flesh are good at blinding us to the knowledge that will keep us alive. But praise be to God, because objective truth has been revealed to us, that has set our hearts on fire.
That objective truth is spoken to us in the immutable Word of God. There is a word that is used several times in our lesson for today that I want to direct your attention to. It actually appears more times in the Greek than in English. And, due to the situation of the Colossians, it appears more times in this letter than in all of Paul’s other letters. It’s a word used for “knowledge” and “understanding” in Greek. It’s actually a little wordplay on Paul’s part, because it’s gnosis, that “special knowledge” which the Colossians loved so much, with a little something extra. The word is ἐπίγνωσις (epignosis) – experiential knowledge on a particular topic. Paul explains to the Colossians the difference between the knowledge that they’ve been chasing in this world and true knowledge. The knowledge they’ve been chasing is a fleeting one, based on sinful feelings, based on sinful logic and reason, grabbed from different religions and teachings. It is worth nothing other than possibly making you popular with the contemporary crowd.
Conversely, true knowledge is the knowledge of the true God. Our lesson says that true knowledge is “understanding God’s grace in all truth” (vs. 6) – recognizing the undeserved love we’ve received from God in our creation, redemption, and preservation. It is being “filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (vs. 9) – appreciating how God’s commands keep us safe from the spiritual dangers of this world. It is “bearing fruit in every good work,” – knowing what God has made you capable of and desiring to please him. It is having a desire to continue to “grow in the knowledge of God” (vs. 10) – being mature enough to know how much you’ve learned and how much more you can learn through his Word. This is true knowledge. This is knowledge that means something. This is knowledge that gives power. At it’s foundation is the knowledge that God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Knowledge of Jesus Christ is the source of all true power!
If you know Jesus Christ, you will “be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience” (vs. 11) Isn’t that fascinating? God has blessed us with power. But it’s not a power to perform miracles like fly or read minds. It’s not power to become wonderfully wealthy, amazingly gorgeous, or extraordinarily popular. He’s blessed us with the super-human powers of “patience” and “endurance”. If we were a super hero, no one would buy our action figure. These aren’t the most appealing traits to the world, but they are indeed powerful. Remember how we earlier talked about power equating to control. Well, the fact of the matter is we cannot control the world. We really can’t change the way the world thinks, feels, or reasons. God would be the only one with the power to do such a thing. But, as Christians, with the Holy Spirit guiding our lives, we do have the power to exercise self-control. Patience and endurance are obvious examples of such self-control. It takes a tremendous deal of strength to tame our tongues, avert our eyes, give from our wallets, change our minds, and suppress our sinful thoughts. It takes God-given power.
Well, why would we ever have a desire to exercise such patience and endurance in the face of the temptations of this world, which appear so desirable to our sinful flesh? We do it so that we can “joyfully give thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light” (vs. 12) An inheritance is something that you don’t earn. It is something that you receive due to someone else’s generosity and specific love to you. God qualified us to receive the inheritance of paradise in heaven.
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” A simple knowledge of our role in life, our status with God due to Christ, qualifies us to receive salvation. Understand, recognize, have a knowledge of your sinfulness – that thing which separates us from God. Understand, recognize, have a personal knowledge of God’s grace – the fact that he loved us despite that sin, so much so, that he was willing to rescue us by sacrificing his Son. Understand, recognize, have a knowledge of forgiveness – that thing that is the essence of Christianity, which the world neither knows nor understands, nor wants to understand. It’s free, it’s full, and it’s forever.
This knowledge changes your life. It’s kind of like those digitally produced images that were popular 10-15 years ago, the ones that you would hold up to your face and look at for awhile, and then you’d pull back and see a 3-dimensional image. You had to look at the image quite intensely for a short period of time and then you relaxed your eyes to see this amazing thing before you. Everything else in the world seemed to fade away. Focus your eyes on Christ and you will see his beauty before you. You will have the knowledge of his will, his intention, his picture for your life. You will become relaxed in a state that cannot be disrupted by the distractions of this world. You will receive true knowledge. But don’t take my advice, see for yourself from God’s Holy, unchanging Word.
This knowledge is not a fad, here today and gone tomorrow. It was there back in the Garden of Eden, when God promised to Adam and Eve that he would send a deliverer to crush the head of Satan and sin. It was there when God told Abraham to count the stars in the sky and told him that the whole world would be blessed through his offspring. It was there when Isaiah prophesied about a servant coming whom God himself would inflict pain upon, placing the sins of everyone else upon his shoulders. This knowledge was there when the shepherds heard the angels and the wise men saw the star. It was there when the women wept bitterly, watching their good friend and personal Savior breathe his last breath on the cross. This knowledge was there when 500 witnessed our Savior’s resurrected body. This knowledge was there when Martin Luther said, “Wait a second. Christ Jesus gave me salvation as a gift when he died on the cross for my sins and gave me his righteousness.”
It has always been there. That knowledge is still here today. And it is powerful. It is so powerful that it produces life – eternal life for you and me and for many others to whom we bring it. It is able to “make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15) Know it, recognize it, and experience it. Give thanks for it, be filled with it, and let it bear fruit in your life. Let it reign over any conventional knowledge this world has to offer. Jesus Christ, in his almighty power, has rescued us from that which we were powerless to rescue ourselves. Knowledge of this is all we need in life and it is all we need for life. Amen.
“The peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.” (Philippians 4:7)–Vicar James Hein
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July 16, 2007 by admin.
Luke 10:1-12,16-20 7/15/07
In the name of our Savior, dear fellow workers in the Lord’s harvest,
Every now and then I’ll wander into one of the rooms of our child care center after naptime when the kids get to choose a book to look at. I can’t help but notice that some of the books are the same ones I enjoyed at that age. I have one such book here this morning: “Go, Dog, Go!” Page through the book and you’ll see a number of various colored dogs performing a number of activities. But just as the cover portrays, there are many pages devoted to dogs driving cars with an obvious sense of urgency – hence the title, “Go, Dog, Go!” They are determined to accomplish their task and to reach their destination as quickly as possible.
As followers of our Lord, we have been given a task to do – to spread the gospel throughout the world – and there’s also to be a sense of urgency that comes with such a responsibility. This morning let’s alter the title of this children’s book a little to illustrate our Lord’s command. Today he tells us:
“Go, Christian, Go!”
I. Recognize the need
II. Receive the instructions
III. Rejoice over the results
Remember last Sunday’s gospel lesson? To many people Jesus had issued the invitation (Lk 9:59), “Follow me.” Perhaps there was a sense of urgency in Jesus’ voice, for this would be his last trip to Jerusalem. He was going there to die. Before long he would be gone from this world. He wanted to make sure the people were prepared for his coming, that they would know that the Messiah was about to accomplish his mission. So Jesus gives some of these followers an assignment (v 1), “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.” This job was too much for just the twelve disciples. Jesus wanted the towns he planned to visit to be ready for his arrival. No, he didn’t want parades and banquets to be arranged in his honor. He wanted the people to be prepared to hear his message, to know that the kingdom of God was near.
There was plenty of work to be done (v 2), “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” The workers were few then, and they’re still few today when compared to the number of people who need to hear the gospel. The workers are still few compared to the forces of evil working against the Lord and his message. The workers are few, and yet the fields are ripe. When it’s time to harvest wheat, you can’t just sit idly by. You have to get to work or you could lose a good share of the crop. What an even greater urgency there is for us today to get out into God’s field, to get at the harvest while there’s still time, to work while it is day.
When analyzing the problems within our beloved Wisconsin Synod these days, one might be tempted to amend our Lord’s statement to say, “The harvest is plentiful, but the monies are few.” I discovered something rather interesting when looking back over the years at other times I’ve preached on this section of Luke’s Gospel. The first time was in 1989 – 18 years ago – and I made a reference back then to the fact that we had plenty of workers willing to serve in the public ministry, but there was a lack of dollars needed to open new missions. But the next time I preached on this text, nine years later in 1998, I stressed that money wasn’t a problem, but at that time we were lacking workers. Now the pendulum seems to have swung back again, and another nine years later it appears as if the lack of funds has become the obstacle once more. But can we truthfully say that we have a “lack” of dollars to do mission work? In the prosperous times in which we live, isn’t the problem, more than anything else, a lack of priorities in how we use the blessings our Lord has entrusted to us?
So what can we do about it? Our Lord has given us the command, “Go, Christian, go!” Giving of our offerings is one way we can help. But first each of us can approach God’s throne of grace through prayer (v 2), “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” It’s not that God doesn’t already send out workers. But by praying we realize that God is the only one who’s capable of providing what we need. Jesus reminds us (Jn 15:5), “I am the vine; you are the branches . . . ; apart from me you can do nothing.” When we pray, we’re reminded that God is there for us (1 Jn 5:14), “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” When we turn to him in prayer, he’ll show us what we can do to help. So pray — and keep praying — for workers!
But we’re not talking about just full-time workers here. Remember that the Lord told the 72 disciples to pray for workers, but then he sent those same 72 out to be the workers! Once we’ve recognized the need for workers, let’s pay close attention and receive the instructions the Lord gives us to be the workers.
Our Lord tells us to go, but he wants us to be aware of our limitations (v 3), “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” God sends us out into a hostile environment. By nature people don’t want to hear about Christ. Jesus warned his disciples (Mt 10:22), “All men will hate you because of me.” We have to realize that on our own we’re powerless. We’re like lambs trying to survive in the midst of a wolfpack. Read your Meditations this week and you’ll learn that even today throughout the world approximately 450 people are killed every day because of their Christian faith. But remember who is sending us! The command to go comes from Jesus himself, the same one who assures us (Mt 28:20), “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We dare not trust in our own strength or we’ll be devoured by those who think of Christ’s message as “foolishness” and “a stumbling block” (1 Co 1:18,23). Instead we trust in the Lord and listen to his command, knowing that the one who does the sending also promises to always be by our side.
Jesus gave these 72 men some divine credentials to back up the message they brought (v 9), “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’” They would be blessed with special power to work miracles of healing to certify that they were God’s representatives. But the important part of their work was still the message, “The kingdom of God is near you.” The Savior they had long awaited had come! It was time to get ready for him!
Not everyone would be receptive of this message. Jesus wanted his workers to be ready for rejection (vv 10-12,16), “But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. . . . He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Even when they were rejected, Jesus still wanted these men to deliver a warning. Perhaps the people would repent and listen to their message. If not, the Lord himself would take care of things. The workers were just the Lord’s representatives. They were to go and do the work. The Lord would take care of the rest.
There are two things we can take home with us from this part of our text. First of all we know that the Lord is the one who equips us to do his work. Some receive greater instructions, greater responsibilities, such as pastors and teachers. But everyone who has learned what Jesus has done for them is instructed enough to witness to those around them. To each of us the Lord says, “Go, Christian, go!” It doesn’t mean you have to hop on a jet to Africa or climb up into a pulpit on Sunday morning. But it does mean that you are to keep our eyes open for opportunities to share what you know about Jesus with those who are part of our world. You’re qualified to do so, because the Lord has instructed you with the life-saving message of the gospel.
Secondly, we need to realize that rejection is to be expected. Do you know that in baseball if you get a hit three out of every 10 at-bats, you’re considered a star? That’s only a 30% success rate. That means that you fail the other 70% of the time, but still you’re doing very well. What about when it comes to sharing your faith? What do you think my success rate has been over the years in getting people to church or to my Bible Information Class? 10%? 5%? Perhaps closer to 1%! And yet our Lord tells us not to give up! The only people who have never failed when it comes to sharing their faith are those who have never tried. Or, to put it another way, the only real failure in life for a Christian witness is the failure to try. Don’t be discouraged by rejection. Remember, the angels in heaven rejoice over just one sinner who repents and is added to the fold. All we’re told to do is deliver the message. God promises to take it from there.
When the Lord says “go,” we can’t be afraid of rejection. Even if not visible at first glance, God tells us his Word will produce results. For that assurance we have every reason to rejoice.
Luke jumps ahead to when the 72 who had been sent out returned from their mission (vv 17-19), “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’ He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.’” The disciples were pretty excited about the power they had. Even the demons had to give in to them. Jesus pictures this as the beginning of Satan’s tumble from power, a fall which would be complete when Jesus himself would suffer and die to free man from the slavery of sin and eternal damnation. The reason why the disciples had such power? Jesus had given it to them. They had nothing to fear. The enemy was powerless against the almighty Lord!
And yet Jesus didn’t want these men treasuring what they were doing more than what Jesus had done for them (v 20), “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Yes, having power over demons was important, but knowing what Christ had done for them was more important. Knowing Christ as our Lord and Savior and delivering that message to others are the results which count. Perhaps you’ve heard the saying that the problem with Christians is that we are so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Well, the opposite is actually true. Unless we’re heavenly minded, we can’t be any earthly good. That’s why we go into the world with a spiritual agenda – to lead others on the path to eternal salvation.
And isn’t that what brings true joy? What makes people happy today? Making a child laugh? Being able to help someone in need? Knowing that your kids get a good education? Such joyous events all pale in comparison to the ultimate joy of being able to see someone come to know their Lord and Savior because the Holy Spirit used you to tell them about Jesus. Think of it — he wants to use you to change someone’s eternity! He wants to use you to help someone learn the good news that their name is written in heaven! That’s true joy! That’s lasting joy! That’s the joy that can belong to each of us as we work in the harvest of our Lord!
Just where are those dogs in the book going? What is it that seems to have them so focused and determined? Turn to the end and you’ll see: “A dog party! A big dog party! Big dogs, little dogs, red dogs, blue dogs, yellow dogs, green dogs, black dogs, and white dogs are all at a dog party! What a dog party!”
Because of Jesus, we as Christians are headed to a celebration of our own. And the good news is that everyone is invited to the party. Let’s make sure the invitations get delivered!
Amen
–Rev. Jonathan Rockhoff
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July 9, 2007 by admin.
Galatians 5:1, 13-25“Celebrate Your Freedom”
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.” (Philippians 4:23)
This past week many in our country received a day off from work. I was not one of them. But, I’m not bitter. I’m happy for all who did. I hope you enjoyed it if you were one of those lucky people. If you did get a day off this week, I’m sure you realized that it wasn’t a random day off. It wasn’t an accident. It had reason. It had purpose. It came at a price. 231 years ago a collection of 13 British colonies in North America had had enough, and consequently declared their independence. They took the recommendation of Thomas Paine, war propagandist and author of the pamphlet Common Sense which compelled many colonists to support and even fight in the American Revolution, and the union of colonists called themselves “The United States of America.”
When the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, and Britain finally recognized the independence of the U.S. east of the Mississippi River, validating that document that had been signed several years earlier, I bet there was celebration in the budding nation. Maybe they barbecued. Maybe they had apple pie. Maybe they set off fireworks. I don’t know. But having such freedom undoubtedly brought about joy to the formerly oppressed. And they undoubtedly celebrated the freedom that had come at such a costly price, yet was unquestionably worth it.
Freedom from political tyranny is far surpassed by freedom from spiritual tyranny. Freedom from a guilty conscience is a far greater blessing than taxation with representation. As we celebrated the freedom we have as a nation this past week, today we want to focus on the freedom that we have because of Jesus – freedom from sin. Today I encourage you to…
“Celebrate Your Freedom”
I. Christ has freed us.
II. Live as one set free.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians, from which we get our lesson for today, was probably written during his third missionary journey (around 55 A.D.). This area to whom he addressed this letter was “Galatia”. It was located in the northern part of Asia Minor and the people settled there were probably early ancestors of the Irish. After Paul had left the church, it quickly fell into spiritual danger. A group called the Judaizers were having a huge influence on the church, preaching a new gospel which was really no gospel at all. The false teaching of these Judaizers was the concept that people are saved by a combination of faith in Jesus + obedience to the Old Testament ceremonial laws.
The reaction to the heresy of the Judaizers was twofold, both being equally treacherous to faith. Many impressionable Galatians thought that these Judaizers knew what they were talking about, and they came to believe that their salvation was dependent on their obedience to those old ceremonial laws (circumcision, Sabbath regulations, ceremonial cleanness, etc.). Many other Galatians were equally affected by these Judaizers, but in a very different way. They knew the Judaizers were wrong, because they understood Jesus to be the fulfillment of all the Old Testament laws. But as a result, they felt all laws, including the moral laws written on our hearts, made no difference any more. They viewed Christ’s forgiveness as a free pass to commit as many sins as they wanted. The Galatians – ancient people, tremendously modern and common spiritual problems. Maybe these Galatians or people quite like them even live in our own homes.
Paul’s desire in this letter is to cause the Galatians to grow in their spiritual maturity and understanding of the freedom that they have in Christ. Since Christ has done it all for us, we are freed from a slavish obedience to the Old Testament laws and freed for a life of service to our Savior.
Christ has set us free. The opening verse of our lesson couldn’t say it any clearer: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (vs. 1). In Greek the words placed at the front of the sentence really direct the main focus of the thought of the sentence. For this verse and for this third section of his letter, the words are “for freedom.” That really is an amazing thought that at the heart of Christianity is freedom. That’s not really how the world sees it. That’s not even how we always see it due to our sinful nature. Through sinful eyes we’re tempted to see Christianity as a rulebook. No one likes rulebooks because humans aren’t crazy about rules. They confine us and we feel trapped and suffocated. When you get a new game, unless you’re my mother, generally your first move is not to run to the read the rules. You try to play it and finally when you get stuck, you consult the rules. Pastor and I help coach Y-baseball. They handed us a rulebook at the beginning of the year. At the end I can hand it back in mint condition. I haven’t touched it because it’s boring. By nature we don’t like rules. We prefer autonomy. Our sinful nature wants to view the Bible as this big boring rulebook that says “Do this” and “Don’t do this”. It’s any wonder that it becomes a struggle for us to pick it up on a regular basis. But that’s not what Christianity is about. That’s not what the Bible is about. The Bible teaches that Christ has set us free from rules, regulations, and the burdens of the law. “Celebrate your Freedom.”
We all know exactly what those laws are. Before we memorized what those Ten Commandments were, even then we knew. Before God etched them on stone tablets for Moses, he etched them on each and every one of our hearts. “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” (vv. 19-20) This isn’t intended to be a comprehensive list of all sins. It’s a brief one. And yet, whether or not these sins have been acted upon by us, they exist in every one of our hearts. That’s not my observance, that’s God’s assessment. When Scripture says that “every inclination of man’s heart is sinful from childhood” (Genesis 8:21) we have to take the Holy Spirit at his word. I’m inclined to trust God more than my sinful pride that says I’m doing okay.
But our many sins are not counted against us. Jesus Christ set us free. Many of you have known that since childhood. We will continue to remind you of the source of your freedom each week here at Messiah. Verse one of our lesson has told us it happened once in the past and nothing ever has to be done again to earn salvation. The price for our sins has been paid. The yoke of our guilt and shame has been lifted. The nails on Christ’s cross not only went through his hands and feet, but they went through our sins as well, so that they would be pinned for eternity to the cross that brought our liberty. Those broken laws are held against us no longer because by God’s grace they were held against Jesus Christ our Savior. Praise be to God for such love and mercy.
Christ has now called us to recognize who and what we are. Verse 13 explains it. Paul says, “You, my brothers, were called to be free.” Is there anything better than freedom? America doesn’t think so. If there is a word that defines our country better than “freedom”, I don’t know what it is. As a nation we’ve gone through much legislation and passed many amendments to ensure our freedom because we value it above all else. Freedom is wonderful and rare, and we have it nationally and more important, spiritually.
The natural result of knowing our freedom would be to Live as one set free. But it’s easier said than done. If you remember going through driver’s training, you know this. Getting your hands on those keys was a great feeling. But some decisions needed to be made. Were you going to drive to that party you weren’t supposed to go to? Were you going to go and buy that outfit your mom said no to? Were you going to park in that hidden place with your girlfriend? A lot more freedom meant a lot of temptation.
We have to make sure that we don’t see the freedom that Christ has blessed us with as a license to sin. Our lesson says, “Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature” (vs. 13). Freedom is like a great fortune of money – it could either be a great blessing if used rightly, or it could be an absolute curse if it’s abused. How do you use your freedom? Have you ever found yourself saying or at least thinking, “Well, I know Christ has already washed my sins away, so I’m okay if I do this even though I know it’s not God-pleasing.” That’s not Christianity. Hebrews 10:26-27 addresses that very heart. It says, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” How terrifying!
Our sinful nature is constantly trying to see what it can get away with. It even uses our Savior’s death and resurrection as an excuse to live like unbelievers. Well, I already know that Jesus died to take my sins away, do I really need to go to church anymore? Well, I know Jesus already washed these sexual sins away years ago, why not at least enjoy them? Jesus has already paid the bill, so I can do what I want, say what I want, and think what I want. That’s freedom. Right? Not according to the Bible, it’s not. The freedom that Christ has won and freely given to us is potential to do good. Formerly, we were slaves to sin. Before we became children of God by faith we were incapable of doing anything good in God’s sight. But since Christ has freed us we are free to live as ones who have been set free. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (vv. 22-23) That’s what freedom is – it’s the ability to do the things that you were created to do.
That’s really the age-old question, isn’t it? What did God create us for? Can we even answer that question – “why am I here?” We can. Our lesson actually answers it several times. God created us to love. Paul says that the entire law is summed up in one command, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (vs. 14) The first fruit of the Spirit in the list which serves as a summary of the rest is “love.” Freed from the chains of sin, we are free to love our Lord. The Lord wants us to show our love to him in our love for one another. Let’s choose to do so. Children, go home today and obey your parents. Do your chores. Watch your mouth. Submit to those who God put in charge of you. Husbands and wives, wake up in the morning and tell yourself that on that day you will live for the happiness of your spouse. Do things without being told. Buy them a gift. Tell them that you love them. Children of God, thank God for bringing you to life and promising you that even the slightest of pains in this life will be a thing of the past once heaven arrives. Thank God with your prayers, offerings, Bible studies, and church attendance. Literally tell about what he did for you to everyone you know. Focus your life on him.
Make sure you understand that these fruits of faith are not commands. Instead, they’re simple truths. A healthy Christian faith naturally produces these things. Some of you may already know that when I was little, back in the 80s, I used to be a big professional wrestling fan. Specifically, I was a big Hulk Hogan fan. Hulk Hogan’s encouragement to all of his little Hulkamaniac’s back then was to “train, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins.” You know what I did? Granted, as a conservative little Lutheran I recognized a different order of priority, but I prayed, I trained hard for sports and school, and I took my vitamins. I didn’t look at his little mantra as commands. They just made sense to me. Somebody that I looked up to as a hero gave me advice. I followed it. God tells me to love and serve my neighbor as myself. That’s not a burden. That’s a wise Christian encouragement from the God of all knowledge and love.
Unfortunately I know how often I’ve lived just for me. Every day I’m tempted to be the center of my day. How can I ever get away from that? In our lesson today, Paul says, “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” (vv. 16-17) The key to living by the Spirit really is a simple one. I read a story once that I think illustrates it well. Some of you may have heard me tell it before. I use it every chance I get because I think it depicts the internal struggle of a Christian so well. There was a missionary on an Apache reservation in Arizona. You have to understand that this Native American group is corrupted with enormous amounts of substance abuse, violence, and debauchery. The missionary was speaking to one of the recent converts, when the man made a profound spiritual statement. It was common for those people to speak in metaphors, so the Apache said, “You know, Pastor, fighting temptation is so hard. It’s like there’s two dogs fighting in my heart. There’s an evil dog (which he referred to as the “black dog”) that only wants me to do bad. There’s also a good dog (which he referred to as the “white dog”) that only wants me to do good and obey God’s commands.” As a Christian who had been trained to understand the old self and the new self, the missionary knew exactly what the Apache man was talking about. He said to the Apache, “Well, which dog wins the fight?” The Apache said to him, “Oh, that’s easy – whichever one I feed the most.”
You see, to live by the Spirit requires staying in the Means of Grace, feeding your spirit with the gospel in Word and Sacrament, the vehicles through which the Spirit works on our hearts. Of course we have failed in the past, but Christ has set us free. “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (vv. 24-25) Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life. Every single time you hear God’s Word the Holy Spirit works on your heart to strengthen your faith and assure you of your freedom from sin and hell. Every single time you take the Lord’s Supper you taste evidence of your freedom. “Celebrate Your Freedom” and live today without the chains of sin. You now have the legs to run from temptation. You now have the voice to say, “Behind me Satan!” You now have the Spirit that trusts the promises of a God who declares you forgiven in his Son. “Celebrate Your Freedom”. Live it, breathe it, die with it and you will live forever with it. Amen.
“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20,21)–Vicar Hein
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July 2, 2007 by admin.
In the name of Jesus, the Christ of God, dear fellow followers of the Lord’s Anointed,
You can tell a lot about a person by the hats that he wears. This is especially true when it comes to one’s sports allegiances. I’ve brought along with me this morning a few of the hats in my collection that give a clear indication that I’m a fan of any team from Detroit. Here’s a hat I bought while in Florida for spring training a few years ago. This is one I received from my in-laws just last fall when the Tigers made it to the World Series. Here’s one my wife got for me a few Christmases ago, advertising the Detroit Red Wing hockey team. And here’s one that I don’t wear all that often, at least, not as much as the others. Why not? The answer is simple. It’s a Detroit Lions hat, and whereas the Tigers and Red Wings have had pretty good teams the last few years, the Lions have not. In other words, it’s easier to follow a winner. This past Friday I met a man working in the bulk mail department of the post office who commented on my Detroit Tigers checks. He admitted to being a big baseball fan himself, and when I asked him which team he followed, he proclaimed that he was a “diehard Kansas City Royals’ fan.” But he also added that there weren’t many around who would admit such an allegiance, based on the Royals’ records the last few years — once again proving the theory that it’s hard to root for a loser. We’d all much rather follow a winner.
There’s nothing wrong with having such a desire, especially when we’re talking of things spiritual. With that in mind I have some good news for you this morning. Today God’s Word proclaims to us:
“When You Follow Christ, You Follow a Winner”
I. Recognize whom your following
II. Realize what comes with such a commitment
We find Jesus at a time in his ministry when he was actually losing followers, those who had been intrigued by his miracles but were having trouble accepting his teachings. Many were looking for a different type of Messiah, so in John’s Gospel we read that “many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (Jn 6:66). Jesus saw this as an opportune time to get the disciples to state their opinion of him, to verbalize just whom they thought he was.
But first Jesus asks the disciples to give a report as to what others were saying about him (vv 18,19), “Once when Jesus was praying in private [note Jesus’ wonderful habit!], he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.’” There were plenty of rumors flying around — John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the other Old Testament prophets back from the dead. Many had a high opinion of Jesus, but that doesn’t mean they had a proper understanding of who he was. Many still didn’t understand just whom they were following. It was just as John wrote in his Gospel (Jn 1:10), “The world did not recognize him.”
Time for the disciples to log in with their answer (v 20), “‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’” Jesus wanted the disciples to summarize their position, to proclaim whether or not they recognized whom they were following. We find Peter once again exercising his role as group spokesman and offering this answer (v 20), “The Christ of God.” Peter’s answer comes quickly and clearly. He identifies Jesus as “the Christ,” the one promised by God from the beginning to be the world’s Savior. Although most still found it hard to accept Jesus as their promised Messiah, that wasn’t the case with Peter. Later we learn that Peter and the rest of the disciples still had a ways to go before truly understanding what Jesus’ role entailed, but for now we rejoice that they recognized Jesus as the Anointed One sent by God to be their Savior.
Jesus was well aware of the mixed reactions to his identity, even without asking the disciples. With this in mind he tells the disciples to keep quiet for a time concerning Peter’s confession (v 21), “Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.” You had different camps developing when it came to how people saw Jesus. Some were more enamored with his miracles than they were with his message. Others refused to believe that he was anything more than a mere human. There was such a misconception at that time about the role of the Messiah that for now it was best for the disciples to sit tight. Later on, after his death and resurrection, people would be able to fully comprehend what it meant for Jesus to be called “the Christ.”
What if Jesus were to take a poll today, randomly selecting people on the street and asking them, “What about you? Who do you say I am?” What answers would he receive? In the religious world there are those who see him only as another prophet, some type of lesser god, much like the Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Still others see him more as a model for morality than as a Savior from sin. As helpful as the “What Would Jesus Do?” campaign was in helping people rethink their actions, it also may have contributed to many looking at Jesus as merely an example to follow instead of looking into what Jesus did do for their salvation. Let’s keep the message clear. When we follow Jesus, we follow a winner, because he is “the Christ of God.” The world needs us to set the record straight. They need to hear the truth. They need to hear the bad news of why they need a Savior so that they can appreciate the good news that they have that Savior in Jesus! They need to know they’re following a winner, the only one capable of winning their salvation!
If Peter and the rest of the disciples were determined to continue following him, Jesus wanted them to know what they were getting themselves into. The same goes for us today. When we follow Jesus, we follow a winner. But Jesus wants us also to realize what comes with such a commitment.
To try and squelch any false ideas that the disciples may have had as to what type of Messiah he was, Jesus for the first time lays out for them what God’s plan would involve (v 22), “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” It was important for the disciples to know that what they would see happen to Jesus was all part of God’s plan. His could not be just a political kingdom. It had to be so much more than that. The Son of God came to also be “the Son of Man,” humbling himself to take man’s place. That’s what Isaiah was prophesying when he wrote (Isa 53:5), “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” It had to be this way – notice how Jesus says that these things “must” take place, listing them as inescapable facts. No, he didn’t come to overthrow the Romans. He came to overthrow the devil, and to do that he would have to suffer and die. But notice the last part of what he said, the part his disciples so often overlooked, “. . . and on the third day be raised to life.” If only the disciples had not centered their thoughts only on his suffering and instead had rejoiced in his promise of a resurrection! Then they would have known all along that by following Jesus, no matter how things looked, they were still following a winner!
Jesus never said that following him would be easy. Allegiance to our Lord involves sacrifice (v 23), “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” We have a natural sinful self that wants to follow the devil and his temptations, believing that in this way we’ll find contentment and happiness. That’s what we are to deny, to ignore our own wants and desires that are contrary to his will, to quit living only for ourselves, and to instead live for someone else – for our Savior! Paul tells us (2 Co 5:15), “Those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him [Christ!] who died for them and was raised again.” To do this requires the Spirit’s help in saying no to sin and yes to Jesus. Then we’ll willingly “take up [our] cross daily” and suffer, if necessary, for following him. That means we may face ridicule for not going along with the crowd and giving in to sin but instead standing up for what’s right. That means that we may be put down for having different priorities than the rest of the world. That means that we won’t practice a “theology of glory” here on this earth, expecting everything to go our way, but instead we’ll follow the “theology of the cross,” realizing that we have crosses to bear while living in this world. Realize what comes with such a commitment when you call yourself a follower of Christ! Realize what it takes to follow a winner!
You could say that such a commitment is a matter of life and death – eternal life and death. Jesus concludes our text with what sounds like a contradiction. Listen closely (v 24), “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” Only followers of Jesus can make sense of what he says here. For the Christian there’s no contradiction. Jesus simply puts things into perspective. If people want to “save” their life here on this earth by living only for themselves, they’ll actually lose their life eternally. But those who are willing to “lose” their lives for the sake of Christ, putting him and his will ahead of their own, those people will be assured of eternal life. Jesus makes the same point when he asks (Mt 16:26), “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” The answer is obvious. Living only for this life is for losers. Instead we agree with Paul who proclaims (Php 1:21), “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” We’re winners, because we follow a winner who assures us that the best is yet to come!
If we’re winners, let’s live like winners. First of all that means understanding what comes with our commitment to following Jesus. It involves self-denial. It means putting Jesus and his Word at the top of our list of priorities. About 2/3 of our congregation does that by being in God’s house each week, but what about the other 1/3? Are there really that many excuses for not being in God’s house every Sunday? And what could we possibly have on our agenda that’s more important than adding that extra hour on Sunday morning for Sunday School and Bible Class? And yet 3/4 of our membership has something better to do. Is that really self-denial, or is it self-gratification?
Following Jesus also means making time to serve him. We’re going to have a number of opportunities for you to do just that in the weeks and months ahead. Tonight some of you have volunteered to house the group of young people coming through our area on their way to the youth rally in Texas. We’re getting closer to launching another building program, one that will require not only your dollars but also your precious time as we put together committees to help with the whole process. This month you’ll have a chance to help out at the church booth at the Sedgwick County Fair in Cheney. Some of you will be taking time to chaperone at Camp Jefferson at the end of the month. Next month Vacation Bible School kicks off, and volunteers will be sought to give of their time and talents. Most of you know that we won’t be receiving a vicar for next year, and if we hope to keep up the same type of ministry that we have now with a vicar, you and your pastor will have to step things up a bit. Add to all these things your own personal opportunities to serve your Savior in your own vocations and mission fields around you, and you’ll be reminded of the commitment that comes from following Jesus. But remember in serving your Savior you’ll always be blessed, because you’ll always be following a winner!
It’s easier to follow a sports team when it’s a winning team. The same can be said for following Christ. When we follow Jesus, we follow a winner! Granted, it won’t always be easy, but the end result will prove to be well worth it. When it comes to our salvation, Jesus has already won the victory. He’s written each of our names on the trophy. Now he invites us to join the celebration. When we follow Jesus, we’re all winners! So we join with Paul in proclaiming: “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Co 15:57)!
Amen
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