Baptism of Jesus – Matthew 3:13-17 – January 10th, 2009
In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
We have now entered into the season of Epiphany – and Epiphany is a season of wonder and revelation. Epiphany literally means “to shine upon” - to have a revealing light shine forth into the night so that we can truly see – and our Gospel lessons for the next few weeks will deal with Christ Jesus revealing the most wondrous truth – that He is true God. Christmastime focused on the fact that Jesus is true Man, but in Epiphany we see that He is true God as well. This is a revelation that we all need to see, a wonder that brings joy whenever we ponder it. And so, this day, in our Gospel text, we see Jesus head to the river Jordan to be baptized by John.
Now, I almost feel bad for John here, and probably more so because I am a preacher. I'm sure this will come as no surprise, but generally preachers like to know stuff. They like to know what is going on and why. To be a preacher is to be a teacher, and if you are teaching it certainly helps if you know what you are teaching, if you have your preparation all done and complete. Same reason why teachers have plan periods and the like – preparation and knowing your material is key. And as for surprises, those are right out – don't want those. You don’t want too much unexpected happening. And so John prepared – and He studied and trained, and then He shows up in the desert – and he preaches. He preaches a baptism of repentance, preaches as powerfully as anyone in centuries. And all his ducks are in a row – he can answer every question – even the Scribes and the Pharisees can't knock him off his game – John can even dress them down them when they approach – You brood of vipers, who told you to flee the wrath that is to come. Great stuff – makes my pastor-heart go all pitter patter. Fantastic. And then, Jesus comes down to the Jordan to be baptized, and John is thrown for a complete loop. We hear, John would have prevented Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” John is completely thrown off, completely caught off guard.
Do you understand John's confusion? He has been preaching a baptism of “repentance”. Repentance. Turning away from your sin and focusing yourself upon God and His mercy, upon forgiveness. And up comes Jesus – and John knows who Jesus is, John leaped in the womb when Jesus approach him still unborn. John knows his Cousin is the Messiah, knows that He is sinless and has no need of repentance. John doesn't see how what he is preaching does anything for Jesus. Jesus doesn’t need repentance! It would be like a college professor showing up on the first day of 2nd grade with notebooks and folders and asking where he should sit – it would be utterly confusing. In fact, John says, “Wait – you don't need me, Jesus – I need You. I need to be baptized by You – I'm one of those sinners who needs your forgiveness.” John sees his own lack, his own sinfulness, and he doesn't understand the whole picture yet.
So Jesus shows him. But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” These are some beautiful words that our Lord speaks here. You see, John is thinking just in terms of sinfulness and repentance – repent, turn away from your sinfulness, and start focusing on God. John is wanting people to face the right way – which is good. Indeed, that is what we ourselves are to do, we are to be about the business of repenting daily, daily struggling against our sin, daily confessing our sin. Repentance is that struggle against sin which we all face. Jesus, though, is thinking in terms of fulfilling righteousness, which is, unsurprisingly, a more full approach. Let's discuss what it means to fulfill all righteousness. Celia and I went to Tulsa after Christmas to visit her family, and with the storms there, huge potholes had opened up all over the place – and some roads were just horrible. There's a section of 244 that I don't know how anyone drives upon. And so we swerved around the potholes, and we learned to avoid certain streets. That's what repentance is like – it's that struggle to avoid the potholes – and try as hard as I might, I still hit some, but then I drove off, determined to do better. No matter how well I drive, how well I plan out routes, no matter how hard I try to avoid them – those potholes are still there. The road needs to be fixed – those holes need to be filled in – and that's something that I'm not going to do, the highway crews are going to have to do it. John was teaching about people's need to repent, to avoid the moral potholes of life. Jesus comes to fulfill all righteousness, which means He has to fix the problem. Jesus comes to fulfill all righteousness.
You see, sin, our sin, rips holes in creation. Tears vile gashes. Pain, suffering, anger, death, toil. All these things – these are the gashes upon creation, upon us, that sin has left in its wake. These all need to be fixed. The holes left in our heart by sin need to be healed, need to be filled. There needs to be perfection on earth again – but the problem is none of us here can do it. We've already dropped the ball, so even if we lived perfectly from now on, which we can't – still wouldn't mend the sin of our past. And so God Himself comes down to live perfectly, to be completely and totally righteous, so that He Himself can fulfill all righteousness, that He can fill up the holes in creation, the holes in us that sin tore open.
This is what Jesus does throughout His ministry – in the love He shows, in the miracles and wonders He does – and most especially when He fills that largest of sin's holes – the gaping hole of death. When our Lord Jesus is nailed to the Cross, what He is in reality doing is filling up death with Himself, with His own righteous death, so that there is no more room for death at all. This is how He fulfills, He makes things righteous, makes us righteous, so that we are new creations in Him, forgiven and clean. And the particular wonder of this text, this Gospel lesson today, is that our Lord is baptized.
How does Jesus being baptized fulfill all righteousness? In His life, we see that our Lord's righteousness is completely full, that it is filled to the brim, it is overflowing, that one could not be more righteous than Him. But how does that do us any good – it does us good because Jesus is baptized. Consider John's baptism – repentant sinner after repentant sinner had stepped down into that water, confessing their lack of righteousness – and into that same water steps Christ Jesus, who is overflowing with righteousness. Jesus' baptism ties Himself and His righteousness to us sinners – and so that all that He has done, all that goodness and righteousness overflows from Him and onto us, washing away our blemishes, filling up the pockmarks and holes in our life with His own love. When you were baptized, you were united to Christ and His righteousness because Jesus strides to the Jordan, because Jesus tells John that they are going to do this to fulfill all righteousness, to fulfill your righteousness. This is why Jesus is baptized – John was partially right – Jesus didn't need to be baptized for Himself – but we needed Jesus to be baptized. And so He is.
There is a final bit to this text, a wondrous part of revelation that we hear in this text. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is My Beloved Son, with Whom I Am well pleased.” When Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends upon Him, and the Father speaks from heaven saying that He is well pleased with His beloved Son. This is a revelation of the Trinity. The points where we get to see, to hear the Three Persons of the Trinity at the same time are rare – but here we see it – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It is a wonderful sign of assurance that Jesus truly is God, full God – total and complete God – indeed the Triune God rejoices at His Baptism and His work to save mankind. The Father is well pleased, the Spirit is present – everything is in the right order – and we receive this wondrous glimpse of God. This is the reason why our Lord instructs us to baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Because in your baptism, it is not just that you are forgiven, it's not just that your sins are washed away or that the holes in your life are filled – you are united to God – you are united to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And why? Because baptism unites you to Christ. Christ is the Son of the Father – so now the Father sees you and says, “You are my beloved son, my beloved daughter” - because when He sees you He sees all of Christ's righteousness. Your baptism united you with the Holy Spirit. And why? Because wherever Christ is the Holy Spirit is as well, the Holy Spirit rests upon Him, the two go hand and hand, and because you have been united to Christ, you know that the Holy Spirit has made you His dwelling place, His temple as well. This is but a glimpse of the fullness, the wonders of baptism that we receive all because Christ Jesus was Baptized.
And so my dear friends, indeed, more than that, my fellow baptized, my brothers and sisters in Christ – rejoice this day at the wonders God has performed in your life through His gift of Baptism, because Christ Jesus has fulfilled all righteousness, He has filled your righteousness, and indeed, now your cup overfloweth because of Him. He is your light and your salvation, and He has shown upon you and revealed His love unto you. Rejoice. In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the world +
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
A few thoughts this morning
1. "United" and "Untied" have radically different meanings for words where only two letters get transcribed - which often happens when I type quickly. This is why one proofreads a sermon, because to say that we are "untied" from Christ in Baptism would be vile heresy, vile, keyboard induced heresy.
2. While this may be blasphemous to some (not literally, religiously blasphemous, but culturally blasphmeous), I find Epiphany to be a more joyous season than Christmas. Christmas season is the time where we ponder the wondrous mystery that God becomes Man, that He takes up all the things that us Men take up, that He would take the march to the Cross for our sake. Wonderful - but it is tinged with the sorrows that He would have to face - the indignity of His lowly birth is but a foretaste of the indiginities which He will suffer for our sake - so there is a bittersweet nature to Christmas - God is with *us* -- in our messy life.
But then you get Epiphany. You get all nations celebrating. You get His Baptism, where you see "Ah, He IS God." You get the wedding at Cana, and "Ah, He REALLY, REALLY is God." You get the Transfiguration - and "Oh yes, He is True God, oh yes!"
Epiphany is the season where Christ reveals over and over that He is God -- the focus shifts from His Humanity to His Divinity - and there is nothing bittersweet about this. Epiphany is to Christmas and Advent as Easter is to Lent -- the trials and mess is conquered and finished, and the glory and wonder is revealed.
I like Epiphany much better than Advent and Christmas.
Of course, this may be partially because Epiphany means I don't have to try and do up bulletins and sermons for 5 bazillion services. It is nice to have one a week (although, to be honest, a midweek Divine service where the sermon was upon the Old Testament for the week would be quite awesome as well).
3. It is much nicer to be at work when the work computer has been purged of viruses.
Alright, there are the random thoughts for this morning. Now, to prep for the day of teaching - Latin and then the Psalms and then confirmation.
2. While this may be blasphemous to some (not literally, religiously blasphemous, but culturally blasphmeous), I find Epiphany to be a more joyous season than Christmas. Christmas season is the time where we ponder the wondrous mystery that God becomes Man, that He takes up all the things that us Men take up, that He would take the march to the Cross for our sake. Wonderful - but it is tinged with the sorrows that He would have to face - the indignity of His lowly birth is but a foretaste of the indiginities which He will suffer for our sake - so there is a bittersweet nature to Christmas - God is with *us* -- in our messy life.
But then you get Epiphany. You get all nations celebrating. You get His Baptism, where you see "Ah, He IS God." You get the wedding at Cana, and "Ah, He REALLY, REALLY is God." You get the Transfiguration - and "Oh yes, He is True God, oh yes!"
Epiphany is the season where Christ reveals over and over that He is God -- the focus shifts from His Humanity to His Divinity - and there is nothing bittersweet about this. Epiphany is to Christmas and Advent as Easter is to Lent -- the trials and mess is conquered and finished, and the glory and wonder is revealed.
I like Epiphany much better than Advent and Christmas.
Of course, this may be partially because Epiphany means I don't have to try and do up bulletins and sermons for 5 bazillion services. It is nice to have one a week (although, to be honest, a midweek Divine service where the sermon was upon the Old Testament for the week would be quite awesome as well).
3. It is much nicer to be at work when the work computer has been purged of viruses.
Alright, there are the random thoughts for this morning. Now, to prep for the day of teaching - Latin and then the Psalms and then confirmation.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
A culture of excuses
We live in a culture of excuses. If something goes wrong, it isn't our fault, the other guy did it, the universe was conspiring against me, I was just unlucky. We are very use to making excuses in our culture.
Yet Christians live a life of confession - when we confess our sin, no excuses are give, no explanations or exceptions to the rule are stammered forth. Simply, I have sinned. I have fallen short. Mea cupla, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
Of course, this isn't a popular approach. Admitting I messed up might hurt my self-esteem. I might have to confront the idea that I'm not as wonderful and perfect as I think I am. I might have to admit that I have let things get out of control - that I haven't done what I ought.
And here is the irony. It is in the worship service where we learn to confess, where we confess, and where we receive forgiveness for that which we have confessed. It is in the worship where we see just how highly God values us, far and above any esteem we could place upon ourselves. He sends His Son - that's more worth than I could ever give myself. It is in the service where hearing the Word and bolstered by the Supper we receive the strength to face down the challenges of the week to come.
And yet, when do pastors hear the most excuses? On why someone didn't come to church.
That is irony - a sad irony, but still irony.
Yet Christians live a life of confession - when we confess our sin, no excuses are give, no explanations or exceptions to the rule are stammered forth. Simply, I have sinned. I have fallen short. Mea cupla, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
Of course, this isn't a popular approach. Admitting I messed up might hurt my self-esteem. I might have to confront the idea that I'm not as wonderful and perfect as I think I am. I might have to admit that I have let things get out of control - that I haven't done what I ought.
And here is the irony. It is in the worship service where we learn to confess, where we confess, and where we receive forgiveness for that which we have confessed. It is in the worship where we see just how highly God values us, far and above any esteem we could place upon ourselves. He sends His Son - that's more worth than I could ever give myself. It is in the service where hearing the Word and bolstered by the Supper we receive the strength to face down the challenges of the week to come.
And yet, when do pastors hear the most excuses? On why someone didn't come to church.
That is irony - a sad irony, but still irony.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Christmas 2 2010
2nd Sunday after Christmas – Matthew 2:13-23
In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +
So, there is Joseph. He has been a fantastic, understanding husband, a loving, wonderful father. Not only did he not divorce Mary quietly when she turned up pregnant, but he stayed with her, took care of her. And then, when the child Jesus was born, even in a stable, he stuck with them both. Through hardship and toil, Joseph stays there. And then, things finally start to look up. Wise men from the East arrive – gentiles – and they bring with them wondrous gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These are wondrous gifts – gold is gold. Frankincense and myrrh are highly valuable spices, high dollar items. Being responsible for raising the Messiah looks like it might an okay job after all. And then Joseph falls asleep – and then, once again an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph, and the angel says, “Rise, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.” How terrifying would this be? Coming off of the high of the visit of the Wise men, then suddenly get up, take your family, and run for your life.
Joseph and his family go – they flee to Egypt. And this is something that the Christians in Egypt remember with pride – there is a church built over a grotto where they claimed the Holy Family lived while in Egypt – really pretty, very old Church. When I was there and people found out I was a pastor, and I'd hear, “Oh, well, you know Joseph brought Jesus and Mary to Egypt. You would see artwork of the Holy Family – Mary on a donkey holding Jesus, Joseph leading, normally by a river, maybe with the pyramids in the background. And I suppose this is something I would delight in if I were Egyptian, for Jesus and His family are kept safe in Egypt – live there for several years.
But, back home – there is no safety. King Herod had been plotting against Jesus from the moment he heard of his coming from the wise men. At first, he was hoping for a surgical strike. He told the wise men to come back and tell him where the Christ Child was so that he too might “go and worship”. Herod at least was planning on a surgical strike, an assassination to rid himself and his family of this potential rival. But then, the wise men are warned by God to avoid Herod. And so, when that plan falls through – Herod decides to abandon precision and just go for mass damage. He sends the troops in – and he's not sure how old Jesus would be – so all the infants and toddlers, two years and younger – just wipe them all out. It's an utterly horrifying scene – soldiers marching in, snatching children and killing them.
Between the flight to Egypt, which would have been terrifying, and then the slaughter of the innocents, we have two of the most terrifying, horrifying events in Scripture back to back. And it seems especially odd because we hear this right after the joy of Christmas. You have this wonderful high followed by an incredible low. But, when you think about it, this is really how this world goes. There are days, there are times of great joy, that are often followed up by times of terror and tragedy. This serves to remind us of the reality of the things which we speak, the things which we hear. Christ Jesus came into our world, the world we know, and He came to share in our lives – He saw the same ups and downs that we do. He was made Man – He experienced all the things in this life that we experience – He is real, He is really a human being.
Christ Jesus knows and understands the fears, the terrors, the disappointments that you have – the things you wouldn't think of, wouldn't dream of telling to another person – Christ our Lord knows and understands. He has shared in your life. This is one of the great comforts that we have at Christmas time, for here we see and focus on the fact that God becomes Man. There are many times when we look at Christ, and we see His strength, His might – and we see that He is above us. We see Him heal – none of us does that routinely. We hear His preaching, see His unfailing love – and in comparison, we see our lack. We see that He is above us – and as God He most certainly is. But then we hear texts like these – and we see and realize that this God who by rights is above us, who by rights is so far above us that we could never reach Him – this same God has come down, and He has chosen to share in the things of our life, our troubles, our sorrows, our pains. Jesus knows them, Jesus has chosen to share in them. He was made man.
This is precisely what the Messiah, what the Christ was called to do – to be among us. To share in the events and life of human beings. This shows up in verse 15 – This was to fulfill what the LORD had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called My son.” Think like a Jew for a moment. As we heard in our Old Testament lesson, when things in the Holy Land were dangerous, God sends Jacob and his family to Egypt, there to be provided for, there to be kept safe, but with the promise that after they had grown they would be brought back to the promised land. And is God true? Well, as a Jew your highest celebration of the year is Passover – and what do you celebrate at Passover? That God called the people of Israel back out of Egypt where they had been in bondage, and brought them to the holy land. To be Jewish was to worship the God who brought you and your people up out of the land of Egypt. So, what does all this mean? It means that Jesus is the Messiah, He is the One who was promised – the One who suffers all that His people suffer in order to win them from that suffering.
Herod eventually dies, and Joseph and Mary and Jesus get to return homeward – although as Herod's son is ruling, they end up in Nazareth, in the north, well out of the way – but again, this is good, for the Scriptures had said of Jesus, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” And it is there in Nazareth that Jesus would grow to manhood, it is from Nazareth that Jesus would travel to the Jordan river to be baptized by John. And we see that throughout the trial and terrors of life, Christ Jesus is preserved.
So, is this merely a matter of God playing favorites? God liking His own Son more than He liked those children left in Bethlehem? No, not at all. God doesn't play favorites the way we sometimes think He does, the way we sometimes wish He would. We don't get to butter God up so He'll make sure we have an extra sweet 2010. Rather this – God's focus is upon salvation. It was not simply that Jesus escaped Herod's soldiers as a child and that's it, that's the end of the story. No, Jesus' time to be taken by soldiers and paraded in front of another Herod would come – but before that would happen, He would have to preach and heal, He would have to cast out demons and teach people about God, He would have to show and demonstrate to all that He was indeed the promised Messiah – and then and only then would the soldiers find Him, there in the garden of Gethsemane, and He would not flee then, He would not run away, He would not let His disciples cut Him a path to freedom. No, when the soldiers come that night in Gethsemane, Christ is there, and He is led off, He is examined by Herod and Pilate, and then He is put to death upon a cross as the soldiers look on.
Why? Matthew quotes the prophet Jeremiah concerning the slaughter of the innocents - “Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” It would have been terrible to be amongst the mothers there that day, and indeed, they would have been inconsolable. The only reason Jesus was not among the children slaughtered on that day, was so that He might be led like a Lamb to His own slaughter on Good Friday, and because Jesus lived to go to the cross, something most wondrous has happened. Those mothers, who wept inconsolably that day, have now been reunited with their children, the first martyrs of the Christian Church – because Christ Jesus has won life and salvation for His people. Those mothers that mourned the death of their children now stand next to those children in heaven, singing the praises of Christ Jesus who went to the cross for them.
It was not a case of favoritism that led Christ out of Bethlehem and into Egypt – it was because God would have us be saved. Everything that God does revolves around salvation – and the Messiah would be preserved until He could win us His salvation by His own death. So then, what does this mean for us? Peter writes: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. Christ Jesus, God's own Son, suffered for our sake. As Christians, we too are now God's own children by virtue of our Baptism, and we too may be called upon to suffer in this life – but when that happens, when we experience hardship and fiery trial, we understand it is a chance to bear witness to Christ and His salvation. Whatever we face, we face in hope, and when people see our hope in the midst of suffering and trial, they will see our Lord and His salvation. This is true in our lives – for everywhere you go, you go as a Christian, you do all bearing the name of Christ, and your actions point to Him and His love for all. In America, our trials tend to be light – in other places – well, the Nigerian fellow who tried to blow up our plane – in Nigerian Muslims attack Christians all the time. In other places in the world the trials our brothers and sisters in Christ face are much more fiery than ours – but whether here at home or far away – we rejoice in all things and always point to Christ, and give thanks to God that He allows us to point others to Christ.
Because the ultimate truth is that Christ Jesus has come and has shared in our life, He has won us victory over sin and death and the grave, so nothing we see during the course of our days has any true power over us – we are Christ's, and so we have victory. And now, we pray that God would give us faith to not only hold fast to this truth ourselves, but that we might have the strength to show forth this hope in the week and year to come. This He has promised to do by His own Holy Supper, so let us then prepare for His most wondrous feast. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +
In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +
So, there is Joseph. He has been a fantastic, understanding husband, a loving, wonderful father. Not only did he not divorce Mary quietly when she turned up pregnant, but he stayed with her, took care of her. And then, when the child Jesus was born, even in a stable, he stuck with them both. Through hardship and toil, Joseph stays there. And then, things finally start to look up. Wise men from the East arrive – gentiles – and they bring with them wondrous gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These are wondrous gifts – gold is gold. Frankincense and myrrh are highly valuable spices, high dollar items. Being responsible for raising the Messiah looks like it might an okay job after all. And then Joseph falls asleep – and then, once again an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph, and the angel says, “Rise, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.” How terrifying would this be? Coming off of the high of the visit of the Wise men, then suddenly get up, take your family, and run for your life.
Joseph and his family go – they flee to Egypt. And this is something that the Christians in Egypt remember with pride – there is a church built over a grotto where they claimed the Holy Family lived while in Egypt – really pretty, very old Church. When I was there and people found out I was a pastor, and I'd hear, “Oh, well, you know Joseph brought Jesus and Mary to Egypt. You would see artwork of the Holy Family – Mary on a donkey holding Jesus, Joseph leading, normally by a river, maybe with the pyramids in the background. And I suppose this is something I would delight in if I were Egyptian, for Jesus and His family are kept safe in Egypt – live there for several years.
But, back home – there is no safety. King Herod had been plotting against Jesus from the moment he heard of his coming from the wise men. At first, he was hoping for a surgical strike. He told the wise men to come back and tell him where the Christ Child was so that he too might “go and worship”. Herod at least was planning on a surgical strike, an assassination to rid himself and his family of this potential rival. But then, the wise men are warned by God to avoid Herod. And so, when that plan falls through – Herod decides to abandon precision and just go for mass damage. He sends the troops in – and he's not sure how old Jesus would be – so all the infants and toddlers, two years and younger – just wipe them all out. It's an utterly horrifying scene – soldiers marching in, snatching children and killing them.
Between the flight to Egypt, which would have been terrifying, and then the slaughter of the innocents, we have two of the most terrifying, horrifying events in Scripture back to back. And it seems especially odd because we hear this right after the joy of Christmas. You have this wonderful high followed by an incredible low. But, when you think about it, this is really how this world goes. There are days, there are times of great joy, that are often followed up by times of terror and tragedy. This serves to remind us of the reality of the things which we speak, the things which we hear. Christ Jesus came into our world, the world we know, and He came to share in our lives – He saw the same ups and downs that we do. He was made Man – He experienced all the things in this life that we experience – He is real, He is really a human being.
Christ Jesus knows and understands the fears, the terrors, the disappointments that you have – the things you wouldn't think of, wouldn't dream of telling to another person – Christ our Lord knows and understands. He has shared in your life. This is one of the great comforts that we have at Christmas time, for here we see and focus on the fact that God becomes Man. There are many times when we look at Christ, and we see His strength, His might – and we see that He is above us. We see Him heal – none of us does that routinely. We hear His preaching, see His unfailing love – and in comparison, we see our lack. We see that He is above us – and as God He most certainly is. But then we hear texts like these – and we see and realize that this God who by rights is above us, who by rights is so far above us that we could never reach Him – this same God has come down, and He has chosen to share in the things of our life, our troubles, our sorrows, our pains. Jesus knows them, Jesus has chosen to share in them. He was made man.
This is precisely what the Messiah, what the Christ was called to do – to be among us. To share in the events and life of human beings. This shows up in verse 15 – This was to fulfill what the LORD had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called My son.” Think like a Jew for a moment. As we heard in our Old Testament lesson, when things in the Holy Land were dangerous, God sends Jacob and his family to Egypt, there to be provided for, there to be kept safe, but with the promise that after they had grown they would be brought back to the promised land. And is God true? Well, as a Jew your highest celebration of the year is Passover – and what do you celebrate at Passover? That God called the people of Israel back out of Egypt where they had been in bondage, and brought them to the holy land. To be Jewish was to worship the God who brought you and your people up out of the land of Egypt. So, what does all this mean? It means that Jesus is the Messiah, He is the One who was promised – the One who suffers all that His people suffer in order to win them from that suffering.
Herod eventually dies, and Joseph and Mary and Jesus get to return homeward – although as Herod's son is ruling, they end up in Nazareth, in the north, well out of the way – but again, this is good, for the Scriptures had said of Jesus, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” And it is there in Nazareth that Jesus would grow to manhood, it is from Nazareth that Jesus would travel to the Jordan river to be baptized by John. And we see that throughout the trial and terrors of life, Christ Jesus is preserved.
So, is this merely a matter of God playing favorites? God liking His own Son more than He liked those children left in Bethlehem? No, not at all. God doesn't play favorites the way we sometimes think He does, the way we sometimes wish He would. We don't get to butter God up so He'll make sure we have an extra sweet 2010. Rather this – God's focus is upon salvation. It was not simply that Jesus escaped Herod's soldiers as a child and that's it, that's the end of the story. No, Jesus' time to be taken by soldiers and paraded in front of another Herod would come – but before that would happen, He would have to preach and heal, He would have to cast out demons and teach people about God, He would have to show and demonstrate to all that He was indeed the promised Messiah – and then and only then would the soldiers find Him, there in the garden of Gethsemane, and He would not flee then, He would not run away, He would not let His disciples cut Him a path to freedom. No, when the soldiers come that night in Gethsemane, Christ is there, and He is led off, He is examined by Herod and Pilate, and then He is put to death upon a cross as the soldiers look on.
Why? Matthew quotes the prophet Jeremiah concerning the slaughter of the innocents - “Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” It would have been terrible to be amongst the mothers there that day, and indeed, they would have been inconsolable. The only reason Jesus was not among the children slaughtered on that day, was so that He might be led like a Lamb to His own slaughter on Good Friday, and because Jesus lived to go to the cross, something most wondrous has happened. Those mothers, who wept inconsolably that day, have now been reunited with their children, the first martyrs of the Christian Church – because Christ Jesus has won life and salvation for His people. Those mothers that mourned the death of their children now stand next to those children in heaven, singing the praises of Christ Jesus who went to the cross for them.
It was not a case of favoritism that led Christ out of Bethlehem and into Egypt – it was because God would have us be saved. Everything that God does revolves around salvation – and the Messiah would be preserved until He could win us His salvation by His own death. So then, what does this mean for us? Peter writes: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. Christ Jesus, God's own Son, suffered for our sake. As Christians, we too are now God's own children by virtue of our Baptism, and we too may be called upon to suffer in this life – but when that happens, when we experience hardship and fiery trial, we understand it is a chance to bear witness to Christ and His salvation. Whatever we face, we face in hope, and when people see our hope in the midst of suffering and trial, they will see our Lord and His salvation. This is true in our lives – for everywhere you go, you go as a Christian, you do all bearing the name of Christ, and your actions point to Him and His love for all. In America, our trials tend to be light – in other places – well, the Nigerian fellow who tried to blow up our plane – in Nigerian Muslims attack Christians all the time. In other places in the world the trials our brothers and sisters in Christ face are much more fiery than ours – but whether here at home or far away – we rejoice in all things and always point to Christ, and give thanks to God that He allows us to point others to Christ.
Because the ultimate truth is that Christ Jesus has come and has shared in our life, He has won us victory over sin and death and the grave, so nothing we see during the course of our days has any true power over us – we are Christ's, and so we have victory. And now, we pray that God would give us faith to not only hold fast to this truth ourselves, but that we might have the strength to show forth this hope in the week and year to come. This He has promised to do by His own Holy Supper, so let us then prepare for His most wondrous feast. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Are we closet Marcionites?
I was made to think about something. I wended my way into a Tradition vs. Scripture discussion, and once again it was put forth "Well, what about the Church before the written word, before Paul. . . see, it was the Words of the Apostles - Oral Tradition!"
I've seen that argument many times before. . . and I realized that it's utter bunk. Why? It wasn't as though the Scriptures were not read in the Early Church in 36 AD - they read from Moses and the Prophets. At the end of Luke our Lord describes what the preaching prior to the New Testament would have been - explaining how all that was prophesized in Moses and the Psalms and the Prophets has come to completion in Christ.
Of course there was a written Word - and the Apostles cite it!
So, why don't we bring this up? Why do Lutherans not shout this from the mountains - why do the Papists neglect this? Are we closet Marcionites? Even as we quote from Matthew over and over "All this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet" (especially at this time of year), do we end up chopping away the Old Testament?
In our discussions on the written Word, why do we so often forget the Old Testament?
I've seen that argument many times before. . . and I realized that it's utter bunk. Why? It wasn't as though the Scriptures were not read in the Early Church in 36 AD - they read from Moses and the Prophets. At the end of Luke our Lord describes what the preaching prior to the New Testament would have been - explaining how all that was prophesized in Moses and the Psalms and the Prophets has come to completion in Christ.
Of course there was a written Word - and the Apostles cite it!
So, why don't we bring this up? Why do Lutherans not shout this from the mountains - why do the Papists neglect this? Are we closet Marcionites? Even as we quote from Matthew over and over "All this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet" (especially at this time of year), do we end up chopping away the Old Testament?
In our discussions on the written Word, why do we so often forget the Old Testament?
Ours is Not a Hallmark Religion
Many people seem to view religion in this Country as a cute, sweet thing. Almost like a Hallmark card. You come to Church, you see something pretty, you open the card and get a nice little phrase that quick and easy, and then you close the card, put it away, maybe look at it if you get lonesome or wistful -- but by in large the pretty picture stands on the shelf while you go about your life. We want Church to be. . . simple, polite, unobtrusive, and mainly on the shelf.
I find this to be true more at Christmas time - partially because things can become so romanticized, so. . . picture perfect (like something by Courier and Ives). And partially because this is the time of year when many people will pull that religious card off the shelf, trundle off to Church for the first time in ages, smile wistfully, and then not be seen again for ages again. Back onto the shelf with the pretty card until I think it's time to see something pretty again.
But ours is not a Hallmark religion. Our faith is not something to be left on the shelf throughout the year. And at no time of the year is this more evident than at Christmas (well, perhaps Good Friday). Behold the setting - road weary people forced to a barn, even when one is pregnant and ready to give birth (oh, how kind!). Forced into a stall, piled high with fodder, and who knows when last it was mucked out (oh, how sweet!). The pain and agony of child-birth, woman's curse from the fall of Eve so that Eve and all after her might be redeemed (oh, how lovely!) Angels appearing before shepherd who fall to their knees in fear and must be told, "Be not afraid" (Oh, how beautiful!).
No, Christmas would have been a visceral, fleshly thing - all the muck and down in the dirt of this human life, all wrapped up there in that day. Christmas isn't the card on the mantle - it's the pain and sorrow and trouble and rugged beauty of this human existence in this fallen world -- it's the pain of human bodies, the sorrow of disdain, the troubles the rise up to meet us each day, the glimpses of beauty that fight there way through this - it's the very stuff we see every day of the year. . . yet with one wondrous difference.
This time, in the center of it, that Child is no mere Child - that Child is God. That Child is Emmanuel, God with Us, God Himself come down from heaven to burst into our fallen world, so that with His own Body He might redeem our own Bodies, with His life He might win for us Life everlasting.
The point of Christmas isn't that it is a pretty time on a shelf, but that God Himself breaks and bursts into all the hurt and pain that we face in this life, and He declares to us, "I Am your God, and I win you salvation, and I am with you, always and forever, even unto all eternity." This is our religion - the religion we celebrate whenever Christ comes to us in the Lord's Supper, the religion we live whenever we ourselves enter into the messy world and show forth Christ's love unto our neighbors.
Ours is not a Hallmark Religion - ours is a religion where sin is attacked, confronted, confessed, and defeated by our God, because He is the God who comes to be with us.
I find this to be true more at Christmas time - partially because things can become so romanticized, so. . . picture perfect (like something by Courier and Ives). And partially because this is the time of year when many people will pull that religious card off the shelf, trundle off to Church for the first time in ages, smile wistfully, and then not be seen again for ages again. Back onto the shelf with the pretty card until I think it's time to see something pretty again.
But ours is not a Hallmark religion. Our faith is not something to be left on the shelf throughout the year. And at no time of the year is this more evident than at Christmas (well, perhaps Good Friday). Behold the setting - road weary people forced to a barn, even when one is pregnant and ready to give birth (oh, how kind!). Forced into a stall, piled high with fodder, and who knows when last it was mucked out (oh, how sweet!). The pain and agony of child-birth, woman's curse from the fall of Eve so that Eve and all after her might be redeemed (oh, how lovely!) Angels appearing before shepherd who fall to their knees in fear and must be told, "Be not afraid" (Oh, how beautiful!).
No, Christmas would have been a visceral, fleshly thing - all the muck and down in the dirt of this human life, all wrapped up there in that day. Christmas isn't the card on the mantle - it's the pain and sorrow and trouble and rugged beauty of this human existence in this fallen world -- it's the pain of human bodies, the sorrow of disdain, the troubles the rise up to meet us each day, the glimpses of beauty that fight there way through this - it's the very stuff we see every day of the year. . . yet with one wondrous difference.
This time, in the center of it, that Child is no mere Child - that Child is God. That Child is Emmanuel, God with Us, God Himself come down from heaven to burst into our fallen world, so that with His own Body He might redeem our own Bodies, with His life He might win for us Life everlasting.
The point of Christmas isn't that it is a pretty time on a shelf, but that God Himself breaks and bursts into all the hurt and pain that we face in this life, and He declares to us, "I Am your God, and I win you salvation, and I am with you, always and forever, even unto all eternity." This is our religion - the religion we celebrate whenever Christ comes to us in the Lord's Supper, the religion we live whenever we ourselves enter into the messy world and show forth Christ's love unto our neighbors.
Ours is not a Hallmark Religion - ours is a religion where sin is attacked, confronted, confessed, and defeated by our God, because He is the God who comes to be with us.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Which is the more important Clause?
“Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His Name.”
John, towards the end of His Gospel, gives us these words. And there is a contrast set forth - two clauses. John notes that there is more that the disciples saw that isn't written. John notes that what is written is written for belief and salvation.
Which clause is more important?
This is what I find frustrating about so many of the Tradition vs. Scripture battles that come along. They end up moving into the realm of whether or not tradition is valuable, whether or not it is true, how much we use it. It puts all the emphasis and focus on that first clause -- is this part of that other stuff that the disciples saw, is this stuff that is rightly handed down?
We can surmise, we can come up with guesses - we can delight, even. (I myself love the tale of John refusing to enter the Bath when he sees the gnostic leaving - and on Christmas day the tale of Satan smacking the guy who doesn't doff his cap at "Homo factus est"). But is tradition and its veracity the thrust and focus?
It isn't for John. Yes, there is other stuff - but this, this here, this Gospel is written so that you may believe in Christ and have eternal life. The other stuff is nice, may be nice, but the meat, the real McCoy is here in the Word. If you want surety, if you want something concrete, go to the Word, because it has what you need.
Tradition informs. Tradition may safeguard. Tradition may even protect errors that have crept into the Church over time, (for as we see in John 21:23 - the brothers are capable of twisting the oral tradition as well). But the Word of God gives what we need.
While we make use of the first clause, we live in the second.
John, towards the end of His Gospel, gives us these words. And there is a contrast set forth - two clauses. John notes that there is more that the disciples saw that isn't written. John notes that what is written is written for belief and salvation.
Which clause is more important?
This is what I find frustrating about so many of the Tradition vs. Scripture battles that come along. They end up moving into the realm of whether or not tradition is valuable, whether or not it is true, how much we use it. It puts all the emphasis and focus on that first clause -- is this part of that other stuff that the disciples saw, is this stuff that is rightly handed down?
We can surmise, we can come up with guesses - we can delight, even. (I myself love the tale of John refusing to enter the Bath when he sees the gnostic leaving - and on Christmas day the tale of Satan smacking the guy who doesn't doff his cap at "Homo factus est"). But is tradition and its veracity the thrust and focus?
It isn't for John. Yes, there is other stuff - but this, this here, this Gospel is written so that you may believe in Christ and have eternal life. The other stuff is nice, may be nice, but the meat, the real McCoy is here in the Word. If you want surety, if you want something concrete, go to the Word, because it has what you need.
Tradition informs. Tradition may safeguard. Tradition may even protect errors that have crept into the Church over time, (for as we see in John 21:23 - the brothers are capable of twisting the oral tradition as well). But the Word of God gives what we need.
While we make use of the first clause, we live in the second.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Advent 4 Sermon
Advent 4 – December 20th, 2009 – Luke 1:36-55
In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
We are often told in the Christian Church that we should praise God. Let me ask the question. Why? Why should we go about and praise God? Now, do not misunderstand me – we should by all means praise God – but let us take the time this morning to consider the reasons why we are to praise God. Sometimes I think the reasons we think to praise to God, why we might want to praise Him, can be a bit off. Maybe we just want to fit in, maybe we just like the singing, the endorphin kick. Maybe we feel guilty about what we’ve done this week and we think that if we praise louder we ourselves can drown out our past. But why should we as Christians praise God?
We hear the answer given most beautifully in the words of the Magnificat, the song here given by Mary. Indeed, these words are called a song because right away the Church put them to music and sang them – they are part of the Vespers service even to this day in our hymnal. And this song explains is such wonderful detail why we praise God, what our praise of God is to be for and about. It serves as a wonderful reminder of why we will be pausing this Thursday Night, and taking time away from our gifts this Friday morning to come to Church again and worship and praise God even in the middle of a busy holiday week.
Before we look at the words of the Magnificat, let’s review the situation. Mary is now pregnant with Jesus, and she goes to visit her old cousin Elizabeth who is pregnant with John the Baptist – and when Mary walks up, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and she cries out, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greetings came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” So, we see an unusual occurrence here – the older relative begins to fawn over the younger – goes on and on about how wonderful Mary is. How will Mary react? If something like this happened to me, I’d probably clam up, cheeks red from blushing – I get bashful when the other, older pastors in the circuit give me a give me a compliment. Or I could see someone being overwhelmed, befuddled. There could be lots of different reactions to this. But Mary takes the best one – She decides to simply turn the attention away from herself, and rather place the focus upon God.
Mary says, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” We don’t often use the word “magnify” this way, but it means to make great, to make a big deal of, to focus upon. Your magnifying glass lets you focus upon something and see it clearly – and praise does this – it focuses us upon God and what He has done. This serves as a reminder of what all Christian praise must do if it is to be called praise – it has to focus upon God – it has to be about what God does. It has to rejoice in God and in His salvation. Christian praise is always tied, always points to the fact that God Himself acts on our behalf and saves us. This is what we praise God for – and Mary will continue to expand aspects of this in her song.
“for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed, for He who is mighty has done great things for me.” Mary recognizes something about herself that we in America can forget. She sees that she is and deserves to be humble – that she is lowly, that there is nothing in her that demands success or praise or glory. And yet, God has beheld her, God has seen her, and God is the One who has elevated her – in fact, all generations, even our to day, learn of the Blessed Virgin Mary – her words will echo throughout churches, children will want to be her in Christmas programs – and why? Not because she herself is wonderful, but because God, the Mighty One, has done great things for her. If she were not the mother of our Lord, not a one of us would have even heard of her. Mary is acutely aware of God’s blessings given to her, precisely because she knows that she does not deserve them. She is humble.
Sometimes it can be hard for us as Americans to remember that we too are humble people, and that any good, any blessing we have comes simply from God’s blessing and favor upon us. That’s not the way we think as Americans. We don’t tell our children that they are humble and lowly – we say, “Someday you could be president.” We don’t say that God will use them and the talents He has given to them as He sees fit; we tell them that they can grow up into whatever they want to be. And sometimes we can forget that our talents, our blessings are all things that come from God, that the opportunities that we see, these are gifts from God. Mary though, she sees, and because she sees she praises God for the great things that He has done for her. And likewise, consider the wonderful gifts that God has given to you – your talents, your abilities, your opportunities. These are things He has given to you freely and wondrously, and for this we ought give praise to God.
“and Holy is His Name. And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.” But it gets even better. God’s Name, the God who does all this for you, His Name is holy, and He is full of mercy. Mary sees that – and her name will ever be associated with God’s Name. She will forever be remembered as Mary, the Mother of God. And she sees the great mercy that she has received, that she, a sinful being, receives such wonderful things from God.
Now, dear friends, consider the fact that you are Baptized. You have been joined into God’s own Name, His own holiness has been applied to you. You are made to be part of God’s Family as assuredly as Mary, Jesus’ own mother is part of His family – for you have been Baptized, you have been adopted as sons and daughters of the Father, you now have Christ for your brother, you are His family – and as such, you receive His Mercy. The greatest and mightiest thing that God has done for you has nothing to do with your bank account, or your home, or how talented you are – those are wonderful, but they aren’t the greatest. You have been forgiven on account of Christ – you have been given the gift of faith and welcomed into the family of God. God in His great mercy and love for you has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, and this is something that is for eternity – and it’s not dependent upon you, but flows totally from Him. God is rightly praised for this.
“He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.” Mary brings out another thing that God does that we know yet often forget. We do not need to look very hard to see wickedness in the world, to see the mighty and powerful abuse and harm others, indeed, even harm us. But Mary’s words remind us of a truth that we can forget when we see the wickedness in this world – there is so much more that God prevents, there is so much that God brings to an end. The proud are scattered, their plans fall apart and often do not come to fruition. The tyrants on their thrones fall, the powers crumble – evil doesn’t endure because God brings an end to it. And this is a comfort to us, it gives us a new perspective – for even when evil is done to us, even when we are getting it heaped upon us – we know that God does not let it last, that it will crumble and fail sooner or later and that He will deliver us.
Indeed, the great example of that is the very fact that Mary is pregnant with the Christ Child as she says this. No more will God be content to have fallen king after fallen king come and rule on this earth – no more will He let this world’s prince have His sway – no, God Himself comes to be our king, to be our Lord, to defeat Satan – and because He has come we have victory assured. The brief battles we face now in this life will give way and yield to the eternal victory celebration of heaven, because God’s strong arm wins the victory by being nailed to the cross and rising again on the third day.
“He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His offspring forever.” The coming of Christ changes things; things will be different because of Christ. Wickedness will be overcome, the powerful will be cast down. The failings and the disappointments that we face in this life eventually will go away. And instead, God fills us with all joy and blessedness. And as those of the New Testament, we see these words of Mary and the promises they point all gathered in to the Lord’s Supper. If you believe that you are spiritually rich, that you need no forgiveness, that you have no need for God’s mercy – you will remain as empty and shallow as you were. But for you, dear friends, you who see and know your own sin, who know your own struggles, who feel the pressures of life in this world and who are burdened – you who are hungry for righteousness – behold what God does for you. He calls you to His own table, and here He fills you with not merely good things, but the very best thing – He fills you with Himself – Christ Jesus gives Himself unto you, in a way most wondrous and amazing – He forgives your sins in His Supper, He gives you His own strength – He helps you face down the fears of the past and helps you to face the trials of the future, because in His Supper we see the proof that He is with us, indeed, in His Supper He is with us.
Dear friends, Christ Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, is here, and because He is Here, because He has called us unto His family through the waters of Baptism, because He gives Himself to us in His Supper, we see and understand His great love for us – we see and understand all that He has done and accomplished for us. For indeed, while we were humble and lowly, while we were weak – He is the one who is strong for us, strong to save – who comes to rescue us and free us, not merely for the brief span of our lives, but for all ages and ages, even unto life everlasting. This, dear friends, is why we magnify the Lord, this is why we focus our eyes upon Him and in thanksgiving sing His praise – because we see all that He has done for us, freely and without worth or merit in us. Christ Jesus came to be our Savior, and He shall come again to bring us unto heaven, and so we say again, Come quickly, Lord Jesus. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
We are often told in the Christian Church that we should praise God. Let me ask the question. Why? Why should we go about and praise God? Now, do not misunderstand me – we should by all means praise God – but let us take the time this morning to consider the reasons why we are to praise God. Sometimes I think the reasons we think to praise to God, why we might want to praise Him, can be a bit off. Maybe we just want to fit in, maybe we just like the singing, the endorphin kick. Maybe we feel guilty about what we’ve done this week and we think that if we praise louder we ourselves can drown out our past. But why should we as Christians praise God?
We hear the answer given most beautifully in the words of the Magnificat, the song here given by Mary. Indeed, these words are called a song because right away the Church put them to music and sang them – they are part of the Vespers service even to this day in our hymnal. And this song explains is such wonderful detail why we praise God, what our praise of God is to be for and about. It serves as a wonderful reminder of why we will be pausing this Thursday Night, and taking time away from our gifts this Friday morning to come to Church again and worship and praise God even in the middle of a busy holiday week.
Before we look at the words of the Magnificat, let’s review the situation. Mary is now pregnant with Jesus, and she goes to visit her old cousin Elizabeth who is pregnant with John the Baptist – and when Mary walks up, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and she cries out, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greetings came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” So, we see an unusual occurrence here – the older relative begins to fawn over the younger – goes on and on about how wonderful Mary is. How will Mary react? If something like this happened to me, I’d probably clam up, cheeks red from blushing – I get bashful when the other, older pastors in the circuit give me a give me a compliment. Or I could see someone being overwhelmed, befuddled. There could be lots of different reactions to this. But Mary takes the best one – She decides to simply turn the attention away from herself, and rather place the focus upon God.
Mary says, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” We don’t often use the word “magnify” this way, but it means to make great, to make a big deal of, to focus upon. Your magnifying glass lets you focus upon something and see it clearly – and praise does this – it focuses us upon God and what He has done. This serves as a reminder of what all Christian praise must do if it is to be called praise – it has to focus upon God – it has to be about what God does. It has to rejoice in God and in His salvation. Christian praise is always tied, always points to the fact that God Himself acts on our behalf and saves us. This is what we praise God for – and Mary will continue to expand aspects of this in her song.
“for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed, for He who is mighty has done great things for me.” Mary recognizes something about herself that we in America can forget. She sees that she is and deserves to be humble – that she is lowly, that there is nothing in her that demands success or praise or glory. And yet, God has beheld her, God has seen her, and God is the One who has elevated her – in fact, all generations, even our to day, learn of the Blessed Virgin Mary – her words will echo throughout churches, children will want to be her in Christmas programs – and why? Not because she herself is wonderful, but because God, the Mighty One, has done great things for her. If she were not the mother of our Lord, not a one of us would have even heard of her. Mary is acutely aware of God’s blessings given to her, precisely because she knows that she does not deserve them. She is humble.
Sometimes it can be hard for us as Americans to remember that we too are humble people, and that any good, any blessing we have comes simply from God’s blessing and favor upon us. That’s not the way we think as Americans. We don’t tell our children that they are humble and lowly – we say, “Someday you could be president.” We don’t say that God will use them and the talents He has given to them as He sees fit; we tell them that they can grow up into whatever they want to be. And sometimes we can forget that our talents, our blessings are all things that come from God, that the opportunities that we see, these are gifts from God. Mary though, she sees, and because she sees she praises God for the great things that He has done for her. And likewise, consider the wonderful gifts that God has given to you – your talents, your abilities, your opportunities. These are things He has given to you freely and wondrously, and for this we ought give praise to God.
“and Holy is His Name. And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.” But it gets even better. God’s Name, the God who does all this for you, His Name is holy, and He is full of mercy. Mary sees that – and her name will ever be associated with God’s Name. She will forever be remembered as Mary, the Mother of God. And she sees the great mercy that she has received, that she, a sinful being, receives such wonderful things from God.
Now, dear friends, consider the fact that you are Baptized. You have been joined into God’s own Name, His own holiness has been applied to you. You are made to be part of God’s Family as assuredly as Mary, Jesus’ own mother is part of His family – for you have been Baptized, you have been adopted as sons and daughters of the Father, you now have Christ for your brother, you are His family – and as such, you receive His Mercy. The greatest and mightiest thing that God has done for you has nothing to do with your bank account, or your home, or how talented you are – those are wonderful, but they aren’t the greatest. You have been forgiven on account of Christ – you have been given the gift of faith and welcomed into the family of God. God in His great mercy and love for you has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, and this is something that is for eternity – and it’s not dependent upon you, but flows totally from Him. God is rightly praised for this.
“He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.” Mary brings out another thing that God does that we know yet often forget. We do not need to look very hard to see wickedness in the world, to see the mighty and powerful abuse and harm others, indeed, even harm us. But Mary’s words remind us of a truth that we can forget when we see the wickedness in this world – there is so much more that God prevents, there is so much that God brings to an end. The proud are scattered, their plans fall apart and often do not come to fruition. The tyrants on their thrones fall, the powers crumble – evil doesn’t endure because God brings an end to it. And this is a comfort to us, it gives us a new perspective – for even when evil is done to us, even when we are getting it heaped upon us – we know that God does not let it last, that it will crumble and fail sooner or later and that He will deliver us.
Indeed, the great example of that is the very fact that Mary is pregnant with the Christ Child as she says this. No more will God be content to have fallen king after fallen king come and rule on this earth – no more will He let this world’s prince have His sway – no, God Himself comes to be our king, to be our Lord, to defeat Satan – and because He has come we have victory assured. The brief battles we face now in this life will give way and yield to the eternal victory celebration of heaven, because God’s strong arm wins the victory by being nailed to the cross and rising again on the third day.
“He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His offspring forever.” The coming of Christ changes things; things will be different because of Christ. Wickedness will be overcome, the powerful will be cast down. The failings and the disappointments that we face in this life eventually will go away. And instead, God fills us with all joy and blessedness. And as those of the New Testament, we see these words of Mary and the promises they point all gathered in to the Lord’s Supper. If you believe that you are spiritually rich, that you need no forgiveness, that you have no need for God’s mercy – you will remain as empty and shallow as you were. But for you, dear friends, you who see and know your own sin, who know your own struggles, who feel the pressures of life in this world and who are burdened – you who are hungry for righteousness – behold what God does for you. He calls you to His own table, and here He fills you with not merely good things, but the very best thing – He fills you with Himself – Christ Jesus gives Himself unto you, in a way most wondrous and amazing – He forgives your sins in His Supper, He gives you His own strength – He helps you face down the fears of the past and helps you to face the trials of the future, because in His Supper we see the proof that He is with us, indeed, in His Supper He is with us.
Dear friends, Christ Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, is here, and because He is Here, because He has called us unto His family through the waters of Baptism, because He gives Himself to us in His Supper, we see and understand His great love for us – we see and understand all that He has done and accomplished for us. For indeed, while we were humble and lowly, while we were weak – He is the one who is strong for us, strong to save – who comes to rescue us and free us, not merely for the brief span of our lives, but for all ages and ages, even unto life everlasting. This, dear friends, is why we magnify the Lord, this is why we focus our eyes upon Him and in thanksgiving sing His praise – because we see all that He has done for us, freely and without worth or merit in us. Christ Jesus came to be our Savior, and He shall come again to bring us unto heaven, and so we say again, Come quickly, Lord Jesus. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Go and Read
If you haven't, go and Pastor's Peter's thoughts on the different between Salvation and Spirituality. Fantastic
Being Busy and the Need for Study and Meditation
I find that the busier I am, the more I am aware of the need (and benefit) of study and meditation - be it from the pause for daily devotions or from gathering with other Pastors and discussing (going to a place where I will hear, not simply teach). It is when I am busy and running around and worn - especially when I am busy with multiple sermons and services bouncing around my head - that pause to be in the Word - to be a hearer is such a wonderful benefit.
The worst trick Satan has played upon us is the idea that we become too busy to pause and be hearers of the Word. Instead we become worn and worn and yet even more worn. Our work becomes more onerous. And we become slower and slower. . . and the work seems to pile even higher and higher (so of course we have less time for worship).
The Word of God refreshes. The Gospel gives joy. The Supper strengthens.
Sometimes we as Lutherans. . . okay. . . most of the time we as Lutheran shy away from speaking of the emotional benefits of worship and the Word -- and this is because we don't like making absolutes about emotions - we don't just say, "Worship should make you happy." Hearing the Word will not always make one happy (if you are content with your sin, it most certainly won't!).
But when you are weak, when you are heavy laden, when you are seeing the toil and wear of the world -- you are seeing Law, and the counter for that is Gospel, and the Gospel brings with it joy and refreshment and wonder. And not only the Gospel, but the joy it brings, is a good thing.
The worst trick Satan has played upon us is the idea that we become too busy to pause and be hearers of the Word. Instead we become worn and worn and yet even more worn. Our work becomes more onerous. And we become slower and slower. . . and the work seems to pile even higher and higher (so of course we have less time for worship).
The Word of God refreshes. The Gospel gives joy. The Supper strengthens.
Sometimes we as Lutherans. . . okay. . . most of the time we as Lutheran shy away from speaking of the emotional benefits of worship and the Word -- and this is because we don't like making absolutes about emotions - we don't just say, "Worship should make you happy." Hearing the Word will not always make one happy (if you are content with your sin, it most certainly won't!).
But when you are weak, when you are heavy laden, when you are seeing the toil and wear of the world -- you are seeing Law, and the counter for that is Gospel, and the Gospel brings with it joy and refreshment and wonder. And not only the Gospel, but the joy it brings, is a good thing.
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