Advent 3 Midweek

Advent Midweek 3 – December 18^th, 2013 – Matthew 1:18-25

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +

          Joseph was afraid.  Oh, he wasn’t afraid because an angel suddenly appeared to him out of the blue.  No, he was afraid.  “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.  When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.  And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.”  So there is Joseph.  And his fiancée, his wife is pregnant.  Let me note something.  Marriage didn’t work the same way back then as it does today – if you were betrothed, you were as good as married… you are committed, you aren’t going to be able to just back out.  Joseph, even though he is only betrothed, is called Mary’s husband.  And suddenly… Mary is pregnant.  And Joseph didn’t have anything at all to do with it.  How do you like them apples?

          So, Joseph is afraid.  This isn’t just about some hopes and dreams falling flat… no, this is his betrothed, his wife… and she’s pregnant.  And he didn’t do it.  What does this mean?  Well, let me ask you the question.  What was the punishment in the Law for those caught in adultery?  They are to be stoned.  By rights, Joseph could decry Mary, announce that she is pregnant not by him, and she would be executed.  And Joseph’s honor would be maintained.  But if he does that – he condemns his wife to death.  Or even he could be merciful – he could publicly denounce her, but not call for her death.  Just terribly shame her, ruin her. Even this “other guy” she’s been with wouldn’t be able to marry her… she’d be damaged goods.  But this is his wife.  Whom he loves.  Or there is the option that Joseph is planning on.  Divorcing her quietly.  Just… letting her go.  And not explaining why to anyone.  When she’s pregnant.  So you know what that means – not only would Joseph’s dreams of a family fall apart and be destroyed… he’ll put her away quietly.  He won’t blame her.  So what will the story be?  Did you hear what happened to that poor Mary, why Joseph probably knocked her up before the wedding and then got rid of her – do you see what a vile and evil man he is?  This is what Joseph is submitting and resigning himself to.  He will embarrassed and reviled for the rest of his life, he will be poorly thought of, and he will lose wife.  He thinks he’s lost her already – she’s found someone else that she is… well… with.  But at least this way she will live, she can have a new life with whomever, her new guy can pick her up on the public rebound, and he will look like a hero, a paragon of virtue, while Joseph will be the mean, evil, scoundrel of the piece.  It is the move that shelters and protects her… and he is going to get it, he is going to be kicked in the teeth.  And so, Joseph is afraid.  He has chosen the righteous path – the hard path, the difficult and painful path.  And it weighs heavily on him.

          “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’”  God knew the struggles and fears that His servant was dealing with.  Joseph’s desire to act out of love, to shelter and care for his seemingly faithless wife was going to cause him pain and suffering.  And so, the angel appears to Joseph in a dream – these are the things Joseph is falling asleep thinking about.  And the angel says “Do not fear to take Mary as your wife.”  What were you afraid of – that you wouldn’t have your wife, that your dreams of a family were going to come crashing down.  She hasn’t been unfaithful, Joseph.  No, she is your wife and should be your wife – the Child conceived in her is not from some other fellow, He is conceived by the Holy Spirit.  You will have your wife, Joseph, and you will have your family – fear not.

          But this is not just good news for you.  “She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”  Mary’s Son is the Messiah, the promised Savior – He is “Jesus” – He is “The LORD Saves”.  He is the world’s redeemer.  And you, Joseph, are given the task to raise Him, to shelter Him.  You, Joseph, are a son of David… you will raise The SON of David.  And teach Him, and care for Him.  And raise Him as though He were your own flesh and blood – and He will save His people, including you, from your sins.

          Now, this doesn’t mean that suddenly everything is easy for Joseph.  There’s still the whole issue of Mary being pregnant.  There will still be awkwardness, the head shaking with people assuming the worst about Joseph.  But that is no longer the big thing, the great focus.  That – eh, small potatoes.  Joseph gets his Mary; she who was lost to him is found.  He will get his family, he will have it.  And that is a wondrous thing.

          So then, what are we to learn and see in this lesson this night?  Joseph was afraid, and why?  Because he was going to do the right thing, he was going to love his neighbor even though to all appearance she no longer loved him.  That’s some tough sledding.  Yet, let’s face it.  It is the same task we here are all called to.  Our Lord does not say, “Love your neighbor, unless it causes you some difficulties, in which case, eh, forget them.”  Love your neighbor.  Indeed, we hear over and over in the Scriptures about suffering and being a living sacrifice, being the shelter and shield for our neighbor.  And this is hard, this is painful.  Sometimes we do it, and we live with that pain and hardship.  Sometimes we bail, sometimes we don’t love the neighbor like we ought.  Whether we do or we don’t – in this world, it’s rough.

          God knows this.  He is no stranger to the impact of sin. He knows what a mess it has made of His creation.  And thus, a woman named Mary conceived, and in her womb was God Himself.  A man named Joseph named a son not his Jesus, because the Lord does save.  And this Jesus would grow, and He would be righteous.  Period.  Not some of the time, like us.  Always.  Perfectly righteous.  And thus, He suffered.  He suffered lack, He bore he attacks of the self-righteous who wanted to pull Him down a peg to elevate themselves.  He bore the whispers of condescension – this Man eats with sinners!  This Man talks to gentile women.  He even had all sorts of lies and vileness spoken about Him… indeed, He was even whipped, beaten, and scourged.  And why?

          It is no accident or coincidence that in Ephesians we hear the imagery of Husband and Bride for Christ and His People, His Church.  Christ Jesus is righteous, and when you, His people, were trapped in your own sins and your own unrighteousness – things that would merit and earn you death – Christ would not stand for it.  No, He would not denounce you.  No, He would not even divorce you quietly so as to maintain some semblance of dignity.  Instead, He would bear your shame, your sin, your iniquity – bear it to the cross and kill it, all so that He could have His Bride, His Church, His people, and present them to all as washed clean and pure and innocent – forgiven of all things, no blots, no blemish – for he takes it all upon Himself.

          This is what Christ comes to do.  Jesus will out do Joseph, He will exceed Him in righteousness and in scope.  It is good that Joseph was willing to bear the shame to treat Mary kindly, yet Jesus is far, far better.  And Jesus does so perfectly.  Do we see this now?  Only in part, for now we are still in this world, this life – where we deal with pain and shame for righteousness, where we do flee in terror from showing the love that we ought.  But Christ Jesus has come, and He has borne all things, and He has won forgiveness and He has risen – and just as He once came to win us salvation, He will come again so that we may see it in full.  Thus we are right to pray this and every Advent, come quickly, Lord Jesus.  In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King + Amen.

What Happens When Your Rival Falls?

If you were an American who grew up during the Cold War, you knew the score. We were good, the Commies were bad, and we were dedicated to stopping Commie aggression. And of course, we really meant stopping the Ruskies. And then, something interesting happened. Soviet Russia crumbled.

 ...

 Okay. Um... now what?

We hit a spell where we had to redefine ourselves as Americans. What does it mean to fight for Truth, Justice, and the American Way when there was no Soviet Union? What then does it mean to be the defender of the free world? See, this was part of the whole angst of the 90's grunge scene. Who are we? What makes us Americans the good guys? We stopped the Germans, then we stopped the Russians... and now... what? I mean, we couldn't even figure out if we should go over to the former Yugoslav republics and fight someone... because... well... what's an American anti-communist to do when there's no red commie to fight?

Well, now we have the War on Terror. Now we can talk about the Axis of Evil... we can worry that Iran might get a bomb, or look at North Korea with leery eyes. Of course, for a child of the Cold War... the War on Terror just doesn't have the same zing.

But I still think of my time in High School, in college when there wasn't really a good myth to follow. We were set adrift -- and even Rush Limbaugh didn't want us sending troops to the Balkans. What happens when your rival falls?

See, this is a theological problem. Too often, instead of being positive, instead of being mere confessors of the truth, theologians want to be heroes fighting for the "right" side. We want to have our theological rivals, and we want to crush them! We want to fight the "good fight" - which isn't about the daily struggle against sin and temptation in our own lives, it's about crushing theological problem or specter X.

 You know, like Seminex. Or the ELCA. Or Contemporary Worship. Or Keischnick.

But what happens when your rivals fall?

Seriously - what's a good Lutheran conservative fighter to do? What becomes our identity? All too often we will invent a new theological red scare. Did you see that article that prof wrote... sounds like Seminex to me! Or maybe all the pastors I don't like are being influenced by... the ELCA! Or there's not enough Natural Law! Or there are now a bunch of Antinomians floating around... okay, well, maybe not antinomians like there were in Luther's day, but they don't do the Law like I want them to!

 We create new villains. We establish new heavies for the piece. We find some new target to rail against on our soapbox. And what's sad is, our rhetoric changes. There's new dangers to fight off... and well, the old truths we proudly wove... eh. They don't mesh. There's new villains afoot that we have to meet and defeat. And there is a massive disconnect between the old and the new. Thus is the constant temptation when you want to be the hero of the piece.

Remember the good old days when we just wanted everything to be focused upon Christ and Him Crucified for sinners?

The Sermon as Love Song

(What follows is a part of some interesting and good thoughts by Rev. David Petersen, especially when considering the point of the Divine Service.  For the full article, please look here

The Service God provides (hence the German Gottesdienst and the English "Divine Service") to His people is the ultimate reconciliation, His re-communion with them, His entrance into their hearts by way of their mouths, which cleanses their lips and enables them once more to sing His praise and thereby expose what is now, by grace, by the Holy Communion, in their hearts. For it is what comes out of a man that renders him unclean or cleanses him. If we were to be crass (and since when has the Gottesdienst Crowd ever shied away from being crass?) we might say that the Holy Communion is make-up sex.

What then is the sermon? The sermon is the pledge reconciliation, the refusal to let the sun go down on one's anger. The Law is needed, for the beloved needs to know her crimes and how she has endangered Love. She needs to repent. But the conclusion is foregone. The sermon never serves divorce papers. The crimes are repeated, the beloved is exposed, but this not in malice but for edification, that she would learn, that she would grow. And what does she learn? Perhaps she learns something of what her behavior should be, of what her love for the Lover should look like, but mainly she learns how great, steadfast, and compassionate is the Love of Him who loves here perfectly and without end.

The Smalcald Articles

I love them.  I actually think they may be my favorite part of the Book of Concord - they are Luther, thinking he is dying, just laying everything out.

And I love the fact that the third section deals with the things we could discuss, if we actually found reasonable people.  Sometimes I understand that observation all to well.

At any rate - note the following from III,III

39] Of this repentance John preaches, and afterwards Christ in the Gospel, and we also. By this [preaching of] repentance we dash to the ground the Pope and everything that is built upon our good works. For all is built upon a rotten and vain foundation, which is called a good work or law, even though no good work is there, but only wicked works, and no one does the Law (as Christ, John 7:19, says), but all transgress it. Therefore the building [that is raised upon it] is nothing but falsehood and hypocrisy, even [in the part] where it is most holy and beautiful.
40] And in Christians this repentance continues until death, because, through the entire life it contends with sin remaining in the flesh, as Paul, Rom. 7:14-25, [shows] testifies that he wars with the law in his members, etc.; and that, not by his own powers, but by the gift of the Holy Ghost that follows the remission of sins. This gift daily cleanses and sweeps out the remaining sins, and works so as to render man truly pure and holy.

I love just how honest this is.  Nothing is built upon my work.  Rather it is all on God.  It is the Holy Spirit who works forgiveness and who renders me holy.  Just fantastic comfort.

Is it so bad or impious to wish to live with this great comfort?  Knowing that even my best works are but sin, and knowing that on account of Christ I am forgiven, given life, made pure and holy?

The War on the Holidays

Can I say something that might tick off the Fox News Crowd?  The whole "War on Christmas" thing - it's stupid.

No, I don't mean that the world out there is mean and stupid for not doing the whole Christmas thing whole hog (although often that is the case).  Rather, I mean that getting all bent out of shape over things is stupid.  And it is co-opting Christians in engage in stupid debates that we should be far, far above.

Why do I say this?  Well, consider:

1.  You aren't supposed to say "Happy Holidays" because it denies Christmas.  Isn't that the way it is now?  So are we Christians supposed to get riled up over this - or should we pause and think for a second.  Let's see... St. Nicholas' on December 6th, and the Midweek Advent services, and then Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, the Feast of Stephen (for all you good King Wenceslas fans), St. John on the 27th, Holy Innocents the 28th, New Year's Eve, New Year's/Circumcision and name of Jesus, and Epiphany.

You know what those all are?  Holy Days.  Happy Holy Days!  Happy Holidays. 

Happy Holidays was initially not a reference to all the various different religious ideas and days... it was a reference to our own slew of festivals. 

2.  What color is Santa?  That's the debate this year.  I mean... can we get more foolish?  Are we asserting the historicity of St. Nicholas of Myrna (and thus positing a Mediterranean complexion), or are we getting riled up and riling folks up because of a stinking Coca-Cola advert?

What does this have to do with anything about the Holidays, from a Christian perspective?  Nothing!

What other bits of agitation do you hear the drums for? Chances are - they are silly.  Enjoy your advent in Church - ponder the comings of our Lord.  And outside in the world... just let people do whatever silly wintery things they want.  It's really not worth the agitation.

Advent 3 Sermon

In the Name of Christ Jesus the Advent King +

          How do you know Who to look for?  When looking for the coming Messiah, how do you know who He is?  John – John knew.  John knew the Messiah before he was even born – For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  This is John.  John saw Christ and cried out Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! – words which we will echo here in a few moments.  This is John, who when Jesus comes to him to be baptized boldly proclaims, I need to be baptized by you, and do You come to me?  This is who John is – of those born of women none greater than he.  This is John, Christ’s own messenger.  But now, John is in prison, never to get out again.  John is on his way to the chopping block, literally.   Was this the way it was supposed to go?  I mean, we are talking about John, the forerunner of the Messiah.  If there’s anyone that God should get out of nasty messes like this, it’s John.  And yet, there it is.  A dark prison cell.  Time slowly passing until an axeman with a silver platter will come.  This isn’t what the time of the Messiah was supposed to look like – this isn’t the Christian life I envisioned.  Locust and wild honey – sure.  Camel hair and wild clothing – sure.  Mighty preaching – sure.  But isolation in a prison, a preacher left with no one to preach to, and just looming despair and death.  Is this really what this was all about?

          So John calls for his disciples and he sets them on a task.  Now, when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are you to the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?”  Did I mess up?  Was I wrong, was I mistaken?  Where’s the glorious revolution, where’s the time where everything is fixed?

          Jesus has a fantastic answer which He gives.  Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.  And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”  A wonderful answer.  John baptized, John preached – Jesus does everything better.  Jesus heals – washes way even leprosy.  Jesus preaches even to the poor – they, the lowest people are even gladdened by the news they hear.  This is a wonderful thing – and it shows that Jesus is the right One.  See the signs that He is doing – He is indeed the Lamb of God, the One that we are to follow.  John’s discples learn that they themselves are to follow this Jesus and no other.  Yes, He is the One who was promised, the One who is here – He is the Messiah.

          Now, go and tell John.  Jesus remembers John, even in the midst of his suffering and trials and tribulations.  Is it dark in that prison John – remember that the blind receive their sight.  Are you bound and unable to leave – those crippled and bound now walk.  Is it dank and dirty – even the lepers are cleansed by me – those isolated by deafness hear – and yes John, even the dead are raised.  Yes, death is coming for you, a wicked little dance will do you in John, but it will not be the end – the dead are raised.  This is the good news that is preached to the poor – even to those rotting away in a prison cell.  Go and tell John – tell John that he might be supported in his time of trial by Christ’s own Word.  And so John, his disciples, everyone there is prepared for what is coming because they have been focused upon Christ, because Christ has shown Himself to them.

          So, what do we take and learn from this?  First thing, right off – even for Christians, even for the best of us, life in this world will be scary and terrifying sometimes.  This is what Satan wants to do – he wants us isolated and to make us see just how rotten and bad things are.  Because, it’s true, things are rotten and bad.  John’s story didn’t turn out like he probably hoped.  How many hope and dreams do we have that fall short?  And Satan will jump up and down and say, “look at this, look at these horrible things – is this what your life as a Christian amounts to?”  And there are many ways that we in our sin will try poorly to deal with this.  We can try denial, just pretending things aren’t bad, ignoring the elephant in the room.  We can just try to keep ourselves too busy to care, too drunk notice, we can close our selves off more and more to keep all that bad stuff away.  But it doesn’t fix it.  And then, Jesus speaks.  And does Jesus do?  He points us to Himself.  Yes, this world is messed up, but look at Me.  The blind are healed, the lame are made to walk.  I have come to fix things – not just now, not just for a day, not to make sure that your tomorrow is joyous – no, I come to suffer and die and rise so that your forever is fixed, so that your life is eternal and will last past the moments of this day.

         

           This is how Christ prepares us this day to face whatever we face in our lives; this is how we are prepared this Advent season for the celebration of Christmas.  We may not see so much the blind seeing or the lame walking – I make no claim to be a miracle worker.  But there is one thing from that list that Jesus gave that we here in this room see and hear and experience.  The poor have good news preached to them.  Does that not continue on unto this very day – do we not gather here, together in this house as the poor in spirit, as poor, miserable sinners and have the Good News preached to us?  Think on what we receive in preaching, in this service.  Is there a time you are sent out those doors left to wonder whether God actually loves you – or rather is Christ continually proclaimed to you – is not the Cross of our Crucified Lord continually held before you – See what Jesus has done for you with His death and resurrection – you are forgiven.  He is risen, and no matter what happens to you in your life here, you will rise to new life because of Him.  This is the good news given to poor, miserable sinners – this is your windfall, a windfall of mercy and grace.  And does this not color our lives – does not the Lord’s forgiveness shape us and how we see the world?  Thus we are prepared for the Lord’s Coming, be it the celebration of His first coming at Christmas or His second coming.

          But even more than that.  When he was Baptizing, John said, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”  Do you not realize that you have this – that you have the very Baptism that even John the Baptist looked longingly towards.  Advent is the time of preparation for Christmas – and how are you prepared for Christ’s coming, how are to you keep your watch for Christmas?  Think on what a gift you have received in Your Baptism.  Not only were you washed clean of your sin, but you were joined to Christ – you were made part of His Body – Your Body became His temple.  If this is true, if God’s Word on the wonders of Baptism are right – do you see what this means?  You are baptized and joined to Christ – I would say that prepares you for Christ’s coming.  Think on whom He has made you to be – you are now God’s own child – this is real and true.  God prepares you by Baptism.  As Luther puts it, “Thus it appears what a great, excellent thing Baptism is, which delivers us from the jaws of the devil and makes us God's own, suppresses and takes away sin, and then daily strengthens the new man, and is and remains ever efficacious until we pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory.”  With this gift, you are prepared – remember it daily – this is why Luther recommends starting and ending each day with the Invocation and the sign of the Cross – the sign given to you as your own at your Baptism.

Again, we have another treasure for our preparation in the Lord’s own Supper.  Think on what the Lord does – He gives us His own Body and Blood – life and forgiveness and salvation.  Do you wish to be prepared, do you wish your watch for Christ to be right – then make use of the Supper!  Hear again what Luther says, “On this account it is indeed called a food of souls, which nourishes and strengthens the new man. For by Baptism we are first born anew; but (as we said before) there still remains, besides, the old vicious nature of flesh and blood in man, and there are so many hindrances and temptations of the devil and of the world that we often become weary and faint, and sometimes also stumble. Therefore it is given for a daily pasture and sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself so as not to fall back in such a battle, but become ever stronger and stronger.”  Everything you need, everything that is required for your life in Christ is given to you here; you receive from Him all that you need.  Just as John and his disciples were pointed to Christ, we are pointed to Christ, indeed, we receive Him so that we are strengthened.

Cling to Christ, dear friends – trust in Him and His strength – receive the gifts He gives you and despise them not.  In this way, dear friends, you will be kept strong and prepared what whatever befalls you in this life – and you will be able to welcome Christ with gladness upon the last day.  You are not left alone, you are not forsaken, and even in the midst of your sorrows, Christ is with you, for you are Baptized, you are fed on His own Body and Blood.  In this world, Satan will show you sin and terror and troubles – but there is a greater truth, a more wondrous truth.  Christ Jesus came, was born, suffered, died, and was buried, and He rose again – and He did all this for you, for your salvation.  You belong to Christ, and He will defend you ever more – even until He comes again on the Last Day.  As His own Baptized who live in His Word and receive His Supper, we are right to pray, Come Quickly, Lord Jesus.  In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +  Amen.

Pastoral Fears

Pastoral Fears.  Every one of us has them.  We look around us, and what do we see?  Society is in a moral freefall.  Attendance is down.  Shoot, how many of us are now at churches where the ability to pay us is in question (or at least soon looks to be)?

It's all falling apart.  Just admit it. It's falling apart - and it scares the dickens out of you. 

It wasn't supposed to be this way on your watch.  You were going to go out there and make a difference.  People would love you, and you would be dynamic and powerful and your congregation would grow.

And in reality, it's all falling apart.  Even if your falling apart isn't as bad as the next guy's.

And you doubt.

You lament like Elijah - I'm the only one left.
You sit like John in prison - Are you to the One to come, or do we look for another?  Do we look for another, because things aren't going to the way they ought to be!

We sit, and we wonder "what do we do... what can we do?"

And that is where the real problem sets in.

It's all falling apart - that's not the problem.  We know our eschatology.  We know we are in the last days.  We know that we are those in the tribulation.  Ain't nothing that happens in the world that should surprise us.  Shoot, Luther knew that the Gospel was like a passing rain shower, that eventually Germany would appreciate it no longer.  Should it surprise us that the gentle rain of the Gospel is passing in America?

No.  The problem is we wonder "What do *WE* do".  We.  Us.  Me.  A Law question.

If you start asking a Law question, you are going to start thinking up Law answers.  And all that does is stir up a bunch of hot air that blows that shower of the Gospel further and further along.

So let me ask you a question.  Have you lost your focus?  We are told in Hebrews to fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.  Because it's about what HE does for you.

You aren't alone in facing these fears.  The come all the time, they are the continual refrain of Satan attacking Christ and His Church... and especially pastors.

Sing a hymn or two.  Try A Mighty Fortress.  It's true.  Take they our lives, goods, fame, child or wife.  Though these all be gone, they yet have nothing won.  The Kingdom ours remaineth.

Sing Built on the Rock.  Here stands the font before our eyes
Telling how God did receive us;
The altar recalls Christ’s sacrifice
And what His table doth give us;
Here sounds the Word that doth proclaim
Christ yesterday, today, the same,
Yea, and for aye our Redeemer.

Or maybe you just want a poem.  Might I suggest a little Yeats.

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in the sands of the desert.

A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

Yes.  You have fears.  Of course you do.  What would you expect the Father of lies to stir up in you?  But this truth remains - Christ Jesus was born, Christ Jesus died, Christ Jesus has risen, and you are forgiven and redeemed, and there's not a fear or sorrow or junk in the world that can change that.  Jesus Lives... the Victory's won.  Really.  It is.  He has done it.

Peace? Ain't Nobody Got Time for That!

I have no problem speaking about New Obedience.  I have no problem talking about Vocation - I actually love talking about Vocation (because it speaks about our actions not trying to find some abstract idea of "holy" but in the concrete, directly in terms of what tasks God Himself has laid out before us).  These are all good things - they are in fact properly and best understood as gifts from God to us (rather than "what we do for Jesus") -- and is not part of our job as Christians to proclaim the great things He has done, the great gifts He has given?  The first article and daily bread is great!

But here's what I have very, very little time for.

Troublers of conscience.
Handwringing.
Doubt about if what we are doing is good enough.
Trepidation.
Guilt induced reflection.

You know why?

Let's do a little experiment with John 20.  The first Sunday after Easter, our reading is John 20:19-31. Our Risen Lord, in 10 sentences says the word "Peace" 3 times.  As in, three of the whole sentences are "Peace be with you."

Think about that rhetorically for a moment.  If you start each idea with a theme, if you repeat it multiple times - it's the point of everything.  As an example, what does our good Roman Catholic friend Coach Herm Edwards thinks the point of a football game is?



Did that leave any doubt?  You play to win the game.

Now, here we have Christ, and He is resurrected.  It is finished.  He has won for us salvation, and what does He say?  Peace be with you.  Shalom.  Peace.  It's all right, it's all good, I have fixed things.  Peace be with you.  In fact, you are going to be peacemakers - you are going to be going out and forgiving sins (and if you have to retain, well, retain, but even then the whole point is hopefully they will repent).

Oh, and again, Peace be with you.  Thomas, you doubt?  Hey - believe.  Peace. 

This is what Christ is about, this is what the Church is about - shoot, we are in Advent, we know what is coming Christmas Eve.  Peace, Goodwill to man!

So, here's my problem.  Sure, ponder vocation, ponder obedience, ponder exhortation -- but how are you viewing this?  From a standpoint of peace?  From the viewpoint of peace?  Or are you viewing it with fear?  Are you worried that not enough X is happening, that there's not enough virtue to stop moral decay, that Christians are becoming too lazy and terrible result Y is going to happen, have you not seen enough goodness or fruit Z in your folks.

Peace be with you.  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.

We have the promise of peace from our Lord.  Now, who does your dis-peace come from?  Who would be the one troubling you, making you worried... accusing you?  Who makes you think, "Peace, ain't nobody got time for that!  We gots ta do sommting ourselfs!

No.  Christ Jesus has said it.  Peace be with you.  Peace be with you.  Sins are forgiven, really they are - be about the business of forgiving them.  Peace be with you.

Otherwise, we just run around with our heads cut off thinking we ain't got time for peace, that there's too much *we* need to do.  We become to opposite of the OT false prophets.  They cried peace, peace when there was no peace.  Are we to forsake declaring peace when the very Price of Peace, risen from the tomb, has declared Peace?

You Preach to declare the Peace!

(and just because -- this happened in Oklahoma )

Advent Midweek 2

Advent Midweek 2 – Luke 1 – December 11^th, 2013

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
          Mary was scared.  When Gabriel appears to her and greets her, he says, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you”  And Mary is afraid.  Greatly troubled, as the scriptures say.  Well, once again we see an angelic visit this advent season, and once again we see fear and concern.  So there is Mary, in her room or wherever she is when Gabriel appears, and he greets her with this fantastic blessing, and her response: “But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.”  Do you see what happens – she’s confused, she doesn’t know what’s going on.  Why is this angel greeting me this way – why am I called a favored one, I haven’t done anything to impress God or get on His good side.  What does this mean?

          But she doesn’t ask.  Instead of asking the angel for clarification, the wheels start turning inside her head, she comes up with all sorts of ideas and possibilities, and they are strange and frightening possibilities.  It’s actually an interesting point.  In the Church we have a phrase – Scripture interprets Scripture.  If you come across a passage in the Scriptures and you aren’t sure what it means or how it works, you don’t sit just stewing on it, because that will get you no where but confused and upset… you go check other parts of the Bible – you get more of God’s Word.  And, unsurprisingly enough, that is what Gabriel gives Mary even before she asks.  “And the angel said to Mary, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His Name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’”  No, don’t worry Mary, this isn’t a bad thing. Let me explain, let me interpret the greeting. You are going to be a mother, and your Son will be the Son of God, the Son of the Most High.  He will be the Everlasting King.  This is all Messianic stuff, this is all good and great news!

          Now, again, how does Mary respond to this?  Is she arrogant – “well, of course, this makes sense – I mean, I’m just that awesome that I mean, come on, God surely would pick me?”  Is she flat out excited – “woo-hoo, this is so awesome, I mean, talk about the rank I’ll get to pull at the little Kiddo’s play dates with the other moms!”  No, she has a slightly different reaction.  She’s a bit worried yet, a bit scared.  “And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’”  Well, you see Mr. Angel, we’ve got one problem here.  I haven’t done anything with anybody, so there’s no way I could be pregnant.  Um… so… um… how is this going to work… I’m not married, and you aren’t my fiancée Joseph, and um… just what is going to happen?  It’s all very practical – it’s all very humble and meek.  There is a sense of awe and astonishment… and also thought about the implications of what this means.

          Once again, Gabriel calms her fears.  “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Child to be born will be called holy – the Son of God.”  You don’t need to worry about your virtue or anything like that Mary – nothing funny is going to happen.  No, what we are talking about is a mighty act of God, that you will be the world’s first and only virgin mother.  That there will be no human father, but rather God Himself will bring this about – for you are going to give birth to the Son of God.  But Gabriel doesn’t stop with just that declaration.  He gives a little additional proof that these strange things can happen.  “And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God.”  Look, Mary, you know about your cousin Elizabeth.  God is doing some stuff now, the plan of the ages for the redemption of mankind is kicking into full gear – He’s going to do it, and it will be done.  Moreover – if you happen to need someone to talk to about this thing, well, look, she is your cousin, family, not a bad person to talk to and get sorted out with.

And hearing this, Mary assents.  “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”  Mary says, “Alright.  Everything is in order, there’s nothing funny.  So be it.”  But I love the way she agrees, the thing she says.  Let it be to me according to your word.  And this is a wonderful insight.  Mary has had thoughts and fears and tried to figure things out on her own, but when the rubber meets the road, let it be to me according to your word.  And this, I think, more than anything in this text serves as an example for us of our approach to our lives.  Let it be to me according to your Word.

Part and parcel of being a sinful human being is that we want to do things our way.  We want to be in control.  That’s even the American ideal – to be a self-made man, to sing with Frank “I Did It My Way”.  We love control.  But look at Mary.  What opportunities for control is she given here?  She’s just sitting at home, and boom, all this gets dropped on her.  Without her say, without her input, without her opinion.  Nor does she even try to insert her own two cents, even when she’s worried and scared.  There’s no “Well, couldn’t you have at least waited until Joseph and I were hitched, because people are going to talk?”  There’s no “let me think about this for a bit, come back tomorrow.”  Rather – well, if this is what God says, then let it be as God says.  It is a wonderful act of faith.  I am the Lord’s Servant – I am not the master.  Let it be to me according to your Word.

What we in our sinfulness, in our fears, in our love of the world, so often forget is that everything is going to happen according to God’s Word.  We aren’t in control of things.  You get the passages where it is pointed out that by worrying we cannot add even a day to our lives, or when Job grouses at God you get the “where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth” sort of stuff.  He’s God, and we’re not.  What He says goes.  The Word of God, what He has proclaimed in the Scriptures, that’s not optional, that’s not what might be, that’s how it is going to be.  Christ Jesus is going to be born – there’s nothing that Herod can do to stop it.  He will go to the Cross – Peter can’t talk Him out of it.  God’s plan is going to come to fruition.  That’s just how it is.

For the sinful man, that is terrifying.  You know this fear, you know this worry of not being in control – for we all have our old sinful flesh clinging to us.  But the Holy Spirit has worked faith in you, so you know something else.  Everything that God does, every promise in His Word – it is for you, it is for your good, it is for your benefit.  Mary, it’s going to be weird having this Kid – but this Kid is God come to save you from your own sin, God come to die and rise so that you will be raised from the dead and live forever as well.  And for you, O Christian – yes, life will be scary and perplexing and hard.  That’s the way it is in the fallen world – but Christ Jesus has come, He has died, He has risen, and He shall come again.  This is what the Word of God has declared, and by faith we too proclaim “let it be to me according to your Word.”  This is what we will confess in the Nunc Dimittis tonight – Let me depart in peace, and why?  Your Word has been fulfilled.  God is in control – but do not let your sinful flesh make you nervous or fearful upon hearing this.  He is in control for you, for your good.  He has your salvation planned, for you are His own, claimed in the waters of Holy Baptism, united to His Son, and forgiven.  When Christ comes again, we will see this clearly – Come quickly, Lord Jesus.  In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King + Amen

The Lie of a Quote

When I was in High School, I was going to be a journalist.  That was the plan, at least.  I enjoyed the process of writing articles, of interviewing, of weaving quotes in to a story.  However, I also know that is a dangerous, tricky, and some times deceitful thing.

How often have you heard someone complain that they were misquoted?  It's not necessarily that the literal quote itself is wrong, but the selection of the quote, where the given quote starts and where it stops... loses the context and lets the quote be wrongly applied.

This is the danger we face in theology as well.  Think on the various attacks that are leveled on solid doctrine and how often they misquote scripture.  It's a destruction of context.  A simple example off the top of my head - the reformed saying, "The flesh availeth nothing" as a text to show why the Lord's Supper isn't Christ True Body and Blood.  That is totally out of context and not even related directly to the Supper... it's a bad quote.

As Theologians, we must be very, very careful to pay attention to context.  Otherwise we will not recognize when people throw out deceit... or even more dangerous, when we ourselves use the very Word of God to lie and deceive in order to harp on our own thoughts and dreams.

Weighty stuff, methinks.