The Hardest Words in Scripture… are there for a reason
Thoughts which carry this broken pastor to Jesus, and to the Cross…
“The LORD said, “Name him Lo-Ammi, because you are not my people, and I am not your God.” (Hosea 1:9, NCV)
“I will plant my people in the land, and I will show pity to the one I had called ‘not shown pity.’ I will say, ‘You are my people’ to those I had called ‘not my people.’ And they will say to me, ‘You are our God.’ ”” (Hosea 2:23, NCV)
“I know what you do, how you work hard and never give up. I know you do not put up with the false teachings of evil people. You have tested those who say they are apostles but really are not, and you found they are liars. You have patience and have suffered troubles for my name and have not given up. “But I have this against you: You have left the love you had in the beginning.” (Revelation 2:2–4, NCV)
I often used to wonder that St. Ambrose was so bold as to call himself a servant of Jesus Christ. I supposed we all ought to be terrified at thoughts of this kind, and that none but the apostles might boast of such honor. But the fact is, we must all say to Christ: Thou art my Lord and I am thy servant; for I believe in thee and aspire to be with thee and all the faithful and to possess thy Word and Sacrament.
The first quote from Hosea hit me like a freight train. How I would hate to hear them, how I hate to read them, even about someone else that I’ve never known. They are the saddest and most devastating words in all of scripture.
I need to take them seriously, I need to hear the warning they bring to our people today. I can’t just dismiss them as if they are not relevant to today. For the reading from Revelation tells me that things do not change much.
We still forget God, we still forget our first love. These words aren’t talking to non-Christians, they are talking to us–those who’ve been called Christians and God’s people. Those who loved God, and know more about God than any other – for they can and do discern false teaching – they have suffered–even as they unmask liars in their midst.
Yet for all their knowledge, like Israel and Gomer in Hosea’s time, they lost the intimate relationship with God. And they don’t even notice, a sad comment on its own.
As I was reading my other devotions, I came across the quote from Luther, and I have to wonder about how it affects this. If we think we need to be afraid of Christ, afraid of serving God, In that fear of serving God, there is also the fear of being in HIs presence, being accountable to the plan He has, which may not be a demanding as we hold it to be. But the fear keeps us at a distance- a distance which allows us to know of God, but limits our ability to know Him, to engage Him, to serve Him as a trusted companion.
That’s the point that makes the difference–the relationship with God–that’s why serving God as His servant-companion and friend. That is the second reading from Hosea, the incredible reconciliation that God promises and makes happen. For the people who were told they were not, are once again the people of God. He restored the relationship – as promised- and then revealed that incredible blessing–that there is hope for restoration, for healing, for life as even more than a servant – but as the friend Jesus would tell us we have become.
His friends.
His family.
The ones the Spirit heals and nourishes through the word that testifies of Jesus and the sacrament which unites us with Him.
This is what changes knowledge of Jesus to knowing Him.
This is what saves us, this is what we are saved too – an intimate, eternal relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Luther, M., & Sander, J. (1915). Devotional Readings from Luther’s Works for Every Day of the Year (p. 362). Augustana Book Concern.
God’s Plan! Revealed and Finally Realized! The Plan: To Satisfy Us and Bring Us Joy! A Concordia Message on Psalm 90:12-17
God’s Plan! Revealed and Finally Realized!
The Plan: To Satisfy Us and Bring Us Joy!
Psalm 90:12-17
† I.H.S. †
May the grace and peace of God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ satisfy your desires and bring you the greatest joy! AMEN!
Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
As we talk about God’s plan in this sermon series, there are a number of rules about what is called in business “strategic planning, that when taken together give us some basic understanding of the necessity and need for adapting our planning. Both come from the military, and both have been accepted in corporate and educational leadership as laws.
The first they must have worked on forever, trying to come up with a memorable phrase. It states, Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents &#*$ Poor Performance.
An obvious illustration of this comes out of a story during the Cuban Missile Crisis, where people were building nuclear shelters in their back yards. One story comes out of that time where a man build the best shelter, the highest technology possible, and 20 years of canned food and water stored up. The story went along that one day, during a potential missile launch, he went down, locked himself in for 10 years, and then realized he forgot one thing….
A can opener.
Proper planning and preparation….could have prevented perishing
But as we move towards the end of time, and toward the judgment, what kind of planning and preparation can we devise that will see us through something more overwhelming than war?
We need proper planning and preparation…..
Or we will cry out with the Psalmist, 13 O LORD, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants!
For if we don’t know the plan, how can we prepare for it?
All Strategic Plans Dissolve in the first moment of battle
The second rule almost invalidates the first. It’s not fancy, with each first letter matching. It is from a German Field Marshall, but has been requoted by other military leaders, business leaders and politicians since. It says, No plan survives first contact with the enemy! (Or the customer, or the media!)
You can make all the greatest plans, but they fail if they are our plans. This is especially true spiritually!
How many of us plan to never sin again – especially that one sin—you know the one I am talking about… And then the temptation we pray against comes, and we find ourselves falling again, because our plan failed in the first contact with temptation, evil, and Satan and his demons.
While planning and preparation is needed our own desire will fail at times, we will still need something more—readily accessible to depend on In those situations.
Make no mistake my dear people, this Is spiritual warfare. And Satan will do anything to get our focus on us, letting us plan, letting us think we are in control, allowing us to mature, only to trap us in our pride.
But we aren’t the only ones, who plan can fail in the heat of the moment. For Satan’s plan ha already fallen short….
Even as the people of God recognize and call for God’s help…. God was already moving heaven and earth….for His plan and preparation was faultless, and His plan included not surviving.
God’s plan!
What I love about this Psalm is the confidence, the faith that the psalmist has is impressive! For he knows the plans God has for him – and for his people. Look at these requests he makes of God,
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom!
Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
Replace the evil years with good.
Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory!
And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!
These are the cries of one who is facing defeat, they are the cries of one who knows the heart of God, yet has found their own plans, and their people’s plans trashed. But knowing the heart of God, knowing His plan for us makes the differences here.
For every one of those things are the things God has always done in the past for His people!
The things He did in David’s time, what Jesus did while here was here what the Spirit has done in the church throughout time, showing grace, mercy and love.
I really want to focus on our reaction to this work of God, the request of the psalmist that God “14 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives”
First that word “satisfy.”
When I first hear the word, I think of the minimum possible positive result – they satisfy the requirements for the position. The work meets the standard. But the Biblical concept is far deeper than that – think of how you are satisfied after a thanksgiving feast.
When God satisfies us, it is talking about the highest level, that kind of satisfaction that provides for total contentment. It’s the kind of satisfaction that leaves everything and everyone peaceful, ready to relax and celebrate.
It is being assured that the war is over, the battles are won, and everyone has returned home, those who were damaged and broken healing nicely, relationships restored.
Perhaps you would say that this is still in the future, isn’t it? Aren’t we still in a spiritual battle? That is why there is a reference to the unfailing love that will bring us the contentment and satisfaction that will lead us to the joy that we can sing about to the end of our lives.
His Is why Paul would pray,
18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:18-19 (NLT2)
This is what we need to know each day, each morning, to keep our legs moving, to know that we are not alone, and that Goves us, and restores us.
For that is the wisdom we pray for – to know that God has a plan – and God will make it happen.
AMEN!
The Greatest lesson I know – from the Ezekiel and Daniel (and John)
Photo by Wouter de Jong on Pexels.com
Thoughts which carry this broken pastor to Jesus, and to the Cross:
“The wise men answered the king, saying, “No one on earth can do what the king asks! No great and powerful king has ever asked the fortune-tellers, magicians, or wise men to do this; the king is asking something that is too hard. Only the gods could tell the king this, but the gods do not live among people.”” (Daniel 2:10–11, NCV)
“The man asked me, “Human, do you see this?” Then the man led me back to the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw many trees on both sides of the river. The man said to me, “This water will flow toward the eastern areas and go down into the Jordan Valley. When it enters the Dead Sea, it will become fresh. Everywhere the river goes, there will be many fish. Wherever this water goes the Dead Sea will become fresh, and so where the river goes there will be many living things. Fishermen will stand by the Dead Sea. From En Gedi all the way to En Eglaim there will be places to spread fishing nets. There will be many kinds of fish in the Dead Sea, as many as in the Mediterranean Sea. But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both banks of the river, and their leaves will not dry and die. The trees will have fruit every month, because the water for them comes from the Temple. The fruit from the trees will be used for food, and their leaves for medicine.”” (Ezekiel 47:6–12, NCV)
“Then King Nebuchadnezzar was so surprised that he jumped to his feet. He asked the men who advised him, “Didn’t we tie up only three men and throw them into the fire?” They answered, “Yes, O king.” The king said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire. They are not tied up, and they are not burned. The fourth man looks like a son of the gods.”” (Daniel 3:24–25, NCV)
“He who gives life was shown to us. We saw him and can give proof about it. And now we announce to you that he has life that continues forever. He was with God the Father and was shown to us. We announce to you what we have seen and heard, because we want you also to have fellowship with us. Our fellowship is with God the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to you so we may be full of joy.” (1 John 1:2–4, NCV)
As I caught up on my devotional reading this morning, I noticed an incredible summary of the gospel, spread across three books of scripture, and two of them—Old Testament prophetic books. It continually amazes me to see God’s plan revealed, not just in the 4 gospels, but it described with such passion in the Old Testament.
I could have described it with just the two readings from Daniel, but the Ezekiel parable adds so much to it! I could have just done it from John’s epistle, but there is something to say about Daniel setting up this incredible picture of the powerful, intimate relationship we have with Jesus and the Father, which the spirit nurtures!
So let’s start with the first Daniel reading…
The back story is that the King has threatened his wise men with their death, if they cannot do the impossible—a task that requires in it a supernatural quality that they say they do not have. Their entire defense is that God (or in their case gods) would never live with people. They say this knowing their lives are on the line. What despair they must have felt, what emptiness, what a traumatic sinking feeling to know you are about to die—and there is nothing you can do
Which leads us to Ezekiel, and this wonderful parable of the water of life, flowing from the sacrifice in the Temple, turns the deadest water in the world into living, refreshing water! That Sea is so polluted from salt and other mineral that no amoeba, never mind plants or fish, can survive in it. It is literally dead, and it is deadly to any who end up in it, or hope to find life around it. Yet this water of life changes it, purifies it, makes it capable of life, of sustaining the life and it will thrive. When Jesus talks of being the living water to the women at the well, who knew the scriptures, this may have been a thought in the back of her mind—for what kind of water brings this life….only that which flows from the Holy of Holies – the place of forgiveness and mercy!
But if this water is a picture of Jesus, it also describes the relationship He has with us, as the water that flows into our death, into our broken-nonfunctioning life—into that place where the wise men were in despair, where we are riddled with guilt and shame and anxiety. But as He comes into our life, as He purifies and heals it, he shares in it as close as a molecule of water is to the other molecules of water. The intimacy is that you cannot tell the difference where one starts and the other begins—which is how the purity is created as it is shared, as all impure is removed.
The intimacy that the wise men said couldn’t exist, proves to be the standard of life! The attempts of man to extinguish that life in others, simply results in the king’s testimony that no other God can, or does, save His people like this—by become not just like them, but by making them one with Him. No other God in any other religion wants this close a relationship with the broken people He loves, that He created to love.
Which brings us to John’s epistle – and this incredible, intimate picture gets reinforced as we find out that we are joined, made one, for that is what koinonia/communion/fellowship means with Jesus and the Father! This is that very same picture of the water cleansing and bring life to where there was no life. A life that nourishes and strengthens all the life on the shoreline. For it transforms it.
This is who we are in Christ Jesus, this is what repentance means – this changing of our soul, heart and mind, from broken and dead, without God and alone, to healed, and restored, and united to God through the blood of Christ.
SO maybe there was a reason to miss devotions on Monday, and put all these readings, each re-enforcing the idea, together. This is what the Old Testament Prophecies are supposed to do, to point to this relationship between God and His people, a relationship we can point to with hope.
This is what we need – this water of life, this Son of God, who dances with us, even amidst the hottest, fieriest trauma.
Gor we have been made one with Him, as His blood covers our sin, and brings life to us.
AMEN!
Come and See What We Treasure! The God Who Writes Your Name! A sermon on Luke 10:17-20
Come and See What We Treasure!
The God Who Writes Your Name!
Luke 10:17-20
† IHS †
May the grace, mercy and peace of God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ cause us to celebrate together the amazing victory of our name being written in heaven!
The Battle Isn’t the War
One of my favorite authors was a man named Alexander Kent, and his primary character for 28 books was a 19th century British naval captain named Richard Bolitho.
In one of the early books, as he was promoted to captain, his crew, which hadn’t been in a battle in the ship’s 6-year existence, barely survived a battle with another slightly larger ship. As his men celebrated, he told his first lieutenant to stop the celebration, stating that they didn’t have a victory to celebrate, as much as they should be relieved they didn’t die that day. He would later lead them to capture a ship that was nearly 3 times their size at one of the greatest naval battles in history. Not only that—but an even larger French ship being towed by the first ship, which never fired a shot, surrendered to his as well!
That was something they should and did celebrate, a lesson learned—winning the battle isn’t winning the war!
It’s like a football game I saw recently, where the winning team had a new coach, and they were playing a average opponent, and they treated the coach like he won the super bowl…and poured 10 gallons of Gatorade over him! The last coach would have had a few quiet words with the leaders, warning them they could get blown out in the next game..
That was what it was like, for the apostles to be rejoicing that they could toss out a few demons, heal a few people and preach a good sermon or two…
You see there was a much larger war, and greater battles, and a victory that we could really celebrate…forever! That is why Jesus said, 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”
Law and Power
When I was thinking through the passage, I was thinking I do the same thing as the 72. I take great joy at the victories that occur—victories that have significant visible impact to people, that I get to witness or be involved in…yet are only the opening battle of the war!
An example is when someone joins the church, or comes to church for the first time, or even lets us pray for them.
And we forget that from that moment on, there will be temptation and trials, they will need to be encouraged and lifted up when they fall! The little victory points to the promise of the big victory, yet we settle for the minor victory, as if that is enough.
It is like diapers, and the great joy when parents are freed from them! The parents are so excited! That’s why it is good for younger parents to have some older folk to turn to, who can say, :sure—you are good now…you survived diapers, but now you the terrible twos and threes… and then the teenage and twenties are coming!” Ask some of the older people here… there are a few battles still coming. And the war. Well…
The comfort of the word of God and the sacraments point to something much greater.
Gospel
The promise of our baptism I failed to mention earlier was that we have been given the promise of eternal life, a life without trials or tears, temptations or trauma—and the gift of the Holy Spirit who guarantees that victory.
That is the victory that Jesus is talking about, when he tells the 72, “rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”
The word for registered is a little more forceful in the original Greek language. It means to etch or engrave – to put a permanent mark in stone or some permanent source, not just putting ink or led to paper, papyrus or vellum.
It’s permanent – like the Hebrew word used here, “16 See, I have written (etched) your name on the palms of my hands. Isaiah 49:16a (NLT2)
A friend of mine loved that verse, as it helped him think of this idea of our names being registered engraved in heaven in a far deeper way. He connected it to the nail scars in Jesus’ hands at the cross, and therefore, the reason our names are in heaven is that is where He is.
We were united to Him in his death when we were baptized. There are a lot of ways that the Bible explains our being united to Christ, but our being sealed to Him in baptism.
Out names etched on His hands, His name sealing us, embossing His name in which we are baptized on our hearts and minds
Both indicating the nature of the relationship-an irrevocable relationship, a relationship which will extend into heaven.
This is why we rejoice—a victory like no other, for God has declared and engraved our names in heaven—we belong there…
That is why in Revelation we hear one more time of a name written,
12b And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name. Revelation 3:12b (NLT2)
This is why Jesus wanted the apostles to look past the temporary victories, as powerful as they were. For this salvation, this deliverance, your name written in heaven where we shall dwell, is forever. AMEN!
Come and See What We Treasure! The God Who Welcomes You! A sermon on Mark 9:30-37 from Concordia
Come and See What We Treasure!
The God Who Welcomes You!
(as you welcome others!)
Mark 9:30-37
May the grace of God our Father the Lord Jesus Christ welcome you into the Kingdom of God in such a way that you greatly desire to welcome others, and serve them, caring for their needs!
Knock! Knock!
I want you to imagine it’s 7:30 this evening, you are just sitting down to relax after dinner. All of a sudden the door bell rings, and you see two adults and a small child there, looking a little lost, and quite uncomfortable.
They tell you they are on a trip, and have gotten lost, and the young child obviously looks like they need to use a restroom.
Do you let them in?
Let’s say you do, and you had just put away the leftover beastloaf you were looking forward to for lunch for a day or two this week. Do you pull it out and offer them a slice or two?
How far do you go, in trying to help this young family?
What if their names were Joseph, Mary, and Jesus?
When Mark’s gospel says, “37 “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf* welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me!” do we think of a scenario as I just described? Or do we spiritualize it, and think it is only talking about welcoming people to church and Sunday School…
What does it mean to welcome someone, as we welcome Jesus?
Who’s best? Who deserves to be close?
There are two stories today, the argument about who is best, who is the greatest, and then Jesus lesson about making a child feel welcome, to know they are wanted and valued.
It’s really the same lesson – who is the best, and who deserves to be the closest to Jesus. Who gets preferential treatment, who deserves it.
Is it any different these days? We might not be jealous of who gets a hug from Jesus, but don’t we all have a small sense of entitlement? Doesn’t our idea of “justice” include us getting what we think we deserve? (Notice I didn’t say what we actually deserve – just what we think we deserve.
We might think it is because of where we were born, or how intelligent we are, how old we are, or how many hours we work or volunteer without complaining! But most of us think we deserve something because of who we are, even if we don’t say others deserve less.
But we know they do!
This of course is not new now, nor even at the time of Jesus! Think about the battle between Cain and Abel and Cain’s sense of entitlement.
Or consider these words from Leviticus, “Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly.“Leviticus 19:15 (NLT2)
This means the underdog doesn’t get the automatic backing. Neither does it mean the one whose the favorite is always right.
To put it theologically, “all have sinned,” and “we believe Christ died for all” 2 Cor. 5:14
So why would one be more entitled than another?
Who is served? Who is embraced?
When Jesus talks to the disciples about being the servant of everyone else, it is not long after he talked about his imminent death and resurrection.
Something the disciples didn’t understand yet, just as they didn’t understand what it means to serve others.
Yet that is what service is based on—the fact that Jesus served and serves us still. That’s what His death is about, that is what the resurrection is about.
Sin had wiped out the human race—all of us. We weren’t just not entitled the benefits of being righteous; we were entitled to being judged for the sin which so easily ensnares us , entitling us to be condemned!
Jesus decided to serve us, because He loves us.
This is the lesson of service—even if someone’s behavior would lead them to be condemned, Jesus died for them. That is serving the least, that is serving all, working to see them come to know the Lord who would welcome them into His presence, much as he welcomes every child, wrapping His arms around them, assuring them it will be all right.
I love that picture that Mark’s gospel pictures, Jesus taking the child in his arms, welcoming them in His presence! Now take that picture in your mind, and replace the young child with you, bruised and battered by life, and by your own sin. Now, think about the people you know, who are the adversaries, the immoral, the broken…. And see Christ inviting them to come to Him, to be embraced, to be healed by Him—just as you were.
This is the God we Treasure—the God whose light shines through our brokenness, for He dwells in you whom He healed, and is healing.
And as you rest in His hug, you begin to know the peace that passes all understanding—in which you are safe—your heart and mind guarded by Christ Jesus.
If We Expect Others to Come to Repentance…
Thoughts which carry this broken pastor to Jesus, and to the Cross
“During the day when the people are watching, bring out the things you would pack as captive. At evening, with the people watching, leave your place like those who are taken away as captives from their country. Dig a hole through the wall while they watch, and bring your things out through it. Lift them onto your shoulders with the people watching, and carry them out in the dark. Cover your face so you cannot see the ground, because I have made you a sign to the people of Israel.”” (Ezekiel 12:4–6, NCV)
For the Gospel does not preach the forgiveness of sin to indifferent and secure hearts, but to the “oppressed” or penitent (Luke 4:18). And in order that contrition or the terrors of the law may not end in despair, the proclamation of the Gospel must be added so that it becomes a “contrition that leads to salvation” (2 Cor. 7:10).
28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. (1 Corinthians 11:28 (NLT2))
3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5 (NLT2)
One of the men I trained for ministry, first as a deacon, then as a pastor, was excellent at stating the profoundly obvious. He did it in a fun, but also deeply challenging way. Perhaps his best observation was a couple of years into preaching regularly as he said, “we preach the same thing every week, we just use different words.
But another deep thought he caused, when he asked, “why are my best sermons the ones where God forces me to apply the passage to my own life all week long.” If we were preaching about God lifting up the humbled, we would be humbled. If we talked about God being there with those who were broken, something would break us. If we were preaching about worshipping the God who came near and rescued us…. we would get to worship, only if we had to be rescued from something.
It seems like we aren’t the first to notice it, Ezekiel had to be a model of what God needed to teach Isreal, more than the one time in today’s devotion. Jeremiah is often frustrated by this as well, as are others, even Hosea. Our lives as leaders in the church (not just pastors – all leaders) are broken in the ways our congregations are, and we need to let God address them–and then appropriately worship and praise Him.
Moving through my devotions to my reading in the Lutheran Confessions, this hit a little close to home. If I am going to preach the gospel, the forgiveness of sins, that means I have to let the Spirit circumcise my own heart. I have to recognise how sin oppresses, I have to learn (again!) to trust God to take action in my own life, that I may hear with joy the forgiveness that comforts this broken soul.
Mark was right – we need to let God preach our messages into our hearts first, to let the words that cut and heal have their way.
Then we rejoice when we share them with the flock entrusted to us, the ones we are tasked with guiding towards the Healer of their souls…as ours have begun healing. That is the other advantage to being the exmaple, we recognize the healing they join us in…as we are all ministered to, by the Ho.y Spirit.
Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration: Law and Gospel, Tappert, Theodore G., ed. 1959. The Book of Concord the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Philadelphia: Mühlenberg Press.
Come and See What We Treasure! The God Who Helps us Believe! (A Concordia Sermon on Mark 9:14-29)
Come and See What We Treasure!
The God Who Helps Us Believe!
Mark 9:14-29
† In Jesus Name †
The sermon blessing
May the grace, mercy and peace of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ encourage you to pray with great confidence, depending on God’s promises!
Introduction
In my devotions this week, I cam across a quote that will help us understand the scene we just heard about in the gospel. A pastor wrote:
Prayer does not fall into a void; neither is it just a kind of psychotherapy that helps us to assemble our spiritual forces and bring them once more into balance; nor is it merely a kind of pious fiction to exercise our souls and calm them. Prayer is directed to reality. It is both heard and heeded. God, then, is someone who has the power, the ability, the will, and the patience to listen to us men. He is so great that he can be present even for those who are small[1]
I think we need to pay more attention to prayer, not because it is what good people are supposed to do.
In today’s gospel, as Jesus comes down the mountain after a special time of prayer and interaction with those the Father sent to minister to him, this lesson about our need to pray is driven home….
Where did the dad go?
As Mark describes the scene, Jesus comes down the mountain, and the there is a lot of noise, as nine of his apostles and the Jewish teacher of the law are arguing loudly, and the crowd has gathered to see what is going on.
Remember – this isn’t near Jerusalem it’s out in the mountains, so a large crowd gathering is not normal. Jesus sees the argument going on, each side zealously taking their positions – so zealously they forgot who needed the help!
Imagine that, the people arguing were so zealous, so focused on winning the argument that they forgot the poor guy and his son. How do I know that? It says so!
16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.
17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him.
The guy was lost in the crowd!
It’s one thing for the pharisees and scribes to forget about the poor guy and his son, it’s another for the disciples! Yet how often do we do that – in the middle of arguments, to forget about the very people we are trying to help?
Why were they powerless to help
This is even more ironic when you think about what they were arguing about – how to minister to the son – and free him from the demons which possessed them. They lost track of the people they were called to minister too—in the heat of a battle with those who believed differently
How often do you and I do the same thing as the 9? Where we talk all about ministry to other people and how they need God in their lives, and what we forget to do—is go to them, minister to them, love them, and help them find the healing we have found in Jesus.
By the way, did I mention this is after the time where Jesus sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God, to heal and free people from demons?
So why couldn’t they cast out this demon?
29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”
Why Does prayer give power?
This is where we get back to where we started, to the power of prayer, to the focus it gives as well. Prayer doesn’t work, it is not powered or made more powerful because of how dedicated we are, or powerful our faith and reason are.
Rather the one prayer that was heard was heard despite how week the man was, how desperate his plea was…
Jesus said, Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”
23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
That is the prayer that got answered!
One that was from the heart – that acknowledged the father’s weakness and his dependence on Jesus, even to admitting his unbelief existed, and he needed help with even that.
Jesus died and rose so that we could have a relationship with Him and the Father, one where God is involved in our life,
When I started this message – I included a quote from one of my devotions. Part of it said, “Prayer is directed to reality. It is both heard and heeded. God, then, is someone who has the power, the ability, the will, and the patience to listen to us men.”
This man, this father, needed the reality of God involved in his life. He needed God to help—even when his faith, his belief was challenged to point it didn’t exist. But he had enough faith to cry out for mercy…
As we talk about what we treasure about God—and about the work He does in our life, this is so special. God’s love, His mercy, His grace is poured out on us when we are at our weakest.
That is how much He loves us.
That also means that no one—no matter how weak their faith, no matter how desperate their situation, even with demons oppressing them, can find God’s grace and mercy.
This is what we can share with those around us, who know brokenness as well as we do.
We can reveal to them a relationship with God who hears us, and helps us, even when we need help to believe.
One More thing
One last thing to consider. When Jesus saw the disciples arguing with the teachers of the Law, he said, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you?”
I have to admit I usually hear this passage with Jesus being a little….hmmm… impatient, or frustrated, or just tired of working with these crazy disciples he couldn’t depend on, who ever talking to him after the resurrection, struggled with doubt… they were still broken…
And that was when He assured us of how long He would be with us, helping and caring for us, how long he would put up with us..
He said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20 (NLT2)
This is the God we treasure… this is the God we all need.
This is our God amen!
[1] Ratzinger, Joseph. 1992. Co-Workers of the Truth: Meditations for Every Day of the Year. Edited by Irene Grassl. Translated by Mary Frances McCarthy and Lothar Krauth. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.
Prayer-the ultimate result of faith and where faith finds ability…. (so why don’t we…)
Photo by Wouter de Jong on Pexels.com
Thoughts which carry this broken man to Jesus, and to the cross:
“LORD, remember my suffering and my misery, my sorrow and trouble. Please remember me and think about me. But I have hope when I think of this: The LORD’s love never ends; his mercies never stop. They are new every morning; LORD, your loyalty is great. I say to myself, “The LORD is mine, so I hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:19–24, NCV)
“Now, since God has left us the promise that we may enter his rest, let us be very careful so none of you will fail to enter. The Good News was preached to us just as it was to them. But the teaching they heard did not help them, because they heard it but did not accept it with faith. We who have believed are able to enter and have God’s rest. (Hebrews 4:1–3, NCV)
When as bishop, or before that simply as a colleague, I tried to determine why a vocation that had begun with such fervor and such high hopes had gradually collapsed, the result was always the same: at some time, the individual in question had ceased to practice silent prayer—perhaps from sheer zeal to accomplish all that had to be done. But then the zeal had lost its inner dynamism and had become empty. At some time, personal confession had been abandoned and with it that contact with challenge and pardon, that renewal from within in the sight of the Lord, that is indispensable. “To be with him”—this “with him” is needed not just for a certain initial period so that it can be drawn upon later. It must always be at the heart of the priestly ministry.
It is characteristic of faith boldly to trust God’s grace, and to form a bright vision and refuge in God, doubting nothing. Where there is no true faith there is no true prayer, nor any seeking after God. But where it exists it makes man bold and anxious freely to bring his troubles unto God, and earnestly to pray for help.
As I read Lamentations this morning, I was again amazed by the brutal honesty of the Jeremiah.
He struggles to get past his situation, and the despair it causes. I’ve been there more times than I want to think about. Believing I was or am as Jeremiah thought he was seems to be a norm. It has also become the norm, and I am grateful for this, to come to the resolution Jeremiah has – that “The LORD is mine, so I hope in Him.” That is the only thing that gets me through the days that are too numerous to count…
That resolution is the point the author of Hebrews is getting to, when he talks of the promise of entering God’s rest–as we enter that rest only by faith–not by the doctrines of our faith, for faith is not a statement of the things we believe in, but it is the dependence on God, and knowing His faithfulness.
As this dependence (faith) leads us to pray, so too does the prayer strengthen that dependence. Pope Benedict is clear on the results of not praying, the reduction of the zeal and power that is characteristic of knowing we can boldly go into the presence of God, and find His love and mercy and peace in which we can rest! Luther sees this incredible connection as well, for where there is true faith, there is true prayer – a complete unburdening of the heart and soul of the believer–who struggles to find themself in Christ.
I need to make this clear – the posture and words of my prayers do not make me holy. My dedication has nothing to do with the dynamis, the power/ability that is revealed in prayer. It is not the pattern of the prayer, or even the contents that matter as much as the faith which finds hope in talking to the LORD. Sometimes we can’t find the words, we only find the tears, at other times, the words flow and flow, and as the Spirit leads, the grace of God is revealed. Prayer is real, the connection is real, the hope is real…
for the Love of God is real.
We, as a church, need to pray… as pastors/priests, as congregations gathered into His presence together to celebrate His love poured out in word and Sacrament. Poured out into broken vessels, that can empty themselves out in prayer.
This is who we are-this is our church, of which it was said “My house shall be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations” (Isaiah 56:7)
So pray my friends – the Lord who is with you, is the Lord who listens and knows!
——
Ratzinger, Joseph. 1992. Co-Workers of the Truth: Meditations for Every Day of the Year. Edited by Irene Grassl. Translated by Mary Frances McCarthy and Lothar Krauth. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.
Luther, Martin, and John Sander. 1915. Devotional Readings from Luther’s Works for Every Day of the Year. Rock Island, IL: Augustana Book Concern.
The Difference Between Spiritual “Disciplines” and Devotions
Thoughts which carry this broken pastor to Jesus, and to the cross
“But now in these last days God has spoken to us through his Son. God has chosen his Son to own all things, and through him he made the world. The Son reflects the glory of God and shows exactly what God is like. He holds everything together with his powerful word. When the Son made people clean from their sins, he sat down at the right side of God, the Great One in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:2–3, NCV)
The summer bee flits from flower to flower, not at haphazard, but designedly; not merely to recreate itself amid the garden’s pleasant diaper, but to seek honey, and carry it to its hive, to the symmetric comb where it stores its winter food. Even so the devout soul in meditation. It goes from mystery to mystery, not merely as dipping into the beauty of those wondrous matters, but deliberately seeking fresh motives for love and devout affections; and having found these, it feeds upon and imbibes them, and, storing them up within, condenses them into resolutions suitable to the time of temptation. Thus the Heavenly Bride of the Canticles hovers like a bee round the cheek, the lips, the locks of her Beloved, drawing thence innumerable delights, until, kindled with sacred joy, she talks with Him, questions, hearkens, sighs, longs, marvels, while He fills her with content, opens her heart, and fills it with boundless light and sweetness, yet so secretly, that that may be said of this devout communing of the soul with God which we read of Moses: “Moses went up unto God, and God called to him out of the mountain, and they spake one with another.”
For the Word must first have been heard, and must have entered the human heart, showing the mercy of God in such a way as to create faith. Then they clung to these tidings, trusted them, went thither, and hoped to receive of him what they had heard. In this way faith grows out of the Word of God. We must, therefore, earnestly search the gospel in order thus to lay the first stone. The Word first informs us of the mercy and goodness of God; faith then lays hold on the Word with firm confidence, and we obey it. We now become conscious of it in our hearts and are satisfied. For as soon as we believe we are already justified and are with Christ in his inheritance.
Back in the 80s and 90s a term was re-introduced to the church which caught on and became a overnight focus for some ministries. The term was “Spiritual Disciplines”, and it basically was a form of spiritual calisthenics – do these things, preferably in these orders and you well end up a leaner, stronger spiritual warrior who can overcome evil, evangelize the world and live a blessed life.
Prayer, devotional Bible study reading and meditation, frequent reception of the sacraments are awesome experiences, but they are not spiritual exercises, anymore that talking to a spouse or a dear friend is.
The moment we legislate the effort, the moment we turn it into a system to produce some kind of growth, we turn a blessing into a law, and rob it of the very thing that makes it special – the love that motivates and empowers it.
I don’t think that was the intent of people like Richard Foster, Dallas Willard and others had in mind as their objective. They didn’t want to force these practices on people as a cookie cutter – at least as I read their works.
These things are devotional – they come out of a heart seeking to understand the devotion God has for them – to explore the height, depth, breadth and width of God’s love for us, to experience it, much as De Sales’ bumblebee does, much as Solomon’s lovely bride did. To seek that communion, not for the sake of the the outcome and effect, but for the moment of joyous communion.
This is the point Luther talks about – where the experience of fellowship is found and experienced, not just with the mind, but with the heart. and a peace-filled satisfaction is the side of effect of knowing we are in Christ Jesus. Having a time of devotion – exploring God’s love, mercy and faithfulness becomes a time of delight, a time we wouldn’t trade for all the power and riches in the world. It’s our time to explore the glory of love beyond our imagination, beyond any explanation…
This is the foretaste of heaven we need – as the Spirit heals us, and carries us to heaven.
AMEN
Francis de Sales. 1888. Of the Love of God. Translated by H. L. Sidney Lear. London: Rivingtons.
Luther, Martin, and John Sander. 1915. Devotional Readings from Luther’s Works for Every Day of the Year. Rock Island, IL: Augustana Book Concern.
Come and See What We Treasure! The God Who Helps! A sermon on psalm146 from Concordia
Come and See What We Treasure!
The God Who Helps!
Psalm 146
† In Jesus’ Name †
May the grace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ reveal to us all the ways God helps His people!
Our treasure—that shines through our brokenness!
The theme for this month is the treasure of God that shines through us, bringing its light to shatter the darkness of our community. It’s based on Paul’s words to the most broken of churches in the scripture, the church at Corinth. He wrote them saying,
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT2)
That is the way outreach works at its best. When through our brokenness, people are able to see the power of God helping us, whether it is helping us endure, or helping us help others, it is incredible, and it is something we need to treasure, just as we treasured the fact that God is near us.
We get to hang on to this truth, that God is our hope, because He is there helping us. That is the reason why we praise Him, just as the author of the Bible passage we are looking at today did.
- We trust and put our hope in powerful people.
As the Psalm begins praising God, even to his dying breath, he quickly inserts a warning, “Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.”
If there was any doubt that the scripture is relevant to us today, this verse should prove it. I don’t care whether it is religion, politics or business, people seem certain to put their trust in people.
Or perhaps more accurately, they put their trust in the people that oppose certain people.
But when one’s hopes and dreams, or one’s fear and anxieties are based on the actions and work of a certain person or group of people, there is certain danger!
We’ve replaced God with a person when we do that. If we’ve chosen to define our lives by them, or their affiliation, then we have, to an extent, made a God out of them or their ideology/identity.
And we’ve effectively kicked God out of our lives.
And when or we breathe our last, the psalmist says, “they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.”
If our confidence had been in them, it would be crushed, as would our dreams and hopes. Even if they were successful, who would care or remember a dozen years later?
So why do we set up such idols? Why do we place our confidence, our hope, our faith in people, or even what they stand for, or say they stand for?
- God helps those who need it.
Instead of encouraging to depend on this group or that, on this person or that one, Scripture tells us something radically different.
It says, “But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.”
Contrary to popular belief, God doesn’t help those who help themselves. He helps those who need help, that is why they respond with incredible amounts of praise!
This God of ours, credited with creating heaven and earth and everything in them, we are told helps those:
who are oppressed!
Who are hungry!
He helps those in prisons!
He opens the eyes of the blind!
He lifts up those having incredible burdens!
The Lord helps the foreigners, some translations use the terms aliens. It means those not like the ones living here.
The Lord Helps the Widows and Orphans,
This is the God who helps us!
In the middle of whatever can break us in life, He is there, bringing to us comfort, and healing, and hope—not just for this life—but for eternity.
- We are joyful as we realize the assistance of God.
This is why the psalmist praises Him—with more enthusiasm than any Superbowl or Olympic stadium ever heard. The Psalmist talks about doing so as long as he lives and until his final breath.
Then He says these amazing words, the key to the sermon today.
But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. (verse 5)
And then
10 The LORD will reign forever. He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations. Praise the LORD! Psalm 146:10 (NLT2)
How incredible did the Psalmist think the help he witnessed was, that his ancestors witnessed, this God who sees us, who helps us.
And this was before God’s help was clearly seen.
It was before the cross; it was before the time in the grave; it was before the resurrection and ascension.
Can you imagine what the psalmist would have written it the say after the resurrection, or the day of the Ascension? How much more would the praise ring out? How much more would hands be raised high in praise?
How incredible would the Alleluia’s be when someone believes and is baptized, and the promise of eternal life made sure?
How much more would they celebrate the feast of victory that is the Lord’s Supper?
This is why we talk about celebrating these things. Because we see the promises of God to help us with our biggest struggle—against sin and Satan.
We have to know this—without this help the cross and resurrection provides, we would spend eternity in Hell.
And we would not have any comfort or hope in this life, for we wouldn’t know the love of God, revealed in Christ Jesus.
The very thought of dwelling in the presence of God, of sharing in His life and His glory forever—that why we worship Him, that’s why we praise Him, and that is what we should treasure more than anything!
Amen!
