A History of God working with Us! A History of Compassion! An Advent Sermon on Psalm 25:6-7
A History of God working with Us!
A History of Compassion
Psalm 25:6-7
May the compassion of God our Father, shown in the coming Christ, in His birth, death and resurrection – for you—convince you that are loved, and that you will endure in His peace!
- A History of Compassion…
I had a thought, now It was more visual than that, a vision of God’s face back at the beginning of time that astounded me in its clarity. I was the face of an old man, preceding to walk into His precious garden, to spend time with the two people He love more than anything else.
As He heads towards them, a sound reverberates through the trees, louder than anything else, crashing and drowning out the sound of animals, and the wind, and the water running through the rivers. The sound of teeth breaking the skin of a fruit, and as I looked at the old man, I see the tears begin to pour down His face, as He cries out “Adam! Where are you!”
We think we know the rest of the story, how God boots them out, punishes them with lives full of pain and hard work. But we don’t see the compassion, the way that God the father looked at them, and could not kill them—as was the promise, the guarantee of breaking the only commandment they knew, and choosing to know evil.
We see it throughout scripture, this compassion.
We see it in the mark God puts on Cain, removing from him the curse for murdering His brother. We see it shown to Noah’s family, to Abraham and Jacob. We see it show to the rebellious idolators Moses tried to guide through the desert,
And so it is no wonder, that David can cry out the words Jim read a moment ago,
6 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. 7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD.
Psalm 25:6-7 (NLT2)
God’s compassion – shown to every believer and sinner from Adam and Eve forward, was so historically proven that David could, without hesitation, cry out for it…. And be sustained by it.
And so can we…
- My Need to Cry out – to see His compassion
And we need to!
Heck – let me be honest, I need to cry out with David! I need to see it!
And knowing all that history the work God ha done with other sinners, encourages our crying out for God to act—for we know that is His nature, that is who He was, who He is, and who He will always be.
A compassionate God who loves His people, and revives and restores those dead and broken in sin.
If it wasn’t for all the history of God doing this in scripture, I would believe it was too good to be true. Those stories exist too, the prodigals who wander away, and are slow to come back. Those convinced they are so unclean, so controlled by their past sins, and the unrighteousness that surrounds or surrounded their lives, that this would never happen…
And we get to be the latest historical (and hysterical examples)
- Dad’s here…
The gospel reading tonight shows it again – this is the Kingdom of God. I didn’t have to go back over the sinful history, and so we skipped that part of the prodigal’s story.
Here’s the important part, told slightly differently,
“Our Father saw us coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to us embraced us, and kissed (yuck?) us…. It goes on to say, for this child of mine was dead and has returned to life, He was lost, but is now found,’ So the party began.
I don’t have to tell you we each need His compassion – we all know our brokenness – the sins we commit, the injustice seen in our lives and communities that so devastates us. We know that stuff – all to well.
But we need to know the Lord’s compassion, His mercy, His forgiveness… His love.
By needing to know it, I don’t mean like providing a Sunday school answer, I mean to experience it with ever
If you are wandering, or dwelling in the pigslop, if you’ve been unfaithful to God, it’s time to come home….knowing God’s track record…and coming to know His embrace..
So come… and let the party begin!
May the compassion of God our Father, shown in the coming Christ, in His birth, death and resurrection – for you—convince you that are loved, and that you will endure in His peace!
- A History of Compassion…
I had a thought, now It was more visual than that, a vision of God’s face back at the beginning of time that astounded me in its clarity. I was the face of an old man, preceding to walk into His precious garden, to spend time with the two people He love more than anything else.
As He heads towards them, a sound reverberates through the trees, louder than anything else, crashing and drowning out the sound of animals, and the wind, and the water running through the rivers. The sound of teeth breaking the skin of a fruit, and as I looked at the old man, I see the tears begin to pour down His face, as He cries out “Adam! Where are you!”
We think we know the rest of the story, how God boots them out, punishes them with lives full of pain and hard work. But we don’t see the compassion, the way that God the father looked at them, and could not kill them—as was the promise, the guarantee of breaking the only commandment they knew, and choosing to know evil.
We see it throughout scripture, this compassion.
We see it in the mark God puts on Cain, removing from him the curse for murdering His brother. We see it shown to Noah’s family, to Abraham and Jacob. We see it show to the rebellious idolators Moses tried to guide through the desert,
And so it is no wonder, that David can cry out the words Jim read a moment ago,
6 Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. 7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD.
Psalm 25:6-7 (NLT2)
God’s compassion – shown to every believer and sinner from Adam and Eve forward, was so historically proven that David could, without hesitation, cry out for it…. And be sustained by it.
And so can we…
- My Need to Cry out – to see His compassion
And we need to!
Heck – let me be honest, I need to cry out with David! I need to see it!
And knowing all that history the work God ha done with other sinners, encourages our crying out for God to act—for we know that is His nature, that is who He was, who He is, and who He will always be.
A compassionate God who loves His people, and revives and restores those dead and broken in sin.
If it wasn’t for all the history of God doing this in scripture, I would believe it was too good to be true. Those stories exist too, the prodigals who wander away, and are slow to come back. Those convinced they are so unclean, so controlled by their past sins, and the unrighteousness that surrounds or surrounded their lives, that this would never happen…
And we get to be the latest historical (and hysterical examples)
- Dad’s here…
The gospel reading tonight shows it again – this is the Kingdom of God. I didn’t have to go back over the sinful history, and so we skipped that part of the prodigal’s story.
Here’s the important part, told slightly differently,
“Our Father saw us coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to us embraced us, and kissed (yuck?) us…. It goes on to say, for this child of mine was dead and has returned to life, He was lost, but is now found,’ So the party began.
I don’t have to tell you we each need His compassion – we all know our brokenness – the sins we commit, the injustice seen in our lives and communities that so devastates us. We know that stuff – all to well.
But we need to know the Lord’s compassion, His mercy, His forgiveness… His love.
By needing to know it, I don’t mean like providing a Sunday school answer, I mean to experience it with ever
If you are wandering, or dwelling in the pigslop, if you’ve been unfaithful to God, it’s time to come home….knowing God’s track record…and coming to know His embrace..
So come… and let the party begin!
Advent Take Aways: Take away Injustice! Jeremiah 33:14-16
Advent Take Aways
Take away Injustice
Jeremiah 33:14-16
† In Jesus’ Name †
May the grace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrate what righteousness and justice truly is, even as you share in Christ’s Justice and Righteousness!
- God Gives…God Takes Away
Looking at all the Advent readings for this year, a common thread started to appear. Or perhaps it would be good to say was that the common thread was that things disappeared.
You see, the coming of Christ, whether the first coming, or the second coming we wait for, means radical change to life – as things which haunt us disappear. In this sermon series, we will watch the distractions that corrupt us be taken away, then the fear and anxiety be taken away, we see our-self-centeredness taken away…and we will consider what their absence means…
It all starts with what is taken away in today’s reading, as the promise of God is heard,
And injustice is dealt with
And what is left, when Christ comes, is the complete absence of injustice and its corollary, unrighteousness, is truly amazing…
- The Take Away
If we are going to talk about injustice, we better define what is not just, what is not right, what is not fair. Just, right and fair are all the same word in both Greek and Hebrew.
The problem is that most of us, injustice is slanted heavily in our favor, as we cry out about a call in a sporting event. “those refs are blind”, like a child accusing another of an unfair advantage. We do the same thing when we hear of someone’s court case, or a business deal, or a war.
We assume, and often demand that others acknowledge that we have all the information, that we know all the rules, and that we have the responsibility and authority to judge the matter! Whether we are on the playground, or trying to force peace on the Holy Land.
This is where it gets a bit…challenging. Unless we not only know exactly what happened, and exactly what the minds were thinking and hearts were feeling, our judgment of what is injust or just is biased, and therefore sinful!
Yeah – we can be the ones who back injustice, even when we claim to be defending justice! God’s standard of justice versus injustice has no grey area, it is complete. Anything less than 100% perfect is unrighteous, anything biased where we claim it isn’t fair or righteous is simply sin—we’ve decided to make God in our image—we’ve credited ourselves with His purity, with His omniscience, with His righteousness and justice!
And let’s face it, that isn’t us!
For us to pray to end injustice affects our attitudes and behaviors as much as the world’s
- What that Leaves Us
So the promise from Jeremiah deals with the taking away of injustice. It is the focus of the entire passage. It starts with
14 “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them. 15 “In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. (Jeremiah 33:14-15)
Here is the promise of the first advent – the coming of Jesus—the descendant of King David. The difference between Jesus and every other descendant of David is simple—He is righteous—remember- that is the same word as just!
Here is the standard, here is the One whom everyone else is going to be measured by, and in him, there will be hope—a hope that was always promised, a hope to restore the people of God, and the glory of His people that was seen in the days of King David!
But the way Jesus deals with injustice is not through legislation, the establishment of His kingdom is not through political intrigue, or brute military strength. That is what the world still struggles to understand, as it sees injustice as something that has to be overwhelmed.
Instead, injustice is dealt with by Jesus by His taking it upon Himself at the cross. That is the real way to deal with it, to let it be laid on Jesus, as Isaiah prophesied,
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6 (NLT2)
This is why Jeremiah says, 16 In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this will be its name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’
You see, this is the key—Jesus doesn’t just provide us righteousness as someone would deposit or credit us money. Jesus is not just why we are righteous—He is out righteousness.
It is our union with Him in baptism, where we are united with His death, and He cleanses of us sin and all injustice and He becomes our righteousness. He is our Righteousness…
As he takes away the injustice -all of it, at the cross –leaving us freed from it. This is the hope of the second advent, the day when Injustice, already defeated Is banished.
And until that day, The Lord Jesus will protect you, as you dwell in the Father’s peace which is beyond all understanding. AMEN!
The Necessity of Being and Enthralled Disciple…A different type of slavery…
Thoughts which carry this broken pastor to Jesus and the Cross:
“‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this message was reported to him, Joseph wept.Then his brothers also came and threw themselves down before him; they said, “Here we are; we are your slaves.”” (Genesis 50:17–18, NET)
“But if the servant should declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master must bring him to the judges, and he will bring him to the door or the doorposts, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.” (Exodus 21:5–6, NET)
At the outset, to be mystical the liturgy must be enthralling, and this is less comfortable than we think. To enthrall means to make a person a thrall: to put someone into bondage, to reduce someone to the condition of a captive, to enslave, to subjugate and make subservient.
Once, when the brothers asked him whether he was pleased that the learned men, who, by that time, had been received into the Order, were devoting themselves to the study of Sacred Scripture, he replied: “I am indeed pleased, as long as, after the example of Christ, of whom we read that he prayed more than he read, they do not neglect zeal for prayer; and, as long as they study, not to know what they should say, but to practise what they have heard and, once they have put it into practice, propose it to others.
This tipping point in Ignatius’ conversion and the shift in attitude it brings is notable. All the more so in light of his prior manifest determination to conquer his sinfulness by force of his own will. His Autobiography’s terse narrative hides the magnitude of the spiritual and psychological transformation in Ignatius. The transformation is stark. Ignatius moves from managing his spiritual growth with the same swagger that he waged the Pamplona battle, and becomes a man of much greater humility, willing to be led like a boy at the hands of a schoolmaster.
It took me a moment to make Fagerberg’s connected between being enthralled and in thrall, in bondage. As a amateur wordsmith, I was a little annoyed at myself, I should have seen it, but the concept was… well enthralling. It took me captive, and even as I copied these quotes from my devotional reading some 10 hours back, I had to process it this evening.
I want the liturgy, the worship of my congregation to be enthralling, so that our walk with God proceeds from it. I want it to be captivated by it, to be addicted to the presence of God experienced there. To be enslaved to the freedom that comes as we are cleansed of our sin, as burdens are removed, as we begin to understand what it means to be the children of God.
But we are enslaved, addicted, captivated and in thrall in a very blessed way.
Far too often we see being servants of God and of His people as a negative, as something that not only requires being humble, but being humiliated, debased, neglected and even abused. We picture slaved in chains, and being whipped, as Jean Val Jean is in the opening scene of Les Mis, or as the many movies about slavery in the south, or n Africa. The kind of slavery Joseph’s brothers offered themselves and their families to enter, rather than face the wrath of Joseph–the brother they sold into slavery.
“God, I will do anything if you rescue me from…” type of slavery. (the reason btw, many of us (including Luther) entered into studying for the ministry and why we justify the “sacrifices” we make and are expected to make. A sense of slavery and sacrifice based in guilt, shame and a desire to “payback”–as if we could! We see this in Ignatius of Loyola as well, as he would confess and confess and confess, and never find the absolution he needed.
What that results in, concerns a pastor like St. Francis, who saw men enslaving themselves to an academic pursuit of theology. men who studied the word, and neglected prayer (and therefore worship that is the reaction to experiencing the love of God.) This is not the pursuit of Theology, it is the pursuit of religious philosophy. A kind of knowledge that neither enjoys and lives in faith, nor proposes that life to others.
Being enthralled, be in thrall is less like Joseph’s brothers offer and more like the slave whose ear is pierced. Who knows he is loved, who responds to that love with a desire to be in no other place, in no other relationship with His master, This is where worship is spontaneously embraced and savored. The slave’s attitude is not based in fear of wrath, or any kind of fear at all, it is made from a love that is responding to love! Itis what drives the academic to his knees in prayer, what drives the soldier to seek peace, and the pilgrim to find they are, finally at their destination.
This is what changes Luther, apparently changes Ignatius, can change our churches, can change our communities, this revealed love of our Lord, Jesus. This is the connection we find in our gatherings, as we realize the presence of the Lord, as He reveals Himself through the word and the sacrament, a love so powerful, a fellowship so full of joy and peace, so sustaining, so much a breath of heaven, that we continue to seek to serve and to introduce it to others.
Fagerberg, D. W. (2019). Liturgical Mysticism (p. 11). Emmaus Academic.
Pasquale, G., ed. (2011). Day by Day with Saint Francis: 365 Meditations (pp. 336–337). New City Press.
Watson, W. (2012). Sacred Story: An Ignatian Examen for the Third Millennium (p. 25). Sacred Story Press.
The Plan: Revealed and Realized! The Plan Which Includes “US ALL!” A Concordia Sermon on Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
The Plan: Revealed and Realized!
The Plan Which Includes “US ALL”
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
† I.H.S. †
May the grace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ help you to see His plan for us all!
When you have something this good!
One of the most influential missionary/professors in my life passed away this week, a man I was blessed to talk to a couple of times, and hear preach four or five times. But I remember his stories of grace, I remember the lessons he shared with me and thousands of others.
One happened on a very cold, frozen Philadelphia morning back in the early 80s. He took the train into the city, where he was meeting with a bunch of corporate donors, 7 figure donors, who wanted to hear about his mission work in Haiti
Tony gets off the Metro train, flips up his collar and starts the 3 block walk to his meeting. As he does, being a city boy, he is aware of his surroundings and sees an obviously homeless bum between him and his goal. He tries to see if he can cross the street to avoid him when he realizes the homeless guy has targeted him, and is walking toward him, with a large Styrofoam coffee cup in his hands.
His heart keeps wavering – he doesn’t want to be the guy who ignores the obvious needs, but he can’t be late for the meeting. As he mind flips and flops, the homeless guy is now only a block away…now 200 feet, now 100 and the guy begins to cry out “Mister! Mister” and extends a cup out to him….
Tony thinks it is his offering cup and takes off his glove to reach in his pocket to see if he has any change…feeling guiltier and guiltier…
The man, with a grimy face and absolutely filthy clothes is saying “this is for you Mister! God want you to have this!” And the coffee cup – Tony now sees has a lid, and steam coming out.
He goes on to say, “I don’t want any money Mister! My cup of coffee was so perfect this morning, I just had to give one to bless someone else with one – and God said you were it…” “Haven’t you ever had anything so good – that you just have to share it with someone else?”
As Tony politely and tearfully takes a sip of the coffee, the man’s smile grows infectious, And Tony realizes he was right, it was the perfect way to enjoy the frozen air and icey sidewalks of Philly that morning.
The man nods his head, having shared more than a cup of coffee, he’s shared something inspiring and full of awe.
Preparations are Scary – and Should Be!
As Tony feared the approach of the homeless guy, as he didn’t know if would just be uncomfortable, or maybe mugged, so I think many people fear the coming of Christ, and the Judgment Day.
Even the description in Daniel is scary!
(judgment) thrones were placed, and the Ancient of days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.
10A stream of fire issued and came out from before him;
I don’t think we are going to see this and say, wow, this is incredible as if we are watching some science fiction movie. I think this is the kind of vision where we see the anger of God about to be unleashed with extreme prejudice.
With all the power, with millions of angels serving Him and waiting on Him, what chance do sinners have?
We who count ourselves as good Christians need to hear this as well.
Consider these words from Ezekiel…
21 But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. 22 All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done. 23 “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.
That’s the good part! We like it….
24 However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins. Ezekiel 18:21-24 (NLT2)
May I remind you of the fiery throne, chariot and wrath of God?
We need to take our confession and absolution time seriously. We need to know that if we deny our sin, we are simply deceiving ourselves – but if we confess it God is… faithful and just… and the judgement is seen in the rest of the vision!
It Begins!
If the vision of the Father on the fiery throne is terrifying, the vision of the Son of Man is one that will bring tears – tears of joy!
and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
The cloud is an incredible vision you see the Hebrew for cloud there pictures the entire company of heaven, arriving with Jesus, the son of man.
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV)
As the Son of man, Jesus, is presented to God the Father, he brings us all with Him! Over and over this is the message of scripture, for as we died with Him we will certainly rise with Him, and He will lead us into the Father’s presence.
On the day when Jesus the Messiah is given dominion, and glory, when He is crowned King of King and Lord of Lords, even as He enters His glory, we will enter it with Him!.
This news is better than a cup of coffee on a frozen winter day. SO make sure others know it is coming, for God is coming..
And that news should help you dwell in God’s peace now – a peace that passes all understanding, a peace which the King of Kings will keep you in until His return! AMEN!
How to Not Become a Legalist…
Thoughts which carry this broken pastor to Jesus, and to The Cross
“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”” (Matthew 15:8–9, NET)
“My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for they will provide a long and full life, and they will add well-being to you.” (Proverbs 3:1–2, NET)
Indeed, in this great and awesome mystery of the cross, the charisms of graces, the merits of virtue, and the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge are concealed in such profound depths as to be hidden from the wise and the prudent of this world. But it is revealed in such fullness to the little one of Christ, that in his whole life he followed nothing except the footsteps of the cross, he tasted nothing except the sweetness of the cross, and he preached nothing except the glory of the cross. In the beginning of his conversion he could truly say with the Apostle: Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ [Gal 6:14].
“Belief is always consequent upon the encounter with the Source of the grace of faith. Therefore Christians do not worship because they believe. They believe because the One in whose gift faith lies is regularly met in the act of communal worship—not because the assembly conjures up God, but because the initiative lies with the God who has promised to be there always.
As I read the quote from Matthew, my heart and mind wanted to weaponise it, it pointed out those I encounter who have created “laws of men” regarding the Liturgy, or regarding the “viability” of small churches, or any of a thousand other pet peeves I would outlaw.
And then it hit me, I was creating my own set of laws. I was as guilty as those I judge! (I might justify myself – but even so…) I know I have this ability, it is part of my make-up, part of my humanity, part of my personal warping of justice and righteousness. As I realize that, it sucks out of me some of the harsh judgment and wrath I want to spill out.
I want to focus, as Proverbs advises, on the commandments of God, to not forget what God teaches us, to treasure (the root word of keep) the commandments, and the relationship defined by the Covenant God has made with us.
But I don’t alway do that – and I have to try… but how?
Francis provides the simplistic attitude, to focus on the cross, to walk towards it, to savor it as we would a good meal, to be so enraptured by the cross, that nothing else, I realize, is worth my time – save connecting others to it.
It is at that cross that I encounter my Jesus, that I start to experience His love in all its vast dimension-less measure. It is there in the cross I find hope, I find a reason to have faith and depend on God, it is there I find the healing from the brokenness that dominates my life.
It is there I find the grace to deal with other broken Pharisees, Saducees, God-deniers, and unbelievers.
It is there that I encounter the God whom I will worship – and then learn to more about the God who loves me enough to invade my brokenness, and carry me to the cross, to rise with Him…
God is with us, here at the Cross, this is where we learn to live and worship, and know the Lord who loves us!
Pasquale, G., ed. (2011). Day by Day with Saint Francis: 365 Meditations (p. 332). New City Press.
Fagerberg, D. W. (2019). Liturgical Mysticism (p. 7). Emmaus Academic.
A Plea to Stop Creating Division…(and why it isn’t needed)
Thoughts which carry this broken pastor to Jesus, and to the cross
“He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”” (Matthew 12:20–21, NET)
“So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. Esau said privately, “The time of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill my brother Jacob!”” (Genesis 27:41, NET)
“But Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both wept.” (Genesis 33:4, NET)
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love her prosper! May there be peace inside your defenses, and prosperity inside your fortresses!” (Psalm 122:6–7, NET)
“Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the LORD for it. For as it prospers you will prosper.’” (Jeremiah 29:7, NET)
“First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people,even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, since he wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1–4, NET)
A pastor tweets about Democrats and those who hates Israel as if they were demonic,
A friend swears that women have to throw off patriachy,
A young person wears the colors of one side of the war, as they go onto a campus that is divided in its opinion.
Catholics mock Protestants and say they are going to hell, protestants respond with as much hatred, justifying their actions.
Part of me wants to declare this modern society we live in worse than Nineveh, and I understand the lament as Noah looked out over the broken world. Or Jesus to come back, for these people above aren’t the extremists, yet, but they are all urging a division that is unnecessary, and contrary to other beliefs they hold dear.
And the division, whether they are in the right, or in error, is not only wrong, it is deadly spiritually. It is sin at the level of killing souls far faster than the bodies stack up.
Esau and Jacob are the prime examples of division that people hold out, even noting that God played favorites. One brother cheated the other, the other vowed death on the cheater. Their descendants still are at war in what we ironically call the Holy Land.
And in the middle of the fights, even as people try to justify the violence of their side while condemning their brothers, the scripture notices that Esau ran to meet Jacob, the older brother embracing the prodigal! And they both wept for the 20 years wasted. No one wants to remember their reconciliation, a miracle of God. (note – those wanting to quote Romans 9:13- please see the tense of the verb)
From individual and tribal division we go to that of countries.
Yes we are to pray and work for the peace of Jerusalem, for the people descended from Abraham through Jacob. But the same requirement of working for the best (think cHesed/agape love) and praying that God’s blessing would be poured out – the same thing- Jeremiah tells to people of Israel to do for Babylon (think modern Iran AND Iraq) Pray for both–work for both to prosper–for they are of the same flesh and blood – and God grieves over the death of any that are broken away from His family.
I could go on with stories of reconciliation, Peter and Paul come to mind, for even after their conversions, they still had a conflict or two!
My temptation has to be overcome as well, for part of me desires to take all who are in conflict and hit them with Romans 16:17, and walk away from them all. But then, where would my faith be? It would be so easy to move away, find a nice pond to live on in upstate New Hampshire, and go off the grid…but then I would miss out on seeing God redeem the unredeemable, reconcile those who would rather choose mutual assured destruction, and basically overwhelm us with His love.
For He won’t quench that in us, and His desire is clear for us – to reconcile us all in Him.
The Plan: Revealed and Realized. Hold on to the Plan: the Promise and the Hope! A sermon on Hebrews 10
Hold On to the Plan: the Promise, the Hope
Hebrews 10:15-25
† Jesus, Son and Savior †
May the grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be etched into your heart and soul-encouraging you to enter His presence!
Hold On!
I had dinner with a couple of high school friends on Thursday, but even as I was looing for to it, a memory of our infamous trips in Alain’s VW van to Magic Mountain. There were a lot of fun memories there, and one very painful one.
It happened on what was a brand new ride, I think it was the first week it was open. Very tame by today’s standards, 4 people sat next to each other, the car was hauled up the tower, it hung there for 5 seconds or so, and then dropped 131 feet- without notice. Back then, it was a lot, though today similar rides drop 300 plus feet.
The only problem was that it took until after sundown to convince Jeff’s date to join us on the ride! It was quite dark by the time we got on it, and as the roll bars dropped into place, she was terrified.
And instead of gripping the roll bars, she grabbed our arms. Not a problem for Jeff, who played football, but the skinny geek I once was… well she bruised the entire arm as she held on…tightly!
That is what the epistle of Hebrews tells us to do this morning, to hold tightly. Not to each other! It says,
“23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” Heb. 10:23 NLT
Hold on to that hope, that promise, what we’ve been looking at for all of October and November – the plan God has for our future and our hope!
I Don’t see what to hold on to!
The problem Jeff’s lady friend had was she couldn’t see what was going on. She had no idea how things we going to happen, as the car when plummeting straight down into the darkness. There was absolutely no control, and so she held on to whatever she could find.
In the Old Testament, it was much the same – they knew God was doing something, but they had no idea of what, and they had no control, so they would do what was right in their own eyes.
That was why the reading starts out talking about the sacrifices outside the tabernacle and temple daily. And once a year, the high priest would enter the holy of holies with the blood of the sacrifice to anoint the mercy seat, securing the people from God’s wrath for another year.
Here is how the Tabernacle was laid out. Outside the tent, at a distance, the twelve tribes would camp. That would be for most people, all but the Levites and priests. They were allowed in closer to the tent, in the courtyard where washings and basic daily sacrifices would occur. That is why in many old designed churches, the baptismal font is out there in the entry way.
In the holy place – where you are all sitting – only priests could come to serve, to offer prayers and other ministries. But here – right here was a floor to ceiling curtain—so think you could not see anything through it…and behind it was the ark of the covenant, with two golden angels glowing over it and between them, what is called the mercy seat – where the blood would be poured out, the once a year offering for all the sins of God’s people—to put aside condemnation.
But the people never saw what went on – even all the other priests could not see in, they could only hear the bells tied to his robe as he moved, and though they knew what should happen, there was no way to know it was happening. The curtain clearly block the view into where God was at work…on His throne, accepting the offering for sin.
So, like us, they took matters into their own hands, releasing their hold on the hope, and the plan… the sacrifices meant nothing, because they didn’t trust in what was promised! They didn’t believe God and therefore they didn’t trust in the plan!
People do that today, if they don’t now God, how can they trust in Him? How can they understand this glorious plan?
So they do what they can—they trust in whatever they can make with their hands, and create in their mind. They try to find peace in the habits they acquire, or the relationships they have with their family, their work, or who they want in charge of their city, state, or country.
And they give up on the promise, “I will never again remember their sins or lawless deeds!”
Now you can see (the curtain is torn apart)
Continuing with the analogy, Jeff’s lady found the comfort and peace from knowing Jeff and I were there…
That is what the gospel does! It reminds us of what happened because of the cross, it shows us the blood that was spilled to cover out sins, spread out on the most Holy place.
Hebrews says it this way,
19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.
Now hear the account of Jesus’s death,
50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. Matthew 27:50-52 (NLT2)
Now, the blood that was not poured out in the Temple could be seen, on the mountain called Golgotha. The sacrifice of His blood covers all of our sin, cleansing us. That is why Hebrews goes on to say,
21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:21-22
Just as the High Priest has to be cleansed, so have we been cleansed by the blood of Jesus, This is the hope we cling to in the midst of this life, so often broken by sin…
This is the what we confess and affirm, this is the testimony of the Old and New Testament, now clearly seen, and celebrated!
One pastor put it this way, “The Christian faith has only one object, the mystery of Christ dead and risen. But this unique mystery subsists under different modes: it is prefigured in the Old Testament, it is accomplished historically in the earthly life of Christ, it is contained in mystery in the sacraments, it is lived mystically in souls, it is accomplished socially in the Church, it is consummated eschatologically in the heavenly kingdom.
This death and resurrection of Jesus—we were joined to it in our baptism according to Paul, gives us access, not just into the Holy Place, but past the curtain into the heavenly Holy of Holies, where we fellowship, where we commune with God.
Everything in scripture points to that death and resurrection. Our service, like that of the tabernacle, pointed to it. Why?
So we can grab on to the cross’s plan, the promise of our future and our hope. That is what matters in life, and gets us through death.
This is everything for us…
So hold tightly to it, this plan, this promise, this hope…
And help others do the same.
For the peace of God, which is beyond all understanding it yours, as He holds on to you! AMEN!
The Paradox of Suffering, Ministry and the Kingdom of God
Thoughts which carry me, a broken pastor, to Jesus and the Cross
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:28–31, NET)
One night as blessed Francis was reflecting on all the troubles he was enduring, he was moved by piety for himself. “Lord,” he said to himself, “make haste to help me in my illnesses, so that I may be able to bear them patiently.” And suddenly he was told in spirit: “Tell me, brother, what if, in exchange for your illnesses and troubles, someone were to give you a treasure? And it would be so great and precious that, even if the whole earth were changed to pure gold, all stones to precious stones, and all water to balsam, you would still judge and hold all these things as nothing, as if they were earth, stones and water, in comparison to the great and precious treasure which was given you. Wouldn’t you greatly rejoice?”
“Lord,” blessed Francis answered, “this treasure would indeed be great, worth seeking, very precious, greatly lovable, and desirable.”
“Then, brother,” he was told, “be glad and rejoice in your illnesses and troubles, because as of now, you are as secure as if you were already in my kingdom.”
The Christian faith has only one object, the mystery of Christ dead and risen. But this unique mystery subsists under different modes: it is prefigured in the Old Testament, it is accomplished historically in the earthly life of Christ, it is contained in mystery in the sacraments, it is lived mystically in souls, it is accomplished socially in the Church, it is consummated eschatologically in the heavenly kingdom.
This river of liturgy flows from the heavenly throne, pools up in the Church, and overflows its lip to flood our personal lives.
I have a friend in Sicily, a wise old priest who suffers greatly from physical distress, who has become more than an older brother in the faith, he is one of those heroes of the faith, and in the ministry. He cares for his people enough that he humbles himself to perform mass in a chair behind the altar, for the small group of faithful who need the Eucharist as much as he and I do.
I am a quarter century younger that this man, and he inspires me for he understands intuitively than even in his sufferings, Jesus is made clear to his people. And they learn to endure, they learn that faith is more than knowledge, but a complete dependency on the presence of God in our lives.
The liturgy he prays with his people is the kind that Fagerberg speaks of–something that pours not just from mouths, but from the Throne of God. It comes from deeper than Fr. Guiseppe, or from Pastor Dustin, for it is the Spirit that is allowed to work trhough the cracks of our shattered lives, making those words come alive, giving hope to others that are broken.
This is what real ministry is, helping those who are broken find their way home into the Kingdom of God.
And that is only found in the our death and resurrection with Christ Jesus!
That is what truly gets us through each day, this mystery that should flood over us through the worship service, that doesn’t demand our praise, but causes us rejoice in even the struggles and troubles, for we know His peace and love.- which not only is beyond all understanding, but provides us with our refuge.
Pasquale, G., ed. (2011). Day by Day with Saint Francis: 365 Meditations (pp. 322–323). New City Press.
Fagerberg, D. W. (2019). Liturgical Mysticism (p. xx). Emmaus Academic.
God’s Plan! Revealed and Finally Realized! The Plan Executed! (Literally)A sermon on Hebrews 9:24-28
God’s Plan! Revealed and Finally Realized!
The Plan Executed! (Literally)
Hebrews 9:24-28
† Jesus-Son-Savior †
May the grace of God our Father and our Lord Jesus help you understand the depth of their plan to deliver you to the freedom of Heaven!
Intro: Don’t ask if you don’t want to know!
Imagine if you were a leader, and in your possession came all your competition’s papers. Included in that collection were letters from your own people, who were planning to betray you. How would you handle it?
That very thing happened to Julius Caesar, as he defeated general Pompey. Inside the chest full of documents there were letters from some of the closest people to him, who were seeking to overthrow him.
Charles Spurgeon, a British preacher and historian, included this part of the story, “if Caesar had read those letters it is probable that he would have been so angry with many of his friends that he would have put them to death for playing him false. Fearing this, he magnanimously took the box and destroyed it without reading a single line.” [i]
It has been said that what you don’t know can hurt you!
Those were the men who would later, on what became to be known as the Ides of March, stab Julius Caesar was literally stabbed in the back by his friends who had written the letters…
The letters he did not read, identifying his betrayers, the ones who planned his death…
Caeser sacrificed his own life, because he didn’t want to face his betrayers.
Our Lord Jesus was also sacrificed by people he loved… the difference is that He knew it was coming, had known for millennia…
For He not only knew their plan, He was the Father’s plan, the plan for our future and hope!
Law – God knew the content of your life
In our reading from Hebrews this morning, there is a comparison between the Jewish High Priest and Jesus, between the Temple’s holy of Holies and the presence God’s throne in heave.
The Holy of Holies is a picture of the heavenly throne where God the Father dwells. The place where the offering is brought to make payment for our sin, the difference.
The place described as the “place made with human hands,” that is either the Tabernacle or its replacement the temple, was only a temporary fix, the offering having to made, as John writes, “like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal.”
Why did God provide this way of Old Testament sacrifice?
For the same reason He had a plan: Jesus.
Because unlike Julius Caesar, had read the record, and knew every sin, every bit of work we’ve done to rebel from God and every thought where we decided we know more than God.
God’s read the letters of your life, even the darkest ones…
He knows, He knew those sins, even before we committed them.
Gospel – One final death….
Caesar didn’t want to know his enemies and what they were doing. He sacrificed his own life for blissful ignorance.
God wanted to know His enemies, for only then could He execute His Plan. For His Plan, Jesus, was to be the sacrifice offered to save their lives. That is why the title of this message is – The Plan Executed – Literally. He was the Plan and He was executed for us!
Hear it again from John the apostle,
“Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.”
No sacrifice every year, just Jesus, God’s plan—His only plan from before the foundation of the world to save us, the Plan – had to be executed.
That was what the tabernacle and the Temple pointed to, every sacrifice of every type, that there would be a final sacrifice that would take away our sins.
Domino’s Delivers
So complete a sacrifice, that when Jesus returns, there will be no longer be any need to deal with sin, it was finished off, its power to condemn us stripped away,
Salvation is Greek actually means to deliver. It is not only salvation from sin, but salvation to a new state of life! If you have a pizza delivered, or food from Grubhub, it is only part of the process to pick up the food at the restaurant—there has to be a delivery.
We have to realize that people aren’t just delivered from sin—they are delivered into the presence of God, where they are welcome. Now as the Holy Spirit takes us residence in us—as promised in our Baptism.
Eternally as one day we are welcomed into heaven!
And that is all He comes back to do, the judgment is already secure because of His sacrifice for us on the cross. So we have been saved from and we await being saved to…
Because the Plan was executed for us.
And because of that – we dwell in the peace of God which is beyond all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus! AMEN!
[i] Spurgeon, C. (2017). 300 Sermon Illustrations from Charles Spurgeon (E. Ritzema & L. Smoyer, Eds.). Lexham Press.
The Greatest Challenges Revealed, and Crushed: The Nature of the Lord’s Supper.
Thoughts which carry this broken pastor to Jesus, and to His cross.
“Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For in the first place, when you come together as a church I hear there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must in fact be divisions among you, so that those of you who are approved may be evident.Now when you come together at the same place, you are not really eating the Lord’s Supper.” (1 Corinthians 11:17–20, NET)
If the Sacrament of the Altar occupies such a central position in the Church, it is easily understood why it has become time and again the object of dissension and controversy. Every disease of the Church becomes manifest at the Lord’s Table….
Just as the Church of Christ becomes conscious of its own nature as it gathers around the Lord’s Table, so its weaknesses, errors, and sins also become manifest on that occasion.
It has been said by scientists that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. As a theologian, I know this not to be true. There are cases where the reaction is significantly over the top of the original action.
If it wasn’t this way, being a pastor would be worthless, and ministry would be impossible.
I believe Sasse was right – that at the Lord’s Supper dissension and division become manifest most clearly. It is there that diseased and divided churches find no where to hide their brokenness.
I am not just talking about theological disagreements about the Lord’s Supper, fro even in those churches who do not recognize the miracle and mystery, divisions become so much clearer at the Altar. For the hope of healing isn’t seen, there is just contention, and avoidance. (this is why sharing/passing the peace once came after the words of institution and still does). And the lack of intimacy within the family of God leads to distancing ourselves from God.
Anecdotal stories abound about this – from the situation in Corinth to those who time their approach to the altar so as not to be close to those they are divided from–something that may be evident to others in the church.
If there is room for division- if that is the observed action at the Lord’s Supper, how much greater is the reaction – the invasion of the Lord and His mercy? To look upon and receive the Body sacrificed for us, and the Blood shed for the forgiveness of all our sin. To think and dwell on this mystery brings healing of damaged emotions and damaged relationships – this too is the work of the Holy Spirit–the comforter. It is the power of the gospel which saves and joins us all together, and breaks down the differences.
This isn’t magic, or some medicinal nature. It is because of the promise–the forgiveness of sins, both of me and my adversary. FOr if God is communing with one, He is communing with the other. And what was once coming together for worse (judgment in fact) is now coming together unified in Christ.
For what division, what way of arguing is worth the companionship and communion of God?
These divisions, the broken relationships, even when based on errors need God’s intervention, His love and mercy to flood our hearts (ours – as in everyone together). It is then, based on His word, that we will find things healing, being reconciled and redeemed to Him.
This is our God. Amen
Sasse, H. (2001). This Is My Body: Luther’s Contention for the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar (p. 3). Wipf and Stock Publishers.
