Reflection: Free For All (October 28, 2012)

Reformation Sunday (Observed)
Psalm 46:1-11; Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36


When was the last time you joined in on a free-for-all? Typically spontaneous, free-for-alls are by their nature wide open, anything goes, chaotic situations that lack rules and structure. As fun as they may be as occasional distractions, we know that free-for-alls must be momentary exceptions to our well-ordered worlds. And that’s what makes them so much fun. However, if the chaos of a free-for-all becomes the norm, it’s anything but fun. Games would be nonsensical, sports would be brawls, traffic would be insane (even more insane than it currently is), and life would be filled with uncertainty, fear, and terror. It wouldn't be good for our everyday lives to be governed by free-for-alls.

While we recognize the danger of letting our homes, workplaces, schools, and society-at-large becoming free-for-alls, we've seemed to have lost sense of the impact that such a situation has had on the church. Once governed and structured by the clear teaching of God’s Word, the church in our culture today has devolved into a massive free-for-all. People believe what they want to believe, insist on having things done their ways, attack church leaders who don’t measure up to their expectations, demand to be entertained in worship services, decline to participate in ministry, and refuse to make any personal sacrifices to support the work of the church. It’s a free-for-all. And the church is suffering because of it.

As we observe the 495th anniversary of the Reformation, we are once again reminded that the church is always in need of renewal. Every generation of believers must stand firmly on God’s Word to keep the grace of God free for all and keep the church from being a free-for-all. In our generation the message of Christ’s love is being replaced by the message of self-love, the Sacraments set aside for specially blended coffees, and the Cross displaced by pathways to worldly success. We are called to speak out against this free-for-all and make clear the message of God’s love for people captive to death, bring the Sacraments to people broken by sin, and take up our own crosses in loving response to the Savior who has called us to bring hope to our hopeless world. His way is not a chaotic jumble of confusion, but life-giving and life-changing grace that He freely gives to everyone. Join Him in His free for all.

Audio file of the sermon "Free For All."

Reflection: No Rest for the ... (October 21, 2012)

The 21st Sunday after Pentecost
Eccl. 5:10-20; Hebrews 4:1-13; Mark 10:23-31


The phrase “no rest for the …” is typically completed with either “weary” or “wicked.” While “no rest for the weary” is more widely used by people in our culture because of our fast-paced lifestyle, “no rest for the wicked” is based in the Bible. Cited as a paraphrase of Isaiah 48:22, it is a theme that runs throughout the Scriptures referring to circumstances from the endless evil activities of the ungodly to the eternal suffering for unbelievers. But today’s readings underscore another reality of the restlessness of the wicked: their efforts are never enough.

Ecclesiastes addresses the never-ending quest for money by those who love the wealth of this world and the material things that it provides. The “no rest” of this passage is highlighted by pointing out that “the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.” Concern over protecting, preserving, and multiplying our possessions can easily rob us of any real sense of security. Tossing and turning in the middle of the night because of the worldly matters that weigh on our minds, we have no rest when our thoughts are dominated by money and possessions.

The Epistle lesson speaks of no rest for those who do not have faith in the Triune God. Without faith each one of us must prove our worthiness to God by how we live our lives. But trying to satisfy God’s demands by our own works is an endless task that cannot bring us a sense of peace with God. Our life of good works ends up being of no value when we do “not combine it with faith.” The endless pursuit of righteousness through the Law leaves people right where they started: separated from God who says “They shall never enter My rest.”

The impossibility of finding rest apart from faith in Christ is captured in the Gospel lesson. Jesus tells His disciples that rest for those who are relying on human efforts or worldly wisdom is impossible. “Who then can be saved?” is their way of asking “Who can enter into the promised rest.” There is no rest for the weary (i.e., those seeking their own righteousness through good works) or for the wicked (i.e., those living in pursuit of worldly riches). But there is rest for those who hear His voice, abandon their efforts to earn God’s favor, and put their worldly possessions to work for the Kingdom of God. “There’s no rest for …,” but there is rest for you.

Audio file of the sermon "No Rest for the ..."

Devotion: Up to Us, but not from Us (2 Cor. 4:1-7)

¹ Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.  ² Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.  ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.  ⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  ⁵ For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.  ⁶ For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

2 Corinthians 4:1-7

There are a number of things that fall under the category of “the mysteries of God,” including the sublime teaching of the Trinity, the awe inspiring presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar, the wonderful re-birth of Holy Baptism, the marvelous union of God and man in the person of Jesus, and the humbling realities of Election by Grace. When we do spend some time and energy contemplating the mysteries of God we’re likely to focus on one of these great things. But 2 Corinthians 4:1-7 offers up a mystery that we often overlook, rarely give much thought to, and sometimes treat as something far less than the wonderful mystery that it is. The topic of this passage is the ministry of reconciliation that God has entrusted to us.

Perhaps we don’t treat this ministry as a mystery because we tend to view it as a task — maybe even as a burden. This perspective of the “ministry that brings righteousness” (2 Cor. 3:9) may come from misunderstanding what God wants us to understand when He tells us that the carrying out of this ministry is up to us. It is up to us to renounce the secret and shameful ways of our world. It is up to us to set forth the truth plainly. It is up to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord so that those who have been blinded by the god of this age might be delivered from the darkness of sin and death by the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Because it is up to us, we often approach ministry with the veils of human effort, human wisdom, and human techniques that hide the mystery of this ministry from us. But, just as He breaks through the blinded minds of unbelievers with His grace, the Holy Spirit works to remove these veils from us so that we can see that while it is up to us, this ministry is not from us. “We have this treasure in jars of clay,” His Word declares, “to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

God has purposefully stored the treasure of His love and grace for the world in us who are “jars of clay.” We are weak. We are faulty. We crumble. But the treasure that is in us is the power of God that works His will and stands forever. It is light for those in darkness, truth for the deceived, and life for those trapped in the death of sin. That God would entrust such a treasure to us is an incredible mystery — a mystery that is magnified when we consider that God has placed in us everything that He has given for the life of the world. Not only is there a treasure in us jars of clay, the treasure — the only real and lasting treasure — is in us. There is no doubt that it is up to us to bring this treasure to the world.

As long as we understand that bringing the treasure of Christ to the world is up to us but not from us, we can rejoice in the mystery and be sure that we will not lose heart. But if we lose sight of the fact that it is not from us, the mystery will slip away and and we will resort to approaches, techniques, measurements, and methods that are based on human wisdom and experience. We will determine our success and faithfulness by worldly standards. We will mimic the very things that we should renounce. Deception and the distorting of God’s Word will soon follow. We will think that it since it is up to us that it must come from us and be all about us. We will preach ourselves instead of Jesus Christ. We will fail because we are jars of clay. We will lose heart.

Thank God that He has made His light shine in our hearts! He has shown us the great mystery of His love, even expressing it by putting His treasure in jars of clay. By doing this He shows us that the all-surpassing power to carry out His ministry of reconciling the world is from Him. Yes, it is up to us to do the work of bringing the Gospel to the world.  And it is up to us to endure the Cross as we carry out His mission to make disciples of all nations. But we don't lose heart because of the glorious ministry of the Holy Spirit. Like the wind blowing wherever it pleases, without our understanding and beyond our control, the Spirit works faith when and where He wills assuring us that the power, the purpose, and the glory are not from us but belong to His mystery.

Reflection: Do What You Know (October 15, 2012)

The 20th Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15; Hebrews 3:12-19; Mark 10:17-22

There’s a certain comfort in doing something that you know well. While we might complain that doing the same kind of task repeatedly can become boring, we soon find ourselves wishing for the comfortable and familiar things when we’re confronted with having to do something that we don’t know much about and we don’t know how to do. Even people who like the challenge of new things find themselves troubled when they don’t know how to go about doing what they need to do. Those new (and even exciting) tasks quickly lose their appeal when we’re paralyzed because we don’t know anything about them. To one degree or another, we can only do what we know. However, just because we know something doesn't mean that we can do it.

 

When a rich young man approached Jesus with his concerns about eternal life was, Jesus replied by telling him, “You know the commandments” (Mark 10:19). He was telling the man that what he needed to do to be assured of eternal life was to do what he already knew about God’s Law and will. Jesus was telling him, “Do what you know.” The problem that the man had with Jesus’ answer was that he was convinced that he had already done the things that Jesus listed but he still didn't have the peace of certainty about eternal life that he desired. In so many words, he answered Jesus, “I've already done what I know.” But the man was not being honest with either Jesus or himself. Jesus’ reply to the man’s claim highlighted what the man knew but hadn't done, indeed, what he wouldn't do. Even worse than that, it was what he could know but not do.

Like this man, you know the commandments and are called to do what you know. If that was all there was to Jesus’ teachings you would have to join him in walking away from Jesus with heavy heart. Like him, you would not do what you know. Like him, you could not do what you know to be God’s Law. But rather than turn away from Jesus without hope, you have turned to Jesus for hope. By the working of the Holy Spirit, you have come to know Jesus as more than a “good teacher.” You know that He is the one who has kept God’s Law for you, freed you from its condemnation, secured eternal life for you, and freed you. You know His love, grace, and mercy. And He has empowered you to do what you know.

Audio file of the sermon "Do What You Know."

Reflection: Having No Shame (October 7, 2012)

The 19th Sunday after Pentecost
Genesis 2:18-25; Hebrews 2:1-13; Mark 10:2-16

Telling someone “You ought to be ashamed of yourself” is often a wasted effort. Chances are, if you have to tell someone that he should feel some shame over something he’s said or done it isn't going to make a difference. Some people have no shame. And, it seems, more and more people in our culture have no shame over their behavior, language, appearance, and values.

 

The problem with a lack of shame is that it leads people into deeper and deeper vices. Shame actually works to hold back perverse and profane behavior and speech. Without shame, people do whatever they think is okay and say whatever they feel like saying with no regard for how it harms other people, disrupts harmony in a community, or tramples over God’s Word and will. The acceptance of values and behaviors that were once considered shameful has substantially contributed to the pervasive pornography, open sexuality, profane language, and increasing vile behavior that are part and parcel of our society. Without shame to control people, we've degraded into a rude and crass people.

However, there is a positive aspect of being without shame. It’s experienced when a person has no reason to have shame because he has nothing to be ashamed about. The Bible’s first reference to shame is just such an instance. In Genesis 2:25, God’s Word summarizes how Adam and Eve lived in perfect harmony with God, creation, and one another because there was no sin in the world by describing them as having no shame.

Unlike Adam and Eve at the dawn of creation, we don’t live in a perfect world. Instead, we live in a fallen world that has been corrupted by sin through and through. Worse than that, we ourselves have been thoroughly corrupted by sin. We do, say, and think all sorts of things that are shameful. But we are without shame. We are not without shame in the negative way that the people of the world are. No, we are without shame because the shame of our sinful thoughts, words, and actions have been removed from us through the Cross of Jesus. We should not be ashamed of ourselves because He took our shame upon Himself and put it to an end — put it to death. Now “Jesus is not ashamed to call” us His brothers and sisters. By His grace, we truly have no shame.

Audio file of the sermon "Having No Shame."

Reflection: Honoring the Name (September 30, 2012)

The 18th Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 11:18-20; James 3:13-4:10; Mark 9:30-37

How often do you hear God’s name being misused? It seems like we can’t watch television, listen to popular music, or go out in public without hearing the name of God misused in one way or another. From the ubiquitous “OMG” to outright cursing, people do not honor God’s name, but feel free to dishonor it in many ways. While the name of Jesus is being trampled, the name of Mohammed is being treated with dignity. Recently a journalist noted how the mainstream media are using the phrase “the Prophet Mohammed” when they make reference to the founder of Islam. Imagine the outrage that would follow a secular journalist referring to Jesus as “the Lord Jesus Christ” or “Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” Why do people treat Jesus’ name so casually (even abusively) yet use Mohammed’s name so carefully? The journalist suggests that people fear the backlash of Muslims who insist, even violently, that Mohammed’s name be honored.

 

While we hold up the right to free speech and have the sensibility to restrain ourselves from violent reactions when being offended, the truth of the matter is that we have failed to honor the name of Jesus in our own speech and, more importantly, in our lives. People around us feel free to misuse God’s name because they hear us misusing His name. They also witness us watching movies that blaspheme God, listening to music that uses His name as profanity, and following TV series that trample Jesus and His teachings underfoot. No wonder people don’t hesitate to dishonor the name of Jesus.

Condemned by the 2nd Commandment, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God,” we look to Him to deliver us from our neglect, misuse, and abuse of His name. We offer up our prayers of repentance in the name of Jesus. We hear His gracious Word of Absolution in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. By the power of the name, we are renewed and restored, freed to honor His name in the words that we speak and in the lives that we live. But rather than violently defend the honor of His name, we are called to patiently and faithfully labor in love so that those who one day will bow their knees at the name of Jesus might do so in peace — just as we will by the power of His name.

Audio file of the sermon "Honoring the Name."