Archive for October, 2006

For November 5, 2006, the three chosen readings are Isaiah 53:10-12 (God bruised Jesus); Hebrews 4:9-16 (rest for God’s people) and Mark 10:35-45 (sitting on His right hand). While some congregations will also celebrate this Sunday as the Sunday of All Saints, the text chosen to preach about is Hebrews 4:13 which reveals, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight; but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

To give account not only sounds a littly scary as I pen this on Halloween night but downright legalistic. That is, what account can I possibly give to God except that I have been a poor, miserable sinner deserving nothing but temporal and eternal death? Doesn’t sound very reassuring, does it? Sounds more like every other religion in the world that speaks of Judgment Day as the experience when you will learn whether you have accounted sufficiently for yourself to go to heaven.

What is interesting with this verse is the original Greek word for “account.” It is “logos” as used in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word (logos)” referring, of course, to Jesus Who became flesh for us. However, “logos” also has a number of other meanings depending on the context. In this verse it means “account” as found in these other passages:

“Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.” (Luke 16:2)

“So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12)

“They (unbelieving Gentiles) will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” (I peter 4:5)

So it is clear that the context points to the Day of Judgment when you have to give an account to God of your works. Scary? How does this differ from all other religions which speak of giving an account to a god of your works. Are you ready? Have your works been sufficient to merit heaven or….?”

Obviously, we need help. And the help comes in keeping in mind what is absolutely unique only to the Christian faith; that is, the proper distinctions between Law and Gospel. All other religions are those of the Law in which salvation is based on your contribution of works to merit heaven. But Christianity promises salvation not to those who work but to those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior.

In the very next verses we find the answer to our dilemma. For we do have a High Priest Who did for us what we were unable to do for ourselves. In essence, through His perfect obedience and substitutionary death on our behalf, He merited heaven for His followers.

For you see, the acocunt of works that we present to God is not that of our own but that of Jesus Christ Who exchanged His perfect works for our sins. Judgment Day is not a Halloween Eve we need to fear but rather to that which we can come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy and find grace which helps us in our need to provide God with an account of works that will result in our entrance into heaven!

While this Sunday is also the 21st Sunday after Pentecost, most churches will celebrate the Festival of the Reformation. Those three readings are Jeremiah 31:31-34 (remember their sin no more); Romans 3:19-28 (no one justified by the law) and John 8:31-36 (the truth shall make you free). The verse for our consideration is John 8:31 which reads, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.”

What makes this verse problematical is the word “if.” Normally, we think of an “if” as pointing to a condition which we must meet. For example, “If you get to the cinema at 5:00 pm, you will see the entire movie.” Note how the condition must be met by YOU or else you won’t see the entire movie. Thus, it appears to make sense that to become a disciple of Jesus you are required to meet the condition of abiding in His word.

How can we justify that interpretation with the rest of the three passages making it clear that God forgives our iniquity (Jermeiah 31:34); that no work we do can justify us (Romans 3:20) and that the Son makes us free (John 8:36)? As has been our custom for this entire blog series of sermon reviews, the solution is found in making the proper distinctions between Law and Gospel.

Those who live under the Law are those who are required to meet the demands of God. Those demands can be in the form of Ten Commandments, ceremonial laws, civil laws or the need to abide in His word! Those who live under the Gospel are those who repent of their inability to meet ANY of the demands from God yet rejoice in the revelation that what is impossible for us is not impossible for God.

For in Christ, the Ten Commandments and the entire law is fulfilled which fulfillment is then transfered to us as our sins are transfered to the cross. But how can the demand to abide in the Word be something done by God if we are the ones to abide? The answer can be realized by asking this question. “When believers find themselves in heaven, to whom will they give all the credit for their salvation?” The unanimous answer will be the Holy Trinity.

For it is indeed the Father Who created us, the Son Who redeemed us and the Holy Spirit Who not only brings us into the one true faith but keeps and holds us in that same faith. John 8:31 therefore is understood not as a command we are to fulfill but rather a promise from Jesus Himself as to the blessing of being a disciple of His because of the work of the Holy Spirit. This is most certainly true.

The three readings in the 3-year lectionary assigned for this 20th Sunday after Pentecost are Genesis 2:18-24 (Creation of Eve); Hebrews 2:9-11 (12-18) Jesus lower than angels) and Mark 10:2-16 (Divorce and remarriage). Chosen to anaylze for this week is Hebrew 2:18 “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

There is a wrong way and a right way to understand every theological passage in the Bible. The wrong way is from the point of view of living under the Law in which you are responsible for being saved with God giving some help. The right way is from the point of view of living under the Gospel in which God gets all the credit. At first reading it certainly does appear that verse 18 of Hebrews 2 fits into the first category in which Jesus is to be understood as a Helper or Aider in our salvation.

However, context–the queen of interpretation–cannot permit that God is only a Helper to us in getting saved. For verse 10 speaks of Jesus as the “author” of our salvation; verse 14 reveals that through His death He destroys the devil who has the power of death and in verse 15 Jesus is given the credit for releasing those of us who through the fear of death–because of our sins–were all our lifetime “subject to bondage.” The “bondage” refers to the curse of the law that through sin we deserve eternal death; that is, separation from God.

So if verse 18 cannot refer to or being aided by God in becoming saved, to what does it refer? Again the context of that very verse spells out that God provides us aid during those times in which the believer is being tempted. In fact, the verse that comes to mind is 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it.”

Note well Who is driving the verbs in the sense of Who is responsible for being faithful, for not permitting more than you are able to endure and Who makes the way of escape. The answer is God Himself. With that context we can preach that though we do not contribute anything to our becoming saved, through the power of the Holy Spirit the believer is aided in times of comfort. Through faith in the promises of Jesus, we are given the strength to endure through temptations by the One Who has had personal experience with suffering and temptation as we have.

Soon the end of the church year will be upon us but for now, the 19th Sunday after Pentecost offers the following three readings: Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 (70 to help Moses); James 4:7-12, (13-5:6) (Submit to God) and Mark 9:38-50 (Cause little one to stumble). Chosen to analyze this week in preparation for a sermon is the passage of James 4:8 which reads, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

Now if that doesn’t like a verse from every other religion in the world, I don’t know what would. For Christianity differentiates itself from every other religion in the world by who drives the verbs. That is shorthand for pointing out who is the one who is always the subject of our salvation. The answer is the holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thus, to the question as to who makes the first move in our salvation, the answer is God.

Yet here we apparently have a verse which has us FIRST drawing near to God after which He will draw near to us. With such a scenario, how would you ever know that you have drawn near enough for God to draw near to you? As has been our practice on this Blog, the solution is two-fold. First, the context is everything which translates into “Scripture interprets Scripture.” Second, the distinctions between Law and Gospel are to be kept in mind.

If James 4:8 was describing the process of conversion, we would have a problem. For no unbeliever is able to draw near to God since hatred and sin control the natural man in regard to the true God. Thus, from a L&G perspective, this verse CANNOT be referring to Justification; it must be about Sanctification. We do not have far to go to find our solution from the context. For James 4:5 makes clear that the people being addressed are those in whom “the Spirit dwells.”

While no unbeliever can make any choice in regard to the true God, the believer can choose to have him and his family serve the Lord (Joshua) as well as draw near to God through worshiping and receiving the holy sacraments. While the holy of holies resides within the believer, the believer still can reject and refute the Word of God. That is why James, who is writing to Christians, reminds us to draw near to God through the means of grace so that God will continue to “give grace to the humble” (James 4:6). And guess who gets the credit when we do draw near? Correct, the same Holy Spirit who dwells in us and yearns jealousy (James 4:5).

This year the 18th Sunday after Pentecost includes the following three readings: Jeremiah 11:18-20 (Schemes vs Jeremiah); James 3:16-4:6 (Source of wars) and Mark 9:30-37 (Servant of all). This time the sermon is based on Jeremiah 11:20 “Let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You I have revealed my cause.”

If you were asked what two characteristics of God would you name, most people might chose from the following: kind, good, gracious, merciful and the like. Who would guess “vengeance” as revealed in Jeremiah 11:20? Most instead would consider this as belonging more to sinful humanity rather than sinless divinity.

How can we understand this properly? The distinctions between Law and Gospel are most helpful. The context reveals that God’s vengeance is directed against Israel herself due to her unbelief. Once considered by God as a healthy green, olive tree, Israel has become corrupted through the offering of incense to Baal.

The fact is that Israel has become so rotten that she is ready to kill the messenger from God Himself (Jeremiah) because of his message of the accusations of the Law. Israel has followed her evil heart and needs to have radical surgery performed on her. This vengeance results in a discipline for the purpose of restoring and healing her broken nature. In summary, God’s vengeance orginates from His love toward His people.

As in Hebrews 12, God disciplines those whom He loves to restore them to a proper fellowship with Him. While the process is painful and difficult, the end result is one in which the now rotten tree is restored to its original beauty and bearer of good fruit. The connection to Jesus and the cross cannot be clearer. For like Jeremiah, Jesus’ ministry and message results in hatred and the desire to kill Him.

Though it appears that evil succeeds, in reality the vengeance against the Son of God also includes the Father’s forsaking of His Son because of our sins which He carried to the cross. Though the Law’s accusations and vengeance not only hurt but destroy our old Adam, the end result is a renewed fellowship with God all due to the crucifixion and resurrection of His Son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.