Archive for August, 2008

For the 16th Sunday after Pentecost, the three assigned readings are Jeremiah 15:15-21; Romans 12:9-21 and Matthew 16:21-28. Chosen to preach on at Nokomis, IL is Romans 12:20, “Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Doesn’t sound very Christian at first reading, does it? Give someone something to eat and something to drink for the purpose of heaping coals of fire on his head? Once more we find a verse that appears to contradict the picture of our LORD Jesus Christ as a loving and gracious Savior.

However, the character of Scripture is consistent in that there needs to be a movement from the apparently contradictory to the clarity of being a paradox. A paradox is a statement that at first appears to be contradictory to the human mind but upon further reflection helped by Biblical definition and distinction, results in a statement understood through the eyes of faith.

Apart from faith, the Bible remains a sealed book without understanding. But through faith, the distinctions between Law and Gospel become clearer. It may seem strange that a morsel of food and a drink of water can be given as the work of the Law, not the Gospel. How so?

Note well that this verse about feeding another is not about your brother but is about your enemy. What Paul is speaking about is the fact that when you do something gracious to one who is your enemy, he can become embarrassed by how he has treated you in light of your unexpected response to him. Anything that wakes another up to the accusing finger of the Law is preparation for the hearing of the Gospel.

While most of the Pharisees were not impressed by Jesus’ attitude and words, clearly at least two of them were; namely, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. By doing what is not expected, your gracious behavior has overcome your enemy’s intent to demean and curse you. It’s what Jesus did to the Pharisee who was threatening arrests and death to the Christians. His name was Saul, now Paul.

The hammering of the Law can result in an experience likened to coals of fire heaped upon one’s head when his hated venom is returned as a gracious gift of food and drink. It’s a metaphor of what God Himself did for you in the death and resurrection of His Son as your substitute. Thus the more we look to the cross, the more we become contrite and repentant over our daily sins of thought, word and deed. Thus, even the giving of the Law in that way is an act of love as evil is overcome with good.

On this 15th Sunday after Pentecost for August 24, 2008, the three readings are Isaiah 51:1-6, Romans 11:33-12:8 and Matthew 16:13-20. The passage chosen for preaching is Matthew 16:20, “Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.”

Perhaps this saying of Jesus ought to go on top of the entrance door to every church? I think not. What could possibly have moved Jesus to say such a statement? This passage is a great example of why the Bible should not be interpreted literalistically. The caution against such interpretation is found in the great theme of the Reformation; namely, Scripture interprets Scripture.

As previous blogs have pointed out, one problem with English translations is that the reader may not realize that the same Greek word may have two or more meanings such as the words for law, Gospel, Israel, etc. In this case, the problem revolves around the word “Christ” which is Greek for the Hebrew “Messiah” which means, “the anointed one.”

Jesus was aware of how people regarded the coming of the Messiah. At the feeding of the 5,000, at His hometown Nazareth sermon, and listening to the disciples’ misperceptions, it was clear that for many in Judaism, the Messiah was the one who would be the bread king as well as getting rid of the Roman occupation forces.

Using Scripture interprets Scripture, even Jesus speaks of those who will refer to Him as the Christ and Lord but He will not know them. Such people would include Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and other cults that speak of Jesus but do not believe Him as the Bible reveals.

The sermon can be used to ask those in the pew whether they truly regard Him as Lord and Savior or do they have a false view. The comfort is that even Peter did not understand the work of the Messiah properly for in the next verse Jesus has to say to him, “Get Thee behind Me Satan!” in light of his protestations of the need for Jesus to die in Jerusalem.

The assurance of our salvation is not in our precise and inerrant understanding of who Jesus really is but in our baptism through which Jesus promises us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. At times members of the congregation imagine that they are saved by good works. Other times they think they are saved because of their perfect grasp of doctrine.

No, salvation is based on the cross of Christ and the benefits He won for us which we receive through the faith given to us by the Holy Spirit. The good news is that we need not look to our faith to figure out whether it is sufficient for salvation. For what saves is the true meaning of the Christ; namely, that He died for your sin because you are unable to pay one iota toward the punishment. Believe that? You are saved by grace, through faith on account of Jesus Christ.

Of the three assigned readings for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost–Isaiah 56:1, 6-8; Romans 11:1-2a, 13-15, 28-32 and Matthew 15:21-28–the Gospel text chosen to preach on is Matthew 15:26 with Jesus saying to the woman, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

That’s correct. Jesus is not speaking to some mangy dog; he is speaking to a woman from Canaan, a Gentile. Was Jesus swept up in the hatred of His day against Gentiles or was it because she was a woman that He said such words to her? More to the point for our day, do members of the congregation think at times that God looks upon them as dogs?

Let’s clear up a few details right now. First of all, Jesus had already healed a centurion’s servant so that should put to rest any notion that Jesus is against Gentiles. Second, He had also spoken with a woman at a Samaritan well and then had the whole town believe in Him as the Messiah. So that puts to rest that Jesus is against women.

Then why these words of apparent dislike towards this woman? It’s not as though she was calling him names or was possessed by a demon. In fact, she is not the one possessed; she is coming to Jesus to ask him to relieve her own daughter of being demon possessed.

Jesus does not appear to be very kind to her. First of all, he does not answer her a word, ignoring her pleas. Then after the disciples urge Him to send her away because she is such a nuisance, He appears to join in their distress against her by saying, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel!”

But then she worships Him according to verse 25. This word can be traced back to the idea of a dog licking his master’s hand out of devotion to the master. How appropriate. For the next words of Jesus are, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Now most English translations use “dogs” but some, like the New King James properly translate the word as “little dogs.”

She replies that “even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.” Jesus then compliments not her works of worship and humility but her faith and grants her desire resulting in her daughter being healed from that very hour. Why then all the “bad talk” from Jesus to the woman?

Some might suggest that Jesus was testing her. Another view which I support is that Jesus was testing the disciples. And the idea of “testing” can be compared to the process of testing steel when it is made so that it becomes stronger. It is of some note that Matthew, who wrote of this event, was one of the disciples who told Jesus to get rid of her. Yet he writes by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of his own inappropriate behavior toward the woman.

The fact is that as we pointed out in an earlier blog, while this woman may not have been of the lost sheep of the physical house of Israel who were related to Abraham by flesh, she certainly was a member of the lost sheep of the spiritual house of Israel; that is, the holy Christian Church! Jesus knew that her face was sufficient to withstand the words which He spoke for the sake of the disciples just as Jesus knew how far to permit Job to suffer in order to test (strengthen) his faith.

Members of the congregation may often feel as though God treats them as dogs. However, His promises are sure. That means that He will always treat us as the favorite pet or child of the house because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for us. While the words of Jesus may sound mean at times, “Get thee behind Me Satan” they are always intended to provide the proper dose of Law and Gospel so that the faith of the hearer is strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

On the 13th Sunday after Pentecost we are looking at the three assigned readings of Job 38:4-18, Romans 10:5-17 and Matthew 14:22-33. Chosen to preach on at St John Lutheran Church in Baldwin, IL is Romans 10 verse 9, “…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

This is a typical example of how many hearers misunderstand the Bible. They interpret this text as a command for the benefit of unbelievers. That is, they suggest that the unbelieve is asking you what he needs to do in order to be saved. You tell him that all he has to do is confess with his mouth and believe in his heart. The problem is that no unbeliever can take such advice. The statement itself is NOT the Gospel and therefore has no power to convert any unbeliever.

Rather than interpret this as a command for unbelievers, it is instead a promise for believers. The believer asks, “How do I know that I am a believer?” You respond, “If you confess in your mouth and believe in your heart, you will be saved.” There is no imperative verb in the entire verse; instead, it is future indicative passive. That is the verb, “you will be saved” is a promise of how God regards provides salvation in light of the fact that you do confess and believe.

It is NOT the confession and belief that is the basis of salvation. Instead, they point to the object of such confession and faith which is none other than Jesus Christ, the Savior. It is His death; it is His resurrection that is the basis of your salvation. Faith simply grasps the benefits and confession simply declares what one believes. Both are works of the Holy Spirit within us.

If one wants to bring the Gospel to the unbeliever, then a far better passage would be Matthew 28 in which Jesus points to baptism and teaching of all that He has said and did as the means of salvation. Salvation does not come to the unbeliever by telling him what to do; salvation comes when he hears what Christ has done for him free of charge without any cost. Or as theology puts it: “Salvation is by grace, through faith on account of Jesus Christ.”