On the 13th Sunday after Pentecost in Series C readings, we have Isaiah 66:18-23; Hebrews 12:4-29 and Luke 13:22-30. The text to preach about is Hebrews 12:6, “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scorges every son whom He receives.”
Ask Christians if they can remember an occasion when Jesus did not show love. If they have one it is the incident of Jesus whipping the people in the temple so that they would not make it a den of robbers. The only problem with that–or any other incident for that matter–is that because God is a God of love, every action He does is loving. We may have a terrible task in trying to figure out how such actions are loving but all that God does or permits is from a attitude of love.
Perhaps the analogy the writer to the Hebrews uses about a father chastising a child makes more sense–at least if you are the father. But even the temple whipping makes loving sense when the only other option for Jesus was to leave those in the temple attempting to buy their way into heaven, or, steal their way into heaven by means of sacrifical purchases. Any p;arent that would permit the child to immerse onesself into the world of sin without consequence would be a most unloving father indeed.
Of course, none of our sufferings of chastising can even come close to the death on a cross of the Innocent One. For He took upon Himself the punishment that should have been yours and mine. We were the ones who benefited from His death and suffering which we so deserved because of our sin. We, who justly deserved temporal and eternal punishment, now have received grace upon grace because God so loved you that He gave His only begotten Son.
Name:Tom Baker