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MORAL RELATIVISM
HOW SELF-JUSTIFICATION BECOMES SELF-CONDEMNATION

Romans 8:1 says – "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." But what does it mean to be "in" Christ Jesus?

For some, this means: "Since Jesus died for my sins, and I am therefore forgiven, I can do anything I want, because I know God will forgive me. But how does this hold up in light of Holy Scripture? Though we are assured that good works play no part in our being accepted by God (Ephesians 2:8-9), still, we are encouraged to do good and not sin. Paul says in Ephesians 2:10: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." And he writes to Timothy: "Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed" (1 Timothy 6:17-19). Jesus Himself said: "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:16-20). And James writes: "What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead" (James 2:14-17).

The truth of the matter is, as established Christians, we know what the Law of God says, and we know we're accountable to it. But then we play the game of moral relativism, which means that we begin to find excuses for our errant behavior. And we all do this! Whether it's violating traffic laws or engaging in pre-marital or extra-marital sex or cheating on our income taxes, we seem always to have a ready supply of responses to justify our sin. "I was in a hurry. Nobody goes the speed limit, anyway." "We are in love. Sure, we're not married, but we just couldn't help ourselves." "The government already gets too much of my money as it is. They're never going to find out, so why should I report everything?"

The trouble with that kind of thinking is: Yeah, the government might not find out. No one may ever know about your adultery. And you might get away with speeding. Clearly, you can fool other people. But you can't fool God. Numbers 32:23b says – "Be sure your sin will find you out." And we read in Proverbs 6:27-28 – "Can a man take fire in his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals, And his feet not be scorched?" You see, the Bible speaks in terms of moral absolutes, not moral relativism. It does not allow for exceptional circumstances. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Period.

Thankfully, God is merciful and forgiving. But His mercy is withheld from the unrepentant (John 20:23). So do yourself a favor: Stop living as though your sins don't matter and your own opinions, feelings, and desires matter most. Repent of your sin, ask for God's forgiveness in Christ Jesus, and seek His help in amending your sinful life. He will help you, as he has promised! "Call upon Me in the day of trouble," says the Lord. "I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me" (Psalm 50:15). And you know what else? You'll have a clean conscience. And no tax refund in the world can buy that!

Rev. Steven S. Billings
Lent 3 Mid-Week
Sermon
3-14-2007

Mark 15:1-15

 

1 And early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes, and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate. ² And Pilate questioned Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And answering He said to him, "It is as you say." ³ And the chief priests began to accuse Him harshly. ⁴ And Pilate was questioning Him again, saying, "Do You make no answer? See how many charges they bring against You!" ⁵ But Jesus made no further answer; so that Pilate was amazed. ⁶ Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. ⁷ And the man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. ⁸ And the multitude went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. ⁹ And Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" ¹⁰ For he was aware that the chief priests had delivered Him up because of envy. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the multitude to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. ¹² And answering again, Pilate was saying to them, "Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?" ¹³ And they shouted back, "Crucify Him!" ¹⁴ But Pilate was saying to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify Him!" ¹⁵ And wishing to satisfy the multitude, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified.

 

It was early Friday morning. The Jewish leaders had condemned Jesus in their own court, the place of an unjust verdict, declaring the Innocent One to be guilty. They had dragged Him through the streets to Pilate's fortress, banged on the door, roused the governor, and demanded a death sentence.

It's logical to assume that Pilate had heard of Jesus and knew that His teaching had something to do with the Jewish religion. In fact, it's altogether possible that Pilate wanted an opportunity to see and hear Jesus, but what happened was certainly not what he had hoped for. Pilate could have called a halt to these shenanigans right then and there.

He could have said, "Get out of here!" But he had plenty of political savvy, and knew that "it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him" (vs. 10). So to curry favor, he said, "I'll check him out." After questioning Jesus, he was convinced that this preacher from Galilee was not a political activist. He was not a criminal. He was not a rebel. So Pilate had a problem on his hands. How could he appease the crowd and still preserve some semblance of justice?

His first move was to confront the people with the truth. "I find no basis for a charge against this man" (Lk 23:4). But the crowd would not stand for that. Next, the governor tried to pass the buck. King Herod was in town. Maybe he could find a solution. But that didn't work either. Herod had to agree. Jesus was innocent. "Now what?" Pilate thought. "Maybe if I have Jesus flogged, they will see his bloodied body, have a little pity, and be satisfied." But the leaders and people still weren't appeased. They continued to call for Jesus' death.

Pilate had one last ace up his sleeve. "It was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate" (vv. 6-9). Some choice! Chalk up murder and revolution for Barabbas. Jesus had a clean slate. Pilate was sure the crowd would want Barabbas to stay behind bars. But he didn't bargain on its deep hatred against Jesus. "The chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead" (vs. 11). The crowd chose Barabbas as a substitute for Jesus.

"Bad choice," you say? "How could the crowd be so evil, so stupid, so insensitive? They should have chosen Jesus."

A woman says: "No one understands how terrible my marriage has been. My husband gets so wrapped-up in his work. He comes home exhausted and never has any time to listen to me. He even brings work home from the office. We never go on walks anymore. If we do go out, it's to a movie, and, of course, we can't talk there. But then I met this wonderful, gentle man at work. All he did was offer to listen. We just went to lunch a few times. I didn't expect to fall in love with him. What should I do?" That woman is choosing Barabbas as a substitute for Jesus.

"I don't know what it is, but I just don't feel good about myself. My grades in school aren't that great because I partied too much and didn't study. Now I've got an entry-level job while all my friends are moving up the corporate ladder. I'm glad they still invite me out, but when I'm at the bars, I try so hard to be cool and end up drinking too much. Last weekend I got pulled over and lost my license." That young man is choosing Barabbas as a substitute for Jesus.

"I'm so embarrassed. I can't even tell you what's bothering me because if I do, you'll think I'm horrible. My problem is that I just can't stop giving in to this one temptation. I mean, I know it's wrong, but God understands, right?" That person is choosing Barabbas as a substitute for Jesus.

"You think George is weird? You should hear what Connie did. I'll call you after work and tell you all about it." That person is choosing Barabbas as a substitute for Jesus.

Should I go on? Would you like to sit there the rest of the evening until I hit a scenario that matches your sin? You don't really think you're above that crowd, do you? Above the crowd in Jerusalem who called for Barabbas instead of Jesus? Oh, dear friends, this is Lent, and Lent is a tough season for you and me because we are put in a position from which we can't escape. This business of sin is serious, sad, dangerous, and damnable. You're in it up to your eyeballs, and so am I. This Lenten season we are visiting "Places of the Passion," and we have just entered the place for a substitute. But it's a place we're not too thrilled about because, whether we want to admit it or not, every time we sin, we are choosing Barabbas as a substitute for Jesus and sending the Son of God on His death march.

Every year the key feature of our Lenten worship is to walk with our Lord Jesus to the cross. The primary way we do that is through the reading of the passion history and by giving certain portions of that history a closer examination, explanation, and application through Lenten sermons. I don't know about you, but each time I hear the passion history, I find myself identifying with some of the characters: Peter who denied his Lord, John Mark who dropped his robe and ran away when Jesus was arrested, the women weeping at the foot of the cross.

But there are some characters we shy away from, aren't there. "No way am I a Judas, a Herod, or a Pilate!" Then the preacher starts the inevitable application, reminding us of our sins, and, sure enough, we have to swallow hard and admit that inside our very own heart is a Christ-betraying Judas, a miracle-mocking Herod, and a truth-ignoring Pilate. But there's one character we just can't be, Barabbas. Murderers we are not!

But you know what's coming, don't you. "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him" (1 Jn 3:15). If someone videotaped your entire life and captured your every move and mood, do you think the tape would show a flicker of inappropriate anger, like when you gave the phys. ed. teacher a dirty look for making you do all those push-ups, or when the state trooper wouldn't accept your perfectly logical explanation for being in a hurry and handed you a ticket, or when your friend said something nasty and hurt your feelings? You know, you can't hide from God any more than Adam and Eve could in the garden. Not only are we all little Judases, Herods, and Pontius Pilates. We are all little Barabbases, waiting on death row for a sure and certain sentence of condemnation to be carried out. But God takes us to this "Place of the Passion," to a place for a substitute. "What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked them. "Crucify him!" they shouted. "Why? What crime has He committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!" Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified" (vv. 12-15). Jesus went to the cross as a substitute for Barabbas.

But here's the miracle: God gave Jesus as a substitute for all of us little Barabbases. So complete is that substitution that a few folks are shocked when asked the question, "Has God ever cursed you?" People are willing to admit that being cursed or damned by God is what they deserved, but they have to think twice to realize that God has indeed cursed and damned every one of us. He damned you to hell when He cursed His Son. That's how full and complete Jesus' substitution is. God condemned His beloved Son and, in doing so, condemned us. God now considers Jesus' suffering to be ours, Jesus' pain to be ours, Jesus' death to be ours. Yes, because of our sin, you and I are all little Barabbases, but God gave Jesus as a substitute for us all.

"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed" (Isa 53:4,5).

A place for a substitute – there is no better place to be. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Rev. Steven S. Billings
Lent 3
Sermon
3-11-2007

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

 

1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; ² and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³ and all ate the same spiritual food; ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well_pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. ⁶ Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved. ⁷ And do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY." ⁸ Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty_three thousand fell in one day. ⁹ Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. ¹⁰ Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

 

Children of God in all walks of life are subjected to daily temptations to sin against God and their fellow man, to violate the law of love. A businessman may see an opportunity to make a fancy profit by contracting an unfair, shady deal, by taking unscrupulous advantage of a customer or a competitor; a housewife may be tempted to indulge in unloving gossip about an acquaintance; a high school student may be tempted to associate with the wrong type of people and end up with bitter regrets. Such is life. Some Christians remain steadfast and resist opportunities to sin, while others easily compromise their Christian principles.

We are living in the middle of a spiritual battleground, so let's take a moment to consider the battle in our lives between God's kingdom and the kingdom of Satan, the testing of the child of God, and the way of escape which our blessed Lord provides so that we can bear these burdens of life.

St. Paul begins by saying: "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" As strong as you may feel in your faith, you must be on guard daily against letting go of that life-giving connection with Jesus Christ. We all lead a life of paradox – of being a sinner and a saint at the same time, plagued by our old nature and yet being a child of God. Today's Epistle reflects this condition of the Christian life. In fact, all the Epistles of the Lenten season describe how the Christian should walk – how he is to serve the Lord with a life of holiness. In today's Epistle, St. Paul warns us to be on guard against temptations, saying: "We instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more."

So we are to "be careful that we don't fall!" Your faith may be tested severely in this life. As we read in Acts 14(:22) – "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." But, as you will see, the power of our blessed Lord will keep you in His grace when you allow Him to work in and through you and when you live according to His Will.

You see, Paul adds a word of encouragement to his stern warning. He says: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man." It is heartening to know, isn't it, that you are not alone in your tension and struggle of life. Whatever ills you have suffered, others too have borne them – many to a greater degree – for being a part of the human race, you and I share in the radical depravity and perversion which God calls "sin." It's like a strawberry patch, whose roots all developed from one plant, and are all interconnected. There is a kind of common flow through the whole system, and yet it belongs also to each individual. In this same way, you and I share in the common depravity of mankind; but at the same time we share in the gift of God's Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. For this we should be thankful. Anyone who truly comprehends what this means will thank and praise God night and day for what He has done for us.

As Paul says: "God is faithful." In spite of our sin, in fact because of our sin, we have a Replacement on the cross – the cross we should have carried and been nailed to. Even though our friends and family may disappoint us, the world forsakes us, and Satan himself deceives us, God always keeps His promises! He is always there to help us and give us peace! Whatever the difficulty you are going through, the problem is not with God, but within yourself, as it is with every human being.

Listen to Psalm 89: "I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You established Your faithfulness in heaven itself." Yes, through sin we have broken our end of the covenant; we have let go of our connection with God. But He has renewed the covenant; He has rebuilt the bridge, actually becoming the bridge for us. Jesus Christ, with His own body and blood, has filled in the gap between you and God. By His grace we are able once again to hook up with Christ and the life He desires for us. God's promise – His faithfulness in sending the Messiah – was an action planned in eternity and carried out long ago, but it is an ongoing action which continues to benefit you every day as you live the life He has planned for you through the power of His Son.

Paul goes on to demonstrate God's faithfulness. He says: "He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." Of course, God doesn't tempt us in the sense of enticing us to evil, but in the other sense that Scripture uses this word: to test, to try, to prove a person's faith, as Hebrews 12 tells us: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as His own child."

Even though this loving discipline may seem strong and hard to take, God promises in always to give you the strength to meet the test; He will never test you beyond your ability. Scripture says: "As thy days, so shall thy strength be" (Deuteronomy 33:25). What an awesome promise! As long as you live, through-out your whole life, your Lord will provide you with the power, strength, and help you need – maybe not much more than you need – but always as much as you need. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil" (Psalms 23:4). You know, God doesn't leave us in the valley, but always carries us safely through to the other side. No matter what the burden, no matter what the difficulty, God is on your side! "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

Now Paul nails all this down with a very concrete statement. He says: "When you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." Of course, really, the Lord Himself is the Way of Escape, and if we cling to Him and hide in Him, we can endure the most severe tests of faith. But, there is also a very practical application to these words. The next time you find yourself in a testing situation, remember that He is not only present with His living help, but He will actually show you the way to overcome that particular crisis. Look at it this way: Imagine yourself going down a long hallway and suddenly you come to a vestibule. There, theoretically, you meet the trial, the test of your faith. Maybe you find yourself tempted by the devil to sin. Maybe you are suffering torment or persecution. Maybe the road of life has gotten rocky or difficult to climb. Imagine that leading out of this vestibule are a series of doors. Our Lord has promised you a way of escape in your time of testing, and your way out – your victory in the trial – is through the use of these doors. It may take several of them in a particular situation; maybe only one will be needed, but in any case, the way of escape is there, and you need only to open the door.

The sign over one of these doors reads: "Prayer." A soldier in battle never tries to confront an enemy battalion on his own; he calls for back-up, for an air-strike, for help from central command. It always amazes me when some people say, "When all else fails, pray." Why do we try to tackle these battles first on our own? We don't have the strength on our own to fight the forces of this world. There's no way we can meet these trials without the help of God. Why not call on Him first, from the very beginning? Begin the battle with your Captain at your side, and the victory will be yours.

Another door is labeled "Sublimation"; in other words, a change of activity, throwing yourself into your work, a hobby, or anything that will divert your attention. A third door opens to the help of a friend. Support groups of all kinds recognize the power of the consolation of the brethren. For many struggles of life, the advice, counsel, and support of a Christian friend may be just what you need. Please don't try to go it alone. Call first upon God, then call a friend, call me, and we'll stand against the test together and rejoice together in the end.

Door number four is titled "Retreat!" Know your limitations. Know the things that get to you the most and avoid them. If going to a certain place causes you to stumble, don't go there. If certain people influence you in negative ways, don't hang out with them. Know yourself, be honest with yourself, and plan ahead to retreat behind the robes of Christ when you see a crisis coming your way.

Sometimes the best door to use is the one with the sign that simply says: "No!" Often this is the hardest door to open, but it is a powerful door indeed. I pray that you will learn to use this door, knowing full well that the Lord will give you the power to open it.

Finally, the most powerful door is the one labeled: "The Word of God." Your Bible may not always be handy in time of testing, but you would do well to have an armory of Scripture verses memorized and ready for use in time of trouble – verses like: "Resist the devil and he will flee from you," (James 4:7) or "I will never leave you nor forsake you," (Hebrews 13:5) or "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of time," (Matthew 28:20), and of course, today's text, which says: "And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." By immersing yourself in the spring of God's holy Word, you will have the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, with which you can conquer anything.

These are a few ways of escape for us to use in our time of trial. Not all of them may work in every situation, but one of them will. The question isn't whether or not they'll work, but rather: Will we be willing to use them when that time comes?

Remember that you and I will never avoid evil or pass God's tests because of Scripture's "thou shalt not's" but because we are His children, and being His children, we simply want to please Him. Why? Because we're special? No, because Christ lives in us and works in us. "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4: 19).

This is the adventure of the Christian life. Oh, sometimes we feel like the little boy who went to the gym the first time and saw people lifting heavy weights and straining with horrible looks on their faces, and then turned to his father and said, "Why don't they just lift lighter weights?" The child of God knows that testing and overcoming obstacles is the way that God proves our sonship. We know we are His because of the victories He gives us the opportunity to win. As the writer to the Hebrews says: "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11).

The Christian life may be no bed of roses as far as the world is concerned, but what a life it is when we realize one victory after another in the name and through the power of Christ! Thank God He is faithful, and His love and power flow to us everyday of our lives. Do you want that love? Do you want that power to stand the test? It's yours, freely; you can't buy it and you can't earn it. Jesus says: "Here it is. Look to the cross, look to Me, and all that I have is yours." In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Rev. Steven S. Billings
Lent 2 MW
Sermon
3-7-2007

St. Mark 14:53-64

 

53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes gathered together. ⁵⁴ And Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers, and warming himself at the fire. ⁵⁵ Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death; and they were not finding any. ⁵⁶ For many were giving false testimony against Him, and yet their testimony was not consistent. ⁵⁷ And some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, ⁵⁸ "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.'" ⁵⁹ And not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. ⁶⁰ And the high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, "Do You make no answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?" ⁶¹ But He kept silent, and made no answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" ⁶² And Jesus said, "I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN." ⁶³ And tearing his clothes, the high priest said, "What further need do we have of witnesses? ⁶⁴ "You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death."

 

We want life to be fair. We make rules and want them enforced in the same way for everyone. And, of course, we want God to be fair . . . or do we? This evening we sit in on Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin and see how unfairly Jesus was treated, why it was that way, and how we fit in.

The Sanhedrin was a ruling religious body of the Jews made up of the Pharisees and Sadducees; some were scribes, others were teachers of the law, or elders. A simple reading of the account of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, and a little background information, give us enough evidence to come to a reasonable conclusion that this trial was unethical, illegal, and unfair. Based on what we know of the ancient Jewish legal system, the Sanhedrin broke its own laws by dragging Jesus into court at night. Oddly enough, this is the defense that modern Jews use in saying that they could not have killed Jesus . . . because such a trial was completely against Jewish Law and tradition, and so the Sanhedrin would not have dared to act in such an illicit fashion!

The Jews also had an unfair motive for putting Jesus on trial, "looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death" (vs. 55). To put it simply: the trial was over before it began. Adding to the unfairness of the trial was the clear lack of evidence for a conviction, so "many testified falsely against him" (vs. 56). Perjured testimony didn't even work, and when they came across something that Jesus truly said as admissible evidence, they dismissed His statement as a lie and used it against Him. Finally, the verdict was wrong and unfair; it condemned an innocent man for telling people who He really was! It's just not fair!

What got into these men? Why did they go to such extreme and illegal measures to have Jesus killed? Sure, Jesus was a threat to their position, prestige, and power among the people, but the real reason is revealed in the words of Caiaphas: "Are you the Christ?" (vs. 61). Caiaphas knew that Jesus had clearly confessed His deity, but neither he nor the majority of the Jews would accept Jesus' claim to be the Son of God and Savior of their souls – a claim fully attested by Jesus' mighty miracles and teaching. Why not? Wasn't it obvious? We can understand why someone today might not believe in Jesus, since no one in our era has seen Him with our own eyes or heard Him with our own ears. But these people had! Shouldn't they, as poor miserable sinners, have welcomed with joy the One who said He was the Good Shepherd, ready to lay down His life for the sheep . . . the Great Physician, here to heal the brokenhearted . . . the Bread of Life, able to provide hungry sinners the rich bounty of manna from heaven?

But, that was the problem: they didn't think they were sinners. "Sinner?! Who? Me?? I don't need to come crawling before God as an unworthy sinner who can offer nothing to deserve His favor; that's for gentile dogs begging for crumbs at the master's table. Besides, I'm a descendant of Abraham; my heritage earns me a right to heaven. It just isn't fair; this rabbi from Nazareth going so far as to say that if I do not in faith accept His claim to be the Savior, I will suffer the same curse for my sins as the heathen nations! It just isn't fair, this devilish deceiver calling us children of the devil! It just isn't fair, this breaker of the Sabbath claiming that even tax collectors and prostitutes will enter heaven ahead of me! This so-called Son of God isn't giving me the credit I deserve. He can't be God! God would be patting me on the back with a smile and giving me what I deserve – a place of honor in heaven as a reward for my virtuous life and heritage! Get rid of this blasphemous imposter before he ruins our religion, no matter what it takes! What he's saying is just not fair!"

This was the reason for their hatred of Jesus. Jesus had thoroughly denounced and discredited all self-gained righteousness before God. It's like finally getting to the cashier in the grocery store, ringing up all your items, handing over your check, when suddenly the cashier says, "Sorry, this line doesn't take checks." The anger at facing another ten minutes in line doesn't even compare with the raging fury and relentless hatred the Jewish leaders held toward Jesus. It was their arrogance that wanted to get rid of Him for good. They would do anything to protect their pride, even if it meant conducting an unfair trial and rendering an unfair verdict.

"Earl didn't deserve to die that way." "How can God let this happen to me when I'm doing my best?" "Of all the families, ours certainly didn't deserve to have this happen." "Why does God let innocent people suffer?" "They can't tell me that my faith is in danger. I was born and raised a Lutheran, and my great-grandfather was baptized in this church." We want God to be fair, to play by the rules of justice, to treat us as we deserve to be treated, and then we think everything should be okay. But this phony system of justice is based on one big, bold, blasphemous lie! It's the same self-deception that led the Jewish leaders to crucify their only Savior: "I deserve to have God's blessing."

Before we, with Sanhedrin-like arrogance, demand that God hand us a silver platter with what we deserve on it . . . we'd better make sure we understand what it is that we deserve. The fact is, even our best effort isn't good enough for our holy Creator. Even our most faithful attempts fail to meet His expectations, falling short of His perfect glory. Of course, we know that, but then the devil tempts us to appeal to our heritage. But God responds: "If you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands . . . and so violate My covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases . . . and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain . . . I will set My face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies . . . I will punish you for your sins seven times over . . . I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve" (Leviticus 26:14-21).

This is what's fair! This is what God owes us! So how can we ever accuse God of laying more afflictions on us than we deserve?! We say, "It's not fair," and we're right! God isn't fair. As the psalmist explains: "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him" (Ps 103:8-11).

It's just not fair! God doesn't treat us as we deserve; He treats us better. How much better? How much more does He love us than He should? The degree of loving unfairness in God's treatment of sinners equals the degree of distance between this ground and the furthest galaxy. Of course, it still remained necessary for the just and holy God to deal with our sins and deliver the punishment we truly deserve. But that blow of justice came crashing down on our substitute, Jesus Christ. That's not fair! He's innocent, yes, but instead of demanding to be treated fairly, our Savior wanted to be unfairly punished for our sins. "I have not been rebellious," He says. "I have not drawn back. I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting" (Isaiah 50:5,6). What might sound like a kamikaze mission, however, is not . . . not with God Almighty mapping the strategy. So the next words our Savior speaks in the Isaiah prophecy reveal His sure and certain hope: "Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced" (vs. 7).

Jesus would endure suffering for us and through that suffering save our souls, but the suffering would not defeat Him. Instead, it would open the door of exaltation and glory, as He told the members of the Sanhedrin. He promised that He would return, "sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven" (vs. 62), and judge them according to their deeds, if that's what they really wanted.

It's just not fair! My innocent Savior's unfair trial before the Sanhedrin was finished before it began. It's not fair! My Savior's bitter trials and torments on the cross should have been mine, not His. It's not fair! I have a merciful God who treated His one and only Son according to what I deserve, and I am now treated according to what Jesus Christ deserves. It's not fair! I don't deserve even the smallest blessing from heaven, and I'm showered with abundance every day. That "unfair" love leads me to have an appreciation for my Savior instead of an arrogance like the Sanhedrin had. That "unfair" love leads me to a participation in humble things, like Christian service, sacrifice, and submission, instead of a proud haughtiness that considers myself too important to roll up my sleeves and work without reward. That "unfair" love leads me to a dependence on God's mercy instead of a denial of my sins. Now I can show that same "unfair" love to my bratty brother and sassy sister, to my classmate who got me in trouble . . . to the coworker who always gets the credit but doesn't do the work . . . to the neighbor who is so obnoxious, and to the friend who destroyed my trust.

Life isn't fair. It wasn't fair to Jesus, and it's not fair to us. Thank God for that! He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, but treated Jesus that way instead. Can we remember that when it comes to treating others with more love, more forgiveness, and more kindness than they deserve? Jesus didn't demand fairness and give up on love. He gave up on fairness and treated us with love. Thanks be to God! In the Name if the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Rev. Steven S. Billings
Lent 2
Sermon
3-4-2007

Philippians 3:17–4:1

 

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. ¹⁸ For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. ²⁰ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. ^4:1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

 

There was a time in our Missouri Synod when any member of any congregation could visit another congregation, pick up a hymnal, and know exactly was about to happen in worship. We all had the same hymnal, and we all used the hymnal in roughly the same way. Nowadays, there is no longer much uniformity to worship our synod's congregations. Each congregation does what is right in its own eyes, either choosing one of the synod's officially recognized hymnals, or collecting elements of worship from any number of different sources and using them instead. In light of today's Epistle, this change is something we each ought to mourn.

When our seminaries gather men together for their incoming classes, the new students come in any number of different shapes, sizes, IQ levels, educational backgrounds, and experiences. But all of this variety really serves a very small purpose in the general scheme of things, because the seminaries are somewhat like factories. They want to produce over and over again roughly one the same thing: faithful pastors. We don't need creativity so much as we need faithfulness in the Office of the Ministry.

In light of today's Epistle, this desired uniformity and faithfulness in our synod's clergy are things in which each of us ought to rejoice. "Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you."

Luther wrote his Large Catechism partly because of the poor conditions he observed in the Church. People were not being well-trained in such basic teachings as the Ten Commandments, the Creed, Holy Baptism or Holy Communion. Many of them could say the words of the Lord's Prayer, but relatively few had any idea what they were praying. The pastors in the congregations were so poorly trained that many were unable to do any substantive teaching, and most of them had no idea how to preach a faithful sermon. Part of the idea behind the Large Catechism is that, if a pastor does not know what he is doing, he could at least take the Large Catechism into the pulpit and read it to the people. In this way, he would be following a "pattern of sound teaching" (2 Timothy 1:13). In this way, he would be able to provide his congregation with the "milk" and the "solid food" (Hebrews 5:12) of God's Word, nourishing them in the one true faith. The Large Catechism allows the poor, under-trained pastor to "take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you" and to pattern his life accordingly, even in the pulpit.

In today's Epistle, St. Paul declares that all pastors, all teachers, all Christians in every pew are essentially herd animals. Like cows or buffaloes, zebras or elephants, it is not given to any of us to go off on our own and choose our own way of following Jesus. Rather, the apostle says, "Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you" (Philippians 3:17). See to it that you fix your attention upon and mimic those who live in the way we have taught you to live. Identify them, keep focused upon them, and imitate them. Do not imitate your dad simply because he is your dad! Imitate him because he is a Christian! Believe as he believes; love as he loves; forgive as he forgives; keep the commandments as he keeps the commandments; repent as he repents. And if your dad should stop living "according to the pattern we gave you," then stop imitating and mimicking him. Stick with the herd of those who do live "according to the pattern we gave you." Follow their example. Fix your attention upon them.

A military unit will not go into combat until it has been properly trained. Training consists of learning patterned behavior and practicing the behavior over and over and over again. Soldiers drill in combat maneuvers so thoroughly that they can practically perform their tasks in their sleep. Such practice, such constant imitation of others, is for the soldier's benefit. It is what will keep him alive.

"Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you" (Philippians 3:17). St. Paul makes this seemingly arrogant claim because he knows how to live rightly, he knows how to believe rightly, and he even knows how to die rightly. He does not call upon the Church to imitate him because he has learned the "power of positive thinking" or because he has discovered some "secret way" to get to God. Paul calls upon the Church to imitate him because God the Holy Spirit has crushed him under the Law, and God has raised Paul to a new life of faith and forgiveness in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is for this reason that St. Paul calls you to such imitation and mimicry. He does so for your benefit, in order that you may know the pattern of eternal life. Just as the soldier in combat will rely on his patterned training, so also may you trust and rely on the training that you likewise receive when you "take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you" and when you stay closely connected to this "herd" we call the Christian Church.

"Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you" (v. 17). With these words, St. Paul tells you that you must mimic and imitate faithful Christians, not choosing your own way or walking your own path, but walking with them and with the whole Church of all time in the pattern of eternal life.

Just as the younger members of a herd will follow the adults to green pastures and to sweet waters, so also must we follow the pattern of eternal life that has been handed down to us from St. Paul and all the other New Testament writers. We follow where they lead, not because we are mindless beasts, but because they know where the water of eternal life is found. We pattern ourselves after them, not because they figured out a way to please God, but because they walked in the faith and hope that God Himself had given them – which faith and hope He likewise has given you. We follow their example, because they followed after our Lord Jesus, and where He leads there is life and salvation.

In order to earn for you the great forgiveness that comes to you through His blood, your Lord Jesus Himself took note of those who lived according to the pattern of faith and trust in God. He patterned Himself after them. Even in today's Gospel (Luke 13:31-35), when King Herod wanted to kill Him, Jesus would not allow Himself to depart from the pattern of those who had gone before Him. He replied, "I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day – for surely no prophet can die outside of Jerusalem!" (Luke 13:33).

It is as if Jesus declared, "God sent any number of prophets to His people, and all God's prophets followed the pattern of preaching His Word purely and honestly. Many of them also fit the pattern of being rejected and killed in Jerusalem the holy city. I Myself am a prophet from God, and even more than that, I am the sacrificial Lamb who takes away the sin of the whole world. Just as those heaven-sent men before Me died outside of Jerusalem, so shall I follow their pattern. I shall die there, too, and My death shall be for the sins of all people everywhere."

It would be a good thing for all of our sister congregations to return to one regular worship form that we all hold in common. It would be a good thing for our seminaries to redouble their efforts to produce but one product: not creative individuals but faithful pastors. It would be a good thing for each Christian, especially during this season of Lenten repentance, to "Join with others in following [the apostle's] example, and take note of those who live according to the pattern [they] gave [to us]" (v. 17). In patterning ourselves after them, we will continually repent of our sins, as they repented. We will daily cry out to God for His mercy and forgiveness, for which they, too, daily cried. We will trust in the crucified and resurrected Christ alone for our salvation, just as they trusted. By Christ your sins are forgiven, just as surely as theirs were forgiven. By Christ you now have eternal life, just as they have it with Him in heaven. It is true that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! (Colossians 3:18-4:1). This is nothing other than the pattern of eternal life. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Rev. Steven S. Billings
Lent MW 1
Sermon
2-28-2007

St. Mark 14:32-42

 

32 And they came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here until I have prayed." ³³ And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. ³⁴ And He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch." ³⁵ And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. ³⁶ And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for Thee; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what Thou wilt." ³⁷ And He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? ³⁸ "Keep watching and praying, that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." ³⁹ And again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. ⁴⁰ And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. ⁴¹ And He came the third time, and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴² "Arise, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!"

 

Tonight we take a moonlit walk from the upper room, where Jesus instituted His Holy Supper, to the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane literally means "oil press," and it was the name of a grove of olive trees whose fruit was pressed to make valuable oil. Here Jesus is pressed between heaven's eternal expectations and hell's terrible temptations. Here Jesus presses the cup of God's wrath for the world's sins to His sinless lips and begins drinking its bitter sorrow to the dregs on our behalf. Here the weak flesh of the disciples presses hard against their willing spirit. Here, in the midst of the greatest pressing this garden has ever known, Jesus triumphs over temptation, not just to show us that with His help we can do the same, but to save us from the times we don't.

"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (vs. 38). How precisely that phrase describes each of us in our pursuit of pleasing God! Yet it also describes our Savior. He was also troubled with temptation, just like us, but He triumphed over it by facing His temptation and then leaning on His Heavenly Father to give Him strength. Jesus fled from temptation and He ran to His Father. This is where we find Him enduring the extreme temptation to give in to the devil in anticipation of His overwhelming suffering.

Jesus also kept watch on His temptation by seeking companionship. "Stay here and keep watch with me" (vs. 34). As the Son of God, Jesus offered what these men needed, but as the Son of Man, He needed what they could offer: companionship during hard times. Jesus also kept watch by confessing how He felt. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (vs. 34), He said. "I don't want to do this; I feel overwhelmed by this whole thing." Remember, Jesus is the almighty God, but He was also a real human susceptible to real human weakness and emotions; He didn't try to convince Himself otherwise. He needed help from His Father and asked for it. By keeping an active watch, Jesus triumphed over temptation. Remember, being tempted is not a sin . . . giving in to temptation is where the danger lies!

How did the disciples do in keeping an active watch? Not very well, I'm afraid. Three times Jesus returned to these men who said they were ready to die with Him, and three times He found them sleeping on the job. What a help they were! "Lord, I know you ask me to keep watch, but you don't always find me aware of my weaknesses; you find me sleeping. Lord, I know you ask me to be alert against danger, but you don't always find me awake; you find me sleeping. Lord, I know you ask me to be active in serving you and others with my talents, but you don't always find me helping unselfishly; you find me sleeping." How often are we found in just the same shape as those in the Garden that night with our Lord?

You see, we're just like the disciples. We're sincere in our intentions but unsuccessful in carrying them out. Actually, like the disciples, we become more of a hindrance to Jesus than a help. But did you notice what Jesus did with these men? When they faltered in their service to Him, He patiently woke them up, told them what needed to be done, and brought them along with Him. Jesus never gives up on those He loves. And He deals with His disciples today just as He dealt with those in the garden. He wakes us up from spiritual sleepiness, not with barking anger but with gentle love. Then He reminds us of His will when we hear or remember His Word, and He always takes us with Him so that He never leaves us alone.

According to the Greek myth, Achilles, the great hero of the Trojan War, was, as a child, dipped by his mother in the waters of the River Styx to make him invulnerable. Later in life, however, the poisoned arrow of Paris found the spot in Achilles' heel where his mother had held him, a spot untouched by the magic water. Even the strongest Christian is in danger of falling if he doesn't acknowledge his weak spots, because Satan seeks to plunge his poisoned arrows into us every day. Acknowledge your weaknesses; then frequently run to the security of your God . . . a God of refuge . . . knowing that He will strengthen and protect you. Listen to God speak to you in His Word. Speak back to Him in prayer. Ponder what He says and how to apply it to your life. Seek the company of committed brothers and sisters in Christ whom you can trust . . . share your burden. Of course, this takes trust and Christian love, for people will know the deep secrets of your soul, and may be able to tell you things you may be unwilling to tell yourself.

Besides keeping watch and taking an involved role in triumphing over temptation, Jesus took a passive approach and, through prayer, submitted to the Father's Will. Jesus prayed: "Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will" (vs. 36). Jesus didn't stop short of making His own feelings and concerns known, even His own personal desires in this situation, but He did that conditionally. He knew that His Father had established from eternity that He, the Son of God, would save sinners from everlasting condemnation. Jesus didn't question that, but He did wonder about a different way to make it happen. As He approached some of the final battles with the forces of hell and with the sins of the whole world, He battled with His flesh about really doing what was necessary! And so He asked if there were any another possible way.

As a child I remember thinking it sure would be nice if there were another way to get over being sick than by drinking that awful-tasting medicine, but that was the best way. How true it is that the best way is often the most difficult way. It was true for Jesus, and it's true for us every day of our lives. The best way to raise a teenager . . . the best way to keep a job . . . the best way to attain financial security . . . the best way to be a good friend . . . the best way to save a marriage . . . the best way to improve a Christian life . . . the best way to stay healthy . . . the best way to avoid temptation is usually the most difficult way. The most difficult way is

good because it requires the greatest faith, which allows God to be more involved in His great work. The most difficult way is good because it requires the greatest perseverance, which produces great character and commitment in God's children.

The best way for Jesus to save us was the most difficult way. And when the Father put the bitter cup of suffering, pain, ridicule, and death to His Son's lips, He didn't pull away. There's the key to understanding Jesus' prayer: He sought His own will, but He did so conditionally; He sought His Father's will completely unconditionally. In other words, if what Jesus wanted and what His Father wanted were different, His Father's desires came first. Jesus drank the most vile and disgusting drink the world has ever known, poisoned with our immoral thoughts, our ugly anger, our potent words, and our grimy guilt, so that we wouldn't have to take even a sip. If that's what it had to take, then that's what Jesus would give. Strengthened, reassured, and confident in what the Father asked him to do, Jesus then left the safety of Gethsemane to face His enemies and begin the final battle to the death – winner-takes-all – and we know Jesus won.

The darkness in the Garden of Gethsemane that night was like no other in any garden of the world, because the prince of darkness was seeking to match his power with the Light of the world. It was in a Garden that Satan defeated the first Adam. Now he sought to defeat the second Adam in a Garden as well. The oil pressed that night was like no other, because it was pressed as sweat and blood through the pores of the God-man, who was suffering for us. The triumph over temptation was like none the world will ever know, because the Savior's triumph is our trophy of victory over sin, death and hell. Since we are Christ's own, all our opponents in this world and in the kingdom of darkness will be gearing up for us. Awake and permitting God's Will to be our choice and with our Savior at our side, we watch and pray. Like Jesus, we will rise to meet our evil enemies face to face, and, through faith in His victory for us, we, too, will triumph over temptation. Thanks be to God! In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Rev. Steven S. Billings
Lent 1
Sermon
2-25-2007

Romans 10:8b-13

 

8b "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART" -- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; ¹⁰ for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; ¹³ for "WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

 

Have you ever noticed that certain words are unusually powerful? The power of a word is sometimes unbelievable. There are words that can bring to mind memories that have been long forgotten. There are words that can evoke all kinds of emotional responses. The power of a word is often remarkable.

Take the word "chocolate." You say "chocolate" to some people and they have an almost Pavlovian response. Their mouth begins to water and their face lights up. Tell them that you have chocolate, and they look like a kid on Christmas morning - just 'by saying the word chocolate; it's a very powerful word.

How about the word "art." When I hear the word "art," one of the things I think of is a guy I knew in High School. His name wasn't Art, it was Jeff, but somebody decided he looked like an Art, so that's what we called him. But when you think of art, what do you think of? Paintings like the ones Michelangelo painted in the Sistine chapel? Do you think of Renaissance paintings or those of the French Impressionists? Or do you think of Modern art? I find it amazing what some people call art these days. Take some paint and throw it on a canvass and call it art; you might get somebody to actually pay money for it. I read of a new technique recently. You'll think I'm making this up, but I promise you it's true. They take snails and dip them in paint and let them crawl across a canvass. Ah, the genius of Modem art. It goes to show that what the word brings to mind is quite different from person to person, but that it fills our minds eye with all sorts of visions and images would never be debated. The word "art" is very powerful indeed.

So words can be very, very powerful. But as powerful as a word can be, it pails in comparison to the power of the Word. This is something that this morning's text makes clear, but not this text only. The Bible is full of references to the power of the Word.

It is demonstrated by Christ Himself, who not only is the Word of God in the flesh, He also uses the Word of God in His fight against the temptations of Satan, as we heard in today's Gospel. Earlier in the book of Romans Paul speaks of the Word of the Gospel, calling it the power of salvation to all who believe. For the next few minutes, we will be focusing on the power of the Word, specifically with reference to its nearness, its accomplishments, and its universality.

The word is powerful, first of all, because it is near to us. Paul begins this passage with a quote from Deuteronomy 30. Here, Moses is preaching to the people, telling them that it is not difficult to keep God's Word, because God makes it available to us. He says: "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, 'Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, 'Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." God used Moses and the prophets to bring His Word to the people of the Old Testament, He used the apostles and other disciples to bring it to the people of the New Testament, and He uses His modem day prophets - pastors and preachers - to bring it to us today.

So there is no excuse. We will never be able to say: "Gee, I didn't know. . ." If you don't know, it's your own fault. Our congregation provides regular worship services every Sunday and Wednesdays during Advent and Lent. It offers two Bible studies every week. There are Bibles easily available just about everywhere. If you don't have one, just ask; we'll give you one for free. So if you don't know the Word of God, it's not for lack of availability; it's due to your own laziness and stubbornness to not avail yourself of the opportunities to learn.

God has done everything possible to make His Word available to you. In fact, for believers, He has even implanted His Word in our heart, so that it lives in us and teaches us from the inside. Psalm 119 says: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." What's more is that with God's Word comes God Himself into our very beings. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Word of God within us, and with Him is the Father, living within us. It is not just the Word in us, but God Himself in us! What a comfort it is to have that Word inside and to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking through that Word, reminding us that we belong to God and He belongs to us. That God's Word is so close is a miracle. That it lives in us is a testimony to it strength and power.

The power of the Word is also shown in its accomplishments. When that Word lives in us, it doesn't just lay there, ineffective. It has and utilizes its power to create and sustain faith in our hearts, which is then shown by our being able to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Through that faith and confession, God declares us righteous and calls us saved. Of course, the faith that the Word creates is always a matter of the heart. True faith is internal, inside, deep down within us, going to the core of our being, permeating every nook and cranny. It's not this superficial, make-believe stuff that a lot of people have. Real faith, true faith is more than just knowing intellectually. More than the mind is involved; it's primarily a matter of the heart. We don't just believe that there is a God and agree with our mind to follow His teaching, we also trust Him with everything that we are and have. And what is the result of this faith? The result is that we are saved from sin, our own sin, from death, and from the power of the devil, as we learn in our Catechism. So the first accomplishment of the Word of God is the creation of true saving faith in the hearts of those who are exposed to it.

Another accomplishment of the Word is the defeat of Satanic forces. In today's Gospel Jesus used the power of the Word to put down the temptations of the devil. In our text St. Paul tells us, quoting from Isaiah: "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." In other words, we will not be shown to have built on a faulty foundation when we trust and build on the Word. Unbelievers try to shame us. A colleague of mine in the Pittsburgh area recently had a tragedy in his congregation, in which a young man, one of his most faithful members, lost his wife and two daughters in an automobile accident. In his funeral sermon he comforted the congregation with the words: "We believe that we will see them again in heaven." After the funeral he overheard an unchurched relative (who happens to be a psychologist) say: "It is common in cases like this for people to be in denial." No, we're not in denial. We have the reality. And try as they might to shame us into giving up that reality, the power of the Word defeats their efforts, and we can go on in faith, knowing the absolute certainty of that faith.

And not only can we believe in the face of opposition, we can confess with our mouths and with our lives what we believe and know to be true. This the Word accomplishes in us. You know, in the text there is no distinction made between believing and confessing, between our hearts and our words. Our heart, words and life are all tied together. And it is the same Word that forms all three.

Remember how the apostles in Acts chapter four were ordered not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus? Do you remember how they responded? "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." And it is the same for us. We see, hear, feel and experience things which are not explainable in terms acceptable by the people of this world. But friends, we are not people of this world. The Word has made us people of that other world, the world that is to come, the world which awaits us as we pass from this life into the next. That is our ultimate destiny; that is the ultimate reality. And in this life we see and hear and experience, as people of that reality, glimpses of that reality, so convincing, so persuading, that we can neither deny its existence or our urge to speak of it. When we find ourselves believing things which do not make sense (such as the forgiveness of sins, the efficacy of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and so on), and when we feel the desire to share what we believe with others, we must take note of the fact that this is not some doing of our own; this is an accomplishment of the Word, and that is another demonstration of its power.

Finally, the power of the Word is shown in its universality. There is no need for different words for different people or different times. God doesn't need to have a different Word for the people of China than He does for the people of Africa or Asia or America. He uses the same Word, only in a language that the people understand. Different words, but the same Word. "@àJTH (D ²(VB0Fg