Sinner and Saint

Listen!...Why?

The Transfiguration of our Lord, 2017

Matthew 17:1-9

“Listen!...Why?”

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

            The Day of Jesus' Transfiguration was a big day for Peter, James and John. Imagine what they saw: Jesus shone like the sun and his clothes turned white. Moses and Elijah, heroes of the Old Testament, suddenly appear and speak with Jesus. It was awesome! It was a shocking sight to behold. For a short time, these disciples would see Jesus in all His glory! But what does this have to do with us? Maybe the events leading up to our Lord’s Transfiguration will help us.

            Less than a week before He was transfigured, Jesus would pointedly reveal to his disciples that he was the Christ! And He explained what that meant: “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Mark 8:31-33)

            And then he told them, “some standing here today will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Mark 9:1) With these words hanging in the air for just 6 days, the very next thing the Gospel writers detail is the Transfiguration.

            In those six days, we can only wonder what ran through those disciples' minds. Was the truth about Jesus starting to sink in? The truth that he was a suffering Messiah, not a triumphant conqueror? Were they perhaps becoming doubtful about him? What's this crazy talk about death and resurrection, anyway? And what did he mean by they will see him coming in his kingdom?

            Have you ever been put off by the word of God? Have you ever struggled to understand, or to believe what Scripture teaches? Has a sermon ever not sat that well with you, bothered you – made you churn and squirm? Does the law have its way with you? And are you sometimes not only confused about God, but also yourself – how you fit in with his plan?

            Sometimes we get it right, like Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” (Matthew 16:16) Sometimes we get it wrong like Peter, thinking we know better than our Lord. And sometimes, we just don't get it at all.

            We look at ourselves and see filth instead of the glory that shines in Christ. We are bumbling fools in our sins, filthy and slimy. Dark and dull. Twisted and evil. We are the opposite of the mountaintop, we are the depths and chasms, wallowing in the muck of our misery. To be in the presence of such glory – we can see why Peter wanted to build some tents and stay awhile. But that wasn't the point either.

            Peter, James and John were on the mountaintop with their Lord. Jesus' appearance changes – dazzling white glory – they get a peek behind the veil of his humility. After all, he truly is God of God and Light of Light. Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets, all the Old Testament scriptures testifying to Jesus as Lord. And best of all, the voice from heaven, God's own voice overshadowed them, and said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Matthew 17:5)

            Peter, James, John: You may be awe struck by your Old Testament heroes. You may have the image seared on you forever – but listen! Regardless the shock you have by the surroundings…Listen to him! Listen to Jesus!

            And so what does he say? “And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Matthew 20:18-19) Well that seems underwhelming!

            Dear Christian: this great event, this mountaintop experience, this bright shining moment is awesome, but it's nothing compared to the glory yet to come. It's nothing compared to the day, the Friday that Jesus has in mind, and the Sunday morning to follow. There, on that mountain called Calvary, Jesus would come into his kingdom. And John, who had a front row seat to the transfiguration, will stand at the foot of the cross.

            There Jesus will be stripped of all earthly dignity, rather than clothed in glory. There Jesus will be flanked by common thieves, not patriarchs of the faith. There darkness will blot out the sun, rather than radiance shining forth. There no one would say, “it is good to be here, let's build some tents and stay a while.” There, God would not consider Jesus his beloved Son with whom he is well pleased, but instead, he would forsake him who was made to become sin for us.   

            But listen to him. Listen to what Jesus says! What he says there, on the cross, matters even more. He says about those crucifying Him: Father, forgive them. He says to the thief on the cross who believes: You will be with me in paradise. He says to one and all…concerning sin, death, and the grave: It is finished.

            The transfiguration of our Lord – it shows Jesus glory. It gives the disciples, and us, just a peek of what our eyes cannot see – that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. The voice of the Father confirms it. But this mountaintop experience isn't the goal. It simply prepares us for that other mountain, where Jesus does what he really came to do – die for sinners like us. Knowing his true identity is important to understanding that death – that Jesus, God made flesh, dies for all people – It is the center of our faith!

            What does the transfiguration mean to us? It means that Jesus Christ is the Son of  God. It  means that the cross matters all the more – that his suffering and death for us actually do save us – because he is God in the flesh. The transfiguration reminds us that it's God's beloved Son who dies for us. The glory of the transfiguration points us to the darkness of the cross. There is God's kind of glory – a power made perfect in weakness – salvation through suffering – sweet life for all won by Jesus' bitter death.

            And finally, the transfiguration gives us a hint of paradise – the kingdom of glory, when we will see Christ as he truly is, as he comes to raise us up forever. Then, we too will be like him, glorified; we will be transfigured – changed – made perfect – body and soul forever. The transfiguration is Christ is a glimpse of our future in him.

            Until then, the glory remains hidden. Awesome gifts are bestowed with water and God's Word. Jesus continues to come to us humbly, under bread and wine, with His body and blood. He is here today – forgiving you, renewing you, and transfiguring you, by faith. So receive him, see him, listen to him. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Life or Death?

Epiphany 6, 2017

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

"Life or Death?"

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

            Your belly is full of spaghetti as you exit the Princess Cafe. So full that if you were to lie down, you might fall asleep in a post-Thanksgiving-style nap. To keep awake, you decide to take a walk along Indiana Ave.

          It's early evening and the sun is setting over the farmland west of town, painting a gorgeous array of pastel oranges and pinks. The warm soft breeze bring back memories of days gone by on the farm when you were a youth.

          You  miss those day. The days when you could do or be anything you wanted. It was an easier life; a fuller life; a joyful life. Now the weeks blur together, hardly changing. It's always the same-old same-old, and you wonder if there will ever be a sense of adventure in your life again.

          As you walk back home you notice the doors are standing open at the top of the stairs to the old Zion Lutheran Church building on Elliott Street. To go up the stairs and peek inside turn to page 15. To keep walking home turn to page 23.

          When I was in junior high I used to love the Choose Your Own Adventure books. I would read the book over and over again picking all the different choices. Sometimes I'd look ahead to make sure that my choice wouldn't suddenly end the story right then and there. Many think that this is how life is lived...as if life is just a big Choose Your Own Adventure book. Many might think that this is what is taking place in our Old Testament lesson.

          "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

          Sounds just like a Choose Your Own Adventure book! Choose life and its blessings or choose death and punishment. The only thing missing are where to turn the page to after you make your choice. But in this life... we don't get to look ahead to make sure we make the right choice. In this life we don't get to start the book over...and over...and over again until we get the right ending. In this life....like the Israelites...we only choose death. Think you'd make a better choice since you know how the Israelites ended up? They did too... only... they knew the results from another story in Scripture... one that we know too.

          "The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:15-17)

          From the very beginning mankind has chosen death. Adam and Eve chose death. The Israelites chose death. When we choose our own wants and desires ahead of God's Word...we choose death. When we ignore God and His Word we choose death. When we lie, cheat, and steal we choose death. When we disobey our parents, teachers, and others God has placed over us we choose death. When we ignore the sin of this world, when we fail to share God's love, when we are afraid to call that which is wicked and evil; that which is contrary to God's Word a sin we choose death. When we fail to call sinners to repentance we choose death. Every time we sin...we choose death.

          But God chose life. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart..." (Jeremiah 1:5) "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

          From the very beginning God chose life. He chose life for you. He chose life for you knowing that it would cost the death of His only begotten Son. He chose life for you even though you sin often. He chose life for you because He loves you. Jesus willingly went to the cross, knowing the wrath He would endure, because He loves you. God loves you. He chose life for you. He gives life to you in this place. He gives life through the Holy Waters of Baptism. He gives life in His Word. He gives life in Jesus' very body and blood given this day.

          By faith we choose life as well. By faith we choose life as we come to this place week after week to receive God's gifts of life. We choose life as we bring our children to be baptized in this place. We choose life as we confess our sins and receive forgiveness. We choose life as we forgive those that have sinned against us. We choose life as we share the wonderful message that God loves all people and sent His Son to die on the cross for the sins of the world. We choose life as we love others as Christ has loved us.

          In a world that is numb to sin and death... in a world that values their best life now rather than the best life to come... in a world that devalues life in the womb as well as life that draws closer to its end... know that God chose life for you! He chose eternal life for you! He chose your life even as He gave up the life of Jesus for you! Life. It's already yours in Christ. It's yours for eternity. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Salt & Light

Epiphany 5, 2017

Matthew 5:13-20

“Salt and Light”

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

            Salt and Light; they are two things that humans can’t live without. Take for example the 33 Chilean miners that were trapped for 69 days back in 2010. Because these miners were in darkness for so long they required having sunglasses upon their rescue. If they had been trapped in the darkness for too long…they would have lost their sight completely. Without light they would become blind.

            Then of course there is salt. Salt is something that most people love to use on their foods…although the majority of us use way too much. That being said…did you know that the human body requires between five and ten grams of salt each day. Humans need a daily intake of salt. Unlike other chemicals that the body requires, salt, cannot be reproduced by the body. Salt is needed by the human body in order to help muscles and nerves to work and to regulate blood pressure.

          “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16)

          Here in our text our Lord calls us as Christians to be salt and light to the world. Just like the salt we eat and the light we see by…we are necessary for Spiritual life in a tasteless world of immorality; a dark world corrupt with sin. What a charge our Lord has given us! Yet within this high calling of the Christian…is a word of warning. “But if salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything.” (Matthew 5:13)

          As Christians we are called by faith to be holy and blameless. We are called to go out and share the wonderful news of Christ. We are called to keep our Lord’s commands. The truth is that we fail…we fail often. By way of life we are called to be as useful as salt but if we aren’t useful the world will not benefit. In the same sense…Jesus is the light of the world and we are called to be reflections of that light to the world. If the light is extinguished…it has no use; for it has no light and the world becomes blind.

          Alan Paton, a Christian whose life and reputation have been dedicated to the cause of justice for all, wrote in Instrument of Thy Peace: “I have no higher vision of the Church than as the Servant of the World, not withdrawn but participating, not embattled but battling, not condemning but healing the wounds of the hurt and the lost and the lonely, not preoccupied with its survival…but with the needs of mankind.”

          Are we, as God’s beloved children, self-centered and preoccupied or are we sharing? Very often we, even as Christians, don’t look any different than the world around us…and that is a shame! For Christians sin just like everyone else, we lust after sinful things, we desire things that harm our faith, we lie, cheat and steal, we fall into temptations…we eat too much, drink too much, fornicate, commit adultery, divorce, and so on. On our own we are salt that has lost its saltiness and are a light that has been extinguished.

          As a clean window lets the sunlight pour through it so that the room is bathed in light, so should Christians by the clarity of their confession and the purity of their lives let Christ shine through them so that the world might be flooded with light, with the knowledge that in Christ there is forgiveness and salvation.

          My brothers and sisters in Christ not only is this your calling…but it is exactly what you are already able to do. You have been baptized into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; buried in death with Christ and raised again. You are special for you are God’s beloved Child. God has given you the gift of faith…faith that He created…faith that He sustains in His Word and in Jesus very body and blood.

          God calls us to be Salt and Light…to produce good and wonderful works…to share the love of Christ and He gives us the faith to do it. As God’s people here in Beecher we are called to go out and proclaim the wonderful news of Jesus. We are called to share Christ through words…and through deeds. As a Church we often focus on numbers…how much money have we brought in, how many people have become members, what number are attending… Maybe we are looking at it the wrong way. Instead of trying to come up with ways to get people in the door…we should instead focus on sharing. Sharing Christ with our friends and family. Sharing Christ with our neighbors. Sharing Christ with our daily lives.

          In a small English town it was the custom that at evening Vespers the deacon would light a candle as each family of the parish entered to worship. Naturally, the more families worshipping, the more candlelight there was in the church. The more the children of God let their light shine in this darkened world, the more light of the Gospel there will be.

          It is a high honor as God’s beloved children to be called Salt and Light to this world. While it may seem hard at times to share Christ…or even to help someone in need…how joyous it is to see God bring another person to faith in Christ. One of the greatest joys I have as a Pastor is not only to hold a baby and baptize them…but to give thanks to God and rejoice when He calls one of His children home. Why be Salt and Light? Why share Christ with words and deeds? Because of love. Because Christ loves you. Because you love others. There is no greater love than sharing the love of God that is Christ Jesus. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.