Watch Out For The Landmines

Watch Out For the Landmines

Matthew 5:13-20

Our Gospel passage is found in the familiar Sermon on the Mount.  Our Lord has given us what we commonly call “The Beatitudes” as guidelines for being joyous and happy within the Kingdom.  The beatitudes appeared to be foolishness to the world’s way of thinking.  We certainly know that they were alien to the Pharisees’ way of thinking and Jesus now addresses the Pharisaical approach to righteousness in the passage before us.

The Pharisees believed that the Torah, the Law, contained God’s plan of redemption and that by strictly keeping the Law they would eventually usher in the Messianic age and the Kingdom of God on earth.

The Pharisees treated God’s Law like a fortress.  The Law was not to be breeched.  It was not to be broken, trampled on, handled lightly, taken for granted, misused, or in any way disobeyed, because in so doing, the Messianic age would be delayed.  So in order to protect the fortress of the Law, the Pharisees put up a barrier around the Law.  They began to add hundreds upon hundreds of interpretations to the Law so that every possibility of breaking the law might be covered.  In time, these interpretations became petty regulations that then became explosive landmines, so that everywhere the Israelite stepped, he or she was in danger of “blowing himself up” so-to-speak.

The Israelite constantly lived in the shadow of “Don’t do this, don’t do that; don’t touch this, and don’t touch that; don’t go here and don’t go there; don’t eat this, and don’t eat that; only travel this far on this day; only help a person on these days,” and so forth and so on.

After awhile, the keeping of the Law with all of the accompanying rules, regulations, and interpretations, became the focus of religious life, rather than the ministering to the sick, the poor, the outcast, the needy, and the hungry.  Religious life became a hated obligation and duty rather than a labor of love and devotion.

And then one day, a young rabbi named Jesus from Nazareth comes on the scene.  While keeping the Law, he strolls through the minefield without a care, breaking one rule and regulation and interpretation after another as he healed the lame, the blind, the deaf, the sick, and raised the dead.  He even appeared to condemn the Law as not being worthy to be followed, as he talked about the Kingdom of God in a new light and gave new mandates for Kingdom life.

In fact, this new rabbi said that it was actually possible to be joyful while serving God and that it was possible to find happiness in the Kingdom of God.

Notice if you will two things that were to differentiate Kingdom members from Law-Keepers:

First, Kingdom members are to be out in the world, not staying apart from it.  (V. 13-16)

Disciples of Jesus are to be out in the world as opposed to shutting themselves off from the world so that they do not get themselves tainted by sin.

The Pharisees cut themselves off from the people who needed them because they were afraid of making themselves ceremonially unclean.  They were afraid that by getting out among the people they might inadvertently step on some “landmines” and blow their foot off or worse and thereby make themselves impure.

However, Jesus says that his disciples are to be more concerned about being salt and light in the world.  We are to bring the light of the Gospel to those in darkness so that they can see the pits they are about to fall in to.  We are to bring the Gospel in to the world so that the lost might taste and see that the Lord is good and that his Kingdom is to be desired.

The Law of God as given through Moses was intended to be a light to the people.  But the Pharisees had so contorted and twisted the Law that it was anything but a light.  It was so convoluted that it actually darkened people’s hearts and minds.  Jesus says that his followers are to be the light.  As Jesus was the light that came into darkness, so also his disciples are to take the light of the Gospel into the world and by the example of their lives show forth the light of the glory of God.

Notice in these verses that people will see our good deeds and give praise.  The Pharisees liked to blow trumpets and make announcements when doing good so that people would notice them.  There is to be none of that by Kingdom members.  We are to go about our lives, living out the values of the Gospel, living out the Beatitudes, and people will naturally see the light of Christ in us and good will result and the praise will go to God, not to us.

Second, the righteousness of Kingdom Members must exceed that of Law Keepers (V. 20).

Jesus says that he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, not do away with them.

First, Christ fulfilled the Law by his teachings: both by restoring to the Law its proper meaning and true use, and by revealing the right way in which the Law may be fulfilled.

Second, in His person: both by performing perfect and perpetual obedience unto its precepts, and by suffering its penalty, enduring death upon the Cross for His people.

Third, in us, in the elect: by putting faith in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, so that we believe and trust in Christ who fulfilled the law for us, and by giving us the Holy Spirit which imparts to us a love for God and his standards of right conduct.  The Holy Spirit also gives us the ability to keep the moral laws and commands of God.

Jesus did not do away with the Law.  He fulfilled it and he re-defined it.  His life, death, and resurrection became the fulfillment of the Law.

The orientation of the new covenant is to Christ and the cross, not to Moses and the tables of stone. 

Stan Key has said,  “Christ, you see, is not only our righteousness, in whom alone we are justified before God. But he is also our sanctification, our complete redemption. We are raised from the dead by Christ our Savior and transported out of the broad way that leads to destruction, into the way of His commandments, the way of life. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, from which, as a new principle, we live. The law of God, therefore, is written on the very tables of our heart, and is impressed upon our very being. It has become, in truth, the perfect law of liberty, in which we desire to walk. It is that which Christ has fulfilled, and which He also fully expounds as we gather from Matthew 5…  We no longer stand at the foot of Sinai; but we live after Christ. For that reason when we consider the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” we also discuss Christ’s explanation of that as including hatred and anger. We do not confine ourselves simply to the letter of the Ten Commandments. Rather, we seek to know their depth and breadth as the law of love which God requires of us who are His.”

So as Kingdom members, we exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees when we live our lives by the Spirit of the Law and not by the letter of the law.  The letter kills but the Spirit gives life.

In closing, let me make some practical applications from this passage.  There are several ways I could approach practical application but I will choose just one route.  Let’s compare Law Keepers with those who properly understand the New Covenant:

Law Keepers:

1.  Very legalistic – Don’t do this, don’t do that – if I don’t do these certain things than I am holy.  Often suffer from scrupulosity

2.  Very judgmental and very disapproving of others

3.  “It’s my way or the highway” attitude

4.  The smallest transgression becomes a “landmine”

5.  Not happy people, often pessimistic

6.  Slow to see the hand of God at work

7.  Just not gracious people

New Covenant:

1.  Have a spirit of liberty and freedom

2.  Accepting of others and willing to mingle

3.  Understand that their way is not necessarily the only or best way (this is not to say that someone can just believe anything they want or spout heresy)

4.  Doesn’t make a mountain out of a molehill

5.  Optimistic

6.  Sees God at work even when He does not appear to be working mightily

7.  Gracious

May God pour out his spirit within us so that our righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees.  May we be the salt and light we are called to be as Christians.

 

 

You Only Get What You Faith For

You Only Get What You “Faith” For

Mark 12:38-44     and     1 Kings 17

A family came home from church one Sunday afternoon and sat down to eat lunch.  As soon as they sat down they began to complain about the Mass. 

“Sunday School was boring,” said Jane. 

“That choir was terrible” Mom said.  “They were off-key and I hated that song they sang during the Eucharist.” 

“Well,” said Dad, “That priest needs to study a little more.  The homily was too long, it didn’t make any sense to me, and I heard that same Scripture preached on a couple of years ago.” 

The complaining continued for a few more minutes until finally little Johnny spoke up and said, “What are all you all complaining about?  Daddy always says, ‘You get what you pay for and he only put a dollar in the offering basket today!”

As the old saying goes, “You only get what you pay for.”  How many of us have made an expenditure at one time or another thinking that we were going to save money by buying the cheaper brand, or going with the lowest estimate, or taking the bare minimum, only to find out that we ended up paying more in the long run because the old saying was true, “We only got what we paid for”?

Perhaps as we consider the Gospel text of St. Mark and the Old Testament reading concerning the Widow of Zarephath and the Prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 17, we might change the wording of the old saying to something like this:  “You only get what you ‘faith’ for.”

In the Gospel the Lord has been teaching about the hypocritical actions of the Scribes.  These men lived for the praises of their fellow men and women.  They wore the finest religious vestments, not to please God or to set themselves off as the Lord’s servants, but to make an outward display of a supposed holiness.  The better the outward garment, the more esteemed the people would hold them.

When the Scribes and Pharisees gave their offerings in the temple, it was a time for show.  You can picture Jesus sitting and watching as these prominent men walked into the place where the offerings were given and poured out large sums of money in such a way that every one could see them.  They did it in such a way that everyone could “ooh” and “aah” when the money flowed.  There was no holy inward attitude of the giving of the offering.  The amount being given while large, in no way compared to the wealth that these men possessed.  In fact, the amount given was a mere pittance of what they actually owned.

And so Jesus sat and watched with the eyes of the Heavenly Father.  And then our Lord notices a poor widow come to the offering place.  She probably comes unnoticed by those whose eyes are on the Scribes and Pharisees, but the eyes of the all-seeing Lord are upon her.  Discreetly and reverently, she deposits all of her wealth into the treasury for the work of the Lord.  We do not know her name.  Her name is not important.  But what she did that day serves as a living lesson and reminder to all generations of Christians.

You get what you ‘faith’ for.

Let us recall the situation of the Widow of Zarephath for a moment.  The woman and her son had been living on the ragged edge of existence.  There was a famine in the land.  There was no more money to buy food.  We can picture them in the squalid home with nothing in the cupboard except for a bit of flour and a bit of oil – enough of each to make one final meal of bread for the two of them.  The Widow will go and gather what few sticks she can for a fire.  She will make a small amount of bread for her son and herself.  It will be their last meal together before they start the process of dying from hunger.

Now interestingly enough, the Prophet Elijah has been told by God to go to Zarephath where he will find a widow who has been commanded, notice the word commanded, by God to supply Elijah with food.  I have no doubt in my mind that as the widow was out gathering sticks for the last supper that she did not have the slightest idea about this command of God.  I do not believe that she was gathering sticks when all of a sudden a light bulb turned on inside of her head and a voice said to her, “I command you to feed the Prophet Elijah when he comes to you.”

Instead, she was going about her business as usual when suddenly the Prophet shows up and asks for food.  The light still doesn’t come on.  The commanding neon sign does not flash in front of her eyes.  Reason and logic tell us that as a mother, her first obligation was to her son, to take care of him and feed him.  She even makes an excuse to Elijah that she doesn’t have enough food for him; only enough for her and her son.

But the Prophet gives her the Word of the Lord.  He assures her that if she will give him the food that he asks for, God will supply the needs of both her and her son.  She did as the Prophet and you know the rest of the story.  The flour and oil did not run out.  Each day there was a fresh supply for the day’s needs.

Each day, the Widow of Zarephath learned that you get what you ‘faith’ for.

I wonder how many of us have learned the lessons that these two widows teach us?

Let me tell you how giving often works in the Church.

1. Many people tithe their 10%.  This is admirable.  But many people do this legalistically.  The Scribes and Pharisees tithed.  They gave precisely the correct percentages even down to the number of seeds they should give.  But their heart was not in it.  They did it out of duty.  Many Christians give to the Lord’s work out of duty and once their duty has been met, that is all that is required in their minds.  Many Christians know about giving based upon “prescription” or law, but know very little about faith-based giving.

2. Many people will tithe but they have ask questions such as:  Do I give 10% of my net income or 10% of my gross income?  Do I tithe on what I have before I pay my obligations or do I tithe on what is left over after I take care of my family?  I would submit that if you have to ask those questions you do not know about faith-based giving.  You are trying to give based upon a legalistic prescription.  You are trying to make sure that you keep the law, but you have completely left out the true spirit of giving.

3. Some Christians don’t give at all.  The response goes something like this:  “Well, I believe that giving to the Lord consists not just of money but of my time and talents as well.  I don’t have any money to give so I will make crafts for the Lord or I will watch the nursery for the Lord.  Now, I want to make a confession to you.  For a long time, this is the way I viewed giving.  But you know what?  I realized one day that I could not find anywhere in the Bible that when it comes to the matter of giving it was talking about money, time, and talent.  It was talking about money.  Whether it was talking about giving to the poor or giving to the work of the Apostles, or about the spiritual gift of giving, the issue at hand was always about money.

I want you to notice what neither of the two widows in our passages today did.  Neither of them rationalized their giving.  The widow in the gospel did not say, “Well, I’ve paid all of my bills and I don’t know when I will get any more money and I only have two coins left.  I had better give something so I will give the temple one coin and keep the other coin for myself – just in case.  I know God is sovereign.  I know God could feed the Prophet Elijah by sending ravens to feed him.   But, I’ve got to be responsible.”

The Widow of Zarephath did not get up each day, bake some loaves of bread for herself and her son, store them away, and then give the man of God what crumbs were left over.

No, both of these widows gave out of faith.  They did not give out of a sense of legalistic duty.  “Well, if I don’t give God will make me sick.  Well, if I don’t give God will burn my tent down.”  They gave out of faith knowing that God would provide for their needs even if  just on a day-to-day basis and, even if they could not see where the provision was coming from for the following day.

We are not told what happened to the widow in the Gospel after she gave her two coins.  But based upon what I know of the Lord, I can guarantee you with certainty that her needs were provided for the rest of her life.

4. A final way that many Christians give, especially today, is that they give to get.  “Well, Lord, you know I need $1000.00 by tomorrow so I am going to give you $10 by faith today.”  “Lord, you know how I believe that you want me to be wealthy, so I am going to withdraw all my money out of my checking account, give it to the Church and trust you to make me wealthy.”  They try to put God on the spot and obligate him to do something.

Faith-based giving does not try to obligate God to do anything.  Faith-based giving takes God at his Word that he will provide for our needs.

You get what you ‘faith’ for.  When the Scribes and Pharisees received the praise and adoration of those in the temple and on the street, they got what they ‘faithed’ for – the praise of human beings.  But when you and I give to God by faith, we will get what we ‘faith’ for.

Well, how are you doing in your giving today?  How does your heart attitude measure up to the attitude of these two widows we have looked at today?

What are some practical things we can do in light of these Scriptures?

1. Examine our motives for giving.  If you have been giving or tithing because you have viewed it as a duty and obligation, ask the Lord through the Holy Spirit to give you a heart of faith-based giving.
2. If you have been miserly in your giving, let go of the purse strings and start trusting the Lord.  Trust me it is not easy to do.  But we have to do it.   We get what we ‘faith’ for.
3. You say, “Well, I can’t be a missionary.”  Then give to missions and get a missionaries reward.  “You say, “I just don’t have the mental makeup to go work in a soup kitchen and go work with the homeless.”  Fine, then give to support those who are doing it and receive their reward.

May God give us giving hearts, minds, purses, and wallets.  After all, you only get what you ‘faith’ for.

Amen.

When You Were Under the Fig Tree

When You Were Under the Fig Tree

John 1:43-51

“Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”

Nathaniel said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

You can find some interesting sayings on the Internet:

If you think nobody cares about you, try missing a couple of payments.
Change is inevitable … except from vending machines.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.
He who hesitates is probably right.
No one is listening until you make a mistake.
Two wrongs are only the beginning.
Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

I really like this last one:

If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you!

Cynics are everywhere these days.  Philip had come into contact with Jesus and was excited about what he had heard and seen.  He was bubbling over with enthusiasm and so he went to get Nathaniel.  When Philip expresses that he has found the One about whom the Law and the Prophets wrote and spoke, I can image a glimmer of hope coming from Nathaniel only to be quickly extinguished when Philip says that the man is Jesus of Nazareth.

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  Nathaniel cynically replies.

It is evident from the passage that something had occurred under the fig tree by which Jesus was able to judge the true character of Nathaniel.  Whatever it was is not recorded for us. It is not improbable that Nathaniel was accustomed to retire to the shade of a certain tree, perhaps in his garden or in a grove, for the purpose of meditation and prayer. The Jews were much in the habit of selecting such places for private devotion.  The Torah was often read under a fig tree.

In Zechariah 3:10, after describing how God would remove the sin of the high priest and the land, the prophet wrote, “In that day, each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree, declares the Lord Almighty.”

The prophet Micah used the image in the same way, describing the state of man after the kingdom has arrived (Mic. 4:5). Because of this imagery, faithful Israelites would sit under a fig tree as a place of prayer and hope and expectation.

Under the fig tree was a place of stillness and retirement that was favorable for meditation and prayer.  In that place of retirement it is not improbable that Nathaniel was engaged in private devotion.

A.T. Robertson says, “Jesus saw Nathaniel’s heart as well as his mere presence there.  He saw him in his worship and so knew him.”

Jesus says, “I saw you.”  Three simple words that are pregnant with meaning.  It is clear, from the narrative, that Jesus did not mean to say that he was bodily present with Nathaniel and saw him; but he knew his thoughts, his desires, his secret feelings and wishes.  Our Lord exercised His Divine omniscience and from a far distance knew Nathaniel and saw him.

When Jesus saw Nathaniel coming towards him he said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”  Some translations say, “in whom there is no guile.”  Some may misinterpret this word to mean that Jesus was saying that Nathaniel had no guilt in him.  But our Lord is not saying that at all.

The Lord is saying that Nathaniel was a true Israelite.  There was no hypocrisy in him.  He was not full of trickery or craftiness.  In other words, to use a modern phrase, Nathaniel was “the real deal.”  He was a man who studied the law and lived by the law.  He took the words of the prophets seriously.  As such, he was willing to come and examine the claims of Jesus for himself, even though he personally wondered if anything good could come from Nazareth.

In coming to Christ, Nathaniel found his expectations met.  Now what can we learn from this passage?

We learn that  Jesus sees what is done in secret because He is omniscient, all-knowing.  We cannot hide from Jesus no matter where we may try to run.  We cannot hide even our most secret thoughts from Jesus because he knows everything.  Everything is laid open before him.

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.”   Psalm 139:7-12

We learn that Jesus sees us when we little think of it.  We often go through our day without thinking of Christ.  But he is watching.  At the close of the day, as you take stock over the activities of the day, what would Jesus be thinking as he said to you:

• When you were under the fig tree I saw you.
• When you were at the coffee machine I saw you.
• When you were at school taking that test, I saw you.
• When you were making that sales deal, I saw you.
• When you and your spouse were arguing, I saw you.
• When you were reading your Bible at lunch today, I saw you.
• When you had the opportunity to speak about me to your friend today but did not do so, I saw you.
• When you were on your knees in prayer this morning, I saw you.
• When you turned your back on that person who needed help, I saw you.
• When you skipped Mass simply because you didn’t feel like getting out of bed, I saw you.

We learn that the Lord judges our character chiefly by our private devotions. Those are secret; the world does not see us in our prayer closet.  It is there that we show who we really are.  In our secret devotions there is no place for hypocrisy. There is no one else around for us to impress.  It’s just us under the fig tree.  And so we pray, “Who can discern his errors?  Declare me innocent from hidden faults.”  Psalm 19:12

Wherever you are at today my friend, you are figuratively under the fig tree.  The Lord sees you and he sees me.  Is he able to look at us and say, “Behold, a Christian in whom there is no hypocrisy, no deceit, and no trickery?  Behold, there is a man or woman who is the real deal.”

May God be merciful to us and cleanse us of our hidden faults.  May he, by the power of the Holy Spirit, continue to transform our lives from one degree of glory to another.

+Amen.

A Bruised Reed and Smoldering Wick

A Bruised Reed and Smoldering Wick

Isaiah 42:3  “A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning [smoldering] wick he will not quench…”

January is a hard month for many people.  The festivity of the Christmas holidays has past, bills need to be paid, loneliness sets in, the weather is often at its worst, you get up and it’s dark outside, you come home and it’s dark outside, and quite frankly, January is simply the bleakest month of the year.  Many suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder due to a lack of light.  Depression sets in like a thick, dark fog.

And yet, right here in the middle of darkest winter, we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord.  Consider God’s Providence in having the Church put this celebration right in the middle of the worst time of year for many people.  In the midst of loneliness, despair, heartache, and depression, we have a beacon of hope which shines forth for us.

The prophet Isaiah, in speaking of the Messiah, God’s Servant, says that this Servant will not break a bruised reed or put out a smoldering wick.  What does the prophet mean?

A reed here refers to the cane that grows in marshy places or wetlands.  The reed is something that is weak, easily broken, and easily tossed by the wind.  The Hebrew word used by the prophet means that this reed is bruised and crushed but not completely broken off.  In other words, it is very fragile in its current state.  Does this describe your emotional or spiritual condition today?  Do you feel crushed by the cares and weight of this world?  Do you feel like you are barely hanging on to life by a thread?  Are you weighed down by the burden of sin?

The smoldering wick of which the prophet speaks is that which is weak, small, thin, feeble; that which is just ready to go out.  The phrase refers literally to the expiring wick of a lamp, when the oil is almost consumed, and when it shines with a feeble and dying luster. Perhaps you feel today that your love for God and his Son is not what it once was.  Perhaps there was a time when you were on fire with zeal for Christ and His Church.  But somewhere along the way something happened that dampened that love.  There may be the feeling that God is so disappointed with you that you can never get back to your “first love.”

The prophet speaks today to give us hope and to tell us that no matter what our circumstances may be right now, the Servant, Jesus, has not come to break us off and cast us away.  The Lord of Heaven has not come to crush your spirit even further.  In fact, the Lord’s baptism speaks just the opposite to us.  Christ’s baptism shows us that he came to identify with us in our weakness, in our despair, in our sinful conditions.  He came as the Son of Man, the representative Man of all men, who came not to damn but to redeem.

Isaiah states in chapter 61 that the Messiah came to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and to open the prison of those who are bound!  Jesus has not come to condemn, for the world was condemned already.  Jesus has come to give life and hope.

Right here, in the dark of winter’s night, the light of Christ shines forth to give us hope and consolation.  My brothers and sisters, do not let your heart be troubled today.  Identify with our Lord’s baptism while you recall your own baptism.  He knows your situation.  He understands your need.  Yes, he is aware of your wants as well.  Go to Christ today in prayer.  Ask him to heal your broken heart.  Ask him to release you from whatever prison you may find yourself in.  Ask him to fill you anew with the Holy Spirit today and set your heart on fire for him.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, +Amen.

Can a Christian not be a “devout” Christian?

Can a Christian not be a “Devout” Christian?

A terrible tragedy has been in the news lately concerning a young girl who went in for tonsil surgery and due to complications has now been declared brain dead.  The family believes the child is still alive even though teams of doctors have said there is no brain activity.  As I read one of the latest news reports, it stated that the family was planning a lawsuit against the hospital for not abiding by the family’s religious views.  The article went on to state that the mother of the girl is a devout Christian.

Now, my purpose here is not to argue whether the girl should be taken off life support or not.  There is no winner in this tragic situation that is now in the hands of our all-merciful and just God.

But, what struck me in the report I read was the phrase, “devout Christian.”  I have never thought about this before and have often used the phrase myself such as in “devout Catholic” or “devout Christian.”  But it suddenly hit me and I had to ask the question, is there really such thing as a “devout Christian” or, such a thing as a “devout Catholic.” Can you be a semi-devout Christian or Catholic? Can you be a “just-a-little devout Christian”?

Going to the web site dictionary.com, I looked up the word “devout” and here is what came back:

1.  Devoted to divine worship or service; religious; a devout Catholic.

2.  Expressing devotion or piety; devout prayer.

3.  Earnest or sincere; hearty; He had a devout allegiance to the political regime.

Now look, I know we are talking semantics here.  But the article caused me to stop and ask myself some serious questions.  Permit me to pontificate for a few moments.

It seems to me that a person who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, as Redeemer, as the One who suffered in his or her place, is simply a Christian.  You cannot make yourself more of a Christian than you are, can you.  Yes, you can increase in holiness, works of piety, knowledge of Scripture and Church teaching, and so forth.  But you are either devoted to Christ or you are not.  If we are devoted to him, we will do what he says, say what he tells us to, read his Word, pray, assemble with his people unless providentially hindered, and so on.  If we do not do those things, we are not devoted to Christ and therefore must sincerely question whether or not we are a “devout” Christian.

We all sin.  Admittedly, some days we are better at living the Christian life than others.  None of us are perfect.  But, either we are seeking to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, in conjunction with God who works in us by his Holy Spirit, as Saint Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians, or we are not.

In terms of being a Catholic, how can you be anything other than a devout Catholic?  If you are a true Catholic, do you not also have to be a true Christian?  Can you be Catholic without being a Christian?  Oh, I know, we have Catholics and non-Catholics who attend church occasionally but that is about the extent of the “devoutness” or devotion.  And I hear all the time about “cultural Catholics.”  Again, semantics.

Here is the thing.  There is an essential thing that determines whether or not a person is truly a Christian or a Catholic-Christian.  We cannot be a “less devout” Christian.  We cannot look at just a single day here or there and determine whether we are a “devout”, “less devout”, or “semi-devout” Christian.  We can get a better picture by looking at our lives over periods of time.  In other words, how is my spiritual progress and devotion today compared to six months ago?  Compared to a year ago?  Compared to five or ten years ago?

As we begin this new year of 2014, I would like to stir up some thoughts within you.  The question is not whether you can be a devout or non-devout Christian or Catholic-Christian?  Definitions mean nothing where there is no substance.  The real challenge I lay before you, and me as well, is to look at the quality of your spiritual life through the eyes of Christ if you will.  How does he see you?  It matters not how the news media would label you or me.  I really want to know how Christ sees me!  Don’t you?  Does the Lord, of whom I profess to be a disciple, see me devoted to him or not.  That is the issue, and therein lays the conviction by the Holy Spirit telling me that I need to make several spiritual course corrections in this coming year.  How about you?

 

Ever Had an Epiphany?

Ever Had an Epiphany?

Isaiah 60

Have any of you ever had one of those moments in your life that can be called an “Ah Ha!” moment?  It’s one of those times when suddenly it was like someone turned on a switch in your brain and something that you did not understand before suddenly became clear to you.  Maybe it was when you were driving somewhere and thought you were following the directions and then it suddenly dawned on you, “Ah Ha! I’m lost.”  Or perhaps you were trying to figure out how two things fit together and it really seemed complicated.  After trying this and that over and over again things suddenly fall into place.  The light bulb went on and you said, “Ah Ha!  So that’s how it works.”  You basically had what is called an epiphany.

I am sure that you recall the story of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus.  Saul was intent on doing one thing but suddenly, God interrupted his plans and Saul had an Epiphany.  Saul had an “Ah Ha! moment” there on the Damascus Road.  Saul encountered Jesus and became Paul the Apostle.  It was a life-changing event.

You can picture Abraham taking his young son up into the hills ready to sacrifice Isaac.  He binds Isaac and places him on top of the woodpile ready to slay him with the knife and then offer him as a sacrifice.  Abraham is obeying God when suddenly he sees a ram in the bushes.  “Ah Ha!” says Abraham to himself, “God does provide the sacrifice after all.”  It is a moment of epiphany.

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord.  What is an epiphany?  An epiphany is a sudden revelation, a new insight.  It is when the light switch is turned on giving light where there was once darkness, bringing illumination where we could not see before.  An epiphany is when you have one of those “Ah Ha!” moments in your life.

In redemptive history, an epiphany is when God interrupts and turns the world upside down.

I like how Lauren Winner, in an article in Sojourners Magazine (Jan 2003), referred to the epiphanies of God entering into people’s lives when she called them “sudden bursts of God-clarity.” 

To celebrate Epiphany Sunday is to celebrate the appearance of God among us in the person of his Son Jesus Christ.  To celebrate Epiphany Sunday is to celebrate the entrance of the divine into the human realm.  To celebrate Epiphany Sunday is to celebrate the darkness of the world being illuminated by the light of Christ.  To celebrate Epiphany Sunday is to celebrate the Law being replaced by the Gospel.  To celebrate Epiphany Sunday is to celebrate a nation being replaced by the Church.

St. John in his Gospel tells us that in Christ, the Word, God “tabernacled among us.”  In other words, God “pitched his tent” and dwelt in our midst.  God coming to us in the form of his Son, and then making his Son known to the world was an epiphany.

To celebrate Epiphany Sunday is to celebrate the day when you suddenly realized that you could not save yourself by your own works and the Holy Spirit removed the scales from your eyes. The light came on and you realized that your only way to salvation was through Christ and Christ alone.  You had an “Ah Ha!” moment and said, “I can’t do this myself.  I need the grace and mercy of God.”

Epiphany changes the world.  In the “Ah Ha!” moment of epiphany light and darkness collide; truth and falsehood clash in battle; birth and death butt heads together; war and peace exist on the same battlefield; and the Messiah comes to cast out the evil one and plant the banner of victory once and for all time.

The Prophet Isaiah saw the day of Epiphany.  In chapter 60 verse 1, the prophet looks towards the future regarding Israel and the Church.  He says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”  He goes on in verse 2 to say, “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples, but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.”

In other words, Isaiah saw a day coming in which, even though the world was blackened by the darkness of sin, and even though Israel had lost its glory as the covenant nation of God, an epiphany event would occur.  The glory of the Lord would shine and peoples from around the world would be drawn to the light of the Gospel of Christ.

Let me see if I can put Epiphany Sunday in perspective for you using some verses from the book of Hebrews.

Before the epiphany of Christ here is how it was:

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”  (Heb. 12:18-21)

But, God interrupts and sends his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into time-space history.  And now we have this:

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.  (Heb. 12:22-24)

Law has been conquered by Grace.  The kindergarten school of Moses has been torn down and the seminary of Jesus Christ has been built in its place.  What was once “do this and live” has been replaced by “believe and have.”  The Schoolmaster of the Law has been replaced by the Shepherd of Grace.

And so we celebrate Epiphany Sunday.  We celebrate that great “Ah Ha!” moment of redemptive history when the Majestic Creator of the universe manifested himself to his creatures in the person of Jesus Christ, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Now, this would all be well and good except that it is not the end of the story.  You see, an epiphany demands a response.  The Apostle Paul had to respond to his “Ah Ha!” moment.  The Magi in the Gospels who saw the star had an epiphany and they responded by seeking the king and bringing him gifts.  The prophet Isaiah saw the day when the glory of the Lord would arise over Israel and the people of the earth would flock to the Church bringing gifts to the Lord.

So the question that must be asked of you and I is this.  How have we responded to our epiphany moments?  How have we responded to the sudden bursts of “God-clarity” that have come over us at times?

Okay, Advent has come and gone.  We have celebrated the birth of Jesus.  Do we now just wait until the next holiday?  Do we now just start thinking about Lent?  In other words, do we just go through the motions of playing Church or do we commit ourselves to being the Church.  Do we allow Epiphany to change us or do we let another commercialized Christmas season go by without any change in our lives?

My prayer is that in the coming days as you ponder the concept of God interrupting human history to send his Son, Jesus, the Holy Spirit would throw the switch in your heart and mind and you would experience an “Ah Ha!” moment and see what changes you need to make in your life and on your journey towards the heavenly Jerusalem.

You see, it is not enough to believe in God.  It is not enough to do nice things for people.  It is not enough to warm a pew at church for an hour a week.  We must believe in, trust in, and cling to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

May the Holy Spirit provoke us today.  +Amen.

The Years the Locusts Have Eaten

The Years the Locusts Have Eaten

Read      Joel 2:21-27

 I hate bugs.  Some folks are fascinated by them but to be honest they creep me out.  Now some bugs are okay like the praying mantis, lady bugs, and grasshoppers.  But most other bugs I just can’t stand.  Not long ago I got into my car and I felt something on the back of my head.  I reached up to see what it was and brushed it.  Down  on to the front of my uniform fell this monster of a bug.  To me it looked like a 747 airliner.  I about jumped out of my skin.  It looked about 2 feet long and about 8 inches wide.  Actually, it was about an inch and a half long with wings and had a hard shell on it.  I brushed it on to the floor of the car and it soon met its Creator.  I obeyed the Biblical injunction to take command of the earth and subdue it.

The prophet Joel is telling about a plague of locusts upon the land of Israel.  The people of God had forsaken him and once again turned to their wicked ways.  In verse 13 of chapter one the Prophet calls for a time of repentance upon the part of the people.  He calls for a period of fasting and prayer.  He pronounces that the Day of the Lord is near.

In other words, the judgment of God is coming upon the people.  Destruction is about to fall upon the people because of sin.  These are words that people today in our society do not want to hear.  But they are as true today as they were in the days of Joel.

People have forsaken God.  They have gone the way of their own desires.  They have run after idols of their own making.  The Day of the Lord is near and the wrath of God is coming.  Warning signs are everywhere but no one takes heed.  Calamities are always attributed to something else – to global warming, a widening hole in the ozone layer, the erosion of beaches, or some other explanation.  But no one wants to see the hand of God at work trying to get peoples’ attention.

Now please do not misunderstand me.  Any calamity is terrible.  Any loss of life is regrettable.  And I am not saying that every time something terrible happens we should say it is the judgment of God on people.  But I am saying that the Day of the Lord is near.  I am saying that God is not only a loving God, he is also a judging God.  He is a God who desires repentance on the part of a sinful people.

There is no fear of God any longer in our society.  The Prophet Joel in the beginning of chapter 2 says, “Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near.”  But today as in times past, people continue on day after day with no thought to their sins and to their rebellion against God.

The Prophet goes on to speak of the locusts.  He describes them as being like a mighty army of warriors, like soldiers on a mission.  They come in hordes.  The walled cities cannot keep them out.  They devour everything in their path and lay the earth to the ground as a wilderness.  The Prophet closes his message of the coming wrath of God by saying, “For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?”

And once again Joel calls for a time of fasting, prayer, weeping, mourning, and returning to the Lord, saying, “Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

The Prophet tells about the goodness of the Lord in bringing order out of chaos, prosperity out of poverty, and restoration out of ruin.  He says these beautiful words in verse 25:

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army which I sent among you.

The Man of God tells the people of Israel that if they would repent of their sins and turn to God, God would restore to them everything that had been taken from them in the plague.  It would be as if the plague had never happened.  In fact, there would be a great abundance of harvest and wine.  Moreover, in due time, the Lord would pour out His Holy Spirit so mightily on all people and there would no longer be any class distinctions or race distinctions or sex distinctions.  There would be visions and prophesy. We know now that day occurred on the day of Pentecost and the Apostle Peter quoted Joel in his sermon on that day.

But now I want to take this Scripture and bring it down home to us at a closer level and I want to ask you this question:  Has your life been attacked by the locust?  You may be asking yourself what I mean by that.  Let me explain.

Have you lost time in your life because you have wandered from the Lord?  Where are you at today?  Are you spiritually dry?  Has the locust made your life a spiritual wilderness with no life?  Perhaps you have no devotional life and the only real attention you pay to the Lord other than a short pray hit and miss during the week is on Sunday morning.  My friend, if that is so, the locust has attacked and is laying siege to your soul.  What about your marriage?  Is the locust tearing it apart? 

Beloved, God is able to restore the years that the locust has eaten.  Perhaps you once felt a call to some type of ministry but you pushed it aside and the locust came in and devoured that desire.  You still feel the urge at times but now think that you cannot be of much use to God.  The Lord is able to restore the years that the locust has eaten.  Maybe the ministry will be different that what you once had in mind, perhaps it will be better than what you once had in mind.  The Lord is able to restore the years that the locust has eaten. 

What has the locust eaten in your life?  Maybe it is a friendship that was lost because of a disagreement over something really petty but blew up into something more than it should have and the locust has eaten that friendship.  The Lord is able to restore the years that the locust has eaten.

It’s a matter of repentance.  It’s a matter of returning to the Lord with all of your heart and soul. 

As we begin a new year today, why not let today be the day of restoration in your spiritual life.  Repent of sins and then ask the Lord to restore the years that the locusts have eaten. 

What has the locust taken from you life that needs to be restored today?  Perhaps it is simply the joy of your salvation.  Maybe you just aren’t happy any more as a Christian?  Maybe the Christian life just doesn’t seem worth it.  The Lord is able to restore the years that the locust has eaten.

As we begin a new year, would you let the Lord restore and refresh you this morning?

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, +Amen.

The Lost Day

The Lost Day

Read  2 Samuel 11:1-5

 I am sure that most of you are aware of that imaginary line that runs North to South in the Pacific called the International Dateline.  When you cross that line you either move forward a day or go back a day depending upon which way you are traveling.  During the course of recent history, some islands and countries in the vicinity of the International Dateline have made adjustments to their clocks and calendars to compensate for the shift of time.

During the early 1840’s the commercial interests of the Philippine Islands turned more and more away from the Spanish Americas.  Trading with the Chinese mainland, the Malay peninsula, the Dutch East Indies, and Australia became increasingly important.

In order to help communication and trading with its western and southern neighbors, the secular and religious authorities of the Philippines agreed that it would be helpful to abolish being on the American day reckoning and adopt the Asian day reckoning on the calendar.   This change came about in 1844 when the governor-general of the Philippines, issued a proclamation announcing that Monday, December 30, 1844, would immediately be followed by Wednesday, January 1, 1845.  The day of Tuesday, December 31, 1844 would never exist as far as the calendar was concerned for the people of the Philippines.  It was a lost day.

We are coming to the end of another year.  Have you done things or said things this past year that you regret?  Have you not done something that you should have done?  I want you think for a moment about how different your life might be if you could lose a day from it.  What if you could suddenly lose one day from the calendar of your life whether in this past year or in your entire life?  Which day would it be?

I refer you to the Scripture passage in 2 Samuel 11:1-5 where we read bout King David that mighty man of God.

In the case of David, we read of that fateful evening where David was in Jerusalem while all of his men were out to do battle.  We don’t know what prompted David to stay behind.  Nevertheless he takes a walk one evening on the roof of his house.  As he is walking he looks out and sees a very beautiful woman bathing.  Had he not been on the roof he most likely would not have seen her.  The woman was Bathsheba, wife of Uriah. 

It was not enough for David to simply look, admit that she was indeed beautiful, and then go on about his business.  Nor was it sufficient, as he felt lust welling up inside, to go back into his house and continue on with the day’s activities.  Instead, he made a decision that day that would forever change his life.  David sent his messengers to get Bathsheba and have her brought to him.  King David then sinned in the act of adultery and that sin led to a series of events that were out of control.

Bathsheba became pregnant.  David decided to cover up his sins by having her husband Uriah put in the front line of battle where he was killed.  David then took Bathsheba to be his wife.  When the child was born it died.

We can imagine when David came to the point of repentance for his actions, that he may have said, “If only I could lose that one day from my life; that day when I was walking on the roof and saw Bathsheba and could not control my body and thoughts.  If only I could have that day back.  If only I could have slept through that day my life would have been different.”

I want to ask you the question again that I asked you earlier:  If you could lose a day or even a few days from your life, which would they be?

We all have days and moments in our lives that we wish we could do over.  How many of us have at one time or another wished we could turn back the hands of time and make a different decision than we made or say different words than we spoke, or take back an unkind act that we did?

For some of us, maybe all of us, there are certain days that stand out above the others. Something happened to us, we got some bad news, we did or said something wrong, or worse, we committed some grave sin against God and the circumstance has followed us the rest of our lives.

I have a number one day that stands out above any other. I will not tell you the specifics, but I will tell you that I remember the exact date, location, and almost the exact time that the particular incident occurred.  The decision that I made that day has affected the entire course of my life.  It affected every part of my life.  It affected decisions that were made for years afterwards.  It affected career choices.  It affected moving decisions.  It affected me financially.  It affected my family life for years.  It affected my sense of self-worth.  All because of one decision made in a moment of time.  I think of a line from a sermon I once heard entitled “Payday Someday”.  The line was, “This is the price I pay for just one riotous day.”  So many times I have said, “I wish I could have just slept through that day.  If I could just lose that one day from my life how much better my life would have been.  Oh to just turn back the hands of time, miss that day, and go on with my life.”

But I cannot do it.  The calendar of time always moves forward, never backwards.

Let me tell you about a second man and the most terrible day of his life.  That man is Jesus Christ.  Jesus lived a holy life pleasing to God.  All of his ways in dealing with people were righteous and just.  He was the most kind and compassionate person who ever lived.  He was both God and man.  He healed the sick and raised the dead.  He taught people how to be reconciled to God the Father.  He never sinned.  When he came to the end of his life he had no regrets.  He did not have to say, “I wish I could lose a day.  I wish I could go back and have a ‘do-over.’”

One fateful day, at the hands of wicked men, Jesus was nailed to a cruel cross for crimes he did not commit and was left to hang between heaven and earth to suffer and die for our sins.  He bore our sins in his body on the tree so that we who are sinners might be redeemed.  Jesus died on Calvary’s cross for all the days that we wish we could lose; for all the unkind words we wish we could take back; for all the bad decisions that we have made because we are sinners; and, for all the hurtful acts we have committed against others when we sinned.  To bring the point home even further, Jesus died for us all the time knowing that we would commit sin, and yet he still gave his life and bore our punishment.

The most terrible day in Jesus’ life is not one that he wishes he could have missed.  Saint Paul says, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).  The cross is the power of God to save us from the days we wish we could lose.  It is the power of God to save us when we wish we could turn back the hands of time for a “do-over.”  It is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ that will allow us to one day stand guiltless before the Throne at the coming of our Lord Jesus.

David knew that there was mercy with God.  David knew that he must suffer the earthly consequences of his sin, but he also knew that God was a God of grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  You can read David’s act of contrition and repentance in Psalm 51.

I am convinced, after 40 years of pastoral ministry, that one of the most troubling problems for Christians is the issue of guilt from the past.  In speaking with people in counseling situations, in hearing comments from people after sermons, hearing confessions, and in simply answering questions from people, one of the underlying threads is that even though we believe in forgiveness of sins, we often cannot forgive ourselves and we carry a burden of guilt we were never meant to carry.  The blessed Apostle tells us, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Perhaps you are living in the past and it is hurting you in the present.  You feel yourself always haunted by the specter of that one day.  God does not live in the past.  God lives in the present moment.  Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you to have joy to live in the present.  Learn to enjoy the Sacrament of the Present Moment.

Have you a day or days that you wish you could lose?  You can lose them.  No, you will never lose them from the history of this world or from the calendar or even from your thoughts.  But you can lose them at the cross.  Today you need to come and lay down those days you want to lose at the foot of the cross and leave them there.  Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there.  There is room at the cross for you.

As we close this year, ask God to release you from the guilt of the past.  Offer the guilt up as an offering to him.  Praise and thank Jesus for paying the price for you and bearing the guilt for you.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  +Amen.

God Sent Forth His Son

A THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF CHRISTMAS

Luke 2:1 20              Galatians 3:26 4:7

I would like to present to you a theological perspective of Christmas. This is the time of year when our thoughts turn to the historical events surrounding the birth of our Lord. There is nothing wrong whatsoever in dwelling upon the historical side of Christmas, in fact, I would say something was very wrong if we did not. But I believe it is very easy for us who are believers in Christ to forget that there is also a theological or doctrinal side to Christmas. If we would properly combine both the historical events and the theological perspective, I think Christmas would take on a deeper meaning for us. And so, today, I would like to attempt to do just that; to read the historical account of the Lord’s birth and then tie into it the theological doctrine that springs from our Lord’s birth.

In Luke 2 we have recorded for us the glorious first advent or coming of our Lord and Savior. Luke has preserved for us the historical narrative of the birth of our Redeemer. In it we see that a census is to take place throughout the Roman world. Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem to register. While there, Mary goes into labor. There is no room at any of the inns but they find rest in a stable. It is there that our Lord is born. The stable is transformed into a royal court. A manger, an eating trough, becomes the bedchamber for a King.

Out in the nearby fields, angels herald the good news of Christ’s birth to shepherds, who hurry off to see what great thing has taken place. They come and see that what the angels said was indeed true, and they leave praising and glorifying God.

What has happened? The Messiah has been born. The prophecy of Isaiah 11:1 has come to pass – “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” The words of Moses found in Deuteronomy 18:15 are being fulfilled – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.” The words of the angel to Joseph concerning Mary and her conception have been fulfilled. Jesus of Nazareth has been born.

And so we have recorded for us the historical account of this wonderful and miraculous event.

In Galatians 4:1 7 we have recorded by the Apostle Paul, the theological or doctrinal perspective of Christ’s birth. What Luke says in twenty verses, Paul sums up in these few words, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption [or full rights] of sons.”

Here was the Law-Maker and Law-Giver now being under the dominion of the law. Here was the Judge of the law and Executioner of the law coming to be obedient to the law and to fulfill it. His entire life would be spent in perfect obedience to the law that he himself had given. As our representative he fulfilled all the law’s precepts. He became our Surety, our pledge, our guarantee, our down payment, and our Substitute. As such, he exhausted the curse of the law including its death penalty. Having taken our place he came under the rigorous demands of justice, and in due time he bowed his head and will to the death sentence. The Just One would die for the unjust ones, and would save his people from their sins.

What happened at Christmas? Christ’s advent, in human form, born of a woman, born under law, commenced the era of spiritual maturity and freedom, and ended the era of immaturity and slavery for the covenant people of God.

Let us focus now on the passage in Galatians.

1. V. 2 – “the date [or time] set by the father.” The father set the time limit of his son’s minority period. Roman law set a fixed age when young men were no longer considered as minors. However, in Jewish law the father determined the age.

God determined how long his chosen people would have to live as minors under the law. It was his decision alone as to when they could have full rights as sons.

2. V. 4 – “when the fullness of time came.” In other words, when all things were right in God’s timetable. In eternity past God the Father had determined when all the proper events would fall into place. For a time the people would live as slaves under a system of law and works, of obedience and blessing. But this time period was drawing to an end. Man had proven his utter helplessness under the law. It had served its purpose. It showed man that he could not save himself by law-keeping because he was not perfect.

3. V. 4 – “born of a woman, born under the law.” Jesus came into the same environment as those who were finding it impossible to be justified under law. The Jews were under Mosaic Law while the Gentiles were under natural law. Neither was capable of being fully obedient to the legal demands of the law. The Mosaic Law was a perfect expression of God’s claims upon man, yet it was a great hindrance to ADOPTION or to having the full rights as sons. It was to this hindrance that Christ subjected himself.

4. V. 5 – “in order that he might redeem.” This implies deliverance out of one condition into another. The purpose of Christ’s coming was to redeem or deliver people out of the bondage of law into something better, SONSHIP! The purpose of the incarnation, including all the aspects of Christ’s ministry and work, is to bring those who were kept as minor sons under guardians and tutors, into a state in which the full privileges and responsibilities are realized!

In the minor state, types, emblems, shadows, and symbols taught God’s people. In full sonship these are no longer needed because the person to whom they pointed is now here, present in person. The shadow has become realized substance.

The Levitical Priesthood became realized in Christ.
The sacrifices and offerings were finalized in Christ.
The Sabbath rest became completed in Christ.
The prophetic word became fulfilled in Christ.
A greater law written in believers’ hearts replaces the law written on tablets of stone.
God’s plan of redemption came to full fruition in Christ.

How different is Christ’s way of showing the Father’s great mercy than that of the priests who used scarlet wool, hyssop and blood. The old economy is dim with smoke. The air is putrid with the smell of burning animals. The ground is red from the continued flow of blood. The glory of the tabernacle is hidden under badger skins. A great veil keeps the people out of the most Holy Place.

But as a full son we can behold the glory of God for ourselves. We see a once for all time sacrifice and atonement that is made. No longer must we be reminded by tables of stone as to what is right and wrong, for now the Spirit has written the law on the tables of our hearts and given us the desire and ability to keep the law, not as a condition of blessing, but as a means of showing our love to him who died for us. We now have direct access to the throne of God.

Christ has come! “Hark, the herald angels sing; glory to the newborn King!” The kindergarten class of the law has suddenly become the college of the Spirit. Spurgeon has said, “One day with Christ was worth a half century with Moses.”

The law held the minor children in severe bondage. Don’t eat this, don’t wear that, don’t touch this. Don’t drink that. Don’t, don’t, don’t!! Everywhere the child went the pedagogue or schoolmaster of the law overshadowed the minor child. The minor son bore the yoke of the law and learned obedience. What a joyful difference occurred when Christ came. It was time to cast out the bondwoman and usher in the perfect law of liberty.

Under Christ, love is the master operating force. The nature of full sonship which grace brings about is a nature of desire and ability to keep the law of God, not as a means of saving righteousness but as a means of obedience by which the adopted son shows love to the Father.

As we reflect on this Christmas season, let us rejoice in the events surrounding our Lord’s birth. But let us also keep in mind just what happened in that fullness of time. Let us take time to praise him for our adoption as sons, for our rights and privileges as full sons. Let us enjoy the festivities of this season. There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying the good things that God has made for his creatures. Simply because the world has commercialized his birth is no reason for us to neglect the opportunities that we have in praising and glorifying God for the great things which he has done.

When we see candles burning let us think of the true Light of the World that came into a dark place to give us light and illumination. When we see the evergreen trees let us rejoice in the hope of eternal life that is ours in Christ. When we hear music let us remember the songs of the angels to the shepherds – “Glory to God in the highest.” When we exchange gifts, let us remember and be thankful for the gift of Jesus Christ, the free gift of eternal life. When we enjoy the good food and drink set before us, let us remember that Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life and the Water of Life.

May God be praised this day for the gift of his dear Son. What love and condescension, that the great God of the universe would choose to give the gift of free grace to frail creatures of dust. What mercy, that rebellious children should be given the full rights as sons in the kingdom of heaven.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. +Amen

How Much Time Do I Have Left?

How Much Time Do I Have Left?
Luke 13:1-9

We have come to the fourth Sunday of Advent.  The Lord’ s coming is near.  The Advent season has taught us to be hopeful and ready to meet the Lord when he comes.  But what if he calls us to himself before he returns?

The Scripture listed above is not one of the Mass readings for this season of Advent. However, I believe it is appropriate as we consider being ready for the Lord’s coming.  The Scripture in St. Luke reads as follows:

“There were some present at that very time who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus?  I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Silo′am fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”  And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

A young man from Japan, who was not a Christian, was given a New Testament to read and after reading it made this statement: “I just read a book about a man who was going about doing good. After reading it, I am amazed at how satisfied I have become with myself for just going about.”

I don’t know about you, but many times I wonder, “How much time do I have left?” As I grow older and especially with the heart trouble that I have experienced over the past several years I wonder, “How much time do I have left?”

When Angie and I moved into our house in April of 1995, there were a couple of small trees on the lot, one in the front yard and one in the back yard. The first year the tree in the back yard had some leaves on it. The second year it had only a few leaves. The next year it had none. I told Angie that I was going to cut that tree down and put something else in. Angie said, “No you aren’t. You are going to leave it up another year.”  Well, the next year came and went and no leaves. I said I was going to cut it down. Angie said, “No, leave it in just one more year.” I did and no leaves appeared. I cut it down.

When I read this passage in Luke’s Gospel, I thought of that tree in the backyard. Every time I said I was going to cut it down’ Angie always reminded me of this parable. And I got to thinking – I wonder if that tree ever wondered, “How much time do I have left before Mark finally has enough of my not bearing any leaves and comes out here and cuts me down?”

I don’t know about you, but many times I wonder, “How much time do I have left?”

The parable in verses 6-9 is preceded by verses 1-5 which deal with the subject “repent or perish.” Some folks had come to Jesus to tell him that some of Pilate’s men had taken some blood of some Galileans and had mixed it on the altar with the blood of their own sacrifices. In other words, the Galileans had committed a sacrilegious act. The people wanted to know what kind of terrible punishment was going to come down upon them for doing so.

So, Jesus addresses the subject of repentance. He doesn’t even answer their question but simply tells the inquirers, “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” In other words, worry about your own sinful condition and not about what someone else is doing and how bad their punishment will be.

Then, Jesus jumps right into another situation. He brings up the subject of an accident in which 18 people were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them. From the way Jesus phrases the incident, it was an accident. Yet the people looked upon it as though it was an act of judgment because of some terrible sin the people had committed. In other words, God gathered those 18 bad people together on that particular day, caused the tower to fall on them, and killed them as an act of punishment for their sins.

Jesus basically says, “Wait a minute. Do you mean to tell me that you think that those people were any worse than all of the other people in Jerusalem and so God judged them by dropping the tower on their heads? Let me tell you something, unless you repent of your sins you are also going to perish.”

I don’t know about you, but many times I wonder, “How much time do I have left?”

As the Japanese fellow said after reading the New Testament, “I am amazed at how satisfied I have become with myself for just going about.”

Having spoken about the need to repent or perish, Jesus then tells the parable in verses 6-9.  After hearing the parable, the question that must be asked by each one of us as we look at the parable as though looking at ourselves in a mirror is this: I wonder how much time I have left? How much time do I have left to bear fruit for Christ?

As Christians we are planted in the vineyard to bear fruit, not hold up the fruit producing vines. We are vines, not plant stakes. Here is an interesting question – Are you a fruit producing vine or a plant stake?

Picture if you will our blessed Lord Christ sitting on the Throne with his eyes roving to and fro about the earth. His eyes land upon you. He inspects you, your life, your spirituality, your devotion to him, your witness for him, your fruit. Do you wonder what he says? What if you could say to him, “How much time do I have left?” Would his answer really make a difference in your life?

What if the Lord said to you or to me, “You have 15 minutes left”, or, “You have 20 days left”, or, “You have 5 years left.” What would you or I do? Would we bear fruit? Would we waste time? I wonder if we knew that we had a longer period of time if we would procrastinate until the last moment? Perhaps that is why we do not know the day and hour of our death or the day and hour of the Lord’s coming, so that we will be working to bear fruit now. So that we will be repentant now.  Advent teaches us to be ready, to be on the alert, to be repentant, and to continue carrying out the Great Commission until we see his blessed face.

We don’t have to be like Billy Graham and preach to millions to bear fruit. We do not have to be the Pope over millions of Christians to bear fruit. We don’t have to write volumes of commentaries on the Bible to bear fruit. We don’t have to have a seminary degree or PhD to bear fruit. You and I can bear fruit by writing a note of encouragement to someone; by praying daily for others; by growing in our knowledge of the Bible and the teachings of the Church; by sharing the Gospel of Jesus with another person; by offering the gift of mercy to someone in need; by helping someone financially; by doing random acts of kindness for others; or, in any number of other ways in which you and I are living examples of the person of Jesus to someone.

I don’t know about you, but many times I wonder, “How much time do I have left?”

This Gospel passage is most appropriate for us during this season of Advent as we contemplate changes that must be made in our lives as we await the coming our our Lord. Repent.  Make today a turning point in your life. Resolve that from this day forward you will redeem the time while awaiting the coming of the Lord of Glory.

“How much time do I have left?”  The answer is that we do not need to be concerned about how much time we have left, but rather, how are we using the time we have been given?

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, +Amen.