Joshua 4:1-7 (ESV)
4:1 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
One evening when Julius was in the hospital I had the opportunity to visit with him just the two of us. As I had been taught in Pastoral Class this was the time for the preacher to ask the difficult questions.
You see one of the most rewarding times for a minister to proclaim the gospel to an afflicted soul is when they are near death. This is when they are listening, really listening. They have despaired of their own ability and are searching for comfort. Most of the world doesn’t know where to look for comfort so they look in many different places all of which leave them empty and still waiting for the comfort they seek. The only place to find comfort in this world is the Christian Church. And which church, you might ask, is the true Christian Church? The true Christian Church is wherever sins are being forgiven in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now God is omnipresent (present everywhere) so what is the difference between where sins are being forgiven and other places? Well my friends it the difference between God naked and God clothed. The naked God, God not clothed in Jesus Christ, is a God of wrath and is a God present yes but not present FOR YOU! As a matter of fact it is God present against you; this is the God of law, the God that seeks to shine the light of truth on your sins. In contrast God present clothed in Jesus Christ, hence forgiving sins: in confession, preaching, worship and in the sacraments is God FOR YOU! This is a God of grace, a God of love, a God who seeks to reconcile His beloved creation onto Himself at whatever cost. This is the God of the gospel. The God clothed in Jesus Christ, the God FOR YOU, is the God that the minister brings to an afflicted soul when they are near death. Please do not mishear me, I did not say that this is the God that a called and ordained minister of the church brings to an afflicted soul when they are near death; I said this is what a minister brings. You all ARE the ministers I speak of. Yes, for the sake of order, in most cases this task is performed by a called and ordained minister however ordination is not what qualifies you for this task. Baptism and a profession of faith in response to that baptism is what qualifies you for this task. You are the priesthood of all believers! You are qualified to proclaim the gospel!
Anyway back to my story. This was the time to ask the difficult questions. So I asked, “Julius, are you afraid to die?” Then waited for what I believed would be a positive affirmation of his fear thus I was standing ready to proclaim to him that on account of his baptism and his repentance his sins were forgiven. But, he sent me spinning. Seminary does not prepare you for the answer that Julius gave. He looked at me and said, “Pastor, the good Lord will take me when He is good and ready.” I was speechless. Which, for any of you who know me, know that this was a rare occasion.
You see in this world the rebellious human nature is always seeking better words from God. The human will asks, “Could it really be that salvation is found in a first century peasant whom claimed to be God incarnate, and was thus crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem, the promised city, next to the sewer of the city in which unclean rotting animal carcasses were thrown?” “Surely not!” they say. “God must be holding back the good stuff from us. His very best must be hidden behind this man Jesus Christ whom John proclaims as the very Word of God in the flesh.” They then seek to get a peek at God in the nude; the naked God. And we have already discussed the result of that sad story.
But not Julius Diers! Julius took God at His word. In 1916, at First Lutheran Church, Jesus Christ claimed Julius as His own at his baptism. That Day Christ promised Julius that he would someday be with His Savior in the promise land, in paradise for eternity. Our reading from Joshua toady is a prelude to that promise. This reading describes Joshua leading the nation of Israel in to the land promised to Abraham and his offspring. Land on this earth was the promise to Abraham the promise of the old covenant. But Christ fulfilled that covenant, the covenant of the law, by his death on the cross and through His resurrection from the dead establishing the new covenant, the covenant of the gospel; the promise of eternal life for all who believe both gentile and Jew.
Julius Diers was a man of His word! When he gave his word he meant it and he did whatever it took to keep it! Julius understood the integrity of keeping one’s word, of keeping a promise. For goodness sake he promised to love Margret until the day he died! A littler thing like her death did get in the way this man of his word from keeping his promise. He was love sick for his bride 13 years after her death. He was love sick for his bride whom he toady has been reunited with for eternity.
Julius also knew how to keep the golden rule. Do on to others as you would have done to you! He taught his children that if you just follow God’s Word, you will never go wrong. He embodied scripture in his love and service to his neighbors.
Jesus made Julius a promise and he knew that if he, being a fallen rebellious human knew how to keep his word, how much more would the creator of the universe keep His. He was not scared to die; he was not scared because he knew whom he was going to meet face to face; his beloved Savior Jesus Christ and his bride who went before him.
In ancient Israel outside the city walls were rocks raised up on end. Each time God did something miraculous for His people they would set a stone on end to reminded them of the event. Jacob did it with a stone when he had the vision of the ladder to heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it. Today’s reading form Joshua is no different. You see this was an oral culture they didn’t write things down as very few people we literate. It wasn’t until the Babylonian exile that things were written down; when the fear of losing their oral stories their traditions hung in the balance. Before that time they raised up stones. When strangers to the cities came by they would ask what is with the stone, the people would then remember and tell the story of what God had done for them.
In a little while we are going to the cemetery where there is already a stone raised in memory of Julius. This stone means something. It isn’t there to remind us where he is buried; rather it stands to remind us of his life. Each time from now until the end of your days when you pass that cemetery, even if you cannot see the stone from the road, know that it is there and remember what God did for you, what God taught you, through his humble and beloved servant Julius Diers. Amen
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Luke 15:1-10 09/12/2010 Word of Life
Nelson, you have a cow or two don’t you? Tell me would it be a wise business decieion to risk the safety of 99 of them to save one? Mary Lou, you are pretty good at budgeting money correct? Tell me would you turn all the lights on, sweep the floor, and clean your entire house if you lost a penny in an effort to find it? Most likely not. Well then what is the passage of scripture telling us today? Is it telling us that we should make poor business decisions and waste time looking for something that isn’t worth wasting time looking for? This is a trap that we can all fall into; the trap of believing that Jesus is only an example and that we should literally follow everything her says or demonstrates in his parables. You see Jesus hides the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven in parables so that those who do not have ears to hear do not hear. Jesus is not saying that if you are a shepherd you should risk the safety of 99 sheep for one, nor is he saying that you should spend precious time searching for a coin that is practically worthless. What he is doing is explaining the Kingdom of Heaven in terms of the kingdom of this world.
Luther believed that there are two kingdoms; the kingdom on the left, the kingdom of this world and the kingdom on the right, the Kingdom of Heaven. After a called and chosen Christian is baptized they have one foot in the kingdom on the left and one foot in the kingdom on the right; a dual citizenship if you will both sinner in the kingdom on the left and saint, a new creation in the Kingdom on the right.
Because a called and chosen Christian’s comprehension of the Kingdom of Heaven is limited Jesus uses images from the kingdom on the left to explain how things work in the Kingdom on the Right. So the question is not, “What would Jesus do?” Rather it is, “What is Chris telling us about the Kingdom of heaven in this parable?” If Jesus came to be an example for us to follow then we are saved through the works of the law that imitate His righteousness. This is simply not true. We are saved by faith in the risen Christ.
So, in today’s reading Jesus is not setting up a business plan nor is he telling you who you should spend you spare time rather he is saying that when it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven no lost sheep is left unfound and no matter how small the worth of a coin it is precious to God and worth finding, in fact when either is recovered not only God but the entire citizenship of Heaven rejoices and celebrates.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” The Pharisees and the scribes grumbled. They “dee-ag-ong-good'-zo.” deagongoodzo is Greek for: 1. to murmur 1a) either of a whole crowd, or among one another 1b) always used of many indignantly complaining. Luke uses this term to describe the actions of the Pharisees and the scribes many times in His gospel. There is a certain lack of integrity in grumbling. You see they want to discredit Jesus and His actions but they are not bold enough to speak loud enough from Him to hear.
Notice in both of Jesus’ parables today that God is the seeker. God is the shepherd. Shepherds were the outcasts of society the undesirables who roamed the prairies away from others for months at a time. God is also the woman, who apparently lives alone because she has no one to ask to help her search. And when she finds the coin she asks her neighbors, her “ghi'-tone” to come and celebrate with her. Ghi-tone is in the feminine gender here so she asks her female neighbors to come and celebrate with her. This woman does not have a husband if she did she would have invited her neighbor couples to come and celebrate with her. So God is the woman single frail, in this cultural context. But either way God is the protagonist in this story and He searches for the lost. He finds the lost and He brings them back. The coin and the sheep are both in the passive voice in Greek in these parables. They are completely passive to the seeker and the finder. God chooses God elects.
In His introduction to His commentary on the book of Galatians Vol. 26 of Luther’s works if you are interested, Luther explains the difference between active and passive righteousness. In the work of salvation the sinner, the elect, the chosen child of God is completely passive. And since God chooses you to bestow salific faith upon by the power of the Holy Spirit you are counted as righteous; righteous through faith, righteous through a faith that is given not found nor chosen. However after salific faith has been given the sinner is now free to and desires to adhere to God’s law. How well they adhere to God’s law is active righteousness. Active righteousness is for service to the neighbor it cannot save, but a broken sinner is saved by passive righteousness.
Let me ask you this, who celebrates with all of their neighbors when they find a lost animal? Who celebrates when they find a penny? I would be that the answer is few to none. These are everyday activities and do not warrant such a celebration. But when on sinner is given salific faith and they repent of their sins the entire host of angels and the entire citizenry of heaven rejoices.
These are interesting parables. You see most parables call for a sinner to repent of their sins, to see the wrongness of their actions. This parable is spoken to the Pharisees and the scribes. They don nto call for the repentance of the sinner rather they show that the sinner is completely passive in the action of salvation. So what is the message for us who have been baptized and chosen for the kingdom? Christ has already found us, how does this parable apply to us? We are not Pharisees or scribes are we? Well maybe. You see the Pharisees and the scribes are grumbling about Jesus eating with sinners. Sinners whom he has chosen to dine with. Sinners who He has chosen to preach to. And yet the religious leaders grumble about it. Do you know the next parable that Jesus tells in the Gospel of Luke? It’s the parable of the Prodigal Son. Which character in today’s reading are the Pharisees and the scribes acting like? Perhaps the son who stayed and did not wander. The one who was angry because the Father threw a celebration for a son who repented and did not deserve grace. Today’s reading is a warning to us to not be like the Pharisees and the scribes to not be like the older son who was jealous of the younger; it is a warning that you are God’s chosen, and therefore you must celebrate when God has mercy on one who does not deserve mercy. For instance is a MIUer came in here right now and confessed that he or she have received the salific faith given by the Holy Spirit you are not to scoff and say well I have been a Christina for xxxx years they are not as favored in the Lords eyes as I am. Or they do not deserve the grace of God. For if you deny the grace of God to the undeserving then you are not welcome by the grace of God at the feast.
We at Word of Life Lutheran Church exist to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through love and service to our neighbors. We are not to be selective of who we serve and we are not to ask if they deserve it. Yes we will in some instances be taken advantage of. But whether it is fair or not, whether the person deserves it or not, is not up to us we are commanded to serve and let Jesus judge the heart of the person.
Luther believed that there are two kingdoms; the kingdom on the left, the kingdom of this world and the kingdom on the right, the Kingdom of Heaven. After a called and chosen Christian is baptized they have one foot in the kingdom on the left and one foot in the kingdom on the right; a dual citizenship if you will both sinner in the kingdom on the left and saint, a new creation in the Kingdom on the right.
Because a called and chosen Christian’s comprehension of the Kingdom of Heaven is limited Jesus uses images from the kingdom on the left to explain how things work in the Kingdom on the Right. So the question is not, “What would Jesus do?” Rather it is, “What is Chris telling us about the Kingdom of heaven in this parable?” If Jesus came to be an example for us to follow then we are saved through the works of the law that imitate His righteousness. This is simply not true. We are saved by faith in the risen Christ.
So, in today’s reading Jesus is not setting up a business plan nor is he telling you who you should spend you spare time rather he is saying that when it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven no lost sheep is left unfound and no matter how small the worth of a coin it is precious to God and worth finding, in fact when either is recovered not only God but the entire citizenship of Heaven rejoices and celebrates.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” The Pharisees and the scribes grumbled. They “dee-ag-ong-good'-zo.” deagongoodzo is Greek for: 1. to murmur 1a) either of a whole crowd, or among one another 1b) always used of many indignantly complaining. Luke uses this term to describe the actions of the Pharisees and the scribes many times in His gospel. There is a certain lack of integrity in grumbling. You see they want to discredit Jesus and His actions but they are not bold enough to speak loud enough from Him to hear.
Notice in both of Jesus’ parables today that God is the seeker. God is the shepherd. Shepherds were the outcasts of society the undesirables who roamed the prairies away from others for months at a time. God is also the woman, who apparently lives alone because she has no one to ask to help her search. And when she finds the coin she asks her neighbors, her “ghi'-tone” to come and celebrate with her. Ghi-tone is in the feminine gender here so she asks her female neighbors to come and celebrate with her. This woman does not have a husband if she did she would have invited her neighbor couples to come and celebrate with her. So God is the woman single frail, in this cultural context. But either way God is the protagonist in this story and He searches for the lost. He finds the lost and He brings them back. The coin and the sheep are both in the passive voice in Greek in these parables. They are completely passive to the seeker and the finder. God chooses God elects.
In His introduction to His commentary on the book of Galatians Vol. 26 of Luther’s works if you are interested, Luther explains the difference between active and passive righteousness. In the work of salvation the sinner, the elect, the chosen child of God is completely passive. And since God chooses you to bestow salific faith upon by the power of the Holy Spirit you are counted as righteous; righteous through faith, righteous through a faith that is given not found nor chosen. However after salific faith has been given the sinner is now free to and desires to adhere to God’s law. How well they adhere to God’s law is active righteousness. Active righteousness is for service to the neighbor it cannot save, but a broken sinner is saved by passive righteousness.
Let me ask you this, who celebrates with all of their neighbors when they find a lost animal? Who celebrates when they find a penny? I would be that the answer is few to none. These are everyday activities and do not warrant such a celebration. But when on sinner is given salific faith and they repent of their sins the entire host of angels and the entire citizenry of heaven rejoices.
These are interesting parables. You see most parables call for a sinner to repent of their sins, to see the wrongness of their actions. This parable is spoken to the Pharisees and the scribes. They don nto call for the repentance of the sinner rather they show that the sinner is completely passive in the action of salvation. So what is the message for us who have been baptized and chosen for the kingdom? Christ has already found us, how does this parable apply to us? We are not Pharisees or scribes are we? Well maybe. You see the Pharisees and the scribes are grumbling about Jesus eating with sinners. Sinners whom he has chosen to dine with. Sinners who He has chosen to preach to. And yet the religious leaders grumble about it. Do you know the next parable that Jesus tells in the Gospel of Luke? It’s the parable of the Prodigal Son. Which character in today’s reading are the Pharisees and the scribes acting like? Perhaps the son who stayed and did not wander. The one who was angry because the Father threw a celebration for a son who repented and did not deserve grace. Today’s reading is a warning to us to not be like the Pharisees and the scribes to not be like the older son who was jealous of the younger; it is a warning that you are God’s chosen, and therefore you must celebrate when God has mercy on one who does not deserve mercy. For instance is a MIUer came in here right now and confessed that he or she have received the salific faith given by the Holy Spirit you are not to scoff and say well I have been a Christina for xxxx years they are not as favored in the Lords eyes as I am. Or they do not deserve the grace of God. For if you deny the grace of God to the undeserving then you are not welcome by the grace of God at the feast.
We at Word of Life Lutheran Church exist to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through love and service to our neighbors. We are not to be selective of who we serve and we are not to ask if they deserve it. Yes we will in some instances be taken advantage of. But whether it is fair or not, whether the person deserves it or not, is not up to us we are commanded to serve and let Jesus judge the heart of the person.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Luke 14:25-33
Hate? Jesus do you really want us to hate our fathers, mothers, wife, children, sisters and brothers? “Miseo,” is the Greek word used here; if you do not “miseo” your family you cannot be my dieciple. Miseo is a Greek term that has many deep meanings, used here in the 3rd person, present tense, indicative mood, singular and active voice, didn’t know one word could have so many categories did you, well that is Greek for ya, it means: to be disinclined to, disfavor, disregard. So Jesus isn’t saying that one should hate their family, to do that would be to break the fourth commandment of honoring your father and mother. No, Jesus is saying I am first; your spouse or parents if you are unmarried are second, your children, if you have any, are third and so on. Jesus is calling you to put Him first.
Since Jesus is commanding something here we call this part of today’s text the law and remember Luther believed that the law has two functions or uses; Luther’s first use of the law declares that the law exists first and for most to regulate society. But in today’ passage Jesus is using the law in Luther’s second use which comes from Romans 3:20 which states:
“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
The second use of the law is to afflict the consciences of poor wretched sinners’ by making them aware that they are, in fact, poor wretched sinners therefore unable to live up to the law. Why would Jesus command something from us that He knows that we cannot perform to God’s satisfaction? For the purpose of putting to death our flesh and there by drive us to the realization that we are all in need of a Savior. Luther is quoted as saying, "It is certain that man must utterly despair of his own ability before he is prepared to receive the grace of Christ."
This is how law and gospel function in our lives. The law is constantly driving the human soul to the gospel by the afflicting of the human flesh, by requiring of that flesh what it is both unwilling and completely unable to do. This is the tension that we live in; the tension between saint and sinner. The good Rev. Dr. Sundberg told us yesterday, “You cannot have the gospel without law and you cannot have a God of love without a God of wrath.” He taught me that form Luther’s commentary on the Psalms.
“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Again bear your cross, something that we have the neither ability nor the desire to do. So how does this get done in the life of a disciple of Christ? Through Baptism by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In baptism the washing by means of water is not only a symbol of the washing away of our sins, it is also a symbol of our drowning. In baptism we are buried with Him in His death and then raised with Him in His resurrection. At baptism your sinful flesh is put to death and is therefore dead indeed. In your baptism you become raised as a new creation with Christ for eternity. You see your eternal life doesn’t start at your physical death, NO; it starts at your baptism. If you have been baptized you are new creatures, right now, living eternally. However even though your flesh is dead spiritually it is still functioning right here on earth for one purpose, to love and serve your neighbor thus calling God’s elect on to Him. And since you are both new creation and dyeing flesh you need both law and gospel.
Our lives, after baptism, are just one long drawn out crucifixion. Jesus is saying that if you are baptized into the faith and you respond to that baptism by seeking to follow the law all the while knowing that you cannot and are therefore in need of a Savior thus are saved by faith; then you are Christ’s disciple and you are being put to the cross to die daily and you are resurrected to new life daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who are in the Spirit are in Christ. Luther said a Christian life is a life of constant repentance.
“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost?” I have heard sermon after sermon on this passage that encourages people to actually sit down and figure out the cost of following Christ. How misguided is that. How do you think that I would have responded to Jesus if he would of came to me over 5 years ago and said, “you know Jamie I know that you live in a new home and make good money but I want you to follow me so you are going to lose everything even the house, be poor go back to school for 5 years all the while living on food stamps and the generosity of my body. Then I am going to send you to Southeastern Iowa to a small town where you will completely fall in love with the people and do mission.” And still remain financially dependent upon food stamps and the generosity of My body.” Do you honestly think I would have sat down and figured the cost of following Christ and then, in the lust for money and power said Okay doky JC let’s do it. ABSURD! Jesus doesn’t fully fill you in on the full cost of following Him so you can then make an informed choice. So much for decision theology. This parable about the builder counting the cost is a parable of Christ mission to the cross, FOR YOU!
Jesus is the wise builder who sat down and figured the cost of building His new kingdom by dyeing on the cross for the forgiveness of sins then being raise from the dead thus ending the old covenant and establishing a new one. Jesus is the wise builder, the wise king!! Not you and your decision. If it is up to Jesus’ finished work on the cross and then your decision to follow Him then salvation is Jesus plus! Jesus plus your decision. Then if that is the case you can sit around a try to determine if it is 90% Jesus and 10% you or is it 80% Jesus and 20% you? I will bet my life that it is 100% Jesus and 0% me! And I will find comfort in that reality.
The Holy Spirit engulfs us after our baptism both putting to death our flesh and nurturing and raising our soul to new life. For God’s purpose! Not you benefit! Because God chose you. If it has to do with you and your choice then it isn’t about Jesus. You can’t have both complete despair at the crushing accusation of the law and free choice. It just doesn’t work that way.
So where the gospel message in today’s reading? It is in the fact that Jesus has counted the cost and paid the price, built the tower calculated the war, and He is perfect and has not left the most important decision, the decision to follow Him, up to selfish, rebellious, and sinful human will. It too important of a decision for that.
You are sitting in front of a called and now ordained preacher sent to you for the purpose of declaring to you that you are Christ’s chosen and you can’t screw that up. Here is the gospel promise, here is the message today that will raise you up to new life, here is the proclamation that will give you salific faith.!!! Are you ready? Are you listening? Christ died and rose from the dead so that those whom He foreknew and predestined would have eternal life with Him. You are those foreknown and predestined. How do I know? You have been baptized and now sit in front of a true preacher, one who points to Christ alone for salvation, in response to the calling of Christ bestowed upon you at baptism. You are saved, Christ has chosen you and He sent me here to tell you so. AMEN.
Since Jesus is commanding something here we call this part of today’s text the law and remember Luther believed that the law has two functions or uses; Luther’s first use of the law declares that the law exists first and for most to regulate society. But in today’ passage Jesus is using the law in Luther’s second use which comes from Romans 3:20 which states:
“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
The second use of the law is to afflict the consciences of poor wretched sinners’ by making them aware that they are, in fact, poor wretched sinners therefore unable to live up to the law. Why would Jesus command something from us that He knows that we cannot perform to God’s satisfaction? For the purpose of putting to death our flesh and there by drive us to the realization that we are all in need of a Savior. Luther is quoted as saying, "It is certain that man must utterly despair of his own ability before he is prepared to receive the grace of Christ."
This is how law and gospel function in our lives. The law is constantly driving the human soul to the gospel by the afflicting of the human flesh, by requiring of that flesh what it is both unwilling and completely unable to do. This is the tension that we live in; the tension between saint and sinner. The good Rev. Dr. Sundberg told us yesterday, “You cannot have the gospel without law and you cannot have a God of love without a God of wrath.” He taught me that form Luther’s commentary on the Psalms.
“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Again bear your cross, something that we have the neither ability nor the desire to do. So how does this get done in the life of a disciple of Christ? Through Baptism by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In baptism the washing by means of water is not only a symbol of the washing away of our sins, it is also a symbol of our drowning. In baptism we are buried with Him in His death and then raised with Him in His resurrection. At baptism your sinful flesh is put to death and is therefore dead indeed. In your baptism you become raised as a new creation with Christ for eternity. You see your eternal life doesn’t start at your physical death, NO; it starts at your baptism. If you have been baptized you are new creatures, right now, living eternally. However even though your flesh is dead spiritually it is still functioning right here on earth for one purpose, to love and serve your neighbor thus calling God’s elect on to Him. And since you are both new creation and dyeing flesh you need both law and gospel.
Our lives, after baptism, are just one long drawn out crucifixion. Jesus is saying that if you are baptized into the faith and you respond to that baptism by seeking to follow the law all the while knowing that you cannot and are therefore in need of a Savior thus are saved by faith; then you are Christ’s disciple and you are being put to the cross to die daily and you are resurrected to new life daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who are in the Spirit are in Christ. Luther said a Christian life is a life of constant repentance.
“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost?” I have heard sermon after sermon on this passage that encourages people to actually sit down and figure out the cost of following Christ. How misguided is that. How do you think that I would have responded to Jesus if he would of came to me over 5 years ago and said, “you know Jamie I know that you live in a new home and make good money but I want you to follow me so you are going to lose everything even the house, be poor go back to school for 5 years all the while living on food stamps and the generosity of my body. Then I am going to send you to Southeastern Iowa to a small town where you will completely fall in love with the people and do mission.” And still remain financially dependent upon food stamps and the generosity of My body.” Do you honestly think I would have sat down and figured the cost of following Christ and then, in the lust for money and power said Okay doky JC let’s do it. ABSURD! Jesus doesn’t fully fill you in on the full cost of following Him so you can then make an informed choice. So much for decision theology. This parable about the builder counting the cost is a parable of Christ mission to the cross, FOR YOU!
Jesus is the wise builder who sat down and figured the cost of building His new kingdom by dyeing on the cross for the forgiveness of sins then being raise from the dead thus ending the old covenant and establishing a new one. Jesus is the wise builder, the wise king!! Not you and your decision. If it is up to Jesus’ finished work on the cross and then your decision to follow Him then salvation is Jesus plus! Jesus plus your decision. Then if that is the case you can sit around a try to determine if it is 90% Jesus and 10% you or is it 80% Jesus and 20% you? I will bet my life that it is 100% Jesus and 0% me! And I will find comfort in that reality.
The Holy Spirit engulfs us after our baptism both putting to death our flesh and nurturing and raising our soul to new life. For God’s purpose! Not you benefit! Because God chose you. If it has to do with you and your choice then it isn’t about Jesus. You can’t have both complete despair at the crushing accusation of the law and free choice. It just doesn’t work that way.
So where the gospel message in today’s reading? It is in the fact that Jesus has counted the cost and paid the price, built the tower calculated the war, and He is perfect and has not left the most important decision, the decision to follow Him, up to selfish, rebellious, and sinful human will. It too important of a decision for that.
You are sitting in front of a called and now ordained preacher sent to you for the purpose of declaring to you that you are Christ’s chosen and you can’t screw that up. Here is the gospel promise, here is the message today that will raise you up to new life, here is the proclamation that will give you salific faith.!!! Are you ready? Are you listening? Christ died and rose from the dead so that those whom He foreknew and predestined would have eternal life with Him. You are those foreknown and predestined. How do I know? You have been baptized and now sit in front of a true preacher, one who points to Christ alone for salvation, in response to the calling of Christ bestowed upon you at baptism. You are saved, Christ has chosen you and He sent me here to tell you so. AMEN.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sermon to Word of Life 08/29/10 Luke 14: 1, 7-10
I spent numerous hours pouring myself out over this reading from Luke entitled, “The Parable of the Wedding Banquet.” All of the commentaries I read talked about the social norms of the seat of honor and the hierarchy of the seating assignments given at a traditional Jewish wedding feast. Then they talked about being humble in life and out of your humbleness you will receive your reward in heaven. Well that all seemed like contextual and historical criticism and a lot of works righteousness to me. I could not stop thinking that there was more going on here than historical Jewish edict and a lesson of false humility put forth for the sake of a reward thus earning a prized place in heaven.
I believe that the idea of earning a place in heaven has been referred to as ladder theology. In ladder theology you spend your life climbing up the ladder of good works to God. How did that work for the folks who tried to build the Tower of Babel? Oh yeah! God came down and squashed their best efforts like it was an ant hill on a sidewalk.
Now don’t just take my word for it, you can strive to earn you righteousness by climbing that ladder. Just know that we do not climb up to God rather Jesus comes down to us. And if you try to climb up to Him you will be knocked on your keester by Jesus in His decent to give to you what you do not have the power, the ability, nor the skill to obtain; eternal righteousness, it is a free gift! It is not earned.
Well call me captain oblivious, but this parable is about a wedding banquet and our Hebrews reading for today encourages us to hold marriage in honor and not to defile the marriage bed. Oh! MARRIAGE! This parable is about MARRIAGE. DUH!
I have said it before that Christ is to the Church as a man is to his wife. It is not a mistake that in the Bible Jesus is referred to as the Bridegroom and the Church is called the bride of Christ. So the lesson of humility in today’s parable, “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Is not how you earn a better place at the table of the Lord in Heaven (although that might be true) it is telling us to be humble and seek the lowest position in our marriages so that our marriages may be exalted. Imagine if both spouses sought nothing else but to love and serve their beloveds. What would that look like?
However this is not the reality of Christian marriage in our world today. One in two Christian marriages, in our country, end in divorce; that’s 50%! Our society is one of self seeking, self serving, and indulgence of the sinful nature.
It’s not fair, I give them everything and I get nothing! It’s not fair I never get ME time! It’s not fair I deserve to have fun with my friends! That is a load of festering boils, oozing puss all over a pile of fresh hog crap! It is a lie out of the pit of Hell and a cry of the sinful nature to be gluttonous. Where in the marriage vows does it say that we are entitled to ME time? Where does it say that we are entitled to party with our friends? Those are self indulgent lies coming from the mouth of the great deceiver.
When we are joined in the union of marriage to our spouse our lives cease to be our own and they become one with the other. Married people have no business at a party or in a bar without their spouse. You are just asking for T-R-O-U-B-L-E! If you feel that the spark is gone in your marriage, or that things have become mundane, then get into prayer and the Word of God! Turn to your Savior to give you the strength to carry on in the vows that YOU took before Almighty God and your family and friends!
Adultery: is not just always a physical act. Adultery is any time one spouse gives to a member of the opposite sex what belongs to their souse. For instance if you are a woman and you turn to another man for comfort, support, or encouragement (other than your minister of course) no matter how innocent, then you are committing adultery. If you are a man and you turn to a woman other than your spouse in a lustful way to fulfill your ego, no matter how innocent, its adultery. I didn’t make these rules up people they are right here in the Word of God!
I am angry this morning folks. I have too much time talking with men whose wives have abandoned any hope of staying marriage. I have spent too much time watching as the sacred office of marriage is attacked and destroyed by satan and the sinful flesh. I can’t help you in your marriage when I want to save it far more than either of you
Thank God that there are couples in our congregation who are sold out to their spouses. I am begging you who know that you are still in love with your spouse to make yourselves available to those in this congregation who are fighting to keep their love alive.
When you honor your spouse in this way you are honoring Christ for the office of marriage is a peek into the intense intimacy that is to come with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the next life. If we do not fight RIGHT NOW for the sanctity and honor of the office of marriage then our faith in Christ will be close behind. Abandon the sacred office of marriage for the indulgence of the self and your love of the Savior will diminish as well.
God hates divorce! The Bible says so over and over and over. Do you think that it’s because it breaks His law? Well that is part of it but hate in Hebrew is stronger than just dislike. It is despised it puts a stench in the nostrils of God that is comparable to a pile of boils oozing pussing, well you get the idea. When we divorce the image of the relationship of the Savior to His Church is defiled, defamed, and degraded. This is why God hates divorce.
But keep in mind God hates divorce not divorced people. Divorce is sin divorced people are God’s beloved creation swirling is a pool of pain, agony, and personal distress. In the midst of our pain, yes even in the midst of divorce our Savior seeks us. But I beg you those whose marriages are in trouble. Talk about it with another couple; a couple who perhaps has been where you are. If you do not talk about it or seek to hide or deny it you are fueling the lie and giving your marriage over to satan.
So toady I stand before you my beloved congregation who has called, supported, and provide for Zanny and I and all of our needs. Join me this week in deep and heartfelt prayer for the office of marriage in our world, our country, our state, and yes even our congregation. Prayer and the Word of God heals, I am more than convinced.
I believe that the idea of earning a place in heaven has been referred to as ladder theology. In ladder theology you spend your life climbing up the ladder of good works to God. How did that work for the folks who tried to build the Tower of Babel? Oh yeah! God came down and squashed their best efforts like it was an ant hill on a sidewalk.
Now don’t just take my word for it, you can strive to earn you righteousness by climbing that ladder. Just know that we do not climb up to God rather Jesus comes down to us. And if you try to climb up to Him you will be knocked on your keester by Jesus in His decent to give to you what you do not have the power, the ability, nor the skill to obtain; eternal righteousness, it is a free gift! It is not earned.
Well call me captain oblivious, but this parable is about a wedding banquet and our Hebrews reading for today encourages us to hold marriage in honor and not to defile the marriage bed. Oh! MARRIAGE! This parable is about MARRIAGE. DUH!
I have said it before that Christ is to the Church as a man is to his wife. It is not a mistake that in the Bible Jesus is referred to as the Bridegroom and the Church is called the bride of Christ. So the lesson of humility in today’s parable, “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Is not how you earn a better place at the table of the Lord in Heaven (although that might be true) it is telling us to be humble and seek the lowest position in our marriages so that our marriages may be exalted. Imagine if both spouses sought nothing else but to love and serve their beloveds. What would that look like?
However this is not the reality of Christian marriage in our world today. One in two Christian marriages, in our country, end in divorce; that’s 50%! Our society is one of self seeking, self serving, and indulgence of the sinful nature.
It’s not fair, I give them everything and I get nothing! It’s not fair I never get ME time! It’s not fair I deserve to have fun with my friends! That is a load of festering boils, oozing puss all over a pile of fresh hog crap! It is a lie out of the pit of Hell and a cry of the sinful nature to be gluttonous. Where in the marriage vows does it say that we are entitled to ME time? Where does it say that we are entitled to party with our friends? Those are self indulgent lies coming from the mouth of the great deceiver.
When we are joined in the union of marriage to our spouse our lives cease to be our own and they become one with the other. Married people have no business at a party or in a bar without their spouse. You are just asking for T-R-O-U-B-L-E! If you feel that the spark is gone in your marriage, or that things have become mundane, then get into prayer and the Word of God! Turn to your Savior to give you the strength to carry on in the vows that YOU took before Almighty God and your family and friends!
Adultery: is not just always a physical act. Adultery is any time one spouse gives to a member of the opposite sex what belongs to their souse. For instance if you are a woman and you turn to another man for comfort, support, or encouragement (other than your minister of course) no matter how innocent, then you are committing adultery. If you are a man and you turn to a woman other than your spouse in a lustful way to fulfill your ego, no matter how innocent, its adultery. I didn’t make these rules up people they are right here in the Word of God!
I am angry this morning folks. I have too much time talking with men whose wives have abandoned any hope of staying marriage. I have spent too much time watching as the sacred office of marriage is attacked and destroyed by satan and the sinful flesh. I can’t help you in your marriage when I want to save it far more than either of you
Thank God that there are couples in our congregation who are sold out to their spouses. I am begging you who know that you are still in love with your spouse to make yourselves available to those in this congregation who are fighting to keep their love alive.
When you honor your spouse in this way you are honoring Christ for the office of marriage is a peek into the intense intimacy that is to come with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the next life. If we do not fight RIGHT NOW for the sanctity and honor of the office of marriage then our faith in Christ will be close behind. Abandon the sacred office of marriage for the indulgence of the self and your love of the Savior will diminish as well.
God hates divorce! The Bible says so over and over and over. Do you think that it’s because it breaks His law? Well that is part of it but hate in Hebrew is stronger than just dislike. It is despised it puts a stench in the nostrils of God that is comparable to a pile of boils oozing pussing, well you get the idea. When we divorce the image of the relationship of the Savior to His Church is defiled, defamed, and degraded. This is why God hates divorce.
But keep in mind God hates divorce not divorced people. Divorce is sin divorced people are God’s beloved creation swirling is a pool of pain, agony, and personal distress. In the midst of our pain, yes even in the midst of divorce our Savior seeks us. But I beg you those whose marriages are in trouble. Talk about it with another couple; a couple who perhaps has been where you are. If you do not talk about it or seek to hide or deny it you are fueling the lie and giving your marriage over to satan.
So toady I stand before you my beloved congregation who has called, supported, and provide for Zanny and I and all of our needs. Join me this week in deep and heartfelt prayer for the office of marriage in our world, our country, our state, and yes even our congregation. Prayer and the Word of God heals, I am more than convinced.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Sermon to Word of Life 08/22/10 Luke 13:22-30
Jane, “Do a lot of people like what they hear here on Sunday?” That is kind of a self serving question isn’t it? But it is one that is not too uncomfortable to ask or answer. For instance I am not asking Jane her sole opinion rather I am asking her impression of the larger group’s opinion. And I am not asking Jane if she likes my preaching, nor if the congregation likes my preaching, I am just asking in general do they like what they hear which may be music, scripture, preaching etc... However this question is not really what I am asking Jane is it? The question behind what I am really asking Jane is, “Do you like me?” Now that question is not as safe. It asks for a specific answer about a specific person. The answer to the real question being asked can either uplift and give hope or tear down and bring about despair. In our society we don’t always ask the questions that we intend to ask. This happens today in our gospel reading.
“Lord will those who are saved be few?” On the surface this seems like a great question. It is the desperate question; nay the desperate cry of a sinner looking for reassurance that there will be many called and saved thereby upping their chances of being included in that number.
Nevertheless, as with many questions asked in our society today, this question isn’t the real question. There is a question that is behind this one. The true question that the unidentified person is asking here is, “Will I be among those who are saved?” This question is the crux or the core of the matter. But this question is a scary one. “Will I be among the saved?” Wow, the answer to that question can only go one of two ways, and one of those ways I’m not for sure I would want to hear; What if the answer to this question was no! Talk about taking the wind out of your sails. No, no that question is too tough of one to ask, it may take away all hope. So instead the person asks Christ if it will be many who are saved. The answer to this question is not so definite and doesn’t put one’s personal eternity on the line.
Jesus answers, knowing the real question behind the smoke screen, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” That doesn’t quite get at it but it leaves hope and yet still leaves room for doubt. I think Zanny took lessons from Jesus. I will ask her, “Are you mad at me?” And she will answer, “Not really.” Well which is it?!!!!
“Strive to enter through the narrow door.” What is the narrow door? I asked myself this and assumed all week that it was Jesus. But now I am not for sure. If there is a narrow door this logically leaves the possibility of a wide door. Otherwise Jesus would have said strive to enter through the only door. Jesus says to strive to enter through the narrow door. I believe that Jesus is telling us to strive to enter through the door of the law. He is commanding works of the law from those who seek to follow Him. We are free from the law yes, but that is not a license to be a jerk. Jesus is saying you are now free from the law but you are also now free to abide by it. The freedom of a Christian is not freedom from something as much as it is freedom to do something. You see good works or works of the law come from a saved person not the other way around. Therefore if you are striving to enter through the door of the law then you are among the chosen because your works are coming from a heart of faith.
“When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.” When the master has risen; “eg i ro” in Greek; literally meaning: 1) to arouse, cause to rise 1a) to arouse from sleep, to awake 1b) to arouse from the sleep of death, to recall the dead to life. “egiro” is the same Greek word use in Luke 24:6, “He is not here, but has risen.” Jesus is not the narrow door Jesus is the Master who when he rises from the dead will close the door. Jesus, when He rose from the dead, shut the narrow door of the law. And when you knock on the door of the law He will say to you, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” As I said last week the judgment has been rendered we are all guilty of breaking God’s law and have been sentenced to death for our sins. And through the door of the law no one gets in. “And for those there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth;” Luther said that a true theologian of the cross calls a thing what it is, so let’s call this what it is HELL!
Yes Virginia there is a Hell for those who believe they can enter the Kingdom of Heaven through the door of the law and not through faith in Christ. It is not an imaginary place made up by early Christians who were too into Greek mythology. Hell is real and it exists for those who are cast out of the Kingdom for their unbelief.
“And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Who is first on earth? Those who are accepting of all beliefs? Those who live and let live? Those who say well there are many ways to God, Jesus is just one of them? These are the ones that Jesus tells us will come and say, “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” Universalism and antinomianism have become a plague in the main line denominations for too long. Universalism is the attitude that whatever you believe you will be saved. Diane Eck popular Methodist author of the book, “Encountering God” is quoted as saying, “Jesus Christ is no more important than any Hindu avatar.” Antinomianism represents an extreme idea, wherein adherence to the Mosaic Law is considered inessential in the Christian lifestyle. Did you hear that? Allow me to repeat, antinomianism is the idea that as a Christian you do not have to and are not expected to adhere to the law. Does this sound familiar? It should its one of the heresies that Luther railed against. Oh wait you all are no Lutheran historians are you? So how does it sound familiar to you? Are you telling me that today in this day and age there are Christians who believe that the law has passed for those of us on earth and we are now free to go “willy nilly” into sin because we are saved regardless? But I say Jesus told you that you are still to strive to enter through the narrow door even if it is not possible. And St. Paul said in Romans that the gospel is not a license to sin. I think you are in agreement with me that homosexual marriage, homosexual ordination, and sex between two committed unmarried people is a product of this heresy. But you see those who follow this heresy will tell you that history is nothing and the authority of scripture is nothing because we are now “enlightened” and more educated than those silly Bible people. So we need to read the bible and history through the lens of our own conscience because we now know more. You mean through the lens of a fallen, broken rebellious to God conscience? Well I will have none of that thank you very much! And the very fact that you folks are sitting before me right now is proof that you won’t either.
We should and will continue to love and pray for our antinomianism neighbor, our Muslim neighbor, our homosexual neighbor, and yes even our Universalists neighbor. But we are absolutely not to condone their behavior and give them a pass as if their view is just as faithful.
Gabby is my three year old and I love her dearly. But if I saw her playing with razors I would take them away from her, even if it meant that she might be unhappy with me, even if it meant her saying and she has, “Daddy you hate me, your mean and I hate you.” Even then out of love, true love I would openly forbid her to continue in her harmful practices. Who is more loving to their neighbor; one who will let them persist in their sin on to their own damnation or the one who will, even at the risk of persecution, say, “No! I love you but what you’re doing is wrong and I will not condone it nor allow it.” Who is the one who truly love their neighbor?
I say the one who truly loves their neighbor is the one who will be viewed by society as last; as unenlightened, as an adherent to an ancient book in an ancient tradition that no longer applies today.
Jesus says that the last on earth will be first and will recline with Him at the table of the feast of the Kingdom of heaven. This is our gospel promise today. Even if your convictions make you last one earth you will still dine with the King in heaven. Because of your faith and trust in Christ.
Don’t miss hear me, Jesus is the only way to heaven and only through faith in him might one be saved. But in today’s reading the narrow door is the door of the law which we are now free to and asked by Christ to strive to enter for the good of our neighbor. And in today’s reading Jesus is not the narrow gate rather he is the master who will shut the door on those who seek to do good in the eyes of the world, and let in those who have faith in Christ and stand on their convictions for the sake of the gospel and as a example for their neighbor.
Fear not little flock , it isn’t easy but its faithful.
“Lord will those who are saved be few?” On the surface this seems like a great question. It is the desperate question; nay the desperate cry of a sinner looking for reassurance that there will be many called and saved thereby upping their chances of being included in that number.
Nevertheless, as with many questions asked in our society today, this question isn’t the real question. There is a question that is behind this one. The true question that the unidentified person is asking here is, “Will I be among those who are saved?” This question is the crux or the core of the matter. But this question is a scary one. “Will I be among the saved?” Wow, the answer to that question can only go one of two ways, and one of those ways I’m not for sure I would want to hear; What if the answer to this question was no! Talk about taking the wind out of your sails. No, no that question is too tough of one to ask, it may take away all hope. So instead the person asks Christ if it will be many who are saved. The answer to this question is not so definite and doesn’t put one’s personal eternity on the line.
Jesus answers, knowing the real question behind the smoke screen, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” That doesn’t quite get at it but it leaves hope and yet still leaves room for doubt. I think Zanny took lessons from Jesus. I will ask her, “Are you mad at me?” And she will answer, “Not really.” Well which is it?!!!!
“Strive to enter through the narrow door.” What is the narrow door? I asked myself this and assumed all week that it was Jesus. But now I am not for sure. If there is a narrow door this logically leaves the possibility of a wide door. Otherwise Jesus would have said strive to enter through the only door. Jesus says to strive to enter through the narrow door. I believe that Jesus is telling us to strive to enter through the door of the law. He is commanding works of the law from those who seek to follow Him. We are free from the law yes, but that is not a license to be a jerk. Jesus is saying you are now free from the law but you are also now free to abide by it. The freedom of a Christian is not freedom from something as much as it is freedom to do something. You see good works or works of the law come from a saved person not the other way around. Therefore if you are striving to enter through the door of the law then you are among the chosen because your works are coming from a heart of faith.
“When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.” When the master has risen; “eg i ro” in Greek; literally meaning: 1) to arouse, cause to rise 1a) to arouse from sleep, to awake 1b) to arouse from the sleep of death, to recall the dead to life. “egiro” is the same Greek word use in Luke 24:6, “He is not here, but has risen.” Jesus is not the narrow door Jesus is the Master who when he rises from the dead will close the door. Jesus, when He rose from the dead, shut the narrow door of the law. And when you knock on the door of the law He will say to you, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” As I said last week the judgment has been rendered we are all guilty of breaking God’s law and have been sentenced to death for our sins. And through the door of the law no one gets in. “And for those there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth;” Luther said that a true theologian of the cross calls a thing what it is, so let’s call this what it is HELL!
Yes Virginia there is a Hell for those who believe they can enter the Kingdom of Heaven through the door of the law and not through faith in Christ. It is not an imaginary place made up by early Christians who were too into Greek mythology. Hell is real and it exists for those who are cast out of the Kingdom for their unbelief.
“And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Who is first on earth? Those who are accepting of all beliefs? Those who live and let live? Those who say well there are many ways to God, Jesus is just one of them? These are the ones that Jesus tells us will come and say, “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” Universalism and antinomianism have become a plague in the main line denominations for too long. Universalism is the attitude that whatever you believe you will be saved. Diane Eck popular Methodist author of the book, “Encountering God” is quoted as saying, “Jesus Christ is no more important than any Hindu avatar.” Antinomianism represents an extreme idea, wherein adherence to the Mosaic Law is considered inessential in the Christian lifestyle. Did you hear that? Allow me to repeat, antinomianism is the idea that as a Christian you do not have to and are not expected to adhere to the law. Does this sound familiar? It should its one of the heresies that Luther railed against. Oh wait you all are no Lutheran historians are you? So how does it sound familiar to you? Are you telling me that today in this day and age there are Christians who believe that the law has passed for those of us on earth and we are now free to go “willy nilly” into sin because we are saved regardless? But I say Jesus told you that you are still to strive to enter through the narrow door even if it is not possible. And St. Paul said in Romans that the gospel is not a license to sin. I think you are in agreement with me that homosexual marriage, homosexual ordination, and sex between two committed unmarried people is a product of this heresy. But you see those who follow this heresy will tell you that history is nothing and the authority of scripture is nothing because we are now “enlightened” and more educated than those silly Bible people. So we need to read the bible and history through the lens of our own conscience because we now know more. You mean through the lens of a fallen, broken rebellious to God conscience? Well I will have none of that thank you very much! And the very fact that you folks are sitting before me right now is proof that you won’t either.
We should and will continue to love and pray for our antinomianism neighbor, our Muslim neighbor, our homosexual neighbor, and yes even our Universalists neighbor. But we are absolutely not to condone their behavior and give them a pass as if their view is just as faithful.
Gabby is my three year old and I love her dearly. But if I saw her playing with razors I would take them away from her, even if it meant that she might be unhappy with me, even if it meant her saying and she has, “Daddy you hate me, your mean and I hate you.” Even then out of love, true love I would openly forbid her to continue in her harmful practices. Who is more loving to their neighbor; one who will let them persist in their sin on to their own damnation or the one who will, even at the risk of persecution, say, “No! I love you but what you’re doing is wrong and I will not condone it nor allow it.” Who is the one who truly love their neighbor?
I say the one who truly loves their neighbor is the one who will be viewed by society as last; as unenlightened, as an adherent to an ancient book in an ancient tradition that no longer applies today.
Jesus says that the last on earth will be first and will recline with Him at the table of the feast of the Kingdom of heaven. This is our gospel promise today. Even if your convictions make you last one earth you will still dine with the King in heaven. Because of your faith and trust in Christ.
Don’t miss hear me, Jesus is the only way to heaven and only through faith in him might one be saved. But in today’s reading the narrow door is the door of the law which we are now free to and asked by Christ to strive to enter for the good of our neighbor. And in today’s reading Jesus is not the narrow gate rather he is the master who will shut the door on those who seek to do good in the eyes of the world, and let in those who have faith in Christ and stand on their convictions for the sake of the gospel and as a example for their neighbor.
Fear not little flock , it isn’t easy but its faithful.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Luke 12:49-53 Delivered to Word of life Lutheran Church 08/15/2010
I was reading an atheist website this week that was commenting on this passage in Luke. The atheist said, “Well, if that is Jesus’ attitude then I don’t want to have any part of Him.”
“I have come to cast fire on the earth, and would that it already kindled!” In this sentence in Greek the wording of this passage would be literally, “Fire I came to cast on the earth!” By putting the word “poor” or fire first in the sentence shows the level of intensity that Jesus intended in this verse. I guess if I were an atheist and heard a passage like this I wouldn’t be interested either. But what if I was an atheist and saw Jesus bringing fire upon the earth? Well I guess, as my seminary professor good Rev. Dr. Sundberg says, I hope that I was wearing brown trousers.
What on earth is this passage all about? What about a God of love a God of peace? This passage is quite contrary to that image. Dennis, you have seven kids, you’re a love machine right? I mean you are a loving father. Did you ever get angry at any of your children? Let me ask them, Liz, have you ever seen you father anger? Did he ever inflict any kind of judgment or punishment on you? Well Dennis as a loving father, you are not limited to the emotion of tender, gentle, make peace not war kinds of emotion are you? Well if you being human are not limited to one nature the how can we possibly limit an eternal being like God to one nature? God is love but He is not only love.
Jesus says I have come to cast fire in the earth. Let’s consider this verse in light of the entire Bible not just one line. Where else in the bible to we hear about fire? How about in Exodus? Did God not lead the Israelites through the desert as a pillar of fire? And what about sacrifices made to God in the OT? Weren’t most of the “burnt” offerings? In 1 Kings 18 Elijah calls down fire from the Lord and it consumes the sacrifice. Then Elijah orders that all the prophets of Baal be slaughtered, and they are. And what about earlier in Luke 3:16, “John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water but He who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
Baptism, fire, judgment? Is it not completely fitting that we held our first Baptism at Word of Life today? Well perhaps I should explain a little further.
What is baptism? Baptism is the Word of God (Jesus Christ Himself) present in the water of the baptismal font. This Word present in the water permeates the life of the one being baptized making them a light to shine for the glory of Christ. The water alone is nothing rather the Word in the water pronounces to the person that they are claimed for Christ upon hearing this promise the Holy Spirit enters the person and delivers to them all that they need for saving faith. The person being baptized comes up from the water a new creation in Christ. Baptism, while witnessing to those watching does not function solely to witness. The only thing that is needed for baptism is water, the Word and two witnesses that promise to guide and direct the one being baptized. The ritual of baptism is a symbol of what will take place all throughout the life of that person.
What is it that is taking place? Well you can’t have a resurrection without a death. I have asked many people but I have never found anyone who has made it or thinks that they will make it out of this life alive. Everyone dies. During our lives we are creeping closer and closer to our physical death. Why do we die? Because God’s judgment has already taken place and each of us has been found guilty of our sin. As a result of this guilty verdict we have been sentenced to death. No one is innocent, no one gets out alive.
But the guilty verdict is not the last Word we hear from God is it. No! There is another. After we are sentenced to death by the law those who have been given saving faith in Jesus Christ at their baptism and have been nurtured in the saving faith in Jesus Christ thus responding to this saving faith in Jesus Christ are then resurrected as new creations and are given eternal life.
Does anyone know how gold or silver is purified? It is done through fire. Heating the metal up so hot that the sludge rises to the top. The sludge is then cleansed away from the metal and it becomes pure. The refining fire that Jesus claims that He has come to bring functions the same way. After our baptisms we live our lives through the refining fire of Jesus Christ. Why? So that Christ can make us into someone that is useful in the service of their neighbor. Then when the refining process is complete, at our physical death, Christ takes what is left, the purity of the new creation and grants them eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
This sermon may be hard for some of you to hear.
In our gospel reading today Jesus says, “and would that it were already kindled!” Jesus can’t wait until you join Him completely in the Kingdom of Heaven. After a person is baptized they are a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. So we live our lives in a duality; completely condemned to death but completely forgiven and eternal. Simual ustes et percator, simultaneously sinner and saint.
“I have a baptism to be baptized with, how great is my distress until it is accomplished!” The Greek word “baptidzo” can mean “to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge 2) to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe 3) to become overwhelmed by God’s judgment.” Jesus is saying that He is going to the cross to be put to death under the Judgment of God; FOR YOU! And He is a little stressed out about it. As a matter of fact He says, “I will be in distress until IT IS Accomplished.” What are Christ’s last words on the cross? Oh yeah, “It IS ACCOMPLISHED!” There is no doubt that when Christ refers to the upcoming baptism that He will face He is talking about going to the cross.
So what about those who are kindled in the fire of the judgment of God and have not been given saving faith? What about the evil, the arrogant and the evildoers who seem to prosper in this life. Listen close because here is the promise Malachi 4:1-3, “4:1 [1] “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.”
Jesus goes on to say in our gospel reading for today “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” The peace that is promised through Christ is the peace found in the eternal Kingdom of Heaven not here on earth. We will never be at peace as long as evil exists in the world. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be times of peace or that we shouldn’t work for peace but it does mean that evil will always seek to destroy and disrupt peace and there will always have to be men and women who are called to protect the peaceful. Thank you Scott for your service.
This is the division that Jesus is talking about in the last part of this passage. When the Word of Christ, saving faith, really takes hold of a sinner they change. Their lives change, sometimes much to the dismay of their family and friends. What do you mean you won’t go to that movie with me? What do you mean that two beers is your limit, you used to drink with me all night! What do you mean you want to pray before dinner and eat together every night? What are you now some kind of pious Jesus freak? Don’t force your religious garbage on me! Take you Bible and thump it elsewhere I am not interested. And these very words may come from your best friend, your mom, dad or mother in law. But notice Jesus says nothing about husband and wife in this passage. He intentionally leaves out division in marriages because Jesus doesn’t will divorce. What God has joined let no man come in between. If you hear someone say and it is said in this day and age, God wanted me to get divorced may wife and marry my secretary, it is a lie and that person is being deluded by the devil. Now I am not saying that when one spouse turns to Christ and the other doesn’t, that division will not arise. What I am saying is that the division that arises is not of Christ. He came to separate the sheep from the goats not husband from wife. This doesn’t mean that divorced people are bad. I am sure that most of you do not realize that Zanny is in fact my second wife. It does means that even in and through Godly people evil will seek to destroy peace.
In God ordained relationships there is always a way but both parties are not always willing. This is a sad commentary on the state of marriage in our world today. And evil even seeks to pervert this God ordained office by legally bringing together same sex partners. This is against the order of creation, in these kinds of relationships St. Paul says in Romans chapter one God will abandon them to the lust and impurity of their hearts, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!
Let each of us pray for the sacred office of marriage in our world today. May God restore to it the purity, honor, and example of the Christian relationship. As husband is to wife so is Christ to the Church.
So Christ beings with Him the judgment of God however to those who have been baptized, thus bestowing upon them saving faith, there is no need to fear. Remember last week’s gospel reading? “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
“I have come to cast fire on the earth, and would that it already kindled!” In this sentence in Greek the wording of this passage would be literally, “Fire I came to cast on the earth!” By putting the word “poor” or fire first in the sentence shows the level of intensity that Jesus intended in this verse. I guess if I were an atheist and heard a passage like this I wouldn’t be interested either. But what if I was an atheist and saw Jesus bringing fire upon the earth? Well I guess, as my seminary professor good Rev. Dr. Sundberg says, I hope that I was wearing brown trousers.
What on earth is this passage all about? What about a God of love a God of peace? This passage is quite contrary to that image. Dennis, you have seven kids, you’re a love machine right? I mean you are a loving father. Did you ever get angry at any of your children? Let me ask them, Liz, have you ever seen you father anger? Did he ever inflict any kind of judgment or punishment on you? Well Dennis as a loving father, you are not limited to the emotion of tender, gentle, make peace not war kinds of emotion are you? Well if you being human are not limited to one nature the how can we possibly limit an eternal being like God to one nature? God is love but He is not only love.
Jesus says I have come to cast fire in the earth. Let’s consider this verse in light of the entire Bible not just one line. Where else in the bible to we hear about fire? How about in Exodus? Did God not lead the Israelites through the desert as a pillar of fire? And what about sacrifices made to God in the OT? Weren’t most of the “burnt” offerings? In 1 Kings 18 Elijah calls down fire from the Lord and it consumes the sacrifice. Then Elijah orders that all the prophets of Baal be slaughtered, and they are. And what about earlier in Luke 3:16, “John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water but He who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
Baptism, fire, judgment? Is it not completely fitting that we held our first Baptism at Word of Life today? Well perhaps I should explain a little further.
What is baptism? Baptism is the Word of God (Jesus Christ Himself) present in the water of the baptismal font. This Word present in the water permeates the life of the one being baptized making them a light to shine for the glory of Christ. The water alone is nothing rather the Word in the water pronounces to the person that they are claimed for Christ upon hearing this promise the Holy Spirit enters the person and delivers to them all that they need for saving faith. The person being baptized comes up from the water a new creation in Christ. Baptism, while witnessing to those watching does not function solely to witness. The only thing that is needed for baptism is water, the Word and two witnesses that promise to guide and direct the one being baptized. The ritual of baptism is a symbol of what will take place all throughout the life of that person.
What is it that is taking place? Well you can’t have a resurrection without a death. I have asked many people but I have never found anyone who has made it or thinks that they will make it out of this life alive. Everyone dies. During our lives we are creeping closer and closer to our physical death. Why do we die? Because God’s judgment has already taken place and each of us has been found guilty of our sin. As a result of this guilty verdict we have been sentenced to death. No one is innocent, no one gets out alive.
But the guilty verdict is not the last Word we hear from God is it. No! There is another. After we are sentenced to death by the law those who have been given saving faith in Jesus Christ at their baptism and have been nurtured in the saving faith in Jesus Christ thus responding to this saving faith in Jesus Christ are then resurrected as new creations and are given eternal life.
Does anyone know how gold or silver is purified? It is done through fire. Heating the metal up so hot that the sludge rises to the top. The sludge is then cleansed away from the metal and it becomes pure. The refining fire that Jesus claims that He has come to bring functions the same way. After our baptisms we live our lives through the refining fire of Jesus Christ. Why? So that Christ can make us into someone that is useful in the service of their neighbor. Then when the refining process is complete, at our physical death, Christ takes what is left, the purity of the new creation and grants them eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
This sermon may be hard for some of you to hear.
In our gospel reading today Jesus says, “and would that it were already kindled!” Jesus can’t wait until you join Him completely in the Kingdom of Heaven. After a person is baptized they are a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. So we live our lives in a duality; completely condemned to death but completely forgiven and eternal. Simual ustes et percator, simultaneously sinner and saint.
“I have a baptism to be baptized with, how great is my distress until it is accomplished!” The Greek word “baptidzo” can mean “to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge 2) to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe 3) to become overwhelmed by God’s judgment.” Jesus is saying that He is going to the cross to be put to death under the Judgment of God; FOR YOU! And He is a little stressed out about it. As a matter of fact He says, “I will be in distress until IT IS Accomplished.” What are Christ’s last words on the cross? Oh yeah, “It IS ACCOMPLISHED!” There is no doubt that when Christ refers to the upcoming baptism that He will face He is talking about going to the cross.
So what about those who are kindled in the fire of the judgment of God and have not been given saving faith? What about the evil, the arrogant and the evildoers who seem to prosper in this life. Listen close because here is the promise Malachi 4:1-3, “4:1 [1] “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.”
Jesus goes on to say in our gospel reading for today “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” The peace that is promised through Christ is the peace found in the eternal Kingdom of Heaven not here on earth. We will never be at peace as long as evil exists in the world. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be times of peace or that we shouldn’t work for peace but it does mean that evil will always seek to destroy and disrupt peace and there will always have to be men and women who are called to protect the peaceful. Thank you Scott for your service.
This is the division that Jesus is talking about in the last part of this passage. When the Word of Christ, saving faith, really takes hold of a sinner they change. Their lives change, sometimes much to the dismay of their family and friends. What do you mean you won’t go to that movie with me? What do you mean that two beers is your limit, you used to drink with me all night! What do you mean you want to pray before dinner and eat together every night? What are you now some kind of pious Jesus freak? Don’t force your religious garbage on me! Take you Bible and thump it elsewhere I am not interested. And these very words may come from your best friend, your mom, dad or mother in law. But notice Jesus says nothing about husband and wife in this passage. He intentionally leaves out division in marriages because Jesus doesn’t will divorce. What God has joined let no man come in between. If you hear someone say and it is said in this day and age, God wanted me to get divorced may wife and marry my secretary, it is a lie and that person is being deluded by the devil. Now I am not saying that when one spouse turns to Christ and the other doesn’t, that division will not arise. What I am saying is that the division that arises is not of Christ. He came to separate the sheep from the goats not husband from wife. This doesn’t mean that divorced people are bad. I am sure that most of you do not realize that Zanny is in fact my second wife. It does means that even in and through Godly people evil will seek to destroy peace.
In God ordained relationships there is always a way but both parties are not always willing. This is a sad commentary on the state of marriage in our world today. And evil even seeks to pervert this God ordained office by legally bringing together same sex partners. This is against the order of creation, in these kinds of relationships St. Paul says in Romans chapter one God will abandon them to the lust and impurity of their hearts, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!
Let each of us pray for the sacred office of marriage in our world today. May God restore to it the purity, honor, and example of the Christian relationship. As husband is to wife so is Christ to the Church.
So Christ beings with Him the judgment of God however to those who have been baptized, thus bestowing upon them saving faith, there is no need to fear. Remember last week’s gospel reading? “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Jamie Strickler
NT4275 Revelation
Koester
Spring 2010
Final Paper
May 14, 2010
To the Church in Pergamum: Revelation 2:12-17
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
Translation explanation:
It was my original intention to create my own translation of Revelation 2:12-17 however while in the process of comparing and contrasting the ESV, NRSV, NIV, NET, and NASB I found that there really isn’t any major discrepancies between these translations. The Greek is pretty straight forward. The only discrepancy that I did find between these versions was in the translation of the Greek word “.” The ESV translated the term “to follow” verses the NET translated the term as “hold to.” Neither translation changes the meaning of the passage. With this in mind I clung to the ESV translation.
Textual Variants: Taken from “A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament” by Bruce Metzger.
2:13
The omission of x P 046 most minuscules) appears to be a modification introduced by copyists who did not perceive its ascensive force here (“even”). The word is adequately supported by A C 1854 2053 2344 it61 vg syrph copsa,bo.
2:13
Although it is possible that, because of homoeoteleuton, was accidentally omitted in transcription (yet even when is included, the following -clause involves anacoluthon), the reading which explains best the origin of the others appears to be attested be A C 2053 2065 2344 it61 vg syrph copsa, bo al. Not observing that the following must be taken as an indeclinable proper name, standing in a genitival relationship with copyists sought to adjust the strained syntax by introducing either (046 1006c syr h eth al) pr (X a (X* P 1611 1854 it gig arm al).
2:13
Since the context seems to demand the genitive several modern exegetes (including Swete, Charles, Zahn) adopt Lachmann’s conjecture that, after accidental dittography of the definite article (C) the first omicron was taken as a sigma. The Committee, however, regarded the conjecture as more than compelling.
2:16
Then Textus Receptus, following X P 1 2053 vg syrh al, omits A majority of the Committee preferred the reading with which is supported by A C 046 1006 1611 1854 syrph copsa,bo , and explained its absence in other witnesses as due either to transcriptional oversight (after -or to taking with the preceding
Theories for the authorship of Revelation:
Traditionally the authorship of “Revelation” (sometimes called “The Revelation of John”) has been attributed to the beloved disciple John. External evidence for this theory came early in the Christian Tradition. Justin Martyr was the first to speak about the apostle of Christ who prophesied of the apocalypse commenting particularly on Rev. 20:4 ESV, “4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Revelation seems to be a partner to the Gospel of John because the Christian tradition is so adamant about linking the two works. Also the traditional idea that John son of Zebedee died in Ephesus links this author to Asia Minor which is the setting for Revelation. However Montanist and Dionysius of Alexandria denied that John was the author.
On the other hand the Gospel of John is the least apocalyptic book in the New Testament. Throughout history it has been used as an example of the brand of Christianity that rejects the idea of apocalyptic theology. In support of this idea John Aston calls the Gospel of John “an apocalypse in reverse” In other words the heavenly mysteries are to be sought in Jesus who “makes the Father known” not in heaven.
We will never know for sure who wrote Revelation; except for the fact that the author identifies himself simply as John. I personally would like to cling to the romantic idea that the beloved disciple did in fact write this book and the differences in the structure and symbolism between the Gospel of John and Revelation can be attributed to divine revelation that didn’t care for consistency of style and content rather sought to deliver its message to the people as it needed to be heard. Believe me I understand that this idealistic theory is not good scholarship nonetheless I, being somewhat of a traditionalist and fundamentalist, sometimes still cling to my delusions. Either way the authorship of this work is not a deal breaker. It doesn’t add or take away anything from a person’s personal faith.
Time of Authorship:
Traditionally the time of authorship of Revelation has been set in the mid 90’s A.D. during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian. As external evidence for this theory scholars site that Domitian punished some of the members of his household for their “atheism” which is quite possibly a reference to Christianity. Some of the Romans misunderstood Christianity to be a godless religion because they did not worship the Roman emperor nor did they fit in with the Jews. But evidence for the authorship of Revelation to be around 68 A.D., the time of Nero’s death is just as potentially valid.
Main Characters of Revelation:
John, the author, is the main character in this book. He is receiving a vision from God. This vision is a message of warning and of promise to the seven churches in Asia Minor. (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea) This prophecy contains both the threat of the wrath of God and His promise of victory to those who he has called.
Other characters include the false teachers Nicolaitans and Jezebel as well as Satan who is sometimes pictured as a beast or a dragon.
Nicolaitans taught that it was right to indulge in the meat offered to idols and pagan gods as well as encouraged Christians to participate in sexual immorality. Nicolaitans is particular to the church of Ephesus.
Jezebel called herself a prophetess and seduced the members of the Church in Thyatira into sexually immoral acts as well as heresy. It is not certain if the prophetess was actually named Jezebel or if this was an allusion to the Jezebel who led Israel into the worship of false deities.
Purpose of Revelation:
The purpose the author had for writing the letter of Revelation was to bring a message of comfort to Christians who were suffering and to encourage them in their faithful witness. John uses prophetic portraits of the victory that already belongs to those chosen by God to be in the Book of Life. This victory comes in the message of the risen and living Lamb of God Jesus Christ. Also this letter served as a warning to the seven churches of the wrath of God that would fall upon them if they did not repent of their current sinful practices. Revelation defines these sinful dealings in different ways particular to each congregation’s own practice in the dealings of unfaithfulness.
Law Themes:
God communicates with His chosen for people written in the Book of Life through His Word in terms of law and gospel therefore it is pertinent to discuss these particular themes found in Revelation. One of the main themes of Revelation is t apply the law and show where it is at work in the lives of the chosen. The law themes found in Revelation include: the deception of false prophets, call to repentance, beasts, dragon, God’s wrath, plagues, torment, woe, bottomless pit, tribulation, Babylon the great, second death, judgment, call to patient endurance. Each of these themes are tactical ways in which God, the world, and the Devil are accusing believers in Asia Minor in the time of Revelation as well as today.
Gospel Themes:
Another main purpose of Revelation is to deliver the gospel promise of Christ to God’s chosen whose names are written in the Book of Life. God’s people are a people who are engaged in sin and are feeling the crushing weight of the law but through the weight of the law they become aware of their sin and realize that they are a people in need of a Savior. (Romans 3:20 EVS, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”) This Savior has already arrived and completed everything that is necessary for their salvation. This message is communicated in terms of the gospel promise. The gospel themes include in Revelations are as follows: the Word of God, made a kingdom, priests, Jesus’ love, Lamb of God, truth, Christ who conquers, Lord of God Almighty, tree of life, Bride of the Lamb (church), God is faithful and true, water of life.
The Culture and Environment of the Church in Pergamum:
At the time in which Revelation was written Pergamum was the center of the cult of the emperor hence the reference to “Satan’s throne” in Rev. 2:13. In contrast to the stones mentioned in Rev. 2:17 which were white and pure the stone of Pergamum was dark. Pergamum was a cultural and administrative center of Asia Minor. The good Rev. Dr. Koester describes the city this way in his book entitled “Revelation and the End of All Things,” “The city was built around a citadel hill that rose a thousand feet above the plains, dominating the surrounding region. Many of the city’s public buildings were situated on terraces that were built into the side of the hill, and at its summit was an acropolis with a massive altar to Zeus. The city was the home of a renowned library, a temple to the emperor Augustus, and a shrine of Asclepius, the god of healing. Those seeking judgment in legal cases came before the Roman proconsul at Pergamum for hearings. It is possible that the epithet “Satan’s throne” refers to one of the pagan temples or to the Roman presence in the city, although it can best be understood in more general terms as the power that threatens the church.”
The Lord’s complaint against Pergamum:
It is obvious from our passage of study above (Rev. 2:12-17) that the complaints that the Lord has against His Church in Pergamum are that they were eating meat sacrificed to idols, and that they indulged in the practices of fornication or sexual immorality. The Lord was angry because the people were following the false teachings of Nicolaitans and Balaam; both of which encouraged the practice of sexual immorality and the eating of meat sacrificed to idols.
Imagery in Rev. 2:12-17:
Images or “picture language” are a common tool utilized by John in his letter to the seven churches. Revelation utilizes picture language to help illustrate or bring to life the reality of the struggle with the unseen forces which are running ramped and are engaged in battle in Asia Minor. The images that are used in our passage of study (Rev. 2:12-17) are: the double-edged sword, the throne of Satan, the promise of hidden manna, and the white stone with a name only know to those who receive it. I have already discussed the throne of Satan in the above section.
The double-edge sword that is coming out of the mouth of Christ is the image of the Word of God. This illustrates that Christ fights not with sword of shield rather he fights by preaching the Word of God. For God to speak is to do. For instance Genesis 1:3 ESV, “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” God created all things by speaking them into existence. His power comes from His proclaimed Word.
The double-sword image shows that God’s Word is functioning two ways in this passage: to kill and to make alive. God’s judgment is his proclamation that you are a sinner and therefore you are put to death by the wrath of God for your sinfulness. In Rev. 2:16 Jesus says, ESV “16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.” This is a warning that if the people of the Church in Pergamum do not turn form their sinful ways then God will come and pronounce them sinners ending their lives.
But there is also a word of promise in Christ’s proclamation in this passage. Rev 2:17 ESV, “17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” In other words God is saying to those who believe the One who sent Jesus and are terrified by this warning (Psalm 111:10 ESV, “10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!) and do in fact turn form their sinful ways have ears to hear. These are spiritual ears given to a chosen child of God for the purpose of recognizing their Father’s voice and obeying. Those who hear and turn form their wicked ways will receive their daily bread from their Father and will be pure in His sight.
The hidden manna promised to the faithful that turn form their sinful ways goes hand in hand with the image of a white stone with a name on it. For the hidden manna is in fact the white stone. Hidden manna is a reference to Jesus Christ the bread of life and the white stone (white being the color of Christ’s robe and hair therefore a positive color in Revelation) posses the name of the rider of the white horse. This name, of course, is the name of Christ and everyone who turns from sin will poses the name of Christ in contrast to the worshipers of the beast who are identified by a mark and not a name. This imagery comes from Isaiah 62:2; 65:15 ESV, “2 The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.” “5 You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord God will put you to death, but his servants he will call by another name.” Referring to the message of the Old Testament prophets in image and not in exact indication is a common practice of John in Revelation.
Conclusion:
While John’s letter to the seven churches was written to a particular group at a particular time I believe that its message is still relevant to Christians today. Revelation is not a prediction of events to come that students of the Bible need to decode through world events and put on a time line. Rather it is a message of the coming wrath of God for those who do not repent of their wicked ways as well as a word of promise to those whose names are written in the Book of Life and are suffering under the persecution of the law, world, and the devil. Who among us modern Christians has not partaken, or at least thought of partaking, in fornication or sexual morality? We may not have a whole lot of pagan God sacrifices today however we do have idols. And we sacrifice our time, our money, and our children to these idols in the name of connivance, entertainment, and sometimes just in the name of fitting in. Turn from you wicked ways Pergamum (America) or the wrath of God is coming.
Bibliography:
1. Bauckham, Richard. New Testament Theology Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Delhi
2. Friesen, Steven, Satan's throne, imperial cults and the social settings of Revelation, in Journal for the Study of the New Testament 27 (2005) 351-373
3. Koester, Craig R. Revelation and the End of All Things. William B. Erdman’s Publishing Company. Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.
4. Metzger, Bruce M. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament. United Bible Societies
5. The New Interpreter’s Bible Vol.XII Abingdon Press Nashville
6. The Lutheran Study Bible Concordia Publishing House Saint Louis
NT4275 Revelation
Koester
Spring 2010
Final Paper
May 14, 2010
To the Church in Pergamum: Revelation 2:12-17
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
Translation explanation:
It was my original intention to create my own translation of Revelation 2:12-17 however while in the process of comparing and contrasting the ESV, NRSV, NIV, NET, and NASB I found that there really isn’t any major discrepancies between these translations. The Greek is pretty straight forward. The only discrepancy that I did find between these versions was in the translation of the Greek word “.” The ESV translated the term “to follow” verses the NET translated the term as “hold to.” Neither translation changes the meaning of the passage. With this in mind I clung to the ESV translation.
Textual Variants: Taken from “A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament” by Bruce Metzger.
2:13
The omission of x P 046 most minuscules) appears to be a modification introduced by copyists who did not perceive its ascensive force here (“even”). The word is adequately supported by A C 1854 2053 2344 it61 vg syrph copsa,bo.
2:13
Although it is possible that, because of homoeoteleuton, was accidentally omitted in transcription (yet even when is included, the following -clause involves anacoluthon), the reading which explains best the origin of the others appears to be attested be A C 2053 2065 2344 it61 vg syrph copsa, bo al. Not observing that the following must be taken as an indeclinable proper name, standing in a genitival relationship with copyists sought to adjust the strained syntax by introducing either (046 1006c syr h eth al) pr (X a (X* P 1611 1854 it gig arm al).
2:13
Since the context seems to demand the genitive several modern exegetes (including Swete, Charles, Zahn) adopt Lachmann’s conjecture that, after accidental dittography of the definite article (C) the first omicron was taken as a sigma. The Committee, however, regarded the conjecture as more than compelling.
2:16
Then Textus Receptus, following X P 1 2053 vg syrh al, omits A majority of the Committee preferred the reading with which is supported by A C 046 1006 1611 1854 syrph copsa,bo , and explained its absence in other witnesses as due either to transcriptional oversight (after -or to taking with the preceding
Theories for the authorship of Revelation:
Traditionally the authorship of “Revelation” (sometimes called “The Revelation of John”) has been attributed to the beloved disciple John. External evidence for this theory came early in the Christian Tradition. Justin Martyr was the first to speak about the apostle of Christ who prophesied of the apocalypse commenting particularly on Rev. 20:4 ESV, “4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Revelation seems to be a partner to the Gospel of John because the Christian tradition is so adamant about linking the two works. Also the traditional idea that John son of Zebedee died in Ephesus links this author to Asia Minor which is the setting for Revelation. However Montanist and Dionysius of Alexandria denied that John was the author.
On the other hand the Gospel of John is the least apocalyptic book in the New Testament. Throughout history it has been used as an example of the brand of Christianity that rejects the idea of apocalyptic theology. In support of this idea John Aston calls the Gospel of John “an apocalypse in reverse” In other words the heavenly mysteries are to be sought in Jesus who “makes the Father known” not in heaven.
We will never know for sure who wrote Revelation; except for the fact that the author identifies himself simply as John. I personally would like to cling to the romantic idea that the beloved disciple did in fact write this book and the differences in the structure and symbolism between the Gospel of John and Revelation can be attributed to divine revelation that didn’t care for consistency of style and content rather sought to deliver its message to the people as it needed to be heard. Believe me I understand that this idealistic theory is not good scholarship nonetheless I, being somewhat of a traditionalist and fundamentalist, sometimes still cling to my delusions. Either way the authorship of this work is not a deal breaker. It doesn’t add or take away anything from a person’s personal faith.
Time of Authorship:
Traditionally the time of authorship of Revelation has been set in the mid 90’s A.D. during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian. As external evidence for this theory scholars site that Domitian punished some of the members of his household for their “atheism” which is quite possibly a reference to Christianity. Some of the Romans misunderstood Christianity to be a godless religion because they did not worship the Roman emperor nor did they fit in with the Jews. But evidence for the authorship of Revelation to be around 68 A.D., the time of Nero’s death is just as potentially valid.
Main Characters of Revelation:
John, the author, is the main character in this book. He is receiving a vision from God. This vision is a message of warning and of promise to the seven churches in Asia Minor. (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea) This prophecy contains both the threat of the wrath of God and His promise of victory to those who he has called.
Other characters include the false teachers Nicolaitans and Jezebel as well as Satan who is sometimes pictured as a beast or a dragon.
Nicolaitans taught that it was right to indulge in the meat offered to idols and pagan gods as well as encouraged Christians to participate in sexual immorality. Nicolaitans is particular to the church of Ephesus.
Jezebel called herself a prophetess and seduced the members of the Church in Thyatira into sexually immoral acts as well as heresy. It is not certain if the prophetess was actually named Jezebel or if this was an allusion to the Jezebel who led Israel into the worship of false deities.
Purpose of Revelation:
The purpose the author had for writing the letter of Revelation was to bring a message of comfort to Christians who were suffering and to encourage them in their faithful witness. John uses prophetic portraits of the victory that already belongs to those chosen by God to be in the Book of Life. This victory comes in the message of the risen and living Lamb of God Jesus Christ. Also this letter served as a warning to the seven churches of the wrath of God that would fall upon them if they did not repent of their current sinful practices. Revelation defines these sinful dealings in different ways particular to each congregation’s own practice in the dealings of unfaithfulness.
Law Themes:
God communicates with His chosen for people written in the Book of Life through His Word in terms of law and gospel therefore it is pertinent to discuss these particular themes found in Revelation. One of the main themes of Revelation is t apply the law and show where it is at work in the lives of the chosen. The law themes found in Revelation include: the deception of false prophets, call to repentance, beasts, dragon, God’s wrath, plagues, torment, woe, bottomless pit, tribulation, Babylon the great, second death, judgment, call to patient endurance. Each of these themes are tactical ways in which God, the world, and the Devil are accusing believers in Asia Minor in the time of Revelation as well as today.
Gospel Themes:
Another main purpose of Revelation is to deliver the gospel promise of Christ to God’s chosen whose names are written in the Book of Life. God’s people are a people who are engaged in sin and are feeling the crushing weight of the law but through the weight of the law they become aware of their sin and realize that they are a people in need of a Savior. (Romans 3:20 EVS, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”) This Savior has already arrived and completed everything that is necessary for their salvation. This message is communicated in terms of the gospel promise. The gospel themes include in Revelations are as follows: the Word of God, made a kingdom, priests, Jesus’ love, Lamb of God, truth, Christ who conquers, Lord of God Almighty, tree of life, Bride of the Lamb (church), God is faithful and true, water of life.
The Culture and Environment of the Church in Pergamum:
At the time in which Revelation was written Pergamum was the center of the cult of the emperor hence the reference to “Satan’s throne” in Rev. 2:13. In contrast to the stones mentioned in Rev. 2:17 which were white and pure the stone of Pergamum was dark. Pergamum was a cultural and administrative center of Asia Minor. The good Rev. Dr. Koester describes the city this way in his book entitled “Revelation and the End of All Things,” “The city was built around a citadel hill that rose a thousand feet above the plains, dominating the surrounding region. Many of the city’s public buildings were situated on terraces that were built into the side of the hill, and at its summit was an acropolis with a massive altar to Zeus. The city was the home of a renowned library, a temple to the emperor Augustus, and a shrine of Asclepius, the god of healing. Those seeking judgment in legal cases came before the Roman proconsul at Pergamum for hearings. It is possible that the epithet “Satan’s throne” refers to one of the pagan temples or to the Roman presence in the city, although it can best be understood in more general terms as the power that threatens the church.”
The Lord’s complaint against Pergamum:
It is obvious from our passage of study above (Rev. 2:12-17) that the complaints that the Lord has against His Church in Pergamum are that they were eating meat sacrificed to idols, and that they indulged in the practices of fornication or sexual immorality. The Lord was angry because the people were following the false teachings of Nicolaitans and Balaam; both of which encouraged the practice of sexual immorality and the eating of meat sacrificed to idols.
Imagery in Rev. 2:12-17:
Images or “picture language” are a common tool utilized by John in his letter to the seven churches. Revelation utilizes picture language to help illustrate or bring to life the reality of the struggle with the unseen forces which are running ramped and are engaged in battle in Asia Minor. The images that are used in our passage of study (Rev. 2:12-17) are: the double-edged sword, the throne of Satan, the promise of hidden manna, and the white stone with a name only know to those who receive it. I have already discussed the throne of Satan in the above section.
The double-edge sword that is coming out of the mouth of Christ is the image of the Word of God. This illustrates that Christ fights not with sword of shield rather he fights by preaching the Word of God. For God to speak is to do. For instance Genesis 1:3 ESV, “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” God created all things by speaking them into existence. His power comes from His proclaimed Word.
The double-sword image shows that God’s Word is functioning two ways in this passage: to kill and to make alive. God’s judgment is his proclamation that you are a sinner and therefore you are put to death by the wrath of God for your sinfulness. In Rev. 2:16 Jesus says, ESV “16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.” This is a warning that if the people of the Church in Pergamum do not turn form their sinful ways then God will come and pronounce them sinners ending their lives.
But there is also a word of promise in Christ’s proclamation in this passage. Rev 2:17 ESV, “17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” In other words God is saying to those who believe the One who sent Jesus and are terrified by this warning (Psalm 111:10 ESV, “10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!) and do in fact turn form their sinful ways have ears to hear. These are spiritual ears given to a chosen child of God for the purpose of recognizing their Father’s voice and obeying. Those who hear and turn form their wicked ways will receive their daily bread from their Father and will be pure in His sight.
The hidden manna promised to the faithful that turn form their sinful ways goes hand in hand with the image of a white stone with a name on it. For the hidden manna is in fact the white stone. Hidden manna is a reference to Jesus Christ the bread of life and the white stone (white being the color of Christ’s robe and hair therefore a positive color in Revelation) posses the name of the rider of the white horse. This name, of course, is the name of Christ and everyone who turns from sin will poses the name of Christ in contrast to the worshipers of the beast who are identified by a mark and not a name. This imagery comes from Isaiah 62:2; 65:15 ESV, “2 The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.” “5 You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord God will put you to death, but his servants he will call by another name.” Referring to the message of the Old Testament prophets in image and not in exact indication is a common practice of John in Revelation.
Conclusion:
While John’s letter to the seven churches was written to a particular group at a particular time I believe that its message is still relevant to Christians today. Revelation is not a prediction of events to come that students of the Bible need to decode through world events and put on a time line. Rather it is a message of the coming wrath of God for those who do not repent of their wicked ways as well as a word of promise to those whose names are written in the Book of Life and are suffering under the persecution of the law, world, and the devil. Who among us modern Christians has not partaken, or at least thought of partaking, in fornication or sexual morality? We may not have a whole lot of pagan God sacrifices today however we do have idols. And we sacrifice our time, our money, and our children to these idols in the name of connivance, entertainment, and sometimes just in the name of fitting in. Turn from you wicked ways Pergamum (America) or the wrath of God is coming.
Bibliography:
1. Bauckham, Richard. New Testament Theology Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Delhi
2. Friesen, Steven, Satan's throne, imperial cults and the social settings of Revelation, in Journal for the Study of the New Testament 27 (2005) 351-373
3. Koester, Craig R. Revelation and the End of All Things. William B. Erdman’s Publishing Company. Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.
4. Metzger, Bruce M. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament. United Bible Societies
5. The New Interpreter’s Bible Vol.XII Abingdon Press Nashville
6. The Lutheran Study Bible Concordia Publishing House Saint Louis
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