Feast of St. Luke 2009

THE FEAST OF ST. LUKE, EVANGELIST

18 October Anno + Domini 2009

"How Wolves Become Lambs”

Luke 10:1-9 (Isaiah 35:5-8; 2 Timothy 4:5-18)

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

"Behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”  This is how Jesus begins His instructions to the 72 disciples as He sends them out.  Not a very comforting message, is it?  We all know what happens to lambs when they find themselves in the midst of wolves.  It ain't pretty! 

Add to this the fact that Jesus sends these lambs of His to the wolves with no earthly comforts or protection.  "Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals - go out as lambs in the midst of wolves with nothing - nothing but My Word.”  And, as if that's not enough, Jesus adds:  "Greet no one on the road.”  There's no time for small talk, these lambs need to get to the cities where the wolves live pronto.  They have a very specific mission.  They are to go into every town and place where their Master Himself would soon be going.  They are to prepare the way for Him.  They are to find a house whose occupants are receptive to their message of peace, enter that house and remain there, healing the sick in it, and proclaiming to those who live there, "The kingdom of God has come near to you.”  They are to rely solely on the generosity of their hosts for their survival, "for the laborer deserves his wages.”    

"Behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”  Jesus wouldn't make a very good mission executive today, would He?  I doubt very seriously that He could make a living today as a "church consultant.”  He would have to change His attitude.  As it is, it is far too negative.  He calls the unbelievers to whom He sends His disciples "wolves.”  That's not very nice.  He should consider using different terms, maybe "un-churched” or "the lost.”  And, He should consider changing His approach with those whom He sends out.  He would have far more success recruiting men for missionary work if He would instill in them a little hope.  He should consider using the popular slogans employed by many today:  "Don't be a bull in a china shop.”  "You have to meet people where they are.”  "People need to know how much you care before they'll care about how much you know.”  "Be cognizant of people's felt needs and do your best to meet them.”  "Just love your people and the rest will take care of itself.”

But, Jesus isn't interested in the world's philosophy.  He doesn't need the advice of modern day mission execs and church consultants.  He's not into watering down His message for the sake of those who would be offended by it.  He could not care less about political correctness or popularity derived from winsomeness.  He is concerned solely with saving souls, with converting wolves into lambs, and that is accomplished only with a heavy dose of honesty and truth.  Jesus is no Dale Carnegie; He's not the least bit interested in teaching His disciples how to win friends and influence people.  He will not waste His time leading them in a seminar on the ten steps to successful leadership.  He sends them out with a focused purpose, to save sinners from the wrath to come.  And that only happens through His Word.  Wolves need to be confronted and shown their sins, for it is only when they recognize their sinfulness that they will be led to realize their desperate need of a Savior.  Wolves become lambs only when they are led to repent and trust in Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. 

All that the 72 need is Jesus and His Word.  It may seem like they're sent out helpless and unprotected, but they are not.  They have Jesus.  They have His Word.  Jesus will not abandon His disciples.  Even if the wolves attack and kill these lambs of Jesus, they have nothing to fear, for their eternal destiny in Jesus' Kingdom is secure. 

St. Paul recognized this, didn't he?  We hear him speaking in the epistle this morning, and we see evidence of steadfast faith.  He knows he is about to be taken out of this world, but he is not the least bit afraid:  "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” 

St. Paul could speak this way because he had been brought to faith in Jesus the Christ, the Lamb of God who came down from heaven and took on human flesh to live in the midst of wolves.  More than that, this same Jesus willingly gave Himself over to the wolves and allowed them to devour Him on a hill outside of Jerusalem.  He was led like a lamb to the slaughter to shed His Holy and Innocent Blood to win forgiveness for the very wolves who desired His destruction.  The Lamb went to the cross to die for wolves - wolves like you and me.  And, in so doing, He defeated the Wolf of wolves, that is Satan, and paved the way for wolves to become lambs and dwell securely in His eternal Kingdom. 

But, wolves become lambs only when they realize that they are wolves in the first place.  That shouldn't be too difficult a realization for us.  After all, we know full well how often we have forsaken our Lord and His Word, how often we have slammed the door on His message of "Peace!” to keep hold of our sinful wants and desires, how often we have used our tongues to break down, rather than to build up, how often we have failed to make the good confession to others, how often we have failed to put Christ's Kingdom ahead of our own little worlds, how often we have failed to put our full trust in the Lord and relied on our own devices.   

Repent, O wolves!  For the Kingdom of God has come near to you.  The highway prophesied by Isaiah has been paved by the One He forteold, the One who ushered in the New Age of salvation by healing sinners with His precious Blood.  That highway is called the Way of Holiness, and it is the highway upon which the 72 traveled with their message, the highway upon which St. Paul ran his race, the highway upon which all who trust in the Lamb of God travel through the wilderness of this dead and dying world on their way to the Promised Land to come.

Here is the Way of Holiness:  Trust in Jesus!  He has done everything necessary for your salvation.  He has lived and died for you, that you would be converted from wolves to lambs and enter eternal life with all His saints and angels.  He does not leave you helpless and unprotected.  He is with you always.  He has claimed you as His own with the water that broke forth in the wilderness of this world from the font to wash you clean.  And, still He comes to you with His Word of forgiveness, to wipe your slate clean and remember your sins no more.  He even enters into you by means of His very Body and Blood in the Holy Sacrament, that you would be strengthened and preserved in the faith, readied to continue on the Way of Holiness and run the race until He calls you home. 

We give thanks this day for St. Luke, who was blessed with the task of writing down for us all that the Lamb of God has done, and continues to do, for sinful wolves who would become saintly lambs.  Tradition has it that St. Luke was one of the 72 sent out by our Lord as lambs in the midst of wolves.  St. Luke was also a companion of St. Paul, one who stood by that beloved apostle even when all others had abandoned him.  St. Luke knew what it meant to be converted from a wolf into a lamb.  He was a Gentile and outside of the Kingdom, but was brought inside by the One who paid the price for all his sins.  He spent the remainder of his life proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to all who would listen.  His Gospel and its sequel, the Book of Acts, continue to preach that Good News to sinful wolves to this day, that they might be led to repentance and faith in the Lamb. 

Trust in Jesus, dear friends.  That is the Way of Holiness, for all who trust in Him are covered in His holiness and righteousness, clothed in His perfection, seen by the Father in heaven no longer as ravenous wolves, but faithful lambs. 

The crown of righteousness awaits you in the Kingdom to come.  Soon, your reward will come.  Until then, continue to cling to Jesus, knowing that no matter what comes your way in this life, nothing can take you away from the love of God that is yours through faith in the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.  Suffering will come.  We will be persecuted for our faith.  Our bodies will give way to disease and corruption.  No one gets out of this world alive.  But, through faith in Christ, we have the sure and certain hope that unspeakable peace, comfort, and joy await us in the life of the world to come.  All glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever.  In Jesus' Holy and Precious Name.  Amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, unto life everlasting.  Amen.