Trinity 15 2009

THE FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

20 September Anno + Domini 2009

"Jesus Takes All Worry Away”

Matthew 6:24-34 (1 Ki. 17:8-16; Gal. 5:25-6:10)

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

The God of Abraham is a jealous God. He will not share the adoration of His children with anyone or anything else. You shall have no other gods. You are to fear, love, and trust in the God who called Abraham out of Chaldea, who parted the Red Sea and gave His holy Law to Moses, who multiplied the widow's flour and oil in Zarephath, who sacrificed His Son to make you His, above all else.

It really comes down to just two options. There are only two gods. One has many names and faces, as many, in fact, as you could possibly want. You can call him "God." You can call him "Allah," or "Buddha," or "Scratch," or simply make up a new name. He doesn't mind. He'll go by anything. He conducts himself as the gentlest and noblest of all masters, existing only to better the existence of his servants, finding commonality amongst all religions, seeking peace and prosperity regardless of cost. His password is tolerance. He isn't jealous. He is quite modern-minded, sensitive, enlightened, and patriotic. He doesn't make any demands of his servants. He has no strict doctrine or moral code. He is convenient, never embarrassing, never harsh, never confrontational or condemning. He encourages His followers to enjoy themselves, to pamper themselves, to indulge themselves. He is never shocked by lewd behavior or deviancy. He understands. He wants his followers to have their way.  Whatever they believe, however they behave, is perfectly fine, for life under him is a smorgasbord of personal choices and preferences. He embraces diversity and encourages free thinking. And he glibly tells his servants that they can have as many masters as they want.

But he is a liar. There are only two masters. All his seeming niceties are just bait. It is a trap. He deceives to enslave and eventually to devour. He is willing to bide his time for under that sheepskin of tolerance are claws meant for killing. He lures men to complacency with shallow sweet-nothings, like domesticated animals to the slaughter. He tempts people into believing in themselves, for then they are his.  Vanity, envy, coveting, selfishness, and greed are virtues in his kingdom. Pleasure and self-gratification, even when such comes at the expense, or demise, of others is not only permissible under his rule, but advocated by him. 

Nonetheless, most of the world has fallen prey to his delusion, even a large portion of those who call themselves Christian. For he is far easier to take than the other option, the other God, the One of circumcision, sacrifice, and Eucharist. For the other Master is so old-fashioned and quite conspicuously, awkwardly jealous. He won't allow multiple masters. He offends the sensitivities of fallen man. He calls them "sinners." He is not tolerant. He tends to be stern. He won't hear prayers in any other name. He is the God of Truth, the God of Light, not of ambiguity and shadows, not of silky promises in negligees, not of easy pleasure, but of discipline. He is Life. But He is found in death. If you will be His, then you must deny yourself and follow Him.  If you will be His, then you cannot have things your way.  If you will be His, then you can belong to no other. But you need no other. For no other is of any help, comfort, or aid.

Repent. There is no bargaining with this God.  There is no justifying your sinfulness with this God.  There is no hiding from this God.  He sees right into your heart.  He knows what you do in the dark when you think you are alone.  He knows what you put into the offering plate.  He sees what you do with your time.  He hears when you use your tongues for gossip and slander people behind their backs.  Do not think you are getting away with anything, for this God cannot be mocked.  Repent, for this is the God you will face on Judgment Day and your excuses won't matter then.  Now is the day of salvation.  Tomorrow may never come. 

The amazing thing about this God, the only True God, is that He still desires to have you.  It matters not what you have done in the past, He is ready to forgive and restore you, for He is good, and His mercy endures forever.  He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to live and die for you, to pay the full debt owed for your sins and to experience the wrath of God in your place.  Turn from your wicked ways.  Acknowledge and confess your sins.  Desire to do better, striving against your sinful nature, which is so prone to the temptations of that other god.  Trust in Jesus, for He alone is the way.  All other paths lead to Hell. 

And, by the way, trusting in Jesus is not merely some intellectual acknowledgement, but a way of life - the way to true Life.  Do not think saying "I believe in Jesus” is some magical incantation that grants you life eternal.  Even the devils believe in Jesus and shudder because of it.  To trust in Jesus means that you recognize your desperate need of His rescue.  If you say you trust in Jesus and live according to the principles of the "prince of this world,” never truly being sorry for your sins, confessing them, and striving to do better; if you think you can show up for Church, go through the motions, and then go out and live like heathens, not having a care for how you use your tongue or what you do with your body, you are deceiving yourself and the truth is not in you. 

But, dear friends, if you are sorry for your sins and do desire to do better.  If you recognize that your only hope is found in Jesus, then rest assured, His Kingdom is yours.  Continue to cling to Him, for He will not let you down.  Come to Him, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and He will give you the rest you need.  Life in this world will still be tough.  You will still experience pain and sorrow, but fret not, for there is a better Life awaiting you.  

What shall we eat? We shall eat the Body of Jesus, born of the Virgin, executed for crimes He did not commit, and raised again to glory by His Father given for you. What shall we drink? We shall drink the Blood of Jesus poured out outside the city gates for the remission of your sins. What shall we wear? We shall wear His righteousness, the wedding garment of joy that He provides by Grace.

About what then, shall we worry? Nothing. For all things pale next to this reality: God loves you in Christ Jesus and promises to remove you from this shadowy valley of pain and bring you to Himself in heaven. So what if code enforcement is making you paint the garage, the synod is crumbling around you, your job is on the line, your loved one has a drinking problem, they make fun of you at school, you can't fit into your wedding dress anymore, and terrorists are threatening America! God is in control. He knows what He is doing.

When Our Lord directed the attention of His disciples to the sparrows and the lilies, it was not much better for them. They lived in an occupied country. Imagine East Germany after World War II. They were poor. Imagine having nothing to eat. I don't mean not wanting to eat the can of creamed corn and tomato soup in your cupboard, I mean not having a cupboard. Imagine people not living much past the age of 50 and half the children dying by age 5. Imagine foreigners dragging off your adolescent sons to fight in their wars. In the midst of this Jesus says, "I take care of the sparrows. I'll take care of you."

From the world's point of view there is always plenty to worry about. But worrying doesn't change things. It doesn't stop terrorists anymore than it prevents tooth decay. No mere man knows what the future holds for the stock market, for America, or for the Missouri Synod. The Scriptures are silent on those things. This is not the promised land. America is not God's chosen country. We are not better than other people simply because we were born here. We are more fortunate, yes. But we didn't earn it. In the same way, the Missouri Synod is not the last word on orthodoxy and Truth. Yes, we are fortunate, blessed by God, to have it. But it does not belong to us by Divine Right. Despise the Word of God and it can be taken away. Anyway, tomorrow America and the Missouri Synod and Peace Lutheran Church will all be thrown into the oven. There won't be Americans or Missouri-Synod Lutherans in heaven. There will only be Christians, those who were baptized into Christ, heard His Word, confessed their sins, trusted in Jesus and ate His Body and drank His Blood for the forgiveness of His sins. No one will care if you were Finnish, German, Russian, or American, let alone what squabbling little Church body you allied yourself with. But despite that, despite the temporary nature of the things God provides for us now, we know this: Jesus is coming back. Death has been defeated. He will not abandon us to the grave.

In the meantime, it might get better and it might get worse. Lilies bloom, wilt, and die but new ones rise up behind them to bloom again. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Eat the Body of Jesus. Drink His Blood. Wear the clean garments of acceptance that He provides. All things pass away and are burned, save this: the Word of God. That we will not compromise. We will not lie about it to save face, to satisfy those deluded by the devil's lies, to gain popularity with men. The Word made Flesh has paid your debt. You are forgiven, clean, and whole. And on the last day He shall call you forth from the grave. No man, no terrorist, no bureaucrat, no synod, no institution of higher learning, no government, no devil will stop Him from completing the good work He has begun in you.  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.

NOTE:  Much of the above comes from a sermon written and preached by Rev. David Petersen (Redeemer Lutheran, Ft. Wayne, IN).