Monday, January 16, 2012
Monday, August 1, 2011
Pentecost 6 july 24
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Pentecost 6 july 24
“But, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37
Today I’d like to talk about nike. When I was growing up, I wanted a pair of Nike Air Jordans. Those are basketball shoes. Nike always had these great commercials featuring Michael Jordan, doing funny and zany things. I felt like if I had a pair of Nikes, my life would be better. I would be able to run a little faster and jump a little higher than everyone else.
I never got that pair of Nikes. I got whatever was on sale at the store and, of course, I blamed all my problems on that cheap pair of shoes I was stuck with
It’s a nice thought though, right? Put on a pair of magic shoes and all your problems go away, you become superhuman in your ability to deal with adversity, life is great.
It seems like this is how many people approach Christianity. Take, for instance, verse 37 from our epistle reading, “But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” I remember seeing this verse on one of those Christian motivational posters. There is a picture of a man on top of a mountain arms raised in victory, with the phrase “More than conquerors!” pasted on the bottom. The impression is: With Jesus, you to can conquer any obstacle, even Mt Everest.
I’ve seen Christian leaders using this line of thought, instructing believers on how to conquer lust and fear and envy and other “impossible habits” perhaps by following their “5 principles of success.” Some Christian leaders tell believers to pray for whatever they want and they will get it.
They treat Jesus like a magic pair of Nikes that you slip on to make your life better.
So what do you think? What does experience tell you? Do Christians have any problems in life? Ever encountered any rough patches?
Right. Obviously, we still face anxiety and worry, divorce, family struggles, job setbacks, financial trouble, alcoholism, persistent sin and many other problems.
Sometimes we Christians, experience these troubles more than non-Christians. You can look at an unbelieving friend who seems to be a great person, with a wonderful marriage, a happy family, a fulfilling career and think “What’s going on?”
His parents must have bought him a pair of Nikes when he was a kid. That’s gotta be it.
If you haven’t realized it by now, let me break the news to you: being a Christian does not mean that all life’s problems automatically vanish. Nor does being a Christian mean an easy road to money, success and happiness. But I’ll take it that you’ve figured that out by now.
So what about Romans 8:37? “But in all these things we are more than conquerors though him who loved us.”
We do not achieve success in whatever we put out mind to That is not what this is talking about. You can go down to Ocean Beach, offer God a really sincere prayer, and then try to swim from here to China and back, and well, I’m sorry but in this situation you will not be more than a conquerer.
Paul says that we are more than conquerers in “all these things.” All what things? A couple verses earlier it says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? …No, in all these things we are more than conquereors through Him who loved us.”
Notice, we conquer IN these things not despite these things. We conquer not by avoiding or escaping, or by strapping on our Nikes and out-running the problems of life. No, we conquer in experiencing them.
Conquer in experiencing problems? “That’ll never work.” What a foolish way to achieve a victory. Yeah, That’s what they said as Jesus lifted up on the cross.
It is not our courage and strength and endurance by which we conquer. No, it is all Christ.
All the junk that you experience in this life. All that guilt and pain. All those trials and tempations. All the stuff that keeps you up at night. Those regrets you can’t shake. The mistakes that you feel you can never correct. Those things you wish you could erase from your memory, but remain seared there, taunting you.
Jesus takes all these things upon himself.
The sadness you feel because a loved one has been torn from this life, the depression you experience because your health has been diminished by disease and age, the frustration you have because illness has so limited you that simply living and existing is hard work.
Jesus takes all these things upon himself.
And because Christ has suffered all these things for us on the cross, that is what brings the victory. We have victory in the worst adversity. We are more than conquerors “though him who loved us.”
This love is not a vague sentimental affection. It refers to a specific historical act of love on Christ’s part: his death upon the cross.
Our religion is not a religion only of love, but it is a religion of Christ’s love, a love that hung on the cross and walked out of the grave and ascended to the Father to intercede for us, opening to us the doors of heaven. This is a love that is for us all.
As it says in verse 32 “God who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things.”
We are given all things: our sins are forgiven; God’s demands, impossible for us because of sin, are fulfilled,; the bonds of death itself are broken. Christ ,by his innocent life, suffering, death and resurrection has arisen victorious to release us from bondage, and to heal our hurt and bitterness.
How great is His love for us! Nothing, I repeat nothing, can separate us from Christ, his love and his victory!
We’ve talked a lot about victory and conquering. The Greek word for overcoming, conquering or being victorious is “nikao.” The root word for victory is NeeKay or Nike.
Let me put it in a biblical context for you
I Corinthians 15 54
Death is swallowed up in nike.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy nike?
Thanks be to God, who giveth us the nike through our Lord Jesus Christ.
I did not get the nike from my parents, but thanks be to God who gives us the nike (the victory) through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The nike is yours.
You don’t even have to pay retail price for it. You don’t have to pay anything at all. Free nike! Free Victory!
You know what’s even better though. Nike was not a good enough word for St Paul to describe the victory we have though the love of Christ. We are more than conquers. Paul made up a word – huper nikao– Hyper victorious, surpassingly successful, an ultimate overcomer, a complete conquer, or, dare I say, super nike. In Christ, we have the super nike. We are super victorious.
A few weeks ago, the Giants played my favorite team the Detroit Tigers and the 2nd game of the series was a super nike for the Giants. They won 15-3. A super victory, excessive, more than expected. In Christ, we are not simply going to be victorious, we are going to be REALLY victorious.
How do we live victoriously? Because of all this junk in life, we are being killed all day long, but through Christ we endure and survive in the midst of it all. You may remember St. Paul’s autobiography from 2 Corinthains 4. He said, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. 4:8-12). Then he says: "So we do not lose heart!" (2 Cor. 4:16a).
Nothing shall wipe us out! Nothing shall separate us from the love and the life of Christ! Nothing! We endure. We survive.
Though we are being killed all day long, we survive because the Lamb of God was willing allow himself to be slaughtered on the cross, enduring the suffering and shame so that we would not be led to the slaughterhouse.
This was a very real, physical, tangible historical act of love. We survive and endure because Christ continues to come to us in love in a very real, physical, tangible, present way, comforting us with his love and grace. You receive Christ’s love and comfort in your ear from the sound waves of the sermon and the absolution. You receive Christ’s love and comfort on your lips in the bread and the wine, his body and blood. We come away refreshed and strengthened.
So that when we see the problems that we face in life, that we will continue to face in this life, in light of the suffering of Christ, we see that they are no longer life-threatening, but life enhancing. Our struggles are no longer final word, but a prelude to something greater that finds its resolution in the suffering of Christ for us.
All the trials in your life point you to the One that suffered for us, in all these things we are more than conquerors though him who loved us. In all these things. The more we see the suffering of Christ in our troubles, the more we are enabled to view them as a victory-producing gift from God.
Christ’s death didn’t look victorious to those who saw it. Even today, it defies the logic of the world. But God's love and loving action in our lives though Word and Sacrament remains victorious—even when it is most hidden by our external and internal sufferings.
The troubles, anxiety, stress, and danger that we face in may no way seem like a victory, but in experiencing them we conquer, because God shows us again and again, day after day his hyper conquering super nike love though Christ our Lord. His love leaps from the ink and paper of Holy Scripture into our hearts as the Holy Spirit enlightens and strengthens us.
So we are able to boldly confess along with St Paul. “ I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angel nor principalities, not rulers nor things present nor things to come or height nor depth nor any other created things shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pentecost 6 july 24
“But, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37
Today I’d like to talk about nike. When I was growing up, I wanted a pair of Nike Air Jordans. Those are basketball shoes. Nike always had these great commercials featuring Michael Jordan, doing funny and zany things. I felt like if I had a pair of Nikes, my life would be better. I would be able to run a little faster and jump a little higher than everyone else.
I never got that pair of Nikes. I got whatever was on sale at the store and, of course, I blamed all my problems on that cheap pair of shoes I was stuck with
It’s a nice thought though, right? Put on a pair of magic shoes and all your problems go away, you become superhuman in your ability to deal with adversity, life is great.
It seems like this is how many people approach Christianity. Take, for instance, verse 37 from our epistle reading, “But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” I remember seeing this verse on one of those Christian motivational posters. There is a picture of a man on top of a mountain arms raised in victory, with the phrase “More than conquerors!” pasted on the bottom. The impression is: With Jesus, you to can conquer any obstacle, even Mt Everest.
I’ve seen Christian leaders using this line of thought, instructing believers on how to conquer lust and fear and envy and other “impossible habits” perhaps by following their “5 principles of success.” Some Christian leaders tell believers to pray for whatever they want and they will get it.
They treat Jesus like a magic pair of Nikes that you slip on to make your life better.
So what do you think? What does experience tell you? Do Christians have any problems in life? Ever encountered any rough patches?
Right. Obviously, we still face anxiety and worry, divorce, family struggles, job setbacks, financial trouble, alcoholism, persistent sin and many other problems.
Sometimes we Christians, experience these troubles more than non-Christians. You can look at an unbelieving friend who seems to be a great person, with a wonderful marriage, a happy family, a fulfilling career and think “What’s going on?”
His parents must have bought him a pair of Nikes when he was a kid. That’s gotta be it.
If you haven’t realized it by now, let me break the news to you: being a Christian does not mean that all life’s problems automatically vanish. Nor does being a Christian mean an easy road to money, success and happiness. But I’ll take it that you’ve figured that out by now.
So what about Romans 8:37? “But in all these things we are more than conquerors though him who loved us.”
We do not achieve success in whatever we put out mind to That is not what this is talking about. You can go down to Ocean Beach, offer God a really sincere prayer, and then try to swim from here to China and back, and well, I’m sorry but in this situation you will not be more than a conquerer.
Paul says that we are more than conquerers in “all these things.” All what things? A couple verses earlier it says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? …No, in all these things we are more than conquereors through Him who loved us.”
Notice, we conquer IN these things not despite these things. We conquer not by avoiding or escaping, or by strapping on our Nikes and out-running the problems of life. No, we conquer in experiencing them.
Conquer in experiencing problems? “That’ll never work.” What a foolish way to achieve a victory. Yeah, That’s what they said as Jesus lifted up on the cross.
It is not our courage and strength and endurance by which we conquer. No, it is all Christ.
All the junk that you experience in this life. All that guilt and pain. All those trials and tempations. All the stuff that keeps you up at night. Those regrets you can’t shake. The mistakes that you feel you can never correct. Those things you wish you could erase from your memory, but remain seared there, taunting you.
Jesus takes all these things upon himself.
The sadness you feel because a loved one has been torn from this life, the depression you experience because your health has been diminished by disease and age, the frustration you have because illness has so limited you that simply living and existing is hard work.
Jesus takes all these things upon himself.
And because Christ has suffered all these things for us on the cross, that is what brings the victory. We have victory in the worst adversity. We are more than conquerors “though him who loved us.”
This love is not a vague sentimental affection. It refers to a specific historical act of love on Christ’s part: his death upon the cross.
Our religion is not a religion only of love, but it is a religion of Christ’s love, a love that hung on the cross and walked out of the grave and ascended to the Father to intercede for us, opening to us the doors of heaven. This is a love that is for us all.
As it says in verse 32 “God who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things.”
We are given all things: our sins are forgiven; God’s demands, impossible for us because of sin, are fulfilled,; the bonds of death itself are broken. Christ ,by his innocent life, suffering, death and resurrection has arisen victorious to release us from bondage, and to heal our hurt and bitterness.
How great is His love for us! Nothing, I repeat nothing, can separate us from Christ, his love and his victory!
We’ve talked a lot about victory and conquering. The Greek word for overcoming, conquering or being victorious is “nikao.” The root word for victory is NeeKay or Nike.
Let me put it in a biblical context for you
I Corinthians 15 54
Death is swallowed up in nike.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy nike?
Thanks be to God, who giveth us the nike through our Lord Jesus Christ.
I did not get the nike from my parents, but thanks be to God who gives us the nike (the victory) through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The nike is yours.
You don’t even have to pay retail price for it. You don’t have to pay anything at all. Free nike! Free Victory!
You know what’s even better though. Nike was not a good enough word for St Paul to describe the victory we have though the love of Christ. We are more than conquers. Paul made up a word – huper nikao– Hyper victorious, surpassingly successful, an ultimate overcomer, a complete conquer, or, dare I say, super nike. In Christ, we have the super nike. We are super victorious.
A few weeks ago, the Giants played my favorite team the Detroit Tigers and the 2nd game of the series was a super nike for the Giants. They won 15-3. A super victory, excessive, more than expected. In Christ, we are not simply going to be victorious, we are going to be REALLY victorious.
How do we live victoriously? Because of all this junk in life, we are being killed all day long, but through Christ we endure and survive in the midst of it all. You may remember St. Paul’s autobiography from 2 Corinthains 4. He said, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. 4:8-12). Then he says: "So we do not lose heart!" (2 Cor. 4:16a).
Nothing shall wipe us out! Nothing shall separate us from the love and the life of Christ! Nothing! We endure. We survive.
Though we are being killed all day long, we survive because the Lamb of God was willing allow himself to be slaughtered on the cross, enduring the suffering and shame so that we would not be led to the slaughterhouse.
This was a very real, physical, tangible historical act of love. We survive and endure because Christ continues to come to us in love in a very real, physical, tangible, present way, comforting us with his love and grace. You receive Christ’s love and comfort in your ear from the sound waves of the sermon and the absolution. You receive Christ’s love and comfort on your lips in the bread and the wine, his body and blood. We come away refreshed and strengthened.
So that when we see the problems that we face in life, that we will continue to face in this life, in light of the suffering of Christ, we see that they are no longer life-threatening, but life enhancing. Our struggles are no longer final word, but a prelude to something greater that finds its resolution in the suffering of Christ for us.
All the trials in your life point you to the One that suffered for us, in all these things we are more than conquerors though him who loved us. In all these things. The more we see the suffering of Christ in our troubles, the more we are enabled to view them as a victory-producing gift from God.
Christ’s death didn’t look victorious to those who saw it. Even today, it defies the logic of the world. But God's love and loving action in our lives though Word and Sacrament remains victorious—even when it is most hidden by our external and internal sufferings.
The troubles, anxiety, stress, and danger that we face in may no way seem like a victory, but in experiencing them we conquer, because God shows us again and again, day after day his hyper conquering super nike love though Christ our Lord. His love leaps from the ink and paper of Holy Scripture into our hearts as the Holy Spirit enlightens and strengthens us.
So we are able to boldly confess along with St Paul. “ I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angel nor principalities, not rulers nor things present nor things to come or height nor depth nor any other created things shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday, June 27, 2011
We walk the way of the Cross
Walking the Way of the Cross
Pentecost 2
Matthew 10:34-42
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
A little over 150 years ago, the Civil War began. It’s been referred to as the “Brother’s War,” in part because families were torn apart by differing loyalties.
At the battle of Shiloh, when two Kentucky regiments were fighting each other, one of the Union soldiers wounded his own brother and took him prisoner. After the soldier handed over his brother, he began firing at a man near a tree. The captured brother shouted, "Bill! Hold your fire! That's father!"
Loyalties in the Civil War ran deep, with the result that it set a man against his father. Families were divided, severed in two.
Imagine if the Union Soldiers had said, “This is too much! I can’t handle such family conflict.” Our country’s history would read a bit differently.
There have been times when millions of men have given up a comfortable, quiet life with friends and family, and have taken up arms in service to their nation. They were willing to suffer loss of life and limb for a greater cause.
In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 10, Jesus issues a similar call of duty to his disciples.
The disciples were enlisted men, commissioned by Jesus to proclaim the kingdom of God; sent out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Jesus gives the disciples their marching orders: This is not to be a peacekeeping mission. They will be right in the thick of it. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth,” Jesus says “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Jesus is saying that because of him, there will be conflict. And he draws a line in the sand, saying, “Are you with me?”
The disciples needed to know they were not entitled to a quiet life. Followers of Jesus have signed away all their rights to a comfortable self-determined existence.
The disciples found out that the message “Jesus is Lord” is a declaration of war against sin and selfishness often provoking a violent response from those threatened by it. This has always been the case. Sometimes this hostility comes from your own friends and family. Try talking about sin with someone who is proud of their ungodly behavior and see how far you get.
By saying that he came to bring a sword, Jesus was telling his disciples that loyalty to God and his mission comes first. The result may be that family ties are strained to the breaking point. A true disciple knows who to love more, putting the cause of Christ above all else.
As much as you love your children or grandchildren; As much as your love your parents and grandparents - Jesus demands a loyalty which transcends even the closest family tie.
Hear his word again: “I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter in law against her mother in law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother, more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
Loyalty to Christ may mean that your family is no longer a place of refuge.
The world seeks peace – a truce, a ceasefire - achieved by overlooking or ignoring differences. There could be “peace” if Christians stopped sharing the good news of Christ – the forgiveness of sins that he offers to all.
Jesus doesn’t want any part of this false peace. It’s just avoiding conflict, allowing the world to go undisturbed in sin. God decided that it is better to have war and division, saving as many people as possible, rather than let everyone die in their sin. Christ came to remove sin, to offer His righteousness to all. Because of this, he did not shy from confrontation. His whole experience was the opposite of a peaceful, quiet way of life, impacting even His family. At one point, his family tried seizing him. Because of his teaching, they thought he was insane.
If you choose the comfortable path, if you fail to share Christ because you don’t want to deal with the shame and embarrassment that come along with it, you are not worthy to be called a Christian.
Sometimes religion is kept off-limits at family gatherings or other social events so that things stay pleasant. I can’t imagine that is what Jesus had in mind when he was dining with sinners.
But beyond some potentially awkward dinner conversation, Jesus addresses something even more demanding.
He says,“And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
If you’re looking for a nice, comfy, convenient religion, this is not it. If you are not willing to forsake all that is important to you, friends, family, your very life, then you will have no part of eternal life with God.
Christ suffered and died for you and He expects you to follow him, even to death. You might as well consider yourself an enlisted soldier, under the command of another. Following Christ is like going to battle. It can be lethal.
“Take up your cross” had very specific, revolting, and terrifying connotations for the people of Gallilee in Jesus’ Day.
Not only was crucifixion the cruelest form of execution, but it was the ultimate shame if a member of your family was crucified. The public disgrace and physical suffering began not just when the condemned man was hung on the cross, but with the procession through the streets in which the victim was forced carry the heavy cross-piece while enduring the insults of the crowd on the way to execution.
Jesus himself would literally go through that experience of a savage death and public disgrace. In Matthew 10 this is the prospect that he holds before any “worthy” disciple.
The familiar language of discipleship – come follow after me – takes on the morbid sense of following Jesus on the march to execution.
Will you be called on to suffer physically for the sake of Christ? Not likely. But he cross is whatever Christians suffer for living their Christian faith in the world; confessing the gospel of Christ crucified. Whoever refuses or is unwilling to bear this cross, can no longer claim to be a Christian.
The cross is our life as Christians, and guess what, Jesus wants us to be happy about it. He says in Matthew 5 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
“Rejoice and be glad!”
This is just what the apostles in Acts 5. They were beaten and left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus”
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and thrown into prison where their feet were put in stocks and at midnight hey “were praying and singing hymns to God”
What do you do after being attacked and imprisoned for being a Christian? You sing “A Mighty Fortress”, “And take they our life, Goods, fame, child ,and wife, Though these all be gone. Our vict’ry has been won. The Kingdom ours remaineth.”
“The Kingdom ours remaineth.” That’s why Christians throughout the ages have given up a comfortable, quiet life with friends and family in service to their Savior, willing to suffer loss of life and limb.
Jesus says ‘Rejoice and be glad,” - because your reward is great is heaven!
What is this reward? Eternal life. How do we receive the reward? We receive it because Christ has come to us and identified with us. Whoever receives Christ’s messengers and the Word they bring, receives Christ and also receives the reward of a righteous person as it says in verses 40-42.
By believing the word preached to you, Christ identifies with you though faith. As Paul says in Romans 10, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Christ unites with you with His Righteousness. His victory over sin, death and the devil that he won by his death on the cross is your victory. In Christ, you find your reward - eternal life.
But it’s tough. If we don’t love Christ more than family, if we don’t bear our cross enduring shame, suffering, and abuse for Christ then we are not worthy of him.
Well, we aren’t worthy. Like John the Baptist, we aren’t worthy to even unloose Jesus’ sandals. Like the Prodigal Son, we aren’t worthy to be called son by our Father in heaven.
What we are worthy of, is death, because we’re sinners.
But Jesus - whom Pilate confessed did nothing worthy of death - died on our behalf, so that we would be counted worthy in the Father’s eyes. And now because of Christ and the cross, we are counted worthy to bear our cross and to suffer for that name. But with Paul, we confess that the suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.
That glory will be revealed on that great and final day when we sing “Worthy is Christ, the lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be the people of God, Power and riches wisdom and strength glory and honor and blessing are his.”
What a day.
Though we enter into the kingdom through much tribulation as it says in Acts 14, we do indeed enter into the kingdom. The assurance of eternal glory makes us able to bear the cross.
We look to the eternal unseen things, in spite of affliction, in spite of the worst the world has to throw at us. Eternal life is yours right now because of the cross of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pentecost 2
Matthew 10:34-42
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
A little over 150 years ago, the Civil War began. It’s been referred to as the “Brother’s War,” in part because families were torn apart by differing loyalties.
At the battle of Shiloh, when two Kentucky regiments were fighting each other, one of the Union soldiers wounded his own brother and took him prisoner. After the soldier handed over his brother, he began firing at a man near a tree. The captured brother shouted, "Bill! Hold your fire! That's father!"
Loyalties in the Civil War ran deep, with the result that it set a man against his father. Families were divided, severed in two.
Imagine if the Union Soldiers had said, “This is too much! I can’t handle such family conflict.” Our country’s history would read a bit differently.
There have been times when millions of men have given up a comfortable, quiet life with friends and family, and have taken up arms in service to their nation. They were willing to suffer loss of life and limb for a greater cause.
In the Gospel reading today from Matthew 10, Jesus issues a similar call of duty to his disciples.
The disciples were enlisted men, commissioned by Jesus to proclaim the kingdom of God; sent out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Jesus gives the disciples their marching orders: This is not to be a peacekeeping mission. They will be right in the thick of it. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth,” Jesus says “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Jesus is saying that because of him, there will be conflict. And he draws a line in the sand, saying, “Are you with me?”
The disciples needed to know they were not entitled to a quiet life. Followers of Jesus have signed away all their rights to a comfortable self-determined existence.
The disciples found out that the message “Jesus is Lord” is a declaration of war against sin and selfishness often provoking a violent response from those threatened by it. This has always been the case. Sometimes this hostility comes from your own friends and family. Try talking about sin with someone who is proud of their ungodly behavior and see how far you get.
By saying that he came to bring a sword, Jesus was telling his disciples that loyalty to God and his mission comes first. The result may be that family ties are strained to the breaking point. A true disciple knows who to love more, putting the cause of Christ above all else.
As much as you love your children or grandchildren; As much as your love your parents and grandparents - Jesus demands a loyalty which transcends even the closest family tie.
Hear his word again: “I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter in law against her mother in law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother, more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
Loyalty to Christ may mean that your family is no longer a place of refuge.
The world seeks peace – a truce, a ceasefire - achieved by overlooking or ignoring differences. There could be “peace” if Christians stopped sharing the good news of Christ – the forgiveness of sins that he offers to all.
Jesus doesn’t want any part of this false peace. It’s just avoiding conflict, allowing the world to go undisturbed in sin. God decided that it is better to have war and division, saving as many people as possible, rather than let everyone die in their sin. Christ came to remove sin, to offer His righteousness to all. Because of this, he did not shy from confrontation. His whole experience was the opposite of a peaceful, quiet way of life, impacting even His family. At one point, his family tried seizing him. Because of his teaching, they thought he was insane.
If you choose the comfortable path, if you fail to share Christ because you don’t want to deal with the shame and embarrassment that come along with it, you are not worthy to be called a Christian.
Sometimes religion is kept off-limits at family gatherings or other social events so that things stay pleasant. I can’t imagine that is what Jesus had in mind when he was dining with sinners.
But beyond some potentially awkward dinner conversation, Jesus addresses something even more demanding.
He says,“And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
If you’re looking for a nice, comfy, convenient religion, this is not it. If you are not willing to forsake all that is important to you, friends, family, your very life, then you will have no part of eternal life with God.
Christ suffered and died for you and He expects you to follow him, even to death. You might as well consider yourself an enlisted soldier, under the command of another. Following Christ is like going to battle. It can be lethal.
“Take up your cross” had very specific, revolting, and terrifying connotations for the people of Gallilee in Jesus’ Day.
Not only was crucifixion the cruelest form of execution, but it was the ultimate shame if a member of your family was crucified. The public disgrace and physical suffering began not just when the condemned man was hung on the cross, but with the procession through the streets in which the victim was forced carry the heavy cross-piece while enduring the insults of the crowd on the way to execution.
Jesus himself would literally go through that experience of a savage death and public disgrace. In Matthew 10 this is the prospect that he holds before any “worthy” disciple.
The familiar language of discipleship – come follow after me – takes on the morbid sense of following Jesus on the march to execution.
Will you be called on to suffer physically for the sake of Christ? Not likely. But he cross is whatever Christians suffer for living their Christian faith in the world; confessing the gospel of Christ crucified. Whoever refuses or is unwilling to bear this cross, can no longer claim to be a Christian.
The cross is our life as Christians, and guess what, Jesus wants us to be happy about it. He says in Matthew 5 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
“Rejoice and be glad!”
This is just what the apostles in Acts 5. They were beaten and left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus”
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and thrown into prison where their feet were put in stocks and at midnight hey “were praying and singing hymns to God”
What do you do after being attacked and imprisoned for being a Christian? You sing “A Mighty Fortress”, “And take they our life, Goods, fame, child ,and wife, Though these all be gone. Our vict’ry has been won. The Kingdom ours remaineth.”
“The Kingdom ours remaineth.” That’s why Christians throughout the ages have given up a comfortable, quiet life with friends and family in service to their Savior, willing to suffer loss of life and limb.
Jesus says ‘Rejoice and be glad,” - because your reward is great is heaven!
What is this reward? Eternal life. How do we receive the reward? We receive it because Christ has come to us and identified with us. Whoever receives Christ’s messengers and the Word they bring, receives Christ and also receives the reward of a righteous person as it says in verses 40-42.
By believing the word preached to you, Christ identifies with you though faith. As Paul says in Romans 10, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Christ unites with you with His Righteousness. His victory over sin, death and the devil that he won by his death on the cross is your victory. In Christ, you find your reward - eternal life.
But it’s tough. If we don’t love Christ more than family, if we don’t bear our cross enduring shame, suffering, and abuse for Christ then we are not worthy of him.
Well, we aren’t worthy. Like John the Baptist, we aren’t worthy to even unloose Jesus’ sandals. Like the Prodigal Son, we aren’t worthy to be called son by our Father in heaven.
What we are worthy of, is death, because we’re sinners.
But Jesus - whom Pilate confessed did nothing worthy of death - died on our behalf, so that we would be counted worthy in the Father’s eyes. And now because of Christ and the cross, we are counted worthy to bear our cross and to suffer for that name. But with Paul, we confess that the suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.
That glory will be revealed on that great and final day when we sing “Worthy is Christ, the lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be the people of God, Power and riches wisdom and strength glory and honor and blessing are his.”
What a day.
Though we enter into the kingdom through much tribulation as it says in Acts 14, we do indeed enter into the kingdom. The assurance of eternal glory makes us able to bear the cross.
We look to the eternal unseen things, in spite of affliction, in spite of the worst the world has to throw at us. Eternal life is yours right now because of the cross of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday, June 20, 2011
A blessed belated Holy Trinity Sunday
This about sums up the Trinity:
Romans 11
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Romans 11
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Big Y You
If you write things about God, it is inevitable that the spell checker will not understand your capital letter, big "Y" "You". As in "May Your name be glorified."
At some point, folks thought they'd show reverence to God, even in regard to pronouns - You, His, etc. I'm sure it was the good old King James Version that popularized it. Maybe it was rooted in 'The Name' business of the Jews - Don't say Yahweh's name and all that. Who knows.
I'm again learning to love the King James ("Authorized Version") on this its 400th anniversary. The KJV causes me to slow down and consider the text rather than breezing through it with all its 'Thees' and 'Thous.' I think the KJV, really outshines than any other version in its oral presentation of the word. When I die, I want Psalm 23 read at my funeral - in the KJV.
And it's got saying power. The third version of the NIV (first released in 1984) came out this year.
But best of all, I think the KJV still retains in its pages bit more of the majesty and awe of God. Reverence. Maybe its just because the Thees and Thous sound more like the Bible. Fine, I'll grant that.
However you slice it, reverence is not all that popular today. From the way we dress, to how we speak, to how we think - publicly and privately. Reverence is more or less considered old-fashioned. Like pews and organs and hymnals and the KJV. Maybe they are old-fashioned. I like old-fashioned donuts though. They are quite tasty. I like Wrigley Field. That's pretty old-fashioned. It's even been referred to as a baseball cathedral, and not in a pejorative manner. People say that Wrigley is a shrine, that it fills them with awe and reverence. And it's only a 1/4 the age of the KJV, 1/20th the age of the Christian church, and, well, I guess I can't put a fraction to it in comparison to the Ageless One, but you get the idea.
Some things seem ageless, but only One is. The KJV may not be ageless, but at least it still evokes reverence in my mind. Even in its pronouns.
At some point, folks thought they'd show reverence to God, even in regard to pronouns - You, His, etc. I'm sure it was the good old King James Version that popularized it. Maybe it was rooted in 'The Name' business of the Jews - Don't say Yahweh's name and all that. Who knows.
I'm again learning to love the King James ("Authorized Version") on this its 400th anniversary. The KJV causes me to slow down and consider the text rather than breezing through it with all its 'Thees' and 'Thous.' I think the KJV, really outshines than any other version in its oral presentation of the word. When I die, I want Psalm 23 read at my funeral - in the KJV.
And it's got saying power. The third version of the NIV (first released in 1984) came out this year.
But best of all, I think the KJV still retains in its pages bit more of the majesty and awe of God. Reverence. Maybe its just because the Thees and Thous sound more like the Bible. Fine, I'll grant that.
However you slice it, reverence is not all that popular today. From the way we dress, to how we speak, to how we think - publicly and privately. Reverence is more or less considered old-fashioned. Like pews and organs and hymnals and the KJV. Maybe they are old-fashioned. I like old-fashioned donuts though. They are quite tasty. I like Wrigley Field. That's pretty old-fashioned. It's even been referred to as a baseball cathedral, and not in a pejorative manner. People say that Wrigley is a shrine, that it fills them with awe and reverence. And it's only a 1/4 the age of the KJV, 1/20th the age of the Christian church, and, well, I guess I can't put a fraction to it in comparison to the Ageless One, but you get the idea.
Some things seem ageless, but only One is. The KJV may not be ageless, but at least it still evokes reverence in my mind. Even in its pronouns.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
"Jesus, here I share Your woe; help me there Your joy to know."
This is a verse from the hymn" Let us ever walk with Jesus." I like it.
Let us suffer here with Jesus, and with patience bear our cross.
Joy will follow all our sadness; where He is, there is no loss.
Though today we sow no laughter, we shall reap celestial joy;
All discomforts that annoy shall give way to mirth here-after.
Jesus, here I share Your woe; help me there Your joy to know.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Augustine's words
I liked this. Not much more to say. Merry Christmas!
Augustine, confessions 7.18
Then I sought a way of obtaining strength sufficient to enjoy Thee; and found it not, until I embraced that Mediator betwixt God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who is over all, God blessed for evermore, calling unto me, and saying, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and mingling that food which I was unable to receive, with our flesh.
For, the Word was made flesh, that Thy wisdom, whereby Thou createdst all things, might provide milk for our infant state. For I did not hold to my Lord Jesus Christ, I, humbled, to the Humble; nor knew I yet whereto His infirmity would guide us. For Thy Word, the Eternal Truth, far above the higher parts of Thy Creation, raises up the subdued unto Itself: but in this lower world built for Itself a lowly habitation of our clay, whereby to abase from themselves such as would be subdued, and bring them over to Himself; allaying their swelling, and tomenting their love; to the end they might go on no further in self-confidence, but rather consent to become weak, seeing before their feet the Divinity weak by taking our coats of skin; and wearied, might cast themselves down upon It, and It rising, might lift them up.
Augustine, confessions 7.18
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