Epiphany 7A - "You will be Holy" - Leviticus 19:2 - Matt 5:48 - I Corinthians 3:16-17
(On the occasion of Polly Bloom Guinta's adoption into the holy, catholic and apostolic church through the sacrament of Holy Baptism)
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
The gospel reading this morning is quite a well-known passage from Jesus’ sermon on the mount. You don’t have to be all that biblically literate to be familiar with some of Jesus’ sayings here: “Turn the other cheek,” “Go the extra mile,” “Love your enemies.”
These sayings work better on bumper stickers than some of Jesus’ other sayings earlier in the chapter. Like, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Anybody else find the Sermon on the Mount uncomfortable in places? You kind of wish Jesus would tone it down little a bit. For instance, Jesus is says you think you’re basically a good person because you don’t murder or commit adultery, I tell you that are in danger of hell if you get angry or have a lustful thought. Well, if all this weren’t clear enough, Jesus finally says, “You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
How’s that working out for everybody? You all fine with your level of perfection in turning the other cheek and loving your enemy?
If we examine ourselves, we quickly realize that we are indeed not perfect. Actually, we’re pretty lousy. Ever gossiped, gotten angry, had a lustful thought? Ever cared about yourself more than others? It seems that, according to Jesus, we all deserve judgment.
We need something from outside ourselves to intervene. Because if you look to yourself to provide comfort and assurance of your salvation, you will either quickly become very depressed from the glare of your own imperfection staring back at you in the mirror or you’ll become delusional in your efforts to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees
So what do we do with this? Well, it’s helpful to see Jesus’ comment on perfection in a larger context. Jesus is referring back to Leviticus 19:2, which reads, “You shall be holy, because I the Lord, your God am holy.” There were two categories for Israel: Yahweh, the Lord God, was holy; everything else was not. This contrast is all over the Bible: I Samuel 2 says, “There is no one holy like the Lord.” Isaiah calls Israel a worm, a nation of sinful corrupt people. But Yahweh is called the Holy One.
For Israel, only God was the creator and source of holiness. God did not give his people commands for them to generate their own holiness. Israel’s holiness comes from God’s holiness. It is outside of themselves. On their own, the Israelites “did what was right in their own eyes” as it says in the book of Judges. Holiness was by God’s grace alone.
God’s laws presuppose that God makes and keeps his people holy. For the people of Israel, God’s gift of holiness was not something that happened a long long time ago and was in the rear view mirror. God’s holiness was ever before their eyes. It was something they kept on receiving.
-
What’s this mean for us?
The church is the new Israel. Like the Israelites, we are called to be holy and share in God’s holiness. Each congregation is, as St Paul says, a community of saints, which means “holy ones.”
How are believers made holy today? St. Paul connects it to when God’s Spirit comes to dwell in us. This is particular importance for us today. Listen to Paul’s words to the church from 1 Corinthians 3:
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?...God’s Temple is holy and you are that temple.
This is awesome. We are not condemned, but rather are are holy.
But, how do you know that the Spirit dwells in you? How do you know that you stand holy and righteous before God? How do you know that you are saved? Think about this. If some one were to ask you, “How do you know that you will be with Christ after you die?” What would you say?
If you became mentally disabled or were in a coma, do you have assurance you would still possess salvation? What if you were physically unable to confess with your mouth that you were a Christian or lost the mental capacity to understand the Christian faith?
What about a baby? What assurance is there for parents that their child has been made holy?
Well, to answer all these questions, St Paul says in Galatians 3:27 – For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.”
God makes us holy through the perfection of his son Jesus. Through baptism we have been clothed with Christ and with his righteousness. When the Father looks at us, he does not see our imperfections and our sin, He sees Christ whose blood shed on the cross atones for the sin of the world. We are God’s temple and the Holy Spirit dwells in us because we have been clothed with Christ at baptism.
Well, this indeed flies in the face of the wisdom of this world. Honestly, water, probably from the faucet, clothes one with Christ? But it’s not just ordinary water. It’s water combined with the command and promise of God’s Word.
What is this command? St Matthew records the words of our Lord in last chapter of his gospel:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
This command from our Lord is why many of us are here today. We believe, teach, and confess that when Jesus instructed his followers to make disciples of “all nations” he meant all. Every one, everywhere. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, color, sex, or age. And how does Jesus tell us to make disciples? By baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He places His holy name on us.
That is the command of our Lord. What are the promises? They are abundant. Believe it or not, baptism actually does something.
St. Mark writes, “Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.” St. Peter says, “Repent and be baptized everyone one of you… for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off.” St Peter also says, “Baptism saves you.” St Paul writes, “God saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Paul calls baptism the washing of regeneration. New birth. Not long ago, Polly was born, but today she will be born again of water and the spirit as our Savior instructs us to do in John 3.
Baptism isn’t merely a profession of faith that you make. It is God adopting you into his church and making you his child. It is physical and tangible and wet. It is an offense to reason that the creator the universe would choose to come to us in such a simple, mundane manner, but this is the foolishness of God for our salvation.
God saves us not because of what we do or think, but because of what he does for us through the Holy Spirit at Baptism. Yet we don’t want to admit that we are helpless children. We like to find our identity, meaning and significance in ourselves.
Are we holy because of our superior reasoning? No, Rather, God works by defying conventional wisdom. He offers his own son as a sacrifice for us in a cruel, shameful death. He entrusts an uneducated band of fisherman with his message of salvation. Jesus is 100% God and 100% man, at the same time. God is 3 in 1. None of this makes sense. It defies the wisdom of this world. So it follows that God’s means of grace defies that wisdom as well.
So, where do you find assurance of salvation? Do you base your salvation on what you do and what you think? If so, you had better make sure you are perfect. And that your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.
How do you know that the Spirit dwells in you? Is it because of your ability to confess the faith or capacity to understand?
Dear Christian, turn your eyes from yourself to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are worms. He is the Holy One.
How do you know you have been made holy; that the Spirit dwells in you? Are you baptized? As we sang in our hymn, “When nothing else revives your soul, your baptism stands and makes you whole and then in death complete you.” God has given you the promise that through baptism you are his disciple. You are clothed with Christ. You are made holy because you have been given the Holy Spirit through the washing of regeneration. You are forgiven from all your sins right now.
You no longer need to be seized by a guilty conscience. You no longer need to be disturbed by sin. You are baptized into Christ. As in, you are currently in a state of baptism.
This is why we make the sign of the cross. This is the sign that will be made over Polly as Christ snatches her from the grip of the devil and proclaims her as His own Child. When we make the sign of the cross when we wake up in the morning and when before we go to bed at night, we daily remember that we have been and daily remain baptized into Christ, whose blood has set us free to be the people of God.
Luther writes in the Large Catechism, “Baptism daily strengthens the new man, always remains until we pass from this present misery to eternal glory. Therefore let everybody regard his Baptism as the daily garment, which he is to wear all the time…As we have once obtained forgiveness of sins in Baptism, so forgiveness remains day by day as long as we live.
“You will be holy, because I the Lord, your God am holy.” That's not a threat. It's a promise.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Fine outward training
Here's kind of the flipside of what I wrote the other day. It's for our church newsletter.
“Fine Outward Training"
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Around the country, millions of people are beginning to see the end of a long winter…at least those people who are baseball fans. Many of us eagerly counted down the days until players reported to Spring Training, beginning their month-long time of preparation for the new season. I’m sure that many of you are especially excited this year to see if Lincecum, Posey, Wilson and the rest of the boys can lead the Giants to a repeat of their World Series victory.
During spring training, I like to prepare myself for the long season ahead. I usually spend time watching Ken Burns' Baseball documentary, re-reading classic baseball books like "The Glory of Their Times," and watching great games from the past.
This year, baseball’s Spring Training and the Lenten season overlap fairly nicely. Just as Spring Training is a time of preparation for baseball players (and some rabid fans), Lent is a time of Christian preparation often marked by increased attention devoted to almsgiving, fasting, and prayer (rooted in our Lord’s teaching in Matthew 6:1-18). Lent is a 40 day penitential season, allowing us to repent and examine ourselves as the great feast of the Resurrection of our Lord approaches.
Just as baseball players prepare physically in anticipation of Opening Day and the start of a new season, Christians prepare spiritually in anticipation of the annual celebration of new life through the Easter triumph - the Resurrection of Christ.
There are many ways that we can prepare spiritually.
If you have neglected daily devotions, now is a great time to reintroduce that holy habit. Pick up a Portals of Prayer from the church narthex or order “Treasury of Daily Prayer” (www.cph.org/prayer) to help assist you.
Also, you are invited to attend one of our midweek Lenten services Wednesday at 7PM (proceeded by a dinner at 6). The sermons at these services will focus upon interactions between Jesus and Peter and how these reflect upon our own pride, complacency, misunderstanding, discipleship, and denial.
Perhaps you would like to practice the discipline of fasting by eating more simply on certain days. Traditionally, fasting has meant 1/4 meal for breakfast and lunch, with a simple dinner and abstaining from meat and wine on Fridays.
Just by means of a disclaimer, lest you think the Vicar is trying to introduce a “Romanizing” practice, in the Small Catechism Martin Luther says that fasting is "a fine outward training." It’s a Christian’s Spring Training, so to speak.
Also, the LCMS’ website says: “If a Christian wants to give something up for Lent as a way of remembering and personalizing the great sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for our sins, then that Christian is certainly free to do so.”
Amen! We are free in Christ! And if you do indeed chose to exercise your Christian freedom by fasting, you need not simply “give up” something. As Pastor Wil Weedon writes, “By not eating so much, you actually have more money to give to others who have less than you, and by not fixing elaborate meals, you also have more time to spend in the Word and prayer.
Further, by going hungry each day you experience solidarity with those many members of the human race who also go hungry each day. Above all, we teach ourselves that the hunger behind all hungers is the hunger for God Himself.”
I wish you a blessed Spring Training, er, I mean, Lenten season as we joyfully prepare ourselves spiritually for the coming Easter celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord.
“Fine Outward Training"
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Around the country, millions of people are beginning to see the end of a long winter…at least those people who are baseball fans. Many of us eagerly counted down the days until players reported to Spring Training, beginning their month-long time of preparation for the new season. I’m sure that many of you are especially excited this year to see if Lincecum, Posey, Wilson and the rest of the boys can lead the Giants to a repeat of their World Series victory.
During spring training, I like to prepare myself for the long season ahead. I usually spend time watching Ken Burns' Baseball documentary, re-reading classic baseball books like "The Glory of Their Times," and watching great games from the past.
This year, baseball’s Spring Training and the Lenten season overlap fairly nicely. Just as Spring Training is a time of preparation for baseball players (and some rabid fans), Lent is a time of Christian preparation often marked by increased attention devoted to almsgiving, fasting, and prayer (rooted in our Lord’s teaching in Matthew 6:1-18). Lent is a 40 day penitential season, allowing us to repent and examine ourselves as the great feast of the Resurrection of our Lord approaches.
Just as baseball players prepare physically in anticipation of Opening Day and the start of a new season, Christians prepare spiritually in anticipation of the annual celebration of new life through the Easter triumph - the Resurrection of Christ.
There are many ways that we can prepare spiritually.
If you have neglected daily devotions, now is a great time to reintroduce that holy habit. Pick up a Portals of Prayer from the church narthex or order “Treasury of Daily Prayer” (www.cph.org/prayer) to help assist you.
Also, you are invited to attend one of our midweek Lenten services Wednesday at 7PM (proceeded by a dinner at 6). The sermons at these services will focus upon interactions between Jesus and Peter and how these reflect upon our own pride, complacency, misunderstanding, discipleship, and denial.
Perhaps you would like to practice the discipline of fasting by eating more simply on certain days. Traditionally, fasting has meant 1/4 meal for breakfast and lunch, with a simple dinner and abstaining from meat and wine on Fridays.
Just by means of a disclaimer, lest you think the Vicar is trying to introduce a “Romanizing” practice, in the Small Catechism Martin Luther says that fasting is "a fine outward training." It’s a Christian’s Spring Training, so to speak.
Also, the LCMS’ website says: “If a Christian wants to give something up for Lent as a way of remembering and personalizing the great sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for our sins, then that Christian is certainly free to do so.”
Amen! We are free in Christ! And if you do indeed chose to exercise your Christian freedom by fasting, you need not simply “give up” something. As Pastor Wil Weedon writes, “By not eating so much, you actually have more money to give to others who have less than you, and by not fixing elaborate meals, you also have more time to spend in the Word and prayer.
Further, by going hungry each day you experience solidarity with those many members of the human race who also go hungry each day. Above all, we teach ourselves that the hunger behind all hungers is the hunger for God Himself.”
I wish you a blessed Spring Training, er, I mean, Lenten season as we joyfully prepare ourselves spiritually for the coming Easter celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
A season of preparation
This year we are fortunate that Lent and baseball Spring Training overlap fairly nicely. It seems that with this intersection of the church/mlb year, 2011 provides opportunity for increased bodily and spiritual preparation in light of our annual celebration of new life and the restoration of all things - The Resurrection of Christ and Opening Day.
Lent is a 40 day penitential season allowing us to repent, examine ourselves and prepare for the Great Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Spring training is a month-long (plus 2 weeks for pitchers and catcher) time of preparation for the new season. As Lent is a time of Christian preparation marked by increased attention devoted to fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, I submit that Spring training may also mark for us a period of baseball preparation.
Here are proposals:
-Abstain from watching, reading about, or following any sport except baseball. Avert your eyes from NBA, NFL, NHL, and NCAA news and event. It will help cleanse your mind and help prepare you for the long season ahead.
- Set aside money dedicated to purchasing mlb.tv or a tickets to few games this season.
-Spend time mediating on the testimony of those who have gone before us. Watch Ken Burns' Baseball documentary. Go to itunes and peruse "Baseball's Best Games." I plan on watching Game 5 of the 1984 World Series, perhaps 1991 WS Game 7, or 2001 WS game 7. Read, mark and learn the inspired words of "Ball Four" or "The Glory of Their Times" or "Bill James' Historical Baseball Abstract." If you have not inwardly digested these books, examine yourself. Repent. You obviously have not experienced the good news of baseball. It is my fervent desire for all who endure the crush of defeat to be comforted by the pure joy of baseball so that we all believe, teach and confess in one accord.
Lent is a 40 day penitential season allowing us to repent, examine ourselves and prepare for the Great Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Spring training is a month-long (plus 2 weeks for pitchers and catcher) time of preparation for the new season. As Lent is a time of Christian preparation marked by increased attention devoted to fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, I submit that Spring training may also mark for us a period of baseball preparation.
Here are proposals:
-Abstain from watching, reading about, or following any sport except baseball. Avert your eyes from NBA, NFL, NHL, and NCAA news and event. It will help cleanse your mind and help prepare you for the long season ahead.
- Set aside money dedicated to purchasing mlb.tv or a tickets to few games this season.
-Spend time mediating on the testimony of those who have gone before us. Watch Ken Burns' Baseball documentary. Go to itunes and peruse "Baseball's Best Games." I plan on watching Game 5 of the 1984 World Series, perhaps 1991 WS Game 7, or 2001 WS game 7. Read, mark and learn the inspired words of "Ball Four" or "The Glory of Their Times" or "Bill James' Historical Baseball Abstract." If you have not inwardly digested these books, examine yourself. Repent. You obviously have not experienced the good news of baseball. It is my fervent desire for all who endure the crush of defeat to be comforted by the pure joy of baseball so that we all believe, teach and confess in one accord.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Street Art
We had an enjoyable time at SFMOMA the other day. Great stuff there, photo, art things. A 'bible' with all the letters rearranged in alphabetical order. Don't know what I think about that one, but it was interesting. I remembered it. It was better than the naked people stuff. They had a show on wine and art. You got to smell wine. Yum. There was a cool photo show, with photos from all around the world. Reminiscencings and whatnot galore. We then got a bite to eat in the delicious cafe and noticed a guy taking a poop on the sidewalk across the street.
SF day in the park
I enjoy San Francisco. It's a delightful odd town. We walked around Delores Park the other day after eating some tasty baked goods. It was a sunny day and the park was filled with people lounging on the grass. There was the token drag queenish flamboyant crowd, also a large group of people hula hooping, others walking on a tightrope, other assorted normal folk, fartsniffers, hippies, hipsters, moms and babies. My favorite moment was when a guy that looked like a 19th century ringmaster/snake oil salesman (with top hat, tuxedo, handle bar mustasche and spats) looked at a girl that walked by in some sort of see-through lingerie outfit and rolling his eyes he said, "A bit much, don't you think?"
Monday, January 24, 2011
Epiphany 3 - “Perfect Unity through the Cross of Christ” I Corinthians 1:10-18
Epiphany 3
I Corinthians 1:10-18
“Perfect Unity through the Cross of Christ”
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
If you think about it, church is a unique place compared to the rest of our society. Where else do a bunch of people get together and sing songs, listen to some one talk to them, and speak the same words out loud together? We say the creed, dozens of us speaking the same thing in unison. Well, then there are those awkward times like when I accidentally start saying the Nicene Creed instead of the Apostles’ Creed. Or I skip a line and sing the wrong stanza of a hymn. I’m sure none of you have ever done that though. I think a couple weeks ago I sang a whole verse before I realized that I was he only one singing those words. Ever notice how, in church, when one person is off, it can throw off the unity of everyone around them? It can even disrupt the unity of the whole group.
In our Epistle reading St. Paul says in verse 10: “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
I. “Speaking the same thing” (I Corinthians 1:10)
Notice the phrase “that all of you agree.” This literally means “that all of you speak the same thing.” When we recite the creed it is a sign that we agree; that we are on the same page, speaking the same thing
A. A Schizo-Phrenic Church (I Corinthians 1:12-13)
Unfortunately, the church in Corinth was not on the same page. Paul appealed to them to be united in the same mind, with no divisions. But they were schismatic or literally schizophrenic: “schizo” meaning split; and “phrenic” meaning mind. They had a split mind. They each claimed to follow a different leader. There were divisions and cliques. It was a divided church body.
B Perfectly- united
It was Paul’s desire that this church - with a split mind - would be united in mind and judgment. The word “united” that Paul uses was, at that time, a household word used to describe completeness from blending different parts into a whole; becoming perfectly united. For example, someone may perfectly unite pieces of cloth by sewing them together, making an article of clothing or a quilt. A cook perfectly unites ingredients in a dish of food by properly blending them to make the dish perfect and tasty to eat. Paul wanted the household of faith to be perfectly united as well.
C. The Number One Answer to Any Question.
Notice in the very beginning of our reading that Paul’s appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is key. He brings it back to the basics. For those of you who teach Sunday School, what is the number one answer to any question? Jesus. Doesn’t matter what the question is, you gotta know that Jesus is gonna be the answer sooner of later. This has also proved to be true for me in the seminary studies as well.
1. All to the Service of Christ.
No matter was happens in church life, the answer is Jesus. Everything must be to the service of Christ. Whatever the issue: the color of the carpet, the Christmas decorations, the church sign, the coffee and snacks for fellowship, the music, children’s programs, the bulletins, the newsletter, the budget, committees and meetings, whatever it is, it must all be to the service of Christ.
2. Our Own Opinions and Agendas Come Before Christ
But if we truly examine ourselves, it seems that all too often, our own opinions and agendas come before Christ. We are reluctant to serve and strive for unity in our life together as the body of Christ. Instead of “speaking the same thing”, we often resemble the Corinthians, the church with a split mind. We all have the selfish tendency to want ourselves and our ideas to take center stage. We do not all speak the same thing. We do not all perfectly blend as ingredients. With us, it is as if each ingredient of a recipe began telling the cook how to prepare his meal. Needless to say, too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the soup.
II. The Cross Crucifies Our Pride and the Sinful Desire for Glory (Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:4)
A. God’s mercy heals all our bodily disease (physically and congregationally)
But we don’t just spoil the soup. We’ve spoiled everything because of our disease called sin. Our gospel reading mentions the amazing healing ministry of Jesus and we indeed pray for God’s mercy to heal us from our physical sickness and disease, but we should also pray that God may heal our spiritual diseases - division, disunity and the split mind of the body of Christ – internationally, nationally, and locally right here in our own congregation. Each of us is infected with the “me-first” disease. We want everything to be about us, Isn’t it amazing how our sinful mind wants to take the focus off of God and other and place it on ourselves and what we do?
What are our ideas and opinions in comparison to Christ? We honestly sabotage the work of Christ, for what? Self glorification. How easy is it to sit here and think, “Oh yeah, there are a lot of people I know that need to stop thinking of themselves.” Or “It’s too bad that so-and-so isn’t here now to hear this message. It is you. It is me. It is everyone of us. We all need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, what am I doing, or not doing, that is spreading the disease of division and disunity?
B. The Christian life is Christ-centered and cross- focused. (I Corinthians 1:23)
What is the cure for our disease? It’s ok, you can pretend that you are in Sunday school again. What’s the cure for our disease? Jesus! Correct! Jesus! We are Lutherans, and dog gone it, we’ve got to get this right. We preach Christ crucified. Or as they say on my favorite radio program, Issues etc: We are Christ-centered and cross- focused.
1. We’ve got the cure (1 Corinthians 1:18, Isaiah 9:6-7)
We’re got the cure. But Jesus is an different like of doctor than we are used to. You are not healed because of how much we love Jesus. You are not healed because Jesus is your friend. The cure of Christ? Death. He was crucified on a cross and you are crucified with him, your sin is nailed to that cross, nevertheless you live because Christ lives in you. You live by faith in the son of God who loves you and gave His life for you. What if you were sick and a doctor told you, “I got just the perscription. You’re going to die. Then…” Hold up. Excuse me? It sounds foolish.
St Paul says, “The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” We are the ones being saved. We’ve got the medicine that will heal the entire world! We are not like the people sitting in darkness. We want the spotlight to shine on us, but God has a different idea, through the word of the cross, Christ’s wisdom has broken forth in power, shining upon us and it continues to shine upon us. Through the word of the cross, Christ unites all those who wander and walk apart. It is only through Christ and that unity is achieved. Only he can heal our split mind and our me-first disease. Our Old Testament reading reminds us that it is only the Prince of Peace who brings true peace and unity.
2. We have seen the light (Psalm 27:1) (Matthew 4:17)
Often, our path becomes darkened or confused or troubled because Satan works to cause disunity. When this happens, we remember that we are children of the light, and we follow the one true light. Has anyone ever taken your picture with a blinding flash in a dark room? Afterwards, that flash remains in your vision like an imprint upon your retnas. As it says in our Gospel reading, we have seen a great light. The imprint of Christ and his cross is ever before us. We see the world through the eyes of faith, through Jesus-colored glasses.
With Christ and his cross ever before us, we respond to Christ’s call to live lives of repentance. Perfect unity requires repentance; Repentance of our sinful desire to cling to our own personal opinions and agenda. You came here and repented and were forgiven by the pastor who is here as the “Jesus Guy”, in the stead and by the command of Christ, announcing the grace of God to all of you. The pastor delivers Christ’s healing medicine of forgiveness to his church.
C. One Lord, One faith, One Baptism (Eph 4:3-6)
And we are the church. There is one body, one spirit, one hope, one mind. We have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all. This is the gracious reality of Christ’s true church. Thanks be to God that through baptism He has crucified and buried our sinful desires that cause disunity, so that through the Gospel we might rise to new life in perfect unity in Christ. Enlightened by the word of the cross - the life, death and resurrection of Christ - we at West Portal Lutheran Church strive to speak the same thing together, to receive restoration of our split mind, to be healed of our “me-first” disease, and to be perfectly united together in Christ who grants us forgiveness of our sins, salvation, and eternal life together. Amen.
I Corinthians 1:10-18
“Perfect Unity through the Cross of Christ”
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
If you think about it, church is a unique place compared to the rest of our society. Where else do a bunch of people get together and sing songs, listen to some one talk to them, and speak the same words out loud together? We say the creed, dozens of us speaking the same thing in unison. Well, then there are those awkward times like when I accidentally start saying the Nicene Creed instead of the Apostles’ Creed. Or I skip a line and sing the wrong stanza of a hymn. I’m sure none of you have ever done that though. I think a couple weeks ago I sang a whole verse before I realized that I was he only one singing those words. Ever notice how, in church, when one person is off, it can throw off the unity of everyone around them? It can even disrupt the unity of the whole group.
In our Epistle reading St. Paul says in verse 10: “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
I. “Speaking the same thing” (I Corinthians 1:10)
Notice the phrase “that all of you agree.” This literally means “that all of you speak the same thing.” When we recite the creed it is a sign that we agree; that we are on the same page, speaking the same thing
A. A Schizo-Phrenic Church (I Corinthians 1:12-13)
Unfortunately, the church in Corinth was not on the same page. Paul appealed to them to be united in the same mind, with no divisions. But they were schismatic or literally schizophrenic: “schizo” meaning split; and “phrenic” meaning mind. They had a split mind. They each claimed to follow a different leader. There were divisions and cliques. It was a divided church body.
B Perfectly- united
It was Paul’s desire that this church - with a split mind - would be united in mind and judgment. The word “united” that Paul uses was, at that time, a household word used to describe completeness from blending different parts into a whole; becoming perfectly united. For example, someone may perfectly unite pieces of cloth by sewing them together, making an article of clothing or a quilt. A cook perfectly unites ingredients in a dish of food by properly blending them to make the dish perfect and tasty to eat. Paul wanted the household of faith to be perfectly united as well.
C. The Number One Answer to Any Question.
Notice in the very beginning of our reading that Paul’s appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is key. He brings it back to the basics. For those of you who teach Sunday School, what is the number one answer to any question? Jesus. Doesn’t matter what the question is, you gotta know that Jesus is gonna be the answer sooner of later. This has also proved to be true for me in the seminary studies as well.
1. All to the Service of Christ.
No matter was happens in church life, the answer is Jesus. Everything must be to the service of Christ. Whatever the issue: the color of the carpet, the Christmas decorations, the church sign, the coffee and snacks for fellowship, the music, children’s programs, the bulletins, the newsletter, the budget, committees and meetings, whatever it is, it must all be to the service of Christ.
2. Our Own Opinions and Agendas Come Before Christ
But if we truly examine ourselves, it seems that all too often, our own opinions and agendas come before Christ. We are reluctant to serve and strive for unity in our life together as the body of Christ. Instead of “speaking the same thing”, we often resemble the Corinthians, the church with a split mind. We all have the selfish tendency to want ourselves and our ideas to take center stage. We do not all speak the same thing. We do not all perfectly blend as ingredients. With us, it is as if each ingredient of a recipe began telling the cook how to prepare his meal. Needless to say, too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the soup.
II. The Cross Crucifies Our Pride and the Sinful Desire for Glory (Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:4)
A. God’s mercy heals all our bodily disease (physically and congregationally)
But we don’t just spoil the soup. We’ve spoiled everything because of our disease called sin. Our gospel reading mentions the amazing healing ministry of Jesus and we indeed pray for God’s mercy to heal us from our physical sickness and disease, but we should also pray that God may heal our spiritual diseases - division, disunity and the split mind of the body of Christ – internationally, nationally, and locally right here in our own congregation. Each of us is infected with the “me-first” disease. We want everything to be about us, Isn’t it amazing how our sinful mind wants to take the focus off of God and other and place it on ourselves and what we do?
What are our ideas and opinions in comparison to Christ? We honestly sabotage the work of Christ, for what? Self glorification. How easy is it to sit here and think, “Oh yeah, there are a lot of people I know that need to stop thinking of themselves.” Or “It’s too bad that so-and-so isn’t here now to hear this message. It is you. It is me. It is everyone of us. We all need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, what am I doing, or not doing, that is spreading the disease of division and disunity?
B. The Christian life is Christ-centered and cross- focused. (I Corinthians 1:23)
What is the cure for our disease? It’s ok, you can pretend that you are in Sunday school again. What’s the cure for our disease? Jesus! Correct! Jesus! We are Lutherans, and dog gone it, we’ve got to get this right. We preach Christ crucified. Or as they say on my favorite radio program, Issues etc: We are Christ-centered and cross- focused.
1. We’ve got the cure (1 Corinthians 1:18, Isaiah 9:6-7)
We’re got the cure. But Jesus is an different like of doctor than we are used to. You are not healed because of how much we love Jesus. You are not healed because Jesus is your friend. The cure of Christ? Death. He was crucified on a cross and you are crucified with him, your sin is nailed to that cross, nevertheless you live because Christ lives in you. You live by faith in the son of God who loves you and gave His life for you. What if you were sick and a doctor told you, “I got just the perscription. You’re going to die. Then…” Hold up. Excuse me? It sounds foolish.
St Paul says, “The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” We are the ones being saved. We’ve got the medicine that will heal the entire world! We are not like the people sitting in darkness. We want the spotlight to shine on us, but God has a different idea, through the word of the cross, Christ’s wisdom has broken forth in power, shining upon us and it continues to shine upon us. Through the word of the cross, Christ unites all those who wander and walk apart. It is only through Christ and that unity is achieved. Only he can heal our split mind and our me-first disease. Our Old Testament reading reminds us that it is only the Prince of Peace who brings true peace and unity.
2. We have seen the light (Psalm 27:1) (Matthew 4:17)
Often, our path becomes darkened or confused or troubled because Satan works to cause disunity. When this happens, we remember that we are children of the light, and we follow the one true light. Has anyone ever taken your picture with a blinding flash in a dark room? Afterwards, that flash remains in your vision like an imprint upon your retnas. As it says in our Gospel reading, we have seen a great light. The imprint of Christ and his cross is ever before us. We see the world through the eyes of faith, through Jesus-colored glasses.
With Christ and his cross ever before us, we respond to Christ’s call to live lives of repentance. Perfect unity requires repentance; Repentance of our sinful desire to cling to our own personal opinions and agenda. You came here and repented and were forgiven by the pastor who is here as the “Jesus Guy”, in the stead and by the command of Christ, announcing the grace of God to all of you. The pastor delivers Christ’s healing medicine of forgiveness to his church.
C. One Lord, One faith, One Baptism (Eph 4:3-6)
And we are the church. There is one body, one spirit, one hope, one mind. We have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all. This is the gracious reality of Christ’s true church. Thanks be to God that through baptism He has crucified and buried our sinful desires that cause disunity, so that through the Gospel we might rise to new life in perfect unity in Christ. Enlightened by the word of the cross - the life, death and resurrection of Christ - we at West Portal Lutheran Church strive to speak the same thing together, to receive restoration of our split mind, to be healed of our “me-first” disease, and to be perfectly united together in Christ who grants us forgiveness of our sins, salvation, and eternal life together. Amen.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Epiphany of our lord. Matthew 2:1-12
“God-In-Man Made Manifest” – Matthew 2:1-12 – Epiphany of Our Lord
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. We focus on God’s revelation of himself to the entire world through Christ, “God in man made manifest,” as we sing in one of our hymns. However, to us Christians to whom God has revealed himself, it seems that our God is more hidden and mysterious in this world than ever.
For example, it was not a Happy New Year for Christians in Egypt. There was a bombing at a church in Alexandria that killed 21and injured 90. This is the most recent in a number attacks on Christians throughout the Middle East. Because of this violence there has been a mass exodus of Christians from the area. Is this God in man made manifest? He appears more hidden and mysterious than ever.
Perhaps the idea of a mass exodus of Christians sounds familiar. We do not need to travel to the Middle East to see the evidence of this. Without threat of violence, the church in America has been on a steady decline. If you are in the mood to be depressed, get on your computer and read a few of the recent polls or surveys about Christianity in America. The findings are, well, not so promising. The broad theme is that we are apart of the incredible shrinking church. By the millions, people are electing to declare themselves not bound to Christianity.
I have not crunched the numbers but I do not believe that San Francisco is posed to become a shining beacon for the Christian faith anytime soon.
Is this God in Man made manifest? He appears more hidden and mysterious than ever.
Personally, for each one of us, things don’t appear to get much better. Despite all we’ve been taught, certain questions and mysteries plague us; “Why am I here?,” “Why do I even exist?,” “What is life all about?” No matter who you are, questions and doubts linger.
We desire to know God’s secret will. We want to unmask the mystery. This is the universal human condition. We are aware that there is something bigger than us out there and it makes us feel…insignificant.
I remember the first time that I really felt insignificant. I was just a little kid and I imagined that there was a video camera above me and that I could see myself lying in bed. Then the camera zoomed out to show my entire room, then my house, then my neighborhood, then my town, then the state, then the country, then the world, then the universe and my mind almost exploded! I felt like a tiny nothing speck in the grand scheme of things. I imagine that most of us have felt this way at one time or another. We want meaning and purpose and significance. Otherwise we can feel very troubled, like our head is going to explode. We want the mysteries of life to be revealed.
Some people go on great spiritual quests to Tibet or India. They climb mountains and talk to gurus to solve the mysteries of life as they search for meaning. But you don’t have to climb a mountain to see this, go to a bookstore and check out the self-help and spiritual section. This can even get to us as Christians. Look at the Christian section in a bookstore and you will find book after book about “finding yourself”,” discovering your purpose in life”, tips to help you on your own “personal spiritual journey”.
Spiritual journeys aren’t all that bad, I suppose, depending on what you mean. Our Gospel reading tells about a spiritual journey of sorts involving some pretty mysterious characters who follow a pretty mysterious star which leads them to a pretty mysterious child who they worship as King.
At first glance this appears to be kind of an odd reading for Epiphany, which as I said is when we focus on God’s revelation of himself to the entire world through Christ - God in man made manifest. The God-Man in this story still seems mysterious and hidden in a small child. This King seems hidden to everyone but the Magi.
So we ask ourselves on this celebration of the Epiphany of Our Lord: “Is our God hidden and mysterious or manifest and revealed?”
Look at the gifts that the wise men bring to the Christ Child. Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Hidden in these gifts was the revelation of who this child was. -Gold is a fitting gift for a king. Jesus is the king of the universe. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He is the King of Kings
-Frankincense is a fitting gift for God. It was burned as a fragrant offering to God in Temple worship. Jesus is indeed God, the Word made flesh.
-Myrrh is a fitting gift for a dead man. It was used to embalm dead bodies. Jesus was born to die. He died so that we may live.
This boy was the King of the Jews, but was born in a stable. This boy was God, but revealed in flesh. This boy was a priest who would not only offer, but would become the sacrifice for all mankind. But he was hidden in plain sight to most people.
Herod and the religious leaders did not recognize what was right in front of them. Can you imagine God in the flesh appearing, yet failing to honor and worship him? It should not be too difficult to imagine because we do it all the time. We have had Christ revealed to us. But we, like Herod, do not like when this King interrupts our plans. We want to rule our own lives. We, like Herod, and the chief priests and scribes know that God reveals himself in his Word, but we prefer to ignore it. We want to reveal the hiddenness of God for our own purposes, yet ignore the mystery that God has revealed in Christ.
It is true; sometimes God appears hidden and mysterious. Why does God allow tragedy? I don’t know. Why is there violence against God’s people? Why is the Church in the Western World shrinking? What is going to happen in each one of our lives? We experience pain and suffering and sorrow. There are lots of questions that we do not have the answers to. And that one question remains: “Is our God hidden and mysterious or manifest and revealed? The answer is: Yes.
Our God is hidden where he needs to be hidden but our God is indeed manifest and revealed where he needs to be revealed. He is revealed in Christ. When God seems hidden and mysterious, look to Christ. When you are plagued by doubts and insignificance, look to the manifest and revealed Son of God.
In the midst of doubts and questions and the mysteries of life, God’s promises are still true. We have THE answer. God-in-man was made manifest in Christ, revealed to the world at the first Epiphany. As St Paul says, the plan of the mystery that was hidden for ages was revealed in Christ.
In Christ, God is revealed to the entire World. The cat has been let out of the bag. God is not found in your personal spiritual quest high on a mountain or within your own consciousness. God is found in the person of Jesus. That God who the Wise men fell down and worshiped is found hanging on a cross for you. That God is found in the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper for you, in the water of Baptism for you, in the ink and paper of Holy Scripture for you, in the sound waves of the gospel proclaimed in the absolution and in the sermon for you. Right now, you receive forgiveness
The hidden and mysterious God is revealed and made manifest to you today. Here the greatest mystery of the universe is not just revealed to you but is delivered to you. In the midst of your questions and struggles, the Holy Spirit has enlightened you and guided you like the star that guided the Wise Men. The Spirit has guided you on a spiritual journey from your house to this church to join your brothers and sisters in Christ in life together worshiping our God, the suffering King, just as the Wise men did, and receiving from him amazing gifts: true life, true peace, and true salvation. Have a blessed Epiphany! Amen.
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. We focus on God’s revelation of himself to the entire world through Christ, “God in man made manifest,” as we sing in one of our hymns. However, to us Christians to whom God has revealed himself, it seems that our God is more hidden and mysterious in this world than ever.
For example, it was not a Happy New Year for Christians in Egypt. There was a bombing at a church in Alexandria that killed 21and injured 90. This is the most recent in a number attacks on Christians throughout the Middle East. Because of this violence there has been a mass exodus of Christians from the area. Is this God in man made manifest? He appears more hidden and mysterious than ever.
Perhaps the idea of a mass exodus of Christians sounds familiar. We do not need to travel to the Middle East to see the evidence of this. Without threat of violence, the church in America has been on a steady decline. If you are in the mood to be depressed, get on your computer and read a few of the recent polls or surveys about Christianity in America. The findings are, well, not so promising. The broad theme is that we are apart of the incredible shrinking church. By the millions, people are electing to declare themselves not bound to Christianity.
I have not crunched the numbers but I do not believe that San Francisco is posed to become a shining beacon for the Christian faith anytime soon.
Is this God in Man made manifest? He appears more hidden and mysterious than ever.
Personally, for each one of us, things don’t appear to get much better. Despite all we’ve been taught, certain questions and mysteries plague us; “Why am I here?,” “Why do I even exist?,” “What is life all about?” No matter who you are, questions and doubts linger.
We desire to know God’s secret will. We want to unmask the mystery. This is the universal human condition. We are aware that there is something bigger than us out there and it makes us feel…insignificant.
I remember the first time that I really felt insignificant. I was just a little kid and I imagined that there was a video camera above me and that I could see myself lying in bed. Then the camera zoomed out to show my entire room, then my house, then my neighborhood, then my town, then the state, then the country, then the world, then the universe and my mind almost exploded! I felt like a tiny nothing speck in the grand scheme of things. I imagine that most of us have felt this way at one time or another. We want meaning and purpose and significance. Otherwise we can feel very troubled, like our head is going to explode. We want the mysteries of life to be revealed.
Some people go on great spiritual quests to Tibet or India. They climb mountains and talk to gurus to solve the mysteries of life as they search for meaning. But you don’t have to climb a mountain to see this, go to a bookstore and check out the self-help and spiritual section. This can even get to us as Christians. Look at the Christian section in a bookstore and you will find book after book about “finding yourself”,” discovering your purpose in life”, tips to help you on your own “personal spiritual journey”.
Spiritual journeys aren’t all that bad, I suppose, depending on what you mean. Our Gospel reading tells about a spiritual journey of sorts involving some pretty mysterious characters who follow a pretty mysterious star which leads them to a pretty mysterious child who they worship as King.
At first glance this appears to be kind of an odd reading for Epiphany, which as I said is when we focus on God’s revelation of himself to the entire world through Christ - God in man made manifest. The God-Man in this story still seems mysterious and hidden in a small child. This King seems hidden to everyone but the Magi.
So we ask ourselves on this celebration of the Epiphany of Our Lord: “Is our God hidden and mysterious or manifest and revealed?”
Look at the gifts that the wise men bring to the Christ Child. Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Hidden in these gifts was the revelation of who this child was. -Gold is a fitting gift for a king. Jesus is the king of the universe. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He is the King of Kings
-Frankincense is a fitting gift for God. It was burned as a fragrant offering to God in Temple worship. Jesus is indeed God, the Word made flesh.
-Myrrh is a fitting gift for a dead man. It was used to embalm dead bodies. Jesus was born to die. He died so that we may live.
This boy was the King of the Jews, but was born in a stable. This boy was God, but revealed in flesh. This boy was a priest who would not only offer, but would become the sacrifice for all mankind. But he was hidden in plain sight to most people.
Herod and the religious leaders did not recognize what was right in front of them. Can you imagine God in the flesh appearing, yet failing to honor and worship him? It should not be too difficult to imagine because we do it all the time. We have had Christ revealed to us. But we, like Herod, do not like when this King interrupts our plans. We want to rule our own lives. We, like Herod, and the chief priests and scribes know that God reveals himself in his Word, but we prefer to ignore it. We want to reveal the hiddenness of God for our own purposes, yet ignore the mystery that God has revealed in Christ.
It is true; sometimes God appears hidden and mysterious. Why does God allow tragedy? I don’t know. Why is there violence against God’s people? Why is the Church in the Western World shrinking? What is going to happen in each one of our lives? We experience pain and suffering and sorrow. There are lots of questions that we do not have the answers to. And that one question remains: “Is our God hidden and mysterious or manifest and revealed? The answer is: Yes.
Our God is hidden where he needs to be hidden but our God is indeed manifest and revealed where he needs to be revealed. He is revealed in Christ. When God seems hidden and mysterious, look to Christ. When you are plagued by doubts and insignificance, look to the manifest and revealed Son of God.
In the midst of doubts and questions and the mysteries of life, God’s promises are still true. We have THE answer. God-in-man was made manifest in Christ, revealed to the world at the first Epiphany. As St Paul says, the plan of the mystery that was hidden for ages was revealed in Christ.
In Christ, God is revealed to the entire World. The cat has been let out of the bag. God is not found in your personal spiritual quest high on a mountain or within your own consciousness. God is found in the person of Jesus. That God who the Wise men fell down and worshiped is found hanging on a cross for you. That God is found in the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper for you, in the water of Baptism for you, in the ink and paper of Holy Scripture for you, in the sound waves of the gospel proclaimed in the absolution and in the sermon for you. Right now, you receive forgiveness
The hidden and mysterious God is revealed and made manifest to you today. Here the greatest mystery of the universe is not just revealed to you but is delivered to you. In the midst of your questions and struggles, the Holy Spirit has enlightened you and guided you like the star that guided the Wise Men. The Spirit has guided you on a spiritual journey from your house to this church to join your brothers and sisters in Christ in life together worshiping our God, the suffering King, just as the Wise men did, and receiving from him amazing gifts: true life, true peace, and true salvation. Have a blessed Epiphany! Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)