The Church Season of Lent,
Judica,
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (April 10, 2011)
One Year Series
Judica,
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (April 10, 2011)
One Year Series
Readings:
Psalm 43
Gen. 22:1-14
Hebrews 9:11-15
John 8:42-59
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Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen
The text for today is as recorded in the Gospel Lesson from the 8th chapter of St. John, especially the following verses.
John 8:42-59 (ESV)
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” 48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
John 8:42-59 (ESV)
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” 48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit
The Pharisees were looking for the glory of God in all the wrong places. God in Christ Jesus was in their midst, hidden right in front of their noses all the time. He was with them but they decided they did not want to believe with faith. The very Son of God, in whom the Father was revealing His glory in a way that would not consume them, but give them life, and they didn’t believe it.
But just like it is with them is to the unbelieving people of the world today, religious as they might be, hearing the Word of God that came to die for them and forgive them, just wasn't glorious enough for the Pharisees. Jesus, the Son of God was there in front of them and to them this was just an unbelievable truth.
The glory of God was hidden in the man standing before the Pharisees and speaking to them, this Jesus of Nazareth, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, dead, and buried. Today the glory of God is hidden and is before you in the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins.
As the Israelites rejected God's glory manifested in the miracle of manna, so the Pharisees rejected the glory of God manifested in Jesus Christ the very bread of life. Even today the majority of what is known as Christianity rejects the glory of God manifested in the forgiveness of sins in Word & Sacrament today. It's just not glorious enough. Like the Pharisees, people today want to activate the glory of God and make it real by their own righteous deeds rather than to receive and abide in it by hearing the Word and letting the Word live and bear fruit as it most assuredly always has, does, and will do. Indeed, the Word of God can do nothing else but give life and bear fruit.
In today's Gospel lesson, Jesus is giving us a catechism lesson on the Third Commandment and the Third article of the Creed, which are all about the Word of God, how we receive Him, and how He abides in us to give us life and bear fruit as He with His glory is hidden among us. “Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. . . .Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."
Do you see now why God gave us the The Third Commandment? Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy, [which means] “we should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it.” But to our ears it is unbelievable truth. We say, ‘Where is Christ?’ ‘Where are His gifts?’ ‘Right here with me? I don’t think so, at least I just don’t see it....’
In the Third Commandment God reveals that His glory in the preaching and hearing of His Holy Word. Yet God hides His glory from those who refuse to hear His Word, or having heard refuse to take it to heart and abide in it. He reveals it to those who hear it, and abide in it by holding it sacred and gladly continuing to hear and learn it.
Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. . . . 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”(John 15:5, 8)
Again, Jesus said, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. . .Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." Where does God keep His Word? Where is it heard. and where does He keep us in His Word so that we never see death but in His Church?
The Third Article. I believe in the Holy Ghost; one holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean? “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life. This is most certainly true.“
The glory of God will remain hidden in His Church, Christ the Bridegroom and His precious and beloved bride that is now flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone and thus the very body of Christ here on earth until He comes again in all His visible glory with all the hosts of heaven--His company of angels, and the resurrected believers gathered with Him in the clouds. Yet the world says “unbelievable truth.” Where are the angels when I am sick? Where is the host of heaven when I need it?
Repent, for the unbelievable truth is before your very eyes. As we move ever closer to Good Friday, the truth is revealed in the cross, and the true glory of God—the crucified Son of God. The truth is confirmed in your Baptism where we are buried into His death, and so we share in His hidden glory. In receiving absolution for our sins, we receive the glory of God that was won for us on Good Friday's cross. In the Lord's Supper we remember His suffering and death as we receive His body and blood in bread and wine and thereby receive the Word of God made flesh, again sharing in His hidden glory.
That God loved you so much He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for you is the way, the Truth, and the life. It was not hidden that the glory of God was for His Son to die for us. Today it remains the glory of God to forgive us and give Himself to us to abide with us in our sinful dying flesh and blood with His very body and blood to strengthen and preserve us to eternal life with Him.
Jesus remained hidden in the glory of God and remained untouched by those who picked up stones to throw at Him until it was time for Him to be glorified in His death and resurrection. Yet today Jesus is revealed for you, His glory now touches you in the Holy Supper of our Lord, God guards and protects you, there He comforts you and strengthens your faith. Abraham saw it and believed it, for all those who believe in Jesus they see it too, God saw to it in Jesus Christ and that is the eternal truth for you. Amen
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
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