Helpless - Ephesian 2:1-10

It was about midnight in March of 2003 as our C-17 aircraft began descending over enemy airspace.  I was strapped into a nylon webbing seat in full body armor and combat gear with my rifle between my knees, one of about a hundred soldiers crammed into the cargo area of this particular aircraft.  We sat quietly, bathed in the eerie red lighting used to illuminate the back of the aircraft to reduce the light signature when we should land.  I tried to doze a bit, but was too keyed up to fall asleep despite my exhaustion.

 

As executive officer of Barbarian Company, I had spent the last month working 20-hour days prepping our men and equipment for deployment to Romania in advance of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Then when we arrived in Romania, I turned around and did it all over again to get us ready for our air movement into Northern Iraq as part of the invasion force.  This was my second operational deployment, but I was nervous, nonetheless. 

 

Suddenly, the quiet was broken by an audible alarm.  The pilot began to juke the aircraft wildly and then broke into a steep, spiraling descent.  The pilot was avoiding enemy air defenses.

 

I sat there keenly aware of how utterly exposed I was.  On the ground, I could move, shoot, and fight.  Here, if high velocity lead started crashing through the thin aluminum skin of the aircraft, I had nowhere to go and nothing to shoot at.  Because we were a light infantry unit, we didn’t even have parachutes we could use to bail out, if necessary.  There was nothing I could do.  I could only pray the Lord’s prayer, focusing extra emphasis on the clause, “Deliver us from evil.”  I was totally, and utterly helpless.  Useless.  Dead insofar as my ability to act on my behalf.

 

Ultimately, the pilot would prevail over the unseen enemy, delivering us safely to our destination, completely unaided by me. 

 

In his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul paints us in much the same way.

 

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

 

St. Paul describes us as walking in our trespasses and sins, which is the Biblical way of saying we live and abide in our sinful nature.  And rather than living out the purpose for which God created us, to exercise dominion over the creation as faithful and obedient creatures following his law, we follow the sinful passions of our flesh, indulging in the sinful desires and temptations of the body and the mind, such that even our “good works” are tainted by sin.  And because of this we are children of wrath, subject to the curse of the law.  And in this fallen state, we are slaves to another spiritual power, that of sin, death, and the devil. 

 

In short, we are spiritually dead.  Incapable of living righteously in accordance with God’s will.  We are useless.  We are incapable of acting on our own behalf for the purpose of salvation.  We are helpless. 

 

And yet, though we are dead, there is one who has beaten death, who can resurrect us to life with him.  Jesus Christ, son of the Most High God, who died for us and satisfied the curse of the law, that we might live with him and through him.  It is he, whom God has sent, who has prevailed for us to deliver us from the power of sin, death, and the devil. 

 

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

 

In this short passage, Paul emphasizes two things to us.  First, he emphasizes that it is through God’s love and mercy that we are rescued for our spiritual deadness.  We see the repetitive mention that it is God who is rich in mercy, who extends his love toward us.  And this love is extended by his grace, not by any merit or work initiated by us.  It is by grace, defined as God’s unearned kindness or favor, that we are saved. 

Second, he emphasizes that this salvation which is extended by grace, is done so through the person and work of Jesus Christ.  In this short passage, Paul references the person of Christ no less than six times, as the person who has affected all the aspects of our salvation for us. 

 

So, even though we were dead, we were made alive together with Christ, raised up with Christ, seated with Christ in the heavenly realms in Christ, so that in the coming age he might show the riches of his grace toward us in Christ. 

 

It is Christ whom God sent from his side in heaven down to us.  It is Christ who was made incarnate with us.  It is Christ who lived among us, and spoke of God’s mercy toward us, and healed us, and died for us.  It is Christ who descended into the grave with us, yet who was raised from death from the grave for us, and who brings us with him by God’s grace to live with him in the presence of God the Father.  We are saved solely on account of Christ’s work. 

 

Paul, again, uses the rhetorical device of repetition to emphasize that we are rescued from our spiritual deadness through God’s grace.  He takes the phrase he made earlier – by grace you have been saved – and now expands upon it again. 

 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

 

Paul emphasizes that the gift he extends by grace is not received on account of any work that we have done or any merit that we possess.  It is extended simply as a gift and is received only through faith in Christ Jesus who through his own life, death, and resurrection, has delivered us from our sin.  Though we were helpless, Christ has prevailed on our behalf, and the gift he offers is received simply through clinging to him in our faith. 

 

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Now, freed from our spiritual deadness, we are restored in Christ to be the creatures we were created to be.  We are his forgiven and redeemed people, freed from the stain of sin, freed to live for him and do the works that he has prepared for us.  Though we may sin, we cling to Christ, confident that he has broken the hold of sin, death, and the devil for us, that we might be forgiven and restored anew until the immeasurable riches of his grace are made fully manifest to all mankind. 

 

May you rest in the assurance that though you are helpless, God has sent his Son to rescue you from the power of sin, and that his grace is made efficacious by faith in Christ.  Amen.

 

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”  - Isaiah 52:5

Famished

It was December of 2000, and I was headed home for a two-week respite from the US Army Ranger School.  I had been at Ranger School for about seven weeks, and in that short amount of time I had already lost about 45 pounds from a lean frame.  Days typically lasted 20-hours or more while requiring students to undergo physically demanding field training under highly stressful conditions.  The typical Ranger Student expends somewhere around four to five thousand Calories per day while eating only one to two MRE’s consisting of about twelve hundred Calories each.  The result is rapid weight loss and a ravenous appetite. 

My mom cooked my favorite meal, steak and mashed potatoes for dinner.  I devoured every morsel I could, cleaning my plate and going back for seconds and thirds.  I was making up for weeks of caloric deficiency.  I was more than hungry, I was famished. 

Today I am similarly famished, though it is not a lack of food that has me feeling starved.  It is righteousness I desperately crave, and that I sorely lack. 

I daily feel the weight of inadequacy as I evaluate the Husband and Father that I am against the Husband and Father that I should be.  I agonize over how to be a good Son in a situation that is out of my control.  I dwell on the sins of my past and how the consequences of things I have long repented continue to impact the people I love most in the world.  I realize that I don’t love my neighbor the way I should, or bear the name of Christ the way I am called.  I desperately hunger and thirst for a righteousness that I can never produce in myself, try as I might.

In my misery, I turned to Matthew 14 and was reminded of the abundant provision that God has made for people such as me.  I was reminded of the Feeding of the Five Thousand.  Matthew narrates:

“Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.  But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.  When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.  Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’  But Jesus said, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’  They said to him, ‘We have only five loaves here and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’  Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing.  Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.  And they all ate and were satisfied.  And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.  And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”

The feeding of the five thousand occurs immediately after Jesus learns of the murder of his relative, John the Baptist.  It is this news that drives him to seek solitude, most likely to grieve.  It is at this time that Jesus finds himself surrounded by the crowds, who seek to gather around him.  And yet, even in his grief and pain, Christ has compassion on the crowds.  Ever the servant-leader, Jesus looks not after himself, rather he spends the day healing their sick.  The depth of his love and compassion would ultimately be demonstrated as he willingly goes to the Cross where he will suffer and die for them and us. 

The disciples evidently did not understand their Master’s example, nor the role that they would play in his continuing ministry.  And so, with evening approaching, they appeal to Jesus to send the crowds away, that they might not grow faint from hunger but go to the surrounding villages to find food. 

But this would not be what Jesus has in mind.  Then and now, Jesus does not turn away his saints to be cared for by the world.  The world which is equally in bondage to sin is not equipped to care for the needs of his saints.  The world has no word of comfort, no promise of forgiveness of sins or eternal life to offer.  There is only one capable of meeting their needs.  And so, Jesus rejects the disciples’ pleas. 

“They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat.” 

In this brief response Jesus teaches his disciples the role that they would have in his continuing ministry.  The disciples would not be called to send the saints to the outside world, but to provide for them.  We see in this moment that Christ has established his Church to care for the needs of his saints, and to continue to serve it in his name. 

We see in this account the great provision that Christ has made for his people.  Jesus’ ministry did not end at the Cross, or at the Empty Tomb, or in Jerusalem at his Ascension.  Christ’s ministry continues to this day through the hands of his Church.  It will continue until Christ returns in glory to gather his saints into his presence, that we might dwell with him eternally. 

The crowds were famished.  But though the disciples appeared to have meager means to satiate their hunger, in Christ, the five loaves and two small fish were more than enough to feed all to their satisfaction. 

Though I am famished, having no righteousness in and of myself, I am certain that Christ’s Church, operating by his authority and command, can satisfy my hunger for righteousness.  In his death, Christ died that the penalty owed for my sin was paid, once and for all, for all time.  In his resurrection, Christ defeated the power of sin, death, and the devil over me.  In my baptism, I received the imputed righteousness that comes from Christ, the promise that I have died to sin and have been raised to eternal life in him.  In the rite of confession and absolution, I know that when my Pastor declares my sins are forgiven, it is as though Christ himself has declared me righteous.  Each Sunday, when I receive the Lord’s Supper, I receive the true body and blood of Jesus Christ, shed for me for the forgiveness of my sins.  Through the means of grace of Word and Sacrament, distributed by the Church, my hunger pains ebb and I am satiated, knowing that I have attained through no merit of my own the righteousness of Christ.

Christ speaks to us also when he commands his disciples, “You give them something to eat.”  Not only are we in the care of the Church, but we are the Church.  We have been commissioned by Christ to partake in his ministry.  When we as parents, spouses, friends, and co-workers take advantage of the opportunities before us to proclaim Christ crucified it is as if we are feeding the crowds.  When we declare the forgiveness of sins that is available to the sinner, who is starving for reconciliation, and ministering to their most basic need, it is as if we are distributing the loaves of bread and fish till all are satisfied.   

Let us therefore gladly participate in the ministry to which we have been appointed.  When we see the many people around us that need to hear of the grace of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, let us not say, “Send the crowds away.”  Let us joyfully begin the work of distributing the spiritual food that nourishes us to eternal life as Christ has urged us.  Though they be famished, let us fill them to satisfaction with the news that Christ died for sins, that we might live. 

 “As the deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you O God.”

I’m Your Son, Too

 It’s been over two years since last we spoke.  I don’t fully know what led up to the break between us, perhaps I never will.  All I know is that after you had cut me out of an important family matter, then casually asked if I still wanted to talk.  I answered no.  I knew then it was likely the last time we would speak.  It wasn’t so much a change in the status quo as it was that I had finally admitted to myself that you had been pushing me out of the family for some time, with no explanation why.  I knew then that your pride would never allow you to apologize, and I would not allow you to skate by without one. 

 

You had already asked me not to call you directly.  You made up an excuse that you didn’t carry your phone on you and would not receive my calls.  You told me to call Mom instead.  Neither of us would find this excuse credible, but I honored your request.  I put the best construction on things, assuming you had well-meaning intentions behind it.  So I began to call Mom to keep in touch.  But I found that when I did, she could hardly contain her desire to avoid talking.  She couldn’t jump off the phone fast enough.  My own Mother wanted nothing to do with me.  Again, no explanation why. 

 

The only explanation I could come up with that made any sense was the falling out my brother and I had a year and a half before our final conversation.  He had gone on a rant cussing me out for seemingly no reason.  I tried to reach out to him to understand what was making him react as he did.  I asked if there was anything I needed to apologize for.  His answer blew me off and clarified nothing.  For years I had walked on eggshells around his temper, never knowing if I was dealing with my brother in his rational state, or if I would be the brunt of one of his emotional outbursts.  I was tired of doing so, and told you I would no longer be his emotional punching bag. 

 

Within the next several months our communication would dwindle with a brief interlude when I was hospitalized with Covid. 

 

And that’s where things were when I confronted you to ask if my brother was okay, and you refused to tell me one way or the other.  Up to this point, I had always given you the benefit of the doubt.  Our communication had dwindled by circumstance, not intention, I had told myself.  Until all doubt was finally removed, and the intentionality of the act was confirmed.  You had picked a side when I had never asked you to do so.  In one fell swoop, I finally realized I had lost my family.  You sacrificed me for my Brother.  But I’m your Son, too. 

 

You had always treated us differently.  I had never held that against you, until you had finally slammed the door shut on me.  Children are different, and have different needs after all.  I didn’t need you as much as he.  But I do need something.  I’m your Son, too. 

 

As we grew up, you were always far harder on me than you were on him.  Rules that applied to me, were not applied to him.  I remember being body slammed in the driveway for being late as a young teenager.  I remember being dragged into the backyard and pummeled because I retaliated when my Brother punched me first.  Yet he did and said things with impunity that would have gotten me knocked on my ass.  You have admitted as much.  I still loved and honored you as my Father. though.  I tried my best to be a dutiful and obedient son.  I don’t know why there was such a stark difference, but I’m your Son, too. 

 

I left home and went off to the Military Academy.  I heard rumblings of problems back home, a rift between you and my Brother growing.  I came home for his graduation only to find that he had left home months ago and had disinvited you to his graduation.  I remember seeing him during this time so that he could grab some of his things from home.  I told him I loved him, and took my grandparents to see his graduation.  We were the only ones there for him.  I would be the only child in the family to reach adulthood without leaving prematurely.  Yet, now, I am the one who has been cast aside.  But I’m your Son, too. 

 

I went off to the Army and deployed to war.  Shane would follow me later in the service as well.  I was so proud of him.  Yet several years later, as I was at war, I came home to find that he had been subject to extraordinarily hard times.  Because I was in combat, this was kept from me to protect me.  But he would later hold my lack of knowing of his circumstances against me, and would blame me for my ignorance.  I loved my brother, I wished I could have been there for him.  I regret to this day that I could not have been. 

 

During his times of trial you rushed out to get him.  You brought him home and comforted him.  Yet when my marriage was crumbling, and my world was shattering, no one thought to come comfort me.  I faced this time alone.  But I’m your Son, too. 

 

When I was raising my children, I did my best to include you in their lives.  I wanted my children to know my parents whom I loved and cherished.  Its been nearly fifteen years since you took it upon yourselves to visit my children.  They are nearly grown now.  I made excuses for years why this was the case.  They are just busy running their business and don’t have the time.  But I knew better, because there were times you would visit my brother and sister’s children several times a year.  I took pains to bring them to you for years, that they might know their grandparents, and spend time with them.  But the last two trips we had agreed upon were canceled by you.  The last time, the excuse was that you wanted to attend my brother’s high school reunion and hang out with his old wrestling buddies.  I was stunned that you had such relative disregard for my children.  For I’m your Son, too. 

 

Now as Father’s Day approaches, I mourn your loss.  I will never fully understand it, which makes the pain of it all the more bitter.  And yet, I will always love you, and honor you, and crave your affection.  I pray that one day we can be reconciled.  Because I’m your Son, too. 

The Nunc Dimittis

My youngest son had been impatiently waiting for Christmas for months.  He is only six, so he has no concept of time, which means he has no idea what it means to wait for something patiently.  Since at least August he had been asking me nearly every day how soon Christmas will come.  Every time we went to Wal-Mart he would ask if he could get this toy or that toy for Christmas.  I would somewhat dismissively say something to the effect, “Christmas is a long time away,” or “We will see son.”  He wouldn’t lose heart though; he would just happily move on to the next thing in his head.  But his perseverance, my goodness.  It is something to behold.

 

It is a little comical, but there is something admirable about the tenacity of his hope.  Everyday Christmas was a little bit closer.  He might not understand how close, but he understood it was closer to his grasp.  He understood that soon his hopes would be fulfilled to receive the promise of Christmas gifts. 

 

This week’s lectionary puts that hope of Christmas in its proper place. 

 

“And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.’  Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit to the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

 

“’Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.’

 

“And his father and mother marveled at what was said about him.  And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.

 

“And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.  She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.  She did not depart from the temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer night and day.  And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

 

“And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.  And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.  And the favor of God was upon him.”  -- Luke 2:22-28

 

In this reading we find Simeon, who is described as a righteous and devout man, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel.  He was waiting for someone to come who would comfort Israel in its mournful state.  To understand why Israel would be in mourning, and why Simeon was patiently awaiting its consolation, we have to review the Old Testament. 

 

In Genesis, we read of the Fall of Adam and Eve.  Through Adam and Eve, sin entered the world, and all creation was subject to the corruption of sin and death.  In Deuteronomy we read of the Mosaic covenant given to Israel, in which Israel received the Law from the hand of God.  In this book of the Law were blessings for obedience to the Law, and curses for disobedience, and a promise that a prophet would come that would overshadow Moses.  Throughout the books of the Old Testament, we read of Israel’s habitual disobedience to the Law.  In the prophets we read of the desolation of the Davidic line, the destruction of the temple, and the humiliation of Israel as they are taken into exile away from the Promised Land.  Simeon had much to mourn.

 

However, in the Prophets along with words of condemnation and judgment upon both Israel and her enemies, we also see promises.  We read of the promise to raise up a shoot from stump of Jesse.  We read of a suffering servant who will take the sins of Israel upon himself, that he might make atonement in his body for them, and that though he would die and would live again to see his offspring.  We read that from Israel a light will go forth to all the Gentile nations and make them holy.  We read that one like a son of man will come and establish an everlasting kingdom where wickedness will be judged and the righteous vindicated.  All of these promises would be fulfilled in the coming of an anointed one, the Messiah, the Christ. 

 

This was the word of consolation that Simeon was waiting for, and had been assured that he, himself, would see it. 

 

And so, it happened.  Led by the Holy Spirit, Simeon entered the temple complex and came upon Mary and Joseph with the infant Jesus, waiting to be consecrated according to the Law. 

 

Simeon saw what had been long promised.  He saw the Christ child, an eight-day old infant, who would fulfill the Old Testament promises concerning the re-establishment of the Davidic kingdom, the atonement of Israel, the enlightenment of the Gentiles, and the bringing forth of everlasting righteousness.  Simeon held that hope in his hands.  And though he only witnessed the beginning of their fulfillment, it was enough for him to say: “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen the salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” 

 

We too find ourselves in a period of intense expectation and waiting.  We too find ourselves waiting for consolation.  Though the Christ child has come, though he took our sin upon himself, and suffered, and died, and rose again, we have not yet seen the completed fulfillment of all that was promised. 

 

We still live with sin, death, and suffering.  We still struggle with broken relationships, the loss of our loved ones, sickness, pain, death, and mourning.  We still must patiently persevere in hope and faith as Simeon did so long ago.  Like Simeon we live in the pages between the promises guaranteed by the prophets, and their complete fulfillment foretold in the Revelation of John. 

 

Yet, what we have seen is enough to hold us until all is finished.  We still see the Christ child in the manger on Christmas.  We still see the bloody corpus on the cross on Good Friday.  We still see empty tomb on Easter.  We still see the gospel proclaimed to all nations on Pentecost.  And in the Eucharist, we still hold the body of the promised Messiah, and it is enough.   And even though we may die waiting for the final consummation of God’s promises, we have seen enough to confidently say in the same faith as Simeon did, “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word.  For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”  

 

May you rejoice in the hope which you have seen, and patiently endure till all God’s promises are brought to completion.  Amen. 

See You At The Resurrection

 Not too long ago a co-worker of mine informed me that her mother was taken off life support and her family was waiting for her to pass.  Because she knows that I am a Christian she turned to me for a word of comfort.  I could see the impending grief was weighing on her.

At the time I wasn’t sure what to say other than to offer my sympathies and to share with her Psalm 139, the scripture passage that my mother had shared with me after the death of my cousin Eric.  It has always held a dear place in my heart as I have grieved over the deaths of loved ones, brothers in arms, and friends. 

 One specific section really speaks to me in these types of situations:

“Where shall I go from your Spirit?  Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there!  If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me.  If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.”

Here in this passage, we see the unrelenting love of God in action.  No matter where we may go, God follows.  Even in Sheol, Hebrew for the place of the dead, God is with us, relentlessly pursuing our redemption.  Ultimately this Psalm is fulfilled in Christ. 

In Christ, we see the Son, who created all things, and through whom all things have their being, came down to us and became incarnate by the virgin Mary.  He lived among us in our very presence.  And when the time was right, he subjected himself to death, even death on a cross, as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.  The Son even made his bed with us in Sheol, when he died, and was buried for three days, in total darkness, in accordance with the scriptures. 

And yet, even the darkness is not dark to Him.  On the third day Christ rose bodily from the dead breaking the darkness and the hold it has on us.  It is in Him and in the resurrection that we take hope.  For Christ has promised that we too shall rise from the dead and dwell with Him. 

Paul, in his First Letter to the Church in Corinth, describes the hope of the resurrection so well.

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.  But each in his own order.  Christ the first-fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.  Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 

Even though we grieve for the loss of a loved one, we know that through Christ we have hope in the resurrection of the dead.  We are not to be permanently parted one from another.  We shall be made alive with Him. 

I have the certain hope that just as Christ rose from the dead, and we have the empty tomb that we can point toward giving us tangible evidence of this fact, we too shall rise at His command and death will be no more.  The one who has demonstrated his power over death has made this promise and we can trust it. 

Even though I know that someday all my relatives will die, and that I too shall pass away, I have Christ as my hope. 

My hope is that one day as I lay in bed, hopefully surrounded by my wife and children, with my last breath I will be able to impart to them one last word of comfort, “See you at the resurrection.”

May you experience the peace of Christ and the certain hope of the resurrection of the dead.  Amen.

One Nation Under God

 America is relatively unique in the fact that its citizens regularly recite a pledge of allegiance.  Only two nations currently observe this practice, the United States and the Philippines. 

The Pledge of Allegiance originated after the end of the Civil War as an effort to inculcate a sense of patriotism and unity around the visible symbol of our Republic, the American Flag.  The basic form of our Pledge of Allegiance was created in 1892 by Francis Bellamy.  Through the years the form of the Pledge was expanded little by little until it obtained its current form.  The Pledge of Allegiance currently reads as follows:

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

It is the expansion of the phrase “one nation” to “one Nation under God”, officially added in 1954, which has proven to be the most controversial addition to the Pledge of Allegiance since it came into broad public use.  Some argue that its inclusion originated with cynical political motives to distinguish the United States from its Cold War rivals.  Some would argue that its inclusion constitutes an impermissible establishment of religion. 

Whatever the arguments against its usage, I would argue that the phrase “one Nation under God” is the most crucial element, without the inclusion of which, the entire Pledge of Allegiance becomes worthless. 

Implicit in the phrase “one Nation under God” is the idea that the Republic in which we live is under the providence and rule of God Almighty.  This Republic is subject to the all-seeing gaze of the Creator and Judge of us all, and therefore accountable to Him.  Why is this such an important confession?

One of the Psalms from the Bible helps to illustrate why this idea is crucial. 

Psalm 82

God has taken his place in the divine council;

In the midst of the gods he holds judgment:

“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;

Maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 

Rescue the weak and the needy;

Deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

They have neither knowledge nor understanding,

They walk about in darkness;

All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you;

nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”

Arise, O God, judge the earth;

For you shall inherit all the nations!

 

In this short psalm, God is seen taking his seat of judgment within an assembly of earthly princes, to whom the author gives the title gods (small g) as an honorific for their exalted place as rulers.  In this assembly, God rebukes the earthly rulers for their failure to implement justice for those whom they govern.  This is particularly true for the weak, the poor, and the defenseless.  At the end of the Psalm is a not-so-subtle reminder to the unjust princes, that they too shall be subject to God’s judgment and that they will be held accountable for denying justice to those they have been appointed to govern. 

It is this belief alone, that we not only can be called to account, but that we will be called to account that moderates our behavior.  It is only the belief that there is a Judge more powerful than the highest prince, president, governor, or representative that moderates the excesses of those in power and encourages them to rule justly and wisely. 

Without this foundation, we would not have the grounds to pledge even a limited allegiance to the Republic for which our flag stands.  We have seen throughout recent history the truth of this idea.  It is under men such as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao, who viewed themselves as the wellspring of all authority where the worst atrocities and excesses have been committed.  These are men who saw themselves as accountable to no one.  And yet, they too shall stand in the divine council to be judged by the God of the Universe. 

It is important that we continue to cultivate and remind one another of this reality.  It could even be considered our civic duty to do so.  Without the acknowledgement that we are “one Nation under God” there is no possibility of an oath of allegiance to a Republic that has no limits.  We should either retain the phrase, or lose the whole of the Pledge. 

 

 

What Is Our Boasting About?

This morning as I was commuting to work, I heard an advertisement for one of the local mega-churches in the area that struck me.  It saddened me, actually.  Listening to this commercial it occurred to me that the Church has completely lost touch with our mission.  We no longer have a handle of precisely what it is that we have to offer the world. 

The commercial featured a friendly pastor inviting visitors to the Church.  He boasted about the new worship building which was receiving brand new furniture as we speak.  He bragged about the children’s youth building that came stocked with a gym, a skate park, and even a rock-climbing wall.  He highlighted the enthusiastic volunteers.  He advertised the on-site café and coffee shop.  He noted that visitors would be warmly greeted.  All of these things sounded like great attractions.  It sounded like the envy of any social club or fitness center. 

Therein lie the problem.  All of the things this well-meaning pastor highlighted as draws to his Church could be provided by any worldly institution.  There was nothing distinct or unique in the message he conveyed, nothing separating the Church from the world at large.  On that matter, there was deafening silence. 

This pastor seemed to be confused about what it is that the Church has to offer this world. 

Nearly two thousand years ago, the Apostle Paul articulated what makes the Church distinct and ever-relevant to a world in bondage to the power of sin, death, and the devil. 

Paul communicated the difference between what the world has to offer versus what the Church has to offer. 

“For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God…But by his doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” – 1 Corinthians 1:22-24, 30-31

In his opening of his first epistle to the Church in Corinth, Paul placed his finger firmly on the pulse.  It is Christ, and Him crucified, that is the beating heart of the Church.  And it is this alone that makes the Church unique and distinct from the world. 

When we boast about gym facilities, skate-parks, and rock-climbing walls, are we offering anything that any up-scale fitness center cannot provide?  When we brag about coffee shops and café’s are we offering anything that any Star-Bucks or Panera bread cannot offer?  When we speak of new building facilities and furniture, are we offering anything lasting that this world will not try to counter-offer? 

The one thing that we possess that cannot be provided anywhere else is Christ crucified for sins.  No other earthly institution is equipped to offer this to our families.  We offer the one thing needful thing that cannot be obtained from anywhere else. 

We offer the news that we are poor miserable sinners, hopelessly indebted to the power of sin, death, and the devil.  We offer the news that we are dead in our trespasses and sins and cannot free ourselves from their grip.  And we offer the news that God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, through whom and for whom all things were created, to come to us in the flesh, to ransom us from the power of these enemies with His own flesh and blood upon the cross.  We offer the news that He was raised from death, and the assurance that His resurrection gives to us that we are likewise freed from the power of sin and the death that it brings.  It is this message that makes us unique.  It is this message that makes us distinct.  It is this message that makes us eternally relevant.  It is in the cross of Christ that we make our boast. 

Instead of boasting in skate parks and rock-climbing facilities, let us boast in our baptismal font.  It is here where Christ claims us, where we die to our sin and are raised to life in our Lord and Savior, and where we obtain a good conscience having been cleansed of our sins. 

Instead of boasting of new furniture, let us boast in the well-worn kneeler rails and confessional booths.  It is here Christ has promised to hear our confession, and where our Pastor declares the forgiveness of all of our sins. 

Let us also boast of the old lectern and pews from which the Word of God is rightly divided and proclaimed, assuring us of the righteousness that Christ brings, and the sanctification that the Holy Spirit works in us through the means of Word and Sacrament. 

Instead of boasting of coffee shops and café’s let us boast of the communion rail around the alter.  It is here where we partake of the true body and blood of our Savior given and shed for the remission of sins that brings eternal life to us.  It is here where we are assured that we are beneficiaries in the new covenant in His blood that Christ has instituted for us. 

Let us boast of funerals that proclaim not the supposed works of the recently dead, but of Christ who died for us and promises to raise us body and soul in a new heaven and a new earth freed for good from the power of sin, death, and the devil. 

Let us not forget what it is that we have to offer this world.  We offer God incarnate, died on the cross and risen at the tomb, for YOU.