Showing posts with label cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cross. Show all posts
Saturday, May 05, 2012
Troubling News
This week has been one of dealing with troubling news. In addition to the ongoing advancement of the march against our freedom as Americans, some very personal troubling news surfaced and became prominent for us. My mother called on Friday morning a week ago to share the news that my sister-in-law had been found dead sometime in the latter part of the previous day. At that time Mom had very little information beyond that my sister-in-law, Kimberly, had been found dead between 4 and 8 pm Thursday.
The news was relayed to Mom by my brother-in-law, who had received it from Kimberly’s live-in boyfriend. As more information became available we learned that the boyfriend was the one who found her dead on the floor.
Such news comes hard and is deeply distressing and heart wrenching, even though it was not entirely unanticipated. Kim’s death did not occur without warning.
Sadly there is a long period of serious dysfunction in our family. While most of the family disagrees with me, this dysfunction is the direct result of the disintegration of the identity and integrity of the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod and the family’s refusal to acknowledge and flee the pernicious changes in doctrine and practice. Little by little, the family was changed by their communion in this ever-changing communion. The unity and stability that was once enjoyed by all in the family was eroded until only chaos and dysfunction and animosity and confusion remained.
Personal dysfunction ensued. Things became very, very troubled in the family.
This dysfunction extended to Kimberly so that she eventually left my brother, taking the children, filing for divorce, and many other hard actions. Many painful court actions continued throughout this drawn out ordeal. Much more destruction of family relations grew.
Within the first week of this action, Kimberly asked me to be her friend on Facebook. Since this was my only means of contact I tried to express both support of her in her struggle, but also warned her of the destruction that she was bringing upon herself and her family. I urged seeking answers together in the Lord. Sadly, she immediately removed me as one her Facebook friends. It would be almost three years before I would again have opportunity to have contact with her.
Kim began using and abusing drugs. She was arrested several times for drugs and for stealing. She failed to appear in court regarding those issues and regarding the divorce proceedings that she initiated and pursued and was found and arrested and held without bail. Since her parents reportedly had lost hope for her, she was now very much alone. She had abandoned some time earlier her children, whom the court had returned to my brother’s custody.
Having learned that Kim was now in jail, I called the facility to learn the proper address and mailing information and began writing to her to remind her that we still loved her and desired the peace of the Lord to be hers. During this time I wrote several times and sent two sermons, but without any response from her. I continually expressed our love for her and especially God’s love and forgiveness for whatever things were on her heart. Having shared the mailing information with my mom, she also wrote to her with assurances of ongoing love.
After her death, her boyfriend called my mom and told her that Kim had received the letters but wondered whether we could be sincere in expressing love for her.
I have spent many hours over the past week in phone conversations with my mom and brother, and briefly with my nephew and niece. It has been a very hard time for them all, and for Kim’s side of the family as well. Much painful injury has occurred.
Sadly, this sort of story is not at all uncommon in our society today. In fact, such unrest and dysfunction and disintegration of family is counted as quite common.
Growing up I never imagined such to be possible in my family. We lived together in the clear and confident confession of the one true faith. We found solace and reconciliation in the Lord’s forgiveness and Communion. The grace, mercy, and peace of God in Christ was the foundation of our life together. We knew and believed that all of our shortcomings and failures and wrongdoings were washed away in our baptisms and that in the Holy Communion the Lord restored His life of true unity to us. While our sinfulness certainly was a daily issue for us, we nevertheless were safe in the Holy Communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the communion of the saints created and maintained in communion with them.
We watched in dismay as other families, even portions of our extended family, tore themselves to pieces. But we never imagined such to be what we would ever experience.
Sadly, a very beautiful member of our family suffered greatly in her heart and mind and life until her body finally succumbed to the stresses that overpowered her.
Her obituary and picture can be seen here.
It really says nothing at all about her. She really was a very lovely woman and a treasure to us all. Now we are left mostly with questions and the need for healing. Her children especially are left with many questions, questions that they will have to accept as unanswerable. But they rejoice to be united again with their father in his loving care.
My main point in sharing this is that in Christ such sad and disheartening things are washed away so that true unity and joy and comfort and peace and stability are restored to us both as individuals and families, and yes, even as communities and societies. The disintegration that we observe around us matches the disintegration of the churches. When the churches stood as one in the one true faith, true concord and harmony were the observed way. This is clearly demonstrated by the accounting given by Luke in the book of Acts. As long as the preaching of the cross was embraced without adulteration and Baptism and the Holy Communion were administered without alteration from what the Lord instituted, God’s peace that surpasses all understanding was enjoyed by all. But wherever human understanding was pursued in place of the faith worked through the ordained means of grace, the peace of God is lost through the ensuing disintegration of our own heresies (opinions and interpretations).
My family is facing a great loss, both through the death of our dear Kimberly, and through the death of our family. Our family died quite some time before this death extended to Kimberly personally. But Kimberly was baptized into the name of the Lord and His holiness and the Holy Spirit was poured out to her in accord with God’s promise concerning Baptism. Thus we have hope that she was yet kept safe in God’s grace by His never ending mercy.
Moreover, there is yet hope for the family and for all of the families of the earth. God’s Church on earth is still standing, even if found in the gathering of two or three to the pure means of grace. God’s pure Word and Sacraments are the hope of the world, as He comes to us and gives Himself to us and with Himself, all of the blessings of heaven and everlasting life. While the church bodies refuse to repent and be turned back again to the one true way, the Church continues to be gathered by the Holy Spirit and kept together with Jesus Christ in His one true faith.
This is truly good news or Gospel. This is the true hope for the world. This is where true peace and concord are found and enjoyed. Through this families are restored, no matter how badly they have been shattered. Through this communities are brought together to rejoice in God’s goodness. No matter what else occurs around us, the Lord is faithful to His promises and He does work His miracles for us through His Church on earth and the means ordained for her use and administration to her children. Through this, troubling news is transformed to truly good news of peace and hope and joy.
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Monday, December 05, 2011
Defending the Cross
The ACLJ - The American Center for Law and Justice sent me an e-mail today regarding a Petition to Protect the Cross. This link will give more information, but here is one explanatory paragraph:
Certainly it is a noble effort to protect the rights of the Marines who placed this cross in honor of their fallen comrades and the nation’s fallen sons. Certainly this cross should be protected from removal by those who want to cause injury to the soldiers and their families and to Christians in general.
However, is this really what should be concerning those who profess to be Christian? Should Christians not be more concerned about what has been lost within Christendom that makes the presentation of the cross weakened to such a degree as it has been? Shouldn’t Christians be paying greater heed to the warning of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:17?
St. Paul literally says: “. . . that should not be made empty the cross of Christ.” What good is an empty cross. Yes, this includes a cross without the corpus, but more importantly this is a matter of the cross being emptied of anything more than symbolism. How many Christians and even churches even know what the preaching of the cross really is?
Moreover, what is the value in defending a cross that has been erected when those claiming to be Christian refuse to agree on what it means? When the preaching of the cross has become so broad that the Church of Rome in their Council of Trent declared that to agree with St. Paul’s preaching in Ephesians 2 is anathema, and at the same time most Protestants declare that what St. Peter teaches regarding Baptism in 1 Peter 3:21 must be forced into a context that denies that Baptism saves us, and at the same time the very resurrection of Christ can be treated as a myth by liberal Lutheran churches, yet these all are counted as “Christian,” what on earth does it mean to defend the cross?
How on earth can the cross be defended without agreement as to what this means?
Actually, it seems that it does mean the same to most who imagine that defending the cross means to fight against the legal actions of atheists. And this is why the atheists believe that they can be effective. What does the preaching of the cross really mean to most Christians? Actually, this is not even the language universally held anymore. The cross is merely a symbol to most.
This is why people imagine that the cross needs to be protected. The cross does not need to be protected. The cross is our protection!
If Christians believed this, instead of erecting crosses they would be preaching the cross and receiving the protection that it gives. Instead of arguing over whether or not St. Peter really means that Baptism saves us, they would rush to the waters of salvation and rejoice that through this means God promises to save us through union with Christ’s death and resurrection, that is, being crucified with Christ to sin and raised with Him to the new life of righteousness and holiness into which the gift of the Holy Spirit in our baptism guarantees. This is what St. Peter declares in Acts 2:38-40. St. Paul expresses the same in Titus 3:4-7.
If Christians were united in confessing what these Scriptures teach, then they would also gladly and eagerly believe and confess what the Scriptures teach concerning the Supper of the body and blood of Jesus for our unity in His body and for the remission of our sins through His blood.
This is why St. Paul warns against preaching with eloquence and wisdom of words, for these always work to empty the cross of what Christ has done and continues to do. Human reason always tries to explain away what seems like foolishness of the cross, trying to reduce it to human wisdom, and thereby undoing the work that the cross works.
If the cross were preached as the Scriptures declare it, if Christians were united in this confession or homologia (same-Word) the cross would work among them with such power that nothing in the cosmos could counter it. Rather than building monuments to the cross and rather than defending these monuments that they have built, rather they would eagerly gather to the cross where it is offered, in the means of grace. If this is how Christians acted, the whole world would see and no one would imagine any need to defend the cross.
But in sinful unbelief mankind always seeks to do and claim what belongs to God. The works of the cross are God’s works. As long as Christians try to elevate their works to mingle them with God’s works, they will continue to try to defend their Defender and to save their Savior.
It is interesting that when lifeguards are trained, their training often includes how to disable the person whom they are saving. Often the drowning person must first be overpowered and rendered unable to resist the saving efforts of the lifeguard.
Christians would do well to apply this concept to their understanding of who they are as Christians.
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At Camp Pendleton, an atheist group is challenging a cross put in place by a few Marines in honor of four heroes who died in Iraq. An atheist group says the memorial sends a message of "exclusion." And on the battlefield in Afghanistan, the U.S. Army has removed a cross that's been in place in front of a chapel. An atheist group declared victory saying its removal protected "civil rights and neutrality towards religion."
Certainly it is a noble effort to protect the rights of the Marines who placed this cross in honor of their fallen comrades and the nation’s fallen sons. Certainly this cross should be protected from removal by those who want to cause injury to the soldiers and their families and to Christians in general.
However, is this really what should be concerning those who profess to be Christian? Should Christians not be more concerned about what has been lost within Christendom that makes the presentation of the cross weakened to such a degree as it has been? Shouldn’t Christians be paying greater heed to the warning of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:17?
St. Paul literally says: “. . . that should not be made empty the cross of Christ.” What good is an empty cross. Yes, this includes a cross without the corpus, but more importantly this is a matter of the cross being emptied of anything more than symbolism. How many Christians and even churches even know what the preaching of the cross really is?
Moreover, what is the value in defending a cross that has been erected when those claiming to be Christian refuse to agree on what it means? When the preaching of the cross has become so broad that the Church of Rome in their Council of Trent declared that to agree with St. Paul’s preaching in Ephesians 2 is anathema, and at the same time most Protestants declare that what St. Peter teaches regarding Baptism in 1 Peter 3:21 must be forced into a context that denies that Baptism saves us, and at the same time the very resurrection of Christ can be treated as a myth by liberal Lutheran churches, yet these all are counted as “Christian,” what on earth does it mean to defend the cross?
How on earth can the cross be defended without agreement as to what this means?
Actually, it seems that it does mean the same to most who imagine that defending the cross means to fight against the legal actions of atheists. And this is why the atheists believe that they can be effective. What does the preaching of the cross really mean to most Christians? Actually, this is not even the language universally held anymore. The cross is merely a symbol to most.
This is why people imagine that the cross needs to be protected. The cross does not need to be protected. The cross is our protection!
If Christians believed this, instead of erecting crosses they would be preaching the cross and receiving the protection that it gives. Instead of arguing over whether or not St. Peter really means that Baptism saves us, they would rush to the waters of salvation and rejoice that through this means God promises to save us through union with Christ’s death and resurrection, that is, being crucified with Christ to sin and raised with Him to the new life of righteousness and holiness into which the gift of the Holy Spirit in our baptism guarantees. This is what St. Peter declares in Acts 2:38-40. St. Paul expresses the same in Titus 3:4-7.
If Christians were united in confessing what these Scriptures teach, then they would also gladly and eagerly believe and confess what the Scriptures teach concerning the Supper of the body and blood of Jesus for our unity in His body and for the remission of our sins through His blood.
This is why St. Paul warns against preaching with eloquence and wisdom of words, for these always work to empty the cross of what Christ has done and continues to do. Human reason always tries to explain away what seems like foolishness of the cross, trying to reduce it to human wisdom, and thereby undoing the work that the cross works.
If the cross were preached as the Scriptures declare it, if Christians were united in this confession or homologia (same-Word) the cross would work among them with such power that nothing in the cosmos could counter it. Rather than building monuments to the cross and rather than defending these monuments that they have built, rather they would eagerly gather to the cross where it is offered, in the means of grace. If this is how Christians acted, the whole world would see and no one would imagine any need to defend the cross.
But in sinful unbelief mankind always seeks to do and claim what belongs to God. The works of the cross are God’s works. As long as Christians try to elevate their works to mingle them with God’s works, they will continue to try to defend their Defender and to save their Savior.
It is interesting that when lifeguards are trained, their training often includes how to disable the person whom they are saving. Often the drowning person must first be overpowered and rendered unable to resist the saving efforts of the lifeguard.
Christians would do well to apply this concept to their understanding of who they are as Christians.
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
THE Born Loser
Many times I begin to feel like a loser. Sometimes I even imagine myself to be the born loser, as though I were the worst off of anyone.
Yesterday, as I finally made it out to do some work that actually counts as work, after allowing various interruptions to alter my day’s schedule, I was feeling down on myself. I was thinking what a loser I am so often to be giving of myself, taking time for others, scrambling to shift funds to pay creditors, doing work that makes men half my age quit. My thoughts ran to the comic strip, The Born Loser. I was equating myself with that mentality.
Before long that line of thinking was overthrown by the realization that I have no business thinking of myself that way. After all, there is one who truly qualifies as THE Born Loser. We celebrate His birth at a season we call Christmas. He truly is THE Born Loser. He was born into the world for that very purpose. He was born to lose everything.
He was born of a virgin at a time when unwed motherhood was way beyond unacceptable. His adopted father was a poor carpenter. He grew to be a man and had no possessions except a little house in Capernaum. He sojourned from village to village, preaching the Gospel and healing the sick and driving out demons, all at no charge. He was ridiculed and demeaned throughout His ministry. Finally He was condemned for everything that He was and did and claimed to be. He was tortured and killed by a horrible and inhuman method. He was hung up naked on a cross for everyone to gawk at Him. He was spit upon. He was mocked. Finally he was buried.
He lost everything. He did so willingly. He did so for the sake of those who were born losers according to their inheritance. He did so in order to take their place as losers and give to them the riches that were His from eternity.
On His account St. Paul writes: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
This the apostle writes in response to all of the things that would make us imagine ourselves to be losers. “In all these things,” we are more than conquerors.
MORE than conquerors? Yes! For the victory has already been won. All of the things that would bring us down, all of the things that would work against us, they have all been defeated. Christ suffered them all and rose again, ascending to heavenly glory, where these things do not even exist. He rose from the dead in order to guarantee that our lives would not be lost. He not only paid the price to release us from the punishment that we deserve, but He also rose again in His body to guarantee that death would not be our end. Our greatest enemy, death, has no hold over us. The victory has been accomplished. We cannot lose, not while we are bound to the life that is in Christ Jesus.
So how dare I imagine myself to be a loser? How dare I blaspheme against the grace of God by counting myself a born loser when Christ has taken that from me? Yes, by my own stupid choices I am a loser, but even these and their consequences are temporary. They have no power to defeat me so long as my gaze is fixed on Christ, so long as I am in communion with Him through His means of grace. For this reason I and my house refuse to bind ourselves to communions that corrupt these gracious means. After all, if we surrender to compromise the things by which Christ’s victory is made to be ours, then we truly shall be losers. What do we gain if for the sake of earthly fellowship we cut ourselves off from the Holy Communion that we confess in the Creed?
No, the way of victory is the way of the cross. The preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the hope to which we shall cling. The pure administration of the means of grace is sufficient to ward off all of the aspects of living in this world of sin that would make us to be losers. When we have these, why would we look to anything else? Why should we ever imagine ourselves to be losers?
Yesterday, as I finally made it out to do some work that actually counts as work, after allowing various interruptions to alter my day’s schedule, I was feeling down on myself. I was thinking what a loser I am so often to be giving of myself, taking time for others, scrambling to shift funds to pay creditors, doing work that makes men half my age quit. My thoughts ran to the comic strip, The Born Loser. I was equating myself with that mentality.
Before long that line of thinking was overthrown by the realization that I have no business thinking of myself that way. After all, there is one who truly qualifies as THE Born Loser. We celebrate His birth at a season we call Christmas. He truly is THE Born Loser. He was born into the world for that very purpose. He was born to lose everything.
He was born of a virgin at a time when unwed motherhood was way beyond unacceptable. His adopted father was a poor carpenter. He grew to be a man and had no possessions except a little house in Capernaum. He sojourned from village to village, preaching the Gospel and healing the sick and driving out demons, all at no charge. He was ridiculed and demeaned throughout His ministry. Finally He was condemned for everything that He was and did and claimed to be. He was tortured and killed by a horrible and inhuman method. He was hung up naked on a cross for everyone to gawk at Him. He was spit upon. He was mocked. Finally he was buried.
He lost everything. He did so willingly. He did so for the sake of those who were born losers according to their inheritance. He did so in order to take their place as losers and give to them the riches that were His from eternity.
On His account St. Paul writes: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
This the apostle writes in response to all of the things that would make us imagine ourselves to be losers. “In all these things,” we are more than conquerors.
MORE than conquerors? Yes! For the victory has already been won. All of the things that would bring us down, all of the things that would work against us, they have all been defeated. Christ suffered them all and rose again, ascending to heavenly glory, where these things do not even exist. He rose from the dead in order to guarantee that our lives would not be lost. He not only paid the price to release us from the punishment that we deserve, but He also rose again in His body to guarantee that death would not be our end. Our greatest enemy, death, has no hold over us. The victory has been accomplished. We cannot lose, not while we are bound to the life that is in Christ Jesus.
So how dare I imagine myself to be a loser? How dare I blaspheme against the grace of God by counting myself a born loser when Christ has taken that from me? Yes, by my own stupid choices I am a loser, but even these and their consequences are temporary. They have no power to defeat me so long as my gaze is fixed on Christ, so long as I am in communion with Him through His means of grace. For this reason I and my house refuse to bind ourselves to communions that corrupt these gracious means. After all, if we surrender to compromise the things by which Christ’s victory is made to be ours, then we truly shall be losers. What do we gain if for the sake of earthly fellowship we cut ourselves off from the Holy Communion that we confess in the Creed?
No, the way of victory is the way of the cross. The preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the hope to which we shall cling. The pure administration of the means of grace is sufficient to ward off all of the aspects of living in this world of sin that would make us to be losers. When we have these, why would we look to anything else? Why should we ever imagine ourselves to be losers?
Saturday, April 03, 2010
Who Put Christ on the Cross?
Who put Christ on the cross? This is a question that is set forth by many and frequently, especially during Lententide and Holy Week. Good Friday is a day when every heart that hears of Christ’s sacrificial death is inclined to ask this question.
Hearing and perceiving the correct answer to this question is the difference between hearing the Gospel or hearing yet again the tyranny of the preaching of the Law and works righteousness.
Most times, what is preached and/or perceived in connection with this question is akin to the answer given at CyberBrethren in the post entitled: Who Put Christ on the Cross? You did.
This is indeed the commonly held perception. This is very likely the first response that any person has to the preaching of the cross of Christ. Cyberbrethren’s post opens with this line: “It was your sin, and mine, that put him on the Cross.”
While this is the commonly held perception, is it true? No. Even more, absolutely no!
As the appointed pericopal texts from Maundy Thursday and Good Friday inform us, it was the love of God that put Jesus on the cross. Our sin did not put Jesus on the cross. Our sin put US on the cross. Our sin killed US and damned US to everlasting condemnation. Our sin placed US under the curse of everlasting death on account of separating US from God’s Holy Communion.
From the Maundy Thursday Gospel reading, John 13:1-15, the very first sentence in this text sets this plainly before us, saying, “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
This is a brief reiteration of what Jesus Himself declared earlier in John 10:13-18:
Jesus, Immanuel, with-us-God, did all that was foretold of Him to insure that those who rejected and hated Him would hand Him over to the Gentiles to be crucified. This was God’s will from eternity. It was foreshadowed in the Passover. In merciful love, God Himself took up our flesh, tabernacling among us with the fullness of His glory enshrouded by flesh and blood, so as to take our sin and carry it to the cross. Immanuel willingly took our place on the cross.
Who put Jesus on the cross? Jesus did! He went to the cross in order to carry our sin to the judgment and to the grave for us in order to set us free from the guilt and the condemnation from which we could never escape. He subjected Himself to the cross so as to remove all guilt of the curse of the tree from us. To incorporate us into the freedom that He purchased for us, He instituted Baptism, as the means of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the regeneration and renewal of faith that the Holy Spirit works. By this newly generated faith He then leads us to the continual proclamation of His death till He comes again in glory, that we should partake of the fullness of the life of the Holy Communion that is in His body and blood.
This distinction is important. It is vitally important. For in recognizing that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is entirely according to the will and gracious providence of the Lord Himself, we are freed from all guilt, including the guilt of the putting of Jesus upon the cross. In the appointed Gospel reading for Good Friday, John 18:1-19:42, Jesus makes this unmistakably clear.
Who had the greatest sin? Who but the Lamb of God who takes the sin of the world? Even Satan has no sin equal to this! Jesus alone carried the sin of the entire world. He sent Judas from the Supper to do the wickedness that dwelled in his heart. Jesus went to Gethsemane, where He knew that Judas would bring the soldiers from the Sanhedrin. Jesus commanded Peter to put away His sword. Jesus prayed for the strength not to call upon the legions of heavenly angels to fight for Him. Jesus healed the ear of the servant. Jesus permitted Himself to be chained and led away, to be falsely accused, to be mocked and spit upon, to be beaten and scourged, and finally to be crucified. The sin of the cross was fully upon the shoulders of Jesus alone. He carried it all, willingly, lovingly.
So, fellow sinner redeemed by Christ, allow no one to put that guilt upon you. Jesus has taken the sin of the world and continues to take it through the means of grace. Do not allow the devil, the world, or your own flesh to tempt you to believe that in some way you must take any part of this upon yourself. The Truth is that in Christ Jesus you are absolutely and unequivocally free!
Paul Gerhardt understood this clearly as he expounds in his magnificent hymn, “A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth,” which you can read and sing again for yourself. (TLH 142)
Hearing and perceiving the correct answer to this question is the difference between hearing the Gospel or hearing yet again the tyranny of the preaching of the Law and works righteousness.
Most times, what is preached and/or perceived in connection with this question is akin to the answer given at CyberBrethren in the post entitled: Who Put Christ on the Cross? You did.
This is indeed the commonly held perception. This is very likely the first response that any person has to the preaching of the cross of Christ. Cyberbrethren’s post opens with this line: “It was your sin, and mine, that put him on the Cross.”
While this is the commonly held perception, is it true? No. Even more, absolutely no!
As the appointed pericopal texts from Maundy Thursday and Good Friday inform us, it was the love of God that put Jesus on the cross. Our sin did not put Jesus on the cross. Our sin put US on the cross. Our sin killed US and damned US to everlasting condemnation. Our sin placed US under the curse of everlasting death on account of separating US from God’s Holy Communion.
From the Maundy Thursday Gospel reading, John 13:1-15, the very first sentence in this text sets this plainly before us, saying, “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
This is a brief reiteration of what Jesus Himself declared earlier in John 10:13-18:
The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Jesus, Immanuel, with-us-God, did all that was foretold of Him to insure that those who rejected and hated Him would hand Him over to the Gentiles to be crucified. This was God’s will from eternity. It was foreshadowed in the Passover. In merciful love, God Himself took up our flesh, tabernacling among us with the fullness of His glory enshrouded by flesh and blood, so as to take our sin and carry it to the cross. Immanuel willingly took our place on the cross.
Who put Jesus on the cross? Jesus did! He went to the cross in order to carry our sin to the judgment and to the grave for us in order to set us free from the guilt and the condemnation from which we could never escape. He subjected Himself to the cross so as to remove all guilt of the curse of the tree from us. To incorporate us into the freedom that He purchased for us, He instituted Baptism, as the means of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the regeneration and renewal of faith that the Holy Spirit works. By this newly generated faith He then leads us to the continual proclamation of His death till He comes again in glory, that we should partake of the fullness of the life of the Holy Communion that is in His body and blood.
This distinction is important. It is vitally important. For in recognizing that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is entirely according to the will and gracious providence of the Lord Himself, we are freed from all guilt, including the guilt of the putting of Jesus upon the cross. In the appointed Gospel reading for Good Friday, John 18:1-19:42, Jesus makes this unmistakably clear.
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
Who had the greatest sin? Who but the Lamb of God who takes the sin of the world? Even Satan has no sin equal to this! Jesus alone carried the sin of the entire world. He sent Judas from the Supper to do the wickedness that dwelled in his heart. Jesus went to Gethsemane, where He knew that Judas would bring the soldiers from the Sanhedrin. Jesus commanded Peter to put away His sword. Jesus prayed for the strength not to call upon the legions of heavenly angels to fight for Him. Jesus healed the ear of the servant. Jesus permitted Himself to be chained and led away, to be falsely accused, to be mocked and spit upon, to be beaten and scourged, and finally to be crucified. The sin of the cross was fully upon the shoulders of Jesus alone. He carried it all, willingly, lovingly.
So, fellow sinner redeemed by Christ, allow no one to put that guilt upon you. Jesus has taken the sin of the world and continues to take it through the means of grace. Do not allow the devil, the world, or your own flesh to tempt you to believe that in some way you must take any part of this upon yourself. The Truth is that in Christ Jesus you are absolutely and unequivocally free!
Paul Gerhardt understood this clearly as he expounds in his magnificent hymn, “A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth,” which you can read and sing again for yourself. (TLH 142)
1. A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth,
The guilt of all men bearing;
And laden with the sins of earth,
None else the burden sharing!
Goes patient on, grows weak and faint,
To slaughter led without complaint,
That spotless life to offer;
Bears shame and stripes, and wounds and death,
Anguish and mockery, and saith,
"Willing all this I suffer."
2. This Lamb is Christ, the soul's great Friend,
The Lamb of God, our Savior;
Him God the Father chose to send
To gain for us His favor.
"Go forth, My Son," the Father saith,
"And free men from the fear of death,
From guilt and condemnation.
The wrath and stripes are hard to bear,
But by Thy Passion men shall share
The fruit of Thy salvation."
3. "Yea, Father, yea, most willingly
I'll bear what Thou commandest;
My will conforms to Thy decree,
I do what Thou demandest."
O wondrous Love, what hast Thou done!
The Father offers up His Son!
The Son, content, descendeth! O Love, how strong Thou art to save!Thou beddest Him within the grave
Whose word the mountains rendeth.
4. From morn till eve my theme shall be
Thy mercy's wondrous measure;
To sacrifice myself for Thee
Shall be my aim and pleasure.
My stream of life shall ever be
A current flowing ceaselessly,
Thy constant praise outpouring.
I'll treasure in my memory,
O Lord, all Thou hast done for me,
Thy gracious love adoring.
5. Of death I am no more afraid,
New life from Thee is flowing;
Thy cross affords me cooling shade
When noonday's sun is glowing.
When by my grief I am opprest,
On Thee my weary soul shall rest
Serenely as on pillows.
Thou art my Anchor when by woe
My bark is driven to and fro
On trouble's surging billows.
6. And when Thy glory I shall see
And taste Thy kingdom's pleasure,
Thy blood my royal robe shall be,
My joy beyond all measure.
When I appear before Thy throne,
Thy righteousness shall be my crown,-
With these I need not hide me.
And there, in garments richly wrought
As Thine own bride, I shall be brought
To stand in joy beside Thee.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Were You There
“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”
Thus go the lyrics of a Negro spiritual that many have come to accept as a song of remembrance of the Lord’s suffering and death. I never understood it. I always thought it was a silly song based upon emotionalism. Even though I do not remember my pastors ever addressing this issue, even though they permitted this song to be sung in the divine service, even as a child I was uncomfortable with what I perceived as the focus of the song.
I’ve tried researching it, and what information I have found seems to confirm that the focus is awry. As a child I always heard a sense of blaming in the song. I always heard a sense of “Oh, how terrible that they would do this to the Lord Jesus!” From what I have been able to determine, this is at least a part of what is meant in this song, but more to the point is the expression of thinking of oneself as persecuted and abused and looking to what was done to Jesus in a “poor me, poor us” kind of relationship. It seems to be in the line of “misery loves company” sort of perspective with a bit of “Oh how I love Jesus” mixed in.
The lyrics of the song as it is included in the LC-MS hymnal, Lutheran Worship, can be viewed here. The tune can be heard and three stanzas viewed here. Some information regarding the origins of the “spirituals” is available here and here. Other sources are available as well.
As I reflected upon this song this season of Lent and in the entrance into the season of Easter, I thought about the answer to the question, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” The answer is, “Yes! I was most certainly there.”
I did not nail Jesus to the tree. I did not beat him or spit upon Him. I did not lay Him in the tomb. I did not stand there crying, either. But I was there. For Jesus took my complete identity as Sinner. He took my name of condemnation and disgrace. He took my guilt and shame. He took my punishment. He cried out in my place of feeling as forsaken by God. Oh yes! I was truly there.
I have been crucified with Jesus through Baptism. In the person of Jesus, I was crucified, dead and buried. And again in connection with Baptism I rose again the Third Day unto new life in Christ. I now walk in the newness of that life that is in Him. I partake of His body and blood and am renewed in Him regularly.
What appears to be the basic premise of this song is weak and shallow at best. Nevertheless, with the right understanding, the question is one worthy of answering with the answer that God Himself proclaims in the divine liturgy. The answer is not one of “Oh, how sad that this was done to Jesus and how sad that I must suffer many things in this world.” but of “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” (Rev 5:12) And again, “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Rev 5:13)
Amen!
Thus go the lyrics of a Negro spiritual that many have come to accept as a song of remembrance of the Lord’s suffering and death. I never understood it. I always thought it was a silly song based upon emotionalism. Even though I do not remember my pastors ever addressing this issue, even though they permitted this song to be sung in the divine service, even as a child I was uncomfortable with what I perceived as the focus of the song.
I’ve tried researching it, and what information I have found seems to confirm that the focus is awry. As a child I always heard a sense of blaming in the song. I always heard a sense of “Oh, how terrible that they would do this to the Lord Jesus!” From what I have been able to determine, this is at least a part of what is meant in this song, but more to the point is the expression of thinking of oneself as persecuted and abused and looking to what was done to Jesus in a “poor me, poor us” kind of relationship. It seems to be in the line of “misery loves company” sort of perspective with a bit of “Oh how I love Jesus” mixed in.
The lyrics of the song as it is included in the LC-MS hymnal, Lutheran Worship, can be viewed here. The tune can be heard and three stanzas viewed here. Some information regarding the origins of the “spirituals” is available here and here. Other sources are available as well.
As I reflected upon this song this season of Lent and in the entrance into the season of Easter, I thought about the answer to the question, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” The answer is, “Yes! I was most certainly there.”
I did not nail Jesus to the tree. I did not beat him or spit upon Him. I did not lay Him in the tomb. I did not stand there crying, either. But I was there. For Jesus took my complete identity as Sinner. He took my name of condemnation and disgrace. He took my guilt and shame. He took my punishment. He cried out in my place of feeling as forsaken by God. Oh yes! I was truly there.
I have been crucified with Jesus through Baptism. In the person of Jesus, I was crucified, dead and buried. And again in connection with Baptism I rose again the Third Day unto new life in Christ. I now walk in the newness of that life that is in Him. I partake of His body and blood and am renewed in Him regularly.
What appears to be the basic premise of this song is weak and shallow at best. Nevertheless, with the right understanding, the question is one worthy of answering with the answer that God Himself proclaims in the divine liturgy. The answer is not one of “Oh, how sad that this was done to Jesus and how sad that I must suffer many things in this world.” but of “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” (Rev 5:12) And again, “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Rev 5:13)
Amen!
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Word versus the Mission
In Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1-13, the temptation of the Lord Jesus is recorded. Matthew and Luke record three particular parts of His temptation, three direct attacks by the devil.
In the first, the devil appealed to the ego of Jesus, that is, His awareness of His being, His identity. “If/since a son you are of God, say that these stones bread should become.” The devil appealed to the fact that by His identity Jesus was the Word by which all things exist. Surely He should have no reason to be hungry when by merely speaking it the bread would come forth from the stones.
But Jesus had been led into the desert to be hungry and to endure our temptations. He went out to prove not Himself, but rather, what His identity means for mankind. He is mankind’s bread of life. He is mankind’s sufficiency.
The devil has used this same temptation in the churches, and they largely have turned to their own identities for their confidence rather than the identity of the Lord Jesus. They have turned their hearts to the earthly and fleshly provisions rather than counting “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” to be their source of life and hope and peace and joy and sustenance.
In the second approach the devil appealed to the act of believing and trusting God’s promises. Surely Jesus would not deny what the prophets had written. Surely Jesus would want to demonstrate that what was written about Him is true. Surely it must be meet, right, and salutary to step forward in faith and show the world the faithfulness of God’s promises recorded in the Holy Scriptures.
But Jesus was not born to act according to His own determination. He came to fulfill that which was already planned from eternity. He came to do the Father’s will. God is His Father and He was sent to the world by the Father. Even though He and the Father are one, even though He is the Word by which all that God does is made to be, nevertheless, “Again it is written, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
Again the devil has effectively tempted the churches with this same temptation, and largely the churches have chosen to decide what God would have them to do in His name. They have set forth to build God’s Church for Him and have tempted the Lord their God. Rather than walking in the way that He has prepared and declared, they have chosen to make improvements by choosing what mighty things to do in His name.
Finally the devil held before the Lord Jesus the mission that He had come to the world to accomplish. The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and all the glory or people of them. According to the devil’s offer, Jesus would increase the numbers of those who were brought into the Church. In fact, the devil promised that all of the kingdoms and all of the people would come to Jesus by this one simple alteration.
But Jesus did not come to alter anything. He came to restore what had been altered. He came to restore people to worship the Lord their God purely and solely. He did not come to establish a church that included everyone according to various ways of worship. He came to reestablish the one true worship of God in the unity of God’s Word.
Again, the devil has presented this same offer to the churches, and largely they have chosen to make the worship alterations that appeal to the masses. Their alterations have worked, for now the churches have become one with all of the kingdoms and they share in the glory of those kingdoms.
The devil has been quite happy to let the churches keep their identities as Christians. In fact, they basically all identify with each other, even allowing that they each have “enough of the Gospel” to be called Church.
The devil has been quite happy to let the churches keep their Scriptures. In fact they have the Scriptures in more translations than can be easily counted. And they each hold to the Scriptures according to their own interpretations and applications. Yet they all speak of the Scriptures as the basis for faith, and nevertheless they never agree on what that faith really is. Or do they?
Finally, the devil has been delighted to allow and even to encourage the churches to become more and more mission minded. He has encouraged them to focus their energies on making disciples of all nations. And the churches have made this their primary focus. All else can be set aside if necessary, so long as they are continuing in pursuing the fulfillment of the mission.
The Lord Jesus, on the other hand, never took His eyes off of the way of the cross.
It certainly presents an interesting contrast when one considers the Mission of the Word versus the Word of the Mission.
In the first, the devil appealed to the ego of Jesus, that is, His awareness of His being, His identity. “If/since a son you are of God, say that these stones bread should become.” The devil appealed to the fact that by His identity Jesus was the Word by which all things exist. Surely He should have no reason to be hungry when by merely speaking it the bread would come forth from the stones.
But Jesus had been led into the desert to be hungry and to endure our temptations. He went out to prove not Himself, but rather, what His identity means for mankind. He is mankind’s bread of life. He is mankind’s sufficiency.
The devil has used this same temptation in the churches, and they largely have turned to their own identities for their confidence rather than the identity of the Lord Jesus. They have turned their hearts to the earthly and fleshly provisions rather than counting “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” to be their source of life and hope and peace and joy and sustenance.
In the second approach the devil appealed to the act of believing and trusting God’s promises. Surely Jesus would not deny what the prophets had written. Surely Jesus would want to demonstrate that what was written about Him is true. Surely it must be meet, right, and salutary to step forward in faith and show the world the faithfulness of God’s promises recorded in the Holy Scriptures.
But Jesus was not born to act according to His own determination. He came to fulfill that which was already planned from eternity. He came to do the Father’s will. God is His Father and He was sent to the world by the Father. Even though He and the Father are one, even though He is the Word by which all that God does is made to be, nevertheless, “Again it is written, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
Again the devil has effectively tempted the churches with this same temptation, and largely the churches have chosen to decide what God would have them to do in His name. They have set forth to build God’s Church for Him and have tempted the Lord their God. Rather than walking in the way that He has prepared and declared, they have chosen to make improvements by choosing what mighty things to do in His name.
Finally the devil held before the Lord Jesus the mission that He had come to the world to accomplish. The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and all the glory or people of them. According to the devil’s offer, Jesus would increase the numbers of those who were brought into the Church. In fact, the devil promised that all of the kingdoms and all of the people would come to Jesus by this one simple alteration.
But Jesus did not come to alter anything. He came to restore what had been altered. He came to restore people to worship the Lord their God purely and solely. He did not come to establish a church that included everyone according to various ways of worship. He came to reestablish the one true worship of God in the unity of God’s Word.
Again, the devil has presented this same offer to the churches, and largely they have chosen to make the worship alterations that appeal to the masses. Their alterations have worked, for now the churches have become one with all of the kingdoms and they share in the glory of those kingdoms.
The devil has been quite happy to let the churches keep their identities as Christians. In fact, they basically all identify with each other, even allowing that they each have “enough of the Gospel” to be called Church.
The devil has been quite happy to let the churches keep their Scriptures. In fact they have the Scriptures in more translations than can be easily counted. And they each hold to the Scriptures according to their own interpretations and applications. Yet they all speak of the Scriptures as the basis for faith, and nevertheless they never agree on what that faith really is. Or do they?
Finally, the devil has been delighted to allow and even to encourage the churches to become more and more mission minded. He has encouraged them to focus their energies on making disciples of all nations. And the churches have made this their primary focus. All else can be set aside if necessary, so long as they are continuing in pursuing the fulfillment of the mission.
The Lord Jesus, on the other hand, never took His eyes off of the way of the cross.
It certainly presents an interesting contrast when one considers the Mission of the Word versus the Word of the Mission.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Impending Darkness
Yesterday has been labeled by a number of bloggers as “Black Tuesday” and “a black day in the LC-MS” or “a dark day.” This has been the response of many to the action of the LC-MS to terminate the KFUO-AM program: Issues, Etc. This response is the expression of shock and grief over the unexplained actions of the LC-MS in terminating a program that brought a sense of hope and light to the lives of those who lent their hearts, ears, and attention to the message of this program.
Some have expressed shock and indignation that such an action against the listeners and against the program staff should be enacted during Holy Week.
Really, though, what more appropriate timing could there be? After all, did the Lord Jesus not promise that those who follow Him will be treated in like manner as He was treated? What is more, is not Holy Week a time of impending darkness? Is not Holy Week not the time in the Church Year where we celebrate the darkness that the Lord Jesus faced on our behalf? Is this not the season of impending darkness that reaches its darkest on Good Friday, when the Sin and Evil of the world and the prince of darkness come against the Light of the world and work their worst against Him? Was this week not a time of confusion for those who looked to Jesus? Was this not the time that led to Judas betraying Jesus into the hands of evil men for reasons of “programming and business”? Was this not a time that led to the scattering of the sheep and to Peter’s trinitarian denial of the Lord? Was this not a time that led to the sense of the loss of all hope according to human reason and strength?
When times grow dark and appear to be growing darker, this is when we need to remember the promise of the Scriptures regarding our good and gracious God.
It is important that we never forget the source of our light and our hope. It also is important that when we recognize the source of darkness that we do not continue to bind ourselves to the darkness. When we recognize a way that leads to more darkness, the Lord calls us to come to the Light. While Jesus marched to the cross, darkness surrounded Him and His disciples. But the Light continued to shine in the darkness. The Gospel was most certainly not being vanquished, not even at the darkest hour of Good Friday. In fact, this was the Light’s brightest manifestation, which continues to fill the world with the light of life even today.
So, then, whenever the darkness seems deepest, this is when we may look to the body of Jesus and see that He is the one who has taken the darkness upon Himself for us. The dark hours of our life can serve to draw us into ever deeper dependence upon the glorious preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. So when the Lord brings us into a trial that seems especially dark, rather than sinking into despair or grief, we are free to rejoice and to sing “Hosanna in the highest!” As we turn to the crucified Lord of glory, we truly see the light that cannot be comprehended or overcome and our hope and our confidence is renewed.
The way of the cross is the way of the resurrection.
Technorati Tags: +resurrection, cross, hope, light, darkness, despair
Some have expressed shock and indignation that such an action against the listeners and against the program staff should be enacted during Holy Week.
Really, though, what more appropriate timing could there be? After all, did the Lord Jesus not promise that those who follow Him will be treated in like manner as He was treated? What is more, is not Holy Week a time of impending darkness? Is not Holy Week not the time in the Church Year where we celebrate the darkness that the Lord Jesus faced on our behalf? Is this not the season of impending darkness that reaches its darkest on Good Friday, when the Sin and Evil of the world and the prince of darkness come against the Light of the world and work their worst against Him? Was this week not a time of confusion for those who looked to Jesus? Was this not the time that led to Judas betraying Jesus into the hands of evil men for reasons of “programming and business”? Was this not a time that led to the scattering of the sheep and to Peter’s trinitarian denial of the Lord? Was this not a time that led to the sense of the loss of all hope according to human reason and strength?
When times grow dark and appear to be growing darker, this is when we need to remember the promise of the Scriptures regarding our good and gracious God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. . . . (Rom 8:28)
It is important that we never forget the source of our light and our hope. It also is important that when we recognize the source of darkness that we do not continue to bind ourselves to the darkness. When we recognize a way that leads to more darkness, the Lord calls us to come to the Light. While Jesus marched to the cross, darkness surrounded Him and His disciples. But the Light continued to shine in the darkness. The Gospel was most certainly not being vanquished, not even at the darkest hour of Good Friday. In fact, this was the Light’s brightest manifestation, which continues to fill the world with the light of life even today.
So, then, whenever the darkness seems deepest, this is when we may look to the body of Jesus and see that He is the one who has taken the darkness upon Himself for us. The dark hours of our life can serve to draw us into ever deeper dependence upon the glorious preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. So when the Lord brings us into a trial that seems especially dark, rather than sinking into despair or grief, we are free to rejoice and to sing “Hosanna in the highest!” As we turn to the crucified Lord of glory, we truly see the light that cannot be comprehended or overcome and our hope and our confidence is renewed.
The way of the cross is the way of the resurrection.
Technorati Tags: +resurrection, cross, hope, light, darkness, despair
Friday, December 07, 2007
Christ Crucified or Christ Believed
Christ Crucified or Christ Believed?
This may seem like an odd question, but it is a very important question. Most people do not even realize that the two Christs are not the same. It is for this reason that so many different doctrines are taught by so many denominations, all claiming to be preaching Jesus and Grace and Faith.
So what is the difference between the preaching of Christ Crucified and Christ Believed? The difference is the one from whom faith originates and flows.
Beginning in reverse, beginning with the preaching of Christ Believed, the emphasis is on the statement, “I believe” or “We believe.” Naturally, such language must be utilized, for where true faith exists, the person and group will speak what is believed. This is not the issue.
The issue is in the “WHY” of the statement.
Most people if asked why they believe will answer that they choose to believe. They may say that they decided to follow Jesus or that they invited Jesus into their hearts or that they chose to commit their lives to Jesus or to give their hearts to Jesus or any similar sounding actions of choice or decision on their part. In most cases they give acknowledgment to the statements of Scripture such as Ephesians 2:8-10 where the apostles keep to the words of Christ in teaching that faith is a gift of God and not a work of the individual, but then they immediately turn from these clear declarations of the Holy Spirit and insist that they themselves must do something to produce this faith. “I have to believe, don’t I?” “I have to choose, don’t I?”
Such rationalizations are contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures. These rationalizations are like saying that after a lawnmower engine has been started that it must continue running. The lawnmower engine does not choose to begin running and it does not choose to stop running. Something may go wrong that makes the engine unable to continue. It may run out of fuel and therefore cease running. But it does not stop by its own volition and it does not start by its own volition.
Now, since a lawnmower engine is not a living thing, the Lord Jesus and His apostles did not use lifeless objects in teaching this. Rather, Jesus used the activity of conception and birth (generation) as the example. A baby is not conceived by its own volition. It does not choose to grow and develop. It does not obtain nutrients for itself nor even choose which available nutrients to utilize while in the womb. It does not choose the time of parturition. It does not pull itself into the world from the womb. After the baby is born, it does not care for itself or nurture itself. As the baby grows it is taught, by example and with words, what it needs and where to find its needs supplied.
The Lord Jesus said that no one can even see or perceive the kingdom of God unless that person is regenerated. When Nicodemus did not understand, Jesus added that unless a person is generated of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. He also said that just as people can hear the sound of the wind but cannot know where it comes from or where it goes, so the person regenerated to faith by the Holy Spirit recognizes the results but cannot explain them.
Yet when people apply their own rationalizations to the work of the Holy Spirit in the Gift of Faith, they often presume to have chosen to believe or to have decided to believe. This is why in John 1:12-13 the apostle plainly teaches that this is not how it happens. He makes this absolute declaration right at the beginning of his account of the Gospel so that as people would read and hear it that this would be ever present in their minds. He says that those who receive Jesus do so by the authority or power that God gave to them (that is, the Gospel, as St. Paul says in Romans 1:16) and that this regeneration of faith is not the result of bloodlines (who one’s ancestors are) and not the result of the will of the flesh (free will) and not the result of the will of a man (husband or father) but from God they are generated. Then in verse 14 he reveals again who this God is, just as he previously declared in verse 1 and following.
Yet even upon reading and hearing this, people tend to go forward with the rest of the Gospel and take from it that they must somehow believe for themselves and choose to follow Jesus.
The preaching and confession of this choice is the exact opposite of the preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The preaching and confession of the Christ who saves by means of a person choosing or deciding to believe is the opposite of the preaching and confession of the Christ who says that He saves by means of water and the Spirit.
Thus the preachers of choice and decision turn a deaf ear to the Scriptures that teach the Christ who saves by water and the Spirit and who says that those who eat His flesh and drink His blood have everlasting life. In direct defiance of the words of Christ they teach that these clear words concerning the Sacraments do not mean what they say but must be interpreted symbolically to represent what people must do for themselves and that these Sacraments do not do what the words say that they do, but rather people must use them to choose yet again to be committed to Jesus by their own reason and strength.
But the preaching of Christ Crucified is the preaching of a Christ who not only gave Himself on the Cross to accomplish our salvation objectively, but who continues to be present to accomplish our salvation subjectively. The preaching of Christ Crucified is the preaching of the Christ who says that He does not leave us as orphans but comes to us even now as those whom He has redeemed and reconciled to God. He promises that our salvation does not depend upon what we choose to believe, but rather upon what He does for us as a true Savior. He does not demand that we muster the strength to believe in Him, but rather supplies means by which His saints may be gathered unto Him to receive Him even as the first two did in the garden of Eden and as the disciples did during His ministry among the Jews. He gives to His Church on earth means by which He supplies all that we need both for faith and for continuing in that faith. Through the pure and unadulterated preaching of the Gospel and the pure administration of the Sacraments, He does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Rather than demanding that we generate the will to believe in a Jesus that we cannot see, He shows Himself present with us through these means.
This is why the preaching of Christ Crucified is such a stumbling block for those who seek to follow Christ by believing in Him. The means of grace do not require anything from us. They truly are means of grace. To any person seeking to follow Christ by means of one’s own faith, to any person believing that faith is a requirement rather than a true gift, the kingdom of God cannot be perceived. And so people seek to pray harder and to believe more firmly and to be better witnesses. They speak of knowing that God is with them because of their prayers and their faith and their other works of proof of believing. But Christ says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The preaching of Christ Crucified is the preaching of the Christ who gave Himself, once and for all, in order that we may feast upon Him with Thanksgiving and live in His grace, mercy, and peace. He has prepared the way through the water unto life and He has prepared the table for the feast. Such as receive Christ through these eagerly say with John “And from the fullness of Him we all have received, even grace for grace.”
From the fullness of HIM we have all received. Not from the fullness of our faith nor from the fullness of our efforts nor from the fullness of our commitment nor from the fullness of our service, but from the fullness of Him we have all received. This is the preaching of Christ Crucified rather than the preaching of Christ Believed.
This is why the Church dare not gather with those who preach anything other than Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. There is only one Christ who gives grace for grace.
Truly, verse ten is often misapplied. The good works unto which we have been created in Christ Jesus are HIS good works, not ours. He has taken our works, which cannot ever be counted as good, and has given us His works. He calls us unto Himself to partake of His good works in order that we may walk or live in them. This is the pure preaching of the Gospel and the pure administration of His means of grace.
Why should anyone ever choose to believe anything else when what we need to believe, God gives freely by grace?
This may seem like an odd question, but it is a very important question. Most people do not even realize that the two Christs are not the same. It is for this reason that so many different doctrines are taught by so many denominations, all claiming to be preaching Jesus and Grace and Faith.
So what is the difference between the preaching of Christ Crucified and Christ Believed? The difference is the one from whom faith originates and flows.
Beginning in reverse, beginning with the preaching of Christ Believed, the emphasis is on the statement, “I believe” or “We believe.” Naturally, such language must be utilized, for where true faith exists, the person and group will speak what is believed. This is not the issue.
The issue is in the “WHY” of the statement.
Most people if asked why they believe will answer that they choose to believe. They may say that they decided to follow Jesus or that they invited Jesus into their hearts or that they chose to commit their lives to Jesus or to give their hearts to Jesus or any similar sounding actions of choice or decision on their part. In most cases they give acknowledgment to the statements of Scripture such as Ephesians 2:8-10 where the apostles keep to the words of Christ in teaching that faith is a gift of God and not a work of the individual, but then they immediately turn from these clear declarations of the Holy Spirit and insist that they themselves must do something to produce this faith. “I have to believe, don’t I?” “I have to choose, don’t I?”
Such rationalizations are contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures. These rationalizations are like saying that after a lawnmower engine has been started that it must continue running. The lawnmower engine does not choose to begin running and it does not choose to stop running. Something may go wrong that makes the engine unable to continue. It may run out of fuel and therefore cease running. But it does not stop by its own volition and it does not start by its own volition.
Now, since a lawnmower engine is not a living thing, the Lord Jesus and His apostles did not use lifeless objects in teaching this. Rather, Jesus used the activity of conception and birth (generation) as the example. A baby is not conceived by its own volition. It does not choose to grow and develop. It does not obtain nutrients for itself nor even choose which available nutrients to utilize while in the womb. It does not choose the time of parturition. It does not pull itself into the world from the womb. After the baby is born, it does not care for itself or nurture itself. As the baby grows it is taught, by example and with words, what it needs and where to find its needs supplied.
The Lord Jesus said that no one can even see or perceive the kingdom of God unless that person is regenerated. When Nicodemus did not understand, Jesus added that unless a person is generated of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. He also said that just as people can hear the sound of the wind but cannot know where it comes from or where it goes, so the person regenerated to faith by the Holy Spirit recognizes the results but cannot explain them.
Yet when people apply their own rationalizations to the work of the Holy Spirit in the Gift of Faith, they often presume to have chosen to believe or to have decided to believe. This is why in John 1:12-13 the apostle plainly teaches that this is not how it happens. He makes this absolute declaration right at the beginning of his account of the Gospel so that as people would read and hear it that this would be ever present in their minds. He says that those who receive Jesus do so by the authority or power that God gave to them (that is, the Gospel, as St. Paul says in Romans 1:16) and that this regeneration of faith is not the result of bloodlines (who one’s ancestors are) and not the result of the will of the flesh (free will) and not the result of the will of a man (husband or father) but from God they are generated. Then in verse 14 he reveals again who this God is, just as he previously declared in verse 1 and following.
Yet even upon reading and hearing this, people tend to go forward with the rest of the Gospel and take from it that they must somehow believe for themselves and choose to follow Jesus.
The preaching and confession of this choice is the exact opposite of the preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The preaching and confession of the Christ who saves by means of a person choosing or deciding to believe is the opposite of the preaching and confession of the Christ who says that He saves by means of water and the Spirit.
Thus the preachers of choice and decision turn a deaf ear to the Scriptures that teach the Christ who saves by water and the Spirit and who says that those who eat His flesh and drink His blood have everlasting life. In direct defiance of the words of Christ they teach that these clear words concerning the Sacraments do not mean what they say but must be interpreted symbolically to represent what people must do for themselves and that these Sacraments do not do what the words say that they do, but rather people must use them to choose yet again to be committed to Jesus by their own reason and strength.
But the preaching of Christ Crucified is the preaching of a Christ who not only gave Himself on the Cross to accomplish our salvation objectively, but who continues to be present to accomplish our salvation subjectively. The preaching of Christ Crucified is the preaching of the Christ who says that He does not leave us as orphans but comes to us even now as those whom He has redeemed and reconciled to God. He promises that our salvation does not depend upon what we choose to believe, but rather upon what He does for us as a true Savior. He does not demand that we muster the strength to believe in Him, but rather supplies means by which His saints may be gathered unto Him to receive Him even as the first two did in the garden of Eden and as the disciples did during His ministry among the Jews. He gives to His Church on earth means by which He supplies all that we need both for faith and for continuing in that faith. Through the pure and unadulterated preaching of the Gospel and the pure administration of the Sacraments, He does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Rather than demanding that we generate the will to believe in a Jesus that we cannot see, He shows Himself present with us through these means.
This is why the preaching of Christ Crucified is such a stumbling block for those who seek to follow Christ by believing in Him. The means of grace do not require anything from us. They truly are means of grace. To any person seeking to follow Christ by means of one’s own faith, to any person believing that faith is a requirement rather than a true gift, the kingdom of God cannot be perceived. And so people seek to pray harder and to believe more firmly and to be better witnesses. They speak of knowing that God is with them because of their prayers and their faith and their other works of proof of believing. But Christ says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The preaching of Christ Crucified is the preaching of the Christ who gave Himself, once and for all, in order that we may feast upon Him with Thanksgiving and live in His grace, mercy, and peace. He has prepared the way through the water unto life and He has prepared the table for the feast. Such as receive Christ through these eagerly say with John “And from the fullness of Him we all have received, even grace for grace.”
From the fullness of HIM we have all received. Not from the fullness of our faith nor from the fullness of our efforts nor from the fullness of our commitment nor from the fullness of our service, but from the fullness of Him we have all received. This is the preaching of Christ Crucified rather than the preaching of Christ Believed.
This is why the Church dare not gather with those who preach anything other than Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. There is only one Christ who gives grace for grace.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
Truly, verse ten is often misapplied. The good works unto which we have been created in Christ Jesus are HIS good works, not ours. He has taken our works, which cannot ever be counted as good, and has given us His works. He calls us unto Himself to partake of His good works in order that we may walk or live in them. This is the pure preaching of the Gospel and the pure administration of His means of grace.
Why should anyone ever choose to believe anything else when what we need to believe, God gives freely by grace?
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