Trinity 7 notes for August 7th

Next Sunday gives us the feeding of the 4,000. It's noteworthy that not only does the bible give us two accounts of Jesus feeding the multitudes by means of a few loaves of bread and fish, but for some reason, the lectionary of the church encourages us to consider both stories as well. Isn't one account enough? Do we need to hear two?

Notice that Jesus comments that He has compassion on the crowd because they have nothing to eat. This comment is met with the same incredulity by the disciples as before Christ fed the 5,000. Don't the disciples remember what Jesus did? Why are they worried? But so it goes with us and Jesus. We are ever slow to believe, and Jesus is ever quick with patience. We like the disciples need to hear of these miracles both times, because we like the disciples are quick to forget, that all things are in Christ's hands, and He will always provide.

Another interesting thing about this text is that Jesus apparently leads these people out for three days in a desolate place. Why would He do this? This doesn't seem caring. However, there in the wilderness, with no ability to provide food for themselves, Jesus has them at His mercy, which is the best place to be - at His mercy. Jesus brings them out to a place where they are forced to trust and receive from Him. That is the gracious thing to do, because above all else, what we need is to trust and receive from Jesus. So it goes for all of the baptized. Christ leads us to places where we have no other comfort, and nothing by which to save ourselves. He leads us even into the desolate place of the valley of the shadow of death. And even there He provides a great miracle, and makes out of death our eternal life.

Proximity Helps

I was visiting with a very knowledgeable farmer, who commented that he's been around farming all his life. The insight I took from our conversation was that while early on he likely didn't understand what was going on, the fact that he was around it constantly with his dad and other farmers allowed him to grow into it.

So it goes for the faith. As children are around their parents and see them engaged in matters of faith, it rubs off. Sure, the child might not understand at first, but some day they will. Simply being around adults engaged in the faith enables a child to feel at home there and to be able to grow into it. That's why it is important for children to see parents talking about faith matters. This summer we've had a joint bible class with the children and adults. Even if the kids don't understand everything, at least they are seeing their parents engaged in discussion of God's word.

Here's the point: Even if kids don't understand it, it's important that they are around people who care about God's word.

Sermon - Trinity 5

Trinity 5

July 24, 2011

Rev. Micah R. Gaunt

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Jesus just gave Peter a miraculous catch of fish. You’d think a “thank you” would have done it. Instead, Peter says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

The holiness of God is a consuming fire. It’s fearful to the mundane and profane. Recall that in the Old Testament temple, God made Himself present to bless Israel, but for Israel’s sake, there were boundaries. In the temple was located the holy of holies; a room set apart by a thick curtain. There sat the mercy where God was present with His holiness. And in this holiest of places one could not just waltz in. Only the high priest once a year was to enter the holy of holies to intercede on behalf of Israel. And before this could happen, he had to wash himself, and sacrifices had to be made. There was such reverence for this place that the priest wore a rope tied around his leg, so that if for some reason he became incapacitated he could be pulled out, and no one would have to enter.

            Now back to Peter. I saw a sad sight this week. I saw a tractor destroying a field of corn. As you know well, a farmer invests so much of his time and money in planting, and fertilizing, and weed control, and irrigation. One band wind storm, and at least for that field, the farmer had nothing to show for it. Perhaps that’s a little what Peter felt. He’s been working all night. He’s tired. He did everything right, but he has nothing to show for it. He forced to face up to his weakness. He is at the mercy of the elements. Now he’s in the presence of one who is not at the mercy of the elements but commands them. At Jesus’ word, these fisherman haul in a catch that is more than they can handle. It’s all too much for Peter. He’s overwhelmed by Christ’s holiness and he falls down before Jesus. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

            Holiness is something difficult to define. But you know it when you experience it. Something that is holy is set apart. It is different. Something that is holy demands respect and awe.  For example once I visited Dachau, one of the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. That place was set apart. There was a sense of sacredness. As people walked around the grounds they did not act as they would outside. There was a sense of reverence and respect for those who suffered there.

            In this world, we are continually losing a sense of the sacred and holy in life, and of reverence and awe.  Everything is common, cheap, mundane, and profane. Nothing sacred about marriage anymore. People readily divorce their spouse, as if marriage was cheap and common. Even when divorce isn’t the issue, people don’t honor and set apart their spouse. People will show more respect and deference to complete stranger (especially if they’re a paying customer) then they do to their spouse. How often do children treat their parents as objects of contempt, talking back to them in exasperated tones. High school age boys and girls (and even younger) are giving away their bodies to each other, as if they were a cheap commodity to be swapped back and forth. Boys treat girls as some cheap vessel for gratification, then they toss the girl aside like a cigarette box once all the cigarettes have been smoked. How often do people feel justified in dishonoring another person, belittling them, or talking behind their back. The truth is, human beings and the institution of marriage and family are all created by God, blessed by Him, and adorned with His word. God has set them apart. They are to be holy. And to often the fact that we have lost this holiness, doesn’t cause anyone heartburn. We as a people are so wrapped up in the mundane and profane. We are so addicted to the status quo, and concerned with getting the next hit, that we don’t even want what is holy. This isn’t just the outside world’s problem this is our problem.

            So you have come here today with broken marriages, and broken families, and broken bodies. You’ve sold your soul to things that did not pay off. Your life is not as you had hoped it would go. You have come into the presence of Jesus just as Peter who said, Go away, Lord, I’m a sinner. And just as with Peter, Jesus doesn’t go away. Neither does He say, I’m really not that holy, anyway. He doesn’t say, you’re really not that bad a sinner. “He says, have no fear.”

            This is why Jesus the Holy one of God has come: to be with sinners. If you are already holy of yourself, Christ has not come for you. Christ has only come to be with sinners so that He can make them holy. That’s why the Son of God became man. He distinguishes humans by becoming one. Nothing else can claim that. Jesus has taken this worn out human flesh that must continually bathe to remove the odor of death, and He’s put it on Himself. Never to take it off. Instead He glorifies it. He raises it from the dead. He has made human flesh immortal. But there’s more. He takes his own innocent blood which was shed on the cross, and He uses that also to mark you; to set you apart as one forgiven and redeemed. But there’s more. God has also given you His word. You stand before all of heaven and earth as one to whom God has spoken. It has been told of you that you are not abandoned or forsaken. You are God’s own child. You are loved perfectly by Him. All things must work out for your good.

            And so you are called saints, “holy ones.” Did you know that this is the same title give to angels, because you share the same status with them. You are an object of awe. C.S. Lewis once put it this way: if you saw one another as you truly are in Christ, you would be tempted to bow down in worship. You enjoy a relationship with God unheard of before Christ. When Christ died on the cross and satisfied the demands for your holiness, the temple curtain was torn in two. Now you are free to enter God’s presence. There’s no middle man. And because you are holy the fiery trials you endure in this life cannot consume you. The trials themselves will be consumed. They only prove that you are holy.

            And this holiness is not something you’ve achieved. There is no ladder by which you attain to holiness. How would that work? It’s not like you can make your own holiness. It’s all Christ’s. It can only be given away.

            Holiness has come down you, for Christ has come down to be with you. That’s what we saw in the baptism of little Ana. Again, the world is unimpressed. But not you. You saw something special, precisely because all holiness belongs to Christ. If Christ bent down to pick up a piece of straw, that act would be more holy and significant than all the important feats of mankind, because of the one who did it. Christ has bent down to attach Himself and his kingdom to Ana forever. So today you saw something take place that is more holy and significant that all the important feats of mankind. Ana shares the status of angels, and she lacks nothing.

            This is what we have to share with people. We’re Christians, not because we don’t want to do drugs, or get drunk, or have sex outside of marriage. We’re Christians because we are held captive by the truth that God has made us for so much more and He is accomplishing such great things for us. Yet, many people think that they are common, that they have to give themselves so cheaply if anyone will love them, or that they are only worth what they can accomplish, or what others say about them. We have a word that is different from all other words. They are meant for so much more. They are not common, or cheap, or profane. They can be precious. They can be worthy. They can be holy. And the question is not, “What am I to do?” Again, still to cheap. The question is, “What has God done in Christ?” In + Jesus Name, Amen.

Notes for Trinity 4

This Sunday's Gospel lesson ( Luke 6: 36 - 42) offers us the well known words from Jesus, "Judge not, and you will not be judged." Perhaps, there has been no text so abused as this. Often people use this to say, “See, closed communion is wrong. Everyone should be allowed to commune at this altar because who are we to judge.” Or, we hear, “See, you can’t say anything about my sin. I can do what I want. Who are you to judge?” The problem with these protests is that they are not listening to what the text is about. In Galatians 1, Paul condemns false teaching. In Matthew 18, Jesus instructs us to address those who have sinned against us telling them their fault. In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul tells the church to expel an immoral brother who would not repent.

So clearly the gospel lesson before us is not license to believe or live contrary to God’s word. Therefore, what is Jesus getting at? The key is to look at how Christ contrasts what we are not supposed to do with what we are supposed to do. We are to forgive. We are to give freely. We are to show mercy. That’s what Jesus is driving at here. He wants you ready, willing, and able to forgive those who have wronged you. Interesting, that it is our nature to use this text to say we shouldn't worry about false teaching or "You can't judge me." Yet, when people sin against us, it's a different matter. Then we are all too ready to judge and hold a grudge. This is probably because both options require the least from us. But what God desires is self-sacrifice. When someone sins against us, God wants us to sacrifice our rights for retribution. Instead, He wants us to respond in kindness. He wants us to show mercy. He wants us to forgive. That is what this text is about.

Now, Jesus does not ask us to do anything He's won't prepare us for. So as you think about this text and discuss it with your family consider how the other things Jesus says serves to foster true forgiveness and mercy. Consider how the death and resurrection of Jesus brings the text to light and enables us to be merciful.