Isaiah 45:22-25 - There Can Only Be One - March 20, 2016

There can only be one. Even as Americans who pride ourselves on having the freedom and right to disagree with one another, quite often we don’t bat an eye at the assertion that there can only be one. A couple of examples will suffice. On Thursday 64 Division I college basketball teams started the NCAA tournament with dreams of winning it all; but everyone – fans, coaches, and players – understand that there can only be one champion. Over the past year or so, nearly 2 dozen men and women declared their desire to be the next President. Many of them have already dropped out and on November 8th, both candidates and voters know that there can only be one President. There are countless other situations where everyone understands there can only be one.

That’s why it’s so sad that many in our world are determined to deny another far more important truth: there is only one God. You hear it and see it all over. “All religions are basically the same. They all give us ideas on how to live a good life.” Now, in a sense, that’s true. All religions are similar in that they have a god or gods – and they have a way to become right with that god. In Isaiah’s day, heathen nations worshiped a god named Chemosh. They offered human (often times infant) sacrifices to satisfy his anger and earn his blessing. Others worshiped gods like Baal and Asherah. They worshipped by having sex with temple prostitutes to earn the blessing of fertility for their bodies and their fields. Even the Israelites eventually began to see their religion in terms of obedience and reward: wear the right clothes, eat the right foods, rest on the right days – and God will reward you with prosperity. Today, over a billion people worship a god named Allah who demands his worshippers to obey his five pillars to be welcomed into paradise. And so Satan works overtime to get people to believe that Christianity really isn’t any different. We don’t call him Chemosh, Baal or Allah, but Jesus – and what does he expect and demand? Obedience, praise, allegiance. What makes our God any different than the rest? What gives Christians the right to claim that theirs is the only true God?

700 years before Palm Sunday, Isaiah revealed the reason – and the truth hidden behind the palms and praise: turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. One of many? No. Isaiah makes an exclusive claim: this God, the God of Israel – he is the only God, the only King. That’s not exactly the politically correct, tolerant way to talk about one’s religion, is it? Isaiah says that every knee will bow and every tongue will swear allegiance to this king. But that’s not what we see in Jerusalem or our world, is it? In Jerusalem, the Pharisees called on Jesus to keep the people quiet with these exclusive claims. Today, we’re told that we better tolerate and respect both false religions and man-made philosophies as equally valid and true or run the risk of being labeled narrow-minded bigots. Here’s the thing, we aren’t the ones making this claim – God is. God, who created the universe, destroyed the world in a flood, who regularly demonstrated throughout the Bible his authority not just over idols but over nations and history, and promised and kept his promise to send a Savior born of a virgin – He claims to be the King of the universe and the only true God.

And while we see a partial fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy on Palm Sunday, on Judgment Day all will see it. In Revelation 19 we are given a glimpse of it: I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse whose rider is called Faithful and True…his eyes are like blazing fire and on his head are many crowns…he is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God…out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. (Revelation 19:11-15) On Palm Sunday, Jesus rides in humility on a borrowed donkey. On Judgment Day, he will return with power and glory and an army of angels. On that Day, every knee will bow, and all who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. All those who worshipped Chemosh, Baal, Allah, or a god of their own creation will be put to shame when they realize their eternal mistake. But by then, it will be too late. They will bow, not in allegiance, but in terror. For on that Day, they will know the truth: there is only one King who rules the heavens and the earth – he is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Many people don’t want to hear it or believe it. Even many Christians seem ashamed to declare and defend this truth. One day, no one will be able to deny it.

That’s why Jesus didn’t quiet the crowds – because they were right. Jesus’ claim is exclusive – he is the only God, he is the only King, every other religion, every other god is an empty lie. But that’s not all. The truly remarkable part about Palm Sunday is that God’s Son, the real King of the universe, comes into Jerusalem not to rule or rampage or to force us to obey him – but to die. Every other god says: “do this, don’t do that and you will earn my favor.” What does Jesus say? Turn to me and be saved. This is what makes the true God utterly unique. The true God knows that we can’t climb to him, so he came down to us. The true God knows that we can’t live the perfect life his righteousness demands – so he sent his Son to live it in our place. The true God knows that there’s nothing we can do to wipe the sin from our records – so he climbed up onto a cross to pay our debt himself. Instead of demanding that we do something to find favor with him, He tells us to look to Calvary where Jesus reconciled us with God by paying for our sins. Isaiah sums up Jesus’ most exclusive claim this way: In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.

Ah, but the world is not satisfied with grace, they can even find something wrong with salvation as a free gift. “Sure,” they say, “that’s fine for you middle class Americans. But you’re excluding the poor, the starving, the black and red and yellow people of the world with their cultures and their gods. You’re condemning them to hell without considering their history and heritage.” Are we? Did Isaiah? Does God? Who did his invitation, to turn and be saved, go out to? All the ends of the earth. Not a single person, no matter their nationality, language, skin-color or economic status is excluded from God’s love and the Savior’s redeeming work. Jesus himself said in Matthew 8: I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11) This Savior is not the exclusive property of Midwestern, middle class Americans. He lived a perfect life for all. He shed his blood for all. He is the only Savior – the only Savior for all.

The most important question for us today is: is the only God your God? I suppose today we would say: “sure, we’re here giving our praises, laying our prayers and our palm branches before him.” But remember, the true God isn’t like all those other false gods. A relationship with him isn’t built on what we do for him or how genuine our praise is. It is good for us to worship him as he rides into Jerusalem. But never forget, he didn’t come to receive praise, he came for Good Friday. He didn’t come to show you how to live for him, he came to die for you.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus comes as our Savior, but just as importantly, he’s our Savior for the other 364 days of the year. The days when you totally screw up at work – Jesus is your Savior. When you make a mess of your marriage – Jesus is your Savior. When your kids and grandkids have you pulling out your hair and life seems to be blowing up in your face – Jesus is still your Savior. And especially on the days when you are ashamed and guilty, ashamed of who you are and guilty about what you’ve done remember Isaiah’s words: in the LORD all the descendants of Israel (that is, all believers) will be found righteous and will exult. To have Jesus as your God, your King, your Savior isn’t as much about praising him or living for him as it is standing at the foot of the cross and trusting: “he did this all…for me. He did all this to take away my sins and cover me with his righteousness so that I could stand before God without fear, and so that I can enter heaven without earning it.” Today of all days, we might expect that Jesus wants our praise, or maybe – looking ahead to Good Friday – our pity. But as the only Savior, do you know what he wants most of all? Your faith.

There can only be one national champion and one president. Everyone gets that (although its nearly impossible to find two people who can agree on who that should be). There is only one true God. Whether the world wants to acknowledge it or not, Jesus is the only King of the world and every knee will bow before him – if not today, then on the Last Day. More importantly, there is only one Savior. That’s what really sets the true God apart from the imitators. He’s not a distant being who only speaks when he’s telling us how to live. He became a man to ride into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey. This Palm Sunday, he comes not to rule us or judge us, but to die for us. Turn to [him] and be saved…for [he is] God, and there is no other. Amen. 

Luke 10:17-20 - Find Joy in the Right Place - March 13, 2016

It was a clear, cold day in January 1961. Washington D.C. was covered with the previous night’s snowfall. In front of the newly renovated United States Capitol building, the man who would serve as the 35th president of the United States was being inaugurated into office. He was assuming the office at a pivotal point in world history: the arms race had begun between the two most powerful nations and political ideologies in history: America vs. the Soviet Union; communism vs. capitalism. One front of this battle had been fought in Korea, a war that ended in 1953 not by victory or defeat, but by an armistice – a cease-fire – which exists to this day. The other long-lasting result of this arms race is still in the news these days – it’s that tiny island 90 miles off of Florida known as Cuba. It was at this time of global tensions that President John F. Kennedy addressed his fellows Americans and appealed to them to “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

When it comes to the civil realm, the realm of nation and government, that’s a fine principle. It’s good and it pleases God for citizens to take an active role in serving our nation; whether that be by enlisting in the military, running for political office, or simply casting a vote and being a good neighbor. But is that approach fitting when we are talking about the spiritual realm – the realm of God’s kingdom? When we’re talking about our relationship with God, which is most important – where should we find our joy and hope: in what we do for God or in what God does for us? That’s the question our Lord addresses in our text this morning as he gives his own encouragement to his disciples to Find Your Joy in the Right Place.

Luke chapter 10 takes place near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He has time for one last preaching tour before he makes his final journey to Jerusalem and the cross. And to get the cities and villages ready for his arrival, he sends out 72 of his disciples in pairs to prepare the way. He sent them out with his blessing and with some simple instructions: Heal the sick [in the towns you enter] and tell them, “the kingdom of God is near you.” (Luke 10:9) And he gave them this assurance: he who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me. (Luke 10:16) We don’t hear anything more about the adventures of the 72, we don’t know if they were welcomed or dismissed, if people rejoiced or rejected the gospel message they proclaimed.

But one thing we do know, the consensus as the pairs returned was overwhelmingly positive, they returned with joy, and they stated the reason for their joy: “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Jesus rejoiced with his faithful disciples, saying: I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

There are an awful lot of interesting details in those two verses, aren’t there? First, Jesus testifies to a truth that fewer and fewer people acknowledge: Satan is real, and really dangerous. He is an angel who fell from heaven when he rebelled against God. He continues that rebellion as he tries to ruin as many people as possible by leading them away from Jesus. There’s a reminder for us here. While our country is consumed with a presidential race, fears over terror attacks and the Zika virus, and countless other problems – let us never forget that there is something, or rather someone we should be more concerned about: Satan. There is no military or medication that can protect us from his attacks – and he will continue tempt us and try to mislead us no matter who the next president is, whether the Zika virus comes to Wisconsin or not, whether any of the other problems we worry about grow or go away.

But didn’t Jesus say that he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven? Yes! When did this happen? Interpreters are divided. Was it the moment Satan rebelled and God cast him out of heaven? Was it the moment Jesus was conceived with the express purpose of conquering Satan? Was it when Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness? Or maybe Jesus was looking to the future, to the cross where he would crush Satan once and for all. Any and all of those may be true. But the point is not when it happened, but how. The disciples were overjoyed that they were able to drive out demons in Jesus’ name. That’s the key in this context. Jesus is telling disciples of all times that wherever and whenever His name (really the Gospel) is proclaimed, Satan falls from power, he loses his control, he is defeated. (And no, we shouldn’t go looking for snakes and scorpions to step on. Those are simply metaphors for the delusions and deceptions of the devil – those cannot overcome believers.)

So Jesus rejoices with his disciples and the wonderful results of their work in his name. If you read between the lines a bit, you can even see a smile on Jesus’ face – “what did you think would happen when I sent you out with my word and my power?” But in the same breath, Jesus wants them to step back and think about the real source of their joy – is it because of what they have done, the work they accomplished in God’s kingdom, or is there something more, something greater? Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. In other words, Jesus reminds them that the work he has given them to do – including the authority to defeat Satan and his demons by the proclamation of the gospel – that’s all well and good; but they can’t lose sight of the bigger picture. There was a better place for them to find their joy.

Why? Why would Jesus pour cold water on their faithful work and their resulting joy? Because outward activity and success don’t guarantee salvation. In fact, in Matthew 7, Jesus reveals that on the Last Day many of those who seemed to being doing God’s work, who seemed successful, even those who drove out demons will not find a place in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:22-23)

This ought to be a wakeup call for us as well. Where do you find your joy? What is it that gives you comfort and confidence to stand before God both today and on Judgment Day? Will we tell God about all of our dedicated service in his name and for his church? Will we present a receipt of our offerings to gain access? Since Jesus is addressing called workers here, can pastors present their sermons, bible studies, baptisms and marriages as an atoning sacrifice for their sins? Will God welcome us into his heavenly home if we show him how kind, patient, and faithful we have been as children, students, parents, brothers and sisters, employers and employees? If that’s where we are finding our joy, if that’s what we are trusting to gain our entrance into God’s kingdom – Jesus warns that we will be in for a shock: ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Why? Why does Jesus warn that many who worked and preached in his name will go to hell? Because, apart from Christ’s justifying and sanctifying work all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) Everything we do, even the good things, are tainted by sin. If we’re honest with ourselves, we know it, don’t we? How much of what we do is driven by a desire to be noticed, to be praised, or to feed our sinful pride? How much of our service to others isn’t motivated by self-less love but by the expectation that our kindness will be reciprocated? Too often, even the good things we do are done grudgingly and joylessly. In the end, the real question is: how many of our good works meet God’s standard of perfection? None of them. If you’re finding your joy and confidence in the things you do, you’re looking in the wrong place, because nothing we do can accomplish the one thing we need above all – getting our names written in the book of life in heaven.

So Jesus redirects our focus, away from our work to his. He says: rejoice that your names are written in heaven. This is where we are to find our true joy and confidence – that Jesus’ life mission was our salvation. This is not something you do. (Note: this is a passive verb, literally: have been written.) This is not something you look for or decide on. This is something God does for you. Purely out of undeserved love, in spite of our far from perfect service in his kingdom, God has written our names in heaven using the cross as his pen and the blood of his Son as the ink. This is what Jesus is on his way to accomplish, as his earthly ministry draws to a close. He will allow his name to be written where ours belonged: on a plaque nailed to a cross. Hanging under that plaque he will accept the guilty verdict and the punishment that should have been ours. On that lonely hill outside Jerusalem God will slam down his gavel and pronounce our sentence on his Son: cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the Law. (Galatians 3:10) The name of Jesus Christ, the perfect, sinless Son of God, is cursed to the depths of hell so that ours might be written in heaven.

How can we be sure that God knows our names? You can be sure because God himself called you by name when you were baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Through his called servant the triune God called you by name and put his own name on you. You may not remember it – but God will never forget it. He’s written your name in his book and when Christ returns he will use your name to raise you from the dead – and Satan can’t do a thing about it. This is the right place to find your true joy and confidence.

Does that mean that we shouldn’t want to serve God and work in his kingdom? No. God does want his children to serve as his witnesses in the world. Jesus does want the people he purchased with his blood to support his church with their time, talents, and treasures. And above all, God is pleased when his children faithfully carry out their individual callings – whatever that might be. As you leave here today to go back to work in your own little corner of Christ’s kingdom, praise God that he has given you the ability and opportunities to serve. Do find joy in working in God’s kingdom – and know that Jesus rejoices with you.

But don’t lose sight of the main thing. Remember that your membership in Christ’s church is not based on what you do for him. If you can do a lot, don’t let it go to your head. If you can’t do much, don’t feel like you are unloved or worthless in God’s sight. Because the main thing is not about how much we do for God. The main thing is always what God has done for us in Christ – and every time you remember your baptism, every time you hear and read the Gospel, every time you receive your Savior’s body and blood – you are reminded how priceless and undeserved that gift really is.

With all due respect to President Kennedy, Jesus has a different appeal for us today: “Ask not what you can do for God. Ask what God has done for you.” That’s faith, not works. That’s rejoicing in the main thing. Jesus didn’t want 72 of his disciples to get mixed up on this and he doesn’t want us to, either. Yes, we do rejoice that God blesses the work that he has given us to do in his kingdom. But our real joy – the one, indispensable, unchangeable, eternal joy we have is this: Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Amen.