Alpha and Omega

Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13

“Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be.

He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, and ending He,

Of the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see,

Evermore and evermore.”[i][i]

 As we approach another Day of the LORD, its Sunday, the 1st Sunday in Advent. It’s during Advent that the Christian Church makes its preparations to meet and greet the coming One from God who is this world’s Lord and Savior.

Now the manger looks like the beginning of the story of Jesus Christ, but it isn’t. The events surrounding our salvation go back even beyond the beginning of history, beyond the Creation of the world, to the eternal plan of God and to the Son of God who was there before the beginning, and who came when the time was right to make possible a new beginning for all who trust in Him.

Likewise, the cross looks like the end of the “story” of Jesus Christ, but it isn’t. Risen from the dead, He lives and reign eternally. And because He died and rose for us, story too doesn’t end at death, but finds its ultimate end –its goal (that is), in Him.

The record of our salvation, therefore, is bigger than Advent and Christmas… even bigger than Christmas and Good Friday and Easter all taken together. It’s a true story that finds its beginning before the beginning of anything else, and its ending beyond the end of everything else –a real story that finds its source and its conclusion in the One who once entered time for us, to be born as we are and for our sakes, to die as we do and in our behalf, and to be raised as we shall be –the ever-living Christ.

From first to last, from then to now to all eternity, therefore let Him be the object of our praise, the center of our attention, and the focus of our life. This we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[i][i] A Hymn whose words were written by Aurelius Prudentius Clemens; based on I Timothy 3:16; Revelation 1:8; John 1:1; and Philippians 2:11. Found in the Lutheran Service Book # 384

A Place for the Law in Religion

November 12 -18 2014

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  Galatians 5:1

The Apostle Paul, in his inspired words to the Church in Galatia, is referring to the Law when he mentions a “yoke of slavery.” Some people think Christianity is essentially living according to the golden rule and other rules; thinking that we have a moral responsibility to please God rather than pleasing Him through the “freedom” earned for us by Christ, the Son of God. In general, people might do one of two things: either elevate man’s rules to the level of divine law or treat God’s commandments as though they were man’s.

During Christ’s time, the Pharisees tried to bind human mandates & “the tradition of the elders” on people’s consciences, equating them with God’s Law. The reverse of this is to take God’s 10 Commandments and give them human understanding, that is, regard them as social mores that dictate over our minds and consciences. But mores are always “time sensitive” in that they soon become outdated and can be thereby ignored saying, “That was then but this is now. Times have changed and the old ways don’t apply anymore.” With this in mind, one need look no farther than the TV screen to see where this belief has led.

In spite of what many think, the 10 Commandments have a place in life, in this present time! We can’t get along without them nor should we add to or take away from them.

The sure way of getting away from legalism or the rules-mentality in our living ways is to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ central in our lives. The Scripture teaches that “(God) saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy (His undeserved love). He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified (justly found innocent under the Law) by His grace (getting from God what we don’t deserve but have received it God’s love through Christ’s death and resurrection, freely given to us as a gift), we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7)

And having grasped onto God’s grace and the Gospel’s Good News through faith we are ready and willing to thankfully respond to God’s Law -to obey it gladly and willingly for Jesus’ sake. God grant you this faith.

“By Grace! None dare lay claim to merit; our works and conduct have no worth. God in His love sent our Redeemer, Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth: His death for our sins did atone, and we are saved by grace alone.”               Lutheran Service Book 566

GET READY!

November 5- 11, 2014

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.                                             Matthew 24:3-14

Justin came home from Sunday school and said to his mother: "Mom, my teacher told us that God puts people into this world so they can get ready for heaven."  Almost without thinking, his mother replied, "Yes, dear, that's right."  Wrinkling his forehead into a thoughtful frown, Justin hesitated a moment, then asked, "Then why don't we see anybody getting ready?" 

A childlike question, yet how true!  If God puts people into this world so they can get ready for heaven, why don't we see anybody getting ready?  In the hurry and hubbub of our busy world, people have become so preoccupied with the affairs of the day, with the pressing problems of this world, that many have forgotten all about "getting ready" for the next world. 

The psalmist tells us: "You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers." (Psalm 90: 5-6 ESV). 

We have every reason to continue with the psalmist and pray: "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12 ESV).  In other words, we ask God to teach us to "get ready."  We ask Him to teach us to regard this life as a period of preparation for a greater and more wonderful life.  This new life will be with God and all the redeemed in heaven. 

We ask God to teach us to use our days and our years so they stretch toward our heavenly home.  Are we really "getting ready"?  Do we daily confess our sins to God and ask Him in Jesus' name to forgive us?  Does our entire case, for time and for eternity, rest in the hands of Jesus, who is able to save all those who believe in Him?  Then in the words of Justin, we are ready.

Through every age, eternal God, Thou art our rest, our safe abode;

High was Thy throne ere Heav'n was made, or earth Thy humble footstool laid.

Long hadst Thou reigned ere time began, or dust was fashioned to a man;

And long Thy kingdom shall endure when earth and time shall be no more.

 But man, weak man, is born to die, made up of guilt and vanity;

Thy dreadful sentence, Lord, was just, return, ye sinners, to your dust.

 A thousand of our years amount scarce to a day in Thine account;

Like yesterday's departed light, or the last watch of ending night.

 Death, like an overflowing stream, sweeps us away; our life's a dream,

An empty tale, a morning flower, cut down and withered in an hour.

 Our age to seventy years is set; how short the time! how frail the state!

And if to eighty we arrive, we rather sigh and groan than live.

 But O how oft Thy wrath appears, and cuts off our expected years!

Thy wrath awakes our humble dread; we fear the power that strikes us dead.

 Teach us, O Lord, how frail is man; and kindly lengthen out our span,

Till wise care of piety fit us to die, and dwell with Thee. Amen

Isaac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid, 1719

THE ULTIMATE ERASER

October 29- November 4, 2014

“Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing punishment on the king of Babylon and his land, as I punished the king of Assyria. 19 I will restore Israel to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and in Bashan, and his desire shall be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead. 20 In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none, and sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.”      Jeremiah 50:18-20

Years ago, one man made a rather large fortune by inventing erasers for pencils. Someone else made an even bigger fortune when he invented the delete button on computers. God, however, makes no mistakes, and consequently, He needs no eraser. Yet, in a sense, He erases, not His, but people’s –our- mistakes. There’s a song I know that says it this way: “All our sinfulness erase with the increase of His grace.”

The Bible doesn’t use the word “erase” to describe God’s forgiveness, but it does put forward expressions like these: God removes our sins; puts them behind Him; buries them in the deep sea; cleanses and washes them away with the blood of Jesus; blots them out; cancels them. And we know that the erasing of our sins ultimately resulted in Christ’s death on the cross as they were the nails driven thru His hands and feet that yielded up His life and granted us His righteousness that covers us –that erases our sins and deletes them from memory.

Because He lives & bestows on us the promises of life and salvation via His righteousness, this is our Good News and with faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, His righteousness does indeed become our righteousness. For His sake and by His doing, God declares us just and holy because the Father sees only His Son’s righteousness covering us, like a warm, fuzzy blanket, and that makes all the difference for us.

Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet stated it another way: “’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet; they shall be as white as snow; though they be as red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’” (Isaiah 1:18)  Yes, my friend in Christ, this shows how God takes us out of the red ink of our sinful indebtedness and puts us on the plus of His loving countenance.

BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD ABOVE I have a strong, a perfect plea:

a great High Priest, whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands, my name is written on His heart;

I know that while in heaven He stands no tongue can bid me thence depart.

Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free;

for God, the just, is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there! The risen Lamb! My perfect, spotless righteousness,

the great unchangeable I Am, the King of glory and of grace!

At one with Him, I cannot die, my soul is purchased by His blood;

my life is hid with Christ on high, with Christ, my Savior and my God.  AMEN                  

 (LSB 574)

No One Knows That Day and Hour so BE READY!

October 16- 20, 2014

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 24:36-51

Breaking & entering is the familiar term used in burglarizing homes & stores; for robbing & stealing. These are ancient crimes. Jesus Himself said, “If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.” (Luke 12:39) Through the centuries, human nature hasn’t changed!

The lack of alertness is another old human failing. Here, too, people have not changed. Jesus Himself stresses the need for readiness. And well He might! Many people today (as always) are more interested in the moment –in the here & now; preoccupied with buying & selling, “eating & drinking, marrying & giving in marriage” (as the text from Matthew says). They give little thought to being ready for Christ’s impending glorified return to judgment at an unannounced date.

The reminder is in place: “Be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” Having “today” in mind, the hour is now late –later than when we first believed; the sun is setting on our world & on “life’s little day.” Alfred Lord Tennyson said it well as the ending of each day reminded him that tomorrow may not come: “Sunset & evening star, and one last call for me.”

Christians are ready to receive their Lord when they continue in His Word & are in fellowship with Him, confident that He who suffered & died & rose again for their salvation is always with us even to the end of the age. And we in readiness for His coming are ever thankful that He called us to be His own, live under Him in His kingdom, looking forward to much, much more than when we first believed. Christ Jesus is our constant hope as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever.

Your Outlook to Life

October 12-19, 2014

For some people, even for those perfectly healthy, wealthy, & wise, life is dreary, like a cloudy day. On the other hand, it’s often the heavily burdened person who is thankful, hopeful, and joyful. Much suffering hasn’t deprived such a person of the treasure of happiness & contentment. A man who spent quite some time in prison & faced death on many occasions was the Apostle Paul. He could live with seeming contradictions; he could be, in his own words, “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” (2 Corinthians 6:10)

Pessimism looks at the dark side of things. Instead of saying that a glass is half full, it is to the pessimist half empty. Nothing is ever half won; it’s always half lost. Pessimism can’t find delight in wild flowers, for it sees them as weeds. How refreshing to hear the optimism of the well-known entertainer Jerry Lewis, who said after his double by-pass heart operation, “The sage brush is beginning to look like orchids.”

The Christian’s joyful outlook on life isn’t fantasy or pie-in-the-sky optimism, but a realism that acknowledges his sin under the Law; sees therein the deadly consequences, but in the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ, His Savior, obtains satisfaction through Christ’s righteousness and the forgiveness of sins. Here is the foundation of our faith that trust’s in Christ’s merits to save us. It can exist when dark clouds blot out the sun, for it doesn’t depend on changeable weather, nor on fickle human emotions, nor on here-today-gone-tomorrow success. It rests not on human beings but on Jesus Christ, who for us and for our salvation passed thru the dark night of suffering & death only to rise again on Easter morning. The Holy Spirit He sends us is the author of our faith in the Savior & of all its fruits: love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, & faithfulness.

Look out your window. What do you see? A glass half empty or half full? A field of sage or of orchids? Weeds or wheat? My friend, through God’s Word, you are given the assurance of the Father’s love perfected in Jesus Christ to live each day & every condition of life with all joy and peace so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.