Therefore, November 15, 2015
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November 15, 2015Text: Daniel 12:1-3Psalm 16Hebrews 10:11-25Mark 13:1-8ThereforeShow “invite” video clip. Someone calculated that the average Lutheran invites one person tochurch and tells them about Jesus once every 27 years. Not something we should be proud of.Next Sunday is mission Sunday. I want to encourage us all to get out of our comfort zones andnot only invite someone, but bring someone to church next Sunday. Could we do that?I attended the Iowa Annual LCMC meeting yesterday. The speaker talked about how our identityis shaped by knowing what God has- done for us and made us His. Our identity then shapes ouractions to others and God in response. We don’t plan activities such as evangelism activities tofind our identity- our identity- knowing we are God’s is what encourages us to share our faith.Simple as that. Pray.Albert Einstein once said: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”That statement comes from a man who immersed his life in study and thought- and as a result-was able to condense it down into one simple equation- E=MC2.The gospel can be summed up in one verse: “for God so loved the world, that he gave His onlyson, that whosoever believes in him will have everlasting life.” Although the gospel is simple init’s message- it is deep and far reaching in it’s power to change lives. All the sermons and biblestudies and libraries of commentators and personal study cannot fully explain the depths ofmeaning and application of it. None-the-less, God desires we seek to know Him more and moreeveryday-to study God’s word to know what we believe and why- and be transformed by theHoly Spirit working through God’s word. Then and only then will our new identity in Christshape what we do for God and not ourselves.Our Mission statement says: “to know, live and share the gospel.” We can only live what weknow and share what we know. But God does not want us to wait until we attain a certain levelof understanding before we live it or share it. The Great Commission is a command to go now- tolive and share what we know to be true at this point in our lives.If you have ever been around a new Christian, their enthusiasm is contagious. They are excited toshare and apply even the basics because it has taken root in their hearts. Unfortunately for manypeople, it seems the more we know, the more we take for granted. Perhaps the difference andproblem is that all that knowledge hasn’t taken root in our hearts but only in our minds.The second reading for today is from the book of Hebrews. It was a letter written to JewishChristians who were in danger of abandoning their faith and lapsing back into their former livesunder the law. Hebrews was written to remind them- and us- the life changing message of thegospel- and to hold fast their confession of faith in Christ alone as our savior.
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Chapter 10 begins by comparing the law and gospel-telling us that the law is but a shadow of thegospel made known to us in Jesus Christ. Although shadows may have the likeness andappearance of someone-we cannot really know a person by his shadow and can only have arelationship with the person casting it.The bible tells us that the sacrifices demanded by the law of the Old Testament were like ashadow-offered day after day, month after month, year after year because it could never fully paythe debt of our sins or set them free or cleanse their consciousness.Priests were appointed as a representative of God to make daily sacrifices not only for thepeople, but for themselves as well. God sent His son-the person casting the shadow of the law-the perfect lamb of God to be offered as a final, perfect sacrifice for all time. – but if that truthdoes not take root in our hearts- unless we understand what it means for us- we will remain in thegrip of the law instead of the grip of God’s grace-with no peace, no assurance of forgiveness andno salvation.Some still offer sacrifices to God in an effort to take their guilt away. The do works of service outof a feeling of obligation that has no joy or compassion for others. People sacrifice their time andtalents and money- just because they feel they should – and although they may do it- it is donewith grumbling.God’s word says: “to obey is better than sacrifice” “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” “towalk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us- a fragrant offering and sacrifice toGod” “to do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”God’s commandments show us God’s heart- his character. The purpose He has given them to usis to protect us – and why? Because He loves us. When a parent tells their children not to play ina busy street- it is because they love them and don’t want them to be harmed in anyway. Thesame is true for God and His commandments.The criticism Jesus had of the Pharisees was that although they got pretty good at memorizingand acting out the written law from the outside- it had not made it’s way to their hearts to changethem- and Jesus called them white washed tombs. Contrast that with the Psalmist who wrote:“his delight is in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree plantedby streams of water that yields it’s fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither.”As a member of Cross Fire ’75 that traveled to countries in West Africa that spoke languages wedidn’t understand, we sometimes disciplined ourselves to memorize songs in the local languageor dialect to sing at programs. But that didn’t mean we could speak the language- it only meantwe had learned how to say a few words. God has not called us to simply go through the actions,or learn to say the right words- but to learn God’s language- and speak it fluently to those aroundus who are need of hearing the good news.The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to examine what we believe- don’t you get it? Therefore hesays- because of what Jesus has done for us- we can have confidence to enter the sanctuary bythe blood of Jesus- through the curtain that is his flesh. The people he was writing to would have
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known that the sanctuary was a holy place only priests could go. There was an outer court, andinner court, and the holy of holies- divided by a curtain where only the high priest could go oncea year- but God has torn the curtain apart from top to bottom allowing us to draw close to Godourselves through Jesus.Therefore- knowing that truth made known to us in our hearts and not just our minds- how couldwe possibly be content to live the same way?God calls us- desires us to approach Him- not with fear and guilt- but with a true heart- humbly-knowing we are sinners saved by grace- but with full assurance- knowing we are saved by grace-resting on the promise of God.We come with hearts sprinkled clean- and bodies washed with pure water. Hold fast that truth-that confession without wavering- because he who has promised is faithful. Faith comes fromwalking with and experiencing a faithful God. Our salvation is immediate and complete themoment we believe- but we grow in our faith and assurance as we follow Christ and experiencehis faithfulness first hand.Living that way- it sets us apart- there is a light shining from our eyes- a compassion in ourspeech and touch. There is no longer an apathy towards others because we see them as God seesthem. Paul writing to Timothy said: “God did not give you a spirit of timidity, but a spirit ofpower and love and self-control.”Having said that- I know that even when we are excited to tell others- it can be hard to do. Iwonder why that is. Perhaps it is because we think that we have to do it in a certain way and saycertain words that are not natural for us. But God has made us all with different gifts andpersonalities. We can only honor God by being true to how God has made and use the gifts Godhas given us. God sends us all- the church needs us all to share in our own way. Some may find iteasy to stand on a street corner and boldly proclaim the gospel while others find that animpossible thing to do but have a heart to share the gospel gently and powerfully in the privacyof someone’s home.So then- the writer of Hebrews continues: “let us consider how to provoke one another to loveand good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging oneanother!” In other words- therefore- invite others to church. Tell them about Jesus in your ownwords and personality. I can appreciate the fact that in some ways it is hard to talk to neighborsyou have grown up with and work with about Jesus and invite them to church- but think of it thisway-when you care for someone – you want the best for them- and best we can give them isJesus.The last words of Jesus to the believers before he ascended into heaven was: “all authority inheaven and earth has been given to me- therefore- go-go into the highways and byways and tellothers- where ever you go- share the liberating, exhilarating, transforming good news of thegospel and make disciples- baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of theHoly Ghost.” Amen.
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