Community Lunch

We are thankful to report that we had our third community lunch on Saturday.  About thirty people came and enjoyed wonderful homemade chili, cornbread, and garlic bread.  Plan to join us on January 19th at noon for our next free community lunch!

"The Voice" Sermon: Luke 3:1-6

“The Voice”

[Luke 3:1-6]

December 9, 2012 Second Reformed Church

            Have you ever been in the supermarket when a voice came over the loudspeaker and said, “Attention such and such customers, we want to draw your attention to such and such a product which is on sale today and will be the greatest thing for your life”?  Have you ever been waiting for a train or subway and heard a voice come over the loudspeaker that said, “Attention such and such riders, it is important that we let you know that you wa wa wa wa wa wa wa. Thank you for riding”?

            On this second Sunday of Advent, Luke introduces us to one he identifies as “the voice”– an announcer – someone who has a message that needs to be heard because it points to something important – in fact, it points to Someone important.

            If you have read the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John – you'll notice that each one has a very particular style. You'll notice that each one places different emphases in their chronicling of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And you'll notice that the events are not all recorded in the same order.

            Matthew, Mark, and John were Jewish writers – and in the Jewish style of writing it was more important to make the point then to give a linear – chronological – report of history. Luke was a Greek believer, and for the sake of those – and one, Theophilus, in particular – who were more accustom to the Greek style of linear – chronological – reporting of history, Luke wrote a linear account – the type of historical, chronological account of history that we are used to today in the Western world.

            At the beginning of Luke's Gospel, he announces that this is one of the important and different features of his recording of the history of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:1-4, ESV).

            Luke wrote in a chronological fashion, noting many key events and persons, so that the readers of his Gospel could check the records and be assured of the truth of the Gospel and the events contained in. That is why the first two verses of our text are a list of people:

            “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,”

A person reading this list of names, could put together the historical boundaries of when these events took place – leaving Caesar until last – we know the Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea from 26 A.D. to 37 A.D., Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, Philip was tetrarch of the regions named, and Lysanias was tetrarch from about 4 A.D. to 34 A.D., Annas was high priest from 6 A.D. to 15 A.D., and his grandson, Caiaphas, was high priest from 18 A.D. to 36 A.D.  All of these overlap as far as the ranges of when these people served in government. Luke specifically says “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar” – and we know that Tiberius Caesar reigned from 14 A.D. to 37 A.D.  , so it seems simple enough to add fourteen and fifteen and get 29 A.D. for the introduction of  “the voice.”  There's only one problem: those are the years that Tiberius Caesar ruled as a solo monarch, prior to that, he ruled for a time as co-regent.  We don't know if Luke was referring to the fifteenth year of Tiberius's reign altogether or if he was referring to the fifteenth year of his solo reign.

            Who cares? In a sense it doesn't matter, because we know within a few years – one way or the other – when this occurred. The point that we should notice is that Luke was being very careful to box this event in historically using a number of different political and religious leaders so there would be no doubt that these events happen – they could be traced back and identified within this small window of time.

            After placing the event within this window of time that anyone can go and check – knowing that all of these figures did rule – and we know fairly well when they ruled, Luke turns to telling us about John, the son of Zechariah, also called the Baptist – the older cousin of Jesus:

            “the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.”

            Luke uses the Old Testament phrase “the word of God came” to make it clear to his readers that John is a prophet – the Divine call had come upon John. The role of the prophet was one of receiving the Word of God from God, and then to deliver it to the people. John had been chosen – as the final Old Testament prophet – to deliver the Word of God.

            And as the prophets often did, John came on the scene after a time of preparation – John had spent years in the wilderness preparing for this day. Luke tells us, “And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel” (Luke 1:80, ESV). John had likely been in the wilderness for more than 20 years being prepared by God for this moment.

            The day came when John came out of the wilderness, and Luke tells us, “And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

            When the time was right – when his preparation was finished – John came out of the wilderness, looking and acting very much part of the prophet: “Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey”

(Matthew 3:4, ESV).

            And John went all up and down and around the Jordan River – on both sides – baptizing. And we might wonder about that – why was John baptizing? The fact of the matter is that baptisms were actually common in Judaism: as part of the conversion ritual of a Gentile to Judaism – to faith in the God of Israel, of the Savior that He would send – Gentiles were baptized with water to symbolize their repentance and belief in the God of Israel and His Savior. What is somewhat shocking – what would've been shocking to people at that time – was that John was baptizing Jews. Why was John baptizing Jews?

            Because he was “proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” John was announcing to the Jews that their biological discent from Abraham was not enough to save them. John was preaching that even the Jews had to convert to faith alone in God and the Savior that He would send. And that conversion that he was preaching was one, first. of repentance – of confessing one's sins, asking for forgiveness, and vowing not to sin again. And second, of fruit bearing – those who truly believe in God and the Savior that He would send – those who repented of their sins and turn away from them intending not to commit them again would also bear fruit. That is, they would live lives that showed that they had truly repented – they would fight against temptation and sin less and less, and they would do the good works that God had called them to do. John made it quite clear that it was not just the Gentiles who had to repent and believe in bear fruit to be the children of God, but the Jews, as well.

            And then Luke tells us that John fulfilled prophecy spoken by Isaiah:  “As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,” – again, this is a sign of God's Divine call on John and his ministry.

            “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:”

            Luke tells us that John is “the voice”– he is the one that God sent to make an announcement – and not just any announcement, but the announcement that the Messiah – the Christ – the Savior had come. And this announcement was not just made in a normal tone, but the use of the word “crying” indicates that John was shouting his preaching – he was yelling his message – he was making sure that no one would miss the Word of the God that he has been sent to announce.

            And what was the Word of God that “the voice” was shouting?

            ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’

            First, he tells them to prepare. He tells them “by means of a genuine conversion make it possible for the Lord to make a straight path to your heart with his salvation” [Hendriksen, 203]. He told them that they had an obstacle that needed to be removed – there is no salvation through biology – there is no salvation merely by being a descendent of Abraham. The Lord will only come to those who have made a genuine conversion – those who have repented of their sin, believed in the Savior that God would send, and bear fruit showing that their conversion was real.

            This is nothing new to any of us who truly believe, as Paul wrote:  “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9, ESV). There is no salvation based on who we are or where we go to church or the good works we've done. Salvation only comes to those who truly believe the Gospel – the God came to earth in the person of Jesus, lived a perfect life under God's Law, died for the sins of everyone who would ever believe, and physically rose from the dead – and if that belief is true, then it leads to a changed life – we are not the people that we were born – instead we seek to follow God with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength.

‘Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low,’

Second, John called the people to a true humility that every attitude of pride and arrogance would be removed – and if it is not, when Jesus returns, he will remove it [Hendrikson, 203]. John was not preaching about an architectural change of the landscape, but about a true humbling of the self to the One and Only God. As Moses recorded God's Word in the first two commandments:  “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  You shall have no other gods before me.  You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:2-6, ESV).

John Calvin wrote, “Every one of us is, even from his mother's womb, a master craftsman of idols” [http://www.finestquotes.com/quote_with-keyword-Idols-page-0.htm#ixzz2EU3ELkUN].  And if you doubt that, ask yourself if you have ever sinned. If you have ever sinned, you have placed your will and your desires above God – you have committed idolatry. Even if we don't have little statues in our homes, we place people and things and ideas above God – that is idolatry. And John preached all around the Jordan what God had said from the beginning: He will not tolerate anyone taking His place.

When Jesus returns, anyone who has not thrown away their idols and submitted to Jesus as God and Savior will be forced to acknowledge Him as God and Savior.   As the author of Hebrews noted:  “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet” (Hebrews 10:12-13, ESV).

What are you holding onto today? What are you telling God, “not now,” “not yet.” ”You just don't understand,” “that was then and this is now,” “I'll do what I want”? Whatever is not in line with God's Character and God's Will must end.

Similarly, John continues, ‘and the crooked shall become straight,’ “sly, perverse, deceitful habits must be and will be broken” [Hendriksen, 203]. Lord willing, we'll see John address some of those habits in next week's text.

But just as a preview – there are other sins besides idolatry:  We can be disrespectful of our parents in life and after their death – and that is sin. We are to respect our parents as our parents even if we haven't always agreed with them – even if they are non-Christians – we are to show them respect as being parents.

We are not to murder – and that includes not hating or abusing people or being angry with them unrighteously. Instead, we are called to love our neighbor – and that means to do everything we can for them – especially in making sure that they hear the Gospel truly proclaimed.

We are not to commit adultery – and not does not merely mean having sexual relations with someone who is not your husband or wife – adultery is found in lewd and sinful thoughts about other people – in treating people as objects rather than those created in the Image of God – it's hard to turn on the Internet without easy access to adultery. Instead, we are to show our belief in the value and the purpose of the marriage relationship, and we are to show respect for other people in treating them as being bearers of the Image of God – we ought to look for God reflected in people rather than obsessing about their parts.

We are not to steal – not does not merely mean that we are not to steal high-end things. The people who have walked out of this church without paying for things on the Women's Association table without permission have stolen. Whoever is pocketing the toilet paper has stolen. If you take pens or paperclips are thumbtacks home which you have not been given to you, you have stolen.  You have stolen if you “sample” food in the supermarket that is not on the sampling table. If you take anything that you have not been given permission to take – or that you have not bought – you have stolen – and that includes stealing people's ideas, art, anything that does not truly belong to you. And when we do that we are telling God that we are not satisfied – that He hasn't given us enough. Instead, we are to work at whatever job we can work – or, if we are retired and can live off of our retirement income and savings, we are to do that – and we are to be satisfied with what God has given us.

We are not to bear false witness against our neighbor – and that's not just a matter of the courts. We are not to say things or suggest things about other people that are not true. We are not to gossip and spread rumors and hint about things which are not true. We are not to purposefully say things in such a way that other people get the wrong idea about others. Instead, we are to do everything we can to promote what is true about our neighbor – about other people – that they might be better for it.

We are not to covet something that belongs to someone else. We don't use the word “covet” very much – it's stronger than lusting for something and it's a step below actually stealing. Coveting is seen what someone else has something and you say in your heart that you believe that you deserve it more than they do. If you look at someone and disparage them and say in your heart, “They don't deserve that car, that job, that family, that income” – whatever – “but I do” – that is coveting. To make the crooked roads straight, we ought instead to encourage each other to use the blessings that God has given us wisely and to be thankful for all of the blessings that God has given to each of us.

‘and the rough places shall become level ways,’

Fourth, “the voice” – John the Baptist – called people to “genuine interest and accessibility” [Hendriksen 203]. The people of God are called to put away ”indifference, unconcern, and waywardness” [Hendrikson, 203]. Paul describes the church – all believers – as a body – not a business. Through Christ we are interconnected – all the parts of the body are necessary.

It may well be that there are people in this congregation who wish that parts of their bodies’ were different – that they would change; I know there are parts of my body that I would like to change. And there may be people in this congregation that you wish were different – and there may be people in this congregation that wish you were different. I certainly hope I am changing and becoming more into the Image of Christ, and I hope you are changing and becoming more into the Image of Christ.

As I've said many times before: there is no call in the Scripture for us to like each other all the same – not all of us have to be best friends. However, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we must love one another and work to smooth out those rough patches in love.

 ‘and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

            John – “the voice” – concludes this part of his message by announcing that all flesh – Jews and Gentiles and all people throughout time and space will see the Salvation of God Who is Jesus. He concludes by saying that all types of people – not merely the Jews – will hear the Word of God preached – announced – shouted, and all types of people will truly repent and believe in their heart confessing Jesus is God and Savior, repenting their sin – turning away from it, and bearing fruit – good works – which prove true belief along with their verbal confession.

            As we remember John the Baptist coming out of the wilderness – taking his place as “the voice” – announcing that now is the time of repentance – now is the time to ask for forgiveness and to turn around and to do what is right in God's sight – and to live lives of obedience and faith, where are you this morning?

            Have you heard “the voice,” and said, “who cares”? Have you heard “the voice” and said, “it's not for me”? Have you heard “the voice” and said, “I'm too far gone”?

            Not long after John journeyed out of the wilderness, he was arrested, and “Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14b-15, ESV).

            How have you answered “the voice” crying in the wilderness?

Let us pray:

Almighty and Merciful God, You could have blotted humans off the face of the earth after our first sin, but You chose to send Your Only Begotten Son to save all those who would ever believe. The prophets spoke and told of His Coming, and John announced that He is here. There are many here who have not believed in their hearts in You and we ask that You would change their hearts and cause them to believe to confess with their mouths that Jesus is God the Savior. For those of us who have repented and believed, we ask that You would continue to change us, and make us into the Image of Your Son – may the paths be straight, the valleys filled, the mountains made low, and the rough places level, and fill us with joy as we look with great expectation to the day when all flesh shall see the Salvation of our God. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

"The Apostle's Creed" Study

We will, D.V., conitnue our study this evening at 7 PM.  Please join us.

"Look at the Fig Tree" Sermon: Luke 21:25-36

“Look at the Fig Tree”

[Luke 21:25-36]

December 2, 2012 Second Reformed Church

            After Jesus watched the poor widow put her offering in the offering box and explained to His disciples that she had given more than all the others combined, Jesus and the disciples walked outside of the Temple, and Jesus said that there would be a day when not one stone of the Temple would rest upon another. And the disciples asked when that day would be – and what the signs of Jesus' Second Coming would be.

            This morning's text comes in the midst of the answer that Jesus gave to them – an answer which many have speculated on given the specific item of the Temple being destroyed and then the general items of war, hatred, and cosmic upheaval described.

            The mistake many well-meaning Christians, heretics, and cult leaders have made in this is in forgetting that Jesus said that He would not – could not – give the date of His Return. Jesus said, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36, ESV).

            Jesus largely gave them generalities – there is no way that anyone can calculate Jesus' Return from the Bible – only that He will return. And so we wonder what the point of all of this is – why did Jesus say all these things if they would not be helpful in pointing to an exact date?

            “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

            The first thing that we see in this morning’s Scripture is that Jesus said that in the time before He returns, the Creation will react violently – the heavens will be shaken. And that is been happening since the Garden. When God meted out punishment on our first parents, God said to Adam,        “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field” (Genesis 3:17-18, ESV).

And Paul wrote, “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Romans 8:19-22, ESV).

Jesus’ point in reminding them of the instability of the Creation was to remind them of the reason for the Creation being unstable – that is: our sin. When Jesus talked about these generalities about the change and the destruction and the falling apart of the created order He was not talking about a single event, but something that will progress until the end. He was telling the disciples – and us – to open our eyes and look at the destruction our sin has and continues to cause throughout the Creation.

In the beginning, God gave humanity the charge of dominion over the Creation – He gave us the responsibility to steward – to care – for it. With the exception of, perhaps, major weather events, do we ever look at the Creation? Do we watch it? Do we ever notice that something is wrong? Have we ever looked at the trouble of Creation, and considered it, as one commentator put it, “a tribunal of judgment until the end “? Does it ever inspire us to point to the Creation and tell others it is wrong – broken – and to tell them the Only Way to be right?

During Hurricane Sandy, there were undoubtedly people who claimed that the hurricane hit us because of this person or that person's sin. There were undoubtedly people who said that this is an obvious sign of the near arrival of Christ. Did the hurricane make us think of the Gospel and the need to tell others?

Jesus does say something specific in our reading: when the suffering of the Creation is completed, Jesus – the Son of Man will come in the clouds with great power and glory – and the whole world will see Him at once. As Jesus said, “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27, ESV).

Last week we saw that Daniel wrote: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.  And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14, ESV).  When Jesus returns, everyone will know His Return, and everyone will know that everything is His.

He did not say that to scare those of us who do believe in Him – all we would do believe in the Gospel – in Jesus Alone for salvation – will be received by Him in the Kingdom and that is why Jesus tells them that when they see Him – when we believers see Him – coming through the clouds – our redemption will be drawing near.

Purification and the restoration of the Creation – which will terrify the rest of the world, as they see Jesus return – will be an assurance to us. It will be the true perfect complete redemption of the people of God – the elect that He has chosen.

And He tells them to look ready – to straighten up – to raise their heads –to stand proud for the sake of the Gospel when they begin to see these things happening in the world – as they recognize that these things are happening due to sin and the Only Hope is Jesus Christ – we must stand up and not only take notice but be noticed the sake of the Gospel.

            “And he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.’”

            Until that day, Jesus told them to watch – and He told them a parable – He told them to look at the fig tree – and to look at all the trees. When the trees have leaves on, you know that summer is near. Likewise, Jesus told them, when they see all the different things that He talked about – wars, rumors of wars, disturbances in the Creation – then they – and we will know that the Kingdom of God is near.

            How does that help?

            In this parable, Jesus is encouraging the Church. During the winter, trees are stiff – their sap has been sucked in, the leaves have fallen off, and their energy is being stored for the coming of summer. When spring arrives, the sap and the nutrients flow again into the tree branches and they become more flexible, and they produce leaves and grow. Jesus knew that great tribulation was coming upon the Church and that the Church was weak and frail, like a tree just beginning to bloom with leaves. But He wanted to encourage them – and all we who follow after them – that the weakness and frailty of the Church is not a sign of failure – because our strength is in Jesus Alone. We will endure through the tribulation, as Paul wrote:  “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16, ESV). Even though we are weak and subject to the ravages of tribulation, in the end our strength is in Christ Alone, and He is renewing us, day by day, and will raise us up indestructible.

            Since the great tribulation began under the Jews and the Romans – and as it continues today throughout the world – though not as visibly in the United States – the Church is brutalized and bloodied and even driven underground. But that is not a sign of the end of the Church– that is a sign that redemption is drawing near!

            And then Jesus told them that this generation will not pass away until all these things take place and He guarantees this promise by saying that heaven and earth will pass away but His Words will never pass away – because He is God – so He cannot lie – and He cannot change.

How are we to understand the phrase, “this generation”?  Was Jesus promising this to the people that He was standing with – that they would not die until they saw all these things? Was Jesus talking about the Jews – that the Jews would not disappear from the earth until all these things came to pass? Or did He mean that humanity would not pass from the face of the earth until all these things came to pass? Or did He mean something else?

One option that we can put aside is that the first century disciples of Jesus lived to see His Second Coming: Jesus has not returned yet, and there is no reason to believe that these several hundred disciples – now over 2000 years old – are living somewhere in the world.

We do know, also, that some of the things that Jesus prophesied did come to pass in the first century: in 70 A.D. Jerusalem was destroyed – the Temple was destroyed – and Israel became a virtual desert. That much of the signs were seen by that first generation – perhaps by all of those to whom Jesus was speaking.

But consider the parable He told – look at the fig tree – when the leaves appear summer is near. In the context of the parable, it seems that Jesus is saying that this generation will not pass away until the signs of the nearness of the coming of the Kingdom came to pass. If we look at the phrase in the context of the parable, then we can interpret it as being about those very people to whom Jesus spoke, because they did see Jesus put to death, physically rise from the dead, and initiate His Kingdom on earth – not to mention the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and even all of Israel.

Of course, the fullness of the promise – of Jesus’ coming again – and the Kingdom coming in all its fullness has not come to pass. And so we are called today – to watch – to look for the signs – not to guess the date, but to recognize the signs of the progression of the Kingdom and to be ready whenever Jesus returns.

How do we do that?

            “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

            Jesus told them – and He tells us – not to be satisfied by being numbed with the narcotics of the world – by overloading our senses. Whatever it is that you or I choose to use to escape will never work – Augur wrote, “The leech has two daughters:  Give and Give.  Three things are never satisfied; four never say, ‘Enough’:  Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, ‘Enough’” (Proverbs 30:15-16, ESV). We cannot be fully satisfied with the things of this world because all of them are affected by sin – they are all corrupted – they will all weigh us down.

            Instead Jesus tells us to look – to watch – to meditate – that is to think intensely and try to understand what the heavenly life is. We are to spend our time fixated on the Kingdom that is coming – if we would only take time to look and see the leaves blooming. We ought to be spending time in prayer asking that God's Kingdom would come – that He would return – that we would find comfort in seeing the corruption of the world knowing that it will not always be this way – not merely that we would escape from the trials and tribulations around us but that we would see our God and Savior and that He would be glorified in fulfilling His Will for humanity.

We don't have time to sit back and ignore the signs before us – neither do we have time to point to signs that aren't there…

            As we begin this Advent, let us remember what Jesus told the disciples:

            This world has been corrupted by sin – the whole Creation has been corrupted by sin – and it's only when we understand the bad news – truly understand the bad news – that we can understand and perceive – by the Grace of God – the Good News that the little Baby that came that first Christmas was God Himself in the flesh.

            Sin has been conquered by God in the person of Jesus by His living a righteous life and by dying for all of the sins of everyone who would ever believe, physically rising from the dead, and – one day – returning in great power and glory – bringing the fullness of the Kingdom with Him in the fullness of our redemption – the restoration of Creation and the resurrection of our bodies.

            While we are living on this Earth, we need to recognize the signs, and we must be able to show them to others that they would be able to understand the Gospel – the Only Hope for any human. Corruption is among us – but so is the breaking in of the Kingdom – and we can point to it by telling others the Gospel.

            And we need to take courage – especially in the difficult days – knowing that our salvation is assured, the Kingdom is coming, Jesus is returning – we have every reason to hope and not give up.

            And lastly, we need to be on guard – we need to be alert – we need to watch out. It is so easy to give up – to give in – to think that what we do and what we believe doesn't matter. But our God and Savior has called us – as His sons and daughters – to know what He has said, to believe what He has said, to obey what He has said, and to be ready to stand – because the Son of Man is coming – just look at the fig tree.

            Let us pray:

            Almighty God, we are so easily caught up in controversies about signs and symbols and how to interpret prophecy, but we neglect the clear Word of Your Scripture. We try to complicate Your Word into some secret code, when You have told us to just open our eyes – to see what is real – to see sin, to repent of it, to hate it, to run from temptation, to stay focused on Your Kingdom, on Your Word, and on Your Second Coming. Lord, open our eyes that we would see as You see – that we would see the inbreaking of Your Kingdom amidst this fallen world and long for it. Keep us from being bogged down with things that lead us into sin and with things that do not matter. Make our mouths open – filled with the Gospel – to Your Glory. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen.

December Sermons

D.V., this month I will preach as follows:

12/2/12 Advent 1
  Luke 21:25-36    “Look at the Fig Tree”

12/9/12 Advent 2

  Luke 3:1-6  “The Voice”

12/16/12 Advent 3

 Luke 3:7-18  “What Shall We Do?”

 

12/23/12 Advent 4

 Luke 1:39-55  “Mary’s Song”
 

12/24/12 Christmas Eve 7 PM

  Luke 2:1-20  “The Birth”

12/30/12

  John 1:1-18  “The Word”

Join us for worship at 10:30 AM on Sunday -- except as noted.

"The Son of Man" Sermon: Daniel 7:9-14

“The Son of Man”

[Daniel 7:9-14]

November 25, 2012 Second Reformed Church

            Today is Christ the King Sunday, and, I believe, for the first time, I was asked this week why this is Christ the King Sunday – after all, isn’t Christ the King and Sovereign over all of Creation all the time?  Why is this day – the Sunday before Advent considered – specially – as Christ the King Sunday?

            I thought that was a worthy question and looked it up:  in 1925, Pope Pius XI instituted Christ the King Sunday as the Sunday before Advent because he was concerned that – especially after WWI –  people were not remembering that Jesus is the King and Sovereign over everything that happens in history.  Pope Pius XI instituted the day to remind people of three things:  first, the Church is to be free of interference from the state, second, the nations are to respect the teachings of the Church, and third, the faithful are to remember and seek to see Christ reign in their heart, soul, mind, and body.

            And we might question this celebration, because we are not a Roman Catholic Church – which is true – we are a Protestant Church, but the fact of the matter is that Pope Pius XI was right on this point:  Jesus is the Sovereign Ruler and King of the Creation, and we need to remember that and seek to live under His Reign in all aspects of our lives.

            And so we look at this fact, as we turn to the book of Daniel, and specially, part of one of his visions in the seventh chapter of Daniel.  Daniel was one of the young, intelligent, possibly upper class people brought into Babylon during the Babylonian exile.  And we are told at the beginning of the seventh chapter of Daniel, that this vision took place during the first year of the reign of Belshazzar – which would have been about 553 BC – not long before the Persian conquest of the Babylonian Empire and the return of the remnant to Israel.

            As the vision begins, God tells Daniel to encourage the people, because four kingdoms would arise after the Babylonians, and then ten after the four, and then one which would strike down three of the ten.  We are not going to spend time on which kingdoms these were, except to say that the Reformed understanding is that the final kingdom – and its splinter kingdoms – were the Roman Empire.

            This has been the story and the promise from the beginning:  God told the serpent in the Garden, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15, ESV).  From the beginning – believers – the Church – would be at war with the forces of evil in all their varieties – human, animal, and supernatural.

            David noted:  “The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;” (Psalm 37:14, ESV).  All evil and violence that comes against true believers in God and His Savior come because those who do not believe and worship God hate Him and all those who follow Him.

            Paul explained:  “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV).  Evil is real and we – as believers – as the Church – are called to fight against it – by following God – by becoming more like Jesus – until He returns to restore the Creation.

            We are not called to create a militia – we are not called to take up the weapons of this world to kill what we perceive to be evil in the flesh, but we are called to follow our King and Savior in all He has called us to do and be, and the Holy Spirit will work through us to the Glory of God.  As Paul wrote – quoting Jesus, “To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head’ (Romans 12:20, ESV).

            So, let us note, first, this morning, that the Church is to be militant – we are to fight against all those things which oppose God in the world – and in ourselves, as we seek to kill off the last vestiges of sin in ourselves, but we are called to fight God’s way – acknowledging and clinging to the hope that we have that the work is finished through Jesus and the war is won.

            After seeing the kingdoms that would come forth in history – the kingdoms that would oppress believers in the Gospel of God – God revealed something else to Daniel – a message of hope:

            “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool;          his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.  A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.”

            Daniel saw a vision of God seated on a throne – symbolizing His Authority and Power over all Creation.  He was pure white in clothing and visage – symbolizing His Holiness.  And fire came out from before Him – symbolizing purity in Himself and in the work that He is doing.  God is purifying the world and will bring it to pure holiness and purity on the last day.

            And all the holy angels and the creatures of heaven – all those who have served God in holy obedience from the beginning, stood before Him – as they do now – and worshipped Him.  And then the court sat in judgment on the world, and God opened the books to judge.

            Understand, the book is symbolic of God keeping a record – that God does not miss anything – that God’s Knowledge is complete and perfect about everything and everyone that ever is and will be.  God does not have a bad memory, such that He would need notes, but He has proof of all that He says and does, so that His Judgment is Righteous and True.  God does not make mistakes, and God will not let one stray sin escape His Judgment.

            The prophet, Micaiah echoed Daniel when he said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left;” (1 Kings 22:19, ESV).

            And John, in the book of Revelation – which is a collection of visions, symbolizing both the persecution of the Church – which we will not escape – and the Great Hope we have in our Holy God:  “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done” (Revelation 20:11-12, ESV).

            Daniel’s vision continued as those who hate God, symbolized by the final horn, continued to object and blaspheme God:  “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.”

            And so, Daniel emphasized the hope to the captives – the enemies of God will not win out – God is victorious over His enemies.  But the victory will come in stages.  God will bring about His Glory and His Victory over all sin and evil in His Time.  So, yes, believers – the Church – will continue to suffer in many ways until the end, but we are to stand strong in the Hope that we have – that when the end comes – there will be no question of Who the Victor is.  We are called to endure patiently through this life and look to God Alone through Christ Alone for our Hope that God in the Person of Truth has done everything necessary to save everyone who will ever believe in Him and to deliver them into His Glorious Kingdom for all of eternity.

            Paul wrote about this time: “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24, ESV).

            And John likewise wrote, “The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth” (Revelation 11:18, ESV).

            And so, the second thing we should note this morning is that the Church – all believers through time and space – will be triumphant to the endless ages of eternity.  How?

            Daniel’s vision continued:  “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.  And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages           should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

            Jesus’ favorite way of speaking of Himself was the title, “Son of Man.”  And we might wonder about that:  why didn’t Jesus just come out and say that He is God the Messiah, the King?  Why did Jesus use the title, “Son of Man”?

            One reason He called Himself “Son of Man” was to acknowledge – to make sure everyone understood that He is a real human being.  Jesus had to be a real human being in order to live under God’s Law as a human being – and secure righteousness for us – and He had to be a real human being to take our place under God’s Judgment and Wrath for the sins of everyone who would ever believe.

            Jesus knew that Levitical Sacrificial System and its animals could not rightly and fully take the place of a human – as we have seen in our look at the book of Hebrews.  He also knew that some of the main heresies that would come into the Church would be those which denied that He is a real human being.

            Yet, as we see in Daniel’s vision:  the Son of Man is not merely a human being – He is the One to Whom God gave Glory and the Kingdom – the Everlasting Kingdom which can never end or be defeated, as all the merely earthly kingdoms would be crushed by God.  He is the One to Whom God said all peoples, nations, languages would worship.  He is the One Who would sit on His father, David’s, throne for all of eternity and rule over all of Creation.

            As Paul wrote:  “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11, ESV).

            And, “for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’  So then each of us will give an account of himself to God”         

(Romans 14:11-12, ESV).

            So, Jesus, the Son of Man, is also the Almighty God.

            Jesus did not come – the first time – blazing His Divinity to the world, but came quietly.  Yet, there were times when He revealed Himself and acknowledged that He is, indeed, the Almighty God.

            When Jesus was on trial and asked if He was the Christ – the Messiah – the Savior – God Incarnate, “Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven’” (Matthew 26:64, ESV).  And let us understand, the phrase “you have said so” is an expression which means, “You’re right – you hit the nail on the head – that is exactly Who I am.”

            And John confirms that He is not merely the Son of Man, but the judge of humanity:  “And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man” (John 5:27, ESV).  Because Jesus is the God-Man, God Incarnate, He has the authority – the right – as the Promised Savior – to judge every human being.

            Jesus, Himself, confessed:  “since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:2-5, ESV).

            And so we see, third, that the Church is triumphant because Jesus is the Triumphant Son of Man, the Almighty God, Who lived and died for all those Who would ever believe.  That is our hope, and He is our comfort as we look forward to His Return.

            John wrote of Jesus’ Return – which will not be a joy for everyone:

            “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand” (Revelation 14:14, ESV).  Jesus will not return as a helpless baby, but as the Warrior King – Christ the King – the Son of Man.

            “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4, ESV).

            For all we who believe in Jesus Alone for salvation, the return of our King will be a day of joy – all evil and sin will be banished from His and our presence.  Our fighting against sin and evil in the world and in our selves will end, and we will enter into His Kingdom, and hear these words:  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 25:34, ESV).

            “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel’” (Matthew 19:28, ESV).

            “’Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever’” (Revelation 11:15, ESV).

            As long as we live on this earth and before Jesus, our King, the Son of Man returns, we have to keep fighting by spreading the Gospel and following Him in faith and obedience.  We must run from temptation and confess our sin and rely on God the Holy Spirit Who lives in us to continue forward until Jesus returns for us.

            And we do so filled with hope, knowing that the Church is triumphant to the endless ages of eternity – in through the gates of His Kingdom fully come.  Because God came to earth in the Person of Jesus, the Son of Man, lived a perfect life under God’s Law, died for the sins of everyone who would ever believe, and physically rose from the dead, after which He ascended back to His Throne and reigns King of Kings and Lord of Lords over all of Creation, forever and ever.  

            As we soon enter the Advent season, we remember these words summarizing the Scripture from the “Hallelujah Chorus”:

“For the lord God omnipotent reigneth (Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah) Hallelujah

            “The kingdom of this world; is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ and of His Christ

            “And He shall reign for ever and ever And he shall reign forever and ever

“And he shall reign forever and ever And he shall reign forever and ever

“King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah and lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah.”

Let us pray:

Almighty King and Son of Man, we rejoice and give thanks knowing that You are God and Sovereign over everything that is.  Strengthen us as we continue to fight in Your Name to become more like You and to spread Your Holy Gospel.  Give us the grace we need through the Sacrament we shall receive.  Assure us that You are victorious, so we shall be victorious, and our future with You in the Kingdom is Hallelujah and Amen.  For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

"The Apostle's Creed" Study

Due to people's varying plans for this holiday week, we will not have our Tuesday evening study this evening.  We hope to continue our study next Tuesday, Novemeber 27th.  Join us then at 7 PM.

"Hannah's Thanksgiving" Sermon: I Samuel 2:1-10

“Hannah’s Thanksgiving”

[I Samuel 2:1-10]

November 18, 2012 Second Reformed Church

            This is Thanksgiving Sunday, and we are looking back about three thousand years in history to an event – a thanksgiving – that occurred by a certain women named Hannah. 

Now, there was a man from Ephraim named Elkanah, and he had two wives:  Hannah and Peninnah.  Elkanah had several children by Peninnah, but Hannah was barren, and Peninnah took every opportunity to rub that fact in Hannah’s face.

Elkanah loved Hannah, and though he provided for Peninnah and her children by him, he gave a double portion to Hannah, which made Peninnah all the more bitter and vicious towards Hannah.

Elkanah was a righteous man and went to offer up sacrifices at Shiloh once a year.  And one year, Hannah broke down in the Temple and cried with great abandon and mouthed the words of her prayer to the Lord asking that He grant her a son.  And she promised that if a son were born to her, she would give the son to the Lord and to the work of the Temple under the high priest, Eli.

The Lord honored her prayer and she became pregnant and bore the prophet, Samuel.  When the baby was weaned, she brought him to the Temple at Shiloh and presented him to Eli, and prayed the prayer of thanksgiving that we read this morning.

            And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.”

            Notice first that Hannah gives thanks to God because He has lifted up her heart, He lifted up her strength, and He gave her salvation.

            Hannah recognized that the work which was done in her – in bearing Samuel the prophet – was the work of God – God opened her womb and caused her to bear, through the love of Elkanah, a son.  She recognized that God was her strength – not beating out Peninnah in bearing children, but in being the servant of God in His Time and according to His Will.  And she recognized that salvation is the Gift of God, as He wills to give it.  And because all these things are true, she spoke of her enemies with contempt and joy.

            And we might scrunch up our faces at that and wonder – she joyfully looked on her enemies with contempt because of these things?  Was she sinning?  No.

            Hannah submitted to the Sovereignty of God, acknowledging that everything that happened to her – and especially the answering of her prayer for a son – was in the Providence and Wisdom of God.  She humbly submitted herself to God’s Will and rejoiced in Him, looking on all those who oppose God and His Will with contempt.

            Hannah gives a living example of rejoicing in God’s Will and hating what God hates.  Likewise, as we rejoice in God and His Will – and all things about God – Who He is – His Attributes – we are to despise sin – all those things which are against God’s Will and all those things which neglect to follow God’s Will.

            We are called to rejoice in Who God is and what He has done and those who are obedient and faithful in following Him.  As we pray, “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10b, ESV).  We are to rejoice and give thanks to God as we see His Will done – like the creatures of Heaven – who in perfect obedience – follow God.  We are to rejoice as we see God – in His Grace and Mercy – call the elect and cause them to believe and follow Him in faithful obedience – and we are to rejoice as we see God meet out justice and strike down all those things which oppose Him.

            And again, we may be scrunching up our faces at giving thanks for God’s Justice and crushing sin and evil and death and all those who oppose Him.  Yet, Jesus quoted David, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’?

(Matthew 22:44, ESV).  And Paul encouraged the Romans as he wrote:  “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (Romans 16:20, ESV).

            We can understand hating sin, but not hating the sinner.  We say, “Hate the sin and love the sinner.”  And that is true to the extent that we cannot see the heart – we have no idea who the elect of God are and what God has chosen to do with any individual person.  It is possible – for example – if Hitler repented and believed in Jesus Alone for salvation before he died – he will be in the Kingdom.  Only God knows the heart of the individual and a person’s state of belief and faith at death.  We know that only those who believe the Gospel will be saved – justified – made right with God.  We know what God has called sin, but we cannot – with surety – say any specific person is in Hell (except those God names in the Scripture).

            The point here is not that Hannah was rejoicing in the condemnation of any specific person – though we likely jump to Peninnah who had been so cruel to Hannah – but that – in the Kingdom, we will be able to rejoice in God’s Justice as He punishes those who die in a reprobate state.  Somehow, we will be able to know that myriads of people are suffering eternal Hell and rejoice because that suffering proves the Holy Justice of God.

            Second, Hannah gives thanks to God because God Alone is Holy:   “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.  Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.”

            The Name of the Lord Alone is to be hallowed.  We pray:  “hallowed be your name”

(Matthew 6:9b, ESV).

            The Heidelberg Catechism (cf. Q&A 122) explains that this means that we are to rightly recognize – understand – Who God is.  We are to look to the Scripture and understand the God Who is.  And as we rightly understand Who He is, we are to respond by glorifying God – by showing Who He is to the world – pointing out the Sovereign Beauty of the One Holy God.  We are to present Who He is – and especially the Gospel of Jesus Christ – that the world would hear and believe – according to the Providence of God – that His Power and Mercy and Goodness and Justice and Truth would be clearly displayed throughout the world – through history – and in individual lives.

            Secondly, it means that we are to change ourselves – that – in everything we do – we do not blaspheme the Name of God – we do not bring shame or dishonor or disrepute to the God Who has granted us salvation, but, instead, that we would do everything with the end that people would look at us and give praise to God for Who He is – because – ultimately – life and death and salvation are primarily about God and Who He is – not about us.  God has chosen us to present the Gospel to the world, because it can be seen clearly through us and in us, because its holiness and purity shines out distinctly from our partly sanctified selves.

            Hannah continues confessing in thanksgiving that her security is in this Holy God because He is strength personified and unchanging.  James reminds us:  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change”  (James 1:17, ESV).  We can trust and hope in Him because He cannot change – there is no other God like Him – He is the strength and security of our salvation forever.

            Therefore, she tells those who do not believe to watch what they say – literally, the text says “don’t let words fly out of your mouth like a swarm of locusts.”  Watch what you say – especially if you don’t believe, because God is coming as judge – the God of Knowledge – Who will judge our works – including everything we have said.  (For the believer – for the Christian – this judgment is not about salvation – our salvation is through Jesus Alone – through what He did – but there is a judgment of all yet to come – and those who do not believe will have not an excuse – no salvation – from what they have said – especially as they have blasphemed the Holy Spirit by not believing in Jesus Alone for salvation.)

            Third, Hannah gives thanks to God because He is the God Who does as He wills with all of Creation:  with kings and kingdoms – the God Who gives strength to those who are – literally – “stumbling to ruin.”

“The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength.  Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.  The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.  The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.  The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.  He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.  For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and on them he has set the world.”

We know this text is not merely about Hannah and her situation.  She did not bear seven children, but six.  She did not become wealthy.  And so forth.  This is a picture of how God moves the world and its people to accomplish His Will.

As Nebuchadnezzar – king of  the Babylonian Empire – confessed, “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:34-35, ESV).

And Paul reminded the Romans:  “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment” (Romans 13:1-2, ESV).

Our God is not a god who created and walked away to allow whatever happens to happen.  Our God is the God Who is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives.  He set our leaders in place – no one has ever held a position of authority that God did not put there – for our good or our ill – according to His Providence.  The outcome of every election, every war, and every interpersonal relationship was planned out by God from the beginning.

God choses the life we will have – the life by which He has chosen to bring glory to Himself – and that we might see Him and give thanks to Him and rely on Him through our lives.  You and I are not where we are and what we are by accident – God – the Loving Father of all those who believe has put you were you are for a purpose. 

Last week we looked at the idea of stewardship – how are we using all that God has given to us to glorify Him?  Do you have joy in your life?  Notice I didn’t ask if you are happy – there are many reasons not to be happy every day – but are you joyful?  Does God and the knowledge of Him and the fact that He is intimately involved with every moment and every action in your life give you joy that leads to thanksgiving to God?

This same God is the God of life and death – no one can be born and no one can die and no one can raise from the dead except the Word come from the Mouth of God.  Two weeks ago we looked at the raising of Lazarus, and we saw that Martha believed in the resurrection that will come at the end of days before the restoration of the world.  But she missed the point of Who Jesus is:  and He told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,” (John 11:25, ESV).  Life and death and resurrection are not merely events – they are a Person.  God Incarnate, Jesus, is the Resurrection and the Life – by Him Alone does a person enter life, die, and will be raised.  Again, Paul writes, “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:50-52, ESV).

This same God lifts up the broken, the repentant, the helpless, and gives them a seat of honor, because everything is God’s.  Abraham Kuyper once said, “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'"  If you are His son or daughter – that is a reason to give thanks, is it not?  That our Father and our Savior is Lord and Owner of all?

Fourth, Hannah gave thanks because God Alone is Savior:  “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.  The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven.  The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

We have a saying, “God is the Father of all humankind” – that’s not true.  God is the God and Creator of all humankind, but He is only Father and Savior to those Who believe in Him Alone for salvation – in the Savior that He sent to save us from the Wrath of God.

God guards the feet of His faithful ones – God will not allow one of those He has elected to be His be lost.  Jesus – praying to His Father and the Father of all those who believe in Him Alone for salvation prayed, “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12, ESV).  If God has saved you through faith in Jesus Alone, nothing you ever do can make Him lose you – He has paid the debt for all of your sins and credited you with His Righteousness, so you can come before the Father boldly – as a child.

Those who never believe – those who have fooled themselves about what they believe – God will cast them into outer darkness.  Jesus – referring to those who put their faith in their biological heritage as Jews – said, “I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:11-12, ESV).  Jesus used the expression “outer darkness” again and again – those who do not believe in Him Alone for salvation will be cast into a place of eternal suffering – there are a number of images used for it – but, in the end, it means a place where they will suffer in body and mind and heart and soul for all of eternity – because they blasphemed the Holy Spirit by not believing in the Savior God sent.

We are to preach the Gospel in thanks for our salvation – and everyone that God intended throughout time and space to believe will believe.  But the others will not – and those, God will take vengeance upon.  Hannah reminds us that God will take their bodies and smash them to pieces and thunder through them in eternal torment.

God will judge and welcome His sons and daughters into His Kingdom forever – not based on anything we did or did not do, but solely on the merits of Jesus.  But those who choose to go their own way, God will not recognize them – and He will cast them out.

Hannah’s thanksgiving for Samuel ends with the promise that God “will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed.”  And certainly we can see God working through the people that God sets up in power to rule on the earth.  But Hannah is seeing even further than mere human leaders to God’s King – to God’s Anointed – to the Messiah – the Christ.

Hannah believed and looked forward in thanks to the day when the promised Savior – the Anointed King of God – would come to earth.  This King would come about a thousand years later and reveal His Glory and Power in a way that caused many to believe – and still causes many to believe.

But, as we acknowledge as we receive the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – He is coming back with the veil fully pulled back and the rod of the King in His Hand to judge the world. “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:30-31, ESV).

Hannah’s thanksgiving for the gift of her son reminds us of many reasons to be thankful:

Our salvation is from God Alone – we don’t – and can’t – earn salvation – it is the Gift of God.

God is the One Holy God – and we are called to point to His Holiness.

God is the Sovereign Ruler, Owner, and Creator of all – and if we are His, we can trust Him to provide for all of our needs, and we can trust Him enough to steward everything He gives us.

God’s Gift of salvation cannot be lost – because God earns it Himself and gives it to whomever He will.

God’s Justice will come to all of Creation – for the joy of some and the terror of others.

God is Jesus Christ, Who does not condemn us, but saves us by His Mighty Right Arm.

As Paul wrote, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31-39, ESV).

What are you thankful for?

Let us pray: 

To You, O Lord, we give thanks:  for life, for salvation, for being God, for all the ways in which You have revealed Yourself to us, and especially through You Son.  Make us truly thankful, and may our thanks be first and foremost to You and for You.  For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.