Category: “Live Like You’ll Live Forever” series

Live While Watchfully Waiting

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(Mark 13:26-37)

While it may make the productivity proponents among us cringe to hear it, there are areas of life in which complacency or indifference isn’t really the end of the world. Deciding where to eat on date night is not a life or death decision – food will be consumed regardless of where it will be. This or that color of paint on the wall will not result in visitors black-listing your home due to poor color choices. The dirty dishes washed before bed or first thing in the morning are still getting washed. It’s pretty harmless to be indifferent or complacent about these kinds of things. 

But that same approach doesn’t work if you’re planning a trip when there are only so many flights on the date or around the time you need to travel. Complacency may result in pretty significant changes to your travel plans or itinerary. The same attitude about a job opening could easily result in someone else jumping on it and getting hired before you. Indifference toward your retirement plans may find you without any actual plan when the time comes, leaving you working right up until the day you die. So there are also areas in life when being indifferent or complacent can leave you reeling.  

If you’re picking up what Jesus is laying down in these verses from Mark 13, one of the areas of life where indifference is not an option is being ready for Jesus’ return on the Last Day. Yes, some of you have been hearing this type of warning for as long as you can remember, having grown up in the church and being used to the ongoing warnings to make sure you’re ready for the last day when Jesus returns. With each passing year, and then decade, it becomes easier and easier to tune out, because Jesus still hasn’t returned.

Of course, this underscores precisely why Jesus gives the warning! He knows that the more time passes as he is patiently waiting for more of the spiritual lost to come to repentance, the more inclined we are toward indifference. So all the more reason – not less – for us to heed his warning. We do well to listen to his words: “What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” (v. 37). The time is coming when Jesus will return, so let us live while watchfully waiting.

To highlight the immanence of Jesus’ return, he gives us a botany lesson. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door” (v.28-29). Jesus could well have used any other type of tree or plant to make his point. When you pay attention to the stages of growth, they indicate what is coming next. A sprout that sports leaves is maturing. A fruit tree that buds is going to blossom, and after it blossoms it’s getting ready to bear fruit. We can see what’s coming next by paying attention to what the signs are showing us right now.

So it is with Jesus’ return. Since he has provided numerous signs that would precede his return on the Last Day, and we’ve seen and continue seeing those signs take place, his return is immanent. So what does it look like for us to live while watchfully waiting in the meantime? It involves working wisely. Working wisely includes 1) focusing on what lasts, 2) guarding against what doesn’t, and 3) staying on task. 

Focus on what lasts

Jesus basically covers one and two with a contrasting statement. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (v.31). Did you catch what lasts from Jesus’ words? Do you see what is never a waste of our time to focus on? If Jesus’ words will never pass away, doesn’t it make sense that they would receive much of our attention?

Not only will his words never waste away, but their power will always be present for us to take advantage of. When your sin’s guilt, shame, and embarrassment have had their way with you and you can’t shake them no matter how hard you try to make it right, turn to the words that will never pass away. The prophet Isaiah provides a beautiful example of such words: “But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail” (Isaiah 51:6).

Do those words from Isaiah help you appreciate why one of the best questions you can ask yourself when facing nearly and struggle is, “What has my time with Jesus in his Word been looking like?” If Jesus’ words will never pass away, and his words point us to who we are and what we have in him because of what he has done for us, why would we possibly start anywhere else? Rather than working backwards through a process of elimination after trying everything else that hasn’t worked and then finally turning to the Word, let me provide you with a helpful cheat code: start with the Word! Start with the powerful words that will never pass away. Focus on what lasts.

Guard against what doesn’t

That Word, which will never pass away, is unlike everything else. “Heaven and earth will pass away…” (v.31). Working wisely isn’t just focusing on what lasts, but also guarding against what doesn’t. To do that successfully, we have to be really honest with ourselves about what so easily gets our attention.

Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to do just that. As loved ones gather together and at some point take the time to share what they’re thankful for, take note of how many of the blessings mentioned are physical, temporal blessings that fall under the “will pass away” category. Now, it’s never wrong to be grateful for those things at all! However, when our expressions of gratitude default to what passes away rather than what will never pass away, that may be an indicator of some priorities that need adjusting.

Moreover, if we conclude that an unbalanced and unhealthy focus on what is passing away isn’t really that big a deal, then we have really failed to capture the tone of Jesus’ whole teaching here. For what else does Jesus have in mind by his repetition of warnings like “Be on guard! Be alert” (v.33) and “keep watch” (v.34 & 35) and “do not let him find you sleeping” (v.36) and “Watch!” (v.37)?

Warnings aren’t issued when nothing could go wrong. No one says, “Watch out, your grandkid is coming in for a big hug!” or “Be alert, someone is about to give you a gift!” Warnings are issued when there is potential danger or risk involved. Jesus’ warning is to guard against attachments to and distractions from the “heaven and earth” stuff that is on its way out. So while we’re focusing on what lasts, it’s equally important that we’re guarding against what doesn’t. 

Stay on task

To help us in both of these areas, working wisely also includes staying on task. Jesus compared our watchful waiting to a man leaving his servants in charge while going away for a time. “It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch” (v.34). His absence doesn’t mean an extended break or vacation for his servants; quite the opposite! Instead, they were to take care of things, “each with their assigned task.” You, Christian, have been assigned tasks to tend to until Jesus returns. 

That is to say, the Christian life is not one of spiritual unemployment. When Jesus paid a dear price for you, you were brought into God’s family by his grace. You were hired not for your qualifications, and not because you deserved some amazing compensation package, but by grace. And by grace you were paid salvation and eternity up front. They’ve already been credited to your account. We are saved by grace, not by works

But we are saved for works. As Christians, we are not sluggards. We are not slouches. Just because we don’t run ourselves ragged like much of the world busying itself with chasing after what will pass away doesn’t mean we check out and sit on our thumbs all day. Quite the opposite!

We have every reason to work harder than anyone else who only has this world to live for! Your work matters because you are the lips and the ears of Jesus, you are his hands and feet. You are how he gets his work done in this passing world, so work as hard as you can for him before the owner of the house returns on the Last Day.

Christians often assume the most important work they can do is the work within the church. To be sure, that work matters, too. To have leaders to keep us all moving in the right direction, to manage our finances and pay our bills, to teach in our classrooms, to edify our worship with their musical and creative gifts, to roll out the welcome mats every Sunday, to manage the kitchen and meals, by greeting, by handiwork, through overseeing technology, coordinating events, facilitating Bible studies, etc. Yes, all of this and so much more is essential to the health and growth of any congregation, not just numerically, but more importantly, spiritually. This is all certainly included in the “assigned task(s)” of working wisely. 

Let’s widen our field of view, though. Let’s realize that each of us also has more than our share of assigned tasks to carry out for the kingdom right where we are in our own little station in life. When you clock in at work, you do so as a Christian, so let that be clearly known to others as the light of your faith shines so brightly that it cannot be ignored. As a student, you carry out the assigned task God has given you by studying hard, participating in class, and helping to encourage your classmates and show respect to your teachers whenever possible. As a parent, you have more influence on your child’s spiritual growth than any pastor or teacher ever will have, so carry out your assigned task with intention, highlighting Jesus daily. As a friend, you carry out your assigned task to others by listening patiently, speaking the truth in love, and being deliberate about drawing others – believers and nonbelievers – closer to Jesus. There is no shortage of work to be done ahead of Jesus’ return, so let’s make sure we stay on task.

“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (v.26).

Imagine, for a moment, just how amazing that day will be. Our Savior, arriving once again on the scene, visible for all to see, without question will be the single most spectacular event the world will ever get to witness. And all of that glorious display and all of that fanfare will be… for you.

Knowing all of that is coming, and knowing how supremely superior your eternity will be from that point on, what place does complacency have in our lives? There’s far too much to live for right now as we watchfully wait, so let’s make as much of a difference as we can with the time we have left by working wisely.

Focus on what lasts.

Guard against what doesn’t.

Stay on task. 

Live Free from the Fear of Judgment

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(Hebrews 9:24-28)

With the exception of the occasional scary movie, most of us don’t like being afraid. The husband who gets a kick out of surprise scaring his wife because he knows how much she hates it is liable to be on the receiving end of a different kind of kick if he’s not careful. Each of us also has different phobias and fears that can make us anxious just thinking about them. As we age, our fears may have less to do with Hollywood or halloween type scares and more to do with real life realities of what could go wrong for us. Kids getting injured or sick. Losing a job. Going to the doctor to face the symptoms I’ve been dealing with. Not having enough financially to carry me through my later years. 

Lingering somewhere in that list of fears is the fear of judgment. Someone once described it as if we’re all living in our own little courtroom, imagining judgments being rendered against us. We are afraid of being judged for what we wear or who we associate with. We’re afraid of being found out we’re a fake or fraud on some level. We’re afraid of… the list goes on.

But we’re doing those very same things to others. From the first moment you see a person, you make a judgment about them – what they’re wearing, how they speak, how much they weigh, what they eat, etc. We are constantly being scrutinized and judged by others – and doing the same thing right back. 

There’s a different kind of judgment that all of us will also face – one that will determine our eternity. The writer of the book we call Hebrews pointed out that “people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (9:27). His statement is consistent with what we hear in the rest of Scripture: “Christ Jesus… will judge the living and the dead…” (2 Timothy 4:1). “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day” (John 12:48). “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

Judgment will happen. Each of us will face it. The question is, do we have reason to fear it? How can we know if we have to be afraid or not? It depends on whether or not we know the verdict of that judgment.

Would any of the fears mentioned previously exist if you somehow knew the thing you feared wasn’t going to happen? Of course not! If you knew in advance that the outcome you feared wasn’t going to happen, then you’d have no fear! You wouldn’t be restrained by the straightjacket of anxiety or worry. You’d be free to live without those cares or concerns of uncertainty weighing you down. No fear! 

What I’ve just described isn’t a guarantee I can make to you regarding your fit, your friends, or your family, etc., but it’s a 100% guarantee I can make regarding your judgment before God – because God has already revealed the verdict to us: you aren’t guilty! No fear!

The writer to the Hebrews (we don’t know who he is) uses Old Testament (OT) practices and their fulfillment in Jesus to help illustrate how certain we can be when it comes to our judgment. The OT was rich with rites and ceremonies and all sorts of things that served not to accomplish anything in and of themselves, but rather to illustrate or point ahead to what/who would absolutely accomplish something: Jesus. So the writer compares a number of these historical places and practices with their fulfillment in Jesus, so that in him we may have confidence and certainty.

He first points to something very relatable for those who attend church each week. While we are more familiar with just referring to that whole building as “church,” the particular space within a church building where people gather for worship is referred to as the sanctuary. It is where worshipers gather to come into the presence of God. It represents the space where God dwells. This is even reflected by people using the phrase “God’s house” when talking about the church building.

God’s people have been gathering at God’s house, his sanctuary, ever since he gave his people very specific directions for building a tabernacle (essentially a portable church) after he delivered them from slavery in Egypt. As they wandered through the wilderness on their way to the land God had promised them, they repeatedly set up and took down the tabernacle, the physical place depicting God’s dwelling among his people. Eventually, after they arrived in the land God set apart from them, in the area of what is now modern-day Israel, they replaced the temporary tent tabernacle with a beautiful permanent temple (although it would later be completely destroyed by the Romans). 

It is in comparison to this sanctuary that the writer points out how different Jesus was. Jesus didn’t need a sanctuary, because where the sanctuary represented man being in the presence of God, Jesus didn’t need a likeness or a symbol; he literally returned to the place all of those religious spaces represented: the presence of God in heaven. “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence” (v.24). Jesus wasn’t the fake thing or the figurative thing, but the real deal, returning to heaven where he belonged.

And take note of the “why” wrapped up in those verses that is really the author’s whole point: “for us.” Jesus appeared before God not in some building, but in heaven itself, “for us.” What was he doing there for us? The writer goes on to explain.

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself” (v.25-26).

Before Jesus, those who served as priests would take their turns offering sacrifices that illustrated a very important point God was impressing upon his people: sin comes at a cost. In order for sin to be paid for, blood has to be shed. Of course the animal sacrifices of sheep and cattle never paid for a single sin. But, they served as powerful illustrations pointing ahead to the ultimate sacrifice that involved the shedding of blood that would pay for the sins of the world – the sacrifice of Jesus at his crucifixion.

So unlike those priests, who carried out their responsibilities again and again, including the once-a-year entrance into the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary, Jesus didn’t need to repeat his sacrifice. His one-time sacrifice on the cross “for all” (there’s that phrase again) was sufficient to pay for all sin for all sinners of all time. 

Why is that such a big deal? Why does it matter? The news of Jesus dying on the cross is not likely something new to you. And maybe you’ve even heard the reason: to pay for our sins. But it is nonetheless possible that the significance behind all of this and its meaning for you have remained somewhat foggy. So let the writer to the Hebrews clear it up for us.

“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (v. 27-28). We all have that in common: we will die and face judgment. We also have something else in common: Jesus was sacrificed to take away the sins that would make us dread judgment.

But you might notice that the writer wrote, “take away the sins of many.” Why not “all?” To be sure, he did take away the sins of all (remember what was written in the verse prior that included everyone!). However, those who through unbelief reject his payment of sins will face a different verdict on that last day. So not “all” will benefit from Christ’s sacrifice, even though it covered all people; only the “many” who believe it can be confident of the “not guilty” verdict.

They know that when Jesus comes a second time, it will be to finalize our salvation and sweep us out of this broken world into the new world waiting for us – one that will not only be without sin or sorrow, but without any judgement, either. So living like we’ll live forever means that we get to live free of the fear of judgment. 

With the holidays coming, you may be looking ahead to visits from certain family members or friends. There may be, though, one or two among them you aren’t looking forward to, or are perhaps are even dreading. The uncle with the off-color comments or offensive jokes. The friend who insists on polarizing political conversations. The ardent atheist or blowhard Christian more interested in arguing than in seeking to under.

Sorry – I can’t do much about those individuals or any judgment coming from them. But I can assure you that you have no need to dread that final visit when Jesus returns on the Last Day. Those who believe the words of the writer to the Hebrews already know what the verdict will be: not guilty. And you know what that means? You have nothing to fear. 

Live a Life of Startling Generosity

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(Mark 12:38-44)

When you see the brightly colored “Caution” or “Slow” or sign posted as while driving on the highway, you know that means there is a potential danger or risk ahead, so you pay attention to the warning. You do the same thing as you are navigating through a store or mall and see the yellow sandwich sign that alerts you with a “Caution: Wet Floor.” These warnings are intended to alert you and keep you safe from injury or danger.

Jesus gave a warning sign to his listeners. He told them to “watch out for the teachers of the law” (v.38). But why? Were they a threat to his disciples? Jesus didn’t follow up his warning by pointing out any specific false teachings that the teachers of the law were promoting. Jesus didn’t appear to be emphasizing any physical threat that they posed, at least not here, and not to his disciples. He didn’t alert them to any death threats or assassination plots. So why were they supposed to watch out for the teachers of the law?

So that the disciples wouldn’t become them. The overall picture Jesus paints is that of a group concerned with optics and outward appearance. They were more worried about how others saw them than they were about how God saw them. After all, if they were going to enjoy religion’s version of celebrity status, they had to look the part. The upscale clothing, the special treatment, the constant performance – it was no small thing to pull it all off! They couldn’t dare come off looking like, well… a poor widow, for example. How serious is Jesus’ warning? “These men will be punished most severely” (v.39). Those words really require much explanation, do they!?

It’s a good reminder for us. Yes, we know and believe that it isn’t our outward works, but our faith in Jesus alone which saves. Yes, we know and believe that every sin has been forgiven. These are most certainly true.

However, while all our sins have been forgiven and we are no longer slaves to sin, there’s that lingering part of the old us that will always be attracted to sin and still tempted by it. And perhaps no other sin is more attractive to us than pride. Jesus was essentially warning his disciples to watch out so that their religious piety isn’t corrupted by religious pride. This warning is especially appropriate regarding the topic of giving – especially giving generously – so that we don’t allow our generosity to become tainted by pride and its desire to be recognized.

While Jesus began this section of his teaching referring to the teachers of the law and mentioning the rich people and their gifts, these weren’t the only ones who would serve as his teaching illustrations. There was also a widow. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if we had some more details about the widow? Something that could cement for us that her gift was purely given, cheerfully and willingly, and prompted solely by her love for Jesus, whom she knew loved her so deeply? When we come up with the deep theological questions in Scripture and wonder about the details of different accounts in the Bible, I can’t recall anybody ever asking about more of the background on the widow from this account. But would’t that be helpful if we could get more of a snapshot of her life, something that would fit more neatly with the rest of the Bible’s teaching on giving and generosity? Would’t that be something?

Perhaps we don’t need it. Perhaps Jesus is allowing us a sneak a peek into the window of her life by contrasting her so sharply first with the teachers of the law, and then with the rich people throwing in large amounts in their offerings.

She obviously wasn’t concerned about the optics – “Hey everyone, redirect your eyes away from the piles of cash everyone else is putting in the offering boxes and get a load of these two copper coins I’m about to drop in!” Neither did she make excuses or promises to be more generous down the road when she might have more to give. No, her gift was quietly and generously given, for it was everything she had. And that kind of gift is the kind of gift that faith gives. Not to be seen or recognized, but simply because that’s what faith does.

Jesus commended her. “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (v.43-44). 

What can we learn from Jesus’ commendation of the widow and his thoughts on generosity? Generosity is not about your money; it’s about your heart. Admittedly, I don’t imagine it’s the first time you’ve ever heard that. Giving and generosity are not matters of amounts, but are a matter of where our heart is at. So when giving and generosity are a struggle for the believing child of God, it is rarely because we are unaware of the fact that it’s a heart issue. Instead, it has more to do with our inability or even refusal to diagnose the heart issues unique to each of us. So let’s work through some of those.

Since no one likes junk mail, whether it’s in your physical mailbox or your email inbox, let’s refer to some of these deceptions that can keep us from growing in the grace of giving as “generosity junk mail.” If God is wants to change our hearts in regard to giving (remember, giving is always a heart issue), then we have to get good at identifying the junk that fills the inbox of our hearts so that we stop believing it and perpetuating it. Let’s consider a few of the more common ones.

    1. “Offerings (or “treasures”) aren’t the only thing God cares about – he also wants us to give him our time and talents.”

    I know what you’re thinking. “Wait, that’s not wrong; it’s true that God also wants our time and talents to be used to serve him.” Technically, you’re correct. But I have to point out the problem with how that statement is used. You know who doesn’t ever make it? Generous people. What I mean is, while it’s true that God has given us so much more than just financial blessings to manage and to be generous with, there is typically a reason people are quick to redirect to time and talents: because they struggle with being generous financially. And again, not because it’s an issue of dollar amounts, but of the heart. So be careful before you share such a statement, and do a little digging into your own heart to make sure you aren’t expressing it as a spiritual sleight of hand to hide your reluctance to grow in the grace of giving.

    Here’s another piece of generosity junk mail we need to discard:

    2. “I’ll give more when I have more.”

    Look back at the widow again. If she had taken that approach to giving, Jesus wouldn’t have this story to tell! She would have waited until those two copper coins added up to something much more. Instead, she gave what she had – all of it. When is the last time you gave all that you had to God? It’s been awhile for me – like never!

    Here’s a question to consider that lines up with some of the promises God gives in Scripture. While we’re sitting back on the “I’ll give more when I have more,” mindset, what if God is saying to himself, “I’ll bless him with more once he starts giving from what I’ve already given.”? So while we’re waiting on God to bless us with more to give, he’s waiting on us to give right now so that he can bless it. 

    This next one is a piece of generosity junk mail that is probably more common outside the church, but Christians still struggle with it, too.

    3. “All the church cares about is money.”

    It’s a statement typically spoken by those who refuse to acknowledge their own unhealthy attachment to money. It’s not easy for them to let go of it, so they turn the church into the bad guy, and whenever giving is mentioned, it’s blown out of proportion as “all that’s ever talked about.”

    To provide a balanced perspective, however, certainly churches and pastors have mishandled or mismanaged that trust; of course it has. And, there are certainly some who resort to legalism rather than gospel-generated giving. But these churches don’t represent all or even most churches by any means. So let’s discard that piece of generosity junk mail.

    And one last piece of generosity junk mail:

    4. “I just don’t have enough after all my expenses to give more than I’m giving.”

    And you never will. This junk mail exposes two possible issues: one, a spending issue, or two, a priority issue. When is the last time you’ve tracked your expenses and evaluated where unnecessary or frivolous spending was present? Perhaps that should be more of a cause for concern than it is. Could our “expenses” include purchases that we could still live quite comfortably without?

    The other issue with this attitude is that it turns giving upside down. When we give our left overs we’ll never have enough left over to give more. That’s because giving needs to be realigned to the top of the list. When giving comes first, we see how God keeps his promise to provide for everything else that we need. Until giving tops the list of priorities, it’s impossible for us to rise up to the level of being a generous giver. 

    As believers, we can have open conversations about giving, because we know that we’re the ones God is trying to grow through this process. We also know that the widow wasn’t the only one who gave everything. Jesus did the same thing, but on a scale that impacted far more people. With her two copper coins, she “put in everything.”

    So did Jesus. Jesus went a step further and “put in everything” with his whole life. He went all in. He didn’t hold back. Jesus gave it all by giving his all.

    “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). There is nothing of greater value that could ever be given than Jesus’ life, and he gave it up for you and me. The widow’s two copper coins were her “everything”: Jesus’ life was his “everything,” and he generously gave it so that we could benefit eternally; so that we can live forever. 

    Let’s live right now like we’ll live forever and use what he gives us here and now so that we can help as many others as possible live forever. Let’s discard the junk mail and give with startling generosity.

    Live Like It Only Gets Better (because it does)

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    (Isaiah 25:6-9)

    Imagine you are paging through a travel magazine filled with articles about trips people have taken to destinations all over the world. One traveler is sharing his experience off the grid at some remote getaway while another vacationer is raving about a posh family-friendly resort. And of course the articles are sandwiched between endless pages of ads to fly with this airline or set out to sea with that cruise line or to remember to use this agency when renting your next car. 

    Then, a certain page suddenly catches your eye. It is a beautiful mountain. As your eyes zero in on the text on the page, it’s an invitation to visit a mountain destination that is like nothing else. In fact, as you start reading, you recognize these are the words of Isaiah 25! They almost read that way, don’t they, like some ad in a travel magazine attempting to lure you to some ideal destination like no other? It’s as if Isaiah is a travel agent, trying to coax us to set our sights on visiting the most unforgettable place we could ever imagine. 

    And what a destination it is that he’s describing! Only… where is it? Where is this spectacular place Isaiah mentions? Where can one find this magnificent menu? Where is this mountain?

    Technically, the answer is one of Isaiah’s favorite references throughout his whole book: Mount Zion. Located in Jerusalem, Mt. Zion has been and still is considered one of the most sacred destinations in the world. However, if you want to get to where Isaiah is directing us when he mentions Mount Zion, you won’t find it by booking a trip with your travel agent or punching it into your GPS for directions. As with so much of Isaiah and Scripture in general, real names and locations are often used to depict spiritual concepts and truths. So where is Isaiah talking about?

    The question is not so much where, as it is “who?”

    Isaiah is referring to the Church. Now, that is admittedly a confusing answer… until we remember that his Church isn’t a building, but people, people who have been made holy and are being made holy through faith in Jesus. But it isn’t just Isaiah who uses this picture to describe believers.

    In the visions given to him which he records for us in the book of Revelation, St. John shares similar figurative imagery. “Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads” (Rev. 14:1). Those believers represented by the figurative number of 144,000 include God’s holy people filling churches all over the world on Sunday morning, and not just sanctuaries, but homes, and even filling heaven itself!

    So this destination Isaiah is pitching to us is right here in front of us, wherever believers are gathered. And it’s also where we’ll be in heaven. What makes this destination the ideal? Only here, in the body of Christ, believers everywhere, Christ’s Church, does the promise that it will get better hold true.

    Sure, we extend those words of hope and optimism to others – “it will get better” – but outside of the Church, on any other mountain, we have zero authority to back up such a promise. The individual who just got out of a bad relationship may in fact slip right into one that is even more toxic. The employee exasperated by a lack of ethics may quit working for that company and end up unemployed for months or even years. The friend struggling to recover from some complicated surgery may come through it only to become diagnosed with an even more threatening illness. We can wish each other well and wrap the nice tidy bow of “it will get better” around the words we offer to others, but the truth we all know from experience is that it may not get better and it may in fact even get worse!

    Unless you are on this mountain. Unless you are in the Church. Unless you are a believer.

    And what’s more, it being so isn’t exclusive! It isn’t only for this heritage or that culture, this people or that language. It’s for everyone. Isaiah’s word choices are not accidental. He intentionally refers to “all peoples” (v.6,7), “all nations” (v.7), “all faces,” (v.8), and “all the earth” (v.8).

    One of the most beautiful aspects of the Christian faith is that it is for everyone! All people! When people truly know what we have here, on this mountain, can you imagine anyone not wanting it? Of course not! No one wants to remain where the words “it only gets better” are nothing but an empty expression. Everyone wants those words to be true. And here alone, for believers in Jesus Christ, they are.

    To help us appreciate how good we have it as the people of God, Isaiah uses a very relatable picture: food. The Scriptures include so many pictures of gathering around great food for that we can hardly ignore them. There’s a reason. Consider how many milestones and memories in our lives revolve around people gathering around a meal. Sure, a great meal can be enjoyed alone, but it doesn’t come close to comparing when we are surrounded by those we love and care about, taking in that meal amidst conversation and laughter. So many of our fondest memories include enjoying good food with family and friends. 

    And to be sure, what Isaiah is holding out for us isn’t some Happy Meal or something from the discount menu, but a feast – a feast with the best stuff imaginable! The best cuts of meat, marbled with just the right amount of fat to fill it with flavor. He isn’t describing some boxed wine that is more concerned with value than quality, but the best stuff, the boldest, most full-bodied bottles of wine you’d ever have. Isaiah’s point is that God doesn’t hold back from his people! He’s got the goods, and he has every intention of laying out such a feast for us!

    The menu isn’t the only thing that catches our eye on this mountain. In fact, it isn’t even the most notable thing. There is something missing from this mountain. Isaiah describes it this way: “On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever” (v.7-8). Did you catch what’s missing?

    Death! There will be no more death! The veil that covers the face of those mourning the death of a loved will be removed. The sheet laid over top of a the dead body will be unnecessary. And if something has been swallowed up that means it’s gone, there’s nothing left of it. So it is with death!

    How can this be? It may be no surprise to you that these verses also serve as one of the readings for Easter Sunday. How appropriate! On the day we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, we are assured that death has no permanent hold over us. The Resurrection means sin has been paid for and the eternal death sentence has been served and so yes, it will get better when death is no longer a part of our vocabulary because it will no longer be a part of our experience.

    And right along with the removal of death itself will be the removal of any tears accompanying it. Isaiah described, “The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken” (v.8). No more death results in no more tears. 

    Isaiah is so full of rich picture language to help provide perspective to what we have right now and what is waiting for us. Yet no matter how picturesque and impactful the imagery is, we’re still left with our imagination. We’re still left wondering. We’re still left waiting for what it will be like.

    But as we observe All Saints Day, we also have on our hearts and minds those who aren’t left wondering. They aren’t imagining. They aren’t waiting. Because what Isaiah is describing here in order to help us grasp what is ahead for us, is the present reality for them. They do not have to settle for the earthly picture of the mountain as it is reflected in the church and Word and Sacrament; they have the real thing. They do not have to settle for an earthly menu of rich food; they have the real thing. They do not have to imagine what it will be like to be on the other side of death and living forever, freed from tears; that is their present reality. Yes, we are saints, but they have been sainted. They have joined the church triumphant, their praises of God’s salvation now echoing alongside every saint in Christ Jesus who has gone before them. 

    And we will join them. We WILL live forever with them, and with the One who made it possible, with our Savior Jesus himself. Therefore, when we say it will get better, we absolutely mean it, because it will. Now that may not be the case for the remainder of our days here on earth; in fact, they may very well digress and get worse! Tomorrow and the next day and the day after that may increasingly disappoint us!

    But not forever. Not by a long shot. No, forever is guaranteed to be better. And you’re probably aware of this, but just to remind you, forever is a pretty long time. A forever of “better” makes the temporary “not-so-good” that we may face here on earth pretty insignificant, doesn’t it? So let’s live like we’ll live forever. Let’s live like it only gets better. Because it does.

    How does that change things for you? For starters, you don’t have to exhaust yourself trying to make right now the best. It won’t be. It can’t be. It will never measure up to the best that is coming. So why are you trying to make heaven on earth? There is no perfect job, no perfect relationship, no perfectly raised children. Give yourself a break from pretending you can manufacture those things or usher them in when the best is reserved for the life to come. 

    And when you don’t have to restlessly chase after those things here and now, running yourself ragged in the meantime, you are free to live differently. You are free to live right now, with everything as it is – not as you think it should be or wish it would be – but as it is, with an eye toward preparing for the best to come.

    That means you can empty the junk drawer, declutter the closet, and pitch all the dead weight in your life right now so you can zero in on life on the mountain. Make your decisions and take action from a mountain perspective, from the vantage point of Christ’s kingdom. Make sure that you are solidly stationed there. Make sure that we crowd as many as we possibly can on that mountain with us, where the menu is delectable, where mortality is not even a thing, and where our mantra never gets old: “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation” (v.9).

    You’ve probably heart the story of the fork. A young woman – far too young from our human perspective – was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was given a few months to live. As a believer, she wanted to arrange to meet with her pastor to work through the details of her memorial service. They had discussed her preferred Scripture readings, her favorite hymns, and agreed on a sermon text. As their time together was wrapping up, the pastor was getting ready to leave. That was when the woman recalled her one last request.

    She wanted to be buried with her fork.

    The request puzzled the pastor, so he asked her why. She explained that, having grown up in the church, she was no stranger to plenty of potlucks and social gatherings involving food. On more than one occasion, when the tables were being cleared off, a sweet member nearby would lean over to her and tell her to keep her fork. It didn’t take her long to figure out why. If the tables were being cleaned, that meant dessert was going to follow. And that meant cake or pie or some other delectable dessert. She held on to her fork because the best was yet to come. So she explained to her pastor that when people see her in her casket holding on to a fork and ask why, he can share her story and explain to them that she was holding on to her fork because she knew the best was yet to come.

    So live like you’re hanging onto your fork. Rejoice that you’re on this mountain, gathered here with God’s people for a foretaste of what is to come. Live today and tomorrow and the next day with the absolute confidence that it only gets better, because Jesus had made sure that it does. 

    The Courage of “No”

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    (Daniel 3:16-28)

    As the loud chant bellows out from the nearby minaret beckoning all to bow down in prayer, those around you pause whatever they are in the middle of doing to roll out their prayer rug. They kneel down in the same direction and the sea of random people involved in a variety of activities all around you quickly becomes an ocean wave, curving and swaying as arms and bodies are raised up and then curled back down again in prayer.

    You stand out like a sore thumb.

    Everyone else is on the ground kneeling in prayer while you are the lone standing figure, as if to announce to everyone around that you are a clueless foreigner. What do you do? Do you go with the flow and lower yourself to the ground, at the very least to avoid drawing attention to yourself? Do you go so far as going through the same motions as everyone else to blend in, even though you don’t worship their false god? 

    We can speculate and imagine the mix of emotions that might come over us in such a hypothetical situation. But in Daniel 3, when Nebuchadnezzar’s call and command to worship was sounded, there is no need for speculation over how the three displaced Israelites might have responded. The details of the account are clearly provided for us.

    But before we get to their response, it’s important to know that they knew what they were getting into. Prior to their actions, Nebuchadnezzar’s warning had been communicated: “Then the herald loudly proclaimed, ‘Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace’” (Daniel 3:4-6). It did not matter what religion a person practiced or what language he spoke, to choose not to worship the ninety-foot image of gold was to face imminent incineration.

    The flames of jealously spreading from other officials ensured that word would quickly spread regarding the three foreigners who had the audacity to ignore the king’s command. Those three, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were brought before King Nebuchadnezzar, who was beside himself that anyone would so brazenly disregard his command. He said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the… music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” (v. 14-15). Talk about a terrifying threat!

    But Nebuchadnezzar’s overconfidence would be outshined by the courageous confidence of the three men who stood up to him. “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (v.16-18). 

    See how courageous they were! Compare their courage with today’s version of courage, where activists throw tomato soup or some other liquid on works of art. Where groups of people park themselves in the middle of the road. Where protests are organized and rallies are coordinated. How much real courage do such actions require?

    But take note of the radical approach taken by the three. They said “No.” That was it. They didn’t have to coordinate some widespread effort. They didn’t rally the other exiled Israelites to join them in some major rebellious protest. They didn’t manufacture something online in an effort to make it viral.

    They simply refused to heed a command to sin by worshiping an idol. Think of it: one of the most legendary of all Sunday school narratives – this account before us – was simply a matter of having the courage to say “no.” Before we jump right to the miraculous conclusion of this account, let’s just linger here a bit on the power of “no.” 

    Today (Reformation) has historically been a pretty big deal in the Lutheran church. We are observing the Reformation. It may be a relatively unfamiliar term to many, but Reformation refers to a period of church history often considered to have been set in motion by an event that took place on October 31, 1517. That was the date on which a monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. Through these theses, his intent was to establish points for discussion with the leaders of the church of his day over concerns he had about what was being taught and practiced. 

    Luther had been doing a “dangerous” thing: reading his Bible. Doing so allowed the Holy Spirit to bring to light legitimate concerns that weren’t lining up with the Word of God. At stake amidst these concerns was the very foundation on which the whole of Scripture stands: justification by grace alone, through faith alone, revealed through Scripture alone. The more the Reformation was fanned into flame through the words and writings of men like Luther and other reformers, the more the church of his day dug in its heels. It refused to acknowledge that it had not only drifted away from Scripture in its teachings, but was brazenly contradicting the clear teachings of the gospel, that we are not saved by our own works, but by faith in Jesus’ merits alone.

    On numerous occasions, both formally and informally, Martin Luther was expected to take back his words and writings opposing the church so that he might remain in good standing. The most famously recorded incident was before the Diet of Worms, on which occasion he is famously quoted as saying, in response to the church’s demand that he retract and recant, “Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.” If you allow me to paraphrase what Luther said and simplify it just a little bit, Luther said directly to the sacred and secular authorities who demanded his compliance, “No.” The refusal that three young Israelites in Babylon had boldly uttered before Nebuchadnezzar was boldly uttered before the highest authority of Luther’s day, too. “No.”

    Yes, it takes great courage to say “No.” But there is also great power in “No.” And we don’t have to stand before princes or kings to utter it. In fact, it isn’t likely that any of us will ever find ourselves in that position. But that doesn’t make our “no” any less powerful. Your “no” to the social hour invitation after work that inevitably ends up with inebriated coworkers is powerful. Your “no” to your significant other’s invitation to cross the line sexually is powerful. Your “no” to another of your child’s club team tournaments because it’s on a Sunday morning is powerful. Your “no” to “just try” the drug everyone else around you is high on is powerful.

    Your “no” is not nothing. It is much more. It is a yes to what is right. It is yet one step further removed from the edge of the abyss that sin beckons us to stumble over into unbelief. It is a yes to my identity as a believer and child of God who is walking in the light. It is a yes to the blessed paths of righteousness that hold out so much more for us than any invitation to sin ever can or will. 

    Notice also that the “no” of the three before Nebuchadnezzar did not need to be accompanied by added insults or denigrating of the king. There refusal was, in fact, carried out quite respectfully. There was no badmouthing behind his back or even to his face.

    Could we learn from that? Could our “no” be just as effective – dare I say even more effective, when not accompanied by the disparaging remarks that are so common in our culture today? Can we politely disagree without tearing down the person with a different view? Can we show our disapproval of the words or actions of another without raising our voice or boiling over? How puzzled would others be to see such responses that are so out of the ordinary today? What might result? Could the reaction of others look something like that of the Babylonian King?

    Note again his reaction after the three men’s “no” resulted in a date with the incinerator, only for them to walk back out of the furnace, bearing not even the slightest hint of flame, no smoke or singe of even as much as a hair on their head or hands. King Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God” (v.28).

    Yes, the miracle was absolutely amazing, but what was it that truly struck King Nebuchadnezzar? They were willing to die for God! They were willing to give up their lives for the Lord rather than bow down to an idol and easily escape death in that way. 

    Yet even on the heels of such a bold show of courage, it wasn’t Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego whom Nebuchadnezzar praised, but God. Let that sink in! Their “no” resulted in an unbeliever praising God! And their “no” results in believers praising God today, as we are still inspired by their courage. Surely if three young believers in a foreign country can utter a “no” to the face to he most powerful authority in the world at the time, we can courageously do the same much more frequently.

    But it isn’t easy! It takes courage! So what empowers our “no”?

    Our Savior who said yes.

    No, not to sin, but to the condemnation resulting from sin. Jesus knew the furnace of hell awaits all who challenge God’s command of perfection and rebel against it and he said yes to that condemnation anyway. He knew Satan’s relentless efforts to convince him to call the whole thing off and not give his perfect life up for repugnant mankind would only intensify during his weakest moments at the end, and still he said yes. He knew the Father, to whom he had turned again and again during his life and ministry, would turn away from him in excruciating abandonment, and still he said yes. Jesus, and all that he willingly said “yes” to in our place to spare us from eternal hell – he is what empowers our “no.” 

    If you’re familiar with the Jack Pine, you know what it takes for its seed to spread and eventually sprout. It takes heat. Not just a hot day, mind you, but the heat of a flame. Only the heat of flames are enough to soften the resin surrounding the seeds that are protected inside the pine cone. So the wildfire, the very source of destruction of so much else in a forest fire, is what allows the Jack Pine to reproduce.

    So it is with our faith. Life is relatively easy when all is well. When it is, though, our faith is like a fallow field, resting, unused and mostly inactive.

    But when the flames are kindled or when the fire is raging in our lives, faith cannot remain fallow. It will not. Faith responds to the fire by burning brighter, fueled by the gospel and charged by the Holy Spirit. Faith is inspired by the believers who have gone before us, the Shadrachs, Meshachs, and Abednegos, the Martin Luthers, our forefathers and our grandparents and parents. Emboldened and all the more courageous because the fires demand its response, faith grows, it thrives, and tears down enemy strongholds, calling out Satan and those in service to him and with a gospel-generated fearlessness that can’t come from anywhere else. And what does such a bold, courageous faith proclaim? It says… “No,” one of the most courageous words God’s people can ever speak.