Category: Sermons

“Habits of His Grace: Patience”

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(Luke 13:6-9)

In what area of your life could patience make the greatest impact? Would your relationships be better off if you were able to slow down and not rush them along so fast? Would you lose your temper less? Would patience enable you to be a better listener? Would it help you make better decisions if you patiently thought things through a little longer? Most of us would see some sort of benefit in some way if patience was a little more prevalent in our lives.

As we consider this habit of his grace – patience – though, would you really find it all that valuable if I spent the rest of this post focusing on tips and tricks to help you become more patient in your life? Would “5 Steps toward More Patience” or “3 Things you Can Do Right Now to Practice Patience” radically impact your ability to be more patient? I don’t think so. The truth is, to help us become more patient we don’t need more information, but rather transformation. Real patience requires real change. And the good news is that Jesus is in the business of changing people. Jesus can transform us because Jesus alone can provide the patience we’re pursuing. 

Let’s start with where I think we most often tend to go wrong. When the matter of patience comes up, the way we frame the discussion around it is that we need more of it. We tell others they need to be MORE patient. As we reflect on an incident when we lost our cool, we tell ourselves we should have been MORE patient. But consider this: what if MORE patience isn’t the solution to the problem? Have you ever found yourself pressed for time, knowing you needed to jump in the shower before rushing to the next thing, but you just didn’t have the time? So what is the quick fix? Throw on an extra swipe or two of deodorant. Spray on a quick spritz of perfume or cologne. And it works… kind of… briefly… maybe. But not so well. You can try to cover it up, but inevitably the reminder that you didn’t actually shower has a way of coming back to haunt you later on at some point. In the same way, hoping that MORE patience will solve the problem is like a smelly teenager trying to cover up a bad case of B.O. with half a stick of deodorant – it doesn’t work! 

Why doesn’t it work? Because it doesn’t address the real problem. Just as the stink needs to be scrubbed away in the shower rather than covered up, so something else is needed rather than just thinking MORE patience will solve the problem. Do you want to know what the real problem is? Do you want to know what question you should be asking yourself, rather than “Why am I not more patient?” Instead of “How can I become more patient,” here’s the real question you ought to be asking: “Why am I so impatient in the first place?” That’s an entirely different question, isn’t it? So if we want to see more of this habit of his grace in our lives, if we want patience to prevail, the solution isn’t seeking how to add more of it; the solution must address the root problem – our impatience.

“How do I become more patient” is really asking “Why am I so impatient?” My guess is that as you wrestle with that question more, you will likely uncover a lie or two that you have been believing. Why is it hard for you to be patient with other people in general, even those you’ve never met? Might it be that the lie replaying itself over and over in your head is the lie that all your problems are someone else’s fault? If you actually believe that lie, of course it will be difficult to be patient with anyone else if you view everyone else as the cause of all or most of your problems. Why do you lose it so quickly with your children? Is it because you believe the lie that they should somehow be perfect, perhaps even stemming from your own upbringing under the impression that perfection was what your parents demanded? Why do you have so little patience with your spouse? Is it because you believe the lie that your spouse should be more like you by now, and every time you are reminded that they aren’t, you perceive it to be a deficiency instead of just a difference? No, the solution to our problem is not to cover up the stink of our impatience by adding more patience; the solution begins with determining the source of my impatience. That may very well mean uncovering a lie that you’ve allowed yourself to believe for too long.

While it’s easier and far more tempting to blame others for testing our patience or causing our impatience, if others were actually the problem, we’d spend the rest of our lives trying to fix something we can’t fix. You’d perpetually be impatient, because you cannot possibly fix everyone else who “makes you” impatient. But you can fix you. You can fix your impatience, if you are first willing to acknowledge that you are the real issue and not someone else. But if I continue to deny that the real issue is me and my impatience, I’ll never really address the problem in a way that will bring about meaningful change, and I’ll miss out on the grace that is able to make a real difference.

Consider the parable Jesus told. What was the real issue? Was the fig tree not given the opportunity to produce figs? Was it not planted in good soil? Was not enough time allowed? No, the tree had been given every opportunity to produce fruit, but failed to do so. The tree was the problem, not anyone or anything else! It wasn’t producing fruit. So as we apply this parable to the fruit of patience, we must take ownership and realize that whatever fruit of patience we’re looking for in our own lives is our own responsibility and not anyone else’s. The scary part of the parable is that as much patience as the landowner exhibits, even extending the life of the tree for one more year, there still was the very real possibility that failing to bear fruit resulted in being cut down. That is really the sobering reality of each of these habits of his grace – to realize that a failure to produce them in our lives gives the landowner – God – every right to cut down the trees that don’t produce!

Jesus, the master storyteller, has a way of making things very personal, and when he gets personal, he leaves his listeners with nowhere else to look but in the mirror at ourselves. If you look at the discussion which led up to Jesus telling this parable, he took it from a general question to a personal point. Tragedy had struck when Pilate had murdered some of the Galileans and disgraced the Jewish faith by mixing the blood of those murdered in with the blood of the animals scarfed in the Temple. Just as they do today, people at that time presumed that it must have been karma – for those people to be on the receiving end of such tragedy, they surely must have done something wrong to have had it coming. But Jesus quickly shut down that line of reasoning and made the whole thing very personal when he concluded, “But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Lk. 13:5). 

What came next was the parable in these verses of our text. Rather than pondering the status of others who suffered in this way or that, Jesus said the real issue is where do you stand? What do your branches look like? Where is your fruit? And through the parable, Jesus wants us to take away two important points: 1 – God is very patient in looking for our fruit, and 2 – God’s patience with us has its limits. 

Notice that God patiently extended the time for the fruit tree to bear fruit! Isn’t that just like God? And why is he so patient? Peter explained it: “[God] is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God is patient because he wants to save everyone. One of the points that came up in our recent discussion of the book, Rooted, was the honest struggle of reading the Bible – especially the Old Testament, because there are parts that drag along and simply aren’t all that exciting. But you know what the Bible is? A record of God’s patience. His people turn away, and God patiently sends one prophet after another to turn them back to him. His leaders display one sinful character flaw after another, and God patiently corrects and uses them anyway. God’s people turn away; God waits for his people to return. God is patient, so the parable captures that habit of his grace by providing more time for the tree to bear fruit. 

But notice this also: God appointed a limited time for the tree to bear fruit. It wasn’t open-ended. It wasn’t indefinite, until “some day.” It was one year in the parable. What does that one year represent for us? Right now! This very moment! For today might be day 364 of the one-year extension given to the tree to produce fruit. If so, then tomorrow is day 365 and the year is up. Time to cut down the trees that still aren’t bearing fruit! 

God is patient – don’t worry! God’s patience is limited – don’t wait! Both are true, depending on which message you need to hear. If we think little of God and his Word right now, don’t wait! If we are concerned about not measuring up before God, don’t worry – Jesus is our patience! 

John realized that. In the Book of Revelation he wrote, “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus…” (Revelation 1:9). John recognized what the gospel leads us to recognize: in Christ, my impatience doesn’t disqualify me, for not only has that sin been paid for, but it has also been replaced by Jesus’ perfect patience. So my impatience has been paid for and replaced with Jesus’ patience! That means God does not judge you on the basis of your impatience, but rather on Christ’s patience, and his patience passes the test of perfection for you. 

Now then, go and bear the fruit of that patience. Your impatience has been forgiven. It isn’t who you are. In Christ you are patient, so let the repentant fruit of patience flourish on the branches of your life. We don’t have to cover up what we aren’t anymore. In Christ, we can blossom into what he has made us: patient. We have everything to gain in dealing with others patiently. And I believe that patience can be one of the most notable qualities that Christians can demonstrate today if we are going to show how attractive grace is, because patience is sorely lacking in our world right now. It is a precious commodity that is exhibited far too infrequently. So let us make the most of the time we have, the year we have been given to allow God to dig around us and fertilize us with his Word and Sacrament, that we might produce abundant fruit of this habit of his grace, patience.

“Habits of His Grace: Compassion”

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(Luke 13:31-35)

To faithfulness and determination on our list of habits of his grace, today we add compassion. What is compassion? Compassion changes people. It can change the way we look at others and treat them. Compassion can change those receiving it. It can change those extending it to others. 

Author Stephen Covey, in his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, shared a personal experience of his.He recalled one subway trip on a Sunday morning that was a rather quiet, uneventful ride. That ended when a man with obnoxious and loud children got on. As his children were being disruptive and terribly misbehaved, much to the annoyance of the rest of the crowd in the subway, the man himself seemed clueless and irresponsibly uncaring about his children’s behavior. That only made the whole situation even more disturbing to everyone else in the subway car. When he had determined enough was enough, the author turned to the man and, pointing out his children’s inappropriate behavior, asked if the father would intervene and do something about it. The man came to attention, as if he had been lost entirely in another place. He apologetically explained that he and his children had just come from the hospital where about an hour ago their mother had died, and he supposed that he and the children weren’t sure how to deal with it. In an instant, the author explained that frustration and irritation were washed away by a flood of compassion. It brought about a complete shift in perspective, away from selfish personal annoyance to an earnest desire to offer any assistance whatsoever to serve the man in his moment of need. Compassion changed everything. 

As Jesus provides us with the framework to explore this habit of his grace today, here is what I hope we take away: that in our reflection on compassion, we give a good amount of thought to the tension that exists between feelings and action as they pertain to compassion. Furthermore, depending on how we might be inclined to weigh in on that discussion right now, can we have a better understanding not only of the difference, but also of how we might personally need to lean one way or the other (more feeling or more action) in striving for more compassion in our lives? 

The root definition of compassion is “to suffer together.” While we think of it as an emotion or feeling that we experience when seeing someone else suffer, it’s a fair question to ask if one can truly suffer with another without any action being taken. Suppose each night for a week a different needy person knocked on your door asking for any food you could spare. While your heart went out to them each time, you explained that you were just not in any position to help them. As you later retell that story to someone else and explain how much compassion you felt toward those people in need, but that you didn’t do anything to help any of them, how convinced would the person listening be that your compassion was genuine? Isn’t it fair to say that as we describe ourselves, feelings of compassion are justified as sufficient, but as we look at others, frankly we’re not all that convinced unless their feelings lead to some sort of action? 

I don’t know if it’s unique to me or if many of us tend to do it, but I have found myself being sure to point out my good thoughts, intentions, or feelings to my wife and others, even – or maybe especially! – when I didn’t actually do anything. “I was going to” or “I thought about,” is then of course followed by some effort at providing an understandable, legitimate-in-my-own-mind reason for not actually doing the thing. Does “I was going to take out the trash” count the same as actually doing it? Is “I wanted to fix that clogged drain” pretty much the same thing as unclogging the drain? I think we know the answer. 

Actually, I suppose we acknowledge this must be a pretty common thing, as we have an expression that lets us off the hook a bit, right? “It’s the thought that counts.” But is it? Especially in our culture today, people are not satisfied with thoughts or good intentions. The only thing that is acceptable is when any action is taken. While this isn’t really the place to discuss social activism, it does raise a fair question about how genuine compassion really comes across if not accompanied by action. How much am I really “suffering with” someone else via feelings or emotions? Does compassion require action?

Do you notice something about compassion when we look at it in the life of Jesus? Compassion as Jesus demonstrated it resulted in action. Every time. In fact, at no point in any of the Gospels do we come across the word “compassion” in connection with Christ that doesn’t involve him doing something. The Gospel writers point out that Jesus felt compassion… and then describe what he proceeded to do. So while the literal definition of compassion is “suffering together,” what we see in Jesus are demonstrations that show the extent of his compassion by virtue of the action that follows. He had compassion on the hungry crowds, so he fed them (Mt. 15:32ff). He had compassion on people who were like sheep without a shepherd, so he taught them (Mk. 6:34). He had compassion on the sick and demon-possessed, so he healed them (Mt. 14:14). He had compassion on the blind, so he gave them sight (Mt. 20:34). Do you catch the theme? Compassion produces action. Say it with me: compassion produces action.

But… not just any action. And here’s where else compassion becomes a tricky thing. Suppose we are convinced that compassion produces action. What action? And for whose benefit? Here’s why we have to wrestle with it: if I am not careful, those good feelings that flow from compassion (Did you know studies reveal that experiencing the feeling of compassion does in fact release what we refer to as the “bonding chemical,” oxytocin?), may merely lead me to take action that makes me feel better. In other words, if the action that results from compassion is merely action that makes me feel better, but doesn’t really meet the need of the person for whom I feel compassion, am I really serving that person, or am I just serving myself?  

Let me explain with an example I believe I have shared before. Two years ago in this same month on a Friday, a young homeless man had come on to the property while hot lunch was being prepared for the school kids. Since we are very cautious about strangers on the property while school is in session, I engaged the young man and began talking with him on the bench outside the church entry. While there were some signs of mental and cognitive issues and a little paranoia, after several hours I got to know his name, his story, and he even showed me his Facebook profile. The longer we sat together, the more I found myself internally frustrated by the fact that this was not how I had planned to spend my day off. Finally, I started to explore how we could help, thinking the sooner I can move him along, the sooner I can get back to my day off. The usual offerings came to mind, so I asked if he needed food or clothes, or if there was someplace I could take him. Then he told me what he really needed, and that’s when I was faced with the ugly reality that my offer to help him was really an effort on my part to wrap up the inconvenience he was causing me. What did he need? A shower. A washing machine to wash his clothes. That was when I was convicted. I realized that while I had the ability to provide him with both of those, I wasn’t really interested in meeting his needs, but rather my need, my desire to be rid of him while convincing myself I did something nice for him. After thinking it through and realizing that my wife was working and the kids were at school, leaving our house empty, he spent the next couple of hours getting a shower and washing his clothes. After a meal and contacting a family member, I later took him to the trolley station to get where he needed to go. 

I had compassion on him, but never had I been so convicted that my compassion was extremely limited. It was defined more by what I was comfortable with than what he actually needed. I wasn’t interested in compassion that produced action in service to him, but rather in service to me. Now that does not mean that everyone would or even should do the same thing in that situation. Not at all. There would be some very legitimate reasons for another compassionate Christian not showing compassion the same way. The point is this: compassion does not necessarily start by asking what others would do in this situation, or even what I should do, but rather “What does this person need from me right now?” 

That was what was always on Jesus’ mind: what does this person need from me right now? And while his compassion didn’t hesitate to take action to address immediate needs, his heart was always set on meeting the most important need. Even when it came to his enemies. Whatever their intention truly was behind warning Jesus about Herod – whether they had ulterior motives for speeding up his demise in Jerusalem, or because they were genuinely trying to help Jesus avoid the same fate as John the Baptist – Jesus’ compassion poured out in his heartfelt response to them. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing” (v.34). And even their own rejection of him was not enough to sidetrack Jesus’ faithful determination to do what he was born to do! “In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! (v.33). Compassion produces action. Faithful, determined Jesus would take action; he would suffer and die.

It’s interesting isn’t it – “compassion” has the word “Passion” in it? We refer to the final week of this season of Lent as Holy Week or Passion Week. That final Sunday, Palm Sunday, is sometimes also referred to as Passion Sunday. Why do we attach this label to that final Sunday and week of Jesus’ life? Because of his suffering that took place, his Passion. So Jesus’ compassion toward us would be of little value if it didn’t also include his Passion for us. It was his compassion that prompted his Passion, his suffering. Jesus wasn’t just about empty words for you. He wasn’t just about feelings or emotions regarding your situation. Jesus was about action – specifically, suffering, dying, and rising again for your sin and salvation. His compassion prompted him to carry out the one course of action that only he could, the one course of action that we all universally need, the one course of action that alone could serve to reconcile rebellious sinners with a righteous Father. Jesus’ heartfelt compassion carried him to the cross. 

Have you noticed something yet about the three habits of his grace that we have looked at so far yet? They all have that in common. They all end up at the same place: the cross. Faithfulness, determination, compassion – all of them meet up at the cross. And guess what? Spoiler alert: so do the remaining three habits of his grace. 

How then, do we establish in our own lives this compassion, this habit of his grace? We start by letting go of the lie, “It’s the thought that counts.” If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve been far too comfortable living with that lie for far too long. Let’s either let it go, or at least be honest with ourselves that when we’re not willing to allow compassion to produce action, then it’s not really compassion. It might be sympathy or empathy, but it’s not compassion, because compassion produces action. And that’s OK – there is a time for empathy and a time for sympathy! Just realize they’re different from compassion. 

So how does the Holy Spirit work this habit of his grace into our hearts and lives more and more? Each time we must begin our journey of compassion at the cross and go from there. We start with the compassion Christ had for us. Then, as we leave his cross and look to pick up ours as faithful, determined disciples look to do, our eyes will suddenly see myriad ways to carry out compassion toward others, and the Holy Spirit will help us to see how he has enabled and equipped us in such a variety of ways not just to feel, but to act. Not out of guilt – remember Christ’s compassion removed that! – but out of real, genuine compassion. It changes us when we receive it. It will change others when we extend it. 

“Habits of His Grace: Determination”

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(Mark 8:31-38)

He wasn’t any more than eight years old when he was dragged unconsciously from a schoolhouse fire. The severe burns over the lower half of his body had the doctor convinced that he wasn’t going to live, or at least never regain the use of his legs if he did live. But he didn’t accept that his legs would never again support him. One time, after being rolled out into the yard in his wheelchair, he threw himself out of it and crawled across the lawn to the fence. He pulled himself up on the fence and began to drag himself along it. He repeated this exercise so frequently that he wore out a path. His resiliency paid off. 22 months after the tragic accident, he finally managed to stand up on his legs. After that, he walked. Then, he ran. And ran. And ran. And ran… until eventually he broke the world record in the mile. Glenn Cunningham, one of the greatest American mile runners, the badly-burned boy who wasn’t going to make it, who was never going to walk again, staked his claim in history because of his determination.

We love stories about determination. We love it when a person overcomes the odds and makes some monumental achievement. We cheer on others who aspire to persist in doggedly climbing mountain after mountain of failure until they reach the peak of success all the way at the top. Movies are made about such stories. Books are written about them. We eat it up. We can’t get enough of it. What is it about stories of determination that draw us in and capture us? Why does determination make for such an attractive trait? Maybe because it is so rare.

When is the last time you were determined to do something… and actually did it? We get inspired to take action. We have good intentions. We start strong. But the repeated ditched efforts in our lives reflect why determination is so rare. If you’re the resolution-setting type, how many of those have you managed to hit this year? How many “someday I’m gonna”s have you been stuck on, and for how many years now? How often have you traded in your determination to do this or that for settling for where you’re at? Why do we struggle with determination?

One thing that gets in the way of our determination? Distraction. We can let ourselves off the hook and blame those distractions on external factors, but that denies that we’re the ones who not only permit them, but actively seek them! We want to be distracted, because it’s far easier than being determined. I’ll say it again: we want to be distracted, because it’s far easier than being determined. Netflix needs me. Facebook flirts. The suddenly super important to-do list that has us whirling around the house like the Tasmanian Devil is – if we’re honest – a replacement for that other thing that we’re avoiding. The longer-than-normal phone call with the person I haven’t talked to in so long is really just another justified distraction. We welcome them all with open arms and we will continue to do so until we admit that it is no one’s fault but our own for allowing them to serve as distractions to determination.

Now it’s one thing if a person wants to stagnate through life denying that these distractions are his own fault, but there is a point when a lack of determination becomes an issue. When is that? When it impedes our relationship with Jesus. And remember that we’re not even talking about distractions that are themselves inherently sinful or wrong! Anything, anything – good or not – that reduces my resolve to maintain and make the most of my faith in Jesus has got to go. 

Satan used a perfectly understandable human concern of Peter’s in his attempt to use him as a distraction to Jesus’ determination. Jesus had explained to Peter the ugly reality of his impending rejection, his suffering, and his death. No one can blame Peter for not wanting to see Jesus experience that! None of us would have acted any differently in the same situation. But when Peter’s concern, normal as it was, threatened to hinder Jesus’ rejection, suffering, and death, it was no longer normal. It had at that point become an instrument of Satan to stifle the Savior’s necessary mission. “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. ‘Get behind me, Satan!’ he said. ‘You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men’” (Mark 8:32-33). Peter didn’t realize it at the time, but if Jesus had heeded his rebuke and sidetracked his suffering and sacrificial death, Peter – and all the rest of mankind along with him! – would have ultimately had to suffer the far worse fate of eternal punishment for sin!

Jesus then seized that very moment to teach one of the most important lessons of all for his followers to learn: determination and discipleship are a package deal for Jesus’ followers. Are we determined not to lose what Jesus has already won for us? “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?’” (v.34-37). 

Jesus said quite clearly we “must” deny ourselves. That’s a tall order in today’s self-serving culture! Why did you buy that thing? Because self wanted it. Why did you shatter the sixth commandment? Because self wanted it. Why did you cut someone else down with your words? Because self wanted to. Why have you remained so distant from Jesus, worship, and his Word? Because self has other interests that are more important. And it is to lives consumed with serving self that Jesus gives the warning of losing life – eternal life. 

The other part of what Jesus said is that we “must” take up our cross. But, in order for that to happen, have we ever realized that doing so may require that we first must let go of something else? How much can you carry? Are you carrying the right things? What good is it??? If it doesn’t serve your relationship with Jesus, do you need it? Is it really harmless upon further inspection, or is it leaving you carrying so much that you don’t have any extra hands to carry what matters, to pick up your cross and follow? And, are we carrying so much, piled up so high in our arms that we cannot even see Jesus to be able to follow him? Drop it. Let go of what doesn’t matter! It isn’t serving you if it isn’t serving your relationship with him. God help us if the qualification of being a disciple is measured by the perfect requirement of denying self and taking up our cross, for if so, we are doomed!

But always remember what Jesus taught first. “He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again” (v.31). Jesus “must” suffer and “must” be killed because we can’t meet the “musts” that are required of us. We don’t have in us the determination to follow through. No amount of our own determination can save us from damnation. So Jesus stepped in with his “must.” He must do these things because we cannot. And he must do them because he wasn’t OK with the alternative of eternity in hell for anyone. So he must carry them out so that no one “must” go to hell. Even if it made Peter squeamish to think about him suffering and dying. He must.

And he did. Gaze up on Good Friday and see it. There he is. There is your Savior. There is the price of your salvation. There – that – is what determination looks like. 

The “must” has been met. Where our must is a mess, Jesus’ must is the only one we can trust. Jesus’ determination, this habit of his grace, has been carried out perfectly in our place. So we now look to make determination a habit in our lives. 

Jesus also said, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels” (v.38).  Shame over Jesus and/or his words in this generation is not because his words by themselves are so offensive, but rather because this adulterous and sinful generation has made them out to be by making acceptable what is unacceptable. The world chooses filth over faith and so makes faith out to be filth. It calls good, bad and bad, good. So Scripture’s teachings which at one time served as society’s moral compass have become black-listed. And we sense it when we feel as if we must apologize to others for holding to and believing certain truths. But stay the course! Remain determined! Be willing to lose our lives for the sake of the gospel, lest we lose both our lives and the gospel for the next generation!

We love stories about determination. Will our own be a story of determination? Will we let our Savior’s determination for us drive and direct our own? Will we add this habit of his grace to our tool belt, along with faithfulness? Will we combine the two – faithfulness and determination – to become a resolute force unafraid to face Satan? Will we set self down to free up our hands to pick up our crosses in pursuit of Jesus? May God’s grace galvanize all of us to make our mark in history as a time when Christ’s church, God’s people, you and me, displayed unparalleled divine determination!

“Habits of His Grace: Faithfulness”

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(Mark 1:12-15)

In his book Atomic Habits, author James Clear describes habits as the compound interest of self-improvement. In other words, more often than not, the big changes in life aren’t actually big changes at all, but rather little changes, consistently carried out over time. That is precisely the magic of compound interest – it is nothing more than incremental growth multiplied exponentially over time that builds wealth. 

Of course, for anyone to find this perspective attractive enough to consider implementing any new habits, one monumental assumption is necessary: an individual has to see the value of self-improvement. It may shock or surprise you, but an astounding number of people actually choose to simmer and stew in their current situation, retaining a woe-is-me victim mindset that prefers the narrative of negativity. They can be so committed to holding on to that view that it goes well beyond just the glass is half-empty perspective; they’re convinced that everyone else but them even got a glass in the first place! But, if we embrace that God’s call for us to grow is not optional, then establishing healthy habits is foundational to that growth.

So why has it been so hard for you to establish habits? The answer may very well be found in determining the driving force behind our efforts at establishing habits. What is that? Often times it’s guilt – guilt used positively or guilt used negatively (“I should do this; I shouldn’t do that.”). Ultimately guilt will give up, because guilt is not a sustainable driving force. It is a rather cruel slave-driver. It cares not where one’s heart is, but only about the end result, only about whether or not the action itself being achieved. Guilt is relentless and suffocating.

But Christians realize that we have something else at our disposal, something far more powerful than guilt: we have grace. Grace-motivated habits instead of guilt-induced habits is really what this series is about. And our approach will be different. While we will spend a good amount of time focusing on Jesus and his habits, we need to be crystal clear on why we’re doing so. We are NOT doing so to reduce Jesus to something so insulting as merely an example for us to follow. You don’t need more examples to follow. There are plenty of good ones in the world. The problem isn’t finding examples to follow; the problem is our inability to follow them. And frankly, Jesus came to be far more for you than just an example to follow anyway. 

He came to be your Savior, your Substitute. And to do that, we want to appreciate how he carried out what was necessary to be our Savior: his active obedience and his passive obedience. They aren’t the same thing, but they’re both instrumental to our salvation, and they’re both crucial for helping us establish grace-motivated habits.

What do we mean by Jesus’ passive obedience? This is the work of Jesus that we most frequently associate with carrying out our salvation. Jesus passively endured the punishment, suffering, and death that were carried out against him. This is not only remarkable because he was innocent and didn’t deserve it, but even more so because as God, he had the power and ability to keep it from happening. Yet he chose not to! He passively allowed others to inflict it all upon him because he was experiencing it as our Substitute, enduring the punishment and judgment that our sins deserved. He passively paid the price so that we wouldn’t have to. 

Less commonly addressed is the importance of Jesus’ active obedience, which refers to his ability to actively maintain holiness in his thoughts, words, and actions throughout his whole life. As a God of justice, the Father’s requirements for a right relationship with him are that sin must be paid for and that 100% round-the-clock perfection be maintained. So if Jesus had only died for our sins, our salvation would be incomplete. We needed a Savior, a Substitute who could also live perfectly for us. Jesus actively resisted all temptation and conducted his entire life with complete perfection. He actively obeyed all of God’s demands. It is his active obedience that will serve as the focus of this series, and the grace flowing from that active obedience that will enable us to pattern our Habits of His Grace.

So let us appreciate the first of our habits of grace: faithfulness. How do we define “faithfulness?” Often times it is used almost interchangeably with “commitment.” Being faithful is viewed as being committed to doing what you said you were going to do. You work at a job faithfully for years. You are faithful in your marriage. To be faithful is to be committed to staying the course. While I don’t think that’s a bad definition or way of understanding it, maybe we’re overcomplicating it a bit. Perhaps a simpler understanding of faithfulness is merely being full of faith. Filled with trust. Full of conviction. Being full of faith not in my own ability to stay the course, but in God’s promise to stay his course in my life.

We see Jesus being full of faith, even when he was virtually empty of the basic necessities of life. “At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him” (Mark 1:12-13). Forty days in the dessert lacking – not being full of, but almost empty of – the things we take for granted. He had no suitcase with several changes of clothes. There was no cooler being pulled behind him to keep food fresh and ready any time he was hungry. No comfy cozy bed in which to sleep and no roof over his head. He was running on empty in just about every way imaginable. 

Except faith. Even without all that he was missing, Jesus was still full of faith, or faithful. When everything else is lost or gone, and faith is all you have, you see that faith is all you really need. Jesus faithfully stood up to each of the devil’s temptations, as the other Gospels record. And Jesus’ faithfulness was not only on display in his ability to keep from falling into the devil’s temptation in the dessert, but also in his faithful preaching, “‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (v.15). Making that even more noteworthy, John had already been imprisoned for proclaiming that message, yet Jesus did not put his message on mute, but proclaimed it faithfully. 

Jesus wasn’t alone in demonstrating this habit of grace, his faithfulness. The Holy Spirit and the Father got it on the action, too! The Holy Spirit faithfully directed Jesus into the dessert in the first place, knowing it was necessary for Jesus to succeed in battle against Satan and his temptation in our place. And when Jesus did succeed, God the Father faithfully sent angels to attend Jesus in his time of need, just as he had promised in Psalm 91:11, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” See how our faithful Triune God works in perfect harmony with the faithful obedience of the Son!

And what difference does his faithfulness make when it comes to you developing this habit of grace? All the difference in the world! His faithfulness not only fills in the cracks of your unfaithfulness, as if you were almost there but just needed Jesus to finish it up for you! No, it’s his whole record of faithfulness, not yours, or your lack thereof – that already counts toward God! Who of us would feel confident in making a case before God based on our own past faithfulness? Would we like to point to the number of times our actions were more reflective of a person without faith than a person of faith? How about the times that doubt and worry about our situation smothered any sense of faith and trust we ought to have had in God’s promises? Our general lack of commitment, our unfaithfulness just in our relationship with God, which hops all over the place from lukewarm to cold to hot – is that the kind of “faithfulness” we wish God to take note of on our accounts? Let us hope not, for we know what the eternal outcome of such flawed faithfulness would be!

Let Jesus’ faithfulness in the face of temptation in the desert be the source of confidence for the faithfulness God demands. Let the price Jesus paid on the cross be sufficient payment for your unfaithfulness. So you have been freed from the guilt of your unfaithfulness, which has been replaced by the grace of his faithfulness! Do you understand? You have been freed from your own disastrous track record of unfaithfulness and freed for a guilt-free life of becoming more and more faithful, with every ounce of fear of failure having been removed. The Father already has counted the Son’s perfect faithfulness to your account. You aren’t left lacking. You aren’t left in your unfaithfulness. You are faithful, for Jesus was faithful in your stead. 

So be what you are, be faithful, for in doing so, you are merely living up to how God already sees you in Christ. Be full of faith in your commitment to growing and developing your faith. Be full of faith in your marriage. Be full of faith in your friendships and interactions with others. Be full of faith as you let your light shine on social media. Be full of faith and stand out in a faithless world. Be faithful, not because you must, but because you already are in Christ Jesus. 

I don’t know about you, but I get excited about this kind of stuff. You may not consider yourself to be into growth and personal development, but let me challenge you to reconsider. That’s one of the many unique blessed perks of belonging to Jesus – he does the growing in us. The Holy Spirit will see to it that you grow and develop personally – that’s his job. We call it sanctification, or growth in Christian living. It’s who we have been made to be. It’s who we are. It’s how we can faithfully make an eternal difference in a faithless world that concerns itself with what is temporary. Your faithfulness matters. God can use it to make a huge impact! 

How then can you establish this habit of his grace – faithfulness – in your day-to-day life? Don’t overwhelm yourself with all the areas that you could develop this habit and then do nothing. Pick just one area and commit to following through with it faithfully. It might be daily Bible reading. It might be worshipping weekly. It might be giving consistently. It might be scheduling prayer. It might be witnessing intentionally. Be confident that the compound interest of this habit of his grace will not only lead to self-improvement, but will also build up and bless Christ’s Kingdom as well.

“Jesus: the Savior We Want or Need?” (Part 2)

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(Mark 9:2-9)

I don’t know how they used to do it. I don’t know how husbands knew what they needed to bring home when their wives sent them to the store to just “pick up a few things.” I suppose in the past, grocery stores didn’t have quite so many options as they do today, but still, the number of choices provided for just about any product in any aisle is paralyzing. Thank goodness for phones that can snap a quick picture and send it to the wife to confirm the correct item! Otherwise, it might be virtually impossible to be able to determine exactly which brand/size/style of any given product is needed.

God has not left us with so many options when it comes to determining the Savior we need. There is just one, and we are not left guessing who he is. For on that day, on that mountain, the three disciples with Jesus knew he was the Savior they need. “There he was transfigured before them” (v.2b). This was not natural. This was not normal. This was an other-worldly glory, a supernatural experience, a divine glory, if even only a taste! Then the Father verified Jesus with his own verbal stamp of approval. That means there are no guessing games to play. There is no possibility of a mix-up or a switcharoo. “Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (v.7). The Father spoke! He expressed his love and confirmed Jesus as his Son and Savior we need! 

If these words of the Father sound familiar, it’s because we focused on them not too long ago in our Bounce Back series at Jesus’ baptism. Almost identical words were spoken by the Father to Jesus at that time, at the beginning of his ministry. Here they are again, like bookends, demonstrating the Father’s satisfaction with every detail of Jesus’ life and ministry. So these words validate Jesus. They speak of the Father’s approval. He is the Savior we need.

We talked last Sunday about the challenge we face in distinguishing wants from needs, and how that can spill over into the perception we have of Jesus – is he the Savior we want or the Savior we need? He surely did not come to limit himself on such a small scale as merely meeting our wants. His primary goal is not our short-lived worldly happiness, but our eternal heavenly joy. So finding the perfect mate, landing the ideal job, and hitting full stride in your health are not real high on his to-do list for us if he is not yet very high on our to-do list. Recall what was stated last Sunday about the danger of placing our wants ahead of our needs: when we pursue happiness first and Jesus second, we get neither; when we pursue Jesus first and happiness second, we get both. When you don’t seem to have the things you want to bring you happiness, perhaps it isn’t the lack of those things that is the cause of your unhappiness, but rather that you’re looking for happiness in the wrong place.

We can find true happiness in the Savior we need. There are two elements to consider when wrestling with Jesus being the Savior we need. The first is Jesus – is he, as opposed to someone or something else, what we need? Does he meet the criteria of what is needed? We need a Savior who could meet both divine and human requirements, Son of Man and Son of God, one bound by the law who could also keep the law in our place, one who could die and yet whose divine death could be counted sufficient for all. We needed a Savior would not stay dead and let death have the last word. We needed a Savior who could flawlessly fit every single prophetic foretelling that God provided centuries ahead of time. Only one fits all of this criteria, meaning Jesus alone can serve as the Savior we need.

But the other element to consider is our own personal perspective: do we realize that we really need him? “Yes, of course!” you say. Let me ask you why. Why do you need Jesus? I don’t mean “you” collectively, as in a whole group, but rather “you” individually. And no, I’m not going to let you off the hook with the general sentiment, “Well, I’m a sinner, and sinners need forgiveness, so I need Jesus.” That’s nice. “Yes, we’re all sinners who need Jesus, so let’s gather every week to hear about general sin and general forgiveness for sinners that Jesus came to offer and then we’ll be on our merry way for another week.”

But what is it that makes you a sinner? What sin? “Oh no, pastor, we don’t bother going there. We don’t get into the details, because that’s nobody’s business. We don’t get specific, because doing so might cause me to feel… guilty.” And that’s the cardinal sin of our day, isn’t it – making someone else feel guilty for something? Society – and not just society, mind you, but more and more even voices within the church itself – refuse to let anyone get away with making someone else feel guilty. 

Have we considered, though, that others can’t make us feel guilty – at least not a godly guilt that leads to repentance? We have become accustomed to terms like shaming and bullying. Real and reprehensible as these can be in certain contexts, we have slipped into casually using them interchangeably with guilt and the idea that we can make someone else feel guilty. We’ve put the burden of guilt on the other person instead of ourselves in cases where we’ve actually done or said something wrong. In so doing, we’ve essentially freed ourselves from ever having to feel guilt!

But guilt is an internal feeling that comes from our awareness of either not doing something we know we should do, or doing something we know we shouldn’t be doing. If someone else points out something I have done or have not done on the basis of God’s Word and I feel guilty about it, good! Thank God! The law has done its work and accused me, convicted me, condemned me, and the result is an overwhelming sense of guilt. That only means you realize that your sin is real and that it really troubles you. Good – it should! Sin isn’t some mere slip-up or whoopsie that is relatively harmless; it is damning!

If we avoid guilt or treat it like some untouchable disease or some unspeakable trauma which no one should ever have to experience, then here’s the bigger question: where does that leave grace? What need of grace do we have if there is no real guilt from real sin that I’ve really committed that really condemns me before a real God who is righteous and holy and has at his disposal the ability to cast me to a real hell forever? If none of that is real, then grace might as well be a mythical unicorn or Bigfoot that is fun and fascinating, but which has no basis in reality! But if all of it is real – which it is! – then we absolutely need grace to be real, too, for there is no acceptable alternative that can ever bail us out of hell. 

So the Father showed the disciples that grace is real by showing that Jesus is really his Son, and therefore, really our Savior. See how real guilt and real grace collided in Peter’s reaction to this mountain top experience. “Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)” (v.5-6). He was terrified, yet wanted to stay! In the presence of perfect holiness, guilt is exposed. To know Jesus as our Judge is terrifying! We want to get as far away as possible from his presence! But to know that grace is the standard by which he judges removes that terror. So we find ourselves never wanting to be far removed from the One whose calling card is grace, but to be closer and closer to him, for grace alone is the only sure and certain hope of forgiveness and salvation. 

Mark even provides us with some bonus material to cement that grace! How else did Jesus prove himself to be the Savior we need? He reminded the disciples he was going to rise from the dead! He predicted it. He didn’t raise the possibility of it. He didn’t offer some conditional clause – if this, then that, then maybe I rise from the dead. He clearly claimed it! When giving the disciples direction on when it would be appropriate to share what they had seen, he told them to hold off “until the Son of Man had risen from the dead” (v.9).

And then he did it. He actually did it! Jesus rose from the dead! No, today may not be Easter Sunday – in fact, as we enter the season of Lent this Ash Wednesday, it is still six weeks away! Yet every Sunday, the day of the week on which Jesus rose, is Easter, because the resurrection is reality. Jesus rose from the dead and far surpassed the status of providing for our wants; he rather won what we need: the Father’s declaration that we are not guilty. The promise that forgiveness of sins is really his to offer, no strings attached. The promise that we, too, will rise again. The promise that there is a place for us in heaven.

So Jesus reinforced the reality of his resurrection to remind us why we need him. But why couldn’t the disciples tell anyone what they had seen? It may help us to reflect what happened after this incident. The disciples made a pretty convincing case that Jesus knew what he was doing when he told them to keep mum – they weren’t ready to explain it. How do we know? Jesus would again tell them he would be betrayed, suffer, die, and rise – and not only did they have no clue what he meant, but they were afraid to ask him (cf. Mk. 9:31ff). After that, they demonstrated their immaturity by bickering back and forth about who among the disciples was the greatest (cf. Mk. 9:33ff & 10:35ff). And then of course in Jesus’ moment of need he was double-crossed, denied, and deserted by his disciples. No, their own behavior would demonstrate quite well that they weren’t ready to explain to others the significance of what they had seen on that mountain that day.

But you are. You are able to tell others what you have seen because you know that the Jesus you need is the same Jesus they need. When you know about something that others need, it’s different than when it comes to your own wants. You may or may not tell others about finding the source of something you want, because you don’t know if they want it, too. But you know that Jesus is what they need, so you tell them where to find him. You tell them about how the Jesus they need is served in heaping helpings right here every Sunday. You tell them about how our kids have the Jesus they need woven into everything they learn at our school. You tell them what is so, so special about this place that you just don’t find elsewhere in the world – it’s Jesus, the Savior they need; the Savior we all need. From here, as we journey through the season of Lent, we see that Savior serve us as our Substitute, through his suffering and his sacrifice.  

“Jesus: the Savior We Want or Need?” (Part 1)

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(Mark 1:29-39)

Have you ever tried to hit a moving target? It’s hard enough to hit the bullseye on a stationary target, let alone hit the mark on something that’s moving. Yet trying to hit a moving target is exactly what we’re doing when we spend life chasing after “wants.” Today it’s this and tomorrow it’s that. The next day it’s something entirely different. Before we know it, we have closets and whole rooms and garages and even storage units filled with wants. We seldom take note of how unfulfilling our wants are when we finally get what we want because we move right on to the next want. But we don’t learn. We keep wanting, as if we’ll eventually secure the want that satisfies us if we just stick with it long enough.

Making this hunt for what we want even more complicated is that we think ourselves to be pretty capable of distinguishing the difference between a want and a need. But that line is blurred, too! Do you need new clothes, because your closet is literally bare and you have nothing to wear tomorrow, or do you want new clothes because none of the stuff in your closets and drawers is new and exciting anymore? Do you need a new car because you literally have no way to get from point A to point B right now without one, or do you want one because you crave the new car smell or are just bored with the existing one? Do you need a new phone because the one you have now literally cannot make a call or complete a text or do you want one because it has shiny new features? Do you need that stuff for yourself or for someone else that you just bought on Amazon or did you just want to feel the satisfying rush of clicking the “Add to cart” or “Buy now” button? Our uncanny ability to convince ourselves that a want is really a need rivals the smooth-talking lawyer who has the jury eating out of the palm of his hand. Only we’re not swaying some jury; we’re swaying ourselves!

Now before you go thinking this is just another sermon lamenting that we have culturally accepted the idolatry of consumerism and materialism, think again. While much work does need to be done in our hearts to tear down those idols, there is another concern that flows from our inability to distinguish a want from a need: into which category does Jesus fit? It stands to reason that if we blur the line between wants and needs in certain other areas of our lives, we have to be open to the possibility of that confusion also spilling over into our view of Jesus. So this morning and next Sunday we are exploring the Jesus we want versus the Jesus we need. 

Last Sunday as Mark took us to the synagogue in Capernaum, we got a glimpse of the impact Jesus’ teaching had on people. They noticed it was different. They noticed it was authoritative. They noticed the power of his words and actions, and his reputation went viral. Mark picks up after that with our verses this morning, informing us that Jesus and his disciples went to Peter’s home, where Jesus continued to amaze with his healing power by ridding Peter’s mother-in-law of her fever. And then we see the impact that Jesus’ synagogue stint that Saturday had on the town. “That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door…” (Mk. 1:32-33). The “whole town gathered!” Jesus’ teaching had left its mark, the people waited for the sun to set in order to avoid breaking any Sabbath laws, and then they rushed to Jesus’ door. They must have recognized Jesus’ teaching to be just what they needed!

Wait. On second thought, maybe that wasn’t why they gathered at Peter’s house. It doesn’t appear that anyone was asking him to provide them with a bonus session of teaching. They didn’t come to him thirsting for Jesus to open up the Scriptures even more to them. As it turns out, they wanted more of what Jesus did for the demon-possessed man in the synagogue. Did you hear that? They wanted. Jesus had just been providing what they needed in the synagogue that day – the very words of life; yet that very sameday they tracked him down in hopes of having him meet not more of their needs, but their wants.

But were the townspeople so wrong to depend on Jesus for bringing physical wellness? Isn’t restoring people’s health also a need? To put it bluntly, no. That is, not when concern for physical health overshadows concern for spiritual health. This was always one of the bigger struggles in the previous Bible Information Class that I taught. The very first lesson would open by asking people to list the things that are important in life. Health always came up, which led to some interesting discussion about where it ranked in comparison to spiritual health. It appears our culture has very much bought into the expression, “If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.” 

But consider this: which of these two scenarios do you think has the potential to make a bigger impact on others? Take a Christian hospitalized with a serious, debilitating chronic disease. In one case this Christian makes it clear to other hospital patients and staff that he’s been praying hard to the Lord for healing. Eventually he is healed. Other patients and staff may either take notice of the power of prayer, or they may just as easily conclude that the hospital did its job and healed him (after all, that’s what they were trained to do!). In the other case that same person prays, not for healing, but for patience, strength, endurance, peace to bear up under the disease and accept the good that God promises to bring through it. In that case, healing never comes, but it doesn’t go unnoticed how the patient handles his disease with perseverance and patience and dignity and confidence and so on. In one case, the patient prayed for a want; in the other, a need. Which one would you expect made a bigger impact on the hospital staff and other patients?

Admittedly, this topic can be especially challenging, because I don’t want anyone to walk away thinking that it is not OK to take our wants to God in prayer. That would be wrong of me to state that, since he invites us to do so. So how do we strike the balance between knowing when wants are overshadowing needs? How to we keep our wants in check? We have to understand the root driving force between each. What drives me to seek God for my wants and what drives me to seek God for my needs? Here’s an oversimplified way to help you work through that: am I more interested in my happiness in my life, or God’s happiness in my life? The former is more frequently tied to what I want, while the latter is based on what I need.

Permit a few more examples. A spouse asks to visit with me and expresses unhappiness in the marriage, followed by the determination to file for divorce on that basis that God wants us to be happy. Is that course of action based on our idea of happiness in life or God’s? And this mindset so easily seeps into a number of areas in life. I am unhappy with my job. I am unhappy with my car. I am unhappy with… and since our culture encourages us to appease and satisfy the almighty idol of happiness, we justify any and every action that we think will bring it. 

Only it doesn’t. Why? Because we have it backwards. Here is a spiritual truth that will serve you well if you commit to spending the rest of your life trying to master it: when we pursue happiness first and Jesus second, we get neither; when we pursue Jesus first and happiness second, we get both. Another way of saying it? Put your wants before your needs and you’re gambling with both; put your needs before your wants and you’re likely to get both (because when spiritual needs come first, those tend to shape our wants so that we want more of what Jesus knows we need!).

But if there is a slight caveat to this approach, it is this: God is too good to us! He actually does grant us our wants even when we neglect him for our needs. That was what happened to those who showed up at Jesus’ door. He didn’t turn them away just because they didn’t ask for more spiritual enlightenment or a deeper understanding of the Scriptures, but instead he compassionately granted their requests, meeting their wants with his healing hand. “Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons…” (v.34). God is too good to us! Even when we reverse the order and selfishly put our wants before our needs, he so often graciously accommodates!

Jesus meeting the wants of so many people was not lost on the disciples, who tracked him down the next morning while he had escaped for some rejuvenating prayer. “When they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” (v.37). The implication was that there was no time for prayer – Jesus had more wants that needed to be met! Then Jesus helped his disciples reflect on the major distinction between meeting wants and meeting needs. “Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come’” (v.38). Preaching was Jesus’ primary purpose. Proclaiming that salvation was at hand. Forgiveness would be freely offered at the most expensive cost ever – the cost of Jesus’ own life and blood. Grace would be given, for grace is what is universally needed. Sickness healed and perfect health restored and even demons cast out – all these wants would matter precious little if Jesus had not addressed our greatest need: a repaired relationship with God that each of us has broken with our sin. That is our greatest need. Jesus alone provides for that, making him so much greater than just the Savior we want; he’s the Savior we need. More to be revealed next Sunday as we consider Jesus’ Transfiguration.

Bounce Back to His Name

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(Mark 1:21-28)

A name is a pretty big deal. A name is of course much more than just the sound made by a combination of letters when we read them together. A name is the reputation that is associated with a person. It’s so natural for us to connect the two – a name and an immediate reputation – that even if I just mention a generic name, like Matt, Sarah, Mike, or Rachel, you immediately think of a specific Matt, Sarah, Mike, or Rachel. You immediately associate a specific person whenever you hear a name. That’s why a person’s name or reputation is so important, and why we strive to establish or maintain a good name – it’s what people think of when they think of us – good or bad!

A name is also really quite a powerful thing. We might not think of our own name as being that powerful, but consider what happens when someone else steals your name. Anyone who has ever dealt with this is well aware of how much power a name can have. If someone successfully steals a name, an identity, that person can tap into bank accounts and retirement accounts and max out credit cards and do all kinds of damage. A name is a powerful thing. You can also name drop or give a name as a referral and doing so can sometimes provide certain perks or benefits that we wouldn’t have access to on our own. 

And of course, every one of us appreciates it when others know or remember our name. I recall not too long ago being with my wife at one of her work events. There were a number of very successful people she works with in attendance, many of whom we knew by name, but surely didn’t expect to be known by them. As I started chatting with another guy there I knew, his wife came by. I was so impressed when he paused to introduce me to her and he remembered my name.  Here I was a nobody, and yet this individual who was in another league of business success, made it a point of knowing me by name. 

Names matter, and none more so than God’s. In fact, each Sunday in this series has either directly or indirectly pointed us to God’s name, his reputation, everything we know about him. Our connection to God is the key to being OK when life isn’t. We bounce back to the Word because more than anything else, it points us to his saving name and reveals all that is necessary for us to know about God to not only to be saved, but also to be kept in the saving faith. We bounce back to baptism because it comforts us to know that in baptism he branded us with his name and our identity is based on that. We bounce back to witness which is nothing more than confessing his saving name to others. Last Sunday we bounced back to prayer, which is offered up in his name to the One who has revealed that he can do more than we can ever ask or imagine. Everything comes back to his name, and what is truly mind-blowing is that the most powerful name of all longs to know us by name, too.

Just how powerful is that name that is above every name who also longs to know each of us by name? Look no further than the Gospel for this morning. Though other teachers had come and gone in the synagogue at Capernaum, this one was different. Jesus was different. “When the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law” (Mark 1:21-22). “The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee” (v.27-28). This guy didn’t teach like others. They could only quote the readings and the works of others, but Jesus revealed his wisdom, his brilliance, his insights into the Scriptures without needing to quote the “experts.” Furthermore, the content of his message surely oozed grace and forgiveness, tying the Scriptures together with the Savior and the fulfillment of salvation God had promised his people. And as a result, Jesus’ reputation spread.

Not only was he becoming known as an amazing authoritative teacher, but he also demonstrated the power of his name in a satanic showdown. Mark tells us that a man possessed by an evil spirit was among those gathered in the synagogue that day. Are you surprised to see Satan in a synagogue? Don’t be. After all, where else does he have the most work to do? He’s got it easy out in the world, where God’s and his Word are afterthoughts on so few radars. But where God’s people gather around his Word – there is the biggest threat to Satan’s puny reign as the prince of this world! So he will do all he can to infiltrate, attack, divide, and destroy the place where the Word is prominently preached, sung, and spoken week after week. Yes, he will even take possession of minds and hearts that are not already filled with Jesus, so that he might control and manipulate them for his purposes.

Do you doubt that such demon possession takes place today? Do not doubt it. Though it may not appear to be so prevalent in our western culture, isn’t that how Satan would prefer it? When we hear the violent ramblings and wild and erratic behavior of those struggling on the streets, wouldn’t Satan be delighted to be pulling off the greatest disguise if he convinced us that every one of those cases is just a matter of someone struggling with addiction or mental disorder? Isn’t it a possibility that at least some of that can be attributed to Satan’s work? But even if that isn’t the case, couldn’t we also reason that Satan has precious little need of demon possession in our culture because he’s already enjoying so much success? He’s made tremendous strides in distracting our society with worldly pleasures and concerns so that Jesus is nowhere to be found in people’s plans and schedules. Nevertheless, if you speak with Christian missionaries who serve in parts of the world where pagan rituals and spiritism and are prevalent, you will hear story upon story of demon possession being alive and well. So it is real, and it is powerful.

Satan has lots of different ways of working, but one could argue that none of them are more formidable than demon possession. So many of Satan’s antics are subtle and sly, but demon possession is bold and blatant, as if his intent is to bully us away from Jesus via fear and intimidation. But if that is the best he’s got, see what small work Jesus made of it! Jesus gave a command and obedience followed. “‘Be quiet!’ said Jesus sternly. ‘Come out of him!’ The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek” (v.25-26).There was no defiant refusal from the demon. There was no terms of negotiation. There was no other option but to comply with Christ’s command. So powerful is the Son of God!

So when Jesus demonstrates his unrivaled power against the devil when the devil brings his “A game,” might Jesus have the power to stand up to the devil’s lesser tricks and temptations as well? Surely! The issue in such cases is never whether Jesus can, but rather whether or not we call on his name to do so. There is no more powerful name than his. We need but call on it, and he will answer. When the devil sows his seeds of doubt and anxiety, call on the name of the Prince of Peace and see if it makes a difference. When you are in need of direction to keep you on the right path, call on the name of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When you are tempted, call on the name of the one who was tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. When you are filled with fear, call on the name of the one who is your Refuge and Strength. When you can’t do it alone, call on the name of the one who is your Helper.

And know that Jesus himself did this, too! At a different point in Jesus’ life and ministry, much closer to his suffering and death, Jesus recalled the power of God’s name on your behalf. This is the prayer Jesus prayed for you: “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me” (John 17:11-12). See how Jesus called on the power of God’s name to protect and keep you!

And as we close out this series, what a wonderful way to reflect on how we close out each service. Until relatively recent history, the Christian church concluded worship with the blessing. Then it became the practice to sing a closing hymn. But don’t let the blessing be lost just because it’s not last. God’s intent behind giving us that blessing, as we were reminded in the First Lesson from Numbers, was to put his name on us. When you leave this time of gathering for worship each week (which we also begin in Jesus’ name), we leave with the blessing of his name. And the neat part is that I didn’t come up with that; the church didn’t come up with that – God did! He wants to bless his people by placing his name on us. “So they will put my name on [them], and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:27). Wouldn’t that be enough? Even if there was not a single song or hymn that you liked, no Scripture reading that stuck with you, nothing earth-shattering in the sermon, but each week wouldn’t it be reason enough to gather here just to depart with the promise that you enter another week not just with your own name, but with his name on you? Surely that would go a long way in helping ensure that we’re OK, even when life isn’t.

Bounce Back to Prayer

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(Ephesians 3:14-21)

When we bounce back to the Word, to our baptism, and to witness, we hear and are reminded of who God is and what he has done for us, and we pass that on to others. We see the value he attaches to us in his willingness to sacrifice his Son. And all of these things are enough to give us a window into God’s heart to see his true colors and how deeply loved we are. And if we had just that and nothing more, it would be magnificently more than we’d ever need or deserve! But God outdoes himself. He isn’t content simply to reveal his own heart to us; he wants to know what’s on our hearts as well. If it’s too trite to say that Christianity isn’t a religion – it’s a relationship, then maybe we can at least agree that it’s a religion that is all about our relationship with God. He craves a connection with us that surpasses the status of mere acquaintance or association. So he invites us to pray. He delights in hearing our prayers. Let us then bounce back to prayer.

How do you feel about prayer? Does the general thought of prayer comfort you? Is it a treasured blessing? Likely you will agree that it is. But if I ask more specifically about your particular prayer life maybe your feelings change a bit. When I ask that question, be honest – does the thought of your prayer life make you tense up just a little, as if I just added one more item to your checklist that you already feel guilty for not accomplishing enough? Does the topic of prayer drum up more feelings of guilt than grace? I ask because when the topic of prayer comes up with Christians, it frequently seems to be followed by a sense of apology or regret over our prayer lives.  

If so, then we have some work to do. Let’s start by asking ourselves a question: what would your prayer life have to look like in order for prayer not to be a source of guilt? Is it a matter of quantity? If you prayed more, would you feel less guilty? OK, then – how much would you have to pray for you to not feel guilty? Several times a day? Throughout the day? Several hours a day? If it isn’t a matter of quantity or frequency of prayer, then is it quality that has you feeling guilty? Do you feel like your prayers don’t have much substance to them, that they’re not “churchy” or “religious” enough (whatever that means!)?  

You really need to think through the answer to this question, because if you don’t, prayer and guilt will always go hand-in-hand. But here’s the real reason: if you view prayer as a performance by which to please God, you’ll always feel guilty – and frankly, you should! Because if our relationship with God is based on pleasing him with our performance, then we will always fall woefully short. We will never measure up in any way, including our prayers. 

So again – and stop me if it sounds like I’m a broken record here – bounce back to the Word and to your baptism. God does not base his relationship with you or his interest in you on your performance; he bases it on Jesus’ performance. And his was perfect. Yours never will be, so stop pretending your connection with God is based on something he needs from you. He already has what he needs in his perfect Son; he needs nothing from you – including your prayers. 

But he does want them. Do you see the difference between needing and wanting? If he has what he needs in Christ’s perfection, then he doesn’t need your prayers. But he wants them. He wants to bend his ear to you. He wants to be your go-to. He wants to show you how good and gracious he is. He wants to demonstrate his superiority to anything else that might make a play for first place in your heart. He wants to satisfy you in ways the world never can. 

Do you sense that Paul was very much aware of God’s desire and ability to do so? He knows full well what he’s tapping into when he taps into God’s power through prayer. “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power…” and “to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:16, 20). God is not living below the poverty line. He’s nowhere near middle class, even. The means God has at his disposal to answer prayer are beyond what we could ever comprehend. He is able to answer prayers in such monumental ways that our limited minds aren’t even able to think to ask! So the issue will never be one of our asking too much of God, but rather never asking enough of him. 

Elon Musk was recently crowned the wealthiest man on the planet. Suppose he wanted to showcase how wealthy he was by stating that he was going to pick one lucky person and grant that one person whatever he asked, no matter how much it cost. When the moment of truth comes and that individual reveals his request, he asks for – drumroll, please… a Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich. Now I don’t care how good a chicken sandwich is – when the richest man on the planet invites you to ask for anything you want and you ask him for a sandwich, not only is there something wrong with you, but the other – the bigger issue – is that you’ve just insulted his wealth and generosity. What a slap in the face to the world’s richest man to be robbed of the opportunity to display his wealth and generosity!

So then, tell me again why we ask so little of the God who owns the deed to everything on the planet, the planet itself, along with the entire universe? Why do we rob him of the opportunity to display that wealth and generosity? What do we really think of him if he invites us to come in his name and ask him for anything and we either ask infrequently, sporadically, or for so little? How we insult him with our infrequent, small-minded requests in our prayers! Forgive us, Lord, for thinking so little of you!

To help us put it into perspective, suppose I told you that when you get home today, Amazon is having a 24-hour window for you to order anything you want, as much as you want, for absolutely nothing. While I would like to think all of you would at least stick around for the whole service, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if some of you immediately pulled out your phone and started ordering. There’s not a single one of us who would not spend the better part of the next 24 hours ordering everything under the sun – if not for you, then to meet the needs of other people.

Of course that’s too good to be true. But you know what isn’t? Taking those requests to God, “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (v.20). Amazon has limitations – believe it or not there are still plenty of things you can’t buy on Amazon. Yet there is nothing God cannot provide, and his window of provision isn’t limited to 24 hours.

Neither is his window of provision limited to physical things. There are just some things that only God can provide. Try searching Amazon for consolation when a loved one dies. You won’t find it. Neither will you find any deals of the day on forgiveness for your past wrongs. You won’t find contentment with the click of a button. The peace to let go of when others have wronged you will never show up in the search bar. Yet God can grant all of this and so much more… if we ask him. 

You know what I find amazing about reading any of Paul’s letters when he touches on prayer? Physical requests are the last thing on his mind, and yet if anyone could have used prayers for physical things, surely it was Paul! Hi concerns are not based on the physical stuff, but the spiritual. No “pray that I get out jail” or “pray that I don’t get beaten again” or “pray that I don’t suffer” or “pray that I have enough clothing and food” Even though these were all constant struggles for Paul, his letters don’t waste any words asking his listeners to pray for his physical health or well-being, but always on the gospel and spiritual things. He doesn’t ask God to remove his suffering, but rather thanks God for using it to spread the gospel!

And before us in his letter to the Ephesians he does the same. The whole prayer here is for the spiritual growth and vibrant faith of the Ephesians! He prays for them to be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit so that Jesus might take up permanent residence in their hearts. He prays that the roots of Jesus’ love would be anchored in their hearts to grasp how all-encompassing his love for them really is – a love that goes beyond just head knowledge. He prays that that might happen so that they might be filled to the brim with God. 

What if your prayer life reflected this approach for a week? a month? the rest of the year? For many of us, it’d be a big shift in the way we pray. Less of the physical – jobs, relationships, health, finances – and more of the spiritual – depth of faith, Christ-like love for others, peace that really does defy understanding – but can absolutely be experienced, patience in an impatient world, compassion and contentment, joy in my identity in Christ, self-control that can say no to physical temptations, overwhelming gratitude, a forgiving heart, Godly wisdom, etc. Yes, let us bounce back to prayer the way Paul did – with a kingdom focus – and experience first-hand how much easier we find it to be OK even when life isn’t. 

Bounce Back to Witness

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(John 1:43-51)

A part of embracing our identity is telling others who we are and what we’ve seen. We become increasingly secure in that identity through our time in the Word and as we recall our baptism. Bounce back to those frequently and you will become much more clear and confident in who you are, and OK when life isn’t. But, like at the end of an infomercial, “wait, there’s more!” While the Word and your baptism clearly and repeatedly remind you you are a child of God, we reflect that and reinforce it when we verbalize it to others.

What difference might it make if we shifted the way we think about evangelism and the role of a witness from something we do to something we are? The Word and our baptism provide us with a rock-solid identity that isn’t based on performance or approval ratings. Because of everything that Jesus has done for me, my identity has changed. I am a child of God, bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus. And a part of that identity means that I am also a witness. Another way of saying it is that I am a disciple. Another way of saying it is I am a disciple who makes disciples. That is when it starts to click, when witnessing isn’t merely something some Christians do and others don’t, but is rather who we are. When it becomes as natural as breathing air. When it becomes second nature that we don’t overthink it or talk ourselves out of it, but becomes as routine and habitual as brushing our teeth. Of course it’s far more effective than just keeping cavities at bay; it’s effective at keeping souls from being lost. 

Notice how it happened as John recorded it. Philip followed Jesus. Rejoicing in who he was, he invited others to follow who he had found. And his invitation couldn’t have been simpler: “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (v.46). Not complicated at all. Philip was just sharing what he had discovered, something that we typically do without even giving it even a second thought. He found the Savior and he told Nathanael about it. This is simple. It’s easy. But what happened next was terrifying. Absolutely mortifying. It must have been Philip’s worst nightmare come true. Nathanael pushed back.

Ugh. How deflating! How debilitating! Nathanael didn’t simply respond the way we wish everyone would, with a “That’s great – tell me more! I am so interested in what you’re telling me! Is there a service or a class I could join you at?” No, instead he responded in a way that resonates very strongly with us: Nathanael threw up the smokescreen. “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (v.46). Nathanael honed in on one little detail of Philip’s good news and missed the forest for the trees. He blew right past Philip’s elation at having discovered the Messiah and sought to detour their dialogue by focusing on Nazareth.

Anyone who has ever witnessed to others has had a relatable experience in one way or another. The testimony of who Jesus is and what a difference he makes or the invitation worship or some other function is met with an attempted detour. “Organized religion isn’t for me.” “The church has done a lot of damage throughout history.” “You really believe in a book that was written by a bunch of old men thousands of years ago?” What then happens we can feel compelled to take that detour and end up in a discussion that is a far cry from both where we started and where we wanted to go. We address one of many symptoms of the problem and not the problem itself. We chase down the rabbit hole and then walk away frustrated because we didn’t successfully or adequately address the detour raised by the other person. It can take the wind right out of our sails. It can be deflating. But, and while I don’t mean to downplay or dismiss our need to and the benefit of getting better at being able to discuss those detours, there is a better way; a way that each and every one of us can carry out. 

Philip’s response demonstrated that way, and it couldn’t have been simpler: “Come and see” (v.46), he said. Not complicated at all. Consider how powerful that invitation is, and why it is so effective. While we may occasionally express our satisfaction with a service or a product for somewhat trivial reasons, the most compelling reason we’ll ever become vocal about something is because we had a positive personal experience with it. Inviting someone to come and see is essentially saying, “Don’t take my word for it – see for yourself.” It is an invitation to test-drive what we’re talking about, an invitation to experience a risk-free trial. That’s why free trials are so popular today! This approach provides another benefit. In addition to taking the burden off of us in having to convince someone else, the best reason for taking this approach is that it lets Jesus do the work. 

Too often we place the responsibility of building Christ’s Kingdom on our own shoulders. Not only is that an uphill battle, it’s impossible. You don’t build Christ’s Kingdom; he does. Remember that Jesus is the one who did the work in you and me. Jesus is the one who continues to do the work in you and me. Let him do the work in others.

Otherwise, our zeal and passion for evangelism or witnessing will wane. Furthermore, it betrays how inherently self-centered we really are. While we naturally avoid witnessing rather easily because we say we’re afraid of doing it, if we dig a little more what we’ll really find is pretty convicting: we’re afraid of failing because we’re overly focused on ourselves. When we make evangelism about ourselves we truly reveal how much we really care about ourselves, not others. We can call it insecurity. We can cower in fear. But those things only come because we’re caring more about ourselves than either that other person or Jesus himself. Stop thinking so selfishly. Stop making evangelism about you and start focusing on the other person and start focusing on Jesus. Let Jesus do the work. 

When I selfishly let my own ego or my own fear quiet my witness and keep my mouth closed, I can downplay it or excuse it or blow it off because it’s such a common struggle, but I finally have to call it what it is: sin. And, while our tendency to rate or rank sin from bad to worse might not see this sin as nearly as bad as others, think of it this way – not only is it a sin against God, but it’s potentially the most harmful thing we can do to our neighbor at the same time by staying silent about their salvation! So who will rescue me from my own fear and ego in failing to witness?

Jesus already has. Bounce back to the Word, where we’re reminded of what Jesus has done for us: “Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11). Look at that! Even though we’re quiet and we clam up around others instead of making some bold confession of our faith in Jesus, or even inviting others to come and see more, Jesus does not disown us or dismiss us. He made us holy by forgiving our sin and replacing it with his righteousness, and because he did, he still calls us family. He still considers us brothers and sisters. Who doesn’t want a family member like that? So let’s tell others about him. Good things happen when we do, and when we let Jesus do the work.

See how things played out when Philip let Jesus do the work? Good things happened. It strikes me that after Philip’s invitation to Nathanael to come and see, the rest of the account is all about Jesus doing the work. And what happened when he did? “Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel” (v.49). Jesus didn’t get sidetracked by Nathanael’s Nazareth detour, but directed the conversation back on Nathanael. Then, he pointed Nathanael to himself as the Messiah. See what happened when Philip made witnessing not about himself, but about the two others involved in the equation – Nathanael and Jesus? Good things happened! Let Jesus do the work!

I think we forget how easy it is to let Jesus do the work. Do you realize how many different ways you can essentially invite someone to “Come and See” today? Sunday morning worship. Bible class after worship that is specifically for discovering and exploring Jesus more. Share a YouTube video. Every Sunday morning I share this message on Facebook and Instagram. You can listen to the sermon as a podcast. You can read it on this blog. And every one of those is shareable! You can either share them on your own page or send them to someone else. It has never been easier to invite others to come and see! It has never been easier to let Jesus do the work!

And… there have never been so many people needing the work that Jesus does. If we are seriously concerned about where our nation is today, and where it is heading, can we really keep pretending that politicians are going to save us? that the media will come to the rescue? that even a vaccine itself will magically free everyone from fear and replace it with hope and optimism? If so, we’re asking the impossible. None of those efforts will change hearts for the better. But you know who will? Jesus. When you firmly believe that is when you invite others to come and see it, too. And that’s when Jesus gets to work. 

Bounce Back to your Baptism

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(Mark 1:4-11)

One of the most under-utilized resources at our disposal to help us bounce back, or to be OK when life isn’t, is baptism. You may think I am overstating its importance or value in your life, but I would respond by asking how well you rate yourself at being OK when life isn’t. If your answer is anything less than a perfect score, isn’t it at least worth considering how your baptism could play a bigger role in helping you be OK when life isn’t? If so, and if we’re going to leave today with a clearer understanding of and a deeper appreciation for our baptism, we must first start with His.

Here’s something rather fascinating about Jesus’ baptism: it is one of the very rare events in Jesus’ life and ministry that is recorded in all four Gospels. The Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – are the books of the Bible that record Jesus’ words and works for us. Now then, to put it into perspective, I think we’d all agree that Christmas – Jesus’ birth – is a pretty big deal, right? You know how many of the Gospels cover Jesus’ birth? Two. Just two. So, without reading too much into it, can we agree that at the very least, an event in Jesus’ life that is covered by all four of the Gospels is deserving of our attention?

If ever there was reason make a big deal of something or to have a high-end ceremony, it might be Jesus’ baptism. But what is recorded couldn’t be more unceremonious. The angels who announced Jesus’ birth are not lined up along the Jordan announcing his baptism. Crowds weren’t flocking to Jesus to witness his baptism; rather, he was a part of the crowds flocking to John to hear his message first-hand and be baptized. John himself was not dressed in some ornately flowing robes, rivaling the pomp of a pope, but rather primitive animal skins. The setting stands out in its stark simplicity.

The simple setting itself wasn’t the only surprise; the matter of why Jesus was even being baptized in the first place added to the surprise even more. Mark detailed for us that those coming to him to be baptized were “confessing their sins,” an activity in which the sinless Son of God could not participate – he had no sin to confess! John even expressed his confusion, asking, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Mt. 3:14). What business did Jesus have participating in a practice meant for sinners?

Ah, and that last phrase captures it: “meant for sinners.” Jesus and baptism have something in common in that regard: they are both meant for sinners. Baptism was given for sinners, and as we were just again reminded at Christmas, Jesus came for sinners. It wasn’t his own personal need that prompted his baptism; it was yours and mine. Jesus responded to John’s confusion by saying, “It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness” (Mt. 3:15). Being righteous meant that Jesus was to carry out the Father’s will. What’s more, imagine how awkward it would have been before Jesus’ ascension if he had commissioned his church to make disciples by baptizing and teaching, while he himself had not carried out the very directive! So in being baptized, Jesus was doing the right thing as our perfect Substitute. 

And now let us zero in on the detail of Jesus’ baptism which must always stick with us if our own baptism is going to serve as the stuff that has real substance to be OK when life isn’t; to bounce back when everything and everyone else may fall apart. That detail happens immediately following Jesus’ baptism. “As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open…” (v.10). Now I wasn’t there, but stop and consider how jaw-dropping it must have been to see heaven “torn” open! Was there a seam that split in the skies? Was it as if a curtain had been peeled back for just a moment? 

Even more amazing than the physical occurrence was the spiritual significance of what was going on. To appreciate it, go back to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve’s sin. God sent them out of the garden and had it guarded by angels with flaming swords. See what sin had done! It had literally separated man from God! God used to walk in the garden with Adam and Eve, but after the bombshell of sin dropped on our world, so did separation from God. But now look what was happening! Jesus was on the scene. The holiness of heaven was split open. Hope was being restored for a restoration and reconciliation between God and men in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Our sin separated a fallen world from a holy heaven, but Jesus coming onto the scene was about to change that forever. And the exclamation point on all of it? That was in what happened next. 

Then the Father spoke – and do not let his words fall on deaf ears this morning. He proclaimed to Jesus, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (v.11). Psychologists have studied the impact that parental approval – or lack thereof – can have on the development of children. Some children struggle well into adulthood because they never felt they had either one or both of their parents’ approval. They always fell short and never lived up to their expectations. It can drive us to prove ourselves in unhealthy ways as adults while still striving to achieve approval from parents. And it isn’t just family. It’s friends. It’s the workplace. It’s social media followers and likes. We constantly crave approval. 

And here, on this divine day in the desert, the Father gives his full approval to his Son. Not only does he pour out his Father’s heart, verbalizing his love, but he also expresses the delight, the pleasure, the pride he has in Jesus. Let there be no doubts about Jesus’ calling and credentials to serve as the Savior! The Father himself approves, giving consent with his own voice to Jesus and the work of salvation that he was born to carry out. The Father approves!

Friends, the Father approves. The Father approves. The words he spoke at Jesus’ baptism live on in our own baptism. THAT is why Jesus’ baptism matters – it is what makes ours matter! 

Siblings help us understand the connection between Jesus’ baptism and our own. If there is one thing we can count on when raising kids, it’s that siblings will be absolutely determined to do everything in their power to make sure they get what their sibling got. Go ahead and throw any rational or logical thinking out the window. “If my brother got it, then I should get it. If my sister got it, then I should get it.” They will not be shortchanged. They will not be slighted. They will get what their siblings got, and will whine and complain and fuss until it happens. 

Stated positively, that is exactly what we receive in baptism – we get what Jesus, our brother, got: the Father’s approval. The Second Lesson today from Romans helped explain how that happens. “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3-4). The point is that baptism binds us to the blessings Jesus won for us. Jesus suffered and died for our sins and through baptism we died that death. That means there is no more punishment for our sins – the death penalty has already been served! But Jesus didn’t stay dead; just as he was raised from the dead, our baptism means that we have been raised to a new life. 

Do you know what comes with that new life because of the blessings bound to our baptism? The Father’s approval! It is as if we can take the very words the Father spoke to the Son at his baptism and insert our first name: “You [name] are my son/daughter, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (v.11). This isn’t just fluffy church talk or spiritually sappy stuff – baptism in Jesus is the assurance that the Father loves you and that he is pleased, thrilled, delighted with you! 

And the love he has for you and the delight he has in you is not performance-based. It isn’t because you managed to impress him or win his favor by anything you ever did. But neither does your track record disqualify you! That means he isn’t waiting for you to right all your wrongs, as if any of us ever could. It means that no matter what you did in the past, no matter how much you’ve convinced yourself it’s beyond forgiveness, or how much others have condemned you, baptism even washes away that past. So if no such sin any longer separates us from God, as Adam & Eve’s cast them out of Eden apart from him, then you have God’s approval. Jesus’ baptism, life, death, and resurrection, made that possible. And your baptism guarantees it.

So if you want to be OK when life isn’t, remember to bounce back to your baptism. Remember that it isn’t just some event that happened in the past, but it’s who you are. That day was not just the day on which you were baptized, but on that day and every day after, you were set apart as a baptized child of God, bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus. As a baptized child of God, the Father approves.

You don’t have to try to please everyone to get their approval. You don’t have to be the best at your job to get recognition from your boss. You don’t have to be more like that parent so your kids think you’re the greatest. You don’t have to buy this or own that to seek out validation. Stop feverishly chasing from others what you already have from the Father: approval. After all, whose opinion of you matters more – theirs, or His? He has already spoken. He is pleased. The Father approves. Jesus and your baptism guarantee it.