Month: July 2023

Wheat, Weeds, and the Word

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(Matthew 13:24-43)

Weeding is a necessary evil. That is, assuming you want to keep the landscape looking nice or wish to grow anything in your vegetable garden. While I don’t know anyone who would put weeding at the top of their list of all-time favorite activities, most of us acknowledge that it needs to be done whether we like it or not. 

Since Jesus uses so many agricultural illustrations in his teaching (e.g., he likens the life of a Christian to a tree producing fruit or a crop yielding a harvest), we might ex expect that somewhere in his teaching he’d include a spiritual reference to the importance of weeding. Interestingly enough, though, in this section from Matthew 13, Jesus states that when it comes to weeding in his kingdom, we don’t need to weed. It isn’t required. We’re off the hook.

In fact, he goes a step further by actually prohibiting weeding in his kingdom. In Jesus’ parable, notice the question and response regarding the weeds. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull [the weeds] up?’ ‘No,’ he answered” (v. 28-29a). 

“No???” Is it just me, or does that conclusion catch you off guard a bit? On the one hand, it would be perfectly understandable to make the same assumption the servants did: get rid of the weeds so that they don’t choke out the wheat. Don’t let the bad stuff grow and overwhelm the good. This is a natural approach to gardening because if one doesn’t weed, the good stuff doesn’t grow. 

That approach would also seem to line up with warnings elsewhere in Scripture when God warns his people not to have anything to do with the deeds of darkness, to avoid every kind of evil, and not to associate with wickedness. He warns us against being yoked together with unbelievers (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14).

Moreover, doesn’t such wickedness arouse our own sense of righteous anger as we are surrounded by it everywhere? Doesn’t God want us to do something about it? Aren’t we supposed to be ready for spiritual warfare and go to battle against all the kinds of blatant sin and disdain against God that is so prevalent? How can the man’s response to his servants’ request about pulling up the wheat be a straightforward “no”??? How is it that Jesus here can be so nonchalant about the threat of evil growing alongside his wheat, his believers?

Let’s jump ahead to Jesus’ explanation of the parable just to make sure we have all of the details right. Maybe that will help us understand a bit better. “He answered, ‘The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels’” (v.37-39). Jesus’ interpretation is pretty straightforward. He doesn’t really provide any additional insights as to why weeding is off-limits. Now what?

Let’s revisit the man’s rationale for prohibiting weeding. “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them’” (v.29). Ah, there is his concern. God is worried about more than just the possible damage that could be caused by the weeds. He is more concerned about accidentally uprooting the wheat.

Are you surprised by this? In our minds, we view the corruption and wickedness all around us as public enemy number one to our faith. We worry about the world’s influence on our faith. We worry about its open attacks on Christianity. We feel the squeeze of sin and its normalization all around us. Surely the potential damage the weeds could do to the wheat is a greater risk than the possibility of accidentally uprooting some of the wheat?!? Spiritual weed-whacking would seem to be the best option, wouldn’t it?

Apparently, Jesus disagrees. Let that sink in. Jesus is less concerned about the influence the wicked world has on his believers than he is about the possibility of any one of his believers being yanked away along with the weeds.

But how does that even happen? Quite easily, as a matter of fact.

Do you remember when Westboro Baptist Church made headlines? Years ago they were regularly making the news, but not for a good reason. They had groups protesting at the funerals of servicemen and women, claiming that such deaths were deserved and were God’s judgment on the military for accepting gays. They picketed in the name of Christianity, claiming God’s judgment here and there. 

It is one thing to call out sin – and yes, we are to do that; but it is another to do it lacking so much as an ounce of love. Love prompts us to call sin, sin in hopes of repentance that would see a soul turn from sin to forgiveness and grace in Jesus. Guess what was lacking in any of the groups from Westboro Baptist?

Do you suppose their actions had any impact? I imagine they did… but not for the good of Christ’s Kingdom. Instead, their loveless attitude and calloused, insensitive approach most definitely resulted in increased animosity against Christians, as non-believers lumped all of Christianity with “those types of people.”

And undoubtedly, some Christians who were either young in their faith or on the fringes of their faith concluded that if this was how Christians really acted, then they didn’t want anything to do with Christianity.

That’s the concern the farmer expressed when prematurely pulling the weeds – some of the wheat may come with it.

There is another reason Jesus is less concerned about spiritual weed-whacking: his confidence in the Word of God to sustain believers.

When we consider the two parables Jesus tells between this one and its explanation, we see a different emphasis: an emphasis on the power of the Word. In those parables, Jesus compares the Word to a mustard seed and to yeast. It grows exponentially. So it would seem Jesus has such confidence in the Word keeping the wheat that he is less concerned about weeds crowding out the wheat. Maybe we should have the same confidence! 

Another way we might reflect this: let’s focus less on the world’s wickedness and more on how the Word works. The Word works! We can sit around and pout all day about how bad the world, our country, or our state are getting and conclude that Christ’s church is doomed. Or, we can keep trusting that Word still works, it will still bring unbelievers to faith and will continue to keep believers in the faith. Worry less about the weeds and more about how God sustains and grows his wheat, and we’ll be just fine. 

If ever there was reason to fear that the weeds were going to overtake the wheat, it was in the final days of Jesus’ life. Surely it appeared as if the weeds were gaining ground and taking over. In Jesus’ final days, as his enemies had their way with him, It was as if the weeds were going to completely eradicate the wheat. Indeed, that was the conclusion of some as Jesus hung crucified, his life cruelly and undeservedly slipping away from him. 

But it wasn’t as it appeared! The weeds weren’t actually winning. Rather, God was permanently protecting his wheat harvest with a certainty of salvation that no weeds would ever be able to suffocate or choke out. Jesus was guaranteeing a harvest on the Last Day by graciously forgiving all sin and wickedness so that no level of evil could ever overcome it.

Where sin and wickedness have been forgiven – and at the cross they have – what real power do they retain? Who really has the power when sin and wickedness have been forgviven? Christ does! His church does! You do! I do! The weeds don’t win – not so long as forgiveness reigns.

And that is where we stand: in the grace of forgiveness. Surrounded by weeds and wickedness, yes – but they can never touch God’s gracious gifts of forgiveness and salvation in which we stand. So stand in them. Remain in them. Grow in them. Don’t waste your time and attention on how bad the weeds are; focus your time and attention on how God grows and sustains his wheat. The weeds won’t stand a chance. Ask Satan – he already knows it. He just hopes that you forget it and worry more about the damage that he might do than about the saving work Jesus already did.  

What a great reminder for the church to stay on mission. Its mission is not weed-whacking all of the wickedness out of the world. Its mission is to proclaim the gospel and let its light shine. Jesus thinks the potential good from doing that outweighs the potential damage of being influenced by the weeds.

Let’s not forget this. Let’s ratchet up our efforts in trusting the Word by prioritizing it in our lives. Talk is cheap, and frankly, just talking about the importance of the Word isn’t enough to keep the weeds at bay. Reading it, studying it, breathing it, living it, applying it, encouraging each other with it, building each other up with it – these are the things God’s wheat does as we await the glorious harvest. When that harvest comes on the Last Day, God will finally take care of the weeds, and he assures us that his Word-grown wheat will not be left behind, but will “shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (v.43).

Until then Christians, live with the weeds. We aren’t called to douse them with Round-up or feverishly yank them up in hopes of solving the world’s weed problem. Instead, we let the Word do that – in both our own lives and, as it has opportunity, in their lives, too. Focus on being Word-grown wheat, and let God take care of the harvest. It just might be more plentiful than you could ever have imagined.

Word Grown

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(Isaiah 55:6-11)

Based on how our food is labeled and packaged, where it comes from matters to us. Some people care more than others if their food is organic. Others want to know if it’s locally grown. Is it genetically modified? Farm grown? When someone drops by with home-grown fruit or veggies, you know it’s going to taste just a little bit better. When we’re talking about meat, plant-based or lab-grown options will continue to be a part of the discussion. We pay attention to how things are grown.

Planted by the Word.

Christians are grown, too. But there aren’t a variety of options when it comes to how Christians are grown; there is just one. Christians are Word grown. Every single one of us came to faith in Jesus Christ in one way and in one way only: through the Word.

That Word may have come in the form of a promise attached to the washing of water in baptism. That Word may have worked in us as little ones who learned Bible stories that pointed us to our Savior, Jesus. That Word may have worked repentance, forgiveness, and the joy of salvation in us as adults whose skepticisms and doubts were put to rest through Bible study or one-on-one discussions of biblical truths with a Christian. However our faith was worked in us, in each an every case, it was always worked through the Word of God. It’s how you became a Christian. 

If you have faith, then, it was worked by the Word. But, why doesn’t the Word always work? Why doesn’t it always bring people to faith every time it is heard, read, or studied? We could offer any number of pretty rational or logical reasons, but at some point, there comes a time and place when we simply have to acknowledge our limitations.

Isaiah reflected on those limitations when describing God in verses 8-9. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” God is God and we are not.

While we may think it unfair or resent God for not revealing everything to us, is it prudent or realistic to presume that we should be on the same level as God? If we suppose so, is that because we are guilty of thinking so highly of ourselves or so little of God? Does he owe us an explanation or understanding of why and how he operates? 

Nevertheless, just because our thoughts and ways are not on par with God’s, that doesn’t mean God has completely left us guessing as to what his thoughts and ways are. We simply rest easy in knowing the basics – that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). This truth keeps us from spending our time distracted by what we don’t know so that we can focus on what we do know: God wants all people to be saved, and the only way he saves is through the Word. 

There is another explanation as to why the Word may at times appear to us to be ineffective. Sometimes, it’s because we’re not actually sowing the seed of the Word, but rather talking about it. Do you know the difference?

If it appears that my unbelieving friend’s life is coming unraveled and I point out to him that he needs Jesus in his life, have I sowed the seed of the Word? Well, not entirely. I may have taken the first step toward doing so, but at that point alone the Word has not been sown. I have made reference to a name in that Word, but the Word itself has not been sown.

Or consider your bumper sticker that says “Jesus saves.” It is true, yes. But it is incomplete and not clear enough to the point. The person reading your bumper sticker may conclude that you are a Christian, knowing enough to equate Jesus with Christianity. However, the sticker reveals nothing about who Jesus is, how he saves, who he saves, or why it matters that Jesus saves. The seed hasn’t fully been sown.

This point is not so much a criticism as a much-needed clarification. This friends, is where we can make a difference. We can be more intentional about sowing the seed rather than just talking about it. In other words, we can – and we must – make certain we are clearly communicating law (which exposes our sin) and gospel (the good news of our Savior).

A gardener can go to great lengths to till the soil and prepare it for the seed. However, once the soil has been made ready, the seed still has to be planted. If all the gardener does is tell others what great soil she has and speaks of the superior quality of seeds she has, nothing will grow. The seed must be planted. It must be sown. 

In the same way, if all the gardener does after the soil has been made ready is assure others that he has plenty of good seed to plant in his fields, this, too will yield no harvest. Whether the gardener speaks of the praise of the soil or the praise of his superior seed, one thing has been left undone: the seed has not been planted in the soil. It must be sown.

Where is this seed sown? Sure, it is sown in churches, Bible classes, or classrooms by called pastors and teachers. Praise God for that sowing! But how many fields lie fallow if only pastors and teachers sow the Word in those places?

God’s vision included a far greater harvest than just those fields! He knows his Word works wherever it is sown by whomever sows it – including you. And you are qualified to do it.

You have unique relationships with non-believers. There is your soil. You also have the message of the gospel, the good news that Jesus died to save sinners. There is your seed. Sow it. Go confidently beyond the step of simply talking about the seed and sow the seed. Start with highlighting the blessings Jesus fills your own life with, and point them to how he can do the same in theirs. Plant the Word. It’s the only way others will ever come to faith.

Produce through the Word.

And do so with the confidence that it will work. Crops need rain. Some states right now are in a drought. Other states are flooding. What determines this? Rain. With all of our advancements and the amazing technologies that exist, it is such a striking reminder that we have zero control over the one thing essential to crop growth: rain. Without it, crops die. Crops need rain.

Christians need the Word. Without it, Christians die. The seed planted may sprout and grow, but if not watered by the Word, it will die. That same Word that was planted in you to bring you to faith is the thing that produces a harvest in your life and in Christ’s kingdom. The Lord promises you it will work.

Isaiah described it like this: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (v.10-11).

We sometimes make the mistake of presuming that our knowledge of the Word is adequate, that once we know it, it has done its work by providing us with the information we need to apply it to our lives. Well then, why do you continue to sin if you already know the information in the Word? You know you shouldn’t lie or steal. You know you shouldn’t get drunk. You know sex is reserved for husbands and wives alone. You know your bitterness and anger are unjustified. You know all of these things from the Word… yet you still do them. If the Word’s method of working was merely to provide information to set you on the track of holiness, I think we’d have to conclude that the Word is pretty ineffective. 

But the problem is not that the Word is ineffective. Rather, the problem is that we fail to take God’s promise to heart and keep putting the Word to work. It doesn’t just work informationally – by giving us a list of do’s and dont’s; it works supernaturally, by continually crushing the sinner in us and awakening the saint.

The law keeps accusing and killing us while the gospel restores and renews us. The Spirit works supernaturally through the Word as we marvel at the reality of being baptized children of God. As we take and eat the food of forgiveness in Holy Communion. As we hear and believe the faith-fueling forgiveness announced again and again through the Word. This is not mere information; this is a supernatural transformation that the Spirit produces through the Word. In each and all of these ways the Word works in our hearts to reveal to us the endless ocean of forgiveness that completely engulfs all of our sin. 

Understand then, why Isaiah gives us this encouragement: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (v.6-7). Free pardon. Mercy. These are the gifts of God earned for us through Christ and delivered to us through the Word. How could we forsake this Word, this pardon, this mercy?

Quite the opposite! Let us return to it again and again, so that this endless mercy and free pardon work in us to produce an abundant harvest in Christ’s kingdom – both in our personal lives and in the lives of others. 

Do you believe it will actually work in your own life? I suppose you could keep stumbling in the same sin over and over for the rest of your life and keep justifying it to others by explaining that’s just the way you are. Or, you could allow the Word to do what it does and work supernaturally on your heart so that you experience more victories in this or that area of life, and yes, even overcome certain inclinations or temptations. That same Word builds up your faith to lean more on God on less on excusing your inadequacies and shortcomings.

Do you believe it will actually work in the lives of others? Rather than being so surprised when the Word works in the lives of others, what if we were instead more surprised when it didn’t? In other words, if we’re going to make a mistake – as if this could ever be considered a mistake – what if we over-sowed the seed? What if we assumed it would work in the lives of others who so desperately needed it that we always sowed it rather than presuming others have already heard it or would probably just reject it? The more you sow it, the more it works, and the greater the harvest. 

Christian, are you budding and flourishing in your life? You can be. Test God in this and see if these words of Isaiah are actually true. See if the planted Word produces – in your life and in the lives of others. Let us embrace this central defining characteristic of what it means to be a Christian: that the Word permeates our lives and that the Holy Spirit uses it to produce and flourish in and through us.

Rest, Assured

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(Matthew 11:25-30)

Spend any length of time listening to a conversation between teenagers and time yourself. See how long it takes for the blank stare to come across your face when you have no idea what they’re saying.

I am not talking about mumbling or being soft-spoken, as teenagers can often be. Rather, the words and phrases they use will likely come across as either completely foreign to you or have an entirely different meaning attached to them.

For example, it might surprise you to find out that “bussin” does not refer to a method of transportation one might take, nor does “shippin” involve how one might send a package. Preaching a “fire” sermon has nothing to do with brimstone or heavy-handed law. I know it might sound like I’m “cappin,” but I assure you I am not. That’s the “tea.” 

My point? The words we use to communicate can only serve that purpose effectively if we know and understand what they mean. You’ve likely also experienced this when someone in a specific line of work explained to you what they do for a living and used words and phrases that totally flew over your head.

We can do it within Christianity, too, when we try to describe our faith using terms like redeem, atonement, justification, or sanctification – terms that are totally unfamiliar to non-Christians. 

That brings us to the overall theme on which we’ll be focusing over the next several posts, Define Christian. What, exactly, does it mean to be a Christian? How do we define it? What do we mean when we use that label or identify ourselves as Christian? Does it have anything to do with politics? What does the Bible have to do with it? What is the connection between a Christian and a church? And of course, since one can see the word “Christ” in Christian, who is he and where does he fit in?

With each post, we’ll look at how God’s Word defines “Christian” by exploring teachings and truths that guide us to a clear understanding. Today we see it defined by where a Christian turns for rest. 

We ought to first take the step of making sure we’re clear on our definition of “rest.” Rest, too, carries a lot of different meanings for a lot of different people. A hiker may need to stop and rest his legs and grab a drink of water at various points throughout the trail. A sick person or one recovering from surgery needs rest to allow the body to carry out its natural recovery processes. Ask someone who is sleep-deprived about the importance of being able to get good sleep or rest. Rest can also simply mean taking a break from something for a time or season in life.

So which rest do we have in mind as we determine where the Christian turns for rest?

Jesus’ personal invitation begins to clear it up for us: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28). There is the invitation to receive rest from Jesus. He clarifies exactly the sort of rest he has in mind in the very next verse. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (v.29). There it is. The kind of rest Jesus offers is rest “for your souls.” 

How does one come to receive this kind of rest? We should first note that there are those for whom this rest will always remain out of reach. Jesus described them. “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do’” (v.25-26).

What? Two things here might catch us off guard. One, it sounds as if God deliberately keeps some people in the dark regarding his rest and certain other truths of Scripture. Two, Jesus sounds like he is on board with this, even going so far as to praise his Father for it. These two observations appear to be at odds with the character of a God who says he wants all people to be saved. Why wouldn’t God’s invitation to find rest be extended to all people? 

To better understand the point, consider the result if Jesus’ words were reversed – if he had said that he praised his Father because he revealed these things to the wise and learned and kept them hidden from little children. If that were the case, then certain people – those who lacked a certain intellectual ability – would automatically be excluded. No matter how hard they tried, they’d never be able to achieve the level of wisdom and learning required for salvation. They’d never be able to understand and believe Jesus’ teaching or ever find rest in him. We would have to conclude that God isn’t genuinely interested in saving all people; he’s just interested in saving the smart ones, the ones with the heightened intellectual ability to achieve a higher level of enlightenment. 

But Jesus didn’t say that. Instead, he praised the Father for revealing his truths to little children – to those with a child-like, simple trust and understanding. Therefore, to those who are too smart for their own good, who have either concluded they don’t need rest for their souls or that they don’t need Jesus to provide it for them, Jesus’ rest will always be out of reach. 

However, even for them, there is always the opportunity for the wise to set aside their prideful know-it-all-ness and humble themselves to receive the rest Jesus offers like little children. So Jesus’ invitation is for all people in search of rest who have realized they won’t succeed in finding it themselves. 

As we consider Jesus’ word choice in his invitation to rest, it also might strike us as odd that his invitation involves terms like “yoke” and “burden.” Those are terms that carry the idea of hard work and manual labor, not rest. Animals that share a yoke aren’t the animals resting in the barn, but rather working in the fields. So what can Jesus mean?

It’s important for us to nail down and be certain of what Jesus isn’t saying. Observe that Jesus doesn’t say his yoke is easier and his burden is lighter. In other words, Jesus isn’t inviting us to partner up with him so that it will be easier for us as long as we just do our best and he does the rest. This isn’t Jesus calling us to try our hardest to please him, to be pretty good people, with the assurance that he’ll take it from there so long as we’re yoked to him. 

No, Jesus wants us to know that the reason his yoke is easy and his burden is light is because he has done it all. He has done all the heavy lifting. He has done all the hard work. He has carried out every single detail of every single requirement the Father expected. There is nothing left to be done. 

Have you ever gone tubing down a river or floated around a lazy river at a resort or water park? Some find it so relaxing because once you’re parked in that tube, there is no effort required on your part. You are carrying nothing, but rather are being carried along by the tube and the flowing water. There is no burden. No weight – just a floating weightlessness that is perfectly relaxed and at peace. 

So when Jesus invites us to put on that yoke and learn rest from him, it is nothing more than this: an invitation to experience complete relief from the impossible burden of trying to perfectly please God on our own. That work has been done, and Jesus is simply inviting us to benefit from it by basking in the joy of his job perfectly done.

Suppose you hired a landscaping company to overhaul your entire backyard. After several weeks of watching the crew dig and ditch and haul away and pour concrete and build and plant and all of the labor under the hot sun, they finally finish. It looks absolutely breathtaking. There you sit, cold beverage in your hand, beaming as you take in the view. Although you didn’t lift so much as a finger, let alone a shovel full of dirt or a wheelbarrow, nonetheless, you are fully enjoying the work of others. 

So it is with Jesus’ rest. He has done all of the work. All of it. And his invitation is simply to come to him and bask in the results. He has fully satisfied the Father. He has fully paid for sin. He has fully prepared a place for us in heaven. There is nothing left to do but rest and enjoy the peace that is ours. 

Now return briefly to that backyard project once again. While you didn’t move a muscle to contribute to that backyard that you enjoy, assuming you’re satisfied with the work, you might take a step or two to reflect that. You could provide a glowing review for the company online. You could refer them to others looking to have work done on their yards. It would be natural for you to pass along how satisfied you are with their work.

Is that any different than the rest we have in Jesus? When we are satisfied and at peace with what he provides, isn’t it natural for us to point others to the rest they can find in him? Or do you suppose they already have it? Do you suppose the couple you know who just filed for divorce already has that rest? Do you think your day-drinking friend has that rest? Does your neighbor with a new toy every other week have that rest?

Or… is it possible that those priorities in their lives are either misguided attempts at seeking alternative rest or masks covering up their real need for rest? If so, don’t miss an opening to help them understand what it means that you’re a Christian. It means that you turn to Jesus for a rest that cannot be found in anyone or anything else, a rest that is assured. A rest that is for them, just as much as it is for any one of us. Invite them, as Jesus did, to personally join to find out why we gather in this place for rest. 

You may never understand the lingo that teenagers use, but you do know where to find rest. Take advantage of it. Go often to the only place where you can find rest assured: to Jesus.

Who Am I?

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(Exodus 3:1-15)

I don’t imagine anyone other than Moses could really describe what it was like to see a burning bush that didn’t burn up, because I don’t know anyone other than Moses who’s ever seen it. I suppose we could picture those fake logs inside gas fireplaces, some of which look a little more realistic than others. But something tells me the experience Moses had was a little bit different than that. It must have been quite a thing to see; quite amazing to witness it. That would explain why Moses went over to investigate it a bit more.

Then, just like that, his amazement turned to terror as he realize what – or rather who – was behind it all! “When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’  ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God” (v.4-6). Moses’ curiosity shifted to cowardice in the presence of God. Holy ground in the presence of a holy God? Surely Moses thought he was doomed – as if hiding his face to avoid looking at God could somehow have spared him if God was indeed there to strike him down.

Do you remember why Moses had reason to be terrified? In an act of vigilante justice, he stepped in on behalf of a fellow Israelite and murdered an Egyptian who was mistreating him. Moses presumed there were no witnesses to his actions because he was shocked when a short time later a fellow Israelite called him out on it. In fear, he fled to Midian where he shepherded for forty years. Forty years is a lot of time to be weighed down with guilt, and now that he found himself face-to-face with a holy God, we understand why he was terrified!

Are we ever terrified of God for the same reason? Amazed at what God does, yes, but terrified? Do we shutter or shiver in the presence of God because we know his holiness and we’re well aware that he knows our unholiness? Does his holiness strike us with alarm as it also exposes our sinfulness? Do we so easily forget the ways God poured out his wrath against Israel’s sin again and again – via the earth opening up or fire consuming or plagues unleashed? God doesn’t have much time or patience for sin! Do we too easily dismiss or forget that?

It was Moses’ awareness of his sin in the presence of a holy God that led the pendulum to swing from amazement at the bush to terror.

Then, it swung back again in the other direction once God explained to Moses why he was there. “The Lord said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey…’” (v.7-8). Amazing! God heard the cries of his people, their misery from slavery in Egypt, and he was concerned about their suffering and was going to do something about it. Hooray! Amazing!

What a great reminder of the God we belong to! When we conclude that any suffering we experience must be an indicator that he doesn’t care all that much about us, look no further than these verses. God cares about the suffering of his people. Experiencing suffering doesn’t mean God doesn’t care; rather it’s an opportunity for him to show his care by how he chooses to deliver us through that suffering. He promised to do just that for his people in Egypt. Amazing news!

And then just as abruptly, once again the pendulum swung completely in the other direction when God revealed how he planned to rescue his people. He would do so through Moses. “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (v.10).

Imagine Moses’ response! “Whoa! Hold the phone! Pump the breaks! Let me stop you right there, Lord! I’m all on board with you rescuing your people, but if you’re planning to do it through me, well, maybe slavery isn’t so bad! There’s gotta be another way.” Moses was terrified! The next phase of their dialogue involves Moses trying to convince the Lord that his rescue mission can be better carried out through someone else. Moses pulled out proof after proof that he felt should serve as more than sufficient evidence to disqualify him from any such rescue mission.

Don’t you just love Moses? Is he relatable or what? We are ecstatic about all the good things God promises and desires to carry out through his people, but when it becomes a possibility that we’re the ones he wants to carry it out through, we do our best Moses impression and provide 487 reasons why we’re not the right person for the job!

This manifests itself in all kinds of ways in the lives of those who belong to a local church. By default, we presume that someone else is a better fit than we are, either because of our own insecurity or because we forget that others didn’t always do it so well when they first started out.

Or we use the old “let’s give some new people the chance to serve,” when what we really mean is, “I’ve put in my time already and it’s someone else’s turn.”

“We’re really busy in life right now, but when things slow down we’d love to be able to do this or that.” But we forget that we’re the ones who choose all that busyness in other areas of life, and until we say no to some other things, the time that we claim to long for in service to ministry never magically seems to show up.

It’s one version or another of the same pushback Moses gave to God: “Who am I?”

And it isn’t just ministry in general where this applies, but also to our consideration of God’s possible call into the public ministry as pastors and teachers. “Who am I?” Not for me. Send others. We may not know what we want to do, but we know we want to make money, so ministry doesn’t make the cut. The hours and expectations extend well beyond the course of a school day, so I couldn’t be a teacher. I could never get up in front of people and preach a sermon, so I can’t see myself being a pastor. These and so many other concerns are different versions of the same question: “Who am I?”

How does God respond to such concerns today? The same way he did to Moses. Moses asked, “Who am I?” but God pointed out that question needs to be asked the other way around. Not “who are you, Moses,” but rather “who am I, God, the Lord?”

God might as well have been saying to Moses, “Get over yourself. Just because I am sending you, just because I am using you, does not mean you’re doing the work. It’s still MY work. I’m still the one getting it done – I just need your hands, your feet, your mouth – really just your heart, and I’ll get done what I need to through you.” 

Note how many “I’s” there are in this section! Moses keeps trying to shine the spotlight on himself as a disqualifier with each excuse he leverages, but each time God turns the spotlight back to himself with one “I” after another. “‘I’ am sending you.” “‘I’ am with you.” “‘I’ am.” Not you, Moses, but I – the Lord, is where your focus ought to be. 

And that makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? If we are looking for reasons to avoid carrying out the ministry God has given us – whether it be our own personal ministry as Christians or the public ministry as called workers – look no further than the mirror in front of you. Of course it’s filled with reasons or excuses that would disqualify us! If God needed us to measure up to his standards before he could actually use any of us, he’d end up empty-handed! He wouldn’t be able to use anyone!

But have you forgotten what he did to ensure that he could use everyone? He qualified everyone at the cross. There he paid for our sin. There he freed us from selfishness and pride. There he washed away our excuses and insecurities. 

Because ministry, our service, is about him. He sends us. He is with us. He…is.

And that, frankly, is all we need. We remember it’s all about him from start to finish. My service to him and others is not about my service; it’s about him. My ministry in his name isn’t about my ministry; it’s about his name. My calling to fulfill his purposes isn’t about my calling; it’s about his purposes.

Ministry means keeping the emphasis in the right place. It means we can let go of the “Who am I?” and instead recall all of the wonderful answers to that question when God is the one asking it. When God reminds us to think of who he is, there is nothing that can’t be done when he’s behind it. 

So go. God is sending you. Be his hands and his feet. Be his mouthpiece. Be those things and everything else he calls you to be because he is behind it. Who am I? Who are you? Instead, let’s always remember who He is. 

Loved, to Live What You Learn(ed)

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(2 Corinthians 13:11-14)

I want to begin with a story. It’s the story of a believer named _________ (insert name here). The end.

That’s the end of the story. Because it isn’t finished yet. It’s still being written. And now is a great opportunity to pause and think about how you want the rest of your story to play out. To help us, Paul provides some guidance for believers. 

This letter has every reason to end in a different tone than it does. If you don’t recall why, go back and read the rest of 2 Corinthians and then review 1 Corinthians. If you want to see what a dysfunctional congregation looks like, this is it! Division, discord, immorality, legal action, etc. – they had it all. And not only was the congregation all over the map in spiritual disarray, but remember Paul’s own life and ministry and all of the trauma he experienced. To wrap up his communication with the encouragement to rejoice seems a bit out of place in light of all of their challenges!

REJOICE

But Paul is 100% correct. Because their joy wasn’t based on circumstances; it was based in Jesus. And when he is the source of joy, not even messy external circumstances can rob us of the joy we have in Jesus. So rejoice – you have every reason to in Jesus. 

RECONCILE

It is that same joy in Jesus that prompts the following encouragements that Paul gives. Because of our joy in Jesus, we can reconcile. That’s what Paul is getting at with the phrase, “strive for full restoration” (v.11). When believers share the same joy in Jesus, there’s no place for withholding forgiveness from each other and allowing bitterness to take root and establish itself.

We recently had some plumbing issues on the night of our school play and had to open up the restrooms in our school because the ones here at church were backed up. That’s what happens when roots worm their way into the plumbing. However, once the plumber came and cleaned out the roots, everything was in working order again. 

When believers avoid or put off reconciliation with each other – when we are slow to repent or forgive each other – we let those roots grow and establish themselves. Instead, Paul says, don’t even let them take root in the first place. But if they do, get rid of them through reconciliation. When you have an issue with a brother or sister in Christ in this congregation or any other congregation (and you will – just as you do with your biological brothers and sisters!), pull out the roto-rooter of reconciliation and do everything in your power to be restored to each other. Take the first step. If you need to confess and apologize, don’t wait for the other person. If someone else has wronged you, don’t harbor that resentment in your heart; make it known to them so they can repent and apologize. Those are the very things Jesus came to heal and forgive, so look for every opportunity to lovingly apply his grace and forgiveness so that this may continue to be a place of reconciliation.

REASSURE

Closely related to reconciliation is Paul’s next closing thought to reassure each other. Really, that’s what we’re doing when we “encourage one another” (v.11), isn’t it? Christian encouragement isn’t the empty promise that “everything is going to be alright,” because each day that passes in this broken world proves otherwise: not everything is going to be alright. We will experience great loss. We will suffer. We will face hardship.

Those things will happen, so when we speak of encouraging each other, we aren’t pretending that bad things won’t happen; rather, we’re reassuring each other with the promise that Jesus has overcome those troubles. He’s made sure they are temporary. When we reassure each other, we assure each other again and again of God’s gracious promises – both for this time and for eternity. That kind of encouragement can’t be found in the world, so if we Christians aren’t reassuring each other with it, then we can easily become discouraged and disheartened.

REALIGN

Next, Paul says to “be of one mind” (v.11). We might think of that as realignment. While he is not saying that Christians must agree on every detail about life or ministry, we do routinely need to make sure that our way of thinking is brought back in line with God’s. Just as wheels on a vehicle need to be realigned and rotated over time so they don’t wear out unevenly and result in a flat tire, we can also get off-center. 

Not surprisingly, the more removed we are from regular time in the Word and worship, the more naturally this takes place. What happens is the world’s thinking begins to shape more of our own. The world’s values and philosophies start to influence us and the world then informs our theology rather than God’s theology informing how we see the world.

This can be subtle or it can be severe. It might cause us to struggle a bit with this teaching or that, or might lead us to dismiss doctrine altogether and allow our own personal views and ideas of God to take over. Being of one mind means caring enough about each other to point this out and encourage some realignment so that our souls don’t wear out and leave us spiritually stranded on the side of the road for eternity.  

REST

Finally, pursue peace, or to keep our alliteration going, rest. That is what it means to “live in peace” (v.11). There is no shortage of ideas on how to achieve peace in our world today. Cut negative people out of your life. Unfollow social media accounts that consistently crush you with feelings of inadequacy. Be true to yourself, no matter what others think or how you get labeled. I could go on, and while a few of these approaches may provide us with some relief, none of them will give us real rest, the kind of peace we find in only one place. 

Paul even indicates that source of peace. “And the God of love and peace will be with you” (v.11). If God is characterized as the God of love and peace, that kind of makes it his thing, doesn’t it? To be revealed in such a way is to make a clear connection between God and peace. If God is the source of peace, then we must go to the source when we desire the rest he provides. And we will always find it.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Also, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19-20). If we desire rest, then we must have peace, and if we are to find peace, look no further than to the God of peace.

Rejoice. Reconcile. Reassure. Realign. Rest. These are tall orders! But it isn’t just any God who calls us to this thing. It is the triune God, the Holy Trinity, who equips us to carry them out. 

God is never interested in just telling you what to do without reminding you of who you are. Who are you? “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (v.14). These are not just three randomly mashed-together phrases that Paul threw together because they had a nice ring to them as a closing thought. Rather, these are the unique characteristics of the eternal God incorporated into a blessing by which God desired to touch the hearts and lives of believers for the rest of time. 

How appropriate, then, to remind us of the grace – undeserved love – that is ours in Christ! An understanding of grace is foundational to our relationship with the true and triune God because it establishes the undeserved nature of our relationship with God. That is hugely important anytime you ever feel worthless and undeserving, whether those feelings come as a result of what someone else has said to you or about you, or those feelings are the result of your own regrettable words or actions. When we are left feeling worthless, grace is the reminder that we’re in great company – Christ came to win the worthless, the undeserving, the sinners and screw-ups, the don’t-have-it-all-togethers, the shameless and those in shambles. You aren’t disqualified when you feel undeserving; rather, you are God’s target audience! Jesus didn’t come for those who think they deserve him or are worthy of him on their own merits; he came for those who know they don’t deserve him. That’s grace – and it is and always will be yours in Jesus Christ.

That is love, as the next portion of the blessing reflects, “the love of God,” to be specific. Grace is proof that God’s love is different. More than an emotion or a feeling, God’s unconditional love is an action. It’s a real love based on real action that God took and continues to take on behalf of his people. I can say I love my wife and my kids – and I do say it – but my actions don’t always back it up.

Not so with God. He says he loves us, and then recorded for us in his Word action after action after action on behalf of his people that backs up his love. That amazing love captured in John 3:16 is yours today and forever.

Finally, fellowship. “The fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Healthy Christian congregations enjoy strong fellowship – a bond of faith and friendship that surpasses that of other friendships. But your fellowship isn’t just with each other. It is also with God. It is with our church body, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). It is with all Christians whose names are written in the Book of Life by faith in Jesus Christ. 

Fellowship by definition is God’s reminder that his plan for you was never a relationship with just him but with his body, the church – with other Christians. The popular idea that one’s faith is one’s own and is only between God and that person has no basis in Scripture. God wants your faith to grow in fellowship with other Christians, too. Yes, your faith in Jesus is personal – it’s yours, but that doesn’t mean it’s private.

It’s not at all private. Each Sunday we make a public confession of our sins and publicly confess our faith with the words of the creed. That’s not private at all, and I pray that your faith never becomes so. Instead, may it continue to be fanned into flame to burn brightly as you rejoice, reconcile, reassure, realign, and rest. Do so blessed by and empowered by the grace, love, and fellowship of the Holy Trinity. That deep love of God for you will not only lead and equip you to live for him but will also guarantee the absolute best ending to your story.