Stewards of God's Grace

Stewards of God’s Grace—Exodus 34: 1-6; II Cor. 12: 6-10

Several years ago, I attended a learning retreat type of get-together. As we all started talking and working together, there was a theme, or a phrase, which began to gnaw at me as problematic—not quite a thorn in the flesh, but a problem, none the less. First one person said it, then another one or two echoed it. The phrase was this: “Well, they say the Disciples of Christ is the best-kept secret in Georgia.” Finally, because sometimes if I think it, I say it, I blurted out, “That’s absolutely shameful…why is it a secret?” And that is how I ended up not going to any more such get-togethers. 

Our faith, our walk with God is meant to be shared. That’s what it means to be stewards of God’s grace, the very same grace shown to us every day. Now, that does not mean we take every opportunity to smack somebody upside the head with a Bible. Our stewardship must be passionate, but also tempered with gentleness. And yet, in our modern times, such sharing has become almost unpleasant because people boast about their faith without having the Christ-like life to back it up. The question is this: Can someone learn your faith, not from the Bible studies you attend or the words you say, but from the way you live your life? Do we live as if we believe? 

Look at what the Apostle Paul says: “If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message.” If we are not careful, the message may easily slide into boasting—a message about all the success in our lives, and not about what God has done for us. Paul did not want people to look at him and see what he had accomplished saying that he’s a great preacher, or brilliant teacher, or fearless missionary, no! Paul wanted people to look at what had been accomplished in his life and say, “My, my, see how Christ has worked through him.” 

So what, exactly, are we to share? Paul goes on to talk about a thorn in his side—a messenger from Satan to keep him humble by tormenting him. In some form or fashion we all have such a thing in our lives. It may be an illness we struggle with. It may be chronic pain (a literal thorn!), mental health struggles, any kind of general, daily struggle which reminds us of our own inadequacy or tells us, “No, you cannot do that.” I have a friend who struggles from a disorder called “imposter syndrome.” It is generally described as “a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. ‘Imposters’ suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense” of being a fraud or failure that overpowers any feeling of success or competence, according to a 2008 article on the issue in Harvard Business Review. 

Whatever the thorn in our side is, it will tell us that we are incapable of doing what God has called us to do. And it will tell us that we are a failure no matter the success we find in God’s grace and God’s strength. But God gives us a reminder just like Paul was given a reminder. The Lord says, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” Paul goes on from there to say we can be proud even of our weakness as we know that when our weakness shows, Christ’s strength will bear us through. Paul talks about all the hardship, insults, beatings, imprisonments and so on that he’s struggled through, and then says this: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

Perhaps that’s why Paul could sing and praise God even while wrongfully jailed, why he could still share the good news even when beaten and left for dead, why he could encounter any difficult situation and KNOW that it had no power over him because of those words: my grace is all you need. Perhaps those are some of the most powerful words in our Christian walk, as we work out our salvation. We are reminded even further in Exodus of God’s grace and God’s strength for us. 

We are told that after the Hebrew people had turned from God while Moses was on Mt. Sinai and the Ten Commandments had been broken (literally smashed), God had Moses create another set of tablets for the commandments. Then God passed before Moses saying, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” God is filled with love for us, with faithfulness in all things. These two scriptures are a powerful reminder that in all things God takes care of us, period, for we are loved and cherished by the One who created us. 

So now that you know the what, let’s talk about this stewardship part. Paul says, “I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message.” Our work doesn’t stop at just the getting of the grace and the securing in God’s strength. We are to share this in our life’s message. All of the good that God has done for us should not be the best kept secret we have. It should be the mantra of our lives. I like how Dr. Bill Curwood, a well known Disciple pastor in Kentucky said it, “I never run out of things to say about the amazing love of Christ.” 

But even as we speak the truth of our faith, even as we tell of God’s grace and God’s strength, our lives must also show it. For example, once upon a time, the perceptions of other people used to greatly concern me. I used to be careful to make sure I did things in a way that people would like me, and that I could make them happy. I worried about how what people said, did, and all of those “approval-seeking” things. I don’t care anymore. My life’s goal is to remember that God’s grace is sufficient and that God’s strength is perfect, and in all my ways, my comings and goings, I’m to speak God’s truth and live a Christ-like life. Everything else is just noise to distract us. 

So we come back to that question. Can someone learn your faith, not from the Bible studies you attend or the words you say, but from the way you live your life? Do we live as if we believe? We are to be stewards of God’s grace, not keeping the secret, not hoarding the blessings. But even as we tell of God’s love in our lives, we must also live in such a way that we reflect that. Paul shared his story of God’s work in his life, “My grace is all you need…for when I am weak, then I am strong.” We, too, have a story to tell of God’s grace and strength in our lives. May we, then, share that good news, so that all will know that God’s grace is sufficient. 

Stewards of God's Creation

Stewards of God’s Creation—Genesis 1: 1-24; Revelation 11:18

I remember back in high school my mom brought home this really large package and asked me to help her get it set up. I was afraid this was going to be another house project with “some assembly required,” so I was quite skeptical. What came out of the box was three large containers which stacked on top of one another: yellow, green, and blue. As best I remember, they were labeled for paper, aluminum, and plastic. Then came a very clear edict: we were going to start recycling, period. 

This was a bit surprising as we lived in coal country, in a rural area well outside of town, the kind of rural that has iffy internet, is too far for cable, and has septic tanks. But I learned an important lesson both in action and in word. I watched my mom sort all of the items in those bins, load them up every other week and drive them off to be recycled (because there was no pick up for recycling). When I asked why, she said, “Well I figure God gave us this Earth, and we need to do a little something to look after it.” 

That idea of care of God’s creation has been mishandled and thrown aside for years as “liberal talk” or unimportant to the grand scheme of faith, but there is more to being stewards of our earth than just a few political talking points. So, hear this sermon out a bit. In Genesis, we read how God created the heavens and the earth; how God made evening and morning, the birds, the space, the plants and trees, the animals each and every one, and finally God created humankind: men from dirt and women from a fully created functioning person. (I make no conclusions based on that about men or women. I will let the origins speak for themselves.) 

But after God made human kind, they were given a command in Genesis 1:28—“Then the Lord blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.’” We were called to govern the earth, or rather, given charge of it. Think of that idea—to be given charge over. If you are given charge over a classroom you teach and make it better. If you are given charge over a project you complete it making something better. If you are given charge over a number of family heirlooms you look after them to keep them from deteriorating. 

Many denominations have looked toward this idea of being called to care for God’s creation. In 2006, the Souther Baptist Convention passed a resolution saying both, “that we urge all Southern Baptists toward the conservation and preservation of our natural resources for further generations.” And that phrasing was couched in the same terms that we have charge of God’s handiwork. 

The question we must ask ourselves is this: how would God want us to look after what we have been given? Revelation 11:18 is revealing—“It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.” Okay, so that scripture is about as subtle as a heart attack, it would seem. But this scripture gets to a deeper point. Being stewards of God’s earth doesn’t just mean recycling, and so on. We ought not abuse other humans who are also part of God’s creation. 

Everyday we see stories of violence, murder, hatred…messages to be tough in a way that is not firm but truly abusive of our fellow human. Look instead at how Jesus lived: healing, loving, gently asking those who encountered him to go and sin no more. And yet, we see people abused all the time, and so often in the name of religion. I love the quote that says, “If your religion requires you to hate someone, my friend, you need a new religion.” Jesus was often tough on people, especially the Pharisees and religious leaders. He challenged them and pushed them, but there’s a final word there. 

On the cross, even as he suffered his own abuse at the hands of religion, Jesus prayed in Luke 23:34, “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’” I have often been mad at people. I have often wanted to say something I know would cut them to the quick. And sometimes, I have even said it. But as faith grows, so do we in the maturity of our responses, and in our knowledge that abusing another human, created in God’s own image, is just as sinful as what that other person may have done to us. Because we are given charge of the earth, we should be mindful to set an example of Christ in all of our words, in all of our actions, and in all of our daily lives. 

And now the truly personal part of being stewards of God’s creation. We, too, were created by God and in God’s own image; therefore, we ought not abuse ourselves either. Some of us struggle with feelings that we are insufficient at everything, at life. Some of us push ourselves physically beyond what we are really capable of. Some of us carry weights and burdens so heavy and for so long that the tears will no longer even flow. Some of us would rather hide in food, booze, or other destructive behaviors because we are too afraid to let God’s grace lead us to healing, not of chemical imbalances and actual diagnosed diseases, but of unresolved pain and trauma. 

I love the quote by writer Kathleen Winter, “It was not fair, she felt, to treat people as if they were finished beings. Everyone was always becoming and unbecoming.” In order to follow Christ you must give up the old and embrace the new. To continue following Christ, we must realize that God is never going to stop challenging us. But I believe, I firmly believe, that as God challenges us, we are offered strength and healing in proportion to the challenge. For God is never done working in us and through us here on earth until we take our final breath. 

For the same God who created the heavens and the earth, light and dark, birds, fish, trees, and yes, even that weird little platypus creature, created you and I as well. But there was something special because we were created in God’s image and to have a relationship with God. And in that relationship, God offers us a gentle healing from our own self-abuse. God offers us love and forgiveness, then tells us these gifts, these lessons, we are to share with the whole world for we’ve been given charge of it. 

That’s why I appreciated my Mom’s lesson on recycling. I got to see both the extra effort put in as well as the wise words, “I figure God gave us this Earth, and we need to do a little something to look after it.” And so we should. We must remember that we have charge over the beauty and majesty of what God has created to love and protect the vulnerable and the weak. We must remember that Revelation warns us against abusing other people, as they too are created in God’s own image. And lastly, we must treat our own selves gently seeking healing and peace in our own lives especially if the past weighs heavy upon us. Each portion of the creation story in Genesis 1 finishes up with these words: “And God saw that it was good.” May we remember that we are made in God’s image and to have a relationship of love and grace with our Creator. 

Stewardship of Earthly Blessings

Stewardship of Earthly Blessings: Isaiah 58: 1-8; Acts 2: 42-47

A year or so ago, I was visiting a friend up in Atlanta. Now she is a big fan of antique stores and looking for historic and interesting things around antique stores, and basically seeing what they have available. So, knowing her love of this, I politely, if hesitantly, agreed to go with her…to the non-air conditioned antique store…in August. While walking up and down the aisles, sweating, we came across this gorgeous small kitchen table. It was beautiful wood, fantastic gold stenciling, ornate, lovely, and she instantly fell in love with it. 

The store owner told us this long history of how it was almost 100 years old, where it came from, and how well preserved it was. But something, something in the back of my mind was saying there’s a problem. This table in TOO good of shape for its age. So I got under the table and started looking around. The shop owner immediately and tersely said, “What are you doing?” And then I found it. In small gold stenciling on the underside of the table…Made in China, 1995. How authentic.

Authenticity plays a major role in our lives and in our lives of faith. If we lack authenticity in our worship, our prayers, our witness, then we will utterly fail in our walk with God. Authentic is defined several ways: worthy of belief as being based in fact, conforming to an original, not false, and true to one’s own spirit or character. We see it used in a variety of ways: authentic Mexican food, authentic antique table, and a sincere and authentic personality. Authenticity in our faith and in our worship is vital, and I daresay, the lack of it is the main cause of the decline in church attendance. 

In Isaiah, we are told that the worship of the people was not authentic. They went through the motions: showing up at the temple, learning about God, fasting, appearing righteous, pious actions, and so on. They had quite carefully and literally done all the right things, so what’s the problem? Their worship was for appearance, and not for God. God tells them that they are doing it to please themselves. Then God gives them the dreaded list of what is wrong: fasting while still oppressing workers, while fighting and quarreling, going through the motions, failing to truly and authentically live the faith that they act out. 

God tells them that their faith should be authentic, and that is seen by how they live and act: free those wrongly imprisoned, go easy on those who are laborers, free the oppressed, share food with the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe those who are in need of good clothing, and do not hide from family who need help. I can almost feel myself choking and sputtering at that list. It’s tough, condemning, convicting of those who say they are faithful to God. 

In the book of Acts we are given even more tough instruction: they performed miraculous signs and wonders, they met together and shared everything, they even sold their property and possessions to share the money with those in need, they prayed, they communed, they praised God, and they enjoyed the goodwill of all people. The earliest church was a community, not an institution, and I fear as we we have moved away from that sense of community, we have lost our authenticity. 

The church’s mission should center on worship, strengthening relationships to God, helping others find faith, and serving the community. These cover the big areas including the daily worship of the early church, the signs and wonders, and the selling off of everything they had to give to those in need. When the pulpit and the church is used for anything else, the church falls into the trap of Isaiah 58’s warning. 

For instance, the church should never be used to advocate for politics or politicians—we must get back to the idea that we render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God, and the church has never belonged to Caesar but is, has been and always will be God’s and God’s alone. And that sinfulness spans all sides of the political spectrum. It is my job, as a preacher and pastor (and indeed of other pastors), to introduce you to Christ and to show you what is in the Bible so that you can work out your salvation, your faith, and your Christian walk with God, to support and help you on your walk of faith., and to work on behalf of the oppressed,, poor, and suffering as listed in Isaiah.  

When we are stewards of our earthly blessings, we are authentic in our worship and we are authentic in our charity and giving, not because of a tax break, but because of our Christian desire to help the poor and those in need. Jesus was never stingy with his blessings, with his healing, and with his love of the people, including those who were outcast, untouchable, and foreigners. He offered them healing, restoration, and grace when they needed it the most. 

My friends, that is the job of the church and the job of us as Christians. to make sure our actions align with our faith, with what the Bible says, and with how Christ speaks to us. There are parts of the Bible that make us uncomfortable. These few verses in Acts 2 make us uncomfortable. So, we try, then, to explain it way—give only so much to those in need, there’s a percentage. Well, weekly worship is sufficient—I’m getting my dose of faith that way. Once a quarter should be sufficient for the Lord’s Supper, right? NO! No, No. We cannot compromise the truths of the Bible where it makes us uncomfortable or puts a holy strain on our lives. That is not being a good steward. The believers devoted themselves to their lives of faith daily. They gave with wiling hearts, with love, and knowing that they had to walk by faith and not by sight. That, that right there is an authentic way to walk with God. 

We must get back to a faith, to a walk with God, that echoes the words of the hymn: “All to Jesus, I surrender. All to him I freely give. I will ever love and trust him; in his presence daily live. I surrender all.” Authentic faith is not that difficult, really. God doesn’t ask for our money, God doesn’t ask for our time, God doesn’t ask for our service. Instead God asks for us, just we ourselves…I surrender all. Over and over Jesus says, “Come follow me.” It may be in the context of giving us rest, of sending us out to be fishers of people, or even to take up a cross. 

Those details of our calling (money, time, and talents) will work themselves out as we learn and walk with Christ. We don’t have to know each step of the way because we walk by faith, not by sight. But first and foremost, before we work out the details, before we nail down exactly how this faith thing works and how to be stewards of the tools God gives us here on earth, we must first find an authentic way to worship and follow God. First and foremost, before anything else, Christ calls to us, “Come and follow me.” May we have the conviction to say, “All to thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all” 

Stewardship of Our Heavenly Blessings

Steward of Heavenly Blessings: Isaiah 42:1-9; Matthew 6:19-21

As kids, we often play games using our imagination, creativity, and coming up with elaborate ideas and plans. When I was little, very often we would play games of going on a treasure hunt which involved some wild adventure. I’m sure at some point my Nanna grew incredibly tired of all the make believe games, but she was a good sport about it. In fact treasure hunts appeal to us on a variety of levels. We read books about hunting for treasure, watch movies such as the Indiana Jones movies, and so on. Our Gospel lesson speaks to this curiosity with treasure hunts telling us “wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” 

So what kind of tools would we need for a treasure hunt? In the life of a follower of Christ, our greatest tools for a treasure hunt are faith and prayer. Over and over in our scriptures today we are told to look toward heavenly things. We are told in the Gospel to store treasures in heaven. In Isaiah it talks about God’s spirit being upon the chosen one, and that God “will take [him] by the hand and guard [him].” That close communion with God through prayer and faith is required to store up our treasures in heaven. 

We hear the importance of prayer and faith sung in songs throughout churches: “Faith is the Victory, Sweet Hour of Prayer, My Faith Looks Up to Thee, and Prayer is the Soul’s Sincere Desire.” In that last one, we hear the words, “Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, the Christian’s native air, his watchword at the gates of death; he enters heaven with prayer.” For where our treasure is, there our hearts shall be. Faith and prayer are the tools which keep us connected to God in Christ, which humble us, open our communication with the Holy One, and keep us grounded in what we believe. Indeed, faith and prayer our are greatest tools on our heavenly treasure hunt. 

Faith and prayer, though, are not just things we have—things which are convenient to keep around. They are tools, and tools are meant to be used. I’m often amazed at the number of Christians, who, when asked about the last time they really prayed, cannot even remember it. If you don’t use them, tools grow rusty, dull, and we quickly lose the ability to use them. Prayer and faith need to be used…more than just two sentences over dinner and more than just a few quick words here and there when needed. 

Why are these tools so important? The answer is that in any treasure hunt there will be danger along the way, which we must find a way to face. Our Gospel lesson tells us that if our treasures are stored here on earth then we face a threat to our treasure: moth and rust destroy them, and thieves break in and steal. So, the only thing standing between you and your earthly treasure is a little dry rot and a savvy burglar. The truth is that real treasure is found in our faith, in our trust in God, and in our heavenly blessings. Here on earth, we will face danger all the way on our treasure hunt. 

I was sent an article this week about a carjacking in the parking lot over at Vineville Christian Towers. Other news stories around it included stories about armed robbery, shootings, violence, poverty. We see on our national news about escalating war tensions throughout the world and especially in the Middle East. It reminds me of an old hymn in the Lutheran church, “I walk in danger all the way. The thought shall never leave me that Satan, who has marked his prey, is plotting to deceive me. This foe with hidden snares may seize me unawares if I should fail to watch and pray. I walk in danger all the way.” 

Our lives are filled with danger, and with 24 hour, readily available news, we are even more well-reminded how dangerous life can be. But if our treasure is stored in heaven, trouble and danger will not seem quite as scary to us. Those tools of faith and prayer can give us strength, courage, and security when the pathway of our treasure hunt becomes treacherous. If you only focus on the danger, you will never be able to make the journey. We have to trust that God is walking with us, guiding us, and leading us each and every step. As Isaiah says, “God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And…[he] will take you by the hand and guard you.” It’s a promise, and that’s why our treasure should rest in heavenly things. 

Finally, we must remember that the treasure awaits us. We can invest all the things we want on earth—money, business, looks, talents. Everything under the sun can be saved up and invested in here on earth, but eventually those things will fade. That is why we must invest our treasures in heaven, where we can develop time, talents, abilities to sustain us throughout our entire lives. Theologian Stanley Hauerwas reminds us, “Just as an athlete with natural gifts may fail to develop the fundamental skills necessary to play their sport after their talent fades, so people [of] faith may fail to develop the skills necessary to sustain them for a lifetime.” 

Here’s the idea—you must develop the basics of faith—invest your treasure in heaven—in order to sustain your trust in God for a lifetime. You may be the most talented preacher, best singer, most beautiful pray-er in the church, but if you have not developed the basics and made the investment, you will fall to the danger on the way. As an example, being a native Kentuckian, we always watched basketball instead of football. Now, I would like to think that’s because basketball is the sport of my state; however, I’m pretty sure it’s simply because we are pretty awful at football. 

If you watched some of the young basketball stars recruited by the University of Kentucky, you can see them doing these fancy jump shots, swinging from the net, elaborate defense and trick moves. But they can’t shoot a simple free-throw from right in front of the basket. They failed to develop fundamental skills, and when the talent faded, there was no support left for them to play the game. If we do not invest in heavenly treasures, in developing our faith and prayer abilities, of working out our trust in God daily, then we will not have good enough fundamentals to sustain our faith when the treasure hunt gets dangerous. 

Our hope, our trust, and our faith must be built on the solid rock which never fails us. So get ready for your treasure hunt—sharpen and prepare your tools of faith and prayer making sure they are strong and well developed. Prepare for the danger that lurks on your journey, and remember what treasure awaits you when you trust in God and walk with Christ. That will be the greatest treasure you find—no rot and rust, no burglars waiting to take your treasure away. Invest your time, talents, and faith in God, for where your treasure is, there your heart will also be. 

The Magi: Gift-Givers of the Greatest Sort

The Magi—The Great Gifts: Isaiah 60: 1-6; Matthew 2: 1-12

This morning I want to tell you the story of simple gifts, yet great gifts given at Christmas which changed lives and made hope real instead of merely a wish for a couple of children. A married couple, who are friends of mine, decided a few years ago to become foster parents. They figured that they were pretty good with kids, so how hard could it be? After all, most of the work was respite or short-term care. But one year, they got a call at night, and specifically a night or two just before Christmas. 

Could they take a couple of young children? Could they provide care and watch them for awhile? My friends assumed this would be fine. But as the two young children were dropped off, they learned the hard truth. The parents of these two kids were in jail. It was not certain what the kids had endured, and worst of all, there was no other family coming to take care of them. The kids were now in the home of strangers just days before Christmas with almost nothing to their name. 

My friends’ family wasted no time and sprang into action. They bought and scrounged up extra clothes for the kids, ran out at the last minute and picked up some of the remaining toys to wrap for the children, and threw in  a little extra food for the Christmas dinner. The children ended up having a fantastic Christmas with great gifts and lots of attention from their borrowed family. And as for my friends, I could not be more proud of how they’ve handled the situation. But there was a moment of sadness right at the end of Christmas when the little girl looked at the gifts and said, “Do we have to give them back now, or can we keep them?” 

As we celebrated Christmas this week, I sometimes worry that we’ve made the act of gift-giving cold, institutionalized, commercialized or, even worse, a burdensome requirement for the holiday. Christmas is, at its core, about gifts. Epiphany, though in recent years has focused more on the light of Christ, is also about gifts. Even if you go back years ago to movies and shows from the 1930s and 1940s when times were hard, money and provisions scarce, you still see the people going out to the local shops, (and on Christmas Eve no less!) to buy even just small gifts for their loved ones. 

For years, Christmas has been celebrated with gifts and the act of gift-giving. We read at this time about the Magi, or Wisemen, as some call them. The whole climax of their story is giving their gifts the the infant Christ. We tend to focus on the actual gifts and their meaning: gold given to Christ as King, frankincense given to Christ as the Holy One of God, and myrrh to symbolize his coming sacrifice. But also important to this giving of gifts is the context in which they came and gave gifts. 

First of all was the long and difficult journey for the Wisemen. They traveled likely from Persia or around Iran and Iraq in the modern day national boundaries. Some scholars even theorize they may have been from as far away as India. The journey would have been incredibly dangerous over desert and mountain, and lasting months or more. They followed a star based on an ancient prophecy from their own culture. These were cultured, powerful noblemen who had status in their own country to afford such expensive and extravagant gifts for a child they knew nothing much about and had no idea what to expect. 

That’s why they first came to Herod. They expected a new-born king to be in a palace. But Christ was not in a palace. Christ was not haunting the halls of the rich. Instead they found him living likely in a small rented room in Bethlehem—a poor child, a humble child. To the poor, the meek, they brought their expensive gifts and humbly knelt before him as king, as God, and as sacrifice. 

It was all part of God’s plan. You see gifts are given for a reason—usually because we need whatever the gift is. Jesus and his family would need these gifts. What happened following the Magi’s visit was a devastating tragedy. In his rage at the challenge to his throne, Herod ordered all boys under age two be executed. To escape, Jesus went from poor and humble to refugee status. His family escaped to Egypt where they lived in refuge outside of Herod’s terror-filled reign until Herod died. Though the Bible doesn’t say this directly, I’m sure the gold allowed the family to live safely in Egypt until they could get back to Nazareth, and likely the frankincense allowed them to continue to offer their prayers and faith to God. Those gifts came with both symbolic and practical meanings. 

But then we come to the final gift: myrrh. The myrrh would have been used years later when Christ became the greatest gift to the world on the cross, the gift being himself. You see very often at Christmas we start out by asking what one another needs as a gift. This year I told mom I needed new pillows, socks, and a watch. She laughed and said, “Well those aren’t very fun gifts.” After thinking about it, I’ve learned that I’m at the point in life that I ask for what I need more than what I want at Christmas. 

The greatest gift that we need at Christmas time and always is Christ. The world needed Christ. He may not be what the world wanted, what the world expected, but he is exactly what the world needed.. And every day as I watch this world I realize we need him more and more. Even those of us who have followed carefully for years in the walk of faith, as trials get tougher and shadows darker, we need this gift of Christ—his strength, his love, and his peace more and more. 

This Christmas may have been tough for a number of us: we continue to struggle with the loss of loved ones; we have families that are creatively dramatic; or we may have something as simple as a stomach virus causing a really nasty Christmas. But Christ has given us the gifts which can guide us and help us. As the hymn says to us—“I gave my life for thee; what has thou given for me?” For two children this Christmas, one family gave them love, comfort, and happiness beyond anything they could hope for being pulled into foster care. 

For us, Christ has given us himself to be with us, to give us love and forgiveness. Just like the little girl at the end of Christmas asked, so too do many people wonder about Christ’s gift, “What do I do with it…is it mine, or do I have to give it back?” That is a simple answer. You must share it, but no, you do not have to give it back, for nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

Mary: Resolute Despite Turmoil

Mary—Resolute in Turmoil: Isaiah 7: 10-16; Luke 1: 26-38

Mary is, perhaps, one of the most unlikely characters in the Christmas story. I think over the years Mary has become somewhat misunderstood in who she is and how she reacts to this calling from God. Many sermons, illustrations, and interpretations portray Mary as a meek and mild almost pawn in the whole story. But what we see in Luke’s account of the angel’s visit is a young, strong, resolute woman whose strength is almost superhuman and whose faith is unparalleled. She, after all, is about to become the mother of Christ, the son of God, born to love and redeem the world. 

Many instances where we see women in the Bible, they are engaged in some kind of domestic act, or in something that would have been considered “appropriate” for women in this time. Rachel in the Old Testament is drawing water from a well. Bathsheba is taking a bath. Martha fusses about the kitchen. Sarah prepares meals and dutifully follows Abraham on his journeys. But here, Mary is traveling, risking her very life and happiness to follow God in a mighty and powerful way. Mary is a powerful and resolute pillar of faith in the New Testament, and every bit as powerful as the great figures of the Old Testament. 

She is described in the prophecies of Isaiah: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” This was to be the ultimate sign to the Israelites. At this point in the book of Isaiah, the kingdom of Israel had split into Israel and Judah (the North and South kingdoms). Israel had turned away from God and allied themselves with Syria in an effort to destroy Judah, the kingdom which was still faithful. The sign of Mary, of Immanuel, is a reminder that one day God would bring ultimate redemption for the people even as things were seemingly crumbling around them. 

We hear those same prophetic words echoed in the lesson about Mary today. Mary was engaged, but unwed at the time the angel visited her. There’s no indication of age; however, in Hebrew tradition, a female could be betrothed, or given in marriage, anywhere from the ages of 12 to 16. To us, that may seem young, but you have to remember the average life expectancy was around 40. 

When the angel comes in, Mary is hailed as being filled with grace and having found favor with God. We see a young woman who is strong and resolute. She challenges the angel asking how can all this happen since she is unmarried. And then we see her statement of faith and her resolve to follow God: “I am the Lord’s servant. may everything you have said about me come true.” Now here’s a real challenge—this is not some guard bringing a decree. Gabriel is a messenger not power play. He is calling to Mary, asking her to follow God,. God will call us to follow, but ultimately that choice to obey is ours. Mary agrees at the end. She chooses to obey. 

What, then, do we take from this? When we are called to follow God, we should have the same resolve, the same fortitude as Mary. She asked questions, she challenged the angel on how things could happen, and ultimately she made the decision to follow and obey God’s calling. What does Mary get in exchange for this resolve? She has peace. Initially, we see Mary worried and afraid. I think anyone would be worried if an angel showed up in their home. Gideon, Jonah, Jacob, the shepherds, and even Abraham were all startled by the sudden presence of an angel in their midst. 

But as the angel tells her of God’s calling, of her powerful place in history, she becomes strong, resolute, and at peace with what her role in history will be. We, too, can be at peace when we resolve to follow God. It reminds me of the song “Safe in the Arms of Jesus” by Fanny Crosby. The third verse says this: “Jesus, my heart’s dear refuge, Jesus has died for me; firm on the Rock of Ages ever my trust shall be. Here let me wait with patience, wait till the night is o’er; wait till I see the morning break on the golden shore.” 

Mary had to face tremendous trials in her journey. Being an unwed, pregnant woman in that day and time could earn a woman a death sentence. The same could have cost her all of her family, her marriage to Joseph, everything she had in life. But she was resolute. Mary had to journey to Bethlehem in what was likely the 8th or 9th month of her pregnancy. Childbirth was dangerous in those days, period. But imagine just how grueling that trip would be on foot or on a donkey 90 miles from Galilee to Bethlehem. Some of the way was flat but much of it is hill country. Both the terrain and way was dangerous with falling on a hill or even nefarious people trying to do them harm. But Mary was resolute. 

Mary had to endure knowing that she was raising the Son of God, and likely, she also understood that her son would one day die. The knowledge of who her baby was and what he had to do must have weighed heavy on her mind and on her spirit, especially with a mother’s desire to protect. But Mary remained resolute. And because she was resolved to follow God’s call in her life, she was at peace. In her own words, “May everything you have said about me come true. I am the Lord’s servant.” Such faith! Such strength.

In our own lives, there will come times when we are challenged, when we must face a treacherous road or a difficult calling. There will be trials and struggles that we must face. I challenge you, with a bit of a tease, to fight like a woman—to fight like Mary, with resolve, with strength, filled with God’s grace and power. 

The journey may be long and the road may be dangerous, but we never journey alone. Mary never journeyed alone. The same God with whom she found favor was with her in her room as she spoke her faith, was with her as she faced the fallout of her call to follow, was with her as she journeyed to Bethlehem, and was with her in the stable as she gave birth to God’s love in human form. And because of that holy presence, Mary had peace. May we have the same resolve to say like Mary, “Be it unto [us] according to Thy word.” 

John the Baptist: Yelling into the Void

John the Baptist: Isaiah 11: 1-10; Matthew 3: 1-12

The phrase “yelling into the void” is a rather descriptive way of saying that nobody is listening to you. Pastors, teachers, parents of teenagers are all apt to feel the meaning of this phrase. For instance one example of the phrase is this: “Every time I tell my teenager to clean his room, it’s like I’m yelling it into the void.” My grandfather also provides a great example. He would say something funny. After an appropriate amount of time where no one responded, he would would say loudly, “That was a joke…nobody laughed.” Usually that got the desired response of giggles and snickering. 

John the Baptist is probably the ultimate Biblical example of someone who is yelling into the void. John was the one who brought the forewarning of Christ’s coming. His message, according to Matthew, was “repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!” The prophet Isaiah foretold of John saying, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him.’” Now that phrase “shouting in the wilderness,” has a very literal meaning. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness clothed with coarse camel hair and leather belt, eating wild honey and locusts. I am certain he was quite a terrific and terrifying sight to see and hear. 

But there’s a more subtle meaning as well to shouting in the wilderness that is more similar to “yelling into the void.” Though many heard John’s word and repented in their hearts, his message set in motion the desire to kill him in Herod’s palace and in the temple. John called the Pharisees a “brood of snakes.” Other translations have this as “brood of vipers.” Many have asked why John didn’t try to help, to convert, to reach out to the wayward Pharisees. 

It’s a simple answer—they would never have listened. We see the same throughout history—a heart is so hardened by its own self-righteous understanding that it only ever listens to respond and never to hear and understand. And much in the same way a bad attitude ruins everyone, a hardened heart that fails to listen will lead to ruin. A hardened heart can never make room for hope, and a truly hardened heart will make sure no one else can hear about hope either. 

And that hope is ultimately the message John the Baptist came to bring. Now it was wrapped up in a crazy appearance, wild demeanor, and forceful yelling, but the coming of love incarnate, the Savior, the Messiah, was at its core, a message of hope for humankind. 

If you read Matthew 3: 11-12, you see how John lays out the plan: “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon, who is greater than I am…he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” This was a promise, a breath of fresh air, a word which brought untold hope to a people defeated and desolate…to a people longing for a Messiah. The people in Jesus’s day were weary and worn down by the difficult daily life oppressed by Rome, their own leaders, and the Temple leaders as well. It was a society who was focused on the legalism of religion and had forgotten any of the spiritual side of it, almost as if that part had ceased to exist. 

Into that world came John the Baptist talking about repentance, the Spirit, fire, and a faith which empowered, gave hope, and reminded the people of God’s power, not of the political power all around them. It’s the kind of hope which liberates, or frees, people. That is the kind of hope that Christ brings to us. When the world, our lives, and the struggle of our own wrongdoing has us oppressed and constrained, Christ comes to free us, to remind us of his power within us, and to encourage us along each step of the way. 

But we must be prepared to listen with hearts opened to the message of hope. We must have a faith that lifts up and encourages. John gives a rather stern reminder that “even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever…yes, every tree which does not produce good fruit will be chopped down…”So let us listen, let us listen to hear and understand. Let us listen to share a word of hope with others who are struggling and oppressed. May we bear good fruit. 

Isaiah gives us the picture of what bearing good fruit looks like. It is a portrait of justice: obeying  God, not judging by appearance. not deciding on hearsay. Instead there will be justice for the poor, fairness to the exploited, righteousness and truth will be at the forefront. As Christians we are called to teach and live justice. Many have come to believe that when they hear the word “justice” preached in a sermon that it’s something bad or political or the lead up to one of “those” sermons. But the truth is that the Bible talks a lot about justice. 

Here we see a long passage on it. In the New Testament, John calls for people to live and act in a just way. In Malachi, we hear the words, “do justice, love mercy.” In fact the Bible has over 2,000 verses talking about justice in some form or another. By comparison there are 141 verses using the word salvation in one form or another. We have from this a rather clear call to do justice, to live justly, and to oppose injustice when we see it. And I hope in saying such that I am not the one yelling into the void. 

What does justice look like? We just read a glimpse of it: the spirit of the Lord will give wisdom and understand. And from that spirit, we read the following: He will delight in obeying the Lord; he will not judge by appearance, nor make decision based on what someone else says; he will give justice the poor, and make fair decisions for the exploited. 

At its root, our faith should protect the vulnerable. This is at the heart of what John the Baptist was preaching—the hope he was trying to give. He called out the proud and the powerful while offering hope and redemption to the broken, the contrite, and the changed. They were the ones willing to listen and who were willing to respond to God’s call. A proud heart cannot make room for God to move and work within. A proud heart will only seek to shut out challenges instead of listening to wisdom, accepting hope, and seeking justice.

When I read the story of John the Baptist, I hear the challenges, the harsh call to repentance, the urgency, the pull for people to give up old ways and be willing to accept God’s hope and grace. And then I wonder what happened. I worry that John’s words, his fervent call to repent and change, were simply shouted into the void and never really, truly heard. We must pick back up the banner of preaching hope, teaching about repentance, working for justice, and standing against injustice and oppression. Christ will baptize you with the Spirit and with fire, so may we find that fire in our lives when we speak and when we live. May we ever stand ready to speak God’s truth, even if we, too, are yelling into the void, for it is a far better place to be than living in it.  

I Don't Like Green Bean Casserole: A Lesson in Gratefulness

Thanksgiving 2019: Psalm 100; Philippians 4: 4-9

Nothing steals my joy at the holidays like looking down at the table and seeing green bean casserole. I cannot stand the stuff. Now, I have no problem with green beans, nor with cream of mushroom soup, and I’m not fond of those little crispy onion things. They’re not a deal-breaker, though. But when you put it all together, it’s a great big nope from me. I’ve seen other folks who struggle at the holidays, from the ones who stare at a perfectly cooked turkey like it’s going to attack them, to the ones who joke about mashed potatoes being wall paper paste, to the folks who avoid pumpkin pie like it’s nuclear waste. 

The holidays, and specifically Thanksgiving, are meant to be a time of gratefulness, of gratitude, of reflection, and kindness. But what is often missing from the mix is joyfulness or simply, joy. We are tired from travel, from cooking, from so much family and friends at one time. We may feel alone, sad, depressed and without the people we want most around us. Or we may look down at the table and realize we have to struggle through Auntie’s crazy casserole concoction for yet another year. We are given three ways to change and tune our hearts to praise for this holiday season. 

First we must turn our words from complaint to joy. The Psalm tells us, “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Come before him singing with joy. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving […and praise].” I have always loved this psalm. It’s simple, easy to remember, and jam-packed with energy. It starts off with the words shout with joy. Just the sheer excitement in the words of the psalm should help to lift a grumbling soul. I have a friend who said that every time she is down and struggling she re-reads this Psalm to hear the reminders and to feel the excitement that comes from this Psalm of praise. 

The Psalm also tells us the reasoning for all the excitement, joy, praises, and thanksgiving: “For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” Even in those times when we have lost our joy or we have stopped feeling any kind of happiness or praise in life, we must remember that we are still not alone. God’s unfailing love continues forever; even when we are grouchy, even when we complain, even when we feel forgotten and alone. 

So let’s start out slowly. We need to think and catch ourselves every time a complaint comes out of us, every time a harsh word enters our thoughts, and every time we are tempted to let something well up from any bitterness that lives within us. Change first our words from negative to praise, to thanksgiving, to words of joy. It’s not some verbal hocus pocus, Changing our way of speaking forces us to change our way of thinking because hopefully we think before we speak. Even Philippians 4: 8 says, “Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Then we can begin to live as the hymn says, “Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy praise.” 

Second we must acknowledge and address our worries. Philippians 4 tells us, “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for what he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace.” Many times complaints and worry go hand in hand. It’s hard to praise God, to be thankful, and to have joy when we are constantly worried about something. Worries can go from the very real and overwhelming such as “where will I live” or “where will my next meal come from” to worries that are only perceived. These make up the “what if” game. 

Let’s focus more on the “what if” type of worries. Too many of us live with these on a daily basis, and I think that’s the kind of worry that is being targeted by the teaching, “Don’t worry bout anything; instead, pray about everything.” If we live our lives in the place of “what if this happens?” we will miss the “what does happen,” and the “what can happen,” in a positive sense. Jesus also famously teaches not to worry about tomorrow. 

I remember a friend years ago was talking about faith and worry. He was facing some medical and family issues in his life, enough that the average person would likely be very worked up and concerned. He always had these great sayings, for instance, “Stop focusing on being the average person, and think instead as the extraordinary Christian.”  But when he faced these life issues, he said something I’ll never forget: “There comes a time in life where you have to make a choice between your worry and your faith. I, my friend, choose to trust God, and that will be enough for me.” I know I use it a lot, but I can’t help going to back to the old Ralph Abernathy quote, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.” Lay aside the worries and focus on trust in God. 

Lastly we must fix our thoughts and actions on the joy God gives us. The scripture in Philippians wraps up with this: “Fix your thought on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Keep putting into practice all you have learned and received.” Psalm 121 adds, “I look to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth…The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” 

When we are tempted to grumble and complain, we must remember the power and strength we find in our Savior. I heard a pastor once say that if we were to use our time fixing our thoughts on things that are honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, we probably wouldn’t have much time to think about anything else. And then we put our thoughts into practice. We should live in ways that are honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, for we are an example of faith to others. That should be a very powerful thought weighing on our conscience. We are the example of Christ—and the joy found in Christ’s love and grace. 

So remember in these holiday times that we should have joy in Christ. We should remember that our thoughts should be tuned to Christ’s praise and our words to speak our gratefulness instead of our complaints. We should cast aside unfounded worries—what if, what if? Do not fall into the “what if” trap. Christ has power and strength. And lastly we should fix our eyes on God and God’s holiness, laying aside the things on earth. The truth is I’m probably never going to like green bean casserole. But I can be grateful for the one who took the time to make it, to care, and to labor in love. May we all count our blessings this Thanksgiving and rejoice in God’s love and provision with gratefulness on our hearts and in our words. 

How to Deal with People

How to Deal with People: Exodus 32: 1-14; Ephesians 4: 1-6

Sometime back an ex contacted me on facebook messenger  and said, “I miss you. I miss us, what we had.” I kind of sat back and looked at the message much like one looks at what would come up out of a clogged drain. What we had was about three weeks, two of which were miserable. And I thought I had made the “let’s not talk again” part fairly clear, but apparently not so much. So, I sat there holding my phone, remembering all of the moodiness, attitude, neediness, trouble, and aggravation from that short-lived relationship. I read the words again, “I miss you. I miss us…what we had,” and I replied, “I don’t. Bye.” 

We read in many parts of the Gospels about faith and grace—how to obtain it, how to live it, and how Jesus gives salvation. That’s clear enough to us. But then, there’s this huge portion of the Gospels and all that follows in the New Testament that tries to sort out and give a few guidelines for the overwhelming messiness of dealing with people. That, perhaps, is the most difficult part of living in Christ…all the other folks and various personalities we’ve got to deal with. Therefore, today, we read these two scriptures: one tells us quite literally about how God decided not to smite people off of the face of the earth, and the other provides some more gentle reminders and guidelines as we look and learn how we deal with people. 

In our Old Testament, we hear how Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the law and instruction from God, specifically the Ten Commandments. The people down in the valley, however, seem to have no conviction, no depth of faith, and no loyalty whatsoever. Mind you, this occurs after the plagues, after the first passover, after the parting of the Red Sea, and after the pillars of cloud and fire. The people had seen God’s might and power. Yet, even still, when Moses takes his time returning, they cry out to Moses’ brother, no less, to make them gold, graven images to worship. They they proclaim, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt.” 

God then becomes angry, and rightfully so, I believe. God tells Moses that he will destroy all of the people (including Moses’ family) and will make a great nation out of Moses. But Moses pleads and intercedes with the Lord. And here is where we learn our first lesson. We see the growth and maturity in Moses. In his early days Moses was the impetuous one who killed an overseer in Egypt, begged the Lord to get anyone else for leadership, whined, cried, and complained the whole way in his early days. But here we see a wise and mature Moses speaking as a prophet and as a leader. 

Moses realizes the people have done wrong , that they have hurt and grieved the Lord deeply God’s angry, yes, but mostly God is hurt by the disloyal, conniving people who would turn their backs on God. Moses, however, pleads for grace. He calls on God not to let Egypt have the last laugh at the destruction of the people, pleads with God to remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to remember the promises made. Moses essentially calls on God to deal with the people accordingly and not harshly or deservingly. 

The people were not fully spared, though. In the end, the ones who continued in their rebellion died, and the ones who repented were made to wander in the wilderness till their children were old enough to inherit the promised land instead of them. But the real struggle was that the Lord no longer traveled in their midst as God had before. They were not destroyed, but they were also not free from the consequences of a broken relationship and ruined trust. God stayed with them, but God’s relationship to them was never the same. God did, however, remain close to Moses, spoke to him, guided him, and was present with him, for Moses had not only shown his loyalty and love, but also wisdom, faith, and maturity. 

So, if we are to live with wisdom, faith, and maturity, what are we told about how to deal with people? Paul starts this portion of Ephesians with words that echo Moses’ commitment. He says to them, “[I] beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.” And then we receive a few good guidelines to follow: be patient with each other, make allowances for each other’s faults because of your love, make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, bind yourselves together with peace. 

Why these instructions? In society we hear the advise of “just walk away.” But Ephesians gives us a different instruction. New Testament scholar and professor Daniel Wallace was asked once what the general theme of Ephesians is, and he responded like this: “Christians, get along with each other! Maintain the unity practically which Christ has effected positionally by his death.” In fact, all of Ephesians is a discussion on how to get along in relationships. Many have questioned why Ephesians would put us in such a vulnerable position of offering grace, overlooking faults, stay united and bound together, and be patient with messy people. 

The true mark of faith, wisdom, and maturity, according to Ephesians, is finding ourselves unconcerned about the actions and behaviors of others, and instead, ultimately concerned about the example we set. In the same way you don’t let a toddler’s tantrum control your life, neither should an adult’s bad and manipulative behavior. Correct it, then set the proper example. 

And we are told why: there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. There is one God of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all, and yes, even the most irritating, difficult, obnoxious one you encounter. God is still over all, in all, and living through all. Thus, the way people behave is a problem between them and God, so Paul tells us to set an example in our behavior and relationship, then turn them over to God. 

I read a little statement the other day that said this: “I heard someone say ‘don’t cross oceans for someone who wouldn’t cross a puddle for you.’” I thought that was good advice. But then someone else spoke up and said, ‘No, Do it. Cross oceans for people. Love all people, no conditions attached, no wondering whether they are worthy. Cross oceans, climb mountains. Life and love isn’t about what you gain, it’s about what you give.’ And then, I changed my mind.” 

Perhaps the best way to deal with people is found in Christ. Be safe, be firm, be honest with people, gently correcting their faults and holding them accountable. But do so with grace, with gentleness, remembering that we are the ones called to set an example for what Christ’s presence and love looks like on this earth. It’s hard to find a balance between love and grace and not letting people manipulate and take advantage of you. But ultimately I am convinced that God will deal with hearts and minds sorting out how people live and act. But as for us, how do we deal with people? We offer them love; we offer them grace; and we give them to God, who has unending power to change hearts, change minds, and fix what may be broken. 

The Final Word

The Final Word: Job 19: 23-27; Luke 20: 27-38

A friend used to tell me about her parents’ often epic arguments. She said they were never hateful, never demeaning or mean, but they could debate like lawyers paid by the hour on and on. It was almost as if both of them wanted to be the one to have the final word. She then giggled and told me how things would finish up. She said her dad always, ALWAYS had the final word in the argument. That word was, “Yes, dear.” That seems to be a common practice in most arguments and debates. Each party wants to be the one to get the final word. 

We read today in Luke 20 how Jesus, once again, showed the religious leaders and teachers who challenged him that Jesus himself has the final word, even when they ask the trickiest questions they can think of. Now, for a bit of context, the Sadducees were a religious sect in Jesus day similar to the Pharisees.They often were the ones who maintained the temple and fulfilled various political, social, and religious roles in and around the temple. Very often they came from the upper ends of society. 

The Sadducees could be very different form the Pharisees we most often hear about. Sadducees believed in more of a civil religion: no afterlife, no rewards or punishments after death, and they did not believe in spirits or angels or any non-human beings outside of God. This discussion comes in a series of arguments between the religious leaders of that day and Jesus. Over and over Jesus has criticized, humiliated, and spoken against them. They are looking for any way to challenge Jesus’s authority that they can. 

Enter the Sadducees with a complex question. They set the stage: “If you follow the law of Moses, then if a man dies, his brother should marry the widow.” Then they go on through seven different brothers and ask Jesus whose husband she would be in heaven. The only point of this question is to trip Jesus up. It is not designed to teach, to help, or to encourage. But Jesus has the final word. He tells them, “Marriage is for people on earth,” and not those in the afterlife. 

But Jesus goes further. He doesn’t stop at confounding them; he also demolishes their attempt to discredit him. He tells them that marriage is not a thing in Heaven, that they will never die (like the angels the Sadducees don’t believe in), and that they are children of God in the resurrection. But Jesus goes even further! He tells the tricky Sadducees that even though they don’t believe resurrection, Moses himself proved it to be true at the burning bush when he refers to God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is the God of the living and not of the dead, for they are all alive in God. 

We see here that Jesus had the final word. Not only did he not fall for the trap of the Sadducees, he completely shut down any response they might have had to his reply. So why is this important to us, you might ask? Sometimes we still challenge God in the same way the religious leaders did. We say to God, “Well, God, if you will do X, then I will do Y.” And we say it, not as a promise, but as a challenge. Instead of humility, listening, and following, we instead test God every step of the way whether we can, whether we should. 

I hear this problem most often in relationships. One of the people in it will set little tests and traps to see how the potential date or spouse will do. I had a friend who used to bait his potential girlfriends with certain questions to see how they answered. The problem with that is he did it to everyone else as well, whether he realized it or not. It made him annoying and a relationship or friendship too difficult to maintain. Every single encounter felt like some kind of trial instead of something warm, welcoming, and friendly. 

The bigger problem is this: God is supposed to have the final word. It may be encouraging, powerful, and important in our lives when God meets or responds to our preset tests in order to believe, but that is not how faith is supposed to work. God does not follow our tests, fit into our checklist, or wait for us to be convinced. We are supposed to follow God because God has the final word. We follow because we have a relationship with God built on trust in God’s guidance and through Christ’s love dwelling in our lives. 

We would do well to remember that there was one specific instance where someone attempted to test God and give Jesus a checklist of things to do to prove himself. It comes in Matthew 4. Jesus is asked to prove himself as the Son of God by turning stones into bread. Jesus is tested to prove himself by leaping off a high place. And Jesus is tested where his loyalties lie. His response to all of this is found in Matthew 4:7—“The scriptures…say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”  The one who tests Jesus who places checklists in front of him for Christ, the Holy One to have to prove himself is Satan. Do not fall for the scheme that puts proof before faith, tests before trust, and indifference before love. 

For when we talk about love, we see that there, too, God has the final word. Job makes, in our Old Testament, one of the most powerful speeches testifying to God’s power that one can read: “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. After my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God. I am overwhelmed at the thought.” It is one of the most resolute and empowering things Job says during his time of suffering and struggle. 

The words come just after his former friend Bildad insists and humiliates Job accusing him of sinfulness and wickedness due to the suffering state he was in. It is almost as if you can watch Job for yourself stop the questions, the doubts, and the uncertainty and proclaim God as redeemer with power and authority. Job starts out by saying, “How long will you torture me? How long will you try to crush me with your words. You should be ashamed of treating me so badly.” Job adds with fire and conviction, “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.” 

Yes, indeed, even as Job says, our Redeemer lives and our Redeemer has the final word in our lives over sin, and death, and punishment. That is why we can have a relationship built on trust and love in God. It is easy to doubt, to test, to worry, and to beg for signs. But We must remember that God has the final word, and there is no reason to live without faith in our lives. So let us have our faith, our hope, and our trust in God be the final word in our Christian walk.