O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.
As Jesus is headed toward Jerusalem we see that He is confronted by His followers who want to distract Him from going up to the city. The reason that they do not want Him to go is that wicked King Herod has given a threat. He will have Jesus arrested and possibly killed if Jesus sets foot in that great city.
The Savior withstands the temptation to flee from the presence of King Herod as a result is able to stand up to an enemy. As we continue our Lenten theme “Facing Life With Jesus” today we focus on the matter of facing an enemy. By the example of Jesus we will learn how to stand.
1. Is there any existence of a “Herod” in our world today? Are there not anti-Christian ideas or behaviors and practices around us? Are we living in an ideal society, a utopia or are we surrounded by forces that would keep our eyes off of Christ. Of course there are. They are all around us. As we learn how to face life with Jesus as we face the enemy we must first remember that we are living in a fallen world an there are those evil forces around us that are opposed to the message of Christ and the cross. To face the enemy we must first realize that enemies do exist and that they are opposed to the way of the cross.
2. But have you ever wondered why such opposition exists? Could it possibly be that it exists in our midst because there is no opposition to it? There has been an increasing thought that we should be able to coexist in a fallen world without any problems. This type of thinking has often lead to the decline of morals and principles in stead of the strengthening of them., True, you and I live in the world but we are not to be become apart of the world. Good and evil can not stand together. One will win out. When there is tolerance of evil, evil will find room to grow. In facing the enemy we must be brave enough to speak out against it when it happens.
3. The enemy is also able to take a stronghold when we fail to speak out against the evil that we see or when we fail to take a stand. Some often fear that in taking a stand or speaking the truth that their true colors will be shown. Fear is a motivating factor for many. In fear that they might be shunned or turned down for a promotion, or over looked or passed by some feel quit comfortable to remain silent. But silence can often bring about a compromise with evil. By remaining silent some might get the mistaken notion that we tolerate that which is wrong. By remaining silent we might go so far as to give a mixed signal that we see nothing wrong in what is happening today.
4. Should we seek opposition? Should we seek the enemy? Let us examine the example of Jesus as He faced the enemy for us. Why was Jesus opposed/ He was opposed for He spoke the truth in love. He was opposed for He said to the people that if we fail in only one area of the law we have violated it completely. He was opposed for He showed where people had failed to live up to the demands of the Law. He was opposed fro He opposed the hypocrisy of so many who believed that what was done in secret God would somehow overlook. He was opposed for He exposed the lie that so many were living a life which said that God could accept them for the good that they did.
He was opposed for He chose to associate with sinners. This proved the hypocrisy and the two-facedness of the Pharisees of His day. They failed to se their own sin but were quick to point it our in everyone else. They failed to see their own sinfulness while all the while they were quick to condemn the sins of others. They openly thanked God they were not like other people all the while forgetting the sinner’s prayer which simply says, “Lord, have mercy on me for I am a sinner!”
It was for their sins and ours that Jesus Christ, the Son of God came into this world to suffer and die. He willingly went to the cross to suffer and die for our sins which we have committed against God and our neighbor. He suffered and died for our sins of tolerance and evil and compromise in our own lives and in our world around us. And as he suffered and died for these sins He forgave us and gave us a better way to live. It is His death and resurrection which has saved us. For by His stripes we have been healed.
Conclusion: As long as we live in this fallen world we will have to live with the reality that there will be sin in it. No amount of wishing and hoping for a better way will not make sin disappear. The only way to deal with sin is to have the Savior personally address it. And address it He has. In examining the way in which Jesus confronted the opposition of the enemy may you and I be strengthened to also so speak the truth in love. May we stand up for the truth of the gospel and the morals which the Scriptures have plainly taught us but in the same breath may we also speak the Savior’s word of pardon. For Jesus did not give into temptation but rather He addressed the evil of this world. When we take for ourselves the example of Jesus then with Him we will be able to face the enemy. May He so direct us. In Jesus’ Name. Amen
As Jesus is headed toward Jerusalem we see that He is confronted by His followers who want to distract Him from going up to the city. The reason that they do not want Him to go is that wicked King Herod has given a threat. He will have Jesus arrested and possibly killed if Jesus sets foot in that great city.
The Savior withstands the temptation to flee from the presence of King Herod as a result is able to stand up to an enemy. As we continue our Lenten theme “Facing Life With Jesus” today we focus on the matter of facing an enemy. By the example of Jesus we will learn how to stand.
1. Is there any existence of a “Herod” in our world today? Are there not anti-Christian ideas or behaviors and practices around us? Are we living in an ideal society, a utopia or are we surrounded by forces that would keep our eyes off of Christ. Of course there are. They are all around us. As we learn how to face life with Jesus as we face the enemy we must first remember that we are living in a fallen world an there are those evil forces around us that are opposed to the message of Christ and the cross. To face the enemy we must first realize that enemies do exist and that they are opposed to the way of the cross.
2. But have you ever wondered why such opposition exists? Could it possibly be that it exists in our midst because there is no opposition to it? There has been an increasing thought that we should be able to coexist in a fallen world without any problems. This type of thinking has often lead to the decline of morals and principles in stead of the strengthening of them., True, you and I live in the world but we are not to be become apart of the world. Good and evil can not stand together. One will win out. When there is tolerance of evil, evil will find room to grow. In facing the enemy we must be brave enough to speak out against it when it happens.
3. The enemy is also able to take a stronghold when we fail to speak out against the evil that we see or when we fail to take a stand. Some often fear that in taking a stand or speaking the truth that their true colors will be shown. Fear is a motivating factor for many. In fear that they might be shunned or turned down for a promotion, or over looked or passed by some feel quit comfortable to remain silent. But silence can often bring about a compromise with evil. By remaining silent some might get the mistaken notion that we tolerate that which is wrong. By remaining silent we might go so far as to give a mixed signal that we see nothing wrong in what is happening today.
4. Should we seek opposition? Should we seek the enemy? Let us examine the example of Jesus as He faced the enemy for us. Why was Jesus opposed/ He was opposed for He spoke the truth in love. He was opposed for He said to the people that if we fail in only one area of the law we have violated it completely. He was opposed for He showed where people had failed to live up to the demands of the Law. He was opposed fro He opposed the hypocrisy of so many who believed that what was done in secret God would somehow overlook. He was opposed for He exposed the lie that so many were living a life which said that God could accept them for the good that they did.
He was opposed for He chose to associate with sinners. This proved the hypocrisy and the two-facedness of the Pharisees of His day. They failed to se their own sin but were quick to point it our in everyone else. They failed to see their own sinfulness while all the while they were quick to condemn the sins of others. They openly thanked God they were not like other people all the while forgetting the sinner’s prayer which simply says, “Lord, have mercy on me for I am a sinner!”
It was for their sins and ours that Jesus Christ, the Son of God came into this world to suffer and die. He willingly went to the cross to suffer and die for our sins which we have committed against God and our neighbor. He suffered and died for our sins of tolerance and evil and compromise in our own lives and in our world around us. And as he suffered and died for these sins He forgave us and gave us a better way to live. It is His death and resurrection which has saved us. For by His stripes we have been healed.
Conclusion: As long as we live in this fallen world we will have to live with the reality that there will be sin in it. No amount of wishing and hoping for a better way will not make sin disappear. The only way to deal with sin is to have the Savior personally address it. And address it He has. In examining the way in which Jesus confronted the opposition of the enemy may you and I be strengthened to also so speak the truth in love. May we stand up for the truth of the gospel and the morals which the Scriptures have plainly taught us but in the same breath may we also speak the Savior’s word of pardon. For Jesus did not give into temptation but rather He addressed the evil of this world. When we take for ourselves the example of Jesus then with Him we will be able to face the enemy. May He so direct us. In Jesus’ Name. Amen
Woodcut by Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, a nineteenth-century German artist known especially for his book Das Buch der Bücher in Bilden (‘The Book of Books in Pictures’), ©WELS.
No comments:
Post a Comment