Scars that Save

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

John 10:27-28

There is a story about a hot summer day in Florida, and a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.  In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran down the dock as fast as he could and flew into the water.  What he didn’t realize was that as he swam out into the water, there was an alligator swimming toward him.

His mother, in the house looking out the window - saw the two approaching each other.  In utter fear, she ran out the back door screaming at the top of her lungs for her son to turn around.  Hearing the alarm in his mother’s voice, he made a quick U-turn to swim back to shore.  But it was too late.  Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.  From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs.  That began an incredible tug-of-war between the mother and the alligator.  The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was too passionate to let go.  A farmer drove by, and hearing the screams and seeing the incredible struggle, he stopped and got the gun from his truck and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived and the doctors and surgeons were able to save both legs.  His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack.  The local paper and television news team requested an interview of this heroic little survivor.  The reporters asked if they could see his scars.  Everyone expected to see him left his pant legs, but instead he rolled up his shirt sleeves.

On his arms were deep scratches.  The reporters said, “We want to see the scars the alligator’s teeth made on your legs.”  “I could show you those awful things, but I would rather show you these.  These are the scars from my mother’s fingernails.  These were made because my mother refused to let go of me.  These scars are why I’m alive today!”

You and I can identify with that little boy.  We have scars to point to as well - not from a mother but from a Good Shepherd.  Our Good Shepherd refused to let go of us, His sheep, therefore, He faced the vicious attack of the ravenous wolf by Himself.  Satan attacked the Shepherd in hopes to devour and scatter the sheep.  But no one can snatch us out of His scarred hands. 

We bear the mark of the cross on our forehead and heart - the mark of the love of God for us that He would rather send His Son to die on the cross than let go of any one of us.  The cross is a beautiful mark - for it reveals the love of our God who refuses to let go of us - despite the fact that we are sheep, and sheep love to wander, and sometimes we wander into dangerous situations.  St. Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.  Death can’t, life can’t, principalities and their evil values can’t, nor things present like cancer, trials, nor height, the greatest times, nor depth, even the lowest of depression, nor anything in all creation, can snatch us away.

What greater safety can there be than to know that the Lord takes your hand, and in the power of His saving Name, promises to never let go - when we face cancer, a job loss, problems in relationships, no matter what struggle or in the midst of any great joy - our Good Shepherd firmly grasps us and assures us of our forgiveness, He restores us in His peace, He comforts us with His presence, and He gives us eternal life.  We are safe in the Name of our loving Shepherd, and we have the scars to prove it - and they are on His hands that hold us forever.

 

From Darkness to Light

Darkness makes us uneasy because it creates dangerous uncertainty.  When power outages occur and we have no flashlight, trying to find our way can be hazardous—heads can bump into a wall or door frame, feet stumble over a footstool or trip on a toy left on the floor.

One great truth runs through the pages of the Bible: God always come through in the darkest hour of uncertainty!  Whether He was rescuing the Israelites from Pharaoh’s armies or protecting the three men in the fiery furnace or ordering Abraham to hold back his knife from plunging it into Isaac, God shows Himself to be a trustworthy Savior from life’s uncertainties in our darkest moments.  The resurrection of Christ that we celebrated last Sunday reminds us that God’s Word brings light and certainty, for three times did Jesus predict He would be raised from death.  The Old Testament also offers its record of God’s promised Messiah, and now that promise is a light that breaks through our uncertainty.

Do you face uncertainty about your job?  Do you struggle with doubt about your children’s future?  Did the doctor notify you about a matter that casts doubt on your own health?  Don’t try to cheer yourself with thoughts that things will eventually get better. Let the light of Christ’s resurrected glory dispel the darkness of those things that cause you to stumble in uncertainty and doubt.

What a glorious difference Easter makes for us!  Christ has been delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification.  The darkness of our sin has been overcome by the light of His resurrection.  Death and the grave have been overcome by life in Christ for eternity and new life in Him every day.  Easter’s glorious light lifts us above our daily battles and puts a spring into our step.  Easter’s glorious light brightens our darkest day and keeps the smile of faith on our lips.  Easter’s glorious light shines down on our deathbeds and puts a light that cannot be extinguished into our graves.

As long as this world of darkness stands, Easter people like us will find their greatest joy in the risen Savior, who said, “I am the Light of the world.  Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  Turn to Christ in confidence that the light of His resurrection has triumphed over evil.  In your Baptism, you were transferred from the kingdom of darkness and made a child of the Light!  The light of Christ’s resurrection enlightens us with promise: “Because I live, you also will live.” Because you have been buried with Him by Baptism into a death like His, you will also be raised to a new life like His in resurrected glory.  Christ’s promises are just as sure and certain as the sunrise that scatters the darkness and brings the new day.  Easter allows us to see the Cross in the Light of the empty tomb: Because Jesus walked away from His tomb, we’ll walk away from ours.  That’s life-changing power, darkness-overcoming Light - and Easter makes it yours.  Thanks be to God!  Christ is risen!

 

It is Finished!

Do you know the two words alpha and omega?  Perhaps you recognize them as the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet just as A and Z are in ours.  Do you know that those two Greek letters are also one of Jesus’ names?  In Revelation chapter 22, the Savior applies this name to himself. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End,” he says (verse 13).  What does this name mean?

Consider how we use those two letters in our language.  When a store advertises, “We have everything from A to Z,” we know what it means.  It’s claiming, “We have it all. Everything you need you can find here.  We are all-sufficient.”  This claim may or may not be true.  But when Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” it’s true, wonderfully true.  He has it all. He is all-sufficient.  There is nothing missing.  He is all we need for salvation.

Scarcely had the sponge soaked with sour wine moistened Jesus’ parched lips when we hear Him speak.  “It is finished,” He says.  Although only one word of four syllables in the Greek language, yet these are words of great significance to the world. Nor are we exaggerating when we call them the most important words in the history of the world.  “It is finished,” Jesus said, not with the whisper of the dying that you have to bend low to hear.  No, He spoke, as the gospel writers tell us, with a loud voice so that all might hear.  “It is finished,” He wanted the whole world to know. 

With these words Jesus was telling all who would listen, “I have won.  My work of salvation is done.  I have opened wide the gates of heaven for mankind.  I have kept all of the law perfectly for every person.  I have paid for all sins. Not one sin is left, whether seemingly large or small.  I have suffered the agonies of hell that were reserved for sinners.  I have endured the full punishment and anger of my Father over sin.  I have shed my precious blood to redeem all mankind.  And now, it—My work of salvation—is completely finished.”  Not a single sin in the mountain load on His back was left unpaid.  From His cross the Savior could turn His gaze from the first sinner to the last and see no one whose guilt He had not covered.

Thank God we know our salvation is all done.  Thank God we know that whether we call Jesus Alpha and Omega or A and Z, he is the only Savior we’ll ever need.  When Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End,” we can take Him at His word.  He truly is all we need for salvation and all we need for heaven.  May the Lord in His mercy keep this confidence in our hearts this Good Friday and always!

 

Pleasure to Serve - a Maundy Thursday Reflection

A favorite restaurant of mine is Chik-Fil-A.  There is something about that restaurant that always seems to stand out to me – their customer service.  The thing that really set their customer service apart to me was how the person at the drive through window will always say, “It’s my pleasure to serve you!”  The first time I heard them say that it kind of caught me off guard.  I thought, “It’s really a pleasure for you to serve me a chicken sandwich and some fries?”  But it’s true…there really is pleasure in service.

Maundy Thursday is all about service.  We see that it truly is the Lord’s pleasure to serve as He washes the feet of His disciples – the job of a slave.   At Jesus' time, the common practice was to have the household slaves wash guests' feet as they entered the house.  Since most people wore sandals, and the roads were dirty, dusty and hot, the cool water and gentle washing would be a relieving and refreshing welcome to your guest.  A pitcher, basin and towel at the door were marks of hospitality.  Of course, it was also a menial task - even demeaning.  The feet of a traveler would be dirty, sweaty and smelly.  Foot washing was a sign of hospitality and love but it was not done among peers but done by children and slaves.  John is the only one who tells of this demonstration of love and servanthood but Matthew records a similar message to His disciples when Jesus said:  Whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

In fact, Jesus whole earthly mission was one of service as He says in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”  Paul echoes those words in Philippians 2:5-8, where he says, “Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus served us with His very own body as He was our once and for all sacrifice for sin on the cross.  And on Maundy Thursday we see the Lord continuing to serve us with His body and blood through the Lord’s Supper.

I love Martin Luther’s quote about the Lord’s Supper.  He said, “If we were handing out gold coins at the altar, the balcony would collapse under the weight of those who would be waiting in line.”  He also goes on to say, “Blind people would swim across rivers to get such treasure!  But the Lord’s Supper is a far greater treasure that moth and rust cannot destroy and thieves cannot break in and steal. Here we have the body and blood of our ascended and glorified brother!  The body and blood hidden under the bread and wine serves no other purpose than to rescue us poor sinners from the guilt, punishment, and rule of sin.”

What an amazing treasure the Lord serves us with!  At the Lord’s Table, Jesus serves us what the Lutheran Confessions call a visible Gospel. The Lord attaches His words of promise to the eating and drinking of bread and wine.  God’s promise, “given and poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins,” fills our ears and moves our hearts to faith.  His grace touches our lips.  We, quite literally, “taste and see that the LORD is good.”  Even our sense of smell is permeated with His divine assurance.

Not only is Christ’s body and blood placed in our mouths, but so is our forgiveness.  After a week of struggling with sin, there is no more intimate way that God could assure us that what was done on Calvary is ours!   When our Lord Jesus, by the hand of His undershepherd, gives you His body and blood, there can be no mistake who Jesus is addressing with forgiveness.   Christ is, in effect, saying to you, “I mean YOU when I say ‘given and poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.’ How can you tell?  I, Jesus Christ, place My body and blood into your mouth. You are a beloved child of the heavenly Father because of what I have done here.”

Forgiveness, grace, mercy, love – these are all blessings that we are indeed served in the Lord’s Supper and through the Divine Service.  From the beginning to the end of worship we are being served by God.  How amazing is that!?!?  That’s why we gather in worship – to be served by God with the blessings that He gives to us.

As the Lord serves us and blesses us with His gifts, we are then equipped to serve each other and everyone else we come in contact with.  It effects our entire lives and every role and responsibility we have.  What a pleasure it is to serve others…whether it be through our vocation, or through our roles as husbands and wives, mothers or fathers, children, friends, co-workers…with the gifts that God has equipped us with!

Do we fail in this service to one another?  Absolutely!  Our sinful nature says to serve only one person – ourselves!  We fail in our service to both God and one another.  But the Good News is that when we fail – Christ is still there to serve us with exactly what we need – His full and free forgiveness.

Chick-Fil-A has it right.  It is a pleasure to serve.  And the reason it is a pleasure to serve is because of the One who continues to serve us with all that we need for both body and soul for all eternity!

 

A Change in Circumstances



"I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die."  John 11:25

 

A number of years ago, a letter appeared in the national news that was sent to a deceased person by the Indiana Department of Social Services. It read as follows: Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away.  You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.

The good news, through the power of God’s Word – is that God has a resurrection for you!  God has given us the ultimate change in circumstances!  The powerful story from John 11 speaks to this.  For John, this story was a drama of the tragedy of death and the triumph of the new life.  Let’s go back and review it again. Mary and Martha who live in Bethany are some of Jesus’ closest friends.  They send word to him that their brother, whose name is Lazarus, is desperately ill.  But by the time Jesus gets there, Lazarus has died and has been in his grave for four days.  Mary and Martha come out to meet Jesus and they express their grief: “He’s gone. We’ve lost him.  O Lord, if only you have been here, our brother would not have died.”

The family and friends have gathered and in their deep sorrow, they begin to weep over the loss of their loved one, Lazarus.  The heart of Jesus goes out to them, and Jesus weeps with them.  He loved Lazarus, too, he loves them, and he shares their pain. Jesus goes out to the cave-like tomb and he says to them: “Roll back the stone!”  Martha, always the realist and ever ready to speak out, protests: “But Lord, we can’t do that. He has been in the grave for 4 days.  By now there will be a terrible odor.”  Jesus says to her: “Martha, only believe and you will see the power of God.”

So they roll the stone away, and Jesus cries out in a loud voice: “Lazarus, come forth!”  And incredibly, miraculously, amazingly, before their very eyes… Lazarus is resurrected!  He comes out of the tomb.  He still has on his grave clothes.  His head and feet are still wrapped with mummy-like bandages.  Jesus then turns to the friends and family and says to them, “Unbind him and let him go.  Unwrap him and set him free.”

In this powerful and dramatic story, three amazing lessons jump out at us.  Three great truths emerge which are helpful to us today.

First, Jesus wept with those he loved and he still does.  John 11:35 is famous for being the shortest verse in the Bible.  While that may be very helpful for Bible Trivia – there is even more importance found in those two words – “Jesus wept”.  Those two short words tell us of our Savior’s love and care for those He came to redeem – like Lazarus, and each and every one of us.

Jesus wept with those He loved, and He still does.  He hurts with us.  He feels our pain.  We all face suffering some time and when it comes, one thing we can know is that our Lord is hurting with us, and He will love us through it.  He will walk through the valley with us and in time He will bring us out of the valley of sorrow to the mountaintop on the other side.  Jesus wept with those he loved and he still does.

The second truth we find is Jesus raised people up and he still does.  How does Jesus do this?  Through His living and active Word.  We also see this in Ezekiel.  We too, ask along with Ezekiel, “Can these dry bones live?”  When disaster strikes, when someone we love dies, when our health is broken, when we’re disappointed and crushed, we ask – can these dry bones live?  The answer is, YES!  They will live because God Himself will draw them together with sinews and muscles and cover them with skin and breath into them His life – His Word.  Impossible?  Not for our God, a God of mercy, grace, and love.  Not for the God who has redeemed His people from the guilt and power of sin when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to give His life on the cross.  There on the cross Jesus’ Word proclaimed victory saying – “It is finished.” 

The same Word that brought life to the dry bones in Ezekiel cries out to Lazarus.  And just as Jesus said to Lazarus, “come out” – He now speaks in the Word and personally addresses each of us by name saying “come out”.  “Come out of death, guilt, and bondage – and into life.”  Jesus has come that we might have life – but now and eternally.  He offers and gives peace, joy, and everything we need – but can’t find anywhere else.  He offers and He freely gives forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Jesus’ raising of Lazarus shows us that out of death comes new life.  Lazarus’ raising is a powerful sign of the Easter message of resurrection and new life.  The death of Lazarus proved to be an opportunity for Jesus to show once again the power of His Word.  At the conclusion of the story we learn that many who accompanied Mary to Lazarus’ tomb also believed in Jesus.  Not only can new life come out of death, so can the faith that leads to eternal life.

The third truth we find is that Jesus included others in the healing process, and he still does.  Notice what happens when Lazarus comes out of the tomb. Jesus turns to his family and friends and says, “Unbind him and let him go. Unwrap him and set him free.”

Jesus knew how important it is to have our family and our friends helping us, surrounding us with love, supporting us, encouraging us.  Another thing we see in this story is that Mary was accompanied by her grieving friends who grieved with her.  There is something supportive and therapeutic about having friends around you who love you to grieve with you. 

That is what the church often is:  a community of Christ’s compassion and consolation to one another.  In our busy and active culture, we often don’t have time to live deeply with our feelings.  In our hurried up plastic world, we often don’t have time to share deep love or deep sorrow.  In our shallow materialistic world, we attempt to minimize death.  But not in the church.  We know love; we know grief; and we share it with one another.   

God’s powerful Word has a resurrection for us each and every day.  Daily we fall short and die to sin – but through the forgiveness won for us by Jesus Christ, we begin each day remembering our Baptism and the robe of Christ’s righteousness that has been placed upon us.  God also has an eternal resurrection for us.  For just as Christ has been raised imperishable – so to will all believers be raised to new and eternal life in heaven.  Talk about a change in circumstances!



Citizens of Heaven

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Philippians 3:18-21

If you have ever filled out an application for a passport or travel visa, you know that there is a great deal of information needed to validate the truth that you are a citizen.  Name, birthdate, social security number, address, phone number, eye and hair color, height, weight, parents’ name and maiden name - all facts that link you directly and unmistakably to your citizenship in the country.

Paul reminds us of our citizenship as Christians - a citizenship which is in heaven!  In his letter to the Philippians, Paul is clear - citizens of heaven are citizens because of the cross!  Citizens of the world are enemies of the cross.  The people at Philippi knew what Paul was getting at.  Philippi was a Roman colony but it was on the edge of Asia Minor and Greece - a long way from Rome - the spoke Latin, dressed in Roman garb, and attended theater just like in Rome.

In the same way that Roman citizenship requires a certain “way of life” - likewise, being a citizen of heaven requires a different way of life.  Enemies of the cross also have a certain behavior - their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is their shame. 

When we continue to live in the hurt of the past without forgiveness, we are an enemy of the cross; when we spend more time speaking words of gossip rather than God’s Word, we are an enemy of the cross; when we fail to see one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, we are an enemy of the cross; when we set goals for the future according to earthly standards, we are an enemy of the cross; when we struggle between what is ours and what is God’s, we are an enemy of the cross.  It led Paul to tears and Jesus to lament, where does it lead you?

Also, the minds of citizens of the world are on earthly things.  They simply cannot see beyond the health they have or don’t have, the money they have or don’t have, the job security or power, the recreation toys, the pension plan and the new car.  As long as there are amply blessings, God is good; but if there is struggle, then God’s goodness is measured against what can be achieved in the here and now.

But thanks be to God: for we have this promise - when we grieve and repent of our sins, Christ replaces our grief with His peace and forgiveness.  He restores and reconciles.  He makes new.  He gives us understanding that our citizenship in heaven has far more blessings than the temporary and fleeting ones of this world.

Proudly bear the cross of Christ and use it to free your life from the shackles of sin and death so that your body will be filled with praise and thanksgiving for the body you have is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  With the cross of Christ before you this Lenten season – may your soul sing out in eternal joy, “Heaven is my Home!”

I’m but a stranger here, Heav’n is my home;

Earth is a desert drear, Heav’n is my home.

Danger and sorrow stand  Round me on ev’ry hand;

Heav’n is my fatherland, Heav’n is my home.

LSB #748

 

You are Loved!

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10

Valentines Day can be a big deal - not only for the sale of cards, flowers, and candy - but most importantly to share just the right words with those we love and care for.  When I think about the right words for Valentines Day, I immediately think of one of my favorite parts of the upcoming holiday – the little candy hearts with words on them!  I wonder what the little candy hearts would say if they contained a message from God.  Based on God’s Word it would be safe to say that the message from God would read something like, “You are loved”.

God’s Word is very clear about His love for us!  God’s love for us is perfect.  God love for us is unconditional.  His perfect and unconditional love for us is shown most clearly through Jesus Christ.  Out of love for us, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior from sin, death, and the devil.  Jesus shed His blood in order to set us free from the condemnation that our sin deserves.  His death and resurrection have won for us forgiveness, life, and eternal salvation.

As repentant sinners, Christ’s blood has paid for every hate and murder and every harsh word, every affair and divorce and every look that was a little too long, every perjury, and every promise we have ever broken and every gossip we have ever spoken.  Though our hearts are corrupt with daily sin - God doesn’t tolerate these hearts, He gave His Son to die for them.  God declares them righteous, clean, new hearts solely on the account of Jesus Christ.

God’s valentine to you is: “You are loved!”  Carry that message in your heart each and every day, and rejoice in the forgiveness, life, and salvation that is yours because of God’s love for you shown in Jesus Christ!