Law and Love

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12 (RSV)

The Law that St. Paul touches here are the Commandments of God revealed to the Children of Israel. The pious Jew intends to keep God's Law as a devotion to God's faithfulness and obedience for daily life.

As St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, the Law is good. God's Law is a gift from the Father and should be seen as such. St. Paul is also clear that the Law cannot make us righteous before God. We are justified by grace through faith, apart from works of the Law. However, the good Law of God still stands.

In Christ, we are free from all the Law demands. As St. Paul notes, all things now are lawful. If we were able to live without sin, our freedom in the law would be absolute. However, sin still is at work in us, and thus, though all things might be lawful, our sin would cause a good thing to be a danger for us.

We must take care so our freedom in Christ does not become new slavery. As long as we live in this flesh, we are prone to temptation and sin. We could surrender Christ for the bondage of sinful things.

Luther reminds us that our Christian freedom is never merely for ourselves. We are set free to love and serve God and our neighbor. Loving the Lord and our neighbor is the fulfillment of the Law.

Alien Righteousness

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:21–26 (RSV)

Luther spoke of alien righteousness when he described the means by which anyone has hope of salvation. This righteousness is external to us. While we might generate certain righteousness in the eyes of those around us, it is not the righteousness of God.

It is the righteousness of God that saves and redeems. St. Paul was clear that since all are sinners, we cannot achieve the righteousness of God. We cannot have salvation through anything we might do. St. Paul described our righteousness as filthy rags. Relying upon this righteousness is doomed.

The righteousness of God is alien to us. We cannot earn it, nor do we have a right to demand it in any way. We could not bear it for even an instant of time. God's righteousness is perfection and holiness beyond our telling. How can this righteousness, which we must have if we are to live with the Father forever, how can it be ours?

Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have become the righteousness of God. Our life in the divine life of God's righteousness begins in our baptism, continuing in our daily lives until we enter the Kingdom. We are called to live and grow in the Father's righteousness as long as we live in this flesh.

Resurrection of Life

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:24–29 (RSV)

OK, what is the 'those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment' business? I thought salvation was given and not earned. It appears that Jesus is talking about good living as the means to life.

Remember, Lutherans read the whole Bible when they do theology. We don't cherry-pick a few verses that say what we want Scripture to say. We let Scripture interpret Scripture.

The resurrection of life and resurrection of judgment only makes sense when read in light of this passage's first verse. Jesus teaches that those who hear his word and believe in the Father who has sent Jesus will have eternal life.

Only those who stubbornly refuse to listen to the Good News find themselves under judgment. The Father's heart breaks, but he will allow us to have what we say we want.

And how do we hear and believe this word? The Holy Spirit who calls us through the Gospel creates saving faith when and where he pleases. We hear the Gospel as a work of the Spirit. By the Spirit, we believe the Gospel, and believing the Gospel, we are raised to life in Christ.

Thanks be to God that his mercy is unending, his love boundless, and the Holy Spirit never ceases to call us through the Gospel.

Do You Wish to Be Healed?

After this, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethzatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. John 5:1–9 (RSV)

'Do you want to be healed?' Jesus asked the one thing the man had sought for thirty-eight years. In all those years, he was powerless to step into the water where his hope lay. Jesus' question would, at first, seem mocking or callous. Why else would the man have come for all those years?

When we don't know Jesus and what He has come to accomplish, our hopes live in the things we can or wish we can do for ourselves. Even if we succeed, we know through bitter disappointment that it isn't enough.

'Rise, take up your pallet, and walk,' at first would sound more fantastic than pushing your way into the pool. The man would have to surrender the hope of thirty-eight years. A word from Jesus strengthened muscles, limbered tendons, and ligaments, as the man stood, for the first time in thirty-eight years, he stood and walked.

'Do you want to be healed?' The question stands for us as it did for the man at the pool of Bethzatha. We may walk without hindrance, but the burden of sin hinders us. We cannot begin to move toward the Father. It is Jesus who comes to us and heals us.

St. Paul

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:1–7 (RSV)

Lutherans are Christ-centered, Pauline Christians. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the beating heart of our theology, teaching and faith. We rely upon the witness of St. Paul more than any other witness in the New Testament.

St. Paul's theology lies at the core of the Reformation. Luther saw that the grace of God through faith in Christ is the Gospel. We have St. Paul to thank for clearly teaching the Church of this truth.

St. Paul's life offers hope to every sinner. We first encounter him in Acts, where he oversees the murder of St. Stephen. He was Saul at that time, and his hatred for Christians and the Church was boundless. He was convinced of his service to God by trying to destroy the Church along with as many Christians as he could.

Before his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road, Saul was more hopelessly lost than Judas. Saul would have gladly driven the nails into Jesus' flesh, counting it a good, God-pleasing act.

Jesus transformed Saul, the destroyer of the Church, into St. Paul. St. Paul would spend his life proclaiming the Risen Jesus and spreading the Church. He would die for the faith he once sought to eliminate.

If Saul, who became St. Paul, can be redeemed by our Lord Jesus, then there is hope for us all.

Only Jesus

For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11 (RSV)

In some corners of the Christian faith exist those who hold that ours is but one of many paths to the divine. The argument states that it is arrogant and narrow-minded to think that only the Christian is the one true faith. In their way, all other religions have validity which we must consider to be true.

Why it is argued, would a loving God allow so many of His creatures to follow a false religion? The argument continues that if we love our neighbor as we claim, then we must allow them the freedom to believe as they choose. Also, it is wrong to evangelize anyone, but they might be more right about the divine than we are.

As the writer of Ecclesiastes noted: 'there is nothing new under the sun.' For nearly the first three centuries of its life, Christians were considered atheists since they did not honor the Roman gods or the emperor divine. The empire wanted Christianity wiped out as it was seen as rebellion.

Persecutions came upon the Church for its refusal to bend the knee to the gods of that age. No matter how appealing other religions made themselves, St. Paul, as well as innumerable martyrs, would only confess, "Jesus Is Lord!" They knew no other foundation other than Jesus Christ. On that, they were willing to die if it was their fate.

Today is no different than ages past. Someone always wants to streamline the faith to make it more acceptable to others. There have been and always will be those who would sacrifice the death and resurrection reality to get along.

If that is the faith they desire, so be it. Still, the truth of Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, is that Jesus is the only way.

Absolution

For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. Hebrews 5:1–4 (RSV)

'As a called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by His authority, I, therefore, declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen"

The 'amen' had hardly left my lips when he stopped me and said, 'I just realized, that means me, I am forgiven!' That promise had been spoken in his hearing the whole of his life but became real at that moment. His sins were forgiven.

I had brought the Supper to him for years, but it was that moment as the words of absolution were proclaimed to him that the Holy Spirit allowed him to hear them as God's promise for him.

When people ask me why I haven't retired yet, moments like this are the reason. The promise of grace and mercy for sinners such as myself will not let me go. The blessing of pronouncing the absolution week in and week out is the cool drink of water to thirsting souls. It is the joy of the pastoral office to be allowed to offer such Good News.

The Office of the Keys, the pastor's role, is to announce the Gospel to the gathered faithful so they might know, or at last discover, that they are forgiven and beloved of God the Father.

I May Believe

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, that no one fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:11–13 (RSV)

'For I do not seek to understand in order to believe but I believe in order to understand' St. Anselm 1033-1109

I don't pretend to comprehend the physics used to explain how the universe came into being. Most scientists agree that a massive explosion took place about fourteen billion years ago, and the universe began. It is called the 'Big Bang' theory.

Genesis touches on this where it witnesses to what God did in the beginning. God spoke, and things came into being. I don't pretend to understand how this is possible either.

Fortunately for all things, the universe's existence does not require my comprehension for it to be. God's Word is indeed active, doing far more than human minds can grasp.

The Word not only calls all things into being, but the Word becomes flesh and lives among us. Jesus is the Word who bears the redemption of the cosmos He created.

St. Anselm is correct. Understanding is not the key to faith. Faith is the key to understanding. At least as much understanding of God as we can know. I remind myself of this frequently lest I get too hung up on trying to understand God before I may trust Him.

Born Anew

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.' The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit." John 3:1–8 (RSV)

Salvation is first, middle and last, a work of God the Father through our Lord, Jesus Christ. There are many things in the Christian faith which we may disagree about their importance. We have the freedom to express our faith in a wide variety of ways.

Our salvation is not a matter of debate or compromise. Our salvation is a work of God the Father accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Period. Should someone say that we must do this or that thing in addition to what God has done, they will not get a nod of agreement. If someone might suggest that all religions are equal paths to God, they will find no ally in me.

Salvation is either a work of God, or it is not. At this point, some may argue that Jesus has just told Nicodemus that one must be 'born anew'. This is true. We cannot enter the Kingdom of God unless we are born again, born anew, born from above.

Our new birth is not about our acknowledgment of what Jesus has done. It is not receiving Jesus as our personal Savior that makes our salvation valid. Our salvation has come down from the Father, became flesh, lived and died among us, and raised from the dead on the third day.

Luther is correct as he teaches that the Holy Spirit creates faith when and where He pleases in those who hear the Gospel. The Spirit creates faith in those who are baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus. If we cannot confess: 'Jesus is Lord' unless the Spirit grants us to confess, then our new birth is also a work of God apart from any work on our part.

In this great truth, we can rejoice! Salvation is ours, not by our effort or understanding, but through the merciful and gracious love of the Father.

Our Restless Hearts

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade." His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for thy house will consume me." The Jews then said to him, "What sign have you to show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.

John 2:13–22 (RSV)

'For You have made us for Yourself and our hearts are restless till they rest in You.' St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (354-430)

We secretly cheer Jesus on as He drives the marketers and money-changers out of the Temple. We like a Savior who will do what it takes to show people who is God. It wouldn't hurt the Church today if someone were to do the same and drive out all the prosperity gospel preachers, the fake healers, and the slick 'pastors' who make a tidy profit off their viewers.

I do not doubt that Jesus was angry at those who used the Temple as a strip mall. He was also angry with the Temple leaders who allowed it to go on. However, if that is all we see, we miss the very heart of this passage. The disciples recalled the Scripture, 'Zeal for thy house will consume me.'

St. Augustine grasped it when he wrote the words we have read above. God the Father has made us for Himself. He has given each of us the breath of life, placing within us a longing for God that nothing else will satisfy. We cannot be at true peace until we are at rest in the Lord.

There's the rub. We traded that longing for a bite of the fruit. We have not been at peace since. In their way, the marketers and money-changers in the Temple were trying to help the faithful find some measure of peace. Their failure was assured for no amount of sacrifice will soothe the restless soul.

Jesus drove them out because they all were useless. His anger was at the human willingness to exchange the peace of God for that which cannot bring rest of heart and soul.

Lent can be a time of fasting. It would be a useful time to fast from all the empty and useless pretenses of religion. There is no rest and peace in any of these. This fasting can free our hearts, restless, longing hearts, and come to the One who has made us for Himself.

On Temptation

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. Hebrews 2:14–18 (RSV)

Lenten Scriptures often begin with the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. We are in Mark's year, so we do not hear the more extended version in Matthew or Luke. Long or short, that Jesus was tempted at all is an important thing to note.

Temptation is anything that diverts our hearts and minds from God. Most temptations are small things. We err when we think a temptation must be some great and terrible sin. The evil one knows that those rarely work for even the most wretched human being can see great wickedness for what it is.

It is the small things that tempt us away from God. It does not happen all at once either. We might hear some little thing about our neighbor, on the grand scale of events, hardly anything at all. We share it with someone else, not overly concerned with the truth of it. We have yielded to temptation.

A drop of water, continually falling on granite, over time the stone is worn away. So it is with temptations, one small one following another over time has us so far from God we can't begin to imagine how it came to be.

We hear the temptation of Jesus to recall that He too was tempted. The evil one came to Him with a small matter, 'If you are the Son of God....' It is the same seed of doubt that permitted Eve to reach for the fruit. The fruit was not evil. It simply was not for us.

Jesus, show us that you are God's Son. It is a small matter, says the evil one. A small matter except it is calling Jesus to no longer trust the Father.

Jesus spoke the Word of promise from God. Even when the devil tried to use Scripture against Jesus, Jesus would not abandon the Father. The temptations failed because Jesus would not surrender God's promises.

When we are tempted, cling to the Word of God. Hold fast to Jesus in the time of trial. Dismiss him with the Word. If he tries to use the Word against you, laugh at him for foolish a thing. He is a mighty shield against the wiles of the evil one.

Consider Your Call

For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption; therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (RSV)

Our confirmands are working their way through the Bible this year. We began in Genesis and will end with the 'Amen' of Revelation. We have so much to learn and so little time to learn it. I hope to impress on them that the Bible is not a once read-through book. It continues to reveal God's will and purpose each time it is read.

God surprises us at nearly every turn. We think we have Him pegged, and then He picks the most unlikely character to do His will. Abraham and Sarah were too old to be the parents of a great nation. Jacob was a liar and a cheat when God changed his name to Israel, the one who strives with God. Moses was an outlaw fleeing Egyptian justice for murder.

God calls the very ones we would never consider, and they do marvelous work for the Lord. The first disciples of Jesus were ordinary men, no more spectacular than the next guy. Jesus calls them nonetheless, and they become the core of the Church's witness.

God continues this pattern down to this day. He calls the most unlikely of people. He scours the farm fields, the dairy barns, the classroom, the office, schoolyard, college campus, and dozens of more places for the ones whom He can call. It is the ordinary believer whom God chooses to do the essential work of the Church. He chooses us to be His witnesses in the world.

True, every so often God raises up a Moses, or a Peter or a Luther to accomplish some marvelous work in the Church. These are few whose purpose the Father has laid out. As great as their labors are, the faith of the lease known of God's children is a far more wonderful witness to Jesus.

This Is Most Certainly True

he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit,  which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. The saying is sure. Titus 3:5–8a (RSV)

This is most certainly true. Any Lutheran who was even partially awake in confirmation class will recognize that short sentence. Luther adds it like an 'amen' at the end of each explanation of the three articles of the Apostle's Creed.

And Luther is correct in doing so. The witness of the Ecumenical Creeds, Apostle's, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds is most certainly true. They confess to one true God, beside whom there is no other.

It may never have occurred to you, but God does not need us to be God. If God had never chosen to call all things into being, He would still be God. Out of His eternal, divine love, God creates all things.

Of all the myriads of creatures, God has given us language so we might offer our praise of Him. He has given us each of our unique human being. None like us has ever been, nor will any arise after us.

God may not have needed us, but we are created in His image. We have tarnished, distorted that image by our sin. Still, by the washing of regeneration, through Holy Baptism, we become aware of Him, His love, and grace.

Sinner and Saint

For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:11–14 (RSV)

'Simul justus et peccator,' this is your Latin phrase of the day. No, I am not going to start a language course via these posts. We will have no quiz to test your retention. It is a good phrase from Luther we would do well to know.

If you haven't already translated it, the meaning is: We justified and a sinner at the same time. It sounds simple enough until we remember that Luther struggled with the notion that to be justified (made right with God), one had to shed all the sin in their life.

Let's pretend that this is remotely possible. How would one accomplish this? I would suggest we start with the Ten Commandments. The first, 'I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me.'

The keeping of this first commandment means that every second of every day of the whole of our lives is to be about God. How are we doing so far today? Thought so, the First Commandment defeats us. Being justified by keeping the Law, by not sinning is an impossibility.

Luther spent hours in the confessional trying to rid his heart of sin. Despairing, he soon discovered that he could not. Confession and repentance only served to reveal more sin.

It wasn't until the Spirit opened his eyes to see this truth: 'For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all,' that he found peace. Luther had it backward. We are justified by Christ, not by the Law. The Law serves to show us how much we need a Savior. It accuses us until we giving up trying to do what only Jesus can do.

We live as forgiven sinners. As long as we live in this flesh, we will have sin in our lives. We have God's promise in our baptism that His grace is always there as we seek to live a more Christ-like life.

So, if anyone questions the idea that Jesus could work miracles, all you need to need as proof this is the truth that you are a forgiven sinner. You are Simul justus et peccator and will be until we enter the kingdom.

The Lamb of God

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." John 1:29–34 (RSV)

'The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!' Speaking by the Holy Spirit, John does more than announce Jesus; he proclaims God's purpose through Jesus.

Every day in the Temple, all manner of animals were sacrificed for sin. These sacrifices were repeated as often as a need for people could not shed the sin that clung to them.

The sacrifice of all the creatures in the world would fail to undo the power of sin. We could make a burnt offering of all created things, and sin would persist. Humans are trapped in sin's power. We cannot free ourselves.

Jesus has come as the Lamb of God, whose perfect sacrifice will destroy the power of sin and death. Jesus is our Passover Lamb whose blood turns death from our door. John proclaims the truth, Jesus is the Lamb of God. Jesus is the one who will do what we could not begin to do.

Our Lenten discipline follows the Lamb as He journeys to the cross. Unlike every sacrificed animal before His coming, Jesus' sacrifice makes perfect atonement for all. He truly is the Lamb of God.

Ash Wednesday

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18.9-14

'The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself..' And that is all the farther the Pharisee's prayer went, with himself. His words went nowhere important. Perhaps an onlooker was impressed by them, slightly envious of such a display of holiness. God did not hear them. The words fell lifeless to the ground, never to rise beyond the Pharisee's empty heart.

The tax collector did not need the litany of sins recited so the Pharisee could convince himself of his righteousness. The tax collector long ago gave up the illusion that he had any hope before God. His sin lay naked before his eyes for all to see. There was no point in trying to hide them. He could only plead for God to be more than just.

The tax collector begged God to be more than a righteous judge. He pleaded for mercy. He knew he had no claim on God and rightly stood condemned. He asked God to do what the Pharisee could not begin to imagine. He asked for mercy.

Lent will bring us to the foot of the Cross where Jesus hangs, dying, dying for all those whose only hope is the mercy of God. If we attempt to bring anything other than our sin to the cross, we mock Jesus and condemn ourselves. At the cross, we weep bitter tears for how we have pinned Jesus to the wood. We cannot lift our eyes to behold His anguished face but plead that even now, there might be mercy for a sinner.

May our ears be so tuned to the Lord's voice that we hear what a dying thief heard, 'Today, you will be with me in paradise.'

Incarnate Love

But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. Hebrews 2:9–10 (RSV)

On the eve of Lent, my mind is taken up with an Advent hymn. It is not so strange as both are seasons of anticipation. Each calls us to consider our lives, encouraging repentance in preparation. Advent and Lent ready our hearts for the critical moments in our salvation.

In Advent, we sing:

Love caused thine incarnation, love brought thee down to me.

Thy thirst for my salvation procured my liberty.

Oh, love beyond all telling, that led you to embrace,

In love, all loves excelling, our lost and fallen race.

LBW 23

Love caused thine incarnation. Should you ever wonder if you are to be included in the salvation of the human race, remember that phrase. It was His love for us that brought our Lord to us. His endless compassion is manifested in His incarnation. God becomes man for His love's sake.

It is His love for us, each of us, that takes Him to the Cross. His innocent suffering and death is His act of love for our lost and fallen race. The joy sung by angels at His birth is fulfilled in the Three Days of His death and resurrection.

Advent gives our hearts the time to ponder so great a love that brings the eternal Father among us. Lent grants us forty days of repentance so we may empty ourselves anything that would blind us to our Lord's victory over death.

Through we may sorrow over our sin, the love that has brought our Lord among us and for us lifts us to the risen life in Christ.

Transfiguration

I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion

and glory and kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13–14 (RSV)

How many of our race have glimpsed the divine glory while still in the flesh? Fifty, perhaps a hundred in all the ages of time, have been gifted to witness the uncreated light of God.

Some might argue that there have been mystics and holy saints whose devotion blessed them with a reflection of the beauty of God. I will not dispute that even the least of us can be transported by breaking dawn playing the hues of light across the sky.

I bless God, who gives us a foretaste of eternal joy as we truly hear for the first time that the words of the absolution are indeed meant for us. At that moment, we catch an echo of the angel's song. Even so, in our spirits, we know that there is so much more to come.

Daniel's vision sings of the One whose coming will be the redemption of all things distorted by sin and death. Perhaps, Peter, James, and John caught its melody as the Jesus shown with the uncreated light in which the eternal Father dwells.

Peter attempted to give words to the moment but failed. Jesus led them down the mountain of the Transfiguration to Jerusalem, to triumph, betrayal, suffering, crucifixion, and death. Words failed as they all fled the lonely Jesus on the Cross as darkness spread itself that afternoon.

The darkness of death sought to rule the whole of creation from Golgatha to the ending of time. The uncreated light glimpsed on the mountain burst forth from the tomb of death's imagined domain as Jesus rose eternal.

Perhaps only a few, less than a hundred before this hour, had seen the uncreated light of heaven. Jesus is the light of heaven shed upon us all who once lived in darkness. We have all seen His Risen Light.

In Season and Out

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.

2 Timothy 4:1–5 (RSV)

St. Paul could have written this letter to Timothy last week. Humanly speaking, the Church has always been a bit of a mess. People easily forget that the Church is not the gathering of the perfect. It is a hospital for sinners who are dying of the fatal disease of sin.

From the very beginning of the Church, people have made the fatal error of thinking that once they are assured of their salvation, the Church's purpose is fulfilled. They can relax in Jesus' arms, enjoy a Sunday or two a month in worship, confident that they have all they need to enter the Kingdom.

The Word of God does not rest. Its mission in this world is not nor will it be complete until the day on which our Lord returns. St. Paul's charge to Timothy has not diminished at all. The Word must be preached. The Church cannot be silent. Our witness is far from over.

The warnings St. Paul laid out for Timothy are valid for this hour. People have excelled at creating a personal religion that gives them all they want, makes no demands, and whose God is a benevolent grandfather. The Cross of Christ is still a scandal for such folk as they cannot believe they have sinned enough to demand such a sacrifice.

The Word must be preached. The Word preaches the Law so that no one can begin to think they are without sin, not need a Savior. It is the Word that then brings the precious promise of God's grace through the dying and rising of Jesus. This Word cannot be silent nor blended into the swirl of religions we have created for ourselves.

The Word is the living Lord who redeems. The Word is the Risen Christ who will come again. We must preach Him and Him alone.

Inspired

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Genesis 2:7 (RSV)

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (RSV)

Christians are not of one mind on the nature of Scripture. Some regard it as inerrant in all its pages and words. They can see no error or contradiction between its covers. In the extreme, they declare that the earth is only about six thousand years old by the count of years within the Bible.

On the other pole of biblical interpretation, some regard the Bible as an interesting collection of myths, poetry, and stories that may or may not have any historical facts within its pages.

Lutherans fall all along that spectrum. The oft-repeated joke goes, 'Put ten Lutheran Biblical Scholars in a room, suggest a topic, and you will instantly have at least fifteen different opinions on what the text means.'

It is more useful to talk about what the Scriptures do. A helpful understanding of the purpose of Scripture begins with the creation of Adam. After God shaped Adam out of the dust of the ground, He breathed into Adam the breath of life. The divine breath gave Adam life, able to know and relate to God.

St. Paul writing to Timothy, says that God inspires all Scripture. Some take this to regard the Bible as if it were made of words inscribed on stone. The 'God-breathed' Scriptures are a living Word just as Adam was a living human being. They both have the breath of God within themselves.

By God's breath, Adam (and all created in the image of God) was blessed to be able to know God and live in relationship to Him. By God's breath, the Scriptures become a living Word whose purpose is to witness to Jesus, nourishing the faith given by the Holy Spirit.

Luther was clear on this that the Scripture is to preach Christ. From the opening syllable of Genesis to the 'Amen' of the Revelation to St. John, Scripture is a witness to Jesus.

Read the Bible, let the words of grace and truth in its pages wash over you like a healing flood. Hear and trust the promises of God imprinted within to be a living witness to the Risen Lord.