Trinity 10 (08.12.2012)
St Luke 19:41-48/Jeremia 8:4-12/Romans 9:30-10:4
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen
The triumphal entry, only not so triumphant. Our Lord’s visit to Jerusalem is like a husband who plans and prepares a gourmet meal, decorates the table and pours the wine for his bride, eager for the romantic time they will have together. But he waits alone while she is in the bed of another. It is like a child who brings home a painting from school, a craft for mom, and finds her on the phone. She says, “Mommy I love you. I made this for you.” But she turns away, doesn’t answer a word, dismisses her with a wave, and drops the gift in the trash.
Jeremiah knew something of this disappointment, if that is even a strong enough word. He preached for nearly 40 years without a single convert. Like an adulterous bride, Israel played the harlot; lusting after false gods. They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to listen. They were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush.
He held fast to the crushing hammer of the Law, swinging blow after blow at the Lord’s command. But no man relented of his evil, saying “What have I done?” Everyone turned to his own course. They listened to the foolish wisdom of the false prophets who said, Peace, peace, when there was no peace. And the prophet wept over the first destruction of Jerusalem. O that they may turn and He would heal them!
So too our Lord. He took up our flesh, became a Man like us, and walked this earth. He suffered blisters and callouses, rashes and insect bites. He knew hunger and thirst and grief. At the very least he buried St Joseph, His step-father and guardian. He also knew betrayal from friends, prejudice, and irrational hatred. He knew all the sorrows, pain, and losses of men.
But the worst of all this was not when they stretched out His arms and bent back His wrists to drive nails through His flesh into the boards. It was not being hoisted up so that He had to lift Himself up and tear at those nails for each breath. Even as life ebbed away among the jeering and the blasphemy, what hurt the most was that He was rejected by those He loved. He came for them. But they did not want Him.
Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! Behold the things that make for peace: nail and thorns, scourge and spear, the flesh and blood of the Son of God. Even so, they are hidden from their eyes.
The great irony is that the chief priests and the scribed sought to destroy Jesus. They could not stand His preaching. They knew it was true. He spoke with authority. There was nothing contrary to Moses or the prophets. And though they claimed to love the Law, self-righteously pursuing a righteousness by the law, truly they hated the Law; hated God’s Word. The lying pen of the scribes, has made the Law of the Lord into a lie, wrote Jeremiah. So it is with all who refuse to return to the Lord; who hold fast to their righteousness.
And so they hated Him. No one could argue with Him. He slipped through their traps of logic and ethics. None could dispute or deny His miracles. They could not find any moral failure in Him at all. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone.
Imagine a man in whom there was no sin, in whom there was no error, who was going around helping people, healing them. Why would you want to destroy Him? Because He was perfect and they were not. Because His Word cut at their hearts, it endangered their place in society.
He called them to give up their so-called lives and they didn’t want to. He held up the true Law as the standard and they knew they had failed. They were guilty and ashamed. The accusations were too true and too many and they knew the Law was meant to destroy them. So they sought to destroy it. They sought to destroy Jesus in order to be free of the Law, free of God’s demands, free of accusations and the curse.
Here is the irony: it worked! They meant it for evil. He meant it for good. They did it in hate. He suffered it in love. They did it so that they could sin without judgment or punishment. He did it to forgive their sins and create in them a new heart and life for God.
The things that make for peace: nails and thorns, scourge and spear, two cruel planks hoisting the Word of God up from the earth, to satisfy the demands of Justice, to be forsaken by the Father, to draw all men to Christ. Father forgive them for they know not what they do. There is peace that passes all understanding. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Now is the hour of your visitation. No man knows what the future holds. Amend your ways and your doings. Submit to God’s righteousness. Do not trust the lying words of your heart which tell you, “Calm down. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re not half as bad as some others. You are confirmed. You pay your tithes.”
Remember Jerusalem, beloved, and repent. For the truth is our sins are many and they are frequent. Do not think of them lightly. For the things that make for peace are life and death of God in the flesh! Call upon God. He will hear your voice. Ask for forgiveness. Plead for mercy. Cast your burden upon Him. He will sustain you.
Confess. The temple of your heart has become a den of thieves. O Lord open my lips that Christ may enter in, whip in hand, to drive our everything with which we have defiled ourselves! His Body and His Blood will purge your soul and cleanse your heart. He is long-suffering, patient, gracious, and merciful. He loves you. He will redeem our soul in peace. He will save you and your children, gathering you about Himself and covering you with the wings of His Holy Spirit.
For this great, suffering God has always loved you. He never holds a grudge. It is not too late. He wants you even now and is eager to commune with you, to be your God. Hang on His Word.
The things that make for peace: nails and thorns, scourge and spear; Jesus, alive out of the grave and at the right hand of the Father, your Advocate and Defender. He is your peace. Amen.
St Luke 19:41-48/Jeremia 8:4-12/Romans 9:30-10:4
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen
The triumphal entry, only not so triumphant. Our Lord’s visit to Jerusalem is like a husband who plans and prepares a gourmet meal, decorates the table and pours the wine for his bride, eager for the romantic time they will have together. But he waits alone while she is in the bed of another. It is like a child who brings home a painting from school, a craft for mom, and finds her on the phone. She says, “Mommy I love you. I made this for you.” But she turns away, doesn’t answer a word, dismisses her with a wave, and drops the gift in the trash.
Jeremiah knew something of this disappointment, if that is even a strong enough word. He preached for nearly 40 years without a single convert. Like an adulterous bride, Israel played the harlot; lusting after false gods. They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to listen. They were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush.
He held fast to the crushing hammer of the Law, swinging blow after blow at the Lord’s command. But no man relented of his evil, saying “What have I done?” Everyone turned to his own course. They listened to the foolish wisdom of the false prophets who said, Peace, peace, when there was no peace. And the prophet wept over the first destruction of Jerusalem. O that they may turn and He would heal them!
So too our Lord. He took up our flesh, became a Man like us, and walked this earth. He suffered blisters and callouses, rashes and insect bites. He knew hunger and thirst and grief. At the very least he buried St Joseph, His step-father and guardian. He also knew betrayal from friends, prejudice, and irrational hatred. He knew all the sorrows, pain, and losses of men.
But the worst of all this was not when they stretched out His arms and bent back His wrists to drive nails through His flesh into the boards. It was not being hoisted up so that He had to lift Himself up and tear at those nails for each breath. Even as life ebbed away among the jeering and the blasphemy, what hurt the most was that He was rejected by those He loved. He came for them. But they did not want Him.
Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! Behold the things that make for peace: nail and thorns, scourge and spear, the flesh and blood of the Son of God. Even so, they are hidden from their eyes.
The great irony is that the chief priests and the scribed sought to destroy Jesus. They could not stand His preaching. They knew it was true. He spoke with authority. There was nothing contrary to Moses or the prophets. And though they claimed to love the Law, self-righteously pursuing a righteousness by the law, truly they hated the Law; hated God’s Word. The lying pen of the scribes, has made the Law of the Lord into a lie, wrote Jeremiah. So it is with all who refuse to return to the Lord; who hold fast to their righteousness.
And so they hated Him. No one could argue with Him. He slipped through their traps of logic and ethics. None could dispute or deny His miracles. They could not find any moral failure in Him at all. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone.
Imagine a man in whom there was no sin, in whom there was no error, who was going around helping people, healing them. Why would you want to destroy Him? Because He was perfect and they were not. Because His Word cut at their hearts, it endangered their place in society.
He called them to give up their so-called lives and they didn’t want to. He held up the true Law as the standard and they knew they had failed. They were guilty and ashamed. The accusations were too true and too many and they knew the Law was meant to destroy them. So they sought to destroy it. They sought to destroy Jesus in order to be free of the Law, free of God’s demands, free of accusations and the curse.
Here is the irony: it worked! They meant it for evil. He meant it for good. They did it in hate. He suffered it in love. They did it so that they could sin without judgment or punishment. He did it to forgive their sins and create in them a new heart and life for God.
The things that make for peace: nails and thorns, scourge and spear, two cruel planks hoisting the Word of God up from the earth, to satisfy the demands of Justice, to be forsaken by the Father, to draw all men to Christ. Father forgive them for they know not what they do. There is peace that passes all understanding. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Now is the hour of your visitation. No man knows what the future holds. Amend your ways and your doings. Submit to God’s righteousness. Do not trust the lying words of your heart which tell you, “Calm down. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re not half as bad as some others. You are confirmed. You pay your tithes.”
Remember Jerusalem, beloved, and repent. For the truth is our sins are many and they are frequent. Do not think of them lightly. For the things that make for peace are life and death of God in the flesh! Call upon God. He will hear your voice. Ask for forgiveness. Plead for mercy. Cast your burden upon Him. He will sustain you.
Confess. The temple of your heart has become a den of thieves. O Lord open my lips that Christ may enter in, whip in hand, to drive our everything with which we have defiled ourselves! His Body and His Blood will purge your soul and cleanse your heart. He is long-suffering, patient, gracious, and merciful. He loves you. He will redeem our soul in peace. He will save you and your children, gathering you about Himself and covering you with the wings of His Holy Spirit.
For this great, suffering God has always loved you. He never holds a grudge. It is not too late. He wants you even now and is eager to commune with you, to be your God. Hang on His Word.
The things that make for peace: nails and thorns, scourge and spear; Jesus, alive out of the grave and at the right hand of the Father, your Advocate and Defender. He is your peace. Amen.
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