August 9, 2014

So What Should We Expect?

9th Sunday after Pentecost, 8/10/14
Joel 3:12-16


So What Should We Expect?
I. Expect the Lord to judge all nations.
II. Expect the Lord to rescue his people.


It doesn’t happen every day, but there are days when I’m filled with fear and trepidation over what’s happening in our country and in our world. I don’t think I’m the only one here today who has concluded that our country has lost its moral compass. A majority of Americans no longer cares what God says in his word, in fact they deny that the Bible is the word of God in the first place. That’s why people do whatever pleases them. They do whatever they think is right and best for them. The scamming and the bald-faced lying that goes on are staggering and the excuse is that it’s just part of life; that’s the way things are done. What used to be foolish and filthy is now acceptable. I can’t even bear to think what it will be like 20 or 30 years from now. Being a Christian here in the US isn’t easy.

And don’t think that things are better someplace else in the world. At least here I’m free to worship the true God as I please. In some places of the word that will cost you your job, your home and even your life. That’s bad enough, but then we get daily doses of the world news which brings senseless wars and the resulting death and carnage right into our homes. Each week brings some new tragedy, some new scandal, and we seem powerless to prevent it.

OK. By now you’re saying, “Enough already!” I hear you. But then it dawns on us that our God tells us that he knows all. He sees all. And our reaction as his people is filled with exasperation. If you see, Lord, and if you know, why don’t you do something about it? And as time staggers on and nothing changes, we wonder if he will ever do anything about it.

It’s well known that misery loves company and so I’ll assure you that you’re not alone in feeling this way. In fact, God’s people have been feeling this way about the evil in our world throughout its sinful history. If you’re one of them, then God’s word this morning through his prophet Joel is just what you need to hear. We can and should expect that God will do something about it. So what should you expect? Listen as the Lord answers that question for us this morning.

Part I.

Are you familiar with the concept of “karma”? Most of you are. Karma is the belief that you will be rewarded for the good that you do and punished for the evil you do. Somehow in some way at some time the scales of justice will get balanced. People use karma as an incentive to do what’s right and to avoid doing what’s wrong.

But you probably don’t have to think very hard to debunk the concept of karma. Walk the halls of any children’s hospital in our country. Karma has nothing to do with deadly childhood diseases. Meanwhile greedy swindlers get filthy rich and all too often avoid arrest and prosecution. You try every day to do what’s right at your place of employment while it’s obvious your co-worker does not. But she enjoys the perks and you get dumped on.

That’s the way things were during the days of Joel the prophet. God’s people were suffering and it was coming from two sources. First, God’s people were suffering because of an historic plague of locusts. Swarms of them had descended on the entire land and had ruined all the crops. Everything in their fields and trees had been devoured by the locusts. The farmers were devastated. Those who raised flocks and herds had nothing to feed their animals and could only watch as they slowly starved to death. Food for the people was in short supply.

But that wasn’t the worst of their suffering. The nations around the Jews didn’t rally to their aid; in fact, they did the opposite. They used this opportunity to harass the helpless Jews. Nations such as Tyre, Sidon and Philistia raided the Jews and even captured and sold some of the people as slaves. God’s people were suffering and he didn’t appear to be doing anything about it. In fact, they could have been wondering if God even cared.

God used Joel to tell the people that indeed he did care. Listen again to what he said, “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow—so great is their wickedness!” Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble.” We know from ancient history that God did deal with the nations of Tyre and Sidon and Philistia. He did bring relief to his people. But it didn’t last. Future suffering and trouble would occur. Some of it would be their own fault. At other times they were innocent victims.

So what’s the solution? Take a closer look at what Joel stated. The Lord isn’t singling out a few nations; he calls for judgment on all nations. He speaks about the Valley of Jehoshaphat. He uses the picture of a harvester’s sickle and the treading out of grapes in winepresses that were overflowing. He refers to multitudes of people of all nations. And then he states that the sun, moon and stars will no longer function as he himself roars and thunders with his decisions of judgment. To what is he referring?

By now many of you have likely recognized that he speaking about the final judgment, the great day of judgment. Jesus plainly promised to return on the Last Day to judge all people. That’s when all evil will end. That’s when the scales of divine justice will be even.

As we look at all the evil happening in our world, what should we expect our God to do about it? Expect the Lord to judge all nations.

So our God is telling us to wait until Judgment Day for him to take care of things. But too often that doesn’t sit well with us. We want him to reward us for the good we do and punish those who do evil now. We want justice now. But be careful about taking that position with the holy God. If that’s what you want, then you should have been dying on Calvary’s cross; not Jesus. There’s where God did the “unjust” thing and you received eternal blessings because of it. You didn’t deserve to become a Christian, but God made you one when his Holy Spirit gave you faith in Jesus as your Savior. And now, as one of his people, we need to know that we’ll still suffer in this evil world. In fact, we have the added suffering of being a Christian. So place the suffering you’re facing and the daily aggravation that evil brings you into the hands of your loving God and let him work things out in a way that’s best for you. That’s what you can expect.

Part II.

Expect the Lord to judge all nations. There’s a side to that truth which comforts us. But then it dawns on us to be careful what we wish for. “All nations” includes everyone. “All nations” includes me. It includes you. And that truth might make us more than a little uncomfortable. If so, focus on these closing words of our Lord from Joel: “But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.”

He calls you “his people.” He calls you his “Israel.” He has rescued you. How so?

By the life and death of your Savior, Jesus Christ. In his word God assures you that he credits the holy life of Jesus to you. In his word God assures you that Jesus died for your sins, all of them. His death removed your guilt and punishment. By faith in Jesus we are holy and blameless in God’s eyes.

How can I be sure of that? Because we don’t have a dead Savior; we have a living Savior, a Savior who rose from the dead to assure us that we have forgiveness and eternal life in heaven. That Savior’s resurrection assures us that we have already been rescued from the judgment on the Last Day. Indeed, the Lord is our refuge and stronghold.

So, as the heavenly bodies disappear on that Last Day, these are the words we’ll hear from our gracious and loving God: “Come, inherit the kingdom I have prepared for you. It’s yours because you trust in me as your Savior.” How can I be sure? Because that’s what Jesus said in his word and he is faithful to everything he has ever said.

So what can you expect? Expect the Lord to rescue his people.

So we’re back where we started. As God’s people, we see and hear the evil that rages all around us in our world. And there are days when we’re filled with fear and trepidation. There are days when the evil fills us with pain and righteous anger. We wonder what our God is going to do about it and he tells us to expect him to judge all nations and to rescue his people. And that won’t happen until Jesus returns in glory on the Last Day. No wonder Christians have been looking for Jesus to return ever since he left this earth the first time. No wonder why God’s people have been praying for him to return quickly. You can do so without any fear because you’ve been rescued by your Savior. He’s made you his own dear child by faith in him. Eternity with your Savior is all set for you. That’s what you can expect. Now go and live in the joy and confidence of that great truth! Amen.

August 5, 2014

Your Word? Is That It, Lord?

8th Sunday after Pentecost, 8/3/14
Isaiah 55:10-11


Your Word? Is that It, Lord?
I. Yes, because it’s MY word.
II. Yes, because it accomplishes MY will.


You’ve made an appointment to see your doctor about a nagging pain that you’ve never felt before. She examines you and responds, “I’ll order some tests for you. In the meantime, take Ibuprofen for the pain.” You leave her office less than satisfied. You’re still in pain and you don’t know the cause.

You call your lender because your finances are tight and you don’t see any relief coming. The rep tells you, “We can give you a one month extension, but that’s it.” You’re relieved you don’t have to make a payment for 30 days, but you have no idea what you’ll do after that. You put down your phone less than satisfied.

Your employer issues a statement that 2015 wages will increase 1%. You’re happy that your income won’t be flat, but the wage increase won’t cover the increase in cost of living. You’re less than satisfied.

I could site more examples, but by now I’m sure you get my point. We’re thankful for the small blessings we receive each day, but in the meantime, we’re still worn out. We feel rejected, depressed, unappreciated. Worse yet, we know guilt all too well. We’ve let down our loved ones and our God. Our best efforts aren’t good enough.

I know that’s how I feel. How about you? And so we come before our God this morning knowing that he knows exactly how we feel and he tells us, “Here’s what I can do for you. Here’s my word.” And instead of elation and gratitude, our reaction might be, “That’s it, Lord?” Were we hoping for so much more from him?

If so, then these words of Isaiah this morning are just what we need. When we incredulously ask, “Your word? Is that it, Lord?” he responds with a loving and an almighty, “Yes.” Join me this morning in seeing what his “yes” is all about.

Part I.

So, today we have rich people getting even richer, while the poor become poorer. Same thing in Isaiah’s day. We have government leaders who don’t seem to care about what needs to be done to help the nation. Same thing in Isaiah’s day. We have world powers flexing their political muscle and causing all sorts of death and destruction. Same thing in Isaiah’s day. We have people who care nothing about what’s right or wrong nor about their accountability to God. Same thing in Isaiah’s day. I guess there’s nothing new under the sun.

So, what’s the solution? A show of power, right? In fact, we’d like an almighty show of power. We want our God to make the enemies of his Church knuckle under. Right the wrongs. Reverse the injustices. Heal the oppressed. Let the whole world know that you, Lord, are in charge and it’s time for everyone to shape up.

That’s been tried before, remember? More than once. Perhaps most notably, God revealed his power before Pharaoh in the time of Moses. Pharaoh watched as God gave him ten amazing displays of his power, each one of them a direct attack on the false gods of Egypt. Recall Pharaoh’s reaction. He hardened his heart. Those divine blasts of power didn’t change him. Pharaoh drowned in the waters of the Red Sea with a hard heart.

So, now what, Lord? He says, “Here’s my word.” Your word? Is that it, Lord? But recall what God did with his word. On the first six days in the world’s history, God repeatedly said, “Let there be,” and instantly there was. From the atoms to the planets, from the depths of the seas to the expanses of the universe. God spoke, and it happened. It happened exactly as he wanted it to. It happened because it was his word.

What he says will always occur because it’s the word of our ever-faithful God. Our God has never said one thing and done another. He never will. Our God has never made a promise but failed to keep it. He has never planned to do something but found that he couldn’t accomplish it.

Our God has chosen to work through his word. He says in our text, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth.” When that doesn’t impress us or satisfy us, when we respond, “Your word? Is that it, Lord?” he responds, “Yes, that’s it because it is MY word.”

The Lord breaks into our world and exclaims, “Here’s MY word!” and the world’s response is—to quote the line of a song, “That don’t impress me much.” It either considers God’s word to be mythical folly, or it considers its own ways and wisdom to be much higher. And that’s nothing new. It goes all the way back to words that were spoken under the shade of a fruit tree in paradise. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. But we should be surprised—rather ashamed—when that’s our attitude as well. When we want something more than what God tells us in his word, when we feel his word doesn’t answer our needs, when we conclude that his word doesn’t have the power to do what needs to be done, when we know what he says in his word, but we have a better way—then we’re telling our God, “Is that it, Lord?” Praise him for the countless times he has reminded us, “Yes, that’s it, and recall your sinful place under me and my word.” And when we do, he uses that word to bring us what we need the most—the forgiveness which Jesus won for us and through that forgiveness the restoration of our loving relationship with him—not alongside of our God, but under him and his word.

Part II.

God’s will. We often wonder what it is that God wants. We’re not alone. Countless people have pondered what God’s will is. Some have concluded on one extreme that everything that happens is God’s will. He’s behind everything that occurs in our world. But that’s an awful, terrible thought. If that were true, it would mean that it’s God’s will for children to be abused even in the worst and most shameful of ways. It would mean God is responsible for the wars going on in our world right now. I don’t know about you, but I can’t love a god like that. On the other extreme is the thought that he has no part at all in what goes on in our world. He simply sits back as a non-participating observer who gets enjoyment watching what goes on each day. I can’t love a god like that either. I need him to be involved in my life every day.

And he is. Through his word. Listen again to what he says, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Our weather this summer here in the Midwest has been unusual. Not only has it been cooler than normal, here it is the beginning of August and our lawns are still green. In normal summers by now they’re brown and dormant. And you know why it’s different this summer. The rain has come down from the sky in a timely and sufficient way. That’s the way it works.

God says the same thing about his word. “It will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” It does what God intends, what he wants. Well, what does he want? He tells us in his word, “God wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). That’s God’s highest will. I know that because he tells me in his word. I know that because his word tells me Jesus came into this world to pay for the sins of all people, and his death and resurrection assure me that he did just that. Our God wants every sinner to spend eternity with him in heaven. And he uses his word to accomplish his will.

That doesn’t appear to be working so well, does it? A comparison between the number of people in our world who claim to be Christian with the estimated number of people inhabiting our earth quickly reveals that Christians are in the minority. His word doesn’t appear to be accomplishing his will.

But recall our Lord’s Parable of the Sower and the Seed, today’s gospel reading. Jesus used it to explain that the power to create and sustain faith is always in the seed—the word of God. When it accomplishes that will of God, it’s all God’s doing by the working of the Holy Spirit. When it doesn’t accomplish his will, it’s our own fault. He doesn’t cram his saving word down our throats. He wants us to believe his saving word but he doesn’t force us to. Let me reiterate: our God wants no one to perish but everyone to come to repentance. And he gives us his word to accomplish his will.

Your word? Is that it, Lord? And the Lord replies, “Yes, because it accomplishes MY will.”

So, let me suggest two reactions to that great truth. First, rejoice and praise the Lord! He has used his word to accomplish his highest will in you. God has already accomplished what he wants eternally for you. How amazing that is in view of all the uncertainties of this life! What else really matters? You know and trust in Jesus for your forgiveness and salvation. Rejoice and praise the Lord!

Second, let’s use that word. Be a sower of the word, casting it here and there. You don’t have to preach a sermon or present a systematic review of all the Bible’s truths. Even children know, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Be the salt and light of the earth. Others will want what you have when they see how you handle the joys and the sorrows of life. And then you have the chance to cast the seed of God’s word and, instead of questioning it, you can say with confidence, “This word is all I need and all anyone needs, because it is God’s word and it accomplishes his will.” Amen.