Plain Speaking
Second Sunday in Lent
March 8, 2009
Mark 8:27-38
I want to be clear. Dialogue can be beneficial. Having a conversation
with someone can be good. But in religion there’s sometimes the kind
of dialogue going on that falls under this definition: “an exchange of
ideas or opinions on a particular issue, esp. a political or religious
issue, with a view to reaching an amicable agreement or settlement.”
The spirit of our age says that is what we ought to be doing. But
while we should converse with people on religion, it should not be at
the cost of compromising the truth of Scripture in order to get along
or be in agreement.
The truth of Scripture doesn’t leave room for other points of view. It
doesn’t coexist with beliefs of other religions. The truth of
Scripture is clear. It’s not open to just any interpretation. It’s
stated plainly and the choice is to believe it or reject it.
We all have difficulty with the Scriptures. There are parts that are
tough to understand. There are also parts we understand well enough
but don’t like what we hear. Mark Twain said, “Many people are
bothered by those passages in Scripture which they cannot understand;
but as for me, I always noticed that the passages in Scripture which
trouble me most are those which I do understand.”
This is what is going on with Peter and the other disciples in today’s
Gospel reading. There’s a lot of misunderstanding going on with a lot
of people. Jesus must be John the Baptist raised from the dead, or
Elijah who has come back, or one of the other prophets. But not Peter.
Not the disciples. They knew who He was. He was the Christ. The
Messiah. The Savior God had sent. They understood exactly what Jesus
was telling them about what it meant that He is the Messiah, the
Christ, the Son of the Living God.
And that’s where they began having trouble. That’s where they took
issue with the Scripture. Where Peter was compelled even to rebuke
Jesus, the very Messiah. It wasn’t because they didn’t understand,
like so many people of the age. It was because they did. Jesus? Suffer
and die? The Messiah? Be beaten and brought down? The Savior God had
sent? Have to rise from the grave, meaning that His life would have to
come to an end? There’s no way that’s who the Messiah is. That can’t
be how God is going to bring about salvation.
But Jesus is clear. He spoke it plainly to them. And Peter is likewise
clear. He will not allow it happen. He will not let God do it His way.
Because He has his mind set on the things of men, not the things of
God.
Peter doesn’t engage in dialogue with Jesus. He doesn’t try to talk
Him out of it. He doesn’t ask Him how it is so. He rebukes Jesus.
Peter is not interested in diplomacy, he’s intent on what he knows is
right. And aren’t we that way also? Even if we may be a little more
soft-spoken than Peter was. Even if we don’t always go for the jugular
like Peter at times did. Our prayers often are not conversations with
God, but laundry lists of what God should do for us. Because we have
our minds set on the things of men, not of God.
Jesus is clear. In the water that is connected with His Word, you have
Baptism. Not a symbol. Not a ritual. Not a rite of passage. Baptism.
New life. A drowning. A union with the crucified Christ, a union with
the resurrected Lord. A washing away of your sins. He’s clear. But do
you still feel lacking? Do you say, God, where is a miracle when I
need one? Why aren’t you taking away the cancer that has infected my
mother? Why aren’t you giving me a clear sign as to if I should stay
in my current job, risking getting laid off, or quit and take another
job, not knowing how stable that will be?
Why are you turning your energies toward all of these things you don’t
want to happen when you already know what has happened? You have been
Baptized! You are a child of the living God! While you were an enemy
of God He reconciled you to Himself. The flow of your life will
fluctuate, but you will always be Baptized. Jesus is clear on that. He
made a promise to you in your Baptism, and He keeps His promises.
He is clear. In the bread and wine of His Holy Supper, you are given
His Body and Blood. You’re not given a reminder of Jesus’ body dying
on the cross and His blood being poured out in His suffering. Holy
Communion is no mere ritual. It is the Lord’s Supper! You think the
Lord is going to invite you to His meal and offer you simply bread and
wine? He’s a God who gives! He gives you the whole lot! Not a symbol,
His very self. His Body—the very body that hung on the cross. His
Blood—the very blood poured out on the cross. He’s clear on that.
But do you say, I’m so glad for this reminder of His love for me? Do
you look for something more real in your life? Some physical way of
Him touching your life, instead of looking to, and hungering for, His
very Supper, His Holy Meal He gives to you?
It’s time to admit that our problem is not so much that we don’t
understand, but that we do. And that’s why we’re having the problem.
We hear what God is saying, but we don’t want it His way. We’d much
rather wade around in dialogue. It sure would be nice if God would
provide more spectacular means of forgiving us, helping us, caring for
us, than in some water and some bread and wine. It’d be nice if we had
something more to go on than a God who is taken out by a bunch of
religious leaders and won’t stand up against some Roman soldiers. Be
nice to have a God who isn’t so darn clear that it’s all about the
cross, and not about us and how we feel, or what we want, or how moral
we are, what good people we’ve been being.
Wouldn’t it be nice not to have deny ourselves and take up *our*
cross? Nice not to have to lose our lives as we’d like them to be for
the sake of suffering on account of Jesus? Nice not to have to be in
the position where we’re made to feel funny for being a Christian,
putting Christ before ourselves and feelings? A relief to have enough
money to have peace of mind rather than rely solely on Jesus whether
we have enough money or not?
Yes, Jesus is all too clear. He’s not interested in dialogue. When met
with opposition He doesn’t hold hands with His disciples and sing
Kumbaya with them, He rebukes them right back. He gets in their face
and tells them what’s what. Maybe that’s what we need—a God who gets
in our face. Who speaks plainly, all too clearly. This *is* My body,
this *is* My blood. You *are* Baptized. I *will* suffer and die on the
cross. I *will* rise from the grave. I *will* save you from your
sins—and this is how I’ll do it.
And He did. He did when we were sinners. When we were His enemies. He
Baptizes us when we need it. He feeds us with His Body and Blood when
we’re helpless and hurting and entrenched in our sins. He can’t be any
clearer on that. He saves you because you need it and because He
because He loves you unconditionally. Set your mind on the things of
God and you will find your dialoguing with others turning into sharing
with them what God has done for the world in Jesus Christ. You will
find your life enriched not simply with the things of men but with the
things of God: forgiveness, life, and salvation. Amen.
SDG
--
Pastor Paul L. Willweber
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church [LCMS]
San Diego, California
princeofpeacesd.net
three-taverns.net
It is the spirit and genius of Lutheranism to be liberal in everything
except where the marks of the Church are concerned.
[Henry Hamann, On Being a Christian]
___________________________________________________________________________
'CAT 41 Sermons & Devotions' consists of works that are, unless otherwise
noted, the copyrighted property of the various authors; posting of such
gives members of this list implied consent for redistribution _with_
_attribution_ unless otherwise specified by the author, as well as
for quoting or use in a congregational setting
_with_or_without_attribution_.
Note: This list's default reply is to the *poster*, NOT the list.
Do *not* reply to the list with your comments, but to the poster.
Subscribe? Send ANY note to: [email protected]
Unsubscribe? Send ANY note to: [email protected]
Archive? <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>
For more information on this or other lists offered by Confess And Teach
For Unity, you can contact the CAT 41 list administrator at:
Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski <[email protected]>
