/And you remain in the things you were taught and believed, knowing from
whom you were taught, and because from infancy you have known the
priestly scripture, the ones powerful to make you wise unto salvation
through faith, the one in Christ Jesus. All scripture, God-breathes also
(is) beneficial toward teaching, toward conviction, toward restoration,
toward child-training, the one in righteousness, so that the person of
God may be able-to-meet-all-expectations, unto all good works completed.
I testify before God and Christ Jesus, the One about to judge living and
dead, and His manifestation and His kingdom: You proclaim the word, you
stand ready in good season, out of season, convicting, reproving,
comforting, in all endurance and teaching. For a season will come to be
when the healthy teaching they will not put up with, but according to
their own desire-for-other-things, they will heap up for themselves
teachers, ones tickling their ears. And on the one hand, from the truth
the ears will be turned, and on the other hand upon the myths they will
turn aside. Yet you, be sober in everything, suffer evil, do the work of
a gospel-preacher, your service fulfill./
Today's readings are all about your struggle with God. "But Pastor, I
don't struggle with God. I do struggle with the devil, with temptations,
with the world; but I don't struggle with God!" While you indeed
struggle with the unholy trinity of Satan, the world, and your sinful
flesh, you also struggle with the Lord. No less than Jacob literally
wrestled with God and received the new name of "struggler-with-God" or
"Israel". No less than the widow in Jesus' parable struggled against a
less-than-willing judge.
You struggle with God any time you don't trust what He reveals in His
word. Maybe you think Jesus is too harsh about the sin of divorce. Or
you don't like it when the bible says homosexuality is sinful. Or that
sex is only allowed in a marriage. Or that women are not given by God to
be pastors. Or that you should give more in the offering plate. Or that
you don't get to do as much as you want to in church.
When you disagree with God, it He Who works repentance in your heart,
turning you around from your error, and restoring you to a right
relationship with Him again. This is done through His gift to you called
baptism. All you sins were washed from you that day at the font, to
Jesus on the + Who bore them in His Own body unto death for you. So now,
you remember daily that you are a baptized child of God, so that by
daily contrition & repentance, God drowns your old adam and raises you
to new life!
You struggle with God whenever you aren't satisfied with His teaching,
seeking others who teach differently. You listen to those who spread
doubts that the bible is true or sufficient. You ignore biblical
warnings against falsehood & evil, watching Ancient Aliens, Ghost
Hunters and other myths as though they are good & true. You miss church
and watch smiling TV preachers who never mention the +.
When you seek other teachers and different teachings in your
unfaithfulness, your God remains faithful to you. He keeps working so
that you will remain in the true teaching of His Word. His word is still
taught correctly in bible classes, and His word is rightly preached here
each Sunday. It proclaims you to be forgiven for the sake of Christ
Jesus who died the death you deserved at Calvary so you now live the
everlasting life that Jesus earned for you by His Own holy
righteousness, in your stead.
Lastly, you struggle with God whenever you don't accept the work of the
"man of God" He sends to you. It's fine if you don't find his jokes
funny, or don't care for her looks or personality. But just as God once
spoke His word to Balaam through the mouth of a donkey, He may use any
assorted Christian to deliver His message to you. But just because you
don't like His choice of messenger, don't diss the message.
In Christian fellowship, all believers who are completed for God's
service are useful to Him. Each Christian is a member of the body of
Christ, precisely because we all are gathered around the Lord's Table to
eat His body and drink His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. This
spiritual food is what completes each believer in Christ, equipping all
of us to serve each other. It especially equips your Pastor to fulfill
His service as He stewards God's mysteries of Grace to you in word &
sacrament.
So you indeed do struggle with God at times. You struggle with His
teaching, with His workings, with His chosen servants. Yet for these
sins, and indeed for all others, you have the comfort of forgiveness in
Christ Jesus, your Savior. That same 2nd Person of the Trinity is coming
soon to be your Judge, but one far superior to the one the widow
pestered. For He is a just judge, Who will not delay in making His
appearance on the last day. He will return soon to manifest His kingdom
to you in full. Amen.
John C. Drosendahl, Pastor
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