Lent 2

February 25, 2024

Text – St. Mark 8: 27-38

“The Things of God”

Here is given the great “rock-solid” confession of St. Peter, and yet – just minutes afterward – Peter was denouncing the divinely appointed plan of salvation.  Suffice it to say, together with Peter, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God! This is our confession for which we would rather suffer death ourselves than to deny it.  But there are responsibilities and obligations that go hand in hand with this truth that Jesus is the Christ.

The folks who would just hover over the surface and perpetuate the notion that faith is holding to the lowest common denominator, and it is enough to “believe in Jesus… to them I ask what Jesus are you talking about?  Do we believe and trust in a make-believe Jesus… a figment of theatrics and a vivid imagination? Or do we believe and trust in a Jesus who as God’s Son comes among men as a man Himself, and who as the innocent Lamb of God bears away the world’s sin while suffering a cruel crucifixion as if He Himself were a common criminal, and who says hard things to a world that is so sensual and too fleshly to accept those words at face value to actually put His word into practice.  But to all who would bear the name Christian, we are called to walk in the footsteps of our Master and Lord. 

What would Jesus do?  He would be totally selfless, so then so should we be.  He would consider the cause of the down-trodden and oppressed and so should we.  He would discount His own life for the sake of His neighbor, and so should we! He would follow the path of suffering for the benefit of those who are suffering… then so should we also follow.  He would treasure the things of God, above and beyond the things of this world, and leave everything behind for the greater glory of doing the Father’s will. He would gladly and willingly die to please His Father and ours, and how is it we should do differently?

In Jesus, we are reassured that the word and promise of God is something that can be banked on… simply because God keeps His Word; He is faithful; He cannot deny Himself!  This is a trustworthy saying.  The seed of the woman has come to battle the enemy and He crushed His head.  But our idea of how the battle ought to be waged must be shaped from heaven.  Our minds and thinking must be conformed to the mind and will of God.  The mind and will of God is not the way of sinful man.

The disciples (and we) do not have it in our heads that victory can rise from what appears to be a defeat, and that life could possibly result in any way from the death of the Son of Man.  We are not easily convinced that suffering can do us any good whatsoever. So, we must be instructed in the way of the Lord which always throws us lowly creatures for a loop… and sets the whole world on its ear.  God does things that we would never have thought of.  Our heavenly Father operates in midst of His own creation upsetting, as He wills, physical, biological, even the elemental laws of the universe and the usual mechanisms of time and space, and we must simply bow in submission to His better understanding and His far greater ability.

Who among us would claim to be higher than the Most High or wiser than the omniscient God or more powerful than the Almighty to whom nothing shall be impossible?

Once we are put in our place then the Lord can do marvelous things for our benefit and for the improvement of us as His creatures… and of our relationship with our Creator.  To reject Him, to doubt Him, to exalt oneself leaves you only to stand with Satan, and you “cannot serve two masters” thinking that thereby you’ll have all the bases covered.  Thinking that you have it all, you’ll only discover that you have nothing at all.

Our place is as “creature,” and a fallen creature at that. We are beyond self-redemption. The pit we’ve fallen into will not allow any of us to climb out under our own strength.  We are not naturally drawn into God’s presence, but on account of our continued rebellion we are repulsed both by our corrupt condition and by God’s just anger against us.  God has every reason to reject us as so much tainted and broken merchandise, but He hasn’t… and He won’t!

It is just for this situation that it was eternally determined that “the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Just as we are seeking wild victories, and personal power over this perishing and fleeting world, and all the fame and glory one can gain for oneself then the Lord confirms that our way is Satan’s way and only the Lord’s way does any good for those who are not good.

We must ever be mindful of the things of God!  We must move beyond the baser things of men.  We must step aside from the lowly things of men.  We will ultimately abandon the temporal and temporary things of men, because nothing substantial, permanent, or heavenly can result from what man can do or devise. There is salvation found in no other name… given under heaven… among men… than in the name and by the work of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God!

In Jesus, and by His suffering, your life is restored, your eternity is assured, you are made whole, and your sins are forgiven!  In Jesus, and only in Jesus is true meaning and significant purpose found for your life.  In Jesus there is power to be found that can reverse the effects of Eden on the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve.  In Jesus, by that same Spirit who proceeds from the Father and comes forth in His name to testify of Him, does our existence become something that results in the glory and praise of God, and works for the benefit of someone other than ourselves, namely, our neighbor.

But then, that means that we are renewed and recommitted to the things of God… even when it impels us to bear our own cross.  That this is not that path that any of us would choose for ourselves.  This is not the way of those who are busy trying to save their own skin, who are walking the way less bumpy, who are taking the trail less trying, and participate on the path with the least perspiration.

Yes, the Lord offers comfort here for those who are tossed about by the searing screams of their own consciences, by the taunts and jeers of the world, and by the accusations of the devil, but the Lord did not bless us except to be a blessing to our brothers.  He didn’t exert all that energy so that you could then rest on your laurels and relax with no further obligation.  His intense life and living were meant that you would live, and not die, that you would live by and according to… every word of God.

Here, your marching orders are to proceed in the path of suffering so that you do not end up becoming too comfortable in this life, which, after all, is but a short pilgrimage and passage on to something bigger and better, higher and heavenly.  Rather we must discount self and exalt the Lord who loved and saved us.  His hard sayings, the things of God, call for you to lose your life for Jesus’ sake. We are called to the cross — and not to cottony and cushy clouds.  Whatever you do to save your earthly existence will lead to disappointment as so much sand running through your fingers leaving you with nothing of any substance… and certainly nothing eternal.  We must NOT identify with “this sinful and adulterous generation” by belief, creed, or practice.  We can’t afford to relegate to the distant and dark recesses of our minds, hearts, and lives the godly way of the Lord, which, I can reassure you, is always the way of the cross and will involve some suffering of some sort, some inconvenience to the routines of the world and to a life fulfilling the passions of our flesh.

Old Abram and Sarai walked with God, and the tests that were put to them were hardly expected or pleasant — neither did they work out as they themselves might have scheduled, planned, or executed them.  We, as children of Father Abraham, will walk that same way, and we will leave it to God “to work it out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”

St. Paul notes that the cross has its benefits, in that suffering drives us to rely more heavily on Him, who both wills and does according to His good pleasure… who knows all our needs before we even ask and will well supply us.  Again, St. Paul reveals to us that in our lives… trials will “produce perseverance” (that is, patience and long suffering), and that builds “character,” to be steadfast in the face of adversity, which, in turn, establishes in us an eternal “hope” of glory that looks beyond the obvious, and with spiritual eyes will see the hand of God gently, maybe even slowly, but will certainly and steadily lead us to peace and rest with Him.  He is making us His present and eternal children by far superior means than the easy and quick road by which the world seduces us into its slavery, desperation, and destruction.

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither grow weary of His correction, for whom the Lord loves, He also corrects, as the Father corrects the son in whom He delights.” 

“No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” 

“The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Yes, even Christians are schooled in the University of Hard Knocks, through persecution, difficulties, set-backs, trials, and tribulations, and yet this is part and parcel of God’s will for us.  Its benefits are especially seen when experience drives us back to revelation, when hard times send us scurrying back to the Bible.  For in comparison to the things of man and of this world which are weak and fleeting — the things of God, and God Himself, and His love enveloped – in flesh – in the person of His Son, testified to by the Holy Spirit, published by the Apostles and prophets — the things of God count for everything. 

In our cross-bearing, there is much good that abounds to us, godly fruit that brands us as His chosen and beloved, and in His cross-bearing there is hope that sustains us in the promise of His and our being together forever!  For everyone so oppressed by the world and its many complications, hear the word of our Savior: “Peace, I leave with you, My peace, I give to you…” “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… for my yoke is easy and my burden is light!”  These are the words and promises of Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, who comforts you, who saves you, and to whom goes the glory!

Amen!