I Love to Tell the Story

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know it’s true
It satisfies my longings as nothing else would do.

I love to tell the story; ‘Twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

And the story is this: People do not earn God’s approval or salvation because of anything they have done. Rather the only reason they receive life and salvation is because of God’s love through Jesus Christ. There is no other way.

You have heard me tell this story time after time, week after week – just as Paul does again today in the Epistle.

Occasionally, I will have a brother and sister come to me and say they are tired of hearing this teaching over and over again, that they are tired of hearing this same old story. They want something with more depth and wisdom, something they can apply to lives right now. They claim that they learned this long ago and have no or very little need to hear this basic teaching again. At times I, myself will think this way, most of us do. Paul, thought this way – God responded “My grace is sufficient for you.”

You see, this is not just a basic teaching, it is the essential teaching of all of Scripture. If this teaching continues to be taught in the church, the Christian church who clings to it will remain united and pure – and it will remain free from any decay. It is this truth alone that sustains all of Christianity. It is this truth and its teaching that allows us also to identify those “wolves in sheep clothing” – those who are merely disguised as “Angels of the light” but teach a message contrary to that of salvation coming through faith alone in Christ Jesus.

“Wolves in sheep clothing” and “those disguised as angels of the light” are those with preachers in the church who teach a work-righteousness, or a prosperity (name it, claim it) gospel, or a co-operation with God for salvation. These teachings though may begin with Christ - all lead away from Christ and make the focus of our Christian life – us.

There are some Christians may brag that about how well they know that we receive God’s approval through God’s love and not because of anything we do to earn it. But if they go on to say that this is easy to put in into practice, then have no doubt they do not know what they are talking about. And probably never will. We can never learn this “simple” “basic” – foundational truth completely or understand it fully enough. Learning this truth is an art. We will always remain students of it, and it will always be our teacher. Why? Learning to depend on God’s mercy is difficult for all us – especially for us who have been raised “to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps” or “God takes care of those who take care of themselves” – that old prodestant work ethic. Our human nature always leans towards doing works – to earn our own way. We are so rooted in our old habits, and our hearts are so used to it we can not stop thinking; “If I have lived a holy life and have done great and many works, then God will be merciful to me.” It is difficult to change our thinking.

Even if we already have faith, this thinking of our good works still sticks and clings to us. We keep wanting to brag “I have done this or that, surly God will take note of what I have done for Him and others.” We want to bargain with God. We want Him to look at our lives and give us salvation based on what we have done. Remember we need mercy - not justice. As we heard a couple of weeks ago.

The ones who truly understand that they receive God’s approval by faith and put this into practice find it a pleasant taste “sweet as honey” and will pursue it always. They realize that they can not comprehend it as fully as they would like. So, they hunger and thirst for it. They yearn for it more and more. They never get tired of hearing about this truth.

I love to tell the story, ‘Tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God’s own Holy Word

I love to tell the story; ‘Twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

God’s approval is not based on what a person does. Rather, God accepts what a person does because He already approves of the person. The person has not earned God’s approval through the good that he does. Trying to do so is what Paul calls “righteousness that is by the law” – a totally unworkable option – it is trying to be ones own savior. It is attempting to do all over again what Christ has already done for them.

Let me put it this way, a child who will be born two years from today (8/09/2010) does not yet exist. He is not yet even conceived. That child can do nothing, for the child does not yet exist. I am pretty sure everyone can understand that statement.

In the same way, all works, no matter how precious and good they might be, amount to nothing if a person does them before he is spiritually born. These works lead only to sin and death. A person who has not been born anew is unable to do good works that please God. Good works are not bad, and we all should do them. People first have to be made ready to do them by being born from above. Only then is one capable of doing good works.

Years ago there was a school for young native-American men and women, in Oakland, California, from the various tribes in northern Arizona. One of these was a Navajo young man, named John, of unusually keen intelligence. One Sunday evening, he went to a young people's meeting. They were talking about the epistle to the Romans, just as we are today - and the special subject was God’s law and God’s grace. The young people were not very clear about it, and finally one turned to John and said, "I wonder whether our new friend has anything to say about this."

John rose to his feet and said, "Well, my friends, I have been listening very carefully, because I am here to learn all I can in order to take it back to my people. I do not understand all that you are talking about, and I do not think you do yourselves. But concerning this law and grace business, let me see if I can make it clear. I think it is like this. When I was brought from my home I took the longest railroad journey I ever took. I got out at the station, and there I saw the most beautiful railroad station and hotel I have ever seen. I walked all around and saw at one end a sign, 'Do not spit here.' I looked at that sign and then looked down at the ground and saw many had spitted there, and before I think what I am doing I have spitted myself. Isn't that strange when the sign say, 'Do not spit here'?

"I go to the home of the lady who invited me to dinner today and I am in the nicest home I have been in. Such beautiful furniture and carpets, I hate to step on them. I sank into a comfortable chair, and the lady said, 'Now, John, you sit there while I go out and see whether the maid has dinner ready.' I look around at the beautiful pictures, at the grand piano, and I walk all around those rooms. I am looking for a sign; and the sign I am looking for is, 'Do not spit here,' but I look around those two beautiful drawing rooms, and cannot find a sign like this. I think 'What a pity when this is such a beautiful home to have people spitting all over it -- too bad they don't put up a sign!' So I look all over that carpet, but cannot find that anybody have spitted there. What a curious thing! Where the sign says, 'Do not spit,' a lot of people spitted. Where there was no sign at all, in that beautiful home, nobody spitted. Now I understand! That sign is law, but inside the home it is grace. They love their beautiful home, and they want to keep it clean. They do not need a sign to tell them so. I think that explains the law and grace business."

Martin Luther would say if you want to have a carpenter build a house, the carpenter must first exist. For what can be built if the carpenter hasn’t been born yet? Now say that with a "C" in Carpenter.

The same is true for good works. Doing good works doesn’t make anyone good. First, you have to be born anew. Then after that, ask what works you should do.

Let me make it clear. Salvation is not a matter of doing and earning, but of receiving. It is confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and confidently believing that God has raised Him from the dead as your Savior and your Substitute.

Jesus came down to earth, to us, (we don’t have to go to heaven to get Him, or climb Jacob’s ladder to get to Heaven) Jesus came to us to live a perfect life sinners like you and me cannot live; He kept the Law perfectly for you and me. He lived a perfect life to earn the needed righteousness for us sinners. What’s more He died the death we sinners deserve for yours and my transgressions. With His blood He paid for our lack of keeping the law. By His perfect obedience He earned righteousness necessary for yours and my salvation.

Christ had done everything. God’s Word proclaims this glorious truth to you and me. It is that same word that works faith in your heart to believe and receive Christ’s righteousness. The Word creates the confidence to say “This Jesus is my Lord”.

That Word first penetrates the heart and creates faith. That faith then shows itself in confessing lips. “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

“Anyone who trusts in Christ will never be put to shame.” When that final day comes; when all the dust settles; the final verdict will always be favorable for you who have trusted in God’s mercy as shown in Christ. It is that way because your salvation is does not depend on your input but on God’s grace and mercy. God has done everything; you have done nothing and need not do anything. Salvation is yours by believing the promises of God -- or as Paul put it “calling on the name of the Lord.”

I love to tell the story, For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest
And when in scenes of glory I sing a new, new song
“Twill be the old, old story that I loved so long.

I love to tell the story; ‘Twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love. Amen.

jkr

Enough For All

Matthew 14:13-21
Most every Christian who has studied the Bible or at least knows some Bible stories from Sunday School days has a few favorites that seem stick in your mind and that bring a smile to your face when you hear them. During this time of the Church year, we have been hearing some of the parables and stories about Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew. I wouldn’t be surprised if you heard one of your favorites in the last few weeks. Today’s Gospel lesson just might be one of those favorites. Jesus feeding the five thousand is one of those amazing stories that when you first hear it, it sounds unbelievable. Did you ever think about how many people that is?

Matthew makes the point that the five thousand is just the men. In addition there were also women and children. It’s hard to tell just how many people were fed that day. A sell-out crowd at a Captains game at Classic Park in Eastlake would give you some idea. It was a big crowd of people. All they had to start with were five loaves of bread and two fish. What is so amazing about this is that after everyone had eaten and were satisfied, Jesus instructed His disciples to gather what was left over. They filled twelve basketsful of broken pieces. In terms of “Wow” factor, this miracle of Jesus would have to rank pretty high on the list. Jesus didn’t do miracles just to “wow” people. I’ve mentioned before that the miracles of Jesus were more often called miraculous signs. They were meant to teach us something about who He was and about the kingdom of heaven.

As we think about this miraculous sign today, we have to think beyond the impressive display of power and look at what Jesus wanted the people then and the people now who study this event to learn. One thing that is mentioned near the beginning of the reading is that Jesus saw the crowds and had compassion on them. The first verse tells us that when Jesus heard what had happened to John the Baptist, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Those two words, “privately” and “solitary” tell us that Jesus wanted to get away for a while. He had been doing a great deal of teaching. The death of John the Baptist must have touched Him deeply. I’m sure we can all appreciate the need to get away from the crowds for a while and just think and pray. What happened though was that the crowds saw Him in the boat and followed Him along the shore to the place where Jesus and the disciples had gone. He could have told His disciples to take Him somewhere else but instead He had compassion on the crowds and healed their sick. It shows us how much Jesus cares for His people. He loves us so much that even when He wanted some peace and quiet, he sacrificed His private time to minister to the needs of the people. He addressed their physical needs but we know that He did a lot more than that. His love was so great that He sacrificed more than just his time for us. He sacrificed His life for us on the cross so that price for our sins could be paid. Just as His miracle of food for five thousand and more was enough for all, so His sacrifice on the cross was a sufficient payment for the sins of all. Through His perfect life and His all-sufficient death on the cross, we receive the blessing of forgiveness, peace with God and eternal salvation that comes through the faith that is worked in us by the Holy Spirit.

This event in the life of Jesus also demonstrates another important truth about life in the kingdom of God for His people. Jesus involved His disciples in the process of providing for the needs of the crowd. When the disciples suggested that Jesus send the people away so that they could get some food, Jesus challenged them by saying, “You give them something to eat.” That challenge probably caught them by surprise. They wondered what they could do with the meager resources that they had. He taught them a lesson in trust. He still involved them in the process though. They were the ones who distributed the food. They were the ones who later collected the left-overs. That tells us something about what we as disciples of Jesus should expect to do as we live our lives as servants in the kingdom of God here on earth. God uses His people to carry out His works of compassion today. Certainly that would include feeding the hungry, caring for those who are sick and injured, comforting the lonely and any number of compassionate ministry opportunities that present themselves in our lives.

Just as Jesus came not just to do amazing miraculous signs but to bring the grace of God to people through the knowledge of God’s plan of salvation, so the disciples of Jesus today have the challenge to share the good news of salvation to those who are weary and burdened because of their sin. In response to God’s great love and out of compassion for the spiritual needs of others, we are the hands and voice of Jesus to bring forgiveness, peace and hope to those who have lost their way, to those who hunger and thirst for the righteousness that is ours through Jesus.

Sometimes that is hard for us to do. We often think how much we need the love and forgiveness that God provides for His people in Christ. That is true. We do need that. We need it so much that we come regularly to the house of the Lord for the reassurance of His love and forgiveness. We come to receive the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith and empower us to do God’s will in our daily lives. That is very important so that we can be regularly refreshed. But if that is all we do with our faith, we are missing the point that Jesus was making when He engaged His disciples to help feed the five thousand plus people. He sent them out among the throngs with the loaves and the fish. He also sent them out with the baskets after every one was satisfied to collect the left-overs. Obviously there was an amazing miraculous sign that took place here but Jesus used His disciples to carry it out.

So it is with us today. Jesus has provided us with a miraculous supply of His love to distribute to the throngs who are all around us. There is so much that even when all have heard the message of repentance and forgiveness through the love of God manifested in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, there is still plenty to go around. God has engaged His people to carry out the miraculous work of conversion, of changing hearts. The Holy Spirit brings about that change but the Word still has to be distributed and that is where we come in. We, who have the Good News, have to think beyond ourselves. When we start to realize that our faith and our church are not just for us, we realize that there is a whole new world of opportunities out there for us to explore. We have a whole new way of looking at the opportunities that God has placed before us. The disciples were puzzled when Jesus told them that they should give the people something to eat. They wondered what they could do for so many people. That sounds familiar doesn’t it? We wonder what we could do. Jesus gives us task. He gives us the resources. He gives us the opportunities. He gives us the instructions and He sends us out. Just as He did with the bread and fish, He miraculously blesses our work.

God’s abundance through Christ provides more than we can imagine. We will never know the extent of the blessings that can come when we share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ with someone. That is demonstrated in this event in Jesus’ life by the twelve baskets of food that were left over. They only started with five loaves and two fish. They fed five thousand plus people until they were satisfied and still the disciples collected twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over. That shows us how generous the Lord is with the resources that He has placed in our care.

It also reminds us that all we have comes from God’s hand. Martin Luther, in his explanation of the fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” reminds us that we daily ask Him for all that we need so that we realize that all things come from God and this should prompt us to receive His gifts with thanksgiving. Each time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, each time we say our prayers at meal time, each time we close our day with prayer, we are reminded of God’s bountiful goodness and we are given an opportunity to thank Him for all that we have. We have been blessed. As a result we have much to share, materially and especially spiritually. May our mediation on this miraculous sign continually remind us of the blessings and the opportunities that God has given to us to share those blessings with others in Jesus’ name. Amen

And the peace which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen

gm