Dec 9, 2007

Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to
teach us, so that through the endurance and the encouragement of the
Scriptures we might have hope.

Advent is always such and interesting time of year. It is that time
when the lights and dazzle of Christmas decorations, the excitement and
anticipation of Christmas events and the preparations for those events
can really fill our minds. But Advent is also that time of year when we
are to contemplate the definite fact that Jesus will return again to
serve as the judge of all the earth. It is a time for preparation, not
just for celebrating the birth of Jesus but especially for thinking about
our eternal salvation and life with Jesus. It is a time to get ourselves
ready for that great day when we will hear the trumpet blast, be swept up
into the air to meet the Lord and begin to serve in the eternal kingdom
of heaven.
That's just one side of the equation. The other side is that when Jesus
returns the unbeliever will end up in eternal hell. That is not a
pleasant thought but nevertheless it is a real thought. One day, when we
least expect it, Jesus is returning and we will face the judgment of God.
We need to be prepared.
Of course, in many cases our problem is that we don't think that day is
coming for us any too soon. We think we have plenty of time yet to "get
serious about God." In today's world perhaps we had better think about
it now. Do you think that any of those 8 people shot down in Omaha gave
thought to the fact that going to the mall would be the last thing they
did? Do you think those people reported in the paper as accident
fatalities got in their cars knowing that it would be their last moments
in life? Dear people, what I am trying to impress upon you is that life
is much more fragile than we tend to think. What I am trying to get
across to you is the importance of being ready for Jesus' judgment now,
today, this moment! I believe it is truly a matter of eternal life or
death.
How do we get ourselves ready? If you noticed you realized that every
one of our texts for today was just about that issue, being ready for the
Christ. How interesting to note that in the Isaiah text the first and
Second Coming of Jesus are intermixed, in other words, his coming to save
and his coming judgment are prophesied as one act. And do you think that
was just an Isaiah thing? Please look at the gospel reading. John the
Baptist does the same thing. Even though he is speaking of the coming
ministry of Jesus, or the revealing of the Savior to these people that
will shortly begin, please note his words: "Who warned you to flee from
the coming wrath?" Or again, "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he
will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into his barn and
burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Clearly it is the issue of
Jesus that will determine our eternal fate.
The issue of Jesus! If you understand what Jesus is all about then you
already know that the issue of eternal life, either in heaven or hell is
wrapped up in Jesus. He is the determining factor. He is the one who
either opens the gates of heaven or closes them tightly. The key to
understanding all of this is found revealed in our epistle reading.
Using our text let's then contemplate this theme: THE HOPE OF JESUS.
1st. That hope is found in the word. 2nd. That word is to teach. 3rd.
That word leads to hope.
Look at what this text says. It begins, "For everything that was
written in the past." There is no doubt that God gave us this verse to
bring us to consider his Holy Word. That's what is being referenced
here. For that matter, verse three of this text is actually a quote from
Psalm 69 concerning Jesus. It is that quote that causes this statement.
A statement to remind the people then and to remind us today, that the
Bible is important. It is interesting to note that as these words were
written they are really a reference to the Old Testament but as we read
them today they are also a reference to the New Testament. In other
words, the revelation of God is an important resource. How important?
Just continue to look at this verse.
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us."
There is the very point of God's Word: "to teach us!" There is so much
that can be learned from God's Word. From beginning to end the Bible is
the very revelation of God, yes, God's wisdom for this world and life. I
can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to know God's wisdom but the truth
is that many don't want to know and many don't care simply because of
unbelief. They would rather imagine that other things are important.
Things like believing that how you set your furniture and paint your
walls will affect the "energy flow" around you and a positive energy flow
can either make you happy or sad. Why are we so willing to believe that
we can affect by mechanical means this world and its energy and yet we
will totally reject God's power and grace in Jesus?
The word has been given to teach. Please note that the Greek word used
here is not only a reference to the process of teaching but also
references the content of teaching. Two things can be learned from this
fact. First is the fact that the word is all inclusive. This isn't just
formal schooling and book learning spoken of, but actually speaks of any
kind of process that brings you greater knowledge. Second, the word
points to the fact that the content of the learning is the heart. If
what you learn is useless or false then there is a problem. What you
learn is more important than how you learn. And note that in this
context, we are speaking of learning God's wisdom and God's revelation.
What else can we grasp about the word? The text says, so that through
the endurance and the encouragement of Scripture." Again two more things
are learned about God's Word. The word is enduring. I want to point out
to you that in your NIV Bibles the translation reads, "so that through
endurance and the encouragement of Scripture." I don't know why, but the
NIV translators left the definite article off of the word endurance. The
impact of how they have translated leaves the impression that it is the
reader's endurance rather than the Word's endurance being spoken of.
Please know that the text is clear. This is a reference to the Word's
endurance. This is a reference to the fact that the Word is faithful and
true, unchangeable and constant.
The Word endures. There is nothing that will overcome it, nothing that
can replace it. It cannot grow out-dated and useless, it will not become
irrelevant to our lives and needs. The Word of God will always
accomplish what God desires and achieve the purpose for which God sent
it. The word may be used by the Lord to effect your salvation in Jesus,
that is to bring you to faith or the Word may be used by the Lord to seal
your judgment as your hear and reject the message of Jesus.
The Word endures. This truth is taught elsewhere. Ps. 119, "Your word,
O Lord, is eternal: it stands firm in the heavens." Mtt. 24, "Heaven and
earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." God's Word
will never cease giving wisdom, knowledge, faith and all of its other
gifts.
The Word is also encouraging. My dictionary simply defines
encouragement as: "to give courage, hope or confidence; to give support
to someone." God's Word does those things. You need courage to face the
problems of this world? Go to the Word. You need some confidence to
grasp that you are important? Go to the Word. You need support, a
foundation upon which to stand? Go to the Word. It does all of that and
more. It shows the truth. It shows that you aren't going to have to
stand alone but that God and His Son Jesus are with you all the way.
Jesus says in John, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God;
trust also in me." Truthfully, do you think that the God who sacrificed
his Son for us is going to abandon us and leave us as orphans? No way!
He has given us his word to encourage us, to keep us going, to give us
that heavenly perspective that is so necessary for surviving this "valley
of the shadow of death."
Finally where does all of this go? Listen carefully! "So that through
the endurance and the encouragement of Scripture we might have hope."
That is known as a result clause. The word of God is given with a result
in mind. The result of God's Word is "hope." Hope, not just a pious
wish, a heartfelt desire but a sure and certain confidence. When a
Christian speaks of hope they are speaking of the facts that God has
given, of the promises that they know are theirs because of the grace and
mercy of God.
Needless to say, I can't speak to you about hope without talking about
Jesus and his work of redemption. For the umpteenth thousandth
time...Jesus is our Savior. He came and paid for our sins. He came to
pay for all those things we have done and do to offend the mighty and
powerful God. Jesus paid for our sins and without his voucher we face
nothing but the threat and horror of eternal hell. Judgment day is
nothing more than a day of terror, endless terror for those without
Jesus. But that is just what our hope is about. It is about a Judgment
Day that is wonderful and awaited. We are sure of our eternal life. We
are sure that heaven is our home. Why? Jesus!
We just spoke of this marvel in our 5th and 6th grade confirmation
class. These questions and their answers were discussed. "Why can I as
a believer be certain of God's forgiveness? ...because it does not
depend on anything I do but completely on what Christ has done for me."
"Why is this certainty a great blessing to me? ...because I need the
assurance of God's forgiveness every day. ...because I have the
assurance that I am an heir of eternal life."
Do you hear the hope resonating in those words? Jesus brings the
forgiveness of sins and with that the confidence, yes, the hope and
encouragement of eternal life with him in heaven. In Jesus I am prepared
for the Judgement. In Jesus should my life end today or should my life
end another 50 years from now, I don't care, because Jesus has given true
life, eternal life with him. My focus is not me. I am mist, unstable,
unsure. I break promises, make mistakes and am filled with works of
shame and foolishness. Not Jesus. He endures. He encourages. He is
the solid rock, the foundation of the ages. He is the revelation of
God's love and truth. Jesus is the Word that brings life and light.
Jesus is our HOPE, our eternal hope, the promise and sureness of life
with God in heaven. I am ready, we are ready for that joyous day of
Jesus. Ready in the Word that brings this hope of salvation and life.
Ready because of Jesus for anything that comes. Come Lord Jesus, come
and revel your kingdom of glory. Amen.

St. Paul Lutheran Church
6115 First Street
Mayville, MI 48744
(989) 843-5851

Pastor Terry G. Balogh

website provided by Karen Morse
© 2004-2007

uscity.net directory