A wrestling church is a living church

Texts: Ecclesiastes 2.1-15; Galatians 1.1-17; Matthew 13.44-52 (also 1 John 3.18-4.6)

Commemoration: The Visitation

Father in heaven, by whose grace the mother of your incarnate Son was blessed in bearing him, but still more blessed in keeping your word: Grant us who honor the exaltation of her lowliness to follow the example of her devotion to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Almost from its inception, the church faced the challenge of false teachings and "different" gospels. We see this in Galatia, where Paul chastises the congregation for "so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel." Of course, there is no other true gospel, as Paul makes clear. But some, perhaps all, of the Galatians, have fallen prey to the nefarious deception of false teachers who have beguiled them into believing something other than the truth. Paul is determined that his beloved fellow believers in Galatia not be led astray so quickly. Hence, the necessity of his letter and his exposition on the truth of the only gospel, that of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen.

Herman Sasse (1895 - 1976) saw the church wrestling for truth and constantly praying for the Lord's protection against falsehood as a sign, not of a dying, but of a living church. A church not wrestling with questions of truth and falsehood is, in his view, "always in danger of dying."

The Apostle of Love warns Christians: "Believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world." Although John's Gospel and Epistles constantly set forth the love of one's fellow believers as the criterion for true faith and genuine Christianity, his criterion for erroneous faith and heresy is a dogmatic statement: "Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus is come in the flesh, is not of God and this is the spirit of the Antichrist." In other words, contrary to all expectation, the correct teaching of the Incarnation appears as the touchstone according to which true doctrine is distinguished from false, the church from heresy. It was so at the beginning of the church's history; it shall continue so until the light of eternal truth shall enlighten us all. Of those times in which the life of the church was not very much disturbed by concern for pure teaching and by alarm concerning false teaching, it may be said that they do not belong to the great ages of the church. On the contrary, the church is always in danger of dying when it ceases to wrestle for truth and to pray that the Lord may guard it against the devil's wiles and false teaching.

A wrestling church, then, is a living church. The enemy is always eager to engage in battle. In guarding the great deposit of faith, the church must be ever vigilant.

God of Our Fathers

God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies
Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past,
In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,
Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,
Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,
Be Thy strong arm our ever sure defense;
Thy true religion in our hearts increase,
Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.

Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way,
Lead us from night to never ending day;
Fill all our lives with love and grace divine,
And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.

• Daniel C. Roberts

Yesterday's Inspiration: The naked preacher

On days like these, when I have nothing particularly on my mind to write about, I am tempted to "go to the well," that is, to dig out some previously written piece, polish it up here and there, and post it here. Well (pardon the pun), that's what you're about to read here. I wrote down most of these thoughts about five years ago. When I go back and read some of the articles I wrote or some of the sermons I preached back then, I am amazed at how naive I was, how incomplete my grasp of this or that subject was, and how utterly foolish I was to think I was qualified to speak or write about it.

Preaching is, in many respects, a form of low comedy and preachers are the world's worst comedians. Every Sunday (or, in my case these days, every Monday and Wednesday), we stand in the pulpit and presume to speak, using the finite language of an imperfect humanity, on behalf of an infinitely perfect God. We wear fancy robes and seat ourselves on a platform exalted above the people in the pews. I seem to recall Jesus warning the people to beware of those who wrapped themselves in such regalia and took the best seats in the house. Even more intimidating is the mandate of Exodus 20.26, "And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it."

Perhaps that is why we wear robes. But does this not suggest that the preacher is more naked than the parishioner? After all, the parishioner is neither robed nor seated on a high platform. It is the preacher who stands in the pulpit, robed in a splendor which usually speaks more of academic than of spiritual achievement, and declares, "Thus says the Lord!"

Here is the punch line to this most magnificent joke. The preacher is the most naked of all. Yet God, in his infinite mercy and grace, somehow uses the inadequate and often presumptuous words of a common sinner to clothe the naked with a measure of heavenly splendor and feed the hungry with the bread of life.

Worship and the Apocalypse

Texts: Job 38.1-11, 42.1-5; Revelation 19.4-16; John 1.29-34

Trinity Sunday

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The vision of Revelation, as my old seminary professor Robert Mulholland so aptly points out in his brilliant but unfortunately out of print commentary, presents two contrasting realities, symbolized by two cities: New Jerusalem and Fallen Babylon. The citizens of these cities are characterized, respectively, by worship of God and worship of the beast. As the vision unfolds, this overarching theme of worship becomes clear. Revelation is best understood holistically, as one synchronous vision. The central event of the vision, around which all other events turn and eventually return to, is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus “has conquered” and is therefore worthy to “open the scroll and the seven seals” (5.5). Through this one decisive act, God has revealed his whole will and purpose. All creation is invited to join in the song around the throne of glory. That is, all creation is invited to enter into the experience of worship. Indeed, all creation does worship, but some do not worship around the throne. Some worship, instead, the image of the beast and join with the dragon in his rebellion against God. But whether you worship the one true God or any number of imitations, the message of John’s vision in Revelation is worship shapes and defines your character and identity.

Throughout Revelation, there is developed the contrast between the redeemed order and the rebellious order, that is, New Jerusalem and Fallen Babylon, each in the process of being conformed to the image of that which they worship. The redeemed, “coming out of the great tribulation”(7.14ff), stand before God’s throne and “serve him day and night in his temple,” gradually experiencing more and more of the fullness of God’s presence around them until, at last, all hunger, thirst, pain, and tears are done away with. The rebellious, conversely, worship the beast and imagine it to be invincible, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” (13.4).

The idea of human beings worshiping the image of “the beast” is hardly an innovation. When the people of Israel became impatient waiting for Moses to come down from Mount Sinai (Exodus 32), they made for themselves a golden calf and worshiped it as their god. When Moses finally did come down from the mountain, he found the Israelites behaving much like the beast they were worshiping. Similarly, those who follow after “the beast” in Revelation eventually become much like that which they worship. Thus, what would seem initially to be an ascription of praise becomes a comical farce. “Who is like the beast?” Those who worship the beast are “like the beast.” Having created a god ostensibly in their own image, they have become enslaved by what it represents, namely, their own vanity and self-indulgent passions.

As the redeemed and the rebellious are conformed, respectively, to the image of that which they worship, they each begin longing for the ultimate outcome of the choice they have made. The redeemed long for God to complete his work of redemption and vindicate those who have suffered at the hands of the rebellious. The souls under the altar cry out, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (6.10). Most dramatic, however, is the prayer at the end of the book, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (22.20). This is the prayer of the church for all things to be made complete, for redemption in its fullness at the personal, corporate, and cosmic levels. It expresses the church’s longing for the victory of God in Christ to be made manifest throughout all creation.

Conversely, the rebellious begin to cry out for their own destruction, longing for death in order that they might be relieved of the intolerable suffering which they have brought upon themselves. It is a relief they do not receive. For those who worship the beast and its image “have no rest, day or night” (14.11). Yet, “the dead who die in the Lord” are to “rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them” (14.13). The “rest” here is the Sabbath which yet remains for the followers of the Lamb but will be forever out of the reach of “these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name” (14.11). They will be trapped in an endless cycle of labor, suffering, and pain, symbolized in “the number of the beast,” six hundred sixty six (666).

The marriage supper of the Lamb, described in today's reading, provides another stark contrast between the redeemed and the rebellious. For the redeemed, it is a feast of celebration, complete with a loud, heavenly chorus (19.6-8). For the beast and its followers, it is a dinner of doom in which they are the main course for “all the birds that fly directly overhead” (19.17ff).

Whatever other impressions one gets from reading the Apocalypse, one comes through loud and clear: worship is an inescapable reality of life. If we worship God, we will become like him: holy, righteous, pure, and truly alive. If we worship the beast, we will become like it: corrupt, vile, ruthless, and ultimately devoid of life.

Holy, Holy, Holy

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

• R. Heber

When forgiveness is not desired

Texts: Proverbs 10.1-12, 1 Timothy 1.1-17, Matthew 12.22-32

Commemoration: Copernicus

Almighty God, who have made the heavens to tell your glory and the firmament to proclaim your handiwork: we bless you for placing us in a rational universe, and for giving us rational minds suited for understanding it; and today we praise you especially for the gifts of intellect that you have given to your servants Nicolas Copernicus and others, by which our understanding of the nature of your creation has been much advanced, to our good and your glory, who live and reign, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

"And all the people," Matthew writes, "were amazed, and said, 'Could this be the Son of David?'" What had happened to cause the people to begin asking openly if Jesus might be the long awaited Anointed One? He had healed "a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute . . . so that the man spoke and saw." But some did not share in the enthusiasm, for "when the Pharisees heard it, they said, 'It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.'"

Not only was this claim callous, it was also perilous, placing these self-proclaimed religious know-it-alls in danger of eternal separation from God. For Jesus warns them that "every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."

What was it which the Pharisees said which placed them outside the forgiveness of God? What was their "blasphemy against the Spirit?" Was it merely an outward act, a careless word spoken out of ignorance or hard-heartedness? Did the Pharisees' real sin involve only the words of their mouths, or did it involve, moreso, the attitude of their hearts? Were not their careless words merely a manifestation of a callous attitude which so clouded their perception that they could not even acknowledge, much less glorify, God even when the power of his Holy Spirit was on display right before their very eyes?

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin not because of any failure on God's part to forgive "every sin and blasphemy." Rather, "whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come" because such forgiveness is not desired. The merciful, forgiving, and healing God revealed in and through Jesus Christ is a total stranger to such a person, so much so that he is unable to give God all the glory, but instead gives the devil all the credit.

Come, Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,
And lighten with celestial fire;
Thou the anointing Spirit art,
Who dost Thy sev’nfold gifts impart.

Refrain

Praise to Thy eternal merit,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Thy blessèd unction from above
Is comfort, life, and fire of love;
Enable with perpetual light
The dullness of our blinded sight.

Refrain

Anoint and cheer our soilèd face
With the abundance of Thy grace;
Keep far our foes, give peace at home;
Where Thou art Guide, no ill can come.

Refrain

Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And Thee, of both, to be but One;
That through the ages all along
This, this may be our endless song.

Refrain

• R. Maurus

Pentecost: The beginning of the last days

Texts: Genesis 11.1-9, Acts 2.1-21, John 14.8-17

Pentecost

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,” Peter (quoting the prophet Joel) says to the crowd at Pentecost (Acts 2.17). Most peddlers of “last days” hysteria conveniently overlook this reference to such a time being punctuated by an outpouring of God’s Spirit, enabling sons and daughters to prophesy, young men to see visions, old men to dream dreams. Likewise, they overlook the fact that all Scriptural references to “last days” strongly imply it is a period which had already begun at the time the New Testament was being written. Peter’s sermon is perhaps the most explicit, drawing a direct connection between the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the fulfillment of Joel’s “last days” prophecy (although the prophet himself does not use the term in the passage cited by the Apostle).

The implication is clear. The birth of the church is the beginning of the “last days,” a kairos moment in which the eschatological kingdom of God breaks forth into the midst of human history. The fullness of God’s plan for the redemption of the world has been revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What remains to be completed is the proclamation of this Good News to the ends of the earth. That is the mission of the church, empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry on the work which Christ began.

It is inevitable that a church so empowered to proclaim the Word of God with boldness and perform signs and wonders as evidence of the inbreaking of the kingdom of God will encounter fierce opposition at the hands of the fallen order to whose end the church bears witness. In the face of such opposition, some marginal believers will fall away while others will seek accommodation by watering down the Gospel message. These negative characteristics of the “last days” are often emphasized by contemporary commentators without giving proper attention to the corresponding positive characteristics manifest at Pentecost. As a result, many believers have come to view mounting opposition, decreasing church membership, and proliferation of false teachings as a sign of the church’s waning influence. Resigned to the fact that the church will ultimately fail in its mission, they place their hope in the escapist fantasy that they will soon be snatched out of this miserable world before God completely destroys it.

It is precisely this kind of attitude which robs the church of its power. A spiritually impotent church is not living in the “last days,” no matter how obsessed it may be with events in the Middle East, computer micro chip technology, and the resurgence of ancient pagan religions. The church that is truly living in the “last days” is the church so empowered by the Spirit of God that its very presence in the midst of the fallen world is a threat to that world’s continued existence; a presence so powerful and transforming that the world will do everything in its imaginary power to stave off its inevitable end.

Come Holy Ghost, Our Hearst Inspire

Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire,
Let us Thine influence prove:
Source of the old prophetic fire,
Fountain of life and love.

Come, Holy Ghost, for moved by Thee
The prophets wrote and spoke;
Unlock the truth, Thyself the key,
Unseal the sacred book.

Expand Thy wings, celestial Dove,
Brood o’er our nature’s night;
On our disordered spirits move,
And let there now be light.

God, through Himself, we then shall know
If Thou within us shine,
And sound with all Thy saints below,
The depths of love divine.

• Charles Wesley

No reward for good behavior

Texts: Ezekiel 36.22-27, Ephesians 6.10-24, Matthew 9.18-26

The people of Israel did not deserve what God promised them through the prophet Ezekiel. They were in exile because of their disobedience. In a foreign land, they had been no more faithful than they had been in their homeland. There would be no reward for good behavior. Yet, God promised they would be returned to their homeland. It sounds crazy, but it's true. Israel was going to be blessed again, in spite of itself.

From the very beginning, God had a lot more at stake in setting apart Israel than Israel did. He was putting the holiness of his name on the line for a people he knew would never live up to their end of the covenant. He would love them, nurture them, provide for them; and they would despise him, rebel against him, and profane his name. Unless something drastic happened, the God who chose Israel as his special possession would become a laughingstock among all the nations of the world.

But something drastic was about to happen. God was going to demonstrate his faithfulness to an unfaithful people in a big way and, in so doing, vindicate his name among the nations.

"Therefore, say to the house of Israel," God directs Ezekiel, "Thus says the LORD GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them."

For generation, the people of Israel had acted in their own self-interest. They had turned inward toward themselves, creating gods in their own image and vainly trying to make a name for themselves. Whenever human beings act in such a way, the result is chaos. Selfishness leads to self-destruction.

But now, God declares that he is about to act in a way that appears, from a human perspective, to be in his own self-interest. When he acts "for the sake of my holy name" to "vindicate the holiness of my great name," then "the nations will know that I am the LORD." The salvation of Israel has as its sole purpose the exaltation of God, and God alone.

But there is a big difference between human beings acting in their self-interest and God acting in his self-interest. Human beings are selfish, self-centered, and self-important. They only want what's best for themselves. But their eyes are too blind to see that what they think is best for them will, in the end, turn out to be the worst for all. God, however, is selfless, self-giving, and self-sacrificial. He wants what is best for the people he created in his image. If this means allowing his name to be profaned for a season in order that he might have it vindicated at the proper time, so be it.

When God blesses whom he chooses to bless, it is not for their sake, but for his. Salvation is his idea, his prerogative, his initiative. Through Israel in Ezekiel's day, through the church today and through the ages, he acts to vindicate his holiness and to spread his blessing throughout all the nations.

Glorious is Thy Name, O Lord

Glorious is Thy Name, O Lord!
Heav’n and earth with one accord
Tell Thy greatness, part revealed,
But the larger part concealed.
How shall we poor singers dare
Seek Thy face in praise and prayer?

Fearful is Thy Name, O Lord!
Dread Thy voice and sharp Thy sword;
Thunders roll around Thy path;
None can stand before Thy wrath!
How shall trembling sinners dare
Lift their voice in praise and prayer?

Yet with all Thy wondrous might
Far beyond our mortal sight,
Perfect wisdom, boundless powers,
Thou, O glorious God! art ours.
So, though filled with awe, we dare
Name Thy Name in praise and prayer.

Since, to save a world undone,
Thou didst give Thine only Son,
All Thy greatness, Lord Most High,
Brings Thee to our hearts more nigh.
Thus in faith and hope we dare
Claim Thy love in praise and prayer.

• Henry Twells

Saturday morning Psalter redux

Texts: Psalm 87, 90; Numbers 11.16-17; Ephesians 2.11-22; Matthew 7.28-8.4

Once again today, the Psalter brings us back to two Psalms which have inspired a number of well-known, as well as lesser known, hymns. John Newton's "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken" (Psalm 87) and Isaac Watts' "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" (Psalm 90) are probably the best known adaptations, respectively. However, there are numerous others worth mentioning, as well. The Psalter, published in 1912 by The United Presbyterian Board of Publication, included this adaptation of Psalm 87.

Zion, founded on the mountains,
God, thy Maker, loves thee well;
He has chosen thee, most precious,
He delights in thee to dwell;
God’s own city, God’s own city,
God’s own city, who can all thy glory tell?

Heathen lands and hostile peoples
Soon shall come the Lord to know;
Nations born again in Zion
Shall the Lord’s salvation show;
God Almighty, God Almighty,
God Almighty, shall on Zion strength bestow.

When the Lord shall count the nations,
Sons and daughters He shall see,
Born to endless life in Zion,
And their joyful song shall be:
“Blessèd Zion, blessèd Zion,
Blessèd Zion, all our fountains are in thee.”

In that same publication is included this adaptation of Psalm 90, matched with the tune, ST. CATHERINE, most often associated with "Faith of Our Fathers."

Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place
Through all the ages of our race;
Before the mountains had their birth,
Or Thou hadst formed the earth;
From everlasting Thou art God,
To everlasting our abode.

At Thy command man fades and dies
And newborn generations rise;
A thousand years are passed away,
And all to Thee are but a day;
Yea, like the watchers of the night,
With Thee the ages wing their flight.

Man soon yields up his fleeting breath
Before the swelling tide of death;
Like transient sleep his seasons pass,
His life is like the tender grass,
Luxuriant ’neath the morning sun
And withered ere the day is done.

Man in Thine anger is consumed,
And unto grief and sorrow doomed;
Before Thy clear and searching sight
Our secret sins are brought to light;
Beneath Thy wrath we pine and die,
Our life expiring like a sigh.

For threescore years and ten we wait,
Or fourscore years if strength be great;
But grief and toil attend life’s day,
And soon our spirits fly away;
O who with true and reverent thought
Can fear Thine anger as he ought?

O teach Thou us to count our days
And set our hearts on wisdom’s ways
Turn, Lord, to us in our distress
In pity now Thy servants bless;
Let mercy’s dawn dispel our night,
And all our day with joy be bright.

O send the day of joy and light,
For long has been our sorrow’s night;
Afflicted through the weary years,
We wait until Thy help appears;
In all Thy children Thou abide,
In us let God be glorified.

So let there be on us bestowed
The beauty of the Lord our God;
The work accomplished by our hand
Establish Thou, and make it stand;
Yea, let our hopeful labor be
Established evermore by Thee.

Another version of the same Psalm is also included.

Lord, through all the generations
Of the children of our race,
In our fears and tribulations,
Thou hast been our dwelling place.
Ere the vast and wide creation
By Thy word was caused to be,
Or the mountains held their station,
Thou art God eternally.

Each succeeding generation
At Thy mighty word appears;
Thou dost count in time’s duration
One day as a thousand years.
Death, with swift and sudden warning,
Calls us from life’s dream away,
Like the grass, green in the morning,
Withered ere the close of day.

In Thy wrath our spirits languish,
Sinful ’neath Thy searching eye;
All our days are passed in anguish,
In Thy wrath we pine and die.
Threescore years and ten we tarry,
Fourscore years the strong may stay,
Long the load of grief to carry,
Till at last we fly away.

Who can weigh Thy just displeasure,
Who can fear Thee as he ought?
Teach us now our days to measure
And to wisdom turn our thought.
Lord, return, regard our sadness,
With Thy servants now abide;
Fill our days with joy and gladness,
With Thy mercy satisfied.

Long the clouds of evil lower;
Bless us now with gladsome days;
Let Thy servants see Thy power,
Let their children learn Thy praise.
On us let the grace and beauty
Of the Lord our God remain,
Strengthen us for noble duty
That our work be not in vain.

Ascension: What is and is to be

Texts: Daniel 7.9-14, Hebrews 2.5-18, Matthew 28.16-20 (see also Acts 1.1-11)

Ascension Day

Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Christ's ascension into heaven is, for the church, the symbol of what she is and is to be in him. As Christ, having endured the ordeal of suffering, death, and resurrection, is vindicated as the true Son of Man (Luke's account of the ascension in Acts 1.1-11 is replete with the imagery Daniel 7.13-14, including Jesus' being taken up to heaven in a cloud), so the church, having endured the same, will be united with Christ in everlasting glory.

There are two ways in which we are not to anticipate this final, glorious consummation of the union of Christ and the church. First, we are not to concern ourselves with "the times or periods the Father has set by his own authority." Rather, we are to be Christ's witnesses "in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Luke's account of the ascension roughly corresponds with the conclusion of Matthew's Gospel,in which Jesus commands his disciples to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."

Second, we are not to waste our time staring off into space, waiting for Jesus to drop out of the sky. Jesus, the disciples are told, "will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Here is where it becomes very important for the church to understand the nature of her union with Christ and how that union is consummated. How the disciples "saw" Jesus "go into heaven" must be understood in the much wider context of the ordeal of suffering, death, and resurrection which preceded this particular episode. The account of Acts 1.1-11 is only the culmination of a series of events which began with Jesus' setting his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9.51).

Thus, for Jesus to "come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven" must involve the ordeal of suffering, death, and resurrection. This does not mean that Jesus himself must literally go through that ordeal again. Rather, it means the church, the Bride of Christ, must continually remember that singular event which brought her into existence. It is through worship that the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ is kept constantly at the forefront of the church's memory as she prays and longs for her Bridegroom to come and make their union complete.

The proper attitude, then, for anticipating Christ's coming in glory is the attitude of worship. Such an attitude forms the church's whole understanding of herself as a community in covenant with God, empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses for Christ "to the ends of the earth," being assured by her Lord, "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise

Hail the day that sees Him rise, Alleluia!
To His throne above the skies, Alleluia!
Christ, awhile to mortals given, Alleluia!
Reascends His native heaven, Alleluia!

There the glorious triumph waits, Alleluia!
Lift your heads, eternal gates, Alleluia!
Christ hath conquered death and sin, Alleluia!
Take the King of glory in, Alleluia!

Circled round with angel powers, Alleluia!
Their triumphant Lord, and ours, Alleluia!
Conqueror over death and sin, Alleluia!
“Take the King of glory in! Alleluia!”

Him though highest Heav’n receives, Alleluia!
Still He loves the earth He leaves, Alleluia!
Though returning to His throne, Alleluia!
Still He calls mankind His own, Alleluia!

See! He lifts His hands above, Alleluia!
See! He shows the prints of love, Alleluia!
Hark! His gracious lips bestow, Alleluia!
Blessings on His church below, Alleluia!

Still for us His death He pleads, Alleluia!
Prevalent He intercedes, Alleluia!
Near Himself prepares our place, Alleluia!
Harbinger of human race, Alleluia!

Master, (will we ever say), Alleluia!
Taken from our head to day, Alleluia!
See Thy faithful servants, see, Alleluia!
Ever gazing up to Thee, Alleluia!

Grant, though parted from our sight, Alleluia!
Far above yon azure height, Alleluia!
Grant our hearts may thither rise, Alleluia!
Seeking Thee beyond the skies, Alleluia!

Ever upward let us move, Alleluia!
Wafted on the wings of love, Alleluia!
Looking when our Lord shall come, Alleluia!
Longing, gasping after home, Alleluia!

There we shall with Thee remain, Alleluia!
Partners of Thy endless reign, Alleluia!
There Thy face unclouded see, Alleluia!
Find our heaven of heavens in Thee, Alleluia!

• Charles Wesley

Idleness leads to division

Texts: Leviticus 23.23-44; 2 Thessalonians 3.1-18; Matthew 7.13-21

Commemoration: Julian of Norwich

Lord God, who in your compassion granted to the Lady Julian many revelations of your nurturing and sustaining love: Move our hearts, like hers, to seek you above all things, for in giving us yourself you give us all; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

One common characteristic of prophetic leaders in Israel—from Moses to John the Baptist—is their reluctance to take on a task which promised little in the way of comfort and much in the way of hardship. Moses, having grown comfortable tending his father-in-law’s sheep, tried to negotiate his way out of his call to be Israel’s deliverer. Amos, also, would have been content to remain “a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore trees.” Jonah had to spend three days in the belly of a fish before being convinced to go to Ninevah. Jeremiah thought himself too young to be taken seriously. Even Isaiah, before saying, “Here am I. Send me,” was overwhelmed by his unworthiness to stand in the presence of God.

The reluctance of the biblical prophets stands in stark contrast to present-day prophetic wannabes. Claiming the mantle of Elijah seems to have become the last refuge of these ecclesiastical scoundrels in their flagging effort to cling to some semblance of significance at a time when the Christian community (and no small portion of the secular community) has long since seen through their charade. The fact that the vast majority of Christians who read the Bible, regularly attend worship, and say their faith actually influences all aspects of their lives don’t buy their “inclusive” and “tolerant” brand of Christianity is seen by these fading apologists for the old order as proof positive that they are, in fact, being prophetic. After all, they tell us, the prophets of old were also ignored by the majority of the people.

Perhaps some of the old prophets did have a problem getting a fair hearing from the public. But they didn’t spend most of their time complaining about it. Neither did they constantly go around telling the people to listen to them because they were prophets. Their sole purpose was to proclaim the Word of God, not to call attention to themselves. Jesus could identify John the Baptist as Elijah, but he who said he was unworthy to untie Jesus’ sandals would never make such a claim on his own.

The gift of prophecy ought to be readily apparent to a community endued with the spirit of discernment. If some persons have to keep reminding the community that they are prophets, it is most likely they are no such thing.

Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."

Paul's warning to the Thessalonians is similar. He tells them to be wary of those who seek personal gain without contributing to the edification of the community. "Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," Paul writes, "that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us." Such persons, he says, are "not busy at work, but busybodies." They do not have the best interests of the Body at heart. Their "idleness" will undermine the work of the church and lead to division. From the very beginning, the Evil One's strategy for undermining unity in the body of Christ has begun at the local level. That is no less true today than it was in Paul's day. Division starts within a small group, but it has a tendency to spread to the whole body if it is not confronted directly at its source.

"If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter," Paul writes, "take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed." But, for those who are faithful, even the shunning of the idle errant serves the larger purpose of unity in the body, for Paul also says, "Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother."

Christ is Made the Sure Foundation

Christ is made the sure Foundation,
Christ the Head and Cornerstone;
Chosen of the Lord, and precious,
Binding all the Church in one,
Holy Zion’s Help forever,
And her Confidence alone.

All that dedicated city,
Dearly loved of God on high,
In exultant jubilation,
Pours perpetual melody,
God the One in Three adoring
In glad hymns eternally.

To this temple, where we call Thee,
Come, O Lord of Hosts, today;
With Thy wonted lovingkindness
Hear Thy servants as they pray.
And Thy fullest benediction
Shed within its walls alway.

Here vouchsafe to all Thy servants
What they ask of Thee to gain;
What they gain from Thee forever
With the blessèd to retain,
And hereafter in Thy glory
Evermore with Thee to reign.

Laud and honor to the Father,
Laud and honor to the Son,
Laud and honor to the Spirit,
Ever Three and ever One;
Consubstantial, co-eternal,
While unending ages run.

• Unknown

The son of destruction

Texts: Leviticus 23.1-22, 2 Thessalonians 2.1-17, Matthew 7.1-12

Commemoration: Harriet Starr Cannon

Gracious God, you called Mother Harriet and her companions to revive the religious life in the Anglican Church by founding the religious community of St. Mary, and to dedicate their lives to you: Grant that, after their example, we may ever surrender ourselves to the revelation of your holy will; through our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

It is a term that appears only twice in the New Testament but has become one of several terms used by self-appointed "prophecy experts" to describe the ultimate end times villain. Synonymous with "the Antichrist," "the Beast," and "the man of lawlessness" is "the son of destruction" (or "son of perdition," as rendered in some older translations). But, based on the actual textual evidence, only the latter term, "the man of lawlessness," is truly a synonym, for Paul uses the terms interchangeably in 2 Thessalonians 2.3. The only other reference to "the son of destruction" is John 17.12, a very obvious reference to Judas Iscariot, the Lord's betrayer, during Jesus' high priestly prayer. Paul's later reference seems much more obscure, leading many to create imaginative scenarios whereby a an evil world dictator emerges and inflicts untold suffering on the world before finally being defeated by the returning Christ.

Kept in their proper context, however, both references to "the son of destruction" bear remarkable similarities. Jesus refers to Judas as "the son of destruction" in recognition of the fact that Judas will be the only one of the Twelve who is "lost" in order "that the Scripture might be fulfilled." He will commit an act of rebellion, betraying Jesus into the hands of his enemies, setting in motion a series of events which culminate, after a period of suffering, in the vindication of Jesus and the undoing of his enemies.

The scenario John lays out in his Gospel, with Judas in the role of "the son of destruction," is much the same as that laid out by Paul in 2 Thessalonians. Here, "the son of destruction," also called "the man of lawlessness" and "the lawless one," serves the same function as Judas. He commits an act of rebellion, setting in motion a series of events which culminate, after a period of suffering, in the vindication of "the Lord Jesus" who "will kill [the lawless one] with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming."

In both instances, "the son of destruction" plays a pivotal role in setting in motion the classic biblical scenario of "the Day of the Lord," a decisive moment in which God acts in the midst of human history, making plain the choice between good and evil, blessing and curse, life and death. It is the scenario that was first played out in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve committed an act of rebellion and set in motion the catastrophic series of events which could ultimately find resolution only in the coming of God's Anointed One.

Both John and Paul were immersed in the apocalyptic worldview of first century Judaism. They were well acquainted with the numerous Old Testament references to "the Day of the Lord." They were very intentional in connecting the events surrounding Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection with that promised decisive act of God in the midst of human history. God was, indeed, making all things new, reconciling the world to himself in Christ. But this glorious act of new creation was not yet complete. Paul is very careful to remind the Thessalonians of the tenuous time in which they were living. Just as he had with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and with Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane, "the son of destruction" would raise his ugly head yet again. But whenever, wherever, and however that happens, the victorious Son of God and Son of Man will, as he did at Calvary, just as easily crush him.

Jesus Shall Reign

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Behold the islands with their kings,
And Europe her best tribute brings;
From north to south the princes meet,
To pay their homage at His feet.

There Persia, glorious to behold,
There India shines in eastern gold;
And barbarous nations at His word
Submit, and bow, and own their Lord.

To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His head;
His Name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His Name.

Blessings abound where’er He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blessed.

Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.

Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen!

• Isaac Watts

The model prayer

Texts: Leviticus 16.20-34, 1 Thessalonians 5.1-11, Matthew 6.7-15

Commemoration: Monnica

O Lord, who through spiritual discipline strengthened your servant Monnica to persevere in offering her love and prayers and tears for the conversion of her husband and of Augustine their son: Deepen our devotion, we pray, and use us in accordance with your will to bring others, even our own kindred, to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Although the Lord's Prayer has become a standard part of most church liturgies, Jesus' real purpose was not to give us a specific prayer, but a pattern for prayer which keeps us focused on the holiness and majesty of God, his kingdom, his gracious provision for our lives, and his power to save us.

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." When we enter into the presence of God, we should always, first and foremost, acknowledge his holiness and praise his name. The purpose of prayer is to commune with God, not simply to rattle off a litany of our wants and needs. God is the primary actor in prayer, for it is by his grace and the power of his Holy Spirit that we are drawn to him in the first place. We do not come to him under our own strength, for we are not capable of turning to him on our own. Our first priority in prayer, then, is to give him the praise that is due him, for he is the One who has initiated the conversation.

"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." The hope of every believer is the consummation of God's kingdom; the remaking of the whole created order according to his will and purpose. Not only heaven, but earth, as well, will one day reflect the fullness of the glory of God. We pray in anticipation of this hope being realized, giving expression to the hope of the whole creation.

"Give us this day our daily bread. . ." Literally, "Give us today our bread for tomorrow." We trust in God today to provide all the provisions we will need for the future. Jesus will elaborate on this in vv. 25-34. We are not to be anxious or worried about what tomorrow may bring. God provides for us all that we need for today, and will be faithful to provide, also, for tomorrow.

". . . and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors." Jesus elaborates on this at the end of the prayer, admonishing us of the need to forgive others if we are to be forgiven by God. "For if you forgive others their trespasses," he says, "your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Forgiveness is a way of life for the believer who walks daily with the Father and communes with him in prayer.

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Our heavenly Father, of course, will never lead us into temptation. This is not a request that he refrain from doing something he would never do. It is, rather, an acknowledgement of our own weakness in the face of temptation and his power to deliver us from, literally, "the evil one," the tempter himself. To win the victory over temptation and sin, we must rely on the power of God to deliver us, and not on our own strength. Salvation is the work of God. As he has saved us by his grace, so he will also, by his grace, keep us from falling again into the snare of the tempter. We need only yield our will to his will and remember, at all times, to give praise and honor and glory to his holy name.

Father in Heaven, Hear Us Today

Father in Heaven, hear us today;
Hallowed Thy name be; hear us, we pray!
O let Thy kingdom come, O let Thy will be done,
By all beneath the sun, as in the skies.

Father in Heaven, hear us today;
Hallowed Thy name be; hear us, we pray!
Giver of daily food, Fountain of truth and good,
Be all our hearts imbued with love like Thine.

Father in Heaven, hear us today;
Hallowed Thy name be; hear us, we pray!
Lead us in paths of light, save us from sin and blight,
King of all love and might, glorious for aye.

Charles G. Ames

The "secret" of the kingdom

Texts: Leviticus 16.1-19; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18; Matthew 6.1-6, 16-18

Outward appearances meant everything to the "hypocrites" who were always exalting themselves over everyone else. They wanted others to praise them for practicing their "righteousness" openly. When they gave to the needy, they made sure everyone knew about it. When they prayed, they stood in the synagogues and loudly proclaimed their thanksgiving to God for having not made them like other people. When they fasted, they wanted everyone to know it by the gloomy countenance on their faces.

Such persons got exactly what they wanted. They were praised by others for their outward piety. But inwardly, they were still the same. All their acts of righteousness gained them noting but the accolades of the crowds. Jesus warns against this kind of false religiosity. The kind of "righteousness" that truly honors God is that which is practiced not in public, but in secret.

Give to the needy, but let the joy of giving be its own reward. Cultivate a life of prayer, but keep your focus on God, not yourself.

Spend your prayer time in secret, where you can be open and honest with God about your faults, your failures, your struggles, as well as be genuinely thankful for his blessings.

Practice fasting, but don't make it a public spectacle. Glorify God in your fasting by maintaining an outward appearance that reflects the inward joy you receive from walking daily in his presence.

The "secret" of the kingdom of God, the path to perfection and holiness, is the inner life of constant communion with God. The "righteousness" we practice outwardly is to be a reflection of the righteousness God is cultivating within us through the work of his Holy Spirit, forming and shaping us into the image and likeness of Christ.

Sweet Hour of Prayer

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

• William Walford