The Three Cs

The setting of the Gospel of Saint Matthew is unlike the other three Gospels: It resounds with the proclamation that Jesus is the Messiah. Matthew moves quickly through the birth and infancy narratives of chapters one and two into the adult ministry of Jesus. But along the way Matthew sets the stage by showing how prophecies from Isaiah, Malachi, Zechariah, Hosea, and Jeremiah, in particular, effectively link Jesus to the Torah (Matt. 1:1-17), the virgin birth (Isa. 7:23) in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and as a survivor of a slaughter of innocents (Jer. 31:15) who comes out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1). As chapter three opens, John the Baptist, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-80) has begun his ministry as the one calling in the desert to turn the hearts of the fathers. Textual Notes 1 Ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις -- The expression “in those days” rings throughout prophetic scripture, serving as an important marker that something big is about to happen: Elijah has arrived to “...

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. I made a horrible mistake. For the longest time I thought godliness was something that came from me. Godliness, one dictionary will tell you, is a piety by virtue of being a godly person, or having a righteousness by virtue of being pious, or devout, or reverent. Therefore, if I am pious; therefore, if I am doing something righteous; therefore if I am being reverent, then I am living a godly life, the dictionary will tell you. Apparently, the people who wrote the definition haven't read the Bible. God has revealed a mystery to us here: Godliness isn't something you do. Godliness is something God does through you. Listen to the words of Timothy, again, as God reveals the mystery. The mystery of godliness is Jesus was manifested in the flesh (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35); Th...

From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: ‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ " Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,  saying,  "We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you  intend to bring this man's blood upon us."  But Peter and the apostles answered,  "We must obey God rather than men."

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. I don't know anyone who will agree with Paul on this passage. Really, Paul? Worst of sinners? I know you stoned Christians for confessing that Jesus is Lord, that you are a murderer (Acts 8:1), persecutor (1 Cor 15:9), and worst of all, blasphemer (Matt. 12:31; Lev. 24:15-16). But the worst of sinners? Really? I ...

I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. I have always been fascinated by the illustrations of light in the Bible. You know, God is light, right? Evil hates the light, because it exposes our dark deeds. We turn away from the light of the Word that became flesh because we cherish our sinful pleasures. In darkness, we learn to indulge in our selfishness, in our passions, in our debauchery, in our drunkenness, eventually losing sight of real life in God, the life was the light of men (John 1:4). And so in today's reading I couldn't help but spend a lot of time here in chapter 26. But unlike some of my previous studies of light, I was captivated by Paul's account of his conversion. This is the third time in Acts of the Apostles we hear the story of Saul's journey to Damascus. The first time...

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. I need to thank Pastor Ted Benson for today's sermon first. This entry is really just an extension of God's message through him today. But what a liberating message it was: Jesus plus nothing equals the true gospel. And it really is a reinforcement for my reading today, Acts 13-16. It is so easy to get caught in the snares of Satan. Believe, but if you don't study, you aren't saved, Satan will tell you. Believe, but if you don't speak in tongues, you aren't saved, he will tell you. Believe, but if you don't follow God's law, you aren't saved, he will tell you. Believe, but if you are sexually immoral, if you are a hater, if you are not devout, if you do this, if you don't do that, then you aren't saved...

To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives  forgiveness of sins through his name. Today's passage reminds me, you can't hear this message enough. Everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through his name. You caught that, right? Everyone! Not some believers. Everyone! As Peter reminds us through Luke's account of the early years after Pentecost, God has promised. He didn't just promise here. He promised Abraham (Gen. 15:6). More than that, Jesus himself promised.  Don't be afraid, just believe. Mark 5:36 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward. Mark 9:41 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one an...

Jesus said to them, Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. This is the Word that everyone needs to hear again. God didn't come to earth to save the righteous who practice the Religion of the Law (Mark 2:17). God came to earth to save the sinners who practice the Religion of the Gospel (John 7:38). God didn't come to earth to save the religious who think they are good people (Matt. 3:7-8). God came to earth to save those who will listen to him (John 8:47). Hear the truth of God: No one who is righteous. No one is faithful. No one is good enough. No one who can find favor with God. No one! We stink at Christianity. We ... are ... failures. So, turn! Turn and repent, Jesus is declaring. The Messiah has come. ...

And Saul approved of their killing him. There are certain passages of Scripture that just cut to the heart. Today, Day 2 of my reading of Acts, this line hit pretty hard, probably because of some recent conversations I have been having about calling sin sin. Saul, I was reminded, is a murderer. This devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee, someone who is supposed to be one of the Good Guys, conspired in the arrest, trial, conviction, and punishment of Christians. Saul was excellent at persecution. And here, he led the charge in stoning Stephen to death. Saul is a murderer. You understand what that means don't you? Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him (1 John 3:15). For out of the heart come evil thoughts — murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person (Matt. 15:19-20). Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the k...

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. Read it again. Take pause. Now believe it. Thankfully, recent polls seem to show that an extreme majority of Americans actually believe Jesus was resurrected from death. Just last year, the Tulsa World reported that a 2010 Rasmussen Reports survey found that 78 percent of Americans believe Christ was raised from the dead, 10 percent don't believe it and 11 percent aren't sure. And a 2009 Harris poll put belief in the Resurrection at 70 percent. But those numbers...

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life — the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us — that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.  And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. I can't help but ask, as I read this passage, what would I have done if I had seen Jesus 2,000 years ago. What would I have thought if I had seen him give sight to the blind? What would I have believed if I seen a dead man walk out of the tomb after Jesus called to him? Seriously. Think about this for a minute. Two thousand years ago, or even today, if you saw someone raise from the dead (John 11:38-43; M...

The streams of consciousness are beginning to flow regarding the LCMS pastor who gave the benediction at a interfaith "community" service in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., shootings. Apparently, even the media has been weighing in on how our church has responded. For starters, we have our president, the Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, explaining in a post at " Witness, Mercy and Life Together " how he handled the situation ...  I asked Pastor Morris to apologize for taking part in this service. I did this for several reasons: I believe his participation violated the limits set by Scripture regarding joint worship, particularly with those who reject Jesus (Romans 16:17), and was thus a violation of Article VI of the LCMS Constitution. Pastor Morris’s participation gave offense in the Synod, something we are to avoid, even if we are doing something we believe might be appropriate (1 Corinthians 8). I most sincerely desire to avoid deep and public contention in t...

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer  or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith.  The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.  They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.    We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.  We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,  for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and p...

The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Acts 13:27 I can't imagine that if I had been alive 2,000 years ago I would have recognized Jesus either. He was, after all, a man, right? And God is, after all, the creator of the Universe, which today we understand is so big that we can't even begin to comprehend how big it really is. Think about this for a second. There is a website called Scale of the Universe that does a good job helping you begin to understand. Neptune is only 4.5 billion kilometers away. We are only 2 million light years from the Andromeda Galaxy. The known radius of the universe is only 14 gigaparsecs, which in simpler terms is only 14 times 3.3 billion light years, or 3.3 x 10 25 meters. And God came to us. And the Jews didn't recognize him. Honestly, that doesn't surprise me. Jesus looked like a regular guy. The God of the Univers...