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A number of years ago Cheryl and I attended a fiftieth wedding anniversary celebration of some former members of our congregation. Part of the celebration was a worship service at which the couple renewed their vows. It was wonderful to hear different people offer tributes and memories and testimonies about this couple. Their sons offered touching recollections and light-hearted ribbings.

A recurring theme was the wonderful way they lived, how they treated each other and all those around them. The presiding minister’s message was based on Psalm 23:6, how “goodness and mercy” have followed them. That was true, and goodness and mercy have flowed through them to others.

After the slide shows and accolades were complete, the husband arose to say a few words. In his usual humble and gracious manner, he thanked everyone for attending and affirmed that he and his wife loved everyone there. The man always spoke in a sincere and genuine fashion, and this was no exception. He went on to say that this celebration was not really about himself and his wife, but it was about God’s goodness in their lives. He shared a wonderful witness of his faith in Jesus and how that made everything in their life together worthwhile and meaningful.

When the Billy Graham Museum opened in Charlotte, North Carolina, news reports said the evangelist had toured it with his son, Franklin, before it opened.  As Graham finished the tour, his son Franklin asked how he had liked the tribute. The gruff reply: “Too much Billy Graham.”  Franklin Graham said, “The last thing my father wanted was to have a monument to himself.” In an email interview, Dr. Graham said, “I’m humbled that anyone would want to honor me in this way.” He added that he had instructed Franklin and other museum designers “to point people to Christ rather than to make it too much about me.”

These two godly men gave me powerful reminders of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. It is not about who I am or what I can do or what I have done or even what I will do. It is all about Jesus, who He is and what He has done. The only-begotten Son of God came into this world as one of us, to live among us, to live a life without sin and offer that life as complete payment for the sins of all people. The promise is that everyone who puts his or her faith in Him will receive the benefit of everything He did. Forgiveness, life eternal and salvation become our possession through faith in Jesus as our Savior. We escape our deserved punishment for His sake. Because of that, the focus of our lives on earth becomes living in a way that responds to God’s goodness.

Disciples of Jesus will want to dedicate themselves to humble service. Life is not about receiving awards and plaques or getting your name in the paper – It is about helping your neighbor. Jesus points us in this direction in Matthew 24: I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

I’ve given you some masculine examples of this, but I don’t want to ignore the feminine. It has been a privilege for me to work in an advisory role with the women’s organization of our church, Lutheran Women in Mission, at the congregational, area, state and national levels. I loved working with them because they are all about getting the message of Jesus to more people. They are also committed to doing so in a humble manner. This is the pledge of this organization:

In fervent gratitude for the Savior’s dying love and His blood-bought gift of redemption we dedicate ourselves to Him with all that we are and have; and in obedience to His call for workers in the harvest fields, we pledge Him our willing service wherever and whenever He has need of us. We consecrate to our Savior our hands to work for Him, our feet to go on His errands, our voice to sing His praises, our lips to proclaim His redeeming love, our silver and our gold to extend His Kingdom, our will to do His will, and every power of our life to the great task of bringing the lost and the erring into eternal fellowship with Him. Amen.

A humble disciple will want to echo the sentiment of John the Baptizer when Jesus came on to the scene: He must become greater; I must become less, or, as some translations have it, He must increase, I must decrease (John 3:30). I hope you will join me in praying that God will make more and more of us His humble and willing servants.

John 3:16–17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

A good friend in college used to love the old reruns of “I Love Lucy.” He would watch them and use lines from the show in conversation. One he used many times was Ricky saying, “Lucy, you got some splaining to do!”

The term “mansplaining” has been around for a while. I wonder if that word was inspiried by Ricky Ricardo? It has a negative connotation, describing the way a man explains something to a woman in a condescending or patronizing way.

I just recently heard the term “Godsplaining,” and I assumed it was also being used in a negative way. While I am sure there are those who use it in a critical way, I was surprised to find out there is a group of Dominican Friars who have a podcast with the title “Godsplaining.”  They are using the term in a positive manner, trying to explain their theology and traditions to the world around them.

That is what each of us has been called to do: tell others what we know about God. The reason we need to do this is that they truly do not know who God is or what He has done for us.

At some point, someone  “Godsplained” to us, telling us the message of God as it is recorded in His Word. They told us about God creating the world in perfection, but man’s desire to “be like God” led them to go against the only rule God had given them. That brought sin and death into this world. In His mercy, God had a plan to rescue us from the death we all deserve. He would come down here, assume human flesh, and live a life without sin in order to pay the penalty our sins deserve in our place. He promised that everyone who put their faith in Jesus and what He did as our substitute would be forgiven and be able to live with Him from now on, forever, as a redeemed, forgiven and loved child.

1 Peter 3:13–16 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

We have all got some “splaining” to do.  “Godsplaining” that is. Lord help us to share what you have shared with us.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

This past Sunday, Cheryl played the keyboard for the late service at our congregation. It is up front in the chancel area. When she plays, I often run the PowerPoint slides for the service from the balcony, which I did on that day. Usually someone comes up to run the slides for me at the beginning of the distribution of Holy Communion so that I can come downstairs to commune with Cheryl and the Elders and Ushers assisting that day. For many years during my ministry, we were not able to take Holy Communion together, so we try to do so now as often as possible.

There was a mix-up and no one came upstairs, so I started the video/song that would play at the beginning of the distribution and hurried downstairs. Cheryl was about to kneel at the rail as I reached the doorway at the back of the sanctuary. I walked briskly up the aisle and knelt down beside her just in time to take the Lord’s Supper with her.

After the service, a member came up to me and said, “I saw you sprinting up to communion today. At first I laughed, but then It made me think that we should all have that attitude of ‘I can’t wait to get up there to take the Lord’s Supper!’”

Indeed. What a blessing God gives us in this Sacrament: The very body and blood of Jesus, which He offered to make payment for your sin. This is given to assure you that the forgiveness Jesus earned was FOR YOU. It makes it personal, coming to you through the tangible means of bread and wine, but by the power of God’s Word the body and blood of Jesus are truly there. Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

Something worth running to!

Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Today we conclude a brief look at the Apostle’s Creed by looking at what Martin Luther wrote in his Small Catechism about the Third Article.  The Holy Spirit is the person of the Triune God who makes us holy by leading us to faith and works to keep us holy, leading us to do good works that show our gratitude to God while showing our faith to the world.

 Sanctification

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

What does this mean?

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.

 This explanation has always been one of my favorite parts of the Catechism. It starts by saying, “I believe that I cannot believe in Jesus by my own power.” It is not my decision, but the power of the Holy Spirit working in me that leads me to faith. Even faith itself is a gift of God, affirming that if we are saved, it is all God’s doing and not our own. Our salvation doesn’t depend on us and what we do, but on Jesus and what He did for us all.

I rest in that knowledge.

1 Corinthians 12:3b …no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Yesterday I shared what Luther wrote about the First Article of the Apostle’s Creed. Today we look at the Second Article.

Redemption

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

That extremely long run-on sentence has a lot in it. It describes how Jesus took on flesh so that He could pay for the sins of everyone with His blood shed on the cross when He offered His life as a sacrifice. He did that so that we could be forgiven and live from now on as His people who know they are forgiven!

Plenty to think about and consider as you go through this day.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

As part of our nightly prayers before going to sleep each night, Cheryl and I recite the Apostle’s Creed together. We are reminding each other of the faith that we have in our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This creed is a statement of faith that summarizes what God tells us about Himself in His Word.

Luther offered explanations to the three articles of that Creed in his Small Catechism, designed to be used by the head of a household when teaching the faith to his family. This is what he wrote about the First Article.

Creation

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

What does this mean?

“I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.”

 It is good to remember that the God who loved us enough to provide for our salvation by sending His Son is the same one who made everything, including each of us, and still takes care of us in every way.

Reflect on that today.

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Leviticus 19:35 Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.

Deuteronomy 25:15 You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

While on our “Footsteps of Luther” tour earlier this year, As we were walking through an area of one city that had been an outdoor market for centuries, our guide stopped us and pointed to the side of a building. There were several metal bars of various lengths mounted there. He informed us that those were the measuring rods the buyers and sellers used to verify they were getting the correct quantity of the goods they purchased. For example, you could hold up a piece of cloth next to the rod to confirm the length you paid for was the length you received.

Scripture offers many cautions against using false measures in your dealings with people, encouraging instead that we be honest with one another. The verses above are an example of that.

God has standards for us as well, standards He uses to let us know how we measure up in His sight. The short list is the Ten Commandments, summarized by Jesus as loving God and loving others.

Matthew 22:37–39 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

When compared to God’s measuring rods, we are all found to be lacking. We are not the people He intended us to be. Paul affirms this very bluntly:

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

That is why Jesus came. Through His life, He measured up to God’s standards, living without sin. He offers that perfection to us as a gift because He knows we don’t have it on our own. And He offered that perfection for us on the cross so that we could be forgiven and have the assurance of God’s grace and mercy.

I thank God that Jesus did not fall short, measured up to the standard required for me.

Luke 16:1–13 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. ² So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ ³ “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— ⁴ I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ ⁵ “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ⁶ “ ‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’ ⁷ “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “ ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’ ⁸ “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. ⁹ I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. ¹⁰ “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹ So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? ¹² And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? ¹³ “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

This past Sunday the Pastor of the church we attended was leading a children’s message on the parable above. When I was growing up it was referred to as”The Parable of the Unjust Steward.” The ESV calls it “The Parable of the Dishonest Manager.” So the Pastor asked the children what it means to be dishonest. He didn’t get a lot of responses, so he asked, “What does it mean to be honest?”  That brought a couple of responses. Then he asked “Have you ever got in trouble?” and one little boy said, “Oh yeah!” And then it started.

This young man became a wealth of honesty. He told on himself, saying that two Fridays in a row he got the worst color you can get on the chart next to your name. The pastor asked him, “Was God happy about that?” This honest little fellow said, “Probably not.” The Pastor affirmed his answer, then asked each child if they had ever done anything wrong. Most of them admitted that they had. One little girl steadfastly insisted she had never done anything wrong.

The Pastor went back to the parable, saying how the Dishonest manager lied and stole from his boss. The honest little man from earlier volunteered how a coworker of his dad lied about doing some work that he hadn’t done. When the pastor went back to how the man in the parable stole, the honest little man said he steals things from his sister. Later he told how he got a spanking for stealing somone’s Halloween candy. The funniest part is this young man’s parents and grandparents were sitting right behind us, mortified by all the revelations he was making. The pastor did a good job of talking about sin and forgiveness, but he had his hands full.

It reminded me of when Cheryl was teaching preschool, and she would share some of the things kids told her in class, things that their parents would be horrified to know they had said. But they were being honest.

Proverbs 12:22 The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.

We know that even the most honest of children soon learn to be dishonest. It is not a God-pleasing thing, but it happens in this fallen world. And we deal with dishonesty every day. Often times the dishonesty is an effort to protect yourself from harm or having to pay for you wrong deeds. While that may work with other people, it doesn’t work with God.

God knows exactly who you are. He knows every sin, even the ones you manage to hide from other people. And He knows you deserve to be punished. But out of His amazing love, He let Jesus take your punishment. When you trust in Him, you get the forgiveness you don’t deserve. You have a place in heaven reserved for you for Jesus’ sake. We need to be truthful and honest in sharing that message.

Heavenly Father, help us to be as bold and honest as little children in telling the people we encounter the Good News of Jesus as our Savior. Amen.