READINGS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE:
Genesis 22:1-14
Hebrews 9:11-15
St. John 8:46-59
Grace to you and peace. (1 Thess 1)
Who speaks to you on this day from His Gospel heard, saying:
“So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.”
Thus far the words from our Gospel reading, included in God’s Word in order to point us away from the seen to the unseen, for God’s Salvation is hidden in the suffering and crucified Lord, Jesus Christ. With this Faith, we should face the world unafraid, even of death, and in fact welcome death when it comes, because of the Resurrection of all flesh.
Jesus is not mentioned in the Old Testament reading today, at least not by name. This is because, as we have done in Service today, Jesus is hidden. Hidden that He may be found. A little backwards to us, but to the Lord, this is the way. The way of Abraham, the way of Isaac, the way of the cross where eternal life is hidden in death.
Upon Abraham is laid the cross, in this Word from the Lord. One part of that is the command to sacrifice his only son, whom he loves. And what a command it is! Aren’t you glad you don’t have that cross? Thus, we cannot imagine the anguish and the despair in Abraham’s heart as he sees the mountain after three days, which he had hoped upon hope did not exist.
Yet the Word had spoken and there was no mistake. So also the wood is laid on Isaac, that is, the sins of the father fall to the son and Isaac takes up his own cross, for he is made in the image of his father. Isaac, held by the command to honor father and mother, bears his cross, even to his own death.
The second cross Abraham has is being the forefather of these Jews, from the Gospel. He has to watch from the sidelines as they slander him, tell lies about him, and run his faith through the mud. For, where Abraham had faith, his descendants seem to have none and do not even recognize their own God, standing in front of them. That is, until He hides Himself.
Repent! You say, I don’t worship a God Who would order a father to do such a thing and yet you would turn about and sing “Father Abraham” as loud as you could. Jesus hides Himself from you, because in your sin you believe Isaac was going to die anyway, what difference does the timing make? Maybe the story would be more believable if Isaac had still been in the womb…
So what then? God is a hollywood director, ficticiously making suspense in order that He be the Just-In-Time Hero to stop Abraham? Is that the kind of faith Abraham has? Blind and fanatical? Whatever God wants, He gets, even if He is violating His own commands?
Dear Christians, Jesus has already revealed to us the Faith He gave to Abraham, in the beginning. Going back to Genesis 15, there we hear God promising Isaac to Abraham. Of course Abraham argues with the Lord, the gall! I am childless, he says, and I’m no spring chicken and you’ve given my wife no children.
Just keep singing, Abraham!
Then, later on, in chapter 17, the Lord specifically says “to you a child will be born”, from Sarah and no one else, because Ishmael had already been born, oops. Both of them laughed at the Lord, because they were too old to have children. Dried up. A wilderness. Dead inside. There was no life coming from Sarah.
Yet, by chapter 21, Isaac sprang out of Sarah’s womb. Life had come from non-life. This is Abraham’s faith which he takes along with his son, to mount Moriah. This is the faith that binds his son and puts him on the Altar. This is the faith that raises the knife. This is the faith that Isaac bears also, as he carries the instruments of his impending death.
Likewise, in faith Abraham and Isaac both go to the mountain expecting life to rise out of death. Why?
Because, a death had already occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, says our Epistle (Heb 9:15). Isaac could not have been sacrificed, even had the knife descended, because there was Promised life in Isaac. Life that faith, knife, fire, or grave could not pierce.
That life is the Life of the world. That Life that none can touch. That life that orders all things. That Life which, hidden in the Blood, opens the holiest of places to sinners, covers them with purity, and gives immortality to the mortal.
This same Jesus Christ, Who is demon-possessed in the world’s eyes, is risen from the dead, never to die again. He is the Resurrection. He sets down His life at His own convenience and takes it back, just the same. No chance sacrifice of a ram caught in thorns could secure life. Only the Lamb of God, walking open-eyed into suffering, could accomplish such a thing.
It is Jesus Who hides Himself behind all this. Abraham cannot see past his only son. We cannot see life in the Blood. We cannot see life after death. We cannot even see eternal life from the Word of God, but this is where the righteousness of God is hidden. This is where the Resurrection is placed. Abraham saw this day of the crucified and risen Messiah and was glad.
For, “as [Jesus] was capable of being handled and touched, so again did He, in a
non-apprehensible form, [hide in] the midst of those who sought to injure Him (Jn 8:59), and entered without impediment through closed doors (Jn 20:26)”, comments St. Irenaeus.
“…with regard to Christ, as He is the Son of man, so is the same Being not a mere man; and as He is flesh, so is He also spirit, and the Word of God, and God. And as He was born of Mary in the last times, so did He also proceed from God as the First-begotten of every creature; and as He hungered, so did He satisfy [others]; and as He thirsted, so did He of old cause the Jews to drink, for the "Rock was Christ" Himself (1 Cor 10:4): thus does Jesus now give to His believing people power to drink spiritual waters, which spring up to life eternal (Jn 4:14).
And as He was the son of David, so was He also the Lord of David. And as He was from Abraham, so did He also exist before Abraham (Jn 8:58). And as He was the servant of God, so is He the Son of God, and Lord of the universe. And as He was spit upon ignominiously, so also did He breathe the Holy Spirit into His disciples (Jn 20:22). And as He was saddened, so also did He give joy to His people… And as He slept, so did He also rule the sea, the winds, and the storms. And as He suffered, so also is He alive, and life-giving, and healing all our infirmity. And as He died, so is He also the Resurrection of the dead. He suffered shame on earth, while He is higher than all glory and praise in heaven; who,
"though He was crucified through weakness, yet He lives by divine power;" (2 Cor 13:4) who "descended into the lower parts of the earth," and who "ascended up above the heavens" (Eph 4:9, 10) for whom a manger sufficed, yet who filled all things; who was dead, yet who lives for ever and ever...” (ANF 1:576, Irenaeus)
Though we are in the thick of Lent, even fasting from images of our Lord in Church, Easter has already dawned. In fact, we can celebrate Lent in all its fasting, because there is Easter hope. Jesus hides in suffering and we hide with Him. He hides healing and salvation in His wounds, so we hide in His wounds. He hides revelation and forgiveness in His Word and sacrament, so we hide there, too.
Abraham and Isaac were very familiar with this Jesus, Who is the Resurrection and the Life. They were familiar with His hidden ways, not to be sly or conniving, but to produce the most good and the most glory in reconciling dead sinners to their Life-filled God of Life.
Hopefully now you see, if Jesus did not hide Himself, we would never be able to find Him, His salvation, or His forgiveness. Do not think we have been forgotten just because we do not have the command to sacrifice a son. Not Isaac, nor you, nor I can die in that way, because the only son commanded to die is Jesus Christ.
Jesus hid Himself for Abraham and Isaac. Jesus hid Himself for His Apostles and the Jews. And today, He continues this same strategy, because this is His way. For we too are given access to the same “death that has already occurred”.
We have also been led to a mountain to remember three days. We have also been brought to an Altar already prepared, but we have no wood on our backs and there is no knife poised to strike us. All is calm because the wood and the knife have been used up on Jesus, on the cross, where life will spring from death.
And in His victory, He gives us Himself, the Only Son from heaven. Where only Abraham had Isaac, we, and all Abraham’s many sons, have Christ Crucified hiding in His Gospel purely preached and His sacraments administered according to it. Yes, dear Christians, the same faith-filled life that sprang from Abraham, Sarah, and that altar on mount Moriah springs in you.
Jesus now gives to His believing people power. Power that is hidden, but enables the recipient to drink spiritual waters, which spring up to life eternal. And as we heard last week, He also gives us power to eat the Bread of heaven in which He hides life eternal (Jn 6:33). So you see, the hiddenness of God is not hide and seek, but hide and find.
Who speaks to you on this day from His Gospel heard, saying:
“So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.”
Thus far the words from our Gospel reading, included in God’s Word in order to point us away from the seen to the unseen, for God’s Salvation is hidden in the suffering and crucified Lord, Jesus Christ. With this Faith, we should face the world unafraid, even of death, and in fact welcome death when it comes, because of the Resurrection of all flesh.
Jesus is not mentioned in the Old Testament reading today, at least not by name. This is because, as we have done in Service today, Jesus is hidden. Hidden that He may be found. A little backwards to us, but to the Lord, this is the way. The way of Abraham, the way of Isaac, the way of the cross where eternal life is hidden in death.
Upon Abraham is laid the cross, in this Word from the Lord. One part of that is the command to sacrifice his only son, whom he loves. And what a command it is! Aren’t you glad you don’t have that cross? Thus, we cannot imagine the anguish and the despair in Abraham’s heart as he sees the mountain after three days, which he had hoped upon hope did not exist.
Yet the Word had spoken and there was no mistake. So also the wood is laid on Isaac, that is, the sins of the father fall to the son and Isaac takes up his own cross, for he is made in the image of his father. Isaac, held by the command to honor father and mother, bears his cross, even to his own death.
The second cross Abraham has is being the forefather of these Jews, from the Gospel. He has to watch from the sidelines as they slander him, tell lies about him, and run his faith through the mud. For, where Abraham had faith, his descendants seem to have none and do not even recognize their own God, standing in front of them. That is, until He hides Himself.
Repent! You say, I don’t worship a God Who would order a father to do such a thing and yet you would turn about and sing “Father Abraham” as loud as you could. Jesus hides Himself from you, because in your sin you believe Isaac was going to die anyway, what difference does the timing make? Maybe the story would be more believable if Isaac had still been in the womb…
So what then? God is a hollywood director, ficticiously making suspense in order that He be the Just-In-Time Hero to stop Abraham? Is that the kind of faith Abraham has? Blind and fanatical? Whatever God wants, He gets, even if He is violating His own commands?
Dear Christians, Jesus has already revealed to us the Faith He gave to Abraham, in the beginning. Going back to Genesis 15, there we hear God promising Isaac to Abraham. Of course Abraham argues with the Lord, the gall! I am childless, he says, and I’m no spring chicken and you’ve given my wife no children.
Just keep singing, Abraham!
Then, later on, in chapter 17, the Lord specifically says “to you a child will be born”, from Sarah and no one else, because Ishmael had already been born, oops. Both of them laughed at the Lord, because they were too old to have children. Dried up. A wilderness. Dead inside. There was no life coming from Sarah.
Yet, by chapter 21, Isaac sprang out of Sarah’s womb. Life had come from non-life. This is Abraham’s faith which he takes along with his son, to mount Moriah. This is the faith that binds his son and puts him on the Altar. This is the faith that raises the knife. This is the faith that Isaac bears also, as he carries the instruments of his impending death.
Likewise, in faith Abraham and Isaac both go to the mountain expecting life to rise out of death. Why?
Because, a death had already occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, says our Epistle (Heb 9:15). Isaac could not have been sacrificed, even had the knife descended, because there was Promised life in Isaac. Life that faith, knife, fire, or grave could not pierce.
That life is the Life of the world. That Life that none can touch. That life that orders all things. That Life which, hidden in the Blood, opens the holiest of places to sinners, covers them with purity, and gives immortality to the mortal.
This same Jesus Christ, Who is demon-possessed in the world’s eyes, is risen from the dead, never to die again. He is the Resurrection. He sets down His life at His own convenience and takes it back, just the same. No chance sacrifice of a ram caught in thorns could secure life. Only the Lamb of God, walking open-eyed into suffering, could accomplish such a thing.
It is Jesus Who hides Himself behind all this. Abraham cannot see past his only son. We cannot see life in the Blood. We cannot see life after death. We cannot even see eternal life from the Word of God, but this is where the righteousness of God is hidden. This is where the Resurrection is placed. Abraham saw this day of the crucified and risen Messiah and was glad.
For, “as [Jesus] was capable of being handled and touched, so again did He, in a
non-apprehensible form, [hide in] the midst of those who sought to injure Him (Jn 8:59), and entered without impediment through closed doors (Jn 20:26)”, comments St. Irenaeus.
“…with regard to Christ, as He is the Son of man, so is the same Being not a mere man; and as He is flesh, so is He also spirit, and the Word of God, and God. And as He was born of Mary in the last times, so did He also proceed from God as the First-begotten of every creature; and as He hungered, so did He satisfy [others]; and as He thirsted, so did He of old cause the Jews to drink, for the "Rock was Christ" Himself (1 Cor 10:4): thus does Jesus now give to His believing people power to drink spiritual waters, which spring up to life eternal (Jn 4:14).
And as He was the son of David, so was He also the Lord of David. And as He was from Abraham, so did He also exist before Abraham (Jn 8:58). And as He was the servant of God, so is He the Son of God, and Lord of the universe. And as He was spit upon ignominiously, so also did He breathe the Holy Spirit into His disciples (Jn 20:22). And as He was saddened, so also did He give joy to His people… And as He slept, so did He also rule the sea, the winds, and the storms. And as He suffered, so also is He alive, and life-giving, and healing all our infirmity. And as He died, so is He also the Resurrection of the dead. He suffered shame on earth, while He is higher than all glory and praise in heaven; who,
"though He was crucified through weakness, yet He lives by divine power;" (2 Cor 13:4) who "descended into the lower parts of the earth," and who "ascended up above the heavens" (Eph 4:9, 10) for whom a manger sufficed, yet who filled all things; who was dead, yet who lives for ever and ever...” (ANF 1:576, Irenaeus)
Though we are in the thick of Lent, even fasting from images of our Lord in Church, Easter has already dawned. In fact, we can celebrate Lent in all its fasting, because there is Easter hope. Jesus hides in suffering and we hide with Him. He hides healing and salvation in His wounds, so we hide in His wounds. He hides revelation and forgiveness in His Word and sacrament, so we hide there, too.
Abraham and Isaac were very familiar with this Jesus, Who is the Resurrection and the Life. They were familiar with His hidden ways, not to be sly or conniving, but to produce the most good and the most glory in reconciling dead sinners to their Life-filled God of Life.
Hopefully now you see, if Jesus did not hide Himself, we would never be able to find Him, His salvation, or His forgiveness. Do not think we have been forgotten just because we do not have the command to sacrifice a son. Not Isaac, nor you, nor I can die in that way, because the only son commanded to die is Jesus Christ.
Jesus hid Himself for Abraham and Isaac. Jesus hid Himself for His Apostles and the Jews. And today, He continues this same strategy, because this is His way. For we too are given access to the same “death that has already occurred”.
We have also been led to a mountain to remember three days. We have also been brought to an Altar already prepared, but we have no wood on our backs and there is no knife poised to strike us. All is calm because the wood and the knife have been used up on Jesus, on the cross, where life will spring from death.
And in His victory, He gives us Himself, the Only Son from heaven. Where only Abraham had Isaac, we, and all Abraham’s many sons, have Christ Crucified hiding in His Gospel purely preached and His sacraments administered according to it. Yes, dear Christians, the same faith-filled life that sprang from Abraham, Sarah, and that altar on mount Moriah springs in you.
Jesus now gives to His believing people power. Power that is hidden, but enables the recipient to drink spiritual waters, which spring up to life eternal. And as we heard last week, He also gives us power to eat the Bread of heaven in which He hides life eternal (Jn 6:33). So you see, the hiddenness of God is not hide and seek, but hide and find.
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