Become a fan [Wednesday in Advent 1]

 

[ T E x T  O N L Y ]

READINGS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE:

• Exodus 24:12-18

• 1 Kings 19:3-8

• St. Matthew 12:38-50

Grace to you and peace. (1 Thess 1)
 
As we begin talking about Witnessing our Faith, these Wednesdays in Lent, we hear Jesus saying to us that something greater than both Jonah and Solomon is here, we also hear Him say, “Come up to me on the mountain”, from our Exodus reading this evening. And though it should be “broad side of the barn” obvious, we have to make this statement concerning where and how to witness: “Witness where Jesus speaks and works.”
 
When we speak of witnessing, the first mistake we always make is to think that we are on our own. No one is going to be there with us when we finally get the chance to tell someone about the Jesus we love and adore. But since He is busy doing heavenly things, it is up to you to bother with His earthly things, such as “going and telling”.
 
Silly Christian. Jesus is not gone, but alive with us. He is a living, breathing God Who dwells with and never leaves His living and breathing creations: you. Now, it may be true that when you undertake to witness about Jesus, you are doing the impossible. You weren’t there when they crucified your Lord. You did not get to “see” Him at all.
 
How quickly we forget that Jesus is both man and God. Therefore, we should believe our Lord when He says, “The Word is near you” (Rom 10:8). We need to also remember and believe “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (St. John 20:29).
 
Why these are important promises to remember is because our readings this evening bring out another important promise made to us. He promised, “On this Rock I will build my Church” (Mt 16:18).
 
This is why we hear, “Come up to me on the mountain”, because the Lord is not going to hide or work in the shadows only. He is going to be living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. If He is living then He not only needs a place to stay, but is also able to visit. And since He is God, He can visit more than one place at a time.
 
So, you witness Jesus where He comes to you. That makes sense. If He’s going to show up, what better place to be ourselves or what better place to take someone who doesn’t know Him? Now, in our Bible readings, it seemed like a high place is where God is.
 
But there are many high places in the Bible and 90% of them are false places of worship. Which makes sense. If you’re trying to get to heaven, you’d get as high as you could to worship, right? The real problem is that God did not promise to dwell on high forever, at least not a height we could ever reach.
 
He told Moses to come up at that time, because at that time He promised Moses He would be there. But He left, after His business with Moses was finished. In fact, in an unprecedented twist of God and man relations, God promises to go with Moses and His people. “I will go in your midst” (Ex 33:3), He says later in Exodus.
 
So today for us, His promise is to build a Church in our midst. A Church unlike a mountain top or even a middle-eastern Temple. A Church built on nothing but the Body and Blood of the God Who suffered and died on the cross. A Church that is near you such that, when you hear the Word of Her Lord, though you have not seen, you do see.
 
The Word is the witness and He gives us His witness through His powerful Word, so that when we hear it and believe it, we become heirs of its promises and witnesses of it.
 
Thus, in order to witness Jesus properly, you must be where He is. Then, you should be become the biggest fan. That is, witnessing tactic number one is to become a fan of the Divine Service. 
 
Think about it. If the Lord takes the time to go to Church and you are not attending Him, then why should anyone else listen to you when you speak about Him? Why should they think its important when you do not? Or why would they return when all you do is grumble about your church?
 
You do not go to church because you have an obligation. The Lord accepts no payment or repayment. He also does not stay on high only to be worshipped and adored. The one, true God comes to serve. He comes, God incarnate, to offer His gifts of Word and Sacrament to cleanse, forgive, renew, feed, and restore.
 
Be a fan of this “coming to church” so that when you’re asked why you “waste your time” at church, you can say wonderful things. On top of that read, actually read, through your hymnal. Look up the references to the Bible noted in the margins. Think about what each part means. Pray your hymns and study those as well.
 
Be very aware of what you are singing and praying so that you may come to know better how Jesus witnesses His Gospel, forgiveness of sins, and God’s promises to the public and how the Divine Service is a helpful vehicle for all that to local communities.
 
Love your church and people will notice and ask, making witnessing as easy as its supposed to be. 
 
Easy because God does all the work for you. Not only suffering and dying for you, but also making Himself known and being present, Body and Blood, to give us His Grace. The Church belongs to those who show up and that’s exactly what God does, for us and the whole world.
 
For no longer is it, “come up to me” on some middle-eastern mountain. But it is come up to me in my Word and Sacrament. The “something greater” than Jonah, Solomon, and Solomon's Temple is the Lord and Creator of all three, in the flesh. God, truly spiritually and physically present, in Christ, for you, is the single, greatest presence and the place to be, allowing us to witness simply by saying, “Come and see”.