READINGS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE:
Genesis 11:1-9
Acts 2:1-13
- St. John 14:23-31
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. (Rom 1)
Who speaks to you today, saying:
“Whoever does not
love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the
Father's who sent me.”
Thus far from our Gospel reading today, included by God to
teach us just how to be a Christian. This points us to the Author and Perfecter
of our faith, Jesus, and points us away from ourselves, so that Jesus may
receive all the glory and draw all people to Himself, without us getting in the
way.
Thus, in faith, we intend to keep the words of Jesus, as He
says, so that we not fall into the category of not loving Him and being
rejected by Him on the Last Day. And it is in keeping the words of Jesus that
keep in check those who do and do not have authority in His Church. For the
Holy Trinity does not work apart from the Word.
The ugly truth is, what we think of as “keeping Jesus’s
words” is not keeping Jesus’s words. We think, if we read it then do what it
says, that that is keeping His word. Again and again we revert to our base,
sinful instincts and believe that God has just handed over a contract,
instruction manual, or magical formula. And that’s it.
It is the devil who will be our teacher then. He spouts off
words of God all day long, as we see at the Temptation of Jesus. He even does
them. Dare I say, he may even believe them. How can he not? Being one of God’s
creatures, he really has no choice, but to obey the Word of God.
Now where does that put us? Maybe if we bow down and
worship, the Lord will passover us. Maybe if we seek a baptism of fire and
speak in tongues, He will let it slide. Maybe if we build Him the biggest,
tallest, best-est tower in the world, He will have no choice but to acknowledge
our efforts.
Make no mistake and repent. The ruler of this world is
coming in all his pride and arrogance. He is a better follower of God than you.
He is a better keeper of the words than you. He has a better bloodline than
you: angelic! You are bested. You are outworked. You are outmatched.
That is, if faith, hope, and love are based on works; if
keeping His word is based on works. We hear Jesus, sure, but immediately we
have forgotten His words. For, before there is “keeping His word”, there is a
prerequisite. Before we can even think about holding God to His contract or
commands, there must be faith. We know, because Jesus introduces “keeping His
words” with “whoever loves me”.
How does one love God? Is it simply a matter of building a
relationship with Him? How is that accomplished? Is there any time when God
voiced His favorite things or what He likes to do? Has He taken an ad out in
the personals about loving cozy winter nights by the fire and long walks on the
beach?
The best we can hope to accomplish in trying to be in a
relationship to God is a made-up relationship. A fake one. It will be all
one-sided and all on our side. That happens, because God has not spoken about
such a thing. God has never specified something like a relationship with Him.
But, if we make it up, then we get to make it up.
Dear Christians, God has already defined the terms and
conditions of the relationship He desires with you and it is only found in the
Body of His only-begotten Son. Yet, even though that is said, God also needs to
explain that. So we start in Genesis, not with the tower, but with the creation
of all things.
After speaking every single thing into existence, God
doesn’t lock it away in a closet. He gives it away. He hands over dominion,
wisdom, authority, and love to Adam and Eve. God is the Giving God. He creates
and He hands over.
In the Person of Jesus, it is the same. Jesus creates the
way to salvation and hands it over to us.
So, the relationship is this: God is the Absolute Giver and
you are the Absolute Receiver.
“Greater love hath no man than this”, says Jesus, “that
a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus is the One Who
gives His life. But more than that, resurrected life. For, of what use is a
dead friend’s love? Again, Jesus is not giving instructions, He is giving the
gift of His life: crucified and resurrected.
It was in Love that God created all things. It is in love
that God gives His Word. Love that is the fulfillment of all the words and
commands God has ever given. Prefect love that only resides in the God Who is
Love, Who became man, suffered, died, and rose again only to, once again hand
over His greatest treasure, His Bride, to those who love His Love and keep His
words in His Love.
True authority does not silence debate, but sparks
understanding. A true relationship does not intimidate, but illuminates. We do
not dictate to God, “whatever You Will, O Lord, I will do”. Instead, faith
says, “whatever You give, O loving Savior, I will take”.
And it is not uncertainty, it is not wrath, and it is not
condemnation that He gives. It is peace. Peace I leave with you. Does keeping
Jesus’s words, according to someone else, cause you anxiety and stress? Maybe
you are not thinking about Jesus, but yourself. Keep your eyes on the Crucified
Christ and you will keep His Word. Not just the moral standards that anyone can
accomplish, but His sacramental standards as well.
Those words of Giving. The giving of forgiveness, the giving
of faith, the giving of eternal life only in, with, and under His True Body and
Blood given and shed for you. If you want to keep Jesus’s words, I suggest you
begin at the place He is speaking: His flesh and Blood, in His Church.
In this Love, then, what does “keep my words” mean? It means
to treasure them. It means we treat it like a treasure, locking it up so that
it is always around. Keeping it on display that others may enjoy it. Making
sure to visit it often, taking it in, memorizing the sight of every single
detail.
To keep the words of Jesus, love is necessary. Not fake love
we fabricate, put on yard signs, or throw in each other’s faces in parades. The
fulfillment of God’s Law is not accomplished by mere outward actions or sincere
efforts or the best of intentions. The fulfillment of God’s Law is accomplished
by love: pure, sacrificial, obedient, serving, perfect love for God and our
neighbors.
This is why St. Paul wrote to the Galatians, “For all who
rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be
everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and
do them’” (Galatians 3:10).
So, what does God teach and do in the Gospel? (LSCE q. 8, p.
52) “In the Gospel, the good news of our salvation in Jesus Christ, God gives
forgiveness, faith, life, and the power to please Him with good works.”
From the moment man fell into sin and lost the image of God,
God reached out in love, one sidedly, to reclaim sinful humanity. Already
in Genesis 3:15 He promised to give the One who would come to crush Satan.
That Promised One is Jesus Christ. The world was created through
Him (Col. 1:16; John 1:3, 11) and yet He became flesh (John 1:14) to give
redemption to the world that had rebelled against Him.
He is the One who comes among His people to teach them His
Word and to feed them with His Body and Blood for their forgiveness. In
Christ, God makes you a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). In the Divine Service
today and every week, He creates in you a clean heart and renews a right spirit
within you. As we receive Holy Communion, we acknowledge that our worship
is joined with that of the angels, the Apostles, and all the company of heaven.
Alleluia!
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment