“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:31-36

“What would you do if you knew you might fail and it just didn’t matter? I don’t mean “didn’t matter” in the sense that there would be no cost, or that it would be difficult or disappointing. No, what I mean is, what would you try if the attempt itself was worth it whether it succeeded or not? Or, even more, what would you risk if the ultimate outcome was guaranteed even if your immediate venture failed? I think that’s a big part of what today’s readings are about. First, in one of the more difficult passages in John, Jesus invites us to imagine that belief in him equates the freedom of the heir rather than the insecurity of a slave (8:35-36). There is a harsh distinction in the ancient world between those who are “in” and those who are “out” of a family and its privileges and future, and Jesus is inviting all of us to claim our inheritance as “children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God” (1:12-13). Because Jesus has secured our place with the Father we are in every way free. Free to venture, to risk, to try … and even to fail, because it is the Son who secures our place, position, and future.

So also in Romans, as Paul declares that we are justified not by works — that is, by our successes or accomplishments — but by grace (3:24). And just as our successes do not earn our place in God’s kingdom neither do our failures disqualify us. As Martin Luther, reading Paul, came to recognize so poignantly, if our salvation depended on our efforts, we would have no cause to hope. For as Paul says, and as each of us knows by experience, we have all sinned and fallen short. But God in Jesus tells us that our identity, worth, and well-being is not determined by our successes and failures but by God’s gift alone. And precisely because salvation is not up to us, but up to God, we are free to do and try and risk all things in the meantime, because whether we succeed or fail, yet God has promised to bring us and all things to a good end.” (David Lose, Dear Working Preacher — Bartimaeus, Luther, and the Failed Reformation, October 21, 2012)

Several years ago I was sitting in the parking lot of a bowling alley when I watched a drama unfold in front of me. A father and his two children were having an argument. It was ugly. I knew the family – so I knew some of the background. The father had left the mother for another woman, and the children were wounded. They were unburdening themselves of these wounds with their father. I watched it for a while, frozen in my car, not sure what to do. But I am embarrassed to say that when I came to a decision, I did what Martin Luther did when caught in a thunder storm, I fled as quickly as I could.

My point is there are many people who carry many wounds deep within them, for many years. If people are to unburden themselves of their wounded-ness, then it needs to begin on the inside. Jeremiah prophesied that a new day was coming, a day where G-d would reclaim G-d’s people, and they would know it deep within their hearts. A day would come where responding to G-d, showing our love for God would not come from “outward doing”, but from inward knowing and loving. Feeling G-d’s love for us, and expressing our love for G-d would no longer come from “Do this”, “Don’t do that”. It would come from a faith that, seeing the cross of Jesus and knowing how much G-d loves us, we will go and “Love the Lord with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves.” When we experience G-d’s all powerful, all encompassing love for each and every one of us, we begin the healing of our wounds, the ones deep inside us.

How do we experience G-d’s love? Paul says it all: “The redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom G-d put forth as a sacrifice of atonement by the cross, effective through faith.” You see, our wounds make us feel “less than” – “less than” a child, “less than” a husband or wife, “less than” a parent, less than a “child of G-d”. But through the wounds of Jesus, G-d has given us all a great gift – we all have not “less”, but “More value” – through the cross of Jesus, G-d sees us as “More” not “Less” – G-d sees us as new creations. Imagine a garbage can full of junk, garbage, and the like. This can is us with all of the things of our lives – filled with the junk of bad decisions, hurts, all of our wounded-ness. Because of the cross of Jesus, effective through faith, G-d doesn’t see the garbage, but a clean, white cloth placed over that can – a white cloth we received in our baptism. So when G-d looks at us, inside and out, G-d sees, not junk, not people of “less value” – but G-d sees us – as whole, clean, new – and G-d loves us.

Pastor Dave

Does the Bible Say “G-d Will Give Me The Strength to do Anything?”

“Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress. You Philippians indeed know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you alone. For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs more than once.” Philippians 4:8-16

We see, again, the tendency or the temptation to take a single verse and apply to us or to our lives outside of its context. For the text to be completely understood, you must read what comes before and what comes after. This is not about the Lord granting you the strength to do anything: I could pray for G-d to give me the strength today to climb Mt.Everest, but all of the prayer, vitamin pills and sit-ups will not get me to that summit. Paul says: “I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need…” . He is saying to these people from Philippi that G-d grants him the strength, no matter the circumstance, to persevere. This is an expression of strength of understanding a person’s place and lot in life; of growing through the many ups and downs in life; of living into and through all that life has given. Whatever life may continue or will give to Paul in the future, he will be able to endure and thrive with G-d’s strength. He is not boasting of what he might achieve, he is giving G-d due for all that he has endured and might endure in the future. That is completely different than praying for the strength to become CEO of your company, or to score the winning goal in your soccer game.

So if you ever find yourself persecuted for your faith, oppressed for your beliefs, or imprisoned unfairly because you have stood up for your faith, it’s appropriate to remember and quote Paul’s example, and his words in this verse. Shouting it at the church softball game so that you can Samson-strength the ball over the tree line, or grunting it out at the gym in an effort to bench 300? Not so much.

Pastor Dave