The Lutheran Hour
-
"Getting Straight with God"
- No Sermon MP3 No bonus material MP3
-
Text: Luke 10:38-42
-
PRAYER: O Lord of the Living Word, we pray. You have graciously told us that we cannot live by bread alone. Our spiritual life is totally dependent upon every Word that proceeds from Your mouth. Blessed Jesus, You have also gladdened our hearts by telling us the Good News that Your Words are spirit and they are life!
O Lord, plant into our heart and soul an endless appetite for Your life-giving Word. And through this Word of Life assure us of Your perfect forgiveness, and Your hope that is eternal. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, “At least 50 percent of all Protestants today attend a church different from the one in which they were baptized.” This fact made headline news because many people today are openly searching for a religion they find fulfilling and a church where they are comfortable.
One sociologist from Princeton University explained that many so-called “baby boomers” switch churches, not once, but “several times.” This same noted sociologist further explained these “boomers” readily change churches as they seek music they enjoy, preaching that meets their expectations, youth programs their children like, and even architecture they find personally pleasing.
So, whether you or I like it or not, and whether we agree with it or not, when it comes to church attendance nowadays, there is a lot of “changing” and a lot of “church hopping” going on! It is not our task on this program to dictate where people should attend church. But it is our solemn responsibility, based upon the clear Word of God, to help people understand how our Lord Jesus Christ desires we choose a church where we can worship and be fed spiritually.
Now let’s be honest. There are a lot of churches out there to pick from. Not long ago, TIME magazine featured a book entitled, “The Encyclopedia of American Religions.” This book lists over 1,100 different denominations in the US. Of course, within each of these denominations there are also thousands of individual congregations. Many of these churches are swirling with endless activities. Therefore, it is not surprising that some people are confused over what church they should attend and on what basis they can make a decision. Let me therefore be candid. This selection must never be directed by human guidelines. We need to listen to the advice of Jesus since He is the only One who has the authority to set priorities for your life and mine. This is true because according to the Bible, Jesus “was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.”
This is the same Jesus who graciously gives advice and provides direction for what is important, not only as we select a church to attend, but what needs to be “front and center” every day in our lives.
So here we go! Let’s get some Godly advice and some clear Christ-centered direction. In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, we read that, “One day, as Jesus was traveling along, He entered a village. And in that village a woman named Martha welcomed Jesus into her home.”
Martha had a sister named Mary. And on that particular day Mary decided to sit at Jesus’ feet and, according to the Bible, Mary put as top priority in her life, listening to the words of Jesus.
Now Martha, on the other hand, also loved Jesus. And Martha also wanted very much to please Him. So Martha decided the best way to please her Master was to prepare something for Him to eat.
Now after Martha had worked for some time getting the meal ready and as she saw Mary merely sitting and doing nothing, Martha became indignant, and more and more upset. Finally, Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, do You not care, do You not care that my sister Mary has left me to do all the serving alone? Tell Mary to help me.”
But now comes the surprise! Considering the situation in a human sense, it is indeed easy to agree with Martha that Mary ought to get up and help out a little. Why should Martha do all the work and Mary just sit. This is not, however what Jesus thought nor was it what the Son of God said. After hearing Martha’s irritation over Mary the Bible says “the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things,’ but only a few things are necessary. Really,” Jesus said, “only one, for Mary has chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her.” This important thing Jesus was referring to was “listening to His Word.”
Now, once again, let’s be honest. It was not that Martha did not love Jesus. In fact, Martha may well have loved Jesus even more than Mary. But here is the problem, as Jesus so forcefully pointed out. Martha did not fully understand what pleased Jesus the most. Martha, you see, was convinced she could best show love for her Lord by preparing a meal for Him and meeting His human needs. Jesus, however, explained it the other way around. You see, Jesus is most pleased when He feeds us, not when we try to feed Him or give Him our words. Jesus, however, said, “Mary had chosen this good thing.” That good thing Jesus stressed emphatically would not be taken from her.
Now at “first blush,” we might be somewhat confused as to why Jesus so strongly urges His followers to listen and read and meditate on His Word. But this all becomes much more understandable when we hear Jesus saying in the Gospel of John 6, “the words I have spoken to you are Spirit and these Words are life.” Here Jesus is stating clearly His words are living words. Jesus’ words are alive.
The words of Jesus are not like the words of men. Our words- your words and mine go out of our mouths and into the ears of family members or friends or whomever. Sure, our words have the power to impact and affect the lives of other people. But the words of Jesus are even more powerful. The Words of Jesus enter our hearts and minds and His words go to work on us. In writing to the Christians in Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul says, “It is like for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the Word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is; the Word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”
Now, of course, in a secular sense, there are linguists and writers who certainly do speak about words having power. Lengthy books have been written telling how some words affect people more than others. To demonstrate this in secular slang there is a little ditty that says, “You can call a woman a kitty, but not a cat!” Indeed, different words have different impact. They can bind us, and words can liberate us.
In 1992, the editors of The World Almanac published a book called “Words That Set Us Free.” This book is a compilation of various slogans, statements, and official documents that over many years, have been integrated into documents such as the U.S. Constitution in order to ensure freedom from slavery and other tyranny. A small promotional statement on the back cover of this book states this book contains “excerpts from the laws, speeches, documents and essays that changed the conscience of the nation.”
There is no doubt this is indeed true. But, in an even greater way, our conscience is also “liberated” when we listen to the words of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Invited one day to be the guest preacher in the local synagogue, Jesus stood up and read from the Old Testament book of Isaiah: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me,” Jesus said, “because he anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and to set free all those who are downtrodden.” Then the Bible says Jesus “closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant in the synagogue. Jesus then sat down. “The eyes,” the Bible says, “of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Jesus.” Finally, Jesus said, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:18-21).
What Jesus was saying to this congregation was He is the one sent by God to bring the liberating and life giving words into the hearts and souls of all people. This today may also include you. Anyone who makes mistakes in life and does not know the Lord Jesus will surely live with endless pain of a guilty conscience. But, in Jesus, you too can be liberated. The Bible demonstrates powerfully how Jesus, the Son of God, crucified on the cross, and raised again from the dead, has the power and the divine authority to remove forever the burden of guilt. Jesus did this in His public ministry and He continues today. And just as Jesus said to the paralytic in the Gospel of Luke, so also He says to you, “Your sins, my friend, are all forgiven” (Matthew 9:2).
Like authoritative words of a courtroom judge which pardon the prisoner from the guilt of breaking the law of man, so also the authoritative words of Jesus, “Your sins are forgiven” liberate you from the guilt of breaking the law of God. And through His innocent and bloody death on the cross, Jesus has earned for you total forgiveness for all of your sins and mistakes of your past.
This is also why Jesus said to Martha that while there are many things in life that are important, there is only one thing of greatest importance. That one thing is hearing again and again of the love of God in Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of God in the blood of Jesus.
The Good News, friends, is that the Word of God is not only information. The Word of God is a message that does affect our brain, our thinking, and our mental well being. But the Word of God-the Word Jesus reminded Martha of is so important-is much more. It is living and dynamic. It is actually a power that acts like a spiritual medicine. This Word is a spiritual living agent. And when this medicine of the living Word enters our ears, it convicts us of our sin. It cleanses us. This living Word of God also enters our soul and goes to work on our very being, healing us, strengthening us, and giving life, and a hope in Christ that is eternal.
So this Biblical story of Jesus and Mary and Martha speaks especially to all those who are shopping around for a church. Some churches today have become greatly involved in extra activities, many of which are certainly God pleasing. However, there is always the danger, as happened with Martha, that these extra activities overshadow the one thing Jesus emphasized of greatest importance: “The hearing of the Word of God.” Yes, it is always crucial for a God-fearing pastor to remind his parishioners that many congregation centered activities, as good as they might appear, are nevertheless always secondary to the preaching, the teaching, the hearing, the studying, and mediating on the living Word of God. This is not my personal judgment. This is what Jesus is saying to you and me.
If you are trying to figure out what’s really important in life, study the story of Jesus and Mary and Martha. Remember what Jesus said, only a few things are really important in life; actually, only one, and that is feeding your soul on the living words of Jesus. Therefore, follow the loving advice of your Savior. Listen to His Life giving Word whenever it is preached. Read His Word, especially the Gospel of John, whenever you have the opportunity. When you do, this Life giving Word as the Apostle Paul states, goes to work on your soul and cleanses your spirit, heals you and gives you hope-a hope that is eternal in the Lord. Jesus said: “My Words are Spirit and My words are life.” Don’t delay. Choose life and live it in Christ today. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for January 21, 2001
ANNOUNCER: Listeners to this program have attended a wide variety of churches. Today in your message you urged them to use caution and certainly the Word of God as the only basis for selecting a church. Again, why do you connect all of this to the importance of the Living Word? Why is that so important?
SCHULZ: Mark, this basic teaching set forth by Jesus is extremely important because today there are those who preach and teach that Christianity is all about rules people need to follow in order to please God. The Word of God then becomes nothing more than a rulebook.
ANNOUNCER: You said it’s really the other way around.
SCHULZ: Exactly. I often quote the Bible passage from the New Testament where Jesus is speaking to the scribes and the Pharisees. Jesus says to them, “You are always searching and searching the Bible looking for rules you can follow, hoping that by following these rules, you can please God. Actually, however,” Jesus said, “the Word of God is first of all a testimony to Me, Jesus. And then, secondarily, to what God wants you to do.”
ANNOUNCER: I’m curious, Dr. Schulz, when you talk about God’s Word, you always call it the Living Word. Why is that?
SCHULZ: Well, God’s Word, according to the Bible itself, is like no other word. In the book of Hebrews, chapter 4, we read the Word of God is living and active. In Romans, chapter 10, we read that faith comes from hearing and the message is heard through the Word of Christ. This means when we’re born, we have no faith. However, when the Word of God comes into us, it is a living and dynamic power which creates faith in our heart. In Acts, chapter 12 and also chapter 19, the Bible speaks of the Word of the Lord as growing mightily and prevailing. The prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament says the Word of God shall not return to me empty without accomplishing what I desire. The Apostle Peter says, “You have been born again, not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable.” That is to the living and abiding Word of God. These are only a few of the many references to the living and the life-giving power of God’s Word.
ANNOUNCER: What you’re stressing today is that Jesus emphasized repeatedly that our lives and future ultimately depends on this living and life-giving Word.
SCHULZ: Exactly. In the Gospel of Matthew, and I think a lot of our listeners know this, Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
ANNOUNCER: Dr. Schulz, do you suppose it’s possible that a significant number of people who call themselves Christians misunderstand the character and nature of God’s Word?
SCHULZ: Mark, I personally think this is true. I’ve met many people who often talk about the authority of the Word of God. They tell me how they read it regularly and want to follow it. There is nothing basically wrong with this idea. However, I’m always sad if that’s all I hear, if that’s all they say. On the other hand, my heart is thrilled when I hear people say they feed their soul on the Word and they consider the Word a living and dynamic force in their spiritual life. You simply cannot stress often enough what Jesus said when He said, “My words are spirit and My words are life.”
ANNOUNCER: So, what is the bottom line?
DR. SCHULZ: Well, I think the bottom line today is very simple. Listen to the Word whenever it is preached. Feed your heart and soul on the Living Word. Make sure the Word being preached always focuses on Jesus. Read the Word of God whenever possible, especially the Gospel of John. Believe Jesus when He says His Words are spirit and life. This will give you a new day, a new life, and a hope that is eternal.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Dr. Schulz. With that, we come to the end of our broadcast for another week.