The Lutheran Hour
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"I Don’t Wanna! Do I Hafta?"
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Text: Mark 2:27
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed. Truly, God has given us all we need to support our bodies and lives. For those graces alone we should be unendingly grateful. But our heavenly Father has done that, and much more. These words of resurrection victory tell us God has, through His Son’s life, death and resurrection, given believers life and life eternal. For this, He is truly worthy of worship.
A family had birthday traditions. Two of those traditions were the birthday boy or girl got to pick the main course for the meal and, he or she got to say the prayer. Just turning six, Rosalyn had selected turkey for dinner and now she began to pray. She thanked mother for preparing the turkey, and dad for his job that gave the money to buy the turkey. The family sat patiently as she thanked the clerk for selling the turkey and the store for stocking the turkey. She thanked the trucker that had brought her turkey to the store. She thanked the farmer that had raised the bird, as well as the feed store that provided the tom with “vittles.” Then at the end of the lengthy litany, she solemnly asked, “Have I forgotten anyone?” Her two-and-a-half year-older brother, impatient with the delay to the meal, grunted out: “God.” With icy disregard, the birthday girl looked at her baby brother and announced, “I was just about to get to Him.”
Which is sort of my way of getting to the topic of today’s message: Have you gotten around to worshipping the Lord lately? For some people worshipping God comes almost naturally.
Not so long ago, some children at a Christian grade school were asked to complete the following sentence: “I like to worship God because He is…” Martha said she liked to worship God, “because He is loving. He loved people in the Bible and He loved me when I don’t love my little brother for making me mad when he repeats everything I say.” Jonathan liked to worship God because, “God is caringful. He cares for the little birds and he cared enough to give daddy a job.”
These children worship God because they have not yet become immune to His hand in their lives. They have grateful hearts. That’s why I’m not especially worried about these children, not yet anyway. Nor am I worried about those many faithful friends of “The Lutheran Hour” who are tuning in as they are having their first cup of coffee before they get ready for worship, or those who are listening as they drive to church. I’m not thinking of the many ministers for whom this brief sermon is God’s way of feeding them with the Word. Today, I’m most concerned with those who must give an honest “no” to the question, “Have you gotten around to worshipping the Lord, lately?”
Look, I know, probably a 100 other people have harassed and hassled, pestered and plagued you. They have nagged and threatened. Some have even said, “I’m praying for you.” Although you responded in many ways to their invitation, it all boiled down to, “I don’t wanna, do I hafta?” Well, I’m not going to do that today. It’s not my job to bully or bluster, cajole or coax, push or prod, heave or haul a resisting and resentful soul into a church service where Jesus Christ is being worshipped. Now, having heard that promise, won’t you sit back and listen?
You know, originally nobody had to tell people they had to worship God. After the Lord had made humankind and placed our original ancestors in the Garden of Eden, God talked to them, and He walked with them. He gave instructions and they thought it perfectly normal to do what He asked. There wasn’t any reason not to. But then sin came and everything, especially us, changed. No longer was it natural and normal for people to worship the Lord. Just about the very first thing Adam and Eve did was try to hide themselves from God (Genesis 3:8). It was a silly thing to do, but they tried, and thereby set the precedent by which most of humanity lives and dies.
Like I said, with sin everything changed. The worship of God, which had once been joyful, now became a job. The opportunity became an obligation; the closeness had become a chasm. Sure, people worshipped. But things got pretty strange. One brother Cain, ended up killing his brother Abel, over worship (Genesis 4:1-8). Other people soon got involved with other things, completely forgot about God, and only thought about how they might do evil in a bigger and better way than anyone had before (Genesis 6:5). That’s the main reason the Lord decided to start over. Not from scratch, but pretty close to it.
A flood was sent, eight people-faithful people-survived. And what was the first thing these faithful did after the danger was over? They worshipped God (Genesis 8:20). I would think so. God had spared them and now they had some major work to do, what with having to rebuild and repopulate. They did well – for a while, a very short while. Then humanity got on its high horse and said, “I don’t wanna worship God. Do I hafta?” Well, God heard all of that before. So, finally, He said, “Yes, you gotta. Yes, you hafta.” Now this was God, so He said it much nicer than that. He said, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” It became a commandment.
Now understand, God didn’t say people had to worship Him 24/7. He was simply saying, “Look, what I want is this: six days of the week I want you to work. I want you to strive. I want you to have a great life. I want you to fall in love and have a spouse and a family. I want you to listen to a baby’s laugh and watch her first steps. I want you to smell fresh-baked bread and talk to a good friend for hours and see the leaves turn colors in the fall. I want you to eat and drink and enjoy. I want you to stop and stand in awe of My sunrises and sunsets. When it rains, take a glance upward at that rainbow I put in the heavens. And then, on the seventh day, I want you to think about how everything you have, everything you are, everything you will be in this world and the next comes from My loving hand. And then, say a “thank you.” On the seventh day of the week, rest and worship Me.” Now, the Lord would have loved, even asked people to think about His gifts everyday, to thank Him everyday, to worship Him everyday, from morning until night, no matter what they were doing or where they were (Deuteronomy 6: 7ff). That’s what God wanted, but He demanded they rest on the seventh day of the week.
Sometimes people did remember the Lord’s handiwork in their lives. At such times they worshipped God and did so gladly. There was worship when He delivered His people out of slavery (Exodus 15:1). There was worship when they entered the land He had promised them (Judges 4:1). There was worship when a temple was built to help them remember who God was and what He was doing (1 Kings 8:63). There was worship when God conquered their enemies (1 Samuel 7:12). Yes, sometimes there was worship. But most of the time there wasn’t. Most of the time people said, “I don’t wanna, do I hafta?” or if they did worship, it was dead worship. People performed the perfunctory rituals and rites. They had their obligatory ceremonies, services and sacrifices. That’s the way things might have continued if Jesus had not appeared upon the scene.
Evaluating those who practiced dead worship, He warned, “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain. Their teachings are but rules taught by men” (Matthew 15:8,9). Jesus wanted the world to know if you’re going to worship the Lord, it had to be done in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). He rocked the religious establishment by telling them the day of rest was made for man, not the other way around.
Then, having made these pronouncements, Jesus promptly proceeded to give the world something it could neither ignore or forget. We might forget to give thanks for sunrises and the loving touch of a friend, but nobody could forget to give thanks for Jesus. Why? Jesus gave sinful souls salvation. Since the fall into sin, things hadn’t been right. All of humanity had been born sinful and because of that, sin was condemned. But Jesus, the suffering Savior, set about to make things right. As the sinless Son of God, He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Leaving His holy home in heaven, He was born, one of us. All the laws of God that we naturally and unnaturally break, He kept. Perfectly. Purely. Completely. For 33 years of His life there was not an “oops” or a “goof.” And that’s just the beginning.
All of the temptations we fall for, He avoided-not a stumble or a misstep. When we would have listened to the devil, Jesus turned a deaf ear. All of the sins we carry around; all of the despicable, devious, damnable things we cannot shake, all of these, Jesus took to Himself. The things we have said to hurt, our hearts’ motives that were horrible and hideous, these He made His own. The greed, the envy, the cruelty, the lust, the hatred that are part of all of us, even the best of us, these things Jesus carried.
Right now, do not think of this as a radio broadcast being beamed over the world. Think of this as a private talk between you and me. Jesus carried your sins. He loved you that much. How long did He carry them? Long enough to get rid of them. Long enough for Him to be nailed to a cross. On a cross He died for you. Hold that picture in your mind’s eye. See God’s Son suffering, dying for you. The whip marks on His back. You can’t see them so clearly as He hangs upon the cross. They were received for you. The crown of thorns for you, and me, too. Jesus died for you. And when Jesus died, so did your sins. Jesus did for you what nobody else could. He lived for you. He died for you. He rose for you. That’s important, too. Because Jesus rose, we know He was successful in His work. Because Jesus rose, and don’t think that’s all made up, for hundreds of people at many different places and times saw Him alive, you know if you believe in Him as your Savior, you, too can be part of God’s family. You can be saved. You can have eternal life.
If what I have said is true, and it is the truest thing that ever was said, what is your reaction? How do you feel? What is your response to this unmerited love of God? Martin Luther responded by saying, “For all of which it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him.” But modern men and women seldom stop to give thanks for God’s gracious gifts. We have so much. We assume we deserve it. We don’t want to admit we need a Savior or a Supplier. Even among those who have seen Jesus, whose names are listed on the role of a Christian church, on almost any given Sunday morning, more than half of them forget to worship the Savior who did so very much for them.
Which takes me back to my question. Do you remember it? Have you gotten around to worshipping the Lord lately? Now I told you I wasn’t going to get all preachy or shouty at you. I’m not. I just want to know? What’s the reason? Can we talk about it?
Is it possible you don’t worship because you think God doesn’t care about you or your sins are too great for Jesus to take away, or on the other side of that coin, that you haven’t got any sins that need taking care of? Do you not worship because no one has ever invited you or that you think worship is only for the rich or the poor? Do you not worship the Lord because you don’t know what to do, how to begin, how to take the first step? If you fit any of those categories, and there are many of you who do, let me say this: You are exactly the kind of people the church is looking for. I know that because I know that’s the kind of people the Savior died for. He came to seek and save the lost- the folks who were burdened, hurting, who were alone and lost. Even as I am confident that Jesus wants you and your worship, I am equally confident the organization of which I am proud to be a part, Lutheran Hour Ministries, wants to help you make a connection with a church. Please give us a call and we will do our very best to bring you together with others who are also alone, but now have each other as well as a Savior and a Lord.
Have you gotten around to worshipping the Savior lately? No? Let me guess? Is it because you think worship is between you and God and nobody else? After all, you know what you believe, and that’s all that counts, isn’t it? Well, no it isn’t. Those who worship and love the Savior were never meant nor are capable of practicing their faith in a permanent vacuum.
Bible translators have told me that Africa’s Masai, when they wish to say, “I thank you,” say words that literally translate: “My head is in the dirt.” They say it because when a Masai says thanks, he will bow down and put his forehead on the ground. They want to show their thankfulness is mixed with humility. Members of another African tribe express their gratitude by saying, “I sit on the ground before you.” When one of them wants to express appreciation to someone else, he sits in front of that person’s hut. He will sit there for a while. The longer he sits, the more people know of his heart’s gratitude. I believe you when you say, “I know what I believe.” But I also believe the Bible when it says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the day (of judgment) approaching” (Hebrews 10: 24-25).
Have you gotten around to worshipping the Savior lately? No? Is it because you don’t like the church, the pastor, the music, the organ, some person? Is it because of a squabble or I won’t go on. This one is difficult. There is no one answer that fits everyone, so, let me say this. If you aren’t worshipping the Lord because of something you have done wrong, because of a guilty conscience, get down on your knees and confess your sins to God. Then, knowing you have His forgiveness, go to your brother, your pastor, your church and do what is necessary to bring them peace, too. Don’t let pride drive a wedge between you and your Savior or your brothers and sisters. If you aren’t worshipping the Lord because of a sin someone has done against you, “Get over it.” Just as a sinner’s job is to repent, a forgiven Christian’s job is to forgive others. They may never come around. You should. Jesus said, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15). So forgive and let’s get back to worship.
And suppose you haven’t been worshipping because of a matter of taste? Please, find a church that preaches God’s truth from the Word; that administers God’s mysteries according to divine command. Then when you have done that, move. You have a great many choices. There are churches that have children all over the place and others that are as quiet as a church. You can find churches with more expenses than money, and other churches that don’t spend hardly anything. There are churches that are growing so fast you can’t possibly know everybody’s name and others where yours would be the first new name in years. You will find some churches always planning for the future and others whose strength is in the past. But find a church where you can worship the Savior who gave His life for you.
Now I know I said I wouldn’t yell, and I won’t. It wouldn’t help. We all are busy. We all have choices to make. Many of those choices are very hard. But maybe this might help. We’ve been talking about worship. Did you know the word worship is a shortened form of an older word, worthship. If something is very valuable to you, it is high on your list of priorities, then it has worthship, and that something is worthy of your worship. Now, I can’t tell you what to do. It’s not my job. My job is to tell people the Lord sent His Son to live, die, and rise for them. My job is to let the world know anyone who has that Savior has everlasting life. My job is to help people see the Savior, suffering, bleeding, dying for them. I won’t yell about it. It wouldn’t do any good. But I would say that any sight which brings me from hell to heaven, any Savior who died that I might live, is worthy of worthship. Amen.
Oh, one last thing. You faithful worshippers, I’m sorry for neglecting you, but this needed to be said, didn’t it? Many of those for whom it was intended, may not have been listening. That’s why I’m extending an invitation to you. Call Lutheran Hour Ministries and order a tape or go to our Web page, www.lhm.org, and download the manuscript and get it to them. For years, The Lutheran Hour has been “Bringing Christ to the Nations-and the Nations to the Church. ” Today, as partners, as tools of the Holy Spirit, let’s bring Him to someone you know and then bring that someone to the church. Thanks.
LUTERHAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for June 15, 2003
ANNOUNCER: What are the “keys of heaven?” I’m Mark Eischer. Joining me once again is Pastor Ken Klaus, and our topic today is the Office of the Keys. A listener recently called in to ask, “What did Jesus mean when He said He would give ‘the keys of heaven’ to the Apostle Peter?”
KLAUS: There is one other thing I’d like to cover before we tackle that question.
ANNOUNCER: And what’s that?
KLAUS: Well, recently I was at Concordia University in Mequon, Wis., and some people there asked me if these questions were legitimate. They wanted to know if people really called them in or wrote them in a letter?
ANNOUNCER: That’s a good point. I don’t think we’ve ever really addressed that on the air. I can say yes, these are real questions from real people. The only problem is sometimes we can’t answer all the questions we receive on the air and sometimes it takes us a while to get to them. But these are real questions. Our question today is, “What did Jesus mean when He gave Peter the keys of heaven?”
KLAUS: Well, the best way I can explain Jesus’ words is to give a little background. Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say I am?”
ANNOUNCER: They came back and said, “Well, you’re John the Baptist back from the dead or, you’re the prophet Elijah.”
KLAUS: Right. And then Jesus said, “Now fellows, what I really want to know is who do you think I am?”
ANNOUNCER: And that’s when Peter makes his profession of faith.
KLAUS: Right. Peter said, “You are the Christ, (meaning the anointed, the designated) Son of the Living God.” After Peter said that Jesus announced to Peter, “The Holy Spirit gave you this information and I’m going to build my Church on that truth you just stated. Using your statement as the litmus test, the doors to heaven will be open or shut.”
ANNOUNCER: So Jesus wasn’t talking about building His church on Peter, but rather on what Peter said?
KLAUS: Indeed. As proof of what I’m saying, all you need to do is take a look at John 20:22-23. It was Easter night when Jesus appeared to His disciples. This is what the beloved disciple John recorded, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” And with that, Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” The resurrected Lord gave the power to forgive and retain sins to all the disciples.
Luther said roughly the same thing in “The Small Catechism,” “The Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His Church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent.”
ANNOUNCER: But Pastor, there are a lot of people who would say it is nobody else’s business what they do. This is between them and God and they would object to having the church or a pastor interfering in their lives.
KLAUS: I know they do, Mark. That’s partly a sign of our times. We live in an age where it’s every person for himself or herself. We think we are totally independent even when we join a church.
ANNOUNCER: And we’re not?
KLAUS: No, we’re not. At least not the way the Bible describes how we’re supposed to be.
ANNOUNCER: Could you give us an example of that from the Scriptures?
KLAUS: Certainly. Jesus said He was the vine and we are the branches. We are interconnected. Paul wrote that we were supposed to be one body, and then he went to talk about how an eye or any other part of the body doesn’t operate independently. Paul talked about how if one part of your body hurts all of your body hurts (1 Corinthians 12:14ff).
ANNOUNCER: I think I know what he meant by that. I once had a toothache that made my entire head hurt.
KLAUS: I had an ingrown toenail …
ANNOUNCER: Well, enough of the medical segment. So what St. Paul is saying is. . .
KLAUS: What one person does affects everyone else. If you lead a life of sin, it will touch me, my church, and my Lord. What I do affects you. If I mess up, others may think my sin is OK, and want to do it, too.
ANNOUNCER: So when the church says “stop doing that” to someone who’s indulging in sin or a lifestyle that, if left unrepented, might separate them from Jesus and eventually send their souls to hell…
KLAUS: The action is done partly to win that sinner back and partly to stop the sin from spreading. The doctor does the same thing when he operates on an individual to remove a cancer.
ANNOUNCER: So when the church practices the Office of the Keys, it’s really a loving act.
KLAUS: Jesus certainly intended it that way. Just as a father or mother lovingly discipline their children, it’s designed to be an act of love, not hatred or evil.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Klaus. The next Lutheran Hour message is titled, “Faith that Does Not Fear.”