The Lutheran Hour
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"Woe is Me"
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Text: Luke 6:17-26
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! What a wonderful message of love God graciously gives us in these words. With the angel’s Easter proclamation, believers who are called to Christ know that they who once were lost have been found; those who once had lived without hope have help; those who were damned have been delivered and those who have felt unloved are blessed with a love which will last forever.
This past Christmas I was amazed to see Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, hit a new and all-time low. The man who gave gifts because of his love for the Savior, who was persecuted because of his love for the Savior, who was imprisoned because of his love for the Savior who had first loved him, was reduced to selling hemorrhoid ointment. It was a sad thing to see. In a few weeks it will be St. Patrick’s Day. In many places, this Christian saint will be reduced to being remembered with parades, parties, and green beer. Forgotten will be the fact that Patrick gave his life to share the Savior with the sinners on the Emerald Isle of Ireland. That demotion is a sad thing to see as well. And today? Well, this week was Valentine’s Day. For many people that means cupids, cards and candies. It should be more.
According to the ancient legends, and that is all I can say this is, Valentine was a young Christian priest who lived in ancient Rome during the reign of Claudius II. His was an age when young Roman men were not overly eager to leave home and hearth to fight in the emperor’s unpopular, and seemingly unceasing wars. According to the story, the emperor placed a ban on marriage for all of Rome’s young men. His opinion was, if his men didn’t have a love connection to wife and family, they would more readily march away to distant lands.
Valentine felt sorry for the unhappy Christian men and their sweethearts, so he secretly and illegally performed a large number of Christian marriages. Eventually his compassion for these people placed him in prison. Outside Valentine’s cell window was a cluster of violets. Valentine picked some of the heart-shaped leaves and painstakingly pierced them to spell the words, “Remember your Valentine loves you.” Then he would drop those leaves, carrying the reflected message of Jesus’ love to the streets below. Eventually Valentine was put to death because of his faith in the Savior. Valentine died knowing that in the Bethlehem manger, God, in the Person of His Son, our Savior, had sent humanity a message which says, “I love you.” On the cross of Calvary, as His Son carried our sins, God sent a message which said, “I love you.” At Easter Sunday’s empty tomb, God sent a message of love which said not death or life, nothing in all creation, can separate us from the love of God which comes to us in Christ Jesus. And this Sunday, this Valentine’s week, God continues to send the message which says, “I love you.”
This week was Valentine’s. Do you feel loved? Sadly and all too often, most of us don’t. That’s because most of us look in all the wrong places to find it. Poets write about love; songwriters sing about love; our hearts dream and long for love, but it somehow seems illusive, always just beyond our grasp. Look into the house of a happily married couple. This week, most sensitive husbands probably knew that Valentine’s Day was coming. That meant they had to buy their sweeties a sensitive gift, which reflected the sensitive depth of their sensitive emotions. So motivated, and armed with the best of intentions, they girded themselves with cash and charge cards and wandered into enemy territory: the mall. These sensitive husbands staggered in shock from store to store. Trying to find the right gift for their ladylove, they scoped out the terrain for hours. Dresses? Don’t know her size. Shoes? Can’t get something like that without having her try them on. Other garments? Sensitivity does have its limits. Husbands would die of embarrassment if anyone saw them there.
Eventually, in desperation, the sensitive spouse ends up in the electronics section of a department store. “What would she like?” the sensitive spouse asks himself. Would she want an emergency kit that can be kept in the trunk of her car or a self-moving, bagless vacuum cleaner with a hepa filter which removes pollen from the air?” The hapless hubby makes his decision. Yesterday, Valentine’s Day, he has proudly presented his gift. He confidently awaited his wife’s smile and hugs of gratitude for his sensitivity. He was shocked when he heard the monotone, “A road car kit isn’t very romantic.” Realizing something, he’s not quite sure what, but something is wrong, he starts to explain, “But honey, I love you. This emergency kit is my way of making sure that you’re going to be safe. Look, it has a road flare and it has…” He never gets the chance to finish. She interrupts, saying, “If you really cared about me, you would know that I’d rather have a hug and a nice card rather than a road flare.” He makes a note for next year: get the vacuum cleaner.
This week was Valentine’s Day. Do you feel loved? Sadly and all too often, most of us don’t. That’s because most of us look in all the wrong places to find it. Jesus knew that. Listen to His words of warning: “… woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you….” Woe is me! Jesus is saying, “don’t look in the wrong places to find love.”
Now, before I go any farther, please let me share that God is not against eating, or money, or laughter. But He is against people believing that these things are all they need; that the pursuit of these things is our ultimate purpose. He wanted us to know where your pleasure is, there is your treasure. Where your treasure is, there is your heart. Where your heart is, there is your love. He wanted us to know, if our ultimate goal in life and for love is dependent upon something human, something transient, we’re making a big mistake.
He said it, but do we listen? Most of humanity doesn’t. A month ago I visited with a man who talked of a commuter train ride he had made with his nine-year-old son. On the train they were surrounded by men and women who looked worn out, burned out, alone and unloved. Their suits were expensive but wrinkled. Their eyes were dead, their shoulders stooped, their interaction with each other was deliberately kept to a minimum. The young man commented, “Dad, what’s wrong with these people, they all look so sad.” The man couldn’t figure out what his son meant, until he looked for himself. He was shocked by what he saw. His son was right. These people, successful movers and shakers in their companies and corporations, seemed to be hollow shells, people without love. Although they were obviously well fed and probably well paid, love seemed to have left them.
If you doubt the boy’s observation, take a look for yourself. Look around. Look at the men and women who have won millions in the lottery. Has good luck given them lasting love? Most would say, “Before I won the lottery, I was poor and sad. Now, I’m rich and sad.” Look at people’s faces; look at the way they carry themselves. Have they found love? Look around. You will see a sea of souls who look lost, lonely, and unloved.
Look, Las Vegas spends billions building one resort after another. Each pleasure palace has to be bigger, grander, more glorious than the last. Each one of these massive constructions manages, for a few moments, to be the place to where the jet setters jet, to where the moguls migrate, where the elite elect to land. But then the jewel loses its luster, and the world starts its search for satisfaction somewhere else. Look at our culture. Men and women search for love in one unfulfilling relationship after another. The practice of trading in spouses like used cars; the idea of hopping from one sexual liaison to another is limited by people’s fear of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, not by the fact that they feel loved. Look, we live in an age where children race from one video game platform to the next; where teens struggle and strive to find the newest look and attitude, which will make them socially acceptable, and where adults must possess all the status symbols. And need I say it: humanity is still unfulfilled; humans remain unloved.
Which makes me ask again: This week was Valentine’s. Do you feel loved? Are you looking in all the wrong places to find that for which your soul longs? If so, this Valentine’s Day weekend, please listen to some familiar words from Scripture: “ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) If you feel unloved, unwanted, unappreciated, then know this: God loves you. God loves you so much that He was willing to sacrifice His Son so you could be forgiven; so you could be saved; so you could know true love.
Dean was a third grader. I have to share; Dean didn’t catch on to his school lessons quite as quickly as most of his classmates. He couldn’t master the material, but he often took twice as long as everybody else. In sports, he found it challenging to keep up. As a result, he was always picked last in any team selection done by his classmates. In short, Dean was the kind of child that had a very special spot in his mother’s heart. Her heart was saddened when, one day Dean came home and announced that his school was going to have a Valentine’s Day party. Dean, most seriously said he was going to make a special valentine’s card for every one of his classmates.
Mother agonized. She wished Dean wouldn’t get so excited about his projects. She wanted to protect him from getting hurt. She had watched how her boy was treated by these friends, for whom he now wanted to prepare a special card. She had seen how he was never in the group when they got off the school bus. She had seen him sitting on the sidelines during recess. The children weren’t cruel, they just didn’t know that her boy was there. That’s what her mother’s heart said on the inside. On the outside, her mother’s voice commended Dean for his most excellent idea. That’s why, the very next day she went out and picked up the needed art supplies. Every evening for the next two weeks, she set aside time in the evening to help her boy with the paper, the glue, the crayons, the glitter, the ribbons, the candy which were going to make up the special Valentine’s Day cards. When Valentine’s Day finally came, Dean was beside himself with excitement. Before breakfast he counted the valentines. He stacked the valentines, he sorted the valentines, he carried the valentines around. He left for the bus and then came back, just to make sure he hadn’t left any of his valentines behind.
Fearing the worst, that afternoon Dean’s mom made him a special snack. She whipped up a batch of chocolate chip peanut butter cookies for her boy. She wanted to do something, anything, for the obvious disappointment that she knew was going to come. Her heart ached to think that maybe Dean wouldn’t, after all his work for others, get many valentines from his fellow students. She wanted to cry when she thought, “maybe he will get none at all.” Everything was ready when Dean finally burst through the door. She looked closely. There was a big smile on his face, but that she knew was nothing more than a brave front he was putting on for her benefit.
She took his book bag, escorted him into the kitchen and announced, “I’ve got your favorite cookies ready. Sit down. Tell me how the Valentine’s party went.” Sitting at the table, he gave a big sigh. So did her heart. The first words he said were, “Not one. Not a single one.” She cleared her throat to say some motherly things like, “Honey, you’re my Valentine. I love you.” She knew it wouldn’t be enough, but it was all she could do. Then Dean continued, “I didn’t forget one of my classmates. I didn’t forget a single one.” It was hard to believe; her boy wasn’t worried about the valentines people had given him. He was happy because he had shown his love to every one of his friends.
This week was Valentine’s Day. Do you feel loved? If not, let me tell you about Jesus. Soon after creation, humankind fell into sin. Since that dark day, every one of us, living blindly outside of God’s grace, has been destined to spend our days in a self-created darkness, searching, unsuccessfully, for love. Seeing our helplessness, the Lord decided, and that decision has never made human sense, to send us a special message of love. This message would not be like one of Dean’s cards made by paper, pen, and pencil. God’s message of love would be nothing less than His own beloved Son. A little over 2,000 years ago, Jesus, God’s special Message of Divine love entered this world: unwanted, unwelcome and ill-received. The only Son of the heavenly Father left His heavenly home and was born in a stable because nobody could spare Him a room. His parents made a cattle trough His first cradle. Did you feel sorry when I told you about how Dean was treated, and how his valentines were unappreciated? If so, then what will you feel when you look at God’s Son, God’s Divine message of love? His hometown tried to kill Him; His friends deserted and denied Him; one betrayed Him. His church leaders had Him arrested, falsely accused, beaten, and a cowardly judge allowed Him to be crucified.
Even as none of us could have blamed Dean if he had been bitter toward his classmates, none of us could be upset if Jesus had become angry at the way He has been treated by those He came to save. Still Jesus, God’s Message of love, never stopped loving. On the contrary, He has always showed and shared and been, God’s love. Jesus has always taken the mockery, the misunderstanding, the maligning of humanity, and continued to show God’s love. To those who live without hope, He gives healing. To those who feel unloved, He is God’s personal message of love. He wants each of us; He wants you to know, no matter how everyone else treats you, no matter what you have done, God loves you. Jesus is God’s special Message of love.
Which is why, this Valentine’s Day weekend, if you are among those who are lost and lonely, if you are forlorn and friendless, know that Jesus, God’s love, can bring a wonderful, lasting change in your life. Jesus is here. Jesus is God’s Message of love to all who believe on Him as Savior. He is God’s message of love to you. Like Dean, God hasn’t forgotten a single one of us. God has remembered you. He calls you. He wants to forgive you. He wants to give you a love which will last for today, tomorrow, forever. If you need to know more about Him, we are ready to help you. We will share a number to call before the end of this broadcast. Please call us.
If you already know the Savior, remember, hold fast to Jesus, the Message of God’s love. If you already know Him, believe that no matter what else is happening in your life, no matter how other people are treating you, you are loved by God. With His limitless, unending, all encompassing love, He is with you. Remember. This week was Valentine’s. And Jesus is God’s Message of love to you.
Lutheran Hour Ministries (Questions & Answers) for February 15, 2004
Topic: All You Need is Love?ANNOUNCER: Stay with us now for questions about love and hope with Pastor Ken Klaus. I’m Mark Eischer. First off, thanks again for telling us the story of St. Valentine. I think it’s important we remember the Christian foundations of Valentine’s Day, and to remember that it has more to do with sacrifice and the love of God, than it does with flowers and candy.
KLAUS: You’re most welcome. Well Mark, what’s our topic for today?
ANNOUNCER: Today’s comment is suggested by a caller who said, “My belief is not the same as yours; not to say that either is wrong or right, you believe in God for hope. My hope comes from the belief in love, my family, and myself.”
KLAUS: A lot of interesting possibilities in that. I’m not sure her idea of hope is the same as mine. Martin Luther said hope, without faith in Christ, is presumption based on little more than unfounded optimism. For the Christian, hope is based on something that really happened – the resurrection of Christ. In other words, it’s based on a sure thing. Christian hope is knowing “the big picture,” seeing how everything fits together. Through Christ’s resurrection, we’ve seen a glimpse, a preview of the glory that God will share with us in our resurrection.
ANNOUNCER: This caller also said, “My belief is not the same as yours.”
KLAUS: Well, there are a lot of areas where they could and probably should, have beliefs different than mine. We aren’t clones. People are free to disagree with me, Ken Klaus, anytime. But don’t disagree with the Bible. Don’t disagree with God. That’s dangerous.
ANNOUNCER: Why?
KLAUS: Every human being who has ever lived is a sinner, makes mistakes, is wrong. It’s part of our human condition. We can’t help ourselves. God, by the very nature of Who He is, cannot be wrong. A holy and perfect God cannot say and do imperfect things.
ANNOUNCER: Now how does this apply to our caller?
KLAUS: When the perfect Triune God, in His perfect Word says His perfect Son is the only way to heaven, the only basis for hope, you can believe it with absolute confidence.
ANNOUNCER: And God does say that, doesn’t He?
KLAUS: He does. In Matthew 17 (v. 5) for example, Jesus’ disciples heard God speak from a bright cloud and say, “This is my beloved Son, Whom I love. With Him, I am well pleased. Listen to Him.” Jesus says He is the way and the truth and the life. No ones comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)
ANNOUNCER: So are you saying a person’s beliefs can be wrong?
KLAUS: I would never be that bold. On the other hand, if God says a particular belief is inadequate or in error, then it’s wrong, it’s a dead end. I have no problems sharing that with a person.
ANNOUNCER: And what would you say to someone whose hope comes from their belief in love, family, and self?
KLAUS: Well, I think God would say, “You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
ANNOUNCER: So you’re speaking out against love on Valentine’s Day?
KLAUS: I have a great deal of respect for love, Mark, when it comes from God. In the sermon I quoted, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes on Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.”
ANNOUNCER: But what about human love?
KLAUS: As a pastor, I’ve performed a lot of weddings for a lot of couples who were in love. I’m happy to say, most of those folks are still together. Sadly, some of them found their love wasn’t as strong or as long lasting as they thought it would be. I don’t have that same kind of confidence when it comes to human love.
ANNOUNCER: And how about when they say they believe in their family or themselves?
KLAUS: Same thing applies, Mark. Remember what I said earlier about Christian hope, that it’s based on something that cannot change or fail. I don’t base hope in myself; I change, I make mistakes. I don’t place my faith in my family either, at least not completely, not all the time. They can be wrong too. A family changes. Sure, the Lord wants families to be a source of strength, but our families don’t provide the ultimate security – the hope that we need for salvation.
ANNOUNCER: And I think the Bible says something like that.
KLAUS: I think it says exactly that. First Corinthians 3 (v. 11), “for no one can lay any foundation, other than the one already laid which is in Jesus Christ.” It’s on Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, that we build our lives. Anything else, everything else is shifting sand.
ANNOUNCER: Any further advice for our caller?
KLAUS: Yes. Don’t take my word for it. Search the Scriptures, in the Scriptures you will find God’s Son, God’s truth, eternal life. The Holy Spirit works through God’s Word to bestow His gifts of faith and hope.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.