The Lutheran Hour
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"Where Credit is Due"
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Text: Deuteronomy 8:17-18
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! And if this message were to say nothing else, those wonderful words would be cause for eternal thanksgiving to be lifted up to the Triune God from every man, woman, and child in the world.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the man who made Sherlock Holmes famous. With apologies to his excellent writing, I have to say I don’t think he ever wrote the story which speaks of the time the great detective and his sidekick, Dr. Watson, were on safari in Africa. The two were days away from civilization, camping out on the veldt, when in the middle of the night, Holmes awoke. He nudged his companion and asked, “Watson, old friend, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.” Deliberately, Dr. Watson replied: “Holmes, as I survey the heavens, I see many things.
Astronomically, I see that there are millions of galaxies which have the potential of holding billions of planets. Logically, from the placement of the stars, I see that the time is approximately half-past three – in the morning. Theologically, I can see that there is a Creator who made and brought order to all that I see. Meteorologically, I can see that we have every possibility of enjoying a sunny day tomorrow.”
Rather than seeming impressed, Holmes asked, “Is that all you see?” Watson frantically searched his brain and finally he groused: “Yes, Holmes that’s all I see. Tell me, am I missing something?” Holmes gave a long pause and then, with a bit of pity in his voice, replied, “Yes, Watson, you are missing something quite elementary. You are missing the fact that somebody has apparently stolen our tent.”
I have to confess that story is a most unusual way to begin a message about thanksgiving. Nevertheless there is a reason why I have used it. I believe that this story will point out something, if you would excuse the expression, most elementary. You see, when Dr. Watson looked up towards the skies, he managed to rightly describe a great many things. Still, Watson managed to miss that single thing which should have been most obvious. In similar fashion, I see newspapers reporting all the wonderful advancements in knowledge; I hear the radio talking about great breakthroughs in technology; I see television reporters pointing out the marvels of modern medicine and science. Truly we have been allowed to live in a most wondrous time. Still, if these are the only things you see, like Dr. Watson, you’re missing that which should be most obvious. If all you see are man’s advancements, you are missing the Lord’s handiwork in the temporal and eternal affairs of humankind. Now, it would hardly be the first time that such a thing has happened. The people before the flood thought they could do without God and lived their lives licentiously. After the flood it didn’t take too long before the family of man tried to raise a tower to show their contempt for God, and to point out their own successes.
When the Children of Israel, having seen God’s miracles in Egypt and having experienced His guidance through the Sinai, were prepared to enter the Promised Land, God spoke to them. Just as Holmes told Dr. Watson that he shouldn’t forget to see the obvious, God did the same for His elect nation. He began by reminding them of their past. He said, “I am the one who delivered you. I am the one who made sure that you were fed. I am the one who made sure your clothes didn’t wear out. I am the one who has brought you to this point in time.” Then God said to them, “As you move from the dry desert and your wilderness wanderings into a new land, I want you to remember. After you establish your homes and when you have received a material abundance far greater than anything your ancestors could have imagined; I want you to remember. “I know,” God said, “you’re going to be tempted to say: ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth.’ Then God warns, “Don’t believe it. When that day comes, I want you to remember I am the one who has given you everything.” Then God, in the eighth chapter of Deuteronomy said, in the face of temptation, “Remember the LORD your God.”
Remember. That’s what God’s people in every generation are supposed to do. They are to remember. Remembering God who has given us everything ought to be easy; it ought to be obvious; it ought to be elementary; but it isn’t. As proof I can say that every nation in the history of the world has managed to forget God and succumb to the sin of pride. Every nation which has become a global leader, after having enjoyed a few generations of prosperity, looks around and concludes that they, not God, have earned what they have.
These nations are very much like the family in a story which appeared, years ago in Grimm’s Fairy Tales. You may remember the story of the father, mother, and son, who lived in the grandfather’s house. Grandfather had gladly welcomed his extended family into his home. He made it clear that everything he had should be considered as theirs. Saying he really didn’t need such a big place; grandpa’s bedroom was soon given to the mother and father; his fields were planted and harvested as if they belonged to the mother and father.
At first the young family was most thankful. But then, as the years past, grandpa’s presence in their lives became a burden, a nuisance, a disgrace, an embarrassment. When friends came to call, grandpa was shuttled off to the upstairs; when conversation was made at the dinner table, grandpa was ignored. Finally, at one supper, grandpa was bumped as he lifted the fork to his mouth. The food fell off the fork, hit his shirt, and ended up staining the tablecloth. Upset with the mess, mother talked with her husband and they agreed, grandpa should be moved away from the family dinner table.
And so it was. Grandpa was given a spot in the corner of the kitchen where he could sit on a stool and eat from a bowl. From a distance he sat in silence, watching his family eat his food, from his plates, in his kitchen. Then, one day, as the mother was bringing food to the table, it looked like she would trip on one of her son’s toys. Grandpa raised his voice and called a warning. As he stood up to catch the mother, his plate went flying. His food went all over the floor and the plate shattered. Distraught, grandpa’s son shouted, “If you cannot eat better than a pig, then you shall eat like a pig.” And the son built a small wooden pig trough for his father. Grandpa was banished from the kitchen and moved to the front porch. There, by himself, he ate his meals out of the trough of a pig.
Things might have stayed that way forever, if it had not been for that day when the mother and father came upon their little boy playing out in the yard with some small pieces of wood. They asked, “What are you making?” With pride, the boy held up his project, smiled, and said, “I’m building a trough for you and mama. That way, someday, when I’m big, I’ll be ready to feed you the same way you feed grandpa.” Now, because this is one of Grimm’s happy-ever-after fairy tales, the story ends with mother and father realizing grandpa’s value, bringing him back to the table, and being appreciative of all he had done for them.
Of course, as I say, this is a fairy tale, and fairy tales don’t always translate into reality, do they? The truth is, like the parents in the story, many nations of the world have banished God to a corner and are, even now, in classroom and courtroom, debating about whether they should put Him out on the porch. They want God out of the way so they can convince their people that they, not God, are the providers of everything. Sure, they’ll keep God around; they’ll roll Him out when it’s time for an election, or when they need some help to deal with a disaster, or when they want His blessing in a time of crisis. But most of the time, they want God to sit in silence, in a corner or on the porch, being fed with the crumbs which fall from their groaning, divinely-given tables of plenty.
And how have these Satanic plans to get God out of the way worked? They have worked very well, indeed. Like the little boy in our story who learned how to treat the elderly by watching his parents, many people, having watched their governments shove God to the side, have decided to do the same with Him in their own lives. Many of today’s athletes, ill-tempered, ill-mannered, and irresponsible no longer can claim to share the integrity of Honus Wagner who, because of his principles, had his picture pulled from the baseball cards of the American Tobacco Company. In the business world somebody gives a greedy grin that the populace still accepts an immediate 15-cent raise in the gas pumps every time a valve on a mid-east pipeline fails. Selfishness, not self-sacrifice, is the mark of our age. Institutions of higher learning offer knowledge but not wisdom; computers spew out raw information, but can give no solid help to show how that information can be used. On a personal level, people want it all, and heaven help the person who gets in their way. Marriage, family, friendships, neighborhoods, and those who are younger or older than us have all become temporary and disposable. In the world of religion people flit from one church to another, flirt with one unbiblical concept after another, and are filled with a desire to find a god who is willing to take them as they are.
Puffing up our chests, sticking out our chins, we shout to all the world: “Look what we have done.” Yes, look what we have done. We are rich. We are powerful. And we are unhappy. We have unhappy countries; unhappy churches; unhappy communities; and unhappy children and parents. Look at what we have done.
And, like the grandfather in the story, God waits patiently. He waits for us to realize that the path upon which we have set our feet, the direction we are going is false and foolish. God waits patiently for that moment when nations and individuals will realize that on their own they can do nothing. God waits patiently for His people to return to Him, to invite Him to their family dinner tables, to welcome Him back into their homes, into their dreams, into their lives. God sits, and waits, and says, “Remember. Remember the Lord your God.”
To which I can almost hear people spit out, “And what shall we remember? What has God done for us lately?” They demand to know, “Where was God when the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center? Where was God when the giant tsunamis washed away tens of thousands in Asia? Where was God when the roadside bomb snuffed out the lives of a soldier, a son, in Iraq? Where was God when my husband lost his job…. when my wife got sick… when my teen was killed by a drunk driver? Why should we remember or be thankful?”
Those are reasonable questions. Let me give you reasonable answers. Where was God? He was exactly where people put Him. On 9/11 He was in the hearts of many of those firemen and policemen who died as they struggled up to help those who were in danger. God was there on the beaches of Asia the day the tsunamis came. He was there that day, as He has been for hundreds of years. He was reaching out, trying to save all those whose earthly lives would be washed away in that terrible instant. And where is God in your life? Where has He been in the tragedies and pains, in the hurts of your life? Where was God when you were swept away by sadness or sorrow? I can tell you where He was. He was exactly where you put Him. In the hearts of believers, He moves freely, bringing hope and happiness, peace and power, comfort and consolation. But there are many who have relegated God to a corner where He is to sit quietly. If you put Him in a corner of your life, that is where He has remained. If you forced Him out of the home of your heart, He still waits. He waits for you to “Remember.”
Understand, God does not force you to remember. He wants you, voluntarily, thankfully to: “Remember.” He wants you to remember the great and gracious gifts that He continues to bestow upon you who live in this world that He has entrusted to us. No matter what pains or problems you have encountered in 2005; no matter the hurts, hassles, or horrors, God would have you remember the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life which comes through His Son, Jesus. If God were to deal with us justly, this world would never see the dawning of a new day. If He were to punish us for all of our transgressions, the breath that now fills your lungs would be your last.
But God does not treat us as we deserve. God, in mercy, still waits. He waits and wants you, in faith, to understand that He has given you a most costly and caring gift. God is offering you forgiveness and freedom from your past masters of sin, Satan, and death. So that you might have this gift, He has sent His holy, innocent Son into the world to pay the price that your sins demanded. So that you might have a home in heaven, God’s Son lived without a place to rest His head. So that you might be adopted by the Father into His family, Jesus was rejected by His family and friends. So that you might be declared innocent, Jesus was found guilty. So you might not suffer, Jesus was spit upon, struck, and scourged. So you might live for all eternity in heaven, Jesus died upon Calvary’s cruel cross, and rose on the third day so that all who believe on Him might be saved. With humility and thankfulness you should remember this gift.
But there is more that you should remember. God’s gifts continue. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” With Jesus as your Savior, with your sins washed away by His blood, you can no longer be condemned. With the peace a risen Jesus gives, the fears of life are put into their place and troubled hearts find rest. God says, “Remember.” Remember that you no longer have to worry about what you shall eat, or drink, or wear. Our heavenly Father knows what you need and He will take care of you. Remember. Remember God’s gifts. Remember that from “the storehouse of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” Remember.
So, how will your real-life story end? Will this harvest Thanksgiving Day end with you seeing the obvious or will you force God to sit in a corner or banish Him to the porch of your heart? Will the Lord be valued and be allowed to take His rightful spot of honor in your life? Will He be thanked for every good and gracious gift that He bestows, or will this day end with God still waiting. Will you give credit where credit is due? I don’t know how your story will end. I pray it will end with humility and thankfulness to God for His crucified and risen Son. I pray that it will end with a repentant heart and an appreciation of the Savior’s sacrifice. I pray that it will end with you, by God’s grace, living, happily ever after. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for November 20, 2005
ANNOUNCER: Now, Pastor Ken Klaus responds to questions from listeners. I’m Mark Eischer
KLAUS: Hi, Mark. What have we got?
ANNOUNCER: Well, not so much a question from a listener, but I’d like you to respond to a comment that comes to us from the Internet. The long and short of it seems to be this: Christians are to blame for the great scope of the recent hurricane damage in the South. The writer said that because so many Christians live in the South and because Christians expect God to protect them, they didn’t bother to take the necessary precautions that would have protected New Orleans and other places.
KLAUS: In other words, “We believe in God–who needs levees?”
ANNOUNCER: Something like that.
KLAUS: Somebody said that? Really? Wow. Do they have any evidence to back that up? Well, the first thing that occurred to me when you said that is that some things don’t change all that much. 1900 years ago, a great fire destroyed much of Rome. When the smoke cleared, the emperor Nero needed somebody to blame, and although there wasn’t any evidence for the charge, it was easy to put the blame on the Christians, because, well, they were unpopular to begin with. So the persecution began.
ANNOUNCER: And you think the same thing is happening here?
KLAUS: Well, I’m not saying that the government is blaming Christians. I’m saying that this individual, using some pretty convoluted reasoning, is trying to do that.
ANNOUNCER: But don’t Christians believe that God will protect them?
KLAUS: I can answer that two different ways. When the devil tempted Jesus, he took Him up to the highest point of the temple, and said, “Jesus, you can make Your job a lot easier if You’ll just jump off and let the angels catch you before you smash onto the pavement below.” Satan continued, “Think of the impact such a miracle would have…Everybody would say, ‘Look at Jesus! He must be the Messiah.’ And then You wouldn’t have to suffer and die on the cross.” You remember, Mark, what Jesus said to that?
ANNOUNCER: He said we shouldn’t put the Lord to the test.
KLAUS: Right. Jesus didn’t say that God couldn’t protect Him, or wouldn’t protect Him. He was saying that we don’t do things that will challenge God or His protection.
ANNOUNCER: Now how would you apply that to this question we’re talking about today?
KLAUS: I don’t park my car on the railroad tracks with a train barreling down on me. I don’t jump off the Empire State Building to test my free fall time before something or somebody breaks my fall to bring me safely to earth. Nor would I not build a levee in order to show that God will miraculously protect my city from destruction.
ANNOUNCER: Because that would be like challenging God.
KLAUS: Right, and Christians don’t challenge God. Christians believe God has given them the smarts and the abilities and the wherewithal to make decisions in our best interests. That includes building levees and taking other necessary precautions in a fallen world.
ANNOUNCER: You said there was another way you could answer this question?
KLAUS: There is. Most Christians do believe that God protects them.
ANNOUNCER: Even in disasters such as the ones we’ve seen recently?
KLAUS: Even then. I’ve talked to some of the pastors in those areas that were hardest hit. They will tell you stories–miraculous stories–where God brought people out of what were seemingly impossible situations. God’s protection was there. If the writer of this e-mail wishes to blame Christians for the scope of the disaster, that’s fine. He can have his opinion. But he really ought to be fair. He needs to also see how the Christian church–as congregations and as individuals–have responded to these disasters. The Church responded in powerful ways to help victims of the tsunami. Charities emptied their coffers to be of help. Then, when this disaster came to our own shores, organizations gave again–in extraordinary ways. They went back to individuals and churches and asked, “Are you willing to help?” And Christians said “yes.” They’ve opened their homes; they found places for the victims to live, to work. They’ve set up kitchens and sent medical teams. As soon as the word goes out that things are ready to go, Christians will be down there, helping to rebuild.
Now, maybe I haven’t been looking in the right spot, but I really haven’t seen that same kind of overwhelming, organized response from some of the organizations that seek to deny God and the Savior. Most of them, I imagine, are too busy sending out e-mails blaming Christians for everything that’s wrong in the world.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Klaus. And with that we come to the end of our broadcast for another week. We thank you, the listener for making it part of your day. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music selections from this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” From Hymns for All Saints (© 2004 Concordia Publishing House) Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Oh, That I Had a Thousand Voices” by John Behnke. From For All Seasons, vol. 2 by John Behnke (© 2001 John A. Behnke) Augsburg-Fortress/SESAC
“Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying” by J.S. Bach. From Te Deum by the Kantorei (© 2000 Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana)