The Lutheran Hour
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"I Can Take It From Here"
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Text: Matthew 2:8
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Two thousand years ago, some wise men followed a Divinely-placed star and worshipped their Savior. Thirty-three years later, some women listened to a heaven-sent angel as He spoke of the Savior’s victory over death. By God’s grace may we follow; may we see; may we worship the risen and ever-living Christ. God grant this grace to us all. Amen.
I grew up reading Reader’s Digest. Indeed, I read that monthly publication from cover to cover. But I didn’t start at the beginning and plow my way through to the back cover. Oh, no, that would not do; it would not do at all. There was a method to the reading. I started out with the stories. First, there would be the section about “Life in the United States,” then “Humor in Uniform” stories which came from time spent in the military. Next I would skip to the end of every article and consume the little anecdotes – the fillers the editors put in so there wouldn’t be any bits of white page staring back at you. Only when the stories were concluded, did I launch into the articles. Those articles also had a hierarchy. First to be consumed would be “My Most Unforgettable Character.” Those would be stories usually written by a regular guy or gal who had had a chance encounter with some famous personage. Sometimes, of course, that account was an individual’s reflection on an insightful father or sacrificing mother. After the “unforgettable character” story, I would hammer my way through the rest of the articles, working from most to least interesting. Last on my reading list would be the condensed novel.
Looking back, I realize what a magnificent job those editors did. Reducing a full-sized book to a few pages, while still retaining the theme, flavor, and storyline, was a tremendous undertaking. The thing I most enjoyed about those small novels was what I would call the author’s moment of spiritual awakening. By that I mean that moment when he came to the conclusion he needed God in his life. Let me explain how it worked. The first pages of the story would tell of the author’s life, the next pages would set up a problem, an accident, a tragedy, an illness – something, anything, which brought conflict and pain into their lives. When all avenues had been exhausted, every possibility for escape found shut, the author would write something like: “I had always been an independent person, certainly I had never been much of a religious individual, but at that moment when the bear charged me; or, at that moment when I saw my baby’s stroller roll out into traffic; or, at that moment when I found myself hanging from the tenth story of the building; or, at the moment I stood on the slope of Mount Everest without my Sherpa guides and my oxygen bottles depleted – that was the moment I found myself praying to God. I told Him, if He would deliver me, I would never forget His help.” The story almost always concluded with some miraculous escape. Even at a young age, I thought escape should have been obvious. After all, the author’s name had been listed at the beginning of the story. As for God – well, God was never mentioned again.
Over the last few years I’ve noted those moments of spiritual awakening don’t show up near as often in Reader’s Digest. Maybe that’s because those stories of Divine deliverance seem too corny to the modern mind. Maybe it’s because we’ve changed. Recent decades have made us think of ourselves as self-contained, self-sustaining, and self-sufficient. Today’s Dorothy would never end up in Oz, because Doppler radar has given Dorothy a full one-half hour warning that a tornado is headed toward her Kansas home. The pro-baseball player in a slump, the golfer who is off his game, the Olympian who keeps falling off the balance beam, doesn’t need God to provide a miracle; he or she just needs a first-class sports clinic. We are in and God is out.
As Jesse Ventura, the ex-governor of Minnesota said, “Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers.” Like children on a roller coaster who show their bravery by refusing to hold onto the bar right in front of them, humanity shows its bravado by refusing to hold onto the Lord who has created them; sustains, saves, and keeps them. Again and again people say, “I’m OK, God. You can take a break. I can take care of things from here.” Although the Bible certainly doesn’t say so, and I would never claim it does, I sometimes think that was the attitude of the Wise Men as they came near Jerusalem. I imagine, and that’s all it is, an imagining, that they thought, “Lord, thanks for the star, we can take care of finding the king all on our own.” I think they were being kind of independent when they showed up at the Jerusalem palace of King Herod, wishing to pay their respects to the newborn prince of the Jews.
You know, this week much of the Christian world will be celebrating Epiphany – the Gentile Christmas. Even though we celebrate the arrival of the Wise Men, we have to admit, St. Matthew doesn’t provide an overabundance of detail concerning that event. Church tradition says there were three Wise Men, but we don’t know because the Bible doesn’t say. Church tradition says the names of the Wise Men were Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, but we don’t know that either.
What we do know is that these Magi, these ancient astrologers, saw a star and they followed it. Did these fellows want to be first to pay their respects to a new monarch? I don’t know. Were they involved in a purely scientific study to increase humankind’s celestial-knowledge database? I don’t know. Were they looking to put in their application to be the official stargazers for the future monarch of the Jews? I don’t know. I do know, as the song says, bearing gifts they traversed afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, they followed yonder star… and they ended up in Jerusalem, at Herod’s palace. The question is, “Why?” That’s right, why did they end up in the courtroom of one of history’s most infamous mad monarchs? Why did they ask “Where’s the new king? We’ve been following His star and we’ve come to worship Him”? I want to know why did they end up taking a detour which would eventually prove to be deadly for the baby boys of Bethlehem. I want to know why that star, which had brought them so far, did not take them directly to the house where Jesus and His parents were staying. I’m guessing that star led the Wise Men as long as the Wise Men were ready and willing to follow; but when the Wise Men stopped following and started to trust themselves rather than God’s star, when they said, “Thanks, Lord, we can take it from here,” that star disappeared from their sight.
Of course, it was logical for them to make a beeline to Jerusalem. It was logical, but it was wrong. The Wise Men might have figured that out. After all, there weren’t any town criers calling out the latest scoop of a birth in the palace. The Magi did not have to fight their way through drunken revelers rejoicing Herod’s dynasty would continue on for another generation. There were no shouts of: “The prince is born. Long live the king.” At Herod’s headquarters, when they asked, “Where is the king who has been born to the Jews?” they probably expected a straight answer. They might have thought something was wrong when Herod, having convened his counselors and scholars, announced, it is “from Bethlehem, a leader will come who will be Shepherd to God’s people” (Micah 5:2).
If the wise men had felt confident thinking, “Lord, we can take it from here,” they had been wrong. You know, as I read through Scripture, the “Lord, I’ll-take-it-from-here” seems to be a common misconception. Adam and Eve, set up by God in a garden where sin, suffering, and death were strangers, did just fine until the day came when they, having listened to Satan’s suggestions said, “Thanks, Lord, we can take it from here.” The moment they substituted their sinful desire for God’s single command was the day plague, pestilence, and punishment replaced perfection; when death put a period at the end of life; when Satan increased his kingdom with acquisition of souls stolen from their Creator.
“Thanks, Lord, I can take it from here.” That’s what the people of early history said as they lost themselves in licentious and lascivious living, which is just another way of saying they partied until the Lord flushed them away with a flood. “Thanks, Lord, I can take it from here.” That was what Moses thought when he struck the water-giving rock rather than speaking to it as God had commanded. That gesture cost him his ticket into the Promised Land. “Thanks, Lord, I can take it from here,” is what cost Samson his hair, his sight, and his life. “Thanks Lord, I can take it from here,” is what the priest Eli said when it came to raising his sons. It was a decision he lived to regret. A “Thanks Lord, I can take it from here” attitude turned King David into a murderer and it cost Solomon his peaceful palace. “Thanks, Lord, I can take it from here,” sent Jonah over the side of a storm-tossed ship and into the belly of a great fish; it is what caused degenerate, decadent, idolatrous rulers to lose the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
And do not think the “Thanks Lord, I can take it from here” approach to life ended with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The Pharisees, whom Jesus encountered, almost always thought they could make improvements on God’s law, redefine His will and restrict His love. Peter frequently thought He could take matters into his own hands and enhance Jesus’ wants and wishes. When Jesus announced He was going to Jerusalem so He might pick up our sins and carry them to His death on the cross, Peter tried to talk Him out of the journey (Mark 8:32). When Jesus shows His disciples true humility and servanthood by washing His disciples’ feet; Peter, in one breath, declines the act, and with his next breath asks Jesus to wash all of him. Peter was a, “Thanks God, I can take it from here,” kind of guy.
Substituting our will for God’s wishes; our ever-changing wisdom for God’s never-changing truth; our small strength for God’s gracious and powerful plan of protection; has always been a foolish choice. Even so, humanity never seems to learn and every generation ends up repeating the same sins, suffering the same setbacks, and enduring the same punishments as have those who have gone before. It is only when God inserts His grace into our sick and sinful lives, that the pattern can be broken.
Nowhere is that truth made more clear than in the story of the Wise Men. When they left the palace of Herod, by God’s grace the Magi were once again guided by God’s star. By God’s grace, unerringly and undetoured, they were taken not to the neighborhood, not to the block, but to the exact place where Jesus was in residence. By God’s grace, they found not the newborn ruler of the Jews, but the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. By God’s grace they were brought into the presence of the world’s Savior who, unlike any other monarch before or since, would sacrifice Himself so all who believe on Him might be forgiven of their sins and be set free of condemnation.
By God’s grace and by His direction, these unnamed Wise Men were transformed. If they had started their trip as men of science, they ended up as men of knowledge and faith. If they had been trying to find an explanation for a unique, celestial event, they finished being given a liberator who would, upon Calvary’s cross and at a borrowed tomb, redeem sinful souls. With Spirit-given faith, Scripture says of the eastern Wise Men: “And when they came into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” No longer in control, these men had been given grace to see their Savior.
It’s not that way for everyone. Years ago, I heard of a man who found a $20 bill on the street. That bit of good fortune changed his life. From then on, wherever he went he kept his eyes trained upon the ground in the hope that the event might be repeated. If you expect me to say it never was, you would be wrong. Over the years the man managed to find an assortment of hairpins, a whole host of paper clips, a very nice ballpoint pen, a half-full cigarette lighter, one nickel, eighteen pennies, 24 dimes, and 14 quarters. Each discovery was one which gladdened his heart, made him feel like a rich man, and encouraged him to keep looking down. Can I tell you that during that same period of time the man never saw a rainbow, the faces of playing children, the antics of a puppy, the graceful flight of migrating geese, a brightly colored hot-air balloon, a multi-hued sunset, and the rising of an orange moon over the horizon?
That is the best way I can describe the difference between the Wise Men and Herod; between those who think they can handle things themselves and those who rely on the Lord’s goodness to provide both guidance and grace. It is what separates those who know Jesus as Savior and those who acknowledge only their own power and prowess. Using Herod, allow me to explain. History has given the title “Great” to the Roman appointed King of the Jews. It is a title which has been shared by a handful of other men and women. Some of them, like Alexander of Macedonia, Catherine and Peter of Russia, and Constantine, may be familiar to you. Most of them, although rich and powerful in their day, have faded into obscurity. Who among our listeners can tell the story of Alfonso the Great of Leon, Ashoka of India, Hano of Carthage or Japan’s Mutshito?
Here we will speak only of Herod. Born into a family with connections, Herod was raised to be a power broker. When he was 25, the Romans appointed him governor of Galilee; in 40 B.C., the Senate promoted him to kingship. During his early years, Herod did some impressive stuff. When a famine occurred in 25 B.C., Herod melted down his own gold to buy food for his people; he began the construction of giant theaters and put up stadiums for sporting events. And if that were not enough, he managed to wipe out bands of terrorists, made peace between tribes who had been at war, and give the Jewish nation an impressive new temple. Indeed, if you take a modern tour of Israel and see a ruin which seems bigger, better, more impressive than the rest, your guide will tell you, “This was built by Herod the Great.”
But remember, Herod was a man who looked down; who felt no need for God or a Savior; who felt he could control his life. He certainly tried. Which is why he had to build fortress-palaces to keep him safe from his own people. It is why he had his favorite wife murdered; why he put some of his sons to death; why he drowned a popular young high priest; why he had a network of spies wandering the countryside; why he ordered the massacre of the baby boys of Bethlehem. Herod the Great? Unlike the Wise Men who followed the Lord’s star to the Savior and salvation; Herod, the man who looked down, who felt no need for God, died alone, unloved, unmourned, and unsaved.
It didn’t have to be that way; it didn’t have to end that way. Not for Herod, not for you, not for anyone. God wants to save you; He sent His Son to save you, but He will not force salvation down your throat. You may have to wait a very long time before a bear’s charge scares you into faith. You may never have a time when your baby’s stroller rolls into traffic, or you find yourself hanging from a tall building, or standing on Mount Everest without oxygen. God will not force you to believe on Him or His Son who was sent as a sacrifice to save you. On the other hand, God does give you a star and the Gospel story of Jesus’ sacrifice. We have this story of the star which will lead you to Jesus, to see the wonders of His grace.
Today He invites you to believe He offers you things this world cannot imagine or provide. In His Son there is friendship for those who are alone; there is hope for those whom life has crushed; there is joy for those whose lives seem to be filled with unending despair. Today He would have you look to Jesus. Look at the perfect life Jesus led so you might be forgiven of your sins. Look at the death He died so you might never have to fear the flames of hell. Look at the empty tomb of Resurrection Sunday and know that, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, heaven’s gates are open. Look and see the greatness of God’s grace and, like the Wise Men, kneel down in humility before your Savior and Lord. By God’s grace may you follow the star to your Savior. By God’s grace may you see your Savior, Christ the Lord. And if you need help to see more clearly, please call us at The Lutheran Hour. Amen.Q and A for Sermon #76-17 for January 4, 2009
ANNOUNCER: A piece of pottery buried for 3,000 years is taking us back to the world of King David. I’m Mark Eischer and my guest today is Dr. David Adams, Director of the Concordia Center for Archaeology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. And this past summer, Dr. Adams was part of an archeological team in Israel that discovered a fragment of pottery bearing what may be the oldest-known Hebrew inscription ever found, dating from the time of King David. Dr. Adams, describe the location of this site.
ADAMS: The excavation site is about 15 miles southwest of Jerusalem. It’s only known by its modern name, Khirbet Qeiyafa, which is Arabic for “the beautiful ruin.” We don’t know for sure what the Biblical name of the site is. And it may be just one of those many places in Israel that’s not mentioned by name in the Bible. Or it may be a small town mentioned three times by the name of Sha’arayim. One thing we do know is that our site was a very heavily fortified fortress in a valley that leads up from the coastal plain to the mountains of central Israel. That valley is called the Elah Valley, and since our site is a military fortress, we sometimes just call it the Elah Fortress.
ANNOUNCER: What is its historic or strategic significance? And when was it occupied?
ADAMS: Well, the Elah Valley, is the main route from the land of the Philistines into the heartland of Judah around Jerusalem and Bethlehem. So, in 1st Samuel 17, when the Philistines invaded Judah, the Bible tells us that they came just this way, and the famous fight between David and Goliath happened in the valley right below our site. But the main reason that this excavation is important today is that Khirbet Qeiyafa is the first significant site in Judah that can be definitively dated to the reign of King David. It was occupied for a relatively short time around 1000 BC. So for the first time archaeologists may be able to get a clear picture of what life was like in Judah at the time of King David. At the same time, what we found at Khirbet Qeiyafa is causing scholars to re-assess what they previously thought about this very crucial period in the life of ancient Israel.
ANNOUNCER: And, tell us about this pottery fragment that was discovered.
ADAMS: One of the things that we found last summer was a small piece of broken pottery, about 6 inches square. This piece of pottery, technically called an ostracon, contains five lines of text in a very ancient style of Hebrew writing. It appears to be a letter, written around 3,000 years ago. That makes it the oldest example of Hebrew writing that has ever been found outside the Bible. As you can imagine, this is a very exciting and important discovery for both the study of
Biblical history and also for the study of the Hebrew language.ANNOUNCER: What sort of techniques were used to uncover the writing, and what does it say?
ANNOUNCER: The inscription is difficult to read because the ink has faded over the centuries. But using very advanced forms of photography, in which the writing is photographed in different kinds of light and the images are then analyzed by computer, we have been able to identify about 80% of the letters. We expect that by the time we are done we will be able to read all of the letters that has survived – though the first line, at least, of the text has been broken. No one knows for sure what it says at the moment. It appears to begin with the words, “Do not do (or make) ….” and in the lines that follow, the words “king” and “servant (or slave)” and “judge” appear. Once the work of identifying the letters is complete, scholars will be debating how to translate this text for years to come. A text that is this important, and this old, is bound to be controversial. The exciting thing is that we have a text like this at all; and the possibility is that next summer, or in future summers, we may find even more. It’s just this kind of tantalizing possibility of what may lie just beneath the next shovel of dirt that makes archaeology exciting. And, frankly, the likelihood that we may find something to help us understand the people and the times of the Bible better is what makes it so valuable.
ANNOUNCER: Join us next week for more of our discussion with Dr. David Adams of Concordia Seminary. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“As With Gladness Men of Old” arranged by Walter Pelz. From Hymns for All Saints: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany (© 2005 Concordia Publishing House)
“O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright” by Charles Ore. From From My Perspective, vol. 2 by Charles Ore (© 1995 Organ Works Corporation) Concordia Publishing House