The Lutheran Hour
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"Christianity Is Losing?"
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Text: John 3:1-17
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Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed! By God’s grace may we see the truth, the salvation contained in the angel’s resurrection words. To all who doubt, all who deny, the Triune God extends this invitation: by the Holy Spirit’s call repent, believe, be saved. May the loving Lord grant this spiritual rebirth to us all. Amen.
“Christianity is losing people!” A few months ago, Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, published the results of the American Religions Identification Survey. In 1990, 86% of Americans claimed to be Christian and in 2009 the percentage of the faithful had dropped to 75%. Christianity is losing.
Atheist websites and agnostic writers crowed at the news. They were positively elated to find others had joined them in doubt and denial. They were made heady by the news others had embraced their age-old, new-age “truths of unbelief.” What truths? False truths like religion is a silly superstition born in the minute brains of people who are too stupid, too slow, too dim, too dense, too frightened, and fearful to live their lives on their own. Truths like: there is no God, and if there is a God, with all the nastiness out there, all the inequity, all the sadness, all the tragedy, He’s doing a pretty poor job of running things.
Yes, there were some who were gladdened by the news that Christianity is losing. The first thing I would like to say is this: I’m surprised. No, I’m not surprised that the number of committed Christians has decreased; I’m surprised the percentage is so low. 11% in 20 years — we’ve all seen political candidates fluctuate that much during a week. Although it’s always sad when someone steps away from the Savior, when you consider the things that have been happening, 11% in almost 20 years just isn’t that much.
And if someone were to ask, “What sort of things have been happening?” I’d answer: things like this. We all know the U.S. Supreme Court begins every session with an invocation. Even so, they recently refused to hear the case of Marcus Borden, football coach at East Brunswick High School in New Jersey. All Coach Borden wanted to do was bow his head and kneel down with his team in student led, student organized prayer. The lower court ruling stands. By law, Coach Borden can’t bow his head.1 What things? Things like this: the President and important officials can ask for God’s blessing when they are installed in office; and Congress can stand on the Capital steps to sing, “God Bless America” after terrorists bring down the World Trade Center; but Erica Corder, a 2006 valedictorian at Monument, Colorado, was told she wouldn’t get her diploma. No, she wouldn’t get her well-earned diploma until she apologized for veering off an approved 30-second speech and saying, “If you don’t already know (Jesus Christ) personally I encourage you to find out more about the sacrifice He made for you . . . .” Apparently God is expected to step out of the picture only in the normal, daily lives of regular people.
Yes, I’m surprised there are not more who have drifted away from the Savior. Ask any college professor what will happen to his career, his future, his possibility for advancement if he speaks to his classes about Intelligent Design as an alternative to evolution.
Is Christianity losing? Of course it is. The amazing thing is, by God’s grace, it hasn’t lost more. How could it be otherwise when almost every pastor or priest shown in movies or TV programs is a platitude-spouting prude or a pathetic pervert? Unnoticed and unshared are the multitudes of faithful undershepherds of the Savior who have dedicated their lives to a proper preaching of the Word; unrecognized and unapplauded are the millions of Christians who are good neighbors, good citizens, good parents, and good witnesses to Jesus Christ who has saved them by His birth, sinless suffering, His death and resurrection from the dead.
Yes, Christianity is losing and I would not, not for a moment try to defend our many flaws and failings, our sins and shortcomings. Humanity’s transgressions have permeated every bit of this universe and nothing, not even the church of Christ has managed to escape the scars of sin or avoid the ravages of our wrongdoing. Which is why, if people look at the church and the church alone, they can become disillusioned by the differences in denominations, by the disagreements in doctrines, by the scandals of the undershepherds, and the deficiencies of her people. If anyone gazes only at these things and nothing more, they can conclude Christianity has been found wanting or has failed altogether. Having made that confession, I must also say: “To look at sinners and judge the Savior is a terrible, a tragic, thing to do. You see Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God and the only Savior this world will ever see, is Someone special.
Let me explain. Years ago a very skilled and talented lecturer came to a small town. He had achieved some degree of fame with his presentation which elevated humanity by demoting Christianity. After his lecture it was his custom to give his audience a chance to respond. The lecturer looked forward to those moments when, almost without exception, one of two young men would get rabid in their defense of Christianity. Since the lecturer always kept his cool he ended up looking very good, very wise. But this night was different. When he finished it was an elderly lady, judging from her clothes, a poor lady, who stood up. She began: “I paid good money to hear you tell me about something better than Jesus. I have not heard it. I have been a widow for 30 years. When my husband died, he left me with six children. I trusted the Lord and He helped me. Each day He gave me enough to raise them. When one of my girls died, He comforted me with the knowledge that there would be a reunion in heaven.”
The lady continued, “From what you’ve said tonight, you’re thinking that’s nonsense, the imaginings of an old woman. Indeed, there are those here who may accept that. I don’t. There is a reality in the Redeemer. Now, you can give me something better than what God has given, or you can give me back my money.” This was a new argument to the lecturer and with condescension in his voice, he replied, “Ma’am, you’re so content with your delusions, I wouldn’t hazard to unburden you of them.” He would have continued if she hadn’t interrupted: “No, no, no. That won’t do. Truth is truth and your laughing at what I’ve said doesn’t change that. Your message would make my world into a desert where I wouldn’t hear any Divine footsteps, where there would be no angels descending to help me, or ascending to deliver my prayers to God. You want to give me a life where the Lord’s hand doesn’t bless the fields or feed the birds or shape the seasons. Your lecture shows me this: you have too high an opinion of yourself and too low an outlook of God. No, I will not let you take away the Savior Who died to forgive my sins and give me eternal life. In place of Him, you would give me what? Sir, I’ve met Jesus, seen Him, talked to Him; I’ve been saved by Him, and that, sir, is more than you have done.”
That lady spoke for many Christians who have met Jesus, who have talked to Him, been forgiven and saved by Him; who have been comforted in life’s tragedies and been given a sure and certain knowledge of a blessed eternity. That lady knew, in spite of the lecturer’s seeming intelligence and educated words, that when unbelief has done its withering work in the hearts of humankind; when the Savior has been shoved back into His empty sepulcher; when the Creator has been dethroned from His seat in heaven; when the door of salvation has been slammed shut and secured against the Holy Spirit’s knock, the questions of life remain and all that has been added is darkening despair, and a future filled with fear of an open grave whose yawning mouth awaits us.
And this is where, the so-called wise men of our age, the ideological descendants of the lecturer reply by saying, “Stuff and nonsense. We offer you facts and you counter with a fable, a story which may or may not be true.” To that I can only say, “What I have shared is a story that may or may not be based on reality. But let me tell you another story, one that is as real as anything can be.” When Jesus walked this earth, He did many amazing things — things that only the Son of God could do. He healed those who were incurable; He spoke words which showed how this world would be if sin and Satan held no sway. Jesus transformed the lives of the lowly and gave hope to those who had been comfortless.
Having seen and heard these things, a man, his name was Nicodemus, came to Jesus. He, like today’s intelligentsia, had much to lose by visiting with the Savior. You see, Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a respected leader of the Jewish religious community, a wise man who had become a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supreme Court. Knowing his fellow legislators would look with disfavor on his visiting with the Teacher from Nazareth, on his consorting with their spiritual Enemy, Nicodemus came to see Jesus at night. He began his conversation acknowledging Jesus’ wisdom and works: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus, as the all-knowing Son of God, set aside the niceties and got to the purpose and point of Nicodemus’ visit. Knowing the questions of the man’s heart, Jesus said, ‘My friend, I’m going to tell you the truth, unless you are born again you cannot see God’s kingdom.’
Nicodemus, being a reasonable, a rational man was taken aback. Taking Jesus’ words literally, Nicodemus’ reply says he didn’t understand. He asked, “How can a man be born when he is old? Is it possible to go back into your mother’s womb and be born a second time?” His question allowed Jesus to amplify: “When we come into this world at birth, it is a physical thing; but I’m talking about a new birth, a spiritual rebirth of the soul. You need to be reborn spiritually if you’re going to enter heaven’s kingdom.” Seeing Nicodemus still didn’t understand, Jesus continued: “Look, it’s this way. There are things in this world that are real… but they don’t fit into anyone’s logical scheme of things. For example… you hear the wind, you feel it, you see its effects on the trees and the waves. It exists. But you can’t explain where the wind comes from and where it’s going. That’s the way it is when you are spiritually reborn. When you see the world with the eyes of faith, you know, you see things differently. They are true things, real things, even if you can’t logically explain them.”
It was a lot of information for Nicodemus to take in and digest. Out loud he wondered: “How can these things be?” Jesus gave an incredibly precise and at the same time, profound, answer. He said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3: 16-17).
Dear Lutheran Hour listeners, no matter what you have believed in the past; no matter what philosophy you hold today, I encourage you to listen with ears of faith to what Jesus said that day, for He was speaking to you, as well as Nicodemus. He wanted you to know, to believe that the Heavenly Father loved this sad, sorry, sinful world enough to send His perfect Son to save us. Why He would sacrifice His Son for others defies any rational explanation. Even so, it is true. Jesus was born into a world that didn’t want Him. He lived His life perfectly, keeping all the commandments we have broken; He resisted Satan’s temptations that seduce us. Then, in an unprecedented act of love, the Son of God shouldered our sins; He carried our transgressions and allowed Himself to be sacrificed for our salvation. On a cross, symbolically suspended between heaven and earth, Jesus died for you. Then, to show anyone who would ever doubt His work had been completed, on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead. On that day, the world was changed; on that day, the eternal destiny of all who believe on Him as their saving Substitute, their spiritual Sacrifice, was also changed. Because of Jesus, condemnation has been replaced by salvation; heaven is substituted for hell, and eternal life became the ultimate destination for all who believe.
Now if you’re wondering how the story of Nicodemus turned out, I’m not entirely sure. I do know that when the high court made an attempt to arrest Jesus, Nicodemus defended the Savior. I know that when Jesus was crucified, Nicodemus was there to help give Him a decent burial. After that I have to make some assumptions. I have to believe Nicodemus heard, perhaps he even saw the risen Savior; that he was with the others when the Holy Spirit brought faith and understanding after the Christ’s ascension. On these last, I cannot say for certain, because Scripture cannot say. It is my hope that Nicodemus died with faith in Jesus as his Savior and is now in heaven. Whichever way things turned out for him, Nicodemus’ story is at an end.
But yours is not. Christianity, in the face of overwhelming attacks by Satan and unrelenting assaults by the world, may have suffered some reverses. But they are short-term reverses. The Savior’s love, His blood-bought salvation stands steadfast, and there is an ultimate and final victory for all who believe on the Christ. Today, anyone who, by the Holy Spirit’s power, is born again is still saved. Anyone who puts his faith in the sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary’s cross can be confident that the Lord of life will also raise him from the dead and bring him to heaven. This is the salvation story that is placed before you today.
You know, when Jesus walked among us, He always distinguished between doubt and disbelief. He knew doubt was can’t believe, unbelief is won’t believe; doubt is honesty and unbelief is obstinancy; doubt is a willingness to be brought to the light; unbelief is contentment to stay in the darkness. If you have, in the past had your doubts; if you have looked at Christians and found the Savior wanting, today I encourage you to look at Christ and see the salvation He so freely offers. If we can assist, please, call us at The Lutheran Hour. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for June 7, 2009
Topic: ProofANNOUNCER: Now, Pastor Ken Klaus responds to questions from listeners. I’m Mark Eischer.
KLAUS: Hello, Mark.
ANNOUNCER: Pastor, today we have a question which takes us to the heart of what The Lutheran Hour has been all about for almost 80 years now.
KLAUS: You mean sharing the Savior’s story of salvation with sinners?
ANNOUNCER: Exactly. We recently received an e-mail from a listener. She spoke about how she is perfectly pleased and solid on what she believes.
KLAUS: That’s the way it should be.
ANNOUNCER: Even more, she is glad to share her faith as God provides the opportunity. Sometimes this sharing goes well and sometimes not so well.
KLAUS: And I imagine she wants us to talk about some of those “not so well” times.
ANNOUNCER: Right. Our listener has been talking about Jesus with some of the people with whom she works. They’re not nasty; they’re not antagonistic. They are just incredibly skeptical.
KLAUS: That is the nature of unbelief. Which is why Thomas, rather than being called “Doubting Thomas,” ought to be renamed “21st Century Thomas.” His refusal to believe in the resurrection until he had seen and actually touched the risen Savior really describes the way we are today.
ANNOUNCER: That seems to be the situation for our listener. She says, “The people I talk to really won’t believe until they have ‘proof.'” While I’ve tried to provide them with certain information and evidence, they keep telling me, “That’s not proof, and what I say proves nothing.”
KLAUS: I guess we can’t expect every person with whom we share the story of salvation to say, “Wow! That’s fantastic. I didn’t know. Hey! Guess what? I’ve been converted.” Now, I have seen that happen, but it’s been the exception rather than the rule.
ANNOUNCER: So, what can we say to this person who is trying to give witness to their Savior?
KLAUS: On a general level we can say, “Great job. Keep it up.” We wish everyone was sharing the Good News of Jesus with their coworkers. We can also say, “Remember, the battle is not yours to win or lose. Your job is to try. Any results which come from your sharing will be because the Holy Spirit has worked on that person’s heart. And that working can take years — or never.” That’s sad, but it’s the truth.
ANNOUNCER: Can we say anything else?
KLAUS: We can say, faith is faith and proof is proof. Understand, it’s not that they contradict each other, or are exclusive of each other. But they’re not the same thing.
ANNOUNCER: Faith is believing something without all the proof an individual might like.
KLAUS: Absolutely.
ANNOUNCER: Why is it I think you’ve got something else to say?
KLAUS: Maybe because I do.
ANNOUNCER: Go ahead.
KLAUS: I’m going to have to ask you some questions.
ANNOUNCER: Alright. Go ahead.
KLAUS: Good. Question #1 – Have men walked on the surface of the moon?
Question #2 – Was Lee Harvey Oswald the only shooter in Dallas?
Question #3 – Did Adolf Hitler die in Berlin?
Question #4 – Is Elvis buried at Graceland?ANNOUNCER: These have something to do with our discussion?
KLAUS: They do.
ANNOUNCER: Well, I’m pretty sure men have walked on the moon and the Warren Commission said Oswald worked alone and the Russians say Hitler died in the Führerbunker, and yes, I’ve seen Elvis’ grave in Memphis.
KLAUS: Good. But now prove it.
ANNOUNCER: Prove what?
KLAUS: Prove all the things you just said. Prove to me men have walked on the moon.
ANNOUNCER: Well, so far there have been 12 men who’ve walked on the moon and most of them are still alive today. You could talk to them if you wanted to.
KLAUS: And how do I know they aren’t lying? How can I be sure? I need more proof.
ANNOUNCER: Proof is pretty hard to pin down, isn’t it?
KLAUS: It is. And that’s why our listener is having problems.
ANNOUNCER: So, can we make it easier?
KLAUS: The best question you can ask is, “How do you know your drinking water is safe?” You don’t. You take it on faith. How do you know most of which you consider to be factual is true?
ANNOUNCER: Using that kind of logic, we take just about everything by faith.
KLAUS: Exactly. That’s the fun way to approach this question and these skeptics. Often, we believe what we want to believe because we want to believe it– not because we’ve received complete and total visual or physical proof. If the skeptics are being honest, they would have to concede the logical point and if they do that, our person will be given an opportunity to share the Savior in a clear way.
ANNOUNCER: This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music selection for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Holy, Holy, Holy” From Hymns for All Saints: Adoration, Praise, Comfort (© 2004 Concordia Publishing House)
“Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr” by Jan Sweelinck. From A Year of Grace by Craig Cramer (© 2003 Dulcian Productions)
“Holy, Holy, Holy” arr. Kevin Sadowski. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC