The Lutheran Hour
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"Proper Priorities"
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Text: Luke 12:29-31
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Today the living Lord comes to us and says we need to place ourselves, our wants, our needs, our future, our priorities into His hands. As the Lord’s priorities include His gracious desire to forgive us and save us, we rejoice at the blessings which He is promising. God grant such heavenly harmony be given to us all. Amen.
Margaret was a good driver; actually, she was an excellent driver. When she got behind the wheel, Margaret’s only difficulty was she concentrated completely and totally on her driving. Maybe I should say she concentrated only on her driving. She watched the road and paid absolutely no attention to the gauges and lights which shone on her dashboard when she started the car. Knowing that about her you may understand why, as she was driving down the expressway, her car shuddered and stopped.
After taking a moment to regain her composure, Margaret turned the ignition key. A sputter, then nothing. Margaret commented, “That can’t be good.” That’s when an Oklahoma Highway Patrolman showed up. “What seems to be the problem?” Margaret assured him ‘she was fine, but her vehicle seemed to be ailing.’ The officer had her pop the car’s hood… a quick glance revealed nothing obviously wrong inside. The officer closed the hood and asked Margaret to slide over. He turned the key to the ignition and… nothing happened. Not even a sputter.
I have to tell you Margaret was kind of glad her car didn’t turn over. She would have been pretty embarrassed if the officer had had to stop for no reason. Going through a mental checklist of possible problems, the policeman asked, “When was the last time you put gas in your car?” Margaret couldn’t remember. Or course she could vaguely recall, from a few days before, her husband asking her to stop at the gas station and ‘fill ‘er up.’ She’d forgotten his request. The officer replied, “Well, as near as I can tell, gas is your problem. I think you’re running your auto on empty.” That seemed like good news to Margaret, so, without thinking, she replied, “Officer, can you tell me, will it hurt the car’s engine if I drive it home this way?” Knowing he had a story to tell at Highway Patrol headquarters, the officer, with a straight face, said, “Ma’am if you can drive your car home this way, I’m absolutely positive it won’t hurt the engine.”
Now, please, don’t get all upset. Don’t accuse me of picking on women drivers. If Margaret had thought about what she was saying, she would have picked her words more carefully. She was just rattled and that’s why she said what she did. Besides, it does illustrate the point of today’s message. (Pause) And what is the point of today’s message? Merely this: you have to keep first things first; you have to keep the right priorities. If you don’t, the results can often be catastrophic.
It wasn’t so many years ago that I heard of a 10-month-old baby girl whose aunt accidentally locked her inside her mother’s parked car. Frantically, the baby’s mother and aunt ran around the auto in near hysteria. A neighbor did his best to unlock the car with a clothes hanger. Soon the infant started to turn a deep red and had foam on her mouth. The situation had become a matter of life-or-death when a wrecker driver, arrived. In a second he grabbed a hammer and smashed the back window of the car to set the infant free. Later, when he was asked, “What did the grateful mother say to thank you?” He replied, “The lady was mad at me because I broke the window. I just thought, what’s more important–the baby or the window?” We need to keep first things first; we need to have the proper priorities.
Proper priorities. That’s what Jesus was talking about in the closing verses of the 12th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Now that I think about it, in one way or another, proper priorities were almost always on Jesus’ list of favorite themes. There is a reason for that: Jesus had seen how priorities can be improper. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, had been there, had participated in laying the foundation of our world. Jesus knew the complete perfection of the place which had been given to our first ancestors; and He also knew how Adam and Eve had set aside the Creator’s priorities when they accepted the sinful suggestions of Satan. That single, but defining act of disobedience had changed almost everything. The harmony and happiness which God had bestowed was set aside and replaced by sin’s sorrow and sadness; the bridge between heaven and earth had been torn down and an impassable gulf now separated the two; the endless life which God had given was marred and scarred and ended by the undeniable reality of death. Because of improper priorities, death, both temporal and eternal, had become the ultimate end of man and woman and child. Yes, sin had destroyed almost everything.
I say “almost everything” because there is one thing which was not changed by our sinning. In spite of humanity’s disobedience, disrespect, and disregard for Him, defying common logic and rational reasoning, the Triune God continued to love us. Why He would do this, I cannot tell you. If someone were to spit in my face or yours, we might walk away; if we were given the opportunity, we might try to take revenge; most certainly, all of us would remember the insult which had been done to us. But God chose a different route, a different path, a path of release and relief, of forgiveness and freedom which His grace offered to this lonely, lost world. The Lord, knowing none of us on our own would be able to throw off the sin which permeated our bodies, souls, and minds, shortly after the first transgression was committed, the heavenly Father promised that His Son, His only Son, would come into this world to set things right. Saving you was God’s first priority.
God had kept first things first and Jesus was committed to being the Ransom Price which would redeem us and fulfill the Father’s rescue promise. Jesus knew that while men and women regularly embrace the temptations of the world and Satan, He would have to resist every seduction to sin which could and would be thrown at Him. As fulfillment of the Father’s promise, Jesus knew His every word and every action had to be in harmony with His Father’s will. There was no room for error and no possibility of a “do-over.” Jesus knew we had been convicted and condemned by the indisputable and incontrovertible verdict of the law; Jesus knew if we were to be saved, His life had to be lived in total agreement and complete accordance with God’s law. Jesus knew that if He kept the proper priority, His Father’s priority, He would be condemned and murdered by the souls He had come to save.
Jesus knew because the prophet Isaiah, by the Holy Spirit’s direction, had foretold Jesus would be “despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. (He would be) stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted… (He would be) pierced for our transgressions, (be) crushed for our iniquities…” Jesus knew His punishment would bring us peace and His wounds would grant us healing. Jesus knew how Calvary’s cross would “cut (Him) off from the land of the living and … (that) His life would be a guilt offering for our sin.” Jesus knew that if we were to be saved He would be nailed to a cross, and on that cross, His life would be offered as the perfect, heaven-sent Sacrifice to save humanity. Saving us was the priority of God.
Do you understand? By His death Jesus would defeat death, the last and most final of humankind’s enemies. Three days after Jesus’ cold and lifeless Body had been buried; three days after the devil and his demons had danced at the report of Jesus’ demise, a living Lord emerged from the gloom of His borrowed grave. So there could be no doubt that death’s stranglehold about the neck of humanity had been broken, the Lord Jesus offered His body for inspection. “Look at my hands and my feet”, Jesus said. “Touch me and see”, He offered. Answering the unspoken question of His disciples, Jesus explained, “a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” (Luke 24: 39) With Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, all the world could see the Savior’s sacrifice had been accepted; the Father’s priorities had been kept and the promise given to Adam and Eve had been fulfilled. Hell had been replaced by heaven; damnation was set aside by salvation and death was defeated by life. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead changes everything… at least it should change something.
All too often it doesn’t. You see, we sinners feel comfortable in our sins and we love our good, old, comfortable priorities. That’s why many prefer to pretend Jesus has never been born, lived, died, risen. Jesus’ resurrection should change things, but many people continue to prefer their priorities over the Lord’s. It was some years ago that a young lady came to me and said she was going to be married to a young man. She gave me his name. I knew the man and although he was good looking, he was about as explosive and untrustworthy as any future husband could be. I congratulated her on her engagement, but I felt like a hypocrite doing so because I disagreed with her choice. I felt somewhat better when she told me they weren’t actually engaged. “And when”, I asked, “do you expect to get engaged?” She didn’t know that either. When I asked “How long have you been going together”; she said, “We aren’t.”
No longer understanding what she was talking about, I summarized what I was hearing. “Let me get this straight: You’re going to be married to a young man who doesn’t know you’re engaged and whom you aren’t dating?” She said, “Yes, that’s right.” Then, still searching for the missing piece of the puzzle, I tried the question again, but from a different angle, “And how do you know you are going to be married to this man whom you aren’t dating?” She looked at me as if my brain had become soft. “Pastor, I know I’m getting married because I’ve prayed about it.” “You’ve prayed about it?” “Yes, I’m marrying Bob. I know I’m marrying Bob because I know that’s what God wants. I know that’s what God wants because I’ve prayed about it.” With confusion continuing to grow, this time I didn’t repeat what I had heard. Instead I asked, “And can you tell me just what you said in this prayer to God that leaves you so sure that this is His will?”
As best as I can remember, and I think I am recalling that day pretty well. Her prayer went this way: “Dear Lord, I want to marry Bob and he isn’t a Christian. I know you say that it’s not a good thing for a believer to be married to an unbeliever, but Bob is so handsome and he has a great smile and I think he’s a Christian down deep. Yes, I know he doesn’t do the things Christians do. He doesn’t go to church and he drinks too much on the weekends, and swears a lot, a lot more than he should, but he really doesn’t swear in front of older women and little children. You know, Lord, he really is good looking and I think I can teach him to live differently than he is now. What I’m asking for is to have You make him love me like I love him. You’ve told us we can have whatever we want when we come to You in prayer and I’m coming to You asking this. Help him notice me more and notice all the other girls he’s running around with less. Lord, I know my parents and my friends think he’s no good, but they’ve just got to be wrong. I know they’re trying to protect me but what I’d prefer is they add their prayers to mine. If we all prayed hard, I know that he would come around. He wouldn’t spend all his money and his mother’s money on that truck of his. Lord, this is the only thing I’ve asked in a long time, so I think You really need to listen to me. This is the one time I just can’t pray ‘Thy will be done.'”
Now, in case you didn’t notice, the prayer of that bride could be summed up: “not Thy will, but my will be done.” In a few short sentences, this young lady set aside the opinions and advice of her friends, her church, her parents, and, most importantly, her Lord. In these short sentences she transformed herself from being a petitioner who was praying for a blessing to being a dictator who was making a demand. Remember what she said, “Lord, You really need to listen to me.” The omnipotent Creator of the Universe had been transformed into a magic Genie Who was supposed to accept the priorities and the orders of a teenager. It was, from beginning to end, her priorities and not God’s.
Of course, it wasn’t the first time God has heard someone say, “My will, not Thy will be done.” Adam and Eve said it when they ate of the forbidden fruit. The Children of Israel said it when they demanded Aaron make them a golden calf; they said it each time they replaced the Triune God with a deity of their own manufacture. Ananias and Sapphira said, “My will not thy will be done”, when, in the New Testament church they lied to God about the quality and quantity of their offerings to His church.
People want their priorities, not God’s. That’s why history has so few people who are willing to let the Lord’s will be done. Time and again we humans have chosen to believe that our priorities are best for our world. This belief has brought about dust bowls, overfished seas, oil spills, and the widespread extinction of flora and fauna. Again and again humanity concludes that we, not God, should be masters of our fate and captains of our souls. Such a man-centered concept has created the drug trade, human enslavement, broken families, parentless children, abortion, tribal warfare, gang fights, prejudice, hatred, small, large, and global warfare. Decade after decade humankind has deliberately decided to pursue the earthly and not the heavenly, the temporary and transient not the everlasting and eternal. We want, but we don’t know what we want; we need, but find nothing to fulfill that need; we want to hope, but cannot be convinced there is a reason to hope. “My will, not Thy will be done” leaves us unfulfilled and unsatisfied.
And it is here that the Lord Jesus, God’s Son, our Savior interrupts and says something like, ‘Folks, don’t get all weird chasing after your personal priorities. Don’t even get all super-concerned trying to take control of life’s basic necessities like eating and drinking. My friends, don’t you get it… you’re in God’s hands. You’ve always been in God’s hands; you can’t escape being in God’s hands; even if you don’t think God’s hands are real, you’re sill there, right in the middle of God’s palms. Your Father, the One in heaven, the One Who made you and is now saving you from your sins by offering Me, My life, My death and resurrection so you might be forgiven and saved, that Father is fully aware of what your body needs in the way of food and drink. No, don’t worry about that stuff, instead, seek His kingdom and these things will also all be taken care of.” In Matthew 6:33, Jesus clarifies: “Seek first the kingdom of God… and all these things will be given to you as well.” To make it simple: If God’s priorities are your priorities, your life will be better, brighter, smoother, simpler, and you will be saved.
Seek first the kingdom of God. And if you’re wondering where to look, let me tell you. Go to Bethlehem. Look into the manger and see the Son of God Whose entire life is dedicated to saving you. Observe His hands, nails will go through those hands so you need not die eternally. Where should you look to find the Kingdom of God? Look to the lonely places where the lepers are living. There you will see Jesus reach out to cleanse and heel and restore. Look there and know Jesus can help with your troubles, too. Where shall you look for the Kingdom of God? Look to the mount where Jesus preaches a sermon on God’s blessings which come to God’s people. Where shall you look? Look to the Garden of Gethsemane where your sins are placed on Jesus. He will, in the hours before Him, pay their punishment price in full. Where shall you look? Look to the cross of Calvary. Hear Jesus as He speaks words of forgiveness; go to the empty tomb and hear the angel report the Savior has risen and death is defeated; go to the upper room where the frightened disciples are empowered to share just how the living Lord Jesus has accomplished God’s priority of saving sinners.
Jesus is your priority, isn’t He? If so, give thanks! If not, may the Lord create a new heart within you. To that end, if we can be of assistance to you, please, call us at The Lutheran Hour. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for August 8, 2010
Topic: Fearful and IsolatedMark: Pastor Ken Klaus responds to questions from listeners. I’m Mark Eischer.
Ken: Hi, Mark.
Mark: Today, we have a rather long letter, but I think the more we read, the better you’ll understand our listener’s situation.
Ken: OK.
Mark: The letter says, “Now that I’m older, I’m afraid because I don’t think I’m saved. Severe problems make it so I can’t be around people. When I am, I get all nervous.
For more than 15 years, I have only gone out of my house to buy groceries, go through the drive-in at the bank, and other necessary places.
I think about death all the time. I believe in God and Jesus. I read the Bible everyday without fail, pray at meal times and at night, and I always stand on John 3:16.
I fear that’s not enough. I’m scared to death that I won’t go to heaven when I die.
I would like to be baptized, but if I had to stand up in church in front of all the people, I would pass out. I tried to visit one church. I got as far as the parking lot but could not go in. This happened three times.”
Ken: I think we’ve got a job to do here. First, my dear friend, hear me out on this, you should know that your daily Bible reading and your dinner prayers are not going to get you into heaven. If you had to work your way into heaven, nothing you could do would add up to even a small down-payment on your mansion there.
That’s bad news. Here’s the good news. It is by grace alone that we’re saved, grace which comes through faith in Christ. We are not saved by our good works, not even by all the Bible reading and praying we do. We are saved only through faith in Jesus Christ. He has done everything perfectly and He did it all for us.
Here’s more good news. If you are standing on John 3: 16, you couldn’t be standing on a better spot. It says, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”
Mark: And she says she does believe in Jesus as her Savior.
Ken: If that’s the case, then that individual can relax a bit. Actually, she can relax a lot.
Mark: But somehow, somewhere, she’s gotten this idea that she should be doing more.
Ken: I imagine our listener has been bombarded by people who say, “Give to your church, attend worship faithfully, receive Communion, be baptized.”
Mark: Well, I’ve heard you say much the same thing. You’ve said the Christian should not practice their faith in isolation.
Ken: And that is absolutely right. But the New Testament does have an exception to that rule.
Mark: What would that be?
Ken: The thief on the cross. We know that He was saved, but he wasn’t baptized, he didn’t take Communion.
Mark: Yeah, but he was nailed to a cross. He really couldn’t do any of those things.
Ken: You know, Mark, at least according to what we’ve heard, this person can’t do that either. I truly believe her fears are very real.
Mark: So are you saying she should just listen to “The Lutheran Hour” every week?
Ken: I really hope you didn’t hear me say that.
Mark: Well, what are you saying?
Ken: Mark, when I was at one of my parishes there was a man, an unusual man, a sort of peculiar man. He was smart, but he was also very psychologically unsocial. He had many of the same feelings as did this person who has written to us. He was a member of my church, but in the time I was there he never set foot inside that church and he never let me set foot inside his house.
Mark: What did you do?
Ken: Easy, I encouraged him to listen to “The Lutheran Hour.” I also encouraged him to listen to our church service broadcast. And I took Communion to him every month. 20 degrees below zero and we would sit on a wood stump and I would give him the Lord’s Supper.
Mark: And what would your point be?
Ken: The point is, the Bible doesn’t say, “He that believeth and goes to church and is baptized shall be saved.” Baptisms don’t have to take place inside a church. The pastor can come to her. She can be baptized at home. She can mail in an offering from home; she can pray and be part of the church from home. It would be wonderful if she got the help which would let her deal with her fears… but for right now she is saved, and her thanksgiving for that salvation can guide her in finding ways to be part of a congregation if she wishes.
Mark: Thank you, Pastor Klaus, and we pray God’s blessings upon our listener. 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
“If You Will Trust the Lord to Guide You” arr. Kenneth Kosche. From Christ Be With Me by the Kammerchor (© 1998 Concordia University-Wisconsin)
“Wer nur den lieben Gott last walten” by J.S. Bach. From Orgelbüchlein & More Works by J.S. Bach by Robert Clark & John David Peterson (© 1997 Calcante Recordings, Ltd.)
“Oh, That I Had a Thousand Voices” arr. Paul Manz. From Hymn Improvisations by Paul Manz (© 1992 Paul Manz)