The Lutheran Hour
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"Don’t Get Alarmed"
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Text: Matthew 24:1-6
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Unexpected by all except His enemies, the risen Redeemer assures us that we need not be afraid. Because of His sacrifice, all who believe are assured in this life He is with us, and we will be with Him in the next. God grant this blessing of faith to us all. Amen.
Did you ever see the movie or play about the early years of deaf and blind Helen Keller? Based on Helen’s biography, that play shows how Helen’s teacher, Annie Sullivan, tried to get her to understand the meaning of signals which were being signed into her hand. After numerous temper tantrums on Helen’s part and just as many excuses from her parents, there comes that moment when Helen understands that water, and the sign she is receiving in her palm are connected. W-A-T-E-R is spelled out and Helen comprehends. It is what I would call an AHA moment, a moment of discovery, a burst of knowledge where that which has been blurred suddenly becomes clear.
Talk to just about any 1st grade teacher. Ask her what she enjoys most about teaching these little ones and almost always that teacher will say something like, “I love watching the light bulbs go off… when my students get a revelation and start to figure it out.” That teacher is saying she relishes the AHA moments of her charges.
During the Depression, a husband and wife, with their four-year-old son experienced an AHA moment. With Christmas only a week away, they agreed there would be no store-bought presents. “But”, said Dad, “here’s what we can do. We’ll draw pictures of the presents we’d like to give.” For the next few days they worked with smiles and giggles. On Christmas, the presents were given. Well, pictures of presents. A black limousine and a motor boat for Dad. A dream house, a ruby ring, and a floor-length mink for mom. Then it was the boy’s time to give his present. A rough crayon drawing showed 3 people laughing. They were so close to each other they actually looked like one person. Under the picture the lad had printed just one word: US. The AHA moment came when the destitute family realized just how rich they were.
Centuries ago, looking across the Kidron Valley at the brilliant, white temple that Herod had built, the disciples of Jesus were also brought to an AHA moment. Having left the sacred mound, the disciples of Jesus pointed out to Him the beautiful buildings of Jerusalem, gleaming bright and white in the Judean sun. As they took in the view, almost as a sidelight, Jesus said, “Boys, do you see all of this….it’s going to be destroyed. And not just destroyed, it’s going to be knocked down flat. Not a single stone is going to be left standing on top of another.” Jesus dropped the topic after that, but the disciples had to be reeling. Their national identity, their center of worship, their capital city was going to be gone? It was as if someone had said to you Mount Rushmore was going to be blown to bits, or the Statue of Liberty was going to be melted down to make ashtrays, or your home was going to be foreclosed on, or the World Trade Center Towers might come down.
Jesus had thrown His closest friends into a tizzy and they needed some kind of explanation. That’s why, after a bit, they came up to Jesus and said, “Uh, excuse us, Rabbi. If we’re not intruding, can You amplify a bit on what You said back there? Maybe tell us when this is going to happen, maybe something we can watch for so we can be ready?” In all probability, as they asked that question, they were hoping Jesus would say, “Oh, sorry, guys, that’s going to be a long time from now. Don’t worry your heads about it.”
But Jesus didn’t say the fall of Jerusalem was going to be a few millennia down the road. On the contrary, he painted a dark, gloomy picture of the immediate future. He said people would be out there pretending to be the savior. He said there would be wars and troubles and liars and folks filled with hatred. ‘People will persecute you. Oh, and don’t forget the starvation and the earthquakes and how a lot of people who once said they loved each other and promised they would always love Me. Well, a lot of those folks are going to fall away because their love grew frigid.’
Now you can go over what Jesus said with an atomic microscope and you will be hard pressed to come up with anything which resembles good news. Then while the disciples stood here, jaws open, gasping for air and wondering what they should say next, the Lord added, “And when all this happens, and it will happen, boys, don’t you get alarmed.’ Now if I had been one of the 12; if I had heard Jesus say what He just said, my reaction would have been, “What?! What?! Excuse me. The world is going to fall apart and Your advice to us is, ‘Don’t worry be happy?'”
You may have noticed, so far, the AHA moment I promised has not yet shown up. Well, let it wait for just a bit, won’t you? You see, I’ve got a few things to say to you, I mean, just between the two of us. It occurs to me, with the way things are going; you may be feeling like the disciples felt that day. The unthinkable has become thinkable, the impossible has become possible, and the unacceptable is your reality. I wonder, listening to the news, if you don’t maybe feel just a little bit like Jesus’ disciples felt that day. Wars and rumors of wars? Yup, our sons and daughters are deployed in a number of unfriendly foreign countries. Hatred, oh, there’s plenty of that. Starvation? That’s common enough. In some nations of the world where children are taking in less than 50% of the calories they need. Whole nations seem to be on the road, fleeing one threat only to face another. Christians in Iraq managed to escape Saddam Hussein, but now they are being systematically wiped out as al Qaeda has declared them to be official targets.
And we don’t need look overseas to find unsettling situations. As I’ve traveled across the country, wherever I go, somebody comes up to me privately and whispers, “Pastor, would you pray for my son, or my daughter, or my grandchildren? They’ve been out of work for six months, a year, two years. They can’t find anything. They’re good workers, but every job has 200 applicants. They’re among the last to be cut but they still never get the job. They’re in danger of losing everything. We’ve helped as much as we can, but we don’t have hardly anything left. Pastor, won’t you pray for my children?”
Like the disciples, our world is being turned upside down. Political parties outdo each other making promises, but the bottom line stays the same: we are still desperately, frantically searching for something, anything, which will make us feel warm and cozy, happy and fuzzy, comfortable and content… at least for a while. Although the century, the country, and the continent have changed since Matthew wrote down what Jesus said that day, the warnings Jesus made seem all too much like today’s news. People follow the new messiahs who promise deliverance, but never get around to delivering. Which is why, more and more, people feel a growing, gnawing feeling, a feeling which says the sun won’t come out tomorrow and they’re willing to bet their bottom dollar that tomorrow there won’t be sun.
If you’re still with me, you probably have noticed we still haven’t gotten to that AHA moment. We’re still waiting for the Savior to say something to us, something which makes the future brighter, which makes our time better. Years ago, when our children were little, we took them to Valleyfair Amusement Park in Shakopee, Minnesota. It was a beautiful day made better by the fact that, finally our youngest was tall enough to ride the big rides. No more merry-go-round for her. Not any longer. She was a big girl now. She insisted we begin with the scariest ride… the one her brother and sister loved, but she had only been able to watch. We got on, got strapped in, and off we went. As we whipped around, up an down, I could feel Kris, who was sitting next to me, start to stiffen. I looked over. Her eyes were big, her hands were clenched, and she was scared.
I called to her twice before she looked my way. Then, when she looked, I laughed. It was a loud and long and very deliberate laugh. Then I shouted, “Way to go, Krisser!”, and I laughed again. When she saw Dad wasn’t worried, she relaxed and she laughed, too. The terrifying had been transformed. She didn’t have to worry, she was safe. Dad was there, and Dad was saying it’s going to be OK. Dad was there and he was offering encouragement. Dad was there, and as long as Dad thought it was OK, then it was.
Period. End of reading. End of discussion. It was an AHA moment for our daughter.Most of us are on some pretty scary rides. Is our job secure, is our retirement nest egg enough? How about our child’s health, is my marriage stable, I feel alone. This sin¬scarred world loves to dish up some pretty scary stuff. The devil loves to put us in some pretty scary situations. The devil, the world, and our flesh are pretty good; they’re pretty good at frightening us out of our gourds. But our Heavenly Father is with us on all of these rides. When the rides seem scary, Christians have the knowledge that it will be all right… after all, they’re not alone. The Lord is with them, by their sides. The Lord is there, waiting, calling for us to turn to Him. He wants us to see Him so He can assure us that things will be all right. He is in control.
Did you hear that? God is in control. That should be the AHA moment you are waiting
for. It is an AHA moment which says: it doesn’t matter in what circumstance you find
yourself, you, like Paul, can learn to be content. God is in control. That’s something
Luther figured out. He even wrote about it in his most famous hymn. How does it go:
“Take they our lives …goods, fame, child and wife, let these all be gone. They yet have
nothing won. The kingdom ours remaineth” Do you understand? Luther was echoing
what Jesus had said 1 ,500 years before: “do not be alarmed, such things must happen.”
AHA, the Lord is in control.Does that help? Well, maybe that AHA moment is not there for you yet. Possibly you’ve been on your scary ride so long you haven’t looked to the Father for help. If that is the case, let’s take that look now. Let’s take a look at God’s love, and, yes, it is possible for us to see it. That’s because God’s love is very real and quite tangible. You’ll find God’s love in an animal’s food trough at a Bethlehem stable. Now don’t let the lowly circumstances put you off. This is Jesus, God’s Son. No, there’s no mistake. I’m sure. I’m sure because the night He was born the angels of heaven made the announcement. In a moment I’m going to repeat what those heavenly messengers said. As I do, listen to how they begin. They said, “Fear not.” I like that. “Fear not for behold unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, Christ the Lord.” Jesus is God’s Love. Jesus is God’s Son who came down to earth as a Human. As a Human, Jesus did all that was necessary so you and I would never have to be afraid.
Are you afraid? Have you been afraid of what this world can do to you? Are you afraid of sin’s consequences which you see all around? You know the hatred, the anger, the lust, the greed, the envy, the sick impulse humans have to do nasty things to each other. If you have been scared, then you need to hear the angel’s words: “Fear not. You have a Savior, a Rescuer, a Redeemer.” Looking in the manger you might not guess it, but every time sin will be placed before Jesus throughout His life, He will say, “No!” He will live a perfect life so you might, someday; stand forgiven and righteous before your Divine Judge.
Is it possible the temptations of the devil have intrigued and enticed you? Have you found yourself too weak to stand up against the seduction to sin? If so, you need to hear the angel. It is to you he says, “Fear not. A Savior has been born for you.” Throughout His life Jesus resisted every temptation which was tossed at Him. This He did as your Divine, heaven-sent Proxy.
Does the ticking of the clock frighten you? Does the relentless passing of the days, months, years, decades cause you to gasp? Does the realization that your end is not so very far away cause you concern and consternation? Fear not. Even death and grave proved no match for the Savior. Yes, you heard that right. Read the Gospels and you will never find a funeral that Jesus did not ruin. The young man of Nain, the daughter of Jairus, His friend Lazarus. All had died, and all were summoned back to life at the Word of Jesus.
What frightens you? Do you feel lonely and unloved? During His earthly ministry Jesus reached out to those who were scorned and looked down upon by those who felt superior. Please, look at Jesus. Look at how He returned love for hatred; look how He reached out even to those who slapped Him away. Every moment of every hour, of every day of His 33 years He spent doing the Father’s will; fulfilling the Prophet’s promises, making the supreme sacrifices which would save us. It’s true, He was doing the Father’s will as He endured the kiss of betrayal and saw His friends slide into the darkness so they might save themselves. He was doing the Father’s will as He carried our sins to His unjust trials; He was doing the Father’s will as He allowed Himself to be unfairly convicted and unjustly condemned. It was the Father’s will that He be led to Calvary and then with His crucifixion; He died the death which we deserved. Look at Jesus as He showed the Father’s love for His lost and wandering children. Look at Jesus as He died upon Calvary’s cross. Incredible, unbelievable, the Designer-of-life offered up His life, let go of His life so all who believe in Him as Savior will not perish but be given life everlasting.
Yes, look at Jesus. His story does not end with His crucifixion. He who defeated death for others, proved Victor over His own grave. Go to Jesus’ borrowed tomb on Resurrection Sunday. Look inside and you will see He is not there. And if you wonder what has happened, there is an angel present to explain. He will tell you Jesus has risen. But before he does that, the angel will say something else, something first. He will greet you with the message: “Fear not.” At the beginning and the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the message of heaven remains the same: “Fear not.” A heavenly message is what I share with you today. Fear not, the Lord Who sent His Son into the world to seek and save the lost is in control. Fear not, the Lord Who allowed His Son to be nailed to a cross, so that you need never fear death is Master here. Fear not, the Lord is trying to get you to look at Him. If you do, you will see, you will know He is in charge and you are safe. You are safe. It can be the ultimate AHA moment.
To help everyone see the wonderful love of God which comes to us in our Savior is why
this broadcast exists. If you have any questions, if we can help you, please, call us at
The Lutheran Hour. Amen.LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers)
January 16, 2011
TITLE: The Lord’s Prayer and Bible TranslationsAnnouncer: Now, questions about the wording of the Lord’s Prayer. I’m Mark Eischer,
here with Speaker Emeritus, Pastor Ken Klaus.Klaus: Thanks, Mark. And what is on the agenda for today?
Announcer: This is from a listener who wants to know more about the specific language of the Lord’s Prayer.Klaus: OK.
Announcer: He says he’s a bit confused about how we pray the Lord’s Prayer. He always thought this prayer came from Jesus …
Klaus: Let me interrupt here to say the Lord’s Prayer did come from Jesus. Both Matthew and Luke tell how the Savior shared this special prayer with His disciples.
Announcer: That’s very good to know, but it’s not the actual question.Klaus: OK. Continue, then.
Announcer: He says, “I always thought we all said the Lord’s Prayer just the way Jesus did–that we were saying it the way Jesus taught us to say it.”
Klaus: I think I know where this is going.
Announcer: The letter continues. He says, “What I’m confused about is the wording. We say: ‘Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ But, every now and then, I’ll hear people pray the Lord’s Prayer and instead of saying “trespass” they use the word, sin. “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us…” Our listener concludes, “I’m thinking the word sin is the correct version, or the original way Jesus would have said it. But, like the rest of the Bible which was rewritten to help people understand it better, someone came along later and put in this
word “trespass.”Klaus: Oh, I like this letter. I think we can help him out… but we maybe ought to try and deal with the question that kind of occurred to me while you were reading. Announcer: OK, and what’s that?
Klaus: Well, that part he said at the end. Was the Bible rewritten to help people
understand it better? “Rewritten” is not quite right. We need to be really, really clear that
the Bible has been translated, and occasionally it has been paraphrased, but nobody
should ever rewrite it.Announcer: And what’s the difference between a translation and a paraphrase?
Klaus: The translation, as much as is possible, tries to convey the exact meaning of the
words being used-no more, no less. A paraphrase, that’s far less literal, it’s far more
broad as it tries to glean the general intent of the passage.Announcer: And both translations and paraphrases are done so people can read the
Bible in their own language … in a manner that’s easier to understand.Klaus: Absolutely. Generally speaking, we would say a translation is more to be trusted than a paraphrase … and, well, a good translation should offer both accuracy in regard to the original and content which is easy-to-understand. Announcer: OK. So I hope we’re clear on that, no rewrite … but a translation.
Klaus: Exactly.
Announcer: And what did Jesus actually say? Did He use the word sin or did He use the
word trespass?Klaus: Well, actually, Mark, He didn’t use either one. The Lord’s Prayer was originally
written in Greek… because back then Greek was the common language … just like
English is today. In the Greek, the word is opheilema).Announcer: So, Jesus used the word o-fie-Ieh-ma?
Klaus: No, that’s part of the problem. That was the language the New Testament was
written in. Jesus spoke Aramaic. Now, if any of our listeners saw the movie The Passion of the Christ, they worked very hard at trying to use the Aramaic language. What Jesus said, if I can do it this way, sounded something like this:ACTUALITY: (MP3 file of Aramaic Lord’s Prayer-not available)
Announcer: Which is why we don’t say it that way.
Klaus: Of course … we wouldn’t do that because we don’t use Aramaic ourselves. Those words don’t make any sense to most of us. So we use the words in translation … and the best translation of the word Jesus used would be debts. “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” In the Lord’s Prayer, we’re asking God to forgive us for not giving Him the love and obedience He deserves … and we promise we will also forgive our neighbor for the sake of Christ Who paid the debt our sin had piled up against us.
Announcer: Thank you, Pastor Klaus. And with that we come to the end of our broadcast for another week. 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
“Consider How the Birds Above” by Stephen Starke & Daniel Zager. Text © 1998 Stephen P. Starke, admin. by Concordia Publishing House. Tune © 2004 Daniel Zager.
“It Is Well With My Soul” by Horatio P. Spafford & Philip P. Bliss. From The Hymn Project by Buller, Balzer, & Aichele (© daCapo Productions)
“In God, Our Faithful God” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House) Used by permission.
“In Thee Have I Placed My Trust” by J.S. Bach. From Organist Frederick Hohman & Johann Sebastian Bach by Frederick Hohman (© 1988 Pro Organa)