The Lutheran Hour
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"Life Without Regrets"
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Text: Matthew 16:26
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Through His death and resurrection Jesus has done all which is necessary to save us from an eternity of regrets. Today, through the Holy Spirit’s power the living Lord invites all who hear to believe on His sacrifice made for their salvation. May God grant such a faith to us all. Amen.
Does the name Steve Bartman mean anything to you? No? How about if I add the information, Wrigley Field, October 14, 2003? Ahhh, that lit up some light bulbs for the nation’s die-hard Cub’s fans. 2003. The Cubs had a real, actual chance of getting to the World Series. The last time they had been there was 1945, before I was born. The last time they brought home the pennant was 1908, when my grandfather was a young man. Now the Cubs were in Game 6 of the National League Championships. They were ahead in games, 3 to 2. They were ahead in this particular game as well. A few more outs and they were headed for the big time.
Luis Castillo of the Marlins was at bat. He hit a fly ball that went foul. Even so, the Cubs outfielder raced to get it, he almost jumped into the stands to get it. But fan, Steve Bartman, touched that ball. Castillo ended up walking and the Marlins collected seven runs before the inning was over. The Marlins won the game that day and the next, as well. And Steve Bartman? A lifelong Cubs fan, for his own safety he was escorted from the stands by a cordon of security. In the next days, the Governor of Illinois suggested Bartman ought to get a new identity like they do in the witness protection plan and the Governor of Florida offered him asylum. As many as six Chicago police squad cars encircled his home to keep his house and family safe.
And Steve Bartman, good husband, good Little League coach, good guy, and good fan… Steve ended up writing an apology in which he said he regretted what had happened and he was “truly sorry.” I’m sure he was. I’m sure Steve Bartman, if he had a chance to relive that day, would decide to act differently. Almost all of us have days like that… days when we regret what we’ve done… or what we should have done. Days when we wish we could have a do-over… days when we whisper to ourselves “if only I knew then what I know now.” Days when we think, “If I had a chance to do it over, I woulda, I shoulda, I coulda done things differently.”
Yes, I know Frank Sinatra sang a song, “My Way”, where he crooned, “Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention.” When I first heard that song way back in 1969, I was impressed. I was impressed by a fellow who, no matter what, had done things his way and managed to do it without looking back or second guessing himself. You know, as that song climbed the charts, and as I listened more closely to the lyrics, I found myself concluding that I had little in common with Frank Sinatra, and yes, I know that’s a pretty obvious fact to you, but back then I was young and foolish. The truth was, even back then I had regrets. Regrets that were too many to be mentioned. I have them still. As a pastor, I regret some of the sermons I’ve preached. As a counselor, I regret some of the advice I’ve given. As a father, I regret the time I didn’t spend with my children and as a husband, I regret anytime I took a wonderful helpmeet for granted.
Regrets? If I didn’t come up with enough regrets of my own, I have others who will bring my shortcomings to my attention. It hasn’t been so many years ago that one of my high school classmates showed up in my office. We had a wonderful visit for about half-an-hour and then he came to the purpose of his having stopped by. He wanted to talk about the way I had mistreated him in high school. “Mistreatment? What mistreatment? I didn’t remember any mistreatment.” Even if I didn’t say those words out loud, that was what I was thinking. Well, my friend, and he is a friend, he began reciting a litany of things I had done. Cruel things, callous things, hurtful things. It was true. I had hurt him and I was ashamed. Yes, I have regrets, more than a few.
Now I wouldn’t have spent this much time talking about regrets if I wasn’t pretty sure that you have a list of your own regrets. I can’t tell you how many husbands and wives I’ve counseled where, one, maybe both of them, are saying, “If I had only known before we got married what I know now. I never would have walked down the aisle with you.” I can’t recall how many depressed individuals I’ve spoken to who have said, “If I had only taken that other job when it was offered, I never would have found myself in this financial predicament,” or “If only I’d checked on the baby one more time,” or “I should have read the signs better, maybe I could have stopped him from taking his life.” Smokers have regrets about smoking; drinkers regret their first sip of demon rum, and gamblers wish they had never picked up a card.
Now I’m not sure how far I have to go to touch upon or mention your very personal regret. Rather than making me guess or dig around in the dark I hope you’re willing to concede there are things you have done which you wish could be erased from your past… days which you wish could be X-ed off your calendar… things you have said which never should have been spoken, temptations you embraced which should have been avoided.
If you admit to having regrets, I welcome you into a group which covers most of humanity… and as near as I can tell, almost everybody who is the Bible. Really, that’s not an exaggeration. I’m talking about almost everybody in the Bible. Now most folks, when they think about the people of Scripture, usually imagine these folks to be great heroes of faith, individuals who were a cut or two above the rest of us, folks who had to work hard before they were able to commit even the smallest of sins. We call these folk “saints” and artists draw them with a ‘halo” around their heads, but, quite frankly, they were not entirely all that good. These folks are in the Bible not because they’re better than us… their lives have been recorded because they are us. They have the same flaws and failings that we have. If you doubt me, take a look.
Start in the beginning. Adam and Eve. Did they not regret eating from the forbidden tree, introducing sin into God’s perfect world, and losing the perfection of the Garden which they had been given? Of course they regretted what they had done. Their regrets would probably have sent them back if God hadn’t placed a sword-carrying angel at the Garden’s entrance. Then there was Cain whose jealousy of his brother led to murder. Cain had some regrets… although they may have been only half-hearted. Noah’s celebration of having survived the flood led him to a rather embarrassing revelation.
You see how it is? And I’ve only just begun. The Children of Israel regretted murmuring against God because it meant they were going to die in the wilderness. Blind Samson regretted having a mouth which couldn’t keep a secret. David regretted his adultery and the murder it birthed. In the New Testament St. Paul regretted the time he had been actively involved in persecuting and murdering those who were part of Jesus’ family of faith.
Then there is Peter. Later generations have venerated, respected, and honored the spokesman of the Disciples, but the bottom line is this: Peter must have been the master of regret. And if you think I’m speaking too strongly, take a look at his record.
Peter is the one Disciple who asks for an invitation to walk on the water to the Savior. He gets permission, starts walking, and then his faith deserts him and he sinks. Peter is the fellow who, at the Last Supper, refuses to have Jesus wash his feet, and then he demands Jesus wash all of him. Peter is the fellow who says he will never desert Jesus, and then he falls asleep when Jesus asks him to stay awake and he runs away from the crowd which comes to arrest the Savior. Peter is the Disciple who bravely goes to the High Priest’s courtyard to see what is happening at Jesus’ trial, and there he denies ever having known the Savior. Peter is the one who gives one of the three best statements of faith which can be found in the Gospels… and a few short verses later, he tries to convince Jesus that it really wasn’t all that necessary for Him to make a final trip to Jerusalem.
Jesus, being the Father’s all-knowing Son, and having understood the Old Testament prophecies concerning His work, His life, and the extraordinarily painful way He was destined to die, might well, if He had been one of us, embraced Peter’s words. Jesus, if He had not been completely dedicated to saving you from eternal damnation, might have said, “Wow, Peter, you know, I never thought of it that way. That’s a fantastic idea. Tell you what, we’ll just move our headquarters to another location and there, with My ability to multiply loaves and fishes, we can live out our lives in peace and prosperity.” Then, Jesus, if He had been one of us, might have said, “Peter, my #1 buddy, you get an “A” for the day for having come up with this one.”
That’s what might have happened, but Jesus was dedicated to saving us; He was committed to fulfilling the Father’s plan to redeem us… and that meant, rather than praising Peter, Jesus spoke one of the most powerful reprimands which Scripture records. Rather than getting a pat on the head for his great idea, Peter heard Jesus say, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” No matter how you try to read that, it comes out strong. That day Jesus’ words came out strong and they hit hard. Yes, I imagine, years later when Peter thought about that day, He had a certain amount of regret.
Scripture tells us that Jesus then stopped speaking only to Peter and began addressing the rest of the gathered Disciples. It’s all right for you to listen in on what He said, since the Holy Spirit intends for you to hear the Savior’s words. The Father wants all of His people to know just what it means to be a Christian. He wants us to know because it’s easy for us, like Peter, to get it wrong. For example, present-day Christianity has come up with the idea that being a Christian is an easy thing. Many have concluded Christianity is a one-way street with God doing all the work. God has to be there for us; He has to listen to us, pay attention to our demands and give us what we want. Many of us believe that we, not God, are sitting in the driver’s seat.
In the sixteenth chapter of Matthew Jesus corrects that misconception. He starts out by saying something like, “Look boys, I don’t want you to get down the road a bit and regret following Me. I don’t want you to say, “If only Jesus had been honest with me; if only He had warned me; if only I knew then what I know now, I never would have left my fishing nets, or my tax collector’s table, or my political party, or my vineyard. I want you to know what is in store for you.” So, here’s the bottom line: “If any man is coming after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Then Jesus continued. He continued because He knew any reasonable person would respond to His words saying: “Hold it! Wait! In heaven’s name, why should I, why would anyone take up a cross?” Jesus continued and said, “If you’re going to save your life, you will lose it… and if you lose your life following Me, you’ll find it.” At that point the Disciples probably turned to each other and said, “What did He say? Losing, finding? I don’t get it.” I wouldn’t be surprised if they did say something like that. The words Jesus had just shared are hard enough to understand when you’re looking at them on paper, but when somebody says them in passing; it might have left the Disciples scratching their heads. Which is why Jesus explained by asking, “Do you think a man is making a wise deal if he manages to make himself a big financial success, but in so doing he manages to lose his soul?”
Jesus was asking his Disciples and us, “How can a person live his life, prioritize his life, and get to the end without regret?” Jesus wanted to make sure that, years later, when His students were being crucified, or speared, or stoned, or flayed, or clubbed because they were His first and foremost missionaries, they didn’t look up to heaven and call out, “Jesus, You didn’t tell me this was part of the deal!” That day Jesus told them what the deal was, what the deal is. That day Jesus told them, they would have a cross if they followed Him. Yes, they would have a cross, but, in the end, they would also have a Savior. They would have a Savior Who forgave them of all they had done wrong; they would have a Savior Who would defend them when they were judged. They would have Jesus, and, in the end, that would be a relationship they would never regret.
Of course, Jesus wanted them also to know there was an alternative to following Him and carrying that cross. They could ignore Him; they could forget about the forgiveness He was providing them; they could pass on the call to faith the Holy Spirit would extend. If they wished, they could live their lives all on their own without a single thought or consideration of eternity. Many people do that, you know. “All there is”, they say, “is the here and now.” “I believe you live and you die and that’s it”, they proudly boast. In reply, Jesus says, “God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth, but He isn’t going to force you to follow Jesus and pick up a cross.” If you want to live without Jesus, you can.
Regret. This message is about regret. Now you and I have done many things, said many things for which we are rightly regretful. But there is one regret which makes all others appear to be downright miniscule in comparison. That is the regret a person will have on Judgment Day if Jesus is NOT his Lord and Savior. Jesus referred to that ultimate regret when He asked, “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” There will be desperation among the lost souls on Judgment Day, when those without Jesus realize the Scriptures weren’t joking and everlasting hell is waiting for them. At that moment will they not regret having turned down God’s gracious offer? Will they not regret the opportunities they have squandered? At that moment what would they not give to save their souls? Is there any price they would not pay to find themselves translated to heaven’s paradise and find themselves among the saved?
What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? What would you give to avoid that day of ultimate regret? The answer is obvious: you would give everything… but everything is not enough to complete the transaction. Everything doesn’t even make a beginning. It’s not enough because you don’t have the ability or capability of ransoming your soul. If you depend on yourself to ransom your soul, Judgment Day is Too-Late-Day. But now… now there is time. Now something can still be done to head off the regret. And if you’re wondering what you can do, once again the answer is, “You can do nothing.” A sinner cannot save himself; a transgressor cannot cleanse his soul, a spiritual beggar cannot find the price necessary to free himself from sin, death, and devil.
And it is here, precisely where a sinner is helpless to save his soul, we need the Savior. While we MIGHT give everything, Jesus DID give everything. Everything is the price Jesus paid to rescue you. The Gospel of Matthew records how Jesus set aside Peter’s urgings to avoid Jerusalem. It tells how Jesus went and how He was arrested. It speaks of His trials, conducted illegally, based on lies and trumped-up charges. It tells how Jesus gave everything… how He was beaten, spit upon, scourged, crowned with thorns, and crucified. Jesus, Who throughout His life had done only good, was crucified between two thieves. And there, on the cross, having resisted every temptation, having avoided every sin, Jesus gave everything to save your soul. What price can save your soul? Look to Calvary and the empty Garden Tomb and you will find your answer. Yes, look to the open tomb and know the risen Christ is God’s guarantee that all who believe will not perish but have everlasting life. The risen Redeemer is God’s promise that for people of faith, on the Day of Judgment they need not be afraid… that past regrets no longer have meaning nor are they valid.
My friend, you may, in the course of your life, have many regrets. Following the Savior will not be one of them. He has done all which is necessary to save you; He has done all which is necessary to forgive and bring you into the family of faith. He has done all so you might be ready, someday, to leave this world. So that you may be sure of God’s great grace as shown in the Savior, I extend this invitation: if you need to know more about Him please, won’t you call us at The Lutheran Hour? Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for August 28, 2011
Topic: Confession Without ContritionAnnouncer: And here we are once again with our Speaker Emeritus, Pastor Ken Klaus. I’m Mark Eischer.
Klaus: Hi, Mark, good to see you again. Good to have some old-fashioned questions and answers. What is in front of us today?
Announcer: One that could be rather simple to answer, but I’ve got a feeling it may not be.
Klaus: Shall we take a crack at it?
Announcer: Sure. Our listener says there is a person in her family who has been doing some serious sinning. Now granted, all sins are serious sins and she doesn’t tell us exactly what the sin is.
Klaus: If I were counseling them in person, I would have asked that, but go on.
Announcer: OK. Our listener and other members of the family have repeatedly gone to this individual and talked to him about it.Klaus: Remarkable. You know, that’s not done all that often. Wish it happened more than it does. A loving family can help a great deal.
Announcer: Agreed. Well, the last time the family got together, this was almost like an intervention and they made it clear to them that this sin was pulling the family apart and driving them away.
Klaus: Something which can indeed happen if people are acting in conscience and drawing a line, instead of enabling the sinner in his sin.
Announcer: And it was at this particular session that something happened. For the first time, the person actually made a confession of their sin…. Well, sort of.
Klaus: A “sort of” confession. Do they explain what a sort of confession is?
Announcer: Yeah, it’s like this: the individual admitted that he knew he was doing wrong. In fact, he knew he had been doing wrong from the beginning. Even so, he expects that God–being a God of love and grace-would just forgive him.
Klaus: What an interesting spiritual outlook on things. Totally wrong … but interesting.
Announcer: Which brings us to our question-or questions. Can a person with such an attitude truly be a Christian? Is God obligated to forgive? And is that person forgiven right now?
Klaus: Well, Mark, you do know how to pick ’em. There are so many nuances to the question… I’m almost tempted to say, “let Pastor Seltz answer this one.”
Announcer: Pass it off to the new guy?
Klaus: OK, let’s give it a try. When I heard this letter, I remembered a story about some men who were applying for a bus-driving job. Applicants were asked, “How close to the edge of a cliff can you drive?” The first fellow thought a bit and said, “I can get the bus within 12 inches of the edge.” The second one thinking he could top the first said, “I can get as close as six inches to the edge without any difficulty.” The third fellow said, “I don’t drive close to the edge, period.” So, which one of the guys do you think got the job?
Announcer: Well, if I were hiring, I would say it was the third fellow.
Klaus: You are right on the money, my friend. A good driver tries to minimize the risk to his passengers. So, too, a Christian doesn’t try to see how close he can get to sin before he falls in… nor does he see how long he can play with temptation before he’s bitten by it. A good Christian tries to avoid sin because it is what pleases the Lord.
Announcer: But is this person saved?
Klaus: Mark, I can’t answer that. I do know this. St. Paul said we shouldn’t sin so we could claim more of God’s grace. He said that was unthinkable. The early church would have agreed. In Corinth, St. Paul told them to kick a public sinner out. Not because all of the rest of the people there were perfect, but because uncondemned sin becomes acceptable sin. And, as far as I know, God doesn’t have a category for acceptable sins.
Announcer: Is it possible for anyone to tell whether a person is saved or not?
Klaus: That’s something only God knows for sure? I wouldn’t do that. On the other hand, I do know the Lord takes an incredibly dim view of anyone who plays around with the forgiveness Jesus died to win for us. I would say this individual is, quite literally, playing with fire.
Announcer: Anything else?
Klaus: Yes. Let me ask you, Mark. How would you feel if about someone who said they loved and respected you, but every time they saw you, they kicked you in the shins and spit in your face? Let me ask, which would you believe? Their words or their actions?
Announcer: Obviously, their actions are speaking louder than their words.
Klaus: I agree… and the same thing holds true with this fellow. If I were the Lord, which I most definitely am not, I would say his actions are as loud as a gunshot and his words are the tiniest of whispers.
Announcer: This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music Selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.
“American Hymnsong Suite” arr. Dwayne S. Milburn. From With Heart and Voice by the Concordia University Chicago Wind Symphony (© 2011 Concordia University-Chicago) Neil A. Kjos Music Company
“Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)