The Lutheran Hour
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"The Lord Will Have the Last Say!"
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Text: 2 Timothy 4:6-8
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The Lord Jesus saves, the Lord Jesus reigns, and in all things, He will have the last say! In His Name we begin, amen!
Happy New Year! New Year’s Day is a day when people think about endings and new beginnings. Today’s the Day to face the past and to move forward into the future. And that’s the place where we find the Apostle Paul in his life as he writes this text.
But, Paul stands, not at the end of the old year and the beginning of the new, but at the end of his life awaiting death just because he was a Christian. You see, Nero, the Roman emperor at the time, had decided to blame the Christians for all of his problems, they were easy targets. (Sounds like politics hasn’t changed a whole lot in the last 2000 years) So, here is Paul, facing death, but with a New Year’s resolve that will last for eternity. For Paul had claimed in his life to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified so that we might live and now He stands at the very moment when that truth will be his in all of its fullness.
Can Paul’s message at the brink of his death still bless us today? Can that simple yet powerful proclamation that “Jesus, the crucified and risen One, is in control of all things,” can it assure us where we live today? Can knowing and trusting in Him by faith, still be God’s ultimate answer to facing, even overcoming, all that might come against us in this world?
Well, on the brink of this New Year, 2012, such questions are even more challenging. For there is a greater anxiousness, anticipation, even fear than I’ve ever seen in my own lifetime! As I read the newspaper….Oh, sorry, as I monitor my news apps on my iPad, it seems even more clear that we human beings aren’t in control of anything. Every answer creates more problems; every solution seems to be another dead end. For many then, as this new year begins, the question isn’t, “What good is coming, but how much more bad can we take?”
On this day of decisions, resolutions, and hopes, Paul’s hope of knowing Christ for all things, is not only a challenge, it is the one offer, the one hope for life and salvation that holds, now and forever.
I was listening to a broadcast of radio Bible teacher, Ravi Zacharias. He was speaking about this one thing. He illustrated it with a story about evangelist Leighton Ford, Billy Graham’s brother-in-law, and Leighton Ford’s encounter with an elderly woman on an airplane.
Just before the airplane door was closed a flight attendant approached him about assisting a 96-year old woman who would be sitting next to him.
He not only obliged, he was happy to help. 96 years old. This was a woman who had seen many things, he thought. So, as the plane began to roar down the runway, Ford opened up a conversation.
“Is it true that you are 96 years old?” The woman replied, “Yep.” Ford asked if she traveled much, and the woman replied again with a, “Yep.” Then Ford said, “I bet since you’ve lived all these years you know quite a bit.” Again the woman said, “Yep.”
To instigate more than a “yep,” Ford then asked, “Tell me the one, best thing that you know.” She said, “The best thing that I knows is that I knows Jesus Christ.”
So he asked her another question, “And what’s this big deal about knowing Jesus? What makes Him so special?” And he said, “That’s when she just lit up.” She said, “My Jesus made the sun, the moon, and the stars.” She said, “My Jesus is my Lord and my Savior, He’s in control of everything and if that weren’t true, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now with you riding on this plane.”
Now Ford was so moved by her testimony that he couldn’t play devil’s advocate anymore. He confessed, “I’m with you, I believe in Jesus too.” In fact, he shared with her that he was an evangelist as well as the brother-in-law to Billy Graham.
“You do know who Billy Graham is?” he asked.
“Nope,” said the woman. “You don’t know Billy Graham, the world-wide evangelist? He is the one who has preached to millions in crusades and on television. Surely you have seen him on TV,” he said. The woman retorted, “Maybe I’m out the night he’s on!”
A few days later Ford was able to share this story with Reverend Billy Graham. Graham’s response still rings true. He said, “Leighton, isn’t it wonderful to know that there are millions and millions who do not know who we are but they know who Jesus Christ is!”
So, I may not know what 2011 has been for you. And I may not know exactly what 2012 holds for us, but in all the questions, in all the resolutions and challenges of today, there is one thing I know, one thing that will see us through it all, there is one thing that will bring joy in the midst of sorrow, courage in the midst of your battles, and celebration to your life even in 2012, that one thing is knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and knowing that He will have the last say in your life.
As Paul boldly proclaims, “I have fought the good fight, I have run the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day!”
It is my prayer that after this message, you, too, will be able to proclaim this because, Christian people know and believe that the Lord will have the last say in our lives! And that makes all the difference in how we live right now!
Now, as you look back on the things of this last year, would you agree with me that there are many things in this life that are beyond our control? Some things are just too big for one person to be able to handle. The harsh realities of 2011 in America, Europe, and around the world have taught us that. But there is more to it than that. We’re experiencing an “out of controlness” to life today. Sin, evil, greed, immorality, even brutality…. human beings have unleashed such things with no ability to stop their unwelcome results. Even when people try to do the right thing in this world, things seem to go awry, don’t they? Well, not being “in control,” doesn’t mean that our lives are meant to be “out of control” either. It just means that there are some things beyond our abilities. There are some things that are beyond our control, beyond our works. Sin, death, and Satan, himself, are enemies to life that require God’s intervention, not merely our collective concern. And life itself, finally, is dependent on God, His gracious love and His mercy.
Paul is teaching us today….that even in an increasingly hostile world, the Bible’s message is even more relevant for in full view of modern obstacles, the real struggles of this past year, or even in the year to come. The truth remains, knowing Jesus Christ by grace through faith alone is the key to a person’s life now and forever.
For it is He, Jesus, who has done all things well for you, it is He that has taken upon Himself the righteous judgment for your failures and sins, it is He who offers you a way to life, now and forever. And it is He who will have the last say in the lives of every person in this world and for those who long for His appearing. That’s good news!
With faith in Him, 2012, then, can be faced with confidence; confidence for today and confidence for tomorrow.
Now, such confidence isn’t wishful thinking or the power of positive thinking. It’s confidence in the Person and work of Jesus Christ, both for us and through us by the power of His Spirit for others.
It’s Advent, Christmas Confidence, for God got involved in human history. It’s Lenten Confidence, Good Friday Strength, and Easter Boldness! For God, Himself, faced down the very forces of evil that disturb us in our world today, defeating them, overcoming them, and literally, granting us His life through it all.
With such confidence in Jesus, then, Paul didn’t fear the uncertainty of the moment and neither should we.
Jesus Christ’s clear work for Paul on the cross was the source of His strength and confidence. Life was secure for him in Christ’s hands no matter what, for him, Jesus would have the last say in his life; not Nero, not persecutors, not malicious gossips, no one but Jesus.
The cross and resurrection of Jesus, then, means the same to us. The cross is not merely a symbol for a Christian; it is the message of faith in a nutshell!
For the cross is the proclamation that all sin will be punished; no one gets away with evil.
There are things that must be brought to the foot of the cross or they will forever bring us to our knees. No clever technology, no iPods, iPads, no flat screen TV or internet, no smart bombs or wonder drugs, will overcome real sin and fear, only the cross and resurrection of Jesus, the God/Man who took upon Himself the sins of the world, only His cross and His resurrection can do that.
But even more, Christ’s cross is God’s eternal, neon sign of His assurance, His public testimony of how much He loves us. For those who long for Christ’s appearing, the cross is God’s plus sign in a very negative world. It’s God’s eternal, New Year’s resolution to all who believe, that, even for those of us whose resolve to change fails by February, there is repentance, forgiveness, and a fresh start available in Him each day.
You know, I often wonder why people make resolutions this time of year. Most folks don’t keep them. In fact, most don’t make it to the end of January. I heard a humorous New Year’s blessing. It went like this, “May your troubles this year last as long as your resolutions.” Ouch! But, I think that resolutions give people a sense of control, even for the moment. It gives people a bit of confidence that they can at least keep things under wraps to some degree. Our message for today is don’t settle for that!
In view of God’s mercy to us, we are called to live lives of faith; fearless lives even in the face of death; courageous lives in the midst of struggle, and eternal lives in a world that is passing away.
Such a life might seem impossible today, “fearless lives of faithful discipleship in a fearful world?” – Yes, because in Christ the fire of judgment has passed, the heat of uncertainty in a sinful world is only temporary, and the miracle of resurrection, new Life is accomplished. It’s like fighting fire with fire!
We’ve just recently moved to St. Louis from Southern California. Now there are some things I already miss, but there’s one thing I’m not going to miss, fire! When we lived there, we lived in a land of fire. There was one time when I was flying back home from a trip and when my plane was landing, it looked like every hillside in Southern California was on fire? It literally lit up the night sky. Such fire is a terrifying thing; it can be on you in a minute. It can overwhelm you in a heartbeat. Nothing is more terrifying than facing such a rampaging blaze on your own.
Now, as odd as it might seem, when those fires were raging in California….the firemen were actually setting fires to fight the blaze. They called them backfires, it was a “fire versus fire strategy” to literally extinguish the power of the flames. You see, when a fire is raging, racing your way, when it is a fire that no water can put out, the best thing you can do is burn the grass, trees, and brush that are immediately around you, as far out as you can. For once burned it can’t “burn again” and the fire will literally “rage” all around you, but if done correctly, it will pass you by.
On the cross, Jesus Christ literally lit the backfire of God’s grace, receiving the righteous fire of the Father’s judgment for your sin in your place and mine, so that there might be an eternal new place to stand with God, a place of grace, salvation, and eternal life. Such a place exists today and forever with Jesus Christ for all who put their faith in Him.
Paul, at the end of his life, shows us again what this grace in Jesus is all about. He reminds us that, “Since all of this is true in Jesus, true for those who trust Him, then even in the midst of trouble, struggle, and suffering, Christians can seek to live a “no fear” kind of life; standing in the “backfire” place of God’s grace; knowing that our Savior will have the last and final say in our lives!
In Christ, then, fearless faith, fearless life, now and forever; because He will have the last say. As Paul says, “He is the One who will award us the crown of victory for the life of faith.”
The crown of victory for you, the crown of eternal life is as sure as Jesus for you. Knowing this, there’s even greater confidence, then, to enter the contest of life, in faith, right now, to give it our best, to be hopeful in the year ahead, and to finish well no matter what the circumstance.
What if I told you today that two years from now you would be the hero of the World Series, or the World Cup, or that you would score the winning touchdown of the Super Bowl, or would win a gold medal for your country in the Olympics, if you just jumped in to the contest? Would you start to train? How would you face the disciplines of getting in shape, or eating right? In what spirit would you deal with injuries, struggles, and sickness, maybe even a tragedy or two? Wouldn’t the knowledge of victory not merely motivate you, but also comfort you, empower you, even strengthen you to endure and to finish strong? That victory wreath, that golden trophy, that final tape of the big race, that gold medal has moved people to sacrifice everything if they could just obtain it.
In the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, a Japanese gymnast, Shun Fujimoto, was competing in the team competition. Somehow, during the floor exercises, he broke his right knee. It was obvious to all reasonable observers that he would be forced to withdraw. On the following day, Fujimoto competed in his strongest event, the rings. His routine was excellent, but the critical point lay ahead- the dismount. Without hesitation, Fujimoto ended with a twisting, triple somersault. There was a moment of intense quiet as he landed with a tremendous impact on his wounded knee. Then came the thunderous applause as he stood his ground. Later, reporters asked about that moment and he replied, “The pain shot through me like a knife. It brought tears to my eyes. But now I have a gold medal and the pain is gone.”
Paul says to all who believe in Jesus, to all who long for His appearing, not a gold medal, but an eternal crown of God’s blessing in Jesus waits for all who compete in this life by faith in Him, especially as we serve others well in His Name!.
So, on a day of making New Year’s resolutions, we’re reminded of the power of faith to equip us to live life to its eternal end. For real life is not in our control. It’s in the hands of our Lord Jesus. So let this be your resolve. Don’t let the challenges, even the fears of the moment, dissuade you from the confidence that comes by faith in Jesus. He will have the last say in every human being’s life!
Let the knowledge of that one thing of knowing Jesus as your Savior, let it comfort you and guide you in your life today.
Say yes today to Christ and have the power to look back on your life with joy, joy through His forgiving grace and to look forward towards the future with resurrection confidence because you know that your Savior will have the last word in your life!
May 2012 be the year that we all can say with Paul, this year, in Christ, we will “fight the good fight, we will keep the faith.” And we know that because of His grace, there is already a victory crown in heaven with our name on it.
Thank God that Jesus has the last say, that He loves us with an everlasting love, fire against fire!
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for January 1, 2012
Topic: Creation, Evolution?ANNOUNCER – And we are back with Pastor Gregory Seltz. I’m Mark Eischer. Many kids today are being taught Naturalistic Evolution in school, but we believe that God created all things. How do you reconcile that? How do you address that issue?
SELTZ: Mark, this is an issue that is challenging many Christians today. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about what is and isn’t science and what is and isn’t the Christian’s response to these kinds of questions.
ANNOUNCER: For example?
SELTZ – Well, first of all, there is this notion that the Christian faith is somehow “against good science.” And, historically, this is an erroneous notion because many of the great scientists of the western world where, in fact, Christian.
ANNOUNCER – And isn’t it true that modern science actually came out of and even flourished because of the Christian worldview?
SELTZ – Many historians and scientists today would say “yes” to that. The kind of science that can test things to find out what is “true or not true” about the natural world, that kind of science grows in an environment that actually believes that the “natural world is rational” or operates according to certain, definable laws.
ANNOUNCER – But don’t other worldviews say that?
SELTZ – Well, some do, but many don’t. And the Christian worldview says something even more amazing. It speaks of the honor and dignity of the individual, and the dignity of the “dirt level of life.” Most ancient worldviews thought of individuals as disposable and of “working in the dirt” as beneath the elites. The Christian worldview turns all that upside down. You might say that, “That kind of faith spurred on good science.”
ANNOUNCER – Okay, and since God is a God of order, God can be trusted, therefore His creation could be examined and understood and then harnessed for the good of mankind.
SELTZ – Well, that’s how a lot of people thought about it, that’s for sure. And, that way of thinking motivated people to strive to do great things, to unlock the secrets of the universe for the good of others.
ANNOUNCER: It’s really amazing to think of all the great benefits to society that this “examined” view of the world has made available to us, but I suppose that’s for another program, isn’t it?
SELTZ – Right.
ANNOUNCER- Is it science versus creationism then?
SELTZ: No, there’s good science and then there is the discussion of the worldviews of creationism versus naturalism. And I think there is more to that discussion than we can cover today, but let’s just say this. Creationism says that all life, especially human life, came from God and is accountable to God and that human life has a unique dignity in the world. Naturalism says that all matter is eternal and that there is nothing special at all about human life, that life itself has no particular meaning or purpose.
ANNOUNCER: Now, at this point, it doesn’t sound so much any more like a scientific discussion; it’s more like a theological or philosophical one.
SELTZ: I think that’s a good way to look at it. A Christian student can be a good “scientist” in the laboratory while still challenging the philosophical worldview of Darwin or of naturalism. Origins of the world are beyond “science’s testing and proving” capacity.
ANNOUNCER: So why does this discussion seem to always become so heated nowadays?
SELTZ: Well, I think it has more to do with modern man’s rebellion against God and this zealous myth of science’s so-called capacity to solve all people’s problems with the test tube. Many today think that Darwinism gave people a worldview that finally didn’t need God. I think they actually overstate Darwinism there.
ANNOUNCER: But, can modern science resolve some of these worldview issues?
SELTZ – No, it’s supposed to be about scientific theory, about testing, hypothesizing and explaining natural phenomenon as we examine them; stuff in the dirt. But even at that dirt level there are conflicting views of the data, one called macro-evolution and the other called intelligent design or micro-evolution. But the question of origins, whether creationism or naturalism, goes beyond both.
ANNOUNCER – We should say that in examining the world we do find facts for faith as well.
SELTZ – Yes, just like the Bible says, “The heavens declare the glory of God too.” Maybe not as clearly as the cross and resurrection of Jesus, but they declare His glory nonetheless. So, it’s good to make sure that our kids know this as they strive for excellence in the classroom as well.ANNOUNCER – Very good. And as people of faith, we are challenged to pursue excellence in the laboratory but even greater to trust in God who made and sustains all things. Thank you Pastor Seltz, this has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music Selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.
“O Sing of Christ” by Stephen P. Starke & Ralph Vaughn Williams, arr. Kevin Hildebrand. From We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God (© 2011 Concordia Publishing House/SESAC)
“Jesus, Name of Wondrous Love” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)
“Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend” by J.S. Bach. From Orgelbüchlein & More Works by J.S. Bach by Robert Clark & John David Peterson (© 1997 Calcante Recordings, Ltd.)