The Lutheran Hour
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"Boasting – Ridiculous or Real"
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Text: Galatians 6:14
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Galatians 6:14 (ESV) — But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! That truth, God’s truth, divides humanity as it separates the saved from the lost; those in the light from those who remain in the dark. By God’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s calling may you be able to boast, “My Savior lives and I shall live also.” God grant it to be so. Amen.
The other day Pam and I were watching television. Normally, when it’s commercial time, we usually fast forward and get on with the program. This particular day we were talking and the commercial was well underway before we realized what had happened. We began to pay attention as this product began to brag about its effectiveness. Amazingly, halfway into the commercial this product began to list the possible problems and negative consequences of using this medication. Since I was not fast enough to write it all down, I went to the product’s web site and copied it from there. For reasons which will soon become obvious, I am not listing the name of the product, nor the problem which it seeks to remedy. All I am going to do is share what the product says about itself. The warnings begin…
Some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions while using this product to help them with their problem. Some people had these symptoms when they began taking this drug, and others developed them after several weeks of treatment or after stopping this drug. If you… notice agitation, hostility, depression or changes in behavior, thinking, or mood that are not typical for you, or you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, anxiety, panic, aggression, anger, mania, abnormal sensations, hallucinations, paranoia, or confusion, stop taking this drug and call your doctor right away.
This drug boasted that it was great stuff, but I wondered: who in their right mind would run those risks? I asked myself, “What condition could be worse than the possible side-effects from this cure?” My conclusion was: boasting about this product is ridiculous, not real, and that also happens to be the title of this Lutheran Hour message.
Human boasting. On September 1, 1715, King Louis XIV of France passed away. Louis, who was known as the “Sun King” offered no objection if someone preferred to refer to him as “Louis, the Great.” Louis felt he had earned the title “Great” because his reign had lasted over 72 years; he had had some success in a couple of wars; many scientific discoveries had been made during his reign, and he built the great palace at Versailles to house the magnificent bureaucracy of his court. Even so, even great kings die and Louis was no exception. His funeral was awesome as his body lay in a golden casket which was illuminated by a special candle. With the rest of the cathedral being dimly lit, it seemed as if Louis, even in death, was to be the center of attention. Thousands waited in respectful silence as the service began. The presiding bishop began to speak. But with his first sentences he reached over Louis’ casket and snuffed out the candle. As he did this, he commented, “Only God is great!” The bishop believed Louis’ boasting had been ridiculous, not real.
The bishop may have spoken a profound truth… but it is a truth the world has not yet learned. That’s because people like to boast; they like to believe they are right; they want to believe they are #1. When a TV camera is trained on them, professional athletes do two things: first they mouth the words, “Hi, mom” and then they lift an index finger to show that they believe they are #1.
Of course the athlete who raised “I’m number one” to an art form was Muhammad Ali. Now before I continue, let me say, hands down, Muhammad Ali was the best fighter I have ever seen. He was good; he was really good. He offered no apologies when he told the world he thought himself the greatest.
Now Ali’s boasting was pretty innocent stuff. It got people interested in the fight and thereby raised the prize which both fighters received for their pugilistic endeavors. But there are other boasts we humans have made which are not only ridiculous, they are downright dangerous. Before World War II France took great pride in its Maginot Line. They boasted their line of concrete bunkers, obstacles, and weapon installations were impervious to any frontal attack. When war eventually came, the German military decided not to attack from the front. Instead they went around and took the Maginot Line from behind. The French boast had been ridiculous, not real.
Today we are talking about human boasting and asking if it is ridiculous or is it real. Yet there is no boasting which is more tragic and terrible than the boast of modern man who believes he can improve upon the Lord or do away with the Divinity altogether. In 1882, the German pseudo-theologian and part-time philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, wrote, “Gott ist tot.” Translated: God is dead. Now Nietzsche didn’t mean the Lord had succumbed to some virulent cancer or had been in a terrible auto accident. No, Nietzsche was simply reporting what, to him, was an observable fact; the Lord might as well be dead because modern man no longer wants, needs, or is influenced by the Deity.
Was Nietzsche right in his observation? You may be surprised to hear me say: “Of course he was right. Partially.” Here’s an example: once upon a time the world’s farmers looked to the Lord and the sky to try to predict the proper balance of rain, warmth, and sun which would give them a bountiful harvest. But many of today’s farmers prefer to rely on their trusted weatherman who will, using radar, computer models, and satellite imagery, provide a 24-hour, 10-day, and three-month forecast.
Once upon a time the world was filled with diseases, both dangerous and diverse. The number of these viruses, bacteria, and bugs which could put a person in the ground was astounding. Once upon a time a bad appendix or a nasty gall bladder could mean intense suffering and even death. Once upon a time a visit to the hospital was considered to be the first step to getting a fully filled out death certificate. People went into the hospital looking for healing, but more often than not they ended up dying. In those days, and those days weren’t so very long ago, people called for family and friends to plead for healing. Today a quick trip to the neighborhood ER provides an ill individual with a bushel basket of antibiotics. And if he must undergo surgery, as often as not, it is the hospital’s sterile operating room and the skilled surgeon who, having been guided by information from MRIs, CAT, PET, DX, and Ultrasound scans garners most of the praise.
Once upon a time our nation called upon God for protection. Today a large, standing military, equipped with the most advanced and powerful weaponry keeps homes and hearths safe from fear of invasion. We remain secure in the knowledge that our enemies, for all their bravado and saber rattling cannot win a conflict with our armed forces. True, the occasional terrorist makes the evening news for a few days, but then he and his work become a footnote in history and most people return to their lives of normalcy.
Once upon a time people were troubled and concerned. They were filled with anxiety and angst. Pulpits urged their people to cast their cares upon the Lord because He cares for them. Congregations were told to go to the Lord in the day of trouble and He would deliver them. But a new generation has wondered if the Lord is necessary when the pharmaceutical companies have offered you a smorgasbord of drugs. Who needs to be depressed when all of these medications are at our disposal?
Armed with a medicine chest of drugs, many have chosen to scrap the old hymn which states, “What a friend we have in Jesus.” Ours is an age when the world gladly brags about its technological advancements and boasts about its scientific breakthroughs. Ours is an age where college professors feel free to scoff at any student who stands up for his faith as a Bible-believing Christian. Ours is a time when businesses feel no qualms in threatening to fire any cashier who responds to a patron with “And a Merry Christmas to you.” This is the decade when coaches set their practice schedules without respect or regard to Sunday being a day set aside for worship. Ours is an age which allows us to boast of the great things we have done, even as we demean and denigrate the handiwork of God. Which is why, this Lord’s Day, we ask, “When the unbelieving world boasts, is it real or is it ridiculous?” Just as importantly we wish to know, “Have the last 125 years of human history shown that we are, as Nietzsche suggested, better off believing God is dead?”
Now to answer those questions I am not going to roll out the results of cross-cultural, inter-generational surveys. Instead I am going to ask you a few questions. I want to hear your heartfelt, well-thought-out opinions and responses. Ready? Okay…. QUESTION #1 – The family has always been the fundamental building block of society. From the family come the values and morals by which a nation draws its direction and strength. So, my first question is an easy one. In one or two sentences define what a family is. The bonus question: “Is the family stronger or weaker today than it was before we killed off God?”
QUESTION #2 – People generally want to be happy, peaceful, and secure. To those goals the modern world has given us many medications. But we also can resource counselors, advisors, therapists, and analysts who are dedicated to helping us achieve those goals. With that in mind, here is the second question, “Since God was killed off more than 125 years ago, has your town, your state, your nation, this world, made great strides in achieving peace both internally and externally?” To make this a bit easier, I can tell you the Polynational War Memorial lists 267 wars which have been fought since 1900.The next few questions are very simple and call for little background.
QUESTION #3 – Do you feel safer today than you did 10, 20, 30, 50, 70 years ago?
QUESTION #4 – Do you think the world your children and grandchildren will live in will be better than the one in which you grew up?
QUESTION #5-Why do people take mood-altering, non-prescription drugs?
QUESTION #6 – This last question calls for some serious thinking. How can the world which has a dead God help you with a guilty conscience?Now sitting in The Lutheran Hour recording studio, I have no way of knowing how you answered those questions. Even so, I’m going to gamble that you, like many, cannot define what a family is. That’s because, without God’s direction, the family can be anything… which, of course, means it is nothing. But there’s more. You also probably feel the world has not improved all that much since the day Nietzsche killed off God. Yes, science has made wonderful discoveries and technology continues to make changes at a break-neck pace, but these are unable to give us the peace we long for, the happiness we desire. The world is incapable of taking the place of God.
Most certainly the weatherman may tell you what weather is coming, but only God can create and send that weather. The medical world may do much to help the sick, but only God can bring about healing. Counselors may help you with your flaws, failings, and shortcomings, but only God can erase your sins and bring you true peace. Only His crucified and risen Son can take a sinful soul destined for hell and turn it toward forgiveness and heaven. Nietzsche and his descendants may say these things are not so, but they are.
And that, dear friends, is the way it is. You can fight it, argue against it, decry it, deny it, but it is true. The world is divided into those who try to forget the Lord and those who are grateful for a Divinity Whose love and grace hasn’t forgotten them. The globe is divided into those who boast of their own greatness and those who join with St. Paul and say (paraphrase of Galatians 6:14a) “If I’m going to boast, it is only going to be in the cross of Jesus, my Lord.”
Paul said that because he knew that we have a God Who loved us enough to turn to His Son and say, “I want You to go down there and be born in a filthy, manure filled stable. I want You to go down there and be misunderstood by Your family and detested by Your enemies. I want You to be run out of Your boyhood town by Your old neighbors. I want You to go down there and heal people who will never say ‘thanks’ and reach out through Your preaching to people who will never understand. I want You to go down there and kneel in a Garden and take upon Your mind and heart the scandalous sins of every person who has ever lived. In doing this You will not run, You will not stumble, fall, or fail. You will carry humanity’s sins and be betrayed by one of Your closest friends. You will carry those sins and be spit upon, hit, degraded, laughed at, mocked, whipped, and nailed to a cross. I want You go down and carry those sins and die.” This is what God said, and this is what His Son did. You who know this love of God also know it is the Living Redeemer’s cross and empty grave which saves.
Although the world may think it can improve on God’s gracious plan of salvation, a sinful world has neither the authority nor capability of improving on what the Perfect Lord of life has done; which is why anyone who wishes to kill off God must realize he has killed off himself as well. Anyone who rejects God’s plan of salvation by grace through faith will find they are in for a hot surprise as they find their present lives will be lived without the Triune God’s peace and purpose… and their next life will be forever without hope.
This is the message we preach, the Savior we proclaim. It is the truth you need to know and believe. If you agree and wish to know more about a God Who is alive and promises to make you live too, we offer this invitation, please call us at The Lutheran Hour. Amen.
Action in Ministry for August 28, 2016
Guest: Rev. Mark FrithANNOUNCER: You’re listening to The Lutheran Hour. This is Action in Ministry and Pastor Gregory Seltz joins us now.
SELTZ: It’s great to be here, Mark.
ANNOUNCER: As Pastor Klaus said in his message today, “when we boast, we boast of the almighty power and grace of God.”
SELTZ: That’s right. But because He is God there is so much we don’t understand about Him. So many times questions about Who God is and how God works and what that means for us all; it can actually become a barrier to trusting in Him.
ANNOUNCER: We have an online resource that provides access to answers. It’s called God Connects, and our colleague, Pastor Mark Frith, plays an important role in developing that resource and he’s here to tell us more about it today.
SELTZ: Welcome, Mark.
FRITH: It’s good to be with you here in the Lutheran Hour studios.
SELTZ: I love that you’re here with us. Now listen, I love the resource. I love how it’s named: God Connects. That’s what we want to do here in this program too; to connect individuals to the Triune God Who loves them intimately. Tell us what is God Connects?
FRITH: This is a really, really great online treasury of resources built around twelve topics that are pertinent to the Christian faith and for the Church; provided with a great video instruction and beginning by you, Pastor Seltz, thank you for that.
SELTZ: It’s good to be a part of that.
FRITH: So it’s an exploration of those basic tenets of the faith.
ANNOUNCER: How did this come about? What was the need?
FRITH: We were working with a special group of people back a couple of years ago and we asked them, “What is it that you could really use if Lutheran Hour could build something for you?” They said, “A video-based adult instruction program would be really, really helpful.” So that’s what we set out to do.
SELTZ: Wow. So, the question I have though is this for people who are exploring the Christian faith or just interested in joining the Lutheran Church? Who really is this designed for?
FRITH: Man, that’s a great question because it just continues to roll out and hits more and more people. It’s really for anyone who wants to know a bit more about the chief doctrines of the church. If you are not able to attend a class that the church is holding or a small group setting where you are at, you can catch it right online. Jump onboard. So small groups are using this; pastors are using this for their adult instruction curriculum.
SELTZ: Yeah, I’ve heard about a lot these too. I’ve had some pastors come up to me and say, what a great resource it is because that way they’re not always having to do all the teaching. There are other things helping. I’ve even heard some people were saying they really enjoy the information that’s provided. Give us, then, an idea of the type questions, the type of issues that are addressed in this resource.
FRITH: These topics cover, really, those that are the basics for the Christian faith. Such things like: Who is Jesus, why did He come, what’s the nature of God. We cover those basics like prayer: how do I pray, how do I know God hears my prayers, Baptism, Holy Communion where He comes and connects with us…
SELTZ: Really connects.
FRITH: …in His intimate way.
ANNOUNCER: What are your goals for when someone visits God Connects online?
FRITH: Great question. It is just that; to be able to really connect them to Jesus and this awesome God that is ours, Who comes all the way to us. You learn about the family, how God is in the middle of it, how He’s created and drawn us into that body of believers, the body of Christ, if you will. It’s a helpful tool.
SELTZ: So many people think that Christianity is about religion dos and don’ts and they don’t realize the whole proclamation of Christianity is about a God Who comes for you to actually connect you to Him again, to reconcile you. What a powerful message. So if people really want to know more about this God, Mark, how do they get to know this resource and how do they get started?
FRITH: Wow, it’s really simple and it’s free. Just go to our website…
SELTZ: Simple and free.
FRITH: There you go; lhm.org/godconnects. God Connects is one word. You can go to that site; you can explore all the tools that are there, watch the videos (those just set the stage). You can dig into each of those twelve sessions. You can do it yourself; you can share it with a friend…
SELTZ: Yeah, that’s what I like to hear too. Have somebody else do this with you just like Lutheran Hour. Get the apps on your neighbor’s phones so that there’s this Word of God surrounding your relationships.
FRITH: Absolutely. For pastors, you really gain the sense of I don’t have to do this all by myself. It’s a great supplement. You have a great class if that’s what you’re going to use it for, but then you can send your participants home; they can dig in as deeply as they wish with some other video products. Just awesome tools that are built around this all linked together here with God Connects.
ANNOUNCER: We are excited to have our listeners have access to this resource. Pastor Mark Frith, thank you for sharing it with us.
FRITH: Thank you for having me.
SELTZ: That’s our Action in Ministry segment today to bless, to empower, and to strengthen your life in Christ for others.
ANNOUNCER: Once again, the title of this resource is God Connects. You can view or download this content for free at our website. Go to lutheranhour.org and click on Action in Ministry. Or call 1-855john316. That’s 1-855-564-6316. Our email address is info@lhm.org.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for August 28, 2016
Topic: Is Hell Too Harsh?ANNOUNCER: Is hell too harsh? Is God’s sense of justice unfair? That’s what we’ll be discussing next with our Speaker Emeritus, Pastor Ken Klaus. I’m Mark Eischer.
KLAUS: Hello, Mark, and hello once again to our listeners.
ANNOUNCER: Pastor, our question for today comes from someone who seems to think the Lord owes him an explanation.
KLAUS: Can hardly wait. Let’s get into it.
ANNOUNCER: Our listener says, “On your broadcast, you say God is gracious and loving. I can understand that–I think God should be kind toward humans.”
KLAUS: And He is. Consider how God blesses everyone every day, whether they acknowledge Him or not, whether they believe in Him or not.
ANNOUNCER: However, our listener continues: “If God is so gracious and loving, how then is it possible for Him to punish sinners for eternity? One mistake, one stumble or slip and BOOM–you spend eternity in hell. That’s pretty harsh. How could a kind God treat us worse than the world’s meanest man would treat a dog?”
KLAUS: That’s a hard question.
ANNOUNCER: What do you think makes it so?
KLAUS: Well, it’s this way. He’s not going to like my answer because his question is so very messed up.
ANNOUNCER: Messed up? How?
KLAUS: First, Mark, the question comes from the wrong perspective. This person is demanding the Lord give him an explanation. Well, that’s just not the way it works. God created us; we didn’t create Him. He is in charge, we are not. He made the rules. God is the judge, not us.
ANNOUNCER: I suppose that would also mean the Judge sets the punishment, not the criminal.
KLAUS: Yes, absolutely! If I went to just about any prison anywhere in the world and picked a prisoner at random, don’t you think most of those prisoners picked would say their judge had been unfair or had been too strict or too severe in his punishment?
ANNOUNCER: I wouldn’t expect them to say, “Wow, I just wish the judge had given me a longer sentence.”
KLAUS: So, the first problem with this question is that our listener has it backwards.
ANNOUNCER: Okay, next problem.
KLAUS: He talks about one sin sending someone to hell for eternity. Again, that premise is wrong. Sin involves more than behavior.
ANNOUNCER: That’s because we are sinful by nature. We don’t start out from a neutral position. Hell is actually our default destination.
KLAUS: But, let’s say, for the sake of argument, how many sins should it take before a person goes to hell? Should we be allotted one sin a day… or two… or five? Should we rate sins according to how bad we think they are? Say, maybe you get two big sins and four small sins every day. Well, you know what is going to happen with that!
ANNOUNCER: Right. People would think nothing of running out to commit their daily quota of sins-as if we needed any further incentive to do that!
KLAUS: Yeah, and then they would be out there negotiating trying to get their big sins reduced to little sins. They will lobby the Lord to be more lenient. Why not eight big sins and twenty small sins? There’d be no end to it.
ANNOUNCER: Any other problems?
KLAUS: Actually, we haven’t even mentioned the biggest problem of all.
ANNOUNCER: And what would that be?
KLAUS: It would be this: the people blame God for hell–and not themselves. They forget that when we sin–little sin, big sin, it makes no difference–we have just renounced our citizenship in the kingdom of God. We have followed a different master and set our lives on a completely different course. THAT is what the Lord is punishing. But there’s more… People, including our questioner, also forget that nobody has to be sent to hell for any of their sins. Mark, you know what Scripture says…
ANNOUNCER: Right. In the Gospel according to St. John, chapter 3, we read: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3: 16-17).
KLAUS: That’s it. Yes, our sin condemns us… but God wants to save us. That is why Jesus lived a perfect life in our place, suffered in our place, died in our place, rose again for us; which means, rather than accusing God of being cruel, unfair, and vengeful, we ought to be on our knees in repentance, thanking Him for the forgiveness and salvation that He wants to give us so very freely. If there’s something we can’t understand about God, it is not His punishment for sin; it is His willingness to forgive us of sin, all on account of Christ, our Savior.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music Selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.
“Son of God, Eternal Savior” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)
“As Surely As I Live, God Said” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)