The Lutheran Hour
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"Nothing But Jesus!"
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Text: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
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For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. Hallelujah!
Super Bowl 51 kicks off this weekend. If you’re going, are you ready for this; it may cost you about $4,000 for a ticket to the big event. Some special ticket packages include a pregame party with former NFL quarterbacks Joe Montana and Warren Moon. Since the big game is in Houston this year, the pregame meal is an all-you-can-eat Texas tailgate with lots of grilled and smoked meats along with unlimited beverages.
Now here’s another word of truth for you today. I will definitely not be at the game; at least not in Houston! It’s a lot less pricey to watch the game at home. But I could have afforded that first Super Bowl. Did you know that the tickets back then went all the way up to $12 back in 1967? And there were tickets to spare that year. Thirty-two thousand seats went unfilled at Super Bowl number one.
It’s a little more complicated today, right? Somehow, the contest has become more than a football game. It is an event. It’s a way of life. It is packaged, marketed, and memorialized. There is a lot of officially licensed stuff! You can buy pictures, plaques, medallions, posters, Lego sets, jerseys, patches, and pins. There seems to be no end to it.
Today you’ll see people, pageantry, products, and parties. As I was thinking about the Bible lesson today, I began to wonder. Do you really need all of that stuff in your life? Is that what we need today? Do we need more activity, more noise, more things to buy, or more things to do?
Honestly, I don’t really yearn at all for more complications or commotion in my life. It’s really just the opposite. What I really want is a little more peace, some quiet time, quality in some close relationships, and a sense of being fulfilled and personally content. That’s what I’m looking for. Maybe you feel the same way. Instead of noise and anxiety, I need to turn the volume down and let my soul be restored.That is one remarkable contrast I notice between what the world gives and what God gives. The world says, “More!”-more possessions, more purchasing, more hustle, more bustle. The world says, “Make it happen; you’re not doing enough; you don’t have enough; you’ll never be enough.”
But then you have the complete contrast of the Apostle Paul saying, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2).
Nothing but Jesus. Wow! That’s right, nothing but Jesus; in all things!
It’s an uncluttered message. More than that, it is personal, meaningful, and life-giving; nothing but Jesus. This is Jesus, the Son of God. He didn’t ask you to do more. He didn’t tell you that you would never be enough. He came to seek you and to save you. He came to forgive you and strengthen you. He came to rebuild you and restore you, to fill your life with His abundance. Jesus Christ crucified came to carry your burdens, to remove the weight of your failures and sin, and to give you the gift of new life today. He came to calm your worries and take away your fears. And He is still with you-the risen Son of God. He even promises to be with you and with me always.
Listen to what Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27 NIV).
In a big-production world, Jesus is completely unique. It seems as if God knew you and I would be drawn into all the manias of life: Super Bowl mania, shopping mania, activity mania, food mania, pack-your-schedule-till-nothing-else-fits mania, worry mania, fear mania, doubt and loneliness mania. God knew all those manias loom in our lives, so He drew a stark contrast in His Word. He showed you and me that Jesus gives life that is not only sane, but good.
I think of the time Jesus visited His friends Mary and Martha. The sisters were so happy to have their Friend and Teacher in their home. Martha busied herself with preparations, but became frustrated with her sister Mary. She complained to Jesus, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me alone to serve? Tell her then to help me.” But Jesus directed her out of her frenzied worry, out of her mania, and He said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:40-42 ESV).
Mary chose the one thing. I remember at the Outback Bowl in Tampa, I was privileged to give the devotion at the community lunch before the game. Penn State played Auburn. The coaches, the media, the players, and the business leaders of Tampa all were there. What did I share with them? I said there is one thing in life that makes life worth living, games like this worth playing, blocks and tackles worth making, friends worth having, families worth being, work worth doing; that one thing is a faith relationship, a trust with God in Christ. With Him, it’s worth it. Without Him, it’s a game that will soon be forgotten no matter who wins! I wonder if you can remember who won that game.
Yes, even on the day of the big game we need to remember; nothing but Jesus will do!
But why? Let’s be honest. We tend to be more attracted to complication and clutter, don’t we? We’ve all got a bit of Martha in us. I try to do way too much. I say yes to too many invitations. I pack my calendar, thinking I can squeeze in just a little more. How about you? Do you take a little too much onto your shoulders? Do you carry some burdens you shouldn’t? Have you accumulated some guilt because you think you should be able to do it all and be it all for everyone and everything? Are you getting squeezed by too many things, too much to think about, and too many concerns?
It’s what we do. It’s part of our ongoing habit of thinking we are God. Oh, we may not admit that we try to take the place of the Almighty, but our actions speak louder than our words. Somehow, you and I put ourselves in the center of the universe even though there is no job opening for that position. And we get overwhelmed. This world is a tough place. It is not for the faint of heart. But our hearts can only take so much. Under the weight of tragedy, violence, and personal pain, we crumble. That’s the way we are. That’s the nature of a broken life in a broken world. And that’s what’s so amazing about what Jesus does. Jesus quiets the noise of a broken world and He tidies up your life and mine.
Have you heard of author Marie Kondo? She wrote a book called, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. The book is a number one New York Times best seller. It’s all about how to manage and sift through all your stuff. It’s about cleaning up your junk. And, apparently, a lot of people want help in this area. They feel surrounded and enslaved by their clutter.
One key principle Marie emphasizes is only keep things that spark joy. So, instead of a pile of t-shirts you never wear; keep the few that you enjoy. Instead of a cupboard filled with dishes you’ve forgotten about, find the few you enjoy using. Instead of hanging on to shelves of books or magazines or stuffed animals, pick one or two that mean something to you and let your life be filled with what matters and with what is good.
That’s like the unique and life-restoring work of Jesus in our overwhelming world. He quiets the noise; He tidies up your life. What does Jesus tell you? It’s simple. He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NIV). You and I are broken and sinful people. We are burdened. We accumulate more burdens and it wears us out. It drains our hope. We need help. We need rest. Jesus gives the rest you and I need. He took all the clutter of your guilt and worry; your burdens and helplessness, and He silenced that torturous noise; where, on the cross. He died for you. He gathered up your burdens. He cleaned house. He threw it all into the eternal dumpster, never to be seen again. When Jesus stepped out of the tomb, He changed everything. He quieted the voices that say you’re not good enough and there is no hope. Now through God’s Word, through His gift of baptism, and in the Lord’s Supper, Jesus brings you what sparks joy. He gives you eternal hope, freedom from guilt, forgiveness of your sins, and peace that surpasses your understanding. He gives you faith as a foundation and the promise of His presence. That’s a reason for joy. And that’s why Paul said, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Nothing but Jesus.
Let’s bring this home for you and for me today. How does “nothing but Jesus” affect your life right now?
Let me tell you a little story. On August 5, 2006, a former defensive tackle on the Georgetown University football team was playing beach volleyball in Hermosa Beach, California. At 6’4″ and 285 pounds, Janne Kouri was an imposing figure. He starred on the college gridiron and had been in the sights of NFL scouts during his football playing days. Janne decided to take a dip in the ocean that afternoon. He dove headfirst into the waves, but he did a pile driver into a sandbar. Suddenly, he couldn’t move. It was only through the fast action of an off-duty EMT that Kouri was pulled from the water and rushed to the hospital. That’s where the doctor delivered the devastating news: Janne’s spinal cord was fractured in two places. The prospect of his ever walking again was dim. Even more, the trauma could very well end his life.
For two months, Janne was in the intensive care of the hospital. He developed pneumonia and he twice nearly died. That’s when Susan, Janne’s girlfriend and soon-to-be wife, found Dr. Susan Harkema at the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute in Louisville, Kentucky. Harkema was helping to develop a new therapy known as “loco-motor training.” Using repetitive motion, the therapy was meant to teach the spinal cord how to control motor functions like walking. Harkema told Janne and Susan, “There is hope,” she said, “There is hope for his recovery.”
After three months of training, Janne reached his first milestone: he wiggled a toe. Now you see what’s going to happen here, right? You see what happened to Janne, don’t you? He couldn’t figure out a way to address his paralysis. He couldn’t come up with an answer. He didn’t know how to work through his injury. But someone else did. His future wife stepped in with energy and encouragement. Dr. Harkema brought an answer.
In a small way that reminds us how “nothing but Jesus” impacts your life. Here’s the first take away from this message: you don’t have to rely on yourself for all the answers. You can’t. But you have Someone in your life Who has those answers. His Name is Jesus.
Think about it. Truthfully, you and I could never figure a way out of the sin and death that paralyze us. As the days go by, you and I can’t come up with the answers to solve our problems or address our frustrations. We don’t know how to work through all the obstacles and challenges life throws our way. But Jesus does. He stepped in because of His love for you and me. Jesus brought an answer we would never think up. He still brings answers beyond our solutions and beyond our imaginations. The Apostle Paul declares it again in 1 Corinthians: “‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NIV). We don’t rely on our own ingenuity. Paul says, “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).
You can stop trying to figure it all out. Instead, you can lift up your prayers to Jesus and rely on Him alone. Nothing but Jesus.
So, let me give you a word of freedom today. Even when it comes to what really matters, you don’t have to rely on yourself for all the answers. Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the grave, Jesus Christ coming to you in His Word and sacraments, that is the answer. That’s why the second takeaway is so important: you don’t have to pretend. You don’t have to make it look like you’re in control or that you have all the answers. In our reading from 1 Corinthians, Paul said he was with the people in weakness and fear and much trembling. He didn’t pretend he that knew it all nor had everything under control. Like the Apostle Paul and Janne Kouri, you can admit that you need help and you can be honest about your vulnerabilities. You can do that when Jesus is in your life. When Jesus is holding onto you, you can let go without fear. You don’t have to pretend.
And let me tell you, friend, the world needs authentic people who clear the clutter and noise of self-deception, who can open up about their weaknesses and struggles, and who can bring the joyful news of a Savior Who gives real help and genuine restoration. You don’t have to pretend.
That’s how Janne Kouri did something amazing. Almost six years after his devastating neck injury, Janne Kouri stood up on his own and he danced a slow dance with his wife. It was the dance they couldn’t share on their wedding day. It was a miracle.So let me say it again: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV).
There will be a lot going on today. The halftime show will be filled with noise, and lights, and dancers, a fog machine, fireworks, and commotion. Commercials will vie for your attention. The football game will be happening in there somewhere in the middle of all of that stuff. This Super Sunday will serve as a glimpse of everyday life in today’s world. As it all unfolds before your eyes, remember that there is a source of calm in the middle of the chaos. By God’s grace in your life, you can have the precious gift of faith in Jesus amidst the noise, amidst the sad quiet, amidst the hype, and even amongst your temporal dreams and hopes. God wants you to experience rest and relief, clarity and confidence, answers and assurance forever in Him. That’s the power of “nothing but Jesus” for you.
Amen.
Action in Ministry for February 5, 2017
Guest: Megan PanaruskyANNOUNCER: You’re listening to The Lutheran Hour and this is Action In Ministry. Pastor Seltz, amidst all the noise of life we always find clarity and truth in that message of Jesus Christ Who was crucified and risen for us.
SELTZ: That’s a beautiful, simple message, Mark, and it really does hold us especially when all the challenges and the life-and-death issues that are out there. But what we’re going to talk about today; it is a message that needs to be shared.
ANNOUNCER: But sometimes we’re not sure how to share that message, what to say. If that sounds familiar, we have a booklet for you called First-Class Faith Sharing and joining us now is someone who’s passionate about sharing her faith with others. It’s our colleague, Megan Panarusky.
SELTZ: Megan, I know you are and it’s so great to have you with us here today.
PANARUSKY: Thanks, Pastor. Thank you, Mark.
ANNOUNCER: Now this booklet is all about the motivation for sharing Jesus with others in a natural way. First question though, why isn’t this something that seems to come naturally to many of us?
PANARUSKY: I think there are lots of reasons that we struggle with it. I think some people feel like they have to have really good answers to any question they might get.
SELTZ: Right.
PANARUSKY: I think some people feel like they have their own doubts so if they start talking about it, they’re not going to sound credible.
SELTZ: Yeah, who am I to do this, right?
PANARUSKY: Yeah. Then there is also a social pressure to not talk about religion. It’s difficult to respond to that pressure.
SELTZ: There are a lot of challenges out there today so we know why it can be difficult. Megan, we were talking about this a little bit too. What motivates…what should motivate us, but what also motivates you as you’re sharing your faith?
PANARUSKY: I guess for me it feels pretty simple. God is the best thing about my life and I think that He made every human being so that their lives will work best when they’re built around Him. I really care about all my friends, even the ones who don’t know Jesus, and I want them to be able to have that too.
SELTZ: Wow! We were just talking about that a little bit too. God wants you to be yourself. He created you that way. We’ve talked about it in here, Mark, be yourself in Christ; but then for others, like you said, because you want them to have what you have. What a great thing.
ANNOUNCER: Now the title of this talks about first-class faith sharing; I’m wondering what it is that makes the sharing of one’s faith first class?
SELTZ: There you go.
PANARUSKY: Well, the booklet spends a lot of time reminding us just how incredible it is that we get to walk through life in a personal relationship with the God of the universe. He says that it’s like we’re first-class travelers.
SELTZ: Yeah, so we’re not flying coach. Right?
PANARUSKY: Right. Yeah. His encouragement is that if you’re struggling to share your faith, spend time looking back remembering why God is so awesome in your life.
ANNOUNCER: Okay.
SELTZ: When you think about it why is Christmas so incredible, why is Easter so incredible, why is Lent so challenging, it’s because of Who this God is, right?
PANARUSKY: Exactly.
SELTZ: Okay, so what are some of those points in the booklet that you found really helpful for you that maybe our listeners would find helpful as well?
PANARUSKY: One thing I really appreciated is He encourages us not to start by inviting people to church.
SELTZ: Okay.
PANARUSKY: There are quite a few people out there who don’t have a great impression of church and so the booklet says to focus on being the church to somebody else.
SELTZ: Be the church. Yeah.
PANARUSKY: Until you’ve built some trust with them. Give them a chance to see Jesus in you and give it some time.
ANNOUNCER: All right. You want them to meet Jesus first.
SELTZ: Yeah. Jesus has a lot to overcome in all of our lives. So when He gathers us all together, it’s better to have that connection with Christ and with those that you know love you and then you can learn how to love others as well and be church.
ANNOUNCER: That’s right. There are so many who need to hear and believe the message of Christ and we know that this free booklet can help you as you share your faith with those God brings into your life.
SELTZ: Like the Apostle Peter wrote to those who had received the message from him, he said this: “Though you’ve not seen God, you love Him. And even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and you’re filled with inexpressible and glorious joy for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Megan, what you’re talking about today is that’s so incredible you just want those that you love and those that you meet to know this too, right?
PANARUSKY: It doesn’t have to be that complicated.
SELTZ: It doesn’t have to be that complicated. Megan, thank you so much for being with us here and also inspiring others to share their faith.
PANARUSKY: Thanks 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: And the title of this resource is First-Class Faith Sharing. You can download a copy for free at our website: lutheranhour.org. Click on Action In Ministry. Or call 1-855-john316. That’s 1-855-564-6316.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for February 5, 2017
Topic: How Can I Grow My Relationship When There is so Much Distraction?ANNOUNCER: Now once again Pastor Gregory Seltz responds to questions from listeners. I’m Mark Eischer and today our listener says her husband is preoccupied with television, the Internet, and checking his mobile devices all the time. She feels like they can never talk so how can they grow in their relationship when there seems to be so much distraction?
SELTZ: I’m worried about you there, big fellow. I actually worry about all of us with this stuff. Why do we live in such an age of distraction? It’s crazy. Isn’t it, Mark?
ANNOUNCER: Well, people claim that these digital devices, these screens everywhere you look, it’s causing us to lose our ability even to focus. At work, at home, responsibilities are being overlooked and our relationships are suffering as a result.
SELTZ: Some others argue that this problem isn’t new. We just have new distractions and new challenges; but there always have been forces and factors fighting for our attention. Technology isn’t always the problem. Our priorities are.
ANNOUNCER: Now this listener thinks her distracted husband is the issue. How would you answer her?
SELTZ: I hope I don’t get in trouble here. The first step in every relationship when a disagreement happens or when a person is feeling hurt is to try to improve the communication. A spouse may not be aware of your hurt; that might be the first thing. You may be suffering in silence because you think everyone understands your needs and the way you envision that relationship.
ANNOUNCER: So, the other person may not even think they’re hurting someone.
SELTZ: That may be true or they may know it; so you may have to take care of it that way too. It may be perfectly normal for him to multi-task during conversations or to crash on the couch during the football game and not say a word. He may have grown up in a home where that was the way things were. She may have grown up in a completely different context. So, it is important to start communicating about needs, priorities, and expectations. That’s for sure.
ANNOUNCER: That sometimes gets scary and uncomfortable. How do you bring that up in a conversation?
SELTZ: It’s probably not the best idea to grab the phone out of their hand or block the TV screen to make the point. Timing and gentleness are very important in these sensitive situations. Schedule a lunch together or ask your loved one if you can have a conversation at a convenient and workable time where you can focus and then do prepare your words and thoughts.
ANNOUNCER: And don’t be accusatory or threatening right up front.
SELTZ: That’s right because the key is to first understand one another. Talk about your feelings, what needs you have. Ask if your loved one how do they see it and then what can you do together to deal with these things. Brainstorm. Compromise.
ANNOUNCER: This reminds us of the self-sacrifice described in Ephesians, chapter 5 where the Apostle Paul says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21 NIV).
SELTZ: A lot of times people think that the Bible teaches wives to submit and not husbands; but each has their own submission. So the word “submit” means to give-like you’re submitting an application. You hand yourself over to the one you love. You surrender your time, your preferences, your energy because of the love you have for the other person. That’s how Jesus loves you. He gave up His life. The Bible says because He loved us, we love each other the same.
ANNOUNCER: Would you say it’s even more difficult nowadays with all this media right at our fingertips?
SELTZ: I think, Mark, that’s where loving self-sacrifice comes in. I know of some groups of friends who put their phones in the middle of the table when they meet for lunch or dinner. They pledge that they will not look at their phones. Instead, they will be fully present and engage in their conversation. They’re going to pay attention to each other.
ANNOUNCER: To sum this up, it sounds like our listener may need to reach some sort of an agreement with her husband about carving out that time so he can be fully and completely present with her.
SELTZ: Yeah, that’s a good way to look at it. Thinking back on today’s sermon, Jesus offered wise counsel to Martha when she became distracted by so many things. Martha became angry when her sister Mary stopped helping around the house. Instead, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him. When Martha complained, Jesus said: “Look, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen that good portion” (Luke 10:41-42 ESV).
ANNOUNCER: This world is going to try and pull us in thousands of different directions. Our sinful hearts will drift away from what is truly important.
SELTZ: That’s why the one thing is so important. Focus on Christ and then take time with each other, work through the issues together, evaluate personal priorities regularly; we can walk in the love that Jesus has shown us. We can love each other effectively as we grow in faith and are shaped by His grace.
ANNOUNCER: It sounds like that’s where the answer for this begins!
SELTZ: It is.
ANNOUNCER: 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.
“Thy Strong Word Did Cleave the Darkness” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)
“New Songs of Celebration Render” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)