“Liberating Truth” John 8:34

John 8:31-36

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Pastor Tom Johnson, October 28, 2018

Jesus gives us that powerful promise: “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.” But those who hear the promise cannot receive it. They cannot trust in it. Because they don’t believe they are in captivity or ever have been held in captivity. That is part of the irony of how these descendants of Abraham respond. “We have never been slaves to anyone.” Did they somehow forget that Abraham had a great-grandson named Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers? Soon after Joseph, the whole nation of Israel were slaves and captives in Egypt. They were in bondage in Egypt for 400 years. They could not see slavery in their heritage and history. And they could not see their present bondage to sin. They fail to understand just how destructive and deceptive sin can be in our lives. Sin is not just the bad things we do and the failure to do good things. Sin is a slave driver that keeps us in bondage. Sin is like a warden who wants to keep us in prison forever.

Jesus tells us that it is the truth of God’s Word that will set us free. Sometimes the Word of God is difficult to hear—especially when it tells us that we have fallen short of the glory of God—that we do harm to others and our selves—and that we have failed to be the blessing to God and others that we are created to be. But even worse than that, it is difficult to hear that we are not even in control. We need a veil lifted from our eyes. We need to have our ears and hearts opened to receive the truth—even when it hurts—even when it is difficult to understand and accept. That is what the Law does. The Holy Spirit through the Word of God shows us our captivity. We realize what we confessed earlier together: We are sinful and unclean. We have sinned in thought, word, and deed by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved God and our neighbor as we are called to do.

What Jesus wants us to understand that this conviction of sin—this revelation that we are sinners and cannot free ourselves from our bondage to sin is a liberating truth. How can we want or find deliverance if we don’t even know that we are in bondage? Like those born into slavery and have never known anything different, so we are born into sin and do not know anything different. It is a kind and loving thing for God to show us that we are in bondage. That is part of the truth that will set us free—to simply know that we are not yet as free as God created us to be.

Martin Luther, the German reformer called the state of the church in his day “The Babylonian Captivity.” He saw people around him weighed down by their sins. They could never do enough penance or give enough to the church to find freedom from guilt, shame, and the power of sin. The Babylonian captivity was also the captivity of church leadership and false doctrine. It was the lie that God requires people to all sorts of things to get into a right relationship with him. It is the bondage of never being able to do enough to be free. Luther re-discovered the simplicity and beauty of Jesus’ words, “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.” The hard truth is that we are sinful and broken people—that we need a savior and a deliverer from our bondage to sin.

This is a liberating truth. And it is an even more liberating truth to know that our Savior and Deliver has come. God the Father sent his eternal Son into the world to be born of the virgin Mary.  And his name is Jesus Christ.  Where we have failed, Jesus has succeeded. He lived a perfect life under the Law and Word of God. He loved his neighbors and his enemies. He healed and preached the Good News. He died on the cross to purchase a place for us in heaven. He rose again so that we too will rise to eternal life. “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free,” Jesus says. It is through the truth of God’s Word that we find our freedom. We are emancipated and set free from slavery to sin through the truth of the Gospel. We are set free from meaninglessness and the chaos and confusion of being held cap-tive by sin and it’s power. And we do not need to be weighed down and in bondage to all sorts of religious rituals and demands upon us. We are delivered from bondage by God’s grace through faith. All we need to do is trust in the words and in the person of Jesus. That is what the Reformation is all about. We re-form our thinking to be according to the truth of the Word of God. We are now set free from an unexamined life not worth living. We have been liberated into a God pleasing life where we can love God and others the way he has created us to live.  This is why Martin Luther was willing to risk his own life. Because God has not called us to live under the tyranny and rule of sin. He has called us to freedom.

So, shake the shackles off your wrists and ankles. The cell doors locking you in have been opened. Get out of the dark and dank dungeon. The prison of sin, guilt, and shame has no more claim on you. You are free. Feel the fresh air blow on your faces. Breathe in the sweet aroma of forgiveness. Walk out into the light of God’s love that shines so brightly from the Son who died and rose again for you.

“Ransom” (Mark 10:45)

Mark 10:35-45

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“Ransom” Mark 10:45
Pastor Tom Johnson, October 21, 2018

It seems that we spent a number of Sundays hearing the disciples argue about who is the greatest in the Kingdom, jealousy toward other workers, not valuing the little ones, and this morning James and John’s desire to be in a position of power. Jesus tells them that they do not know what they are asking for. He reminds them how the world works. Earthly leaders like to lord it over their subjects. We see that today in the upcoming fight for more seats in congress so that the party who wins the majority can possess more power. Jesus turns the whole discussion around. Greatness in the Kingdom is not about ruling over others or making all the important decisions that impact others. Jesus says that is the way of the world—“their great ones are tyrants over them,” he says. Jesus says human leaders often misuse and abuse their power.

In contrast, Jesus says of himself, that “even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom to many.” And in that beautiful description of himself he includes a word that has its roots in one of the greatest abuses of power—human trafficking. When we hear the word ransom today, we may think of kidnapping and the money it takes to buy the freedom of those being held in captivity. But in Jesus’ day it was the money used to purchase, sell, and traffic in human beings. And so it is in our day. This would include child and adult prostitution, child soldier recruitment, forced labor, forced child labor, debt labor or bondage, domestic servitude, and selling of human organs. One statistic says there are over 20,000 people trafficked in the Chicagoland area each day.

Many of you will remember that our very own Sara Dornacker made it her passion to bring an end to human trafficking in Chicago—particularly prostitution by reaching out to them and working toward their freedom. Sadly, Sara’s life was cut short but her impact on me an many others still goes on. But what Jesus really wants us to see, in addition to all the abuse of world leaders is how we can also be little tyrants in our own circles. James and John want to sit in power with Jesus in glory. We may not be as ambitious as they are but Jesus wants us to learn what it is not to be served but to serve. Human trafficking is an extreme example of using another human being as a piece of property, exploiting them, and not seeing their value and dignity as human beings—that they also bear the image of God. Any time we see another person as a means to our ends, we are wanting to be served rather than to serve. Our own sense of worth, greatness, and pride may be the driving force behind this just as it was behind James and John’s request.

Jesus charges us to become slaves and to serve others. So any manipulation of others, micromanagement, overexertion of authority, not respecting boundaries, or selfish gain goes against what Jesus tells us we should be like. We should remember what Jesus says: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Church leaders are charged with “equipping the saints for the work of the ministry for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12). As the Church leader, Jesus encourages us to not seek to be served but to serve. To put it simply, Jesus says to James, John, and to all of us. It is not about you. It is not about me. It is about loving God and neighbor. It is about serving God and serving neighbor. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom to many.”

It is an amazing vision of the way things should be. The eternal Son of God became human. He did not come to throw his weight around. He did not come to subject creation to himself in a well-executed maneuver of power. As Creator of heaven and earth, he came to bring to completion the good work he has begun in us. He came to serve creation. He is the One who created and now sustains the universe by the Word of his power. He served us by listening to us, seeing us, healing us, doing good, preaching good news, challenging our unhealthy thinking and attitudes. He served us by suffering in-justice, death upon a Roman Cross, and rising again from the dead. His life upon the Cross of Calvary is our ransom. Just as a person could have their freedom purchased in Jesus day, in the days of slavery in the United States, and even in our day, so Jesus bought our freedom. And the means of our redemption and release from bondage is not gold and silver but his precious Blood. It is the greatest service ever given to the world—to free us from all that holds us captive—our sin, evil in the world, and even death itself.

But now the bonds of death are burst,
The ransom has been paid;
You now ascend the Father’s throne
In robes of light arrayed

O let Your mighty love prevail
To purge us of our pride
That we may stand before Your throne
By mercy purified.
         “O Christ, Our Hope, Our Hearts’ Desire” (LSB 553, vv. 3,4)

“Anointed” (James 5:13-20)

James 5:13-20

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Pastor Tom Johnson, September 30, 2018

In our Scripture this morning, James wants us to throw ourselves wholeheartedly into prayer. He wants us to believe that our prayers work—that our prayers are not in vain. He wants to assure us that God works in our lives through prayer. “Are any among you, suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church to pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.” Are any of you down in life? Prayer will lift you up. Anyone feeling great? Give God the thanks and praise—sing, hum, make melody in your heart to God. Did you just get some bad medical news? Now is the time to lean on your church. We want to lift you up in our prayers. I want to pray for you as your pastor. The elders of our church are eager to surround you and uphold you in prayer. The oil of prayer is ready to cover you with a peace that transcends all understanding. “Confess your sins to one another,” James says, “and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.” We should be safe here. Nobody is going to be fooled. We are all flawed human beings. “We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” It should be secure enough in our love for one another to be vulnerable.

"Anointing of the Sick" Rogier van der Weyden (1399-1464)

This is not a hymn singing club or a lecture hall. This is a church. This is not a political venue. This is more a hospital for sinners. How sweet it is to throw the weight of guilt off our backs for one another—to assure one another of the forgiveness and new life we have in Jesus Christ! And here is the encouragement James wants us to have—“The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” I like the King James Version, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (and woman) availeth much.” In other words, prayer according to God’s command is a force to be reckoned with. Prayer in genuine faith in the strength of the name of Jesus works. Prayer makes a difference. Prayer works. And even more accurately, God works through prayer. It is our neglect of prayer that sets us back. We are told in Scripture that Jesus intercedes for us—he engages in intercessory prayer for us at the strong hand of the Father (Ro 8:34). And the Holy Spirit intecedes for us in our weakness when we do not know what to pray (Rom 8:26)

We pray because God first prays for us. We pray back to God. It how we talk to God and he to us. Communication is an essential part of any healthy relationship. If things are going well for us, we should not take it for granted. Good health, relationships, work, and life are a gift. Every day we get out of bed is another gift from God. We should sing and be grateful. If things are not going well, we should not think we are a burden to God. He is already praying for us. He loves to hear from his children just as our parents and grandparents love to hear from their children and grandchildren.

We should not think we are a burden to one another. James puts the initiative on the sick to call on the elders. We should swallow our pride and call on one another. It may be your turn to be prayed for now. It will be someone else’s turn tomorrow. The image of elders gathering around the sick and anointing them as they pray is powerful. No, anointing with oil is not another sacrament tucked away in James’ sermonic letter. Is it necessary? No. Jesus does not command it or institute it. But it was the practice of the early church. And I believe it is a powerful reminder of the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Anointed One, Jesus Christ. It is a picture of God covering us with prayer—that we are saturated with the grace of God.

I have heard people say many times, “I sensed God’s people pray for me.” Or, “I felt the strength of your prayers.” We should not deny ourselves the blessing. We are not alone. God is with us. The prayers of his people are with us.  As Psalm 133 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head.” Jesus is the anointed one. That is what the Hebrew word Messiah means. It is what the Greek word Christ means. He is the one who is anointed by God to bring forgiveness, life, healing, and salvation to the world. And that is the powerful promise we have in the name of Jesus. That God covers us—our cup runneth over—through prayer. In our prayers this morning, we have already been anointed by the Word, and the confession and forgiveness of our sin. We are God’s anointed. He has placed that indelible mark on our foreheads through Holy Baptism. The Anointed One himself—Jesus Christ—gave his life on the Cross and gives us his Body and Blood to assure us of forgiveness and eternal life.

On November 10, I am excited that we will host a Jazz band from New York City for a special Jazz Vespers service right here at First Saint Paul’s at 5 PM. Part of this service will be the opportunity to come forward for individual prayer and anointing with oil. Pastor David Griebel from St. James is excited to help me.

During Communion we will sing, “There Is a Balm in Gilead.” It is an answer to a question in Scripture from Jeremiah (8:22): “Is there no balm in Gilead?” The answer is, “Yes, there is.”

Sometimes I feel discouraged
And think my work’s in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit
Revives my soul again.
There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul.
          "There Is a Balm in Gilead" (LSB 749 v. 1)