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This past Wednesday, the ashes of remembrance shaped in the sign of the cross on our foreheads, provided a reminder of the dust to which we are destined to return. This is not a morbid, introspective self-examination, but a realistic call to face the reality of our condition. And in so doing, it is a natural outworking to consider our short lives, and to refocus on Christ — calling to mind the ways in which we can serve the Lord in more and more maturity and wisdom.

Last week, Pastor Shade called us to consider acts of service — instead of focusing on ourselves, focus on serving others. Our lives as Christians, should, after all, be characterized by service.

Here’s another thing to consider as an alternative to the traditional “giving something up.” We can, instead, incorporate something else of value into our lives by spending some time in the Gospels, in the life of Christ. Lent must culminate in Easter and the resurrection of our Lord, and spending additional time in the gospels of our Lord can certainly serve as a refocusing tool, calling to mind how we are to imitate Him.

Matthew gives us Christ the Priest, teaching and instructing the people. The Gospel of Mark presents Jesus as King, the king who lays down his life in service for others. Luke presents Him as the true Prophet, bringing the gospel to the Gentiles. And finally, the Gospel of John shows us the True Man who loves his brother as true friend.

As we read of Christ’s life, and consider the Lenten reminder, dust to dust, ashes to ashes, we should appreciate that much more what Christ has done for us in His rich mercy. Christ served us, and He in turn calls on us to serve Him, and those around us. Remember that we are dust, that we will return to dust. And yet, because of Christ, we will rise again. That is the reality of Christ!

Pastor Josh Anderson of Colleyville, Texas has an interesting point about the practice of Lent:

In the Scriptures, there is often a temptation to understand piety before God as fundamentally about “giving up something” or fasting. But ultimately, defining piety as what you give up (or don’t do) can be reductionistic, and runs the risk of missing the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faithfulness. It is easier to give something up than to give yourself in constant service and love to those God has put into your life. We must take care to not mistake the lesser things in the law for the greater — we are commanded by Paul to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, and the royal law of the Scriptures is the law of love and service.

I think he’s right: Lent often seems “selfish” because I give up something I decide to give up: Snicker’s bars, chocolate, game shows, coffee, dark beer, etc. Supposedly, I discipline myself for greater piety giving up those things.

But how about this instead: Jesus gave up his life for us, bearing our sins upon the cross. He walked the earth, was subject to humanity’s ills like colds, sickness, sore feet, etc., even before the cross. So rather than taking something out of our life for Lent, why don’t we add our life into that of our neighbor’s? Jesus gave himself for us; why don’t you give yourself for others like he did?

So this Lent, ask the shut-in if you can shop for them, clean out their garage, haul out the trash, or get stuff out of the attic they can’t retrieve! Or helping the single mom clean her bathroom, vacuum her car, or take her children out for some walks and picking up trash along the road?

I think you see where I’m going — giving yourself for others, looking outward, bringing the joy and cheer of giving to others! Like Jesus did for you!

In our day, the church has so personalized the gospel that all gospel presentations, all gospel tracts, focus primarily upon the individual and his/her salvation/standing before God. Rarely, if ever, is the church or the body of Christ mentioned in these presentations. And so, you wouldn’t be remiss to think the gospel really means, “Jesus saves me from the devil’s grip, or from my own sins.”

In theological terms, many of the Reformers, following Luther, made the gospel presentation a theological platform: salvation is justification by faith. If you understand justification by faith, then you can be saved.

But justification by faith isn’t new in the gospels, when Jesus shows up on the scene. Abraham, the example of faith, was justified by faith 2500 years earlier, or, going back to Adam, who believed the Lord’s promise that his wife would be blessed with children, and so named her Eve, the mother of all living. He believed in faith.

So what’s new with the gospel? Why all the angels and shekinah glories and prophetical excitement? It’s not even that God is king, as Psalm 22:28 proclaims: “For kingship belongs to Yahweh and he rules over the nations.” But this is MUCH closer to all the hubbub! Why? Because Jesus is Yahweh come in the flesh, and he is the King! Kingship now belongs to the God-man, Jesus, Son of David. Now, Jesus IS Lord! Jesus is the king. That’s what’s new in the gospels: Jesus rules over all the nations, and there is a man on the throne of all the world. By Pentecost the transformation of the world order is complete: the Spirit of Jesus has come down upon men, and a man is ruling from heaven.

So, yes, salvation is personal. And it is also political: Jesus is Lord. Not only of you, but of all the world. Joy to the world!

Theologian Peter Leithart makes an interesting observation about the prayers of Christians in his book “The Theopolitan Vision” that we should consider and apply. He notes (p. 102) that prayer is another way we “‘one-another’ one another.” We cast our anxieties, and the anxieties of our brothers and sisters, on the Lord, be they great or small, and that all those prayers are ultimately about building the heavenly city that renews the cites of men.

But, he further notes, our prayers should reach as far as God’s promises, and not just stay at the personal level. Our prayers, he maintains, should rise to the level of Kingdom prayers, such as that Jesus will reign till all his enemies are placed beneath his feet (1 Cor 15), oppressor’s teeth are broken (Ps 58.6), the installed Son quiets the raging nations (Ps 2), justice and peace among nations is established (Ps 72; Is 9), etc. When is the last time you prayed his kingdom would continue growing from a stone into a mountain that fills the earth (Daniel 2)? Or that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isa 11.9)?

To be faithful in prayer, make your prayers political, too. Because all of life is political: Jesus is Lord! He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords. That’s global redemption. That’s the city of God redeeming the city of Men!

So next time you sit down with food to give thanks, pray that he will squash the wicked elected rulers of Tennessee however he sees fit. And, next time you tuck the kiddos into bed, ask Jesus to establish justice in our counties so your children can build Christian families, practice Christ’s love and law in peace, and St. Mark and all Christian churches can worship faithfully for a 1000 years!

Often you hear Christians say “Let go and let God” in response to something someone says about working out a situation to God’s glory. Often you hear Christians say to others “Don’t be a legalist” or “that’s legalism” when they hear somebody recommend a course of action.

Or some say, “The doctrine of sanctification is understanding justification,” meaning, I don’t have to try to be faithful in the Christian life to a set of rules, etc. “I’m justified; I just have to love Jesus.”

All of these approaches center around what “works” a Christian should be doing, and are attempts to deny any kind of “salvation by works,” which is well and good. We aren’t saved by the works we do; but we are saved to do works to God’s glory! We are to imitate our faithful Savior Jesus who obeyed his Father! What say the scriptures about faithful working?

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision count for anything, but only faith working through love.” – Galatians 5.6

“…work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to do his will and to work for his good pleasure.” – Phil. 4.12b-13

“Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fail.” – 2 Peter 1.10

“And whatever he did, Yahweh made it succeed.” – Genesis 39.23c

See also Genesis 18.17-19 for how God’s sovereignty and man’s faithful works are completely interrelated and interdependent!

Have you ever taken note of how the writers of the new Testament often refer to themselves as “bondservants” of Christ? Paul does so in Romans and Titus, and references it in the book of Galatians. Peter, Jude, and, James do the same. Though these are all leaders and pillars in the church, they refer to themselves as slaves (Greek: doulous) of Christ.

We often reference the freedom we have in Christ, and this is right and good. But the paradox is that we have this freedom because we are slaves to Christ, the one who brings true freedom. In John 8:31–34 we read how Jesus told the Jews they could be made free by the truth. Remember how indignant they were? In their minds, they were already free. Jesus of course, dispels that myth for them: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”

And Paul tells us in Romans 6 that we have “been set free from sin, and become slaves of God.”

This is the paradox of our faith. In service to Christ is found freedom. Isn’t that an odd thing to our modern ears? But this is how our Lord deals with us and with this sinful world. We think we’re free in sin but we’re really in bondage. Therefore Christ purchases our freedom so that we are free to serve Him for the purposes he created us for. As our Lord says:

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow
me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Have you ever wondered, week after week as you sit and eat at the Lord’s Table, how you are now drinking the blood of Christ, but Israeli saints were forbidden to drink blood? Have you ever wondered why the change? And perhaps every once in a while you remember the Apostolic charge to the churches in Acts 15 to “abstain from what has been strangled, and from blood,” and think somewhat squeamishly you might be disobeying that?

The prohibition of eating blood in the old testament comes in the statement “the life of the flesh is in the blood.” Israel was forbidden from eating blood because they were not to get life from the flesh. God didn’t want them relying on the “flesh,” their own power or prowess or strength, which was under the power of sin. No, he wanted them relying on Him.

What changed? Well, the blood of Jesus is not the blood of flesh; it is the blood of the spiritual person, the blood of the person who has risen from the flesh to Spirit. Remember what Paul said in 1 Cor 15? “The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” First the flesh, then the Spiritual man. In communion, you are not drinking the “life of the flesh” but the lifeblood of the Spirit. Drinking Jesus’ blood thus means precisely the opposite of drinking animal blood!

What is effected at the Supper is communion with God in Christ by the Spirit.

So drink from the chalice, all of you!

Christ is come! Advent gives way to Christmas. As you give gifts to each other tomorrow, remember the gift of Christ the King, who’s birth and life we celebrate this season.

While some may (rightly) decry a consumerism that has taken over Christmas, the giving of gifts, when done to bless others and to graciously receive blessing from others, is a right and fitting way to celebrate. God the father did not withhold his only Son from us, and we do not withhold our gifts from our loved ones.

Perhaps many of you have been burdened with the preparation of the season, the baking, the cookies, the hustle and the bustle. All good things. But now, as Christmas is upon us, I hope you’ll stop and take stock of the many blessings you have, and what Jesus has given you. We celebrate Eternity stepping into time to become fully God and fully man. The time of preparation is past and now is the time to bask in the glory of the Savior. Read the Christmas story to your family, proclaim with joy, “Thanks be to God!”

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

— Isaiah 9:6–7

It’s Advent season, where we focus on the comings of God in history, feasting on their remembrances as we look forward to the final coming of Jesus when he overcomes death and Satan, throwing them both into the eternal lake of fire.

But we still live in a sinful world, and it often appears that evil and wickedness have the have the upper hand. The wicked seem to prosper greatly, and when we reflect on it, their prosperity almost makes us stumble. They are fat, pride is their necklace, they are foolish, they scoff at the righteous, and they threaten oppression to the righteous each time their lips move.

What are we to do? How do we overcome them? How do we function in light of their strutting tongues? The answer is simple: Come to Worship! Come to the Fellowship of the Saints with the Trinity on Sunday morning! Come to where you are fitted with the glasses that help you see how the world is really ordered!

The Sanctuary of the Temple of God, of the gathered saints, clarifies everything. Just like Psalm 11, so Psalm 73 sets you aright:

“But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, UNTIL I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end”
 — Psalm 73:6-17

So rejoice, Christian; Jesus is coming! The wicked will get their due: they are set in slippery places, swept away by terrors, falling to ruin. But God’s people are saved, because Jesus is Lord!

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

— Mark 1:1–8, today’s lectionary gospel reading

We are currently in the beginning of the church year, in the season of Advent — that time of great anticipation as we look forward to the festivities of Christmas. This is the time the church around the world, and even the world along with us, by and large, celebrates the incarnation of the Savior, Christ the King. You can look all your neighbors square in the eye this time of year and say, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come” and they won’t bat an eye.

And so we do indeed approach Christmas with great anticipation. Christ’s first coming into the world signifies His intent to free us from our sins, which separate us from our creator God. And that is why, during this season of preparation, we can look at John the Baptizer calling us to repentance, and we can follow that call. We can repent because we have a Savior who has paid for our sins. The babe that lay in a manger, which we prepare to celebrate, lived a sinless life and died for our sins. That gives us the confidence and boldness to repent as John calls us to do. That is one way we can prepare during this watchful season. Take inventory of your heart, of the things you say and do, and repent — lay your sins at the feet of Christ your Savior. He will relieve those burdens from you so that you can celebrate with all the more joy this Christmas season. Because as you repent of your sins, you will find renewed vigor in your celebrations. Your gift giving will be that much more sweet as you receive the gifts given freely to you and all of us. So sing with joy, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus!”

Many years ago, fellow Christians would ask, as they wrangled through ethical or obedience questions, What Would Jesus Do? WWJD?

Well, that’s not the right question, because that question leaves the answer in Jesus’ court, and leaves it theoretical. “Well, I think Jesus would do such and such. I’m not sure; one can never answer these things. And who knows; he’s God!”

No, the right question is, “What would Jesus have you do?” What has Jesus revealed in his Word about your actions in this type of situation? What would please Jesus, whose name you bear, having been baptized and claimed by him, having been bought with a price, with his blood upon the cross?

The right answer is the revealed answer. For example: Honor your father and mother. That’s the fifth commandment. The next question might be: How could you honor them in this situation? The answer: obey their commands; be kind; be respectful, be patient. All good answers from Ephesians 6.1-3 and Galatians 5, where one finds the fruits of the Spirit.

What would Jesus have you do? He would have you do unto others what you would want them to do for you. He would want you to serve others, to take the lead and minister to others in a way that you would like done to yourself. He would want you to die to yourself, and imitate him. And he would want you to do it without being asked!

Do you see how helpful the Bible is? How clear God’s word is? How direct it is? How reassuring in the midst of confusing and uncertain situations?

Thanksgiving is usually considered a time of great blessing, as it should be. But why is it a time of great blessing? And what does it mean to give thanks?

To give thanks is to “express grateful feelings or thoughts to someone else; to show gratitude to another.” It is acknowledging that someone outside of yourself has contributed something of goodness or help to you.

That’s the tough part for most people; they don’t like to acknowledge they are indebted to someone else; that someone else helped them in a situation; that someone gave them something they needed. People don’t like to admit they were dependent on someone else! Thanksgiving is just that: an admittance that someone else gave you something you needed. It’s humbling!

Which shouldn’t be a problem for Christians! As the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4.7, “What do you have that you did not receive?” Of all people, we know that all we have is a gift of God, through and through, first to last, top to bottom. That’s the kind of gracious God we know and worship. “God so loved the world that he GAVE His only begotten son…” “In the beginning God created…” and then gave it all to man!

So this Thanksgiving, take time to give thanks. To express gratitude to the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, your spouse, your children, your relatives, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, your servants at the restaurant or store or wherever. And give thanks for everything (1 Timothy 4.4).

That should keep you busy all day this Thursday, at least, whether doing so in person, or in prayer!