5/27/12 - Pentecost - Acts 2:1-21

THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS YOUR LANGUAGE

The Language is Clear

            Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλὰ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.  These are words taken right out of the Bible.  In fact, I just repeated a verse that is one of the most popular passages in all of Scripture!  And so you know it well.  Most of you even have it memorized - just in a different language.  These are words from the book of John, chapter three, verse sixteen: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  These are very familiar words, aren’t they?  But they are familiar to most of us in the English language, not in the Greek.  Only a small minority of people in this country understand the original words of Scripture.  And so is this English translation of the John 3:16 in the Greek language still the inspired, errorless, powerful Word of God?  Yes, yes it is.  Because the Holy Spirit does not just speak one language; he speaks your language.

            You are not required to learn Greek or Hebrew or Aramaic to understand the words of God.  The Holy Spirit comes to you.  But he does not come to you in unknown dialects or cryptic signs and messages.  The Holy Spirit comes to you in the clear and understandable words of the language that you already know so well.  And the reason that is so, the reason that you have an English Bible to read, an English hymnal to sing from, an English sermon to listen to, and an English worship service to enjoy, can be attributed in large part to the festival of Pentecost that we are celebrating today.  No, the English language did not yet exist in 30-something AD, but listen again to what the Holy Spirit did on that special day in Jerusalem so that he could speak your language now: “When the day of Pentecost came, they [the disciples] were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues [languages] as the Spirit enabled them.”

            What a scene!  Because of the Holy Spirit’s incredibly powerful work that day, those in Jerusalem who didn’t know Greek or Hebrew or Aramaic were able to hear the Word of God anyway.  And they heard it because the Holy Spirit was speaking in their own language.  And it was clear; it was penetrating; it was powerful.  And that clear, penetrating, powerful Word soon spread like wild-fire to the far reaches of the globe, passing from generation from generation, working its way into different cultures with different languages, eventually making its way here to this country, and then to you in your heart.  The Holy Spirit set the stage at Pentecost so that he could speak your language today.  And the world has never been the same since.

The Topic Matters

            But the Holy Spirit doesn’t just speak a language that you can audibly understand; he speaks a “language” that actually matters to you.  Whenever my family and I get together with my youngest brother and his family in Denver, my wife and sister-in-law can sit and talk all day long about a variety of different things.  And if I’m there in the room, I can certainly understand the words that are coming out of their mouths.  They aren’t speaking in ways that are unfamiliar to me or with a vocabulary that is above my head.  But many times, the topics simply don’t interest me; the subject matter doesn’t involve me in any way.  And so I don’t pay much attention to the conversation when those matters are discussed because I don’t really have anything to add.  But if my brother then walks into the room and says something to me like, “Do you want to turn on the football game?” or “Come outside and check out my new grill.” or “Take a look at this teen Bible class I’m writing for the youth group.”  Then I might say to my brother, “Ah, now you’re speaking my language!”  And I might say that not because he is suddenly using English words whereas my wife and sister-in-law were not.  No, I might say “Now you’re speaking my language!” because the topic he is talking about interests me: it’s what I know, it’s what I care about, it’s something that affects me, it’s something matters to me.

            The Holy Spirit speaks your language - not just with the right words, but with the right message.  Notice that when the Holy Spirit gave this unique ability to the disciples on that first Pentecost day, he didn’t fill their hearts with the zeal to talk about anything they wanted to, but about the gospel!  The disciples weren’t preaching passionately about their families or about the government or about Jerusalem’s favorite sports team!  The one and only topic of discussion that day was the gospel about Jesus Christ!  There was no other reason why the Holy Spirit gave those disciples such a wonderful gift.  He wanted them to preach the gospel, teach the gospel, spread the gospel.  Because that’s what the people there needed to hear, that’s the only language they would need.  It was the only language that really mattered.

            And it’s the only language that really matters to you.  What Jesus did on this earth, what was done to Jesus on this earth, how it was done, where it was done, and especially why the Lord allowed those things to be done.  The gospel is everything that Jesus did for you.  And the gospel is your language!  It’s what you know, it’s what you care about, it’s what affects you, it’s what matters.  And the Holy Spirit doesn’t talk about anything else.  He is completely focused on talking to you about the gospel.  He is not interested in any other topic.  He does not know any other language.  But in order for him to speak that language he must be given the chance to speak.

Words Must be Spoken

            God the Holy Spirit works in a wonderfully simple way.  He does not thunder the Word of God from the heavens so that the ground shakes and the souls of people vibrate with his power.  Nor does he mystically whisper into the ear of each and every person telling them exactly what they are to do.  Instead the Holy Spirit speaks the words of God through the words of human beings.  During the time of the Old Testament - the 4000 or so years before Jesus came to this earth - the Holy Spirit spoke to prophets and they in turn relayed the message to the people.  In early New Testament times - when and soon after Jesus came to this earth - the Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to record exactly what he wanted to say for all to hear.  Now the Holy Spirit speaks to people through those Holy Spirit-inspired human words that were written down millennia before.  And these words are powerful and effective, but they don’t jump off the pages themselves, physically grab someone, and pull him close.  These words need to be shared, words that need to be preached, words that need to be taught, words that need to be offered, words that need to be spoken.  If the words of God as found in the Bible are not shared by human beings in some way, then the Holy Spirit cannot speak.

            Imagine if the disciples on the day of Pentecost refused to speak.  After they had received such a supernatural gift to instantly speak the gospel in other languages, what if one of those disciples (or two or three or all twelve) didn’t share the words he had on his tongue?  How would the people who spoke those different languages ever know about their Lord?  How would the Holy Spirit ever reach their hearts if those he enabled to speak to them did not?  What a waste that would be.  What a waste of the message that saves.  What a waste of a soul that needs saving.

            You are now in the position of those 12 disciples.  You may not have been given the instant ability to speak another language, but you have been given the Word of God on your tongue in a language that those around you understand.  And you have dozens if not hundreds of people in your life that do not know their Savior.  And the Holy Spirit wants to speak to them through you.  And so what happens when you do not speak?  What happens when you do not share?  What happens when you do not offer, encourage, or invite those around you to hear what their Lord has done for them?  When that happens, the Holy Spirit cannot speak their language because he cannot speak at all.  And what a waste.  What a waste of a message that saves.  What a waste of a soul that needs saving.

Speaking “The Great Things of God”

            I am ashamed of all those times that the Holy Spirit was undoubtedly chomping at the bit to speak to a soul, but I neglected to give him the chance.  And there have been many times like that, trust me.  But I am also overjoyed about all of those times when the Holy Spirit did have a chance to speak the language of a struggling sinner, using the same language that he has always used with me.  In fact, it’s the same “language” that the disciples used on Pentecost.  This is what that crowd was saying: “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”  The “wonders of God!”  That’s what the Holy Spirit spoke about through the disciples.  That’s what he speaks to us.  And that’s what he wants to speak about through us to others.  The “wonders of God” are all of the great things he has done for us: from before the creation of this world all the way through the eternity of Paradise.  The grace he showed in promising a Savior.  The patience he displayed in putting up with disobedience.  The love he demonstrated by carrying out his Word.  The power, the mercy, and the compassion he put into effect by Jesus’ death for sins.  The glory, the majesty, and the magnificence he proved through Jesus’ resurrection, ascension, and reign.  The full forgiveness.  The sure salvation.  The inheritance of a life that will never end.  These are the wonders of God.  This is the kind of language the Holy Spirit speaks to you.  And this is the kind of language that the Holy Spirit so fervently wants to speak to others - no matter what language it may be in.

            Let the Holy Spirit speak.  The words that you have heard, the gospel that you have been brought to believe in, the Holy Spirit’s language that you have been blessed to know, this is exactly what every single person in this world also has to hear.  If they do not, they will not live.  They will not live without the Holy Spirit’s language affecting their hearts.  But the Holy Spirit has chosen to do that through you.  Through you the Holy Spirit reaches out to those who are lost without him.  Through you the Holy Spirit bends the ears of those who are hurting.  Through you the Holy Spirit mends the hearts of those whose hearts are broken.  Through your language the Holy Spirit’s language reverberates with a tone that not only rings in the ears but resounds in the soul.  Let the Holy Spirit speak.  Pentecost may have happened many, many years ago, but the need for the Holy Spirit’s voice is greater now than it ever has been before.  Do not let us voice remain silent.  Do not let the beautifully poetic language of his gospel go unheard.  Because he speaks your language.  He speaks their language.  It’s the language of salvation for those who need to be saved.

            Amen.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Rom. 15:13

5/20/12 - Ascension - Deut. 33:26-29

OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND

The Ascension Promise

            Jesus’ disciples were just standing there, staring up into the sky.  And for good reason!  Jesus had just lifted up off of the ground right in front of their eyes and had slowly floated in midair up into the clouds and out of their sight!  For the forty days after his resurrection from the dead Jesus had been appearing to his chosen following at various times in different places, teaching them, instructing them, warning them, preparing them.  But now he was gone.  And these men who had been with Jesus for the past three years learning from their Lord would never see his face again until the glories of Paradise in heaven. 

            And I would imagine that they had to be a little worried about that.  Who wouldn’t be!  They were now going to be sent out into the world on their own without Jesus by their side.  They would have to face persecution, difficulties, attacks, questions, and situations without the Lord walking them through those dilemmas step by step and hand in hand.  They were being pushed from the nest, so to speak, whether they wanted to try flying on their own or not.

            If I were in that situation, I might wonder if I would be “out of sight, out of mind” to my Lord.  He was on his heavenly throne, after all, ruling and reigning over the whole world!  He had more pressing matters to attend to than me.  He had more important things to deal with than be right by my side.  Whether these original disciples had any of those thoughts is not known.  Because suddenly a couple angels appeared next to them and said, “What are you doing looking up into the sky?  Go back to Jerusalem and wait there for the Lord to give you the gift that he promised.  There’s no reason to keep looking up into the sky here.  He’s not coming back - not yet anyway.  Remember the words that he said.”  And the gospel writer Luke says that “They worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.  And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God” (Luke 24:52-53).  The disciples were actually filled with joy!  Not because Jesus had left but because they remembered the blessing he had given them before he ascended: “Surely I am with you always to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).  They may not have been able to see Jesus anymore, but he would always see them.  They may not always remember everything that Jesus had taught them, but he would always remember them.  It was not “out of sight, out of mind” when it came to their Lord.  They were never out of his sight; they were never out of his mind.

            And that proved true throughout the rest of their lives, didn’t it?  As those disciples went out into the world and spread the Good News about the cross and the tomb, Jesus went with them.  Not physically and visibly, but powerfully nonetheless.  He gave them the ability to perform some incredible miracles; he delivered them in some astounding ways from violence and false imprisonments; he gave special revelations to a few of them; dreams and visions to others; and powerful words of God to them all.  It was undeniable that Jesus had gone up from this earth and had left this world behind.  But he had not left his disciples.  In fact, he had gone into heaven for them, he was reigning on the throne for them, he was demonstrating his power for them.  Just as he does for you today.  Jesus is in heaven for you.  He does not have more pressing matters to attend to.  He does not have more important issues to deal with.  You are his number one priority and he will continue to be with you every step of the way.  You may not be able to see him; but he sees you.  You may not be able to remember him all of the time; but he remembers you.  You’re never “out of sight, out of mind” to your Lord.  If only we were as faithful to the Lord as he is to us… 

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

            We’re OK in here.  We’re faithful for now as we sit in church on a Sunday morning.  Because for the most part as long as we are listening to the sermon or singing the hymns or bowing our heads in prayer or confessing our faith or involved with Bible study and Sunday school afterwards, we are able to concentrate on our Lord and we are filled with the joy and excitement that his Word produces.  But then it’s over.  And later this afternoon we’re back at home doing something else.  And then Monday hits and the grind of another week begins.  And we’re caught up in the schedules and the appointments and the tasks.  And all of the sudden we’re right back here next week and we’ve hardly thought about our Lord at all since last Sunday.  Sadly, it’s sometimes out of sight, out of mind when it comes to our Lord.

            Be honest with me: did you realize it was the celebration of Jesus’ ascension into heaven this last Thursday?  Did it even cross your minds?  How many times during these next seven days are you actually going to call to mind Jesus’ ascension after you leave this building?  Will it ever work its way into your thoughts at all or will you kind of forget about most of the stuff we went through this morning until maybe next Sunday?   I’ll be honest with you: I might not think of Christ’s ascension for the rest of this week either.  Other than editing my sermon so that I can put it on our website, what we are worshiping the Lord for here today might not ever make its way into my thoughts.  After I get home this afternoon and change into something a little less formal, my mind will move onto other things.  It’s an “out of sight, out of mind” thing for me too!  If I’m not reading God’s Word, hearing it, seeing it, or experiencing it in some way, I tend to forget about it completely.  I get occupied with different jobs and tasks and responsibilities and I don’t always involve the Lord in those parts of my life.  That doesn’t mean that we have to constantly think about Jesus’ ascension into heaven (or any other event of Jesus’ life) all of the time every day.  But it does mean that we should consider the Lord and his Word at least a little bit throughout the week!  God’s Word shouldn’t just be a part of our lives; God’s Word should be our lives!         

       
Similar Promise Years Before

            It’s nothing new.  1500 years before Jesus’ ascended into heaven, another group of people who had proved themselves forgetful and distracted and susceptible to the “out of sight, out of mind” syndrome, were waiting on the eastern edge of the land of Israel, looking to cross the Jordan River for the very first time.  And as their aging leader, Moses, stood before them, he offered these comforting words of the Lord to the nation - the last words Moses ever spoke in Scripture: “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun [= the upright one, the nation of Israel], who rides on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty.  The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.  He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, ‘Destroy him!’  So Israel will live in safety alone; Jacob’s spring is secure in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew.  Blessed are you, O Israel!  Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord?  He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword.”

            Moses spoke these words to a people that had not been faithful to the Lord the entire time.  In fact, just the opposite!  The Israelites had not always remembered what he had done for them.  The Israelites had not always called to mind the Lord and his Word as they carried out their day to day duties.  But the Lord’s promises to them would not change.  And Moses wanted them to know that although Moses himself would not be able to go into the Promised Land with them, and although they would be facing enemies of various kinds for many, many years, and although the Lord would not be leading them in a pillar of fire by night and a column of clouds by day as he had been for the past 40 years in the desert, the Lord himself was not going to leave them.  He would be their refuge, their helper, their shield, and their sword.  He would ride on the heavens to help them and ascend the clouds in his majesty.  He would be there for them wherever they would go and even though they would not be able to see him in clouds and fire and smoke as they had in the past, he would be right there.  He would be right there for them.  And they wouldn’t have anything to worry about for the rest of their lives.

Never Out of Sight

            That’s about the same promise that the disciples received on the day of Jesus’ ascension, isn’t it?  They wouldn’t be able to see Jesus anymore, they wouldn’t be able to personally be led by him anymore, they wouldn’t be able to experience the might of his physical presence anymore, but he would still be there.  He would be there for them.  And they wouldn’t have anything to worry about for the rest of their lives.

            Neither do you.  Even if the Lord and his Word is “out of sight, out of mind” for you at times, you are never “out of sight, out of mind” to him.  Because although he is in heaven, he is looking directly at you!  There is never a point in your life where you are not within his line of sight!  I know that it sounds a little strange and maybe a little unnerving that the Lord is looking at you all of the time every day, but he is.  He doesn’t take his eyes off you.  He is so concerned about your well-being that he is going to watch you at all times to make sure that nothing happens to you beyond his control.  And everything that does happen, he will work it out for your best interests.  And he never turns his back.  He never gets distracted.  He never leaves you alone for even a second to attend to something else or someone else.  You are his life.  So there is nothing else he wants to look at.

Never Out of Mind

            Which means that you are always on his mind as well.  Have you ever had a song stuck in your head and you can’t seem to get it out?  You find yourself humming it and singing it and whatever you do you can’t get it out of your mind?  You are the melody in the mind of Christ.  And he doesn’t want to get you out!  He’s thinking about you constantly: what he can do for you, how he will do it, and when it will be best.  Everything he does is directed toward you: his control over the forces of nature, the evils that he allows to occur in this world, the minute details he directs that no one else knows about… all of these things are integrated into his overall plan for you.  Just as it always has been. 

            When he decided to create this universe in the span of six days, it would be thousands of years before you even existed; but you were already on his mind.  When Adam and Eve sinned for the very first time in that Garden and God promised to send his Son to crush Satan’s head and save all people from their sins, you had not yet committed a sin yourself; but you were already on his mind.  When Jesus personally came to this earth and lived among human beings, suffered persecution, underwent temptations, and dealt with difficulties and attacks throughout his life, you were not there causing him pain; but you were on his mind.  When he felt the metal tipped whips rip into his back, when he felt the thorns press down into his skull, when he felt the nails puncture his hands and feet, you were not there to help him, you were not there to comfort him; but you were on his mind.  When he rose from the dead, when he appeared to his followers, when he ascended into heaven, it would be another 2000 or so years before you even knew who he was; but you were on his mind through it all.

            You’ve always been on his mind.  And you always will be on his mind.  He will continue to “ride on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty.  [Because] the eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…  Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord?  He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword.”  Who is like you in this world?  No one!  There is no one like you because you are a child of God.  You are special to him.  You are precious to him.  And that will never change no matter where you go or what you do or who you are.  Out of his sight?  Never!  Out of his mind?  You can’t be!  Because you are his.  And there is no one else on the face of this earth he cares about more.

            Amen.

“He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” - 1 Tim. 3:16

5/13/12 - Confirmation Day - Isaiah 49:14-16

MORE THAN A MOTHER'S LOVE

A Mother’s Love Sacrifices

            There is a famous story that happened many, many years ago in a county a long ways away.  Two women each had a son on the same day in the same place.  And as they were sleeping that night in the same room, each with her child by her side, one of the women rolled over and accidentally smothered her new born baby in its sleep.  And so she got up, placed the dead baby near the other woman, and took the living child back to her bed.  The next morning the other mother realized that the dead baby next to her was not her own son and she accused the first mother of what she had done.  Because both of them wanted the living child and because neither of them could prove without a doubt that the boy was their own, they took their case before the king himself.  The king at that time was a man named Solomon, the son of David, a man who the Bible says was the wisest person ever to live on the face of this earth.  And so in order to make a fair judgment, King Solomon ordered that the living child be cut in two and half of the boy handed to each of the women.  The real mother, “filled with compassion for her son, said to the king, ‘Please, my lord, give her the living baby!  Don’t kill him!’  But the other woman said, ‘Neither I nor you shall have him.  Cut him in two! (1 Kings 3:26)’”  In this way Solomon found out who the true mother was and she received back her son alive.

            This story is written in the pages of Scripture to give an example of Solomon’s great wisdom.  But this true account also underscores a timeless truth: a mother’s love runs deep.  The mother in this story loved her son so much that she was willing to sacrifice her happiness, her responsibility, and her joy in this life in order to save his.  She was ready to give up her own son to another woman, with the possibility that he would never know who his biological mother ever was, just so that he would not die.  That is love.  That is a sacrificial love.  That is a mother’s love.  And there is no other love on this earth that can quite compare.

      
Mother’s Day / Confirmation Day

            We bring up this topic on this particular morning because today is Mother’s Day, of course.  And if you have a mother still around and you forgot that today is Mother’s Day, then you’re in trouble…  Because Mother’s Day has become the official day on the calendar when people show their appreciation for their mothers and the love that they have shown to them throughout the years.  Flowers, cards, phone calls, Sunday brunches, and gifts of various kinds are given to mothers across the nation on the second Sunday in May each year as a way of saying “Thank you.  I realize the sacrifices you have made for me.  I have come to understand the love you have always shown to me.  And I want you to know that I love you too.”  Mother’s Day is a good day because it’s important to show your mother - at least for a moment! - how much you appreciate what she has done for you throughout your life.

            But today also happens to be Confirmation Day this year as well.  And so Reanna and Dylan, this is not just a day for your mothers this time around, but it’s a day for you too.  May 13^th, 2012 is the date on which you will be officially welcomed as adult members of this congregation, an event that gives you an opportunity to confess your faith in what Scripture clearly says.  Today is a special day!  And I don’t know if your respective mothers could ever ask for a better Mother’s Day gift.

            Because they have helped train you all these years.  They have prayed for you and have watched over you and have occasionally forced you to go to church at those times you didn’t want to.  Your mothers have cared for your faith and have been concerned about your spiritual solidity and have even worried about what your relationship with the Lord will look like in the next few years.  Your mothers watched you grow - not only physically but spiritually.  Your mothers have tried to protect your trust in Christ from the evils of this world.  Your mothers have looked forward to the day when their child could stand beside them at the altar of their Lord and share the Lord’s Supper with them.  And, of course, your fathers can be included in all of this as well, but it’s not Father’s Day until next month, so they’ll just have to wait…  There is no doubt that your mothers have loved you with the love of a Christian.  But even the love of a Christian mother is nothing compared to the love of your Lord.

            Listen closely to these words from the prophet Isaiah as the Lord compares his love with the love of a mother.  [They] said, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” [But this is what the LORD says,] “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”  The love your mother has for you may run deep; but the depth of love your Lord has for you no mother can match.

Love Abused

            Because some mothers in this world aren’t good mothers at all, are they?  You hear of some mothers abandoning their own babies at birth, others who habitually ignore their children, still others who abuse their sons and daughters in various ways.  But even the good mothers, even those mothers who are Christians don’t always display the proper kind of love for the little ones they have brought into this world.  And you know that very well, don’t you, Reanna and Dylan!  Sometimes your mothers can be moody and cranky and unpleasant.  Sometimes they can be mean and selfish and unforgiving.  Even the best mother isn’t the perfect mother.  And so especially on a day like today the Lord reassures you, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!”  Your mother may love you more than anyone else on this earth ever will.  But the Lord’s love for you is more than your mother’s love.  It’s stronger than your mother’s love.  It’s more dependable than your mother’s love.  And it’s probably more abused than your mother’s love too. 

            Reanna, Dylan, how many times would you say you have abused your mother’s love throughout your life?  Taken advantage of your mother’s love?  Disrespected your mother’s love?  Pushed your mother’s love to the limit?  If you’re like any other eighth grader, then you have probably abused the love your mother has shown to you more often than you can count. 

            But what about the Lord’s love?  How many times have you abused the love he has shown to you?  Because every time you have ignored your mother you have abused God’s love.  And every time you have disobeyed your father you have abused God’s love.  And every time you have made fun of your brother or sister you have abused God’s love.  And every time you have been selfish or nasty or mean or lazy or deceitful you have abused God’s love for you.

            But it wouldn’t be right just to pick on you, would it?  Every single person in this room (and every single person outside of this room, for that matter) would have to admit the same thing: we have all abused the Lord’s love.  We have taken advantage of it; we have disrespected it; we have pushed it to the limit.  He has been so patient with us and so compassionate towards us and so considerate of us throughout our lives; and yet there are still times when we do whatever we feel like doing without any regard for our Lord and there are still times when we keep falling into the same sins over and over again no matter how many times we promised not to and there are still times when what he says in his Word isn’t as important to us as what we feel like at the moment.  There is no doubt: we abuse his love.  We test it.  We stretch it.  And we will continue to stretch that love for as long as we live!  We know ourselves well enough to realize that we will continue to push that envelope as far as it will go!

Love Overwhelming

            And what does that do to his love?  When we constantly misuse the love that he has shown to us, how does that affect his love for us?  Not at all, actually.  His love for us doesn’t change no matter what we do.  A mother’s love might change a little.  A mother’s love for her child might vary depending on how loveable that child is at the moment.  But not the love of the Lord.  His love for you is unchangeable; it does not vary; it never goes up or down.  The Lord’s love for you is steady and consistent, always reliable and never fickle.  The Lord never stops loving you.  He can’t stop loving you because that’s who he is: He is the God of love.  He may punish you, he may be disappointed in you, he may be furious with you because of what you do at times; but he will never stop loving you.  That’s something important to remember for those of you about to be confirmed.  Because you are about to promise to remain faithful to your Lord even to the point of death.  And so in the coming years, even if you forget him, he will never forget you.  Even if you are forgotten by everyone else around you, he will never forget you.  Even if you your own mother would forget you and turn her back on you, your Lord never will. 

            When you enter high school next year things will change - and not always for the good, but the Lord will be your constant.  When you make new friends in the near future they will occasionally let you down, but the Lord will be castle.  When you struggle with your school work, with your family, with your life, the Lord will still be your rock.  There is no other place you will be able to go.  There is no other love on which you will be able to rely.  And you can always count on that because of the promise he gives you: “I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”

Love Engraved

            A popular gift for mothers and grandmothers on Mother’s Day is a silver bracelet or a necklace that has a pendant representing each child or grandchild hanging off of the chain.  And many times these pieces of jewelry are engraved with the names of the children.  An engraving gives that gift a more personal touch: those names are always in front of the person wearing it so that they can see them and think about them all the time.  And an engraving certainly provides a feeling of permanence as well.  Once an engraving is etched on it’s hard to get it off. 

            Reanna, Dylan, and everyone else here whom God considers his own child, the Lord himself says to you, “I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”  Your name has been engraved on the palms of your Savior’s hands with an iron stake.  A nail that produced a lot of blood and a whole bunch of pain and some pretty severe holes.  And those holes are still there.  And every time he looks at them he thinks of you - all of the sacrifices he made to save you, all of the torture he went through to forgive you, all of the hatred he had to endure to secure you.  Will he forget you now?  Will he forget you now after going through all of that?  Will he forget you tomorrow?  Will he forget you next month?  Will he forget you next year?  Will he forget you when you hurt, when you cry, when you lose, when you die?  As long as that “engraving” remains on his hands, so you will remain in his heart.  And he will love you.  He will love you with a love that is like no other: more than the love of a mother, more than the love of a father, more than the love of a spouse, a friend, or a child; more than the love you have for yourself.  His love is deeper, and wider, and broader than any other love.  And so whether you are being confirmed today or not, his love is yours and it will never fade away.

            Amen.

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”   - 2 Cor. 13:14