✠ In the Name of Jesus ✠
Jeremiah 20,7-11a[11b-13] 1613
Okuli (3. Sonntag der Passionszeit) 026 („My eyes“)
Kunigunde, Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, † 1040
03. March 2013
1. We beseech Thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of Thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of Thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (The Book of Common Prayer) Amen.
2. O Yahweh, You have deceived me, and I was deceived; You are stronger than I, and You have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout: „Violence and destruction!“ For the word of Yahweh has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. If I say: „I will not mention Him, or speak any more in His Name,“ there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! „Denounce him! Let us denounce him!“ say all my close friends, watching for my fall. „Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him.“ But Yahweh is with me as a Dread Warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. O Yahweh of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You have I committed my cause. Sing to Yahweh; praise Yahweh! For He has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.
3. The Prophet Jeremiah sounds like the Psalmist David in today’s sermon text. King David penned a number of psalms
in which he lamented his enemies encircling him and his subsequent trust in Yahweh to deliver him
. His most famous is Psalm 22: »My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?« These were fitting words for Jeremiah, for he was persecuted by his own people.
4. In 627, about a year after King Josiah of Judah had turned the nation toward repentance from the widespread idolatrous practices of his father and grandfather, Jeremiah and the other prophets encouraged Josiah to stand fast to his religious reforms. Once Josiah died, however, the people quickly returned to the comfortable idols Josiah’s ancestors had introduced in the land. Jeremiah then preached a scathing message of the law, telling Judah that unless they repented of their idolatry, the greed of the priests and false comfort of the false prophets, then the Babylonians would conquer Jerusalem and carry the people into exile.
5. This politically incorrect message did not sit well with the king of Judah or the people. They persecuted Jeremiah and imprisoned him. The Church finds herself in the same situation of Jeremiah. We live in a nation and a culture that prides itself with immorality. Our political leaders cozy up to the interest groups that advocate killing the innocent unborn, gay marriage rights and robbing people of their hard-earned profits and possessions. All this is the result of idolatry. O the average American citizen does not see it as idolatry. Our elite educators calls it multiculturalism or pluralism, but it is it is simply idolatry. Any religion that is not centered upon Christ Jesus the Cornerstone is an idolatrous religion. Sadly, much of American religious or spiritual life is idolatrous. This is an unpopular message, but it is the message that the Christ’s Church and pastors proclaim.
6. Idolatrous people reject Christ and His Word. They reject the law, do not see themselves as sinners and refuse to repent; they also reject the gospel and its free gift of grace and forgiveness. We live in this idolatrous culture and are influenced by it. We ourselves are idolatrous, refuse to listen to the God’s law and do not believe His gospel. When we rise above our sinful nature, by the grace of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, we put ourselves in the crosshairs of our idolatrous culture and face their ridicule and wrath. They accuse us of being unloving, disrespectful, bigoted or racist.
7. Jesus faced these same accusations as well, and this from His own religious leaders. He began His preaching ministry in His hometown of Nazareth. When He told his neighbors that the He was the fulfillment of the Prophet Isaiah and was inaugurating the year of Yahweh’s grace, His rabbi and the town became angry and drove Him away (Luke 4,28-29). Jesus forgave people of their sins, and He was condemned as a blasphemer (Luke 5,20-21). He healed the sick, and was accused as an idolater (Luke 6,9-1). He did not follow all the traditions of the elders and healed on the Sabbath, and was labeled a law-breaker (Luke 6,1-2).
8. The scribes and the Pharisees, the priests and the Sadducees, whispered to each other behind Jesus’ back. They conspired against Him and denounced Him. By the time Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the chief priests, the scribes and the Sanhedrin were seeking to destroy Him (Luke 19,47). Jesus endured this ridicule, hatred and persecution on account of us and our sins.
9. The Jewish religious leaders found Jesus guilty of blasphemy and handed Him over to Pilate for execution. They overcame Him and took their revenge on Him as He suffered, died and was buried like a common criminal and sinner, but God the Father was with Him as a Dread Warrior. Jesus rose from the grave on the third day and overcame His detractors who sought revenge upon Him.
10. Jesus is present with us as our Dread Warrior. He is our Righteous One who justifies us and make us righteous. The Psalmist assures us today in our Introit: »Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers us out of them all. Yahweh redeems the life of His servants; none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.« (34,19.22).
11. Not only is Jesus our Dread Warrior who gives us the victory over all our foes, He is also our Suffering Servant who has endured trials and tribulations for us on our behalf. In the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus says: »I have no place to lay down My head« (Luke 9,58). Jesus’ public ministry was one of an itinerant preacher: He travelled from town to town in Galilee preaching the gospel of the reign of God. His preaching was so important that Jesus set aside mother, brothers and sisters (Luke 9,60), yes, His own earthly family, so as to devote Himself totally to His public ministry and preaching (Luke 9,62).
12. In the Holy Gospels, Jesus goes to great lengths to show us that not only is He a Mighty Warrior who fights for His people, but He is also one who dwells in their midst as their Humble Servant. It is easy to view God as an Avenging Judge who condemns sin, puts our foes to flight, and does all this with fire in His eyes and stern zeal etched upon His face. We all want evil to be defeated and the wicked to be punished. It is far more difficult for some people to see Jesus as the Son of God who dwells among us. Jesus associated with the average person: fishermen, craftsmen and women. He was also comfortable rubbing elbows with the noble and elite: scribes, Pharisees and priests. He welcomed to His table: sinners and the righteous, including Jews, Samaritans, Romans and Greeks. He spoke to people in their most vulnerable moment: when they were caught in sin, sick or suffering and mourning their dead loved ones. He also talked to people at their most joyous occasions: a wedding feast, proudly exercising their vocation and enjoying a simple meal in someone’s home. Jesus shows us His full Divinity and His full humanity. He is both God and man in one person. He is able to break the power of sin and be among sinners, and He is comfortable in both roles.
13. The Apostle Paul exhorts us to be like Christ: »Dear Christians, be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God« (Ephesians 5,1-2). Our justified life leads to a sanctified life of holy living in service to the neighbor. Our Lord Jesus Christ died and rose to make us righteous; He has now sent the Holy Spirit to guide us in leading holy lives. Our life in Christ is a life of love, charity and service. He makes us humble as He is humble. He gives us diverse opportunities to practice hospitality and love to others. As the apostle reminds us: there is to be no air of superiority among us, no attitude of worldly princes lording it over others, and no degrading of a fellow brother or sister in the faith for whom Christ is Lord, Savior, Brother and Friend. We are the light of the Lord and children of His holy, purifying light. Therefore, we walk as Christ walks, a light in the darkness, a friend to those in need, a savior to those in distress, a brother or sister to those in need of the love of God and He proclamation of His forgiveness. Amen.
14. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who Your hand to the plow and never looked back thereby making us fit for the reign of God, give us a measure of Your devotion and dedication so that we follow in Your footsteps and trod upon Your holy path for the sake of our neighbor. Amen.
One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you!
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All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4th Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27th Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
Book of Common Prayer, The. Copyright © 1771 Oxford University Press.
ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern.
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