Buffeted, but on Faith
December 9,2009
Second Wednesday in Advent
Romans 15: 1-7
1(A) We who are strong(B) have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2(C) Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For(D) Christ did not please himself, but as it is written,(E) "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." 4For(F) whatever was written in former days was written for our(G) instruction, that through endurance and through(H) the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you(I) to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6that together you may with one voice glorify(J) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Dear Friends in Christ,
Location, location, location is the theme of our Midweek Advent Series this year. Location, location, location are said to be the three things most important in earthly real estate. Location is even more important as we journey through this earthly life towards heaven. Last Wednesday, Vicar Grewe helped us to think of how hopeless we tend to feel when we are running behind in our busy and hectic schedules in life but how much HOPE there is whenever we realize that we are following behind Jesus Christ who has paved the way before us. If you have ever followed behind somebody on a trip, you were feeling just find as long as you knew the driver in front of you knew where he was going.
Tonight, our theme is BUFFETED, BUT ON FAITH. Read Romans 15:4. Tonight we consider what it means to be ON FAITH. That may seem like a strange way of saying it. Usually we think about being in faith. In Christ. But tonight we focus not so much on saving faith in Jesus Christ as we focus on the faith. Or to say it another way, the objective truths of Scripture. The teachings of the Christian faith. To be located on the teachings of the prophets and apostles, also known as the foundation of our faith, the Holy Scriptures.
Location meant everything in our drama for tonight. If you were outside in the cold wind today, you were buffeted by the wind and the snow. As often as you stepped into a warm house or into a warm car or into a warm office, you were warm.
So also are we buffeted / thrown around by the waves and winds of life, but as often as we read our Bibles, as often as we remember the truths of the Bible, as often as we fix our eyes on the encouraging words and promises of the Bible, we find strength to endure. As often as we hear the Word of God and keep it, we can say with the hymn writer Horatio Spafford, IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.
He was a successful Chicago businessman until the great Chicago fire of 1871 wiped out his real estate holdings. In 1873 he and his wife and four daughters were planning to vacation in Europe. When last minute business threatened to delay their departure, he sent his wife and daughters on ahead of him. In the middle of the Atlantic, their ship was struck by another ship, and Spafford’s four young daughters were drowned. His wife survived. Immediately he departed for Europe to join her. One day during the voyage, the ship’s captain called for Spafford to come up to the bridge. The captain informed Spafford that he estimated they were at the location of the tragic shipwreck. Can you imagine how sorrowful that must have been for him? After taking it in, he went to his cabin and composed his famous stanza, When peace like a river attendeth my way; When sorrows like se billows roll. Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
How could he write that it was well with his soul? In that same way that we step in out of the cold Minnesota wind into a warm location and all is well. In the same way that we lose loved ones in life and keep on remembering that God is with us and will never leave us and all is well with our souls. In the same way that when we are having a difficult and frustrating week but we step into the house of God and sing some beautiful music and hear an encouraging sermon and eat and drink at the Holy Supper and all is well with our soul.
Paul says it so well in 2 Corinthians , 7But we have this treasure in(T) jars of clay,(U) to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8We are(V) afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but(W) not forsaken;(X) struck down, but not destroyed; 10(Y) always carrying in the body the death of Jesus,(Z) so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So(AA) death is at work in us, but life in you.
Afflicted, but not crushed because we are located on the solid foundation of Scripture. Perplexed, but not driven to despair…..persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed. Running on empty but we know where to go that our cups might be filled and overflowing……..Lonely as can be but we know to whom we can go and the location where we can go for warm and inviting fellowship……….frustrated and irritated and short tempered but we know to whom we can go and to what location we can go for forgiveness and patience and a new beginning. We stumble and we fall and we get off track again and again but we know to whom we can go and a location where we can go for a spirit of endurance and encouragement.
Five hundred pastors were surveyed some years ago. They were asked, “What do you feel is the major reason Christians do not read the Bible? The pastors responded that they thought 47% of their members lacked time or were too busy, 19% lacked the discipline, 15% thought it irrelevant, 8% considered Bible reading not a priority, 3 % had poor reading skills. Perhaps you fit into one of those categories. With everything swirling within and without, does it make any sense not to locate yourself every week through worship and Bible study and daily Bible reading and devotion on the objective truths of faith.
Debi and I have had times where we did not have a strong devotional life together and times like now when we do.
The blessings of spending even 5 minutes together in God’s Word are absolutely incredible. The same can be said for private devotions, and the same can be said for Bible study and the same can be said for coming to church.
What was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Location, location, location. Every day, so long as you live – the most important decision you will make is whether you will listen carefully and humbly to the Word of the living God or whether you will keep God at a distance. The choice is yours, and may God help all of us to choose wisely. In Jesus’
A blessed Advent and Christmas to you!
Pastor Larry J. Griffin
Trinity Lutheran Church and School