{"id":5197,"date":"2020-01-29T10:48:17","date_gmt":"2020-01-29T17:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/?p=5197"},"modified":"2020-05-31T13:44:42","modified_gmt":"2020-05-31T20:44:42","slug":"epiphany-5-the-light-shines-in-the-darkness-the-bodily-word-of-his-supper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/?p=5197","title":{"rendered":"Epiphany 5: \u201cThe light shines in the darkness.\u201d The bodily word of his Supper"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Please click here for a pdf version of this document<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(The basic line for an Epiphany sermon on the Lord\u2019s\nSupper.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this season of Epiphany we celebrate the coming of the\nlight: John 1:5: \u201cThe light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not\novercome it.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not news to say that secularism is on the rise and\nChristianity on the decline in the West, to say nothing of the deadly persecution\nof Christians happening in parts of the world. Is this a new Dark Ages? Today\nwhether you are driving through city or countryside, it is not uncommon to see\nchurches that have been closed and converted into \u201cevent centers\u201d or \u201creal\nestate offices\u201d or \u201ccommunity centers,\u201d and the like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social scientists report that there is a fast-growing\ncategory of young adults today who identify as \u201cspiritual but not religious.\u201d\nThey are called the \u201cnones.\u201d On forms that ask about one\u2019s religious\naffiliation, they respond \u201cnone.\u201d Generally speaking young adults use this\nself-definition to mean that they want no part of the \u201cinstitutional church\u201d\nbut seek to be spiritual, to have a connection with a transcendent beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To want to be spiritual is a noble sentiment, but no\nmatter what form spirituality takes \u2013 whether it\u2019s secular-based, other\nreligion-based, even Christian-based spirituality \u2013 it always boils down to this.\nSpirituality is code for: You have to do something to make it happen. It\u2019s up\nto you to make it work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The desire to be spiritual is born of wishful thinking\nthat we have a light within us, a spark of divinity within. And we can and\nshould fan that flame, do whatever spiritual exercises it takes to achieve a\nhigher awareness. Spirituality is based on the belief that we have the strength\nand wisdom within us to find our way in the darkness. All we need to do is activate\nthe spark within by doing spiritual exercises, inwardly and outwardly, to rise\nto some higher awareness, some higher plane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Walker Percy\u2019s novel The Second Coming<\/em>, there\u2019s a hilarious\ndescription of a mixed gathering of people, among them born-again Christians,\nold-line Episcopalians, Jesus freaks, a fortune-teller, and a Jehovah\u2019s Witness.\nAs he observes the scene, the narrator asks,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is this an age of belief, a great renaissance of faith after\na period of materialism, atheism, agnosticism, liberalism, scientism? Or is it\nan age of madness in which everyone believes everything? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An age of darkness and fog, of people groping in the\ndarkness, trying to fan the flame within them, looking for the light. An age of\nbelieving everything. The encroaching darkness makes one wonder: Where did the\nLord go? Has he rejected his people? Has he given up on us? In the madness has\nhe withdrawn?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Romans 11:1 Paul quotes Elijah, who was fed up with Israel\u2019s\nmadness and cried out in the darkness: \u201cLord, they have killed your prophets\nand torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill\nme\u201d (Rom. 11:3). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Paul writes: \u201cBut what is God\u2019s reply to [Elijah]? He says: \u2018I\nhave reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.\u2019\nSo, too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if it is by\ngrace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer\nbe grace\u201d (Rom. 11:4\u20136).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The message is this: Salvation is not in your hands. It\u2019s\nnot up to you. The cosmic battle between the encroaching darkness and the light\nhas been won, though the darkness is still with us. \u201cIn him was life and the\nlife was the light of men\u201d (John 1:5) \u201cThe true light that enlightens every man\nwas coming into the world\u201d (John 1:9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave no fear little flock, for it is your Father\u2019s good\npleasure to give you the kingdom\u201d (Luke 12:32). You don\u2019t have to do spiritual\nexercises to get in shape for it. There is no right disposition or attitude you\nhave to have to receive it. There are no preconditions you have to meet. And no\npost-conditions you have to maintain afterwards to provide evidence that you\nare one of the chosen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which brings us to the Lord\u2019s Supper and how the Lord\nprovides for us, giving light in the darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, faith is not about being spiritual. Faith is not\nabout thinking the right thoughts, or feeling the right feelings. Faith is not a\nwork. Faith is not anything we think, feel, or do. Faith is even against\nspirituality, because spirituality, in the end, is always about us and what we\ncan and should do to make salvation work. And that is not how salvation works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather, faith comes by hearing (Rom 10:17). Hearing what\nGod in Christ has done by himself, without our help, to solve the problem of\nevil, to defeat the darkness, to defeat sin, death, and the devil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of the cross and resurrection, the fruits of\nthat work of salvation, are the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. As\nLuther writes in the Small Catechism:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of this sacrament\nare pointed out by the words,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given and shed for you for\nthe forgiveness of sins.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These words assure us that in\nthe sacrament<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We receive forgiveness of sins,\nlife, and salvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For where there is forgiveness\nof sins,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also life and\nsalvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salvation, not in part, but in whole. It is all<\/strong>\nGod\u2019s doing. For our whole<\/strong> selves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, there is no need to do spiritual exercises; to fan\nan imaginary spark within. Nothing can be done from our side to increase faith\nor improve upon it. The benefits of what Christ did \u2013 outside of us, in spite\nof us \u2013 are given by faith. Faith comes by hearing the word and receiving the\nsacraments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faith is given to the tiny baby being baptized. The child\nis not even aware of what is happening. And it\u2019s not that the child\u2019s family\nand church believe for the child until the child is old enough to make that\ndecision on his own. To the contrary, baptism saves. Faith is given. The Holy\nSpirit is given. It is all God\u2019s doing. The baptism of a baby reminds us that\nsalvation is all God\u2019s doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same is true for the Lord\u2019s Supper. The Lord comes to\nus in his Supper to give us a foretaste of the feast to come. To remind us of\nthe promise made in baptism. Have no fear, baptized one, it is your Father\u2019s\ngood pleasure to give you the kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you worthy of this? Do you come to the altar worthy\nto receive? No. We come as sinners. With Isaiah we confess: \u201cAll our righteous\ndeeds are filthy rags\u201d (Isa 64:6). The way of salvation does not depend on\nanything we are, think, say, or do (Smalcald Articles III\/III\/36). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as we are not asked to make a decision; so receiving\nthe sacrament is not just for those in their \u201cright minds.\u201d Our salvation does\nnot depend on whether we have Alzheimer\u2019s, schizophrenia, dementia, personality\ndisorders, or whether we are full of doubts and anger. Our salvation doesn\u2019t\ndepend on us in any way, shape, or form, lost and helpless as we all are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faith is not spirituality, and salvation is not merely about\nour inner selves. Faith comes to us from outside of us and comes to our whole\nselves. In the Lord\u2019s Supper we eat bread and drink wine; salvation comes to our\nbodies \u2013 our whole selves, body, heart, and mind. Not part of us is justified\nby his grace; our whole self is justified by his grace. Our whole selves are\nredeemed by him. \u201cFor if we have been united with him in a death like his, we\nshall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his\u201d (Rom 6:5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGod works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.\u201d The\nLord is working in ways we do not see and do not understand. His power, his\nwisdom, and his holiness are beyond us, and yet he is at work in us as well. As\nPaul writes: \u201c(T)he word of God,\nwhich is indeed at work in you who believe\u201d (1 Thess. 2:13).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBelieve\u201d here is not a work that we do. It is not about our\nspiritual potential. Or spiritual efforts. Faith is God\u2019s doing, given in\nbaptism, outside of us, in spite of us. As Luther says: \u201cThe law says, do this,\nand it is never done. Grace says, \u2018You are baptized\u2019 [believe this] and\neverything is already done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s dark out there in the world. It\u2019s dark within us, too.\nBut \u201cthe light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it\u201d\n(John 1:5). The light has a name: Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long ago he was crucified, died, and buried. But God raised\nhim from the dead. Through the power of his Holy Spirit, he who is veiled in\ninaccessible light \u2013 is living today. We cannot see him like we see each other,\nbut he is here with us by the power of his Word, working in mysterious ways his\nwonders to perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He comes in his Supper to give you a foretaste of the feast\nto come. He comes in, with, and under the bread and wine to redeem you, not\njust your inner self, but all of you, your whole self, your body, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The message is this: Salvation is not in your hands. \u201cHave\nno fear little flock, it is your Father\u2019s good pleasure to give you the kingdom\u201d\n(Luke 12:32). His holiness is beyond our understanding. No matter. Our living\nLord is here. He has claimed us in baptism. His Supper today is a foretaste of the\nfeast to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

In this season of Epiphany we celebrate the coming of the light: John 1:5: \u201cThe light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.\u201d  <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It is not news to say that secularism is on the rise and Christianity on the decline in the West, to say nothing of the deadly persecution of Christians happening in parts of the world. Is this a new Dark Ages? Today whether you are driving through city or countryside, it is not uncommon to see churches that have been closed and converted into \u201cevent centers\u201d or \u201creal estate offices\u201d or \u201ccommunity centers,\u201d and the like. <\/p>\n

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