Ninth Sunday after Trinity (29 July, 2018)

Wasn't Me

"With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.  You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.  For you are my lamp, O LORD, and my God lightens my darkness.  For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.  This God--his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.  "For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?  This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless.  He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.  2 Samuel 22:26-34

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.  Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.  Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.  Psalm 51:1-12

Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.  Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play."  We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.  We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.  Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.  Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.  1 Corinthians 10:6-13

He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.  And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'  And the manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.  I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.'  So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  He said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.  And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.  One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.  If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?  No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."  Luke 16:1-13

Honesty is the best policy.

David relearned that foundational lesson the difficult way.  Granted, it was his own fault.  He was the one who slept with another man's wife and got her pregnant, then had the husband killed to hide the guilt.  David though his actions were clever.

In His parable, Christ describes a manager with similar cleverness.  He was able to cook the books when it looked like his job was on the line.  Perhaps he had actually been dishonest in managing, or perhaps his master had simply heard an unsubstantiated rumor.  It doesn't make much difference.  HE knew that something had to be done to ensure he would still have a comfortable life.  So he convinced those who owed his master money to reduce their payments.  That way, when the master came to collect, and appeared to be overcharging, those who owed would see the manager as the hero.  Sneaky, sneaky.

Neither of these scenarios are "good."  And it seems to be contrary to what we are taught elsewhere in Scripture.  In some ways, Jesus is not encouraging anything more than being a good manager of money, of "unrighteous wealth."  If you can't manage the meager secular things under your stewardship, then how can you be trusted with truly important things?

The parable is really about idolatry.  "You cannot serve God and money."  You could easily replace "money" with sex, drugs, rock and roll, fast cars, cool houses, trendy clothes, popularity, the latest gadgets, politicians, strength, or just about everything and anything that isn't the Triune God.  The lesson is still the same.  While you are called to be a good steward of that which God has blessed you with, you cannot replace God.  To do so is detrimental to your faith and salvation.

David was brought to his knees with that revelation.  Having his sins laid bare, not just the adultery and murder, but the mismanagement of the kingdom, lead the man after God's own heart to repent.

It was that poor stewardship that was the start of David's most famous episode of sin.  Murdering Uriah, trying to cover up an affair, having sex with Bathsheba, even watching her bathe were all the result of David not leading the people.  Where was he when this all started?  Not leading the army against Israel's enemies, but back in Jerusalem lounging and letting other do the hard work.  Shepherds don't get to nap on the job.  They must be vigilant, lest a wolf come and snatch the sheep.  David was not being vigilant.  Only he was the one taken by the prowling wolf.

When Nathan called him out, he knew better than to try to hide things.  He threw himself on the mercy of God.  He knew what he did was wrong, and he begged for forgiveness.  His words were so right that we use them weekly in worship.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

It is this for realization that the Law is kept in place.  To show us that we are still sinners, from conception, steeped in unrighteousness.  But thanks be to God that we have a Savior in Jesus Christ who imparts His righteousness upon us.  That was the salvation that David looked forward to, and that we look forward to the return of, on the last day.

Eighth Sunday After Trinity (22 July, 2018)

The Results Are In...

Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.  They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, 'It shall be well with you'; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, 'No disaster shall come upon you.'"  For who among them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and to hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened?  Behold, the storm of the LORD! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked.  The anger of the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it clearly.  "I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.  But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds.  "Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away?  Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.  I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed!'  How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal?  Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD.  Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?  Jeremiah 23:16-29

Of David. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.  Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind.  For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.  I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites.  I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.  I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O LORD, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.  O LORD, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.  Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.  But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.  My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.  Psalm 26

"For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.  I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.  Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.  And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.  I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.  You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.  In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"  And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.  And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.  Acts 20:27-38

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.  For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.  Romans 8:12-17

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.  Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'  And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'  Matthew 7:15-23

There's a song with the line "they will know we are Christians by our love."  And a brief glance at the readings assigned to today would agree.  Christ even says "You will recognize them by their fruits."

But is there more to it?  More to consider than just the basics?

Of course there is.  First is the question what we mean by "fruits?"  How we act is reflective upon what we believe.  People who don't believe that God is sovereign won't think twice about the morality of their deeds.  They'll simply do what they think is appropriate.  Those who know God, who know His will and His Son, will seek to live in ways that are counter to our sinful nature.  They will desire to live by God's commands, and will strive to do good works in His name.

Is this law?  Is this Gospel?

Perhaps it is both.

For those who are seeking to justify themselves, their actions, and their desires, this is blatant condemnation.  This is specific outing of their inability to do the only thing the Law requires: be perfect.  And since they cannot keep the Law, they are condemned to Hell.

For those who are sons of God, by virtue of Christ's vicarious atonement, the promise of being freed from bondage to the Law means we are free to strive, by the Holy Spirit, keep the Law, not for God's benefit, but for our neighbor's.

Seventh Sunday After Trinity (15 July, 2018)

Provisions

Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.  And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.  And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.  The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.  And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there.  The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush.  And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.  The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."  Genesis 2:7-17

Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.  Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.  For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.  He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.  By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.  He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.  The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.  Psalm 33:1-11

I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.  For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.  But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:19-23

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, He called His disciples to Him and said to them, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat.  And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away."  And His disciples answered Him, "How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?"  And He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven."  And He directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, He broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.  And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, He said that these also should be set before them.  And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.  And there were about four thousand people. And He sent them away.  Mark 8:1-9

God provides.

What else more needs to be said?  In every way, and for everything, we are entirely dependent on God.  From the foundations of the world, to every single breath we take.

Its not always easy to see.  It is when we are talking about Jesus literally caring for the people around Him.  The feeding of the four thousand, along with the other crowd feedings, are obvious.  Add to that the healings and the people raised from the dead.

There are many easy to see ways of how God provides for the physical needs of people in history.  Some take a little perspective, such as providing Isaac to Abraham, or defending David from Goliath.  Others seem very obvious in retrospect, like Noah and his family in the ark.

The simple act of creation was God's providence.  He created a world, established it, and fashioned a place for His intentionally formed humans to live.  He even created rules to protect and guide them.  And when they broke those rules, He provided a solution to the greatest need of all: the cost of sin.

He provided Christ as an atoning sacrifice in our place.  Thanks be to God.

Sixth Sunday After Trinity (8 July, 2018)

Law and Order

And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  "You shall have no other gods before me.  "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.  "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.  "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.  "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.  "You shall not murder.  "You shall not commit adultery.  "You shall not steal.  "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.  "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."  Exodus 20:1-17

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.  Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.  There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,  which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.  Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.  Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.  Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.  Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.  Psalm 19

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?  By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?  Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.  We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.  For one who has died has been set free from sin.  Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.  We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.  For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God.  So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.  Romans 6:1-11

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.  So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.  Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny."  Matthew 5:17-26

The Law is not bad.

Some people struggle with this, especially after realizing that the Law condemns us to hell but Christ died to save us.  That means He paid the price.  So clearly we don't need the Law anymore, right?  After all, Christ said He came to fulfill the Law.

We are often too stuck in the idea of the "action and consequence" side of the Law.  We have no difficulty understanding that there is a Law, and that without Christ we must keep it in order to get to heaven.  But the Law does not go away simply because we are baptized into Christ.  Quite the opposite.

The Law of God was established long before He taught the Ten Commandments to Moses.  And the fact that the only way to be perfect is to keep the Law is just as true today as it was in the time of the Patriarchs.  How can salvation be by faith in Christ alone and yet reaching heaven is through obeying the Law.

Jesus says quite clearly that "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  But we know that we are all by nature sinful and unclean, having fallen short of the glory of God.  How then can we get to heaven by keeping the Law if we cannot keep it perfectly?

We cannot.  But Christ did for us.  His righteousness is imputed to us, covering us so that on Judgement Day we shall be counted as righteous and blameless.

This has lead some to think we are free from the Law.  That it is no longer a burden, keeping us from achieving our desires and goals.  And since we are saved we can live life as we please without concern.

That would be false.  Jesus said He came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it.  The Law is still in play.  St. Paul expands on that, calling out supposed Christians who think that can do as they will "since God loves to forgive sinners."  This false understanding of the Law and its place is antinomianism.  Without the Law, the Gospel is meaningless.  Also, without the Law, there is no order.  We need Law for our everyday living.  The Law is the foundation for the Kingdom of the Left: the State.  Good government protects us, creating rules and regulations to guard us from harm and allow us to thrive.  the Law is not a bad thing, though it is true that like many things it can be abused.  The Jews had very much abused the Law, making it an idol.

But that does not mean Christ has abolished it.  The Law is still valuable, and not just for the unbeliever to see that they are in desperate need for a savior.

The Christian needs the Law, as a mirror to show us how we have fallen, which we acknowledge in Confession.

The Christian needs the Law as a curb to show us where the limits are, keeping us from sin, as we pray in the Lord's Prayer.

The Christian needs the Law as a guide to show us how to love our neighbor, leading us to not only care for the physical needs of others, but bring to them the good news of the Gospel.

Mail Call - 3

2 July, 2018

Adam Baumann
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
2018 Summer Greek


16-29 June, 2018

Chaos, I tell you.  Utter chaos.

Not so much the Greek class, but the domestic side of life.  We've got ants.  Way many than is acceptable.  (Which, for the record, is zero.)  They're in the apartment, specifically the kitchen.  The seal between the faucet and the countertop is where they are getting in.  Not cool.  After pestering the office staff for three days straight finally got the maintenance guy to come by and take a look.  He fixed the shelf under the sink and caulked it, so hopefully that means the ants aren't coming in any more.  The exterminator is going to be here on Tuesday, so hopefully that will be the end of it.  Meg and the kids will be very happy about that, since it has made using the kitchen very difficult.

Tuesday is also the day the first midterm happens.  Oh, boy.  The info is all the stuff from chapters 1-14, so not too bad, but that's still most of the verb's indicative mood, two out of three noun declensions, adjectives, the article, and some oddities.  No pressure.  Having domestic troubles, then feeling a bit under the weather at the end of the week was like an arrow to the Grecian heel of my studies.

It's only a flesh wound.

Fifth Sunday After Trinity (2 July, 2018)

You Don't Find Him...

And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.  And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.  And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"  He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."  And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.  And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place.  And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death.  Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."  So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.  And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?"  And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.  1 Kings 19:11-21

A Miktam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.  I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."  As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.  The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.  The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.  I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.  I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  Psalm 16

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.  For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.  Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.  For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."  Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?  But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.  1 Peter 3:8-15

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Him to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, He asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat.  And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."  And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.  Luke 5:1-11

There's an older joke style where some clever line is said, then reversed.  "In (despotic nation) you don't find the party, the Party finds you."  There are times where it seems that the entirety of history is a complete reversal of human expectations.

Some demand there be proof, while others want to understand every little detail.  We think, quite arrogantly, that we feeble humans can somehow reach up and take hold of God and drag Him down to us.  We think we can twist His arm and coerce Him to serve us.  Ever since the Fall we've tried to find God or find our own way to Him.  We've tried idols, towers, deified humanity, oracles, voodoo, fortune cookies, horoscopes, magic 8-balls, getting "one with nature," and pietism.  None of these aid us in finding God.  And without God, we have nothing good.  The harsh truth is we cannot, but our own reason or strength, find God and climb up to meet Him.

We didn't have to.  God found us and came down to be us.

When Jesus was starting His ministry on earth, He sought out a core group of students who would go on to be the founders and leaders of the restored faith.  These twelve men did not seek out Jesus, through means mundane or divine.  Rather, Jesus found them.

For no apparent reason at all, Jesus step into Peter's boat and used it as a podium.  No explanations, no rationalizations, just simple invasion.  That is what God does quite frequently to humans.  We're wandering about, all happy and ignorant, thinking we're working our way closer to some divine status, when all of a sudden the whole world is turned on its head!  A God who becomes human, takes on the punishment set aside for breaking His laws, and unconditionally forgives the very people who kill Him?  Even before that, before all the miracles, raising people from the dead, healings, transfigurations, calming of storms, and parables, this God tells a professional fisherman that the very thing that will not work will result in a catch.  And it does.  What kind of God is this?

The kind that humans cannot find by their own reason or strength.  The kind that the sinful human cowers in fear of when He shows up in their fishing boat.  The kind the humble fisherman begs to leave, since he knows that he cannot stand in the same place as the Holy One.

The kind that chooses to save all humanity by dying on the cross and rising again.