Soteriology – Page 8 – What Does This Mean?

Reading Ephesians in the Summer

If you have been reading this blog awhile, you may remember my comments on the structure of the Church Year in liturgical churches, especially the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. Our long Pentecost season allows continuous reading of books of the Bible — in some cases whole books. In the three year lectionary, we will be doing this with the book of Ephesians beginning this Sunday.

As it turns out, I did a running commentary of Ephesians 1 & 2 at the beginning of this year. If you want to read this series of posts, start with “So, Does God Hate Me?”. At the bottom of each post, select the link for the next “Material Principle” post. If you find your curiousity peaked, drop Pastor Hercamp and I a comment on the blog itself. We would be happy to write a post to answer a question or explore a topic.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

I really enjoy the Old Testament, and if you have been paying attention, the Old Testament lessons during this season after Pentecost have not disappointed. This Sunday, we get Lamentations 3:22-33.

Lamentations is not the first book people want to read in the Old Testament because it deals with communal suffering. In Lamentations we know exactly why God brings this suffering on the people of Jerusalem. They did not turn from their wickedness and sins. They did not seek God, but rather ran after other gods. God warned them this would happen through the many prophets He sent, but they would not listen. This is written for our learning.

Another question you might be asking is this: “So what’s God’s plan with this suffering?” Or another way to say it, “What’s God’s desired outcome?” It’s simple: Be brought to repentance and faith.

Jerusalem was in utter ruins. King Zedekiah watched his sons be killed at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. God’s judgement against Jerusalem was on full display. Tears filled the streets. But in our readings from Lamentations 3, Jeremiah remains confident in the compassion of God. The Lord does not destroy and kill to all eternity. This discipline Jerusalem receives is actually all about compassion. God shows His compassion through discipline on His people because He loves them and us. He does not want any to die, and this discipline will humble some and bring them to repentance and faith in Him. The Lord’s Law and discipline has this effect. The Lord disciplines those he loves. This is why we too discipline our children, because we love them.

The Lord’s wrath is not forever, but was actually poured out for us all on Jesus at the cross. Christ suffered the full weight of God’s righteous judgment and wrath once for all. Even in wrath the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. Jesus takes our suffering on out of love. He turns his cheek and receives the insults. He drinks the bitterness of God’s wrath for us. This is the mercy of God for you in action, and you get to receive this mercy anew every time you hear that your sins are forgiven on account of Christ. So do not be grieved by your sin, but receive the Love of God for you in Christ.

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
St. Peter Lutheran Church, La Grange, MO

Seeing is Believing

St. Thomas was a practical, down to earth man. Called “the Twin,” the few words we have from him were very direct. When Jesus was determined to go to Lazarus’ Tomb, not five miles from Jerusalem, Thomas said, “Let us also go and die with Him.” (John 11:16) When Jesus told the disciples at the Lord’s Supper that He was going to prepare a place for them, he asked, “Lord, we don’t know where You are going, how can we know the way?” (John 14:5) Subtle, Thomas was not. Loyal, strong and down to earth, he was.

When Jesus was crucified, Thomas had no doubt the Lord was dead. He knew every detail. He did not want it to be that way, but he was a realist. Jesus was gone — end of story. So when the other disciples told Thomas with joy, “We have seen the Lord!” Thomas would have nothing of it. He had to see the wounds that marked Jesus to believe. Even seeing would not be enough. He had to touch the wounds. On something as important as the life of the Lord, Thomas would not be fooled.

All of this changed when Jesus appeared to him and the rest of the disciples the Sunday after Easter. Turning to Thomas, Jesus invited His hard-headed disciple to see for himself. “Stop doubting,” Jesus said, “and believe.” This was all Thomas needed. He dropped to his knees to worship Jesus. All he could say was, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus mildly rebukes him and then blesses us. “You have seen and believed,” Jesus said, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” It was enough for Thomas. According to church tradition, Thomas would go to India and establish a church there. To this day, a faith tradition of four million in India call themselves Thomas Christians.

And so it would be. Billions of people who did not see Jesus believed him and loved him. St. Peter said it best: “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9) Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Allelujah!

The Day of Resurrection | Stay with Us, Lord, for it is Evening