LIVE THE WISE LIFE!
Rev. Mark F. Bartels
Old Testament Lesson; Proverbs 9:1-6
Gospel Lesson; John 6:51-58
Sermon Text; Ephesians 5:15-20
Up here by me, I have a cross. This cross represents Christ crucified. This cross represents the one place where you and I can go, in this life, for absolute, ultimate safety. It is here in the cross, in Christ crucified, that we find ultimate safety for our souls. It is here at the cross that Jesus paid the full, complete price for our sins. Our sins are gone. They are washed away. He has declared our sins will not stand against us any more. It is here at the cross, that we have the promise of Heaven. Not because of anything that we have done, but because of everything Jesus has done for us. That is ultimate safety for all eternity.
There is ultimate safety, here at the cross, from other things, as well. There is ultimate safety from death itself. The Bible tells us that when Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He gave us the victory over death. Now I know that when I die, I go straight to Heaven, because of what Jesus has done for me. There is nothing, there is no greater safety than that. Here, in the cross, is the safety from Hell itself. We know that we deserve condemnation, and yet the Bible tells us that because of what Jesus did for us, His perfect life and His death on the cross, Hell has no power over me. There is no condemnation, for those who are in Christ Jesus. Ultimate safety is here at the cross, in Christ crucified.
Jesus even gives us promises in this life.
"All things
work together for
good
to those who love God."
What safety is found here in the cross of Christ crucified! In fact, it is the only place, the only place where we can go to find that ultimate safety. The Bible says,
"Salvation is found in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven
given among men by which we must be saved."
Jesus Christ and Him crucified is my ultimate safety.
However, over there, across from me, I have a vacuum cleaner. If I had that vacuum turned on today, you would hear the sound of it, constantly trying to
draw me away from the safety of the cross,
draw me away from my faith in Jesus, as my Savior, and
draw me away from the comfort that I find here at the cross.
You have heard the passage that says, "Be sober and vigilant because your adversary the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." There, the Bible tells us that we need to be sober. This is serious. This is not child’s play. The devil is like that vacuum cleaner, trying to take away the safety we find in Jesus Christ, our Savior. It says, "Be vigilant." Keep a diligent watch, because the devil is constantly trying to draw me away from my faith in Jesus, as my Savior. We know that our scripture reading tells us, being vigilant is something we want to do, day-by-day, and minute-by-minute. As long as we have breath in our lungs, the devil is going to try his hardest to draw us away from that cross and into eternal destruction. That is why our scripture reading today says,
"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s Will is."
Maybe you have heard the story about the little Indian boy, who was up on a cold, snow-covered mountaintop. There, at his feet, he heard something rattle. He looked down and saw a rattlesnake. It was all coiled up and almost frozen solid, but it could still talk to the little boy.
It said to the little boy, "I am cold, and almost frozen. I can’t even move. Can you pick me up and stick me inside of your coat, where I will be nice and warm? And then, can you carry me down to the bottom of the mountain, so I can crawl away?"
The little boy looked at the snake and said, "I know what you are. You are a rattlesnake. You are going to bite me."
The snake spoke comfortingly to the little boy, saying, "Oh. I wouldn’t do that to you. If you take me down the mountain, I will be good to you."
So the little boy, in his kindness, bent over, picked up the rattlesnake, and stuck it inside his coat. As the little boy walked down the mountain, the snake did warm up.
When they reached the bottom of the mountain, the little boy gently took the rattlesnake out of his coat and laid him down on the ground. With that, the rattlesnake bit the boy! The little boy, understanding the danger he was in at that point cried out to the snake, "You promised!"
As the snake slithered away he said,
"You knew what I was,
when you picked me up."
That little boy was deceived, wasn’t he? He was unwise. He knew it was a rattlesnake. He knew it could bite him. He knew it could kill him. But, he was deceived into picking it up. That is why our scripture reading says,
"Be very careful, then,
how you live
not as unwise but as wise
making the most of every opportunity because
the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish, but
understand what the Lord’s will is."
We know that the devil is laying all kinds of lures in front of us, to slowly lead us away from the cross of Jesus Christ. Here scripture tells us that we should be wise and recognize the deceit of Satan, who ultimately intends our destruction. We understand that Satan is going to lay all kinds of lures in front of us. The Bible passage says, "the days are evil". We are surrounded by all kinds of temptations and the devil may get us to fall into one of them.
It is not sin that condemns.
It is unbelief that condemns.
I may get back up, after falling into temptation, repent of that sin, turn to Jesus, trust in His forgiveness, and hold onto Him by faith. But when the devil has gotten me to fall once, oh then he whispers to me, "Wasn’t that fun? It was not so bad? It didn’t hurt anybody."
He tries to get me to fall again, and again, and again, to the point where that sin no longer bothers me. Then, I am no longer seeking Christ’s forgiveness for that sin. So what has happened? I have lost my faith in Jesus’ forgiveness for my sin. I have been lost, and Satan has captured me for his kingdom.
So the scriptures tell us, "Be very careful how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s Will is."
The Lord’s Will is that I stay centered
clinging to the cross of Jesus Christ.
How can I do that? I don’t want to be led astray. I don’t want to be led from my faith. I want to stay in my faith and cling to Jesus as my Savior. I want to be wise, not unwise. And, I know that faith is built in my heart one way. The Bible says, "Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the Word of God." I know that when I cling to the Word of God, and I hear the Word of God, the Holy Spirit works in that, to keep me clinging to Jesus, my Savior. Yet, I know that there are so many temptations out there.
Well, here we get to my favorite part of this scripture passage. This is such a beautiful part of the passage. Listen to what this scripture reading says. I want you to see this, because I love this so much! It puts so much emphasis on you, the lay people of the congregation. Oh certainly, the pastor has a role to play, in keeping us in our Christian faith, by preaching the Word of God. But, what an emphasis this passage puts on you, the lay people.
"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s Will is. (Here is the message to the lay people, how you can help your brothers and sisters in Christ cling to that cross of Jesus, cling to their faith.) Speak to one another, speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord."
That passage tells us how important a part of our Christian life and worship, the singing of those hymns are, that God has given to the Christian Church. A hymn is nothing more or nothing less than the Word of God that has been set to music. And through that Word of God, as you sing, you speak to your fellow Christians with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. You keep them clinging to the cross of Jesus, because the Holy Spirit works through that Word, to build faith in their hearts.
Being a pastor, I have heard other pastors preach on many occasions. And, I have heard some fantastic, powerful sermons and the Holy Spirit has moved me, through those sermons. But I can also tell you this. None of those sermons have been any more powerful than on a Sunday morning, when I am sitting in that chair, the congregation is singing a hymn, and I hear some little child who is sitting up here in the front, singing, at the top of his or her voice, the hymn with confidence and gusto! How that moves my heart! There, I hear the faith of a little child, clinging to the cross, clinging to those promises, and finding confidence there. In my heart, how moved I am! I say,
"I want to have the faith of a little child
that clings confidently to the cross of Jesus."
I know the promises that are given to little children, are given to me, too. And, to you, too! The Holy Spirit works through that, to build me up in my Christian faith.
It is a powerful sermon when someone has come to my office and maybe they have confessed some sin that has been greatly troubling them and bothering them. And then, the next Sunday morning, I see them sitting here in church and hear them, as they sing,
"Just as I am,
and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot.
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot.
Oh Lamb of God,
I come,
I come."
Oh, how it moves me to hear the faith of a sinner expressed,
who knows that there is place we can go to have all our sins removed, so that there is not one spot left!
who knows God declares us to be clean and holy, for the sake of Jesus.
and who finds strength and comfort there.
The Holy Spirit works through that, to cause me to say, "I want that comfort. I want that Jesus. I want that forgiveness." And that builds me up in my faith.
It is a powerful sermon, at a funeral (Oh, I may have preached a sermon, but it is so powerful for me), when the family is sitting up here in the front and I hear them sing,
"Abide with me,
fast falls the eventide.
The darkness deepens.
Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
help of the helpless,
oh, abide with me.
Hold thou Thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee.
In life,
in death
Oh Lord, abide with me."
What a sermon that is, to hear the lay people express their faith in psalms, in hymns, and in spiritual songs. How the Holy Spirit works through those words, to draw us to Jesus our Savior, clinging to Him in faith.
Maybe you do this at your home. Every evening, before the boys go to bed, we have a little devotion. The last thing we do, in our devotion, is sing a hymn together. It is the hymn; On My Heart Imprint Thine Image. On occasion, I work late, here at church, and drive home in the dark. When I get home, the lights are all off, Sherri is just putting the boys to bed, and they have had their devotions without me. As I open the door from the garage, I hear wafting down the hallway, the voices of my wife and three boys. What a sermon they preach to me!
On my heart imprint Thine image,
Blessed Jesus, King of Grace!
That life’s riches, cares, and pleasures
have no power Thee to efface.
This the superscription be,
Jesus Crucified for me,
is my life,
my hope’s foundation
and my glory and my salvation."
Through those words, the Holy Spirit works in the heart, to strengthen us and draw us to Jesus, our Savior. What a treasure it is, that we are able to speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, to sing and make music in our hearts to the Lord! What a treasure it was to have the children sing this morning! What a treasure it was to have our choir sing, this morning!
You know, it is true that the days are evil. We are surrounded by evil temptations. But, it is also true that we are surrounded by an army of God’s People, a host of God’s People. When we hear the voices of the children, and the voices of the choir, we hear the voice of an army, confessing their faith with us, confessing their faith in Jesus, and helping us to stand firm in the promises and the Word of Jesus, our Savior. And so our scripture says,
"Be very careful then how you live – not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s Will is. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord."
Amen.
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