Grim Fairy Tales 5.

Well then back to the Grim Fairy Tales.



One can hear many sermons which are meant, I am sure, to be encouraging. In it will be either explicit or implicit statements that a real Christian will never be afraid. It is the thought of many that being afraid is a sin. While it is true that one sins while being afraid due to having an identity of a descendent of Adam being afraid is not in itself sin. But it is a Grim Fairy Tale to say that being afraid itself is a sin.

Luke 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. ESV

Here we have the account of Jesus praying to the Father to remove what he was about to endure from him. Jesus was so in agony and yes even afraid that he was sweating what appeared to be blood. Now would we say that Jesus was sinning being in that state of mind? Not at all. It was a reaction to being in a fallen world. In addition he was enduring that for others. There was no self centeredness in Jesus everything he was about was for others. In answer to his prayer an angel came and strengthened him however, for our good he went on to endure the beatings, ridicule, shame of the cross and being forsaken by his Father while bearing the sins of the world.


Psalm 56:1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;
all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me? ESV

Living in this fallen world each of us will experience times of being afraid. In times of economic turmoil where it appears that those in government and business is out to get us, and they are, financially the future can appear very dim. The enemy is always seeking our hurt and has many people who delight in attacking those who love Jesus. As I said previously we will sin during times of being afraid. Thoughts will be of ourselves. Perhaps self pity and questioning God. “What did I do to deserve this?” But then as the psalmist said we will trust in God. Placing trust in our Lord and Saviour Jesus we will cease being so captivated by our being afraid.

Reflecting on the promise of forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit in our baptism we can venture forth in confidence. We can know we are protected and that our Comforter is in us to guide and direct. We can also reflect on the last time we received Jesus’ body and blood to know that he is there strengthening our faith and leading us to life everlasting. We can read in his word or call to mind that he is working all things together, somehow, for our good and will not allow our faith to leave us.

In the name of Jesus. Amen. †

Our God Who is Forsaken by Our God for You and Me

I am taking a little break from Grim Fairy Tales.






Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? ESV
God forsaking God? How can this be? We are not told except that it happened while Jesus hung on the cross paying for the sins of the world. This is the required price to pay for sinfulness. Forsakenness by God for all eternity is the price to be paid by impenitent sinful humans. However, God taking all these sins to himself and having himself nailed to the cross with them took care of it.

From before time God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit had this great love for each other. This is how we can say God is love. He did not need but desired to have a creation in which there would be persons created in his image to love. In Adam all of us rebelled and told God what we thought of him and that we could carry on quite nicely thank you very much. You can see that in the lives of the unbeliever. No thought whatsoever of God in his or her daily round. He or she only has trust in what they can do. Sadly Christians are not immune to that rebellion as well. We are always wanting to be our own provider taking credit for the gifts God has so graciously given. That is the old temptation “you can be like God”.

Fallen humanity makes a revolting god. A god who is self seeking and self centered. All curved in on him or her self with no concern for others unless it serves his or her purpose. The true and living God is giving. God the Father gave us his Son Jesus to live for us, bear our punishment for us on the cross and give us justification by rising again. God the Son took on human flesh, gave himself for us suffering rejection by those he came to save and bearing our sins to the cross. God the Holy Spirit gives us the forgiveness Jesus paid for in preaching of the word, baptism and the Supper of our Lord. All this is for you.

Holy Trinity! What a debt we owe you! All we can do is respond in praise and thanksgiving! Amen! †

Grim Fairy Tales 4.

Introspection. This is encouraged in many conservative congregations. Many will use a verse out of St Paul’s second epistle to show this is what we are to be about in our daily rounds. This is a Fairy Tale most grim.

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! ESV

Unfortunately many think that being in the faith means a constant upswing in personal righteousness and downswing of sin. Indeed after one comes to faith the outward acts that once held an attraction to the new believer are forsake. Out of love for Jesus and what he did on the cross one cannot help but see outward acts of lust, debate, crude talk, reading books and magazines which hold explicit sexual material, movies and TV shows which are degrading to the human person etc. will over time be less and less appealing. These are outward acts of an inward condition of being a sinner. When a person is adopted by God and is a new creature still remains a sinner. This status of sinner does not change although outward acts have changed and we are also 100% saint in the sight of God. One is constantly falling short of living a life that Jesus lived. Jesus was sinless and God in human flesh. It is totally impossible to never have an idle thought, say an unkind word or always do everything right. That is part of the grimness of this Fairy Tale. This falling short of God’s glory is known by God of course which is why he came in human flesh to tabernacle among us and do the doing for us. And after all that doing died on the cross to pay the penalty we justly deserve for being full blown children of Adam and the actual sins we do.

So if St Paul is not teaching Christians to worry about not being in the faith because of falling short of the glory of God to what is he referring? It is a call to repentance and faith in the finished work of Jesus. In the previous verse he refers to that work.

2 Corinthians 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 2 I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them— 3 since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God. ESV

We see here that he was not referring to individuals who are distraught about their failings. But rather he is referring to those who are proud of their sin. These are impenitent sinners who refuse to forsake the deeds of the flesh to whom he referred to earlier. In addition these have attacked St Paul for his efforts which is the normal fallen human reaction to one who is seeking to correct them and restore repentance and faith in Jesus. To continue on in impenitent sin flying it in God’s face is making a move toward forsaking Jesus’ finished work in favour of the deceitful pleasures of worldliness.

2 Corinthians 12:19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. 20 For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced. ESV

No we do not have to live lives of morbid introspection. Yes we sin. When sin is brought to our attention by the law of God preached into our ears or read in daily readings we lay claim on it. We confess this sin before God. And because he has forgiven our sins in the death of Jesus we can walk on in peace knowing we are reconciled to God and he holds nothing against us.

The other grimness lies in the fact as full blown sinners we are often blind to these sins and actually may be convinced we are pulling off living righteously under our own steam. In a conversation the other day with a couple of professing Christians I was told that they were no longer sinners. They are only concerned, of course, with blatant outward acts not the sins of the heart of course. People of this mindset need to be taken to the sermon on the mount to show Jesus unpacking the law and showing that even thoughts are sin. This can be carried so far in a person’s life they may be tempted to tell Jesus they can do it from now on. This is in addition taking one’s faith out for a real stabbing and is as equally alarming as a professing Christian living in open impenitent and public rebellion against God’s law.

Lord Jesus on every hand we are tempted to remove our eyes from you. I am yours my God. Save me! In the name of Jesus. Amen. †

Grim Fairy Tales 3.

Have you repented? This is often heard from Christians when confronted with another Christian concerned about his or her sin. What qualifies as repentance? The stock answer in many circles is “Are you sorry I mean really sorry for your sin?” ”Are you going to stop sinning in that way?” The answers to both those questions is more than likely not. How can this be? The first one forces one to introspection. This takes our eyes off Jesus and his one time atonement for our sin as the objective reason for justification in the first place. The second takes our eyes of Jesus who in his active obedience fulfilled all the laws requirements for us. Both these are received thru faith not in return for working up enough sorrow or promising to never do it again. This indeed is a grim fairy tale which can either lead to much grief or faith killing self righteousness.

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. ESV


We see here that self generated grief produces death. The granting of repentance is from God as well as the salvation is of God alone. So what does this repentance look like?

Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. ESV

So when Jesus finds the lost person he carries him rejoicing to his fold. That is true repenting seeing Jesus as God and Saviour not the idol of one‘s thoughts. One thing that is obvious is that the joy in heaven is always related to what God has done. Nothing is said about the lost sheep whether he was worried or sad about his condition. Actually he was dead in trespasses and sin The Good Shepherd gives him life making him part of the Kingdom of God through his gifts of word and Sacrament.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen. †

Grim Fairy Tales 2.

1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. ESV

One day you will stand before God, and he
will do an audit of your life, a final exam,
before you enter eternity. The Bible says,
“Remember, each of us will stand personally
before the judgment seat of God. . . . Yes, each of
us will have to give a personal account to God.”35
Fortunately, God wants us to pass this test, so
he has given us the questions in advance. From
the Bible we can surmise that God will ask us
two crucial questions:
First, “What did you do with my Son,
Jesus Christ?” God won’t ask about your
religious background or your doctrinal views.
The only thing that will matter is, did you
accept what Jesus did for you and did you learn
to love and trust him? Jesus said, “I am the way
and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.”36 God wants you to
get to know, love, and trust his Son, Jesus,
whom he sent to earth to show us what God is
like and to forgive and save us.
Second, “What did you do with your
life?” What did you do with all that God gave
you—all your gifts, talents, opportunities,
energy, relationships, and resources? Did you
spend them on yourself, or did you use them
to fulfill God’s purposes for your life?

The above quote is from “The Purpose Driven Life” pg 26 by Rick Warren. Many panned this writing as if he came up with something new. Many times sitting through sermons, in conservative and bible believing Churches, one will hear some sort of appeal to good works. It will be stated by using the above scripture that it is up to the Christian how much reward he or she will receive. If you spend lots of your off work time in Church work such as teaching and witnessing you will have more then your counterpart who merely earned a living and cared for family. That is indeed grim for that is the calling of a husband and father to care for family. Indeed it would be neglecting of the vocation of a head of household to leave off caring for his family in order to increase church work and build a career at the same time.

Indeed there will be greater rewards in heaven for some over others. However, we are not given the laundry list of activities which would earn them or the level of activity which would gain them. God has for us work to do by serving our neighbour. If we were to do this service only for the hope of greater reward that is using the neighbour as a means to an end and as our servant. To add to that grim outcome we are slapping the face of our Crucified and Risen Lord as if his good deeds for us need adding to. The reward we have in heaven is given to us by grace not out of payment for service.

In addition nothing we do ever measures up to God. We are constantly falling short. What a grim thing to constantly examine oneself to try to determine what is and what is not reward worthy. What God does admire and reward is his work in us. The fruit of the Spirit love, joy, peace etc are all attitudes and motivation. We can never hope to measure those things in ourselves let alone in others. Suffice it to say that as children of our Father in heaven we do what is given us to do. Our response to anything which presents itself to us about which we should be proud should be repentance for the self centered pride.

Luke 14:7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” ESV

Grim Fairy Tales.

2 Timothy 3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. ESV

This is a very familiar scripture to those who go toe to toe with others who would add the writings of men to the scriptures as doctrine to be accepted by all Christians. Indeed the scriptures are what God has given us to make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus. And through those scriptures we competent and equipped for every good work. Most assuredly one can also benefit from the bible studies and commentaries of learned men on what they found while pouring through the scriptures. However, one must always hold what these men write and speak to the scriptures like the Christians at Berea did with what St Paul was preaching. Acts 17:11.

The word of God is indeed complete but it does leave some open questions. Since we are sinners, and never really content with what we are given from God, we are always tempted to answer these open questions. These answers differ depending on the viewpoint of the person and to which extreme he is attracted. One question which is not answered is why are some saved and others lost. In order to keep away from the extremes one must not predict or assume things that remain a mystery.

When one is attracted by the extreme in theology which teaches humans make the first move toward God have said that we will spend some time, in heaven, mourning people in hell. Or perhaps Jesus will hold us accountable due to the fact we did not “sell” them on the idea of being saved. This is a prediction and assumption which has no basis in scripture. The grimness of this fairy tale is the idea that heaven will be a place of punishment or sorrow over failures. Jesus paid for all sin on the cross. God also grants faith through preaching of the word and his gifts of the sacrament. In addition this removes the responsibility of the sinner to repent and moves it to a believer he or she knew in life. Revelation 21:1-4 shows us what eternity will be like. How it is that some of our friends and loved ones not being with us and not interrupt our bliss is a mystery. This is a promise based on the fact that while on earth Jesus completed all necessary mourning for us and we receive by faith this benefit.

The other extreme in theology which teaches that Our Lord chooses who will go to hell has its own grim fairy tales. One of those tales states that those in heaven will have a big party and enjoy seeing the misery and despair of those in hell. This first reason that makes it an absurd fairy due to not being located in scripture. Scripture teaches that those who are saved are predestined to be saved but does not teach that those lost are chosen to be lost. Romans 8:26-30 indeed we see that those saved are chosen but the claim that the lost are chosen to be lost is absent. The second reason is that scripture teaches God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked so it is certain we in his image completely at last will not either. Ezekiel 18:21-32, 33:10-11. Indeed we will not be in sadness but certainly not gloating over those who are suffering the punishment we justly deserve.

Both groups would affirm that scripture is the only revelation given by God. Both groups would claim that the Roman Catholic is in error by elevating the writings of men to the level of scripture. However, to attempt to fill in personal opinion and bias in sermons, commentaries and bible studies to be proclaimed as truth is a similar error. Our consciences are bound solely to the word which is Holy Spirit breathed not the fevered imaginings of our fellow Christians. These will only serve to enslave the Christian and threaten the faith of those trustin in Jesus. Indeed it is possible to serve as a messenger of satan when one is well meaning but not careful.

Thanks be to God for his sure word and promises. Amen. †