Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice

Certain phrases appear from time to time in Christian conversation which sound good to the ear but really contradict what is our true relationship to our Creator. One such phrase dates back over 30 years in memory to an adult Bible Study guide we had in church. “Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice.” It was a teaching on Christian behaviour which made some very good points. However, from where did this phrase come? Was this merely a catchy title thought up by the publisher? No it comes from a verse in the Bible:

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said,
"Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to listen than the fat of rams. ESV

Stop the press! Was not sacrifice ordered by God? Was this not how the older testament people of God remembered their sin? So how can one say that obedience is better than sacrifice? The answer lies in taking scotch tape and sticking the verse back into the context out of which it is taken. In this we see that God instructed King Saul and the army to utterly destroy the Amalekites including all their livestock. What the people did however, is to keep the choicest of sheep as spoils or war. When called on this the excuse was made that these were kept to sacrifice to the Lord.

Regrettably this verse grabbing and dragging kicking, screaming and bloody has been used to whack Christians over the head with in order to raise concern about his or her good deeds. It is taught to them that of course they are justified by grace through faith but just like an earthly father will appreciate a son or daughter more if he or she obeys in a greater fashion the same with our Heavenly Father. So if you want God to love you more then you better work harder, serve on more committees, teach more Sunday School classes etc. Poppycock! Our Heavenly Father is totally unlike our earthly, finite and sinful fathers. While it is true a Christian will want to do good deeds more and more as time goes on our Father beholds us in Jesus alone and therefore could not be pleased with us no matter how much we do.

Isaiah 60:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. ESV

Our Father can only admire perfection. Half hearted or even 99% hearted efforts will not suffice. There is no way for a sinner to do a total selfless work it cannot be done. Don’t even try to cipher what percentage of motivation is out of fear of punishment or hope of reward and how much out of love for Jesus. God knew we could not do this selfless work. His law tells us we cannot meet its demands. He supplied himself to do the doing for us. And had himself nailed to the cross to pay for our self centeredness. It took the selfless obedience of Jesus to please God. God calls only what he does is good as in the creation account.

So in loving kindness he clothes us with the righteousness of Jesus and whatever we do in fulfilling our vocation, where he has located us, is pleasing to him. When we feed our children we please our Father in Heaven. When we arrive at work and do our work as unto him we please our Father in Heaven. What a wonderful peace is available when we with grateful hearts serve our family, friends and neighbours in the peace that we are free from worry whether it is good enough. We are free from the law of sin and condemnation. We can do whatever presents itself to be done. What Christ did for us sinners, for you, is good enough!

Praise to you O Christ! †

Name Above All Names.

Exodus 20:7 “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. ESV

In this “command” our Heavenly Father gives us the gift of his name. Not to use to curse our fellow humans as all of us do either out loud or in our hearts but rather as a family name. In Holy Baptism the Name Father, Son and Holy Spirit is invoked following the institution of Jesus. This is most certainly adoption just like a human man and woman give an infant their name in that legal process.

Prior to this adoption we are only the children of Adam. The only inheritance we have of our natural parents is hell. This damnation remains our lot until God in his mercy moves our lineage to his own through faith. We can know for certain that this is ours because of the sacrament. Unfortunately many Christians miss this assurance because of misinformation given them either by malicious religious teachers or those who know no better. Without this knowledge one is forever looking for inward feelings or outward works to know whether he or she is truly God’s child. What a pity.

Galatians 3:23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. ESV

To the Galatians, a church beset by false doctrine of works righteousness, St Paul did not point to the law as knowing whether a person was saved or not but rather his or her baptism into Christ. An outward, material and referable gift whereby one can know he or she is redeemed. No more measuring oneself against moral commands or level of good works to see evidence of ones identity.

This is also useful in defending us from our adversary the devil. Part of the game plan of the devil is to accuse a person and distract him from serving his neighbour by casting doubt and turning the attention inward. So good is he at plying that trade she may despair of even going to worship for fear others “know” these things which are in her life and will judge her harshly.

70] On the other hand, they should be constantly urged and incited to honor God's name, and to have it always upon their lips in everything that may happen to them or come to their notice. For that is the true honor of His name, to look to it and implore it for all consolation, so that (as we have heard above) first the heart by faith gives God the honor due Him, and afterwards the lips by confession.

71] This is also a blessed and useful habit and very effectual against the devil, who is ever about us, and lies in wait to bring us into sin and shame, calamity and trouble, but who is very loath to hear God's name, and cannot remain long where it is uttered and called upon from the heart. And, indeed, many a terrible and shocking calamity would befall us if, by our calling upon His name, God did not preserve us.

72] I have myself tried it, and learned by experience that often sudden great calamity was immediately averted and removed during such invocation. To vex the devil, I say, we should always have this holy name in our mouth, so that he may not be able to injure us as he wishes.

In the above sections from the Large Catechism of Martin Luther he has shown how having the blessed name of God on our lips is very useful way to defeat the devil’s ways. In my life I have learned to invoke the Name of the trinity daily and several times a day while making the sign of the Holy Cross. This works and is in no way superstitious as some would suppose and teach. This is not to be done to be seen of men but rather to be seen of the host of darkness round about us seeking to undo us in our daily activities.

Thanks be to God. Amen. †

Returning the Favour

It has been said that in the beginning God created man since then man has the desire to return the favour. This takes many forms but the most common is to project ones desires and emotions, multiply them, attempt to perfect them and say “now that is the way God wants to be God and how he feels about things.”

Exodus 20:4 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. 5 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, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. ESV

Any gods created by man is the devil. That god will want to be served, cared for and fed continually. It will never be satisfied nor will it be able to forgive. In the first “command” we are given the gift of God himself by saying those who are brought out of sin will have no other gods before him. The second part of this command we are told that because we were brought out of the house of bondage we will set aside our idolatries and no longer serve them.

In the modern mind it is inconceivable that one would have idols. I know that few people whom I know have statues in their houses of deities and light candles, make food offering or pray to them. However, it is easy to place the desire to fill this home with the latest toys and furniture as a matter of pride and give more attention to that then to our Saviour. This would make the house our false God. This can become a slave master if one is so consumed by the acquisition of these items one has an increasing load of debt which causes one to have to work harder and harder just to service it.



10] So, too, whoever trusts and boasts that he possesses great skill, prudence, power, favor, friendship, and honor has also a god, but not this true and only God. This appears again when you notice how presumptuous, secure, and proud people are because of such possessions, and how despondent when they no longer exist or are withdrawn. Therefore I repeat that the chief explanation of this point is that to have a god is to have something in which the heart entirely trusts.

This is from Martin Luther’s Large Catechism on the first commandment. Here he shows how that for a while trust in self or what one can obtain is a fleeting good. In today’s economy many are receiving this wake up call to how much trust in self and one’s employment have become a god to us.

Our Real God actually bows to us. What? Yes he comes to us to, on a daily basis, take away our sin. In dying on the cross Jesus became our servant king. That is unheard of in the religions of the world today where the god, if it has a personal god, demands to be served. The god of great wealth and possession demands serving as well and the want is never ending and is insatiable.

Jesus also comes to serve us in the Divine Service in the form of bread and wine. He promised that he would truly be present in this way for his people for the forgiveness of sin and to strengthen the wearied and worried heart burdened by petty idolatries. Too many Christians do not believe this wonderful truth and still await his coming to them in another way. To deny his presence in the holy meal is to attempt to have Jesus in one’s own way rather then in the way he has promised himself. What a blessing which is missed indeed by not believing his clear promise.

1 Corinthians 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for [5] you. Do this in remembrance of me.” [6] 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. ESV

Thanks be to God. †

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When it comes to promises given in a fallen world is healthy and desirable one should keep a tight hold on the credit card and checkbook. It may sound cliché but “if it sounds to good to be true it probably is” is the best response to much of what is touted as truth. Belief in things in no way changes your status. Unless we are speaking about the promises associated with the perfect life, innocent sufferings, death and resurrection of Jesus.

John 20:31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. ESV

Belief in Jesus does indeed change your status. Instead of being a condemned sinner suffering eternal death the believer inherits life eternal. Pr Tom Baker, Law and Gospel Broadcast, states that is one of the areas which differentiates Christianity from every other religion. In all other religions that have a personal god it all depends upon the person to get right and make up for wrongdoing. In Christianity we have God in the person of Jesus fulfilling what we could not do and paying for the wrong we have done.

2 Corinthians 5:16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ESV

In this we see that the problem is our problem not God’s problem. In our inner brat we want to think we have an angry God to pacify with our corrected behaviour and sacrifices. We need to be reconciled to God not the other way round. This is such a radical departure from what many in Christendom, lamentably, hear in a given Sunday sermon. Away with this pointing men back at themselves for hope. Demand your pastor to proclaim you are a dead sinner and need Jesus or be lost for eternity. If your pastor reminds you of that constantly be sure to thank him for others will be asking him to move on to so called bigger and better things. Our hope comes from outside us which is where the only true peace and hope lies. The finished work of Jesus for sinners.

In the name of Jesus. Amen. †

Friends From Out of Town.

Luke 9:30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. ESV

A few Sundays ago during the sermon on the Transfiguration of Jesus I found it interesting the subject that was discussed between Jesus, Moses and Elijah. We are not told what exactly the words used but it was about Jesus’ upcoming sacrifice for our sins. This, I suppose, is a natural subject since both Moses and Elijah looked forward to their Saviour and ours and what he would accomplish for us.

That is the golden thread from beginning to end in scripture. The entire reason for the second person of the Triune God incarnating was to give his life as a ransom. Years ago all churches except the very liberal or ones who should not be called churches had this as weekly fare. One could not leave worship without knowing how desperate his or her condition is without Jesus’ atoning sacrifice.

This all seems rather boring and passé to the modern mind. Minds condition by our culture to think that all we have to do is to muscle up against any difficulty and we can solve it. In the last election that was the recurring theme is how we can fix our country with enough effort. Certainly in the daily grind heroic efforts can result in progress. This is not only commendable but is indeed desirable. This however, will not work when it comes to our desperate condition in the sight of a holy God.

Matthew 5:48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ESV

This is another summation of the laws requirements in a short sentence. Do you on your own effort want to fix your relationship with God? Very simple and easy to remember phrase covers it. All you have to do is never sin from the moment of conception forward till your death. What? Not so easy is it? No indeed it is not only not easy but it is impossible. So many will look at the Sermon on the Mount, out of which this phrase is taken, as marching orders to get right or remain right with God. Indeed much wisdom on how to carry on is found there. But this phrase does us in as far as God is concerned. This was Jesus’ other reason for coming was to fulfill in human flesh the requirements of the law. This active obedience accomplished for us the entire filling in all our law keeping requirements. There is no need to look at progress or lack thereof to know that we have forgiveness of sin and life everlasting. Jesus did the whole job of being right witht the law for us!

Thanks be to God. Amen

Ear Candy? Or is it a Grave Concern?

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Therefore, to avoid this vice we should note that no one is allowed publicly to judge and reprove his neighbor, although he may see him sin, unless he have a command to judge and to reprove. For there is a great difference between these two things, judging sin and knowing sin. You may indeed know it, but you are not to judge it. I can indeed see and hear that my neighbor sins, but I have no command to report it to others. Now, if I rush in, judging and passing sentence, I fall into a sin which is greater than his. But if you know it, do nothing else than turn your ears into a grave and cover it, until you are appointed to be judge and to punish by virtue of your office.
The Large Catechism of Martin Luther

In this section Dr Luther is speaking about the command against bearing false witness. This command is usually minimalized to excuse tale bearing. A person knows a sin of another and cannot wait to tell everyone who will lend an ear all about it. “How can X say he is a Christian and do something like that?”

For what purpose are those things brought to light? Is it to correct and erring brother? I fear due to our inner brat it is to show ourselves as superior to others. In this command we are given the gift of mutual peace and respect. When a person is bearing a tale and going on an on about it to others it causes one to think “what does this person say about me behind my back?” So that violation just keeps spreading and spreading so that the wars increase.

In his small catechism Luther says:

We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, [think and] speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.

Here again we see our daily need for repentance and faith in the dead Jesus. For we in no way can fulfill that laws demands. It is great advice for mutual peace as stated above but it always accuses as well as informs. However, out of love for our loving Father we do strive to fight against tale bearing.

In the name of Jesus. Amen †