Conference Sermon

The following was preached at the Fall Southern Illinois District Pastoral Conference on October 2 at Pere Marquette State Park.

A Faithful High Priest

Hebrews 2:1-18

In the name of Jesus Christ, the merciful and faithful High Priest who made propitiation for your sins, Amen.  In the ordering of creation there is a distinction between what is seen and unseen. Regarding the visible creation Adam was given dominion over the earth and everything in it.  He would serve as God’s minister to the created world.  Unmentioned both as to the exact day of their creation and their heavenly ranking and authority are the invisible (to mortal eyes) beings of God’s creation.  We usually lump them together as “angels.”  The good angels serve God and His creation ceaselessly.  The evil angels work at the destruction of the same through the corruption of humanity.

Since angels are a different order of creation than humans, it is presumed that they are better or more important than us children of men.  Scripture reveals something different that is utterly profound.  The author to the Hebrews writes regarding the work of Jesus:  For surely it is not angels that He helps, but He helps the offspring of Abraham (Hebrews 2:16).  Likewise the prophets longed to see what we have in Jesus Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit, something into which angels long to look (1 Peter 2:12).  God uses the angels to serve for your sake.  Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14).  This is why the text begins with the admonition that we pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it (Hebrews 2:1).

These are perilous times for Christians.  Christianity is under assault on many fronts.  Federal and state governments seek to restrict religious liberty by enacting laws contrary to the Holy Scriptures.  They expect the church to accommodate and adjust what it believes to be reprehensible.  If abortion is murder, which it is, no amount of time will make it less a violation of the fifth commandment.  If marriage is anything beyond the union of one man and one woman, there are unseen consequences ready to leap out of this Pandora ’s Box.  It is already starting. One woman wanted to marry herself.  Utah will no longer prosecute the laws prohibiting polygamy.  If marriage is “whatever” the fabric of society collapses. It will not be long before people marry their children, pets or stuffed animals.  The absurd will be commonplace.

A pastor in Arizona was arrested for holding a home Bible study.  Officials cited zoning laws prohibiting such meetings in a residential neighborhood.  Persecution will increase as Islam intensifies its campaign of terror and worldwide expansion.  Muslims will be given more protections even as yours are lost in the illiberal thinking that we mustn’t do anything to anger them.  Our Canadian brothers are already on guard against “hate speech” such as saying that the practice of homosexuality is sinful according to the Word of God.  It may not be far off before some of us are spending time in jail for being an unrepentant minister of the Gospel.  So be it.  Christians have faced worse.  Jesus experienced the ultimate hatred and rejection of mankind while being forsaken by the Father.

Listen again how Hebrews expresses this so eloquently.  But we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.  For it was fitting that He, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of salvation perfect through suffering.  For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.  That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers (Hebrews 2:9-11).  Jesus knows your heart.  He understands your fears.  The Sanctifier and sanctified are in this together; you are not alone.  Jesus is the merciful and faithful High Priest in the service of God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For because He Himself suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted (Hebrews 2:17-18).

Temptations abound.  Do you fear men more than God?  Repent.  Are you mushy in accurately dividing the Word of Truth?  Repent.  Do you condone sin so as not to offend the sinner?  Repent. Do you pass your days afraid of the very people you are called to serve?  Repent.  By now you may think: Maybe I should think about a different line of work and get out now before trouble begins in earnest.  I didn’t sign on for this.  I only wanted to help people and feel appreciated by them.  I didn’t expect to die for this gig.  Maybe I should look for the most out of the way place in the Synod and there live out my days in peace. Each of these temptations has a certain appeal to the flesh.  These, however, are not your calling.  Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.  For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? (Hebrews 2:1-3a)

One pernicious temptation is to go it alone.  Withdraw into yourself.  Withdraw from your brothers.  Trust no one.  Follow your instincts, trust your gut not your mind.  Watch out.  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Lions kill by isolating an animal from the herd.  They chase, circle and attack.  The victim is allowed no rest.  Exhausted, injured or maimed the kill comes quickly.  We need each other now, more than ever lest we fall victim to the evil one.  Most of all we need the merciful and faithful High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ.  The mutual consolation of the brothers goes a long way in strengthening weak hands and wobbly knees.  The forgiveness of sins spoken one to another puts into practice the apostolic mission breathed by Jesus on the disciples in the Upper Room.  Jesus wills that repentance and forgiveness of sins be proclaimed in His name to the whole world until He comes again.

Often overlooked in times like this are the very basic but profound truths of the Holy Scripture summarized so well in the Creeds.  The Lord, He is God, there is no other.  Why do the nations rage and its rulers against the Lord and His Anointed?  The Lord sits in the heavens and laughs at the foolishness of haughty, arrogant men who presume to dismiss God.  He knows their day is coming.  The Lord has established His Anointed on His holy hill.  The Father has put everything in subjection to Jesus Christ.  Oh, we don’t see it that way now.  But it is that way, now, and for eternity in Jesus.  We confess that the Triune God is the Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier.  Why do we live and conduct our ministries as if He was not?

The Lord knows you intimately.  He knew you from eternity and called you to be His own in Baptism.  He comes to us again this morning hidden in bread and wine bestowing His very body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins.  You have been called into the Holy Ministry in the Church’s usual order.  You have been ordained or commissioned to serve the Lord in your particular ministry and location.  Jesus remains as the merciful and faithful High Priest interceding even now for you and the whole Christian Church on earth.  He is able to help those who are being tempted because He Himself suffered while tempted.  The Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:3).  What is there to fear?  Amen.