Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and may our Lord and Savior sanctify you in the truth, for His word is truth. Amen

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (2009) Rev. Toby Byrd

Are You a Servant of the Lord?

Isaiah 50:10 (ESV)

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

The Epistle Reading for today opens with these words from James, the brother of our Lord Jesus, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1 ESV). In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet had been called by God to be a watchman over God’s people and the Lord says to him, “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 33:7-9 ESV). Furthermore, in St. Paul’s farewell address to the elders of the church at Ephesus he said them to, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28 ESV). Each of these quotations from one of God’s servants is a profound statement concerning the office of the holy ministry. It is obvious that from these words that our Lord requires an extra measure of faithfulness from those whom He calls to be under-shepherds of His flock. However, from what we see and hear today, there are many who do not take these words seriously. In fact, their words and actions give one pause to believe they have never read these words; for without question, if they had read them and believed them, they wouldn’t be preaching or teaching the false doctrine and outright heresy they teach. Therefore, it is apt to ask the question, Are they really true servants of the Lord?

In the Old Testament Reading for today God is showing us the prophet Isaiah and through these versus the Spirit is opening our hearts and minds to our Lord, Jesus Christ; the true Suffering Servant of God.

Isaiah begins by saying, “The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may learn how to sustain with a word, him who is weary” (v. 4). God most certainly had instructed Isaiah to proclaim Good News to those who were repentant of their sins. In the midst of the idolatry of Israel and the deceit of Judah, Isaiah was called by God to warn the people of God’s impending judgment while proclaiming God’s gift of salvation through the prophecy of the coming Messiah. Any and all who were crushed by the Law of Isaiah’s preaching and despaired of their plight were immediately given relief through the forgiveness offered by the Gospel. Thus, Isaiah was a true Law and Gospel preacher, rightly dividing the Word of God because He was instructed by the Lord in this task.

Fulfilling Isaiah’s messianic prophecy, our Lord Jesus verifies Isaiah’s words at the synagogue in Nazareth. For there, on a Sabbath, our Lord Jesus stood and read from the scroll of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor” (Luke 4:18-19 ESV). For this task our Lord Jesus was sent from His heavenly home to walk among God’s creation proclaiming the forgiveness of sins in His name. From the time He was twelve years old, our Lord Jesus amazed God’s people with His knowledge and understanding of God’s Word. God had indeed given Him a learned tongue by which to sustain the weary with His Word.

Today we see Satan attacking the good news that proclaims liberty to those captive by sin and blinded by the ways of the world. Through deceitful and poorly trained church leaders, the world is encroaching more and more upon the church, bringing its sin into the house of God. Oh, it’s easy to identify the preaching of unbelieving and fanatical preachers, for their aim is clear. Satisfying a thirst for the idolatry of self-worship, false teachers are leading the people of God astray with sermons that point to man and not God. There is also the believing but poorly trained preacher who imagines he has fulfilled the call to his office by preaching what he considers the Word of God. Such preachers have been likened to a soldier who in the heat of battle, blindly fire their gun into the trees, hoping to kill the enemy; thus, believing they have fulfilled their duty. Such sermons may in fact contain beautiful thoughts; however, they have little or no effect. The Law may roll like thunder, but there is no lighting. Moreover, the blessed rain of the Gospel, intended for hearts burning with the rebuke of God’s Law, misses its mark and their labor is lost.

Neither Isaiah nor Christ nor the Apostles preached in this manner. There is no question, when they finished their sermons, everyone who listened knew; He meant me! For instance, when Jesus finished preaching the powerful parable of the murderous tenants of the vineyard, the chief priests and the Pharisee knew he was speaking of them (Matt. 21:33-45). Thus, good Law and Gospel preaching aims at sin and the need for repentance while laying out the olive branch of God’s forgiveness for those who listen without calling out their names. Yet they know, he meant me!

However, teachers, as servants of the Lord, are not the only ones held responsible for the content of their teaching and the flock under their care. Our Lord commands that His people also distinguish true from false teaching, recognizing false teachers who are overthrowing the teaching of Christ; his life, death, and resurrection for the sins of the world. St. Paul sounds the warning, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them” (Romans 16:17 ESV). Thus, God’s people are without excuse when they allow false teachers and schismatic’s to corrupt the Body of Christ. Yet that is exactly what has happened in many churches and denominations today.

But you ask, Pastor, how can we know when someone is teaching falsely? How can we be held accountable if someone wants to lead us astray? The answers to questions such as these are clearly revealed in Holy Scripture.

Our Lord Jesus calls all believers to be His faithful servants. He says, “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44 ESV). Again, He said, “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes” (Matthew 24:46 ESV), again, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28 ESV), and again, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV). Therefore, the first requirement of a faithful servant of the Lord is to know the revealed, inerrant Word of God; Holy Scripture. Fortified with God’s Word; a faithful servant of the Lord then relishes that they are members a faithful church that teaches all of the Bible’s doctrines purely and administers the sacraments according to Christ’s institution.

Clinging to Holy Scripture, a faithful servant of the Lord hears the voice of our Lord Jesus as He speaks to believing Jews, saying, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32 ESV). A faithful servant of the Lord follows the example of the very first Christians, who after Pentecost, “devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42 ESV). Furthermore, a faithful servant of the Lord obeys the admonition of St. Paul who when speaking to the church in Corinth, said, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10 ESV).

Thus, armed with God’s Word, faithful servants of the Lord avoid false teachers, false churches, and all organizations that promote a religion that is contrary to God’s Word. Faithful servants of the Lord listen to Him as He cautions them to; “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15 ESV). Moreover, God’s warns, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Eph. 5:11 ESV), while remembering, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works” (2 John 1:10-11 ESV).

Faithful servants of the Lord accept and cherish these words. Nor should these words be strange or new for any of you who have completed a thorough catechesis in the six chief parts of the Christian religion. These words are found in the explanation of the third part of the Apostle’ Creed, where Martin Luther’s Small Catechism asks the question: What do the Scripture teach about our life in the church? It is sad that far too many people who call themselves servants of the Lord do not know or understand this teaching and are thereby lulled into idleness, complacency and outright error concerning worship and the Word of God. Because of their lack of understanding, their souls are threatened with eternal damnation and this leads us back to the teachers and under-shepherds of God’s people.

Error in the church can be traced directly to the teachers of the church. Subverting God’s Word, these false teachers have led many within the Body of Christ to accept all sorts of false teaching; teaching which leads away from Christ and His work of redemption. One such false teaching is the teaching of moral relativism. Moral relativism teaches that moral standards, especially those defined by God, are not absolute, but instead emerge from social customs and other sources. Denying the truth of Holy Scripture, moral relativism teaches that “Man is the measure of all things.” This removes God from the equation of life and leaves man alone as the sole formula. Furthermore, it teaches that judging people by their actions is wrong, because what is wrong for one person may well be right for another. Such teaching stands in direct contrast to the Word of God, teaching only human opinion. We are reminded that the Spirit teaches, “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion” (Proverbs 18:2 ESV).

Fulfilling St. Paul’s words, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Tim. 4:3 ESV). Supporters of moral relativism reject the true servant of the Lord who stands solely on God’s Word as the rule and norm of all doctrine. False teachers accuse true servants of the Lord of being nothing more than stiff-necked moralist in the mode of the Pharisees. However, St. Paul rebukes such accusations, saying, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4-5 ESV). These are words true servants of the Lord cherish. I can tell you this, I know that I do not want to have to rely on mere opinion when I face our Lord Jesus on Judgment Day, do you? I think not. Rather, I know that all who heed these words and obey them will indeed be counted as a trusting and obedient servant of the Lord when that day comes. For those who rely on and live according to God’s Word, Christ will say to them on that Last Day, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21 ESV).

Faithful servants give thanks for Isaiah prophesy that Jesus would set His face like flint to go up to Jerusalem. For in those words they see the culmination of our Lord’s mission to save them from their sin.

In Jerusalem, the enemies of our Lord and death by crucifixion awaited Him. His disciples, knowing of the danger awaiting tried to dissuade Him, but Jesus would not be swayed; His mission was to do His Father’s Will. He would fulfill His mission and secure our salvation. Rejecting the ways of the world, our Lord looked death in the face and prayed for His disciples saying, “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11 ESV). Further He prayed, “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:14, 17 ESV). Thus, like the apostles to whom the Word was given, all faithful servants of the Lord cling to the Word of God like a drowning man clinging to a life preserver. The faithful servant knows that Holy Scripture is the divine vestment which carries the Word of God that when heard, produces faith to believe in His Son; Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.

Holy Scripture opens our hearts and minds to the true Suffering Servant of God, whose life, death, and resurrection brought God’s miracle of a new beginning to a lifeless world by overcoming sin which held it captive. He came to offer re-creation, returning God’s creatures to the perfect harmony they had with Him in the Garden of Eden and all this He accomplished with His suffering death on Calvary’s Cross.

Then, just as the world was created from the formless shape of water, Christ sent the Spirit to create servants through water and the Word of God (John 3:5). Washed in the living waters of baptism, God creates life from dead flesh and the re-born man emerges as a new creation in Christ, called and sanctified to be faithful servants of the Lord. Moreover, to ensure this new life is constantly strengthened and renewed, the Suffering Servant offers His body and blood, as the eternal tree of life, to be received in the Holy Eucharist.

Therefore, having been called, redeemed, and sanctified, let us no longer walk as those in darkness, but let us walk in the light of God’s Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Trusting in His Word let us, who call ourselves servants of the Lord, live lives that glorify a loving and merciful God who gave us His Son, in death, so that we might believe and live forever as His servants. Amen.

May the Peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.