Rev. Dustin ParkerThe Gathering
Concordia Lutheran Church
Pentecost 9, August 13, 2011
The Gathering
Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
† IN HIS NAME †
Blessing: May you realize by God’s grace and mercy shown in the cross of Christ, that you are inseparably joined to the Lord, just like so many descendants of those cast out the Garden of Eden!
How Did She Know?
How could she trust, have faith in His love?
She was determined to know it – desperate to know it!
She was a fulfillment of Isaiah! An outcast gathered!
Her determination is remarkable, born out of desperation, yet equally founded in a level of trust that is more astonishing than the determination. She knew her hope for her daughter was found only in this strange outcast Jewish Rabbi.
Even as Jacob would wrestle with God, and not relent or give up until he received a blessing, so did this woman hang on with all her hope, awaiting the answer to which she had entrusted her very daughter.
How did she know He would answer? How did she know that His love would extend to her, an outcast person, below the notice of every other Jewish man? Why would she go to Him, trust Him, wrestle with Him with answers blunt that seem to be cruel and dismissive? How did she know for certain, how could her faith be so great, to hang in there, to adhere to Him, to be joined to Him, until He accepted her, and poured out the blessings far more abundant than even the healing she was seeking?
Perhaps she had heard of Jesus meeting the Canaanite woman at the well, or His healing the Centurion’s servant? It is not inconceivable, that like the woman at the well, she knew of the promises that are throughout the Old Testament. The promises like the incredible ones we see in Isaiah today. Promises that show God’s love to outcasts, to foreigners, to those that He will gather into His Kingdom, just as He has always taken care of His people! This Canaanite woman is one, whose acceptance in God’s presence, is heard in Isaiah’s record of God’s prophecy!
Jesus received her, despite being an outcast, and her worship was acceptable to Him,
Like this Lady, once an outcast, now whose faith was marveled over, such are you and I!
The Treasure Keep
Obligation versus Glorious Hope
Neglecting so great a salvation!
We have talked about the word “keep” before in English, that challenging word sometimes translated as obey, but comes from the word for guarding treasure. This is true in both Greek and Hebrew, but take a moment, and see what a difference it makes.
Obey is the word we get obligation and duty from, it is based in our ability to do what is demanded, or commanded of us. The focus is on the action, our work – our ability. But “keep” and “guarding treasure” are not so. The focus is far more on the value of what we are entrusted with – we guard it because of its value. In ancient castle keeps the queen and the children and the treasure was “kept” – and it was where the last stand would be made – where all the final effort would be focused, for if the treasure was taken, if the women and treasure of the kingdom were taken, then there was nothing else.
A few weeks ago, we heard the gospel where it talked of Christ finding in us, so great a treasure that He would give up all, His place in Heaven, His honor, and even His life to purchase us. We are the treasure in the field, and as that treasure, our redemption, our being purchased with the precious blood of Christ. And it is the message of that purchase, and the relationship that is the reason for the purchase that is our salvation that we “treasure” and keep and guard.
Even as Hebrews 2 tells us, “1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2 For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? Hebrews 2:1-3 (NLT)
It is that justice, that incredible decision of God to purchase our freedom from sin, purchasing for Himself a people, that we treasure…
Second Word Treasured
We hear this as our action
Join themselves/serve/love
Married/
As we look at verse 6-8, it is important to realize that this is describing people like the lady with the oppressed child, (we’ll look deep at this in Bible study), as the prior verse talk about those who have been cut off – some quite literally. Such foreigners and eunuchs were not allowed in the Assembly of God’s people, the Old Testament version of the church. Throughout the history of Israel though, there were people who, despite such, were joined to the people of God. Rahab the harlot, Ruth the daughter in law of Naomi, the widow Ezekiel would minister to, the enemy general, and many others.
With only a far off hope, with only hope for the “scraps from the table”, these found that hope to be in a relationship with God, ven at the most minimal levels.
That is why they would serve Him, and love His name, even enslave themselves to Him. They knew well the faithfulness of God that would deliver and save all that called on His name, who knew His loving, merciful character, who had faith in the promise that He would be a light to all nations, even as He was the hope of all Israel. They called upon His name, and they would not be disappointed.
They are described as joining themselves to Him. “Joining” is the phrase used for being the bride joined to her husband, or a country entering into a mutual defense treaty with another. It describes the united state of the two, as they become one, for instance, as the woman becomes identified with the man’s name as has been the practice for centuries.
Such is the nature of loving God’s name, as we begin to grasp ever more deeply His identity, His nature is tied to us, given to us as He called us and marked us with His Name in Baptism, as He put His Spirit within us, to cleanse us and bring us to maturity in Christ.
Truly this is why we would never use His name in vain, for in doing so, we mar the Name by which we have been saved, So it was with these foreigners who would find their hope, their life bound to the Lord… as they loved and called upon the name of the Lord
Third Word Treasured
This one is defeinitely Tresured
The Sabbath Rest in Christ
Everything acceptable – redeemed by Christ
Even as the Lady, who upon hearing the news that her child was healed, would forever remember and rejoice upon hearing the name Jesus. So did these, who were cut off from full participation in the assembly of saints, so did they look forward to the day when their sacrifice was accepted, when they would be brought up to the sanctuary of God, and brought into His house of prayer.
Such a joy! To go from being an outsider, to be one who could fully treasure and guard the Sabbath! Not to be its slave, as some in Jesus time thought keeping the Sabbath was to be understood. But to realize that Sabbath is the word rest, to do as the Psalmist stated, to be still and know, deeply, intimately know that the Lord Is God.
In Christ, that Sabbath rest is so keenly fulfilled, for every burden is lifted off of us, every mark that would marr us, every injury to our hearts and souls healed. That is why we treasure the Sabbath, that is why we keep it set apart. It is why we take time to pray, and to gather and celebrate the grace that is poured out upon us.
Not our duty, but to treasure the very work that God does, accounting to us a righteousness that can only be done within those He has rescued, that He has revealed as He has delivered us.
This is the purpose of the ages, to be able to receive and grasp that incredible love of God, revealed to us in Christ. Shown to us in our redemption, our reconciliation to the Father. Remembered as we contemplate how God joined us to Christ, as He took our hearts of stone, and replaced them with hearts of flesh, as He poured out water on us, and cleansed us with His word.
All of us who were outcast, since the days when Adam and Eve were sent out of the garden, wearing clothing of animal skins that spoke of the need for an acceptable sacrifice to cover out sins
A House of Prayer for all outcasts!
He’s taken our lives… to Himself!
In Isaiah’s time, they could only look for that sacrifice, they could only anticipate a day when all this would be fulfilled, when God would gather His people – all His people, even as He gathered rebellious Israel in those days. Pouring out His love, hearing their prayers,
As the lady knelt at the feet of Jesus, and with strong trust in the promised Messiah, begged that her child would be healed, the gathering was seen to be starting. It would gain full momentum when everyone of us who would be cleansed by Jesus were gathered and joined to Him in His death. Then the the power of sin would be crushed, and that we could be revived, quickened into an abundant life…
For God has done it, even as more are being re-gathered to be part of His people, part of the family that is those called, the church, the very gathering of God.
Outcasts once, servants and now friends to God. Those who love the name of their Savior, the Lord, their God. Those who have been given rest and peace, even in the midst of a world that waits for the final gathering.
As we sing take our life, realize that we are but singing what Christ has done, for the sacrifice is acceptable, and we are in His house… where He has gathered and consecrated for Himself a people, and claimed them as only God can! AMEN
Pentecost 9, August 13, 2011
The Gathering
Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
† IN HIS NAME †
Blessing: May you realize by God’s grace and mercy shown in the cross of Christ, that you are inseparably joined to the Lord, just like so many descendants of those cast out the Garden of Eden!
How Did She Know?
How could she trust, have faith in His love?
She was determined to know it – desperate to know it!
She was a fulfillment of Isaiah! An outcast gathered!
Her determination is remarkable, born out of desperation, yet equally founded in a level of trust that is more astonishing than the determination. She knew her hope for her daughter was found only in this strange outcast Jewish Rabbi.
Even as Jacob would wrestle with God, and not relent or give up until he received a blessing, so did this woman hang on with all her hope, awaiting the answer to which she had entrusted her very daughter.
How did she know He would answer? How did she know that His love would extend to her, an outcast person, below the notice of every other Jewish man? Why would she go to Him, trust Him, wrestle with Him with answers blunt that seem to be cruel and dismissive? How did she know for certain, how could her faith be so great, to hang in there, to adhere to Him, to be joined to Him, until He accepted her, and poured out the blessings far more abundant than even the healing she was seeking?
Perhaps she had heard of Jesus meeting the Canaanite woman at the well, or His healing the Centurion’s servant? It is not inconceivable, that like the woman at the well, she knew of the promises that are throughout the Old Testament. The promises like the incredible ones we see in Isaiah today. Promises that show God’s love to outcasts, to foreigners, to those that He will gather into His Kingdom, just as He has always taken care of His people! This Canaanite woman is one, whose acceptance in God’s presence, is heard in Isaiah’s record of God’s prophecy!
Jesus received her, despite being an outcast, and her worship was acceptable to Him,
Like this Lady, once an outcast, now whose faith was marveled over, such are you and I!
The Treasure Keep
Obligation versus Glorious Hope
Neglecting so great a salvation!
We have talked about the word “keep” before in English, that challenging word sometimes translated as obey, but comes from the word for guarding treasure. This is true in both Greek and Hebrew, but take a moment, and see what a difference it makes.
Obey is the word we get obligation and duty from, it is based in our ability to do what is demanded, or commanded of us. The focus is on the action, our work – our ability. But “keep” and “guarding treasure” are not so. The focus is far more on the value of what we are entrusted with – we guard it because of its value. In ancient castle keeps the queen and the children and the treasure was “kept” – and it was where the last stand would be made – where all the final effort would be focused, for if the treasure was taken, if the women and treasure of the kingdom were taken, then there was nothing else.
A few weeks ago, we heard the gospel where it talked of Christ finding in us, so great a treasure that He would give up all, His place in Heaven, His honor, and even His life to purchase us. We are the treasure in the field, and as that treasure, our redemption, our being purchased with the precious blood of Christ. And it is the message of that purchase, and the relationship that is the reason for the purchase that is our salvation that we “treasure” and keep and guard.
Even as Hebrews 2 tells us, “1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2 For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? Hebrews 2:1-3 (NLT)
It is that justice, that incredible decision of God to purchase our freedom from sin, purchasing for Himself a people, that we treasure…
Second Word Treasured
We hear this as our action
Join themselves/serve/love
Married/
As we look at verse 6-8, it is important to realize that this is describing people like the lady with the oppressed child, (we’ll look deep at this in Bible study), as the prior verse talk about those who have been cut off – some quite literally. Such foreigners and eunuchs were not allowed in the Assembly of God’s people, the Old Testament version of the church. Throughout the history of Israel though, there were people who, despite such, were joined to the people of God. Rahab the harlot, Ruth the daughter in law of Naomi, the widow Ezekiel would minister to, the enemy general, and many others.
With only a far off hope, with only hope for the “scraps from the table”, these found that hope to be in a relationship with God, ven at the most minimal levels.
That is why they would serve Him, and love His name, even enslave themselves to Him. They knew well the faithfulness of God that would deliver and save all that called on His name, who knew His loving, merciful character, who had faith in the promise that He would be a light to all nations, even as He was the hope of all Israel. They called upon His name, and they would not be disappointed.
They are described as joining themselves to Him. “Joining” is the phrase used for being the bride joined to her husband, or a country entering into a mutual defense treaty with another. It describes the united state of the two, as they become one, for instance, as the woman becomes identified with the man’s name as has been the practice for centuries.
Such is the nature of loving God’s name, as we begin to grasp ever more deeply His identity, His nature is tied to us, given to us as He called us and marked us with His Name in Baptism, as He put His Spirit within us, to cleanse us and bring us to maturity in Christ.
Truly this is why we would never use His name in vain, for in doing so, we mar the Name by which we have been saved, So it was with these foreigners who would find their hope, their life bound to the Lord… as they loved and called upon the name of the Lord
Third Word Treasured
This one is defeinitely Tresured
The Sabbath Rest in Christ
Everything acceptable – redeemed by Christ
Even as the Lady, who upon hearing the news that her child was healed, would forever remember and rejoice upon hearing the name Jesus. So did these, who were cut off from full participation in the assembly of saints, so did they look forward to the day when their sacrifice was accepted, when they would be brought up to the sanctuary of God, and brought into His house of prayer.
Such a joy! To go from being an outsider, to be one who could fully treasure and guard the Sabbath! Not to be its slave, as some in Jesus time thought keeping the Sabbath was to be understood. But to realize that Sabbath is the word rest, to do as the Psalmist stated, to be still and know, deeply, intimately know that the Lord Is God.
In Christ, that Sabbath rest is so keenly fulfilled, for every burden is lifted off of us, every mark that would marr us, every injury to our hearts and souls healed. That is why we treasure the Sabbath, that is why we keep it set apart. It is why we take time to pray, and to gather and celebrate the grace that is poured out upon us.
Not our duty, but to treasure the very work that God does, accounting to us a righteousness that can only be done within those He has rescued, that He has revealed as He has delivered us.
This is the purpose of the ages, to be able to receive and grasp that incredible love of God, revealed to us in Christ. Shown to us in our redemption, our reconciliation to the Father. Remembered as we contemplate how God joined us to Christ, as He took our hearts of stone, and replaced them with hearts of flesh, as He poured out water on us, and cleansed us with His word.
All of us who were outcast, since the days when Adam and Eve were sent out of the garden, wearing clothing of animal skins that spoke of the need for an acceptable sacrifice to cover out sins
A House of Prayer for all outcasts!
He’s taken our lives… to Himself!
In Isaiah’s time, they could only look for that sacrifice, they could only anticipate a day when all this would be fulfilled, when God would gather His people – all His people, even as He gathered rebellious Israel in those days. Pouring out His love, hearing their prayers,
As the lady knelt at the feet of Jesus, and with strong trust in the promised Messiah, begged that her child would be healed, the gathering was seen to be starting. It would gain full momentum when everyone of us who would be cleansed by Jesus were gathered and joined to Him in His death. Then the the power of sin would be crushed, and that we could be revived, quickened into an abundant life…
For God has done it, even as more are being re-gathered to be part of His people, part of the family that is those called, the church, the very gathering of God.
Outcasts once, servants and now friends to God. Those who love the name of their Savior, the Lord, their God. Those who have been given rest and peace, even in the midst of a world that waits for the final gathering.
As we sing take our life, realize that we are but singing what Christ has done, for the sacrifice is acceptable, and we are in His house… where He has gathered and consecrated for Himself a people, and claimed them as only God can! AMEN
