Ash Wednesday, 2018, 7 PM Central
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 1 p. 123
The Lection Joel 2:12-19
Matthew 6:16-2
The Sermon – Treasures in Heaven
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45
KJV Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. 19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
KJV Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
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Treasures in Heaven
KJV Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Luther wrote about the fashion of his time, to go about looking sad and mournful, to make oneself look holy and earn the praises of others. In fact, I read about one pope who established himself early as very pious because of this action. He was also one of the most corrupt in a very corrupt age.
The problem with this is, that people then imagine they are paying for their sins by being mournful, instead of rejoicing in the forgiveness of sin. Human nature is such that people always get this wrong and want to pay for their sins for suffering, which means that Jesus did not do enough. They must finish the effort and earn the reward. By denying God's grace and the meaning of the Atonement, people add sins to their sin, compounding the problem. One way or another, they harden their hearts with the notion they can repeat this in the future, suffering to pay for those sins.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
This is the source of endless commentary in all forms of literature - faking an attitude to fool others. But of course, that really does not matter because God knows our hearts. There is really quite a cutting remark in the verse above - those who gain the regard of others for their show of piety, sorrow, mournfulness - they already have their reward, from man. Various people admire him and suggest him for a higher spiritual office. This can put someone on a course of fakery until it becomes too much. If not outwardly tragic, inwardly the person hardens his heart and despises the role he thinks he must play. That is why some clergy will put on a great show and be successful in the eyes of others, then become atheists and abandon everything.
The Word is effective in converting people to faith and in nurturing that faith. But those who treat the Word as a meal-ticket and a soft cushion begin to hate the prison they build for themselves.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
The more we gain, the more we need to protect it. If we have a smart-phone, we need a case that helps to keep it whole. And then we may need an insurance policy for when it is lost, stolen, or broken.
God gives us many things to enjoy and love, but not so we build an altar to them and supplant the true worship with veneration of earthly objects or institutions. One pastor's wife was asked about a church. She said, "It's beautiful, but they worship every brick in that church." The person who asked was from that church and was not pleased. Sometimes it is a church building or a house or an institution.
One of the Lutheran pioneers (Schmauk, perhaps) said he did not worry if a congregation or another church institution failed. That was not his concern because the Word of God remains forever, nothing else. On the news I look at vast buildings and priceless stained glass windows, where people gather to mock the Gospel in the name of the Gospel - not in subtle ways, but the most blatant ways possible. It is as if they have borrowed my history books of the Roman Empire (too bad, I tossed them) and studied how to be as depraved. They have taken over what grew from the Word because several generations mistook the bricks and glass for the church.
In a few decades, they will be art museums and theaters, something seen all over New England, where Calvinism once reigned.
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Treasure is a good word to remember, treasures in heaven is even better. What is this treasure that cannot be corrupted, cannot rust away, cannot be stolen? It was a favorite word of the Lutheran Reformation. Luther used it often in his Large Catechism. I am listing the occurrences at the end of this sermon.
We can see the Gospel = Treasure in their writing. And in the New Testament, the Gospel is Jesus dying for the sins of the world. Needless to say, the rationalists get this wrong. They are intoxicated by their own ideas that they forget their ideas are not in the Bible.
The atoning death of Christ did not absolve the entire world of its sins. Most people realize this, and the covert Universalists will not listen.
The good news is that there is nothing man can do for the forgiveness of sin and salvation because Christ has already paid the price. That is why we call Jesus Savior and Redeemer.
All of the Scriptures support this proclamation of the Gospel, and Jesus' own sermons do so as well. (The blind opponents do not see this either, but they blind themselves through the Word by constantly opposing the Word.)
What we can learn from the great teachers of the past is this - the Bible itself is a great treasure because it is a unified Truth written to create faith in the hearts of all people, to nourish that faith, to give confidence and hope and security in this Word of Truth.
Because this Gospel is God's treasure, no one can take it away. No circumstance can change it. It is eternal and everlasting.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
On Valentine's Day, the heart is the symbol of romantic love. But we know the heart is the sign of many kinds of love. When people have babies, they discover an intense love they never knew before. Grandparents are even more smitten. If the Word of God is the greatest treasure to us, our heart will always concentrate on that love.
Loving the Gospel Word of Jesus does not detract from any other love. In fact, that teaches us more about genuine love, since His love comes to us undeserved and makes us beloved brothers and members of His family.
That love from the Savior constantly influences how we love our spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, and neighbors. Getting even has a way of multiplying and never ending. However, being considerate and forgiving has the same power and is just as contagious.
The difference is, getting even is powered from the Old Adam. Gospel love is fueled only by the Word of Grace. If we neglect that, the Old Adam will grow dominant and forget about the great and everlasting treasure of the Gospel.
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Greek for Tonight
Newcomers should get Paine's NT Greek Book, linked here.
1 εν αρχη
ην ο λογος και ο λογος ην προς τον θεον και θεος ην ο λογος
2 ουτος ην εν αρχη προς τον
θεον
3 παντα δι αυτου εγενετο και
χωρις αυτου εγενετο ουδε εν ο γεγονεν
4 εν αυτω ζωη ην και η ζωη
ην το φως των ανθρωπων
5 και το φως εν τη σκοτια
φαινει και η σκοτια αυτο ου κατελαβεν
