Ninth Sunday after Trinity
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My Dear Brothers and SIsters in Christ, last week I encouraged you to dig into the Word of God to know whether or not what your pastor teaches is in accordance with what God has passed down to you through the Prophets and Apostles. Now if you cracked open the book and started at the beginning you would find quite the list of characters with strange names in strange places. You will also find that people which are in there are not all that decent people. It can be a bit surprising, because the Bible is not interested in painting the best picture of people, but it speaks honestly about the people of God, and they are plagued by many of the same flaws and challenges that we still face today. Even though the names and places and technology changes, people remain the same.
St. Paul then explains in our Epistle lesson why these things were recorded for your benefit that you might learn from their example what you should not do. Our lesson cuts off the first few verses which let us know that everything that he is referring to is looking at the time of the Israelites in the Wilderness and was leading them through the wilderness to promised land they fell victim to all manner of temptations and sins that were snares to them along the way. But He points out that these things were written down not to discourage us, but rather that we might see where the pitfalls, the snares, and booby traps are positioned and be able to avoid them when they come up.
In the wilderness, you see how the Israelites fell victim to a series of sins, the first one he starts with is idolatry, this is to worship something other than God. Now this happened when Moses was up on the mountain but the people weren’t satisfied with how things were going. Instead they determined that they would take matters into their own hands and setup an idol that they could worship.
As though that were not enough they then rose up to play and indulged in sexual immorality and 23,000 died that day, then they grumbled about the food that the Lord was providing and so he sent fiery serpents amongst them to learn not to grumble. If you read through the history of the Israelites you read everything that they went through and you begin to wonder why didn’t they get it? Look at all the various ways that they were afflicted after they did what was wrong and they did not learn. You will see this pattern throughout the Old Testament you will see that time and time again this happens to them. They are close to God for a while, but then they start desiring Evil, and fall from grace.
Now Paul urges all Christians to look at this because we as Christians are not to put Christ to the test like the Israelites put him to the test in the Old Testament. For God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and the God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament, and is your God still today. For the wrath of God does still exist however, God desires mercy and love for you, not that people perish in their sins.
So God had the Old Testament recorded that we might see what happens to those who indulge their sins and their failings to show us a path that is safe. Because God earnestly desires our salvation, he does not wish to see anyone perish but that they might have life in him. He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but will provide a way of escape, which means we are running from it that we might not fall victim to it. He is also very clear that the only temptations we face are those that are common to man, which is to say that the temptations they faced then are the same temptations that you face today.
It is as though God has handed us a map and said this is the route to take, and here is what happened to those who wandered off the map. Now if you know that, do you try to figure out your own route? When God says that you take a left, that you instead take a right? When you see ahead what looks like a cliff do you say to yourself, eh I’ve jumped off bigger? No, you look at the course, and you figure out oh we are not where we are supposed to be, but if that is the danger, then why do we end up lost and in trouble so often.
That is because temptation is a tricky thing it rarely tempts you with death, but it offers to you what your heart wants, temptations promises to give you what you feel you deserve, more money, more fame, better relationships, you’ll be well liked, all of that is handed with the little bow on top that promises it will assure you there will be little to no consequences and even if there some consequences won’t your life be better? At least that is how it starts, and we listen to those lies that are whispered to us and in the short term it does yield something pleasurable.
Once the temptation drags you in and keeps leading you further and further into danger, and it becomes easier to go with it and easier to just stay that course than to find your way back to what is right. Because when you look back to think about stopping, a person sees what they have done, and what they are ashamed of, and if they go back, they have to admit, that they have done a lot of wrong.
When you fall into sin, you know this struggle, and you know the guilt and the shame, that comes with it and it keeps pulling you forward. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, he then turned to lies, and then to murder. It ended up costing David his son. Now If David who penned how many psalms could fall, then you need to pay attention. For it might not be sexual immorality that nabs you, but deceit, it could be cowardice, it could be pride, it can even be placing something as being more important than faith, work, recreation, even family, etc. It can lead you far away from the faith until you are in danger. Is it too late for you at that point?
Now the other thing we also learn from the Old Testament is about God’s grace and His mercy. When you read the Old Testament and you find out about how the Israelites messed up time and time again and fell into God’s wrath, the only reason they were saved, was because of this little Hebrew Word, Chesed. We learned about Chesed in the Thursday Morning Bible Study as we worked through the Minor Prophets. The word has two common meanings, the first is mercy, and the second is steadfast love and it means both. That is why the Israelites survived, it wasn’t because they made amends and righted all of the wrongs they did, it wasn’t because they found their way back. They were spared because God is faithful. When He makes a promise He keeps it, and that is why even though the Israelites did not deserve to enter into the promised land, God had made a promise that He would rescue them, and even though they committed great sins, He kept His Word to them.
That is why when God sent those fiery serpents, he also told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole that whoever had been bit would look at it and they would not die. He provides a way out that His people might be spared and He has provided a way for you as well. So if you are deep in sin, covered in shame, and guilt and don’t think there is no hope for you. For God’s Chesed extends to you as well. When we look at the Cross, we don’t see a bronze serpent setup on a pole, but rather we are reminded of what the Son of God has done for you. See there God’s steadfast love and mercy incarnate in His only begotten Son. For there upon the Cross is Jesus taking your guilt and your shame upon himself, and as He is lifted up high that every eye might see him.
Jesus entered into the world not to join us in our sins, but to find us when we were well off the road, and bring us back to God. Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness and has enlightened the heart of men, for God desires your salvation, He wants you to be in paradise with Him, and that is why He sent His Son into this World to save you. He does not want you to be trapped in your sins but rather to enter into promised land of the Kingdom of Heaven. That is why he has fed and nourished you not just with bread and wine, but with his body and blood.
So when temptation comes again, remember what you have read, think about what your sins brought you, think about what the Israelites went through, no matter how beautiful it may appear in moment, no matter what riches it might promise you, it isn’t worth leaving the path of life. Why risk being one of those who ended up perishing in the wilderness? Rather stay by Jesus, you Good Shepherd who is that Word made flesh, and He will lead you beside still waters and to good pasture. He will lead you past many temptations, and you will have something far better, the chesed of God.
So my brothers and sisters in Christ, read the Old Testament and learn what God wants us to learn so that we are not led into temptation. Whenever temptation comes flee from it, have nothing to do with it, stick by Christ for the end of the ages has come and the day draws near that we will enter into paradise, and we want everyone to be there. Should you find yourself trapped deep in your sins, stop moving forward for you are only running away from the one who is coming to save you. In Jesus name. Amen.