May 13, 2018-This is It

In 1980 Kenny Loggins received the Grammy for a song he co-wrote with Michael McDonald called, “This is it”

Mr. Loggins was quoted as saying, regarding this song,

“The best musical statements are usually the ones that aren’t calculated and the ones that come out in the largest chunks.” www.songfacts.com/detail.php?=10363

The “chunk” he was referring to was his father’s heart attack, and the effect it had on Kenny when he felt his father may just be giving up.

He wrote the song, “This is it” from the deepest expressions of the despair in his soul, as he contemplated losing his father to death.

When the song came out in 1979, the critics quickly panned it as “Boring” and “Not working as a love song” totally misunderstanding the seat of emotions from which it sprang.

But without any knowledge of Kenny’s Father, a girl, wrote Mr. Loggins about nearly dying herself; and his song was what she held onto, because the lyrics were her personal anthem that helped her get through.

Kenny went on to say, “All she knew was that the song was right on the nose for her, exactly what Michael and I had intended.  That makes you feel like you’re doing something important.” www.songfacts.com/detail.php?=10363

Today in our Epistle, it is as if John is telling us 3 different times, This is IT…concerning Jesus, concerning eternal life and concerning the confidence we can have in God.

This is IT, Elder John testifies concerning the reality of Jesus.

This is not new for him and his parishioners.  He didn’t make it up and we should never doubt the veracity of Jesus.

As I indicated last week, God’s law was well understood over 5,000 years ago…

…But even more than that…all the way back to Adam and Eve themselves…

It was understood that there would be a Messiah that would intervene for the sins they already committed that caused their banishment from the Garden of Eden.

God the Father told Satan as much in the presence of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 saying,

“I will put enmity between you and the

      Woman,

  and between your offspring and her

      offspring;

  he shall bruise your head,

    and you shall bruise his heel.”

UTIOTHS the Apostle Paul adds in Romans 16:20

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

So when Eve gave birth to Cain, in Genesis 4:1 she said a curious thing, “I have gotten a man of the Lord”

Our Modern English Standard Version translation says “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord”

But leading Hebraists Gerhard Von Rad states unequivocally that she was certainly not saying “with the help of” since that word in Hebrew never means that.

Luther marvelously unpacks Eve’s emotions at that moment and reveals what very well may have been on her heart saying,

“I have gotten the man of God who will conduct himself more properly and with greater good fortune than my Adam and I conducted ourselves in paradise”

Luther then adds what all of us know too well…

“But she is mistaken in the person; …the promise indeed was definite and sure; but nothing had been indicated about the person…

…Therefore when Eve reaches a decision about the person, she errs, and vainly assigns so lofty and joyful a name to her son.” (AE 1:242)

While the person may not have been understood the truth of the knowledge of a Messiah is undeniable over 5,000 years ago, and 2500 years later he was revealed in the person of the God man Jesus. 

This is IT, the shepherds and the angels cried at the birth of our Redeemer God in the flesh.

Peace on earth good will toward men, the seed of Eve has come to crush the head of the serpent Satan.

This is IT, in Jesus; God gave to us eternal life and this life can only be found in His Son!

Indeed, no one lives out-side of this God Man the Christ.

Oh the endless pain the early church members must have felt knowing Jesus conquered death and promised that exact resurrection from the dead to them as well.

How they ran through out the Roman Empire without fear from persecution, even if they were martyred for the Faith, they knew Jesus would raise them from the dead!

But still the pain they must have felt when people rejected the truth.

Begging them to simply believe what they already knew to be true.

Knowing they could be saved too, from certain death and damnation if they simply believed that Jesus died and rose for their sins as well.

While there is no life outside of Jesus there is always room for more who need Jesus.

No Christian would ever deny the need to share Christ with the unchurched.

Here at Faith on November 10th we will be hosting classes to help you do just that and nurture the yearning your Christ like hearts feel, and help train you for witness to the lost.

Everyone needs our Savior Jesus whose forgiveness is endless and indiscriminate.

Share it like the early church did; because you have an abundance that pours out from you with plenty for everyone.

And share it with the reckless abandon of a sinner who is saved and simply wants everyone else saved too.

This is IT, the confidence we have that if we ask anything according to His will he hears us.

The other day I visited Shirley and Tom.  Tom has been sick for some time and we have been praying for his recovery.

Finally it came before my last visit and Shirley accepted my joy saying,

“It must have been your prayers! Pastor!”  I immediately replied,

“No Shirley God did it…my prayers were simply the wailing of a child begging the heavenly Father to intervene on Tom’s behalf…thankfully that is what God wanted too…

But even if Tom had not gotten better, God’s will, would have been accomplished, in that case as well; for his servant would be resting in perfect peace in the arms of his Savior Jesus.

God’s will is always accomplished,

“Where he breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world and our own sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His Kingdom come; and when he strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die, this is His good and gracious will!” (LSC 3rd Petition Meaning)

Sometimes; it is God’s will to even break our will.

Honestly, do we really ever want our will to be accomplished?

Getting what we want all the time may find us thinking to ourselves…This is IT?

What we can conceive of, what we think we want; is nothing more than a pathetic childish empty nothing of an excuse compared to the life God wants for us. 

But when the eternal creator gives us the incorruptible new heavens and new earth, we will all agree together…indeed…This is IT! AMEN