Laying Hold of Jesus

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

One of the things common to man is the tendency to doubt the things of God. In fact, during the Age of Enlightenment, it became something of a fad to doubt the existence of God, or anything that could not be empirically measured and analyzed. The French philosopher Rene Descartes asserted that, “I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am.” It took awhile, but eventually this tendency toward doubt even has spilled over into the Church.

From an human perspective, doubting is much easier than believing. After all, creation is inexplicable. For how many centuries has man been attempting to unravel the mystery of the beginning of the universe? Some propose the Big Bang Theory. Others say it always has been. Who knows? How can we ever really figure out our own origins?

Just consider something much smaller, less complex. Consider the beginning of a single human life. Yes, you can sit in health class or in a doctor's office and hear a description of the mechanics of how human life begins in the womb, how that single cell divides and differentiates and becomes a fully formed new person. But how does it happen? What makes it work that way? So many things can go wrong, and only a very limited number of things can go right.

The beginning of a life is truly a great and wonderful mystery, a secret hidden in the mind and heart of God. But because this mystery is hidden from man, man despises it. You see, when you doubt something, you unconsciously start to despise it. It is unknown, and therefore frightening in some way. And it is inferior. Because if it were acceptable, it would be knowable.

You want to set yourself, your intellect, your understanding, above that of God. And when it comes to human life, that means that you claim to decide when life should start, or when a life newly started should continue. And with the workings of modern medicine, these life-or-death decisions are reduced to “choices” or “options”. Just take the Pill, and you will not have to worry about children that you do not want. You can be fruitful and multiply on your own terms, regardless of what God may want. Husband and wife need not join in one flesh unless they want.

Look around you, and see the miracles that occur everyday all around us. The flowers open each morning, and the bees and butterflies come. You open your mouth and speak, and the words flow out of you and into those around you, and they have an effect. You open your eyes and light streams in, and you see all that is around you. A single seed planted in the ground becomes a great plant, and brings forth many more seeds.

But you seek to pervert the stewardship which God has given you over His gifts into your own dominion. You would take what has been given to you and assert that it is your own to do with as you please. The gain is not a gift of God, but profit from your own hard labor. You plant and tend, and you get the harvest. You work hard, and you earn the money. And after a while, your dominion slips as you become a slave to the things you are supposed to care for. The fields dictate your life. Your bank account determines your decision-making. The idols of your own choosing begin to wall you in.

And because of all this, you doubt even more that God is here. Even if you believe that there is a God, you are tempted to doubt that He cares for you. If you doubt His existence, then what assurance do you have that He is there, much less there to care for and love you? So, you see that the end of doubt is despair. When you are in trouble, there is no one to save you. When your sins afflict you, there is no one to forgive you, to redeem you.

But the prophet proclaims that this is certainly not the case. Just because you may doubt the Lord's existence, He never ceases to be God. And as surely as He is God, so also is He good. You have the promise, “For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though He cause grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love; for He does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.”

As much as you may doubt, the things of God are sure. His Word endures forever. His steadfast love never fails. And His truth never fades nor diminishes. What is that truth? The joyous truth is that the Lord God has had compassion upon you. While you were yet dead in sins and trespasses according to the desires of the flesh, your heavenly Father sent His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ to bear your sins and be your savior. That spotless Lamb of God took the yoke of sin and death that lay heavy upon you and carried it to the cross, where it was washed away in the flood of blood and water that flowed from His pierced side. He was buried in the death that should have been yours, but was raised again to new life, which only God could possess. And He gives that life to you, now and always.

Just as certainly as Jesus has come into the flesh, died for you, and lives and reigns to all eternity, so also has He sent the Holy Spirit upon you. The Spirit calls to you with the Word of the Lord, calling you to faith in Jesus Christ. He calls you to abandon doubt and idle speculation. He calls you to cast down the idols of your heart and mind. He calls you to turn from darkness into the light. He calls you to believe that the Lord is God and that He is good and merciful to you. Always.

In order that you may be certain about this glorious Good News, God has given you the means to take hold of them. He has given to you His Holy Word and His blessed Sacraments, and He has instituted the Office of the Holy Ministry, so that there be a steward to deliver them to you. When you question whether you are saved, you can point to that water poured upon your head in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. When you question whether that sin which afflicts your conscience can be forgiven, you can stand upon the word of Holy Absolution which your pastor speaks to you. When you hunger for truth and communion with God through, you can receive the forgiveness of your sins and strength to face life's daily challenges by drinking down the life-blood of Christ given to you in His Holy Supper.

All these gifts are given that you might not doubt, but firmly believe and trust in His steadfast love which abides forever. For the Holy Spirit has not worked within you a spirit of weakness and doubt, but a spirit of truth and confidence. Faith trusts in the promises of God, and God has promised forgiveness, life, and salvation in Jesus' name.

Therefore, since God has promised it, faith makes you bold to lay claim to that which God has promised you. Like Jacob, you can wrestle with God, cling to Him and cry out, “I will not let you go unless you bless me!” For in your wrestling, you must and you will lay hold of God and His promises. Faith points you to the sure Word of God upon which your faith is built and anchored. And, standing on His Word, you demand what He has promised to you. He has promised to be your Father and to give you all that you need to support this body and life. He has promised to hear your confession and forgive your sins for Christ's sake. He has promised to preserve your life from the pit.

This is the faith that led the woman who suffered from a discharge to go and touch Jesus. St. Mark records that she said to herself, “If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.” She had suffered for many years, costing her all she had and making her ritually unclean. But she still held firm to the hope that God was powerful to save her. And therefore she was cleansed, and Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” She trusted in God to deliver her out of her affliction, and He did. Even though it took twelve years, the Lord had mercy on His servant.

In faith, then, you cling to the promises of God for your life and salvation. Where else are you going to turn? To whom other are you going to look? Did you create yourself, that you can provide completely for yourself? No, God is God, and He is good. Look to the Lord God for your forgiveness, life, and salvation, for His steadfast love endures forever.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.