Brent Kuhlman

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Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost / Proper 18                                                                                     

5 September 2010                                   

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.” 

Who would dare to preach a sermon like that?  Moses.  Right as Israel is about to go in to the Promised Land under the pastoral care of Joshua. “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.” 

And he dares to preach it to you:  the new Israel as you stand on the border of the Promised Land of heaven.  Ready to enter under the leadership of the second and last Moses:  Jesus.

So what will it be?  Life or death?  Blessings or curses?  You can’t walk the fence.  You can’t straddle both sides. 

You either trust in the one true God who brought Israel up out of Egypt, baptized her in the Red Sea, brought her to Himself at Mount Sinai, fed her with manna and quail, and gave her water from the rock and have life.  Or you trust in Molech, Baal or Asherah – idols – and face destruction and death.   

You either trust in that same God, Jesus, who brought you out of the slavery to sin, death and hell, who baptized you with water that flowed from His pierced side, who as the Passover Lamb feeds you with His Good Friday roasted body and poured out blood and have life.  Or you trust in false gods and receive devastation and demise.

Again, there’s no middle ground.  When the Lord says:  “You shall have no other gods,” He means it.  It’s no joke.  Not just idle talk.  He created you.  He saved you through His Son Jesus.  And He has holied you by His Holy Spirit-filled word of forgiveness for Christ’s sake.  To treat Jesus, His Good Friday death, Easter Sunday resurrection and His Word of Promise as nothings – is very, very serious matter.  It is a matter of life or death.  Eternal life or eternal death.   

So why are we so cavalier, nonchalant, and apathetic about this?  It’s really quite simple.  We are no better than Israel of old.  We trust in idols that make false promises.  Because deep down we do what we want when we want.   Like we’re in control of everything.  We live any way we want even if our lives clearly and deliberately disobey God and His Word.

Given the choice between so many rivals and Jesus what do we choose?  We know what we choose.  Work.  Play.  Athletics.  The pillow.  Whatever.  You name it.  Even “quality” family time comes before Jesus.  Yes, that’s right.  I’ll never forget a conversation with one “Lutheran” mother about Sunday mornings.  “Reverend, I can’t bring my family to church because that’s the only time we have together as a family.”  As if hearing the good news of Jesus Christ in Sunday School, sermon and Sacrament didn’t qualify as spending “quality” time with the family.  And so the tragic choice has been made.  No Jesus.  No receiving any gifts from Him.  The choice of death and destruction was made all under the “lie” of true piety, real religion, and real life.    

What’s behind such “religious” and “pious” sounding chicanery?  Idolatry!  Yes, that’s right, idolatry. The love of self.  Curved in our ourselves.  We fear, love, and trust in ourselves above all things – even Jesus.  AND THEN WE HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TALK OURSELVES INTO BELIEVING THAT THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO CONSEQUENCES FOR SUCH IDOLATRY! 

And that’s when Moses hits us right between the eyes with a sermon that would shatter and demolish our idolatry.  To put a deadly end to it before it is too late.  “But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.” “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.” 

Brothers and sisters, what will it be?  It is not too late.  It’s time to “count the cost.”  Now is the day of salvation.  Now is the time of God’s favor.  So it is time to repent.  To turn from our idolatry and turn back to trusting in Jesus with and for everything.  Nothing comes before Him.  Nothing.  Why? 

Because He’s the Savior.  Jesus, “the Lord your God is life.”  He is the way, the truth and the life.  “Listen to his voice.”  For in it is mercy and forgiveness.  For every sin.  For every sinner.

You are very precious to Him.  He took up a cross for you.  His blood was shed for you.  He gave His life for you.  He gave Himself wholly and completely into death for you.  And for your salvation. 

We daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment.  We are like the prodigal son.  But Jesus, through His perfect obedience and vicarious suffering on the cross, reconciled you and me to His Father.  And our heavenly Father, through Jesus, is always ready to forgive us.  He waits and then runs out to meet returning sinners with open arms.  So that on the Last Day we will enter the Promised Land of heaven as Jesus uses the holy angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heaven (Mark 13:26f.). 

Until then, Life and Salvation Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life Jesus -- stands before you every Sunday in His Word and Sacrament with His forgiveness, “life and prosperity.”  

In the Name of Jesus.