The Anointed

There is this ancient object called The Cyrus Cylinder. I’ve put a small picture of it nearby. Inscribed in cuneiform on it is the announcement of Cyrus and the Persian’s victory over the Babylonian Empire and the reasons the victory happened. Those reasons according to the Cylinder are three: 1) The Babylonian King Nabonidus had suppressed the cult of Marduk, 2) That Marduk chose Cyrus to free his cult and 3) The reasons Marduk chose Cyrus were his virtues, strength and leadership skill. In other words, “I’m so great even a god needed help from me.”

We don’t always have such an archeological piece as the Cyrus Cylinder, but I often get the feeling the important parts of the Old Testament are written more or less as counterweights to ancient propaganda or myths. That Yahweh would occasionally get a bit annoyed as the pompous pride or simply the mythic falsehood and pronounce something like our Old Testament Lesson from Isaiah 45:1-7. And since it is the word of God it stands while the boasts of rulers disappear. In this case The LORD spells out three reasons why “Cyrus is my anointed (Isaiah 45:1).” And none of those reasons line up with the Cylinder.

The first reason is so that we might know that “the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name” is also the one who breaks the doors of bronze and cuts through the iron bars. Just like Pharoah starts off boasting that he does not know this LORD, by the end, at the bottom of the sea, he certainly did. And recorded in Ezra 1:2-4 Cyrus issues just this acknowledgement. “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. (Ezr. 1:2 ESV)” The second reason that the LORD has chosen Cyrus is so that his people might return from exile. “For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by name, though you do not know me (Isaiah 45:4).” Israel in exile had heard the prophet Isaiah’s promises of return, but they despaired of them coming true. How could they ever? And the last reason Isaiah gives is that “people may know, from the rising of the sun to its setting, that there is none besides me; I AM THE LORD, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:6).” Unlike Cyrus’ boast about Marduk and the gods need for him, there is no Marduk. There is only The LORD. And The LORD keeps his promises. Especially when we have no idea how it can be done.

Our hope does not rest on the virtues or strengths of any human ruler. The LORD calls them today and tomorrow they are gone. If the LORD wants something done, it will be done. And the LORD works these things out for the good of his people. While we walk in darkness the LORD brings light (Isaian 45:7). While we experience calamity, it is the LORD who brings well-being. And he does it in the most amazing ways. Our hope is in the character of the LORD himself.

And what is this character? It is Christ who knocks down the gates of brass – Satan’s lies – and cuts through the iron fetters – our sins – which had bound us. We who looked for treasures in the darkness and hoards in secret places and came away empty have been given heaven by grace. We have been given the name of God that is above all names. And God himself has written our names on the palm of his hands. Christ is our Cyrus, and a much better anointed he has been, opening gates that will not be closed (Isaiah 45:1).”

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The One About a Three Legged Pig

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Biblical Text: Acts 11:1-18; (Revelation 21:1-7)

The text of the sermon is largely Peter’s vision of the heavenly tablecloth descending which ended up at Gentile Pentecost. It’s a story about ceremonial laws – clean and unclean – and how they play no role in the Kingod of God. Now most of us probably don’t think we have ceremonial laws which is crazy. Because we are constantly making clean and unclean distinctions. And constantly making new ones. They are much easier to render judgement upon. What this sermon does is two things. It attempts to teach some distinctions in the law: moral, civil and ceremonial. And then it proclaims like Jesus to Peter, “what God has made clean, do not call common.” For God made all things good. And Christ is remaking all things. Our clean and unclean distinctions, our ceremonial laws, better not get in the way of the Work of God.

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Not Today’s Tom Sawyer

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Biblical Text: Mark 4:35-41, Job 38:1-11

This is the “free will” or bondage of the will sermon. The texts of the day, at least to me, set it up perfectly. The effect of the law in our day I believe is felt most acutely when we are talking about knowledge or technique. We all have a sense that something is wrong, but natural man today believes everything could be solved simply with more knowledge or better technique. Enter the God of the whirlwind from Job. “Who is this who darkens my council with words without knowledge?” That doesn’t prevent us from holding onto that. Our situation is so ruined and dire – we have no free will in spiritual things – that even omniscience wouldn’t do us any good. We need a savior. We need someone to change the rules. And the that is what Jesus does. He fulfills the law. He has perfect knowledge and technique. And to our broken want-ers what he offers is grace. Have faith. God loves you and will see you through.

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What Child is This?

Advent 3 at St. Mark’s is the Children’s pageant. On the old calendar it would be Guadete Sunday meaning rejoice. It would after be a mini-Christmas or feel like it. You light the pink candle on the Advent wreath. If you were at the Cathedral they might even have rose altar cloths and stoles. Not being the Cathedral we have a pink candle. And given societal changes, like an entire family not being in one congregation any more whether due to moves or disruptions, things that put demands on families need to be done outside of prime time. So while my childhood pageants were on Christmas Eve, ours are on Advent 3. My message before the children does some of that reflecting – a bit of nostalgia – before hopefully putting a good frame on the kids presentation. What Child is This was the theme. The answer is king and savior, but also ours. We can proclaim Christ, but it does no good if we don’t welcome him in our hearts.

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From Heaven Above (A Shepherds and Angels Children’s Pageant)

Today was our Children’s Pageant. The pageant this year was built around the hymn “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come”. That is LSB 358 is you would like to see all 15 verse by Luther. The recording here is my homily introducing the kids followed by the children’s songs and sayings. The photos are parson’s wife’s as I didn’t get a chance this year (thank you!). They did an outstanding job. Lend and ear and a voice if you would like to sing along.

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