Holy Destruction based on Jeremiah 26:8-15

Holy Destruction

based on Jeremiah 26:8-15

Lent 2 – March 7, 2004

Pastor Richard Mau

Immanuel Lutheran – Des Plaines, IL

Today’s Scripture

Psalm 4     Jeremiah 26:8-15     Philippians 3:17-4:1     Luke 13:31-35

            In 2001 was an incident in Australia. At Cape Jarvis, a tourist boat would took people out to see a large, dead whale. The people were allowed to walk around on the floating carcass of this whale and watch while sharks ate the whale. A news clip showed some of the people petting the heads of sharks as they ate the whale’s flesh. [1]A local official immediately sought legislation to, “protect people that were too stupid to protect themselves.”

            Isn’t that like any one of us? Remember when your parents told you, “Don’t touch it because it is hot.” Eventually you touched it anyway. And it hurt! Sometimes it hurt so bad that either frightened and in pain or quietly and humbly you had to go back and cry out to your parents for help to soothe that pain, to nurse and heal the injury. Of course that never happens as we get older, does it? Too often something disastrous has to happen before we, as a people, take steps to correct something that is harmful. We see the signs and know the situation exists, but ignore it and let it continue.

            Even God’s holy things are subject to destruction when his people ignore his word, his commands given only in love for his people to live blessed and fruitful lives. Jeremiah in today’s Old Testament reading speaks of holy destruction of the temple. As confident as the people in Jerusalem were, he prophesied that even the great temple would be destroyed and the city become desolate and deserted. He compared this to the destruction of Shiloh when the Philistines overran that city and took the Ark of the Covenant with them. Jeremiah’s warning is directed at the practice of the people in worshiping false gods, no tliving in true faith and faithfully to God our maker and redeemer.

            Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians about people who live as enemies of the cross. As he describes three characteristics, we can relate to them today. Their god is their stomach, or their worldly lusts and desires. Their glory is in their shame. People are so proud of the evil things they do, even seeking ways to make the most righteous of civil laws justify ungodly practices. Minds are set on earthly things. Accumulating and consuming exhaust our time, energies and resources, including the time, energies and resources God gives to focus on the most important and eternal gifts he gives. When people bow down   in this way to earthly things, eternal destruction is not long to come.

            Jesus’ words in the Gospel (Luke) speaks of those who resist the Lord also. By Jesus’ time was the history of God’s people who had killed prophets sent to them and were about to kill him too. In spite of all of this, God sent Jeremiah at that specific time, and Jesus for all time, to gather his people from eternal harm as a hen gathers her young to protect them from impending danger.

            Whether in Jeremiah’s day, Jesus’ day, or today, people do not like hearing God’s word when it disrupts their chosen lifestyles. In selfish thinking, we respond, “How can you prophesy anything against God’s house and his people?” We hear it so strongly today when in our own nation and community we are taken aback when a natural or man-caused disaster strikes. “Why, we’re too good to have that happen,” is what we hear ourselves say. “What did I/we/they do to deserve this?”

            Last week, we heard how all believers in Christ comprise God’s holy nation. That community of believers is held strong only when the people remain faithful in God’s word. That community of believers can crumble when it no longer accepts God’s word as his good and perfect word. That community of believers can crumble when it falls into squabbles and infighting among its members. That community of believers can gradually fade away when the importance of mission becomes maintaining tradition and heritage for those purposes only, instead of pursuing mission of building the community of believers. That community of believers will disintegrate over time when it is based on individual and group pride in self, rather than boasting in the work of Christ for all.

            The people in Jerusalem were angry at Jeremiah’s words. They went out to kill him. They were no different with Jeremiah than they were with Jesus hundreds of years later by turning him over to the civil authorities, to make themselves look good by prompting a civil government to do their dirty work for them. In that, the focus would be away from God’s word and on what the courts had to say. It was all because God’s word went straight to their hearts and told plainly what God’s commands are and what men’s sins are. It didn’t feel good. There were hurt egos. It isn’t easy to say, “I have not lived as God has commanded.” It is like self-incrimination. It is like, “I am as guilty as all sin, but let’s see if there is some loop hole or way of swaying the jury to acquit me.” It hurts to give up sinful and ungodly habits, practices, and living patterns.

            Note how God didn’t let Jeremiah off the hook after his first prophecy? He didn’t say, “OK now Jeremiah, you gave it the old college try and they didn’t buy it. You can go now and I’ll cook the turkeys.” No, God sent Jeremiah back again in the face of people anxious to not just muzzle him but to kill him. God is persistent in sending out his word over and over again. Just as Jesus cried out with compassion for Jerusalem he also declared that he would come back when they would return crying, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” God knows we are stubborn people. He uses the term “stiff-necked” to describe sinful people no less than nineteen times. God knows he needs to keep knocking at the doors of peoples’ hearts, sometimes many times, sometimes destroying the things that are dear to them, to bring people to turn hearts and hopes to him for the greatest gifts, forgiveness of sins and eternal life with him.

            Holy destruction. God destroyed the temple. He dispersed his people in the Babylonian captivity. God brought the faithful back together again. And again he destroyed the temple and dispersed the disciples and apostles to all corners of the world in order to save many. God allowed himself to be destroyed, only to raise it up again on the third day to show he has power even over death.

            One thing is constant throughout God’s word. He destroys evil and replaces it with good. In the order of baptism is the question, “Do you renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways?” That is followed by stating what we believe in the words of the Apostles’ Creed and then the gifts given in those precious drops of water connected with God’s word of promise.   In the order of our service we repeat that pledge to renounce Satan as we confess sins both known and unknown, the sins people see and hear as well as those hidden in our hearts so dear. That prayer of confession and repentance is followed by the gracious words our Lord gives your pastor to say on his behalf, “Your sins are forgiven!”

Without God’s word and faith in his love and promises it seems like it hurts, like it destroys something precious to give up earthly and sinful joys and splendors. When a person lives God’s word, the joy of salvation is restored to hearts torn by realization of sin. Guilt and shame and hiding and sliding are washed away in the waters of baptism. Reading and studying and studying and reading Gods’ word builds up hearts that trust in perishable and terminal things to now trust in God for heavenly things. Remember Jesus’ words, “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [Matthew 6, Sermon on the Mount]

            Holy destruction. Yes, God allowed his people to suffer and his temple to be destroyed. He did that only when they no longer looked to him as their God. But when people heard and believed his word, repented of their sins and looked again to him, he restored them. His temple remained because they acknowledged it to be his temple and not their temple. God’s word is God’s word, not the words of men. God’s temple is no longer a building, but the hearts and souls of believers in him. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” [Corinthians 6:19] That body is so precious God promises to resurrect it no longer perishable but imperishable, eternally with him in his heavenly kingdom that has no end.

[1] Adapted from Gregory Todd, The Lutheran Witness, Armed Forces edition, July 2002, p H.