“If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.” John 15:22-24

With knowledge comes responsibility. Knowing the truth and not acting on it brings greater guilt than failing to act because one did not know.

Jesus said this was the case regarding His countrymen who heard His words and saw His miracles but refused to believe that He was and is the long-promised Messiah, the very Son of God who came into this world as a man to redeem us from sin and death and to grant to all who believe pardon and life eternal.

Jesus told His disciples that if He had not spoken to His fellow Jews and shared with them the truth regarding their sinfulness and the way to be forgiven and saved through faith in His name, they would not be guilty of rejecting the truth. But, since they heard the truth and rejected it — since they refused to repent of their sinful ways and look to Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross in faith for pardon and forgiveness, they had no excuse for their sin.

Jesus pointed out that those who hated Him and rejected Him were rejecting God the Father as well. They were rejecting the God they claimed to worship and serve!

And if Jesus had not done among them the many mighty miracles that testified of the truth that He is the eternal Son of God in human flesh and blood, they would have had an excuse for their unbelief and sin.

But they saw His works — works no one could do if God were not working in Him and through Him, and works that testified to His deity and His power and authority to save! Therefore, they were guilty before God of hating and rejecting God the Son, their Messiah and Savior, and hating God the Father also, the one who sent His Son into the world to win for us pardon and salvation!

And, I might add, they rejected the witness and testimony of the Holy Spirit, too, for He, as well as Jesus’ disciples, testified of Jesus regarding His person and His work (v. 26-27).

What about you? Through the teaching of the Bible, you have heard the truth about your sinfulness and about Jesus, God’s Son and Your only Savior. Through the pages of Scripture, you have learned of His mighty works — healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, cleansing the lepers, driving out demons, and even raising the dead and rising again Himself after being crucified for the sins of the world. Do you turn from your sins to Jesus and His cross in faith for pardon, forgiveness, and eternal life? Or do you reject Jesus and God the Father who sent Him?

With knowledge comes responsibility. Knowing the truth and not acting on it brings greater guilt than failing to act because one did not know.

Dear Lord Jesus, grant that I believe the witness of Your words and works and trust in You for pardon and the eternal joys of heaven for the sake of Your holy life and innocent sufferings and death in my stead and Your glorious resurrection. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

I made no specific New Year’s resolutions this year, though I certainly have some things in my life worthy of my resolve — things like losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more, and… Perhaps I should have resolved to take inventory and make a list of new resolves since there are plenty of needs in that regard.

But rather than making a long list of resolves I will likely fail to achieve, I decided to focus on my greatest need at this point in life and travel in that direction one step at a time. As a former truck driver, I learned the only way to reach a distant destination was to take it one mile at a time, so a step at a time is at least headed in the right direction.

In Psalm 90:10, Moses wrote, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

This is the year I reach “threescore years and ten,” which means I will have reached my life expectancy in just a few months. Any years beyond 70 are an extra blessing from the Giver of Life, though I can expect in any years yet to come “labor and sorrow” and, ultimately, an end to this earthly life because of God’s wrath against sin. (I invite you to take the time to read Psalm 90.)

This reality — and my body reminds me of this psalm’s truth — has made clear to me what is most important in this new year and in any years yet to come for me. The 12th verse of Psalm 90 says, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

While losing weight and getting more exercise may be important, what is truly important is being ready for what will follow life in this sin-stained world — How can I be ready to meet my Maker? Because stand before Him I soon will!

Such thoughts have prompted me to re-examine much in my life, including things I have believed, taught and practiced. It has caused me to seek God’s mercy for past sins and failures and to take comfort in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God the Son in human flesh and blood. There is no benefit in covering up past sins or trying to excuse them because, as the Bible states: “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance” (Psalm 90:8). It also says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

I am also sifting through my beliefs and teaching to distinguish and separate between God’s truth and manmade applications and sometimes additions and alterations to the truth. This is not picking and choosing what I like or dislike, what I wish to teach and what I would rather ignore; it’s distinguishing between what is taught in the Bible and what is advocated by men and churches and denominations in applying Biblical teaching.

One pastor I know from a Lutheran Church of German heritage said it this way: “Give me Jesus without the sauerkraut.” In other words, it’s to hold fast to Jesus and what the Bible teaches without insisting on the traditions and rites instituted by men (what might be called sauerkraut for Lutherans with German heritage and some other dish for churches with different traditions and practices and of a different heritage).

I’m not saying all traditions and rites are bad; they can be helpful, but they should never be elevated to the point of being necessary for salvation or the only right way to practice the Christian Faith.

One thing the Bible makes quite clear is that there is only one way to be acceptable to God and counted righteous and holy in His eyes, and that is through faith in Jesus and His cross. The Bible teaches that believers are “accepted in the Beloved” and “have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:6-7; cf. Col. 1:19-23). There is no other way to be acceptable to God or to stand in His judgment. No human rites or traditions, nothing I do can make me acceptable to God. It is only through faith in Jesus and His cross; I don’t need to eat the sauerkraut — it makes me gag a bit anyway.

It is as the Robert Lowry hymn says so well, “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. O precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know; nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

In the eyes of some, my journey of re-evaluating beliefs and teachings and distinguishing between Biblical doctrine and manmade traditions and practices might disqualify me from being truly Lutheran. Many other churches and denominations might disqualify me, too, because I do not endorse their views, rites, and traditions. But being accepted by men and earthly churches doesn’t matter nearly so much as being accepted by God, and God accepts me for Jesus’ sake!

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” John 15:18-20

Should those who follow Jesus and hold fast to His Word be surprised when they run into opposition and even persecution from those who walk according to the ways and thinking of this world? Jesus clearly warned His disciples that the world would hate them and persecute them just as it hated and persecuted Him — even putting Him to death by crucifixion.

Why is this? Because true Christians believe and teach God’s Word and seek to live in accordance with the Bible’s teaching. They acknowledge as sin all that God, in the Bible, calls sin, and they look to Jesus Christ, God the Son and true man, as the only Savior for sinful mankind. They trust that God pardons and forgives their sins when they look in faith to Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of all. And trusting in Jesus and His sacrifice for sins, they also seek to live according to God’s Word.

This offends those of this world, including many who call themselves Christian, because they do not hear and believe the words of Jesus and accept as truth all that the Bible teaches. They do not accept the truth that they, like all of us, are sinners deserving of God’s eternal wrath and punishment and that they, like all of us, need to turn from their sins to Christ Jesus for mercy and forgiveness for the sake of His blood, shed on the cross for the sins of all. They are unwilling to accept the truth that Jesus is the only way for us sinners to be pardoned and spared in God’s judgment upon this world. Nor do they wish to amend their way of life and seek to live for Him who died for them and rose again (cf. Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Cor. 5:15).

The witness and life of true disciples of Jesus remind them of their own sins and shortcomings and their need to repent and place their faith in Jesus.

As Jesus said: “The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

Fellow believers will rejoice and give thanks when they see sinners repent and look to Jesus for mercy and pardon. Those of this world will scorn them and even persecute them, as they did to Jesus Himself.

Dear Lord Jesus, grant that I look to You in faith and hold fast to You and Your Word, that I may know Your mercy and forgiveness and walk in Your ways unto life everlasting. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1ff. (Read Matt. 2:1-12)

Once again, through the Scriptures, we have heard of the birth of the Christ Child in Bethlehem of Judea. God the Son was made true man, born of a virgin, and laid in a manger. An angel told the shepherds in the field nearby that this Child was none other than the Savior of the world, the Messiah, Jehovah God Himself!

Wise men (the Bible doesn’t tell us how many) from a land or lands east of Judea learned of the Messiah’s birth through the appearance of a star (cf. Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 60:1ff.) and traveled a great distance to come and worship this newborn King and bring Him costly gifts. When they arrived in Jerusalem, King Herod was troubled by their quest and inquired of the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah was to be born. They rightly understood the Scriptures and quoted from Micah 5:2, pointing out that Bethlehem was to be the place of Messiah’s birth.

But what happened after this? The wise men continued their journey and were led by the star to Bethlehem and to the very house where Jesus was. There, they worshipped Jesus and offered Him gifts. Herod, the king, felt threatened by the birth of the Messiah and sought to kill Him and prevent Him from reigning on the throne of David. The chief priests and scribes knew the Scriptures and could tell Herod where the Messiah was to be born, but nowhere do we hear of them traveling to Bethlehem to worship their newborn Savior and King.

The question today is: “What about you?” You have heard of His birth and even know of His sufferings and death for your sins and of His glorious resurrection. Do you reject Jesus and try to silence those who would speak to you of Him because Jesus is a threat to you and your way of life? Do you know all the facts about Jesus but still fail to come and bow before Him and give Him your praise and worship? Or, like the wise men of old, do you follow the star (seeking the guidance of Holy Scripture) to find Messiah Jesus and worship your God and Savior, presenting Him with the costliest of gifts — your very lives?

O dearest Jesus, You are the Almighty God and our Maker. We thank You for taking on flesh and blood and coming into this world to redeem us from sin and death. We praise You and give to you our treasures and our lives. Amen.

[Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people, ‘A light to enlighten the Gentiles,’ and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

Are you ready to die and stand before God, your Maker? Are you at peace with God, knowing that full atonement has been made for your sins? Do you have the assurance that God forgives your sins and accepts you for Jesus’ sake?

Simeon was an old believer who had been waiting for the coming of God’s promised Messiah and Savior. God had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ (the Lord’s Messiah) with his own eyes. And directed by the Spirit to come into the temple at Jerusalem precisely when Mary and Joseph came to the temple with the baby Jesus, Simeon took Jesus up in his arms and said: “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people, ‘A light to enlighten the Gentiles,’ and the glory of your people Israel.”

He had now seen the long-promised Christ Child — God the Son in human flesh — and held Him in his arms. Simeon was now ready to die in peace and face God’s judgment because he knew that His God and Savior had come and that, for the sake of the holy life this Child would live in his stead and for the sake of the innocent sufferings and death this Child would accomplish, atonement would be made for all his sins. Simeon was assured that through faith in Christ Jesus, he was forgiven and acceptable in God’s eyes. He was ready to die in peace, for in Christ Jesus he had a Savior from sin and its eternal punishment!

What about you? Are you ready to die and stand before God, your Maker? Are you at peace with God, knowing your sins are paid for and forgiven for Christ’s sake?

For such confidence, we look to the pages of Holy Scripture, for there we see our Savior and the salvation God has provided for us. There we see Christ’s holy life under God’s law, and there we see His bitter sufferings and death on the cross for our sins and His victorious resurrection. There we see Jesus, our Savior, the Light of the Gentiles and the Glory of His people Israel. There, we learn of God’s pardon and forgiveness. There, we learn that, through faith in Christ Jesus, we are not condemned but have God’s pardon and peace and life eternal!

When we look at Christ through the Scriptures and trust in Him, we too can be ready, as Simeon was, to depart this life in peace!

God grant us such faith in Christ Jesus our Savior!

Lord Jesus Christ, let our eyes look upon You through the pages of Holy Scripture, that we too may trust in You and be found ready to depart this life in peace. Revive the weak in faith and strengthen all of us so that we may hold fast to You, our Savior, until You return and grant us and all believers life everlasting. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised Common Version of the Bible]