18 October 2010
Psalm 25; Ecclus. 4:20-5:7; Rev. 7:1-8; Luke 9:51-62

Self-reliance is the ultimate sinful behavior. Any time we rely solely on self, we sin against God’s sovereignty and His Lordship. The writer is telling us to take nothing for granted. Don’t trust in wealth, it is a gift and it can be taken away and where are you then? He tells us to be quick to confess our sins but also to not allow the promised of forgiveness to coerce us to sin boldly. Martin Luther’s famous quote, “Sin boldly, but love God more” does not imply that we can sin with impunity, it is meant to say to us that in this life will come circumstances when whatever we do is sinful yet the love of God is to guide us in those situations. We are reminded that both mercy and judgment are characteristics of God and He will not leave the guilty unpunished. How do we live out that balance in our lives, the balance John suggests when he wrote that Jesus was full of grace and truth?

The time for judgment had not come therefore it was proper to rebuke the disciples over their desire to judge the Samaritans. As we know from the book of Acts, one of the first successful missions outside the nation was in Samaria with Philip. Until Jesus’ work was complete there was no judgment, particularly on outsiders. Here, at the end of his life, we see people offering to come along as disciples but Jesus dissuaded them by telling them to count the cost. We need to be aware that there is a cost of following Him, the promise isn’t actually what so many preach today, the way to a better material life.

The servants of God are sealed before this judgment of God is unleashed. They are marked for protection as God’s own. This is an interlude in the execution of God’s judgment, an intervention on behalf of the saints. We are precious to him in the way the Israelites were in Egypt. In that first exodus they received protection from some of the plagues that befell the Egyptians, as a mercy to them and as a sign to the Egyptians. This sealing would seem to function in the same way.

Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.