"Living In the Now, But Not Yet!" 1 Peter 4:7-14

Exaudi, The Sunday After Ascension       16-May-2021

Sermon Text: 1 Peter 4:7-11

Sermon Theme: “Living In the Now, But Not Yet!”

I.N.R.I. “Alleluia, The Lord Is Risen!....” “Alleluia, Christ is Ascended....” We are unsure how to answer that one. Do we say, “He is ascended, indeed?” Then think that Jesus got out of this world and away from us as soon as possible - 40 days after His resurrection? There doesn’t seem a reason to trumpet an “alleluia!” on the end of that if we are left to fend for ourselves. We might be terrified if the ascension means that Jesus is only with us as True God - a Holy God - Whom we offend by daily sinning much deserving only His just wrath and hellish punishment. Why sing “alleluia” if Jesus’ ascension only means that we will face persecution - that those putting us to death will think they are serving God.

    How are we to respond to the truth that “Alleluia !Christ is ascended,...”? Learn to view His ascension not according to your sinful flawed human reason. Learn to see it through His Word which cannot lie. What does His ascension mean? Jesus tells us at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, “Mat 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.” Do you not hear Him? “I am with you always!” Not as a divided Christ only as True God. He is from the moment of His incarnation by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary - True God begotten of eternity, and also True Man born of the Virgin Mary. He is your Lord. The God/Man - in one undivided person. His ascension wasn’t to get away from you. It wasn’t to lock up His human nature far away in heaven at God’s right hand. God’s right hand is His power by which He rules and orders the universe - not a place far away. Listen as the Holy Spirit teaches you through the pen of St. Paul, “Eph 4:8-10 Therefore He says: "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE, AND GAVE GIFTS TO MEN." (9) (Now this, "HE ASCENDED"—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)” If you didn’t quite get it, listen to another translation of this same Scripture, “Eph 4:8-10 That's why the Scriptures say: "When he went to the highest place, he took captive those who had captured us and gave gifts to people." (9) Now what does it mean that he went up except that he also had gone down to the lowest parts of the earth? (10) The one who had gone down also went up above all the heavens so that he fills everything.” Jesus as True Man exalted to rule over all things in heaven and on earth took captive that which had captured us. Sin, death, Satan, and hell - He led them prisoner before His Father. Now as True God and True Man He fills all things that He might give gifts to people. To you and me. Gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation to His people with His Church by God the Holy Spirit - The Helper - who applies to us Christ’s victory on Calvary and keeps us with Jesus in this One True Faith.

        As Jesus visibly ascended on high to fill all things and rule us by His grace. He will come again in glory surrounded by His Holy angels. He will come visibly on the Last Day - all eyes will see Him. Christ Jesus preaches, “ Joh 5:25-29 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. (26) For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, (27) and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. (28) Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice (29) and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” Christ’s Kingdom has come, but we wait to see its full redemptive power. Creation waits to see its King return in glory to free it from our sin. So we wait also, confessing with Paul, “Rom 8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope....” King Jesus has wholly claimed us in baptism, body and soul to “be His own and live under Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.” This is our inheritance He has earned for us and promises. It fills us with hope as we wait for the Last Day. “Living in the Now, But Not Yet!”

          So how should we respond to “Alleluia! Christ is Ascended?” Jesus’ Words and the apostolic teaching tell us to respond; “He is with us indeed! Alleluia!” Let’s try it out. “Alleluia! Christ is Ascended.. He is with us indeed! Alleluia!”   So what? What difference does this truth make? (Vs.7) St. Peter sounds the trumpet - “The end of all things is at hand!” History is moving towards its culmination. Listen to your Lord, Rev 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Respond with Christ’s Church throughout all ages - “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Those who deny our Creator and His creation are certain that our world is whirling towards catastrophic death. Fear is peddled in the name of science from one generation to the next. Christians live with hope. Our creation is looking for life - the life of the world to come - life freed from sin and all its effects - it will be renewed and filled only with righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. Then we shall in these bodies freed from sin, dwell face to face with our loving God, our Creator - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

     How do we live this truth? We are serious and watchful in our prayers - our worship. Peter echos Jesus’ words in the Garden of Gethsemane Mar 14:37-38 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? (38) Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."   Be serious and watchful in your prayers - in your worship - in the place you gather to worship and pray.   From the beginning our Loving Creator prescribe the place He would gather with us to speak His Word and feast sharing His life with us. For Adam and his wife it was at the Tree of Life. After the fall it was through an innocent animal being offered as sacrifice to cover their iniquity - so the Lord could come among them to feast them with His promised forgiveness in the Christ through the flesh of the sacrifice.

Jesus established a new covenant - His flesh and blood - the once for all sacrifice for the world. He institutes His supper that He might be and remain bodily among us within His Church. The Lord’s Supper isn’t an add on to the divine service - it is at the heart of King Jesus gathering us that He might serve us sinners. Paul writes, 1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.”   Christ Jesus bodily gifts His living body and forgiving blood to us at His table. He feasts us now, so that we can feast with Him eternally in the Life of the World to come!

      Be serious and watchful in your worship - in your prayers. King Jesus is orally present as His Church gathers - even if it be only two or three gathered in His Name. He is here - breathing out His Word and Holy Life giving Spirit upon us. He speaks us alive in baptism. He speaks us forgiven in absolution. He speaks us strength through Scripture read and preached. He speaks His prayer with us and through our lips - giving us His very words to pray - “Our Father...”   Self-chosen worship isn’t from Christ Jesus, it is a deadly satanic spiritual deception. Satan loves to masquerade as an white devil, an angel of light, leading us away from Christ’s Word and Sacraments - to invent flesh pleasing emotional worship - so he can secretly steal the seed of Christ’s Word from us - lest it take root and bear fruit. Be serious and be watchful! Watchful against the lies of culture, the lies you love to tell yourself. Lies like I don’t need to gather with the Church to worship. Lies like I can worship out on the golf course, boat, soccer field, or the woods better than being in the Lord’s House. It is a lie, a deadly deception of your own flesh. King Jesus fills all things as True God and True Man, but He has only promised to be bodily present in His Church as it gathers around His Word and Supper.

        Birthed, forgiven, strengthen, feasted by Christ Jesus - we live our faith in love. (Vs.8) Forgiven by Christ Jesus we are freed to forgive those who sin against us. Loved by God the Father in Christ Jesus and renewed by God the Holy Spirit we love one another. This is especially true within our congregation. The strong bear with the weak. Instead of allowing our sinful flesh to take offense - we allow Christ’s love to cover “a multitude of sins.” King Solomon taught, “Pro 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.” King Jesus, wiser than Solomon, is love who is among us. He feasts us to strengthen us in faith towards God our Father and love towards one another. Dear Christian let Christ’s love live through you.

         Christ’s love isn’t only in words - it is in deed and in truth. (Vs.9) As Christ’s Church suffered persecution, many would lose all their possessions. Their brothers and sisters in the Church showed hospitality to those made refugees for the faith. They received them into their own homes and shared with them their daily bread. Abraham showed hospitality to three strangers and thereby entertained angels. It may well be in our life time that as a Christians we will have to open our homes to those cancelled by culture and driven from their homes for confessing that Jesus is the only Way, Truth, and Life.

           Living in the now, but not yet - we live as Christ’s body.(vs.10) There are no vestigial organs in Christ’s body His Church. Evolutionists used fake drawings of embryonic development to say we all grow the same as embryos - this has been proven false by detailed imaging. Then they taught the lie that parts of our human body serve no purpose, but were left over from earlier ancestors. For instance at one time medical science didn’t understand the purpose of tonsils or the appendix - left overs useless - until we discovered they are a vital part of our lymphatic system - our bodies defense against infection. Dear Christian - God the Father has created you and given you various talents and abilities. Christ has redeemed you and the Holy Spirit sanctifies you to use your varied gifts to serve one another within the body of Christ - within the Church. We are only stewards - managers of the gifts entrusted to us here - use your talent to care for one another in our congregation. (Vs.11) A human cell that suddenly starts living only for itself - is cancer - it destroys the body - you are called to live to build each other up in Christ.

               Care for one another through speaking Christ’s Words to each other. Daily take time to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest Christ’s teaching - not to lord it over others, but to build them up in cross won, empty tomb verified forgiveness of sins. Pastors are not free agents - they must speak only what God has written and taught through His apostles and prophets. Through Ezekiel the Lord promises the exiles He would gather, redeem, wash, and give them a new living heart - the heart of Christ.   Care for one another in humble service - ministry - with the ability that God supplies you. Pray for one another. Care for one another. That God may be glorified! Jesus rules forever! “Alleluia! Christ is Ascended.. He is with us indeed! Alleluia!” Amen.