Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
[Bonhoeffer]
“In the almost thirty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.”
This quote was said after the execution of a war criminal against the state.
You see, this criminal defied the state during wartime and was found guilty of treason.
So, what did he do?
He openly defied the state by organizing an illegal learning institution.
So, what was this illegal learning institution? Well, to give you some context, when the ruling political party took over the government, they absorbed the state church into being run by that political party.
Christ was no longer the cornerstone of the church; the cornerstone was now that political party.
Everything had to have approval by that political party in order to be taught. The state church was forced to follow the government’s mandates.
Because of this enforcement, this man helped to form an illegal seminary where it would teach its students a Christ-centered theology, instead of following government mandates.
Is this worth an execution? Well, there is more to this man.
He also defied the state by becoming involved in the underground movement to plot to assassinate his country’s leader. After his involvement in the underground was suspected, he was arrested and imprisoned by his country’s federal police.
Some of you may know who I am talking about. Others here today may not.
This criminal was Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Bonhoeffer organized the illegal Lutheran seminary in Nazi Germany, because his German people did not have the freedom to worship the one true God in purity.
He later became involved in the underground movement to take over Germany by assassinating Hitler and installing a new leader. For this, Bonhoeffer was arrested by the Gestapo. He later sat in a German prison for nearly two years, before facing a late-night court martial, which was immediately followed by his death by hanging.
After he died, that doctor said, “In the almost thirty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.”
Even more recently, the Islamic State has rounded up Christians in north Africa and the Middle East who would not denounce their Christian faith. For that, these Christians faced torture and death.
[Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus]
So, why am I telling you this?
This has everything to do with Jesus telling his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)
Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran Christian pastor, was following Christ’s command to take up your cross and follow me. You see, he would not waver from Christ.
Those Christians murdered by the Islamic State followed Christ’s command to take up your cross and follow me. They too, would not waver from Christ.
To take up your cross and follow Jesus is a tough teaching.
To take up your cross is being willing to face death, because the cross represented death. It was common for Romans in the First Century to crucify criminals. Jesus expected His followers to be willing to die, if necessary, rather than to give up their commitment to Him.
The Apostles Peter and Paul also took up their crosses and refused to waver from Christ.
Now, Bonhoeffer knew that by speaking out against the government regime, he could face persecution and likely death. He could not stand while Christ’s Church was being destroyed. So, he decided to stand with Christ and against the state.
Now, thankfully, we live in the United States of America and not in Nazi Germany or lands ruled by the Islamic State. But, how many of us would take up our cross and follow Jesus if we ever found ourselves in a life or death situation? Would you denounce your Christian faith if you were told you would live?
It is so easy to do nothing. It is easy to remain quiet in the face of religious oppression. It is easier to just get along with the culture.
We often think the way the world wants us to think, rather than how God wishes us to think.
The Apostle Peter was caught in this lie. As we heard last week, Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, but now he is thinking in the way of man, instead of God.
Jesus told his disciples that he must suffer and be killed, but He would rise to life on the third day. But, all Peter could hear was that his friend and Lord would die. He couldn’t comprehend that. That seemed so wrong.
“Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” Peter said. (Matthew 16:22)
So, Jesus rebukes Peter saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:23)
[Mind on God, or Man?]
Are you setting your mind on the things of God, or on the things of man? Are you thinking about what God would like for you to do when you make a decision in your daily life?
The Apostle Paul reminds us in today’s Epistle on the marks of a Christian. He writes to us through inspiration, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold on fast to what is good…Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:9, 12)
In other words, Christians are to be examples of genuine love, not being a hypocrite; Christians are to despise evil, sin and the devil; Christians are to cling to the Triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Christians are to rejoice in the hope of Christ; Christians are to be patient and not rush to judgment when trials arise; Christians are to talk with the true God about every need of body and soul.
As Christians, we are to look out for each other and live peaceably with all. We are a peculiar people. We are different. We live in this world, but we are not of this world. We are to be concerned when we and other Christians sin. In our concern for ourselves, we repent and ask God for forgiveness. In our concern for other Christians, we inform them of their sin in brotherly affection.
[Christ’s Cross Brings Life and Salvation]
Like Bonhoeffer, we should be prepared to take our cross and follow Jesus. We are to remain steadfast in the one true faith.
Thankfully, when we take our cross, we do not face death in vain, because through Christ’s death and ultimate resurrection, we have everlasting life and salvation.
We are reminded of what Christ has done for us when we witness a Christian being baptized with the water and the Word. We are reminded of what Christ has done for us each time we eat and drink His body and His blood under the bread and wine at the Lord’s Supper.
By Christ’s cross, Jesus has redeemed the world, and in His resurrection, He has vindicated all who trust in Him. Thus, the Christian life is a discipleship of self-sacrificing love. Since Christ has reconciled us to God, we “live peaceably with all.” By the certainty of His cross and resurrection, “we rejoice in hope,” and we are “patient in tribulation” and “constant in prayer.”
So, Lord keep us steadfast in your Word; curb those who by deceit or sword / would wrest the kingdom from Your Son / and bring to naught all He has done. Amen. (LSB 655, verse 1)
The
peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
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