Spiritual Starvation

 

Spiritual Starvation
Luke 10:1-20
Proper 9

The last week was a joy visiting with our oldest daughter as she competed in the Department of Defence Warrior Games. It didn’t matter if she medaled she did her best, made new friends and that is all that was expected. Of course there are people who are strongly success oriented that achieving a gold medal seems to be the only options

So Jesus sends out His disciples and you see a little of that success orientation as they report back that the Demons were driven out. But that wasn’t the expectation that Jesus sent them to accomplish. Their goal was to proclaim God’s Word.

Isn’t the extra in driving out the demons better than just preaching the word? No. Jesus rebuked them don’t rejoice that the demons were driven out, but that your names are written in the book of life. Keep in mind that your names written in the book of life is only accomplished by Jesus while the other is through you.

Jesus, Jesus only Jesus. Anything else including ourselves takes the focus away from Jesus.

As we struggle with these words of Jesus, consider Jesus own words in:

Matthew 7:22–23(ESV) 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

God’s Word is powerful in and of itself. You don’t add to its power, nor can you take away from its power.

Focusing on what you have done or are doing is not success, but spiritual starvation. Because it moves the focus from Jesus to your actions.

Here at Peace we keep the focus on what Jesus does for us through His Word And Sacraments. Yes, we can do programs like VBS , SS, Church Picnic, but we still proclaim that message of repentance for that is how our names are written in the book of life.

Other places may provide an abundance of programs and activities, where here at Peace we are a small church. Sometimes people ask what good does a small church have, when there are larger church with more programs and seem to be doing much much more. Jesus gives us the answer, it is about proclaiming God’s Word, not about the “Success”. So we proclaim God’s Word, for we need to realize that our focus on what we have that is Jesus, and not what we don’t have.

Just picture for a moment that the disciples came back, those that saw demons being driving out saying look at what we did, while heads seeming hanging low because they only shook the dust off their feet. Jesus now comes to the scene and says guys you both are wrong, no bragging about demons and no head hanging. You proclaimed Christ, and that is what it is all about.

The devil is actually trying to starve us spiritually. The devil accomplishes this by puffing up our attitude, look what I accomplished. i.e. expelling the demons. The devil also tries to get us to look at others and what they are doing and shaming us for not doing more. None of that here. Here at Peace it is all about Jesus and what Jesus accomplishes for us. Sure Jesus uses us as His tools to proclaim God’s message of forgiveness. But the response to that message is the work of the Holy Spirit not yours.

So what do we do? Continue to proclaim Christ’s forgiveness., for this is what we have received from Christ Himself, anything else is a distraction, which starves us from the real food.

How do we avoid Spiritual Starvation, What is that real food? Jesus Himself notes in

John 6:54–56(ESV) 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

Yes, here at Peace the focus is upon Jesus, God’s Word and Sacraments given for you.

Yes, my oldest daughter competed in the Warrior Games, where she built bonds with other athletes from other branches in the US Armed Forces and other countries, that is what makes the Warrior Games special. So likewise the we gather in Christian fellowship around the spiritual food of God Word and Sacraments, and that is what makes Peace, very very special. In His name Amen.