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Genesis

22:15-19

 

And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of  his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba. (ESV)

 

A Child's Faith

Wednesday of Advent 1

5 December 2012

Ah, how we love the faith of the little ones; their quiet confidence in Christ is so powerful. Their faith does nothing but it confesses all and in that, it possesses everything. The mother of one of our congregation's pre-schoolers related that her son, Jackson, always perked up in the car on his way to school when she stopped at the traffic signal on the corner where our church is situated. He would be excited because there is a hot dog restaurant right across from the church: "James Coney Island." He would always shout, "Hot dog! Hot dog!" A couple of days ago, after a huge cross was erected on the street side of our church building, Jackson did not say, "Hot dog! Hot dog!" he said, "Cross! Cross!" Ah, much better.

 

The little one extols the cross without any shame, because his trust is in Christ alone. The little one has no other resources and knows it. Everything is in the cross and the work of the suffering Servant who is affixed to it. This is faith.

 

We adults ought to have this faith. How odd, then, that as we age we think our faith matures, and of course in a sense it does. But the paradigm for faith offered by Jesus is not one of maturity, but of immaturity. He says, "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it" (Lk 18:17). When we come to faith we should become like a little child, not like an adult. The child is the paragon of neediness and in that way exhibits all the virtues of faith, namely, quiet and patient confidence that God will take care of him for Christ's sake. Faith is only virtuous by reason of what it receives from the hand of God. As we mature in faith we shall become, not more mature, but more childlike, dependent, and more certain of God's rescue; because rescue depends on God, not ourselves. This is why Martin Luther's last words were, "We are beggars. This is true." We will live out our days in the holy need, the desperate need, the faithful need, the confident need, and hungering need of God's unending and perfect care for His children of which I am definitely one (1Jn 3:1).

 

The faith of Christ is the hardest simple faith. Simple in that it consists entirely of Christ, the Lord, His incarnation, death, and resurrection. Hard in that every fiber of the human will desires to improve on it with its own efforts and works, by offering its works to God in exchange for the great gift of the Seed promised to Abraham, and brought to full fruition in these last days by the incarnation of that Seed by Mary. But it is a child's gift precisely in that we must not give in to the desire of the will. We must let God be God and be children to Him. The season of the incarnation gives us such a wonderful opportunity to see this faith through the wondering eyes of the children around us. Children distill this down to its essentials. Oh, that I had a child's faith in the Child born for us!

 

Martin Luther

 

"The Blessed Seed alone liberates from death and confers righteousness and the eternal life that is received through faith.

 

"We do not deny that works must be done; but we disapprove when our adversaries commingle justifying faith and the works of those who have been justified through faith. It can be agreed that faith and works indeed fit together well and are inseparably joined; but it is faith alone that apprehends the blessing. Therefore we declare that faith alone justifies, because it alone is blessed. Works do not bless; they do not have this glory. Rather, they are the fruits of the person who has been blessed.

 

"This righteousness of ours comes through faith. Concerning it we should have no doubt; nor should we say that it is useless or vain, lest we hear the words: 'Woe to those who call good evil' (Is 5:20). Therefore I should not say: 'I have the blessing, and for this reason I am useless.' No, I must say: 'I am true, holy, righteous, and blessed, because I am such through the righteousness of another, not through my own. This I can set against the wrath and judgment of God, and I am certain that God is not able to deny Himself and reject His Son, that Seed of Abraham. Therefore I can state with confidence and undoubtedly that I am righteous and an heir of eternal life.'

 

"This promise embraces almost the entire Christian doctrine, the incarnation of Christ and justification, more than the sacraments, which were revealed later on, when Christ came. Furthermore, it is also a refutation of the papistic doctrine, not only concerning traditions and works but also concerning faith combined with works, which they stress against us 'aloners.' This proposition remains unshakable and sure, that faith alone justifies, because all the confidence of all men is absolutely condemned, and trust is placed in the Seed alone."  

 

 Martin Luther, Lectures on Genesis, 22.18

 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You have said that if we are to be saved, we must become like little children. Give us that simple faith always. Keep us from the madness that seeks to merit what You have paid for and that strives to earn what must be a gift. Help us to see You in the faith of the little ones You have placed in our lives. Give us their complete and childlike faith. Amen.

 

For Florence Theiss, who is gravely ill, that she would live in the childlike faith that expects all good from God

 

For Walter Littmann, that he would be strengthened in his confidence in his Lord Christ in these last days

 

For the people of Memorial Lutheran Church, as they prepare to dedicate a renewed sanctuary  for the proclamation of the Word of God that abides forever, that they would be steadfast in faith and confession

Art: DAVID, Gerard  Triptych of Jean Des Trompes (1505)

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