There’s an old story about a King who was suffering from a
painful ailment. His astrologer told him
that the only cure was to find a contented man, get his shirt, and wear it day
and night. So messengers were sent
throughout his kingdom to find a man who was content and order that he
surrender his shirt so it could be brought back to the King to wear.
Months passed, and after a thorough search, the messengers
returned, but without the shirt. “Did
you find a contented man?” the King asked.
“Yes, your Highness, we found one man who was content.” “Well, where’s his shirt?” the King
demanded. The messengers looked at each
other and said, “Master, the man had no shirt.”
Last week, after preaching on Jesus’ sixth word from the cross – “It is finished” – and the finality of the cross, a person came up to me harboring a burning issue. I know it was “burning” because it had been festering for seven weeks. For seven straight Sundays this person had been waiting to express utter contempt for our new member process.
The problem? Friends joined
Hebron seven weeks ago and this person was not asked to be their sponsor. Never mind that one of the principle goals of
sponsorship is to widen the friendship circle for new members by specifically asking
those that they may not already know to sponsor them. For this person, the selection of someone
else as a sponsor was an egregious act of discrimination. And the reason I know that is because no
matter what I said, it didn’t begin to atone for the perceived slight!
Now I can understand being miffed. I can understand feeling depreciated. But what was most striking to me was the
timing of the diatribe. Seven weeks had
elapsed in which seven messages on the total sufficiency of the cross had been
preached. Moreover, the spewing
discontent came on the heels of one whole hour of focusing on the finality of
the cross and gathering around the communion table. I walked away thinking, “Really?”
Not too long afterwards I heard the Lord say, “You’re a lot
like that so many times.” And I confess
that I am. If you are anything like me,
you find that your discontent can surface at any time, even after a worship
service, even after worshipping a Lord who repeatedly laid down His own
interests.
As we have said from the start of this series, there’s only one place where our deepest needs are met and that’s at the cross. The cross isn’t a place to go once – it’s a place to go every day. The cross is our Lord’s office. The cross is the place where He chisels off the corners of our self-interest and self-righteousness. The cross is the place where He breaks the tyranny of our felt needs by meeting our deepest need for love and worth.
This Sunday we will end our nine-week series “The Wondrous
Cross” with a message entitled, “The Contentment of the Cross.” We will focus
on the seventh and last statement of Jesus on the cross as recorded in Luke’s
gospel, “Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice said, ‘Father, into your
hands I commit my spirit!’” (Luke 23:46)
It’s in this final statement that we find the ground of true contentment
– now and forever.
In preparation for Sunday you may wish to consider the following:
1. Read
Galatians 6:11-16 and Luke 23:44-46.
2. Read
Luther’s commentary on Galatians 2:20 in the section 2:15-21.
3. What
do you make of Jesus’ address of God in verse 46? How often is God addressed as “Father” in the
Old Testament?
4. How
does “Father” differ from the One He addresses in His fourth word, “My God, My
God, why have you forsaken me?”
5. What
is the significance of Jesus committing His spirit into His Father’s hands?
6. What
is the relevance of such a commitment for you as a Christian?
7. What
else does Jesus say about His Father’s hands in the Gospel of John?
8. What
does it mean to “commit” His spirit to His Father?
9. What
significance is there for you in Jesus’ enduring judgment before His
commitment?
10. What
is the relevance of what’s referenced in Luke 23:45 preceding verse 46?
11. Why
is Jesus’ seventh statement from the cross the absolute ground of a Christian’s
contentment?
See you Sunday!
