How Can We Live?

Reference Ezekiel 33:7-11

Particularly focus on these words "Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How can we live?"

The short answer to that question is, we can’t. Sin destroys us. Sin kills us. As Paul writes in Romans 3 the wages of sin is death and this is true for all who have sinned. It was true for Adam and Eve in Eden. It was true for Moses in Egypt and the wilderness. It was true for David and Solomon. It was true for Jesus disciples. It was true for Augustine, it was true for Thomas Aquinas, it was true for Luther, it was true for Bonhoeffer and it is true for us. Sin causes death.

But the long answer to the question how can we live is we can, and we see a hint of it in the imagery created by Ezekiel. It gives us a beautiful connection point to how we will not rot away from our sin being upon us. How is that? It exists as Jesus Christ, true God and true man comes into our world and takes our sin, that sin which is causing us to rot away and puts it on himself and allows it to rot him away, allows it to kill him. How then can we live? If this sin was taken from us and it killed our God, how can we hope to survive? How can we live? Because he didn’t stay dead. He conquered death. He rose from death to life and not just another mortal life where he would die again, no. An eternal life. A life he gives to you and to me freely.

What amazing news this is, but this text keeps going to speak of how the Lord does not take pleasure in the death of wicked people. He wishes that they would turn from their ways that will cause death and live. We as humans are not as generous as God. After all, when we’re watching a movie and the good side defeats the bad side, by killing them, we rejoice. We cheer that once again good conquered evil. But when we see an evil character turn into a good character, we’re confused, and mistrust them. We refuse to believe it is possible and we’re still hoping in the back of our mind that they perhaps die. Sure there are times when we rejoice in the turning, when we know it is genuine. The best example is from Star Wars Episode VI, Return of the Jedi when Darth Vader throws the Emperor into the giant space hole, but what are we rejoicing in, that Vader has turned or that the Emperor is dead, probably a bit of both.

For a more modern and bit more complicated example. I'll refer you to two scenes from the first of the Lord of the Rings movies, the Fellowship of the ring.

In the first scene you’ll see Boromir, the character in question, and Frodo one of the “good guys.” Frodo has this powerful weapon, the One Ring and Boromir has sworn to protect Frodo as he seeks to destroy this ring. The first scene is an altercation between them regarding the ring.

The second is self explanatory.

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (extended edition) disc 2:

1:13:55-1:16:20

1:25:54-1:28:34

Aragorn tells Boromir that he has fought bravely and kept his honor, and perhaps that is true. But Boromir is also right. He has failed. He has failed them all by succumbing to the temptations of the ring and wanting the power for himself, even if it is for the good of his people. He has still failed his friends who he swore to protect. He became enemy to Frodo when he promised to help him.

As Boromir is about to die he loses all hope, believing the world of men will fall, all will come to darkness and his city to ruin. But his hope, his faith is restored in his true king, Aragorn, who promises to not let his city fall or his people fail.

In the first scene, Boromir’s hope was in the ring, powerful indeed, but as Frodo says later to Boromir’s brother Faramir, “The Ring will not save Gondor (his home country) it has only the power to destroy.”

This is the truth of the law for us. The law has power, but for us who are sinners it has only the power to convict us of our sin. It cannot save us. It is beyond our reach.

I think the beginning of one of Aragorn’s lines is the most poignant and best connection to Christ. “I do not know what strength is in my blood…” He’s right to doubt. He is a man, he is mortal. He has limits, he has weaknesses. But for Boromir, in middle earth, there is no-one better to put hope in than Aragorn.

But we on real planet earth do have something better than a mere man. We have Jesus Christ, both man and God. How good it is then that we know the strength that is in our King’s blood. We know that Christ’s blood has the power to forgive sin and grant eternal life. And that blood was spilled on the cross out of love to do just that for us, for all of us, whether wicked or good or any combination of the two. As God lives, He does not delight in our death, whether wicked or good, but that all turn to him for salvation and truly live with him unto eternity. Amen.

Overcoming Darkness (or the Dark Side)

Disclaimer: If you are not a Star Wars fan, do not bother reading this post.

As a wedding present, my wife and I received Episodes I, II, and III of Star Wars, so we took our gift cards and made sure we bought IV, V, and VI as well. And of course, we’ve watched them all already. I’m sure in the 12 plus hours of movie watching you could find many things that would connect Star Wars to the Christian faith, but this is the theme that I think is most prevalent.

Reference: John 1:1-14

I’m primarily going to focus on verse 5 – "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it."

I’ll explain connections after you watch these two clips.

From Episode VI - Return of the Jedi watch from 1:23:38-1:25:41.

So here we see Luke attempting to convince his father to come back to the side of good. To let go of his hate, and return to his former self. But Vader says it is too late for him. He feels as though the darkness of the dark side has consumed him completely.

From Episode VI - Return of the Jedi watch from 1:55:52-1:57:30 (and beyond if you like)

And so we see that Luke was right, Vader could be turned. Throughout the series as we learn that Darth Vader is evil, people close to him, namely his wife, Senator Amidala (in Episode III) and his son, Luke (in Episode VI) defend Darth Vader, saying, "I know there is still good in him." For whatever reason they were able to see a light somewhere amidst the darkness of this machine-man.

It seems in our lives, it is exceptionally difficult to find the good or the light in certain people. Sin clouds our vision terribly, both our own sin, and the sin of other people around us, to the point where we often forget that each person we see each day was died for by the same Jesus who died and was raised for me and for you.
This light shining in the darkness of Darth Vader seems to be an internal goodness.
But the light that shines in each of us, in all of us, is a much more important light, a light that is much more difficult to extinguish, it is the light of Christ.

While it is of great importance to recognize this light in others, for the sake of community, reconciliation, and peace, it is as important and perhaps more difficult at times, to see that light in yourself. It’s so easy to beat ourselves up over the sins we commit on a daily, even hourly basis. So many people in this world, when met with the Gospel message seem too ashamed to realize that "yes, this can still speak to me." Rather they think as Darth Vader did, it is too late for me.
But it is not too late! The light of Christ shines in the darkness of our lives and the darkness has not overcome that light.

I don’t know Greek all that well anymore, but I know a few translations have translated this verse into English as, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it. Overcome and understood are very different terms in English, but I’m assuming in the Greek that there is a certain sense of intentional ambiguity. I think that works quite well for this illustration.
The darkness has not overcome the light of Christ in our lives. But for many people. They are excessively conflicted, much like Darth Vader. The darkness can’t understand this light that is inside them. They feel it, but they don’t know how to pay attention to it. They can’t figure out how to make it work for them, when the truth of the matter is, they don’t have to do the work. The Holy Spirit at work in our lives, helps us with this understanding.
While it is not easy by any means, we need to let go. Let go of trying to figure it out for ourselves and let God help. Let that light come forth and shine, stop holding it back, stop assuming it’s too late, stop hiding that light.
The light will continue to shine in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it. Let it shine for others to see and for yourself to see.

Delivered May 23, 2008