LENT 3, B – March 15, 2009

SCRIPTURES – Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Cor. 1:18-31; John 2:13-22

 

In the musical “My Fair Lady,” Eliza Doolittle, an unrefined and dirty girl who sells flowers, is transformed into a beautiful and refined young woman. A handsome young aristocrat, Freddy Eynsford-Hill, ends up falling for her and waits for days on the street where she lives so that he can simply see her and profess his love for her. Unfortunately, Freddy is a rather shallow, unambitious man, and when he professes his love for Eliza she says to him:

“Words! Words! I'm so sick of words! I get words all day through; First from him, now from you! Is that all you blighters can do?

Don't talk of stars burning above; If you're in love, Show me! Tell me no dreams filled with desire. If you're on fire, Show me! Here we are together in the middle of the night! Don't talk of spring! Just hold me tight!

Haven't your lips longed for my touch? Don't say how much, Show me! Sing me no song! Read me no rhyme! Don't waste my time, Show me!”

It strikes me that this is what God is saying to us by giving us His Ten Commandments. “Sing me no song! Read me no rhyme! Don't waste my time, Show me!” Show Me your love and faith! 

The Lord tells us that He is a jealous God. Jealous: that doesn’t sound very good, does it? And, with regard to us, it’s not good. Our jealousy is possessive and stifling, springing from the sinful desire to have and use another for our own benefit alone. When it comes to God, however, jealousy is a very different, and good, thing. God desires that we share in His goodness and love, and in so doing be a blessing to others. He wants us to cling in love to none but Him, as a husband wants his wife to cling in love to none but him. This is good, for only the Triune God who reveals Himself in Christ is good, and can make us good. 

God would not have given us His Commandments if we could truly know for ourselves what is good. We think we know; we are jealous for our own wisdom; and there’s the problem. Our jealousy leads us to reject the goodness of God’s gifts. 

All of God’s gifts are good, including His Ten Commandments. Do you see them as good? Perhaps I should begin with the question: do you even know them? If you have not even bothered to learn God’s Commandments, learned what He expects of you, then you obviously do not consider them very good or important. “You shall,” God says. Learn them and consider them, for they are for your good! 

Take, for instance, the 7^th commandment, “You shall not steal,” and the 9^th commandment, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.” They are so important, especially in this time of economic decline. By these commandments God protects the wealth and possessions of all and would have us, His beloved people, be a blessing to others. So, are you content with what you have? Are you envious of what others have? Do you think or speak ill of the wealthy? Do you accept payments of cash so that you do not have to report them and pay taxes on them? Such things reveal a lack of trust in God and contentment with what He gives. They also reveal a jealousy for oneself, and not a godly jealousy that seeks the good of others. Such selfish jealousy will surely bring down God’s anger and judgment upon you. 

Consider the 1^st and 2^nd commandments, “You shall have no other gods before Me” and “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” We haven’t done what God commands by simply avoiding bowing down to a statue of a Buddah, or by not saying “G__ D__ this” or “Jesus!” when upset by something. God is a jealous God, as a wife is properly jealous for her husband and wants his love and affection for herself alone. Would a wife be happy with a husband was not unfaithful, but who did not spend any time with her, or care to listen to her and talk with her, or share his love and affection with her? That’s not being a spouse! Even so, with these commandments God doesn’t simply forbid us to have other gods. He wants us to have Him! He is “the Lord your God.” He wants to spend time with you and share His love and forgiveness with you. He wants you to use His holy Name: to speak proudly of Him as you would of your spouse, to call upon Him in prayer and thanks-giving, to sing your praise for His goodness and mercy. Do you gladly do so, or is coming to your Father’s house to hear His Word drudgery and boredom? Be warned: “the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” By just having your butt in the pew or mouthing your praise you actually only increase your sin and guilt! 

But, who can be sincere and focused enough in God’s house, as well as outside these walls during the week? It can be hard enough to learn God’s commandments; applying them consistently and not breaking them is far more difficult. Who is up to this? We are sinners. Who among us can truly please God? 

Jesus can, and did. God says of Himself, “I the Lord your God am a jealous God.” We see this in God the Son. Jealousy for God – for His house, for His name, for keeping all His good commandments and so honoring Him with His life – consumed Jesus. Love for His heavenly Father, and so also love for you, who struggle and often fail to keep His commandments, consumed Him. Jesus is the God who is jealous for us, whom He loves. He is the God who saves us. 

God’s Word today says that God made Jesus “our wisdom and our right-eousness and sanctification and redemption.” Do you struggle with knowing God’s commandments, and knowing how they apply to your life? Thanks be to God if you know this! Jesus is your wisdom. He knew God’s commandments, what they meant and how they apply to our lives. Trust in Him. Make Him your wisdom by holding to His wisdom and following His ways  

Do you struggle with keeping God’s commandments? Are you a sinner, one who disobeys God? Blessed are you if you know this. Look unto Jesus, who is your righteousness. He is jealous for you and loves you. When He gave you His name in Holy Baptism He married you to Himself. All that is His is now yours, just as a good husband shares all that is his with his wife. Jesus never failed to obey God, never disappointed His heavenly Father. His perfect obedience is now yours, and in Him you are righteous. 

Do you struggle with guilt because you break God’s commandments? Blessed are you if you do. Be burdened no more, but look unto Jesus, who is your sanctifica-tion and redemption. His love is not just a matter of words. He showed us His love by taking the impurity of our disobedience, our sin, upon Himself dying for us on the cross. Jesus is not a bridegroom who married you only after preparing a prenuptial agreement, stipulating what is His and what is yours. All that is yours He gladly took. He has borne your guilt, and consumed it all on the cross. He redeemed you, paid the price for you. When He rose from the dead on the third day, no sin or guilt remained. He is now your sanctification. Looking unto Him and trusting in Him, you are holy, guilty of no sin. 

“Sing me no song! Read me no rhyme! Don't waste my time, Show me!” Jesus has shown us God’s love. He lived the love that God proclaims and lays out for us in His good commandments. Learn of your Savior. Live in Him and in His good commandments. Then, like Eliza Doolittle, you will be transformed from being dirty and crude to being beautiful and refined, lovely in God’s sight and a blessing to many. To the praise and honor of your God, who is jealous for you!