John 1 1-5 Lamb Life Sunday
This text is about Jesus the Word of Life. Therefore, this sermon is going to be about life. People have a variety of reactions when they hear that. Those who are passionately pro-life are happy. “This is great! I have been looking forward to this.” Those who think that the life issues like abortion and euthanasia are just politically charged social issues may not be so happy. “I’m not looking forward to this. These are not things to discuss in church.” Those who haven’t given these issues much thought are indifferent. “Another one of those special Sundays. Let’s get on with it.” Then there are those whose lives have been touched by abortion or difficult end-of-life decisions. “My heart aches because of my decision. This is going to be painful.”
I am aware that all of these thoughts may very well be present here this morning. That is what is so wonderful about dealing with the Word of Life. He speaks to each one of us regardless of our perspective, and He does so with understanding and compassion. So, whether we are happy, disgruntled, indifferent, or fearful about the subject of life today, let’s all listen and learn about, and from, the Word of Life.
The first thing we learn is that the Word of Life was there in the beginning of time. “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). All life came through Him. “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made . . . In Him was life” (3-4a). All of creation is about life. Every word God spoke in the beginning calling things into existence was for the purpose of sustaining and perpetuating life. Light, the atmosphere, land, water, plants, the heavenly bodies, fish, birds, animals—these were setting the stage for the grand finale, “Let us make man in Our image . . .” (Genesis 1:26). The Word of Life in the beginning was spoken for the sake of human life. All of creation was called into being to sustain, provide for, and enhance human life; and human life was given all of creation to care for. The Word of Life had a special “hands on” involvement in these first human lives. He formed the man from the dust of the
ground and breathed into him the breath of life (2:7). He made the woman from a rib taken from the man (22).
This hands-on creative work of the Word of Life continues through the biological process God set into place. “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14). Just as He was involved in the beginning of the first human lives, so He is involved in the beginning of every human life.
Regardless of your perspective on this Life Sunday, you cannot listen to the Word of Life in the beginning of time without standing in awe of the value and dignity God’s creation brings to human life.
The second thing we learn as we listen to the Word of Life is that He was not only there in the beginning of time; He came here to bring a new beginning in time. “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4). There is a need for new life and light. We live in the world that God created. But it is not like the world God created. He who was perfect and lived in a perfect place was deceived into thinking things could be better! “Did God really say?” Satan hissed, and the foundation to deception was laid (Genesis 3:1). “You will be like God . . .” He lied. Adam and Eve already were the image and likeness of God. But Satan cleverly added, “. . . knowing good and evil” (5). “Why should God have a monopoly on what is good and what is not? Why can’t you get in on that?” The deception was complete. The crown of creation was corrupted and all of creation with him.
A vacationing pastor and his family gathered in a mountain meadow for Sunday morning worship. The view was breathtaking—a cascading stream, wild flowers, the green of pine and aspen all framed in snow-capped mountains. However, the place along the trail where he had stopped to give a brief devotion on God’s Word was a bit muddy. Some overeager beavers had
caused some flooding. He began his message, “Take a good look at where you are standing.” Where do you think everyone looked—at the beauty all around them? No, they looked down at their feet in the mud! Sin brings the muck and mire into our lives. Sin narrows our focus and diverts us from the things of God. Sin can actually make us think the mud is a beautiful thing. Or sin can make us feel we are mired down with no way out and there is nothing beautiful anywhere. Either way, Satan wins.
But Satan doesn’t win! Jesus has the final word, and that word is life! Jesus, who was in the beginning with God, came into our muck-and-mire life to bring us a new beginning. Everything He did was for this new beginning, to bring us new life. The Word of Life was “conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.” Why? To bring us new life! Scripture says about our conception and birth, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). Jesus not only had to take our place on a cross and in a tomb but in a fallopian tube and in a womb! We rightly look at Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit as testimony of the divinity of Jesus from that very moment. But it is also testimony to our humanity from the moment of conception and to our need of redemption from that very moment.
The Word of Life “suffered under Pontius Pilate” and “was crucified” to bring us new life. The hands that created the universe bled to redeem it. The Word of Life “died and was buried.” Jesus paid the wages of sin and destroyed Satan who had the power over death. The Word of Life “descended into Hell” to bring us new life, to say on our behalf, “Too bad, Satan, I win! My people win!” On the third day Jesus “rose again from the dead” to bring us new life. His victory over death is our victory. The resurrection is our assurance of Christ’s presence with us in this life and our presence with Him in eternal life. Jesus “ascended into Heaven” and He will “come again” to bring us new life! He ascended into Heaven to rule over all of His creation. Things may seem out of control, but be assured Jesus is in control. He uses all events working
them together for the good of His people and getting things ready for His glorious return when He will make all things new!
Regardless of your perspective on this Life Sunday, you cannot listen to the Word of Life about this new beginning in time without standing in awe of the value and dignity God gives to human life. You were “bought at a price” Paul says (1 Corinthians 6:20a). Jesus “purchased and won” you, Luther writes in the Catechism. That gives immeasurable value to all human life.
The Word of Life was there in the beginning of time giving special value to human life through His creative hands. The Word of Life was there in the new beginning in time giving special value to human life through hands stretched out on a cross. Now this Word of Life, John says, “shines in the darkness” (5a). Sin brought darkness into God’s bright and beautiful world. The darkness of sin affects everything around us. It affects us. It complicates the powerful and simple truth that every human life is someone created and redeemed by the Word of Life.
The darkness of circumstances can do that. An unplanned pregnancy or a frightening diagnosis can plunge us into darkness very quickly. The world, which does not understand the light (5b), offers more darkness as a way out—death. Abortion is promoted as being a quick and easy way to “get on with your life,” the only real choice that you have. As one young woman put it, “Abortion was available and real accessible. I told the people at the clinic my fears, but they never offered any alternatives. All I could think of was abortion. I couldn’t really see beyond the moment.”[1]
The world, which doesn’t understand the light, offers the darkness of suicide, with or without a physician’s assistance. Assisted suicide advocate Derek Humphrey said of his book
Final Exit, “It tells you how, where, and when to kill yourself or someone else. It breaks the last taboo. Follow my instructions for a perfect death, with no mess, no autopsy, no post-mortem.”[2] There is mounting pressure to turn to death as a solution to dark circumstances.
But the Word of Life shines into the darkness of your circumstances. The Word of Life promises, “I created you and redeemed you. There is no circumstance that can separate you from My love. There is no circumstance beyond My power to help. There is no circumstance where some good is not hiding.”
There is the darkness of wrong decisions. Maybe you have not honored God with your body and have not waited for marriage, and guilt and regret gnaw away at you. Maybe you have had an abortion or have been involved in an abortion decision and guilt and regret are not just gnawing at you but consume you. You feel as if this sin is too big to be forgiven. Maybe you are struggling with doubts about an end-of-life decision you have made. Decisions about stopping a particular treatment or not starting one can be very difficult. Will stopping the treatment allow someone to die or will doing so actually cause someone to die? It is not always easy. Mistakes are made.
The Word of Life shines in the darkness of wrong decisions! The Word of Life promises, “I created you and redeemed you. There is no sin that can separate you from my love. My blood cleanses you from all sin. There is no condemnation for those who trust in that. I have taken your wrong decisions with Me to the cross. I suffered your condemnation. I give you My goodness. You are blameless and clean.”
There is one more aspect of the darkness that finds its way in and among God’s people. It is perhaps the most dangerous darkness of all—the darkness of indifference to issues of life and death. We label something “political,” “social,” or “controversial” and pretend it is not
appropriate to deal with in church. But if that which is “political” allows for the destruction of over 3,000 innocent and defenseless lives every day, lives created by God and for whom Jesus died, then we had better deal with it in our churches so we can shine the Word of Life upon it. If that which is “social” wounds so many women and so many others and fills them with remorse and hopelessness, then we had better deal with it in our churches so we can shine the Word of Life upon it. If that which is “controversial” leaves so many struggling with what to do about pain and suffering, then we had better deal with it in our churches so we can shine the Word of Life upon it.
That is the reason we as God’s people need to deal with these issues. That is the reason we need to shrug off our indifference. It is not because we want the Church to shirk her mission and become politically active. It is because we want the Church to be about her mission of shining the Word of Life into people’s lives. There is no room for indifference when we have the only thing that can make a difference, Jesus, the Word of Life.
So what can you do to make a difference in the area of life? Pray! Pray for our nation that a respect for life at all stages and conditions may be restored. Pray for Christ’s Church that she might be united in her message of life. Be informed! The issues are complicated. No one can keep up with them all. But organizations like Lutherans For Life try to keep up with them for you. In their free quarterly journal, LifeDate, they keep you informed and do so from a Biblical perspective. Give them a call. Be an example and a mentor. Teach and model the God-given value of life to your children and grandchildren. Take some action! Shining the Word of Life into people’s lives is more than just saying words. We are called upon to be that light. [Here be specific about opportunities in your congregation and your area. For example, become active in a local LFL chapter, become an LFL Life Ministry Coordinator, volunteer to help a local pregnancy center or hospice program, become active in the human care team in the congregation, etc.]
The Word of Life—in the beginning of time He gave value to human life through His creating hands. The Word of Life—He brought a new beginning in time giving value to human life through His redeeming hands. The Word of Life—He shines in our lives and in our darkness bringing light and hope. The Word of Life—may He shine through us and help others to know their value and the value of every human life.
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[1] Nancy Michels, Helping Women Recover From Abortion (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1988), 15.
[2] Sunday Express (London) July 28, 1991