Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:00 | [Music] |
| 0:16 | hello |
| 0:18 | today let’s talk about God doing the |
| 0:23 | impossible the text before us is from |
| 0:26 | the gospel of St Luke the 1 chapter |
| 0:29 | veres 26 through 38 this is the |
| 0:32 | Annunciation of the angel Gabriel to the |
| 0:34 | Virgin Mary |
| 0:38 | introduction Aristotle says it’s |
| 0:44 | impossible long before the birth of |
| 0:46 | Jesus a Greek philosopher was born who |
| 0:49 | shaped the thoughts of humanity for |
| 0:51 | centuries his name was |
| 0:53 | Aristotle and though he lived 350 years |
| 0:57 | before the birth of Jesus his ideas |
| 1:01 | continued to influence philosophers and |
| 1:04 | theologians until the time of the |
| 1:06 | Enlightenment over 2,000 years later |
| 1:11 | Aristotle wrote about virtually |
| 1:13 | everything among his topics were physics |
| 1:17 | metaphysics philosophy and logic here is |
| 1:21 | one of the most profound things that |
| 1:23 | Aristotle wrote |
| 1:26 | quote the infinite body will obviously |
| 1:30 | Prevail over and annihilate the finite |
| 1:34 | body end |
| 1:37 | quote this is cited in book three of |
| 1:40 | Aristotle’s physics but to put the |
| 1:43 | principle |
| 1:45 | simply Aristotle explains the finite is |
| 1:49 | not capable of containing the infinite |
| 1:52 | now that makes sense doesn’t it it’s |
| 1:54 | reasonable rational logical something |
| 1:58 | that is finite cannot limit or contain |
| 2:01 | something that is |
| 2:03 | infinite a 5 gallon bucket cannot |
| 2:06 | contain an ocean of water a moment of |
| 2:09 | time cannot contain an |
| 2:12 | eternity it’s just common sense the |
| 2:15 | finite cannot contain the |
| 2:19 | infinite point |
| 2:21 | one Mary was greatly |
| 2:25 | troubled in this gospel text from Luke 1 |
| 2:29 | we learn learn that God is not limited |
| 2:32 | by Aristotelian logic I’ll tell you what |
| 2:35 | I mean the angel Gabriel was sent by God |
| 2:39 | to Nazareth in Galilee to a virgin named |
| 2:43 | Mary the word virgin in Greek |
| 2:47 | paros is a very specific word |
| 2:51 | paros is a woman or a man who has kept |
| 2:54 | her or his Chastity that is that person |
| 2:58 | has never had sexual relations Mary is |
| 3:02 | clearly a parthenos a virgin the angel |
| 3:06 | greets Mary with God’s blessings |
| 3:08 | Greetings or literally Joy oh favored |
| 3:13 | one Mary does not know what this means |
| 3:17 | and she is troubled it is not every day |
| 3:20 | that she receives an Angelic visitor |
| 3:22 | with a message from almighty |
| 3:25 | God do not be afraid said the angel then |
| 3:29 | Gabriel explains God’s blessing in three |
| 3:32 | Clauses one behold you will conceive in |
| 3:37 | your womb two you will bear a son and |
| 3:41 | three you shall call his name |
| 3:46 | Jesus Gabriel clarifies the message he |
| 3:49 | Jesus will be the son of the most high |
| 3:52 | God he will reign over the house of |
| 3:54 | Jacob forever and his kingdom will have |
| 3:56 | no |
| 3:58 | end I’m guessing that there are several |
| 4:01 | things that are baffling Mary |
| 4:05 | first how is this going to |
| 4:08 | happen you see I think that Mary |
| 4:11 | believes what she has just heard she is |
| 4:14 | going to conceive and bear a son he will |
| 4:16 | be the son of the most high God and she |
| 4:19 | will name him Jesus yes Mary believes |
| 4:21 | this she knows this to be true but she |
| 4:24 | does not yet |
| 4:26 | understand |
| 4:28 | how second and this could be even more |
| 4:31 | baffling to Mary she had heard all of |
| 4:34 | her life that God was going to send a |
| 4:37 | messiah but she had not understood that |
| 4:39 | he was going to be the son of the most |
| 4:41 | high God himself and that he would Reign |
| 4:45 | for |
| 4:46 | ever how was her son going to live that |
| 4:50 | long that was very puzzling and finally |
| 4:54 | and perhaps the most perplexing of all |
| 4:56 | how was the almighty Everlasting ing |
| 4:59 | Eternal God going to be contained in her |
| 5:03 | little bitty |
| 5:04 | belly do you see just because Mary |
| 5:07 | believes does not mean that Mary |
| 5:11 | understands Aristotle would have |
| 5:13 | declared the finite cannot contain the |
| 5:17 | infinite however Mary believes that her |
| 5:21 | finite womb is about to Bear the |
| 5:24 | infinite Son of God |
| 5:28 | Jesus Jes she just doesn’t yet |
| 5:30 | understand |
| 5:32 | how so that’s exactly what Mary asks how |
| 5:35 | can this be since and now I’ll give a |
| 5:38 | direct translation of the original Greek |
| 5:42 | since I know not a |
| 5:46 | man the angel |
| 5:49 | explains the holy spirit will come upon |
| 5:53 | you and the power of the most high will |
| 5:56 | overshadow you for this reason the holy |
| 6:00 | Offspring shall be called The Son of |
| 6:05 | God to Aristotle and to the world this |
| 6:10 | is |
| 6:11 | unreasonable irrational |
| 6:15 | impossible the finite is not capable of |
| 6:18 | containing the infinite but the angel |
| 6:21 | Gabriel declared this for nothing will |
| 6:25 | be impossible with |
| 6:28 | God point two the |
| 6:32 | cupac in the mid 1520s Dr Martin Luther |
| 6:36 | was leading a Reformation of the church |
| 6:38 | back to the Bible through faith in God’s |
| 6:41 | inherent infallible and inspired word |
| 6:44 | but there were some words in the Bible |
| 6:46 | that Jesus said that some men argued |
| 6:50 | were unreasonable irrational and yes |
| 6:54 | impossible for |
| 6:56 | example Jesus had taken bread |
| 7:00 | he blessed it broke it and gave it to |
| 7:02 | his disciples saying take |
| 7:06 | eat this is my |
| 7:09 | body do this for the remembrance of me |
| 7:13 | in the same manner also when he had SED |
| 7:15 | in when he had given thanks he took the |
| 7:16 | cup he gave it to them saying drink ye |
| 7:20 | all of it this cup is the New Testament |
| 7:26 | in my blood which is shed for you for |
| 7:28 | the Forgiveness of sins do this as often |
| 7:31 | as you drink it in remembrance of me |
| 7:34 | some people like rri |
| 7:38 | zley |
| 7:39 | objected to the words of Jesus wingley |
| 7:43 | said that it was impossible for the |
| 7:45 | Divine and infinite Son of God Jesus |
| 7:47 | Christ to be contained in a piece of |
| 7:49 | bread or to be contained in a cup of |
| 7:53 | wine fin nonap |
| 7:57 | Infinity the finite cannot not contain |
| 8:00 | the infinite he cried and yes he was |
| 8:03 | referencing Aristotle and Aristotle’s |
| 8:06 | writings of physics and |
| 8:09 | logic rather than accepting the words of |
| 8:11 | the Son of God swingley was standing on |
| 8:15 | reason rather than on |
| 8:17 | faith Luther responded that the word of |
| 8:20 | Christ is a mystery is far beyond our |
| 8:23 | understanding but swingly said finum non |
| 8:26 | Kapak Infinity the finite not contain |
| 8:30 | the |
| 8:31 | infinite but do you want to hear what |
| 8:33 | Luther |
| 8:36 | said Kap Infinity the finite is capable |
| 8:40 | of the infinite you may think that it’s |
| 8:43 | not possible for a small piece of bread |
| 8:45 | to contain the body of |
| 8:47 | Christ we may think that it’s not |
| 8:50 | possible for a cup of wine to contain |
| 8:53 | the blood of Our Savior Jesus but tell |
| 8:55 | me this is it possible that Jesus who is |
| 8:58 | God himself may choose to place his body |
| 9:01 | in the bread and the Son of God May |
| 9:04 | determine to place his blood in the cup |
| 9:08 | is it possible that God may do as he |
| 9:10 | wishes and do exactly what he promises |
| 9:13 | with his own |
| 9:14 | word you’re completely backwards as you |
| 9:18 | look at this you’re speaking of human |
| 9:21 | limitations to com contain God but I’m |
| 9:25 | speaking of a God who has no limitations |
| 9:28 | at all |
| 9:30 | you cannot imagine that the womb of |
| 9:32 | little Mary can hold the Eternal Son of |
| 9:35 | God or that a host and cup on the altar |
| 9:38 | can hold the infinite second person of |
| 9:40 | the Holy Trinity but is your faith so |
| 9:44 | weak that you believe that Christ |
| 9:46 | himself cannot place his Divine body and |
| 9:49 | blood anywhere and any way that he |
| 9:53 | chooses we understand that we have human |
| 9:56 | limitations but we must also understand |
| 9:59 | that our infinite God has no limitations |
| 10:04 | at |
| 10:06 | all the angel Gabriel declared that |
| 10:10 | nothing will be impossible with God you |
| 10:13 | don’t disagree with an angel of |
| 10:15 | God and you don’t disagree with God’s |
| 10:18 | Own word do |
| 10:22 | you point three i in them Luke Luther |
| 10:29 | was |
| 10:30 | declaring a Divine |
| 10:33 | truth God uses finite things to contain |
| 10:37 | his infinite glory god uses human |
| 10:42 | beings God uses material elements as |
| 10:46 | means of Grace as instruments through |
| 10:48 | which he comes to his people and he |
| 10:52 | gives us |
| 10:55 | himself some may think that the finite |
| 10:58 | is not capable able of containing God |
| 11:00 | but God is so infinite that he is |
| 11:03 | capable of containing himself in the |
| 11:07 | finite the infinite word of God became |
| 11:11 | flesh and was born into a finite virgin |
| 11:16 | named Mary the infinite God contained |
| 11:20 | himself in a finite womb furthermore the |
| 11:23 | infinite second person of the Holy |
| 11:25 | Trinity joins his body to the bread on |
| 11:29 | the altar when his word is declared he |
| 11:32 | joins his blood to the wine in the cup |
| 11:34 | on the altar when his word is proclaimed |
| 11:38 | it is a mystery it’s beyond our |
| 11:41 | understanding but it is true because God |
| 11:45 | himself has said it and Christ himself |
| 11:48 | has done it the infinite can do anything |
| 11:53 | he wants and he wants to contain himself |
| 11:56 | in the finite Luther offers us |
| 11:59 | one more word of God that defies our |
| 12:03 | understanding this too is unreasonable |
| 12:06 | this too is irrational this too is |
| 12:09 | impossible Jesus Christ your infinite |
| 12:13 | Lord has not only joined himself to Mary |
| 12:15 | and joined himself to Bread and Wine but |
| 12:18 | Jesus Christ has joined |
| 12:20 | himself to you let it sink in a moment |
| 12:24 | Jesus Christ has joined himself to you |
| 12:28 | the infinite Jesus Christ is contained |
| 12:31 | in you in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus |
| 12:35 | prayed to the |
| 12:37 | Father the glory which thou Hast given |
| 12:40 | me I have given to them i in them and |
| 12:45 | thou in me that they may be perfected in |
| 12:49 | unity Jesus prays to be in you therefore |
| 12:55 | Paul writes it is no longer I who live |
| 12:58 | but Christ who lives in me and again St |
| 13:01 | Paul writes Christ in me the hope of |
| 13:06 | glory when you were baptized into the |
| 13:09 | death and resurrection of Jesus Christ |
| 13:11 | he joined himself to you you are |
| 13:14 | baptized into the Divine name of God |
| 13:17 | sealed upon you baptized into the name |
| 13:20 | of the father and the Son and the Holy |
| 13:23 | Spirit at that time he was joined to you |
| 13:26 | and you were joined to him you became a |
| 13:29 | little Christ and all of the inheritance |
| 13:32 | that is Christ’s also was given to you |
| 13:36 | you see beloved God has done the |
| 13:40 | impossible he has made the finite |
| 13:43 | contain the infinite God did this to you |
| 13:47 | by grace through faith so infinite Jesus |
| 13:51 | is in finite |
| 13:55 | you |
| 13:57 | conclusion it would be impossible for |
| 14:00 | you to contain Christ in yourself you |
| 14:04 | could not possibly put infinite God into |
| 14:07 | yourself but it is possible however |
| 14:10 | according to God’s holy will and God’s |
| 14:12 | holy word for the infinite God to |
| 14:15 | contain himself in finite |
| 14:19 | you 350 years before the birth of Jesus |
| 14:22 | there was a Greek philosopher named |
| 14:24 | Aristotle he shaped the thoughts of |
| 14:26 | humanity for centuries and Aristotle |
| 14:29 | gave to us a |
| 14:31 | concept the finite cannot possibly |
| 14:34 | contain the infinite but at least in |
| 14:36 | this Aristotle was wrong the finite is |
| 14:39 | capable of containing the infinite it’s |
| 14:42 | unreasonable irrational impossible yes |
| 14:45 | but God has done it |
| 14:48 | anyway your lord Jesus Christ has placed |
| 14:52 | himself contained himself in |
| 14:56 | Mary in the bread and Cup on on the |
| 14:59 | Altar and in |
| 15:05 | you because nothing will be impossible |
| 15:09 | with |
| 15:11 | God |
| 15:19 | [Music] |
| 15:27 | Amen |
LutheranLectionary.org 