LutheranLectionary.org

Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:00	[Music]
0:09	hello today let’s talk about the
0:13	greatest
0:15	truth
0:17	introduction a courtroom
0:19	drama do you remember TV shows like
0:22	Perry Mason or Matt lock they’re pretty
0:26	old but there are some new courtroom
0:28	dramas on TV today well
0:30	this is another famous or should I say
0:33	Infamous courtroom drama let me describe
0:37	the characters and see if you can guess
0:39	who they are first the
0:43	accused now this seems like a nice
0:46	enough person likable Pleasant easygoing
0:51	really not a terrible
0:54	troublemaker and the prosecuting
0:57	attorney this one’s a pistol full of
1:00	himself flashy dresser tailored black
1:03	suit red carnation self- assured very
1:08	good with words and the defense attorney
1:12	hm not what you expected I think humble
1:15	fellow shoes not polished suit off the
1:19	rack looks like he needs a
1:21	shave then there’s the judge oh you’ve
1:24	heard the expression sober as a judge
1:26	well this one is sober he’s strict and
1:29	beli believe me everything is by the
1:33	book finally oh the star witness more
1:37	than meets the eye this one is going to
1:39	be a surprise like a firecracker I think
1:43	okay do you have it figured
1:46	out today we’re reading from the gospel
1:49	of St John 15: 26 and 27 and John 16
1:56	veres 4- 15 verses 4-15
2:00	this passage reads like a court case let
2:05	me lay it out for you please point one
2:08	Satan’s
2:10	accusations who are the actors in This
2:12	courtroom you probably saw this coming
2:14	the accused is you yes you are the one
2:19	who’s on trial here the prosecuting
2:21	attorney well that would be Satan we are
2:25	reminded that the Bible calls him the
2:27	accuser in Revelation chap
2:30	12:10 he accuses the Saints both day and
2:34	night then there’s your defense attorney
2:39	Jesus he looks like an average Joe but
2:42	don’t let that fool you the judge is no
2:45	surprise he is of course God the father
2:49	and last but not least for today is
2:51	Pentecost your star witness is the holy
2:56	spirit we get things started when the
2:58	charges are read and you are like oh no
3:02	oh are you kidding me please stop no
3:05	please stop the prosecutor has a list a
3:08	seemingly inexhaustible list of
3:11	innumerable evil thoughts that you have
3:13	had in your head many of which he
3:15	suggested
3:17	himself what selfishness he says what
3:20	unforgiveness unchristian evil ideas and
3:24	you like how embarrassing how horrible
3:26	is that really who I am next word
3:30	stupid words unkind words thoughtless
3:34	insensitive words self-justifying words
3:38	where’s the humble heart where’s the
3:40	Selfless Love what kind of an evil heart
3:44	generated those words
3:47	me me finally the Deeds each and every
3:51	action that you thought you had
3:53	forgotten or wished you could forget
3:55	they are all paraded in front of you
3:57	with declarations by the prosecutor
3:59	guilty guilty and he demands your
4:02	punishment you deserve Eternal
4:05	punishment That’s what Satan says you
4:08	have earned not just death that’s too
4:10	easy no you have earned hell you yes you
4:14	deserve
4:16	hell have you ever really faced
4:19	that
4:22	really point two your defense finally
4:26	your attorney stands up in order to stop
4:28	this very convincing argument for your
4:31	condemnation and now you get a a better
4:33	look at the fellow
4:35	gee he looks like he’s been in a
4:38	barfight what kind of defense is he
4:40	going to offer I mean everything that
4:43	the prosecutor said was true what chance
4:46	do you
4:48	have your attorney is brief but he’s to
4:51	the point your honor he says if you’re
4:55	going to condemn my client what if
4:59	you’re going to condemn my client you’re
5:01	going to have to condemn me first oh my
5:05	if you’re going to punish my client
5:07	you’re going to have to punish me
5:09	first then when you turn to speak to
5:13	your defense attorney he turns to leave
5:15	are you going you ask John
5:20	16:5 now I’m going he says going you say
5:24	where are you going verse 6 because I
5:28	said that I’m going you’re filled with
5:29	sorrow verse 7 but I tell you it is to
5:32	your advantage that I go away for if I
5:35	do not go away the helper shall not come
5:38	to you but if I go I will send him to
5:43	you well you do not understand the
5:46	strategy of this heavenly
5:49	lawyer Jesus has been explaining it but
5:51	you have not yet fully understood it in
5:54	effect he says this if I do not
5:58	die nothing can be accomplished for you
6:02	you will remain as you are steeped in
6:06	your sins the judge and his law will
6:09	stand against you and he has you dead to
6:12	rights your penalty is death you cannot
6:17	offer anything in your own defense you
6:19	have no righteousness you have no
6:23	self-justification
6:24	but if I die I will take your sin I will
6:30	receive your punishment I will enter and
6:33	rest in your grave and in my place will
6:37	come the helper now he had already
6:38	spoken of that one another helper he
6:41	called him in Greek it was the pericos
6:44	the one who pleads your cause before a
6:47	judge Jesus is the one who pleads for
6:49	you now but after his time on the cross
6:52	he sends another pericos another one to
6:56	plead your cause before the
6:58	judge don’t go you say in desperation
7:02	but he’s already turned his back he’s
7:04	leaving he’s on his way to your
7:10	salvation verse
7:12	8 the helper will convict the world
7:15	concerning sin and righteousness and
7:17	judgment concerning sin because they do
7:20	not believe in me concerning
7:21	righteousness because I go to the father
7:24	concerning judgment because the ruler of
7:26	this world is
7:27	judged when the helper comes com he will
7:30	guide you into all the
7:36	truth three your new
7:40	attorney the new defense attorney makes
7:44	an unexpected opening
7:46	statement your honor truth be told my
7:50	client is riddled with
7:53	sin even the greatest kindness and most
7:56	loving works of this person’s life are
7:58	still filled
8:00	with selfish sin the best works are
8:03	still
8:04	evil my client is like every other
8:08	person in this courtroom today your
8:09	honor sin sick and evil except for one
8:13	thing verse n my client believes in the
8:18	Savior Jesus Christ my client does not
8:21	come before you offering any defense or
8:23	boasted goodness or personal Merit no my
8:26	client points only to the previous
8:28	attorney who was nailed to a cross that
8:32	attorney sent me here to give the
8:35	highest power to this lowly accused I
8:38	say again the highest power to this
8:41	lowly accused this
8:43	defendant has faith in Jesus Christ look
8:47	your honor there’s now no condemnation
8:50	for those in Christ Jesus
8:53	look there is no
8:55	sin so there is no punishment for my
8:58	client
9:00	instead now there is only
9:05	righteousness without the death of the
9:08	defense attorney there’s no
9:09	righteousness for anyone but he has died
9:12	and because this one believes verse 10
9:16	there is
9:18	only
9:20	righteousness Jesus has accomplished his
9:23	work on the cross and because the
9:25	accused has believed every good work
9:28	which by the way contained selfish evil
9:31	is attached to him who was slain and now
9:34	that tainted work is truly good and
9:37	every evil work which by the way is
9:40	truly worthy of judgment is attached to
9:43	him who was slain and
9:46	now it is gone the evil is gone I know
9:50	your honor that you can remember those
9:52	sins no more and you have separated the
9:55	accused from those sins as far as the
9:57	East is from the West as a result of the
9:59	death and now the resurrection of the
10:02	defense there is a new measure of
10:04	judgment that applies here in this court
10:08	your
10:09	honor in fact I submit that the
10:12	prosecutor himself is now judged your
10:16	honor verse 11 the ruler of this
10:20	world has been judged the prosecuting
10:24	attorney Satan himself stands
10:27	accused though
10:30	his accusations bear some weight there
10:32	is a greater truth here there’s an
10:35	overwhelming truth here there’s a
10:37	gracious Eternal truth here now in this
10:40	court your
10:42	honor conclusion a greater truth verse
10:47	13 when the spirit of truth comes he
10:49	will guide you into the way of
10:52	Truth you see the holy spirit is not
10:54	only the new defense
10:56	attorney the holy spirit is the star are
10:59	witness his purpose is not only to
11:01	witness for
11:03	you it is also to witness to you for he
11:07	will not speak on his own initiative but
11:09	whatever he hears from the father he
11:11	will speak he is the spirit of
11:16	Truth these verses are for Pentecost
11:20	Sunday we celebrate the work of the Holy
11:22	Spirit The Counselor the defense
11:25	attorney the personal truth teller for
11:28	he will guide you you into the way of
11:30	Truth the holy spirit is with you and he
11:33	lives within you he speaks to you to
11:36	bring all that Christ has done for you
11:39	and all that Jesus has said to you into
11:42	your
11:43	remembrance he leads you into the way of
11:47	truth and the Holy Spirit speaks God’s
11:51	truth to
11:53	you your hope is not in your good works
11:57	for they are tainted with evil and your
11:59	condemnation is not in your evil works
12:02	for they are forgiven and forgotten
12:05	because of Christ your hope is in the
12:09	Lord Jesus Christ one grain of Faith the
12:13	size of the smallest seed is stronger
12:16	than Satan’s accusations stronger than
12:19	the world’s Temptations and stronger
12:21	than your own life full of sin that one
12:25	grain of faith is more powerful Because
12:27	by the grace of God the Father it is
12:30	held in Your Heart by the word of God
12:32	the son and by the inspiration of God
12:34	the Holy Spirit they live in you and for
12:37	that reason you are forgiven and God’s
12:41	Own beloved child in God’s Eternal
12:47	courtroom this is the greatest
12:53	truth amen
13:00	[Music]