LutheranLectionary.org

Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins

ime Stamp	Transcript
0:00	[Music]
0:11	hello today let’s talk about walking wet
0:16	in the
0:17	world introduction a chemical reaction
0:22	for over 5,000 years virtually for as
0:24	long as we’ve had recorded human history
0:27	we human beings have been coloring our
0:31	clothes we have taken wool or silk or
0:35	cotton or the like and we’ve dyed it
0:38	colored it using berries or cabbage
0:41	Indigo or flowers for example we have
0:45	enhanced our Fabrics with color look
0:48	around you it seems that every single
0:51	fiber is
0:52	tinted rugs and robes dresses and
0:56	blouses shirts and pants natural fibers
1:00	our beige or white or tan but around us
1:04	we see vibrant Reds and yellows Majestic
1:08	blues and purples how was the
1:11	transformation from natural to tinted
1:14	accomplished well initially Fabrics were
1:17	soaked in water and a coloring agent was
1:20	added like berries or flowers and
1:22	additional agre and an additional
1:25	ingredient also included something
1:28	probably like salt or V vinegar then the
1:31	fabric in this solution concoction was
1:34	heated the simmering might have lasted
1:36	for days or even weeks but finally a
1:39	bonding took place today we call it a
1:41	chemical reaction the coloration of dye
1:45	actually became part of the fibers of
1:48	the fabric today we’re much more
1:51	chemically sophisticated but we use the
1:52	same kind of process the dye penetrates
1:56	permeates and saturates the fabric on a
2:00	molecular level a chemical reaction
2:02	takes place the fabric is fundamentally
2:05	changed it is permanently infused with
2:09	Living Color look around you color
2:13	beautiful remember this part for later
2:16	please point one keep them in thy name
2:22	in this gospel text from John chapter
2:25	17 Jesus is praying for his disciples
2:28	also he’s praying for for us please
2:31	notice what our lord Jesus prays John
2:36	17:1 keep them in thy name the name
2:40	which thou has given to me while I was
2:42	with them I was keeping them in thy name
2:45	which thou has given to
2:47	me now what do you make of that what
2:50	does Jesus mean keep them in thy name
2:54	well the name of God means the character
2:57	of God and the person of God the name
3:00	means God
3:02	himself you are familiar with passages
3:05	about the name of the Lord for example
3:07	our help is in the name of the Lord
3:10	Psalm 124 that is our help is in the
3:14	character and in the person of the Lord
3:18	Abram called upon the name of the Lord
3:21	Genesis chapter 13 so Abraham trusted in
3:25	the character and in the person of the
3:28	Lord so Psalm 113 declares blessed be
3:32	the name of the Lord that is how worthy
3:36	of Praise are the character and the
3:38	person of the Lord and of course you
3:42	know the Commandment you shall not take
3:44	the name of the Lord thy God in vain
3:47	Exodus 20 you shall not defile the
3:50	character or the person of the Lord okay
3:53	so name is the character and person of
3:55	God what does the name of the Lord have
3:58	to do with you and me
4:00	ah well you see when we were baptized we
4:04	were baptized into the name of the Lord
4:07	you are baptized into the name of the
4:10	father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
4:14	please understand the word baptize or in
4:17	the Greek New Testament
4:19	baptizo can refer to a sunken ship that
4:22	is submerged now water is inside and
4:26	outside and all around the ship also
4:29	ptio so may refer to a garment that is
4:32	immersed in dye aha it becomes
4:36	permanently tinted chemically colored so
4:40	when you were baptized into the name of
4:44	the father and of the son and of the
4:45	Holy Spirit you were immersed
4:49	permanently tinted chemically colored
4:53	with the name of God every fiber of your
4:56	being was bonded to the character
5:00	and the Divine person of
5:04	god wow it’s wonderful Jesus did that to
5:09	you in your baptism in this prayer Jesus
5:12	is saying to the father I was keeping
5:14	them in thy name but now Holy Father you
5:18	must keep them in thy name keep them
5:22	Father in the Divine name that is keep
5:24	them in the Holy character and the
5:27	Divine person of
5:30	God the father and the Son and the Holy
5:33	Spirit are now your
5:36	identity the name of the Lord is your
5:39	new color the Divine name is an
5:42	essential part of your essence your very
5:45	being so
5:47	father Jesus says they are bonded to you
5:51	and you father are bonded to
5:54	them in your baptism God changed you he
5:57	tented you with Heaven God joins you to
6:00	himself it was not a chemical reaction
6:02	it was a spiritual reaction and Jesus is
6:05	saying to the father keep them in the
6:09	name keep them in the immersion of their
6:12	holy baptism pour over them again and
6:15	again thy name thy character thy person
6:18	day after day year after year pour over
6:21	them those baptismal Waters that they
6:23	may walk wet yes Father may they walk
6:27	wet in the character and person of God
6:30	every moment of their
6:32	lives I think that is something of what
6:35	Jesus is praying here for
6:38	you point two keep them from the evil
6:43	one in verse 12 Jesus prays to the
6:46	father I guarded them and at verse 14
6:50	Jesus says and the world hated them so
6:53	verse 15 Jesus prays keep them from the
6:57	evil one our lord Jesus does not ask
7:00	that we be taken out of the world no he
7:03	has a challenge and a purpose for us
7:05	here at this time and at this place in
7:08	your life Jesus wants you right where
7:11	you are and he prays to the father keep
7:14	them from the evil one the word of God
7:18	makes it clear that we are all war
7:21	Fighters we are all fighting a war we
7:25	should understand that our enemy is
7:27	hostile and he is dangerous
7:30	ous the devil and his demons are Sly and
7:33	cunning they are wise and perceptive
7:35	they are aggressive and
7:38	attacking they want to
7:40	steal not just your money but your faith
7:45	they want to kill not just your body but
7:48	your hope and they want to destroy not
7:51	just your
7:51	happiness but your eternal life they
7:54	want to rob you of faith in
7:57	God you will not fight and win this
8:00	battle if you use only human tactics or
8:02	normal soldiering strategies for
8:05	Ephesians 6 teaches us our struggle is
8:07	not against flesh and blood but against
8:10	the rulers against the powers against
8:11	the world forces of this Darkness
8:15	against the spiritual forces of
8:17	wickedness in the Heavenly
8:19	places so you understand that your enemy
8:23	is a spiritual foe who is Crafty and
8:27	Insidious he may use flesh and blood but
8:30	you probably will not see him or hear
8:32	him himself only the persons and
8:35	situations that he’s using you may sense
8:39	the sense the devil’s presence because
8:41	of your fear or anger or temptation to
8:44	selfishness or because of your sin but
8:47	probably you’ll not see him so how do
8:49	you fight this unseen enemy 2
8:52	Corinthians 10 the weapons of our
8:55	Warfare are not of the flesh but
8:58	divinely powerful for the destruction of
9:02	fortresses we are destroying
9:04	speculations of every lofty thing raised
9:06	up against the knowledge of God and
9:08	we’re taking every thought captive to
9:11	The Obedience of
9:13	Christ you don’t have to be a
9:15	weightlifter or a prize fighter to fight
9:19	this adversary the devil you can be as
9:23	small and old as Yoda in Star Wars what
9:26	you need is faith and to walk in the
9:30	name of the Lord the name of God is
9:33	already an essential part of you for
9:36	your baptism has given it to you you are
9:39	marked with the Cross of Christ forever
9:41	the character and the person of God are
9:44	living within you as the light of the
9:47	world point three I have sent them now
9:53	we are ready to receive the marching
9:56	orders of this Gospel reading Jesus has
9:58	told us that he kept us in the name of
10:00	God he’s prayed that the father will
10:02	keep us in the name of God he wants us
10:05	in the world not of the world and he
10:06	wants you exactly where he has placed
10:09	you so that you may fight the good fight
10:12	of Faith right there his word declares
10:15	do not be conformed to this world that
10:18	is do not let this world or your flesh
10:21	or The Temptations of the devil make you
10:23	conform to this world do not think or
10:27	live or act like this world does no you
10:32	bear the name of the Lord so continue to
10:35	be Salt and Light wherever you go you
10:38	are the light of the world let your
10:40	light so shine before others that they
10:43	may see your good works and glorify your
10:46	father in Heaven Jesus was sent as the
10:50	one and only Lamb of God the perfect and
10:53	holy one who was sacrificed for the sin
10:55	of the world that was the purpose for
10:58	which he was sent to demonstrate God’s
11:01	Great Mercy forgiveness and love on the
11:04	cross but Jesus baptized you into his
11:08	character and his person and now Jesus
11:12	has sent you I have sent them said Jesus
11:15	in verse 18 so you have been sent Jesus
11:19	has delegated his work to you Jesus has
11:24	multiplied his heart and His Hands by
11:26	sending you what is Jesus sending you to
11:30	do today I
11:32	wonder conclusion walk wet there’s a lot
11:36	going on in this Gospel reading first we
11:39	were reminded that we’ve been immersed
11:41	in the name of God so much so that your
11:44	essence every fiber of your being has
11:47	been submerged baptized into the name of
11:51	the father and of the son and of the
11:53	holy spirit in the waters of your
11:56	baptism God did that to you and now his
12:00	character and his person are deeply
12:03	within you like color in fabric you are
12:07	fundamentally changed next we were
12:10	reminded that we’re in a battle we may
12:12	ignore it or forget about it but our
12:13	enemy does not ignore or forget about us
12:16	he works to discourage and destroy you
12:19	with sorrow and suffering with anger and
12:22	worry with
12:24	unforgiveness
12:26	isolation
12:27	self-pity with sin and with shame your
12:32	enemy attacks and accuses you so fight
12:35	the good fight of Faith but you do not
12:37	fight alone in fact you have a champion
12:41	the captain of the host who is more
12:42	Mighty than you possibly can imagine
12:44	your savior Jesus Christ who with the
12:47	father and the Holy Spirit not only
12:49	watch over you but live within you and
12:53	ever help and inspire you for that
12:57	reason we are more than conquerors
13:00	through him who loved us for I am
13:02	convinced that neither death nor life
13:04	nor angels nor principalities nor powers
13:07	nor things present nor things to come
13:10	nor height nor depth nor any other
13:12	creature shall be able to separate us
13:15	from the love of God which is in Christ
13:19	Jesus our
13:21	lord therefore beloved children of God
13:25	make good use of your time on this Earth
13:29	be of strong faith and be of good cheer
13:33	because you bear on your body the sign
13:36	of your baptism into the name of God his
13:41	Heavenly character and His holy person
13:44	live within you and your heavenly father
13:47	keeps on refreshing your baptismal
13:50	Waters always keeping you in his
13:54	name
13:56	so wherever you go and whatever you
14:00	face you will always walk wet in the
14:07	world Amen
14:16	[Music]