Faithful Unto Death

Dear members of Salem, friends in Christ Jesus and you the confirmation class of 2010;

            Here is a confirmation certificate and here is a marriage certificate. I don’t know if you have ever thought of how similar these two documents really are? Both reflect a relationship, a marriage certificate between a husband and wife, a confirmation certificate between a Christian and the Lord. Both come into existence through vows or promises.  

            During the wedding there comes the time for the exchange of rings. The pastor says: “Exchange these rings as a symbol of the lifelong commitment and abiding love which you as husband and wife have promised each other.” Then the bride/groom says: “Receive this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness.” See every time a bride or groom looks at their ring they are to remember their promises. I wish we would have confirmation rings. Wouldn’t it be something if each one who was confirmed had a ring on their hand to remind them of their vows to Jesus? Now Jesus doesn’t need a confirmation ring, he looks at his hands and sees the nail prints. He knows his commitment and faithfulness.   So on this your confirmation day I would remind you of your commitment and vows of faithfulness, “Faithful Unto Death.” 

            Our text is really Jesus speaking.   In the book of Revelation he has special messages to believers in various churches.  The words of our text are very clear, “Be faithful.” See each one of our stories with the Lord, is really a love story.  Your confirmation is really a love story. Your Pastors have been privileged to open up to you some of the most beautiful expression of God’s love to you. God tells you: (Jer 31:3 NIV) "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Your parents love you. They have a special love for you. No one has loved you the way Jesus did: (John 15:13 NIV) Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. That’s what Jesus did for you. You have heard of the love, you really have experienced that love.   Pastor Brohn in putting this service together reminds you of how because of that love, Jesus will be with you, his vow, his promise. He will keep that promise.

            I don’t know if you have ever seen the show, “Cheaters”.   It is about video taping someone who is cheater on their spouse or boy friend/girl friend. Jesus had these words about Cheaters.  Sometimes people cheat on Jesus. When someone loves something/someone more than Jesus, he calls it idolatry, or even spiritual adultery.  In the first part of chapter two he reminds the congregation of Ephesus these words, Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. They were cheating on Jesus.  Here is where we have special warning for you. Who also wants your love? Who wants to get you to cheat on Jesus?

            On Facebook you can find your friend of the day and your lover of the day.   What a shock it would be if the devil is the one who shows up as your lover of the day!   Yes, he wants your love. He will lie and offer you anything, just so you won’t love Jesus. Our Savior told a parable about some who listened to his word. (Luke 8:12 NIV) Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. In fact if the devil can’t have your love he will make it difficult for you. The first part of the Rev. 2:10 says: Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you.

            Also the very world we live in, wants to be your lover.   (1 John 2:15-17 NIV) Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. {17} The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.  Think of all the things that people will spend time with rather than spending time with Jesus. Don’t you think he knows where a person’s heart really is?

One of the dangers as we move closer and closer to the end of the world, Jesus said, “Love will grow cold.” So how can we keep our love for Jesus strong? His love never wavers. I would have you think of how some people fall in love as we call it.   First of all, you are all too young to get married. But you are already figuring out what you like and don’t like in a person. In fact at times you feel you can’t stand somebody. But maybe you don’t know them well enough. As you grow older and meet more people you might find just the one who you really like. You start spending more time together, you will text each other, make them facebook friends. You will date and share more and more time together. Maybe you will wonder if this is the right person for you. Sometimes you might wonder if Jesus is the right one for you. But the more time you spend with him, you will find there is no other God like your Savior. All the others make you do something so they will love you. But Jesus first loved you. That’s why this relationship is so special.

            When I meet with brides and grooms, one question that is asked of them, once married will your love for one another decrease? The answer is, it could, if you take each other for granted. However, if you work at the relationship, it can get even better. To keep your love for Jesus strong, Jesus has given you love letters for you to read. Try reading 1 John all over again. (1 John 3:16 NIV)  This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. On the weekend restaurants are busy, because so many people go out for meals. So much can happen over a meal, conversation, time together, and time to share and grow in love. Don’t underestimate the invitation that Jesus gives you for the meal he has prepared. The Lord’s Supper is a special meal that he has prepared, a meal where his love reaches out and reassures you, he still loves you. Just think if you were dating a person, and they offered to take you out for a meal. At every invitation, you said, “No.” Would they not wonder about the love you profess for them? At times we need that scolding from our Lord, to call us to repentance and return to the one who loves us. 

This brings us to the promises a couple makes: Do you take “for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and health? Those are not multiple choices. In our sin filled world, all kinds of things can happen that will challenge our love between us and our God also. 

When things are going good, we might take for granted that God loves. When things go bad, then we might think, he no longer loves us. When we are well off, we might think we did it all by our selves and not thank God. When things get tough, we might get angry with God, how could he do that to us? When we are healthy, we might not think to pray. When we are sick, why did God let this come into our lives?

            Be faithful even to the point to death, calls us to reflect how serious is this love we profess and the love we have experienced.   Have you ever heard of the man named Polycarp? Perhaps this is the rest of the story, for the church that heard these words of our text. It is not found in the Bible. Following Jesus warnings of a persecution, it came. The leader of the church was Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John. In the account of the Martyrdom of Polycarp, the Roman consul directed him to curse Jesus Christ. Polycarp replied, “For 86 years I have been serving Him and he has done no wrong to me. How then dare I blaspheme my King who has saved me?” The story of Polycarp ends with him being faithful even to the point of death. I receive a magazine that reports on Christians suffering around the world. This week I read of Baba Qadar in Pakistan. Last year a mob attacked him because he was Christian. He could not walk. He was 86 years old. They kicked him, picked him up and threw him in a thorn bush and then head first into a hole. All this time they were kicking and beating him. His answer: “How can you kill me? The Master of Life is only one and that is Jesus Christ. Only he can give or take life, so do whatever you like because I know it is God alone who can take my life.” He lived. We may be spared such torment and attacks. But Satan will not give up.  Be faithful. You may not have a ring, but look to the cross.  Look around you, a sinful world, Look above you, a wonderful Savior, Look ahead, a crown of life. Be faithful unto death. Amen.