Our Gospel text today is full of deep spiritual truths. They run counter to many of the things you hear from radio and TV preachers. The text also has very intimate description, in language typical of John's gospel, of the relationship of Jesus and his Father. It talks about eternal life, resurrection, judgement and does so in some very surprising terms.

A couple of times a year I approach a text in the manner I'm approaching this one this morning. I'm going to do a typical evangelical 'expository' sermon on the text- we'll walk through the text, stop to figure it out and see what it's about.

Let's begin. It's early in Jesus' ministry; earlier in this chapter he healed a paralytic man by the pool of Bethesda, which we looked at two weeks ago. Right after this we have the text we looked at last week. Right after being

criticized for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus is doing a bit of his early teaching. Let's look:

John 5:19-26: Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. Isn't that an odd saying? Jesus says he can do nothing without the Father, and somehow, the Father leads the son by making him 'see' his action. This is a very interesting idea. John describes spiritual actions with some odd physical terms. When people encounter Jesus, the Word of God, most times John says that the people 'hear' the Word. Sometimes he says they 'receive' his word, but it is a very passive reception, like being good soil. John even speaks of people 'seeing' the Word.

Here, Jesus is trying to explain how he grasps the Will of God, and, instead of saying he 'hears' God's voice, or instead of saying he 'feels' God's Spirit, (by the way, the Bible never speaks of anyone 'feeling' the Spirit. In fact, in the original language, there the Bible never uses the word 'feel,' or 'feelings' to describe any emotional content. In modern translations those words appear a few times, but are explanations of words like 'jealousy.' So, it's odd that Jesus doesn't say he 'hears' or 'feels' God- Jesus says he 'sees' what God is doing. It's that clear. Somehow, he senses, maybe in some sort of internal, visual manner, the action God desires. It's so clear to him, without sin, that he can 'see' it. Imagine how wonderful it was for Adam and Eve- that's what they could do- they could 'see' God. Maybe that's what John is trying to describe here for us! Sinless Jesus can actually see God! He goes on to explain: [20] For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. See, that's it. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. That sounds like John 14:12: Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. God is able to do far more abundantly than we ask or think. Do you believe that?

The last few weeks I've pondered over and over again Mike Fehrenbach's words to us. Is our God big enough? Do we really expect God to do great things? Week by week, day by day the Council and Staff struggle with a heavy load of care- an old building, a challenging budget; the constant knowledge of the tremendous needs we face in this neighborhood- and sometimes it goes so slowly, like my old Scoutmaster said of landing on Iwo Jima's volcanic sands in WWII. He said it was 'Take two steps forward, slide one foot back.' Do we lose track of God's work in all this? Do we really expect him to be a supernatural God? Have we gotten far to comfortable with what we can see, touch and hear and accomplish by hard work? Do we really expect God to do something? Is our God big enough? Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.

Jesus goes on, to begin to speak of life and death: [21] For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. The Father can raise the dead. There is one mistranslation here- he doesn't 'give' life, it's not a gift- it's an action, an empowerment- he 'enlivens' them. He pours out life. He is life. The word isn't 'life' by biology, that's bios. The word isn't life by quality of life, like 'get a life'- that's psuche. The Father quickens eternal, spiritual life, zoe. Then comes another poor translation- 'The Son enlivens to one to whom he WILLS.'

That word 'will' is the key to all of our texts this morning. In our first lesson, the old king Saul was trying to kill off David, who would be the next and greatest king. David had the chance and the choice to kill Saul- but decided not to. He had him right there in the cave, while Saul was...uh...taking care of business. He showed crazy old Saul that he didn't kill him when he had a chance. He willed to give Saul life.

Our Second Lesson is a section of Romans, where Paul talks about Jesus' decision of obedience led to life for all. Jesus willed to be obedient. He could, he was sinless. Here in our text, we hear that Jesus wills, he decides to give life.

American Evangelicalism is obsessed with the human will. Following the liberal Dutch humanist Arminius, many 20^th Century Evangelicals talked about faith mainly in terms of will. That's very curious, because the New Testament never talks about anyone willing themselves into the Kingdom of God! The New Testament uses various forms of the word 'to will' 228 times. This week I studied every one of them in Greek. The word 'will' in NT Greek is a pretty broad word. Sometimes it clearly means 'to will' as a hard decision. But the NT is not obsessed with the will. It's the only word they had to say, 'to wish' or 'to desire.' There is no other word in Greek to talk about human action. And of all those times, only a couple can be pushed even close to saying that we somehow do something in our will, all by ourselves, to decide to follow Jesus. "Whoever wishes to follow me must pick up their cross daily.' (Luke 9:23) That's hardly a verse on willing ones way into the Kingdom- if you will to follow, then pick up a cross. That's the only verse in the NT that talks anything about your will being involved in following Jesus. It's best translated, 'If anyone wishes to follow me..."

The only other is Rev. 22:17 : The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let everyone who hears say, "Come." And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. In this passage, hardly is the willing the action of the hearer. The invitation has been heard, and the response is to the word. The action does not happen without the power of the Spirit working through the Word. The Will is changed by the Spirit. We're zero for two.

Over and over again, when NT people use 'will' to speak of decision, it is against God. When God makes a decision, it is to save people. And humans, by themselves, without the Holy Spirit, in the NT cannot decide to do God's will:

Matthew 16:25 For whoever (wills to) save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Paul is more bold; when speaking of salvation, he says:

Romans 9:16 So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.

The NT teaches that the action of the human will can only turn to God when God's Spirit, working through God's Word, first creates that response: Philippians 2:13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. That's what Jesus says in our lesson today: Jesus gives life. Only Jesus gives life: 'The Son gives life to whom he WILLS.' Jesus saves, to the utmost. We cannot save ourselves. As Luther says, 'I cannot by my own understanding or effort believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, but the Holy Spirit calls me...'

There are struggles when the Gospel comes to us- they may be in our will, our emotions, our priorities, our attitudes- all of these may come to points of decision and surrender. That's a norm of Christianity. But the power, the ability to respond comes only from God. The Gospel is the power of God. We preach the Gospel, we call people to faith, but the key decision is that of Jesus. 'The Son gives life to whom he WILLS.'

My Bible says that (Matthew 18:14) So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. and 'God wills for all people to be saved.' (1 Tim 2:4) -- But not all people will be saved. Some never hear; that's a mystery I can't answer. Some hear and reject. That's a human decision we can make, like so many who hear Jesus in the Gospels. BUT, if we do hear, and are saved, it's ONLY because of the power of God's Spirit working through the Gospel. Our decision is not the center. Jesus has been risen and wills to give us life. When we hear his promise, it produces faith (Faith comes from hearing, and what is heard by the preaching of Christ. -Rom 10:17) I'm hoping that American evangelicalism will turn away from 17^th century humanistic philosophy and back to their NT to learn where faith comes from. If we are saved by the same will that's operative when we're on a diet and there's one piece of cheesecake left in the fridge- heaven help us!

[22] Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, This is a hard theme, but we'll see the answer in the next verse. [23] that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. This is an odd word. It's used very rarely in the NT and it's the same word as in the commandment to 'honor your father.' Here Jesus once more identifies completely with the Father. When you look at the implications of this verse, it make no sense unless we understand Jesus and the Father as one in the Trinity. Read the verse and study it when you get home.

And finally, one of the most powerful promises in the entire Bible, one we use here often in God's absolution: [24] "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not (come into judgement) he has crossed over from death to life. See, we hear the Word, which brings us to believing in the Father, which gives eternal zoe life. Then the amazing words, related to the judgement teaching two verses before, that one literally, WILL NOT COME INTO JUDGEMENT, but by faith, has already passed from death to life. WOW! That's the whole NT story in one verse! There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. You have already passed from death to life. Right now! Let's go on:

Then Jesus says something surprising. Lois and I were looking at this text as we planned the worship and she saw something here I'd never noticed in teaching John for 30 years. She's really smart. She caught it. Listen carefully: [25] I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. I said that's an odd text. If he's talking about the resurrection, how has it already now come in Jesus' day? Lois caught it right away. She said Jesus is talking about the living dead, the spiritually dead. The dead hear the Gospel, the voice of Jesus, right now, and they are raised from the dead, and enter the eternal life Jesus is talking about in the verse above. She was absolutely right! That's because whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not (come into judgement) he has crossed over from death to life. Because Jesus and the Father are life- zoe life. Jesus said, 'I am the Way, the Truth and the ...Life.' He says it here too: [26] For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.

As we go to his Supper this morning- come and receive that life. Invitation, Amen.

Lent 5

1 Samuel 24:1-7

After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi." [2] So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

[3] He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. [4] The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' " Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.

[5] Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. [6] He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." [7] With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

Romans 5:12-21

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned-- [13] for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. [14] Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

[15] But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! [16] Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. [17] For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

[18] Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. [19] For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

[20] The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, [21] so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 5:19-26

Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. [20] For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. [21] For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. [22] Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, [23] that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

[24] "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. [25] I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. [26] For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.