One God - One Mediator

September 24, 1995
I Timothy 2:1-7
Luke 16:1-13

The Gospel lesson for today is both very simple and very difficult. In our group study of this lesson last Wednesday Rev. Desmond Dixon, our guest from England, pointed out that the final message of the passage is simple: we cannot serve two masters. We must make up our minds to serve God, and that's that. But the story Luke tells before that bottom line is about a shrewd steward (say that three times fast) who has been dishonest, and who cheats his master as he gets ready for involuntary retirement. In that story the master actually admires the shrewdness of the servant. To me, at least, that is hard to understand.

When we are faced with difficult lessons it makes sense to begin with what we can understand for sure. The way of faith is both simple and profound. We will never be excluded from the kingdom if we respond in faith to what God has revealed.

Apprehending God's truth is more than grasping and understanding facts. Truth is always, finally, incarnate and not abstract.

The "plain part" of the gospel lesson tells us there is no such thing as insignificant dishonesty. If you cheat on an exam, it says, you will be dishonest in the big things of life as well. It is also clear that we cannot split our loyalty between God and our own vested interests.

The lesson from I Timothy (2: 1 - 7)sheds light on this gospel truth. It states three wonderful facts:

  1. God, the High God of heaven, desires that everyone shall be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
  2. There is (only) One God.
  3. There is (only) One Mediator between this High God of heaven and all of humankind; Jesus Christ, who is himself a man, very human.

(Think with me first about the statement:)

I. THERE IS ONE GOD

I DO NOT OWN GOD. (God IS! Hebrews 11:6) You do not own him. No one group, large or small, has exclusive rights to access to God. I cannot "define" Him. No one can say with authority, "We know, we tell you who God is and what he is like."

Of course we do believe that God does reveal Himself. We have based our entire faith on the fact that Jesus came to tell us who God is, what he is like. But we must listen to Jesus, revealed through the Holy Scriptures, inspired by the Holy Spirit both in the speaking/writing and the reading/hearing in order to be able to say with any assurance "I know God!"

By saying "I do not own God" I mean that God is NOT who I think He is subjectively— God IS WHO GOD IS! God IS!

The PRIVATIZATION of faith has "subjectivized" the very idea of God. We are patronizingly encouraged to "worship at the church of our choice" or to pray "to the God of our choice— our Higher Power." But there are not many Gods. There is ONE God. God is who God IS! The privatization of faith has sought to destroy the "otherness" of God in our understanding.

The EGALITARIANISM of culture has served to trivialize the majesty of God. Our heroes are often mediocrity amplified and celebrated. We have lost sight of a God before whom glorious angelic beings of great power and light fall prostrate. We have never stopped to learn about a Great White Throne before which all the multitudes of earth will one day stand in silence while our most private thoughts are known and judged.

The SOUNDS AND PICTURES AND WORDS of a media culture have all but drowned out the still, small voice of grace and peace. We need retreats, and we need time alone with God. No— I NEED RETREATS! etc.!

We may not own God, but it is true that

(Now think with me about this:)

II. THERE IS ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND YOU / ME

It is wonderful to believe in God. It is a give of faith to be able to say with conviction that I believe God IS, and God is GOOD and HOLY, and LIGHT and LIFE. But it is another thing to approach God— to draw near to Him— to get to know Him, and find his tender love and compassion. We are so small! God is so Immense! But there IS a Mediator!

THERE IS ONE MEDIATOR

"What about the billions who have never heard?" I can tell you what I truly believe. But the MYSTERY of those billions does not apply to you and me. We HAVE heard! Jesus is more than an ancient figure in history to you! We have been introduced to Him! He is real to us! HE IS AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE JUST NOW!

THIS MEDIATOR IS TO BE TRUSTED

RETURNING TO THE 'SHREWD STEWARD' STORY

Whatever else that story means, Jesus is certainly saying we need to be serious about preparing for eternity. There is more to this life than seventy or eighty years and money and property and worldly fame and success.

We are fools if we do not think, and think seriously, about where our lives are going. We are worse than fools if we let someone OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST try to tell us who God is, or what God expects of us. We are lost fools if we think we can get by without the Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We need to give our full attention to the one thing that matters more than any other thing to us; OUR ETERNAL DESTINY.

I guarantee that eternity will be a surprise to you! I guarantee that you and i will be shocked by the way things really ARE when the veil is removed and we see things in the light of God's eternity. (Like I told Esther before she died (that she wouldn't be missing us!))

Our perceptions here and now can be shaped by other, lesser things. But the fact of God's Word remains:

Would you like to be sure?

Pray this prayer with me:

Lord Jesus! You have said in your word that no one who comes to you would be cast out. In faith I come to you. I ask you to reveal the truth of God to me. I ask you to be Lord of my life from this time forward. I give You the right to throw down all idols, all false gods.

I ask you to re-arrange my life, and make me a child of God. Come into my life, forgive all my sins, and I will confess You as Lord and follow you. May God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit make it so, I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

Sing: (Just a Closer Walk) OR ??