“How to make SENSE – of that which makes no sense:”

Matthew 28:16-20

June 11, 2017  (Trinity Sunday A)

“This makes absolutely NO sense to me!” It’s not just students trying to learn algebra or French grammar who say things like that in frustration.  It goes WAY beyond the classroom.  Pretty much every day we face things that make no sense to us.  Each one of you here today could easily brainstorm a quick (and probably long) list of things that make no sense at all to you. 

The question before us today is: How do you deal with that?  Trinity Sunday and the Gospel Lesson before us (the Great Commission) will show us HOW to make sense of that which makes no sense.  There is a right way, and a bunch of wrong ways – to try and make sense of things in life . . . that just make no sense. 

Let’s begin with the first 2 verses of our text:

Matthew 28:16–20 (NIV 11)

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Some doubted . . . what does that mean?  Doubted what?  The risen Jesus already appeared to them a number of times.  Thomas missed one appearance – but then touched His hands and side!  His doubts disappeared!  I don’t think the eleven still had doubts about whether He actually ROSE from the dead, or if this man was really Him.  The word used here could also be translated as “confused”.  They were confused – things made no sense to them!  In what way?  Well – it’s tough to say for absolute certain since we weren’t there and we can’t ask them.  But – Acts 1:6 is enlightening: “Then they gathered around him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’”

My hypothesis is this: they were confused about things because what they EXPECTED to see happening now . . . wasn’t happening.  He died; He rose – why doesn’t He now take over in glory and power and fix everything that’s wrong here?  Isn’t it time for vengeance upon His enemies, and an establishment of a new order under Christ the risen King?  Apparently not yet – that wasn’t going to happen until the end of this present age.  Jesus told them what was going to happen NOW – and I don’t think it was at all what some of them expected (the remainder of our text):

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

It all finally made sense on Pentecost – the Holy Spirit of God equipped and empowered them to do exactly what Jesus sent them out to do: knowing Christ is King of both heaven and earth, they fearlessly baptized people in the Name of the Triune God and taught them all the truth of God’s Holy Word.  And – Christ the King was there, according to promise, working in and through His people / the Church of God – carrying out His saving plans and work, right down to this very day. 

What’s the correct way of making sense of that which makes no sense?  Run to Jesus, listen to His Word, and the Holy Spirit will (through that Word of God) make it clear – in His time and in His way. 

If you want to see an example of the WRONG way to make sense of things that make no sense – just look at the Trinitarian Controversy in the early church.  False teachers like Arius (among others) tried to make sense of God’s nature and essence by appealing to their logic and wisdom.  It makes more sense (I suppose) to say that only God the Father is GOD – and it’s more logically satisfying to think of Jesus as His first creation, and the Holy Spirit as something else, or maybe just a different expression of the Father or His power.  It makes more sense to think of God as ONE individual playing 3 different roles . . . but that’s not Biblical. 

Athanasius and the genuine Church of God would not and could not make sense of God’s essence that way.  Instead they went back to the Word of God and said: Lord – explain this to us.  God is ONE – yet the Father / the Son / the Holy Spirit – are distinct and yet (at the same time) fully GOD.  It defies our logic, and there is nothing else in creation that perfectly illustrates the mystery of how God is described in Scripture.  We are baffled by it – but the Holy Spirit convinces us that the One True God is indeed: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We are baptized into His Name and by God’s power we trust what He says. 

Every doctrinal dispute through history can be resolved the same way.  For example: Luther versus the corruption of Rome.  He went back to Jesus / back to the Word of God – and found the pure Gospel.  He even found there that God warned us about a man putting himself in Christ’s place as the head of the Church and leading the flock astray.  The Holy Spirit through the Word of God shattered the darkness of that medieval age – and the pure Gospel was proclaimed again.  Like the Apostles, Luther was willing to die for the sake of the Gospel and proclaimed it powerfully. 

Conflict soon arose from other reformers who, appealing to human logic and reason – denied the power of Baptism, rejected the Real Presence of Jesus’ Body and Blood in the Lord’s Supper, and denied what Scripture says about conversion.  They said those things weren’t logically possible or logically satisfying – but – God’s people went back to the WORD, and the Holy Spirit makes the correct doctrinal understanding and interpretation clear. 

It’s not just history either – God the Holy Spirit is daily opening our eyes and helping people understand matters of eternal salvation all over the place.  In classes right here at our church – we see confusion about God / about salvation / about faith and good works / about denominations and interpretations – replaced with clarity as we work through the Scriptures and God opens our eyes to see what the TRUTH really is. 

Often in life its people that make no sense to us . . . but God helps us out there too. He tells us the utter depravity of what fallen humanity is really like.  He explains the corrupting power of sin and what it can even do in the believer’s life.  He reveals the stubborn results of unbelief – so that we can make some sense of why people say what they say and do what they do.  They hate God . . . and you can see it. 

The suffering, struggles, pain and guilt we feel in our own hearts can NOT be interpreted correctly without the WORD of GOD! Our logic will lead us to the wrong conclusions: “God is punishing me.  I must be suffering as a result of that great sin.  He must not exist – because a loving God would not allow this.”  Or – “My sin is no big deal!  Everyone else is doing it, and it feels good, and life is good – therefore God’s OK with it!”  Our emotions will also lead us to the wrong conclusions: “Life is good – God loves me.  Life is rotten – God hates me.  I keep falling into sin over and over again – and I know better – but I’m so stupid and weak . . . God has given up on me, He’s out of patience and love, and has kicked me to the curb.”

The only right way to make sense of it all: RUN back to the crucified and risen One!  Find Him where He has promised to be – in Word and Sacrament!  He died for ALL people – that included you and me.  He paid for ALL sin – including that sin you still torture yourself over . . . it is forgiven!   You are baptized in His Name.  You are His child.  The pain and suffering has a purpose and won’t last forever – He will get you through it all and home to glory.  I’m not saying the Gospel makes logical sense or that you can always feel it – but it’s TRUE. 

There are so many things that make no sense to us – but – Christ is in control and has ALL authority in heaven and on earth. He has given us – His Church – the Great Commission, and each one of us has a vital role in that work.  When things in life make no sense – run back to Christ and His Word.  Find there grace, forgiveness, clarity, meaning, purpose, hope, strength, and power – as the Holy Spirit helps you make sense of life, knowing who you really are, what God really thinks of you, why you’re still here on earth, and where God is leading you.