Look To The One Who Comes To You

Text: 2 Chronicles 28:8-15

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

From start to finish, Judah’s king, Ahaz, rejected the worship of God Almighty and instead embraced the gods of the surrounding nations.  

Indeed, Ahaz worshipped a fake god named Baal, a Canaanite deity, by crafting statues of Baal and placing them in prominent places throughout the land of Judah.  

Taking his idolatry even further, Ahaz introduced some of the most horrifying practices in Judah’s religious life. In the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, he offered his own son as an offering to the fake god, Molech. In these rituals, children and babies were placed on a statue, and a fire was lit beneath it, heating it to extreme temperatures—thousands of children sacrificed for the bloodthirsty false god of Molech.  Lord have mercy!

Ahaz continued to dedicate himself to pagan worship of Asherah across the land, as he set up altars in places that were traditionally used for worship.  And so, on every hill and under every lush green tree, the people of Judah followed Ahaz’s corrupt and wretched example.  That is to say, these practices were not isolated to a few remote areas but spread through the whole land of Judah, revealing just how deeply this wretched theology had corrupted and infected the land and the people of Judah.  

Now, I mention this because this is the context of our reading from the Old Testament Book of 2 Chronicles. Keep in mind that when King Ahaz took to the throne, Judah's spiritual state was fair. The previous king did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, even though he was a bit lax. However, with Ahaz, there was a significant decline. In less than 16 years, things went from average to really bad: idolatry, child sacrifice, worship was shut down, and so forth.  

This did not go unnoticed, though.  God gave Ahaz and the nation of Judah into the hands of Syria and the northern kingdom of Ephraim. Fast forward a bit, and things got even worse.  The Edomites and Philistines invaded as well.  Bluntly stated it was a complete and total mess.  

Ah, but Ahaz had a plan.  He offered sacrifices to the gods of the armies of those who had defeated him.  According to Ahaz’s thinking: 

If you can’t beat them, well… then worship their gods, and your enemy’s gods might give you a helping hand. 

But this did not work.  And so, Ahaz doubled down by cleaning out the Temple of God of everything useful and valuable. He then sent these goodies to the king of Assyria as a bribe.  Instead of repenting and humbling himself before God, Ahaz thought:

Maybe the king of Assyria could help me out. Maybe these goodies will persuade the king of Assyria to give Judah and me a hand.   

But the King of Assyria took the goodies and said, “Thank you very much,” and then came and humiliated Ahaz even more by attacking him.  

Now, why have a history lesson this morning for a good portion of this sermon?  I share this because I want you to see how quickly the nation of Judah fell into complete spiritual decay and chaos.  It is important to know just how fragile the so-called mighty kingdoms of the world are – they are like reeds that blow in the wind.  They are here one decade, gone the next.  

Secondly, I want you to try to feel the chaos and see how Ahaz’s strategy of calling on false gods and buying his way out of his predicament was not only ineffective but foolish. Do not put your trust in princes and leaders in whom there is no salvation. (Psalm 146:3). 

Thirdly, I want you to take note of a very important individual in the Old Testament reading – Oded.  Now, here is why Oded is so unique and important.  Even though things were spiritually corrupt, morally bankrupt, and politically chaotic, Oded maintained his position as a prophet.  Please don’t miss this point; after 120,000 people were slaughtered in a battle and another 200,000 women and children were taken to be slaves, Oded stepped forward into the chaos so that these casualties of war were given something to wear, drink, eat, and then taken back to their families.  Amid the slaughtering, Oded emerged; he went out to the army that was about to enslave the people and rescued them.  

This is the reason why this Old Testament lesson is paired with the Gospel reading from Luke.  Just as Odeb stepped forward to a half-dead people group being led off to slavery, the Good Samaritan was moved by a gut-wrenching compassion to step forward and bandage the wounds of the half-dead man – a man who some robbers jumped on the road.   

You see, in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, we hear that the Good Samaritan does not avoid the sight of the half-dying man.  Furthermore, the Good Samaritan does not expect the half-dead man to come to him.  Instead, the Samaritan ‘draws near’ the half-dead man because of gut-wrenching compassion.  He draws near, binds up his wounds, pours oil and wine on his cuts and bruises, and brings him to safety.  

Dear friends, behold the Good Samaritan!  Behold Oded the prophet. Cling firmly to both the Good Samaritan and Oded, for they draw near a half-dead man in a ditch and a half-dead people ravaged by war.  They draw near to rescue and save them.  Behold the Good Samaritan and Oded, for they are pictures of Christ for you.    

Baptized Saints, in this world, many will try and convince you to give your devotion over to some clever ideology, some false theology, some corrupt political system, or some easy scheme: sacrifice your family to this god, give your allegiance to this political super-power, commit your finances to this economic plan, devote yourself to this spiritualized plan, and you will be safe and secure.  Ah, but friends, do not put your trust in the so-called mighty ones of the earth or in frail human beings for whom there is no help, for they are mere mortals who will die just like you.  Instead, look for the One like Oded, who comes to you.  Yes, look to the One who emerges out of the bloodshed of war, the disorder of spiritual decay, and the false ideologies of the world – look to the Christ who comes to you despite the chaos that our country and world find themselves in.  Look to the One who comes to you by His Word and Sacraments to rescue you from the slavery of sin in this crazy and conflicted world of bloodshed, idolatry, and power struggles.     

Furthermore, in this world, mark this: many will walk by you when you are beaten up by sin and left half-dead on the side of life’s road.  Ah, but friends, hear this – your Jesus is not like that Priest or that Levite in that parable, and he is not like all the half-hearted spiritual hustlers in this world.  Instead, look to your Good Samaritan – Christ Jesus – who came down to you in your lost and dying condition so that He might pour the oil and wine of the Sacraments upon you!  Yes, do not put your trust in those who have flashy titles or prestigious credentials, but look to the One who draws near to you with compassion.  Look to the One who has placed you not on an animal to carry you to an Inn, but set your sins upon Himself to give you forgiveness, life, and salvation.  Look to the One who has brought you to this Church and given you His Word to be that medicine of forgiveness, so that you may be strengthened to meet the days ahead.  

Baptized Saints, Jesus is that perfect Good Samaritan and an even better prophet than Oded, for you are not left for dead in the ditch of your sins, and you are not left for dead in the slavery of your sins surrounded by the folly of Baal and the death of Molech. But you are clothed in Baptism, fed by His Supper, and strengthened by His Word, for He draws near to you.   

In the name of Jesus. Amen.