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John 8:42-59

⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. ⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. ⁴⁶ Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? ⁴⁷ Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

⁴⁸ The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” ⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. ⁵¹ Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” ⁵² The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” ⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ ⁵⁵ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” ⁵⁷ So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” ⁵⁹ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

If you want to play a game you are sure to win, play hide and seek with a small child. When it comes to hiding, kids are silly. “Why is that door half closed?” “There can’t be anything attached to that leg sticking out from behind the couch.” “I wonder what could be under that bulging, wriggling blanket?” Or my favorite, the boy standing in the middle of the room with his eyes closed tight. (To my great shame, I learned closing your eyes doesn’t make you invisible when I was in fourth grade.) Silly kids.

But adults are even more silly when it comes to hiding. The first game of hide and seek was when Adam hid from God because he was afraid. His hiding spot? A few leaves and a couple of trees. Did he really think he could hide from the Creator? I guess he did. Silly Adam. And then there was Israel’s first king (1 Sam. 10:20-24). Saul was a whole head taller than anyone else in Israel. But when God chose him as king, Saul went and hid behind some luggage. Silly Saul.

And, let’s consider the hiding you do. Do you really think you can keep hiding your crummy work and half-hearted efforts from your boss? For how long? Silly thief. Do you think you can keep making up stories? Silly liar. When you say, “Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but you should be aware that so-and-so is…,” we know you’re a loudmouth. Silly gossiper. Do your eyes keep wandering for more glances at that woman? Silly adulterer. Your anger is plain as the nose on your face. Silly murderer (Mt. 5:22). And even if you can hide your transgression from others, you can’t hide it from God. Silly sinner.

Repent. You’re guilty. You’re guilty, and you can’t hide it. Or do you really think you can stand before God’s wrath against your sin and say, “Well, nobody’s perfect”? Silly, silly sinner.

Repent. You don’t have to hide. Jesus has freed you to speak the truth and confess your sins. Christ has provided all the cover you will ever need – no luggage, no fig leaves, no closed eyes. He has provided His holy Body and Blood. Don’t hide your sins. Hand them over to Jesus. Let Him have them and receive what He wants to hand over to you – His righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. You can hand your sins over to Jesus because, today, Jesus hid for you.

Jesus stood in the middle of people who have been looking for a reason to kill Him for almost His entire ministry (Mk. 3:6). Today, Christ declares Himself to be no less than Almighty God. When He declares Himself to be the great I Am, Jesus announces that He is the One who is Lord over all things, and the One who always was, always is, and always will be, the One who spoke to Moses from the burning bush, the One who led their ancestors through the Red Sea on dry ground, the One whom Isaiah saw in the Temple.

They didn’t like that, so they picked up stones to throw at Him and kill Him. Silly sinners, thinking they could kill God. But Jesus hid. Jesus didn’t hide because He was scared of death. He didn’t hide because didn’t trust His heavenly Father’s protection. Jesus hides because He is fully in control. Jesus hides so that He could die at the right time and in the right way. Judged and condemned twice, once by the religious leaders and a second time by Pilate. Jesus sentenced and condemned to death bearing all your sins in His body (1 Pet. 2:24).

Jesus hides here because His hour had not yet come. Christ had more to accomplish for you. He still had to raise Lazarus from the dead. He still had to institute His holy Supper. He still had to be betrayed by a kiss, arrested, and denied by Peter. Jesus had to hide here because His death won’t be by stones. It can’t be by stones; it must be on a tree for all to see. Today, Jesus hides Himself in the thicket so that He will be there at the right time to die in the place of another (Gen. 22:13) – to die in your place.

There on the cross, He must die for you. And then, He must be hidden again. Hidden at dusk on Friday night and all of Holy Saturday in that tomb sealed with a stone. Hidden with Him is the wrath of God, the Law, and Hell. All of that is hidden so that you do not have to face it. It is hidden so that you do not need to hide.

And now, Jesus hides Himself again but this time in Bread and Wine. Soon, He will come in glory when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is the crucified Lord who is risen and reigns. And know that you are joined to Him. You have died with Him and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, you also will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:3-4). Amen.[1]

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1]This sermon was adapted from a sermon by Rev. Ralph Tausz on the same text (http://www.apostlesmelrosepark.org/index.php?page=Sermons&sid=235).