We here at Mbird were saddened to hear of the death last week of theologian and pastor Jim Nestingen. Whether it be in his book on Martin Luther’s thought, his outstanding book for teenagers on the Luther’s Small Catechism, or his many sermons, Nestingen has proven to be a ongoing resource and encouragement. The following is a selection from one of his sermons that first appeared on the site almost fifteen years ago.
You can always hear the difference between faith and piety in the verbs. Piety says, “I did this. I’ll do that.” Faith says, “He does this. He’ll do that.” Piety says, “You know, I’ve committed my life to Christ.” Faith says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” That’s the difference.
There’s the great scene in the old Swedish novel Hammer of God where a young pastor come to the old pastor and says, “You know, I’ve committed my life to Christ.” And the old pastor says, “I’m sure he’s real impressed. What would he want with that?” What would he want with that? “Here’s how he works,” the old pastor says. “Your heart was a tin can lying in the weeds rusting, and the Lord Jesus came along like that sanitation guy in the park, with an old cloth bag and a stick with a nail in it, and stuck it in that tin can and put it in his bag.”
There’s the difference between piety and faith all right. Piety says “I will. I have. I … I … I ….” Faith says, “He has — and he will not let you down, not ever — not ever — not ever.”
And so, having made this promise, Christ Jesus can only put it into force, and so this is what he says: “When you pray, pray like this: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.'” He knows where we live, caught between ourselves on the one hand and him on the other. He knows the tension of our life, that we’re always getting absorbed into our own plans and projects and efforts and losing sight of him. And so when he assures us that we can pray he says “Just wait a minute.” He puts our hands in his, holds them together in his and says, “When you pray, pray like this.”
So he leads us through piety, past it to anchor us in his promise, to anchor us in faith so that we can live this way: boldly, confidently, expectantly. Shoulders back, anticipating good, counting on him to deliver us from whatever ails us, and knowing that his goodness will pour and continue to pour over all things.
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The full quote from The Hammer of God:
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Fridfeldt seated himself on the sofa. He felt that he must not put off confessing where he stood. The strange old man with his brandy and his soldiers should at least learn what kind of assistant he had gotten.
“I just want you to know from the beginning, sir, that I am a believer,” he said. His voice was a bit harsh.
He saw a gleam in the old man’s eyes which he could not quite interpret. Was approval indicated, or did he have something up his sleeve?
The rector put the lamp back on the table, puffed at his pipe, and looked at the young man a moment before he spoke.
“So you are a believer, I’m glad to hear that. What do you believe in?”
Fridfeldt stared dumbfounded at his superior. Was he jesting with him?
“But, sir, I am simply saying that I am a believer.”
“Yes, I hear that, my boy. Boy what is it that you believe in?”
Fridfeldt was almost speechless.
“But don’t you know, sir, what it means to be a believer?”
“That is a word which can stand for things that differ greatly, my boy. I ask only what it is that _you_ believe in.”
“In Jesus, of course,” answered Fridfeldt, raising his voice. “I mean– I mean that I have given him my heart.”
The older man’s face became suddenly as solemn as the grave.
“Do you consider _that_ something to give him?”
By this time, Fridfeldt was almost in tears.
“But sir, if you do not give your heart to Jesus, you cannot be saved.”
“You are right, my boy. And it is just as true that, if you think you are saved because you give Jesus your heart, you will not be saved. You see, my boy,” he continued reassuringly, as he continued to look at the young pastor’s face, in which uncertainty and resentment were shown in a struggle for the upper hand, “is is _one thing_ to choose Jesus as one’s Lord and Savior, to give him one’s heart and commit oneself to him, and that he now accepts one into his little flock; it is a very different thing to believe on him as a Redeemer of sinners, of whom one is chief. One does not choose a Redeemer for oneself, you understand, nor give one’s heart to him. The heart is a rusty old can on a junk heap. A fine birthday gift, indeed! But a wonderful Lord passes by, and has mercy on the wretched tin can, sticks his walking cane through it, and rescues it from the junk pile and takes it home with him. That is how it is.”
The last paragraph of the sermon is exactly what I needed to read today. See how he “delivered me from what ailed me!”