“Patience and the Dim Mirror” 12-18-22

Overview

Patience Amid Things We Don't Understand

Ancient Corinth was famous for many things—commerce, cosmopolitan diversity, immorality, idolatry, and a notoriously messy church. It was also known for its mirrors, crafted from polished metal. Unlike modern glass, these mirrors gave back only a dim, imperfect reflection. Writing to that very city, Paul drew on this familiar image: "For now we see in a mirror dimly" 1 Corinthians 13:12. His point was not about our reflection in glass, but about our limited grasp of God's ways. As he says just a few verses earlier, "we know only in part" 1 Corinthians 13:9.

Scripture confirms this throughout. Zophar asks Job, "Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?" Job 11:7. The psalmist marvels that God's wondrous deeds and thoughts toward us are more than can be counted Psalm 40:5. Paul himself bursts out in doxology: "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" Romans 11:33. Why is the mirror dim? Partly because sin has corrupted our minds and vision, and partly because, as Moses tells Israel, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God" Deuteronomy 29:29. What God has revealed in His inerrant Word is sure and true; but much He simply keeps to Himself.

This is where patience becomes essential to the Christian life. We grow impatient with the dimness—frustrated by the diagnosis, the hard season, the silence, the unanswered why. A beautiful prayer from the Lutheran funeral liturgy captures the right posture: "Help us, we pray, in the midst of things we cannot understand." God Himself teaches us to patiently trust when our sight is unclear. And the day is coming when the partial will give way to the complete: "then we will see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known" 1 Corinthians 13:12. His servants "will see his face" Revelation 22:4.

In a real sense, life this side of heaven is one long Advent—a season of waiting for Christ's return, when Easter dawns in its heavenly fullness. Until then, our consolation is not that we have all the answers, but that we are fully known. God knows every detail, every struggle, every joy, every heartache. He has claimed us in the waters of Baptism, redeemed us through the blood of Christ, and prepared a place for us. He lives out His name Immanuel, God with us. Amid all our wonderings, we patiently trust what we do know from His Word—and that is enough.

Transcript

Would you open up your Bible's please for our study today to 1 Corinthians the 13th 3s

chapter? 7s

If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find 1 Corinthians the 13th 8s

chapter page 153, page 153. 13s

Today marks the final sermon in this series on patience when now waits. 20s

We've studied about the patience of God, how God is patient, wanting all to come to repentance. 26s

We studied from Micah 6 about the humble walk with God and how the humble walk with God 35s

is linked to patience. 42s

Last week we studied what the Scripture has to say about being patient with one another. 45s

And today I'd like to examine with you the topic of patience amidst things we don't understand. 52s

Patience amidst things we don't understand. 62s

We start in Corinth. 69s

Corinth was known as a cosmopolitan city. 72s

It was very, very diverse. 76s

It was known also for its commerce, trade from the east and trade from the west. 79s

It was a busy place. 85s

Known for the cosmopolitan city it was known for the commerce and it was also known 88s

for its immorality. 95s

It was also known for its idolatry. 97s

It was also known that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Corinth was an absolute mess. 101s

An absolute mess. 113s

And also one of the things that Corinth was known for were mirrors, mirrors. 117s

They produced in that city quality mirrors. 125s

Now these aren't the mirrors that were used to today with the clarity of the reflection. 129s

These mirrors produced in Corinth were made from polished metal. 136s

So when one would look into that the reflection would be dim. 142s

It wouldn't be crisp. 147s

And the apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit uses that image of the mirrors. 151s

That were made in Corinth. 159s

He uses that to communicate a truth. 162s

First Corinthians 13 is one of the most loved chapters in the entire scripture. 169s

It's also one of the most well known. 176s

It contains those verses that quite often understandably so are included in weddings. 179s

Verse 4. 185s

Love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. 186s

It is not insist on its own way, it's not irritable or resentful. 193s

It is not rejoicing wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. 198s

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures, all things. 203s

First Corinthians 13 is the great love chapter, isn't it? 209s

And also included, go down into verse 12, please. 214s

Paul writes, for now we see in a mirror dimly. 219s

With the audience of known exactly what he was talking about, you bet. 228s

Remember, that's where they made the mirrors. 231s

And looking in the mirror there was that dim type of understanding of oneself 235s

when one would look in the mirror. 241s

What's Paul talking about here? 243s

Paul's talking about the dim understanding with regard to the totality of our sight, 245s

our understanding with regard to the ways of God. 253s

Understanding why God does what he does, Paul says, 260s

we see in the mirror dimly. 265s

Related thought is up in verse 9. 272s

For we know only in part, our knowledge, our understanding of God's ways, 275s

we only partly know. 287s

That thought is backed up elsewhere in Scripture. 291s

I think of Job, the 11th chapter. 294s

There's one of Job's counselors, so far, and so far is admonishing Job. 297s

The church to Job and he says, can you find out the deep things of God? 303s

Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? 308s

It is higher than heaven, what can you do? 313s

Deeper than she will, what can you know? 316s

Our sight here is not perfect. 323s

Our knowledge is not complete. 328s

Psalm 40. 334s

You have multiplied, O Lord, my God, your wondrous deeds in your thoughts toward us. 336s

None can compare with you. 341s

We're eye to proclaim and tell of them they would be more than can be counted. 343s

It is beyond our comprehension. 350s

Our knowledge is not perfect here. 354s

Our sight is not complete. 358s

Romans, the 11th chapter. 364s

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. 367s

How insertiable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways. 371s

For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been His counselor, 377s

or who has given a gift in return. 382s

The sight here, the sight here is not perfect. 387s

The knowledge, the understanding of God's ways is not complete. 392s

Now that doesn't mean that the knowledge that we have through Holy Scripture is an error certainly not. 403s

Scripture, remember that who I words it's an errant and it's infallible. 411s

It does not air and it is incapable of air. 415s

So the knowledge that we receive from Scripture is not wrong. 421s

It just is as verse 9. 426s

We know only in part. 431s

We only know that which has been revealed to us. 435s

And from the town that would produce the mirrors, Paul says, 443s

For now we see in a mirror dimly our understanding of God in His ways. 448s

It's only in part from what Scripture has revealed. 459s

But we're looking in the dim mirror. 466s

I can be a struggle, can it? 474s

I can be a struggle. 476s

Because we can become impatient with regard to the knowledge that we know. 478s

We can become impatient and we can just say, 484s

God, I don't get it. 487s

I don't get how I have to go through this. 490s

I don't get why the diagnosis was the way the diagnosis came out. 493s

I don't get God of why this is such a hard time in my life. 499s

We can struggle with this, can't we? 508s

We can struggle with this sense of not quite understanding all the time. 510s

What God is up to and why? 515s

We can see Lord, I'm frustrated at the dimness of the mirror. 521s

Because sometimes it seems as if your presence has faded or your actions are in sharp. 526s

Or things are just cloudy instead of clear. 535s

Why is it? 545s

Why is it that our knowledge and understanding of God is not perfect? 548s

Why is it that the mirror is dim? 555s

Why is it sin? 561s

We confess that we sin against him and thought, 570s

Lord, indeed, what we've done and what we've left on done. 573s

We confess that we are in bondage to sin and we cannot free ourselves. 575s

We're simply echoing what the word of God says to us there. 580s

Because the fall into sin, the fall into sin has corrupted our mind and it has corrupted our vision. 585s

Paul says, verse 9, we know only in part. 597s

He says in verse 12, for now we see in a mirror dimly. 605s

We don't understand perfectly God's ways. 614s

We don't understand and have the answer to all of our wise. 619s

We have what he has revealed to us in his word and that is sure. 625s

But the other questions with regard to other particulars and why? 629s

Because of our sin. 638s

But also, there are those things where God simply does not tell us. 643s

Due to Rottamy 29, the secret things belong to the Lord, our God. 652s

The secret things. 662s

Those things that God simply holds to Himself. 665s

We can cry out why, but some things are secret to God. 672s

But one day, one day, the vision will be perfect and the knowledge will be full. 687s

Look what Paul writes in verse 9, for we know only in part and we prophesy only in part. 699s

But when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 709s

Well, what's the complete? 717s

That's the reality of heaven. 719s

As we live this side of heaven, we don't know all. 723s

We don't understand all of the ways of God. 727s

But the day will come when our knowledge will be full. 731s

We will understand that day is the day of completion. 737s

That's heaven itself. 742s

That's born of the gracious act of God through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 743s

Jesus bearing all of our sin. 750s

The righteous one for us on righteous, affecting reconciliation. 753s

The empty tomb, the sacrifice has been accepted. 759s

Forgiveness has been pronounced. 764s

We're claimed in the waters of baptism. 767s

Our destiny, you see, is heaven itself. 772s

And on the day of completion of heaven itself, the knowledge Paul says, 775s

we will get it. 784s

The knowledge will be full. 787s

Verse 12, he says, for now we see in the mirror dimly. 792s

But then we will see face to face. 798s

Revelation chapter 22 says, 803s

but the throne of God in the Lamb will be in it. 805s

And his servants will worship him. 809s

They will see his face. 811s

The day will come. 816s

Heaven itself. 818s

When we will have full understanding, 823s

the day will come. 826s

Heaven itself. 829s

When the sight of understanding. 831s

Of the ways of God. 834s

We will be clear. 841s

And in the meantime. 847s

The meantime. 850s

When the most beautiful prayers in the Lutheran liturgy is part of the funeral service. 855s

For there on the funeral service is a prayer. 862s

And it says this, 865s

help us we pray in the midst of things we cannot understand. 867s

Help us we pray. 876s

Amit's the things we cannot understand. 878s

Amit's the dim. 886s

Amit's the lack of perfect knowledge. 890s

God teaches us patience. 897s

He teaches us and empowers us to patiently trust a midst of things. 905s

We don't understand. 917s

Amit's the dim vision. 922s

And why can we patiently trust? 929s

Go back please, diverse 12. 932s

For now we see in a mirror dimly. 935s

But then we will see face to face. 940s

Now I know only in part then I will know fully. 943s

Even as I have been fully known. 951s

Amit's all of the questions. 961s

Amit's all of the wise. 963s

Amit's all of that. 968s

Come's the word to us of God who knows us fully. 972s

No every detail, every situation, every moment. 978s

He knows us fully. 982s

He has called us as children in the waters of baptism. 984s

He knows us fully. 987s

He knows the struggles. 990s

He knows the joy. 991s

He knows the heartache. 992s

He knows us fully. 993s

And amit's all of the things that we do not know. 999s

Amit's the dim sight when we try and understand all of the actions and the timing and the works of God. 1005s

Amit's all of that. 1015s

We hear that God knows us fully. 1018s

And that becomes enough. 1029s

That becomes enough. 1040s

When the series started, there was only one candle lit on the advent reach. 1048s

And now at the conclusion of the series, there are the four. 1054s

And within a half an hour, that's going to come down. 1062s

It'll be put away for yet one more year. 1067s

As the season of advent will then move into the season of Christmas celebration. 1072s

But even though that advent, Reeth will come down and store it away and only appear next advent, 1082s

we are reminded aren't we that life is advent? 1091s

Life this side of heaven is the advent season. 1096s

For we are a people waiting, waiting for the second coming of Christ. 1101s

And so with that patience that God gives to us we wait. 1108s

And we patiently trust amidst the things we don't understand. 1116s

Life is advent until the day when Easter dawns in all of its heavenly fullness. 1121s

But amidst all of the questions of why we know that there will be a day when the knowledge will be full. 1135s

And there will be no wise in heaven. 1149s

As we live this side of heaven in our advent, we know that the day will come when the sight of understanding is clear. 1155s

And we will not see God through that which he has revealed through his word. 1172s

We will see God face to face. 1181s

We delight in the revelation of his word. 1187s

We delight in the clarity of his word. 1189s

But amidst the dimness of the mirror, we know that the day will come when all is clear. 1192s

And we understand. 1206s

But until that day, until that day, until advent merges into Easter in all of its heavenly fullness. 1211s

Until that day amidst all of the questions and all of the wonderings. 1226s

We know that we are deeply loved by God, redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ, 1236s

that God has prepared for us a place in the mention of heaven itself. 1243s

We know that he lives out his name, that he is a manual, God with us. 1252s

We know because of his word, and amidst all of the wise, we patiently trust in what we know. 1259s

And that, that, it's enough. 1280s

It's enough, isn't it? 1291s