Bubble Baths and BBQ

WILL GRIFFIN

With summer upon us, many are ready for recreation and some hopeful rest from the labors of work. We pursue our favorite mode of recreation and relaxation. My family and I love to go camping with friends. There is nothing better than escaping the beckoning call of the cell phone and email to enjoy the creation with my wife and kids. We discover ourselves desiring and looking to the next period of alleviation from work and ministry. You could say that we savor it. Nothing beats the feeling of satisfactory rest that is earned by hard work. Unfortunately, the reason most people pursue a period of rest during the summer is to appease built-up stress, steam, or frustration. We also seek this appeasement in the daily or weekly flow of our lives. You may enjoy reading a good book, playing tennis, working out or hiking. But what really brings the picture of appeasement from the stress of the world more than a bubble bath or the soothing aroma of BBQ?

Moms, I know some of you look forward to nothing more than that soothing bubble bath, with bath bombs, candles, and silence. It is a pleasing, relaxing experience for you. Hopefully, you come out rejuvenated and ready to tackle whatever you face next. Dads, you’re probably craving the fragrant aroma of BBQ. There is just something about smoked, juicy, fall off the bone ribs that have been prepared to perfection. The experience is near heavenly. Both these experiences have a way of helping us to forget, for a moment, the stress of life.

Did you know that God the Father has a similar experience? From the time of the fall of man, God the Father also sought an appeasement. He sought appeasement not from the daily grind, but for His wrath against sin. Let me make this clear. It is not as though the Father entered a millennial long search, trying things that ultimately didn’t work, finally happening upon the one efficacious appeasement of His wrath. No, the Father was preparing a people to realize that only one, perfect sacrifice could appease His wrath against our sin. We needed to realize that we could not soothe God. Only the death of Jesus can soothe God’s wrath against our sin. This is the most profound thing God could have possibly done and is the core of the Gospel. The apostle John put it this way: “In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (LSB, 1 John 4:10)

Where is this appeasement spoken of? The appeasement of God’s wrath is rooted in the word propitiation. Many have incorrectly translated this word to be the mercy seat. This is the place where propitiation occurs. Rather propitiation comes about by the atonement which is the sprinkling of blood on the mercy seat. The idea harkens back to the pleasing aroma of Noah’s sacrifice, and is carried through the Old Testament into the New Testament, appearing there first at Jesus’ baptism. The Father clearly communicated that in His son He is well pleased. Sacrifice is always a satisfaction of God’s righteous requirement.

There are some key differences between our appeasement and that of God’s. But the idea of a soothing aroma that appeases or satisfies His wrath is consistent. The chief difference is the extent of the appeasement. We experience but a temporary appeasement. We step back into the real world and find our problems are still there, and we are looking to the next bubble bath or rack of ribs. But, with the propitiation of Jesus, the appeasement is eternal. In Christ, God is eternally appeased for our sins. In Jeremiah 31:34 God says, “I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (LSB).

So, next time you’re enjoying the satisfaction of the bubble bath or the soothing aroma of the perfect ribs, remember that is how the Father feels in the propitiation of His Son. His wrath against my sin is set to ease in the pouring out of the blood of Jesus. If you are in Christ, fret not at the wrath of God, for Christ’s blood has brought appeasement on your behalf.

Will Griffin is the Associate Pastor of Discipleship and Digital Ministries at Clayton Baptist Church. He and his wife Ashley have had the privilege to grow up and serve in Rabun County, where they are raising their two girls. You can contact Will at will@claytonbaptistchurch.com