Monday, March 18, 2024

Sermon March 16-17, 2024

Title: Christ came to serve sinners!
Text: Mark 10:35-45

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43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Power in serving

My friend is a man of means. He came up through a family dedicated to hard work. He was skilled, he had a plan, and he worked very hard every day to make his plan a reality. It has paid off in many ways for him. Many successes in his business and personal life followed. I can’t remember anyone so completely skilled and focused on the task needed to succeed, and succeeding at what he put his mind on.

I also remember someone so completely generous with his time, talents and treasures. He was always willing to share and help. At times he worked more for the benefit of others then they did or would do for themselves. He served their needs but it also served the greater good of the company and his family a well … a real win-win situation … strength, power and service all in one package.

Our reading for today deals with power and service but with different people and with different intentions.

James and John, the so called “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus in Mark 3:17 show here why Jesus had given them that name designation.

Seemingly as a spoiled child might ask for that which they know they don’t deserve or shouldn't expect to get we hear 35 …“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

This same James and John in another memorable gospel moment in Luke Chapter 9 had inquired of Jesus:

“Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”
Luke 9:54

This they did after the Samaritan village had not received Jesus and seeing that he was steadfast set to go to Jerusalem.

The Lord’s, all knowing mind, seems to have given James and John a proper title – for they were these young followers and disciples of Jesus who had left their fathers boat and work to go and follow him.

But here too we see where they are focused.

37 … “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”

Or, in Matthew’s gospel “in your Glory” is translated as “in your Kingdom”, spoken by their mother, Salome the wife of Zebedee who intercedes for her two boys - who quickly seconded her request.

The disciples here didn't understand Christ’s mission, work or glory but were thinking in terms of an earthly kingdom and an earthy ruler and a place of honor for themselves.

But our good news is that Christ came to save sinners!

Humility and servant hood is hard for you and me as well. We too look for the choice seats, to be recognized and to be rewarded.

But to be a true servant is to model Christ.

2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb. 2:1-2

But can we run the race, can we remain faithful until the end, can we endure the trials in this life? For we too like James and John don’t know what we are asking.

38 … “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” Jesus said.

Paul in his letter to the Philippians brings peace when he writes:

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Phil 2:1-3

As children who have been brought to the Lord by loving parents and as parents who love our children we bring those who are unable to bring themselves to the Lord.

In humility we consider them more significant than ourselves, and with life given into our care, we look to their wellbeing more than our own - giving them to the Lord - and promising to be the ones who raise them in the faith and instruction of the Lord.

We all fall short to be sure, but just as we wouldn't feed a child once and leave them to fend for themselves; faith also requires an active parental role to keep these precious gifts of God in their baptismal grace, so that they too might grow to know him, Jesus Christ both as Lord and Savior who

“came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

James and John were looking for the earthly glory that a Kingdom of this world provides. They received much more then they or their mother had asked for.

Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” Jesus asks.

39 And they said to him, “We are able.”

Herod had James put to death by the sword as the early church was persecuted. Acts 2:2

His brother John would remain and live to an old age leaving his thunderous youth behind to become the apostle of love, writing his Gospel and letters in exile on the island of Patmos, and giving a glimpse of the end of the age from visions given in the book of Revelation.

Heeding Christ's command:

But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

My friend Jim had another side as well. When we were younger and working together, he took on another task. Through a contact with an acquaintance, he began visiting a disabled man who was Wheel Chair bound and in declining health he would go once a month and take him out to lunch.

It wasn’t easy but each month Jim would say “I’ll be back in a while,” and go.

I only found out the particulars down the road. He never talked much about it at the time. After a few years of this, the man couldn’t go out anymore and eventually passed away.

He never talked about it but years later I asked him about it. I remember him saying,

“I’ve been blessed so much it was just a way to give back … though it was hard.”

Thank the Lord that God has not left us alone but has done everything needed for us and has given us – his word and sacraments - for us so that we might be brought to faith and given life in his name and in humility serve the needs of others.

It is not always easy to give up ones seat at the table, or to allow another a place in line ahead of you.

It is not always easy to see to it that the light of Christ shines forth into a dark world that gets darker every day.

It is not always easy to stand firm when even the fabric of our own faith seems weak and unable to endure.

But Christ, who is the one who will never leave you nor forsake you, has stood in your place and he has completed the course for you. In him you have everything that you could not earn because he humbled himself for you.

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen
 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Sermon March 13, 2024 – Lent 5 - Pastor Johnson

Title: The Story worth repeating – Christ the Judge – Intercession "The Lord our God is Just." Pastor Johnson Christ Milford
Text: Hebrews 4:14-5:10; Rev. 16:5-7


Monday, March 11, 2024

Sermon March 9-10, 2024

Title: Jesus has been lifted up so that you too are raised!
Text: Numbers 21:4-9; John 3:14;

Facebook live: Jesus has been lifted up so that you too are raised!

8 And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

A number of years ago I interviewed a man for a job with the store I worked at and managed. He had been in the appliance business for about fifteen years in the Brighton area, working for a family run business, much like the family run business I worked at.

Well, as he considered his situation, he looked at what he had and the prospect for advancement and being enticed he decided to leave his company for greener pastures at another company across town. As we talked, I told him of all the opportunities and benefits my company provided and I saw a look of real sadness come over his face.
“Boy, he said, I really didn't know how good I had it. All the benefits you mentioned, I already had with my previous job and I was skilled and good at it. Now, I’m out of work and hoping I can find a job as good as the one I left.”

The blessings we have often seem ordinary and mundane and we take them for granted or complain about them. God’s people, in our Old Testament lesson for today, saw their blessings as a curse and murmured against the one who was their provider, protector and sustainer.

God had been the protector of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years. He had guarded them throughout all their trials and provided for them in the as they made their way to the Promised Land. He brought them through the waters of the Red sea on to dry ground and also provided manna from heaven to sustain them … and still they grumbled.

5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”

It was noted that this manna was rich in nutrients by one scholar as they were able to march through this wilderness and not have their feet swell so that they were not lacking anything. God’s provisions were complete, full and rich.

Yet, they murmured eight times against God over these forty years. This, the final murmuring against the Lord had happened just after God had provided water from a rock and now he brought fiery serpents that up to this time had been plentiful in the area, but for some reason had left them alone.
6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

These serpents, which it is believed received their name because of their color and the fact that their bite produced venom that caused great swelling and burning, bit the Israelites causing death to many. In their distress they once again turn to Moses in repentance to intercede for them and pray to the Lord to take the serpents away.

So Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

We too find our blessings at time mundane and boring and grumble about what we don’t have instead of looking to all we do have. Something as simple to you and me as water … running water … hot and cold … in our house …

We all can imagine how different our lives would be without this blessing but still we grumble … so too with our faith and our God.

At times when we need to trust in Him for whatever our condition in life is, we fall back to our sinful ways. God gets blamed. “Why Lord, why?” We all might cry not knowing the mind of God and his plan for our life. Instead, he just might be taking us on our way around one battle toward a greater battle with better reward. Or, it might be his protection against certain doom.
One gentleman I know, who had been a loyal member of a particular company for over 20 years and had a job offer from a competitive company. He really didn’t want to take it. He would have preferred to stay in his comfort zone where he was. As it happened to turn out, the company he was at closed a little over a year after he left. In our day-to-day existence we have no guarantee of continued blessings in fact one of God’s promises tell us:

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John16:33

God's healing cure for the bite of the fiery serpents was faith in His word of promise. He directed Moses to make a serpent in the likeness of the ones that caused death. To make it out of bronze and to place it on a pole and when anyone looks at it they will be healed. Our text concludes with:

9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

A simple act of faith in God’s word brings the cure.

Luther had this to say about the cure:

It might have been expected that the Jews who had been bitten by the serpents would shun this cure, for it is only natural for us to shy away from anything that has harmed us. Even to see a picture of it fills us with sadness and abhorrence.

But Moses calmly proceeded, molded a serpent with the form and figure of the live fiery ones, and suspended it before their eyes.

Thus those who are bitten by fiery serpents – that is to say, those who are cast into sin, death and eternal damnation by the devil – must look at this bronze serpent, that is belief in Christ; and they will be guaranteed righteousness, life, and salvation. Faith in Christ, the Son of God and true man, will do this.

LW 22, pg. 341

Jesus pointed to His being lifted up just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness. Just as the serpent Moses lifted up in the desert was not the one biting and causing death, so too our Lord Jesus Christ was not the sinner or cause of sin but became the sin-bearer that took the sins of the whole world upon Himself that He crucified sin in His body on the cross for you.

This lifting of the serpent and trusting in God’s word of promise did bring about their healing. Just so all who trust in Christ also trust in God’s word and His promise that by faith in Christ’s sacrifice we too are freed from sin, death and the power of the Devil.

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

God’s word of promise is for you and for all who will be brought to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is said that the brazen image of the serpent was taken by the Israelites to Canaan, and preserved till the time of Hezekiah, who had it broken in pieces, because the idolatrous people had presented incense-offerings to this holy relic. 2 Kings 18:4

God has given us His word of promise and the means of grace that in Baptism He creates faith by the power of the Holy Spirit connected to the water so that we believe. He has promised that in the bread and wine He is present and that by our eating and drinking we receive Him and our faith is strengthened. He has promised that when two or more are gathered in His name that He is there too.

He has promised:

38 … that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Whatever your place in life is, whatever you are or hope to become, whatever your successes or failures are, know that God is with you. He will be there through the good and the bad with you and He will never leave you nor forsake you. He has suffered the scorn of the cross - for you - and has taken your sin upon Himself and has exchanged it with the royal robes of His righteousness – for you.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen


Sermon March 6, 2024 - Lent 4 - Pastor Tkac

Title: The Story worth repeating – Christ the savior – Deliverance and salvation
Text: Psalm 71:1-6 Hebrews 5:1-10

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8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

As we continue with the Story worth repeating in our Lenten sermon series, we’ve learned that stories connected to the Gospel can be powerful or funny, historic or personal, written down for the many or shared one-on-one with the few. It can be a story written, read, spoken or sung.

Growing up a child of the 60’s gave me fond memories. Guitars, the Beatles, the Summer of Love, as well as the wisdom of Roger Miller.

“King of the road”, “Dang Me”, “Chug-a-lug” and “You can’t roller skate in a Buffalo heard” were all etched into my young and impressionable memory.

John Glenn’s first flight around the world, and the Apollo moon landing, took me to places I only dreamed about. I loved comedy and listened to the Smothers Brothers, Woody Allen, and Bill Cosby on long-playing Vinyl albums.

I was the oldest of four children and another thing I remember all too well was:

“Go to your room and think about what you did!”

That was how my dad would respond to me when my mom would let him know about something, I did wrong and needed correction.

My dad followed it up with, “And wait for me.”

That was usually not good news.

Obedience and suffering … needed for this son.

Obviously, my obedience had not been what it should have been and so the waiting began my suffering.

How would it end?

Waite for me.

Jesus’ obedience was different than mine. He didn’t miss the mark. Me on the other hand, pretty much every day.

My dad would come home from work and say to my mom if she had that look on her face,

“Well, Line them up and tell me who I need to hit!”

Now my dad wasn’t a mean man. In fact, he was a good man and I loved my dad, but I didn’t always obey my mom as I should. You see, my dad expected his children to obey and listen to my mom, so when we didn’t - there was a time of waiting and suffering.

The children of Israel saw God as unapproachable.

They needed a Mediator.

The priest was seen as the means to approach God, to come to him for forgiveness and to have their sins atoned for.

He was the mediator. The one between the sinner and the righteous judge.

They could come to him as they did in the wilderness to Moses - God’s prophet – who spoke to the people all that God directed him to say and who pleaded to God for them.

Also, Aaron, Moses’ brother, was called by God to be his priest and to make sacrifices for the sins of the people standing between God and man. The people brought their animal sacrifices to Aaron who presented their good and acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. One life for another.

Sins continued and so did the sacrifices. Each day … week … month … and year … Being reconciled and having their sin atoned for.

Jesus was sent by God the Father to bring forgiveness in a real and tangible way. Our sins needed to be reconciled, and Jesus – the word of God made flesh - came for that purpose. To stand in our place.

He came as the perfect prophet. Not as an imperfect man called to deliver God’s word but as the eternal word of God made flesh speaking directly to the people.

He came as the perfect priest. The one to mediate and to intercede for the people to the father with whom he is well acquainted and, in his person, he reflects the image of God as one who has seen the Father and is intimately connected - as we see the Father in him.

He came as the perfect sacrifice. Not as a continual sacrifice, daily brought to appease the wrath of God, but as the once and for all sacrifice for sin that is Holy and acceptable to the Father.

The Jews in Jesus day shunned the cure and returned to Moses and the Law for the comfort of their reconciliation.

They live in that reality still today.

Today, the people in our day want a new mediator.

They want a Jesus who sees sin, not defined by God’s word, but defined by the world.

One who gets us, is okay with us, who requires nothing from us.

They want to kill, where God has conceived and brought to life.

They want to unite and expand, where God has placed limits.

They want to change and redefine, what God has defined already.

They want to eliminate the mediator, and mediate for themselves.

If you’ve ever been in a court of law you might want to think twice before choosing to represent yourself. Even good Lawyers, it seems to me, hire a competent attorney to represent them!

When the Law is placed before us in our world, we have three choices.

Follow the Law

Break the Law or

Change the Law

There are consequences for each.

As we look to God’s word and his Law the choices remain the same. In court a good Lawyer might get us off for breaking the Law or a Government Legislature might change or amend a Law which then nullifies the offence, but not with God.

His Law requires one answer which is perfect obedience. Not that we follow the Law, but that we break the Law continually and the Law, written in stone and on our hearts, can’t be changed.

We need one to plead our case.

We need a mediator.

Jesus is the Perfect -Mediator! The God/man himself.

He is appointed by God as the only way to reconcile his wayward children in his broken creation.

5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,

“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;

6 as he says also in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”

Not only the Prophet and Priest but also the perfect once for all sacrifice for sin that he might atone for the sins of the whole world once and for all.

Jesus is perfect for our salvation!

This prophet Jesus speaks God’s truth perfectly!

This Priest Jesus is perfectly acceptable and able to stand before God for man because,

This Jesus is the perfect sacrifice for sin to appease God’s wrath

because his perfect obedience to God’s perfect Law fulfills the Law perfectly!

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

In a sense the Father saying, in response to Jesus’ prayers:

Wait for me.

Salvation for all because of Jesus’ obedience.

This perfect Prophet, Priest and Sacrifice is also the Perfect King of Kings and Lord or Lords who by his just decree can give forgiveness and proclaim as the eternal judge the sentence of not Guilty on account of Christ’s merit to whom he wills.

Jesus is everything we need!

9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus is a priest superior to Aaron likened to that of Melchizedek whose name means king of righteousness, King of Salem, the [Shalom] of Salem [the prince of peace] being a type of Christ and high priest of God that predates the priesthood of Aaron and to whom Abraham pays a tithe.

23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but [Jesus] holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Do not look to earthly or false prophets to be your hope and salvation.

Do not stand before God in unrighteous arrogance as a priest with sinful demands.

Do not think your Gold, Silver or pleading an acceptable sacrifice.

Do not demand a King’s ransom from a King that gives himself to you for free.

Receive the word of God in humble reverence.

Receive Jesus who stands in God’s presence for you.

Receive his perfect sacrifice of Christ for your sin.

Receive the Kingdom of God given and shed for you.

Repentance and Forgiveness – the Gospel story worth repeating!

“Now, go to your room and wait for me!”

You know as a child in my room, I learned obedience and suffering.

My dad though showed me mercy, forgiveness and love as a loving Christian father. He would come in, at times after a very long time of waiting, and ask,

Did you think about what you did? Yes.

Are you going to do it again? No.

Okay. “You know I love you?” Yes dad.

Jesus showed perfect obedience, suffering and love for you and me and all – broken in sin – but now has raised you to the newness of life in his perfection. Forgiving your sin and giving you everlasting life!

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit

Amen

Sermon March 2-3, 2024

Title: The Father’s love and zeal for you is in Jesus!
Text: John 2:13-22

Facebook live: The Father’s love and zeal for you is in Jesus!

17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Jerusalem is a hot bed for so much of the world’s religious as well as political turmoil but so is the Temple Mount.

The second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD. For Jews today their activity is restricted on the Temple mount. The Dome on the Rock is there and is holy to Muslims and Jews are not allowed to pray there, though some do pray under their breath. For Jews in Jerusalem there is a growing need to rebuild the Temple, to resume the temple sacrifices and to wait for the coming of the messiah.

In our gospel reading for today we move to the book of John. As we looked at our gospel lesson in Mark last week, Jesus explained that he must suffer, be rejected by the Elders, Chief priests and the scribes, be killed and after three days, rise from the dead. Mark 8:31

Jesus was zealous both for his Father’s House in driving out those who had made it a house of trade selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, [along with] the money-changers [who were] sitting there, just as he was with Peter last week, rebuking him for “not setting his mind on the things of God.”

The Jewish leaders now ask Jesus – what is the evidence that you can give us as to your authority for doing such things, by casting those out of the temple?

22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, Paul tells the Corinthians in our epistle lesson for today. 1 Cor. 1:22

So Jesus tells them,

19 … “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

As you can imagine, the Jews that Jesus is talking to believe he is talking about “The Temple” the building of the second Temple that had taken 46 years to build, where all the daily sacrifices had taken place.

This is the place where God dwells … where sin is atoned for.

You can see that not much has changed in the nearly 2000 years since the cross of our Lord. The Jews today are still rebuilding the Temple … and the cross as Paul says in our epistle is:

23 … a stumbling block to Jews and folly [or foolishness] to Gentiles,

But we who have been blessed to be brought to the foot of the cross see Jesus as our savior and trust in his work; where true temple worship is in his once and for all sacrifice for sin.

Jews look to rebuild the Temple and resume the sacrifices while Gentiles see foolishness in belief of a saving God, especially one who has taken on flesh.

Their wisdom tells them to trust in themselves.

25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 cor. 1:25

But many fall short. For some, the stumbling … or the foolishness is just plain stubbornness.

It remains a problem for many still today. For the Jews the Temple remains something to be rebuilt and stumble while others believe that the Cross of Christ remains [foolishness], or something to be seen as weakness and not the power of God.

The cross is an offence, so much so that at times we shy away from it, especially in the midst of the world.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book: Life together writes,

“Jesus Christ lived in the midst of his enemies. At the end all his disciples deserted him. On the Cross he was utterly alone, surrounded by evildoers and mockers. For this cause he had come, to bring peace to the enemies of God.

So the Christian too, belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community

In the turmoil of the world the cross of Christ will be a stumbling block or foolishness.

When I went back to college to get the required courses so that I might get qualified for going to the seminary I took a class on the Bible. It was a secular class that looked at the text and asked us to analyzed in our papers what we thought it said and what we believed it meant.

Most people took the class to fulfill an elective requirement and thought it might be easy or as a class for non-credit but of interest and enrichment.

I sat next to a nice Jewish man who turned to me during one of our classes and said,

“When we get to the New Testament, you’re going to have to help me!”

Not an unexpected response. It was not part of his understanding.

My friend Mark had a different obstacle. I bought him a Bible during one of our many years of discussions and he had a problem – a stumbling block with just one page.

It was the one page between Malachi and Matthew. It read The New Testament. Mark said to me,

“I couldn’t get past it so I tore it out. Now, it’s one book.”

The stumbling and foolishness of that one page was just too much for him. But, God by his Spirit gave him wisdom to see and overcome it. God has opened the eyes of his understanding and has brought him into his family of faith.

For many though, Jesus’ life death and resurrection remain a stumbling block and foolishness.

21 But [Jesus] was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

In spite of our weakness and in spite of our failings God in Christ was focused on the cross for you. The Temple of his body that was destroyed for you is victory! It is victory because the full wrath of God was poured out on Jesus and as a result you have no fear of standing before our holy God.

God in Christ has taken your sin and my sin upon himself and has given you and all who believe his righteousness in exchange for it – what wonderful good news – and as a result we are free of the bonds of sin, death, and the devil and are covered by Christ’s righteousness and made his child through faith by the power of the Holy Spirit

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Christ is consumed with his zeal for you and just as he has been raised … you too will rise!

May our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, who has redeemed you, and called you through the power of the Holy Spirit to faith, complete this blessed good work in you now and forever!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon February 28, 2024 Lent 3 - Pastor Moyer

Title: The Story worth repeating! "Will Everything Sad Come Untrue?" Pastor Moyer, Faith, Highland
Text: Jeremiah 31;10-17, 31-34; Romans 8:18-25

Facebook live: "Will Everything Sad Come Untrue?"

Monday, February 26, 2024

Sermon February 24-25, 2024

Title: Who do you say that I am?
Text: Mark 8:27-38

Facebook live: Who do you say that I am?

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

Jesus asks the disciples:

“Who do people say that I am?” And then wants to know, “but who do you say that I am?”

And we know that the disciples say that the people think that Jesus is “John the Baptist; [some] say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

And this all climaxes with Peter speaking for the disciples when he says,

“You are the Christ.”

Following this confession by Peter of who Jesus is we see Jesus begin to teach them everything he is now prepared to do.

Jesus says that the Son of Man:

Must suffer
Must be rejected – by the elders, chief priests and scribes
Must be killed
And after three days must rise from the dead

As the one who made confession for the disciples, Peter, didn't really understand Jesus and his work for the salvation of the world at this time as his rebuke of Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 16:22, makes clear:

“Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”

This is met by Jesus’ full rebuke, which is focused not on Peter the man – just as his confession of faith was not revealed by flesh and blood but revealed by the Father in Heaven so too Jesus’ rebuke is not focused on Peter the man - but on Satan - the deceiver and the father of lies.

“Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

To be opposed to Christ … is to be in harmony with the devil.

To lose your life in Christ … is to save it!

Jesus says …

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

For many, though, this is not a cross they wish to bear. We hope to avoid trial and conflict. Following Jesus as example is good but suffering or being hated and despised on account of Christ … we all would like to take a pass.

It is a common battle that pastors have to face too by remaining faithful to their call ... and this can be unpopular at times. It is hard, and not received well, to say to someone that which they don’t want to hear. You know it and I know it. We all want affirmation, to affirm that which we want to do.

Jesus had given the disciples a summary of His work and he now gives a summary of the demands of true discipleship.

He does not show here how one becomes a disciple - through the working of the Holy Spirit by faith in Christ and by the washing of regeneration in the word through baptism; but here, Jesus tells us how we show the evidence of this gift of faith in Christ by denying self; taking up the cross we must bear; and by following him.

It can be summarized as this.

“If anyone wants to save his life, have the full enjoyment of this life and all that it may offer in this world, he will lose the true life in Christ the Savior. But if anyone will regard this life, the world and all it has to offer, as nothing, give it all up for the sake of Jesus and His Gospel, he will find the true life, the true joy and [true] happiness in Him.”

Popular commentary of the Bible P.E. Kretzmann NT Vol. 1 pg. 209

To lose your life in Christ is to save it!

Scott Hamilton’s tells of a story of trial when his brain tumor returned in 2016.

[Hamilton said he would never forget what his wife, Tracie, said to him during a pep talk: “Joy is not the lack of suffering or fear, it’s how you choose to handle the suffering and fear.”

It finally hit him that it was true.

So, when the tumor returned, Hamilton decided to react differently. There was no “why me?” anymore.

“I figured I needed to go through this with joy,” he said. “It was just a muscle I needed to build, like the muscles I built skating.”

The tumor was still relatively small, so Hamilton didn’t need to rush into surgery. He tried to tackle the problem differently: He stopped eating sugar, red meat and other things he considered bad for his body. He started eating organic food and drinking only coffee or water with high pH.

He hit the treadmill and the weight room.

When Hamilton went back to the doctor several months later, he learned that his tumor hadn’t grown. During his next checkup, he heard even better news.

The tumor had shrunk, by about half. Hamilton choked up when describing what happened next.

“Have you ever had one shrink without treatment before?” he said he asked the doctor. “And the doctor said, ‘Nope, never.’”

Hamilton asked, “So how can you explain this?”

The doctor said, “God.”]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/18/sports/olympics/figure-skating-nbc-scott-hamilton-.html

Life does not always give us the answers we want to hear, but in Christ we are always in the hands of our beloved savior.

As we faithfully serve as God has called us and shine the light of Christ in our vocations, we lose our life for Christ’s sake and the gospel and ultimately save our lives for eternity.

May our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, who has redeemed you, and called you through the power of the Holy Spirit to faith, complete this blessed good work in you now and forever!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen