Thursday, June 11, 2020

Sermon June 13-14, 2020

Title: The Lord sends and we reap the rewards!
Text: Matt. 9:35-10:8

Facebook live: The Lord sends and we reap the rewards!

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Today we gather in a way that seems a bit different and foreign to how we gathered just a few short months ago. Taped off pews, seats in the narthex, socially distanced seating and masks; No longer, am I singing hymns alone or preaching to a virtual congregation who sit in the comfort of their own homes while I bring church to them. I thank the Lord for the hymns and the services that were able to keep us connected through the time of our separation.

Today, we begin again our services in person, and though this looks different for you and me, from my perspective – this looks so good!

In our gospel today:

35 … Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.

In the proceeding part of chapter 9:

Jesus healed a paralytic brought to him lying on a mat.
He called the apostle Matthew, the tax collector, to follow him.
He raised a daughter from death to life.
He healed a woman from bleeding who touched the hem of his garment.
He restored the sight of two blind men who asked him for mercy.
And cast out a demon from a man unable to speak who then spoke.

Our compassionate Lord went to those in need or they came to him.
He brought life where only death reigned.
He healed those who had been unable to be healed.
He restored sight and cast the demons away.

[Jesus] had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

March 10 of this year changed our lives in a profound way as a state of emergency was declared here in Michigan. What to do? We held services the weekend of the March 15th but our upcoming midweek was canceled. I scrambled to see how to keep our church connected.

Cell phone,
Internet,
Concordia organist
Facebook webpage

As pastor, I wonder how I could I bring this church into your homes?
Will this shutdown last a week – a month – or longer?
Who’s essential, and what’s essential?
I decided on a Hymn sing on Saturday and service on Sunday at our regular service times.
I began two devotions, Five minutes daily with Luther and Reading the Psalms with Luther during the week.

We missed Easter together. We had 331 views on line.

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;

Each church in our circuit approached it differently. Some used Zoom and others used Facebook.
Some recorded services on You Tube while others broadcast live.
Some did devotions and others continued Bible studies.
Some had professional equipment and others did not.

We all, in compassion for the Lord’s sheep, tried as best we could to serve God’s people as his under shepherds. I am thankful for all my brother pastors and their efforts.

No one size fits all here.

Over the last month a lot has changed.

Some of our churches have opened.
Others are opening.
Some are still trying to get opened.

Virus, pandemic, protest, riot, whatever the world deals with the root cause, result and solution are the same.

Sin, death and Jesus

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23

Whether like Peace member Elaine Mitchell, who died from complication of Covid 19 in her nursing home or George Floyd in Minneapolis who died at the hands of police in a cruel and heartless way, death is the result.

Whether like Kathy Zolbe who died of a heart attack - a side effect of the medication she was taking for her cancer or David Dorn, the retired police Captain and grandfather who was murdered trying to protect his friends business from looters.

Death’s sting is great. It’s personal, it’s troubling, and it’s no respecter of age, race, gender, status or political affiliation. So the mandate from Jesus to his disciples should ring in our ears as well.

38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Our prayers are for both the Lord to send laborers knowing that we might be called upon to be one of those to bring Christ to those in need.
While death is the result of sin, Jesus is the solution for sin.

Christ needs to be proclaimed in the pandemic and the protest not to diminish the concerns in this life but to illuminate the greater reality. All roads lead to death in this life but only one way leads to peace and life eternal and that’s Jesus.

Our pre-service music for today was Christ Be My Leader from our hymnal LSB #861

It brings all of our concerns and in a wonderful way points to the Blessed Hope that Jesus is. Your hope, trust and security in this life is only for a while.

Let us rest in Jesus as the lyrics make clear.

Christ be my leader by night as by day;
Safe through the darkness, for He is the way.
Gladly I follow, my future His care,
Darkness is daylight when Jesus is there.

Christ be my teacher in age and in youth
Drifting or doubting for he is the truth
Grant me to trust him; though shifting as sand
Doubt cannot daunt me, in Jesus I stand

Christ be my savior in calm as in strife
Death cannot hold me for he is the life
Nor darkness nor doubting nor sin and its stain
Can touch my salvation; with Jesus I reign
God’s peace be yours now and always!

Copyright Timothy Dudley Smith 1964 Renewed 1992 Hope Publishing Co. LSB

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

Amen

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