Sermon May. 29-30, 2021- Holy Trinity

Title: Through Christ your salvation is secure!
Text: John 3:1-17

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17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

On [Christmas Eve] December 24, 1968, in what was the most watched television broadcast at the time, the crew of Apollo 8 read in turn from the Book of Genesis as they orbited the moon. Bill Anders, Jim Lovell, and Frank Borman recited Genesis chapter one, verses 1 through 10, using the King James Version text.

William Anders began:

"We are now approaching lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you."

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."

James Lovell Continued:

"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."

Frank Borman concluded:

"And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas: and God saw that it was good." "And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas – and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_8_Genesis_reading

I remember this like it was yesterday. As a 13-year-old watching on TV. I was fascinated to see the image of the earth from the perspective of the moon. But not until the pictures were published in TIME Magazine did, I see the true vivid color of the Good Earth against the backdrop of a grey and black space.

Reactions to this reading were overwhelmingly positive though a lawsuit did ensue brought on by Madalyn Murray O’Hair who was the founder of the American Atheists, but it was dismissed by the Supreme Court, their reason … “It is out of our jurisdiction.”

Incidentally all three astronauts are still alive and 87, 93 and 93 years old.

Mixed reactions to God and his word have been around since the serpent questioned, “Did God really say?” In our gospel lesson for today another questioning occurs.

3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night …

In the grey and black of the night a leader - a man of the Pharisees – comes to see Jesus. It is as if in and through the blackness of sin he sees the light of the Good Earth in the distance and in this person, Jesus saying:

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” V2

Nicodemus sees in the signs that Jesus has been doing, and probably his teaching as well - proclaiming; “Repentant for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” God’s work, and it is through this work that God had brought Nicodemus to this place this night to be with Jesus.

Jesus’ reply that “… unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God …” comes as a bit of a surprise to Nicodemus. In a similar sense the view from the Apollo 8 capsule and the connection of "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” also brings for some a questioning thinking,

“It’s just a fable, it can’t be real. No one really believes this is how things came into existence, do they?”

Even Nicodemus asks, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”

Just as God and his creation brings many questions that we and others might wrestle with God’s word points us to the source of truth and understanding … his son, our Lord Jesus.

Genesis’s beginning and the Gospel of John’s beginning have one thing in common - and that is Jesus.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth or,

in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God, have Jesus connected in a real way to creation and redemption.

“And God said,”

This word of God spoken in the beginning, and the word of God [Jesus] speaking to Nicodemus, is the same word of God proclaimed and heard by you now.

The word is not only connected to your hearing now but it is also, as Jesus is making known to Nicodemus, connected to the washing away of sins in Holy Baptism. He asks Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”

In reality though, even if this were possible it would do Nicodemus and you or me no good; for being born again in the natural way only brings forth one who is born in sin and brought forth in iniquity.

One needs rebirth as Jesus tells him … to be born again which is a new birth that is born from above, born anew, or born of the Spirit.

Paul writes to the Corinthian church about the need to see with new eyes born from the Spirit when he writes:

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. 2:14

You too needed to be spiritually born and this came for you and me in our Baptisms. God’s word connected to simple water and his command and promise by the working of the Holy Spirit brings as Luther’s Small Catechism makes clear about the benefits baptism gives:

“It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.”

As Jesus declared, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

And the Apostle Paul affirmed in 1 Corinthians 6 when he writes:

… that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Saying:
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Dear friends, we have been given the Spirit. God has called you to faith so that the Kingdom of God is yours.

8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So, it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

As one washed in the waters of Holy Baptism you have been born from above and born anew by God, that same God who from the beginning spoke God’s creation into existence and has breathed new life in you now and for eternity.

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

Funeral Sermon for Paul G. Wendland

Title: Loved, Forgiven, Forever!
Text: Romans 8:37-39

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37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor 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.

Dear family, friends and loved ones … It is a time of mourning and grief for us all as we remember our dear Paul.

I’m Pastor Russ Tkac – Pastor of Peace Lutheran Church here is Waterford and I’ve had the privilege to know Paul and Janette for the last 20 years and most specifically over these last 9 years as Pastor here at Peace.

The circumstances of life that bring us together are not always the best or easiest to deal with but Paul made the best of a difficult situation over the last number of years and Janette made life comfortable and joyful for Paul.

The Roman’s text today speaks of trial and comfort. These believers in Rome were being persecuted for their faith and the Apostle offers assurance to them that no matter the trial whether, tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, (Rom. 8:35) that they could be certain that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8-28)

All things work together for good?

Well, we might at times question that.

Why? Why these circumstances? Why did this happen? Why now?

Paul – was born on November 10, 1936 and reborn in the waters Holy Baptism.

Baptism washes away our original sin, and though the wages of sin is death, God gives us a new hope - one in Christ Jesus - who has stood in our place, received the punishment we deserved, and purchased us back from sin, death and the power of the devil.

… Not with gold and silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death, that I may be his own and live under him in his kingdom and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as he is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.

This is most certainly true.

– Small Catechism answer to the 2nd article of the creed.

Paul confessed this same truth about Jesus for himself at his Confirmation all the way back in 1950 confirming what God had done for him in his Baptism!

Paul was marked as Christ’s, and Christ remained his!

Death though is real and we all know that first hand. It brings about a separation from our loved one - for a time - for we who believe. It is a consequence of the sin and corruption that we are born into. This once perfect creation of our loving God is broken and we see the evidence written on our lives, and on the lines of our face, and in the loss of our loved ones.

The reality of life and death is with us now … because in this life, the corruption caused by sin, has thrown a wrench into the plans we’ve made for ourselves that unfortunately - all too often – like in Paul’s case, is cut short.

What a tuff year this has been for us all!

Covid and all that it brought has now as things are looking promising given us another reality check. Normal, going forward will be different again as we all together navigate this time without our dear Paul.

Some of the pain of sin in this life we cause and bring upon ourselves; some comes upon us by the sinfulness of others and this life broken in the fall; and some, might have been avoided had we only been just a little bit more loving and forgiving.

But death, none the less, makes us all look at the reality that at some point we all will breathe our last. It is our reality! For some sooner and for some, like Paul at 84 years young, and from my perspective that is still too young and getting younger the older I get!

Paul was a kind and sweet man. At least that was the perception of Paul I had when I would see he and Janette in church. The walk to the pew though, was getting harder and more labored. Many times, he had to stop and rest in the narthex just to get up the strength and make his way to the back pew where they both sat.

This is quite a picture that differs from the Paul many of you remember who loved to hunt and fish and spend time outdoors, and on the water or the Paul that worked to support his family for 30 years at GM.

As one friend recently told me:

“I wake up each morning, look in the mirror, and shave my grandfather!”

Looking in the rearview mirror of life and seeing 84 years of memories is good and a blessing but not the times and the reality of the health issues we all deal with as we get older. And, Paul had to deal with quite a bit while dear Janette was his faithful care giver, day in and day out.

Last year during Covid I had a member offer me a new powered portable wheel chair for the church. As I thought about it the first person to come to mind was Paul. This I thought would give him some better mobility.

I called and explained it to Paul and we had a great visit and though it could be disassembled and transported easily, it was still too heavy for Janette to lift into the car and they later called me to see if I could find another home and person who could make better use of it.

I did. And the lady that has it now is getting great use out of it and so thankful for it.

God uses all things for good. Even these times of loss and trial.

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Romans 8:29-30

God foreknew – or knew beforehand - those believers in Rome before the foundations of the world. He predestined – which is to determine or decree – that they would bear the image of His son our Lord Jesus; that they would be covered by the righteous, royal robes of the God / man, Jesus Christ himself.

He called them by name to believe the Good News of the Gospel and justified them by saving faith in the blessed Gospel that they too, like the Son, would be glorified, forgiven in Christ, and with Him forever in heaven.

God called our dear Paul in Holy Baptism as his own and promised this same forgiveness and eternity for him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matt 11:28

The trials of life are all around us and they were there for Paul as well.

But each time I visited in their home Paul and Janette were a blessing in Christ for me. Kind, loving, never complaining and always asking me how my wife Monica and I were doing? Always thinking of others – a truly godly blessing.

Whether it was Paul’s love for family, grandchildren, great grandchildren, good friends, and neighbors or his church home here at Peace, a church that Paul and Janette called home since 1968, 53 years of blessing for Paul and Janette and for our church as well – together here in Christ.

How quickly it is that even one day can change our whole lives.

Unfortunately, that day came on Tuesday last week when Paul suffered a heart attack at his home and only a few days later when he was called away from you - his dear loved ones - and this life here that he loved.

It seemed that my call on Tuesday was divinely inspired as I called Janette to set up a home visit for them and to bring them Holy Communion, only to find out that Paul had just been taken to the hospital.

When Janette and I talked later that evening it didn’t sound too promising.

But, in spite of our grief the Apostle Paul still brings comforts to us all:

Because 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Rom. 8:32)

No matter our love for him God always loves us more, even sending his only son our Lord Jesus Christ to die for us so that we might live in him and be his forever.

Today we honor Paul’s life, as we say good bye. But the grief that fills us all with loss and sorrow, for those who knew him as a kind and loving soul, will one day be replaced with the blessed reunion in heaven for all who believe.

Our loving God in Christ Jesus promises to wipe away every tear of sadness that we have today, and in that day replace them with tears of joy, as we together rejoice in Heaven with our resurrected Lord who has conquered sin, death and the power of the Devil not only for Paul but for you and for me as well.

In Christ, death is not the end for we who cling to the blessed hope of Jesus and reunion in Heaven one day for all who believe. But, it is only a time of parting … for a while.

38 For I am sure 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. (Rom. 8:38-39)

The church is the arc of our home and peace in Christ. It is the ship of God’s protection and comfort and the place where God marks us as his and keeps us in our baptismal grace throughout this life to our destination on a distant shore and promised eternity.

Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ Matt. 25:23

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

Amen

Sermon May. 22-23, 2021

Title: The Spirit of truth bears witness to you!
Text: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

The Second Stanza of the wonderful hymn O Holy Spirit, Enter In speaks to the truth about the Spirit’s work.

#913 O Holy Spirit, Enter In

Give to Your Word impressive power
That in our hearts from this good hour
As fire it may be glowing,
That in true Christian unity
We faithful witnesses may be
Your glory ever showing.
Hear us, cheer us, By Your teaching; Let our preaching
And our labor; Praise You, Lord, and serve our neighbor.
Today we celebrate the sending of the Spirit which in the Book of Acts speaks of the Spirit coming as a mighty rushing wind and as tongues of fire, resting on the disciples and giving them utterance. This powerful speaking in other tongues gives the disciples the ability to be heard as Luke writes in the book of Acts, from ears that were closed to ears that are opened!

“Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?” (Acts 2:7b-8)

And the diversity of those that hear is large.

9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2:9-11)

The diversity as wide as people we don’t know or as close to those who live in our house. The Spirit can certainly do marvelous things to reach all people! And he will! That is what Jesus tells the disciples in the Gospel reading for today.

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

The Spirit of truth will point you to Jesus.

The Spirit of truth will bear witness about Christ

Christ met unbelievers where they were. He realized what many Christians today still don't seem to understand. Cultivators have to get out in the field. Accordingly, Jesus was in the field, out with the people in the mainstream of life.

J.K. Johnston, Why Christians Sin, Discovery House, 1992, p. 142.

God can use us all. God will use us all.

My friend Rob makes his living teaching guitar and banjo. He is very talented and those he teaches learn well. But his mission is to tell the world about Christ and through his gift of music he gets an opportunity to tell the world about Jesus and Christ himself says that it is to your advantage that he goes away:

But if I go, I will send him [the Spirit] to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
John 16:7b-11

There is an Ugly truth and a beautiful truth.

The ugly truth is that we are born sinful and unclean and are God's enemies and rightly deserve to be cast into Hell and separated from God for ever.

But the beautiful truth is that God came to stand in your place and to suffer death for you so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you might know this and by faith trust all that Jesus did for you and receive the promise of an eternity in heaven with him.

Satan has been judged at the cross. He has been defeated and it is now through the working of the Spirit that Christ’s work is made known to the world so that sin might be repented of and people come to faith in Christ.

We know that we ourselves need repentance and forgiveness, so also those who will come to faith by the Spirit’s work through the word. God’s means of word and sacrament are found here in God’s house but the word is active and goes with each one of us as we in our vocations take Christ with us in our daily lives as father’s mothers, brothers, sisters, and workers and too.

The Spirit of truth bears witness to you!

As Jesus says:

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
God’s Spirit leads you into all truth! John16:13-15

Christ and his work are who the Helper, the Holy Spirit, points to and it defines what is His work is and what He works to accomplish.

We have peace to with God also because of the Holy Spirit.

He brings us to life from our spiritual death and give us the faith that points and holds to Christ.

And as was confessed today in the Nicene Creed:

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The Lord and giver of life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,
Who spoke through the prophets …

The Holy Spirit is God the sanctifier or the one who makes us Holy!

Jesus sends the Helper - the Holy Spirit - and by His work you are His!

To be comforted at times is good,

To be helped at times is also good,

But to be forgiven and to receive the gift of faith in Christ and His work - for you - is the work of the Holy Spirit who was sent to draw people not to himself but to Christ.

This is truly Good News!

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

Sermon May. 15-16, 2021

Title: By his word of truth, God is yours!
Text: John 17:11b-19

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11b [Jesus said:] Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote:

"To remain divided is sinful! Did not our Lord pray that they may be one, even as we are one"? (John 17:22). A chorus of ecumenical voices keep harping the unity tune. What they are saying is, "Christians of all doctrinal shades and beliefs must come together in one visible organization, regardless... Unite, unite!" Such teaching is false, reckless and dangerous. Truth alone must determine our alignments. Truth comes before unity. Unity without truth is hazardous. Our Lord's prayer in John 17 must be read in its full context. Look at verse 17: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." Only those sanctified through the Word can be one in Christ. To teach otherwise is to betray the Gospel.

Charles H. Spurgeon, The Essence of Separation, quoted in The Berean Call, July, 1992, p. 4.

Jesus too desired unity around the truth and his will was in accord with the will of his Father.

Jesus says: I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost.

His desire is to keep and protect those whom he leaves behind as he Ascends back to the Father.

His desire is that they (his disciples) may be one in unity with each other just as Jesus and the Father are one in unity … though distinct in person. Christ says that he has guarded them and that not one has been lost except for Judas - the one who went the way of destruction – so that the scriptures may be filled.

And as Christ prepares to leave his beloved disciples, he prays for them that the Father would keep them, in your name, in the name of the one true God, so that they would be guarded and not lost. As Christ leaves the world, he knows that his own will remain in the world just as you and I also remain, and though in the world - are not of the world.

We remain but also, we represent the work of God in us,

to abide in Jesus,

to remain in him,

to be his and to show forth his will against the power of the evil one, who looks only to steal, kill and destroy.

By his word of truth God is yours!

When I was in Germany some years ago, I couldn’t help thinking as we were driving to the airport in Berlin how much Germany has changed in the years since the Nazis and Hitler were defeated.

Initially, many Germans supported Hitler. Some saw that it was better for them to get along rather than to fight what was happening and some turned a blind eye to the truth of the atrocities around them.

Even when churches were told to unite by Hitler many did, finding that things went easier for them than those who stayed true to the word and came under harsher persecution.

We all have families in the world and this too can pull us apart as we wrestle with the changes in society and civic life.

With marriage redefinition and gender identity questions abounding, the truth we’re told is tolerance but in reality the breakdown of the family as it has been defined on Biblical principles and God’s word is the real goal.

Jesus says: 17 Sanctify them [or make them holy which also is to be set apart] in the truth; [he then tells us that] your word is truth.

Apart from God’s word we live in a world where God is re-made in man’s image and that is how the devil wants it.

He wants to turn what God has said upside down into that first deceptive question of his: “Did God really say?” It gives us all, like Adam and Eve, a high view of self and a low view of sin which is simply, missing the mark and coming up short, on what God expects.

So, what do we do? We lower the bar of truth or change it altogether.

Jesus’ desire for you and me … in the world … is that we stay true to the word and that by it – by the word - may also be sanctified or made holy by it.

God’s Spirit does that by pointing you and me to Jesus!

As Jesus returns to the Father he leaves his disciples with a promise.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

Acts 1:8-9

Our first reading follows this as the disciples return to Jerusalem and the upper room where they were staying … where Jesus had appeared to them.

14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Unity around truth, that Jesus Christ is the son of God.

How do we know this? How can we know this?

… your word is truth.

God’s word … Jesus … is truth.

At Baptism we are marked as God’s own child, as one redeemed by Christ, as one who was crucified for you and me.

This Jesus upon his ascension gave the promise that we would not be left alone and that the comforter, [the Holy Spirit] who would come at Pentecost, would be with us to point us to the unity found only in Jesus the word of God made flesh.

By his word of truth God is yours!

Dr. Scott Murray in his wonderful Memorial moment devotion reminds us of what happens when truth is compromised:

When the Word is lost everything is lost. Over the past twenty years, churches have begun to jettison the confession of faith in the Creeds of the church.

They are no longer recited as part of church services. When this trend began the clergy, who were so eager to get rid of the public confession of the faith by the faithful, were quick to reassure the skeptical that even though they no longer said the words that they certainly still affirmed the content of the Creeds. More recently the clergy who jettisoned the recitation of the Creed are now quite aggressively rejecting the content of the Creed, including its Christological [focus on Christ] content. Once we stop saying the words, it isn't very long until we stop believing the content of them.

Dr. Scott Murray: Unloving Love Wednesday of Easter 6 13 May 2015

The truth comes to us in the word of God and is made know through the work of the Spirit who points us to the truth of Christ’s word and work.

Luther reminds us:

"In the issue of salvation, on the other hand, when fanatics teach lies and errors under the guise of truth and make an impression on many, there love must not be exercised and error must not be approved. For what is lost here is not merely a good deed done for someone who is ungrateful, but the Word, faith, Christ, and eternal life, etc. are lost. Therefore, if you deny God in one article of faith, you have denied Him in all; for God is not divided into many articles, but He is everything in each article and He is one in all the articles of the faith."

Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians, 5.9

17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

Christ has made you his own and will keep you by his Spirit connected to him and his truth. This is his promise.

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

Sermon May. 8-9, 2021

Title: You are God's own child Baptized into his name!
Text: 1 John 5:1-8

Facebook live: You are God’s own child baptized into his name!

4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

On this Mother’s Day it is certainly a day where we remember and thank our Mother’s for all that they do and have done for us, but it is also a day where we thank the Lord – for those who have been given to us in this life and stand in their place - and care for us with their love. And by that love, God has made us his own through the water of his care.

Stanza 1

Baptized into your name most holy,
O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
I claim a place, though weak and lowly,
Among your saints, your chosen host,
Buried with Christ and dead to sin.
Your Spirit now shall live within.

Our epistle in 1 John begins:

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God,

For you and I and all who have been born a new, this work of God began when we were baptized. We were marked by Christ as his own, having been born again and adopted into his family - and having our sins washed away in the waters of Holy Baptism - we joy in God’s work and our new life as God’s child.

The work of God began for many of us as infants. God’s work was certainly greater than our ability to speak this truth as babies for ears to hear at our baptism - and so as we’ve grown up and have been taught what this work of God is – we continue to proclaim this truth and live as God’s adopted children to his glory.

Stanza 2

My loving Father, here you take me
To be henceforth your child and heir.
My faithful Savior, here you make me
The fruit of all your sorrows share.
O Holy Spirit, comfort me
When threat'ning clouds around I see.


4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Our first reading in Act relates this truth:

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.

This gift also comes by means of another gift – the Lord’s working in Baptism. Through the means of grace we have received the Holy Spirit, and have overcome the world, conquering sin, death and the power of the devil through this baptismal washing uniting water with the word and Spirit and creating faith in we who were once dead to God.

God has united us to himself in a special way and we confess with our mouths this truth that Jesus is Lord, and that believing that God has raised him from the dead - we are saved - have been saved - and will continue to be saved!

Salvation is God’s promise and is delivered through his means.

The word of terror that the devil brings – that you aren’t good enough - has been defeated at the cross and Jesus has declared his victory for you, even to the gates of hell that sin, death and the devil have been defeated and overcome by our Lord and we who confess this faith receive all that Jesus won for us in this most blessed gift.

This is most certainly true.

Stanza 3

My faithful God, you fail me never;
Your promise surely will endure.
Oh, cast me not away forever
If words and deeds become impure.
Have mercy when I come defiled;
Forgive, lift up, restore your child.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

For you and I who have been brought to faith the keeping of the Law has been completed in Christ, and so as we stay connected to the true vine that is Jesus, and feed on his word, we are seen by the Father in perfect righteousness because Jesus has kept the Law perfectly on our behalf and we, in Christ, reflect that perfection.

In the world we reflect the brokenness of sin in this world as well.

As a little boy I was too young to even remember this incident. But my mother told it to me relating her shock and embarrassment.

I was probably 2 years old and with my mother at a store. While she was shopping a lady, she knew came over to talk with my mom and while they were visiting, she looked at me and asked, “What is your name little boy?” To which I quickly replied, “Damn it, Russell!”

My mom was mortified. I had obviously heard that a lot from her because I didn’t know my name apart from that phrase.

What we reflect in the world has consequences.

Now, not to have my mom take all the blame for bad judgment while teaching her child.

When my daughter Amy was 2 years old, Monica and I were taking her and our dog for a walk. As we walked near the Nature Center in our sub, I saw a squirrel. Knowing that our dog Tawney, would get excited and want to chase the squirrel, I pulled the dog to a stop and had Monica and Amy stop to distract the dog until the squirrel was out of sight. While we waited, Amy looked up and said, “Damn squirrel.”

I lived my mom’s grief.

I too had let the word of sin taint my life.

But, the word of sin and the world has been overcome in Christ!

Stanza 4

All that I am and love most dearly -
Receive it all, O Lord, from me.
Let me confess my faith sincerely
And help me your own child to be!
Let nothing that I am or own
Serve any will but yours alone.

5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Belief is God’s work!

The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

That is how the Apostle Paul comforts his first readers of this epistle. And for we who many years later hear his same voice proclaimed through the Gospel promise by the Holy Spirit believe and have the same gift of comfort and peace now and always through the assurance of simple water and word connected, received, and revealed.

What a blessed comfort!

Martin Luther writes in his Lecturing on the First Epistle of St. John:

Thus the water cannot be proclaimed without the blood. Nor is the blood of Christ given without the water of Baptism. Besides, the blood and the water do not come to us except at the insistence of the Holy Spirit, who is in the Word. Therefore, those three cannot be separated, but the three do one thing …
For these three constantly accompany one another, and through the word a daily immersion and a perpetual baptism takes place, a perpetual shedding of the blood of Christ and of the Holy Spirit, a continual cleansing of sins.

AE 30 pg 316 Lutheran Study Bible pg. 2180

We as God’s children and all God’s children who have been baptized have and receive God’s forgiveness and have salvation in his name.

We all fall short, sure – but the blood of Christ paid the price that overcame sin death and the devil and has opened the gates of heaven for we who believe. The waters of Holy Baptism, united with the word of God, washes away our sin and by the Holy Spirit we believe and have the assurance of God’s forgiveness now and into eternity.

The devil will continue to damn us. But God in Christ has rescued us from damnation to eternity.

Baptized into Your Name Most Holy!

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

Sermon May. 1-2, 2021

Title: God’s living branches
Text: John 15:1-8

Facebook live: God's living branches!

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Erika was at the church a week or two ago cleaning up some of the day lilies, raking leaves and doing a bit of pruning to the bushes. She has a skill from many years and hours of this type of work around her home and at the church. Some of our trees need attention on the property as well.

Pruning and branches are very familiar to we who live in Michigan. We clean them up in the spring and prune trees, bushes and vines in the fall and spring or throughout the year. You see the trucks driving around with the bucket and chippers from DTE to prune the trees near the power lines. It is of great benefit in keeping our power on during storms.

My own privacy hedge along my street I planted many years ago as a protection for my children and it still requires work and regular pruning to keep its shape and its height in check … all 200 feet of it … even though my kids have moved long ago and have their own homes.

Our gospel text today consists of only 8 verses that follow the discourse in John chapter 14 where Jesus promises that many rooms are prepared in his father’s house for his disciples and that he will come again to take them to where he is.

The comfort of the Holy Spirit will be the one to remain after Jesus has ascended to the Father to continue to work and point all in Christ to that true comfort and finished hope that is Jesus.

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

Christ’s love for us and his death on our behalf was on our minds last weekend with the Good Shepherd gospel. The image of the Good Shepherd and the caring of the flock was the focus of Jesus’ care for those that are his and how he brings that about through his word and gifts through his church and those who serve as under shepherds.

In our reading today Jesus speaks in image as a vine. But not just any vine but as the true vine.

1“I am” the true vine and my Father is the vinedresser.”

The divine name that begins our reading is no mistake but is made to ring clear in the disciples’ ears as the name of God and Jesus as the rightful possessor of that name. He then connects his name to the Father as the vine dresser.

In chapter 14 and in a more direct way when Phillip asks:

“Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

Jesus replies:

Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

So Jesus is making clear in the previous chapter and in this first verse - this connectivity:

Father, Son, Vine, Vine dresser, the great “I am”, and Jesus - united in unity and unity in truth.

2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

To be a disciple means two things; to be connected to Christ and to bear fruit. This work God does through the Holy Spirit. The branches removed here are not the unbelieving world but those who once connected to Christ have lost faith or do not bear fruit and have become useless to the vine. Because of unbelief … they are removed and cast away.

The fear in the text of being cut off and cast way for you and me is not the point of the text but for we who remain connected to Christ - it is the pruning and the bearing of fruit – which too can have its own pain and discomfort.

Those of you who have dealt with surgery know the pain of surgery and the blessing of looking at it in the rear view mirror. It is the desire of Jesus that we are fruit bearers that the fruit of being connected to him shines forth in our lives … at church, at home, and in the world where we live and work.

A former pastor once said when faced with the “Judge not, that you be not judged.” scripture of Matthew Chapter 7 from a well-intended person, replied:

“I’m not judging … but I am a fruit inspector!”

3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

The work of God’s justifying grace has already brought us into his family as his adopted children. Through baptism we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and have partaken of the divine blessing that is Jesus … being marked in him as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.

So this fruit inspection is not to see whether we are truly Christian … but whether the gift of God in Christ as his children is bearing fruit in our lives … or dying on the vine.

Death will come. But do we die removed from the vine or in Christ?

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15

A good death, a death in Christ, a death that leads to eternal life is what God desires- it is our hope as well - and it only happen in Christ, the true and living vine with branches grafted in.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

To do the work of Christ and to bear fruit we have to be in Christ.

We have to grow spiritually bearing the fruit that Christ desires.

You might wonder what God requires. Are we being judged on our works and the things we do?

Certainly as Christians and especially as Lutheran Christians we know that Ephesians 2:8-9 makes clear how we are saved:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. Eph 2:8-9

But fruit is the evidence of a life in Christ for the Christian. It’s not a pious life or an outward righteousness but an inward change. It is God’s work and God’s continued working through his means of word and sacrament.

If I see my apple tree with a dead branch, I cut it off and then prune those branches around it that bear fruit … so that they might receive more nourishment and bear even greater fruit.

Sometimes our feelings and the world can steer us into wrong thinking.

1. Trust in your heart and what it’s saying.
2. Prosperity is a sign that shows God’s approval and favor in our lives.
3. Trust that God only expects you to do your best.

Jesus makes it clear in the gospel:

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

The fruit bearing is in Christ.

Our good deeds apart from Christ are quite literally nothing. They show no fruit and in fact if done with the intention of being a good deed, bring no fruit and can take us farther away from God, trusting in a false god of our own making. Our works apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in us … can do nothing, Jesus says.

1. Trusting you heart as opposed to trusting Jesus - leads to death.
2. Trusting your wealth as opposed to trusting Jesus – leads to death.
3. Doing your best as opposed to belief in Christ’s work – leads to death.

6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

The abiding hope, is a hope and work in God and of God.

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

1.To have Jesus Christ abide in you is to be in the word.
2.To be in the word is to be in Christ the very word of God made flesh.
3.To do what God requires is to believe on him whom he has sent.

This work, by the working of the Holy Spirit, comes to you and me through the means of grace which points us to Christ so that we abide in him and he abides in us.

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

The gift of God makes us his …

and through this gift … the Father is glorified in his son …

and we, as his adopted children, are glorified in him and bear much fruit!

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

Amen