Sermon July 24-25, 2021

Title: Christ is our Rock, our Refuge, and our Rest!
Text: Mark 6:45-56

Facebook live: Christ is our Rock, our Refuge, and our Rest!

50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

“The waters have risen and severe storms are upon us, but we do not fear drowning, for we stand firmly upon a rock.”

No these aren’t the the floods and rains of 2021 that is being spoken of.

These are the words of St. John Chrysostom, patriarch of Constantinople, from a sermon preached around 400 AD. He was sent into exile for his faith … which led ultimately to his death.

He continues:

“Let the sea rage, it cannot break the rock. Let the waves rise; they cannot sink the boat … of Jesus.

What are we to fear … Death? Life to me means Christ, and death is gain. Exile … ‘The earth and its fullness belong to the Lord.

The confiscation of goods … We brought nothing into this world, and we shall surely take nothing from it.

I have only contempt for the world’s threats;
I find its blessings laughable.
I have no fear of poverty, no desire for wealth.
I am not afraid of death or do I long to live, except for your good.

I concentrate therefore on the present situation, and I urge you, my friends, to have confidence.”

https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/233/whom_shall_i_fear___john_chrysostom.html

The trials of life can consume us all whether it is financial, personal, or medical.

The Rock upon which our faith is built is Christ.

He is the rock of refuge.
He is the place of comfort.
He is the pavilion of rest.
He is the gift of mercy.

18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell[b] shall not prevail against it. Matt 16:18

Christ is our Rock, our Refuge, and our Rest!

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat [Luther sees the boat as a metaphor for the church] and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.

Jesus compels the disciples to leave. Maybe there was unwillingness on their part but Jesus made them get into the boat. He dismisses the crowds and then as is consistent with Jesus, no matter the crowds or the work or the distractions … Jesus prays.

47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, [also seen as a metaphor for the chaos of the world broken in sin, death and the devil]

and [Jesus] was alone on the land.

By this time … the boat was a far way off.

The wind and waves were against the boat and the disciples … as life at times can be.

[This is also reminiscent of the storm and the boat from last month where Jesus was sleeping in the boat.]

The storms can come, and at times it is with wind, rain, and hail. Tree limbs can break, homes and cars can be damaged, and power for some … can be lost.

We’ve had our share or storms, rain and flooding this year. Evening driving out of our sub a few weeks ago Monica noticed a large limb down on a tree we just passed a short while before that we didn’t see was down.

Storms can come without warning and fear can be greatest … when we least expect it.

Jesus spent almost the entire night, after the disciples departed, in prayer.

The fourth watch would be late, between 3 AM and 6 AM. It can be the darkest part of the night or just before the grayness of dawn gives way to morning, and the disciples were fighting against the waves of the sea and the wind which were against them.

[Jesus] came to them, walking on the sea. Mark 6:48b

If you’ve ever been up most of the night you might understand the disciple’s distress. The wind, the waves … 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified.

Christ is our Rock, our Refuge, and our Rest!

For it is Jesus who says: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

I’ve told many of you that it is such a privilege to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I get to bring the Lord’s word and gifts to those in need who can’t get to church.

This past year God connected me to many members in need of prayer in our church. Some for healing, and some for peaceful release from their afflictions. Some for comfort at loss and some for wisdom and strength.

Apart from God’s word of forgiveness and the power of the Holy Spirit we all would be consumed with fear and despair during the trials of life and weight of our sinful condition in this life.

Take heart. Christ is our Rock, our Refuge, and our Rest!

The trials of life and the storms that attack us can’t diminish the Love of God for you his beloved redeemed children.

51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,

Jesus is the peace in the midst and beyond the storm.

54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard [Jesus] was.

The needs of body and soul are always at peace in Christ because he loves you and has given his life so that you might live.

56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Take heart, in Christ your sickness is healed!

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

Sermon July 17-18, 2021

Title: We follow, are fed, and are forgiven!
Text: Mark 4:35-41

Facebook live: We follow, are fed, and are forgiven!

41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied.

It has been a busy week. Two funerals and today a Baptism. Two remembrances of lives well lived and one life beginning. All though, connected to Christ and his compassion and forgiveness.

31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. Mark 6:31

The news that His disciples brought to Jesus in the verses preceding this text was the news that John the Baptist had been beheaded by Herod. Hard news for anyone to hear especially if the news involves someone we know or are close to that has lost their life.

Jesus needed to get away and be away from the people. So, he gets into a boat with his disciples and goes across the lake to a place that is quite – to a place that is desolate.

32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Mark 6:32

When you think of desolate you might think of a place devoid of inhabitants and deserted. A place that is joyless and sorrowful - as if separated from a loved one.

A place showing signs of abandonment, dilapidated, devoid of warmth, comfort or hope. But what does Jesus find?

33 Now many saw them going and recognized them and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, Mark 6:33-34a

He went to get away; to be by Himself; to collect His thoughts; to pray and here he finds not a desolate place at all, but one filled with a very large crowd of followers. I believe that even this crowd would have given Jesus a pass had he became agitated and told them to go away.

But what does Jesus do?

… and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34b

We too fail to see and reflect God’s compassion in our daily lives.

Many times, agitation - seen through the eyes of sin - become the first reaction we have before – by the power of the Holy Spirit – we see through the compassionate eyes of faith given to us by our loving savior Jesus.

Compassion would show, for a Christian, the wonderful evidence of the fruit of the Spirit. To think of someone else and their needs first and foremost is a Christ-like virtue.

Jesus’ showed compassion to the crowd of people gathered at this place and His compassion extended to their physical need as well.

These five thousand men, women and children hungered and were fed in a miraculous way by Jesus, but the miracle was probably not even something they were aware of. God’s great blessing filled their hunger, showed the disciples the compassion and power with which Jesus was sending them out. Each had a basketful of leftovers [12] to testify to what Jesus has done and will continue to do through them.

God would be with them as they went forth. His miraculous work would be worked through them. Jesus would speak as they spoke.

All that Jesus is and does would be with them as they walked in His place with His word, bringing freedom to those in need of the saving knowledge of Christ in a fallen world. The compassion that Jesus has would be the compassion they share with sinners so that they are healed of their sin, fed by our precious Lord’s word, and satisfied of all their wants and needs.

Jesus has compassion. 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23)

Jesus has compassion. 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)

Jesus has compassion. 8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8)

Jesus has compassion. 9Because, by the power of the Holy Spirit in you, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Rom. 10:9-10)

Jesus has compassion. 13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Rom. 10:13)

Jesus has compassion … on you!

He heals your sin and covers you with His righteousness so that you are by faith, free of your bondage to sin, fed by his holy word as well as His very Body and Blood in the Lord’s Supper that is given and shed for you! And all who are satisfied and found in Him … Christ gives you simply out of His compassionate grace, mercy and love for you.

Finally, I leave you with a few of the wonderful words from our Sermon Hymn today, God Loved the World So That He Gave:

God loved the world so that He gave
His only Son the lost to save
That all who would in Him believe
Should everlasting life receive.

God would not have the sinner die,
His Son with saving grace is nigh,
His Spirit in the Word declares
How we in Christ are heaven’s heirs.

Glory to God the Father, Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One!
To Thee, O blessed Trinity,
Be praise now and eternally!

We are Followed by God as he by his Spirit draws us to Christ. We are fed by his word and sacrament that call us to faith and sustain us unto his call home and we are forgiven – in Christ, being rescued from sin, death and the power of the devil!

May the Love of God the Father who made us,
the Compassion of Christ our Lord who redeemed us,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit who sustains us,
be and abide with us now and forever more.

Amen

Sermon July 10-11, 2021

Title: Blessed in Christ, you are beloved!
Text: Eph. 1:3-14

Facebook live: Blessed in Christ, you are beloved!

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

For some, life seems to be as bad right now as it has ever been. Maybe you feel it and maybe you know it too?

Whether it’s the Florida condo, that partially collapsed in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Florida, where 86 people are confirmed to have died and many still missing. Or, the historic flooding that most recently affected many in the Detroit area with water consuming homes, cars and valuables either under water or destroyed and lost. Not to mention the dam failures last year in Mid-Michigan that have replaced lake front property with vegetation growing where boating and swimming once occurred.

At times like these, God’s blessings can seem distant or small in comparison to the weight of life trials that comes upon us - at times in our lives - that we didn’t anticipate or expect.

When joy or sorrow comes, we need to be reminded of hope.

Not just hope for a better tomorrow but hope that surpasses all human understanding. And that is what Paul puts to scroll in the opening of his letter to the Ephesians.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Our blessings are not in the joys or sorrows of our earthly lives but in Christ and in him we have every spiritual blessing promised in Christ and delivered to us through God’s work. No matter the joy or sorrow we face.

Each year we have the promise of a better day ahead and that the sorrows of the previous year can be better - as we look to our future and what tomorrow might bring.

Often times as we look back, we see all that this life didn’t deliver and the hope for tomorrow became much the same as before or simply a life of ups and downs.

Despite the ups and downs though Paul reminds us of God’s calling:
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

You stand … not marked in sin but marked in him … as holy and blameless!

Think about that! You are set apart and marked without fault.

In this life you stumble and fall.

You miss the mark and are overlooked.

You argue and fight and feel at times hopeless

but in Christ you are holy and blameless.

Why?

Well, it’s God’s love!

In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

It is God’s will that you be his child.
It is God’s will that this happen in Christ.
It is God’s will that no matter your success or failure in this life …
… that in Christ, God’s grace and favor come to you.

We were brought forth in sin, conceived in sin, and in sin death comes – we are filthy and whether through sickness or tragic circumstances like the condo collapse, the flooding or the loss we’ve all experienced through this last year from Covid or other sickness and illness that many face.
In the world life becomes death.
In Christ death becomes life.

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Temporal and heavenly realities are ours.

Tears in this life will come.

Will you lose a job or get one?

Will a loved one die or will life be added to your family?

Will yours be tears of sorrow or joy?

Only God and the future know for sure but I’m sure it will be some of each as we continue in this life both with our families, and our church family, our community, and our nation as well.

The reality of need and of promise, of blessing and curse don’t always come at the proper or desired time in this life. At times our need often remains while the hoped-for blessing seems to be a long way off.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
It’s all ours because of Christ.
It is all ours according to his will and purpose.
It is all ours to the praise of his glory!

Where?

It’s here with the word proclaimed and the word connected to the water in Holy Baptism.

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him,

When?

When you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

When we were marked in Christ as forgiven, through that same gospel proclaimed and sealed in the sacrament of Holy Baptism by God’s working.

Who?

14 who is [God’s] guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.

God the Holy Spirit in you.

Why?

Simply to the praise of his glory.
It is simply his love and grace and favor on account of Christ that God has marked you as his.

No work and no merit. No sorrow or joy. No right or wrong.

Just Christ, for you
Just Christ, in you
Just Christ, with you

In times of life that have no explanation.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

In Christ!

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

Amen

Sermon July 3-4, 2021

Title: Rejected!
Text: Mark 6:1-13

Facebook live: Rejected!

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”

As Jesus continues to go about his business of teaching the word, healing the sick and casting out demons … questions arise.

6 [Jesus] went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?

Last week Jesus raised the little daughter of the synagogue ruler. Now, he finished the Gospel lesson from last week with these words:

43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Those who had been kept outside the little girl’s room knew she was dead and after Jesus went in to the room with her parents and his disciples the people, who had remained outside too, saw the little girl going about.

Nothing needed to be said. The miracle of her being raised from a death they were sure of … to life … spoke for itself.

“Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Jesus is rejected!

The neighbors in Jesus, hometown of Nazareth rejected him, who had grown up among them. He, who was known to them as the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon and his sisters? They knew his family and while the debate continues that Jesus was the only son of his mother Mary the term (brothers) can be connected with cousins and near relatives. These people knew Jesus and his family … And they took offense [not at them but] at him.

Offense can come from those who know us, or can be directed at those we know. Being connected to Jesus and being Christian – in our day – is, for many, offensive.

What we proclaim in Jesus, and the truth of God’s word that we hold to, are not in step with the culture.

In years past when we spoke the truth of the faith it might have brought a giggle from those who oppose Christ or have no Biblical understanding, but now the consequences for our faith are real.

Is our freedom as Christians to be pushed behind the walls of the church or kept within the confines of our own homes? When we enter the world is our faith and beliefs to be left home or at church and are we to only parrot the views of the culture and submit to them.

These are hard questions that we each must look at and answer. The signs at many churches read as you leave the parking lot … “You are now entering the mission field.”

Will it be changed to reflect, “You have now entered the civil realm?”

This is nothing new. Our Old Testament lesson for today reminds us.

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants also are impudent [not showing due respect for another person; impertinent] and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ 5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Friends, it is not just the culture that rebels against God, but we as the Christian church – you and me - who have rebelled.

We trust not the word of God but the dictates of man.

We see church attendance become an afterthought and not the gift God intends it to be, and we endorse living together before marriage as an accepted and normative lifestyle for the Christian.

If the word of God is used to call sinners to repentance it is largely unheeded and unheard. Those who listen but refuse to hear at times change churches rather than repenting and continue on as if it’s no big deal, or they ask the church to play along and get with the program … and we wonder why the culture doesn’t take us seriously.

6 And [Jesus] marveled because of their unbelief.

If the church won’t listen why would the culture?

And [Jesus] went about among the villages teaching.

7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

Jesus sends the word out and he uses foolish things like pastors preaching and teaching. He uses water, bread and wine connected to his word and by his Spirit.

The phrase … Christ dwells … really means to take up residence … to make your home, his home.

He wants to be part of your life.

He wants to hear your repentance because he already knows your sin.

He also knows that he has paid the price for your sin and he desires for you … in repentance … to see this too.

By coming to him and confessing that sin he can comfort you with his blessed forgiveness telling you through the words of holy absolution that you, dear child, are forgiven.

As you celebrate today and tomorrow the freedom which is so important for we as Americans, remember those that came before us and paid the heavy price for the freedoms we enjoy.

I saw a wonderful sign that read:

The United States did not create Religious Freedom,
Religious Freedom created the United States.

Pause and also think about the one who brings true freedom for you and me who called you out of slavery to sin, death and the devil and gave you sonship in his name. Jesus has brought you peace with the Father by his very body and blood for you. He has given this for you to eat and drink and he keeps you, by his Spirit, pointed to Jesus.

Jesus was rejected so that you might be restored!

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

Amen