Sermon Feb. 15-16, 2025

Title: Keep your eyes upon Jesus!
Text: Luke 6:17-26

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17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

When I was in eighth grade, I tried out for the track team at South Jr. High school in Allen Park. At one of our practices, I was standing at the end of the long jump pit watching as some of the team practiced their jumps. Tom, a ninth grader and one of the better athletes at the school made his jump and upon landing was evidently not happy with how he landed. As he got up and walked by me, he gave me a kick to my leg at his displeasure in himself and the spikes of his cleats made two long cuts into the back of my calf. Bleeding and in pain the coach sent me to get it cleaned up and he talked to Tom though I don’t remember any apology. It took weeks for my wound to scab over and heal and I don’t remember much else of my track career so I probably just stopped attending practices and focused on other things. 54 years later I still remember that wound though.

Wounds and scaring are part of this life. You, I’m sure have your own stories and wounds to deal with. Some of the wounds like mine are old and etched in your memory, and other may be fresh and still healing.

We all, like the crowds in our gospel lesson today, would seek to touch Jesus and have him heal our troubles - immediately as well.

Many who came to hear him –

… a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon,

Jesus was drawing disciples but what he says next must have caused them to pause and wonder.

The Beatitudes

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

Hearing that might have caused them to pause and it might us as well.

The blessings of poverty, hunger and weeping and hate Christ says bring his Kingdom, satisfaction, laughing and rejoicing.

Good news for sure but not what a 13-year-old me would have wanted to hear as I stood bleeding and hurting by the long jump pit.

Christ here is speaking to earthly people, who have an earthly perspective, about a heavenly reality.

Let’s turn it around.

Blessed are you who have the Kingdom, for your poverty has been removed.
Blessed are you who are satisfied, for your hunger has been fed.
Blessed are you who laugh, for your tears have been wiped away.
Blessed are you when you rejoice and leap for joy at your reward in Heaven, for the hate, exclusion, and reviling of this world, has been overcome in Christ Jesus!

The eternal perspective of the word proclaims the reality of what is ours now in Christ.
Verse one from our opening hymn today Come unto Me, Ye Weary, speaks of that reality:

1 "Come unto Me, ye weary,
And I will give you rest."
O blessed voice of Jesus,
Which comes to hearts oppressed!
It tells of benediction,
Of pardon, grace, and peace,
Of joy that hath no ending,
Of love that cannot cease.

LSB 684 vs. 1

Jesus Pronounces Woes in this life as well.

24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.
“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

The earthly perspective as opposed to the eternal perspective are also quite telling as we look to what awaits those who lived well, apart from God’s love in this life.

Woe to you who seek consolation, your riches can’t buy you forgiveness!
Woe to you who seek the banquet feast, your seat at the table is for another!
Woe to you who weep, your laughter gives way now to tears!
Woe to you who misused God’s word, those who spoke well of you are now gnashing their teeth!

The gnashing of teeth is what awaits all in this life apart from Christ’s loving forgiveness and redemption.

At times we have our plate full and just as soon find ourselves in want in this sinful world.

We weep at the loss of someone so dear to us that we feel inconsolable only to find joy and comfort in the laughter of a child’s giggles like little children at the children’s message.

The riches of this life don’t condemn us, unless we place our trust and hope in them – shunning our Lord’s care.

When we are marked for hate and evil in this life, God continues to remind us that we are his and that not a one of us who trust in him will be lost.

So,

23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

I wish I had known that as I sat bleeding in pain from the cleats to my leg but that knowledge for me was still a few years off. Thankfully the Lord opened the eyes of my understanding and called me to joy and to prayer.

Verse 4 of our Come unto Me, Ye Weary:

4 "And whosoever cometh,
I will not cast him out."
O patient love of Jesus,
Which drives away our doubt,
Which, though we be unworthy
Of love so great and free,
Invites us very sinners
To come, dear Lord, to Thee!

LSB 684 vs. 4

Cut and bleeding, poor, hungry and weeping - this life can be hard.
Car accidents or cancer;
falls down stairs or Leukemia;
broken bones or estrangement from family members;
hateful and hurtful words or locked in isolation;

We all know these trials and feelings but in Christ the peace and comfort of heaven is your joy, comfort and reward in this life and in the life to come!

Because Christ became poor and humiliated himself to death, even death on a cross, the Kingdom God is yours
Because Christ was hungry after fasting 40 days and 40 nights, you are satisfied in him.
Because Christ wept at the death of Lazarus, you laugh that death is overcome in victory.
Because Christ was hated, and reviled for you, you have the reward of heaven that he won given to you by faith.

Rejoice dear friends, In Christ your reward is great!

Keep your eyes upon Jesus!

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

Sermon Feb. 8-9, 2025

Title: God’s work, our reward!
Text: Luke 5:1-11

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5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

If you follow Jesus after he begins his ministry in the first chapters of Luke, what seems impressive to me is Jesus’ sense of purpose—always having someplace to go and something to do. He’s intent and focused on what he came to do with the ultimate focus on those for whom he came.

In the chapter before our text:

Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness of Judea and Jesus is rejected by his hometown friends in Nazareth.

Then he goes to Capernaum and drives a demon out of a man; he heals Peter’s mother-in-law and numerous other people; and Luke tells us the people from Capernaum are so impressed that they want him to stay.

But Jesus declines and makes a statement right before our text today that indicates there’s a reason for all the activity. Jesus says,

“I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God in other places too, for that is why I was sent” Luke 4:43

The necessity of those words brings Jesus to the Sea of Galilee, looking for disciples. They are also the words that bring him to this place, Sunday after Sunday - here at Peace - calling you and me to gather here and forgiving our sins.

On this occasion we find one resident of Capernaum who is not so sure whether Jesus should stay.

The apostle Peter says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Those seem strange words for a man who’s just been given a boatful of fish after catching none the whole night, but they can’t keep Jesus from staying with Peter - because by his very nature - Jesus must call others to faith as well.

It is difficult to comprehend that God would desire to call people who may not be interested in him and are in fact his enemies.

But that’s exactly what we have in today’s reading.

Jesus is concerned about the large crowd of people pressing around him. In other places in Scripture, he says they remind him of sheep without a shepherd.

Here and elsewhere, Jesus’ response to their need is to teach them.
We might be tempted to wonder if Jesus could not have improved their immediate needs of money, health or life problems that they or we face.

Important as those things are, Jesus first takes care of the most important need—their need for him and an eternity that he provides.

That’s because Jesus knows that all people are caught in the net of their sins without him.

His concern is translated into action, and so he gets into Peter’s boat and puts out just a bit from the shore so he can teach the people.

Peter, of course, is included among those who are caught without Jesus.

Even though Jesus has already healed many people, including Peter’s mother-in-law, Peter and the other disciples were still trapped in the net of sin, as are all people.

Evidently Jesus’ identity may be starting to sink in for Peter, because he calls Jesus “Master,” and he is willing to obey his Lord and Master.

Now comes the fun part. The carpenter from Nazareth is about to give some professional fishing advice to fishermen.

Ignoring conventional wisdom this carpenter Jesus, tells the fisherman where to fish.

Put yourself in Peter’s place. You’re a fisherman, skilled in your trade.
You know that if the fish are going to run at all, it’s going to be at night.
You know that you don’t catch fish in deep water, but in shallower areas.
You respect Jesus—he’s a great healer, he speaks in a compelling manner.

But what does Jesus know about fishing?

Instead of saying,

“You stick to what you’re good at Jesus, and let me be the fishing expert” or “It’s absurd, a waste of time and a waste of energy,” or

“It doesn’t work that way!” Peter says,

5 … “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”

Peter thinks he is the one who is going fishing. He doesn’t realize that the net of Jesus’ love has just surrounded another soul for his Father’s kingdom.

You know the rest of the story. Peter responds in faith, and he and his partners bring in more fish than they can handle.

The fishermen pull up their boats, leave everything, and follow Jesus.

If only we could pull up our nets of sin by faith and do the same!

That’s why Jesus was sent, not simply to do some miracles and impress people, but to catch people for the kingdom.
People like Peter and the disciples and the crowds and you and me can hear the Good News of having our sins forgiven and then follow him.

This is why Jesus was sent.
This is why Jesus was conceived.
This is why Jesus was born.
This is why Jesus suffered.
This is why Jesus was crucified, died, and rose again—to bring you the Good News of forgiveness.

Peter discovered that God’s plans for seeking others always include the efforts of his followers.
Sometimes God’s people just don’t seem interested in catching others.
Remember another fish incident in Scripture?

A man by the name of Jonah was running away from the Lord, not because he was preoccupied with his possessions but because he just didn’t want to get involved when God wanted him to preach to the Ninevites.

In a sense saying, “I don’t even like them Lord!”

After he repented, God used his witness to bring faith to an entire city. To all of us who have ever been “Jonah’s,” the word is clear:

Jesus calls us to, “Repent!” - to stop being afraid – to live as God’s redeemed because God, in Christ has forgiven you!

Now, he calls us to go forth into this world with the Gospel!

And as we return to Peter in our text, - he’s afraid to go fishing with Jesus for another reason:

He and Isaiah in our Old Testament Reading are overcome with fear because they realize they’ve just been in contact with the God of the universe, and they realize how far short they fall from his expectations.

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

You and I must realize too - we’re in the same boat along with Peter, and we must respond along, with him:

“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

The good news for today is that Jesus is also in the boat with us.

When it feels like your sins are about, to catch up with you and you wonder if God could love a person like you, he says, “Don’t be afraid. I want you to come fishing with me!”

This is love and acceptance, that the greatest fisherman in the world isn’t put off by your sins but continually calls you to repentance so that you can be with him, and do the same things he does.

When we realize that we have been accepted and surrounded by the net of Christ’s love, then our response of faith puts us in the same position as Peter ready to do whatever Jesus says and ready to go wherever he takes us.
Through these words, Jesus says to Peter and to you and me,

“Stop being afraid. I’ve forgiven your failures and your fears and all of your excuses. Now, join me in boat of life fishing for others.”

What a great way to be reminded that our loving and seeking God wants to use us to bring others into his net of love and care. What a joy to be sought by him, and what a privilege to go fishing with him.

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

Amen

Concordia pulpit - Rev. David N. Emmrich, campus pastor, Lutheran Student Fellowship, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota, Concordia Pulpit Feb. 1, 2001 edited

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

Sermon Feb 1-2 2025

Title: My eyes have seen your salvation!
Text: Luke 2:22-32

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29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;

30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”

What is Peace?

Is it the absence of war?
Only when we feel safe?
While thins go well for some others struggle.
At times, Peace can seem unobtainable.

Peace though, can take on the many different looks, both for young and old, from the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, to the man Christ Jesus hanging on a cross crying out,

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

But there is both joy and true peace for all, in Christ’s sinless life and in his purifying death that allows all who depart this life, trusting in Christ Jesus as both savior and Lord, to receive eternal peace!

St. Luke writes in his gospel about Mary and Joseph bringing Jesus to the temple of the Lord to make a sacrifice as the Law required.

And while there a man named Simeon, who as we are told was righteous and devout and waiting for the consolation of Israel, or the comfort and peace of God, and we’re told that the Holy Spirit was upon him.

27 … and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;


30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”

The joy of seeing this child, this Jesus brought to fulfillment for Simeon what the Lord by the Holy Spirit had promised,

… that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

I’ve had a joyful time visiting with many members in their home, and in the hospital or care facilities, and bringing the Lord’s Supper to them as it was difficult for them getting to church on a regular basis.

Many would always tell me how much they enjoyed being in worship and wished they could be there with us again, but they are thankful well when they can attend and so enjoy receiving the Lord’s Supper in their home or hospital, when they can’t.

We can all see the effects of time in our lives as we look into the mirror each morning.

As much as we might all hope to have the blessings of a long life, as so many are blessed to do, the reality of death is real and sooner or later we will all answer the door when death knocks.

But also, we have comfort and peace because:

Death’s sting has been swallowed up in victory by our Lord Jesus Christ and His blessed work that frees us from the shackles of our fallen nature, that in and through Jesus Christ and his work, God and man have been reconciled.

As we together grieve the loss of our dear loved ones – as I visited last Saturday with my brother’s extended family at the loss of his brother-n-law who had passed away on vacation, and think about this frail existence we all inhabit here in this world, we can still have hope and peace.

At the time of death, struggles ensue.

Why now?
Why here?
Why me?

When Christ is not involved, peace is hard to come by.

I received this note in the mail about God’s blessings some years back. It was from Cindy Welch, Ed and Virginis Blasius’ daughter. It read:

You may not recognize my name as I've never had the pleasure of coming to a Peace Lutheran Church service. I did happen to be in town several times at Christmas and had the pleasure of hearing Christmas carols in the house from members of the congregation.

Ed and Virginia Blasius looked forward to special visits like those and your monthly visit to their home for an in-home service.

Mom and Dad are both in heaven and I miss them dearly. Today mom would have been 92 and in her honor, I would like to give a check. Thanks to all that made their lives a little brighter. I know how very much it was appreciated by mom and dad.

Our family was blessed to have you and your beautiful congregation in our lives.

Thank you
Cindy Welch

Saying in a sense.

Lord, now you are letting my parents depart in peace,

according to your word; for their eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples …

At the time of death, the Lord can bring comfort and peace, even for the well-known and adored in life like the famous basketball player, Kobe Bryant who died so tragically.

Fr. David Barnes wrote this in the aftermath of his death:

"As sad as Kobe’s death is, a friend texted me today to tell me that a friend of hers attends the same Catholic Church as Kobe and saw him this morning at Mass. There can be nothing more consoling to those who mourn than to know that a loved one worshipped God right before his death because worshipping God is what heaven is.”

- Fr. David Barnes

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

according to your word;

Comfort and peace, is what Ed and Virginia Blasius knew. It is also what so many of our dear members knew and continue to know, and it is what Kobe Bryant knew.

That Christ had come to rescue him and you and I can know that as well and have peace.

Comfort and peace know the joy of Christ Jesus in each of our lives by God’s grace and mercy, through his Word and Spirit.

Comfort and peace, is being called to follow Christ by God’s Holy Spirit who indwells all believers, and is called the comforter even by Jesus himself.

For Jesus says:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Dear friends, you too have access to real peace.

The father through Christ Jesus our Lord, has came to live, suffer, die and rise again for you and me and all who he gives true peace –

found only in His saving arms that were outstretched upon the cross as He gave up His life for you.

Because of Christ’s purifying death he allows you too, to depart in peace!

So when the trials of life burden you, and the storms of life rage, and when even death is near, rest in the peace of Christ no matter the storms of life.

Because, true peace rests in the loving arms of Jesus, the savior of the world, who reminds us in John’s gospel the wonderful comfort that we can all know:

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)

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

Sermon Jan. 25-26, 2025

Title: The scripture is fulfilled in your hearing!
Text: Luke 4:16-30

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18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

Last Sunday I watched the service for Pastor Jonathan Moyer as he was installed in the office of the Holy Ministry at Faith Viera, Lutheran Church in Rockledge Florida.

Eleven pastors gathered together with the congregation to celebrate the installation of this pastor, who is called to bring God’s word and gifts to his people gathered in this place. It is always a moving service with local pastors, the District President, choir, and congregation gathered to celebrate what God has done for his people in this time and in this place.

The scriptures point us to the Incarnate Word of God Jesus, and all that he has come to do for us. We learn how God has redeemed us and our need to be reconciled and forgiven. The words of scripture testify to the word of God made flesh in the person and work of Jesus, and his work to restore the original righteousness that we were created in that had been lost in the fall.

Pastors have the privilege and responsibility to be under shepherds of God’s flock and to bringing this word of comfort to all who hear.

In our reading today, the word that spoke creation into existence is the same word that John the Baptist pointed to, as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world; and the one who in the prologue of John’s gospel reminds us that:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Today we hear the words of scripture written for our benefit as well.

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

20 And [Jesus] rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them,

“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said,

“Is not this Joseph's son?”
You can almost see the surprised look on the faces in the synagogue.
Was that the carpenter’s son, Jesus?
The one who made the table for the house?
Is that Jesus?
The man who fixed the door and helped with the roof?

Gracious words they thought, but from the carpenter’s son?

What’s up with that?
We’ve been there and done that too.

Familiarity at time breeds commonness and even contempt.

But here, Jesus, the word of God in human form, is proclaiming the word of God fulfilled in him.

Though they know him … the word of God is no less real.

So too we who speak or hear God’s word; it is no less real because it is said by a friend or relative - or through God’s call and ordained servants. Even Pastor Moyer, now called to serve the people at Faith Viera in Florida has that call to proclaim God’s word to those gathered under his care.

My dad may have felt some of that uneasiness too.

He came to my ordination twelve years ago and sat through the service. He saw me, his son, take on this new role as servant of Christ called and ordained to serve the people of Peace, here.

My brother told me after my dad’s passing that my father was surprised and pleased … and maybe a bit taken back after seeing me ordained,

My dad said:

“You know, I don’t think I give Russell enough credit!” He’s married over 30 years, worked in the piano business for over 30 years, taken care of his family and now he’s a pastor of this church and starting something new.”

What I think my dad was saying is much like those in our reading today who hear the word of God and say, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son, isn’t this Jesus?”

Or, in my dad’s case isn’t this my son Russ, the one who couldn’t play baseball well enough, or the one I had to show how to fix a car, and the one I had to … on occasion … send to his room to teach him a lesson.”

It’s all true … and even more!

Pastor Moyer’s dad, a retired pastor himself was there in Florida to participate in his son’s installed and at the time of the service when pastor’s lay hands on the one being installed to offer a prayer, he said:

“Jonathan, my son in the flesh and in the faith. God has led you from, Faith, to Faith, to Faith. May you encourage others, not with a perfect life, but as you point and look to a perfect savior.”

I think at my ordination, my dad was taken back a bit. You see … God’s word is true whether Jesus proclaims it, whether Pastor Moyer proclaims it, or whether I proclaim it. And it’s true for you too!

It’s true - no matter if a pastor says it, or if you, in talking to your friend … say it. God’s word is always true.

24 And [Jesus] said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

It’s not just the hometown but there is a tendency to not see those who are given to rightly divide the word of truth and administer the sacraments at times the respect they deserve. I’m as guilty as the next guy.

When I was at St. John our senior pastor, whom I had great respect for, received and accepted a call to a church in Illinois. I, as a new Lutheran, was devastated. Our associate pastor was called to be the administrative pastor, after a long call process that was unfruitful.

As I lamented his call I was reminded by a friend.

“Russ! He is your pastor and you need to show him respect as the one whom God has placed over you.”

He was right, and respecting the office of under shepherd was one I had forgotten.

What still amazes me is that during a time of brokenness and dysfunction, God remained faithful. I believe that we too will see God move in the circuit to bring his will and order to those hurting now.

At times we only see the brokenness and sorrow of losing a pastor or members who move or transfer out of the church and new ones who come in. There was much anger in God’s church when change occurs and as our reading says today. They wanted what had been done in Capernaum.

What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

We want God to be who we want him to be and to do for us what we want him to do. At times we can reject those sent and God’s word for us from them.

Jesus continues:

27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath.

God’s son and God’s words get rejected. Jesus gets the ultimate rejection when the people cry … “crucify him!” God’s servants are sent just as the 12 disciples were sent and just as the 70 were sent and they too and our pastors today are sent and will face rejection and suffering too.

What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well!

The people want what they want and we do too.

We want God’s miracles not persecution.

We want healing not sickness. Wanting answers from God why would one be healed and another suffer and die.

More importantly we want answers that we want to hear.

Bear in mind that God’s pastors are sinful too and also fall victim to temptation in this life and say and do things that cause problems. But thankfully:

Everything is fulfilled in Jesus for you!
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

Good News … but the people didn’t want to hear.

29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.

Though rejected by the people, Jesus still went to the cross … for them and … for you. He also gave them a miracle but not the one they were asking for or expecting:

30 But passing through their midst, he went away …

… only to finish his work and make peace with God … for you.

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

Sermon Jan. 18-19, 2025

Title: Water to wine and death to life!
Text: John 2:1-11

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3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

A wedding can be a wonderful and joyful time. Man and woman, joined in holy matrimony with family and friends together celebrating this blessed event.

If you’ve been involved in planning a wedding, the details at times can seem overwhelming.

If everything goes well, it can be remembered with fondness. If not, the incident involved can have short term or even long-term effects.

In our Gospel lesson for today we hear of an - incident at a wedding; One that our Lord’s mother Mary attended. We also learn that Jesus was invited and with His disciples as well.

This could have been quite a large affair for Cana of Galilee and Jesus and His disciples themselves might have been a sizeable group.

Now at some point Mary makes the statement:

“They have no wine.”

Now this might have been a result of poor planning on the part of the host, or just possibly inviting too many guests but none the less … no wine.

Mary, the mother of our Lord calls out a need to Jesus.

Maybe she had some hand in the preparations, or was close friends with the family. But at some point, and in some way, she knows of the problem that they face.

Mary presents the problem to Jesus. It’s a prayer of lament.

“They have no wine.”

It’s been quite some time since that 12-year-old boy of hers had stayed behind in Jerusalem as the family traveled home following the feast of the Passover, and Mary - treasured up in her heart even what the angel’s visitation had said concerning her son.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:32-33

“… and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

It is a call, it is a lament, in prayer, from the mother of our Lord, knowing that whatever the problem, if Jesus is involved, he can do all that is needed and what is asked for according to his will.

Jesus came for those in need. He came to fill the need of those left in bondage to sin.

So, what comes next may sound and short, unloving, and harsh, coming from the mouth of our Lord to his mother Mary:

“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

Mary was maybe going beyond her responsibility as both a guest and friend at this wedding and … we might assume that it wasn’t her responsibility to fill the needs of the wedding’s host.

But there was a problem and it may have just been a lament in what seemed hopeless to the one where hope abides and abounds

Jesus asks the question …

“Woman, what does this have to do with me,

His words, though rebuking, really are asking Mary:

“What do you and I have to do with this?”

But we can know:

If Christ is involved, it’s always good!

You and I also come to our Lord in prayer, lamenting the problems of our life, not having a solution, and praying that the Lord will intervene for our benefit.

Other times we don’t come to the Lord at all because we think, “This isn't important, or God doesn't need to be bothered with my petty concerns.”

Too often those who need God the most, and are in needful situations, and fail to think of Him or - ask for Him at all.

At times, we Pastors who are in the business of bringing God’s care and comfort to those in need are often the last to know of a member, in the hospital or those having brokenness in the home or other concerns in this life.

Sometimes we are not even asked to help, not called upon, … and not involved.

5 [Jesus’] mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

What if we regarded the word of God with such faith?

The working of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the everyday lives of his people brings salvation and peace. Mary knew to trust in what He would say and do.
The jars used for purification rites and ceremonial washings in Jewish life were large and it’s not very important the number or the size. They were all filled to the brim.

What God fills anew leaves no room for what was before.

The miracle was certainly evident to all involved.

The servants, who gathered the water to the brim as it were, knew what they had put in those jars and those who had tasted the water turned into wine knew as the master of the feast exclaimed:

“Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

Just as Jesus does with the means of grace where He dispenses his gifts to us through the common things of water and word, bread and wine; and in our lesson today:

He uses common servants - to fill common jars - with simple common water - to this common wedding where man is joined to woman, and where God, through this blessed union of husband and wife, fills His creation with His children whom He came to redeem.

God, in Christ, has brought the peace that passes all human understanding to you too through the simple common element of water connected to His word of promise.

He has washed you clean, not with a washing that cleanses, for a time, but through the transforming bath in baptism - takes away the sins of the world for eternity!

You are clean! You are washed! You are forgiven!

You will be His forever, because you are that new wine in Him that is poured forth daily - by faith - as you remember all that He has done for you.

If Christ can turn the common water into the miraculous wine of our wedding story in Cana, He can also turn filthy ragged sinners into washed saints through His word of promise in and through Baptism.

Jesus also will refresh us with His body and blood given for you in the sacrament of the Altar feeding us, sustaining us, and renewing our faith in his blessed work.

Whether the miraculous transformation of the water filled jugs into the finest wine served at the wedding in Cana, or the blessed body and blood of our Lord in, with, and under the bread and wine offered here –

If Jesus Christ, is involved it’s always good!

He is the one who will never leave you but will sustain you through the trials of this world promising you, life eternal in his name where the comfort and peace of a home in His house is secured by the gift of faith in his blood shed for you!

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

 

Sermon Jan 11-12, 2025

Title: Marked in Christ, you are his!
Text: Luke 3:15-22

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21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

As we begin today, I must take a moment to look back, back to January 6th 2013.

On that day I was ordained into the office of the Holy Ministry and was installed here at Peace as your 6th pastor. It was a joy filled day thinking of what the Lord was calling me to do, and seeing how in the midst of our lives lived in this broken world, God plans and executes his will to accomplish all that he desires.

I’m sure many of you would agree that your lives too seem to go by in an instant … so with that in mind, and as I begin my 13th year of ministry here at Peace, I wish to focus today on a marvelous truth that:

Marked in Christ, you are his!

You can almost hear the hope in the people in our Gospel reading for today as they wonder and reason about John the Baptist:

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,

John, being the unique character that he is … was causing quite a stir as the people questioned about who this man could be.

Is he the Christ, they wanted to know?

And while the excitement for this man, out of the wilderness, may have made quite an impression on the people, when it came to his attention, as to who the people thought he was … he quickly put all speculation to rest:

16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

[A common method of threshing in ancient Israel employed an implement called a threshing sledge which is a heavy wooden slab with teeth made of stone, metal, or potsherds fastened to the underside and Oxen or mules dragged the sledge back and forth over the sheaves to allow the teeth to break down the stalks into husks, straw, and grain kernels.

A wooden pitch fork was used to lift away the straw. The kernels were then separated from the husks by winnowing, tossing the pile of threshed grain into the air with a winnowing fork and wind, whether caused by a natural breeze or artificially generated by winnowing fans, blew away the lighter chaff while the heavier heads of grain fell down to the threshing floor.

The kernels were then sifted and collected for storage. The chaff was burned as fuel and the straw became animal fodder. ]

Copyright © 2009 Mark A. Myers

Jesus came to John to be marked for you and me and all born in the natural way, born in sin through this baptism of repentance.

He was marked with a Baptism of fire, marked to carry the sins of the world, your sins and mine, upon Himself to Jerusalem and finally to the cross.

When Christ returns, He will separate the wheat from the chaff; the believers from the unbelievers. Those who have been baptized and are covered by Christ’s righteousness will be gathered to Heaven and to an eternal life of joy and peace contrasted against those who stand covered in the filthy rags of their own righteousness who will be cast into the fires of hell made for the Devil and his minions, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Matt. 6:19

Your life and mine is one of continually falling short. We daily miss the mark in what we say and do. But as one who has been Baptized, we are called to daily die to sin and rise and live in the newness of life given us in Baptism.

We remember daily what Jesus did as the once for all sacrifice for sin, and by faith grow in our Christian walk as we are, by the power of the Holy Spirit, made holy, sanctified and set apart for the good works that God has prepared for us to do.

As Lutherans we tend to get a little up in arms when we think about Good Works!

This is not to undermine the work of Christ who came to take the sins of the whole world upon himself so that you would be declared righteous on account of His sacrifice.

But by the grace of God and through the gift of faith you are made holy by the working of the Holy Spirit in you.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph. 2:8-9

The boasting is God’s, but:

Marked in Christ, you are his!

The Old Testament reading today points to the one who is active in the life of the world in God’s work of redemption when we read:

1b “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
And while God is speaking to the children of Israel in these verses, He too is speaking of His redeeming love for all of his children – domestic and imported:

13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:13

And our Lord will accomplish all that He has set out to do because He declares:

5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name,

God has called you by name in your baptisms.

He has washed you and gathered you to the foot of the cross of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

He continues through the working of the Holy Spirit in your daily lives and in the lives of all His children to make you holy and to keep you by the power of His Spirit connected to Him so that we grow in Him through this same Spirit.

God in Christ has given you and me not what we deserved but what we needed.

He continues to give to us the blessings of His Son through the good times and bad.

He blesses us through word and sacrament and daily sustains his you with His loving kindness and does not remember your sin but sees you through the veil of Christ which you are covered with.

In Christ you receive His full attention when you pray so you can ask anything in Jesus’ name according to his will and He will hear, and is not hurried or bothered when you cry out to Him and will listen patently, intently and slowly because He loves you and cares for you, as a father cares for a dear child.

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

Sermon Jan 4-5, 2025

Title: In my father’s house is peace!
Text: Luke 2:40-52

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48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?”

In November of 2013 my father passed away and over the next 6 months I spent quite a bit of time with my brother in my father’s house. Much of my time was spent clearing out and cleaning the house with my brother Ron. Many memories were rekindled by things in the house or areas of the house which brought back thoughts of days long past that my brother and I shared together.

On one such day I got to the house a bit earlier than my brother and had a chance to just walk through, sit by myself and think of my relationship with my father, what he had taught me and how much I missed him and how comforting it was for me to … be in my father’s house.

So too the reading for our gospel lesson today. Jesus desires to be in his Father’s house. But also:

Christ desires to be in the Father’s house with you!

40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
As was the custom of the family, Mary, Joseph and Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Passover. And on the occasion of this visit when Jesus was twelve years of age 43 [that] when the feast [had] ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.

For any of you who have been on a trip and misplaced a child … well … it can be very difficult and tenuous time to say the least.

Mary and Joseph did not know Jesus was missing,

44 but supposing him to be in the group, so they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.

So you can understand as a parent Mary’s frustration at Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem. Here he is in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

Jesus was no ordinary 12-year-old.

48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”

And Jesus reminds Mary and Joseph,

“Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my father’s house?”

The time had gone by so quickly. Jesus, this child born of a virgin is now in our lesson twelve. It is amazing how much some children learn and can do at such a young age.

Back in the early 90’s I use to go to the Chet Atkins guitar festival in Nashville with my friend Rob. We would take our guitars and meet old and new friends who had great appreciation for Chet’s music and ability.

It never ceased to amaze me how many young boys and girls who were in their early teens who could play circles around me! They had learned many of Chet’s songs and committed them to memory. They were a good imitation of the guitar style Chet had pioneered. But on close inspection many of these child prodigies lacked a wisdom and maturity in their playing.

Over time some would grow to become mature adult musicians while others would slip into obscurity of fall victim to their early success never able to attain that level of accomplishment again.

Some of these polished 12-year-old kids even signed up and took lessons from my friend Rob where his years of wisdom could bring out the best in them.

This Jesus was different! As has been said, Jesus was no ordinary 12-year-old.

… in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

Those who heard him were amazed.

It is something we all need to be reminded of. This child born of Mary on Christmas day is God in the flesh.

This Monday, January 6th, we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. It is the day that Jesus is recognized as the savior of all people. It is why the wise men came to worship him and to bring him gifts.

This young boy who was recognized as the savior and who was brought gifts as a young child is now listening and teaching at the feet of the teachers, not as one who simply copied what he had heard and was parroting it back to his teachers, but as one who was and is the source of that wisdom from God on high.

The house of God, the Temple where Jesus sat and taught, is also here at Peace where the true word of God is proclaimed by word and sacrament, and also it is you who are His Temple where God indwells all believers by His Spirit pointing you and me to the finished work of Christ.

By his Spirit you see Jesus for who he is … the savior of the world … and that by faith you can trust his word of promise, so elegantly proclaimed in John Chapter 14 to:

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Christ desires to be in the Father’s house with you!
Jesus is the one who make the way for you and for me.
He is the one that the Magi came to bring gifts to.
He is the one revealed as the savior, of the nation’s come.
He is the one who at twelve years of age was, as the writer of the book of Hebrews says:

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

And the next time we encounter Jesus he will be pointed out as the Lamb of God who take away the sins of the world, who will take your place being baptized by John the Baptist with the baptism of repentance, being marked as the chief of sinners for you and then will go to Jerusalem taking your sins to the cross and nailing them there … It is finished he will proclaim.

It is true. This is no ordinary boy sitting among the teachers, teaching with wisdom and power and gently reminding his mother that he needed to be in His Father’s house.

50 And [his parents] did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
But, in submission, this God who made the world and all things, obeyed his parents …
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother [the Blessed Virgin Mary] treasured up all these things in her heart.

She, knowing who he is and what he was appointed to do, to be the consolation of Israel and the savior of the world - the Messiah – Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, which means God with us.

52 And Jesus [ as he continued to grow] increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Just as I desired to be in my earthly Father’s house, to be among the things of his and to be reminded of all he did with me and for me so too Jesus desired to be in His Father’s house and he too desires you to be in his house as his child and so that he has prepared a place for you and for all who will believe – to whom the Lord God will call to himself – to be in his father’s house forever.

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

Sermon Dec. 28-29, 2024

Title: He is the light of the world!
Text: Colossians 3:12-17

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16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Christmas is here!

But the world says … “It’s time to move on.”

The 24-hour radio stations that started playing Christmas music have had enough. It is back to your regularly scheduled programming.

It is a bit of how it is for we in the church as well.

Christmas Eve service and Christmas Day and then today may still hold the Christmas spirit for some, but tomorrow is Monday and for many we go back to work.

Granted some have time off and the kids are out of school. But, after this weekend services New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and all the activities … we all might feel like it is time for a bit of a break too.

Life is real. It doesn’t let you collect your thoughts and relax at times. It can press in on you day in and day out.

You and I know how that is.

As Paul writes in our Epistle to the Colossians:

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved - compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

Paul here reminds the Colossians who they are - as God’s chosen ones, that they were the reason that God became man in Christ. The incarnation had to happen so that the once for all sacrifice could be made at the cross and because of that reality they are – in Christ – holy and beloved.

The world can bring out the best and the worst in people.

Now also, we see at Christmas - acts of kindness, generosity and love but it can fade quickly with Christians and Non-Christians alike.

Compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, are not the normal reaction of sinful man.

We tend to react in selfish, heartless, prideful, bold and impatient ways.

A sampling of the News Headlines, tell the tale.

*Disruptive Fight Breaks Out … as Guests Crowd to Watch Holiday Parade.
*Violence continues as fight breaks out at grocery store.
*Two, shot and killed after fight breaks out at liquor store.
*Disgraceful scenes as fight breaks out at shopping center on Christmas Eve.
*All-out brawl breaks out between female diners at Texas restaurant.

[This one even had a baby booster seat being thrown at diners!]

Earlier in Paul’s letter he had reminded the Colossians to put on the new self.

3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

At home and in private let your life and actions demonstrate your new life in Christ.

3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

As Christians, Christmas needs to be in our hearts and minds each and every day of the year.

Bearing with one another … forgiving each other; 14 And above all … putting on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

The Lord’s forgiveness should cause our own forgiveness to spring forth from us because we have been forgiven much.

But we remain sinful - though forgiven - and it is a struggle each day. The Colossians needed reminding and we too need reminding.

Selfish, heartless, prideful, bold, and impatient people need to be reminded that in Christ we have been changed. You and me!

Just as God’s son was forever changed when he became man at the incarnation, we also, in Christ have put on the new man. No longer are we God’s enemies but God’s friends. We are his beloved children, having been clothed in Christ, and that change should also be evident in our daily lives as well.

In our gospel reading Simeon – a man we’re told who was righteous and devout was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.

We too have been given this peace in the Christ who from infancy grew to manhood as the man – Christ Jesus – who took the sins of the world upon himself delivering God’s peace and consolation to we who are spiritual Israel by faith in his blessed work!

Paul reminds the Colossians and us as well:

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

God’s word whether heard, read, meditated upon, or sung from a thankful heart is where God’s peace through the working of his Holy Spirit lives and can be found.

Here - at Peace, there is Peace proclaimed, peace sung, peace delivered and peace received each and every week.

God has promised to be where his people gather and where his gifts of word and sacrament are rightly administered and delivered.

Here after another week in the world, where it is often not loving, helpful, or kind and where the walls of division stand tall within our country and around our homes, we can make a difference reflecting Christ.

Come and receive all that the Lord has to give and then reflect that gift of love, peace and forgiveness to others as you shine the light of Christ brightly in this New Year.

17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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