Sermon May 19-20, 2012

Title: Witness, Mercy and Life together!
Text: John 17:14-17 (ESV)

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. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

Dear friends,

I had the pleasure of attending the Michigan District's South and East Pastors' conference in Frankenmuth this past Tuesday. The main speaker for the conference was Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison the 13th President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. While our church here at Peace is relatively small, we are one of many partner congregations that make up the 2.3 million- members of our church body.

The focus and emphasis for the LCMS since President Harrison began his term as President is defined as Witness, Mercy and Life Together:

These phrases illustrate how the church lives and works together to proclaim the Gospel and to provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ in our congregations, communities and throughout the world. And in all we do, Christ is at the center, leading us, sustaining us, keeping us focused on our mission. This will never change.

Today, I’d like to focus on the three parts Witness, Mercy and Life Together in the message for today beginning with the first …Witness.

The definition of witness says that it is: testimony of a fact or event, or it could be a person who testifies in a case or before a judicial court. Sometimes it might be someone who is asked to be present at a transaction, so as to be able to testify to its having taken place. Or it might be one who has personal knowledge of something. And finally it could be a public affirmation by word or example of usually religious faith or conviction such as the heroic witness to divine life.

From our first reading today in the book of Acts we read of the Apostles gathering together just after Christ’s ascension:

21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” (Acts1:21-22)

To be the man chosen to replace Judas and take his place among the brothers had a list of qualification. He must have been one who had accompanied the other apostles during all the time Jesus went out among them in his ministry to the people. He had to have been with them from the time of Jesus’ baptism from John until he was taken up from them and ascended back into heaven and he must also be a witness to the resurrection so as to be able to testify to its having taken place.

This would be a person that God would use to proclaim the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done. This person would be a witness …an eye witness. He had to have been there and had to have seen Christ’s baptism, His ministry, His trial and betrayal and ultimately His crucifixion, death burial and resurrection. He didn’t just hear about it … he was there and saw it first hand with his own eyes as did the other disciples.

But what about you and all who weren’t there? How can you be a witness to the truths about Jesus if you didn’t, like Matthias and the other apostles, witness the resurrection first hand?

That is the blessing that you and I share. We have the witness of these eye witnesses to all that Jesus said and did when He was on the earth among them written for our benefit, edification and faith. Christ who ascended on high sent His Spirit to dwell among us and by this Spirit confirm that these accounts written for us are true and reliable. It is truly amazing that as time goes by more and more manuscripts become available, some in fragment form but the more they find the clarity of the witness for us becomes sharper in focus.

Becoming a witness with those who saw Jesus, walked with Him, saw His life, death and resurrection and wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit is something we can do because God has provided these first person accounts and by faith through his same Spirit we too can tell with confidence this story of a God who came to live, suffer, die and rise again just for you and me and for all who are far off who the Lord our God will call.

Witness, Mercy and Life together!

The second of our words from our mission focus is … Mercy.

It can be defined as compassion shown especially to an offender or compassionate treatment for example imprisonment rather than death imposed as penalty for first-degree murder. It also might be a blessing that is an act of divine favor or even a fortunate circumstance …it was a mercy they found her before she froze. Ultimately it is shown as compassionate treatment to those in distress as we see in works of mercy among the poor.

9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater …
11 And this is the testimony that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John: 9a, 11-12)

The Mercy of God has come down. We who are deserving of death have this Good News of life in His Son through Christ’s resurrection. The apostle John connects this testimony of man written on scrolls by men with the testimony of God written on our hearts and the hearts of all who will receive God’s mercy in His name by this testimony. Whoever has the Son has life.

It becomes so very important that in bearing witness we bring this Good News that our God is a God of mercy. The even though we deserve death because the wages of sin brings death, God’s mercy in His Son covers all sin.

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:3-4)

This newness of life is seen in the life of the believer bearing and bringing forth much fruit through acts of mercy. As we discussed a few weeks ago God is the vine and through His Son we are grafted into this vine of life to bring the newness of life we received in our baptisms to those who are in need. At times it is the witness to the reality of Christ and His work in the life of the believer. Other times it is the true mercy of service to God’s people here at peace, in our community and to the ends of the earth that need the compassion of Christians who bring Christ’s compassion to all they do in this life, not through works but through Mercy!

The third and last of the mission focus for our synod is Life Together!

11b keep them in your name, which you have given me that they may be one, even as we are one.

Life together, that they may be one even as we are one. This life together that we as a church share needs to be this message that we, as brothers and sisters in Christ, hold to one faith, one hope and one Lord while we wait for the blessed hope of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ! (Titus 2:13)

Life together not with error but with truth; not with practice in worship styles … as the law of God … but with the same peace that Jesus brought to the upper room and the doubts that Thomas confessed that blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe. This life together becomes that Witness to the truth and the mercy that we share so that we have life together in Him … in the precious name of Jesus!

Witness, Mercy and Life together!

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. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. (John17:14-19)

God in His mercy has sent His only begotten Son to die for you. He has given you faith by the Holy Spirit to Christ’s resurrection. He has sanctified you in the truth so that you live in Him and bring the mercy of Christ to others and He has given us life together in this place and in His name:

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:10-11)

Witness, Mercy and Life together!

As I left the pastor’s conference on Tuesday I was taken by the diverse men that God has called to proclaim the truth about himself to His people. Fat and tall, thin and small, young and seasoned in ministry or like me just starting a second career. God uses whom He chooses for His reasons but it is ultimately His truth, by the power of the holy Spirit, that convicts us through God’s law and brings us to repentance and also it is God’s truth, through that same Spirit, that comforts us in the blessed Good News that on account of Christ’s sacrifice we are forgiven! We thank God that by his Holy Spirit in us, He will see us to eternity, now and forever.

Amen

Sermon May 5-6, 2012

Title: Christ the true vine brings forth good fruit in you! Text: John 15:4-5 (ESV) 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. 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. Dear friends, To please his father a young man who was just entering college went out for the schools track team. He had no athletic ability, though the father had been a pretty good runner in his day. His first race was a two-man race in which he ran against the school’s best runner. He was badly beaten. Not wanting to disappoint his father, the boy wrote home as follows: "Dad, you will be happy to know that I ran against Bill Williams, the best runner in school. He came in next to last, while I came in second." In our lesson today Jesus is speaking to the disciples about truth. Many times truth can get manipulated. In the little story I just told to you, the young boy was truthful. He did come in second while the best runner in school came in next to last. Some may say, “No harm, no foul!” We though understand truth and also understand that it can have consequences when compromised. Many years ago when I was first serving as president of the congregation one of our neighbors on the west end of the parking lot had their back yard fenced. The fence company came out and put the fence where the homeowner told them. They had the fence go down each side and then it went around the play structure at the back of the yard and this also included a very nice mature maple tree. The problem with the fence was that the tree and the play structure were on the church’s property. Well, after speaking with the home owner, having a surveyor lay out the side lot line of the churches property and writing a number of letters we were finally able to get the home owner to move the fence. She thought we were being a bit petty because the fence was only a foot on the churches property. I had to explain to her that this error established a new truth where our property ends and hers begins, and if we let it go as it is every other house that backs up to the our church could use her fence to mark their “New” property line. The truth of who Jesus is and what being grafted to the true vine in Him really means was very important for the disciples to understand. It is very important for you too. It means life or death! 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 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. (John 15:1-2) The branch that is not producing fruit is cut off and that which does produce fruit is pruned, so that it produces more fruit. We as branches grafted into Christ must feed on Him and His word so that we are fed by the word of God. This feeding on Christ and His word brings forth more fruit. Christ the true vine brings forth good fruit in you! In our Old Testament lesson today we heard the story of the Ethiopian eunuch and how Philip opened him up to the scriptures concerning Jesus. He was sitting in his chariot reading the scriptures and Philip approached him and asked him. “Do you understand what you are reading?” To which he replied, “How can I unless someone guides me?” The part of scripture he was reading was from the prophet Isaiah, which read: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. Philip told him about Jesus … The Christ …the Son of the living God. What about you? Do you know Him and His word? Are you connected to the vine and bearing fruit? Are you being fed and seeing Christ throughout the scriptures? Are you in the word and testing what is true? If not the branch begins to die and if it continues to be deprived of this divine nourishment from the word of God it will eventually die and be of no use to the vine in producing fruit. Branches die, get cut off and thrown into the flames. But is anyone’s commentary on the truth concerning the word of God good or should you have a guide like the eunuch found with Philip? Our Epistle lesson today in 1 John asks us to “test the spirits” to see whether they are from God. When you go to get food from the refrigerator or something to eat you need to see if it is spoiled or past the expiration date. Spoiled food brings you no nourishment and in fact can make you very sick. The word of God if corrupted can also draw you away from its desired effect. A question arose a few weeks ago from a member concerning Joel Osteen, the very popular and charismatic television preacher as he was featured on the cover of Guideposts magazine and whether or not it was something to read or to even watch when he is on TV? I explained that I recognize Joel Olseen as one of the many false prophets in our day that manipulate God’s word and the itching ears that want to hear what he is offering and we all need to “test the spirits” to see if what is being taught is from God. Is everything that we hear … being taught and professing to be Christ’s word … professing the same truth? 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. (1 John 4:2-3) If you have watched Joel Osteen and his show, there is very little Christian about it. It proclaims not Christ and him crucified for you. But in the center of the stage is a giant golden globe. Can you say worldly? It preaches a prosperity gospel that says that God wants you to be wealthy and healthy in this life. Believe me, it is my hope for you that you have all the blessings this life has to offer and that God would abundantly meet all your needs but we also see many of our Christian brothers and sisters suffer health and wealth problems in this life. If you remember the story of the paralyzed man who was lowered through the roof of the house by his friends to get to Jesus and seeing their faith Jesus said “Son your sins are forgiven!” But, the Pharisees grumbled and Jesus knowing their hearts said, which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven or rise, take up you bed and walk?” 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” (Mark 2:10-11) 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1John 4:4) Test the spirits to see whether they are from God and Christ the true vine will bring forth good fruit in you! Christ the true vine brings forth good fruit in you! Christ Jesus is the true vine 28 for “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28a) And finally from our epistle lesson remember dear friends: 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Christ the true vine brings forth good fruit in you! In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit, Amen

Sermon April 14-15, 2012

Title: Christ Jesus brings peace to all who believe!

Text: John 20:27-29 (ESV)

7 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Dear friends,

In his book, "Holy Sweat" Tim Hansel writes: "In my late twenties, a bunch of my friends and I decided to sail around the world. I have to admit, though, at the time I was a bit worried. I hadn't even sailed before. I was uneasy and anxious. So I spent a lot of time reading the Bible and praying about it, until it dawned on me that God was whispering …

"Tim, I'll give you peace if you read some books on sailing. The reason you're anxious is not due to a lack of prayer, but to your lack of sailing knowledge."

Tim continues: "I wasn't un-prayerful; I was unskilled. So I took a step I needed to take to let God work his peace in my heart. I began reading about sailing."

Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, 1987, Word Books Publisher, p. 63.

Christ Jesus brings peace to all who believe!

In the upper room, a room somewhere in Jerusalem, the disciples were gathered together. Concerned over the events that had taken place – their Lord had just been brutally tried and convicted and killed and then there was the empty tomb. Mary Magdalene had went to the tomb followed closely by Peter and John. They had not yet understood what this all meant. Here the disciples are gathered together, Thomas was not present and Judas had already gone and hung himself in remorse ... sitting ... conversing and maybe even some pacing … for fear of the Jews.

Even though their conversation is not recorded, you might imagine one something like this:

“Brothers, what are we to do! Just sit here and hide? No, I say we take up the sword to defend ourselves!” Must we sit and hide like dogs waiting to be turned over to the Romans to suffer the same fate as Jesus?”

Another counters, “But remember, Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  He also said that He would go to prepare a place … and that … He would come again!” What does it all mean?

Phillip stood up among the disciples to speak, “When I asked Him to show us the Father, He said to me, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” This is all so hard to understand. What can we do brothers but sit, wait and hope?

Just then:
Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Peace comes to the upper room with Jesus. This was no ghost. This was no vision. The marks in His hands and sides prove it. This was really Jesus standing before them in the same body resurrected from the dead. They had been alone but a moment ago, and now Jesus stood in their midst bringing with Him the greeting of the resurrected Savior: Peace be with you!

Christ Jesus brings peace to all who believe!

For us the ways of the world bring concern and uncertainty. As Christians we at times feel the pressure to compromise our faith and beliefs to accommodate a more tolerable worldview. Temptation and fear can get the better of us. The Devil tells you to run and hide … and at times you do.

Where is your upper room? Where do you go to hide when trouble strikes? Is it your bedroom? Or, a special chair in a quiet place? Or do you hide in the confines of yourself? Keeping your troubles hid from your family, friends and those that care for you … hoping that you or they would just go away.

In this day and age trouble will find you. Jesus had said as much to the disciples when He told them in John Chapter 16:

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

Whether the ways of the world’s problems infiltrate and get in to your own personal world or your own sin brings with it the destruction that can disrupt and ruin lives … but in spite of it all remember:

Christ Jesus brings peace to all who believe!

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Jesus was sending his disciples into the world to bring peace. Through the proclamation of the Gospel the word would be preached and the Good News declared to all nations.

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

This gift and obligation given to the disciple to retain and forgive sins was no willy-nilly power but only given and to be used through the word. The word of God’s law to declare what He has commanded and how far we miss the mark of his requirements and the word of the Gospel to declare that even though you are a sinner and do what is against God’s law you have an advocate with the Father, our Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ who brings peace to all who believe!

24 Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Thomas wanted proof and who can blame him. Human reason can’t make sense of this. Why should he believe? He knows that Jesus died. He saw the scourging, the cross, the nails, the blood and the tomb. For Jesus to be alive, well that would be a miracle.

Unbelief is sin. Sin is separation from God. It is the only sin that is unforgiveable. Thomas would not believe. He needed proof. The word proclaimed that Jesus Christ is risen and had stood among them fell on deaf ears. But eight days later they were all once again in that upper room and this time Thomas was with them.

They were together in the same room but you can imagine a different conversation. No longer were they arguing. No longer were they angry. No longer were they fearful … Jesus had brought them peace. The peace of God always guards our heart and minds in and through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus Christ brought peace to Thomas. He brings peace to you too. His word of promise that your sins are forgiven is just as true and sure as when Jesus walked into that upper room 2000 years ago.

Martin Luther put it this way:
I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever was placed in God's hands that I still possess.

Dear friends: Our Lord Jesus Christ has you in His hands, placed there by the power of the Holy Spirit who has given you faith to believe in Jesus’ sinless life, death and resurrection – for you. It is His promise!

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me,  that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:38-40)

My friend Mark Gottlieb, much like Tim Hansel in the opening illustration, built a boat, taught himself to navigate, and sailed from his home in California to Hawaii … a pretty amazing feat. But the greatest feat of all was accomplished by Jesus Christ who took on human flesh, lived a sinless life, died a horrible death on the cross in your place and rose from the dead just for you.

Christ Jesus brings peace to all who believe!

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

Amen

Sermon March 31- April 1, 2012

Title: The Coming King of Zion - Jesus Christ our Lord!
Text: Zechariah 9:9 (ESV)

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

The Coming King of Zion - Jesus Christ our Lord!

A story is told of a pastor at the close of the service, how a stranger came up to him and said, "I don't like the way you spoke about the cross. I think that instead of emphasizing the death of Christ, it would be far better to preach Jesus, the teacher and example." The pastor replied, "If I presented Christ in that way, would you be willing to follow Him?" "I certainly would," said the stranger without hesitation. "All right then," said the pastor, "let's take the first step. He did no sin. Can you claim that for yourself?" The man looked confused and somewhat surprised. "Why, no," he said. "I acknowledge that I do sin." The pastor replied, "Then your greatest need is to have a Savior, not an example!"

The Coming King of Zion - Jesus Christ our Lord!

On this Psalm Sunday weekend we rejoice in the truth that we have a savior and not just an example. The very Son of God prophesied in the book of Zechariah, Being just and possessing righteousness as would be the first requirement of a true ruler, and bearing or carrying the salvation with Him which the Lord had planned.

This humble servant who came down from heaven was not in the form of your everyday earthly King. This King and Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord, would rise through lowliness and suffering to the strength and glory which was hidden in Him in the state of His humiliation, and which now is leading in one short week to His trial and crucifixion at the cross.

10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,

The ways of the world and its Kingdoms are built by the power of the sword. The reach of man’s conquests is stretched into territories of his choosing. The chariot, the war horse and the battle bow come down on the unsuspecting to the glory of the one wielding power. Power in might brought to bear over people places and things by the gods, Kings and rulers of earthly Kingdoms.

The Coming King of Zion - Jesus Christ our Lord!

In our day and age we too see the power of the sword wielded upon others. Those with much prey upon those who have little. Power is displayed in the battle for land or in the battle for influence. Religious differences call for tolerance in our land. Real persecution comes to the Christian church daily around the world but with many of us its inactivity, non-involvement and quietly keeping our Christian worldview to ourselves. To profess and publicly acknowledge God -is fine - as long as He doesn't have a name and as long as that name is not Jesus! Once His name is mentioned you are politically incorrect because you proclaim with all Christians from all time:

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:10)

And now this Jesus, coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Is:

The Coming King of Zion - Jesus Christ our Lord!

and he shall speak peace to the nations;
… Or in another translation (and He shall speak peace unto the heathen - which are those apart from the Gospel), this being the very meaning of His Gospel-message,
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

This humble King, Jesus Christ, by his very death and resurrection will bring peace, the peace that passes all human understanding to the very ends on the Earth.

The reaction to this message of peace for many is the catalyst for anger.
Egypt’s Christian Coptic Church has been hit very hard by those opposed to Christ, torching the structure of churches and then looting and burning nearby Christian-owned homes and businesses.

The Mar Gerges burning is the third church in Egypt in seven months, to be burned down by a mob. Additionally, numerous other churches have been looted or otherwise attacked, including a New Year’s Eve bombing at the Two Saints Church in Alexandria that left 23 dead and scores critically wounded.

Peace only comes by the way of truth and Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life. C.S. Lewis has said:

If you look for truth, you may find comfort; if you look for comfort you will find neither, and in the end you will only find despair.
C. S. Lewis

The Coming King of Zion - Jesus Christ our Lord brings peace, comfort and truth, for you!

Kirk Cameron, Who was on the TV show “Growing Pains” back in the 80’s as a teen actor has been an out spoken advocate of traditional Christian values.

Cameron was asked his views on gay marriage during an interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan.

"Marriage is almost as old as dirt, and it was defined in the garden between Adam and Eve. One man, one woman for life till death do you part," says Cameron. "So do I support the idea of gay marriage? No, I don't."

Morgan then asked the born-again Christian if he thought homosexuality was a sin. To that, Cameron replied, "I think that it's unnatural. I think that it's - it's detrimental, and ultimately destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization."

Kirk Cameron sat for an interview with Ann Curry of the Today show. Curry asked him to comment on the firestorm that followed his recent comments about homosexuality during an interview with Piers Morgan.

"I was surprised, frankly, that people were surprised by the things that I’ve said. I have been consistent for 15 years as a Christian. I’m a Bible-believing Christian. What I would have thought was more newsworthy is if I had said something that contradicted the word of God, if I had contradicted my faith."

Cameron is on to something here. Our culture is not threatened by those who abandon the Christian faith, but by those who uphold it. It is not newsworthy that liberal mainline churches have abandoned Christianity’s 2,000-year-old sexual ethic or that Roman Catholic politicians routinely take stands that contradict their church’s teaching. What is newsworthy is that there are still some Christians who will not change their beliefs in order to accommodate the ever-shifting sexual views of the prevailing culture
.
It’s not Christianity that has changed. Our culture’s tolerance of it certainly has.

11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

God has set you free from the power of sin, the flesh and the devil. As our triumphant King Jesus Christ rides today into Jerusalem. His path to the cross from His baptism, where He was marked as the chief of sinners for you, also points to His ride today as a triumphant ride that in a short while will accomplish the freedom for all sinners of all time - for you.

12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.

You are set free from your sin because Jesus came for sinners! He came to set you free. He came for you! He gave His life at the cross to pay the price God demands to satisfy His justice and you are free. You are truly free!

He (Jesus) did no sin and we all acknowledge that we sin and are sinners. Our greatest need has been fulfilled because we have a Savior:

The Coming King of Zion - Jesus Christ our Lord!

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

Amen

Confirmation 2012

While confirmation came a bit early this year. The students were ready and they are just a great group of kids! God's continued blessing upon them as they continue in their Christian walk!

Sermon March 10-11, 2012

Title: Christ crucified, Wisdom or folly … what do you say? 

Text: 1 Cor.:22-25 (ESV) 

22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 

Dear friends, 

There is a scene in the movie “Annie Hall” where Wood Allen’s character is standing in line at a movie theatre and the man behind him is talking to a lady about the influence of TV and media on society. He’s speaking about Marshall McLuhan – an English professor who wrote an important book on the subject called, “On the Media.” 

Woody Allen continues to look and speak to the camera when he says: “What can you do when you get stuck on a movie line with a guy like this behind you?” 

He turns and speaks to the man directly: “You don't know anything about Marshall McLuhan's work”— to which the man replies: “Really? I happen to teach a class at Columbia called TV, Media and Culture, so I think that my insights into Mr. McLuhan, well, have a great deal of validity.” 

Woody then does a really funny and insightful thing. He says, “I happen to have Mr. McLuhan right here. Come over here for a second?” He brings the man out of the movie line where Mr. McLuhan is standing and says to him: “Tell him.” So Marshall McLuhan looks at the man and says: 

“I heard, what you were saying. You, know nothing of my work. How you ever got to teach a course in anything is totally amazing.” 

The scene ends with Woody Allen looking straight at the camera and us and saying:

“Boy, if life were only like this.” 

Sometimes man’s wisdom can cause him to trust in his own reason and understanding, leaving little room for anything but an idol made out of his own self-serving image so: 

Christ crucified, Wisdom or folly … what do you say? 

Churches at times have problems and it’s nothing new. When you build something with broken pieces caused by sin they at times fail. The Corinthian church had plenty of problems. 

Paul heard about it through Chloe’s people. Many had determined to follow Paul; some were following Apollos some Cephas and some had chose to follow Christ. So Paul asks: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? 

God confounds the wise so that we like children rest in Christ! 

There were some who, through their own wisdom, reason and efforts thought that they could find their way and make peace with God. They would be confounded or confused in their efforts. God keeps Himself hidden. He conceals himself from them. No amount of human effort, by the wise and learned of their day, can find Him and that is why God is so confounding to them. To confound is an interesting verb. It causes one to become confused or perplexed, to fail to distinguish and to mix up, to make something bad … worse, to frustrate or even to damn. 

The scribes and the Pharisees of Israel saw themselves as the caretakers of the wisdom and understanding of God’s Law. The Law showed them all God demanded and what He required. “This we can do, they thought.” The Gospel remained hidden from them because it is only found in the finished work of the God/man Jesus Christ and to whom He chooses to reveal Himself to. 

Those who were seeking the Father on their terms didn’t find him. The Father and Son know each other intimately. To know the Father they must know the Son and the Father can only be accessed through the Son by His revealing. 

19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, 

and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 

22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 

Wisdom had entered the church at Corinth and it enters the church here at Peace as well. 

Christ crucified, Wisdom or folly … what do you say? 

We too can find ourselves looking for God apart from His revelation. We too need to be compelled to cast all our cares on Him. But we too can fall short as we, through our own reason and understanding, seek to make peace with God and know the father on our terms. 

You must accept the Son just as a little child does. Through the waters of Baptism the fullness of the Father is known through His revelation in Jesus Christ, His Son our Lord. Belief is not attained through reason or effort but only through faith by God’s gracious will. Many today still fight against this. 

Many unfortunately though hope to direct God through their own wisdom in choosing what part of His word applies to them today. Many question the working of God - even in the baptizing of an infant because it doesn’t fit their understanding of freedom won (a decision that they make) as opposed to freedom given (a gift received). 

Many still want their vote to count and to find God on their terms! Those who do through their own wisdom might hear God say something similar to what Mr. McLuhan said: 

“I heard, what you were saying. You, know nothing of my work. Why you ever thought you could reach me through your own reason and efforts is totally amazing!” 

I spoke to an inactive member of our church recently as I was making calls one evening. When I asked why they had stopped coming to church the reply was, “Well, I wasn’t getting anything out of it.” 

I then asked if they were attending another church and the reply was, “I did for awhile until they started teaching some wacky stuff!” 

Sometimes the best gift the Lord gives us is the word properly proclaimed and the sacraments rightly administered so we can also discern truth from error. In Love, we all have all had that benefit of Pastor Merrell’s faithful service here for over 30 years rightly dividing truth from error and through the working of the Holy Spirit giving faith to those who will believe. 

Christ crucified, Wisdom or folly … what do you say? Is it God’s means of grace or just wacky stuff? 

27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 

And then Paul concludes: 

30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 

Paul then tells them: If there is to be boasting … 

“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 

Ben Franklin had this to say about foolishness: 

“The learned fool writes his nonsense in better language than the unlearned, but its still nonsense.” 

The cross is foolishness to those without the Spirit. Highly educated or little education, it doesn't matter. Apart from God's Spirit working and calling us by the Gospel we have no way of sharing in God's saving power by Faith. 

God, in love, goes to the cross for us. 

God, in love, gives us faith to believe. 

God, in love, sustains us in that faith through His word and sacraments. 

There is a wonderful illustration I’d like to share with you: 

It’s a story of a little girl who proudly wore a shiny cross on a chain around her neck. One day she was approached by a man who said to her, “Little girl, don’t you know that the cross Jesus died on wasn’t beautiful like the one you’re wearing? It was an ugly, wooden thing.” To which the girl replied, “Yes, I know. But they told me in Sunday school, that whatever Jesus touches, He changes.” 

Christ crucified Wisdom or folly …? 

God has given you faith. He has called you by the gospel to believe. Those that believe He gives eternal life and you are covered by Christ’s righteousness. As was said earlier …

“Boy, if life were only like this.” As Jesus Christ has said … “It is finished!” 

By the power of the Holy Spirit in you God will see you to eternity now and forever. 

Amen 

Sermon March 3-4, 2012

Title: Christ our King wore a crown of thorns for you!

Text: Mark 8:29-33 (ESV)

²⁹ And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” ³⁰ And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.³¹ And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Dear friends,

During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, "Sir, I am a corporal!" The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again."

Christ our King wore a crown of thorns for you!

In our Gospel lesson today Jesus will teach his disciples an important lesson.

Traveling northward Jesus and his disciples came into suburbs of Caesarea- Philippi. This region, of which Caesarea was its capital, had been built on the site of a former village on the eastern slope of Lebanon, near the source of the Jordan River. Philip was tetrarch and called the new city Caesarea, in honor of the emperor Caesar but to distinguish it from the city of the same name on the western coast of Palestine; he added his own name as a distinguishing mark - Caesarea-Philippi – named after Caesar and Philip!

Most of this region was beautiful and prosperous and Jesus took this time of walking with His disciples to talk and impart wisdom to them and to ask them an important question. To get at this He began by asking them about the people.

“Who do people say that I am?” 

This probing question, Jesus asked to really set up the real question He wanted to ask them.

²⁸ And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” 

This question was not addressed at anyone in particular. It was a question for them all. It was asked to inquire in a frank way what they believed and confessed. The question Jesus asked and wanted to know was what do you believe and who do you say I am?

  

Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 

The answer of Peter can be understood properly only in this sense: That as Peter spoke … he spoke the confession of them all and for them all: “You are the Christ.”

They declared it as their firm conviction that this Jesus, their Master, was the promised Messiah, and they connected to Him all the attributes with which the prophets had given this greatest of all prophets. The confession of Peter is the confession of all the disciples and all true believers of all times. 

But quickly this understanding of who Christ is changes as He begins to teach them the truth of what He came to do.

³¹ And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 

Peter would have nothing of this! He just confessed for himself and for all the disciples that Jesus is the Christ; the Messiah who had long ago been prophesied to come and save God’s people. Now he pulls Jesus aside to set him straight …

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 

…can you hear him? “Jesus, hold on here … you’re the Christ! We are now looking for this earthly King that will defeat our enemies and set up his Kingdom here on Earth! I was expecting this sweet palace job. I was expecting to have this office next to you in the palace and my own region to exercise influence and rule over. Yea, yea, yea, Caesarea- Philippi would be a great place to for me, Peter the Great, to rule over!”

³³ But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

It was here that Peter put his foot in his mouth, in his very impulsive way; He had an altogether different idea of what the work of the Messiah, Jesus, was. Peter here proved to be the very adversary of Christ; it was Satan himself who was attempting to hinder the work of redemption through Peter. Peter’s rebuke of Christ had nothing of God's will in it, but only that of man … weak, sinful man, that cannot understand God's ways and works.

Christ our King wore a crown of thorns for you!

You too fall victim to your own sinful desires. You’ve failed to do the will of God in your lives. You grumble and you complain, you gossip, you fret and worry about what others haven’t done and the wrongs that have been done to you … and when I say you … I mean me too!

We all can easily see the sin of others - better than our own. Removing the plank from our own eyes before attempting to remove the speck from our brothers … is seldom done.

And, as Peter received rebuke for his statement to Jesus it fell too on the ears of the other disciples and to us as well. They all felt the reproof, though it was directed at Peter only.

What about us today? What about churches that remove the cross because it is and offence to some and attempt to function as nothing more than social clubs for the Christian looking to be perpetually entertained and sustained with programs and designer coffee and self-help books to living a better life and being a better you … now?

“Get behind me, Satan!

In the suffering and death of Christ - His divine wisdom and our human ways and methods part company. The cross of Christ is foolishness and an offense to human ideas, but is in reality divine wisdom and divine power from our Lord and savior Jesus

Christ our King took upon Himself a crown made of thorns for you!

³⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 

Jesus here is giving the disciples another lesson. This world and all it holds and even their life will pass away.

³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? ³⁷ For what can a man give in return for his soul? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Christ our King as he made His way to the cross would wear a crown of thorns for these disciples and for you!

The Good News is that you and I who name the name of Christ are covered. You are covered because Christ our King has come and has takes the rebuke of the world - for you. He has had the sins of the word, yours and mine - placed upon himself.

²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

He willingly gave up His life so that you and I can live with Him in eternity. We have peace with God by faith. From our epistle reading today:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Rom. 5:1-5)

God has reconciled Himself to us through Christ and has freed us from our sin and guilt by His blood.

Christ our King wore a crown of thorns and gave up His life for you!

In our opening illustration we read of the help of the commanding officer who said:

"Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again."

Our God has come and has taken our punishment. He comes to us here in word and in sacrament and comforts us that our sins have been paid by the blood of Christ. We will receive His true body and blood in the sacrament of the altar to strengthen our faith in His saving work and we bring our prayers of thanks and petitions to Him knowing that He hears our prayers and intercedes for us to the Father on our behalf.

Christ Jesus our King and savior.

By the power of the Holy Spirit in us will see us to eternity now and forever.

Amen