Sermon Dec. 9, 2020 Advent Midweek 2

Title: Promise: God promises his only Son for you! 

Text: Mark 1:1-8 

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6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

As we wait for the birth of Christ and also for his promised second coming we joy in our new life given us in him as we together, prepare for the Lord’s Christ.

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

The sending of the messenger to herald the arrival of the messiah had been foretold and promised in the prophet Isaiah. One would come and prepare the way.

This messenger is John the Baptist.

John arrives in the beginning of the Gospel of Mark in the wilderness and looking a bit unusual. Dressed in camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, he was certainly not one that the religious leaders would have gone out to see, but one that they probably would have shunned.

But John brings a message, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and that is usually what messengers do. John was no different in that respect.

5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

John’s baptism was, just as he was, a promised forerunner of the baptism that we today joy in and remember daily.

He called sinners to repentance in preparation for the baptism that Jesus would institute, at the end of Matthew’s gospel, where he calls his disciples to go and make disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Matt 28:19

John prepared what was promised that Jesus would fulfill.

In this season of Advent, we also wait … in preparation for the promised coming of Christ who would take on human flesh, becoming as we are yet without sin.

In Mark’s gospel, just following our reading for today, you may remember that Jesus comes to John to be baptized himself, to enter into the Jordan to be baptized by John and to be marked as the chief of sinners that Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

That is the promised child that we wait for this Advent season;

And that is the child who will be born on Christmas day;

And that is the one on whom God’s favor rests;

And that is where our salvation is found by faith in his finished work;

And that is Jesus, in whom we also wait for his promised glorious return.

In contrast to John, who lived a simple lifestyle eating locusts and wild honey, and dressed most probably in that same camel’s hair coat and leather belt day after day; we also wait …

… for a sense of normalcy to return … for masks to be a thing of the past and for life’s joys to replace fear and concern in these unsettling times.

But I’m not looking for the season of the day to become retail focused again.

At times change can give us time to reevaluate. To put our focus on different things and to show that that which may have consumed us, stuff, sports, movies, and entertainment - we really can live without – or at least a bit less of it because God has become, for many of us, a greater comfort than we had expected or realized.

Repent! For the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!

At least that is how John calls sinners to repentance in Matthew’s gospel. And it is how we all should spend some of our time this Advent season as we continue to wait, focus and prepare … for the promised coming Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Pastor David Roper in his book The Strength of Man says:

The Bible defines worldliness by centering morality where we intuitively know it should be. Worldliness is:

The lust of the flesh (a passion for sensual satisfaction),

The lust of the eyes (an inordinate desire for the finer things of life),

The pride of life (self-satisfaction in who we are, what we have, and what we have done)

Worldliness is a preoccupation with ease and affluence. It elevates creature comfort to the point of idolatry; [idol worship; these things become our god]; large salaries and comfortable life-styles become necessities of life.

He goes on to say …

Worldliness is reading magazines [online] about people who live [their] lives [for the pursuit of pleasure] and spend too much money on themselves … and wanting to be like them. But more importantly, [he says] worldliness is simply pride and selfishness in disguise.

It's being resentful when someone snubs us or patronizes us or shows off. It means [getting mad] under every slight, challenging every word spoken against us, cringing when another is preferred before us. Worldliness is harboring grudges, nursing grievance, and wallowing in self-pity. These are the ways in which we are most like the world.

David Roper, The Strength of a Man, quoted in Family Survival in the American Jungle, Steve Farrar, 1991, Multnomah Press, p. 68.

Wow, does that sound like today, if you’ve been to one of the major stores, and someone has treated you as an obstacle, in the way of what they want to buy, a parking space they desire, or even cringing because you have a place in the checkout line before them.

Or maybe it’s you, or me … that cringe at those, in line before us?

As sinners we all fall short, we all miss the mark, and we all need to repent, clinging to that blessed hope, Jesus Christ our Lord, and in his coming as the child who,

“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.”

This proclamation in Luke’s gospel is heralded by John as 7 … he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Promise: God promises his only Son for you!

This messenger proclaims the promise of Christ. This herald calls sinners to repentance, and we who are baptized, in the name of the Father and of the + Son and on the Holy Spirit are brought to faith, given the Holy Spirit and are made right with God, forgiven our sins on account of Christ and no longer servants but children of our heavenly Father.

Though you are unworthy to stoop down, like John, to untie the sandals of the Lord, Christ has stooped down - in humility - to be as you are, and for your salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man. Nicene Creed

This is he who is the gift begotten of the Father. This is the peace between God and man and the sign that is promised in Isaiah 7

14 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14b

Christ is the comfort of Isaiah 40, our Old Testament reading from last weekend, to which John is a herald and Christ the means … for which:

Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low; Isaiah 40:4a

And it is Christ who tends his flock like a shepherd; and gathers the lambs in his arms; and carries them in his bosom, gently leading them until he returns in glory to judge the living and the dead.

Sin has been cut away and laid upon Christ who takes away the sin of the world burying it with him in the tomb so that you are set free, buried with Christ in baptism, and risen to newness of life covered in the righteous robes of Jesus.

That is God’s promise!

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

Amen

Sermon Dec. 5-6, 2020 2nd Sunday in Advent

Title: Our Lord tends, gathers, carries and leads those he loves!
Text: Isaiah 40:1-11 

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10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.

When I was in a child in Kindergarten I have a vivid memory of a fire drill.

When the fire alarm sounded we were directed out of our classroom into the hall single file. As we entered the hall and turned to the left a student from an upper grade coming from another room would grab the hand of a kindergarten student and lead them out of the building and up the hill to the road where we would all wait until the drill was over.

That leading and guiding was to get the younger students to where they were to go but also to bring comfort during a trying time if a real fire was to occur.

The grasp of a seasoned and leading hand can put one at ease and bring peace in a time of trial.

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins.

The right hand of God which is a hand of power is also a hand of comfort as he leads his children from the wrath of his judgment to the land or promise.

“God’s people are those who need comfort Luther writes, because they have been wounded and terrified by the Law and they are an empty vessel capable of receiving comfort. Only those who are afflicted have comfort and are capable of it, because comfort means nothing unless there is a malady.”

Luther’s works, AE 17:3

For there to be a cure you have to have a sickness. With Covid, though with varying degrees of severity, all can be affected. For some there appear no symptoms, though the virus is still present, for others minor symptoms appear and then a return to normal - and yet for the few - dangerous symptoms and side effects can lead to death. Because some may die, the cure has to be as close to perfect as you can get because we don’t know who may be the most vulnerable.

The vaccines on the horizon boast a 90-95% success rate which is very good and many of the vaccines have shown these results in trial testing, but still the cure could prove to be ineffective for the few.

So there is possibility that some who might be in the most vulnerable group could still see the vaccine not work and fall victim to the worse effects of Covid 19.

Though some might not be helped, we can expect as we should, that the cry to be vaccinated would be loud and long.

Get to your Doctor and get vaccinated!

Don’t take the risk!

Most people are helped!

Do it now! Don’t wait!

3 A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

The wilderness cry of long ago in Isaiah comes to life in a most unusual and excellent way as the fore runner of the cure appears in the wilderness claiming a cure for the sickness of sin that is 100% effective.

The highway is smooth and clear, the valley is filled and the mountains made low. No obstacle remains. The rough places are smooth and the ground is made level.

6 A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”

The cry is for help!

The cry is now!

The cry is for a vaccine!

Surly if we just had a vaccine we could get back to our normal lives we think and life would be good.

All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.

Even with a vaccine this life will end.

We may preserve it for a time.

We may keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.

We may get past Covid 19.

We may live our normal lives again.

We will die.

9 Go on up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”

The need to overcome the maladies of life is important. Sickness and death are real. Preserving life and wellness is good but it is not the Good News.

The Good News is the herald of a cure for which no cure exists or can be developed. It is pure gift in a world of hopeless denial.

It is the fullness of God’s might and power for good.

It is the power of God in humility and weakness.

It is God’s leading and guiding hand as a shepherd leads his flock and brings comfort and peace to a world of sin and death.

That dear friends is the true joy of Advent as we together prepare for the coming of God’s powerful cure for the ailment that plagues us all.

Jesus came the Heavens adoring,

Came with peace from realms on high;

Jesus came to win redemption,

Lowly came on Earth to die;

Alleluia! Alleluia! Came in deep humility

God’s power and humility seen in the gift of his son for you and for me is the Good News that is prepared this Advent!

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

Amen

Sermon Dec. 2, 2020 Advent Midweek 1

Title: Hope: God gives hope to the oppressed!
Text: Mark 11:1-10 

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9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

The question is asked, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”

The answer comes, “The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.”

As we think about Hope tonight. Let’s look at how hope is defined.

Hope can be defined as:

a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, or it can be a feeling of trust.

The disciples went expecting to find the colt just as Jesus had told them things would happen and there was also for them a feeling of trust that what Jesus had told them would in fact happen just as he said.

We even see hope in the response of those who owned the colt.

6 And [when the disciples] told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go

Hoping or trusting that the colt would be returned just as they were told.

So how does this Palm Sunday and Holy Week text leading up to our Lord’s passion, death, burial, rest in the tomb, and glorious resurrection at the end of his earthly life and ministry fit as the Gospel reading for the first weekend in Advent?

In a word, Hope!

Hope is placed in that which is looked for and anticipated and in that which is promised.

The triumphal entry is that which had been anticipated and promised and Jesus is the hope of God fulfilled – the Messiah - the promised one of Israel.

At least that is what those who celebrated believed and hoped,

shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” Mark 11:9b-10

How quickly that changed from joy and celebration on Palm Sunday to Jesus’ trial, crucifixion, death and despair just a few days later.

21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Luke 24: 21

On Easter Sunday there was still doubt and concern at who Jesus was and what he came to do.

So we begin this Advent season in Hope.

Hope for God’s redemption in his Son.

Hope for the incarnate Christ coming as a lowly child.

Hope for his Virgin birth and sinless life so that he might stand in our place.

Hope for God’s forgiveness in Christ for all who believe.

Hope for his blessed return and second coming to gather his children to himself.

Or, as St Paul says:

24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Rom. 8:24

Many of us were waiting for good this year.

Good news, good reports, good outcomes, and what did we get?

Virus, pandemic, masks, politics, churches closed, shut downs, no school, kids home, vacations canceled and working for home!

I’m sure this is not what you or I expected.

Our hope though is not in these things but in the prospect of the future where cures, vaccines, handshakes, hugs, family - both biological and church members - might once again enjoy a life and gather together celebrating the unity we have one with another.

Some things have changed and some have remained the same and hope centered in this life is always going to leave us wanting, because this life is centered and wrapped in sin. No escape and no earthly cure around the bend or on the horizon for us in this life. Sin remains and death is the result as we see and are reminded of its curse daily and without end.

But hope is not lost!

Because this Advent season we wait.

We wait for the hope that does not disappoint.

We wait for a child promised.

We wait for God’s revealing.

We wait for a star to lead the way for the Magi.

We wait for his growing in knowledge and stature.

We wait for his public ministry.

We wait for his teaching and the calling of all to faith.

We wait for his triumphal entry on Palm Sunday.

We wait for our Lord’s passion, death, burial, rest in the tomb, and glorious resurrection.

And we wait for his blessed return, because Christ’s return is our Blessed Hope.

13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:13

Whether life brings trial or joy the blessed hope is Jesus and the peace of redemption that is only found in him.

So as we wait, let us look with hopeful eyes to his coming, as a child to begin his work.

Let us look to the reality of all that he has done to overcome sin, death and the devil for us.

Let us look to his coming again for the consummation of all things.

Let us look, not in fear but in hope that God in Christ will accomplish all of this for you and for me and all who are called to faith according to his purpose.

God be praised!

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

Amen

Sermon Nov. 28-29, 2020 1st Sunday in Advent

Title: The unclean and polluted are made clean in God’s hands!
Text: Isaiah 64:1-9 

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6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.

God’s people have always looked for a God of power. One who might move mountains, consume and purify with fire, and make nations tremble before him. They look for an awesome God who does awesome things.

He divided the waters that hindered escape so that his children could cross the Red Sea on dry ground and get safely to the other side.

He covered the Egyptians who pursue them with the same waters that were held back for a time, and their miraculous escape becomes a flood of death for Pharaoh.

He promised them a land flowing with milk and honey, but Moses died in Moab having only glimpsed the Promised Land from Mount Nebo before closing his eyes in the sleep of death.

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2 as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

We too as God’s children want God’s power to fall on those in opposition to the word. We want God’s vengeance against those who torment us. We want God to consume those opposed to the word and to redeem those worthy of eternal life, and we see those who are worthy as the same people looking back from our own reflection in our mirror.

God’s power is all consuming and in our own righteousness we too would be consumed.

On our own we can’t understand.

On our own we stand as God’s enemies.

On our own we must be consumed.

Sin must be judged and destroyed.

From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,

and our iniquities, [our sins] like the wind, take us away.

How do we know our sinful state?

Look in the mirror; look to our ailments and sickness, our brokenness is made clear.

Back ache, sciatic nerves, rotator cuff, Allergies, flu and Covid 19 are all but symptoms of the greater sickness. The last three weeks of church services from my home, self quarantine, and then last Monday another trip to the ER for Monica. Cancer and its after effects from radiation continue to consume and reveal the broken reality of this life for us all.

In our own righteous we die.

It is a promise.

It is assured.

7 There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.

Today we see a baby.

Today we see a rescue.

Today we have hope.

Today we see a son.

Adam Steven VanDewater II was born in sin in the polluted garment of human flesh just as his father and mother have been.

The one who was angry at sin sent his son who came in humility and human flesh too - though without sin.

The one who was angry at sin has become the sin bearer so the one polluted by sin might be washed and made clean.

What a marvelous rescue. From death to life!

The first Adam brought death

The second Adam, Jesus, brings life so that this Adam might be cleansed of sin and stand forever forgiven in the Lord’s presence.

8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.

This is the joy that we see in this baptism!

Death to life and sin to salvation!

But not just this Adam, and not just this baptism, but all who are washed in the blood of the Lamb have received pardon. God’s hidden face is now revealed in the loving eyes of Jesus who has said, yes to the work of redemption for you!

Your sins are mine, Jesus says, and my forgiveness is yours!

As the Advent season begins we await this child, Jesus. He has come to be the savior of all. He has taken the sins of the world upon himself and has given his sinless life so that all might find rest - not in a God of power, by in a God of comfort and peace. 

Ill: 

Rev. Paul McCain RIP

Jesus rode over the palms of forgiveness spread in a world of sin and death in his triumphal entry to Jerusalem on a humble colt. May that be the hope this year for you and me as we cry with shouts of joy:

“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

That is our Advent hope!

That is our Advent peace!

That is forgiveness for you and me!

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

Amen

 

Sermon November 21-22, 2020

Title: Come inherit the kingdom prepared for you!
Text: Matthew 25:31-46

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31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.


"For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" 2 Corinthians 1:20

The word "amen" is a most remarkable word. It was transliterated directly from the Hebrew into the Greek of the New Testament, then into Latin and into English and many other languages, so that it is practically a universal word. It has been called the best-known word in human speech. The word is directly related--in fact, almost identical--to the Hebrew word (aman), for "believe" or "faithful." Thus, it came to mean "sure" or truly," which is an expression of absolute trust and confidence. When one believes God, he indicates his faith by an "amen." When God makes a promise, the believer's response is "amen"--"yes, let it be so!" In the New Testament, it is often translated "verily" or "truly."

When we pray according to His Word and His will, we know God will answer, so we close with an "amen," and so also do we conclude a great hymn or anthem of praise and faith.

The word is even a title of Christ Himself. The last of His letters to the seven churches begins with a remarkable salutation by the glorified Lord:

"These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God" (Revelation 3:14).

We can be certain that the Word of God is always faithful and true, because He is none other than the Creator of all things, and thus He is our eternal "Amen."

As we come to the close of the church year it is, therefore, profoundly meaningful that the entire Bible closes with an "amen."

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" Revelation 22:21, assuring everyone who reads these words that the whole Book is absolutely true and trustworthy. Amen!

Source Unknown.

And as a result of this truth we can all be joyful.

Come; inherit the kingdom prepared for you!

When the son of man comes in all his glory, there will be a gathering of all the nations. Ever man and woman will stand before the Lord and there will be a separating. Just like a shepherd who separates sheep from the goats, those destined for eternal life will inherit the Kingdom prepared – for you - from the foundation of the world, and those who will be cast out will depart into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angles.

Here, Jesus tells in prophetic detail, not parable, the return of the son of man, the second coming of Christ in judgment. He is the King who will judge the righteous, those who will inherit eternal life, were worthy, and those cast out will go away to eternal punishment.

It is interesting that the two groups, the sheep and goats are both under the Lordship of Jesus, who comes to judge and both hear similar but opposite statements.

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Contrasted with:

42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.

Both the sheep and the goats reply, “When did we see you” and do this for you or not do this for you? And you and I might ask ourselves the same question.

To this the Lord replies that when you did it, or did not do it, to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

As we all this weekend prepare for Thanksgiving let us all look to all of our blessings and to those who are in need.

"In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, and average of fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster. In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children:

'Now thank we all our God / With heart and hands and voices;/ Who wondrous things had done,/ In whom His world rejoices. /Who, from our mother's arms,/Hath led us on our way/ With countless gifts of love/ And still is ours today.'

Here was a man who knew thanksgiving comes from the love of God, not from outward circumstances.

Don Maddox. (From a sermon at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, by Gary Wilburn)

Who has been the least of these that the Lord is speaking of the least of these my brothers?

Matthew Chapter 10 can give us a clue.

At the sending of the disciples Jesus warns those who would be Apostles,

7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.

9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

Jesus warns of the persecution to come saying:

17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

But also comforting,

40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

Those who receive the message of the gospel receive the messenger and him whom he has sent, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ himself. It is the work of all who have given testimony to the word of God and the saving work found only in Christ Jesus our Lord, which are those who are the least who are hungry and fed, thirsty and given drink, a stranger that is welcomed, naked that is clothed, sick and visited and even comforted in prison.

It is also those, who being in need, are brought the comforting good news of the gospel so that the working of the Holy Spirit can bring to faith those who also will go forth to share this same good news with their neighbor.

It is at Thanksgiving that we too remember those less fortunate, it has been a difficult time for us all this year but even more so for many in our world, It is my prayer that we all look to the needs of others as we share the love of Christ opening an opportunity for some to reach the lost with the good news of salvation found only in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Those who did these things for the least of those my brothers did it also for Jesus.

Those who receive the Kingdom, to them Jesus says: ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Come; inherit the kingdom prepared for you!

Even though it is not your works, not what you have done but what he, Jesus Christ has done, it a fruit of your faith. Receiving the word of truth, the gift of God and those who are sent to proclaim that truth is a gift of our heavenly Father and by the working of the Holy Spirit you believe, you feed, you welcome, you cloth, you visit, you comfort and you are blessed.

To this Jesus says to you: ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Come; inherit the kingdom prepared for you!

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

For you are called blessed, righteous and prepared to inherit the kingdom

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen"

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

Amen

Sermon November 14-15, 2020

Title: God’s joy is your joy in Christ! 

Text: Matthew 25:14-30 

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21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

With these last two weeks in the church year we hear the really good news that all believers long to hear.

Enter into the joy of your master

This is really good news for those who are prepared, with lamps full of oil just like the wise virgins from last week’s lesson. But just like last week, there too are those who are foolish and who are ill prepared for the coming of the master, and who also when Christ returns, will find themselves hearing words of rejection, terror and judgment.

Jesus in preparation for his passion and the time of his departing tells a parable about a man going on a journey. Who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. And then he gives them a portion of his property to manage according to their ability.

15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

We’ve talked of the value of a Talent before and most recently in September. It is the equivalent to a 100 days wages and depending who you are and what you earn it might be quite a lot. But for you and me and thinking in our day to day a talent could be a quarter of our annual income.

We also see that the one, who had been given the most, went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. He took what he had been given and with the ability given him went and doubled the master’s investment. He used what had been gifted to him in ability to grow his master’s kingdom.

The one who was given the two talents, made two talents more. He too did with what he had been given in ability to grow the master’s kingdom. Finally the one who was given one talent, did what the master had not expected,

18 But he … went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

He took what had been entrusted to him and buried it.

In this parable we have to look at it on the surface and also at what greater biblical meaning is Jesus pointing at. First, the money given to the first two servants brought a return. In money matters this is always good.

As my boss told me many years ago when I was first hired to work in his business, “When you work on commission you have to prepare for the times when you will have a bad month. You must first produce, then save and then invest.”

His point was that once you receive your pay check you must invest some of it so that it produces a return that is greater than the investment you began with.

Servant three didn't understand that, it wasn't even invested, so that it brought some interest on the investment from the bankers for the master. It was buried and brought no return.

20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Remember we already said that 5 talents of money was a very large sum but the master here refers to it as being faithful over a little and promises to set him over much. This too happens for servant two in much the same way.

In our Biblical understanding we all are made sons of our heavenly father and of the word himself, Jesus Christ.

We have been given the gift of faith and made partakers of the Kingdom of God.

We have all been gifted richly by our loving God through the working of the Holy Spirit and at the end times and upon Christ’s return will give an accounting of what we did with the gift of God in Christ Jesus that had been given to us.

Did we believe and receive the gift?
Do we feed and strengthen the gift?
Do we share with others the gift?

For some it is using our gifts within the church for others it is in the world and for some it is in both places reaching the fullest return with what you have been gifted.

It is you and me.

Now don’t get me wrong, the parable is not about money, it’s not about giving, saving or investing but it is about the word of God Jesus Christ the true gift of God and what ultimately is done with it for the kingdom.

Upon Christ’s return you will either receive the joy of the master by his gift and his work alone, or you will shut the door of faith with unbelief, burying the word of God, which by the Spirit’s work brings faith, and then, just like the servant who buried the master’s gift, there will be those who blame God for their own rejection of his free gift.

29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Those who believe that the gospel is hard, fear the Lord’s return.

Those who think that a loving God would not judge those who reject the gift of grace and faith are also those who themselves reject the means of receiving eternal life, which is given by faith in Christ through word and sacrament.

Christ welcomes all who by faith trust his work and believe. He has gifted each one of us with the blessed gift of faith and by his working through the holy Spirit we believe and serve our Lord Christ in blessedness and holiness and:
Enter into the joy of your master!

We all have been gifted to serve the Lord and his kingdom. May we all find joy in his use of each one of us for his greater purpose so that you will:

Enter into the joy of your master!

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

Amen

Sermon November 7-8, 2020

Title: Your lamps are fueled by God’s word and Spirit!
Text: Matt. 25:1-13

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10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Well, the election is over or so it seems. There is still much to do. Some will celebrate and some will mourn but we can all be thankful that the political process is over … at least for a few weeks.

After Abraham Lincoln became president, before the days of civil service, office seekers besieged him everywhere trying to get appointments to various jobs throughout the country. Once, confined to bed with a fever and exasperated, Lincoln declared to his secretary, "Bring on the office seekers; for I now have something I can give to everybody."

Unknown.

As we look to this gospel text and parable today let us begin with a few verses that precede this reading today from chapter 24. Here Jesus, is speaking with his disciples and says:

42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

And:

44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

And finally:

50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know

So the text today speaks of the end times and being prepared.

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

In the parables that we have studied previously, the kingdom of heaven and the joy that awaits those who believe had been described as a Wedding feast. There were those closed with wedding garments and those who were not. There was also a casting out and a weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And now the word continues, for the disciples and our benefit, with the foolish and wise virgins who took their lamps and while the wise had oil in their lamps and the foolish did not and while the bridegroom was a long time in coming they were unprepared for the time of his arrival.

Being unprepared is not a good thing.

Last Sunday it got really cold and windy. Leaves were blown down and all around. It was a reminder of what is around the corner … winter!

It would be easy to forget and be unprepared. Thankfully we have made arrangements with our plow service here at church and hopefully as the weather turns cold and the snow flies we will be prepared for what winter brings.

Being prepared is a good thing but not all prepare for what is coming.

For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,

How much good is a lamp that has no oil in it? Not much.

We know about oil here at church and at times the candles that have had no oil in them. They may have a dry wick and no fuel from which to draw. Thankfully Erika Hoffman keeps our candle oil in stock so we might relate to the wise who …

4 … took flasks of oil with their lamps.

As we know lamps with oil bring with them light and light the way. Or, in church, the candles light our service and symbolize God’s light and presence among us.

But in our parable the oil signifies something more. It signifies the work of God by the working of his Holy Spirit that brings faith … the gift of God for we who believe.

The last 7 months I’ve been the candle boy here at church. I’ve filled the candles every week. It’s not a hard job but it is necessary. Prior to the pandemic and the shutdown the Altar Guild did the work. I didn’t think much about it. I just expected that they would do the work and we would have oil for the candles in church to light.

Since the middle of March it has been my responsibility. I do it during the week and then check it on the weekend to make sure that I did it and didn’t forget. I wouldn’t want to look foolish and have to hear,

“Pastor, the candles won’t light. Didn’t you fill them?”

Not that forgetting the candles is an unpardonable sin here at church.

But in the parable what did the foolish lose? They lost focus on the bridegroom’s coming. They lost focus on Jesus.

The faith of God in Christ by the Holy Spirit had dimmed to the point of flickering and had gone out.

What does this say to you and to me and to all who have been given this gift of faith? Should we ignore it or should we do all we can to make sure it is robust and full? Surly, it is God’s gift he brings us to faith and through that same word keeps us in the faith.

If God, through the means of parents and our family puts a plate full of food in front of us but we ignore it and don’t feed on it we remain hungry. The gift and blessing is wasted.

So to, if we ignore God’s word and don’t hear, read, or feed on it. Our faith in Christ dims and is replaced by other things of the world that cause us to focus on everything other than Jesus the bridegroom of the Wedding Feast.

To lose focus on Jesus can cause us all to fall away and to see our oil run dry. To have no fuel for the wick of faith to draw and to see the light of Christ flicker and go out.

But God has promised that where his word is, there the Holy Spirit is, to give faith in the gift of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is only possible to believe on Christ by the gift of faith through the power by the Holy Spirit. The oil of God in your lamp is God in you and given you as a gift working faith to believe and to live as beacons of hope.

Over the last year many have placed their hope in who would be elected. National, State and local politics are important and have dominated our lives but also our hopes. Someone is always let down.

One learned politician once wrote:

The learned fool writes his nonsense in better language than the unlearned, but still 'tis nonsense.

B. Franklin.

At times we who have lamps are fools.

We fool ourselves into believing that we have measured up, that we are acceptable in the eyes of God, and that we will all stand before him in righteous acceptance.

While we,

Deny his word,
Deny his gifts,
Live contrary to his word

But by God’s working, Christ has made a way to give you a full lamp.
Christ has filled you with His Spirit who points you to him.
Christ has promised he would never leave you or forsake you.
Christ continues to feed you on word and sacrament so that the gift of faith continues to fill your lamp for you who trust in Him.

You too who have been filled by God’s blessed faith are wise and prepared and ready for the coming of him, who was and is and is to come, Jesus Christ our Lord!

Because of Jesus and God’s gift of faith you who believe are ready!

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

Amen