Sermon Aug. 25-26, 2012

Title: Christ submitted so that you might be united in love to him!

Text: Eph. 5:25-27

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message" "Alter your course 10 degrees south." Promptly a return message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north."

The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am the captain!" Soon another message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am seaman third class Jones." Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am a battleship." Then the reply came "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am a lighthouse."

In the midst of our dark and foggy times, all sorts of voices are shouting orders into the night, telling us what to do, how to adjust our lives. Out of the darkness, one voice signals something quite opposite to the rest--something almost absurd; but the voice happens to be the Light of the World, and we ignore it at our peril.

Paul Aiello, Jr.

Christ submitted so that you might be united in love to him!

Dear friends,

The word submission has different meanings to different people. To some it means to give in and for others it means to give up. The apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesian church, brings this relationship into perspective.

The apostle Paul writes: 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. So you might be thinking, “Here goes Chauvinistic Paul – placing a wedge between husband and wife calling the wives to be submissive and give in to their husbands!” But it is to their own husbands, to the men with whom they have entered into marriage and the united relationship of Holy wedlock that Christian wives submit … and it is for their own benefit and the benefit of the marriage.

This is not done unwillingly, as in forced submission as in the relationship of owner to slave or boss to worker but by virtue of their willing consent at the time of the marriage; for they are not subject to the husband as their lord and master, but “as to the Lord,” that is, as to Christ.

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Vs 24

When we think of headship and order we need to think in terms of the Godhead. Father, Son and Holy Spirit being united as one God in Trinity and yet there also is a unity in God that is clear in scripture and yet hard to understand and comprehend. The terms co-equal and co-eternal describe the relationship inside the Godhead as well as give an order and function to God’s work as well. The truth is that Christ will always be the second person in the Trinity, though co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and His work being the work of redemption that he accomplished in His incarnation by the power of the Holy Spirit, being born of the Virgin Mary and becoming man where He lived, suffered, died and rose again for your Justification (your freedom) – Christ paying the price for your sin and you receiving the verdict of Not Guilty and being set free on account of His submission and death.

In subjection, Christ, submits to the Father’s will when He says, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)

But we again read in our text today, 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her … 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, (Eph 5:25, 2

The command to the wife is submission as unto the Lord and the command to the husband is Love as Christ loved the church. But not just the love of joy, or attraction, as males and females do in the act of seeking out a mate who they hope to spend the rest of their lives with, but for us men we are called to a sacrificial type of love that does and will do everything for our wives - a task we willfully and often fail at. We are told that husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies –think about it - a very personal connection for us men; 5 …‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? (Matt 19:5) … the two shall become one – submitting to oneself and loving oneself -and also just as Christ does the church, a humbling and eternal perspective for you and me that reveals the complete sacrificial nature of the love of husbands and wives to each other.

Christ submitted so that you might be united in love to him!

While driving down a country road, a man came to a very narrow bridge. In front of the bridge, a sign was posted: "YIELD." Seeing no oncoming cars, he continued across the bridge and to his destination. On his way back, he came to the same one-lane bridge, now from the other direction. To his surprise, he saw another YIELD sign posted. Curious, he thought, "I'm sure there was a Yield sign posted on the other side." When he reached the other side of the bridge he looked back. Sure enough, yield signs had been placed at both ends of the bridge. Drivers from both directions were requested to give right of way. It was a reasonable and gracious way of preventing a head-on collision. When the Bible commands Christians to "be subject to one another" (Ephesians 5:21) it is simply a reasonable and gracious command to let the other have the right of way and avoid interpersonal head-on collisions.

Stephen P. Beck

The ESV reads in verse 21: submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

When I was preparing to get married my father had one of those father and son talks with me. He said, “Russ, marriage is a complete and total compromise! When it feels like you’re giving 80% and Monica is giving 20% in return … it’s probably 50/50.”

Subjection and compromise always feel uneven and at times it is just that - complete giving for the good of the other … as Christ did for you.

There is a great example of compromise and love on the part of a husband as he discussed to his friend how he and his wife settled on their vacation destination plans. He said, “I wanted to go to New York and my wife wanted to go to Florida, so we compromised…we went to Florida!”

…Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church. Submission, love and compromise reveal the picture of a healthy marriage. It is the picture of Christ who gave himself unto death for the salvation on the world.

Christ submitted to the will of the father as He stood in the waters of the Jordan River marked as a sinner in need of repentance … for you. He willingly fixed His eyes on Jerusalem and steadfastly walked to His certain trial, conviction and death for his bride and the love of His life … the church. In love He gave Himself for her and the church which is His wife submits to His will knowing how much He loves her and gave Himself for her.

In our Old Testament lesson for today we read from the prophet Isaiah who reminds us”

18 In that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book,
and out of their gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind shall see.
19 The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,
and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.

The deaf, whose ears by their own sinfulness had been closed to the voice of the Lord, will hear from the words of a Book, containing the divine written revelation of God, and the eyes of the blind, who suffer spiritual blindness, shall see out of darkness, for the Lord Himself will enlighten the eyes of their understanding.

The Epistle reading today dealing with submitting is a hard reading for many, but it is the word of God. Monica asked the Priest at our wedding to not read it … but he did anyway … “Woops!” he said after reading the passage she asked him to omit. Next month we will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary together and I thank the Lord for the blessings of our marriage and family life together, mutually submitting and loving one another out of reverence for Christ.

Friends,

Christ submitted and loved the Church which is you and me. We see this pictured best in the relationship of husband and wife submitted, loved and committed to each other but the reality of sin in the world corrupts these relationships all the time. The brokenness of the body of Christ cries out daily in anguish. We see it and hear of it with our friends, our neighbors and our church family as well. Sin can break the bonds of our love for one another and even husbands and wives deal with broken families and marriages all the time but nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:38-39)

Christ submitted so that you might be united in love to him!

Christ loved the church (which is you) and gave himself up for (you), 26 that he might sanctify (you which is to make you holy), having cleansed (you, in your baptism) by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that (Jesus Christ) might present (you) to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that (you) might be holy (set apart) and without blemish.

God in Christ has loved you set you apart as His beloved child having won the battle of sin, death and the Devil - for you. By the power of the Holy Spirit in you He points you to Christ and His finished work and that in Christ you are loved and forgiven! God comfort you with this blessing now and forever.

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

Amen

Sermon Aug. 4-5, 2012

Title: Christ, true bread unto life eternal, for you!

Text: John 6:26-27, 35 (ESV)

26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

The following letter was found in a baking-powder can wired to the handle of an old pump that offered the only hope of drinking water on a very long and seldom-used trail across Nevada's Amargosa Desert:

"This pump is all right as of June 1932. I put a new sucker washer into it and it ought to last five years. But the washer dries out and the pump has got to be primed. Under the white rock I buried a bottle of water, out of the sun and cork end up. There's enough water in it to prime the pump, but not if you drink some first. Pour about one-fourth and let her soak to wet the leather. Then pour in the rest medium fast and pump like crazy. You'll git water. The well has never run dry. Have faith. When you git watered up, fill the bottle and put it back like you found it for the next feller … signed Desert Pete. P.S. Don't go drinking the water first. Prime the pump with it and you'll git all you can hold." Keith Miller and Bruce Larson, The Edge of Adventure. 

Dear friends,

Have you ever been that thirsty where you might rather just take a sip of the little bit of water that was left rather than priming the pump for all you could get? The crowd in our Gospel lesson today had been. They were looking for Jesus; not because, as Jesus said: “you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”

The feeding of the 5000 was truly a miracle … the text in John’s gospel tells us that Jesus used five loaves and two fish to feed the multitude and here they are seeking Him out. They are out looking for the man who fed them. They were aware that the disciples had departed and that there was only one boat, so on the next morning they were a bit perplexed at not finding Jesus and wondered where He was. They saw a few other boats that came near from Tiberias and figured to go look for Him and upon finding him the question asked was, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Their concern was, “How did he get away from us with no boat?” And more importantly, “What’s for breakfast!”

We can almost hear their thoughts … “That was a pretty sweet meal last night! So, if we stay close to Him … maybe there is another feeding in store for us?” To which, Jesus knowing their thought says:

27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

Christ, true bread unto life eternal, for you!

For you and for me we work for food that perishes every day. Our lives are consumed by things we want and we despair over things we don’t have. I’m just like you or maybe you’re just like me? The lust of the eyes can consume … a consumer! My car is 9 years old and it would be nice to get in one that isn’t starting to show its age so bad. You know with 103 thousand miles things don’t work quite so well and there are a few more noises and glitches.

For example: When I go through the drive thru to order a coffee … sometimes the power window doesn’t work. Sometimes it goes down in short bursts but then it won’t go up. But, I figured out how to make it work! After I get my coffee, if I move up just a foot or two and open the door about six to eight inches … I can get the power window to go up!

Yes, I would like a newer car but I have more pressings concerns at this time and if you remember from last week, I am my father’s son … so it will have to be a used car that looks pretty good. You have pressing needs as well I’m sure but can get so caught up with the things of this world too, whether it be a car, home job or a specialty cup of coffee from the drive-thru instead of the run of the mill home brewed stuff.

Jesus is talking to you … just like he was talking to those who were fed by the five loaves and two fish. Seek … the food that endures to eternal life.

Now, you might ask as they did: “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Or, what is the work that endures to eternal life? Or, while we’re on a fast food analogy … “Where’s the beef?”
We all want to know … “Have I done enough for my neighbor and worked to advance God’s kingdom?” And the answer always is no! You haven’t done enough and you can’t do enough. No matter what you think about faith and no matter how little faith you believe you or someone else has, the bar of the Law has been set too high for us in our fallen sinful state and Jesus sets the record straight for you and me as well when He says:

“This is the work of God that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Quite the gift! No matter how little or how much faith you have the gift has been given to each one who believes. That is the work of God … to bring to faith those, like you and me, who have their eyes aimed at the things of this world … the things that rot and spoil like the bread from my bread box that I threw out the other day or maybe they’re things that rust and wear out, like that car of mine - I do need to address that one day!

St. Augustine had this to say about faith. He said:

Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. St. Augustine.

Christ, true bread unto life eternal, for you!

So the question comes again to Jesus in our text from His followers:

“Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? (Can you believe it? They just ate the loves and the fish. What more confirmation do they want? And then they throw the kicker at Him …) 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” … Bread from heaven ...

What did they just experience? This is the same old grumbling we’re hearing from them, that was heard from the children of Israel in our Old Testament lesson today:

“You should have left us in Egypt! We could have died by the hand of the Lord there and been happy … at least we had meat and bread there and were full … not being brought out into this wilderness to die of hunger!”

But notice … they don’t quote that part of the Old Testament lesson to Jesus. They just bring to Him the fact that Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat to which Jesus says to them and to us:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Christ, true bread unto life eternal, for you!

So again:

34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” And again:

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

God, gives you Jesus!

He gives you His very Son to stand in your place.

God gives you Jesus!

He carries your sins upon Himself to the cross.

God gives you Jesus!

He points you to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit given you in baptism.

God gives you Jesus!

He sustains you by the power of His Holy Spirit, pointing you away from the things of this world that decay and perish and He points you to the bread of life, Jesus Christ, Himself who sustains you and preserves you unto life eternal.

In our opening story about Desert Pete, He said, “Don’t drink the water … but if you prime the pump you’ll have all the water you need from that old well.” The good news for you and me is that the pump has been fully primed and the water that we receive is living water given us in baptism that washes us clean of our sin, creating faith in Him who is the true bread of life, bringing eternal life to all who believe.
God comfort you with this good news now and forever that:

Christ Jesus is the true bread unto life eternal, for you!

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

Amen

Sermon July 28- 29, 2012

Title: The Abundance of God works within you forever!


Text: Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Dear friends,

When we talk about abundance I’m reminded of a story from my youth. I was raised like many of you in a very typical middle class household. We considered ourselves comfortable but never well off but I don’t remember lacking anything. My dad never bought new cars, but he worked on cars as a hobby and sometimes helped friends out who needed their car tuned up or serviced. He always bought cars that were, like new and only a few years old.

At one point my mom, who didn’t need to drive when we lived in Pennsylvania, decided to get her driver’s license and my dad bought a second car for her to use. It was after school and my two younger brothers decided to surprise dad when he came home from work by washing mom’s new car. We’ll they didn’t quite get done with the hood when my mom saw what they were doing and came out to take a closer look. She was stunned! My brother’s wanted to do a really good job and please mom and dad so they got best cleaner they could think of to use … Brillo pads!

Needless to say, dad was not too happy and it took all the strength and power of the Holy Spirit working in him to keep him from blowing a gasket and killing my brothers. My dad … though he didn’t swear using conventional run-of-the-mill words that get tossed about today by every person this side of heaven, could yell “CHEESE and CRACKERS” in such a way as to make a sailor blush - and my brothers run to their room. The abundance of God’s grace and the love of God worked within my dad at that trying though funny time and:

The abundance of God works within you forever!

The truth is Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church here is quite frankly a letter from a father to a child. Fathers have great responsibility and Paul wanted to pass on some important information and wisdom to his children.

Earlier in Chapter three, Paul had laid out his credentials to them –

2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me (Paul) by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

… Assuming that you have heard … perceive my insight … revealed by the Spirit. Paul has established who he is to them in Christ. He is their father in the faith and though there are and have been some who begin to doubt, as will happen at times, their place and standing in Christ Paul confirms that:

6 This mystery is that the Gentiles (… these fellow non-Jewish believer in the Ephesian church) are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

They are God’s children through the Gospel and brought to faith by the Spirit. But, Paul is not with them at this time and is writing to them from the cell of a prison in Rome where he is confined. His thoughts are not far from his children though and he begins in our lesson today by bending his knees in prayer for them. Prayer - the power God gives his children … His church, to reach into the heavens and speak to the Father through His Son, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Martin Luther expresses Paul’s thoughts in this way:

“I must lie here a prisoner and cannot be with you nor help you in any other way, only that I can bend my knees, that is, with all humility and seriousness pray to God that He might give you, and work in you, what neither I nor any other person can do, even if I had my liberty and were with you always.” Paul Kretzmann Vol. 4 Pg. 274 

There were doubts, there were grumblings there were false prophets attacking God’s church and Paul, sitting in prison prays for his children in Ephesus directing them away from the false teaching and false gods of the Devil, the world and the flesh and he points them to the Gospel promise that:

The abundance of God works within you forever!

Unfortunately, many today and some in our own church don’t see the distinction of what we believe teach and confess. There is a failure to understand how false teaching can enter the church and wreak havoc on the flock and as Pastor Merrell spoke about last week; regarding the work of faithful shepherds who preach and teach the word of God - rightly dividing the word of truth and faithfully administering the sacraments. There is false teaching in this world as had been the case in Ephesus when Paul was writing his epistle.

A recent article from last weekend speaks of a trend that is happening for many young people and probably for some at our church as well. It’s been termed, “Church Hopping.” Now this trend isn’t speaking of someone who moves into a new area and goes to St. Stephens one weekend and maybe Peace the next and then St. Trinity on the fallowing weekend trying to find a new church home. This trend might have a person attend Peace and even be a member but on subsequent weekends attend other churches regularly on a rotation or felt needs basis.

One gentleman who attends three different metro churches says:

“When I’m looking for a "contemplative" and "Quakerish" type of worship experience, I might attend Missio Dei, a church linked to the Mennonite faith or I might also attend Woodland Hills, a non-denominational church because I enjoys the "charismatic" services but also on some Sundays I attend Solomon's Porch, an emergent Christian church in Minneapolis that is "laid back," where instead of pews, congregants sit on sofas around coffee tables.”

He continues: "I've never been able to find one church that answers all my needs, spiritual broadness and experience. By being broad like this … it's a richness … It's like, would you rather be narrow and have two friends or have a lot of friends in your life? And that's kind of where I'm at. I can't be narrow anymore."

Jesus say in Matthew 7:

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matt. 7:13-15)

The truth of God cannot be manipulated by felt needs. Many try and when the church fails to meet the need of the individual whether it be better coffee, softer pews that take on the form of a sofa or music that entertains, the Divine Service becomes me centered instead of Christ centered. The Spirit can’t point to Christ through truth and error. The word either points to where we fall short in our quest to reach God and fulfill the Law on our terms or it points to Christ who has fulfilled the Law perfectly for you and me.

The preaching of Law and Gospel is what we who serve Peace here are to do faithfully. At times it is hard to look at a fellow sinner and point out the sin of gossip or cohabitation, drugs and alcohol or whatever sin you wish to put on the list. We all fall short but it is the work of those faithful shepherds who under-shepherd God’s flock, at times to point out sin to an erring brother or sister in the Lord so that they turn from his sin, repent … and be restored receiving absolution, the forgiveness of sins, in the name of Jesus.

Too often, the answer to this type of Christian discipline is, “See you later Pastor! I’ll go to another church that will meet my needs and not judge my sin or I just won’t go at all!”

But to remain faithful shepherds we must, as Paul did with the Ephesians, care for them as our own little children, in prayer and in teaching bringing the brunt of the Law when necessary and the sweetness of the Gospel in repentance. After Paul finished his letter to the Ephesian church he had Timothy his companion and son in the Lord deliver it for him and most probably read it to the Ephesians which makes the words of St. Timothy in his second epistle all the more compelling:

2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Dear friends: The abundance of God is found here at Peace, in word and sacrament and God’s Spirit will continue to work within you forever!

God’s word rightly preached is truth. The truth that Jesus Christ the son of God came into the world to save sinners, like you and me, can be that blessed comfort for a weary soul.

As I began with Paul’s words from our epistle I now close with those same words:
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.
The abundance of God works within you forever!

As my brothers found out years ago with my dad’s car. Even good intentions can at time cause pain to others and also as my dad found out … at times God needs to speak through our actions. Even though my brother’s intentions were good they produced the wrong result. My dad knew that and by the Spirit reacted in love. God reacted in love too by sending His son Jesus to take the punishment for our sin and the sin of the whole world. When God looks at you He doesn’t see your sin … He sees Jesus and His righteousness that covers you and by the power of Holy Spirit continues to point you to Him.

God comfort you with the good news that:

The fullness of God’s abundant love works within you forever!

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

Amen

Sermon July 14- 15, 2012

Title: God has adopted you, and in Christ you are His child! Text: Ephesians 1:3-6 (ESV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Dear friends, In 1952 a probation officer in New York City tried to find an organization that would assist in the adoption of a twelve-year-old boy. Although the child had a religious background, none of the major denominations would assist in his adoption. Said the officer later; “His case had been reported to me because he had been truant. I tried for a year to find an agency that would care for this needy youngster. Catholic, Protestant and Jewish institutions wouldn’t take him because he came from a denomination they didn’t recognize so I could do nothing constructive for him.” If the principles of Christian love had prevailed in the Bronx in 1952, perhaps a good home could have been found for that young, mixed-up boy. In fact, providing a better environment in which to grow up might have changed history. For, you see, the boy was Lee Harvey Oswald: The man who assassinated President John F. Kennedy. As today’s lesson begins, we learn from the Apostle Paul the great blessing of adoption, especially in light of sin and rebellion … and that God adopted, in Christ, those Christians in the church in Ephesus. He begins: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Paul, who is speaking in his letter to the church in Ephesus, has spent close to three years, with this mission congregation during his third missionary journey, pointing them to the cross and to the reality that they have, in Christ. During his time in Ephesus Paul proclaimed the truth in and among the people and for some background we read in Acts 19: 8 And he (Paul) entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way (which is what Christians were call then) before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 19:8-10) The Jews had been and were a blessed people. God brought them out of bondage in Egypt. He promised to bless them: In Deuteronomy we read: 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. (Deut. 28:4) Paul in his letter here is not speaking of temporal blessings, house or home, children or family, things of this world or blessings of the earth, but is only speaking of spiritual blessings in the heavenly places. What is that … you might ask? We might listen to the words of Jesus to find out: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23.) …or, 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. (Matt. 7: 24-25) … And what is that rock but the rock of Peter’s confession: 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah; for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (Matt 16:16-17) God has adopted you, and in Christ you are His child! But what “IS” being in Christ? Is it something we do? Is it a decision we make? Is it a desire we have or is it something that is completely outside of us; something given as a gift? Paul continues: 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. Being in Christ is, according to Paul, God’s work. He chose us in Him! (In Jesus) And, to be in Him is to be in Christ. So, when did this occur? How did this happen? The text tells us that before the foundation of the world; that before God said … “Let there be light.” You were chosen … you were called, you were set apart, but not like the nation of Israel … which in our Old Testament lesson today hear the word of the Lord’s condemnation through Amos: 9 “the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, And the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, And I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.” It was a hard word given Amos to preach: King Jeroboam would “die by the sword,” and Israel would “go into exile away from his land” (Amos 7:10–11). And for this Word, Amos was hated and threatened. Do you ever see hatred and threat against Christians in this world? The news out of Kenya this month is alarming. This is from the Catholic World News from July 02, 2012: Kenyan Christians killed in terror attack on church At least 17 people were killed, and many others seriously wounded, in an armed assault on a Christian church in Garissi, Kenya, on July 1. Armed men killed two guards, and then threw grenades into the African Inland Church. When worshippers ran outside they were hit with a salvo of automatic gunfire. Although the perpetrators of the attack were not immediately identified, Kenyan authorities strongly suspect the al-Shabaab terrorist group, which is actively in neighboring Somalia. The truth is that while we still reside in the relative peace of being able to worship in a free country that honors religious freedom. And, just last Sunday we’re able to take our worship outside, gathered together in celebration corporately under the peace of the Lord’s blessed good weather in our pavilion. The truth is, as Pastor Merrell pointed out last week in his sermon, the symbol of the cross is an offence, causing condemnation and scorn by some, in our own country and violent actions by others, in Kenya and around the world. How long the Lord’s protection will remain on us in the United States? Only God knows … But, Paul tells the church in Ephesus and also us that: In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, A few definitions: Predestined: To fix upon, decide, or decree in advance; to foreordain. Adoption: To take into one's family through legal means and raise as one's own child or to take up and make one his own. Purpose: The object toward which one strives or for which something exists; an aim or a goal. The Lord decided in advance and aimed as a goal to make you his own child. He predestined, preordained, called and chose … you! To be His child … you have been selected to be in Christ, and for some of you God called you in your Baptism when He marked you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. For others, you heard the word of truth preached and that word took seed in your heart and you, by the power of the Holy Spirit … believed. But this is not to your glory or for your glory … but only: 6 …to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved … And who is this beloved? Is it you or is it me? No! It is Him who came and took on sinful flesh that He might be made like you in every way, yet without sin, so that He might stand in your place and suffer God’s full measure of punishment for sin – for you - and pay the price and debt in full, so that: 7 In him (in Christ!) we have redemption through his blood; that flowed from Him and from the cross for you and for me, so that we would receive the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, John Chrysostom in his Homily 1 tells of this blessed exchange of being in Him when he says: He (God) hath given the Beloved, (Jesus Christ) for them (you and me) that were hated (and outside of His love in our sinful flesh). (But,) See, how high a price he sets upon us. If, when we hated Him and were His enemies, He gave the Beloved, (our blessed Lord and savior Jesus Christ), so what will He not do now (for you and me), when we are reconciled by Him through grace? 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. God has adopted you, and in Christ you are His child! 10 …as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. God’s desire in Him … in Christ … is you; and all that are your neighbor, whether in this city, state, country or around the world. He desires and wills that all will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Even those evil ones that threw grenades in to that church in Kenya, killing 17 of His children, He desires them too. Hard to believe, but so is the free grace given each one of us who when we look in the mirror and see the sinful flesh that is you and me and know, who we are and what we are capable of … and have done - we would all blush in shame to have anybody, fellow believer or not, know the truth of our sin. But: 11 In him, we have obtained an inheritance having been predestined according to the purpose of him, who works all things according to the counsel of his will, Inheritance (definition): which as many of you here know can come from hereditary succession to an estate or title or the right of an heir to succeed to property on the death of an ancestor or, something that may be legally transmitted to an heir. God’s will is your adoption in Christ, and the inheritance you receive and have already is every spiritual blessing in Him. It is the eternal blessed hope found only in Jesus Christ our Lord! 12 so that we, (Paul comforts the Ephesians) who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. But, we too receive hope and comfort because: 13 In him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee, - which is a promise, an assurance, that attests to the pledge that something will be performed in a specified manner by which one person (Jesus Christ) assumes responsibility for paying another's debts or fulfilling another's responsibilities; in keeping the Law of God perfectly which we were unable to do. Christ Jesus is the Guarantee ...of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. God has adopted you, and in Christ you are His child! Adoption is a wonderful thing and can bring real blessings to our world. Some famous adoptive children that have risen to greatness in this life are Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton, who were elected President of the United States, Steve Jobs – of Apple fame and I would find it hard to imagine life in our world without many of his innovations also musicians Eric Clapton, and Faith Hill to name a few that have brought pleasure to millions but the adoption that means the most and brings the greatest joy is the adoption into God’s family for you and for me in Him! 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior! God has adopted you, and in Christ you are His child! In the name of the Father, and on the Son + and of the Holy Spirit, Amen

Sermon June 16-17, 2012

Title: Christ takes seed in you and grows His kingdom!

Text: Mark 4: 30-32 (ESV)

30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

Dear friends,

There is a scene in the 1989 movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where nearing the end of his quest, Indiana, reaches an opening in a cliff but for him to continue on he must take a leap of faith to reach the other side.

As he looks out at what is before him he sees a chasm below that is seriously deep and a distance way too far for him to reach or jump to on the other side. He has followed the directions in a book his father has given him. He faces a dilemma. What to do?

Finally as the scene climaxes and sweat pours off his face, he raises his leg and stepping out in faith walks off the face of the cliff. His foot lands on a solid bridge that was invisible to his sight. From his viewpoint there was no way to the other side. What we are shown as he continues across is that the perspective of the cliff face, on the other side, concealed the bridge that was there right in front of him. In his leap of faith … perspective is everything.

So too in our lesson for today … Jesus had been sharing with His disciples the truth about the Kingdom of God and using parables to explain their meaning. Jesus talked about seed and the sewing of the seed and how it took root and grew or didn’t depending on the soil where it landed.

And we read in Mark Chapter 4 starting at the 4th verse:

4 Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty fold and sixty fold and a hundredfold.”

The good soil produces an increase … growing … 30 … 60 and even 100 times the amount of seed that was planted!

The Gospel message proclaimed and by the working of the Holy Spirit …

Christ takes seed in you and grows His kingdom!

Jesus speaks of the kingdom of God in our text today, as if a man should scatter seed. The image is vivid in our minds … at this time of year as we plant gardens or take vacations … driving around the state and seeing the many farms and farmers planting seed in the ground … expecting a yield come harvest time.

At the time of our Lord’s lesson in the Gospel reading for today, the blessing that we know of running water, at the turn of the tap, and hoses that get the water to the plant … was far off in the distant future. And so the man …… who had sown seed, sleeps and rises … night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; …the earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

29 …But, when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Jesus continues to speak in our Gospel lesson today about the kingdom of God, using the parable of the mustard seed … a seed so small that when it is sown, into the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth … 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

God’s kingdom grows when and where He wills because:

Christ takes seed in you and grows His kingdom!

The leap of faith that was taken in the fictitious movie by Indiana Jones was staged and it was achieved by sleight of hand and movie magic … but the reality of the powerful tool of the Gospel given in word and sacrament to you by faith is still for some … no big deal.

Even here in church the seed of the word is scattered and falls upon different soil. Some falls on the path … being left where it fell for the birds to find, some on the rocky soil and it sprouts quickly in the service but upon leaving church is scorched by the sun and the cares of the day. Other seed falls among the thorns, which can be those of you who really don’t want to be here and grudgingly come, but the word gets choked and yields no grain. But, some seed falls on good soil and with you the seed of the word takes root; it sprouts and grows – very slowly at times. But, with joy you leave here, sharing the word and the love of Christ producing a yield of 30, 60 or even 100 times!

For others … You might come to church or choose not to. You might have opportunities to tell someone outside this church about Jesus … and forget to. You might even fail to recognize the true body and blood of our Lord in the Sacrament of Holy Communion … and even at times and feel like you are … well … like the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.

You might feel that what you say won’t matter or that what you say won’t have the eloquence of speech of others or that what you say concerning Christ … won’t work to expand God’s kingdom. The doubts you feel … many feel. But Jesus tells you in this parable that God will take your imperfect speech, He will take even the slightest and smallest witness … through your failed stuttering and muttering about Christ and His saving work and grow His kingdom 30, 60 and even 100 times. The word which has been sown will not return void!

We read in Isaiah Chapter 55

11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Just like the tiny mustard seed … which seems at the beginning …so insignificant … God will grow this seed to unbelievable dimensions over time so that the riches of Christ reach so far out that even those that don’t want to come to church and those that don’t want to hear the message of salvation will be transformed through the word by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Christ takes seed in you and grows His kingdom!

The word of God is power. We’re told in Romans 1, by the apostle Paul:

…For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. (Rom 1:16)

I’d like to tell you a story to illustrate my point:

(Silence)

You see … the story about Christ and His saving work can’t be heard … if no one tells the story. If you think that someone else, better than you, will come along to tell the story later … all that may be heard by your friend, neighbor or relative is silence. The word of God is the power and the seed that is sewn unto salvation for those that need to hear the Gospel, and by this power – God - will transform hearts and grow his kingdom now and for eternity. Sometimes it is a very slow growth but understand God is working and His church is growing.

I’m not sure if you noticed, but we have plenty of room here at church in this service and have been on a downward trend these last 10 years. It’s time to sew the seed of the word and trust that God will use the smallest, slightest and weakest witness about Himself to grow His kingdom. He will bring the truth about Jesus by the working of the Holy Spirit and plant, in the lives of others, the seed of the word and grow the church to unbelievable yields. He gives you the power to change lives … by His word and through the power of the Holy Spirit, as a fellow builder of the kingdom of God.

There is a poem that poses a question we all need to ask ourselves. It’s called Builders and Wreckers. As you listen to this poem consider the work of God and the tiny mustard seed and what can be done by the power of the God’s Spirit in the lives of those who build the kingdom through our failed abilities and efforts … by God’s word.

Builders and Wreckers

As I watched them tear a building down
A gang of men in a busy town
With a ho-heave-ho, and a lusty yell
They swung a beam and the side wall fell

I asked the foreman, "Are these men skilled,
And the men you'd hire if you’d want to build?"
He gave a laugh and said, "No, indeed,
Just common labor’s all I need."

"I can easily wreck in a day or two,
What builders take many years to do."
And I thought to myself, as I went my way
What about me, which role do I play?

Am I a builder who works with care,
Measuring life by the rule and square?
Am I shaping my work as best I can
And patiently sharing the Master’s plan?

Or, am I a wrecker who walks to town
…Content with only tearing down?
"O Lord let my life and my labors be
God’s work, built up for eternity!"
Author Unknown

Friend’s, the power of the gospel will build the kingdom of God. Through the weakest of speech and the slightest of skill, the power of God will use even your smallest of efforts, in proclaiming Christ to a dying world, to do His will and bring His people to faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Those that are bound in this life to sin, death and the devil are set free by the power of the Gospel message and believe. The kingdom of God is found only in Christ and His saving Gospel which is the Good News and the message of salvation for everyone who believes.

Christ takes seed in you and grows His kingdom!

God comfort you with this truth now and forever!

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

Amen

My Great Lakes Banjo is finished. Thanks to Mark Zimmerman who replaced the finger board, inlay, frets and binding and did the set up and Randy Costew who finished the resonator and neck, I have a newly restored Great Lakes Special Banjo built in 1977!

LC-MS President, Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, enjoying my Great Lakes banjo at the Pastor's conference in Frankenmuth, Michigan.   May 15, 2012.

Sermon June 2-3, 2012

Title: The fullness of the Godhead in Christ!

Text: John 3:16-17 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Dear friends,

I think that in these difficult times that we live, there is a word that is heard quite often … it’s called diversity.  We are also encouraged by society to embrace diversity or be looked upon as narrow minded and self absorbed individuals. Well, for all of us diverse individuals here, we must ask the question: What is diversity?

Diversity can be defined as:

Of being composed of differing things, and especially the inclusion of different types of people as people of different races or cultures.

We are at the same time, called on to be unique.

Unique can be defined in this way:

To be the only one … or … being without something equal to or quite like … you for instance. Sometimes a person can be called unequaled or unparalleled which can mean to have distinctive characteristics that makes you unique in a way, or the only one.

It is always a unique and diverse experience to preach on Trinity Sunday and to try to bring to our understanding God’s word and the concept and nature of God, presented in the writings of Holy Scripture. It is a job, to say the least, that is utterly … inscrutable! And, with the Trinity, this simply means … that it is difficult to understand and that it is something really hard to figure out!

But God has made a way and we will look a bit closer at His way for us to grasp and understand the Trinity because God has given us:

The fullness of the Godhead in Christ!

In our Gospel lesson today we read the very familiar story of Jesus and this man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus. Now, this man Nicodemus was even a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest council of the Jewish Church and we find this out a little later in John’s gospel. He came to Jesus by night, somewhat fearing his colleagues, who’s dislike for Jesus was very clear from the beginning of His ministry, and also partly because he wanted to be with him by himself and not be disturbed. He felt a growing concern and dissatisfaction with the Jewish leaders, who were condemning Jesus’ unique and diverse message. This means that Jesus had one message, that His message was unequaled in the world, and that it was for all people regardless of race, culture or standing. Nicodemus believed that this new Teacher had something wonderful to say and should be heard and he had a desire to know more.

Nicodemus tells Jesus that he and a few others had come to the conclusion that Jesus was a Teacher that had come from God. They recognized in Him a divine message but not at all an understanding of Christ's divine nature. These Jews to whom Nicodemus belonged had simply drawn their conclusions from the evidence seen before their eyes. God had confirmed the teaching of Jesus by miracles and the testimony that brought conviction to all of them. Jesus commanded their attention with the wonders He performed and they clearly indicated the power of God beyond all question. There was no doubt of God's being with this man Jesus. The knowledge of Nicodemus and the others went so far as to even recognize in Jesus a prophet on a level with those of the Old Testament, but it did not go so far as to accept Him as the Messiah.

The position of Nicodemus is shared by many so-called Christians today. Their confession of Jesus completely conforms to their own reason. They believe Him to be a great Teacher and they praise His loving kindness shown throughout the scriptures. But they do not want to acknowledge Him as the only true God and the Savior of the world. They still see and embrace the idea of diversity and many different paths that lead to a loving god and the unique way that each person finds their way to their own truth.

But Jesus tells Nicodemus and all of us that:

The fullness of the Godhead in only found in Him!

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus can’t quite grasp this concept. “How can these things be?” he asks?

Jesus brings the work of God into focus.

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

The working of God through the water and Spirit in the sacrament of Holy Baptism brings even a tiny child into the kingdom of God.

Many people wrestle with Christ’s unique claims? How about you? Let’s look at a few others:

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

Or how about:

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51)

And from John chapter 12:

“Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.

And finally:

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

When we read Jesus’ own words, we see the diverse nature of God and that this nature is composed of different peasons, and that also God is unique, the only one … being without something equal to or quite like.

Jesus lays it all out for Nicodemus:

12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13  No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, - that’s another me statement - the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

It is hard to understand the concept and unique nature of the Godhead and the diversity of the Trinity of God

… but Jesus, connects His work for the salvation of the world to that of Moses, who put a serpent on a pole in the wilderness so that when the people of Israel looked to it, they were healed and lived. We too can look to Jesus for salvation and know that:

The fullness of the Godhead can be found only in Christ!

In Colossians 2 we read about God in Christ and this becomes a bit easier for us to understand:

9 For in him (Jesus) the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

The diversity and uniqueness of the Godhead is found in Christ.

10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Friends … Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, is the fullness of God, and how God has chosen to reveal Himself to us. You who have been buried with Him in baptism have been made alive by the working of the Holy Spirit who, as we also heard last week - is God in us - and having pointed us to the cross of Christ, we see that the record of debt - which is our sins – that the debt has been canceled, because your sins have been nailed to the cross with Jesus.

Somehow … and we can’t expect to figure this out, because it’s part of that inscrutable Trinity of God and that fullness of God is found only in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The cross that I wear has a unique depiction or representation in art of the Trinity of God. It shows Jesus Christ who has been nailed to the cross and behind the cross you see what represents the Father, with His head, just above the cross as his hands reach around the cross holding up and sustaining the arms of Jesus, all the while the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. It is a simple reminder for me, that when I look to Christ … I see the fullness of God … and this fullness of God is found in the diversity of the three persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit who in unity in the Trinity of God remain unique and through the work of Christ set you and me free from the bonds of sin, death and the Devil forever.

The fullness of the Godhead in Christ!

Today we will partake of the fullness of God together when we come to the Lord’s Table and receive the true body and blood of Christ given and shed for you. That is to say, that we partake with “the communion of saints” or in and through the sacraments, we have become partakers of the holy things of another world.

Martin Luther had this to say about the communion of saints:

“…because Christ and all the saints are one spiritual body, just as the inhabitants of a city are one community and body, each citizen being a member of the other and member of the entire city. All the saints therefore are members of Christ and of the church, which is a spiritual and eternal city of God, and whoever is taken into this city is said to be received into the community of saints, and to be incorporated into Christ’s spiritual body and made a member of Him.”

God has made you a member of Him in baptism, He sustains you and all the saints by His true body and blood given and shed for you. Christianity is unique in that it is the only religion where God come down and reveals Himself to us. God, in Christ, has come down for you and He lived a sinless life, suffered a horrible death, died and was buried and rose again for your justification – which means that you are declared not guilty in the sight of God and by His Spirit, God has called you to believe this Good News.

3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, - not many - and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

The diverse nature of God also is seen in the diverse nature of those he chooses to save. He, desires that all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth!

God comfort you with this truth now and forever!

Amen