Title: Everything is fulfilled in Jesus for you!
Text: Luke 4:16-30
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
G.K. Chesterton once said, “It is often supposed that when people stop believing in God, they believe in nothing. [But], it is worse than that. When they stop believing in God, they believe in anything.” Without God the only standard of TRUST - of right and wrong - is what appeals to you. And that’s a shifting standard. It all depends on what I want, what I like, what I accept, what pleases me. But scripture says: “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”
My standards are all warped. My morality is riddled with impurity. And if I base what I TRUST on that warped and impure life, then I’m going to embrace whatever gods allow me to do what I want to do. When I stop trusting in the God of Scripture [and his word] and believe anything, and eventually that will lead me to destruction. But now, by contrast, if I trust in the God of Scripture I’m no longer led by MY righteousness and holiness. Instead I trust a God who is so holy and so righteous that my tendency will be to build my life around Him - rather than Him around me.
Jeff Strite - Sermon Central
It is comforting to know that:
Everything is fulfilled in Jesus for you!
20 And [Jesus] rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?”
You can almost see the surprised look on the faces in the synagogue. Was that the carpenter’s son - Jesus? The one who made the table for the house? Is that Jesus? The man who fixed the door and helped with the roof? Gracious words they thought, but from the carpenter’s son? What’s up with that?
We’ve been there and done that too. Familiarity at time breeds commonness. But here, Jesus the word of God in human form is proclaiming the word of God fulfilled in him. Though they know him … the word of God is no less real. So too we who speak or hear God’s word; it is no less real because it is said by a friend or relative or through God’s call and ordained servants.
My dad may have felt some of that too. He came to my ordination three years ago and sat through the service. He saw his son take on a new role as servant of Christ call and ordained to serve the people here at Peace Lutheran Church. My brother told me after my dad’s passing that my dad was surprised and pleased … and maybe a bit taken back. My brother told me what my dad said after seeing me ordained, “You know, I don’t think I give Russell enough credit. He’s married over 30 years, worked in the piano business for over 30 years and now he’s a pastor and starting something new.”
What I think my dad was saying is much like those in our reading today who hear the word of God and say, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son, isn’t this Jesus … or in my dad’s case isn’t this my son Russ, the one who couldn’t play baseball well enough to make the team, the one I had to show how to fix a car, and the one I had to … on occasion … take my belt off and bend him over to teach him a lesson.”
It’s all true … except for the belt stuff! But I think my dad was taken back a bit. You see … God’s word is true whether Jesus proclaims it, or whether I proclaim it ... or you. It’s true no matter if a pastor says it, or if you, in talking to your friend … say it. God’s word is always true.
24 And [Jesus] said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.
It’s not just the hometown but there is a tendency to not see those who are given to rightly divide the word of truth and administer the sacraments at times with the respect they deserve. I’m as guilty as the next guy.
When I was at St. John our senior pastor, whom I had great respect for, received and accepted a call to a church in Illinois. I, as a new Lutheran, was devastated. Our associate pastor was called to be the Administrative pastor after a long call process that was unfruitful. I was having lunch with a few friends and this also included my friend Pastor Paul Monson – the same pastor that would end up preaching at my ordination some 15 years later. I made a comment as we discussed some of the things that were going on at church and referred to Pastor Heuser as … Pastor Loser. Well, Paul was none too happy with me and told me so. “Russ – watch your mouth! He is your pastor and you need to show him respect as the one whom God has placed over you.”
He was right. And though there was plenty of blame that could have gone around to both Pastor Heuser and the church leadership, respecting the office of under shepherd was one I had forgotten. Ultimately God moved Pastor Heuser on with a call to a smaller church on the west coast, and we as a church remained without a shepherd for some time. I and a number of others left the church and some went into ministry. What still amazes me is that during a time of brokenness and dysfunction, God remained faithful. Even while things seemed at times out of control, God was in control leading seven men, sooner or later, on their way to eventual ordination and ministry serving God’s church.
At times we only see the dysfunction and brokenness. There was much anger in God’s church then and as our reading says today. They wanted what had been done in Capernaum.
25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
We want God to be who we want him to be and to do for us what we want him to do.
27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath.
God’s son and God’s words get rejected. Jesus gets the ultimate rejection when the people cry … “crucify him!” God’s servants are sent just as the 12 disciples were sent and just as the 70 were sent and they too and our pastors today are sent and will face rejection and suffering too.
What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well. The people want what they want and we do too. We want God’s miracles not persecution. We want healing not sickness and why would one be healed and another suffer and die. More importantly we want answers that we want to hear. Bear in mind that God’s pastors are sinful too and also fall victim to temptation and say and do things that cause problems. But we can only control how we ourselves react to the sin against us.
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
Good News … Jesus is God and as such he has done it all … for you.
29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.
Though rejected by the people, Jesus still went to the cross … for them and … for you. He also gave them a miracle but not the one they were asking for or expecting:
30 But passing through their midst, he went away …
… only to finish his work and make peace with God … for you.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Monday, January 18, 2016
Sermon Jan. 16-17, 2016 Lutheran’s for Life Sunday (Weekend)
Title: Created, Redeemed and Called!
Text: Eph. 2:1-10
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Dorothy L.; longtime resident of Milford; passed away peacefully on January 7, 2016. She was 94 years old.
Gary E.; age 61; of Asheville, NC, formerly of Waterford Township, MI; passed away after a long illness, Friday, January 8, 2016. In Michigan, Gary was a 1972 graduate of Waterford Mott High School and a former employee of the Chatham Supermarkets and Pontiac Motors.
David H.; age 64 was the founder and CEO of MCM Management Company Industrial Services, who peacefully passed away at home January 9, 2016. He was a beloved husband and dear father and is also survived by his dogs, Muffin and Mazie.
January 10 2016 - David Bowie age 69 died peacefully surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.
This is just a small sample of life and death from last weekend. Some were known more than others for sure, but all certainly were impactful in the lives of their loved ones and friends.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theoaklandpress/
Death can cause us all to reflect for a moment …
The loss of a loved one brings life into focus. What they did, and how they did it, or maybe it’s what they didn’t do, or should have done that is remembered. Certainly for these people who lived anywhere from 61 to 94 years there is a time and a history to be remembered and looked at. For David Bowie – the famous one in this group - his life has impacted more people because of his public life and work, though for me it was not a music and life that I followed or paid much attention to. Still I was aware of him and had interest in what he was involved with.
But the reality of all of these lives has also a common thread.
2 And you … were dead in the trespasses and sins
Sin brings death and all who die are born in sin – not just covered in sin but being sinful throughout - though we would find it hard through our own sinful eyes to see the sin in a beautiful newborn child. But rest assured sinful they are and we also know that babies die, both in the womb and outside the womb, so life from conception to physical death is contaminated by sin.
This weekend we celebrate life with Lutherans for Life. We celebrate that life is God’s gift and that life should be honored from conception throughout the life of the person no matter how long that lasts, or how successful and famous they may or may not become … I might add.
God is the author of life, the creator of life, and it is through him that life comes forth. You and I have been created but also we have been recreated in baptism to restore the original righteousness that God created us to be but that image was broken by sin.
To this the Apostle Paul gives a clear picture:
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Death in birth leads to death in life. We are born spiritually dead and all succumb to the sinful nature and are dead in trespass and sin, but 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— because of God’s rich mercy.
Ill.
Robert Robinson had been saved out of a life of sin through George Whitfield’s ministry in England. Shortly after that, at the age of twenty-three, Robinson wrote our sermon hymn “Come, Thou Fount of every blessing” Sadly, Robinson wandered far from those streams of mercy never ceasing and, like the Prodigal Son, journeyed into a life of carnality.
One day he was traveling by stagecoach and sitting beside a young woman engrossed in her book. She ran across a verse she thought was beautiful and asked him what he thought of it. “Prone to wander Lord, I feel it Prone to leave the God I love.” Bursting into tears, Robinson said, “Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I could enjoy the feelings I had then.”
Although greatly surprised, she reassured him that the “streams of mercy” mentioned in his song still flowed. Mr. Robinson was deeply touched. Turning his “wandering heart” to the Lord, he was restored to full fellowship.
Kenneth W. Osbeck, 101 Hymn Stories, p. 52.
Do you wander daily sinful and unclean? Do you follow the inclination of the heart which is described by Jeremiah in chapter 17 as deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked? Jer. 17:9 Does temptation reel you in at times where sin results? It does for me and I’m sure for you as well.
But God’s mercy never wanders from you … or me. He has made us his own and will continue to keep us in his loving care. But we too must stand up for those who have no voice and can’t stand for themselves. 3000 lives aborted daily is hard to imagine and quite frankly … hard to stomach. What we do to help those who can’t help themselves says quite a bit about Christ in us and his working. Because we have been 6 raised and seated with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
That is life and forgiveness in his name for you and me and for all whom the Lord our God will call.
[The reality of death by abortion is hard to face. We all want to look away, but we must not. God has exposed this evil of abortion for us in mercy. He would not have us be deluded into thinking that these are victimless crimes or that there is no cost to those involved or that it is simply a matter of political opinion. He would not have us become complacent or lackadaisical while babies die, and souls are deeply harmed. God is calling us to action, to mercy, and to compassion for the lost sheep whom He deeply loves and whom we have been called to love as well.
Not only does evil change a person, but so does grace. We have been saved by the grace of Christ, baptized into His Name, and His redeeming Blood is poured upon us in the Lord’s Supper. We have the forgiveness of sins and the promise of heaven. We cannot despair. We cannot give ourselves over to hatred and rage. We, who have gained so much by grace, who have been changed into God’s own beloved, cannot hold those who are suffering from abortion or other sins in contempt.
If we love God, we must love our neighbors, because He loves them.]
file:///C:/Users/Russ/Downloads/LCMS-Sermon-In-Memory-Of-Abortion-Victims%20(1).pdf
May God give peace to all who have been victims in the fight for life and may he comfort all who morn directing them to the author of life himself our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Text: Eph. 2:1-10
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Dorothy L.; longtime resident of Milford; passed away peacefully on January 7, 2016. She was 94 years old.
Gary E.; age 61; of Asheville, NC, formerly of Waterford Township, MI; passed away after a long illness, Friday, January 8, 2016. In Michigan, Gary was a 1972 graduate of Waterford Mott High School and a former employee of the Chatham Supermarkets and Pontiac Motors.
David H.; age 64 was the founder and CEO of MCM Management Company Industrial Services, who peacefully passed away at home January 9, 2016. He was a beloved husband and dear father and is also survived by his dogs, Muffin and Mazie.
January 10 2016 - David Bowie age 69 died peacefully surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.
This is just a small sample of life and death from last weekend. Some were known more than others for sure, but all certainly were impactful in the lives of their loved ones and friends.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theoaklandpress/
Death can cause us all to reflect for a moment …
The loss of a loved one brings life into focus. What they did, and how they did it, or maybe it’s what they didn’t do, or should have done that is remembered. Certainly for these people who lived anywhere from 61 to 94 years there is a time and a history to be remembered and looked at. For David Bowie – the famous one in this group - his life has impacted more people because of his public life and work, though for me it was not a music and life that I followed or paid much attention to. Still I was aware of him and had interest in what he was involved with.
But the reality of all of these lives has also a common thread.
2 And you … were dead in the trespasses and sins
Sin brings death and all who die are born in sin – not just covered in sin but being sinful throughout - though we would find it hard through our own sinful eyes to see the sin in a beautiful newborn child. But rest assured sinful they are and we also know that babies die, both in the womb and outside the womb, so life from conception to physical death is contaminated by sin.
This weekend we celebrate life with Lutherans for Life. We celebrate that life is God’s gift and that life should be honored from conception throughout the life of the person no matter how long that lasts, or how successful and famous they may or may not become … I might add.
God is the author of life, the creator of life, and it is through him that life comes forth. You and I have been created but also we have been recreated in baptism to restore the original righteousness that God created us to be but that image was broken by sin.
To this the Apostle Paul gives a clear picture:
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Death in birth leads to death in life. We are born spiritually dead and all succumb to the sinful nature and are dead in trespass and sin, but 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— because of God’s rich mercy.
Ill.
Robert Robinson had been saved out of a life of sin through George Whitfield’s ministry in England. Shortly after that, at the age of twenty-three, Robinson wrote our sermon hymn “Come, Thou Fount of every blessing” Sadly, Robinson wandered far from those streams of mercy never ceasing and, like the Prodigal Son, journeyed into a life of carnality.
One day he was traveling by stagecoach and sitting beside a young woman engrossed in her book. She ran across a verse she thought was beautiful and asked him what he thought of it. “Prone to wander Lord, I feel it Prone to leave the God I love.” Bursting into tears, Robinson said, “Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I could enjoy the feelings I had then.”
Although greatly surprised, she reassured him that the “streams of mercy” mentioned in his song still flowed. Mr. Robinson was deeply touched. Turning his “wandering heart” to the Lord, he was restored to full fellowship.
Kenneth W. Osbeck, 101 Hymn Stories, p. 52.
Do you wander daily sinful and unclean? Do you follow the inclination of the heart which is described by Jeremiah in chapter 17 as deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked? Jer. 17:9 Does temptation reel you in at times where sin results? It does for me and I’m sure for you as well.
But God’s mercy never wanders from you … or me. He has made us his own and will continue to keep us in his loving care. But we too must stand up for those who have no voice and can’t stand for themselves. 3000 lives aborted daily is hard to imagine and quite frankly … hard to stomach. What we do to help those who can’t help themselves says quite a bit about Christ in us and his working. Because we have been 6 raised and seated with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
That is life and forgiveness in his name for you and me and for all whom the Lord our God will call.
[The reality of death by abortion is hard to face. We all want to look away, but we must not. God has exposed this evil of abortion for us in mercy. He would not have us be deluded into thinking that these are victimless crimes or that there is no cost to those involved or that it is simply a matter of political opinion. He would not have us become complacent or lackadaisical while babies die, and souls are deeply harmed. God is calling us to action, to mercy, and to compassion for the lost sheep whom He deeply loves and whom we have been called to love as well.
Not only does evil change a person, but so does grace. We have been saved by the grace of Christ, baptized into His Name, and His redeeming Blood is poured upon us in the Lord’s Supper. We have the forgiveness of sins and the promise of heaven. We cannot despair. We cannot give ourselves over to hatred and rage. We, who have gained so much by grace, who have been changed into God’s own beloved, cannot hold those who are suffering from abortion or other sins in contempt.
If we love God, we must love our neighbors, because He loves them.]
file:///C:/Users/Russ/Downloads/LCMS-Sermon-In-Memory-Of-Abortion-Victims%20(1).pdf
May God give peace to all who have been victims in the fight for life and may he comfort all who morn directing them to the author of life himself our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Sermon Jan 2-3, 2016
Title: Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!
Text: Luke 2:40-52
40 And the child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Today's message may sound a bit foolish to some, or it may sound like God’s powerful truth to others – and we’ll see if wisdom will be the byproduct for any of us in my foolish preaching!
When we speak of God's power, we may understand it by his Omnipotence, as the all powerful God speaks His creation into existence or even the parting of the Red Sea, or the raising of one from death to life. We in our day certainly look for God's power don’t we, in His ability to do things for us … in our need - such as healing our sicknesses today – right now - even as He healed those who were blind, lame, and afflicted in the stories we’ve heard from His Holy Word.
You can also understand foolishness in this life as you turn on your computers, smart phones or TV’s and see some of what graces the news stories, or even think of the foolish and stupid things in your own past that you've thought or done. I have plenty to remind me.
There is also great confidence that God will not hold our sins against us, because Christ has covered you and me with His righteousness … and I'm sure that my wife Monica could remember a few of my foolish things to share with you if you asked her!
The point is that we see in this world, foolish and powerful things every day. YouTube, facebook or reality TV is filled with the folly of this world in the acts of some, but also shows the beauty and power in the God given talent of others. There are even videos of guys on mountain bikes riding over roofs of houses and down every imaginable slope and precipice … foolish and powerful talent rolled into one!
I am thankful that I didn't have YouTube and video cameras growing up but there are still a few videos and pictures that I … wish didn’t exist.
Today’s gospel shows the power and wisdom in a 12 year old youth in the fully human Jesus who:
40 … grew and became strong, [and was] filled with wisdom. And [God’s] favor [rested] upon him.
And as was the custom of the family at this time, Mary, Joseph and Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Passover. On this occasion of their visit, unlike last week with the redeeming of the firstborn with a sacrifice, Jesus here is twelve years of age and 43 … as they were returning [home], the [12 year old] Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.
For any of you who have been on a trip and misplaced a child … well … it can be very difficult and tenuous time to say the least. Missing sight of my own children for even a few second in a store brought concern and slight panic.
Mary and Joseph didn’t know [Jesus was missing], 44 [they thought he was] in the group, so they [went on their way home for a day], but then [looked] for him among their relatives and acquaintances, [and] 45 … they did not find him, [so they] returned to Jerusalem, [to look] for him.
You can understand as a parent Mary’s frustration at Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem. I can think of how I might have reacted if my son or daughter had done this to me … I would have been not too happy to say the least, and here is Jesus in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And we’re told:
47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Of course they were amazed … Jesus was not your ordinary 12 year old. Twelve years on from the birth of the Christ child and Mary didn’t remember who she had carried or who she had given birth to.
She was a mother concerned only for her lost son.
Ill.
Back in the early 90’s I use to go to the Chet Atkins guitar festival in Nashville with my friend Rob. We would take our guitars and meet old and new friends who had great appreciation for Chet’s music and ability. It never ceased to amaze me how many young boys and girls who were in their early teens who could play circles around me! They had learned many of Chet’s songs and committed them to memory. They were a good imitation of the guitar style Chet had pioneered. But on closes inspection many of these child prodigies lacked a wisdom and maturity in their playing. Over time some would grow to become mature adult musicians while others would slip into obscurity or fall victim to their early success never able to attain that level of accomplishment again. Some of these polished 12 year olds even signed up to take lessons from my friend Rob where his years of wisdom and musical maturity could bring out the best in them.
This Jesus was different! This Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!
Those who heard him were amazed. It is something we all need to be reminded of. This child born of Mary on Christmas day is God in the flesh.
This coming Wednesday January 6th, we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. It is the day that Jesus is made known and recognized as the savior of all people. It is why the wise men came to worship him and to bring him gifts.
This young boy who was recognized as the savior and who was brought gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh as a young child, is now listening and teaching at the feet of the teachers, not as one who simply copied what he had heard and was parroting it back to his teachers like those student guitarists, but as one who was and is the source of that very wisdom and knowledge from God on high.
The house of God, the Temple where Jesus sat and taught, is also here at Peace Lutheran church where the true word of God is made known through word and sacrament, and also you are His Temple where God himself indwells all believers by His Spirit pointing you and me to the finished work of Christ Jesus and by his Spirit you see Jesus for who he is … the savior of the world … and that by faith you trust his word of promise, so elegantly proclaimed in John Chapter 14 to:
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!
Jesus is the one who makes the way for you and for me. He is the ones that the Magi came to bring gifts to. He is the one revealed as the savior, of the nations come. He is the one who at twelve years of age was, as the writer of the book of Hebrews put it:
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
And the next time we encounter Jesus on his trip to the cross, he will be pointed out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, who will take your place being baptized by John the Baptist with the baptism of repentance, being marked as the chief of sinners for you and then will go to Jerusalem taking your sins to the cross and nailing them there, proclaiming … It is finished.
It is true. This is no ordinary boy sitting among the teachers, teaching with wisdom and power and gently reminding his mother that he needed to be in His Father’s house.
50 And [his parents] did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
But, in submission, this God who made the world and all things obeyed his parents …
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother [the Blessed Virgin Mary] treasured up all these things in her heart.
She, knowing who he is and what he was appointed to do, to be the consolation of Israel and the savior of the world as Simeon last weekend held in his hands the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel - God with us.
52 And Jesus [as he continued to grow] increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!
God in Christ has been made know to you. May his peace and joy fill you each day of this New Year with hope and peace in the salvation that is your in him.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Text: Luke 2:40-52
40 And the child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Today's message may sound a bit foolish to some, or it may sound like God’s powerful truth to others – and we’ll see if wisdom will be the byproduct for any of us in my foolish preaching!
When we speak of God's power, we may understand it by his Omnipotence, as the all powerful God speaks His creation into existence or even the parting of the Red Sea, or the raising of one from death to life. We in our day certainly look for God's power don’t we, in His ability to do things for us … in our need - such as healing our sicknesses today – right now - even as He healed those who were blind, lame, and afflicted in the stories we’ve heard from His Holy Word.
You can also understand foolishness in this life as you turn on your computers, smart phones or TV’s and see some of what graces the news stories, or even think of the foolish and stupid things in your own past that you've thought or done. I have plenty to remind me.
There is also great confidence that God will not hold our sins against us, because Christ has covered you and me with His righteousness … and I'm sure that my wife Monica could remember a few of my foolish things to share with you if you asked her!
The point is that we see in this world, foolish and powerful things every day. YouTube, facebook or reality TV is filled with the folly of this world in the acts of some, but also shows the beauty and power in the God given talent of others. There are even videos of guys on mountain bikes riding over roofs of houses and down every imaginable slope and precipice … foolish and powerful talent rolled into one!
I am thankful that I didn't have YouTube and video cameras growing up but there are still a few videos and pictures that I … wish didn’t exist.
Today’s gospel shows the power and wisdom in a 12 year old youth in the fully human Jesus who:
40 … grew and became strong, [and was] filled with wisdom. And [God’s] favor [rested] upon him.
And as was the custom of the family at this time, Mary, Joseph and Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Passover. On this occasion of their visit, unlike last week with the redeeming of the firstborn with a sacrifice, Jesus here is twelve years of age and 43 … as they were returning [home], the [12 year old] Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.
For any of you who have been on a trip and misplaced a child … well … it can be very difficult and tenuous time to say the least. Missing sight of my own children for even a few second in a store brought concern and slight panic.
Mary and Joseph didn’t know [Jesus was missing], 44 [they thought he was] in the group, so they [went on their way home for a day], but then [looked] for him among their relatives and acquaintances, [and] 45 … they did not find him, [so they] returned to Jerusalem, [to look] for him.
You can understand as a parent Mary’s frustration at Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem. I can think of how I might have reacted if my son or daughter had done this to me … I would have been not too happy to say the least, and here is Jesus in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And we’re told:
47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Of course they were amazed … Jesus was not your ordinary 12 year old. Twelve years on from the birth of the Christ child and Mary didn’t remember who she had carried or who she had given birth to.
She was a mother concerned only for her lost son.
Ill.
Back in the early 90’s I use to go to the Chet Atkins guitar festival in Nashville with my friend Rob. We would take our guitars and meet old and new friends who had great appreciation for Chet’s music and ability. It never ceased to amaze me how many young boys and girls who were in their early teens who could play circles around me! They had learned many of Chet’s songs and committed them to memory. They were a good imitation of the guitar style Chet had pioneered. But on closes inspection many of these child prodigies lacked a wisdom and maturity in their playing. Over time some would grow to become mature adult musicians while others would slip into obscurity or fall victim to their early success never able to attain that level of accomplishment again. Some of these polished 12 year olds even signed up to take lessons from my friend Rob where his years of wisdom and musical maturity could bring out the best in them.
This Jesus was different! This Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!
Those who heard him were amazed. It is something we all need to be reminded of. This child born of Mary on Christmas day is God in the flesh.
This coming Wednesday January 6th, we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. It is the day that Jesus is made known and recognized as the savior of all people. It is why the wise men came to worship him and to bring him gifts.
This young boy who was recognized as the savior and who was brought gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh as a young child, is now listening and teaching at the feet of the teachers, not as one who simply copied what he had heard and was parroting it back to his teachers like those student guitarists, but as one who was and is the source of that very wisdom and knowledge from God on high.
The house of God, the Temple where Jesus sat and taught, is also here at Peace Lutheran church where the true word of God is made known through word and sacrament, and also you are His Temple where God himself indwells all believers by His Spirit pointing you and me to the finished work of Christ Jesus and by his Spirit you see Jesus for who he is … the savior of the world … and that by faith you trust his word of promise, so elegantly proclaimed in John Chapter 14 to:
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!
Jesus is the one who makes the way for you and for me. He is the ones that the Magi came to bring gifts to. He is the one revealed as the savior, of the nations come. He is the one who at twelve years of age was, as the writer of the book of Hebrews put it:
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
And the next time we encounter Jesus on his trip to the cross, he will be pointed out as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, who will take your place being baptized by John the Baptist with the baptism of repentance, being marked as the chief of sinners for you and then will go to Jerusalem taking your sins to the cross and nailing them there, proclaiming … It is finished.
It is true. This is no ordinary boy sitting among the teachers, teaching with wisdom and power and gently reminding his mother that he needed to be in His Father’s house.
50 And [his parents] did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
But, in submission, this God who made the world and all things obeyed his parents …
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother [the Blessed Virgin Mary] treasured up all these things in her heart.
She, knowing who he is and what he was appointed to do, to be the consolation of Israel and the savior of the world as Simeon last weekend held in his hands the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel - God with us.
52 And Jesus [as he continued to grow] increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Jesus is the wisdom and power of God!
God in Christ has been made know to you. May his peace and joy fill you each day of this New Year with hope and peace in the salvation that is your in him.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Monday, December 28, 2015
Sermon Dec. 26-27, 2015
Title: Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
Text: Luke 2:41-52
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
Missionary Don Richardson who served for many years among the primitive tribes in Papua New Guinea wrote a book entitled “The Peace Child.” He tells the story of two tribes in Papua New Guinea who maintained a blood feud between themselves for several generations. Each generation fought and nursed their wounds only to fight again killing and maiming more and more people.
After years of struggle the two tribes realized that they must stop fighting or nothing would be left of their peoples. But what could they do to end years of warring between the two tribes? The chiefs of the two tribes came together and brought with them a child they called “The Peace Child” This child was the son of one of the chiefs which was adopted into the family of the opposing chief. As long as that child lived the two chiefs promised to cease their fighting so that all could live.
Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author
The perfect picture of peace is God’s love for us in the sending of his Son, the Prince of Peace.
Peace can take on the many different looks, from the baby Jesus being brought into the temple … to the man Christ Jesus hanging on a cross saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
But the everlasting joy and peace we have is because:
Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
St. Luke finds it necessary to explain to his gentile audience the rites connected with the purification because they were not familiar with Jewish laws. The mother was unclean, according to the ordinances of Moses, for seven days after the birth of a son, and must then remain separate for a matter of another thirty-three days. These forty days denoted the days of the Levitical cleansing, or purification, Lev. 12. At the close of this period the parents went up to Jerusalem with the Child to present Him to the Lord, for the firstborn of man and beast belonged to the Lord, (Ex. 13, 2,) and had to be redeemed with a sacrifice.
Popular Commentary of the Bible PE Kretzmann NT Vol. 1 Pg 274
So Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple to make a sacrifice to the Lord of “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” And while there, to do as the Law required, they run into a man named Simeon who we are told was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, or the comfort and peace of God and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
You may get a feel for this as we here at Peace too see when a baby is brought into the Lord’s house or for a baptism, and all the people come and gather around wanting to hold the baby with smiles and joy on their faces. But this brings a bit of a different reaction:
27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
The joy of seeing this child, this Jesus brought to fulfillment for Simeon what the Lord by the Holy Spirit had promised, that he would not die until he had see the Christ. The joy in Simeon’s song is sung by this congregation following the reception of the Lord’s Supper as we too sing in joy with Simeon at what the Lord has given for the forgiveness of the sins of the world.
Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
Brokenness is a reality in this life. If it is not evident to us all the time there are times when we have our eyes opened. Sickness has a way of causing you and me to slow down and to look at our lives and what really matters. Speaking to those in the hospital has recently brought this to the forefront for some, as they reevaluate their own lives and what is important.
As we look at the close of another year may we all refocus our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and the gift of forgiveness won at the cross for you and me. May life in him bring joy and peace no matter the circumstance we face bringing God’s love and comfort when it is most needed.
Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
Death’s sting has been swallowed up in victory by Jesus Christ and we can all have comfort in His blessed work and this blessed Good News. As we lose loved ones or think about this frail existence we inhabit here in this world we can have peace.
Ill.
There is an old proverb that says, “When there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty of character. When there is beauty of character, there is honor in the home. When there is honor in the home, there is order in society. And when there is order in society, there is peace in the world.”
Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author
Maybe that explains a bit of the struggle we see in life and in the world.
Comfort and peace is found only in Christ Jesus who has come to rescue you. Comfort and peace knows the joy of Christ Jesus in your life. Comfort and peace is being called to follow Christ by God’s Holy Spirit who indwells all believers and is called the comforter by Jesus himself.
For Jesus Himself says that:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Dear friends, you have access to the father through Christ Jesus our Lord who came to live, suffer, die and rise again for you and will give you true peace found only in His saving arms that were outstretched upon the cross as He gave His life for you.
Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
So when the trials of life burden you and the storms of life rage rest in the peace of Christ and in the loving hands of the savior who reminds us in John’s gospel:
7 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Text: Luke 2:41-52
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
Missionary Don Richardson who served for many years among the primitive tribes in Papua New Guinea wrote a book entitled “The Peace Child.” He tells the story of two tribes in Papua New Guinea who maintained a blood feud between themselves for several generations. Each generation fought and nursed their wounds only to fight again killing and maiming more and more people.
After years of struggle the two tribes realized that they must stop fighting or nothing would be left of their peoples. But what could they do to end years of warring between the two tribes? The chiefs of the two tribes came together and brought with them a child they called “The Peace Child” This child was the son of one of the chiefs which was adopted into the family of the opposing chief. As long as that child lived the two chiefs promised to cease their fighting so that all could live.
Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author
The perfect picture of peace is God’s love for us in the sending of his Son, the Prince of Peace.
Peace can take on the many different looks, from the baby Jesus being brought into the temple … to the man Christ Jesus hanging on a cross saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
But the everlasting joy and peace we have is because:
Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
St. Luke finds it necessary to explain to his gentile audience the rites connected with the purification because they were not familiar with Jewish laws. The mother was unclean, according to the ordinances of Moses, for seven days after the birth of a son, and must then remain separate for a matter of another thirty-three days. These forty days denoted the days of the Levitical cleansing, or purification, Lev. 12. At the close of this period the parents went up to Jerusalem with the Child to present Him to the Lord, for the firstborn of man and beast belonged to the Lord, (Ex. 13, 2,) and had to be redeemed with a sacrifice.
Popular Commentary of the Bible PE Kretzmann NT Vol. 1 Pg 274
So Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple to make a sacrifice to the Lord of “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” And while there, to do as the Law required, they run into a man named Simeon who we are told was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, or the comfort and peace of God and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
You may get a feel for this as we here at Peace too see when a baby is brought into the Lord’s house or for a baptism, and all the people come and gather around wanting to hold the baby with smiles and joy on their faces. But this brings a bit of a different reaction:
27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
The joy of seeing this child, this Jesus brought to fulfillment for Simeon what the Lord by the Holy Spirit had promised, that he would not die until he had see the Christ. The joy in Simeon’s song is sung by this congregation following the reception of the Lord’s Supper as we too sing in joy with Simeon at what the Lord has given for the forgiveness of the sins of the world.
Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
Brokenness is a reality in this life. If it is not evident to us all the time there are times when we have our eyes opened. Sickness has a way of causing you and me to slow down and to look at our lives and what really matters. Speaking to those in the hospital has recently brought this to the forefront for some, as they reevaluate their own lives and what is important.
As we look at the close of another year may we all refocus our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and the gift of forgiveness won at the cross for you and me. May life in him bring joy and peace no matter the circumstance we face bringing God’s love and comfort when it is most needed.
Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
Death’s sting has been swallowed up in victory by Jesus Christ and we can all have comfort in His blessed work and this blessed Good News. As we lose loved ones or think about this frail existence we inhabit here in this world we can have peace.
Ill.
There is an old proverb that says, “When there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty of character. When there is beauty of character, there is honor in the home. When there is honor in the home, there is order in society. And when there is order in society, there is peace in the world.”
Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author
Maybe that explains a bit of the struggle we see in life and in the world.
Comfort and peace is found only in Christ Jesus who has come to rescue you. Comfort and peace knows the joy of Christ Jesus in your life. Comfort and peace is being called to follow Christ by God’s Holy Spirit who indwells all believers and is called the comforter by Jesus himself.
For Jesus Himself says that:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Dear friends, you have access to the father through Christ Jesus our Lord who came to live, suffer, die and rise again for you and will give you true peace found only in His saving arms that were outstretched upon the cross as He gave His life for you.
Christ brings access to the Father’s House for you!
So when the trials of life burden you and the storms of life rage rest in the peace of Christ and in the loving hands of the savior who reminds us in John’s gospel:
7 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Sermon Dec. 24, 2015 Christmas Eve
Title: The blessed hope has come in Jesus!
Text: Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Many of you like me, I’m sure, remember the day your children were born. For me there was the time of Monica’s pregnancy, the doctor’s visits, anticipation, worry, anxiety, excitement and many other feelings associated with the coming of a child.
This was especially true with our first born. What would it be, a boy or a girl? At that time, we could have been told to a relatively high degree of certainty but we chose to wait happy to accept what the Lord would bless us with.
On the day of Monica’s last doctor’s visit she was already dilated and we hurried over to the Hospital. As the time of the birth neared and the head of the baby began to emerge; Dr. Dorfman looked up and said, “Top half’s a boy … and as the baby was born … bottom half’s a girl!”
The excitement and joy of this birth blessed our family as only God’s gift of children can, and now with the Christ child we can all celebrate today that:
The blessed hope has come in Jesus!
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
What had been anticipated during Advent has now appeared. God’s salvation for all people has come in a means most peculiar … a baby boy wrapped in cloths … lying in a manger.
This good news when proclaimed by an angel to the shepherds in the fields brought great fear.
10 [But] the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2: 10, 13, 14
God in Christ has brought peace between God and man and all who are found in Christ have God’s favor on account of this child of lowly birth.
The blessed hope who is Jesus!
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
What you and I are called to do … we can’t. We miss the mark and fall daily into the sinful desires of a sinful people. But Jesus has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. He has humbled himself to be our substitute, yours and mine, and to make a way where there is no way.
God’s child has renounced ungodliness and the passions of this world and has lived the God pleasing life according to the Law of God and fulfilling every requirement in this present evil age – for you. He has done what you and I could not and he has given this all to you. This grace of God appearing in this child for you has been made know by the power of the Holy Spirit working in you to believe.
But now it is this child, this babe, this baby King in a manger who looks to be for many who see him … not a King … not the Lord … and certainly not the savior of the world, but only a child and a baby in weakness.
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
In weakness he came but in glory he will come again. God’s creation fallen into sin waited for this day. This day when God would come, the blessed hope of salvation in Jesus name, in this Christ child, because he is the one who will be the one to redeem his people from their sin.
We celebrate his coming today too in the joy and peace he has won for us at the cross – by his death and resurrection.
Because:
14 [He] gave himself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness, and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous [or have great zeal and joy] for good works.
And you might ask, “What are these good works?”
Those who were following Jesus asked him:
“What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 [And he] answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6: 27-29
Jesus - this baby - is the sent one,
Begotten of his Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
Very God of very God,
Begotten, not made,
Being of one substance with the Father,
born in a manger … for you.
This God who came in weakness lived a sinless life … for you.
This God who came in weakness was handed over, tried, convicted and nailed to a cross … for you.
This God who came in weakness was buried and three days later rose from the dead … for you.
This God who came in weakness showed himself to his disciples and to more than 500 others … for you.
This God who came in weakness ascended to the right hand of God and he intercedes … for you.
He will come again in glory at the appointed time to take you to where he is because in Christ you are seen through the veil … which is Jesus Christ the righteous one, and in him you are forgiven, redeemed and adopted into God family!
The blessed hope has come in Jesus … for you!
An interesting map is on display in the British Museum in London. It's an old mariner's chart, drawn in 1525, outlining the North American coastline and adjacent waters. The cartographer made some intriguing notations on areas of the map that represented regions not yet explored. He wrote: "Here be giants," "Here be fiery scorpions," and "Here be dragons." Eventually, the map came into the possession of Sir John Franklin, a British explorer in the early 1800s. Scratching out the fearful inscriptions, he wrote these words across the map: "Here is God."
Unknown.
Well, as we celebrate the Christ child and the coming of Jesus and His incarnation we see in a manger, a baby boy and say: “Here is God!”
The blessed hope has come in Jesus for you! May you joy together with the church of God as we celebrate his coming and all he came to do for you and me and all who are a far off … all whom the Lord our God will call to faith.
A Merry and blessed Christmas to you!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Text: Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Many of you like me, I’m sure, remember the day your children were born. For me there was the time of Monica’s pregnancy, the doctor’s visits, anticipation, worry, anxiety, excitement and many other feelings associated with the coming of a child.
This was especially true with our first born. What would it be, a boy or a girl? At that time, we could have been told to a relatively high degree of certainty but we chose to wait happy to accept what the Lord would bless us with.
On the day of Monica’s last doctor’s visit she was already dilated and we hurried over to the Hospital. As the time of the birth neared and the head of the baby began to emerge; Dr. Dorfman looked up and said, “Top half’s a boy … and as the baby was born … bottom half’s a girl!”
The excitement and joy of this birth blessed our family as only God’s gift of children can, and now with the Christ child we can all celebrate today that:
The blessed hope has come in Jesus!
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
What had been anticipated during Advent has now appeared. God’s salvation for all people has come in a means most peculiar … a baby boy wrapped in cloths … lying in a manger.
This good news when proclaimed by an angel to the shepherds in the fields brought great fear.
10 [But] the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2: 10, 13, 14
God in Christ has brought peace between God and man and all who are found in Christ have God’s favor on account of this child of lowly birth.
The blessed hope who is Jesus!
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
What you and I are called to do … we can’t. We miss the mark and fall daily into the sinful desires of a sinful people. But Jesus has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. He has humbled himself to be our substitute, yours and mine, and to make a way where there is no way.
God’s child has renounced ungodliness and the passions of this world and has lived the God pleasing life according to the Law of God and fulfilling every requirement in this present evil age – for you. He has done what you and I could not and he has given this all to you. This grace of God appearing in this child for you has been made know by the power of the Holy Spirit working in you to believe.
But now it is this child, this babe, this baby King in a manger who looks to be for many who see him … not a King … not the Lord … and certainly not the savior of the world, but only a child and a baby in weakness.
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
In weakness he came but in glory he will come again. God’s creation fallen into sin waited for this day. This day when God would come, the blessed hope of salvation in Jesus name, in this Christ child, because he is the one who will be the one to redeem his people from their sin.
We celebrate his coming today too in the joy and peace he has won for us at the cross – by his death and resurrection.
Because:
14 [He] gave himself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness, and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous [or have great zeal and joy] for good works.
And you might ask, “What are these good works?”
Those who were following Jesus asked him:
“What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 [And he] answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6: 27-29
Jesus - this baby - is the sent one,
Begotten of his Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
Very God of very God,
Begotten, not made,
Being of one substance with the Father,
born in a manger … for you.
This God who came in weakness lived a sinless life … for you.
This God who came in weakness was handed over, tried, convicted and nailed to a cross … for you.
This God who came in weakness was buried and three days later rose from the dead … for you.
This God who came in weakness showed himself to his disciples and to more than 500 others … for you.
This God who came in weakness ascended to the right hand of God and he intercedes … for you.
He will come again in glory at the appointed time to take you to where he is because in Christ you are seen through the veil … which is Jesus Christ the righteous one, and in him you are forgiven, redeemed and adopted into God family!
The blessed hope has come in Jesus … for you!
An interesting map is on display in the British Museum in London. It's an old mariner's chart, drawn in 1525, outlining the North American coastline and adjacent waters. The cartographer made some intriguing notations on areas of the map that represented regions not yet explored. He wrote: "Here be giants," "Here be fiery scorpions," and "Here be dragons." Eventually, the map came into the possession of Sir John Franklin, a British explorer in the early 1800s. Scratching out the fearful inscriptions, he wrote these words across the map: "Here is God."
Unknown.
Well, as we celebrate the Christ child and the coming of Jesus and His incarnation we see in a manger, a baby boy and say: “Here is God!”
The blessed hope has come in Jesus for you! May you joy together with the church of God as we celebrate his coming and all he came to do for you and me and all who are a far off … all whom the Lord our God will call to faith.
A Merry and blessed Christmas to you!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Monday, December 21, 2015
Sermon Dec. 19-20, 2015
Title: God’s blessings are brought to you in Christ!
Text: Luke 1:39-45
41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
God’s blessings are brought to you in Christ!
A few years ago in adult Bible Study we learned that Bethlehem Ephrathah means “the house of bread.” It will play a special role in God’s plan as the prophet Micah records in our Old Testament reading for today:
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2)
This “house of bread”, Bethlehem, would become the place where the true bread from heaven, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior would come down to save His people from the power of sin, death and the Devil’s working in their lives. From this tiny town the salvation of the world would emerge.
Mary, who just a little bit earlier in Luke’s gospel reading, would have a visitation from the Angel Gabriel, announcing that she would have a very special role as well to play in God’s plan for restoring the gulf that was fixed by sin between God and man and we also have heard these past two weeks how John the Baptist would be used by God to prepare the way.
Today our Gospel reading moves back a bit in the story, some 30 plus years, to Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, another women used by God for a very important role. She would bear the prophet, John, who would be the greatest of all prophets as Jesus said in our Gospel reading from last week,
28 I tell you … among those born of women none is greater than John.
But this visit of Mary to Elizabeth was a bit different.
Mary with joyful energy and as the text says, “Arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,” and came to the house of Zachariah, where she greeted Elisabeth, just as you or I might great a relative or dear friend. But then God performed a miracle. By the working of the Holy Spirit this unborn son of Elisabeth, at hearing Mary’s voice, was filled with the Holy Spirit. And so too Elisabeth, by this same Spirit acting in a miraculous way, also filled her as she spoke:
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord (by special gifting of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth was given the knowledge and trusting faith to know who this child Mary was carrying truly was) should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” (Luke 1:42b-44)
God’s blessings are brought to you in Christ!
So what does the knowledge given you by the Holy Spirit about Jesus bring you? Is it an unstoppable kind of joy that might even cause you to leap? If you’re like me, I joy in Christ … that he has given me freedom from sin … but the Christmas season can be a drag at times too. Having worked in retail sales for most of my adult life I have found it hard to get joyful working extra hard and being consumed with all that needs to be done – during the holidays. But, this year I get to add just a bit more work as … orderly … at home. Monica calls me nurse … but I remember the old Jerry Lewis movie from the early 60’s: The Disorderly, Orderly, and that’s me.
Now, add to all of this the fact that this child, this babe from Bethlehem, would become, one who is an offence to many. He is an offense in our world for sure so much so that Merry Christmas has become Happy Holidays – handed down as corporate policy from the board rooms of many companies and the true blessed meaning of Christmas has been neutered into just another sale. Sound familiar? But I did have a joyful reprieve just the other day. I stopped into CVS for a small purchase after Confirmation class on my way home and after paying the cashier said, Merry Christmas with a big smile … it made my day.
As did the visit I made to Loreda in hospice care. She was able to smile and recite the Lord’s Prayer and receive the Lord’s Supper. It was of great comfort to me to see the faith of this Christian Woman and her hope hope that is in Christ Jesus her Lord. As I continued on to church, I stopped at Burger King for a burger. I was in the drive through and there was quite a few cars in line. As I got to the window to pay the young man handed me my burger and said, “The man in front of you paid for your meal and said to have a Merry Christmas.” Wow … another smile to my face. He then asked, “Would you like to pay it forward? “Absolutely, I said … and tell them Merry Christmas too!”
The message of who Jesus is, who this child is that we wait for this Advent season … the one who caused the child in the womb of Elizabeth to jump for joy, this child Jesus Christ, came to conquer the power of evil and brokenness in this world, for you and for me.
Merry Christmas, Brought a real smile to my face this past Monday! Don’t let the season be defined by the ways of the world.
At an elementary school in Florida Baby Jesus has been put back in a closet:
The principal of the school told a television station that after a visit from the Department of Education:
“In an attempt to be fair to everyone, the principal said, “We decided that we would just not put the Nativity scene out on campus.”
“There are people in the community that are threatening to sue the school board and it costs a tremendous amount of money to defend something you know you will lose,”
It is after all the law. But, is it really just a church and state issue?
In a funny twist to the story, a business across the street put the schools Nativity on their property so those in the community could still enjoy it. Needless to say the happy Atheist who threatened the school was not too happy … “They’re acting like they’re beating the system by doing it … but they’re not. They’re perfectly within their rights to do this and no one will tell them to remove it.”
Via: Atheist Lutheran
… At least … not yet. Is this really just a church and state issue? No, if you look into these situations, it’s always about those who are offended, usually an unbeliever or one from a different faith tradition not wanting this,
unbelievably offensive, and unbelievable Christ child, in their face.
And while they seem to be okay with the nativity across the street from the school, they’re really not, because they believe that the school thinks that they’re beating the system and if they could make it illegal to have a nativity everywhere … they would.
God’s blessings are brought to you in Christ!
For John in the womb and Elizabeth, the joy that is the Christ child came in a miraculous and unexpected way through Mary’s visit. We too receive the joy that is Jesus Christ our Lord when He calls us to gather together in His name; where we receive his word and his sacraments giving us both faith and joy in this Christ child who came to free sinners, like you and me, from the enemy of our sin, from the death that it has brought to all who are conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity, (Psalm 51.5) and finally to join us to Him who is God in the flesh for all eternity!
Our Joy is in the Christ child and that is for whom we await. He came for you and by the power of the Holy Spirit he gives you faith to leap for joy from the womb of death that you are born into, and by that same Spirit He lifts you into his loving arms never to let sin, death or the Devil pull you from the eternal life he gives.
God’s blessings are brought to you in Christ!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Text: Luke 1:39-45
41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
God’s blessings are brought to you in Christ!
A few years ago in adult Bible Study we learned that Bethlehem Ephrathah means “the house of bread.” It will play a special role in God’s plan as the prophet Micah records in our Old Testament reading for today:
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2)
This “house of bread”, Bethlehem, would become the place where the true bread from heaven, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior would come down to save His people from the power of sin, death and the Devil’s working in their lives. From this tiny town the salvation of the world would emerge.
Mary, who just a little bit earlier in Luke’s gospel reading, would have a visitation from the Angel Gabriel, announcing that she would have a very special role as well to play in God’s plan for restoring the gulf that was fixed by sin between God and man and we also have heard these past two weeks how John the Baptist would be used by God to prepare the way.
Today our Gospel reading moves back a bit in the story, some 30 plus years, to Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, another women used by God for a very important role. She would bear the prophet, John, who would be the greatest of all prophets as Jesus said in our Gospel reading from last week,
28 I tell you … among those born of women none is greater than John.
But this visit of Mary to Elizabeth was a bit different.
Mary with joyful energy and as the text says, “Arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,” and came to the house of Zachariah, where she greeted Elisabeth, just as you or I might great a relative or dear friend. But then God performed a miracle. By the working of the Holy Spirit this unborn son of Elisabeth, at hearing Mary’s voice, was filled with the Holy Spirit. And so too Elisabeth, by this same Spirit acting in a miraculous way, also filled her as she spoke:
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord (by special gifting of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth was given the knowledge and trusting faith to know who this child Mary was carrying truly was) should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” (Luke 1:42b-44)
God’s blessings are brought to you in Christ!
So what does the knowledge given you by the Holy Spirit about Jesus bring you? Is it an unstoppable kind of joy that might even cause you to leap? If you’re like me, I joy in Christ … that he has given me freedom from sin … but the Christmas season can be a drag at times too. Having worked in retail sales for most of my adult life I have found it hard to get joyful working extra hard and being consumed with all that needs to be done – during the holidays. But, this year I get to add just a bit more work as … orderly … at home. Monica calls me nurse … but I remember the old Jerry Lewis movie from the early 60’s: The Disorderly, Orderly, and that’s me.
Now, add to all of this the fact that this child, this babe from Bethlehem, would become, one who is an offence to many. He is an offense in our world for sure so much so that Merry Christmas has become Happy Holidays – handed down as corporate policy from the board rooms of many companies and the true blessed meaning of Christmas has been neutered into just another sale. Sound familiar? But I did have a joyful reprieve just the other day. I stopped into CVS for a small purchase after Confirmation class on my way home and after paying the cashier said, Merry Christmas with a big smile … it made my day.
As did the visit I made to Loreda in hospice care. She was able to smile and recite the Lord’s Prayer and receive the Lord’s Supper. It was of great comfort to me to see the faith of this Christian Woman and her hope hope that is in Christ Jesus her Lord. As I continued on to church, I stopped at Burger King for a burger. I was in the drive through and there was quite a few cars in line. As I got to the window to pay the young man handed me my burger and said, “The man in front of you paid for your meal and said to have a Merry Christmas.” Wow … another smile to my face. He then asked, “Would you like to pay it forward? “Absolutely, I said … and tell them Merry Christmas too!”
The message of who Jesus is, who this child is that we wait for this Advent season … the one who caused the child in the womb of Elizabeth to jump for joy, this child Jesus Christ, came to conquer the power of evil and brokenness in this world, for you and for me.
Merry Christmas, Brought a real smile to my face this past Monday! Don’t let the season be defined by the ways of the world.
At an elementary school in Florida Baby Jesus has been put back in a closet:
The principal of the school told a television station that after a visit from the Department of Education:
“In an attempt to be fair to everyone, the principal said, “We decided that we would just not put the Nativity scene out on campus.”
“There are people in the community that are threatening to sue the school board and it costs a tremendous amount of money to defend something you know you will lose,”
It is after all the law. But, is it really just a church and state issue?
In a funny twist to the story, a business across the street put the schools Nativity on their property so those in the community could still enjoy it. Needless to say the happy Atheist who threatened the school was not too happy … “They’re acting like they’re beating the system by doing it … but they’re not. They’re perfectly within their rights to do this and no one will tell them to remove it.”
Via: Atheist Lutheran
… At least … not yet. Is this really just a church and state issue? No, if you look into these situations, it’s always about those who are offended, usually an unbeliever or one from a different faith tradition not wanting this,
unbelievably offensive, and unbelievable Christ child, in their face.
And while they seem to be okay with the nativity across the street from the school, they’re really not, because they believe that the school thinks that they’re beating the system and if they could make it illegal to have a nativity everywhere … they would.
God’s blessings are brought to you in Christ!
For John in the womb and Elizabeth, the joy that is the Christ child came in a miraculous and unexpected way through Mary’s visit. We too receive the joy that is Jesus Christ our Lord when He calls us to gather together in His name; where we receive his word and his sacraments giving us both faith and joy in this Christ child who came to free sinners, like you and me, from the enemy of our sin, from the death that it has brought to all who are conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity, (Psalm 51.5) and finally to join us to Him who is God in the flesh for all eternity!
Our Joy is in the Christ child and that is for whom we await. He came for you and by the power of the Holy Spirit he gives you faith to leap for joy from the womb of death that you are born into, and by that same Spirit He lifts you into his loving arms never to let sin, death or the Devil pull you from the eternal life he gives.
God’s blessings are brought to you in Christ!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Sermon Dec. 9, 2015 Advent Midweek 2
Title: The Lord purifies and refines you!
Text: Mal. 3:1-7b
And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
To refine is to bring to a fine or a pure state; free from impurities: It is during Advent that we wait for the one who would come to purify and refine us by his blood, shed at the cross.
In this …
The Lord purifies and refines you!
3 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.
In Malachi we learn that God prepares the way. In our lesson from this past weekend and for today, it is through his messenger John the Baptist that God’s way is prepared. The herald is the one who would call to those who heard to repentance.
Just prior to our reading in Malachi God had said:
17 You have wearied the LORD with your words.
Ill.
I don’t know about the Lord who is slow to anger, but I do know I have wearied people in my life. My boss of many years had a hard job. When I began working with him he was 23 and I was 25. We worked side by side for his dad. We were coworkers, piers and friends. This relationship lasted for over 20 years. Eventually he bought the company from his dad and became the boss. At one point he asked me to be a signer on the company checking account and again placed his trust in me. But now he was the boss and I the worker. I still had great respect for him and he as well for me. But … I was an employee.
We had performance reviews each year at the company and at one review, the boss was pointing out an error that had occurred with a customer and me and something I said or did that offended the customer. My perspective was different than his because he only had heard the customer’s side. It was minor, I thought our conversation had ended and walked away and they thought I just walked away but … and here’s the point. I brought up a similar incident that had occurred where he was the offending party and the customer had come to me as the manager of the store to complain.
My boss said, “Russ, this is hard enough for me and you just need to listen and let me be the boss.” I listened and I apologized and was mindful of his position as owner of the store.
The children of Israel didn’t hear, listen or get it.
But you say, “How have we wearied him?” [And the Lord answers through the prophet] By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
The people wanted justice against those “others” who have offended and wearied the Lord. But for them … they tell God, “Leave my sin alone. It’s not that bad … in fact … let’s call it good.”
And these were God’s priests too who were not honoring the Lord’s name, as well as the people of Judah who had a broken faith, desecrating the sanctuary of the Lord by marrying the daughter of a foreign god. Mal.2:11
The Lord purifies and refines you!
Our own blemishes and brokenness are made clear daily. With my own boss I wanted justice - just not against me. Don’t point out my fault, I thought … because your faults are know too. We all stumble and from my perspective, his was a greater fault where mine was merely a misunderstanding. And true as that may be from my point of view … it didn’t matter. Because, he was the boss … not me, it was his business … not mine, and really it was a review and he had a right to point out my error. It wasn’t even a grave mistake it was just that he was the one who held the place to judge me saying, “Be aware of this, and avoid this for your own good and the good of the company.”
I learned a great lesson and our reviews from then on … even if I didn’t agree with him, went well. I listened, paid attention and obeyed.
But judgment will come swiftly, against the sorcerers [false gods and idol worship], against the adulterers [worship of self], against those who swear falsely [Having other God’s and using the Lord’s name in vein], against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages [coveting that which is theirs], the widow and the fatherless [those who need support], against those who thrust aside the sojourner [not loving neighbor as thy self] , and do not fear me [having no reverence and respect for the creator of heaven and earth], says the LORD of hosts.
The Lord purifies and refines you!
So who can stand, and who can endure this judgment and this Judge? Must we be consumed in the wrath to come?
Malachi speaks for the Lord when he says:
For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
Ill.
Some time ago, a few ladies met in a bible study to read the scriptures and make God’s word the subject of their conversation. While reading the third chapter of Malachi they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse. ”And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
One lady’s opinion was that it was intended to convey the view of the sanctifying and refining influence of the grace of Christ, working in them. Then she proposed to visit a silversmith and report to the study group what he said on the subject. She went accordingly and without telling him the object of her errand, begged to know the process of refining silver, which the silversmith fully described to her.
“But Sir,” she said, “do you sit while the work of refining is going on?” “Oh, yes madam,” replied the silversmith, “I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured.”
The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” Christ sees it needful to put His children into a furnace. His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come at random; “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had still further to mention, that he only knows when the process of purifying was complete, by seeing his own image reflected in the silver.
Author Unknown
The Lord purifies and refines you!
God in Christ has redeemed you and marked you as his own he purifies you as he make you in his image sanctifying you making you holy and set apart as God’s chosen child. One redeemed by this Christ child that we wait for who has given his life for you and who will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and to you he will say,
“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.” Matt. 25:23
The Lord purifies and refines you!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Text: Mal. 3:1-7b
And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
To refine is to bring to a fine or a pure state; free from impurities: It is during Advent that we wait for the one who would come to purify and refine us by his blood, shed at the cross.
In this …
The Lord purifies and refines you!
3 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.
In Malachi we learn that God prepares the way. In our lesson from this past weekend and for today, it is through his messenger John the Baptist that God’s way is prepared. The herald is the one who would call to those who heard to repentance.
Just prior to our reading in Malachi God had said:
17 You have wearied the LORD with your words.
Ill.
I don’t know about the Lord who is slow to anger, but I do know I have wearied people in my life. My boss of many years had a hard job. When I began working with him he was 23 and I was 25. We worked side by side for his dad. We were coworkers, piers and friends. This relationship lasted for over 20 years. Eventually he bought the company from his dad and became the boss. At one point he asked me to be a signer on the company checking account and again placed his trust in me. But now he was the boss and I the worker. I still had great respect for him and he as well for me. But … I was an employee.
We had performance reviews each year at the company and at one review, the boss was pointing out an error that had occurred with a customer and me and something I said or did that offended the customer. My perspective was different than his because he only had heard the customer’s side. It was minor, I thought our conversation had ended and walked away and they thought I just walked away but … and here’s the point. I brought up a similar incident that had occurred where he was the offending party and the customer had come to me as the manager of the store to complain.
My boss said, “Russ, this is hard enough for me and you just need to listen and let me be the boss.” I listened and I apologized and was mindful of his position as owner of the store.
The children of Israel didn’t hear, listen or get it.
But you say, “How have we wearied him?” [And the Lord answers through the prophet] By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
The people wanted justice against those “others” who have offended and wearied the Lord. But for them … they tell God, “Leave my sin alone. It’s not that bad … in fact … let’s call it good.”
And these were God’s priests too who were not honoring the Lord’s name, as well as the people of Judah who had a broken faith, desecrating the sanctuary of the Lord by marrying the daughter of a foreign god. Mal.2:11
The Lord purifies and refines you!
Our own blemishes and brokenness are made clear daily. With my own boss I wanted justice - just not against me. Don’t point out my fault, I thought … because your faults are know too. We all stumble and from my perspective, his was a greater fault where mine was merely a misunderstanding. And true as that may be from my point of view … it didn’t matter. Because, he was the boss … not me, it was his business … not mine, and really it was a review and he had a right to point out my error. It wasn’t even a grave mistake it was just that he was the one who held the place to judge me saying, “Be aware of this, and avoid this for your own good and the good of the company.”
I learned a great lesson and our reviews from then on … even if I didn’t agree with him, went well. I listened, paid attention and obeyed.
But judgment will come swiftly, against the sorcerers [false gods and idol worship], against the adulterers [worship of self], against those who swear falsely [Having other God’s and using the Lord’s name in vein], against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages [coveting that which is theirs], the widow and the fatherless [those who need support], against those who thrust aside the sojourner [not loving neighbor as thy self] , and do not fear me [having no reverence and respect for the creator of heaven and earth], says the LORD of hosts.
The Lord purifies and refines you!
So who can stand, and who can endure this judgment and this Judge? Must we be consumed in the wrath to come?
Malachi speaks for the Lord when he says:
For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
Ill.
Some time ago, a few ladies met in a bible study to read the scriptures and make God’s word the subject of their conversation. While reading the third chapter of Malachi they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse. ”And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
One lady’s opinion was that it was intended to convey the view of the sanctifying and refining influence of the grace of Christ, working in them. Then she proposed to visit a silversmith and report to the study group what he said on the subject. She went accordingly and without telling him the object of her errand, begged to know the process of refining silver, which the silversmith fully described to her.
“But Sir,” she said, “do you sit while the work of refining is going on?” “Oh, yes madam,” replied the silversmith, “I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured.”
The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” Christ sees it needful to put His children into a furnace. His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come at random; “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had still further to mention, that he only knows when the process of purifying was complete, by seeing his own image reflected in the silver.
Author Unknown
The Lord purifies and refines you!
God in Christ has redeemed you and marked you as his own he purifies you as he make you in his image sanctifying you making you holy and set apart as God’s chosen child. One redeemed by this Christ child that we wait for who has given his life for you and who will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and to you he will say,
“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.” Matt. 25:23
The Lord purifies and refines you!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
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