Title: Master, it is good that we are here!
Text: Luke 9:28-36
Facebook live: Master, it is good that we are here!
34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
St Francis had this to say about the pride of man:
“Some men become proud and insolent because they ride a fine horse, wear a feather in their hat or are dressed in a fine suit of clothes. Who does not see the folly of this? If there be any glory in such things, the glory belongs to the horse, the bird and the tailor.”
St. Francis de Sales.
Jesus took Peter, John and James and went up on a mountain to pray. Not an unusual thing for our Lord to do. However, on this trip up the mountain the crowds that would have usually been following Him would be nowhere to be found.
You know the crowds; the ones who had followed Jesus; the ones who had been filled. The five thousand, had been fed with the five loaves and a two fish previously in Luke 9:16-17
16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
Luke 9:16-17
These crowds were nowhere to be found. It was just Jesus and three of His closest disciples, Peter, John and James who went up on the mountain … but as it had been many times before it was Jesus who was praying.
29And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Luke 9:28-30
His departure which in the Greek is translated Exodus (ἔξοδος), for the Jew this meant freedom from slavery in Egypt. The Jews had been released from bondage in Egypt; being led by Moses for forty years, in the desert, before entering the Promised Land.
This same Moses is now speaking with a glorified Jesus who will soon take his Exodus (ἔξοδος) heading towards Jerusalem, the Cross and death - a death that will ultimately lead to freedom from sin, death and the power of the Devil for all who are brought to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit’s work and believe. This reconciliation between God and man is made possible only by the once and for all atoning sacrifice of the God/man himself Jesus Christ.
Moses, the Law giver who carried the tablets of stone, etched by the finger of God, measuring the requirements that God has set and our inability to measure up to the standards that God had set is now in the presence of the disciples Jesus has brought with Him, standing with Elijah the prophet, who pointed towards the coming Messiah - Jesus Christ - now transfigured on the mountain:
32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here.
St. Francis pointed out that men become prideful of themselves because of the things that they have, the closes they wear or the horse they ride that are not of themselves but are added to them to give an appearance of glory.
Jesus Christ, on the other hand has to remove the cover of His humanity to reveal the true glory that is his but has been veiled for a time from the eyes of the world.
Peter continues …
… Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
Peter may have not known what he said or was bewildered at what he was seeing. To be there in the presence of a glorified Jesus; a preview of the resurrected Christ drawing both the Old and New Testament focus together upon Himself had to be overwhelming.
We all fail to recognize the true glory of Jesus at times, seeing only a good man that can be an example for us to follow. But what did Peter say just a short while earlier in our gospel when Jesus asked the disciples:
“Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
Peter’s confession that Jesus is “the Christ of God” had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit but that didn’t help him to understand fully what our Lord had to do in turning his face toward Jerusalem; knowing full well that what awaited Him was the Chief Priests and Scribes, rejection by the people, a trial, guilty verdict and death on a Cross – all this for you.
As Jesus is transfigured, Peter is thinking about building tents - building tents?
It could be that Peter was just very overcome by what was happening or in some way wanted to preserve and contain the glory of God as the children of Israel desired to do in the wilderness. Tents or no tents, Peter concludes, “It is good that we are here.”
Martin Luther put it this way:
Although out of pure grace God does not impute our sins to us, He nonetheless did not want to do this until complete and ample satisfaction of His law and His righteousness had been made. Since this was impossible for us, God ordained for us, in our place, one who took upon Himself all the punishment we deserve.
He fulfilled the law for us.
He averted the judgment of God from us and appeased God's wrath.
Grace, therefore, costs us nothing, but is cost another much to get it for us.
Grace was purchased with an incalculable, infinite treasure, the Son of God Himself."
Martin Luther, Daily Walk, May 5, 1992.
34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”
As they were standing in the presence of our Holy Lord, Jesus Christ, covered in their own unrighteousness, they were afraid, as it should for anyone who relies upon their own righteousness.
What about you? Sitting here today in the pew or me?
Do you ever miss the mark? Do you ever fall short? Do you see your sin constantly before you? Do you carry the guilt that comes with your sin? Are you burdened and weighed down? Have you fallen short of the mark!
36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
… until the proper time …
Many times we are silent. We miss the mark and opportunity to share the Good News with friend, neighbor, relative, co-worker and all are in need of the same forgiveness that you and I have received from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, crucified for you and have the blessed assurance of an eternity in Heaven with Him.
Thank and praise God daily that Jesus didn’t miss His mark!
Thank and praise Him that you can listen to him in his word proclaimed and his word preserved in the writings of Holy Scripture.
Thank God you can partake of his body and Blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
Thank and praise God that the Cross was his mark and his destination.
Thank him that he fulfilled his goal as he resolutely headed towards Jerusalem, the Cross and death where He received the full wrath of God poured out upon Him as He suffered and died on this Cross and on this Mount of Calvary, for you!
His crucifixion and death satisfied God’s justice for the sins of the world for you.
His death brought freedom for you and I as we receive the blessed exchange of His righteousness for our sins nailed once and for all to the Cross with him.
His death released you from the guilt you may at times still carry when you fail to cast all your burdens upon Him.
His death accomplishes all of this because on the third day …
He rose … in the glory of His resurrected body, transfigured, incorruptible for you. And you will too - and so will all who name the name of Jesus Christ having been brought to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit. Knowing that in your Baptism you were washed clean in the blood of the Lamb given and shed for you!
“It is good that we are here.”
May our Lord and savior Jesus Christ who has redeemed you, through the power of the Holy Spirit who has called you, comfort you with this blessed Good News now and forever!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Monday, February 28, 2022
Monday, February 21, 2022
Sermon Feb. 19-20, 2022
Title: Be merciful and forgive as Christ has forgiven you!
Text: Luke 6:27-38
Text: Luke 6:27-38
Facebook live: Be merciful and forgive as Christ has forgiven you!
27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Valentine’s day was last week. Many shared this love with their spouse, boyfriends and girlfriends, children, relatives and even much love was bestowed on Matthew Stafford for winning the Super Bowl, because in some strange way - for we in Detroit - he is still considered Detroit’s quarterback and beloved by many.
27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Valentine’s day was last week. Many shared this love with their spouse, boyfriends and girlfriends, children, relatives and even much love was bestowed on Matthew Stafford for winning the Super Bowl, because in some strange way - for we in Detroit - he is still considered Detroit’s quarterback and beloved by many.
Love is nice and its easy to share with those we love. Detroit loves Steve Yzerman of the Red Wings but not so much Claude Lemieux. Right leaning or left leaning … the other side is always Claude Lemieux while you and I only see a smiling Steve Yzerman in the mirror of our own reflection.
… love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Close your eyes, and think of those who hate you, who have hated you, who have wronged you and then think of those you hate, have hated, and have at one time or another completely disagreed with.
You have and I have. It is the reality of our sinful nature.
Now … love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you,
and … pray for those who abuse you.
These words of Jesus, for his first hearers, must have been hard to hear as they are for us even now.
Many were persecuted. Many lived under the lordship of others. Many had no hope for a better temporal existence.
Last week they had heard the blessings of being poor, hungry, and weeping in this life contrasted with the woes of those who are rich, full and laughing and Jesus continues this eternal perspective for his hearers and you and me as well with an equally hard teaching.
29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
You’ve heard the phrase in our day, “He or she has disrespected me!”
Now, respect is earned not demanded, but if we feel disrespected that might be considered a slap in the face in our day. We may even think of taking action, or retaliating but for we who are in Christ, the eternal reality is this:
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, while we were still God enemies, Christ died for us.
Born in sin, born God’s enemies in the fall, we have collectively slapped God in the face – we have disrespected God!
We have made him our enemy.
But he turns the other cheek, in the death of his son, he shows us mercy, and the greatest respect he gives to us who deserve his distain and wrath.
He forgives our sin in Christ, and gives us the cloak of his righteousness taking our filthy sin-stained cloak and tunic upon himself in exchange.
Christ has shown true love for we who were - his enemies, and in Christ we are made children of our heavenly Father and called to reflect his love to others.
This past week I stopped by the Diner for lunch. I said hi to Mary the waitress whom I’ve known for 40 + years and as I sat looking at the menu a man approached my table. I said hello to him and he said,
“Are you a Catholic Priest?”
“No, I replied, I’m a Lutheran pastor.”
He placed a $20 bill on the table and said, “
“I’d like to buy your lunch!”
I replied, “That is really kind of you.”
I learned his name was Mike and he asked me to pray for him. I have and will continue to do so.
Jesus says,
32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
Mike gave, expecting nothing in return. He was kind, and generous. He only asked for prayer - when I asked what I could do for him.
I can only judge Mike’s actions. They were unexpected, kind, and gracious. I can’t judge his motive, the why he did this.
But the gospel concludes:
38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.
Maybe Mike had received a kindness and wanted to pass it on.
Maybe he had his lunch paid for and thought that kindness should be paid forward.
Maybe Mike was blessed in another way and felt the need to bless another in the same way he was.
Or, maybe, he is the one motivated by Christ simply to be a blessing?
Not only did he buy my lunch, but he helped me finish my sermon with this wonderful illustration and example of Christian love.
For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Now turn it around. Could you do the same if the person was not just unknown to you, but someone who actively was an enemy or one who hated and wronged you? It would certainly make it harder to reach out.
Bully story: Apology and forgiveness.
https://www.goalcast.com/dad-apologizes-man-he-bullied-20-years-later/
32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
It is my hope that the Spirit motivates us all to show kindness to those
we come in contact with and especially, to reach out to those who might not be our friends, to those we’ve wronged, and to those who have wronged us especially with the forgiveness that the Lord has shown us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
… love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Close your eyes, and think of those who hate you, who have hated you, who have wronged you and then think of those you hate, have hated, and have at one time or another completely disagreed with.
You have and I have. It is the reality of our sinful nature.
Now … love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you,
and … pray for those who abuse you.
These words of Jesus, for his first hearers, must have been hard to hear as they are for us even now.
Many were persecuted. Many lived under the lordship of others. Many had no hope for a better temporal existence.
Last week they had heard the blessings of being poor, hungry, and weeping in this life contrasted with the woes of those who are rich, full and laughing and Jesus continues this eternal perspective for his hearers and you and me as well with an equally hard teaching.
29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
You’ve heard the phrase in our day, “He or she has disrespected me!”
Now, respect is earned not demanded, but if we feel disrespected that might be considered a slap in the face in our day. We may even think of taking action, or retaliating but for we who are in Christ, the eternal reality is this:
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, while we were still God enemies, Christ died for us.
Born in sin, born God’s enemies in the fall, we have collectively slapped God in the face – we have disrespected God!
We have made him our enemy.
But he turns the other cheek, in the death of his son, he shows us mercy, and the greatest respect he gives to us who deserve his distain and wrath.
He forgives our sin in Christ, and gives us the cloak of his righteousness taking our filthy sin-stained cloak and tunic upon himself in exchange.
Christ has shown true love for we who were - his enemies, and in Christ we are made children of our heavenly Father and called to reflect his love to others.
This past week I stopped by the Diner for lunch. I said hi to Mary the waitress whom I’ve known for 40 + years and as I sat looking at the menu a man approached my table. I said hello to him and he said,
“Are you a Catholic Priest?”
“No, I replied, I’m a Lutheran pastor.”
He placed a $20 bill on the table and said, “
“I’d like to buy your lunch!”
I replied, “That is really kind of you.”
I learned his name was Mike and he asked me to pray for him. I have and will continue to do so.
Jesus says,
32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
Mike gave, expecting nothing in return. He was kind, and generous. He only asked for prayer - when I asked what I could do for him.
I can only judge Mike’s actions. They were unexpected, kind, and gracious. I can’t judge his motive, the why he did this.
But the gospel concludes:
38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.
Maybe Mike had received a kindness and wanted to pass it on.
Maybe he had his lunch paid for and thought that kindness should be paid forward.
Maybe Mike was blessed in another way and felt the need to bless another in the same way he was.
Or, maybe, he is the one motivated by Christ simply to be a blessing?
Not only did he buy my lunch, but he helped me finish my sermon with this wonderful illustration and example of Christian love.
For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Now turn it around. Could you do the same if the person was not just unknown to you, but someone who actively was an enemy or one who hated and wronged you? It would certainly make it harder to reach out.
Bully story: Apology and forgiveness.
https://www.goalcast.com/dad-apologizes-man-he-bullied-20-years-later/
32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
It is my hope that the Spirit motivates us all to show kindness to those
we come in contact with and especially, to reach out to those who might not be our friends, to those we’ve wronged, and to those who have wronged us especially with the forgiveness that the Lord has shown us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Monday, February 14, 2022
Sermon Feb. 12-13, 2022
Title: In Christ your reward is great!
Text: Luke 6:17-26
Facebook live: In Christ your reward is great!
17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
When I was in eighth grade, I tried out for the track team at South Jr. High school in Allen Park. At one of our practices, I was standing at the end of the long jump pit watching as some of the team practiced their jumps. Tom, a ninth grader and one of the better athletes at the school made his jump and upon landing was evidently not happy with how he landed. As he got up and walked by me, he gave me a kick to my leg at his displeasure in himself and the spikes of his cleats made two long cuts into the back of my calf. Bleeding and in pain the coach sent me to get it cleaned up and he talked to Tom though I don’t remember any apology. It took weeks for my wound to scab over and heal and I don’t remember much else of my track career so I probably just stopped attending practices and focused on other things. 54 years later I still remember that wound though.
Wounds and scaring are part of this life. You, I’m sure have your own stories and wounds to deal with. Some of the wounds like mine are old and etched in your memory and other may be fresh and still healing.
We all, like the crowds in our gospel lesson today, would seek to touch Jesus and have him heal our troubles - immediately as well.
Many who came to hear him –
… a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon,
Jesus was drawing disciples but what he says next must have caused them to pause and wonder.
The Beatitudes
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
Hearing that might have caused them to pause and it might us as well.
The blessings of poverty, hunger and weeping and hate Christ says bring his Kingdom, satisfaction, laughing and rejoicing. Good news for sure but not what a 13-year-old me would have wanted to hear as I stood bleeding and hurting by the long jump pit.
Christ here is speaking to earthly people who have an earthly perspective about a heavenly reality.
Let’s turn it around.
Blessed are you who have the Kingdom, for your poverty has been removed.
Blessed are you who are satisfied, for your hunger has been fed.
Blessed are you who laugh, for your tears have been wiped away.
Blessed are you when you rejoice and leap for joy at your reward in Heaven, for the hate, exclusion, and reviling of this world has been overcome in Christ Jesus!
The eternal perspective of the word proclaims the reality of what is ours now in Christ, though the wages of sin continue in this life for we who are God’s redeemed making that reality hard to see at times.
Verse three from the sermon hymn today speaks of that reality:
Lord, your words are waters living
When my thirsting spirit pleads.
Lord, your words are bread life-giving;
On your words my spirit feeds.
Lord, your words will be my light
through death's cold and dreary night;
Yes, they are my sword prevailing
And my cup of joy unfailing!
LSB 589 vs. 3
Jesus Pronounces Woes in this life as well.
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.
“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
The earthly perspective as opposed to the eternal perspective are also quite telling as we look to what awaits those who lived well, apart from God’s love in this life.
Woe to you who seek consolation, your riches can’t buy you forgiveness!
Woe to you who seek the banquet feast, your seat at the table is for another!
Woe to you who weep, your laughter gives way now to tears!
Woe to you who misused God’s word, those who spoke well of you are now
gnashing their teeth!
The gnashing of teeth is what awaits all in this life apart from Christ’s loving forgiveness and redemption.
At times we have our plate full and just as soon find ourselves in want in this sinful world.
We weep at the loss of someone so dear to us that we feel inconsolable only to find joy and comfort in the laughter of a child’s giggles like little Hendrix at his baptism last weekend.
The riches of this life don’t condemn us, unless we place our trust and hope in them – shunning our Lord’s care.
When we are marked for hate and evil in this life, God continues to remind us that we are his and that not a one of us who trust in him will be lost.
So,
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
I wish I had known that as I sat bleeding in pain from the cleats to my leg but that knowledge for me was still a few years off. Thankfully the Lord opened the eyes of my understanding and called me to joy and to prayer.
Verse 4 of our sermon hymn:
As I pray, dear Jesus, hear me;
Let Your words in me take root.
May Your Spirit e'er be near me
That I bear abundant fruit.
May I daily sing Your praise,
From my heart glad anthems raise,
Till my highest praise is given
In the endless joy of heaven.
LSB 589 vs. 4
Cut and bleeding, poor, hungry and weeping this life can be hard.
Car accidents or cancer;
falls down stairs or Leukemia;
broken bones or estrangement from family members;
hateful and hurtful words or locked in isolation;
We all know these trials and feelings but in Christ the peace and comfort of heaven is your joy, comfort and reward in this life and in the life to come!
Because Christ became poor and humiliated himself to death, even death on a cross, the Kingdom God is yours
Because Christ was hungry after fasting 40 days and 40 nights, you are satisfied in him.
Because Christ wept at the death of Lazarus, you laugh that death is overcome in victory.
Because Christ was hated, and reviled for you, you have the reward of heaven that he won given to you by faith.
Rejoice dear friends, In Christ your reward is great!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Text: Luke 6:17-26
Facebook live: In Christ your reward is great!
17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
When I was in eighth grade, I tried out for the track team at South Jr. High school in Allen Park. At one of our practices, I was standing at the end of the long jump pit watching as some of the team practiced their jumps. Tom, a ninth grader and one of the better athletes at the school made his jump and upon landing was evidently not happy with how he landed. As he got up and walked by me, he gave me a kick to my leg at his displeasure in himself and the spikes of his cleats made two long cuts into the back of my calf. Bleeding and in pain the coach sent me to get it cleaned up and he talked to Tom though I don’t remember any apology. It took weeks for my wound to scab over and heal and I don’t remember much else of my track career so I probably just stopped attending practices and focused on other things. 54 years later I still remember that wound though.
Wounds and scaring are part of this life. You, I’m sure have your own stories and wounds to deal with. Some of the wounds like mine are old and etched in your memory and other may be fresh and still healing.
We all, like the crowds in our gospel lesson today, would seek to touch Jesus and have him heal our troubles - immediately as well.
Many who came to hear him –
… a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon,
Jesus was drawing disciples but what he says next must have caused them to pause and wonder.
The Beatitudes
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
Hearing that might have caused them to pause and it might us as well.
The blessings of poverty, hunger and weeping and hate Christ says bring his Kingdom, satisfaction, laughing and rejoicing. Good news for sure but not what a 13-year-old me would have wanted to hear as I stood bleeding and hurting by the long jump pit.
Christ here is speaking to earthly people who have an earthly perspective about a heavenly reality.
Let’s turn it around.
Blessed are you who have the Kingdom, for your poverty has been removed.
Blessed are you who are satisfied, for your hunger has been fed.
Blessed are you who laugh, for your tears have been wiped away.
Blessed are you when you rejoice and leap for joy at your reward in Heaven, for the hate, exclusion, and reviling of this world has been overcome in Christ Jesus!
The eternal perspective of the word proclaims the reality of what is ours now in Christ, though the wages of sin continue in this life for we who are God’s redeemed making that reality hard to see at times.
Verse three from the sermon hymn today speaks of that reality:
Lord, your words are waters living
When my thirsting spirit pleads.
Lord, your words are bread life-giving;
On your words my spirit feeds.
Lord, your words will be my light
through death's cold and dreary night;
Yes, they are my sword prevailing
And my cup of joy unfailing!
LSB 589 vs. 3
Jesus Pronounces Woes in this life as well.
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.
“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
The earthly perspective as opposed to the eternal perspective are also quite telling as we look to what awaits those who lived well, apart from God’s love in this life.
Woe to you who seek consolation, your riches can’t buy you forgiveness!
Woe to you who seek the banquet feast, your seat at the table is for another!
Woe to you who weep, your laughter gives way now to tears!
Woe to you who misused God’s word, those who spoke well of you are now
gnashing their teeth!
The gnashing of teeth is what awaits all in this life apart from Christ’s loving forgiveness and redemption.
At times we have our plate full and just as soon find ourselves in want in this sinful world.
We weep at the loss of someone so dear to us that we feel inconsolable only to find joy and comfort in the laughter of a child’s giggles like little Hendrix at his baptism last weekend.
The riches of this life don’t condemn us, unless we place our trust and hope in them – shunning our Lord’s care.
When we are marked for hate and evil in this life, God continues to remind us that we are his and that not a one of us who trust in him will be lost.
So,
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
I wish I had known that as I sat bleeding in pain from the cleats to my leg but that knowledge for me was still a few years off. Thankfully the Lord opened the eyes of my understanding and called me to joy and to prayer.
Verse 4 of our sermon hymn:
As I pray, dear Jesus, hear me;
Let Your words in me take root.
May Your Spirit e'er be near me
That I bear abundant fruit.
May I daily sing Your praise,
From my heart glad anthems raise,
Till my highest praise is given
In the endless joy of heaven.
LSB 589 vs. 4
Cut and bleeding, poor, hungry and weeping this life can be hard.
Car accidents or cancer;
falls down stairs or Leukemia;
broken bones or estrangement from family members;
hateful and hurtful words or locked in isolation;
We all know these trials and feelings but in Christ the peace and comfort of heaven is your joy, comfort and reward in this life and in the life to come!
Because Christ became poor and humiliated himself to death, even death on a cross, the Kingdom God is yours
Because Christ was hungry after fasting 40 days and 40 nights, you are satisfied in him.
Because Christ wept at the death of Lazarus, you laugh that death is overcome in victory.
Because Christ was hated, and reviled for you, you have the reward of heaven that he won given to you by faith.
Rejoice dear friends, In Christ your reward is great!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Monday, February 7, 2022
Sermon Feb. 5-6, 2022
Title: The word of God brings in a great catch!
Text: Luke 5:1-11
Facebook live: The word of God brings in a great catch!
5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.
The film Voyage of the Damned is the true account of 937 Jewish refugees permitted by the Nazis to leave Germany aboard the S. S. St. Louis on May 13, 1939. It was absolutely necessary for these refugees to find asylum in another country in order to be free of the concentration camps in Germany. Unfortunately, their passage was planned as an exercise in propaganda and these refugees were denied entry to Cuba their destination. Upon arrival off the coast of Florida, they too were denied entrance into the United States, and their only recourse was to return to Europe. Shortly before the film's end, it is revealed that the governments of Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom had each agreed to accept a share of the passengers as refugees. As they cheer and clap at the news, footnotes disclose the fates that more than 600 of the 937 passengers, who did not resettle in Britain but in the other European nations, ultimately were deported and died in Nazi Concentration camps.
It was in every way the voyage of the damned
St. Louis: Concordia, 1980, 1981, 1982, 73.
If you follow Jesus after he begins his ministry in the first chapters of Luke, what seems impressive is his sense of necessity—always having someplace to go and something to do. He’s intent on preventing another kind of voyage of the damned!
In the chapter before our text:
Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness of Judea
Jesus is rejected by his hometown friends in Nazareth.
Then he goes to Capernaum and drives a demon out of a man; he heals Peter’s mother-in-law and numerous other people; and Luke tells us the people from Capernaum are so impressed that they want him to stay.
But Jesus politely declines and makes a statement right before our text that indicates there’s a reason for all the activity. Jesus says,
“I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God in other places too, for that is why I was sent” Luke 4:43
The necessity of those words brings Jesus to the Sea of Galilee, looking for disciples. They are the words that bring him to this place, Sunday after Sunday at Peace, calling you and me.
On this occasion we find one resident of Capernaum who is not so sure whether Jesus should stay. The apostle Peter says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Those are strange words for a man who’s just been given a boatful of fish after catching none the whole night, but they can’t keep Jesus from staying with Peter - because by his very nature - Jesus must call others to faith as well.
It is difficult to comprehend that God would desire to call people who may not be interested in him and are in fact his enemies.
But that’s exactly what we have in today’s reading. Jesus is concerned about the large crowd of people pressing around him. In other places in Scripture, he says they remind him of sheep without a shepherd.
Here and elsewhere, Jesus’ response to their need is to teach them.
We might be tempted to wonder if Jesus could not have improved their immediate needs of money, health or life problems that they or we face.
Important as those things are, Jesus first takes care of the most important need—their need for him.
That’s because Jesus knows that all people are caught in the net of their sins without him. His concern is translated into action, and so he gets into Peter’s boat and puts out just a bit from the shore so he can teach the people.
Peter, of course, is included among those who are caught without Jesus.
Even though Jesus has already healed many people, including Peter’s mother-in-law, Peter and the other disciples were still trapped in the net of sin, as are all people.
Evidently Jesus’ identity may be starting to sink in for Peter, because he calls Jesus “Master,” and he is willing to obey his Lord and Master.
Now comes the fun part. The carpenter from Nazareth is about to give some professional advice to fishermen.
Ignoring conventional wisdom this carpenter Jesus, tells the fisherman where to fish.
Put yourself in Peter’s place. You’re a fisherman, skilled in your trade.
You know that if the fish are going to run at all, it’s going to be at night.
You know that you don’t catch fish in deep water, but in shallower areas.
You respect Jesus—he’s a great healer, he speaks in a compelling manner.
But what does Jesus know about fishing?
Instead of saying, “You stick to what you’re good at Jesus, and let me be the fishing expert” or “It’s absurd, a waste of time and a waste of energy,” or “It doesn’t work that way!” Peter says,
5 … “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”
Peter thinks he is the one who is going fishing. He doesn’t realize that the net of Jesus’ love has just surrounded another soul for his Father’s kingdom.
You know the rest of the story. Peter responds in faith, and he and his partners bring in more fish than they can handle.
The fishermen pull up their boats, leave everything, and follow Jesus.
That’s why Jesus was sent, not simply to do some miracles and impress people, but to catch people for the kingdom.
People like Peter and the disciples and the crowds and you and me can hear the Good News of having our sins forgiven and then follow him.
Jesus says,
“This is why I was sent. This is why I was conceived. This is why I was born. This is why I suffered. This is why I was crucified, died, and rose again—to bring you the Good News of forgiveness.”
Peter discovered that God’s plans for seeking others always include the efforts of his followers.
Sometimes God’s people just don’t seem interested in catching others.
Remember another fish incident in Scripture? A man by the name of Jonah was running away from the Lord, not because he was preoccupied with his possessions but because he just didn’t want to get involved when God wanted him to preach to the Ninevites.
After he repented, God used his witness to bring faith to an entire city. To all of us who have ever been “Jonah’s,” the word is clear:
Jesus calls us to, “Repent!” - to stop being afraid – to live as God’s redeemed because God, in Christ has forgiven you!
Now, he calls us to go forth into this world with the Gospel!
And as we return to Peter in our text, - he’s afraid to go fishing with Jesus for another reason:
He and Isaiah in our Old Testament Reading are overcome with fear because they realize they’ve just been in contact with the God of the universe, and they realize how far short they fall from his expectations.
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
You and I must realize too - we’re in the same boat along with Peter, and we must respond along, with him:
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
The good news for today is that Jesus is also in the boat with us.
When it feels like your sins are about, to catch up with you and you wonder if God could love a person like you, he says, “Don’t be afraid. I want you to come fishing with me!” This is love and acceptance, that the greatest fisherman in the world isn’t put off by your sins but continually calls you to repentance so that you can be with him, and do the same things he does.
When we realize that we have been accepted and surrounded by the net of Christ’s love, then our response of faith puts us in the same position as Peter ready to do whatever Jesus says and ready to go wherever he takes us.
Through these words, Jesus says to Peter and to you and me,
“Stop being afraid. I’ve forgiven your failures and your fears and all of your excuses. Now, join me in boat of life fishing for others.”
What a great way to be reminded that our seeking God wants to use us to bring others into his net of love and care. What a joy to be sought by him, and what a privilege to go fishing with him.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Concordia pulpit - Rev. David N. Emmrich, campus pastor, Lutheran Student Fellowship, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota, Concordia Pulpit Feb. 1, 2001 edited
Text: Luke 5:1-11
Facebook live: The word of God brings in a great catch!
5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.
The film Voyage of the Damned is the true account of 937 Jewish refugees permitted by the Nazis to leave Germany aboard the S. S. St. Louis on May 13, 1939. It was absolutely necessary for these refugees to find asylum in another country in order to be free of the concentration camps in Germany. Unfortunately, their passage was planned as an exercise in propaganda and these refugees were denied entry to Cuba their destination. Upon arrival off the coast of Florida, they too were denied entrance into the United States, and their only recourse was to return to Europe. Shortly before the film's end, it is revealed that the governments of Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom had each agreed to accept a share of the passengers as refugees. As they cheer and clap at the news, footnotes disclose the fates that more than 600 of the 937 passengers, who did not resettle in Britain but in the other European nations, ultimately were deported and died in Nazi Concentration camps.
It was in every way the voyage of the damned
St. Louis: Concordia, 1980, 1981, 1982, 73.
If you follow Jesus after he begins his ministry in the first chapters of Luke, what seems impressive is his sense of necessity—always having someplace to go and something to do. He’s intent on preventing another kind of voyage of the damned!
In the chapter before our text:
Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness of Judea
Jesus is rejected by his hometown friends in Nazareth.
Then he goes to Capernaum and drives a demon out of a man; he heals Peter’s mother-in-law and numerous other people; and Luke tells us the people from Capernaum are so impressed that they want him to stay.
But Jesus politely declines and makes a statement right before our text that indicates there’s a reason for all the activity. Jesus says,
“I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God in other places too, for that is why I was sent” Luke 4:43
The necessity of those words brings Jesus to the Sea of Galilee, looking for disciples. They are the words that bring him to this place, Sunday after Sunday at Peace, calling you and me.
On this occasion we find one resident of Capernaum who is not so sure whether Jesus should stay. The apostle Peter says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Those are strange words for a man who’s just been given a boatful of fish after catching none the whole night, but they can’t keep Jesus from staying with Peter - because by his very nature - Jesus must call others to faith as well.
It is difficult to comprehend that God would desire to call people who may not be interested in him and are in fact his enemies.
But that’s exactly what we have in today’s reading. Jesus is concerned about the large crowd of people pressing around him. In other places in Scripture, he says they remind him of sheep without a shepherd.
Here and elsewhere, Jesus’ response to their need is to teach them.
We might be tempted to wonder if Jesus could not have improved their immediate needs of money, health or life problems that they or we face.
Important as those things are, Jesus first takes care of the most important need—their need for him.
That’s because Jesus knows that all people are caught in the net of their sins without him. His concern is translated into action, and so he gets into Peter’s boat and puts out just a bit from the shore so he can teach the people.
Peter, of course, is included among those who are caught without Jesus.
Even though Jesus has already healed many people, including Peter’s mother-in-law, Peter and the other disciples were still trapped in the net of sin, as are all people.
Evidently Jesus’ identity may be starting to sink in for Peter, because he calls Jesus “Master,” and he is willing to obey his Lord and Master.
Now comes the fun part. The carpenter from Nazareth is about to give some professional advice to fishermen.
Ignoring conventional wisdom this carpenter Jesus, tells the fisherman where to fish.
Put yourself in Peter’s place. You’re a fisherman, skilled in your trade.
You know that if the fish are going to run at all, it’s going to be at night.
You know that you don’t catch fish in deep water, but in shallower areas.
You respect Jesus—he’s a great healer, he speaks in a compelling manner.
But what does Jesus know about fishing?
Instead of saying, “You stick to what you’re good at Jesus, and let me be the fishing expert” or “It’s absurd, a waste of time and a waste of energy,” or “It doesn’t work that way!” Peter says,
5 … “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”
Peter thinks he is the one who is going fishing. He doesn’t realize that the net of Jesus’ love has just surrounded another soul for his Father’s kingdom.
You know the rest of the story. Peter responds in faith, and he and his partners bring in more fish than they can handle.
The fishermen pull up their boats, leave everything, and follow Jesus.
That’s why Jesus was sent, not simply to do some miracles and impress people, but to catch people for the kingdom.
People like Peter and the disciples and the crowds and you and me can hear the Good News of having our sins forgiven and then follow him.
Jesus says,
“This is why I was sent. This is why I was conceived. This is why I was born. This is why I suffered. This is why I was crucified, died, and rose again—to bring you the Good News of forgiveness.”
Peter discovered that God’s plans for seeking others always include the efforts of his followers.
Sometimes God’s people just don’t seem interested in catching others.
Remember another fish incident in Scripture? A man by the name of Jonah was running away from the Lord, not because he was preoccupied with his possessions but because he just didn’t want to get involved when God wanted him to preach to the Ninevites.
After he repented, God used his witness to bring faith to an entire city. To all of us who have ever been “Jonah’s,” the word is clear:
Jesus calls us to, “Repent!” - to stop being afraid – to live as God’s redeemed because God, in Christ has forgiven you!
Now, he calls us to go forth into this world with the Gospel!
And as we return to Peter in our text, - he’s afraid to go fishing with Jesus for another reason:
He and Isaiah in our Old Testament Reading are overcome with fear because they realize they’ve just been in contact with the God of the universe, and they realize how far short they fall from his expectations.
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
You and I must realize too - we’re in the same boat along with Peter, and we must respond along, with him:
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
The good news for today is that Jesus is also in the boat with us.
When it feels like your sins are about, to catch up with you and you wonder if God could love a person like you, he says, “Don’t be afraid. I want you to come fishing with me!” This is love and acceptance, that the greatest fisherman in the world isn’t put off by your sins but continually calls you to repentance so that you can be with him, and do the same things he does.
When we realize that we have been accepted and surrounded by the net of Christ’s love, then our response of faith puts us in the same position as Peter ready to do whatever Jesus says and ready to go wherever he takes us.
Through these words, Jesus says to Peter and to you and me,
“Stop being afraid. I’ve forgiven your failures and your fears and all of your excuses. Now, join me in boat of life fishing for others.”
What a great way to be reminded that our seeking God wants to use us to bring others into his net of love and care. What a joy to be sought by him, and what a privilege to go fishing with him.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Concordia pulpit - Rev. David N. Emmrich, campus pastor, Lutheran Student Fellowship, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota, Concordia Pulpit Feb. 1, 2001 edited
Monday, January 31, 2022
Sermon Jan 29-30, 2022
Title: The good news is preached in the name of Jesus, for you!
Text: Luke 4:31-44
Facebook live: The good news is preached in the name of Jesus, for you!
42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”
C.S. Lewis once said:
Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is.
If there are rats in a cellar, you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats; it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way, the suddenness of the provocation does not make me ill-tempered; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am.
C.S. Lewis.
Our brokenness in sin is evident in many ways. We show fourth that brokenness at times in actions. The things we say and do reveal much about who we are.
But Christ and his work on our behalf are greater than the broken flesh we inhabit. It is through him and his work that we are made new.
The good news is preached in the name of Jesus, for you!
Our brokenness is nothing new. Jesus, who last week at his hometown was compelled to do a miraculous work by the people, 23 … “What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” [Luke 4:23], goes back to Capernaum and there casts out the demon of a man possessed.
The demon cries:
34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?”
The truth is yes!
Jesus came to destroy sin, death, and the devil and the brokenness in this world while making peace between God and man, once again restoring our original righteousness that was lost in the fall to sin.
The one, whom the demons know by name - the Holy One of God - is in their midst.
Jesus commands the unclean spirits to come out and they obey.
The people are amazed with this word saying:
“What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”
What is this word?
At times I’m not sure if we know or remember. The world sure gives us pause. What had been normal is now considered abnormal. Natural law has given way to the law of self and we are a self-serving sinful people.
At times it feels like the 10 righteous in Sodom - are left to be destroyed by fire that comes down from heaven, while the multitude of God’s enemies go free and are blessed.
37 [But] reports about [Jesus] went out into every place in the surrounding region.
What feels like brokenness today was with Christ and the people of our Gospel reading too. The taint of that we are clothed with was not only in the Synagogue, but also in the fever of Simon’s mother-n-law.
The demon was cast out by the word of God and so too the fever which was rebuked by Christ, healing her in an instant as she rose and began immediately to serve them. Not because it was her duty … but out of joyful thankfulness for the blessed gift of the healing she received. We want to get back to the business at hand.
The Kingdom of God is present in Christ and it remains present for you and me today!
“When Jesus laid His hands upon any sick person, it implied:
You are a sinner, I am the Savior of sinners; I take the curse and consequence of sin from you, that is an admonition so that you abstain from [doing]the service of sin.”
P.E. Kretzmann Popular Commentary of the Bible NT Vol.1 Pg 288
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any - who were sick - with various diseases brought them to [Jesus], and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
It is Christ’s desire to make you well - to heal you - so that you will know him and know his love for you.
In baptism you have been healed from sin, death and the devil and given new life in him and by his Spirit, and because of this gift you know him and love him.
41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
The Knowledge of Christ is not demonic and he is not made known through the demons whose mouths he shut - though they know who he is and they cower in fear.
It is through the gospel that God delivers forgiveness to the ears of those who need to hear and by that very word of God we are released from the sentence of eternal death and receive the blessing of eternal life in Christ.
42 And when it was day, [Jesus] departed and went into a desolate place.
And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose." 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
When we look to Christ it is God’s Spirit in us pointing you and me to the one who is the way the truth and the life.
In spite of our fears, sin, death and the devil we have been redeemed and made new. And in Christ as his new creation born from above … we … as the word of God says - rejoice in truth.
May this blessed comfort of the word of God be and abide with you now and always.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Text: Luke 4:31-44
Facebook live: The good news is preached in the name of Jesus, for you!
42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”
C.S. Lewis once said:
Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is.
If there are rats in a cellar, you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats; it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way, the suddenness of the provocation does not make me ill-tempered; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am.
C.S. Lewis.
Our brokenness in sin is evident in many ways. We show fourth that brokenness at times in actions. The things we say and do reveal much about who we are.
But Christ and his work on our behalf are greater than the broken flesh we inhabit. It is through him and his work that we are made new.
The good news is preached in the name of Jesus, for you!
Our brokenness is nothing new. Jesus, who last week at his hometown was compelled to do a miraculous work by the people, 23 … “What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” [Luke 4:23], goes back to Capernaum and there casts out the demon of a man possessed.
The demon cries:
34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?”
The truth is yes!
Jesus came to destroy sin, death, and the devil and the brokenness in this world while making peace between God and man, once again restoring our original righteousness that was lost in the fall to sin.
The one, whom the demons know by name - the Holy One of God - is in their midst.
Jesus commands the unclean spirits to come out and they obey.
The people are amazed with this word saying:
“What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”
What is this word?
At times I’m not sure if we know or remember. The world sure gives us pause. What had been normal is now considered abnormal. Natural law has given way to the law of self and we are a self-serving sinful people.
At times it feels like the 10 righteous in Sodom - are left to be destroyed by fire that comes down from heaven, while the multitude of God’s enemies go free and are blessed.
37 [But] reports about [Jesus] went out into every place in the surrounding region.
What feels like brokenness today was with Christ and the people of our Gospel reading too. The taint of that we are clothed with was not only in the Synagogue, but also in the fever of Simon’s mother-n-law.
The demon was cast out by the word of God and so too the fever which was rebuked by Christ, healing her in an instant as she rose and began immediately to serve them. Not because it was her duty … but out of joyful thankfulness for the blessed gift of the healing she received. We want to get back to the business at hand.
The Kingdom of God is present in Christ and it remains present for you and me today!
“When Jesus laid His hands upon any sick person, it implied:
You are a sinner, I am the Savior of sinners; I take the curse and consequence of sin from you, that is an admonition so that you abstain from [doing]the service of sin.”
P.E. Kretzmann Popular Commentary of the Bible NT Vol.1 Pg 288
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any - who were sick - with various diseases brought them to [Jesus], and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
It is Christ’s desire to make you well - to heal you - so that you will know him and know his love for you.
In baptism you have been healed from sin, death and the devil and given new life in him and by his Spirit, and because of this gift you know him and love him.
41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
The Knowledge of Christ is not demonic and he is not made known through the demons whose mouths he shut - though they know who he is and they cower in fear.
It is through the gospel that God delivers forgiveness to the ears of those who need to hear and by that very word of God we are released from the sentence of eternal death and receive the blessing of eternal life in Christ.
42 And when it was day, [Jesus] departed and went into a desolate place.
And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose." 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
When we look to Christ it is God’s Spirit in us pointing you and me to the one who is the way the truth and the life.
In spite of our fears, sin, death and the devil we have been redeemed and made new. And in Christ as his new creation born from above … we … as the word of God says - rejoice in truth.
May this blessed comfort of the word of God be and abide with you now and always.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Monday, January 24, 2022
Sermon Jan 22-23, 2022
Title: Everything is fulfilled in Jesus for you!
Text: Luke 4:16-30
Facebook live: Everything is fulfilled in Jesus for you!
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
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 nine years ago and sat through the service. He saw me, his son, take on a new role as servant of Christ called and ordained to serve the people here at Peace.
My brother told me after my dad’s passing that my dad was surprised and pleased … and maybe a bit taken back.
My brother Ron, 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 of this church and starting something new.”
What I think my dad was saying is much like those in our reading today who hear the word of God and say, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son, isn’t this Jesus?” Or, in my dad’s case isn’t this my son Russ, the one who couldn’t play baseball well enough 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. Well, Pastor Monson was none too happy with me and told me so.
“Russ! He is your pastor and you need to show him respect as the one whom God has placed over you.”
He was right. And 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. [Pastor Jeff Keuning]
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. Wanting answers from God why would one be healed and another suffer and die.
More importantly we want answers that we want to hear.
Bear in mind that God’s pastors are sinful too and also fall victim to temptation in this life and say and do things that cause problems. But thankfully:
Everything is fulfilled in Jesus for you!
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
Good News … but the people didn’t want to hear.
29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.
Though rejected by the people, Jesus still went to the cross … for them and … for you. He also gave them a miracle but not the one they were asking for or expecting:
30 But passing through their midst, he went away …
… only to finish his work and make peace with God … for you.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Text: Luke 4:16-30
Facebook live: Everything is fulfilled in Jesus for you!
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
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 nine years ago and sat through the service. He saw me, his son, take on a new role as servant of Christ called and ordained to serve the people here at Peace.
My brother told me after my dad’s passing that my dad was surprised and pleased … and maybe a bit taken back.
My brother Ron, 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 of this church and starting something new.”
What I think my dad was saying is much like those in our reading today who hear the word of God and say, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son, isn’t this Jesus?” Or, in my dad’s case isn’t this my son Russ, the one who couldn’t play baseball well enough 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. Well, Pastor Monson was none too happy with me and told me so.
“Russ! He is your pastor and you need to show him respect as the one whom God has placed over you.”
He was right. And 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. [Pastor Jeff Keuning]
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. Wanting answers from God why would one be healed and another suffer and die.
More importantly we want answers that we want to hear.
Bear in mind that God’s pastors are sinful too and also fall victim to temptation in this life and say and do things that cause problems. But thankfully:
Everything is fulfilled in Jesus for you!
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
Good News … but the people didn’t want to hear.
29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.
Though rejected by the people, Jesus still went to the cross … for them and … for you. He also gave them a miracle but not the one they were asking for or expecting:
30 But passing through their midst, he went away …
… only to finish his work and make peace with God … for you.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
Monday, January 17, 2022
Sermon Jan. 15-16, 2022
Title: If Christ is involved, it’s always good!
Text: John 2:1-11
Facebook live: If Christ is involved, it’s always good!
3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
A wedding can be a wonderful and joyful time. Man and woman, joined in holy matrimony with family and friends together celebrating this blessed event.
If you’ve been involved in planning a wedding, the details at times can seem overwhelming.
If everything goes well, it can be remembered with fondness. If not, the incident involved can have short term or even long-term effects.
In our Gospel lesson for today we hear of an - incident at a wedding; One that our Lord’s mother Mary attended. We also learn that Jesus was invited and with His disciples as well.
This could have been quite a large affair for Cana of Galilee and Jesus and His disciples themselves might have been a sizeable group.
Now at some point Mary makes the statement:
“They have no wine.”
Now this might have been a result of poor planning on the part of the host or just possibly inviting too many guests but none the less … no wine.
Mary, the mother of our Lord calls out a need to Jesus. Maybe she had some hand in the preparations, or was close friends with the family. But at some point, and in some way, she knows of the problem that they face.
Mary presents the problem to Jesus. It’s a prayer of lament.
“They have no wine.”
It’s been quite some time since that 12-year-old boy of hers had stayed behind in Jerusalem as the family traveled home following the feast of the Passover and Mary - treasured up in her heart even what the angel’s visitation had said concerning her son.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:32-33
Text: John 2:1-11
Facebook live: If Christ is involved, it’s always good!
3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
A wedding can be a wonderful and joyful time. Man and woman, joined in holy matrimony with family and friends together celebrating this blessed event.
If you’ve been involved in planning a wedding, the details at times can seem overwhelming.
If everything goes well, it can be remembered with fondness. If not, the incident involved can have short term or even long-term effects.
In our Gospel lesson for today we hear of an - incident at a wedding; One that our Lord’s mother Mary attended. We also learn that Jesus was invited and with His disciples as well.
This could have been quite a large affair for Cana of Galilee and Jesus and His disciples themselves might have been a sizeable group.
Now at some point Mary makes the statement:
“They have no wine.”
Now this might have been a result of poor planning on the part of the host or just possibly inviting too many guests but none the less … no wine.
Mary, the mother of our Lord calls out a need to Jesus. Maybe she had some hand in the preparations, or was close friends with the family. But at some point, and in some way, she knows of the problem that they face.
Mary presents the problem to Jesus. It’s a prayer of lament.
“They have no wine.”
It’s been quite some time since that 12-year-old boy of hers had stayed behind in Jerusalem as the family traveled home following the feast of the Passover and Mary - treasured up in her heart even what the angel’s visitation had said concerning her son.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:32-33
“and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
It is a call, it is a lament, in prayer, from the mother of our Lord, knowing that whatever the problem, if Jesus is involved, he can do all that is needed and what is asked for according to his will.
Jesus came for those in need. He came to fill the need of those left in bondage to sin.
So, what comes next may sound and short, unloving, and harsh coming from the mouth of our Lord to his mother Mary:
“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
Mary was maybe going beyond her responsibility as both a guest and friend at this wedding and … we might assume that it wasn’t her responsibility to fill the needs of the wedding’s host.
But there was a problem and it may have just been a lament in what seemed hopeless to the one where hope abides and abounds
Jesus asks the question …
“Woman, what does this have to do with me,
His words, though rebuking, really are asking Mary:
“What do you and I have to do with this?”
But we can know:
If Christ is involved, it’s always good!
You and I also come to our Lord in prayer, lamenting the problems of our life, not having a solution, and praying that the Lord will intervene for our benefit.
Other times we don’t come to the Lord at all because we think, “This isn't important, or God doesn't need to be bothered with my petty concerns.”
Too often those who need God the most, and are in needful situations, fail to think of Him or - ask for Him at all.
At times, we Pastors who are in the business of bringing God’s care and comfort to those in need are often the last to know of a member, in the hospital or those having brokenness in the home or other concerns in this life.
Sometimes we are not even asked to help, not called upon … and not involved.
5 [Jesus’] mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
What if we regarded the word of God with such faith?
The working of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the everyday lives of his people brings salvation and peace. Mary knew to trust in what He would say and do.
The jars used for purification rites and ceremonial washings in Jewish life were large and it’s not very important the number or the size. They were all filled to the brim. What God fills anew leaves no room for what was before.
The miracle was certainly evident to all involved.
The servants, who gathered the water to the brim as it were, knew what they had put in those jars and those who had tasted the water turned into wine knew as the master of the feast exclaimed:
“Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
Just as Jesus does with the means of grace where He dispenses his gifts to us through the common things of water and word, bread and wine; and in our lesson today:
He uses common servants - to fill common jars - with simple common water - to this common wedding where man is joined to woman and where God, through this blessed union of husband and wife, fills His creation with His children whom He came to redeem.
God, in Christ, has brought the peace that passes all human understanding to you too through the simple common element of water connected to His word of promise.
He has washed you clean, not with a washing that cleanses, for a time, but through the transforming bath in baptism - takes away the sins of the world for eternity!
You are clean! You are washed! You are forgiven!
You will be His forever, because you are that new wine in Him that is poured forth daily - by faith - as you remember all that He has done for you.
If Christ can turn the common water into the miraculous wine of our wedding story in Cana, He can also turn filthy sinners into washed saints through His word of promise in and through Baptism.
Jesus also will refresh us with His body and blood given for you in the sacrament of the Altar feeding us, sustaining us, and renewing our faith in his blessed work.
Whether the miraculous transformation of the water filled jugs into the finest wine served at the wedding in Cana or the blessed body and blood of our Lord in, with and under the bread and wine offered here - if Jesus Christ, is involved it’s always good!
He is the one who will never leave you but will sustain you through the trials of this world promising you, life eternal in his name where the comfort and peace of a home in His house is secured by the gift of faith in his blood shed for you!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
It is a call, it is a lament, in prayer, from the mother of our Lord, knowing that whatever the problem, if Jesus is involved, he can do all that is needed and what is asked for according to his will.
Jesus came for those in need. He came to fill the need of those left in bondage to sin.
So, what comes next may sound and short, unloving, and harsh coming from the mouth of our Lord to his mother Mary:
“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
Mary was maybe going beyond her responsibility as both a guest and friend at this wedding and … we might assume that it wasn’t her responsibility to fill the needs of the wedding’s host.
But there was a problem and it may have just been a lament in what seemed hopeless to the one where hope abides and abounds
Jesus asks the question …
“Woman, what does this have to do with me,
His words, though rebuking, really are asking Mary:
“What do you and I have to do with this?”
But we can know:
If Christ is involved, it’s always good!
You and I also come to our Lord in prayer, lamenting the problems of our life, not having a solution, and praying that the Lord will intervene for our benefit.
Other times we don’t come to the Lord at all because we think, “This isn't important, or God doesn't need to be bothered with my petty concerns.”
Too often those who need God the most, and are in needful situations, fail to think of Him or - ask for Him at all.
At times, we Pastors who are in the business of bringing God’s care and comfort to those in need are often the last to know of a member, in the hospital or those having brokenness in the home or other concerns in this life.
Sometimes we are not even asked to help, not called upon … and not involved.
5 [Jesus’] mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
What if we regarded the word of God with such faith?
The working of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the everyday lives of his people brings salvation and peace. Mary knew to trust in what He would say and do.
The jars used for purification rites and ceremonial washings in Jewish life were large and it’s not very important the number or the size. They were all filled to the brim. What God fills anew leaves no room for what was before.
The miracle was certainly evident to all involved.
The servants, who gathered the water to the brim as it were, knew what they had put in those jars and those who had tasted the water turned into wine knew as the master of the feast exclaimed:
“Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
Just as Jesus does with the means of grace where He dispenses his gifts to us through the common things of water and word, bread and wine; and in our lesson today:
He uses common servants - to fill common jars - with simple common water - to this common wedding where man is joined to woman and where God, through this blessed union of husband and wife, fills His creation with His children whom He came to redeem.
God, in Christ, has brought the peace that passes all human understanding to you too through the simple common element of water connected to His word of promise.
He has washed you clean, not with a washing that cleanses, for a time, but through the transforming bath in baptism - takes away the sins of the world for eternity!
You are clean! You are washed! You are forgiven!
You will be His forever, because you are that new wine in Him that is poured forth daily - by faith - as you remember all that He has done for you.
If Christ can turn the common water into the miraculous wine of our wedding story in Cana, He can also turn filthy sinners into washed saints through His word of promise in and through Baptism.
Jesus also will refresh us with His body and blood given for you in the sacrament of the Altar feeding us, sustaining us, and renewing our faith in his blessed work.
Whether the miraculous transformation of the water filled jugs into the finest wine served at the wedding in Cana or the blessed body and blood of our Lord in, with and under the bread and wine offered here - if Jesus Christ, is involved it’s always good!
He is the one who will never leave you but will sustain you through the trials of this world promising you, life eternal in his name where the comfort and peace of a home in His house is secured by the gift of faith in his blood shed for you!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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