Here is the sermon from this past Sunday. I really love preaching on these commemorations and festivals.
Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Aug. 29, 2010
Romans 6:1-5
What shall we say then?
In the name of Jesus, amen. What shall we say then? Of those born among women, none is greater than John the Baptist. What shall we say then? Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. What shall we say then about the last of the Old Testament prophets, about the forerunner of Christ, about the one whom Zechariah sang, “You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
What shall we say then? We should glorify and exalt the Lord God for the gift of John the Baptist, for the preaching of John, for John’s faithfulness unto death, to the time he was beheaded by Herod Antipas, who happened to be son of Herod the Great, the one who tried to kill Jesus in his infancy.
Our talk about John the Baptist should be talk about God’s grace and God’s desire for our salvation. John the Baptist preached baptism. John the Baptist did baptism. Great crowds were coming to see the prophet dressed in weird clothing and eating a weird diet. Great crowds came to hear John’s preaching of repentance, to hear John’s preaching of a return to God. Soldiers, don’t extort people for protection. Tax collectors, collect only what you are supposed to collect. Don’t cheat. Don’t steal. Return to God. What a scold, this popular prophet- John the finger-wagger.
John did what the Lord sent him to do. John’s beginning was miraculous. He was the miracle baby of old Zechariah and barren Elizabeth. And the arrival of John was to get everything ready for Jesus. John brought down the mountains, raised the valleys and made the rough places plain.
And when John was finished with that work, John started talking about baptism. And he addressed the crowd as a brood of vipers. And he told them that the axe was at the root of the tree and that Jesus was going to start chopping down every tree that did not bear the fruit of repentance. So be baptized. I baptize you with water, but one is coming who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. Praise God for the gift of John the Baptist, who speaks the hard words that we, viperish people that we are, might not want to hear.
What shall we say then? We let Paul do the talking: “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ Jesus was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
Continue in sin? By no means. Why would we think of such a thing? John preached repentance. John preached washed and regeneration through baptism. So did Jesus. Jesus preached repentance. Last week Jesus told the crowds that they were to strive to enter through the narrow door. Jesus preached repentance, and then Jesus delivered. Jesus travelled the roads that John had prepared- the road that led throughout Palestine, to Jerusalem, to Calvary, to the tomb. Jesus delivered for the people who did repent, who did turn back to God with tears in their eyes, only to discover that God the Father was crying just as much. God desires our repentance. God desires our sorrow over sin. And God desires that we live in a right relationship with him.
We have indeed been baptized into Christ’s death through baptism. That is one of the shocking realities of the Sacrament that makes us Christian. On that holy, happy day, when the little child is dressed in that baptismal gown, when the parents are worried about the child screaming, when grammy and pop-pop have their cameras ready, a death is being celebrated.
The death of Jesus Christ our Lord is celebrated in the washing of water and the Word. Without the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin, there is no need for Holy Baptism. Holy Baptism is just a formality, a worthless ritual, if the forgiveness of sins is not present.
And it is not only the death of Jesus Christ that we acknowledge and celebrate, it is also the glory of the Father that takes center stage. Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
What shall we say then? It is our heavenly Father’s glory that we rise from death, that we shake off the sleep of death, and walk in new life.
We rise from our slumbers to new life everyday. This new life is the forgiven life. New life is joyous. New life is challenging. It is a little scary. It can hard to discern and decipher. Through faith in Christ, and as we live in him, we learn this new life. We put away the judgmentalism of Satan and pick up the justice of the Lord. We leave behind the sin of racism, of greed, of self-absorbed superiority and we pray for God’s energy to share the mercy of God and the sacrificial love of Christ with those in our life. With Christians and non-Christians alike, we reflect the redemption that has come to us. We forgive as we have been forgiven. We mercy as we have been mercied. We love, because He first loved us.
What shall we say then? Of course, of those born of women, there has never been anyone greater than John the Baptist, yet those who are least in the kingdom of God are greater. What shall we say? Praise to you O Father for the life and ministry of John the Baptist. What shall we say? Christ is our life. Christ’s death is our death. Christ’s resurrection is our resurrection. What shall we say? We are sinners called by the Word of God to repent and find the forgiveness of those sins. What shall we say? God desires us to repent, God desires to forgive our sins, and through our savior Jesus, God delivers. SDG
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Home School Updates
We've been homeschooling Jacob now for a week, and as the second week has started, we feel pretty good about what's going on. I taught him Friday and Monday. Yesterday I successfully taught him the One Vowel Rule. (First of all, who knew that the One Vowel Rule existed?) The One Vowel Rule is this: Words that have one vowel in them usually say their short sound.
And today we're going on a field trip to the DE Museum of Natural History. Today is the last day of $1 admission. Should be a good time.
And today we're going on a field trip to the DE Museum of Natural History. Today is the last day of $1 admission. Should be a good time.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wow
I heard on the radio that Cal Ripken turned fifty yesterday. And it was fifteen years ago that he broke the consecutive game streak. I remember that, watching the moment while at work.
Cal still is a good role model in a time when sports stars are generally lousy role models.
It's good to remember what happened so long ago.
Cal still is a good role model in a time when sports stars are generally lousy role models.
It's good to remember what happened so long ago.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Worship info for Aug. 29
This is the last Sunday in August and we continue to follow Divine Service 5.
Hymns
685 Let us ever walk with Jesus
731 O GOd, forsake me not
641 You satisfy the hungry heart
738 Lord of all hopefulness
518 By all your saints in warfare 1,24,3
842 Son of God, eternal savior
Scripture Lessons
Revelation 6:9-11
Psalm 71:1-8
Romans 6:1-5
Mark 6:14-29
Collect of the Day
O Lord of grace and mercy, teach us by Your Holy Spirit to follow the example of Your Son in true humility, that we may withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Collect of the Day for the commemoration of the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
Almighty God, You gave your servant John the Baptist to be the forerunner of Your Son, Jesus Christ, in both his preaching of repentance and his innocent death. Grant that we, who have died and risen with Christ in Holy Baptism, may daily repent of our sins, patiently suffer for the sake of the truth, and fearlessly bear witness to His victory over death; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, nopw and forever. Amen.
Hymns
685 Let us ever walk with Jesus
731 O GOd, forsake me not
641 You satisfy the hungry heart
738 Lord of all hopefulness
518 By all your saints in warfare 1,24,3
842 Son of God, eternal savior
Scripture Lessons
Revelation 6:9-11
Psalm 71:1-8
Romans 6:1-5
Mark 6:14-29
Collect of the Day
O Lord of grace and mercy, teach us by Your Holy Spirit to follow the example of Your Son in true humility, that we may withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Collect of the Day for the commemoration of the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
Almighty God, You gave your servant John the Baptist to be the forerunner of Your Son, Jesus Christ, in both his preaching of repentance and his innocent death. Grant that we, who have died and risen with Christ in Holy Baptism, may daily repent of our sins, patiently suffer for the sake of the truth, and fearlessly bear witness to His victory over death; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, nopw and forever. Amen.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sermon for August 22
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Aug. 22, 2010
Luke 13:22-30
“Lord, will those who are to be saved be few?”
In the name of Jesus, amen. As Jesus was making his way to the cross, as he was journeying to Jerusalem, as he was sauntering towards the divine sacrifice, someone asked him what was going on. “Lord, will those who are to be saved be few?”
And our Lord Jesus Christ lovingly looked at the questioner and said, “What’s it to you?” Salvation is God's business. Jesus didn't really say that, but he did say that the people who are to be saved might not be the people you think it might be.
The questioner came to Jesus and asked about the number of those who would be saved. Will it be few? Yes.
Yes, it will be few who enter through the narrow door. Many will seek to enter but they will not be able. How many of those many do we know? How many of those many are in our family, are in the cubicle next to us? The answer to those sad questions is probably more than we care to admit. We shrink from the honesty that tells us that many people pretend when it comes to their relationship with God and the salvation that God holds out for them.
We have no reason to believe that Jesus was not speaking with love when he said “Strive to enter through the narrow door.” Jesus wants us to enter our Father’s house. And Jesus has provided the way, informing us in John’s gospel that Jesus is the gate, that Jesus is the way.
This striving, this struggle, it is something that the people of God engage in repeatedly, perhaps even perpetually. This striving is the struggle of repentance. It is the fight against our flesh. It is the wrestling with our sinful human nature. Strive to repent. Strive to be open to the Word of God. Repentance is the work of God after all. It is God working in our heart. It is God strengthening us to admit that there is no value in us apart from God. Strive to fully own up to your sins of thought, word, and deed. Strive to stand in the shadow of the cross with the knowledge that it was your sin, my sin, that put Jesus there. Strive to enter through the narrow door.
We repent, every Sunday, every day, to our children, to our spouse, to our employer, to our coworkers. We admit all the sin that binds and hinders. And we find the forgiveness of those sins. We find God’s open arms, the Father’s loving embrace, the Father’s desire to wipe away our tears, His desire to welcome us to the feast.
The master will rise and he’ll shut the door. That is a true statement. The door to heaven will not be open forever. When the sovereign Lord determines, the door will be shut. People will be outside, banging on the door, saying, begging, pleading, “Lord, open to us.” The master of the house will then honestly say, “No. I do not know who you are nor do I know where you have come from.”
“But we ate in your presence. You taught in our streets.”
“Fine. Did you listen?”
“Not really. Or at least not that closely.”
Mere acquaintance with Jesus the Lord is not what the Lord is looking for. You may know the facts, that Jesus is God’s Son, that Jesus died and rose, but until you know that Jesus did it for you, to help you, comfort you, to save you, then knowing the facts is really not much knowledge at all.
That’s sad. A lot of the time the things we know get in the way. We value this knowledge and build it up into something it is not. What we know gets in the way of the One who knows us and the One we are invited to know. Yes, the triune God invites us to know him. We are invited to know the Lord as the narrow door, to know the Lord as Redeemer, as Shepherd, as the Lamb that was slain who now lives forevermore. We are invited to learn of Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We are invited to know God as our strength, as our energy, as our rest.
As we learn of this God we are repeatedly astounded at all there is know and experience. We do realize that the beauty of God is found in the ‘for you’ aspect.
For your sake you were washed, cleansed, baptized. For your sake, your forgiveness, life, and salvation, you receive the body and blood of Christ that was broken and shed. Strengthened by God’s baptismal grace, fortified by the grace and mercy of the communion meal, we are transformed and strengthened for lives of discipleship.
We are strengthened to recognize that some people have given God the stiff arm. Why do I need to repent when I am not a sinner? I don’t cheat. I don’t steal. I don’t do anything that is wrong. And that is what some people believe. Why won’t God let me in to heaven? I’m a nice guy. I’m kind to kittens and puppies. I’m generous and respectful. I’m a moral person. And all of that is very nice. But when you ask if they have repented of their sins and embraced the free gift of salvation in Jesus, they bristle, they stiffen, and they walk away. The gnash their teeth at the notion that they are sinners. In Matthew’s gospel we find Christ talking about the sheep and the goats. It is the goats who tell Jesus that if they had seen the Lord hungry, naked, sick, or in prison, then by God, we’d have done something. They never acknowledged all the hungry and sick and naked who were living right next door to them.
People will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, they will enter through the narrow gate and they will recline at the table of the Lord.
How many months ago did I mention that when you eat with someone, you are accepting them? An overloaded banqueting table is prepared by our Lord, and people from all nations are brought in to the feast. How joyous is it to recline at the table of the Lord, be served by the Lord, and bask in His presence? It is joy upon joy, glory upon glory.
Strive to enter through the narrow door, huh? Lord, will those who are saved be few? We enter through the door that is our savior Jesus. Called through the Gospel by the Holy Spirit, gathered together to confess our sins and lift up our Redeemer, strengthened to claim the free forgiveness of God and live that forgiveness, we enter through the narrow door. We acknowledge that there are people, neighbors even, who work in opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that the salvation of our souls is God’s work.
Will those who are saved be few? Yes, if salvation is from a human perspective, if salvation is based on my goodness and your merit. But Christ is the narrow door through which we enter God’s kingdom. And Christ is our strength, Christ is our merit, Christ is our hope, and Christ is our Redeemer. SDG
Aug. 22, 2010
Luke 13:22-30
“Lord, will those who are to be saved be few?”
In the name of Jesus, amen. As Jesus was making his way to the cross, as he was journeying to Jerusalem, as he was sauntering towards the divine sacrifice, someone asked him what was going on. “Lord, will those who are to be saved be few?”
And our Lord Jesus Christ lovingly looked at the questioner and said, “What’s it to you?” Salvation is God's business. Jesus didn't really say that, but he did say that the people who are to be saved might not be the people you think it might be.
The questioner came to Jesus and asked about the number of those who would be saved. Will it be few? Yes.
Yes, it will be few who enter through the narrow door. Many will seek to enter but they will not be able. How many of those many do we know? How many of those many are in our family, are in the cubicle next to us? The answer to those sad questions is probably more than we care to admit. We shrink from the honesty that tells us that many people pretend when it comes to their relationship with God and the salvation that God holds out for them.
We have no reason to believe that Jesus was not speaking with love when he said “Strive to enter through the narrow door.” Jesus wants us to enter our Father’s house. And Jesus has provided the way, informing us in John’s gospel that Jesus is the gate, that Jesus is the way.
This striving, this struggle, it is something that the people of God engage in repeatedly, perhaps even perpetually. This striving is the struggle of repentance. It is the fight against our flesh. It is the wrestling with our sinful human nature. Strive to repent. Strive to be open to the Word of God. Repentance is the work of God after all. It is God working in our heart. It is God strengthening us to admit that there is no value in us apart from God. Strive to fully own up to your sins of thought, word, and deed. Strive to stand in the shadow of the cross with the knowledge that it was your sin, my sin, that put Jesus there. Strive to enter through the narrow door.
We repent, every Sunday, every day, to our children, to our spouse, to our employer, to our coworkers. We admit all the sin that binds and hinders. And we find the forgiveness of those sins. We find God’s open arms, the Father’s loving embrace, the Father’s desire to wipe away our tears, His desire to welcome us to the feast.
The master will rise and he’ll shut the door. That is a true statement. The door to heaven will not be open forever. When the sovereign Lord determines, the door will be shut. People will be outside, banging on the door, saying, begging, pleading, “Lord, open to us.” The master of the house will then honestly say, “No. I do not know who you are nor do I know where you have come from.”
“But we ate in your presence. You taught in our streets.”
“Fine. Did you listen?”
“Not really. Or at least not that closely.”
Mere acquaintance with Jesus the Lord is not what the Lord is looking for. You may know the facts, that Jesus is God’s Son, that Jesus died and rose, but until you know that Jesus did it for you, to help you, comfort you, to save you, then knowing the facts is really not much knowledge at all.
That’s sad. A lot of the time the things we know get in the way. We value this knowledge and build it up into something it is not. What we know gets in the way of the One who knows us and the One we are invited to know. Yes, the triune God invites us to know him. We are invited to know the Lord as the narrow door, to know the Lord as Redeemer, as Shepherd, as the Lamb that was slain who now lives forevermore. We are invited to learn of Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We are invited to know God as our strength, as our energy, as our rest.
As we learn of this God we are repeatedly astounded at all there is know and experience. We do realize that the beauty of God is found in the ‘for you’ aspect.
For your sake you were washed, cleansed, baptized. For your sake, your forgiveness, life, and salvation, you receive the body and blood of Christ that was broken and shed. Strengthened by God’s baptismal grace, fortified by the grace and mercy of the communion meal, we are transformed and strengthened for lives of discipleship.
We are strengthened to recognize that some people have given God the stiff arm. Why do I need to repent when I am not a sinner? I don’t cheat. I don’t steal. I don’t do anything that is wrong. And that is what some people believe. Why won’t God let me in to heaven? I’m a nice guy. I’m kind to kittens and puppies. I’m generous and respectful. I’m a moral person. And all of that is very nice. But when you ask if they have repented of their sins and embraced the free gift of salvation in Jesus, they bristle, they stiffen, and they walk away. The gnash their teeth at the notion that they are sinners. In Matthew’s gospel we find Christ talking about the sheep and the goats. It is the goats who tell Jesus that if they had seen the Lord hungry, naked, sick, or in prison, then by God, we’d have done something. They never acknowledged all the hungry and sick and naked who were living right next door to them.
People will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, they will enter through the narrow gate and they will recline at the table of the Lord.
How many months ago did I mention that when you eat with someone, you are accepting them? An overloaded banqueting table is prepared by our Lord, and people from all nations are brought in to the feast. How joyous is it to recline at the table of the Lord, be served by the Lord, and bask in His presence? It is joy upon joy, glory upon glory.
Strive to enter through the narrow door, huh? Lord, will those who are saved be few? We enter through the door that is our savior Jesus. Called through the Gospel by the Holy Spirit, gathered together to confess our sins and lift up our Redeemer, strengthened to claim the free forgiveness of God and live that forgiveness, we enter through the narrow door. We acknowledge that there are people, neighbors even, who work in opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that the salvation of our souls is God’s work.
Will those who are saved be few? Yes, if salvation is from a human perspective, if salvation is based on my goodness and your merit. But Christ is the narrow door through which we enter God’s kingdom. And Christ is our strength, Christ is our merit, Christ is our hope, and Christ is our Redeemer. SDG
Thursday, August 19, 2010
I just can't...
...figure out the Cardinals this year. They just got swept by the Brewers, each game was 3-2.
They are a 'good' team. That's it. They aren't bad. They aren't exceptional. They are good. Perhaps I, and all the other Card fans, have been spoiled by their run of above-averageness for the last decade and a half. But this year, about the best that can be said for the Cardinals is that they are good.
Albert is having a great year. His average may be down a bit, but the pitchers do seem to have the advantage across the board.
Matt Holliday is productive but not at the level I expected.
Colby Rasmus is developing nicely.
Molina is solid
Schumaker started horribly.
All the other role players are just that: role players. And when role players play outside of their roles, that's not a good thing to do long term.
Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright have been exceptional. They are allowed a mistake or two. Jaime Garcis is a delightful surprise and I hope that he continues to develop. The bullpen is effective when it is allowed to settle into their roles. When they are asked to do more than what they can do, we've seen the bad results.
Will the Cardinals make the playoffs? I don't know. Sometimes good teams do and sometimes good teams don't. And the Cardinals are good. We'll see.
They are a 'good' team. That's it. They aren't bad. They aren't exceptional. They are good. Perhaps I, and all the other Card fans, have been spoiled by their run of above-averageness for the last decade and a half. But this year, about the best that can be said for the Cardinals is that they are good.
Albert is having a great year. His average may be down a bit, but the pitchers do seem to have the advantage across the board.
Matt Holliday is productive but not at the level I expected.
Colby Rasmus is developing nicely.
Molina is solid
Schumaker started horribly.
All the other role players are just that: role players. And when role players play outside of their roles, that's not a good thing to do long term.
Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright have been exceptional. They are allowed a mistake or two. Jaime Garcis is a delightful surprise and I hope that he continues to develop. The bullpen is effective when it is allowed to settle into their roles. When they are asked to do more than what they can do, we've seen the bad results.
Will the Cardinals make the playoffs? I don't know. Sometimes good teams do and sometimes good teams don't. And the Cardinals are good. We'll see.
Worship info for August 22
Hymns
526 You Are the Way; Through You Alone
510 A Multitude Comes from the East and the West
518 By All your Saints in Warfare 1,23,3
675 Oh, What Their Joy
Scripture Lessons
Isaiah 66:18-23
Hebrews 12:4-29
Luke 13:22-30
Collect of the Day
O Lord, You have called us to enter Your kingdom through the narrow door. Guide us by Your Word and Spirit, and lead us now and always into the feast of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Collect of the Day for St. Barnabas, Apostle
Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, chose Bartholomew to be an apostle to preach the blessed Gospel. Grant that Your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
May God bless our preparation and meditation for worship.
526 You Are the Way; Through You Alone
510 A Multitude Comes from the East and the West
518 By All your Saints in Warfare 1,23,3
675 Oh, What Their Joy
Scripture Lessons
Isaiah 66:18-23
Hebrews 12:4-29
Luke 13:22-30
Collect of the Day
O Lord, You have called us to enter Your kingdom through the narrow door. Guide us by Your Word and Spirit, and lead us now and always into the feast of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Collect of the Day for St. Barnabas, Apostle
Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, chose Bartholomew to be an apostle to preach the blessed Gospel. Grant that Your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
May God bless our preparation and meditation for worship.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Something about Mary
The following was written by my internet friend Will Weedon. Will is a pastor in Hamel, IL (southern IL). This devotion is glorious in the rich Biblical images we have of the blessed Virgin and our Lord Jesus. Most highly favored Lady! Gloria!
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I remember when the angel came and told me, and my heart burst with joy and terror.
I remember when I came to the door of Zechariah’s house and Eliabeth knew my secret and my heart melted and my eyes burned with tears and my mouth prophesied.
I remember when I felt your movement first inside my body, and I realized that I was the living ark of the living God.
I remember when first I saw your face, and touched your hands, and looked into my Joseph’s eyes.
I remember when they came creeping in to see you, to worship you, the shepherds of the night, and told me songs of angels and glory in the highest and peace on earth.
I remember when we brought you to the temple and the old man took you in his arms and blessed God, ready to die, and told me of pain yet to come.
I remember when they came from the East and bowed before you as I held you and gave their gifts - the gold, the incense and the myrrh, while the star's light shone upon us.
I remember when he woke me and we fled into the night ahead of the terror of Herod’s sword.
I remember when we came home at last, and people looked and talked, but you were all our joy.
I remember when you stayed behind, when you left us, and we found you in the temple and my heart rose up in fear realizing that you chose to abide in the place of sacrifice and death.
I remember when you spoke to me in roughness and yet made the water into wine.
I remember when we came to make you take your rest and you taught me that all these in need were dear to you as your own family.
I remember when they took you, tortured you, and crucified you; and before my eyes rose up the old man in the temple – his words haunted me still – and a sword ran me through as I watched you dying.
I remember when you looked on me and the beloved one and gave us to each other for all our days.
I remember when the light died in your eyes and my heart sank beyond tears and words.
I remember after the empty days when they came and told me that you lived again, and joy flooded my heart, and I knew then what I had always known - your every promise was true.
I remember when we prayed together after you had gone into heaven and the Spirit came in wind and flame.
I remember how they went and told the news to all the world. And I welcomed each new believer as my beloved child, a brother of my Son, the King of all.
I remember it all now as I die, as I lay my head down in death.
My Son, I am not afraid. I go to you, to you who have conquered death, to you who are the Forgiveness of all sins. Receive me, child. Receive me.
I remember. I remember. I remember.
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I remember when the angel came and told me, and my heart burst with joy and terror.
I remember when I came to the door of Zechariah’s house and Eliabeth knew my secret and my heart melted and my eyes burned with tears and my mouth prophesied.
I remember when I felt your movement first inside my body, and I realized that I was the living ark of the living God.
I remember when first I saw your face, and touched your hands, and looked into my Joseph’s eyes.
I remember when they came creeping in to see you, to worship you, the shepherds of the night, and told me songs of angels and glory in the highest and peace on earth.
I remember when we brought you to the temple and the old man took you in his arms and blessed God, ready to die, and told me of pain yet to come.
I remember when they came from the East and bowed before you as I held you and gave their gifts - the gold, the incense and the myrrh, while the star's light shone upon us.
I remember when he woke me and we fled into the night ahead of the terror of Herod’s sword.
I remember when we came home at last, and people looked and talked, but you were all our joy.
I remember when you stayed behind, when you left us, and we found you in the temple and my heart rose up in fear realizing that you chose to abide in the place of sacrifice and death.
I remember when you spoke to me in roughness and yet made the water into wine.
I remember when we came to make you take your rest and you taught me that all these in need were dear to you as your own family.
I remember when they took you, tortured you, and crucified you; and before my eyes rose up the old man in the temple – his words haunted me still – and a sword ran me through as I watched you dying.
I remember when you looked on me and the beloved one and gave us to each other for all our days.
I remember when the light died in your eyes and my heart sank beyond tears and words.
I remember after the empty days when they came and told me that you lived again, and joy flooded my heart, and I knew then what I had always known - your every promise was true.
I remember when we prayed together after you had gone into heaven and the Spirit came in wind and flame.
I remember how they went and told the news to all the world. And I welcomed each new believer as my beloved child, a brother of my Son, the King of all.
I remember it all now as I die, as I lay my head down in death.
My Son, I am not afraid. I go to you, to you who have conquered death, to you who are the Forgiveness of all sins. Receive me, child. Receive me.
I remember. I remember. I remember.
Sermon for Aug. 15
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Aug. 15, 2010
Jeremiah 23:16-29, Luke 12:49-56
Is not my word like fire, like a hammer?
In the name of Jesus, amen. And when I say that I mean the fiery Jesus, the hammer-swingin’ Jesus. It is in his name that this sermon is offered, and in whose name we live, move, and have our being. I love talking about the Name, capital N. And I love how the Name is named at our invocation, how the Name is lifted up in the Kyrie and the Gloria, how attention is given to the Name in the hearing of Holy Scripture, how the Name is confessed in the Creed, how our prayers are laid at the feet of the Name, how our service is ended in the Name.
The Name is the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Name is what is revealed to us as Creator, as Redeemer, as Sanctifier. The Name is revealed to us in the Word as the Word. Jeremiah the prophet was blessed to receive the Word, to digest it, to inwardly take in the Word and then spill it back out for those who wanted to hear and for those who didn’t. The Word of God is like fire. The Word of God is like a hammer. And praise be to God that this statement is true.
I’d like to say something profound. Are you ready? Get out a pen or pencil. Here it comes: It’s hard being a Christian.
None of you seem surprised to hear that. And I’m glad that my profundity was really rather common to you.
Being a Christian is tough. You live that reality every day. The Holy Spirit has called me, us, by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctifies me, and keeps me in the one true faith. God has called us by the Gospel, and that is good. This Gospel is grand and glorious. It is good and gracious. It is fiery and can smack like a hammer.
And as God spoke through His prophet Jeremiah, “Is not my word like fire, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” And as Jesus the Word of God said, “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No I tell you, but rather division. From now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.” Fathers and sons will fight. Mothers and daughters will fight.
And allow me to say this: Good. Would that all Christians were divided so that Christ might dwell between them.
Look at the fiery lava on the bulletin cover. I saw that and imagined someone on one side and someone on the other. In a horrible way, there is division. One hiker is separated, is divided from another.
Fire is terrible. We prayed about the Crossan family. We collectively mourned and prayed for the mother who lost three of her four children in a house fire. Some of us may have contributed to the memorial fund. Fire hurts and scars and burns and destroys. It is not something to be fooled around with.
That’s the bad side. But you know full well that there is more than one side, more than one perspective with a lot of things. As a child I loved Sunday nights in the winter. My father and mother would make a fire in the fireplace and while it burned and crackled, they’d read the newspaper on the couch. My brother and I would play a board game or something or sometimes I’d lay on the floor in front of the fireplace and would read a book. And you know what’s ridiculous? I used to pretend that I was Abraham Lincoln reading by the fire in his log cabin. What can I say? I’m a nerd. Sometimes Mom would break out the roasting sticks and we’d roast hot dogs for dinner and marshmallows for dessert.
Fire is warm. Fire is inviting. It is comforting. It provides light.
Is not my word like a fire? By the warm guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Christian says yes! By the power of the Word the world came into being. God said, “Let there be” and there was- sun, moon, stars, the land, all that flies in the sky, walks on the land, and swims in the sea. As we gather around a campfire, so the Church of God gathers around the Word. The location of the Scripture readings is in the middle of the service. During the Easter season we physically carry the Word into the middle of our Sanctuary during a Gospel processional. In a real way the Word is in the middle of our assembly. As the Word is read, maybe you look across the aisle at your brother or sister in Christ. You are looking at the Word from one side and there is someone looking at the Word from the other. We keep the warm, inviting Word in the middle and we invite others to come and have the Word dwell in their middle too.
Who do we invite? We could say that we invite our friends and our neighbors, family members, friends from school. But we invite sinners. We invite sinners to come and sit with us, who are fellow sinners, so that all of us can understand and love the God who forgives, the God who is mercy, the God who is patience, the God who is justice and truth.
Coming into the fire of God’s presence is scary at first, because the light of the fire exposes our dirt and our stains. And we do not like to be exposed. We’d prefer to stay in the shadows, stay protected, and continue to put forth the façade that everything in our life is perfect. But coming into the light of God’s Word exposes us.
But more than exposing us, the light of God’s Word exposes God. And I just rattled off some of the things that God is- mercy, goodness, love, patience. God is a God at hand. He is a God who draws close. He is a God who lifts up, who supports, who holds us close to Himself. He fills the heavens and the earth. That is the God revealed in the Word.
Yet, my brothers and sisters, there are those who look at the warm fire of God’s Word and run from it. They dream dreams. They prophecy lies and deceit. They call evil good and good evil. They pretend that sin does not exist. They justify the wrong and when anyone dares to speak the truth of God’s Word, those truth-speakers are ridiculed and denounced as hateful, unloving, unenlightened. Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully.
God has drawn us to the fire of God’s Word and we have been shown how good it is. God has revealed to us that His Word is a hammer, and like fire, we know that a hammer can destroy and a hammer can build.
God’s Word bangs and beats like a hammer upon the rock-hard heart that is lodged inside every one of us. Our selfishness is broken up. Our arrogance is beaten by the hammer of God’s Word. Our self-centered definition of love falls under the hammer-blows of God’s Word. And let us rejoice, for we are indeed hard as rocks when it comes to receiving the gracious presence of God.
We are broken but we are not left in that condition. God binds up the broken-hearted. God picks up the pieces and molds, shapes, and fashions us. It may be a long time and we may grow weary and impatient, but God transforms us by the power of His Word. The hammer that nailed Jesus to the cross is the hammer that smashes our sin. We are smashed by the cross. We are rebuilt by the empty tomb.
Is not my word like a fire? Yes, a warm, loving, enlightening fire. Is not my word like a hammer? Yes, a hammer that builds us into the body of Christ, builds us to love and serve in the same way that we have been loved and served. The fire and the hammer of God’s Word are great. SDG
Aug. 15, 2010
Jeremiah 23:16-29, Luke 12:49-56
Is not my word like fire, like a hammer?
In the name of Jesus, amen. And when I say that I mean the fiery Jesus, the hammer-swingin’ Jesus. It is in his name that this sermon is offered, and in whose name we live, move, and have our being. I love talking about the Name, capital N. And I love how the Name is named at our invocation, how the Name is lifted up in the Kyrie and the Gloria, how attention is given to the Name in the hearing of Holy Scripture, how the Name is confessed in the Creed, how our prayers are laid at the feet of the Name, how our service is ended in the Name.
The Name is the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Name is what is revealed to us as Creator, as Redeemer, as Sanctifier. The Name is revealed to us in the Word as the Word. Jeremiah the prophet was blessed to receive the Word, to digest it, to inwardly take in the Word and then spill it back out for those who wanted to hear and for those who didn’t. The Word of God is like fire. The Word of God is like a hammer. And praise be to God that this statement is true.
I’d like to say something profound. Are you ready? Get out a pen or pencil. Here it comes: It’s hard being a Christian.
None of you seem surprised to hear that. And I’m glad that my profundity was really rather common to you.
Being a Christian is tough. You live that reality every day. The Holy Spirit has called me, us, by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctifies me, and keeps me in the one true faith. God has called us by the Gospel, and that is good. This Gospel is grand and glorious. It is good and gracious. It is fiery and can smack like a hammer.
And as God spoke through His prophet Jeremiah, “Is not my word like fire, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” And as Jesus the Word of God said, “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No I tell you, but rather division. From now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.” Fathers and sons will fight. Mothers and daughters will fight.
And allow me to say this: Good. Would that all Christians were divided so that Christ might dwell between them.
Look at the fiery lava on the bulletin cover. I saw that and imagined someone on one side and someone on the other. In a horrible way, there is division. One hiker is separated, is divided from another.
Fire is terrible. We prayed about the Crossan family. We collectively mourned and prayed for the mother who lost three of her four children in a house fire. Some of us may have contributed to the memorial fund. Fire hurts and scars and burns and destroys. It is not something to be fooled around with.
That’s the bad side. But you know full well that there is more than one side, more than one perspective with a lot of things. As a child I loved Sunday nights in the winter. My father and mother would make a fire in the fireplace and while it burned and crackled, they’d read the newspaper on the couch. My brother and I would play a board game or something or sometimes I’d lay on the floor in front of the fireplace and would read a book. And you know what’s ridiculous? I used to pretend that I was Abraham Lincoln reading by the fire in his log cabin. What can I say? I’m a nerd. Sometimes Mom would break out the roasting sticks and we’d roast hot dogs for dinner and marshmallows for dessert.
Fire is warm. Fire is inviting. It is comforting. It provides light.
Is not my word like a fire? By the warm guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Christian says yes! By the power of the Word the world came into being. God said, “Let there be” and there was- sun, moon, stars, the land, all that flies in the sky, walks on the land, and swims in the sea. As we gather around a campfire, so the Church of God gathers around the Word. The location of the Scripture readings is in the middle of the service. During the Easter season we physically carry the Word into the middle of our Sanctuary during a Gospel processional. In a real way the Word is in the middle of our assembly. As the Word is read, maybe you look across the aisle at your brother or sister in Christ. You are looking at the Word from one side and there is someone looking at the Word from the other. We keep the warm, inviting Word in the middle and we invite others to come and have the Word dwell in their middle too.
Who do we invite? We could say that we invite our friends and our neighbors, family members, friends from school. But we invite sinners. We invite sinners to come and sit with us, who are fellow sinners, so that all of us can understand and love the God who forgives, the God who is mercy, the God who is patience, the God who is justice and truth.
Coming into the fire of God’s presence is scary at first, because the light of the fire exposes our dirt and our stains. And we do not like to be exposed. We’d prefer to stay in the shadows, stay protected, and continue to put forth the façade that everything in our life is perfect. But coming into the light of God’s Word exposes us.
But more than exposing us, the light of God’s Word exposes God. And I just rattled off some of the things that God is- mercy, goodness, love, patience. God is a God at hand. He is a God who draws close. He is a God who lifts up, who supports, who holds us close to Himself. He fills the heavens and the earth. That is the God revealed in the Word.
Yet, my brothers and sisters, there are those who look at the warm fire of God’s Word and run from it. They dream dreams. They prophecy lies and deceit. They call evil good and good evil. They pretend that sin does not exist. They justify the wrong and when anyone dares to speak the truth of God’s Word, those truth-speakers are ridiculed and denounced as hateful, unloving, unenlightened. Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully.
God has drawn us to the fire of God’s Word and we have been shown how good it is. God has revealed to us that His Word is a hammer, and like fire, we know that a hammer can destroy and a hammer can build.
God’s Word bangs and beats like a hammer upon the rock-hard heart that is lodged inside every one of us. Our selfishness is broken up. Our arrogance is beaten by the hammer of God’s Word. Our self-centered definition of love falls under the hammer-blows of God’s Word. And let us rejoice, for we are indeed hard as rocks when it comes to receiving the gracious presence of God.
We are broken but we are not left in that condition. God binds up the broken-hearted. God picks up the pieces and molds, shapes, and fashions us. It may be a long time and we may grow weary and impatient, but God transforms us by the power of His Word. The hammer that nailed Jesus to the cross is the hammer that smashes our sin. We are smashed by the cross. We are rebuilt by the empty tomb.
Is not my word like a fire? Yes, a warm, loving, enlightening fire. Is not my word like a hammer? Yes, a hammer that builds us into the body of Christ, builds us to love and serve in the same way that we have been loved and served. The fire and the hammer of God’s Word are great. SDG
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Worship info for Aug. 15
Hymnal owners, here is the information for worship this coming Sunday:
Hymns
913 O Holy Spirit, Enter In
678 We Sing for All the Unsung Saints
582 God's Word Is Our Great Heritage
629 What Is This Bread
855 For All The Faithful Women verses 1,8,3,4
924 Lord, Dismiss Us With Your Blessing
Scripture Lessons
Jeremiah 23:16-29
Hebrews 11:17-12:3
Luke 12:49-56
Prayer of the Day
Merciful Lord, cleanse and defend Your Church by the sacrifice of Christ. United with Him in Holy Baptism, give us grace to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of His redeeming work and daily follow in His way; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Collect of the Day for the commemoration of St. Mary, mother of our Lord (Aug. 15)
Almighty God, You chose the virgin Mary to be the mother of Your only Son. Grant that we, who are redeemed by His blood, may share with her in the glory of Your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Remember to look through the service music for Divine Service 5. You can look at 960, 434, and 617 for the communion service.
Hymns
913 O Holy Spirit, Enter In
678 We Sing for All the Unsung Saints
582 God's Word Is Our Great Heritage
629 What Is This Bread
855 For All The Faithful Women verses 1,8,3,4
924 Lord, Dismiss Us With Your Blessing
Scripture Lessons
Jeremiah 23:16-29
Hebrews 11:17-12:3
Luke 12:49-56
Prayer of the Day
Merciful Lord, cleanse and defend Your Church by the sacrifice of Christ. United with Him in Holy Baptism, give us grace to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of His redeeming work and daily follow in His way; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Collect of the Day for the commemoration of St. Mary, mother of our Lord (Aug. 15)
Almighty God, You chose the virgin Mary to be the mother of Your only Son. Grant that we, who are redeemed by His blood, may share with her in the glory of Your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Remember to look through the service music for Divine Service 5. You can look at 960, 434, and 617 for the communion service.
Late to the party
Anne Rice reported on her facebook page and through other media outlets that she has quit Christianity but is still a follower of Christ Jesus.
This has gotten a lot of attention. I heard it on All Things Considered on NPR last week. But the attention is for something that is not really a new, or news, item.
The fastest growing segment in Christianity is "None". People are labeling themselves as Spiritual rather than Religious. One thing that Anne Rice commented about was that she was leaving behind the quarrels and contentiousness and fighting and bickering. She stated her disgust, disapproval, and disappointment with "organized religion". (Anne Rice was raised Roman Catholic, married an atheist, wandered around for a while, then rediscovered Roman Catholicism and decided to 'write for the Lord', and now is dissatisfied with The Church.)
Christians are contentious. Christians get into quarrels. Christians fight and bicker. Hello! Organized religion has a lot of problems with it. At times I am disgusted with, and perhaps I even hate organized religion and those associated with it.
And my disgust with organized religion is precisely why I NEED organized religion! We organize ourselves every Sunday at 10am to be spiritually religious. We are bound together to confess our contentiousness, to admit our arrogance, to repent of bickering and quarreling. We are organized around the hearing of the Word. We are organized to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. I need organized religion to repent of all the ways that I shame the Church of God through my actions and inactions. I need organized religion to preach to me the cross of Jesus Christ that forgives all my sins. I need organized religion to point me to the empty tomb and the triumph of my Savior.
The faults of Organized Religion are the faults of the people involved. I am a poor, miserable sinner, sinful from birth, turned inward on myself. When one sinner is added to another sinner, you can imagine what the outcome will be. It ain't pretty.
But when one sinner is connected to Jesus Christ, the outcome is redemption. The outcome is a life of repentance. The outcome is a life that is transformed. The outcome is a life that does not take, does not exult, but rather is a life that receives, that is humble, gentle, meek.
Anne Rice's comments were interesting. They were not new. They were not particularly newsworthy. Many people have left religion in search of spirituality. This is the opportunity for the Church of Jesus Christ to proclaim Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
This has gotten a lot of attention. I heard it on All Things Considered on NPR last week. But the attention is for something that is not really a new, or news, item.
The fastest growing segment in Christianity is "None". People are labeling themselves as Spiritual rather than Religious. One thing that Anne Rice commented about was that she was leaving behind the quarrels and contentiousness and fighting and bickering. She stated her disgust, disapproval, and disappointment with "organized religion". (Anne Rice was raised Roman Catholic, married an atheist, wandered around for a while, then rediscovered Roman Catholicism and decided to 'write for the Lord', and now is dissatisfied with The Church.)
Christians are contentious. Christians get into quarrels. Christians fight and bicker. Hello! Organized religion has a lot of problems with it. At times I am disgusted with, and perhaps I even hate organized religion and those associated with it.
And my disgust with organized religion is precisely why I NEED organized religion! We organize ourselves every Sunday at 10am to be spiritually religious. We are bound together to confess our contentiousness, to admit our arrogance, to repent of bickering and quarreling. We are organized around the hearing of the Word. We are organized to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. I need organized religion to repent of all the ways that I shame the Church of God through my actions and inactions. I need organized religion to preach to me the cross of Jesus Christ that forgives all my sins. I need organized religion to point me to the empty tomb and the triumph of my Savior.
The faults of Organized Religion are the faults of the people involved. I am a poor, miserable sinner, sinful from birth, turned inward on myself. When one sinner is added to another sinner, you can imagine what the outcome will be. It ain't pretty.
But when one sinner is connected to Jesus Christ, the outcome is redemption. The outcome is a life of repentance. The outcome is a life that is transformed. The outcome is a life that does not take, does not exult, but rather is a life that receives, that is humble, gentle, meek.
Anne Rice's comments were interesting. They were not new. They were not particularly newsworthy. Many people have left religion in search of spirituality. This is the opportunity for the Church of Jesus Christ to proclaim Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Sermon for August 8
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Aug. 8, 2010
Luke 12:22-40
More and more
In the name of Jesus, amen. Our desire and our drive for more starts at the beginning and never really goes away. It may subside a bit, but it’s always there. We long for more, we search for more, we hunger and thirst for more.
More what? Now that is something to be explored because sometimes having more is good yet it is true that having more can be harmful. More sleep? Good. More time to complete your test? Good. More fun, food, frivolity? Those are generally good things. But more bills? Harmful. More weight? Harmful. More pain, uncertainty, confusion. Who wants those sort of things?
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.”
More than food and more than clothing. But the chase to satisfy our most basic needs seems to be all that life is about. We get stuck in the simplistic. And simplistic is vastly different than simple.
Examining food and clothing, we can certainly be simplistic in our drive for more. How many shirts do you really wear? How many pairs of shoes do you really need? And what’s going to happen to your favorite item of clothing? If it’s your favorite, you’ll wear it a lot, and pretty soon the cuff will start to fray, the color will fade, you might get a hole in it, and then what? You get rid of it. You find a new favorite.
The same is true with food. Food fills our body, providing energy and nutrition. Food serves us. Or at least it should. But often we are the ones in service to food. We turn food into an idol.
The ravens neither sow nor reap, yet they are cared for. They do not have barns, silos, storehouses or warehouses. God feeds the ravens. Of how much more value are you than the birds? When we simplistically chase our tails, we begin to think that we are of no value, that value is only found in things, that our things define who we are. My brothers and sisters, let us get our minds out of the gutter. Let us not think so simplistically. As we focused last week, let us set our minds on things above, not on the earthly things.
The earthly things surround us. We see our neighbor’s new car, new gas grill, and new patio furniture. We hear about their new bamboo wood floors. We hear from our children about all the cool places they go, the beach, the amusement park, the mountains, and we know all about the gadgets and gizmos- a DS3, the new smart phone with 4G technology. It can be maddening to try and keep up. It’s an arms race that has no winner. Our mind is focused on all that is around us and we lose the ability to discern the divine goodness and mercy that comes to us. The earthly things surround us.
We lose our satisfaction, our contentment. We lose our appreciation for all the ways that we are cared for, that we are tended, and looked after. We lose sight of our Good Shepherd who leads and guides us to cool pastures and still waters. We forget that we are never in want.
Of how much more value are you than birds? More and more. That’s how much.
Value is tricky, especially when examining things that cannot be produced. What’s the value of a smile? What’s the value of simple courtesy? What’s the value of hard work? What’s the value of smart work? I’ll let you ponder those things.
But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
God’s Kingdom is given to God’s children. It is given to you. It is given to me. It is given to all who acknowledge and believe that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus is the Savior, that Jesus is the one who brings the forgiveness of God to all the sinful situations we get bogged down in.
Greed places us in a sinful situation. Laziness gets us trapped in sinful situations. Skewed definitions and understandings of love certainly bog us down in sin. Arrogance and self-importance reveal the depth of the prison of sin.
But God’s Kingdom is given to the children of God. God’s Kingdom comes to us through the King of kings and Lord of lords. It comes through Jesus, through His grace, through his compassion, through the exercise of his mercy. Jesus comes to us, looks lovingly into our eyes, receives our repentance and removes the sin that humiliates us.
Our sin is affront to God. It is offensive. It is a rejection of God’s grace and love. It is a rejection of the gift of God’s Son Jesus. It is rebellion against the leading and guiding call of God’s Holy Spirit. Yet the Father sent His Christ to be our King and to lead us to the cross and to the tomb. The Father sent the Christ to bring us the kingdom of God today and the kingdom of God that awaits us in heaven. As we learn in the Small Catechism, p324 in our hymnals, “God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.”
More and more, as we mature in faith, as we grow into Christ our head, we grow into the people God has made us to be. More and more we demonstrate grace. More and more we model forgiveness. More and more we grow into lives of service. More and more we grow to receive the love and support that people want to give us. More and more we become people of integrity who demonstrate their love for the Lord through the help and assistance they give their neighbor. More and more we put away those earthly things, we stop the childish chase for food and clothing. And we grow stronger in holding open our hands to receive the gifts of our loving God. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” SDG
Aug. 8, 2010
Luke 12:22-40
More and more
In the name of Jesus, amen. Our desire and our drive for more starts at the beginning and never really goes away. It may subside a bit, but it’s always there. We long for more, we search for more, we hunger and thirst for more.
More what? Now that is something to be explored because sometimes having more is good yet it is true that having more can be harmful. More sleep? Good. More time to complete your test? Good. More fun, food, frivolity? Those are generally good things. But more bills? Harmful. More weight? Harmful. More pain, uncertainty, confusion. Who wants those sort of things?
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.”
More than food and more than clothing. But the chase to satisfy our most basic needs seems to be all that life is about. We get stuck in the simplistic. And simplistic is vastly different than simple.
Examining food and clothing, we can certainly be simplistic in our drive for more. How many shirts do you really wear? How many pairs of shoes do you really need? And what’s going to happen to your favorite item of clothing? If it’s your favorite, you’ll wear it a lot, and pretty soon the cuff will start to fray, the color will fade, you might get a hole in it, and then what? You get rid of it. You find a new favorite.
The same is true with food. Food fills our body, providing energy and nutrition. Food serves us. Or at least it should. But often we are the ones in service to food. We turn food into an idol.
The ravens neither sow nor reap, yet they are cared for. They do not have barns, silos, storehouses or warehouses. God feeds the ravens. Of how much more value are you than the birds? When we simplistically chase our tails, we begin to think that we are of no value, that value is only found in things, that our things define who we are. My brothers and sisters, let us get our minds out of the gutter. Let us not think so simplistically. As we focused last week, let us set our minds on things above, not on the earthly things.
The earthly things surround us. We see our neighbor’s new car, new gas grill, and new patio furniture. We hear about their new bamboo wood floors. We hear from our children about all the cool places they go, the beach, the amusement park, the mountains, and we know all about the gadgets and gizmos- a DS3, the new smart phone with 4G technology. It can be maddening to try and keep up. It’s an arms race that has no winner. Our mind is focused on all that is around us and we lose the ability to discern the divine goodness and mercy that comes to us. The earthly things surround us.
We lose our satisfaction, our contentment. We lose our appreciation for all the ways that we are cared for, that we are tended, and looked after. We lose sight of our Good Shepherd who leads and guides us to cool pastures and still waters. We forget that we are never in want.
Of how much more value are you than birds? More and more. That’s how much.
Value is tricky, especially when examining things that cannot be produced. What’s the value of a smile? What’s the value of simple courtesy? What’s the value of hard work? What’s the value of smart work? I’ll let you ponder those things.
But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
God’s Kingdom is given to God’s children. It is given to you. It is given to me. It is given to all who acknowledge and believe that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus is the Savior, that Jesus is the one who brings the forgiveness of God to all the sinful situations we get bogged down in.
Greed places us in a sinful situation. Laziness gets us trapped in sinful situations. Skewed definitions and understandings of love certainly bog us down in sin. Arrogance and self-importance reveal the depth of the prison of sin.
But God’s Kingdom is given to the children of God. God’s Kingdom comes to us through the King of kings and Lord of lords. It comes through Jesus, through His grace, through his compassion, through the exercise of his mercy. Jesus comes to us, looks lovingly into our eyes, receives our repentance and removes the sin that humiliates us.
Our sin is affront to God. It is offensive. It is a rejection of God’s grace and love. It is a rejection of the gift of God’s Son Jesus. It is rebellion against the leading and guiding call of God’s Holy Spirit. Yet the Father sent His Christ to be our King and to lead us to the cross and to the tomb. The Father sent the Christ to bring us the kingdom of God today and the kingdom of God that awaits us in heaven. As we learn in the Small Catechism, p324 in our hymnals, “God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.”
More and more, as we mature in faith, as we grow into Christ our head, we grow into the people God has made us to be. More and more we demonstrate grace. More and more we model forgiveness. More and more we grow into lives of service. More and more we grow to receive the love and support that people want to give us. More and more we become people of integrity who demonstrate their love for the Lord through the help and assistance they give their neighbor. More and more we put away those earthly things, we stop the childish chase for food and clothing. And we grow stronger in holding open our hands to receive the gifts of our loving God. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” SDG
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Double Wow
I haven't written much about it, but our Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod elected a new president at our recent convention. His name is Rev. Matt Harrison. For the last nine years Rev. Harrison has been the executive director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care. Think of all the disasters at home and abroad in the last nine years. Rev. Harrison has overseen the mercy work of our church in all of those disasters, going to the scene of the disasters to move boxes and supplies, to hold the hand of amputees, to relieve the burden of the pastors and relief workers that are there, to pray, to let those affected know that the Lord is present. He's our new president.
I received word from a friend of mine that at the installation service of our new officers, Rev. Walter Obare will deliver the sermon. This is the double wow, for Rev. Walter Obare is the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya, our sister church body. And Walter and I were in homiletics together at seminary. Walter is an older man, in his fifties, but we were in the same class. A genial, kind, funny, man of faith and integrity. I'm so pleased with this news.
And in a very nice note, the Concordia Deaconness Society, the official organization of all the deaconnesses that serve in our church body, will have a participatory role in the installation service as well!
I received word from a friend of mine that at the installation service of our new officers, Rev. Walter Obare will deliver the sermon. This is the double wow, for Rev. Walter Obare is the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya, our sister church body. And Walter and I were in homiletics together at seminary. Walter is an older man, in his fifties, but we were in the same class. A genial, kind, funny, man of faith and integrity. I'm so pleased with this news.
And in a very nice note, the Concordia Deaconness Society, the official organization of all the deaconnesses that serve in our church body, will have a participatory role in the installation service as well!
Wow
It's August 3 and I have all the services for the month of August completed, just awaiting formatting and layout issues. Great.
Monday, August 2, 2010
A valiant effort
Yesterday we started following Divine Service 5 from Lutheran Service Book. We'll use this order for the month of August. It is Luther's German Mass and, for being the first time in use at the congregation, it went very well! The people seemed to be able to follow along without too much difficulty. Following the service there were some nice comments from folks.
Singing "Isaiah, Mighty Seer" was very cool. I could imagine the flaming seraphim calling one to another "Holy is God the Lord of Sabaoth!" And the repetitive beauty of "Lamb of God, Pure and Sinless" was awe-full.
Great!
Singing "Isaiah, Mighty Seer" was very cool. I could imagine the flaming seraphim calling one to another "Holy is God the Lord of Sabaoth!" And the repetitive beauty of "Lamb of God, Pure and Sinless" was awe-full.
Great!
Worship info for Aug. 8
Here is the information for the upcoming Sunday service:
Hymns
813 Rejoice, O Pilgrim Throng
666 O Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe
667 Saints, See the Cloud of Witnesses
809 Great is Thy Faithfulness
Scripture Lessons
Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm 33:12-22
Hebrews11:1-16
Luke 12:22-40
Collect of the Day
Almighty and merciful God, it is by Your grace that we live as Your people who offer acceptable service. Grant that we may walk by faith, and not by sight, in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
We'll continue following Divine Service 5 so if you'd like to look at 942, 947, and 953, I will not tell you no.
Hymns
813 Rejoice, O Pilgrim Throng
666 O Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe
667 Saints, See the Cloud of Witnesses
809 Great is Thy Faithfulness
Scripture Lessons
Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm 33:12-22
Hebrews11:1-16
Luke 12:22-40
Collect of the Day
Almighty and merciful God, it is by Your grace that we live as Your people who offer acceptable service. Grant that we may walk by faith, and not by sight, in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
We'll continue following Divine Service 5 so if you'd like to look at 942, 947, and 953, I will not tell you no.
Seven over?
Saturday night I got pulled over on I-95 for doing 72 in a 65. I was only given a warning, no points, no fine, no nothing. But seven over gets me pulled over? It was right past the Perryville/Maryland Dept. of Transportation ATM, or the Toll Plaza. (Five Bucks!) I ran over a styrofoam lid and I wonder if Smokey thought something was up. I was in the center lane, getting passed by other cars. My red minivan must have stood out among all the other ignorers of the speed limit. Oh well.
I was guilty. I was not going 65. But wow, seven over? What's the limit when it comes to ignoring the speed limit?
I was guilty. I was not going 65. But wow, seven over? What's the limit when it comes to ignoring the speed limit?
Sermon for August 1
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Aug. 1, 2010
Colossians 3:1-11
Where Christ is
In the name of Jesus, amen. The last three Sundays we’ve been fortunate to hear significant passages from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Today we hear Paul affirm that the most important aspect of real estate is location, location, location.
Where is Christ? Where is He to be found? That question has always been asked in every era in all four corners of the globe. Thanks be to God that He Himself has revealed the answer.
Seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Jesus occupies the seat of power, the seat of authority, the seat of judgment. The Father has given to the Son the right to be judge. That may terrify us. Some people are driven away from God because of judgment talk. Judging is uncomfortable. It makes some people feel inferior. But let us remember that a judge has the ability to rule in your favor. Sometimes the judge finds you innocent. If you have done nothing wrong, you are not worried about what the judge may find.
God’s people, created and redeemed, look and see Christ seated at the right hand of God and give praise for that reality. There is the Christ. There is our Savior.
It helps us to see Christ seated at the Father’s right hand. It sounds as if Jesus is removed from us, but the Spirit of God helps us to remember how Jesus got to that seat of power, that seat of might, that seat of mercy, that seat of compassion, comfort, and consolation.
Jesus Christ started at the right hand of the Father. The Father saw how horribly wrong things were going on earth. The Father endured rejection from His people. The Father suffered infidelity on the part of His people. The Father’s gracious actions for His people were received ungratefully. Instead of thanks and praise, the Father was ignored, was told that His compassion was not enough, was told that His gifts were insignificant and insufficient.
The people of God had set their minds on earthly things, not on things above. They were angry. In anger, Cain murdered Abel. They were full of wrath and malice. There was obscene talk coming out of their mouths. By what came out of their mouth, it was clear what was in their heart.
And so the Father responded with great force and decisiveness. Now is the time. Now is the moment. Now is when My people will see what I can do. On a still, silent night, a virgin gave birth to a boy. That boy was the one conceived in her womb by the Holy Spirit. That boy was the Son of the Most High God. That son was Jesus. Jesus left the right hand of God to come to earth to save the people of God who had left, who had wandered, who had sought their own way.
There Christ is in the manger. There Christ is being worshiped and adored by the shepherds and the Magi. There Christ is praised by the angels: “Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth!” There is the Christ.
The Christ left the manger. The Christ grew up to do the ministry of mercy. There was the Christ in the boat with the disciples. There was the Christ feeding the crowds, touching the sick and healing them, eating with sinners, welcoming the outcast. There was the Christ.
Christ Jesus worked and walked among the earthly and brought them what was from above. Forgiveness. Mercy. Acceptance, not of their sins but of themselves. Christ brought them salvation. Christ took what was the Father’s and gave it to the people of God. Where is Christ? In Cana of Galilee. In Bethany. On that donkey riding into Jerusalem. Before Pilate. Before the crowds. On the cross, where he died.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Even though you have a heartbeat, even though your chest rises and falls with breath, even though you have brain function, you have died. And you have risen through the water, in the water, because of the water of Holy Baptism. Your life is hidden with Christ in God.
This reality helps us learn where Christ is. Ubi Christus, ibi ecclesia. Ignatius of Antioch teaches that where Christ is, there is the Church. Christ is the content of our living and working. Christ is the content of our serving. Christ is the content of the help that we receive. There is Christ in collection of school supplies, letting children know that someone cares about their well-being, about their education. There is Christ in our collection of food, letting people know that someone cares about their physical condition. That someone is Jesus Christ, working in us and through us, so that the pure mercy of God may flow.
We set our minds on things above, where Christ is. Jesus Christ came to earth, lived on earth, died on earth, was buried in an earthen tomb, and rose from that earthen tomb. Christ ascended, the lamb that was slain is now the victorious Lamb that is our shepherd.
Where is Christ? We cannot leave His presence. There He is, where He promised to be, in the bread and wine of communion. There He is, in the Word. There He is, in the way we live our life, trusting not in ourselves, but trusting that the Lord will be where He loves to be: “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all. There He is. SDG
Aug. 1, 2010
Colossians 3:1-11
Where Christ is
In the name of Jesus, amen. The last three Sundays we’ve been fortunate to hear significant passages from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Today we hear Paul affirm that the most important aspect of real estate is location, location, location.
Where is Christ? Where is He to be found? That question has always been asked in every era in all four corners of the globe. Thanks be to God that He Himself has revealed the answer.
Seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Jesus occupies the seat of power, the seat of authority, the seat of judgment. The Father has given to the Son the right to be judge. That may terrify us. Some people are driven away from God because of judgment talk. Judging is uncomfortable. It makes some people feel inferior. But let us remember that a judge has the ability to rule in your favor. Sometimes the judge finds you innocent. If you have done nothing wrong, you are not worried about what the judge may find.
God’s people, created and redeemed, look and see Christ seated at the right hand of God and give praise for that reality. There is the Christ. There is our Savior.
It helps us to see Christ seated at the Father’s right hand. It sounds as if Jesus is removed from us, but the Spirit of God helps us to remember how Jesus got to that seat of power, that seat of might, that seat of mercy, that seat of compassion, comfort, and consolation.
Jesus Christ started at the right hand of the Father. The Father saw how horribly wrong things were going on earth. The Father endured rejection from His people. The Father suffered infidelity on the part of His people. The Father’s gracious actions for His people were received ungratefully. Instead of thanks and praise, the Father was ignored, was told that His compassion was not enough, was told that His gifts were insignificant and insufficient.
The people of God had set their minds on earthly things, not on things above. They were angry. In anger, Cain murdered Abel. They were full of wrath and malice. There was obscene talk coming out of their mouths. By what came out of their mouth, it was clear what was in their heart.
And so the Father responded with great force and decisiveness. Now is the time. Now is the moment. Now is when My people will see what I can do. On a still, silent night, a virgin gave birth to a boy. That boy was the one conceived in her womb by the Holy Spirit. That boy was the Son of the Most High God. That son was Jesus. Jesus left the right hand of God to come to earth to save the people of God who had left, who had wandered, who had sought their own way.
There Christ is in the manger. There Christ is being worshiped and adored by the shepherds and the Magi. There Christ is praised by the angels: “Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth!” There is the Christ.
The Christ left the manger. The Christ grew up to do the ministry of mercy. There was the Christ in the boat with the disciples. There was the Christ feeding the crowds, touching the sick and healing them, eating with sinners, welcoming the outcast. There was the Christ.
Christ Jesus worked and walked among the earthly and brought them what was from above. Forgiveness. Mercy. Acceptance, not of their sins but of themselves. Christ brought them salvation. Christ took what was the Father’s and gave it to the people of God. Where is Christ? In Cana of Galilee. In Bethany. On that donkey riding into Jerusalem. Before Pilate. Before the crowds. On the cross, where he died.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Even though you have a heartbeat, even though your chest rises and falls with breath, even though you have brain function, you have died. And you have risen through the water, in the water, because of the water of Holy Baptism. Your life is hidden with Christ in God.
This reality helps us learn where Christ is. Ubi Christus, ibi ecclesia. Ignatius of Antioch teaches that where Christ is, there is the Church. Christ is the content of our living and working. Christ is the content of our serving. Christ is the content of the help that we receive. There is Christ in collection of school supplies, letting children know that someone cares about their well-being, about their education. There is Christ in our collection of food, letting people know that someone cares about their physical condition. That someone is Jesus Christ, working in us and through us, so that the pure mercy of God may flow.
We set our minds on things above, where Christ is. Jesus Christ came to earth, lived on earth, died on earth, was buried in an earthen tomb, and rose from that earthen tomb. Christ ascended, the lamb that was slain is now the victorious Lamb that is our shepherd.
Where is Christ? We cannot leave His presence. There He is, where He promised to be, in the bread and wine of communion. There He is, in the Word. There He is, in the way we live our life, trusting not in ourselves, but trusting that the Lord will be where He loves to be: “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all. There He is. SDG
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