Author: TechCommittee

Oct. 4, 2015 Text: Hebrews 2:1-13

Dear Friends in Christ,

After the tragedy of September 11th, there was a camera crew that walked the streets in New York City and asked people spiritual questions at random. One man said when asked where God was when those horrible attacks took place: “I used to believe in God, but not anymore. Not now. Because if there was a God, how could something like this take place?”
On the Thursday morning after the terrorist attack, on CBS’s “The Early Show,” Jane Clayson interviewed Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Billy Graham. According to the transcript of the broadcast, Clayson asked, “I’ve heard people say, those who are religious, those who are not, if God is good, how could God let this happen? To that, you say?”
Lotz replied, “I say God is also angry when he sees something like this, I would say also for several years now Americans in a sense have shaken their fist at God and said, God, we want you out of our schools, our government, our business, we want you out of our marketplace. And God, who is a gentleman, has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life. Removing his hand of blessing and protection. We need to turn to God first of all and say, God, we’re sorry we have treated you this way and we invite you now to come into our national life. We put our trust in you. We have our trust in God on our coins, we need to practice it.”
How do you see it? When you look at the headlines of the newspaper, read the Internet or watch things on the television, it makes you want to ask, “Who’s really in control?” When chaos abounds in the streets, in government, in families, we look around and go, “Who’s really in control?” The Book of Hebrews helps us to sort some things out this morning even as we ask . . .
“IS GOD REALLY IN CONTROL?”
As we see Planned Parenthood try to sell body parts of babies for a profit we have to say, “Is God Really In Control?” As our government runs roughshod over those trying to protect their religious freedom surrounding the issue of marriage, we depressingly think, “Is God Really In Control?” As ISIS and other groups take knives and behead Christians for their beliefs, we weep for them as we mutter, “Is God Really In Control?”
God’s inspired Word says in our text, “Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” (Heb. 2:8b)
We are living in a time when the forces of evil seem to be marching to victory. The children of disobedience are trying to silence God’s Word and churches that desire to remain faithful come under siege. Christians appear to be dropping like flies to the temptations offered by Satan and the world. The mighty wolves of Satan seem to be surrounding the Lord’s flock. “Is God Really In Control?”
Yes, He is. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) Though we may not be able to know all of the specifics details of this truth, because God’s ways are impossible for us to understand, we have God’s wonderful reassurance of His gracious and watchful care that is expressed and proved in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our text says “by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” (v. 9b)
Just as nothing was allowed to prevent our Savior from reaching his goal, so nothing will be able to prevent us from reaching our goal of salvation. The Holy Spirit is there to keep us in the faith. He uses the Word to keep us anchored in what we believe. There is this warning from our text, “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” People who start to believe the lies of our day and that God may not be in control do not just jump in the boat and take off. They drift slowly from the shores of their faith. They believe this lie of Satan, then they take hold of a wrong interpretation of Scripture, then they start to think “who am I hurting if I believe this way?” Before they even realize it they are in the middle of the water with no lifeboat in sight. Satan and his angels rejoice.
We need to understand that the Word of God is powerful to save and to encourage bold faith even in the face of troubles. It is a comfort for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ. We have the final victory. We cannot be defeated. Despite our weaknesses and those moments we have stumbled, God in His mercy has brought us to this very day where we are still in Him. In these days of increasing trials and tribulations, let us be encouraged by these words of Psalm 46:
“God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging…Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
Many years ago a little boy was riding on a train that was traveling over steep cliffs and sharp curves. He was sitting by a window, enjoying the scenery and showing no sign of fear. A woman across the aisle had been observing him. Finally, she turned to him and said: “Aren’t you afraid? What if the train should run off the tracks?” The boy replied: “I’m not afraid. My father is the engineer of this train.”
Is God Really In Control? Yes! He’s driving the train. Regardless of the steep cliffs and sharp curves, we are going to reach our destination!
Amen.

September 27, 2015 Text: 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29

Dear Friends in Christ,

What in life have you become accustomed to? Just this morning many of us have been blessed with a hot shower, a fluffy towel to dry off with, a refrigerator that kept our milk cold for the morning cereal, the local newspaper delivered to our address and a vehicle that transported us to God’s House. On top of that we enjoy vacations, dinners out, credit cards at Macy’s or Bergner’s, paying for our kids extracurricular activities, gasoline to get to those activities, cable TV and Wi-Fi, phones that can hook us up with people halfway around the world.
We have become quite used to our little luxuries. What is one thing you would hate to give up? For me it would be soft toilet paper. I took it with me to college, I made sure Karson had it at college and it was my first gift to the congregation when we moved into this building. I have become accustomed to a certain comfort. You each have your own little things that you enjoy as well. Giving them up would be hard. Israel is facing this question as they come out of Egypt and they are not too happy. The complaining. This is not what they are accustomed too. But the Lord shows Israel and us in our text that by giving the Spirit, God gives life well . . .
“BEYOND THE MANNER TO WHICH WE’VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED”
You and I are quite accustomed to our manner and standard of living. Israel remembers they way they had lived and eaten in Egypt. They remembered the fantasy but forgot the reality of their slavery. Selfishness and boredom with God’s providence led Israel to grumble.
Oh, we are happy as long as things go our way, but at the first sign of trouble or conflict, we sing a different tune. I learned of a family this week where one of the parents took a $30,000 pay cut. What if that happened to us? What little luxury would be the first to go? Would it be grumbling or contentment?
Meanwhile, Moses is having his own little meltdown. He is fed-up with his God-given duties, which have become heavier than he was accustomed to. He’d spent forty years off by himself tending a few sheep, when suddenly God puts him in charge of millions. Now they are grumbling and he is complaining of carrying the burden of these men and women. It’s lonely at the top.
We also complain and become fatigued by the burdens that we carry. The bills that have to be paid, the sickness that won’t go away, the laundry that keeps piling up, then something breaks on our car or in our house and we want to know why the Lord is giving us this load.
Now God acts to help Moses, and another player in our text, Joshua, has his accustomed manner of living upset. He is used to the God-ordained order. Moses as leader. Joshua as assistant. But he challenges Moses by trying to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying. Well intentioned, but misguided.
We work hard to protect our turf, whether at home or work or school or church or family. We look around at others sometimes and become jealous of what they have in terms of power or leadership or skills. We miss our own talents and gifts because we start comparing ourselves with others. Our manner of life can get so messed up.
God gives a different manner of life by giving the Spirit. God shows his people that life can be quite different from the accustomed. He doesn’t give better food, a sabbatical from duties, or confirmation of leadership. God’s answer is to give greater life in the Spirit. He did this by putting his spirit on seventy elders. The food didn’t get better but it was already quite tasty. No time-off was taken but these Spirit-filled men helped Moses. No turf protection needed because the Spirit had all of them working together.
God shows us an unaccustomed lifestyle too. Life is more than food, ease at work, affirmations that “you’re the man!” More than the luxuries that we enjoy. Life is given by the Spirit who as we confess is “the Lord and giver of life.” That life is the life earned for all people when the One who gives the Spirit, the eternal Son of God, laid down His life on the cross. No one is accustomed to gaining life by losing it, but that’s exactly what Jesus did – for Israel, for Moses, for Joshua, for us who through the Spirit believe in Him.
This new life in the Spirit is well beyond that to which we’ve become accustomed. Ever since Pentecost the word of Christ’s saving death has been going to all the world. The Spirit is not given just once to seventy elders or one leader, but as Moses envisioned: “Would that the Lord would put His Spirit on all his people.”
It’s given in Baptism as we are born of water and the Spirit. It’s the life so much richer than that to which we were accustomed. A greater life than found in the world – greater than our things or successes. You have the life of Christ in you, providing everything He knows best. Better than the credit cards, or the phone or the hot shower, even better than the soft toilet paper. This life in Christ has no end.
As Moses came to see, God is, by giving the Spirit in Christ, providing for us very well beyond the little manner to which we’ve become accustomed.
Amen.

September 20, 2015 Text: Mark 9:30-37

Dear Friends in Christ,

I hope you enjoy this little poem. “I gave a little party this afternoon at three, Twas very small, three guests in all: I, myself and me: Myself ate up all the sandwiches, while I drank the tea; And it was I who ate the pie and passed the cake to me.”
Simple. Silly. Yet very descriptive of human nature in every generation and especially the present age. And here’s what we want to explore this morning . . .
“WHAT TO DO WITH I’, ‘MYSELF’, AND ‘ME’?”
It’s big business; you know…this obsession with self. Watch any reality show and you will see what I mean. I enjoy watching the show “House Hunters” but I am always amazed when couples are looking for a house how the language of “I” predominates. “I need a man cave.” “I want granite countertops and a tub.” “I will not live in a home unless ‘Fluffy” has room to run around.” Aren’t these spouses supposed to be in this together? I’d like to think the producers are encouraging this but I’m not sure that is the case.
We are trapped in the debacle of individualism. Ask anyone who has given his or her baser inclinations free reign, and you will see for yourself. It’s like the drug addict looking for another hit locked in a private hell of remorse and self-loathing – expressive individualism initially promises freedom, but ultimately delivers bondage.
It’s exciting to declare independence from the expression of others and cultural norms, but the result isn’t pretty. When your companions are comprised of me, myself, and I, you live in a very small world.
“And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.’” (vs. 33-35)
The question Jesus poses is purely rhetorical. He knew what they were arguing about. He knew their sad condition and so did they because they remained silent. Oh, we know that scene. Confronted with our sin, we stand there silent because we have no answer. We knew it as a kid; we live it as an adult.
What a low moment for these men. Jesus had just told them he was going to be killed and in three days rise again. The Savior is going to bleed, suffer hell, and die for them and their concern is who is the best. It’s the battle of the wisdom of God and the wisdom of man in the arena of life. It’s always with us.
Disraeli once quipped, “Talk to a man about himself and he will listen for hours.” We are full of ourselves. Full of our plans and ideas. These words of an unknown author ring true: “’Be yourself!’ is about the worst advice you can give to some people.”
Jesus also lies some hard terms before us: last and servant. If we are going to amount to something in God’s scheme of things then we have to put ourselves last and be willing to serve in whatever capacity God places before us. The Lord drives home the point with this living illustration from our text:
“And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.’” (vs. 36-37)
The seemingly insignificant things and tasks are truly great in the eyes of our Lord. Embracing a child and his or her needs – sacrificing for the care of that child even if it means never living in a $500,000 home or getting what the flesh wants – embracing a child and everything that encompasses is truly great.
Look, brothers and sisters, God embraced and embraces us in Christ. Christ left the security and glory of Heaven to enter the world of I, myself, and me. He suffered hell and pain for our sins, earned our forgiveness and pardons those times we only live for the I, myself, and me. He embraces us in his Holy Word. Not too many moments ago we received the assurance of that forgiveness in the absolution spoken by the Pastor. Soon we will kneel together once again to be embraced in His love and forgiveness through the Holy Supper.
I’ve always loved Frank Sinatra’s song “I Did It My Way.” I’ve always touted my independence. You have the same problem, do you? What to do with “I, myself, and me”? The answer to that can only come to light in the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus for us. May the Holy Spirit lead us to deny self and be a servant to all.
Amen.