Author: TechCommittee

Sermon Text 9.29.2019 — Who Is Your Guardian?

September 29, 2019 – St. Michael and All Angels                  Text:  Matthew 18:1-11

Dear Friends in Christ,

            I was blessed to have a step-grandfather for 27 years after my grandma had been widowed for 16 years.  Many of you know he lived to 102.  He was a faithful Christian.  When he was around 90 he still liked to drive.  My grandparents lived in a trailer on a busy four-lane highway in Kenosha, Wisconsin.  My grandpa Dan figured he could pull out in traffic and they could stop for him.

            One afternoon grandpa Dan, two of his son-in-laws, and myself went golfing west of Kenosha.  We had to take a two-lane highway to the course.  Grandpa Dan was all over the road on the way.  Without even looking at me, one his son-in-law’s, who was sitting in the front asked, “Chad, do you believe in angels?”  I answered, “Yes.”  I asked him if he believed in angels and he replied without missing a beat, “I sure do today!”

            We think of angels when we travel and at various other times but what do we know about them?  Can you relate?  As you go about your daily routine . . .

“WHO IS YOUR GUARDIAN?”

            Before we get to our verse about angels in our text, we first have some in-your-face teaching from Jesus about personal greatness.  The disciples want to know who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  This question had caused quite a stir among these men.  It was a bad question that they had argued about long enough.  Let’s take the question to Jesus. 

            This question of greatness is today’s question of success and power and glory.  Who is successful?  Who has more power?  Who gets the glory?  Some have been pushed since childhood toward these endeavors.  Maybe you are in the midst of a power struggle right now at work or at home or with a spouse or a child.

            In his book Counterfeit Gods, Tim Keller has an entire chapter on the idols of power and glory.  He takes it back to the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve didn’t like the limits God put on their power.  Keller writes:  “We gave in to this temptation and now it is part of our nature.  Rather than accept our finitude and dependence on God, we desperately seek ways to assure ourselves that we still have power over our own lives.  But this is an illusion.”

            So the athletic hulk bullies the wimpy student at school.  Two execs enjoy a cocktail after another round of downsizing with little compassion for those who didn’t make it.  They feel the power.

            Power and success will ultimately disappoint.  I am no fan of Tom Brady, the star quarterback for the New England Patriots, who has won numerous Super Bowls and awards.  He said this on 60 Minutes in 2007:  “Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’s something greater out there for me?  There’s gotta be more than this.”  The interviewer then asked, “What’s the answer?”  Brady replied, “I wish I knew.  I wish I knew.”

            When Jesus answers the disciples question He puts an object lesson in front of them – a child.  This is an example of true greatness.  A child is dependent upon parents for care and nurture.  A child is humble.

            It is the great reversal.  Instead of looking up a ladder to see how great we can become we look down to see how little we must become.  The power and glory belong to God.  We are dependent upon Him.  Who is your guardian?

            Jesus became like a “little one.”  He humbled himself unto death, even death on a cross.  In humility, he leaned on his Father in prayer.  As he died for the sins of the whole world, he whispered a traditional bedtime prayer from Ps. 31:5, “Into your hand I commit my spirit.”  Faith calls us to trust God for our eternal life – that in grace he has provided everything for our salvation. 

            Jesus says in verse 10, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones.  For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”  Jesus’ is saying we shouldn’t be deceived by the littleness of little ones.  These little ones have attending them mighty angels who come from the very presence of their heavenly Father.

            On this St. Michael and All Angels Day, we remember the victory of archangel Michael and the good angels over Satan in Revelation 12, our Epistle Reading this morning.  We remember the angel Gabriel in Luke 1 carrying the news to Mary that she would give birth to the Savior of the world.  We also celebrate the work of angels who guard and protect God’s people just like that day on the way to the golf course.  The angels also ministered to Jesus in his time of temptation.

            So, who is your guardian?  It is our Lord and His Holy Angels.  Because Jesus, the servant of God, trumps our desire for power and glory by pointing us to a child and to the angels.  Do you believe?  I pray you can say, “I sure do today!”

                                                                                                                        Amen.   

Pastor’s Notes October 2019

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I was recently watching a game show from the 1980’s and the lady won a golf prize.  The host asks, “Do you like golf?”  She says, “Yes.”  The host then asks, “Does your husband like golf?”  She remarks, “Yes he does and that’s why I like golf – it gets him out of the house!”

We all like our space, don’t we?  At our house when somebody is suppose to be gone for a certain amount of time and they return early, invariably the person sitting at home will ask, “What are you doing home already?”  The early bird returns said volley with sarcasm, “Thanks for the love!” or some other witty comeback.  Isn’t this what we love about being in families.

We all need space but it is getting harder and harder to find it in our ever evolving world.  We all made comments this summer on how crowded the interstates are getting.  Drive around town for any length of time and it seems as if people are everywhere.  Maybe that takes you to a crowded office or a school with kids and staff everywhere.

Notice in Scripture how many times the crowds surrounded Jesus.  By the lake, in the temple, walking along the road, greeting him on Palm Sunday, at His trial.  For the last three years of His life the disciples were always there as well.  “Can’t you guys go play golf!”

Jesus’ alone time gave him time to think and pray and ponder.  Isn’t it great just to ponder once in a while?  The Savior could then prepare His heart and mind for what was coming.

In this month we also remember another who prepared his heart and mind for what was coming – Martin Luther.  At times he was with the crowds but at other times he was imprisoned or would find time in a room by himself.  Most scholars believe he also spent a lot of time in the bathroom – another great place to think!  What did he ponder?  Who he was under the cross.  A poor, sinful human being in need of rescue.  He saw that he couldn’t save himself, there was no way out.  He had to turn to the Savior.  He had to trust in the mercy and grace and love of Jesus Christ.

He was alone, but not really.  Our Lord was with him the whole time.  You need your space but no matter where you are the Lord is with you.  He loves you and cares for you and is an ever-present help.

In Christ,

Pastor

Elder, Usher, and Acolyte Schedules October 2019

Elder and Usher Schedule

Date
8:00
Elder
10:30
Oct 6Nick Hitch, Paul GerikeNathan KluenderRandy Reinhardt, Theron Noth
Oct 13Gerald Semelka, Steve ParryBrian HoopBob Love, Brian Dirks, Mike Field
Oct 20Barry Hamlin, Gene Fuller, Richard RossRandy ReinhardtGreg McNeely, Will McNeely
Oct 27Jeff Piper, Lucas PiperCraig CulpMike Huth, Randy Reinhardt, Theron Noth

Acolyte Schedule

Date
8:00
10:30
Oct 6JT PiperPastor/Elder
Oct 13Pastor/ElderJustin McNeely
Oct 20Chloe HitchPastor/Elder
Oct 27Clayton PiperMatt Williamson

Stewardship Corner October 2019

In the early morning hours of Feb. 18, 1546, Martin Luther closed his eyes forever.   And the hand that hammered the 95 Theses into the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on Oct. 31, 1517, penned its final words:   “We are all beggars. This is true.”

And this is the truth that our Lord says makes you free. Ironic, isn’t it?  That, in order to be free, you must be a beggar; you must be utterly dependent and reliant upon God.  This makes us uncomfortable – the way we’re uncomfortable when someone gets us a Christmas or birthday present when we haven’t gotten them one.  We feel we owe them.  And we don’t much like being in someone’s debt.

But what Luther would remind us is that we are all indeed beggars.  But we’re not just anyone’s beggars.  We’re God’s beggars.  And this is His legacy to the Christian Church.  Christ came for sinners.  He came to seek and save the lost. He came to heal the sick and raise the dead. He came for sinners, and He dwells only with sinners.

And, if we are to be where He is, we must be willing to be counted among the lost, the sick, and the dead.  We must be willing to be beggars.  We must cry out for mercy, for grace, and for his undeserved love and kindness.  We must be dependent solely on Him and what He gives.

And here’s the beauty: He gives us everything.  Everything – forgiveness of sins, salvation from death and the devil, and eternal life.  This is not because of any worthiness or merit in us, but it is because of His divine goodness, mercy, and grace.

On account of Christ’s death and resurrection, the Father forgives you, saves you, and is pleased with you.  And you receive.  You receive His love, His righteousness, His holiness, His acceptance, and His inheritance.  We are all beggars.  This is true.

This is the heart and soul of Christianity and the life-blood of the Christian Church.  God justifies us, and He declares us innocent and righteous by His grace received through faith for the sake of Christ.  This is not because of our works; this is because of His work on the cross.  We, who once were enemies of God, are reconciled to Him and made to be His children.

This is what Luther would point us to when He took up his pen for the last time and scribbled “We are all beggars. This is true.”  We are beggars.  But we are beggars of the God who does not ignore us, who doesn’t pass by us on the other side.  We are beggars of the One who descended from heaven to make His dwelling with sinners.

We are beggars of Him who deigns to dwell with us, among us, and – yes – even in us by grace for Christ’s sake. For in the bread and cup that we bless, we share together with Christ and each other the riches of God’s grace.

So inexhaustible are the riches of this grace – the Gospel in sermon and absolution, in Baptism and Holy Communion – that our cups overflow. We, who are God’s beggars, are not only inexhaustibly satisfied but have something to give back in thanksgiving and praise.