Sermon Texts

February 16, 2020                                                          Text:  Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Dear Friends in Christ,

            “How much longer do I have?”  Don’t we all at one time or another take a look at our life expectancy?  As Christians we understand our Lord is in charge of our time but we like to take stock of what is in front of us.

            Some may think this is just a question for a doctor and a terminal patient.  The fact is this – we are all terminal.  We are all day-to-day.  A fellow by the name of Curtis Jones wrote, “Life is our capital and we spend it every.  The question is, what are we getting in return?” 

            Let’s sit down with our Creator.  Let’s have a heart to heart talk with our Great Physician.  Pull up a chair, relax and go ahead…ask the question . . .

“HOW MUCH LONGER DO I HAVE?”

            The Lord God is quite clear in our text when addressing his chosen people and He is still quite clear today as He speaks to us through His Word this morning.  “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil.”  God’s ways have remained the same since He first created Adam.  If Adam asked this question, “How much longer do I have?” the Lord could have answered, “Forever.”  Once Adam and Eve sinned that question had a limit and ever since the life spans of human beings on earth have been limited.

            Lord, we still aren’t getting to my question, “How much longer do I have?”  Well, let’s look at the two possibilities, “By loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live.” 

            We are not headed toward an earthly promised land like the Israelites would find themselves.  But this Old Testament “promised land” foreshadowed the Heavenly Promised Land won for us through faith in Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection.  We live by walking in the Lord’s ways.  We live because the promise is sure.  We live because Jesus says, “…whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.  He has not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)  Wow, that’s great news, thanks Doc!

            Not so fast my mortal friend.  There is a warning as you leave the office and continue your earthly ways.  “If your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish.”  Did I hear you right?  What does this mean?

            Remember the last time you were in here and I warned you about your heartburn and cholesterol?  I told you to stay away from the half-truths and the lies and the filth that you will encounter on a daily basis.  I told you to protect your heart and mind by steering clear of those places and devices that ignore and mock all things Godly.  The devil never rests.  He wants you to think you can do whatever you want.  He wants you to think you will live forever and the time is not short.  He wants you distracted from the precious Word.  He wants you to question your parents and your Pastor and more importantly he wants you to question Me.  Once he has you entangled and apart from the Church, you really don’t have much to live for.  At that point you are on life support.

            Come on doc, you are just scaring me.  That is what the Law does.  It helps you to see the error of your ways.  I want you to turn away from all this bad behavior and follow the eternal plan I set forth before the foundation of the world.

            How does this work, is it painful?  It’s quite simple actually.  “Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days.” 

            The Spirit of God, who breathed life-giving breath into Adam, breathes life-giving breath into us through His Word and Sacrament.  His Word opens our nasal passages and lungs – breathe in life.  His Sacrament feeds our body and soul and eases our anxiety and fears.  Go ahead leap for joy, hop around the office on one foot, you are in great shape – great physical shape because the Lord your God lives in you.

            Let’s get back to that question, one more time.  “How Much Longer Do I Have?”  Haven’t you been paying attention?  You have forever because I the Lord your God have given you eternal life through my Son, Jesus Christ. 

            Now hop up from there and get going – you have a Christian life to live.

                                                                                                                                    Amen.    

February 9, 2020                                                                        Text:  Matthew 5:13-20

Dear Friends in Christ,

            What color of light to do you like?  We have some orange and blue lights in our basement.  I love to sit there with just them on.  What kind of white light do you like?  Do you like soft white or bright white?  Do you prefer fluorescent or incandescent?  Some LED’s look blue.  Some lights can’t even be made any more.

            Aren’t we thankful that our Lord doesn’t run an efficiency test on us?  “You are the light of the world.”  Have you shined lately compared to the energy God is investing in you?  That may take you aback a little bit but today’s lesson is good news because as always it is about Him – Jesus, and not us.  It is our Lord that allows us to be about . . .

“LIGHT LIVING”

            One of God’s first commands when creating our world was, “Let there be light.”  The sun and moon are still doing their jobs, but there is something they can’t do.  When people are going the wrong way we say we hope they see the light.  Only God can provide a way out of the darkness.

            If a room is dark we can flip a switch or open the shades or light a candle or carry a flashlight.  To pierce the darkness of sin and unbelief there is only one solution.  God turning on the light so that we trust in Jesus.  Jesus is the light of the world. 

            Jesus changes us.  In baptism, we are taken out of the kingdom of darkness.  Ephesians 5:8 says, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are the light of the world.  Walk as children of light.”

            Sin loves darkness.  Why do so many cities use light to cut down on crime?  The light can keep some bad behavior from happening.  Jesus had a different plan to drive our darkness.  The world did not receive Jesus.  The powers of darkness in the world were working to snuff out Jesus.  By Good Friday, it looked like they had succeeded.  His lifeless body was laid in a cold, dark tomb.  There were no windows in that tomb.  But in the bright light of Easter, Jesus threw open the door of grave and death.  He has opened wide the doors and windows to our graves as well.  He promises that we will live even though we die.  Our dwelling place will be in the light of His heaven forever.

            Forever may still be a ways off for many of us.  Light living means living now in the light of Jesus.  Light living means living out what we really are:  forgiven children of God.  Our lives are designed to have a tremendous impact on the world.

            As followers of Jesus we do not just believe differently, we live differently.  “You are the light of the world” is both a blessing and a responsibility.  It is easy to complain about the world and indulge in hand-wringing about where we are as a society.  Jesus could have done that during His time.  What He did is that one by one He brought people out of the darkness into the light.  Not just the blind, but the palsied and the sinful and the misguided and those who wanted Him destroyed.  He was that light that they could relate to and He changed lives.  His love and grace and mercy and resurrection shone a great light on the darkness of the world.

            We are the Lord’s instruments.  We have light to give to others because of what Christ has given us.  We talked about this text in my Pastor’s conference this week and one thing we noted is that it doesn’t matter how bright the light it can still make a difference.  We don’t have brilliant insights or miraculous powers but changing our baby’s diaper shines light.  Helping a neighbor shovel a driveway shines light.  Bringing our children to church and having devotions with them shines light.  Holding your temper shines light.  Showing calm in the midst of turmoil shines light.  Forgiving a sister or brother shines light.  Not yelling when we spill something in the kitchen shines light.  Not blaming others or excusing our behavior shines light.

            The light of Christ shines in the life of the ordinary Christian.  The Spirit of God is moving us, and Christ is dwelling in us.  We can be extraordinary husbands and wives and parents, remarkable neighbors and employees, powerful citizens and friends.  Living light can be you and me.

            Light bulbs come in all different kinds, and Christians do, too, but whatever your shape or color, because of Jesus, you are the light of the world and will dwell in eternal light.

            May someone this week, or this day, see the light of Jesus in your Light Living and give thanks to God.

                                                Amen.

January 26, 2020                                                                  Text:  Matthew 4:12-25

Dear Friends in Christ,

            What’s in a kingdom?  That is a question we are going to answer today.  Christians may have a little different distinction on what a kingdom is, especially if they know their Bible, but the word kingdom does not always bring forth good thoughts.

            Go back to the Dark Ages, when kings ruled many kingdoms.  The common man and woman had no voice in their government and many times no freedom.  They lived at the whim of their rulers.  It was like living in a dictatorship.  Wouldn’t that be bad news?

            For us, with Jesus as our King, and living in the kingdom of heaven that can’t really be bad news, can it?  This morning, let’s consider . . .

“WHAT’S IN A KINGDOM?”

            When Jesus begins preaching and says in our text, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” this is good news.  The Jews had a hard time with His words because they were living under an awful kingdom led by King Herod.  Herod had just put John the Baptist in prison and soon would have his head.

            This is typical of many kingdoms.  Power corrupts.  Kings take advantage of their subjects.  Kings can use and abuse and even execute their victims just to derive some sick pleasure.

            On top of that, even in the best of circumstances, kings can restrict the freedom of their people.  Israel’s kings would levy taxes and make laws when they felt like it.  A king’s word is final.  There may be advisors but that is all they are.  People must be willing to do what the king asks.  Absolute loyalty is required.

            We rebel against that.  We all want to be our own kings.  We all have our little fiefdoms, places and people we want to control.  We don’t even want the best King – God Himself – to rule over us.  His royal law describes life at its happiest and most harmonious, but we would rather go our sinful way and latch on to what looks good and what feels good.  We want control of our destiny.  We live in a democracy politically and we want that in our spiritual lives.

            What’s In A Kingdom?  In the kingdom of heaven something that is very, very good.  The kingdom of heaven is set apart in every way from the bad kingdoms.  Jesus didn’t reign for the glory or pleasure.  He didn’t come to sit on a cushy throne in Jerusalem or Rome.  He came to the backwaters of Galilee.

            Jesus came to bring light to those in darkness.  During the European Dark Ages, those people were literally in the dark with the feudal system.  Everyone was serving for the benefit of a higher lord.  At the top of the pyramid was the king.  Unlike those kings, Jesus came that the lowest of people, like those in Galilee, might see God in His true light, as a loving Father.

            Jesus does call us to service, like he did the disciples in our text, but serving Him is an honor that leads to eternal glory.  Behind the “Follow me” was Gospel, Good News, because Christ was saying, “I have chosen you to be with me, to be mine.”  Jesus uses His almighty, kingly power not to subdue us, but to conquer our enemies – diseases, demons, and death.

            Isn’t this better than being our own kings?  The kingdom of heaven is ruled by grace – God gives that which we don’t deserve.  Let’s be honest, we stink at being our own kings.  Our self-rule just leads to empty lives of broken relationships, climbing and not reaching, exacerbating our problems.  We reach a dead end when we control our own eternity.  Thankfully we don’t need to.  Jesus fulfilled the law for us His followers and He purchased for us real freedom by His death on the cross.

            What’s In A Kingdom?  A lot more than you thought.  But what a blessing this kingdom is.  This kingdom, we now live in, is truly heaven!

                                                                                                            Amen.

January 19, 2020 – Sanctity of Life Sunday                                               Text:  Isaiah 49:1-7

Dear Friends in Christ,

            It is hard to hear with fruit stuck in your ears.  “How does Pastor know that?  Has he had fruit stuck in his ears?  How did it get stuck in his ears?  Why did he have fruit near his ears?”  All good questions, but we have all had fruit stuck in our ears.  It’s in there, and it’s stuck.  And it’s hard to hear with fruit stuck in your ears.

            Humans have had fruit in there for a long time.  The serpent said to Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?” (Gen. 3:1)  Well, she ate that fruit that God forbid her to and it stopped up her ears and she couldn’t hear the Lord’s Word anymore.  In her disobedience she gave some to her husband, and his ears got stuffed with fruit.  The serpent got in like an earworm out of an apple and he settled in to take command.  That is why to this very day, the offspring of Adam and Eve, you and me still ask one another . . .

“DID GOD REALLY SAY?”

            We see it in the book of Isaiah and our text for this morning.  The Israelites had fruit stuck in their ears.  Vines and branches coming out of their heads.  Why else would the prophet repeat himself for sixty-six chapters?  Fifteen other prophets brought the same message for hundreds of years but the Israelites loved the fruit stuck in their ears. 

            The conversation is not over.  How many still have fruit stuck in their ears?  Did God really say, “called me from the womb?” (v. 1)  Did God really say that He “knitted me together in my mother’s womb?” (Ps. 139:13)  Did God really say that we are “created…in his own image?” (Gen. 1:27)  He probably meant “we are a clump of cells or a blob of tissue.”  He probably meant “my body, my choice, my medical decision.”  He probably meant as “soon as the baby has a memory and is viable.”  He probably meant, “as long as they planned for the child, as long as they can afford the child.”  Because we sure do like the fruit of self-expression.  The fruit of comfort and control sure tastes sweet.

            Did God really say, “a light for the nations?”  “I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”  Perhaps He means “a light for most nations or some of the nations.”  Perhaps He means “for the pretty ones and the productive ones and the powerful ones.”  Perhaps He means “for the politically comfortable and the culturally acceptable and the emotionally uncontroversial and the publicly approved.”  Perhaps He means “a light for those who can communicate or those who don’t cost us too much or those who can take care of themselves.”  Perhaps He means it “doesn’t include those terminal or in a vegetative state.”  This fruit of vanity and convenience has been shoved in our ears for years and we accommodate it with our uniformity.

            Even with fruit in our ears, we can hear hearts breaking.  Our eyes still see the grief and guilt.  Abortion access hasn’t solved any problems.  Instead it has multiplied suffering.  Assisted suicide hasn’t made pain go away.  Embryo engineering has incarcerated thousands in frozen prisons.  The violence has increased infertility, miscarriages, and breast cancer.  The trauma has raised rates of depression, chemical dependency, domestic violence, suicide.  It’s left dead over 1.5 billion human beings worldwide.  Untold others walk around us haunted and hurting.  Isn’t it time to take the fruit out, and listen?

            The Lord God almighty has the perfect implement for doing just that – getting the forbidden fruit out.  You see it in Isaiah.  He comes as an arrow of sorts – a sword to take the fruit out.  Jesus is God’s implement to take the bad fruit away and turn up the volume of God’s love. 

            He put on embryo and peasant, manger and stable, hamlet and laborer.  He means God’s work of creating proclaims every genetic member of our world special.  He means the least of these and the lowly.

            He humbled Himself for us and died on the cross.  Jesus means replaced, fulfilled, forgiven, beginning to end.  Jesus means atoned for, suffered for, punished for, biggest to littlest.  He means bled for, died for, paid for, best to worst.  He means crucified, resurrected, redeemed, embryo to elderly.  He means Lord of death and life, every circumstance of life under control.  He means Savior of not only your soul but also of your situation.

            The Gospel puts the good fruit where it belongs.  Fruit doesn’t belong in your ears or even bottled in your heart.  Truth tastes sweetest when ingested and then exhaled.  Drink deeply and fill your identity with how God loves and saves his sinful human creatures.  Rinse your ears with Baptism’s assurances and irrigate your very being with Holy Communion’s affirmations.  Swallow and savor this comfort.

            The Lord of harvest includes you in the fruit-removal crew.  Having heard the Word, you can speak clearly to others.  Jesus Christ has made you Lutherans For Life.  Give voice to this truth that Jesus creates, redeems, and calls every human being to this everlasting treasure.  You have the resources of Lutherans For Life and their nationwide network at your disposal and by your side.  What a privilege we have and what a delight – to partake with God in the fruit that moves the children of men from deaf to life!

                                                Amen.      

January 12, 2020 – Baptism of our Lord                                       Text:  Isaiah 42:1-9

Dear Friends in Christ,

            Back when newspapers were the most important way to communicate news and happenings they would sometimes have two editions.  One was the regular edition of the paper but then they would put out an “extra” edition of the newspaper.  Young people would stand on the corners, especially in the big cities and yell, “Extra!  Extra!  Read all about it!”  Then a brief description would be given.  “Pearl Harbor Bombed!”  “Full Surrender Brings War To An End!”  “President Shot in Dallas!”  “Man Walks on the Moon!”

            In text for this morning God is coming to us with an “Extra!  Extra!  Read All About It!”  He begins by saying “Behold.”  Behold is a transitive verb that means to see or look.  The Lord wants us paying attention to His message.  He ends our text with “I tell you of them.”  He is getting our attention.  Are we ready to behold?  “Extra!  Extra!  Read All About It!” 

“GOD’S SERVANT BRINGS RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THE NATIONS”

            What a mission that is.  The Servant comes to bring “justice” to the nations.  For us that means as guilty sinners we can be declared “not guilty,” “righteous.”  This is because the Servant is bringing a new “covenant” for the people.  The “old” covenant is the Law, which all men and women have failed to keep.  Through the shedding of His blood on the cross, He establishes a new way for us to be acceptable to God.

            This Servant comes to be “a light for the nations.”  We can live some pretty dark times.  Our minds can be in some pretty dark places.  This Servant comes to be the light and a beacon of hope.  He comes to give sight to the blind and release to those in prison.

            What a servant.  This is the chosen One of God in whom He takes great delight.  We see this in our Gospel lesson at the Baptism of Jesus.  We all like to be uplifted by a parent and God the Father says this to His Son, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 

            This Servant could only be Jesus.  God’s “Spirit” will be upon him.  He is righteous.  God’s “glory” is upon Him and no other.  Only the perfect Son of God could be the servant to carry out this mission. 

            This Servant comes in humbleness and mercy.  He is not blowing his own horn in the streets.  He is dealing tenderly with those who are hurting and broken – He is dealing with us.  He is not going to “grow faint or be discouraged.”  He will fulfill the task no matter how hard it is.

            Why does God make this special announcement to us?  Why does God in this text stand on the street corner and yell out for all to hear, “Extra!  Extra!  Read All About It”? 

            Because through this Servant He brings all that we need.  He brings justice – we need it.  We need breath – He provides it.  We need sight – He opens our eyes.  We need release as prisoners – He gives us the key.  We need forgiveness – He died for it.  We need eternal life – He rose for it.  Are you putting your hope in Him?  This Servant is for all the nations.  What about your neighbors and relatives and friends, your co-workers and your school classmates?  Are they putting their hope in Him?

            Jesus is the only way.  As we believe in Him and the work that He has done in our life, we join God in standing on the street corners and proclaiming Christ to the nations.  We, too, join God in yelling out for all to hear:  “Extra!  Extra!  Read all about it!  God’s Son has come and died for us on the cross so we might have eternal life.” 

            The evangelist Dwight Moody once spoke to a group and after his talk a locomotive engineer came forward.  He said he wanted to go to a foreign country to be a missionary.  Moody asked him if his fireman was a Christian.  (In those days steam locomotives needed someone to keep the fire ablaze.  That man was called the “fireman.”)  The engineer said, “I don’t know if he is a Christian, I’ve never asked him.”  “Well,” said Moody, “why don’t you start with your fireman.”

            Who close to you needs the hope that only Christ can give?  When we consistently and actively encourage others we live with joy and purpose.  Maybe we can’t stand on the street corner but we can use our God-given abilities to tell others of this hope we have in Jesus.  Don’t we want others to have what we have? 

            Epiphany is the revealing of Jesus as God’s Son and the only Savior.  To whom can you reveal Jesus?

                                                Amen.  

January 5, 2020 – Epiphany                                                                     Text:  Matthew 2:1-12

Dear Friends in Christ,

            As we celebrate Epiphany today let’s continue to debunk a couple of myths about this day.  First, this is one you hear me talk about all the time – we do not know the number of wise men who visited Jesus.  We just sang “We Three Kings” but that is just a number in a hymn.  There could have been an entourage of men or very few.

            The second myth perpetuated by manger scenes and greeting cards is that the wise men worshipped Jesus in the manger.  Verse 11 of our text tells us they went into “a house.”  No barn or feeding trough.  Just a nice bi-level for the carpenter and his wife and their new baby.  Oops, let’s not create another myth – nobody knows what style of home the first family lived in.

            What is clear is that these Magi from the East have come to worship Him.  The Christ Child – Jesus by name.  So do we.  With the Wise Men, on this Epiphany…

“WE HAVE COME TO WORSHIP HIM”

            Why?  Well along with the mistaken ideas about Jesus’ coming there are some even stranger ones that have circulated throughout the years.  Ever hear the one about Jesus turning mud into doves.  How about bringing a dead playmate back to life?  My favorite is this one – Jesus zapped dead a buddy who cheated in a game. 

            What we do know is that the first miracle Jesus performed was turning water into wine at a wedding in the town of Cana.  This did not happen until he was 30.  Jesus’ miracles were always acts of kindness.  He wasn’t zapping people dead.

            The biggest misconception of Jesus has been the one that has now gone on for centuries.  He is a great religious teacher and prophet who espouses love to one another.  That is partly true but does not reach into the realm of who He really is.  The Bible says there is so much more.  There would be no need for worship and our gathering here today if he were just a prophet that is here today and gone tomorrow.

            What did the Wise Men think of Jesus?  “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.” (v. 2) 

            Word of their arrival quickly reaches King Herod.  He is a descendant of Esau and more than a little edgy about a legitimate “king of the Jews.”  When Herod gets edgy people die, including many in his own family.

            The other thing that upset Herod is that these Wise Men have come to worship Him.  Not only was He the crown prince of Israel, but the crown prince of heaven as well.  They have come to worship Him because they know who He really is.  Christ deserved to be worshipped then.  He deserves to be worshipped today.

            Why?  Why worship Him?  Because in His birth He took on human flesh, and his death he took all the sins of human flesh to the cross.  When he died, the sins remained there on the cross.  Now he lives, having arisen from the dead.  He is to be worshipped.  That baby is the Savior of the world.

            Herod couldn’t bring himself to worship Jesus.  He hated Jesus.  To acknowledge Jesus means we have to admit that we are sinners.  Can we do that?  Can you and I admit we are horrible human beings and we deserve death and hell on Judgment Day?

            Yes, we can do that.  We did it this morning in our confession.  We do it daily in our prayers.  You confess.  Jesus forgives.  The Holy Spirit lives in you and works in you.  He inspires your prayer life and your worship life.  Like the Wise Men you have come to worship Him.

            There in the home they fell down and worshipped Him and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  One day Jesus would hang on a cross robed in a glory gold can never show, sending forth into heaven a prayer that frankincense could never carry, buried as a sacrifice myrrh could never make sweeter.  They are grand gifts to be sure, but they do not compare to the greater gift Jesus would offer.

            Jesus has a gift for you.  It is the gift of forgiveness.  It is the gift of salvation.  It is the gift of eternal life.  All for free.  A gift paid for by His sinless death on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the dead.

            So we come to worship and we also bring our gifts.  We offer up our prayers.  We lift our voices.  We bring our offerings in joy.  In the eyes of Jesus these gifts are as precious as gold and frankincense and myrrh. 

            In humbleness Lord, accept our worship this day.

                                                                                                            Amen.