Sermon Texts

March 8, 2020                                                                                         Text:  John 3:1-17

Dear Friends in Christ,

            The book Born Free tells of an orphaned lioness adopted by Kenyan game warden George Adamson and his wife Joy.  If they hadn’t cared for her, the cub they name Elsa would have died.  Elsa grew into a strong, healthy, active adult.  In a way, the Adamson’s gave her new birth as a huge house cat.

            Elsa’s life depended on human care; she couldn’t survive in the wild.  She never hunted or defended herself or interacted with other lions.  Her new life so countered the actual life of a lion that she could never live free.  The choice was either a zoo for Elsa or turning her loose to die – unless they gave Elsa another new birth and restored her true nature, her true “lioness.”

            George and Joy taught Elsa to stalk and strike.  They cut back on their time with her, weaned her from human dependence, and taught her to look to lions instead of humans for companionship.  Finally, they restored the domestic cat to her true nature as a free, living lioness.

            Somewhat like Elsa, we are trapped with natures unlike God created us to have.  Corrupt from birth, we can’t live with God and we can’t escape the devil.  Left alone, we would be even more helpless than the out-of-place Elsa.  However, the Lord intervened, sending down his Son to give us rebirth, replacing our fallen state with the nature He intended at creation, and restoring us to a free and natural life as God’s children.

            Christ came down from heaven so we can be  . . .

“BORN FROM ABOVE”

            What do you remember about your birth?  Nothing, right?  You had no choice in the matter.  You were conceived by your parents, carried by your mother and brought out of the womb – all without your giving consent.  We could not conceive ourselves.  The mystery of our spiritual birth is every bit as profound.  We had no more choice or opportunity to become God’s children than we did in becoming our parents’ children.

            The reason we needed to be reborn from above is because we were born spiritually dead.  This is what Jesus is telling Nicodemus.  We would not think about God.  We could not move toward God.  We had no place in our hearts for God.

            We had to be reborn from above because we could not raise ourselves up to God.  As the psalmist says, we stood helpless and confused before this world’s troubles until “the Lord, who made heaven and earth,” came to our rescue. (Ps. 121:12)  Like Abraham, we had no idea of a new and better place to live until Christ came and called us to new life.  Like the Israelites dying of snakebites in the wilderness, we were doomed until God raised up His Son to die on the cross (vs. 14-15).

            Being reborn from above means we live a new life.  Martin Luther wrote about this in the Small Catechism Baptism section.  “The Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”

            The Bible verse proof text is Romans 6:4 – “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

            Being reborn from above sets us on the path of eternal life with God.  He loved us that He gave His only Son so that through believing in Him we would live.

            Babies in maternity wards and neonatal units wear wristbands or ankle bands to identity who they are and which family they belong to.  This is to make sure that no child goes home with the wrong family.  The band lets us know as parents that that baby is ours.

            Jesus taught the same thing to Nicodemus.  Our baptisms are an outward sign of the home and family we belong to.  Baptism is a sign that indicates, “This person belongs to the triune God.”  Our heavenly Father sees the sign of Baptism on us and says, “You are mine.”  We rejoice at the sign of our Baptism, because it gives us absolute assurance and confidence that we are truly children of God and that the day will come when He will take us Home with Him.  Our Baptism assures us there will be no eternal mix-up.  We will go to the home that is ours.   We will go home to live with our true Father because you and I have been Born From Above.

                                                                                                                        Amen.   

March 1, 2020                                                                                  Text:  Matthew 4:1-11

Dear Friends in Christ,

            Come in real close . . . I’ve got a secret . . . I can be a smart-aleck.  Shocked?  Hyperventilating over this sermonic revelation?  Take out your bulletin for today.  Look at our opening hymn.  What does it tell us to do?  We stand!  My home church in Decatur did this with many of their hymns when I was a wee little lad and I didn’t always feel like standing…but I did…believe me I did.  To express my displeasure I would write on the worship folder – We sit! – and I would hand it to the usher on the way out.  I doubt that guy thought I would be standing in a pulpit today.  There were other smart-aleck moments – playing a mannequin at my friend’s sister’s clothing store at Hickory Point Mall, getting my freshman English Class to bombard our teacher with paper wads and all the grief I gave my mom over the years. 

            The thing is that little guy has never completely left me.  Just ask my friends and family.  What is that voice in my brain that motivates such behavior?  What temptation can I not overcome? 

            Can you relate?  I am almost certain you can.  Maybe it is not being a smart-aleck but it is something from your younger days that no matter how hard you try as an adult it is shadowing you constantly.  Can we stare into the darkness and overcome it?  Negatory, good buddy.

            We need a stronger one.  We need someone outside of ourselves to step into the picture.  We need Jesus.  Let’s take a song line and make it the title . . .

“TEMPTED BUT THE TRUTH IS DISCOVERED”

            Before we venture into the desert let’s get a few things straight.  The devil has power but it is limited.  Satan knows the words of Scripture – He even quotes them.  The only way to defeat your adversary is to know His playbook.

            The temptations take place in the wilderness – Satan’s home field.  It is a place of nothingness with few points of reference and endless sand and rocks. 

            Satan was smart and subtle.  He is saying to Jesus, “grab a little glory now.  Turn stones into bread; throw yourself down and you will be protected; bow down and worship me and you can have all these things now.”  Thankfully Jesus would not play that game.  Jesus was tempted but the truth is discovered.  Jesus knew that His destiny was the cross.  Jesus fought with the only truth He had – God’s Word.  It was The Word fighting with the Word. 

            Satan would have one more attempt after this in a garden outside of Jerusalem.  Jesus sees the cup of wrath he must drink to overcome our sin.  He looks into the abyss and even asks to let the crucifixion pass from Him.  Jesus was tempted but the truth is discovered.  In the end, He asks that the Father’s will be done.  It was.  It is.  Only through suffering and death is God making right what has gone wrong – He enters the darkness and brings forth light in the resurrection of his body from the dead.  Jesus makes right what has gone wrong by taking on Satan in the wilderness, in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the cross, triumphing over every temptation thrown His way and lighting our darkness with the light of His resurrected flesh.

            Jesus’ cross is where you see both your salvation and the pattern of your life.  When your suffering becomes so intense and the darkness so deep, trace on your forehead the baptismal cross that binds you to Jesus, who continues to feed you with his very body and blood at his table and then in Jesus say, “Not my will, but thy will, be done.”  Tempted but the Truth is Discovered.

            During the troubling days of World War I, many songwriters did their best to raise the morale of the troops in the field and the folks at home.  Felix Powell penned a little ditty for those troubled with their worries.  Powell encouraged the fearful person to put their troubles behind them and smile instead.

            If we just pack up our problems and put them away that is only a temporary solution.  The true cause of our troubles is sin.  Either inflicted by giving in to the devils’ temptations or the consequences of living in a fallen world, we are unable to pack up and put away our own troubles.  Only Christ can permanently banish our problems.  No pasted-on grin will chase away the devil, but when Christ smiles on us, we know the old evil foe is vanquished and our joy is made complete.

            A quick note before this message ends.  While the teacher found the stunt quite funny, to my amazement, I do not advocate bombing your teacher with paper.  I learned a lot about grace that day.  I pray we learn about grace every day.  Jesus, the purveyor of grace looked into the eyes of Satan and won.  He showers that grace on us when we don’t deserve it.  See the Truth in a new light this morning – He was tempted but His Truth is discovered.

                                                                        Amen.  

February 23, 2020 – Transfiguration                                         Text:  Matthew 17:1-9

Dear Friends in Christ,

            David McCasland wrote about an experience that happened to him some years ago.  A woman was stalled at an intersection with her car hood up and she flagged McCasland down for help.  Here’s the account:

            “’I can’t get the car started,’ she said.  ‘But if you jiggle the wire on the battery I think it will work.’  McCasland grabbed the positive battery cable and it came off in his hand.  It was obviously too loose!  ‘The terminal needs to be tightened up,’ he told her.  ‘I can fix it if you have some tools.’  The woman replied, ‘My husband says just to jiggle the wire.  It always works.  Why don’t you just try that?’  McCasland thought to himself, ‘Then why doesn’t her husband drive around with her all the time so he can jiggle the cable.’  Finally he said, ‘Ma’am, if I jiggle the wire, you’re going to need someone else to do it every time you shut the engine off.  If you’ll give me two minutes and a wrench, we can solve the problem and forget about it.’  Reluctantly, she fumbled under the front seat and then extended a crescent wrench through the window.

            “As he repaired the terminal, McCasland thought about the many times he tried to get ‘quick fixes’ from God.  ‘I have this problem, Lord, and if You’ll just jiggle the wire, things will be ok.  I’m in a hurry, so let’s just get me going again the quickest way possible.’”

            At the Mount of Transfiguration we learn that God doesn’t simply jiggle wires.  He guides our living in this world and, through that, prepares us for the world to come.  Many will follow if only they can be spared the uncertainties and sufferings of tomorrow.  But it doesn’t work that way. 

“LIVING THE NOW BETWEEN THE HERE AND THERE”

            The text begins, “After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.”  Six days after what?  Six days after he told them that they must deny self and take up their cross and follow Him.  Jesus is talking the here and now.  You might gain the world but you will forfeit your soul.

            They are led up a high mountain.  What a moment for these men but also getting there would be strenuous and tiring.  Like life in the here and now.  We strain and tire ourselves to get the most out of life.  We want to enjoy our creature comforts.  But no matter how we mask it, the world is still decaying away.

            Jesus is then transfigured and Moses and Elijah are with them.  What were the disciples seeing?  They were seeing the glory of Christ.  Jesus is God the Son.  Secondly, by seeing Moses and Elijah, the disciples glimpsed the glory of Heaven.  That’s why Peter wants to build the tents.  He wants to stay there forever.  Who wouldn’t want that?

            The earlier words of Jesus “take up your cross and follow me” had faded into the background.  They had traveled from the here – earthly, to the there – heavenly because they were followers of the Christ.

            We to will make that same journey.  We will go from here to there.  From earth to heaven also because of our Christ connection.  But what about the now?  How can we draw strength for the days and possibly years ahead of us?  How can this trip up the mountain help in our day-to-day living.

            “He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud over shadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’” (v. 5)

            What an encouragement for them.  That moment impressed upon them the eternal victory in Christ is certain.  There is still suffering and cross bearing in this fallen world but Christ has made an eternal home a sure thing.  The Father is pleased that His Son would do everything necessary to secure our forgiveness and eternal life.

            God loved and loves us in spite of ourselves.  In the now we have minds riddled with hideous thoughts and words and deeds.  Yet He would give His Son to pay for that.  And to believe that is to have everlasting life.  Light!  Glory forever!

            At the Mount of Transfiguration we learn that God doesn’t just jiggle wires to make things go.  He prepared the disciples then and He is preparing you and me now to live for Him in this world.  And, in Christ, our lives here overflow with this promise:  “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

            Living the now between the here and there is never without the presence of Christ’s love.

                        Amen.  

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.