Sermons

August 21, 2016 Text: Luke 13:22-30

Dear Friends in Christ,

Years ago Crosby, Stills & Nash sang a song entitled, “Wasted On The Way.” One line from that song is as follows: “I am older now, I have more than what I wanted . . .” Those words probably sum up life for a lot of us. More than what we wanted. More living…more running…more accumulation…more conflict…more hurts…more pains than we ever thought when we were children.
Life gets heavy for some of us. Then the day comes, a quiet time alone when we look at where we’ve been and where we are going, and some of us are convinced that if we had to do it over again there would be changes in our lives. Can you sing it: I am older now, I have more than what I wanted?
Life can be full of questions and thoughts that run through our head. Today in our text a question is posed to Jesus – a curious question. Let’s see how Jesus handles it.
“THE JESUS ANSWER TO THE QUESTION”
Let’s get right to it. “(Jesus) went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’” (vs. 22-23a) What’s fascinating about this scenario is that Jesus doesn’t fully answer the question. At least not here. He does in
Matthew where he says, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matt. 7:14)
Only a “few” find it. That is a little chilling. In this moment of our text no specific answer is given. And there’s a reason. Remember when you were young and you tried to reason with your parents about how other parents let their child do this or that? And what was the answer: “You are not other children.”
That’s the issue. Not how many are going to be saved, but whether you or I will be saved. All the other “why” questions are wasted diversions. Michael Green relates a story that contains a serious truth mostly ignored:
“An atheistic barber was conversing with a minister…Said the unbeliever, ‘If there is a loving God, how can he permit all this poverty, suffering, and violence among these people? Why doesn’t he save them from all this?’ Just then a disheveled bum crossed the street. He was unshaven and filthy, with long scraggly hair hanging down his neck. The minister pointed to him and said, ‘You are a barber and claim to be a good one, so why do you allow that man to go unkempt and unshaven?’
“’Why, why…’ the barber stuttered, ‘he never gave me a chance to fix him up.’ ‘Exactly,’ said the minister. ‘Men are what they are because they reject God’s help.”
“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” “Many” will try to get in, but “few” will enter. How does that fit with the world’s thinking that if there is a God and people do their best they will go to heaven or whatever they want to call it? It doesn’t square at all. Doing your best isn’t the answer. Most won’t make it.
Can you imagine Christ the Judge looking at people and saying, “I don’t know you.” What a horror to become eternally unknown. Hebrews 11:8a reads, “And without faith it is impossible to please God…” Faith. Paul writes, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8,9) Do you really believe God is going to cave to the sentimental demand that God would surely not send a “good” person to hell – since no-one can be good enough? And what about all those celebrities who have died and, we’re told, are “looking down on us.” You know, from heaven. They’re in heaven because why – they’re celebrities and they entertained us? You think, maybe, some are looking up?
So where is the answer? In the Scripture of course. God’s Word always has the answer. Know this and don’t let anyone downplay it. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) The Jesus answer to the question is: JESUS. Your good works will not get you through the narrow door. Confess your sinfulness before a Holy God and believe that Jesus suffered, bled, and died to pay for all your sins! That has always been the message from this pulpit. God’s love is yours – now – through Jesus Christ. And if you don’t understand that message – if you are not sure – you should get in touch with me as soon as possible.
On the other hand, if you are sure of the Gospel message and the answer to the question then with the Holy Spirit we work to tell others what we already know. Christ crucified and risen. Dwight L. Moody the evangelist once said a cherished epitaph on his tombstone would be: “A young man walking about the streets witnessing to Jesus.”
People all around us have questions. We have the grand answer. The Lord provides it because it is Him. Share it. Live it. “The Jesus Answer To The Question.”
Amen.

August 28, 2016 Text: Hebrews 13:1-8

Dear Friends in Christ,

We are imitators and followers. In my lifetime one area I have seen this is with tattoos. When I was younger the only tattoos I ever saw were on older men. “I love mom” or a heart with their wife’s name. When I watch “Hardwood Classics” on the NBA Network from even the early 90’s none of the players had tattoos. That changed in the mid 1990’s with Alan Iverson. Tattoos are now prevalent on some high school players and throughout the NBA. In the last 10-15 years it has reached the general population. Even many women have them. Being a sociologist at heart I expect this “imitation” to die down in my lifetime.
I am not making judgments on tattoos just showing how we tend to “imitate” what is prevalent in our society. People can imitate that which is good or they can imitate that which is bad.
The Apostle Paul often talked about imitation in his letters. He once asked people to imitate him but only insofar as he imitated Christ. In our text for today the writers of Hebrews urges imitation – imitating the faith of their leaders. We have all tried our own John Wayne, Jack Nicholson, or Clark Gable. But when it comes to the Christian faith of those around us, especially our leaders . . .
“HOW IS YOUR IMITATION?”
The leaders of the Hebrew Christians the writer had in mind were the faithful Pastors and shepherds of the past. It seems that these had all died after a life of faithfully teaching and preaching the Word of God. They had been faithful to the Old Testament revelation and the New Testament revelation given in Christ Jesus.
We too have been blessed with faithful Pastors and leaders of the past and leaders in the present who teach and preach the Word of God in its purity. They brought us to a knowledge of sin through the preaching of God’s Law. They were instruments in allowing His Gospel to do its work in our hearts, bringing us to faith. By remaining faithful to that Word of God we imitate the faith and bear witness to the world what that faith means in our daily lives.
The text lists some of those things we live out as we imitate the faith. Brotherly love as we humble ourselves. A life of showing hospitality. A life of faithfulness in marriage and honoring the marriage bed by enjoying sexual relations only with our spouse in the God-ordained way it was intended. A life of contentment with what we have, and not being lovers of money. Knowing the Lord is our helper and that He will never leave us or forsake us. Oh, how we need that promise in our day-to-day living!
Due to our sinful flesh, we do not always imitate our faithful leaders in Christ. The Greek root of the word “imitate” in verse 7 gives us the English words mimic and pantomime. At work here is the practice of copying the mannerisms or behavior of someone or something. The people were to mimic the faithfulness of their leaders. They were to be “faithful unto death” just as their leaders were.
How Is Your Imitation? Too often we mimic the world which is enthralled with sinful pleasures and activities. Cultural influences have an impact on Christians. Do Christians use better language than society? Maybe a little, but we condone it or turn the other way when we hear it in surround sound in our home or local movie theater. Other than “hell” or “damn” which are not used in the context of profanity, I cannot find profane words in the Bible. How can we show brotherly love if we are shouting epithets at each other?
We need the help of Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday and today and forever. Christ is consistent and faithful and obedient. Through the power of the Holy Spirit given in our Baptism into Christ and through the proclamation of God’s continuing forgiveness, we are enabled to imitate the example of faithful, godly Christian leaders.
Ludwig Nommensen went as a missionary to the isolated Balak tribe. He stayed for two years to study the customs and language of the people. At the end of that time, the chief asked him if there was anything in the Christian religion that differed from their customs. The chief said, “We have laws like you – one must not steal or kill or bear false witness.” The missionary answer quietly, “My Master gives us the power to keep these laws.” The chief was startled. “Can you teach my people this power?” “No, I cannot. But God can give it to them if they listen to His Word.” The missionary was given six more months to demonstrate and teach this power of God. At the end of the time the chief said, “Stay. Your law is better than ours. Ours tells us what to do. Your God gives you strength to do it.”
We have poor examples of people to imitate – political leaders, TV reality celebrities and maybe even those in our inner circle. But God through His Word and His grace helps us to imitate and remain faithful in our Christlike walk. Through the Holy Spirit follow these leaders as they follow Christ. Then your imitation will be the sincerest form of flattery. Amen.

August 7, 2016 Text: Luke 12:22-34

Dear Friends in Christ,

What are you anxious about? Talk about a loaded question. Many of you are probably thinking that the better question would be, “What am I not anxious about?” We live in anxious times. People are on edge. Everyone looks at one another with a discerning eye. There are times we don’t want to leave the sanctuary of our home or our church. We are concerned about our health and our money and our kids and our job and our congregation and our country and you can add to the list.
Today in our text Jesus addresses the disciples, those who follow Him. This is an important distinction from the start, since these words of Jesus have no comfort apart from Him and a relationship of trust in Him.
“COMFORTING WORDS FOR THE ANXIOUS”
Jesus tells us not to be anxious about our life. We agree with Jesus that we shouldn’t worry. We all know the statistics of science, worry adds nothing to our life, in fact, it may take time away from our years on earth. We know that worry is useless. “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (v. 25) Has worry about your health made your life healthier? Have financial concerns made a pathway to contentment easier? Has anxiousness about your children made the relationship better? Is our country better because we sit around and fret about its direction?
We know that worry and being anxious are sins against the First Commandment. When we worry, we are not trusting in God above all things. Ironically, our anxiety lifts us up to be in the place of God, as if we could control what will happen in our future. Has that ever worked? Anyone here controlled their future exactly the way they wanted? But even this confession, that sin is a worry, does not stop us from worrying.
Jesus shows God’s care for us, from the lesser to the greater. God, his Father and our Father, provides for birds and flowers. God takes care of the ravens that are scavengers and unclean animals. God takes care of the lilies, which are more passively cared for than even the birds. They are beautiful, which shows God’s goodness because they are here today and gone tomorrow. You are of more value than either of these. You and I are the crown of God’s creation. Jesus speaks through his creation to encourage us to let God be God and to let us be his trusting creatures. Even this display of God’s care does not take our anxiety away.
Jesus shows that the real reason for our anxious thoughts is because we are seeking the wrong things. We seek peace of our mind in all the wrong things. “For all of 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.” (vs. 30-31) Jesus calls us to repent of our false seeking and trust him. But even acknowledging that we are seeking the wrong things does not stop our anxious thoughts.
But God breaking into our anxious world with his kingdom is what takes our worry away. The King of the world entered our place of worry. He lacked food for forty days. He lacked a place to lay his head, a place to call home. Jesus had a life that would be filled with anxiety, but he lived perfectly worry free for you.
The King of the world at last had nothing to eat, and at the cross he thirsted. He was stripped of every bit of clothing. When Jesus had nothing, and even his life was taken from him, Jesus gave us everything. The comforting words for the anxious: “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (v. 32) The kingdom of Jesus is ours, not by our anxiousness, but by his cross and rising to live for us. The kingdom is ours, even when we give in to anxious thoughts, because of his grace.
The kingdom will change our worry to freedom to share, to give, to store up real treasure that we don’t have to worry about. In repentance, we name our anxiety as idolatry, and we receive the Lord’s forgiveness for our worry. The King will come again, and by the grace of God, we will be waiting for him, worry free, to enter the fullness of his kingdom forever.
We all remember getting a shot in the doctor’s office when we were younger. Needles have a way of making you anxious! One thing my parents would do was to have me look at them. This would calm me and take my worry away. No words were spoken but their presence allowed the anxiety to leave my body.
God is present in Word and Sacrament. The anxious times are not going away as we continue to breath earthly air. We look to our Heavenly Father who calms our anxious thoughts. In the words of Victor Hugo, “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake!”
Amen.