Sermons

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.

July 17, 2016 Text: Genesis 18:1-10a

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Wined and dined.” What an appealing concept. It’s quite enjoyable when it is happening to you. A company wants your services, and the job interview includes dinner at a restaurant you’d rather not pay for yourself. A five-star high school basketball player visits the University of Illinois and gets the full red-carpet treatment – seats behind the bench, name on the scoreboard, university employees showing some love and as we found out with Karson during his recruitment, a meal on a less elaborate scale. Dined but not wined.
It all feels great, but lets not be naïve. Your host isn’t doing all of this because of some goodness in their heart. They want you to take the job. They want you to except the scholarship to play for their school. It is all fair. You know what is going on and often it works.
On the other hand, if we try to play this game with God, that is not so good. It is unnecessary. We don’t serve God to get him to serve us. We don’t buy His services. We do serve the Lord in ways that He calls us to do, but in faith we remember who is actually serving whom, who is actually doing . . .
“THE GREATER SERVICE”
As these three men stand before Abraham he realizes that one of the visitors is the Lord himself, the preincarnate Christ, and he rolls out the red carpet. He falls before them; he shows old-world hospitality by offering water for their feet and rest in the shade. He offers a “morsel” but it is really a huge meal. These heavenly being eat the food. Does Abraham now have them where he wants them?
Such dining, along with the wining served with the milk, could have been just that, Abraham setting up the Lord to do something for Abraham. In the next verses – the Old Testament reading for next week – Abraham is going to ask the Lord for a huge favor: sparing Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of his nephew Lot. In Washington and Springfield they call it lobbying.
We know how to lobby God. When shells are all around, the soldier pleads: “Get me out of this, Lord, and I will worship every Sunday.” “If I operate my business on Christian principals, you’ll help with the rest, eh, Lord?” “If I pray hard enough, my husband will get well, right, Lord?” “I don’t get to heave on my works, but they have to be worth something?”
God doesn’t need our wining and dining. Our service to Him is almost surely not as good as we think because it is corrupted by sin. Sometimes our wonderful service isn’t so wise after all.
The Lord provides the greater service. When Abraham hosted the Lord, the Lord had already done something for him. He had been given the covenant of circumcision and God had told his wife, Sarai, that they would have a son Isaac in their old age. Now the preincarnate Christ comes to tell them how imminent that message is. Sarah will have a baby this time next year! It is as laughable as a virgin conceiving and giving birth. But both will happen.
Here is the miracle of the Gospel. This Greater Servant will serve us by living the perfect life that was required of us. He will serve us by going to the cross to secure our forgiveness – including our sorry efforts to manipulate God. He will sere us by coming out of the tomb alive, securing for us a heavenly wining and dining fit for a king. The food Abraham served could only satisfy for a little while. The banquet food and wine the Lord provides satisfies for eternity.
Our serving then comes about because He continues to serve us in His Word. For Abraham the Lord served with word of a son. This made him bold to plead for Sodom.
For us the Lord serves us with His Word in Baptism, “You are my child.” Then we know we can pray to him for loved ones who are sick or in need. The Lord serves with the word of Absolution, “I forgive you all your sins.” Then we can encourage those who are afraid. The Lord serves with words from the pulpit, “Christ died so you might live.” Then we can worship in thanks and joy because of our eternal future. The Lord serves us with the word of Holy Communion, “Given and shed for you.” Then we can give without getting anything in return, because the Lord has already given us everything.
Wining and dining. I’ve been through it a few times and it feels good. As a good Lutheran I have usually felt a little guilty about the fuss being made, but I understand. Our Lord Jesus provides the greater service as we saw with Abraham and Sarah, and through Baptism, for us too. Now, it is a privilege to be His vessel, and to share His grace with those the Lord places in our lives. Through our serving, we are sharing with the world that Christ Jesus is providing the greater service.
Amen.

July 10, 2016 Text: Luke 10:25-37

Dear Friends in Christ,

If you have ever tried to learn the game of tennis you know that learning to serve is one of the hardest parts of the game to master. It can be a difficult and trying task. Not only is this true in tennis it can also be this way in life.
Life in Christ involves service. It means serving others, which can be a difficult and trying task. It is part of our everyday living – encountering our neighbors and serving them. How are you doing? We have to admit there are times that we fail. Times when servant hood is not at the top of our list. Why? I can think of a few excuses. Let’s tackle them today . . .
“TOO MESSY AND TOO BUSY!”
A man is traveling the winding road through the rocky desert. He is accosted by thugs who attack, assault, rob, and beat him. They leave him as road kill. Later two men approach him:
A priest, fresh from leading worship at the temple, saw the bloodied fellow. If he were dead, to touch him would be taboo. The priest would experience ceremonial defilement and so lose his priestly prerogatives. This was too messy!
A Sunday School teacher asks her students: “What would you do if you were that priest?” One answers: “I think I’d throw up.” Indeed, it’s messy! So the priest doesn’t get involved.
Next comes a Levite – a religious worker who has been busy with his religious activities. He cleaned the temple and the synagogue. He maintained the holy furniture and the vessels. He directed the choirs and the musicians. He organized the sacred library. But when he saw the beaten man, he passed by. He was too busy!
Christian discipleship happens in our everyday life, where opportunities arise to serve. But for us, to get involved is oftentimes:
Too messy: We hesitate to get involved with people’s problems: a coworker divorcing, a neighbor whose kids are unruly, a teen who looks odd, an old person with a house run down, a sick friend.
Too busy: To help and serve others takes time. We’ve got life scheduled to the minute. So we can’t fit the needs of others into our schedules. We have got other obligations and deadlines.
Samaritans were the hated enemy of Jews. They were considered half-breeds, traitors, and heretics. So when Jesus introduces this character, quite likely the audience expected him to be a villain since this is how Samaritans were commonly portrayed – “Boo! Hiss!” Perhaps they were expecting the Samaritan to finish off this injured fellow.
Instead, the Samaritan “had compassion” (v. 33). He rescues the Jewish victim, serves him, and sacrifices for him so that he is cared for. Having completed the story, Jesus asks the clinching question: “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor?” The lawyer responded: “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus then directs, “You go, and do likewise.” (vs. 36-37)
To us Jesus also says, “You go, and do likewise.” The problem is we often don’t. The lives of others are too messy! Ours are too busy! We fail to serve and love our neighbors as ourselves.
But there is one in this account who does, the real-life narrator. Jesus came into this messy world and connected himself to messy people – prostitutes, publicans, lepers. More than that, He connected with sinners. He served them – healed, forgave, and released them from the mess of sin and the peril of death.
He serves us sinners. He heals and forgives when we think things are too messy or we are too busy. He releases us from our sins and its deadly consequences. This was His mission: to see that we were dying in sin, so He loved us, and took on himself the mess of our sin. He was beaten and bloodied so that we might be rescued, so that we might live.
Now in response we join Christ’s mission, and serve in His name. We serve in the messiness and busyness of life. We serve because He first served us.
It was a bitterly cold day. A boy stood shivering on a sidewalk. His clothes were thin and tattered; he was a child of the street. A woman, dressed for the weather, stopped and engaged the boy in conversation. The compassionate woman took him to a nearby clothing store and outfitted him from head to toe. He was filled with gratitude and couldn’t thank her enough. As they said goodbye the boy turned back to ask, “Are you God’s mother?” The gentle woman answered, “Oh, no. I’m just a child of God.” The smiling lad remarked, “I knew you were related.”
We know the Lord loves us. We are related because of what He has done. In that relation we help our neighbor, bind the injured, give time to the downtrodden. When we extend our hands it is in fact Christ who is extending Himself.
Christ has rescued us. He gave His all that we might live. Thus we serve others in the messiness and busyness of life. Amen.