Sermons

September 27, 2015 Text: 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29

Dear Friends in Christ,

What in life have you become accustomed to? Just this morning many of us have been blessed with a hot shower, a fluffy towel to dry off with, a refrigerator that kept our milk cold for the morning cereal, the local newspaper delivered to our address and a vehicle that transported us to God’s House. On top of that we enjoy vacations, dinners out, credit cards at Macy’s or Bergner’s, paying for our kids extracurricular activities, gasoline to get to those activities, cable TV and Wi-Fi, phones that can hook us up with people halfway around the world.
We have become quite used to our little luxuries. What is one thing you would hate to give up? For me it would be soft toilet paper. I took it with me to college, I made sure Karson had it at college and it was my first gift to the congregation when we moved into this building. I have become accustomed to a certain comfort. You each have your own little things that you enjoy as well. Giving them up would be hard. Israel is facing this question as they come out of Egypt and they are not too happy. The complaining. This is not what they are accustomed too. But the Lord shows Israel and us in our text that by giving the Spirit, God gives life well . . .
“BEYOND THE MANNER TO WHICH WE’VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED”
You and I are quite accustomed to our manner and standard of living. Israel remembers they way they had lived and eaten in Egypt. They remembered the fantasy but forgot the reality of their slavery. Selfishness and boredom with God’s providence led Israel to grumble.
Oh, we are happy as long as things go our way, but at the first sign of trouble or conflict, we sing a different tune. I learned of a family this week where one of the parents took a $30,000 pay cut. What if that happened to us? What little luxury would be the first to go? Would it be grumbling or contentment?
Meanwhile, Moses is having his own little meltdown. He is fed-up with his God-given duties, which have become heavier than he was accustomed to. He’d spent forty years off by himself tending a few sheep, when suddenly God puts him in charge of millions. Now they are grumbling and he is complaining of carrying the burden of these men and women. It’s lonely at the top.
We also complain and become fatigued by the burdens that we carry. The bills that have to be paid, the sickness that won’t go away, the laundry that keeps piling up, then something breaks on our car or in our house and we want to know why the Lord is giving us this load.
Now God acts to help Moses, and another player in our text, Joshua, has his accustomed manner of living upset. He is used to the God-ordained order. Moses as leader. Joshua as assistant. But he challenges Moses by trying to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying. Well intentioned, but misguided.
We work hard to protect our turf, whether at home or work or school or church or family. We look around at others sometimes and become jealous of what they have in terms of power or leadership or skills. We miss our own talents and gifts because we start comparing ourselves with others. Our manner of life can get so messed up.
God gives a different manner of life by giving the Spirit. God shows his people that life can be quite different from the accustomed. He doesn’t give better food, a sabbatical from duties, or confirmation of leadership. God’s answer is to give greater life in the Spirit. He did this by putting his spirit on seventy elders. The food didn’t get better but it was already quite tasty. No time-off was taken but these Spirit-filled men helped Moses. No turf protection needed because the Spirit had all of them working together.
God shows us an unaccustomed lifestyle too. Life is more than food, ease at work, affirmations that “you’re the man!” More than the luxuries that we enjoy. Life is given by the Spirit who as we confess is “the Lord and giver of life.” That life is the life earned for all people when the One who gives the Spirit, the eternal Son of God, laid down His life on the cross. No one is accustomed to gaining life by losing it, but that’s exactly what Jesus did – for Israel, for Moses, for Joshua, for us who through the Spirit believe in Him.
This new life in the Spirit is well beyond that to which we’ve become accustomed. Ever since Pentecost the word of Christ’s saving death has been going to all the world. The Spirit is not given just once to seventy elders or one leader, but as Moses envisioned: “Would that the Lord would put His Spirit on all his people.”
It’s given in Baptism as we are born of water and the Spirit. It’s the life so much richer than that to which we were accustomed. A greater life than found in the world – greater than our things or successes. You have the life of Christ in you, providing everything He knows best. Better than the credit cards, or the phone or the hot shower, even better than the soft toilet paper. This life in Christ has no end.
As Moses came to see, God is, by giving the Spirit in Christ, providing for us very well beyond the little manner to which we’ve become accustomed.
Amen.

September 20, 2015 Text: Mark 9:30-37

Dear Friends in Christ,

I hope you enjoy this little poem. “I gave a little party this afternoon at three, Twas very small, three guests in all: I, myself and me: Myself ate up all the sandwiches, while I drank the tea; And it was I who ate the pie and passed the cake to me.”
Simple. Silly. Yet very descriptive of human nature in every generation and especially the present age. And here’s what we want to explore this morning . . .
“WHAT TO DO WITH I’, ‘MYSELF’, AND ‘ME’?”
It’s big business; you know…this obsession with self. Watch any reality show and you will see what I mean. I enjoy watching the show “House Hunters” but I am always amazed when couples are looking for a house how the language of “I” predominates. “I need a man cave.” “I want granite countertops and a tub.” “I will not live in a home unless ‘Fluffy” has room to run around.” Aren’t these spouses supposed to be in this together? I’d like to think the producers are encouraging this but I’m not sure that is the case.
We are trapped in the debacle of individualism. Ask anyone who has given his or her baser inclinations free reign, and you will see for yourself. It’s like the drug addict looking for another hit locked in a private hell of remorse and self-loathing – expressive individualism initially promises freedom, but ultimately delivers bondage.
It’s exciting to declare independence from the expression of others and cultural norms, but the result isn’t pretty. When your companions are comprised of me, myself, and I, you live in a very small world.
“And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.’” (vs. 33-35)
The question Jesus poses is purely rhetorical. He knew what they were arguing about. He knew their sad condition and so did they because they remained silent. Oh, we know that scene. Confronted with our sin, we stand there silent because we have no answer. We knew it as a kid; we live it as an adult.
What a low moment for these men. Jesus had just told them he was going to be killed and in three days rise again. The Savior is going to bleed, suffer hell, and die for them and their concern is who is the best. It’s the battle of the wisdom of God and the wisdom of man in the arena of life. It’s always with us.
Disraeli once quipped, “Talk to a man about himself and he will listen for hours.” We are full of ourselves. Full of our plans and ideas. These words of an unknown author ring true: “’Be yourself!’ is about the worst advice you can give to some people.”
Jesus also lies some hard terms before us: last and servant. If we are going to amount to something in God’s scheme of things then we have to put ourselves last and be willing to serve in whatever capacity God places before us. The Lord drives home the point with this living illustration from our text:
“And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.’” (vs. 36-37)
The seemingly insignificant things and tasks are truly great in the eyes of our Lord. Embracing a child and his or her needs – sacrificing for the care of that child even if it means never living in a $500,000 home or getting what the flesh wants – embracing a child and everything that encompasses is truly great.
Look, brothers and sisters, God embraced and embraces us in Christ. Christ left the security and glory of Heaven to enter the world of I, myself, and me. He suffered hell and pain for our sins, earned our forgiveness and pardons those times we only live for the I, myself, and me. He embraces us in his Holy Word. Not too many moments ago we received the assurance of that forgiveness in the absolution spoken by the Pastor. Soon we will kneel together once again to be embraced in His love and forgiveness through the Holy Supper.
I’ve always loved Frank Sinatra’s song “I Did It My Way.” I’ve always touted my independence. You have the same problem, do you? What to do with “I, myself, and me”? The answer to that can only come to light in the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus for us. May the Holy Spirit lead us to deny self and be a servant to all.
Amen.

September 13, 2015 – Christian Education Text: James 3:1-12

Dear Friends in Christ,

On a windswept hill in an English country churchyard stands a drab, gray slate tombstone. The quaint stone bears an epitaph not easily seen unless you stoop over and look closely. The faint etchings read as follows: “Beneath this stone, a lump of clay, lies Arebella Young, Who on the twenty-fourth of May, began to hold her tongue.”
James writes in our text “no human being can tame the tongue.” (v. 8) Oh how we know that to be true! James through the Holy Spirit is about to put us in our place but we know that there is always good news on the other side. We are about to receive a . . .
“TONGUE LASHING”
When we hear the words “tongue lashing” we don’t anticipate with joy getting one of those from our teacher, or parent, or coach, or boss, or spouse. If you have ever received one you have probably walked away feeling pretty bad. That is what sin and the law can do to us. We are all guilty of abusing the tongue.
The Epistle confronts Christians of every age – and so also each one of us – with the inconsistencies between faith and actions. “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (vs. 5b-6) Not one human being is innocent. We all know what we are capable of.
In our world it might be better to say our fingers do the talking. Look at all the texts, and the tweets, and the Facebook postings that people need to retract. How can we miss, young or old, that there are consequences to what you send over social media? Recently, a man hired to be the public address announcer for Nebraska football was fired for an inappropriate tweet. College students are losing scholarships. Politicians are being embarrassed for letting their words cause controversy. Stories like this come out each and every day. What happens is that we become self-righteous and we say that we don’t do that. C’mon now you don’t believe that, do you?
I grew up in a small town. I know that a little bit of gossip can set a whole village on fire. Vicious propaganda can fan international hatred into wars. Popular religious and doctrinal errors and teaching can rage like a Wild West wildfire and leave countless victims in their wake. The whole round of existence is set aflame by the evil tongue. Ouch – a tongue-lashing.
A recent “Dustin” comic strip shows the mother and daughter sitting on the couch and the daughter says, “My friends use snapchat so our texts disappear right away.” The mother responds, “In case you send messages and photos that are really embarrassing?” Daughter, “exactly.” The mother then goes on, “Actually, there’s a low-tech application that works even better for that.” The daughter excitedly says, “Really?” The mom then replies, “Yes, sweetheart, it’s called judgment.”
We could use a whole pile of judgment in our society. We always miss the end game when we let our tongues loose. So, is there nothing we can do? Are we doomed to live this life in a never-ending battle against a tongue that would just as soon destroy us, as it would honor the God of our salvation? In a way, yes, and in another, no. The battle rages on, but the war is already over. There is one who held his tongue and took our tongue lashing because only He could live the perfect life that we cannot.
That perfect one is our Savior Jesus Christ. He lived and died and rose again because our tongues are out of control. He bridled his tongue even in the face of death so that we might receive his righteousness and He now lives in us. Christians possess the grace of God, which is a divine power that is able to control the tongue.
In Baptism, that fire that burned from your tongue was extinguished. The Word of God that you hear in worship, in Adult Bible Study, in Sunday School, in Small Group Bible Study fills your mind and your heart with the pure truth from God. That Word replaces all of the “other words” and gives your tongue something righteous to speak. As you receive the body and blood of Christ under the bread and the wine, the wounds inflicted on you by the things you say are healed.
Yes, our Savior took quite a tongue lashing for you and I. The vile things thrown his way as He journeyed to the cross. Imagine social media if it was around during the time of Jesus. Do we really need to imagine? The hatred for Christ and His Word are all around us. Christians here and around the world take a tongue lashing or worse for their beliefs. But never forget the lashes that tore at the skin of Jesus. The words of the soldiers as He died on the cross. The language spoken that His death was it.
Except, He could not be kept silent. He had a resurrection promise that his followers shouted to the world, “He Has Risen! He Has Risen Indeed?” Jesus spoke his victory over Satan, and hell, and death. Oh, the tongue lashing the devil took that day. Oh, the tongue-lashing he will take on the Last Day when Jesus returns with the beautiful sound of triumph.
Christ sets us free from bondage to the devil and sin so that we have something new to say: “O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise.” (Ps. 51:15)
Amen.

August 30, 2015 Text: Ephesians 6:10-20

Dear Friends in Christ,

On our recent trip to Holden Beach, North Carolina I pulled out my University of Illinois flip-flops. I had not worn them very much but knew I would need them for the beach. After a few days of the trip from house to beach and back my feet were hurting and getting red on the top where the flip-flops were rubbing. I needed a change in footwear. I bought a pair of slides and was more comfortable the rest of the trip.
Footwear. We may not always give it a lot of thought until the fit or style or performance is not what we expect. In the Epistle for today, Paul is outfitting the Christian from head to toe. Since he does not neglect footwear, neither shall we.
“A BOLD CHOICE IN FOOTWEAR”
Soldiers knew the importance of shoes. Whether it was a forced march or needing to hold the line they needed good footwear. Think of the movies that depict Valley Forge or the Civil War when the boots are literally falling off the soldiers’ feet in the cold and snow.
Shoes – or lack of them – can turn the tide of battle. Scotland’s national flower is the thistle, but do you know why? In order to take the sleeping Scots by surprise, and army of Norse invaders was ordered to remove their shoes so they could approach in silence. What the commanders hadn’t anticipated was that the field they had to cross barefoot was filled with thistles. Instead of a stealth entrance, the Norseman’s cries of pain sounded the alarm that led to their defeat. Scotland has honored the thistle ever since.
Shoes and stance go together. Athletes and soldiers realize this. It makes you prepared. Martial artists know the importance of a proper stance. Footwear makes the difference. The Duke of Wellington thought most of the shoes of his soldiers.
It’s the same for the Christian soldier. It may surprise us that Paul mentions shoes at all. But remember he had ample opportunity to contemplate Roman boots as he traveled to Rome in chains and then lived under house arrest.
How can the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus Christ, serve as footwear for the Christian soldier? Remember the command to the Christian soldier is very simple: “Stand!”. Not “Attack!” or “Retreat!” but simply “Stand!” This whole armor of God he has given to the Christian enables one to stand his or her ground and to withstand the assaults of the enemy.
What soldier can stand firm and steadfast with wounded feet? We must make sure that our feet are not vulnerable. Just as the shield of faith can protect us from the fiery darts of the enemy, so does the Gospel’s promise of forgiveness by Jesus death on the cross protect our stance from the shots of the attacker.
Our Christian footwear needs traction. Christ’s reconciling death banishes worry from our mind. We are not slip sliding along in life with anxiety and turmoil but through Christ we plant our feet firmly. We can meet the attack without trembling. If we get knocked to the ground the helmet, breastplate, sword, and shield can do little but minimize the damage. We must firmly stand on our feet, and it is none other than the Gospel of Jesus’ cross and resurrection that allows us to stand.
All of this then allows Paul and you and I as Christian soldiers to stand with boldness. To speak boldly is to speak freely. It means not holding back. It means not worrying about offending a hearer. This takes courage, which comes from Christ. Like Paul we want to present the gospel fully and naturally. If we are bold there is no “Don’t take this the wrong way.” We do not want to hold back the joy we get when sharing this message of salvation.
Paul had this solid stance – without wavering or stumbling – as he boldly shared the gospel with emperors and political leaders. He was secure in who he was as God’s instrument. He prayed to stay alert and persevere and He did because he was standing securely in the love of Christ.
Our stance is secure because of the mercy, grace, and compassion of our God. In its peace we are ready for the attack – and ready to proclaim. Our feet are protected. So let’s get on our feet and proclaim boldly the same good news to others. No weapon, no strategy, and no insult can shake our stance when we remain fitted in the bold footwear of the Gospel of the Lord.
Amen.

August 16, 2015 Text: Proverbs 9:1-10

Dear Friends in Christ,

One morning the young new president of a bank made an appointment with his predecessor to seek some advice. He said, “Sir, could you provide some of the insights you have gained from your years here that have been the keys to your success.”
The older man looked at him with a stare and replied: “Young man, two words: good decisions.” The young man responded, “Thank you, but how does one come to know which is the good decision?” “One word, young man: experience.” “But how does one get experience?” “Two words, young man: bad decisions.”
Do you agree with that? Have you learned more from your bad decisions than your good decisions? And that wisdom you have been gaining throughout your lifetime, where does it come from? The wonderful Old Testament Book of Proverbs is going to help us answer the question . . .
“WHAT IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM?”
The Book of Proverbs, God’s instruction book to bestow the Lord’s wisdom through King Solomon and others is filled with gems like this: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Prov. 3:7-8) “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” (Prov. 17:14) “A man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” (Prov. 10:9) And then this beauty as we get into the text: “If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.” (Prov. 9:12) Those are pretty good, aren’t they? And there are 31 chapters of such wisdom.
We are focused on the beginning of chapter 9. The beginning verses are the invitation to wisdom. Everyone is invited to come and gain wisdom. Verse 6, “Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.” The life wisdom gives is more than our health and well-being. It is the life that God gives, life that is meaningful, satisfying, and God-pleasing.
There are going to be roadblocks as we live this life of wisdom that the Lord grants. Verse 7 identifies such. “Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.” How true! How true! I have shared my own stories over the years at ballgames and other places how this happens. Now sometimes you might think your semi-old Pastor is a little over the top with some of this and then this recent story from my father. It seems my niece was driving on the Beltline in Madison, Wisconsin recently when a male on a motorcycle starting following her and shouting profanities at her. What had she done? Flipped him off? Cut him off? No. As she exited the Beltline and he continued his pursuit, he was yelling at her because she had an ichthus on her car, the Christian fish symbol and he didn’t like it. He actually got off his ride and was going to confront her when she was able to drive away safely. “Do not reprove a scoffer or he will hate you.”
So we need the Lord’s wisdom as we battle the evil. The wisdom of God is personified in Jesus. He came to give us life to the full. He gave His life on the cross to restore us to God and by teaching us God’s wisdom for our lives.
The text tells us that we gain wisdom by eating Wisdom’s food and drinking Wisdom’s wine. How we do this is clarified in verse 10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” There is the answer. Wisdom flows from a right relationship with God characterized by trust in His love, awe of His greatness, and fear of offending Him.
Too often we think we know it all. As a result, we live dangerously and hurt others and ourselves. We can easily become smug and self-righteous and cut ourselves off from God. We discover that we have a lot to learn and a lot of growing to do. We desperately need what Jesus has to offer.
Jesus has freed us from our foolishness and bad decisions. His life, death, and resurrection take away the guilt. As the Word made flesh, Jesus came into the world with grace and truth. The truth of His Word guides us into wisdom and knowledge and helps us make good and right decisions. Jesus is the giver of God’s life for wise and godly living to all who believe in Him.
Look to Jesus, the wisdom of God and the power of God, to learn and live wisdom. He enables us to fear and love God so that we live wisely. He teaches us and empowers us through His Word and nourishes our faith and life in Him through the banquet of his body and blood until we eat and drink with Him in the heavenly kingdom. Until then, we happily learn and live wisdom and find meaning, purpose, and satisfaction. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
Amen.