February 12, 2023       Text:  1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Dear Friends in Christ,

Have you ever been holding a baby that needs a change?  As that smell permeates the nostrils you may say something like, “Poowee!”  A baby needs a change.  Quite regularly, in fact.  A baby can’t change himself.  They eventually grow out of it.  In the meantime, if babies are going to grow up and be healthy, they need a change.

In our text for this morning St. Paul is calling the Corinthian Christians babies, spiritual babies.  You know what that means.  Babies need a change.  If they are going to grow up spiritually . . . 

“THEY NEED A CHANGE”

Babies need lots of changes.  We have been changed.  You and I were conceived and born in sin.  We were adorable little babies, but we were drooling enemies of God.  When brought to the faith, believers in Christ, a new person was created.  We love God.  We trust in God above all things.

This was St. Paul and the Christians in Corinth.  Paul was formerly named Saul.  Saul was a pursuer and persecutor of Christian believers.  But he was changed.  The Holy Spirit made him a proclaimer of the Gospel, a planter of churches, a traveler for the way, the truth, and the life.

The Corinthians were changed.  They heard and believed the Gospel and so when Paul addressed them at the beginning of his letter, he said this, “those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.” (1:2).  This change largely came through the ministry of two men – Paul and Apollos.  Each had preached the Gospel that changes people so miraculously.

How are we like these believers in Corinth?  We have been changed by the Good News.  We have been brought to faith in Christ – many of us by Baptism as babies.  Even before are memories were fully formed, the Holy Spirit was creating us to be believers in Jesus.  Back when we were needing many changes a day, we were changed!

How do you handle change?  Many of us like it or dislike it depending on what it is.  In this profession you have to embrace change.  You never know where you might be serving the Lord’s people.  But we have learned.  People are people.  Whether in Texas or Kansas or Illinois.  All have the same joys and challenges.  That change is no big deal.  On the other hand, I don’t care for technological changes.  I want to use cash and send letters and shop for clothes in person.  I am proudly an “old soul.”  How about you?  Change – yes, or change – no?

I love the way Paul addresses this church when he says, “behaving only in a human way.” (v. 3b).  These folks needed change so there could be growth.  They could no longer stay with mother’s milk.  Solid food was on the menu.  They would move from people of the flesh to people of the Spirit.  They still had rivalries – some for Paul, some for Apollos.  These men were on the same side, they weren’t divided personally.  

Do we ever behave in a human way?  Ah…yea.  Hello human, ever give in to the desires of the flesh?  Ever get jealous?  Have any rivalries?  Feed in the trough of milk when what your soul needs is the heavenly banquet?  We can still be babies who need a change.  Just follow us for a while, we will show you – “poowee!”  This all separates us from God and one another.  Infant behavior can only lead to death. 

The Son of God made the change we need.  Christ, the unchanging God, did become flesh for all jealousy, strife, for all who are behaving only in a human way.  Since “each will receive his wages according to his labor” (v. 8b), we rejoice in what Christ has done.  The wage of his labor on the cross is full and free forgiveness.  The wage of his labor in and out of the grave is life new and never-ending.  These wages of cross and tomb are delivered to us in water and Word – Holy Baptism; bread and wine, body and blood – Holy Supper.  This is the food we babies need to grow.  God gives this food, even as we are still babies.

When God changes us, we grow.  Think of going off to kindergarten.  Had to have a picture, didn’t you?  Now picture you at your high school or college graduation.  In those intervening years you were planted, watered, and you grew.  You matured.  There is growth in watering and planting.  It is taking place right now as this Word is shared.  God gives the growth.  He is the source of growth in His new creation, the Church.  The Church is God’s field.

In many parts of country, we are not near planting time.  No plowing or tilling yet for seeds to be dropped.  Even though it’s February, it is planting and watering time.  The Epiphany season – encouragement to be part of Christ’s mission for the Church.  It is always a time for God to give growth.  Every day is a Lift High The Cross day.

The Church faithfully sows the seed of Christ’s Gospel.  The Church faithfully waters what is planted.  We all want to see a great harvest.  We pray about it and then we affirm and celebrate this statement:  “only God gives the growth.”

Yes, God makes the change.

Amen.  

February 5, 2023 Text:  Isaiah 58:3-9a

Dear Friends in Christ,

A big thing for people is that they want “their voices heard.”  They want people in authority to give credence to their ideas and suggestions.  An employee would like it from their employer.  A child would like it from their parent.  A player would like it from their coach.  A citizen would like it from their government.  The subordinate would like the authority to hear them and not just pay lip service to their thoughts.

In the church how do we get our voices heard?  Through worship, and prayer, and praise.  Through these means we bring our cares and concerns to our Heavenly Father.  He doesn’t just give us “lip service” but He genuinely cares about what we have to say.

In our text for today Israel wanted to be heard but they went about it all wrong.  They think that their fasting will be a means of motivating God to answer their prayers and petitions.  The Lord wants more than that.  He doesn’t just want us . . . 

“PAYING LIP SERVICE”

The people of God in our text make a great pretense of loving the Lord.  They think that their fasting ought to earn them something.  The Lord should really hear their voices now because they are following His commands.  They have been deceived into thinking they are a righteous nation and an obedient people who can expect God’s deliverance and blessings.

God only required one day of fasting and that was the Day of Atonement.  The people thought if “one day is good, why not make it all the time.  God will really love us then, right?”  What was to be an occasion for self-denial became an opportunity for self-advancement at the expense of others.  Their fasting only led to “quarrel and fight.”  The fasting put them in an ugly mood.  Their fasting was not a day acceptable to the Lord.  The Lord calls for acts of righteousness and justice, and all the people are giving Him is lip service.

Do we ever pay the Lord lip service?  Do we have an attitude that infiltrates our relationship with the Lord?  Maybe we are especially gracious or kind or loving or we sacrifice for others and then we start to think that God owes us.  Shouldn’t we earn a little extra credit with the Lord for being such a shining light to those around us?  We can’t just pay lip service.  Religious observances cannot substitute for moral integrity.  A day acceptable to the Lord is not filled with empty worship, but a day of self-denial.

Such a self-denial was first accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.  He went to the cross without revenge but with obedience to the will of the Father.  He offered up to our Heavenly Father an acceptable day.  Jesus didn’t pay lip service to our sinful plight as humans.  He did what He said He was going to do.  Pay for our sins.  Forgive our lip service.  The day of His crucifixion He became our righteousness.  Self-reliance gives way to faith and trust in His sacrifice.  Our Lord’s victory overcomes our self-righteousness.  We humbly accept this gift and claim the new life He offers through His death on the cross and His resurrection.

Because of all that He has done for us, we don’t just pay Him lip service.  We give Him a life of service.  The prophet Isaiah shows us the shallowness of the people.  They thought they could draw near to the Lord through their own righteous worship.  What the Lord wanted was for the bonds of wickedness to be loosened, the oppressed to go free, to share bread with the hungry, bring the homeless into a home and to cover the naked.  Through these acts of self-denial Isaiah writes, “Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.  Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’” (vs. 8-9a)

A day acceptable to the Lord, a life where we don’t just pay Him lip service, is when we embody the servanthood of Christ and look first to the needs of others.  We share the bounty of our blessings with those who struggle along life’s journey.

Look at our Gospel lesson in Matthew this day.  We “are the salt of the earth.”  We “are the light of the world.”  Light comes from doing the work of the Lord.  It keeps us out of the darkness.  “Others…may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

That always has to be our motivation.  We don’t shine so that the world will give us glory.  We don’t share for a pat on the back.  We don’t self-deny so we can take in all the accolades.  We do it as a fruit of our faith.  The Holy Spirit uses us to further the work of the Lord’s Kingdom.  By not just paying lip service our sacrificial service advances the cause of Christianity.  The good works of the Christian is still the go to play in the world’s playbook.  Where would we be if the Lord didn’t allow us to make a difference?  

Jesus didn’t pay lip service.  He paid life service.  His sacrifice became our ours.  His grace and blessing allows us to be salt and light.  Here “I am” because of the great “I am.”

Amen.