Sinner and Saint

Happy New Year

Name and Circumcision of Jesus, 2012

Luke 2:21-35

“Happy New Year”

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

  

            “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32)

            Do these words sound familiar to you?...well they should! We sing the Song of Simeon each Sunday that we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. We know the Song of Simeon as the Nunc Dimittis, its Latin title, which means “now, let depart.” These words were first spoken by Simeon immediately after God’s promise of seeing the Christ came true. So why do we sing these words? Jesus promised to be with us always to the very end of the age and certainly we see the Christ in our own lives just as Simeon did. Have you seen Him? Have you seen Jesus? Have you seen the Christ?

            What a wonderful promise that we have…that Jesus will be with us always and that we may see Him. That’s great because we need him often. This world is full of problems caused by sin. Even during the holidays the world does not take a break from violence. The week before Christmas saw an Illinois mother take the life of her family including two young children buried from our sister congregation in Dwight, IL. Christmas Day saw a family member in Texas take the lives of his family, there are ongoing tensions with Iran in the Middle East and the problems don’t stop there.  Even our own lives are not spared from problems during Christmas. Many families have arguments over the holidays and even some families don’t speak to each other. Christmas is a wonderful time…but in this sinful world it also becomes a time of mourning, despair, and depression. Certainly with all the problems that the world has and all the problems that we have…we need Jesus, we need Him now, and we need Him here with us. The problem is…where is He? Have you seen Him? Unless you read the tabloids…there aren’t any reports of Jesus walking around knocking on doors and helping people in need.

            There are so many times that our faith, as Christians, is lacking. We often doubt in our Lord’s promises. We often wonder if God really does care about us. Many times we just go through the motions as Christians…saying what we are supposed to say and doing what is expected…but we don’t really trust in God, believe in His Word, or share the wonderful news of our Savior. God just doesn’t seem to make sense at times. He promises to be with us…but we can’t see Him. He promises that we will see Him…but he doesn’t seem to be here with us. It seems that if something doesn’t make sense that it is wrong. We force our own logic upon God. Yet when we are in need…we always know where God is and find our way back to Him so that we can ask for His help.

            What we don’t admit is that we ALWAYS are in need of His help. There isn’t a time in our lives that we can do anything on our own. We like to take credit for the good things in our life…but it is God that is in control. That hurts our egos. But on the other hand when things aren’t going well in our lives…God is in control and that is comforting. God is in control, He always keeps His promises, and always does what is best for us. Yet even as Christians we need to be assured of this. As Christians we need to be reminded of what God does for us and where He does it. We need to be forgiven and strengthened…no matter how good we think we are or how strong we think we’ve become.

            The reason we gather together as a congregation each week is because Jesus comes. Ever since the Ascension of the risen Lord Jesus into heaven, the church has celebrated the Lord’s Supper, in which the Lord Jesus comes to us with his life-giving body and blood. In a sense, it can be said that Simeon was the first person who went to the temple because “Jesus comes.” Jesus, the eternal Son of God, now comes to his people as the incarnate Son of Mary. The Spirit led Simeon to the temple. The same Holy Spirit gathers us to this place. We come to the liturgy because Jesus comes.

            The Nunc Dimittis is a reminder to us all of what Jesus has and continues to do for us. Why do we sing Simeon’s Nunc Dimittis today? We do so because it is not only Simeon’s song. It is also our song. It is the church’s song—the entire church’s song. What makes this short and seemingly simple song so profound and powerful is the time and place in which it was first sung and the time and place it is sung today. “We go to the liturgy because Christ comes.”

             Why do we sing the Nunc Dimittis? Because it is the Holy Spirit’s song. The Holy Spirit inspired Simeon to speak these words. One cannot find better words to sing than those inspired by the Holy Spirit. Since the sixteenth century the Nunc Dimittis has been sung in many Lutheran churches immediately following the reception of the body and the blood of our Lord in the Liturgy of Holy Communion. What makes this seemingly simple song so profound is the time and place in which it is sung. Like Simeon, we have held the body of the incarnate Son of God in our hands. The Holy Spirit enabled Simeon to recognize that the baby hidden in humble flesh and carried in Mary’s arms was the Lord, the Creator and Redeemer of the world. The Holy Spirit has also enlightened the eyes of the Gentiles. The Holy Spirit has enlightened your eyes to recognize the Savior of the world hidden in humble bread and wine. The Lord let Simeon go in peace. At each Divine Service the Lord lets us go in peace. The pastor says, “Go in peace,” but it is the Lord himself who frees us to do so.

             Have you seen Him…have you seen Jesus? Many of our children have. I can remember quite a few of them calling me Jesus …something a bit profound and funny to see. But these children, with the faith of a child, see something we often find hard to see. Jesus standing here forgiving your sins, proclaiming His love, and feeding us Himself. Though you see me, a sinful Pastor, your faith sees Christ. Jesus uses His people to share himself with others…that by faith…you may see His face. He is with you always till the very end of the age. Before I forget…Have a happy and blessed New Year. Happy and blessed…because they are given us by God…happy and blessed because we have a Savior whom we see by faith. Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Good News and Great Joy for ALL People!

Christmas Day, 2011

“Good News and Great Joy for ALL People!”

Luke 2:1-20 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

            People seem to be skeptical these days when they hear good news. Maybe it’s that people are just cynical. We often hear and live by the saying “if it sounds too good to be true…it probably is.” Isn’t that right? How often do you think that same thing when you open your mailbox to find this nice sized letter that announces that you may have already won ten million dollars? How often do you pass by a stand at the mall where you can enter to win a new car? While I have never won anything that valuable…I did, on numerous occasions, win tickets to both the Cubs and Sox games from my local grocery store when I was younger…at least…I won them using my parents name as I entered them. While we don’t expect to win valuable prizes or millions of dollars…that doesn’t stop us from trying. But once again…“if it sounds too good to be true…”

            If only Adam and Eve would have known that saying. Who can tell me the name of the first angel to appear to humans? It was Satan. He appeared to Adam and Eve as a serpent. Do you remember how Adam and Eve were tempted? Remember the fruit? “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5) You will be like God. That message was not sent by God…but by the father of lies. Maybe that was when the phrase began that we have mentioned this morning…“if it’s too good to be true…”

            “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:8-14)

            The Shepherds were out watching their flocks when an angel appeared with the most wonderful message “a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) Can you imagine what the Shepherds must have thought? Obviously they were terrified by the angel’s appearance. What a message. The Messiah…the Savior of the world…has been born! Do you think they doubted that this message was true?

            Times were tough. The majority of people earned just enough to support their families and give offerings to the church after paying high taxes to a government that didn’t represent the people. Not only were taxes high but those in charge of them were corrupt to the core. There were three classes of people…the wealthy, the poor and homeless, and a middle class that really was just surviving. Only the very wealthy could afford any luxuries. Diseases were rampant and without cures. People seemed to lack hope. Sounds familiar doesn’t it. You might think I’m talking about our own time…and in a way I am…but I’m actually describing life in Israel at the time of Jesus birth.

            Things today are much like they were back then. Many are just making it in this economy. We have a government that often looks after its own interest. There are leaders who are corrupt. We have people today that are poor and homeless. Diseases are still rampant and many still don’t have a cure. People still lack hope. And many today doubt that a Savior has been born to them. The reason…is the worst disease man has ever known…it is the disease of sin. Sin has corrupted each of us and everything in this world. Sin causes us to have doubt and lose hope. Sin causes us to reject and ignore God’s Word. Sin causes us to fight with others and those we love. Sin causes murder, rape, adultery, fornication, war, disease, heartache, trouble, and death.

            God didn’t create or want sin in this world…but when it did happen…He had a plan to save the world from this terrible disease. That plan came to fruition the very day the angels appeared to the shepherds.

            “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:8-14)

            The shepherds went to see the baby Jesus and found everything to be just as the angels said. They worshiped their Lord and Savior, departing they went and proclaimed all they saw and heard, and they praised God.

            Today we have heard the same wonderful news that a Savior has been born to us…and He is Christ the Lord. The same Scripture that foretold of the Savior being born of a virgin has come true and tells us that our Savior born of the virgin died on the cross and was raised by our Heavenly Father.

            The reason that Christmas is so joyful is because Easter is joyful. They go hand in hand. While it might sound too good to be true…it is true: The Savior has been born, He is Christ the Lord. He was born to die for you. He was raised from the dead for you. Because Christmas is all about Christ and what He has done…it is also all about YOU. Christ was born for YOU. He was born that you would be saved from the disease of sin. How wonderful is that?

            In the gift of this baby…is the healing of the world. This is the love of your Heavenly Father. This is the Christmas message. A Savior has been born. He is Christ the Lord. He brings healing from sin in the gift of faith. He comes to take your sins upon Himself to the cross. Eternal life in heaven are yours. While times are tough and it often seems that your just surviving…look with joy at the cradle, receive faith at the font, receive strength and forgiveness at the altar…and with hope look forward to heaven where there will be no disease, no heartache, no fear, and no problems.

            “Today…a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Faith

Advent 4, 2011

Luke 1:26-38

“Faith”

 

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

                What is it you picture in your mind when you think of an angel? For many people it is cute little naked baby-like creature with wings. For others it is a soft glowing person. For the most part people think of angels as being gentle, inviting, and warm. Truly we have been influenced by  TV shows such as “Touched by an angel” and movies like “It’s a Wonderful Life” where Clarence tells us that every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings. The book of Revelation speaks of some angels as having wings and such but those are just some angels…not all of them. Angels…there are some good and some bad. Satan himself is a fallen angel defeated by Michael the Archangel before being banished from heaven. Throughout Scripture we read of the reactions that people had when they saw angels….and it was fear. People feared angels because angels are the army of God…the Heavenly Host…they are warriors and soldiers. Angels were serious business.

            At just the right time God chose to send an angel to deliver an important message. “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.” (Luke 1:26-27) This would be no ordinary message and it would be delivered by no ordinary angel. God sent Gabriel the Archangel (one of only three named angels). The message contained information about an event that was thousands of years in the making. All of Israel and the world had been waiting for this event to happen. It would change everything!   

            “The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:28-33)

               I can’t imagine what went through the mind of Mary as she was told what was going to happen. There must have been fear and awe. There were questions. There was the shock of the message. Out of humility Mary must wonder why she was chosen. We know by her own words that she had faith in the Messiah, the Savior. That faith would also realize the necessity of a Savior due to her own sinfulness. Mary doesn’t question that what the angel proclaims won’t happen. She has faith. What Mary doesn’t understand is how it will happen.

               This was indeed a surprise for Mary…and while it was a wonderful surprise filled with the highest honor…it included trouble and stress. Mary had just gotten engaged to her husband. At this time she would have taken her vows of marriage but not have consummated the marriage. Her life would already be stressful….a new husband, traveling for a census, and now this angel out of nowhere. What would be next?

                So Gabriel told Mary, “Do not be afraid…you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30) Gabriel reassures Mary that God is showing her unmerited favor. Don’t be afraid…. Don’t get riled up…. Don’t worry… for God is at work….God is at the heart of this…and He is a loving God. Though troubled by the angels words Mary trusted what the angel proclaimed. Mary had faith in God’s plans.

                There are so many times when things happen to us without our planning that can be quite devastating. There are many sudden deaths, tragedies, and accidents that occur. None of these things can be planned…yet the Lord is still at the heart of the situation. Yes, we know what fear is…we know what worry is…we know what it is like to be shocked… and we don’t like it. Yet we too must remember that God shows each of us unmerited love…and we too have nothing to fear. The reason we do not fear is because of the promise of Gabriel’s message:

                “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:31-33)

                Mary would give birth to her Lord and Savior and ours. She would give birth to the Messiah…the one that would bear the sins of the world. The one that would die on the cross for her and us. The one who would save all people from sin, death, and the devil. Mary knew the Old Testament; she knew the prophesies…she knew that in becoming the virgin mother of God’s Son, she would most certainly need the fullest protection from God. How else would she be able to defend herself from slander or protect baby Jesus from murderous hands? God assures her of His protection and love. It is the same protection and love he has for each of you.

                God had a plan and was working it out through His own chosen mean. There are often times when we question if God is doing anything at all because we don’t see Him at work…or we don’t see anything spectacular happening. People are given faith through water and the Word at the font? Jesus comes to us in bread and wine? The same God and Lord that works through water, bread, and wine…comes to the world as a little baby. A baby that would grow up to die on the cross for us.

                 Mary believed Jesus to be her Lord and Savior…just as we do. This is why we confess the faith with Mary in her Magnificat (p.43 TLH Read). “My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Savior. For He hath regarded: the low estate of His handmaiden: For, behold from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things: and holy is His name. And His mercy is on them that fear Him: from generation to generation. He hath showed strength with His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats: and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath  holpen His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy: as He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever."

                Through the Holy Spirit…Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb. This miracle…is the Christmas miracle…it is the only reason for the Christmas season. Jesus…the unborn baby…the fetus… was both God and man. Through this baby … through Jesus… who would suffer and die on the cross… we are saved. “And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:33)

                “We Christians know of no other God, whether in heaven or on earth, outside of the One in the flesh, who lies in the lap of the Virgin Mary. And we confess that this Jesus, God and Mary’s Son, has redeemed us from all our sins, and as true Israelites of the New Covenant we now serve our Lord and King in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.”

                Thanks be to God for the gift of children…and especially for the gift of God’s son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who was born to live a life of punishment for our sake and even death on the cross. Yes, God had a plan for us…a plan to save us and all of this was done according to the will of our Loving Father. As we celebrate this Christmas let us rejoice with Mary that God has done great things and exalted us sinners of low decree to eternal life in paradise with Him. Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Rev. Adam A. Dietrich Retirement Sermon

Retirement of Rev. Adam A. Dietrich

Numbers 6:22-27        1 Peter 1:13-25            Matthew 28:16-20

“Through the Church the Song Goes On”

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior          Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

            What a joy and privilege it is to be here this afternoon as we gather in thanksgiving for Rev. Adam A. Dietrich as he sets forth into retirement…again. On that note…have no fear…for a Pastor is never really retired and Pastor Dietrich will now become my exclusive and personal fill-in. Thanks Dad!

            For nearly 49 years, 35 Of them here at Immanuel, Hodgkins, Pastor Dietrich faithfully served his Lord as a Pastor. Here at Immanuel alone Pastor Dietrich had the privilege of bringing 160 into faith in Christ through the waters of Holy Baptism, confirming 110 as they made their good confession of the faith given them in baptism, marrying 59, and burying 77 of God’s children who were called home to heaven.

            What many of you may be thinking is that those are certainly impressive numbers…especially considering the size of Immanuel. But to Pastor Dietrich… “numbers” are of little value. Truly for a Pastor baptizing, confirming, marrying, and burying are more than just numbers. They point to the struggles, the sadness, and the joy a Pastor has. What you as members probably don’t realize is how all of the events of your lives…all of your struggles…your sadness…and your joys… are also his. Growing up as a Pastor’s child…I never fully realized how true that is until I became a Pastor. Now I know how much my Dad loved each of you, how much he loved me, and how much he loves his Lord.

            The only word that comes to mind is Thank You. Thank You Pastor Dietrich. Thank You Dad. But as we say thank you…we need to realize what we are giving thanks for. Who can tell me what all of the lessons chosen for this service have in common? Really there are a number of correct answers. The one I’m looking for is that they are all things you have heard Pastor Dietrich speak in this place.

            We have seen and heard Pastor as he holds a baby in his arm pouring water over the baby’s head and saying “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19) We have even seen and heard him do this with older children and many adults. You have brought your children to receive instruction and to confirm their baptismal faith. We don’t just baptize but follow our Lord’s Word: “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20a)

            We have heard Pastor Dietrich preach God’s Word imploring us to repent…to have a change in heart…and turn from our sinfulness to Christ. We have heard the proclamation of law… that we are poor miserable sinners in need of a Savior. We have heard the joyous news of Grace… that our sins are forgiven in Christ Jesus who bore our iniquity on the cross and was raised by God the Father that we as forgiven people inherit life everlasting in heaven. “And this is the word that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:25b)

            We have also heard at the end of many a worship service in this church “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)

            The real reason we say “Thank You” to Pastor Dietrich isn’t because he did what we wanted him to do…it isn’t that he acted in a way we approved of… it isn’t because he said things we wanted to hear…it is because Pastor Dietrich was faithful to God and His Word. So as a fellow Pastor, as a former parishioner, as a son… Thank You. Thank You for baptizing me and raising me to know God’s Word. Thank You for calling me to repentance when I sin and then proclaiming the wonderful  words “I forgive your sins in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Thank You for never straying from God’s Word…for teaching the pure doctrine and administering the Sacraments correctly. Thank You for being the example of a loving and faithful Father, Husband and Pastor that God called you to be.

            Before we get too carried away. Before Dad’s head gets too big from all these compliments (just kidding). Let us remember who deserves all the thanks. God. For you were baptized into the name of the Triune God, you were forgiven your sins by Christ himself, You received the body and blood of Christ for forgiveness and strength, you were blessed by God. Pastor Dietrich was faithful because God was faithful. Pastor Dietrich was baptized just like you. He was confirmed just like you. He was married in God’s House. He received forgiveness of his sins from a faithful Pastor just like you. All of these things go on because God is faithful. He is faithful to the promise He makes in Baptism. He is faithful in sending workers into the harvest field. He is faithful in the promise that “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

            And so we give thanks to God for His faithfulness to us. As Pastor Dietrich retires things will stay the same and things will change. There are many of you that are not ready to see Pastor retire. There are many of you that wonder what will happen in the future. There are many of you that have doubts this day. But what you need to remember is that God is faithful.

            Hear again the words you sang earlier. “Lo, the apostles’ holy train. Join Thy sacred name to hallow; Prophets swell the glad refrain, And the white-robed martyrs follow, And from morn to set of sun Through the Church the song goes on.” (Holy God, We Praise Your Name LSB 940)

            My brothers and sisters in Christ “Through the Church the song goes on.” That “Song” is the Good News of Salvation. That “Song” is the wonderful message of sins forgiven. The “Song” is the Gospel…the “Song” is about Christ. The “Song” is God’s Word and it will go on because God is faithful. The “Song” will go on because this is God’s Church and the gates of Hell will never overcome it. Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Sheep or Goat

2^nd Last Sunday of the Church Year, 2011

Matthew 25:31-46

“Sheep or Goat”

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

            Are you a sheep or are you a goat? Throughout the history of the world there have been people that could be described as a sheep or as a goat. The question is what distinguishes the two from each other. Let’s take a look at Scripture for guidance.

            “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.” (Genesis 4:2b-5)

            It certainly looks like Able is the sheep and Cain is the goat. But is that fair? That is the question that our Tuesday Bible Class had when going through this text. It just doesn’t seem fair. Why would God look with favor on Abel and not Cain? Even though the sacrifices were different, one being grain and the other the fat of an animal, they were both of equal value. Both Cain and Able had to work hard to produce and raise them. Really…it doesn’t seem fair does it. This is the kind of reaction that those being called goats in our Gospel probably had. Listen:

            “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

             “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

             “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

              “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

             “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

             “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

             “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’” (Matthew 25:31-46)

             The first thought that many have when reading this text is that the sheep and the goats are judged upon their good works. It would seem that the sheep are sheep because they did good. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

             It also would seem that the goats are goats because they failed to do good things. “For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” (Matthew 25:42-43)

             Even though it seems that some do good things and some do not…they respond the same. When did we see you hungry? When did we see you thirsty? When did we see a stranger? When did we see you naked? When did we know that you were in prison? When you notice that part of the text…it seems that… God isn’t being fair…just like it didn’t seem that He was fair to Cain.

             The truth is that good works do play a role in the Final Judgment according to our Gospel text. But look at what our text is really saying. The King, God, calls the sheep “righteous” and the goats are called “cursed.” Good works are vital in the Final Judgment not as the cause of our salvation, but as the evidence of a living faith.  The sheep were not sheep because of their works. The sheep are sheep because of faith…faith that produces good works. Good works are therefore evidence of a living faith!

             The sheep are sheep by faith and the goats are goats because they reject the faith. This is also the reason why God judged the sacrifices of Cain and Able differently. Able had faith in God while Cain did not. Able’s sacrifice was given out of faith while Cain’s was not. The difference between Can and Able…between the Sheep and the Goats is Faith. Faith, like a good tree, produces good fruit…good works.

             My dear brothers and sisters in Christ…as sheep remember…God never requires more than what he gives. This is grace: that God gives us all that we need even though we don’t deserve it or do anything for it. God requires faith for salvation and gives us that faith in our Baptism and strengthens it with Jesus’ very body and blood. God requires works and gives us the faith that produces these good works. God requires perfection and gives us His Son…who lived and died…so that we might be made perfect through Him. God grant you the opportunities for your faith to be active in serving others and thus serving Him. Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Whose Child are You?

All Saints Day, 2011

1 John 3:1-3

“Whose Child are You?”

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

             They say that if you really want to know what a preacher is all about, or what is at the heart and center of his teaching, or if you really want to know what a church believes, teaches, and confesses, attend a funeral service at that church. Watch what happens at that funeral. Look at what the pastor does and listen to what he says. What hope is given, and on what basis? What doubts are alleviated? What does it all mean—life and death? What joy is expressed in Christ Jesus in the midst of the sorrow of the loss of a loved one? Are the bereaved family members left uncertain about the eternal destiny of their loved one—or worried if he or she did enough to earn heaven—or are they comforted by the Gospel? Are they directed to the good life, the good deeds, of the deceased or are they directed to the work of Christ? These are the kinds of things for which you’ll find a variety of answers, depending on what the preacher really believes deep down, or what a church really believes, teaches, and confesses.

             These kinds of questions are also relevant for us today as we observe All Saints’ Day. It’s a time of year when we think about those faithful departed who have gone on before us to be with Jesus. Since the third century, Christians have gathered together on a special day to remember and give thanks to God for those who’ve won the victory by faith and have gone on to rest from their labors in paradise; in heaven. But as we think about those saints who are now in heaven, we should also remember that the issues of life, death and salvation are relevant for us right here and now too.

             Where is your hope? Like many of you I have been to funerals at many different churches of many different denominations. It is unfortunate and sad that at many funerals I have come away thinking to myself “where is the hope?”

             One of the main issues goes back to the great Reformation and the Biblical teaching of Grace alone. The way we see things is to say “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” We think in terms of revenge or getting even…or in terms of justice being served. We believe that people should pay for their wrongdoing and that the punishment should fit the crime.

             All people are sinful and we all find a way to get locked into the vicious cycle of sin. When we do something wrong and realize it…we think we have to make up for our sins…we have to do something to pay for what we’ve done. But the more we struggle and depend on ourselves…the more deeply we find ourselves mired, sinking even more deeply. It’s like watching an Indiana Jones movie where Indy gets himself stuck in quicksand. The more Indy struggles to free himself from the quicksand…the deeper he sinks. That’s us when it comes to sin.

             But Grace isn’t about what we do. Grace isn’t about our actions. Grace is about God and what He does. The truth is that God the Father’s love for us is beyond human imagination. Listen again to the opening words of our lesson: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) That love is hard to understand because we aren’t able to love like God. How can God love us when we reject Him, when we break His commandments, when we worship ourselves or our wants, when we do such evil and wicked things to one another or towards God?

             The world doesn’t understand Christianity. Often Christians are called “hypocrites” because we call ourselves “children of God” while sin is still evident in our lives. The world cannot understand how God can call us His children. This world doesn’t get us…and it doesn’t get God. “The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1b) When you don’t know God…you cannot understand His love…love that is so marvelous that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) That is a God whose love for us is beyond comprehension.

             The bottom line is that God is the one who provides all things including “grace through faith” and a hope in things eternal that is sure and confident. Hope is a funny little word for us because we use it to mean something more akin to wishful thinking. We might say… “we hope mom brings pizza home for dinner” or “I hope the Cubs win the World Series next year.” Sometimes we lose sight of God’s promises and our “hope” turns to hopelessness.

             “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)

             Hope in Scripture isn’t merely the power of “positive” or “wishful” thinking, but is really a spiritual gift, because it is based on something outside of us. God gives us true hope. Hope is ours because God has called us His children.  Hope is ours because we are not just called to be God’s children but have been made God’s children through Christ. Scriptural hope, therefore, is waiting for something with certainty!

             Our hope is certain for our hope is centered and built on Christ. Of this we are certain: Christ has died and is risen! We can boldly proclaim that all who have died in the faith are in heaven. There is no doubt…for they have been baptized into Christ Jesus and made children of God. “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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.” (Romans 6:3-4)

             So on this All Saints’ Day, we have the answer to life’s—and death’s—bottom-line issues: seeing God for who he really is. We see him as a loving God, whose love is incompressible to those who don’t know him. He is a God who gives us hope. Not just a wishful thinking kind of hope, and not a hope in some utopian fantasy, but hope in the sense of an eager expectation that’s ours because we know we’re called and indeed are God’s children for we have been baptized [just like Luke Michael Stoll this morning] into Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Sins: Forgiven and Forgotten

Reformation Sunday 2011

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Romans 3:19-28

“Sins: Forgiven and Forgotten”

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

            Sin destroys. It destroys relationships. It destroys lives. Sin hurts. It hurts ourselves and it hurts others. Sin affects the lives of all of us…it even affects the Church. Maybe we know that to be more true now after the events of last weekend. Last weekend, late Saturday night to early Sunday morning, allegedly three men broke into Zion Lutheran Church, Chestnut, IL. While damage was very minimal the act was horrendous. What was most offensive was the disregard for burglarizing the Lord’s House and their disrespectful treatment of the Lord’s Altar, the Lord’s Baptismal Font, the Lord’s Sacramental vessels, and the Lord’s very body. How terrible it is to burglarize and even more terrible to “dump” the consecrated bread and wine with disregard over the Altar. Sin truly does hurt not only the sinner but those being sinned against.

            Sin is at the heart of the Reformation. Martin Luther knew that he was a poor miserable sinner. He knew that his sin was the very reason Christ died on the cross. For many years Luther was plagued by the cross. The cross wasn’t comforting but condemning. No matter what Luther did…it was never enough to “pay” for his sins. He couldn’t earn his salvation. He would go on pilgrimages, work day and night around the monastery, pray, fast…and anything else he could think of to try to earn God’s forgiveness. But it was never enough and Luther was in deep despair.

            Hear Luther’s own words: “My own good works all came to naught, No grace or merit gaining; Free will against God’s judgment fought, Dead to all good remaining. My fears increased till sheer despair Left only death to be my share; The pangs of hell I suffered.” (LSB 556)

            For Luther, God was an angry judge that could never love him or forgive him. Many of us like to think of God as an angry judge for the wrong reasons. When someone sins against us we want God to quickly judge them. When we see the evil others do we hope judgment comes quickly. When those we love are hurt we are quick to seek justice. But if we are to be consistent…do we want God to be an angry judge when it comes to our own sinfulness?

            The truth is God is an angry judge when it comes to sin. Just look at Christ on the cross. God’s full wrath was cast upon God’s own Son Jesus Christ. Christ paid the ultimate price, taking all the sins of the world upon his shoulder, and died on the cross. That should scare us! It scared Luther.

            The wages of sin should scare. We should never accept sin or expect sin. Something that has been bothering me while listening to people talk about the burglaries that have affected us or other horrible crimes that hit small towns…is when I hear people say “these things are expected to happen in Chicago or big cities…but not around here.” No! They shouldn’t be expected to happen anywhere! Sin should offend us no matter how big or how small and regardless of location. Sin is a big deal. Sin hurts all of us! Sin kills. Sin condemns.

            “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a) Sin should scare us because we all will die because of our own sin. God as an angry judge should scare us…for He truly “brought us into this world and can take us out!”

            The Reformation is about sin. But it is also about something else…something that Luther would discover; something that would contribute to the Reformation. “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.” (Romans 3:21-28)

            Here in Paul’s letter to the Romans Luther found that while God was an angry judge toward sin and unrepentance…He was a loving God to those who believe. Luther found Faith and Grace (Sola Fide and Sola Gratia). By God’s grace through faith we are forgiven.

            Grace and Faith are God’s actions. The Reformation is all about God. Forgiveness of sins is God’s action towards us. Faith is the gift God gives to us. That is God’s love! Hear God’s Word from the Prophet Jeremiah: “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

            My brothers and sisters in Christ. Sin has hurt each and every one of us. That’s really why we come to this place…this Church. We come as sinful people in need of God’s forgiveness. And that is what we get! Here in this place Christ comes to us. He gives us faith, forgiveness, and life through Baptismal Waters. He gives us faith and life through His very Word. He gives us forgiveness of sins and strength in His very body and blood.

            We must take a stand against sin and call sinners to repentance…and that includes our own sin and our own need for repentance. We do this because Christ died for our sins and the sins of the whole world. Out of love call others to repentance…and out of love forgive them as you have been forgiven. To those that burglarized our Lord’s Church in Chestnut and desecrated His Altar, Font, and Sacramental vessels. I forgive you. We forgive you. We pray that you, all sinners, and our very selves: repent and receive God’s forgiveness. For God promises “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34) Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Attitude Check

Pentecost 19, 2011

“Attitude Check”

Philippians 2:1-11

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

            In one of my favorite movies, Bagger Vance, is the character of Hardy Greaves. One of the pivotal moments of the movie for me is when Hardy is walking in the center of town with his friends and ignores his hard at work father. It was the Great Depression and Hardy’s Father took a job cleaning the streets. Hardy couldn’t stand seeing his father work such a menial job. It didn’t help that some of the parents of Hardy’s friends refused to work jobs that they viewed as “below them.” What Hardy didn’t know…and would later learn…was that his dad was truly an honorable man. His dad worked to pay the bills…doing whatever he could no matter how menial it seemed…as others racked up debt, kept living the “high life” in order to later declare bankruptcy and pay no one back. What Hardy needed…and received…was an “attitude check.”

            Our Epistle lesson this morning also calls for us to have an “attitude check.” Listen to Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete.” (Philippians 2:1-2a)

            My brothers and sisters in Christ…our text isn’t an “if” but a “because.” Because we have encouragement from being united with Christ…because we have comfort from His love…because we have fellowship with the Holy Spirit…because we have tenderness and compassion…then make my joy complete.

            Here our Lord is calling for us as Christians who have received His wonderful gifts to make His joy complete. But how do we do that? “By being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:2b-4)

            “Humility is a virtue all preach and few practice, and yet everybody is content to hear. The master thinks it’s good doctrine for his servant, the laity for the clergy, and the clergy for the laity.” How true those words are. While all of us are called to humility…we all sit back and say that’s a great thought…and point the finger at those around us that should be doing it while ignoring our own need to be humble.

            Our text calls us to be like-minded and yet we struggle in our families, our schools, our communities, and our churches for what we think is best and right. We argue over how to spend money, what activities we should do, what role individuals should have, etc. We are then called to have the same love; to be one in spirit and purpose and yet we would all rather go in our own direction. The Epistle goes on to say that we should not look only “to our own interests, but also to the interests of others.” We talk about peace and unity…but mean that only if everyone else agrees with us. And so we think this Epistle is a lovely thought…but impossible to do.

            But our text goes on. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11)

            Here is our attitude check! Here our text reminds us about who Jesus really is. Jesus is God and man. It also reminds us of what Jesus did…that Jesus, being God, humbled himself to be born of a virgin in order to overcome the sharpness of death and open the kingdom of heaven to all believers (The Te Deum Laudamus) (TLH p. 35-37)

            Even as our text teaches us about the two natures of Christ (that He is both God and man) our text points us to Jesus as our example of humility. God became man. God did whatever it took to save His people. Truly Christ humbled Himself and became man; a slave so that we would be made children of God and heirs of heaven. Christ’s humility led Him to dying like a common criminal on the cross. God in the person of Jesus died on the cross for you. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

            Seeing Jesus humble Himself…reminds us that we stand convicted of our lack of humility. Truly we should seek God’s forgiveness for our self-centeredness. “For wolves to devour sheep is no wonder, but for sheep to devour one another is monstrous and astonishing.” If we as a family, a community, as a church want to live in peace and harmony then we must imitate Christ’s humility. This can and is only done by faith! When we imitate Christ’s humility by faith; when we share God’s love by faith…then by God’s grace we shall be exalted to heaven.

            We gain life by losing it in service to God and to others. We might think of the Arkansas River in Colorado. Formerly it flowed down a steep mountainside past a desert that lay parched for centuries. Year after year it deepened its own channel as it sped on its way to the ocean and oblivion. One winter a dam was built across the dry channel of the summer stream, stopping the flow of the water. Unable to follow its usual course, the river formed a lake from which the water was channeled and ditched into the desert. The former arid region now produces fields of waving grain. The free life of the stream was sacrificed, but it found itself again in the golden harvest. Those who live only for themselves are losing their lives. Those who live by faith for Christ and for others are finding real life—a full, happy, joyful eternal life of loving service.

            By God’s grace we are able to put down our self-centeredness and humble ourselves to God’s service. And what a service that is…sharing Christ, caring for those in need, showing love to those around us, having peace and unity with family, neighbors, and within our Church.

            My brothers and sisters in Christ: Christianity without joy is a betrayal of the One we follow. We are a forgiven, redeemed people, who belong to the faithful flock on the way to heaven. We are people with great joy. Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

That's Not Fair

Pentecost 18, 2011

Matthew 20:1-16

“That’s Not Fair!”

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

            Have you been watching the news lately? Maybe the crowds aren’t as large as the media makes them out to be...but in many large cities throughout our nation are groups of people protesting by occupying Wall Street and other financial districts in our major cities...and even in cities around the world. They say they are taking a stand against greed and corruption and standing up for equality and fairness for all.

            Without getting into the politics involved...sinful people... all those gathered to occupy Wall Street, all those working for Wall Street, those owning Wall Street and us...don’t really want equality or fairness...we want what we perceive to be equality and fairness...namely we want what we think we deserve. That is what’s at the heart of our Gospel lesson!

            “The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’” (Matthew 20:9-15)

            Did you hear that? They all got the same! It’s a scandal. Is this any way to celebrate human achievement? It goes against everything we hold dear; it goes against all our notions of what is right and fair. One of the first rules of economics is that people get what’s coming to them. If you have worked harder, longer, and more faithfully than others, you get more. It’s what our whole economic system is based on. The more you do, the more you get. If not cash at the end of the day, then influence, power, and position.

            Even in the church, where we talk about living by grace alone, we still like to think that we will receive based on what we give. Grace is for sinners. But the folks in the parable are workers. There’s no sin in an honest day’s work. We go to church; we attend meetings; we give generously; we “bear the heat of the day.” We labor long and hard, and do you mean to say that it all adds up to nothing? We reckon that it should count for something, if not here and now then in the grand scheme of things at the end of days when the Owner returns. But did you hear what the Owner said? “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what belongs to me?”

            It’s really a terrifying thought—God does what He wants with what is His! It’s hard for us to accept this all the time. The car you drove here this morning...is it yours? The house you live in...is it yours? The clothes your wearing...are they yours? The fields you plant in and harvest from...are they yours? Listen to these verses: “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalm 24:1) “For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” (Psalm 50:10) “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine...” (Exodus 19:5) “If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” (Romans 14:8) Would you like to change your answer now?

            As hard as it is for our sinful nature to accept, our strivings and works count for nothing before God. Some workers do labor from dawn to dusk; they really do bear the heat of the day. Many of us know what it means to work for the Lord all day. How many of you have been Christians since you were baptized as an infant. How many of you grew up going to Sunday School and became long time Sunday School teachers, officers of the congregation, faithful givers, and attend church regularly. We strive...but none of us can say we have given it our all.

            We also don’t mind when the Master goes out and hires others later in the day.  We delight to look around in the pews this morning and see folks who’ve joined us through adult instruction, at the invitation of friends, by coming to be our guest one day and liking what they’ve heard. We even give thanks to God for those occasional deathbed conversions we hear about. We rejoice…don’t we?

            But then look what the master does. He gives the last as much as He gives the first. All of the sudden…what happens to our rejoicing? We start to think “Wait a second! I’m glad these last minute converts scrape by and get into heaven—I think—but they’re not quite the same as I am.” “And what about those freeloaders who just sit in the pew and pitch in their couple of bucks? They’re not the same as I am!” We are all for equality and fairness…but only when we decide what that is. The truth is that if God were “fair” we’d all be in a lot of trouble. If God were “fair” we’d all be found guilty for our sinfulness. If God were “fair” we’d all be damned to hell.

            But God does what He wants with what is His. And what God wants above all else is to be generous! God does what He wants instead of treating us as we deserve! Even our best work is soiled with sin. Each and every one of us is a sinner. The wages of sin is death—that is the payment we deserve. But out of His love God is generous with us. “Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:7-8)

            God’s ways aren’t our ways…and for that we should be thankful. For instead of destroying all of us and sending each of us to everlasting condemnation in hell…instead of pouring His wrath on us…He sent His Son…to die in our place…to take our wrath...on the cross. In Christ Jesus, God shows his love and generosity for you.

            In Christ, God does—here and now—what He wants with what is His! In Holy Baptism He pours out His generous forgiveness upon us. In His Word He speaks His abundant forgiveness upon our sins. In His Supper He feeds us generously as He fed the multitudes—not just a bit of bread and sip of wine—but His very body and blood given and shed on the cross for you.

            Listen to this! They all got the same! Did you hear that? They all got the same! It’s a blessed scandal. It goes against everything we hold dear, against all our notions of what’s right and fair. And praise God for that! He doesn’t operate according to our standards of what’s right and fair. Instead, he does what he wants with what is his! And what he wants above all else is to be generous!

            To slightly borrow from the Occupy Wall Street group: If you are truly tired of the greed, darkness, and corruption in America...if you have had enough? It's time to march. It's time to be radical by today’s standards. This Sunday and every Sunday gather in groups, take whatever transportation you can and OCCUPY YOUR CHURCH! Get there early and stay late. Ask questions. Sing. Take the opportunity to learn and discover again what real power looks like…God forgiving your sins. America, the world, is watching. Be there…where Christ promises to be…where Christ comes to you in His body and blood!

            Rejoice. No matter if you are rich or poor by this world’s standards…no matter what color your skin is or where you grew up…no matter what sin you have committed…no matter when our Lord called you to faith in Christ: your sins are forgiven. The Kingdom of Heaven is yours…for you have been made a child of God through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Go to your brother!

Pentecost 16, 2011

Matthew 18:15-20

“Go to your brother!”

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

            “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” (Matthew 18:12-14)

            The Parable of the Lost Sheep comes right before our Gospel lesson this morning. In it we see the love of Christ and our Heavenly Father. Jesus goes off and leaves the 99 sheep behind to find that one lost sheep. That is God’s love for the straying sinner. That is God’s love for each of you. Remember how important that one straying sheep is as we hear our Lord’s Word from the Gospel lesson this morning.

            “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:15-20)

            This is a hard text to preach and hear. It is a hard text because it tells all of us what we are called to do as Christians. This text isn’t just for one person…but all of us. The audience for this text is the faithful believer. It tells us, both Pastors and laity, to go…to your brother that sins against you. This is not an easy task. This, like all mission work, focuses on sharing the truth of law the Gospel with others. It is something that we all agree needs to be done…and yet none of us wants to do. It is like when we sing the hymn “Hark the Voice of Jesus Crying who will go and work today…” and resound together in singing “send me send me.” And yet…when it comes down to it we’d really rather sing “send someone as long as it’s not me!”

            There are many reasons we don’t like to go proclaim Christ to the world…especially not to our own brother or sister. Even more than sharing the Gospel…we really don’t want to go and tell someone that they have sinned; that they are a sinner. Much of it is our own laziness. A lot of it is our worry for offending those we love. Often we don’t want to go just to be rejected or ridiculed. Sometimes we don’t know what to say. And of course…we don’t want to drive people away from us, the Church, or God or take the blame as being the cause of this happening.  

            This is a real problem in our Church. It is a problem here in Clinton and Chestnut. All of us are guilty of not heeding our Lord’s command. It’s all of us. God doesn’t call just one of us to go to our brother…He calls all of us to go. Notice how our text tells us to handle the situation. If your brother sins…go to him. If he won’t listen to you take witnesses. If he still won’t listen take the Church. All of us are supposed to be involved!

             We might ask: who is your brother? It’s all those around you. There is a reason we call each other brothers and sisters in Christ. Your brother is your relative by flesh and blood and your relative in Christ Jesus.

             We might also ask…“but what if they haven’t sinned against me?” If a person has sinned in front of you…if a person has sinned against the Word of God…they have sinned against you as a member of Christ and against Christ Himself. The point of the text isn’t what the exact sin was…it is in calling a person to repentance.

             A call to repentance. This is the heart of our text. This is the reason we are to go to our brothers and sisters that have sinned. The reason that all people must repent is that all sins are equal in the eyes of God. That is, all sins equally condemn us to eternal damnation. That’s why this is so important. Salvation is at stake. Eternal life is at stake. Do you care? Do you care enough about someone to tell them they have sinned? Do you care enough to go to your brother and call him to repentance?

             I know that you care. I care. God knows that we care and forgives us of our shortcomings. God knows that going to your brother when they sin isn’t easy. That is why He promises to be with you. He gives you brothers and sisters in Christ to go with you. He gives you the very Church. We are in this together.

             This is such an important, noble, and blessed task…and I know it’s not easy. I know how hard it is to be rejected when sharing Christ. I have had people ignore me and get angry with me over calling them to repentance. I have been told that I’m offensive, mean-spirited, judgmental, and un-loving. I know the stress involved…the anxiety…the fear…the sadness…the weight it puts on your shoulders.

             God gives us the strength to endure. He gives us the very words to speak. He lets us share His love. That’s also what this is all about. We call people to repentance because we love them. We share the wonderful news of Christ…His death and resurrection…because we love them. And while it doesn’t happen as often as it should…people do come to repentance and faith. That, my brothers and sisters in Christ, is an unspeakable joy. As Jesus tells us “there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)

             The heavenly Father has but one will, the will to save. This includes all, young and old. It also includes those who have fallen into sin, but who by loving patience and hard work might be won back. How great is the Father’s love for all people! How great is His love for you!

             “Hark, the voice of Jesus calling. Who will go and work today?” By God’s grace let us respond not with “send someone else” but with the words “Send me! Send me!” Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.