Sinner and Saint

From gloom to joy

Epiphany 3, 2008

“From gloom to Joy”

“Isaiah 9:1-4

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

            What is the most dangerous thing in the world? I suspect each person would have a different answer; what do you think? Lions, tigers, bears (or spiders, my wife, Alicia, is terrified of spiders)? Do you think different diseases like cancer or diabetes? Perhaps Islamic terrorists or communist dictators top your list. If you are a farmer, locusts or drought might be the most dangerous thing. What do you think is the most dangerous thing in the world?

            This world is full of dangerous things. The world is plagued by natural disasters, warming oceans, drought, and famine. Stock markets are plunging, many have had their homes foreclosed. There are abandoned children, abused children, abused wives, adultery, pornography, and prisons overcrowded with persons that have committed crimes. There is genocide in Africa, genocide of the unborn, and genocide of the elderly. There is warfare in foreign countries, terrorism around the world, murder on our streets, muggings, burglaries, and rape all around us. All of these have something in common: they kill. The thing lions, cancer and terrorists have in common is that they murder, and the more they kill the more dangerous they seem. But what does the Bible say about this? What does Jesus say is the most dangerous thing in the world? It is sin. And while you may have not committed any of these “most dangerous” acts…you are a sinner and you will kill at least one person…yourself. “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

            Even though we think of our world as being very religious, and our own country as being mostly Christian…it seems that nothing is getting better. The more we really look at the sinfulness in this world, in this country, in this community…the more we realize that sin controls us, that sin is the norm, that we are really living in the midst of a pagan world. Doesn’t sound very hopeful or joyful does it?

            ^“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan- The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.” (Isaiah 9:1-4)

            The people of Galilee were a mix of Jews and pagans. They were unbelievers by in large although they were part of Israel. Throughout their history they were influenced by other countries and were seen as being gentile; non believers of the true God. These people were destitute in their sins and are called the “people living in darkness.” Yet out of Galilee came the Light of the World; a light so bright that these people in darkness recognized Jesus as being the Great Light. The people could not rescue themselves from sin and its penalty, but Jesus the Light rose over them and dispelled it.

            We are people that still live in a world filled with darkness. Yet Jesus has come for us as well. The light of the World came as a baby born into a sinful world yet without sin. Jesus went on to die on the cross for us, took our sinfulness upon himself, took our punishment alone, and defeated sin, death and the devil. Jesus rose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf.

            Each of us, as sinners, has strayed from our Lord. Yet we have been given a very important gift; a gift we will be remembering later in the service; a gift described to us in an old Western story.

            Years ago, in the wide open spaces of the West, a little girl was baptized. The next day at school her friends asked her why. She said, “I was a little maverick out on the prairie. When I was baptized, the Jesus mark was put on me, and now everyone knows that I belong to Jesus.” The word maverick was originally a man’s name. Samuel Maverick was a Texas cattleman who for some reason did not brand his cattle. Because of that, an unbranded animal, especially a lost calf, came to be known as a maverick, and such a maverick could then become legal property of anybody who would catch and brand it.

            We are all spiritual mavericks as we come on this human scene. We are lost as far as God is concerned, straying outside the boundaries of His ranch, far from the Father’s house and home. But in His seeking love and mighty Word, the Spirit finds us and creates and implants within us the precious life that we call faith…When the Spirit has branded us with this mark of faith, we are not longer mavericks but children in the family and household of God. Through Baptism we have been joined in the death and resurrection of Christ. No longer are we seen as sinful enemies of God, but we are seen as perfect, holy, innocent children of our Heavenly Father.

            Unfortunately there are many that don’t see baptism and faith in Jesus as being hopeful. In this world that we see so much pain, heartache, and sin…it is hard to have hope in the future…hope in Christ. But when we are down we must look to our Baptism. We look to our baptism because it was then that God promised to give us life eternal in His son. Baptism is not out action; baptism is not dependent on our being faithful; baptism is an act by God on us and contains His promise that never fails. This is why in remembering our baptism and the promise God made to us we may proclaim with the Apostle Paul:

           “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

            Have hope and joy for you have been redeemed by Christ and neither sin, death, or Satan himself can separate you from the Love of God that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord; the love that sent Jesus to die for us; the love given to you by God with faith in your baptism. 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.

Shine

Epiphany, 2008

Isaiah 60:1-6

“Shine”

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

            “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples!” (Isaiah 60:1-2) So which is it lightness or darkness? Epiphany is the day we celebrate the coming of the Wise Men who had followed the star until it cast its beam directly upon the house where the young Christ lived. Today the Christmas tree is lit one last time. But the light of Christ shall ever remain here in His Church. Tragically there is still an entire world that is trapped in the darkness.

            The world is quite simply “in the dark.” The condition is far more critical than being without physical light. It cannot be penetrated by spotlights or laser beams. It is the darkness that Jesus describes when He says, “If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness?” (Matthew 6:23) The darkness is great for we reject God’s truth. We ignore God’s law and make up our own. We ignore God’s call for repentance and give excuses for our actions. We ignore Jesus as Savior and try to earn salvation…if we even think we need salvation from anything.

            The only fitting comparison to our condition is what astronomers have termed a “black hole.” Their theory suggests that deep in space there are collapsed stars so dense and with such strong gravitational pull that the literally swallow up everything—planets, moons, and stars. They all disappear into this dark abyss, and not even light can escape.

            Such a black hole is right here, as the Lord says, within us. It’s the black hole of our sin. It’s the darkness of death itself. Pointing to the heart of our problem, the psalmist cries: “Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.”

            As much as the world revels “self” and believes that giving into your every desire will make you happy; there is a time when all this comes to a crashing end. There is no more heart wrenching and saddening time than when a person dies without faith. Without faith there is no hope for the future, there is no comfort in seeing them again in heaven, there is no salvation. That is darkness and deepest gloom. But it need not be this way!

           “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you!” (Isaiah 60:1-2) The Lord promises to give the Church light. He gives us His light through the Holy Spirit working in us. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to bring you to faith, to bring you to Church, to bring you to the light of God’s Word that is preached here. The light is the wonderful message that Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead that you might have salvation.

            As Christians you have been brought into and given that light. That light was given to you at your Baptism and continues to be renewed through Jesus body and blood received in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. But this light was not given to you to hide. Remember the words “This little Gospel light of mine I’m gonna let it shine! Don’t try to blow it out, don’t hide it, but share it for it points the way to heaven.

            “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. "Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.” (Isaiah 60:3-6)

             The light of the Gospel is indeed for us and for the entire world. As Christians we are called to share the light of God’s Word. The Gospel must be proclaimed because outside of the Christian Church, where the Gospel is not found, there is no salvation. Salvation is through Christ alone! The world will find her life and light in the Christian Church, in the community of the Lord’s people, where sins are being forgiven through the Word and Sacraments.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, do you see yourself in God’s light? In baptism you were called into the light of Christ. All of you that are confirmed should know that “the Holy Spirit has called [you] by the Gospel, enlightened [you] with His gifts, sanctified and kept [you] in the true faith” as you were taught from the catechism. Not only have you been given the light but you have been chosen to be God’s tool in sharing the light to the world.

You might think you are only one person. You know that through one man, Jesus Christ, we were saved. While none of us are Christ or able to do what Christ has done; you were chosen by our Lord to be His tool. You are not alone for Christ is with you always. You are not alone for you are a member of His Church.

Arise! Shine! You are light to the world. As you are given birth in Baptism, as you are kept in the light of the Gospel by the preaching of the Word, as you are sustained by the body and blood of him who is the light of salvation, so you are also most honored. The Lord stands you before the dark, fearing world, as light!

Even as you are in your sinful flesh and the world sees you only in your weakness, the world is given to see your repentance, your hearing of God’s forgiveness, your humble receiving of his Sacrament, and your joyful extolling of his light! In seeing that, the world—every person living under the shroud of darkness—is given to see the light: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, . . . and nations shall come to your light” (Isaiah 60:1, 3). 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.