Sinner and Saint

Don't Judge Me!

Pentecost 16, 2008

Matthew 18:15-20

“Don’t Judge Me!”

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

            I once read that Pastors love sin because without sin they would be out of a job. All I can say is that I wish I was out of a job because sin destroys. As a Pastor I am surrounded by sin and it’s unfortunate consequences. One of the hardest things to deal with is speaking to a person that rejects the idea that something they have done is wrong and sinful. One of the most common lines I hear is “Don’t judge me.”

            For anyone that has even just a slight knowledge of Scripture the defense of “don’t judge me” is often used and quoted. Many people know the passages of Scripture that go along these lines: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7) “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5)

            “Don’t judge me.” Those were the words shouted at me by a friend whom I felt was in need of hearing some tough love. I was in seminary and was friends with a girl that I had briefly dated. She had been through some very tough times. She was bi-polar, was a single mother to a darling boy whom was conceived in a rape. She worked as much as she could but had trouble paying the bills.

            Unfortunately she started dating a married man, refused to take her medication for her mental disorder, and began to dump her son on any friends that would watch him so that she could go out. I was one of those friends. As the weeks went by it seemed that I had enough when I found out that she had left her son with some friends, left for the weekend with her boyfriend, and got in trouble with the law for drug use. I told her that what she was doing was wrong and that if she wasn’t willing to change her lifestyle she wasn’t ready to be a parent.

            Those were tough words for a young Seminarian that had no children of his own and was seemingly judging her. Her words to me; at least those that can be repeated were “Don’t judge me!” She even had friends from out of state that called me to let me know how much I had hurt her with those words and that if I really cared for her would be happy if she was happy no matter what she decided to do. Those words haunted me “don’t judge me.” But if you care about someone and they are hurting themselves…how can you not tell them they are sinning and hurting not only themselves but others. Is it really me judging a person when they are breaking God's law or is it God's judment?Unfortunately she would go on to get addicted to cocaine, give her son to her parents, and spend months in a Rehabilitation home.

            “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.” (Matthew 18:15-17)

            Our text does not tell us to judge someone but to speak to your brother if they sin against you. What is the difference? The Christian is not to cast stones on someone out of malice. We are not to think that we are better than others like the Pharisees and thus judge that someone deserves to be stoned. We are not to ignore our own sin only to point out others sin. We are not to defend our sins by changing the subject upon another’s sins. We are not to gossip and spread rumors about what we think another has done.

            So what are we to do? We are to go to our brothers and sisters in Christ who have sinned and lovingly speak to them. The whole point of this verse is to go to a brother or sister that has sinned and speak to them so that they do not fall into their sins. True friends do go to another and speak to them when the are in danger of hurting themselves physically or even worse; when they are in danger of losing their faith. Our Gospel lesson is all about love and faith; and if necessary law.

            My friend that I was telling you about earlier got out of rehab. She went to counseling, took her medication regularly, moved back near her parents, got her son back, is now happily married…and shared with me something wonderful…that I and a few others whom she thought were rude and judgmental had shown her what true love was. It was unconditional love but it was love that shared God; it was love that wanted to keep her from harm and loss of faith.

            We are all in need of that true love from each other and in need of God’s loving forgiveness. Our greatest need is God’s grace and that is surely what He gives us this very day as we have been forgiven for Jesus sake. We owe it to each other to unburden guilty consciences, to quiet fears caused by the guilt of sin. Our Father in heaven promises to forgive when Christians forgive each other. The Lord Jesus is in our very midst when we forgive each other our sins. Nothing binds us together as brothers and sisters in Christ so closely as does constant and mutual assurance of the forgiveness of sins.

            My brothers and sisters in Christ. Your sins are forgiven. Our Lord sought each one of us out…like the lost sheep…while we were still dead to our sins. Through baptism we have been washed in Christ and made clean. Each and every Sunday as we receive forgiveness from Christ himself we are reminded of our baptism and the vow God made to us on that day. Through Baptism God has added each one of you to His own people to declare the wonderful deeds of our Savior, who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. 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.

He had to die

Pentecost 15, 2008

Matthew 16:21-26

“He had to die”

 

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

  

            A couple of weeks ago I was watching a re-run of one of the Cosby show. The show centered around the character of Olivia the Cosby’s granddaughter. Her parents were in the military so she lived with grandpa and grandma Huxtable. As you could imagine she missed her parents very much. Her parents rotated coming home one weekend a month. Her dad came home and they had a great weekend but Olivia didn’t want him to go back. He promised her that he wouldn’t leave to go back to the base until he told her goodbye. With those words she hid in the closet. She thought that if her dad couldn’t find her then he wouldn’t be able to say goodbye. And if He couldn’t say goodbye he couldn’t leave. We can understand her desire…but know that life doesn’t always work that way.

            Peter and the rest of the disciples didn’t want to lose their Lord to death. They loved him and needed him and could not understand why He had to die. Peter took Jesus aside representing all of the disciples and rebuked Jesus. Peter said, “Never, Lord!” “This shall never happen to you!” (Matthew 16:22)

            Just last week we heard Peter’s confession of Jesus as being the Christ, the Son of the Living God. That confession was accepted by Jesus as being the work of the Father in Peter. But now Jesus plainly tells Peter that his thoughts, no matter how pious, were the devil’s work. Jesus answered Peter “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23)

            Such a change in events and attitudes. This would not be the last time that Peter would err and sin. Think of Peter’s denial of Jesus…three times before the rooster crowed. Think of Paul’s public rebuke of Peter for his hypocrisy at Antioch with Jewish and Gentile converts. Yes, Peter was a disciple, a leader of the Early Church, a hero of the faith but he was also a sinner. Luther would say of Peter the same as he would describe all Christians “simul justus et peccator” which means simultaneously saint and sinner.

            We like Peter do not always accept the will of God. We don’t always like what God has in mind and we don’t always agree with God. Many times we try to fight God’s will just as Jonah did. When God says to do one thing we go off on our own and do the exact opposite. Thankfully there aren’t any really big fish in Central Illinois to swallow us. When we do our own thing we do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.

            God tells us to “Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.” God tells us that we should make it our habit, as Jesus did, to be in Church on the Sabbath. Yet we think of the weekends and Sunday morning as being our time to relax. We make time to sleep in, go on vacations, stay out late with friends the night before, cut the grass, watch the ball game…and all too many things rather then to be in God’s house.

            God gives us the gift of Divine worship where He comes to us and serves us. This is where he promises to be. This is where he comes in Word and Sacrament. This is where he offers forgiveness and strength. God gives us His grace. God takes all of our burdens upon himself. Jesus took all of our very sins upon himself to the cross. God gives us Salvation for free. Yet we don’t accept anything as being free. We like to earn all that we need ourselves. We would rather do something, earn something, and act than to be handed salvation.

            God gives us faith so that we may go out into the world and be his tools. God gives us faith so that we may help others. God gives us the desire to share His love. Yet we give in to our own lustful desires. We’d rather go to the bar and drink then to share God’s love. We would rather tell our family and friends that we support them in all they do as long as they are happy instead of sharing the true Gospel message of Jesus that might offend.

            Truly we reject God’s will with out own tainted will. Yes, there are many times that our will seems to be just and right but it is not God’s will. Sure there are times that we want to do things that we think are helping God but are contrary to his desire.

            The third petition of the Lord’s prayer is “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we also pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.” How is God’s will done? “God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will.”

           “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” (Matthew 16:24) To deny oneself means to deny the sinful, fleshly self. Our Lord tells us to take up our cross. Christ bore his cross and that is something we could never bare. Yet He tells us to pick up our cross and follow. This means that we willingly suffer for our faith in Christ Jesus. This means that we suffer for proclaiming the truth about God to all people. As followers of Christ we follow God’s will and not the will of sinful man.

            “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) Death is always saddening to us. The case of the Christian losing their life for Jesus is not saddening though and it is not deplorable. For the Christian to live is Christ to die is gain. To live is to proclaim what the Lord has done. To die is to gain everlasting life in heaven. To die is to be with Christ our Lord. To die is to be in paradise. Our gain is not something temporal…it is not of the world. Our gain…is perfection. Our gain is splendor. Our gain is without fear or hurt, punishment or heartache.

            How would you like to have all of the world’s wealth, the sweetness of all the delicacies that it has ever offered, the grandeur of all the high things that ever towered above it, all sensations and enjoyments, all achievements, all satisfactions? Of course, such a thing is frankly impossible to have but granting the impossible and for the moment accepting it as actual, what is the benefit of all these things? What benefit is this if a man has the whole world and forfeits his soul? Satan needs no such price to buy men’s souls; all he needs is a little piece of the world to offer.

            Why did Jesus have to die? He had to die because of our sinfulness. He had to die to save your grandparents and parents; your children and your grand-children. Jesus had to die so that we would be forgiven. As we often wonder why bad things happen to good people; why bad things happen to us and our family; why death comes to those we love…remember that God never questioned Jesus’ death for you. Jesus loves you to death. Jesus death was the will of God our Father to work salvation for us; that we would be with Him and all the saints in paradise.

            God’s good and righteous will is for all men to be saved. God’s will is always for our best interest. God’s will is for you to be saved. God’s will is for you to spend eternal life in paradise. Oh Lord, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

 

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

The Rock

“The Rock”

Pentecost 14, 2008

Matthew 16:13-20

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

Jesus: rejected by many as the Savior but claimed by most as an important figure in history. Prophet. Miracle Worker. Medicine Man. God. Who is this Jesus? This is the very question that Jesus asked the disciples in our text when He said “who do people say the Son of Man is?” “They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:13-14)

The people knew Jesus was special. They knew he was different. They knew he could do things no other man could. The people tried to rationalize who Jesus was. Yet as they rationalized they rejected Jesus as the Messiah as the Christ. The world today is no different. The world rationalizes that the Bible must contain errors for it was written by prejudiced men. The world rationalizes that Jesus couldn’t have really performed all those miracles but that they do make for great moral lessons.

There are many different religions that claim Jesus…but not as God and not as Savior. Some say that Jesus was the greatest liar the world ever knew. Some say Jesus was a good man that people exaggerated about. Muslims believe Jesus to be a great prophet like Mohammed. Buddhists believe Jesus was enlightened. Mormons believe Jesus was a plain human that became god just as they too may become god. Others deny Jesus as Lord because they don’t want to believe or acknowledge a god at all. Even Christians deny Jesus as Lord when they think they may save themselves; earn heaven, or choose to follow and believe in Jesus as their Savior.

But why…why do so many people think this way toward Jesus? For many people it is about pride. Many people reject God because they want to be in charge. They want to have all the answers. People want to be in control of their lives, their future, and their destiny. Others reject Jesus because they want the ability to save themselves…and only if they truly need to be saved. Many reject because of unbelief and misguidance. Yes, other religions are preaching and teaching against Jesus Christ as Lord. The Mormonism and Islam are two of the fastest growing religions today. They are growing at a time when many people claim that all religions are the same and lead to the same place. Oprah Winfrey believes this to be true as did Yassir Arafat. They believe that as long as you believe in something…anything…truly…you will be saved. Other religions grow because of this belief. Yes, the devil is working hard to destroy the Church. If all religions lead to the same place there must not be hell. If all religions lead to the same place you don’t have to believe in anything. If this is true there is no Truth; there is no salvation, there is no need for a Savior and Jesus becomes just another fairy tale.

Jesus wasn’t done with his question though. Jesus wanted to hear from those closest to him…his very disciples. “But what about you?’ he asked, ‘Who do you say I am?” “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16) So let me ask each of you; Who do you say Jesus is? We shall confess within this service the Apostles Creed and acknowledge that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, the only Son of God. We believe that Jesus died for our sins. We believe that Jesus came to earth as a baby, lived a perfect life, died, and was raised from the dead. We believe that He comes to us in the Word, the bread, and the wine. Yes, here in this place we confess the truth about Jesus.

Here in church we are bold. We are sincere. We confess with our lips, with our hearts and with our minds. But then we leave here and go out into a world that rejects our faith, our Lord, and us. What is it we confess outside of church to the world? Who do we say Jesus is…out there? Our sinful actions tell other people that we are hypocrites. Our lives are full of problems, heartaches, the wrong choices, blame, sin, contempt and fear. In reality we often look just as sinful if not more sinful than others that claim no religion at all. We blame God for our problems and only look to him when we need him. Our witness to others is that we either do not believe in Jesus as Lord or that we live the same lie that they portray Jesus to have lived. Yes, we are sinners. We are hypocrites. And we need Jesus Christ as our Lord. We need a savior.

As hypocrites and sinners that come to confess our sins and give thanks to God we know Jesus. We know Jesus as He forgives us our sins. We know Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We see the actions of Jesus in our lives. We see Jesus in His body and blood. We hear Jesus speak the Word to us. We see the love of Jesus in our daily lives as he takes care of us.

Jesus replied to Peter’s confession saying “Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:17-18) Yes, Jesus approved of Peter’s confession…that is clear. Yes, he was one of the chosen disciples, but he too was a sinful man. It is in three verses after our text that Jesus said to Peter “Get thee behind me Satan.” (Matthew 16:23) as Peter rebuked Jesus for predicting His death on the cross. Yes, this same person was rebuked by Jesus for his lack of faith but raised up by our Lord for his faithful confession.

Our faith and confession come from God as well. We, like Peter, are sinners. Jesus sent us His Holy Spirit so that we may have faith. Yes, faith is a gift from God and the work of God alone…not man. Our faith is not founded on Peter. Our faith is not founded on a sinful person. Our faith is not produced by you, me, or any other sinful person but by God.

On this rock … on the confession of Jesus as Lord…on the grace of God…on our God given faith that is nourished and sustained by God…on our Savior who died on the cross…ON THIS rock God builds His church. It is on Jesus. It is on Jesus’ work. It is on Jesus’ faithfulness. It is on the grace given us by God that the Church is built on. On this rock God has built His church and bestowed us faith and the gates of hell shall never overcome it. Amen.

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

Table Scraps

Pentecost 13, 2008

Matthew 15:21-28

“Table Scraps”

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

            When I was little my family had a dog. The dog seemed to be well fed by my sister and myself. Whenever we had something to eat for dinner that we didn’t like it was certain to be dropped on the floor when my mother wasn’t looking. The dog seemed to eat almost anything. We gave the dog scraps of fat, vegetables, and other food that we didn’t want. We got the best and the dog got the table scraps. The saddest part about the wealth we share as Americans…is that there are many that would beg for the food we waste.

           “Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of  Tyre and Sidon.A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” (Matthew 15:21-22)

            Here is a mother fearing for her child’s very life rushing to Christ for help. We know that by her language this woman was Greek; by birth a Canaanite, a heathen; by allegiance a Roman subject, a Syrophenecian. By Jewish standards at the time she was worthless and didn’t deserve to even speak to Jesus. But as we see from her cry “Lord,” by faith she is true believer. She has come to her Lord asking that He heal her daughter from the demons possessing her. Jesus was her only hope!

            But what happens next is not what we would expect from our Loving Savior. “Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” (Matthew 15:23) Jesus says nothing to the woman. The disciples plead with Jesus to send her away. They didn’t care if He helped her or not…just get rid of her. They were getting fed up with her following them, carrying on about needing help, and bugging them.

            “He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24) Finally Jesus responds; but it is a response of No. In His state of humiliation Jesus prophetic activity was limited to Israel according to the flesh. After the resurrection and exaltation He would draw all men to Himself. (John 12:32). Jesus ministry was centered around the chosen people; the nation of Israel. He was called to bear witness to them, to heal them, to show miracles to them, to preach to them…alone. After Jesus death and resurrection the Apostles were sent to all people, to preach to all people, to heal the sick and perform miracles to all people. But at that moment…Jesus was called to go to the Jews alone.

            The disciples say nothing. But they weren’t the ones that needed Jesus to heal their daughter. She was desperate. “The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.” (Matthew 15:25) This mother begs Jesus to help as if the misery of her daughter was her very own.

            We know how this mother feels. We have had loved ones that we have prayed for over and over again. We pray for those we love that have cancer. We pray for those who have been in accidents. We pray for those with addictions, with marital problems, diseases, broken hearts, unemployed, and countless others. There are many times that only a miracle can save someone we love. There are times when we can only turn to God. Yes, we know the anxiety, the hope, the pain, and the desperation of this woman for we have often cried out “Lord, help me!” It often seems that Jesus offers no response…doesn’t listen or doesn’t care.

            “He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." (Matthew 15:26-27)

            Jesus is telling her that it is not proper that He withdraw His services from the children of the chosen people and turn unto the unclean heathen. This was a hard judgment on the woman, apparently a final ‘No’ to her plea. But it only seems that way.

            The woman knew and admitted that she was not worthy of His help; that she was unworthy as a heathen woman. But she holds firm to her faith; to God’s promise to those who love Him. She catches the Lord Jesus with His own Words. Yes, still more, with the rights of a dog she gains the rights of a child. Now where will he go, the dear Jesus? He has caught Himself and must help her. But know this well, He loves to be caught in this way. If only we had the skill of this woman to catch God in His own judgment and say: “Yes, Lord, it is true, I am a sinner and not worthy of Your grace, but you have promised forgiveness and did not come to call the righteous, but, like Saint Paul says in His letter to Timothy, “to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15) Behold, the Lord must then through His own judgment, have mercy on us.

            Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” (Matthew 15:28)

            My brothers and sisters in Christ cling to God’s Word. True faith in God’s Word believes without doubt that God will keep His promise to us. True faith finds no comfort in self but holds fast to the grace of our Lord and to His Word of grace.

            Whenever you have doubts of God’s love for you. Whenever you have doubts that Jesus will help you. Whenever you doubt Christ cling to His Word. God always keeps His promises. Hold fast to the promise God made at your baptism. You are His child. God loves you. He is with you always. Remember the words of our hymn: “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.” (TLH 54)

            The proof of Jesus love for you is in His very death on the cross. Come to the Lord’s table and receive forgiveness and strength in the very same flesh and blood of Christ given on that cross for you. Be comforted, have hope, and rejoice. You are forgiven for Jesus sake. You have been made perfect in Christ. Heaven is yours. 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.

Where are you?

Pentecost 12, 2008

1 Kings 19:9-18

“Where are you?”

 

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

 

 

            One of the worst feelings in the world is the feeling of being alone. The hard part is that there are many ways of being alone. When Alicia is gone for a weekend to visit her parents or friends I often feel alone. There are times when I am at the office in either Clinton or Chestnut and there seems to be nobody around…and I feel alone. Sometimes we think we are alone in our beliefs. I know that many of our younger members feel like they are the only Lutherans around. Where is the old Walther league when you need it. There are times that I have felt alone in my theological beliefs and my political beliefs. It is both depressing and worrisome to think that you are the only one left that thinks a certain way. In our text Elijah felt alone because he thought that he was the only faithful Jew left.

           “There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (1 Kings 19:9-10)

            You can hear the desperation of Elijah in these words. He has done his best but the people just won’t listen to him. God’s very own people rejected Him. They killed the prophets God had sent them. Elijah says that all have been killed…he is the only one left…and they are trying to kill him too. Elijah feared for his very life and went into hiding. He hid in a cave…all alone.

            Many times we feel alone like Elijah and are tempted to follow his example. How often do we lament to one another that the world is getting worse, so what’s the use? Many Christians have made their faith a matter of private concern and refused to speak out on important issues. They have turned their churches into Elijah’s cave—a place of refuge to hide from the terrible conditions outside and to pity themselves because no one seems to listen anymore. Christians no longer want “comfort” in the Biblical sense of strength to go on. Rather they want “comfort” in the sense of making themselves comfortable while the world struggles alone.

            “The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.” (1 Kings 19:11-13)

            Very often when the Christian is alone and in need they look for God. Where is God? Where can we find him when we are truly in need? For too many people God is very far away…maybe He’s just up in heaven. Yes, God is in heaven but He is also everywhere. God is with us always, as he promised, even to the end of the age. God the Holy Spirit dwells within us constantly leading us closer to Himself. God is found in Church where the Word is preached correctly and the Sacraments are administered rightly. God is here.

            Just like God was present in the still small voice God is present in what many would call plain ordinary things. Jesus is present in the bread and wine of Communion. The Holy Spirit is present with the waters of Baptism. God is present in His Word. As Lutherans we have an understanding of the Sacraments that gives us much hope. We have confidence in our Salvation because we know that Baptism saves us by giving us faith and that we have real forgiveness in the body and blood of Christ present in with and under the bread and wine. When the world has doubts…we are able to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8) When we have doubts we may simply see God and the promises he keeps to us as we receive the Sacraments.

            But there is a problem. We sometimes just don’t get it when it comes to God’s gifts. If you stood on a street corner where the traffic is abundant and incessant, where the constant thunder of rumbling wheels creates a din, it would be hard to preach so as to command an audience, for the abundant noise would prevent all hearing. To a great extent the mass of humanity is in that condition as far as the joyful sound of the Gospel is concerned. The rumbling of the wheels of commerce, the noise of trade and the cries of competition, the whirl of cares, and the riot of pleasure, the doubt caused because we cannot understand how God does such marvelous things—all these drown the persuasive voice of heavenly love so that people hear no more of it than they would hear of  a pin dropping in the midst of a hurricane at sea. Only when the ear shuts out the distracting noises of the world around can the heart hear and absorb the still small voice of the Gospel; God’s Word and our Lord’s body and blood.

           “Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:13-18)

            Once again Elijah tells God his sob story. But God has an answer for him. God tells Elijah that he was indeed not the last or only faithful believer. God says that there were in fact seven thousand that were faithful. This may not sound very comforting that so few still believed…but it was so hopeful to hear that he, Elijah, was not the only one left. God loves His people…no matter how few there may be He will always show compassion on those who love Him.

            Maybe we are the last ones left. Even if that were so, which I do not believe to be the case, we are still called to share and proclaim God’s Word. We have been given the gift of faith. We have been given the pure Gospel. We have been given the gifts of Baptism for the remission of sins, strength and forgiveness in the Lord’s Supper. While the Church is a Sanctuary for us to come and be strengthened by our Lord and each other…it is not a cave to hide in. The Church is a place to be forgiven…to be comforted to go out…to change our lives…to go out and share the wonderful message of Jesus death and resurrection. The world may not want to hear us…but God’s Word changes the hearts of men. God’s Word creates faith. God’s Word does not come back empty.

            Come each week to be forgiven and strengthened. Be fed with God’s Word; Jesus body and blood. Go as faithful people living joyfully in the hope and comfort of being forgiven. Live joyfully as heirs of eternal life. Love by sharing the Good News about Jesus. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit you may share all these things with others. God is always with you; you are His own. 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.