Sinner and Saint

“No Jesus = No Peace…Know Jesus = Know Peace”

Pentecost 13, 2010

Luke 12:49-53

“No Jesus = No Peace…Know Jesus = Know Peace”

 

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

 

    What a horrific world we live in. I recently came across news headlines both old and new and the only conclusion I could come to was “what a horrific world we live in.” Sure there are wonderful things that happen in our lives and in this world…but as a whole the world is corrupted by sin. Recently in the news I read about a brawl occurring at a wedding reception in Skokie, IL. In Chicago a mother was arrested after her twin daughters were found dead in their attic bedroom. I remember with sadness the tragedy of the Beason murders where a former son-in-law is the alleged murderer. Many of us also remember the tragedy at Clinton Lake where a mother and her boyfriend drowned her sons. What is horrific is that these are not all that uncommon when we look at what takes place in the world around us.

   “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (Luke 12:49-53)

    Not only is this a reflection of our society…but of our very own families. We have children that go beyond sibling rivalries and intentionally hurt and dislike each other. We have parents and children that have spoken for years. We have husbands and wives that seek divorce. In-laws are often blamed for marital issues. Not only do we have dysfunctional families and societies…but through sin we have destroyed our relationship with God.

    This is why Christ came to this world…“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!” (Luke 12:49-50)

    Yes, Jesus is speaking of clashes in this world…but not the clashes we first think of. These clashes would be caused by the Gospel, some people rejecting, others accepting it and even its friends opposing one another in their interpretation of its meaning. Jesus, of course, does not mean to say that it is His wish that there should be dissension and strife. He is rather speaking of the actual results of His message. Simply put the Gospel offends the unbeliever. But even though these things will happen our Lord is focused on His own baptism…the baptism of His death on the cross.

    Our Lord knows that because of sinfulness men will reject the Gospel…and that sinful man, though faithful to His Word, would have divisions in doctrine, practice, interpretation, and faith because of sinfulness. Yet even though this would happen our Lord went to the cross because it was the only way to save us from sin.

    Jesus did not come to bring peace to this world…at least not the kind of peace the world wants. The world wants peace from war, violence, and oppression. The world wants the kind of peace where people can live any way they want to. What the world doesn’t want are Christians that tell them that they are sinners and that many of the lusts of this world are sinful. The Pharisees accused Jesus of wanting to be King and gain political power…even though Jesus rejected that notion. The Pharisees knew Jesus wasn’t a political opponent…but hated Him because He spoke the truth and called them out as sinners. The world has not changed.

    Christians are still persecuted for their faith. Around the world Christians are disowned by families for their Christian faith. Many are jailed and killed in Muslim countries for speaking “blasphemy” of Muhammad and Allah. Parents have had their homes taken away, their children forced to go to a Muslim school, beatings, rapes, and all kinds of abuses…because people believe in Christ as Lord. Even within our own country Christians that believe that abortion is murder are mocked, Christians that believe homosexuality is a sin are called prejudiced, those that believe in God creating the world and not evolution are despised and not allowed to publicly hold or teach those views in the public schools. There have even been cases of Christian converts in the United States of being ostracized by families and murdered for their faith in Christ.

    "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (Luke 12:51-53)

    What a horrific world we live in. That’s why Christ came…to die for the sins of all people. But Jesus didn’t come to set up a worldly kingdom and force peacefulness. He came to serve…to suffer…and die. The truth is: “No Jesus…No Peace…Know Jesus…Know Peace!” Our peace is not from this world. Our peace is not in this world. Our peace is in Christ. Our peace is everlasting life in heaven.

   “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

    The peace of God doesn’t mean a life free from troubles, worries, sickness, disease, heartache, pain, or persecution. So when you pray to God for an ailment, for a loved one suffering from cancer, for someone in the hospital...and you don't get the result you wanted...don't think God doesn't love you or listen to you. God does hear your prayer. God does answer your prayer. Many times God does bring healing in this world...but often God's promise of healing comes in the world to come. God’s peace is the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life in heaven. In heaven there will be no troubles, worries, sickness, disease, heartache, pain, or persecution. God’s peace isn’t in a world that shall come to an end…but in heaven. God’s peace is eternal and it has been won for you by Christ. Don’t let this world’s problems trouble you for heaven is yours for all eternity. While we live with hardships…and dysfunctional families…we have peace in Christ and look forward to our everlasting home in heaven. 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.

Pentecost 12, 2010

Luke 12:35-40

“Be Prepared”

 

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

 

 

     “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." (Luke 12:35-40)

Last week we heard Jesus’ attitude toward possessions and now our Lord calls us to be watchful; to be prepared for His coming. There is a striking similarity between the rich fool who is unprepared when his soul is required of him (Luke 12:16-21) and all people who focus on their earthly life of eating, drinking, and being merry. Possessions may leave one careless and unprepared when either death or the Lord comes.

Be prepared. Now I’m not talking about the Boy Scouts motto. But as Christians we must be prepared. But not just for “life: to live happily and without regret, knowing that you have done your best” as the Boy Scout motto means. But be prepared for the second coming of Christ and judgment day.

As much as the world loves preparation it isn’t ready for Jesus’ to return. The world is preparing for many different things: the Olympics, vacations, the holidays, the New Year, disasters, war, and many other things. How many teachers and students have just started or will be starting school very shortly and are getting prepared for a new school year.

The world knows that it should plan for the future but is distracted by eating, drinking, and being merry. The world knows that tragedy, death, and heartache occur daily… but think it won’t happen to them. We know horrible things may happen but often choose to ignore it. Like many highschoolers when our Father in heaven is “gone” for the weekend we throw one big party that the world calls “life.” Live life to the fullest, as many often say, and ignore God’s warning.

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.” (Mark 13:8) Listen to the news, read the papers; these signs are occurring daily! But they are only birth pains! Birth pains or contractions, as many a mother can tell you, occur more rapidly and often the closer you get to giving birth. Throughout the world these birth pains; contractions are occurring daily. The end of the world is coming.

While we have these signs pointing to the last day, we still do not know when Jesus will come. There are many in this world who make predictions for the end of times. There are still more that believe in these predictions. Yet predictions are only useful so that we know when exactly to be ready. Predictions give a specific date so that people may prepare. But predictions also allow for you to be lazy. It is like having a due date for a homework assignment. If you know when it is due you can procrastinate for a while before you must rush to complete the assignment on time. This is not what the Lord had in mind.   

Jesus said: “If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Luke 12:39-40)

This past Friday afternoon a brother in the faith, Louis Winkelman, was called home by his heavenly Father. How sad it always is to see someone dying. Each and every day people…neighbors, friends, family…our very selves…lose someone we love to death. How often we are stricken by sadness as death confronts us face to face.

Yet as Christians we have joy. In the midst of great suffering and loss we have hope in the future. Our Lord has prepared death to be the door to heaven and everlasting life. How and why do Christians have such faith and assurance? It is by being prepared. It is by coming to Church…hearing God’s Word and receiving forgiveness and strength in Jesus’ body and blood. We are prepared by being here! Not by living our lives outside of this place. Not by doing things alone. We are prepared by God to overcome all this sinful world throws at us.

My brothers and sisters in Christ we must live our lives each day trusting that today our Lord may return. We must be prepared. That means we must “set apart Christ as Lord [in our hearts]. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15-16) It also means that I as a Pastor and you as a congregation must take the advice Paul gives to Timothy: “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (1 Timothy 4:2-4)

We live in the last days. We live in a time when people turn their ears from God’s Word and find churches and pastors that tell them what they want to hear. We live in times of warfare and strife. We live with earthquakes, famines, tornados, floods, hurricanes, and severe heat. These are not fearful times but a time to be prepared and await the wonderful day that our Lord calls us home to heaven. Take heart for “Today [God’s] mercy calls us to wash away our sin. However great our trespass, whatever we have been. However long from mercy our hearts have turned away thy precious blood can cleanse us and make us white today.” (TLH 279) God’s mercy is for all people this day and everyday. Jesus’ precious blood cleanses ALL sin no matter how “bad” they are and no matter how long we have been away. You belong to God and your Father will never give you up. 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.

Give me my share!

Pentecost 11, 2010

Luke 12:13-21

“Give me my share”

 

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

 

 

Jesus was in the middle of explaining to his disciples and thousands of others that came to hear him that you must not give up the faith or truth in order to avoid persecution or gain other earthly things. It was more important to keep salvation and eternal life than to lose salvation and gain more time in this world that will certainly end. But then Jesus is interrupted by someone that just doesn’t get His message. “Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’” (Luke 12:13)

One of the hardest things to deal with in this life is to lose a loved one to death. Yet in the midst of the mourning there is unfortunately much fighting that happens between too many families. Brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and others argue over who gets what. The will becomes the most important issue on everyone’s mind and is sure to make some upset that they didn’t get their fair share of the inheritance.

Jesus had been speaking about the importance of life eternal and this person approaches the Lord with an issue of inheritance of worldly wealth. “Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” (Luke 12:14) The man had approached Jesus as a “teacher” or rabbi not as Lord. Yet Jesus as Lord lets the man know that He has come for a greater purpose, life eternal, and not to judge over worldly matters for there were those appointed to such tasks.

“Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ ‘Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’” “But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:15-21)

If I asked who are the most successful people in the world…who would we name? I went and googled this question and many of the top answers were lists of the world’s richest people…Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and members of the Walton family (Walmart). I don’t deny that these people are successful at what they do…but what is saddening is that Success is most often and sometimes only associated with wealth. No wonder we live in an era where people want their fare share!

But really…what are the consequences of focusing on wealth? It’s not really greed but ambition… “Years ago when men went to Alaska to search for gold, some penetrated far into the interior. There they discovered a miner’s hut that seemed as quiet as a grave. Entering it, they found the skeletons of two men and a very large quantity of gold on a rough table. There was also a letter that told about their successful hunt for gold. They were so eager to get gold that they ignored the early coming of winter. The more they mined, the more gold they found. Suddenly one day a fierce snowstorm struck. They could not escape because of blizzard conditions. Their food ran out. They were unable to move about in their cabin. They became so weakened that they lay down to die—surrounded by all that gold.

There are many people like those two foolish miners. They labor for wealth, property, and the status symbols on earth. Suddenly the icy hand of death is on them and what have they to show for their labors? What have their labors accomplished? Jesus asks a very important question, and all of us need to consider and answer it: “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

My brothers and sisters in Christ…how often do we lust over possessions and wealth? How often do we convince ourselves that we “need” things? I find myself doing this throughout the year. I have a good reliable truck…I love my truck…but I would love to have a newer truck with all the features. I have a good computer…but I really need a newer one…even though mine works fine. It’s kind of like people that move to a new house…and need to buy a large house…and the reason is to fit all the stuff they own. In reality we take things that we want…and decide that they are needs. We look at what others have and decide that we deserve to have just as much as the other guy.

We are a greed filled society…and were losing our focus, as the man in our text did when he asked Jesus to help him get his share of the inheritance. “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matthew 6:24) Money, wealth, possessions might seem great…but they cannot by true friends and they certainly cannot buy you salvation.

This is an indictment on all of us; the entire world for we are all greedy and lust the things of this world. Yet our Lord tells us: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

As Christians and members of the body of Christ our focus must be on sharing the good news about Jesus. If the community is too know anything about us let them know this: That we preach Christ and Him crucified. Let us store up treasures in heaven by sharing God’s love to our friends, families, and neighbors. Yes…we have many to share this news with… many who live right next to us. Many we call friends. Many we call and have called members of this congregation. Eternal life with loved ones in heaven…now that is a treasure!

My brothers and sisters in Christ…Do not worry about getting your fair share or about having this or that. For we know that as sinners our fair share is death and eternal damnation. But out of love for each one of us our heavenly Father has shared His Son with us…to death on the cross. Your portion is Christ himself. Your inheritance is life eternal in heaven. 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.

Teach us to pray.

Pentecost 10, 2010

Luke 11:1-13

“Teach us to pray”

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

    Luther once said, “The Lord’s Prayer is the greatest martyr on earth. Many pray the Lord’s Prayer a thousand times a year, and though they have prayed it a thousand years, yet have they not properly prayed one letter thereof.” This great prayer of our Lord is often abused by vain repetition. I have often heard someone say at the end of a meeting, “Let’s close by reciting the Lord’s Prayer.” By reason of its very familiarity all of us are in danger of letting this prayer degenerate into a mere recital of words. Whether it be in the church service or at your family worship or when you place your head on your pillow at night, the use of the Lord’s Prayer can become merely a routine exercise.

    So does that mean we should stop using the Lord’s Prayer to close meetings, when we worship, when we go to bed or at any other time? No. It means that we must come to our Lord as the Disciples did and ask Him “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1)

    He said to them [and to us], "When you pray, say: "'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.” (Luke 11:2) "Father" immediately indicates that the one praying is a child of God by faith in Christ. God is our heavenly Father…and he loves us His dear children. How wonderful that we can call God our Father. We also pray that God's name, which means everything that He is by revelation to man, be set aside for proper use by man.

    James 3:10 reminds us that “from the same mouth comes blessing and curse. My brothers, this ought not be”: Daily we hear people use God's name thoughtlessly and cursing.  How many times must we ask God to damn, that is eternally condemn, a hammer, nail, car, or other person when we get mad. How often do we shout out God or Jesus Christ when we are upset. That is sin. God's Name should be used only in prayer and to praise Him. We have much to repent over. Let us flee to the Lord who graciously forgives us.

    Instead of asking God in prayer to harm others…even when we believe they deserve condemnation, we pray that God’s kingdom comes. Here we pray for the extension of the Christian Church all over the world. That is done by preaching and teaching people God's Word, especially the Gospel of forgiveness of sins. It is sharing Christ…not condemning or looking down on others. It is loving…not holding grudges or belittling.

    “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” That petition is not found in Luke but only in Matthew 6. But it must be mentioned. When Adam and Eve sinned they did Satan's will. When Jesus was tempted He did only God's will. Thank God that His will is always done…even through us sinners…even despite ourselves…for God’s will is to save us from sin.

   “Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'" (Luke 11:3-4)

    “Give us each day our daily bread.” How good is God to us…for he gives us all that we need in this world and the next. He gives us food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like. God gives so much! And we are so unthankful. We pray for God’s good gifts and to give Him thanks and praise for all He does. “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)

   “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” The forgiveness of our sins is God's greatest spiritual gift to us. That's why we hear the Gospel. That's why we go to the Lord's Supper. That’s why we forgive our loved ones and our enemies when they do wrong. What a blessing it is for a Christian husband and wife and those with children to come to the Lord’s Table, receive Jesus very body and blood, and go back to together a family restored, strengthened, and forgiven. Why we do not yearn for this on a regular basis I do not know.

    “And lead us not into temptation.” Implicit in the petition, as Luther points out, is the fact that God indeed tempts no one. We acknowledge that God is the gracious Father who governs our life and has the power to lead us safely past all the invitations to sin. There are temptations within us and all around us. They are inevitable. But we pray that none of these will trap us. Jesus was tempted but did not yield. We are tempted but pray God that with His help we will not yield.

    “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10) “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Keep praying…for your Heavenly Father promises to hear your prayers. Pray confidently to your Heavenly Father for He will give you good things.

   “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:11-13)

    God’s relationship to us is described in the greek as agaph [agape] and not filih [filia] that is God’s relationship is perfect love toward us and not just brotherly love as described by the friend asking for bread in our text. Unlike the other friend in our text God never slumbers nor sleeps. He has commanded us to pray and has promised to hear us.

    What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer. Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.” 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.