Sinner and Saint

The Saints live in Heaven

Pentecost 19, 2016

Luke 16:19-31

"The Saints live in heaven"

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

        Life and death. Heaven and hell. Treasure now in this life or treasure to come for all eternity in heaven. What happens when you die? Where do you go when you die? This is what our Gospel lesson this morning is all about. So if you truly are concerned with life now and life to come; if you are concerned about salvation or damnation...if the afterlife is important listen to what God has to say in His Word. Listen to Him.

        "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side." (Luke 16:19-23)

        Why did this happen? Why did the rich man go to hell and the poor man to heaven? "Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish." (Luke 16:25)

        Jesus had been building up to this text. He warned the people and the Pharisees over and over again! He had just told the audience "You cannot serve God and money.” (Luke 16:13) God in His Word also reminds us that "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." (1 Timothy 6:10) Scripture also encourages us to "keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

        I once had a Confirmand that complained about being in Confirmation class...it just wasn't fair that she was forced by her parents to be there...besides...it wouldn't help her get into the right college or help her decide on a career or help her to make money. Those all might be true. But being in God's Word. Studying God's Word. Confirming the faith you received in Holy Baptism are about life over death; salvation and life eternal in heaven over damnation in hell. Daily we struggle with sin. Daily life and death decisions surround us.

        The rich man was worried that his family would have the same fate as he: damnation in hell. "And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send [Lazarus] to my father's house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:27-31)

        God's Word is all we need. God's Word is all that the world needs. For God's Word is truth! (John 17:17) And what does that Word say to us this day?

        Our Gospel lesson reminds us that we are saved, not because of our wealth or prestige, but as a gift from God. The difference between the rich man and Lazarus was faith. The rich man loved his wealth. Lazarus loved His Lord. The rich man served himself and the pursuit of money. Lazarus served his Lord.

        Scripture also comforts us with the fact that Lazarus, when he died, went to heaven. He didn't have to stop at the pearly gates to get permission. He didn't have to wait in a waiting room or purgatory. Lazarus was with His Lord. Not only that...but Scripture tells us that Lazarus did not roam around as a ghost waiting for closure...or to spook people...or haunt them. In the same way the rich man when he died went straight to hell. He also did not roam around...or wait. Scripture tells us "And [the rich man] said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:27-31)

        Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Our hope is in heaven. Our comfort is found in Christ. Our hope is indeed to be with Christ and all of our loved ones that have died in the faith that are in Heaven. Our comfort is in Christ who has welcomed these dear saints into His kingdom. Our loved ones have not died but are alive in Christ! Our loved ones are not wandering the earth...haunting houses or cemeteries or buildings...they are in heaven with Christ. Our loved ones haven't been turned into frogs or rabbits or mosquitoes... they are in paradise! Our loved ones aren't dead! They are living with all the saints in heaven surrounding God and surrounded by angels. That is the truth found in God's Word. And that is the comfort and hope we share.

        What a sight it will be when we are numbered with the saints in paradise and witness the glory of heaven. "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes. Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9, 13-14)

        The Saints live in Heaven! We shall live in heaven. Until then...we get just a taste; the foretaste of the feast to come ever Sunday in this place. For in this place all are welcome to hear God's Word. In this place we have been washed in the waters of Holy Baptism and clothed in the white robes of Christ's righteousness. In this place we join with all the Saints in heaven and on earth in worshiping around the same Lamb of God; Christ Jesus our Lord.  When you walk in these doors remember "how awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." (Genesis 28:17)

        This is God's House. This is the gate of heaven. This is where we worship with all the saints and angels. This is where we get to be with those we love that have died in the faith until we join them in paradise. For our departed loved ones that have died in the faith are not dead...they are alive...and they live eternally with Christ 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.

Choose Life!

Pentecost 16, 2016

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

“Choose Life!”

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

      Life is full of choices. From the time you got up this morning until the time you go to bed tonight, you are faced with all sorts of choices. Most of these choices are inconsequential. What clothes should I wear today? What should I have for breakfast? Do I have enough time to check my email or read the paper before going to Church? What will we have for lunch…or dinner? What chores need to get done? These are just a few of the choices you might have to make this very day.

     Then there are choices that may affect us for the rest of our lives. What do I want to be when I grow up? What college should I attend? Where am I going to live? Do I want to get married…or have children? Can we afford to buy a new car, house, tractor, combine? How much corn or soybeans should I plant next year? What variety? How much or how little rain will we have? I’m sure you can add a multitude of choices that you have to make to that list.

     Many of the choices we make are rather mundane and unimportant in the scheme of things. It doesn’t make much difference if you choose to eat peas or carrots or what chore to do first as long as you do them all. But as we know…not all choices are created equally.

     “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

     Choose life and good…and you shall be blessed and will prosper or choose death and evil…and you will perish and be cursed. Life or death? It really doesn’t sound like a hard choice to make does it?

     For forty years the Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness because they sinned against God. During that time all the Israelites who left Egypt had died except for Moses, Joshua and Caleb. The new generation of Israelites were camped on the plain of Moab ready to enter the Promised Land. Because of his sin of disobedience Moses would not be permitted to enter the Promised Land. At the Lord’s command Moses appointed Joshua as the new leader of the people.

     Before taking leave of this new generation, Moses renews God’s covenant with the people. The name Deuteronomy means “the second giving of the law.” In the Book of Deuteronomy Moses repeats the law of God for the new generation of Israelites who were not present or were too young to remember the first giving of the law at Mount Sinai. After repeating the law of God, Moses, as God’s spokesman, offers the Israelites a choice. It is the choice of life or death.

     The Israelites were told that life would be found in God alone. “If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.” (Deuteronomy 30:16)

     All they had to do was obey the commandments God had given their forefathers...and passed down to them. They were written on stone tablets. It was there for them to see. God didn’t have rules that He kept secret. He didn’t hide the law from them. He didn't change them on the fly...or at all. He gave them 10 commandments to live by. If they obeyed they would live and multiply in the land He would give them that was filled with milk and honey. Things would be great for God would lead them and protect them from all their enemies.

     But the Israelites would not be faithful for very long. They didn’t obey God’s orders in combat. They didn’t kill and drive out the other nations from their midst. They rejected God as their leader and wanted a ruler like the rest of the nations. They adopted worship to false gods. In the end the nations of Israel was destroyed, the people were enslaved, the Temple was destroyed, and the people were cursed. God did not abandon His people…His people abandoned Him.

     Life or Death? That question is before us. When we wake up…we don’t think that our decisions are of “life or death” importance. They just might be. I have had friends and high school classmates that had life and death choices. I have had high school classmates killed in drive by shootings, a brother and sister killed in the same year. I had a friend and classmate found in his trunk for dealing in the wrong area, and I have had a classmate killed in the line of duty fighting for His country.

     Life or Death? As much as we hate to admit it…we choose death far too often. Each and every time that we sin…we choose death. When we lie, or steal, say mean things, hurt others, or argue…we choose death. When we decide to sleep in, play hooky, or stop going to church…we choose death. When we fail to bring our children up in the church, have them baptized, or go to Sunday School or Confirmation classes…we choose death. When we fail to be in God’s Word…we choose death. Sin is a death sentence! Sin leads to death…and even worse…damnation.

     But God chose life. Even when the Israelites chose death…when they rejected Him…worshiped false gods…and were destroyed…God chose life. Even as God's people continue to choose death...God chose life for us all in His Son. God did indeed punishes sin...as He punished the Israelites of old. But God sent them and us a Savior…just as He promised. God chose life…life in heaven…for us.

     God chose life for us in the death of His Son. God chose life for us and gives us that life in the waters of Holy Baptism. God chose life for us in His Son’s body and blood in with and under the bread of wine that gives us forgiveness and strength…LIFE in this world and the next. God chose life and He gives us His very Word.

     Life or Death? Salvation or Damnation? God chose life for you. He has called you by name and made you His child. God chose life for you and that life is Christ. That life is found in this place; this Church, where Christ promises to be. This very day God chooses life for you. Come to the Lord’s table. Receive Christ. Receive Life. 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.