Sinner and Saint

Conquerors through Him who loves us

Pentecost 8, 2017

Romans 8:28-39

"Conquerors through Him who loves us"

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

            In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, separated day and night, separated the waters, created dry land, plants, birds, fish, land animals, and people; Adam and Eve. And after God created He called His creation good. In fact, after He finished His work of creation and beheld His finished work He called it very good. It was perfect.

          But soon sin came into the world. Satan tempted Adam and Eve. They ate of the fruit they were told not to...and the world became corrupted. Adam and Eve would suffer as would the world. There would be hard work, increased pain, fighting, wars, broken relationships, broken promises, tears, and death. The world would never be the same.

          We too suffer in this corrupted world. We too suffer from the disease of sin. We live with broken promises, failed relationships, heartache, tragedy, and death. We know the pain of sin all too well. Especially after this past week. This past week our community was rocked with the devastating tragedy of our brothers and sister in Christ; fellow Lutherans: Lindsey, Kaleb, Weston, Owen, and Baby Schmidt who tragically dyed in an accident.

          This tragedy caused us to take pause over the precious gift of life we have. Maybe we gave a few extra hugs to those we love...our children...our mom and dads. Maybe we acted a little bit nicer... shared a little more... gave thanks for what we have... yelled a little less... and enjoyed the blessings of family. And we have mourned together...as families...and as a community. The pain of loss has touched us all.

          God our Father hurts and mourns as well. It hurts when God sees what sin has done to His perfect creation. He mourns what sin has done to His beloved children. God the Father knows exactly the hurt that comes with losing a loved one to death...for He gave up His only begotten Son to death on the cross.

          God would not stand by watching sin, death, and the devil have their way in this world. God acted. "God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10) Jesus the innocent Son of God "bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

          In Baptism we are united with Christ, forgiven of our sins, and given the gift of faith. We are made children of God and heirs of heaven itself. In baptism Jesus is poured out on us and we are covered in His righteousness. We are made clean in the blood of Christ the Lamb of God.

          What a comfort it is to know that Lindsey, Kaleb, Weston, Owen, and Baby Schmidt heard the Word of God that is able to create faith. What a comfort it is knowing that Lindsey, Kaleb, Weston, and Owen received the gift of faith in Baptism. What a precious gift God promised upon them...and has kept. This precious family...gone far too soon...has received the gift of eternal life. They do not suffer...even as our families, communities, and especially Eddie and the Riechers and Schmidt family do.

          Let the words of our Epistle lesson give comfort to each of you. "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-39)

          This past week was indeed a tragic one in which we continue to mourn and weep. It is also a week in which we have seen the love of God at work through many of you and others in this community as we joined together in prayer and support of the Riechers and Schmidt families.

          Lindsey, Kaleb, Weston, Owen, and Baby Schmidt are more than conquerors through Christ who loves them. Neither Satan, tragedy, nor death can separate this precious family from the love of Christ Jesus. They have conquered and are in heaven with Christ their Lord. They do not suffer. They have no pain. They live in paradise with all the saints.

          This promise is for each of you too. There is no sin, no mistake, no pain, no grief, no tragedy...that can separate you from the love of Christ. Christ was born to save you. Each and every one of you. There is nothing you can do to make Jesus not love or want you. He loves you to death. Through Him you are a conqueror as well. Through Jesus you are saved. In Christ you have been restored and made a child of God. Heaven is yours right now. And in this place...you receive the foretaste of paradise as you are lifted into heaven in worship of Christ our Lord. In this place you are never alone...for you are with Christ; you are with your brothers and sisters in the faith, and we are surrounded by angles, archangels, and all the saints in heaven.

          Let us boldly confess our hope to this corrupted world: "Death, you cannot end my gladness: I am baptized into Christ! When I die, I leave all sadness to inherit paradise! Though I lie in dust and ashes faith's assurance brightly flashes: Baptism has the strength divine to make life immortal mine. There is nothing worth comparing to this lifelong comfort sure! Open-eyed my grave is staring: even there I'll sleep secure. Though my flesh awaits its raising, still my soul continues praising: I am baptized into Christ; I'm a child of paradise!" (God's Own Child I'll Gladly Say 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.

There is only one God

Pentecost 7, 2017

Isaiah 44:6-8

"There is only one God"

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

            If you ever plan on going to a build-a-bear workshop might I suggest you don't do it when there are dozens of squirming and squealing seven-year-old girls, all on a sugar high from birthday cake and Mountain Dew. It's a madhouse! And if your an adult male with absolutely no children with you... we will just say you look a little out of place. Even if it's a madhouse with girls running everywhere...there are some rules that need to be followed. First, you choose from over thirty models of bears. [325 choices available online] Next, you take your bear or other choice of animal and stuff it, stitch it, fluff it, dress it, accessorize it, and name it. You can even add a custom message to play when its squeezed. And the result is that you have your “berry own bear!” Finally, to prove it, you’re given a customized birth certificate. This is your creation! Ta da!

          In Babylonian captivity the Israelites weren't building bears...they were building gods. "The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. [He]  falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!"  [Isaiah 44:13, 15, 17]

          The Israelites were taken captive by a nation that boasted over 3000 different gods. The Israelites were supposed to be the promised people protected by the true God...but their nation was defeated...their people taken captive...and Solomon's temple, where God dwelled, was destroyed. So the people succumbed to the false gods of Babylon. There they were able to pick and choose which god they would worship.

          Just like Israel, we find ourselves in a similar plight. There is a part in all of us that delights in, shall we say, “creative craftsmanship.” We conceive it in our minds. We build it with our hands. We choose how it looks. We personalize it with our preferences. It’s just what we want in a god. It’s a god who likes what I like, hates what I hate, and who shares my opinions. It’s a god who increases my standard of living and happiness. This is a god who gives me what I want and stays out of my way the rest of the time. John Calvin states that the human heart is a perpetual idol factory. Commenting on the First Commandment, Luther states in his Large Catechism, “Whatever you set your heart on and put your trust in is truly your god” (LC I 3).

          What are some of the idols you and I are building? How often do we make gods out of cellphones...and televisions. How often do cars, trucks, and motorcycles become our gods? Sometimes we put our trust in investments, careers, and houses. We invest a huge amount of time and focus on savings...making more money...getting a better job and a bigger house. Children are taught that the best jobs...are the jobs that pay the most. We often turn sex, drugs, and alcohol into our gods that take away the pain or guilt we have...for a short period of time.

          Isaiah uses some interesting words that are translated as idol.  (‘atsabim) which is literally translated "grief or pain fetish." This was the same word used to describe Eve's pain from child birth in Genesis 3:16. And the word  (tohu) which means chaos or nothingness and was used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the world before the Lord speaks creation into existence. These words are used also for "Idol" because Idols bring the same misery, heartache, and pain like that experienced by Adam and Eve after they fell into sin and Idols are embodiments of disorder and despair; they are formless and void. People that fall into idol worship get lost in a sea of chaos and despair where they cannot see or hear God.

          Why do idols have such power? Paul asserts in 1 Corinthians 10:20 that idol worship is worship “offered to demons.” Idols have such magnetizing power to imprison and rape us of our God-given humanity because Satan is the spiritual reality behind every addiction, every compulsion, every obsession. It’s no wonder David writes in Psalm 16:4, “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply.” As sinful people we should cry out like Saint Paul, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24)

          What is the answer; rather whom is the answer? "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel  and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god." (Isaiah 44:6) Jesus is the answer. In Jesus we find all these attributes that Isaiah records. Jesus is indeed true God.

           "Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." (John 19:19) Jesus is our Redeemer. "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5) Jesus is the Lord of Hosts; the Lord of the heavenly angelic armies. "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (John 1:51) Jesus said "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 22:13) "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.  and the Father are one." (John 10:27-30)

          Because he bled and died in our place, Jesus demonstrates that he alone is able to heal our hurts, forgive our filth, and defeat our death. No wonder the Bible says that idols are nothing and chaos, and only compound our pain because a cross-less god is no god at all. A god who doesn’t suffer, a god who knows no agony, a god who doesn’t die—this is a god without grace, a god who cannot deliver, and a god who offers no hope and no future.

          Thanks be to God. Jesus was born to save us. Jesus lived, died, and rose for us. Jesus knows our hearts and sorrows, our weakness and despair; our every need. He bids us to cast all our sin, grief, sorrow, anxiety, and guilt upon Him and He gives us forgiveness, life, and rest. In Christ we have a hope and a future...a future in paradise with all the saints.

          We need no substitute. We don't have to go to a build-a-god workshop. We have Jesus. We have a God that loves us to death. 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.

I will give you rest

Pentecost 5, 2017

Matthew 11:25-30

"I will give you rest"

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

            Who can finish this sentence: "Life is like a ______." How many of you thought "a box of chocolates?" You've been watching Forrest Gump too many times. What I was thinking was that  life is like a grocery store bag... you  never know how light or heavy; strong or weak it's going to be.

          Every bagger bags groceries differently. Some are great and others... we'll just say they're inexperienced. Sometimes you pick up a bag and wonder why they thought one little bag of premade salad needed a whole bag to itself. Other times you watch with horror as they put the eggs, bread, and grapes at the bottom and pack countless other items on top. Then there are times when you wonder if they are just testing the strength of their bags with the amount of things they put in there.

          The worst problems that I have with grocery bags are this: when I have a lot of groceries in plastic bags and decide I just want to make one trip...and load them up on my wrists and hands and struggle to get them inside...finally drop them all on the kitchen floor and let the blood resume circulating in my hand. The other is when I have the over packed paper bag whose handles tear off at the worst time. One time I had a bag of 2 liter bottles of pop that was over packed. Just after I opened the door to the basement the handles ripped off. The bottles bounced down the steps and one of them exploded. Diet Coke flew everywhere! I was miffed!

          Our lives are filled with all kinds of burdens that weigh on us. Think of your own burdens...stress...and struggles. Sometimes we have the burden that comes with moving to a new home and meeting new people and making new friends. We know of many children that have graduated and have the burden of starting fresh at a new school... where there are new expectations...new choices to make...and the possibility of new relationships. New jobs also bring new pressures and expectations... new co-workers...and new responsibilities.

          And these new burdens weigh on us...and often we take these burdens home with us...where there are other burdens that we have as parents...spouses...and children. Yes, there are burdens at home too. We know this. There are burdens of doing your homework and chores. There are burdens of taking care of children... making dinner, doing the laundry, cleaning the house. There are burdens of taking care of other loved ones...maybe grandma or grandpa that lives with you or near you that suffers from dementia or has physical ailments and limitations. There are burdens of making your parents proud of you. There are burdens of watching a loved one struggle with physical or mental ailments. There is the burden of watching a loved one grow old...weak...suffer...and die. And those burdens weigh on us.

          There is the burden of guilt...that weighs heavy. Guilt that you did something wrong...or hurt someone...or didn't help when you could have. Guilt is heavy. Guilt hurts. It sometimes hurts even after we have asked and received forgiveness.

          For many who are aged... there is the burden of being alone. The burden that your spouse and friends have passed away. The burden of not having a loved one to visit you...or visit you enough. The burden of feeling weak...and useless. These burdens weigh us down. Sometimes it's because we take too many tasks and jobs and vocations upon ourselves...and cut off circulation to our faith and lives. Sometimes the burden is too heavy as we try to balance what others have put upon us...and we fall apart and fail to carry the load. Sometimes the burden is the emptiness we think we have as we seemingly suffer alone.

          To each one of you that has a burden upon your shoulder...no matter what that burden might be... Jesus has something to tell you. He says: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

          When you are burdened...no matter what it is that weighs you down...go to Jesus. For Jesus takes your burdens...your pains...your stress...your anxieties...your sin upon Himself. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7) He takes all these things and gives you rest. He gives you rest in this place... as your sins are forgiven and you are given strength to overcome this sinful world. He gives you rest in His arms as He comforts you and loves you. He gives you rest by giving you loving brothers and sisters in Christ that pray for you...and stand by you... that weep with you and rejoice with you. He promises rest for eternity with Him in heaven.

          Christ is here for you. He comes to take your burdens...your anxieties...your very sin. He takes them willingly out of love for you. In this place we find our Sabbath rest as our sins are forgiven and we receive strength in our Lord's body and blood. And that yoke and burden...it is easy and light. It is the yoke of being a Christian and the burden of sharing Christ's love. And Jesus gives you the strength to share that love.

          What a blessing we receive her in God's Church. We receive forgiveness and strength from Christ Himself. We are given a Church family that loves us, stands by and with us, holds us up, and helps us. And we receive the blessing of sharing the love of Christ with others. Even if doesn't seem like there is much we can do... we can pray, we can listen, we can hug, we can give caretakers a break, we can love...as Christ loved us. In Him we have rest now and for eternity. 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.

Fight Faith Decay

Pentecost 4, 2017

Matthew 10:34-42

"Fight Faith Decay"

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

Many years ago when Luther High School South had a Men's Association my Dad would help man and manage the concession stand for football and basketball games. One of my favorite duties that my dad had was stopping at the candy store on Kedzie Avenue in Evergreen Park. I loved that store. I loved the smell when you walked in. I loved the unlimited number of different candies that were on display. I especially loved getting a bag of Swedish Fish.

One person that did not love those candies or that store...was my dentist. "Joel," he would say, "you can't just eat candy. You need to eat your vegetables so that your teeth are strong. You need to brush more often. You need to floss more. Because if all you eat is candy and you don't brush and floss your teeth...guess what's going to happen?" [Your teeth will decay and fall out!]

So what would the dentist do? He'd clean my teeth...and give me weapons in the war against tooth decay: a new toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. He'd encourage me to use them often...daily...twice daily would be great... after every meal would be perfect. And he'd set up an appointment for six months later (as long as I didn't have any cavities).

What would usually happen was that I'd take my new "weapons" home and throw them into a drawer in the bathroom. I'd be sure to use them... the night before and morning of going to the dentist. In the meantime... I wouldn't worry about my teeth. I'd argue for why my teeth were perfectly fine. And on the occasion that my parents or the dentist would be especially forthright in telling me to cut the candy... I'd have a fit. I might yell or scream... have a temper tantrum... give them the silent treatment... or any number of reactions a child has when they are told "No!"

Thankfully my parents and my dentist continued to encourage and sometimes scold me out of concern and love for me. Thankfully my parents continued to take me to the dentist and do what they could to make sure I'd brush my teeth. Despite my childish ways...and anger...and tantrums...they would take care of my needs.

Sometimes we think more about taking care of our teeth than about taking care of our faith. Jesus was teaching His disciples in our Gospel lesson to focus on taking care of their faith. For the last few weeks, we’ve heard Jesus telling His disciples to go tell others about His love and to show God’s love by helping them. He also said that some people won’t welcome them and won’t want their help or God’s love. Now Jesus told them that even people in their own families might get mad at them for believing in Jesus and living the way He taught them.

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:34-39)

People don't like hearing about their sin and being told that something that they are doing is wrong. I don't like to hear that either. Nobody does. So we get defensive. Leave me alone. I'm not hurting anyone. You're just jealous. You're a goody too shoes. We've heard and been called far worse.

So you think gay marriage and homosexuality is a sin... then you're homophobic. Get with the times... your religion is outdated and useless. The church needs to change with the times. If it makes you happy it can't be that bad. If you really love her you'd be happy that she is happy.

I've heard those comments. I've been told those things. I have been called many things. Sometimes even from close friends and family. But as a Pastor...as a friend...as a family member I do my best by God's strength and grace to stand firm and remain faithful. I don't call people sinners or actions sinful to make myself feel important or happy. It doesn't feel good to tell someone that they are hurting themselves. I do it because I love them.

Love isn't just agreeing with something or someone just to keep the peace or to make someone else "happy." To love means to sacrifice and help...and often that means stopping or standing opposed to someone or an action that will hurt others. Even if they don't want that help or will fight you the entire way.

I don't let my son eat just candy because it might make him happy for the time being. I don't tell my child to go run anywhere he pleases unsupervised. I don't throw up my hands and let my little boys touch the hot stove instead of stopping them when they get too close. Nor do I enjoy when I have to say "No" and get screamed at, swiped at, or told "I don't love you" or "I hate you" from my son whom I love. Out of love I often say No. Out of love I often say stop. God does too. He gives us the 10 commandments out of love for us. He tells us to stop so that we do not get hurt. He says no to many things out of love.

And like the dentist...He gives us weapons. He gives us Scripture and His Church to battle faith decay. And if you haven't looked at the world around recently...faith is certainly decaying. So we have these weapons. We are called to use them. Not at the last minute... but often! So that our faith doesn't decay. So that we may remain faithful. So that we may share the love of God with those around us...even if they don't want to hear it or have anything to do with it or us.

“I believe I need these things [tooth brush, tooth paste, floss] to make my teeth last forever.” But if you believed that, you’d use them, right? It wouldn’t matter if anyone got mad at you or teased you for it, because you know you’re doing what’s right. I believe I need these things [Bible, Baptismal Font, Lord's Supper, the Church] to live forever. It shouldn't matter if anyone got mad at you or teased you for it, because you know you’re doing what’s right.

Jesus taught us how to take care of our faith, just like the dentist teaches us how to take care of our teeth. Jesus told us to let our faith show by telling others about Him and helping them, just like your parents told you and showed you how to brush your teeth. Others, even our loved ones, may not want to hear that they are sinners or that Christ died for them...but that doesn't mean they don't need to hear it. Others may get angry with us. They may want to shut us out or shout us down...but we continue to proclaim the truth because we love them as Christ loves us.

Christ loves you. He died for you. He lives for you. He is here for you. He will always be here for you...to forgive you...and strengthen you...to give you peace and hope. He will never leave you nor forsake you. 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.