THE STRONGER ONE
LUKE 11:14-28
14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.” 27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
In the name of Jesus:
Does the name Brian Shaw ring a bell? It will if you followed the Arnold Swartzenagger Strong Man Competition in Columbus. Shaw was recognized for winning the Strongman competition at the recent Arnold Classic. What is a strongman competition? It is a competition, which has been held since the inception of the Arnold Classic in 2002, which involves a series of weight lifting events, from carrying a large piece of timber to lifting tires, which weighed 1100 pounds. As the strong man, Shaw was crowned as the strongest man and won prize money totaling $50,000.
There is one who is stronger than Brian Shaw, though. While Shaw might be recognized for his accomplishments, the one who is stronger than Shaw, many times, is taken for granted. Some doubt his existence. Others doubt his power. However, when you note what is happening in the world, there can be no doubt as to his reality. We see evidences of his reality in the evil that exists in the world. We see it in how people treat one another, we see it in the maladies that people have and the problems people face. The strong man of whom I am referring to, and to which our text for today speaks of, goes by many names: Beelzebub, the Devil, or Satan.
The reality of Satan was not in question in Jesus’ day. Note what Luke, the Physician records in our text: “Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons,” No one doubted Satan’s existence, for they had in their midst one who was demon possessed, possessed by the devil himself. While those present did not doubt the devil’s existence, they DID DOUBT the power and the reality of Jesus’ existence. Imagine that, Jesus is right there physically present in their midst, they had seen with their own eyes His power and His miraculous healings, but doubted that He was the Son of God. How did they try to explain away Jesus’ power and work? By simply saying that He was a son of the Devil Himself. Listen: “17 but he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
There can be no doubt, dear friends, of Satan’s existence and power. The Scripture ascribes to Satan the power of evil. God created all things good, even Satan, but Satan sinned and fell from God’s glory. Satan since his fall from grace has been God’s enemy. And since the fall of mankind into sin, all of humanity has been on Satan’s side as well. Sin is never a friend or ally of God. God has been and always will be opposed to sin and Satan. Satan is called the Prince of the air, the roaring lion who prowls around seeking those whom he can devour. Make no mistake; Satan is alive and well today. Even though people will deny his existence and his power, some even will say that sin and evil is all in your mind, sin, evil and Satan ARE AN EVERPRESENT REALITY TODAY.
Just look at the evidence. Just look at what has happened in our fallen world in the past few months! There have been political uprisings, earthquakes and tsunamis, destruction, devastation, innocent people losing their lives in senseless killings; the list goes on and on! If we lived in a perfect world without sin, there would be none of these things! Their very existence reveals the reality of sin, death, and yes, Satan. Satan is like a strong man who has such a strong grip on this world and its people. He has the world in his clutches like a vice and he will not let go until he succeeds in bringing God’s creation to its destruction.
Those who were present with Jesus, who witnessed this healing of the man who was mute and gave credit to this miracle to Satan! They reasoned that Jesus was a son of the devil; hence, the devil made the man not only mute, but also gave the mute the ability to speak! Like Pharaoh of old, their hearts were hard (Ex. 8:16–24). Pharaoh, even though he witnessed the plaques, did not want to give God the credit. So God hardened his heart. Just as he did not recognize the power of God, so too there were those present in Jesus’ very midst who did not recognize the finger of God, the power of the Holy Spirit at work in and through Jesus, however, refutes the notion that he was a child of the devil by clearly stating that a house divided cannot stand. Jesus asserts that He has come into the world as the Son of God, and it was His duty to overcome the strongman of the world, Satan. Jesus came to usher in His Kingdom, a Kingdom not of evil but of goodness and grace, a Kingdom of salvation and forgiveness, and a Kingdom that ushers in the good and gracious reign of God.
The Kingdom of God is the Kingdom where God reigns. Jesus brought this Kingdom to sinful people in His very birth, a birth where the angels sang of God’s Kingdom when they sang: Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth. God’s Kingdom was proclaimed in John the Baptist and Jesus’ words: Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. God’s Kingdom was manifested in Jesus when He healed the sick, gave the blind their sight, gave the mute the ability to speak, and when He raised the dead. Jesus ushered in God’s Kingdom as He came to do battle with Satan on his turf, by defeating Satan, sin, and death by His perfectly led life according to the Ten Commandments and by His sacrificial death on the cross, whereby the blood of Jesus washes away your sins. . He takes the devil's armor of sin and death and destroys it from the inside out by the holy cross. In the declaration of victory Jesus cried out on the cross it is finished, and He crushed Satan’s power in His rising from the grave. Jesus has proven in His ministry that He was not a son of the devil, but rather He was the Son of God in human flesh sent from heaven to give eternal life to all who believe in Him. For to all who believe in Jesus He has given to them the power to become sons of God and inheritors of heaven.
Jesus has given to you the victory of the strong one of this world by claiming you as one of His own. He exorcizes and frees you by water and the Word. By the waters of Baptism you have been marked by the cross of Christ, you no longer belong to Satan or yourself, you belong to God. God has spoken His good and gracious Word to you and He says that blessed are all those who hear the Word of God and keep it.
To keep God’s Word means to treasure that Word of Christ, of His forgiveness, love and salvation, as your most treasured possession. To keep God’s Word means that you live by the new name by which God has given you in Christ, named as a child of Christ you now live as a child of Christ. Listen to how Paul explains it in Ephesians 5:1-9: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
You were once in darkness but now you are called to live in the light of Christ our Lord. How is this done? It was done in your Baptism, and it is done as your live out your Baptism daily. For just as you have died to sin in Baptism, so also in life you are now called to die to sin, through repentance and faith. By daily confessing your sins you turn from sin and seek God’s forgiveness and grace in Christ. And then forgiven, you are renewed to serve Him in your life.
This plays out in our worship service every Sunday. Each Sunday we begin our service invoking God to be present among us. And in coming into His presence, we confess our sin, for who of us can stand before a holy God who must punish sin? You know the answer, it is no one. Not one of us can come to God on our own terms. We have nothing to offer to God. So this is why each Sunday we begin on our knees, confessing that we are poor, wretched, miserable sinners, in need of God’s mercy and grace. And God is merciful to us, He forgives and then blesses us with His blessing so that we begin and go through the next week with God’s blessing and promise. It is indeed a blessing to begin each Sunday, and each day, confessing our sin and receiving God’s forgiveness in Christ, for this is how sin, Satan, and death have been overcome for us, not by our might, wisdom, or strength, but by the strength of the One who is Stronger, Jesus Christ our Lord. Even as He has won the victory, we receive His gifts by faith.
It is most certainly true that we live in dark times. There is a plethora of things in the world that weigh us down, not to mention our own personal burdens that we bear. But God’s Good News today is that there is One who is stronger than our burdens and our problems. He has taken upon Himself our sins and our issues. We have an ever-present Help in our times of trouble. He is Jesus, our Strong One. So call upon Him in the day of your trouble, and He will answer you, and deliver you, so that you might glorify Him and tell others what He has done.
In Jesus’ name
Amen
Monday, April 4, 2011
Doing Battle with Goliath
DOING BATTLE WITH GOLIATH
I SAMUEL 17: 40-51
40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.
In the name of Jesus:
The story of David and Goliath is probably the most well known Bible story among children today. Children in Sunday school reenact the drama of a little shepherd boy slaying the big, bad, Goliath with a smooth rock plucked from a riverbed. But what are we to make of it? Certainly, we believe that this story is true, for the Bible, God’s Book, doesn’t lie. David killed the Giant Goliath. But, what’s the point? Should we look to the Bible as a handbook, or answer book, as it were, where we can come up with principles by which we can slay the giants, so to speak? Is this a story, which instructs us on how we can be victorious in our lives, like David was against Goliath, against overwhelming odds? To treat the Bible in this way cheapens it into a bunch of moralistic stories. No, the story of David and Goliath is actually a story of how God works, and how He continues to work for us today.
The issue is whom will you rely on? That was the question facing David before his battle with Goliath. Humanly speaking, if we are to do battle with anything or anyone more powerful than we are, we want to be as prepared as we can be, as much as is humanly possible. If you are going to battle you want the best equipment. You can’t beat a giant with a peashooter, can you?
So thought King Saul and the wise counselors of the day! When David came forth to do battle with Goliath, it is interesting to see how the wise ones of the age thought the battle should be fought. Note what Samuel records: “33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” 38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off.”
Saul thought as many think today, that whenever someone is going to do battle with a Goliath, you have to be prepared as best you can be, as humanly possible. So if you do your best, and provide for yourself the best equipment that money can buy, well, then you will be successful. The underlying belief is that you place your trust in earthly things. Use your intellect, the things around you, that which seems to be able to get the job done, place your faith in the tangible, and that will qualify you for success. And so today, conventional wisdom inside and outside of the Church would have you believe that the answers to the problems you face are within your grasp and control. You are the master of your own destiny, and if you do your best, things will work out. But do they? Will they? There is no guarantee.
The greatest giant that you face in your life is death. Your own death and the death of your loved ones. Death is the elephant in the room, so to speak, that no one really wants to think about or address. Again, conventional wisdom would have us believe that one solution to this Giant called death is denial. Deny death’s inevitability for as long as you can seems to work, for a time, but there is this thing called, death, that always seemingly gets our attention. Death comes suddenly, unrepentantly, you can try to put it out of sight out of mind, but it is always there.
You can try to live healthier, but you will still die. You can attempt to get the best medical treatment that money can buy, but you will still die. Live life like a hermit, so that you can take out many variables, which may cause death, such as an auto accident, but death is still there. Live to an old age, but you can’t live long enough because you will still die. No matter how you try to outfit your life to deal with the Goliath called death, it is always there.
Death is the symptom of a bigger issue, the issue of sin. The Bible says that the soul that sins most certainly will die. You can deny that you are a sinner, but you will still die. Death is a nasty truth, as is sin. God, who created all, calls every creature to live in accordance with His Will. Love God first and foremost, trust in Him above all things; show love to God by loving others as you do yourself. It seems so simple, but in reality, none of us can do what God demands.
Look at King Saul. He places his trust in human things to defeat Goliath. He outfits David so that he will trust in human “things” but David tries it and finds it lacking. So too, when push comes to shove and we find ourselves in a bind, how do we react? Like King Saul when we think how can I get out of this mess? Like Saul when we say surely there is something I haven’t tried that will work? Do we look for human answers when we face the Goliath of sin and death? Or will we learn from David, who trusted not in self, nor the wisdom of the age, but solely in God?
It is instructive to note that David didn’t turn nor trust in the human element. His Help and Hope were in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. This is shown where David: 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him.”
What was David’s secret? He trusted in the Lord! The rock was the means by which the Lord gave to David the victory. But David trusted, not in himself, nor anything else other than the Lord. Sadly, today we look at the things we can trust in, rather than the Lord and the means that He uses. When it comes time to battle the Goliath called sin, Satan, and death, will you trust in self, or in God?
The Bible records that this is the reason why God sent His Son, Jesus, into this world. Jesus came to do battle with sin, Satan, and death. Tempted as we are tempted, Jesus never sinned. He trusted in God and His Word. Jesus lived His life not for His own glory, but so that you might receive God’s glory. Christ denied Himself and trusted in God so that you might have help in your time of need. Just look at what Jesus did and how He faced Satan’s arrows and temptations. Jesus simply loved God above all else and sought to serve Him. For when Jesus did when confronted with Satan’s temptations, He trusted in God and His Word. Jesus did battle with our Goliath, Satan, by using the Word of God. When tempted, Jesus said: ““‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus ultimately did battle with the Goliath of sin, Satan, and death by going to the cross. There Jesus took on your sin and mine, there He tasted death for all who have sinned, there He shed His blood for the forgiveness of all sin, and on Easter Jesus triumphed over Satan and the grave by rising again to life!
God has saved you from sin, Satan and death. Just as David used simple means as a rock to slay the giant, so too God gives simple yet powerful Help. For by the cross of Christ God has saved you. Christ on the cross is the power of God and the wisdom of God. To the worldly and the so-called wise ones of our generation, the cross is foolishness. But there on the cross we see God’s love and power, for while we were yet sinners, Christ died, and then rose again to defeat sin, Satan, and death for all who believe. The word of that cross is foolishness to many but to us who are saved it is the power and wisdom of God! Through the simple means of the cross and empty tomb God has cut off Satan’s head and gives victory to all who believe.
But how can we believe? God even gives you faith! For in the waters of Baptism, which now save you, God bestows faith. Today He speaks His forgiveness and feeds your faith in Christ so that you might know and evermore believe that yours in the overwhelming victory by God’s grace through faith in Christ.
So how do you face your giants? By simply trusting in Christ and turning to Him. When you are faced with giants in your life, do not despair. The Lord God has saved you! Jesus stands in your place to do battle against the Goliath, Satan. He bore the brunt of God’s wrath so that you might have life and help in your time of need. In Christ you are victorious over the Devil. And God blesses you with His Word and Sacraments so that you might be strengthened in your daily fight against the Evil One. So do not receive the grace of God in vain, rather, go to Christ for He is your ever present Help in times of trouble! “14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Amen
I SAMUEL 17: 40-51
40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.
In the name of Jesus:
The story of David and Goliath is probably the most well known Bible story among children today. Children in Sunday school reenact the drama of a little shepherd boy slaying the big, bad, Goliath with a smooth rock plucked from a riverbed. But what are we to make of it? Certainly, we believe that this story is true, for the Bible, God’s Book, doesn’t lie. David killed the Giant Goliath. But, what’s the point? Should we look to the Bible as a handbook, or answer book, as it were, where we can come up with principles by which we can slay the giants, so to speak? Is this a story, which instructs us on how we can be victorious in our lives, like David was against Goliath, against overwhelming odds? To treat the Bible in this way cheapens it into a bunch of moralistic stories. No, the story of David and Goliath is actually a story of how God works, and how He continues to work for us today.
The issue is whom will you rely on? That was the question facing David before his battle with Goliath. Humanly speaking, if we are to do battle with anything or anyone more powerful than we are, we want to be as prepared as we can be, as much as is humanly possible. If you are going to battle you want the best equipment. You can’t beat a giant with a peashooter, can you?
So thought King Saul and the wise counselors of the day! When David came forth to do battle with Goliath, it is interesting to see how the wise ones of the age thought the battle should be fought. Note what Samuel records: “33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” 38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off.”
Saul thought as many think today, that whenever someone is going to do battle with a Goliath, you have to be prepared as best you can be, as humanly possible. So if you do your best, and provide for yourself the best equipment that money can buy, well, then you will be successful. The underlying belief is that you place your trust in earthly things. Use your intellect, the things around you, that which seems to be able to get the job done, place your faith in the tangible, and that will qualify you for success. And so today, conventional wisdom inside and outside of the Church would have you believe that the answers to the problems you face are within your grasp and control. You are the master of your own destiny, and if you do your best, things will work out. But do they? Will they? There is no guarantee.
The greatest giant that you face in your life is death. Your own death and the death of your loved ones. Death is the elephant in the room, so to speak, that no one really wants to think about or address. Again, conventional wisdom would have us believe that one solution to this Giant called death is denial. Deny death’s inevitability for as long as you can seems to work, for a time, but there is this thing called, death, that always seemingly gets our attention. Death comes suddenly, unrepentantly, you can try to put it out of sight out of mind, but it is always there.
You can try to live healthier, but you will still die. You can attempt to get the best medical treatment that money can buy, but you will still die. Live life like a hermit, so that you can take out many variables, which may cause death, such as an auto accident, but death is still there. Live to an old age, but you can’t live long enough because you will still die. No matter how you try to outfit your life to deal with the Goliath called death, it is always there.
Death is the symptom of a bigger issue, the issue of sin. The Bible says that the soul that sins most certainly will die. You can deny that you are a sinner, but you will still die. Death is a nasty truth, as is sin. God, who created all, calls every creature to live in accordance with His Will. Love God first and foremost, trust in Him above all things; show love to God by loving others as you do yourself. It seems so simple, but in reality, none of us can do what God demands.
Look at King Saul. He places his trust in human things to defeat Goliath. He outfits David so that he will trust in human “things” but David tries it and finds it lacking. So too, when push comes to shove and we find ourselves in a bind, how do we react? Like King Saul when we think how can I get out of this mess? Like Saul when we say surely there is something I haven’t tried that will work? Do we look for human answers when we face the Goliath of sin and death? Or will we learn from David, who trusted not in self, nor the wisdom of the age, but solely in God?
It is instructive to note that David didn’t turn nor trust in the human element. His Help and Hope were in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. This is shown where David: 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him.”
What was David’s secret? He trusted in the Lord! The rock was the means by which the Lord gave to David the victory. But David trusted, not in himself, nor anything else other than the Lord. Sadly, today we look at the things we can trust in, rather than the Lord and the means that He uses. When it comes time to battle the Goliath called sin, Satan, and death, will you trust in self, or in God?
The Bible records that this is the reason why God sent His Son, Jesus, into this world. Jesus came to do battle with sin, Satan, and death. Tempted as we are tempted, Jesus never sinned. He trusted in God and His Word. Jesus lived His life not for His own glory, but so that you might receive God’s glory. Christ denied Himself and trusted in God so that you might have help in your time of need. Just look at what Jesus did and how He faced Satan’s arrows and temptations. Jesus simply loved God above all else and sought to serve Him. For when Jesus did when confronted with Satan’s temptations, He trusted in God and His Word. Jesus did battle with our Goliath, Satan, by using the Word of God. When tempted, Jesus said: ““‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus ultimately did battle with the Goliath of sin, Satan, and death by going to the cross. There Jesus took on your sin and mine, there He tasted death for all who have sinned, there He shed His blood for the forgiveness of all sin, and on Easter Jesus triumphed over Satan and the grave by rising again to life!
God has saved you from sin, Satan and death. Just as David used simple means as a rock to slay the giant, so too God gives simple yet powerful Help. For by the cross of Christ God has saved you. Christ on the cross is the power of God and the wisdom of God. To the worldly and the so-called wise ones of our generation, the cross is foolishness. But there on the cross we see God’s love and power, for while we were yet sinners, Christ died, and then rose again to defeat sin, Satan, and death for all who believe. The word of that cross is foolishness to many but to us who are saved it is the power and wisdom of God! Through the simple means of the cross and empty tomb God has cut off Satan’s head and gives victory to all who believe.
But how can we believe? God even gives you faith! For in the waters of Baptism, which now save you, God bestows faith. Today He speaks His forgiveness and feeds your faith in Christ so that you might know and evermore believe that yours in the overwhelming victory by God’s grace through faith in Christ.
So how do you face your giants? By simply trusting in Christ and turning to Him. When you are faced with giants in your life, do not despair. The Lord God has saved you! Jesus stands in your place to do battle against the Goliath, Satan. He bore the brunt of God’s wrath so that you might have life and help in your time of need. In Christ you are victorious over the Devil. And God blesses you with His Word and Sacraments so that you might be strengthened in your daily fight against the Evil One. So do not receive the grace of God in vain, rather, go to Christ for He is your ever present Help in times of trouble! “14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Amen
Calm in the Midst of the Storm
CALM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM
MATTHEW 8:23-27
23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
In the name of Jesus:
One of the Pastors who trained me on my vicarage was Pastor Bob Holstein. Pastor Holstein was reared in Kansas and he loved a good thunderstorm. Thunderstorms in Southern Illinois can be quite violent, with the storms spawning many a tornado. I remember talking to him about Southern Illinois weather and how violent the storms seemed to be in that part of the country. He confided in me that he loved a good thunderstorm, in fact, Pastor Holstein recollected that while growing up in Kansas, he would stay with his grandparents from time to time. His grandpa was a pastor and Pastor Holstein remembered that, when he was a young boy, whenever a thunderstorm would approach the farmland in Kansas he would scurry up to the belfry of the church. He would get in the highest point he could get in that bell tower so that he could be close to the storm and see the lightening flash through the sky and hear the cracking boom of the thunder.
You laugh, thinking that man is nuts! I thought so too, but seeing as I wanted to pass vicarage, I nodded my head in approval, but upon further reflection, who in their right mind wants to do that? Pastor Holstein got a kick out of it, he loved it, he looked forward to being right in the middle of the thunderstorm, right in the smack dab middle where it would be the most dangerous. Now we know not to do that, it IS dangerous. Who wants to be in the middle of a storm, where you can see your life pass right before your eyes?
In our text for today, the disciples found themselves right in the middle of the storm, in a boat, all alone on the lake, with nowhere to run, and only One to turn to. They had gotten into the boat with Jesus and were sailing to the other side of the Sea of Tiberius. The Scripture says that there arose a great storm on the sea. Now mind you, this was before the weather channel and the Internet. There was no weather radio and no technological equipment. It was dark out, seeing that it WAS nighttime, and it was difficult to look at the sky and predict the weather. If you have ever been out in a boat in the middle of the night, you understand. The whole surroundings were pitch black. Storms in this area would come upon travelers suddenly. Starting in the Mediterranean Sea area, the storms would pick up strength and gather steam until the full fury of the storm would be unleashed upon the Sea of Galilee, just where Jesus and the disciples were traveling.
The winds were strong, the rains heavy, and weather violent. Hurricane force winds whipped the boat, so much so that the disciples saw their lives pass before their eyes. Water began to pour into the boat faster than the 12 could bail the water out of the boat. The waves were swamping the boat. And Jesus? He was asleep below, seemingly unaware of what was transpiring.
Frantically the disciples cried out to the Lord. It wasn’t a case of them gently trying to rouse Jesus from His slumber, “oh Jesus, time to get up…Get up you sleepy head.” No, it was a cry of desperation: ““Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
So, what are the storms in your life? What is causing you pain and anxiety in your life now? What is causing you pain, worry, and concern? What causes you to cry out to the Lord in desperation: “Save me Lord, for I am perishing? “ What causes you to look to the Lord, to cry out to Him when you feel like you are drowning in your fears? We can all relate to the Psalmist who laments: “Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.” (Psalm 69:1).
Know this, dear child of God, that your Heavenly Father has heard your cry and He continues to hear your cry for help in time of need. For our God is a very present Help in times of trouble. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. Your help, my Help. Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
That is who was asleep in the bow of the boat. It was the Lord God, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who made heaven and earth. Why was He asleep? In part, because He was tired. But also because He was not afraid. And why wasn’t He afraid? Because He made heaven and earth. His creation was the work of His hands, He was in charge and He was in control.
That is why Jesus states: Don’t be afraid. These words aren’t just words without meaning, these are words which speak power and are power, for God’s Word is powerful, killing and giving life. And the same Jesus who spoke to His disciples in the midst of the storm speaks to you, today, in the middle of the storms of your life.
What does Jesus say? The very same thing that He said to His disciples, “Don’t be afraid.” Why shouldn’t we be afraid, after all, we are each and every one of us up to our neck in problems, in trials, and tribulations. Jesus tells us not to be afraid, because of who He is and because of what He has done.
He reminds you and me that He is the very Son of God in human flesh. He came from heaven to earth to cast out our fears, by taking on our flesh, by being our Substitute in His Life and death. Christ came to take on our flesh to keep the Law on our behalf, to fear, love, and trust in God above all things. And so, it should not surprise us when we hear the words: Don’t be afraid, for those words are Good News for sinners.
On the night when Jesus was born, the Scriptures state that shepherds were minding their own business, when heavenly guests surprised them. Angels announced the birth of Jesus and the Scriptures record that these shepherds trembled with fear. So what did the angels say to them to cast out their fear? “Do not be afraid, for there is Good News for to you is born in the city of David a Savior, He is Christ the Lord.” Christ was given the name Jesus because He would save His people from their sins.
And this is what Jesus has done, for in His death on the cross and His rising to life again, Jesus has defeated sin, Satan, and death for you and for al who believe. Even in death, Christ gives victory and hope. Mary Magdalene wept as she first saw the tomb where Jesus was laid. And yet God’s Good News to her through His angel was to not be afraid! “Don’t be afraid, for you look for Jesus, but He is not here, He has risen, just as He said!”
This same Jesus, who was born, who died and rose again, this same Jesus is the One in the boat, asleep, while the disciples let their fears get the best of them. Jesus said, do not be afraid, and then took action, calming the storm and quieting their fears.
Jesus does the same for you this day. For the Son of God in human flesh lives for you. As the hymnist writes: He lives to silence all my fears; He lives to wipe away my tears; He lives to calm my troubled heart; He lives all blessings to impart.
And God indeed blesses you today, even as you feel as if you are right smack dab in the middle of the biggest storm of your life. He blesses in that He reminds you that you are His very own baptized child. He has staked a claim on you, He has washed away your sins, you have been marked as one redeemed by Jesus Christ. He speaks His Word of comfort and grace and strength this day. He comes in the form of bread and wine to strengthen you on your pilgrimage. At the times in your life, in your crisis when it seems as if God is not there, just remember, Jesus is there with you in your boat. Your God is there with you. He has come to save you. His promise is certain and sure. In the middle of your crisis He says to you, don’t be afraid, for the Lord is your helper, He is at your right hand. He has won an overwhelming victory for you. So call upon Him in the day of your trouble. He will hear you, He will answer. Cast your cares on Him. He cares for you. For God says in His Word that the day that you call upon Him He will answer. God will be with you, He will deliver you. He will take care of you in the present. He holds your future in His hand. And nothing will ever be able to separate you from His love, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Amen
And now may the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen
MATTHEW 8:23-27
23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
In the name of Jesus:
One of the Pastors who trained me on my vicarage was Pastor Bob Holstein. Pastor Holstein was reared in Kansas and he loved a good thunderstorm. Thunderstorms in Southern Illinois can be quite violent, with the storms spawning many a tornado. I remember talking to him about Southern Illinois weather and how violent the storms seemed to be in that part of the country. He confided in me that he loved a good thunderstorm, in fact, Pastor Holstein recollected that while growing up in Kansas, he would stay with his grandparents from time to time. His grandpa was a pastor and Pastor Holstein remembered that, when he was a young boy, whenever a thunderstorm would approach the farmland in Kansas he would scurry up to the belfry of the church. He would get in the highest point he could get in that bell tower so that he could be close to the storm and see the lightening flash through the sky and hear the cracking boom of the thunder.
You laugh, thinking that man is nuts! I thought so too, but seeing as I wanted to pass vicarage, I nodded my head in approval, but upon further reflection, who in their right mind wants to do that? Pastor Holstein got a kick out of it, he loved it, he looked forward to being right in the middle of the thunderstorm, right in the smack dab middle where it would be the most dangerous. Now we know not to do that, it IS dangerous. Who wants to be in the middle of a storm, where you can see your life pass right before your eyes?
In our text for today, the disciples found themselves right in the middle of the storm, in a boat, all alone on the lake, with nowhere to run, and only One to turn to. They had gotten into the boat with Jesus and were sailing to the other side of the Sea of Tiberius. The Scripture says that there arose a great storm on the sea. Now mind you, this was before the weather channel and the Internet. There was no weather radio and no technological equipment. It was dark out, seeing that it WAS nighttime, and it was difficult to look at the sky and predict the weather. If you have ever been out in a boat in the middle of the night, you understand. The whole surroundings were pitch black. Storms in this area would come upon travelers suddenly. Starting in the Mediterranean Sea area, the storms would pick up strength and gather steam until the full fury of the storm would be unleashed upon the Sea of Galilee, just where Jesus and the disciples were traveling.
The winds were strong, the rains heavy, and weather violent. Hurricane force winds whipped the boat, so much so that the disciples saw their lives pass before their eyes. Water began to pour into the boat faster than the 12 could bail the water out of the boat. The waves were swamping the boat. And Jesus? He was asleep below, seemingly unaware of what was transpiring.
Frantically the disciples cried out to the Lord. It wasn’t a case of them gently trying to rouse Jesus from His slumber, “oh Jesus, time to get up…Get up you sleepy head.” No, it was a cry of desperation: ““Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
So, what are the storms in your life? What is causing you pain and anxiety in your life now? What is causing you pain, worry, and concern? What causes you to cry out to the Lord in desperation: “Save me Lord, for I am perishing? “ What causes you to look to the Lord, to cry out to Him when you feel like you are drowning in your fears? We can all relate to the Psalmist who laments: “Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.” (Psalm 69:1).
Know this, dear child of God, that your Heavenly Father has heard your cry and He continues to hear your cry for help in time of need. For our God is a very present Help in times of trouble. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. Your help, my Help. Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
That is who was asleep in the bow of the boat. It was the Lord God, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who made heaven and earth. Why was He asleep? In part, because He was tired. But also because He was not afraid. And why wasn’t He afraid? Because He made heaven and earth. His creation was the work of His hands, He was in charge and He was in control.
That is why Jesus states: Don’t be afraid. These words aren’t just words without meaning, these are words which speak power and are power, for God’s Word is powerful, killing and giving life. And the same Jesus who spoke to His disciples in the midst of the storm speaks to you, today, in the middle of the storms of your life.
What does Jesus say? The very same thing that He said to His disciples, “Don’t be afraid.” Why shouldn’t we be afraid, after all, we are each and every one of us up to our neck in problems, in trials, and tribulations. Jesus tells us not to be afraid, because of who He is and because of what He has done.
He reminds you and me that He is the very Son of God in human flesh. He came from heaven to earth to cast out our fears, by taking on our flesh, by being our Substitute in His Life and death. Christ came to take on our flesh to keep the Law on our behalf, to fear, love, and trust in God above all things. And so, it should not surprise us when we hear the words: Don’t be afraid, for those words are Good News for sinners.
On the night when Jesus was born, the Scriptures state that shepherds were minding their own business, when heavenly guests surprised them. Angels announced the birth of Jesus and the Scriptures record that these shepherds trembled with fear. So what did the angels say to them to cast out their fear? “Do not be afraid, for there is Good News for to you is born in the city of David a Savior, He is Christ the Lord.” Christ was given the name Jesus because He would save His people from their sins.
And this is what Jesus has done, for in His death on the cross and His rising to life again, Jesus has defeated sin, Satan, and death for you and for al who believe. Even in death, Christ gives victory and hope. Mary Magdalene wept as she first saw the tomb where Jesus was laid. And yet God’s Good News to her through His angel was to not be afraid! “Don’t be afraid, for you look for Jesus, but He is not here, He has risen, just as He said!”
This same Jesus, who was born, who died and rose again, this same Jesus is the One in the boat, asleep, while the disciples let their fears get the best of them. Jesus said, do not be afraid, and then took action, calming the storm and quieting their fears.
Jesus does the same for you this day. For the Son of God in human flesh lives for you. As the hymnist writes: He lives to silence all my fears; He lives to wipe away my tears; He lives to calm my troubled heart; He lives all blessings to impart.
And God indeed blesses you today, even as you feel as if you are right smack dab in the middle of the biggest storm of your life. He blesses in that He reminds you that you are His very own baptized child. He has staked a claim on you, He has washed away your sins, you have been marked as one redeemed by Jesus Christ. He speaks His Word of comfort and grace and strength this day. He comes in the form of bread and wine to strengthen you on your pilgrimage. At the times in your life, in your crisis when it seems as if God is not there, just remember, Jesus is there with you in your boat. Your God is there with you. He has come to save you. His promise is certain and sure. In the middle of your crisis He says to you, don’t be afraid, for the Lord is your helper, He is at your right hand. He has won an overwhelming victory for you. So call upon Him in the day of your trouble. He will hear you, He will answer. Cast your cares on Him. He cares for you. For God says in His Word that the day that you call upon Him He will answer. God will be with you, He will deliver you. He will take care of you in the present. He holds your future in His hand. And nothing will ever be able to separate you from His love, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Amen
And now may the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen
A Sermon for a suicide
CHRIST IS OUR ONLY HOPE
PSALM 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
In the name of Jesus:
Governor Jan Brewer of the state of Arizona, in remarks to the citizens of her state in the wake of the tragic deaths last weekend said in her state of the state: “ Tragedy and terror sometimes come from the shadows – and steal our joy and take away our peace.
This past weekend's events have caused me – caused all of us -- to reflect on many things, including how we respond to those terrible events. Our response is led by prayer and comfort for the families. “ Patricia’s death has stolen our joy and has taken away our peace. Dave, Sandra, and Jennifer, to Patricia’s family and friends, your grief is unimaginable. How do we respond? To whom should we turn? God tenderly invites you to turn to Him. Your hope, our hope, is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. God invites you and all who mourn today to come to Him, for God is our refuge and strength, our very present help in times of trouble.
There is a hymn in the historic Church’s liturgy, which dates to the 14th. Century. It is called the Media vita in morte sumus. It’s very words direct us to God in the time of death. The hymnist writes: “In the midst of life we are in death, from whom can we seek help? From you alone, O lord, who by our sins are justly angered, Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and merciful Savior, deliver us not into the bitterness of eternal death.” We sinful human beings deserve no good thing from God. Today we are broken but not defeated, for our help is in the name of the Lord.
Death brings home to us the reality of our own frail nature. Each and everyone of us must die. So how do we respond? Where comes our help? Our help is not found in the wisdom of other people, in our own strength, even in our own death. To all assembled here and to especially the young people today, I want to say most clearly, your death is not an answer. If you have ever contemplated taking your life, please do not. There are people, who love you, who will listen, who will help. Most importantly, God loves you. God is your help and will be your help. Your help is in the Lord. Our death is not the answer to any problems or trials that we face. God’s death, though, is the answer.
For the Bible says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus died for you. God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Christ will have eternal life. In your distress, in your grief, go to the Lord, for He loves you with an everlasting love. Listen to God’s tender invitation: “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The Psalmist writes: “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. 6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” Elsewhere we read the Psalmist who writes: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! 2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. 5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”
How do we know this? We know this because of God’s certain Word. The Scriptures tell us of the sign of God’s love: “This is a sign to you, you will find the Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. To you has been born in the city of David the Savior, Christ the Lord.” Christ is our Lord and Savior. He loves sinners with an everlasting love. He loves you with an everlasting love and this is His promise: “37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:37-40
God saves sinners. Christ came to save sinners. In His death and resurrection, God has the only answer to our death and grief. It is Jesus. Christ became sin for us that we might be God’s children. Christ saves sinners. Christ delights in living with and in sinners. Christ is the only Hope for sinners.
Patricia was a child of God. Her favorite hymn was Amazing Grace. “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found was blind but now I see.” Through the love and care of Dave and Sandra Patricia came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Know this for certain, dear friends, Jesus loved Patricia and Patricia loved the Lord Jesus! She is with the Lord today, because of God’s amazing grace in Jesus Christ. By grace we have all been saved, through faith in Christ. And just as Jesus rose from the grave, so too His promise to Patricia, and to each and every one of us who believe in Jesus is that He will raise us up on the Last Day. Dave, Sandra, and Jennifer, on that Day when Jesus comes He will make all things new. For our Redeemer lives! Keep trusting in Jesus, for whoever is faithful unto death He will give the crown of everlasting life. You will hold Patricia’s hand again and see her in the flesh, for our Redeemer lives!
Even now, Jesus is your refuge in death. Even though you walk through this dark valley God is with you. For the Lord is your Shepherd. He is with you to be your ever present help in this time of trouble. So trust Christ. He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust. He abounds in steadfast love for you. He is your refuge and strength. And that “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 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 8:38-39.
Amen
Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that Your hand is leading us and Your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
PSALM 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
In the name of Jesus:
Governor Jan Brewer of the state of Arizona, in remarks to the citizens of her state in the wake of the tragic deaths last weekend said in her state of the state: “ Tragedy and terror sometimes come from the shadows – and steal our joy and take away our peace.
This past weekend's events have caused me – caused all of us -- to reflect on many things, including how we respond to those terrible events. Our response is led by prayer and comfort for the families. “ Patricia’s death has stolen our joy and has taken away our peace. Dave, Sandra, and Jennifer, to Patricia’s family and friends, your grief is unimaginable. How do we respond? To whom should we turn? God tenderly invites you to turn to Him. Your hope, our hope, is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. God invites you and all who mourn today to come to Him, for God is our refuge and strength, our very present help in times of trouble.
There is a hymn in the historic Church’s liturgy, which dates to the 14th. Century. It is called the Media vita in morte sumus. It’s very words direct us to God in the time of death. The hymnist writes: “In the midst of life we are in death, from whom can we seek help? From you alone, O lord, who by our sins are justly angered, Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and merciful Savior, deliver us not into the bitterness of eternal death.” We sinful human beings deserve no good thing from God. Today we are broken but not defeated, for our help is in the name of the Lord.
Death brings home to us the reality of our own frail nature. Each and everyone of us must die. So how do we respond? Where comes our help? Our help is not found in the wisdom of other people, in our own strength, even in our own death. To all assembled here and to especially the young people today, I want to say most clearly, your death is not an answer. If you have ever contemplated taking your life, please do not. There are people, who love you, who will listen, who will help. Most importantly, God loves you. God is your help and will be your help. Your help is in the Lord. Our death is not the answer to any problems or trials that we face. God’s death, though, is the answer.
For the Bible says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus died for you. God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Christ will have eternal life. In your distress, in your grief, go to the Lord, for He loves you with an everlasting love. Listen to God’s tender invitation: “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The Psalmist writes: “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. 6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” Elsewhere we read the Psalmist who writes: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! 2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. 5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”
How do we know this? We know this because of God’s certain Word. The Scriptures tell us of the sign of God’s love: “This is a sign to you, you will find the Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. To you has been born in the city of David the Savior, Christ the Lord.” Christ is our Lord and Savior. He loves sinners with an everlasting love. He loves you with an everlasting love and this is His promise: “37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:37-40
God saves sinners. Christ came to save sinners. In His death and resurrection, God has the only answer to our death and grief. It is Jesus. Christ became sin for us that we might be God’s children. Christ saves sinners. Christ delights in living with and in sinners. Christ is the only Hope for sinners.
Patricia was a child of God. Her favorite hymn was Amazing Grace. “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found was blind but now I see.” Through the love and care of Dave and Sandra Patricia came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Know this for certain, dear friends, Jesus loved Patricia and Patricia loved the Lord Jesus! She is with the Lord today, because of God’s amazing grace in Jesus Christ. By grace we have all been saved, through faith in Christ. And just as Jesus rose from the grave, so too His promise to Patricia, and to each and every one of us who believe in Jesus is that He will raise us up on the Last Day. Dave, Sandra, and Jennifer, on that Day when Jesus comes He will make all things new. For our Redeemer lives! Keep trusting in Jesus, for whoever is faithful unto death He will give the crown of everlasting life. You will hold Patricia’s hand again and see her in the flesh, for our Redeemer lives!
Even now, Jesus is your refuge in death. Even though you walk through this dark valley God is with you. For the Lord is your Shepherd. He is with you to be your ever present help in this time of trouble. So trust Christ. He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust. He abounds in steadfast love for you. He is your refuge and strength. And that “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 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 8:38-39.
Amen
Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that Your hand is leading us and Your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
A Hundred Fold Harvest
A HUNDRED-FOLD HARVEST
LUKE 8:4-15
4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
In the name of Jesus:
Let’s see a show of hands, how many of you are gardeners? Quite a few. Good, now I have a question that I want you to consider, what is the most important element to a fruitful garden? Is it location? Watering the garden, sunlight? You can have a great location for you garden, it can have the optimal sunlight and just enough fertilizer and water, but if you don’t have that which is most important, you can’t have a garden. What am I forgetting? The seed. Seeds are the most important part of agriculture, whether it is on a farm or in a garden. You can have all of the fancy equipment to grow plants and vegetation, you can have the optimal conditions, you can spend time pulling weeds and making certain that everything is just right, but if you don’t have the seed, you got nothing.
It isn’t by accident that Jesus, when speaking of the Kingdom of God, and the Church, talks about it in terms of agriculture or farming. People in Jesus’ day and age knew what it meant to work the land so that they could have food for their families. For us living in the 21st century, well, not so much, because unless we understand some basic principles to growing things, we won’t understand what the Kingdom of God is like. And this is the reason why Jesus speaks in parables, It is the reason why Jesus gives us the secrets to God’s Kingdom in parables, so that we, by the power of the Holy Spirit, might understand what God is doing in His Kingdom, the Church, and what He continues to do among us today.
Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a sower, which goes out to sow His seed. Here Jesus is telling us that He is the Sower, the Seed is His Word, the Gospel, which is planted in the hearts and lives of people. Just as a sower sows seed in the field, so Jesus sows seed in the hearts of sinners. If you can imagine a famer picking seed out of a pouch and spreading it by hand, the seed would fall in different places. The seed would fall on pathways where it would be trampled or eaten by birds, on rocky soil or rock where it would wither under the heat of the sun, among thorny plants where it would grow for a time and be choked off by the thorny plants, and on the good soil where it would grow a hundred fold.
Jesus says that the different types of soil represent the different people who hear the Word spoken by Jesus. Some are like seed thrown on the path, where once they hear the Gospel they let it go in one hear and out the other. Others are like seed thrown on rocks, where they believe for a while, maybe they are caught up in the emotion or experience of it all, and when push comes to shove and when testing comes their way, they leave the faith. Still others are like the seed that falls among the thorns, they believe but soon the cares of the world, the opinions of others, or maybe just their love for the world and riches and pleasures of life they leave the faith and do not mature n the faith.
But there are those who hear the Word as if seed planted in good soil. They hold this Word fast, in a good and honest heart, and they bear fruit, fruit as in a hundred fold, with PATIENCE. It isn’t the heart that brings forth the fruit; it is the seed, the Gospel. So how does this happen? How does the Christian bear fruit a hundred fold?
It is only by the grace and work of God! Our hearts are hardened by sin. Like lumps of rock or clay, God cannot penetrate with His love into our hearts because we are cold hearted. Our first love is not God. It is our sinful self. That is what sin is, a turning away from God. Our sinful nature questions God, our need for God, our want of a relationship with God. We try to come to God on our own terms. We think that God might be pleased with our intentions. Our good intentions. Or perhaps God might love us if he sees that we are sincere in our relationship with Him. Or maybe we can get on God’s good side if we do something for God, surely then He will be pleased! We want God, we seek a relationship with God, on our terms, setting our rules and regulations, we make God into what we want, rather than hearing who God reveals Himself to be and listening to what He has to say. We want God on our terms, to be like a fairy godmother to wave a magic wand, so as to meet our every wish and need and whim in life. But what DOES HE have to say?
He says, “their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Cor. 11:15). His Word reveals our sin in our hearts and in our lives, for “the Word of God is living and active, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb 4:12-13).
We must give account. We must answer to God, for all have sinned and fallen short of His glory. Sin pays off with death! Temporal and eternal death. Satan, the world, even our sinful flesh, attacks our faith. We are all lost if not for the grace of God in Christ! And it is be God’s grace that we are saved.
God calls the sinner to repent. That is how God breaks our heart, our stony cold hearted heart, by showing us that we have sinned and we need God’s mercy. He calls us to repentance, to turn from sin, from self, from the world and its sinful pleasures, and to turn to God in Christ! For God has sent Christ to bear the attacks of the Evil One in His life and death. God so loved the world that He sent Christ to be nailed to a tree, so that by His cross-planted on the hill called Calvary your sins would be forgiven! Even though Jesus was hounded by the devil on the cross, even though He became sin for you on the cross, by His stripes, by his life, by His bloody death YOU ARE FORGIVEN! Through His dying and rising again Jesus destroyed death and Hell and all who believe. Jesus came down from heaven to die and rise so that all who believe in Him will rise to new life, bringing forth fruits to the glory of God.
This is what it means when Isaiah writes: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Jesus has sown the seed of His Gospel deep into your heart in the waters of your Baptism. There God has drowned your sin so that by the power of the Holy Spirit a new person will come forth to live before God. You have been made a new person in Baptism in Christ. As you read the Scriptures, as you hear the Word proclaimed, God brings to you Christ. The Word brings Christ and God’s promise is that this Word will not return to the Lord empty but it will accomplish what the Lord wants. And what does the Lord want? He wants all to be saved and come to faith in Christ, a faith that is rooted in the heart and is lived in your life.
Yet this faith is a mystery, when according to God’s good pleasure is revealed in bearing fruit in your life. Jesus says that He is the Vine, we are the branches and that if we remain in Him, we will bear abundant fruit. The key is remaining in Jesus, being rooted in Him. And how is this done? By being faithful in worship, hearing the Word, receiving the Lord’s Supper, reading and meditating on the Word for the Word brings Christ. God makes this promise, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it. To those who hear His Word, treasure it, believe it and trust in Christ and His promises, God works to bring not only faith but uses that person to bring forth fruits of a living faith in Christ.
But all this happens in God’s time, which is why our text talks about bearing fruit with patience. Fruit comes from patience. Look at the fruits in your garden. Does the garden bear fruit today? No because it is not time. Will it bear fruit in April, May, or June? No matter how much you want it to bear fruit, you cannot force it. Fruit comes with patience, in God’s time, trusting in HIm. So it is with our lives. God calls us to be rooted in Christ and His Word, to be faithful in our reception and He who plants the seed will bring forth its fruit in our lives. In His time, according to His will.
There is an old Native American story, which, as a modern day parable, can help us in our understanding of how God works. It is a story about an opossum, who one day visited his good friend, a raccoon, at his home near the river. The opossum marveled at his friend's lush garden and asked if he could grow one like it. The raccoon assured the opossum he could do so, although he cautioned him, "It is hard work."
The opossum eagerly vowed to do the hard work necessary, then asked for and received some seeds. He rushed home with his treasure, buried them amid much laughter and song, went inside to clean up, ate, and went to bed. The next morning he leapt from bed to see his new garden.
Nothing. The ground looked no different than it had the day before!
Furious with anger and frustration, the opossum shouted at his buried seeds, "Grow, seeds, grow!" He pounded the ground and stomped his feet. But nothing happened. Soon a large crowd of forest animals gathered to see who was making all the commotion and why. The raccoon came to investigate with all the others.
"What are you doing, Opossum?" he asked. "Your racket has awakened the whole forest."
The opossum railed about having no garden, then turned to each seed, and commanded it to grow. When the animals began to mock the opossum for his silly actions, he only screamed louder. At last the raccoon spoke up once more.
"Wait a minute, Possum," he said. "You can't make the seeds grow. You can only make sure they get sun and water, then watch them do their work. The life is in the seed, not in you."
As the truth sank in, the opossum ceased his yelling and began to care for the seeds as the raccoon instructed, watering them regularly and getting rid of any weeds that invaded his garden. (On some days, though, when no one was watching, he still shouted a bit.)
Then one glorious morning the opossum wandered outside to see that multitudes of beautiful green sprouts dotted his garden. Just a few days later, gorgeous flowers began to bloom. With uncontrollable excitement and pride, the opossum ran to his friend, the raccoon, and asked him to witness the miracle. The raccoon took one long look at the thriving garden and said, "You see, Opossum, all you had to do was let the seeds do the work while you watched."
"Yes," smiled the opossum, finally remembering the wise words of his friend many days before, "but it's a hard job watching a seed work."
You and I are called to bear fruit. But how is this done? By trusting in Christ, rooting our lives in Christ, being faithful to Christ, hearing Him, receiving His gifts in the Lord’s Supper, attending worship, for in all of this we received the seed of His Word. And we have His promise, that His seed will not return empty, but will accomplish what He wants. There is an old saying: “We know the number of seeds in an apple, but only God knows the number of apples in a seed." Rooted in Christ, God will use your life in unique ways to share and spread Christ’s love to all.
Jesus said:” unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Christ has died and risen to give you life. In dying to sin and clinging to Jesus, God uses His Word in our lives to bring forth abundant fruit. May God grant it in Jesus’ name!
Amen
LUKE 8:4-15
4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
In the name of Jesus:
Let’s see a show of hands, how many of you are gardeners? Quite a few. Good, now I have a question that I want you to consider, what is the most important element to a fruitful garden? Is it location? Watering the garden, sunlight? You can have a great location for you garden, it can have the optimal sunlight and just enough fertilizer and water, but if you don’t have that which is most important, you can’t have a garden. What am I forgetting? The seed. Seeds are the most important part of agriculture, whether it is on a farm or in a garden. You can have all of the fancy equipment to grow plants and vegetation, you can have the optimal conditions, you can spend time pulling weeds and making certain that everything is just right, but if you don’t have the seed, you got nothing.
It isn’t by accident that Jesus, when speaking of the Kingdom of God, and the Church, talks about it in terms of agriculture or farming. People in Jesus’ day and age knew what it meant to work the land so that they could have food for their families. For us living in the 21st century, well, not so much, because unless we understand some basic principles to growing things, we won’t understand what the Kingdom of God is like. And this is the reason why Jesus speaks in parables, It is the reason why Jesus gives us the secrets to God’s Kingdom in parables, so that we, by the power of the Holy Spirit, might understand what God is doing in His Kingdom, the Church, and what He continues to do among us today.
Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a sower, which goes out to sow His seed. Here Jesus is telling us that He is the Sower, the Seed is His Word, the Gospel, which is planted in the hearts and lives of people. Just as a sower sows seed in the field, so Jesus sows seed in the hearts of sinners. If you can imagine a famer picking seed out of a pouch and spreading it by hand, the seed would fall in different places. The seed would fall on pathways where it would be trampled or eaten by birds, on rocky soil or rock where it would wither under the heat of the sun, among thorny plants where it would grow for a time and be choked off by the thorny plants, and on the good soil where it would grow a hundred fold.
Jesus says that the different types of soil represent the different people who hear the Word spoken by Jesus. Some are like seed thrown on the path, where once they hear the Gospel they let it go in one hear and out the other. Others are like seed thrown on rocks, where they believe for a while, maybe they are caught up in the emotion or experience of it all, and when push comes to shove and when testing comes their way, they leave the faith. Still others are like the seed that falls among the thorns, they believe but soon the cares of the world, the opinions of others, or maybe just their love for the world and riches and pleasures of life they leave the faith and do not mature n the faith.
But there are those who hear the Word as if seed planted in good soil. They hold this Word fast, in a good and honest heart, and they bear fruit, fruit as in a hundred fold, with PATIENCE. It isn’t the heart that brings forth the fruit; it is the seed, the Gospel. So how does this happen? How does the Christian bear fruit a hundred fold?
It is only by the grace and work of God! Our hearts are hardened by sin. Like lumps of rock or clay, God cannot penetrate with His love into our hearts because we are cold hearted. Our first love is not God. It is our sinful self. That is what sin is, a turning away from God. Our sinful nature questions God, our need for God, our want of a relationship with God. We try to come to God on our own terms. We think that God might be pleased with our intentions. Our good intentions. Or perhaps God might love us if he sees that we are sincere in our relationship with Him. Or maybe we can get on God’s good side if we do something for God, surely then He will be pleased! We want God, we seek a relationship with God, on our terms, setting our rules and regulations, we make God into what we want, rather than hearing who God reveals Himself to be and listening to what He has to say. We want God on our terms, to be like a fairy godmother to wave a magic wand, so as to meet our every wish and need and whim in life. But what DOES HE have to say?
He says, “their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Cor. 11:15). His Word reveals our sin in our hearts and in our lives, for “the Word of God is living and active, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb 4:12-13).
We must give account. We must answer to God, for all have sinned and fallen short of His glory. Sin pays off with death! Temporal and eternal death. Satan, the world, even our sinful flesh, attacks our faith. We are all lost if not for the grace of God in Christ! And it is be God’s grace that we are saved.
God calls the sinner to repent. That is how God breaks our heart, our stony cold hearted heart, by showing us that we have sinned and we need God’s mercy. He calls us to repentance, to turn from sin, from self, from the world and its sinful pleasures, and to turn to God in Christ! For God has sent Christ to bear the attacks of the Evil One in His life and death. God so loved the world that He sent Christ to be nailed to a tree, so that by His cross-planted on the hill called Calvary your sins would be forgiven! Even though Jesus was hounded by the devil on the cross, even though He became sin for you on the cross, by His stripes, by his life, by His bloody death YOU ARE FORGIVEN! Through His dying and rising again Jesus destroyed death and Hell and all who believe. Jesus came down from heaven to die and rise so that all who believe in Him will rise to new life, bringing forth fruits to the glory of God.
This is what it means when Isaiah writes: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Jesus has sown the seed of His Gospel deep into your heart in the waters of your Baptism. There God has drowned your sin so that by the power of the Holy Spirit a new person will come forth to live before God. You have been made a new person in Baptism in Christ. As you read the Scriptures, as you hear the Word proclaimed, God brings to you Christ. The Word brings Christ and God’s promise is that this Word will not return to the Lord empty but it will accomplish what the Lord wants. And what does the Lord want? He wants all to be saved and come to faith in Christ, a faith that is rooted in the heart and is lived in your life.
Yet this faith is a mystery, when according to God’s good pleasure is revealed in bearing fruit in your life. Jesus says that He is the Vine, we are the branches and that if we remain in Him, we will bear abundant fruit. The key is remaining in Jesus, being rooted in Him. And how is this done? By being faithful in worship, hearing the Word, receiving the Lord’s Supper, reading and meditating on the Word for the Word brings Christ. God makes this promise, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it. To those who hear His Word, treasure it, believe it and trust in Christ and His promises, God works to bring not only faith but uses that person to bring forth fruits of a living faith in Christ.
But all this happens in God’s time, which is why our text talks about bearing fruit with patience. Fruit comes from patience. Look at the fruits in your garden. Does the garden bear fruit today? No because it is not time. Will it bear fruit in April, May, or June? No matter how much you want it to bear fruit, you cannot force it. Fruit comes with patience, in God’s time, trusting in HIm. So it is with our lives. God calls us to be rooted in Christ and His Word, to be faithful in our reception and He who plants the seed will bring forth its fruit in our lives. In His time, according to His will.
There is an old Native American story, which, as a modern day parable, can help us in our understanding of how God works. It is a story about an opossum, who one day visited his good friend, a raccoon, at his home near the river. The opossum marveled at his friend's lush garden and asked if he could grow one like it. The raccoon assured the opossum he could do so, although he cautioned him, "It is hard work."
The opossum eagerly vowed to do the hard work necessary, then asked for and received some seeds. He rushed home with his treasure, buried them amid much laughter and song, went inside to clean up, ate, and went to bed. The next morning he leapt from bed to see his new garden.
Nothing. The ground looked no different than it had the day before!
Furious with anger and frustration, the opossum shouted at his buried seeds, "Grow, seeds, grow!" He pounded the ground and stomped his feet. But nothing happened. Soon a large crowd of forest animals gathered to see who was making all the commotion and why. The raccoon came to investigate with all the others.
"What are you doing, Opossum?" he asked. "Your racket has awakened the whole forest."
The opossum railed about having no garden, then turned to each seed, and commanded it to grow. When the animals began to mock the opossum for his silly actions, he only screamed louder. At last the raccoon spoke up once more.
"Wait a minute, Possum," he said. "You can't make the seeds grow. You can only make sure they get sun and water, then watch them do their work. The life is in the seed, not in you."
As the truth sank in, the opossum ceased his yelling and began to care for the seeds as the raccoon instructed, watering them regularly and getting rid of any weeds that invaded his garden. (On some days, though, when no one was watching, he still shouted a bit.)
Then one glorious morning the opossum wandered outside to see that multitudes of beautiful green sprouts dotted his garden. Just a few days later, gorgeous flowers began to bloom. With uncontrollable excitement and pride, the opossum ran to his friend, the raccoon, and asked him to witness the miracle. The raccoon took one long look at the thriving garden and said, "You see, Opossum, all you had to do was let the seeds do the work while you watched."
"Yes," smiled the opossum, finally remembering the wise words of his friend many days before, "but it's a hard job watching a seed work."
You and I are called to bear fruit. But how is this done? By trusting in Christ, rooting our lives in Christ, being faithful to Christ, hearing Him, receiving His gifts in the Lord’s Supper, attending worship, for in all of this we received the seed of His Word. And we have His promise, that His seed will not return empty, but will accomplish what He wants. There is an old saying: “We know the number of seeds in an apple, but only God knows the number of apples in a seed." Rooted in Christ, God will use your life in unique ways to share and spread Christ’s love to all.
Jesus said:” unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Christ has died and risen to give you life. In dying to sin and clinging to Jesus, God uses His Word in our lives to bring forth abundant fruit. May God grant it in Jesus’ name!
Amen
Catching Up
The following sermons are ones that I have preached in the past few months, since I have last blogged. They are in no particular order. A savvy Lutheran will note that the texts are from the One Year Lectionary series. I went to the One Year series this year because after 28 years of preaching in the Three Year Series, I thought the change might do me good. I think it has, in this respect: I am reading more Luther than ever before. I find myself, after doing my exegetical study, reading Luther's sermons. They are refreshing and keep me grounded in good old Lutheran theology. After all, if you can't trust Luther to be a Lutheran who can you trust?
Sorry
Lent is a time of confession. I confess that I have not been a willing nor able blogger. My daughter Rachel is one for me to emulate. She blogs virtually every day. But between Lenten sermons, Sunday Sermons, Bible studies, sick and shut in calls.... well, you get the idea. But it is no excuse. I confess and ask for your forgiveness. I will try to do better. At least today
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