Ninth Sunday after Trinity - August 9, 2009

The Church Season of Pentecost
The Ninth Sunday after Trinity, One Year Series
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (August 9, 2009)

“ALL OUR DEBTORS”

Readings:
Psalm 51:1-12
2 Samuel 22:26-34
1 Corinthians 10:6-13
Luke 16:1-13

Sermon Form Deductive

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Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the New Testament Lesson from 16th chapter of St. Luke, especially the following verse:

Luke 16:1-13 (NIV)

1 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ 3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ 5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 “‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’ 7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’ 8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? 13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

A certain rich man had a steward, a manager, who oversaw and took care of his goods. This rich man found out that his steward was squandering his possessions and mismanaging his affairs. So he told the steward that he could no longer work for him. There was to be an audit. The books were to be opened and examined.

The steward then thought to himself, "What am I going to do? I can't do manual labor. It would be too embarrassing to beg." (v. 3) Then he decided what to do so that people would receive him into their homes and provide for his needs. He went to all of his master's debtors and reduced the amount that they owed. One person’s debt he cut by 20% another by 50%. In this way he ingratiated himself to these people and curried their favor so that they might return the favor to him when he was out of a job.

Now this steward had cheated his master twice–once by his wasteful mismanagement, and again by forgiving portions of the loans that were owed the master. But the Gospel says, "The master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly." And Jesus goes on to say, "The sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light."(v. 8) We could say, ‘What are we to learn from all of this?’ But better still, we are what we learn from this.

Well certainly Jesus is not promoting corruption. Rather what our attention is drawn to here is the shrewdness of the steward. The point of comparison is how, at least in a worldly sense, he acted very wisely. He used his master's riches as a way of seeing to it that he would be provided for. Jesus' point is that the people of this world do a better job of using the resources at their disposal for selfish and temporary purposes than we do at using the resources at our disposal for loving and eternal purposes. We are to follow the example of the steward's shrewdness and use the possessions our Lord and Master has given us to do good to our neighbor and for the good of Christ's church. Our hearts are to be set not simply on an earthly home but an everlasting home which He is preparing for us.

You see, there will come a time when every single one of our possessions, even our favorite stuff, will become utterly meaningless. Our possessions cannot provide for our eternal future. They will fail us when death comes into view and probably before. God is concerned about how we use our bodily life and the material belongings He has entrusted to us in the meantime. Jesus said, "If you have not been faithful in the worldly wealth, who will commit to your trust the true riches?"(v. 11) His conclusion is that we "cannot serve both God and money."(v. 13)

The children of the world, like this unjust steward, do indeed set a good example for the Christian in terms of their diligence and zeal and shrewdness. We who are the baptized children of God also ought to try applying ourselves to eternal things.

Jesus said, "Make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."(v. 9) Like the unjust steward, we are to be shrewd in our use of material things; however, not in the way of the world but in the way of Christ, not selfishly but in love. Proverbs 19:17 says, "He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord."

That's the sort of investing we do as Christians–using our efforts and our goods to help build up your neighbor, especially those in need, and to promote the mission of the church. God has made us all stewards. Everything belongs to the Lord; He's the master and the owner. We are simply managers of the possessions He's given us. And in a very real sense He wants us to be like the unjust steward, squandering His possessions, using them "recklessly" for the good of our fellow man and to support and help the church's proclamation of the saving Gospel of Christ.

It is the way of faith to use material things, for in so doing you are trusting that your Maker can and will provide for you. And you are showing that your desire is to have what is eternal. We are not saved by such works. But such works give evidence that our hope is fully in the salvation won for us by Christ.

So also, we trust that our God is a God of mercy who will forgive our debts through Christ, that we may be received into an everlasting home. We stake our salvation and our future on the generosity and forgiveness of our God. It is that faith God desires and praises. We believe that God the Father will be merciful to us because of the debt He paid on our behalf through His Son Jesus Christ.

In the end Jesus Himself is the Unjust Steward, who is unjustly good to us. Accusations were brought against Jesus, too, that He was too free with His mercy, consorting with tax collectors and sinners, squandering God's grace on such miserable wretches. But Jesus didn't concern Himself with that. For it was His mission to bear every accusation, to take all that we are justly accused of and make full payment for our debts. Jesus made eternal friends of us, not by hoarding things for Himself, but by living as one with no home of his own, no place to lay his head. The material things of this world He used entirely in the service of others, having nothing but literally the clothes on His back. He became poor so that we might know and receive the riches of His mercy. He even gave away His own body into death, that through His atoning and all-sufficient sacrifice we might be cleansed from all unrighteousness. Jesus relied on His Father's mercy. He trusted that the Father would honor His death in our place to cover what we owed.

What debts do we owe because of sin, what do our bills say? What impossible debt do you we think owe because of our sin? Jesus tells us to Sit down, take your bill, and write 0, paid in full. Jesus already paid the bill for us. In His triumphant march to the cross He gathers all the debt of our sin and heaps it upon Himself and carries it to the cross. On the cross Christ gave us the most gracious gift, freedom from our sin and the hope of eternal life in His name. He promised us that “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” What comforting words from our Lord and good Shepherd. Thank God that Jesus came to this earth and dwelt among us, gathered all our sins and paid our debts. For in Christ there a new life, a new life free from all the debts of our past, and present. Free to live with Him in everlasting peace in His heavenly kingdom. Amen.

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Eighth Sunday after Trinity - August 2, 2009

The Church Season of Pentecost
The Eighth Sunday after Trinity, One Year Series
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (August 2, 2009)

“The Spirit of God”

Readings:
Psalm 26
Jeremiah 26:16-29
Romans 8:12-17
Matthew 7:15-23

Sermon Form Deductive

+INI+

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the Epistle Lesson from the 8th chapter of Romans, especially the following verse:

Romans 8:12-17 (NIV)

12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

In most times and places we do not talk about it, yet it is indeed an elephant in the backrooms and lofty spaces of our minds. Although here in our text, St. Paul, faces the issue head-on, he sums it up, and not so many words points out the obvious, “If you live, you will die.” Nobody wants to talk about death, nor for that matter sickness, nor disease. Just watch the faces of people who are forced into that type of discussion. Either their eyes begin to glaze over, or they’re waiting for their turn to offer how they can top your sickness or brush with death. But for some reason we like those same topics if they’re on T.V., in the movies, or in a book. In fact, I think we like to see a bad guy get his due. And we love to see a hero cross the impossible bridge to overcome unbeatable odds to defeat an overwhelmingly armed opponent. Then the villain is rightly sent off into oblivion. But as we all know, real life isn’t always so glamorous. In our world, our spirit seems to be broken by all the things which we face. And as we journey through life gaining wisdom and experience, our bodies seem to be increasing in weakness, aches, and pains. In fact that is what is meant by that old saying isn’t it, the mind is willing but the spirit is weak? But this in not the Spirit of which St. Paul speaks, for He speaks of,

“THE SPIRIT OF GOD”
(I – In the spirit of the world we die)

Yet with all the blessings God offers freely to us, we let our hearts and minds to be dimmed and dulled by the spirit of the world that we live in. St. Paul states, “we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; “ Well that sets up a pretty dismal scenario because we know that we all die. So it also follows that we must also admit that we all sin. The Holy Spirit through the hand of St. Paul has reminded us again and again that where sin reigns, there will be death. Yet it seems that that realization does not come to the forefront of our minds until we have either grown older or we have faced serious challenges in our lives.

So long ago, when we were young and in confirmation classes it was easy to remember that the S.O.S. of the Law of God, means that the Law shows our sins. But just like King David’s word in our Psalm today we cry out, “Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. 2 Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; 3 for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”(Ps. 26:1-3) We cry out for mercy based upon the fact that while we may not have lived by the whole Law of God, we certainly have lived by the spirit of the Law. We cry out, why me what have I done to deserve all this? And that would be the thought process of us all who are and have become modern day Pharisees, meaning we have become those who would find the loopholes to all that is given us in scripture. To live by the spirit of the Law. To drive 80 miles per hour because we’re just going with the flow of traffic. To break each of the commandments not by actuality, but by really just a series of technicalities. There is a difference isn’t there? Have I really murdered? Have I really stolen? Have I really committed adultery? Have I really coveted my neighbors wife, manservant, or maidservant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to my neighbor? Come on I’ve lived and breathed my whole life by the spirit of the Law, isn’t that good enough? Well I suppose one way to find the answer that question would be to just wait and see. If you and I have lived by the spirit of the world, and the spirit of the Law, and if that is good enough, then the proof of our own innocence will be that we will live forever. But, no matter how spirited we think we are, or how wonderfully we think we live, you and I both know the answer to that question. And all the aches and pains, the twinges and the challenges we face everyday remind us that living in the spirit of this world can only lead us to a bitter end.

(II – In the Spirit of God we live)

We are called to repent. And to repent means to turn around 180 degrees and that would mean not looking inward toward the spirit of what we have done, but rather acknowledge the reality of all that Christ has done for us. For where Jesus Christ is Lord, sin is overcome and the Law no longer controls and condemns us. There is a new “law,” a new and compelling order of things which sets men free from the old dark orders of sin, pain, turmoil, and death. Christ’s order is the order of life. And the life which Jesus gives us we hear by the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of life. This new order of the Spirit of life was given to us by the Father when He sent His Son Jesus Christ. The old order of the Law could not be overcome by our will, because our will and free choice from birth leads us to be in opposition to God. Martin Luther said, “Christians, are not led by free choice but by the Spirit of God, [according to Romans 8:14;] and to be led is not to lead, but to be carried along, as a saw or an ax is wielded by a carpenter.” (AELW 33:160) And that carpenter of whom Luther spoke, and of whom the Holy Spirit still speaks to you is Jesus Christ. For Jesus carries you along and through all of life’s trials, tribulations, operations, medications, accidents, and incidents, all the pain, suffering and sorrows that this world could ever dish out.

For God not only overcame all the misdeeds of our lives He overcame the resulting death of all our sins too. God, in sending His Son Jesus Christ into the flesh, identified with us, and gave us a man who would feel our pain. And Jesus would not only feel the pain of life in this world, He felt all the pain, all the sin, all the suffering of every person in the world, and that even includes you who are here today. Jesus Christ came into this world and went to the cross knowing that He would die, knowing that He would not only endure all that pain for you. He knew that He would conquer the spirit of this world, for you.

In Christ’s death, He conquered your death. In His agony and loss of life, He suffered just as you do. Yet the spirit of death could not hold Him. All of mankind, including you and me, could not overcome, nor hide from our sin, so we are faced each day with its effects. God said, “Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?”(Jer. 23:23) The answer is no, we cannot run, and we cannot hide. But the Spirit seeks you out and you receive that Spirit in the hearing of God’s Word. You receive the Spirit in Holy Baptism, and God tells you, “you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.”(Rom 8:15) God knows that you live by His Spirit, He knows all that you are facing. He knows all that you are going through, for in Christ He has lived it. In Christ He has also died so that in your death you will not die, but you will live with Him and “share in His glory.”(Rom 8:17) The reality is that spirit of this world would leave us to die a forlorn and bitter death. But the reality of the Spirit of God leads us not to death, but to Jesus Christ who won for you an everlasting life.

Amen.

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Seventh Sunday after Trinity - July 26, 2009

The Church Season of Pentecost
The Seventh Sunday after Trinity, One Year Series
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (July 26, 2009)

“INTO EDEN”

Readings:
Psalm 33:1-11
Genesis 2:7-17
Romans 6:19-23
Mark 8:1-9

Sermon Form Deductive

+INI+

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the Old Testament Lesson from the 2nd chapter of Genesis, especially the following verse:

Genesis 2:7-17 (NIV)

7 the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

There are so many interesting revelations revealed in this scripture from Genesis. “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breathe of life, and the man became a living being.”(v. 7) The text states, “God formed the man,” but the detail of that word “formed” reveals more meanings, it can mean, potter, molded, maker, to form, fashion, and frame, or to be predetermined and preordained. We confess each Sunday that God is indeed the creator of the heavens and the earth. But even more glorious than that, here in Genesis we hear of man being formed, molded, and fashioned by God’s own hand. God took extra care to take that “lump of earth”(Luther) and He transformed that lump into the “forefather of our race.”(Franzmann, Vol 1, p. 31) From dust, a lump of dirt, was Adam made. In Hebrew, ground is called Adamah, so Adam is formed from Adamah. And from dust formed into a man, God breathed, and that dirt became living man, who was the image of God. Then God lovingly placed Adam,

“INTO EDEN”
(I – Man’s journey puts himself outside of Eden)

In fact that reading says it twice, and Luther made a point of it too, that is that Adam was, “created outside of Paradise; for the text states that he was brought or placed into Paradise before the creation of Eve, who Moses here points out, was created in Paradise.”(AELW 1:91) Interesting, isn’t it that Adam was created outside the garden and that by none of his own reason or strength God placed Him into Eden to take care of it. And because God did not want Adam to be alone, from within the garden God created Eve. I suppose that some here would quickly agree that men are from dirt and women are from paradise. But, not so fast, as it was Eve who first ate from the forbidden tree and with whom Adam joined in that forbidden meal. All too soon their journey into sin led them outside of Eden.

Yet the world which Adam and Eve lived was created by God. The first living couple was created in the image of God and that first couple marred themselves by their own sin and by their own actions. And that sin caused their journey from paradise to death, a death which we inherit for from that sin we die too. That is what we believe as Christians. But not all who are around us believe that God is sole source of all that is created nor is He any part of creation at all. We’re under constant attack from the media, scientists, and scholars who cannot get their minds into Eden. To them it is journey of the unwarranted, unproven, and un-measurable, simply put it is a fairy tale. One of the latest atheistic scholars who does not wish to defend his disbelief responds with these words, “Somebody who thinks like the way I do doesn’t think theology is a subject at all. So to me it is like someone saying they don’t believe in fairies and then being asked how they know if they haven’t studied fairyology.” So he says, case closed, no need to talk or think of God’s creation of the world. No need to consider God’s creation of man, and His creation of all things. No that journey into mythical Eden, is like studying a fairytale. Funny isn’t it? For it would seem that the non-history of non-believers has somehow repeated itself. For it was satan who first denied God as he slithered into Eden the home of the perfect first couple. Then satan enticed Eve, with the words, “Did God really say?”(Gen. 3:1) And all too soon that couple’s hands were stained by the forbidden fruit. Their disbelief caused them to doubt, and that doubt was sin, and that sin caused their journey out of Eden.

In Eden, Adam and Eve chose the one thing they were told they could not have. Today the people around us tell us that we are to believe in everything and that the belief of God is one thing that you should never have. We are told that if we have faith, then we are weak, mindless, and needy. We are told if we stay outside of that fabled Eden, we will save ourselves from believing in fairies and fairytales. Rather we should graze mindlessly on all that is in this world and we would all be much happier. The mantra for today is that believing in everything is okay, but believing in Christ is not okay. And quite frankly we as Christians fall for those droning mind numbing messages that are drilled into our heads. God is bad, and good is perceived. Religion is for the sad, and prosperity for those who do not believe. Sadly, in beginning we were faced with the temptation, “Did God really say?”( Gen 3:1) and now in these last days we are told, “there is no god who has a say.” Instead we are told, if you want what is “pleasing to the eye and good for food”(v. 9) then work hard. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. Place your feet on your neighbors back and push him down. Then when the time is right push off and dive into a paradise better than Eden because it has been formed by your own hands. Join the strong willed, and indifferent who bid you to come into a new paradise. Come journey into the new-world Eden where new man-made theory has pushed out untested belief.

“INTO EDEN”
(II – Christ’s journey puts man into the heavenly Eden)

Repent. For in this world we cannot by our own reason or strength put ourselves back into the paradise of Eden. Scholars will always scoff at the biblical account of the beginning and they will always be too focused on their self-defined present reality to know what their future holds. Not so you. For God has placed a greater Adam into His world corrupted by sin and disbelief. As we are told in scripture, “in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Cor. 1:22) Through the journey of our lives we add our own sins which add to that which we receive from that first Adam. Scripture tells us, “45The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. (1 Cor. 15:45, 47) The first Adam, the man of dust dies, but the greater Adam, who is Jesus Christ, journeys from heaven to earth for us. Christ comes into this world because the paradise of Eden still exists. Christ journeyed to the cross, so that all our sins would be set aside. All the pain, sorrow, grief, and despair that we face in this world is conquered by Jesus on that cross. Jesus drags us out of the dirt of this world and He breathes life into us. Christ’s Word combined with the water in baptism picks you up out of the grasp of sin, death and the devil, and places you in His presence and that is paradise. On the cross Jesus gave His body and shed His blood for you. Even today you when eat and taste His true body and blood, truly this very day you will be with Him in paradise. God lifted a lump of dirt from the ground, He breathed upon it and gave life to the man Adam. God once and for all lifted up His Son Jesus Christ onto the cross, and there Jesus took His last breath, and in so doing Christ gave back to you paradise. Rejoice, for in Christ your sins are forgiven. In Christ you are given the promise that upon your last breath, He will lift you up and place you in Eden which is an eternal paradise, a place in which you will surely never die. Amen.

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Sixth Sunday after Trinity - July 19, 2009

The Church Season of Pentecost
The Sixth Sunday after Trinity, One Year Series
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (July 19, 2009)

“United in Newness”

Readings:
Psalm 19
Exodus 20:1-7
Romans 6:1-11
Matthew 5:17-26

Sermon Form Deductive

+INI+

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for is as recorded in the 6th chapter of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans,

Romans 6:1-6 (NIV)

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Everyone who is baptized into Christ, has been and is united with Christ. We are united in His death, and will be united with Him in His resurrection. We hear this word united used a lot in our daily life. Our country belongs to the United Nations. Although it appears difficult at times to determine which countries we are united with or why we would even want to be united with them. We live in the United States where we have some things in common with other states and in some things we have nothing in common at all, yet we are somehow united. Although, if we watch the news we are told that we are really only united with the states that are just like ours. We live in a society which tells us that if people should so desire, and they obtain a blood test, and they pay a fee, they can be united in marriage, but only the money really counts for much of anything. At least that’s what we are lead to believe. Although, not every person, every state, or even every country agrees upon who should be united in marriage. While the people, states, and countries all around us don’t agree what united really means, the inspired words God given to us by Saint Paul in our reading are very clear. “All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death”(v. 3) and because of the glory of God the Father, “Christ was raised from the dead.” (v.4) Although we who are in this world may not be united by many things, those who are baptised are completely united because they have been,

“United with Christ in the Newness of Life”

(I – We are united in our death to sin, vv. 3-4)

At the beginning of this church year we cheerfully united our thoughts and prayers and focused them upon the newness of life of a young Christ child. That child Jesus Christ who was and IS God wrapped in swaddling cloths, found lying in an animal’s feedbox. In the season leading up to Lent we gathered around the manifestation of God who is Jesus and was born into this world. Jesus, grew “in wisdom and stature.”(Luke 2:52) This man Jesus is King David’s Lord and greater Son and sits on David’s throne forever and He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who holds our humanity perfectly before God the Father. And this was the same Jesus Christ who instructed the apostle’s to “baptize and teach.” (Mt. 28:18-20) Now Saint Paul asks us, “don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”(v. 3)

How does this happen? “Baptized into death, and buried through baptism.” Last Sunday we baptized a baby, Vallorie Wallace, on Friday we baptized Genevieve Johnson. And yesterday Genevieve was married here to Kurt Kimmerly. And when we gathered around the baptismal font Friday night our ears heard the spoken Word of God and our eyes saw but a splash of water. But, I would venture to guess at the very moment of baptism, that virtually no one is thinking of crosses and crucifixions, death, dying, and burial. But, you know we really should. We should hear those words spoken in the baptismal liturgy. We should also hear all those words of death and dying. Words like “The hard-hearted Pharaoh and all his host died in the Red Sea.” And the words referring to Noah and his family who were saved in the flood, “eight souls in all.”(LSB Holy Baptism, p. 6) We should remind ourselves that if only the eight in Noah’s family were saved from the flood, that everybody else in the entire world died. And maybe we should also remember that because of the disobedience of Adam all who live will die. We are indeed united to Adam’s sin. Because, his sin is our sin and sin causes our death. It sounds a bit confusing, some live, some die, everyone dies, yet all who are baptized live forever. And you know what is even more confusing? All those statements are true at the same time.

Luther said, “this whole life is nothing else than a spiritual baptism which does not cease till death, and he who is baptized is condemned to die.”(LW 35:30) All who are baptized are, “condemned to die.” Because all who are baptized put on the second Adam, Jesus Christ who buries our sin and puts sin to death. It is Christ who, “sanctified and instituted all waters to be a blessed flood and a lavish washing away of sin.”(LSB) In Baptism we are united with Christ, and we are put to death with Him. And just as Jesus could not be held by the grave, we too are raised with Him from the dead. He raises us from the darkness of sin and death, “through the glory of the Father, so that we too may live a new life.”(v. 4)

(II – We are united by being made alive to God through Christ, vv. 5-6)

In Holy Baptism we have died to sin and in baptism we are all united by being made alive to God through Christ. And we ask, “How does all this happen?” We are told that it happened when our old sin infested nature was made alive, when our old self was crucified with Christ. Dead yet alive, it makes no sense. If we had the lack of sense to pinch a corpse, it would not move away, nor would it respond. And so how are we to understand that pinch of water which we receive in baptism? We know that our daily desire to sin does not move away, and neither do we respond. Shouldn’t it be true, if baptism crucifies sin then, that which is crucified should remain dead? The answer is yes. But it was Jesus Christ who was crucified, He was nailed to a cross. And there on the cross Jesus Christ died with all our sin. Jesus Christ was dead and because of Him our sin is also dead. Yet on the third day Jesus Christ’s body rose from the dead, and our, “body of sin was done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”(v. 6) In baptism, we are united with Christ’s, “death and we are united with His resurrection.”(v. 5) In baptism Jesus Christ washes us with the “water included in God’s command and combined with God’s Word.”(SC)

In the baptism last week the child Vallorie Wallace was united with Christ. In the baptism on Friday Genevieve was united to Christ. In the Wedding yesterday Genevieve and Kurt were united with each other, yet in their baptism they were already united in Christ. And all of you are united with Christ too, when you were baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And there in baptism we are united in the newness of Jesus’ life as He speaks these words to you, “The almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has given you the new birth of water and of the Spirit and has forgiven you all your sin and He will strengthen you with His grace to life everlasting.”(LSB Agenda, p. 16) And that is indeed a newness of life which will last forever and evermore. Amen.

The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. AMEN
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The Rite of Holy Matrimony - The Wedding of Kurt & Genevieve Kimmerly

The Church Season of Pentecost
The Rite of Holy Matrimony
Kurt Calvin Kimmerly – Genevieve Frances Johnson
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (July 18, 2009)

“Two Will Become One”

Readings:
Ruth 1:16-17
Ephesians 5:1-, 2-33

Sermon Form Deductive

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Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the Gospel Lesson from the 5th chapter of Ephesians, especially the following verse:

Ephesians 5:1-2, 22-33

1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and His Church to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy marriage.

Kurt, and Genevieve, dear family and friends,

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

This is a wonderful day in which Our Lord Jesus Christ offers His blessings to you both. Up until this day you two were a couple. Now, here in the sight of God, the two of you become one. And the very Word of God, as given to us by St. Paul tells us, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”(v. 31) Then Paul goes on to say, “This is a profound mystery.”(v.32) And that probably would be an understatement for those gathered here today. For today in this very church, we are blessed to have a very high concentration of engineering type people. And so that equation that was set forth for us, the two become one, is indeed a profound mystery. But even as I speak, all those engineering wheels are turning, and all the possible solution sets are being worked out. But quite frankly, none of those mathematical answers will even be close to solving the mystery, nor will they end up be correct.

For we as humans want God to play by our rules, by our own equations, and our theorems, We try to force God into a recognizable package, because we don’t want mysteries. So rejoice, Kurt and Genevieve, for it is no mystery that today, and even since the day you were born, God has had a plan for you both. God’s love has brought the two of you together and today that is abundantly apparent.

Yet because your two lives began so many miles apart, it may not have seemed so very apparent that your paths would cross and intertwine, and that you both would be standing here together as one on this day. While your lives began and unfolded miles apart and you eventually you met in college and became a couple. Time has passed and eventually you have grown together facing various challenges of varying degrees, like the how and where of jobs and homes. In fact today you still face together the solving of an incredibly difficult challenge, and that would be the equation, N + 1 cars is always better. I ask your forgiveness, I can’t help you with that one, so I’ll pray that someday that you will be able to come to a good solution for that one. But even greater challenges and equations have already been solved for you by God. For the two of you this day will become one, and even greater still you are given the promise by God that this equation will last for an eternity. For in the waters of your Baptisms, you were made as one in Jesus Christ. In Baptism you were both claimed by God and made part of His Holy family. There, in the waters of your Baptism God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, gave you both the promise to be together with Him for all eternity.

Yet God is before and beyond all eternity and that indeed is a mystery to us. It can also be a mystery that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to undo all the sin of this world. For Jesus came into this world as an infant, just as both of you did, and it was here that He grew and became a man. And just like you both, Jesus Christ was baptized. And because of Jesus Christ’s life included His journey to the cross...sin, death, and the devil have been conquered. And we know that it is true for scripture tells us so. So it may be a mystery to us why Jesus would come here for us. But God gives us the answer to that question too, by saying, “8 God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”(Rom. 5:8)

God loves you both so much that He gave His Son Jesus Christ to die for you. He gives you that gift freely to you both, just as He would give that to all who live and breath in this world. One man, Jesus Christ died for many, so that they may never die, but rather see eternal life. Many equations may come before you this world. Some may be solved, and others, like your N + 1 number of cars, may never be solved. Challenges may face your marriage, there will be good days and bad, there will be sickness and health. But also know that from time eternal God has brought you to this place. God brought you both together and the two of you have become one. So in reality the greatest of all equations, the greatest of all mysteries is solved. For God brought Jesus Christ into this world for you, so that together in Him you may have eternal life. Amen.

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Fifth Sunday after Trinity - July 12, 2009

The Church Season of Pentecost
The Fifth Sunday after Trinity, One Year Series
The Baptism of Vallorie Marie Wallace
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (July 12, 2009)

“A Great Miracle”

Readings:
Psalm 16
1 Kings 18:11-21
1 Cor 1:18-25
Luke 5:1-11

Sermon Form Deductive

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Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the Gospel Lesson from the 5th chapter of St. Luke, especially the following verse:

Luke 5:1-11 (NIV)

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he [Jesus] said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

At Vacation Bible school a few weeks ago the children sang “I will make you fishers of men, fishers of men, fishers of men, I will make you fishers of men if you follow me.” It’s very difficult to even say those words, so much easier to sing them. That song, “Fishers of men” is a very simple song that children can learn immediately and will long remember. The idea and focus of that little song is simple enough like the scripture we are given for this days Gospel lesson. Jesus says to the fisherman, “From now on you will catch men.”(v. 10) But do not be fooled, while this encounter with Christ does include a lake, some deep water, boats, fish, and nets, this is not an epical long-winded fish story about one that got away. Neither is this scripture a transcription of those who were lured into a trap by deception. None of these fishers of men swallowed any hooks by their own efforts. In fact, when Jesus Christ spoke, the future disciple Peter responded with a failed story of men who threw their nets an entire night and all their efforts had gained nothing. But that was then. Soon the nets would be full, for it would be Jesus who would teach about their failures of the past, and about all that would be. But first the class was shown,

“A Great Miracle”

By hearing the Word from his master, Peter again let down his nets and soon they were filled to capacity, even to overflowing. So full were these nets that they were straining and breaking from the weight of all the fish. At Christ’s direction, Peter and the other disciples had moved out into deeper water and they had a miracle catch of food that would nourish their bodies for just a day. Unknowingly Peter, and the other disciples there that day, had become the subject of an object lesson. What does that mean? An object lesson is a lesson in which a teacher uses a physical object familiar to all the students to help them understand the deeper meaning of more important lesson. So on the shores of the Lake of Gennesaret, which is to us known as the Sea of Galilee, became the perfect setting for a deeper lesson set in a miracle.

Christ ordered the disciples out into deep water for that lesson. And when the great catch occurred Peter was astonished. Yet Peter did not revel in the magnitude of that catch. Nor did he gather the fishing team together to do a victory dance, or try to multiply this one day success into a sales pitch for their fishing group. There is no puffing out of the chest as a result of worldly accomplishments and victories. Rather, Peter does what we do to this very day, he falls on his knees in reverence to that miracle which has been performed before him. And upon his knees he makes a confession, saying “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”(v. 8)

Peter had seen the great catch and he made an instantaneous response. A deep response with clear and reverential body language, and with clear language in the words he spoke. He kneeled before Jesus and admitted that he was a poor miserable sinner. It is acknowledgment of sin in words similar to those which we still confess to this very day. Words like that of the Psalm written by King David, “Where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Ps. 121:1-2)

And Jesus replies to Peter as He replies to us this very day, “Do not be afraid,”(v. 10) meaning “Quit being afraid.”(v. 10) Yet these words of Christ have a meaning beyond this moment in time. For just as Luther said, “Our work produces and bestows nothing. Yet it is necessary as a means through which we may receive what God gives. The disciples must use their hands to let down the nets and to draw them in, if they wish to secure anything and must be willing to do so. Yet they are obliged to acknowledge that their labor did not bring about the result, otherwise they would have succeeded in the first place, without Christ. He therefore permits them to make a sufficient trial, and to discover by experience that the toil of this entire night has been in vain and to no purpose. ”( Luther’s Church Postils 2:2:151)

To this very day, with sweat on our brows, we trick ourselves into believing that our thoughts, plans, and profiles are the best way to increase our catch here in this place. Yet to some it would seem that we have toiled in vain throughout many a dark night and that our nets are still coming up empty. Even so, there are still miracles occurring every day. In fact you will all witness more than one miracle this very day. And one of these miracles includes water, though it is not the deep water of Jesus’ miracle. No this is water that is very shallow, but it is not a shallow miracle. The miracle you will see today will be the baptism of Vallorie Marie Wallace. And in that baptism a bit of water will be combined with God’s Word which will provide the promise of an everlasting life. Not a miracle performed by the hands, but a miracle performed by Christ’s command to baptize. Yet we would still like to somehow take credit for that miracle, didn’t we do just a little?

No, we didn’t in fact it was all the work of the Holy Spirit. Those shallow thoughts of self salvation give way to the deeper lesson that applied to Simon Peter and the disciples and still applies to us this very day. For though we would like to think it so, “success does not come through our own effort, skill, or diligence “(ibid, Luther) People are not hooked by various forms of bait, and baptisms are not a result of our efforts. It is by the Word of God alone. People, no matter what age, are drawn to Christ by the work of Holy Spirit, in the proclamation of God’s Holy Word. Scripture even tells us so for, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”(Rom. 10:17)

In fact if you think of that little song, “I will make you fisher’s of men.” It is better to think of that song in terms bringing in those fish with nets rather than by pole and hook. For the Fisher’s of men like the apostle’s, like you and like me, tell the good news about Jesus. And people are brought to faith, not caught by faith. They are brought to the knowledge of their Savior Jesus Christ.

So are we called to tell the good news of Jesus? Yes of course we are, just like the disciples were, called by Jesus. But God brings people to faith in the hearing of His Word and confirms that faith in the water of baptism. God keeps and refreshes that faith by giving us the work of His Son Jesus Christ, who went to and died on the cross for you. And He gives you that victory in His body and blood, in the sacrament of Holy Communion, just as He will later today.

So this day you will hear, see, and receive many miracles. You will heard the miracle of God’s word, you will see the miracle of a child being welcomed into God’s forever family, and you will receive the true body and blood of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. The hearing of the Word, the baptism, and the receiving of Holy Communion all Wonderful miracles. God is here in this place, in your presence drawing you to the deeper meaning of His love for you. Do not be afraid of God’s miracles. His miracles are gifts for you, they’re free, no special skills, equipment, or effort is necessary. It’s all done and paid for by Jesus Christ who died for you on the cross. In fact, Jesus not only gives you a miracle for every day, He gives you an everlasting miracle, which is the promise of eternal life from this time forth and forevermore. Amen.

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Fourth Sunday after Trinity - July 5, 2009

The Church Season of Pentecost
The Fourth Sunday after Trinity, One Year Series
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (July 5, 2009)

“A Good Measure”

Readings:
Psalm 138
Genesis 50:15:21
Romans 12:14-21
Luke 6:36-42

Sermon Form Deductive

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Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the Gospel Lesson from the 6th chapter of St. Luke, especially the following verse:

Luke 6:36-42 (NIV)

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 39 He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Be merciful, do not judge, do not condemn, forgive others and give generously to them. A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. Measure enough good out and it will be measure back. Isn’t scripture great? A to do list. A wonderful list of things to do and all will be okay. So if indeed that is a list, we quickly want to check off each item. How soon can we get our good measure? A quick check in the mirror will show that there is neither plank nor speck in our eyes, so let’s move on to bigger and better things. Why not let the world share in our reflection upon what Christ has said. In fact, dish it out in good measure. Be merciful. Point out all your neighbors faults, foils, and indiscretions. Come, take it upon yourself to lead those around you safely away from that which they are, or that which they will become. Lead everyone before your eyes to the to higher ground upon which you now stand. That is our desire, it is our nature. For by nature we want to check it off and dish it out. We have learned from what we have seen, and from what we have heard. And since no speck blocks our vision of right and wrong, we have obviously been given marching orders to give out all that we have taken in. Now, we are free to offer and share our own life’s worth of rebuke, correction, and time earned experience. Of course it is to help those who are not like us. And we tell ourselves that our motives are pure. We’re only doing this only because it is good for everyone else to see and to know what we have learned. And you know, if they would only listen, soon they would measure up and be just like us. We say, follow me, I am the leader, I know, listen to me and I will show you the right way. Unfortunately, that saying soon becomes, follow me, I am the leader, um, which way did they go?

Blinded by the cares of the world, it seems that people do not want to hear about Christ. So we shake down our heads, and we become angry. It’s so simple, why won’t they listen? We followed that list Christ’s made exactly, to a T. We say we did everything God has told us to do. Yet, we are still baffled that it seems we have gained nothing by living our exemplary Christian lives or by telling others about Christ. And quite frankly, truth be told, there’s not much response for us, for proclaiming kindness and mercy. We’ve done all that giving and the forgiving, people don’t listen to us and by the way what’s in it for us anyway. What was it again that we we’re supposed to receive? It seems that the world has pressed us down and shaken us to the bone, taken away our health and happiness, and dumped in our laps lives overflowing with immeasurable worries and insecurity. Maybe that wonderful “to do” list isn’t living up to it’s promise. And at the end of the day how is our anger and frustration measured out anyhow?

Recall that in the Old Testament Jonah was called upon by God to go to Nineveh and preach before the wickedness of that city. But Jonah turned from that order by God, and went instead to Tarshish. And you all know how that turned out, he was swallowed by a great fish. And from inside of that fish Jonah prayed the psalms, which he knew by heart. Jonah was spat out onto the beach and that is probably all that we remember about Jonah. But that is not all there is to know for he was again called upon by God to go and preach to the wicked in Nineveh. And by God Jonah proclaimed their death and destruction. Surprisingly they turned from they ways and were not destroyed. And Jonah? Well, at the end of the day, he was still angry because God didn’t smote those Ninevites like Jonah wanted. They didn’t get their full measure of Jonah’s wrath and so he was mad at God for having mercy. Jonah was so mad that the very last words we hear from him, were, “I am angry enough to die.”(Jonah 4:9) Neither the Ninevites nor God had not measured up to Jonah’s expectations.

Repent, for with planks lodged in our eyes we will always fail to see that we cannot by our own reason or strength measure up to God’s expectations. Neither will we see that the people around us will live up to our expectations. And God, well He will never live up to our expectations either, for in fact He does just the opposite He dies to exceed to exceed our expectations beyond measure to overflowing . Jesus said, “I've not come to condemn the world but in order to save the world. The person who rejects Me and does not receive My utterances has that which judges him; the Word which I have spoken that will judge him on the last day." (John 12:47-48) On the last day God’s love for you in Christ Jesus is not blind. For Christ leads us from the pit of death to eternal salvation.

Jesus speaks to you saying, "Deal generously with people and God will reward you." Go ahead and go out and lead the blind, and give to the poor, and don't be judgmental but speak words of grace to those who need it. Christian living flows from God’s grace, but this is not the way of salvation. These generous deeds don't save us,

Jesus Christ did save us by allowing Himself to be emptied upon the cross so that we may be forgiven our sins and filled to overflowing by His grace. God through His Son Jesus Christ freely gives you salvation in more than a full measure, and no list need be completed. God’s full measure of grace is given to you as a promise in water combined with the Word in Holy Baptism. In the Sacrament of Holy Communion, Jesus Christ offers you His true body, which is grace beyond measure. He pours out His blood so that your cup runs over.

In Christ, sawdust and planks are removed, your sins are forgiven and you see Him clearly. You are judged by a merciful God, who is not blinded by your sins, but rather looks to Christ to see that you are not to be condemned. And because of what Christ has suffered for you, you will not be given death but rather eternal life, just for His good measure. Amen.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
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