It Is Good For Us To Be Here!

21. February 2012 by admin.

Dan Herold

February 19, 2012

Mark 9:2-9

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

 ⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

 ⁷ Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

 ⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

 ⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

  Today we are observing a Sunday of the church year known as, “Transfiguration.” If you walked up to a stranger on the street who wasn’t familiar with the church year and invited them to church for Transfiguration Sunday, how do you think they would respond? You might receive some confused looks. The stranger could say, “Well, I’ve heard of Christmas, and Easter, and Ash Wednesday, but what is this Transfiguration?” If you look up the word “transfiguration” in Miriam-Webster’s dictionary you will learn that it simply means “a change in appearance.” However, that doesn’t tell you much about why you would go to church to hear about a transfiguration. In order to understand why this event has a special day in the church year we need to look at God’s Word.

 

            This morning we will take a look at the account of Jesus’ transfiguration in Mark 9:2-9. In those verses Peter says that it was good for the disciples to be there with Jesus at his transfiguration. Keep those words in mind this morning. We take a Sunday out of the church year to focus on this event in Jesus’ life because, as Peter said, it is good for us to be here! It is good for us to be here to see Jesus encouraged by saints, and it is good for us to be here to hear Jesus approved by God the Father.

 

            Since Peter said it was good for the disciples to be there, first let’s look at where they were. In verse 2 of our text we are told that, “After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.” We aren’t told which mountain it was, but only that it was a high mountain where the disciples could be alone with Jesus. The mountain was probably somewhere near the town of Caesarea Philippi where Jesus had been preaching and teaching in the previous chapter. At any rate, Mark doesn’t tell us exactly where this event took place; instead he focuses on what took place. We need to dig deeper to see why it was good for the disciples to be there with Jesus.

 

            At the end of verse two Mark tells us that Jesus was transfigured before the disciples. Somehow Jesus’ appearance changed. The next verse fills in some details about how. We are told that, “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” All the other Gospel accounts of this event just compare Jesus’ appearance to a bright light or a flash of lightning, but Mark gives us a unique picture. Details like this are one of the neat characteristics of Mark’s Gospel. According to some of the church fathers, Mark was a partner in ministry with Peter. Because of their close relationship, Peter provided Mark with some details that only an eyewitness could have seen.

 

            It’s interesting how Peter’s eyewitness details open up this account and paint a picture for us. Not only did Jesus beam with heavenly light, but his clothes became the most brilliant shade of white imaginable. Oxy-Clean commercials promise to get your clothes perfectly white, but Mark tells us that Jesus’ clothes were whiter than Oxy-Clean could ever make them. Soap and laundry detergent can wash most stains away, but the glory of God washes every blemish, even the ones you don’t notice. Christ’s glory and righteousness are brighter and more perfect than anything you can imagine on earth.

            That was one of the reasons Peter said it was good to be there. It was good for these three disciples, who would be very close to Jesus through his suffering and death, to catch a glimpse of the glory of their Savior. The things that were to come would be incredibly difficult for Peter, James, and John to see, but in his grace God gave them this special opportunity to catch a glimpse of Jesus in glory and take courage from what they saw.

 

 

 

            What happened next, though, was also good for the disciples to see. In verse four, we read, “And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.” Now, you might ask, “Why is that good for the disciples?” It was good for them, and also good for us, because it was good for Jesus. The word that is translated as “talking” in our text literally means, “exchanging thoughts.” The conversation between Moses, Elijah, and Jesus wasn’t one sided, but it was a real discussion. If we turn to the parallel account of the transfiguration in Luke’s Gospel we find in Luke 9:31 that, “They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”

 

            Jesus knew that the time for him to suffer and die was soon approaching. He knew it would be difficult and unpleasant. It was good for Jesus to speak with these two saints because they had been through difficult times and God had taken excellent care of them.

 

            If you remember back in the book of Deuteronomy, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. He went up on a mountain and died looking over the land God promised to Israel. However, Moses wasn’t left alone-God himself buried Moses. And earlier this morning we heard how God cared for Elijah at the end of his life. He took Elijah to heaven without ever experiencing death. The experiences of these two saints and the unique ends of their lives served to encourage Jesus and remind him that his heavenly Father would care for him as he suffered and died for us.

 

            Peter recognized that what was happening was good. It was good for them to be there and see Jesus receive encouragement from these men who had been cared for by God. Peter is bluntly honest in verse 6 that, “He did not know what to say, because they were so frightened.” He still recognized that it was good and that he didn’t want it to end. In verse six he says, “Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Peter was so overwhelmed by how good it was to be there and see Jesus talking with these Old Testament believers that he didn’t even realize how foolish his idea was. Since he recognized Moses and Elijah, surely he knew that they had been dead for hundreds of years. Surely Peter knew that Jesus wasn’t going to just live on this mountain from now on. But Peter didn’t want this good time to end even though it logically had to.

 

            What are some of those good times we don’t want to end, and what makes them so good? Where is it good for us to be? It is good for us to be right here in church, but why? It was good for the disciples to be at the Transfiguration because they saw Jesus being encouraged, and they in turn were encouraged. It is good for us to be here because we are in the presence of God as well. We have gathered together with fellow believers to worship and receive encouragement from God.

 

            The disciples needed encouragement because they were about to witness their Savior walk to the cross on which he would die for them. Why do we need encouragement? Maybe you are facing an uncertain future at work. Maybe a new addition to your family will be arriving soon, and you are just a little scared of how your life will change. Perhaps as the days and weeks and months keep rolling by, the reality is setting in that your life on earth will not last forever. Whatever it may be that troubles you, rest assured your Lord has just the answer you need. That is why it is good for us to be here. It is good for us to be together with those who struggle as we do and good for us to hear God’s word which offers all the answers we need. It is good for us to be here to see Jesus in his glory, and to see him find encouragement from God as he faced a difficult time in his life.

 

 

 

 

            It is also good for us to see the way Peter responded to the good things he saw. At times we need to be reminded that we rarely understand things on our own. Peter knew that what happened at the Transfiguration was good, but he didn’t yet understand why it was good. However, when we do not understand, our gracious God clarifies. So it is also good for us to be here to hear God speak. It is good for us to be here to hear Jesus approved by God.

 

            Next, let’s take a look at God’s words to Jesus in verse 7. In that verse we read, “Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” Do those words which God spoke sound familiar? If so, you heard them a little over a month ago when we heard about the baptism of Jesus. At his baptism God spoke words very similar to these. In both instances he reassures us that Jesus is his son and that he loves his Son. When God said that he loved Jesus at his transfiguration it reassured Jesus that his Father would be with him and support him even through the hard times ahead. It’s comforting for us to hear that God loved Jesus because it reassures us that Jesus is our Savior who died for us. It also reminds us that God loves those for whom Jesus died, and because he loves us he will be with us even through the most difficult times.

 

            Hearing this approval was good for Jesus as it encouraged him to continue in his saving work. It was good for the disciples who were reassured that Jesus was truly the Son of God. It is also good for us to frequently be reminded of who our Savior is and what he did for us as we are in the Lord’s Supper. That is why it is good for us to be here to hear the Word of God. It is good for us to be reminded that we are in God’s merciful arms and that he loves us and cares for us all because of what Jesus did for us. It truly is good for us to be with our Savior just as it was good for the disciples on the day of Jesus’ transfiguration.

 

            In the closing verses of our text Mark explains why it was good for the disciples to be alone with their Savior. He writes, “Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.” He told them not to tell anyone yet, because the disciples still didn’t fully understand what was happening.

 

            In Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration he writes that the disciples were terrified when they heard the voice of God, but when they looked up and saw Jesus they were comforted because they knew Jesus as their friend. Even though he is the almighty second person of the Trinity, to the disciples he was their friend who brought them comfort.

 

            Again, it is good for us to be here and to see our Savior as our friend. Jesus walked this earth and knew what it was like to be a human. He was tempted in every way just as we are, but he never sinned. He suffered the hardships of life on earth as well as the torture of taking on the weight of all our sins, but he still is our loving friend who comforts us when we are scared.

 

            None of us will probably ever hear the voice of God booming from a cloud on a mountain top, but there are still things in life that frighten us. Not knowing if the bills will be paid this month, seeing a loved one confined to a hospital bed, or having your sense of security shaken by the numerous reports of break-ins and robberies lately can all scare us. However, our Savior comforts us. He knows us and knows what it is like to be one of us. It is good for us to be here to hear God’s approval of Jesus. It is good for us so that we can be reminded that we have comfort in our Savior.

 

            It is also good for us to hear God’s approval of Jesus because it is good for us to hear things explained to us. Just like Peter didn’t understand the things he was an eyewitness to that day, we often don’t understand the things we see. All around us every day God is working whether we realize it or not. We don’t have the benefit of having Jesus physically present to explain things like the disciples did so it is good for us to be here gathered around his word to hear him explain what we don’t understand. You can read every article on Wikipedia or read all the philosophers you can find, but nothing you read in any of those sources will compare to what your Lord has given you in his word. He has given you the words of everlasting life! He has shown you, and encouraged you, and explains to you everything you need to know. That is why it is good for us to be here.

 

            It truly is good for us to be here and be encouraged as we prepare for the season of Lent. As you see your Savior suffer humiliation and death in the coming weeks some might be tempted to wonder if he really was so powerful after all. But what a blessing we have been given by our wonderfully gracious God. What a blessing it is to be encouraged in our faith right before the somber season of Lent. At Jesus’ Transfiguration we receive the blessing of encouragement by seeing Jesus receive encouragement and approval. What a wonderful thing it is for us to be here in God’s house and to be here in God’s grace. We can most certainly join together with Peter and say, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.”

 

Amen.

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Make A Difference!

13. February 2012 by admin.

Pastor Jonathan Rockhoff

February  12, 2012

2 Kings 5:1-14

 ¹ Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.^[a]

 ² Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. ³ She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

 ⁴ Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. ⁵ “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents^[b] of silver, six thousand shekels^[c] of gold and ten sets of clothing. ⁶The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

 ⁷ As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”

 ⁸ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

 ¹¹ But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.

 ¹³ Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

In the name of him whose blood washes away all our sins, dear friends in Christ,

How do you know that you are relevant in this life?  Did you do anything yesterday that made the world stop and take notice?  How about last week, or last month, or even last year?  Did you find a cure for any terminal disease?  Did you score the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl?  Did you save another person’s life?  Were you employee of the month?  Did you get nominated for a Grammy?  When you die, are they going to break in with a special report on TV the way they did for Whitney Houston last night?  No?  None of these things?  So are you relevant in this life?  Can you still say that somehow you’ve made a difference in this world?

You can, if you follow the example of a little servant girl.  This morning she teaches each of us how to:

“Make a Difference!”

                                                               I. Share what you know

                                                              II. God’s kingdom will grow

Today we’re taken back to the kingdom of Israel at a time when Israel was being picked on by their neighbors to the north, the nation of Aram (which we know better as Syria).  We’re introduced to a man by the name of Naaman (v 1), “Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram.  He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram.  He was a valiant soldier.”  We’re given a quick biographical sketch of this army commander.  Naaman was a victor, a national hero, a man highly respected by his king and fellow countrymen, a man used by the Lord himself to chastise his chosen people.  And we’re told one more thing about Naaman (v 1), “. . . he had leprosy.”

You’ve heard about leprosy, haven’t you?  A flesh-eating disease that often left its victims scarred for life — if it didn’t end up killing them.  Worst of all, at that time there was no known cure for leprosy.  This mighty warrior with all his military credentials was being beaten by an incurable and tormenting disease, and there was no one to help him – at least, that’s what he thought.

The same God who had given Naaman success in battle had allowed him to be plagued with leprosy.  The Lord knew what he was doing.  Even such a terrible disease would be used by him for his divine purpose.

“Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.  She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria!  He would cure him of his leprosy’” (vv 2,3).  Isn’t it amazing how God was working to bring Naaman into his kingdom?  Here was a guy who led raids on Israel, taking plunder and captives back to his country.  But God used these tragic events to bring an instrument of salvation into the home of Naaman.  A young Israelite girl, captured and made the servant of Namaan’s wife, may have lost her homeland, but she didn’t lose her faith in the true God.  In what must have been a traumatic experience for her, she still found comfort in the Rock of her salvation.

In 2 Corinthians 1:4 Paul tells us, “[God] comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”  Having received her Lord’s comfort, this little girl was now anxious to share that comfort with her mistress’ husband.  She could see how much shame his disease caused him.  Remember, this man was her enemy, the one who had taken her away from her family.  But this didn’t stop her from showing love and compassion to him.  As insignificant as she may have seemed (we’re not even told her name!), this little girl made a difference in Naaman’s life simply by sharing what she knew, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria!  He would cure him of his leprosy.”  A small child, but one with great faith who knew God’s love and trusted in God’s power!  By sharing her faith, she wanted to make a difference in the life of Naaman.

It doesn’t surprise us that Naaman latched on to the ray of hope offered by this servant girl – he was ready to try anything (vv 4,5), “Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.  ‘By all means, go,’ the king of Aram replied.  ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’  So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing.”  Naaman’s king was all in favor of the idea, promising a letter of recommendation for the king of Israel.  Along with this royal letter, Naaman took along a bunch of stuff to pay the “doctor’s bill.”  And he wasn’t stingy!  By today’s standards, he was planning on coughing up $4.1 million in gold and another $400,000 in silver – in addition to the ten sets of clothing!  All this because a little girl wanted to make a difference in his life!

The apostle Peter tells us (1 Pe 3:18), “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  In other words, don’t hold back when it comes to sharing your faith!  There are way too many Naamans in this world – not those suffering from leprosy of the skin, but those suffering from the leprosy of sin!  It’s a disease that plagues all people.  Everyone needs a cure, but they can’t find it on their own.  Someone has to tell them about it.  Someone has to make a difference by sharing with them the cure found in the blood of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ.

You and I are qualified to do just that by simply sharing what we know.  I doubt if that little Israelite girl had a seminary education.  I’m not even sure she had been instructed enough to be considered confirmed by today’s standards.  And she didn’t use a bunch of theological jargon.  But she still made a difference!  She spoke from a heart of faith.  She spoke up because she knew where Naaman could find help.  And the Lord would use her words to accomplish his purpose.

But it can’t be that easy, can it?  Yes, it can!  All you have to do is share what you know.  You’re here this morning because you can look at the cross and know what happened on it.  You know that your Savior gave up his life so thatyour life might mean something and not end up in hell but continue forever in heaven.  You know enough!  Now just share what you know!

If the thought of it all is still a little scary, that’s O.K.  Maybe that little servant girl was a little afraid.  If so, God’s power took care of that for her, and since our Lord “is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8), he can help you with your nerves as well.  He will give you the power to make a difference by speaking up and sharing what you know about your Lord and Savior.

What happens when we share what we know with others?  Only God knows, since he’s the one in charge of the results.  But he does promise us (Isa 54:11), “My word . . . will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  You will make a difference when you share what you know, because God promises that his kingdom will grow!

Let’s buzz through a few verses of our text that tell us of some roadblocks that tried to hinder God’s will from being done.  The king of Israel at that time, believed to be King Joram, received the letter from the king of Aram in Naaman’s behalf (v 6), “The letter that he took to the king of Israel read:  ‘With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.’”  Obviously the king of Aram assumed that Israel’s king knew about the prophet who could help Naaman.  But Joram was anything but cooperative (v 7), “As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, ‘Am I God?  Can I kill and bring back to life?  Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy?  See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me?’”  Joram was suspicious.  After all, the king of Aram was the enemy!  Joram’s lack of faith and love stood in direct contrast to the faith and love of the young servant girl.

“The prophet . . . in Samaria” was none other than the prophet Elisha.  He wasn’t too happy when he heard how his king had reacted (v 8), “When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message:  ‘Why have you torn your robes?  Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.’”  Contrary to Joram’s advice, Naaman had come to the right place!  He would find the cure he was seeking – and a lot more!

“So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.  Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed’” (vv 9,10).  A simple enough command, one which would truly showcase the power of God.  And yet for Naaman it was too simple (vv 11,12), “But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.  Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel?  Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?’  So he turned and went off in a rage.”  “How humiliating!” Naaman must have thought.  He was hoping for something flashy and dramatic, but a bath in the dirty Jordan?  If that’s all it took, he’d rather jump in the cleaner rivers back home.

What we have here is a picture of unbelief in action.  If left up to him, Naaman would have gone home and missed out on the blessings God had in store for him.  God had offered Naaman a cure for his leprosy, no strings attached.  The cure was free, a loving gift of God.  But Naaman was ready to walk away because it was just too easy.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Ac 16:31).  That’s what we tell people who are plagued with the leprosy of sin and are searching for a cure.  But many follow in Naaman’s footsteps and think it’s too easy.  They insist that there must be something they have to do, some good works to perform or some suffering of their own to endure.  Salvation simply as a gift from God?  That sounds too easy, too good to be true.

Keep telling them it is true, because “God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son” (Jn 3:16).  Keep reminding people that God’s love makes salvation a free gift of his grace, something that we don’t have to earn because it’s already ours!  Contrary to almost everything else in this world, with God we don’t get what we deserve.  Instead we get his love, and with that love comes the free gift of salvation won for us by our Savior.

Naaman needed a wake-up call to see the error of his ways.  Just as the Lord had used the servant girl to give Naaman hope, he now uses Naaman’s own servants to keep him from throwing that hope away (vv 13,14), “Naaman’s servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?  How much more then, when he tells you, “Wash and be cleansed”?’  So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.”

Naaman was all set to do his part in order to be healed.  He would have probably walked, maybe even crawled, the 100 miles or so back to Damascus, if that’s what it would have taken.  And remember how much stuff he had brought along to “buy” a cure!  But Elisha told him to do something that was neither difficult nor costly.  All it took was faith!

Naaman listened to the advice of his servants and followed Elisha’s instructions.  God was true to his word!  A miracle was performed, and Naaman was completely cured!

Our God has the power to help and heal even when no human cure is available.  It was that way with leprosy, and it’s also that way with sin.  There is no human cure for the leprosy of sin.  There’s no way we can heal ourselves or do something to make ourselves presentable to stand before God’s throne.  But there is a cure for sin!  God performed his greatest miracle on Calvary’s cross – Christ-crucified is God’s cure for sin!  And the cure is ours simply by grace through faith!

We have to go one verse further in 2 Kings 5 to hear of the greatest cure that took place that day.  In verse 15 we’re told, “Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God.  He stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.’”  God’s kingdom had grown!  Another soul was added – all because a little servant girl made a difference by sharing what she knew!

Last month I went out to lunch after church with a couple of our members.  As we were getting ready to leave, a little boy (probably no older than three or four) stood at the end of our booth as his family was also getting ready to leave.  I smiled at him and said something like, “Hi, how are you?”  He looked at me with wide-eyes and said, “Jesus died on a cross!”

You may go through your entire life and never be famous.  You may never invent anything worthwhile.  You may never be on TV, never make the headlines in the newspaper, never have a street named after you.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference – an eternal difference – in someone’s life.  Just share with them what you know.  Tell them, “Jesus died on a cross!”

                                                                                                                        Amen

 

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Never Forget!

6. February 2012 by admin.

Dan Herold

February 5, 2012

Psalm 103:1-18

¹ Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 ⁶ The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

 ⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

“Never forget,” is a phrase that has become popular in the last few years. Usually it is seen along with the twin towers and an American flag reminding us not to forget the tragic events of September 11, 2001. In those days after 9-11 many people were looking for answers and returned to church to find relief from the pain they were feeling. However, that spike in church attendance that our nation saw didn’t last very long. Just a short time later, after the shock of those terrorist attacks wore off, church attendance slipped back to where it had been.

 

            Why is that? Surely God wants us to come to him for comfort when we are distraught, but is that the only time we come to him? Is comfort when we are sad all God has to offer? No, there is much more that he gives us. In the opening verses of Psalm 103 we are urged to praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits. Today, the psalmist encourages us to never forget! He reminds us, first of all, that God has blessed us with forgiveness for now, and with righteousness which lasts forever.

 

            It is often hard for us to forget the bad times. It was hard for King David, the author of this psalm. If you read through his penitential psalms, such as 51, it is evident that David knew he needed God’s help in those bad times. In Psalm 103 however, David also reminds us that we need God in the good times as well.

 

            Out of all the gifts we have been given, the best gift is God’s forgiveness. In verse 3 David tells us that God forgives all our sins. Not just some, but all of them. Christ’s blood covers over all our sins no matter how unforgivable they seem to us. David was very aware of how serious his sins were. His sins of adultery with Bathsheba and then having her husband killed to cover up his sin deeply troubled him. In Psalm 51:3 David wrote that his sins were always before him. To David, it felt like there was no place he could go to escape the guilt of his sins. However, when David confessed his sin to the prophet Nathan, Nathan announced the forgiveness of the Lord which David proclaims here in Psalm 103.

 

            David knew that the Lord forgives, and that he was forgiven. Even though he lived 1000 years before Jesus was born, he trusted that God would provide the Savior whom he had promised to send. David trusted in the power of God’s forgiveness and joyfully praises his forgiving God in this psalm.

 

            God’s forgiveness, though, doesn’t just exist in the pages of Scripture. God’s forgiveness is very real in our lives. The blood of Christ which washed away David’s sin washes our sin away as well.

 

            There’s a noticeable change in David’s tone between Psalm 51 and 103; between a guilty conscience looking for help, and a relieved conscience that has been reassured of God’s forgiveness. Carrying a guilty conscience is like carrying a 500 lb. gorilla on your back who’s constantly hitting you on top of the head to remind you he’s there just in case you would somehow forget. A clear conscience, though, sings praises to the one who takes our burden away. God has declared us righteous because of what Jesus did for us. Your conscience no longer has the right to accuse you because you are forgiven. When Jesus completed the payment God required, the Devil’s power over us was destroyed.

 

            The forgiveness which is ours through Christ has the power to change lives. David went from the depths of depression and mourning to singing God’s praises because he knew that he was forgiven. In the same way, when we confess our sins and receive the assurance of our forgiveness, either through the words of absolution or through the Lord’s Supper, our lives are changed. Our lives are changed because Jesus took the weight of our sins upon himself and paid the debt we owe.

 

            Then, just in case anyone missed the point, David included a reference to Israel’s history that every Israelite would remember when they heard this psalm. Verses 8-10 echo back to Exodus 34, to God’s words to Moses after the golden calf incident. “The Lord is compassionate and gracious. Slow to anger and abounding in love.”

 

             In verse 10 David writes, “He (the Lord) does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” Those words are a reminder of what we deserve as sinners, and of what God gives us instead. We deserve, just like the idolatrous Israelites, to be destroyed. But rather than accusing us and condemning us, God offers grace and forgiveness. God picks us up when we fall down. He takes away the sin that put us on the ground and lifts us up with his forgiving hands. He takes that sin away and removes it from us so far that we can’t even begin to understand how far away it is.

 

David writes,

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

   so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,

   so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,

   so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

            How high is the sky? Where does it start? Where does it end? That’s how David describes the love that God has for us. It is totally immeasurable. There’s no way to gauge it, we can’t begin to understand how immense it is.

 

            David also describes God’s love for us as being like that of a Father for his children. In our context that illustration might lose something, because earthly father’s aren’t always the perfect example of love. God loves us like a perfect Father, one who loves unconditionally. And as a perfect Father God understands us. He knows our physical and spiritual limitations, and he knows that we can’t live perfectly. So, he sent Jesus to do what we are incapable of doing. Now, because Jesus lived the perfect life which we could never live, we have God’s forgiveness, and it brings us a new life of joy.

 

            David describes that new life we have in verse 4 where he says that God, “redeems your life from the pit.” By nature we are stuck in the pit of sin. Our sinful nature is like a deep pit with steep walls. There’s no way we can climb out on our own no matter how much we claw at the sides trying to get a hold of something to pull ourselves out.

 

 

 

 

 

            Our sinful nature is dark and blinds us from the light of God’s grace.  Last year, a mine collapse in Chile was the big news story. We heard about how the miners were trapped in complete darkness for several days and could do nothing to get themselves out. That’s what it is like to be trapped in sin, there’s no way out on your own. Just like those miners needed to be rescued, we also needed to be rescued. David paints a beautiful picture here of God reaching down into the dark pit of sin and lifting us out into the light. On our own wouldn’t have survived in that pit, but God lifted us up and revitalized us to live a new life through the forgiveness Christ won for us.

 

            God’s forgiveness is the pick me up that we so often need. The forgiveness we have through Christ is like a breath of fresh air that revitalizes us. There are all sorts of ways people try to reenergize themselves. All over TV you see commercials for energy drinks and 5 hour energy shots that promise to give you all the energy to make it through the work day. Red Bull commercials tell you it will feel like you are flying because, “Red Bull gives you wings,” as their slogan goes. However the marketers of Red Bull weren’t as creative as they may have thought they were. Take a look at verse 5 of Psalm 103 where David writes that God, “Satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” God satisfies all our desires and renews us to be like the eagle that soars on its wings. Unlike the effects of energy drinks, the refreshment and revitalization which we have through our Savior lasts eternally. It isn’t just a physical revitalization, but a spiritual one. God loves us so much that he refreshes us by clothing us with Christ’s righteousness.

 

            In the next section of verses, 15-18, David tells us how the righteousness we receive is different from every other gift, because unlike most things in this life which have an expiration date, God’s love is good forever. In verse 17 David describes God’s love like this, “From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.”

 

            The righteousness of God, the thing that makes us right with God, is with us forever. God’s righteousness is what was shown in Jesus as he lived a perfect life and obeyed all of God’s commands. Through faith in our Savior his righteousness now becomes our righteousness. That righteousness is our ticket into heaven, and it’s not a limited time offer it is good for eternity.

 

            David again uses immeasurable terms to describe how God loves us when he says it is from, “everlasting to everlasting.” God knew us and loved us before we ever existed, and he will continue to know and love us into eternity. There is no beginning or end to God’s love for us and it will never go away.

 

            Since God’s love is so far beyond our comprehension, David compares it with something that we can understand. In verse 15 and 16 David contrasts the length of a human life with how long the righteousness we have in Christ will last. He writes,

15 As for man, his days are like grass,

   he flourishes like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,

   and its place remembers it no more.

           

             David says the length of our lives is like the lifespan of grass and flowers. How long does grass last? In the Kansas heat it can whither and die pretty quickly. A flower blossoms for a short time and then withers as well. God’s love, however, lasts forever. It is because of that love which endures forever that we have been made righteous. Because of the righteousness of Christ we have been declared righteous and can stand before the throne of judgment unafraid.

 

            It is by God’s grace that our lives are as short as they are. God knows what awaits us after this life and that it is far better than anything we have here. It’s better because the life to come is built to last. Everything in this life will pass away, but God’s love is forever. The righteousness we have lasts forever, and we will enjoy the full benefits of that righteousness when we are united with God in heaven.

 

            Never forget what lasts. God’s love lasts forever. And from God’s love comes our greatest blessing of all, the righteousness of Christ which makes us fit for heaven. Our lives on this earth last only a short time compared to the lasting power of God’s love. So as we give thanks for all that we have in the here and now, don’t forget to give thanks for what’s to come.

 

            We can thank God for heaven, even though we haven’t seen it yet, because we know with certainty that it is ours through Christ. Christ paid the full debt that we owed for our sins, and by his resurrection God approved the payment that Christ made on our behalf. So give thanks for what you have, and even what you haven’t seen yet, because God has promised that it is yours.

 

            It will be interesting to watch church attendance studies as our current economic situation plays out.  During hard times people look to God for help, but so often once whatever was troubling them passes by they forget about who it was that got them through that tough time.

 

            Don’t get the wrong impression, it’s not wrong to come to God in the hard times. He tells us to do just that. But, take David’s words to heart and remember that God has done much more than get you through tough times. It is also God who brings you to the good times. Whether you find yourself in good times or bad, never forget all that God does for you. Never forget that he has blessed you with forgiveness, and never forget that through that forgiveness you have the righteousness of Christ your Savior which lasts for eternity. And never forget that it is only because of that forgiveness and righteousness that you are able stand before your Lord on the last day and be counted among the righteous.

 

Amen

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Practice Christian Freedom With Head and Heart!

30. January 2012 by admin.

Pastor Jonathan Rockhoff

1-29-2012

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

 ¹ Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge.^[a] Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ² The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. ³ But the man who loves God is known by God.

 ⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. ⁵ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), ⁶ yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

 ⁷ But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. ⁸ But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

 ⁹ Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰ For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? ¹¹So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. ¹² When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

In the name of him in whom we find true freedom, dear friends in Christ Jesus,

While he was home over the holidays, my wife and I had our son Thomas work on filling out a college application.  God-willing, he hopes to enroll at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota this fall to study for the pastoral ministry.  I looked over the application and noticed that, as with most applications, there were requests for information regarding how much knowledge he’s obtained so far in his schooling.  They wanted to know his ACT score, what courses he’s completed so far, and even what AP courses he’s taken or currently taking.  They want to make sure that intellectually he can handle the courses he’ll have in college.

But like most colleges, the admissions department at MLC also wants to know how that “head” knowledge is being applied in life.  Two other sections of the application seemd to seek more information on the person’s heart than just his head.  In one place it says, “Describe your involvement in your local church,” while in another it asks, “How will you contribute to the community of excellence at MLC?”  At Martin Luther College, having knowledge isn’t enough.  They also want students who know how to express that  head knowledge with their hearts in acts of love.

Today we’re going to listen as the apostle Paul talks to us about Christian freedom.  All the knowledge in the world about that freedom won’t do us any good unless we learn to use it in love as we deal with others.  Paul encourages us to do just that as we:

“Practice Christian Freedom with Head and Heart!”

                                                I. Learn of the freedom that is yours in Christ

                                                II. Use that knowledge in love toward your neighbor

The young church in Corinth was experiencing some growing pains.  The city itself was anything but Christian, boasting of at least a dozen temples devoted to a variety of pagan gods and religions.  The sacrifices made at the altars of these temples were indirectly causing a problem for some of the Christians in Corinth.  Not all of the meat being offered in the many daily sacrifices was being burned up.  Some would be burned up, some would be given back to the worshiper, and some was given to the priests.  At times portions of the meat would also find their way into the local butcher shops for sale to the public.  Since many of the Corinthian Christians had once belonged to these pagan cults before their conversions, they wanted to know if they would be compromising their faith by purchasing some of this meat.  The Jews had been strictly forbidden from having anything to do with food sacrificed to idols.  So who was right?  They wanted to know.

Paul begins by telling the Corinthians that they already had the “head” knowledge they were looking for about this topic (v 1), “Now about food sacrificed to idols:  We know that we all possess knowledge.”  Here Paul is aiming his words specifically at the stronger Christians, those who had no issues with purchasing and eating this meat.  They understood that Christ had set them free from the law by fulfilling the law for all mankind, and they now knew that they were “set free from sin” as Paul wrote to the Romans (6:18).  They had learned of the freedom that was now theirs in Christ, freedom that had set them free from the Old Testament laws that were meant to point God’s people ahead to Christ.  But now, since Christ had arrived, such laws were no longer needed.  As Paul pointed out in Colossians (2:16,17), “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.  These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”

These stronger Christians had been blessed with a clear understanding of what it meant to be free in Christ.  They didn’t see any religious significance in eating this once-sacrificed meat.  Paul explains why (vv 4-6), “So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:  We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one.  For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”

Paul makes two points here:  Idols are nothing but false gods, and there is only one true God.  Regardless of what the pagans believed, the Lord himself proclaims (Isa 45:5), “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.”  So if these false gods don’t really exist, then eating meat sacrificed to non-existent deities didn’t pose a problem for most of these Christians.  As Paul says later in our text (v 8), “Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.”  What does matter is learning of the freedom that is ours in Christ!

There was the temptation for some Corinthian Christians to flaunt their Christian freedom, to allow themselves to be “puffed up” with their head knowledge to the point of looking down on those still struggling with some of the concepts of their newfound faith.   That temptation is alive and well today.  Consider our frustration with the unchurched, how at times we become weary of dealing with people who keep rejecting our message.  How can they be so ignorant?!  Why even try reaching out to them?  We end up exalting ourselves for the knowledge we possess instead of exalting our Lord and what he’s done for the world.  We get more caught up in “head” knowledge without learning to use that knowledge in love toward our neighbor.

Paul wanted the Christians in Corinth to temper their knowledge with love (vv 1-3), “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.  The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.  But the man who loves God is known by God.”  All the knowledge in the world wouldn’t help these people if they weren’t using that knowledge in love.  If we truly are the people of God, people whom God knows and has made his own, we’ll love God and we’ll use both our head and our heart in dealing with others.

For the Corinthians, that meant understanding that not everyone may have been comfortable when it came to eating meat sacrificed to idols.  It wasn’t technically sinful to eat such meat, but Paul points out (v 7), “But not everyone knows this.  Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.”  In short, what’s OK for someone may not be OK for everyone.

Some couldn’t help but feel guilty when thinking about eating such “idol” food.  To do so made them feel that they were once again involved in pagan worship and sinning against the Lord.  And, if such eating caused them to go against their conscience, it was sinful.  That’s why Paul goes on to issue this warning to the others (vv 9-12), “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.  For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols?  So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by knowledge.  When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.”

St. Paul wraps up his argument by saying that if eating such meat actually caused his fellow Christian to stumble in his faith, he was willing to become a vegetarian (v 13), “Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.”  Paul would make his “head” knowledge captive to his heart as he dealt in love with his neighbor.

So what does all this mean?  What’s the message for you and me in 21^st century America?  We still are called upon by the Lord to practice our Christian freedom with both our head and our heart.  Keep studying God’s Word to appreciate all the more the freedom won for you by your Savior’s death on the cross.  No longer are we captive to the law when it comes to our salvation, somehow having to prove ourselves worthy of God’s love and his salvation.  Now we are free to live for him to thank him for taking care of everything and welcoming us back into his family.

But let’s be careful how we use our Christian freedom.  As Paul says two chapters later to these same Christians (1 Co 10:23), “Everything is permissible – but not everything is beneficial.  Everything is permissible – but not everything is constructive.”  We have a responsibility to those around us who may be weaker in their faith.  So how does that translate into real life?

Allow me to use a few examples.  No show of hands needed, but how many of you have visited the new casino down in Mulvane?  One would be hard-pressed to find passages in Scripture that say that gambling is a sin, and yet we have to recognize for ourselves when such an activity is becoming excessive or if greed is dominating our attitude.  But should we be encouraging someone to join us if we know that they do struggle with such an activity?  That’s not using our knowledge in love toward our neighbor.  Or if we may enjoy a nice cold one every now and then, is it wise for us to do so in the company of someone who is obviously struggling with alcohol?  That’s not using our knowledge in love toward our neighbor.   Some might proclaim, “There’s nothing wrong with getting a tattoo” as they try to encourage someone to do the same, but it’s wrong to keep bugging someone who obviously doesn’t feel comfortable in doing so.  That’s not using our knowledge in love toward our neighbor.

It’s going overboard if we try and set up more rules and regulations to follow as New Testament Christians, but here are a few guidelines to keep in mind in practicing our Christian freedom:  In deciding what to do or not to do, always consider the feelings of others.  Always act in love.  Use your head and your heart!  If you think someone might be offended by your words and actions, think twice.  Don’t be so quick to insist on your rights as a Christian, but in love be quicker to give up those rights when you might be offending another.  As a Christian, remember that even though in Christ you are a lord of all, subject to none, you are still a servant of all, subject to everyone!

When it comes to practicing Christian freedom, we who are strong in knowledge must be equally strong in love.  Knowledge by itself is nothing, but knowledge combined with love is everything.  So make sure your “head” is guided by your “heart”!  Share your knowledge with others by first sharing with them your love and the love of their Savior!

                                                                                    Amen

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Fishing With Jesus

23. January 2012 by admin.

Vicar Dan Herold

1-22-2012

Mark 1:14-20

 ¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

 ¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.

 ¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

This past week I read an article on Field And Stream’s website titled, “Why Do 50 Million People Fish?” The article was written rather jokingly, but it raised the question of why so many people fish when it costs so much and yields such a seemingly small payoff. The best part of the article was a quotation from former president Grover Cleveland. The former president was quoted as once saying, “At the outset, the fact should be recognized that the community of fishermen constitute a class or sub-race among the inhabitants of the earth.”  Anyone who logically looks at someone who enjoys fishing would probably share President Cleveland’s opinion. Why do people spend money to stand outside for hours in the rain and cold trying to catch a fish that they could buy at the grocery store for much less? And if you really want to see something strange go to Minnesota in the winter and look out on a frozen lake full of people ice fishing. Personally, I enjoy ice fishing. However, if you asked me why, it might be hard for me to make a logical case for it. After all you have to be crazy to drive out on a lake and sit there fishing through a tiny hole you drilled through the ice, right?

 

            In the context of our gospel lesson this morning, it probably wasn’t the fact that Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen that caused people to wonder about them because they lived in an area known for its fishing industry. However, I’m sure some people thought it was strange that these men left their jobs to follow Jesus on a different sort of fishing trip. This morning we hear about how the disciples, and you, and I, are called to go fishing with Jesus. And, as we set out to go fishing with Jesus we are told that we have been equipped with the gospel, that we are guided by Jesus on this fishing adventure, and that as faithful believers in God’s promises we eagerly look forward to sharing the gospel.

 

            First of all, how are we equipped? In order to fish you need some equipment. Most often you use a rod and reel, but you can use nets, spears, traps, and many other methods. But even the simple rod and reel has an infinite number of ways to be used. You can change the weight of your line, the size of the hooks, and just about everything else you could think of. The fishing tackle industry is a billion dollar business because the possibilities are endless.

 

            You also need bait. If you go up to Sedgwick County Park and just throw a hook tied to some fishing line into the water, you probably won’t catch anything more than sticks, weeds, and rocks. You need to put some bait on the hook to lure the fish in so you can hook it.

 

            These are the basics of fishing and even people who have never gone fishing before know these basic principles. So surely, Peter, Andrew, James, and John knew what they needed in order to catch fish. Since they knew about the gear that was necessary to catch fish it wouldn’t have made much sense to them if Jesus had come up to them and said, “Go fish for people.” So instead of starting out with that line, Jesus first shows them the tools they would use to catch others. Jesus showed them the fishing gear they would use as fishers of men by first using that gear to hook these four men.

            The fishing gear which Jesus used was the gospel. It was the life-giving message of free and full salvation that hooked the first disciples and also hooks us. There weren’t any flashy techniques used or any gimmicks that tricked these four into following Jesus, it was simply the power of the gospel that hooked them and brought them to their Savior. Jesus preached a simple message which we have recorded in verse 15, “The time has come, and the kingdom of God is near repent and believe the good news.” The power of the Word is all that is needed to bring souls to their Savior, and it’s all Jesus used to hook these first disciples.

 

            A common mistake of a beginner fisherman is to not trust his gear. It always amazed me that my dad would sit there patiently holding his cane pole with a worm on the hook while I was feverishly reeling in my line, changing to a new lure, casting again and changing again if I hadn’t immediately landed a trophy walleye. New fishermen quickly get bored if there isn’t an immediate bite and easily give up.

 

            The gospel is certainly powerful, but, God works on his own timetable. If we don’t immediately see the effects of sharing our faith with someone it doesn’t mean that it didn’t work or that there’s something more we need to do. God has promised us that the tool he has given us is all that we need. So since we have all we need, God urges us to keep trying. Always keep your line in the water, keep casting the gospel out to bring in a catch.

 

            However, just because you are holding a fishing pole doesn’t mean you are a master fishermen. As a fisherman, there’s always something new to learn about how to use the equipment you have or about where or when to fish. Jesus promised the newly called disciples that he would guide them and show them how to use the tool he had used to hook them as they followed him on this fishing trip.

 

            In any task, not just fishing, it’s helpful to learn from someone knowledgeable. Fishing is a pretty simple concept, but it can seem intimidating to get into at first. Before you start there are a few things it is helpful to know. It helps if you have a good map of the area you are fishing so that you know where the deep water is and what the bottom is like.

 

            It is also helpful to know what fish you are fishing for. If you throw out a lure bigger than any of the fish in the lake you won’t have much luck. You need to know what fish are in the lake so that you can decide how best to use the bait and tools that you have. In all these cases a fishing guide would be able to help you. A guide who knows the area and has fished there before is a valuable resource when you are fishing a new area or just beginning to fish.

 

            Peter, Andrew, James, and John, knew the waters of the Sea of Galilee very well and could have guided someone fishing there, but they were not experienced fishers of men. That is why Jesus said in verse 17, “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Jesus invited the four to follow him and also promised to guide them by making them fishers of men.

 

            These four now had a different target. No longer would they use their nets to catch fish from the sea, but they would now use the gospel to catch souls. Peter, Andrew, James, and John had been hooked by the gospel which was preached by John the Baptist and Jesus, and now Jesus would teach them how to use the gospel to hook others as well.

 

            One of my professors in college once said while we were discussing these verses in class that, “God qualifies the called, he doesn’t always call the qualified.” What that means is this. If we had been in Jesus’ position and had been looking for people to help us spread a message we probably could have found people more qualified for that task than four blue collar fishermen. We probably could have gone to Jerusalem or one of the bigger cities and found some educated people who were good public speakers and recruited them. However, that’s not how God chose to work.

 

            God, in his infinite wisdom, called these four men. He called men whom none of us would have ever expected to be entrusted with the incredible task Jesus called them for. Peter, Andrew, James, and John weren’t called because they were such well known speakers and preachers, but they were hooked by the gospel and Jesus promised that by the power of the gospel they would be made into fishers of men.

 

             It’s comforting for us to know that God promises to make us what we are called to be. Sometimes we sound a little too much like Moses complaining that he isn’t a good speaker when God told him to lead the Israelites. I’m guilty of having that attitude far more than I would like to admit. But it’s at times like that when we need to remember Jesus’ promise to his first disciples…his promise that he would make them into what they were being called to do. We need to remember that his promise has also been extended to us and he promises to give us every gift we need to share our faith. Even if you feel like you’re not a very good speaker, you can rely on God’s promise that he will guide you. It’s not about how good of a speaker you are, but about how powerful God is.

 

            What better mentor could Peter, Andrew, James, and John have asked for than Jesus? For that matter, what better guide could we ask for than our Savior whom we meet and learn from in the Word? So, since we have the most powerful tool in the world and the best guide possible, as God’s fishermen we’re eager to get to work.

 

            Take a look at verse 18 and see just how eager Peter and Andrew were to get to work. In verse 18 Mark writes, “At once they (Peter and Andrew) left their nets and followed him.” And in verse 20 we can see the eagerness of James and John. Verse 20 tells us that they, “…left their Father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.” In both cases these weren’t reckless reactions, but rather the response of faith to the gospel. It would have seemed absurd for these professional fishermen to abandon the tools of their trade on a whim. A construction worker would never abandon his tools unsecured at a job site and intend to come back and work tomorrow. These four men knew that their lives changed drastically, and they changed because of the gospel.

 

            Our lives too have been transformed by the power of the gospel. It was the gospel that hooked us, and because of its wonderful power we want others to be hooked as well. However, our sinful nature never ceases to throw up roadblocks that hinder our eagerness. Our sinful nature makes us doubt the power of the gospel to change hearts, it makes us doubt Jesus’ promise to guide us, and the doubt that sin creates makes that eagerness to share God’s Word fade.

            Thankfully though, God assures us that the power of the gospel doesn’t depend on our eagerness. God has promised us that his Word will never return to him empty, that it always accomplishes the purpose he has chosen.

 

            God has done wonderful things for us. He has blessed us immensely and most importantly offered his Son as a sacrifice for us to wipe away our sins. Since Jesus bridged the gap that separated us from God, we can come to our heavenly Father in prayer and ask that he be with us and help us in those times that we aren’t so eager to do the work he has given us. We can also be certain that God will answer our prayers and be with us because he promises to do so in his Word. The Word of God is a reliable tool that we can trust as we go out fishing with Jesus.

 

            Fishing really is an excellent pastime, in spite of what President Cleveland said about fishermen. It’s a great way to enjoy God’s creation, learn about patience, and spend time with friends and family. But even though it has so many good points fishing for fish pales in comparison to what God has equipped and guided us to do as his through the gospel. We have been equipped to bring the life giving message of our Savior to those who haven’t heard it.

 

            As the gospel works in our hearts it makes us eager-eager to put our gifts to use and eager to see the effects of God working in the lives of others. We have been outfitted very well for this fishing trip. We have been equipped with the most powerful tool in the world, the gospel. We have the best guide possible in our Savior Jesus. And because of all that our gracious God has given us we can share the gospel, which has us hooked, and eagerly wait for the Lord to hook others.

Amen.

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Listen To The Lord!

17. January 2012 by admin.

Pastor Jonathan Rockhoff

January 15, 2012

1 Samuel 3:1-10

 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

 ² One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. ³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple^[a] of the LORD, where the ark of God was. ⁴ Then the LORD called Samuel.

   Samuel answered, “Here I am.” ⁵ And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

   But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

 ⁶ Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

   “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

 ⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

 ⁸ The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

   Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. ⁹ So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

 ¹⁰ The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

   Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Dear fellow servants of the Lord, called to faith and called to service by his grace,

One activity that people in general find to be quite difficult is listening.  It shouldn’t be that hard to listen.  All you have to do is sit there and take in the words that another person is speaking to you.  And yet so many people will admit to not being very good listeners.  Perhaps we’re too self-absorbed, like the husband so caught up in watching that football game that he doesn’t hear a word his wife is saying.  Or try talking to a teenager sometime while they’re texting on their cellphone.  Some find it hard to listen because they’re always too busy talking.  They think that people should be listening to them, so they make no time to listen to others.

If you want to become a better listener, there’s hope – you can join the International Listening Association, a group whose mission is “to advance the practice, teaching, and research of listening throughout the world.”  And, for the bargain price of just $200, you can enroll in a program that will make you an official “Certified Listening Professional.”  For those of you interested, when you get home just log on to www.listen.org, and you, too, can learn to be a better listener!

We all can admit that we need to become better listeners, but poor listening can be eternally fatal when it has spiritual repercussions.   I assume each of us owns a Bible.  We may all even open it up from time to time.  It’s there, in the pages of Scripture, that God talks to us.  He reveals who he is and what he’s done to save us.  And yet we can hear these words and even read them for ourselves again and again, but fail to take them to heart.  We can be guilty of “turning a deaf ear” to these words and to our Lord.

This morning we hear the familiar story of a young boy named Samuel.  We do well to emulate Samuel’s example as we learn to:

“Listen to the LORD!”

                                                             I. With the ears of a servant

                                                            II. With the actions of a servant

Samuel was one of those “miracle” babies of the Old Testament.  A barren woman named Hannah had made it a yearly practice to approach the Lord in prayer at his place of worship in Shiloh, asking him to bless her with a son.  She even vowed that if the Lord enabled her to conceive and bear a son, she would turn him over to the Lord to serve him his entire life.  Hannah was true to her word.  After Samuel was born, out of love Hannah gave back to the Lord what he had given to her, (v 1), “The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli,” the high priest.

God had special plans for Samuel.  In those days, the Israelites did not have the ears of a servant.  They could barely be recognized as the Lord’s people, having sunk to an all-time low in their idolatry and immorality.  The spiritual leaders of that day weren’t getting it done either – and this included even the offspring of the high priest himself (1 Sa 2:12), “Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD.”  Such spiritual apathy typified the nation as a whole – and they paid the price, (v 1), “In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.”  God had withdrawn his prophets from his people along with most of his divine revelations.  Since the people stopped listening, the Lord stopped talking.

But there was at least one person in Israel who would listen to the Lord.  Even though Israel deserved to have the Lord’s Word removed from them forever, God in his mercy saw fit to raise up for them a Spirit-filled messenger who would once again reveal to them the will of the Lord.  The God of Israel was a God of grace, one who offered his love and forgiveness again and again.  It’s the same God who reaches out today to a world that needs him just as much.  At the time of our text, God chose to work through his servant Samuel.

God called this young boy to his special task in a unique way, as described in our text (vv 2,3), “One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.  The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.”  Eli was getting up in age and didn’t see as well as he once did.  It must have been quite common for him to have Samuel help him in his daily routine.  It was now night, with the seven-branched candlestick still burning.  Samuel was lying down in his usual spot – right next to the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God’s presence.

That night the Lord would make his presence known to Samuel in a very special way, even if Samuel didn’t realize it at first (vv 4,5), “Then the LORD called Samuel.  Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.’  And he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’  But Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’  So he went and lay down.”  One might imagine that Samuel had occasionally been summoned by Eli during the night for assistance, due to his age and decreasing sight.  So Samuel may not have been all that surprised to hear his name being called.  He likely assumed Eli needed his help, and as his servant Samuel faithfully “ran to Eli” to see what he needed.  But Eli said it wasn’t him.  He was fine.  Maybe he was just dreaming.  Eli told him to go back to bed.

But the call came again (vv 6,7), “Again the LORD called, ‘Samuel!’  And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’  ‘My son,’ Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’  Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD:  The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.”  Same reaction, same result.  Here we’re also told that Samuel had not yet had any previous divine revelations.  Certainly he knew the true God by faith — his mother Hannah had taught him about the true God.  But he had yet to receive the call into service that he was receiving that night.

Finally, the third time was the charm, at least for Eli (v 8), “The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’  Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.”  If you were called out of bed three times in one night, no one would blame you for getting a bit frustrated – especially if it kept being a false alarm!  But not Samuel!  He had the ears of a servant!  He didn’t ignore the call or just wrap his pillow around his head.  He listened, and he would soon discover what Eli finally realized – “the LORD was calling the boy.”

When Martin Luther was a student at the university, he found a copy of the Bible in the school library.  As he paged through the Scriptures, he happened upon this story about Samuel and read it with great interest.  How he wished he could be like Samuel and hear God’s voice!  The great discovery of Luther’s life was that on the pages of the Bible God does speak to us as he once spoke to Samuel.

First of all God calls us to faith with a call of pure grace.  In Luther’s explanation to the Third Article we confess, “I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him.  But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”  Now that he’s made us his own, he calls us to service through his Word.  But are we listening?  Do we have the ears of a servant like Samuel?

Jesus once proclaimed (Jn 8:47), “He who belongs to God hears what God says.”  If God speaks to us in his Word, how often are we connecting with him?  Is it automatic for us to be here for worship to listen to our Lord?  Do we give him the chance to speak to us in our homes by opening up our Bibles?  Or are we like the woman who was being visited by her pastor?  She hadn’t been in church for a while, but she wanted to assure the pastor that he shouldn’t be concerned about her spiritual welfare, so she pointed out the large Bible on her coffee table, saying, “We still have the Word of God in this family.”  But her young son overheard the conversation and said, “Well, if that’s God’s book, we better send it back to him ‘cuz we never read it!”

Having the ears of a servant is one thing, but actually using them to listen to our Lord is another.  And, if we truly are listening to the Lord, we’ll not only have the ears of a servant.  We’ll have the actions of a servant as well.

Eli wanted Samuel to realize who was calling him (v 9), “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.”  Eli gave good advice for the young Samuel on how to answer the Lord’s call.  His was to be a humble response, one of trustful obedience.  Samuel was to be ready to accept the Lord’s Word as truth, to believe it, and to obey it.

Samuel listened to Eli – and prepared to listen to the Lord (v 10), “The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel!  Samuel!’  Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’”  Notice here that the Lord didn’t just speak to him, but this time he actually “came and stood there.”  And Samuel was ready to listen.  “Speak, Lord, for I, your humble servant, am ready to listen to whatever you have to tell me.”  The Lord’s silence had ended.  Once again he would reveal himself to his people, calling them to repentance through the promised Messiah, speaking to them through his servant Samuel.  Samuel’s answer reflected the willing obedience that would typify his entire life. “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Jesus once proclaimed (Lk 11:28), “Blessed . . . are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”  In his Epistle James warns us (Jas 1:22), “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.”  When it comes to listening to the Lord, having the ears of a servant is important.  But it’s just as important to have the actions of a servant.  Jesus tells us that it’s a wise man who “hears these words of mine and puts them into practice” (Mt 7:24).  So how do we listen to God and respond with the actions of a servant?

It’s highly unlikely that God is going to wake us up in the middle of the night with a direct call for some special mission.  But he does call us to serve him in ways less spectacular but just as meaningful to him.  He calls us first to listen to him at a time when our sinful nature wants to scream out, “Listen, LORD, your servant is speaking!”  Instead of ignoring his Word or treating it as a salad bar and picking and choosing what we want to listen to, God calls us to accept all of it and to live by it to show our love for what he’s done for us in Christ.  So if God says it’s wrong to live together without the promises of marriage, then it doesn’t matter what society says or what we think is best.  If God says that it’s wrong to slander others, then there’s no way we can defend gossiping.  If God says that he deserves our firstfruits, it’s sinful for us to litter his throne with excuses for insufficient offerings.  Our actions will serve as proof as to whether or not we’re listening to the Lord!

God has given you opportunities to serve him by being faithful in whatever vocation he’s given you.  If you are a husband, the Lord asks you to serve him by loving your wife.  If you are a wife, the Lord says you can serve him by respecting your husband.  Children are called to serve the Lord by obeying their parents and others in authority and for showing love to their brothers and sisters, even though at times they may get so mad they want to “punch them in the face.”  Employees serve the Lord when they faithfully do their jobs as if God himself was their boss.  Unlike Samuel, you may not be called to serve the Lord by leading an army, serving as a judge, or anointing someone king.  But by faithfully carrying out your everyday tasks to his glory, you still serve him with your actions.  And don’t forget, every day he gives you opportunities to do what’s most important – to share his gospel message with others.

I think it’s safe to say that all of us here this morning need to become better listeners, especially when it comes to God and his Word.  We haven’t all been Samuels.  We haven’t always had the ears of a servant, and we haven’t always served our Lord with the actions of a servant.  But there was a Servant who did listen perfectly to his heavenly Father.  Jesus Christ did everything we could not do, and thereby wiped away all our failures.  Now we can greet every day with a clear conscience and a Spirit-filled heart, eager to serve our Lord.  As we live for him here on this earth while waiting to live with him eternally in heaven, we can become better listeners.  We do so by echoing the words of Samuel:  “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.”

                                                                                    Amen

 

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God Speaks Through Baptism.

9. January 2012 by admin.

Dan Herold

1-8-2012

Mark 1:4-11

⁴ And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I baptize you with^[d] water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” ⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

 

 Have you ever thought about how awesomely powerful water is? More often than not we take water for granted. During the extreme heat this last summer and the drought that this part of the country experienced we might have become a little more aware of how important water is, but still every time I turn on the faucet to get a drink water comes out. In some parts of the world though that isn’t the case. In some places countries have even gone to war over water. Water makes up the majority of our bodies and has amazing power in our lives, but water has amazing power in nature as well.

 

            Water can give as well as take away life. Water can shape the land around it and drastically change landscapes. I was reminded of that awesome power last week as I travelled to Minnesota to visit my parents. One of the dominating natural features of the area surrounding St. Paul, Minnesota is the Mississippi River. It is simply amazing to stand and look at the beautiful valley the mighty river cut through the landscape. The walls of the valley are sometimes over 100 feet high. The banks of the river are surrounded with trees and wildlife which the water of the river supports. But also, every spring brings a reminder of the destruction which water is capable of. As the winter snow melts, the banks of the rivers begin to swell. Floods affect thousands of people every spring, and the sheer force of water inspires awe as you watch the news reports of the flood damage.

 

            Water is one of the most simple substances on earth, but it is extremely powerful.  The same could be said of God’s Word. The almighty Word of God is both simple and powerful. So, when the two are joined together in baptism, they form something of unimaginable power. They form a means of grace by which God creates and sustains faith in our hearts through the work of the Holy Spirit. Water is powerful on its own, but the true power of baptism comes from the Word of God being used with water. So since the power of baptism comes from the Word, as we look at the verses before us from Mark 1 listen to what God says in baptism. Listen as God speaks in Baptism as he speaks to Jesus and to us.

 

            Our text begins with a brief description of the ministry of John the Baptist. As John baptized and preached he taught this message which is summarized in verse 7. John taught that, “After him will come one more powerful than he.” John recognized the purpose of his baptizing was not that the people needed to do something, but rather that he was preparing the way for Jesus, the one who would be more powerful than John.  John’s focus was on God, on Jesus, and never on himself. In the accounts of Jesus’ baptism in the other gospels John is reluctant to baptize Jesus because he recognized that baptism was about God’s forgiveness coming to us, not us doing something for God. But nonetheless, Jesus needed to follow God’s command to be baptized even though he was without sin in order to show that he had come to take man’s place.

 

              At his baptism God the Father voiced his approval of his Son and thus began Jesus’ public ministry.After Jesus was baptized by John, the heavens opened and the voice of God the Father was heard saying, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” This simple sentence is packed full of wonderful Gospel comfort. First of all, God says that this man Jesus, who was standing before this whole crowd of people who had come to be baptized by John, is his Son. God is publicly identifying Jesus as God’s Son, and therefore God himself is testifying publicly that Jesus is God.

 

            Next, God says that he loves Jesus and is pleased with him. While God loves all of us as his dear children, we know that as sinful creatures we are not pleasing to God. So when God says that he is pleased with Jesus he is saying that Jesus is without sin and that Jesus was perfectly carrying out his mission as our Savior.

 

            It’s comforting for us to hear God’s testimony here that Jesus was without sin because leading up to his baptism we don’t know a whole lot about Jesus’ life. The last time we heard about Jesus was when he was 12 years old and visiting the temple at the end of Luke 2. There’s about a 20 year gap in the history of Jesus’ life that we aren’t told much about in Scripture, but God reassures us here at Jesus’ baptism that during that time Jesus still lived a perfect life and was without sin. Hearing God’s words here reminds us and reassures us that Jesus did live a holy life and fulfilled all the requirements to be our Savior.

 

            Furthermore, God uses the occasion of Jesus’ baptism to show us the Trinity. All three persons of the Trinity are present at Jesus baptism, and all are united in their affirmation of Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus was physically present and submitting to God’s will by being baptized. The Father was present and his words were heard by all the people there as he voiced his approval of Jesus and his work. And we are told in verse 10 that the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove, thus showing the unity of the Trinity. Though there are 3 persons in the Trinity there is one God who is unified in purpose, and that purpose is to save souls through God’s Son and our Savior, Jesus.

 

            It’s interesting to note that Scripture never describes how Jesus was baptized, but rather always focuses on what happens in baptism. God comes to us in baptism. God comes to us as the whole unified Trinity. The Holy Spirit creates faith and God marks us as his own dear children through baptism. God never tells us how Jesus was baptized, other than that there was water and that it was according to God’s command, because baptism is not about what we do. Baptism is entirely about what God does for us.

 

            So now having heard about Jesus’ baptism, apply it to yourself… Now that you have looked at what God said to Jesus, what does God say to you?

 

            First and foremost, God speaks to us in baptism by sending his Holy Spirit to create faith in our hearts. God has chosen to work through means, and those means are the means of grace; the Word and the sacraments. Through this sacrament of Holy Baptism, God comes to us and creates the faith through which we receive the blessings his Son died on the cross to win for us.

 

 

 

            In baptism we are joined together with Christ in his death and resurrection. Baptism creates the powerful bond that holds us together with Christ and makes the blessings of Christ’s death and resurrection available to us. The power of that bond does not rely on a promise that we make or on anything that we do, but the power of that bond is based on the water combined with the promise of God’s Word. Without the Word the water of baptism is powerless. The power of baptism doesn’t depend on us…on how strong our conviction is, or where we are baptized, or how much water is involved; but depends entirely upon the Word.

 

            A prematurely born baby that is baptized with a few drops of water in the intensive care unit of a hospital receives the same baptism as an adult who stands at the baptismal font here in church to be baptized. Both are baptized with water and the Word and both receive the same benefits of baptism. Both are welcomed by their loving God and given the assurance of their salvation through this means of grace.

 

            In baptism God marks us as his own dear children as we receive the sign of the cross over our heads and hearts. He marks us as his own, just like a shepherd marks the sheep of his flock to let others know they belong to him. Through baptism we become God’s own, not because of anything we do, but entirely because of what God does and says to us.

 

            Through the waters of Holy Baptism, God has called us to be his own. However, that is just the beginning of the story. Just like Jesus’ baptism began his ministry, our baptism is the beginning of our Christian lives. It is the sure foundation upon which our life of faith is built and since it is such a sure foundation we can go back to it for comfort in hard times. When the troubles of life are attempting to shake your faith remember the solid foundation of your baptism. When you are faced with the possibility of losing a job remember that your salvation is certain. If your health is failing remember the promise God made to you at your baptism, that your sins are forgiven and no disease can take your Savior from you. If the uncertainty of the future seems like too much to bear, fall back on the foundation of your faith…the relationship you have with your Savior through your baptism. In all situations we are sure of our salvation because God says we can be. God voiced his approval of Jesus as our Savior, so since we are joined together with Jesus in baptism you can live securely knowing that, because of Christ, God has voiced his approval of you.

 

            Our focus in baptism should always be like Mark’s in his account of Jesus baptism. One of the characteristics of Mark’s Gospel is that he focusses on the action in his accounts, and in doing so he focuses us on God’s action in baptism because that’s the only action there is. By nature we are spiritual roadkill, unable to move and get across the street. But through the life-giving water and word of Holy Baptism, we are made alive in Christ. In baptism God reassures us that we are no longer slaves to sin and death, but we have been made alive and free through the bond we have with our Savior.

 

            Baptism creates a beautiful image of the incredible power that is found when an awesome natural force like water is coupled with the even more awesome supernatural force of God’s Word. It’s a beautiful image because of its power, but also because it is entirely the work of God’s grace. The focus is always on God’s action; on his words to his Son, and on his words and actions toward us, his children. In all of life’s troubles we can fall back on the solid foundation we have with Christ through baptism. Thanks be to God for the wonderful gifts he has given us, and the awesome assurance we have through baptism.

Amen.

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The Gifts Keep Coming

2. January 2012 by admin.

Pastor Jonathan Rockhoff

1-1-2012

Colossians 3:15-17

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

In the name of Jesus, God’s Gift to us who comes bearing gifts for us, dear fellow redeemed,

It’s the day after Christmas.  You crawl out of bed and head down the stairs, looking only for that first cup of coffee to get you going.  On your way to the kitchen, you cast a glance into the living room, but something makes you stop and look again.  You even rub your eyes to make sure you’re awake and not dreaming.  There, under the tree, are a whole new batch of Christmas presents, wrapped up, waiting to be opened!  You’re sure you opened all your gifts a day or two before, but here are even more gifts.  What child — or what adult, for that matter — wouldn’t be overjoyed to find even more gifts awaiting them under the tree!

Just a dream, a fantasy that would never happen?  Well, it has happened!  It happens every day of a Christian’s life.  That’s the news we have before us this morning as we enter another new year. The apostle Paul points us to our Lord and to his continuous love, telling us that, with Christ:

      “The Gifts Keep Coming”

                              I. God’s peace to rule our hearts

                            II. God’s Word to make us wise

                              III. God’s name to give us life

God’s gifts were being challenged by a host of false teachers in the city of Colosse.  There was the heathen influence of human philosophy, with some proclaiming they could lead people to a deeper enlightenment and a more complete spiritual life than Christ could.  From the other side came the attack of the ones called Judaizers, those who insisted that the Old Testament laws were still binding, and that obedience to them was necessary for salvation.  Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians to counter both of these false groups.  In Colossians 2:8 he tells them, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”  In regards to the Judaizers Paul instructs them (Col 2:16,17), “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.  These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”

From there Paul proceeds to remind the Colossians that they were “God’s chosen people” (Col 3:12).  This calling wasn’t exclusively for the Jews.  It included Gentiles as well.  It was a gift of his grace, undeserved and unmerited.  But it’s this same calling which motivates us to serve our Lord.  We do so, not to gain our way into heaven, but to thank God for already giving us heaven through Christ.  Our life of service is the reaction to and result of God’s love, not the cause of it.  As Scripture tells us (1 Jn 4:19), “We love because he first loved us.”

God has given us our faith as a gift (Eph 2:8), “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”  But the gifts don’t stop here.  They keep coming. Paul describes these “non-stop” gifts for us this morning.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (v 15).  The word “rule” here actually pictures an umpire or referee deciding the outcome of a play.  The peace of Christ settles things for us.  It settles the outcome of our lives, assuring us of the prize our Savior won for us.  The rules of the Judaizers and the philosophy of men are left out of the picture.  Only Christ’s peace gives us the answers we need.

We’re united by that peace, not by the rules of men (v 15), “. . . since as members of one body you were called to peace.”  Jesus gives us the peace we need – his peace.  As he told his disciples (Jn 14:27), “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.”  He suffered and died in our place (Isa 53:5), “The punishment that brought us peace was upon him.”  Our peace treaty with God the Father was signed in the blood of Christ (Eph 2:13), “Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”  We have peace with God once again.  So what do we do?  “And be thankful” (v 15).  Just say “thank you” to God with the way you live.  Nothing to pay back.  Nothing left to earn.  Christ has done it all.  His peace is ours.  Just “be thankful.”

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”  That’s the peace that gives us a glimpse into the future.  That’s the peace that tells us what lies ahead.  That’s the peace that gets us through adversities, that tells us everything is going to be O.K.  How can we be so sure?  Because we know how things will end.  If you watch a football game on tape but you already know your team won, you won’t worry no matter how bad things look during the game.  You know your team will end up winners.  We know we’ll end up winners no matter what happens here on this earth because of Jesus, the “Prince of Peace.”  We have no reason to be afraid, because his peace, one of God’s gifts to us, keeps coming every day of our lives.

The peace of Christ comes to us whenever we hear his message of salvation.  Another of God’s gifts to us which keeps coming is the gift of his Word, “the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation” (2 Ti 3:15).

For our spiritual welfare it’s important that we get a proper dose of “soul” food (v 16), “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”  In the Greek language Paul is actually telling us to let the Word of Christ “take up residency” inside of us.  Let it do so “richly.”  Allow that Word to occupy every nook and cranny of your being.  That Word supplies true nourishment.  As Jesus told the devil in the desert (Mt 4:4), “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

When God’s Word takes root in our hearts, we’re able to use it for the benefit of others (v 16), “. . . as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.”  So often we think that it’s only for our own benefit to stay close to God’s Word.  But in Philippians we’re told (2:4), “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  That includes offering warnings when another is putting his faith in jeopardy.  In another of his letters Paul writes (1 Th 5:14), “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”  God isn’t telling us to be judgmental, but to simply let the Word do the work.  Let that Word dwell in you so that it can work through you.  In Hebrews we’re told (4:12), “The word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  In Jeremiah God asks (Jer 23:29), “Is not my word like fire, . . . and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”  Use that Word to “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.”  It’s a gift meant to help you - and to help others!

We can display God’s gifts to us by the way we worship (v 16), “. . . as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”  True worship comes from the heart as a sign of our “gratitude.”  It isn’t meant to be mere lip service.  We’re never supposed to show up on a Sunday morning and just “go through the motions.”  Our singing, our worship is an expression of the joy and thanksgiving in our heart.  It’s a picture of the relationship we have with our God and the bond we have with one another.  During the time of the Reformation one monk complained that Luther did more “damage” with all the hymns he wrote than with all of his writings. “Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”  Why?  We get into the Word so that we can get something out of it.  Does that Word “dwell in you richly”?  Or is it only renting a room every now and then?  What’s more “normal” for you — to be here on Sunday morning, or to be somewhere else?  God has promised us that his Word will produce some wonderful results (Isa 55:11), “My word . . . will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  And yet we’re also told (Ro 10:17), “Faith comes from hearing the message.”  We’re missing out on something when we’re not in church and when we’re not opening our Bibles at home!  Being here does make a difference!  It is important to be in the Word in our homes!  That’s where we get wisdom – wisdom which guides our lives and helps us guide others.  Put that wisdom to use in your own life and when you see a fellow Christian straying from the Word.  It is your business to admonish and correct!  Use the Word!  Let it dwell in you richly!  It’s yet another of God’s gifts which keeps on coming!

By God’s grace you’ve been called into his family.  You’ve been given his name.  You can answer to the title of “Christian.”  All of us bear our Lord’s name, the only name which can give us life.

It’s possible to hide our thoughts from those around us, but our words and actions will give us away every time.  That’s why we have Paul’s encouragement (v 17), “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  Do everything the way you think Jesus would.  That applies to what you say (1 Pe 4:11), “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.”  It also apples to what you do (Mt 5:16), “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  Speak and live “in the name of the Lord Jesus,” in such a way that people will respect and honor your Father in heaven.

This is how we show our appreciation for the gifts God keeps giving to us.  The common response to receiving a gift is to say “thank you.”  The greater the gift, the more the appreciation.  If someone gave up a kidney so that you could live, you’d be grateful to that person for the rest of your life.  What about the One who gave up his Son for you?  Through Jesus we can again approach the throne of God’s grace. His name is our only ticket to God’s love (Ac 4:12), “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

We could never earn the right to bear our Savior’s name.  It comes to us only as a gift of God’s love.  By his grace we can call ourselves “Christians.”  With such a title bestowed upon us, let’s not hide our name tag.  Ask yourself at the end of every day, “What have I done today that nobody but a Christian would do?”  Did you show someone the joy inside you?  Did you tell someone the name of him who saved you from eternal death and damnation?  If a doctor would cure you of a life-threatening disease, you wouldn’t forget him.  His name would roll so easily off your lips as you sang his praises to everyone you met.  What about Jesus, our even greater Physician who’s cured us all of the plague of sin?  Sing his praises!  Proclaim his name!  He’s given us a new life, here and hereafter!  His name is yet another gift which keeps on coming!

By this time next year you will most likely have forgotten what you got for Christmas this year.  If you don’t believe me, then just tell me what you got last Christmas.  It’s not that easy, is it!  The gifts which seem so essential and so wonderful now may soon lose most of their luster.  And yet again this year you did receive something which always stands out.  You’ve once again been reminded of Jesus Christ, God’s greatest Gift to the world, and all the gifts he brings with him.  These gifts — his peace, his Word, his name, and many more — are new to us every morning.  What a joy to experience all of God’s gifts to us — gifts which keep on coming, into the new year and beyond!

                                                        Amen

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The Angels of God And The Final Advent

19. December 2011 by admin.

Vicar Dan Herold

December 18, 2011

MATTHEW 25:31 ANGELS’ CANDLE

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,

he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.”

This morning we conclude our series on the messages of the four Advent candles. We’ve looked at the Candle of Prophecy and how God passed on the promise of his Son, our Savior, throughout history. We’ve seen the Bethlehem candle and how God chose such a tiny city for such a great purpose. We’ve examined the Shepherds’ Candle that reminds us that we have a Shepherd who cares for us and guides us. And now we come to the one called the Angels’ Candle. 

If you talk to people these days about angels you’ll probably get various kinds of reactions. Some will just smile at you as if to say, “Oh, that’s nice that you think that.” Others may not be so polite, as they laugh out loud and ridicule you. In this scientific age of ours, angels are just another superstition from a the unenlightened past, in the same category as elves and leprechauns and pixie dust.

If you look in the Bible though, you’ll find a different reaction. There you’ll find that angels are never the punchline of a joke, and never a laughing matter at all. Angels are real. And if, by God’s grace, we still believe the Bible, then these holy messengers of God will still inspire our awe and respect.

But the modern day Christian may have a different problem when it comes to angels. Today’s Christian may not reject the whole idea of angels, but far too often we find ourselves thinking that angels live only on the pages of the Old and New Testaments — and never in the world today — never in our own daily lives.

But there are many people today whose lives have been touched by angels. People have walked away unharmed from what should have been a deadly car accident, who survive in a pocket of safety while a tornado rips apart everything around them, but the world naturally would scoff at the idea of a guardian angel. 

And since it is both necessary and helpful for us to study angels, the Advent season is a very appropriate time to do so. The Gospel accounts for this season of the church year is full of appearances of angels.

Luke opens his Gospel with the events leading up to the birth of Christ. He tells us of the angel who appeared to Zachariah the priest and told him that his wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son who would become the great Advent prophet John the Baptist. Six months later this same angel Gabriel came to a young virgin with the earth-shaking news that she would become the mother of the Savior. In Luke 1 the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High… His kingdom will never end.” 

On Christmas Eve an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. This messenger of God preached the first Christmas sermon in Luke 2: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord.”  And then the heavenly host “of angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold,” sang “Glory to God in the highest!”

Later an angel would appear to Joseph in a dream and warn him to take the Christ Child to Egypt and remain there until Herod’s death.

It was angels who appeared to Jesus after he was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights by the devil, and who ministered to him. An angel from heaven strengthened Jesus in the depth of his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the great day of Christ’s resurrection, it was again an angel who preached the first Easter sermon speaking to the women at Jesus’ tomb in Matthew 28, saying: “He is not here; he is risen, just as he said.” And on the mount of his Ascension, two of these heavenly messengers appeared to the speechless disciples and told them: “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

And now our text today tells us: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.”

All the accounts and references of the Bible concerning angels teach us that they are spirits who act according to God’s will. Angels are always presented in a serving and ministering role. Scripture comforts us by assuring us that angels serve God’s people and watch over his children. This idea was so comforting to Martin Luther that he included this phrase in both his Morning and his Evening Prayer: “Let your holy angel be with me that the wicked foe may have no power over me.” God sends his angels to protect us from dangers in this world and also to provide help to resist temptation. 

The fact that angels are holy, that they’re mighty, and that they’re numerous is comforting for us today as we look forward toward the uncertainties this life holds. But the greatest comfort is that just as these angels  who ministered to Jesus, also serve us. We’re united with Christ by faith. We are all the children of God through faith in his son, Christ Jesus. And so it’s a privilege to know that God gives us, his children, such a mighty and holy bodyguard. And we know that one day we’ll see them and join in their triumphant heavenly song.

The entire focus of Advent season is always on Christ’s coming — both his first coming as the baby boy in Bethlehem, and his final coming to judge the living and the dead. While, we can — and we should — celebrate and observe the anniversary of his holy birth, and praise our God for such a great salvation. But every Advent yet to come, as long as the earth still stands, points our attention to the second coming of Christ.

This season of Advent should really heighten and sharpen our hunger to be with Christ forever. It’s the time we have to repent of our sins and confess them to God and to our fellow men. It’s the time we yet have to pray that the Christ who; came to Bethlehem so long ago, who paid the supreme sacrifice for our sin on Calvary’s cross, who rose on Easter and then returned to his heavenly Father, and will come again to take us home.

Living in such an Advent hope, we can live our lives and perform our Christian duties in gratitude and devotion to our Redeemer. And we can live confident lives, knowing that our Advent Lord will yet send his holy angel to be with us in death and to carry our souls home to him in heaven.

And then, as the final moment —  which only the Father knows the time of—  breaks upon this world, our Advent King in a blinding display of power and glory, will come with all his holy angels. And the trumpet will sound. And the dead will be raised. And all — both good and evil — will come before his glorious throne for judgment.

It will be a devastating experience for the unbelievers. They will be separated from God for all eternity. But it will be an experience filled with joy for God’s believers, who together with angels and the archangel will raise a mighty chorus of praise that will fill heaven’s halls. We will join in the angels praises saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

So, let the light of the angel’s candle of the Advent wreath remind you of God’s love through Christ and all his holy angels who serve you. Think of the final Advent yet to come. And then lift up your heads, for your redemption surely draws near.

Amen.

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What Did You Get For Christmas?

12. December 2011 by admin.

Pastor Jonathan Rockhoff

12-11-2011

Isaiah 61:1-3, 10,11

 

¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, 
   because the LORD has anointed me 
   to preach good news to the poor. 
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, 
   to proclaim freedom for the captives 
   and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a] 
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor 
   and the day of vengeance of our God, 
to comfort all who mourn, 
 ³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion— 
to bestow on them a crown of beauty 
   instead of ashes, 
the oil of gladness 
   instead of mourning, 
and a garment of praise 
   instead of a spirit of despair. 
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 
   a planting of the LORD 

   for the display of his splendor.

 ¹⁰ I delight greatly in the LORD; 
   my soul rejoices in my God. 
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation 
   and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, 
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, 
   and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 
¹¹ For as the soil makes the sprout come up 
   and a garden causes seeds to grow, 
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise 

   spring up before all nations.

 

 

Dear Christian people, preparing for the Savior who takes our sins away,

If you took a peak at your bulletin this morning and saw the theme for the sermon, you might have been a bit confused.  How can the sermon be about what we got for Christmas when Christmas is still two weeks away?  Certainly this would be a more fitting question for the Sunday after Christmas – not for the Third Sunday in Advent.

Let me assure you that there is no mistake in today’s theme, no whimsical rearranging of the church year.  Instead, it’s meant to make a point.  I can ask you what you got for Christmas, because the best Gift you’ve ever received was given to you over 2000 years ago.

This morning the prophet Isaiah reminds us again of God’s greatest Gift to mankind, helping us answer the question:

“What Did You Get for Christmas?”

                                                          I. A Savior who brings good news

                                                         II. A joy which shines for all

The prophecy from Isaiah before us this morning speaks of joy and deliverance, and once again it would find its fulfillment in two ways.  There would be the joy of being delivered from the 70-year Babylonian captivity, but an even greater joy would come many years later when they would be delivered from the eternal captivity of their sins by the arrival of God’s Messiah.  Some have argued that Isaiah couldn’t possibly have had the birth of the Savior in mind when he wrote these words, but Jesus himself read this portion of Scripture in the synagogue and then proclaimed (Lk 4:21), “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  So even though Isaiah may have written these words, it was Jesus who was speaking through him.

The Messiah begins by pointing out his credentials (v 1), “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.”  Jesus was “anointed,” or chosen, for the purpose of bringing “good news” to those who are “poor” in spirit – spiritually bankrupt.  He wasn’t anointed with oil like the kings and prophets of the Old Testament.  No, he was anointed by the Holy Spirit, chosen and equipped by his heavenly Father to bring the good news of salvation to the world.

When did this anointing take place?  It occurred when Jesus asked John to baptize him.  Jesus wasn’t baptized to have his sins forgiven.  After all, he’s the sinless Son of God.  His baptism was more of an installation.  It served to mark the beginning of his public ministry.  It was then that John witnessed the Holy Spirit’s “anointing” (Jn 1:32), “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.”  And the Spirit didn’t come empty-handed!  Earlier Isaiah speaks of the gifts the Spirit would provide for Jesus (Isa 11:2), “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.”  Jesus had everything he needed to bring us the good news of salvation.

Anointing in the Old Testament meant that a person was being chosen or designated for something special.  As the “Christ,” the “Anointed One,” Jesus describes his mission (v 1), “[The LORD] has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners.”  Hearts burdened by the guilt of sin are shattered.  Jesus was sent to patch them up.  Souls enslaved by sin are Satan’s hostages.  Jesus came to pay their ransom.  As Paul proclaims in 2 Corinthians (3:17), “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”  Freedom from sin, freedom from Satan, freedom from death – the shackles have been removed!  That’s the “good news” brought to us by our Savior!

If the Savior has set us free, then he has nothing but more good news to tell us.  Jesus also came into our world “to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn” (v 2).  “The year of the LORD’s favor” is a reference back to the Old Testament “Year of Jubilee.”  God had declared that every 50 years any Israelite slave was to be set free, and all land was to be returned to its original owner.  This was a year of great rejoicing in Israel, but there would be even greater joy for those receiving the favor brought by the Messiah.  His arrival would restore the favor lost by Adam and Eve, allowing us once again to be members of God’s family, providing everlasting “comfort” for “all who mourn.”  But as for those who reject him and his saving work, all they have in their future is “the day of vengeance of our God,” for they will have no one to stand in for them before the judgment throne of the Lord.

What a different future lies ahead for God’s people!  The promised Savior would come to “provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (v 3).  Notice the exchanges that take place when the Savior comes.  Instead of “ashes,” a sign of sadness and grief, God’s people receive “a crown of beauty.”  Instead of “mourning,” we receive “the oil of gladness.”  To replace “despair,” that feeling of hopelessness so many wallow in because of their sins, Jesus supplies “a garment of praise.”  He gives us every reason to rejoice as we sing the praises of the Savior who brings us good news!

People who had no future and nothing to live for now have an everlasting hope and the promise of eternal glory – all because God gave us a Savior for Christmas!  It doesn’t matter what treasures will be revealed under your Christmas tree later this month, because you’ve already received your greatest Gift.  Every year from God’s Word you receive the good news that a Savior has been born to you – Christ the Lord!  We may not see him wrapped up under our trees, but we can still find him where it matters the most – in our hearts!  He leaves no room for “ashes” or “mourning” or“despair,” because he brings with him “beauty” and “gladness” and “praise.”  Every Christmas season we can rejoice because we have a Savior who brings good news!

Is that joy always evident?  One of the neat things about Christmas is being able to watch children when they open presents.  There’s no hiding the joy on their faces.  An even greater joy is ours when the gift of a Savior is revealed to us.  It’s a joy that can’t be hidden but is meant to shine for all.

Remember how Adam and Eve felt after they sinned?  We’re told that they “realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (Ge 3:7).  Remember their reaction to hearing God in the garden?  They ran and “hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden” (Ge 3:8).  Little ‘fraidy cats, ashamed of what they looked like and shaking in their boots over what they had become.  All the joy had been sucked out of their lives.

Jesus would change all that.  His arrival would change sinful, shameful people into “oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor” (v 3).  Once cowering in shame, now we can stand tall as an oak tree because we’ve been given “righteousness,” the declaration by God himself that in Christ we are fit for his heaven, having been “planted” by him in his kingdom to display “his splendor” to others.  It would be foolish to decorate your house with lights at this time of year but then never turn them on.  In the same way, God has “decorated” us with the splendor of Christ’s righteousness.  And he wants us to let our lights shine!

Being able to prophesy about the Lord’s Messiah gave Isaiah more joy than he could contain (v 10), “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

That’s the joy we share today.  Over our sin-stained bodies, Jesus throws “garments of salvation.”  Around our guilt-ridden souls, he wraps “a robe of righteousness.”  On their wedding day, a bridegroom would wear a turban of fine linen and a bride would wear her best jewelry – all to symbolize the joy in their hearts.  In the same way, God’s people reflect the joy of being adorned with the “salvation” and “righteousness” of Christ.

God has always intended for us to let that joy shine forth.  It comes naturally for his children (v 11), “For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.”  You might say that we are God’s garden.  Earlier Isaiah describes us that way (Isa 58:11), “You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”  God has planted faith in our hearts and now is constantly working on us as we grow in faith and produce fruits that display his splendor and the joy in our hearts – joy which he first gave to us in the form of his Son!

Every Christmas season we get to sing (CW 62), “Joy to the World.”  But are we letting that joy shine for others?  The last two days we were given wonderful opportunities to do just that.  Friday night through the mouths of children at our child care center’s Christmas program, almost 400 people received the message of joy that a Savior had been born for them.  Then yesterday over 20 volunteers shared the joy of the Christ-child with 52 children at our Christmas for Kids program – 19 of whom do not have a church home.  I can’t imagine anyone who participated in these events claiming that it was a waste of their time and an unpleasant experience.  Not that it wasn’t hard work to put these things together, but the joy of sharing Jesus overcomes any frustrations or weariness that comes with the territory.  It’s all worthwhile when we can share our joy and watch the Lord “make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.”

If you feel as if you’re missing out on that joy this holiday season, there’s still time.  You still have time to center your thoughts on the manger instead of the malls, to focus more on the Savior than on the sales, to feast more on the Christmas story than the Christmas cookies.  You still have time to share your joy with others with invitations to worship with you in God’s house.  You still have time to share God’s Gift of a Savior with the world!

During the next two weeks, no doubt, people will be asking you what you want for Christmas.  Whether your list is made up of only a few items or a mile long, try not to center all of your attention on what you want.  Instead, take time to look back at what you already have!  Tell people you’ve already got exactly what you wanted – exactly what you needed!  Tell them you got a Savior!

                                                                                                                                                            Amen

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