Monday, June 29, 2009
Sermon for 28 June 2009, Proper 8B
The Rev. Paul J Cain
2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-15
No Lack
Proper [8] B, Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, 28 June 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
It was one of those things a person would never forget. I was serving a vacancy, leading Sunday Morning Divine Service, and it was time for the offering. The congregation had a tradition of filling out attendance pads in the pews before the offering. While they were being collected (with the offering) by the ushers, I stood on the step of the chancel with the offering plates. A little girl—no older than 3—leaned out into the aisle. While the ushers (and her parents) weren’t looking, she darted toward the front of the church. She had a quarter she wanted to give to the Lord, and she didn’t want to wait. I crouched down, bringing the offering plate to her level. Smiling, she put in her quarter. Nobody was embarrassed that morning. And of course, she didn’t get into any trouble. There were smiles as she slowly walked back to mom & dad. It was the best stewardship lesson the congregation had ever seen. That little girl understood what St. Paul shares this morning, as we overhear a portion of his second letter to the Corinthian congregation.
1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, 4begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.
The wealth we have is not only financial. Think of the possessions you already have that could be of better use to someone else. What talents or skills could you share for the Lord’s work? These days, our most precious possession is time. Visiting a shut-in or teaching a child costs you nothing, but means everything to them.
Generosity. Remember Dickens’ A Christmas Carol? This is not Ebenezer Scrooge at the beginning, but Ebenezer Scrooge at the end of the story.
Christians in Macedonia gave according to their means, as the Lord prospered them. If they earned less, they gave less. If they earned more, they gave more. This is first-fruits giving.
They even gave beyond their means. This is known as sacrificial giving. Eating out one fewer time, giving up one expensive cup of coffee, buying one less CD or DVD—it may be small to us, but those things can make a big difference.
They were begging Paul for the opportunity to help. Such a wonderful example and encouragement to us! They got it. They understood why the Lord had made them stewards of His gifts. They were blessed in order to be a blessing. They knew the Church had expenses every month, every week, every day. They made sure those things and people in need were provided for.
They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to Christians in need. We give our offerings to the Lord, yet always remember that everything is already His. We give our offerings to the Lord, yet technically, He has no need of them—but His work does.
In the next chapter, Paul speaks to those who are reluctant. Listen to 2 Cor. 9:6-15 (ESV) The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
10He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
Not reluctantly, Paul says. Faith is not reluctant, but generous with talents and time, as well.
Not under compulsion. This is an important corrective for the church today. Guilt can be very effective. Compulsion is a terrorist act. People will do just about anything with a gun to their head. Instead, Paul urges people to give…
Cheerfully. Here is faith at work. Giving as we have been given to. Faith, living and active, living in and responding to the Gospel.
We should take note that in the New Testament, tithing—giving 10%—is not commanded, but we also know that it is never forbidden! We have such incredible examples of this practice, even in our day, going all the way back to Abraham. In addition, we should consider the promises of God: “whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
We sing this Biblical theology regularly!
We give Thee but Thine own,
What e’er the gift may be;
All that we have is Thine alone,
A trust, O Lord, from Thee.
May we Thy bounties thus
As stewards true receive
And gladly, as Thou blessest us,
To Thee our first fruits give!
A stewardship definition commonly used throughout the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is this: “Christian Stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God and God’s family, the church, in managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s purposes.”
Scripture teaches that:
1) God’s stewards are God’s stewards.
2) God’s stewards are managers, not owners.
3) God’s stewards are saints and sinners.
4) God’s stewards are uniquely singular, yet profoundly plural.
5) God’s stewards are in the world, but not of the world.
6) God’s stewards are loved and loving.
7) God’s stewards are served and serving.
8) God’s stewards live with an awareness of the present and the future, of time and eternity.
This is nothing new to you, the members of Immanuel Lutheran Church. The hymn (TLH 441, LSB 781) has taught our hearts, minds, and lips what Holy Scripture says about time, treasure, and talent. All too often a conversation about stewardship focuses only on money. We should practice what we sing, “first fruits” giving.
A congregational garage sale to benefit our school is also a reminder of that, as well as an opportunity to give “over and above” our “first fruits” giving. We are to give not only of our income, but also from what we already have. Everyone has useful, but not worn-out “stuff” taking up space at home. Giving those things to the Lord (or to a neighbor in need) helps in two ways. First, we remember that we are stewards, not owners, of all that we have. What we have is to be used in the Lord’s service, and we serve our Lord by serving even the least among us. Second, we are reminded that “stuff” is just “stuff.” Possessions have a way of distracting us from God. Accumulating “stuff” can become an unhealthy (and idolatrous) end in itself. When we remember our Lord, our neighbor, and our treasure in heaven, we can let go of the “stuff.” Only the Word of the Lord endures forever.
We can’t take the “stuff” with us when the Lord calls us home, but we will always have His Word. Therefore, we should tell the Good News about Jesus as we have opportunity, so that our family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and classmates will be there with us in heaven.
This is our stewardship of the Gospel. Sometimes we treat the Gospel as only a possession. Yes, it is ours to hold onto, and we should. We should hold on to Jesus for dear life and eternal life. And, we should remember that there is always enough of Him to go around. He wants us to share Him. He wants us to invite others to Church. God wants us to tell the Good News about Jesus and His love.
St. Paul always keeps Jesus in focus—at the center. This is important because believers need what Jesus gives—the grace, love, and riches of God.
We need what Jesus gives because of our poverty as poor, miserable sinners. According to our human nature, we are unloving. And even as Christians, we are at the same time sinful and justified in the eyes of God. When we hear St. Paul’s good advice about God-pleasing generosity, we are again convicted of our sin. We need to hear the Gospel—the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
8I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich…
Two weeks ago, the Gospel, the “great exchange,” was described in terms of green trees becoming dry and dry trees becoming green. Today you hear that Jesus left the riches of heaven to be made flesh for you, so that you, by His poverty might become rich. By His wounds, you are healed, Isaiah would say.
Think about your sins as a permanent police record. Your rap sheet is a mile long, yet here comes Jesus who crosses out your name and puts His own there. He then takes His blank police record and puts your name there. . 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich…
The mother of a nine-year-old boy named Mark received a phone call in the middle of the afternoon. It was the teacher from her son's school.
"Mrs. Smith, something unusual happened today in your son's third-grade class. Your son did something that surprised me so much that I thought you should know about it immediately." The mother began to grow worried.
The teacher continued, "Nothing like this has happened in all my years of teaching. This morning I was teaching a lesson on creative writing. And as I always do, I tell the story of the ant and the grasshopper:
"The ant works hard all summer and stores up plenty of food. But the grasshopper plays all summer and does no work. Then winter comes. The grasshopper begins to starve because he has no food. So he begs, 'Please Mr. Ant, you have much food. Please let me eat, too.' “Then I said, "Boys and girls, your job is to write the ending to the story."
"Your son, Mark, raised his hand.’Teacher, may I draw a picture?'
“‘Well, yes, Mark, if you like, you may draw a picture. But first you must write the ending to the story.'
"As in all the years past, most of the students said the ant shared his food through the winter, and both the ant and the grasshopper lived. A few children wrote, 'No, Mr. Grasshopper. You should have worked in the summer. Now I have just enough food for myself.' So the ant lived and the grasshopper died.
"But your son ended the story in a way different from any other child, ever. He wrote, 'So the ant gave all of his food to the grasshopper; the grasshopper lived through the winter. But the ant died.'
"And the picture? At the bottom of the page, Mark had drawn three crosses." (Pause)
8I say this not as a command, [Paul writes,] but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich…
Jesus love for you is genuine. He gives you His gifts regularly. For example, in the Fourth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer we pray: Give us this day our daily bread.
What does this mean? God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
What is meant by daily bread? Daily bread includes everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.
St. Paul concludes: 13I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
As the Lord provided Manna to His people in the wilderness, know that with the Lord as your shepherd, you shall not want—you shall lack nothing you truly need . And neither shall your neighbor in need or the Lord’s work. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-15
No Lack
Proper [8] B, Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, 28 June 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
It was one of those things a person would never forget. I was serving a vacancy, leading Sunday Morning Divine Service, and it was time for the offering. The congregation had a tradition of filling out attendance pads in the pews before the offering. While they were being collected (with the offering) by the ushers, I stood on the step of the chancel with the offering plates. A little girl—no older than 3—leaned out into the aisle. While the ushers (and her parents) weren’t looking, she darted toward the front of the church. She had a quarter she wanted to give to the Lord, and she didn’t want to wait. I crouched down, bringing the offering plate to her level. Smiling, she put in her quarter. Nobody was embarrassed that morning. And of course, she didn’t get into any trouble. There were smiles as she slowly walked back to mom & dad. It was the best stewardship lesson the congregation had ever seen. That little girl understood what St. Paul shares this morning, as we overhear a portion of his second letter to the Corinthian congregation.
1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, 4begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.
The wealth we have is not only financial. Think of the possessions you already have that could be of better use to someone else. What talents or skills could you share for the Lord’s work? These days, our most precious possession is time. Visiting a shut-in or teaching a child costs you nothing, but means everything to them.
Generosity. Remember Dickens’ A Christmas Carol? This is not Ebenezer Scrooge at the beginning, but Ebenezer Scrooge at the end of the story.
Christians in Macedonia gave according to their means, as the Lord prospered them. If they earned less, they gave less. If they earned more, they gave more. This is first-fruits giving.
They even gave beyond their means. This is known as sacrificial giving. Eating out one fewer time, giving up one expensive cup of coffee, buying one less CD or DVD—it may be small to us, but those things can make a big difference.
They were begging Paul for the opportunity to help. Such a wonderful example and encouragement to us! They got it. They understood why the Lord had made them stewards of His gifts. They were blessed in order to be a blessing. They knew the Church had expenses every month, every week, every day. They made sure those things and people in need were provided for.
They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to Christians in need. We give our offerings to the Lord, yet always remember that everything is already His. We give our offerings to the Lord, yet technically, He has no need of them—but His work does.
In the next chapter, Paul speaks to those who are reluctant. Listen to 2 Cor. 9:6-15 (ESV) The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
10He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
Not reluctantly, Paul says. Faith is not reluctant, but generous with talents and time, as well.
Not under compulsion. This is an important corrective for the church today. Guilt can be very effective. Compulsion is a terrorist act. People will do just about anything with a gun to their head. Instead, Paul urges people to give…
Cheerfully. Here is faith at work. Giving as we have been given to. Faith, living and active, living in and responding to the Gospel.
We should take note that in the New Testament, tithing—giving 10%—is not commanded, but we also know that it is never forbidden! We have such incredible examples of this practice, even in our day, going all the way back to Abraham. In addition, we should consider the promises of God: “whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
We sing this Biblical theology regularly!
We give Thee but Thine own,
What e’er the gift may be;
All that we have is Thine alone,
A trust, O Lord, from Thee.
May we Thy bounties thus
As stewards true receive
And gladly, as Thou blessest us,
To Thee our first fruits give!
A stewardship definition commonly used throughout the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is this: “Christian Stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God and God’s family, the church, in managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s purposes.”
Scripture teaches that:
1) God’s stewards are God’s stewards.
2) God’s stewards are managers, not owners.
3) God’s stewards are saints and sinners.
4) God’s stewards are uniquely singular, yet profoundly plural.
5) God’s stewards are in the world, but not of the world.
6) God’s stewards are loved and loving.
7) God’s stewards are served and serving.
8) God’s stewards live with an awareness of the present and the future, of time and eternity.
This is nothing new to you, the members of Immanuel Lutheran Church. The hymn (TLH 441, LSB 781) has taught our hearts, minds, and lips what Holy Scripture says about time, treasure, and talent. All too often a conversation about stewardship focuses only on money. We should practice what we sing, “first fruits” giving.
A congregational garage sale to benefit our school is also a reminder of that, as well as an opportunity to give “over and above” our “first fruits” giving. We are to give not only of our income, but also from what we already have. Everyone has useful, but not worn-out “stuff” taking up space at home. Giving those things to the Lord (or to a neighbor in need) helps in two ways. First, we remember that we are stewards, not owners, of all that we have. What we have is to be used in the Lord’s service, and we serve our Lord by serving even the least among us. Second, we are reminded that “stuff” is just “stuff.” Possessions have a way of distracting us from God. Accumulating “stuff” can become an unhealthy (and idolatrous) end in itself. When we remember our Lord, our neighbor, and our treasure in heaven, we can let go of the “stuff.” Only the Word of the Lord endures forever.
We can’t take the “stuff” with us when the Lord calls us home, but we will always have His Word. Therefore, we should tell the Good News about Jesus as we have opportunity, so that our family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and classmates will be there with us in heaven.
This is our stewardship of the Gospel. Sometimes we treat the Gospel as only a possession. Yes, it is ours to hold onto, and we should. We should hold on to Jesus for dear life and eternal life. And, we should remember that there is always enough of Him to go around. He wants us to share Him. He wants us to invite others to Church. God wants us to tell the Good News about Jesus and His love.
St. Paul always keeps Jesus in focus—at the center. This is important because believers need what Jesus gives—the grace, love, and riches of God.
We need what Jesus gives because of our poverty as poor, miserable sinners. According to our human nature, we are unloving. And even as Christians, we are at the same time sinful and justified in the eyes of God. When we hear St. Paul’s good advice about God-pleasing generosity, we are again convicted of our sin. We need to hear the Gospel—the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
8I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich…
Two weeks ago, the Gospel, the “great exchange,” was described in terms of green trees becoming dry and dry trees becoming green. Today you hear that Jesus left the riches of heaven to be made flesh for you, so that you, by His poverty might become rich. By His wounds, you are healed, Isaiah would say.
Think about your sins as a permanent police record. Your rap sheet is a mile long, yet here comes Jesus who crosses out your name and puts His own there. He then takes His blank police record and puts your name there. . 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich…
The mother of a nine-year-old boy named Mark received a phone call in the middle of the afternoon. It was the teacher from her son's school.
"Mrs. Smith, something unusual happened today in your son's third-grade class. Your son did something that surprised me so much that I thought you should know about it immediately." The mother began to grow worried.
The teacher continued, "Nothing like this has happened in all my years of teaching. This morning I was teaching a lesson on creative writing. And as I always do, I tell the story of the ant and the grasshopper:
"The ant works hard all summer and stores up plenty of food. But the grasshopper plays all summer and does no work. Then winter comes. The grasshopper begins to starve because he has no food. So he begs, 'Please Mr. Ant, you have much food. Please let me eat, too.' “Then I said, "Boys and girls, your job is to write the ending to the story."
"Your son, Mark, raised his hand.’Teacher, may I draw a picture?'
“‘Well, yes, Mark, if you like, you may draw a picture. But first you must write the ending to the story.'
"As in all the years past, most of the students said the ant shared his food through the winter, and both the ant and the grasshopper lived. A few children wrote, 'No, Mr. Grasshopper. You should have worked in the summer. Now I have just enough food for myself.' So the ant lived and the grasshopper died.
"But your son ended the story in a way different from any other child, ever. He wrote, 'So the ant gave all of his food to the grasshopper; the grasshopper lived through the winter. But the ant died.'
"And the picture? At the bottom of the page, Mark had drawn three crosses." (Pause)
8I say this not as a command, [Paul writes,] but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich…
Jesus love for you is genuine. He gives you His gifts regularly. For example, in the Fourth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer we pray: Give us this day our daily bread.
What does this mean? God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
What is meant by daily bread? Daily bread includes everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.
St. Paul concludes: 13I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
As the Lord provided Manna to His people in the wilderness, know that with the Lord as your shepherd, you shall not want—you shall lack nothing you truly need . And neither shall your neighbor in need or the Lord’s work. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Sermon for 21 June 2009, Proper 7B
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
Job 38:1-11
He Was There
Proper [07], Third Sunday after Pentecost, 21 June 209
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sometimes we think we know better. I’m not merely describing the common relationship between parents and children or even husbands and wives. This situation is far more significant. Sometimes we think we know better than God. That’s big.
We are not the first to behave like the stereotypical all-knowing teenagers ready to move out of the house. And we will not be the last.
The patriarch Job had questions. He wanted answers. And the answer he received from the Lord God Himself was not the kind of answer he expected, because it was another question: Where were you?
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
“Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?
The point? Sometimes we think we know better, but we don’t. Our wisdom is an illusion. God’s is real. Why? He was there to lay the foundation of the earth. He determined its measurements. He stretched the line, sunk the bases, laid its cornerstone, shut in the sea, made the clouds, and set limits. He was there. And we were not.
Genesis 1:1-5 says it this way: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Job was not the first to behave like the stereotypical all-knowing teenagers ready to move out of the house. And he was not the last. Consider the disciples in today’s Holy Gospel from Mark 4:35-41: On that day, when evening had come, he [Jesus] said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
In their fear, they thought they knew better. Perhaps they thought they cared about themselves more than they thought Jesus cared about them. They were learning a truth that would eventually comfort them. John, one of those twelve wrote the following in John 1:1-4: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The point? The disciples thought they knew better, but they didn’t. Their wisdom, their understanding of the danger of the wind and the sea was an illusion. The Lord’s authority and power is real. Why? Jesus was there. He was there to lay the foundation of the earth. He determined its measurements. He stretched the line, sunk the bases, laid its cornerstone, shut in the sea, made the clouds, and set limits. Jesus was there. And we were not.
Therefore, the next time you think for a moment that you know better than the Lord, reconsider quickly. The Lord who created the whole universe holds you as a dear father holds his dear children in the palm of His hand. He cares. And He may allow temporary discomfort for your eternal good because He has the big picture in mind.
Consider a drive west on US 14A, the highway that is closed all winter and only opens up when it is nearly summer. It’s neat to see snow up there in June. And the scenery is beautiful, but people, both riders and drivers, may tire of the curves and the steep grade of the road. You learn quickly that if your brakes are to survive the 10% grade, you’ll need to shift to a lower gear, manual or automatic. You face driving challenges that you wouldn’t face on boring, long, straight interstate highway. And then comes the benefit. You see it. You can see all of the colors of a gorgeous panorama of the Bighorn basin, the rusty reds, deep blues, and rich purples, the dry yellows, spring and summer greens, dark browns, and the puffy white clouds above. The challenge of the journey is forgotten because of what you get to experience there.
The Lord cares. He provides daily bread and the comfort that you can talk directly to Him in prayer. He knows the adversity and temptation you face, so He provides Holy Baptism, Holy Communion, and His Holy Word for your forgiveness. He knows your past, your present, and your future, and He can see it all at once, like you can see for miles from the top of the Bighorns. He cared for the disciples. He cared for Job. He cared about you enough to create you as He did Adam and Eve and re-create you in Christ Jesus. He will continue to care for you. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Job 38:1-11
He Was There
Proper [07], Third Sunday after Pentecost, 21 June 209
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sometimes we think we know better. I’m not merely describing the common relationship between parents and children or even husbands and wives. This situation is far more significant. Sometimes we think we know better than God. That’s big.
We are not the first to behave like the stereotypical all-knowing teenagers ready to move out of the house. And we will not be the last.
The patriarch Job had questions. He wanted answers. And the answer he received from the Lord God Himself was not the kind of answer he expected, because it was another question: Where were you?
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
“Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?
The point? Sometimes we think we know better, but we don’t. Our wisdom is an illusion. God’s is real. Why? He was there to lay the foundation of the earth. He determined its measurements. He stretched the line, sunk the bases, laid its cornerstone, shut in the sea, made the clouds, and set limits. He was there. And we were not.
Genesis 1:1-5 says it this way: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Job was not the first to behave like the stereotypical all-knowing teenagers ready to move out of the house. And he was not the last. Consider the disciples in today’s Holy Gospel from Mark 4:35-41: On that day, when evening had come, he [Jesus] said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
In their fear, they thought they knew better. Perhaps they thought they cared about themselves more than they thought Jesus cared about them. They were learning a truth that would eventually comfort them. John, one of those twelve wrote the following in John 1:1-4: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The point? The disciples thought they knew better, but they didn’t. Their wisdom, their understanding of the danger of the wind and the sea was an illusion. The Lord’s authority and power is real. Why? Jesus was there. He was there to lay the foundation of the earth. He determined its measurements. He stretched the line, sunk the bases, laid its cornerstone, shut in the sea, made the clouds, and set limits. Jesus was there. And we were not.
Therefore, the next time you think for a moment that you know better than the Lord, reconsider quickly. The Lord who created the whole universe holds you as a dear father holds his dear children in the palm of His hand. He cares. And He may allow temporary discomfort for your eternal good because He has the big picture in mind.
Consider a drive west on US 14A, the highway that is closed all winter and only opens up when it is nearly summer. It’s neat to see snow up there in June. And the scenery is beautiful, but people, both riders and drivers, may tire of the curves and the steep grade of the road. You learn quickly that if your brakes are to survive the 10% grade, you’ll need to shift to a lower gear, manual or automatic. You face driving challenges that you wouldn’t face on boring, long, straight interstate highway. And then comes the benefit. You see it. You can see all of the colors of a gorgeous panorama of the Bighorn basin, the rusty reds, deep blues, and rich purples, the dry yellows, spring and summer greens, dark browns, and the puffy white clouds above. The challenge of the journey is forgotten because of what you get to experience there.
The Lord cares. He provides daily bread and the comfort that you can talk directly to Him in prayer. He knows the adversity and temptation you face, so He provides Holy Baptism, Holy Communion, and His Holy Word for your forgiveness. He knows your past, your present, and your future, and He can see it all at once, like you can see for miles from the top of the Bighorns. He cared for the disciples. He cared for Job. He cared about you enough to create you as He did Adam and Eve and re-create you in Christ Jesus. He will continue to care for you. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sermon for Proper 7B, Third Sunday After Pentecost, 21 June 2009
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Heaven Is Your Home
Proper 06 (B), Second Sunday after Pentecost, 14 June 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
For his first sermon in a [beginning] Protestant seminary preaching class, Lawrence, an African seminary student, chose a text describing the joys we’ll share when Christ returns and ushers us to our heavenly home.
“I’ve been in the United States for several months now,” he began. “I’ve seen the great wealth that is here—the fine homes and cars and clothes. I’ve listened to many sermons in churches here, too. But I’ve yet to hear one sermon about heaven. Because everyone has so much in this country, no one preaches about heaven. People here don’t seem to need it. In my country, most people have very little, so we preach on heaven all the time. We know how much we need it.”
Each summer, church attendance typically takes a nosedive. I try not to take it personally. On one hand, they’re just numbers. Numbers go up and down, just like in our checking accounts. The Word is being preached. The Sacraments are being administered. Pastoral care continues year-round because the Devil doesn’t take the summer off. On the other hand, these are souls we’re talking about—lost sheep. And together, we can see more clearly the point of that African seminarian. With the lakes and mountains and all that summer in Wyoming has to offer, some people don’t seem to need heaven—at least not now. Perhaps many may think that they already live there.
I thank God for you, the flock gathered this morning around His Word. You realize that even with Church on a Sunday morning, there’s plenty of weekend to go around, even when 4th of July is on a Saturday this year. This morning, let’s let our text from 2 Corinthians 5 remind us of what faces us in this world, and for the Christian, in your heavenly home.
For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
I’m but a stranger here, Heav’n is my home. So goes the hymn. Many in our age live in fear of terrorism, especially in the Middle East. September 11th brought that reality to our shores. Some still refuse to fly. Others continue to live in fear of the unknown. Yes, a Christian may fear dying, but a Christian need not fear death. Death is not the end. Death, for the Christian, is the beginning of heaven, a building from God, a house not made with hands.
Matthew 10:28 is a good reminder for us, too. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
There is something worse than death. It is falling away from faith in Christ.
Accidents can kill the body. Disease can kill the body. Terrorists can kill the body. And if this life were all that was, we really would have something to be afraid of in the unknown. The Devil has been defeated. It is more important to fear, love, and trust in God above all things. The unbeliever has to dread being eternally tormented in body and soul in hell, sent there by the Lord. That is something the Christian doesn’t have to fear. On the cross, Christ already suffered the eternal torments of hell and abandonment for you. Yes, we will all die. For the Christian, an eternal house awaits. Death is not the end! Heaven is your home.
Our trials and groanings in this life seem to be endless, but they are, in reality, only temporary.
For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
In the tent of our bodies we groan. You have experienced the realities of a fallen world. Sickness. Ridicule. Pain. Loss. Disappointment. Shock. Tragedy. Such is the heavy burden of the inhabitants of this vale of tears. Sin is the culprit every time. We sin. People sin against us. The unholy interest of all of history’s sin is compounding upon itself. We yearn for better things, for better times, for release from our burdens and groanings. No wonder the theology of glory is so tempting, so alluring. But we live in the reality of the cross, the theology of the cross, weighed down by the crosses the Lord has chosen for each of us—the crosses He has chosen for you for your ultimate good—but more about that later.
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
The gift of the Holy Spirit to every Christian is God’s guarantee, His down payment, a foretaste of the glory to come in heaven. The Lord says: Remain in me and I will remain in you. Receive my Gifts. Regularly receive them. I will never abandon you. You could run away from my love, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The Devil is a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Why go looking for trouble? I, the Lord have good gifts for you. They’re here. Just waiting for you. Even year-round!
And we sing in response: What though the tempest rage, Heav’n is my home; Short is my pilgrimage, Heav’n is my home; And time’s wild wintry blast Soon shall be overpast; I shall reach home at last, Heav’n is my home.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Are you “at-home” here, in the body, with the things and pleasures of this world? Then you are away from the Lord—you have set yourselves apart from Him—so writes St. Paul under the inspiration of the same Spirit. Here’s what I’m not talking about: It is good to be at-home in the place where the Lord has put you. It is not that all material things are evil and only the spiritual things are good. No, that’s gnosticism. To get back to the way the seminarian spoke about it, do you have a need for heaven?
We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Why? Why me? Why, Lord? Why did this have to happen? You’ve asked those questions. We all have. How would the text help us answer such unanswerable questions? Could it be that the Lord doesn’t want you to be too comfortable, too at-home in the body, in this fallen world? Could it be that He wants to help you live by faith in Him rather that what you merely see? Could it be that He wants to create in you a desire for heaven? Yes, yes, and yes!
By faith, our view of this world becomes clearer. Earth is a desert drear, Heav’n is my home. Danger and sorrow stand Round me on ev’ry hand; Heav’n is my fatherland, Heav’n is my home. Now, reminded of our troubles here, and the hope that is before us, St. Paul’s words make more sense, especially as he goes on from here.
We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
The life of faith is one that desires to please God. Without faith, one cannot please God. Even if the whole world lauds and acclaims the “good works” of an unbeliever, by Biblical definition, God calls them evil. Good works cannot save—not even in part. Are good works necessary? Yes, for the Lord Himself calls for them. We are to serve our neighbor. Are good works necessary for salvation? No. Absolutely not. When a Biblical text, like this last verse, confuses you, go to another Biblical text on the same topic that is abundantly clear.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10 keeps us from misunderstanding 2 Corinthians 5:10. We see that we were created for good works as Christians. They are not part of our supplication to God, but our thank you in faith.
All must appear before the Judgment seat of Christ. Cling to Him alone. The Judge is also your defense attorney, and also He who went to death row in your place. He is and does all of this so that you may be clothed with your heavenly dwelling, your fatherland, your eternal home.
What is heaven like? Most of us ask that question once-in-a-while. This is how John Todd, a nineteenth-century clergyman answered that question in his autobiography. When he was six years old, both of his parents died. A kind-hearted aunt raised him until he left home to study for the ministry. Later, this aunt became seriously ill, and in distress she wrote Todd a letter. Would death mean the end of everything, or could she hope for something beyond? This is the letter he sent in reply:
It is now thirty-five years since I, as a boy of six, was left quite alone in the world. You sent me word you would give me a home and be a kind mother to me. I have never forgotten the day I made the long journey to your house. I can still recall my disappointment when, instead of coming for me yourself, you sent your servant, Caesar, to fetch me.
I remember my tears and anxiety as, perched high on your horse and clinging tight to Caesar, I rode off to my new home. Night fell before we finished the journey, and I became lonely and afraid. “Do you think she’ll go to bed before we get there?” I asked Caesar.
“Oh, no!” he said reassuringly, “She’ll stay up for you. When we get out o’ these here woods, you’ll see her candle shinin’ in the window.”
Presently we did ride out into the clearing, and there, sure enough, was your candle. I remember you were waiting at the door, that you put your arms close about me—a tired and bewildered little boy. You had a fire burning on the hearth, a hot supper waiting on the stove. After supper you took me to my new room, heard me say my prayers, and then sat beside me till I fell asleep.
Some day soon God will send for you, to take you to a new home. Don’t fear the summons, the strange journey, or the messenger of death. God can be trusted to do as much for you as you were kind enough to do for me so many years ago. At the end of the road you will find love and a welcome awaiting, and you will be safe in God’s care.
Therefore I murmur not, Heav’n is my home; Whate’er my earthly lot, Heav’n is my home; And I shall surely stand There at my Lord’s right hand. Heav’n is my fatherland, Heav’n is my home. Amen.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Heaven Is Your Home
Proper 06 (B), Second Sunday after Pentecost, 14 June 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
For his first sermon in a [beginning] Protestant seminary preaching class, Lawrence, an African seminary student, chose a text describing the joys we’ll share when Christ returns and ushers us to our heavenly home.
“I’ve been in the United States for several months now,” he began. “I’ve seen the great wealth that is here—the fine homes and cars and clothes. I’ve listened to many sermons in churches here, too. But I’ve yet to hear one sermon about heaven. Because everyone has so much in this country, no one preaches about heaven. People here don’t seem to need it. In my country, most people have very little, so we preach on heaven all the time. We know how much we need it.”
Each summer, church attendance typically takes a nosedive. I try not to take it personally. On one hand, they’re just numbers. Numbers go up and down, just like in our checking accounts. The Word is being preached. The Sacraments are being administered. Pastoral care continues year-round because the Devil doesn’t take the summer off. On the other hand, these are souls we’re talking about—lost sheep. And together, we can see more clearly the point of that African seminarian. With the lakes and mountains and all that summer in Wyoming has to offer, some people don’t seem to need heaven—at least not now. Perhaps many may think that they already live there.
I thank God for you, the flock gathered this morning around His Word. You realize that even with Church on a Sunday morning, there’s plenty of weekend to go around, even when 4th of July is on a Saturday this year. This morning, let’s let our text from 2 Corinthians 5 remind us of what faces us in this world, and for the Christian, in your heavenly home.
For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
I’m but a stranger here, Heav’n is my home. So goes the hymn. Many in our age live in fear of terrorism, especially in the Middle East. September 11th brought that reality to our shores. Some still refuse to fly. Others continue to live in fear of the unknown. Yes, a Christian may fear dying, but a Christian need not fear death. Death is not the end. Death, for the Christian, is the beginning of heaven, a building from God, a house not made with hands.
Matthew 10:28 is a good reminder for us, too. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
There is something worse than death. It is falling away from faith in Christ.
Accidents can kill the body. Disease can kill the body. Terrorists can kill the body. And if this life were all that was, we really would have something to be afraid of in the unknown. The Devil has been defeated. It is more important to fear, love, and trust in God above all things. The unbeliever has to dread being eternally tormented in body and soul in hell, sent there by the Lord. That is something the Christian doesn’t have to fear. On the cross, Christ already suffered the eternal torments of hell and abandonment for you. Yes, we will all die. For the Christian, an eternal house awaits. Death is not the end! Heaven is your home.
Our trials and groanings in this life seem to be endless, but they are, in reality, only temporary.
For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
In the tent of our bodies we groan. You have experienced the realities of a fallen world. Sickness. Ridicule. Pain. Loss. Disappointment. Shock. Tragedy. Such is the heavy burden of the inhabitants of this vale of tears. Sin is the culprit every time. We sin. People sin against us. The unholy interest of all of history’s sin is compounding upon itself. We yearn for better things, for better times, for release from our burdens and groanings. No wonder the theology of glory is so tempting, so alluring. But we live in the reality of the cross, the theology of the cross, weighed down by the crosses the Lord has chosen for each of us—the crosses He has chosen for you for your ultimate good—but more about that later.
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
The gift of the Holy Spirit to every Christian is God’s guarantee, His down payment, a foretaste of the glory to come in heaven. The Lord says: Remain in me and I will remain in you. Receive my Gifts. Regularly receive them. I will never abandon you. You could run away from my love, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The Devil is a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Why go looking for trouble? I, the Lord have good gifts for you. They’re here. Just waiting for you. Even year-round!
And we sing in response: What though the tempest rage, Heav’n is my home; Short is my pilgrimage, Heav’n is my home; And time’s wild wintry blast Soon shall be overpast; I shall reach home at last, Heav’n is my home.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Are you “at-home” here, in the body, with the things and pleasures of this world? Then you are away from the Lord—you have set yourselves apart from Him—so writes St. Paul under the inspiration of the same Spirit. Here’s what I’m not talking about: It is good to be at-home in the place where the Lord has put you. It is not that all material things are evil and only the spiritual things are good. No, that’s gnosticism. To get back to the way the seminarian spoke about it, do you have a need for heaven?
We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Why? Why me? Why, Lord? Why did this have to happen? You’ve asked those questions. We all have. How would the text help us answer such unanswerable questions? Could it be that the Lord doesn’t want you to be too comfortable, too at-home in the body, in this fallen world? Could it be that He wants to help you live by faith in Him rather that what you merely see? Could it be that He wants to create in you a desire for heaven? Yes, yes, and yes!
By faith, our view of this world becomes clearer. Earth is a desert drear, Heav’n is my home. Danger and sorrow stand Round me on ev’ry hand; Heav’n is my fatherland, Heav’n is my home. Now, reminded of our troubles here, and the hope that is before us, St. Paul’s words make more sense, especially as he goes on from here.
We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
The life of faith is one that desires to please God. Without faith, one cannot please God. Even if the whole world lauds and acclaims the “good works” of an unbeliever, by Biblical definition, God calls them evil. Good works cannot save—not even in part. Are good works necessary? Yes, for the Lord Himself calls for them. We are to serve our neighbor. Are good works necessary for salvation? No. Absolutely not. When a Biblical text, like this last verse, confuses you, go to another Biblical text on the same topic that is abundantly clear.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10 keeps us from misunderstanding 2 Corinthians 5:10. We see that we were created for good works as Christians. They are not part of our supplication to God, but our thank you in faith.
All must appear before the Judgment seat of Christ. Cling to Him alone. The Judge is also your defense attorney, and also He who went to death row in your place. He is and does all of this so that you may be clothed with your heavenly dwelling, your fatherland, your eternal home.
What is heaven like? Most of us ask that question once-in-a-while. This is how John Todd, a nineteenth-century clergyman answered that question in his autobiography. When he was six years old, both of his parents died. A kind-hearted aunt raised him until he left home to study for the ministry. Later, this aunt became seriously ill, and in distress she wrote Todd a letter. Would death mean the end of everything, or could she hope for something beyond? This is the letter he sent in reply:
It is now thirty-five years since I, as a boy of six, was left quite alone in the world. You sent me word you would give me a home and be a kind mother to me. I have never forgotten the day I made the long journey to your house. I can still recall my disappointment when, instead of coming for me yourself, you sent your servant, Caesar, to fetch me.
I remember my tears and anxiety as, perched high on your horse and clinging tight to Caesar, I rode off to my new home. Night fell before we finished the journey, and I became lonely and afraid. “Do you think she’ll go to bed before we get there?” I asked Caesar.
“Oh, no!” he said reassuringly, “She’ll stay up for you. When we get out o’ these here woods, you’ll see her candle shinin’ in the window.”
Presently we did ride out into the clearing, and there, sure enough, was your candle. I remember you were waiting at the door, that you put your arms close about me—a tired and bewildered little boy. You had a fire burning on the hearth, a hot supper waiting on the stove. After supper you took me to my new room, heard me say my prayers, and then sat beside me till I fell asleep.
Some day soon God will send for you, to take you to a new home. Don’t fear the summons, the strange journey, or the messenger of death. God can be trusted to do as much for you as you were kind enough to do for me so many years ago. At the end of the road you will find love and a welcome awaiting, and you will be safe in God’s care.
Therefore I murmur not, Heav’n is my home; Whate’er my earthly lot, Heav’n is my home; And I shall surely stand There at my Lord’s right hand. Heav’n is my fatherland, Heav’n is my home. Amen.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Sermon for the Festival of the Holy Trinity (B)
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
Isaiah 6:1-13
Holy, Holy, Holy
The Holy Trinity, First Sunday after Pentecost
07 June 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
Isaiah would prophesy during the reigns of four kings of Judah, the southern kingdom. King Uzziah is dead. That sets this vision over 700 years before the birth of Christ. That’s a mundane but necessary detail. Words can hardly express what Isaiah sees.
The Lord, Yahweh Himself, is seated upon His throne in glory and splendor, high and exalted. The heavenly temple is filled with the train of his glorious robe.
And there are angels—seraphim, to be specific—unlike angels are commonly portrayed artistically. Six wings—not two. With two they covered their faces. With two they covered their feet. With two more they were flying. And… And they were calling to one another! Angelic words from angelic voices would certainly sound like music to our ears! The words were powerful, for at the sound the foundations of the thresholds shook. The house was filled with the smoke of incense.
What did they say? They are words very familiar to you. We usually sing them at the beginning of the Liturgy of Holy Communion after this introduction: Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!
This angelic hymn is called the Sanctus, the Latin word for “holy.” There is often another foreign word in this canticle: Sabaoth. SAH-bay-oth is Hebrew for “Angel armies,” not to be confused with Sabbath, the ancient day of rest observed on Saturday. God of Sabaoth, Lord of hosts, Lord God of power and might, Lord of angel armies—all these mean the same thing. The Sanctus gives you an opportunity to sing with angels—to join with them in an unending hymn. Here, in the Divine Service, heaven and earth meet and sing together in praise to the Lord.
In most liturgical settings of the Sanctus, Isaiah 6:3 is combined with Psalm 118 verses 25 and 26. Hosanna! Or, save us now, O Lord. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the Highest. Lord, You who dwell in the highest heaven, save us now. Not only do we call upon the Lord, the only One who can save us, but we acknowledge that the Savior will be present, according to His Word and promise, in His Body and Blood, in, with, and under the consecrated bread and wine.
Quite a vision isn’t it? Isaiah sees the Lord. Isaiah records an angelic hymn that has been sung ever since in the synagogue and then taken into the Christian Divine Service. No matter what setting we sing, the Sanctus is there: the page 15 service, now on page 184, as well as the musical service from Lutheran Worship, now on page 151. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; Heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory; Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
Please turn to hymn #960 in the back section of Lutheran Service Book. I’ll explain why in a moment. During the Reformation, Martin Luther retained the best that the western church had to offer, especially the form of the traditional mass, or Divine Service. He removed those elements contrary to Scripture, which were therefore dangerous to faith. The largest deletion was the long prayer, named the canon of the mass, which Luther, in his typical strong language, called a “cesspool.” You know what’s found in a cesspool. That’s the kind of false theology it contained. In addition to (his Formula Missae) the revision of the traditional Latin mass, Luther published his German Mass in 1526 after using it for nearly a year at Wittenberg.
The German Mass was different, because for the first time in centuries, the clergy and laity were allowed to hear the Word of God and celebrate the Eucharist in their own vernacular language! The people were again allowed to sing the Kyrie, Gloria, Creed, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei using their common language. With that said, here is Luther’s German Sanctus, LSB #960...
(hymn sung here)
A hard hymn? Perhaps. Beautiful? Certainly. Martin Luther on both the words and music. Substantial? Yes. The music lends support and majesty to the words that are filled to overflowing with Isaiah 6. Worth learning? Definitely. Perhaps someday.
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. We’ve heard this already. The thresholds are not the only things shaken. Listen to poor Isaiah!
And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" Isaiah knows that he is a sinner. Isaiah, the prophet, like a pastor today, is also aware of the sinfulness of his people. A holy God cannot tolerate sin in His presence. Isaiah’s reaction is understandable.
Simon Peter fell at Jesus’ feet with similar words. We said something like it earlier this morning: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Isaiah then writes, Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.
Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
A burning coal sears. That’s painful! Confession hurts, too—especially when we confess our pet sins, secret sins, sins encouraged by or at least tolerated by society. They’re still sins. And the Lord God calls for repentance and confession. Cauterization is often used to begin the healing process. Confession also begins the healing process. Jesus came, as John the Baptizer said, to baptize you not only with water, but with the Holy Spirit and fire! Jesus is the burning coal that has touched your lips, has taken away your guilt, and has atoned for your sin.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us.
And [Isaiah] (I) heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
Hark, the voice of Jesus calling, “Who will go and work today? Fields are white and harvests waiting, Who will bear the sheaves away?” Loud and long the master calls you; Rich reward He offers thee. Who will answer, gladly saying, “Here am I. Send me, send me”?
Isaiah said, "Here am I! Send me." By faith, we do, too. And the Lord said, "Go, and say to this people: " 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."
We’re bored by the familiar. The media kindly obliges us by always giving something new, pushing the envelope, exposing us to things often solely for shock value. The hearts of mankind are dull, ears are heavy, and eyes are blind. Are you still listening, or has there been some kind of malfunction? Narrow is the way of salvation. Many hear but only a few believe. The Lord proclaims His commandments, but many ignore them, harden their hearts to them, and are in danger of fires more intense than a single burning coal.
The Law is preached for a purpose—to bring about repentance. The Lord, the pastor, and the congregation don’t rebuke, scold, or call to repentance in order to be mean—it’s always supposed to be done out of love, to save you from yourself and the traps and snares of the devil. Even withholding the Sacrament from someone for as long as they do not repent of a public sin is designed by the Lord, out of love, to bring about repentance so that that person may again receive the Gospel in their ears and in their mouth. Even excommunication, the heaviest law given to a pastor and congregation to exercise, has as its ultimate purpose, restoration. But if someone will not listen, we shake the dust off of our feet and preach to those who will listen.
Then [Isaiah] (I) said, "How long, O Lord?" Good question, we say. How long will this preaching of the law unto repentance go on?
And [the Lord] (he) said: "Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled." The holy seed is its stump.
In the midst of this proclamation of judgment upon Judah, and by extension today, all sinners, there is some Gospel, some hopeful news. Did you catch it? “And though a tenth remain in it…The holy seed is its stump.” One. There will be a remnant. Two. Out of the stump, the nation will grow again. Jesus, the new branch, grows out of the stump of Jesse, the father of David.
Even in view of these snippets of Gospel, there is a subtle warning: “And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again…” Even the remnant, if it is not faithful, is longer a the remnant and faces judgment. If someone rejects the Lord and His gifts, it doesn’t matter if he or she was baptized, confirmed, and even a member of a Lutheran Church. The remnant must remain faithful, tied as branches to the Vine, Jesus, in order to remain. Repentance is not something that cannot be ignored.
Remember what Isaiah said earlier, his heart moved in repentant and reverent awe: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" But that wasn’t the end of the story was it? Then one of the seraphim flew to [him] (me), having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched [Isaiah’s] (my) mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
I say to you, Behold! His Word has reached your ears and your heart. His sacrament will touch your lips. Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Isaiah 6:1-13
Holy, Holy, Holy
The Holy Trinity, First Sunday after Pentecost
07 June 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
Isaiah would prophesy during the reigns of four kings of Judah, the southern kingdom. King Uzziah is dead. That sets this vision over 700 years before the birth of Christ. That’s a mundane but necessary detail. Words can hardly express what Isaiah sees.
The Lord, Yahweh Himself, is seated upon His throne in glory and splendor, high and exalted. The heavenly temple is filled with the train of his glorious robe.
And there are angels—seraphim, to be specific—unlike angels are commonly portrayed artistically. Six wings—not two. With two they covered their faces. With two they covered their feet. With two more they were flying. And… And they were calling to one another! Angelic words from angelic voices would certainly sound like music to our ears! The words were powerful, for at the sound the foundations of the thresholds shook. The house was filled with the smoke of incense.
What did they say? They are words very familiar to you. We usually sing them at the beginning of the Liturgy of Holy Communion after this introduction: Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!
This angelic hymn is called the Sanctus, the Latin word for “holy.” There is often another foreign word in this canticle: Sabaoth. SAH-bay-oth is Hebrew for “Angel armies,” not to be confused with Sabbath, the ancient day of rest observed on Saturday. God of Sabaoth, Lord of hosts, Lord God of power and might, Lord of angel armies—all these mean the same thing. The Sanctus gives you an opportunity to sing with angels—to join with them in an unending hymn. Here, in the Divine Service, heaven and earth meet and sing together in praise to the Lord.
In most liturgical settings of the Sanctus, Isaiah 6:3 is combined with Psalm 118 verses 25 and 26. Hosanna! Or, save us now, O Lord. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the Highest. Lord, You who dwell in the highest heaven, save us now. Not only do we call upon the Lord, the only One who can save us, but we acknowledge that the Savior will be present, according to His Word and promise, in His Body and Blood, in, with, and under the consecrated bread and wine.
Quite a vision isn’t it? Isaiah sees the Lord. Isaiah records an angelic hymn that has been sung ever since in the synagogue and then taken into the Christian Divine Service. No matter what setting we sing, the Sanctus is there: the page 15 service, now on page 184, as well as the musical service from Lutheran Worship, now on page 151. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; Heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory; Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
Please turn to hymn #960 in the back section of Lutheran Service Book. I’ll explain why in a moment. During the Reformation, Martin Luther retained the best that the western church had to offer, especially the form of the traditional mass, or Divine Service. He removed those elements contrary to Scripture, which were therefore dangerous to faith. The largest deletion was the long prayer, named the canon of the mass, which Luther, in his typical strong language, called a “cesspool.” You know what’s found in a cesspool. That’s the kind of false theology it contained. In addition to (his Formula Missae) the revision of the traditional Latin mass, Luther published his German Mass in 1526 after using it for nearly a year at Wittenberg.
The German Mass was different, because for the first time in centuries, the clergy and laity were allowed to hear the Word of God and celebrate the Eucharist in their own vernacular language! The people were again allowed to sing the Kyrie, Gloria, Creed, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei using their common language. With that said, here is Luther’s German Sanctus, LSB #960...
(hymn sung here)
A hard hymn? Perhaps. Beautiful? Certainly. Martin Luther on both the words and music. Substantial? Yes. The music lends support and majesty to the words that are filled to overflowing with Isaiah 6. Worth learning? Definitely. Perhaps someday.
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. We’ve heard this already. The thresholds are not the only things shaken. Listen to poor Isaiah!
And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" Isaiah knows that he is a sinner. Isaiah, the prophet, like a pastor today, is also aware of the sinfulness of his people. A holy God cannot tolerate sin in His presence. Isaiah’s reaction is understandable.
Simon Peter fell at Jesus’ feet with similar words. We said something like it earlier this morning: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Isaiah then writes, Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.
Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
A burning coal sears. That’s painful! Confession hurts, too—especially when we confess our pet sins, secret sins, sins encouraged by or at least tolerated by society. They’re still sins. And the Lord God calls for repentance and confession. Cauterization is often used to begin the healing process. Confession also begins the healing process. Jesus came, as John the Baptizer said, to baptize you not only with water, but with the Holy Spirit and fire! Jesus is the burning coal that has touched your lips, has taken away your guilt, and has atoned for your sin.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us.
And [Isaiah] (I) heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
Hark, the voice of Jesus calling, “Who will go and work today? Fields are white and harvests waiting, Who will bear the sheaves away?” Loud and long the master calls you; Rich reward He offers thee. Who will answer, gladly saying, “Here am I. Send me, send me”?
Isaiah said, "Here am I! Send me." By faith, we do, too. And the Lord said, "Go, and say to this people: " 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."
We’re bored by the familiar. The media kindly obliges us by always giving something new, pushing the envelope, exposing us to things often solely for shock value. The hearts of mankind are dull, ears are heavy, and eyes are blind. Are you still listening, or has there been some kind of malfunction? Narrow is the way of salvation. Many hear but only a few believe. The Lord proclaims His commandments, but many ignore them, harden their hearts to them, and are in danger of fires more intense than a single burning coal.
The Law is preached for a purpose—to bring about repentance. The Lord, the pastor, and the congregation don’t rebuke, scold, or call to repentance in order to be mean—it’s always supposed to be done out of love, to save you from yourself and the traps and snares of the devil. Even withholding the Sacrament from someone for as long as they do not repent of a public sin is designed by the Lord, out of love, to bring about repentance so that that person may again receive the Gospel in their ears and in their mouth. Even excommunication, the heaviest law given to a pastor and congregation to exercise, has as its ultimate purpose, restoration. But if someone will not listen, we shake the dust off of our feet and preach to those who will listen.
Then [Isaiah] (I) said, "How long, O Lord?" Good question, we say. How long will this preaching of the law unto repentance go on?
And [the Lord] (he) said: "Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled." The holy seed is its stump.
In the midst of this proclamation of judgment upon Judah, and by extension today, all sinners, there is some Gospel, some hopeful news. Did you catch it? “And though a tenth remain in it…The holy seed is its stump.” One. There will be a remnant. Two. Out of the stump, the nation will grow again. Jesus, the new branch, grows out of the stump of Jesse, the father of David.
Even in view of these snippets of Gospel, there is a subtle warning: “And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again…” Even the remnant, if it is not faithful, is longer a the remnant and faces judgment. If someone rejects the Lord and His gifts, it doesn’t matter if he or she was baptized, confirmed, and even a member of a Lutheran Church. The remnant must remain faithful, tied as branches to the Vine, Jesus, in order to remain. Repentance is not something that cannot be ignored.
Remember what Isaiah said earlier, his heart moved in repentant and reverent awe: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" But that wasn’t the end of the story was it? Then one of the seraphim flew to [him] (me), having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched [Isaiah’s] (my) mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
I say to you, Behold! His Word has reached your ears and your heart. His sacrament will touch your lips. Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Sermon for the Festival of Pentecost
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
Acts 2:1-21
All Together in One Place
The Day of Pentecost
31 May 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
(CPR Intro, Outline, Conclusion) Today is Pentecost. I might surprise many if I said that Pentecost was equally important to the Christian Church as both Christmas and Easter! Yes, we know that the birth of Christ was essential to our salvation, because if Jesus had not been born, He would not have been able to rescue us. Easter is also crucial in God’s plan to save us because our Lord, through a cross, purchased our salvation by Jesus’ shed blood payment for sin. Since Jesus has risen, we know His payment for sin was accepted. Easter Sunday provides all believers eternal life.
But Pentecost stands with Christmas and Easter as equally important! Why? Because, beginning with Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fills believers and spreads the Gospel! [The Holy Spirit delivers the forgiveness won by Christ’s death and Resurrection.] By the Spirit’s power, all are made aware of the Gospel’s saving power, and all can be drawn [through the Word] by the Spirit’s action to Christian faith and service.
[Disciples are made by means of baptizing and by means of teaching God’s Word.] John Stott wrote, “Without the Holy Spirit, Christian discipleship would be inconceivable…there can be no life without the Life-giver, no understanding of sin without the Spirit of Truth, no fellowship without the unity of the Spirit, no Christlikeness of character apart from the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and no effective witness without His power” (See CPR for citation).
So the Third Person of the Trinity provides the power for Christian faith, life, and growth. And here at the first [Christian] Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gets the Good News out! In [today’s] passage from Acts, a huge assembly of people is made aware of the Gospel’s saving power and is drawn by the Spirit’s gracious work to a saving faith in Christ.
In the Spirit’s Power, the Message of Jesus Christ is presented clearly for the Salvation of This Lost World.
I. The Spirit’s miracle gets everyone’s attention.
1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
A. The crowds hear the sound of a blowing, violent wind.
B. The disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit. 1. The Spirit gives the evidence: tongues of fire. 2. The Spirit gives the other languages: “other tongues.”
[For example, consider the following: Vater unser, der du bist im Himmel, geheiliget werde dein Name, dein Reich komme, dein Wille geschehe, wie im Himmel, also auch auf Erden. Unser täglich Brot gib uns heute. Und vergib uns unsere Schuld, als wir vergeben unsern Schuldigern. Und führe uns nicht in Versuchung, sondern erlöse uns von dem Übel. Denn dein ist das Reich und die Kraft und die Herrlichkeit in Ewigkeit. Amen.
Did that make any sense at all? Yet, to many of our ancestors, and others who know German, they would immediately recognize that as the Lord’s prayer. The Holy Spirit gave the disciples the ability to preach Christ crucified in languages they had not studied, yet languages that people in the crowd knew and understand so they could clearly hear the message of Jesus.]
II. [The Spirit’s miracle gets everyone’s attention,] But at first, the meaning of all this isn’t clear to the people.
5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
A. Some respond with surprise. 1. They are “bewildered”, “amazed and astonished”. 2. The devout Jews, for the most part, listened to the message.
B. Some responded with ridicule. 1. Drunkenness on new wine was the scoffers’ explanation. 2. Unable to comprehend the supernatural, they [look for] a natural explanation. [Today, some who call themselves Christians deny every miracle in Scripture from the creation, world-wide flood, or crossing the Red Sea to the birth of Jesus by a virgin and His physical Resurrection from the dead.]
III. [The Spirit’s miracle gets everyone’s attention, But at first, the meaning of all this isn’t clear to the people.] Then Peter explains this miracle of the Spirit.
14But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
A. Drunkenness is not the explanation. 1. It is only 9 a.m. 2. This was the time for morning prayers and sacrifice; no Jew was allowed to eat or drink before this time.
B. The crowds were witnessing the fulfillment of [the prophet] Joel’s prophecy, the Spirit being poured out. 1. Peter’s reference, Joel 2: 28-32, had full authority for devout Jews. 2. Related passages are found in Isaiah 2:2-3 and Micah 4:1.
C. The Holy Spirit’s amazing miracle is that languages are not a barrier to that day’s Gospel proclamation. 1. All hear “the mighty works of God” in their own tongue [—their own native language]. 2. These men shouldn’t have known all these languages! They’re all from Galilee! 3. True, but the Holy Spirit makes sure the Word of God will be effective.
In Acts 2, the Lord wanted the Gospel to be easily understood. Knowing the Gospel message and [having faith in Christ] is of crucial [and eternal] importance, both then and now.
IV. [The Spirit’s miracle gets everyone’s attention, But at first, the meaning of all this isn’t clear to the people. Then Peter explains this miracle of the Spirit.] Now the message of salvation is clear indeed!
21And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
A. Christ has come! 1. The prophets always saw the First and Second [Comings] of Christ together. [We’re used to seeing tall telephone poles or power poles alongside our roads in Nebraska and Wyoming. Often, we can see each one, all the way to the horizon. But sometimes, the road curves so that all of them line up and we only see one. That is how the Old Testament prophets through John the Baptizer saw Jesus’ first and second comings. They saw His ministry and His work as Judge at the end of the world as the same event. As Christians, we live between the poles of the Cross and the Last Day and can see the difference.]
2. Verses 17-18 are fulfilled at the first Pentecost as needed and directed by the Lord today. 17‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. a. Prophecy is less a matter of foretelling future events. b. Prophecy is more a matter of “forthtelling” [or telling forth] the Gospel news of salvation in Christ.
3. Verses 19-20 are a clear reference to Christ’s Second Advent [His Second Coming]. 19And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. [Remember the telephone poles? The Old Testament prophets didn’t and probably couldn’t tell the difference between Jesus’ two comings because they only saw one telephone pole in the future. We live between Calvary and Judgment Day and understand the difference because the Lord has revealed it to us in His Word by God the Holy Spirit.]
4. The declaration of “the mighty works of God” above all includes the [Good Friday] death and Easter Resurrection of Christ! …this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised Him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it…
B. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved! 1. The Holy Spirit draws hearts to faith (1 Corinthians 12:3) a. To call upon the Lord’s name is to call [upon] Him [to help us]. b. In faith, we recognize that He alone can rescue us from the coming Day of Judgment and penalty of hell. 2. Salvation is available to everyone [who hears the Word]. 3. With the Holy Spirit’s work, God now stands in immediate relationship with His people. a. A new world was presented to these devout Jews in Jerusalem. b. Christians were confessing what they had seen and heard, and the clear message was that in Jesus Christ, all answers were supplied for life today and eternal life as well. c. Peace, joy, love, forgiveness, and salvation come through [faith, a relationship with the Savior].
The Good News is that the power of God and the Word of God will triumph over all opposition. God will not, then or now, permit the message of His Son to be lost. We carry this Good News with us [every day]. [We live this life in the comfort and certainty of the Gospel. Again, today, we are all together in one place, gathered by the Lord Himself around His Gifts of Word and Sacrament. We receive His gifts with hands He has opened and sing with lips He has opened. Then, He leads us back to our daily vocations.]
[Today, we Christians are given to confess what we have seen and heard, the clear message that in Jesus Christ all answers are supplied for life today and eternal life as well.]
Verse: Alleluia. Alleluia. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Alleluia. Amen.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Acts 2:1-21
All Together in One Place
The Day of Pentecost
31 May 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
(CPR Intro, Outline, Conclusion) Today is Pentecost. I might surprise many if I said that Pentecost was equally important to the Christian Church as both Christmas and Easter! Yes, we know that the birth of Christ was essential to our salvation, because if Jesus had not been born, He would not have been able to rescue us. Easter is also crucial in God’s plan to save us because our Lord, through a cross, purchased our salvation by Jesus’ shed blood payment for sin. Since Jesus has risen, we know His payment for sin was accepted. Easter Sunday provides all believers eternal life.
But Pentecost stands with Christmas and Easter as equally important! Why? Because, beginning with Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fills believers and spreads the Gospel! [The Holy Spirit delivers the forgiveness won by Christ’s death and Resurrection.] By the Spirit’s power, all are made aware of the Gospel’s saving power, and all can be drawn [through the Word] by the Spirit’s action to Christian faith and service.
[Disciples are made by means of baptizing and by means of teaching God’s Word.] John Stott wrote, “Without the Holy Spirit, Christian discipleship would be inconceivable…there can be no life without the Life-giver, no understanding of sin without the Spirit of Truth, no fellowship without the unity of the Spirit, no Christlikeness of character apart from the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and no effective witness without His power” (See CPR for citation).
So the Third Person of the Trinity provides the power for Christian faith, life, and growth. And here at the first [Christian] Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gets the Good News out! In [today’s] passage from Acts, a huge assembly of people is made aware of the Gospel’s saving power and is drawn by the Spirit’s gracious work to a saving faith in Christ.
In the Spirit’s Power, the Message of Jesus Christ is presented clearly for the Salvation of This Lost World.
I. The Spirit’s miracle gets everyone’s attention.
1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
A. The crowds hear the sound of a blowing, violent wind.
B. The disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit. 1. The Spirit gives the evidence: tongues of fire. 2. The Spirit gives the other languages: “other tongues.”
[For example, consider the following: Vater unser, der du bist im Himmel, geheiliget werde dein Name, dein Reich komme, dein Wille geschehe, wie im Himmel, also auch auf Erden. Unser täglich Brot gib uns heute. Und vergib uns unsere Schuld, als wir vergeben unsern Schuldigern. Und führe uns nicht in Versuchung, sondern erlöse uns von dem Übel. Denn dein ist das Reich und die Kraft und die Herrlichkeit in Ewigkeit. Amen.
Did that make any sense at all? Yet, to many of our ancestors, and others who know German, they would immediately recognize that as the Lord’s prayer. The Holy Spirit gave the disciples the ability to preach Christ crucified in languages they had not studied, yet languages that people in the crowd knew and understand so they could clearly hear the message of Jesus.]
II. [The Spirit’s miracle gets everyone’s attention,] But at first, the meaning of all this isn’t clear to the people.
5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
A. Some respond with surprise. 1. They are “bewildered”, “amazed and astonished”. 2. The devout Jews, for the most part, listened to the message.
B. Some responded with ridicule. 1. Drunkenness on new wine was the scoffers’ explanation. 2. Unable to comprehend the supernatural, they [look for] a natural explanation. [Today, some who call themselves Christians deny every miracle in Scripture from the creation, world-wide flood, or crossing the Red Sea to the birth of Jesus by a virgin and His physical Resurrection from the dead.]
III. [The Spirit’s miracle gets everyone’s attention, But at first, the meaning of all this isn’t clear to the people.] Then Peter explains this miracle of the Spirit.
14But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
A. Drunkenness is not the explanation. 1. It is only 9 a.m. 2. This was the time for morning prayers and sacrifice; no Jew was allowed to eat or drink before this time.
B. The crowds were witnessing the fulfillment of [the prophet] Joel’s prophecy, the Spirit being poured out. 1. Peter’s reference, Joel 2: 28-32, had full authority for devout Jews. 2. Related passages are found in Isaiah 2:2-3 and Micah 4:1.
C. The Holy Spirit’s amazing miracle is that languages are not a barrier to that day’s Gospel proclamation. 1. All hear “the mighty works of God” in their own tongue [—their own native language]. 2. These men shouldn’t have known all these languages! They’re all from Galilee! 3. True, but the Holy Spirit makes sure the Word of God will be effective.
In Acts 2, the Lord wanted the Gospel to be easily understood. Knowing the Gospel message and [having faith in Christ] is of crucial [and eternal] importance, both then and now.
IV. [The Spirit’s miracle gets everyone’s attention, But at first, the meaning of all this isn’t clear to the people. Then Peter explains this miracle of the Spirit.] Now the message of salvation is clear indeed!
21And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
A. Christ has come! 1. The prophets always saw the First and Second [Comings] of Christ together. [We’re used to seeing tall telephone poles or power poles alongside our roads in Nebraska and Wyoming. Often, we can see each one, all the way to the horizon. But sometimes, the road curves so that all of them line up and we only see one. That is how the Old Testament prophets through John the Baptizer saw Jesus’ first and second comings. They saw His ministry and His work as Judge at the end of the world as the same event. As Christians, we live between the poles of the Cross and the Last Day and can see the difference.]
2. Verses 17-18 are fulfilled at the first Pentecost as needed and directed by the Lord today. 17‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. a. Prophecy is less a matter of foretelling future events. b. Prophecy is more a matter of “forthtelling” [or telling forth] the Gospel news of salvation in Christ.
3. Verses 19-20 are a clear reference to Christ’s Second Advent [His Second Coming]. 19And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. [Remember the telephone poles? The Old Testament prophets didn’t and probably couldn’t tell the difference between Jesus’ two comings because they only saw one telephone pole in the future. We live between Calvary and Judgment Day and understand the difference because the Lord has revealed it to us in His Word by God the Holy Spirit.]
4. The declaration of “the mighty works of God” above all includes the [Good Friday] death and Easter Resurrection of Christ! …this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised Him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it…
B. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved! 1. The Holy Spirit draws hearts to faith (1 Corinthians 12:3) a. To call upon the Lord’s name is to call [upon] Him [to help us]. b. In faith, we recognize that He alone can rescue us from the coming Day of Judgment and penalty of hell. 2. Salvation is available to everyone [who hears the Word]. 3. With the Holy Spirit’s work, God now stands in immediate relationship with His people. a. A new world was presented to these devout Jews in Jerusalem. b. Christians were confessing what they had seen and heard, and the clear message was that in Jesus Christ, all answers were supplied for life today and eternal life as well. c. Peace, joy, love, forgiveness, and salvation come through [faith, a relationship with the Savior].
The Good News is that the power of God and the Word of God will triumph over all opposition. God will not, then or now, permit the message of His Son to be lost. We carry this Good News with us [every day]. [We live this life in the comfort and certainty of the Gospel. Again, today, we are all together in one place, gathered by the Lord Himself around His Gifts of Word and Sacrament. We receive His gifts with hands He has opened and sing with lips He has opened. Then, He leads us back to our daily vocations.]
[Today, we Christians are given to confess what we have seen and heard, the clear message that in Jesus Christ all answers are supplied for life today and eternal life as well.]
Verse: Alleluia. Alleluia. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Alleluia. Amen.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
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