Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sermon for 29 August 2010, Proper 17C
Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
St. Luke 14:1, 7-14
Friend, Come Up to a Better Place
Proper 17C, 29 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
When other people see you, what do they think? When they watch how you carry yourself, how you speak, what you wear, how your hair is done up, who you hang around with, what do they think? How does what other people think make you feel about yourself?
We want to feel good about ourselves. We want to be liked, appreciated, admired. Human beings like us tend to want approval, acclaim, status, love. When we’re noticed, we want to be seen with the best people, the best clothes, the best sporting equipment. We want others to think we are indispensable to our congregation, organization, and community. Our culture reinforces these notions. What is a resume’ but a socially acceptable bragging sheet? It is a powerful feeling to know some secret gossip about the person we don’t get along with. How good do we feel when we see a positive write-up or photo of ourselves in the local paper? We like to be given respect by those who know us—or even from those we barely know or do not know at all. We like to be noticed.
Jesus had received a lot of notice early in His ministry. He was even held in esteem by some of the religious leaders of the day until they realized that He was no mere rabbi.
1 And it happened one Sabbath, when Jesus came to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, they were carefully observing Him.
Jesus was not the only one being observed at the house of this certain prominent leader of the Pharisees. Jesus was paying careful attention to those who had been invited to the meal. They wanted to be noticed sitting in the seat of honor, or as close to the seat of honor as possible.
7 [Jesus] was saying to the guests this parable when he noticed how they picked the places of honor at the table, saying to them: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, (the first seat) for a person more honorable than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, with shame, you will occupy the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the last place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 The one exalting himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
How humbling is this text? How it cuts each of us to the heart! How often have you acted like the guests at the meal? We have been so busy climbing the social ladder at school, or work, or in the neighborhood, that we have forgotten what God thinks as He closely watches us. There is a better place to live than climbing the social ladder.
Don’t look down your nose at anyone around you, thinking that you’re better, smarter, more organized, more well-dressed, more socially astute, more experienced in the outdoors. Really, how would you fare if God used the same standard of judgment on you? There is a better place to live than the world of gossip and putting other people down.
Some of you would love to have that place of honor. Others would be more comfortable out of the spotlight, sitting in the corner. What all of us have in common is that we care too much about what other people think. The heart of our sin is selfishness, self-centeredness. You probably would never say it aloud or even to yourself, but each one of us would prefer that we were god instead. Our prayers often reflect that. Instead of always praying, “Thy will be done…” we are angry, or disappointed, or frustrated that our demands of “My will be done” are not met. We’re back to breaking the First Commandment.
Even pride becomes our enemy. Most people do not even think of pride as sin anymore. Pride is the dandelion of the soul. Its root goes deep; only a little left behind sprouts again. Its seeds lodge in the tiniest encouraging cracks. And it flourishes in good soil: The danger of pride is that it feeds on goodness.
Do not find your self worth in yourself. Self-esteem is a popular answer given today. It is false security, a temporary fix, and an un-Biblical crutch. There is a better place to live than the dark and dreary land of self-esteem.
Esteem Christ instead. Self-esteem is fleeting. Our glories are temporary. Instead of focusing upon yourself, a poor, miserable sinner, and see the blackness and darkness and lack of worth inside yourself, look outside yourself. Christ esteem, not self-esteem. Do not find your self worth in what other people think of you, not even in what you think of you! People are fickle. Their appetites and tastes change—not always for the best. Do not worry about what other people think. There is a better place to live than in the fickle world of popular opinion.
Consider instead how your Lord sees you. God has given you worth. He created you. He placed His name upon you in Holy Baptism. You are claimed as His own. You are His. He valued you enough that Christ died for you—for you! He values you so much that He gives you His word of forgiveness, of absolution.
God would love to give you status. You do not claim it for yourself. You do not find it in other people. You find it in the One who calls you to the feast, the One who puts in your mouth His Body and His Blood.
As a Christian, you are being carefully watched in this community by the prominent, the religious leaders, and others. What do they expect to see?
They expect to see people like themselves wanting attention and approval from other human beings. They can see Christians who have despaired of self-esteem and chasing after the false god of popularity. They expect people who will do anything, even change religions, in order to fit in. They can see persons not ruled by what other people think of us.
As Christians, we find our worth in what God says we are. He calls you Friend.
“Friend, come up to a better place.”
“But I’ve been your enemy since birth. How can you call me friend?”
“I know you have been my enemy. Yet, I humbled myself to be born a man to die for you and restore your relationship to me. I made it possible. Friend, come up to a better place.”
“But I can’t make it there. I can’t come up of my own strength.”
“I know. That is why I came to you. I offer the invitation to come and I came to exalt you.”
“But I’m not worthy.”
“I know that, too. The price has been paid. It took My death and Resurrection. You are My friend. I declare you Holy and that is what I make you. It is not possible for you to deserve this honor on your own. It is My gift to you. You were not worthy, but I am. That is yours as well. “
In a “me first” world, the lessons for today remind us to put God first by placing others before ourselves. It is a more fulfilling life. How many rich and famous people are truly happy? Do all of the homes, boats, cars, trucks, snow machines, vacations, or fancy jewelry really make people happy? Casual sex doesn’t make people happy. It causes more problems than it solves Marriage should be honored by all, the Epistle says. Adultery, sexual immorality, the love of money, and the lack of contentment are inherently selfish. The author of the letter to the Hebrews and our Lord call us to be selfless.
Christ put your eternal salvation above His own life. Christ’s actions are not merely an example to follow, although they are an important part of the Christian life. Even more important is this: when Christ humbles Himself, you are exalted.
Then, certain of our identity, status, and worth in Christ, we serve even the least of those who are His brethren and thereby serve Him.
12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Some have compared the church to a money sinkhole. “Billions of dollars are spent with no apparent result,” they point out. Our Gospel reading for today tells us that the church is an establishment that does not have a great deal of “return on investment”—at least the kind we or the world can see. What the church gives, serves those who cannot repay. We help the poor, we serve the needy, and we comfort the sick. We do not expect much back from them. Above all, we dispense God’s forgiveness freely to all. How can anyone repay God for that? Following Christ’s example, the church gives and gives—unconditionally, with no expectation of return. Your support of this ministry through your dollars, time, and service gain little earthly reward, if any. But the eternal reward—that is something!
We await that bottom line. We may not see the numeric results Americans expect as pragmatists. We are to use the Lord’s gifts in His way so that others can see their worth, their status, their identity in Christ as forgiven sinner-saints. We are to sow the seed of His Word, be as living sacrifices, as humble servants.
In order to be servants, we must be aware of those who live, work, and study around us. Get to know your neighbors, coworkers, and classmates. Listen to them. Care for them. Provide for their physical needs, if necessary. And introduce them to the Biblical Jesus so that they may dine at His table. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. He serves you His very Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sins. Serve others. Bring them to Jesus, so He can serve them, too.
The glory anyone could give us in this world will pass away. The gifts and identity Christ gives will never fade away. Remember who you are in Christ, His Friend. And eagerly await with all those whom Christ has called Friend the resurrection of the righteous when the Lord invites you into your heavenly home saying to you again, “Friend, move up to a better place.” Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
St. Luke 14:1, 7-14
Friend, Come Up to a Better Place
Proper 17C, 29 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
When other people see you, what do they think? When they watch how you carry yourself, how you speak, what you wear, how your hair is done up, who you hang around with, what do they think? How does what other people think make you feel about yourself?
We want to feel good about ourselves. We want to be liked, appreciated, admired. Human beings like us tend to want approval, acclaim, status, love. When we’re noticed, we want to be seen with the best people, the best clothes, the best sporting equipment. We want others to think we are indispensable to our congregation, organization, and community. Our culture reinforces these notions. What is a resume’ but a socially acceptable bragging sheet? It is a powerful feeling to know some secret gossip about the person we don’t get along with. How good do we feel when we see a positive write-up or photo of ourselves in the local paper? We like to be given respect by those who know us—or even from those we barely know or do not know at all. We like to be noticed.
Jesus had received a lot of notice early in His ministry. He was even held in esteem by some of the religious leaders of the day until they realized that He was no mere rabbi.
1 And it happened one Sabbath, when Jesus came to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, they were carefully observing Him.
Jesus was not the only one being observed at the house of this certain prominent leader of the Pharisees. Jesus was paying careful attention to those who had been invited to the meal. They wanted to be noticed sitting in the seat of honor, or as close to the seat of honor as possible.
7 [Jesus] was saying to the guests this parable when he noticed how they picked the places of honor at the table, saying to them: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, (the first seat) for a person more honorable than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, with shame, you will occupy the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the last place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 The one exalting himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
How humbling is this text? How it cuts each of us to the heart! How often have you acted like the guests at the meal? We have been so busy climbing the social ladder at school, or work, or in the neighborhood, that we have forgotten what God thinks as He closely watches us. There is a better place to live than climbing the social ladder.
Don’t look down your nose at anyone around you, thinking that you’re better, smarter, more organized, more well-dressed, more socially astute, more experienced in the outdoors. Really, how would you fare if God used the same standard of judgment on you? There is a better place to live than the world of gossip and putting other people down.
Some of you would love to have that place of honor. Others would be more comfortable out of the spotlight, sitting in the corner. What all of us have in common is that we care too much about what other people think. The heart of our sin is selfishness, self-centeredness. You probably would never say it aloud or even to yourself, but each one of us would prefer that we were god instead. Our prayers often reflect that. Instead of always praying, “Thy will be done…” we are angry, or disappointed, or frustrated that our demands of “My will be done” are not met. We’re back to breaking the First Commandment.
Even pride becomes our enemy. Most people do not even think of pride as sin anymore. Pride is the dandelion of the soul. Its root goes deep; only a little left behind sprouts again. Its seeds lodge in the tiniest encouraging cracks. And it flourishes in good soil: The danger of pride is that it feeds on goodness.
Do not find your self worth in yourself. Self-esteem is a popular answer given today. It is false security, a temporary fix, and an un-Biblical crutch. There is a better place to live than the dark and dreary land of self-esteem.
Esteem Christ instead. Self-esteem is fleeting. Our glories are temporary. Instead of focusing upon yourself, a poor, miserable sinner, and see the blackness and darkness and lack of worth inside yourself, look outside yourself. Christ esteem, not self-esteem. Do not find your self worth in what other people think of you, not even in what you think of you! People are fickle. Their appetites and tastes change—not always for the best. Do not worry about what other people think. There is a better place to live than in the fickle world of popular opinion.
Consider instead how your Lord sees you. God has given you worth. He created you. He placed His name upon you in Holy Baptism. You are claimed as His own. You are His. He valued you enough that Christ died for you—for you! He values you so much that He gives you His word of forgiveness, of absolution.
God would love to give you status. You do not claim it for yourself. You do not find it in other people. You find it in the One who calls you to the feast, the One who puts in your mouth His Body and His Blood.
As a Christian, you are being carefully watched in this community by the prominent, the religious leaders, and others. What do they expect to see?
They expect to see people like themselves wanting attention and approval from other human beings. They can see Christians who have despaired of self-esteem and chasing after the false god of popularity. They expect people who will do anything, even change religions, in order to fit in. They can see persons not ruled by what other people think of us.
As Christians, we find our worth in what God says we are. He calls you Friend.
“Friend, come up to a better place.”
“But I’ve been your enemy since birth. How can you call me friend?”
“I know you have been my enemy. Yet, I humbled myself to be born a man to die for you and restore your relationship to me. I made it possible. Friend, come up to a better place.”
“But I can’t make it there. I can’t come up of my own strength.”
“I know. That is why I came to you. I offer the invitation to come and I came to exalt you.”
“But I’m not worthy.”
“I know that, too. The price has been paid. It took My death and Resurrection. You are My friend. I declare you Holy and that is what I make you. It is not possible for you to deserve this honor on your own. It is My gift to you. You were not worthy, but I am. That is yours as well. “
In a “me first” world, the lessons for today remind us to put God first by placing others before ourselves. It is a more fulfilling life. How many rich and famous people are truly happy? Do all of the homes, boats, cars, trucks, snow machines, vacations, or fancy jewelry really make people happy? Casual sex doesn’t make people happy. It causes more problems than it solves Marriage should be honored by all, the Epistle says. Adultery, sexual immorality, the love of money, and the lack of contentment are inherently selfish. The author of the letter to the Hebrews and our Lord call us to be selfless.
Christ put your eternal salvation above His own life. Christ’s actions are not merely an example to follow, although they are an important part of the Christian life. Even more important is this: when Christ humbles Himself, you are exalted.
Then, certain of our identity, status, and worth in Christ, we serve even the least of those who are His brethren and thereby serve Him.
12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Some have compared the church to a money sinkhole. “Billions of dollars are spent with no apparent result,” they point out. Our Gospel reading for today tells us that the church is an establishment that does not have a great deal of “return on investment”—at least the kind we or the world can see. What the church gives, serves those who cannot repay. We help the poor, we serve the needy, and we comfort the sick. We do not expect much back from them. Above all, we dispense God’s forgiveness freely to all. How can anyone repay God for that? Following Christ’s example, the church gives and gives—unconditionally, with no expectation of return. Your support of this ministry through your dollars, time, and service gain little earthly reward, if any. But the eternal reward—that is something!
We await that bottom line. We may not see the numeric results Americans expect as pragmatists. We are to use the Lord’s gifts in His way so that others can see their worth, their status, their identity in Christ as forgiven sinner-saints. We are to sow the seed of His Word, be as living sacrifices, as humble servants.
In order to be servants, we must be aware of those who live, work, and study around us. Get to know your neighbors, coworkers, and classmates. Listen to them. Care for them. Provide for their physical needs, if necessary. And introduce them to the Biblical Jesus so that they may dine at His table. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. He serves you His very Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sins. Serve others. Bring them to Jesus, so He can serve them, too.
The glory anyone could give us in this world will pass away. The gifts and identity Christ gives will never fade away. Remember who you are in Christ, His Friend. And eagerly await with all those whom Christ has called Friend the resurrection of the righteous when the Lord invites you into your heavenly home saying to you again, “Friend, move up to a better place.” Amen.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Wedding Sermon for Wally Anderson and Dawn Beyl
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
Matthew 11:28-30
Rest
Wedding Sermon for Wallace Richard Anderson and Dawn Marie Beyl
Friday of Pentecost XIII, 27 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dawn and Wally,
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Today is a joyous day. It is a day you both will remember as long as you both shall live on this earth.
This is also a day that has been a long time coming. Your past is now behind you. Here in the present, along with Jessi, Grant, Justine, Jaiden, and Braiden, and family and friends, we prepare you for the future and all of its unknown joys and challenges. We pray that the Lord will give us faith to go forth with good courage, not always knowing where we go, but confident that His hand is leading you and His love is with you through Christ Jesus, our Lord.
As we have gotten better acquainted, I have come to more fully appreciate how the Lord has already blessed you with three wonderful children and very supportive friends.
The Lord has more in store as we learn about Him and His saving promises in His Word and as we look forward to a baptism day for all not yet baptized in the name of our Triune God. And there are additional ways to prepare you for wedded life.
I also noticed something in both of you last week when we planned for this special day. Peace. Relief. Rest. You both projected a calm heart, mind, and spirit that seemed new to both of you—or at least new for the first time in a long time. That is why your wedding sermon text is from Matthew 11:28-30:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Human beings often walk about in this life bearing the weight of the world. There’s the stress that comes even with harmonious families. And then the burden of work. And then the bills. And also worries about the future. And the guilt of days and deeds long past as well as fresh remorse about yesterday and today.
That reality of what life in this world is like combined with all of the consequences of life in this world could lead us to hypocrisy or despair. That’s life under the law, for it always cuts and always condemns. But that is not the whole story of life in this world. In Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, your sin is taken away and your guilt is atoned for.
Christianity is very practical. Jesus is a real Savior who saves us from real sin, real eternal death, and a very real old evil foe. And He gives us all a new dawn, a fresh start—not merely a blank slate, but one filled with spiritual blessings, eternal life, and salvation.
He gives rest to the weary. Not once, but daily, because life happens daily. He gives you His light yoke, because the hard work of carrying the cross and enduring it on Good Friday is Finished! His Resurrection from the dead gives life and a light burden.
God’s Word gives forgiveness and also guidance for a God-pleasing life for husbands and wives and parents and children. Even a God-pleasing life can’t earn forgiveness. That is a gift. Yet, those who walk in His ways are protected from themselves. Marriage is hard enough without our own mistakes complicating our spouse’s. Hear once again the comfort of Christ for you on your wedding day:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Matthew 11:28-30
Rest
Wedding Sermon for Wallace Richard Anderson and Dawn Marie Beyl
Friday of Pentecost XIII, 27 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dawn and Wally,
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Today is a joyous day. It is a day you both will remember as long as you both shall live on this earth.
This is also a day that has been a long time coming. Your past is now behind you. Here in the present, along with Jessi, Grant, Justine, Jaiden, and Braiden, and family and friends, we prepare you for the future and all of its unknown joys and challenges. We pray that the Lord will give us faith to go forth with good courage, not always knowing where we go, but confident that His hand is leading you and His love is with you through Christ Jesus, our Lord.
As we have gotten better acquainted, I have come to more fully appreciate how the Lord has already blessed you with three wonderful children and very supportive friends.
The Lord has more in store as we learn about Him and His saving promises in His Word and as we look forward to a baptism day for all not yet baptized in the name of our Triune God. And there are additional ways to prepare you for wedded life.
I also noticed something in both of you last week when we planned for this special day. Peace. Relief. Rest. You both projected a calm heart, mind, and spirit that seemed new to both of you—or at least new for the first time in a long time. That is why your wedding sermon text is from Matthew 11:28-30:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Human beings often walk about in this life bearing the weight of the world. There’s the stress that comes even with harmonious families. And then the burden of work. And then the bills. And also worries about the future. And the guilt of days and deeds long past as well as fresh remorse about yesterday and today.
That reality of what life in this world is like combined with all of the consequences of life in this world could lead us to hypocrisy or despair. That’s life under the law, for it always cuts and always condemns. But that is not the whole story of life in this world. In Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, your sin is taken away and your guilt is atoned for.
Christianity is very practical. Jesus is a real Savior who saves us from real sin, real eternal death, and a very real old evil foe. And He gives us all a new dawn, a fresh start—not merely a blank slate, but one filled with spiritual blessings, eternal life, and salvation.
He gives rest to the weary. Not once, but daily, because life happens daily. He gives you His light yoke, because the hard work of carrying the cross and enduring it on Good Friday is Finished! His Resurrection from the dead gives life and a light burden.
God’s Word gives forgiveness and also guidance for a God-pleasing life for husbands and wives and parents and children. Even a God-pleasing life can’t earn forgiveness. That is a gift. Yet, those who walk in His ways are protected from themselves. Marriage is hard enough without our own mistakes complicating our spouse’s. Hear once again the comfort of Christ for you on your wedding day:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Sermon for 22 August 2010, Proper 16C
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
Hebrews 12:4-24
A Better Word
(Proper 16C) The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 22 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Has our culture lost a sense of reverence? You may remember going to a sporting event in the last few years where the people in front of you didn’t put their hand over their heart during the Star Spangled Banner. Many Americans don’t even know the words. Have we lost a sense of awe? The word “Awesome!” has become more of an exclamation or even a catch-phrase. Where is the respect that most of us where taught to show to our parents, teachers, government officials, and all adults in general? To be certain, there is a tragic anniversary coming up in a couple of weeks. We remember 9-11 and how most Americans appeared to regain—at least temporarily—much of the reverence, awe, respect, and sense of holiness that seems to be lacking in every-day life. The churches were packed. Civil ceremonies were serious again—no giggling in the back row. Athletes sported the American flag on their uniforms as never before. And then what happened? We forgot. Back to business as usual. The bumper sticker “Question Authority” reigns again.
All too often, the attitudes of the world around us, the doubts in our hearts, and the problems rolling around in our own heads come with us when we walk in the church door. That’s life in a fallen world. Even if our personal or cultural distractions occupy our thoughts during the first hymn, the Lutheran service finds a way to grab our attention: We have to stand up. Not only that, the rite of Confession and Absolution reminds us of the narrow door of salvation: If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? No one could. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth, including us. With Him there is forgiveness; therefore the Lord is feared. Psalm 124 and 130 to the rescue.
We are most familiar with the “being afraid or scared” kind of fear. When we confessed before that God is “feared,” we mean “fear” in a different way, “reverent awe, repentant faith, respectful thanksgiving and praise.” And so, at least for a moment, and hopefully for the rest of the service, this room becomes a sanctuary from the outside world. We are the Lord’s, here to receive His gifts, ready to learn at Jesus’ feet. That’s not to mean that what we do in this air-conditioned space has nothing to do with the rest of your week—far from it. The Lord Himself is present to forgive you for the past and prepare you for the future, nourishing you with His wisdom and forgiveness.
The original listeners to the book of Hebrews thought they had it bad. They were suffering in this world and didn’t like it. What’s new with that? Put yourself in their sandals as you listen to the writer: 4In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Painful. That’s about right, isn’t it? What child understands his first spanking? So it is with divine discipline. When the spanking or other punishment is followed up with a loving hug from that same parent, law and Gospel are demonstrated in a personal way. The Lord disciplines those He loves. If He were a parent that didn’t care, He wouldn’t bother with the discipline we need. We endure discipline from parents and from our Heavenly Father not just to prove we can endure, but trusting that there is something better for us on the other side.
12Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
What the writer is saying is that Esau wanted a “do over.” The Lord forgives sins, but allows no “mulligans.” “Hit a bad [golf] shot? Take a mulligan and hit it again. Mulligans are played only when expressly agreed upon by all partners in a friendly match, and are never allowed when the official rules are being followed…” (about.com). The Lord graciously and mercifully forgives sins, but forgiveness doesn’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. It doesn’t turn back time. Sometimes the temporal consequences of our sinful actions (or inactions) mean that we must, as a forgiven sinner, still sleep in the bed we made for ourselves. Without forgiveness, there are also eternal consequences for sin. Or have we forgotten that God the Lord is a consuming fire?
18For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
A better word. Abel’s blood spoke volumes about his brother. Cain showed by his act of murder that he was not his brother’s keeper. He was his brother’s killer. That’s what the blood said. It cried out to the Lord for justice, even vengeance, which only belongs to the Lord and those to whom He entrusts it. That first murder crime scene spoke volumes, but this sermon is not an episode of CSI. We’re not about forensic science. I’m here to talk about Jesus. His sprinkled blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Jesus was also an innocent victim, though innocent in a way Abel could not claim. Jesus was sinless. As a sinless, willing sacrifice sent by His Father, Jesus atoned for the sins of the whole world. He made you “at one” with God. The Blood of Jesus cries out, “It is finished. You are forgiven.” And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from every sin. That is Gospel, a much better word.
Esau’s example of what we should not do should by itself teach us not to reject the Lord’s gifts and promises, but the writer continues: 25See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29for our God is a consuming fire.
This is the same writer who taught the Hebrews, “Let us not neglect meeting together for worship as some are in the habit of doing.”
In his hymn on the Ten Commandments, Luther wrote, “ ‘You shall observe the worship day That peace may fill your home, and pray, And put aside the work you do, So that God may work in you.’ Have mercy, Lord!” (LSB 581:4) We’ve come full circle. “A Better Word” is Jesus’ shed blood and His righteousness given you as a covering. In Christ we come before the Lord with acceptable worship, but that doesn’t mean that “anything goes” in a service if we believe in Jesus. Our God is a consuming fire. Acceptable worship is done with reverence and awe. Reverence and awe. That’s more than just “no running in church.” What is most upsetting to me is the lack of reverence and lack of awe at worship in some places in our Synod and in the Saturday night and Sunday morning services of other church bodies in America. The focus upon entertainment, seeing the congregation as an audience and the chancel as a stage, and importing the styles and techniques of secular popular culture ignores reverence and awe and more importantly, distracts those who attend such a service from Jesus—at best. At worst, He is covered up to the extent that the congregation hears only law and may never hear the words “Jesus” or “Christ” at all. So much for reverence and awe in Christ.
The Lord disciplines you, whom He loves. We may not always understand or appreciate that, but in reverence, we realize that our Heavenly Father knows best. In holy awe consider the following: God in Christ forgives you all your sins—every single one—and welcomes you into His presence. Today, you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hebrews 12:4-24
A Better Word
(Proper 16C) The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 22 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Has our culture lost a sense of reverence? You may remember going to a sporting event in the last few years where the people in front of you didn’t put their hand over their heart during the Star Spangled Banner. Many Americans don’t even know the words. Have we lost a sense of awe? The word “Awesome!” has become more of an exclamation or even a catch-phrase. Where is the respect that most of us where taught to show to our parents, teachers, government officials, and all adults in general? To be certain, there is a tragic anniversary coming up in a couple of weeks. We remember 9-11 and how most Americans appeared to regain—at least temporarily—much of the reverence, awe, respect, and sense of holiness that seems to be lacking in every-day life. The churches were packed. Civil ceremonies were serious again—no giggling in the back row. Athletes sported the American flag on their uniforms as never before. And then what happened? We forgot. Back to business as usual. The bumper sticker “Question Authority” reigns again.
All too often, the attitudes of the world around us, the doubts in our hearts, and the problems rolling around in our own heads come with us when we walk in the church door. That’s life in a fallen world. Even if our personal or cultural distractions occupy our thoughts during the first hymn, the Lutheran service finds a way to grab our attention: We have to stand up. Not only that, the rite of Confession and Absolution reminds us of the narrow door of salvation: If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? No one could. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth, including us. With Him there is forgiveness; therefore the Lord is feared. Psalm 124 and 130 to the rescue.
We are most familiar with the “being afraid or scared” kind of fear. When we confessed before that God is “feared,” we mean “fear” in a different way, “reverent awe, repentant faith, respectful thanksgiving and praise.” And so, at least for a moment, and hopefully for the rest of the service, this room becomes a sanctuary from the outside world. We are the Lord’s, here to receive His gifts, ready to learn at Jesus’ feet. That’s not to mean that what we do in this air-conditioned space has nothing to do with the rest of your week—far from it. The Lord Himself is present to forgive you for the past and prepare you for the future, nourishing you with His wisdom and forgiveness.
The original listeners to the book of Hebrews thought they had it bad. They were suffering in this world and didn’t like it. What’s new with that? Put yourself in their sandals as you listen to the writer: 4In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Painful. That’s about right, isn’t it? What child understands his first spanking? So it is with divine discipline. When the spanking or other punishment is followed up with a loving hug from that same parent, law and Gospel are demonstrated in a personal way. The Lord disciplines those He loves. If He were a parent that didn’t care, He wouldn’t bother with the discipline we need. We endure discipline from parents and from our Heavenly Father not just to prove we can endure, but trusting that there is something better for us on the other side.
12Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
What the writer is saying is that Esau wanted a “do over.” The Lord forgives sins, but allows no “mulligans.” “Hit a bad [golf] shot? Take a mulligan and hit it again. Mulligans are played only when expressly agreed upon by all partners in a friendly match, and are never allowed when the official rules are being followed…” (about.com). The Lord graciously and mercifully forgives sins, but forgiveness doesn’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. It doesn’t turn back time. Sometimes the temporal consequences of our sinful actions (or inactions) mean that we must, as a forgiven sinner, still sleep in the bed we made for ourselves. Without forgiveness, there are also eternal consequences for sin. Or have we forgotten that God the Lord is a consuming fire?
18For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
A better word. Abel’s blood spoke volumes about his brother. Cain showed by his act of murder that he was not his brother’s keeper. He was his brother’s killer. That’s what the blood said. It cried out to the Lord for justice, even vengeance, which only belongs to the Lord and those to whom He entrusts it. That first murder crime scene spoke volumes, but this sermon is not an episode of CSI. We’re not about forensic science. I’m here to talk about Jesus. His sprinkled blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Jesus was also an innocent victim, though innocent in a way Abel could not claim. Jesus was sinless. As a sinless, willing sacrifice sent by His Father, Jesus atoned for the sins of the whole world. He made you “at one” with God. The Blood of Jesus cries out, “It is finished. You are forgiven.” And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from every sin. That is Gospel, a much better word.
Esau’s example of what we should not do should by itself teach us not to reject the Lord’s gifts and promises, but the writer continues: 25See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29for our God is a consuming fire.
This is the same writer who taught the Hebrews, “Let us not neglect meeting together for worship as some are in the habit of doing.”
In his hymn on the Ten Commandments, Luther wrote, “ ‘You shall observe the worship day That peace may fill your home, and pray, And put aside the work you do, So that God may work in you.’ Have mercy, Lord!” (LSB 581:4) We’ve come full circle. “A Better Word” is Jesus’ shed blood and His righteousness given you as a covering. In Christ we come before the Lord with acceptable worship, but that doesn’t mean that “anything goes” in a service if we believe in Jesus. Our God is a consuming fire. Acceptable worship is done with reverence and awe. Reverence and awe. That’s more than just “no running in church.” What is most upsetting to me is the lack of reverence and lack of awe at worship in some places in our Synod and in the Saturday night and Sunday morning services of other church bodies in America. The focus upon entertainment, seeing the congregation as an audience and the chancel as a stage, and importing the styles and techniques of secular popular culture ignores reverence and awe and more importantly, distracts those who attend such a service from Jesus—at best. At worst, He is covered up to the extent that the congregation hears only law and may never hear the words “Jesus” or “Christ” at all. So much for reverence and awe in Christ.
The Lord disciplines you, whom He loves. We may not always understand or appreciate that, but in reverence, we realize that our Heavenly Father knows best. In holy awe consider the following: God in Christ forgives you all your sins—every single one—and welcomes you into His presence. Today, you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Sermon for 15 August 2010, Proper 15C
Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
St. Luke 12:49-53
Peace
(Proper 15C) Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 15 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Jesus said: 49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
This is not something we would expect to hear from He who was born the Prince of Peace. This text starts to make sense when we discover what kind of peace Jesus is talking about and what kind of peace Jesus isn’t talking about.
The most dangerous division is the one humanity caused by falling into sin. Sinful human beings are at war with God and deserve nothing but temporal and eternal punishment.
Because of our sin, original and actual, we deserve nothing but punishment now, and death, and hell-fire later. All are born with the stain of sin that Eve and Adam put on themselves. We are by nature sinful and unclean. And we don’t help matters. We sin all the time. Our sins and iniquities offend God and our neighbor, but especially our families and those closest to us.
This is not a popular teaching. Some are just as opposed to it as they are the Jesus revealed in the Bible. Some would just as soon ignore sin. Without an accurate picture of sin, there is no complete recognition of the need for a Savior. Divisions increase among those who reject part of Jesus. The fire burns nearer.
Fire can be an agent of destruction, division, or refinement. Jesus said: 49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
Sinful human beings are at war with God and deserve nothing but temporal and eternal punishment. That’s the bad news. The Good news about Jesus for you is that as the Prince of Peace, Jesus gives us peace with the Father.
50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! But. But. One three-letter word delays the fiery judgment by Jesus until the last day. The time has not yet come. All is not yet completed. Judgment Day is not yet. There is hope! Humanity does not have to face the fires of hell. There is hope for those who believe in Jesus.
Jesus has a baptism of fire to undergo. Already Jesus’ ministry had begun when He was baptized with water and the Holy Spirit at the Jordan River. At the time He spoke these words, He had yet to be nailed to the cross, where He would be baptized in His own blood. The fire of God’s wrath was poured out upon Jesus on the cross. There Jesus died so that He could destroy the powers of sin and hell that threatened all of us, all of humanity. There is hope! The wrath of God is satisfied in Jesus’ death. The one who was born Prince of Peace was born so that He might die and be the agent and means of peace with God for you.
The Good news about Jesus for you is that as the Prince of Peace, Jesus gives us peace with the Father. This is not the same as peace in the Middle East, peace in our community, 24-hour peace in your home. That is not the kind of peace Jesus gives. Jesus’ peace is the kind the world cannot give. Jesus’ peace is the kind the world cannot understand.
Jesus did not come to give us world peace. He came to give us peace with God once and for all, and so we will struggle with the lack of peace on the world stage and in the family unit.
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Opposition to Jesus splits families. Hostility to the pure Bible teaching of Christ divides. I don’t need to tell you how this division works out in real life. A parent’s heart aches when a child falls away. Countless homes in this community are divided between Christian traditions and non-Christian religions, or even no religion at all. Sometimes husband and wife are not in agreement about the peace Jesus made for us with God. This alone can lead to awkward situations between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Often it leads to division between parents and children.
Sometimes divisions show that you can’t please everyone. Sometimes people tragically misunderstand the peace of Jesus.
A parable: A group of people were on a ferry when one man began to act as if he were the only one on the boat. He started to cut a hole under his seat. The other people on the boat shouted and shrieked, “What on earth are you doing? Have you gone mad? Do you want us all to sink? Are you trying to destroy us?” Calmly the man answered, “I don’t understand what your concern is. What I’m doing is my business. I paid my way. I’m not cutting under your seat. Leave me alone.” What the fanatic will not accept, but what you and I cannot forget, is that all of us are in the same boat.
The family is often a life-raft kind of boat in this world. If one or more members of the family is punching holes in the bottom, the results will impact the rest of the family.
Those Christians who hold to the Truth of the Peace with God that Jesus gives are ridiculed. That can be the most painful kind of persecution, especially if it comes from close friends or family members.
“You mean you really believe what the Bible has to say? Why do you insist on preaching this guy Jesus when people have real problems? Who are you to say it’s sinful for us to live together or sleep together without being married?”
Only the Bible tells of true peace. Only Jesus can give it to you. Only Jesus’ peace can give hope and take care of humanity’s most serious problem—sin. Jesus’ peace is eternal. Peace with God means eternal life and forgiveness of all sin.
The Good news about Jesus for you is that as the Prince of Peace, Jesus gives us peace with the Father. This is not the same as peace in the Middle East, peace in our community, peace in your home. That is not the kind of peace Jesus gives. Jesus’ peace is the kind the world cannot give. Jesus’ peace is the kind the world cannot understand. The Church is called to peace, but sadly, there are divisions.
St. Paul writes, (1 Corinthians 1: 10) I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
Paul calls us to be united in the peace that Jesus gives, that Jesus won by His death and Resurrection—the Truth of His Gift of Peace with God. We are to be united in mind and in thought, i.e. in the teachings of Jesus in the Bible. The danger is that when people deny Jesus’ teachings, it could lead them from Peace with God to the fiery wrath of God outside of Christ. Therefore, the apostle called the Corinthians to repentance.
(1 Corinthians 11:17-19) 17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.
The approval of God belongs to those who stick to the truth about Peace with God. That means teaching everything in the Bible, and neither changing it or adding to it. Therein is peace.
The Church is called to peace, but sadly, there are divisions. Sometimes, those divisions exist because people deny in some way the peace Jesus gives.
Divisions among church bodies based on ethnicity or race are tragic. Divisions that are even more heartbreaking exist even today. Some groups that call themselves Christian doubt Christ’s words. They may even allow the culture to determine the message and mission of the Church.
A Christian today lives with a newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other. The challenge is to determine which sets the agenda. We use the Scriptures to call to repentance those who would let the news headlines or political correctness dictate to the Lord or to us what should be taught. Allowing the culture to shape the church only leads to Godless and sinful division. There’s no peace in that.
We don’t want anyone, especially family or friends, to be lost in the fire of judgment, but to have the peace only Jesus can give—the peace He has given you—the forgiveness of sins, life in Christ, Eternal Salvation, peace with God in Christ. Share this peace with someone you care about.
When Jesus warned us of wars and rumors of wars, He wanted us to know that “world peace” was never going to happen. When He said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,’ He directed us to work for peace in this world anyway—for the good of all people—especially that they may hear the Gospel and be at peace with God in Christ. Today we thank the Lord for the gift of heavenly peace. WE also pray for peace in our homes, for peace in our communities, and for peace in our world. Amen.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
St. Luke 12:49-53
Peace
(Proper 15C) Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 15 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Jesus said: 49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
This is not something we would expect to hear from He who was born the Prince of Peace. This text starts to make sense when we discover what kind of peace Jesus is talking about and what kind of peace Jesus isn’t talking about.
The most dangerous division is the one humanity caused by falling into sin. Sinful human beings are at war with God and deserve nothing but temporal and eternal punishment.
Because of our sin, original and actual, we deserve nothing but punishment now, and death, and hell-fire later. All are born with the stain of sin that Eve and Adam put on themselves. We are by nature sinful and unclean. And we don’t help matters. We sin all the time. Our sins and iniquities offend God and our neighbor, but especially our families and those closest to us.
This is not a popular teaching. Some are just as opposed to it as they are the Jesus revealed in the Bible. Some would just as soon ignore sin. Without an accurate picture of sin, there is no complete recognition of the need for a Savior. Divisions increase among those who reject part of Jesus. The fire burns nearer.
Fire can be an agent of destruction, division, or refinement. Jesus said: 49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
Sinful human beings are at war with God and deserve nothing but temporal and eternal punishment. That’s the bad news. The Good news about Jesus for you is that as the Prince of Peace, Jesus gives us peace with the Father.
50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! But. But. One three-letter word delays the fiery judgment by Jesus until the last day. The time has not yet come. All is not yet completed. Judgment Day is not yet. There is hope! Humanity does not have to face the fires of hell. There is hope for those who believe in Jesus.
Jesus has a baptism of fire to undergo. Already Jesus’ ministry had begun when He was baptized with water and the Holy Spirit at the Jordan River. At the time He spoke these words, He had yet to be nailed to the cross, where He would be baptized in His own blood. The fire of God’s wrath was poured out upon Jesus on the cross. There Jesus died so that He could destroy the powers of sin and hell that threatened all of us, all of humanity. There is hope! The wrath of God is satisfied in Jesus’ death. The one who was born Prince of Peace was born so that He might die and be the agent and means of peace with God for you.
The Good news about Jesus for you is that as the Prince of Peace, Jesus gives us peace with the Father. This is not the same as peace in the Middle East, peace in our community, 24-hour peace in your home. That is not the kind of peace Jesus gives. Jesus’ peace is the kind the world cannot give. Jesus’ peace is the kind the world cannot understand.
Jesus did not come to give us world peace. He came to give us peace with God once and for all, and so we will struggle with the lack of peace on the world stage and in the family unit.
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Opposition to Jesus splits families. Hostility to the pure Bible teaching of Christ divides. I don’t need to tell you how this division works out in real life. A parent’s heart aches when a child falls away. Countless homes in this community are divided between Christian traditions and non-Christian religions, or even no religion at all. Sometimes husband and wife are not in agreement about the peace Jesus made for us with God. This alone can lead to awkward situations between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Often it leads to division between parents and children.
Sometimes divisions show that you can’t please everyone. Sometimes people tragically misunderstand the peace of Jesus.
A parable: A group of people were on a ferry when one man began to act as if he were the only one on the boat. He started to cut a hole under his seat. The other people on the boat shouted and shrieked, “What on earth are you doing? Have you gone mad? Do you want us all to sink? Are you trying to destroy us?” Calmly the man answered, “I don’t understand what your concern is. What I’m doing is my business. I paid my way. I’m not cutting under your seat. Leave me alone.” What the fanatic will not accept, but what you and I cannot forget, is that all of us are in the same boat.
The family is often a life-raft kind of boat in this world. If one or more members of the family is punching holes in the bottom, the results will impact the rest of the family.
Those Christians who hold to the Truth of the Peace with God that Jesus gives are ridiculed. That can be the most painful kind of persecution, especially if it comes from close friends or family members.
“You mean you really believe what the Bible has to say? Why do you insist on preaching this guy Jesus when people have real problems? Who are you to say it’s sinful for us to live together or sleep together without being married?”
Only the Bible tells of true peace. Only Jesus can give it to you. Only Jesus’ peace can give hope and take care of humanity’s most serious problem—sin. Jesus’ peace is eternal. Peace with God means eternal life and forgiveness of all sin.
The Good news about Jesus for you is that as the Prince of Peace, Jesus gives us peace with the Father. This is not the same as peace in the Middle East, peace in our community, peace in your home. That is not the kind of peace Jesus gives. Jesus’ peace is the kind the world cannot give. Jesus’ peace is the kind the world cannot understand. The Church is called to peace, but sadly, there are divisions.
St. Paul writes, (1 Corinthians 1: 10) I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
Paul calls us to be united in the peace that Jesus gives, that Jesus won by His death and Resurrection—the Truth of His Gift of Peace with God. We are to be united in mind and in thought, i.e. in the teachings of Jesus in the Bible. The danger is that when people deny Jesus’ teachings, it could lead them from Peace with God to the fiery wrath of God outside of Christ. Therefore, the apostle called the Corinthians to repentance.
(1 Corinthians 11:17-19) 17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.
The approval of God belongs to those who stick to the truth about Peace with God. That means teaching everything in the Bible, and neither changing it or adding to it. Therein is peace.
The Church is called to peace, but sadly, there are divisions. Sometimes, those divisions exist because people deny in some way the peace Jesus gives.
Divisions among church bodies based on ethnicity or race are tragic. Divisions that are even more heartbreaking exist even today. Some groups that call themselves Christian doubt Christ’s words. They may even allow the culture to determine the message and mission of the Church.
A Christian today lives with a newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other. The challenge is to determine which sets the agenda. We use the Scriptures to call to repentance those who would let the news headlines or political correctness dictate to the Lord or to us what should be taught. Allowing the culture to shape the church only leads to Godless and sinful division. There’s no peace in that.
We don’t want anyone, especially family or friends, to be lost in the fire of judgment, but to have the peace only Jesus can give—the peace He has given you—the forgiveness of sins, life in Christ, Eternal Salvation, peace with God in Christ. Share this peace with someone you care about.
When Jesus warned us of wars and rumors of wars, He wanted us to know that “world peace” was never going to happen. When He said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,’ He directed us to work for peace in this world anyway—for the good of all people—especially that they may hear the Gospel and be at peace with God in Christ. Today we thank the Lord for the gift of heavenly peace. WE also pray for peace in our homes, for peace in our communities, and for peace in our world. Amen.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Sermon for 08 August 2010, Proper 14C
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
St. Luke 12:32-40
Priorities
Proper 14C (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost), 08 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
22[Jesus] said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
We begin today as we left off last time. A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions, but in abundant Life in Jesus, your priceless treasure.
32“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
The order of the words Jesus uses here is very deliberate. You would think a person’s beliefs would drive his choices. And so they should. But Jesus turns it around and says that the choices one makes also eventually affects his beliefs. Computer programmers have a saying, Garbage in—Garbage out. If you put in incorrect or incomplete data, you’re going to get wrong conclusions.
Think about it: Seemingly innocent choices of TV programs, movies, or music with violent or sexually explicit content, can develop a belief that this is the way the world operates, that these things are OK. The choice of “treasure” changes the “heart.” As stewards of God’s gifts, we can make choices about what is precious to us that can affect what we believe. Picking up the wrong so-called treasures can even destroy our faith. But picking up treasures that are spiritual and eternal preserve our faith and trust in God. May we always hold to the cross of Christ as most precious, and arrange our lives’ priorities around it.
What are your priorities as we head into a new school year? Where you spend your time shows where that item ranks on your priority list. Where does work rank? Play? Family? Friends? The Lord? Worship? Bible Study? Individual Devotions? Fellowship with other Christians? Where you spend your time shows how important something really is to you. What is your priority?
Our Lord’s priority was you. That’s all there is to it. He is the only-begotten Son whom the Father sent into this world because He loved you. The Son came willingly. He was born a man, lived as a man, served as a man. He was dressed in human flesh, ready to die. He was dressed and ready for service when He washed the disciples’ feet, reclined at the table, and served them in the upper room at the Last Supper, Jesus’ Passover. And it wouldn’t have been a true Passover without a lamb sacrificed for sin. Jesus is that Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. And not just the world’s sin. Consider this: He took your sin away. That was His priority, His service to you.
35“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!
The Romans had four watches throughout the night: 6-9 pm, 9-12 midnight, 12-3 am, and 3-6 am. The Jews had three watches: 6-10 pm, 10-2 am, and 2-6 am. In either case, Jesus’ reference to the second or third watch of the night refers to a period spanning the middle of the night. Those who stay awake are blessed.
A watchman, watching all alone in the middle of the night wouldn’t be the best idea. What happens if one guy sits out all night all by himself and he gets bored? Right. In every movie, they guy falls asleep. If he were watching with a buddy, they could keep one another alert, awake, alive.
You’ve met people who claim to keep themselves alert, awake, alive. I’m not talking about the fields or the rails but Christianity. Think about the last time you heard someone say: “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian. I pray. I read my Bible. I do good things. I don’t neglect or abuse my family. I live a good enough life. I can enjoy God out in nature.”
The Christian life is not lived alone, in solitude, but in communion with fellow believers and our Lord. His priority is you. His priority as the Good Shepherd is to keep His little flock together, even if it means leaving the 99 to go after that one stray sheep that has fallen asleep, fallen into a pit, or otherwise gotten in trouble. That’s the danger with going it alone. Satan goes about seeking the weak like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
A Christian, all alone, can learn something about the God of creation out on the lake, the links, or at deer camp. Nowhere—nowhere carved on a mountain, or sung by a bird, or spelled out in flowers is the knowledge of salvation in Christ Jesus. No fish can tell you that your sins are forgiven. Deer are noticeably silent as well. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with hunting, fishing, and so on. The danger is that they become one’s primary source of knowledge about God.
Chances are, solo Christians don’t read their Bibles. Where would they receive encouragement to do so? People who don’t read their Bibles don’t pray much either. They rarely hear God speak in His Word, so His Word doesn’t bear much fruit in them speaking to God. The prayer life of such a person is dying and usually consists of prayers for stuff, or prayers to get out of a jam. As far as caring for one’s family, even non-Christians do that!
Eventually, one missed Sunday becomes two and three. A month off from God becomes two and three. Before you know it, the kids are following the inactive parent’s example and are, like them, in danger of falling away from the Lord. So much for being dressed and ready for service, keeping lamps burning, watching, and waiting for Jesus to return.
The Christian life is not lived alone, in solitude, but in communion with fellow believers and our Lord. The Lord nurtures the lamp of faith He gave you at Baptism, at conversion. Fellow Christians can encourage one another to pray, worship, and love one another. The Lord’s priority is you. His priority as the Good Shepherd is to keep His little flock together, even if it means leaving the 99 to go after that one stray sheep that has fallen asleep, fallen into a pit, or otherwise gotten in trouble. That’s the danger with going it alone. Satan goes about seeking the weak like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Solo Christians are dead meat. Instead, 35“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!
This first parable and the second one, coming up next, share similar themes: Be ready. Watch. Have your priorities straight. This is a foretaste of the lessons we will hear this November, during the last Sundays of the church year. We will then hear much more about Jesus’ imminent return. When will this be? We haven’t been told. No one but the Father in heaven knows when that time will have fully come.
39But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
If you somehow knew that Jesus was coming back tomorrow, chances are, you’d be ready. Your priorities would in the right order. God and family. Sins forgiven. Sunday best on, lamps burning, ready for service.
We are not told at what hour the Son of man will come. That is why we are called to be ever-ready, always dressed for service, the lamps of our faith always lit, replenished by the Gifts God Himself gives in the Word and Sacraments.
Here you will hear of God’s priorities. Here is where you will hear, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Here is where you will hear, “As a called and ordained servant of the Word, I announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins.” Here is where you will hear, “Take, eat; this is My Body, which is given for you.” “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My Blood which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”
Here is where you will hear about God’s priorities. This morning, we are joined with one another by the Lord into a little flock awaiting the return of our Good Shepherd. As His forgiven little flock we have nothing to fear. Our sins are forgiven. We are dressed, wearing Christ’s righteousness. Our lamps are burning with the fire of faith, the gift of the Holy Spirit. By God’s gift of faith, the same Gift given to father Abraham, our priorities shift to treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Your treasure is in heaven, and your hearts and minds are kept in Christ Jesus. Amen.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
St. Luke 12:32-40
Priorities
Proper 14C (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost), 08 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
22[Jesus] said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
We begin today as we left off last time. A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions, but in abundant Life in Jesus, your priceless treasure.
32“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
The order of the words Jesus uses here is very deliberate. You would think a person’s beliefs would drive his choices. And so they should. But Jesus turns it around and says that the choices one makes also eventually affects his beliefs. Computer programmers have a saying, Garbage in—Garbage out. If you put in incorrect or incomplete data, you’re going to get wrong conclusions.
Think about it: Seemingly innocent choices of TV programs, movies, or music with violent or sexually explicit content, can develop a belief that this is the way the world operates, that these things are OK. The choice of “treasure” changes the “heart.” As stewards of God’s gifts, we can make choices about what is precious to us that can affect what we believe. Picking up the wrong so-called treasures can even destroy our faith. But picking up treasures that are spiritual and eternal preserve our faith and trust in God. May we always hold to the cross of Christ as most precious, and arrange our lives’ priorities around it.
What are your priorities as we head into a new school year? Where you spend your time shows where that item ranks on your priority list. Where does work rank? Play? Family? Friends? The Lord? Worship? Bible Study? Individual Devotions? Fellowship with other Christians? Where you spend your time shows how important something really is to you. What is your priority?
Our Lord’s priority was you. That’s all there is to it. He is the only-begotten Son whom the Father sent into this world because He loved you. The Son came willingly. He was born a man, lived as a man, served as a man. He was dressed in human flesh, ready to die. He was dressed and ready for service when He washed the disciples’ feet, reclined at the table, and served them in the upper room at the Last Supper, Jesus’ Passover. And it wouldn’t have been a true Passover without a lamb sacrificed for sin. Jesus is that Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. And not just the world’s sin. Consider this: He took your sin away. That was His priority, His service to you.
35“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!
The Romans had four watches throughout the night: 6-9 pm, 9-12 midnight, 12-3 am, and 3-6 am. The Jews had three watches: 6-10 pm, 10-2 am, and 2-6 am. In either case, Jesus’ reference to the second or third watch of the night refers to a period spanning the middle of the night. Those who stay awake are blessed.
A watchman, watching all alone in the middle of the night wouldn’t be the best idea. What happens if one guy sits out all night all by himself and he gets bored? Right. In every movie, they guy falls asleep. If he were watching with a buddy, they could keep one another alert, awake, alive.
You’ve met people who claim to keep themselves alert, awake, alive. I’m not talking about the fields or the rails but Christianity. Think about the last time you heard someone say: “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian. I pray. I read my Bible. I do good things. I don’t neglect or abuse my family. I live a good enough life. I can enjoy God out in nature.”
The Christian life is not lived alone, in solitude, but in communion with fellow believers and our Lord. His priority is you. His priority as the Good Shepherd is to keep His little flock together, even if it means leaving the 99 to go after that one stray sheep that has fallen asleep, fallen into a pit, or otherwise gotten in trouble. That’s the danger with going it alone. Satan goes about seeking the weak like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
A Christian, all alone, can learn something about the God of creation out on the lake, the links, or at deer camp. Nowhere—nowhere carved on a mountain, or sung by a bird, or spelled out in flowers is the knowledge of salvation in Christ Jesus. No fish can tell you that your sins are forgiven. Deer are noticeably silent as well. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with hunting, fishing, and so on. The danger is that they become one’s primary source of knowledge about God.
Chances are, solo Christians don’t read their Bibles. Where would they receive encouragement to do so? People who don’t read their Bibles don’t pray much either. They rarely hear God speak in His Word, so His Word doesn’t bear much fruit in them speaking to God. The prayer life of such a person is dying and usually consists of prayers for stuff, or prayers to get out of a jam. As far as caring for one’s family, even non-Christians do that!
Eventually, one missed Sunday becomes two and three. A month off from God becomes two and three. Before you know it, the kids are following the inactive parent’s example and are, like them, in danger of falling away from the Lord. So much for being dressed and ready for service, keeping lamps burning, watching, and waiting for Jesus to return.
The Christian life is not lived alone, in solitude, but in communion with fellow believers and our Lord. The Lord nurtures the lamp of faith He gave you at Baptism, at conversion. Fellow Christians can encourage one another to pray, worship, and love one another. The Lord’s priority is you. His priority as the Good Shepherd is to keep His little flock together, even if it means leaving the 99 to go after that one stray sheep that has fallen asleep, fallen into a pit, or otherwise gotten in trouble. That’s the danger with going it alone. Satan goes about seeking the weak like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Solo Christians are dead meat. Instead, 35“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!
This first parable and the second one, coming up next, share similar themes: Be ready. Watch. Have your priorities straight. This is a foretaste of the lessons we will hear this November, during the last Sundays of the church year. We will then hear much more about Jesus’ imminent return. When will this be? We haven’t been told. No one but the Father in heaven knows when that time will have fully come.
39But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
If you somehow knew that Jesus was coming back tomorrow, chances are, you’d be ready. Your priorities would in the right order. God and family. Sins forgiven. Sunday best on, lamps burning, ready for service.
We are not told at what hour the Son of man will come. That is why we are called to be ever-ready, always dressed for service, the lamps of our faith always lit, replenished by the Gifts God Himself gives in the Word and Sacraments.
Here you will hear of God’s priorities. Here is where you will hear, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Here is where you will hear, “As a called and ordained servant of the Word, I announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins.” Here is where you will hear, “Take, eat; this is My Body, which is given for you.” “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My Blood which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”
Here is where you will hear about God’s priorities. This morning, we are joined with one another by the Lord into a little flock awaiting the return of our Good Shepherd. As His forgiven little flock we have nothing to fear. Our sins are forgiven. We are dressed, wearing Christ’s righteousness. Our lamps are burning with the fire of faith, the gift of the Holy Spirit. By God’s gift of faith, the same Gift given to father Abraham, our priorities shift to treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Your treasure is in heaven, and your hearts and minds are kept in Christ Jesus. Amen.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Sermon for 01 August 2010, Proper 13C
The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.
St. Luke 12:13-21
Abundance
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 13), 01 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
When a will is read, grace, mercy and peace are not the first things that come to mind. The whole realm of family inheritance is often full of problems, conflict, misunderstandings, and hard feelings. Once, I even saw grandchildren fighting over a grandparent’s 25-year-old ceiling fan that barely worked! In John Grisham’s novel, The Testament, heirs battle over an 11 Billion-dollar inheritance. Apparently, their father’s abundant gift of $5 million when they each were 21-years-old wasn’t enough. They all had wasted the money and were battling for a piece of the bigger pie. This kind of conflict, greed, and covetousness is nothing new. Consider the situation in St. Luke 12.
13Someone in the crowd said to [Jesus], “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Rabbis were commonly asked to assist in family disputes over inheritance. Jesus was a rabbi, a great teacher. But think about it. This “someone” in the crowd already had a rabbi of his own. Did the rabbi find in his brother’s favor? Is he coming to Jesus to get a second opinion? Or, is he doing what millions of children do when either dad or mom says, “no,” i.e. go to the other parent, another authority. Mom, please! Dad’s being a meanie!
Jesus sees right through this “someone’s” impure motives. The traditional way of dividing the inheritance according to Deuteronomy 21:17 wasn’t good enough for this man. People are upset today if an estate isn’t divided evenly in shares. Even back then, this man didn’t like it that his eldest brother, the first-born son, got a double share.
“Watch out!” Jesus said, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
All kinds of greed. All kinds of covetousness. All kinds of dishonest gain. Wow. Which commandments did this guy break? Well, coveting—so 9 & 10, 7—because he’s thinking about stealing, getting his brother’s inheritance dishonestly, 3—since he doesn’t recognize the spiritual authority of his own rabbi who likely decided against him, 4—for not honoring dad’s wishes, and #1—something else besides the Lord has become his god.
“Take care,” Jesus said, “and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” We are no less prone to this particular temptation. It is common to man in every age. Let’s not be too smug. Some of you are paid hourly. If you’re paid for a full 40-hour week, think back. Did you work the full 40 hours or just 38, or 35, or 30 or 25? That’s dishonest gain. How many times have office supplies disappeared from your desk at work and miraculously reappeared at home? What new toys does your neighbor have that you can’t wait to borrow—or have yourself? A boat? The new diesel truck? A snow machine? That new rifle?
It doesn’t take long for the reality to sink in that each of us have offended God and justly deserve His temporal and eternal punishment. We’re in the same boat as today’s someone from the crowd. We’re part of his crowd as well. We’re eager to hear what Jesus has to say next.
16And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’
Storing up crops for the future isn’t a bad thing. The motive here behind it is, in the parable of the rich man. At the end of Genesis, Joseph instructs Pharaoh to prepare for the coming drought. That’s a good and godly purpose. This guy just doesn’t want to work anymore. No more planting or weeding or harvesting for him! He’s aiming for one of the ancient seven deadly sins: sloth.
Life insurance can misunderstood as well. That’s why it took so long for Lutherans to go for it. With the wrong motive, like this text’s rich farmer, life insurance could become the wrong object of our trust. Life insurance can’t prevent us from dying. It’s only a means of caring for our family after we pass away. The proper motivation can be found in 1 Timothy 5:8 where Paul tells Timothy about proper stewardship in the care of one’s family. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. We may plan for the future like Joseph, caring for our families according to Paul’s divinely inspired words, and avoid the temptations to trust in things of this world, or even ourselves.
The rich man in the text is also self-centered. Did you notice that? In three verses, 17-19, he refers to himself directly, or by implication, an incredible number of times!
17and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’
This certain rich man isn’t evil because he’s rich. Riches are not evil in and of themselves. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, not the money itself. He’s become cocky, selfish, hoarding all of his crops, trusting in them for his future security. “Who needs God? I’m set!” His grain has become his straw-god.
What a pathetic kind of god that is! You know well how fragile that kind of false god is. A freeze or cold weather could kill the crop. Disease can be a problem. Weather of all kinds could be devastating: drought, flood, lightning, hail. He’s weathered all the storms, fended off every crop disease. He’s ready to eat, drink, and be merry. He apparently didn’t know the ending of that common saying: “for tomorrow we die.”
20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
Repent! The one who dies with the most toys still dies. Toys don’t get a person into heaven. Only Jesus, only His grace is enough to make heaven.
People today often think they’ve outgrown the Bible. Oh, that’s just something we used to follow. We used to believe that, but we’ve evolved. That old book has nothing to teach us. Our human thought today is far superior. We’ve outgrown that mythical message. Have we?
Some of the richest and most influential men in the country in 1923 were the following:
1. Charles Schwab, president of the largest steel company
2. Edward Hopson, president of the largest gas company
3. Richard Whitney, president of the New York Stock Exchange
4. Arthur Cooger, the country’s greatest wheat speculator
5. Cosbee Rivermore, the great bear of Wall Street
Fifty-five years later, do you know what had become of these men? In the same order:
1. Died a pauper
2. Went insane
3. Was released from prison to die at home
4. Penniless
5. Committed suicide
Jesus said: “….the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” and “ 21So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Jesus also said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” The “someone” at the beginning of our text wanted abundance. He was looking right at Him—Jesus. He wanted temporal security, but he really needed Eternal Life Insurance. I wonder if he left Jesus following this parable with true abundance in Christ, or still spiritually in want.
The next section of St. Luke 12 is a good preview for next Sunday. After the Law of today’s text, you need to hear the words of comfort from and about Jesus, your priceless treasure, the source of true heavenly abundance.
22[Jesus] said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions, but in abundant Life in Jesus, your priceless treasure. Amen.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
St. Luke 12:13-21
Abundance
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 13), 01 August 2010
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
When a will is read, grace, mercy and peace are not the first things that come to mind. The whole realm of family inheritance is often full of problems, conflict, misunderstandings, and hard feelings. Once, I even saw grandchildren fighting over a grandparent’s 25-year-old ceiling fan that barely worked! In John Grisham’s novel, The Testament, heirs battle over an 11 Billion-dollar inheritance. Apparently, their father’s abundant gift of $5 million when they each were 21-years-old wasn’t enough. They all had wasted the money and were battling for a piece of the bigger pie. This kind of conflict, greed, and covetousness is nothing new. Consider the situation in St. Luke 12.
13Someone in the crowd said to [Jesus], “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Rabbis were commonly asked to assist in family disputes over inheritance. Jesus was a rabbi, a great teacher. But think about it. This “someone” in the crowd already had a rabbi of his own. Did the rabbi find in his brother’s favor? Is he coming to Jesus to get a second opinion? Or, is he doing what millions of children do when either dad or mom says, “no,” i.e. go to the other parent, another authority. Mom, please! Dad’s being a meanie!
Jesus sees right through this “someone’s” impure motives. The traditional way of dividing the inheritance according to Deuteronomy 21:17 wasn’t good enough for this man. People are upset today if an estate isn’t divided evenly in shares. Even back then, this man didn’t like it that his eldest brother, the first-born son, got a double share.
“Watch out!” Jesus said, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
All kinds of greed. All kinds of covetousness. All kinds of dishonest gain. Wow. Which commandments did this guy break? Well, coveting—so 9 & 10, 7—because he’s thinking about stealing, getting his brother’s inheritance dishonestly, 3—since he doesn’t recognize the spiritual authority of his own rabbi who likely decided against him, 4—for not honoring dad’s wishes, and #1—something else besides the Lord has become his god.
“Take care,” Jesus said, “and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” We are no less prone to this particular temptation. It is common to man in every age. Let’s not be too smug. Some of you are paid hourly. If you’re paid for a full 40-hour week, think back. Did you work the full 40 hours or just 38, or 35, or 30 or 25? That’s dishonest gain. How many times have office supplies disappeared from your desk at work and miraculously reappeared at home? What new toys does your neighbor have that you can’t wait to borrow—or have yourself? A boat? The new diesel truck? A snow machine? That new rifle?
It doesn’t take long for the reality to sink in that each of us have offended God and justly deserve His temporal and eternal punishment. We’re in the same boat as today’s someone from the crowd. We’re part of his crowd as well. We’re eager to hear what Jesus has to say next.
16And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’
Storing up crops for the future isn’t a bad thing. The motive here behind it is, in the parable of the rich man. At the end of Genesis, Joseph instructs Pharaoh to prepare for the coming drought. That’s a good and godly purpose. This guy just doesn’t want to work anymore. No more planting or weeding or harvesting for him! He’s aiming for one of the ancient seven deadly sins: sloth.
Life insurance can misunderstood as well. That’s why it took so long for Lutherans to go for it. With the wrong motive, like this text’s rich farmer, life insurance could become the wrong object of our trust. Life insurance can’t prevent us from dying. It’s only a means of caring for our family after we pass away. The proper motivation can be found in 1 Timothy 5:8 where Paul tells Timothy about proper stewardship in the care of one’s family. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. We may plan for the future like Joseph, caring for our families according to Paul’s divinely inspired words, and avoid the temptations to trust in things of this world, or even ourselves.
The rich man in the text is also self-centered. Did you notice that? In three verses, 17-19, he refers to himself directly, or by implication, an incredible number of times!
17and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’
This certain rich man isn’t evil because he’s rich. Riches are not evil in and of themselves. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, not the money itself. He’s become cocky, selfish, hoarding all of his crops, trusting in them for his future security. “Who needs God? I’m set!” His grain has become his straw-god.
What a pathetic kind of god that is! You know well how fragile that kind of false god is. A freeze or cold weather could kill the crop. Disease can be a problem. Weather of all kinds could be devastating: drought, flood, lightning, hail. He’s weathered all the storms, fended off every crop disease. He’s ready to eat, drink, and be merry. He apparently didn’t know the ending of that common saying: “for tomorrow we die.”
20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
Repent! The one who dies with the most toys still dies. Toys don’t get a person into heaven. Only Jesus, only His grace is enough to make heaven.
People today often think they’ve outgrown the Bible. Oh, that’s just something we used to follow. We used to believe that, but we’ve evolved. That old book has nothing to teach us. Our human thought today is far superior. We’ve outgrown that mythical message. Have we?
Some of the richest and most influential men in the country in 1923 were the following:
1. Charles Schwab, president of the largest steel company
2. Edward Hopson, president of the largest gas company
3. Richard Whitney, president of the New York Stock Exchange
4. Arthur Cooger, the country’s greatest wheat speculator
5. Cosbee Rivermore, the great bear of Wall Street
Fifty-five years later, do you know what had become of these men? In the same order:
1. Died a pauper
2. Went insane
3. Was released from prison to die at home
4. Penniless
5. Committed suicide
Jesus said: “….the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” and “ 21So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Jesus also said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” The “someone” at the beginning of our text wanted abundance. He was looking right at Him—Jesus. He wanted temporal security, but he really needed Eternal Life Insurance. I wonder if he left Jesus following this parable with true abundance in Christ, or still spiritually in want.
The next section of St. Luke 12 is a good preview for next Sunday. After the Law of today’s text, you need to hear the words of comfort from and about Jesus, your priceless treasure, the source of true heavenly abundance.
22[Jesus] said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions, but in abundant Life in Jesus, your priceless treasure. Amen.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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