Sermon for 17 October 2010, Proper 24C

The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

Faith’s Foundation: What You Have Learned, Continue

Proper 24, 17 October 2010, Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (1 Timothy 1:2a)  Amen.

St. Paul continues his second letter to Pastor Timothy:

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed…

That’s the main point of the text before you this morning. Let’s put it in chronological order for discussion.

1.    What: The Biblical content of the Christian faith.

2.    You have learned and have firmly believed: Your contact with Jesus and His salvation in His Word.

3.    Continue: Keep on learning, believing, and doing.

We’ll examine these three points from the text.

What. What is the basic message of Christianity? Christ Jesus came to save sinners. The word ‘salvation’ is prominent in our brief Biblical text. The name ‘Jesus’ means Savior, for, as the angel said, He will save His people from their sins. That means we need to confess that we are sinners in order to get the benefit for sinners. Sinners sin. If you deny your sins altogether, or even just your favorite, you have no need for Jesus, do you? Jesus came to save sinners. You are a sinner, but if you say that you’re not, you have removed yourself from the people Jesus came to save.

Don’t think you’re a sinner? Don’t think your sins are that bad? Think somebody else is a much worse sinner than you? Try this. Examine your life according to the Ten Commandments. Go one by one. Think about all the possible ways to break each commandment. If that kind of exercise won’t humble you, nothing will. You will actually have something to confess to God, privately before your pastor, or in preparation for Divine Service. Here’s one example.

_You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, [think and] speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.

Have I told the truth in court or in school before authorities or before my parents when I knew the truth?

Have I been afraid to bear witness when I knew the truth and it was necessary to speak up against a wrong-doer or to speak for a victim?

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Have I gossiped, delighted to tell others about the faults or mistakes of another, excusing myself especially by saying that I spoke only the truth?

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Have I gone to others to make peace if I wronged them or they me, or to correct them if I knew of their wrong?

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Have I flattered others, or put on a front to make them think of me differently from what is true?

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Have I slanted stories to my benefit or deceived others by withholding some evidence of the story?

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Have I found ways gladly and willingly to explain, in the best possible way, those words or actions of others that hurt me?

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Have I defended my neighbor when things said about my neighbor have made others think badly about him or her?

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Have I learned to hear with the weaknesses and faults of others, covering their shame?

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Have I been faithful in keeping the secrets of another’s heart entrusted to me in confidence?

If that kind of exercise won’t humble you, nothing will.

Not only did Jesus save us from sin, but He has also saved us from death and the power of the devil. Christ Jesus came to save sinners. That has been the message of Jesus and His disciples for 2,000 years.

Throughout those 2,000 years, the Biblical message has remained constant. False teachers have come and gone, leaving false teachings behind. Some false teachings persist to this day. None has ever prevailed against the entire Church. Some parts in some places fell away, following one falsehood or another, put the Lord has preserved a remnant of His people.

The Lord has always preserved some believers to carry on. Things looked bad as Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac at the Lord’s command, but the Lord preserved Isaac. Joseph was sold into slavery, but was able to rescue his family, who became the Twelve Tribes. Things looked bleak in Egypt, in the Wilderness, and during the time of the Judges, but the Lord continued to raise up faithful leaders. During the reign of the Kings, Elijah complained that he was the only one left, but the Lord had reserved 7,000 faithful. The Northern Kingdom was defeated. Judah went into exile. But the exiles returned to rebuild Jerusalem, the Temple, and their hope in the promised Messiah.

And then He comes, Jesus of Nazareth, the nation of Israel reduced to one faithful person. In Jesus, there was a new Israel. He had His Twelve disciples. And then there were more than twelve, men like Barnabas, Paul, Timothy, Titus.

The Church suffered under Roman persecution. Then, in the fourth century, Christianity was no longer illegal. The emperor was a convert himself! Much later, the empire fell. The public worship of the church was now in a language most of the people, even some of the priests, didn’t really understand. Abuses crept in. Pastors were forcibly separated from their wives. The chalice was taken away from the laity in Holy Communion. Sometimes, people only saw the host, the Body of Christ. And to top it all off, the leadership needed a fundraiser, so certificates of forgiveness were sold. Many in the Church, from local pastors, to monasteries, to the Roman Pope, forgot the “what.”

We thank God for Dr. Martin Luther and the Reformation of the Church that the Lord brought about through him. We are called Lutheran Christians because Luther pointed us back to Christ. Christ Jesus came to save sinners. He went back to the Source, God’s Word. Luther read about the gift of salvation in Romans: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

We do not revere Dr. Luther as some inappropriately pray to Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, or look to Joseph Smith for new, different, so-called divine revelations in addition to the Word of God. We simply thank God for Dr. Luther and our Lutheran forefathers who wished to return to the Word of God, remove abuses within the existing Church and her congregations, and retain things like liturgy, music, vestments, that were useful for teaching and preaching Christ and Him crucified for your salvation.

You have learned and firmly believed. (Most of) you have received Christian baptism. You have been taught the basics of the faith, and your presence here and regularly at Bible Classes show that you continue to learn and receive the Lord’s good gifts. You have learned. How have you learned? From what have you learned?

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Paul reminds Timothy to consider from whom he learned about Jesus. His father was not a Christian. He was Greek. The responsibility of bringing up Timothy in the Scriptures, the discipline and instruction of the Lord, was left to his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois.

From childhood, Timothy had been acquainted with the sacred writings of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament. Perhaps a better translation would be “from infancy.” The Greek word for child is also used to refer to the unborn John in his mother’s womb. It can to refer to a very young person anywhere up to about 5-7 years old. All of these ages are well before the unbiblical so-called “age of reason” or “age of accountability.” Since he was born, Timothy was taught by mother and grandmother at home, brought to the services of God’s house, and raised in the Lord.

We underestimate our children. We underestimate our young adults. Two-year-olds can learn the Lord’s Prayer. Our young people can and should learn the Ten Commandments and Creed by about the time they learn how to read. Think how much fun Confirmation Classes could be if no one had to argue about the basic memory work any more, because they’d already learned it!

Our young adults need to be prepared for what they find beyond these walls, beyond Sheridan County, beyond Wyoming. We need to teach them about how to pick a future spouse, how to use the Word when confronted with other religions and other moralities at college. We need to give them support and encouragement now in regular Bible Study, Church attendance, and Communion. If we don’t help them, who will?

How do we equip them? We use the Word. The sacred writings [of the Holy Bible] are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

But our young people aren’t the only ones who need to be equipped. We all do. A Pastor needs to be in the Word daily. That is the source of all preaching, teaching, singing, praying, and pastoral care. Based on maturity, Christians need to be challenged to grow in the Word. Continuing Education is essential. If it takes learning New Testament Greek, so be it! If it means reading through the whole Bible for the first time, God will bless that. If it is something as simple as watching an hour less of TV a day in order to be in the Word, why not do it?

Even revising our work schedules to prioritize Bible Study and Sunday Worship shouldn’t be seen as a big sacrifice. Which is more valuable, treasures on earth, or treasures in heaven? People throughout history and today around the world are dying for the opportunities that many of you take for granted!

If you’re not in a regular Bible Study at church, why not? Is your reason one that holds up before the Lord’s eyes? I will continue to encourage our congregational leaders to be active in strengthening their faith so that their faith may not grow weary while they serve.

Every week has a Sunday. If you don’t plan to come to Church every Sunday, why not? If something–anything—has a higher priority in your life than the Lord and receiving His gifts, that thing can be an idol, a false god to you, displacing the Lord. People can rationalize excuses, by either making them or hearing them. God is not mocked. He knows our true motives. Never forget that He saves us even from the sins of neglecting His Word and His Gifts in the past. Then, He calls upon those given His salvation to continue. That’s you!

Continue. The Word equips Christians for every good work. Not only does Ephesians Chapter two explicitly teach that faith and salvation are gifts and not earned, but it shows that good works are the fruits of faith. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We should walk in good works. We should continue in what we have learned and believed from the Word. After all, if you don’t know what’s in the Bible, how can you possibly live it out? One wouldn’t know “what” to continue!

Let’s think about things from a medical perspective. You’ve all heard of people who, at one level or another, neglect medical care or advice. We think of them as eccentric, or, depending upon the seriousness of the matter, playing games with life and death. Consider how you would react to the following.

A few people avoid going to the doctor or dentist at all costs. Here’s the excuse: “If I go, the doctor will give me bad news. He’ll tell me I have this-or-that.” Does staying away from a doctor change the reality of your health? No. How would you try to help someone like this that you care about?

Some acknowledge that doctors and medical care are good things. But they still don’t go. What help is it to say something is good, but deprive yourself of its benefits through inaction? We wouldn’t want that for any loved one.

Some make it to the doctor’s office and get a diagnosis. “You have heart disease.” “You have a kidney stone.” “You have macular degeneration.” If your friend says, “No I don’t!” does that change the reality? Of course not. There are serious consequences to heart disease. Kidney stone pain can’t be denied. Nobody wants to go blind. Denying the truth doesn’t make it go away. You can pretend to create a new reality, but it’s merely a fairy-tale world of make-believe.

Suppose a person leaves the doctor’s office with a prescription or some other plan of treatment. Say that person takes the prescription, frames it, and hangs it in a place of honor at home. “You see, I just respect that doctor so much…” the person tells you. You’d think they were nuts! Prescriptions aren’t for framing! They’re for using.

Our reluctant medical case finally decides to take your advice and gets the prescription filled. Once. That’s it. They tell you, “Well, since I went in last month, I figured I’m good for this month too. After all, I’ve already had quite a bit of that medication forced down my throat. Do I really need to keep taking it?” By this point, you’re frustrated to the point that you’re wondering what you’ll need to take to continue to put up with this person self-medicating him or herself.

Why this story? We’re familiar with the medical world. We talk about the weather, our families, and our illnesses. And, we all would have a problem with this kind of a family member or friend rejecting sound medical advice and treatment. Why this story in church? Because we have all heard the spiritual versions of this story and for no good reason, the excuses don’t bother us as much as they should.

A few people avoid going to a Church or a pastor at all costs. Here’s the excuse: “If I go, the pastor will give me bad news. He’ll tell me that I’m a sinner and what I’m doing is sin. He’ll tell me I need to be in Church.” Does staying away change the reality of your sin or its eternal consequences? No. How would you try to help someone like this that you care about?

Some acknowledge that pastors, Christians, and churches are good things. But they still don’t go. What help is it to say something is good, but deprive yourself of its benefits by laziness? We wouldn’t want that for any loved one. There’s a reason why “laziness” is listed among the seven deadly sins!

Some make it to the pastor’s office and get a diagnosis of their sin. “You have a problem with gossip.” “You can’t continue to live together outside of marriage.” “You need to repent.” If your friend says, “No!” does that change the reality? Of course not. There are serious consequences to sin. Some consequences in this life are so painful that they can’t be denied. Church discipline isn’t pleasant for anybody. Nobody wants a loved one to go to hell. Denying the truth doesn’t make it go away. You can pretend to create a new reality, but it’s merely a fairy-tale world of make-believe.

Suppose a person leaves after a Sunday service with the knowledge that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, that Jesus won salvation on the cross, and that salvation is delivered by the Holy Sprit through the biblical Gospel, Baptism, Absolution, and Holy Communion. Say that person takes their Bible off the shelf, out of a drawer, sets it down in a place of honor, and still refuses to read it. “You see, I just respect that Bible so much…” the person tells you. Bibles aren’t for display! They’re for using.

Our reluctant church visitor finally took your advice and came with you. Once. That’s it. They tell you, “Well, since I went in last month, I figured I’m good for this month too. After all, I’ve already had quite a bit of that God-stuff. I was forced to go as a child. I’ll think about coming back.”

Human beings often self-medicate when it comes to religion. We seem to have a “you can’t get something for nothing” attitude. After the fall, some of the first families forgot about the one true God and His promise of a savior. They came up with polytheism and works righteousness. That’s why there are so many false religions in the world.

 We’re familiar with the medical world. We talk about the weather, our families, and our illnesses. And, we all would have a problem with a family member or friend rejecting sound medical advice and treatment. Why is it that the excuses don’t bother us as much as they should when we hear the spiritual version of this story?

What does Paul advise young Pastor Timothy? What are pastors and believers to continue to do today?

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

As we prepare for Reformation Day on October 31^st, let us continue in the footsteps of the Christians before us from the Apostles, to the early Lutherans, to those behind the formation of this congregation over 100 years ago.

Repent. Be forgiven. Rejoice in your salvation. And come to Church where the Lord has good gifts for you. Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed…Amen.

The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. (2 Timothy 4:22)  Amen.

Wedding Sermon for Amy Mehlhaff and Merle Ligocki

The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.

Colossians 3: 12-17

In You Richly

Wedding Sermon for Amy Mehlhaff and Merle Ligocki

Saturday of Pentecost XVII, 25 September 2010

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. That is a better word than all of the advice on life, love, and marriage in the whole world. It reflects lives lived in the Lord's House Sunday by Sunday as more than God's ideal, but the normal thing for a Christian family to do on the Lord's Day: receive the Lord's gifts. His Word is what guides you in the vocations you already have from working at the Hospital, to testing water, and helping at the family ranch, and will steer you as you grow into new vocations like setting up a new household, learning what it means to be a wife or husband, and, if the Lord wills, what it means to be a mother or father.

Little did I know when I gave you the homework assignment to choose a text for your wedding day that you would both come up with a recommendation to present to the other. And out of the entire Bible, you both independently chose the same text: Colossians 3: 12-17!

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. This is not worldly wisdom that would advise you to look out for yourself first. Compassion and kindness focus on the other. While not originally intended only for husbands and wives, this text is ideal two Christian best friends, especially on their wedding day to each other. Meekness and patience are more internal, dealing with motivation and how you carry yourself as you are compassionate and kind. No one loves to wait. Few are willing to consider others before themselves. In marriage, these qualities shine. Your mutual choice of this text to guide your life together says that you are willing to bear with one another in good times and bad. You have also indicated your desire to live as a Christian man and woman in holy love, forgiving each other as the Lord has already forgiven you. There is no higher wisdom for preserving any relationship than confession and forgiveness. Marriage cannot survive without husband and wife forgiving each other. This is a reflection of your love for one another, but more importantly the love of God in Christ to each of you first. Like His love for you, He forgives you first.

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. The love of Christ binds everything together perfectly. His is the only perfect love. Your love for one another is a reflection of His love to one another. Harmony is a great way to talk about a life of love together. It confesses the one flesh union of husband and wife, yet also leaves room for your individual uniqueness, those quirks that endeared you to each other. Two notes sung together make a very basic chord, a harmony. When two Christians sing notes that complement the eternal melody of the Lord Christ, it creates a very different "chord" of three strands that is not easily broken.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. You will depart this nave and sanctuary with songs in your heart, songs of celebration for how the Lord has richly blessed you both and how He is the foundation of your Christian lives and your holy matrimony. And the rhythm of Sunday morning will continue too, as the Word of Christ dwells in you richly, as you receive His gifts, and as you respond with song, thankfulness and praise, giving thanks to God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Next Sunday...

...Divine Service will be at 10:30 with Sunday School and Adult Bible Class at 9:15.

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.

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.

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.

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.