Sermon for 24 July 2011, Proper 12A

The Rev. Paul J Cain

Matthew 13:44-52

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like…

Proper [12] (A), 24 July 2011

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

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

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like…what, exactly? It surpasses our human understanding, so Jesus has been telling us about the Kingdom of Heaven in words we can understand—by faith. That’s what the parables are for.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like seed sown on four different types of ground. It will grow well in one place. In others it will not. Some will believe in Jesus and be received into the Kingdom of Heaven. Others will not (believe).

The Kingdom of Heaven is like the wheat harvest. Then you can tell the difference between the wheat and the weeds, burn the weeds, and gather the wheat into your barn. Christians will be harvested by angels on the Last Day. Sons and daughters of Satan face fire.

Four more parables confront us this morning with more about what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. They are brief, to the point, nourishing, and very memorable. You may think of them like a small piece of wonderful dark chocolate for the soul.

⁴⁴[Jesus said:] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Jesus’ point of comparison has nothing to do with why this man was digging around on land that wasn’t his. He says nothing about why this man didn’t tell the previous owner about the treasure. Those are the things that don’t make sense to us. Thinking about them briefly gets us to what faith understands about this parable. The kingdom is a treasure. The Kingdom of Heaven is such a valuable treasure that nothing dare get in the way of you possessing it. The value of the treasure you have found in Jesus moves the Christian to see everything else as worthless in comparison. Would you be as willing to sell everything, if need be, to possess this treasure?

There are similarities between the first and second parables this morning. ⁴⁵“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, ⁴⁶who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

A field is a big thing. A pearl is a small thing. Yet, the treasure in that field—we don’t know what size it was, or even what it was. We only know its value. I haven’t found many writers explaining why Jesus told two parables that are so similar. The size of the valuable treasure could be the difference. Some people prefer jewels. Pearls come from the sea. Others prefer land and the plant, animal, and mineral treasures it provides.

The actual reason may be simple. When we tell somebody something important, we tend to repeat ourselves on purpose. Perhaps Jesus is giving two similar yet different perspectives on what the kingdom of heaven is like to emphasize its value, something many forget or take for granted.

In addition, we may view these parables another way. So far, we’ve been hearing them and identifying with the man who found the treasure or the merchant who bought the pearl. Both sold everything they had for that treasure. What if we saw Jesus as that man, that merchant? The kingdom of heaven is also like this. Jesus gave up everything in order to save you. Looking at things this way, you are the treasure He died in order to purchase, not with gold or silver, but with His own precious blood and His innocent suffering and death. He did something we could never achieve ourselves. His work is unique. At the same time, His example is also worth imitating, giving up all, and suffering all for the sake of the kingdom and our eternal inheritance. Either way, each parable is about the work and worth of Jesus.

Today’s solo is LSB 654, a newer hymn with text and tune both by Missouri Synod Lutherans. The tune was written in Nebraska. We haven’t learned it yet, like many congregations with Lutheran Service Book, but I invite you to look at the words with me now. LSB 654 is called, “Your Kingdom, O God, Is My Glorious Treasure.” This hymn gives us yet another perspective on today’s Gospel. As you turn to it, listen (again) to the first stanza:

Can you hear today’s Gospel reading? Certainly. The kingdom of heaven is a glorious treasure and a pearl of incomparable worth. And there will be other parables, mixed in, too. That first stanza ends with a prayer, “Lord, give me Your grace and the pow’r of the Spirit To value this treasure aright That, never allured by the world, I inherit Your kingdom of glory and light.”

Stanza two focuses upon the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast and applies them to our mission as Christians to spread the kingdom by telling the good news about Jesus: Your kingdom, O God, is alive with the power Your Word and Your Spirit bestow. Like yeast, they affect the whole measure of flour, Enabling Your kingdom to grow. Empower me, Lord, as I live Your commission, Though humble my service may be, And bring ev’ry planting to perfect fruition, A mustard seed grown to a tree.

Finally, stanza three recalls the seed, weed, and harvest parables we have heard in the last two weeks:     

“Your kingdom, O God, is a field for the growing Of seeds that Your mercy has sown; But still in our midst is the enemy sowing The weeds that imperil Your own. Sustain me, O Lord, till Your day of returning  And harvest me homeward at last, To shine in the homeland that quiets all yearning,  Where sorrow and danger are past.”

Text (sts. 1–3): © David W. Rogner Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, number 100010059.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

We’re now well-prepared for our third new parable this morning. ⁴⁷“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. ⁴⁸When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. ⁴⁹So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous ⁵⁰and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Many pastors in our Wyoming District share a hobby. In addition to being fishers of men, they also love to be fishers of fish! In that way, they are not unlike the first pastors, the twelve disciples, many of whom were fishermen. Not every fish caught is a keeper. Some need to be thrown back because they may be the wrong species, may not long or heavy enough, or they may be discarded due to disease. Fish catching and sorting may have more legal details in 21^st Century America than in 1^st Century Roman Palestine, but we get the point. This one has the same message as last week’s wheat harvest: The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous.

Therefore, we pray, “Sustain me, O Lord, till Your day of returning And harvest me homeward at last, To shine in the homeland that quiets all yearning, Where sorrow and danger are past.” A good hymn is one you can also pray!

In conclusion, and privately, Jesus asks His disciples, ⁵¹“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” ⁵²And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Jesus’ question leads to parable four: “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Christmas presents can often be a surprise. It is exciting to see a package under the tree with your name on it. You may not jump up and down like a kid, but you have to admit that gifts are a good thing.

When the gifts are opened, sometimes there is disappointment. And we don’t always appreciate what we are given. Yet, when you figure out what the real value of the gift is, you feel guilty about your initial reaction and often offer an apology. The gift may be the latest cool thing, or a cherished family heirloom. Treasure, whether new or old is still treasure.

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like…farming and fishing and finding treasure. There will be a judgment where those with faith in Christ will be gathered to the Father. Those without Christ will face a fiery furnace. A sorting will take place between sheep and goats. The sheep, the good fish, prioritize the kingdom. That is what the kingdom of heaven is like.

“Your kingdom, O God, is my glorious treasure, My pearl of incomp’rable worth. Its value exceeds ev’ry standard of measure, Surpassing the wealth of the earth. Lord, give me Your grace and the pow’r of the Spirit To value this treasure aright That, never allured by the world, I inherit Your kingdom of glory and light.” Amen.

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

Sermon for 17 July 2011, Proper 11a

The Rev. Paul J Cain

Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

The Sower…

Proper [11] (A), 17 July 2011

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

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

When the lectionary was recently revised for Lutheran Service Book, it was no accident that Jesus’ parable about the wheat and the weeds was selected for mid to late July, just in time for wheat harvest.

²⁴[Jesus] put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, ²⁵but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. ²⁶So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. ²⁷And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ ²⁸He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ ²⁹But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

Has this ever happened to you? Do you have an enemy that hates you so much that he goes and sows weeds in your field or garden? Who would do such a thing? Again, it is helpful to meditate on a parable like this and wrestle with the details that don’t make sense. It’s easy to see Jesus as the sower. That’s consistent with His parable last Sunday. Last time the seed was the Word of God. It appears to be different here. You probably have a guess as to who the enemy may be. That helps unlock the identity of the weeds.

Another thing about parables. Don’t dig too deeply. There isn’t always a comparison intended with every tiny detail. In fact, rather than torturing ourselves to try to figure out the intended meaning of the parable, let’s hear Jesus’ own interpretation. He’s always right, after all. As He did last week, Jesus interprets this parable’s meaning very clearly.

³⁶Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”

It’s important to note that the interpretation wasn’t intended for the crowd—only the disciples. As fellow disciples, we get to listen in.

³⁷He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

Our guess is correct. Jesus is the Sower. He is the most important figure in the parable. He directs the planting and He directs the harvest.

³⁸The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, ³⁹and the enemy who sowed them is the devil.

In this parable, Christians are the good seed. Is that surprising to you in some way? As Lutheran Christians we sometimes act as if Lent lasts all year round. We are willing to confess with Paul, Luther, and the hymnwriter, “Chief of Sinners though I Be,” but we are often reluctant to confess with Scripture that we are also saints. Luther said that Christians are, at the same time, saint and sinner. That boils down a lot of Bible into one brief, truthful, and profound statement. Christians are, at the same time, saint and sinner. Christians are the good seed in the world. We are salt and light. Therefore, we are given to shake and shine!

The weeds are the sons of the evil one. The enemy, of course, is the devil. This is no surprise once we know that Jesus is the sower. Weeds are sons of the evil one.

This parable is not a complete teaching about salvation, conversion, election, or predestination. Here the weeds are always weeds and the wheat is always wheat. Jesus focuses our attention on the major action: Judgment Day.

The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, ⁴²and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

The weeds were not pulled up immediately. Why? In prematurely “gathering the weeds you [may] root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest,” the Sower says,” and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Jesus knew his plants. Jesus knows the difference between wheat and the weed known as bearded darnel. This weed looks remarkably like wheat when both are young, but the differences become obvious later on.

So to with the good seed and the sons of the evil one. At other times Jesus criticizes hypocrisy and false believers. His focus here is upon the stark contrast between believers and non-believers. Even though Christians live side-by-side with people of the world and sometimes you can’t tell the difference now, on the Last Day it will be clear.

CPR Illustration: Biosphere 2 was a scientific experiment to create a man-made environment on earth that might be re-created to sustain life on Mars. The scientists created a rain forest, as well as ocean, tropic, and desert environments. Eventually, they observed that the trees growing in the biosphere began to fall down. The problem? In this manufactured environment, there was no wind, and without the stress of the wind, the trees did not grow strong roots. Our suffering and groaning in this life can strengthen our faith and draw us closer to depend on our God in our weaknesses, as we wait for the future glory He has promised us. As Paul says, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed in us…But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:18, 25).

And so we wait. But we are not alone. As sons of the kingdom, all Christians, male and female have one another and the Sower Himself for support. We grow by faith while in the world, but we are not of it. At the harvest we will be gathered into the barn of heaven.

In the meantime, Jesus gathers us around His gifts. Wheat needs water, sunlight, and nutrients to grow. Jesus not only provides you with daily bread, but everything to support this body and life, physically and spiritually! We daily confess our sins and ask that the Lord would forgive us our trespasses. We are absolved and kept in our baptismal faith. We hear the Word of God and gladly do it. We are gathered by the Lord to His house on His day where He gives His gifts. And we bring others with us. At His table this Sunday, Your Lord will satisfy your hungry heart with gift of finest wheat. We pray, “Come, give to us, O saving Lord, The bread of life to eat” (LSB 641 Refrain). Amen.

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

Sermon for 10 July 2011, Proper 10A

The Rev. Paul J Cain

Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23

One Who Hears the Word

Proper [10] (A), 10 July 2011

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

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

What is that person like, One Who Hears the Word? Jesus tells us Himself.

¹That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. ²And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. ³And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. ⁴And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. ⁵Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, ⁶but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. ⁷Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹He who has ears, let him hear.”

How successful is this farmer? His crops didn’t get killed by frost, hail, or flood. There were other causes. It sounds like he could have used a scarecrow. Even clippings of human hair would have scared birds away. Birds tend to like seeds. That’s why we often buy them and fill bird feeders with them. But we don’t like it when planted seeds are devoured.

Rocky ground isn’t good for farming or gardening. When the sod was broken on the prairie, the rocks were removed. They could do damage to the precious plow.

These seeds weren’t Roundup-ready, either. They were susceptible to thorns. Weeds can still be a problem for farmers today, especially those who plant popcorn.

Birds and rocks and heat and thorns. This sower had it rough on his farm. But something doesn’t quite click. That’s a good thing in a parable. Look for the thing that doesn’t make sense. Why would a farmer sow without fighting the hungry birds? Why would he not remove the stones from his field? Why would he put up with weeds and thorns? No, even though agriculture may be on many of your minds, this parable isn’t about farming. What is it about? What does this mean?

¹⁸“Hear then the parable of the sower: Let’s all put our thoughts aside and listen to Jesus. He will interpret His own parable this morning as well as next Sunday.

¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

Jesus is the sower. He sows the seed of His Word, the Word of the Kingdom of God. He sows the Word so that all who hear would have faith in Him. The bird wasn’t a bird. Seed won’t grow on a path.

The devil, the evil one himself, struggles against us. He does not want anyone to come to faith, believe in Christ, go to Church, live like a Christian, make peace with anyone, or go to heaven. He will do anything he can to lead you away from Christ.

Jesus’ warning is an important one to remember. We are to resist the devil so that he flees from us. We dare not let unanswered questions we have about faith and life and Scripture lead to doubt and the death of our faith and loss of salvation. If we see a fellow believer struggling, especially one with weak faith, the law of love commands us to bear one another’s burdens. You may be thinking, “But I might not know the answer, either!” That may be the case. You should have your Bible, hymnal, and catechism as resources at home. You also have a pastor. All that training, his books, and his daily study prepare him to serve you on Sunday morning, afternoon and evening visits, evening meetings, and those 24/7 emergencies. I may not know the answer either, but we can search the Scriptures together and ask other pastors, scholars, and Christians for help.

²⁰As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, ²¹yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

In this case, the one who hears the Word is a new Christian. Without deep roots in the Word, the troubles of the world are a great discourager.

We rejoice when someone hears the Gospel for the first time. We rejoice when the Holy Spirit creates faith in him or her. We celebrate with such a one when he or she confesses the faith before God and man and joins us for Holy Communion the very first time.

And then comes the hard part. The devil again is working against new believers. It is as if a fire alarm goes off in hell every time a person is baptized and confesses the faith. The devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh are alerted to fight against us. Life happens.

One Sunday away from Church becomes two. Then a month. Then several. And then either Easter or Christmas comes and a sense of obligation to go to services may kick in. Or, it may not.

Our role as a congregation is clear. When we notice that a brother or sister in Christ is missing, why couldn’t we pick up the phone and call to see what’s wrong? Often there may be an illness or family emergency. Sometimes a person may be out of town. Sometimes the cozy bed is very tempting.

Being in the Word and receiving Holy Communion regularly helps grow your roots in the Christian faith. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. That’s true for Church, too. We all should realize that the phone and the street work both ways, from a person on rocky spiritual ground to the congregation and from the congregation to that person. Out of love, we should reach out. It is the pastor’s job. And it is not only his, but the whole congregation, together.

²²As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

The devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh are at it again. Jesus has told us before that a man cannot serve two masters. He cannot serve both God and money.

What can we do as a congregation to pull up these weeds, these thorns that choke faith? Let’s keep an eye out for those in need. Christian love provides for those in need of food, drink, clothing, and shelter. Christian love visits the sick and imprisoned. At the same time, we also watch for those who forget God in all their abundance, people who often forget who gave them their daily bread and every good and perfect gift.

²³As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Martin Franzmann, author of the hymn “Thy Strong Word,” wrote another hymn, “Preach the Word” which speaks of a sower like the one in Matthew 13. “The sower sows; his reckless love Scatters abroad the goodly seed, Intent alone that all may have The wholesome loaves that all men need.

“Though some be snatched and some be scorched And some be choked and matted flat, The sower sows; his heart cries out, ‘Oh, what of that, and what of that?’

“Of all his scattered plenteousness One-fourth waves ripe on hill and flat, And bears a harvest hundredfold: ‘Ah, what of that, Lord, what of that!’

“Preach you the Word and plant it home And never faint; the Harvest Lord Who gave the sower seed to sow Will watch and tend His planted Word” (LSB 586: 3-6).

Your Lord sows His Word in this place. Sundays are the most obvious time, when the Lord gathers us for Divine Service, Bible Class, and Sunday School. A personal invitation is always better than a bulletin announcement. Opportunities abound for you to grow in faith and knowledge.

Your Lord, the Sower, may be “reckless” in spreading His Word so widely, even though some refuse to hear, some reject Him, and some do fall away. The Sower gives You Himself, Jesus, the Word made Flesh. He sows the seed of His word for the sake of One Who Hears the Word. He shares His Word and His love for the sake of you who believe. Amen.

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

Sermon for 03 July 2011, Proper 09A

The Rev. Paul J Cain

Matthew 11:25–30

I Will Give You Rest

Proper [9] (A), 03 July 2011

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

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

It had been a long journey. Frustrating, too. They were exhausted both mentally and physically. They gave it their all. And they were spiritually weary as well. We can identify with disciples like these. We do not regularly face the rigors of a missionary journey, one Jesus sent them on in Matthew 10, but we are certainly weary of health problems, money concerns, family conflict, work frustration, and the problems of the world. Life in a sinful world has prepared you well to need and hear what Jesus gives today: “I will give you rest.”

²⁵At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; ²⁶yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

One of the great blessings of the sermon texts for the next several weeks is their simplicity. (They would be hard to mess up.) While many topics in Scripture may be complex and complicated, the basic message of the whole Bible is easy to understand, though hard for some to accept. We don’t seek out divine knowledge. God reveals it to us. We don’t work for it and we could never deserve it or earn it. It is given as gift. All are welcome, young and old, male and female, Jew and non-Jew. Language, ethnicity, and national origin do not matter. Jesus calls you to repentance and faith. It’s not about brains. It’s about faith, another gift of God given you by the Holy Spirit.

 ²⁷All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Verse 27 is almost a review of last week. Seventy percent of Americans agreed with the statement that people who hold to a religion other than theirs can find salvation. Seventy percent say that Jesus is wrong, that there is a way of salvation other than Jesus Christ, He who said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.” Peter proclaimed that there was “no other name under heaven” other than Jesus “given to men by which we must be saved.” What’s popular is not always right. What’s right is not always popular. I’d rather be in the minority and with Jesus—only 1 out of 4 Americans believe as we do, that Jesus is the only way, like Jesus Himself says.

If we’re honest, Jesus’ words are a scandal. You can see why people want to believe differently, why they want to reject what Jesus says: “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Yes, salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life are all limited to those with faith in Christ Jesus as He reveals Himself in the Bible. Salvation is as narrow as the cross of Calvary. Yet, none are excluded merely because of their age, gender, place of birth, or language. Salvation is as wide open as Jesus’ arms nailed to the cross of Calvary in welcome to you. Therefore…

²⁸Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

CPR Illustration: “The Necklace, a [French] short story (by Guy de Maupassant), tells of Madame Loisel, a simple woman with no special clothes or jewels who is invited to a fancy engagement. At first, Madame Loisel refused to go, for she didn’t have a proper dress. Then after her husband sacrificed his savings for a dress, she refused to go without proper jewels. Her husband suggested that she borrow jewels from a friend, Madame Forestier, which she did. The day of the party arrived. Madame Loisel was a success. She was the prettiest woman present, elegant, graceful, smiling, and quite above herself with happiness. Once at home she went to take one final look at herself in her glory, only to find the jeweled necklace was missing, not to be found. The Loisels went into heavy debt to purchase a replacement. Madame Loisel came to know the life of abject poverty. For ten years, she and her husband worked and saved, burdened with paying off the debt. After ten years of hard work, she was weary, aged, and dressed like a pauper. It was then that she happened to run into Madame Forestier. She decided to [finally] tell her friend about the new necklace. In astonishment, her friend revealed to Madam Loisel that the borrowed necklace was an imitation,[costume jewelry] worth no more than five hundred francs.

“Madame Loisel needn’t have been wearied and burdened by the debt. Similarly, some think that they need to work for their salvation. They are wearied and burdened by a debt that they can never repay, when all along Christ has paid the price by his life, suffering, and death on the cross.”

 He says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Jesus gives rest beyond a nap or a good night’s sleep, beyond financial security and physical security, beyond what every day off or vacation can provide.

This is a place of rest, a sanctuary, this nave. Here we worship the Lord, and the highest worship of Him is to receive His gifts. Yes, we respond to God’s Gospel Gifts with thanksgiving, offerings, and praise, but the response is not the most important thing. So many Christians have worship backwards. Some think that the most important thing is their response, their giving, their excitement. Others think that the big deal is to change everything to get more people in the door. No, Christian worship has its focus upon Christ and centers around His gifts. That’s why the furniture is set up the way it is.

This is a day of rest. Those who wonder whether it is sinful to work on Sunday miss the point. The priority of a Christian is to receive all that the Lord wants to give. Luther put it this way in LSB 581:4, “‘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!” If you must, use the afternoon for mowing, cleaning the garage, fishing, napping, or sports. First, rest in Him and in His Word. Find a way to rearrange your work schedule so that Sunday morning is a sanctuary for you and your family with the Lord.

²⁸Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The Lord is there for you always. Sometimes our frantic, hectic lives frustrate, confuse, and threaten to overwhelm us. The Lord is still there for you. How often we simply forget or ignore Him! As you get up, prepare for the day, eat breakfast, and go to work, why not remember Him and silently pray the Invocation, Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and, if you know it, Luther’s Morning Prayer. Over lunch, ask the Lord to bless His gifts to the good of your body and mind in His service. As you prepare for bed, fall asleep in conversation with the Lord. You may also find it beneficial to tuck in your children or spouse with Luther’s bedtime routine, the Invocation, Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and, if you know it, Luther’s Evening Prayer. For really rough days, a short prayer may be in order, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.”

Jesus gives you rest for your souls. He gives you His promise. Jesus says, “I will give you rest.”  Amen.

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