Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (OTA)

1 Samuel 8:1-22

When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. ² The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. ³ Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.

⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah ⁵ and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” ⁶ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. ⁷ And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. ⁸ According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. ⁹ Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”

¹⁰ So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. ¹¹ He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. ¹² And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. ¹⁵ He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. ¹⁶ He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. ¹⁷ He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. ¹⁸ And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

¹⁹ But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, ²⁰ that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” ²¹ And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. ²² And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”

What is the warning about a King? He will take, take, take, and make you his slaves. There are many people that do not understand what it is to have a King anymore. But I love the line in the movie The Patriot, "Would you tell me please, Mr. Howard, why should I trade one tyrant three thousand miles away for three thousand tyrants one mile away? An elected legislature can trample a man's rights as easily as a king can." You know what it is like to be ruled.

The people are more than happy to take on a King like the other nations. They do not want to listen to corrupt prophets, or sons of prophets. The elders understand that it is important to lead holy lives, and have religious leaders that help teach good morals. They also see these failures in the sons of Samuel. Do you see these same failures in your leaders? Do you see the corruption of moral character? Do you see what these people are teaching our children?

There are many different types of government around the world. But there is only one true King. God is our King. Jesus was crowned the King of the Jews, Israelites, the Church, ... or all creation. Jesus Christ is the Son of David who will sit on this throne forever. He will truly judge all people in purity. He has called your children, and parents, and property to his service. You are to help him proclaim salvation to the nations.

Christ has died for your sins. Christ has claimed the Kingdom for you. Christ will rule with you in eternity.

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (GA)

Luke 7:18-28

¹⁸ The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, ¹⁹ calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” ²⁰ And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ ” ²¹ In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. ²² And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. ²³ And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

²⁴ When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵ What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written,

       “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way before you.’

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

Who is John the Baptist? Most of us remember him as the guy who wore camel's hair and a leather belt. You may know him as the one who ate grasshoppers or locusts. Or you may only think of him as the guy who baptized Jesus. It does not matter which Gospel you read, John the Baptist comes and prepares the way for Jesus. He calls the people to repentance and begins to baptize them. He even says he only came to baptize with water, but the one after him will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

John the Baptist even points Jesus out a couple different times. He sees Jesus and says, "Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World." Some of Jesus' first disciples where first disciples of John the Baptist. But who is this guy?

John the Baptist asks his disciples who Jesus really is, and Jesus asks the people who John really is. Some people might say that John is doubting Jesus, but I like to think he is continuing to teach his own disciples. John the Baptist is a true prophet. He came to point people to Jesus Christ. This is what he will continue to do until he loses his head. Jesus pulls there attention from one whom they desired to follow (running out in the wilderness after) to himself (one to whom they should listen) who will die for their sins.

Jesus and John make a real pair. They work together to fulfill all righteousness, and work together to try to save as many as possible. Jesus gives his life to save you.

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (G)

Luke 12:49-59

⁴⁹ “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. ⁵² For from now on in one house there will be five divided, 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 her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

⁵⁴ He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. ⁵⁵ And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. ⁵⁶ You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

⁵⁷ “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸ As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

Yeah, we should all be perfect weathermen. The different models can tell us what the weather is going to be like some 10-20 days ahead. You can even see weather models for the next couple of months. But are any of these going to tell you the truth. No, Jesus points you to look to the sky. You can see the edge of a storm move across the sky, and tell to take cover.

But when Jesus talks about Family divisions, I find it amazing. God designed the family unit to be pretty basic and pretty sufficient. Two parents for one child. One parent of each gender so that no matter the gender of the child they would have an example of how to live as a woman/man as well as how to love their future spouse. But families are constantly divided.

Some families are broken apart by Divorce, some by pre-marital sex, death, and other situations. But this struggle and fall apart of the family should be sign to us of the active work of sin in the world. We can see sexual sin, physical violence, covetousness, dishonoring our parents, and false-testimony. We can even see the consequence of sin, which is death.

Thanks be to God, he has prepared a holy perfect bridegroom for his people. This bridegroom comes to lay down his life for his bride. He comes to cloth her in pure white garments. He even comes to cleanse her from all her blemishes. He will deliver her from eternal death, as he has already made the down payment on your mansion in the sky. Maybe I need to say it clearly: Christ has died for you and he is your bridegroom. 

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (OT)

Jeremiah 23:16-29

¹⁶ Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. ¹⁷ They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’ ”

¹⁸    For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord

to see and to hear his word,

or who has paid attention to his word and listened?

¹⁹    Behold, the storm of the Lord!

Wrath has gone forth,

       a whirling tempest;

it will burst upon the head of the wicked.

²⁰    The anger of the Lord will not turn back

until he has executed and accomplished

the intents of his heart.

       In the latter days you will understand it clearly.

²¹    “I did not send the prophets,

yet they ran;

       I did not speak to them,

yet they prophesied.

²²    But if they had stood in my council,

then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,

       and they would have turned them from their evil way,

and from the evil of their deeds.

²³ “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? ²⁴ Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord. ²⁵ I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ ²⁶ How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, ²⁷ who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal? ²⁸ Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the Lord. ²⁹ Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

I have always loved how easy it would be for you to use verse 21 with some kind of positive slant. God didn't have to do anything and people were already speaking his word. They were already running to tell the good news about Jesus to the nations. But then there is verse 22, telling us to sit down and shut up and listen to the counsel of the LORD. He will tell you to shape up, live right, and do what you are told OR ELSE!

Is this not modern Christianity? We hear the words of forgiveness and love to talk about loving our neighbor and serving our neighbor, and even accepting our neighbor's sinful lifestyle. Or maybe your church body does not latch onto the forgiveness of sins, but the wrath of God. God has promised to purge the world with fire and bloodshed. God is going to bring his great power and might down upon your head. He is going to destroy you for all your evil.

I think you are forgetting to take counsel with the Lord. Jesus Christ has proclaimed both things. These do not stand opposed to one another, but united together. Even here God praises the work of His prophets who continue to proclaim his truth and at the same time he speaks about a hammer and fire and the evil of the people.

Thanks be to God, that he sent his Son as the perfect Prophet. Jesus spoke the full counsel of God, and spoke even more so through his actions. He suffered on account of our sin. He rose claiming our victory, and pointing us to our eternal life in the resurrection.

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (CL)

Acts 12:1-19

About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. ² He killed James the brother of John with the sword, ³ and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. ⁴ And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. ⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

⁶ Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. ⁷ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” ⁹ And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. ¹¹ When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

¹² When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. ¹³ And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. ¹⁴ Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. ¹⁵ They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” ¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. ¹⁷ But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

¹⁸ Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.

The sentries were put to death, because there was no reasonable excuse for Peter's escape. It would be reasonable to think Peter might have been able to over power the two soldiers sleeping with him, or possibly removing the chains in the night. The sentries had an iron gate to protect their position, and Peter would have needed help to get past that blockade. The punishment for military disobedience or insubordination is simply death.

It is easy for any of us to get overcome by our emotions. Some people are over come with emotion and can not speak. Other people in a time of pure-ilation will simply forget where they are or what they are supposed to do. So is the case for both Peter and Rhoda. Peter is over come by the experience of seeing an Angel, and being led out of prison. Rhoda is over come by the experience of Peter knocking at the door when thought to be in prison.

There are many people that offer praise to religious experiences. I see them as times of illation, when we simply do not understand what is really happening. Therefore, to take a time when we are out of our mind, or no longer reasonable or sensible as a mark of your religion will cause you to falter and fall.

Instead, we wait until our mind is about us. We return to those who have supported us in the Word. We return to the people whom we love. We care for them make sure they are safe. Then we make sure we are safe. We gather together around Christ's words of promise, hope and forgiveness. It is in the word of truth, that we can finally make sense of the world around us. God truly does set prisoners free!