Saint Andrew's Day (Sermon)

Called to be Forgiven

John 1:35-42

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today is Saint Andrew's day, which is also the beginning of the Season of Advent. In the Gospel lesson we hear about the call of St. Andrew. Most of us remember the call of Nathaniel by Philip, which follows our text but we can often lose sight of this lesson. But both have a similar situation. A Christian is brought to faith, and the first thing they do is call someone else. They repeat this call to faith.

There are a lot of Christians that like to talk about witnessing, or missions. There is a lot of prayers being given to God that people would come to know Jesus Christ. There is a lot of money being spent to send people on trips to foreign lands to call people to believe. 

You know that most of the time long term missionaries remind us that one of their greatest challenges is raising up people in that country or region that is already imbedded in that culture, in order to have them call their brothers, friends and extended family to look into this Jesus thing. This is a difficult task for any Anglo American to enter into another culture and develop full acceptance. 

Therefore, there is more short term missionary work that is being done. Medical Mission trips are becoming popular in order to provide for medical needs along with supporting already established congregations. Some mission trips like the Local groups from South Dakota go to Hong Kong in order to teach English. These open up opportunities to witness to our Christian Faith.

When these people are then called to faith, they will then share that faith with their family and friends. These mission strategies help to develop people within a culture to become missionaries to their own culture. This is exactly the way John the Baptist used his disciples. He pointed them to Jesus, who then provided them with basics. Then the disciple becomes the missionary calling his brother Simon Peter. 

This seems to be a very simple model to follow. You are called and instructed in the basic tenets of the faith. You then bring your friends, family, and neighbors to come and learn more. Then as more people know and we develop a larger family, more neighbors, we continue to instruct people in the basic tenets of the faith.

The difficulty is that this means we have to call a sin a sin. We have to tell people how they are cheating their neighbors. We have to point out your falsehoods, and lies. We have to bring light to your sins. And even beyond that we have to be willing to stand up in front of everyone and say the one thing most of us do not want to admit.

We start off our Sunday worship by saying that we are sinners. We continue our service by asking God to have mercy on us because we are sinful. We hear the word speak the truth of the world and our need for a Lamb, or sacrifice for our sin. I am hear to tell you how you have sinned and need to lead a better life. Then even as we approach this altar to eat the very body and blood of Christ, we are publicly proclaiming we are horrible, miserable people.

"We are neither worthy of the things for which we pray, nor have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace, for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment." This is who we are. As a disciple of John the Baptist, Saint Andrew knew the call for repentance. He also knew the call to change how you live and act in your daily life.

As a disciple of Jesus, these calls do not change. The only thing that changes is you don't have to do it for yourself. The Messiah has come to redeem his people. He comes to be the lamb of price for the forgiveness of your sins.

We do continue to remind ourselves that we are horrible people. There is none of us that is good. But God still loves you. God sent his Son to die for your sins. He offers Jesus to have mercy on us. He instructs us again in how to live our life, but with hope, and forgiveness. In addition to just learning what we are to do, we also learn who God is and what he has done for you. Finally, as we leave this Altar having received the very body and blood of Christ we are renewed, forgiven and strengthened, in order to go into our mission field.

Now you know that you are a sinner. You are not a good person, but you are a forgiven person. It is now your task this Advent season to call others who are not good people, so they might become forgiven people. Go call a friend, a family member, or a neighbor tell them how horrible you are, and then remind them how horrible they are, and finally say, I have found the Messiah. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who has taken away the sins of the World. And maybe you just repeat it over again and again. And if they want to know more have them come and hear. We are not called to be a perfect person, but to be a forgiven person. You are forgiven in Christ Jesus. amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Sunday of Job (Sermon)

Temptation for Holy People

Job 1:6-22

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our text for the Sunday of Job comes from our Old Testament lesson. God tells us that Job is a righteous man. As good Lutherans, we know that there are none who are righteous no, not one. All have fallen short of the glory of God. It is only through Christ’s righteousness that he makes us to be holy and righteous.

God still says to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

Satan responds to God recounting how God continues to bless him. God makes his life so great and wonderful. God sets up walls around his servant to protect him from temptation, danger, and evil. We can often think of people who we have known, that it looks like nothing ever bad happens to them. They do not have any normal people problems.

Often we think of the rich and famous and wonder how their lives could be so bad. Why would a popular musician do drugs and live a promiscuous lifestyle, don’t they have everything they would ever want? Why would someone in a position of authority always be trying to manipulate others for more power, doesn’t he have enough?

Job has enough. He has some 11,000 head of various live stock. He even has 10 children. He also has all that is necessary to take care of all the livestock and children.God has truly blessed Job with a great many things. But Satan may be right, God has not allowed Job to suffer hard times. Because God loves those who love him.

Just think how nice it would be to have the theology of Job, pre-suffering. As long as you love God, everything in your life will be fine. When you turn your back on God, you will lose everything. Job's simple quote sums up this theology, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Praise the Lord and you will see as doors open up in your life. You can hand things over to a higher power and you will see how the stress melts away. This is commonly called in Lutheran circles the Theology of Glory. God is there to give us good things, and we thank God for those good things.

Satan steps in and changes our understanding of God. God is more than happy to point out the people who love him to Satan. He brings you to Satan’s attention. Satan then reminds God how he protects, coddles, hems in his people. So God says to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.”

Satan reaches out his hand and kills all Job’s children, all his livestock, and most of his servants. At the end of Chapter one Job still has his wife, and at least four servants. Oh yeah, he also still has his health but that will go away in Chapter two.

Job recognizes that life is full of suffering and sorrow. He also knows that he came into this world with nothing and he will leave this world with nothing. Similar to all of us. Every gift we have been given is a gift from God. So we should be thankful to God for more than just money, harvest, and luxury. We should be thankful to God for food, clothing, and family, even when we don’t have much.

But this is only the way Satan tempted, or threatened, Job. The First Chapter of Job reminds us about much more than just being thankful. It reminds us that Satan is all around us. Satan is spinning his webs of lies and temptations to lead us into sin all the time.

Satan uses many different means, some of which even look heavenly. We have already heard about a common one, called the Theology of Glory. But there are other false teachings within the Church. There are teachings about who has the power in conversion. There are even teachings about putting our faith in works, or deeds. But evil, temptation, and sin can be found all around us.

St Peter says, “Be sober minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The devil is going to and fro upon the earth seeking out souls to devour. He is even in conversation with God, about who is naughty and who is nice. Like I said, God is more than happy to point out his holy people to the devil, because he has provided us with hope, protection, and a plan of salvation.

Job does not fall into temptation in Chapter one, “In all this job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” But he does fall prey to the Devil in the following Chapters through many discussions with his friends. Finally, God has to remind him, that he is the one who has created all things. He is the one who has given us everything we have. He is the one who knows what is truly just and right.

Job does repent of his sin, and God who is faithful and just forgives Job of his sin. He restores to Job all he had and more.

Similarly, we fall prey to temptation. We may be able to turn away for a time. We even pray for strength to stay away, but still we do fall into sin. We even fall into the same sins over and over again. 

Therefore, we confess our sins, and God who is faithful and just forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. God does not so much reminds us of his work and power in Creation, but points us to the cross of Christ. Christ has died for the forgiveness of all your sins. He claims you to be his very own. And yes, he defeats Satan. Christ has even risen from the dead, and in his resurrection points to our restoration. So we even remembered in our first hymn, Job's most famous quote, I know that my Redeemer Lives.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The Tenth Sunday after Creation (Sermon)

Harvest will Rise

Amos 9:11-15

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our text for this morning comes from the Old Testament lesson and we may need to give a little background to Amos and this close to his prophecy. Amos is considered a contemporary to Isaiah. 

But Amos is preaching to a Northern Kingdom that has not yet been sent into exile and likewise Judah was sent into exile 135 years after Israel. One of my favorite parts of Amos's prophecy is that he tells the people not to look forward to the day of the Lord, "Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?" He similarly tells the people how they are going to go into Exile.

In Amos 5:11, "Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine." The Lord is going to take their vineyard, fields, and houses from them, because of their wickedness.

These warnings are to prepare the people of Israel to be handed over into the hands of their enemies. The Nation of Assyria will come down upon them and lead them away. As you read through Amos you do not find much hope or joy until you get to our text.

Even though God is going to have the people torn apart and killed, God will talk of a remnant. Even as God will further talk of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, God will rebuild the fallen booth of David. 

Some believe this prophecy was fulfilled in 538 BC when Cyrus of Persia made his decree to rebuild Jerusalem and return the people of Judah. Others believe this prophecy was fulfilled 1948 when the Nation of Israel was reborn. To tell the truth these may only be fulfillment in part.

The first reason why is the remnant of Edom, indicates Gentiles being brought into the Kingdom of Israel as cited in Acts 15. This also indicates the lost brethren of Israel, Moses said to the King of Edom, "Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met." Remember the promise made to Abraham was that all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

The real reason why this text was not fulfilled in 1948 or 538 BC, is verse 13. For some of you planting season may flow straight into harvest without giving you any break. But I am sure by looking outside that it is difficult for the plowman to overtake the reaper or harvester.

Winter stands in separation of Spring and Fall. Amos is talking about a day when restoration, new life, and Spring comes on the heals of Fall. This is a time when the joys of the harvest meal can be had, knowing the new crop is already coming up. Amos 9:13 tells us in the new creation there is No winter. 

Winter may be liked by some. I like it because it means basketball season has started. But for most of us we see the trees go dormant. We recognize many animals that hibernate during winter. But we still of chores that need to get done. We still have work to take care of, but the cold, snow, and ice may make some things just a little harder.

Just like with age comes many other things that make work just a little harder. The minor pains seem to become so much worse in the cold weather. We recognize the difficulties in life are simply the groans or birth pains of creation, all because of sin.

Winter also means Advent, Epiphany, and Lent come to remind us that we need to be prepared because the day of the Lord is a day of think darkness and is at hand. It is a day of distress. We know the judgment the world faces, as well as each of us on account of our sins. We have not always put the needs of others over our own. We have not always valued others time more than our own. We forget to put the best construction on what other people say and do. Likewise, we also forget to tell others we can't do it on our own.

This is true, we can not do it on our own. We can not face the day of the Lord on our own. We need an advocate. We need a savior. Thanks be to Jesus who died for our sins even before we asked. God set forth Christ to die for the forgiveness of sins, even while all people where enemies to God, like Edom to Israel.

God proclaims judgment and condemnation to his own people so they would call upon him for help. He provides them with help many times even in the face of their rejection. But finally comes the day when the people need to be sent into Exile for their own discipline. 

But he does not send them there without hope. This same message of hope is hope for Israel, Edom, and you. The message that the temple that was destroyed will be rebuilt. The fallen or razed (with a z) booth will be raised. The harvest will be reaped and yet still more will rise again. Yes, our theme: the Harvest is Raised.

Just as Christ is risen, we also will rise. We are going to live in the new creation with Jesus. There we will celebrate the harvest feast that doesn't end. It is the feast of victory over death and even called a great wedding feast. But Amos points us to a feast, "they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit." 

The Day of Judgement is a day of darkness, distress and despair. Similar to that fateful Good Friday afternoon. But the Day of the Lord is also a Day of celebration, feasting, and joy. Similar to the First Day of the Week, when the saw the Temple rebuilt, Christ risen from the dead. So maybe you need to take some time to reap what you have sown, but also enjoy what God has sown for you. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The Sunday of Raising Lazarus (sermon)

Glory of God in Resurrection 

John 11:38-44

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our text for this morning once again has Jesus being disturbed or upset. He comes the tomb and finds a very expected situation. But I want to start somewhere else.

On the first day of the week, there are three women who have bought spices. This was only the third day that this man was in the tomb. But they asked themselves, "who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" And when they arrive the stone is already rolled away.

Later at the same tomb, we hear about two men who ran there. The first arrives but does not enter. The second enters the tomb. Both find the same seen. They find the linen cloths lying in one place. In addition, the face cloth was folded and placed in a separate place. All the burial linens were properly folded, as if someone undressing at the end of the day properly folds there clothes after removal.

Hopefully, you will also recognize that in addition at this same tomb, Mary or the women see two angels, or one angel. Luke tells us the Angel says, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen." 

I point this out for a simple reason. Lazarus is raised from the dead, but Jesus rises from the dead. Lazarus can not do this on his own, but Jesus does claim victory over death on his own. So beyond the little details that are different, the glory of God is being made known.

Jesus tells Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” Just as previously in John 9, Jesus' disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." So why did Jesus wait an extra two days before coming to Lazarus, so that the glory of God can be revealed.

Now we come to the great moment. We do not ask who will roll the stone away. Jesus tells them "Take away the stone." There is certainly going to be an odor, but while the women brought spices Jesus is not worried, because the dead one will be alive and stink as much as anyone else.

Jesus already knows what he has asked the father. He already knows the answer to his prayer. Jesus says this before the people, similar to the multiple predictions he tells his disciples of his own death and resurrection. 

After making the public display he calls out, "Lazarus come forth!" My favorite quote concerning this passage is that, if Jesus had not said Lazarus all the dead would have been raised. That would be like in Matthew, "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many."

Lazarus comes out of the tomb. He comes out looking like a mummy. His hands and feet bound with strips of linen. He even has his face wrapped with a cloth. Again, the difference between how Jesus leaves the tomb and Lazarus stands in opposition. 

Jesus then commands that Lazarus be unbound and set free. To be unbound stands in opposition to the binding up of the broken heart, but more so to be chained or in prisoned in a tomb. Jesus comes to set us free to no longer be slaves to sin but live and serve the resurrection and the life.

We may not like to think of ourselves as dead, but we are. We are dead in our transgressions. We are dead in our sin. We therefore need to be buried with Christ and raised to new life. Thus, "baptism indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever."

As people who are dead, we can do nothing for ourselves. We need someone to roll away our stone. We need someone to breath life back into us. We need our bonds to be removed. We need someone to set us free. So whether you enjoy swing low sweet chariot or Go down Moses, we are looking for our deliverer.

Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the life. He is the one who raises us to newness of life in Baptism. He is the one who breaths life into our lungs. He is the one who removes our chains. He even sends us the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in the true faith and help us to lead a moral life.

It is amazing for us to think that even as we confess our sins, and receive forgiveness that is the glory of God being revealed among us. Similarly as we remember our baptism the glory of God is being revealed. Many people want to see the glory of God, and God shows it in the most common of things, but we often want so much more.

There is no greater glory than knowing and receiving the forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the glory of God. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Saint Andrew's Day

November 30^th

Collect of the Day:

Almighty God, by Your grace the apostle Andrew obeyed the call of Your Son to be a disciple.  Grant us also to follow the same Lord Jesus Christ in heart and life, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Theme for the Week          Healed on the Day of Rest

Verse of the Week:                        John 1:39

Daily Bible Reading List:

Mon: Hebrews 9:1-10         Tues: John 5:1-18   Wed: Romans 8:1-11

Thurs: Jeremiah 17:19-27 Fri: Exodus 31:12-18

Catechism Reading:

And forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

What does this mean?

We pray in this petition

that our Father in heaven would not look at our sins,

or deny our prayer because of them.

We are neither worthy of the things for which we pray,

nor have we deserved them,

but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace,

for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment.

So we too will sincerely forgive

and gladly do good to those who sin against us.

The Sunday of Job

November 23^rd

Collect of the Day:

Almighty and eternal God, Your Son Jesus triumphed over the prince of demons and freed us from bondage to sin.  Help us to stand firm against every assault of Satan, and enable us always to do Your will; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Theme for the Week          Satan Confronts God

Verse of the Week:                        Job 1:7

Daily Bible Reading List:

Mon: Hebrews 3:7-19         Tues: John 7:1-24   Wed: Haggai 2:10-23

Thurs: Revelation 12:7-12 Fri: John 7:14-24

Catechism Reading:

And lead us not into temptation.

What does this mean?

God tempts no one.

We pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us

so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature

may not deceive us or mislead us

into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice.

Although we are attacked by these things,

we pray that we may finally overcome them and win the victory.

But deliver us from evil.

What does this mean?

We pray in this petition, in summary,

that our Father in heaven would rescue us

from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation,

and finally, when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end,

and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow

to Himself in heaven.

The Tenth Sunday after Creation

November 16^th

Collect of the Day:

Almighty and Merciful God, You brought Your people out of the Land of Egypt, You brought Your people out from Babylon, bring forth Your people from all corners of the Earth and gather them around Your Food, in the Feast of Victory; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Theme for the Week          The Harvest is Raised

Verse of the Week:                        Amos 9:13

Daily Bible Reading List:

Mon: Hebrews 8:1-13         Tues: John 4:31-45 Wed: Joel 2:18-27

Thurs: John 16:25-33         Fri: Acts 15:1-21

Catechism Reading:

Give us this day our daily bread.

What does this mean?

God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers,

even to all evil people,

but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this

and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

What is meant by daily bread?

Daily bread includes everything that has to do with the support

and needs of the body,

such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home,

land, animals, money, goods,

a devout husband or wife, devout children,

devout workers, devout and faithful rulers,

good government, good weather, peace, health, self control,

good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

The Sunday of the Raising Lazarus

November 9^th

Collect of the Day:

Heavenly Father, during His earthly ministry Your Son Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead.  By the healing medicine of the Word and Sacraments pour into our hearts such love toward You that we may live eternally; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Theme for the Week          The LORD raises to Life

Verse of the Week:                        John 11:44

Daily Bible Reading List:

Mon: Hebrews 10:19-39    Tues: John 10:11-21          Wed: Isaiah 22:15-25

Thurs: Ezekiel 37:15-28     Fri: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Catechism Reading:

What does such baptizing with water indicate?

It indicates that the Old Adam in us

should by daily contrition and repentance

be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires,

and that a new man should daily emerge and arise

to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Where is this written?

 St. Paul writes in Romans chapter six:

"We were therefore buried with Him

through baptism into death

in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead

through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:4).